#Blood & Oil

[bisakimia]

Oksidasi Bayam Menghasilkan Racun!

Reaksi Redoks menyebabkan zat gizi dalam bayam berubah menjadi racun. Tak perlu diragukan lagi, bayam adalah sayuran yang sangat bermanfaat bagi tubuh kita. Zat gizi yang terkandung dalam bayam sangat komplit untuk memenuhi asupan gizi yang kita perlukan. Maka tak heran jika dari kecil, orang tua kita selalu menganjurkan kita untuk makan bayam. Bahkan beberapa orang tua harus memutar otak…

[orchidyoonkook]

To What We Were Before, And All The Things After | JJK | Ch. 8

Title: Photo Shoots and Blasphemous Discoveries

Pairing: Prince!College Student!JK x Fine Arts Major!(F)!Reader

Series Rating//Genre: (M) | College AU, Mild Royalty AU, Smut, Angst, Fluff, S2F2L, Indiffernce to lovers, sloooowwww ass burn

Summary: You're just there to help JK with his final project, so why are you being doused in water, facepaint and smoke? Art. Art is why.

Warnings: T, language, fluff, angst, honestly this one's kinda wholesome and fun, some photogrpahy jargin in there, but nothing a quick google search can't fix if you really need to <3, it's mostly surface level jargin. Also the smoke machine works cuz JK has great ventilation due to the massive windows being open, so don't worry bout that XD, some light and fun name calling, some world building. Ask if you need clarification on anything. That's all I think!

Word Count: 11,684

Release Date: September 1, 2024. 4:30PM

A/N 1: Surprise! Happy JK Day.

Series: Chapter One | Chapter Two | Chapter Three | Chapter Four | Chapter Five | Chapter Six | Chapter Seven

PJK [7:36pm]: Saturday afternoon. my place. 11am.  PJK [7:36pm]: bring an extra set of clothes, something warm. Sweats if you have them. PJK [7:37pm]: also, Im gunna need your shirt size

The first three weeks of November have flown by and dragged on at the same time.

The weather’s getting colder. You need a thick jacket if you want to be anywhere outside, and all leaves have fallen from the trees, leaving pines the only ones left with their winter coats on. Hot chocolate from greenhouse cafe has become part of your life’s blood so you don’t freeze, and gloves with pocket warmers inside them are once again a part of your everyday. 

But November skies have returned. And you frequently set up camp on the drying grass beside the greenhouse, dressing your canvas with oil paint to their likeness as it’s the only paint that doesn’t dry the second it’s out of the tube in the cold, static air.

Jungkook told you earlier in the week the shoot would most likely be this weekend, and that he just had a few final strings to pull together before being able to confirm. So with that in mind, you intentionally tried to finish all your work before this weekend, knowing the shoot will take a while to complete.

He mentioned it may leak over into Sunday depending on how much you get done on the first day, which is fine with you considering you usually spend Sunday evenings at his place anyway. You’d consider it an extended edition of your regularly scheduled broadcast.

And speaking of regularly scheduled, you haven’t missed a single movie night since Nel left. Granted, it’s only been three weeks, but even missing the two you did because of Nel had made an impact. 

You’d gotten so used to them, having that time to destress and unwind before the week starts. A nice little routine that helps reset you both mentally and physically.

Suddenly not having that was…a weird feeling you try not to remember. 

And you are more than happy to never miss another one ever again.

You aren’t sure what Jungkook tells Adaline he’s doing during movie night, but she’s never interrupted you, not even once. And it’s something you are increasingly grateful for, because she is one of the things you destress from as your unspoken rivalry always amps up the closer to exam season you get.

It’s Thursday evening, and you’re in your room finishing up a Microeconomics 3 assignment while piano music plays on a speaker in the corner. You use it to help you focus, and it’s working its magic as you’re finishing your work in record time. 

Music has always helped you work better, and you credit it largely with how you’ve been able to keep up with everything in your schooling.

Yuri’s in her room, doing homework as well you assume. Or maybe texting Tai—the dreamy, big dicked Ilcalos island Count—you swear she’s only put her phone down for sleep and showering, as she’s constantly checking to see if he’s messaged her. And you hope it turns out well for them, Yuri deserves someone who treats her well. Especially after the whole Jungkook debacle—which you’re not allowed to bring up—and then the poor rebound you aren’t allowed to talk about either. You’re just happy she’s finally found someone worth her time.

Picking up your phone, you shoot Jungkook a text back.

You [7:40pm]: okay! saturday at 11 sounds good. I’ll bring sweats and warm socks

You message him your shirt size too, curious as to what he’ll use it for, but you’re sure you’ll find out in due time. You always do.

Subject to many of his homework assignments, you’ve been posed and lit and adjusted every which way. 

Jungkook is incredibly professional when you’re with him as a model. Light touches to correct posing, always with a ‘may I’ before he does, and he fills the room with kind words, good vibes, and fun music so you never feel awkward. 

At first you were really iffy on the whole idea when he first asked in September, because it would be the prince of your nation photographing little ol’ you. You weren’t anything special—yet—and you’re still never one for being in the spotlight, or for being on camera. At all. But if it was just for homework, and you were helping out a friend…you figured why not? 

It helped that all of your worries immediately faded when you saw the results of that first shoot.

An email from a very non-princely email address found its way into your inbox. The subject was the date of the shoot, and the only message inside being:

 thanks. Hope you like them. 

Let’s do it again sometime.

-J

When you opened the attachments you made a quick dive to catch the phone that fell from your hands in shock. 

You looked…beautiful. Like you never had in pictures before. Not in school, or at graduation, not even in the ones you took of yourself. 

You didn’t know you were capable of looking like that. 

Like how he saw you. Captured you. 

And you’ll never admit you’ve held your chin a little higher with every shoot since.

They make you feel powerful, attractive. More confident, and sure of yourself, as if you were always meant to be in front of a camera. Like you’d been in front of one since before you could walk.

They do that for you.

He…does that for you—with his pictures, of course.

Jungkook is very talented. Very skilled with his camera, and you find yourself looking forward to the concepts he comes up with every time. Trusting him and whatever his vision is wholeheartedly. 

Though a small, immature piece of you is also pleased he still wants you to model, and not Adaline. That he finds you easier to work with over her.

Your competitive streak never fails to come out, even with the smallest, secretive things.

Take that Adaline.

You gladly help him out with his homework, and he does the same for you. 

If you ever need a male reference or a profile study. Anatomy practice, features practice, likeness practice. Anything and almost everything, all you have to do is ask, and he sits still or places whatever you need in front of you while you sketch.

Hands, however, have always been a personal favourite of yours.

They’re one of those things that can be drawn a hundred different ways and never look the same. Always a new position you can put them in. Consistently able to shake things up. And one set is never like the others—like eyes. There’s little differences in all of them and that’s where their magic lies.

You do these studies at the greenhouse, it has the best light to shadow ratio. When you ask him for one, he’ll switch to working with one hand, while the other does whatever you tell it. Normally either placed on your table or if there isn’t enough room, which nine times out of ten there isn’t because of all your supplies, you stick your foot on the lower metal frame of his table and he rests his arm, wrist or palm on your up bent knee. 

Due to this, you’ve unintentionally come to find out that his hands are very strong, very calloused, and very, very warm…

Also! Aside from hand studies, you love loose figure studies because they’re great warm up sketches. And what Jungkook doesn't know is that you have dozens of warm up sketches of him. Doesn’t know you sneak pictures here and there when you can, hiding them in a hidden album on your phone entitled ‘hmwk screenshots.’ And he definitely doesn’t know that when he’s sitting at the cafe, nose deep in assignments, you doodle his features or his outfit in real time.

A nose here, a jacket there. A muscular forearm covered in tattoos also tends to find its way onto your page every so often.

He’s got a good physique. And the ridges make for excellent anatomy practice. So does the intricate line work of tattoos, and fabric rippling. Especially in drastic lighting. Consistency is key in maintaining and improving your work and it’s not like any of these sketches will ever see the light of day anyways. 

They’re just, well…practice. 

A sigh escapes you, and you refocus on finishing your microecon work. You still have two more assignments to get done before Saturday at eleven.

“And why are you working with some random girl when I’m available, again?” Adaline asks. She’s currently sitting on Jungkook's couch in your spot. He’s setting up tomorrow's materials against the big white wall by the floor length windows that showcase his balcony.

It’s why he chose to live here instead of in the dorms or on campus. His place isn’t enormous, like most people would think, it has enough room for everything a regular student needs: bedroom, kitchen, workspace, living room, bathroom, even a guest room. But the one thing he keeps different is the big white wall where a dining room would normally be. 

Jungkook’s place has high ceilings, 10 feet tall, which is higher than the average but not excessive. And the wall that connects his kitchen to the balcony is a perfect mock studio. He can even keep all his equipment there; lights, gels, backgrounds, tubs full of props, camera cases, lenses, and more all stored in neat shelving against another wall. 

“Because students volunteered for extra credit, and she’s who was assigned to me,” a small lie, one he was sure that Adaline wouldn’t dig into too deeply. 

“Why didn’t you tell me I could volunteer?”

“Because you didn’t need the extra credit?”

She pouts, and goes back to her phone.

Adaline also doesn’t know it’s you he’s photographing and that is one hundred percent intentionally planned by him. 

He could sense something between you two after you made that one comment after fall break. He notices now how you stiffen slightly every time he mentions Adaline, and the one time he mentioned you in passing to test the waters, Adaline changed the conversion topic almost immediately. A look of annoyance, or maybe even insecurity in her eyes.

So he’s been lucky that Adaline has never wanted to see any of his schoolwork prior to or after the singular shoot he did with her. 

Lucky she hasn’t seen your face fill up his screen constantly. 

And extremely lucky that she doesn’t know about the hidden folder buried deep in his desktop labeled ‘eqpmt rcpts’ filled with dozens of candid shots of you.

To be fair, you don’t know about them either. They’re random, shots taken every now and then where he thought you looked happy, focused, or just existing. True candids of the most candid person he knew.

It started that day with his first assignment from Professor Hirmer. He’d taken those quick pictures of you painting, and then simply never stopped. 

He has pictures of you in the courtyard, walking and talking to Yuri, you smiling. He has some he took on his phone when you’re over for movie night, invested in the film or talking to him. And a bunch of you painting at the greenhouse. It’s hard to take secret candids when he’s right beside you, but he manages seeing as you haven't caught him yet.

He even has a few of you and Nel, love clearly written on your face in every single one of them.

Whenever he spots you before you spot him, and he has his camera on him, he takes a couple. 

They’ve amassed into a healthy sum, but he thinks of it as a harmless habit as no one will ever know. And it’s not like he’s following you around to take them or using them for anything nefarious. 

He just likes taking your picture. Capturing your spirit, your candor. 

Your realness. 

You are wholly yourself, always, no holding back, all of the time. 

And to him, it feels like coming up for a breath of fresh air.

“Hey!” you say as you let yourself into Jungkook’s apartment. You’d knocked but no one answered and it was currently 10:56am on Saturday, so you knew he was here. Plus, his door was unlocked.

“Jungkook?” you call. 

No answer.

You take your shoes off after closing the door and locking it. He should really keep his door locked. 

Very quickly become best friends with the couch, you toss your backpack of warm clothes on the floor while you wait for him to make an appearance. 

There’s shoot equipment everywhere; lights in the corner, some with soft boxes on them, gels laid out on the coffee table, and what you’ve come to learn is a lens case sits on the couch beside you in Jungkook's usual spot. 

Jungkook has also somehow managed to find some small trees in blue ceramic pots and what you’re pretty sure is a smoke machine. 

But the most peculiar thing is what looks to be a kiddie pool up against the wall with a folded tarp at its base. 

Well that's…interesting…

You hear a door open somewhere in the apartment and running water. 

“Jungkook? That you?”

“Hey! Yep. Just give me a sec, I’m almost done.”

The water sounds cease and Jungkook makes his grand entrance as he turns the corner holding a large watering can. Your eyebrow raises.

“For the trees?” you ask.

“What?” 

You point to the watering can currently making his veins pop. 

He laughs, “Oh! No. This is for later. You’ll see,” and walks to the other side of the room by the pool. 

“Aren’t we mysterious today,” you say, following him with your eyes. He’s in ripped black jeans that accentuate the muscle definition of his thighs, and a matching baggy shirt. When his back is turned you snap a quick picture. The fabric folds on his baggy shirts are some of your favourite mindless things to cool down sketch.

“Nah, just focused. We have a lot to get through today.”  He sets down the watering can and you can see the moment the switch flips from friend to photographer. “The guest room is ready for you. There’s a clothing rack inside with each look labeled. There’s also makeup and face paint, if you could bring out the make up after you're done changing, that would be great. We’re gonna start with ‘Bright and Bold’, okay?” 

You usually use the spare room as a change room when you have to switch clothes for a shoot. But they were always from your own closet. He’d tell you the concept he was going for and you’d bring a few options to choose from.

Makeup you were used to, though. Jungkook loves abusing your artistic abilities for his shoots in the way you decorate your face or body, saying they make his works a level up from the rest of his classmates. 

They also usually make for some of the coolest pictures you have of yourself.

This is the first time he’s ever bought clothing, though.

You shouldn’t be as surprised as you are, this being his final assignment for an important class, and him being as serious as he is about his work and the final product. But you can't help it, you’re excited to see everything he’s chosen for the shoot. 

For you.

For the shoot.

“Yep, sounds good. Be out in a few,” you reply. He nods in acknowledgement before moving to set something up and you don’t stick around to find out, grabbing your bag and heading towards the door lined hall. 

The guest room is modest and clean. White sheets and gray comforter with, surprisingly, two throw pillows to spruce it up. The walls are white too, but you’re pretty sure that’s because Jungkook’s not allowed to paint the apartment per his landlord's wishes—a thought that still makes you laugh.

He could buy any place he wanted, but chose to rent. ‘To get the real university experience,’ he explained when you asked him the first time you went over.

Black furniture accents the room. A comfortable looking leather chair sits in the corner by a glass door that leads to the balcony. It has a small table beside it. There’s a dresser with a mirror in the other corner and of course, in the center of the room, is the bed. It’s a nice room. However, the newest edition is what’s keeping your eye.

Four shirts hang from the rack at the foot of the bed. The first is vibrant and colourful, the second a light neutral short sleeved V neck, third is strapless and skin coloured, and the last is made from thin black fabric you assume will be skin tight by the looks of it. 

As promised, they’re all labeled with a sticker. 

You throw your bag on the bed and grab the colourful one first. Its sticker says ‘bright and bold,’ and you put it on after removing the shirt you came in, then zip it up. The material feels heavy, durable and expensive. You check the tag on the inside seam and see it’s from Ilkaya, one of the biggest and most expensive fashion designers on this side of the realm. 

Your eyes bug out of your head, and you try not to breathe too hard for fear of ruining it. Your routine of thrifting all your clothes makes you pretty damn sure you can’t even imagine how much this cost. 

It feels good though, comfortable, not itchy. Really freaking expensive.

You look at yourself in the mirror, and you have to admit you look amazing. It fits perfectly in all the right places, compliments your skin tone, and even brings out your eyes. Begrudgingly, you admit to yourself that maybe there’s some sense in what the price tag could be. But it would still be a ridiculous sum for a jacket.

With one last look in the mirror, you grab the palettes, brushes and other tools off the dresser, and leave your designated dressing room for the day in favour of returning to the living room. 

Jungkook’s got music going from your shared playlist. Insisting on making one after your second shoot together, when he decided you both agreed to the arrangement becoming a regular thing. It’s a good mix of both of your musical tastes, even though you guys figured out quickly that you liked pretty similar stuff anyway. 

“What do you think? Does it work?” You ask as you turn the corner. 

Jungkook fiddles with this camera before looking and pausing for a moment to take you in. You hope you look okay, but the weird look he has on his face makes you backtrack a bit. 

“Is this not the one you wanted? It had the label on it. But I can go back and double che- ”

“You look amazing,” is all he says, and your worry slides off you instantly. He smiles wide, the one you’ve come to recognize as genuine. 

“Thanks. But the colour’s doing most of the work for me,” you say, smiling back shyly.

He has a white background set up, and two differently coloured gel’d lights sit on opposite one another, a third, smaller floor light faces the background. A backlight, he’d call it. 

Bright and Bold indeed, though there is the matter of-

“What do you want me to do for my make up?”

“Actually,” he sets down his camera gently on a table, “Is it okay if I do it? I want it to be a little more on the amateur side and I don’t think your years of refined talent would let you get the exact look I want.” 

That’s new. But you're here to stand and look however he wants you too, so you allow him with a nod. 

“Sure, where do you want me to sit?”

“Here’s fine,” he says as he pulls a stool that was off to one side close to one of the windows. “As long as you don’t mind holding the make up. I don’t have a table to set them down on.  Should’ve thought of that, sorry.” 

You can tell he’s mentally scolding himself for forgetting something.

“No no, it’s fine,” you say, taking your seat, “I don’t mind, really.” 

Placing the balls of your feet on the bar that holds the chair legs together, you make your lap even enough to set the palettes out, and use a hand to hold all the brushes. 

Jungkook laughs, noticing your feet as you sit, “Cute socks.”

They’re light blue with a fox face on them, and little ears stick up from the elastic around the ankle. 

“Thanks,” you laugh too, they’re your favourite pair. “I call them my fox socks. They’re lucky.”

“Let’s hope so. Wish me luck fox socks,” he calls to your toes, and you wiggle them in response.

He picks a brush and chooses a colour. “Close your eyes and let me know if I’m pressing too hard. If it isn’t obvious, I’ve never done this before.”

You close your eyes and whisper, “Will do.”

It's a uniquely intimate experience having your makeup done. Willingly letting someone get up close and personal with you, allowing them to see every potential scar, blemish and pore in the name of beauty and for the sake of creativity. 

In this case, it’s also a little questionable considering where you feel the brush putting down colour: cheeks, lids, temple, nose. However, you’re simply a pawn in a well thought out plan, so you sit and wait for him to finish.

“Annnd done,” he says, making a final swipe with the brush on your cheek. “You look great! I didn’t hurt you, right?” he asks, showing you the makeup in a palettes mirror. Your face looks like it’s been attacked by a rainbow in the best way. You smile, taking the mirror from him and looking at all the little details. 

For a first timer, Jungkook did a really good job. 

“Nope, I’m good. How do you want me?”

Jungkook leads you to the backdrop, placing you in front. 

“One second,” he says, grabbing a remote and clicking a button to lower the black out curtains on the windows, and then another that turns off the apartment lights. He also clicks on all the lights he’s set up and you’re quickly illuminated by a bright red and purple as well as the back light.

“I’m good to pose?” he asks. 

“Yep.” 

You love that he always asks first. It makes you feel safe and considered, consenting to every touch prior to its occurrence. 

Jungkook instructs the first pose to have your hands on the sides of your face, making slight adjustments so that you don’t cover any of the makeup. And for the first time, his touches leave little sparks where they land. 

You’re sure it’s just because of the lights or that the shirt is thick and makes you warm. 

Or maybe you’re just nervous and need to get the first photo jitters out of your system.

Soon enough, the camera’s pointing at you and you smile the brightest you can. He’s given you the prompt of ‘you’re so excited and happy you can’t hold it in,’ and you work with it the best you can, taking the first few with the pose he gave before being given full reign. 

It’s a decent way into the first shoot when Jungkook says, “Hmm…we’re not quite there yet, I need a bit more,” and follows up with, “How about ‘you’ve just been commissioned by the Modern Art Museum to have the leading showcase for next year’.” 

You smile the biggest you think you ever have at the thought. Because that’s the dream, that is the biggest goal you could achieve. An entire gallery of your work as the primary exhibition in the Western Shores Modern Art Museum? You couldn’t go any higher. It’s every artist's dream.

“There you go! That’s it!” The camera’s capturing quickly as you imagine what it would be like to have your own showcase at the WS-MAM. Incredible is the first word that comes to mind, your work in the biggest museum on the continent? You can’t even imagine, but you want to. 

One day, you promise yourself. You’ll do it one day.

“Okay,” Jungkook says, breaking your daydream, “Let me switch out the gels for new colours and go again. These are great so far though, you're doing amazing.” 

You hold your hand out for a high five and he smacks it. “Go team!” you say, and he laughs.

An hour and a half, a makeup fix and three lighting changes later, the first shoot finishes. You collapse on the couch and rub the muscles on your thighs. 

Jungkook plops down beside you, nose deep in the pictures he’s just taken, double checking everythings good.

“This is a fantastic start, I hope we can keep it up all day and finish before tomorrow.”

“Me too,” you say, and you mean it. Shoots with him are always fun, but inevitably tiring. “I’m gonna to grab a water, want one?” 

“Yes please,” he replies without looking up.

In the kitchen, you open the fridge to grab the two bottles and notice a box, stamped with a coffee mug that has a greenhouse inside of it, on top. The greenhouse cafe’s logo. 

“Can I ask what’s inside the cafe box?” you ask as you sit back on the couch and pass him a bottle.

“Ah, caught red handed,” he says, setting his camera on the table and taking a swig. “I may have asked Vivan earlier this week to make sure there was an overstock of tarts so I could grab them for you as a thank you for today.”

...Oh

That’s so sweet. He’s never gotten you a thank you gift before, especially not in the form of the most delicious pastry to ever exist. Maybe you should get him something for all the times he’s helped you with homework? A solstice gift maybe?

There’s heat forming in your chest and you really hope it’s not the beginning stages of heartburn. Maybe Jungkook has antacids. 

“You didn’t have to do that, I’m happy to help.”

“So you don’t want them then?” his shit eating grin making a glorious comeback because he knows what your answer’s going to be.

“No! I want them. I most definitely want them.”

He chuckles and puts his water down.

“Okay Donatello, glad you accept. Let's move on to the next set up. There’s makeup remover and cotton pads in the room, and some moisturizer too if you need it.”

The next shoot is called ‘Regality,’ and it has you in the strapless shirt. You find out it’s quite a low cut when you put it on. There’s enough to cover you, but there’s definitely a lot of your chest showing. However, under the shirt on the hanger is a scarf to cover yourself with, which you think is very considerate.

“Makeup?” you ask as you come out again, scarf covering you.

“Neutral, but strong. Kind of like how my mother does,” the background is still white, but you have a hunch that it will remain white in this picture, unlike the last one. “This one is going to be black and white, so try to emphasize your natural beauty.”

You ignore that he essentially just said you're beautiful, surely he’s just being kind and professional. Making sure his model feels good about herself. 

Right?

Right.

You put on a coat of mascara and go light on the shadow so it won't be too dramatic on film. You also use a shade of lipstick that adds just a tint to your lips and a blush that makes your eyes pop.

Jungkook has you sit on the stool from earlier and faces your body three quarters of the way towards the camera, but keeps your head turned in profile. 

“Oh! Almost forgot, one second,” Jungkook jogs to his room, coming back with a palm sized velvet box. “I had my mother send these over for this shoot. She has better taste than me, so I let her pick them out.”

Your stomach plummets to the floor when he opens the box. 

Inside are two dangling diamond earrings, and quite possibly the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen.

And now you’re terrified. 

“Jungkook, I can't wear those. They look like they’re worth more than my house, my car and my tuition combined.”

He takes one out and places it in your hand for you to put in, it’s the length of your index finger. And all you can think about is the potential houses you’re holding as you look at it. 

It’s a semi-rectangular earring, encrusted with four columns of diamonds that cascade down, each column longer than the previous. Like a sparkling waterfall you can attach to your ear.

“Don’t worry about it, mum said she never wears them anyway because they’re part of a set that the necklace was lost to years ago. Please,” his face is nothing but reassurance and small smiles, “You’re giving them a chance to live again.”

You couldn't say no to those eyes even if you wanted to.

So you reply, almost breathless and still against your better judgment, “Okay.”

Placing them in one after the other, they have a significant, understandable weight to them. You take a couple deep breaths so you don't freak out, and then you return to your previously designated pose, profile set, body facing the camera.

“Can I adjust?” Jungkook asks, after taking a step back and getting a wider view. 

You nod gently, still terrified of the earrings.

He makes sure the earring is visible and untangled first, before a finger gently comes beneath your chin, and lifts it a bit higher. 

The feeling they leave behind is all you can think about as you stare at your place on the wall, Jungkook snapping away. Not even the soft light illuminating your profile is enough to make you blink.

This shoot goes by quickly, and you’re relieved to get the earrings back safely inside their box.

“It’s like 2:45, wanna break for a late lunch?” Jungkook asks. 

“Please, I’m starved,” you say, returning from the guest room after tossing on the sweater you brought. “What's on the menu?”

“Well, we have two options,” he says, looking very faux serious, “1. We order out from wherever you want and awkwardly wait for it to arrive because the next shoot is not one we can’t prep for, then eat, then shoot.  Or 2. I make use of the ingredients I bought to make Bulgogi Kimchi Fried Rice and you get lunch and a show.”

You're shocked. 

Jungkook…cooks? Oh this you absolutely must see.

“Hmm….” you say, pretending to really mull it over in the same ‘serious’ tone, “I’m thinking I’ll have to go with option two, Chef. But I’ll lend a hand where I can, no use in standing around doing nothing.”

“Every chef needs a sous.”

With both of you on task, lunch is getting made quickly. Jungkook has all the ingredients to make ‘my buddy’s famous family recipe,’ a man who you assume is a chef back at the palace. The island countertop is currently covered in them; onion, kimchi, marinated bulgogi, gochujang, cooked rice, eggs and more. 

You’re surprised at how skilled Jungkook is in the kitchen. He’s cutting the ingredients like he’s been doing it his whole life and working the pan over the stove like the proper technique has been drilled into him since birth. 

Thirty minutes pass, and after both of you shed a tear at the cut onions and evenly split the remaining tasks, you’re sitting on the couch about to take your first bite. It smells delicious. Your mouth is watering and you can’t wait to dig in, stomach painfully empty by this point.

Finally taking that first bite, you nearly die of euphoria.

“Ouhmahgaud,” you say, mouth half full. Jungkooks on the other side of the couch, trying not to cough out his own food from laughing at your reaction. His eyes are nearly shut with how wide he’s smiling.

“Good?” he asks after swallowing his food first, like a civilized person.

You’re vigorously nodding as you swallow your own helping in hopes you’re understood.

“You’re giving me this recipe. I need it. I don’t think I will survive if this is the only time I ever get to eat it.” Your bowl is almost half gone already. Thank god there’s leftovers, you will be having more.

Plus, you want to make it for your mom when you go home, she’ll love it. 

“I’ll text it to you later, don’t worry.”

You’re very sure the look on your face conveys the gratitude you feel and the rest of the meal passes in a very comfortable and satisfied silence. 

Twenty-ish minutes later, after letting your seconds settle for a couple minutes, Jungkook gets back to business. 

“Next look is the most adventurous, it uses the facepaint. Are you okay with contacts?”

“I think so, never tried them before though. Just give me a few before we start so I don’t explode when I stand up.”

“All good,” he says, before quirking a lip and adding, “I really don’t feel like explaining why there’s kimchi and bits of you all over my walls to either of our parents, so take all the time you need.”

You laugh, firstly at the visual, then at the idea of Jungkook meeting your mother. That would be something you needed on record, paper and film.

After a minute, you get up, the guest room making your acquaintance once more. 

“This one is called Enigmatic,” Jungkook calls.

“Got it!”

You take longer than normal to change, maybe eating before putting on the skin tight shirt wasn’t a great idea. But at least it was stretchy. 

It has long sleeves, a high neck, and is a very dark midnight black. There’s a matching black scarf for this one too, and a safety pin attached to the corner.

“Okay, what's the plan for this one? I hear facepaint is involved,” you say, back for round three, scarf in hand.

The background of the set is black now, a close match to your shirt. Jungkook is by the smoke machine, currently set up on the stool and plugged into a nearby outlet. 

You hold up the scarf, questioningly.

“That’s to go over your head after the paint, but let’s see if you can do contacts first, they’re in the washroom. Need help?”

“No, I'm good.”

You don’t succeed at first, but after a couple attempts you look in the mirror and see purple eyes staring back at you. You love them.

“I look like a badass,” you say, returning. The smoke machine’s been turned on and it’s created a completely different atmosphere. At your reemergence, Jungkook shuts it off and comes close to give you a look. You freeze a little at the eye contact, his browns meeting your currently violets for a prolonged moment.

“They look better than I’d hoped, this is going to be great.” 

He reaches under the gels on the table for a piece of paper. It’s a makeup model face with the look he wants drawn on. “Are you able to do something like this?”

The diagram shows the cheeks, bottom half of the nose and down all the way to the neck as black, and the eyes and up as white, bleeding down into the black like smoke. You’re going to need eyeshadow for that part. If you did that with the face paint it would just become a gray mess.

“Yep, but it’s going to take some time to get it right.”

“That’s okay, I’ll use it to get the smoke machine properly set up.”

You use one of the palette mirrors and start with the white, covering the top of your face and making a good base layer for the eyeshadow. Then fill the bottom of your face and neck with the black. Carefully, so as to not make gray, you use a large brush to cover both sides with their respective eyeshadow shades, before blending them together like the reference. Your skin starts to feel like it’s on fire by the time you're satisfied and you check your phone for the time when you finally finish. 

4:37pm. 

Not bad. You put the scarf over your head and cover your ears with it, using the safety pin to hold it in place. 

“Done.”

Jungkook takes one look at you and lights up. 

“Have I ever mentioned how talented you are, and that you make my schoolwork so much more fun? Because I feel like I should again even if I already have.” Your cheeks heat, glad he’s excited you’re able to help. “How did you manage to make it look even better?”

“I do vaguely remember mentioning something about a deal with a semi-suspicious genie,” you joke. And both of you break out in giggle fits after a second, recalling the conversation from forever ago. 

Running through the same steps of lighting, posing, and adjustments, Jungkook then flips on the smoke machine and lets it fill the room heavily before starting to take pictures. 

You’re sitting on a small box this time, so that you’re slightly lower than the camera. Jungkook tells you to keep your hands at your sides and look up, just above the rim of the camera lens. It creates a very interesting look, and you're excited to see the results. 

He has you do a couple more poses before allowing you to do your own thing once more, trying to think of what would look mysterious and enigmatic.

You try to let the music inspire you. This is a look you’ve never done before, so you’re finding it a bit difficult to get into it despite Jungkook's helpful prompts and suggestions. But you flow a bit better with it as time goes on and you become more comfortable.

An idea pops up out of nowhere and you have him do a close up from the middle of your chin to the middle of your forehead. You stare straight into the lens to really showcase the purple contacts and makeup.

“This’s the one for sure,” he says, taking a few more. “Great idea, why didn’t I think of a close up in the first place?” You know he's talking to himself at this point. 

It’s close to 6:15pm when Jungkook decides he has enough pictures for this look. You don’t mind the longer shoot seeing as you set aside the day for this, and you can’t wait to see how these ones turn out in particular.  

You’re halfway through getting the face paint off, a mountain of gray stained cotton pads beside you, when Jungkook turns the music down.

“Let’s do a light, early dinner and then shoot the last one?” he asks. “I kept this one at the end because it’s going to create the most mess and it’ll be nice to have dinner out of the way for when I have to clean up.”

“More mess than this?” you point to the cotton pad mountain.

“Much more.”

“Light, early dinner it is,” you confirm, not wanting to have to wait till late to eat. “But can we order out so I have time to get the rest of this off?”

“Sure, what’ll it be?”

Clean faced, moisturized and ramyeon filled, you and Jungkook are preparing for the last shoot. Or well, lightly arguing.

“Water?”

“Mhm.”

“On me?”

“Yep.”

“From that thing,” you point to the contraption he calls a c-stand that will be holding the very full, very large watering can over your head for an extended amount of time, “And into there?” you point again to the kitty pool on top of the tarp that’s underneath the watering can c-stand. 

“That is the plan,” he looks amused at your slight distress.

“Are you nuts? What if it falls on me? How do I know it won’t unhinge and I’ll have a nicely cracked open skull to explain to my mother on Solstice break?”

“It won’t fall and you know it won't because you trust me and trust I wouldn’t put you in unnecessary danger. But if it does, tell your mom I say hi and sorry.”

You scoff at him, unbelievable. “So you admit there’s a bit of danger!”

Jungkook sighs, and looks to the ceiling. “Yes, YN. There is a touch of danger. But that’s only if, somehow, the c-stand I have triple safety checked, duct taped twice, and quadruple secured with four fifteen pound sandbags, decides that you deserve a watering can to the head.”

You side eye his tone. This wasn’t an unrealistic worry. But you do trust him. And trust he would never intentionally put you in any danger.

The trees are set up near the backdrop that looks like a row of brick houses. The shot is supposed to be ‘The Calm after Before the Storm,’ where you look relieved and happy in an ‘outside’ setting while ‘rain’ falls over you, also in black and white.

“Fine, but if I hear one peep from that thing,” c-stand staring down the tip of your finger once more, “I’m tuck and rolling and taking you out while I do it.”

“Very fair!” he says relieved, and goes to set up the stand with the watering can. 

You’d changed into the neutral V neck after dinner, and he’s asked for no makeup. So all you have to do now is stand and pose while trying not to die from foreign objects falling from the sky while you get wet.

Easy, right?

Wrong.

It is incredibly difficult, and you’re glad he made this one last because you’re at best; slightly miserable. Only the promise of a hot shower, hot chocolate with whip cream and marshmallows and your pick of whatever you watch afterward is keeping you going.

You started this one just shy of 8pm after waiting 45 minutes for the food. And it’s nearing 9:30 now. Jungkook has had to refill the watering can four times, dump the kiddie pool twice,  and you swear if you don’t finish within the next twenty minutes, you’re going to collapse from shivering.

To be fair, he does fill the watering can with warm water, but it only stays warm for so long before freezing water is pouring on you for the millionth time tonight. 

“I have one last idea, and by the way, I’m never doing this concept again so don’t worry about that, but also… don’t shut down the idea immediately okay?” Jungkook says. 

The watering can is almost empty again and you’re relieved that your time is almost up. That in itself should make for a good picture. He snaps it.

But his tone makes you a little wary, “Okay… what is it?”

“Pretend I’m Nel and you’re seeing me for the first time in six months, like you do at the end of April.”

Well, you didn’t have that down on your photo shoot prompt bingo card. 

Are you okay with the idea? You aren’t sure, but aren’t not sure either.

“I mean, I’ll try. Maybe you could give vocal cues to try and help? But don’t make it weird.”

“I won’t, promise,” Jungkook pauses for a second before adding, “Does he call you baby?”

You nod, and you distantly hear and ‘okay’ as you slowly allow yourself to get into that headspace.

You start, and the camera starts going.

You’re in the airport, waiting for Nel, ‘smoosh’ paper in hand. The gate opens, and through all the other passengers you see him, see that he’s in one piece, see that he’s safe. 

Your face illuminates with relief at that so much so that you don’t even notice the water that starts running down your face. 

You hear a ‘hi baby’ and in your head, it’s coming from Nel’s mouth as he nears you. You smile impossibly wider at the thought of seeing him, feeling him. Having him here with you. 

You look happy to see me, ‘Nel’ says.

“I am,” you reply. 

There’s repetitive clicking in the distance, but you ignore it. It’s probably just a flight attendant's heels on the floor.

“I missed you.”

There’s a long moment of silence before Nel speaks again.

I missed you too, baby.

You’re shivering hard now, lost in thought, unaware of reality. 

YN, Nel calls.

“Yes, love?”

“YN.”

“Babe, what is it?”

“YN, hey,” you're being shaken gently.

“Hmm? What?” you slowly arrive back to the present. Strong hands grip your shoulders. They feel nice. Solid. Deliciously warm. 

A very concerned looking Jungkook comes into focus, camera dangling around his neck and reaching for you.

Oh.

He’s the one holding your shoulders, trying to get you to come back to reality.

“There she is, welcome back,” he lets go and grabs a blanket from somewhere and wraps it around you. “We got the shot, go take a shower and warm up okay?”

“Okay,” you say, still a little dazed, but present enough to function.

You step out of the pool, holding on to the hand Jungkook offers to balance—Warm. Solid. Strong—and head straight for the bathroom, making a pit stop in the guest room to grab your bag with fresh clothes. 

The hot water cements your place back in reality, letting it warm you up and cleanse you of the day. 

You have no idea what just happened with that whole Nel thing, but it was a new feeling and a new headspace and you really aren’t in the mood to analyze or acknowledge, so it’s shoved onto a top shelf in the back of your mind for a later date.  

Once you're able to return to the directory of your mind, you don’t know how long you’ve been in the shower. But you know you’re clean, no longer cold, and in the mood for hot chocolate, so you step out and dry yourself with the towels Jungkook laid out for you on the toilet seat.

They’re soft. So soft in fact you consider only for a second shoving one in your now less full bag to take home with you. However, you do rather enjoy your friendship with the prince, so you think better of it upon second thought. 

Dressing in your sweats, you exit, tossing the towels in the hamper and your bag of the clothes you arrived in back into the spare room.

“Better?” Jungkook asks as you sit down in your spot on the couch for the last time tonight, wrapping up in the blanket he left for you. He’s in the kitchen but heard you coming.

“Much, thanks,” you sniff, “Is that hot chocolate I smell?”

Jungkook returns from the kitchen, two mugs in hand. “With extra whip cream and marshmallows, as ordered.”

You carefully take it from him, giving your thanks and happily slurping away the second it’s in your grasp. 

“Alright Caravaggio, what are we watching?” he asks, sitting down on his side, sipping away on his own. 

Sometime between you leaving for the shower and coming back out Jungkook changed into his own comfy attire, and tidied up the studio space as the pool and tarp are nowhere to be seen.

“I’ve thought really hard about this, all of however long I was in the shower,” Jungkook mutters something about 35 minutes; you ignore him, “And have settled on ‘A Miser Brothers Solstice’.”

He whines just a little when he says, “But it’s November.”

“So?”

“So, Solstice isn’t until the third week of December,” he’s saying this like his point is the most obvious thing in the world. 

It’s not.

“Your point?”

“That it’s November, and you want to watch a Solstice movie.”

You’re mockingly outraged.

“Who made you town grinch? I didn’t realize we had a holiday hater in our midst.” 

You loved the holidays, all the big ones, and the small ones, but Solstice was special. 

“I’m not a grinch, I’m just not there yet, mentally.”

“Then get ready to dive in head first, because you said I could pick the movie for risking my life for you and I pick ‘A Miser Brothers Solstice’.”

Jungkook doesn’t argue further, but he does roll his eyes as he puts on your movie with a small smile hidden behind his drink.

It’s sometime during the first act, you’re lying back against your corner of the couch, feet up and under the blanket when you ask, “What are your solstice break plans?” 

Jungkook takes a moment to part from the TV, very invested for someone who was so against it half an hour ago. “I have a lot of ‘princely duties’ to do for Solstice, like standing and looking thoughtful while my dad gives his annual Solstice speech,” you snort. “Then there’s the palace dinner, the parade through the capital, and the live televised event,” he says in a tv announcer's voice, “Where my family and I light the Solstice Star. And then there’s the new year and that in itself has another long list of things I have to do. Besides things like that though? Not much, and then it’s back here.”

Right.

You often forget who he is. 

That behind those kind eyes, and small smiles, behind the greenhouse study dates, and movie nights, and photoshoots, Jungkook has an enormous responsibility constantly looming over his head, counting down the days until he finishes his schooling. One that’s just waiting to drop onto his shoulders forever. 

You often forget that Jungkook is the Prince, first in line to the biggest throne in the realm. That you spend your time with not only Jeon Jungkook, friend and photography student, but also, His Royal Highness, Prince Jeon Jungkook, Heir Apparent and Future King of The Western Shores.

He just makes it so damn easy to forget.

You only asked because you thought maybe he had plans with friends or family, completely forgetting about all of the things the royal family does during the holiday season to celebrate with the nation, their people, and now you feel like an ass for even bringing it up.

But there’s something in his answer, or lack thereof, that snags your attention. 

“What about celebrating with your family and friends in private?”

“No time,” Jungkook’s stare goes distant as he brings his knees up and puts his arms around them, resting his chin. “Friends are always busy with palace preparations and dad’s not really the sentimental type. We celebrated when I was younger; big family breakfast, presents, tree decorating, whole thing. But after I turned about 13 or so, it started dwindling pretty quickly. Now it’s just me and my mom exchanging a gift with each other at midnight under the palace tree.” 

You don’t think you’ve ever heard something so heartbreaking yet beautiful in your life. 

“Your mum sounds wonderful, I’m really happy you two get that time together.” 

He looks at you, and you can tell by the look in his eyes he loves that time with her more than anything else. 

Solstice is supposed to be the time you spend with your family, blood or chosen. The time where you all gather to cook and bake, and exchange thoughtful gifts with the ones you love. The time where you truly cherish one another and count yourself lucky for all that you have. 

Solstice is your favourite time of the year.

To not spend it like that just seems…wrong. Horribly, painfully, awfully wrong.

“What about you?” he asks.

You don’t want to make him feel bad, so you tone down your answer, taking away the meat and giving the bones.

“My mum and I cut down our own tree and decorate it with the ornaments we’ve collected over the years,” you have them from every place you’ve ever visited, and your mum kept all the ones you ever made as a kid. You even get a new one every solstice to take a picture for and label with the year.  

“Then we bake solstice cookies until our hands cramp and survive off only them until solstice dinner; a turkey, honey glazed carrots, mashed potatoes with gravy, essentially if it waters your mouth, it’s there,” he chuckles at that. “We do gifts for each other too, opening them on solstice morning before making hot drinks and reading in the breakfast nook until the sun sets or till we get hungry, whichever comes first.”

Jungkook's eyes glow, radiating warmth, a lazy smile on his face as he listens to you. 

“That sounds really nice, YN.”

“It is,” you reply, looking him in those radiant eyes as you do. He looks… happy. Happy for you, that you get to have something like this that’s so special. It breaks your heart a little…maybe you can help.

“You wanna make some solstice cookies with me before break?”

His look of happy shifts to one of slight panic.

“What?” you question, and comically ask, “Have you never made solstice cookies before?”

He hesitates before answering a very quiet, “Uh…N-no.”

Your shock must be incredibly evident in the way he almost flinches at your reaction.

So you try your best to keep your voice level when you ask, “What do you mean, no?”

“I mean no. I’ve never made solstice cookies.”

That’s it. You can’t hold back any more, you’ve never heard anything so blasphemous in all your life.

“You’ve never what?  How is that even possible?”

He shrinks into himself a little more.

“The palace pastry chef always makes them because that’s kind of his job,” you stare at him in disbelief. “Is this really that big a deal?”

You swear there’s cog’s and smoke flying out of your ears. Solstice cookies are a religion in your household. You know dozens of recipes by heart, always finding a new one each year to try and up your game. You cannot imagine a solstice without making them. Wait no, actually you can, but it would be because you’re dead.

You held back in your answer earlier, for his sake, but you and your mom’s hands cramp up because you make enough cookies to give a box to everyone in the neighborhood. It’s one of your favourite traditions, and your neighbours even look forward to it every year, going so far as sending you both recipes to try out.

“Big dea—you’ve never fucking mad—not even when you were little? No one brought you to the kitchen and let you help? Aren't all your friends back home the pastry chefs' kids or something?” You don’t mean to sound harsh, but your tone is a little more passionate than you were intending. 

But Jungkook knows you, knows you occasionally get that passionate about things, and takes your outburst in stride. 

“Yeah, one of them is, but we don't sit around the oven and make cookies all break long. And his dad is always too busy to teach us even if we wanted to.”

You decide something. Right then and there.

“This year you are.”

“What?”

“Mark your last Saturday off because I'm going to show up here, ingredients-a-plenty and teach you how to make solstice cookies. I have a million recipes up here,” you tap your head with a finger, “But I'll choose the easiest ones. And I’ll come over early so we can spend the day making all of them. I can’t in good conscience leave for the break knowing you’ve never made them.”

He sighs. “Do I have any say in the matter?”

“Absolutely not.”

Jungkook stares at you and you can’t figure out what he’s thinking. You’re worried he’s going to say no anyway. To say you’re crazy and that they’re just cookies and that he has more important things he has to do on his Saturday before leaving for home.

But he doesn’t. And you should’ve known he wouldn’t, not after all the time you’ve spent together. 

You know better. Know him better.

“Alright Picasso. Sounds like a plan. I’m looking forward to it,” he decides, and goes back to watching the movie. 

It’s the first time he’s ever repeated a nickname.

“Wait! The wind guy wants to replace who?!” Jungkook shouts. 

You laugh at his confusion, and rewind the movie.

Jungkook wakes up sore.

His back is killing him, which makes sense since he’s half lying on the couch, half on the ground. 

The TV’s silently playing some slideshow of movie recommendations based on recent watches. 

He checks his phone, reaching for it on the coffee tale. 

14% battery. 

4:07am. 

Shit, he fell asleep. 

After the solstice movie he wanted to watch its predecessor. You had no qualms and so on it went, but he doesn’t remember much after the brothers started fighting.

Hearing soft, even breathing next to him he turns to see you, hunched over in your spot asleep, no doubt in the process of ruining your own back.

He should go to bed.

You should go to bed. 

But you’ve never stayed the night.

What should he do? Should he wake you? 

But you look so peaceful. And it’s nearing exams. You barely sleep when it’s exams season. 

Instead, Jungkook goes to check the guest room, but it’s a mess with yesterday's comings and goings. Make-up and clothes and hangers strewn everywhere.

Quietly, making a decision he hopes you won’t kill him for in the morning, he pads back to your sleeping form. 

It’s for your back, he tells himself. No other reason.

Deja vu sets in as he scoops you up from the couch, blanket and all. Just like last time, you gain enough consciousness to know to wrap your arms around his neck, but not enough to wake up. Your head rests on his shoulder and he selfishly savours the feeling as he walks down the short hallway to his room.  

Jungkook sets you down gently on one side of the bed, and your arms release, slumber undisturbed as he tucks you in.

He goes back to the living room to retrieve your phones. Yours is still at 56%, and he places it on the table beside you when he returns.

Climbing into his side of the bed, he’s careful not to touch you.

Though he wants to. 

Desperately. 

His sleep deprived brain is too slow to block out the thoughts that start to race. Thoughts of how he wants to turn around and pull you into his chest, slide an arm around your waist, and kiss you goodnight. How he wants to wake up in the same position, you still in his arms. 

But he’s also awake enough to know that will never happen. That you’re with Nel, and happy with him. That he’s drawn that nice, big line.

He’s awake enough to know you being in his bed is a fluke, unintentional.

A one time thing.

Plugging his phone into its charger, he sets it down on his own bedside table and pulls the covers up, falling back asleep.

His back facing you. 

An exhale wakes you.

Warm and cozy, you take a deep breath and roll to your left side, stretching on the way over. The scents of clean linen and something familiar find you. It’s comforting, that smell, but you can’t place it.

Another exhale, but this time you feel it as well as hear it.

You open your eyes to see a sleeping Jungkook face not a foot from your own and you jolt in shock, falling off the bed in the process. 

You look up from your new seat on the floor, ignoring the pain in your side from landing, and peer over the covers to check on Jungkook, who, miraculously, hasn’t woken up from your tumble. 

Relieved, your mind focuses on more pressing questions like ‘how did you get here?’ And ‘why were you in his bed?’ 

The last thing you remember was being halfway through the prequel to A Miser Brothers Solstice on the couch, watching Jungkook more than the movie because of how invested he’d become in the story. 

But you aren’t on the couch now. You were in his bed. 

The bed of the Prince of the Western Shores. 

The Prince who has a girlfriend, and you, who has a very long term, very serious boyfriend.

You hear a vibration, and following the sound, you find your phone on the bedside table. 

You quickly grab it quickly and go to the living room as quietly as you can manage. 

There’s a large number of unread texts. 

SlurryYuri [11:08pm]: hey, just checking in. You didn’t get home when you said you’d try for SlurryYuri [11:31pm]: Helloooooooo? YN? You there? SlurryYuri [12:14am]: it’s getting late YN, when are you coming home? Are you on your way?

Missed Calls: (3)

SlurryYuri [2:43am]: it’s been hours, so you better be dead or have crashed in the school somewhere. Either way I’m kicking your ass when you get home

Missed Calls: (2)

(Recent)

SlurryYuri [9:36am]: you’re still not home?? YN seriously, where are you SlurryYuri [10:23am]: If you don’t message me back in an hour I’m calling the police and filing a missing persons

Shit. 

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. You crashed hard, the shoot must have taken more out of you than you thought, so you never texted Yuri you were going to crash in a sleep pod at school like you’d planned too. 

You make quick work of messaging her back, glad she unintentionally gave you just the excuse you needed. 

YN [10:25am]: ohmygod I’m soooooo sorry, it was the school one. I fell asleep in the school. I’m sorry for worrying you. I’ll be home soon, promise. I’m just going to grab breakfast first. Again im sorry

SlurryYuri [10:27am]: thank the gods youre okay!! Don’t ever do that to me again YN! I don’t wanna be the one who has to break news to your mom!! She’s too nice.  SlurryYuri [10:27am]: and take your time getting back if your rushing for me, I’m not at the dorm SlurryYuri [10:27am]: Tai showed up yesterday out of the blue and took me dancing. We’re out getting brunch right now, and he has plans for the rest of the day SlurryYuri [10:28am]: Im just glad you’re not dead in a ditch somewhere

YN [10:29am]: me too, and okay I will. Thanks for checking up on me and making sure im safe, youre my favourite

SlurryYuri [10:30am]: damn right I am, see you tn <3

YN [10:30am]: see you <3

You exhale deeply, that was fucking close. 

Your stomach rumbles and it reminds you that you actually need to get breakfast. 

What could you have? You could order in again, but that means a wait time and you are hungry now. You could raid Jungkook's pantry, or see if he has any fruit, but then you think that’s a gross invasion of privacy when it’s not movie night and you haven’t asked if it’s okay. 

Wait.

The egg tarts!

You dash to the fridge, the marvellous sight of a greenhouse inside a coffee mug comes into view. Stuffing one down before you even get the box from the fridge, you exit the kitchen, sit down on the couch, setting the box on the coffee table. Once opened in front of you, you realize there is a healthy amount of tarts inside. 

How many did Jungkook ask for?

Speaking of, a bed-headed, yawning Jungkook makes his morning debut, still in last night's clothes.

“Hey,” he says groggily, walking over and stealing a tart.

“Hey!” you say back, not nearly as friendly. 

“Overnight tax, Picasso. Room isn’t free.” He chuckles at your faux outrage, popping half the tart in his mouth as he walks to the kitchen and grabs something from the fridge. Returning, you see it’s a morning protein shake. 

Gross. 

“So is that name the one you’re sticking to now?” you ask, picking up another tart. At this rate they won’t last until lunch.

“Yeah, that okay with you? It’s your name in my phone after all.”

“It is?” You didn’t know that.

“Yeah, has been since the start.” 

You’re quickly learning that sleepy morning Jungkook is very different from morning post work-out Jungkook, friend Jungkook and photographer Jungkook. His voice is deeper, he’s a lot more relaxed, and maybe even harmlessly borderline flirty, like he’s not all there yet. Softer. 

“Picasso’s just fine. A compliment really.”

“Oh? And what am I in your’s then? Hopefully something just as nice?”

You tell him like it is.

“PJK.”

“PJK?” he asks, incredulous.

“Yeah? It’s obscure enough to not be recognizable if someone were to see it, but enough for me to know who it is.”

“Nah, you need something better, PJK is boring.”

“It’s your initials.”

“And boring,” he’s really not letting up on this. 

“Well...what would you save yourself as?”

He mulls it over for a minute before deflating. “Okay, fair point, but I seriously want a new one. Something that can rival Picasso.”

“Do you have any nicknames? Something not completely obvious?”

For a morning person, Jungkook sure is taking his time. Maybe he was only a morning person before 8am, and then if he got up anytime after that he became a normal person who despised mornings like everyone else.

“Uhh…Vivian calls me JK, but that’s essentially the same thing as PJK. My buddies back home sometimes call me Kook, but I don’t think that works either. My mum has one for me that I will not disclose to anyone so long as I am breathing. So I guess not.”

A lightbulb dings over your head. “What about your security? Don’t they have special code names for you when they detail you? Like bear or eagle?” 

“Yeah, but it’s not nearly as badass as either of those.”

“Fess up,” you say. Now you have to know.

“Hare.”

“Hare?” Now it’s your turn to be incredulous. “Like a rabbit?”

“Yep.”

An idea pops into your head and an evil grin spreads across your face, one you know is already setting worry into Jungkook’s still awakening brain as you change his name.

“I don’t like that look,” he confirms. “What’d you change it to?”

You flip your phone around and hold it up to him.

“Bunny?” he says incredulously once again.

“Yes.”

“I give you Picasso, one of the greatest painters of all time, and you think giving me bunny is anywhere near on par with that?”

Teasing him is far too fun, especially when he makes it this easy for you.

“Oh absolutely. In fact, I think it’s the best name I could possibly set it as.”

Jungkook disagrees, vehemently. “No, change it back. PJK is fine.”

“Too late. You dug your grave, now lie in it.”

Jungkook brings a hand to his face, pinching the crease between his brows and takes a very long, deep breath, exhaling just as dramatically. 

You take that as your victory. But you’re sorely mistaken.

He launches at you, reaching for your phone and you scream, reaching your arm to keep it away from him. You have a fox socked foot on his chest to try and keep him back. His right arm is holding him up near your hip on the couches edge and he’s reaching with his left as far as he can without breaking his sternum on your heel. 

“Give it!”

“Never!”

You try to bring up your other foot to push him away, but Jungkook is strong, and forces both it and the one on his chest down with the arm that was supporting him, temporarily keeping himself up with his left hand on the back of the couch. 

With your legs out of the way he can almost reach his phone. But in his distracted state, misses the couch when he goes to put his supporting arm down again, and flips onto the ground, taking you with him. You scream, but his arms wrap around you as he makes sure to take the brunt of the impact, landing on his back, you safely secured to his chest. 

There’s a moment of pure stunned silence, you resting your forhead on his chest while you process, him not letting go of your waist as he gets a breath into his winded self, before you’re both laughing as you take in what happened.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Yeah, you?”

He takes a second to respond. “I’m great.” 

You push to sit up, and he releases you from his hold, but that was a mistake. Because now you’re sitting on his lap. 

It takes an entire three seconds of you staring at him and him staring right back before you jump and scramble off him as fast as you can. 

“Sorry.” you say in unison, you standing and him from the ground. It’s a painfully awkward 8 seconds before you break, cackling at the whole situation, and he joins in with you again. 

Jungkook brushes off his pants as he gets up too. “Got any plans before tonight,” he asks, business as usual.

“Nope, cleared my schedule in case this went long, I’ve got the whole day.”

You swear his smile grows two sizes.

“Well in that case,” he looks to the TV, then back to you, “Wanna start movie night early?”

An entire day to relax and chill out before the hell that is exams season takes your every free second? 

Yes please.

“Solstice movie marathon?” you propose slyly, near devious.

“I’ll get the popcorn,” he confirms, already halfway to the kitchen.

You spend the day like that, on the couch watching movie after movie, both pretending the little incident never even happened. 

But you make sure to go home after movie night this time. 

Chapter Nine: Sugar Cookies and Devious Confessions

A/N 2: This chapter kicked my ass but it's here and I couldn't be more thrilled. I really like how it's ended so I hope you guys do too.

A/N 3: As always, Thank you for reading, loves. Xoxo - Yoon <3

<- Back

[marrkopolo]

A Wise Man Once Said

Precious lost its ring in the scrap yard with no metal detector the lavender pussywillows hide the trolls

Hong Kong wheel of fate UW spinned it first Knights of Templar slaughtered at a mass concert of bloody crimson tide

Tithe on a full moon for 2x the glee The crash of waves against the rocks, like bodies slapping against each other during sex blood shooting through veins Hot heat, sticky, in Iceland together I too, know of these lands

Tax season says the King! blue knots on a tent red food buckets hung like death #four crosses in a foreign land alone is no place to exist

An underwater welder lying on the blue tarp, is like a union of troops led by a zebra.

Flying flags at Disney welcome to the world of water failed regret, emptiness and betrayal tattered flags get left to rot sew it in with the others together and the quilt becomes strong and scintillating

Crush you with your own history headless horseman and halo hair dark horse donuts This is as good as it gets!

Red-lipped lipstick cracked porcelain face You can't hold a candle to this

King of the Hill My pool stick is clean now true Kings swim in the swimming pool together King of the Hill Jack of Spades went with the stolen crown and robots learn to volunteer.

Pledge to a sanitizer salute to a gong beat your chest it's loud and strong Love at first sight or sounds like a good idea Wisdom of the crowd or individual motivation?

A rabbi with the yachts Fortified lamps sees all UFOs, telekinesis and even explosive lingerie. One denarius for a days work Why they get more? Stand while another sits. Then switch roles and you'll see why.

What sees with three eyes? The melatonin-like parental bond, third eye awoken, Moksha.

Insane Luke has a scar red dots that kill. Baldie takes biosphere crown the bald animal is cutting loose again Is doraphilia still fun to you?

I attempt to transform but the tea is too strong my hands have small heart Lying down a tiny raindrop falls into my ear swirling into the cochlea My whole world has changed!

Eczema stealing make-up twice North Face go north Racks of weapons are not enough this time

My mask is old but gold bars had paved my fortunate path …a fortunate path(whispering)

Tik Tok vault one exit is enough The eagle has docked into spray-painted madness. Not to fret I hear a falcon cry Jump when the law is bent it will help you fly

Six shooter Six pack 3 sewers 3 fires Twin-spirit 1 spacesuit

Mountain top king of the hill climb Nepal Hajj pilgrimage princess climbs like a pirate piggyback down the wedding aisle

Opposites attract

One fell to its doom down the abyssal void towards the bottom and a ghost ship lost in the Bermuda Triangle with Pandoras Box Lazarus

Gunpowder in shoes Footprints in the sand Jesus did not tap

Short and tall fat and thin Lookalikes Soundalikes Smellalikes the hunt of touch and taste What double currencies create the ultimate Yin Yang effect? AI said to cure pride and competition, exchange abacus rubik-cubed calculators instead of cash.

Echoes and reverberation voices become lightning WATTS= AMPS X VOLTS

Float your payloads into the troposphere with skinny vertical structures of contained saltwater Heat a planet with a satellite asteroid belt

A call for help QR codes morse code gun flare smoke signal what are your coordinates? R-E-B-O-R-N

Some ancients say gunpowder only made flee then gun made to kill Oil spills from bronze age to silicon chips flood the market cut the mall castle cake in half Zangief on a segway You win.Perfect.

Lawrence Groves copyright©2024

[starwrighter]

What do the Batfam look like in your "Not a baby (yes you are)" fix?

Like specific descriptions & stuff?

I REALLY want to make fanart, but be accurate to your fic & your idea!

Maybe also a small description for Danny & some changes he might go through so I can also draw him?

I look forward to any response!

(I'll give you what leviathan appearances that're set in stone since Babs, Steph, and Cass still need a bit more thought.)

Bruce's species is closely related to the gargantuan leviathan meaning he's pretty big like so big he shouldn't be living in the crater. He mostly lives in the larger more open areas but really he should be living in the void. He's more long than wide like a snake with thick pitch black scales covering him like armor. He's one of the few leviathans with "hands" four clawed fingers on each of them. He keeps the head shape of the gargantuan leviathan's with six glowing white eyes. basically a huge freaking underwater snake with a mouth of razor sharp teeth.

Damian's a hybrid between Bruce and Talia (A ghost Leviathan) he's just big enough to wrap himself around Danny's base once but he's not done growing yet. Like Bruce he's long and snakelike but he lacks the visual scale armor all over his body. Only his forehead, chest and arms have the pitch black scales. His fingers are clawed extremely sharp but he's only got four on each hand. the rest of his body is semi transparent and pale like the ghost Leviathans. He's got what looks like blue, yellow and green stripes on him but those are really just organs and blood vessels you can vaguely see through his skin. He's got some short tattered fins that run along his the sides of his body which are dotted by a line of bioluminescent spots. His arms are kind of lanky like a cat that's not quite fully grown. He's got a similar head shape to Bruce but his jaw is slimmer, his teeth more crammed together as is a (inefficient) filter feeder.

Tim looks similar to a squid shark. He's one of the smallest of the batfam. He doesn't have any arms just two large dorsal fins on each side of his body and two long, thin electric blue tendrils below them that can clumsily grab things though he shocks everything he grabs. He lives in the deeper areas of the blood kelp forest so the top side of his body often has blood oil clinging to him to blend in. Like the squid shark he's got that freaky jaw and jets to propel him through the water.

Duke is based of the hover fish in color scheme his yellow body is covered in spots some of which are shaped like bats including a white spot on his main chest. He's got two blanket like fins at the sides of his body and his gills give off a metallic shine to attract prey. The chapter where we get a glimpse of Duke Danny describes him as snake-like but really he's thicker and more like a betafish in shape.

Dick shows some resemblance to an amp eel with his exoskeleton being like armor plating and his whole electric but that's where most of the similarities end. He's got javelin like fins and spindly arms that he uses for climbing they're can become electrified when he's stressed like the rest of his body. He's built to be extremely quick with a wide range of maneuverability but he's still too big for the shallows. He keeps his Nightwing color scheme of black and blue although the colors are more muted.

Jason obviously resembles the Reaper leviathan. He's got burn scars across his body and one of his fins has been torn in half. His head shape is almost indistinguishable from a regular reaper although he's got a few extra eyes two of which are dulled stained slightly green (dormant Kharaa) he's got a horn at the top of his head he uses to launch things at top speed (fish version of gun) He's bigger than any of the reapers and a deeper red in color it's only if you look at him long enough that you can realize his patterns are different.

As for Danny he's a little kid looking to be around the age of two or three. He's got fangs that inhibit his speech a bit giving him a bit of a lisp. His eyes are still blue but if he's in a darker area they glow a bioluminescent green along. His hair has patches of white and his ears are pointed.

(For now, only Tim has his humanoid form designed but I'll reblog when that changes)

[christinescupofcoffee]

master list of most things i’ve written

🔥 — nsfw 🩸 — violent *** — not on ao3/not online (yet) italics are wip/incomplete as of writing

fanfiction

metallica

have your cake and eat it 🔥

the girls next door 🔥

anthrax

now it’s dark 🩸🔥 | who cares wins 🔥 | be all, end all 🩸🔥 | time is coming

black diamonds 🩸

dreaming of you | up all night

amped and wired 🩸 | comic 🩸🔥

six feet under | buried alive

burning sacramento 🩸

thalassaphobia 🩸

testament

fever in, fever out | sunburn 🔥 | vapor trails 🔥

cold embrace 🔥🩸 | eerie inhabitants 🔥🩸

xenon dreams 🔥

love is not enough 🔥

flowers for alexander

chave do mar 🔥

blood & chocolate 🩸🔥 | blood & wine 🔥

porcelain 🔥

as the seasons grey 🔥 | dark roots of earth 🔥 | alone in the dark | the roaring forties

pearl jam

nothing as it seems

top gear + the grand tour

throughout the dark months of april and may 🩸

i’m afraid of americans***

figure skating

rain (complete on my thumb drive, just haven’t been able to post all of it 😅) 🩸

crossovers

painted in a corner (soundgarden, stone temple pilots, alice in chains, metallica) 🔥

the artist (metallica, anthrax, alice in chains, foo fighters, pearl jam, soundgarden) 🔥

the dead of night (anthrax, rush)

the contest (soundgarden, alice in chains, metallica) 🔥

gray ghost (testament/savatage, deftones, korn)

without a paddle (foo fighters, green day, a series of unfortunate events)

dead man walking (testament, trans-siberian orchestra, anthrax, type o negative) 🩸

like blood from a stone (testament, death, anthrax, metallica, death angel) 🩸🔥

the skeleton key (testament/metal allegiance, jerry cantrell) 🔥

the confectioner’s tale (testament, type o negative, soundgarden)

kink events

kinktober 2022 “eclipse” 🔥

kinkmas 2022 “black moon” 🔥

fuckuary 2023 “paraselenae” 🔥

kinktober 2024 “tijuana sunrise” 🔥 | “the hungry lion throws itself on the antelope” 🔥 | “paradise” 🔥

high holidays into hanukkah 2024 “midnight oil” 🔥 | iron & incense

short stories from other fandoms

roots bloody roots (skinwalker ranch)

original fiction

short stories

earth’s new clothes

pretty boy fille

the suicide of kelly baker

just one fix

i’m a baker (poem)

lie to me (poem)

in another life (poem)

vermouth (poem)

just desserts (blood) (poem)

marigold (poem)

thwaites glacier (poem)

the scorpion ladies chronicles

highly venomous sex goddesses straight out of a pulp fiction!

first strike is deadly 🩸

bikini atoll merfolk

after the radioactive cloud of the 40s and 50s has settled, evolution kicks in. sci-fi fantasy.

the lagoon***

house of ill-repute

two half-brothers embroiled in family drama. black comedy, emphasis on comedy—began life as short stories written in my dorm way back in 2012, then came back two years later as a class project.

the idiots*** 🩸

house of ill-repute***

novel length stories

black rain (science fiction, coming of age, courtroom drama) 🩸

quarter after twelve (science fiction, satire) 🔥🩸

[ferromagnetiic]

𝟑 - 𝟓 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐘 𝐁𝐄 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘.

𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒:

literally every hue of red

obsidian

golden-bronze

steel-silver

𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒:

faded whiffs of cheap deodorant mingled with sweat at the end of a busy afternoon. distinct, masculine musk and warmed skin from being outside in the summer sun, beating down on him. the shared tang of the ocean’s headwind.

the nervousness lingering in the back of your nose, during moments of sharpened instincts; staining your tongue with something foul. like trepidation. he smells like oncoming threat. he smells like the anxiety you experience when you know danger is approaching, like something bad is about to occur, though you're uncertain of what that entails. he smells like clammy palms and a quickened heartbeat and a distrust that never quite dissipates.

metallic notes: spilled blood and laborious metalwork. the dryness of dusty tools in need of a polish, accompanied by the overwhelming bite of motor oil. an engine that's been running for too long, been functioning too hard, and is now emitting fumes.

the booze he's been drinking. rum on the rocks, or a frothy beer. stale fruit. shrouded in miasma while glasses clink in celebration as his men exchange a round of hearty toasts. an occasional cigarette when he steps outside for a smoke break. cheap thrills and long nights.

𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐎𝐍:

his signature coat: an exotic plume of feathers, heavier than it looks and impossible to ignore, racing like a sea of soft fire down his back.

gaudy-printed pants which some would consider an eyesore for being so needlessly dramatic.

crimson hair, spiked each morning with copious amounts of hair gel.

a sizeable collection of expensive jewelry: bangles, cuffs, rings; stolen and never once bought.

bold lipstick in dark shades and kohl eyeliner painted on a face that would otherwise be too bare without.

𝐎𝐁𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐒:

a pair of tinted goggles from an old friend dear to him, still.

the harsh, jagged edges of a false alloy arm: a paradox in both loss and gain. of something clearly solid yet missing.

a welding torch carelessly abandoned on the ground next to the incomplete body of an unfinished project.

a well-used electric guitar resting atop an amp.

imposing mechanical animals seeming to contain life of their own, rattling and hissing with complicated motions.

𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐆𝐄:

the brutal collision of a fist; knowing precisely where to land to make his opponent reel.

the brawl-promised warning of a sneer poorly disguised as a wry smile.

the fluid movement of a tongue, thick with an accent belonging to an almost-dead language.

the absentminded wiping of grease-smears on an old rag.

bellowing laughter; gruff, satisfied rumbling lodged within a throat.

𝐀𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐒:

“the scream of thunderbolts overhead; a country that has lost its privileges to quiet skies. the deafening patter of raindrops crashing onto tin roofs. there’s a presence in the junkyard hidden amongst the piles of scrap. sparks that are unpleasant to touch. a thousand flesh-eating sea kings swarming the coast, keeping you at bay. fingertips smudged with pencil lead from designing blueprints, so many of which are torn. your first successful invention, and short-lived moments of joy. pride swells in your chest.”

"a storehouse of restless discomfort and emotion. static stammering beyond your rabid snarling, the rushing of blood giving rise to the fine hairs on the back of your neck, disobedient and unlistening. a tense jaw that’s starting to go sore from gritted molars. everything about you is so loud. they won't part from you, uninjured. they'll speak of spite as though they'll understand it half as well as you do."

“being too good at these war-games. at collecting broken teeth and lacerations on your knees. a narrowed set of copper eyes — alight with animosity, dangerous and unnerving. it should hurt each time they knock you down; yet you don't quite feel it anymore. no love for the frail. you're about as angry as a bruise can get."

"your pull, magnetized on the outside, commands the creaking of the earth’s core. all iron folds to your will. you have little interest in playing god; despite what they say. you don't believe in transcendence, only perspective. so you continue to climb, tireless: a sentient contraption of mismatched parts continuously breaking down in the pursuit of strength. you’re an unburied artefact, terror on hooves. a rampaging minotaur lost inside the remnants of a once-great civilization. the wild shrillness of your best friend’s laughter, reeking in sacrifice and hardship, makes your residual limb flare up in turn. the pressure upon your shoulders remains heavier than any monstrous prosthetic you wield. you’ll protect everyone who’s counting on you: you’ve no other choice. you glint in spite of the rust."

"you were a boy once, turned man too early. you cling to survival like a hungry dogchild, thinking he can feast on raw bones alone, hurting yourself on every splinter. your stomach pierced; you, swearing you're never going to die. this is what it means to be the underdog. this is what it means to have the mettle not to recoil when you were made to stand in the living room of fear. you dread nothing and no one."

tagged by: @gumpistol (thank you, love you lala) tagging: @raidpink, @goddslayerr, @ryusokcn, @meowgiciann, @sozokami (ahmya or any of your op muses!), @melodysian (for uta my best girl, ofc), @primamirage, @ravarui (if you've already done this for shanks, do it for tony!), @akagamiko, @code01746, @chronocide (katakuri), @chillin-at-partys-bar (benn beckman), @seaoftales (mihawk), @wiinchgreen, @waraxarcana, @ncfertari, @swoonji

[ciaossu-imagines]

Day twwwoooo: Favourite scent for Vongola and Varia?

Oh, this is such a great, interesting ask! Thank you so much for the request and I hope you’ll enjoy!

Tsuna really likes the smell of citrus, especially oranges. It’s weird, because he’s not really a big fan of the taste of oranges, but there’s just something about the smell that he really likes.

Gokudera honestly does like the smell of cigarette smoke. It’s why he keeps smoking, even long after he finds other ways to light his dynamite. Other than that, I think he prefers other strong smells, normally musky or woodsy ones, like bonfires, sawdust, oiled leather, things along those lines.

You know that smell, on a hot summer’s day, right after it rains? Hot asphalt after a huge summer storm? That’s probably one Yamamoto’s favourite smells, with the other being fresh sod and fresh dug dirt after the baseball field has been fixed up or redone.

Ryohei really does find enjoyment in the smell that accompanies a boxing match. The ring itself has a special smell, there’s the pungent odor of sweat that tells you that people are working their bodies, giving it their all. There’s the smell of leather from the boxing gloves, sometimes the slight coppery scent of blood…there’s just something about it that makes his skin prickle and his heart soar.

Lambo really likes sweet smells. Anything that smells yummy and sweet, like vanilla, cotton candy, artificial fruity candies, honey…all of those smells really make Lambo happy (and a little hungry).

Hibari has some done here!

Mukuro likes the smells of his current home because they make him feel safe. The slightly ‘wet dog’ smell that Ken has, no matter how often they convince him to bathe, the damp earth smell of Kokuyo Land, apples, and this fancy, kind of baby powdery soap that Chikusa always uses.

Chrome really does like clean scents, something crisp and soft. The smell from a fresh bar of soap or a load of just finished laundry are scents that really appeal to her.

Xanxus already has this done up for him over here!

Squalo’s favourite scent – petrichor. That smell of an oncoming storm,  especially when he can tell it’s going to be a big one, makes something primal sing throughout his blood and amps him up.

Belphegor has his done up over here!

Lussuria actually really, really, really likes that new car smell. He’s also a real big fan of the smell of tuberose and I think he uses a unisex perfume that has that as one of its top notes.

Levi A. Than honestly really likes the smell of steak grilling, or the smell of fresh pine or evergreen trees. If there was a way to bottle up either of those scents and keep them authentic, he’d spray it on himself every day, on his bed, all around his room.

[walkswithmyfather]

Psalm 55:1-23 (AMP). “Listen to my prayer, O God, And do not hide Yourself from my plea. Listen to me and answer me; I am restless and distraught in my complaint and distracted Because of the voice of the enemy, Because of the pressure of the wicked; For they bring down trouble on me, And in anger they persecute me. My heart is in anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling have come upon me; Horror has overwhelmed me. And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. I would wander far away, I would lodge in the [peace of the] wilderness. Selah. I would hurry to my refuge [my tranquil shelter far away] From the stormy wind and from the tempest.”

Confuse [my enemies], O Lord, divide their tongues [destroying their schemes], For I have seen violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around her walls; Wickedness and mischief are in her midst. Destruction is within her; Oppression and deceit do not depart from her streets and market places. For it is not an enemy who taunts me— Then I could bear it; Nor is it one who has hated me who insolently exalts himself against me— Then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man my equal and my counsel, My companion and my familiar friend; We who had sweet fellowship together, Who walked to the house of God in company. Let death come deceitfully upon them; Let them go down alive to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), For evil [of every kind] is in their dwelling and in their hearts, in their midst.

As for me, I shall call upon God, And the Lord will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will complain and murmur, And He will hear my voice. He has redeemed my life in peace from the battle that was against me, For there were many against me. God will hear and humble them, Even He who sits enthroned from old— Selah. Because in them there has been no change [of heart], And they do not fear God [at all]. He [my companion] has put out his hands against those who were at peace with him; He has broken his covenant [of friendship and loyalty]. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But his heart was hostile; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail). But You, O God, will bring down the wicked to the pit of destruction; Men of blood and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will [boldly and unwaveringly] trust in You.”

“God Is Our Sustainer” By In Touch Ministries:

“Our loving heavenly Father invites us to bring our burdens to Him and accept the strength He offers.”

“If you’ve ever carried something very heavy, you probably remember the feeling of relief when you could finally put it down. Perhaps you were even able to hand it off to a stronger, more capable person. Of course, not all burdens are physical. In fact, emotional or spiritual burdens often feel heavier and more impossible than tangible ones. In today’s psalm, David was weighed down with many woes and worries, and we all can undoubtedly identify with his desire to “fly away and be at rest” (v. 6).

No matter what form our challenges take, we must not forget that every circumstance in life is lovingly sifted through our Father’s fingers before reaching His children. From the Lord’s perspective, those things that seem to be too much for us are opportunities to learn dependence on Him. God never intends for any of us to carry a burden alone. Rather, He tells us to give it to Him (v. 22) and promises to see us through challenging times—no matter what. Casting your cares upon God means releasing them fully into His control and allowing Him to be your “place of refuge from the stormy wind and heavy gale” (v. 8).”

[nfumbewalk]

Crystals, Herbs, Rants

I've always loved crystals. The fascination started as a kid when we visited the coast a few times a year. The old seashore shop was full of glass fishing floats, life saving appartuses, storm worn wood, jewelry (mood rings!!) & lots of toys but mainly LOTS of crystals! Geodes of amethyst & quartz, huge slabs of Obsidian - green & black, like what I have, but much smaller. It is Seaside, Ore. Greatest place on the North coast (Astoria too!).

The Ore. coast should be more known for crystal shops. There's a great one closer to me now in Yachats, Ore. (Said: Yah-hawts) Obvious Native Americans did own this place. 😉Like our Willamette, said Will-am-met, which translates to "valley of sickness." Lovely! Sorry, ADD brain is jumbled.

Back to crystals n shit! They are essential to my work. I don't wave them and get a magic breeze with a "Aahhhh." Nope, get to know me, I'm extremely practical. My crystals are clean, but never, ever saged - because I despise sage & I think that it's an anathema to everything, every energy out there. I would rather go find dry pine needles in the desert and use those. And what's the deal with Dragon's Blood atop of sage? Nightmare of odor! Smoke & mess, no thanks.

I've written books on herbalism (long out of print) and I'm very knowledgeable about plants, resins, oils, tinctures, even marijuana & making hemp oil (known commercially as RSO) for medicine. I did not get ANY of my knowledge from the internet & I find some seriously messed up herbal correspondences online. I got my information from books, but old ones, like Culpeper, Grieve, Agrippa as well as a couple good Witchcraft sources like Sybil Leek & L. Huebner, neither of them being "white" light. Paul Huson is much known & borrowed from for ppl online. Trust me, his stuff does not compare. I also have other Witchcraft books predating 1960 that help me tremendously. Where did I get these?

Hunting old book stores & thrift stores because my town is a freaking *haven* for witchcraft, but not quite my style, so I've always been solitary. I'm much too misanthropic to have any relationship with anyone in person. Online? Sure, just beware of my barbs, though I'm not even close to being a Scorpio. 😅

I'm not claiming to know much, just a lot of little details about certain things & I'm shady on other things. I know what I paid attention to. All goety - good. High magic - mostly, a lot I fudge because I hate Crowley's, Mathers, Regardie's....etc, mumbo jumbo. I won't make an effort and I won't even remember the LBRP! Why? Hated the ritual & all the goddamn vibration. I don't vibrate in my practice, except when I have to - really loud banishment rituals, usually of lesser known demons and amped up strong spirits. Ppl who've known me a long time can attest to my hatred of "ceremonial" magic. Just because ppl call it 'high magic' doesn't make it superior to 'low' magic, or goety.

Some are suited to certain types of magic, everyone has a niche somewhere. The niche can be found quickly, or in my case, it can take 20 years. Never knew that working with muertos would be the my path. Yes, Orisa, and they are equal. Equal I say? Well - I'm NOT in a Orisa religion. I agree with some, but not a lot. I completely disagree with initiations being forced. And they ARE forced. Sorry.

Yeah, pay for this, pay for that. Bollocks. No cash for enlightenment!! I know exactly where the money goes & it's not needed. People raise & board animals for sacrifice. Non-initiates can cook food. Setting up ceremony is not that hard. They want money for fancier soperas & temple goodies. I can understand paying for time, but it doesn't need to cost thousands of dollars.

I told my dad (R.I.P.) about Palo & the prices. His head spun. He said no matter what, religion has nothing to do with money. Man does. Man wants money, he wants the sucker to be culled. - Welcome to one of my lessons of The Con: In's & Out's. Taught by Frank Thorp, best dad ever! I don't con often, but if I ever do, I was taught by the best. That's one thing my brother never got from him. My older brother is kinda dead-to-me because of his "Fake Antifa/Communist" ways. Dude, he's 53 years old. Grow the fuck up. I live with this crap. I'm in a college town. Sucks!

More rants? I just sound old cos I am. Middle-aged & strange. And I have a very interesting present & past full of happy, sad, spooky, synchronicity-laden stories. Hope to blog here. Let's hope for more follows!

[lawrenceofbessarabia]

i know a lot of people describe the scent of patchouli as dirty/earthy but on me it just smells like a fresh, unsmoked cigarette. now i used to smoke total garbage like camel reds and american spirit orange/yellow/turquoise/blues so YMMV. but the upshot is layering patchouli essential oil with my other fragrances gives me a way to add earthy tobacco notes to overly-sweet frags for FREE

this also confirms my hunch that BPAL's Nosferatu perfume oil is a patchouli bomb, as layering that fragrance over a shitty jojoba-patchouli diffusion on my arm amped the fuck out of the Nosferatu without actually changing its scent. i really wish i was getting the blood accords and dry, dusty tomb feel that other people seem to be getting from Nosferatu but on me it just smells like a weirdly soapy cherry/rose-scented shampoo when it's freshly applied and then like old wine and bare feet (???) on the drydown. disappointing.

[skincare-products-online]

Top 5 Benefits Of Scrubbing - Glamour World Ayurvedic

This blog displays the top 5 benefits of scrubbing. Do you scrub regularly? Well, never expect your skin to glow without exfoliation. Exfoliation offers multiple benefits — right from removing impurities to putting an end to your flaky skin. A good skincare routine includes scrubbing at least twice a week. Before you purchase your exfoliation kit, determine your skin type. The right kind of scrubber can lift your skin while the vice-versa can be dangerous. We, the Glamour World team, focus not only on facial scrubbing, but your body scrubbing is equally important. Homemade scrubbers can amp up your skin health and we promise to enlighten you with some super-easy recipes. Stay tuned with us for the rest of the blog.

What are the top 5 benefits of scrubbing?

Scrubbing gives you clean skin, free from dirt, impurities, and oil. It unclogs and curates the dirt-laden pores.

If you are prone to flaky skin and dark patches due to it, then scrubbing can help you get clearer skin.

Significantly, scrubbing eradicates dead cells from the top layer of your skin.

Exfoliation confirms the removal of dark patches and acne scars.

Scrubbing improves your skin complexion and helps to obtain smooth skin.

Homemade scrub recipes

Coffee scrub — Coffee diminishes the presence of cellulite in your skin. Coffee also has anti-aging properties and the ability to improve blood circulation. Take ½ cup of coffee grounds, 2 tbsp of hot water, and 1 tbsp of warmed coconut oil. Mix all the ingredients to obtain the right consistency. You can also preserve it in a container and apply it to your skin and body as and when required.

Green tea sugar scrub — As we all know, green tea is enriched with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has another boon to give us — it can work as a barrier against harmful sun rays. For composing this green tea scrub, you need green tea bags to boiling in hot water. Now allow it to cool down. Take some coconut oil and brown sugar in a bowl and keep mixing until it’s a thorough mixture. Now add the tea to the sugar mix and stir well. Pour down into a bottle when the desired consistency is reached.

Honey sugar scrub — Who does not know about the antibacterial properties of honey? Honey repairs skin tissues and can prove to be a wonderful scrubber. Take brown sugar, honey, and coconut oil in a bowl. Stir well to make a strong scrub. Using this formula might help you in revitalizing your skin and body along with removing toxins.

Chickpea scrub — Chickpea scrub is great for fading blemishes and scars on your skin. Gather 1 cup chickpea flour, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp of dried peppermint, and 10 drops of tea tree oil. Now, all ingredients are mixed and the scrub is made to relieve you from all impurities.

Citrus scrub — Citrus scrub can improve your blood circulation and boost your mood as well. Let’s take ½ cup of sea salt, ½ cup of sugar, ¼ cup of sunflower oil, lemon zest, pureed papaya, and 10 drops of orange essential oil. All you need to do is to mix all the ingredients and make the special citrus scrub. Citrus fruits are great for winter to impart a better skin tone.

How often should you exfoliate? To be honest, don’t make exfoliation a regular process. Exfoliate your skin twice or thrice a week. For winters, choose gentle exfoliators. Acidic content can be harmful to the skin surface. The purpose of exfoliation is to remove the layer of dead skin cells and make your skin tone brighter. Excess of exfoliating agents can also cut down on your skin oil balance and leave it dry and dull.

We, the Glamour World team are there to guide you by your weal and woes. Whenever you need us, visit our website and look for the Glow Fairness Scrub by Glamour World that suits your skin type. We wish you a happy journey to glowing skin.

[prju77]

On Earth As It Is In Heaven!

I am Love and my Kingdom is a realm where love thrives, abounds and permeates every single being. It is a place of abundance, laughter, kindness and never-ending resources. The daily manna for my people in the desert was but a glimpse of my Kingdom provision.

There is no space for hate, bitterness, judgement, greed and envy. In the world, comparison erodes your ability to become the shining jewels I have made you to be. That is why I am asking you to come up higher and see for yourselves what heaven looks like, my beloved.

The purpose of my sons and daughters is to encounter me, mirror my Kingdom and show the people who don’t know me who I am through you. Jesus shed his precious blood so that in him you could be spiritually at my right-hand side in heavenly places while you bless, heal and deliver on this Earth.

I want you to lavish people with my extravagant love and generosity. I want you to push beyond human standards and shock even yourselves as you find out and demonstrate that my Kingdom is endless, and there is room for everyone. You do not need to rely on your own strength. So give even what you seemingly don’t have. As you do, joy will bubble up in your spirit and more oil will flow through you. Yes, as you partake of my plentiful supply, I will give you beyond worldly comprehension. I promise I will amaze you because my generosity is unmatched.

Activation:

Sit with Holy Spirit and ask him to highlight aspects of your heart that don’t comply with God’s character and Kingdom. Has your heart been greedy or fearful to lose something or in competition with others? If so, repent from having partnered with anything he reveals. Then allow the Lord to show you in what area or to whom he wants you to give - whether time, resource, friendship or financially. Ask Jesus if he wants you to begin a project or process related to that and ask for specific revelation and strategy - start writing down the main points he reveals. Then take your time in the next days or months to pray over what has emerged, and take steps to action them in obedience.

Luke 6:38 (AMP) "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return!"

2 Kings 4:3-7 (NLT) “And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbours. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.” So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing. When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over!"

[gujaratambujaexport]

Refined Cottonseed Oil Manufacturers, seller &amp; Exporter in India

Refined Cottonseed Oil Manufacturers, seller &amp; Exporter in India

Cottonseed oil comes from the seeds of cotton plants. They press the fresh seeds to get the oil. People often use it for cooking like other vegetable oils. But it's got lots of saturated fats, like Linoleic Acid, Oleic Acid, and Palmitic Acid. These fats are good for your hair and skin, but too much isn't great for your health. It's also a strong antioxidant, which means it helps fight ageing. People use it to make their hair and skin healthier, and it can keep your scalp in good shape and prevent hair from breaking. Just remember, like anything, it's best to use it in moderation!

5 Ltr, 15 Kg

Also Available in Tankers (10-20 MT)

Total capacity: 200 MT/Day

Division: Agro

Plant location: Kadi

Extraction Process

This oil comes from the fresh seeds of different kinds of cotton plants. They use a method called cold pressing to get the oil out. It's all natural and fresh!

Know Properties of Cotton Seed Oil:

This oil has different kinds of acids like linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid. There's also something called "gossypol," which is a yellow compound that can be toxic.

Cotton Seed Oil Blend Well With:

This cooking oil mixes well with many other oils, like safflower oil, soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil, and wheat germ oil.

 Incredible Uses and Benefits of Cotton  Seed Oil

Cottonseed oil is super useful in many ways:

Fighting Inflammation: It helps calm down swelling in the body, which can lower the risk of certain types of stroke.

Anti-Cancer Properties: Some studies suggest it might help prevent cancer, especially breast and colon cancer, because of a special ingredient called gossypol.

Heart Health: It's good for your heart too! It can lower the "bad" cholesterol and other unhealthy fats in your blood.

Speeding Up Wound Healing: If you've got a cut or scrape, this oil can help it heal faster. It's got antioxidants that are great for your skin.

Skin Protection: It keeps your skin safe from drying out and can even help prevent sunburn rashes.

Hair Care: It's not just for your skin! Cottonseed oil has vitamin E, which makes your hair strong and healthy.

So, whether it's for your heart, skin, or hair, cottonseed oil has got you covered!

Why Choose Us?

Choosing Ambuja Group for refined cottonseed oil manufacturing offers several benefits. The company is renowned for its commitment to quality, ensuring that the oil produced is pure and meets high industry standards. Their advanced manufacturing facilities utilise cutting-edge technology, guaranteeing consistency and efficiency in production. Ambuja Group also emphasises sustainable practices, sourcing raw materials responsibly to minimise environmental impact. Additionally, their strong market presence and reliable distribution network ensure timely delivery and customer satisfaction. With a proven track record of excellence and innovation, Ambuja Group stands out as a trusted leader in the refined cottonseed oil industry.

For More Information 

“Ambuja Tower”, Opp.Sindhu Bhavan, Sindhu Bhavan Road, Bodakdev, P.O. Thaltej Ahmedabad 380054.

 info@ambujagroup.com

 export@ambujagroup.com(Export Inquiries)

 jayvijay@ambujagroup.com(Investors Only)

 +91-79-61556678

https://ambujagroup.com/product/cotton-seed-refined-oil/

[maximuswolf]

DIESELDOME: Oil &amp; Blood Reveal Trailer - FPS Survivors-Like in a Petrol-Powered Rome

DIESELDOME: Oil & Blood Reveal Trailer - FPS Survivors-Like in a Petrol-Powered Rome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn8mc4A61Hk Submitted April 25, 2024 at 09:06AM by savaghost https://ift.tt/7ROgJfi via /r/gaming

[skinyoga2013]

Embrace Winter Radiance: A Comprehensive Guide to Hair and Skin Care

Introduction:

Winter brings its own charm with cozy sweaters and hot beverages, but it also brings challenges for our skin and hair. The cold, dry air can leave your skin feeling tight, and your hair may become brittle and lackluster. Fear not! In this guide, we'll explore a robust winter care routine that incorporates the magic of Skinyoga's natural products, ensuring your skin and hair remain radiant throughout the chilly months.

I. Skin Care Routine:

Hydration is Key:

As the temperature drops, so does the moisture content in the air. Amp up your hydration game by incorporating Skinyoga's Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50 into your daily routine. Not only does it protect your skin from harmful UV rays, but it also hydrates, acting as a shield against winter dryness.

Gentle Cleansing:

Swap your regular cleanser for Skinyoga's Foaming Face Cleanser. Its gentle formula cleanses without stripping away essential oils, keeping your skin nourished and fresh.

Repair and Nourish:

Combat winter skin woes with Skinyoga's Facial Repair Oil. Packed with natural ingredients, this oil deeply nourishes, repairs, and rejuvenates your skin, making it the perfect companion for your nighttime skincare routine.

Treat Dry Spots:

Target specific areas with Skinyoga's Dark Spot Corrector. Enriched with potent ingredients, it not only addresses dark spots but also provides intense hydration, combating dry patches effectively.

II. Hair Care Routine:

Optimal Moisture with Bhringraj Shampoo:

Start your winter hair care routine with Skinyoga's Bhringraj Shampoo. This Ayurvedic gem strengthens and nourishes your hair, preventing dryness and promoting a healthy scalp.

Revitalize with Hair Treatment Oil:

Give your hair some extra love with Skinyoga's Hair Treatment Oil. Enriched with natural oils, it deeply moisturizes, repairs split ends, and adds a lustrous shine to your locks.

Combat Dryness with Copper-Infused Dry Body Brush:

Pamper your body with Skinyoga's Dry Body Brush. Infused with copper, it exfoliates dead skin cells, promoting blood circulation and preventing winter-induced dryness.

III. Best Hair Oil for Dry Hair:

Skinyoga's Hair Treatment Oil:

A true winter savior, Skinyoga's Hair Treatment Oil is a blend of potent oils like coconut, almond, and castor. This powerhouse not only nourishes your scalp but also provides deep conditioning, making it the best companion for dry winter hair.

IV. General Tips for Winter Care:

Stay Hydrated:

Hydration isn't just for your skin – it's crucial for your overall well-being. Drink plenty of water to keep your skin and hair hydrated from within.

Warm, Not Hot Showers:

Hot water can strip your skin and hair of essential oils. Opt for warm showers and limit their duration to prevent excessive dryness.

Diet Matters:

Include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants in your diet. These nutrients play a crucial role in maintaining healthy skin and hair.

Conclusion:

Winter care is all about embracing the beauty of the season while ensuring your skin and hair remain vibrant. Skinyoga's range of natural products seamlessly integrates into your routine, offering a holistic approach to winter skincare. By following this comprehensive guide, you'll not only combat the harsh effects of winter but also unveil a radiant and healthy version of yourself. Embrace the winter radiance with Skinyoga, and let your beauty shine, even in the coldest months.

[getmymettle]

Elevate Your Metabolism with These 10 Naturally Boosting Foods

Hey there! Let's embark on a fascinating journey into the world of metabolism and uncover its pivotal role in keeping us healthy and fit. Picture metabolism as your body's energy conversion wizard—it transforms your favorite foods into the fuel that propels you forward. Imagine this process as a vibrant dance, influenced by factors like genetics, age, and your level of physical activity. And here's the star of the show—your daily diet!

The Marvelous Metabolism Boosters

In this blog post, our mission is to reveal 10 incredible Indian foods and beverages acting as metabolism superheroes. They're here to provide that extra boost and add excitement to your journey towards better health. Additionally, we'll explore strategies to turbocharge your metabolism, touch upon supplements and drinks offering a helping hand, and shed light on metabolism boosters tailored for women.

Foods That Spark Metabolism

Green Tea:

Green tea is the superhero elixir for your metabolism. Packed with antioxidants and catechins, it's your morning wake-up call to burn fat and elevate energy levels.

Spicy Foods:

Indian spices, especially chili peppers with capsaicin, turn up your metabolism. Spice up your routine for a natural metabolic lift.

Ginger:

The flavor MVP, ginger, teams up with gingerol to amp up calorie burning. Add it to tea or sprinkle it on your dishes for that extra magic.

Turmeric:

Golden turmeric brings curcumin to the party—anti-inflammatory and metabolism-boosting, a double whammy. Include it in curries, stews, or enjoy a cozy turmeric latte.

Cinnamon:

This everyday spice is not just tasty but also a metabolism buddy, giving it a nudge while helping regulate blood sugar.

Protein-Rich Foods:

Lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and lean meats make your body work harder to digest, giving your metabolism a high-five.

Curry Leaves:

Packed with antioxidants, curry leaves regulate blood sugar and give your metabolism an extra kick. Add them to curries, chutneys, and soups.

Coconut Oil:

Coconut oil, with MCTs, is digestion-friendly and gives your metabolism a boost. Use it in moderation for optimal results.

Fenugreek:

Often overlooked, fenugreek seeds are linked to improved metabolism and blood sugar regulation. Soak them overnight or include them in your cooking.

Water:

The simplest hero—staying hydrated boosts metabolism and keeps your body running smoothly.

Strategies for a Turbocharged Metabolism

Get Moving:

Cardio and circuit training are the dance moves for your metabolism. Integrate them into your routine to boost metabolism and build lean muscle mass.

Beauty Sleep:

Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep. It's the secret sauce for a happy metabolism, allowing your body to recover and regulate hormones.

Stress Less:

Combat stress with meditation or yoga. Chronic stress can hamper metabolism, so embrace chill vibes.

Snack Smart:

Eat smaller, regular meals throughout the day to maintain a steady rhythm for your metabolism.

Supplements and Drinks to Boost Metabolism

While whole foods are crucial, supplements can enhance metabolism:

Metabolism-Boosting Supplements:

Consider options like green tea extract and thermogenic fat burners, but consult a professional, especially for women-specific choices.

Apple Cider Cheers:

Try apple cider vinegar as a potential aid for weight management and metabolism. Mix a teaspoon with water and enjoy it before meals.

Wrapping It Up

Boosting your metabolism involves savoring these fantastic Indian flavors, making small lifestyle tweaks, and perhaps adding a supplement or two. It's a journey towards a healthier, more energetic you—let's make it delicious and enjoyable! These natural ways to boost metabolism are here to stay, so groove on and let the good vibes roll.