#Fortified Food Market

[mohankunmars]

Global Nut Meals Market

View more @ https://4jvb.short.gy/OUv8kV

Fortified Food Market size is estimated at $172.4 Million in 2020, projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period 2021-2026.

[prajwal-agale001]

Nutricosmetics: Understanding Consumer Awareness and Education Needs

The global nutricosmetics market is experiencing a remarkable transformation, with projections indicating significant growth over the next several years. According to the latest research by Meticulous Research®, the market is expected to reach $12.61 billion by 2031, reflecting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% from 2024 to 2031. This growth trajectory is fueled by various interrelated factors, including increasing awareness of nutritional deficiencies, a growing consumer preference for natural alternatives to health and beauty products, the expansion of the cosmetics industry, and the rising geriatric population. However, alongside these growth drivers, the market faces challenges, such as saturation in the nutraceutical and cosmetics sectors and stringent regulatory environments that may hinder expansion.

Download Sample Report Here @ https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5716?utm_source=article+&utm_medium=social&utm_content=30-10-24

Understanding Nutricosmetics

Nutricosmetics refer to a category of products that combine nutritional elements with cosmetic benefits, designed to improve skin, hair, and overall health from within. Unlike traditional cosmetics that provide surface-level beauty enhancements, nutricosmetics focus on delivering health benefits that can positively impact appearance by addressing underlying nutritional deficiencies. These products typically come in various forms, including powders, capsules, gummies, and beverages, making them accessible and convenient for consumers.

The increasing popularity of nutricosmetics is part of a broader trend towards holistic health and wellness. As consumers become more health-conscious and informed about the connection between diet and beauty, the demand for products that offer both nutritional benefits and cosmetic enhancements continues to rise. This evolution is significantly shaping the landscape of the cosmetics and dietary supplement industries.

Factors Driving Growth in the Nutricosmetics Market

1. Rising Awareness of Nutritional Deficiencies

The modern lifestyle, characterized by fast-paced living and convenience-driven choices, has led to a rise in nutritional deficiencies among consumers. Busy schedules, unhealthy eating habits, and the prevalence of processed foods contribute to a growing awareness of the need for better nutrition. As consumers recognize the link between nutrition and overall health, they increasingly seek products that can help bridge these gaps.

Nutricosmetics, which provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, are appealing options for consumers looking to enhance their beauty while addressing nutritional deficiencies. By promoting skin health, hair vitality, and overall wellness, these products cater to the growing desire for solutions that support both beauty and health.

2. Preference for Natural Alternatives

The shift towards natural alternatives in the beauty and wellness sectors has gained significant momentum in recent years. Consumers are becoming more discerning about the ingredients in their personal care products, leading to a surge in demand for formulations that prioritize natural, organic, and sustainably sourced ingredients. This trend is particularly prevalent among younger consumers who are not only concerned about their appearance but also about the impact of their choices on the environment.

Nutricosmetics align perfectly with this trend, as many products emphasize natural ingredients and the absence of harmful additives. By offering formulations that are both effective and aligned with consumer values, companies in the nutricosmetics market can attract a loyal customer base seeking clean and transparent beauty solutions.

3. Growth of the Cosmetics Industry

The overall growth of the global cosmetics industry plays a crucial role in the expansion of the nutricosmetics market. As consumers allocate larger portions of their budgets to beauty and personal care products, the demand for innovative solutions that offer additional health benefits is on the rise. This increasing consumer spending is providing a fertile ground for nutricosmetic brands to thrive.

Furthermore, as the cosmetics industry evolves, brands are looking for ways to differentiate their offerings. Integrating nutrition into beauty products creates unique value propositions, allowing companies to capture the attention of health-conscious consumers who are seeking products that offer both beauty enhancement and wellness support.

4. Aging Population

The global population is aging, with the proportion of elderly individuals steadily increasing. As people age, they become more concerned about maintaining their health, appearance, and overall quality of life. This demographic shift is driving demand for products that address the specific needs of older consumers, including those related to skin health, hair vitality, and overall wellness.

Nutricosmetics are particularly well-suited to cater to the aging population, as they can provide essential nutrients that support skin elasticity, hydration, and overall health. As older consumers increasingly seek products that help them look and feel their best, nutricosmetics are positioned to meet these evolving needs.

5. The Health and Wellness Trend

The growing focus on health and wellness has transformed consumer behaviors and preferences in recent years. People are becoming more proactive about their health, seeking products that contribute to their overall well-being. This trend encompasses various aspects of life, from nutrition and exercise to self-care and mental health.

Nutricosmetics resonate with this trend, as they bridge the gap between beauty and wellness. By offering products that support both health and beauty, companies can tap into the wellness movement, appealing to consumers who prioritize holistic solutions that enhance their quality of life.

Challenges Facing the Nutricosmetics Market

1. Low Consumer Awareness

Despite the potential benefits of nutricosmetics, many consumers remain unaware of their advantages. The concept of nutricosmetics is still relatively new to a large segment of the population, and there is a knowledge gap regarding how these products work and what benefits they offer. To overcome this challenge, companies must invest in educational initiatives that raise awareness about the advantages of nutricosmetics and how they can contribute to health and beauty.

Effective marketing campaigns, informative packaging, and consumer education through social media and digital platforms can help bridge the awareness gap. By providing clear and accessible information, companies can empower consumers to make informed choices about incorporating nutricosmetics into their routines.

2. Market Saturation

As the nutricosmetics market gains popularity, it is becoming increasingly competitive. Numerous brands are entering the space, resulting in market saturation. This proliferation of products can make it challenging for companies to differentiate themselves and capture consumer attention.

To succeed in a saturated market, brands must focus on innovation, quality, and unique selling propositions. Developing distinctive formulations, leveraging scientific research, and creating compelling brand narratives can help companies stand out and attract a loyal customer base.

3. Regulatory Challenges

The nutricosmetics market is subject to stringent regulations governing health claims, ingredient safety, and labeling. Navigating these regulatory frameworks can be complex and time-consuming for companies, especially those looking to enter new markets or introduce innovative products.

Compliance with regulations is essential to ensure consumer safety and build trust. Companies must invest in research and development, adhere to labeling requirements, and provide transparent information about their products. By prioritizing regulatory compliance, brands can mitigate risks and enhance their credibility in the market.

Key Players in the Nutricosmetics Market

The global nutricosmetics market features a mix of large multinational corporations and smaller regional players, creating a competitive landscape characterized by innovation and diversity. Key players include:

Amway Corporation (U.S.)

Shiseido Company, Limited (Japan)

Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Netherlands)

Nestlé S.A. (Switzerland)

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd. (Japan)

LycoRed Ltd. (Israel)

Lonza Group Ltd. (Switzerland)

BASF SE (Germany)

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (U.S.)

Beiersdorf AG (Germany)

Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd. (Japan)

Sappe Public Company Limited (Thailand)

These companies leverage their expertise, resources, and distribution networks to introduce innovative nutricosmetic products that resonate with consumers. Through strategic partnerships, research collaborations, and targeted marketing efforts, key players are well-positioned to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the nutricosmetics market.

Have specific research needs? Request a customized research report- https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-sample-report/cp_id=5716?utm_source=article+&utm_medium=social&utm_content=30-10-24

Market Segmentation Analysis

The nutricosmetics market can be segmented based on various criteria, including product type, form, distribution channels, and geography. Understanding these segments provides valuable insights into consumer preferences and market dynamics.

1. Product Type Segmentation

The nutricosmetics market is segmented into several categories, including skincare, hair care, nail care, and other product types. Among these segments, the skincare category is expected to dominate the market, accounting for approximately 46.7% of the share in 2024. The demand for skincare products is driven by the increasing awareness of skin health, rising concerns about aging, and the prevalence of skin-related issues.

Conversely, the hair care segment is projected to exhibit the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the increasing focus on hair health, the demand for products that promote hair growth and vitality, and the rise of clean beauty trends.

2. Form Segmentation

The nutricosmetics market is also segmented by product form, which includes powder form, liquid form, tablets, capsules & soft gels, gummies & soft chews, and other formats. In 2024, the powder form segment is expected to account for the largest market share, driven by its versatility and ease of incorporation into various beverages and recipes.

However, the tablets segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period, owing to their extended shelf life, portability, and precise dosing capabilities. As consumers prioritize convenience and standardization, the demand for tablet-based nutricosmetics is expected to rise.

3. Distribution Channel Segmentation

Distribution channels play a vital role in the nutricosmetics market and can be categorized into supermarkets & hypermarkets, pharmacies & drug stores, specialty stores, e-commerce, and other platforms. The supermarkets and hypermarkets segment is projected to hold the largest market share, approximately 39% in 2024. This preference is driven by the growing number of retail outlets offering high-quality nutricosmetic products, rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and the enhanced shopping experience provided by these retail channels.

E-commerce is also expected to witness significant growth, as more consumers turn to online shopping for convenience and a wider variety of products. The shift towards e-commerce is particularly relevant in today's digital age, where consumers increasingly prefer the convenience of browsing and purchasing products from the comfort of their homes. Brands must capitalize on this trend by developing strong online marketing strategies, engaging with customers through social media, and optimizing their e-commerce platforms to enhance the shopping experience.

4. Geographic Segmentation

The nutricosmetics market is further segmented by geography, encompassing key regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. Each region presents unique opportunities and challenges, shaped by cultural preferences, economic conditions, and regulatory environments.

North America: This region is expected to maintain a significant share of the nutricosmetics market, driven by high consumer awareness, strong purchasing power, and a growing trend towards health and wellness. The United States is the largest market in this region, with consumers increasingly seeking products that enhance their beauty and well-being.

Europe: The European nutricosmetics market is characterized by a high demand for natural and organic products. Countries such as Germany, France, and the United Kingdom are leading contributors to the market's growth. The region's emphasis on sustainability and clean beauty aligns with the principles of nutricosmetics, making it a favorable environment for market expansion.

Asia-Pacific: This region is poised for significant growth, expected to account for approximately 43.9% of the nutricosmetics market share in 2024. The increasing penetration of improved medications, high consumption of dietary supplements, and growing demands for functional food and beverages are driving this growth. Japan and China are key markets within Asia-Pacific, with rising awareness about nutricosmetics and an expanding consumer base seeking innovative beauty solutions.

Latin America: The nutricosmetics market in Latin America is gradually expanding as consumers become more aware of health and beauty products. Increasing disposable incomes and a growing middle class are contributing to the demand for nutricosmetics, although challenges such as economic instability and regulatory hurdles persist.

Middle East & Africa: The nutricosmetics market in this region is still in its nascent stages but shows promising growth potential. As consumer awareness increases and the demand for health and beauty products rises, opportunities for nutricosmetic brands are likely to expand.

Get Insightful Data On Regions, Market Segments, Customer Landscape, And Top Companies (Charts, Tables, Figures And More) :- https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-sample-report/cp_id=5716?utm_source=article+&utm_medium=social&utm_content=30-10-24

Trends Shaping the Future of the Nutricosmetics Market

1. Innovation in Product Development

Innovation is a driving force behind the nutricosmetics market. Companies are continually investing in research and development to create new formulations that offer enhanced benefits. This includes exploring novel ingredients, improving bioavailability, and developing innovative delivery methods. As consumers seek more effective solutions, brands that prioritize innovation will likely gain a competitive advantage.

2. Integration of Technology

Technology is transforming the way consumers engage with nutricosmetics. Digital platforms are becoming essential for brand awareness, customer education, and direct sales. Companies are leveraging social media, influencer marketing, and e-commerce to reach their target audiences effectively. Additionally, advancements in technology enable personalized product recommendations and tailored experiences, enhancing consumer satisfaction.

3. Sustainability and Ethical Practices

Sustainability is increasingly becoming a crucial factor for consumers when choosing beauty and wellness products. Nutricosmetic brands that prioritize eco-friendly packaging, responsible sourcing of ingredients, and ethical manufacturing practices are likely to resonate with conscious consumers. The demand for transparency and accountability will shape the strategies of brands operating in this space.

4. Personalized Nutrition and Beauty Solutions

Personalization is a growing trend in the health and beauty industries. Consumers are seeking products tailored to their specific needs and preferences. Nutricosmetics that offer personalized solutions, such as customized formulations based on individual health profiles, are likely to gain traction. Brands that harness data and technology to deliver personalized experiences can create stronger connections with their customers.

Conclusion

The global nutricosmetics market is poised for substantial growth in the coming years, driven by factors such as increasing awareness of nutritional deficiencies, a preference for natural alternatives, and the expansion of the cosmetics industry. While challenges such as low consumer awareness, market saturation, and regulatory hurdles exist, stakeholders in the industry have a unique opportunity to address these issues through innovation, education, and effective marketing strategies.

As the market evolves, companies that prioritize sustainability, embrace technological advancements, and focus on personalization will be well-positioned to thrive. By understanding consumer preferences and staying attuned to market trends, brands can capitalize on the growing demand for nutricosmetics, ultimately contributing to the future of health and beauty.

The interplay of these factors will not only shape the landscape of the nutricosmetics market but also redefine how consumers approach beauty and wellness, marking a significant shift towards a more holistic understanding of health and aesthetics.

In conclusion, the nutricosmetics market is more than just a trend; it represents a fundamental shift in consumer values and priorities. By investing in education, innovation, and sustainability, stakeholders can navigate the challenges ahead and capitalize on the opportunities presented by this dynamic market. As the demand for nutricosmetics continues to grow, companies that embrace these changes will not only thrive but also contribute to a healthier and more beautiful world.

Read full Report : https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/nutricosmetics-market-5716

Contact Us: Meticulous Research® Email- sales@meticulousresearch.com Contact Sales- +1-646-781-8004 Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/meticulous-research

[fairuzfan]

Full tweet:

🚨🚨 In the space of 2 weeks we’ve gone from a pilot project that involved my cousin making and distributing one pot of fortified stew a day to a fully fledged soup kitchen with 10 volunteers that feeds 160 families a day or roughly 800 hungry people daily, in Omdurman #Sudan

To do this we’ve cut out all possible overhead costs to ensure we can feed as many people as possible

🟢Our volunteers are unpaid

🟢Our cooking utensils are borrowed

🟢The kitchens storage rooms are donated free of charge

🟢Transport of food items from the market to the kitchen is free courtesy of my Cousin’s Tuk tuk.

🟢However, in order to maintain this kitchen beyond Ramadan we need you to support this Gofundme that is now fully funding this kitchen 🙏🏽

Id: there are two photos in the tweet. The first in the tweet are of a group of men and women. The second is of stacks of backs of lentils.

[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

[inoreuct]

zosan caretaking fluff feat. hair washing, banter and very soft vibes. dinner is served.

Sanji sighed, sliding down until the back of his head pressed against the lip of the bathtub. The water was toeing the line between too hot and just right and he'd poured in enough lavender emulsion to coat it with dense, heady bubbles; they tickled his chin as he let his eyes slip shut.

It had been such a long day.

He'd been rudely woken up by the sound of a cannonball crashing through their hull, tossed out of his bunk a second later when the enemy ship rammed into their side; having to fight moments after being startled awake had already put him in a horrid mood, and then he'd realised that the galley had taken damage and he would have to restock more than half of everything he'd had in there. The fridge had lost power too so he'd had to cook all the meat that had thawed (which, to be fair, was never a problem with Luffy around) but then his whole crew had scattered during their supply run and he'd lugged a shit-ton of food back to the Sunny himself and now his brain was buzzing and his everything was aching and he was pretty sure he had gunpowder in his hair.

The steam filled his lungs when he breathed in, damp and dense and warm, settling heavy as he trailed his fingers through the milky water. His neck hurt from staring down at goods all day and he could feel the beginning of a tension headache behind his eyeballs. It was a small blessing that he had the bathroom to himself—

The door creaked open.

Goddammit. Sanji sucked down a fortifying breath before he looked up— and relaxed, because thankfully, the one possible person he might be able to tolerate at the moment was sliding inside with one arm behind his back.

Zoro pushed the door shut with his heel, loose pants wrapped low around his hips and hair already darkening from the humidity. "Hi."

"Hello, marimo," Sanji sighed, tilting his head to the side. He watched as Zoro trudged over and stuck his free hand into the water before yanking it back with a muffled hiss.

"That's hot."

"Nearly enough to boil a lobster," the cook agreed mildly, eyebrows flashing up as he turned his head to track Zoro pulling up a stool, lazy and languid. "Now did you need anything, or are you just here to kill off more of my brain cells?"

Zoro gave him a dry look.

A heavy exhale slipped from Sanji's nose before he reached behind him, fingers brushing Zoro's elbow and sliding down to take his hand. He spread the swordsman's fingers out, tracing over hard-earned callouses with featherlight swirls. "I'm sorry, mon chou," he sighed, letting his temple fall against Zoro's knuckles. "Just... tired, is all."

"I know." Zoro flipped his palm, rubbing a thumb over Sanji's cheekbone before pulling away. "Brought you something."

Sanji heard the sound of glass being picked up and nearly turned before he was presented with a dark, stout bottle, the labelling font reminiscent of chalk on a blackboard. "Pirate Blend," he read, huffing a chuckle. Fitting. "No glass?"

"As if you won't finish the whole thing."

He let out a faux-indignant gasp, reaching out to whack the back of his hand against Zoro's bare chest. "Ass."

"That was my tit, cook. Think the steam's getting to your head."

The laugh that peeled its way out of Sanji's throat was sticky with exhaustion, steeped through with lavender suds and underpinned by the ache in his muscles as he popped the cork with his teeth and took a swig. "...Where did you get this?"

"There was a tasting booth in the market. Thought you'd like this one."

"You thought right," Sanji admitted, lifting the bottle to his mouth again and letting the wine coat his tongue; a red by the taste of it, with a nearly savoury spiced vanilla and dark, syrupy cacao, a rich core of sweet berry, an almost silky hint of dry tannin. He held out the bottle, but Zoro shook his head with a soft quirk of his mouth.

"Got it for you, swirly."

The cook smirked. "Suit yourself. So that's where you ran off to while poor little me was stuck doing all the heavy lifting," he lamented, sighing and emphasising it with an exaggerated sip.

"Not just that."

He heard twine sliding across waxed paper, packaging rustling as it was unfolded—

The water sloshed as Sanji set his bottle down and turned around, holding onto the edge of the tub as Zoro pulled the last bit of paper away to reveal the set of soaps in his lap.

The cook's breath caught. Each of the five bars clearly had a different scent, and a design to match; the one with green and cream swirls was matcha, surely, and the translucent one with rose petals was obviously rose. One more was oat and honey, and the one with a herb sprig on top was definitely rosemary mint— But the last one was plain brown, mild enough that his nose couldn't pick out what it was supposed to be. "Marimo."

"Hm?"

"How much did these cost?"

Zoro shot him a smug grin. "Just a couple of logs that needed chopping... And some charm."

"You." The cook blinked, stretching out like a cat to rest his chin on his hands, lips twitching as he tried to hide his awed smile. "Charm."

"Oi! I can be charming when I want to be!" The swordsman scowled at Sanji's fond, disbelieving scoff. "I charmed you, didn't I?"

"Yes, well—" Sanji felt a little breathless, buoyant, like if he let go of the tub he'd float with no effort at all. "Yes, I suppose you did." He held still, heart fluttering in the hollow of his throat as Zoro's face softened, leaning forward to poke at something in his hair.

"You've got gunpowder in your bangs."

"I— Ugh, I know!" he complained, rolling over with a dramatic sigh.

"Well, hurry up and pick one, then!"

"Pick one?" Sanji lurched up again, bubbles sloshing everywhere, eyes flicking between Zoro and the soaps. "I can't just pick one, they all smell so good and they're too pretty to—"

"Oh, for the love of— Curly, can you just pick one and let me wash your hair?" Zoro deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest and completely oblivious to the way he'd just made Sanji's entire system freeze, the inconsiderate moss-headed bastard.

If a cannonball crashed into their ship again, Sanji wouldn't have noticed. If the Sunny was sinking, he wouldn't have cared. He was much too preoccupied with staring at the man sitting in front of him, skin flushed with the warmth, green hair mussed as it always was, soaps that he'd bought for Sanji on a whim in his lap. The cook's fingers dug into the edge of the tub and gripped until ceramic squeaked. Zoro wanted to wash his hair.

Zoro's throat bobbed as he swallowed, clearly fighting the urge to look away. "Look, if you don't want—"

"No!" Sanji yelped, startling himself enough that he nearly clapped his hands over his own mouth. "No, I— This one," he breathed, reaching for the plain brown bar and pressing it into Zoro's palm. "This one." He knew that he probably looked nearly shocked, eyes so wide it must have been unsettling, but his chest ached something fierce when he breathed in deep down all the way to his gut and he couldn't help it. His water must have been getting cold by now but he didn't feel it at all.

Zoro's lashes fluttered as he shifted in his seat, carefully wrapping the rest of the soaps up and placing them aside. "Okay, then. Turn around."

Sanji flipped, sitting still as Zoro gently pulled the tie from his hair and slipped it around his own wrist, holding back a shiver when calloused hands cupped his face to guide him nearer the running tap. The water seemed warm, but not warmer than Zoro himself; the swordsman always seemed to run ridiculously hot and Sanji—

"Relax," Zoro murmured, his hand broad and steady against the back of Sanji's head. "I've got you, cook. Lean back."

And Sanji was slowly coming to realise that he was loathe to deny Zoro anything, so he did. He let his weight sink back against Zoro's hand, trusting the swordsman to hold him up, letting his eyes close as Zoro carefully poured water over his scalp until his curls were soaked. He didn't open them even as he was pushed back up, settling comfortably in the tub as Zoro lathered the soap in his hands. What remaining suds left in the tub lapped at his collarbones; the water was a soothing pressure all around his torso, and he didn't bother hiding his soft sigh when Zoro's fingers slid into his hair.

"S'getting long." Firm fingertips started scrubbing at his scalp, kneading into spots of tension Sanji didn't even know he had. "You gonna cut it?"

"Mm? No," he sighed, shuddering when Zoro dragged his thumbs up from his nape. "Think I w'na grow it out."

Zoro hummed at that, tipping the cook's head to the side. "You'll look pretty."

"I know I will. And you'll tell me every day."

"Oh, will I, now?"

"Mhm."

The swordsman scoffed without any bite, doing something with his fingers that made Sanji melt. "You're so cocky."

"Mhm," Sanji mumbled again, not even bothering to find out what he was agreeing to. He had better things to focus on. "Just... keep doing that."

He heard Zoro chuckle and then pretty much zoned out completely, tension bleeding from his muscles, letting Zoro move his head this way and that. His bathwater was tepid at this point; he didn't care. Zoro's hands were big and warm and as the bubbles drifted down to his shoulders, he finally realised what this bar was scented with.

Sandalwood suffused his senses, a deep creamy sweetness with an undercurrent of leather and earth. With what little wherewithal he had left, Sanji decided that it suited Zoro more than it did him. Maybe he'd try to convince the mosshead to take it for himself. A few kisses should be bribery enough. Fingertips dug beneath the bones just behind his ears, working until the ache dissipated, and Sanji felt his shoulders slump because God, that felt good.

He didn't know how long he sat there, drifting blissfully between sleep and Zoro's fingers scrubbing at his crown, gingerly detangling his hair, but if you had to ask him his answer would be not long enough. His eyes fluttered open when Zoro tapped his cheek, and he squinted at the light. "Wh—"

"Wake up, baby. Gotta rinse."

The pet name made something tucked inside his ribcage pull tight like a gasp, but Sanji just closed his eyes again. "Just a while longer..."

Zoro chuckled as Sanji's head lolled in his palm. "We should get you to bed."

"Noooooo." Was he whining? This was ridiculous. He really didn't care.

"You're a spoiled prince," Zoro said matter-of-factly.

"Your fault." Sanji discreetly cracked one eye open to gauge the swordsman's reaction and immediately closed it when he saw Zoro's expression, sucking in a hitched breath.

That was enough devotion in a glance to kill a man, and it tore through Sanji like a fucking bullet. Right through the ribs, in and out faster than he could stop it, so quick that he didn't even realise until his love was bleeding out of him, all over his hands, filling his mouth, colouring his teeth, honeyed at the back of his throat and finally he'd be able to see how much of it his heart held. He didn't mind. He didn't think he ever would, actually; he'd fill this bathtub with red if it meant that Zoro would see. If it meant that he would understand how every time he looked at Sanji like that it felt like he had Sanji's heart in his fist, his lungs in a vice, his goddamn life under his thumb.

Sanji had come to terms with it long ago. He put his soul in these battle-scarred hands every day and he trusted them to be gentle because he knew that they could, they would be, for him. Even now, Zoro took his weight easily, one palm at his nape and the other stopping suds from getting into his eyes and it meant far too much for something so simple, but that was just how it worked, wasn't it?

The cook swallowed hard, allowing himself one more moment before pushing up so Zoro wouldn't accidentally waterboard him. It would possibly be hilarious but he might also very possibly just die, considering how low his guard was. The thought made him laugh a little, strained with how his head was tipped back; he saw Zoro give him a weird look upside-down and decided that he was either more tired than he'd thought or he'd had more of the wine than he'd realised.

Zoro rinsed his hair quickly, but he was no less meticulous than he had been at the beginning. It was something that Sanji had refused to admit he admired at first, that single-minded intensity regarding the things Zoro cared about, and oh, wasn't that a thought? That he belonged within that distinction now. Sanji pulled his knees to his chest when the swordsman leaned over to grab the towel he had set out, scrunching the cook's hair dry as best he could and then dropping the fluffy white cloth over his head just to make him laugh.

The bottle of wine was relatively full when Sanji picked it up, holding it up to the light as Zoro dried his hair. "Guess I didn't finish it after all."

"Yeah, well." Zoro shrugged as he took it from him to put aside and tugged gently on a stray curl. "Nobody's gonna want it now that it has your spit in it."

Sanji scoffed. "You'd still drink it. You'd drink any booze."

"...Yeah, I would."

Zoro's eyes were a soft grey as he stood up. Sanji had a feeling that he could have left out the second part of that statement and the answer would still be the same.

He let Zoro pull him up out of the tub, wrap him in the towel and hold open the pair of briefs he'd left for him to step into. He held his arms up as Zoro pulled his soft sleep shirt over his head, brazen as if he didn't know full well the shirt was Zoro's to begin with. If it were any other time he might have protested against being helped to dress like a child— but for now he'd just refuse to admit that he enjoyed it, enjoyed being cared for, even in minute ways like this. Plausible deniability and all that.

Sanji didn't resist as the swordsman took his hand, leading him back to the men's quarters and tugging the covers up for him, patting them into place around his shoulders as he settled. The bed dipped by his hip where Zoro sat, and Sanji sighed as his damp bangs were brushed away from his face. Zoro liked seeing both his eyes, he'd noticed. Maybe he'd start wearing his hair back more often.

"Goodnight, cook," Zoro whispered, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Sanji's temple.

Sanji's brain was full of cotton and sandalwood suds. He squeezed over underneath the blankets, cupping Zoro's face in his palms. "Stay."

The swordsman laughed under his breath. "Haven't showered."

Sanji considered letting him in anyway, but yep, nope, guess his brain wasn't that full of cotton. "Make it quick," he ordered, the effect broken by the massive yawn that interrupted his last word. Pulling Zoro down for a proper kiss was easier than breathing, the press of their lips just enough to wrap warmth over his skin like a blanket. "And use the soap from just now."

Zoro huffed at the words murmured against his mouth. "Spoiled."

"Your fault," Sanji yawned again, jabbing a finger into Zoro's chest before waving him away.

He heard his boyfriend's rumble of a laugh, smiled into his pillow as Zoro's acquiescence was brushed over his cheek, before the lamp was turned down and the door opened and shut. He'd been serious about Zoro being quick; they both slept better when they shared a bunk, and today had been more than enough of a shitshow for them to have earned a good night's rest.

Sanji snuggled down, fully intent on waiting.

He was asleep between one breath and the next.

(And if he woke briefly to curl closer when Zoro slid half-asleep into bed behind him, clean and warm and smelling of sandalwood, well. Neither of them would remember it in the morning.)

thank you for reading! part 2 where sanji takes care of zoro is already in the works, so keep your eyes peeled if you're interested :)

[softagenda]

rest, ye merry gentleman

leander x reader(neutral)

jealousy x gift giving x winter vibes

originally posted on ao3

masterlist

Preview

“And should I not expect a simple morsel of your regard, or am I not worth even a crumb from your table?”

An incredulous laugh bubbled up from your throat. You watched his expression grow mulish at the sound, before shaking your head. “You’re serious about this.”

_______________________________

Winter’s chill covered the city in a thin, gossamer sheet of ice. Moonlight glinted and sparkled off rooftops and lampposts, icicles like sharp fangs dangling from their eves and arms. Snow flurried down and slipped beneath your hood as you skirted along the slippery street toward the Wet Wick.

Even Eridia, the city that never sleeps, seemed to settle in for a night indoors - the streets empty but for a few hurrying travelers, some carrying boxes and satchels, eyes darting around and arms guarding their packages. You drew more than a few wary looks with the black cloak and sword strapped to your hip.

When you turned the corner and spotted the familiar sign trembling above the door, you sagged a little with relief. Finally. After three back to back jobs hunting down monsters, your body ached for the sweet release of a bath and sleep. 

As you’d expect, the end of year festivities in Eridia enticed people to congregate: packed markets with sumptuous food and exotic ingredients, vendors hawking jewelry and luxuries for gifts, buskers singing, dancing, and playing instruments all along the street. And congregating people drew not only more business and fanfare into the city, but monsters along the trade routes and Soulless within the alleys. You and Mhin had been running into each other so frequently in between exterminations that you’d set up an informal coffee break in the early evening at a local strudel stand.

The bell jingled merrily as you stepped over the threshold. A wave of warm, ale-steeped air embraced you, soothing the chill across your cheeks. A small crowd of people remained in the Wick, a huddle of Hounds here, a sleeping drunk there. The musician drowsily strummed on his lute as he sat on the edge of the stage, listing toward the young man watching him moonily from a nearby table.

The bartender glanced up, caught sight of you, and lifted a brow.

You thought for a second before nodding. A bath could wait a little longer - the open armchair by the fire was calling.

By the time you reached the bar, a glass of whiskey awaited you. You grabbed it, took a fortifying, burning sip, before making your way toward the fire. As you grew closer to the two wingback armchairs, two leather boots came into view propped up on the rug. A hand draped over the edge, gloved fingers holding the rim of a twin whiskey glass.

Your gaze drew up the stout, black leather and golden buckles, thick thigh muscle encased lovingly within the material, before you forced yourself to look away, your mouth suddenly dry.

Leander stirred when you dropped into the armchair opposite him. His dark eyes caught yours for a moment, the firelight flickering from within their depths, before a smile turned the corner of his mouth. “Wondered when you’d come back. I almost gave up and turned in.”

You shot him a look, not dignifying that lie with a response. Even without knowledge of his insomnia, you knew for a fact that Leander would not have casually shrugged off your absence. He had likely planned to wait until midnight, then send a call out to the Hounds to find you.

His protective nature, once he had decided to include you in his ‘pack,’ warmed your heart and at times frustrated you to no end. 

Leander grinned, his cheek propped up on his palm. “You’re right - who am I fooling? How could I sleep without you there to warm my bed?” 

“I suppose that explains why you don’t.” You snorted, taking a larger sip and relishing the sweet taste in your mouth, the burn down your throat. 

“Yet,” he murmured, his deep voice warming your blood faster than any alcohol, before he changed topic. “How’d the jobs go?”

“Fine.” Your schedule had been so full of exterminations, the cycle of monsters so repetitive, that you’d grown almost bored with it all. “There was a small adjustment on the last one - requester had noted one Soulless, but we found four - but nothing we couldn’t handle.”

“We?”

“Mhin and I.” A yawn broke through your words, a weight of sleep settling in your chest. You nestled a little deeper in the armchair and leaned your head against the leather side. “They were working the same street, so we teamed up. Then I skinned a zalamander, sold it to the leatherer, and here I am.”

Leander hummed, staring at your wrist. “That bracelet’s from them, I suppose.”

“Hmm? Oh, yes.” You lifted your arm. A thin silver band gleamed in the firelight, etched with runic symbols of protection. It’d been a surprise - a welcome one - when, face aflame, they’d shoved a satchel into your hand and shot off into the night, stammering all the while. You glanced up at Leander’s face and promptly sighed. “Don’t.’

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t look at me like that.” Your eyes narrowed on him, knowingly. “Lock those dragon eyes away.”

Those same eyes bore into yours, covetous and secretive, emerald depths glowing ever so slightly effervescent. 

“Mhin’s terrible about gifts. You know it. They literally threw it at me before vanishing into the night, like a vampire fleeing a rosary.” You looked away and drank the rest of your whiskey, the ice kissing your lips. “Said they didn’t like to owe people.”

“And why did they feel a debt was owed?”

“I gave them and Kuras a couple loaves of spiced walnut bread. Remember, from last week?”

“Ah.” A long moment passed, then Leander slowly uncurled from the armchair and leaned forward, his elbows braced on his knees. He held your gaze over the bridge of his fingers, his mouth hidden from view. “And you say I shouldn’t feel envious?”

You frowned. “Over bread?”

“Mhin, Kuras. Ais. Even Vere has received a gift from you this winter.” 

“You mean the dagger he literally stole from me after I tried to stab him with it?” Certainly an unintentional gift that you very much held a grudge over. It was an enchanted dagger with a blood-thinning curse - cuts from the blade would prove particularly difficult to heal. You could only hope he chose to ‘regift’ it at some point. Probably in a dark alley, when you least expected it.

Leander’s eyes narrowed. “I know that scarf around Morhan’s neck was from you.”

You glanced at the bartender before replying, a little defensive, “After so many free drinks, it seemed rude not to give him something.”

He huffed, glaring into the fire.

You sat up, drowsy warmth fading at his tone. “You literally ate two of those loaves by yourself at breakfast that day. You wouldn’t even share with your men.” Indignant, more than a little confused, you wondered where this was all coming from, when - “Wait. Are you… jealous?”

“And should I not expect a simple morsel of your regard, or am I not worth even a crumb from your table?”

An incredulous laugh bubbled up from your throat. You watched his expression grow mulish at the sound, before shaking your head. “You’re serious about this.”

The flicker of hurt, barely there and quickly concealed, sobered you up immediately.

With a long, heavy sigh, you sat the glass down on the floor and rose from the chair. He straightened at your approach, his jaw clenched before dropping completely when you nudged him back with a hand on his shoulder and braced a knee on the cushion, leaning over his lap.

One of Leander’s hands settled on your hip as he tipped backward, lifting his chin to stair up into your face. Your gaze trailed over his strong jaw, high cheekbones, proud nose - the thick fan of lashes around his gorgeous green eyes. You cupped his cheek, your thumb stroking the jagged edge of his scar, heat pooling in your stomach.

You smiled. “Go to bed.”

He listed closer, his fingers searching for the hem of your shirt. “Come with me?”

Your thumb rose higher, brushing the dark circles under his eyes. “It’s been two days at least. You need the rest. Actual rest.”

“I spoke true, earlier. I would sleep much better with you in my arms,” he said, his voice low and deep. Maybe, after hours of decidedly sleepless activities. His gaze dipped slightly to your lips, before rising once more. Then he stilled. “Two days?”

You licked your lips, delighting at the way his eyes immediately paid fervid attention to them, before craning your neck to say, just beyond his mouth, “Had you returned to your rooms since, you would not be sulking over gifts at all.”

It took a moment for the words to sink in as Leander rose, attempting to capture your lips in a kiss. Then the hazy longing cleared as his eyes brightened in understanding. “You…”

Two days prior, you had snuck into his room and laid a wrapped parcel on his nightstand. A gold spyglass, enchanted with the ability to see through walls, across vast distances, and to map the stars. Compact enough to hand on his belt or in the pocket of his coat. Engraved with the symbol of the Bloodhounds. It had cost several days wages, but luckily you had enough to spare after the busy season.

Smirking, you kissed him quick and sweet before sliding out of his grasp. He was a couple seconds too late to trap you, missing your waist but catching your hand. Leander tugged you closer and held your gaze as he placed a slow, equally sweet kiss on your knuckles. “Well, now you have to come. You must be present so that I can convey my gratitude immediately and …  appropriately.”

‘Appropriately’ undoubtedly meant enthusiastically, carnally, and relentlessly. 

Heat burned in your cheeks, but you held fast to your intentions. “I won’t be complicit in your insomnia.” At his pout, you mused, “rest well tonight, and perhaps I could be persuaded tomorrow…”

“I’ll hold you to that,” and to me, his eyes seemed to say.

“I’m counting on it.” 

Finally, you tugged your hand free and headed toward the stairs, his gaze like a heated caresse on your back.

When you had removed your coat and prepared to undress for a bath, you noticed a box on your pillow. Beneath the wrapped lid and silk ribbon, nestled in a velvet cushion, laid a new, enchanted dagger. It had a supple leather handle and a large, oval emerald set into the pommel. 

You lifted the dagger and brought the blade to your face. Pure silver. Runes etched into the spine forming the cornerstone of a curse: paralysis and blood-thinning.

You paused for a long moment, hot down to your bones, before turning on your heel and heading to the door. 

Leander could get that night’s sleep tomorrow instead.

__________________________

a/n: comments and kudos appreciated! happy holidays!

[britcision]

As promised, part two!

First Chapter:

Part One of this chapter:

————————

So That Just Happened part 2

In the bathroom, Jason turned the hot tap on as high as it’d go and stood over the sink, breathing in the steam. He just… he just needed to clear his head. Get his thoughts straight.

Sleep for the next six fucking weeks and make Pitty someone else’s problem, ideally.

The weight of Frostbite’s gift sat heavy in his pants pocket and he pulled the case out, shaking a single glowing ice chip into his hand. The rising temperature of the bathroom didn’t affect it at all, which didn’t surprise Jason.

He considered putting it under the stream of hot water but didn’t bother.

Frostbite said not to use them too much, or get too dependent on them. On the other hand, fuck today. So much.

He crushed the shard in his hand and shoved the pieces into his mouth. This time it tasted like ozone and limes, and stung the inside of his mouth. In a good way, though.

The rush of energy was the same, and Jason would swear he could feel his frayed edges slowly closing over. Not a real substitute for food or sleep, but sure as hell beat coffee.

He had a couple dozen more ice chips, which he tucked away in the medicine cabinet behind the mirror. The mirror wasn’t supposed to have a cabinet, but it had been easy enough to make one, and so far none of his siblings had found it yet… if they even found this apartment.

(None of them would have been able to resist commenting on the collage he’d made across the back wall of their most “interesting” family photos. Or the little batburger figurines of each of their alter-egos.

Jason had made sure he got the worst ones on the market, and knew their exact positions. If a single one shifted, he’d know.)

It was on the outer edge of Crime Alley, far from the heart his family all expected him to hole up in, and the rest of the building was a completely unremarkable old library which had been abandoned before Jason was born.

Getting himself a well secured home had been easy to slip into the renovation plans; he’d had Bruce “buy” the building through Jason’s funds to start restoring it, keeping it well removed from Red Hood’s name. It was the first project he planned to put his own name on, now that he was officially alive again.

The Catherine Todd Memorial Library.

The building itself wasn’t open yet, the main part of it still being remodelled, but the needle drop off and exchange was already running from the front entrance.

This was home, as much as anywhere ever was. More than anywhere had ever been since Wayne Manor.

Jason tensed against the anger, but nothing rose this time. The ecto-ice had given him a flood of energy, the same almost static clarity, but he still felt drained. Like there was no anger left in him.

It would have been nice if it felt good.

The steam had fogged the mirror now, collecting in the air even against the bathroom’s fan. Shutting the tap off, Jason closed his eyes and sucked in a few more deep, fortifying breaths.

Maybe the ecto-ice had been a mistake. All he wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep, but he wouldn’t be able to for at least a few hours now.

Patrol was out of the question. His body may be revitalized and humming with energy, but his head wasn’t in the game. Even Lady Gotham’s embrace couldn’t pull his scattered thoughts together.

What he needed was some mindless TV, some stupidly indulgent junk food, and a blanket. He’d heard… well, things about the new Sex and the City spinoff. Not exactly good things, but things.

Carrie Bradshaw’s not-problems could be the perfect backdrop to a night in.

Alfred would probably send him cookies if he asked. This being an emergency and all. Although… it wasn’t like they could explain the nature of the emergency without the whole ghost reveal.

… Probably still worth a try though.

His Red Hood phone was still at the safe house he’d slept in, but at least one of his spares for his civilian life should be in the apartment somewhere.

The steam had mostly cleared too, leaving the mirror only slightly foggy around the edges. Jason gave it a careful wipe down out of habit; dots on the mirror didn’t usually bother him, but… he’d put Catherine’s name on the building. He wanted to keep everything in it nice.

(Which was why a lot of stuff was unused.)

It wasn’t until he opened the door that he realized he really hadn’t said anything to Danny before disappearing.

Would he have left? Fuck, that’d be the obvious choice, wouldn’t it? Getting dropped off just inside a stranger’s door, and then they just walk away from you into the bathroom.

Shit, Danny had probably left. That… Jason didn’t know how to feel about that, and the empty hall only confirmed his suspicions.

On the one hand, he really wasn’t up to more talking. He didn’t even want to think about everything that had happened today, and especially not whatever the hell was lose in his city, trying to feed his rage. He couldn’t handle one more gentle reassurance that it was okay to be angry.

On the other hand, he really, really didn’t want to be alone. The noise from the TV and the snacks would cut it in a pinch, but the only thing he actually wanted right now was company. Quiet, nonjudgemental company.

He hadn’t told any of the bats about this safe house. Not even Bruce’s contractors knew he’d snuck it in. He’d wanted it to be safe from them and from everyone else, and now he could keep his fucking secrets at the cost of being alone.

A little heavy handed as a metaphor.

… Fuck, Alfred couldn’t even bring him cookies without knowing where he was.

He turned away from the hall and made for the bedroom to grab the spare phone, though he wasn’t sure who he’d message anymore. Just as he was debating the merits of messaging Cass and getting her to do him a delivery, a noise from the kitchen caught his attention. Hope rose, slowly and uncertainly. Had Danny not left?

… Why was Danny in his kitchen, when he was a self professed fire hazard?

Caution and concern flaring right alongside that hope, Jason backtracked and hurried to the kitchen.

**

There were not enough dirty dishes.

There was like, a mug, a coffee pot, and two plates. Really, Danny should have been done in minutes and fidgeting for something else to do.

But then he’d been looking for where to put the plates away, and he’d found a really impressive spice cabinet. Right next to the stovetop, made sense he guessed, though personally he preferred to keep the damn plates where they’d be used.

He’d perused a couple of labels on the little jars, mildly amused by how many he absolutely could not even guess at. What the fuck was “marjoram”? Or “zataar”?

So the logical thing to do had been open the jars for a sniff.

All well and good. He didn’t recognize most of the smells either, and couldn’t imagine why you’d put almost half of them in any kind of food, but some of them smelled really good.

But then he’d found the garlic powder.

Danny did not cook, as a rule. Sam cooked, mostly from spite, and she always used fresh smashed garlic. Danny’s youtuber chefs mostly said the jarred chopped stuff was fine, but what the fuck was garlic powder?

And what garlic powder was, was pungent. Really, really strongly scented, and super light. Just opening the jar had puffed up a cloud of the stuff, and Danny had been about to sniff it anyway and took a bigger huff than he intended.

And then he’d sneezed.

And now Jason’s entire kitchen was dusted in garlic powder, including the dishes he’d just washed and left on the counter while he found their homes.

So Danny panicked.

Trying to dust the garlic powder off the counters with his hands only got more of it into the air, and he wasn’t falling for that fucking trap again, no sir. He went ghost again and stopped fucking breathing is what he did, then grabbed a garlic covered towel and tried to wipe the powder into a pile.

No dice.

But Danny was a professional superhero. He calmed himself down. He stopped panicking. He went looking for a dustpan and brush like a sensible adult.

And then he heard the bathroom door open, froze like a deer in the headlights, and reflexively jerked straight off the floor.

Because right, he had fucking ghost powers.

At least he already hadn’t been breathing. Luckily, Jason seemed to need something from the other side of the apartment since his footsteps pretty much immediately moved away, and Danny let out another relieved breath.

He could still fix this. This would be fine. He could telekinetically pick up all the garlic dust, and throw it in the trash because a lot was on the floor and the rest was on him and also Every Other Surface On Earth, and buy Jason more tomorrow.

Before Jason came back from wherever else he was going and realized Danny was a fucking menace. Focusing hard, Danny let his aura suffuse the room and focused on the garlic powder. Willed it to lift off whatever it was touching, and come towards him.

Of course, some of it was now on the clean dishes, and in the mug. Which fell over as Danny pulled its powder coating away.

Jason’s footsteps immediately stopped. And then began hurrying towards him.

And maybe Danny panicked again, just a tiny bit, but the good news was he did not ice over the whole kitchen! He’d grown so much since Ghost Puberty Part 2 Electric Boogaloo! He was totally in control!

He just iced the dishes to the counter and froze the floating garlic powder, which was why Jason appeared in the doorway to see Danny floating like a fucking dumbass in the middle of his kitchen, surrounded by sparkling ice crystals.

Danny raised both hands immediately.

“I can explain.”

**

So the thing about Spiderheck. The really big pain in the ass thing. Was that every round was super unpredictable, even when you weren’t playing with superheroes trying to adapt their actual abilities to spider bodies.

There really was no way to know what would be a long or short round.

Tucker had tried a couple more times to “fall” early on, only to be promptly followed by one or both of his fellow competitors.

The good news was, they were at least all tied up for now, so he’d gotten more time without anyone asking questions. The bad news was, it was match point. Whoever took this next one, if they didn’t all tie, it would be time for another set.

Aaaaand Conner and Tim were still having fun, and insisted they were just warming up, but Tucker was sweating anyway. He didn’t even know spiders could sweat.

Ancients, had he actually fucked up using his powers for the first time in years when he was trying to show off for Red Robin and Superboy?

He was going to look like a fucking newb. An absolute amateur.

And that was assuming that no one had come looking for them and noticed the empty room and still going game on the TV. Would Batman think he’d kidnapped Red Robin?

Who was Tucker kidding, he totally would. Bruce was paranoid as hell, and while he mostly seemed to be aiming it at Danny, that was probably because he hadn’t realized Tucker was liminal. Did the GIW even know about liminals? There probably wasn’t much documentation for him to freak himself out about with.

Of course, in this case he wouldn’t be wrong. Tim would be trapped. It’d just be because Tucker was a dumbass, not a malicious force. At least Tim and Conner would almost definitely believe him.

Aaaand he’d never live it down. It was only a matter of time before they both noticed he wasn’t really trying to win anymore too. He’d kept up, but that was mostly by accident. He just had a lot of practice being inside the game levels.

A lot of them could kill all the players on their own, no PVP required.

He felt like an absolute caveman when the answer finally came to him, and it wasn’t even his own idea.

Because the last level had been one of those “kill all the players” levels, and all three of them had managed to be thrown into lava close enough that the computer didn’t count a winner.

Tim and Conner groaned loudly before bursting out laughing, because of course that was what happened at their dramatic finale, and then as they’d spawned in again Tim turned to Tucker.

“Hey, can you pause before we get into this one? I just wanna catch my breath a second.”

Which, for a nanosecond, felt like the absolute end of the world, because he didn’t have his controller buttons. Because he was a dumbass.

Luckily, it also snapped him back to his senses, and reminded him of the very first time he’d put Sam and Danny into a game with him. They’d made the same mistake, not leaving anyone their actual console controls, and Danny had begun trying to actually physically break them out before Tucker worked it out.

They were his fucking powers. He could always pause them, whatever they were doing; all he had to do was close his eyes and blank out for like, a minute.

He’d been collapsing in despair that first time, and Sam had kicked him over, sat on him, and demanded he take a nap, and then they were all back in their bodies like nothing had happened.

Keeping them inside the game was the part that was difficult; it was an act of focus, and sure it felt automatic at this point because he did this all the time now, but it was still something he had to actively do. Sure, technically, he wouldn’t be controlling the game from the inside, but they’d be back in their fucking bodies in the real world.

Where the actual console controls were. And then he could reload them in, and not forget his overrides this time, and everything would be fine.

Luckily, while his brain was techno-linked, he was processing in computer-time, not people-time. There was barely a pause after Tim asked the question and the answer came, tension leaving his body so quickly he almost sagged.

He even sounded a little giddily relieved to his own ears as he answered, laughing and already shutting his eyes.

“Well, kinda. Let me just pop us back out, we should probably check the time too. Hang on.”

Luckily, this stage did not seem to have any instant death traps. Tim and Conner fucked around with the crates and the platforms for a couple of seconds while Tucker reached inside, deliberately pulling his disconnect instead of waiting, and then they were all back on the couch, controllers in hand.

He’d never been so happy to see his own hands. Or the Start button, which he promptly hit to pause all three spiders before Tim and Conner’s could swing to their deaths. Even if that would give him the win.

Tim and Conner shifted beside him, getting used to their bodies again. Tucker took the lead there, setting his controller down and stretching his arms up behind his head, the phantom sensations of extra limbs already beginning to fade.

“It stops feeling weird pretty fast, but it helps if you move around,” he explained brightly, still high on that buzz of relief.

Conner made a noise of agreement, standing and stretching his arms over his head, which made his shirt ride up. Tucker had the good sense to turn away quickly, before he got hypnotized.

Not quickly enough that Tim didn’t notice, but Tim Drake-Wayne remained the very coolest person on planet Earth and didn’t say anything. He just grinned knowingly at Tucker and rolled his shoulders, stretching out his neck.

“Okay, that was really cool. Not even a little bit the same, but really cool.”

Tucker grinned back, sheepish but still just happy he didn’t get caught.

“Yeah, there’s always the skill barrier where you can’t do the button combos, but I still feel like it helps? Y’know, understanding how the characters move and stuff.”

“I’m just glad you picked up the TTK that fast,” Conner cut in with a laugh, now bending down to touch his toes, blessedly while facing them.

Tucker swelled with pride.

“I mean, it wasn’t all that complicated. You explained it really well,” he said totally calmly, totally cool, definitely not fawning over the actual demigod in the room.

He didn’t exactly get why Conner shot Tim an entirely triumphant grin or why Tim rolled his eyes, but he wasn’t gonna worry about that. Tonight, he was batting a thousand.

He’d be tired getting back to class tomorrow, and he couldn’t exactly tell his classmates he’d been hanging out with Tim Drake-Wayne and being carried home by actual Superboy, but this was still the best week of his life. And Tim had already been talking about getting him an internship.

His life really could not be finer.

**

Jason took the mess well. Probably because Danny had a) already been working on it and b) panicked like a startled duckling and explained at a mile a minute, getting the order of events completely wrong at least twice.

Having the garlic powder iced over definitely helped the cleanup too. Jason grabbed a garbage bag, Danny floated what was in the air in, and they both took damp cloths to hunt down any stray garlic powder hiding in crevices.

Danny rewashed the dishes, but Jason dried them with a fresh towel and showed him where everything was. All in all, it was a blissfully domestic moment after a genuinely fucked day.

He could feel an unasked question waiting on the back of Jason’s tongue while they cleaned up, the shape of anticipation and something that wasn’t exactly fear, or even anxiety, just a low grade avoidance. Danny didn’t push it.

That seemed like the right answer too, because when they’d finished and stared at each other awkwardly for a long moment, Jason sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Look, I know you’ve got school tomorrow. If you’ve gotta head out…” he trailed off, resigned-tired filling his aura.

Danny raised both hands to cut him off.

“Hey. I can fly across this city in like, fifteen minutes. It’s not even half eleven yet, so if you want some company I’ve got nowhere else to be. We can talk about whatever, play some more MarioKart, or I can just make you some cocoa and go if you need space?”

Jason didn’t physically sag with relief, but that was probably because he’d already been holding himself carefully to hide the tension. Didn’t matter, because everything else about him screamed it as he raised an eyebrow at Danny, glancing around his kitchen.

“I’m not leaving you alone in here again until you’re Alfred-certified,” he declared sarcastically, and Danny grinned back.

“Ah, so never again. Good to know. It’s probably for the best, I’m a lousy cook for anything I don’t have to wrestle to the ground.” Not that he was any better at cooking it after he’d won the fight; he was just pretty good at the fighting part.

Jason’s eyebrow twitched and then he chuckled, shaking his head and pointing out of the kitchen.

“Tell you what, I’ll make you some cocoa while you go turn the TV on. Remote’s on the end table.”

That sounded like an invitation to stay to Danny! So he hadn’t totally fucked by not booking it out of Jason’s haunt at top speed; good to know.

And maybe he did physically sag with relief a little, because expressing your emotions was cool actually and everyone should totally be doing it more. And it was more fun in ghost form; he actually sunk til his feet almost touched the ground.

Didn’t go all the way when he remembered he was still in his boots. Jason’s other apartments had been pretty well lived in although still generally tidy, but this one was almost pristine. Whether it was new or he was just more careful here, Danny could take a hint.

He gestured quickly at his body while Jason pulled a cartoon of milk from the giant, gleaming blue-black fridge that looked mostly empty.

“Sure, uh… mind if I change?”

Jason blinked, which was fair since Danny had been a ghost for the past couple hours, then nodded.

“Not at all. There’s also some sweatpants and stuff in the bedroom if you wanna get more comfortable, but I don’t have as much of Tim or Dick’s stuff here so you might be stuck in mine,” he added a little shyly, and Danny’s grin widened as he remembered his new favourite shirt.

“You have five minutes to hide any other great soup shirts before I take you up on that,” he teased and Jason grinned back.

“Nah, go for it. I’ll only be a little longer than that with the cocoa though, so don’t do too much snooping around.” It didn’t sound like an actual warning, but he’d also already turned back to what he was doing… which already looked way too complicated.

He had a saucepan for crying out loud. Like Danny couldn’t see the electric kettle and fancy coffee machine. Tempted to stick around to watch just for curiosity, Danny floated back to the front door to change back and drop off his shoes and coat instead.

And hesitated.

Jason had given him permission to go to the bedroom. Change out of his jeans and jacket. He didn’t actually need to; the jeans were pretty comfy, well worn in, but they did have some built up salt, slush, and yuck from walking and driving around Gotham’s streets around the ends.

It was possible the suggestion had been more for the sake of Jason’s couch than Danny’s comfort.

He could just go intangible and let the dirt fall through, but that’d leave a pile which while technically being more contained would still be more mess. And sometimes it was hard to tell what was dirt and what was pants, since they weren’t exactly “his” either way.

He could just do laundry when he got home.

Luckily the bedroom door was open, so Danny didn’t have to poke into any of the other doors from the hall. Just like at his other apartment, there was indeed a separate set of six drawers with Jason’s siblings name on each drawer.

Well, “Dickhead”, “Timbo”, “The Purple One”, “Cass”, “Demon Brat”, and “Best Sibling”. Snickering to himself, Danny considered taking a picture. Or asking Duke what he’d done to be “Best Sibling”.

Unlike the other apartment, each drawer was mostly empty though. Just a pair of sweatpants about the right size, a hoodie, and a shirt that Jason had definitely assigned rather than getting one of theirs. Although Danny didn’t doubt Dick would own a Nightwing hoodie in the least.

The My Little Pony shirt for Damian was… well, Danny didn’t know him well enough to say.

With the clothes that might actually fit located (and honestly Cass’s were probably actually his best bet), Danny snooped through a couple other drawers to see if Jason did have any other fun shirts to steal.

There was actually depressingly little; Jason had plenty of clothes here, just like the other apartments, but all of them were… respectable. Plain. Block colours, simple patterns, normal people clothing.

Danny was just about to give up when he popped open the bottom drawer and stared in awe.

Jason’s regular wardrobe (from Danny’s admittedly limited experience) was kinda basic; plain shirt, sexy jacket, plain pants. Extra sweaters given the weather, but he did also have a pretty good collection of graphic tees with various swearwords usually featured boldly.

Where what had to be the complete collection of every Wonder Woman shirt ever made fit in, Danny wasn’t going to try and guess, but he knew good taste when he saw it.

Unfortunately, if he stole one of those, Jason was probably gonna want it back. Most of them were clearly worn, and just as clearly carefully cleaned to keep them nice. Danny wasn’t good at keeping things nice.

Somewhat reluctantly, he shuffled back to the siblings’ dresser and stole Cass’s hot pink paw print sweats, Steph’s 1000% bootlegged Sex In The City misprint shirt with the purple sparkle dildos painted over the girls, and the Nightwing hoodie. Never let it be said he could put together an outfit.

Fingering the shirt, he made his way back out and to the open plan lounge, his own clothes tossed carefully onto his shoes by the door. Jason had told him to put the TV on… and the worst he could do was say no.

Pulling up the streaming services, Danny went looking for And Just Like That. Mostly for curiosity’s sake, to be honest. He could probably sneak a trailer before Jason got back, just as a sample.

As if summoned by his thoughts, Jason appeared just as Danny found the right service, two steaming mugs of incredible smelling cocoa topped with a mass of whipped cream in his hands and a large bowl of popcorn, skittles, and smarties in his other arm.

Danny couldn’t even complain about not getting to have nice things, because if that wasn’t the epitome of a fantasy walking into the room he didn’t know what was. Hitting pause quickly, he hopped up to take the bowl for purely altruistic reasons.

Definitely not for an early handful, no matter how Jason raised his eyebrows at him. The handful was Danny’s reward for being a good citizen.

“Hey, that smells fantastic! Your family is gonna ruin me for shitty cafe hot chocolate,” he teased through a mouthful of candy.

Jason rolled his eyes but smiled, switching both mugs to one hand to set a trio of coasters on the coffee table. Danny reluctantly relinquished the bowl to the third if only to grab his cocoa and take a sip as Jason sniffed.

“Hot chocolate is to cocoa what instant coffee is to fresh,” he said snootily, like those were words that meant anything. Danny just stared at him, whipped cream on his nose purely for comedic effect.

Until Jason leaned in and wiped it away with his thumb, and Danny’s brain shut down. Unfortunate, since Jason started talking.

“So, uh… you a Sex and the City fan?”

“Huh?” Danny kept staring, pretty sure words had meanings until Jason jerked his thumb in the direction of the TV (which was huge and gorgeous because of course it was. This was the rich son of a bitch apartment Danny would expect of… okay, not a Wayne, it was still way below that level of fancy, but at least someone making a good chunk of change).

Then he shook himself out of it, grinning.

“Oh! No, never seen any.”

Jason cocked his head, eyebrow raised again.

“Then why…”

Danny shrugged, settling himself comfortably back into the couch. He was going to sound like a crazy person anyway, he might as well be comfortable.

“I listen to The Worst Idea Of All Time on my way to classes. And when I’m welding. It’s a couple of guys from New Zealand who watched Sex and the City 2 every week for a year, and a bunch of other stuff. Like, uh… Grown Ups 2, We Are Your Friends, oh and the first Sex and the City movie.”

And, sure enough, Jason looked appropriately baffled.

“What, all at once?”

“Nah, different years. They never did the actual show, but they’re doing commentary on all of the episodes of And Just Like That now that they’re out since they did both movies, which were after the show. Why, did you watch the actual show?”

Jason nodded slowly, and Danny snickered.

“The show’s not canon for the Worst Idea boys. Brady the Rat King is though.” And yeah, he probably could be explaining this more like a sane and reasonable person, but that just made the podcast sound worse.

This time it was Jason who raised both hands, even relinquishing his cocoa to do it.

“There are too many questions, so I’m just gonna start with “why?”” He was already smiling though, so Danny was going to take that as a good sign.

He shrugged cheerfully.

“Schadenfreude is the leading theory from the boys, and to be fair it is fun watching them suffer through the worst movies they can find. They’re both professional comedians though so it is actually really funny, and they’re really positive. Every watch has to have a shining light, which is something you actually liked about the movie that week. I did that with one of my lecturers last semester, a real blowhard, and it helped. Mostly it’s just the aural equivalent of comfort food; nothing challenging, no thought required, just two good soft boys making up crazy stories about movies every week.”

Jason was actually listening, pursing his lips as he considered what Danny was saying. Privately, Danny suspected having actually watched Sex and the City might work against him… although he might have been dead when at least one of the movies came out.

Finally, Jason sighed.

“So you’ve just watched the movies, and none of the show?” He asked, in a tone which told Danny exactly what he thought of the movies. So he might like the podcast after all.

Danny grinned and grabbed another handful of popcorn.

“Nah. They actively discourage us from watching them, even when they do directors commentary. And Just Like That isn’t getting the full season treatment though, so I kinda wanted to take a look just to see the outfits.” A stroke of inspiration struck him, and Danny dropped some of the popcorn into his cocoa.

Getting it back out again was not as easy as he’d have liked, but he got two pieces that were heavenly and was content to let the third wallow under the whipped cream where it had retreated.

Jason totally was not laughing at him, because he was a gentleman. It was the brilliance of Danny’s answers that had him smiling like that, for sure. And when he was sure he had Danny’s attention again, he pointed at him.

“Okay, we’ll watch And Just Like That tonight. But you have to come over and watch the original series at some point too,” he added quickly.

Danny pouted but considered it. He didn’t even know how many seasons there had been. Time for a counter offer.

“Only if you try the podcast.” Which was a totally reasonable offer and absolutely no reason for Jason to make that face as he nodded.

“Fine. I’ll give it a shot on my way to work. Happy?”

“Deeeeee-lighted,” Danny cackled, holding out a hand to shake. Which Jason obligingly shook, then nodded to the couch.

“No spoilers, okay? Unless there’s good hats. I’m just going to run and change.”

He even came back bearing a fuzzy throw from the end of the bed, which he dropped on Danny’s head and imperilled his precious cocoa. It was mostly empty by then though, and then Jason even refilled it for him, so Danny graciously gave him a royal pardon.

Jason graciously told him to shove it up his ass and settled in, and Danny swiped the remote for his impertinence. Long day now finally behind them, it was looking to be a much better night.

**

Taking a quick glance at both his League communicator and both of his phones, Bruce dismissed about thirty messages from Harley. He might have liked to talk to her earlier, and probably would actually message her back to talk later.

It had only been for a matter of minutes, but even a second of believing that Jason had died again… no. He knew he hadn’t handled it well. If he actually slept tonight, he had no doubt it would be even worse than usual, and plagued by nightmares.

Fortunately for him, he had a new case to distract himself with… or rather, a new direction for his existing case.

Diana was right; she usually was, in matters of the heart. He had to trust Jason, and trust that Jason knew what he was doing with this business in the Infinite Realms.

A year ago, Jason likely wouldn’t even have involved Bruce in the conversation, if it happened at all; he’d have dropped the evidence on Dick or Duke, or just gone around trying to blow up a rogue government agency on his own. That he had brought this to Bruce showed a lot of progress in their relationship. It gave him a reason to hope.

He would have to try and reward the trust Jason had shown in him, rather than punishing it. A proper apology, just between them… if Jason would speak to him.

A few days to give Jason time to calm down would probably help. And, if he was truthful, for Bruce to put his concerns to bed.

He may have been… hasty in leaping to conclusions about Danny Fenton. It wasn’t like him to become so entrenched in an opinion without checking it from at least a dozen more angles; the Mansons and Vlad Masters could only know so much.

Diana had been right again; he had to get to know Danny, to put his fears to rest. He trusted…

Okay. When it came down to it, he didn’t exactly trust his children not to lie to him about the dangers of a potential friend. There’d been one too many secrets-turned-disasters. But he could trust them to fact check and rat each other out if they truly believed their siblings were making a serious mistake.

For the joy of an “I told you so”, if nothing else.

Cass’s first impressions in her debrief had been illuminating. A little more discussion with her and perhaps Steph, their views were often varied enough that between them a very comprehensive picture could be built.

Talking to Danny himself again… Bruce knew himself well enough to know that wasn’t a good idea yet. It would have to happen eventually; he suspected he also owed Danny an apology for his behaviour, although no one else had mentioned it. Which was perhaps another sign of how badly he’d failed Jason.

No, he had to level his opinions on Danny first, make sure he could keep a clear head. Returning to the cave, he made his way directly to the batcomputer and sank into its familiar embrace.

Tim likely hadn’t had time to make the updates that would allow them to read through Amity Park’s data directly, but Tucker Foley had provided them with a respectable amount of downloaded data. Bruce could begin his researches there, and make some travel arrangements as well.

If he couldn’t get into Amity Park digitally, physically would have to do. Likely as Brucie Wayne rather than Batman, although repairing the town’s relationship to the Justice League was a worthy goal while he was there. And while people wouldn’t be as open to giving him information about Danny face to face, he could pick up some native tech and make his own adjustments. That should let him get past their unique protections.

And a better look at these ghosts, and an understanding of what exactly the Justice League Dark were so concerned about.

Hands pausing on the keys for a moment, Bruce briefly considered messaging Constantine again, or Zatanna. He should at least inform them that he was planning to go to Amity Park in person.

After a moment’s consideration, he sent a brief message to Zatanna. As unprofessional as it might be, Bruce knew himself well enough to know he just wasn’t up to spending any more time with Constantine at the moment.

Zatanna could brief him on any necessary etiquette just as well, with far less dramatics. A little space between himself and Constantine could only help as well. Honestly, a few days away from Gotham and all of his current headaches could only be a good thing.

Harley might even be proud of him.

——————

So here we have it! Also, by the way, that nexus thing is actually canon in the DC multiverse, and it is so much fun

[artist-issues]

I feel saddened that Disney has lost their edge movie and villain wise. As Disney has had such a great rogues gallery in the past.

I really haven’t figured out what the new villains are missing. It’s either that there isn’t a true villain, like Abuela in Encanto or Namaari in Raya & the Last Dragon or Callisto in Strange World, OR the villain is a true villain, but because the message of the movie is poor, the villain comes off as poor, too.

I mean, I made a post about the formula of Disney a while back and how they need to remember what the pieces are for: the villains are one of those pieces. They’re supposed to embody the opposite of the movie’s message.

So in Wish, the message was weak. “You have the power to make your own wishes come true, so keep trying.” So King Magnifico was a weak character. He still almost-represented the opposite of the message, but because the message is so vague and the story didn’t build on it, he might be a “true” villain, but he’s not a good villain.

He represents the belief that “nothing you do on your own can make your wishes come true, so you should stop trying.” Kind of. Except, he himself believes that he has the power to make his own “wishes” (absolute power) come true—and everyone else’s. So his character falls flat. All that the audience is left to hold on to is Chris Pine’s charm, one-liners about his handsomeness, and empty stabs at chemistry with his wife.

What they could’ve done is had Magnifico be a true opposite to the movie’s message (vague as it is) and it might’ve been more impactful. Instead of being obsessed with keeping his own power safe (keeping his own wishes safe) he could’ve been the kind of King that is super-duper strict. Doesn’t even try to hide how strict he is. He could’ve had no magic, and in fact, magic is banned in Rosas and he tries to convince everyone that it doesn’t exist—

—because he believes the opposite of the movie’s message: “You have the power to make your own wishes come true, so keep trying.” He doesn’t believe anything good can com from reaching for “more.” Maybe the kingdom was magical once, and famous for being a place where new innovations and enchanted items came from, but then it was besieged because foreigners wanted it’s power when he was a young Prince, and the survivors were forced to flee to a secret island, and they re-established the kingdom of Rosas, but it was never the same.

Because now young Prince Magnifico starts his rule as fearful King Magnifico, and he believes that magic, and innovation, and “wishing” for too much outside of your comfort zone, only invites trouble. It’s best to lead a safe, tightly controlled life with no risks. But his good intentions turn into an obsession with keeping the kingdom hidden and under control. So King Magnifico frequently holds fear-based memorials of Rosas’ history, and why magic is bad, and punishes anybody who makes too much bustle or tries to leave.

Everybody in Rosas lives according to tight schedules and curfews. They serve the King by making their kingdom fortified, but carefully hidden. No buildings are built over a certain height limit (kind of like an allegory for not looking up, not getting too close to the sun, whatever) and all old relics of magic that the refugees kept over the years are meant to be turned in. The citizens keep themselves busy by adhering to a strict schedule, where everybody is given the same rations of food, the same quiet farming jobs, rotating market days, etc. Because the whole idea is, “we’re in a hidden kingdom. The world is still looking for Rosas to take advantage of it’s magic. They can never find us—hopefully they’ll forget about us and leave us in peace and safety if we stay hidden and keep to ourselves and get rid of magic.”

Of course, this whole setting changes King Magnifico from a charming showman going on and on about his own handsomeness to a strict protector who’s public persona is a benevolent father-figure just trying to keep everyone safe, but under the surface he’s a dictator using “safety” to control with fear.

And the setting has to change Asha, too. Because you don’t grow up on a hidden kingdom where your whole life is on a tight, boring schedule and everyone keeps their heads down, and you’re the only one bubbly and ready to try new things. You don’t even know what that looks like; you’ve never seen anyone eager to dream or take risks or go exploring.

UNLESS, maybe your grandfather (who is barely a character in the original movie) remembers the old Rosas. And he has kept magic contraband from the time when innovation was the kingdom’s identity. And so while everyone else your age has grown up with hiding and boredom as the norm, you have a window into a world where things can be better and more magical. Sabino becomes what Scuttle was to Ariel, showing her pieces of a more wonderful world than the one she’s stuck in.

OR, instead of having a grandfather who makes her think magic and wishing is not what the King says it is, Asha could start the movie totally drinking the Kool-Aid. Maybe she, herself, agrees with the King, because she used to wish for things to get better and believe that her grandfather’s hidden magical artefacts were awesome when she was little…but then her dad got sick. And she wished and wished for him to get better, (but we’re actually shown that, instead of the throwaway line from Wish) and he didn’t, and it shattered her faith.

Or maybe she not only wished for him to get better, but she tried to do something and step out of line to make it happen. Maybe her dad got sick, and her grandfather took out like a magical cup from Rosas’ forbidden history, and said, “he might get better if we just got him to drink out of this, but the cup is broken” and like 7 year-old Asha really believed that was true, so she used a little tinkering gift she inherited to try and fix it. But it didn’t work, and he died, and so when we meet her she’s this pessimistic teen who loves her grandfather but kind of pities him and constantly has to shut him up and shut him down about magic because it doesn’t work and it’ll get him in trouble with the King.

But then through the course of the movie and an adventure that actually has good writing, she starts to have a little of that 7-year old hope that magic and wishing actually could make things better, even if it’s hard to pursue them and risky to take chances. And that brings her into conflict with the villain, who has the same belief she started with only more extreme, and the movie

..would actually be at least entertaining or even compelling, even if the message is kind of vague and bland.

I did not mean for this to turn into a Wish-rewrite, and I’m not even saying it’s a good one, I was just trying to process what’s wrong with Magnifico, the most recent Disney villain who falls flat, out loud 😅

[prajwal-agale001]

Nutricosmetics: The Impact of Demographics on Market Growth

According to the latest publication from Meticulous Research®, the global nutricosmetics market is on the brink of significant expansion, with projections estimating it will reach $12.61 billion by 2031. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2% from 2024 to 2031. Several factors drive this optimistic trajectory, including increasing awareness of nutritional deficiencies, a growing consumer preference for natural health and beauty products, an expanding cosmetics industry, and an aging population. Despite these positive indicators, challenges such as market saturation in nutraceuticals and cosmetics, along with stringent regulations, may hinder growth in the sector.

Get A Glimpse Inside: Request Sample Pages - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5716?utm_source=article&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=product&utm_content=22-10-2024

Consumer Awareness and Educational Challenges

A critical challenge faced by stakeholders in the nutricosmetics sector is the low level of consumer awareness regarding the benefits these products can offer. As demand for innovative beverages and functional foods rises, companies must prioritize consumer education about the advantages of incorporating nutricosmetics into daily routines. This education is essential for enhancing market penetration and encouraging more consumers to explore these products.

To effectively address consumer awareness challenges, stakeholders can implement targeted marketing strategies and educational campaigns that highlight the benefits of nutricosmetics. This includes informative content, interactive workshops, and partnerships with health and wellness influencers to communicate the importance of nutrition in beauty regimens. By enhancing consumer knowledge, companies can foster trust and stimulate interest in their products, thereby contributing to the market’s growth.

Health and Wellness Trends Influencing the Market

A significant trend shaping the nutricosmetics market is the growing focus on health and wellness. This shift is profoundly impacting market dynamics, influencing consumer preferences and purchasing behavior within the sector. As individuals become more health-conscious, there is an increasing demand for products that combine beauty and nutrition. Consumers are seeking solutions that not only improve their appearance but also contribute to their overall well-being.

This trend toward health and wellness has led to a rise in the popularity of products that are rich in vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients. Ingredients such as collagen, biotin, and omega fatty acids have gained traction in nutricosmetic formulations, appealing to consumers looking for effective ways to enhance their beauty from within. As this focus on holistic wellness continues to evolve, the demand for nutricosmetics is expected to grow substantially.

Competitive Landscape of the Nutricosmetics Market

The global nutricosmetics market features a moderately competitive landscape, characterized by a mix of large and small players operating at global, regional, and local levels. Key companies within this market include:

Amway Corporation (U.S.)

Shiseido Company, Limited (Japan)

Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Netherlands)

Nestlé S.A. (Switzerland)

Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd. (Japan)

LycoRed Ltd. (Israel)

Lonza Group Ltd. (Switzerland)

BASF SE (Germany)

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (U.S.)

Beiersdorf AG (Germany)

Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd. (Japan)

Sappe Public Company Limited (Thailand)

These companies are leveraging innovative product formulations and strategic marketing to capture market share and meet the evolving demands of consumers. The competitive nature of the market encourages continuous innovation, driving brands to develop new and effective nutricosmetic products that stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Get A Glimpse Inside: Request Sample Pages - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5716?utm_source=article&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=product&utm_content=22-10-2024

Market Segmentation Overview

The global nutricosmetics market can be segmented based on various factors, including product type, form, distribution channels, and geography.

Product Type: The market is categorized into skincare, hair care, nail care, and other types. It is projected that the skincare segment will dominate the market in 2024, accounting for 46.7% of the overall share. This dominance is attributed to the growing geriatric population, heightened awareness of skin nourishment, and the increasing prevalence of skin issues such as acne, wrinkles, and tanning. Conversely, the hair care segment is anticipated to witness the highest CAGR during the forecast period, driven by increasing consumer interest in maintaining healthy hair.

Form: Nutricosmetics are available in various forms, including powders, liquids, tablets, capsules, gummies, and soft chews. The powder form is expected to hold the largest market share in 2024, favored for its versatility and ease of use. However, the tablets segment is projected to exhibit the highest CAGR due to advantages such as extended shelf life, portability, and precise dosing, making them an attractive option for consumers on the go.

Distribution Channels: The nutricosmetics market is further segmented by distribution channels, encompassing supermarkets and hypermarkets, pharmacies and drug stores, specialty stores, e-commerce platforms, and others. In 2024, the supermarkets and hypermarkets segment is expected to account for 39% of the market share, driven by the increasing number of grocery stores offering high-quality nutricosmetic products. Rapid urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and a growing preference for offline shopping due to enhanced customer experiences are contributing factors to this segment’s dominance.

Geographic Overview of the Market

The nutricosmetics market exhibits varied trends and dynamics across different regions. This research report provides a thorough analysis of major geographic regions, including:

North America (U.S., Canada)

Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, and the Rest of Europe)

Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Australia, and the Rest of Asia-Pacific)

Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and the Rest of Latin America)

Middle East & Africa

In 2024, the Asia-Pacific region is projected to hold the largest market share at 43.9%, estimated to be worth $3.40 billion. This growth is driven by increased penetration of advanced medications, high dietary supplement consumption, growing demand for functional foods and beverages, and heightened awareness of nutricosmetics, particularly in countries like Japan and China. As consumers in these regions become more health-conscious, the demand for nutricosmetics is anticipated to continue rising.

Request for Customization - https://www.meticulousresearch.com/request-sample-report/cp_id=5716?utm_source=article&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=product&utm_content=22-10-2024

Market Research Summary

The nutricosmetics market presents a compelling landscape characterized by substantial growth potential, innovative product offerings, and evolving consumer preferences. Here’s a summary of key market research details:

Number of Pages: 190

Format: PDF

Forecast Period: 2024–2031

Base Year: 2023

CAGR (Value): 7.2%

Market Size (Value): $12.61 Billion by 2031

Segments Covered:

By Product Type: Skincare, Hair Care, Nail Care, Other Product Types

By Form: Powder Form, Liquid Form, Tablets, Capsules & Soft Gels, Gummies & Soft Chews, Other Forms

By Distribution Channel: Supermarkets & Hypermarkets, Specialty Stores, Pharmacies & Drug Stores, E-commerce, Other Distribution Channels

Countries Covered: North America (U.S., Canada), Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Australia, and Rest of Asia-Pacific), Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Rest of Latin America), and Middle East & Africa.

Key Companies: Amway Corporation (U.S.), Shiseido Company, Limited (Japan), Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Netherlands), Nestlé S.A. (Switzerland), Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd. (Japan), LycoRed Ltd. (Israel), Lonza Group Ltd. (Switzerland), BASF SE (Germany), Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (U.S.), Beiersdorf AG (Germany), Otsuka Holdings Co. Ltd. (Japan), and Sappe Public Company Limited (Thailand).

Conclusion

As the global nutricosmetics market continues to evolve, companies must remain attuned to consumer preferences and emerging trends. By addressing awareness challenges, leveraging health and wellness trends, and navigating a competitive landscape, stakeholders can capitalize on the substantial growth potential of this dynamic sector. The interplay of various factors such as product type, form, distribution channels, and geographic dynamics will significantly shape the future of nutricosmetics, making it an exciting area to watch in the coming years.

Read Full Report :- https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/nutricosmetics-market-5716

Contact Us: Meticulous Research® Email- sales@meticulousresearch.com Contact Sales- +1-646-781-8004 Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/meticulous-research

[flock-talk]

Just curious about things like mineral blocks, cuttlefish, bird sand and other things like that.

Are there any that arent safe and are sold anyway and are there any that are needed to have a healthy bird?

Im getting a bird soon and i just wanna make sure what im getting them is safe

Virtually all mineral blocks are either providing false claims, harmful, or just aren’t needed when a bird is on a good diet. Mineral blocks or mineral perches are typically bad because of the excessive sweeteners and dyes they put in the product, in perch form this becomes a much larger problem as the powdered dye rubs off on the bird and can lead to feather destructive behaviour as they try to rip the stained feathers off their body. Vitamin supplement blocks are largely unnecessary if your bird is eating a good diet already, leaving them free access can cause problems since if they’re already eating a good diet they won’t need excess supplementation and having free access to chew and swallow the block can cause overdoses.

Cuttlebone isn’t a bad choice, and I do use them, the only thing with cuttlebone is that not a lot of calcium gets absorbed from it. Which is good because it helps prevent overdosing, but if your bird is in a drastic medical need for excess calcium it may not provide the doses you’re looking for. It is helpful in levelling out their nutrition, isn’t filled with sugar or dyes which makes it safer/healthier, and can be a fun texture for birds to rip apart without risks of overdosing. It does still provide some absorbable calcium, just not enough to really cause problems if they’re free fed the cuttlebone.

“Conditioning blocks” and “edible wood perches” are both generally ones to be wary of. Both are usually just designed to be desirable for the bird to chew on to grind their beak down. This can be done just as easily with an inedible toy, most parrots don’t eat inedible objects (there’s the odd bird out who might), there isn’t really a need for a conditioning block if there’s adequate enrichment. Again the blocks are usually harshly dyed which can transfer to feathers and some may be flavoured to encourage the bird to chew and swallow them which isn’t great when they’re usually mixed with grit or wood, and some may be vitamin fortified which could lead to an OD.

Grit or “bird sand” is another one you’ll see and how it’s still marketed to parrots is beyond me. Grit is tiny stones or oyster shells that travel through the digestive system to sit in the final stage of processing, the gizzard. The gizzard is a mechanical stomach that breaks down food by squeezing and grinding. These tiny rocks are supposed to sit in the gizzard and aid in that grinding process as the rocks get crushed against seed hulls and break them down faster. Thing is, parrots don’t eat seed hulls and their diet doesn’t consist of anything that has bones or other hard material. When they eat grit the stones end up just getting ground against the gizzard walls instead and can cause an array of digestive problems including lacerations to their digestive tract.

[psychicsheeparcade]

Lactose Intolerance Market Growth, Opportunities and Industry Forecast Report 2034

Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder where individuals cannot digest lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products. This has led to a significant demand for lactose-free products, including dairy alternatives and enzyme supplements, creating a thriving market. The lactose intolerance market is expected to see strong growth in the coming years, driven by rising lactose intolerance cases, particularly in Asia-Pacific, where a large percentage of the population is affected.

The  lactose intolerance Market related products, including lactose-free foods, beverages, and lactase supplements, has witnessed strong growth. The global lactose-free market was valued at around USD 12 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 18-20 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 6-7%. The rising consumer awareness about the digestive issues associated with lactose intolerance is a key factor driving this growth.

Get a Sample Copy of Report, Click Here: https://wemarketresearch.com/reports/request-free-sample-pdf/global-lactose-intolerance-market/1521

Lactose Intolerance Market Drivers

Several factors are driving the growth of the lactose intolerance market:

Increasing Prevalence: Studies indicate that over 65% of the global population has some degree of lactose intolerance, leading to higher demand for solutions.

Rising Health Awareness: As more consumers seek to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort associated with lactose consumption, awareness campaigns and medical advice have led to a surge in demand for lactose-free products.

Dairy Alternatives: Growing interest in plant-based diets is pushing demand for lactose-free dairy alternatives like almond, soy, oat, and coconut milk. Veganism is another contributing factor here.

Product Innovations: Manufacturers are developing lactose-free dairy products, including milk, cheese, and yogurt, as well as supplements like lactase enzymes.

Lactose Intolerance Market Trends

Consumer Preference Shift: There has been a notable shift toward plant-based alternatives and lactose-free products as consumers seek more sustainable and healthy choices.

Fortification of Dairy Alternatives: Companies are fortifying plant-based products with nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and protein to match the nutritional profile of traditional dairy.

Online Retail Growth: The rise of e-commerce platforms has made lactose-free products more accessible, increasing consumer convenience and fueling market growth.

Lactose Intolerance Market Challenges

Product Cost: Lactose-free products are often more expensive than their traditional counterparts, which can limit their appeal to cost-sensitive consumers.

Taste and Texture: Some consumers may still prefer the taste and texture of regular dairy products, which can make transitioning to lactose-free or plant-based alternatives challenging.

Lactose Intolerance Market Regional Analysis

North America and Europe are leading markets for lactose-free products, driven by well-established dairy industries and rising lactose intolerance awareness. The U.S. and Germany are key markets in these regions.

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the highest growth, fueled by the high prevalence of lactose intolerance, particularly in countries like China, India, and Japan. The region’s large population, combined with increased disposable income and growing awareness of lactose intolerance, is propelling the market forward.

Lactose Intolerance Market Segmentation,

Product Type:

Lactose-Free Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream.

Dairy Alternatives: Soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, oat milk.

Distribution Channel:

Supermarkets and Hypermarkets

Online Stores

Specialty Stores

Convenience Stores

Key companies profiled in this research study are,

Nestlé S.A.

Danone S.A.

The Coca-Cola Company (Fairlife)

Johnson & Johnson (Lactaid)

General Mills, Inc.

Valio Ltd.

Arla Foods amba

Dean Foods Company

Parmalat S.p.A.

Saputo Inc.

Conclusion

The Lactose Intolerance Market is poised for sustained growth, driven by increasing global awareness of lactose intolerance and the rising demand for lactose-free and dairy alternative products. As more individuals seek health-conscious, digestive-friendly, and sustainable options, the market for lactose-free dairy, plant-based alternatives, and lactase supplements will continue to expand. However, challenges such as product cost and taste preferences need to be addressed through innovation. With major industry players focusing on product development and fortification, the future of the lactose intolerance market appears promising, offering both consumers and businesses a wide range of opportunities.

[mariacallous]

In the 2016 presidential election, young adults ages 18 to 29 backed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by a margin of 30 points, 58% to 28%. Four years later, Joe Biden received 59% of their vote while Donald Trump increased his share to 35% but still lost this cohort by 24 points. These results helped convince many analysts that young adults were becoming a reliable building-block of the Democratic base, and the strong pro-Democratic tilt of young voters in midterm elections fortified this view.

Against this backdrop, it was hard for seasoned observers to believe growing indications that young adult support for President Biden was softening significantly. But the New York Times/Sienna survey of swing state voters burst this bubble of confidence. This poll found that young adults were split evenly (47-46%) between Biden and Trump, while their older siblings ages 30 to 44 favored Trump over Biden by 47% to 43%. A flurry of national surveys soon yielded similar results, making it impossible to dismiss the NYT/Sienna poll as an outlier.

While observers groped for an explanation, it was staring them in the face. When asked whether economic or social issues would be more important in determining their vote in 2024, 62% chose economic issues, the largest share of any age cohort, while only 29% opted for social issues. And these young adults think that the economy is doing terribly. Less than half of one percent said the state of the economy is “excellent;” just 7% said “good” or “very good;” and the remaining 93% said “only fair” or “poor.” Only 38% of young adults believe that Biden’s policies have helped them personally, while 50% think that these policies have hurt them. By contrast, 53% said that Trump’s policies had helped them, compared to 34% who said these policies had hurt them.

It should come as no surprise that only 21% of these young economy voters think that the country is on the right track. Nor should it be surprising that 62% of them trust Trump to do a better job managing the economy, compared to just 34% of them who think that Biden would.

In line with conventional wisdom, young adults do trust Biden over Trump to address social issues such as immigration and abortion, and they think Biden will do a better job with our democratic institutions. But these young voters simply don’t care about these issues nearly as much as they do about the economy.

But this raises a further question: Why are young voters so down on the economy? Isn’t unemployment at near-record lows? Aren’t wages rising while price increases moderate? Isn’t Bidenomics working?

Not from the perspective of young adults. Soaring housing prices have pushed up rents as well, pricing many young adults out of the market, especially in the urban areas they find most desirable. As a result, record numbers of young adults are living at home with their parents. While this arrangement may ensure a steady supply of clean laundry, it’s not what they had in mind when they left high school to enter college or the workforce. The cost of food, not just in restaurants but also in supermarkets, has also soared. Many jobs come without benefits, and young adults lose their eligibility for coverage under their parents’ health insurance before they turn 27.

Young college graduates are especially disappointed. They aren’t getting the across-the-board cancellation of student loans that they had hoped for, and the job market is not meeting their expectations. Because of cutbacks in desirable areas such as tech, finance, and marketing, many college graduates are being forced to accept lower-paying jobs that don’t make use of their skills.

And they are the lucky ones. Many graduates are reporting that they are having a hard time getting interviews and landing full-time jobs. Large numbers are settling for part-time work while continuing the discouraging process of looking for jobs in a softening market. Overall, 4.4% of recent college graduates are unemployed, significantly higher than the rest of the workforce.

The pervasive economic disappointment of young adults occurs in a broader context that includes all households. In 2019, median household income saw its biggest gain in a generation, surging from $7,3030 in 2018 to $78,250. In 2020, as the pandemic spread, median household income declined to $76,660. By the end of the second year of the Biden administration, it had fallen further to $74,580. No doubt the recovery has continued in 2023, but it would be a lift to get back to 2020 levels, let alone 2019, which—fairly or not—serves for many voters as a mental baseline against which President Biden’s performance is being measured.

In sum: Like a majority of Americans, young adults care most about the economy, they think it’s in bad shape, and they blame President Biden. This could change between now and the 2024 election, of course. The economy might start performing better for them, the weight they attach to the social issues might increase, or an aggressive negative campaign by the Biden forces could persuade them to alter their view of former President Trump. But if the election were held tomorrow, Biden’s share of young adult votes may well be low enough to cost him the presidency.

[mitinosh]

https://social.studentb.eu/read-blog/59403

Food fortifying agents Market Report, Key Players, DROT, Analysis & Forecast year 2030

[danco110]

“So, you - only - want to be the god of harvests?”

Karametra gave Heliod a patient nod. “For the third time, yes. And for the third time I’ll ask, do you have a problem with that?”

“Again, no. It’s just…I know you are a relatively new god. But, I wouldn’t let that limit you on what domains you want to lord over!”

“Heliod, please. The only thing limiting my number of ‘domains’ is me. I am perfectly content with ‘only’ being the god of harvests.”

“…You’re sure? Because, well, just blessing crops doesn’t exactly seem like a very fulfilling job.”

Karametra fixed Heliod with an intense yet unreadable stare. A bead of sweat trickled down the older god’s forehead.

“Er…?”

“Oh boy, now you’ve done it.”

Heliod looked down to see a human acolyte at his feet. The woman was clad in green robes and shaking her head up at him, much to his confusion.

“Done what?”

“You’ll see.”

Heliod looked back up at Karametra, who was busy drawing a deep breath.

“…Well, there’s so much more that goes into agriculture than just planting - and blessing - crops. For one, there’s location; all my followers need fertile soil before growing anything, which naturally brings me all over Theros. And of course I must fortify their crops against the elements. Protection against wildfires, and birds, and bandits. And of course there’s the actual harvest season. But in addition to all that, the food still needs to be protected after being gathered, during storage, and during the trip to market. Not to mention making the sales of those crops, which certainly isn’t my forte, domain or not…”

“Ah. Yes. I see…”

Sensing no quick end to Karametra’s explanation, Heliod grimaced down at the other god’s acolyte.

“Er, how much longer…?”

“She usually takes a few hours, at least.”

“I…see…”

“I know!” the acolyte chimed amicably. “She really knows her stuff! She’s amazing, isn’t she?”

“She’s something, all right,” Heliod grumbled under his breath.

[Headcanon: though her official titles hold nothing of the sort, Karametra is widely considered among Therosians to also be a god of logistics, as well as of harvests.]