#Frugal meal planning

[heal-well-blog]

Learn how to enjoy nutritious meals on a budget with these affordable healthy eating tips. Save money while maintaining a balanced diet for better health.

[dexnola]

How to cut costs on a gluten-free diet

Actually several of these principles work on anyone's diet, or another type of allergen diet, but gluten free is what I know and what I serve.

My household consists of me and my partner; she's gluten intolerant and I am not. Our grocery budget is $120 a week (including standard household consumables like soap, paper towels, etc. that I also buy at the grocery store) and we could actually tighten that up more if we worked even a little harder at it. I do most of the cooking and shopping for our household so I thought I would share what it is I'm doing.

Eat as many "regular" items as possible

If there is a gluten free version of an item and a "regular" one that contains wheat, normally the gluten free version is twice the price. So one simple way to cut costs is to buy fewer of them. Some examples are packaged GF cookies and crackers, frozen prepared dinners, canned soups that say gluten free in big letters... basically anything that is marketed as GLUTEN FREE and says GLUTEN FREE in great big letters on the front of the package.

There are lots of items that are labeled "gluten free" but aren't marketed as such. Ketchup is often labeled gluten free somewhere on the package, but there's no such thing as "regular" ketchup that normally contains gluten. Those are fine to buy.

The worst offenders are bread and baked goods in general. Gluten free bread is very expensive. Don't buy things like frozen prepared cakes; gluten free cake mix or brownie mix is the better buy.

Here are some "regular"/inexpensive foods that are naturally gluten free:

rice; avoid pre-seasoned rice mix things

potatoes [regular and sweet potatoes]

corn tortillas (plain corn taco shells and tortilla chips are also easy to get GF)

all manner of fruits and vegetables [fresh, canned, frozen w/o sauce/other extras]

peanut butter

milk and dairy products in general

beans; dry or in cans

meat, especially plain fresh or frozen meat without extra marinades, seasoning, or obviously breading

fish [frozen and canned are least expensive]

I still buy special gluten-free stuff, but

it isn't the bulk of our diet

when reasonable, I let my partner eat them and I eat the regular version (e.g. I still buy wheat sandwich bread for myself)

i put in extra work to find the lowest price; comparing different stores, couponing, stocking up when I find a deal, etc.

Speaking of which,

Figure out what stores are the cheapest near you

A key part of this sentence is "near you." I do most of my grocery shopping at two stores that are 10 or 15 minutes away from my house. They are on the same street and in close proximity of each other. As you compare prices, keep in mind which places are realistically convenient enough to shop at based on where you live, work, and spend time.

I prefer a data driven approach and so have a spreadsheet with the prices of lots of items I buy. Doing it this way, you find that while no store has the lowest price on everything, it's easy to find a store that has an overall lower price on most items.

When comparing prices, remember to compare based on the cost per ounce or cost per pound or similar, not just the package.

In my experience, shopping at more than one store is the easiest way to balance many factors including price, selection, convenience, and quality. Most weeks I go to these two stores:

Wegmans: huge selection of items, low prices on some things, but higher to middling on others; lots of choices for GF items and things like special spices or vegetables that I need just once in a while

Aldi: smaller selection, but easily the least expensive on most regular groceries

I used to live near Publix, which is expensive overall but had a big selection and lots of BOGO sales where they would sell certain items at a loss. I would stalk the sale paper online every week and if they had something I ate at a low cost, I would go to Publix just to buy those items in quantity and then leave to go get the rest of my groceries at Aldi or somewhere else cheaper.

Use sales to stock up on stuff you eat when it's cheaper

For example, If I read the sale paper for the Aldi and I notice butter is $3/lb or less, when it's usually more like $4, I'm buying at least two if not three or four packages and putting some in the freezer, even if we're not low on butter.

This goes double and triple for any special gluten free item. Stock up.

Don't stock beyond your means. Start small as you study your household's patterns of consumption. Start with items that are not perishable: things in cans and boxes, already-frozen items. Also, only stock up on stuff that you know your family already likes.

When you are planning meals to eat, choose based on what you have stocked; shop your house first! Then go to the store to fill in the gaps.

Be prepared to eat at home on days you don't want to cook.

There are always going to be some days when you can't or don't want to cook. You get sick, you're too tired, whatever.

Eating restaurant food (takeout, delivery, or dine in) is extremely expensive and comes with a lot of risks regarding gluten. This is best avoided. Eating out will kill your budget faster than anything else you could do.

This is one time when I don't mind buying a specialty GF item, because while they do cost more than the meals I normally make, they are cheaper than eating out and also safer from a gluten standpoint. I don't mind spending an extra dollar at the store to insulate me from spending ten dollars later.

Some ideas for solving this problem:

naturally GF convenience food that can be tossed in the oven or microwave (at Aldi I have found GF frozen shepherd's pie, sometimes can get frozen tamales, instant mashed potatoes, canned soup etc.)

build a repertoire of meals that are made from "ingredients" but are less work than whatever you normally do; what this means is up to you, for some people it's a dump-in-instant-pot type meal, or maybe a microwaved baked potato and a bag of frozen veggies... at my place I make nachos once a week because they're extra easy.

special GF convenience items like frozen pizza or lasagna

Cheapest of all: make a lot of something on purpose and freeze meal-size portions for later. Soups, stews, and casseroles are all top choices. You can also do things like brown a lot of ground beef and then freeze it; later, you can make something like spaghetti sauce or sloppy joes and skip that first step. (Note that some people do ALL their cooking with this in mind and cook just once or twice a week, or even just once or twice per month, and eat out of the freezer the rest of the time.)

Keep a growth mindset. It might be that right now you are eating out a lot and your skills in the kitchen aren't great. Buying more convenience foods and assembling them at home still saves a lot of money. Once that's comfortable and you're used to the routine of getting food from the store then you can expand your repertoire of simple meals from normal ingredients, which builds your confidence so you can try making more things from scratch. Eating is complicated and eating with allergies/intolerances doesn't help. But it's doable. It can be done.

If I wanted to cut costs in my own household and reduce that $120 budget, I would...

buy fewer sodas and drinks in general.

set strict limits on GF bread. (like I'll only buy 1 loaf a month or something) work with partner to make sure she always has food for lunch and therefore doesn't care to make a sandwich.

Try reducing partner's cereal consumption; make other equally easy breakfast choices available; cereal is expensive

cook and freeze more homemade food and buy less convenience food.

prioritize cheaper fruits and vegetables. Decide on a price per lb limit that I want to stay within and stop buying stuff that is more than that (or buy them very infrequently). Things like apples, carrots, onions, bananas, cabbage, and broccoli tend to be cheaper

do the same thing for meat and also eat significantly less meat.

Hope I helped :)

[home--farm]

It's not a thing of beauty but it is a remarkable thing. Every month I sit down for about half an hour and meal plan the whole month and the start of the next one. As I do it, I plan my grocery list, think about what I have that needs to be used up, and how I can bring costs down. This is the menu for November, including one meal out for a celebration and one meal of chicken pot pies bought at my favourite bakery. Veggies are from the garden or the CSA. Fruit is fresh or frozen from the store. Everything else, aside from the taquitos which I get frozen, is from scratch, and usually bulked out with lentils, grains, or dumplings.

I make bread, jam, granola, cakes, buns and pies. Breakfast is typically toast or oatmeal and toppings (there are an infinite variety! Fried egg! Jam! Cinnamon!) but I also often make Scotch oat cakes, not the delicate thin ones but the ones as thick as a duvet they make in the Isles.

I always make extra and freeze in lunch-sized portions, so grabbing lunch is fast and easy. This sounds like a tonne of work but with a crockpot, a bread maker, and an instant pot I find it all totally doable. Because there are three of us, I often just double the recipe and then freeze the extra. I don't fuss about planning breakfast, just keep a few options on hand. Lunches are almost always yesterdinner.

Anyway, I put this up because I used to hear please scream "meal plan to save money" and I was always like BUT HOW?! So here's an example. I figure the average cost per serving of all our meals runs about 44 cents BUT that's because I buy vast quantities of things in bulk and have the space to store it. YMMV. Anyhow, I hope it useful to someone!

[techdriveplay]

How Do I Plan a Road Trip on a Tight Budget?

Planning a road trip can be an exhilarating adventure, but it can also be expensive if not done thoughtfully. Whether you’re looking to explore the rugged outback or take a scenic coastal drive, a well-planned budget can ensure your trip is both memorable and affordable. Here’s how to plan a road trip on a tight budget without sacrificing the fun. Stats to Keep in Mind: Average daily cost of a…

[abilaksh]

Keto Diet on a Budget: Tips for Eating Healthy Without Breaking the Bank

Introduction The Keto Diet has gained immense popularity for its numerous health benefits, including weight loss and improved energy levels. However, one common misconception about the Keto Diet is that it’s expensive. The truth is that you can enjoy the benefits of a Keto lifestyle without emptying your wallet. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore practical and budget-friendly tips to…

[jo-harrington]

Blueberry Muffin (Eddie Munson x Reader)

Summary: Eddie notices you're good at sharing your food. A little too good.

Pairings/Relationships: Older!Eddie Munson/Reader

Warnings/Themes: Established relationship, Food/Eating, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Brief mention of financial concerns, Discussion of trauma from previous relationships

Note: This is something entirely personal to me, it was something my ex did one-upon-a-time ago. But, like with everything else, Eddie Munson is a powerful tool to help you get over some of your issues. This fic might not be the best, but it helped me work through some old issues. And I'm pretty proud of that.

Shoutout to @undead-supernova who inspired me to write this while we were chatting about her excellent fic We Are Going To Be Friends, and @dr-aculaaa who is one of my lifetime mutual trauma ride-or-dies and told me my ex was actually trash (and they were trash).

You can find my masterlist here.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

---

If there was one thing that was the key to yours and Eddie's relationship, it was food.

Before there even had been a relationship, food had been one of the keystones of your friendship. You met at a friend's thanksgiving potluck, you always planned your outings around where you'd eat and the snacks you’d get, and during the group road trip up to Milwaukee for Mac and Cheese Fest, he'd finally gotten the courage to ask you out.

Food was life. You both agreed.

You were always good about sharing your food.

You, as in the two of you, sure. But specifically you.

It wasn't until the two of you were together and spent more time alone with each other that Eddie realized just how good you were at sharing.

Actually, good wasn't the right word.

Meticulous was more accurate.

If you took a bite of his burger when you went out for dinner, he had to have a bite of your pasta.

If you bought a pint of ice cream to share during movie night, you matched each bite spoon for spoon. However, if after a certain point of sharing he insisted that you could have the rest of the pint because it was your favorite flavor, the pint would inevitably make it back into the freezer without another spoonful taken.

On and on it went.

He tried to ignore it, but once he noticed it, it was hard not to.

At first, he thought that it was some relic of a less-than well-off childhood. Like Eddie, you'd grown up with a single parent and were occasionally foisted off on well-intentioned relatives to watch you while your mom worked. Thankfully, food was never scarce for either of you, but the fact that you'd been forced to grow up quicker than the others made you aware of generic-branded groceries and your mothers stretching their dollars and the pursing of lips when the bills came for special occasion meals out.

After a while, though, that reasoning disappeared. Yes, there were still habits that you formed from your mother's frugality but never to the point of anxiety.

This was something else.

And it all came to a head the day you brought home a bag of leftovers from work.

"Tom always orders too much when the execs visit the warehouse," you explained excitedly as you proudly showed off a plastic container of some gourmet salad and a few wax paper-wrapped sandwiches.

Then came the pastries.

A cherry danish you grabbed for Eddie specifically, and a pistachio-cream filled croissant that Eddie had heard you gush about a million times over. A few tiny cream puffs that both of you eagerly popped into your mouths.

And one blueberry muffin.

"Oh!" You faltered at the sight of it and then looked back into the obviously empty paper bag. "I thought there had been two."

"That's ok," Eddie shrugged. "We can just split it."

"No!" you snapped at him, your eyes wide. "You can have it."

"Sweetheart, I know you love muffins as much as I do," Eddie scoffed. "We'll just split it. No big deal. It's a pretty big muffin."

He watched as you worried at your lower lip for a long, drawn out moment before you nodded.

He kissed the side of your head and turned to grab plates and drinks. He carried as much as he could out to the living room so you could eat dinner in front of the TV. When he returned to your side to grab the food and start plating up your plunder, he stopped in his tracks at what he found.

Splitting a muffin was a no-brainer, typically. Or so Eddie thought. Just peel the paper lining and split that sucker in half. But there you stood, knife held in a shaky hand, shifting back and forth a few millimeters every so often, trying to find the exact equator of the confection before you so it could be cut in equal halves.

"What are you doing?" Eddie asked as gently as he could, but you still flinched, and when you looked up at him, your eyes looked glassy.

"Just cutting the muffin in half," you tried to laugh and play it off, but Eddie could see through the facade.

"It's just a muffin," he tried to offer, as though reminding you that it was, indeed, just a muffin would break you from this fit.

"It is," you looked down again, almost in shame. "Isn't it?"

He let you have a second, let you put the knife down and take a few deep breaths to calm yourself. When you nodded and held yourself a little more confidently, Eddie closed the distance and split the muffin in half by hand, right down the middle along the score line you had started.

And he pretended that he didn't notice the way you'd held your breath while he did it.

"Let's have dinner then," he suggested.

---

"You gonna tell me what all that was about?" Eddie asked once dinner was almost over, his mouth full of cherry danish, crumbs spewing from his lips as he spoke.

You ignored him for a second, picked at your own laminated pastry, until he continued.

"You know I always thought your mom really hammered the sharing is caring thing with you. But you went full King Solomon on that muffin and...I know that look in your eyes because I've seen it in the mirror a ton of times. That was fear. That was pain. So, are we gonna talk about it?"

You sighed and considered telling him no, you wouldn't be telling him jack shit, but...how many times had you pried into things that you really had no place asking about and he still told you anyway. That's how communication worked; that's how a relationship worked.

And that was how you got into this mess wasn't it?

"You remember my shitty ex?" you began tentatively, with a question.

"Shitty ex Number 1," Eddie scoffed. "Or shitty ex Number 2?"

"Number two."

"Should've known," he said under his breath but nodded for you to continue. "Alright, so what else did they do?"

Because the list had been...extensive already, you were loath to admit.

But you were with Eddie now, and things were infinitely better. You could work through these hurdles with him.

"It all started when we still worked at the mall together," you began. "Before we even started dating, actually. We'd meet on breaks and shoot the shit and one day, the little bakery only had one blueberry muffin."

You glared at the split muffin sitting on a plate on the coffee table, as though it was at fault, and not your ex.

"We decided to split it. Nothing wrong with that. We only had a fifteen, it was just a snack. But when they went to split the muffin...they took the muffin top, and left me with the stump."

"The...stump?" Eddie asked slowly, unable to comprehend.

"Yeah," you leaned forward and tapped on the base of the muffin that had previously been encased in paper. "The stump."

"That's...only assholes split a muffin that way." He paused and considered it. "But it's Shitty Ex Number Two. So I shouldn't expect anything less."

"I didn't think anything of it then," you continued. "Or the next hundred times we split a blueberry muffin on breaks, even when we started dating. They would always get the delicious, crispy, sugary muffin top, and I would always get the stump. Half-clinging to the wrapper, maybe a blueberry burned on the bottom. Never an equal half, always less-than!

"Until one day, there was this especially delicious looking muffin. It wasn't even at the mall, we were on a real date! At a real, nice bakery. With blueberry muffins, because that was our thing, and I made the mistake of asking if I could have the muffin top. Just once. And they looked at me like...like I just asked them to sacrifice their mother or something."

You felt your lip tremble, and the familiar sting of tears in your eyes.

That sense of loathing that you always felt when you thought of that moment, or really any time you got a blueberry muffin.

You took a breath and said, "they just told me that if I really loved them, I would let them have the damn muffin top. Because it was their favorite."

"That's bullshit!" Eddie got to his feet, arms thrown up in the air. "Sorry sweetheart, that's bullshit and, I'm sorry but, you deserved so much better. You deserve to have half a muffin. Half of the whole muffin, not just the stump. Fuck, you deserve the whole damn muffin yourself! It’s just a muffin!"

"I know!" You shouted back at him, causing him to stop his ranting and raving. "Don't you think I know that? It’s just a muffin and I shouldn’t have had to make myself accept less than what I deserved but it was the first in a long line of things where they made me feel like I wasn’t worth half. I wasn’t worth anything. And if I tried to prove that I was, to them and to myself, I would look crazy. Because it’s just a muffin.

“That's why I started...that's why I started taking what I deserved. I started taking half, instead of giving everything Eddie. If you get a bite, I get a bite. With everything. Because I deserve it!"

You thought of the way you had to meticulously tried to split the blueberry muffin earlier.

"Maybe...maybe I take it a little too far sometimes," you muttered, letting the tears finally fall. "Because I don't want to be selfish like they were, and take more from you than you deserve."

"Baby," Eddie dropped back onto the couch and corralled you into his embrace, pecking kisses to the side of your head. "Who fucking cares? Don't worry about me. Shit, I'll give you anything you want. I'll take anything you leave behind. I'll give you my whole cheeseburger at Benny's, if only you asked for it. And if you left me one singular pickle chip, I'd take it without complaint."

"I would never ask you," you laughed wetly.

“No, but you could ask, that’s the point. And I would give it to you.”

"I know I could. And I know you would...I just...I can't break myself from the habit. Not yet, at least."

"I get it," Eddie said into your hair as he continued dropping kisses. "The shitty exes leave their scars and you do your best to keep from opening the wounds up again. I get it."

You knew. You both had your fair share of scars.

---

It took a few minutes, as you basked in one another's comforting presence, before you inevitably shared the damn muffin you brought home. Eddie insisted on letting you take an extra bit off his muffin top, even when you rolled your eyes and told him to stop.

Neither of you brought it up again for a few days, but you both were a little more conscientious when you shared food.

You made nachos for his Friday night DnD session with the guys and he left you the core nacho that held everything together; it was extra gooey with cheese, and loaded with jalapeños. You made sure to take an extra big bite of his pint of rocky road when he offered, even if he didn't want a single bite of your rum raisin. And when it was his turn to take bites of your food, you didn't pay attention to how much or how little he took.

It still felt a little wrong, but it was insanely healing. You didn't need to worry about keeping things fair and equal with Eddie; your relationship was already fair and you were equals.

And of course, Eddie kept your revelation at the forefront of his mind to hold you accountable to your own bullshit. He noticed when you fell into old habits before you could and even came up with a form of punishment if you subconsciously made sure to take the same number of bites off a shared plate as he did:

He would give you a vegetable off his plate.

"I'm not a fan of broccoli anyway," he grinned cheekily, waving his fork with the aforementioned green in front of your face one night at dinner.

"You're an idiot," you shook your head, but took the bite regardless.

It was slow and steady, but you were getting over the hurdle together.

Then one day, the unexpected happened.

You were at work, doing your little mindless computer work as you did, when your coworker called your name from the front of the office.

"Is it your birthday or something?" Jill laughed as she hauled something through the sea of cubicles.

"No, did someone get me flowers or something?" you asked and stood from your desk to meet her halfway.

"You can't eat flowers," she said as she turned the corner, holding a massive basket.

Full of blueberry muffins.

You didn't need to read the card tied to the cellophane-wrapped basket full of baked goods to know who it was from, but you did anyway to satisfy your coworkers' curiosity.

And they didn't quite understand it, but it made your heart melt.

I didn't ask if they sold a basket of only the tops, because I didn't want them to think either of us were sociopaths. It’s just a blueberry muffin. But you're worth every muffin in this damn basket, sweetheart. Never forget that. Love, Eddie

[powerfulkicks]

so many tips for budgeting/being frugal are just twice as hard when you have a disability

"meal plan!" idk if i'll be feeling well enough to cook every day so it's hard to plan for what to eat

"cook in advance!" i can't cook meals for a whole week at once and plus i can't count on that because again idk if ill feel okay to cook at the same time every week

"use cloth napkins and towels!" those need to be washed and folded, i already have trouble doing my laundry

"delivery is expensive, always shop in person!" going to the grocery store can wipe me out for the day.

"base your food shopping on whats on sale that week!" one, allergies are a thing and some people don't have that luxury, two, that's a lot that you have to prep for and that takes energy.

"DIY!" takes time and energy. maybe i could do it by myself but would it be worth all the time i need to take to recover?

i mean none of these are bad ideas or trying to exclude people. most of it is cutting out conveniences. but for disabled people, something that's a convenience for someone can be a necessity to others

[adore-laur]

Dadrry idea: since Harry left his position of head chef and there’s a second baby now, maybe they’re struggling a tiny bit with money. Not too much but things are a little stressful and they have to cancel a holiday maybe? Or one of the girls just doesn’t get a toy she wants or something? And they have to explain it to the child just while Harry picks up a few more shifts

��—

Harry handled the finances and was highly aware of each transaction made in the family. With two kids, you both had to be quite frugal, especially since Harry was working fewer hours at the restaurant and you were a stay-at-home mom. While there was never an issue of not having enough money to pay the bills and provide your children with life’s necessities, the prospect of running out still haunted your mind. It was possible that an unforeseeable emergency could snatch a hefty chunk of money away. Additionally, there were other boring adult charges like mortgages, taxes, and monthly subscriptions that all left a bigger deduction with each year that passed.

Then there was the summer trip to Italy happening in two months. The plane tickets had already been bought and gifted for Christmas, and the villa was booked in advance. It was expensive, but the other option of staying in a cramped hotel room for a week was undesirable in all regards. The space and privacy were crucial for your sanity.

Italy was not a cheap travel destination per se. There would be money spent every day on transportation, dining, tourist traps, and whatever else sucked you in with its magnificent European beauty. Indulging in extravagance would be tempting, but if you planned and budgeted ahead of time, maybe the financial repercussions of the trip wouldn't be so deplorable. Your wishful thinking was blatantly deceptive.

After putting the kids to bed, you sat at the kitchen table under the dim chandelier and waited for Harry to finish unloading the dishwasher. His silent presence was comfortable as you pondered the logistics of the upcoming trip. Well, pondered was putting it lightly—you were brooding.

"I can hear you thinking," Harry said, setting the last bowl in the cupboard to his left. He washed and dried his hands, then walked over to you with his cotton pajama pants slung low on his hips. His bare torso was at your eye level, and you fought the urge to bury your face in the warm, chiseled skin there.

"My head is going to explode," you muttered, feeling an imminent migraine pulsing near your temples.

He fell into the chair beside you, exhausted from an eventful Saturday filled with dad duties, and scooted it closer to you. "Why, baby?" he asked, his palms scrubbing down his face as he yawned.

"I'm overthinking everything."

Placing his elbow on the table, he cradled his cheek in his palm and gave you his full focus. "Break it down for me."

"There's mainly one thing." You huffed, deciding to broach the topic before it got swept under the rug. "The Italy trip. Prices are going up, and I'm worried we won't be able to afford going anymore."

Harry's expression was the epitome of flummoxed. "Wait, what? Where is this coming from?"

"You're not working full-time," you explained, "and I'm not raking in any income. I mean, will we be able to financially recover from the trip? What if—"

"Hold on, hold on," he said softly, his eyes pinching shut. "Can I interrupt, please?"

You half-heartedly waved your hand in his general direction, in desperate need of his sensible guidance. "Be my guest."

"Let's backtrack for a second. Honey, why do you think we won't be able to afford it? The biggest costs are already out of the way."

"I just told you why. Think about it, Harry." You tapped the table to emphasize each point. "A meal for four people will probably cost over a hundred dollars. That includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so if we multiply that by the seven days we're there, it's going to be well over a thousand dollars."

"Okay," he said. He didn't seem to have anything to add after that, so you continued.

"Then there's transportation." You groaned, staring up at the ceiling. "We still have to decide if we're renting a car. If not, we'll have to pay for a bus, or a train, or a taxi. That's going to add up very quickly."

"Mm-hmm." Harry had a dopey look on his face, a hint of a smile tugging the corners of his lips up. Whatever. You were being realistic, and he was in a dreamland where money grew on trees.

You carried on, getting tangled in the vines of your brain's dense jungle. "And then what about all the sightseeing and activities? That's the most expensive aspect." You shrugged helplessly. "I was recently searching for free things to do in Tuscany. I guess there are a lot of buildings we can look at, but I don't know if the kids would enjoy it."

Harry nodded along. When he realized you were done with your long-winded explanation, he lifted his eyebrows and said, "It's a good thing we can spoil them with the raise I got yesterday."

"And also—what?" You stopped abruptly, catching your breath. Did he just...?

Harry stood and bent down to kiss your forehead in that sweet way of his—gentle and imploring, like he wanted to caress your brain and will it to calm down. "I got a raise yesterday," he repeated nonchalantly, nuzzling his nose into your hair.

"Why didn't you tell me?" you demanded, lightly smacking his shoulder.

"I'm telling you right now. I wanted to wait until we had a moment to ourselves." He crouched in front of you, holding your knees just like he'd done when you told him you were pregnant for the second time. The memory was so vivid that it almost left you stunned with emotion. "Five percent pay raise. We're going to be just fine." His simple smile was remedial. "We are not canceling this trip."

You exhaled, releasing all of your worries into the air, the pounding in your temples dissipating. "Why didn't you stop me from rambling on?"

"Because it's healthy to speak those types of thoughts aloud instead of letting them simmer," Harry replied like the perfect husband he was.

You cupped his cheeks and kissed him deeply, pouring all of your love and gratitude into it. "I'm so proud of you," you whispered against his mouth. He savored your words by humming and sliding his tongue across yours for a brief second. "I appreciate the hard work you put into making our little family happy. And thank you for making this vacation possible."

"Wanted to spoil my girls," Harry murmured, craning his neck to kiss you more. His wet lips pulled at yours, greedy for their pliancy.

"Are you going to pick up more hours at the restaurant?" you asked in between the sounds of lip-smacking and heavy breathing. Something about him at night, in the dimly lit kitchen, with you as his sole focus, was igniting that secret fuse only he could play with.

"Shhh..." His fingers dug into your waist as he lifted you off the chair. Your legs and arms wrapped around him, warmth flooding right under your skin like wildfire. "No more work talk. I want some alone time with my wife before a hungry baby wakes us up."

You giggled and bit his bottom lip in excitement before he carried you to the bedroom.

Miraculously, your six-month-old gave the both of you forty minutes of uninterrupted time to roll around in the sheets.

When you went to sleep later that night, visions of Tuscany's hillside vineyards and swimming in the vast sea erased your concerns. As did the unequivocal vision of the man beside you making precious memories with his babies.

With Harry, there was no need to sweat the small stuff. His eyes were set on the most important thing—family.

——

[girlietips]

My summer plans🌊☀️

Thought I would tell you how I plan on glowing up during the summer

Summer is my fav time because I have more free time because I am still a student and I get to really focus on myself and my goals.

First things first I am going to try cycle syncing for the first time. I want to plan my month around what stage I’m in and do different workouts. This is just a test run to see how my body likes it.

I plan on meal prepping more consistent. I am going to have everything I eat that week already in my fridge by Sunday. This way I can meet all my macros everyday.

10k+ steps everyday. I finally cracked and got my frugal self to buy an Apple Watch so I am going to make sure I fill my rings everyday.

The hygiene is going to be on point. Nails and hair always done. It’s called hot girl summer for a reason.

I’m going to make sure I hangout with my besties twice a week and go on a solo date once a week.

Studying my German every single day for at least 30 mins.

I’m currently looking for a cute little part time job to earn extra cash to put alway for school.

I am going to volunteer and do some community service.

I’m going to get outside and catch some sun (with sunscreen ofc) the weather is too good to be inside.

Reading a book a week at least. Lots of self help and a few classics.

Decluttering and redecorating to make my life look like a Pinterest board.

Actually taking photos when I am out so I have memories.

Have a little summer fling. Nothing serious but I have focused on myself so much the past few years and I haven’t dated anyone. It has been really healing but I think I have learned a lot of boundaries and self love that I am ready to go on a few dates.

Anyway I’ll keep you updated if I remember. You guys should let me know your summer glow up plans I’d love to hear them.

[wheretheharekissesthefox]

Bon appétit - Chapter 10: Macadamia

[Astarion/Gale]

It's 2 a.m., Gale's tired and wants some food. Astarion, the cute barista/waiter at the Emerald Grove knows how to sate his cravings.

Trigger warning (18+): Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, No Magic, No Vampire, No Wizard, Graphic Description of Sex, Smut, Handjob, Thigh-fucking, Lazy Morning Sex, Waiter Astarion, Professor Gale

Served to: @patheticfangirl

Gale awoke with a smile on his face and Astarion's nose pressed into his neck. It was officially their first day as husband and husband.

Yesterday's wedding had been celebrated with their small circle of friends: Lae'zel, Lakrissa, Halsin, Jen, Tolna, and Wyll. They'd gotten married in the civil registry office with their guests who'd signed the papers as witnesses. Afterwards, they'd partied at the Emerald Grove, eating finger foods, a home-cooked meal by Gale and a beautiful vanilla-lemon-lavender cake by Halsin, before dancing to 80s and 90s love songs. It had been a frugal wedding, but nevertheless wonderful and memorable.

Now, Gale lay next to Astarion and couldn't have been happier. Reluctantly, he rolled out of bed to relieve his bladder despite his husband's complaining grumbles. Afterwards, Gale quickly slipped back under the covers to snuggle some more. Sighing deeply, Astarion pressed up against his husband's back, wrapped an arm around him to fondle his plush chest, his morning wood flush against Gale's lower back. The latter moaned lowly as Astarion started to rub up against him, smearing precum into his back rolls and squeezing his hairy tits.

"Good morning, love," the blond purred into his ear, biting its lobe gently.

"Good morning," panted Gale, already worked up, hard and wanting.

"I can't believe you’re my husband now," Astarion said fondly. "I'm the luckiest man in all of Faerûn."

Groaning, he rubbed up against Gale's back, his hand finding its way into the latter's boxershorts.

"So am I," breathed Gale, and Astarion hummed.

"Get these off, love. I want to fuck you."

Gale moaned in agreement and hastily complied, whimpering when the blond's cock finally slotted between his ass cheeks.

"Astarion..."

Panting, the brunet twisted his head and upper body around to kiss his husband. The position was uncomfortable, but the sweet, passionate kiss made up for it. With a growl, Astarion bit Gale's bottom lip before turning around to snatch the lube from the nightstand. Gale whimpered in anticipation, watching his husband through hooded eyes. Astarion wrapped his lube-coated hand around Gale's erection and ran it up and down the length a couple of times, before withdrawing and slipping it between Gale's thighs. The latter gasped as his husband's fingers ghosted over his hole, but Astarion seemed to have other plans. He kneaded Gale's inner thighs, covering them with lube.

"Will you let me?" he asked and kissed Gale fiercely after the latter had nodded his consent. Swiftly, Astarion slotted his dick between his husband's fleshy thighs and started to fuck them, bumping against Gale's sack with each thrust. With a loud moan, the brunet leaned his head back against Astarion's shoulder and let the latter have his way with him. The blond tightened his grip around Gale's torso, fingers digging into the chest hair.

"Touch yourself. Show me," he encouraged his husband who immediately obeyed. Gale whined and moaned as he tugged on his own dick while Astarion kept fucking his thighs.

"You're so good to me," whispered the latter in awe. "You're perfect, my love."

He kissed down Gale's sweaty neck before biting his shoulder. The brunet cried out - in pain as well as in ecstasy - and spilled all over the sheets. Astarion moaned and grunted, thrusting a few more times, and reached his climax with a dizzying intensity. He pulled his dick out from between Gale's thighs before he'd completely finished, covering the latter's sack, thighs, ass, and hole with his cum. Marking him up.

"Fuck, you're gorgeous," sighed Astarion as he collapsed onto the bed. Chuckling, Gale turned and snuggled up against his husband's side.

"You're beautiful too," he mumbled into Astarion's shoulder, "and I love you so."

"I love you too," smiled the addressed, and their lips met in a lazy kiss.

They dwelled like this, covered in sweat and cum, slightly dazed from their orgasm as well as their sleep. Gale was the first to speak.

"Our honeymoon starts tomorrow."

He giggled, giddy with excitement, and Astarion grinned at him, retorting: "Love, it has already started."

Snickering, they traded kisses until their lips were numb.

[campy-mccampface]

Bus Pass: Chef Heimlich McMuesli

Why are you like this.

Name: Heimlich McMuesli

Age: Early Fifties

Residence: His camping edition Volkswagen Bus

Origin: California, USA

Occupation: Chef, also grows fruits and veggies for farmers’ markets on the side

Orientation: Pansexual

Significant other(s): None, but several free love associates

Heimlich McMuesli is the resident cook at Camp Kidney. He’s a self-proclaimed vegetarian and his tendency to push this onto the scouts makes him unpopular at meal times. That said, he seems genuinely to care for them and only wants his idea of what’s best for them, (for better or worse.) He also doubles as a guidance counselor to them, utilizing New Age child therapist techniques and going to admirable pains to help campers such as Edward and Gretchen find peace. Per his own admission, he was an angry child and wants to put that behind him. He is however still short on patience at times, holier than thou, and very judgmental.

Biography: Canon and Headcanon

Heimlich was born to veteran hippie parents in California, not far from Prickly Pines. They ran a little farm and also sold art, clothing and handicrafts for income. He was an only child and thus was kept very busy by his parents helping them with their work. This lack of free time and constant delegation of chores made him very sour for a few years, but he mellowed out and quickly became a little clone of his parents, fully embracing hippie life and abstention from meat by the time he entered middle school.

As an adult, Heimlich began backpacking more often, especially in Peru, and his means of transport, a Volkswagen Bus fitted for camping, became his steadiest home. His parents passed away back in the States while he was away, (though he had been regularly in touch and visited plenty,) and he was for a while very aggrieved, but recovered. Still, the old McMuesli Farm made him mournful just thinking about it, and he was increasingly interested in his own mobility. He sold the farm shortly after inheriting it and didn’t look back. Heimlich took several odd jobs as he went up and down the country, never staying rooted in one place but making many, many friends, (and free lovers too.)

His travels brought him back where he started in California, and his newest gig was the chef for a summer camp belonging to the Bean Scouts of America. His ideas of sustenance were… very untraditional for a crowd used to canned pork and beans, but no one else was applying for the job, especially due to its pittance salary. McMuesli, who was frugal, adept at self-support and needed no room and board, was able to make it work, and so he was hired (with much grumbling and mockery, to his face) by Scoutmaster Lumpus.

By the time of the show, McMuesli has been the camp cook for five years or so. This is far and away the longest he’s stayed in a single place since the sale of his parents’ farm, and although he has yet to say so aloud, he probably plans to stay even longer. The Bean Scouts of America, who are chronically cash-strapped, are now his biggest backers; any replacement would surely want a raise. This newfound sense of tenure-esque invincibility has affected Heimlich profoundly; whereas before he would serve meat at least three times a week in return for… being allowed to complain, he’s completely remade the food curriculum to what he sees as fit. He also has a megalomanic penchant for confiscating junk food contraband, complete with security CCTV and a bank vault. He’s… a character.

Not long after his arrival, McMuesli started his “Temper Tee-Pee” program. Slinkman, who we’ve seen is chronically overstretched, no doubt was thrilled at the prospect of some of his counseling duties being shouldered. He and McMuesli generally get along well, though the former can find Heimlich grating in his worst moments. McMuesli tried once to confiscate Slinkman’s usual diet soda, and only once. I won’t go into detail, but if you watch Slinkman “go ballistic” in “Slugfest” it was more or less a repeat. After which, Slinkman’s necessary daily caffeine was left unmolested and the two agreed never to speak of it again. (Where was I? Oh yeah, the tee-pee.)

The Temper Tee-Pee program, if you haven’t seen the eponymous episode, is basically a child therapy program run by McMuesli. Campers who have outbursts are issued “temper tickets” and join McMuesli in a bespangled, hippie-dippie little tent that reeks of incense, is full of Native American paraphenalia that comes off as a bit tacky in retrospect depending on McMuesli’s heritage, and has beanbag chairs that suck you in like quicksand. (No, it’s not considered a punishment. Officially.) Here, Heimlich does… pretty admirable work of trying to understand campers’ pain and resolving it. His methods are unconventional, (“and he smells it, too,” says the little Edward voice in my head,) but they work and aren’t patronizing to a scout. (Granted, Edward and Gretchen found the peace he wanted them to find by fantasizing about running him down with a roadroller, but the end justified the means: they chilled out and learned to vibe.)

Again, though, he’s not a pillar of nirvana himself. While trying to teach the Jelly trio how to make tofu frankfurters, he leaves in a huff to backpack in Peru, and leaves the whole camp chefless. This would be unacceptable anywhere else, but as has been said, McMuesli’s just that untouchable. Another occasion sees him get VERY worked up and out of line when the Jellies insinuate eating broccoli is like cutting down trees. And, when Scoutmaster Lumpus reminds him he’s trying to gain weight, McMuesli flees in hysterics, exclaiming that the moose is “not of this world.”

He’s something else. But then again, so’s everyone in this show.

[atxxzist]

broken | c.s (07)

prev // next // series m.list

pairing: choi san x reader

word count: 6.3k

warning: suggestive? dk what else but lmk

there's been a string of coincidences.

despite your efforts to make sure, you do not, by any means, have to interact with yeosang because of last week's embarrassing fiasco--even going as far as sitting at a different seat, which is new since some students dropped the course after the second exam--fate has other plans.

coincidences as in running into him at the bookstore on monday when you were just looking to buy some stickers, glimpsing across after humming a tune under your breath and catching his gaze in yours.

coincidences like bumping right into his chest on your way to another class. you've never even seen him on that route before.

and more coincidences such as running into him at the grocery store after you have officially decided you're tired of cheap ramen and takeouts you cannot afford.

it's awkward when you pass him by one of the aisles, not really worried he's going to start something given he's been pretty good at acting like you two don't know each other, but crossing path that many times in a week is gonna raise a few questions in one's head.

but no coincidence is worse than him behind you during checkout after the cashier having totaled up the items, an embarrassing sink in your chest realizing you're short by a dollar and a few cents.

you study all the ingredients you have picked out for a simple meal of kimchi fried rice, eventually deciding to sacrifice the pack of garlic.

the young lady working the register has a sorry look in her eyes, but nods compliantly before removing the item.

you're quick to pay and bag your stuff, gaze trained on them the entire time because you refuse to look up only to find yeosang staring back at you, given how much coincidences has plagued your daily routine as of lately.

now, he knows that not only are you a snappy bitch but a broke one at that. great.

well, it's not like you're completely penniless considering you do have a job now that allows for you to indulge in any impulsive buying if that's to happen, but you're trying to be frugal and have limits.

but it looks like you have underestimated your budget this time.

"hey!"

your head snaps around at the voice that came from behind, the bag in your hand hitting the side of your leg with a swing.

"you forgot this."

you can only stare dumbfoundedly as you watch yeosang jog up to you, jaw dropping even more when you see the pack of garlic you had left behind, in his clutch.

"here."

he takes your hand and forces it into your grasp, a simple smile on his face after.

"one of the best part to kimchi fried rice."

the air goes quiet, and after a few more seconds of staring longer than you should, with a shake of your head and a clear of your throat, you can only muster up a pathetic, "t-thanks."

~

the container in your hand looks like a mistake. this is a mistake. maybe just because kang yeosang paid for you doesn't mean you should be standing in front of his and yunho's door with some of the leftover you made.

it's ridiculous. you were just giving him hell, all raggedy breath and attitude not even that long ago.

thinking you're out of your mind, you sigh, concluding you'll just give it to mingi and shuffle your feet around to head back, when the creak to the door behind you is heard, your entire body freezing in place.

"hey?"

the voice that doesn't belong to yunho makes you squeeze your eyes shut before cursing internally.

"hey..." you turn to greet, a nervous laughter leaving.

he looks about the same as you saw him an hour ago, except he has a backpack on and like he's about to head somewhere.

you catch the way his gaze falls down onto the item in your hand, a sudden urge to hide it but it's already too late, awkwardly fidgeting before deciding to give yourself away.

"i-i uhm... i made this for you. f-for earlier."

also because you're nosy and you did peeked in his basket and saw he only bought snacks.

a part of you think he might laugh, maybe roll his eyes and shoo you away for having taken such a small gesture as something more. but he doesn't.

he accompanies the small smile with a quiet chuckle and mumbles a thank you, a few seconds of silence following until it hits you you've yet to even give it to him.

"oh, here." you stretch an arm.

"perfect. i was just about to go out."

"to class?" you ask.

"work."

"oh..."

he steps out into the hall and you watch him shut the door behind, backing up a little to make some space.

"so, thank you, once again," he says, gesturing the container in the air.

"you're welcome," you reply, a shy color in your voice.

now... what the hell was that.

it's not completely dark yet, but the sun is starting to set, a shade of orange painting the sky when you return from work, just about to enter the dorm building when you hear your name from the distance.

you're surprised to see yeosang once again jogging up to you, observing as he stops in front and hands you the container that is now empty.

"i was gonna return this, but seeing you're here, i guess i should just do it now." he rubs the back of his neck with his free hand, a faint smile gracing his lips.

"oh... thanks," you reply, going on to retrieve it back, eyes quick to steal a glance at the more cautious body language that is new on him. you think it's definitely a lot more fitting and even looks natural for someone of yeosang's appearance.

"i should uh... go back." he throws one of his hands back sloppily, and you can't help but to let a chuckle loose, nodding to his words.

"i'll see you then." he bids a small, awkward looking wave and you do the same, biting back another chuckle.

you wait until he's out of sight, glaring down to study the container, taking notes of the fact that he even rinsed it, shaking your head and making your way back inside, thinking about the amount of coincidences lately.

~

"hey, sorry," you start, ready to tell the head of black hair that he's in your way blocking the path to the seat you have your eyes on, when he turns around and you gasp inaudibly, finding that it's yeosang.

his hair no longer the shiney blonde strands that made him extra glowy you were so used to seeing, but now a shade of black that looks just as nice, probably even better.

there's a pair of cosmetic glasses he has on and his hair is slicked back behind his ear, though his outfit of choice doesn't seem to be much different, but it's only been two days and he's managed to change this much.

you can't say you don't like it, though.

you snap out of your thoughts, staring at him longer than you should when he's already moved out of the way. you give a light head bow in exchange and trail to the seat closest to the wall.

the distance between you and him is a reminder of the state you guys were in before whatever happened on friday that's now making you feel wrong, even a tad guilty about closing yourself off like this.

but when you see him take a seat, not much color in his expression that tells he might feel the same, you brush the thought off.

maybe this is how it's meant to be. you in your own corner, and yeosang in his.

~

it's been getting harder to catch up with mingi and yunho, the image of you three together a rare sight these days. with their classes, schedule, and now job, it's a blessing if you even get to hear one of their voices before you're off to bed.

the seats that would usually be occupied by them are now empty because your friends have turned to men who also needs some source of income.

"this seat taken?"

you look up from your laptop, your breath cutting short in your throat at the person standing before you.

maybe after all, you're meant to get out of that corner, and yeosang is to do the same.

you shake your head and follow with a watchful gaze as he nods and settles his things down before occupying the seat in front of you.

"i hope you don't mind," he adds.

you shake your head again. "no, you're fine."

that's when you quickly scan the area, your eyes and nose too busy being stuck to your assignments, you didn't even notice how packed the cafe has got, all tables and seats nearly taken. except yours and one close to the front belonging to a couple that looks like they're about to lunge forward and rip each other's ears off.

yeosang didn't seem to have much of a choice.

you return to your assignments, at first a bit weirded out with something uneasy clouding your judgment, but as the clock ticks, yeosang too immersed in his own frustration and you in your own, the only time you even sneak in a glance is when he gets up to get a drink--it becomes a little easier.

hours go by and you know it's time to head back; signs of the place emptying, the quiet chitters around dwindling down to none and the street lights outside illuminating a glow you can make out even from the side.

shutting down your laptop and going to search for your bag, the commotion grabs the attention of yeosang, neck craning to study you curiously.

"going back?" he speaks, your eyes prying away from your belongings to glare at him, replying with a simple nod.

he takes in the almost vacant surrounding and closes his textbook.

"i probably should, too."

the next few minutes are filled with disruptive noises of you and him scrambling to get your things together; you being done before him, wondering if it's okay to leave first.

but considering you're both headed the same direction, it's only proper etiquette to wait. weird you would ever even think about courtesy in the presence of kang yeosang.

it's a lot of awkward and hesitant yielding to one another; whether who should exit out the door first or be the one to lead the way, but you both make it out to the humid air after all, shoulders accidentally brushing against the other and a clog in your throats as you think of how to break the ice.

"i uh... i never thanked you properly for what you did the other day," you break the silence.

he laughs lightly, one of his hand that hangs onto the strap of his backpack making him more attractive than usual.

"you did. plenty of times already, so don't worry about it. it was really nothing. plus, i'm the one who never properly thanked you for the meal you made. so here's me offering my thank for one of the best meals i've had ever since i got here."

you chuckle. "one of the best? i'm not sure if i can say that to something i kind of just threw together last minute."

"well, it was certainly very good. makes me miss my mom's homemade cooking."

a small smile is brought upon your lips at that, the uneasiness once there disappearing before you even know it.

"ah... where are you from?" you ask, cautiously.

"pohang. about three hour ish from here. you? you don't look like someone who's from here either."

you scoff at the comment.

"pfft. i hope that means something good. but even if i tell you, you probably won't know. it's a small town, very quiet and a very small population."

he shrugs. "maybe. but i'll let you know, i aced my geography test back in high school."

"that's because you're good at everything you do."

as much as you can't stand him, initially turned off by the smugness and prideful attitude, it's not like he doesn't have the rights to it.

he has all the brains and qualities to back it up; a very capable person in whatever he puts his mind to (you learned that from just sharing a class with him), which is what makes it all more annoying.

"hmm..." he mumbles, lips shut together. "how did you do on the second exam?"

the question has you snapping your head, coming into view with the side of his face, but more than happy to answer knowing you put your blood and sweats into it after running him off because if you didn't, you were for sure going to be fucked.

"much better than last time. i got eighty-four percent."

an entire sixteen percent from before. not an a, but you still consider it a win since the class quite literally makes you want to gauge your eyes out and it's only an introductory course.

"oh, nice," he comments, and you can't help but to question the sincerity, if kang yeosang really thinks an eighty-four percent is impressive. you're convinced that's a score he'd get on a bad day.

"compared to last time, i missed one question," he adds, and the side eye you give him at that is not missed.

"must be so hard to be you."

he laughs, the sound ringing in your ear that brings out the tiniest smile but you don't dwell too long on the comfortableness of the situation, instead shifting to the fact that you can see the dorm building from the distance.

the short walk there is drowned by the uproar of cars and noises of the night, both your footsteps still somewhat audible on the lonely sidewalk soon overtaken by the few students roaming outside at this hour.

"i-i'll see you then..." you turn to him, being the one to initiate the parting. "goodnight."

yeosang opens his mouth to say something but decides against it, settling on a goodnight in return, watching as you walk off.

"may i?"

your head rose up at the familiarity of the voice, one you recognize from hearing just the day before, nodding before moving your eyes back to a question you've been stuck on for the last twenty minutes.

usually, you would fret over how often you're running into him these days (or him running into you, that is) outside of class, but his presence has actually been quite consoling in the place of your two best friends and roommate who has found another activity to obsess over.

you're either spending your days suffocating under the amount of assignments and studying to do, or at the grade school a couple minutes from campus, smothered by a bunch of children.

it's calming and needed to come out, surround yourself with other people and their stories; the beauty and wonders life has to offer, so you're not so stuck in the small space of your dorm room counting down the exact moment you lose your sanity.

the only two hours of being in yeosang's company goes by fast, you shooting up at the same speed when he stands up, grabbing at his backpack.

you're unable to help the eyebrow that raises of confusion on your face but equally as quick to bat away, afraid you just might give off the impression of wondering why he's leaving so early.

he doesn't say anything as well, your eyes only meeting his momentarily before he excuses himself and leaves.

if it wasn't him, it would've been you anyways. you have work in an hour.

~

you both have enough manners to at least give one another a simple smile on the way to your seat, the distance still there but you feel a lot more relaxed this time around.

you don't notice yeosang's gaze lingering for a few seconds too long, a faint smirk cracking at the corner of his mouth when the professor starts going off about the third exam in two weeks and he sees the way your eyes roll.

it's the second time that day you completely miss his gaze that stays on you a little too long, only catching them that tries to act aloof when you finally look up to gather your things.

you're the first to leave this time around, and if it wasn't you, it would've been him. yeosang has work in thirty minutes.

~

you don't see yeosang that much for the rest of the week. aside from the short cafe stay that lasted as long as only two hours, it's not until monday again that he's seated across from you till the place empties, the chitters dwindling down, and the street lights coming on.

you realize just how much you miss mingi and yunho. it's not like you didn't miss them before, but having yeosang just here even in silence, it's comforting in a way that you don't feel so lonely.

other than them, you only have yuna. you know she would be willing if you ask, but you don't want to take time out of her day knowing she has shit to do.

you'd just feel like a burden.

but you've come to terms this is what it's suppose to feel like; to stay away. to reframe from seeking the only source you used to dull your misery with. because honestly, it would be so easy.

it would be so easy to forget everything just to feel better temporarily... but, but... you don't want temporary. you remind yourself.

"i'd used to find yunho knocked out when i return, but now he's even coming home later than me sometimes," yeosang is the one to start this time.

you don't think you'd deny the chance to walk with him, there just hasn't been many... chances.

"yeah. him and mingi. they're too busy these days trying to stack their wallets."

a light chuckle falls from yeosang, him turning to glare at you.

"and you?" he asks, the question makes your eyes fleet to him before returning them to the path ahead.

"what about me?"

"i don't know. you were just always around them, so i just wondered..."

how you're doing without them; how you're doing being by yourself most of the times. he's noticed.

your mouth drops to a small frown, not that he would be able to see in the dimness of the night.

"i could never be upset at them for living their life; do what they gotta do. after all, they've done things for me i couldn't repay in this lifetime."

now, you're starting to feel like mingi when he gets all sentimental over something that isn't even that deep.

yeosang hums under his breath and the few seconds of silence that follows after is broken by your additional comment.

"and i think it's good to be by yourself sometimes, you know," you try to convince him, in denial of the loneliness the past couple of days that has been made slightly better when he comes around.

he smiles, nodding in response.

"yeah, i understand. it honestly feels so freeing."

you snicker, yeosang lifting a brow as he looks your way.

"what?"

you shake your head, holding back another round that threatens to release.

"nothing. just, it's so funny and true... coming from you."

the confusion on him stays the same, so you continue, "you're kind of closed off, that's what i'm trying to say."

"closed off?" he repeats after. "i'm cautious, but i'm not sure if i would use closed off."

"cautious as in telling a poor girl off in a class she's already struggling with?" you tease, your voice a different color you didn't even know was possible.

the reminder flashes yeosang's mind back to the scene.

you’re working on a simulation assignment, stuck on a step you cannot get past although you already double checked everything. a quick glance to the front shows your professor already occupied with assisting other students, so you bite the bullet.

seeing as yeosang is already done with his, maybe he can help you out on just this very teeny step; a favor.

but he nearly snide; click his tongue and puffs out an air of annoyance like you’re a mere inconvenience when you just muttered a small “hey…” with the lightest tap on his arm.

“if you’re already struggling with something as simple as this, maybe you should reconsider your choice of major, princess.”

a creeping red blush overtakes his cheeks and you giggle at the victory, having thought before that it was practically impossible for kang yeosang to get so flustered.

the clockwork spins in his head as he tries to think of how to counter back, eventually finding the perfect outlet to kick you down a notch or two.

"okay, in my defense, i did tried to make up for it by offering my help for the exams."

it's your turn to be flustered, suddenly reminded again of the fiasco that just makes you cringe now. you might had been a little overdramatic.

“you won’t ever have to worry about wasting your time on someone like me ever again.”

yeosang smirks at the defeat on you, biting back the smugness he so badly wants to rub in your face.

"sorry about that," you say, a softness in your tone that has yeosang pleasantly surprised. "i was not having the best day and kind of took my frustration out on you."

he nods, a hum of acknowledgement. "i forgive you. say, i was feeling short as well so i might have let an unnecessary comment slip or two."

he actually felt quite awful after what happened. you were testing his patience but he could've gone at it differently. he knows this shy, reserved act of yours is just you being you. always sticking to the corners and far side of the classroom to avoid attention, and always just cowering behind your friends because it's just who you are.

but he's gotten so used to reacting this way; the wall he has built not allowing him to back down, almost like a defense mechanism.

you only nod in response, a simple smile that wants show itself, never having thought the night would wind up like this. because it feels so easy all of a sudden being by his side.

the subtle glances and bouts of comfortable silence so unlikely not even a few weeks ago, but now is the current situation. you don't even remember the trip back being this long.

but under the shining moonlight that casts a ray on him, he's absolutely beautiful. beautiful in a way you're not used to; in a way you're not sure if you have the word for it.

it just feels... different. everything with him.

it makes you feel conflicted, able to sense the wall he puts up whenever you come around, full of wonder about who really is the real kang yeosang at this point.

and with the curiosity plaguing your mind, taking advantage of the circumstances, you ask with an attentive glare permanently stuck on him, "you said you're cautious... can i ask what do you mean by this?"

he meets your eyes only momentarily before prying away, muscles that seems much more tense, you're starting to retract from ever asking such a thing, about to take it back but then he speaks.

"i don't know. can i trust you?" his tone surprisingly lighthearted, after all assuring you a little that maybe it's okay to go on.

"i'm very trustworthy," you answer, the same color in your voice that brings out a rather short laughter from him.

"i'll tell you, if..."

"if?" you question.

"you get a ninety percent or more on the final exam."

you nearly scoff. "is that a challenge?"

"with a reward," he adds, an amused smile that is quick to fade. "though, i'm not sure if you can consider my sob story a reward ."

you light up with even more interest at that, a smirk on your lips as you go to say coyly, "oh... a sob story? even better."

he returns an even more smug smirk. "no tutoring for you, though. sorry, i'm busy the rest of the semester."

a blow leaves you, mumbling through your breath, "fair enough."

"so it's a deal?"

"it's a deal."

you go back that night, plopped down on your bed and staring at the plain white ceiling, something bubbling up in the deep of your chest.

and for the first time in a while, you open the yellow spiral notebook again. you don't even remember the exact date of the last entry you wrote, just that whatever it was and whoever it was about might make you sick, flipping it over to a new blank page.

entry #6

i think i'm beginning to understand or at least i can see why yunho and mingi would like yeosang so much. still, i am wary and haven't forgot our 'history' if you can call it that. but something tells me i might get to see a different side of him soon. let's hope.

the next couple of days continues in a similar fashion of small, faint smiles whenever you'll see yeosang in class or at the cafe. your routine starting to solely consists of classes, work, the occasional short meetings with him and the rare phone calls with your friends.

but you don't even care that there's barely time for a hobby or that your social life has been cut down to practically kang yeosang. because the semester is coming to an end in less than two weeks and you can't wait to start planning something for the summer with mingi and yunho.

"doing anything for the summer?" yeosang asks; the irony of it all--his figure that is next to you rather than in front feeling like a new experience even though it's not.

it's packed today, two faces you have never seen before taking the seats across, the spot next to you left stranded before he showed.

"i was talking about it with mingi and yunho. we're looking forward to planning something, just not sure what it is, yet."

he hums an understanding, nodding his head.

"you?" you return the question.

he shrugs, mouth that droops in uncertainty.

"maybe visit my parents, i'm not sure either."

his answer brings back the thoughts of your aunt and uncle; how long you haven't seen them, and that you do often wonder how they're doing. if they will be happy to see you again for the summer, until deciding it's best to just not dwell on it too long before it upsets you.

but for now at least, you think you're okay. talking to yeosang has gotten easier, and the routine though dull and tedious, doesn't bring you pain. and once again, you're starting to think you can do this.

even work doesn't go too bad, the children more disciplined than usual and you even get a compliment from one of the teachers about how well you're doing.

you actually, genuinely, feel happy today.

a little too happy that when there's a knock at the door, you don't even process the time nor consider even for a second that it's way too early for it to be yuna.

when you pry the door open, the almost invisible smile on you drops and you feel your body going into fight or flight mode at the last person you wish to see. the one person responsible for all the hardship and pain you've been through ever since you got there.

"san..." you mutter, registering him aware as he picks his head up from leaning against the wall, the drowsy look on him changing into a sleazy smile when he sees it's you.

"y/n," he mumbles, and you hate, hate how it sounds to ear; a shiver that runs cold through your entire system.

because you were doing so good you could've swear you almost forgot about him. of course he crossed your mind here and there but the routine has kept you so busy, you didn't think it would feel this demeaning just seeing him again.

didn't think all it would take is for choi san to show up at your freaking door for you to realize all the progress made these past weeks has gone to nothing.

"what are you doing here?" you ask, cold and guarded.

he rubs at his eyes, posture no longer slouching and keeps his glare on you, completely dodging the question.

"may i come in?"

you don't get the chance to say no; him brushing past you that has your mind in utter daze. but if not for the strong reek of alcohol that travels up your nose, you would've even foolishly think that after all this time of silence from his end, he came because he finally thought of you.

it didn't bother you as much that when you stopped communicating, he never tried either. probably because you know he doesn't give a shit about you.

but how are you supposed to feel now, knowing you're the person he seeks out when he's under the influence of something else and his judgment is clouded.

you stand in front of the opened door thinking of what to do before closing it shut, afraid someone might catch the scene, though you're really more afraid of being in the same space as san even in his drunken state, knowing he could have the upper hand if he wants to.

you walk reluctantly to stand in the middle of the room, body so tense as you stare down at him, his legs hanging off the edge of your bed, back stuck to the sheet and his face lasering the ceiling although his eyes are closed.

"san, you can't be here. yuna will be back soon," you lie, knowing your roommate won't be showing up anytime soon for at least another three hours or so.

san groans at that, sluggishly rubbing at his eyes again.

"i know, angel. i know. i just... miss you and wanted to come by."

your breath fumes. unbelievable that even in this state, he's lying and trying to charm you.

you don't even realize how many steps you have taken forward and how much closer you are to him now, until he suddenly yanks you by the wrist, a gasp leaving your mouth as your body land on his, chest to chest.

the scent of booze on him even more prevalent at this range, a gulp moving down your throat seeing that lazy smirk on him that paints his half-asleep expression, a sensation of butterflies in your stomach and something much more you know you shouldn't be experiencing. at least not anymore.

you're quick to push yourself off, a natural instinct of defense as you're sat on the bed, scooting away until you're merely at the corner and far away from him.

a whine leaves him, feeling only the empty air in your place. he sits up and locks gaze with you, his eyebrows pinching together added on with a frown when he notices the distance.

"do you not want me here?" he pouts.

you absolutely do not want him here, but instead shifts the topic entirely.

"how did you even get here?" you ask, a worrisome tone you'd probably deny. "you didn't drive while drunk, did you?"

he shakes his head, his manners resembling that of a child. eyes droopy and sulky lips like he might knock out any moment.

"i took a cab here."

"oh," you say in relief, standing up to take your phone out of the pocket of your shorts. "i'll call one for yo--"

the phone in your hand drops to the hard flooring, his strong hold again as he grabs for your wrist, this time instead of landing on him, your back hits the sheet and he hovers over, trapping you in between his arms as you nearly hiss in response.

"san!" you say with all the bitterness in the world, pushing at his chest but he's unmoved. though he's naturally thin, you can tell he worked out often; all his muscles on display the result of it.

"shhh..." he shushes you, the way your body naturally stops at the request almost too uncanny, as if you're drawn to him.

"just want to make you feel good," he says, hot breath trickling your skin and you quite literally have to disregard the unpleasant alcohol that lingers as his scent when he goes to place a kiss on your jawline.

it's so wrong. everything about this. san in your room, on top of you in a position he's been in before and your hands that creeps from his chest to his shoulders rubbing at them as he moves from your jawline to your neck.

you can hear mingi and yunho screaming at you in your head, tell you you're about to make the biggest mistake of your life, but all you do is moan when san pulls at one of your legs and jerks himself forward to line his crotch with yours.

you can feel his hard on poking at one of your thighs, your clutch on his shoulders that only continues to tighten as he begins to rock back and forth slowly practically dry humping you all while leaving the sloppiest and wet kisses on the skin of your neck.

and it must've go on for an entire minute or so. until suddenly, something just comes over you. call it an awakening or whatever, but it indeed feels like jolting up and getting hit in the face.

you are so stupid. so fucking stupid.

you push him off harshly, standing up to fix your clothes, his elbows planting the mattress as he looks up in utter confusion at the abrupt change of mind.

he squints his eyes and watch you walk to the door, swinging it open and waiting in your spot, turning to glare at him.

"you need to go. now." the last part almost sounding like a growl, fear and all kinds of shame taking over, because if he stays here any longer, you're afraid of what the outcome might be.

afraid and at the same time feeling so pathetic about the amount of power he has over you, even in such a state where he isn't even one hundred percent there, his mind mostly blurred by whatever he consumed before he got here.

you don't even want to think about what he'll do (or what you'll do) if he shows up in his default state of mind. a dark thought you hope won't ever see the light of coming true.

the same pout and cute puppy eyes is his current expression, standing up to walk to the door, you can't help but to recoil when he gets closer, all senses in your body ready to fight whatever he's gonna pull.

but he doesn't attempt to charm you or do any further resisting, only mumbling with his words slurred in a low tone.

"okay. if you want me to go, i'll go."

he steps out, his face sulky and sad, you have to shut the frame immediately because you don't want to start feeling bad for doing what you're supposed to.

you started feeling quite shitty again, the aftermath of san's visit was all it took for the sensation of anxiety and doom to make a reappearance.

every time you saw or talked to either mingi or yunho, the guilt that sits there is strong. that you would even allow san to come into your room; let him stay in a position he should never be in again, and let him kissed in you places that just makes you feel dirty now.

the bar is so low and he continuously underperforms, over and over again. you realize all this stress, all this time going into worrying what comes after the drunken visit, is just a waste of time.

because choi san doesn't give a crap about you, and that's a fact. you don't even think he remembers being in your room that night. he might've said your name, but it was probably because you were the closest and most convenient girl to go to.

and... you're also the stupidest, you bet.

but it's a waste of time to worry because you don't even cross his mind. not when he's sober. almost a month long of no communication between you two and even a stupid drunken visit that you deserve an apology from at least, doesn't budge him a little.

but with the last week of classes rolling in and exams sucking every bits of sanity left, you don't even have the capacity to think about choi san for a moment.

and you're especially not going to mull over him when the score for your computer class is finally updated, a rare feeling of excitement and joy bubbling when you see you have got a ninety-one percent, the deal you have made with yeosang to be fulfilled.

but at this point, you're beginning to think happiness or even joy isn't for you. any time an ounce of these feelings creep up, it is always shortly countered by misery.

a notification from your phone that sets off, a quick glance to it sours your entire mood. and you can tell that this time, he isn't drunk, his mind straight as ever when having sent the text.

san: hey, i'm so sorry i haven't been reaching out. have honestly been so busy with the semester ending and all that shit. but i suddenly thought of you, and i was just wondering if you want to come over? sometime tomorrow? 💕

next // series m.list

taglist: @sorryimananti-romantic @revehosh @cookiechristie @avantalem @atiny68 @belletiny @shibera @mochibabycakes @justineasian @eastleighsblog @baguette-atiny @crimson-mia @yeosxxx @m4rsluv @sleepychimm @atz-diary @diorwoo @naiify @becauseiloveyunho @damagelove @softie00 @s-nsanshine @atinytinaa @moonseonghwa @lemontreefantasy @wooyoung4eva @yeosangsbiceps @likexaxdaydream @knucklesdeepmingi @barbielibra @tmtxtf @brown88 @harusoraa @frankenstein852 @yujispinkhair

[flowery-laser-blasts]

My not so serious KP villain headcanons:

Personal headcanons that I have for the Kim Possible villains (not all of them). Long post.

Shego loves horror movies and podcasts and once scared the living hell out of Drakken after watching Ringu. She hid under the bed and once he almost drifted off to sleep, she reached from underneath to grab his hand and reveal her with hair covered face.

Shego hates cooking and rather orders take out than go through the effort of prepairing meals. The worst part is cleaning up dishes.

Shego can warm/radiate heat through her hands with her powers in a non-harmfull way. This comes in handy when massaging Dr D's stiff shoulders.

Shego's favourite chickflick is Legally Blonde. She showed it to Drakken once, he too, likes it. Now after every defeat they watch this movie while patching themselves up.

Dr Drakken loves British comedy such as Monty Python, the Mighty Boosh and Little Britain. He often quotes their jokes.

Dr Drakken has a complex bedtime skin care routine that he never skips and follows to a T. Though he only does it before bed, so if he stays awake for several days in a row, he won't do it until actually going to bed.

Dr Drakken actually plucks away stray hairs around his eyebrow to keep the look 'clean' and 'on fleek'.

Dr Drakken's shampoo smells of Lush' sugarplum fairy bodyspray.

Dr Drakken always sings the Mighty Boosh' 'Soup Song' when preparing soup. His secret ingredient to his vegetable soup with mini meatballs is tiny elbow macaroni.

Dr Drakken's 'take over the world by plants' scheme was stolen/inspired from Duff Killigan's failed attempt at turning the world into a golfcourse when the two were over at his place to discuss plans on the Tempes Simia idle and Monkey Fist was away to use the restroom.

Duff Killigan has one of those 'golf-on-your-toilet' golf sets in each restroom/bathroom.

Duff Killigan's favourite Disney movie is Brave, but more so because of the mother daughter bonding aspect of the story. He's a sucker for those kinds of movies.

Monkey Fist loves Shakespeare's works solely because of the infinite monkey theorem.

Monkey Fist has an incredible hatered towards the song "Banana Man" by Tally Hall and 'Day-O' by Harry Belafonte. It's an earworm that never leaves within a day and makes the monkey ninjas dance uncontrollably.

Monkey Fist takes extremely good care of personal hygiene and regularly cuts his nails.

Adrena Lynn's actual name is Adrien.

Adrena Lynn called out the Jackass cast for being fakes.

Adrena Lynn's favourite non extreme sport is table tennis.

Adrena Lynn started the 'girl dinner' tend.

Gill's favourite animals are sharks.

Gill bullied Ron because he wanted to look cooler in front of other camp kids. At his school, he would be the one being bullied.

Gill actually didn't dislike Ron at first but it changed when Ron grabbed an extra (and the last) chocolate pudding cup during dinner on their first day of camp.

Professor Dementor shines his helmet with a hand held waxing device, he never takes it off though.

Professor Dementor's favorite snack is caramel seasalt pretzels.

Professor Dementor wanted to become a children's book writer when growing up.

Dr Drakken, Monkey Fist and Duff Killigan play Dungeons&Dragons. Monkey Fist DMs most of the time, second is Drakken; Duff never DMs. The big bad evil guy is Kim Possible but they almost lose every campaign except for the rare occasion in which the BBEG dies due to accidental environmental circumstances out of their hands. They tried to replicate it irl but where do you find a giant dragon, three gnomes an enchanted blueberry pie and a catapult?

Motor Ed uses WD-40 for his hair instead of conditioner, seriously.

Motor Ed is a diehard Meatloaf fan (the artist, not the food).

Motor Ed despises Meatloaf (the food, not the artist).

Frugal Lucre loves pineapple pizza with extra ham

Frugle Lucre's arch enemy is Kim's cousin Larry.

Frugal Lucre collected cuddlebuddies but his mom threw them out because "you're too old for these toys, so I gave them away to your niece Pamela for her baby room" and that's his villain origin story.

Frugal Lucre has a Dr Drakken cosplay that he sometimes wears to (Hench co.) conventions (inspired by @gothicthundra 's Halloween chapter)

DNAmy's biggest inspiration for fashion is Velma Dinkley from the Scooby Doo franchise.

DNAmy hates Tom and Jerry because it promotes 'violence'.

DNAmy actually is pretty chill and wouldn't mind Kim Possible's company as long as Kim apologises for destroying her work. Kim is a fellow cuddlebuddy collector after all.

After Monkey Fist turned into stone, DNAmy tried reviving him. It didn't work out. She eventually moved on and started dating Frugal Lucre. They're in a happy committed relationship now.

The Bebe bots have their own reality show in Japan and are content with the attention and admiration from fans. They were offered a contact as idol group but they denied it because they didn't want to collaborate with Hatsune Miku.

Señior Senior Junior became a top model and worked with the fashionistas but when they got arrested again, SSJ used his privilege to continue his career.

With the help of Bonnie, Señior Senior Junior wrote an autobiography about his life under the influence of his father. It's titled "I didn't want to be a criminal, but Daddy made me do it." And it is said to become an autobiographical movie (but once again, Junior can't star in it).

Señior Senior Junior and Bonnie got married after Bonnie graduated from college.

Señior Senior Junior loves My little Pony friendship is magic and writes wholesome fanfiction. He likes PinkPie because she likes to party. He also realises that a lot of his youth is missed out on because of his father's wealth. He is semi thankful for villainy because it introduced him to Shego and their friendship. He tried making her watch it but she didn't seem into it.

Señior Senior Senior could actually give up villainy for his future grandchildren. This was Bonnie's initiative, because she doesn't want her kids to grow up around inmates and prisoners.

That's it for now, if I've got more I'll add it here!!

[techdriveplay]

What Are the Best Ways to Save Money on Travel?

Traveling can be an enriching experience, but it can also be expensive. However, with a few smart strategies, you can significantly reduce your travel costs without sacrificing the quality of your trip. Here are the best ways to save money on travel. Did you know? 78% of travellers save an average of $250 per trip by booking flights in advance. Using travel reward programs can reduce travel…

[justalittlesolarpunk]

hey!! feel free to ignore this but i scrolled through your blog and really liked it and if you have the spoons I'd love to get your advice/tips on trying to live sustainably while in uni/on a limited budget? I'm going to uni in a year or so and I want to try and do it as sustainably as possible but I don't have a lot of money

love your blog <3

Hi! Thanks so much for the kind words, I am super new to tumblr and fairly new to solarpunk still myself, so I really appreciate it.

I’ll level with you: most of the really aspirational choices in sustainability are pretty expensive. Buying local organic food or slow fashion can really eat into a budget. The good news is that a lot of the frugal decisions you’d make are also good for the planet. You’re not going to be going out buying expensive cars, flying in private jets or any of the other earth-wrecking things that the super-rich do. Being conscious about your spending will mean you’ll probably naturally gravitate towards getting your clothes from charity shops and other similar money-saving choices. In some cities and certain supermarkets, plant-based food will be cheaper, while in others it will be more expensive, and so for this you’ll probably need to make choices on a case by case basis, weighing up each time how much you can afford and how committed you are to a certain diet. Getting a library card is also very solarpunk - free, communally owned knowledge! As a uni student you’ll likely also have your university library as a resource, which it’s definitely worth making use of. Have a look to see if there’s a tool library/library of things in your university town, as that will not only save you money but also reduce your purchase of things you might only use once or twice. Apps like TooGoodToGo offer cheap baskets of food from local restaurants, cafes and shops which would otherwise go to waste at the end of the day, and if there’s a ‘buy nothing’ or ‘stuff for free’ Facebook group for your local area it’s worth joining it - these are really exciting anticapitalist digital spaces where people can get what they need and dispose of what they don’t without exploitative or extractive relationships.

Starting a new paragraph here for readability, and also because it’s slightly a topic change - there are things you can do to be more sustainable that are fairly cash-cheap, but time-costly. As a student you won’t always be able to devote much energy to them between your studies and your social life, but if they’re something that’s important to you and your other commitments (or any disabilities you might have) don’t prevent you, then things like mending your own clothes instead of throwing them out and replacing them can help. But these are fiddly tasks so that isn’t possible for everyone, even if they do have time! Depending on the rules of your student accommodation you could also try having certain edible houseplants - salad leaves, strawberries, herbs, etc. My success rate with these has been very patchy but it’s worth a shot and the original outlay for seeds or a small plant isn’t too much (though if you’re planting from scratch, soil can be expensive as it always seems to come in enormous great bags).

Things like batch cooking or planning communal meals with other people you’re living with can also be greener, and cheaper, if it means food can be made to go further and wasted ingredients can be avoided. Uni is a really exciting time for a solarpunk because it’s the closest to cohousing many of us get - sharing facilities and responsibilities in a close-knit community of non-related people with common goals and experiences. Use this to your advantage to form networks of mutual support.

Similar caveat about time scarcity as above, but there are also things that tend not to cost any money that will make you feel better about your own environmental contribution which you can actually do at any age if you have enough free hours. These are things like volunteering with your local conservation volunteers or in a community garden - this latter is particularly good because volunteers might get to take home some of the produce, thereby saving money and getting access to local nutritious food. Some unis even have their own food gardens and teams of students who help tend them, so get involved with this if it exists and you can.

In the same vein, almost every uni will have its own climate justice or environmental student club, and attending these meetings if your schedule allows can be a great way to meet other people within your institution who share your priorities, and who may well have more advice on frugal, sustainable living that they can offer. Pooling wisdom like this means your can all do better.

It sounds like you might have already picked your uni, but if not there are factors you can consider to help you do better in these goals when you get there, like examining the relative cost of living in different cities or investigating how eco-friendly the university is. It’s worth asking questions like what is their endowment invested in? How much research into climate change and solutions do they fund? Are their careers services still promoting fossil fuel industry jobs?

University towns are usually pretty walkable and/or bike-friendly, at least in the UK and Europe, and these modes of transport are also the cheapest and most sustainable. Plenty also have good public transport too, and buses or hireable scooters are all options (though you’d probably have to use the scooters a lot to make the expense worth it, and if you do, please don’t leave them lying in the pavement like people did when I was at uni - it blocked wheelchair access and was really annoying). Certain cities have trams, which are like catnip to solarpunks lol. Transport can get expensive but tends to still be cheaper than driving in most urban centres, though as I said your own two feet or wheels can probably get you to most of where you need to go within the local area.

Your student’s union might well also run clothing swaps or second-hand book sales, so keep an eye on that and go along when you can. There’s also nothing to be ashamed of in collecting discount codes, coupons for free products, or loyalty cards, or with working if you have the time and ability to earn while you study. The more money you save the more of those slightly costlier green decisions you can make.

What I’d say last, though, is don’t be too hard on yourself! You’re young, the world is set up to be excessively expensive and to reward you for consumptive behaviour that is the opposite of ecological values. Of course you should try your best and I’m so glad that you’re thinking of it already, but remember that you probably won’t be able to do it perfectly - that pretty much no-one can unless they have insane amounts of time and money (in which case they’re probably not the kind of person who cares about this stuff). Remember to enjoy your new independence, to hang out with your friends, to be studious and whimsical and learn about life and yourself. And remember that I’m just one person and not all my ideas will apply to you, and there’ll be other things you could do that haven’t occurred to me because of the specific experiences and biases that inform where I come from.

You probably already know which subject you’re studying, and if that’s the case then there will be ways you can examine these issues within the curriculum of most degrees (except maybe maths? But I’m willing to be proved wrong haha). But just in case you’re still picking subjects and institutions, I’ll just leave a link to a really fascinating-looking new undergrad qualification I heard about a few months ago, that I am *gutted* not to have been young enough to apply for and study! Even if it isn’t the right fit for you, perhaps you’ll know someone who it could work for. I’m assuming, possibly wrongly, that you’re in the UK based on certain dialectical cues (for instance saying uni rather than college), but feel free to ignore this if you’re elsewhere in the world, I’m just very stoked about this course!

Thanks so much for your ask, and sorry for the insanely long essay response. If you’ve managed to wade through to the end then seriously congratulations on your patience. Best of luck with your studies and with your efforts at ecological living, and I hope you carry solarpunk with you as a source of hope, comfort and action into your future. ☀️

[scavengerssuccotash]

Do you have and soft/sweet headcanons of Clint and Nat? Also, 100 percent agree, I love when Clint goes feral on Nat’s behalf

Soft Clint is also my weakness. He is a die hard romantic at heart. I’m talking about all the mushy fluffy good chicken-noodle-soup-for-the-soul kind of goodness. He treats Nat like a princess, buying her flowers, gear and anything she wants really. Price is no matter either he’s frugal by nature and has a substantial nest egg that he’s been building since he was a teenager. Nat however still has some hang ups on the whole receiving gifts without an expectation of a return investment so they worked out a deal. Twice a year Clint can buy her an unexpected gift just because. For their Eight-N-Four gifts and Christmas they pick from lists that they give each other. Clint one time surprised her with a little kitten he found on a mission in Chile, who she would later name Liho. She jokes to this day that that was the best gift anyone ever got her. Clint grumbles about the closet full of weapons but grins like an idiot every time he finds the two of them asleep on the couch together. (Nat has a one eyed dog on hold at the pound but that’s a secret! Shh!)

Nat is a secret sap and relishes in all the little ways Clint spoils her. From the notes on her coffee cup in the morning to the way their pinkies seem to twine together when they are walking in the park she loves it. What she loves most however is the slow dances in the kitchen. It’s never planned and they’ve burned a few good meals but they are memories she looks back on often.

They shower together often. Sometimes to save on time, other times for fun but most of the time they just like being naked together without having to get intimate. Clint has a clawfoot tub in the basement that he’s been meaning to put in, but hasn’t had the time off yet to do it.

Nat likes to give him a good massage after a particular strenuous mission. And oh god she’s good at it! She goes all out too, good oils, icy hot, really anything to help alleviate the tension in his shoulders and arms. By the time she’s done Clint’s either hard or half asleep.

On Sunday’s when they have the time off they lay in bed all day, laughing and joking, touching and kissing. It’s by far their favorite day of the week. The first time Nat said I love you out loud was on a Sunday like this, half asleep after making love and Clint’s cheeks hurt from grinning so wide. After that first time it got easier and easier for Natasha to say and now she just says it randomly, unprompted and unprovoked and it sends Clint to the moon every single time. The first time Phil heard her say it he dropped his coffee.