#Fruit & Vegetable Seeds Market | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

agrinewblogs · 3 months ago

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Are You Ready to Plant Your Own Garden? Explore the Fruits & Vegetable Seeds Market

The fruits and vegetable seeds market plays a pivotal role in the agricultural industry, underpinning the food supply chain and contributing significantly to global food security. With the world population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the demand for nutritious and diverse food sources is escalating, making the role of quality seeds more crucial than ever.

In 2023, the Fruits and Vegetable Seeds Market Size was valued at USD 6.66 billion. The Fruits & Vegetable Seeds market is expected to increase from USD 7.196796 billion in 2024 to USD 12.39 billion by 2032, with a compound yearly growth rate (CAGR) of 7.03% over the forecast period (2024-2032).

Market Overview

The fruits and vegetable seeds market is witnessing substantial growth driven by several factors. The increasing awareness of healthy eating, rising demand for organic produce, and advancements in seed technology are key contributors. Consumers are becoming more health-conscious, opting for fresh fruits and vegetables over processed foods, thereby driving demand for high-quality seeds that produce nutrient-rich crops.

Technological Advancements

Technological innovations have revolutionized the seeds market. Techniques such as hybridization, genetic modification, and CRISPR gene editing are enhancing seed quality and yield. These advancements enable the development of seeds that are resistant to pests and diseases, tolerant to extreme weather conditions, and capable of producing higher yields. For instance, hybrid seeds are engineered to possess the best traits of two parent plants, leading to superior crop performance.

Explore the report's contents, sections, and key insights by browsing through its detailed information.

Key Players:

Bayer AG (Germany), Syngenta Crop Protection AG (Switzerland), Groupe Limagrain Holding (France), Sakata Seed Group (Japan), Advanta Limited (India), TAKII & CO., LTD. (Japan), Mahindra Group (India), Rijk Zwaan Zaadteelt En Zaadhandel B.V (Netherlands), Western Bio Vegetable Seeds Ltd (India), Maharastra Hybrid Seeds Company Private Limited (Mahyco), Corteva Agriscience (US), KWS SAAT SE & Co. (Germany), DLF Seeds & Science (Denmark), Invivo (France), Royal Barenbrug Group (Netherlands)Liquid Colours (Pty) Ltd. (South Africa), KALO (US), IFC Solutions (US)

Organic and Non-GMO Seeds

There is a Fruits and Vegetable Seeds Market growing trend towards organic and non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) seeds. Consumers are increasingly seeking produce that is free from synthetic chemicals and genetic alterations, spurring demand for organic seeds. Organic farming practices, which rely on natural processes and inputs, are gaining popularity, reflecting a broader shift towards sustainable agriculture. This trend is influencing seed manufacturers to invest in the development of organic seed varieties.

Market Challenges

Despite the positive growth trajectory, the market faces several challenges. Climate change poses a significant threat, affecting seed germination and crop yields. Unpredictable weather patterns and extreme conditions can devastate crops, emphasizing the need for resilient seed varieties. Additionally, regulatory hurdles and stringent quality standards in different regions can complicate market entry for seed producers.

Discover more Research Reports in Agriculture Industry, by Market Research Future:

Feed Supplements MarketResearch Report Information By Type (Protein, Vitamin, Amino Acid, Fatty Acid, Minerals, and Others), By Form (Dry, Liquid, and Others), By Livestock (Ruminants, Poultry, Swine, Aquaculture, and Others), And By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, And Rest Of The World) –Market Forecast Till 2034

Agricultural Bactericides MarketResearch Report Information By Type (Copper-Based Bactericides, Amide Bactericides, Dithiocarbamate Bactericides, And Others), By Form (Dry and Liquid), By Crop Type (Fruits & Vegetables, Cereals & Grains, Oilseeds & Pulses, And Others), And By Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, And Rest Of The World) – Market Forecast Till 2034

Aquaponics Market ResearchReport by Produce (Fish, Fruits Vegetables, and Others), Components (Rearing Tank, Settling Basin, Bio-Filters, Sump Tank, and Others), Equipment (Pumps and Valves, Grow Lights, Water Heaters, Water Quality Testing, Fish Purge Systems, Aeration Systems, and others), Application (Commercial, Home Food Production, and Others), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World) - Forecast till 2030

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#Fruits & Vegetable Seeds Market share #Fruits & Vegetable Seeds Market size #Fruits & Vegetable Seeds Market trends #Fruits & Vegetable Seeds Market growth

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bommagoni · 6 months ago

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Fruits and Vegetable Seeds Market Size, Trend, Industry Growth

#Fruits and Vegetable Seeds Market

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rottenpumpkin13 · 1 month ago

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The fabulous firsts and co visit a local farmers market

Sephiroth: He's living his best life, faced with naturally grown produce for the first time and turns into a fascinated child. He spends a good thirty minutes mesmerized by bell peppers with the intensity usually reserved for military strategies, methodically collecting one of every color. "These pigments are completely natural?" he asks, breathless. The vendor nods. Sephiroth buys one of every color. Then two. Then a crate.

He halts at a flower stand, transfixed by a sunflower that moves, tracks his movement and makes him feel safe. Later he spots an old lady hauling groceries with one of those plaid-wheeled trolleys, he stares for a long moment, then buys the exact same one. He happily drags it behind him, off to procure a pumpkin to make soup.

Angeal: He's transformed into everyone's favorite market grandson. He bounces from stall to stall, earnestly discussing crop rotation with elderly vendors, helping them rearrange their displays, and somehow ending up with everyone's family recipes. He's accumulated enough produce to feed a small army, lecturing anyone within earshot about supporting local businesses and the honor in homegrown vegetables. "Mrs. Chen, your tomatoes are absolutely spectacular this year! Oh, and is that organic fertilizer you're using?" *proceeds to have a 20-minute conversation about soil pH levels*

Cloud: Wanders off immediately. Reappears twenty minutes later swaddled in a comically chunky, deep-purple wool scarf that covers half his face and most of his dignity. It's 87 degrees. He explained that he fixated on a stall where an old woman from the western continent was selling handmade wool items. He purchased the thick purple scarf in a moment of hometown nostalgia, and now he's a walking sauna for the rest of the day.

Genesis: Absolutely thriving. Stalks through the market delivering scathing critiques of vegetable quality. He discusses heirloom tomato strains effortlessly, critiques carrot curvature, and nearly starts a duel with a vendor over the proper pH balance for rhubarb. "This basil is young," he declares, sniffing a bunch with disdain. "It's green, yes, but not mature. Much like half the poets of this age." He throws open a crate of plums from a shady vendor like a cop. "These are not from Mideel. I'd stake my entire SOLDIER pension on it." A small crowd gathers as he dramatically lectures a man selling zucchini. "Have you ever pollinated by hand? No? Then don't talk to me about flavor profiles." He buys a single apple, bites into it, closes his eyes, and sighs like he's just tasted the memory of his first heartbreak.

Kunsel: Moonlights as the market's own intelligence network. Somehow knows everyone's life story and is seen trading gossip like currency. By the end of the day, he acquires three new conspiracy theories and five secret recipes. "Did you know the lady at stall 3 used to be a Shinra secretary? She's got dirt on Palmer you wouldn't believe... Oh, and that guy selling honey? Ex-Avalanche, but the cool kind." He moves through the market acquiring skewers and eavesdropping on local gossip at every booth. "Got us half-off jerky," he announces proudly to Angeal. "Also there's a guy over there selling materia out of a sock."

Zack: At some point, Zack vanishes for seven minutes. When he returns, he's carrying a watermelon the size of a second-grader. He's managed to find the biggest watermelon in the slums and is parading it around like he's just discovered a new species of materia. "Guys, GUYS! This is like, at least fifty regular watermelons in one! Think of all the juice! Think of the SEEDS we could plant!"

Angeal, watching his student swing around this massive fruit like it's a soccer ball, keeps trying to intervene with increasingly desperate warnings. "Zack, that's not— no, don't flip it! Stop trying to— it's not a sword, you can't practice your forms with— ZACK FAIR PUT THAT WATERMELON DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

But it's too late. In what can only be described as slow-motion horror, Zack attempts his signature squats while holding the watermelon. The inevitable happens: the fruit slips from his grip, hits the ground with a spectacular SPLAT, and creates what local vendors would later describe as "The Great Watermelon Massacre of Sector 5."

Pink juice floods the marketplace like a sugary tsunami. Zack stands in the middle of the carnage, surrounded by watermelon chunks, looking like he just witnessed the death of his firstborn. He drops to his knees dramatically in the puddle, raises his fists to the sector plate above, and lets out a dramatic "WHYYYYYY????"

#ff7 #ffvii #final fantasy 7 #sephiroth #final fantasy vii #genesis rhapsodos #ff7 crisis core #angeal hewley #zack fair #crisis core #kunsel ff7 #crisis core headcanons

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joelsbloodyhands · 2 months ago

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A Fruitful Union

Joel Miller x Reader

SUMMARY: You and Joel live in the same street and have one of those little community farm stands. You grow your own veggies/fruits and always put them in the neighbourhood greenhouse and Joel keeps taking them wondering whose growing the best produce in the street because they taste better than all the other ones he’s tried.

NO WARNINGS, Joel is more of an older Dad to Sarah in this than a younger one, no outbreak, no mention of Ellie.

READER has no specific description, no gendered pronouns.

A/N: This is just a short one. I got inspired seeing some photos of cute community greenhouse/garden boxes.

Joel fiddles with empty mug in his hand, scoping out the greenhouse one day from a distance (much to Sarah teasing him about it) but he doesn’t see anyone bringing fresh food unless it’s eggs or seeds.

He’s disappointed.

For weeks now, he’s been going to the community box and taking some of the vegetables and fruit there. It mostly started at Sarah’s constant badgering that all they eat is take-out and she needs the strength to compete while Joel needs to take better care of his cholesterol getting older.

Fast forward and he’s been scoping a couple days, but still nothing.

Later, Sarah checks the neighbourhood community page online and sees that there’s a request for a handyman to help build a garden greenhouse, pay included. Joel is retired but she suggests he needs something to do besides sitting on the porch and watching the community box all day, complaining about his back.

He ends up at your door begrudgingly but the money you offer is good, even better you’re very pretty and let him take the reins on building what you need.

Other than telling him that you need the greenhouse because the rain keeps drowning your raised beds, you’re very quiet.

He spends the days getting up, making breakfast for himself and Sarah as she gets the bus to college for the day before making his way over to your house.

You both don’t say much.

Sometimes you leave a key with him, trusting him to work on what he needs to while you go to the market and pick up all the seeds you need.

You flutter in and out of the house, offering him cups of coffee, snacks and food which he gladly takes.

You bought all the building materials yourself but you miss a couple things so occasionally Tommy drops by with some equipment, offering you a wave and short conversation before leaving.

You both relax into this routine for the week.

He’s suspicious about whether or not you could be the mystery person who is filling the community box with delicious veggies but you’re young so he reckons you probably don’t have much experience with gardening anyway.

He builds it, you pay him. He’s on his way.

Few days later, Joel is sitting on the porch again, guitar in hand and sure enough he sees the top of a paisley bandana rounding the community greenhouse and watches you put cucumbers, strawberries, peppers, apples and aubergines into the box, pulling them out of a tote bag over your shoulder with a smile on your face.

You walk off and he waits for you to head back over to your house before going to the community box and taking some of your produce, tossing his eyes this way and that self-conscious about being watched by the neighbours.

That night he and Sarah bake apple crumble and Joel feels like he’s collapsed and gone to heaven. The apples are large and round, still sweet even as they melt down into the pastry.

The next night, they indulge on strawberries dipped in chocolate. Joel makes a chicken casserole with the peppers, cucumbers and aubergine.

Meanwhile, over the past two nights, Sarah has been hiding on the staircase after telling her Dad she was going to do homework because she caught him going into the fridge and boxing the leftovers of their treats and dinner into a separate tin.

Sarah watches early one morning as Joel sits in front of the kitchen counter with the tin in front of him, anxiety written across his features. She feels like she should reveal herself and encourage him to do what she knows he’s contemplating but much to her surprise, she doesn’t need to. He gently puts his palms on the worktop, grabs the tin and without even letting himself argue out of it, he leaves the house and walks over to your place.

Sarah scrambles to follow silently and ends up hiding behind a lamppost watching her Dad with excitement stand with his head lowered nervously at your door.

You open it and see him stood there.

You’re surprised to see him but a smile graces your features. Joel can see you’ve been working in the garden. You wring your hands on a wet towel and your face is flushed.

“Hi Joel, what’s up?”

Joel holds out the tin to you. He wants to speak but for some reason he can’t get the words out, his teeth gritting in annoyance at himself for being the age he is and unable to make any words to you.

You don’t seem to mind though.

You take the tin, reading his unease and offer him reassurance.

“Is this for me?”

He nods.

You open it and see the slices of casserole and apple crumble along with the chocolate covered strawberries.

You look to him again, eyes wide and brows raised.

“Did you make these with the goods I put in the community box?”

Joel nods again and then his face warms at the shy smile on your lips, your cheeks rosy, your hand lifting to cover your mouth nervously.

“Do you want…um, would you like to come in and share this with me over some coffee?”

You flicker your eyes to his, hope lingering in the back of your mind.

His eyes stare into yours with a newfound confidence seeing the effect he has on you and it’s the first time he speaks.

“I would like that very much, darlin’.”

Sarah watches you pull the door back for him and Joel walks past you, a smile on his face. You close the door just as she rushes back to the house giggling and running upstairs to update her diary on her Dad’s success in finding his mystery gardener.

#Joel miller x reader #the last of us fanfiction #Joel miller fanfiction #Joel miller x you #TLOU hbo #TLOU fanfic #short fanfic #ppcu fanfiction #joelsbloodyhands writes

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phoenixyfriend · 6 months ago

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Ko-fi prompt from IndigoMay:

What would be the economic impact if people could magically grow whatever food they liked? Including fodder for animals.

This is a very wide-ranging question, like... when was the magic introduced? What was the state of agriculture before that? Is this food generated from existing matter, delivered by gods, or something else?

I'm going to narrow this to:

What would happen if people could, starting tomorrow, grow any plant...

That is edible, by either humans or livestock, with appropriate treatment.

Without delay, meaning that the time sink is several minutes instead of weeks or months.

Without concerns for weather or other natural dangers like fungal infections or pests, or requirements for water or fertilizer.

Without depleting soil nutrients, so long as they have arable land to work with.

Without relying on fresh seeds or other 'raw ingredients' like leaf cuttings.

Well... let's start small.

Personal Basis - people who are not farmers

People who do not normally grow things would start angling to acquire some kind basic gardening implements. For some, like those who live in the suburbs, this would be as simple as going into the backyard. For those in cities, they'd need to get a window box or similar to use. If you have free, guaranteed fresh plant matter, that's already a good thing, but the time and care required to keep a garden alive is more than some people can manage due to work or children or housing. With immediate food that requires minimal effort, a lot of those hurdles are removed. You can grow the two tomatoes you need for dinner, and then put the pot of soil away for tomorrow.

The cost of

Personal Basis - small farmers

The obvious impacts for those who are small farmers is that people are less likely to buy their raw ingredients. Most of these small farmers would start looking into modifying their operations to do things that require processing.

Growing apples in your house for a snack is fine--if you have a pot big enough for a small tree, and a way to dispose of the wood if it's a one-time thing--but if you want applesauce or cider or pie, someone who knows how to cook or bake needs to do that part. You can grow wheat, but your chances of having the necessary tools to grind flour are slim. You can grow cashews, but fuck knows how you're going to process that without poisoning yourself! You can grow grapes on your trellis, but that doesn't mean you have the knowledge to make wine without accidentally going straight to vinegar. You can grow corn, but that doesn't mean you know the best way to dry it to make popcorn.

So small farms shift to those products that either need processing, or are part of an animal-based food. This includes things like flowers for bees. You can't really control bees, so just 'grow and go' might incite the bees to leave somehow. Maybe they can sense magic! Who knows!

Another option would be to focus on unique or heirloom things. If you go to a farmer's market, you might be going just to see all the fruits you've never encountered before. If there's an apple stand one year, and suddenly you can grow your own apples at home, then maybe what they start doing is growing unique or rare cultivars that you've never heard of, and that's their new niche. It's not that you can't grow the apples, but would you grow them if you've never heard of them? Plus, the apple stand is doing sauces and ciders now.

Mid-tier and large farms

These farms will start to focus in on large-scale crops that don't go straight to tables or cooking pots in homes. Scrap the eggplants, the cucumbers, the blueberries. Focus on:

Fruits and vegetables that are needed for popular secondary products, like tomatoes (ketchup, marinara), or oranges (juice), or corn (anything with fructose corn syrups, popcorn).

Plants that are popular but NEED processing to be edible, like coffee beans, cocoa beans, or wheat, that most people just don't have.

Plants that are needed in massive quantities for animal feed, such as alfalfa or chicken grains.

Now, I think these large farms would still be in production. We'd see a massive reduction in water usage, which is great (except for cranberries, I guess), but many of these products would still be needed in quantities that need industrial levels of processing. Someone needs to pick the oranges, to drive them to the juicing facility, the facility needs to juice and treat and preserve and bottle them, and then that needs to be driven to the store. The reduced time to grow, reduced water usage, reduced waste from natural predators or dangers, and general ability to plan things more efficiently would result in lower costs for many of these products in a truly free market... but would possibly also rise in cost as companies try to maintain a consistent flow of profit.

Sure you can make the juice at home, but what if you're already at work? There's still a demand for products; most of us can get water from a tap at home, but there are still convenience stores selling bottled water on every other corner in a big city.

I think the most interesting of these concerns would be grazing animals, like sheep, cattle, and goats. Being able to 'refresh' the grass of a single field without having to rotate the animals to new pastures once they've eaten away at one, and without damaging the nutrient profiles of the one they're staying at, means reduced deforestation or soil destabilization in agricultural areas. We'd see a fairly significant stalling of things like the decimation of Mongolia's grasslands if the goats didn't need as much grazing land.

Maintaining the meat industry would be one of the most constant sources of demand for large-scale agriculture, given that other products could go through cycles to more efficiently use land. You can grow and harvest oranges for Tropicana on Monday, grapes for Welch's on Tuesday, soy beans for Silk on Wednesday, tomatoes for Heinz on Thursday, and so on. They probably won't need more than they used to.

Meanwhile, the cows gotta eat. And eat. And eat.

Corporations

This one is fun! MONSANTO'S GONNA BE PISSED.

So, magically growing food, you don't need seeds, at least in this case. Or you can coax more product out of a seed you already have planted. You've gotten eight cycles corn out of this one stalk this season!

So Monsanto loses some of that insane seed monopoly situation.

You'd see a decrease in pesticides and anti-fungal products as agriculture speeds up a cycle by enough to prevent the spread of dangerous infestations. It's not going to kill your entire farm if you find fungus one day and have to burn it to prevent the spread. You lost one day's profit, not a full year's.

This impacts Monsanto too. Remember the Roundup debacle?

Now, to be clear, there are still plants that will rely on pesticides and anti-fungals. The premise only covers food, after all, so there are still important plants that will need longer, dedicated growing seasons.

Industry-wide shifts

Sooooooooooo a lot of the money starts to come from non-edible plants. This is your cottons, linens, hemps, latex/rubber trees, cork trees, lumber, and so on.

As the needed arable land necessary to feed humanity (and our livestock) decreases, more land is freed up for return to indigenous peoples, reclamation by nature, usage for alternate cultivation, housing, or... well, other capitalist ventures, like bitcoin mining or whatever.

On a geopolitical level, this causes some interesting shifts in places that draw their power from being 'breadbasket' nations. For instance, if you remember the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war, we saw some major pressures being placed by virtue of some countries (e.g. Lebanon, Pakistan) getting most of their wheat from Ukraine, and the war suddenly cutting off a massive portion of how they fed their people. Much of Ukraine's support, in those early days, derived from their importance as a breadbasket nation. If everyone can grown their own food, that moves the lines. Countries that are poor on space or water can stop relying on trade to survive in terms of water. Countries that rely on their agriculture to be able to trade for other things need to diversify their economies, and fast.

(Does mean that Saudi Arabia can stop using Arizona's water, though.)

The greatest shifts would come down to water usage and pollution, I think. Agriculture is currently one of the biggest contributors to the climate crisis, and the reduction of water use by farming would be a massive help. However, I'm less sure of how we'd see meat consumption change. The greater availability of fresh fruits and vegetables could result in a shift towards more plant-based diets worldwide, but just as easily we could see large agricultural corporations (and those that rely on them, like John Deere or the aforementioned Monsanto) market meat to consumers as a greater rate due to the profit margin.

Oh, also, I have a feeling that a lot of those corporations would try to get garden centers shut down, or buy out ceramic pot and planter factories. If you can't grow anything at home because you don't have a window planter, you have to buy from the store, right?

#ko fi #ko-fi #ko fi prompts #phoenix talks #magic #agriculture #microeconomics #macroeconomics #politics #environmentalism #water usage #pollution

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bokutoko · 10 months ago

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hello!! i really enjoyed your writing for kita! i was wondering if i can request one where reader (fem) gets really emotional over little things (ex. smth doesn’t go as planned) and kita comforts her?

ꜱᴍɪʟᴇ

character: shinsuke kita (timeskip!kita)

wc: 792

content/warning(s): emotional dysregulation, slight cursing; there's a reason your boyfriend is the farmer and not you...

a/n: hi anon!! thank you so much for the love and the req🫶🏻 this was healing for me to write bc i tend to get emotional over the little things sometimes too. i hope i did our fav rice farmer justice once again <333

Growing up around his grandmother, Kita always had a green thumb. Ever since he was taught that all life was built by small, daily acts, he was always patient with his crops. He made sure to be thorough with maintenance all throughout harvest—up until they reach the consumer’s hands. Because of this, he ensured the highest quality of rice.

You, on the other hand, were not-so secretly known as every plant’s worst nightmare. Of course, you didn’t mean to kill all your plants, they just always somehow died!

But you decided to give it another shot. Watching Kita work so hard outside made you feel confident; if he could manage countless acres of land, you could handle a little garden. You excitedly picked out your favorite fruit and vegetable seeds from the local market, and Kita was happy to build you a little enclosure for your plants.

Now here you were, standing before your little plots of soil with tears in your eyes. You’d tried so hard, but you forgot to water them for one day, and to just your luck, they all died due to an unforeseen heatwave in Hyogo.

“What the actual fuck?” Huffing in frustration, your eyes squeezed shut, letting the first couple tears fall. Despite the extreme heat, a cold, harsh wave of embarrassment washed over you, and you couldn’t help but feel like a complete failure for messing this up. How was it possible that your boyfriend managed the entire farm, having a near-perfect harvest every year, and you couldn’t even take care of a 6x10-ft plot?

—

Out in the fields, Kita removed his cap, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked to the sky. With sunset approaching, he began his trek back home to see you after a long, satisfying day’s work—just a couple more months until harvest.

As he stepped into the clearing behind your home, he was expecting to see you waiting for him with your usual bright smile that still made his heart skip a beat. But instead, you were standing with your back to him and your hands on your hips.

Uh oh. He walked up behind you, calling, “Evenin’, darlin’.”

You shot around, and he took note of the tear stains that you quickly wiped away. “Hi, Shin,” you greeted with the slightest quiver in your voice.

“Everythin’ okay?” He looked down at your little plants that were vaporized from the sun, then back to you, noticing your glistening eyes.

“Why do all plants hate me?”

“Ya know plants can’t hate ya.”

“It sure feels like they do!” you snapped, immediately feeling guilty for your attitude when Kita did nothing wrong. You were well aware, as was Kita, when spurts of overwhelming emotions engulfed you—whether happy, sad, angry, embarrassed—your instinct reactions were to either get snappy or briefly cry. Or both, in this case.

Kita watched as fresh, hot tears rolled down your face as you whispered a soft, genuine “I’m sorry,” and he stepped forward to comfort you. You immediately wrapped your arms around his waist and smushed your face into his chest in defeat, mumbling, “I feel so dumb, Shin. What the hell am I doing wrong?”

Always to your rescue, Kita removed his gloves to gently tip your chin up to look into his pretty brown eyes. “Yer not dumb or doin’ anythin’ wrong. Sometimes, plants don’t sprout, an’ sometimes, the ones that do just die. Ain’t nothin’ else about it,” he assured as a gentle thumb wiped your eyes. “Somethin’ as small as this sure ain’t worth yer tears, though.”

You shut your eyes and released a small sigh, your bottom lip jutting out. “I know.”

Kita leaned forward and pressed three tender kisses against your forehead, signifying three words: I love you. “We can always plant some more. We can go ta the market tomorrow an’ pick out more o’the seeds ya want,” he suggested, “and I can help ya take care of ‘em.”

“But you already do so much for me,” you objected.

“It ain’t a big ask, sweetheart,” he reasoned with a loving gaze, “and ya know I’d do anythin’ ta see ya smile.”

You squished your face into his chest in a tight hug again. “You’re kinda cheesy, Shin,” you teased as you hid your reddening cheeks.

He chuckled, grateful that the slight sun on his face hid his own blush, muttering, “Guess I am.“

From that day on, Kita never forgot to give your garden a little extra love in the mornings before tending to the farm. It was worth seeing your big, proud grin when it was time to pick your first round of thriving produce.

And to Kita, anything was worth doing to keep a smile on your face.

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please do not copy, alter, or repost my work. ©bokutoko 2024.

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djarrex · 4 months ago

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reverential

Steb x f!reader

read on ao3 (more warnings and notes here too) | masterlist

After months of taking it slow, your relationship with Steb finally reaches the moment of paramount connection.

18+ only. About 4.6k words. smut with feelings. biting. a small amount of blood. cunni. rough but with care. gets a tad messy. part of that good cook, tidy, and big dick agenda. I like to give Steb at least one or two short lines of dialogue as a treat. I busted this out in less than a day y’all I can't stop thinking about him

Steb loved to cook for you.

It was always a new recipe he’d wanted to try out, intriguing ingredients he’d seen in passing when patrol duty took him through the markets. He’d come home with a basket of bagged fresh bread, raw meats wrapped securely in white paper, fruits and vegetables connected by the vines. Watching him prep with such meticulous, practiced ease was its own type of mesmerizing. Those same hands would tend to the injured, wrap around the hilt of his baton, subdue and cuff criminals. A handful of times you’d felt them on your skin, gentle and testing – waters that remain tolerantly unsurveyed.

Sat atop the counter and absently kicking your feet back and forth, you watched Steb handle the knife. Held it with firm caution as he thinly-sliced the vegetables in an engrossing, downward motion of his wrist. The juices from the pick seeped out from each contact with the blade, oozing onto the chopping board along with its small seeds.

You didn’t notice that Steb has slowed his movements, turning his attention to you instead.

“Looks good,” you chimed in, shuffling awkwardly against the countertop upon catching his stare.

Steb tossed out an incredulous hum, and raised a brow to match. You chewed your bottom lip, and his response was a firm shake of his head while holding back a knowing smirk.

“What did I do?” you asked coyly.

Steb set down the knife. Picked up a hand towel and wiped his hands. Folded it nice and neat before returning it back to its designated home. Your feet stopped swaying when he came up and stood between your legs, palms pressed against the counter on either side. With a quiet hum, he pressed his forehead against yours, inhaling deeply. Discernible was the sound of his facial scales flitting against his cheeks.

Your voice pitched into a whisper. “Why’d you stop?”

“You know why,” he mumbled. Voice alluringly hoarse from disuse.

His fingers found their place cupping the nape of your neck, squeezing gently. You sighed, tilting your head back and to the side. Steb took the signal to get his lips involved, the ghost of them trailing across your jaw down the column of your throat. The sensation of his cool breath fanned against your skin made you shiver with an anxious gulp of air.

With a too-easy, beckoning tug, he took your hands in his and helped you off the counter.

Hand in hand, you followed Steb to the bedroom, the preparations for dinner forgotten.

Stood at the foot of the bed facing one another, his hands slid up your arms. Cupped your cheeks in his palms. The faintest smell of the vegetable he’d been slicing tickled your nostrils, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Crystal blue eyes now flashed a deeper, darker shade that resembled an uncharted ocean. You brushed the back of your hand against his jaw, knuckles grazing his gills. He sighed, inner eyelids blinking a beat slower than his others. You knew what Steb was wordlessly asking for. An already extremely expressive being, his body language held no secrets from you at this point in your relationship.

You helped him undress, all the way down to his briefs. This would not be the first time you’d done so, but the gesture always felt almost ceremonial in a way. Deferential, the way you aided in folding his discarded clothing the way you knew he preferred, setting the pressed articles in a neat pile. Trusting, when you let Steb do the very same for you, affectionately guiding your shirt from your extended arms then taking a moment to fold it alongside his.

Nearly bare to him now, you let Steb guide you onto the bed, him crawling up between your legs as you backed up onto the pillows. The press of his skin against yours always felt so beautifully alien, textured in a way that was uniquely Steb. Cool and regulated to the touch, never trapping immense heat. He braced himself above you, his chest scooping down to meet yours with the bend at his elbows. His nose brushed against yours for a fleeting moment, then he was traveling downward, nosing at your jaw. Upper lip curled upward, Steb shut his inner eyelids and inhaled sharply and precisely through his nostrils. Your natural scent was his favorite, and you’d switched to unscented body soap long ago to preserve that part of you that he enjoyed so much.

The slight grippy texture of his lips tickled and scratched as they moved across your skin. Smooth, blunt teeth grazed along the trail he took, and his cooled tongue poked out to chase every determined nip. For Steb, the taste of you was probably the one thing of yours that topped how you smelled – to concretely taste a particular scent made it even better.

There had only been a handful of moments like this before now, experimenting with one another but never taking it all the way. Even so, you’d come to understand how reactive Steb was. Sounds, movements, awakenings – everything involuntary while at the same time advertent.

He’d reached the lining of your bra, how it remained curved over the plush of your breast. A mild frustration was audible in Steb’s groan, the material a blockage in his path. With a smirk at his impatience, you lifted yourself onto your elbows. He followed you upward and was quick to reach around your back and unhook the clasp. You shrugged it off and tossed it out of sight, and giggled at how Steb raised an unimpressed brow at your negligence.

He was so handsome like this, his face angled upward to meet your eyes. When you flattened back down Steb resumed his work. Took your nipple between his rough lips and twirled it with a slippery tongue. Back arched, you threaded your fingers through his thick, styled hair. Gelled strands crackled and unglued between your curled fingers. Separated from one another. Looser now, you pulled at his hair slightly, earning a low growl from him. The vibration of it sunk into your chest, where he was switching to suck at your other breast, a large hand replacing his mouth where it’d just been.

When Steb had decided he was finished with your chest, you were a bit caught off guard that he continued to move downward, rather than coming back up for a searing kiss that would have ended your activities like he’d always done before. Instead, he kissed along your abdomen then down to where your hip met your thigh, sucking your pliant skin between his lips and bit a tad harder than he’d done prior. Hand pressed firmly over your mouth, you silently keened at the slight sting of the bite, the sensation of his sharper teeth a new one for you – unexpected.

Not unwelcome, though.

Hyper-aware of what he’d done, Steb immediately paused. Ears flattened to his head. Looked up at you with regret and a thousand apologies in his eyes. You’d started to bleed a little bit, small dots of crimson beading from the broken skin.

It felt odd to admit – but you kind of enjoyed it. Couldn’t ignore how the faintest bit of pain caused your cunt to throb.

Ears still pinned back, Steb remained frozen, like you’d shatter or flee if he so much as moved an inch.

You combed through his hair reassuringly. Offered a smile to match. Bit your lip.

“It’s okay, Steb. I’m okay.” You weren’t lying, not in the slightest. In addition to it already feeling peculiar that you’d enjoyed it – you were now wanting more; so in recognition of Steb’s beliefs of actions speaking louder than words, you swiped a finger across the small wound. Pressed the pad of your finger to mouth, rubbing the crimson against the poisonous berry color of his lips.

He was visibly unsure at first, but it was clear that the hesitance was more for your sake, not his. This was all so new – so unexplored. Modeling, you ran your tongue along your bottom lip. With clear understanding, his tongue poked out to sample your divinity. The very reactive scales under his widened eyes flickered immediately and his ears bounced back. Peeking down, you saw how hard he’d gotten within his briefs. It looked uncomfortable, and judging by how rigid and stiff his body had become at this point of no return, you knew Steb wanted to finally take it all the way with you.

Heat rushed everywhere; to the tips of your ears, down your cheeks to your chest, then settled in the crux of your sex. Ever observant, Steb noticed your pleasant reaction immediately – the mutual agreement. Both of you knew that now was the time, after months of laying half-naked together and the shared, teasing touches and kisses that always had held the promise for more in the future.

But you didn’t want him to think that you were having second thoughts, because if anything, you needed him more now than you ever had.

“More,” you whispered, breathy. Took his face in your hands. Slipped your thumb just past the seam of his stained lips and gently traced along his gills with the other. “Steb – keep going.”

A new fervour took him over then, as if something that had been so deeply buried was now being exhumed. Steb eagerly lowered his mouth back to your skin, and even though he didn’t stop nipping at you, you could tell he was being more vigilant with the use of his sharper teeth. Everywhere he’d bitten was quickly chased by the cooling balm of his tongue. Licked along any breakage of skin. Small, darkened patches started to form in his mouth’s wake, an image that excited you beyond expectation. You could assume he was marking you as his, and maybe he was, because you were his.

It became increasingly more difficult to ignore how wet you had become, your panties damp and more than likely stained with it. Steb’s arousal was just as evident in the way he subtly rutted himself against the mattress. You didn’t want him to stop, but you did want him to move on. He’d never been this close to your sex before and you were sure he could smell your need with his proximity. Felt the heat that radiated from it. Tasted it in the air that surrounded him.

You arched yourself, angling your hips away from his mouth. “Please – take them off.”

He licked along his lips, cleaning up the smear of deep red that had come from another miniscule breakage of your skin. A tilt of his head sought for your confirmation, to which you quickly gave with an eager nod. Gingerly, Steb curled his fingers under the fabric that hugged your skin. Slowly guided the material down your thighs with the help of your raised hips. Curious and adoring eyes lagged behind his movements. Savored the way you looked with nothing left to cover you from him.

You had no time to ponder how fast Steb had uncharacteristically tossed your panties far from the pile of neatly-folded clothes when a gasp forced its way from your lungs at how quick and adamant he was with yanking your hips toward his face. He’d lowered himself back between your legs. Flashed you a look, one that was starved but still composed enough to catalog another confirmation from you.

Steb always was so respectful, so considerate. Patient. Caring. That’s why the two of you held out so long when it came to having sex. Touch being his main love language, physicality in a relationship was a sacred thing for him. Something that was worth waiting for. The deepest level of connection. You admired that about Steb, and you’d been more than willing to wait for him to be ready – but right now, as you felt his cooled breath against your dampened pussy, you could almost scold him for still holding on to the traits of the man you'd fallen for.

You whispered your desperate plea. His ears twitched with it.

Steb’s lengthy tongue gave an experimental swipe through your folds, parting them at the seam. You’d imagined what this would feel like, behind the privacy of closed eyes and in the solitude of your home when he was on shift, but actually experiencing it was better than anything you could have thoroughly imagined. Steb quickly became addicted to the new and very different taste of you, seemingly more inebriated and emboldened now than before. His tongue blissfully licked along the seam of your pussy, dragging it along upward and downward then attaching his lips to your clit and sucking before repeating the same rhythm over again. Your hands flew to his head, one tangling in the strands of hair that had since loosened and fallen out of place while the other cupped the back of his neck, fingers settling between the dips of the tiny fins that protruded there. Attuned to your body’s involuntary reactions, Steb doubled his efforts in what made you whimper and writhe. His tongue started to penetrate you and his hands had to instead hold your thighs open as they tensed and threatened to close on his head.

You couldn't look away from him, not as his ears tweaked and scaled fluttered, eyes squeezing shut in something akin to concentration. The lean musculature of his body looked so bewitching as his muscles flexed with his movements beneath his teal skin that practically gleamed. The softer, more pliant fins that ran parallel on either side of the hardened ones lining his spine moved like seaweed through water. Steb was still rutting against the mattress, you noticed. Spurred on by how he was making you feel. Taste. Sounds. His low groans and sharp inhalations through his nose signaled that he was seemingly close enough to come – but being the selfless, patient man he was, Steb more than likely wanted you to come first.

“Steb – Steb, look at me.”

It took him a moment to collect himself, raising his face from between your quivering thighs. His lips and chin glistened with your arousal. A dazed look settled like a fog over the ice of his eyes.

You reached for him. Cradled his face in your palm. Despite the disapproval your body felt after his departure, you flashed him a cheeky smile.

“We could keep going like this if you’d like… ” You leaned up on your elbows, conspicuously eyeing the hardness in his briefs. “...Or… ”

Steb sucked in a breath. Kneaded your thighs under his large hands. The both of you were a picture of patience, exemplary in restraint – but you really don’t think you could wait any longer.

He straightened, knelt between your parted legs. You scanned the look in his eyes as they met yours. Searched for any signs of wanting to stop, wanting to hold off another day. Instead you only found hunger, a look of lust that you’d never seen in him before. It was turbulent, the way he appraised you. You were sure that there had to have been so many thoughts bouncing around in his head, but the most important thing on his mind was you.

“I want you to have me, Steb,” you offered. His ears twitched, and he spared a glance down between his legs before returning to meet your eyes.

You’d touched him before, over the clothes. He’d felt huge under your palm, and when you’d inquired about his anatomy, Steb had very briefly explained that he was just… different. Than a human, that was. You knew he’d been with other women before, though it had only been a few very sporadically throughout his adult life, but you figured that he could not have had anything too terribly daunting that would turn someone off. Perhaps he’d wanted to leave most of it to your imagination. A way to build upon the already thrumming anticipation.

You were eager. Reached to palm at his erection, still torturously trapped in his briefs. Steb made a hurt sound in the back of his throat, and you decided that you’d like to hear it again. You continued to grope him over the fabric until your boldness born from avidity had your hand crawling up his abdomen before sliding down into his waistband. Steb bucked into your hand, his hard and leaking cock slick and feeling satisfyingly alien in your palm.

As you continued to fondle him like that, Steb leaned down and caged you in between his arms braced against the bed on either side of your head. His lips parted. Groans and nearly imperceivable whines fell from his throat as he gazed adoringly down upon you.

You pulled your hand free. Tugged at the waistband. “Take them off, handsome.”

Steb obeyed comically fast and you finally caught a glimpse of what he’d been keeping from you for far too long. He really was huge. Not enough to be totally off-putting, but you had a fleeting worry about it fitting comfortably inside of you. You quickly noticed the darkened shade of teal along the length of his cock, and the head was the same hue of his lips. As it throbbed, the slightly tapered shape of it with a slight angled curve to the side made your body tense in anticipation.

Steb climbed back on top of you. Braced himself on his forearm and squeezed your hip with his free hand. You felt his cock jump against your pussy, the head of it slightly catching on your clit. The two of you groaned in unison, and you felt yourself throbbing with need.

You spoke his name, quiet and sure. Steb leaned down to kiss you. Reverential in the way his tongue slid along yours. Consuming. He started to rut against you, his cock sliding through the mess he’d already made of you. Breaking apart, you nodded up at him. You were more than ready, and you knew in your heart that he’d take care of you.

Your eyes screwed shut when the head of his cock started to penetrate you. The sensation was already so overwhelming. Thicker than your fingers, but what it really had to have been was the gravity of it all. The long awaited moment, the trust that had steadily been built throughout the duration of your relationship. The connection, the understanding.

He couldn't have been more than a couple inches inside of you when he came to a halt.

Your eyes fluttered open and Steb’s stare was piercing. By the way his body was practically shaking, he was clearly fighting some carnal instinct to sink in all the way and let loose, but his care and concern for you far outweighed anything else. It dawned on you that there were tears in your eyes, the chill of one sliding down your flushed cheek.

“I’m fine,” you assured him. It may not have sounded convincing, but it was the truth. “Steb, really. I’m fine, it’s just… a lot.”

It really was a lot.

Considering, he hummed. The reactive flicker of his scales was soft, like the faint shuffling of playing cards.

“Keep going slow. I’m okay.”

It took a few moments for Steb to believe you, but after what seemed like a quick assessment, he nodded. Resolute. Your hands flew to his biceps as he continued to enter you, inch by inch. The stretch of your walls as you accommodated to the feeling of his cock sent you into a tizzy. You were drunk with it. The pleasure-pain. Steb’s eyeline grounded you, determined to watch one another during this moment of paramount connection.

Unsure of how it was possible, Steb’s groin was flush with yours. That’s when he finally allowed his lids to close, and you did the same. Through the darkness you felt his forehead once again meet yours. The slick of the sweat beaded along your hairline stuck to his skin, made slicker by his own chilled perspiration.

He lifted and you affectionately raked your fingers through his hair. You felt him throb deep inside of you, and you clenched in response.

Steb hissed. Flashed his teeth. A ragged breath fanned against your face. “If you keep doing that…”

Testing, you clenched again. Steb growled at that, and jerked his hips. You yelped, sure he’d punched a hole right through you. You were so full. Held him inside of you until he decided it was time to move.

You couldn't help but yank his hair as he steadily pulled out. You could feel everything, suddenly hyper-aware that he had little frills along the underside of his cock that rubbed against your inner walls in a purposeful way. When only the head remained, nestled right inside your tight hole, Steb gave you a look. A check-in mixed with a confirmation, then layered with a warning.

You sucked in a breath, secured your other arm around the back of his neck, and nodded.

Steb went quicker than before, but still remained composed. Sheathed the entire length of his cock but wasted no time in pulling back out. He continued like that, increasing the speed with each thrust, until he fell into a rhythm. The breath was knocked out of you every time, but once again you were grounded by his eyes, piercing as they shone a light on his internal craze. He took what he needed and you gladly accepted him. Moaned and whined at the stretch and fill. His ears flickered and bounced with every sound you graced him with, scales dancing under his intense eyes. Your breasts bounced with the force of his thrusts, the mattress creaking with it. Parting his lips, Steb leaned down and licked a fat stripe along the tendon of your neck. Growled at your taste. You held onto him as he tapped into something deeper, a dangerous flood of heat washing through you and pricking hot in your limbs.

You’d never heard Steb this vocal, though the quiet curses and praises that fell from his lips onto your sticky skin were still barely discernible. Regardless, hearing him this lost in it was creating a high of its own, sending a tidal wave of fervour crashing down upon you.

Steb readjusted. Straightened himself onto his knees and grabbed roughly at your hips. At this angle he wasn’t able to fill you all the way, but you quickly caught on that his reasoning for the change of position was for a different need. Through the haze you observed him staring hard at your belly, visibly pleased with the way he made your skin subtly bulge with how deep he still was able to get. Your mouth fell open with a wail, and Steb shuddered at the clench of your cunt around him.

A creamy film settled as a messy ring around the base of his cock. The sight was utterly lewd. Obscene, just as were the sloppy wet sounds of him rapidly thrusting into your sopping sex. Baring his teeth, Steb hissed once again. A filthy curse tumbled out from his ragged breathing, the sound of it inebriating. He’d never spoken quite like this before. Always so respectful and proper. You truly were a drug to him, intoxicating enough for him to forget himself. Pull things out of the deep chasms of his mind.

It wouldn't take much more for you to come. His touch, something other than the bruising grip he had on your hips, would be enough to get you there. He was so pussy-drunk, completely consumed in the throes of it all. Steb was so beautiful like this. Vulnerable, more so than you’d ever witnessed. Completely open and taking what his body needed. You loved it, maybe even loved him. It was ridiculous, how bashful you felt wanting to touch yourself as Steb fucked you boneless, but you went for it despite the unnecessary embarrassment. His eyes widened with a clear understanding as your fingers swept once, twice against your clit. Took your gesture into his own hands. You arched at the deliberate pressure applied by his deft fingers, swirling beautifully in time with his thrusts.

You chanted his name. Breathless, on repeat. Your orgasm hit you hard, your body convulsing at the intensity. Tears filled your eyes. Steb kept going, slowing only slightly at how tight you’d become with your climax. Your thighs quivered and toes started to cramp. He pulled his hand away and instead went for his cock, ready to pull out at any moment.

Eyes closed, you felt him quickly yank himself from you. Relief. Wet, smacking sounds filled the room as Steb finished into his hand. Groaned and cursed under his breath. Then, a louder “shit” had your eyes flying open, landing on the extreme mess he’d made. Milky translucent fluid seeped through his fingers, too much for him to hold discreetly. Your jaw dropped as it continued to spurt from the flushed head, and you scooted toward him out of some strange instinct, letting your swollen pussy and lower stomach catch what was left.

If seeing his spend on your skin was dizzying for you, you could only imagine just how badly it affected Steb. Completely in awe. Fascination swept over his exhausted features. Studied the image of you laying like this; spread out, flushed, covered in his spend.

You got up and scooted towards him. Kissed him deeply. Steb held you against him with his forearm pressed into your back, careful with his sullied hand. When you pulled away, you felt him chase your lips. Kissed him again, this time with every ounce of energy you had left. Your head became dizzy with it.

Steb finally allowed you to break away, but didn’t let you get far. His clean hand pulled you closer, fingers at your nape. Forehead to forehead. Shared breathlessness. You basked in the moment, something truly made all the more memorable with how genuine Steb was with you. Maybe the wait was worth it. The emotions you were feeling seemed to clog your lungs. Heat the ducts in your eyes.

Suddenly you became cognizant that you were sitting in a huge damp spot, stained with your shared release. Fluids tickled as they streamed down your skin, joining the mess below you.

You sighed. “We should–”

“I love you.”

Steb’s confession, though quiet and slightly shrouded by your own words, sounded so sure. So truthful and weighted. The tears really did start to form then, clouding your vision until you blinked them away and down your cheeks. Steb looked at you, really looked at you. Deep into your soul. That’s how it felt, anyway.

“And I love you,” you responded, a bit shaky. Steb grinned at you, appearing as if a massive weight had just lifted from his shoulders. It dawned on you then that he’d been waiting to share that with you until this very moment, after your first time together. It was beautifully symbolic – but you could almost laugh at the timing of all of this, confessing feelings while bare and sticky with the aftermath of sex.

And you did laugh. Disbelief juxtaposed the total clarity you were feeling with the sound of it. Unfazed, Steb just couldn’t blink away the stars in his eyes as he revered you.

“What I was going to say–” you giggled, squeezing Steb’s hand, “--Was that we should clean ourselves up.”

Dinner finally came after you had, once more for each of you while in the shower together.

#djarrex writes #steb x reader #steb arcane x reader #arcane fanfic

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gemsofgreece · 9 months ago

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How to follow a Mediterranean Greek diet

The Mediterranean diet naturally expands throughout the coastal countries of South Europe, North Africa and the Middle East but there are some small differences between their cuisines. So here I am writing specifically about the Greek version of the Mediterranean diet, known for its delicious, natural flavours and its significant health benefits.

Eat daily:

Olive oil: the pillar, the liquid green gold of the Mediterranean Greek diet. Olive oil should be used ideally exclusively for all purposes. It's dressing salads, it's used in cooking and in fact it's traditionally what is used in frying too. Replace all types of oils, butter and margarine with olive oil even when making pastries. The only problem here is that outside of the Mediterranean basin olive oil can be pricey, however that's the foundation the diet is based on. If you are interested in following the traditional Greek diet for taste or health purposes, it is good to really incorporate olive oil in your daily cooking. If it’s not possible to afford buying olive oil all the time (although you could balance it out by not buying other oils and butter), a non-Greek-typical but equivalent alternative could be avocado oil. However, I doubt avocado oil or any other oil can remotely compare to olive oil in health properties, taste or in any other positive quality 🫒

Vinegar: Just like olive oil, vinegar is a very important ingredient and is also used in natural remedies However, it can hurt a sensitive GI tract if consumed in large portions. A little bit of it added to meals frequently is very healthy. Apple cider vinegar is also very loved and used in salads often 🍇

Vegetables: no portion can be too much (wild greens, garlic, onions, cauliflowers, cucumbers, eggplants, beets, peppers, spinach, artichokes, zucchini, peas, lettuce, the list never ends). Tomatoes and broccoli are recent additions to the Greek diet however they were integrated perfectly to the Greek cuisine. In general, all vegetables can be enjoyed freely with some moderation in the potatoes, especially when fried 🥗

Fruits: grapes, berries, apples, melons, cherries, figs, prunes, sour cherries, peaches, pomegranates are the most historically loved fruits in the Greek diet. Since the middle ages citruses like the orange, the lemon and the mandarin are more and more loved. Greeks nowadays use lemon almost more than vinegar and both have become integral components of the Greek diet. Obviously, tropical fruits like, say, banana, mango, grapefruit are not present in the traditional Greek diet, however all fruits are good fruits and you can enjoy them freely 🍎

Legumes. Eat freely to the tolerance of your body. Legumes can be too heavy for some GI tracts. Legumes are a great source of protein and fibre. Choose brown lentils, white beans, fava beans, chickpeas, giant beans and black eyed peas the most 🫘

Nuts, seeds: almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts etc. Eat as much as your body can take, because everybody is different 🥜

Mushrooms: mushroom it up! A great healthy way to have them is grilled with herbs and plain or apple cider vinegar dressing 🍄‍🟫

Whole grains: this is the traditional way to eat grains. Brown bread, oats, whole wheat pasta 🌾

Fish and seafood: find and eat them fresh. Instead of buying them deep frozen from the big markets, find local fish stores if your place is coastal and has them. Eat both large but especially small and medium sized fish. Some fish like salmon and tuna should ideally not be consumed daily due to their high levels of mercury and fats 🐟🎣🍤

Herbs and spices. Feel free to use as much as you want however if you are interested also in the flavours of the Greek diet besides the health benefits, a tip is that Greek dishes do not contain extremely hot spices 🌿

Water: A lot of water daily and, mind you, plain clear mineral water. No flavoured water, definitely not sparkling water and ideally no other liquids in place of the water. I mean, sure you can have liquids but you should ALSO have plain water 💧

Eat a few times per week:

Poultry: Poultry and lean meats entered the Greek cuisine mostly after the Middle Ages however they are nowadays enjoyed as part of the Greek Mediterranean diet because they are tasty and healthier than other types of meat. Chicken has become especially popular in the Greek cuisine. Other birds are the pheasant, the quail, the turkey and more sparsely the duck 🍗

Eggs: eggs are healthy and should be consumed a few times per week but not daily because they can cause a rise in cholesterol levels 🥚

Dairy: Greeks LOVE dairy products, especially the various types of cheese, however they are often irritating to the GI tract and they are linked with rises in the level of inflammation in the body. This is why you should ideally limit them to a few times per week. One exception is the yoghurt, which is fermented and can be perhaps consumed more frequently due to its beneficial properties. Important note: if you want to follow the Greek diet, you should ideally opt for milk and other dairy products from goats and sheep! Cow milk is not traditionally used in the Greek cuisine often and sheep and goat milk are significantly healthier and more nutritious. The only drawback is the stronger smell, however if you can get past that, it is strongly advised to switch to those instead of cow milk. Another note: what is known as “Greek yoghurt” in western countries is not in fact a true Greek yoghurt. What you call Greek yoghurt is to us simply a strained yoghurt, a yoghurt from which the whey has been removed. Sometimes in western markets (and in Greek “modern” dessert yoghurt products) butterfat and powdermilk is added to them and they are mostly made of cow’s milk. Again, a traditional Greek yoghurt is made of sheep, goat milk or a mix of both and is unstrained. It also has a trademark thickened skin on its top (dunno if this is the actual term lol) which is in fact the part of the yoghurt that contains the most nutrients and personally it’s the tastiest part of the yoghurt but apparently it is not for everyone. As an example, a study showed that an unstrained sheep yoghurt has more protein, more omega-3 fatty acids and minerals yet fewer calories and fats than a strained cow yoghurt 🍦🧀

Wine: in small portions, like a small glass up to a few times per week and always in combination with your meal. You don’t drink it to get hammered, you drink it for the health benefits it has in very moderate quantities and for the reasonable mild euphoria it causes before it becomes harmful. The GI tract is linked to the brain and is detrimentally influenced by negative emotions. This is why it is important to try to be in a good mood, relaxed and peaceful when you sit down to eat. A sip of wine now and then can be good for that 🍷

Eat once per week or ideally less:

Red meat like pork or beef. In fact, beef should be the one most avoided not only because it is indeed the rarest of the common meats used in traditional Greek cuisine but also because you can’t separate the fat from the meat as easily as with pork. To follow the Greek style in a healthy way opt for goat, then lamb or pork and make beef your most occasional meat dish 🥩

Processed meats should be eaten rarely. If you are in a mood for it though, opt for Greek style sausages with herbs in or bacon at most. Cured meats like ham are better to be avoided but turkey is the healthiest of them. They are not a part of a traditional Greek cuisine though.

Refined grains can be enjoyed weekly but should not replace whole grains

Pastries. What’s new, pastries are not ideal for health. However, if you are yearning for something sweet, if you want to keep it healthy as much as possible in the “Greek way”, opt for desserts made of healthy ingredients like honey, nuts, olive oil and fruits. Chocolate came to Greece in the 19th century, however it has become an integral part of confectionery since then. Opt ideally for dark chocolate, combined with nuts or fruits such as oranges and prunes. Greeks especially love chocolate combined with nuts.

Soft and sugary drinks. Avoid them overall, especially the processed products in the markets. If you need a sweet drink really bad, you can keep it traditional by making your own sweet lemonade, sour cherry, pomegranate etc drink at home. You could also enjoy small quantities of lemon or mastic liquors which are good for digestion.

BONUS TIPS & PHILOSOPHY:

Try to find mastic if it’s available where you live. The mastic is a resin produced from the mastic tree, a species endemic to the Greek island of Chios and a small part of the opposite coast of Turkey. It has numerous beneficial properties, especially for digestion and gut health, and it combines them with a very pleasant fresh and sweet flavour. You can find it in gums that boost digestion, in drinks, in pastries and even in non-edible products like toothpastes. Learn about it and give it a try, no matter if you are interested in following Greek diet or not.

Greek cuisine does not go berserk on as many ingredients as possible (however Greeks typically add more ingredients than, say, Italians and perhaps fewer than the Middle Easterners). Don’t worry about adding as many foods and nutrients in one single dish. The most important thing in Greek cuisine philosophy is to pick the finest ingredients. Avoid deep frozen or precooked and processed ingredients. Pick whole fruits and vegetables from your local small grocery store. For example, don’t buy a watermelon slice in a zelatin bag from the supermarket. Take the whole freaking watermelon home. You heard me right. It’s heavy, yes, but you would be surprised how much tastier and healthier it is this way. Go to the butcher for meat. Go to the specific cheese shop for cheese. Go to the fisherman for fish and seafood. Go to the pastry shop and get a nice dessert instead of buying candies from the market.

Remember that in moderation you can eat most of the foods you desire, especially if they are not processed foods. There is nothing about the Greek diet that is restrictive in terms of its philosophy - historically the intake of various foods was regulated only based on availability and price. There are no foods you should limit due to any perception of them being “bad” and you should never feel guilty the moment you are actually having the food. Just work slowly and progressively by building gradual appreciation for healthy foods and prize less nutritious foods as occasional taste bud rewards.

As said above, a good mood is crucial when you sit down to eat. In the history of the Greek society this translated into eating with friends and / or family, maybe with the occasional sip of wine, ideally in a pleasant environment and always taking your time with your food. If some of these are less feasible than others, try alternatively to improve the setting in which you eat, to eat in an environment that calms you down. Schedule your meal so that you won’t eat in anxiety or hurry, if this is possible. Think of pleasant memories and feel grateful for your food. Cheers! Or, you know, εις υγείαν!

#greece #europe #food #cuisine #diet #Greek cuisine #Greek food #guide #Greek facts

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kortsitron · 9 months ago

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Domestic life with Niran

✮ PARING Niran Pruksamanee × Gender Neutral! Reader

✮ WARNINGS/TAGS fluff, established relationship, overwatch agent! reader, anxiety (just a bit), suggestive moments but no smut, domestic headcanons

✮ SUMMARY You and Niran leave Overwatch to live together

✮ A/N This was in my mind because yes, no explanation needed, lifeweaver lives understand me and that's all I need. Whoever decides to read it, enjoy! 🩷

ao3 masterlist requests

❁ Working for Overwatch was not a peaceful job by any means, neither for you or your partner. It was really stressing for both parties, especially when you were the one who was going to the mission more often than Niran, which resulted in him being worried that you might not come back

❁ And this repeating made Niran realize that maybe something should change. And after a lot of thinking he came to you to talk about it. The it being leaving Overwatch behind and starting a peaceful life together. And you, being stressed because of the constant dangers missions - you happily agreed. Living together with the love of your life, having some peace seemed like a dream

❁ You two have decided to come out with your announcement and after that, with help of your friends from Overwatch, you were ready to leave and start a new life

❁ It took a while to get a house where you wanted, Niran wasn't that much into having an apartment because he dreamed about having a garden with as many plants and flowers as possible, maybe even a pond. And he definitely wanted to grow vegetables for you and him to eat

❁ At last, you finally you moved in. You both were excited to finally have a place for just the two of you, doing what you wanted whenever you wanted. Could it be more perfect?

❁ Niran was excited about having a garden and the moment he could, he bought as many seed and all the beautiful flower he lays his eyes on. He looked so excited about it all, it was adorable to see him all giddy

❁ Soon the whole house was covered in plants wherever your eyes landed. But it wasn't bad, it made the place feel more cozy, more homey. It was nice how much he was trying to make this place feel like home. And obviously, he was more than happy to see what kind of decorations and things you wanted to add to make the place feel like home for you

❁ Being able to finally sleep in one bed felt like a dream, being able to hold each other close, have some conversations before bed or maybe something more. It was a while since you had a moment of privacy like that, where you could get close with each other like that

❁ Next morning was event better, seeing your lovely partner sleeping peacefully in the same bed as you, his hair messy, but he looked ethereal when the sun rays hit his face. You couldn't help yourself from gently caressing his face until his eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light from the window. He smiled softly, being able to see you in bed with him and not waking up alone in the small bed like in Overwatch. It was nice.

❁ And it was even nicer to cuddle in the morning on the free days, when you two don't have to work and could literally spend the whole day in bed if you wished to, doing nothing more than cuddling

❁ Not unless you own pets that demand to be fed. Niran couldn't imagine a home without any kind of pet, especially a cuddly one and neither could you. But Niran was open to more pet propositions, even if the pet might not be as cuddly. As long as you have money to be able to keep the dear animal, he was in!

❁ You couldn't always have a fun grocery experience with Niran because both of you worked. Niran sometimes spent more time at work. (I can definitely imagine him working in place that is chemistry related, after he's very intelligent)

❁ But groceries with him were fun. The atmosphere was always nice and he was not afraid to goof around with you a bit. Not even in public, he's shameless after all

❁ This man loved farmers market. Obviously he doesn't have all the vegetables and fruits in his garden, or at least they weren't grown enough to be harvested, so the farmers market was his favorite option. Plants, vegetables, fruits, seeds and more of the best possible quality. How could he not love this place?

❁ Obviously he is not that opposed to buying things from grocery store, but Niran knows that everything from the farmers market will have better quality than things at the store. And the stuff will be obviously healthier than the store bought one, who knows what they put into these things! (Niran being dramatic but he's right)

❁ Niran was definitely not a perfectionist, but hey, he learnt his lesson back in Vishkar with Satya and now he's not really a messy guy. Unless it's when he’s working in the garden, but that doesn't count, he often said that working in the garden can get a little messy, but he can clean himself up after the work is done.

❁ Does he like cooking? Absolutely! Niran is in for 50/50 cooking (sometimes you cook, sometimes he cooks), but he definitely is more into it than you. He enjoyed cooking with you, but there are recipes that he prefers to do alone because he can focus better. It's not about not trusting you, sometimes he prefers to do it on his own so he doesn't get distracted and mess something up by accident. After all you're his partner, you can be pretty distracting

❁ Niran is very happy to introduce you to Thai cuisine, if you never ate anything from it before. He's happy to have you interested in it and he doesn't mind doing anything you would like to try. Even when he has never done the meal before, he doesn't mind trying. He also will be happy to try something from your home country!

❁ Soon, the routine comes, but it's not exactly a bad routine. It's nice to know neither of you has to worry about their life too much. It's a peaceful routine, but still a routine. So once in a while you two try to spice things up a bit if possible. Spontaneous change of plans, dates sometimes in a fancy restaurant, sometimes it's just eating lunch together in the park, enjoying the sun and each other's company. Going to the cinema to watch a movie, going to the park for a walk or doing something as simple as buying an ice cream as if you two were a teenagers

#overwatch #overwatch 2 #gender neutral reader #gender neutral language #overwatch x reader #lifeweaver #niran pruksamanee #ow lifeweaver #lifeweaver x reader #overwatch lifeweaver #lifeweaver x gender neutral reader #niran pruksamanee x gender neutral reader #niran pruksamanee x reader #overwatch niran #overwatch fluff #fluff #headcanons #overwatch headcanons #domestic headcanons

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tomorrowsgardennc · 7 months ago

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Seed Sourcing Guide: An Opinion

i was listening in on a seed saving nerd zoom meeting last night when one of the best quotes ever said was said said: "the best seed 'store' is your own backyard." and the lady is totes right. downside is... you gotta source the seeds before you start saving them. with it being seed buying season, and a lady totally saying the best quote for any and all seed nerds to fuel my drive to finally sit down and write this, i have come up with:

tier list for seed sourcing websites NOT SPONSORED BTW

✨ top tier best tier ✨

ok so, i never really heard of true leaf until last year. but i have been sourcing almost all of my seeds from them since! they're not the same grow zone as me, but utah has some of the best soil in the nation so maybe that's why their seeds are the absolute best when it comes to germination. they also have a huge variety of seeds, all gorgeously designed in a quick-to-understand format (like their icons for heirloom versus hybrid, container friendly or not, etc.) their information is all legit and comprehensive as shit. my microgreen farmer friend gets all his microgreen seeds from here, too. couldn't recommend them enough!

if your looking for tomatoes specifically, then tomatofest is legit the best. they were recommended to me a few years ago by my farmer mama, and legit they are the best for any and all tomato types. if i ever need a new tomato variety, this is where i go no matter what. if they don't have it, then must not be worth growing. germination rate is always high, the plants come out great, and always fast with shipping.

i have not met a home gardener or farmer friend who doesn't have hoss in their seed library. their selection is small and their website is mid, but damn do they have the best germination rates out there along with the healthiest looking plants i ever did done see or grow. and tbh that's really what matters at the end of the day - not the germination rates, or shipping, or quantity, but rather how the vegetable or fruit plant thrives and produces. and hoss ticks off all those boxes beautifully.

😐 middle tier is mid 😐

eden brothers is mid tier only because i have attempted to germinate about 12 different seed types from them over the past 5 years and never have i ever gotten anything better than 10% germination rate. but their BULBS, their bulbs are absolutely amazing! if i need a flowering bulb to add to my cut flower garden, then this is where i source them from. never any issues with molded bulbs, and they grow true to what they say they will and how (so information is accurate). just... don't bother with the seed section.

i really truly and honestly and want to put renee's garden seeds in top tier... but i have tried over 20 different herb seeds from renee's and the herbs just never germinate. ever! the flowers, amazing. the vegetables, pretty good. selection, absolutely amazing. but the herbs, bro i don't know where they're sourcing their herbs from but it ain't happening. at least for me. maybe others more north would have better luck.

grow organic is great for supplies such as fertilizers and such, but not so much for seeds. i sourced my California softneck garlic from them and they were wonderful. i've had another farmer friend say she gets all her onion starts from them as well and her onions are phenomenal. but i've tried only 3 seed varieties from them with decent germination but didn't live long at all. if you're looking for tubers or vegetable bulbs, then totes. otherwise, be weary of the seeds even if the germination is great. (me thinks they save seeds regardless of how the plant lived, compared to saving seeds only from healthy plants.)

💀 worst tier don't bother 💀

johnny seeds used to be my go to for seeds when i was only focused on transplants. this was because they're the only one who sells in bulk, and honestly that's the only perk for them. you have to buy their seeds in bulk to get any decent germination out of them. but if you want 200 basil plants, then buying 500 basil seeds from them will be just fine. if you just want 2 basil plants, then don't even look at this website. they have one of the best seed starting soil mixes, but the shipping costs more than the soil. and they have some nice supplies. but this is a seed tier list, not a supplies tier list.

hopefully the fiasco with the purple galaxy tomato in January of 2024 has shed some light to how bad this company is, but if not then i'm including them on this list. they were pretty bad before that, but at least they live up to their name. i have sourced a few vegetables from them, but only because nobody else had them. which honestly should be a red flag. BUT c'est la vie, i bought seeds from them 3 years ago and haven't gone back. they're overpriced, germination rate is OK but considering the price tag their germination rate should be better and they're not. they try to pull themselves off as the "small guy" when they're clearly not.

https://www.burpee.com/

burpee seed company is legit the worst. they're so bad that a link to their website breaks tumblr and makes my tier list look ugly. they might lure you in with their gorgeous website, and with the huuuuge variety they have. but the website NEVER works, the varieties are almost 99% hybrids that don't grow or produce well, and the germination rate is abysmal. yes, they sell in all major and minor box stores but that's because capitalism, not because they're the best. stay. away.

🏅 honorable mention 🏅

so first off, let me say i have never bought from this website. but i have been gifted many seeds from them from several people. not sure if that's good or bad, hence the honorable mention category.

the seeds i've been gifted from 3 different farmers, and they're all winter varieties. and they've all done amazing!! i did buy some flower and herb seeds from the local hardware store, and the seeds were acceptable for germination rate. i do not blame that on the company, though, since that hardware store is so old school that they don't even have A/C inside. creaky wood floors, smells like old metal, that kind of hardware store. so not the best environment to store seeds in. but i will be buying some for this year to try out directly from their website, seeing as how if 2 year old seeds germinate pretty good and ones stored in horrible conditions are OK then fresh from the source MUST be great!

📝 let me know who i forgot and where you would rank them 📝 plz thnx luv u

maybe i'll do a tier list for even smaller seed companies, like my size seed companies?? whatchu think?? i've only tried a few so it would force me to try out some more!

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studentinpursuitofclouds · 10 months ago

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A random thought, during the Mr. Qi's Crop Challenge (you know the one were you have to plant and shipped 500 Qi Beans) how will the SDV/SVE Bachelors gonna react to their lover (the Farmer) planting this weird looking crop that looks like a blueberry with sunglasses across the farm fields. 😂

Ah, Qi beans... Probably my least favourite quest, because spending a whole month growing this stuff, and also getting these fucking beans instead of cool gifts in chests or fish.... Ugh. Oh well, sorry for that 😅

Even though this fruit is annoying to me, the ask itself regarding the reactions of others to it is pretty funny, hee hee. Thanks for the ask, and enjoy! 🫰💖

_________________________________________

SDV/SVE bachelors react to the Qi fruit:

"Looks creepy..... And cool, by the way. What did you do to make them grow like that?" Sebastian's spouse is a virtuoso at growing all sorts of unusual crops, and he thinks it's a mega cool ability. Just a week ago they ate a salad made from an 'ancient fruit', and the day before yesterday they cut up a giant mushroom crop that was the size of a large pumpkin (even though Sebby's doesn't like shrooms, it was still cool!). Now it's the weird fruit with sunglasses. He wonder what unusual plant Farmer will grow tomorrow...

"Oh, I know! Are those fruits and vegetables that grow in different shapes?" Sam recently watched a video about gardeners who grow square watermelons or tomatoes in the shape of hearts using plastic moulds. So the guitarist reckoned his spouse had decided to join the trend too. A strange choice, yeah, but hey - bonus for cool sunglasses! And what does this 'Qi' fruit taste like? Looks like a giant blue melon, Sammy wouldn't mind a tasty snack. Anyway, he doesn't know much about gardening himself, so he'll leave that to Farmer.

"Did you buy sunglasses for every fruit you grow or what?" And tell us, dear Alex - why would your beloved Farmer do that? These things maybe look like sunglasses, but are hardly sunglasses. But who knows? It's definitely an unfamiliar fruit for an athlete, especially compared to what his grandmother Evelyn used to grow in the community garden all the time. But if it's edible and full of vitamins (no), then Alex doesn't really care about the look of the Qi fruit. "Hey, even if this tastes awful, we'll have plenty of pairs of sunglasses!"

"That's some ugly ass fruit right here. Do people really eat that stuff now?" Truth be told, while working at JojaMart, Shane had managed to see stranger products labelled as 'novelty'. This applied not only to obscure sauces and snacks of dubious origin, but also to fruits and vegetables. The blue colour of the "Qi" fruit Farmer grew generally gave Shane the idea that his spouse had purchased the seeds just from Joja.co. It looked strange, but Shane didn't even mind tasting it. If it's edible at all. This fruit certainly doesn't get any worse than Joja's 'special' sauce for nachos, of that he's sure.

"Honey, are you sure it's safe to eat?" Every time another crop of obscure origin ripens on the farm, Harvey's heart begins to pound with worry. What if it's poisonous? What if it's not handled properly and you could get food poisoning? Why is it such a strange shape? "Farmer, please..." The poor doctor goes through all the books on vegetables, fruits and berries, hoping to find some information about this Qi fruit and whether it's okay to eat it (spoiler - to no avail). Either it's another "healthy" product from Joja or something else. Either way, Harvey will be sceptical, to say the least.

"...If I understand correctly, my soul, this is our dinner for today?" Elliott could have sworn the fruit had just winked at him! The writer had heard that some farmers and gardeners deliberately grow their crops in a variety of shapes to make them look extravagant and sell them for more money, but... Of all the shapes, his spouse chose the face... But maybe that's the kind of crop that's in high demand on market right now. Elliott hoped that if they were to bake strudel with this 'Qi' fruit today, it would taste better than it looked. Also... sunglasses?

"Hmm, I wonder... Where exactly did you get those seeds, my love?" It is not appropriate for Lance to judge the strange crop that Farmer has grown, when the adventurer himself has a monster crop ripening in a corner on the farm, with an appearance similar to a huge eyeball. Nevertheless, this strange fruit arouses a share of suspicion in the pink-haired man. Something is not right here.... If his dear spouse doesn't mind, Lance would also like to take a look at this fruit, for he is very curious to know if this crop has any magical properties. Or anything that might threaten him or Farmer.

"This... thing is unnatural. What in the name of all spirits did you grow this abomination from?" Magnus's whole gut screams that this is not just a fruit, but the spawn of a dangerous mage or witch. Thin threads of dark magic emanate from this fruit, and the wizard certainly doesn't like Farmer being in contact with that magic. "Eat it? Absolutely not! And is it even edible?" A worried Magnus questions his spouse about who gave them these seeds and why. Hearing the name 'Qi', he sighs heavily. Mr. Qi. Of course... This name definitely promises a lot of chaos for everyone.

"Erm... That's wonderful, darling! You've managed to grow this, um... What's it called again?" Victor had spent two whole days in the town library and looked all sorts of books at home - not a single mention, about this mysterious 'Qi fruit'. It's not, to tell the truth, the strangest thing Farmer grew in their fertile fields (monster crops will always be at the top of the list for strangeness. Especially the one with the giant eyeball). Maybe it's some new fruit his spouse has discovered? Victor is sure the Farmer knows what they're doing. But yeah, he's supportive.

#stardew valley #sdv #stardew valley expanded #sve #sdv shane #sve lance #sve magnus #sdv wizard #sve victor #sdv alex #sdv elliott #sdv harvey #sdv sebastian #sdv sam #sdv headcanons #thanks for the ask!

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alpaca-clouds · 2 years ago

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Try to learn about the old foods

I have most recently started to meal prep, with making a lot of foods and putting them in the freezer. This ended up allowing me to buy the foods in bulk from the local market. And, well... This allowed me to eat some of the foods that the supermarket does not have.

We do have a bit of a problem. And that problem mostly is that we got our food kinda messed up. Because people have lost the connection to the food they eat. But also because of colonialism.

The big thing that happened is, that we lost contact with most local foods. No matter where I go in the "first world nations"... The foods offered to me in the supermarkets are the same - and they also look the same.

This means that a lot of people have no real idea, what foods came from where in the world - but also do not know half of the foods that originated with where they are from, because they are not easily available.

Tomatoes are an example. Not only did historical tomatoes look and taste very differently from the tomatoes we eat today, but obviously... they came from the Americas. So they are not a food that originated with Europe and was not widely available in Europe until the 1600s. While, yes, the first tomates came here more than a hundred years earlier... it took a while for them to catch on.

This is parsnip. Another root vegetable that was commonly eaten in Europe for most of history. It has a more intensive taste than the usual carrot - but is also not that different from it, when it comes to consistency and how it is going to cook.

This is fennel. You might know fennel seeds as a spice or something you might drink as a tea. But the rest of the plant is edible, too, and a surprisingly strong flavored vegetable. It also is very crunchy and makes a really great addition to salads. But it is often not really sold in many places.

This is the Jerusalem Artichoke, another vegetable that originates within the Americas. To be exact, this is the root of a kind of sunflower. It got its name for being very similar in taste and tecture to the Artichoke. I honestly do not know, though, why it is called "Jerusalem Artichoke", because it does not have anything to do with Jerusalem.

The Potimarron is a kind of squash that - like basically all other forms of squash - originates in the Americas as well. It has a very nutty flavor. In Europe it was very popular in France for a long while, hence the french name. It has tons of meat and really makes for great stews!

This is a rutabaga, which originates from somewhere in northern Europe. We do not really know from where. All we know is, that it was a Swedish botanist who cultivates the form we still eat to this day in the 1620s. Which is why it is also called the "Swedish turnip". It does taste like a more bitter carrot, but makes really good addition to stews or can be served stamped.

This is the Chinese Artichoke and another root vegetable, that as the name suggest originates from China. It was cultivates in China in the late medieval period and has later made its way to Europe, especially France. It has a really sweet and nutty taste and can be eaten raw or in salads. Though there are dishes mashing the vegetable, too.

These are tigernuts, a vegetable that has been around forever. It originates in southern Europe, southern Asia and northern Africa. It is a dried fruit, with a sweet and earthy taste and it is known a lot in Spanish cuisine, but also in the cuisine of southern Asia.

Yacon is a root vegetable that originates with Peru, where it is still eaten, while the rest of the world mostly forgot about it. Well, except Japan, where it is currently getting more and more popular. It is a vegetable, but it has a very fruity taste.

I could now go on and name more vegetables from all around the world that were once grown and fed people, but got forgotten more and more in favor of the very limited diet made up of potatoes, corn, potatoes, peppers, cucumber, onion and tomatoes, that is basically what you will get to eat in most places.

And... Well, the thing about it is that... It is not really a good thing that we grow the same stuff everywhere. It is not good for us and it is not good for the environment. It is not good for those foods, either.

I really wish people would try and eat more of the stuff that originates with their region. And that they would eat the not-so-perfect looking foods as well. Because it is gonna be more sustainable in the end.

#solarpunk #food #vegetables #fruits #farming #agriculture #history #food history #sustainable living #sustainability #colonialism

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marigoldsandbluebonnets · 2 months ago

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Stuff I’ve Scripted About the World

There is a comprehensive railway network and service across the United States and all over the world that is clean, frequent, reliable, affordable, passenger rail

Railway stations are easy to traverse, accessible, and filled with restaurants and shopping centers as well as being located well in cities

All public transport is beautiful, clean, comfortable, spacious, reliable, frequent, safe, and affordable

There is little to no air, sound, light, or chemical pollution

Things are made better and out of higher quality materials without planned obsolescence

Things are built to last

There is more unique beautiful architecture, clothing, food, and culture in different places

Places have more unique strong cultural identities with food, architecture, fashion, etc

The world is safer and cleaner

There are lots of native trees and wildflowers around cities and suburbs

There are clean, free, well maintained, beautiful public restrooms everywhere in cities and suburbs

There are clean, free, well maintained, beautiful water fountains and bottled water fillers everywhere in cities and suburbs

There are lots of clean, free or affordable, well maintained, beautiful third spaces like libraries, cafes, restaurants, bars, theaters, rec centers, maker spaces, parks, museums, etc

There is less crime and danger overall

There is less retail theft and unruly behavior

People don’t litter and the environment is clean

New York is similar to Amsterdam in cycling infrastructure and how it tackles cars

Biking pathways are safe, well built, separate from cars, clean, well maintained, well lit and tree lined, and are comprehensive across the world

There are protected bike lanes that are well maintained and have access to public transportation

There are bike sharing programs available as well as workplace showers

There is comprehensive bike parking around different areas and in cities having bike parking garages

There is very little stealing of bikes and they are always returned to their owners

Within many workplaces there are well made, beautiful, clean, well maintained bathrooms with showers

Unions are common among many fields and professions

Climate change and global warming are not an issue and temperatures are naturally cooler by 10 degrees Fahrenheit and this only improves agricultural productivity, harvests, and the environment with animals

Agriculture has less monocultures and more variety

There are more trees and different types of trees

Deforestation isn’t an issue

There are more fruits, vegetables, algae, spices, herbs, edible flowers, grains, nuts, seeds, fungi, and proteins

There is more access to unique new fruits, vegetables, algae, spices, herbs, edible flowers, grains, nuts, seeds, fungi, and proteins

It is easier to cultivate many mushrooms and other crops that are usually only foraged

Grocery stores have more interesting types of foods especially local produce and varieties

There are more small local grocery stores that sell curated products from the local areas

There are more small specialty grocery shops like cheese mongers, butchers, fishmongers, ice creameries, dairy creameries, chocolate shops, sweets shops, bakeries, spice shops, delis, coffee shops, tea shops, mushroom shops, ferment & vinegar stores, and fruit or vegetable markets with vegan versions of these shops as well

There’s a drastic decrease in the number of natural disasters

There is less war

Homelessness is not an issue and the government has proper housing

Etsy, Ren fairs, and Festivals are filled with unique handmade goods from small businesses and there is no dropshipping

There are more small unique businesses and restaurants everywhere

Society uses land a lot more efficiently

Website and book bans aren’t an issue

There isn’t an issue with species going extinct

We can reuse and recycle all trash

There is better sorting for waste and recycling

We compost almost all food waste

There is almost no pollution

There is very little textile pollution

Things are much more circular in the economy

Rivers and springs are clean

Trash is properly restored, reused, and recycled

Almost everything that goes for recycling gets recycled or reused

We can properly recycle clothes and separate textiles with multiple fibers

More clothes are high quality and made from natural materials

Everything is higher quality

There is no planned obsolescence, things are made to last

We utilize clean energy

There are proper social safety nets

There are bike lanes everywhere

Periods don’t exist for human women

Pregnancies are even safer

Babies have less of a chance of being born disabled

There is less robbery

AI is not overtaking the internet

AI imagery doesn’t overtake social media platforms like Pinterest, instagram, Reddit, ao3, YouTube, TikTok, etc

Art is more appreciated

Britain never left the EU through Brexit

There are much better, healthier, delicious, affordable vegan alternatives and options in stores and restaurants

Vegan options are more affordable

It is much easier to accommodate dietary restrictions

People have less allergies

There are less unhealthy highly processed foods

Medical treatments are extremely affordable and advanced

Scar treatments are much better

Everything is more accessible

We are able to have nice things, people don’t destroy the world unnecessarily

Tipping is not a requirement at places

People are all paid fairly and a living wage

Universities are affordable, accessible, beautiful, provide independence, and teach extremely well all over the world

People all over the world have access to education that is well made, factually accurate, and clean

Pinterest is a better platform where it doesn’t focus so much on shopping items and it doesn’t have a bunch of ai images and scams

Private Equity doesn’t buy everything and ruin it all

Gay marriage is legal around the world

#reality shifting #shifting antis dni #shifting script #shifting realities #shifting #desired reality #scripting #dr scripting #my post

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toomanyspacedads · 3 months ago

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Hey, scary times are ahead, and there are many things you can do to act, whether through active disruption or passive. In the quiet moments, when you’re left to think and you can’t shake the burden of your fears, there are opportunities to still fight back. Right now, people are stressing that we all find communities and join clubs as small acts of resistance. Personally, I’m looking for volunteer work I can do and gardening clubs to join. Here’s why:

One of the classics for subjugating others is to control how they get their food. The billionaires are now outright declaring war on the poor. They want us starving, sick, and desperate. Tell them to Fuck off by getting together with your buddies to plant gardens. Join or build community gardens to not only feed yourselves, but others who have even less.

I’ve been doing my own research into building victory gardens, and also been looking into recipes that can stretch out ingredients while keeping the meals nutritious and filling. I’ll be posting links as I find them. There are definitely people more knowledgeable on the topic than I am, so if you can contribute, please do.

How to get community gardens started:

How to get started:

What to plant in a victory garden:

I also want to add that you’ll be more successful planting native crops. It’s also healthier for the soil:

Here’s one idea on what to do with your produce. The video attached was what inspired me for all of this:

(Note: the reason why it required a much longer cook time was because the ingredients would boil into the water, and while the texture is unpleasant, it would fill you up. I don’t blame you if you want to skip that step. This is more of a suggestion for desperate times.)

I hope any of this can help. Just remember: every action to continue living is an act of defiance. There’s no time or effort wasted.

#gardening #us politics #resist #victory garden #community garden

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enigmaticexplorer · 8 months ago

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I Yearn, and so I Fear - Epilogue

Masterlist | Previous Chapter

General Summary. Nearly a year since the Galactic Empire’s rise to power, Kazi Ennari is trying to survive. But her routine is interrupted—and life upended—when she’s forced to cohabitate with former Imperial soldiers. Clone soldiers.

Pairing. Commander Wolffe x female!OC

General Warnings. Canon-typical violence and assault, familial struggles, terminal disease, bigotry, explicit sexual content, death. This story deals with heavy content. If you’re easily triggered, please do not read. For a more comprehensive list of tags, click here.

Fic Rating. E (explicit)/18+/Minors DNI.

Chapter Word Count. 4.2K

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Three Years Later

28 Melona

“Another year, Wolf’ika.” Cody paused on the grassy path and appraised the orchard. “You should be proud of this.”

Wolffe flashed his vod a smile. “I am.”

In the six months since Cody last visited, the citrus-star trees had matured past their two-year adolescence into adulthood. Their trunks had thickened into sturdy structures larger than Neyti’s body; the lowest branches skimmed Wolffe’s head.

Wolffe and Kazi had planted the twenty seeds together but the orchard was his responsibility. Hours researching Ceaia’s nutrient-rich soil, speaking with local farmers, tilling the soil, and caring for the seeds paid off. The orchard produced bunches of citrus-stars monthly. Enough for his family. And enough to sell at the local farmer’s market.

“I’ve added a new beehive,” Wolffe said. He gestured to the end of the row where an amber hive hung from a branch, well hidden among the dense cluster of leaves. It was his fifth hive. And his most productive. “It’s done well.”

“To know that you did become a farmer…” Cody chuckled his incredulity. “I didn’t think it was possible.”

Wolffe inclined his chin in agreement.

While Kazi worked at Outlook Harbor’s Museum of History and Neyti attended school, Wolffe spent his days out here alone: tending the orchard; nurturing the garden’s assortment of fruits, vegetables, and herbs (for both meals and Nova’s research); monitoring the bees. ‘Til Fox interrupted. Then his quiet and solitude were ruined.

But the early morning hours, after his run, he had to himself. Just him and the lazing leaves and the humming bees.

“Kazi and Neyti?” Cody asked. They hadn’t been at the house when he landed half an hour ago.

“Weekly lessons at the museum,” Wolffe said.

The lessons began two years ago when, intrigued by Kazi’s translation work, Neyti asked to learn the ancient Ceaian language. Kazi agreed with a casual smile. But Wolffe had seen her hidden delight. Her excitement. He was well-studied in her subtle tells, after all.

“I’m meeting them later,” Wolffe added. Cody arched a brow, and he shrugged with a chuckle. “I don’t know where we’re going. They want it to be a surprise.”

The gray of dawn cast the orchard in foggy darkness, dulling the pale orange of the trees’ fronds. Wolffe reached for a leaf larger than his hand and rubbed it between his fingers; the fuzzy trichomes tickled his palm. It brought a half-smile to his face.

They continued forward, turning at a fork in the path where, frowning, Cody nudged a pink bush with his boot.

“Neyti and Steiner like to play here,” Wolffe explained. He smiled. “I couldn’t say no. And they’re good for the bees.”

His vod shook his head fondly. “And Fox?”

Wolffe ducked beneath a branch. “You could ask him.”

“I could.” But he wouldn’t.

Cody returned to Coruscant the week they completed renovation on the lighthouse. The decision had gutted Neyti as much as it angered Fox. Fox had expected them to remain together. To settle down and remove themselves from the threat of the Empire. To live out the rest of their lives in relative peace. But Cody disagreed with Fox’s sentiments. They argued; they parted on bad terms.

Every few months, Cody visited. He spent most of his time painting with Neyti, helping Wolffe with the garden, hiking with Nova. During those brief visits, Fox disappeared to the lighthouse. He avoided meals. Avoided any interaction with Cody. For Fox, Cody’s decision to leave Ceaia—to leave his vode—was a betrayal.

A year and a half dredged by before Fox begrudgingly apologized. Cody accepted the apology with characteristic understanding. Wolffe knew the fight had weighed on Cody; just like he knew Fox would never understand Cody’s decision.

But Wolffe understood Cody’s decision. Cody threw himself into work to deal with his guilt, and working with Rex and the clone network provided an escape.

Wolffe also knew that Cody couldn’t remain on Ceaia. Not after Daria’s death. He hardly blamed his vod. The nightmares still haunted him on occasion. Nightmares where Daria and Neyti deboarded the transport at the Naboo spaceport without Kazi. Each time he awoke sweaty and panting, reaching for Kazi.

Touching her, feeling her heartbeat in her wrist, sliding his finger along the tattoo of his initials—W.E.—on the inner skin of her fourth finger—it freed him from the nightmare’s lingering grasp.

He didn’t blame Cody. Not one fucking bit.

“Fox helps with the garden and orchard. But he doesn’t like the bees,” Wolffe said. Cody smirked in amusement. “He’s been spending a lot of time carving the fence.”

Nearby, a detailed dragon prowled the top of the dark-wooded fence protecting the orchard. Cody admired the carving. “And the annals?”

Last year, the annals evolved from Fox’s personal project to a museum-financed publication. It was Nova’s idea: an admitted desire to publicly preserve the stories of the vode he’d lost.

“They deserve to be remembered,” Nova had told Wolffe and Fox late one night while he paced the carpeted basement. “And not just by me. But by the people they protected, too.”

Kazi had recently started her job at the museum (as a translator of the dying Ceaian language, she was scribing some of the oldest scrolls on loan from the Library of Xand), and reached out to the museum’s director.

A few private meetings led to an agreement: Fox would organize his interviews into a chronological timeline, and the museum would publish the stories into three annals. They would be the first historical record of the War. The only record from the soldiers who fought in it.

“They’re coming along,” Wolffe said. New interviews continued to appear every few months thanks to Cody’s efforts to connect various men with Fox. “The first two years are almost complete.”

Cody gave a pleased nod.

The path veered to the right, toward the house. Low-hanging leaves tickled their hair and brushed their shoulders. They passed through the gate, wandering deeper into the forest, the tree cover thickening. The smell of burning wood drifted on the breeze; they followed its scent.

“I have another interview,” Cody said. At his smug tone, Wolffe snorted. “From Rex.”

Wolffe blinked his surprise. “He agreed?”

Cody smirked. “I convinced him.”

“You’re next,” he said. Cody rolled his eyes, and he shoved his vod in the shoulder. “Stop being a prick.”

“You haven’t done it,” Cody retorted.

“Did it last week.” He winked at his vod’s appalled look but soon sobered, shrugging. “It was time.”

“Fuck.” Cody scrubbed a hand across his jaw. Weariness lined his eyes and forehead, and he let out a deep sigh. “I’ll…think about it.”

Nearing the front of the house, the low voices of Fox and Nova discernible over the crackle of the fire, Cody motioned for Wolffe to halt. He angled his head toward Nova. “How’s he doing?”

“Nova’s a grown man, Cod’ika,” Wolffe said gently. “He’s making his own life. And he’s doing a damn good job at it.”

“I know,” Cody murmured. “I thought that…” He cleared his throat and straightened. “I’m glad he’s doing well.”

Wolffe was surprised when Nova decided to stick around after Cody left. Throughout the War, and after, he’d remained loyal to Cody. The type of loyalty only the best commanding officers earned from their subordinates. Wolffe had once earned a similar loyalty from his men. Before Order 66. Before he bailed on the Empire. Before he fled his own men trying to gun him down for betraying orders.

But Wolffe quickly realized the reason behind Nova’s decision: Nova was ready to move on from the past. And that meant parting ways with Cody.

Within a few weeks of Cody’s departure, Nova applied for a researcher’s job at the local med center. There, he began researching a medicinal alternative to bacta. A solution to the Empire’s control and restriction over the healing aid. (Kazi gave him Daria’s old research books for inspiration or potential leads.)

The work kept Nova busy most days but he seemed to enjoy it. Neyti had even shown an interest in his work. Some afternoons, after school, he took her to the med center and let her help with his experiments.

“You know,” Wolffe said, clapping a hand to Cody’s back, “there’s a place for you here. Whenever you want it.”

“The Rebellion needs me—”

“You need the Rebellion.” Wolffe levelled a hard look at Cody. “But it won’t clear your conscience.”

Cody squared his shoulders. “Yeah. I know.”

Wolffe offered him a grim smile and then made his way toward the sputtering fire. The embers glowed in the darkness of the evergreen and sequoia forest; the flames kept the early morning shadows at bay.

For the next two hours, Wolffe and his vode downed glasses of whiskey, swapped stories they all knew, and played rounds of sabaac. Nova won; Wolffe was convinced he’d cheated.

As the forest lightened, the whiskey warming his blood, Wolffe tugged a sweater over his head, nodded to the others, and then started the trek to the docks. He was unsurprised when Fox followed.

The grassy cliff path spat them out at the shore. The low tide revealed bubbling sand pockets, a burrowing crab, and the booted footprints of a woman and child who’d passed through earlier.

“Three years,” Fox said, surveying the faint sunrise with a pensive expression. “A lot has changed.”

“It’s what you wanted,” Wolffe remarked.

“Yeah.” Slowly, his vod rolled the sleeves of his maroon sweater. “Never thought I’d end up on an ocean planet again.”

He chuckled. “It’s better than Kamino.”

“Anywhere is better than there,” Fox said. The vitriol underscoring his comment wasn’t lost on Wolffe; he knew Fox’s feelings well enough. Adjusting the cuff of his right sleeve, Fox cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

Wolffe gave a wordless grunt of confusion.

“For getting me off Coruscant.” Fox motioned to their surroundings. “This is a good place to retire.”

He snorted. “Only took you four years.”

“Fuck off.” Fox halted, running a hand through his hair, observing Wolffe with hesitant solemnity. He sighed. “I’m…grateful to be here.”

Wolffe nodded slowly. “Me too.”

He took a moment to breathe in the fresh air, to watch the sun cresting the oceanic horizon, to grasp Fox’s shoulder and give him a firm shake. Fox threw him a grin. One of those knowing grins he used when they were boys and was about to challenge Wolffe to a particularly ambitious dare. Wolffe hadn’t seen Fox grin like that in a long time. He’d missed it.

“Give my love to the women,” Fox said, shoving his hands into his trousers’ pockets. He backed away a step. “And don’t drown. I’d grow bored without you.”

Wolffe rolled his eyes and turned away.

A jog along the shore brought him to the docks. Scents of freshly baked bread, citrus fruits, and spiced soups wafted from the colorful buildings. Younglings sprinted the walkways. Sailors shouted orders as they prepared their ships.

Regardless of the earliness of the day, Outlook Harbor bustled with life. Wolffe nodded to the woman at the bakery (she sold jars of his honey), shook his head at a small boy begging for a cup of shaved ice (he could relate to the father’s fond exasperation), and lifted a hand of acknowledgement to the elderly florist (she liked Kazi and Neyti). With a sharp turn, he strode down a familiar dock—

“Daddy!”

He broke into a wide grin.

Legs dangling over the side of the sailboat, Neyti waved, her smile toothy. Beside her, Fluffy thumped his tail in greeting. The moment Wolffe boarded the boat the anooba knocked his head against his legs. He gave the canine a scratch behind his ears.

Over the years, Fluffy had matured into a calm yet protective force. A good soldier. Wolffe would know; he’d served with plenty of them.

“Hey, kid.” Wolffe kissed the top of Neyti’s head. Her hair was tied back in her classic double braids, the style he’d perfected with hours of practice on Kazi. “You ready?”

“Yup. Mum let me raise the sails.” Neyti nodded at the main mast. “We were waiting on you.”

While Neyti finished a glass of lemon juice, Wolffe inspected their work. Unnecessary thanks to Kazi’s expertise but he didn’t want to feel excluded from the prep. “Where is your mom—”

“It’s about time.” Kazi strolled from the cabin space beneath the deck, a bouquet in her hands, her hazel eyes beaming with mirth. “Happy life day.”

Wolffe grinned. He couldn’t help himself. The morning sun seemed as eager about Kazi as he felt. It cast her in a pinkish hue that made her skin glow. She kissed his cheek; his skin burned beneath the touch.

With an easy smile, Wolffe accepted the bouquet. Gray and long-petaled, the flowers complimented the wolf on his sweater and the socks he could see peeking above Kazi’s boots. The socks he’d given her long ago—the gray a claim to his pack.

Under the pretense of smelling the flowers, Wolffe scrutinized Kazi. He liked her like this: a carefree, dimpled smile; hands casually tucked in the back pockets of her trousers; an adventurous twinkle in her eyes. Seeing her like this…fuck,it inspired different wants within him.

He wanted to hold her close and smell her lavender soap. He wanted his head in her lap while her fingers played with his hair. He wanted to sit on their porch and listen to her talk about her translation work. He wanted to taste her, pleasure her until she was sated and pliant. He wanted her naked beneath this soft sunlight so he could admire every toned muscle and delicate plane of her body—

“Are you going to stare at Mum all day or can we go?” Neyti jumped to the deck, piercing him with an exasperated frown. Wolffe rubbed the back of his neck. “Your surprise won’t be waiting all day.”

“Demanding, much?” Kazi flicked their daughter’s forehead. Neyti responded with a sheepish grin. Chuckling, Kazi shared a private, knowing smile with him—that damned smile he’d beg on his knees for a glimpse of—and then started for the docking line. “Come on. Neyti’s right—we want to get there in time.”

Navigated by her skilled captain, the sailboat chugged through the harbor’s dark blue waves, passing through the breakwater where two dragons sat on guard: the twins, Bellu and Xap. Most harbors, Kazi once told him, were protected by the twins.

For the lateness of the summer, the ocean was well-tempered, sincere in its embrace of salty wind and bobbing waves. While Wolffe stood at the helm with Kazi wondering where they were going, Neyti and Fluffy leaned against the bow’s railing, searching for sea creatures.

Soon, their billowing sails brought them to their destination: the clear waters of the islet.

Wolffe chuckled his appreciation. Both his wife and daughter knew the islet was one of his favorite places to visit: a lush forest with foxlike creatures that often attempted to nick his broken wristchrono; a clearing with a bubbling stream that could ease the worst tension from him; and the turtles—docile creatures he liked to swim with.

Anchor dropped and wetsuits assorted, the islet’s shallows welcomed them. They swam among iridescent corals. Seaweed swayed at a lethargic pace, pearlescent seashells blinking like stars among a sandy sky.

After a lunch of cubed melons, peppered cucumbers, vegetable cheese sandwiches, and a dessert of Wolffe’s favorite cherry pie, they returned to the waters.

Awakened by the sun’s rays, the turtles emerged from their caves. The youngest was Neyti’s size; the largest neared Wolffe’s height. Dark brown geometric shapes decorated the turtles’ domed shells and long flippers. Their delicate heads poked curiously at the humans.

Wolffe took photos of Kazi and Neyti swimming among the bale. He had a large collection of photos at home: some decorated the wall in his and Kazi’s bedroom; others adorned the main level’s mantelpiece and bookshelves.

The photos were proof. Proof that he’d survived. Proof that he’d got to live out his dreams.

The holorecorder swapped hands. Kazi snapped photos of him and Neyti; Neyti, with artistic flair, captured a few of him and Kazi. Both broke into giggles when Kazi snapped a photo of a turtle biting his foot. He grinned along with them, even if his toes ached.

Eventually, the white, billowy clouds of afternoon gave way to golden-dappled clouds of evening. Pale white hummingbirds whizzed among the islet’s shores and the sailboat. Curled near the hull, Fluffy watched the tiny birds with intrigue.

While Kazi sat alone on the shore, studying Daria’s old necklace and the photo within its locket, Wolffe joined Neyti on the sailboat’s railing. Beneath their hanging feet, the turtles lazed. Neyti peeled a citrus-star. An even split and she offered half to Wolffe. He accepted with a small smile.

“Good day?” Wolffe asked.

Neyti grinned. “The best.”

“Any new painting ideas?”

“Lots. Steiner and I are going to the lighthouse to paint tomorrow.” She plucked a citrus-star piece into her mouth and then scrutinized him. “You have a request.”

“Clever girl,” Wolffe said. Her smug smile earned a low chuckle from him.

Reaching into a pocket of his tossed-aside trousers, Wolffe retrieved his wallet and a small photo tucked within. A photo of him, Kazi, and Neyti in front of the lighthouse last month.

He remembered the moment clearly. The night’s constellations were winking into existence. Gentle waves were lapping at the shore, the temperature cool. He was staring at Kazi, holding Neyti’s hand, when he was struck with the reminder that this was his life. That he was married and had a daughter. That his vode were alive. That he was alive. It was hard to believe, sometimes.

“I’d like a painting of this,” Wolffe said thickly, showing Neyti the photo. “Think you can do that?”

Neyti narrowed her eyes as she appraised the image. “Is it for Mum’s life day?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll do it,” she promised.

He nodded his thanks and carefully tucked the photo back into his wallet.

After a minute of silence, interrupted only by the rocking waves and the whizzing hummingbirds, Neyti peered at him. “Did you like your life day?”

Wolffe considered his daughter for a long moment.

Over the years, she’d grown taller. Most of her adult teeth had come in, though one gap remained. (He hoped it took a long time to fill.) While her quiet nature continued to shape her curious yet shrewd outlook, her sharp wit and stubborn attitude persisted, especially during sparring lessons with Fox.

She still enjoyed her princess stories. She still enjoyed learning new dragon lore. He and Kazi still read to her in bed.

But Neyti was maturing. And he was keen to appreciate each moment of her childhood he had left.

Slipping a piece of citrus-star into his mouth, Wolffe knocked his elbow against Neyti’s. “I couldn’t have asked for a better one.”

As night swarmed and sharks began their hunt, they returned to Outlook Harbor.

A blanket sprawled, bellies warm with vegetable curry, buttered flatbread, and chocolate-covered honeycomb, they settled among the sailboat’s deck. Wolffe accepted a pair of earplugs from Kazi. Neyti nestled herself between them.

An effervescent display of fireworks lit the sky. Streams of silver and gold complimented the swooping figures of dragons. Regal purples and bottomless blues emphasized the dragons’ idiosyncratic prowess.

The world silent, Wolffe split his time between watching the show and observing Kazi and Neyti’s reactions.

Neyti watched the fireworks with a dimpled grin of awe. Kazi spent an equal amount of time watching the displays and studying him. At one of her subtle glances, he tapped the side of his head and winked. He felt an innate satisfaction at her small smile and relaxing posture.

Later that night, locked in their bedroom, entangled on their bed, Wolffe held Kazi closer to his chest. They were both shaking, their breaths ragged. He could still feel her cunt fluttering around his oversensitive cock. He stifled a moan against her shoulder.

Heat thrummed beneath his skin. His mind worked slowly, dazed by his orgasm. Instinctively, he brushed a hand down the smooth skin of Kazi’s spine. Her soft exhale tickled the hair curling around his ear, her thighs flexing around his waist.

“Good?” he asked.

She gave a tired yet content nod and ran a finger along the silver bar piercing his nipple. He shivered at the sensation. His cock twitched inside of her. The corners of her lips quirked in amusement. He offered her a lazy grin. She repeated the touch once more, kissed his cheek, and then maneuvered herself from his lap to the mattress.

Wolffe quickly followed, kneeling between her legs, staring down at her. She was…fuck, she was more beautiful than those rare, sunny days on Kamino.

The moonlight caressed her body in warm shades of amber: the flush to her cheeks, the blackness to her eyelashes, the curves of her breasts, the muscles of her arms. Her unbound hair crowned her head like faded autumnal leaves. Her eyes were dark, bliss-filled.

He surveyed her, his mind blank of coherent thought. All he knew was that he wanted to stay like this for a long time.

“You’re staring,” Kazi murmured.

“Mm-hmm.” Settling himself atop her, he twirled a strand of hair around his finger and then placed a kiss on the underside of her jaw. “Say it.”

She skimmed a palm along his biceps; he trembled at the touch. “I love you,” she whispered.

A kiss to the sensitive spot behind her ear followed. At her breathy sigh, a warm feeling fluttered behind his ribcage. He murmured, “Again.”

“I love you.”

He swallowed and then lowered his face to hers. His mouth brushed the white scar near the corner of her eye. “Again.”

A finger tipped his face back; her eyes danced with affection. “I love you.”

Wolffe smiled at the promise in her words. Their lips grazed. He curled his fingers into her loose hair; he breathed against her skin, “I love you.”

As he deepened the kiss, Kazi brought him closer, her hands trailing across his back. He shuddered beneath her wandering fingers. His cock throbbed. A quiet moan broke their kiss. He pursued her neck. Warm skin welcomed his mouth.

He took his time, tracing the lines of her collarbone with his tongue, sucking long and slow on the underswell of her breasts, skimming his fingers across her ribcage, her throat, her face.

One hand played with his hair; the other massaged his shoulders, the back of his neck. Deep kneading eased the stiffness from his body. A teasing caress of his earlobe made him groan.

Their kisses slowed to lingering; their touches turned drowsy.

Wolffe pressed his forehead against Kazi’s, squeezed her hip, and then lowered himself onto his back. Extending an arm behind her head, he glanced at the nightstand. Atop his trusted notebook sat his present: a silver, sleek wristchrono.

He’d been eyeing it for months. Hell, he should’ve known that Kazi would notice his subtle glances at the shop window each time they visited the harbor.

Wolffe trailed a finger across the tiny, cursive inscription on the ‘chrono’s band: So you can always find your way home. He blinked away the burning sensation behind his eyes.

“Thirty, Wolffe,” Kazi murmured, tracing the initials inked into his fourth finger: K.E. “How does it feel?”

“It doesn’t feel real,” Wolffe admitted. He skimmed his thumb along her shoulder. “I…never thought I could have this. And now…”

Years training with his vode, years believing he’d die on the battlefield, years fighting alongside his men, yet he outlived them all…

He’d never understand why he’d survived. He’d never understand why he’d been allowed to experience this—finding Kazi, raising Neyti, starting his own farm. But he’d learned long ago that he couldn’t control fate. And those men who’d died—they’d want him to live the life they didn’t get to. He owed them. And he’d make the most of what he was given.

“I’m glad this is real,” he said quietly. “Real fucking glad.”

A thoughtful hum sounded from Kazi, and she peered at him: hesitant yet curious. “Do you feel alive?”

Wolffe thought back to years ago, to stars reflected among a stilled lake’s surface, to lightning bugs flickering among an overgrown jungle, to hazel eyes rounded with vulnerability and soft lips he wanted to touch, to a quiet conversation he’d never forgotten.

“Yeah. I do.” He let out a chuckle, surprised by the swiftness of his answer. Surprised by the truth behind it. He searched Kazi’s gaze. “Do you?”

A slow smile lit her face, wide and dimpled and so full of life. “I do.”

For a long time, Wolffe basked in her smile and the heat of her body curled against his, and when she kissed the side of his throat, he turned his gaze to the skylights. The Dancing Dragons twinkled, their central star bright in the night sky. Kazi nuzzled her nose against his jaw; he mapped the tattoo on her spine.

“Tell me the story, Kazi,” he murmured. “Start from the beginning.”

He felt her smile against his neck. As she started to speak, he closed his eyes, sinking into the mattress, relaxing into the lavender scent of her hair and the sleepy lilt of her voice:

“Every night a female dragon soared amongst the stars.”

Masterlist | Chapter 31

A/N: For a deeper look into this story and its characters, check out the Behind the Scenes.

Artwork of Kazi, Wolffe, and Neyti by the phenomenal @pinkiemme!

#I Yearn and so I Fear #commander wolffe x oc: kazi ennari

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