#Fruit Concentrate Market

[marketpattern]

 Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market Strategies for Growth, Segmentation, and Market Overview by 2024-2031

The "Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market" is a dynamic and rapidly evolving sector, with significant advancements and growth anticipated by 2031. Comprehensive market research reveals a detailed analysis of market size, share, and trends, providing valuable insights into its expansion. This report delves into segmentation and definition, offering a clear understanding of market components and drivers. Employing SWOT and PESTEL analyses, the study evaluates the market's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, alongside political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors. Expert opinions and recent developments highlight the geographical distribution and forecast the market's trajectory, ensuring a robust foundation for strategic planning and investment.

What is the projected market size & growth rate of the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market?

Market Analysis and Insights:

Global Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market

The citrus fruit concentrate puree market is expected to witness market growth at a rate of 6.15% in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028. Data Bridge Market Research report on citrus fruit concentrate puree market provides analysis and insights regarding the various factors expected to be prevalent throughout the forecast period while providing their impacts on the market’s growth. The increase in demand for organic products globally is escalating the growth of citrus fruit concentrate puree market.

Fruit concentrate puree refers to a thick semi-liquid substance that is extracted from various fruits possessing a nice rich flavour and thickness. These concentrate puree’s are widely deployed in the production of numerous end-use products such as jams, spreads, bakery products, juices, and dairy products, among others.

The rise in the in urban population and busy lifestyle across the globe acts as one of the major factors driving the growth of citrus fruit concentrate puree market. The continuous technological development across food processing industry offering efficient supply chain practices, improved production rate, and better profitability, and changing consumer preferences for packaged and convenience foods accelerate the market growth. The high adoption of the product among food manufacturing companies owning to various factors, such as ease of handling, low water content, better shelf life, and reduced weight and volume, and high utilization in various industries including dairy, bakery, confectionary and beverages, further influence the market. Additionally, surge in the disposable income, urbanization, high demand for healthy food products, rise in population, and rise in number of health-conscious consumers positively affect the citrus fruit concentrate puree market. Furthermore, increase in demand from baby food products and formula due to high content of essential vitamins and nutrients, and strong demand for health drinks and shakes among sportsperson extend profitable opportunities to the market players in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028.

On the other hand, post-harvest losses, particularly during storage, processing of fruits, and transportation, are expected to obstruct the market growth. The increase in trade deficit in terms of fresh & processed fruits is projected to challenge the citrus fruit concentrate puree market in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028.

This citrus fruit concentrate puree market report provides details of new recent developments, trade regulations, import export analysis, production analysis, value chain optimization, market share, impact of domestic and localized market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, strategic market growth analysis, market size, category market growths, application niches and dominance, product approvals, product launches, geographic expansions, technological innovations in the market. To gain more info on citrus fruit concentrate puree market, contact Data Bridge Market Research for an Analyst Brief, our team will help you take an informed market decision to achieve market growth.

Browse Detailed TOC, Tables and Figures with Charts which is spread across 350 Pages that provides exclusive data, information, vital statistics, trends, and competitive landscape details in this niche sector.

This research report is the result of an extensive primary and secondary research effort into the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market. It provides a thorough overview of the market's current and future objectives, along with a competitive analysis of the industry, broken down by application, type and regional trends. It also provides a dashboard overview of the past and present performance of leading companies. A variety of methodologies and analyses are used in the research to ensure accurate and comprehensive information about the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market.

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Which are the driving factors of the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market?

The driving factors of the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market include technological advancements that enhance product efficiency and user experience, increasing consumer demand driven by changing lifestyle preferences, and favorable government regulations and policies that support market growth. Additionally, rising investment in research and development and the expanding application scope of Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree across various industries further propel market expansion.

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market - Competitive and Segmentation Analysis:

Global Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market, By Product Type (With Sugar, No Added Sugar), Concentration (Liquid, Powder), Fruit Type (Lemon, Orange), Application (Food, Beverage), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, Poland, Denmark, Italy, U.K., France, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, South Africa, Rest of Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2031.

How do you determine the list of the key players included in the report?

With the aim of clearly revealing the competitive situation of the industry, we concretely analyze not only the leading enterprises that have a voice on a global scale, but also the regional small and medium-sized companies that play key roles and have plenty of potential growth.

Which are the top companies operating in the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market?

The major players covered in the citrus fruit concentrate puree market report are Symrise, Huiyuan Juice, Grunewald Fruchtsaft GmbH, Ingredion Incorporated, DENNICK FRUITSOURCE, LLC., CitroGlobe S.r.l., LemonConcentrate S.L., The Perfect Purée of Napa Valley, CANLA, S.C.A., Vita-Pakt Citrus Products, Greenwood Associates, Inc.,  Rahal Foods, PACIFIC COAST FRUIT PRODUCTS LTD., Nielsen Citrus Products, Bordas distillations Chinchurreta SA, and Ventura Coastal, LLC, among other domestic and global players.

Short Description About Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market:

The Global Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2024 and 2031. In 2023, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon.

North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which can not be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree. The market in North America is expected to grow considerably during the forecast period. The high adoption of advanced technology and the presence of large players in this region are likely to create ample growth opportunities for the market.

Europe also play important roles in global market, with a magnificent growth in CAGR During the Forecast period 2024-2031.

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market size is projected to reach Multimillion USD by 2031, In comparison to 2024, at unexpected CAGR during 2024-2031.

Despite the presence of intense competition, due to the global recovery trend is clear, investors are still optimistic about this area, and it will still be more new investments entering the field in the future.

This report focuses on the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.

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What are your main data sources?

Both Primary and Secondary data sources are being used while compiling the report. Primary sources include extensive interviews of key opinion leaders and industry experts (such as experienced front-line staff, directors, CEOs, and marketing executives), downstream distributors, as well as end-users. Secondary sources include the research of the annual and financial reports of the top companies, public files, new journals, etc. We also cooperate with some third-party databases.

Geographically, the detailed analysis of consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate, historical data and forecast (2024-2031) of the following regions are covered in Chapters

What are the key regions in the global Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market?

North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)

Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)

This Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market Research/Analysis Report Contains Answers to your following Questions

What are the global trends in the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market?

Would the market witness an increase or decline in the demand in the coming years?

What is the estimated demand for different types of products in Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree?

What are the upcoming industry applications and trends for Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market?

What Are Projections of Global Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Industry Considering Capacity, Production and Production Value? What Will Be the Estimation of Cost and Profit? What Will Be Market Share, Supply and Consumption? What about Import and Export?

Where will the strategic developments take the industry in the mid to long-term?

What are the factors contributing to the final price of Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree?

What are the raw materials used for Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree manufacturing?

How big is the opportunity for the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market?

How will the increasing adoption of Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree for mining impact the growth rate of the overall market?

How much is the global Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market worth? What was the value of the market In 2020?

Who are the major players operating in the Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree market? Which companies are the front runners?

Which are the recent industry trends that can be implemented to generate additional revenue streams?

What Should Be Entry Strategies, Countermeasures to Economic Impact, and Marketing Channels for Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Industry?

Customization of the Report

Can I modify the scope of the report and customize it to suit my requirements? Yes. Customized requirements of multi-dimensional, deep-level and high-quality can help our customers precisely grasp market opportunities, effortlessly confront market challenges, properly formulate market strategies and act promptly, thus to win them sufficient time and space for market competition.

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Detailed TOC of Global Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market Insights and Forecast to 2031

Introduction

Market Segmentation

Executive Summary

Premium Insights

Market Overview

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market By Type

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market By Function

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market By Material

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market By End User

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market By Region

Citrus Fruit Concentrate Puree Market: Company Landscape

SWOT Analysis

Company Profiles

Continued...

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[mohankunmars]

Global Fruit Concentrate Puree Market - Forecast(2022 - 2027)

View more @ https://www.industryarc.com/Research/Global-Fruit-Concentrate-Puree-Market-Research-513350

Fruit concentrate puree delivers the authentic fruit flavor to the targeted population. The vacuum process is adopted to clear the water from the pulp, and thereby the resultant contains high-quality puree concentrate.

[dedicateyourheartt]

stay in bed. (zayne x reader)

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ a lot of fluff, quite short. enjoy <3 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

Y/N had never been much of a morning person, in fact, she hated mornings. The sound of her alarm waking her from her deep slumber was worse than any nightmare. She ignored her alarms often, let them ring on and on until they eventually faded into the background.

Unfortunately, she had met Zayne. Her wonderful boyfriend of two years who unlike her, loved alarms. He loved schedules, loved waking up early before his shifts as a doctor began. It was their schedule, he would wake her up despite her insistent protests, drag her to get ready, and then make sure she was out the door before he left as well.

But today was off. She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust her eyes to the light. Her alarm was blaring on the nightstand beside her bed. She grabbed it, the small screen showing the time as 8 am. Her brows contorted in confusion as she turned to see Zayne asleep beside her. Had he ignored the alarms? Or had he been too tired to even hear them?

"Zayne," Y/N whispered, gently shaking him.

But he didn't budge, soft snores leaving his lips as his eyes remained shut. She rested her chin on his chest, tapping his cheek as she watched his sleeping face.

It was rare for her to see him asleep. Sometimes his shifts would run so late she was asleep before he arrived home. Other times, he would stay up reading medical journals, far past the time when she was already in a deep slumber.

She couldn't help the smile that spread on her lips. He looked so...serene. The brows that were usually furrowed in concentration were relaxed, his lips parted as soft breaths left them, his eyelashes resting against his cheek.

He stirred in his sleep, his eyes slowly fluttering open as they met hers. She just smiled wider, still resting against his chest.

"Is it a habit of yours to watch me sleep like a creep?" He asked, his voice raspy from sleep.

"I rarely get to enjoy the view," Y/N grinned, "it's late, aren't you running late for work?"

Zayne sat up, clearing his throat and shaking his head, "I asked for the day off, it's your day off too isn't it? Didn't you mention wanting to visit that farmers market where they sold fresh pomegranates?"

There was a soft pink color spreading on his cheeks as he spoke. They had been dating for two years now, but his timidness surrounding romance or dates never faded away. She had always found it cute.

"You asked for the day off to spend it together?" She sat up, unable to hide the giddiness in her voice.

"Yes, who else will help you pick out the best fruit?" He tried to sound nonchalant, but the ghost of a smile appeared on his face.

"Right, then we'll visit the farmer's market today," She laughed, pulling him down with her as she laid back in bed, "right after we lay in bed for a few more minutes."

She felt his body shake with a soft laugh as he held her in his arms, stroking her hair, "Alright, just for a while longer."

[rainylana]

“Still alive?”

Eddie Munson x female reader

summary: a relaxing day at home and eddie wants to play.

warnings: smut, language, mentions of spanking, reader calls herself fat, rough sex.

There was something so sexy about watching you paint. Maybe it was how your face scrunched up in concentration. Maybe it was how cute you looked, hair put up and comfy clothes with old paint stains. It was a hot day, so it was spent inside for the both of you. Eddie had lounged on the couch all day watching movies, a cold beer in his hand. When you broke out your canvas and paints, he didn’t pay much more attention to the film on screen. He watched as the white board turned into a bowl of fruit. First it was grapes, then a red apple, then a pear. Now you were working on a pineapple, halfway down with the green and brown spikey stems.

You looked adorable. Little grey, snug shorts just cut at the curve of your backside, black crop top covered in colored paint stains. Your paintbrush end was in your mouth, your eyes into slits as you thought about your painting. You always criticized your work. He didn’t understand why. You were extremely creative. You’d entered into the local fair and won awards almost every year. You liked your paintings to tell a story, is what you always told Eddie.

The polaroid camera sat on the coffee table beside him, and he quietly reached over and brought it to eye level, clicking the button as the room quickly flashed. You jumped at the noise. “Hey,” You looked back with a smile. “I look a mess!”

“You look beautiful.” He corrected for you, setting the camera back down as he held the polaroid. “I’ve been watching you for hours now. I don’t know what the hell I’m even watching now.”

“Friday the 13th chapter 2.” You laughed, turning back to your painting. “I wondered why I felt eyes at the back of my head. Thought maybe we had a ghost.”

“Oh, no.” He shook the picture. “So scary.”

He groaned loudly as he sat up from the couch, glancing at the tv as Jason sliced someone up with his machete, and happily trotted over to you. “Look how pretty.” He swung his arms around your neck, bending down to show you the picture with a cheesy smile.

“God, I look fat.” You cringed. “I’m slouched over. Throw that shit away.” You waved your hand so you wouldn’t have to see it.

“Fat?” He said incredulously. “It’s amazing how you can turn my compliments into insults. You’re too harsh on yourself, babe.” He put the picture in his back pocket, clapping your shoulder. “So, tell me what the story is with this beautiful bowl of fruit.”

“Farmers market opens next week.” You touched up your stem on the pineapple. “Thought maybe they’d like to hang this up by the register.”

“That’s nice of you.” He smiled, admiring the bright colors. “Joyce get hired there?”

“Mhm.” You hummed. “Starts opening day. I think Nancy wants to get a job there too.” You tilted your neck to the side as he kissed it lovingly under your ear.

“Mhm.” His vibrations warmed your neck.

You smiled, dipping your brush in yellow paint. “You’re gonna mess me up, Eddie.”

He dipped down to your shoulder, pulling down your tank top strap to kiss the exposed skin. “Don’t let me distract you, babydoll. Just lovin’ on what’s mine.”

“What’s yours?” You raised a brow in amusement.

He hummed back in response and you could feel his smile on your skin. “Eddie,” You rolled your head back. “I’ve got to finish this by tomorrow.”

“Come on, play with me.” He came up to kiss your cheek, making your smirk. “I’m tired of watching movies.”

You rolled your eyes and put down your paintbrush. “Fine,” You dramatized. “You want your dick sucked?”

“You make having sex with me sound like a chore,” He scoffed, pushing his curls out of his face. “I’m so touched.”

You chuckled and grabbed at his shirt. “Shut up.” You pressed your lips against his, standing on your tipy-toes. Wrapping your arms around his neck, he slowly walked you the both back to the couch. When the backs of his knees hit the couch he laid down, pulling you on top of him.

You kissed him slowly and lovingly, noses rubbing together, little sounds mixing with the violence on the tv screen. Your bare legs rubbed against his jeans, a little warmth growing in your belly of contentment. “Am I boring you?” He cupped the back of your neck, lightly pulling at your hair.

“A little.” You challenged, grinding your clothed body against his own. You whimpered when his large hand cupped the space between your legs, adding pressure in just the right spot.

“There she is.” He smirked slightly, looking up at you with hooded eyes. “See, if I was boring you, angel, you wouldn’t make that pretty sound, now would you?”

“More.” You breathed, leaning into his opposite hand he had on your face, your pussy pounding in the palm of his other.

“I don’t know,” He tsked, petting your face. “You were getting a little too mouthy for my liking, sweetheart. Maybe I should spank that bad attitude out of you, huh? Maybe I shouldn’t let you come.” He rubbed his hand against your shorts, his dirty words making you throb desperately. 

“Please,” You begged, fluttering your eyes. “I want to come so bad. I’m sorry for being bad.” You could feel how hard he was against your bare thigh, and you reached out to palm his erection just like what he was doing with you.

He stiffened with a small groan. “Fuck. You’re a fuckin’ wet little thing, aren’t ya’?”

You nodded quickly, reconnecting your lips together in a quick tangle, rocking your bodies together like the ocean currents against the sand. You tumbled together, furiously removing articles of pesky clothing until your naked bodies were on display. Your wet arousal shined between your thighs, his hard cock resting against your slit as you tongue danced with him.

He sat up and twisted you around so he could be on top, leaning down to kiss you hard, dark curls falling down like a curtain. “Put your legs on my shoulders.”

You blushed deeply at the demand, obeying his words as you did so. You whimpered when he looked down at your push, aligning the tip of his thick cock. “Beg me for it.” He pushed out a husky breath.

You groaned and rolled your head to the side, arching your back for me. “Please,”

He rubbed himself up and down, circling your clit that send electric shock waves into your body, making you shake. “More.”

“Please, please, Eddie,” You had tears in your eyes. “I want your cock so fucking bad, please- oh,” He pushed himself in, the both of you simultaneously moaning. He thrusted in, bottoming out, his balls against the curvature of your backside.

He grabbed your hands and put them above your head, holding them there tightly as he began pounding into you. You’d never done it in this position before, not with your legs like this. It only made it more exciting for you. “Fuck, fuck, fuck” You cried, panting heavily as tears leaked from the corners of your eyes. He looked down to his cock thrusting in and out of your pussy, your arousal making him glisten. He grunted, the weight of his thrusts making the couch squeak across the floor.

“Oh, god!” You sobbed, trying to move your hands. “Right there! Just like that, please don’t stop!” Your praises only made him go harder, your legs still dangling on his shoulders. He fucked you hard and deep, his cock abusing your g spot. You knew you wouldn’t be able to walk after this.

Your orgasm brewed in your stomach, your legs shaking from how cruel he was with you. You loved it in every way. “Gonna be my good girl again?” His words came out shaky, still domineering.

“Mhm, yes!” You mewled, arching your back. “Oh, god, you feel so good, give it to me, give it to me-” You chanted, your clit rubbing against his pubic bone.

“Fuck,” His stomach warmed and the ball inside was tight, coming down to kiss your lips. He let go of one of your hands to slap your clit, making you squeal. “Bad girl.” He trembled, his thrusts becoming sloppy. “Been a bad- shit, bad little girl,”

“I’m close.” You cried, singing whimpers of songs that made him climb the ladder to release. “Almost, almost,”

Both of you came simultaneously, you sobbed and whimpered with you, his hips moving slower, but deep to ride through the release. He collapsed on top of you, his softening cock still inside of you. Your vision was blurry, your legs falling off his shoulders. Your breathing was erratic like you had been punched in the gut.

He gave you a wet kiss on the side of your neck, a tired graze of his lips that tickled. “Still alive?”

You chuckled, holding out a thumbs up to him.

[after-witch]

Peaches [Yandere Mahito x Reader]

Title: Peaches [Yandere Mahito x Reader]

Synopsis: You smell like Peaches. Mahito thinks about it.

Word Count: 860

notes: yandere, discussions of dead bodies in a bit of detail, threats of harm, just a lil mahito something something in honor of tomorrow <3

You smell like peaches. 

He knows this now. But he didn’t always know what the scent that clung to your skin was actually called. It was knowledge duly gained by following his nose one day, having caught a scent on the wind that reminded him of you, although he knew it wasn’t actually you. 

Because the real you--the soul surrounded by flesh and blood--were currently holed up in the office building where you worked, stupid thing that you were, wasting your hours and energy on something entirely useless. 

But that windy breeze smelled like you, and that’s why he followed it on two feet, humming, until he wandered into some kind of open air market where baskets were bursting with all sorts of fruits and vegetables. He smelled them all, licking a few, taking bites when he felt like it, until he found the right one. 

It had yellowish-orange flesh, and it was soft, fuzzy. He took a bite and the juice ran down his chin, but the smell was stronger and that was particularly nice. The sign in front of the basket read: Peaches.

Ah, then.

A peach. 

That’s what you smelled like. 

Your scent was a bit different, though, if he got technical about it. You didn’t smell exactly like this real peach, all fresh fuzz and sticky bright juice. The way you smell is more… rich, low, consistent. Overripe. A peach amplified and concentrated.

Artificial.

That was how humans described such notions, wasn’t it? It must be perfume, or shampoo, or something else that humans rub on themselves to smell different. 

You, evidently, wanted to smell like peaches.

He couldn’t blame you. It was a nice smell, without considering personal taste. Pleasant and fresh. He supposed a lot of humans liked to smell that way. He didn’t mind dampness or decay, the low sweet rot of it was quite pleasant to him. Humans, on the other hand, tried to cover up any stench they could. Sprays for their bathroom, sprays for their skin, sprays for their hair, hastily emptying corpses of everything that made them bloat deliciously and spew out secretions and replacing it with sterile chemicals. 

Not that you were trying to cover up any such odor, corpse-like or not. He’s watched you in the bathroom on most mornings, scrubbing every bit of the human body that liked to produce a smell if left untouched. Your armpits, your back, that awfully special area between your legs. So that there was no trace of your natural scent about you by the time you were done, no chance that someone might walk by you and turn up their nose.

No matter what you smell like, though, your soul remains the same.

Souls have no particular smell, unless they are corrupt enough. Humans are truly pathetic for not knowing this fact. A corrupt soul is a bit like a dead body, he supposes, if he had to compare their scent to something else. Thrumming with rot, like decaying flesh moving with maggots. 

Your soul is not so corrupt. He would’ve gotten a whiff of it, if it was. Oh, but make no mistake: it’s not pure either. He’s seen the way it wavers, the darkened shimmers when you’re standing at a traffic light (sometimes he thinks about shoving someone into traffic, to see what will happen, what you’ll do) or when your boss is berating you for some nonsensical human failures (what might you do, if he snapped your boss’s neck here and now, in front of you?)--the curses that slither their way out of you are dark and low, stodgy little things borne out of feelings you try to stamp down.

That was the beautiful thing about curses. They were humanity, untethered. Just one reason why they were superior. 

That doesn’t mean he can’t want to play with humans, though. He’s never had a toy he wanted to keep around for so long, but there’s something about you. Something that keeps him just far enough away to avoid detection, on the off chance that you could see him. Sometimes he wonders, with the way your eyes dart around on the street, with the way you pause over something he’s moved in your apartment. Do you spot him in a crowd, and see that he’s different? Can you feel his presence, when he’s on the other side of the door, listening to you sing off-key while you shower?

Your soul shimmers then, too. 

He longs to touch it, to root around and see exactly what makes you angry, what makes you hate, what spots of mold might be hiding underneath that peach perfume. 

How long would you smell like peaches, if he dragged you to the damp tunnel where he lives? Would it linger on your skin like a memory? Or would it fade and fade and fade until there was nothing left but the sour, damp water of his sewer? 

Maybe he’ll talk to you tomorrow. Sprawl out on your couch when you come home, and find out if you can see him. 

After all, he can do whatever he wants. That’s what life is all about, isn’t it?

[probablyasocialecologist]

While the agricultural revolution based on the Norfolk four-course system significantly increased the production of wheat, peasants lost access to common lands and forests, where they used to raise pigs with acorns, collect mushrooms, woods and fruits, and catch birds. Living in the countryside, they also had access to the river to catch fish and for fresh water. Now driven into the city, they almost completely lost access to such natural wealth and could consume much less meat. Even if they remained in the countryside, their previous daily activities in the commons were now criminalized as acts of trespass and theft. Furthermore, enclosure concentrated lands in the hands of fewer capitalist farmers. As they hired peasants only during the busy season and fired them thereafter, the farming villages disappeared, and the small vegetable gardens maintained by the villagers ceased to provide fresh vegetables for their dinner tables. As it was no longer clear by whom and how the vegetables sold in the market were grown – they might, for example, be smeared with excreta of cattle and poultry – they became inedible without cooking, and fresh salads disappeared from the menu.

In addition, all family members had to work in the factories to make a living in the city. The loss of access to the commons significantly increased the financial burden on households because now they had to buy their means of subsistence from the market. They began working in factories from an early age, so children were not able to attend school. They could not acquire basic cooking skills at home or during the festivals and ceremonies of the farming villages, where they were served free and luxurious meals. Even if they acquired and maintained some cooking skills, working-class families in the city were no longer able to buy expensive meat and other ingredients but only the cheap potatoes that were sold on the street. Consequently, the traditional English recipes based on ingredients available to the rural villages became useless for working-class families living in the large cities.

Kohei Saito, Marx in the Anthropocene: Towards the Idea of Degrowth Communism

[pinkydevil16]

hii hope you’re having a good day or night! was wondering if you could do tomoe x fem or gn reader with anxiety? maybe she’s a land god like nanami and he’s her familiar :0

you got it!

"What are you doing?" Tomoe shouted as he slammed open the door to Y/n's room, his ears twitching in anger as he huffed. Y/n couldn't stop shaking as she held her head in her hands, her shoes thrown across the room as she counted her breathing. In and out, three seconds on, six seconds out, feeling the wood beneath her feet. How each of her toes felt against the surface of the ground, how her hair felt between her fingers. She tried to concentrate as much as she could, her mind racing and heart beating so fast she could feel it in her head. "Y/n?" Tomoe's voice was softer as he looked at her confused, he could hear her heart beating and see the sweat collecting all over her body. His tail twitched in concern as she shook her head, voice soft and shakey.

"I need a minute to myself Tomoe." Y/n dug her nails into her skull as if she could scratch the anxiety out of her brain, Tomoe scowling as he watched her closely. "Please Tomoe. I need you to leave." Y/n looked up at Tomoe with watery eyes, he could see the stress across her face and she looked like she was a second away from falling onto the ground and not getting back up. Stepping closer he crouched beside her, her eyes full of worry as he slowly took her hand and placed his fingers on her pulse. Y/n furrowed her eyebrows as she watched him, her body still shaking and now her leg began to bounce with more anxiety. She didn't know why Tomoe being so silent made her more anxious, she felt calmer with him touching her and yet she felt more anxious that he was going to call her silly.

"Your heart is beating too fast, i will help you slow it down." Y/n's eyes widened as she suddenly found herself laid down on the futon, her head resting in Tomoe's lap and his tail curled around her chest. She felt her body stop shaking as she tried to comprehend what happened but didn't have time before she felt Tomoe's fingers rake through her hair.

"Close your eyes." Y/n instantly followed his orders as she began playing with her hands, his claws lightly scrapping her head in a soothing way as she felt his tail tickle her arms. She tried to concentrate on her breathing but her mind wouldn't stop, she could feel herself spiralling again, hands now picking at her nails before Tomoe's other hand pulled one of them free.

"I was thinking of cooking Soba this evening, what do you think?" Y/n shrugged as she felt his hands begin to braid her hair, the hand Tomoe had pulled away now laid next to her but she didn't move it.

"How was school?" Y/n shrugged again as she gulped, her breathing beginning to quicken as she thought about the horrible day, Tomoe noticing as he ran his fingers through the base of her head to relax her.

"Onigiri found a butterfly today and tried to catch it for you, he said you would love the patterns." Y/n smiled slightly as she listened to Tomoe, his eyes concentrating on her chest as her breathing began to slow once more.

"We should go to the market on saturday, they have lovely fruit and veg that you would enjoy. I could teach you how to make that soup you love." Y/n nodded as she felt her body slump against Tomoe's lap, her mind calming down and switching off. Tomoe continued talking softly until he watched her chest steadily rise and fall, lifting her off his lap and placing her on her pillow as she slept soundly.

Now to find what had hurt his Mistress.

[goodstuffhappenedtoday]

Millions of U.S. apples were almost left to rot. Now, they'll go to hungry families

NOVEMBER 27, 2023 By Alan Jinich

It's getting late in the harvest season in Berkeley County, West Virginia and Carla Kitchen's team is in the process of hand-picking nearly half a million pounds of apples. In a normal year, Kitchen would sell to processors like Andros that make applesauce, concentrate, and other products. But this year they turned her away. ... Across the country, growers were left without a market. Due to an oversupply carried over from last year's harvest, growers were faced with a game-time economic decision: Should they pay the labor to harvest, crossing their fingers for a buyer to come along, or simply leave the apples to rot?

Bumper crops, export declines and the weather have contributed to the apple crisis

... While many growers in neighboring states like Maryland and Virginia left their apples to drop. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia was able to convince the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to pay for the apples produced by growers in his state, which only makes up 1% of the national market.

A relief program in West Virginia donated its surplus apples to hunger-fighting charities

This apple relief program, covered under Section 32 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935, purchased $10 million worth of apples from a dozen West Virginia growers. Those apples were then donated to hunger-fighting charities across the country from South Carolina and Michigan all the way out to The Navajo Nation.

Mike Meyer, head of advocacy at The Farmlink Project, says it's the largest food rescue they've ever done and they hope it can serve as a model for their future missions. "There's over 100 billion pounds of produce waste in this country every year; we only need seven billion to drive food insecurity to zero," Meyer says. "We're very happy to have this opportunity. We get to support farmers, we get to fight hunger with an apple. It's one of the most nutritional items we can get into the hands of the food insecure."

At Timber Ridge Fruit Farm in Virginia, owners Cordell and Kim Watt watch a truck from The Farmlink Project load up on their apples before driving out to a food pantry in Bethesda, Md. Despite being headquartered in Virginia, Timber Ridge was able to participate in the apple rescue since they own orchards in West Virginia as well. Cordell is a third-generation grower here and he says they've never had to deal with a surplus this large.

At the So What Else food pantry in Bethesda, Md., apple pallets from Timber Ridge fill the warehouse up to the ceiling. Emanuel Ibanez and other volunteers are picking through the crates, bagging fresh apples into family-sized loads. "I'm just bewildered," Ibanez says. "We have a warehouse full of apples and I can barely walk through it." "People in need got nutritious food out of this program. And that's the most important thing" Executive director Megan Joe says this is the largest shipment of produce they've ever distributed – 10 truckloads over the span of three weeks. The food pantry typically serves 6,000 families, but this shipment has reached a much wider circle. "My coworkers are like, 'Megan, do we really need this many?' And I'm like, yes!" Joe says. "The growing prices in the grocery stores are really tough for a lot of families. And it's honestly gotten worse since COVID."

"It's the first time we've done this type of program, but we believe it can set the stage for the region," Kent Leonhardt, West Virginia's commissioner of agriculture says. "People in need got nutritious food out of this program. And that's the most important thing." Following West Virginia's rescue program, the USDA announced an additional $100 million purchase to relieve the apple surplus in other states around the country. This is the largest government buy of apples and apple products to date. But with the harvest window coming to an end, many growers have already left their apples to drop and rot.

[palabraasinnecesarias]

secret kisses ao3 | ff.net ship: ranma/akane words: 1,625 Ranma and Akane would steal kisses at every chance they got, secretly behind closed doors...usually. They hadn’t known how it began happening, but once it started it was hard to stop.  

Akane had just reached the bathroom’s door when a gentle squeeze at her wrist pulled her away too easily. She yelped at the sudden movement, her body twirling to land perfectly onto Ranma’s chest, as her eyes widen when she felt his soft mouth press itself against hers. She couldn’t help but allow her lips to widen into a dopey grin, feeling the way his hands snaked themselves against the small of her back to pull her in further.  

The young woman indulged effortlessly, relishing at the way he continued to pepper a number of kisses, her brain losing its trail of thought. Even after he pulled away, taking her a moment to readjust her mind and shake herself awake, remembering where they were. Still, his arms continued to stay hooked around her body, his face centimeters from hers as he whispered, “Morning, tomboy.”  

She huffed a chuckle, nervously looking behind her as she smiled bashfully, warning, “We’re gonna get caught, idiot.”  

He shrugged his shoulders, seemingly not caring of such consequences, his rather bold smirk tangling her insides. He was so handsome, his chiseled jaw now rubbing itself against her cheek before kissing her temple, and she could feel her feeble stance betray her completely as her knees wobbled at her nervousness.  

It had been a few months of this taking place; Ranma and Akane would steal kisses at every chance they got, secretly behind closed doors...usually. They hadn’t known how it began happening, but once it started it was hard to stop. Ranma usually had the upper hand, as it was easier for him to sneak up on the shorter woman, planting one quickly and walking away just as fast before she could say anything.  

Although that morning, he lingered just a tad longer, wistful to her essence. And like always, he released his hold and began walking away, leaving her completely abashed before making her way into the bathroom for her morning shower.  

That afternoon, the duo had found themselves home alone, as their parents were having dinner with family friends and the eldest Tendo sisters had gone to the market, Nabiki only tagging along because the marketplace was nearby a clothing store promoting a store wide clearance, and she wanted to stroll the aisles in case something caught her eye.  

Akane usually tagged along, shopping being one of her favorite pastimes, but she needed to study for finals – considering they were in their last year of high school. She had brought her studying materials to the family room in hopes that her fiancé would want to tackle the books with her; of course, he didn’t. At first, Ranma got lost in a book, not paying any mind to Akane as she silently read her textbook and scribbled mindlessly on her journal.  

It wasn’t until he stepped away, going and coming back from the kitchen with some snacks Kasumi had premade before heading out after knowing Akane would be studying. He held a plate of diced fruit, munching on an apple slice as he noticed Akane’s concentrated face. She hovered over the kotatsu table, her eyebrows furrowed as she mindlessly chewed on her lower lip, and he could feel his entire body heat up.  

Without much thought, Ranma made his way towards her and set the plate on the table, offering her some. She glanced quickly at it and shook her head, murmuring, “No, thanks, Ranma,” under her breath as she continued to study. He grumbled, his face souring before breathing in deeply.  

“Really got your nose in that book, huh?” He muttered quietly, not thinking she’d actually hear him, or stop her study to look over at him.  

“This is what studying looks like,” she replied quite sarcastically, offering him a quizzical look as to where his attitude had come from. Did it bother him that she was studying in the family room?  

He took a seat next to her, rather closely she noticed, propping himself with his arms, leaning back as he looked at her. His light eyes seemed to bounce about her face before landing on her plumped lips, finding himself leaning forward to kiss her. He pulled away after a moment, his smile widening as he said, “And you look real cute doing that.”  

Akane could feel her entire face change color, her heart racing at an absurd speed, having to look away otherwise she’d melt into a puddle right there and then. “G-geez, Ran-Ranma,” Akane stuttered, looking back at the table in a sense of going back to her studies, but she knew that boat had sailed. Not when Ranma decided that he wanted to kiss her instead.  

“What?” He scoffed, leaning towards her with a suspicious stare, “you don’t wanna’ kiss me no more?”  

“I- that’s not what- uh,” and then he kissed her again, his hand having reached for her head as he tangled his fingers into her short strands of dark hair to pull her forward. She sighed merrily into his mouth, her large eyes easily fluttering themselves shut, shivers running through her entire body at the way Ranma’s lips caressed hers.  

His kiss was always soft and tender, warm with the rest of his skin. And he smelled so good, like soap and sandalwood. Yeah, she was done studying for the night.  

Ranma’s eyes widen as a new parfait glass was placed in front of her, her lips widen in pure bliss, unable to hide how much she enjoyed the dessert. She sat next to her fiancée, quickly digging into a new spoonful, glancing over to catch the now-taller woman watched her with an amused expression.  

“What?” Ranma asked, swallowing and finding himself get embarrassed at the way Akane’s soft smile never faltered, shaking her head as an answer.  

“Nothing,” she replied quietly, “you just seem to be enjoying your sweets.”  

Ranma was now blushing, not knowing exactly why. Still, she shrugged her shoulders, “What can I say? They serve a mean parfait here, I tell ya’.”  

“Yeah, I can tell. This is your third serving,” she chuckled endearingly, noticing the way her blemished cheeks only managed to deepen their shade of red. “You look cute eating your dessert,” Akane confessed, now resting her chin against her propped hands, her cheeks round at the way her smile lifted them high.  

She didn’t know what to say to that.  

Not expecting much, Ranma’s eyes widen when she felt Akane lean forward and softly press a chaste kiss on her lips. It lasted a moment before she pulled away, the tip of her tongue licking her lower lip as she said, “That strawberry flavor is strong.” And she couldn’t help herself but laughed a tad louder as Ranma’s crimson face almost camouflaged with her red, oversized mandarin top. Now she knew why he had so much fun catching her off guard.  

“Ak-Akane,” she whispered harshly, looking around seemingly paranoid, “we’re in public.”  

“Ranma,” Akane scoffed softly, “Shampoo and Ukyo hardly ever come to this ice cream shop,” she assured her with a wider grin. “I think it’s okay if we kiss a little.”  

Of course, they both knew that wasn’t what she meant by her statement. Still, Akane kissed her again, just as soft and just as long.  

Akane had walked in to see Ranma self-train with some katas, dressed in his own gi, finding that they were matching. She smiled softly at him, shamelessly walking over to him and taking a seat in front of him. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, admiring the way his skill was easily reflected in his performance.  

He stopped soon after, noticing she had sat and was watching him, admiring him. His ego was already past the roof, he couldn’t help but smirk knowingly at her, “Watching ain’t gonna help ya’ get as good as me.”  

“If you sparred with me once in a while, maybe I'd get better,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes.  

He walked over to her, crouching right in front of her, “Whaddya’ mean,” he retaliated, “I do spar with ya’.”  

“Nuh-uh,” she accused, “all you do is avoid my hits.”  

“I ain’t wanna hurt you, is all.”  

“I’m going to start avoiding all your kisses, so you can see what it feels like.”  

He grinned mischievously, “You can try.” His arms went to wrap themselves around her body, pulling her towards him, ready to plant one when she turned her head, chuckling under her breath.  

“Not until you spar with me,” she said.  

He was now pecking her entire face, her sounds of laughter and mirth loud and beautiful, and pleasing to his ears. “But you want to kiss me,” he accused, finding themselves with Ranma atop of her through all the wiggling and wobbling.  

She was breathing heavily, looking up at him, his dangling braid brushing her cheek. “Not anymore.”  

“Liar.”  

Akane shook her head, her teasing smile never leaving her face, “I am not.”  

Ranma quickly leaned down and kissed her, pulling away fast, “You like my kisses.”  

“Nope.”  

He kissed her again, “See?”  

She wrinkled her nose, “No, that’s not doing it for me, I’m afraid.”  

“What about...” And this time, Ranma’s mouth spread fuller, taking in Akane’s lips completely, his shut eyes not letting him catch the way her wide eyes twitch at how good it felt having him kiss her like that. His kiss was rough, full of passion each time he pulled away and angled his head to kiss her again and again. The pit of her stomach churned, and she shivered at the intensity of it all.  

After a long moment, Ranma pulled away, their heaving chest pressed against each other's as he said, “I told ya’.”  

[smokersbaby]

Smoker eats an aphrodisiac fruit

Request's text -> Captain Smoker gets hit by an aphrodisiac devil fruit but it takes awhile to take effect. But when it does let's just say breeding kink + degradation kink. 😩 This man has been my fever dream ever since he showed up in Loguetown. And post time skip Smoker? Now that's a fine piece of man. But yeah if I could request that for his bday and if you could leave my name out please? 👉👈

Thank you for your request! It was a bit difficult for me to write about degradation kink but I tried so I hope you enjoy it anyway even if it's not as much as you requested! This prompt was sooo good, I'm glad you requested me the aphrodisiac fruit since I've read fanfics about it but never with Smoker! This is the third and last fanfic about "Smoker's birthday event" I hope you enjoyed this little event!

Characters: Smoker TW: not proofread (hickeys, receiving oral sex, choking, praising kink, degradation kink, breeding kink, no protection used, creampie) Words count: 1,5k MINORS DNI

Gardening was a new thing to you, but you decided to give it a chance when you heard someone talking about a special fruit with an aphrodisiac effect: a strange man at the fruit and vegetables market sold you some seeds, he defined the fruit that should have grown from them having an "aphrodisiac" effect, so you decided to give those seeds a try. It's not like you and Smoker needed a boost on intimate moments, not at all, but you wanted to see if what you were told was true about this kind of fruit. One day, eventually, after weeks of cures towards the little plants, the fruits were grown and ready to be eaten: they looked like tomatoes, with a red and yellow fuzzy peel, and they seemed kinda juicy tough. The moment to harvest them had finally come. As you bring the fruits into the kitchen, you spot Smoker sitting at the dinner table, reading the marine's report. He greets you with a head movement, eyes fixed on the paper and mind concentrated on the daily news. You lean towards the sink to wash away the dirt from the fruits and to make them ready to eat. Little blueish leaves were still attached to the stem of the plant, you separate the fruits from it as you throw away the unedible parts. "What's that, love?" he asks you suddenly. You turn towards him, his brown eyes were now full of curiosity and fixed on you and the fuzzy fruits you were holding in your hands. Useless to say that you didn't want him to know what the effect of the fruit was, since you didn't want to conditionate his behaviour or to give him a chance to refuse to eat one. "It's a new kind of tomato I've found at the market, do you want to taste one?" you reply while handing him one fruit. "Sure…" he grabs one and starts squeezing it a little "It's softer than an actual tomato" Smoker seems quite hesitant but eventually bites it. You didn't waste a second to ask him how it tasted and if he was feeling different from the habit. His gaze showed a little bit of concern as you say so. "It's like an ordinary tomato. W-why should I feel different?" he questions. "No, it's nothing…" your face shows a bit of disappointment. Smoker grabs his marine's papers and starts reading again as if nothing happened. Maybe it needed more time to have its effect on him…? You decided to wait a little bit longer, staying in the kitchen and minding your own business, but controlling his behaviour changes now and then. He manages also to eat the whole fruit but after twenty… thirty minutes you notice nothing different about him. You lose all your hopes as an hour pass. Probably it was just a bizarre but normal fruit without any kind of power. And you got scammed: you've paid a lot for that seeds. The fruits you cleaned were still in the sink, you were red with anger and decided to throw them away in the garbage. You pick up all the fruits and bend over to the trash ready to throw out them. But something suddenly stops you from doing that. Your head turns slightly as you feel something grabbing your waist while you were bent over the can. Smoker was standing right behind you, his large hands on the dips of your waist and his hips rubbing against your butt. "S-Smoker…" you try to say, but he puts two of his fingers in your mouth to let you wet them.

This is happening so fast that you can't help but follow every move of his and satisfy his desires. Your tongue whirls around his two fingers, he pulls them out a second later just to stick his hand in your pants, pumping two fingers inside your core without hesitation as you are still completely dressed. A growling moan escapes your mouth, now you can feel his bulge against your butt as he fucks you with his thick fingers. "What did you do to me, love?" he whispers in your ear, his deep voice sending shivers of excitement all along your body. There's no need to reply to him since he acts so fast pulling down your trousers and panties and making you lay face down on the cold kitchen counter, your waist bent perfectly at his hips height. His face is now at your butt's height, Smoker wastes no time and starts eating you out while pounding again his fingers deep inside of you. His tongue manages to caress your slit so heavenly as if he's starving to make you cum all over his face. "You taste so good" he moans against your core as he sucks your cunt with his lips and tongue. His fingers curl inside of you reaching spots you never know you had and that makes you archer your back, losing your mind in pleasure. He pulls away from you for barely a second as you hear him unbelt his trousers and trowing every clothes he had on the ground. The tip of his cock rubs against your dripping slit, he places his hands over your waist and leans closer to you to whisper something in your ear. "Now, be a good girl and take it all for me" he sounds like he's praising you. In just one move Smoker trusts his thick cock inside your cunt, making it stretch heavenly to let him fuck you just as he desires.

You can't help but moan as you feel his length buried so deep inside of you, your gummy walls clenching around his cock as if you are begging for more. He feels how much you desire him at that moment. "My little slut… begging for my cock" he whispers with a grin on his face. Your eyes widen as you hear Smoker saying that, he has never said those things to you, the fruit affected him for sure. Hearing him saying such smutty things to you makes your body tremble in excitement, tough. You never expected to like such things. He grabs your butt and spanks it a little while trusting his length so slow and deep that makes you want to move your hips against his to let him fuck you faster. "You want more my little slut? Do you want me to breed you?" he says almost chuckling feeling you move your butt to feel him more. You can't say anything but moan in agreement, you'd let Smoker do anything as he's so wild right now. He leans his face closer to yours, you turn your head slightly thinking he's about to kiss you, but his lips start to lick and bite your neck to let you know how involved he is. His hand grabs softly your neck to choke you just right: that thing made you feel more excited than ever. His trusts become faster and faster, the tip of his cock hitting your cervix as if he wants to breed you with the biggest load he has. But Smoker is not selfish, even though he has lost his mind and has become like a wild animal due to the aphrodisiac fruit. His other hand goes down between your legs and starts to rub your clit in a circular motion while continuing to pound his thick cock as deep as he can. His breath becomes heavier, and you feel it against your neck since he won't stop biting it as he claims you as his. "S-smoker… I can't hold it anymore" you whisper to him as if you are praying for him not to hold back. "Beg for it," he says mercilessly with a grin, telling you to ask him what you want. "I beg you, Smoker, breed me" you beg him with a lewd voice. The way you asked him made something snap in Smoker's head, as he pulls you closer to him trusting his cock inside of your cunt without taking a breath and continuing rubbing your clit, ready to fill you up whole. You can't resist anymore, the way he touches you and fucks you so heavenly made your orgasm approach so suddenly that you almost didn't have time to tell him. Your moans and the way your gummy walls clenched around his length spoke for you, Smoker feels that you are cumming all over his cock and can't hold back his climax too. "Let me breed you now…" he growls against your ear as he releases probably the biggest load in his whole life inside of you. There's so much of it that starts leaking from the sides even without pulling out his cock. You can feel him pant after cumming inside of you. "Good girl… such a good girl" he whispers as he's still buried deep inside of you. You turn your head slightly to give him a wet kiss. After a couple of minutes of making out so sweetly, you try to move away thinking that moment was over. "Where are you going? I'm not done breeding you yet" he says with a deep voice pulling you closer to him, his cock has become hard-rock again. Smoker is ready to fuck the life out of you one more time. The effects of the aphrodisiac fruit would have lasted a long time.

[affordablepunk]

How to DIY energy drinks for cheap

First, required reading: link to article

Energy drinks have a few vital components:

>sweetener

>flavor

>water

>caffeine

>bubbles (i never do that and don't know how)

Here are some of my favorite things to use:

>granulated sugar (sweetener)

>stevia leaf or granulated artificial sweetener (sweetener)

>kool aid (flavor, sweetener)

>loose-leaf herbs (flavor) (try hibiscus petal, chicory, even lemongrass and mint can be nice)

>lemon juice (flavor, preservative)

>kool aid (easiest flavor/sweetener combo)

Supplies you might need:

>kettle or pot for heating water

>tea strainer ball to keep your leaves out of the final product

>a nice ragu jar or old Gatorade bottle for pre-made stuff

>funnel for pourin

>ladle for scooping liquid into the funnel

Kaffn-8 or any other such liquid caffeine product will do you for caffeine. That brand is super easy and convenient. Kaffn-8 is my favorite for the quality and ease in dosing, as well as the value (15 bucks has lasted me 2 months of daily use).

I like to make a sugar-flavor concentrate, then assemble each glass as I need it. Sugar tastes better when melted with heat than when dissolved without heat, even once chilled. This also allows me to tweak caffeine content. Here is how to make it:

Fill tea ball with herbs (use about a handful or 1/2 cup for every quart of water, you're making it strong)

Heat water and pop the tea ball in

Simmer or keep hot for 10 min

Remove tea ball and turn off heat

While hot, add as much sugar as you had herbs, and mix until melted.

Mix in as much lemon juice (or other assorted acid or preservative) as you can stand. The more preservative, the longer it'll keep

Allow to cool enough to handle

Jar it up, put it in the fridge for later use. You can and should re-use all manner of bottle, just be wary of melting anything plastic or burning your hands w hot water.

A note: the smaller your batches, the less you waste. But high concentrations of acid and sugar keep it good for up to a month in the fridge.

To use: mix water in a cup with your syrup, tweaking concentrations until it tastes good. Add caffeine, measuring your dose carefully.

Then, do bubble magic to add carbonation if you can do that. Maybe you found a soda stream somewhere. If you don't have bubbles, you'll just have to enjoy your energy drinks flat.

And, you're all done!

Now, where to get everything:

(Grow your own herbs if you are mega brave. Mints are nearly indestructible little plants.)

Lemon juice, dollar store. Quality is the same, you've just got to shake it up.

if its a foreign grocer, they likely have herbs cheap. If its a Mexican grocery, they 100% have the best herbs. (Aguasfrescas drink mixes are cheap and THE BOMB, and hibiscus flower always comes in mega bulk) .

Herbalist and spiritual shops have herbs too, and are likely to have tea balls. Branch out! Catnip has been my favorite oddball herb.

Farmers markets also have some (like three if you're lucky) herbs, and you may have to dry them yourself. Since it's punk to reach out to your community, ask around at the farmers market to see if you can get any herb or dried flavorant that's on your mind- small businesses love consumer feedback! You just might have to wait for the plant to grow, heh, but if you're friendly then you'll make friends. Some examples: ask the jam bottler for dried fruit peels, the farmer for mugwort

I get my artificial sweeteners on closeout, my stevia from herbal shops, and my sugar at Walmart (bite me, its cheap and I'm poor).

Kaffn-8 can only be found online, as far as I'm aware. I promise I'm not sponsored, just a grateful caffeine addict.

Do Google your herbs for drug interactions if you take meds. Healthline has good info on herbs. Dried grapefruit rind can mess with my psych meds, for example.

Again, be careful about caffeine. Always dose your caffeine. Having high levels of caffeine on tap is a bit of a big responsibility: I know I nearly bit the dirt from the all-you-can-eat espresso bar at my college. Immaturity could kill you, caffeine is a drug. Count doses, never go above 500 a day, try not to go more than 200 in the same hour.

Now take that money you've saved and give it to a charity to blow a very mean raspberry at nestle. Or, yknow, feed yourself. Its a tough world.

[wordy-little-witch]

ODA!!!!!! GIVE ME A GHOST POV OF ROGER AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!!!!!

Fr tho, Ghost Roger being a lil shit is a treat.

I can fuxking see Roger give Buggy the wiggly eyebrows on day when Crocodile and Mihawk are in the same room. (Maybe it was the first day those two subconsciously nicer to Buggy)

Coff coff ((They started to love the clown)) coff coff

Hell, Perona coming in with a letter to Mihawk from one of the spirits that asked for him specifically.

Mihawk: clown?

Buggy: hmn?

Mihawk: who is 'Ms.Rouge'?

Buggy : -choke-

Afterlife be dammed, she may have not raised Buggy, but Rouge loves him like her kin!

LITERALLY YES YOU GET ME

Also Roger just "eyy?? Eyyyy???????" Is fucking hysterical to me.

Buggy is blindsided when Crocodile drops off an extra cup of coffee at his desk, when Mihawk deposits a few snacks. He's pointedly not looking into Roger's Corner, something he has been doing for ages and will continue to do. It all comes to a head when someone offers Buggy a candy at a negotiation dinner and he's partway through unwrapping it when he hears three voices tell him to stop. Mihawk reaches out, Crocodile's sand whisks the little treat from his fingers to the other.

A quick glance reveals Roger still partially glaring at the other group but also giving considering glances to the quote unquote lieutenants.

Buggy is just confused.

"This brand is rather popular in the north blue," Mihawk remarks casually, turning the candy in his hand. He never once looks up from the wrapper - Buggy wonders what he's looking at or looking for. "They've been in business for decades now, despite the uproar some thirty one years ago."

The dealers avert their eyes, hesitant and stuttering timid agreements.

Mihawk continues. "Rather odd that they'd only list a partial ingredient list on their wares, wouldn't you think? They are marketed as a dynamic company, but their synthetic flavors are but mere facsimiles of the real deal - fakes built upon, more disgustingly, the lies they print on such foils." He flips the candy, dropping the little morsel onto a napkin so he can straighten the wrapping. "See, it even boasts to be free of common allergenic ingredients: peanut oil, dairy, fruit juices. That's the real ingenuity however."

Sharp golden eyes cut into the opposition.

"So long as a company is favored by those on high, they can skirt certain rules. They barely toe the line in the world government's book as is, but they are an infamous vendor in Marie Geoise. No peanut oil but still peanuts. No dairy, but traces of lactose. No fruit juices but concentrated extracts are certainly abundant. And all of their tropical lines contain a key ingredient. Did you know?"

Buggy very adamantly stomps down on the urge and need to blush and swoon as he watches Mihawk and Crocodile tear these people a new asshole over pineapple extract. Roger's approving nod and bouncing brows do NOT help the situation. Nor does Rouge's fond head pats and succinct "I approve, they're good for little bug."

Buggy is suffering.

<><><><><><><><><>

On the topic of Rouge, YEAH!!! She may have met Buggy after death, but she already loved him so much. She knew loving Roger meant stepping into an established family and she was very much okay with that! She knew Ace would have brothers and she would have step sons and not once did she hesitate. Roger was big, bold and loud - he loved with all he had and then some, even to disastrous results. She adored him. And she trusted him. He has a good sense of taste, after all.

So when she met Buggy the first time, she absolutely went into Mom Mode immediately. It was awkward and strange for a deal of time, and Buggy took a while to come around to her but Ms Rouge is his mom as much as Captain is his dad - it's a fact of life and he's long since lost the self consciousness of it all.

But hearing your boyfriend mention receiving a letter from your shared daughter who wrote it on behalf of your long dead mother, well.... weirder shit has happened but Buggy is a dramatic boy - it's his bit and he's committed to it.

Rouge's shovel talks are lowkey terrifying. She isn't as directly threatening as Roger. She's subtle, and observative, and she plots before springing her track. On that front, she may even be scarier than her husband.

And while she and Mihawk would absolutely get along well for their love of plants and gardening, they're equally likely to cross breed and make a lethal poison just because it "seemed interesting at the time".

((Bonus points of a semi related topic, sometimes Rouge sees so much of Roger in Buggy that she aches with it.

And sometimes Roger sees his wife in the movements and glint of his blue haired son's eyes.

Buggy's a product of both, for better or worse, and it's somehow incredible and horrible in equal measure))

[chainmailchalamet]

sugar high 🍒

synopsis: sugar daddy hs, always black n non-binary reader, established dynamic w/ some power play, possessive language, lil degradation, spit kink, mean dom(ish) hs, yktfv

Harry is…complex, by nature. He is a well curated structure of contradictions. He is a rockstar, an animal, a glossy beastly thing on stage. He glows under the spotlight, basking in all that concentrated attention with the air of a man who deserves every last drop. He is a hip roller, a tongue wagger, a dark eyed pretty boy dream. He’s sharp cut hips, tatted all over and wrapped up in glitter.

He is also a cream puff — that’s the version of him you met first, assisting a stylist on a Gucci suiting campaign. You’d steamed his double breasted coat, matched the ties to his green-glass eyes, buttoned him up all snug in his dress-shirt. And he’d blushed and dimpled his way through all of it. Told you that you didn’t have to do all that (“I kind of do, darling, it’s my job”), said please and thank you and stood where he was supposed to stand and made everyone laugh and look at him all fond because he was a professional sweetheart, an actual dream to work with. With the way he acted, you couldn’t tell he found you attractive until after the shoot wrapped and he walked up to you all bashful to ask for your number. It was the way he stated his intentions that got you, the way he said, soft and steady “anything you want, we can do anything you want as long as I can keep you company”.

He took you for squid ink pasta for the first date, because you’d never had it. He showed you how he liked his oysters (“a little lemon, just a squeeze..”) and how to tip them back into your mouth to taste them, and he watched the way your lips wrapped round the shell with a low heat gaze, kept his desire on the simmer like he didn’t want to scare him away. You let your inhibitions sink away into a glass of champagne, flirted with him in the same breath you talked his ear off about your job, about the books you were reading, about your vision for the future. He was so like you — the same raw ambition, the same comfort in the way you wore your skin that you’d both fought tooth and nail for, the same wicked tongue. You liked to make him blush, to tease him until he was giggling in faux offense (“it is not a whore house, it’s a family show, that’s the whole point!” “sir, at last show you sang the words “if you’re getting yourself wet for me”, and then rubbed your fingers together to demonstrate said wetness, those are the actions of a whore!”), until he let some of that babygirl cupcake act drop long enough to thumb some passion fruit sorbet from the corner of your lip and take it into his mouth, closing his eyes and groaning a little under his breath like you just tasted that good.

The second date was a flea market in the south of France. He prepared you with a simple instruction to pack light, and in response to your question about the cost of the train and accommodation and time off work he responded the same — kissed you on the temple and said “I’ll take care of all of it, you don’t have to worry about a thing, you can have anything you want, sweetheart”.

And then he did, took care of every detail — told your boss he was borrowing you for a shoot (“bring them back in one piece, styles, they’re one of our best” “mm, no promises”), got the both of you a private carriage so you could watch the grey London skyline fade away into lush fields of lavender, held your hand all the way, looked at you like you were the best view in sight, whisked you away to a cute little hostel where no one but the owners recognized him (the lady of the house absolutely fawned over him, called him strawberry boy, chided him for being gone for so long).

You used maybe two braincells that weekend — he made sure of that. Every whim, he tended to. If you wanted coffee, he went to the market and fetched you something freshly ground with notes of toffee and dark chocolate. If your stomach rumbled, he sat you down on the kitchen counter and fixed you lemon pasta, fed you dates by hand while the sauce settled, stole kisses in-between bites — cupped your face in his hands and licked into your mouth and said “feel so lucky, can’t believe your here, are you happy, what do you need, whatever you want, wanna give you everything…”.

You let him fuck you during that trip. After a dreamy morning picnicking with a jar of strawberry preserves and fresh bread and heavenly salted butter, and a whole day at the markets where he bought you a whole new wardrobe, gently insisting that he wanted to do this for you. “Harry, this is vintage alaïa, I don’t need that” you’d said. “You’re a stylist, sweetheart, might come in handy — and you’ve been eyeing it up since you saw it, at least try it on, yeah? See how you feel after”.

You’d tried it on, and it fit so perfect your mouth went a little dry — and his eyes on you, the way he smoothed his hands over your hips and told you that “you look so pretty, angel, prettiest fucking thing I ever saw” made you light-headed, running your thighs together in the dressing room. He liked doing that to you, putting you in pretty things, seeing you admire yourself. He bought you the alaïa, the cavalli handbag, a silk Gucci scarf — he was still polite, still your sweet thoughtful boy, but you could see through the cracks to what lay beneath that. The power he held over you, the obvious pleasure he took in being able to take care of you, showering you in nice things, the way he made you feel you didn’t have to think about anything when you were with him because he could do the thinking for you.

That’s the man that took you to bed. The one that told you to put your pretty new things away and wait for him in the bedroom while he tucked the groceries away. The one who met you with hungry eyes when he found you stripped down to your new chocolate brown agent provocateur set and kneeling on the bed and just clicked his tongue and asked you if he told you to do that. Tutted when you looked at him all confused and tried to explain yourself, shushed you and said (with the same quiet intensity as the first day he met you), “not your fault baby, didn’t have to think at all today, you’re just my pretty little doll, huh?”

that’s the Harry that felt every bit of your mouth with his fingers, pressed down on your tongue until you drooled a little and then made fun of you for it. The one that wouldn’t let you touch his dick until he worked you up so good that you thought you would cry, ran his tongue over the lace on your body, teased over every single sensitive inch of you until you were shaking and begging (“please, Harry please, just touch me, anything, anything” “look at you — pretty fucking mess for me, huh? wanna see you cry, baby, can’t give you my dick unless you ask real nice for me”).

He fucked you slow and deep with a hand wrapped around your neck, told you that one day he’d buy you something shiny to lay where his hand had been, but until then you’d just have to wear his fingers around your throat — told you that it was his favorite thing you’d tried on all day, called you his doll, his baby, his perfect little slut. “M’gonna give you everything you fucking want,” he said, licking the salt off your skin as it trailed down your cheek, pulling your head back to spit in your mouth and rub it into your tongue (“filthy thing, you like that? nuh-uh? you got real tight on me, baby, you must really like that”), rolling his hips and driving in hard until your eyes rolled back and you couldn’t even find your voice to beg him for more. “And you’re gonna let me, aren’t you? Not gonna fight me, are you baby? Just gonna let me take care of everything, I know what you need, daddy’s gonna give you fucking everything — that’s it, angel, just shut the fuck up and take it, you’re so good at that”.

He made you come like that, and then flipped you over, lifted your hips up and licked you out from the back, slapped you across the clit if you tried to run away from it, told you to “take it, don’t fucking run, gonna make a big mess aren’t you, show me, fuckin’ show me, that’s so good, you’re so good”, and then fucked you like that — pushed your face into the mattress and laid into you until you did make a mess, till you were drooling with it.

He was back in full sweetheart mode when he was done with you — ran you a bath and toweled you dry and held you in his arms till you fell asleep, kissed your head and said “thank you, baby, did so good for me, gave me everything I’ll ever need”. He was complex like that — a menace, an angel, a demon, a fucking fairytale prince. And you were lucky enough that you got to see every inch of it, bask in the flow of it.

[mayhem-neverending]

The Big Bad Wolf

Part XIX

Word Count: 3460

Warnings: Mentions of childbirth (nothing graphic), sexual tones

Note: Not sure how I feel about this one, but here we are.

Obito slept a good majority of the next day. He would wake intermittently, always to find himself back in dreamland before he could roll himself out of bed. It didn’t matter much that he slept, not when you had two days off post-mission. That, and he was in need of groceries, which he wasn’t able to get himself, so when he did finally drag himself from his warm covers, he only sat and ate a few pieces of cheese and crackers before returning to his slumber. 

He woke early the next morning. His limbs were sore from sleeping curled into a ball, but he was otherwise well-rested. He stared out of his window at the weak winter light that struggled to rise above the horizon. He watched it for a while, time passing without his notice as his coherent mind returned to him. 

Eventually, he braved slipping from his warm covers and out into the cold air that permeated his home. He shivered in his thick sweater and sweatpants and padded out into the living room to start a fire. He settled the wood appropriately, and used a fire katon to easily light it. He absently rubbed his wrist where the chakra-dampening bracelets had been. 

He pulled the quilt he made from the basket next to the couch and threw it over his shoulders while he perused the growing number of books on his shelf. He liked that you never asked for the books you lent back. He liked to page through his favorite parts when you would go home and pretend you were nestled down beside him, ready to listen to whatever he found so interesting in the pages. His imagination was even more vivid now that he had truly experienced your calming warmth against him.

It occurred to him that he might enjoy your company more than he would like to admit - a lot more. The thought made him uncomfortable, though the truth of it was undeniable. He shook his head like he was physically dislodging the thought. He would return to examine it another time, he promised himself.

He selected a book that he had only gotten a page or two into and found his way to the couch where he plopped down and made himself comfortable. He read a few pages before stopping when he couldn’t find it in himself to fully concentrate. The fire made the usual noises: a crack here, a pop there. 

He had a sense of unease. He shifted under his quilt and strained to hear anything that would reveal the cause. The house creaked as it shifted, a bird tweeted here and there, the wind was fairly still, but not threateningly so. It was mostly just… quiet.

It didn’t take him long to realize that was precisely the problem. He was in solitude once again. His eyes scanned the still very bare room, then landed on the book in his hand. He sighed, and sat it on the floor next to the couch. It occurred to him that he should be grateful. The silence wasn’t loud, not like when you first started coming around. Being only uneasy was progress - profound progress if he really considered it. 

Unfortunately, that thought didn’t make his discomfort dissipate. He stood, keeping his blanket securely around him, and went back to his room. It would be easier to pass his time asleep until seeing you again.  

…

On your first day off, you stayed home with Hikaru except to visit the market after purging your fridge of half rotten fruit and vegetables. The shop owners were happy to see you, and kept you in a loop of small talk all morning. You let Hikaru pick out some of your food and even let him carry a small bag with a pastry he had picked out on the way home. 

You made a lovely meal for the two of you, and enjoyed a quiet day together. The second day, you took Hikaru to daycare mid-morning, opting to sleep in with him and enjoy a hearty breakfast beforehand. 

The day was rather mild for winter, the snow starting to melt under the bright sun. You swung your arms as you walked, enjoying the little bit of heat the sun managed to grace you with when the breeze stilled. You had a backpack with leftovers and Hikaru’s old baby clothes for Hina. It bounced against your back with each step. 

The small safehouse came into view soon after you ducked into the trees. You walked through the warding easily and right up to the front door. You knocked once and waited.

Genma opened it with that lazy smile of his, though you noted the absent senbon. “Good morning,”

“Good morning,” you answered as you passed him.

“She’s in the bath. Said she wasn’t feeling good,” he said as he closed the door.

“Thanks,”

You went into the kitchen and busied yourself with putting the leftovers in her fridge. It was fairly empty, you noticed. There were a few takeout containers and a couple condiments, but nothing of substance. You frowned, already making a list in your head of things she would need.

“Make enough for me, too?” Genma asked from behind you. 

You straightened from your bend and glanced at him and his relaxed stance. “Seeing as you haven’t been feeding her well, I’ll have to say ‘no’ to that one,”

He pouted dramatically. “Aw, c’mon, I’m not even in charge of that,”

You opened your mouth to reproach him.

“Genma?!” A frantic shout sounded from around the corner. 

You hurried ahead of him to find Hina barely covered in her towel, completely sopping wet outside of the entrance of the bathroom. The panic covering her face morphed into relief, and then back to panic upon seeing you. 

“Thank Kami you’re here!”

“What’s wrong? Are you alright?” You checked her over visually.

“I think the baby’s coming,” 

Your widened eyes met hers and you paused at the way she was looking back at you. “..You think or you know?”

“I know,”

“We need to get you to the hospital,” you said, trying to turn her towards the bedroom to get some clothes on her.

“I don’t.. I don’t think there’s time,” she groaned, her face scrunching up.

You looked at her with even wider eyes and then it clicked. If she told Genma she wasn’t feeling good, then… “How long have you been having contractions?”

She breathed in deeply and tried to speak through her obvious pain. “I.. since the middle of the night, I think. I didn’t want to worry anybody…”

You glanced over your shoulder at Genma, who wasn’t doing a good job at looking like he wasn’t horrified at the situation. You looked back at her standing there, her legs beginning to shake. Grabbing a hold of her arm and putting it over your shoulder, you barked at Genma, “Call Sakura, I’m going to have her lay down in the bedroom,”

You helped her up on the bed, her eyes following your every movement. Tears sprung up and she sniffled. You pushed her wet hair away from her pretty face and shushed her with a small smile, excitement for the impending birth sparking inside you as some of the panic subsided. You could handle this; both of you could. 

“Are you ready for this?” 

She shook her head, tears sliding down her cheeks. Her face scrunched up again in pain and she groaned. 

“I’m right here,” you said supportively.

“I know,” she whispered, hiccuping.

“Tell me what you need,” you said gently, her hand in yours.

Her teary green eyes snapped to yours, boring into you with intensity that pushed the air from your lungs. “I’m sorry, but I would trade everything I’ve ever loved for Javi to be the one with me right now,” 

…

The dream Obito was having left him flushed and sweating profusely. He groaned aloud in the dim room in his sleep. It started with the tent, you on top of him to share his heat. Then he could feel your fingers in his hair, nails scraping lightly against his scalp as you breathily called his name. 

Heat flashed through his body at what came next. Your lips against his throat, his collarbone. His hands gripping the soft flesh of your ass, his own voice calling to you, only to be silenced with your desperate lips on his. You ground against him, sweetly whining his name against his lips. 

“Obito?” You said in his dream, still grinding against him while he moaned breathily beneath you. 

“Obito?” You asked again, now sitting up, fully dressed again, eyeing him with concern. 

His dream self tried pulling you closer to resume what you two had been doing, but you suddenly shook his shoulder. Obito’s heavy eyelids opened and he looked around blearily. He was confused until he rubbed at them, and Kakashi came into clear view above him.

Obito’s heart was beating rapidly and he realized he was breathing heavily. He tried to hide it once his mind connected the dots, but failed miserably. “Bakashi, what are you doing here?”

“Bakashi?” Kakashi’s eyebrows rose as he looked his friend over. 

Obito flushed a deep red at the look of embarrassment that flashed across Kakashi’s face after he gave him a once-over. He cleared his throat and Obito wished his soul would hurry up and leave his sweaty body. 

“I’ll, uh, give you a second. I.. yeah. I’ll be in the kitchen,” he all but slammed the door shut behind him. 

Obito flopped face first into his pillow and tried not to scream. 

After he went to the bathroom and calmed down, he awkwardly met Kakashi in the kitchen. He was standing there looking out the window, tapping a scroll against the countertop. 

“What time even is it?” Obito asked gruffly, not quite meeting Kakashi’s eyes as he turned around. 

“Almost eight, now,”

They made eye contact and looked away from each other. “I just wanted to bring you a copy of the amendment we’ve made to your terms of imprisonment,”

Obito’s brow twitched. “What does it say?”

Kakashi handed the scroll over and Obito unrolled it. He scanned it over, a wave of irritation washing over him. It said that he would be allowed a day of supervised community service inside the village once a month, and one year removed from his sentence. 

He was not overcome with any emotion at the news. In fact, all he wanted was for Kakashi to get out of his home so that he could be embarrassed in peace, which he decided was what he should have asked him to do in the first place. He made a noncommittal noise to indicate he had finished reading. 

Kakashi took the scroll back and tucked it into one of his many pockets. They stood there looking at each other, Kakashi waiting for any other response, Obito waiting for him to say his piece and leave. Uncomfortable silence permeated the space for a few moments.

Kakashi rocked back and forth on his heels, hands going into his pants pockets. “She’ll be here soon,”

Obito stiffened and felt himself heat up, and couldn’t help but momentarily glance at his front door. “Yeah,”

When Kakashi didn’t say anything else, Obito stepped around him and filled the coffee pot with water. He filled the coffee maker and started spooning out the coffee grounds while Kakashi just stood there with slightly narrowed eyes. 

“What?” Obito grumbled. 

It was clear wheels were turning in Kakashi’s mind. “She’s… important to you,”

Obito nodded slowly and watched Kakashi out of the corner of his eye. “She’s been… kind to me. A friend, even,”

Kakashi sighed out through his nose. “I knew she would be the right person to help you,”

“How’s that?” Obito asked slowly, looking into his friend’s eyes.

“Remember during the war, when you asked how I knew Naruto would win?”

Obito looked to the side as his body stiffened again. After a moment he quietly replied, “Because he had his comrades standing behind him… because he made people want to hold their hands out to him when he stumbled,”

Kakashi nodded solemnly. “Y/n has been that person to me - even in the beginning when I was cold and angry with her for no good reason. I knew that she was capable of being that person for you, too,”

Obito huffed a laugh out of his nose and leaned fully against the counter. “She makes you want to do it for her, too,”

Kakashi smiled. “I don’t think she realizes the effect she has on people… I wish you could have met her before Toma. Half the shinobi force was tripping over themselves just to get a glance from her,”

Sudden jealousy, hot and sharp, pierced his chest. His lips turned downward as the feeling rattled him. He scoffed. “They’d still be lucky just to get a glance from her. And don’t say that piece of shit’s name in my house. I still can’t get over the shit he said to her right in front of us,”

The coffee maker brewed angrily behind Obito. His dream from this morning crossed his mind but he quickly pushed it aside.  

“Speak of the devil,” Kakashi murmured as he felt you pass through the barrier. 

The both of them looked over to the living room window where they could watch you approaching. Obito noticed that Kakashi straightened his shoulders a bit right before you came through the door, which made him realize he did exactly the same thing.

“Good morning!” You called out as you swung open the door. 

“Oh,” you said before smiling. “Kakashi, what are you doing here?”

“I was delivering the scroll with the changes made to Obito’s imprisonment,”

Your smile widened as you looked over at Obito. “That’s great! What are the changes?”

“I’m allowed into the village for community service once a month,” Obito replied rather unenthusiastically.

“And we shaved a year off of his time,” Kakashi finished.

You pulled a scroll from your bag and placed it on the counter between them. “That’s good news. Maybe you can make some more friends while you’re in the village. Orrrrr maybe you can babysit for Hina, that could count, right?”

“I don’t know about that,” 

You wove your hands and unsealed the scroll. Groceries piled atop the counter and you smiled excitedly. “He was born yesterday, Hina’s baby boy,”

Obito looked down at you with surprise. “Oh, congratulations,”

You nodded and started putting the groceries away, rambling on happily, “He has those same bright green eyes she does and wispy little black hairs. And he latched right on. Never heard of a baby looking for a boob like that. The second he was in her arms he was rooting around. He was up all night just eating and eating, I swear. It’s like the little guy was the one walking the whole way back here instead of her,”

Obito looked at you in mild amusement and looked over your head at Kakashi who was holding the refrigerator door open for you. He asked, “What did she decide to name him?”

“Toji. It was the name her husband chose before.. Y’know… Toji Javier Zen’in. And her mom is making her way from Suna to come stay with her to help. Our grandma is there right now, too,”

“Sounds like she’s in good hands,” Kakashi commented, closing the fridge after you put the last item away. 

“I have to head to the office, I’ll see you later,” 

“Have a good day,” you called over your shoulder, already pulling out a pan to start breakfast.

The men nodded to each other and he left. Obito mentally sighed in relief. After being without you a few days he didn’t want to have your attention divided. When Kakashi was all the way across the barrier you ceased your actions and turned to Obito, holding out your arms.

He gave you a questioning look and you rolled your eyes. You stepped in and warped your arms around him, pressing your entire body flush against him. He returned the hug in earnest, a pink tinge tinting his ears as the dream from that morning once again crossed his mind - this time without being pushed away so easily. 

“What’s this for?” He asked into your hair. 

“I wanted to,” You pressed closer.

He hummed, his eyes closing as he gratefully breathed you in. You smelled sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. His body buzzed with the contact. You pulled back and looked up into his dark eyes under his thick lashes. “Something about Hina having her baby makes me.. I don’t know, ‘touchy’? I’m just feeling… I don’t know. Would you-”

You looked away, suddenly feeling unsure of yourself under his attentive gaze. “Would I - what?”

You stepped back, having lost your ability to voice your question. You smoothed out the front of his sweater -which was decidedly unwrinkled- and turned back to what you were supposed to be doing - work. His curiosity burned him almost as much as your touch did. 

“Nevermind, it was silly,”

He thought for a moment and then poured a cup of coffee for you and himself. He placed yours in front of you and caught the smile that lifted the corner of your lips. “Thank you,”

“Of course. Now, what was it you were going to ask?”

“It sounds dumb,” you mumbled, cracking eggs into the pan. 

“Nothing you say sounds dumb,” he replied without hesitation. 

He watched you inhale and then look at him before looking away again. “Would you - can I - uhm, today…” 

You inhaled deeply and let your words tumble out with your breath. “Can we curl up together? Like, cuddle for a little bit?”

Surprise etched across his face. He stared at you, trying to process that you were in fact asking him, Obito Uchiha, for snuggles. It was taking too long for him to process, he realized, because genuine discomfort and dejection crossed your features before you turned away from him. 

“It’s okay of you don’t want to, I understand,”

“No, no that’s not it,” Obito replied quickly, taking a step closer to you.

You didn’t turn to look at him, feeling too embarrassed that you overstepped a boundary and disappointed because you really really wanted to be held. You felt his hand hesitantly find a place on your shoulder and his body heat as he leaned in. 

“I was just surprised, I mean. That you want to do that with.. Me,”

You looked at him out of the corner of your eye, a brow raised. “I thought it was clear I wasn’t bothered by you when we, y’know, shared our joined sleeping bags?”

The reminder brought his dream right back to the forefront of his mind. He felt himself twitch, and backed up a little bit, trying to seem nonchalant. You detected a deeper rasp to his voice when he spoke again that had you turning towards him.

“I thought it was just for the sake of warmth,”

“You’re comfy too,” you grinned. 

“Well, uh… you want to, now?”

Your grin widened as he rubbed the back of his neck, pink dusting his cheeks. “You’re not hungry?”

“I am, but,” he looked off to the side then back at you.

You took his hand and he stepped forward, leading you wordlessly back towards his bedroom, eyes glued in front of him. You tried not to giggle at how silly he looked, like an excited teenage boy hiding steering the body of a thirty something year old man. 

You both stood in the middle of his dim bedroom for a second, waiting for the other to take the lead. He had lost his confidence once the bed was actually in sight. You walked over and pulled the covers back, gesturing for him to follow you. 

He clumsily climbed in next to you, nearly elbowing you in the face. You almost giggled again, but didn’t want to embarrass him. He laid back on his back, like he had in the tent. 

“Uh,”

“Can you actually come over here?”

You turned on your side, you back facing him and held out your hand. He took it and you pulled his arm over your middle while he adjusted himself so he was touching you, but not fully against you. Once he was settled, you scooted back so you were flush against him and pulled his hand tightly to your chest, intertwining your fingers. 

“Is this okay?” you asked softly, a certain giddiness overcoming you at how small you felt completely surrounded by him. 

His voice was breathy against your ear when he said, “Yeah, perfect,”

Part XX

Taglist: @mostlyunsure, @humongousdreamlandbear, @ichaichahatake, @mandy-yeager, @detectivestucks, @faces-ofvenus