#Funk Dumpling

[jazzdailyblog]

Perry Robinson: A Clarinet Virtuoso Who Expanded the Horizons of Jazz

Introduction: Perry Robinson, an avant-garde clarinetist, is often remembered for his unique contributions to jazz and for expanding the musical vocabulary of the clarinet. He defied easy categorization, integrating influences from a wide array of genres, including bebop, free jazz, folk, and world music. Robinson’s career spanned six decades, and he worked with some of the most innovative and…

[lionsongfr]

Crystalline Gala Cuisine

Been a bit since I made a festival cuisine, and since my old ones have been circulating, I guiltily figured I should make one for the Gala before it ends.  Gaolers and Tundras are both herbivores (though Gaolers also eat meat), but I headcanon that like most herbivores they will opportunistically eat fish, insects, and meat when given the chance. The dishes have a bit more mixing than the previous cuisine; in the Icefield you eat what you can and as much as you can to survive. Potato Onions are my replacement for potatos, because FR needs potatoes (and citrus and tomatoes and wheat and rice and spices).

Seeker Stew- originally a stew of necessity for traveling Seekers, it was made of dried Sea Grass, small Cragside Mussels, canned Common Minnows, Sour Elk milk, and spoiled Turnips. The dish was transformed back home, using fresh Spinach, meaty Olympia Oysters, Jumbo Shrimp, new Potato Onions, and…sour Snowfall Elk milk. Funk is flavor!

Shalefin in a Fur Coat- this uniquely named dish is a layered salad, like the layers of a Tundra fur coat. It is made of finely sliced pickled Shalefin fillets, grated Potato Onion, Gradish, and Honeycrisp Apple, and chopped hard-boiled Flecked Bushrunner eggs. The key binding ingredient is a flavorful mayonnaise made of Elk tallow, Dappled Clucker yolks, and dill.

Bear in a Cave Dumplings-a favorite of the Fae scholars of the Frozen Sanctum. It is a boiled or fried Potato Onion dumpling filled with fried Wooly Bear, Wild Onion, and Dryad's Saddle. It can be served with melted Elk milk butter and Winter’s Delight jam or a white sauce spiced with dried Dusky Mealworm and imported Golden Pepper.

Tundra Grub- a dish named after the main protein of the dish: a sausage filled with Tundra Grub meat, Longneck-grown oats, and Elk blood. The sausage is fried along with strips of Tundra Cactus before being added to an earthy brown sauce of Mycena Mushroom and Earthworms. It is typically served with an unleavened flatbread made of rye or Longneck oats, or a mash of Potato Onion.

Woodland Turkey Dinner- this was once a seasonal dish, but now is common year-round. While the star of the dinner is the roasted Woodland Turkey, the side dishes are just as essential. The most common is: Deep Sea Lobster and Jumbo Shrimp stuffing, roasted Winter Brussel Sprouts with a Superberry vinegarette, Tundra Grub and Potato Onion mash with Mycena Mushroom gravy, and Stonecorn rolls with Elk cheese and White Lace Honeybee honey. And last but not least, a Cinnamon and Honeycrisp Apple pie. A heavy dinner said to put even Sentinels to sleep!

Trunk Cheese- not actually cheese, but a cold meat dish made of fresh Bullephant Trunk (or Mammophant, though it is not as tasty).  The meat of the trunk is removed and cooked in a mix of spices and Wild Onion, and then poured and set with gelatin in the skin of the trunk. Slices are cut from the trunk and served upon rye bread with strong Wild Mustard and pickled Gradish.   

Edamame Soup and Pancakes- a popular yet odd combination of savory and sweet. This dish features a Chilled Edamame soup (heated of course, the chilled variety of plants grow better in the hot houses of Icefield) with large chunks of smokey Elk bacon, a sprinkle of thyme, and a dollop of Wild Mustard. The pancakes are made of nutty and mildly sweet Amaranth flour and served with Winter’s Delight jam. The soup is traditionally dished with a silver spoon, after a mighty Tundra king was poisoned by his favorite soup.

Warden’s Delight- a dessert, a snack, a spread upon rye bread, and a delight to every hatchie. It is a mix of Elk tallow, Spotted Seal or Wooly Walrus oil, fresh snow, and Winter’s Delight. As the mixture is whipped into fluffy peaks, it is traditional to sing “Warden’s Delight to fight off the night, no Shade or beast shall fill my sight. Drive away the hunger, drive away the cold, fill my belly and make me bold.”

Frozen Bouquet- flowers are rarity in the Southern Icefield, but this bouquet is made from flash-frozen flowers and fruits. After thawing they are quickly coated in a thin layer of crystalized maple syrup and then arranged into a bouquet. Often the bouquets have hidden meanings like Pretty Pink Mums for courting. Winterbelle for strength, and Wolfsbane for warning. But what every Tundra fears the most is a bouquet of Black Tulips.

 Crisp Morning Cider- Vodka is life to Ice Flight, the warmth in one’s chest in a land where winter never ends. And while most drink it “neat”, when rations are low then cocktails are the answer!  This drink is a common morning warmer and is a mix of White Lace Honeybee honey with hot water, Vodka, Honeycrisp Apple cider, and Cinnamon.

Boreal Brew-a tea made from the leaves of whatever green tree is available. Birch, Fir, Spruce, and Pine can all be brewed into an astringent tea with a citrus-y aftertaste. Unfortunately, Birch, Fir, and Spruce are typically harvested during Spring-Summer- but Pine is harvested during December. To help remove the bitter taste, Pine can be fermented with sugar for a week to a month (fermentation time depending on temperature) and then filtered and served as cold tea.

[roo-bastmoon]

Thoughts on Yoonmin Suchwita

Just a quickie write up of my first impressions as I'm slammed with deadlines at work today.

Of course Park Jimin brought Yoongi a birthday cake and serenaded him. Of course he did.

How touching to learn Yoongi bought Jimin his first alcoholic drink to help him through his soulmate dumpling fight!

Early in the year Jimin was in a huge funk and drank a lot (I WONDER WHAT COULD BE THE REASON), but then he snapped out of it for Las Vegas and spent 10 months obsessively working on his album, in which he realized how good he's had it, where he needs to improve, and what he really wants. Amazing creative growth.

So, clearly Yoonmin enjoy pulling each other's pigtails. Hearing Yoongi tease Jimin that he didn't have the body to go shirtless any more... not gonna lie, I sucked in a sharp breath. I am super sensitive to this because of my own disordered eating in the past as a dancer, and I know how Jimin gets dragged online damned near every day for being "Pigman." Frankly, Yoongi should know it, too. But Jimin seemed totally unbothered and they do razz each other about everything, so I'm gonna try and let this go.

The other thing I'm going to try and let go is how hard folks are going to lean into Jimin saying Letter was a fan song. Yes, it was an Easter egg for fans, and yes, he does love us. No, that song is not FOR us and anyone with half a brain gets what is being coded. But I'm not gonna argue about it any more than I'm going to argue about the placement of a J over an M tattoo that keeps being retouched while the others are neglected. If you want plausible deniability, Jikook will always give it to you. Have at it.

Anyway, I was so moved by all the wonderful things Yoongi said, in between teasing Jimin--how proud he was of Jimin, how hard he worked, practicing every single day, that he was a genius, that he always knew Jimin had the unique voice to be a great singer, that he wanted Jimin on his team from day one... that of course he will come to the music shows to support Jimin. Yoongi doesn't typically gush so this warmed my heart.

The way Yoongi kept insisting Jimin come appear on stage while he's on tour and Jimin eventually agreeing that he will. (Roo is going to try very, very hard not to hope he will come to Newark. More than likely Jimin will visit Yoongi on a stage is Asia and that's cool. It's all cool. If Roo saw Park Jimin in person this April, she would combust.)

It was made clear that the members are responsible for their solo promotions and have a heavy say in their albums so I hope that kills any rumors that the company is forcing a narrative or picking favorites. Everything is unfolding how the Tannies wish it to and that's good enough for me to get behind it.

I love how Jimin said that there's no difference between Park Jimin and Jimin of BTS--how he wants to keep going as a team until they are in their 80s--how what he looks forward to most is getting back together in 2025.

Also the way he kept hinting at another album (and the way Yoongi called him out on that--Yoongi pulled no punches, goddamn.)

It was adorable the way they made each other giggle about product placements, fan calls, fan challenges and the like. These two. I'm so glad Yoongi has Jimin and the other members to get silly with. And Jimin laughed til he cried. It was healing to see.

I love that they keep in touch with Jin, that they bring Jin mulhue, that they are happy he's at a healthy weight now.

I'm a little thrown about Yoongi mentioning grandkids but then bisexuals exist and there's been rumors he's dating a woman for a while now. I am not going to dig into it because that's his business. If Yoongi wants a family someday, awesome sauce. If Yoongi doesn't, awesome sauce. I mean this sincerely--I support all 7 wherever they go on their journeys. Even if Jikook don't end up together, I'll be sad about it, but I'm still in this Bangtan shit for life. I'm OT7, and Jimin ult biased, then a Jikook supporter. I happen to believe that Jikook are very much together but being very careful about showing that openly, but if you think otherwise, or it ends up being otherwise, that's honestly okay.

I will just say I'm loving that Yoongi gave Jimin a gift of pillow mist spray in Jungkook's and Jimin's favorite scent of lavender.

Mostly just happy to see our boys so happy.

PS. The bottles in this shot are signed by Jin and Hobi. *wibble*

[nakuuro1994]

☆ Name: Yolanda Yip (葉雅雯)

* Birthplace: Hong Kong 🇭🇰

* Nationality: Hongkonger, American

* Pronouns: She, Her (Female Pronouns)

* Religion: Buddhist

* Birthday: Oct 23rd, 1964 (60 Years-Old)

* Nicknames: Mrs. Snaptrap, Lady D.O.O.M., Boss Lady

* Hair Color: Black

* Eye Color: Black

* Skin/Fur Color: Creamy Yellow

* Species/Breed: Domestic Dog (Pug)

* Gender: Female

* Sexuality: Bisexual (Prefers Both)

* Languages: English & Cantonese

* Western Zodiac: Scorpio

* Chinese Zodiac: Dragon

* Height: 4'6”

* Weight: 180 lbs.

* Cup Size: GG

* Blood Type: B

* Personality: ISFP

~ (Education):

* Graduated High School (High School Diploma)

* Graduated Community College (Associates degree)

* Graduated From University of California (Bachelors & Master's Degree)

~ (Occupations):

* Hair & Nail Salon Owner

* Professional Beautician

* Yoga Teacher/Instructor

* Professonal Henchwoman

* Tai Chi Instructor

* Supervillain Landlady

~ (Favorite Things):

* Favorite Hobbies: Hairstyling, Yoga, Modeling, Reading, Tai Chi, Stripping

* Favorite Books: Journey to the West, Dracula, Frankenstein & The Art of War

* Favorite Celebrities: The Beetles, Woodchuck Norris & Justin Timberwolf

* Favorite Colors: Red, Blue, Black, Pink & Purple

* Favorite Desserts: Mooncakes, Egg Tarts & Milk Pudding

* Favorite Drinks: Sangria, Margaritas, Red Wine, Tequila, Rum & Gin/Tonic

* Favorite Foods: Sweet & Sour Pork, Wontons, Shrimp Dumplings & Clay Pot Rice

* Favorite Games: Strip Poker & Twister

* Favorite Genres: Horror, Action & Fantasy

* Favorite Holidays: Christmas & New Years

* Favorite Music: Funk, Soul, R&B & Jazz

* Favorite Season: Autumn & Winter

* Favorite Snack: Cupcakes, Sorbet & Sugar Cookies

~ (Fears/Phobias):

* Afraid of Spiders

* Afraid of Snakes

~ (Dislikes):

* Being Overworked & Stressed Out

* Waking Up Early in the Morning

* Not Getting Enough Beauty Sleep

* Working on Weekends & Vacations

~ (Kinks/Fetishes):

* Butt Play/Worship (Giving & Receiving)

* Breast Play/Worship (Giving & Receiving)

* Deep French Kissing (Giving & Receiving)

~ (Special Talents, Problems, & Traits):

* Her body possesses an extreme amount of lower-body strength

* She often showcases an extreme degree of flexibility & limberness

[chouxtranslations]

Shizun 017 - Job at the door

The next day, Lu Yunzhen woke up feeling refreshed. 

Ever since he turned down Mo Changkong’s original offer of waiting on him every morning and evening, Mo Changkong has figured out other ways to serve his Shizun. Every morning he would line up at the supermarket to buy discount eggs (a little over 2 yuan for half a kilo, limit 2 kilo per customer). It was great for making tea eggs, omlettes, scrambled eggs, and egg dumplings, the only issue is that it’s not quite enough food… 

And now, Jin Yunu is here. 

Mo Changkong took out an enchanted umbrella made of shade beast hide from his seed space, which can stop sun damage for creasures such as skin painting demons, so that he could do chores during the day. 

Shade beasts went extinct ages ago, there aren’t many of these umbrellas left in the world…

Jin Yunu was touched to the point of tears and was ready to spill his organs, whatever Mo Changkong wanted. 

Thus, Mo Changkong took him to buy eggs together, even telling Jin Yunu to switch to different skins in the washroom so he can line up a few more times…. 

The two of them returned home loaded with discount eggs. 

Lu Yunzhen had finished washing up by then and was very happy at the harvest. After asking everyone for their opinions he went to the kitchen and made a massive batch of crepes. 

Everyone was very full. 

Lu Yunzhen has also left the small funk he was in the day before. It was unfortunate that he asked for little money for capturing a skin painting demon and left a lot on the table, but being a person means to be solid. He’s a stem major, how could he rely on the supernatural to make money? 

The most important thing is, he thought it through. 

He’s met three evil spirits in his 20 years of life, and he was only paid once! If he counted on exorcisms to make a living he’d starve even if he charged 5 figures each time! 

“We can’t take wicked shortcuts, to study well is the righteous path.” The Wujian Peak sect leader announced to his disciple and servant. “I’m going to talk to my advisor to see if there’s any projects I can work on, get more experience, get a good job after I graduate, and work from 9 to 9 as a code money. A 5 figure monthly salary isn’t a dream!” 

There were a few people he knew from the program who have 7 figure yearly salaries now. They’re all winners at life and it’s so inspiring! 

He’s going to use his own hard working hands and lead his household to prosperity! 

Mo Changkong applauded seriously, “Shizun is correct.” 

Jin Yunu had lived in wealthy households and has seen extravance. He looked at the previous treasure in his hands, then the countless spirit stones in the house, and only felt confused… He felt like the sect leader had some rather strange goals… is this some special godly way of cultivating? 

Mo Changkong glanced at him coldly. 

Jin Yunu knew his place and didn’t dare to disagree. He immediately clapped, “That’s wonderful, sect leader! This one has benefitted so much from you wisdom it was worth 10 years of study!” 

Lu Yunzhen was practically floating from all the praise. 

Jin Yunu respectfully walked his sect leader and master to the school, then stayed at home to clean up, absorb some spiritual power, and light himself a little scented candle for a snack. 

It was a wonderful little life. 

…

Lu Yunzhen has great grades and has studied a lot of stuff on the side to help with his post graduation job hunt. He can do most types of code money jobs. 

However, programming jobs are often outsourced to an outsources. By the time it gets to a student they turn into hard work for little money. Not to mention there are many monks for very little gruel, and everyone has to fight for it. 

Things like app development requires time and resources, and success depends on luck. 

Heh, intangible things such as luck… 

Lu Yunzhen is the kind of person could get water stuck on his teeth. He gets a stomach ache every time he has a test and has been forced to be the kind of person who puts a medical kit in his backpack whenever he has an important test. 

All of his advisor’s projects were already gobbled up by his upper classmen, and the few suitable jobs online were also grabbed in a blink. 

Lu Yunzhen posted in his class group chat and in friend circles, saying that he wanted to take a computer related job. He was very personable and everyone happily agreed to keep an eye out for him. 

2 classes passed by in a blink. 

During the break, Luo Xiaopang squeezed in by Lu Yunzhen’s side and patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, you honour student. Why do you keep looking out and laughing like an idiot today?” 

Lu Yunzhen replied, “I’m looking at my friend.” 

Mo Changkong had followed him to school and was sitting underneath the gingko tree outside the window. He had worn a baseball cap and was playing games on Jin Yunu’s phone. Weirdly, even though he’s so eye catching no one passing by seemed to notice him. 

Luo Xiaopang followed his gaze out but there was nothing underneath the tree. There were a group of cute girls practicing cheerleading on the nearby field though, they seemed very energetic. 

He grinned and shoved at Lu Yunzhen, “Bro, look at your face. Do you have a crush?” 

Lu Yunzhen was a face full of confusion, “What?” 

Mo Changkong saw that Shizun had noticed him and walked over to explain. “Is something the matter, Shizun? I was worried about causing trouble and used a camouflage spell.” 

Luo Xiaopang couldn’t see him and kept on asking. “Yunzhen, which girl are you looking at? The one in blue? Aiya, she fell.” 

Lu Yunzhen didn’t know how to explain, so he just played possum. 

Luo Xiaopang kept giggling. 

Mo Changkong pushed down the boiling flames of jealousy and asked with an awful look, “Shizun… has someone he fancies?” 

Lu Yunzhen felt his heart get hairy from the terrifying stare and immediately explained. “No.” 

“No what?” Luo Xiaopang saw his bro was strangely nervous and thought he figured things out. He kept on joking around. “If you’re not looking at the girls, then are you looking at a guy? I heard from Liao xuejie that…” 

There was a bunch of track and field students sweating on the sports field. 

Luo Xiaopang’s joke has gone too far. 

“What are you saying? Do you still want to copy my homework?!” Lu Yunzhen was so embarrassed he was getting mad. He ignored the look on Mo Changkong’s face and strongly slapped Luo XIaopang on the back of the head, scolding, “Don’t start nonsense with Liao xuejie. She draws danmei comics and is looking for material everywhere. She even started shipping the two tomcats at the school and it’s even popular online…. How could I like men?!” 

Just because he doesn’t have a girlfriend it doesn’t mean he’s looking for a boyfriend! 

“Zhen bro, my bad.” Luo Xiaopang immediately pleaded for mercy. “You’re as straight as steel, you only like women, and those with a tough life at that!” 

Lu Yunzhen hit him two more times and then let him go. But then he turned around and saw that Mo Changkong was looking even worse. His eyes were almost filled with despair, as if he was about to eat someone in the next second…

What happened? 

Lu Yunzhen was panicking, he combed over what was just said but couldn’t figure out what’s wrong. In the end he waited for Luo Xiaopang to start playing his game and quietly asked, “You… don’t like having a Shiniang?” 

Mo Changkong took a deep breath, “No.” 

Lu Yunzhen panicked even more, explaining, “There’s no girl I like.” 

“That is fine.” Mo Changkong pushed out a terrifying smile while gritting his teeth. “I have improved myself, I won’t do bad things or hinder Shizun’s feelings anymore. Shizun can like whoever he likes, there is no need to worry about this disciple…” 

Lu Yunzhen is panicking more and more. 

He felt like a little frog that was being stared at by a giant python. Something bad might happen if he kept on saying the wrong answer but he thought until his head broke and couldn’t figure out what’s the right answer. 

Mo Changkong noticed that his suppressed evil nature was trying to come out again, with images of the school being destroyed flashing in his brain. Again and again, he harshly pushed the thought down. 

The bloody aura of the world ending demon was slowly flowing out. 

Lu Yunzhen got a flash of inspiration. “Don’t worry, when I look for a partner I’ll get your approval first! If you don’t like it then I’ll be single!” 

The bloody aura stopped. 

The terrifying feeling of oppression disappeared like it was nothing. The sky was blue, the clouds were white, nothing happened at all… 

Mo Changkong asked quietly, “That’s not appropriate, is it?” 

“It’s right.” Lu Yunzhen finally understood and answered honestly. “You’re my disciple from my previous life and a member of the family. If we’re adding people to the household how could this teacher not consider your opinions?” 

SIngle parents looking for relationships have to think about their children! Even more so if it’s a demon with a strange personality who’s not used to other people!

Mo Changkong was finally satisfied and went back to playing his game under the tree. 

Lu Yunzhen looked at his cheerful silhouette and felt deeply once more… He probably had no chance of getting married this life… 

He thought about how to explain at his grandpa’s grave that he took in a demon disciple and thus has to stay single and not get a granddaughter in law for him. 

Grandpa’s a good guy, he’ll understand, right? 

While he was thinking all that nonsense he heard cursing from his classmates. 

“Fuck! The server died again!” 

“What broken game is this?! It keeps dying!?” 

“We should use the devs as human sacrifice!” 

“I could program better than them with my feet!” 

“...” 

Lu Yunzhen rubbernecked a bit and saw that it was the game named Hero that Mo Changkong was playing the previous day. The game was well made with fun mechanics, and the beta was super hyped. A lot of classmates had been talking about it lately. 

But, the backend quality didn’t match the game contents at all, with the connectivity and saving issues. The game company kept issuing maintenance notices, causing the players to curse at them. 

Lu Yunzhen didn’t play games and didn’t care. He kept on looking for new jobs. 

Suddenly, Long Jingtian sent him a message on wechat. “Master Lu, are you there?” 

Lu Yunzhen replied, “Yes.” 

Long Jingtian carefully asked, “I saw your friend circle post, it seems like you want a job involving computers?” 

After the demon incident, he was scolded many times by his father. His father said that Master Lu is a hidden taoist with great morals, that meeting him was the kind of fortune that would make smoke come out of his ancestors. He had to maintain a good relationship with the master, otherwise he had no shot at a lambo. 

Long Jingtian had no idea how to deal with sects, not to mention he didn’t have a phone number or address, only a weibo account. He asked his friends and everyone had the same suggestion: find another case, invite the master out, and build the relationship. 

Thus, Long Jingtian spent day and night sending out the same message in dozens of groups. “Has anyone gotten hit with bad luck lately? Come find me!” 

Ignoring all the joking around in the groups, everyone knows that the Long family was very rich and there was still a lot of people who wants to suck up to him. After asking for more details they looked for all sorts of ways to find an incident. 

There’s power to a crowd. 

In the end, they finally found it…

Long Jingtian asked, “Master, do you know about servers? I have an issue related to that.”

Lu Yunzhen was excited, “I know!” 

Let it be website building, server management, code writing, bug fixing, or system security, he knew it all. Whenever there was a contest at school he always won some kind of prize. His only problem was that he had bad luck and few chances to show off. If a fuerdai like Longjingtian brought him a job that means there’s no middleman and he could make a lot! And build his reputation at that! 

Long Jingtian said, “I have a middleschool classmate whose family has been making games. But the server keeps having problems and they just can’t seem to fix it. She wanted to invite Master Lu for an exorcism.” 

“...” 

He wanted to block this moron. 

[getoutofthisplace]

Dear Gus & Magnus,

I volunteered at the Main Street Food Truck festival this afternoon by working in the beer tent. My friend Becky chaired the event this year. I've been overwhelmed and in a bit of a funk lately, but I've always enjoyed the food service industry because every interaction is a fresh start. Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. stopped by to thank us for volunteering. The proceeds from the event all go toward public art projects in downtown Little Rock. The experience was exactly what I needed, even though I didn't know that. I left without the rain cloud that has been following me around lately.

Afterward, I met you all at Yiayia's house and brought some dumplings from the Alaskan Dumpling Company food truck, which I've been wanting to visit for a while. Unfortunately, none of us really liked the dumplings. Still, I'm glad to check it off my list.

Dad.

Little Rock, Arkansas. 9.17.2023 - 4.45pm.

[saint--claire]

@monkiedude tagged me in this - thank you Monkie!  I like getting to do these.

3 ships

My favourite three ships at any one time depend on the phase of the moon and how intense the hyperfixations have been lately.  Current three favourite ships?

1 - Hangman/Rooster - a dearly beloved dynamic: I have a strong emotion so I’m going to call it rage; I fucking hate you but you’re important to me, you piece of shit.  How dare you put yourself in danger!  Come back home to me.

You can explore basically any trope with them and it works, the whole universe is an outstanding sandpit.  The TG:M movie snapped me out of a years long writing de-motivation funk; and I was actually having fun writing and drafting out fic plots for the first time in ages, which was really special.  It also led me to Discord, and I got to make some new friends, which was equally if not more exciting.

2 - Gideon/Harrow - Look.  Writing it down is forcing me to observe some trends here.  These two have the world’s most dysfunctional relationship with horrifically beautiful level of co-dependency and I love that for them.  Also, not a ship but I adore all of the platonic/familiar/antagonist relationships in the whole of the locked tomb - I really like the way Tamsyn writes characters in relation to each other.  Nona?  J’adore elle.

3 - Nie Huisang/Jiang Cheng - Softly sweet and incompetent shell hiding a no-fuck’s given fully-fledged mastermind who’s playing grandmaster’s level chess on 12 boards in three different realms.  Paired with Jiang outwardly-rage-and-lightning while an utter marshmallow loves-his-nephew-and-all-dogs on the inside Cheng.

First ship

Oh god it will have been something from Harry Potter.

Actually, it might have been Faro and Sapphire from the Ingo Series, if I’m getting specific.

Last movie

Fast 9!  I like the Fast and Furious movies, and I enjoy them getting more and more absurd the more time goes on.  And the very final scene of F9 where they’re sitting around the table and Brian’s car zips up to the drive makes me tear up.

Last song

Bummerland by AJR - blasted music all the way home in the car from the beach and I like singing to it.  I am WAITING IMPATIENTLY for AJR’s new album to come out.  We went to one of their shows where they let the crowd do a call and response they recorded live to be part of the new album and it was really exciting.

Currently reading

What aren’t I reading.  There’s an insane number of tabs open atm.  Most of them Top Gun.

In the middle of The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake - love it.  Everyone in this book has a royally fucked up relationship with everyone else and I love it.  Found family except the whole family either hates each other or are having philosophical discussions while they fuck.  Slowly - (glacially slowly) moving towards friendlier connections with each other, couldn’t and wouldn’t disband if they wanted to.

Currently watching

Just started Kaleidoscope, that’s cool.  I’m being boring and watching in the order they’re on Netflix, so if anyone has better suggestions hit me up.

Currently consuming

I have just eaten dumplings with a mound of shredded carrot on top + a small dish of grated cheese because I can.

Currently craving

Ice cream.

Nobody feel obligated, I am going to tag @blackidyll @tikaaninightshade @ishipallthings @thaffyreblogseverything and literally anyone else who wants to do it - open invite.

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas]

Have you ever thought about the concept of fattening kink?

Something like sooga enjoying master kohga's big belly and trying to encourage him to eat more, sounds like a curious concept to me.

(Sorry for my generic translator English).

(Your Google translate is totally fine!)

I've done that before, I think. But hey, let's do it again, why not?

"That will be all for now, thank you."

Kohga was feeling rather...sad, as of late. Kohga couldn't pin it, and unfortunately neither could Sooga. His Master was so upset, he refused to eat any food made for him at the clan. So Sooga decided to take him out to a rather fancy place for dinner, hoping the plentiful alcohol and the unique food would get him out of his funk. Sooga rented out the entire area at this restaurant, so Kohga could have his space. Sooga looked over at the spread, and watched as Kohga seemed disinterested in all of it.

"Master, Please, eat."

"I'm just. Not hungry, Sooga."

"You haven't eaten all day. What ails you? I've never seen your appetite so weak."

Kohga sighed as he leaned back in his seat.

"I...was thinking about my dad the other day. And...well. Keep this between you and me, yeah?"

"Of course."

"I'm thinking-am I as good as he was, being a leader? I feel so...small, compared to the legacy he left behind. Even Cil talks about how great he was."

Sooga nodded, pouring him a cup of tea as he spoke. He sweetened it to his liking, adding a sweet roll to it, and pushing it to his master, hoping he'd finally eat.

"I do not know anything of the original Kohga. So I cannot attest to his skills or his ideals. I can only speak of what I know, and that you are not your father's shadow. You are you. You are a GLORIOUS leader, and we respect and admire you. The one thing you aren't, is small."

Kohga actually sat there and thought about it. Sooga's heart swelled, seeing Kohga pick up his tea, and take a sip.

"I'm...not small, am I?"

"Not at all. You're a big, strong man. And big men do need to eat, so..."

He gestured to the food, and for once, Kohga smiled today.

"Ah alright, alright. Only because I hate wasting food. Give it here."

First it was the sweet roll. Sooga watched in glee as he stuffed it in his mouth, relishing the flavor. Then another roll, then another, then another. Before he knew it, the whole tray was gone. It was rather impressive, and Sooga pushed another tray of food to him.

"Please, eat your fill. I insist."

Then, the fried rice. A healthy bowl of it, full of egg and vegetable and fluffy rice, Kohga tucked in. He didn't offer any to Sooga, and he didn't mind. This was all Kohga's. Sooga thought the warmth inside him was joy over his Master being in much higher spirits, but he realized it was...different. It was fascination. It was want. His own type of hunger.

"Ugh, my god, this rice is fucking good. Before we go, get the recipe, I want more of this back home."

"Yes, Master."

He finished the bowl by himself, and Sooga took the bowl away from him, putting it to the side. He needed to focus on eating, afterall. And did Kohga eat. He ate steamed vegetables, stuffed pork, beef dumplings, sweet bread, honeyed fruit on ice cream. And he kept, on, eating.

"Please, eat more. You need it."

Sooga didn't know why, but he HAD to keep feeding him. He had to keep watching as the plates emptied, as Kohga started to slow, he still kept going. His belly looked so full, stuffed with all the food he knew his master deserved. Kohga eventually started to slow, finally feeling full.

"Ugh. Think imma tap out, Sooga."

But there was so much food left to eat. He couldn't waste it all. Sooga picked up a bowl, holding the food for him.

"Please, eat just a bit more. All of this was made for you, and you deserve it."

Kohga patted his full belly, before sighing.

"Alright, a bit more."

Sooga fed him the creamy piece of chicken, making sure to give him the mushrooms that came with it. He took his time, watching as his Master consumed and consumed more and more. It was lovely, it was fascinating.

"Good job-you finished that bowl too. Take a drink of your tea."

Sooga looked at the big pile of dishes at the table. His Master just ate so much fatty, salty, indulgent food, and he deserved it. Kohga took a sip of his tea, seemingly in relief. Sooga looked at him as he reached for another bowl of food. His belly was so big, so round and full and content. Fuck.

"You have one more bowl, Master Kohga."

"Ugh, you eat it. I'm full."

"But this is all for you. You're entitled to it, you deserve it. Please. One more."

Kohga looked over at the bowl. It was small, but it was the cutest one ever-full of little chocolate cakes, topped with cream. Kohga's hand rubbed at his bloated belly, and he didn't look interested. But he was such a strong man. He sighed.

"Alright, give it here."

"Please, allow me. You need to save your strength."

Kohga didn't want to fight him on it. He sighed, and let himself be fed. Dark, deep chocolate, light, creamy whipped cream was pushed past his lips, over and over, and he was so greedy, he even licked Sooga's fingers clean. Sooga didn't know why, but he was absolutely throbbing, watching such a display of gluttony.

"And there we go, last one. You ate everything."

The table was cleared. Kohga tossed his head back as he groaned in relief. And Sooga couldn't stop looking at his absolutely stuffed gut. He looked so happy, so satisfied.

"Ugh. I sure as shit don't feel small anymore."

"See? I knew you'd feel better. You just needed to eat. How are you feeling? Do you need anything else? I saw how much you liked that chicken, I can ask them to get you more. Sweet rolls, maybe?"

Kohga chuckled, shaking his head.

"Sooga, I just ate enough to feed a village- think I've eaten enough."

Sooga sat up, reaching to cup Kohga's face in his hand, and one hand on that big, warm tummy.

"You eat until you're full. I just want you to have what you need, my Master."

He didn't let Kohga talk, for favor of kissing him. Again, and again, hands gripping into the warm, fat flesh.

Something told Kohga he could handle a bit more stuffing.

[ashketchup119]

Figuring It Out As We Go Chap. 1

Here we arreeee~ the fic i sat on for a month and a half before i decided to post it~

I got this in my head a couple days after reading the whole spicynoodles tag on ao3, because as yall have prolly figured out, if i run out of content for a ship, i usually begin making the content myself. After i post chaps 1 and 2, i’ll begin updating this every friday, like i do on ao3. I don’t know why i wrote this, but honestly i pumped out 4000 words of it in 2 hrs one night, so yall know im in love w it.

It’s got like, implied nsfw, some emotions on mk’s part, some other stuff goin on 👀 (also if ur emetophobic feel free to stop by the askbox or my dms to ask for a summary bc this might trigger u)

I hope yall like it!!

It had started off as a casual thing.

A release of post-battle adrenaline, the kind of thing MK and Red Son did and then immediately agreed not to talk about or repeat.

But they repeated it, again and again and again.

The sound of their labored breathing echoed throughout MK’s apartment as the two of them lay on the bed, finally spent. MK felt pleasantly drowsy, and basked in the final rays of sunshine that shone through his window.

“I have to go.” Red Son murmured from beneath him. “My parents will be looking for me.”

MK buried his face in the crook of Red Son’s neck, and bit back the words in his throat that sounded suspiciously like “stay, don’t go, let me fall asleep in your arms.” Dangerous words, ones that would make this situation even worse.

They both knew that this was possibly the worst decision either of them had ever made, but MK wondered when “a casual fuck” had turned into something more, something that pricked at his eyes and put words on his tongue. He knew he’d never tell Red Son about any of his blossoming feelings, but he found himself wondering about the demon more and more. He’d never stayed for breakfast, but MK wondered if he drank coffee in the mornings. Maybe he was a chocolate milk drinker. Maybe he drank tea. Did he like pancakes or waffles better?

MK wanted to know everything about Red Son, from the tiny, inconsequential things to the big, life-changing moments.

He just wanted Red Son, in every way.

MK’s breath caught in his throat, but he rolled to the other side of the bed so Red Son could get up. He stared up at the ceiling as he heard the shuffling of clothes next to his bed, and chewed on his bottom lip as he blinked back tears. He’d been very emotional lately, and the feelings swirling in his head didn’t help.

The rustling of clothes stopped, and he heard quiet footsteps head toward the window. He heard Red Son draw in a breath, then listened as the window unlatched and closed as he left.

MK sucked in a breath, then began to cry. He curled in on himself as sobs shook his frame. He cried for lost chances, bad decisions, and missed opportunities. He ached to be held, to be soothed, but the only person who could help him feel better had already left.

He cried until he could cry no more, tired and dehydrated as he was. Then, he showered, using cold water to shock him into awakeness and out of the post-coital funk. He felt slightly better after putting on some pajama pants, then went to his mini-fridge to see if he had any food.

Truthfully, the stomach issues he’d been fighting off and on for a couple months now made it difficult to find an appetite, but he figured it was better to eat something and hopefully absorb some of the nutrients than eat nothing. He’d even tried a liquid-only diet, but had thrown up the liquids too.

He picked a package of dumplings, then settled on the sofa to watch reruns of Monkey King: The Animated Series. Fifteen minutes later, he was once again in the restroom, this time throwing up what little he managed to eat of the dumplings. When he finished, he finally gave in and called the doctor.

“Thank you for calling the clinic, how may I help you?” The receptionist answered.

Mk cleared his throat before responding, “Yes, I’d like to make an appointment,” in his most grown up voice.

The sounds of typing came through the line, and the receptionist asked, “Name?”

“Uh, Qi Xiaotian.”

“Okay, we have an opening tomorrow at 1 PM. Are you available?”

MK thought it over for a moment. On the one hand, he’d have to call in sick, but on the other, Pigsy would probably let him, what with his stomach issues and all. “Yes, I am.”

“Good. See you then!” The line went dead, and MK hung up.

Then, he called Mei.

“Hey MK!” She greeted excitedly. “What’s up?”

“Hey Mei! Can you take me to the doctor tomorrow?” He asked, knowing that Pigsy was busy and Tang didn’t have a car.

Her voice immediately took on a tone of concern. “Okay, but are you okay?”

“Yeah, just an annoying stomach bug.” He replied casually, flopping on the bed as he sipped water from a water bottle. “They’ll probably just give me some pills and tell me to drink liquids. Shouldn’t be too long.”

“Alright, but if it gets bad or you start throwing up blood or something, promise me you’ll go to the hospital?” Mei asked.

MK smiled as he replied, “Yeah, of course.”

It was nice to know that someone cared about him.

He just had to forget about Red Son and remember all the people in his life who loved him.

Mei hung up after that, and MK went back to their marathon. The episodes were ones they’d already seen, but there was a comfort in these older episodes, akin to wearing a nostalgia blanket. They snuggled with their favorite stuffed animal, and soon drifted into a heavy sleep.

[one-piece-dumpster-fire]

I couldn't help myself and actually sat down for once to write some small headcanon for our best round boi, Queen. Might do some for King and Jack as well, but I'm not sure yet lololol

Tagging: my fellow Queen lover @rojurou👀 Hope that's okay💕

Queen the Plague headcanon

Romantic

he's really proud of himself for scoring such a gorgeous partner and naturally wants to show that off at any given moment

he carries a picture of you with him at all time and presents it to his underlings whenever he can to make them jealous lol

"Check it out, that's my super hot girlfriend!!! Jealous, aren't you? HA, you should be! Let me tell ya there ain't no other gal like (Y/N) around, so don't even bother looking!!!! Together we're the funkiest couple in all of god damn Wano!"

you're always guaranteed to get a front row seat private booth for all of his shows

and occasionally, during his performances, Queen will either straight-up pull you on stage to join his dance or dedicate a song to you

he's also constantly antagonizing King, even more so than before, because he thinks the other calamity might have a thing for you as well...

let's talk about affection. Queen may look like an instant softie, but it'll still take a little bit of time until he truly thaws up to the idea of being 'wholesome" with you.

cuddling, little kisses, and other cute gestures are all things he's unfamiliar with, mostly 'cause he has no previous experience with it

so at first he freezes up whenever you try to cuddle up to him and in confusion claims that what you're doing to him is ruining his funk

but oh boy once he gets more used to it he turns into a true PDA maverick

Queen loves to rub his nose against yours or have you sit on his shoulders so he can carry you around and pull you down for a little smooch whenever he wants

he also really loves to see his lipstick marks on you, especially when you're out in public lol. It's a silent message to everyone: you're "property of Queen"

behind closed doors you're not just his girlfriend but also his personal stylist and the one that chooses his wicked lipstick and binds his ponytail

in return he also often picks out outfits for you to wear, which are usually matching his

he's just,,, an overall good bf. Maybe a bit too overprotective and jealous from time to time, but he spoils you rotten and does a lot to make you happy

Warning for filth under the cut!

Nsfw

Queen is rather dominant and prefers to always take care of you

even when you're the one ontop he'll still tell you what to do or tries to convince you to switch with him lol

he would love it if you're a pillow princess who just lets him do his thing- aka spoiling and edging you until you're about to lose your voice from all the moaning and begging he's forcing out of you

there's always gonna be a very generous amount of teasing, grinding and grouping before he even starts to really take off your clothes

he's a very physical guy and his large hands are always all over you

Queen is also a big fan of oral and especially fingering you! He usually uses just one finger to pump into you while his other hand and digits are busy playing with your clit and/or butt

his "secret" goal is always to make you squirt, at least once. He loves it when you lose control and is obviously not afraid of getting his face dirty either~

Queen finds the actual intercourse that happens afterwards pretty boring. He can't move around that much anymore and given his size it is super easy for him to accidentally injure you when he's ontop, something he'd much rather avoid

usually he's topping you missionary style, but when he's in a lazy mood he just lets you ride him

he definitely uses petnames in the bedroom. 'Kitten', 'Dumpling', and 'Toots' are all things you might be called if he's feeling affectionate

although his voice is usually rather deep, during his orgasms it's extremely shrill and highpitched, almost as if he just stubbed his toe lmao. Basically everyone in the building will immediately know when Queen's coming

he always smokes a cigar after sex and depending on how good it was lets you cuddle up to his chest while he basks in his afterglow

[nika1882]

Tagged by @yumingyesfairy. Thank you and out of curiosity, how do you pronounce your name?

Rules: answer 30 questions and tag however many blogs you want!

Name: Shaniqua (pronounced as sha-nee-ka. People usually address me by the most common pronunciation, which is sha-nee-kwa. Even though it is a headache to correct people about it, I've had to learn to do so because at my old job, my old supervisors and bosses started misspelling my name as "Shanique" on the work roster and addressing me as such. I had to be persistent in making a fuss about it until they finally got it right. That sh!t is disrespectful). Fun fact: when I was born my mother wanted to name me Nicole, but my father decided to give the name I have now and Nicole ended up being my middle name.

Gender: Female

Star sign: Scorpio

Height: 5'7" (or 170.18cm)

Time: 7:14 am

Birthday: 18th November

Favourite bands: If we're going by actual bands, Fleetwood Mac, Evanescence, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Journey, Toto and Foreigner. If singing groups (active and disbanded) are included, then it's Boyz II Men, New Edition, Destiny's Child (DC4 and DC3), N*Sync, Backstreet Boys, TLC and 2NE1.

Favourite solo artists: Brandy, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Fantasia and Jazmine Sullivan.

Last movie: Rush Hour 2

Last show: I don't watch TV often, but the last show I did watch was "Forged in Fire".

When did I create this blog: Around 2015 I think.

What I post: I rarely post, I just mainly reblog. What I reblog is anything I find interesting. It can be funny, creative, nostalgic, or serious so I don't really have a theme for this blog.

Last thing I Googled: "Schadenfreude" definition. I had an idea what it meant, but I still double checked to make sure my idea of the definition of the word was correct.

Other blogs: I don't have any. I may make a side blog in the future. Still not 100% certain on that idea yet.

Do I get asks: Nope and I'm actually glad about that because I do tend to go MIA when life happens.

Why I chose my url: "Nika" is my nickname and 1882 is the combo of my birth date and birth year.

Following: 101

Followers: 212. I'm surprised I actually have that many to be honest, but I'm grateful for them...especially since they're not porn bot blogs (my block game is strong with those).

Instruments: Piano (rudimentary level) and my voice (I really miss being in a choir right now)

What I'm wearing: A nightgown

Dream job: I used to want to be a teacher, but as I got older, I realized my level of patience wasn't what it once was so I gave up on pursuing that. I do however love baking pastries and I am working towards making a business out of that. Oh and once upon a time, I wanted to be a comic book writer and illustrator because I used to write comics in high school (those comics unfortunately got lost to time because I can't tell you what happened to those books). I still do make OCs (but they're fandom based OCs now). I just need to get out of my funk and actually draw them!

Dream trip: Japan, South Korea, Nigeria and New Zealand (the jury's still out for Australia).

Favourite foods: Junk food (sweet and savoury), pastries, pork dumplings, sushi rolls (most likely the western kinds because I can't really say I've tried authentic Japanese sushi rolls)

Nationality: Bahamian

Favourite song: Too many to list (I'm serious...too many to list)

Last book I read (currently reading in my case anyway): Haitian Creole Dictionary and Phrase Book by Charmant Theodore. I'm trying to refresh my Creole speaking skills because I forgot a lot of it since I took up a course in college. I'm also trying to learn Japanese. This is one of the ways I try to keep my mind sharp.

Top 3 fictional universes: Yuri on Ice verse, Wuxia verse and Naruto verse.

I tag: @gaypanicblog, @smylealong, @keepitmovinshawty and @50-shades-of-otp

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Read in September 2020

My best month all year! I hadn’t had a reading spree in a while so it felt good to get through so many books - especially when most of them were absolutely amazing :D participating in the #1kPages20 readathon helped a lot too :3

My favourites for the month were without a doubt “None Shall Sleep” by Ellie Marney and “Darius the Great Deserves Better” by Adib Khorram - I’d highly recommend both of them though they’re drastically different lol

Author/s of colour:

Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian - 5/5

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi - 3/5

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram - reread

Darius the Great Deserves Better by Adib Khorram - 5/5

The Mermaid, the Witch and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall - 5/5

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim - 5/5 #LoveOzYA

Backlog books:

This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers - 4/5

Please Remain Calm by Courtney Summers - 3/5 - (ebook)

All the Rage by Courtney Summers - 3/5

Foolish Hearts by Emma Mills - 5/5

Dreamers Often Lie by Jacqueline West - 1/5

Other reads:

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - 3/5 - reread, up from 2/5

Among Others by Jo Walton - 5/5

The Black Cauldron by Lloyd Alexander - 4/5

Nick and Charlie by Alice Oseman - reread

We Are Lost and Found by Helene Dunbar - 4/5

None Shall Sleep by Ellie Marney - 5/5 #LoveOzYA

Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers - 3/5

I Stop Somewhere by TE Carter - 1/5

Now Entering Addamsville by Francesca Zappia - 3/5

Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry - 1/5

[roguishrecipekitchen]

How to Get out of the Food Funk

How to Get out of the Food Funk

We have probably all been in a food funk one time or another. It’s one of those times when your meal plan has gotten monotonous with the same dishes over and over again. You don’t have an appetite for anything specific nor the desire to cook much. Here are my tips for getting out of the food funk.  Pork Roast with German Bread Dumplings and Gravy In the past month or so I have certainly been in…

[richincolor]

New Releases Week of June 1, 2020

This post is a bright spot for the week. It's great to see so many new titles being released tomorrow.

My Summer of Love and Misfortune by Lindsay Wong Simon Pulse

Iris Wang is having a bit of a rough start to her summer. In an attempt to snap her out of her funk, Iris’s parents send her away to visit family in Beijing, with the hopes that Iris will “reconnect with her culture” and “find herself.” Iris resents her parents’ high-handedness, but even she admits that this might be a good opportunity to hit the reset button.

Iris expects to eat a few dumplings, meet some of her family, and visit a tourist hotspot or two. What she doesn’t expect is to meet a handsome Mandarin-language tutor named Frank and to be swept up in the ridiculous, opulent world of Beijing’s wealthy elite, leading her to unexpected and extraordinary discoveries about her family, her future, and herself. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky Penguin Workshop

In Beyond the Gender Binary, poet, artist, and LGBTQIA+ rights activist Alok Vaid-Menon deconstructs, demystifies, and reimagines the gender binary.

Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today’s leading activists and artists. In this installment, Beyond the Gender Binary, spoken word poet Alok Vaid-Menon challenges the world to see gender not in black and white, but in full color. Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, they show us that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression. The only limit is your imagination. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson Scholastic Press

Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay — Liz has a plan that will get her out of Campbell, Indiana, forever: attend the uber-elite Pennington College, play in their world-famous orchestra, and become a doctor.

But when the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, Liz’s plans come crashing down . . . until she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom king and queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure a gauntlet of social media trolls, catty competitors, and humiliating public events, but despite her devastating fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington.

The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack. She’s smart, funny, and just as much of an outsider as Liz. But Mack is also in the running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams . . . or make them come true? — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Court of Miracles (A Court of Miracles #1) by Kester Grant Knopf Children’s

In the violent urban jungle of an alternate 1828 Paris, the French Revolution has failed and the city is divided between merciless royalty and nine underworld criminal guilds, known as the Court of Miracles. Eponine (Nina) Thénardier is a talented cat burglar and member of the Thieves Guild. Nina’s life is midnight robberies, avoiding her father’s fists, and watching over her naïve adopted sister, Cosette (Ettie). When Ettie attracts the eye of the Tiger–the ruthless lord of the Guild of Flesh–Nina is caught in a desperate race to keep the younger girl safe. Her vow takes her from the city’s dark underbelly to the glittering court of Louis XVII. And it also forces Nina to make a terrible choice–protect Ettie and set off a brutal war between the guilds, or forever lose her sister to the Tiger. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow Tor Teen

Tavia is already at odds with the world, forced to keep her siren identity under wraps in a society that wants to keep her kind under lock and key. Never mind she’s also stuck in Portland, Oregon, a city with only a handful of black folk and even fewer of those with magical powers. At least she has her bestie Effie by her side as they tackle high school drama, family secrets, and unrequited crushes.

But everything changes in the aftermath of a siren murder trial that rocks the nation; the girls’ favorite Internet fashion icon reveals she’s also a siren, and the news rips through their community. Tensions escalate when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical voice during a police stop. No secret seems safe anymore—soon Portland won’t be either. — Copy image and summary via Goodreads

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin #1) by Roseanne A. Brown Balzer + Bray

The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death? — Copy image and summary via Goodreads

[postmodernmulticoloredcloak]

Aaaah I swear I was in a funk these days because I’m stuck in a town where there isn’t much interesting stuff (the best gelateria stopped making gelato, ffs) since the more interesting towns around are off-limits, and today I’ve discovered that the Chinese place that made dumplings and has been closed since January, even before anyone else, reopens tomorrow with a much wider menu, I’m so happy :D

[gallickingun]

I’m glad that you got out of that funk Moe Moe! Have yourself an amazing day and thirst about Bo’s thighs to your hearts content ❤️ I love you, please take care of yourself sugar dumplings ❤️ -🎁

omg i am ALWAYS thinking about bo's thighs 🥺 ily too honey bunches!!!!