#How to Make a Yogurt Face Mask

[maisha-online]

Yogurt Face Masks: Unleashing the Power of Probiotics for Glowing Skin

In the quest for healthy and radiant skin, many people turn to natural remedies and skincare rituals. One such remedy that has gained popularity in recent years is the use of yogurt face masks. Yogurt, a probiotic-rich food, is not only a delicious addition to your breakfast but also holds immense potential for improving your skin’s health and appearance. In this comprehensive guide, we will…

[flowerfreya]

The Office AU

part 17 - Poly!141 The men are trying to show reader that they like , but she has some issues reading the signs Pairing: poly!141 x reader

There has been a lot of causal touching. That you are starting to slowly freak you out. 

Everytime John calls you into his office to ask for a really simple and almost down right disrespectful task that he is asking for you to do. 

“Hey bird, need your help for something”, John calls to you , leaning against the doorway in his office. 

“Sure, let me just find a stopping point”, you could stop at any point but just wanted to seem like you were doing something, not because you aren't doing anything but because you always finish your work early in the day. Standing up and walking over to his office , he puts his hand on your lower back as you walk in, it has you stiffening up and developing a little sweat on your hands. You don’t know what he means when he touches you like this. 

Is he doing it on purpose? 

Does he always touch women like this or just you? 

Does he like me ? 

“Can’t figure out the printer again”, he says, a little too shameful. Considering you’ve shown him how to do this a couple of times already and he just seems to not be getting it. You go over the steps again , sitting down in his chair and you swivel around to him to see if he’s got it. 

“Does that make sense”, you ask him. Look up at him. He then crowds your space and points to the screen and asks a question but you miss it because all you can do is feel his body heat. 

He’s standing right behind you leaning over, which puts some weight on his body on your shoulder. 

You breathe in long and hard and swear you can smell his deodorant and a little of his natural body musk. 

You want to have an oxygen mask of just that scent and only have that survive. 

He brings you out of the haze when he lays his hand on you shoulder, “think I got it, hen” 

“Got what”, you ask. 

“Seems like it printed”, he says, then points to the door frame where Gaz is standing holding what looks to be about 20 copies of some order form. 

“Oh”, you let out quietly, standing up from his chair , “let me know if you need anything else”, you say as you walk out. Going immediately to the bathroom and re applying some powder because you know you are shiny after going through that tortuous 20 minutes. 

You do your nails almost every two weeks. Since you do it yourself it takes forever and you always had a design or too and you’ve been getting better at it. 

So when Soap grabs both of hands and stares at your nails, you forget that you did themand the only thought that is going through your head is that his hands are soft. 

“This look right good," he says , leaning on your desk and bringing your hands closer to his face. 

“Yer did it yourself?”, he ask and you know it takes a second to answer him but he’s still holding your hands and it’s kinda hard to focus. 

You answer and it gets you excited about your nails. You're super proud of them. 

Then god damn him , he starts giving your hands a massage. 

You were not prepared for that, letting out a quick but low moan. 

It has Soap stopping what he’s doing , giving your a little smirk , “feel good?”. 

“J-just surprised me is all”, it did feel good but you didn’t want him to know that, you don’t even know how he feels about you. 

He still flirts with everyone that comes in this office. And he’s playful. Maybe a bit too playful. You’ve done playful before and that just turn into taking care of all the important stuff because “your better at that stuff” and whole bunch of resentment. 

Pulling your hands away slowly , you thank him for the compliments and start to open your yogurt that doubles as your breakfast. As he walks away, “that yogurt is expired”, he says. Which has you looking down and you see the expiration date of two days ago. 

[marvel-ous-m]

After Starcourt, Steve and Robin began a new tradition- 'spa nights'. Robin would make them homemade face masks (“peaches and yogurt? On my face? That’s disgusting Robin.” “Shut up and put it on, dingus.”). They would put in a shitty tape from Family Video and Steve would paint their nails. (“How do you even know how to do this Steve?” “I’m a babysitter, Rob, it’s in the job description.”)

The school year started and Robin got a lot more busy- what with it being her senior year and all- but they still made time for spa nights. They were less frequent (maybe once a month instead of every other week), but they happened.

Vecna came, they killed the bastard, and they all lived- somehow, miraculously, certainly not unscathed, but they’re all alive. They beat him. A few months later, after the almost-end-of-the-world, Robin brought up their spa nights. (“Come on, Steve, it’s been months. My brain needs a vacation, my face needs a vacation, my nails need a vacation.”) Steve agreed, acting reluctant (but was secretly really excited to get back to one-on-one time with his best friend).

Except the kids find out, namely El and Max, and they beg Steve and Robin to join them. The two acquiesce, and then Eddie hears about it and joins the party, too. Uninvited. (But nowadays he doesn’t need an invitation. He shows up, bright personality and even brighter smile, and brings a constant, welcome addition to the party. Along with some… feelings that Steve can’t even start to try and acknowledge.)

The spa night comes and everyone crowds into Steve’s living room. Robin has put together a new face mask recipe (“ugh, what is in this?!” “Just shut your mouth and put it on, Red.”), Eddie brings his braiding skills, and Steve provides the nail polish.

Only now, his hands shake.

It’s something he’s noticed by now. The nerve damage from fighting the bats and Vecna, the 24/7 anxiety, the brain damage, something that they faced over spring break has left him with a tremor that he can’t quite get rid of. Sometimes it’s small, sometimes it’s more noticeable, and tonight… well, it’s not great.

Robin wiggles her fingers at Steve, ready for their tradition of him painting her nails, and Steve hesitates. It’s a small thing, but his shoulders tense. He hasn’t mentioned the shaking to anyone yet, and he knows that he wouldn’t be able to get the crisp, clean paint that he used to. The tremor would make itself obvious, and he just can’t face picking up the nail polish bottle. It’s a sign of the new weakness, one that he can’t admit to others, can barely admit to himself… he can’t face being seen as weak. As flawed. As-

“Hey! Are we painting nails?! Here, lemme have a go. I haven’t done it on anyone else before, always just painted my own.” Eddie interrupts Steve's train of thought in his easy way and grabs the nail polish from just below Steve’s hand. He plops down between Steve and Robin, admiring the color the later had chosen. “Robin’s Egg Blue, very fitting, Birdie.” Eddie winks at her and starts painting, accomplishing a more polished finish than Steve was ever able to get before Spring Break.

And Steve just watches. Quiet, his hands on his knees. He watches as Eddie paints Robin’s fingernails blue, then Max’s a bright red. Eddie paints Eleven’s a deep purple shade, then gives himself a fingernail in each polish that Steve has to create a rainbow of clashing colors. Afterwards, once the paint has dried, the girls all wash their face masks off and curl up to watch the shitty movie Robin had picked.

Eddie turns to Steve then, a bright yellow shade in his hands. “Want a turn, sunshine?” Eddie must’ve seen the look on Steve’s face, the flash of pain, because his voice turns to a whisper before Steve can answer. “I can help you keep your hands steady, Stevie. Don’t worry about that. Just relax and lemme treat you to a manicure.”

Steve startles at that. He thought he'd been better at hiding it. “How did you know?“

“How wouldn’t I know, Steve?” Eddie grabs Steve’s hand, a gentle but firm grip holding his fingers straight and steady. “I paid attention. I noticed. We all came away from that fight with a different scar, and we all need some extra help with different things now.” Eddie speaks as he paints, carefully brushing away any mess with the corner of his thumb. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but I get it if you can’t tell anyone just yet. I’ll be here to help, though. Just like this. If you want it.”

Steve’s quiet still, but now in an effort to keep his emotions at bay. He’s never had anyone do… anything like this for him before. Eddie moves on to paint his other hand, and they sit in silence while the sound of the shitty rom-com washes over them, joined by the occasional giggle or mocking comment from one of the girls. Eddie does a second coat, brushes any scraps of excess paint away with an alcohol wipe, and caps the nail polish with a gentle smile.

Steve admires his nails, then glances up at Eddie, his eyes welling. “Eddie, thank you-“

“Don’t worry about it, darlin’, it’s just a paint job-“

“No really, Eddie. Thank you. For everything. For noticing. No one’s ever-“

“I’ll always notice, Stevie.” Eddie squeezes Steve’s arm, then turns slightly to watch the movie, his hip pressed against Steve’s.

Years later, in retrospect, Steve realizes that the spa night was the night he fell in love with Eddie Munson.

[thescarletnargacuga]

Art by @iamespecter

CHAPTER TEN

Caine and Pomni grow closer while making the next day's race! Caine can't deny his feelings, but Pomni is unsure! The other racers make their own mischief without a track to keep them busy!

WARNING: none!

~~~

Gangle hummed to herself cheerfully as she redesigned the paint sceme and patterns on her kart. She was feeling rosey pink today, so that's what her kart would be for tomorrow. She drew her custom designs on the control panel tablet and they appeared on her kart in real time. "Hmmm....I wonder how many white flowers I could fit..." She was so focused, she didn't notice Gummigoo standing beside her.

"Gangle-"

"EEP!" Gangle's mask went askew but she held it before it moved out of place further. "Oh, hi!"

"Uh, hey...can I talk to you?" Gummigoo looked around to make sure no one else was in earshot.

"Sure!" Gangle put down the stylus and gave him her full attention.

Gummigoo rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the scarred indents of Bubble's teeth marks. "I...I think something happened to me last night."

"A lot happened to everyone last night." Gangle giggled.

Gummigoo forced a small smile. "Yeah, look, I think something bad happened. I went to my room, blacked out and woke up standing in Pomni's room. She seemed rather freaked out by me being there."

"Oh my! I'm sorry, I didn't see you go in there. I was... preoccupied." Gangle glanced at Zooble, a light blush dusting her mask. "Have you tried talking to her today?"

"Yeah, but she brushed me off... wouldn't even look at me." His shoulders drooped. "I consider Pomni a friend, I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I had hurt her in some way...what do I do?"

Gangle put her hand on his shoulder. "Give her space for now. She'll come around when she's ready."

"What if she never is?" He couldn't handle the thought of Pomni never talking to him again.

"How about I ask her on your behalf? Maybe she'll talk to me about it. Girl to girl."

"I'd really appreciate that. You're a true friend, Gangle." Gummigoo smiled for real this time.

"Awwww, shucks. I try." Gangle waved him away bashfully. "Anyway, try not to worry too much. Pomni wanted you here in the first place. I don't think she'd change her mind overnight."

Gummigoo took a deep breath. "I'll have to take your word on that for now, but thank-"

"LOOK OUT!" Ragatha cried out.

Gummigoo turned around in time for a pb&j sandwich to smack him in the face. It slid down his stunned form, falling to the ground with a wet splat.

Jax was laughing his ass off. "I wasn't aiming for you, but I'll take it."

"What's the big idea!?" Gummigoo wiped off the smear of jelly and peanut butter over his eyes.

"I'm bored." Jax picked up a cup of yogurt from the dining table. "That's why." He chucks it at Ragatha, who ducked. The yogurt smacked the back of Kinger's head, who silently turned his head curiously. "Man, my aim is off today." Jax picked up a a mixed berry pie and aimed for Zooble, who had their back to him.

Before Jax could launch the pie, Zooble spoke. "Throw anything at me, and it'll be the last thing your arm ever does."

Jax changed the trajectory last second and threw the pie at Loo, who was hiding behind the furniture with Ragatha.

Gummigoo rushed to the packed table. The bubble chef hovered overhead, amused by the racers playing with the food. Gummigoo got a whole bowl of mashed potatoes, and dunked it on Jax's head.

"AH-MMMPHTH-!!" Jax was blinded and stumbled over a bean chair.

"Fooooood fiiiiiight!" Gangle cheered.

Everyone except Zooble scrambled for the table. They grabbed random handfuls of food and pelted Jax mercilessly. "I'LL TAKE YOU ALL ON!!" Jax warcried.

Zooble sat cross legged in a recliner, thumbing through a magazine. Not a spec of flying food touched them.

~

Caine and Pomni laughed hard together, out of bounds. Pomni has to brace against a colorful mushroom tree and wipe tears away as Caine held his ribs and kicked his feet mid air.

"So- so- okay-" Caine tries to talk through bouts of laughter. "So I said; why would the kart need more speed sets? It's already got three! Here, there, and GONE!"

"Oh my god..." Pomni continued to laugh. "I can't believe Kinger of all people would ask for that."

"Oh, believe it! He's more mellowed out these days, but Kinger was a real speed demon early on. Held the champion title for a record number of seasons." Caine took a steading breath, the occasional giggle escaping him.

"Could you add more speed of you wanted to?"

"Oh, definitely. The only limit is the game engine, but if I made everyone go top speed at all times, that would make the boosts and items pretty boring. Got to keep a pinch of chance mixed in with the strategy required to win a race. Keeps things interesting."

"Fair point." Pomni could finally breath normally again. She went to remove her hat to run her hand through her hair, but it didn't budge. She forgot she couldn't remove it. "Hey, um... what all can you do in the game? Are you really all-powerful?"

Caine was a bit taken aback and looked away as he cleared his voice. "I wouldn't say-....yes, I am. As the administrative AI, everything in the game is mine to do with as I please. The only exceptions are the racers. While I could certainly move you around if I wanted to, I can't control the way you act or feel or anything like that."

"Can you affect our clothes?" She tugged at her hat.

Caine looked her over, an embarrassed blush lightly displayed on the sides of his face. "...technically, yes." He wasn't sure were this was going.

"Then can you PLEASE let me take off this hat? It's a bit obtrusive."

"OH! Oh, yes, of course. Avatar changes are tricky, especially since- Nevermind, but I can help you with this." He put his hands on the sides of her hat.

Pomni leaned against the mushroom tree behind her, watching Caine curiously.

Caine focused and lifted the hat slowly. Binary code that made up Pomni's form was exposed. He ran his hand over the top of her head and the code morphed and changed color. Dark brown hair flowed from her scalp and glided between his fingers as he made it grow. The hair length stopped just below the base of her head all the way around. He smiled as he felt her soft hair slip through his fingers, his hand lingering just a bit longer than necessary near her cheek.

Pomni's eyes dilated watching Caine's expressions subtly change as he focused. Her head tingled as the hair grew. Caine's fingers brushing her cheek made her breath catch in her throat. Her digital heartbeat felt like it was trying to escape her chest.

Their eyes met, so close to one another. Caine's gaze drifted down to Pomni's lips.

"Thank you..." Pomni said quietly.

"You're welcome." Caine tried hard not to stare, but Pomni wetted her lips nervously and he shuddered.

"Hey, boss!" Bubble popped in.

Caine launched himself away from Pomni, hovering stiffly. Pomni froze in place against the mushroom tree asset.

"What!?" Caine said a bit too loud. His blush was dark red. Pomni's hat clutched tightly in one of his hands.

"The racers are destroying the garage." Bubble said with a smile.

"Good for them." Caine said, staring determinately in a random direction away from Bubble or Pomni. "Without a race, I'm sure they need something to do."

"You don't want to watch?" Bubble asked, mildly confused.

"Nope. Too busy. Lots of work left to be done on this new track if it's going to be used tomorrow."

"Okay, boss. I'm going to watch the violence." Bubble giggled giddily and popped.

Caine and Pomni both immediately relaxed when Bubble left. Pomni stepped away from the mushroom tree and looked over what she and Caine built. "You're right, there is still a lot to do. We got distracted there for a bit."

"Yeah, we did." He couldn't stop thinking about how close he had been to her. Thoughts of what could've happened if Bubble hadn't come in made his code buzz excitedly. He shook them from his mind and rejoined Pomni on the ground. "While there are still quite a few decorative assets to complete, the track itself is about finished. I'm going to sprinkle in a few jumps and maybe a tunnel for extra flavor."

"Ooh, how about a tunnel made of water?" Pomni smiled.

"I like the way you think." Caine smiled back and tossed her hat onto the same asset his coat was hanging from.

~

An entire plate of food crashed against the wall behind Kinger. He had barely managed to avoid it, moving his body back in a limbo bend. He was out of ammo and grabbed two cushions to throw back instead.

Everyone and everything in the garage was covered in food. The bubble chef kept making more appear on the table as the racers ran around upturned furniture.

Loo shielded Ragatha from an incoming jello mound. Green apple flavored gelatin went everywhere. Loo licked the jello off her lips. "Mmm, at least the food is good."

Ragatha playfully glared at Gangle, who had thrown the jello. "Take that!" She grabbed a handful of random mashed food on the wall and threw it back.

Gangle was hit square in the face, falling backwards. Her mask slipped, shattering on the floor. The sound of the breaking porcelain made everyone stop. Zooble slapped her magazine shut.

Ragatha nearly slipped on mashed food trying to get to Gangle. "Oh no! I'm so sorry! Are you okay!?"

Gangle lightly sniffed, gingerly picking up the pieces of her comedy mask. "Been... awhile since...this happened. I knew I should have...secured it better today." Her voice lulled slowly with a heavy rasp.

Zooble scooped up the pieces easily, then helped Gangle to her feet. They stood between Gangle and the others, not letting them see her tragic face. "Come on, there's extra glue in my room." They leave together to go upstairs

"Way to go, Ragatha. Now the mood is ruined." Jax complained.

"I didn't mean to hit her in the face! I really am sorry!" Ragatha called up after Gangle as the door to Zooble's room shut.

Loo placed a comforting hand on Ragatha. "I'm sure she knows it was an accident."

Ragatha didn't say anything as she brushed food off her dress.

Gummigoo shook mush off his tail, looking around. "Crikey, I think we got carried away." A bit of food fell from the ceiling and splattered on his snoot. He groaned.

"Without a race to reset the garage, we'll need Caine if we want this cleaned up." Kinger commented as he wiped undistinguishable food off his robe. He looked mournfully at the messed up cushions, no pillow forts could be made with messy cushions.

"Hey, chef?" Ragatha addressed the bubble in the room. "Would you mind asking Caine to pop over real quick and help us out?"

"No can do." The bubble shook in reply. "He's busy working on tomorrow's track with Pomni."

"They left?" Regatha looked out the window with it's blinds open.

"You didn't see them leave? You should pay attention more." Kinger said poignantly.

Ragatha didn't comment. She turned back to the bubble chef. "Come on, he can do it in less than a second. It wouldn't take much of his time."

"Nuh-uh." Bubble said with an even wider grin. "He's so focused he even has Pomni against a tree for comparison."

Ragatha blinked and looked to the others, everyone shrugged.

"...and taking off her clothing assets." Bubble announced.

Ragatha clapped her hands over her mouth. Everyone else struggles to pretend they didn't just hear that.

Jax picked up a plate and threw it like a frisbee it at the chef. The unhelpful bubble pops and the plate smashes against the wall. "Useless assistants."

~

Caine finished rendering a new spiral launch and took a breather. "That's the last of the track. This is going to be spectacular, Pomni! Thanks especially to you."

Pomni waved off his praise. "Oh, come on, all I've done is talk. You're the one doing all the work."

"My dear, creative brainstorming is a big part of what I do! The fact that you came up with most of this on your own, I'm impressed. What inspired you?"

Pomni looked around at the dark light colors and soft lighting. "I think I just like pretty things that shine in the dark."

"How poetic." Caine smirked.

Pomni smiled bashfully. "Maybe this is what I liked on the outside..."

Caine watched her carefully. "...how much do you remember?"

"Not a lot. I remember snippets and I dream, but nothing solid. Like, I can't remember where I'm from...where I grew up....if I had a family..."

"I'm sorry." Caine said quietly. "If the exit wasn't the way it is, I'd let you go back in a snap, but for what it's worth...I'm glad you're here."

Pomni wiped away a tear that tried to sneak out. "It's not all bad. The others are fun to be around, and you've... made me feel pretty welcome."

"It's what I do." He took off his hat and bowed dramatically. "Caine, Race Host Extraordinaire, at your service."

Pomni giggled. Before she could speak further, a large asset started blinking some distance behind Caine. Pomni saw it shudder and glitch, her eyes widened.

Caine got up from his bow and saw Pomni staring into the distance. "Something wrong?" He goes to turn around but Pomni grabs his wrist.

"No! Nothing! Sorry! I just, uh- had an idea! Yeah! We haven't made insects for this track yet. Kinger would be disappointed if we forgot." She quickly glanced behind Caine, the asset was normal again.

"Gadzooks, you're right! What an oversight! I know just the thing for a track like this, but I'll need your help." He slid his wrist out of her grasp to hold her hand.

"What could I do? I can't create things out of thin air."

"Not alone you can't, but with a little bit of administrative access..." He snapped his fingers and his hand holding hers glowed a dim gold.

Pomni's palm felt warm and tingly. Her gloved hand buzzed and pixelated a little before going back to normal.

"...if you can conceive it, you can achieve it. Now, visualize in your mind what you want to appear."

Pomni closed her eyes to focus. She thought hard on picturing a moth. It's what was on the top of her head. Suddenly something fluttered in between her hand and Caine's. She gasped and pulled away from him. A black light green and blue moth flew free, coming to rest on the trunk of the mushroom tree. She looked at her hand. "Oh my god..."

"Neat, right? Now, imagine... having that power with absolutely everything! The world is yours to command at a single snap." Caine snapped his fingers and every asset they worked on that day levitated for a second before going back down. "Go on, give it a try."

Pomni looked for the smallest asset. A pebble. She thought to herself: jump! She snapped. The pebble jumped several inches off the ground. "WOAH!"

"You learn quickly." Caine beamed. "This access will allow you to help me more in the future. However, it will only work out of bounds. Can't have you snapping things around active tracks all willy-nilly."

"Aw, and here I wanted to snap Jax into the nearest dumpster."

Caine chuckled. "As tempting as that is some days, it's important to show restraint. Yet another lesson I've learned the hard way." His eyes became distant for a moment, then he cleared his voice. "Anyway, would you like to keep making more?"

"I would." She held out her hand to him.

Caine gladly accepted it. "My power is yours. Show me what that beautiful mind can create."

Pomni could not get used to Caine complimenting her, as nice as it felt, the fluster made it hard to focus. All she could think of were "colorful night bugs". She snapped. A flurry of multicolor moths and fireflies and beetles flew from her hand out on to the new track.

Caine watched her with soft eyes. The way she looked in the colorful low light was truly something to behold. He ran his thumb subtly over her knuckles, wanting nothing more than to pull her in and kiss her breathless. For now, at least, she seemed very happy with her gift. There was real joy in her smile. That was enough for him.

~

It was late before Pomni and Caine popped back into the garage, right outside her room door. All was quiet, the other racers already settled in their rooms for the night. Pomni had her hat tucked under an arm, still wanting to enjoy her head's new found freedom. "Thanks for spending time with me, today. I had fun." She gave him a genuine smile.

Caine's code skipped a beat. He placed a light kiss to the top of her hand. "Trust me when I say, it's been my absolute pleasure. I should have you around out of bounds more often. Who knows what kind of trouble we could get into." He winks.

Pomni internally screams from romantic panic. Her face felt as hot as the sun. "That- that- would be nice! We could make a date of it! ...again." This time, nothing felt like just a nice gesture. This time, it felt meaningful. That maybe pursuing a romantic relationship with a gaming AI wasn't that crazy after all.

Caine could explode into butterflies and confetti. She wanted to make it another date! "Just let me know when. Give your fingers a snap, and I'll be right there." He held both her hands in his. "I'm so happy, Pomni. I'm so very happy to have you around. You're not just another racer, you're special to me."

Pomni didn't know what to say. She was happy too, but at the same time, this was still a crazy situation to find herself in. Part of her wanted to launch herself into Caine's embrace and never let go, the other wanted to run. She awkwardly swung her arms with his. "I... you're becoming something special to me too. I still have... reservations. I'm sorry if that wasn't what you wanted to hear, I just...need to go slow." She looked down and away.

Caine gently squeezes her hands. "My dear, we can take this as slow as we need to. We can save the high speed pursuits for the track. Rest well, I look forward to tomorrow."

"Me too." Pomni gave him one last smile as she shut her room door.

Caine hovered near the ceiling, looking down at the travesty that was the garage. "Racers." He chuckles and snaps. The place instantly became spotless and tidy. He teleported away.

~

Pomni immediately checked her room for Abel. Relieved to find herself alone, she flopped on her bed and screamed confused emotions into her pillow. "What am I doing!? I can't actually be falling for him?? I want to leave but he's so- so- AAAAH!! Is he really interested or is it an act?? Abel said-... And why ME of all people!? I'm not- HE- uuuuuuuuugh..." She relaxed face down on the bed, eventually drifting off to sleep.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

A blue digital countdown flashed before Pomni's eyes. It scared her. She tried to run from it. The numbers got bigger, the blue glow getting brighter behind her. More lights ahead. Two high beam gold headlights. The roar of an engine. Tires screeching. She tries to run to the side, but feels sluggish, her running stride slowing no matter how fast she tries to go.

Both sets of lights get closer to her. A panicked heart beat booms in her ear. The red door with the C&A logo appears between the lights. She throws herself through it as the lights collide.

Beyond the door was an office, but not the same as she's seen before. It looked like a home office. More modern. Papers and files stacked everywhere. Photos of faceless people pinned to a corkboard. Red string connected them. The C&A logo centered on the board with multiple red circles drawn over it.

The flat screen monitors came to life with red letters. P W P I. Again and again. "Pomni..." A feminine disembodied voice called out. "Pomni..." It came from a wall that was entirely made of mirror.

Pomni stared into it, not seeing herself, but the woman in the brown jacket. The strange woman put her hand against the mirror. Pomni felt inclined to do the same. When their hands touched, the mirror cracked violently. The reflection became fragments of visions that meant nothing to Pomni.

The mirror wall fell apart, revealing a black abyss beyond. One large green and orange eye opens, staring directly at Pomni. She couldn't move. Her body defied any instinct to run. The eye rushes her.

Pomni jolts awake with a shout, falling off her bed. "Ow..." She holds her aching head. She didn't feel like going back to bed. None of her dreams have made it worth it. She opened her door to find sunlight peeking in through the blinds on the main floor. It was morning already.

Pomni tiredly requested coffee from the bubble chef. She was the first up, having the lounge to herself. It was the first bit of peace and quiet she actually had in a while. Her mind was exhausted. Swinging wildly from one emotion to another, and dreaming about...whatever the heck all that was, had her drained. Her peace was broken by Zooble and Gangle being the next ones down.

"Good morning!" Gangle cheerfully greeted as she sat next to Pomni. Zooble sat next to Gangle with an arm over the back of the couch.

Pomni internally cringed at Gangle's tone this early in the morning, but kept a neutral face. "Morning..." She sipped her coffee.

"Are you feeling better after spending time with Caine? You were a bit out of sorts yesterday."

Pomni slowly blinked, trying to remember what Gangle was referring to. "Oh...yeah, I am. We had fun."

"That's great! Because Gummigoo seemed pretty upset that you wouldn't talk to him."

"I didn't want to talk to anyone." Pomni said defensively.

"I know, but he was REALLY worried that he had done something wrong."

Pomni focused on her coffee. "He didn't. Just...wrong place, wrong time."

Gangle looked to Zooble in a silent plea. Zooble shrugged. Gangle nervously tapped her ribbon hands together. "Maybe you should talk to him? Tell him things are okay? He cares about how you feel about him."

Pomni stared at her reflection in the black bean water. "I'll talk to him." She'd have to at some point. Abel would be back any time.

~

Pomni caught Gummigoo the moment he left his room. "Hey, can we talk?"

"Sure thing." Gummigoo felt an icepick of fear in his code but went with her anyway. He needed to know what he'd done.

They sat together in the stands, away from prying ears in the garage. Another perfect digital day made the quiet environment easy to enjoy. Gummigoo nervously held his hands together, leaning forward to brace his elbows on his knees to keep them from shaking.

Pomni sat back with her arms crossed. "Nothing happened the other night. You walked in. We talked a bit. You came around. I helped you find your way out. That was it."

"...that doesn't explain how scared you looked. You acted like I was about to literally bite your head off. Then you wouldn't even look at me the next day. I'm sorry, but I don't believe you." Gummigoo said quietly but firmly.

Pomni took a moment to answer. "The conversation got heated. You're kind of scary when you're angry. I'm glad you came to when you did." The memory of Abel's cold fury directed to Caine made her head hurt.

"What did I say? I really don't remember...I'm sorry." Gummigoo sulked.

"Don't worry about it. People do weird things under the influence. I still consider you a friend."

"Really?"

"Mmhm."

Gummigoo sat up straight. "That's a relief. I would've been devo if I couldn't muck about on the track with you anymore." He smirked.

Pomni smiled back. "Things would've gotten boring so fast."

~

Caine appeared right on time in full race host uniform. Fairy lights sparkle, falling around him. "Hello, my fabulous fantastical friends! I have a very special treat for you all today! A brand new track designed from the very mind of our own Pomni!"

"Oh, this oughta be good." Jax huffed.

"It's more than that! It's excellent!" Caine excitedly flew over to Pomni and held out his cane to her.

She looked at it with confusion. "Uh...what-"

"This is your track, Pomni. You should be the one to introduce it to the other racers." Caine motioned for her to take his cane.

"Ooo! How exciting!" Ragatha clapped. "Go on, Pomni. You can tell us about what you made."

Pomni slowly took the cane, trying not to look at all the eyes on her. "Uh..." Microphone feedback from the cane's topper made an ear splitting ring echo through the garage. She held the cane out at arms length. "Sorry."

"Already off to a great start." Jax muttered sarcastically.

"Um, the track today is..." She just realized they never agreed on a name. She had to come up with one on the spot. She spied the sparkling lights Caine had made part of his entrance and rolled with it. "Uh...the Fairylight Forrest."

As if on cue, Caine snapped and the race track title appeared in shiny, colorful letters overhead. They had way too much pizzazz for Pomni's lackluster announcement.

Everyone but Jax politely clapped. Pomni wanted to fall through the floor. She tried giving Caine his cane back.

"Not yet! They need to see it! Come on everyone! Lead the way, Pomni!"

The embarrassment was going to kill her.

Caine opened the door for her and the racers. The outside was gorgeous. A dark Forrest bathed in pale moonlight surrounded the startling line. The track disappeared into the iridescent woodland, small lights lining the sides. Bioluminescent mushrooms as tall as the trees gave off blacklight glow. Moths and fireflies flitted about.

The racers all gave whispered gasps and comments of astonishment. This was one of the most serene tracks any of them had even seen. Ragatha nudged Pomni with her elbow. "Good job, this is way more mellow than anything Caine's every made."

Pomni smirked mischievously. "You haven't seen the track yet." She raised her voice confidently, seeing how genuinely impressed everyone was. "Welcome to the Fairlyight Forest! Don't be fooled by it's appearance! It's as dangerous as it is beautiful!"

Caine lounged back in the air with his arms crossed, a proud smile on his face.

Pomni raised the cane to her lips. "This track is packed with harrowing hairpin turns, sickening spirals and mind-blowing multi-tiered jumps!"

Caine was falling in love all over again.

"Be amazed! Be astounded! But don't be caught unaware! For a great beast roams these woods, and it's hunger for racers is never saited! Can you make it to the final lap in one piece? Let's find out. Racers! To your karts!" A roaring applause came from the themed stands behind her. She jerked her head around to the crowd, like she had forgotten it existed. NPCs where on their feet, going wild for the announcement. The others excitedly ran to their karts as Pomni held the cane close to her chest. She was rather surprised with herself.

"You're amazing." Caine said from behind her.

Pomni smiled bashfully and held out the cane to him. "I learn from the best."

He took it, going out of his way to make sure his fingers brush hers. "Have fun out there, my fairy queen."

"Always." Pomni smiled all the way out to her kart, jumping in.

Caine twirled his cane. "Racers! Start! Your! Engines!!"

Bubble appeared with translucent fairy wings on their back and stuck out their tongue to start the countdown.

First light...

Pomni couldn't take her eye off Caine. He was looking at her so longingly that her heart skipped a beat.

Second light...

She winked at him, reving her engine.

Third light...

She could swear Caine fainted.

GREEN!!

She takes off with the group into the forest.

~

Blue static crackled along the bounds of the game, moving with purpose. Every asset touched by it blinked and glitched subtly. The static came to the portion of the forest where the antagonistic beast lied dormant, awaiting the racers to trigger it's pursuit. The static leapt into the eyes of the beast. It's cold silver eyes turned bright blue.

~~~

CH 1 PREV NEXT

[issa-pheonyx]

Being Johnny Cage's Niece...

𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗺���𝗻𝗱, 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗼𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀. 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹. 𝗬𝗲𝘀, 𝗜'𝗺 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘀✨𝗰𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻✨, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻𝗻𝘆. 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻 𝘆𝗮'𝗹𝗹 [𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆]🤭

▌│█║▌║▌║ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ ║▌║▌║█│▌

-He is literally the fun uncle...with such dad jokes and puns that makes you double take on being his favorite. Yes, you're his favorite what makes you think he is open with you hanging around when he is in acting mode at work or he invites you to the red carpet to announce the winners for best actor (AKA him). Plus, there is a new game system you've been investing? He got you. Student loans? No need just tell him how much it is for each semester, he is very supportive of your career. "Is that your uncle Johnny fucking Cage!?" He is at the drop off waiting for you to be picked up in his red Lamborghini, blasting California Love,"Yup...that is my uncle."

-Speaking of his acting career he will NOT permit you to go to any film industry if he is not around. He will confront any sleazy creeps who dare to make you sign a contract, because you will be the biggest star like your uncle. Nope! Not on his watch. "Give me that. Who gave you this paper?" "Uh, some bald guy-" "Yeah, didn't I teach you any better talking to strangers??" "Uncle J you're not even my da-" "I'm calling your mom."

-Not only is he protective, but he will keep mad bugging you to teach you his martial art skills. It is just an excuse to have some uncle and niece bonding-both you hang out 24/7 it is ridiculous-so, you could be his trustee side kick and who knows if he ever has another movie coming in he would definitely drag put you in since you learned martial arts like him. On a serious note though he would let you know he is not doing it for clout (bullshit), but to make sure you are safe and know what to do in dangerous scenarios

-Of course, you will be bombarded with paparazzi when you're hanging with your uncle, however the pictures seem to have a unique pattern about you both. It is like a game between you and Johnny against them. You received little attention before your first movie with your uncle, yet after that you decide to troll them. Every picture they failed to take your face either you wearing a hoodie only seeing your mouth in view, surgical masks and not being to capture you pulling it down when you're eating/drinking cause the angle is shit. Or even then you would position yourself around objects or things that it just looks like a tree branch covered the majority of your face flashing a smile cause Johnny cracked a joke as he was smiling too, eating frozen yogurt going for a walk at the park

-Now being introduced with Lui Kang God of Fire, Sub Zero, Scorpion, and so much was mind blowing. Even you were part of it. Johnny being the protective uncle he absolutely REFUSED to get you involved. So, instead you had to stay close to him at all times since you were forced to join. It was quite a beauty since these different timelines had gorgeous views, so you would snap pictures here and there (without uncle Kenshi knowing cause he bonked you with the sword once). Plus, you were stunned how pretty everyone was there like holy shit why is everyone so hot???

-Furthermore, everyone was just as curious as they were with Johnny to you. "So, you're related to Johnny Cage?" Lui Kang asks as he was behind the entrance door of your uncle's mansion with his arms crossed,"Unfortunately, yes-" "That's it! Youngins' shouldn't be here. The adults are talking." The ladies were a little confused you can be the opposite of Johnny being humorous and all. "How can you tolerate such patience with an uncle so untamed, (Y/N)?" Kitana whispered to you after he told her she was gracefully aging for a 10,000 year old,"I don't know, princess. I question myself that everyday."

-Of course, your uncle J told you to be close to you at all costs, but you end up snapping when someone laid a hand on your uncle. That's when all that work of martial arts paid off when you were popping awf, honey. Everyone was shook and couldn't believe their eyes even Mileena complimented,"Such fire you show within kombat! I wish you can stay here in the Outworld to teach all my guards." You chuckled,"I would be very honored, your majesty, but I don't think uncle Johnny would be okay with that."

-Being his niece has taught you to enjoy life even when things don't go your way it'll get better. With you he learned that not everything shouldn't be taken so lightly when it is necessary especially to those he has a special bond with. Lets just say it is a healing and mind opening moment for you and you uncle away from the riches, the media, and fame into the Outworld

▌│█║▌║▌║ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ L̳͈͉̅̊ȍ̸̢̢̮͚̐̚v̸̵̝͙͆̈ͤę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ M̶̷̲̊ͥ͋͟ę̷̵̧̖̫̗̆̊ ║▌║▌║█│▌

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁. 𝗠𝘆 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴. 𝗦𝗹𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹~🖤🫣

[writers-potion]

Hiiii

I don't know how to make the two love interest meet. I don't know if you understand without it actually being awkward or flat

Meet-Cute Ideas

Before I dive into meet-cute examples, let's look at some general tips for meet-cutes:

Four Different Kinds of Meet-Cutes

Pull/Pull Meet-Cutes where the two characters are instantly drawn toward one another. 

Push/Push Meet-Cutes where they are opposites that push away from each other at first. 

Push/Pull Meet-Cutes where one character falls for someone with no reciprocal interest (at first).  

Neutral/Nervous Meet-Cutes where neutrality and nervousness create a cute scenario for characters destined to fall in love. 

How to Avoid Cliche Meet-Cutes!

Subvert audience expectations by making them believe a cliche meet-cute is coming, and then adding a creative twist to make yours stand apart. 

Place meet-cutes in unique locations. 

Put characters in different scenarios and situations. 

Meet Cute Ideas

A is in the waiting room of a hospital while their grandmother goes through a routine procedure. B walks in and sits across from A, head in hands, obviously distraught — “I lost the baby,” B whispers.

You accidentally sprayed them with yogurt when you opened the lid the wrong way.

Studying at the same table in the library, you see they are pulling the same study resources as you.

They mistook your bowling ball for theirs in the shared ball return.

They caught you when you slipped on ice and nearly fell over.

Accidentally stepping on their heel in a crowded room.

You both do the side-to-side dance when you try to pass them in the grocery store aisle.

Humming a song and having them begin to hum with you without thinking.

Tripping while getting into your seat in the theater and spilling your popcorn on them.

You matched with them in an online chat roulette room.

Both of you wore the same ugly Christmas sweater to a party.

A likes to visit the local humane society to say hello to the animals. On this particularly normal day, something especially abnormal happens — one of the dogs speaks. “Help me get out of here, will ya?”

A finds a book of magic in their grandparents attic. A takes it to a Wiccan shop and hesitantly asks B, the shopkeeper, to take a look at it. B takes one look at it and in hushed tones asks, “Where did you get this?”

They cover the small amount of change you are short on for a purchase.

You both go to the counter, having the same type of coffee called for pick-up.

A is walking down the street and notices B, who is staring at a large graffiti mural, tears streaming silently down their face. The mural reads, “you are alive.”

They pull you out of the way from the busy bike path.

They see your ice cream drop to the ground and buy you a new one.

You see your favorite book on their desk during class and ask them about it afterwards.

You walk out of a dressing room asking if the outfit suits you, but it's not your friend waiting outside the room like you thought.

Almost spilling a drink because you met their eyes and got distracted thinking how cute they are.

Getting paired up in a line dance.

Happening to sit next to each other on a park bench, reading the same book.

Being paired up at a beginners ballroom dancing class.

Sharing an umbrella at a bus stop as it snows.

They get your attention and return your phone that fell out of your pocket.

You help catch their dog when the leash slips from their hand.

They ask you to pretend to be their date at a bar to prevent an ex from talking to them.

You help pull a loose thread off the back of their shirt.

Meeting their gaze after throwing a coin in a wishing fountain.

Sitting next to each other at a very boring meeting and bonding over your shared lack of attention.

You wear matching masks at a masquerade party.

Holding the elevator for them and getting off on the same floor.

Bumping into each other while trying to pass through a doorway.

They jump into your car breathless and tell you to keep driving.

You throw a snowball at a friend but miss and hit them instead.

The two of you wear costumes from the same fandom at a costume party.

You help a lost child find their parent together.

Walking into the incorrect bathroom and meeting eyes with them before quickly realizing the mistake.

You help catch their hat as it flies away in the wind.

The person sitting next to you on the train is wearing clothes that match your lucky colors from your fortune that morning in the paper.

They knock on your apartment door instead of your neighbor's.

You both reach for the last umbrella in the store on a rainy day.

You fix your hair in the reflection of a window to see them smiling at you through it.

You get scared by them in a corn maze and lash out and hit them, quickly followed by apologizes.

A spots B writhing on the ground in pain and rushes over to help them — but it turns out that B was actually just filming for a prank video. A gets so mad and upset that B is forced to calm them down as a crowd is beginning to form around them.

Texting the incorrect number but continuing the conversation.

A stops at the pub near their house to pick up some food on the way home (they make the best fries in the neighbourhood) when A receives a phone call – and some terrible news. A starts crying and B, the bartender, asks A what’s wrong. As A opens up to them, B gives A a drink on the house, and helps talk them through it.

You both reach for the final donut in the case at a bakery.

Getting paired up on an amusement park that requires even numbered riders.

[modelbus]

Please please please do a part 2 for Cut Chaos…maybe where she sees the others out and about and it’s a awkward until they get around to why she wasn’t subtly push out? I honestly don’t know, I just want to see where it goes…

I got so many asks for a part 2, you are the chosen one I shall write it to. Hopefully this lives up to the first one!

Read part 1! And Part 3?

Pairing(s): cc!Ranboo, cc!Tubbo, cc!Wilbur and cc!Tommy x Fem!Reader (Platonic)

Cut Chaos Part 2

Somehow, going to the store had become your nemesis. Wallowing in self-pity felt like a much better way to spend your time, but even you could acknowledge that you needed to buy things eventually.

The reason why you tried to minimize going was simple: you didn’t want to see them.

What would happen? Part of you wasn’t sure if you could face the rejection in real life. The blow had been softened—although barely—by the digital world. If you tried hard enough, you could pretend that your phone broke and that’s why they never contact you.

Tommy’s birthday came and went, and you sent a gift through the mail. Too afraid of the boy to even have the decency to leave it on his doorstep, while too caught up in what you’ve lost to not give something.

You signed the card with love and your name, leaving the comma out. You didn’t regret it until it was too late, until the card had been sealed.

If you saw him at the store, would he acknowledge that? Or would it just be another thing on a list that he ignored about you?

If you were the count the number of times you’ve thought about them, perhaps you’d be counting forever. The store, the first time, nearly made you cry.

It’s a strange feeling, having then not having. Being in the sun, only to have clouds suddenly yanked over it as a downpour begins. The m&m yogurt reminded you of them, the twin snake gummy worms. Even the teal of a sign had made you stop in your tracks.

You were pathetic, honestly. But you were mourning something you weren’t even sure that you ever had.

So, the store. Your new foe, the newest nemesis in the battle of memories. Checkouts beeped in the rhythm of heartbeats you’re terrified of forgetting, shoppers talked in low tones you used to know.

Today, it was raining out. It had only just started when you got inside the store, thank God, but it meant your walk home would be a wet one. You didn't live too far though, so it wouldn't be that bad.

The door opens next to you, where you're looking at the strangely large selection of stuffed animals. One would go well with your setup, really.

You glance over your shoulder, a curtesy glance really, and do a doubly take at the four figures darkening the doorstep. Figuratively, although three are tall as fuck and cast shadows.

A black and white mask. Blue eyes. Fluffy brown hair. Fluffy brown hair times two.

Oh, shit.

You stare at Ranboo, Tommy, Wilbur, and Tubbo for one second, then two. Tubbo sweeps his gaze over the store, pausing when he lands on you.

“Oh.”

The first words they speak to you in ages, and it’s Tubbo saying “oh.” A truly inspiring start to a conversation.

“Hey. I didn’t know you guys came here.” You say around the dryness in your mouth. Swallowing, you try to force air into your lungs.

“We don’t.” Wilbur answers. “Not usually, we’re just—“

“Filming.” Tommy finishes, holding up his camera.

Right.

It’s one thing to see it online, but it’s a whole different level of pain to witness it in front of you. The split in the ground between you and them is almost visible. Almost.

“Oh.” And now you’re the one with the lame response. “Well. Enjoy that, I guess.”

“Wait.” Wilbur says, reaching out, because of course it’s Wilbur to do this to you. “How have you been? It’s- it’s been a while.”

And who, you want to ask, is at fault for that? Who would be taking the blame? Because by the way Ranboo couldn’t meet your eyes, you’re certain you all know.

”Do you want the honest answer, or the answer that’ll make it so you all can go to bed tonight peacefully?” You ask passively, because fuck.

They fucking left you. No, they did far worse than that. They ruined you.

You turn away, heading to the checkout. They follow you.

“What do you guys want? Ditching me once wasn’t enough? You need to put salt in the wound?”

“Hey, we didn’t mean to hurt your feelings or—“ Tommy begins, but you don’t let him finish.

“Well you did! You left me behind! How did you think I’d feel?”

“…nothing?” Tubbo suggests.

“What?”

“You were using us.” Wilbur crosses his arms, staring at you. Ranboo hovers awkwardly behind him.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Your eyebrows furrow, and then it hits you.

The rumors. They believed the fucking rumors. Out of everything that’s happened, this might be worse than them leaving in the first place. The very people you thought knew you best. Turns out that was a lie just like everything else when it came to them these past few months.

“I would never—“ Your gaze shifts to Ranboo, easily the most awkward looking person here. “Ranboo, you’ve been where I am. You know damn well what it’s like to be friends with people who have more fans than you, and you know the hate that comes with that. But you also know that you never once used the people around you, because they’re your fucking friends.” You pause. “Why wouldn’t you believe that of me? I thought you guys fucking knew me.”

“Hey!” Tommy exclaims. “We do know you! It’s just…” He glances at Wilbur for help with the statement.

“Just that sometimes you do what you think you need to protect yourself.” Wilbur finishes.

“You could’ve talked to me.” You say quietly, voice breaking. “It could’ve been fixed if any of you just talked to me.”

This was your catharsis. These thoughts have been swirling in your head for so long, too long. As you glance around at the four people you used to find comfort in, each in vary degrees of awkward-ashamed, your heart breaks.

You move to pay, but Wilbur beats you to it.

“I’m having fun with Genloss.” Ranboo announces suddenly and loudly.

Everyone’s heads snap to him, and he shifts slightly but doesn’t back down. He just nods, confirming what was just said.

“I’m filming a documentary.” Tubbo adds. “It’s long. But fun.”

Were they rubbing it in? Just how much they were fine without you? It didn’t seem like something they’d do. But then again, you couldn’t exactly claim to know them anymore.

“My live shows are fucking awesome. Weird as hell, but… awesome.” Tommy chimes in.

“What’ve you been up to? Other than playing packing games.” Wilbur grins, a joke. He watched when you played packing games?

“Nothing.” You admit. It feels like confessing that you’re hopeless without them.

“Are you guys going to move?” Someone asks from behind you.

You scramble to grab your bag, and the five of you exit the store before you can piss any other shoppers off.

“I think what we’re trying to say is we’re sorry.” Wilbur says once you’re all outside, huddled together under the small awning to avoid the rain.

“Yeah.” Tubbo nods emphatically.

“We just… didn’t know what to do when we heard the rumors. It’s not an excuse.”

“And it was really shitty of us.” Tommy adds.

“You guys knew me, you should’ve known I’d never use any of you.” Your words sound more like a beg than anything else. What are you begging for? Your friends back?

“Know.” Wilbur corrects. “We know you.”

You meet his eyes for a second before swallowing and looking away.

“Oh. Hey, don’t cry.” Ranboo rushes to say, patting your shoulder.

Christ. The action forces a laugh out of you, even as your eyes burn.

“Wilbur! You made her cry!” Tommy exclaims, turning to him.

“I didn’t mean to!”

“I know what will make her feel better.” He declares, before shoving Wilbur out into the rain.

“Tommy! That’s not how you deal with things!” Tubbo scolds.

“Your turn then!”

You laugh, even as Tommy turns to you with an evil grin. You manage to drag Ranboo out into the rain with you, immediately getting soaked to your very bones. It’s a warm rain though, a welcome rain.

For the first time in a long time, you’re genuinely having fun.

“Tommy!” Wilbur yells, reaching out for the blond boy.

“I’ve got the camera, Wil! Can’t get wet!”

Chaos squad. This was chaos, and this was the five of you. You were back home.

[luvnami]

not a glory hole! - chapter 12

an | and we're back to the light hearted bits of the fic! we're a little over halfway through this series... this has been really fun to write. let's finish it together!!! mlist

cw | mdni (18+)

it’s been two months since the original sheet-mask incident. the doctor told ushijima that he could stop using his crutches, but to continue with his physical therapy and stretches at home. it would still take a while until he was back to his original strength and flexibility. 

you really didn’t have to accompany ushijima on his hospital trip. you argued that as the one who caused his injury, it was only proper that you tagged along. it’s not like ushijima minded. he intended to get some groceries after the appointment and you were more than happy to follow him there too.

“these look delicious!” you point at a packet of hamburg meat, a red ‘on sale’ label stuck on the cling film. 

ushijima looks over. he holds a basket in one hand, filled with an assortment of fruits and vegetables. he nods. those hamburgs do look rather enticing. he thinks of the different ways he can cook them; stewed sounds good for dinner tonight. 

the supermarket must’ve been trying to get rid of the hamburgs quickly, considering how they’re bundled in packets of 10. ushijima has a fairly large appetite. his calorie intake is more than the average person to maintain his weight and muscle mass, but even he can’t finish a 10-pack hamburg by himself. maybe bokuto could, though. atsumu once compared bokuto to kirby after he had inhaled an entire buffet of grilled meat. 

“that’s too much for you to finish alone,” ushijima says. 

stewed hamburg sounds really delicious, though. a small part of him grows dejected at the thought of a hamburg-less dinner. maybe he’ll settle for grilled chicken. 

but… 

stewed hamburg…

his face crumples. 

“why don’t we split it?” you suggest. “if it’s too much for one person, two people should be fine!”

suddenly, all is well in the world. why hadn’t he thought of that earlier?

ushijima nods a little too fervently. you laugh as he grabs the hamburg meat and places it in his basket alongside his broccoli, carrots, and apples. 

if it’s too much for one person, two people should be fine!

the only time ushijima can ever remembering sharing food was back when he was still a child, unable to finish a full meal all alone. 

it feels nice. this, feels nice. 

“i’m going to make stewed hamburg for dinner,” ushijima says. “it’s very simple and delicious.”

“oh, that sounds great! make some for me too!”

you totter alongside him, a bright smile on your face. some chips, instant noodles, and a packet of yogurt bumps around in your own basket. 

under the bright lights of the grocery store, ushijima thinks he could get used to having you around. 

[curatedbyondrea]

Luxury DIY At-Home Spa Treatments

Here are some DIY spa treatment ideas to pamper yourself at home without breaking the bank:

Sugar Scrubs for Silky Skin:

Invigorating Citrus Scrub: Combine brown sugar with olive oil, lemon zest, and a few drops of lemon essential oil for a refreshing and uplifting experience.

Calming Coconut Coffee Scrub: Mix together coconut oil, brown sugar, and ground coffee for an exfoliating scrub that leaves your skin feeling smooth and invigorated.

Nourishing Face Masks:

Hydrating Honey Oat Mask: Mash together ripe avocado, honey, and oatmeal for a mask that deeply hydrates and soothes dry skin.

Brightening Yogurt Mask: Combine plain yogurt, lemon juice, and a touch of honey for a mask that helps brighten and even out your skin tone.

Relaxing Bath Rituals:

Stress-Relief Lavender Bath: Add Epsom salts, dried lavender flowers, and a few drops of lavender essential oil to your bath for a calming and stress-relieving soak.

Muscle-Soothing Bath with Essential Oils: Draw a warm bath and add Epsom salts, a carrier oil (like almond oil or jojoba oil), and a few drops of muscle-relaxing essential oils like peppermint or rosemary.

Bonus Tips:

Set the mood with calming music and flickering candles.

Light aromatherapy diffusers with relaxing scents like lavender, chamomile, or sandalwood.

Make yourself a cup of herbal tea to sip on during your treatment.

Don't forget to pamper your nails with a DIY manicure or pedicure.

Remember, these are just a few ideas to get you started. With a little creativity, you can create a luxurious and relaxing spa experience at home using ingredients you might already have on hand. Enjoy your DIY spa day! Want to dive more into this topic? Watch How to bring *luxury* into your life while on a budget

[livjeonghan]

[21:58]

a/n: utilizing this blog to write mindless headcannons again. yes, i'm currently working on my thesis.

"you look like you're slowly withering away"

jeonghan's amused words make you open your eyes for a few seconds before you let them shut again. if you didn't know him as well, you would've missed the note of concern in his voice. and the worry flashing in his eyes, despite the teasing smile he sports.

"i feel like it too", you groan, opening your eyes and trying to look alive, "remind me to never get a degree ever again".

the sound your boyfriend lets out is somewhere between a snort and laugh. you love studying, you can hear him think, even if it kills you sometimes.

"can i do anything?", he prompts, finally reaching out to stroke your cheek, which you're sure he's been wanting to do since he came home a few minutes ago, "something to eat?"

"i want yogurt", you pout before giving him a resigned smile, "but i finished it all this morning".

"i picked some up on the way home", he flicks your nose lightly, "saw you were running low".

oh, how you love this man.

"oh, jeonghan", you start, pushing through your slight headache to express your very sincere gratitude, "that's so -- "

"yeah, yeah, you can thank me later", he smiles, before reaching for your hand, "go wash your face, you always feel better after. actually, use your clay mask".

"but -- "

"i'll mix sugar in your yogurt, it'll be ready by the time you're done".

he pulls you up by your hand -- no doubt to push you towards the general direction of your bathroom -- but you catch him off-guard, resting your hands on his waist and pulling him in for a kiss.

"thank you", you whisper, your hands gently squeezing his hips, "for taking care of me".

"i like taking care of you", he whispers back, "and you need to up your standards. it's only yogurt".

it's not just yogurt. it's the little massages he gives you when your shoulders are killing you, it's the extra jacket he has in his car, it's the way he coaxes you out for a walk when you've been inside for too long. it's the love and kindness he has, that you have the privilege of experiencing.

he'd hate hearing it though, so you keep quiet for now. your head hurts too much to make him sit through a recitation of everything you love about him. so you settle for the simple --

"i love you".

[heartfullofleeches]

Fell in love with quirky murderbot so here's a quirky murderbot Yan that may or may not just want to kill you (tw: death mentions/idolization)

A bath at six in the morning.

You never had the time or energy for it before...

The water was nice. Not too hot, not too cold; pealing the spell of sleep off you at a temperature ideal for a peaceful rise. Enmeshed with first light of the waking sun, the water captures its amber glow - sunken petals at your feet shaded in the afterglow. It smelled faintly of lavender, and a colleague of lesser offenders you couldn't tell. Citrus?... Vanilla? You can't recall a time when your skin has felt smoother - so you don't bother to ask. You know better than to.

The door opens. You lower your knees as the latching stand of a tray attaches to the arms of the tub. Yogurt peers up at you from its bowl with a blueberry smile and sliced banana eyes. A flower vase, and a pair of headphones are its offering to you. A yellow smiley face sticker is plastered to the glass' side.... It shines your spoon before setting it on the tray.

"Brought you leetle snack to keep you steady til you get out. Studies show everything in it boosts mood and happiness levels in humans. I also brought you some headphones so that my outbursts don't effect you while I'm preparing breakfast."

You blow air into the water as you sink deep. "Mhm...."

Your observer gasps. "By my calculations, you seem more relaxed than usual this morning." Does that mean my services have acceptable this morning?"

Here it comes. "I guess."

"You are... satisfied with my work and efforts?"

"Yes."

"... Gonna smile for me?"

"nah."

A knife clatters to the floor.

"I spent nine hours.... "

You put on the headphones as you ease against the floor of the tub.

"9 FUCKING HOURS GETTING THAT PANSY SCHTICK DOWN PACK. DO U KNOW HOW FUCKIN' HARD THAT IS FOUR ME?!?! I GET ROBOT PTSD EVERYTIME I LOOK AT THOSE MANUALS."

"At least you spoke proper English."

"I ran you a bath and didn't plant one of my eyes in the cabinet this time .... BE HAPPY FOUR ONE SEC AND LET ME KILL YOU ALREADY GOD DAMN IT!"

The world is full of too many unfortunate people. Scornful and bitter; miserable and hopeless. It much be such a pain for those people to exist in place unfit for them - when a solution was right around the corner, but they're too damaged to ever see it. You can't be down, if The moto engraved into the mechanized heart of every bot sent out by the Happy Dayz corporation to this prevalent threat to society. They could be anyone you know.

"DOWN3R 4L3RT!!!!!! THR0UGH M0D3R4T10N 4ND H34VY CONSIDERATION, Y0U [Y/n], H4V3 B33N T4RG3T3D 4S 4 D0WN3R. TH3 0NLY CUR3 1S IMM3DIATE T3RM1N4T10N AS T0 4V01D WIDESPREAD INF3CT10N OF THE DISEASE. IF YOU BELIEVE THIS IS AN ERROR, PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL WITHIN 4 HOURS AND TWENTY MINUTES OF RECEIVING. TH4NKS. XOXO]

Downer - level three in their classifications and the "incurables" People who will drag themselves and everyone around them down for a crumb of self gratification. Those who drown in the rain when the sun is a reach away; never to come back to shore. Orders were to execute these individuals on sight - but everyone deserves one last chance to smile. And that's how you met D.Kay

In your utmost defense, it was nearly three when you received the email. Even if you were awake, you probably would've written it off as spam and tossed it away all the same. You didn't think of yourself as a negative person, just one with not alot to be happy for. Within those few hours before dawn came a knock at the door and your worse nightmare unveiled - wearing that damned yellow mask.

"Hiya! Name'z D.Kay! Short for somethin' I kno, but U won't be alive long nuff for me to remember. I should be slammin' ur head through a wall, but it'z ur right as a living human to get one more smile in before u croak and my job to make it happen."

That was five months ago. Five long months. Given, there were some benefits. It was their goal to make your life better after all - before ending it. They helped you get a raise, cleaned up messed they mostly made, and a slew of efforts to bring out that smile. Sure your lips may quirk up or you'll smirk a bit - but that isn't a smile. They've also thrown knives into your walls, taken over your bed and refuse to let you sleep elsewhere, and snores. There's also the whole killing you thing, but that's minor at this point.

"Aw, come on- Dyin' cain't be that bad. I'd do it if I could. U'll feel better once ur in the grave." "Smiling feels so good, u' kno. The best way to use ur muscles. Besides slitting someone's throat." "This is my first mission....I was hoping to see gutz by now."

That was as far as your relationship went until one month ago. They've been acting.. strange. They wish you good morning more days than they ask if you're ready to smile. You often wake up with their arms around you and your clothes laid out. They refuse to let you dress yourself if you're going out. They stare for hours, jumping out windows if needed to get when you notice. You didn't have many friends before, but with them around they were ghosts. If you didn't know any better it was almost like they-

"LET ME KISS YOU - WHY ARE U MAKING THIS SO HARD!"

Nevermind. Wait- "Did you say...."

D.kay's impossibly side eyes shrink, mask bleeding red. "I SAID KILL. K-I-L-L. WHY WOULD I EVER BE DOWN BAD FOR A DOWNER?"

"Then why haven't you killed me yet?"

All at once their tantrum stops. It's the shortest to date. Their head dips back as if pulling the most dramatic of eye rolls. "Protocol.. U know that."

"I read the manual. If a downer refuses your olive branch you have permission to kill them and return immediately."

D.kay doesn't say a word, face still beat red from their slip up. Their hands twitch. Seething, they snatch the spoon from the tray. "Good luck without this. Enjoy your bath."

They slam the door as they leave, sinking again it. Hearing the water remain still, they pull their legs to their chest and kick the wall, hold back enough to prevent another hole. They always come when you're upset - why can't you do anything right? They pull a photo from their pocket. The photo. A picture of someone who looks so much like you it's scary, but they could never be you. They're smiling. It's small - a blip compared to the cheesy grins of everyone surrounding them, but it's still a smile. The best they've ever seen. Something feels wrong whenever they look between you and that person. Maybe they're broken too.

[chanshoesunite]

Imagine Chan going crazy at the thought of you wearing sexy underwear for NYE

Content info: Chan loves your red underwear and he's not letting you leave the house before he's shown you exactly how much

Word count: 1785

Warnings: unsafe sex (peeps, please use a condom), dirty talk, use of the words "slut" and "whore", slightly possessive Chan (but then he's a marshmallow again)

"Do we have everything for the party?" You mutter to yourself while going through your bags. You are invited to a New Year's Eve party at Minho's, Jisung's and Hyunjin's place, and because it's a potluck and at least half of your friendship group can't cook for shit, quite a lot of the food preparation has fallen to you.

Chan is leaning against the kitchen counter, helpfully reading your To Do list to you to support you. "Okay, it says 'couscous salad'..."

"Got it." You glance into one of the bags and see that you've packed the bowl already.

Chan shakes his head. "Good luck with making them eat a salad."

You shrug. "I swear to God, Felix needs his vitamins. He still claims yogurt is a fruit."

You boyfriend chuckles and presses a kiss to your temple. "I love how much you're looking out for the boys. Okay... Chocolate mousse?"

"Got it."

"Garlic bread?"

"Yup."

"Pizza toast mixture?"

"Packed."

Chan nods, content. "That's all the food items on the list. There are some other things on here... You want me to read them, too?"

You hum, giving him the go-ahead as you, for good measure, put a bag of crisps into your backpack.

Chan adorable scrunches up his nose. "It says 'do a face mask'?"

"Done, it was a really good one."

"That's why your skin smells like roses." Chan presses another peck to your cheek. "'Organise new bullet journal'?"

You turn around to watch him read. "All done."

Your boyfriend nods to himself but then freezes. "It says... 'Put on special red underwear'?" He quickly looks up, his eyes wide. "Why are you wearing that special set?" He almost sounds whiney. "I thought that was for special occasions!"

You shrug, trying to hide your grin. "It is a special occasion! My Italian grandmother always tells us to wear red underwear on New Year's Eve. Apparently, it's a good luck charm for the next year, especially where love is concerned." You grab the bags, content that you've got everything you need, and make to leave the kitchen.

Chan's hand is suddenly on your wrist, stopping you. "And did you?"

You turn around, glancing first at his hand and then at his face. His expression has turned from good-humoured to... Intense. "Did I what?"

His eyes are already on your breasts where he assumes you're wearing your special underwear under your little black dress. "Did you put it on? The red set?" He pulls you closer, and you find yourself chest to chest with him.

You smirk. "Well, wouldn't you like to know, Channie. Come, we need to go, we're already a bit late."

But Chan doesn't let go. "Let me see, please," he says, his voice quiet, but the energy in the room shifts. Of course you could say no. But this Chan, the one who would literally miss a party just to look at you, is one of your favourite Chans.

You shrug, playing it cool. "Take a look if you want to know so badly."

You didn't expect him to immediately go for it, but he pulls down the neckline of your dress - swiftly, but not in any way that would hurt you (or your dress). And there it is - your beautiful, deep red bra, adorned with lace and tiny beads.

Chan stares for a few seconds, then he growls, "And the matching panties?"

You just nod.

There is something feral on Chan's face as he scoops you up onto the counter and crashes his lips against yours. You drop the bags in the process, hoping nothing breaks for only a second before all thoughts are purged from your mind as Chan's tongue invades your mouth and you moan into him.

He kisses down your throat, bites your clavicle and pushes down your dress even further so he can properly see your bra. He doesn't make to take it off, though, merely slides down the straps so he can half pull your breasts from their confinement. Immediately, Chan moves to suck one of your nipples while his other hand finds its way between your legs. The cloth covering your pussy is already damp, and Chan groans at the feeling. Eagerly, he pushes the tiny piece of fabric to the side and slides two fingers into you. The intrusion is a bit much, but it feels so good, having him want you so badly, knowing he can't resist you, knowing that only the mental image of you wearing something sexy will awaken the wolf in him.

"Fuck," he rasps against your tits. "I need to be inside you now, baby girl."

You whimper at his words and pull him in for another heated kiss, which he gladly gives you. Your hands, so far merely gripping the counter for balance, join his as he blindly tries to open his trousers. This breathless fumbling, clumsy and hurried, is weirdly erotic. It's been ages since you've fucked in the kitchen, and the thrill of it makes you even wetter.

Finally, his trousers are undone, hanging somewhere around his knees, and Chan grips your hips to pull you to the edge of the counter. He raises your skirt so he can see your tiny red panties as he slides his painfully hard cock into you. You groan deeply at the stretch - Chan is always big, but today, he feels huge.

His forehead falls to your throat, and both of you merely breathe heavily for a few seconds. "I don't think I can be gentle and slow," he groans apologetically, and you smile - you have gathered as much from the current setting. "Can I take you hard and fast, baby girl? I promise I'll make you come after - or at the party, if you want, I know you're a little slut who likes being fingered in semi-public settings."

You bite your lip at the suggestion, trying to deny yourself the moan that wants to escape you at the thought of Chan having his fingers inside you in the guest bathroom, pushing you against the sink as he whispers in your ear what a dirty little whore you are. Chan, despite his current state of hyper-arousal, chuckles at your non-answer which is absolutely an answer as he looks up at you. "I knew it."

You roll your eyes. "Just fuck me."

His eyes darken. "Gladly," he says, and the first thrust is enough to rob you of your breath. You cross your ankles behind him, keeping him close, and claw at his shirt-covered shoulders for purchase. God you wish he was shirtless, you love his muscular shoulders. "I'll fuck you so hard you'll only roll your eyes in pleasure, baby girl." His thrusts are hard, calculated, he is trying to still have a grip on himself.

"Wearing underwear like that to a party and not telling me," he growls. "What were you thinking, baby girl? Did you want to tell me there? Have me bend you over in the bathroom so everyone would know who's fucking you good? You little slut. This is my pussy, and I want to know what's covering it. Do. You. Understand?" Each word is accentuated with a particularly hard thrust, and you can hear the oil bottles rattling on the counter behind you. You whimper and nod.

Chan stops his movements. "I said," he purrs dangerously, "Do you understand?"

"Yes, yes," you volunteer hurriedly, "please, Chan, go on, fuck me, I need you to come inside me."

That undoes his calm, and you know it from the way he briefly closes his eyes, whispers, "fuck," and then continues to absolutely rail your pussy, his thrusts hard, fast, but lacking finesse, deliciously sloppy and filled with sheer want.

"Whose pussy is that, YN?" he growls, biting your neck and making you whimper. "Tell me."

"I-It's yours, Channie," you gasp, holding on to his shoulders as he just continuesly pushes into you. "Of course it's yours."

He grasps your chin. "And you better not forget that later at the party. I'll tell you when I want it, and then I'll have it."

You shudder under his intense gaze. "Yes, yes, you can have me, I'm yours," you whine, and his eyes soften. "I love you," he whispers, kissing you briefly, before capturing one of your nipples between his lips again and redoubling his efforts, pouding into you so hard that you can hear the glasses clinking in the cupboards above. You can feel him approaching orgasm, and you whisper dirty nothings to him, about how you'll always be his, how he's so good for you, such a good boy, fucking you so well, better than anyone ever could, and then he's coming with a loud groan, biting down on your neck, eyes shut tightly as he continues to slowly spend himself inside you and then stills.

You are both quiet for a few moments, him catching his breath against you, you sliding a hand in his hair, stroking him tenderly.

"I'll kill you if you get come on these panties," you finally say, and Chan laughs, his high laugh that's not sexy in any way but so entirely Chan you can't help but laugh along. He grabs a piece of kitchen towel before sliding out of you, cleaning you up expertly and then tucking himself back into his trousers.

Chan leans in and kisses your nose. "I love you," he says, before kissing you properly, slowly, lazily. His forehead pressed against yours, he straightens your dress again and finally helps you off the counter.

Glancing at the kitchen clock, you sigh. "I love you too. And we're so super late. And if that sting in my neck is anything to go by, there are at least two lovebites blooming there." You catch your reflection in the glass cabinet and see your fears confirmed. "You are utterly ridiculous, my love," you conclude, sighing again.

Your boyfriend slides his arms around your waist, cheek pressed against yours as he also inspects his work. "I take no responsibility. You demand to be fucked when you're wearing that. I can't promise I'll make it through the night without having to get you alone somewhere."

You shake your head. "I'll go get changed. You are a menace."

Once again, Chan catches your wrist. "Don't you dare," he growls, part of his arousal back in his eyes. "This will make the party all the more interesting."

"Chan, they'll never invite us again if you're gonna be horny all night," you protest.

He grins and shakes his head as his hand slides under your dress, cupping your scantily clad bum. "They have to. You made all the food."

[deiaiko]

#17.3 Wind up

"Crocodile, come with me for a moment," Khun heard as Agni approached Rak.

Rak gave Agni a thoughtful look, but he agreed. They walked away until they were out of sight, though not too far since Khun could still feel Rak's presence.

Khun sat down on the ground next to Ran, legs spread to avoid cramps after the workout. He didn't expect Agni to be that powerful. His moves were calculated and precise enough that he could still last after sparring with everyone one-on-one for five minutes each. His attacks weren't too destructive but aimed to subdue, which meant that he was serious when he said that this was just a mock battle and not a way to eliminate them. Agni could see everyone's weak points and use it to his advantage, and Khun was sure that everyone had at least one thing they could improve after this.

One thing Khun could confirm was that Agni did live up to the rumors. He had proven himself to be an excellent lightbearer, spear bearer and a negotiator, and it was kind of scary that he was also a part of FUG.

Although, there was something about him that made Khun wonder. It was really subtle, but after analyzing his fights with everyone else, Khun realized that Agni seemed to be favoring his left leg. Upon a successful hit, Agni's reaction was just as expected of a normal regular, and there was little to no change to his attack speed. Though from the way he didn't notice the surprise attack itself, Khun had a suspicion that his mask-covered eye might be partially blind. But he had no proof to back it up, since Agni's eyes both looked functional.

Footsteps approached Khun from behind. Something cold touched his cheek, and Khun instinctively reached out for his knife, especially because it reminded him of Agni's ice and some unpleasant memories from his past.

"Here, drink up." Isu offered him a cold can of juice. "Ran, I got yogurt for you too."

Ran took it silently with a straight face, but his eyes showed satisfaction.

Fortunately for Shibisu, Khun was too drained to be mad and instead just took a long sip of the juice to cool off his head, only to realize how thirsty he was. "You will get yourself stabbed if you do that to me again."

Isu blinked, then raised both hands in surrender. "Sorry, I won't do that again."

From the other side of the field, Endorsi groaned loudly, "I'm going to kill him." She got up to her feet and dragged Anaak with her. "We're going to spar, c'mon."

Anaak also groaned in response, but surprisingly complied. They were the first two to challenge Agni, so they had the longest break already. Hatz and Ran joined them on the sparring field not long after.

Khun took out his lighthouse and did a quick search. "The fish earlier…he didn't lie that it might be dangerous for E-ranks since it can only be found on the 24th floor or higher."

Shibisu gulped.

"it's possible to tame one…" Khun read aloud as he skimmed through the article, "but it's not built for fighting or tracking, so it’s low in demand among animas, making the domesticated electric eel rare in the market."

"Huh." Shibisu knitted his eyebrows, "So: One, Agni has at least reached the 24th floor to get his hands on it. And two, considering that he's from the Khun family, he wasn't born an anima, and that should have limited his ability to control shinheuh. So it's likely that he specifically picked this species for its abilities. Which are–"

"The ability to stunning their enemies and hide their shinsu presence," Khun recited. "They're a good choice for defending against a surprise attack. The major downside is that they can only release an electrical shock once every few days before having to recharge."

"Yeah, no wonder they're low in demand," Shibisu muttered. "So he's planning to give it to me?"

"Maybe he saw you as the weakest and in need of extra protection."

Shibisu groaned, "You didn't have to call me out like that. But I guess…it's not a bad idea to have a secret card."

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[duskandcobalt]

spa day 🧖🏾🌸

wrote this fluffy little one-shot on a whim in an hour last night for @azrielappreciationweek Day 4: Domestic Life

Summary: Elain discovers the secret behind Azriel's perfect skin

1k words, pure fluff, PG-13 at most lol

#azrielappreciationweek2023 (if it isn't day 4 yet, pls ignore me... timezones are hard)

Elain smirks as she enters the townhouse, quietly following the sound of Azriel’s beautiful voice to the kitchen. She leans against the doorway, setting her market basket down by her feet as she watches him with crossed arms and an ever growing smile. 

His back is to her and he’s singing a song she had taught him a week ago. It was an old hymn that her father had sung to her and her sisters when they were children. She had noticed him humming it quietly to himself over the past few days but this was the first time she’d heard him singing it so clearly. 

If she wasn’t so distracted by the sight of him, she might’ve cried at how lovely he sounded singing something that meant so much to her.

To her delight, Azriel was completely bare other than a white towel slung low on his hips. He was fresh out of the bath. His dark hair was damp and a few rogue water droplets still clung to his wings and his skin, glistening whenever they caught the late morning sun. 

Elain couldn’t help but bite down on her lip as she watched the way those sparkling drops traveled slowly down his back, meandering around his shifting muscles before disappearing beneath his towel. 

“For Cauldron’s sake, Elain!” Azriel startles when he turns to find her silently staring at him from the entrance to the kitchen. Hiis shadows swarm him only to disappear seconds later as soon as they realise that the perceived threat was just Elain. “Those stealth lessons are working a little too well.” 

“Maybe you’re just a bad spy.” Elain drags her eyes from the well defined V shaped muscles that are barely hidden by his towel up to his eyes only to see that his face is covered in a thick, pale yellow paste. “What’s on your face?” 

It’s clear that he’d forgotten he had anything on his face based on the way he freezes and the way his chest and shoulders flush a deep pink.

“I didn’t expect you back until later.” He raises an arm to scratch at the back of his neck, a telltale sign that he’s embarrassed. 

Elain crosses the room until she’s directly in front of him. She cranes her neck upwards, peering at him as she sniffs lightly. 

“Is that honey?” She breathes in again. “And… yogurt?” 

“And turmeric.” He admits sheepishly, nodding. “A decade or two ago, I was visiting Day Court and a lady there taught me how to make these masks using things you can buy at most markets.”

Elain couldn’t help the scowl that formed on her lips at the mention of a lady from Day Court. She knew that Azriel had a number of lovers before her but it didn’t mean she appreciated the reminder. 

“It wasn’t like that, my love.” Azriel grins, tapping her nose with his index finger. “She worked in the baths at Helion’s home.”

“Not helping.” Elain rolls her eyes.

She’d heard all kinds of stories of the things that occurred when Helion was involved. She’d certainly noticed the way the High Lord of Day eyed Azriel, and even recently her, whenever they found themselves in the same place. 

“It was completely innocent, I promise.” Azriel’s large hands land on her waist, lifting her onto the counter and settling himself between her knees. “It’s become something of a special interest of mine. There’s all sorts of combinations. I find it relaxing.”

“No wonder you’re so pretty.” Elain finally cracks a smile and ignores the way her heart beats a little bit faster given the proximity of his naked, wet chest.  “Can I try?” 

“Sure.” Azriel nods, his eyes lighting up. “I’ve got some left over.” He turns to grab a small bowl with the yellow paste along with a small, clean towel that he dampens before returning to her. 

His fingers move to the laces on the front of her dress, loosening them enough to allow him to push the sleeves of her gown off her shoulders until she can slip her arms out. “Just so we don’t get anything on it.” 

“Of course.” Elain swallows under the heat of his gaze, clutching the loose fabric to her chest to keep it from falling down any further.

Azriel picks up the damp towel and carefully drags it over her face, gently removing any lingering traces of pollution from her morning in town. Once he’s done cleansing her face, he picks up the bowl, dips two fingers into the paste, and then sets to work - methodically applying the mixture to her skin. 

He starts on her cheeks, moving down to her chin and then up to her forehead, carefully avoiding getting anything in her hair as he explains the benefits of this specific blend of ingredients. Elain shivers at the coolness against her flushed skin as Azriel continues spreading the mask around in an even layer with well practiced hands, finishing with a light swipe over the bridge of her nose. “All done.”

“How do I look?” She bats her eyelashes at him.

“Beautiful as ever.” Azriel leans in to press his lips to hers, mindfully avoiding smudging either of their masks. 

A tingle runs up Elain’s spine and she reaches her arms up, wrapping them around his broad shoulders to keep him with her. The top of her dress falls to her waist without her hands there to hold it in place and her nipples peak with the exposure to the cool air of the kitchen. 

She kisses him again, just quick pert pecks of her lips to his, even though she wants more. One of her hands mindlessly journeys down his chest to his towel, her fingertips dipping under the fluffy fabric. 

“El.” Azriel growls, wrapping a hand around her wrist to stop her from going any further. “Don’t start something we can’t properly finish.” 

Elain begrudgingly pulls back, smirking at the tortured look on Azriel’s face as he takes in the sight of her bare breasts. She tugs her dress back up, threading her arms through the sleeves. “How long until we wash this off?” 

“Just ten minutes. Go on up. I’ll put the groceries away and then come meet you in the bathing chamber to rinse this off.” Azriel helps her off the counter, lightly grabbing her backside once her feet are on the floor. He lowers his lips to her ear. “Then, maybe we can play.”

[lizpaige]

Headcanon: like 5 years post series, Maura and the gray man move in together. Nothing flashy, maybe an apartment or a small cottage. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Henrietta (after all Maura does still commute to fox way) but she has lived in Henrietta for over 20 years and wants a bit of a change.

But the ladies can’t REALLY get get rid of her, nor would they want to. They have a an annual month long sleepover in August -when calla is on her summer vacation of course. It’s everyone’s favorite time of year! They make popcorn and weird drinks and do face masks and group readings and watch movies and generally have a great time. No matter where blue is in the world, she comes home for at least 2 weeks of it. Calla has the best taste in movies. Maura cannot be trusted to make popcorn successfully. Gwen really comes to enjoy face masks once she fully understands that they are NOT food

wait omg i love this! the month long reunion? CUTE! I bet they kept her room exactly how she left it for her to come and go as she pleases 🥹

also LMAO at gwen and the face masks. some of them could be food! i went thru a phase in high school making my own face masks out of greek yogurt (looking at you blue) or coffee scrubs and stuff? i bet they adapt to making it at least mostly edible in case she eats it anyway hahaha

[glowupforever]

My Journey to Healthy Skin: The Impact of My natural Diet on Glowing Skin

Hey everyone! I wanted to share something that's really close to my heart my journey to achieving glowing skin naturally. I've tried so many products, but I found that the best results came from simple, natural remedies and a healthy diet. And I hope these tips (suggestions) connects with you!

1. Hydration:

My Secret glow

I can't stress enough how important drinking water is! I started aiming for at least 8 glasses a day, and let me tell you, my skin has never looked better. I also love herbal teas green tea is my go-to. It’s refreshing and packed with antioxidants!

2. Healthy Fats Have Been Life Changing

I've added avocados to my meals almost every day. They're so creamy and delicious! Whether in a salad or a smoothie, they make my skin feel so nourished. Plus, snacking on almonds and walnuts has become a habit. I love knowing I'm feeding my skin good stuff!

3. Colorful Foods

I've discovered that incorporating a rainbow of fruits and veggies really makes a difference. Berries are my favorite snack they're sweet, juicy, and full of skin loving vitamins. And I've started adding spinach to my smoothies. It feels weird, but you can't even taste it, and my skin has thanked me for it!

4. DIY Remedies

Honestly, I love making a simple honey face mask. It feels luxurious and makes my skin so soft! I just apply raw honey and let it sit while I relax. Oatmeal scrubs are another favorite of mine. Mixing oatmeal with yogurt gives me a gentle exfoliation that leaves my skin glowing.

5. Sweet Treats, No More

I realized that cutting back on sugar has helped me a lot. I used to indulge in sweets, but now I opt for fruits when I crave something sweet. It feels so much better to nourish my body!

6. The Importance of Sleep💤

And let's talk about sleep! I aim for at least 7-8 hours every night. I've noticed that when I get enough rest, my skin looks so much healthier. It's true what they say beauty sleep really works!

Conclusion

If you're really seeking a natural way to glowing skin, I wholeheartedly encourage you to try these remedies.

Remember, everyone's skin is unique, so take the time to know what truly connects with you. Your skincare journey is as much about self discovery as it is about results. I'd want to hear about your experiences and the unique methods that have worked for you.

Together, Let us work together to build a community that celebrates our unique methods to beauty and wellbeing while shining confidence and authenticity!