#I sprinkled some sugar over the apples and in a circle around them as an additional sweet treat

[the-witch-of-cedar-and-bone]

A little nocturnal offering to the land spirits🍏🔪🌿

[strangeshoepatrolbandit]

Brotherly Love Pt.5

J.T. D.W

Jason Todd x Al-Ghul/Wayne reader(platonic)Gender Neutral

Pt.[1][2][3][4]

Summary:Jason keeps finding ways to connect with you, Damian's a little jealous.

Warnings:Light fight scene, cigarette, a knife. (Also the pie recipe is a copy and paste from google)

~☆~

Bruce awoke with a fright, running down the stairs and down to the living area of the Manor. His short red robe riding up his thighs as he ran to try and find the cause of the loud bang he had heard.

"Hey, Bruce." Jason had lazily greeted, not taking his eyes off of the newspaper infront of him, hand scratching the top of Aces head.

"What was that sound?" The older man questioned, not even asking what Jason was doing at the Manor.

"You got new locks." Jason deadpanned whilst finally looking up at Bruce from where he sits.

"Why are you here?" Bruce finally asked.

"Waiting for Y/N, they sleep so much later than Demon spawn." Jason complained.

Bruce paused, thinking of what to say. He just knew he was glad Jason was finally coming around, and that you had a brother again, even if he isn't your actual blood brother.

"Can I borrow them for the day?" Jason asked, almost shy but Bruce knew better.

"Yeah, go wake them up." He told Jason, before patting his shoulder.

~☆~

"Y/Nnnnn.." Jason sung out, trying to wake you. You could feel the almost inhuman warmth radiating from his hand that rested on your shoulder.

"Y/Nnnnn.." The living dead man next to you sang again.

"What?" You moaned out, eyes stinging from the sleep wridden in them.

"Get dressed, were hangin' out." Jason informed, leaving a pat to the arm that his hand rested on.

~☆~

Jason ended up taking you to his apartment, asking you if Alfred had introduced you to his baking yet. Your answer left Jason at a loss for words, what do you mean Alfred hadn't introduced you to his infamous cookies, or his brownies?

"Well we may not be making his cookies, because he won't give me the recipe, but we will be making pie!" Jason exclaimed, a giddy grin resting on his face.

~☆~

The memories of rarely baking pies with Jason's mother when they had the supplies clouded his mind, how after her death it moved to baking with Alfred. Now as if it's some family tradition he's moved on to doing it with you, only this time he's the teacher.

Jason sprinkled flour onto his counter, before plopping half of the dough Alfred made for you to that morning on top of the thinly dusted surface.

"You ever baked?" Jason asked, his Gotham accent dripping in his word. You shook your head and Jason offered a smile whilst grabbing a rolling pin.

"Watch me." Jason's arms gripped the utensil, rolling over the dough just a bit so you could get the gist. His arm nudged against your own as he handed you the rolling pin so he could peel the apples for the filling. You delicately pushed down and rolled the dough into a thinner circle, Jason eyed you from where he stood peeling fruit so that he could tell you when it was thin enough.

"Alright, flour your hands." He whispered, walking back over to your side and taking the rolling pin. His hands peeled the edge of the dough off of the counter, before placing it onto your newly dusted hands. Jason placed a pie tin in front of you and helped you set the dough into it.

"Make sure it's tucked in." He instructed, pulling your wrist so that you could push the dough fully into the tin pan. You watched as Jason cut off the extra dough, and prick holes into the bottom with a fork before placing it into the oven.

"I'll peel the apples, you roll out the other half."

~☆~

Jason had peeled and cut all of the apples, now they were placed into a big bowl. The pre-baked crust had already been taken out of the oven, and all of the filling ingredients have already been measured.

Jason situated you infront of the bowl, handing you a spatula for mixing.

He handed you the sugar and the cinnamon to add to the bowl, pouring the flour himself. A spinkle of salt, and some nutmeg came afterwards, Jason poured in the little bit of lemon juice that came last.

"Stir gently." He whispered, watching as you mixed all of the ingredients into the apples.

Jason placed the pie tin infront of you once again, ordering you to spoon the ingredients into the crust-lined pan. Jason's fingers pinched the top layer of dough onto the top of the pie, before cutting a slit into the encasing. He placed tin foil onto the top of the pie, and placed it into the oven.

"Let's clean up." Jason spoke as he held up his hand for a high five, you stared at him for a moment before his opposite hand grabbed your wrist so he could guide your hand to meet his own.

~☆~

*After cleaning up*

"Okay, show me what you got."

"What?"

"Hit me."

Your fist came up without hesitation, aiming a blow below his sternum, his own hands grabbed at you before your fist collided with him. Jason moved quickly, prying a finger into your side, right under your ribcage. Your hand twisted from his grasp, and you landed a kick to his knee. Letting out a grunt in frustration he fell onto one knee. His hands wrapped around both of your legs before pulling you forward, letting you fall to your knees as well. Jason shot out an arm to grab you with, but you quickly caught his hand and got back onto your feet, rounding behind Jason's body so his arm was twisted behind himself.

The front door flying open alerted both of you, forcing you both to stand up in a correct fighting position.

"Hey!" A redheaded man yelled when he caught sight of the both of you.

Jason let out a sigh before wiping a hand over his face.

"Y/N, this is Roy." Jason introduced the redhead for you. The man stepped forward, shooting a hand out for you to take whilst a grin rested on his lips. You glanced at his hand, giving it a dissatisfied look before hesitantly taking it in your own.

As Roy dropped your hand he walked off into the kitchen, snooping around to see is he could find the food he smells.

"Whatcha' makin'?" He asked, neither you or Jason answered, only glancing at each other.

"Damian's more of the fighter, anyway." You shrugged, before walking off to follow Roy.

~☆~

You watched as Jason and Roy played a video game on Jason's TV. Your slice of pie that had previously been made was still being eaten by you, the two men that resided beside you and on the floor had already scarfed down their own slices.

You watched as their characters fought each other on the screen, your mind wondered, what if you and Damian were raised like this? What if the two of you were raised away from war? Gotham it's self had its own spike of violence but still nothing to what you and Damian were raised with. What if the two of you were "normal", raised playing video games, having sleepovers, playing catch with you father?

Part of you resented Talia for raising you the way she did, but another part of you loved her and thought about the times she actually acted like your mother. Like how when you were younger there were certain times when she would sit in her bed, you and Damian tucked on either side of her and she would read a book to you. She even had a painting that was made of you and your brother hanging on the wall of her quarters. But still, she raised you with all of that violence, training as the Al-Ghul heirs. Just because she was a little soft with you at times doesn't make her mother of the year.

~☆~

Before Jason dropped you back off at the Manor he cut a slice of pie and put it in a container with your name on it. Giving you firm instructions to immediately give it to Alfred, then he placed it into your bag.

"Y'know if you want more, call me." Jason told you, handing you the phone of yours that you didn't even know he had. "Roy's is in there too."

The redhead looked over at the sound of his name before throwing a smile and a peace sign.

"See ya' little dude." Roy bid goodbye as you passed him due to Jason pushing you out of the front door.

~☆~

After pulling up to the front of the Manor, Jason leaned on his motorcycle, a hand in his pockets, and the other holding his newly lit cigarette.

The two of you sat out there together, staring at the gothic chic Manor.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" You broke the silence, not ready to watch Jason leave. The taller man only snuffed his cigarette out and put on his helmet.

"Sorry, kid." Jason muttered as the threw a leg over his motorcycle and drove off.

~☆~

Alfred opened the door as soon as you reached the front steps, he always had this strange way of forming at the door before you could even knock. As he held a hand out for your backpack you reached in and handed him your slice of pie that Jason had given you.

"Dinner is set."

"Thank you, Alfred."

~☆~

You headed straight for the dining room, without even changing your clothes first. It's not that you were hungry, you Jason and Roy had snacked on things that you could've never eaten back with Ra's, you just didn't want to be alone yet.

Your socked feet dragged against the hardwood floors, Jason had woken you up too early for your liking. After your grandfather's death and coming to America you've indulged in some things you've never done before, like sleeping in.

Your hand grasped the wooden chair that came in a set with the dining table, after slumping in the chair you sluggishly filled up your plate with food. Both your father and brother had stopped their movement's as they watched your tired state.

"Woke up to early." You sighed, before giving Bruce a big smile, one that he returned.

"Did you have fun?" Bruce asked, cutting up a piece of his dinner.

"Yeah, we baked...an-and I watched him play video games!" You excitedly revealed, missing the expressionless face Damian watched you with.

~☆~

After dinner you started walking to the bathroom for a shower, then you could pass out. Footsteps could be heard walking in sync with your own, familiar footsteps, the ones you know all too well.

Damian pulled you to a stop with a firm grip to your arm, one that your sure will leave Red marks for the next few minutes.

"Why do you keep spending time with him?" He asked as his green eyes bore into your own. You watch as he quickly swallows, before chewing on the inside of his bottom lip.

"That's none of your concern." You hissed before yanking your arm out of his grip before walking off, leaving Damian standing in the empty hallway.

~☆~

Where are you from, or at least what time zone? Because I've noticed you guys are mostly active during 12-5 AM (my time). I promise that the next chapter will have action in it....just bear with me people...<3

Taglist:

@sanjanapm

@unofficial-jaytodd-wife

@morii-vx

@godknows-shetried

@wendds

@celestair

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[griseldabanks]

Comfyvember 9

Story: superhero siblings (original) Prompts: Scars — Passing smile — Baking cookies

“Who keeps cookbooks in their library?” Rebecca asked, wrinkling her nose as she flipped through the ancient Betty Crocker cookbook.

“Dr. Kartal, apparently,” Jack said, and the kitchen rang with their laughter.

“He probably just gets his recipes off the internet or something,” Sophie pointed out, wiggling her fingers at Rebecca until she handed over the cookbook. She found the tab for desserts, and flipped to that section of the thick book. “Now, what kind of cookies should we make?”

“Chocolate chip?” Jack suggested.

“Sprinkles!” Grace piped up.

“Peanut butter,” Rebecca said confidently.

“Maybe we should just go with sugar cookies,” Sophie said, biting her lip. “We don't know what kind he likes....”

“Isn't it the thought that counts?” Jack said. “I think he'll be happy no matter what we make for him.”

Rebecca scrunched up her nose again. “Yeah, but you know how awful it is to get a Christmas present you can't even enjoy? Like, what if he doesn't like chocolate or he's allergic to peanuts or something?”

Sophie turned another page in the cookbook and smiled for a moment before turning it around to show her siblings. “How about this one? Sugar cookies, but you can make paint with egg yolks and food coloring. Everybody likes sugar cookies!”

Watching her smile spread to all three of her siblings, Sophie sent them all off to scour the big old kitchen for everything they needed. They'd all helped Dr. Kartal cook on multiple occasions, but he wasn't big on baking, so it took some exploration to find things like baking powder and cookie sheets.

They never did manage to find any kind of mixer, but when Sophie fretted over how much more work it would be to mix it by hand, Grace just said, “You know me better than that!” Standing on a chair at the counter in the middle of the room, she grasped the big bowl with one arm while her other arm moved so fast it was just a blur, mixing together all the ingredients they measured out. In just a few minutes, the batter was smoother than they probably would have managed to achieve even with an electric mixer, though Grace was trembling all over by the end and had to sit at the table with a cup of apple juice and a plate of bread and butter to replenish her energy.

Next they had to roll out the dough and cut out a bunch of festive shapes. Though Rebecca spent the entire time they were mixing the dough scouring the kitchen for cookie cutters, she couldn't find any. At first, they thought they might have to just use the rim of a glass to cut circles or something.

“That's boring!” Rebecca scowled. “I wanted to make Christmas trees and stuff!”

Jack paused in the process of rolling out the dough. “Hey...Sophie, why don't you do it?”

Sophie looked up from the cookbook, where she was looking over the portion of the recipe that explained how to make the paint. “What do you mean?”

“You know, like....” Jack peeled off a bit of the dough in a lopsided triangular shape. “But better, obviously. And we wouldn't even waste any of the dough, because you could make them whatever shape and size we want!”

“Well...okay,” she said doubtfully. “But I have to do it sitting down, you know, or I'll fall over when I'm done. And I can't see the counter when I'm sitting down.”

“Then we'll do it on the table,” Jack said, unperturbed. “C'mon, Rebecca, put some flour down.”

“Wait!” Sophie said before Rebecca could dip her hand into the flour jar. “Make sure you wipe the table off first and then dry it.”

“Yes, Mom,” her siblings chorused.

In just a few minutes, the table was clean, and Rebecca dusted it with a thin layer of flour before Jack placed the mass of dough onto it and carefully rolled it out again. Then the others gathered around eagerly to watch. Sophie felt a little hot around the collar and wished for a moment that they would all turn away and pay no attention to her. In recent weeks, she'd only used her powers for big things. Rough things. Knocking things over or throwing things at their pursuers. It had been a long time since she'd done much precision work.

So she began with something simple: a star. Focusing on the dough in front of her, she envisioned a star shape in the middle, then reached out with her mind and sliced apart the dough, pulling apart the bits of dough as cleanly as if she wielded a knife. Slowly but surely, the star shape lifted out of the dough and then sailed across to the cookie pan Jack held at the ready.

Rebecca and Grace clapped appreciatively, and Sophie blushed a little, but she couldn't suppress her satisfied grin. She could already feel the immobility tugging at her limbs, pulling everything from the neck down back into the chair. But she was perfectly situated to see the tabletop, so she kept going even though she knew it probably meant she'd be sitting here in the kitchen for a long time.

As she proceeded, she went for more and more intricate shapes with the dough. Not just the Christmas trees Rebecca wanted, but also gingerbread men (well, they weren't gingerbread), stockings, candy canes, presents with bows, even a series of Santa Claus in his sleigh with all his reindeer. With the last bits and pieces of dough, Sophie used her mind to squish together letters that spelled out THANK YOU DR KARTAL.

Each new design earned the cheers and applause of her siblings. As each cookie sheet grew full with Sophie's designs, Rebecca and Grace worked to paint them with the egg-yolk glaze they put together, and then Jack whisked the sheet off to the oven and watched the timer carefully.

The old, drafty kitchen was soon full of warmth, laughter, chatter, and the delectable smells of baking cookies. When Dr. Kartal opened the front door that evening and heard the happy hubbub in the kitchen, he paused in the entryway and smiled to himself. His strange little family, his children who had come to him bearing scars that could be felt but not seen, were really acting like children for once. And that was the best Christmas present he ever could have wished for.

[skiplo-wave]

My neighborhood use to be dead but now we got so many new families, we actually get trick-or-treaters again. We carve our pumpkins on the 29th. We always sprinkle a circle of salt and cinnamon around the outside of our house. We hang garlic at the front door too. Always done that since I was a kid. It was a tradition my grandma and her mom started. We eat those Halloween sugar cookies by Lofthouse. On All Hallows Eve, we make homemade apple cider in crockpot, we make candy apples and caramel apples. We go ahead and prepare candy bags for the trick-or-treaters to put in the plastic black cauldron. My dad started up the tractor and he takes us & the neighborhood kids on a hay ride. We make a bonfire & roast hotdogs and we make some chili sauce and nacho cheese over them.

Now on actual Halloween, we usually have leftovers for dinner and we watch the Halloween marathon on AMC. We have Halloween cupcakes and my mom cracks open a bottle of Witching Hour wine. It's really good! I don't drink often but I love Witching Hour. They have different flavors. We get dressed up and we put on a show for the trick-or-treaters. This year we having a Hocus Pocus theme. I am playing Sarah Sanderson! ^_^ I know the Come Little Children song by heart. This year we are passing out candy bags with chocolate pops, homemade cotton candy, chip bags and mini soda bottles.

I wish it was like the 1920s and 1930s, where parents could trust their kids to eat homemade candies like they use to pass out during Halloween. I would sure enough make chocolate and peanut butter fudge. I would also make my homemade fruit rollups.

Anon I legit thought you said your neighbor use to be dead and got so frighten yet curious you just living next door a undead being.

For record everytime someone says kids candy been tampered with there's never been actual proof of the matter. Like razor in apples for example

[volchi]

Hearth Magic

Lately I have been very fascinated with fire cooking, and the potential for spellwork using the fire, pan and food itself. The advantage here is the consumption of the spell; you can put people under your control, empower them, weaken them, heal them, by having them literally put the magic inside them and carry it around with them so you dont have to snoop around hunting for taglocks for malefic curses or have the disadvantage of somebody needing to carry a protective charm on them which they may be likely to lose.

I was heavily inspired by a post made by @/qedavathegrey detailing the practical similarities between witchery and cooking. I cook frequently over a fire so I was wondering if I could lay a trick over bread or pastries using fire. So anyway:

First you need to know how to cook over a fire. I dont fuck with charcoal briquettes! And a lot of potency from the spell can come from the type of wood you use. For example:

Apple or sugar maple wood for love workings

Mulberry wood for spells intended to make others obey you

Cedar wood for ancestor work

Oak wood for jovian and abundance work

Pine wood for protection and empowerment/healing anxiety

And so on. In these types of spells I would use fires from materials that are as natural as possible. In some places "living fire" or fire that you started by rubbing two sticks together is very powerful in spellwork. I don't know about you but I am absolutely not able to start a fire by doing that, so if you cannot start the fire like so I would at least breath on it to stoke the fire. While making the fire you can also raise a lot of energy -- it's a pain in the ass so making a fire while pissed off can't hurt for a curse.

Also if you don't have a bunch of different types of firewood at your disposal, you can also add things to the existing fire to help it power the spell. For example, herbs, objects and things such as written psalms, sigils, tarot cards and playing cards can be thrown in. One possible method for herbs close with water could be to gather the herbs, wet them, and put them into tinfoil with holes poked in it so that it is constantly steaming as the fire is burning. (this also keeps bugs away. :) Around the area that you are starting the fire, you could also draw a circle in the dirt for extra protection during the spell. The whole idea is to enchant the fire so that whatever you cook with it will also be tricked.

When you're actually cooking the food, it takes a little while to adjust to using a fire so i would give it a few tries. I always use my cast iron cauldron, and you ALWAYS cook over the coals unless you're like boiling water or something. Don't fall for the cute little larpy pictures of people cooking over the high flames! You'll end up with half of your food burnt to shit, half of it ice cold and ALL of your pan completely black and charred.

Also you don't really want the coals to touch the bottom. Because it will burn. It just gets way too hot. My cauldron has little legs to keep it high up but if yours doesn't you'll want to suspend it from a chain or prop it up between 3 rocks, maybe a little metal grill.

If you're cooking soup or frying something you just need coals on the bottom, but if you're making bread or cake you'll want to actually preheat the cauldron like it's an oven, and shovel coals on the lid too. My bread keeps getting burnt on the bottom so maybe put more coals on the top. Bread holds up pretty well to cooking over a fire actually, in my opinion because it's wild and temperamental just like that fire.

And, once you're done cooking, if you laid a malefic curse over the food you can also save the salt used to clean the cast iron for future curses. :)

Anyway here are a few possibilities!

Blessing/Protection Strawberry Pie (for safety and ease at sea)

Start a fire from pine wood. Into the fire, put herbs St John's Wort, Angelica root, Hawthorn, Blackberry thorns etc you favorite combination of empowerment and luck herbs with "fuck off" herbs. To tailor it for protection at sea i will also be adding psalm 64 and swallow feathers.

It's for one person so we'd be making a mini tart, let's say strawberry rhubarb because of strawberries being sweet and lucky. You could also use blackberry for its protection. Or any medley of berries. Into the tart you can also slip some powdered/tinctured st johns wort, chamomile, etc lucky or soothing EDIBLE herbs. maybe not too much to change the flavor? but funny tasting witch tarts seem to be part of the charm LOL

So to cook a small tart you'll need a small pie tin, and you'd need to preheat the oven itself to about 350 fahrenheit. Maybe lift it off the bottom so it won't burn. You can blind bake the pie crust if you want. Its small so i would put the pie crust in with the filling, brush with egg and sprinkle some sugar, and cook for 15 minutes.

When it's done, you can whisper psalm 64 over it or what corresponds with your intention, and whoever eats it will be protected.

Otnovo --

Good Old Fashioned Love Spell Bread

This one is folksy and not a hundred percent ethical but it's just for educational purposes and I'm not your mom so. Make a fire from apple wood or maple wood. To this fire add sunflower petals, apple peels, orange peels, rose petals and ferns.

In the bread, if you can, mash in a (whole, fresh) mole heart in the liquid, maybe make it a beer bread to mask the meat flavor, or maybe make it stuffed bread and mix the mole heart with spiced pork or chicken, it's all up to you! If you don't have mole meat just lying around you can add coriander to the bread and similar love herbs and spices (take care that it doesnt taste like shit)

Preheat the oven by shoveling coals underneath but mostly on the lid and let it be for 15 minutes. It should be about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the bread in, cook it for 20 minutes, and give to the person you are interested in.

Those two were examples so let me know how they work if you do them, obviously this method heavily depends on what you have accessible to you so just use what you got! Happy spellwork :)

[shadowywerewolfqueen]

Apple Pie

Sam and Dean walked into the house Dean shared with his husband, Castiel, and immediately started gagging. The air was a thick black and the acrid smell of smoke permeated the air. Dean glanced at his brother with trepidation as they walked towards the kitchen. They both started coughing as the smoke filled their lungs the closer they got to the kitchen. They covered their ears as the smoke alarm started going, its piercing shrills breaking the silence.

“Cas,” Dean called worriedly as he rushed into the kitchen.

He saw his husband standing in front of the oven, black clouds of smoke billowing out of the open door. Cas had his shirt pulled up over his nose as he used a dishtowel to fan the smoke. When he heard Dean’s footsteps, he turned his head to stare at his husband. Cas’ eyes were wide with panic as tears fell from them. “Dean,” he coughed.

“Sam, throw every window open as well as the doors. We’ve got to clear this smoke out,” Dean ordered. “Cas, turn the oven off and pull whatever is in there out.”

Dean hurried to help Sam open the windows and doors. He grabbed the two fans from the hallway closet and plugged them in before turning them on. He hoped the extra air flow would help clear the smoke out faster. He then joined Cas at the counter who was staring sadly at some kind of burnt object.

Dean pressed his chest to Cas’ back and wrapped his arms around his waist. He settled his chin on Cas’ shoulder and looked down at the mystery object. He tried to figure out what it was supposed to be but finally gave up. “Sunshine, care to tell me what happened?”

A full body sigh escaped Cas. “I was trying to make a Dutch apple pie for you since I know it’s your favorite. It seems I should leave the baking to the professionals. It’s just you bake all the time for everyone else, I wanted to bake something for you for once.”

Dean squeezed his husband tighter and nuzzled behind his ear. “Oh sunshine, I appreciate the effort. It would be kind of nice to eat something that I didn’t bake for once.”

Cas looked at Dean over his shoulder, his blue eyes swimming with unshed tears. Cas had always been more sensitive than most. “Exactly and I can’t even bake a stupid pie. I have the entire periodic table of elements memorized perfectly and yet I can’t combine some apples, flour, and sugar. I’m pathetic.”

Dean gently turned Cas around so they could face each other. His hands came up to cup Cas’ cheek while he leaned forward and bumped their noses together. “Cas, you are so far from pathetic. So, you can’t bake a pie, who cares? I didn’t marry you for your baking skills.”

Cas’ lips curved up slightly. “Then why did you marry me?”

Dean lifted Cas up onto the counter and then slotted his body between his husband’s strong thighs. “I could fill a book with the reasons as to why I married you. A few are because you are the kindest, most selfless, smartest, and good-looking man I’ve ever seen. Not to mention, you totally put up with my crazy obsession with my car and you love Sam like he was your own brother.” Dean stood up on his tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Cas’ forehead between the thick black locks that fell into his eyes.

“I love you Dean. Thank you for not being upset about me burning the pie.” He looked at the charred black tin. “I still wish I could have made it properly for you.”

“How about I help you make it? We’ve got all the ingredients for it,” Dean suggested with a tender smile.

Cas’ eyes and nose scrunched up in delight. “That would be lovely. If I can handle lecturing over five hundred college students a day, I should be able to make a pie.”

Before Dean could reply, Sam walked in, still fanning the air. “Alright guys, all the windows in the house are open but it’s gonna take a while for the smoke to completely clear. It’s a good thing there’s not any chance of rain tonight. Cas, man, what the hell where you trying to cook?”

“A pie for Dean,” Cas replied sheepishly.

“Dude, your husband is a professional baker and you wanted to bake a pie for him. Why?” Sam asked confused.

“Shut up bitch. The reason doesn’t matter. I think it’s sweet,” Dean answered with a smile as he pressed a soft kiss to Cas’ lips.

“You are so whipped,” Sam said with a chuckle and an eye roll.

“I totally am, and I don’t mind at all. Now scram, Cas and I have a pie to make.” Dean made shooing motions with his hands.

“Alright, I’m going. Jess and I will see you guys Saturday.” Sam grabbed his bag of sweets from Dean’s bakery and headed out of the house.

Once he was gone, Dean turned back to Cas. “So, you ready to bake a pie?” Cas nodded eagerly. “Alright, first we’ve got to make the crust. We’re going to need flour, granulated sugar, kosher salt, apple cider vinegar, and butter.”

Once all the ingredients were gathered and sitting on the counter, Dean explained how to mix the ingredients together. After the dough had thickened enough in the bowl, he had Cas dump it out on the counter. He moved to stand behind his husband and guided Cas’ hands with his own to show him how to properly knead and flatten the dough.

“Alright, now we are going to wrap it in plastic wrap and let it set in the fridge for an hour. While we’re waiting for it to cool, we’ll start working on the filling,” Dean described as he grabbed the plastic wrap.

Once the dough was in the fridge, they grabbed apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Dean set the oven temperature and while it preheated, he and Cas started peeling and slicing the apples.

“Sunshine, how do you make peeling an apple so hard? You literally just stick the apple to the end of the peeler and turn the handle. It’s not rocket science which you can actually do,” Dean joked as he once again showed Cas how to load the apple on the prongs and then turn the handle until the apple was peeled.

Cas huffed as he replied, “Rocket science seems easier at this point. Here, let me try it again. I got a rocket into space; I can peel a stupid apple.” Dean watched with a smirk as Cas finally managed to peel one of the Granny Smith apples.

After cutting the six apples into half slices for the pie, they dumped them in a large mixing bowl along with the sugar, flower, lemon juice, and cinnamon. “Alright Cas, so mix it up until the apples are evenly coated. Make sure not to have any clumps of flower. I’m gonna measure out the ingredients for the crumb topping,” Dean said as he poured flour into a measuring cup.

Dean had to remeasure the flour three times because he couldn’t take his eyes off his husband. By now, Cas had somehow managed to get flour sprinkled through his hair and there were a few specks of apple filling dotting his cheeks. As he stirred the apples up, his tongue peeked from between his teeth and all Dean wanted to do was suck it into his mouth and kiss his husband senseless.

Cas glanced up. “Dean, you should probably pay attention to what you’re doing rather than me or else you’ll have to measure the flour for a fourth time.”

Dean blushed at being caught but quickly retorted, “At least I’ve managed to measure it out multiple times and keep my hair clean.”

“Oh, you have, have you?” Cas asked with a devilish smirk. In the blink of an eye, he reached into the measuring cup and pinched flour between his fingers before flicking them at his husband. He snorted at the flour that was now coating Dean’s face and hair.

Dean wiped at his face as he glared at Cas. “The only reason I’m not going to reciprocate is because I want this pie more than getting back at you.”

Cas rolled his eyes as he reached out to wipe as much of the flour from his husband as possible. “You and your pies. C’mon, let’s get this finished.”

Cas set the bowl of filling to the side and helped Dean measure out the ingredients for the crumb topping. Like with the dough, Dean stood behind Cas and held his hands to show him how to mix the crumb topping until it was just right.

Dean rubbed his hands against each other in excitement. “Alright, just gotta spread the dough out and place it in the pan, and then we add the filling and the topping. Then we’re sticking this bad boy in the oven and in an hour, we’ll have a delicious pie to enjoy.” He grabbed the dough from the fridge and a rolling pin from one of the drawers. “You want to roll the dough out?” He asked his husband.

“Of course. I told you I want to learn how to do this,” Cas replied with a smile as he unwrapped the dough. He placed his hands on each side of the rolling pin and then Dean blanketed them with his own. Using firm, even strokes, they had the dough rolled into a perfect twelve-inch circle in minutes.

They carefully laid the dough over the pan and gently pressed in into the glass. Dean showed Cas how to crimp the edges and then let Cas finish it on his own. His crimps were a little uneven and larger than Dean’s but not too bad for his first time. They added the filling and finished by sprinkling the crumb topping over it.

“Alright, stick her in the oven and let her cook sunshine,” Dean said eagerly.

After Cas had slid the pie into the oven and set the timer, he turned to Dean with a huge gummy smile. He pulled his husband into his arms and kissed him tenderly. “Thank you so much buttercup. I can’t wait to try it!”

“I’m sure it’s gonna be the best pie ever,” Dean whispered before slotting his mouth against Cas’. Cas parted his lips and Dean slipped his tongue inside. Their tongues danced with each other as they explored one another’s body with teasing touches.

When they broke apart, Cas said in a deep voice, “How long does the pie take to cook?”

“About an hour.”

“Good, that gives me enough time to ravish you,” Cas replied, already heading to their bedroom, dragging Dean behind him.

The pie turned out a little more done than Dean would normally allow but he was right about one thing, it was the best pie he’d ever made.

Tagging: @lonewolf34500 @notwithd @starrynightdeancas @flowersforcas @cockleslovesdestiel

[go-gently-please]

cherry ~ vampire!au

~ pairing: human!BTS x vampire!OC

~ genre: smut, angst, sprinkles of fluff

~ warnings for this chapter: profanity, blood (surprise surprise), sexual themes

~ summary: when you go to a club to try to satisfy your late night cravings, you come across a group of seven inexperienced men searching for someone to break them in. but one hit proves to be not enough for you, and the next time you see the handsome strangers, they make you an offer you can’t refuse.

~ a/n: just the intro. will contain smut in the future. progressively gets filthier. thanks so much for reading!!

part 2 and links in masterlist!

You were out of blood bags.

Normally, right about now would be the time when you went to the clinic to meet up with your supplier. She was always eager to please, kept herself very healthy for you. Even offered to let you drink straight from the vein when you were feeling weak, but you insisted on just the bags.

Unfortunately, she’d just broke the news that she was moving. She had to leave right away, suddenly leaving you without a food source.

She’d even thoughtfully left you a few backup bags to make up for the short notice, but you were a little embarrassed to say that you were prone to midnight snacking and the occasional binge when you were in need of comfort.

So, that left you quite literally high and dry, and now you were craving something fresh.

~~~

The seven of them stood outside the frosted glass doors, lips nervously trapped between their teeth. There was no sign displaying the name of the club, only the glowing image of a crescent moon hovering over the door.

Places like this didn’t need to be named.

“How do we know this is the right place?” Taehyung asked, staring up at the moon-shaped light, vivid against the dark backdrop of sky.

“I guess we won’t until they let us in,” Namjoon, the leader figure of the group, replied as he reached for the door handle.

Despite his determined act, he was just as nervous as the rest of them.

They all exchanged a glance, following him after a moment of hesitation.

The entryway was a small and simple room, containing nothing but two armchairs, two closed doors, and a sleek, neatly organized desk pushed up against the center of the wall. Red surrounded them from all sides.

The man sitting at the desk was sharply dressed, hair gelled and styled professionally, a very expensive looking watch snaked around his wrist.

On the surface, his appearance was completely normal, but if you were to look closer, you’d see the corner of a bandage peeking out from the collar of his pressed shirt.

The boys couldn’t help but think he looked very well paid for a secretary.

“Hello, how may I help you?” The man said, folding his hands across the spotless tabletop.

They looked at each other. Namjoon was the first to speak, he turned back to the man and said,

“The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.”

The man stood up, ushering them over to the door on his left.

“Right this way, gentlemen,” he said. “May I ask, is this your first time?”

They just nodded timidly.

“I had a feeling. Well, through here is the main lounge. Would you pick a wristband, please?” He gestured to a cluster of jars, each holding different colored strips of paper.

“Is there a difference?” Jungkook asked.

The man presented them with the jars containing red and black. Off to the side, out of reach, were green, blue, and purple.

“These are the ones for humans. Red is for if you are searching for a potential match, and black is for if you’d rather be left alone. A green wristband indicates that someone is looking for a human match, that’s what you’ll be looking for.”

Of course he could tell they were human. Of course he already knew why they were here.

All seven of them picked red.

The man smiled and opened the door.

The boys each exchanged an anticipation-filled glance. They peered inside, watching the flashing lights, the hoards of people mingling, and entered into a world where they were no longer in control, enjoying every bit of it. 

~~~

The clack of your heels echoed as you pushed open the door and entered the small room. The familiar, almost comforting red walls enveloped you again, reminding you that this was a safe place, a protected setting for pleasure-seeking.

“Hey Charlie,” the man sitting behind the desk greeted you.

“Hey Scott.” You waved back. “How’s Lyra? She still treatin’ you right?”

The man chuckled.

“She’s fine, and yes, still spoiling me.” He flashed his wrist to show off the high-end watch under his cuff.

He didn’t get up to usher you in, he knew you were well aware of what you were doing. Grabbing a green wristband and securing it around your arm, you opened the door and stepped inside.

You were immediately hit with the smell.

Humans. Dozens of humans, warm and tempting and thrumming with life.

You inhaled the salty aroma of their sweat, the sweetness of their skin, even the faint traces of their perfumes and colognes, stale in comparison, that they used to try to cover their natural scent. You wished they wouldn’t. They smelled so much better when they didn’t pretend to be walking clouds of sugar and roses.

As you made your way across the dance floor, heads turned to watch you go. Humans always stared when anyone with a green wristband entered the club. You always thought their obvious excitement was adorable.

Not to say that you weren’t dressed to impress. Black heels, black leather skirt, and a deep neckline that revealed the valley between your breasts. All topped off with a choker and matte red lips.  

You passed the bar on your way to the other side of the room. Lee, the bartender, met your eyes and you raised an arm in his direction. He nodded and flashed a thumbs up in response.

The whole room was lined with tables and booths, some of them with thick velvet curtains for privacy. You crossed over to one of the largest ones, its red upholstered seats curving in a wide half-circle, and slipped in with the several other people already seated.

“Hey, Charlie! Where’ve you been, we haven’t seen you in ages!” Ray, one of the co-owners of the club, slapped an arm around you. His boyfriend and fellow co-owner, Jason, was sitting next to him, practically nuzzled into his side.

They’d started this place decades ago, wanting to establish a place where vampires and humans could interact safely and peacefully.

“Finally run out of the instant stuff?” This came from Rose, one of your oldest friends (literally).

You chuckled as you leaned back against the seat.

“Yeah, I tried to hold out, but the cravings really got me this time.”

“It’s the damn weather. The cold makes us hungry.” Rose said as she downed her vodka soda.

Just then the bartender appeared. He set a glass of whiskey down on the table, winking at you before making his way back over to the bar.

The first sip burned a trail down your throat. Whiskey was one of the few alcohols that was strong enough to have a kick anymore. You liked to drink wine, but with your desensitized taste buds it felt more like drinking juice, plus it was impossible to get drunk on.

You sat back as you began your search. The club wasn’t too packed today, and in no time you already had your eye on several possible candidates. You sipped your drink idly, eyes scanning over every wrist identified in red.

Proper etiquette stated that the human should come to you, that way they didn’t feel threatened. They were making decisions about possible candidates too, and in the end it all had to be their choice.

You didn’t need to pursue them, though, all the hunting was done with the eyes.

You would go over your options, pick someone you were drawn to, and catch their gaze from across the room. That was all it took. With just the beckoning of your eyes, with just one look, they’d be tripping over their own feet to offer themselves up to you.

You were just about to take a closer look at the shy-looking girl in the corner when something else caught your eye.

You could feel someone staring.

There was a group of seven men pressed up against the wall, shifting anxiously.

All of them were absolutely gorgeous. If they weren’t obvious newbies, they probably would’ve been picked up already, but most people preferred humans with more experience, those who were aware of their pain tolerance and were less likely to faint or collapse.

Each of their wristbands were red.

They had all been looking at you. The fascination and visible interest on their faces was apparent.

Even though they were all beautiful, you eventually made your choice. He was one of the shorter ones, blond with lush pillowy lips.

He was already looking at you when you settled on your decision.

You smiled at him.

Even from across the room, you could see the blush that immediately colored his cheeks. His gaze dropped to his shoes for a moment, eyes shifting back and forth, before he looked back up at you.

He seemed shocked to find that you were still looking at him.

You raised a hand to wave, letting him see the green of your wristband.

His eyebrows raised incredulously, glancing over his shoulder pointing to himself with a questioning expression.  

You chucked and nodded. Tilting your head to the side playfully, you gestured for him to come closer with a single curling finger.

You saw him say something to his friends, and then he was hurriedly making his way over.

Once again, you raised your arm to get the bartender’s attention. He saw the man walking towards you, noticed his red wristband, and nodded in understanding.

When the man slid in the booth to sit next to you, your nose was flooded with his heavenly aroma.

His skin was glowing, stretching over firm, plump cheeks like the skin of a ripe apple, waiting for you to sink your teeth into and taste its sweet juices. He looked healthy. He looked alive.

“Hello sweetheart, what’s your name?”

“J-Jimin,” he stuttered, fiddling with his hands.

Aww, poor thing.

“Don’t be nervous. I’m friendly, I swear.” You offered another warm smile, trying to ease his nerves.

“I’m Charlotte, but everyone just calls me Charlie.” You stuck out a hand to shake. His warmth seemed to creep all the way up your arm when your hands met, while the coolness of your skin sent him tingling with excitement.

“This your first time here, Jimin?” You asked as you raised your glass to your lips.

“Is it that obvious?”  

“It can be intimidating at first, but you’ll get used to it. This is a safe place, trust me.”

Jimin nodded, his head bent slightly. You couldn’t help but find his complete compliance endearing.

“Don’t worry,” you murmured, leaning in so your mouth was right by his ear. “I’ll be extra gentle with you.”

You felt him shiver.

“How’s your pain tolerance, love?” You asked in a soft, balmy voice, tracing the outline of his collarbone with your fingertip.

Jimin paused, his breath coming in quick puffs. His heartbeat was thunder in your ears.

“High,” he said.

You raised an eyebrow.

“Is it, now? Well, I guess we’ll see.”

You popped open the top button of his shirt and brushed it open. Your nose was inches from his skin as you inhaled deeply, eyes following the intricate map of his twisting veins.

“You smell so sweet.” It was barely over a whisper but you knew he heard it, you could tell by the way he shuddered.

Your hot breath fanned against him as you felt around for his jugular vein, avoiding any major arteries. You wrapped Jimin’s hand around your wrist, using your other hand to hold the opposite side of his neck to steady him.

“Squeeze my wrist when you want me to stop,” you said.

He nodded, wide eyes transfixed on your face. Smiling at him sweetly, you tenderly swept the hair from his face. Closing the gap between your bodies, you brushed your lips against the hollow of his throat.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

He nodded vigorously.

“I need to hear you say it, sweetheart.” You coaxed. Explicit permission was something you always got before you even thought about sucking anyone’s blood.

Jimin let out a shaky breath.

“Please…drink from me.”

The corners of your mouth tugged upwards like a neat little bow, and then you were baring your fangs and sinking them into his flesh.

He whimpered as you pierced him deep, his eyes fluttering shut.

The human body’s first response was always fight or flight, so you weren’t surprised or alarmed when he tensed and gasped in your hold.  

Adrenaline would be pumping through him now, alerting the rest of his body that pain had begun to bloom like an unfurling flower in fast-motion. The thorns of said flower being the pointed teeth creating two perfect puncture holes in the vulnerable skin of his neck.

His hand gripped your waist until he was white-knuckled, pulling you closer to his chest, but his hold on your wrist remained light.

Your lips stayed attached to his neck as you waited for him to stop squirming.

Once the instinctual burst of fear had passed, a sigh escaped him as he relaxed underneath you. The endorphins had no doubt kicked in, working to combat the pain.

That was when you started to suck.

A low, guttural moan was pulled from the depths of Jimin’s throat. You felt his muscles loosen and his body curve into you.

He bit his lip, swallowing down any more cries of ecstasy, his head leaned back to rest against the back of the seat. His torso pressed into you as he arched his back.  

This was why humans gave themselves over to people like you.

When vampires fed, they released an overwhelming amount of pheromones. They drew humans in like flies to honey. Not to mention they almost completely dulled the pain of the bite, so while they were feeding the human was flooded with adrenaline, which created a natural high, and endorphins, which induced a floating, euphoric feeling. The cocktail of chemicals suddenly firing in their brain made feeding a blissful, intense, deliciously painful experience.

You had heard from several humans that it felt similar to an orgasm.

All you could hear was the thud of Jimin’s heart and your suckling, slurping sounds as you drained him.

Jimin pawed at your waist, eyes still closed as his brain became more foggy and muddled with pleasure.

“More,” he pleaded. “More.”

He sounded so helpless, so desperate. If your mouth wasn’t already busy, you would’ve cooed at him and covered his pretty face in kisses.

You gave him what he wanted, tugging him even closer and locking him in place with your strong arms. Your fangs penetrated him deeper as you switched to a more vicious pace.

Jimin’s chest heaved as he moaned and groaned.

You slid your hand from his neck into his hair, combing your fingers through its softness. Every time you tugged on his locks, he would let out a soft, strangled noise from the back of his throat.

You didn’t know how long you stayed like that, you hovering over him as he writhed underneath you, but at some point you felt him tighten his hold on your wrist.

You immediately yanked away from him. You were both panting and trying to catch your breath.

“Are you okay?” You asked as you cupped his cheek, searching his eyes for any signs of discomfort.

A bright, eye-crinkling smile crossed his face as he nodded.

Oh my god, he is so pretty.

One of the upsides of being the most dangerous predator in the world was that you could get away with picking up someone out of your league.

Not all vampires were stunningly attractive like everyone thought. They looked like normal people, but they let off so many enticing chemicals that, to humans, it was almost like bait.

Jimin was definitely out of your league.

Even though you knew you weren’t drop dead gorgeous, you probably couldn’t even be considered skinny, you were confident enough with your appearance; having humans chase and throw themselves at your feet tended to do that.

You liked your thick thighs, you liked being voluptuous.  

But that still didn’t negate the fact that some people were just simply more attractive than others, Jimin being one of them.

You reminded yourself that he was only interested in you because you were a vampire, because you could give him that climax that he so desperately craved. That was the only reason someone like him would approach you.

At some point, Lee had stopped by the table to drop off a silver tray. One side contained a glass of orange juice and a bowl of fruit and nuts, the other contained a first aid kit.

You also noticed that everyone besides you two had left the booth.

You reached for the plastic white box and fished out the antiseptic wipes. Before wiping him down, you examined his neck and the skin around the bite. It showed early signs of bruising, and splotchy red petals marked where your lips had been. You gently poked around and found that the area was tender.

“Does it hurt?” You asked.

“A little.” He still sounded shy.

You leaned in again, close enough for your breath to tickle him.

“This will help.” You wrapped your lips around the wound, fangs completely retracted, and started to lave your tongue against the damaged skin.

Just like dogs, vampires had healing properties in their saliva, but instead of licking their own wounds, they licked the wounds of their prey. That way, they could heal and be fed on again and again.

Lapping up any remaining blood from the two bite marks, your tongue swirled over his marked flesh like you were french kissing.

You couldn’t see Jimin’s face. You couldn’t see the way he was biting his lip and squeezing his eyes shut. More endorphins washed over him, sending him into a state of hazy, gooey submission.

The wet sound of your lips disconnecting from his neck was what made him finally look up.

You checked him again, pleased to see that the redness had dulled significantly.

“There we go,” you said with a smile. “Better?”

He just nodded. He didn’t trust himself to form a coherent sentence. You realized why when you looked down at his lap.

There was a very prominent, very noticeable tent in his pants.

Jimin’s face turned beet red when he saw that you’d noticed. He immediately went to cover himself with his hands, head bent low.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. It happens to a lot of people.” You said in a reassuring voice.

Jimin slowly, shyly looked up from his lap.

“Really?” He asked.

You nodded with a warm smile.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it happen.”

Eventually, the fiery blush on his cheeks faded.

“You can stay here until you’re ready.” You said, sparing him the embarrassment of walking across the club with a giant bulge in his pants.

He nodded and flashed a thankful smile.

Deciding to busy yourself to pass the time, you got to work patching him up.

You felt his eyes on you as you cleaned and bandaged him. Then you presented him with the glass of orange juice and the bowl of fruit and nuts, all good sources of iron and vitamin C.

“Drink up.” You said as you nudged the glass towards him.

He looked like a cute little kid as he obediently puckered his plump lips around the bendy straw.

“After you’re done with that, I want you to take this iron supplement.” You said as you looked for the pill bottle in the first aid kit.

Jimin nodded, very focused on drinking his juice, hanging onto every command you gave him and following it with dog-like obedience. He was probably also focusing on getting his dick to deflate.

You could already tell he was a sucker for praise. He was the type of human that was perfect for feeding. It was a shame you’d never see him again.

He emptied the glass and ate every last morsel from the bowl, your eyes never leaving him. You were going to make sure he was fully replenished before he left here.

When he was done, he sat there awkwardly. Normally, this was when the two of you would part ways; you both got what you wanted. But he was obviously hesitant to leave.

You decided to save the poor boy, and ruffled his hair with a chuckle.

“So Jimin, what do you do for a living?”

He looked relieved that he had a reason to stay.

“I’m a dance student, at the moment, but I teach a few classes for extra money.” He said.

You saw something out of the corner of your eye. Turning your head, you saw Jimin’s group standing against the wall. Every single one of them was staring at you.

“What?” Jimin asked.

“I think your friends are looking for you.”

Jimin glanced over at them, and their eyes widened in obvious interest, beckoning him over with the curious look on their faces.

Jimin looked at them, then at you, then back to them, clearly conflicted.

“Would you mind if my friends came over?” He asked.

“Sure, the more the merrier.” You were busy digging around in your purse.

Jimin left to fetch them, practically running across the dance floor.

“Aha!” You found what you were looking for, pulling a red, heart-shaped lollipop from the depths of your bag.

To say that you had a sweet tooth was the understatement of the year. You had sweets stashed everywhere: your purse, your car, your jacket pockets, your nightstand, random drawers in your apartment, even in the crevices of your couch cushions. You found that sugar helped with the cravings, as well as complimented the aftertaste of blood.

Your all-time favorite flavor was cherry.

Slipping off the wrapper, you popped it in your mouth as the group approached you. They all looked just as nervous as Jimin, if not more so. They were either staring at the ground or staring at you.

“Come, sit.” You invited them into the empty booth. Half of them sat to your right, the other half to your left, sandwiching you in. Jimin returned to his spot directly by your side.

“I’m Charlie, nice to meet you all.” You waved with the hand holding the lollipop.

They all introduced themselves.

Damn, they are attractive. Why the hell are they all over here?

“Have any of you ever been here before?” You asked.

“No, we’re obviously a little nervous.” The one named Hoseok said.

“Everyone’s nervous when they first start. You’ll get used to it.” You reassured them.

“Were you nervous when you first started?” This came from Jungkook, the youngest in the group.

“Of course, it took me a long time to gain my confidence.”

You remembered your first ten years or so as a vampire, back when you were still shy and overcritical of yourself.

Then you realized that there was a whole community of people willing to go as far as pay you to actually injure them.

"How long have you been coming here?” Taehyung asked curiously.

“Heh, feels like forever.” You said with a chuckle. “I don’t come often, just when I really need to feed. My supplier quit on me, unfortunately.”

They very subtly perked up, so subtly that you didn’t notice it.

“That sucks.” The oldest one, Jin, said.

You nodded in agreement, distracted by your lollipop, then thought: Was that a pun?

“Do you have someone else you can go to?” Jungkook asked.

“No, despite this vast underground network we are in the middle of, there are few people willing to meet my requirements.”

“Which are?” Yoongi felt proud of himself for hiding any signs of eagerness in his voice.

“Oh, you know, no hard drugs, flexible schedule, full commitment. They have to be very dedicated to their health, follow a specific diet, be devoted to taking lots of vitamins and supplements, have time set aside to recover if needed.”

You laughed to yourself.

“It would be ideal if they lived with me, that way I wouldn’t have to travel halfway across town every time I’m hungry.” You were joking, mostly talking to yourself, but the seven of them glanced at each other.

God, it’s going to be a pain in the ass finding another supplier in such a limited time frame. You were deep in thought as you rested one elbow on the table. You bit down on the lollipop, and it crunched loudly under your powerful teeth.

A buzz came from your purse. You found your phone in the sea of candy wrappers and old receipts, and checked the screen.

“Ah, sh—” You trailed off, cursing the rest of the word in your head, and shoved your phone back in your bag.

“I can’t believe it’s already so late…” You grabbed your glass and tilted your head back, downing the rest of your whiskey.

“I have to go, gotta be up for work tomorrow. I wish I could’ve stayed longer, you’ve all been lovely.” You said, regretfully gathering your things and sliding your way out of the booth.

“Bye, Jimin. Thank you for everything.” You pinched his cheek affectionately, making him blush again.

They watched you walk across the dance floor, heels clacking, and disappear through the doorway. The second you were out of sight, they all pounced on Jimin.

“Spill.”

“What was it like?”

“Tell us everything.”

“How did it feel?”

Jimin’s eyes closed as he let his head fall back.

“It was amazing.” He said dreamily.

“As good as they say?” Jungkook asked.

“Better.” Jimin answered without hesitation.

“As good as an orgasm?”

“Better.”

All their mouths fell slightly agape as they stared at him. There was a thick moment of silence as all their minds went wild.

“Shit…” Yoongi was the first one to try to articulate his thoughts.

They sat there for a solid five minutes, trying to wrap their brains around the idea of such a euphoric experience. They watched in fascination as Jimin basked in the afterglow.

The bartender set a tray down on the table. Seven glasses, six filled with fancy, expensive-looking top-shelf liquor, and one filled with juice.

“We didn’t order anything.” Namjoon told him with obvious confusion.

“The woman who just left your table sent it. Pre-paid.” The bartender said. He set the glass of juice in front of Jimin.

“Oh, and she insisted that you drink this before you leave.” He distributed the other glasses, picked up his tray, and left.

They sat there in stunned silence. The drinks at the club were quite pricey, and they could all tell that she had just dropped at least a hundred dollars.

They looked at each other, still trying to comprehend everything that had happened in the last ten eventful minutes.

This was the first time a girl had simultaneously left them all utterly, and completely, speechless.

~~~

Your kitchen window was open wide, letting in the morning chill, as you leaned on the counter with your coffee cup in hand. You had just come from the shower, wearing nothing but a black bra, a pair of worn high-waisted jeans, and the towel that was wrapped around your head.

It had been a few days since you’d last fed, and you were trying to curb the cravings as best you could. Caffeine, sugar, cigarettes, and alcohol were the things that helped the most, and you would consume them in that order throughout the day.

But even the sweetest confection couldn’t compare to Jimin’s blood. He was one of the best tasting humans you’d ever had the pleasure of feeding on.

You had to go in for work at nine, but that wasn’t much of a problem, you’d already been up for hours. Well, to be precise, you’d never gone to sleep in the first place.

The phone rang. The sound echoed in the silence of your apartment. Your empty apartment, you were sadly reminded.  

“Hey, Jason.” You answered.

“Hey, you remember the last time you were at the club?” He began.

“Yeah…” Your eyebrows furrowed as you tried to think of where this was going.

“Well, there’s this guy asking about you—”

“Excuse me, are you about to break your own rules?” You interrupted.

“Just hear me out—”

“What about all your confidentiality policies? What about your principles on anonymity?”

“Charlie, just listen to me—”

“Nuh uh, I am not gonna let you violate your own precepts.”

“Would you stop being stubborn and listen!”

“Nope, you haven’t broken a rule in two hundred years and I’m not about to let you break that record.”

“I think this would be really good for you!”

“I’m not listening, la la la la la!”

“Charlie, you need a supplier!”

“La la la la!”

“Would you just—”

You hung up on him.

They weren’t allowed to release any information about their members, it went against everything the club stood for, so you had no idea why he suddenly was about to tell a stranger who you were and where he could find you.

Sighing, you set the phone down and finished the rest of your coffee. You unwrapped the towel from your hair and set off the get ready for work.

~~~

You were distracted all day. Hunger ate away at you, and the only thing you could think about was Jimin and his six attractive friends.

You drank more coffee, smoked more cigarettes, and ate more pieces of candy in a two hour duration than you had in the last three days combined. That’s how hungry you were.

You fantasized about pinning Jimin against a wall and sinking your fangs into his perfect skin, letting his sweetness wash over you as his pretty moans filled the air.

Maybe he would get another erection, maybe it would rub against you as he squirmed.

You pictured drinking from all seven of them, one by one, then bandaging their bite marks and pampering them with soft pets and words of praise, relieving their pain by sucking and licking their wounds.

You would press your body to theirs as you alternated between drinking from their necks and wrists.

Maybe you would even spread their legs and draw from the femoral artery in their inner thighs.

Maybe your mouth would wander over to the center of their sensitivity, helping them out with their little problem if they were to get too excited.

Snapping out of your daze, you shook your head as if to clear it.

No, you couldn’t do that. That would be…that would be irresponsible. There were certain boundaries that existed between humans and the vampires that fed on them.

You lasted another few hours before you were seriously considering calling Jason back.

You were so hungry that you were eyeing your assistant with a yearning gaze, your mouth watering every time she walked by and wafted her scent into your face.

You finally cracked when she leaned over your desk and you felt your fangs come in.

When it comes down to it, it’s a safety issue, you tried to rationalize it in your head. If I go on like this, someone could get hurt. Yeah, I’m just trying to prevent an accident involving an innocent bystander.

You bit down on your lip as your finger hovered over the call button. Letting out a frustrated sigh, you pressed it and raised the phone to your ear.

Your heartbeat pounded louder with every ring.

Finally, finally, he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey Jason, it’s Charlie.” You said a little too eagerly.

“I know it’s you, dork, I’ve had your number for a decade.”

“Oh, yeah…” You paused, feeling the anxiety build in your chest.

“So…about the guy from the club…” You said.

You couldn’t see him, but you could tell that Jason was hanging onto your words, waiting tensely for you to finish.

“Tell him I want to meet up.”

~~~

The seven of them walked with their hands nervously clenched at their sides. Jimin was leading them, looking up at the overhead signs for the name of the cafe you’d invited them to.

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.” Yoongi said.

“Hey, you were the one who suggested it.” Hoseok shot back.

“Still can’t believe it.”

“What if she says no?” Jungkook said, sounding anxious.

There was a pause.

“Then at least we can say that we tried.” Taehyung said.

Jimin suddenly stopped, causing everyone walking behind him to crash into his back. Before they could ask him what was wrong, they saw what he was intensely staring at.

You were sitting at a table outside, reading a book as you sipped your coffee. Compared to when they saw you at the club, you looked entirely different. Instead of leather, heels, and red lipstick, you were wearing a beige turtleneck under an oversized wool coat.

They all looked at each other, took a deep breath, and walked over.

When they stopped at your table, you looked up at them and smiled.

“Hi.” You chided in a high voice. You hoped they couldn’t hear your excitement. “Sit down, please.”

They all took their seats around the table, eyes transfixed on you like they were in a daze.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.” You said politely.

“Thank you for inviting us.” Jimin replied, his cheeks already starting to turn pink.

You smiled at him, remembering his adorable shyness.

“I wanted to talk to you all about a possible arrangement.” You said, looking down at the table, slightly embarrassed.

They all glanced at each other.

“Actually, that’s exactly the reason why we contacted you.” Hoseok said.

Your expression furrowed in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

They were looking at anything and everything but your face.

“We were thinking about what you said about needing a supplier,” Jimin said as he fiddled with his hands. “And how it was difficult to find people willing to meet your requirements.”

You raised an eyebrow.

“And…?” You said, still not seeing where this was going.

Jimin looked at his friends, silently begging one of them to take over.

“And…we were thinking that we could be those people.” Taehyung said.

Your eyes widened.

You were honestly not expecting that. When Jason had told you that someone was asking about you, you’d assumed that they’d just wanted to do it one more time. When you’d called Jimin, asking him if he wanted to meet, and he’d asked if his friends could come along, you just thought they’d want to try it once. You never expected they’d all offer to become your new suppliers.

“R-Really?” You asked, staring at the seven gorgeous men that seemingly all wanted you to feed off of them.

They all nodded.

“And when we say we’re willing to fulfill all your requirements, we mean all of them.” Jin said.

All of them? Could he mean—?

“You’d move out of your house?” You asked unbelievably.

They nodded again.

Hoseok looked down at the ground like he’d just remembered something sad.

“We’re getting evicted anyway.” He said, his voice quiet.

Mouth falling agape, you immediately felt bad for them. You remembered when you used to have money troubles, back when rock bottom was no unfamiliar concept.

Your mind started to whir as you considered the situation.

I can’t go without a supplier for much longer, and with seven of them, I’d never have to worry about being hungry again.

It was so lonely in your large apartment, with you and your cat being the only inhabitants. Maybe now you wouldn’t be so lonely all the time. Maybe now you wouldn’t be constantly reminded of how you were destined to be alone for all eternity.

You looked at the group of men sitting around the table, all of them staring at you with expectant eyes, waiting for your answer.

“Are you sure?” You asked, still incredulous to the idea that they would actually want to live with you and become your personal blood bags.

They all nodded vigorously.

But then your mind wandered to all the possible downturns. What if it gets complicated because there are seven of them? What would it be like to have them all living with you?

You couldn’t deny that you were attracted to them. What if you couldn’t control yourself? What if you crossed that thin line that existed between what was acceptable in the human world versus the vampire world?

It was never a good idea to be romantically involved with someone you were feeding on, all vampires knew that, too much could go wrong. Unhealthy relationships were often the only result. Too many negative consequences were possible: dysfunctional attachments, destructive possessiveness, God forbid anybody get physically hurt.

Jimin must’ve sensed your hesitation and interpreted it as you being concerned for them, because he grabbed your hand and squeezed it tight.

“Please,” he said in a soft voice, his eyes wide and pleading. “We really want this.”

You ran your eyes over them. Jin and Namjoon, the ones who seemed to carry the aura of leadership, each gave you a nervous smile. Yoongi, who had been quiet this whole time, swallowed the lump in his throat when your eyes landed on him. Hoseok and Taehyung were completely still as they hung onto your every word, and Jungkook had his gaze diverted down to his shoes, his cheeks visibly red.

You weren’t sure if Jimin was doing it on purpose, but as he leaned forward on the table, his mouth-watering scent hit you hard.

You swore you almost closed your eyes and moaned. You knew your answer the second his scent flooded your nose.

“Okay.”

~~~

thanks so much for reading!! if you liked this please let me know, comments give me life and make updates faster. come on into my inbox i need friends.

still to come: smut, more angst (hehehe), dom and sub BTS, dom and sub OC

[venmomejoy]

The Lucky Ones- Pt. 4

Summary: After years of living on the run, Neil Josten is offered a role on The Foxes, one of the most popular shows on television. Accepting is probably one of the most foolish things he could do; he would be exposing himself to everything he had spent years running from. But Neil can't help himself.

part one / part two / part three

read it on AO3 here!!

Whoever it was, they had been careful. Every single item was in the exact place Neil had left it, not a hair out of place. His clothes were stacked in the correct order, his shoes pressed to the bottom of the bag, his binder snug in between a ratty gray shirt and a pair of black sweats.

His binder.

He whipped out the plastic folder, furiously flipping through the pages, looking for anything amiss. Neil loosed a sigh when he saw that the pages of contacts and coordinates were all still there, the cash he kept on hand seemingly unskimmed. Most of the information was coded, so he doubted the pilferer understood what he was looking at, but it still unnerved him that someone had seen the most important thing he owned, the information that keeps him alive.

But there was no way for him to code the news clipping and magazine articles he had stuck in there. Pages and pages of information on Riko and Kevin's career, dating back several years. Whoever saw this likely had a myriad of questions for Neil, and he didn't know how he would explain. The other documents he might be able to dance around, but the articles about Kevin and Riko were so straight forward, there's no way he could twist it into anything that wouldn't raise suspicion.

Neil clenched his jaw, fingers twisting into the fabric of his bag until his knuckles turned white. No one in this house had shown any interest in Neil's past, his belongings, besides Andrew. And he got the feeling only Andrew would cross this kind of boundary without provocation.

He stood abruptly, shoving his duffel bag under the bed. He needed to find somewhere safe to put it, somewhere that could not be infiltrated by prying hands; that was priority number two. Priority number one was confronting Andrew.

Neil shouldered Andrew's door opened, only to be met with an empty room. The comforter was pulled down, the sheets were ruffled in such a way that Neil knew Andrew had been lying here earlier tonight. He had walked through their lounge on the way to Andrew's room and hadn't seen him, so he shuffled downstairs to check the rest of the public spaces, coming up short. Until he got to the kitchen.

Andrew was perched on the countertop, spooning ice cream into his mouth. He dragged his eyes to Neil, the heavy glare in his eyes not faltering as he took in Neil's gritted teeth, his clenched fists. Andrew didn't want to mess around; good, Neil didn't either.

"You went through my bag."

This got Andrew's attention, his eyes flicking up to Neil's. He probably thought he had been so thorough, so meticulous, that Neil would never realize what he had done. He probably thought he would be able to catch Neil by surprise, ambush him with questions while he was reeling from all Andrew had discovered. Neil's blood boiled.

"What makes you think it was me? There are eight other people in this house, it could have been any one of them," Andrew mused, twirling his spoon in the air.

"It was you. What's your deal with me?"

"Ah, Neil, the real question is, what's your deal with Kevin?" Andrew asked, pushing himself off the counter.

Neil willed his voice to be steady. "I don't have a deal with Kevin."

"The shrine you have in that binder of yours says otherwise."

Neil had only been a child when he had started collecting those articles. He knew it was weird, but...it was a way to cope. Looking at these articles, watching Kevin and Riko grow up, reminded Neil of the life he could have had. He could have grown up with Kevin and Riko, could have been adored by millions, instead of being chased down dirty alleys with a bullet in his shoulder. All three of them were in the room that day; why did they get to live lavishly while Neil took off running? The articles were an impulse Neil let himself give in to, the resentment and burning jealousy a vice he indulged in. But he couldn't exactly tell that to Andrew.

"You shouldn't have gone through my things. I meant what I said Andrew- get off my back."

Andrew's body twisted so suddenly that Neil barely had time to react before there was a knife pressed against his abdomen. "Neil, you're efforts at intimidation are valiant, but pointless. You'd do well to start doing what I say; you don't want to get out of my good graces." The menacing smile creeping on his face had Neil questioning how "good" his good graces really were.

He would be stupid not to see the threat in Andrew's eyes, but all Neil could see was red. "Fuck you."

The laugh Andrew gave was nothing short of sinister, but before he could continue, a lengthy shadow fell over them. "What the hell is going on here?" Kevin questioned, using his fist to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "Did I not tell you to get some sleep tonight? It's fucking 3 am."

Maybe he didn't understand exactly what kind of fucked-up relationship Kevin and Andrew had, but Neil knew that Kevin played a part in this too. He may not have sanctioned it, but Kevin and Andrew seemed to act in each other's interests. Neil didn't particularly feel like yelling at Kevin in front of Andrew, but he couldn't make him leave, so he did the next best thing. He felt his nostrils flare, his brow tighten as he turned to his castmate and began speaking in furious French. "You need to keep your pets on a tighter leash."

Kevin didn't try to hide his surprise at Neil's language switch, and Neil couldn't help the stab of satisfaction that surged through him at his shocked expression. When it became apparent Kevin wasn't going to speak, Neil continued. "Andrew went through my things. Call your dog off."

Kevin's mouth tightened. "I don't control what he does. Don't provoke him and he won't bother you."

"I thought you were leading this cast. Do you have so little authority here that you can't keep your own underlings in check? Guess they don't want the Moriyama's sloppy seconds."

His nostrils flared. "Fuck you, Neil. You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Keep your friends in line. If one of you messes with me again you won't like the consequences."

"Is that a threat? From a skittish thing like you?"

"I'm not scared of a spineless cripple."

Kevin went stock-still, face pinching as he subconsciously cradled his bad hand. "The fuck did you call me?"

"I called you a passé coward whose career is circling the drain."

That seemed to snap something in Kevin. He pushed out of the doorway and advanced on Neil with murder in his eyes. Neil slipped around the island, narrowly avoiding Kevin's grasp, and sprinted out the front door before Kevin could catch him. He didn't wait to see if Kevin would pursue him, only set off in a sprint to the nearest convenience store. He moved on to priority two: securing safety for his belongings. He bought the first safe he found that fit the size parameters for his binder, along with a fresh pack of cigarettes. He would still need to hide the safe, but having it would significantly ease his anxiety.

He walked back home, a cigarette burning between his fingers, letting the smoke drift upwards without breathing any in. The smoke calmed his racing mind, and for a moment, he could pretend his mother was still here, that she would take care of this stuff, would make sure he wouldn't screw up this massively again. But when he looked over, it was just him on the street.

                                                                                                                         --------------------

Neil pushed himself off of his bed, residual anger and premature anxiety waking him hours before his alarm went off. He let himself run for an hour before returning to the cast house. Raiding the kitchen left him with two apples and some greek yogurt, which Neil quickly ate before jumping into the shower. He could hear signs of life outside of the porcelain tub, muffled conversations drifting up to him from the floors below.

After drying and dressing, Neil made his way downstairs and found everyone eating in the kitchen, sans Andrew and Allison. From what he'd seen of Allison, she spent a good amount of time perfecting her appearance, so Neil imagined she was somewhere primping, but he didn't know what Andrew was doing, and he didn't care. Someone had gotten donuts, and everyone was thoroughly enjoying the sugar, except Kevin, who was scowling at them all from the corner while he munched on a granola bar.

Nicky noticed him first. "Neil! You want breakfast?"

"I'm okay, I ate earlier."

"Oh, okay, no problem. More for Andrew- that man is a sugar fiend."

"Well, tell Andrew to take them to go, because we have to leave in ten if we want to make it to the studio on time," Dan said, pushing her chair back as she stood.

"Speaking of Andrew," Seth says, rubbing at his temples, "What was all the yelling about last night?"

Curious eyes turn to Kevin, who simply sneers, inclining his head towards Neil. Neil squirmed as everyone's attention shifts to him, but their expressions were full of worry and apprehension. From the absence of curiosity on their faces, Neil assumed Aaron and Nicky had been filled in on last night's events.

"Neil, are you alright man? What did Andrew do?" Matt asks.

"Who says I did anything?" a sardonic voice drawls from the staircase. "So quick to defend the man you've known for one day. Your prejudice against me is inappropriate and erroneous."

It's Dan who speaks this time. "We know you, Andrew, so don't play innocent. What's the issue?"

"Oh look, Neil's little army, coming to his rescue! Who knew you were so adept at making friends? I thought someone like you would know better."

Ignoring Andrew completely, Neil said, "It was nothing, just a little disagreement." They looked unconvinced.

Andrew scooped up two chocolate donuts, both covered in rainbow sprinkles, before swinging onto the counter. "I'd suggest putting on some shoes, Neil. We're leaving in five."

He shot his eyes up to Andrew's and held the blond's stare, even as that delirious smile spread across his face. Neil couldn't refuse, not now that Andrew had been through his binder. He could expose all he'd seen at any moment; Neil would be at Andrew's mercy until he could get this situation under control.

Neil turned on his heel, refusing to give Andrew the satisfaction of seeing him yield. Sliding into his shoes took seconds, the journey up and down the stairs minutes, and by the time he was in the living room again, Andrew was swinging his keys around his finger. He turned towards the door without a second glance, tossing the keys to Nicky as he went, trusting the others to scamper behind him. Kevin might lead this cast, but Andrew undeniably leads this group.

Nicky turns to him as they walk. "So... French, huh?"

Neil levels an unimpressed look at him. "Yes."

"You're fluent?"

"Not completely, but I know enough."

"What made you pick French?"

Neil had contemplated this answer last night. He figured Andrew and Kevin would be curious about his language switch, and he needed to have a believable response at the ready. "My mother's family was French. She insisted I picked it for my foreign language credit."

"I studied German in school. I even studied abroad in Germany. That's where I met Erik," Nicky said, his eyes turning soft.

"Your boyfriend?"

"Yeah. He was the son of my host parents, and we just... clicked. He really helped me with a lot of stuff, and he's unbelievably hot. He's in Germany still, and as soon as my time on The Foxes ends, I'm moving there."

"Why'd you leave at all? For the show?"

"Not exactly. Someone had to take care of these two punks when Tilda died, so I became their legal guardian. We didn't get Wymack's offer until after I moved back." Neil inferred that Tilda was the twin's mother, but he couldn't comprehend the gravity of what Nicky had done for his family. He had left the man he loved, the place he loved, to become the caretaker of two extremely volatile and difficult children. Neil couldn't understand why he would do something like that, especially with how ungrateful the twins seemed. They separated before Neil could respond, him to the back and Nicky to the driver's seat.

Neil found himself pressed in between the twins, Andrew on his right and Aaron on his left. Aaron was staring intently out the window as Nicky pulled onto the road, but Neil could feel Andrew's eyes boring holes into his head. His grin was already in full-gear when Neil met his eyes. "Neil, Neil, Neil. Here I was, thinking we were getting along splendidly, and you just had to come and start a problem."

"I didn't start anything. If you don't want problems, stay out of my things."

"Oh, when will you learn? I do what I want. Don't try to control me; it makes me want to hurt you."

Neil can't help his scoff. "You can try."

"Ohhhh, Neil, don't tempt me." He looks Neil up and down. "You might turn out to be fun." He throws his head back in laughter.

When he settles, Andrew says, "Tell your secretary to clear your schedule for tomorrow night. We're going to Long Beach, and I have graciously extended an invitation to you."

Neil didn't know what Andrew was paying at. He knew Andrew had no interest in turning over a new leaf, knew this was not some offer of friendship from any of them, but whatever scheme they had planned in Long Beach, Neil still couldn't refuse. Andrew knew too much. He would have to hope his survival instincts were enough to get him out of Andrew's game unscathed.

"Trust me, it'll be fun," Nicky said, angling his head towards Neil without taking his eyes off the road. "We used to live in Long Beach, so we know all the good spots. We'll get dinner and then head to the club. And, we have a place down there, so we don't have to worry about driving home wasted."

"I don't drink. Or party." Crowds are easy to hide in, which would usually be a good thing, except they are easy for other people to hide in too. He has too many enemies to lose himself in a huge party, where someone could easily sneak up on him, where he could easily be taken without anyone noticing.

"That's alright, you can just hang with us and make fun of all the stupid shit intoxicated people do." Nicky finally glanced towards Neil, and his eyes looked hopeful. Neil didn't know why he cared. "Come on, man, let's not let this little scuffle ruin the rest of the season. We are going to be working together for the next few months, so let's put all of this behind us and start over. There's no reason why we can't get along."

Neil didn't trust it. But what could he do?

He wheeled on Andrew. "If I go, promise me you'll never touch my things again."

"So paranoid," Andrew says, eyes roving over Neil. "What makes you think you're so interesting that I'd want to go through your belongings multiple times?

Neil just stares at him, unfazed by the sarcasm. He wouldn't roll over on this.

Andrew flicks his hand in dismissal. "Fine, fine. This should be fun."

                                                                                                                 --------------------

Dan and Matt were scanning Neil from head to toe as soon as he got out of the car, checking him for injuries.

"Look, he's not hurt." Nicky put his hands on Neil's shoulders and pushed him in a little circle "See?"

They still look skeptical. "Nowhere we can see," Matt grumbles.

"And you can't see emotional damage," Dan shoots, glaring at Andrew as she does. He only smiles.

Kevin pulls Neil away from the bickering, leading him through the main doors. Neil thinks he's probably still upset about what happened last night, but for the most part, he seemed to have put it behind him for rehearsal.  

"Abby Winfield is our personal acting coach. We meet with her twice a week to work on technique and connection and anything else you can think of. Usually we'll run scenes from the show, but sometimes we pull outside scenes or improv. I know I told you that you have talent, and you do, but that doesn't mean you're good- it only means you have the ability to become good. You need to hone your skills and learn real techniques before you'll be anywhere close to ready for filming.

All of the people on this cast has years of experience on you, so you're going to have to work double-time to catch up. We all need to look of the same caliber on screen; it's the weakest person's job to match the skill of the strongest. I don't have time to coddle you. We need you to be ready in two and a half weeks, so we can't slow down to cater to your ego. If Abby or I critique you on something, you accept it, make the change, and keep moving."

Neil greedily accepted all of Kevin's instruction. The bubble of excitement in his chest was unfamiliar, but Neil liked it. It had been so long since Neil had looked forward to anything that he had forgotten what the feeling was like.

As soon as Kevin swung the door open, Abby was striding over to them. She stuck her hand out for Neil to shake as soon as she was in reaching distance while she introduced herself before ushering them into the training room. Someone had assembled ten metal chairs in a semicircle, and Neil chose a seat at the end. Unfortunately, there was no seating chart, and Andrew plopped into the seat next to him.

"So, Neil, David tells me you don't have any screen acting experience?" Abby asks, a pen poised over her clipboard.

"No, just a little bit of theater."

"Christ above," Seth mutters, "our ratings are going to plummet with someone as inexperienced as this kid dragging us down."

"Don't forget, Seth, we all have to start somewhere. Not everyone had the opportunity to start acting young." Abby levels a stern look at Seth, who just rolls his eyes, before redirecting her attention to Neil. "Well, looks like we have our work cut out for us. Let's get started."

They did a few warm-up exercises before moving into the actual acting, deciding to use scenes from the script, which Neil had just about memorized. They started with a scene Neil was not in so he could get a feel for what the sessions would look like. In this scene, Dan was arguing with Allison. The conversation felt a little stilted, but the anger on their faces was incredibly realistic. Abby gave them a few critiques before turning to Kevin, who gave some of his own. Their critiques were minor and quickly fixed when they ran the scene again. Happy with the outcome, Kevin let them reclaim their seats.

"Neil, you're up," Abby calls. "Let's run act three, scene two. Start on page 31."

Flipping to the correct page in his script, Neil walked to the center of the room. Matt and Nicky were in this scene with him, both greeting him with big smiles. Neil's character Alex had met all of the other characters in the earlier scenes, but this would be where he meets Ethan, played by Matt, and Henry, played by Nicky. Alex is cagey and mistrustful, hiding something big. It was easy for Neil to slip into character.

They had barely been rehearsing for two minutes before Kevin stopped them. "Neil, the dialogue is too stiff. It's painfully obvious everything you're saying is scripted, and it needs to feel like this is a real, natural conversation. Loosen up and try it again."

Neil nodded, taking a deep breath before jumping back it, but Kevin halted them again soon enough. "Neil, this isn't Shakespeare. Stop fucking talking in iambic pentameter. People don't naturally talk with that kind of syncopation. Listen to me talking right now. Do you hear the pacing of my words? This is how your lines need to sound. Stop overthinking and let it flow."

They worked that scene over and over again. It felt like as soon as Neil fixed one thing, Kevin was found another to pick apart, and his criticism wasn't exactly constructive. It was often instruction mixed with insults, or sometimes insults meant to instruct. Abby spoke up every now and then, but for the most part would just nod along with Kevin's statements, occasionally wincing at his harshness. They worked on his pacing, on making his movements feel more natural, on drawing from the other actors' energies. They ran that scene for at least an hour before Kevin waved him down. They decided to end the session on a scene with the twins.

Andrew and Aaron played twins in the show- Eli and Grayson, respectively. The scene is pretty emotional: Grayson has just been released from prison after being framed for murder, reuniting with his brother for the first time in months. Aaron quickly morphed into his character, tears welling in his eyes as he speaks to his brother, rambling about how scared he was, how he never thought he would get out. Neil was thoroughly stunned; it's not that he didn't expect Aaron to be a good actor, he just hadn't seen Aaron in anything other than a scowl, so the intense emotion he was pouring out caught Neil by surprise. Andrew, on the other hand, did nothing. In the script, Eli is trying hard to remain strong and put-together, since his character has always been the stoic type, but it is meant to be obvious he is putting on a front, that he is really just as affected as his brother. But Andrew is standing still, looking at his brother unfeelingly, not even bothering to say his lines after Aaron finishes his monologue. Everyone waits for a minute, but Andrew just laughs and gives a mocking clap to his brother. Aaron snaps out of character, rolling his eyes and turning to Kevin, who looked as if this behavior was normal, but still disappointing.

Abby finishes scribbling onto her clipboard before saying, "That was a good session, guys. Neil, that was really good for a first rehearsal, especially with no practice on the screen."

"It was sloppy," Kevin interjects. "You're incredibly far behind us all. You're going to have to work a lot harder than that if you don't want to make an embarrassment of yourself on set."

"But we're all here to help you, Neil," Abby says, sending Kevin a sharp look. "Don't worry too much."

Neil nodded his head, drained from the energy he'd exerted today, both in the acting and restraining himself from killing Kevin. As they walked out, he asked Nicky, "Why doesn't Andrew rehearse?"

Nicky just shook his head. "Andrew's complicated. He doesn't care about acting, doesn't care about his performance, doesn't care how the show looks or how it's received. In order for Andrew to try, he needs incentive."

"Incentive?"

"Yeah. Usually, during filming Wymack lets Andrew come off his medication. I'm assuming you know that Andrew's drugs are court-ordered?" Neil nods. "Yeah, so, if he's caught unmedicated he could go to jail, since it's a breach of his parole. And Andrew hates taking the medication, but he doesn't want to risk jail time, so he does it. But Wymack lets him sober up while we film in return for his effort. Wymack doesn't extend his offer to rehearsals, so Andrew doesn't try. He never does, but Kevin's still disappointed every time. He thinks one day he'll get Andrew to care."

Neil scoffs. "I thought Renee was the optimist."

"She is." Nicky grins back. "Kevin just thinks that everyone's as obsessed with acting as he is. His isn't optimism, it's a break from reality."

They stopped and grabbed take-out for lunch on their way back to the cast house. Kevin had designated today as a binge-watching day, and since it was only 1 pm, Neil figured they could get through a significant chunk of season one. The grabbed their food and fell into formation around the TV while they started up episode four.

Neil was entranced. The acting definitely needed work, but the plot was really engaging and well planned out. They broke after episode eight, with just two left in the season, and Neil thought he'd developed a pretty good grasp on the premise: The Foxes centered around Kayla, a junior at Palmetto High School, whose world is rocked when her best friend Madi, played by Renee, is found dead. The police name a group of suspects, namely people close to Renee. Ethan, played by Matt, is Madi's older brother. Nicky's character, Henry, is Ethan's best friend, and happens to be secretly in love with him. Allison plays Audrey, a schoolmate who always went out of her way to be mean to Madi. Seth is Austin, Madi's current boyfriend, although their relationship is pretty new. Aaron plays Grayson, Madi's ex-boyfriend, Andrew his fiercely protective brother, Eli. Kayla feels unsatisfied with the police's techniques and decides to look into the case herself, teaming up with Ethan to look for answers. The two become very close as they do, and just had their first kiss in the last episode they watched. So far, they are looking at Audrey; the girl had always been unnecessarily cruel to Madi- who knew how far she would go? Personally, Neil felt like it was all too wrapped up. There was something they weren't seeing.

They had stopped their watch party because Wymack showed up with dinner. They sprawled around the dining table, scarfing the food down as they filled Wymack in on their training with Abby before Dan asked, "What do you think so far, Neil?"

"I like it a lot. I was surprised when Kayla and Ethan kissed in the last episode. I didn't see that coming."

"What?" Nicky exclaimed. Neil was receiving looks of confusion from everyone, except Andrew, who seemed to find the whole thing amusing. "You're joking. Tell me you're joking."

Neil just frowned and shook his head. Why was this such a big deal?

"Neil, they built that kiss up from, like, episode one. Did you not see the secret glances, the suggestive dialogue? There was so much sexual tension you could choke on it."

Neil felt uncomfortable. "I don't know, I just didn't notice they had feelings for each other. I thought they were just working on the case."

"You're unbelievable," Nicky said, rolling his eyes.

"Well, who do you think did it?" Matt questions.

"I'm not really sure. I know they're leading us to think it's Audrey, but I think the whole thing feels too easy. Grayson has the most motive, being Madi's ex and all, but he seems too even-tempered to kill someone. I'm leaning towards Henry. I feel like he's the only one who hasn't even really been considered."

"Hmm," Matt hummed, and everyone looked on in amusement at Neil's musing.

The rest of dinner was filled with idle conversation, recounting the scenes they had watched and remembering funny moments from when they had filmed them. When they were all finished, Wymack plopped onto their couch and started flipping through channels, content to let his actors clean up.

In the middle of drying dishes, Neil felt Kevin freeze from where he stood next to him. He looked over at him, but Kevin's eyes were glued to the TV. Wymack had turned on a talk show, but the reduced volume couldn't hide the image of Riko Moriyama. Kevin's face was pale, his hands shaking as he strode over to the couch, turning up the volume before Wymack could say anything.

"So, Riko, when does Evermore head back to production?"

"Well, we're set to start filming again in about four weeks."

"Ahh. Isn't that around the same time your old friend Kevin Day will return to filming on The Foxes?"

Neil could see Riko's face tighten at the reminder, as if he was hiding a sneer. It was so minuscule he doubted anyone would have noticed, had they not been trained to analyze every little movement for a possible threat like Neil had. Glancing over, Neil knew Kevin saw it too.

"I believe they start a little bit earlier than us, but around the same time, yes. Ironic, isn't it?" His smile was camera-ready, but didn't reach his eyes.

"It is indeed. Well, perhaps you can wish him luck for us on his second season with The Foxes!"

"I would, if Kevin and I still spoke." His words were met with gasps from all around the audience, and quite a few from their living room. "I haven't heard from him since his accident."

Kevin was whispering something from where he stood, something that sounded like a prayer.

"He wouldn't dare," Allison said.

The host recovers from his shock. "I must say, Riko, this is surprising. You two were as close as brothers- I don't think anyone thought you two would have a falling out."

"Yeah, I didn't either, but Kevin took the accident really hard. We all did. And when we found out he couldn't finish the season? Well, it was like you said, I felt like I lost my brother. The emotional stress of it all took a toll. We had been acting together since childhood; I don't think either of us knew how to go on without the other. And we eventually just lost contact. There was no loss of love, at least on my part. I miss Kevin dearly. I'm actually hoping to see him soon."

"Is that so? Hollywood's favorite pair, reunited after over a year apart?"

"We'll see." Riko's smirked.

With that, the show ended.

The silence in the room was deafening for a moment, everyone looking at Kevin. His eyes were blown wide, the shaking in his hands spread to his whole body. Neil could here his hyperventilating from where he stood. "Fuck," was all Kevin said. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Kevin started pacing, dragging his hands through his hair and tugging. Wymack stood up and grabbed his shoulders. "Hey! Kevin, stop. Sit down."

"No! I can't- I just-" Neil had never heard that kind of panic in Kevin's voice. "I told you, I told you he was going to come for me, and now..."

"He's not going to touch you, Kevin. He can't. You're signed with me for the next two years. He has no claim to you. "

"They can pay my contract off a hundred times over and you know it! There's no way for me to escape him. I've already angered him so much, if he finds me he'll-"

Andrew strode forward until he stood directly in front of Kevin, Kevin falling silent. "Kevin."

Kevin just looked at the ground, breathing erratic.

Gone was any trace of humor in Andrew's eyes, replaced with an empty stare. "Kevin, look at me." Kevin's eyes were frenzied when he raised them to Andrew's. "I don't make promises I can't keep. I told you he wouldn't touch you, and he won't. Have I ever failed you before?"

Slowly, Kevin started to relax. Neil could tell he was still nervous, but whatever Andrew had promised him seemed to calm him. He fell back into the couch, burying his head in his hands.

Everyone's faces were pinched with concern, even Aaron and Seth looking uneasy abut what they heard. Neil just watched the scene in confusion. He didn't know why it was such a big deal that Riko wanted to get back in touch with Kevin. Riko seemed psychotic, sure, and his family seemed like a cult, but he and Kevin had always seemed like they loved each other.

Wymack noticed Neil's confusion, sighing before he waved him over, leading them into the hallway. "Neil, there's something you should know if you're going to be a part of this cast."

Neil just looked at him. "Okay."

Wymack opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again, before asking, "The Moriyama's aren't who you think they are."

Neil froze. He didn't like surprises, and he got the feeling he wasn't going to like where this was going.

"The Moriyama's- they are big in the film industry, yes, but that's not where they make their money. The Moriyama's are a gang."

[parrishsrubberplant]

for the prompt thingy, smth sweet based on there's nothing holding me back? really just anything comes to mind when you listen to it (highkey reminds me of pre relationship nurseydex though ngl 👀) hope you're doing well!!

Feeeeeeeels. Hope you enjoy!

Bitty’s hair looks as perfect as ever. Dex steps back out of the hug, letting his arms drop. “It’s good to see you.”

Bitty grins. “Y’all just love me for my pie,” he says.

Nursey wraps his arms around him and swings Bitty in a circle, lifting him off his feet. “No, we love you for other things too,” he says. He puts Bitty down. “Damn, Bits, you look good.”

He does. His chair is still cut in the ‘Samwell Chop,’ short on the sides but long on top, and still impeccably styled. He’s wearing a polo shirt and khaki shorts, leather flip flops, pretty standard hockey bro attire.

“Thanks,” Bitty says. “I’m heading for the kitchen,” he says. “Dex?”

“Yeah,” Dex says. He follows Bitty into the kitchen.

Nursey hovers in the hallway for a moment. He wasn’t invited, but he wasn’t specifically not invited either.

Dex looks up from where he’s buttering a pie pan. “Don’t you have homework?”

“No,” Nursey says. Technically, he does, but it’s too early in the semester to start working flat out. Or, he’s trying to tell himself it’s too early. He’s already a week ahead on the assignments for his poetry workshop. He laughs. “I see how it is,” he says. “You need your Bittle bonding time.”

Dex looks abashed for a moment. “I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just–if I give you a knife and tell you to help, you’re probably going to cut your fingers off.”

“True,” Nursey says.

Bitty looks up from where he’s peeling apples, the peel falling away from the fruit in a long, perfect ribbon. “How’s class?”

“All right,” Nursey says. “I’m taking this great class on four Harlem Renaissance poets. The professor is, like, a million years old and knew most of them personally, so.”

“Wow,” Bitty says. He leans over at turns Betsy II’s dial to 350 degrees.

“I know, only at Samwell, right?” Nursey says. He goes to the fridge and takes out a bottle of Wild Cherry Gatorade. “I’ll leave you to your bro time.”

“Come back in an hour and a half,” Dex says. “There will be pie.”

Nursey nods. He twists the cap off his Gatorade, takes a long swallow, twists the cap back on, and heads upstairs to read. He considers going out onto the Reading Room but decides against it, sitting on the loveseat by the open window. He and Dex bunked their beds (well, Dex bunked the beds, while Nursey sat nearby being ornamental and inspiring and making sarcastic comments). And then they found the loveseat discarded outside student housing. It’s quickly becoming one of Nursey’s favorite things about their room.

In the kitchen, Bitty turns to Dex. “Can you pass the cinnamon?”

“Sure,” Dex says. He looks at Bitty, then looks away. “How are you, really?”

Bitty shrugs. “Not bad, honey. I can’t complain.”

Dex nudges him. “You can, though.”

Bitty shrugs again. “I haven’t been home this summer.”

Dex nods. “Are you talking to your folks, though?”

“Kind of?” Bitty laughs shakily. “We’re talking. It’s all…very polite and careful. It’s good that they’ve already met Jack, and that they like him.” He shakes cinnamon over the bowl of chopped apples. “It’s–I’m sure it’s making Coach’s job harder, you know, being the football coach.”

Dex half-smiles. “I wonder if he’s had any players come out to him yet.”

“Maybe? I haven’t asked.” Bitty reaches for the sugar.

“And you?” Dex asks.

“I locked down my Twitter,” Bitty says. And Dex knows that must have cost him, because Bitty loves his Twitter, loves social media. He’s a friendly guy, and his accounts are an extension of his warm personality. “The support was nice, but there was some stuff that wasn’t support, and I just–” he sighs. “I didn’t need that kind of negative energy in my life.”

“Preach,” Dex says, and gets out the rolling pin. “How’s Jack?”

“Avoiding interviews,” Bitty says. “Avoiding profiles. Eating entire cows and training like crazy and getting even more muscular.” His smirk is positively salacious.

“Get it,” Dex says, and smirks back.

Bitty sprinkles flour and rolls out the bottom crust. “And you?”

Dex shrugs. “What about me?”

“You were kind of freaking out in May,” Bitty says.

Dex’s face heats. “It’s chill,” he says.

Bitty looks at him. “Oh honey,” he says.

“He’s just so–” Dex stops, flailing for words. “He’s like that all the time, you know?”

“Like what?”

Dex sighs. “Slightly spacey, but also smarter than anyone else. Really nice. Stupidly beautiful.” His face his definitely red now.

“You should talk to him,” Bitty says.

Dex shakes his head. “And who am I gonna switch with, when he, I don’t know, throws me out for being a perv?”

Bitty dumps the apples on top of the bottom crust, and scrapes the last bits of sugar and spice on top. “You’re not,” he says. “You’re really not.”

Dex sighs. “I’ll say something,” he says. “Just–not yet? It feels like we’re finally friends and I’d rather not lose that.”

“You do you,” Bitty says, and rolls out the top crust. “I’m here to listen, you know that?”

Dex nods. He picks up the top crust and begins fitting it to the pie. He used his pointer and thumb, pushes into his opposite thumb to create a fluted edge. “I know,” he says.

[love-skincareroutine]

(EASY STEPS) How To Remove Dead Skin From Feet Using Baking Soda

New Post has been published on https://skin-care-routine.com/skin-care-routine/how-to-remove-dead-skin-from-feet-using-baking-soda/

(EASY STEPS) How To Remove Dead Skin From Feet Using Baking Soda

A. How does baking soda remove dead skin from feet?

This is because the natural pH balance of the skin can be impaired. If you choose to use baking soda, use only a small amount (2-3 tablespoons) in a foot bath complete with warm water for 10-20 minutes. After immersion, gently use a pumice stone or a foot brush with the above method to remove any dead skin.

1. How do you remove dead skin from your feet?

You can do this by following the steps below:

Soak your feet in warm water to soften dead skin.

Moisten the pumice or foot file with warm water.

Gently rub the pumice or foot file over dead skin or callus.

Rinse the dead skin from your feet.

Dry your feet with a clean towel.

Someone may also ask how do you use baking soda to soften your feet? Soak your feet for 15-20 minutes. If you want to go for a pedicure, use the same proportion you used with the hand cleaner. 3 tablespoons of baking soda mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. Use this paste to rub calluses and give a refreshing massage to aching feet.

2. How do you get rid of the hard skin on your feet quickly like that?

Soak the hard skin area in warm water for 10 minutes. This makes the skin softer and easier to remove. Gently apply a pumice stone or a large nail file to the area. Start with a lateral movement and then work your way up in small circles to remove dead skin.

3. Can you soak your feet in vinegar and baking soda?

Soaking your feet in vinegar: Soak your feet equally in vinegar (white cider or apple) and water for fifteen minutes, twice a day. Keep Your Feet Dry: Sprinkle baking soda or cornstarch on your socks or dust your feet before putting them on. This helps to absorb moisture during the day.

4. How can I permanently fix my cracked heels?

The following steps can be useful in treating cracked heels:

Use an emollient moisturizer or moisturizer.

Apply an occlusive moisturizer.

Wear 100% cotton socks on the bed.

Application of a keratolytic agent on thickened skin.

Gently rub the thickened skin with a pumice stone.

With a liquid dressing.

Medical treatment.

5. How does Listerine remove dead skin from the feet?

The Pinterest post on dipping says combining 1/4 cup of Listerine, 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup of warm water. After soaking your feet in the mixture for 10 minutes, your goal is to immediately clean any dead skin.

6. Why do my feet have dead skin?

Dead skin can form due to the lack of moisture on your feet, constantly wearing closed shoes or socks, or due to friction from walking or running. It can also increase if you don’t care, exfoliate or scrub your feet regularly. Dead skin on the soles of your feet may appear dry, cracked, loose or drooping.

7. How can I soften my feet at night?

Combine a cup of Epsom salt, two tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil and four drops of pure peppermint oil. Rinse your feet with warm water and rub them still moist with the mixture for 10 minutes. Let the mixture sit for another 10 minutes, then rinse well with warm water and wash with mild soap.

8. Are dry, cracked feet a sign of diabetes?

Cracks in the heels are likely to occur in diabetics, as damage to the nerves in the feet caused by uncontrolled blood sugar can cause skin dryness. People with diabetes are more likely to have a cracked heel infection than non-diabetics. Dry skin cannot handle the extra pressure and cracking.

9. How do I get rid of calluses on my feet permanently?

The right way to remove a callus

Dip the callus every night. Every night, dip your foot in a bucket of warm water and baking soda – this will break dead skin cells and soften the callus.

Beat a little lactic acid.

Take a callus remover.

Moisturize now.

Examine your feet.

Carry pillows.

Robert Pattinson is our September cover star.

10. What is the best homemade footbath?

a. Listerine foot sauce recipes

Combine equal parts of Listerine and warm water with a cup of Epsom salt.

Mix half a cup of Listerine, half a cup of vinegar, 4 liters of warm water and 2-3 tablespoons of honey.

Mix 1 cup of Listerine, 1 liter of warm water and a few drops of lemon juice.

11. How do you get rid of the stiff skin on your feet while shaving?

Soak your feet in warm, soapy water to soften and improve tough skin. Dry hands and feet. Gently slide the razor over the corn or callus to remove layers of hard, dead skin.

12. Are bananas good for your feet?

a. Treat dry feet

The moisturizing properties of bananas are also great for treating dry and cracked heels. Knead two ripe bananas and apply to clean, dry feet. Leave on for 10 minutes and then rinse your feet with warm water. The nutritious banana pulp provides soft feet.

13. Is it good to dip your feet in hydrogen peroxide?

a. Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide can effectively kill the fungus on the surface of the foot, as well as any surface bacteria that can cause infection. Do this twice a day until the infection clears.

14. How do you moisturize your feet?

Lying on bed female legs under blanket. Legs of young woman, that lies on her bed in bedroom under the blanket. One leg playfully lifted up. Blurred background

Soak your feet in this soothing mixture of warm water and relax. After about 20 minutes, remove your feet with a clean towel and gently dry your feet and ankles. To maintain moisture, cover your feet with a moisturizing lotion, cocoa butter or olive oil. Your feet and ankles should be smooth as silk.

15. How does vinegar soothe your feet?

Vinegar soaps can also soothe dry and cracked feet. Use cold water, as hot water can dry out your skin. Soak at night, then moisturize your feet and put on your socks. Watering too often or for a long time can make your feet even drier. Use this immersion sparingly on dry, cracked feet.

16. Is the hard skin on your feet bad?

Calluses and calluses are hard, painful areas of the skin that usually develop in response to pressure or friction on the feet. They occur when the skin tries to protect an area under injury, pressure or friction. Neither is dangerous, but it can cause irritation.

17. What can I use to soften my feet?

a. Five ways to smooth rough feet

Vinegar – dip your feet in warm water mixed with a quarter cup of vinegar for 10 minutes.

Exfoliating for the feet – after wetting the feet, use an exfoliation made with a mixture of fine-grained salt, honey and olive oil.

Pumice – Use it every morning and night after washing your feet to keep them soft.

Lack of moisture – this is the number one cause of cracked heels. Disorders – Athlete’s foot, psoriasis, eczema, thyroid disease, diabetes and some other skin conditions can be the cause of cracked heels. Being overweight – being overweight can put pressure on the fat under the heel.

Use an overnight treatment – Vaseline® Jelly can be used as an effective night cosmetic treatment for cracked and dry feet and heels as it forms a sealing barrier and blocks the essential moisture your feet need to repair.

18. Is the hard skin of the feet hereditary?

Palmoplantar keratoderms are a group of diseases that are characterized by thickening of the skin on the palms and soles. Hereditary forms may be located on the hands and feet or be associated with a more general skin disease.

  B. Remove Calluses and Dead Skin With a Baking Soda Foot Soak

Summer means more time to wear sandals or walk barefoot in the pool. Inevitably, this can also mean that your feet are suffering from calluses and dead skin. Fortunately, you can take care of it easily at home with a simple baking soda foot bath. Calluses and dead skin tend to form due to lack of moisture and constant friction. Exfoliating and moisturizing your feet are a great way to combat these problems. Although you can spend time cleaning them, a much easier method is to use a scrub.

Baking soda has a wide variety of uses when it comes to skin care. Some people use it (diluted, of course) as a local treatment for persistent acne. It also has mild exfoliating properties, making it ideal for removing dead skin. Placing it on a warm foot bath will also soften hard, dry calluses and diminish its appearance over time.

In addition to baking soda, we recommend adding some milk to the foot bath. Milk is a natural moisturizer for hard and dry skin. It also contains lactic acid, another mild exfoliator that makes smooth, fresh teeth visible. Be careful when applying baking soda to your skin as it can cause redness and irritation. Always dilute it before using it in your skin care regimen and run a test patch of your solution on your skin to see if there are any side effects. The foot bath below should not be used more than twice a week to avoid irritation. To use baking soda on your feet, here’s what you need to do.

1. Foot bath with baking soda

Fill a large basin or foot bath with warm water and 1 cup of warm milk.

Add 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda and allow to dissolve.

Soak your feet in the mixture for 15-20 minutes.

That’s it! When the foot bath is finished, dry your feet with a towel and apply a strong moisturizer, such as a moisturizer. B. Healing Aquaphor ointment ($ 13.74, Amazon) for added moisture. This will help to soften the calluses even more and keep your skin beautiful and healthy. You can also put socks on your feet after the moisturizer is in place and sleep with them overnight.

  C. Remove Dead Skin From Your Feet Using These Home Remedies

Are you struggling with tough skin around your toes? Try these four simple home remedies that will help you get rid of hard skin or corn in a few weeks . The feet, an integral part of our body, are the most worn. You need the same amount of pampering as any other part of the body. Due to constant neglect, people have certain skin problems on their feet. One is corn, a collection of hard skin near the bony area of ​​a toe or between the toes. Anyone can develop corn because it is caused by repeated pressure from shoe rubbing or friction against the toes.

Some of the other activities that can tighten the skin include brisk walking or running with tight shoes or playing instruments. If you have recently developed corn, you can treat it at home with the help of some home remedies. Read on to learn simple recipes for removing tough skin at home.

1. Pumice stone

Pumice is available in most homes. It is a light but abrasive stone used to remove dry and dead skin. The hard skin of the toes can also be removed with a simple procedure.

a. Ingredients

1 large bucket

Water

Pumice stone

Coconut oil

b. Steps

Boil 2-3 cups of water and place in a large bucket. Add 2-3 cups of tap water to make it warm.

Place your feet in the bucket to soak the hard skin area in warm water for 10-15 minutes. You can also add essential oil to the water.

Now take your pumice and rub it aside. Also work your way up to small circles. Be gentle and try not to scratch hard skin hard.

When finished, dry your feet with a towel. Apply a generous amount of coconut oil to soothe your skin. Repeat the process daily until the tough skin disappears completely.

2. Epsom salt (Sendha Namak)

Epsom salt, or as we used to call it, Sendha Namak has been used for centuries to relieve and heal pain. Nowadays it is used more often to relieve stress by adding water. When it comes to corn, it can be extremely beneficial as it can exfoliate hard skin.

a. Ingredients

Large bucket

2 tablespoons of Epsom salt

Water

Nail buffer

b. Steps

Start by adding 2-3 cups of water to the bucket. Place 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt in the bucket of water.

Soak your feet for about 8 to 10 minutes. You will notice that the hard skin has softened a little. Use a nail buffer to file the layers.

Throw the water out of the bucket and add warm water. Soak your feet for another 5 minutes. Dry and apply moisturizer. Repeat until the hard skin disappears completely.

3. Baking powder paste

Baking soda is not just an ingredient used to bake cakes and make dhoklas. Although direct use on the face is not recommended due to its chemical composition, baking soda can be used as an exfoliating foot cream to remove difficult skin problems such as corn.

a. Ingredients

2 tablespoons baking powder

Aluminum Foil

Water

b. Steps

Mix the baking soda and water in a bowl to create a thick paste. Also add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

Clean your feet with soap or disinfectant and apply the paste to your hard skin.

Take a piece of foil and cover your toe well. Let it sit for an hour.

When finished, remove the foil and wash your feet. You don’t want your feet to dry out. So apply a moisturizer.

4. Castor oil

Feet soaking in water

Made with the pressing of castor beans, castor oil is a versatile vegetable oil that has been used for thousands of years. It is used for a variety of cosmetic and medicinal purposes, including removing corn from the toe.

a. Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons of castor oil

Swab

Aluminum Foil

b. Steps

Pour the castor oil into a bowl. Clean your toes with soap or disinfectant.

Take a cotton swab, dip it in the castor oil and gently pat the corn.

Cover with aluminum foil so that it does not move. Let stand for 30 minutes.

When finished, remove the foil and wash your feet. You don’t want your feet to dry out. So apply a moisturizer.

  D. How to Get Baby Soft Feet Using Baking Soda

After a summer of flip flops and walking barefoot on the beach, your feet are likely to get dry and crack. If applying the lotion often does not soften your feet again, opt for baking soda. Baking soda is a proven way to remove odors from refrigerators and toilet bowls. but it also has its place in personal hygiene. The best thing about baking soda is that it is cheaper than the traditional beauty products on the market.

1. Baking Soda Scrub

Mix three parts of baking soda and one part of water in a bowl.

Rub the baking soda solution on your feet to remove dead skin and smooth out any rough spots. Pay special attention to heels and hardened areas.

Rinse the paste with warm water. Apply the lotion if desired.

2. Soak baking soda

Feet in sauna

Fill a bucket or bathtub with warm water.

Add 3 tablespoons of baking soda to the water; shake it until it is well mixed.

Soak your feet in water for at least 10 minutes to smooth out rough and callused areas. Wetting water also enters the cracks in the feet and between the toes.

Rinse with warm water. Then apply the lotion.

3. Tip

Baking soda also helps to eliminate foot odor.

[arplis]

Arplis - News: Celebrate the Epiphany with a Dreikönigskuchen or Swiss Three Kings Cake

This brioche-like cake is perfect for sharing, and whoever finds the hidden fève is crowned king for the day! Follow my Dreikönigskuchen recipe with step-by-step photos. Swiss Three Kings Cake If there is one thing that can chase the post-Christmas blues away, it is the knowledge that the Epiphany is just around the corner. Once all of the Gingerbread Men, Panettone and Fruit Mince Pies have been devoured in the lead-up to Christmas, one can then look forward to the joys of the Dreikönigskuchen to celebrate the Epiphany on 6 January. What is a Dreikönigskuchen? A Dreikönigskuchen is a Swiss Three Kings Cake. It is made of a sweetened enriched dough, often studded with raisins or chocolate chips, and baked in the shape of a crown. A fève is hidden inside one of the buns, and whoever finds the fève is crowned king for the day! It is a fun cake to share with family and friends, and it is also common for teams at work to celebrate together with a very large Dreikönigskuchen – you can buy some specially made with 15 or more buns! But don’t think that you need to enjoy a Dreikönigskuchen in big groups. In recent years, bakeries and supermarkets have been selling mini versions with just 3 buns, and which happen to be a nice treat for the kids to share at afternoon tea. And it goes without saying, the less buns, the greater the chance of winning the crown! Dreikönigskuchen vs Galette des Rois The Dreikönigskuchen is traditionally eaten in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland, hence the German name. In the French-speaking region of Switzerland, the French-style Galette des Rois is more common. Instead of a brioche-like dough, a Galette des Rois is instead a pie made from puff pastry with a layer of frangipane in the middle. One of my favourite bakeries in Zurich, Confiserie Sprüngli, actually sells a Dreikönigskuchen which sits on a bottom layer of hazelnut frangipane and puff pastry. For me, it is certainly the best of both worlds! Different Types of Fèves When eating a shop-bought Dreikönigskuchen or Galette des Rois, you are most likely going to find a white plastic fève inside. Some specialist bakeries use porcelain fèves, but these are quite rare. The traditional fèves depict a religious figure, which is not surprising, given that the cake is to mark a religious holiday. But in recent times, non-religious fèves have become quite popular, especially as a collector’s item among home cooks in France. I was once shopping in a French supermarket and found packets of ground almonds which were running a promotion and which came with different porcelain fèves depicting some of my kids’ favourite cartoon characters. Needless to say, I bought a lot of ground almonds that day! Alternatives to Fèves If you can’t find any porcelain fèves, simply use a large dried bean or even a coin wrapped in foil. Whatever you choose to use, make sure that it is large enough to avoid any risk of choking, and also so that it can be found easily. Enjoying with Young Children When eating a Dreikönigskuchen with young children, I often ask them to break open the buns first to search for the fève, before they start eating. This is to reduce the risk of a young child accidentally swallowing a fève or choking on one. That said, my kids have always been very careful when eating a Dreikönigskuchen, and I have never actually heard of anyone choking on a fève … Dreikönigskuchen Recipe A Swiss Dreikönigskuchen is made from a sweetened enriched dough, so it is essentially a sweet bread. It is similar in taste and texture to a brioche bun or, if you are Australian, a cream bun but without the cream My recipe for Dreikönigskuchen uses the same dough as for my Iced Finger Buns, as well as for my Grittibänz recipe. It is a very versatile recipe! A traditional Dreikönigskuchen is often made with raisins but, these days, it is also common to find them made with chocolate chips as well. Simply substitute the raisins in the recipe below for some good-quality chocolate chips. How to Make a Three Kings Cake Step 1 Measure the flour, sugar, yeast and salt into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Lightly mix the ingredients together. Step 2 Slowly add the warm milk (you may not need all of it), and lightly beat everything with the dough hook until it comes together into a large ball of dough. Only add as much milk as you need to bring the ingredients together into a dough. Step 3 Slowly incorporate the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until all of the butter has been used. Then increase the speed to medium and continue kneading with the dough hook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Step 4 Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, and place the dough into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave it somewhere warm for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size. Step 5 Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it back and knead it gently into a smooth ball. Add the raisins and knead the dough for about 5 minutes to incorporate the raisins. Step 6 Portion the dough into 8 small pieces, plus 1 large piece. The small pieces of dough should weigh about 100 g/3.5 oz each. Roll each small piece of dough into a smooth ball. Hide a plastic or porcelain fève into one of the pieces of dough. Alternatively, you could use a large dried bean, or even a coin wrapped in foil. Just make sure it is not too small as there may be a risk of choking. Arrange the small pieces of dough evenly on a sheet of baking paper into the shape of a circle. Leave a bit of space between each piece to allow them to puff up slightly. Place the large piece of dough into the centre. Step 7 Loosely cover the dough with a sheet of cling film. Place the dough somewhere warm for about 30 minutes, or until the dough has puffed up slightly. Step 8 When you are ready to bake, brush the cake with some egg wash, and sprinkle generously with pearl sugar. Step 9 Bake the cake for about 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown. The cake is cooked when an internal thermometer reads 85°C/185°F. More Kings Cake Recipes If you are looking for other types of Kings Cake, you might also like: Galette des Rois with Apples Galette des Rois with Frangipane Print Dreikönigskuchen Print Pin Recipe ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews This brioche-like cake is perfect for sharing, and whoever finds the hidden fève is crowned king for the day! Resting Time: 2 hours Author: Thanh | Eat, Little Bird Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 30 mins Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Yield: Serves 8 to 12 Category: Bread Method: Oven Cuisine: Swiss Ingredients For the dough 600 g (4 cups) strong white bread flour 110 g (1/2 cup) caster sugar 1 teaspoon fine salt 14 g (4 teaspoons) instant dried yeast (see Kitchen Notes below) 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) milk, warmed to 37°C (98°F) 60 g (4 tablespoons) butter, softened 80 g (1/2 cup) sultanas or raisins 1 plastic or porcelain fève, or a large dried bean, or a coin wrapped in foil For the egg wash 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon milk To decorate pearl sugar 1 paper crown Instructions To make the dough Measure the flour, sugar, salt and yeast into the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Lightly mix the ingredients together using the dough hook. Slowly pour in the warm milk, and continue mixing until everything comes together into a rough dough. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Once the butter has been fully incorporated into the dough, add the next tablespoon of butter. Once all of the butter has been added, continue kneading the dough on medium speed for about 15 to 20 minutes. The dough is ready when it is soft and smooth, and also slightly elastic in texture when you try to stretch it. If you poke the dough softly, it should bounce back right away. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough inside the bowl. Cover the dough with a clean tea towel. Leave the dough somewhere warm for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size (see Kitchen Notes below). Once the dough has doubled in size, punch back the dough to release all of the air. Gently knead the dough a few times, and then knead in all of the raisins. To portion the dough Pat the dough into a long log. Cut off 8 small pieces of dough. If you are using kitchen scales, each piece should weigh 100 g/3.5 oz. Roll each piece of small dough into a smooth ball. Hide a plastic or porcelain fève inside one of the small pieces of dough. Roll the remaining dough into a large circle. To shape the dough Line a baking tray with baking paper. Evenly arrange the 8 small pieces of dough into a circle on the baking paper, leaving a bit of room between each. Place the large piece of dough in the middle of the arrangement. Cover the dough loosely with a sheet of cling film. Place the dough somewhere warm for about 30 minutes, or until the dough has puffed up slightly. To bake the Dreikönigskuchen Preheat the oven to 220°C (428°F). Make the egg wash by lightly whisking together the egg and milk. Brush the cake with some egg wash. Sprinkle pearl sugar generously all over the cake. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the cake is lightly golden. Check the cake at about 15 minutes, and if it is browning too quickly, cover the cake with a loose sheet of foil for the rest of the baking time. The cake is cooked if an internal thermometer reads 85°C (185°F). Gently remove the cake to a wire rack, and leave to cool completely. Whoever finds the fève is crowned king or queen for the day! Kitchen Notes ALTERNATIVES TO PEARL SUGAR If pearl sugar is not available, you could use flaked almonds, which are also traditionally used in Switzerland. VARIATIONS * Instead of raisins, use the same quantity of chocolate chips. * Omit the raisins for a plain dough. DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLOUR * For Swiss readers: I use Zopfmehl (or farine pour tresse) when making bread and enriched dough. DIFFERENT TYPES OF YEAST * Please note that there is a difference between instant yeast (also called instant dried yeast or fast-action dried yeast) and dried yeast (also called active dry yeast). If you are not sure what type of yeast you have, please check the packaging for instructions on how to use the yeast. * With instant yeast, you can add it directly to the flour mixture without having to activate it first. * With dried yeast, you will need to activate it first (usually in some warm liquid). * If you are using fresh yeast, you will need about one block (40 g fresh yeast = 14 g instant dried yeast). Crumble the fresh yeast into the warm milk, and stir to dissolve the yeast. PROOFING THE DOUGH Dough needs a warm environment for the yeast to activate and cause the dough to rise. If you don’t have a warm place in your home, try one of the following ideas: * In the oven with the oven light switched on (works only for some ovens). * In the oven with a tray of boiling water on the bottom shelf. * In the oven at a low temperature of about 25-30°C (77-86°F). * On the open oven door, with the oven turned on at 100°C (212°F). OVEN TEMPERATURES All recipes on this website state temperatures for a regular oven (i.e. a conventional oven without fan). If you have a convection oven with a fan, please consult the manufacturer’s handbook on how to adjust the temperature and baking time accordingly. CONVERSIONS To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients. Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment below and share your photos by tagging @eatlittlebird on Instagram and using #eatlittlebird The post Dreikönigskuchen (Swiss Three Kings Cake) appeared first on Eat, Little Bird. #PearlSugar #NewYear #Swiss #Raisins #Baking

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/celebrate-the-epiphany-with-a-dreikonigskuchen-or-swiss-three-kings-cake

[unwritrecipes]

Apple Hand Pies

So…Thanksgiving. Are you exhausted with trying to figure out how to handle it and keep everybody happy and safe? It’s certainly going to be challenging!!

Usually either my sister or I hold a 20+ person, indoor gathering, but this year, that’s not going to be happening—fingers crossed that we have good weather ‘cause the plan at this point is to have a small, socially-distant, mask-wearing and propane-heated backyard shindig!😘

All of this has gotten me thinking a lot about how to optimally prepare and serve the food this year which brings me to these individual and very hygienic, absolutely delicious Apple Hand Pies. There’s minimal handling, no need to cut or plate them and they yield a lot less than a traditional apple pie, which is perfect for serving fewer guests.

They’re also a lot easier to make than a traditional apple pie! Here’s how:

You start by making a regular butter pie crust and rolling out the dough so that you can cut out circles from it.

Next, you make a simple cinnamon-apple filling and spoon a little onto each circle—

Wetting the edges with a bit of water in the process to help the dough stick together as you fold it into a half moon shape—

Finally you use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges, which makes it look pretty and keeps the filling nicely tucked inside.

Right before baking you brush the pies with an egg wash, cut a few slits on top of each one and then sprinkle with a generous amount of coarse, sanding sugar for a lovely, sweet crunch!

The result is a golden, flaky, mini-apple pie that’s just like a slice of your favorite but easily stashes in your pocket!! Perfect for little and big hands alike!!

And just right for your celebration this year!

Honestly, is there anything better than portable apple pie?!! More to come on the holiday cooking front, so stay tuned…

Apple Hand Pies

Makes about 10

Prep Time for Dough: 10 minutes, plus several hours of chilling; Prep Time for Apple filling: 20 minutes, plus cooling time;

Ingredients

For the pie crust

1 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out

1 ½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons (½ cup) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled

⅓ cup cold water

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Ice Cubes

For the Apple filling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 large apples (I used Gala—Granny Smith or Honey Crisp would be good too), peeled, cored and cut into slices

The juice of ½ lemon

For the Assembly

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons cold water

Turbinado (coarse) sugar

The Recipe

1. To make the dough: Add the flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. Add in the chilled butter and pulse a few times until the butter has become the size of small peas.

2. Into the ⅓ cup cold water, add the vinegar and stir. Then add enough ice cubes to raise the level to ½ cup. Add 2 tablespoons of the mixture to the flour mixture and pulse a few times to incorporate it. It will look very crumbly. Then add 1 more tablespoon and pulse again a few times. You should see the mixture start to come together in a shaggy way with lots of crumbly bits. If you absolutely think you need to, add one more tablespoon of water. I never need to—it’s better for your dough to be too dry than too wet.

3. Turn the crumbly dough out onto a very lightly floured surface and gather it all into a ball. Make sure to scrape out the bowl of the processor—sometimes some of the wet parts of the dough get a little stuck and form the whole thing into a ball. Then flatten into a disk, wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for several hours and even better, overnight.

4. To make the apple filling: Combine the butter, sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring to melt the butter. Add the apples and lemon juice and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until the apples are tender and softened but not falling apart. Use a potato masher or fork to mash about ¼ of the apples and set aside to cool to room temperature. You could definitely make this a day ahead and keep it covered and chilled until ready to use.

5. When you are ready to roll out the dough, flour a board or counter with a little flour and flour your rolling pin too. If the dough is very stiff (mine usually is) let it sit out on the counter for about 20 minutes till it seems pliable. Roll out the dough, rolling from the center out and to a corner, then lifting the dough off the surface of the board and giving it a little ¼ turn and rolling again, repeating the process until you’re rolled the dough out into a circle that’s about ⅛ inch thick.

6. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 4-inch biscuit cutter or a wide-mouthed glass to cut out rounds of the dough and place them on the prepared baking sheet. If you find the dough is sticking to the cutter, flour that a bit too. Gather together the scraps and re-roll the dough, continuing to cut out circles until it is all used up. I got 10, four-inch rounds and one little extra. Place the sheet in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

7. Remove from fridge and spoon a tablespoon or two of the apple filling onto one half of each circle of dough. You may be tempted to overfill but don’t because it will leak out and be hard to seal the pies. Use a pastry brush to brush a little water around the edges of the dough (to help it seal) and then fold over the dough to make a half moon shape. Seal and use the tines of a fork to help keep the pies closed and to decorate it attractively. Place the sheet back into fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

8. Make the egg wash by beating the egg yolk with the water. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the pies with the egg wash and then use a sharp knife to make 3 small slits on the tops of the pies. Sprinkle the pies with the coarse sugar.

9. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until pies are golden brown. Cool on the sheet on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes and then serve. These are best on the day they’re baked but pretty yummy reheated in a low oven on day 2 or 3, if they make it that long! Also, the recipe doubles well—just double the pie dough recipe and the apple filling.

Enjoy!

Note: Pie dough is my regular recipe you can find here, apple pie filling adapted from The Sono Baking Company Cookbook.

[theblessed-unrest]

Vegetarian Recipes I 💖

I’m starting a new thread for #Gabcooks because during my 6-month exchange in Vancouver, I’ve developed a passion for food and appreciation beyond simply the end product on my plate. There’s just something about being in the fields, plucking out fruit from the land, food compost being a common sight and feeling the vulnerability and fragility of fresh produce that makes you want to whip up the best meals you can with what you have and to demand the same from places you dine at. It makes me think, perhaps this is why there is a dearth of excellent, world-class food places in Singapore, apart from hawker food - where then again, the best places are usually run by older folks (who I hypothesise had more interaction with their food before they were turned into food?) Millennials these days keep opening cafes with eye-roll inducing, run-off-the-mill menus. (Did someone say avocado toast with eggs benedict? I swear, if someone says describes a cafe as “insta-worthy” again I will wring them dry...)

Food security is something many developed countries have began to take for granted and you can see this from the amount of food wasted in these countries. Research by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has shown that food waste by consumers is more common in high-income countries (FAO, 2019). Especially in urbanised settings like Singapore (which generated 763,100 tonnes of food waste in 2018), where many have not even stepped into a farm their entire lives, Wendell Berry’s word never rang truer. He writes that “cultural amnesia” regarding the origins of our food is rampant. Not only does food waste have negative environmental impacts (GHGs, carbon/land/water footprints), but it just seems like a really dumb problem to have by virtue of how easy the solution is: basically to estimate rightly and buy the right amount of food you need. Everyone benefits because you save money while not having to go out of your way to save the environment.

Regarding this point, I found the figures interesting for the main food groups and their associated contribution to carbon/land/water footprints. In this regard, all food groups (not just meat and animal products!) can equally contribute to food waste, so this applies to even vegans/vegetarians. The bottomline is, no matter what you eat, don’t waste it.

(Source: FAO, 2019)

But cutting out food waste is just one part of the equation. We need to do more.

I can’t commit to veganism just yet, but here’s my hot take: I think the world will benefit with majority of people incorporating more eco-friendly and zero waste lifestyle habits (imperfectly) rather than a few people practicing through and through veganism. So I guess I am a “Reducetarian” in a sense. Multiple resources have pointed to reduction of meat intake as the essential to avoiding a climate crisis, with a recent study by Oxford showing that just going vegan for two-thirds of your meals can cut down food-related GHG emissions by 60%! And of course, eating less red meat is good for your health.

As for me, apart from when I’m out with my friends or eating what my mum/helper cooks at home, I will try to get vegetarian food for myself (usually at a mixed rice store). Quoting Wendell Berry again, I too believe that “eating is an agricultural act” and a critical way we can take action to fight climate change (since eating is something we inevitably do every few hours each day).

Many of my friends didn’t believe I could survive on a vegetarian diet on the weekdays when I was in Vancouver, and ask me what I eat then: beans??? (Short answer: no, I believe only 10% of my diet were beans as seen below) So here are some recipes to start with that can help you transition into a plant-based diet while proving that you don’t necessarily sacrifice taste! (Another hot take: thinking that steak belongs in “fancy meal” category and a proof of culinary prowess is the lack of one’s imagination. Any fool, including this writer, can cook a good steak at home after a few tries.)

Recipes

(Source: Bon Appetit)

1. Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower

I let my family and some friends try this for the first time when I came back and everyone had second/third/fourth helpings... I don’t know how to describe roasted cauliflowers apart from “life-changing”. You’ll never stir fry your cauliflowers again.

(Source: Bon Appetit)

2. Spaghetti Aglio e Olio with Lots of Kale

Super easy weeknight meal to make. Just remember not to hold back on the salt.

(Source: Bon Appetit)

3. Zucchini-Herb Fritters with Garlic Yoghurt

“It tastes like meat!” I rest my case. I had them with cold soba, sautéed swiss chard, julienned cucumber and occasionally, a poached egg. (Also, the garlic yoghurt dip is SO GOOD. I introduced my family to it recently and we’ve been making a new batch every week since.) 

4. Wholesome Burrito Bowl

Inspired by a time where my roommate and I paid close to $10 for a burrito bowl in school. Never again. Also if you’re not sold yet, it has guac (!!)

(Source: My Gluten Free Guide)

5. Cheesy Potato Rosti 

For 2 servings

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

2 peeled potatoes (I used russets because they were on sale when I made this)

1 tbs olive oil

Salt and pepper

Lemon wedges (squeezed for serving)

Optional: garlic yoghurt (refer to BA’s Zucchini Fritters recipe)

Method:

1) Grate potatoes.

2) Take handfuls of your grated potato and squeeze it out over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible. (Life hack: put it in the fridge while you go and busy yourself with other things for half an hour or so to get it real dehydrated)

3) Heat oil in large frying pan over high heat. Season potato with salt and pepper and place half in pan, distributing it evenly to form a large circle. Press t down with the back of a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes, then turn down the heat to medium and cook for a further 3 minutes.

4) Place a plate upside down on top of the potato and carefully flip the frying pan so that the fried side of the rosti is facing upwards on the plate. Gently slide back into the pan and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes, turning up the heat for the last minute or so to crisp up the base. Remove from pan. Repeat with remaining potato.

*Notes: You can add on whatever other ingredients you want! I recommend onions and mushrooms. They probably go well with poached eggs and other sautéed vegetables as well.

6. Baked Patatas Bravas with Egg

Inspired after having it at Como Taperia :’-) Make sure to watch the eggs!

7. Chana Masala

Seriously, the secret to good vegetarian food is the spices!! Great with naan.

8. Zucchini Loaf

Zucchini again?? Yes, I somehow managed to procure a hugeass zucchini. Story for another day. Basically kind of like a carrot cake situation but moister because zucchinis have higher water content.

(Source: Epicurious)

9. Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta

Super easy, tasty and fast dinner to whip up (without even having to crack open a jar of pasta sauce!)

10. Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Avocado and Feta

Another really fast, easy and satisfying meal to make. Especially if you have a masher. I use a fork :’’-) 

11. Grilled Cheese Sourdough with Caramelised Onions and Scrambled Eggs

I had a phase (during finals) where I was basically exhausting all the possible permutations and combinations of meals you could make from sourdough, cheese and eggs. It was kind of a eureka moment when I thought of adding caramelised onions into your classic grilled cheese sandwich.

For 1 serving

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

1 small onion, or half if large (chopped)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

2 slices of sourdough (or any other bread of choice)

2 slices of cheddar (I mixed in some shredded parmesan as well)

1 large egg

Salt and pepper

Method:

1) Heat half tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large pan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add onions in and cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar and 2 tablespoons water, scrapping up any dark bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the onions to a bowl.

2) Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Lay 1 slice butter-side down onto pan on medium heat. Top with 1 slices of cheddar, parmesan, a dollop of the onions and 1 more slice of cheddar. Top with another slice of bread, butter-side up.

3) Cook until the cheese begins to melt and the bread is golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until golden brown and the cheese is melted through, 2 to 4 minutes. Cut in half.

4) Crack egg into a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper. Whip eggs until completely homogenous and pale yellow in colour, about 30 seconds. Heat butter on pan over medium-low heat. (Can skip this step if your pan is non-stick) Add eggs and cook, undisturbed, until a thin layer of cooked egg appears around the edge of the skillet. Using a spatula and broad sweeping motions, push eggs all the way around the circumference of the skillet, then across the bottom. Continue to push eggs around and across skillet until fluffy and barely set, about 2 minutes; they should still look runny on top. Sprinkle with more pepper if desired. Serve immediately with grilled cheese sandwich.

(Source: Bon Appetit)

12. Spicy Kimchi Tofu Stew

A winter essential. Really comforting to have with rice. 

13. Crispy Maple-Soy Glazed Tofu with Soba & Kimchi

A product of making do with whatever I had in the kitchen. Followed this recipe for the crispy maple-soy glazed tofu. Served it with chilled soba and kimchi straight from the fridge, topped with chopped green onions. Flavours actually went really well together. 

14. Pumpkin Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread

A fall essential. Made the cheesy garlic bread from scratch with sourdough, olive oil, minced garlic, green onions and shredded parmesan cheese.

15. Cream of Mushroom Soup with Cheesy Garlic Bread

It was a phase of soup + cheesy garlic bread. I can’t find the recipe I used though... But here’s Bon Appetit’s recipe.

16. Barlett Pear and Goat Cheese Toast

With some chopped roasted almonds and a drizzle of maple syrup, it’s a taste bomb.

17. Cheese-Stuffed Bell Peppers

Great finger food for a party!

18. Baked Eggs with Mushrooms, Cherry tomatoes and Spinach + Toast

Zero cooking needed. Just chop up the ingredients and stick them in the oven (together with some slices of bread for maximum efficiency). Great for lazy dinners or a late night snack.

(Source: Bon Appetit)

19. Pumpkin Loaf with Salted Maple Butter

Loaves are my favourite thing to bake now. I love the flavours in this one - it has fresh ginger!! There’s also very little effort required for maximal output. I can have them for breakfast, snacks and dessert. And they freeze well so future you will thank you too.

[japanheart88-blog]

matcha monstera pie

I've never had much of a green thumb. I've been a successful plant parent a grand total of two times in my life: the first was when I was 24 and kept a random bamboo plant in the corner of my kitchen far away from natural light, occasionally watering the poor thing when I remembered to (so, maybe like, once a month?). For some reason, it thrived — I gave it to my friend when I moved away to Denver, where she promptly killed it by overwatering it. C'est la vie.

The second time was three years ago, also the second time I lived in San Francisco. Erlend's mom gifted me a potted orchid right before I left for Europe for two weeks. It promptly shed its flowers, but I kept watering its dead-looking bulb under Erlend's long-distance guidance. Nothing happened for a full freaking year; despite my constant watering, it looked as dead as it ever was... right until the week I moved to New York, of course. Literally days before my big move, the moldy looking bulb burst into life, sprouting thirty or so beautiful orchids all at once. I gave it to that same friend I gave my bamboo plant to; she promptly killed it. Again.

These days, my plant parenting duties are limited. After years of struggling to take care of and killing the trendy plant du jour (let's see... my plant casualties include a window garden box full of herbs, many small succulents, a fiddle leaf fig, an airplant or two, a potted string of pearls, cacti of different varieties, and probably more I'm forgetting), I've given up officially. My interaction with plants is now limited to the following: occasionally stopping on my bike rides across town to take photos of pretty flowering trees; purchasing overpriced blooms at New Seasons and the Portland Farmers Market for use on cakes; and using cookie cutters to recreate my favorite flowers and leaves on pies.

Monstera leaves are the hip plant du jour and I see them everywhere in trendy hotel lobbies, restaurants, and of course, Instagram. So when I saw these monstera cookie cutters on Amazon, I knew I had to have them. I initially thought about making a matcha sugar cookie situation with the cutters, but being summer and all, thought that pie was probably more relevant and seasonal.

The problem with making dyed pie dough (either with a vibrant green powder like matcha, or with other vegetables like beets or freeze-dried fruit with blueberries) is that once cooked, the color tends to get usurped by the Maillard reaction and any coloring fades away to the generic golden yellow of pies. I tried to combat this in many ways (by sprinkling the top of the pie with matcha and/or dyed green sugar and finding that the matcha burned to an unattractive brown and that the sugar wasn't strong enough to fight the pie's golden color), none of which worked. I also thought that cooking the pie filling before baking would reduce the pie's overall bake time, allowing me to pull the pie out earlier when it was still green (yeah, no, all that ended up resulting in was a pie with an undercooked bottom crust and middle). And after everybody's enthusiasm for this pie's vibrant green color on Instagram, I was actually ashamed to post the final product, a generic golden pie, on this blog and considered scrapping it completely.

But then I took a bite.

The pie crust, despite its golden color, was perfect. Crispy, flaky layers, with just the slightest hint of matcha to compliment a deep, cherry vanilla flavor. The best part is that cooking the filling beforehand yielded the perfect pie consistency, the kind that didn't run or turn the pie crust soggy after slicing.

So maybe the baked pie doesn't stay as attractive and appealing as it is raw. But it sure as heck is tasty, and maybe that matters more? You tell me.

featured:

napkin || wire rack || plates || flatware

Some baker's notes:

For the pie leaves, I used this monstera cookie cutter, which is a touch on the expensive side but worked perfectly. You can get different sizes too! In a pinch, if you don't want to pay $10 for the cookie cutter, you can print out a monstera leaf stencil and use a sharp paring knife to trace around the dough. 

When I first wrote about matcha in 2012, I felt like I needed to explain what it was to my readers — these days, matcha is pretty ubiquitous and needs no introduction. Just remember that matcha is available in different grades; when baking, it's always best to opt for the culinary variety, which is cheaper and more strongly flavored than the ceremonial grade. I used the culinary matcha from Tea Bar, a local tea chain in town that also packages some of their most popular tea products for shipping around the country. 

Matcha Monstera Cherry Pie

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Ingredients

Special Equipment:

a monstera cookie cutter

For the Matcha Pie Crust:

(makes one 9-inch double crust)

6 tablespoons (3 ounces) very cold water

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup ice

1 cup (8 ounces) very cold unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups (11.25 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon culinary matcha

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Cherry Filling:

(makes enough for one 9-inch pie)

3 1/2 cups (32 ounces) Bing or dark red cherries, stemmed and pitted 

"tightly packed" 1/4 cup (1.85 ounces) dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (3.5 ounces) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (1 ounce) cornstarch

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

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Recipe

For the Matcha Pie Crust:

In a large liquid measuring cup, combine 6 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Add 1/2 cup ice and whisk once more before transferring to the refrigerator to chill as you work with the rest of the ingredients. Slice 1 cup butter into 1-inch cubes and transfer to the freezer while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

Combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon matcha, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds until the ingredients are well combined. Remove the butter from the freezer and transfer to the food processor bowl and pulse the ingredients until the mixture looks like cornmeal, with no butter pieces bigger than your thumbnail. Remove the ice mixture from the refrigerator and drizzle 5 tablespoons of the mixture over the dry ingredients; pulse for a few more seconds until the dough begins to form a ball around the food processor blade. 

Use a rubber spatula to tip the dough out onto a counter. Use your hands to quickly knead the clumps together into a rough ball. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into two even halves. Shape each half into a rough ball and cover in plastic wrap; punch down to flatten to a small disk. Transfer to the refrigerator to rest and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. 

For the Cherry Filling:

Combine half the prepared cherries (16 ounces, or around 1 1/4 cups) and 1/4 cup dark brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently to prevent the fruit from scorching, for 15 minutes or until the cherries have released their juices and darkened in color. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining cherries, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract until well combined. Let cool to room temperature before filling the pie; the filling can be stored in an airtight refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Assembly:

Liberally dust a work surface with flour and transfer one pie dough disc to the surface while keeping the second one in the refrigerator. Sprinkle the top of the pie dough with flour. If the dough feels solid in your hands, place it on the counter and use a rolling pin to give it a few solid whacks, rotating every so often to flatten it out. This will help soften the dough before rolling it out. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough into a rough circle around 10-inches wide, rotating the disc about 90-degrees to ensure that you're rolling the dough out into an even circle. 

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate and trim any excess dough beyond a 1-inch overhang. Tuck the overhang so that it's rolling back underneath itself and sitting like a tube on the border of your pie plate. Squeeze the tube together so it creates a firm edge. Dip your fingertips in some four and use your thumb and index finger on the opposite hand to pinch around your thumb to crimp the pie tube. Repeat around the tube, flouring your fingers as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers. 

Once the pie is crimped, pour the cherry filling into the center of the pie, using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly across the bottom of the crust. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill while you work with the second dough disc. Follow the instructions on Step 1 to roll out the pie dough to a rough circular slab around 1/4-inch thick. Use a monstera leaf cookie cutter to stamp out several shapes. Remove the pie crust base from the refrigerator and arrange the monstera leaf cutouts on top of the cherry filling. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer to chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.

Bake:

Once the pie has frozen, it's time to bake the pie! Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Once the oven is preheated, transfer the frozen pie to the center of the prepared sheet pan and transfer to the lower third rack of the oven. Bake for 60 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. 

---

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Source: https://www.hummingbirdhigh.com/2018/07/matcha-monstera-pie.html

[recesspizza40-blog]

Coffee Cinnamon Scones

If you think scones are supposed to be dry and boring baked goods, you need to let these Coffee Cinnamon Scones change your mind! Perfectly buttery and packed with coffee, cinnamon, and cinnamon chips, you’ll want to start every morning with one of these scones.

Is there anything in life that you really wish you were good at, but you’re just plain not? I legitimately have an entire list, but near the top of that list is drawing. I am ridiculously horrible at drawing, to the point where I don’t even really doodle because it makes me cringe when I see the results of my doodles. If you told me that if I were to draw a little bit each day, I’d eventually be good, I’d totally be practicing my butt off. But at this point in life, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I’m not good at drawing and I never will be and practice will never make perfect because it’s just not how my brain or hands work. I don’t find myself sitting around with paper and a pen much these days anyway, but I still wish I could be proud of my doodles. Sigh.

It’s OK  though because luckily, I’m pretty decent at doing some other things. And for others, I know that lots of practice will eventually make perfect or at least close to it. Scone-making for instance. I’ve been on a major scone making kick lately and each and every time I bake a batch, they’re even better than the previous one. I’m so excited by how these Coffee Cinnamon Scones turned out and I’m already thinking about my next variety. Can we all work together to make scones fun again and not those hard-as-rock dry baked goods so many people think they are?

COFFEE CINNAMON SCONES RECIPE

Scones tend to get a bad name. Lots of people think of them as being dry and flavorless little baked goods that you have to dip into tea or coffee to actually enjoy. I’m here to tell you that isn’t true! Scones should be moist and buttery and flavorful and a little bit indulgent. These coffee cinnamon scones are all of those things and while they do go perfectly with a cup of coffee, you don’t actually need to dip the scone in the coffee in order to make it soft enough to eat.

Another myth is that scones are difficult to make. Nope! They are incredibly easy and only require a few steps. The most important? Making sure your butter is very cold and that you work it into the dough well (you can use your fingers or a fork for this, but I love my pastry cutter [affiliate link]). Also important is making sure your scones are flavored well… I used coffee, cinnamon, and cinnamon chips for these ones.

Once your dough is made, you simply pat it into a round (no rolling pins necessary!) and slice it into 8 wedges.

You can use a knife here, but I think every kitchen needs a bench scraper [affiliate link] (bench scrapers have so many uses! you can also cut your butter with them, move dough, and clean up a flour mess). There’s something so satisfying to me about slicing scone dough.

You’ll brush your scones with a little bit of cream and bake them at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes, until they’re just turning golden.

But wait, don’t forget the coffee glaze! And a few extra cinnamon chips for good measure.

If you’re not totally ready to say goodbye to summer and jump into apples and pumpkins, cinnamon is a great transitional ingredient. But when you bake these coffee cinnamon scones, your kitchen will smell amazing and you won’t be able to help getting a little bit into the fall spirit.

You’ll also probably want to invite all the neighbors over for a coffee date. Even the neighbors you don’t like. But be careful because they’ll probably reallyyy like you after you serve them these scones.

I’ve decided that if we were all to start our days with a scone and cup of coffee (or tea if that’s your morning drink of choice), we’d all be much happier people. And I’m not saying these coffee cinnamon scones are going to solve all your problems or anything like that, but you do know that cinnamon has all kinds of health benefits, right? It’s packed with antioxidants and may even help lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease (I recommend using ceylon cinnamon for the best health benefits). So, if you’re going to have a morning treat (and you should! you deserve it!), making it one of these scones would be a very smart choice.

My biggest problem with these scones is that I can’t decide how to categorize them. Yes, they make a brilliant breakfast, but I also ate a couple as a dessert. And they are also perfect snacks. We might not really have a formal “tea time” here in America, but you know how when 3:00 hits you suddenly really need a cup of coffee and something sweet? Coffee cinnamon scones to the rescue!

At the end of the day, I suppose I’d rather be skilled at making scones than doodling. Because, I mean, you can’t eat doodles.

What skill or activity do you wish you were better at?

Are you on a scone baking kick like me? Check out my recipes for Cadbury Mini Egg Scones and Eat Your Vegetables Savory Scones!

5 from 5 votes

Print

Coffee Cinnamon Scones

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

Total Time

33 mins

  If you think scones are supposed to be dry and boring baked goods, you need to let these Coffee Cinnamon Scones change your mind! Perfectly buttery and packed with coffee, cinnamon, and cinnamon chips, you'll want to start every morning with one of these scones.

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cinnamon, coffee, Scones

Servings: 8 scones

Author: Sues

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp coffee grounds

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled

1/3 cup cinnamon chips, plus more for topping if desired

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp heavy cream, plus more for brushing

2 large eggs

Coffee Glaze

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tsp strongly brewed coffee

Pinch salt

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, coffee grounds, and salt.

Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or fork (or your hands), until pea-size pieces form with some larger chunks remaining. 

Stir in cinnamon chips.

In a small bowl, whisk together cream and eggs. Using a spatula, fold the cream/egg mixture into the dry mixture until just combined.

On a lightly floured surface, gently knead the dough a few times. Then using your hands, form a circle about 3/4" thick. Slice dough into 8 triangles and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush scones lightly with heavy cream.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until scones are just turning golden around edges.

Let scones cool a bit before drizzling with coffee glaze and sprinkling with additional cinnamon chips.

Coffee Glaze

Put confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl. Add coffee and salt and whisk together until combined. Add more coffee if you'd like a thinner glaze.

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Source: https://wearenotmartha.com/coffee-cinnamon-scones/

[go-gently-please]

cherry ~ vampire!au

~ pairing: human!BTS x vampire!OC

~ genre: smut, angst, sprinkles of fluff

~ pov: 2nd person

~ warnings for this chapter: profanity, blood (surprise surprise), sexual themes

~ summary: when you go to a club to try to satisfy your late night cravings, you meet a group of seven men who seem to be quite interested in you. one hit proves to be not enough for you, and the next time you see the seven handsome strangers, they make you an offer you can’t refuse.

~ a/n: just the intro. will contain smut and dominant and submissive BTS (as well as switch!OC) in the future. progressively gets filthier. thanks so much for reading!!

part 1 ~ part 2 (coming soon)

You were out of blood bags.

Normally, right about now would be the time when you went to the clinic to meet up with your supplier. She was always eager to please, kept herself very healthy for you, offered to let you drink straight from the vein when you were feeling weak, but you insisted on just the bags.

Unfortunately, she’d just told you that she was moving. You were surprised when she told you that she had to leave right away, suddenly leaving you without a food source.

She’d even thoughtfully left you a few backup bags to make up for the short notice, but you were a little embarrassed to say that you were prone to midnight snacking and the occasional binge when you were in need of comfort.

So, that left you quite literally high and dry, and now you were craving something fresh.

~~~

The seven of them stood outside the frosted glass doors, lips nervously trapped between their teeth. There was no sign displaying the name of the club, only the glowing image of a crescent moon hovering over the door.

Places like this didn't need to be named.

"How do we know this is the right place?" Taehyung asked, staring up at the moon-shaped light, vivid against the dark backdrop of sky.

"I guess we won't until they let us in." Namjoon, the leader figure of the group, said as he wrapped his hand around the handle.

Despite his determined act, he was just as nervous as the rest of them.

They all exchanged a glance, and after a moment of hesitation, followed him.

The entryway was a small and simple room, containing nothing but two armchairs, two closed doors, and a sleek, neatly organized desk pushed up against the center of the wall. Red walls surrounded them from all sides.

The man sitting at the desk was sharply dressed. His hair was gelled and styled professionally, a very expensive looking watch snaked around his wrist.

On the surface, his appearance was completely normal, but if you were to look closer, you'd see the corner of a bandage peeking out from the collar of his pressed shirt.

The boys couldn't help but think he looked very well paid for a secretary.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The man said, folding his hands across the spotless tabletop.

They looked at each other again, then Namjoon turned back to him and said,

"The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb."

The man stood up, ushering them over to the door on his left.

"Right this way, gentlemen." He said. "May I ask, is this your first time?"

They just nodded timidly.

"I had a feeling. Well, through here is the main lounge. Would you pick a wristband, please?” He gestured to a cluster of jars, each holding different colored strips of paper.

“Is there a difference?” Jungkook asked.

The man presented them with the jars containing red and black. Off to the side, out of reach, were green, blue, and purple.

“These are the ones for humans. Red is for if you are searching for a potential match, and black is for if you’d rather be left alone. A green wristband indicates that someone is looking for a human match, that’s what you’ll be looking for.”

Of course he could tell they were human. Of course he already knew why they were here.

All seven of them picked red.

The man smiled and opened the door.

The boys each exchanged an anticipation-filled glance. They peered inside, watching the flashing lights, the hoards of people mingling, and entered into a world where they were no longer in control, enjoying every bit of it. 

~~~

The clack of your heels echoed as you pushed open the door and entered the small room. The familiar, almost comforting red walls enveloped you again, reminding you that this was a safe place, a protected setting for pleasure-seeking.

“Hey Charlie.” The man sitting behind the desk greeted you.

“Hey Scott.” You waved back. “How’s Lyra? She still treatin’ you right?”

The man chuckled.

“She’s fine, and yes, still spoiling me.” He flashed his wrist to show off the high-end watch under his cuff.

He didn’t get up to usher you in, he knew you were well aware of what you were doing. Grabbing a green wristband and securing it around your arm, you opened the door and stepped inside.

You were immediately hit with the smell.

Humans. Dozens of humans, warm and tempting and thrumming with life.

You inhaled the salty aroma of their sweat, the sweetness of their skin, even the faint traces of their perfumes and colognes, stale in comparison, that they used to try to cover their natural scent. You wished they wouldn’t. They smelled so much better when they didn’t pretend to be walking clouds of sugar and roses.

As you made your way across the dance floor, heads turned to watch you go. Humans always stared when anyone with a green wristband entered the club. You always thought their obvious excitement was adorable.

Not to say that you weren’t dressed to impress. Black heels, black tights, black leather skirt, and a deep neckline that revealed the valley between your breasts. All topped off with a choker and matte red lips. 

You passed the bar on your way to the other side of the room. Lee, the bartender, met your eyes and you raised an arm in his direction. He nodded and flashed a thumbs up in response.

The whole room was lined with tables and booths, some of them with thick velvet curtains for privacy. You crossed over to one of the largest ones, its red upholstered seats curving in a wide half-circle, and slipped in with the several other people already seated.

“Hey, Charlie! Where’ve you been, we haven’t seen you in ages!” Ray, one of the co-owners of the club, slapped an arm around you. His boyfriend and fellow co-owner, Jason, was sitting next to him, practically nuzzled into his side. They’d started this place decades ago, wanting to establish a place where vampires and humans could interact safely and peacefully.

“Finally run out of the instant stuff?” This came from Rose, one of your oldest friends (literally).

You chuckled as you leaned back against the seat.

“Yeah, I tried to hold out, but the cravings really got me this time.”

“It’s the damn weather. The cold makes us hungry.” Rose said as she downed her vodka soda.

Just then the bartender appeared. He set a glass of whiskey down on the table, winking at you before making his way back over to the bar.

You smiled as you picked it up and let the first sip burn a trail down your throat. Whiskey was one of the few alcohols that was strong enough to have a kick anymore. You liked to drink wine, but with your desensitized taste buds it felt more like drinking juice, plus it was impossible to get drunk on.

You sat back as you began your search. The club wasn’t too packed today, and in no time you already had your eye on several possible candidates. You sipped your drink idly, eyes scanning over every wrist identified in red.

Proper etiquette stated that the human should come to you, that way they didn’t feel threatened. They were making decisions about possible candidates too. In the end it all had to be their choice. 

You didn’t need to pursue them, though, all the hunting was done with the eyes.

You would go over your options, pick someone you were drawn to, and catch their gaze from across the room. That was all it took. With just the beckoning of your eyes, with just one look, they’d be tripping over their own feet to offer themselves up to you.

You were just about to take a closer look at the shy-looking girl in the corner when something else caught your eye.

You could feel someone staring.

There was a group of seven men pressed up against the wall, shifting anxiously.

All of them were absolutely gorgeous. If they weren’t obviously newbies, they probably would’ve been picked up already, but most people preferred humans with more experience, those who were aware of their pain tolerance and were less likely to faint or collapse.

You sized them up. Each of their wristbands were red, and you smiled to yourself.

They had all been looking at you. The fascination and visible interest on their faces was apparent.

Even though they were all beautiful, you eventually made your choice. He was one of the shorter ones, blond with lush pillowy lips.

He was already looking at you when you settled on your decision.

You smiled at him.

Even from across the room, you could see the blush that immediately colored his cheeks. His gaze dropped to his shoes for a moment, eyes shifting back and forth, before he looked back up at you.

He seemed shocked to find that you were still looking at him.

You raised a hand to wave, letting him see the green of your wristband.

His eyebrows raised incredulously, glancing over his shoulder pointing to himself with a questioning expression. 

You chucked and nodded. Tilting your head to the side playfully, you gestured for him to come closer with a single curling finger.

You saw him say something to his friends, and then he was hurriedly making his way over.

Once again, you raised your arm to get the bartender’s attention. He saw the man walking towards you, noticed his red wristband, and nodded in understanding.

When the man slid in the booth to sit next to you, your nose was flooded with his heavenly aroma.

His skin was glowing, stretching over firm, plump cheeks like the skin of a ripe apple, waiting for you to sink your teeth into and taste its sweet juices. He looked healthy; he looked alive.

“Hello sweetheart, what’s your name?” You asked.

“J-Jimin.” He stuttered, fiddling with his hands.

Aww, poor thing.

“Don’t be nervous. I’m friendly, I swear.” You offered another warm smile, trying to ease his nerves.

“I’m Charlotte, but everyone just calls me Charlie.” You stuck out a hand to shake. His warmth seemed to creep all the way up your arm when your hands met, while the coolness of your skin sent him tingling with excitement.

“This your first time here, Jimin?” You asked as you raised your glass to your lips.

“Is it that obvious?” 

“It can be intimidating at first, but you’ll get used to it. This is a safe place, trust me.”

Jimin nodded, his head bent slightly. You couldn’t help but find his complete compliance endearing.

“Don’t worry,” you murmured, leaning in so your mouth was right by his ear. “I’ll be extra gentle with you.”

You felt him shiver.

“How’s your pain tolerance, love?” You asked in a soft, balmy voice, tracing the outline of his collarbone with your fingertip.

Jimin paused, his breath coming in quick puffs. His heartbeat was thunder in your ears.

“High.” He said.

You raised an eyebrow.

“Is it, now? Well, I guess we’ll see.”

You popped open the top button of his shirt and brushed it open. Your nose was inches from his skin as you inhaled deeply, eyes following the intricate map of his twisting veins.

“You smell so sweet.” It was barely over a whisper but you knew he heard it, you could tell by the way he shuddered.

Your hot breath fanned against him as you felt around for his jugular vein, avoiding any major arteries. You wrapped Jimin’s hand around your wrist, using your other hand to hold the opposite side of his neck to steady him.

“Squeeze my wrist when you want me to stop.” You said.

He nodded, wide eyes transfixed on your face. Smiling at him sweetly, you tenderly swept the hair from his face. Closing the gap between your bodies, you brushed your lips against the hollow of his throat.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

He nodded vigorously.

“I need to hear you say it, sweetheart.” You coaxed. Explicit permission was something you always got before you even thought about sucking anyone’s blood.

Jimin let out a shaky breath.

“Please...drink from me.”

The corners of your mouth tugged upwards like a neat little bow, and then you were baring your fangs and sinking them into his flesh.

He whimpered as you pierced him deep, his eyes fluttering shut.

The human body’s first response was always fight or flight, so you weren’t surprised or alarmed when he tensed and gasped in your hold. 

Adrenaline would be pumping through him now, alerting the rest of his body that pain had begun to bloom like an unfurling flower in fast-motion. The thorns of said flower being the pointed teeth creating two perfect puncture holes in the vulnerable skin of his neck.

His hand gripped your waist until he was white-knuckled, pulling you closer to his chest, but his hold on your wrist remained light.

Your lips stayed attached to his neck as you waited for him to stop squirming.

Once the instinctual burst of fear had passed, a sigh escaped him as he relaxed underneath you. The endorphins had no doubt kicked in, working to combat the pain.

That was when you started to suck.

A low, guttural moan was pulled from the depths of Jimin’s throat. You felt his muscles loosen and his body curve into you.

He bit his lip, swallowing down any more cries of ecstasy, his head leaned back to rest against the back of the seat. His torso pressed into you as he arched his back. 

This was why humans gave themselves over to people like you.

When vampires fed, they released an overwhelming amount of pheromones. They drew humans in like flies to honey. Not to mention they almost completely dulled the pain of the bite, so while they were feeding the human was flooded with adrenaline, which created a natural high, and endorphins, which induced a floating, euphoric feeling. The cocktail of chemicals suddenly firing in their brain made feeding a blissful, intense, deliciously painful experience.

You had heard from several humans that it felt similar to an orgasm.

All you could hear was the thud of Jimin’s heart and your suckling, slurping sounds as you drained him.

Jimin pawed at your waist, eyes still closed as his brain became more foggy and muddled with pleasure.

“More,” he pleaded. “More.”

He sounded so helpless, so desperate. If your mouth wasn’t already busy, you would’ve cooed at him and covered his pretty face in kisses.

You gave him what he wanted, tugging him even closer and locking him in place with your strong arms. Your fangs penetrated him deeper as you switched to a more vicious pace.

Jimin’s chest heaved as he moaned and groaned.

You slid your hand from his neck into his hair, combing your fingers through its softness. Every time you tugged on his locks, he would let out a soft, strangled noise from the back of his throat.

You didn’t know how long you stayed like that, you hovering over him as he writhed underneath you, but at some point you felt him tighten his hold on your wrist.

You immediately yanked away from him. You were both panting and trying to catch your breath.

“Are you okay?” You asked as you cupped his cheek, searching his eyes for any signs of discomfort.

A bright, eye-crinkling smile crossed his face as he nodded.

Oh my god, he is so pretty.

One of the upsides of being the most dangerous predator in the world was that you could get away with picking up someone out of your league.

Not all vampires were stunningly attractive like everyone thought. They looked like normal people, but they let off so many enticing chemicals that, to humans, it was almost like bait.

Jimin was definitely out of your league.

Even though you knew you weren’t drop dead gorgeous, you probably couldn’t even be considered skinny, you were confident enough with your appearance; having humans chase and throw themselves at your feet tended to do that.

You liked your thick thighs, you liked being voluptuous. 

But that still didn’t negate the fact that some people were just simply more attractive than others, Jimin being one of them.

You reminded yourself that he was only interested in you because you were a vampire, because you could give him that climax that he so desperately craved. That was the only reason someone like him would approach you.

At some point, Lee had stopped by the table to drop off a silver tray. One side contained a glass of orange juice and a bowl of fruit and nuts, the other contained a first aid kit.

You also noticed that everyone besides you two had left the booth.

You reached for the plastic white box and fished out the antiseptic wipes. Before wiping him down, you examined his neck and the skin around the bite. It showed early signs of bruising, and splotchy red petals marked where your lips had been. You gently poked around and found that the area was tender.

“Does it hurt?” You asked.

“A little.” He still sounded shy.

You leaned in again, close enough for your breath to tickle him.

“This will help.” You wrapped your lips around the wound, fangs completely retracted, and started to lave your tongue against the damaged skin.

Just like dogs, vampires had healing properties in their saliva, but instead of licking their own wounds, they licked the wounds of their prey. That way, they could heal and be fed on again and again.

Lapping up any remaining blood from the two bite marks, your tongue swirled over his marked flesh like you were french kissing.

You couldn’t see Jimin’s face. You couldn’t see the way he was biting his lip and squeezing his eyes shut. More endorphins washed over him, sending him into a state of hazy, gooey submission.

The wet sound of your lips disconnecting from his neck was what made him finally look up.

You checked him again, pleased to see that the redness had dulled significantly.

“There we go,” you said with a smile. “Better?”

He just nodded. He didn’t trust himself to form a coherent sentence. You realized why when you looked down at his lap.

There was a very prominent, very noticeable tent in his pants.

Jimin’s face turned beet red when he saw that you’d noticed. He immediately went to cover himself with his hands, head bent low.

“It’s okay, don’t worry. It happens to a lot of people.” You said in a reassuring voice.

Jimin slowly, shyly looked up from his lap.

“Really?” He asked.

You nodded with a warm smile.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it. It’s not the first time I’ve seen it happen.”

Eventually, the fiery blush on his cheeks faded.

“You can stay here until you’re ready.” You said, sparing him the embarrassment of walking across the club with a giant bulge in his pants.

He nodded and flashed a thankful smile.

Deciding to busy yourself to pass the time, you got to work patching him up.

You felt his eyes on you as you cleaned and bandaged him. Then you presented him with the glass of orange juice and the bowl of fruit and nuts, all good sources of iron and vitamin C.

“Drink up.” You said as you nudged the glass towards him.

He looked like a cute little kid as he obediently puckered his plump lips around the bendy straw.

“After you’re done with that, I want you to take this iron supplement.” You said as you looked for the pill bottle in the first aid kit.

Jimin nodded, very focused on drinking his juice, hanging onto every command you gave him and following it with dog-like obedience. He was probably also focusing on getting his dick to deflate.

You could already tell he was a sucker for praise. He was the type of human that was perfect for feeding. It was a shame you’d never see him again.

He emptied the glass and ate every last morsel from the bowl, your eyes never leaving him. You were going to make sure he was fully replenished before he left here.

When he was done, he sat there awkwardly. Normally, this was when the two of you would part ways; you both got what you wanted. But he was obviously hesitant to leave.

You decided to save the poor boy, and ruffled his hair with a chuckle.

“So Jimin, what do you do for a living?” 

He looked relieved that he had a reason to stay.

“I’m a dance student, at the moment, but I teach a few classes for extra money.” He said.

You saw something out of the corner of your eye. Turning your head, you saw Jimin’s group standing against the wall. Every single one of them was staring at you.

“What?” Jimin asked.

“I think your friends are looking for you.”

Jimin glanced over at them, and their eyes widened in obvious interest, beckoning him over with the curious look on their faces.

Jimin looked at them, then at you, then back to them, clearly conflicted.

“Would you mind if my friends came over?” He asked.

“Sure, the more the merrier.” You were busy digging around in your purse.

Jimin left to fetch them, practically running across the dance floor.

“Aha!” You found what you were looking for, pulling a red, heart-shaped lollipop from the depths of your bag.

To say that you had a sweet tooth was the understatement of the year. You had sweets stashed everywhere: your purse, your car, your jacket pockets, your nightstand, random drawers in your apartment, even in the crevices of your couch cushions. You found that sugar helped with the cravings, as well as complimented the aftertaste of blood.

Your all-time favorite flavor was cherry.

Slipping off the wrapper, you popped it in your mouth as the group approached you. They all looked just as nervous as Jimin, if not more so. They were either staring at the ground or staring at you.

“Come, sit.” You invited them into the empty booth. Half of them sat to your right, the other half to your left, sandwiching you in. Jimin returned to his spot directly by your side.

“I’m Charlie, nice to meet you all.” You waved with the hand holding the lollipop.

They all introduced themselves.

Damn, they are attractive. Why the hell are they all over here?

“Have any of you ever been here before?” You asked.

“No, we’re obviously a little nervous.” The one named Hoseok said.

“Everyone’s nervous when they first start. You’ll get used to it.” You reassured them.

“Were you nervous when you first started?” This came from Jungkook, the youngest in the group.

“Of course, it took me a long time to gain my confidence.”

You remembered your first ten years or so as a vampire, back when you were still shy and overcritical of yourself.

Then you realized that there was a whole community of people willing to go as far as pay you to actually injure them.

"How long have you been coming here?” Taehyung asked curiously.

“Heh, feels like forever.” You said with a chuckle. “I don’t come often, just when I really need to feed. My supplier quit on me, unfortunately.”

They very subtly perked up, so subtly that you didn’t notice it.

“That sucks.” The oldest one, Jin, said.

You nodded in agreement, distracted by your lollipop, then thought: Was that a pun?

“Do you have someone else you can go to?” Jungkook asked.

“No, despite this vast underground network we are in the middle of, there are few people willing to meet my requirements.”

“Which are?” Yoongi felt proud of himself for hiding any signs of eagerness in his voice.

“Oh, you know, no hard drugs, flexible schedule, full commitment. They have to be very dedicated to their health, follow a specific diet, be devoted to taking lots of vitamins and supplements, have time set aside to recover if needed.”

You laughed to yourself.

“It would be ideal if they lived with me, that way I wouldn’t have to travel halfway across town every time I’m hungry.” You were joking, mostly talking to yourself, but the seven of them glanced at each other.

God, it’s going to be a pain in the ass finding another supplier in such a limited time frame. You were deep in thought as you rested one elbow on the table. You bit down on the lollipop, and it crunched loudly under your powerful teeth.

A buzz came from your purse. You found your phone in the sea of candy wrappers and old receipts, and checked the screen.

“Ah, sh—” You trailed off, cursing the rest of the word in your head, and shoved your phone back in your bag.

“I can’t believe it’s already so late...” You grabbed your glass and tilted your head back, downing the rest of your whiskey.

“I have to go, gotta be up for work tomorrow. I wish I could’ve stayed longer, you’ve all been lovely.” You said, regretfully gathering your things and sliding your way out of the booth.

“Bye, Jimin. Thank you for everything.” You pinched his cheek affectionately, making him blush again.

They watched you walk across the dance floor, heels clacking, and disappear through the doorway. The second you were out of sight, they all pounced on Jimin.

“Spill.”

“What was it like?”

“Tell us everything.” 

“How did it feel?”

Jimin’s eyes closed as he let his head fall back.

“It was amazing.” He said dreamily.

“As good as they say?” Jungkook asked.

“Better.” Jimin answered without hesitation.

“As good as an orgasm?”

“Better.”

All their mouths fell slightly agape as they stared at him. There was a thick moment of silence as all their minds went wild.

“Shit...” Yoongi was the first one to try to articulate his thoughts.

They sat there for a solid five minutes, trying to wrap their brains around the idea of such a euphoric experience. They watched in fascination as Jimin basked in the afterglow.

The bartender set a tray down on the table. Seven glasses, six filled with fancy, expensive-looking top-shelf liquor, and one filled with juice.

“We didn’t order anything.” Namjoon told him with obvious confusion.

“The woman who just left your table sent it. Pre-paid.” The bartender said. He set the glass of juice in front of Jimin.

“Oh, and she insisted that you drink this before you leave.” He distributed the other glasses, picked up his tray, and left.

They sat there in stunned silence. The drinks at the club were quite pricey, and they could all tell that she had just dropped at least a hundred dollars.

They looked at each other, still trying to comprehend everything that had happened in the last ten eventful minutes.

This was the first time a girl had simultaneously left them all utterly, and completely, speechless.

~~~

Your kitchen window was open wide, letting in the morning chill, as you leaned on the counter with your coffee cup in hand. You had just come from the shower, wearing nothing but a black bra, a pair of worn high-waisted jeans, and the towel that was wrapped around your head.

It had been a few days since you’d last fed, and you were trying to curb the cravings as best you could. Caffeine, sugar, cigarettes, and alcohol were the things that helped the most, and you would consume them in that order throughout the day.

But even the sweetest confection couldn’t compare to Jimin’s blood. He was one of the best tasting humans you’d ever had the pleasure of feeding on.

You had to go in for work at nine, but that wasn’t much of a problem, you’d already been up for hours. Well, to be precise, you’d never gone to sleep in the first place. 

The phone rang. The sound echoed in the silence of your apartment. Your empty apartment, you were sadly reminded. 

“Hey, Jason.” You answered.

“Hey, you remember the last time you were at the club?” He began.

“Yeah...” Your eyebrows furrowed as you tried to think of where this was going.

“Well, there’s this guy asking about you—”

“Excuse me, are you about to break your own rules?” You interrupted.

“Just hear me out—”

“What about all your confidentiality policies? What about your principles on anonymity?”

“Charlie, just listen to me—”

“Nuh uh, I am not gonna let you violate your own precepts.”

“Would you stop being stubborn and listen!”

“Nope, you haven’t broken a rule in two hundred years and I’m not about to let you break that record.”

“I think this would be really good for you!”

“I’m not listening, la la la la la!”

“Charlie, you need a supplier!”

“La la la la!”

“Would you just—”

You hung up on him.

They weren’t allowed to release any information about their members, it went against everything the club stood for, so you had no idea why he suddenly was about to tell a stranger who you were and where he could find you.

Sighing, you set the phone down and finished the rest of your coffee. You unwrapped the towel from your hair and set off the get ready for work.

~~~

You were distracted all day. Hunger ate away at you, and the only thing you could think about was Jimin and his six attractive friends.

You drank more coffee, smoked more cigarettes, and ate more pieces of candy in a two hour duration than you had in the last three days combined. That’s how hungry you were.

You fantasized about pinning Jimin against a wall and sinking your fangs into his perfect skin, letting his sweetness wash over you as his pretty moans filled the air.

Maybe he would get another erection, maybe it would rub against you as he squirmed.

You pictured drinking from all seven of them, one by one, then bandaging their bite marks and pampering them with soft pets and words of praise, relieving their pain by sucking and licking their wounds.

You would press your body to theirs as you alternated between drinking from their necks and wrists.

Maybe you would even spread their legs and draw from the femoral artery in their inner thighs.

Maybe your mouth would wander over to the center of their sensitivity, helping them out with their little problem if they were to get too excited.

Snapping out of your daze, you shook your head as if to clear it.

No, you couldn’t do that. That would be...that would be irresponsible. There were certain boundaries that existed between humans and the vampires that fed on them.

You lasted another few hours before you were seriously considering calling Jason back.

You were so hungry that you were eyeing your assistant with a yearning gaze, your mouth watering every time she walked by and wafted her scent into your face.

You finally cracked when she leaned over your desk and you felt your fangs come in.

When it comes down to it, it’s a safety issue, you tried to rationalize it in your head. If I go on like this, someone could get hurt. Yeah, I’m just trying to prevent an accident involving an innocent bystander.

You bit down on your lip as your finger hovered over the call button. Letting out a frustrated sigh, you pressed it and raised the phone to your ear.

Your heartbeat pounded louder with every ring.

Finally, finally, he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey Jason, it’s Charlie.” You said a little too eagerly.

“I know it’s you, dork, I’ve had your number for a decade.”

“Oh, yeah...” You paused, feeling the anxiety build in your chest.

“So...about the guy from the club...” You said.

You couldn’t see him, but you could tell that Jason was hanging onto your words, waiting tensely for you to finish.

“Tell him I want to meet up.”

~~~

The seven of them walked with their hands nervously clenched at their sides. Jimin was leading them, looking up at the overhead signs for the name of the cafe you’d invited them to.

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this.” Yoongi said.

“Hey, you were the one who suggested it.” Hoseok shot back.

“Still can’t believe it.”

“What if she says no?” Jungkook said, sounding anxious.

There was a pause.

“Then at least we can say that we tried.” Taehyung said.

Jimin suddenly stopped, causing everyone walking behind him to crash into his back. Before they could ask him what was wrong, they saw what he was intensely staring at.

You were sitting at a table outside, reading a book as you sipped your coffee. Compared to when they saw you at the club, you looked entirely different. Instead of leather, heels, and red lipstick, you were wearing a beige turtleneck under an oversized wool coat.

They all looked at each other, took a deep breath, and walked over.

When they stopped at your table, you looked up at them and smiled.

“Hi.” You chided in a high voice. You hoped they couldn’t hear your excitement. “Sit down, please.”

They all took their seats around the table, eyes transfixed on you like they were in a daze.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.” You said politely.

“Thank you for inviting us.” Jimin replied, his cheeks already starting to turn pink.

You smiled at him, remembering his adorable shyness.

“I wanted to talk to you all about a possible arrangement.” You said, looking down at the table, slightly embarrassed.

They all glanced at each other.

“Actually, that’s exactly the reason why we contacted you.” Hoseok said.

Your expression furrowed in confusion.

“What do you mean?”

They were looking at anything and everything but your face.

“We were thinking about what you said about needing a supplier,” Jimin said as he fiddled with his hands. “And how it was difficult to find people willing to meet your requirements.”

You raised an eyebrow.

“And...?” You said, still not seeing where this was going.

Jimin looked at his friends, silently begging one of them to take over.

“And...we were thinking that we could be those people.” Taehyung said.

Your eyes widened.

You were honestly not expecting that. When Jason had told you that someone was asking about you, you’d assumed that they’d just wanted to do it one more time. When you’d called Jimin, asking him if he wanted to meet, and he’d asked if his friends could come along, you just thought they’d want to try it once. You never expected they’d all offer to become your new suppliers.

“R-Really?” You asked, staring at the seven gorgeous men that seemingly all wanted you to feed off of them.

They all nodded.

“And when we say we’re willing to fulfill all your requirements, we mean all of them.” Jin said.

All of them? Could he mean—?

“You’d move out of your house?” You asked unbelievably.

They nodded again.

Hoseok looked down at the ground like he’d just remembered something sad.

“We’re getting evicted anyway.” He said, his voice quiet.

Mouth falling agape, you immediately felt bad for them. You remembered when you used to have money troubles, back when rock bottom was no unfamiliar concept.

Your mind started to whir as you considered the situation.

I can’t go without a supplier for much longer, and with seven of them, I’d never have to worry about being hungry again.

It was so lonely in your large apartment, with you and your cat being the only inhabitants. Maybe now you wouldn’t be so lonely all the time. Maybe now you wouldn’t be constantly reminded of how you were destined to be alone for all eternity.

You looked at the group of men sitting around the table, all of them staring at you with expectant eyes, waiting for your answer.

“Are you sure?” You asked, still incredulous to the idea that they would actually want to live with you and become your personal blood bags.

They all nodded vigorously.

But then your mind wandered to all the possible downturns. What if it gets complicated because there are seven of them? What would it be like to have them all living with you?

You couldn’t deny that you were attracted to them. What if you couldn’t control yourself? What if you crossed that thin line that existed between what was acceptable in the human world versus the vampire world?

It was never a good idea to be romantically involved with someone you were feeding on, all vampires knew that, too much could go wrong. Unhealthy relationships were often the only result. Too many negative consequences were possible: dysfunctional attachments, destructive possessiveness, God forbid anybody get physically hurt.

Jimin must’ve sensed your hesitation and interpreted it as you being concerned for them, because he grabbed your hand and squeezed it tight.

“Please,” he said in a soft voice, his eyes wide and pleading. “We really want this.”

You ran your eyes over them. Jin and Namjoon, the ones who seemed to carry the aura of leadership, each gave you a nervous smile. Yoongi, who had been quiet this whole time, swallowed the lump in his throat when your eyes landed on him. Hoseok and Taehyung were completely still as they hung onto your every word, and Jungkook had his gaze diverted down to his shoes, his cheeks visibly red.

You weren’t sure if Jimin was doing it on purpose, but as he leaned forward on the table, his mouth-watering scent hit you hard.

You swore you almost closed your eyes and moaned. You knew your answer the second his scent flooded your nose.

“Okay.”

~~~

thanks so much for reading!! if you liked this please let me know, comments give me life and make updates faster. come on into my inbox i need friends.

still to come: smut, more angst (hehehe), dominant and submissive BTS, dominant and submissive OC