#When I was a kid I would only ever get watermelon flavor because I wanted those fucking seeds

[hevendor]

Nothing will ever be the same again until laffy taffy puts the seeds back into their watermelon taffy

[kalopsicanna]

the last angel in kyoto

is this how it would end?

no

she wouldn't make a liar out of him.

pt 2 , pt 3

(art by 2dtestosterone on X)

it’s a cold evening, seeing as it is nearly Christmas, the holiday for lovers.

different couples walk up and down the street, hands locked and in their own bubbles of love and all its melodies. one couple though, is a bit different.

“it’s just a movie, Hime” Gojo Satoru whines, an exasperated look on his face to go with his words.

“no” the woman beside him replies firmly, like she's said it a million times before.

“why not?”

“cause I know you” she pauses to give him a pointed look. “you won’t want to stop at just a movie and i really have to be up early tomorrow to meet my people”

“they can wai-”

“my mom hates waiting”

“well i hate your mom” he weakly argues back.

“no you don’t,” Utahime says with an airy laugh and this makes him pout even more.

of course, he doesn't. how could he possibly hate the woman who gave birth to the angel that is right before him now? that and he simply just likes the sugar cookies she sends back with Utahime for him too much to hate her.

he grows quiet after this, just opting to look at his shoes while they walk together and a small frown etches itself onto Utahime’s face.

“just one movie?” she asks him and like a puppy that's been promised a treat, he perks up.

“yes”

“i guess we can watch just one” she mumbles and he smiles big.

“i knew you'd come around, Hime”

he takes her hand in his and she flushes a bright red, averting her gaze.

she knows, somehow, that it won't be just a movie after all.

“we should get some snacks” he suggests as they pass by a convenience store. it’s a bit late but not so much so he knows they're not just about to close or anything of that sort.

“sure. i’m out of beer too” she agrees, pushing the door open.

“you need to stop drinking so much. you'll die before me if you don't”

“and you need to stop eating too much sweets. you'll die before me if you don't either” she counters, giving the cashier a quick nod as a greeting.

“well i’m not a sugar addict, so”

“and i’m not an alcoholic, so”

he makes a noise of disbelief, raising an eyebrow at her. they both know she's lying but she'd sooner be damned than admit it so she just flips him off and stalks to the fridge.

there's no bite to it, he knows this. he doesn't bother following her, instead opting to go to the candy aisle. he’ll be sure to stock up her place for his next visit.

it’s only been three months since she finally gave in to his endless demand to take her out on a date. she'd been in tokyo on business but had branched in to see shoko and he couldn't resist. she just looked so pretty in the white sundress she had worn then, an angelic aura to her that the white bow on her head complimented.

he'd pestered her for all the five hours that she'd been there until finally, she’d snapped and agreed to go on a date with him.

“so you'll finally buzz off”

she'd said that but he knew she must've liked him too. she'd never been one to ever be cajoled into something. his suspicion had only been confirmed when she'd come out to meet him a week later, her hair done and her face beet red.

he still makes it a point to tease her about it every once in a while.

his hand that has been perusing the sweets selection stops on a pack of watermelon-flavored gummies.

Utahime likes these.

he knows this because the last time he’d left some at her place, they'd magically disappeared on his next visit. she'd denied ever eating them of course but the mischievous smile she had when she thought he wasn't looking gave her away. like a kid who played sick to skip school.

“adorable” he mutters, putting two bags of the gummies into the basket he’d picked up from the front.

the door opens then but he pays it no mind, instead dropping some more unhealthy candy into his basket.

his mistake.

there's a shift in the air but he feels it before he hears it.

two bangs.

gunshots.

his basket falls with a clatter to the floor as the door is reopened and someone is heard running out.

he's running as well.

he ought to go after the perpetrator. he knows. yet still, he only just wants to find Utahime. he wants to know she's safe.

the cash register is opened when he gets to the front and there's barely any money left in it. the cashier is staring at him wide-eyed and the bottles of beer that were on the counter have fallen and broken, the brown liquid in them pouring out.

he doesn't care though.

his eyes are on the girl who is also on the floor.

“…Hime?”

his legs can't seem to move anymore and he's just rooted to the spot, arms tucked to his side and eyes wide as well.

“she tried to stop him. She didn't know…” the cashier starts but he's not even listening.

“Utahime!” another voice calls.

it takes him a moment to register that it’s his voice and another for him to realize that he's now kneeling beside her.

it seems foreign. what he's seeing. what he's doing. like a fever dream. an out-of-body experience.

she's bleeding out. fast.

he presses his palms to the wound but his hands just get coated with the thick red fluid.

“S-Satoru” she calls him weakly.

“shhh. save your strength” he tells her, applying more pressure.

he wishes Shoko was here. she would know what to do. she would. what had she told him then when she was talking about first aid? why hadn't he been listening?

he tries to think back to the lengthy (and boring) discussion she had with him, hoping he'd remember but he comes up short.

damn it!!

why hadn't he been listening then?! why was his brain so useless now??!

“you should see your face now” her low voice comes again and he tears his gaze away from his hands to look at her.

she's smiling and even though he knows it’s her attempt to console him, it tears at his heart even more.

“don't talk” he repeats.

she needs to save her energy. why can't she understand that?

“I need to tell you”

one of her hands comes up to lie atop his on her midsection.

her purple sweater now is almost completely soaked.

“Hime please…”

his vision is blurred and he tries desperately to blink it away. he needs to keep his eyes on her.

“you've tried your best” she coos.

“no! shut up”

he refuses to hear any of what she has to say. he knows where this is going and he doesn't like it one bit.

he'd sworn to Shoko and Suguru and even Nanami(?) to protect her. he'd do just that. what good would that promise be if he just let her go now?

“call the ambulance!!” he roars to the trembling cashier who replies that he's done just that.

“they're on their way, Hime. hang on a bit, okay? help is on the way”

he cradles her face with one hand and the other keeps pressing down on her.

“Satoru”

her voice is sad and his heart rate increases.

he knows.

she's not going to make it.

“tell them you tried your best”

“shut up!” he yells at her and now he's crying.

he's never yelled at her before. not even once. and now he has and it’s at the worst time possible.

“please just stop talking” he pleads, resting his forehead on her chest.

“Satoru” her hands, blood-smeared, cup his face so he can look at her.

“i love you”

his heart shatters even more. for years, he'd dreamed of the day he’d hear her tell him these three words. the same three words he'd planned on saying on their 100th day anniversary later that week.

is this how it would end?

no.

she wouldn't make a liar out of him.

he refuses to accept this.

“screw it. I’ll meet them halfway!”

he scoops her up in his arms, never mind that his clothes are getting bloodied, and bolts out of the store and down the street.

he doesn't go very far before he's met with the ambulance.

the paramedics seem to understand him because they clamber out of the vehicle and get right into action.

when she's left his arms is when he finally breaks down.

he falls to his knees, too weak to even stand, and just lets it all out. fat tears fall down his face like a rivulet and he has snot running down his nose too but he doesn't care.

he doesn't care that there are passers-by watching. he doesn't care that the cashier from the store is now rubbing his back in an attempt to console him. he doesn't care that the paramedics have now stopped wheeling her away and are now all gathered beside her.

he's too deep in his head that he almost doesn't notice the thumbs-up one of them gives him

almost.

[polyhexian]

The Jasper & Willow Murder Adventure Episode got me d'awwwing over their relationship. Jasper letting her have agency but also protecting her innocence! Jasper teaching her plant magic tricks! Willow latching onto him as an Available Paternal Figure! It gives another dimension to Willow sadly trying to chide Hunter when he yells at Jasper about the portal door.

And like, I'm sure Jasper would love all the kids. Might take Amity a bit to warm up to him, but once she does it's abomination chatter for days. He'd be super impressed with Gus's prodigy-level illusion magic.

But Willow probably has a special place in his heart because she grows him the most TASTELESS fruits and vegetables. Everyone else is snacking on delicious sugary watermelon and he's like, I'll pass, and then she's like wait I grew this one for you! And it's lovely and crisp and has zero flavor to it. She's the best.

He's also her FUTURE FATHER IN LAWWWWWW. You know Willow is so delighted by that. Jasper already earned a place as an extra paternal figure. He saved her from killing that guy and wrecking her innocence but also gave her the agency to save herself from making a decision she would regret. And when she was crying about her dads and like- they think I'm dead! They must think I'm dead! And he's going to tell her like even if there's a 99.999 percent chance she's dead they're her parents and they love her and they won't ever give up on her as long as there's that 00.001 percent chance, theyre still waiting for her and still hoping she's okay and she's like wahhhhhhhhh.

I also feel like- as I've said I'm headcanoning no marriage in the boiling isles. But Hunter lives in the human realm with his mom! And I think he's like. He really wants to do it because he knows his mom will love it. Also him and his friends all went to Luz's wedding and thought it was fun. So they get married and I'm sure it's a little different than Marriage Classic (why does only one of us get to get given away by a parent? I wanna walk down the aisle too wtf) so like. Imagine jasper getting to walk his boy down the aisle lmfao.

And then like. Jasper officially willows father in law. He's going to slam dunk her through a basketball hoop. He's got TWO kids now holy SHIT

[allylikethecat]

#30 i have a couple random questions

1) do you have any tattoos? if not would you ever get any? were there any tattoos that you liked when you were younger that you would’ve majorly regretted now that you’re older?

2) did you go to college? what’s your degree in?

3) whats your go to drink when you go out?

YESSS thank you for sending me an ask from the weirdly specific and unrelated asks to know someone well list!! I can be found HERE if anyone else wants to send some / reblog it for themselves! It's a good list if you ask me!

30. ask me anything !

1) do you have any tattoos? if not would you ever get any? were there any tattoos that you liked when you were younger that you would’ve majorly regretted now that you’re older?

I do not, I would very much like to get two - one I worked with a friend who is an artist to design as a tribute to Pop, the second is my grandfather's name in his handwriting. We were extremely close and even years later I am still completely devastated by his passing. I actually bought Pop with the money he left me, making Pop all the more special and a connection to him (he loved horses and loved that I rode, and in all honestly most likely would have bought Pop for me himself if he had been alive, it makes me so sad that they never got to meet because I know my grandfather would have loved him) however I am absolutely terrified of needles and keep chickening out. I'm hoping to eventually get over it though. In all honesty, I feel like even if I got one of the dumb tattoos I dreamed about as a kid I'd probably still like it - I was very into art history / literature growing up so a lot of the tattoos I fantasized about were rooted in that.

2) did you go to college? what’s your degree in?

I did! I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. My career focus was initial content marketing and copy writing in the sports industry before I moved over to the the tech / software industry. I've found myself doing less and less content marketing and taking on more data analytic focused roles which has been a lot of fun and an unexpected development - especially because I was initially hired for my current role as an account executive (I sold out, I was chasing the money and going into account management / sales lol)

3) whats your go to drink when you go out?

Depends what kind of night we're having lol If I'm out to dinner usually some kind of silly fun bespoke cocktail with way too much sugar. If it's a chiller bar situation or a sporting event then I am a High Noon girlie. If we're going to get rowdy bring on the vodka red bulls

Thank you SO MUCH for these asks omg these were such fun questions! Also like, I really do love High Noons they are truly the perfect seltzer beverage situation. My only complaint is I hate the pineapple and watermelon ones and it feels like that's what most bars stock? Which like wtf there are so many great flavors why THOSE two?! Thank you so much again!! I hope you are having a lovely Monday and a great rest of your week!

❤️Ally

[writingbymoonlight]

music for an onigiri shop

ft.: timeskip osamu x reader

word count: ~1.4k words

a/n: my entry for @satisfactooru's the mixtape collab! bay, as promised, a fic that is slightly inspired by a harry styles song <3 thank you allowing me to join your collab!

Despite the shop being technically closed, light from within Onigiri Miya floods onto the sidewalk outside of the establishment and the sound of a volleyball match being played on the TV could be discerned by any passersby. 

Inside the eatery, Osamu steps out of the cramped kitchen and into the main dining area, which is typically bustling with lively customers. However, this evening, it’s just you and you’re sitting on one of the many stools lined up along the counter. Your posture is slouched and relaxed, and your eyes are glued to the MSBY Black Jackal match that’s playing on the old TV above your head. 

“Here ya go,” Osamu announces as he stands directly in front of you on the opposite side of the counter. He slides a plate of freshly cut watermelon and the concentrated expression on your face morphs into one of pleasant surprise. 

“Watermelon?” you question skeptically, raising an eyebrow at your dear friend. “I thought I was supposed to be taste-tasting your new onigiri flavors?”

Osamu casually throws the towel that he uses to dry his hands over his shoulder, and he rests his elbows on the counter before responding, “I don’t want ya getting bored of eating only onigiri, hence the watermelon.”

“Wow, free onigiri and watermelon!” you happily exclaim as you pick up a slice of the fruit. After taking a giant bite of the juicy watermelon, you teasingly add, “Someone is being unusually kind today.” 

“Hey, I always treat people, especially ya, with kindness,” Osamu retorts, rolling his grey eyes in mock annoyance. “Or do I need to remind ya of all the free food I’ve given ya over the past few years?” 

“Okay, okay, you’re right! I’m only kidding!” you laugh as you finish off your piece of watermelon and place the dark green rind back onto the porcelain plate. “You never fail to make sure I’m fed, which is why you’re my favorite twin.”

As if on cue, the sound of thunderous applause erupts on the TV and the onigiri shop owner’s gaze immediately flickers to the screen. His brother’s team has won the game against their opponent following a service ace made by Atsumu, who can be seen donning his signature cocky smile. 

“Smug bastard,” Osamu mumbles under his breath because he already knows that this win will inflate the setter’s already massive ego. Still, a part of him is elated to see Atsumu succeed, though he would rather go a week without onigiri than admit this out loud. 

“Hey, have you ever thought of playing something other than volleyball matches in Onigiri Miya?” you suddenly inquire, snapping Osamu's focus back to you.

“What do ya mean?” he asks, leaning forward so that he’s at eye level with you.

“Well, every time I stop by here when it’s open, I feel like you have a volleyball game on the TV,” you explain. “And the few times that the TV hasn’t been on, it’s just been…quiet.”

“It’s never quiet here,” Osamu huffs in protest as he scrunches his dark eyebrows together in confusion. “This place is usually crowded with chatty people.”

“But don’t you think it would be nice to have something playing in the background while people talk? Other than a volleyball game? Like music?”

“I don’t think people come to Onigiri Miya to listen to music.” 

“Oh, come on! It’ll add to the ambiance!” 

Osamu is tempted to argue further, but he is aware that that would be futile because you occasionally could be extremely tenacious. It is a quality he definitely admires about you, and he has the inkling that you are going to be stubborn about this matter. So, instead of firing back with some witty comeback, he sighs and runs a hand through his messy hair. 

“Okay, what kind of music do ya suggest then?” he reluctantly asks. This small victory causes you to squeal in delight and a small grin forms on Osamu’s face. How could he not smile right now? He’s always found your joyfulness over the small things endearing and contagious. 

“I think something upbeat, but also chill! Something like…”

You allow your sentence to trail off as you fish your phone out of your back pocket. After a few seconds of tapping on your screen, the chords of an upbeat melody commence playing and you slide your phone across the wooden surface towards Osamu and the former opposite hitter can see that the song is “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” by Harry Styles. 

“This is an onigiri shop. Not a sushi restaurant,” Osamu states in a deadpan tone as he removes his elbows from the counter and stands back up to his full height.

Unfortunately for him, you are lost in your own little world and not paying any attention to his words. You’re bobbing your head side-to-side and you’re lip-synching the lyrics as you hold your clenched first towards your mouth, as if there is currently a microphone in your hand. All Osamu can do is cross his arms over his chest and watch your “performance” with an amused smirk.

“You know I love you, babe!” you dramatically screech alongside the British musician, causing Osamu to finally break out into a fit of laughter that leads to tears pricking his eyes. 

Osamu wipes away a stray tear from the corner of his eye and, when he looks back at you, his heart swells with an indescribable emotion. You are beaming at him with your usual bright smile and sparkling eyes as the fading daylight trickling in from the window casts a golden halo around your head. 

“So pretty,” Osamu muses to himself and, as soon as this thought is formulated, his heart skips a beat, and he begins panicking. 

Did he really just think you, his close friend, are pretty? He’s always known, objectively, that you are very pretty, but this time was…different. Never did the thought of you being pretty randomly enter his mind. And never had he anticipated his heart to become overcome with such strong emotions while thinking about you in that way. 

“Don’t get hung up on the fact this song is called ‘Music for a Sushi Restaurant’ and not something like ‘Music for an Onigiri Shop’, ‘Samu,” you remark, bringing up the point he had made earlier that you did, apparently, hear. “Listen, how about I promise to make a playlist of music that is perfect for your onigiri shop that you can test out, if you want, as long as you promise to at least consider my suggestion?”

You show no signs of noticing the frenzy going on within Osamu’s head, so the Inarizaki alumnus attempts to temporarily push aside the confusing thoughts that are muddling his brain and he simply replies, “Deal.”

Breaking out in a wide grin, you extend your hand out to Osamu, wanting him to shake it and solidify your agreement. Osamu hesitates for the briefest of seconds before wrapping his calloused fingers around your hand.

This isn’t anything new. He’s held your hand several times in the past. Like, last week when you two watched a horror movie at your place and you got so scared that you grabbed his hand for comfort. Or that time he physically dragged you to the new restaurant down the street from his apartment that he was excited to try. 

As your fingers delicately touch the back of his hand now, though, it feels like he has been struck by lightning and he hastily drops your hand, which earns him a puzzled look for you.

“I better go get the onigiri from the back, so we can start trying them out,” Osamu blurts out and he can sense that his face is starting to turn red.

Probably because you are accustomed to Osamu’s sudden antics, you don’t make any comments about his bizarre behavior. Instead, you shrug your shoulders and say, “Alright.” 

And with that, Osamu turns on his heels and rapidly strides into his solitary kitchen. All the prepared onigiri sit on the workstation in front of him, surrounded by chopped ingredients and used metal bowls that he’ll have to wash up later. But he cannot bring himself to bring the onigiri out to you. Not yet. 

First, he must grapple with the question: is it possible to start falling for your friend in an instant?

[deathisanartmetzli]

TIMING: Current

PARTIES: @onlyaylin​ @deathisanartmetzli​

SUMMARY: Aylin goes to Crest Works Art for a painting class with Metzli

WARNINGS: None

The room smelled of paint, bringing a wry smile to a full grin on Metzli’s face. Normally, there’d be about twenty canvases, primed and ready for painters of all experiences. That day was different, though. Better, even. The room wasn’t filled, and held only two canvases, carefully placed next to each other for a lesson the vampire had been looking forward to.

While Metzli took great pleasure and pride in displaying and vocalizing their expertise in front of a full class, there was something much more satisfying in a one-on-one. Someone had to choose to do so. To be around them and accept their lessons on something they had carried with them since they were human. A hobby they turned into a profession. One that was not only granting them opportunities Metzli couldn’t even fathom as a child, but granting them the chance to connect. And now that they had a soul, it all seemed so much more authentic. Real. That was all they had ever wanted. To feel like a person.

Their mind circulated with those dreams, prompting them to hum a soft tune while they got lost to the mist. The clouds were no longer grey, but held a cautious hue of pink. Metzli held onto their smile, finishing setting the palettes, cups, and brushes. They sighed in satisfaction at how neat everything looked, for the time being. Chaos, on a minute level, would ensue, but a thing of beauty would emerge, and they couldn’t wait. Looking at the clock, they saw it was almost time and sat down on the stool in anticipation. They had a hard time getting their legs adjusted to the small seat and failed to realize someone had walked into the room.

Aylin had considered backing out of the painting class when she’d woken up. Except that doing so wouldn’t be smart, and more importantly, it wouldn’t have been kind, and Metzli had been nothing but kind online, and Ceyda trusted them, which meant Aylin would be safe. She’d elected to go for a bit of a walk before she was due to meet Metzli at the gallery for painting. At least that would ideally do something to calm her nerves.

She wasn’t sure what the most appropriate clothing would be for this - so she’d elected to throw on a pair of worn jeans and a t-shirt from her UMWC orientation - both of which were things Aylin had a great love for, but were also items of clothing that, if stained, wouldn’t put too much of a damper on her day. She’d stuffed a bag of Bebeto watermelon sweets into her bag before she’d set off - because Metzli was doing her a favor, which meant that some sort of showing of gratitude was a must.

She was glad to find the door to the gallery open, though she still made her way in carefully, not wanting to make too much noise. Aylin made her way to one of the back rooms and hesitated for only a moment before she entered, spotting a figure sitting on one of the stools. She cleared her throat, “uh - hi? I’m Aylin, here for the art lesson? I,” she rustled around in her bag for a moment before producing the watermelon sweets, “got this as a show of my appreciation? If you don’t like watermelon I’m happy to get some of the ice cream flavored ones for you, or something else!”

The chair scooted with an audible and sudden scree! when Metzli shot up from their seat. A little embarrassed, they chuckled nervously, stumbling to keep the chair from toppling over. “H-hi!” They ruffled their hair and straightened out their suit jacket, making their way over to Aylin with a warm and slightly flustered smile. “Nice to meet you, Aylin.” Their eyes flickered to the candies, the smile waning for a blink at knowing they couldn’t taste such a sweet gesture. Metzli took it with enthusiasm nonetheless. “I love watermelon, are you kidding me? You should see the Mexican watermelon candy. Has chili on it and it’s pretty delicious.” Or so they thought. They couldn’t quite remember if they’d ever gotten to try it. It had to be though, based on all the kids they saw enjoying it. “This is really sweet, I appreciate it.”

Metzli gestured to the room and then to the canvases, welcoming Aylin in. “So we’ll be painting right there. You can go ahead and get seated and I’ll start the music. I find that it helps.” They quickly shuffled to the coat rack and hung their suit jacket, taking a moment to check the sleeve Eilidh had recently sewn. Because of the flowers she stitched, they always liked to stop and admire them, run their fingers over the thread so full of love. A happy and breathy hum escaped them, and they trotted back to the canvases.

“You ready to paint a desert landscape? It’ll be a nighttime scene, so there’s gonna be some pretty colors. I’ve already premixed them for you.” They tapped on the palette next to Aylin’s workspace. “Does that sound okay?”

“Hi,” she looked up at them, “stools are so tough to get to stay up, I figure,” Aylin shrugged, “it’s nice to meet you too, Metzli. I know my aunt loves her job, so it’s nice to meet the person who gave it to her.” She felt her whole body relax as they mentioned liking watermelon. “Oh, good. I just know sometimes people don’t, but it seemed less polarizing than some flavors can be - oh? That sounds amazing. Do you know what it’s called? I’d love to try it sometime.” She bit her lip, “of course, glad you like it! I just figured it was a nice thing to do, and I grew up eating these, so it’s wonderful to be able to share them with someone else.”

She nodded at their directions, “okay, awesome.” Aylin made her way over to the stool and set her bag down next to it before she climbed up onto it. “Music’s always good - I know some, but I’m not always up with what’s popular. Except for the snippets that I get from tiktok, but a bad I love that’s legit from the seventies makes its rounds, so who’s to say?” She watched Metzli carefully, their presence serving to further calm her. Maybe it was the fact that they were an artist type was the reason behind this - effortlessly cool in a way Aylin wasn’t necessarily sure she’d ever be.

“A desert landscape sounds beautiful - and I mean, given my name, nighttime seems practically required - uh, my name means belonging to the moon - sorry, should clarify that so I don’t come off sounding super weird or anything.” Aylin looked over at them, “the pre-mixing is much appreciated. Just let me know what to do from here.”

“They’re called Rebanaditas.” They replied, “Not sure if you can find them here, but I can try to order some for you to try. Always like sharing my culture.” A smile decorated Metzli’s face, motivated by the happiness they felt. Jarring as it was, they loved the unmitigated joy they got to fully feel. It was warm and light and freeing to have undergone the change, and there was no doubt in their mind that they’d do it countless times over if it meant they got to experience it all.

Readying themself, Metzli sat and rolled their sleeves, giving their tie a good once-over and showing it off. “My partner made me this,” Draping it over the back of their hand, they brought it to Aylin’s attention. They’d taken even more care to wear all the knitted ties Eilidh had made them, needing to show her off for everything she does for them. It was because of her that they were whole again, and it was because of her that they knew what love was. It was their way to proclaim how loudly they love her. “She knits a lot and even stitched my sleeves after the little accident. Gorgeous, huh?” Metzli felt a little rambly due to the nerves, but they hoped it provided a wave of peacefulness to Aylin the way it did them. She was Ceyda’s kin, and they had taken a liking to their new security guard. From the bits of information they gathered, it seemed, to them, that they both wanted to adjust to their new lives in the town just as they had only a year ago. They wanted to help and be a sort of light like their friends had.

“Don’t worry about sounding weird, Aylin. My name means god or goddess of the moon. And farmers. But let’s keep the farmers part between me and you, okay?” Metzli winked at their joke and grabbed their brush, lathering it in a pale yellow to begin the painting session. “All right, grab your broad brush and get some of that light yellow on it. If you look over your canvas,” They gestured with their half-limb, “You’ll find light pencil marks that make up a picture. Those are just for guiding and will be covered up. We’ll be starting with the lightest colors and working our way up, chale?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d love that. If you have any Turkish things you’d like to try, I’m happy to bring them in or order some for you.” Aylin bit her lip, “I also like to share my culture. One of the best things about being in college is that I can bring food to study groups. Still working on being alright with the whole ‘being around lots of people’ thing.”

She beamed at Metzli’s tie, “oh that is beautiful. Your partner is so talented.” Aylin kept her gaze focused on it, taking in every detail that she could. “She’s incredible, wow. No wonder you are partners - you’re both beautifully talented artistically.” She already could feel herself relaxing, and she could understand why Ceyda had so readily accepted the job. Metzli was incredibly easy to get along with, even though they were still all but a stranger to her.

“Well, happy to meet someone else whose name has to do with the moon,” there was no way they were also a hunter, right? Ceyda would have figured that out, she assumed. Just luck then, she supposed - but she would absolutely take that as a positive sign. “The farmers part will be our secret.” Aylin nodded, “okay, got it,” she picked up the brush and dipped it into the yellow. “So the pencil marks just help out, but the paint makes them disappear?” She nodded, “Tamam - yes, okay. Works for me. I’ll just follow your lead.”

“I’ll let you know if I do,” Metzli offered Aylin a half smile, a little disheartened by the fact that they couldn’t help her share such an important aspect of herself. They understood how the roots of one’s ancestry felt, deeply intertwined in every facet. How it felt to be both distant and close to it when you found yourself forced to be in a foreign place. Finding the resolve though, their back straightened and their smile slowly became more genuine. They’d accept her culture even if they couldn’t fully experience it. After all, the sharing was more for her anyway. Metzli was sure it was similar to how they needed to share Eilidh with her, too. Offer parts of themself in hopes of them being taken and exchanged to deepen the connection.

“She is. She comes to the gallery every now and then, so if you come enough, you’ll get a chance to meet her. All the plants around the gallery are also her doing. She’s got the green thumb.” Slow and deep, Metzli’s lips crept open into a grin. Eilidh always had that effect on them. After a life of only expecting nothingness and nihility, they welcomed every moment of suppressed joy she uncovered. She ensured that their heart was no longer a tomb—a place they allowed themself to be shrouded in darkness, and shut in so they could have moments such as the one they were having with Aylin. Use their hands for love and peace after decades of violence.

Metzli lingered a little longer, relishing the feeling of everything, Then, they snapped back, registering Aylin’s question. “Ah, yes. The paint will cover it up. We’ll start with the horizon line here. It’ll establish the perspective of the piece. Like so,” With expert precision and a tinge of care, Metzli glided their brush against the straight line, even taking a the time to divert a little from it. As per most classes, they liked to force mistakes. It always made the students feel comfortable and humanized them. They’d always done that to be a good instructor, but now they did it because they loved the way people reacted, the way they didn’t feel so bad. “Oop—strayed a little there, but that’s okay. Nothing a little improvisation can’t fix. How you doing over there? It looks great so far.”

“Great, I appreciate that a whole lot.” Aylin grinned. She’d never be saddened about people who wanted to know more about her culture. Even though she didn’t like to be the center of attention, it made her feel at ease to talk about where she’d come from. At least that was familiar, unlike so much of what happened in this town.

“I’ll try and come when I can!” She chirped, “busy with school and everything, but it’d be nice to have a place I could hang out that wasn’t the library.” Aylin nodded. “I love plants too - I think I get that from hanging out with Ceyda so much, because she’s a genius when it comes to plants - and I mean, I’d say she’s a genius with everything but if you told her I said that she might deny it, so…” she chewed on her lower lip for a moment,

“Oh, okay - good.” She watched them as they began to paint, carefully observing the way that they held their paintbrush, taking note of all that she could. Aylin figured this would be a good place to put her nervous energy - though she loved reading books and loved gardening, it was nice to have options, especially on days when she couldn’t get her brain to focus on any one thing in particular. She took up her paintbrush and began to carefully brush it against the canvas. “Oh, I see. I’m not always so good at making mistakes.” Aylin glanced down, “thank you, you really think so?”

Regardless of how many things Metzli had to be, what even Aylin herself had to be, they were both artists at their core. It was the vampire’s belief that everyone was. In their own unique way, people brought life to their passions. Painting pictures of who they were through words, numbers, food, and the like. Whatever medium it was, it was art the moment a person realized how in love they were with what they created and how it shaped them. When that happened, life could truly begin and the dance around the pieces that would inevitably break could be choreographed alone and with every partner that crossed one’s path.

It appeared that Aylin’s most consistent partner was Ceyda, and vice versa. Those were the dances that became memorized and performed over and over again. The ones that varied and grew in number because of time and development. Metzli was happy she had that, and they were humbled to be sharing a new dance with her. Seemed to them that it wouldn’t be the last dance either.

“I really do,” Metzli replied, “It’ll come out different than mine, but that’s the cool part about classes. Same picture, different eyes, you know?” They tapped the next color on the palette and then at the canvas. It was time to cover more of the background. “For this next part, keep following me, but get your own groove. Get that pink and start blending like so.” Their brush moved haphazardly, letting everything flow in one another until they were satisfied with the gradient. “After that, grab the lighter purple and keep painting up.”

She was grateful that she wasn’t quite her usual bundle of nerves around Metzli. Aylin certainly hadn’t expected to be scared by them, given that Ceyda trusted them, and there was no one on earth Aylin trusted more than Ceyda, but she also hadn’t expected to feel so at ease. She’d never really fully considered herself an artist - though she enjoyed creating beautiful things, artist wasn’t something that really stood out on her list of identifiable features. At least, she’d never really thought so.

“This is true - different perspective.” She nodded, slowly, carefully. Aylin bit her lip and looked over to them, “okay - I’ll work on blending.” It wasn’t so bad, it wasn’t as difficult as she would have thought - not that it was easy, but it was more natural to move the paint around the canvas than she would have thought. “Okay - got it.” It was easy to follow their instructions, “I do like the way the colors fall together so smoothly.”

“Yeah, me too. It’s really satisfying when the colors come together and create a whole new value or hue I wasn’t expecting.” With a soft smile, Metzli continued to move their brush, slowly bringing the vision of the night to life. There were differences between both paintings, but the vampire really liked that, really liked Aylin’s take on a picture they had mostly just thrown together. She made it evoke something they weren’t expecting, and maybe it wasn’t really doing so, but it was what Metzli felt when they looked over at her canvas. Freedom.

Carefully, they washed off their brush and continued the painting, not saying a word so as to not ruin the groove the two had gotten in. They tapped on the next color, the sand, and moved on, slowly. Eventually, Metzli found a pace they noticed Aylin could keep up with and they leaned into the comfortable silence that fell between the two as their own respective pieces came together. It was nice for a while, to be a kind teacher, to be nothing more than a person with a passion. “How’s it going over there?” They asked quietly, breaking the quiet, “I think we both got lost in it for a bit.”

“I can imagine that to be the case,” Aylin nodded, “it’s nice to see how well they blend together, and it just feels nice, too, if that makes sense? Like the act of painting, of smoothing everything out, adds another layer of appeal to the whole thing.” She wasn’t certain if anything she was saying made any proper sense, but she hoped that Metzli would at least understand the gist of it. They were an artist, and they’d told her that they also had taught, which meant that whatever she said couldn’t have been the most nonsensical thing that they’d heard - or at least, she hoped that was the case.

The two of them found a steady pace - back-and-forth, which allowed a few moments of silence, and Aylin found herself feeling calm, still. A part of her wished Ceyda was around (but, then again, a part of her nearly always wished that), but painting with Metzli was something she enjoyed a great deal and she was glad that they had asked her to come by. “Oh,” she looked over to them as their words broke the previous silence, “it’s good, I think. I’d agree, seems like we both got a bit lost back there.” She bit her lower lip and took a small step back, observing what she’d done so far. “Is it weird if I like the smell of the room when we’re all painting?” She shook her head, “it’s just different than what I’m used to, but in a good sort of way.”

With a final flick of their wrist, Metzli signed their painting and took a few steps back, a proud smile pushing their cheeks into lovely apple shapes. “Sign at the corner for it to be officially complete,” they directed, looking proudly over Aylin’s shoulder. As always, they had provided great guidance and despite a lack of experience, the young girl had made an exceptional painting. One Metzli wanted to keep and display for sentimental purposes. “And if you don’t mind, I can display it here. Around the entryway so Ceyda can see it every time she walks in.” For a moment, they paused, smiling sheepishly. “I always like displaying local art, obviously, but there’s something about keeping pieces that aren’t for sale and from people I like. Adds life to this place.”

Most didn’t know it, but several paintings that adorned the walls by the classroom doors were made by students that took the class. Some even hung in Metzli’s office, and by the nameplate at their door as well. If they were able to put Aylin’s up, they’d feel happy and honored to have a physical manifestation of their first interaction. Of the beginning of their connection. “Why don’t you go show Ceyda? She should be off in a few minutes and I’ll be able to clean up. If you decide to let me hang the painting, be sure to leave it in my office. Ceyda has a key.” Their smile was soft and unencumbered, filled with a peace they were only just getting used to. Metzli knew moments like the ones they just had were rare, which made the smile all the more joyful. “And thanks for coming in, Aylin. I had a really good time.”

“Okay,” Aylin nodded, marking her name in one of the corners. She wasn’t sure if the painting had turned out all too well, but the experience hadn’t been nearly as nerve-wracking as she’d expected it to be, which was already enough of a win in her book. Ceyda had been right that Metzli was nice - once again proving that Ceyda knew what she was talking about. Not that Aylin had ever had any real doubts about it, but having solid proof would certainly never hurt. “Oh, sure! If you’d like to, you can.” She tapped her fingers against her thigh, “I didn’t know or think if it was worth that but I’m a hundred percent not the expert on art, so…” her voice trailed off, “I’m glad I’m someone you like, especially since you hardly know me, so thank you.” Aylin offered Metzli a small smile.

“I will, and sure - you can hold onto it. I might want it back sometime, maybe? But if you want to keep it for now that totally works. I guess now I can say my work’s been put up in a proper art gallery, huh?” She raised an eyebrow. Aylin nodded, “thank you for inviting me in, it’s real appreciated, I hope you know that.”

[polyghostfacehours]

sooooo if you’re doing ANY scream character, maybe some sfw AND nsfw for tatum 👀

YES YES YES. God I am so down for these. I have so many thoughts on my wife Tatum like holy shit.

Tatum General Headcanons:

SFW:

Tatum is not a movie snob. She'll watch anything and everything, and enjoys most genres. Honestly, she's kind of a movie buff.

I hc Tatum as Bisexual.

Her favorite fashion period is the 70's. She loves how bold people were with colors, and tries to replicate it in her own attire.

One of the things she and Stu bonded over was their mutual like for fashion.

Tatum's favorite ice cream flavor is Rocky Road, but if she had lived to 1997 she would've loved Ben and Jerry's Phish Food 🤟😔

Honestly, Tatum knew she was the rebound for Stu after Casey, but she didn't care. She was lonely and Sidney started dating Billy and she knew Stu anyways and he was hot and she liked tall guys and fuck it Sidney is dating Bil-

Haha so yeah, honestly I hc Tatum as absolutely head over heels for Sidney. I also feel like Tatum is the only one out of the group that doesn't have some sort of degree of internalized homophobia.

Tatum's confidence is immeasurable and rivals Billy's.

Speaking of Billy, Tatum never liked him much. She never liked "bad boys" and hated how perfect he became for Sidney. Like, something was definitely up. He had to have a flaw.

During girl talk, Tatum wanted to bash he head in every time Sid talked about how Billy went down on her. Because fuck Billy man. And not in the good way.

Honestly, I could see Tatum being into facial hair on guys and even preferring it.

She was the one who came up with Dewey's nickname!

Dewey is her ride or die. She would sacrifice anyone, even Sidney for him. Their sibling bond looks strained on the outside, but on the inside, she's killed for her brother.

If Tatum would've been alive, I could see her becoming either a fashion designer or a pediatrician.

I HC that Tatum loves kids! And she's really good with them too. She babysits a lot for the town of Woodsboro and parents adore her.

That being said, if she can take the easy way out with babysitting, she will lol. And she can be a bit neglectful when she gets distracted by a movie or magazine.

Honestly, she ended up caring a lot for Stu and having very strong feelings for him. Could see herself getting over Sidney with him. One of the last things she thought of before dying besides her family and Sid was how she hoped Stu would be okay and not get hurt.

Tatum does gossip a lot tbh, but she was ahead of her time in terms of women supporting women. She slut-shamed when she was younger, but as she matured she obtained a very "live and let live" attitude towards other girls.

Tatum's favorite color is actually blue! But she feels she looks best in yellows, reds, and oranges, so she tends to wear those instead.

She's incredibly good at make-up, and if it was modern times I could see her becoming a make-up guru Youtuber (and then leaving bc fuck how drama filled and toxic it is. She then becomes a gaming streamer and realizes she actually really enjoys them)

NSFW:

Tatum is a bit of a pillow princess tbh.

You'd think she'd be large and in charge in the bedroom bc of her attitude, but she actually loves being pampered.

That being said, she sucks dick like a dream. Like holy shit. She could actually suck a watermelon through a straw.

Tatum has incredibly sensitive nipples. Like one of her most favorite things in the bedroom is nipple play.

Honestly, though they did like each other, the main foundation of her and Stu's relationship was sex. They fucked like rabbits tbh.

She's a large part of why Stu is so good at pussy eating tbh. He used to be just okay at it until she instructed him.

They never EVER talk about this, but one time while they were both drunk, she sucked Randy off at the back of a Seven Eleven.

If you bought her a sybian, she would never leave her room again.

She has a very "ideal" body. Conventionally desirable in all the right ways. And she's very proud of it tbh.

Tatum is one of the few lucky ass women who can orgasm from penetration alone. This is partly because of the way her body just is and partly because sex is super mental for her, and if she can imagine something it can get her off like crazy.

[cruecifymesixx]

Love and Leather /part eighty nine/

Word Count: 4.9k

A/N: Hi! Enjoy the update!

Warnings:major angst

Taglist:   , @miserablecunt , @dangerous-like-a-loaded-pistol, ,  @a-simple-salmon,  @hi-my-name-is-riley, @extremesadnerding, @thatbandchick39, @awkwrdcait, @countrygirlswonderland, @awesomealmostdopestudent, ,  @krazykatkay456, @terror-triplet, @shouttatthedevill-blog @beachystars, @rodriguez025, @kickstart-myheart-sixx, @s-outhie, @anxious-diabetic, @awkwardblackgirls-blog,  @shamelessobsessions, @jerseytaint, , @criminalyetminimal, @motley-queen, @trapt-in-a-dream,  @broke-n-bitchy​,  @lovesick-heart0, @keepcalm-and-beyou, @miriampraez, @teenwolflover28, @lilyhw1, @herbertweeest, @random-internet-user-4471, @falcon-arrows, @talranocchia2001,  @waywardprincess666, @iluvmesomemarvelndc, @vamprlestat, @supersoldierballerina, @electradestiny, @marshbev, @n0-sh0rtage-0f-faults, @cruebaby, @ggorehorror, @valentines-in-london, @nassauartist  @cmft-jr-winchester, @bokkie92, @notworthyofyou1120 @xrosegoldwolfx, @mgkobsessed, @chaoticvybe,  @kellysimagines @thoughtsoftheantagonist @marvelismylifffe, @sleepyjunhong  @meetthesixxter @sparxx27 @gingerspicetalks @kaitieskidmore1 @unknownoblivion @nevergoodenuffbutokaaayyy @sublimeprincesswasteland @kylieinwonderland @haileynicoleseavey17 @lavendersoundbarrier @xxisxxisxxis, @dogmom2014, @cruesixxlover1991,  @m0rnlngstar,  @findingmyths,  @i-want-to-shoot-myself, @arianareirg, @fentitrbl, @patheticgay69 , @redlipscrystalskies14, @samanthadegaro @jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels @thechangingme, , @makaelahdelvalle

*Nikki’s POV*

I sighed heavily through my nostrils, resting my head against the couch as I sucked on a hard piece of watermelon flavored candy. Dr. Peterson left a few very persistent voicemails on my phone as well as pages on my pager, attempting to get me to come to the therapy office. Reluctantly I agreed, but I wish I didn’t as I assumed Vanity would be here too, however she’s not.

“Hey Doc…” I speak lightly when she walks in, sitting directly across from me in the leather chair as she crosses one knee over the other.

“Thank you for coming in Nikki, I’m sure you are a very busy man.” She eyes the handful of empty candy wrappers on the oak coffee table, “It’s new candy, I just put it there today…and looks like I have to add more.” She smiles as she jokes.

“I like the strawberry ones better…and it’s okay, I wasn’t super busy today. Sorry for taking long to get back to you.” I sit up more in the chair as she opens up her folder and takes out the good ‘ol notepad.

“So how’ve you been? Anything new?”

I shake my head, “I’m okay, just been busy. We finally wrapped up the album, then we do some promoting and then we hit the road for tour.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that it’s hectic and time consuming. Have you taken anytime for yourself to relax recently?”

My lips pull into a small grin, “Is this where you poke my brain and tell me I’m putting myself into work too much?”

Crystal chuckles a bit, “Do you think you’re putting too much of yourself into work?”

“It’s my job? I kinda don’t have a choice. Not like anyone else is writing songs, well good ones for that matter.”

She nods, “So you’re the one in charge? excuse my ignorance, I don’t really follow your music. I’m sure that’s stressful having everyone depend on you. Do you deal with stress well?”

I shrugged, “I don’t have to write all the songs, it just happens that way.” I chuckle a bit under my breath, “Too loud for you? I mean, yeah it’s stressful. I used to go out and get high, but then that overtook everything. Now I just work out or take my camera out or write more songs to relax.”

“Just not my cup of tea, Nikki. Have you done any of that recently? Vanity mentioned shopping helps her relax.”

I roll my eyes and laugh, “Anything that revolves around spending money sounds good to her. And no, I haven’t had the time. Stuck at rehearsal with the band and when I’m not at rehearsal I’m hanging out with the band at a bar.” I stare when she writes something down, “Taking notes already?”

She glances at me, “I do it with everyone, you know that. So you only hang out with the guys? The same guys you’re around all day? You never really escape work, do you?”

“Well…I mean no…but I have fun when I’m with them. Tommy and I are like practically married and Mick is fun and John is cool too. I see Tommy constantly cause Van and Clementine are best friends. Sometimes it’s a little much. At times I just want to take a break but I know I can’t because it’s my music and it keeps the nice things flowing and Arianna’s school.” I explain to her, “I mean…I would have enough to take a break for a long time but still…I don’t want too.”

“Tommy, right…Vanitys mentioned him a few times, same with Clementine. But why are you so worried about money? Vanity has money does she not?”

“Yeah…god mother of the year.” I roll my eyes, “Yeah, yeah…Van has plenty of money for her, she’s a great mom. I missed out on a lot the first few years of Arianna’s life so I just want to make up for that.”

“Well…as you know, everything you missed could have been prevented. Kids don’t remember a lot from their childhood anyways, with the exception of a severe traumatic even happening. They usually won’t start remembering moments until the ages of 7 and 8.”

I glare a bit, “I don’t need to be told the same thing I already know. If I had kept my dick in my pants I wouldn’t have missed anything, I know.” I lean forward reaching for another piece of candy and shoving it in my mouth.

“Theres no reason to jump to the defense Nikki. We’re just talking.” I would think she was being condescending if she wasn’t a damn therapist.

“Right-“ I roll my eyes, “Talking? You’re blaming me for it.”

“Well who is to blame them? Vanity? You’d be surprised to know she never wants to talk about this.”

“Wait-no, no. You’re twisting my words. No, it’s not her fault, it’s mine. But still, she could have called or retuned my letter letting me know.” I defend myself as she looks at me.

“Nikki, we can spend all day talking about the things Vanity, should’ve or could’ve done differently. We can talk for hours about how things were suppose to go differently.”

“Then why the hell did you bother me? What could you possibly want to talk about if it’s not that?”

“How are the dates going? Let’s start there.”

I stare at her a moment, rubbing my knees as I take a breath, “I don’t know…Donna, she’s great but she’s just…she’s just not Vanity.” I look away feeling disappointed, not because it wasn’t working, but in myself. That it took me seeing someone else to figure out what I wanted, “Donna’s hot and funny, well tries to be funny. But she hangs on to every word I say, thinks I’m right about everything, doesn’t ever disagree with me…it’s…it’s boring. I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve been with Vanity for so long, that nobody else can compare or what. But I just…it’s not working. Donna’s too clingy anyways.”

“Really?” Crystal sounds surprised, “You were so vocal about seeing other people.”

“Well…I wasn’t excited about it. I did it because I thought thats what Van wanted. I just wanted to help fix us. I would do anything for us, for her.” I sigh as I lean back against the cushion.

“You thought.” She pointed out, “You assumed and didn’t really ask what would have helped, did you?”

“Well…I-“ I stumble over my words before sighing, “No, I didn’t. I just took the first suggestion that was brought up. I wanted to get out of the office before I was ganged up on.”

Crystal chuckles, “Nobody thought about ganging up on you Nikki. You just don’t like when you aren’t in control, that is both of your issues.”

“I don’t have control issues.” I glance at Crystal as she stares at me, “What? I don’t.”

“Yes you do, wether you like to admit it or not. You mentioned earlier it’s always you writing songs because nobody else will do it.” She says, using air quotes might I add as I glare in return, “I’m sure they would if you backed off and gave them a chance.”

“I just like to make sure things are perfect, there’s nothing wrong with that. Mick isn’t interested and Tommy wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“Nikki, maybe if you gave them a chance they would shine and pressure would be taken off your shoulders. Nothing has to be perfect, there’s no such thing as that.”

I roll my eyes, “Okay, so maybe I have a slight control problem but this, the band, has been the only thing in my life I actually have control over.”

“And the other parts you don’t? Can you tell me about it?”

I groan in annoyance, “Oh come on. I’m sure Vanity has mentioned a thing or two about me. I’m sure she’s told you all about the reason why I’m fucked up is because of my childhood.” I reach for a candy disk, unwrapping it before popping it into my mouth.

“The subject has came up once or twice but Vanity never dived deep, she said it wasn’t her place to talk about it. Do you want to talk about it?” She asks softly, like how every other therapist in the past has done.

“No, not really. But I just moved around a lot as a kid…”

“Oh, well I’m sure that had an affect on you. Always being the new kid and what not. Are you parents still together? They must be so proud of you.”

I laughed, probably a little too loud “God no. My dad split when I was a kid and my mom and I don’t talk, at all. Every time we do it explodes into something bigger.”

“I’m sorry for that, I’m sure it was hard without a dad in the picture. So your mom raised you?”

Again, I laugh, “Here and there when she wanted me. Half the time I’d be with my grandparents.”

She glances at me, “Is this why you’re so scared of failing as a father?”

I stare at her a moment, “I’m not like my dad. I didn’t just abandon the girls. I begged her to move here so we could be a family.”

“So…they had to uproot the life Vanity had built for them in New York to make you comfortable? Which is essentially what you had to do every time you moved as a child?”

I shake my head “You’re twisting my words. I just wanted them close. Vanity hated New York, she basically stayed for Clementine.”

Crystal shakes her head, “Are you assuming she hated it because she told me she loved it there.”

I chuckle l, “Loved it? Of course she loved it! She was nose deep in fucking coke when I got there.”

“And that’s a problem she’s been working on has she not?”

I sigh, “Yeah, yeah. And I’m proud of her. I know it’s not easy. But I’m not like my parents alright? I’m not just leaving Arianna high and dry nor am I leaving her alone in a run down fucking house okay?”

Crystal looks at me, her head slightly turning to the side, “If you know that, then why are you so worried about messing up? You sound like such a great dad Nikki, from what Vanity tells me. That little girl is lucky to have you.”

I exhale deeply as I nod a bit and lean back against the chair, “Because something always happens…”

“If you spend all your time waiting for bad things to happen you’ll miss out on everything life has for you. Can you give me an example of something happening?”

“I don’t know…I could relapse, Vanity could relapse. We could break up, she could fall in love with someone else and leave me…” I mumble the last part “..and I don’t want her to leave me.”

“You both work hard on your sobriety right? Then what is the worry?” Crystal looks at me, taking off her glasses as she leans forward a bit, “I think you need to spend less time worrying about her being with someone else and only worry about her being with you. Like I said earlier Nikki, we can spend all day talking about the what if’s but it doesn’t help anything or anybody in the long run.”

I frown a bit, “I guess you’re right…it doesn’t do me any good, just drives my anxiety up the wall.”

She smiles a bit, “See…I knew I could get through to you. Is there anything else you want to discuss? You said the dates you’re going on aren’t fulfilling?”

I nod, “Yeah they aren’t. I’d rather be at home with the girls.”

“So…now I’m gonna assume you and Vanity are going to sit down and talk? If this is how you’re feeling, plus with how she feels..”

“I want this to work with her. I need it to work. I can’t picture myself with anyone but her. I hated my ex wife because she wasn’t Van. I just forced myself to pretend that I tolerated her, let alone love her.”

“Then I think you two need to sit down and discuss what you both want from each other and what it will take to make it work. You can’t always blame your issues on your childhood, just like she can’t blame everything on her temper and how she reacts to stressful situations.”

I laugh under my breath and grin “Yeah, she does get mad at the slightest thing.”

She cracks a smile and nods, “That she does. But just like you, Vanity also needs the control. I think you two need to find a solid ground and share it evenly, 50/50. Not 25/75 or 60/40. But right down the middle.”

“And what if we can’t?”

“Nikki.” I sigh and let my shoulders fall back, “As long as you two actually talk about your problems instead of holding onto the anger and grudges. I think both of you also need to learn how to let certain things go.”

“Like the cheating?” I look at her, “She throws that in my face any chance she gets. I just don’t know how many times I can say sorry for it.”

Crystal nods, “I understand Nikki, I do. But put yourself in Vanity’s shoes okay? It’s a traumatic situation for anyone. Just think if the tables were turned. How would you feel? How would you’ve reacted? I believe what bothers her is the principal of it, if you being with someone else. She didn’t want to see it, just like mentioned earlier, you don’t want to see her with another man.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll work on being understanding and sharing control. I need to be home more, hopefully after this album I can take a break for a while and we can get to know each other again.”

“It’s not a bad thing to get to know one another again, you aren’t kids anymore.”

*Vanity’s POV*

“It’s okay Ari! Just brush it off and keep going!” I yell, cupping my hands around my mouth as I sit back down on the folding chair. I wince when I see Arianna trip over the soccer ball again and get a mouth full of dirt, “You’re doing great, sweetie!” I give her a smile when she looks over, glaring as she brushes the dirt off her knees.

“Come on Van, she can barely kick the ball without eating shit. Maybe soccer isn’t for her.” Nikki states, flicking a peanut shell at me. I glance down, seeing him laying on his side on the blanket, “We could try gymnastics. Or cheerleading.” He points in the direction of coaches surrounding a little league team.

I sigh as I slump back in the chair, groaning when Arianna falls again, “It’s only the first day of practice, Nikki. She’ll get the hang of it.”

“Or she’ll get kicked off the team.” Nikki laughs before sitting up and leaning against my leg, “However, it is pretty entertaining to watch.”

I roll my eyes and tap the back of his head, “She has to start somewhere, she can’t just be great over night. I know it took you some time to get good at bass playing.” I smirk a bit as he tilts his head back to look at me.

“Don’t go there. She clearly has no coordination at all and she’s kicking way to hard at the ball and that’s why she keeps falling.” He shakes his head when Arianna kicks the ball and hits another kid in the gut, “See? And she’s being a ball hog.”

“A ball hog? Maybe you need to coach this team instead, Sixx.”

“Well I do look good in stripes.” He laughs but it quickly stops when his phone starts ringing. I watch him dig it out of his pocket as he shakes his head and shoves it back in his jeans.

“If it’s a work call then take it.”

“No, no it’s fine. It’s just Donna, she can wait till later.” He tells me, glancing in my direction as we look at each other for a moment. I watch as he scratches the back of his neck before he looks back at the field, mumbling something under his breath.

I chuckle to myself when his phone starts ringing once more, he digs out of his pocket again before shoving it away, “I’m sure you wouldn’t want her upset with you since you’re ignoring her calls. It’s okay Nikki, you aren’t missing much, it’s just practice.” I explain to him as I see his back raise with a deep inhalation of a breath before he exhales.

“No. This is important, unlike making plans for another expensive restaurant or some stupid high end club.” Nikki spews out, I can hear the annoyed tone.

I clear my throat a bit, “Is everything okay with you..and her?” He side eyes me from the corner of his black shades as I see the corner of his mouth pull up a bit.

“Just...she’s...she’s just making it complicated. She’s asking for too much. Always wants to talk on the phone or hang out or meet up for coffee. She doesn’t grasp the idea of space. Donna wants to be a girlfriend and she’s not girlfriend material, at least not for me.” Nikki leans back on his hands, his legs stretched out on the blue and black flannel.

“Girlfriend material?” I question him as he turns his head to look at me.

“Yeah? You know...girlfriend material? She’s a great women but she couldn’t handle being with a rockstar. Grew up catholic and has all these beliefs that just make me want to gag. She’s hot but she can barely talk about anything other than the modeling and acting. I like someone that can at least tell me what they’re thinking at any given moment.” I feel him nudge my leg as he rests a dandelion on my knee, “I don’t know...it’s just fizzling out.”

I fumble with the yellow flower between my fingers as Nikki cheers for Arianna. My eyebrows pull together in confusion. He was just spending this whole past week with her so I wonder what could have changed. I was still thinking about everything Dr. Peterson had told me last week, I was nitpicking the pros and cons of the situation. Nikki had apologized the next day after our fight like always and then that turned into me being under him...like always. And then it was back to ignoring the problem.

“Hey Nik? Can we talk-“

“Mom! Mom! Did you see how good I’m doing?!”Arianna runs to me, exuberant as always before she’s taking the juice box Nikki hands to her.

“Of course baby! Daddy and I are so happy you’re enjoying it.” I smile at her, smoothing her hair back and wiping some dirt off the side of her cheek, “Just try to be careful okay? And let some of the other kids get the ball.”

She nods feverishly, “But coach Taylor said I’m doing a really good job!”

“And you are princess, but it’s a team sport. So you gotta let the others play with the ball too.” Nikki tells her as he ties the laces on her cleats and tucks them into her shoe, “Sixx’s always play as a team babe.”

“But Blackwoods know how to get the job done themselves.” I wink at her as she giggles and hands me her juice box, “Go finish and then we’ll grab some dinner and maybe ice cream.” Arianna nods before she gives me and Nikki a hug and runs off to the field again.

“So...how are you and Jon?” Nikki questions, almost uncomfortably as he glances at me for a split second.

I shrug, “He’s been busy with studio stuff so

I haven’t really talked to him that much. He calls every few days or so just to see how I’m doing.”

Nikki nods as he leans back on his elbows, “Oh…well that’s good at least…”

“Yeah, I guess?” I chuckle a bit and shake my head, “It’s not like you really care.” 

“Yes I do..” I glance when Nikki mumbles, picking blades of grass and flicking them away. I chuckle at his words and shake my head, my eyes going back to soccer practice.

“Yeah, okay Nikki.”

“I’m gonna go get a drink at the concession stand.” He mutters quietly, getting up as his bangs fall over his eyes. I glance at him as he shakes his head and runs his hands through his hair as he walks across the field. I look down, noticing the unopened bottle of Coca Cola from earlier.

*A few days later*

I took a deep breath in and exhaled as I paced nervously outside of Nikki’s office door. Why was talking about how we felt so scary for us? My heart was racing as I hear the light hum of bass strings being pulled. Nikki had came home from having lunch with Donna an hour ago and slammed every single door he went through, so I wasn’t sure what had happened. I said hi to him but he brushed me off and went straight up the stairs.

I crack my knuckles as I try to find the courage inside of me to knock on the door. I just wanted to talk and I figured with Arianna being at school still, it would be the best time to do so. Ya know, in case of it getting ugly.

My lips puff up as I exhale deeply, glancing at anarchy as she’s sprawled out on the floor watching me, “Wish me luck.” I knock on the mahogany door, not hearing any response to come in. I wait a second before reaching for the doorknob and slowly cracking it open, seeing him hunched over in the usual position when he plays his bass with headphones on. I watch him for a moment as he reaches for his journal and writes something down. He notices me through the reflection on the blank computer screen.

Nikki turns around in his chair as he takes off the headphones and smiles “Hey sorry. I just had an idea and I wanted to play it while I had it.”

“No, no it’s okay. I get it. I uh just wanted to talk but you’re busy so we can just talk later.” I stay by the door, gripping the handle as I swallow the lump in my throat.

Nikki stares at me for a moment “No, come sit.” He motions to the futon, “What’s going on?” He sounds concerned as he rolls his chair closer.

“Okay..” I mumble as I sit criss cross on the cushion as I hold the pillow in my lap, “I went and talked to our therapist the other day to get some things off my chest and now I want to talk to you about them.” I take a breath as I look at him, he looks as worried as I feel, “I-I just feel like we aren’t getting anywhere. That this-“ I motion between us “..isn’t going anywhere.”

“You think that?” I notice the slight frown playing on his lips “I took the advice the therapist gave, Van. I didn’t want too….is this about me locking you out? If it is I’m sorry, I was just messing around.”

“Yes, I think and feel that. Like we’re just not letting go and we’re trying to stay together for the sake of Arianna. No, no it’s not because you locked me out. I’ve been feeling like this for a while now..”

“Is that what you want? For this to be over?” Nikki stares at me as he gnaws on his bottom lip, “Are you breaking up with me?” It’s faint but I hear it and it makes my heart heavy.

“I-I I don’t know..”

“My dates with Donna haven’t been that fun, not like how they are with you.”

I smile a bit before it fades, “I just feel like it’s me that’s trying to save our relationship, or what little is left to save. I’m just confused Nikki.”

“What’s there to be confused about Van? You either want to be with me or you don’t.” I stare at him, I wish it was as simple as that but it’s not. 

“Do you wanna be with me?” I ask him as he chuckles a bit and rolls closer to me.

“Vanity, of course I want to be with you. You should already know the answer to that. It’s always going to be you every time.” I look away at the painting on the wall as he touches my knees, his thumb gently rubbing back and forth.

“I just feel like our relationship is one sided now. I told you from the start I didn’t want to do this, seeing other people. I vocalized how much I was against it and you still wanted to do it anyways.”

Nikki nods as he lets out a deep breath “I know, I know. I should have listened to what you were saying. It put an even bigger strain on our relationship. I broke things off with Donna today. She was just getting on my nerves. I was only going out with her because I saw how much fun you were having with Jon and how happy you looked. It made me jealous because the whole time I was miserable.”

“You didn’t seem like it..I don’t want to break up. I just wish it wasn’t so hard all the time. We aren’t kids anymore, it feels like how it did 10 years ago and I feel like it shouldn’t be. It should be easy for us by now. Do you think other couples have it this hard?”

Nikki chuckles as he gets off the chair and sits down next to me, “No baby, I don’t. Because not everyone is as complicated as you and me. What do you want from me Van? You want me to actually work on us instead of finding excuses not to?” I glance at him as he smiles at me.

“But that makes me feel like a bitch when you say it like that. I feel selfish. Do you want this?”

“Vanity, you may be a temperamental brat and a pain in my ass sometimes, but you aren’t selfish. You’re far from it.” He reaches for my hand as he brings it up to his lips “I want this. I want you and only you. We shouldn’t be doing this because of Arianna, we should be doing this because we love one another and cause we want this to work. I do love you Vanity.”

“I know you do and I love you too.” I feel him kiss my knuckles again as he’s gently pulling me closer and into his lap. I feel him wrap his arms around me as he lays his head against my shoulder. I sigh as I lay my cheek atop of his head and let my nails run over his neck and back.

“I’m sorry for making you feel this way. Like we weren’t gonna have a chance. I never wanted to do that.” He tells me as I nod and kiss his temple.

“I know you didn’t do it on purpose, it’s okay. I just worry and overthink sometimes because you’re you. You’re Nikki Sixx. You could literally have anyone you want and I could be so easily replaced at any moment. It just scares me.”

Nikki looks up at me and laughs, “You? Oh come on you’re joking. Doll I love you just the way you are. Sure, models and playboys are hot but they couldn’t even touch you. They’re not the ones running out of the house applying make up and dragging a kid behind them because they’re running late. Or throwing water on dinner because they forgot they were even cooking. They don’t have eyes that remind me of the ocean when the sun shines. They don’t have soft lips for me to kiss, even when my breath is so fucking rancid in the morning.”

“Hey I haven’t set dinner on fire in a few months alright?” I laugh a bit as I lean forward to give him a kiss, “Thank you for saying that.”

Nikki licks his lips as he leans back against the couch to look at me, “Plus who else on this planet is able to make me cry? Besides Arianna, she’s just harsh.”

“Yeah she has been pretty mean to you lately hasn’t she?” I chuckle as I move pieces of hair back and out of his face.

“Yeah all because I wouldn’t let her crawl into the that claw machine at the arcade a few weeks ago. You know she put her blue goo in my boots? That’s not something I ever want to feel again.” He shudders as he looks at me and smiles “I’ve also been trying to meditate and write my feelings out instead of keeping them inside.”

“Oh! So that’s why you’ve been sitting at the pool every morning? I thought you were just having a mid life crisis or something.” I grin and laugh when he pinched my hip.

“Hey just because I’m getting closer to 40 doesn’t mean shit.”

“Kinda does a little bit, Nikki.” I lean forward and squint “is that….is that a grey hair?” I tease him as I pretend to pluck it out of his hair.

“Oh shut the hell up. You have them too probably.” He rolls his eyes as he pretends to pout.

“Oh no no baby. Not on this head of hair, you won’t find a single thing.”

Nikki leans forward as he gives me a quick and simple kiss, “Well whenever it happens, I’ll still love you when you’re old and grey.”

[jordankennedy]

every avatar i can think of and their relationship to recreational drugs and alcohol

jon sims: only drinks those fruity cocktails that don’t taste like alcohol. seems like someone who has never done drugs but has absolutely snorted speed in university and only georgie knows about it

martin blackwood: doesn’t drink. has smoked weed before but has justified concern for his own health and doesn’t make a habit of it

tim stoker: likes and hates drinking beer in equal measure. seems like someone who does drugs but never actually has

sasha james: academically enjoys edibles but prefers to just drink anything blue

not-sasha james: drinks straight tonic water or margarita mix and inhales the fumes off of sharpie markers

gertrude robinson: smokes menthols and puts whiskey in her coffee. doesn’t do drugs and if you ask she’ll just squint at you in that old lady way. has allowed gerard keay to smoke weed in her office before

elias bouchard: still smokes but it makes him cough a lot so he only does it in private. used to drink laudanum but can’t find it anywhere anymore so now he just makes do with weed and really expensive gin

melanie king: likes daiquiris but only if they’re a flavor other than strawberry. vapes exclusively blue raspberry and watermelon flavors

basira hussain: only ever drinks just enough to avoid getting drunk. has never been on drugs and doesn’t want to. would pick up a joint with her thumb and pointer fingers like it was toxic waste

daisy tonner: has only been drunk once and hated it. has never done drugs but kind of wants to just so she can say she has. hates vapes and stares at melanie directly in the eye until she leaves whenever she does it within six feet of her

georgie barker: hates the taste of all alcohol. owns many novelty souvenir bongs purchased from various tourist attractions around europe. her favorite is the one that looks like a bottle of honey shaped like a bear

peter lukas: likes a lot of weird craft beer and thinks he’s oppressed for it. vapes also but only gross old man flavors like mint and butterscotch

jane prentiss: likes red wine. would smoke weed if offered it but has no idea how to go about acquiring it herself

timothy hodge: drinks fucked up cocktails that would kill anyone over the age of thirty-five. will do molly at parties and then go home and sleep for fifteen straight hours and he does this every friday

raymond fielding: drinks brandy out of a crystal glass like people do in the movies. extremely catholic but was also twenty years old in the 1960s. tried lsd one time and the web told him to stop throwing away his bright future so he never did it again

agnes montague: doesn’t drink because diego molina told her when she was like eight that she would explode if she did. would vape if she had ever heard of it but tragically hasn’t

julia montauk: astronomical tolerance for everything so she usually doesn’t even bother. drinks a lot of whiskey bc she likes how it tastes

maxwell rayner: drinks laudanum

trevor herbert: canonically has done heroin. has since kicked his addiction and doesn’t do or drink anything anymore

oliver banks: does xanax but he technically has a prescription. says he smokes weed for his anxiety but it actually just makes it worse

jared hopworth: advocates for allowing safe steroid use but would rather die than do it himself. refuses to drink on principle but when he was still a normal human he drank natty light

gerard keay: drinks one shot of everclear every morning. also says he smokes for his anxiety but it actually just makes it worse. prefers regular cigarettes

simon fairchild: also drinks laudanum

natalie ennis: drinks one (1) glass of champagne every new year’s eve. calls all mind-altering substances “temptations from the mouth of the devil”

michael the stortion: never got the chance to do drugs before getting spiralized and now they don’t do anything to him so he’s super pissed off about it

sarah baldwin: likes fruity rum. smokes a lot of weed

daniel rawlings: smokes weed as well. makes sarah roll his joints for him

john amherst: refuses to exist within ten feet of people smoking anything. thinks penicillin is a mind-altering substance and is mildly scared of it. doesn’t bother with alcohol but would drink bong water if he knew what it was

callum brodie: has never drunk alcohol or done drugs due to being thirteen. has yet to grow out of his “smoking cigarettes is badass” phase

nikola orsinov: made of plastic and therefore can’t drink or do drugs but would be on acid literally constantly if she was able

helen the stortion: puts ketamine in her own drinks for flavor

jordan kennedy: went to liberal arts college and lived off of tequila and mdma for six months. has since stopped doing drugs altogether because his job involves driving and he doesn’t trust himself to do that while high but still holds alcohol like a monster

annabelle cane: drinks peach white claws and smokes her joints through a 1920s cigarette holder

karolina gorka: drinks stoli out of the bottle. too cool to do drugs but has eaten a weed brownie by accident before

jude perry: drinks fireball whiskey if she feels like being normal and unleaded gasoline if she doesn’t. canonically does coke but freaks out around needles

mike crew: doesn’t drink. forgoes weed in favor of doing coke in public bathrooms with jude. complains that adderall doesn’t do anything but he just has undiagnosed adhd

jan kilbride: doesn’t drink or do drugs anymore because astronauts aren’t supposed to but he did acid one time in college and it almost gave him an anxiety induced heart attack

eugene vanderstock: also does coke with jude but in a significantly less companionable manner. its more of a competition but nobody knows what they’re competing against each other for, least of all the two of them

manuela dominguez: will spit at you if you offer her anything but drinks a lot of wine and keeps a box of oxy in a drawer

hezekiah wakely: smokes opium

tova mchugh: somehow a facebook wine mom without having kids. outwardly condemns drugs of any kind in a very holier-than-thou way but has also done coke more than once

emma harvey: drinks vodka out of water bottles. rolls her own joints, puts just enough regular tobacco in them to mask the weed smell, and tells people they’re regular cigarettes

adelard dekker: has never done drugs in his life but is not morally opposed to the idea, he just doesn’t feel like it

[love-takes-work]

I’ve recreated every food in Steven Universe

OKAY I THINK I FINALLY DID IT

I FINALLY RECREATED EVERY RECIPE FROM THE SHOW

Sooooo . . . what did I miss?

Now it’s your turn to help me be sure I got them all. Your mission, should you choose to accept it:

Reblog this post suggesting a food from the show (with or without screencap; just enough so I can recognize it). The weirder the better.

I will respond to you with my photo of when I made that food.

If I can’t deliver, I will like send you $10 or draw you a SU fanart or something. (We’ll negotiate.)

I will accept asks instead of reblogs if you prefer.

It’s fine if you have a fairly common or easy suggestion and you just wanna see it. ;)

I’m offering this incentive because I really want some help combing the show for foods I might have forgotten! Your help is appreciated!

Edit: Adding responses. :D 

Dog-Nut (Pilot!)

Classic Hot Dog (Intro)

Fry Bits (2 - “Laser Light Cannon” & others)

Together Breakfast (4 - “Together Breakfast”)

Popcorn for Onion (7 - “Bubble Buddies”)

Giant Strawberry (8 - “Serious Steven” & others)

Large Pizza, Extra Fishy (10 - “Steven’s Lion”)

Cereal to stop the Foot (11 - “Arcade Mania”)

Aqua Mexican Burrito (13 - “So Many Birthdays”)

Movie Snacks (17 - “Lion 2: The Movie”)

Crystal Lizards (17 - “Lion 2: The Movie”)

Hot Dogs & Hamburgers (18 - “Beach Party”)

Lars’s Lunch (20 - “Coach Steven”)

Fire Salt & Fire Salt Donuts (21 - “Joking Victim”)

Big Fat Zucchini with Linguine (22 - “Steven and the Stevens”)

Chaaaaps (23 - “Monster Buddies”)

Mi Torta (23 - “Monster Buddies”)

Durian Juice (24 - “An Indirect Kiss”)

Fish Kebabs & Giant Fish (30 - “Island Adventure”)

Cheeseball Cake (32 - “Fusion Cuisine”)

Breadsticks (32 - “Fusion Cuisine”)

Shrimp Appetizer (32 - “Fusion Cuisine��)

Onion Rings (33 - “Garnet’s Universe”)

Baby Melon (34 - “Watermelon Steven”)

Nice Spicey Pretzels (35 - “Lion 3: Straight to Video”)

Mama Sadie Lunch (35 - “Lion 3: Straight to Video”)

Garnet’s Chocolate Chip Cookies (37 - “Warp Tour”)

Mayo Sandwich (39 - “Future Vision”)

Bindle Lunches (40 - “On the Run”)

Marshmallows (42 - “Winter Forecast”)

Waffle Egg Sandwich (42 - “Winter Forecast”)

Caprese Salad (47 - “Shirt Club”)

Three-Way Sub (55 - “Say Uncle”)

Pizza Steve (55 - “Say Uncle”)

Tea and Cookies (55 - “Say Uncle”)

Pile of Food (57 - “Reformed”)

Snack Sushi (Season 2 Short - “Cooking With Lion”)

Biscuits & Jam (58 - “Sworn to the Sword”)

Smoothie & Orange Slices (58 - “Sworn to the Sword”)

Best Breakfast in the World (64 - “Keystone Motel”)

Noodles and Butter (65 - “Onion Friend”)

Potato Steven (65 - “Onion Friend”)

Lion Lickers (68 - “Nightmare Hospital”)

Amethyst’s Hoagie (79 - “Super Watermelon Island”)

Fresh Big Donut Donuts (84 - “Steven Floats”)

Guacola (85 - “Drop Beat Dad”)

Pepe’s Burgers (86 - “Mr. Greg”)

The Finest Steak and Brie (86 - “Mr. Greg”)

Corndogs (87 - “Too Short to Ride”)

Pizza Bagel & Fantastic Fries (90 - “Restaurant Wars”)

Fancy Orange Juice (93 - “Alone at Sea”)

PROTES Protein Bars (95 - “Gem Hunt”)

Pine Needle Tea (95 - ”Gem Hunt”)

Sugar Shock Shut Down (109 - “Last One Out of Beach City”)

Apple Sidra (109 - “Last One Out of Beach City”)

Gem Harvest & Wedding Cake (111-112 “Gem Harvest”)

Korean Lunch (114 - “Steven’s Dream”)

Zoo Fruit (117 - “The Zoo”)

Pumpkin-Shaped Pumpkin Bread (126 - “The Good Lars”)

Ube Roll (126 - “The Good Lars”)

Cool Kids Potluck (126 - “The Good Lars”)

Jungle Moon Alien Carcass (140 - “Jungle Moon”)

Meal for Stranded Humans (144 - “Lars’ Head”)

Everything Pizza (148 - “What’s Your Problem”)

Together Breakfast Wedding Cake (151-152- “Reunited”)

Bixbite’s Pizzas (SUF 2 - “Guidance”)

Snow Cones (SUF 2 - “Guidance”)

Crystal Drinks (SUF 3 - “Rose Buds”)

Carrot Bean Meal (SUF 3 - “Rose Buds”)

Tomato Soup on the Go (SUF 5 - “Bluebird”)

Clams, Peanut Butter, & a side of fresh-cut grass (SUF 5 - “Bluebird”)

Bluebird’s Cake (SUF 5 - “Bluebird”)

Fried Eggs (on Amethyst’s face) (SUF 7 - “Snow Day”)

Protein Shake (SUF 7 - “Snow Day”)

Spicy Chili (SUF 11 - “In Dreams”)

Together Forever Cake (SUF 13 - “Together Forever”)

Cookie Cat Ice Cream (SUF 14 - “Growing Pains”)

Cocoa (SUF 14 - “Growing Pains”)

Ice Cream a La Pie (SUF 15 - “Mr. Universe”)

Caveats and Rules (read if participating):

It counts as a recipe for the show only if it is eaten or to be eaten by a character (onscreen or implied to have been) or otherwise prominently featured. (e.g., Together Breakfast would count even though it was not eaten, but random food sitting around incidentally in a fridge or bake case does not count as a recipe.)

Food items that are only mentioned but not pictured don’t count.

Food items that are part of the background art don’t count unless they are significant or interacted with at some point. This includes mentioned or pictured items on restaurant menus.

Note: I HAVE actually made some things that have only been mentioned or pictured on menus! So feel free to suggest them if you really want to see if I made them! But for purposes of qualifying for a reward, I can’t commit to making the entire bake case, pizza joint menu, Spacetries display, or commercial cooler full of food if they’re more scenery than snacks.

If I have made an item once and it recurs, it doesn’t count as a different recipe if it appears in a different configuration in a later episode. (e.g., if I made an ube roll for “The Good Lars,” I don’t have to make a new one for Steven Universe: The Movie.)

Non-food items eaten by animals, monsters, and Amethyst do not count as recipes. (e.g., I do not consider it a recipe when the Big Bird from “Giant Woman” ate a goat and Steven. I do not consider it a recipe when Amethyst eats wrappers or garbage. Weird food she eats is OK. As long as it is food.)

YES, I count all qualifying food in Steven Universe, Steven Universe: The Movie, Steven Universe Future, and any official shorts as fair game.

NO, I do not count food in the comics, the video games, the official or tie-in books, Ronaldo’s blog, or the Crewniverse’s celebratory food as recipes I have to make.

There is a lot of generic popcorn, chips, and soda in this show. I don’t count it as a new recipe every time someone munches one of these as an incidental snack.

Very minor variations on common snacks don’t count as new recipes. (e.g., I don’t have to make every donut or flavor of Chaaaaps anyone was ever seen eating. Including variation options in my recipe is enough.)

Random messes made with food do not have to be recreated as recipes. (e.g., Onion smearing condiments all over the kitchen is not a recipe; pizzas that get destroyed or thrown around are not new recipes; Greg and Steven scattering food leavings around their Empire City hotel is not a recipe; a seagull with a banana peel on its head carrying pizza does not count; Steven scattering the contents of his kitchen on the floor while making Together Breakfast is not a recipe, etc.)

Yes, the foods will be prepared/arranged by me. In most cases they are homemade creations but in some cases store-bought elements will be used and that is also OK. 

Food-shaped items that aren’t actually food are not recipes. (e.g., game controllers shaped like ham do not count. Crying Breakfast Friends are characters, not food.)

Things made out of food do not count unless they are eaten. (e.g., Fish Stew Pizza is required; Jenny made out out of pizza in Kiki’s dream is not.)

Vegetarian alternatives, facsimiles designed to look but not taste like certain foods, and ingredient substitutes are permissible. (e.g., vegetarian pepperoni on a pizza that was REAL pepperoni in the show is allowed; a non-fish substitute for a real dead fish is OK; dishes representing disgusting food that are secretly delicious are all right, etc.)

Thanks for your help. :)

[captainseaweedbrains]

The Dance of the Color Guard, Op. 64 Ch. 4

Katniss and Peeta used to be best friends when they were kids, but now in high school, they're barely on speaking terms. It isn't until they are forced together as the titular star-crossed lovers for their marching band's field show that they will have to face their past mistakes and try to get along if they ever hope of defeating the notorious Capitol Height's Imperial Marching Crusaders in competition.

It's all about winning and if that means pretending to be in love with Peeta Mellark, so be it.

A/N: Thank you to @rosegardeninwinter​ for editing and helping push me to finish! You are the best and any mistakes found are mine. :) 

Start at the beginning on Ao3: X

Ch. 4 Ao3: X

June

“Peeta really isn’t that bad,” Madge said for what felt like the millionth time. Katniss rolled her eyes and flipped the page of her magazine. Ever since learning that Peeta was going to be the Romeo to Katniss’ Juliet, Madge had been defending him every chance she got. “He’s really not. And he’s so smart, Katniss. Picks up on things real quickly. So all this moping around you’ve been doing all week is stupid.”

Katniss frowned and shoved her sunglasses further up her nose, preferring the screams of the children running around them on the pool deck to Madge defending Peeta Mellark to her once again. Was she being overly dramatic about this? Maybe. Was Madge right that Peeta wasn’t as bad as she made him out to be? Perhaps. But it still sucked and she couldn’t stop complaining about it.

“I know you’re Team Peeta,” she sighed, “but would it kill you to see things from my perspective just this once? Isn’t that what girl friends are supposed to do? Side with their other girl friends?”

“Maybe if you were right about him being a bad person, I would,” Madge sniffed, picking up her own gossip magazine to flip through. “But as of right now, you’ve provided me no evidence in support of your claim.” It was times like these Katniss wished her friend wasn’t the daughter of a prestigious lawyer.

“Gale sides with me,” she argued, pointing at her tall friend standing in line between two twelve-year-old kids for their slushies. “Doesn’t that count for anything on my behalf?”

“Gale’s an idiot.”

“An idiot you’re dating.” Madge stuck her tongue out at that, unable to refute her long-standing relationship with Gale and Katniss smiled. Of all the relationships she’d seen throughout the years—and band romances had provided plenty of weird, random romances, the weirdest being Johanna Mason and Melinda “Cashmere” Hewitt—Madge and Gale’s was the only one she saw that made no sense on paper yet made complete sense in person. The spoiled rich girl with a heart of gold and the rough-around-the-edges boy from the bad part of town? She never used to buy it in the movies, thinking the concept too ridiculous, but Madge and Gale proved her wrong time and time again.

Even when they had broken up sophomore year, claiming they were just too different, Katniss was still proven wrong because they couldn’t shut up about each other—griping about how she just didn’t understand and he always has to be right and I can’t believe I lost my virginity to that, a fact Katniss could have gone her whole life not knowing. When they got back together, it was hard to say who was more thrilled about it: the happy couple or Katniss.

“Come on, Madge,” she sighed, flopping back in her lounge seat. “Why must you always be the diplomatic one?”

“Someone has to be between your impulsiveness and Gale’s anarchy attitude.

“Did someone say anarchy?” the anarchist himself joked, handing Madge her lime-flavored slushie with a kiss on the lips for a tip. He handed Katniss her watermelon one and jokingly asked where his tip was. Katniss threw her three dollars at him with a “Keep the change” rebuttal. Gale laughed and pocketed the cash, lifting Madge’s legs up and over onto his lap so he could sit.

“So what did I miss?”

Madge snorted and offered her boyfriend a sip of her slushie. “Here’s a hint: it’s Katniss’ favorite subject.”

Gale rolled his eyes and accepted the drink. “Mellark again?” He took a large sip and winced at the sudden brain freeze, handing the large cup back. “God, I’m so sick of hearing about that guy. Katniss, get over it and move on already.” Even Gale was getting sick of her talking about it? Somehow, that hit lower on the pathetic scale. Gale was her complaining companion. Her bitch buddy. The person she reserved all her annoyances for because she knew he’d have his own trivial things to complain about. Hell, their friendship was founded upon complaining, starting in 8th Grade Science when their teacher kept giving them busy work to cope with the very public scandal of his wife sleeping with their school principal. They complained about everything with each other.

And now even Gale had said enough.

Well this sucked.

“Fine,” she said, not really feeling fine about it. “I won’t talk about it anymore.” Her friends looked doubtful. “I mean it! No more talk of Peeta Mellark and how my whole summer is practically ruined because I have to have extra practices to teach him how to dance on the field. And I’m not going to talk about how that cuts into my shifts at Aunt LuLu’s store, which means my spending money is going to be next to nothing by the time school starts. So if you two ever want to do anything more fun than hanging around the school parking lot, I guess you’re shit out of luck.”

Gale smiled sweetly at Madge. “I’m so glad she’s not talking about it anymore.” Katniss scowled and gave them the middle finger, causing them both to laugh.

“I think you both are very biased over this whole thing,” Katniss said after a while. Gale and Madge didn’t say anything, too focused on tanning and summer reading homework. That didn’t seem to stop Katniss from continuing. “You’re both too friendly with him because of classes and band. He’s gotten to you.”

“One of us is biased,” Gale said, “and it’s not us. It’s you. You’ve hated him for as long as I’ve known you.”

“With good reason!” she huffed, crossing her arms. They didn’t ask her to elaborate on that, already making it clear they were done talking about Peeta Mellark and all the annoyances he brought to her life, and she hated the fact that she did want to keep talking about him. About marching band. About the whole stupid situation. But she kept her promise and kept her mouth shut. 

No one said anything further until Madge declared herself starving and Gale suggested they stuff their faces with greasy burgers and fries at Sae’s.

**********

Sae’s Diner was packed with its usual lunch crowd—men and women from the factories nearby on lunch, sitting at the worn pastel-colored counter; a couple of kids they recognized from school goofing off in the corner booth, shooting straw wrappers off the straws; and a book club filled with women in their fifties discussing some brick of a book over coffee and Sae’s famous blueberry and cream pie sitting in the center of the small diner. The old woman herself smiled warmly at them when they’d walked in, asking if they were wanting the usual. 

“You’re the best, Sae,” Gale thanked as they waved and headed to their booth next to the front door. 

As they waited for their cheeseburgers and chocolate milkshakes, Gale chatted about some war movie he and his brothers saw that sounded god awful boring, no matter how much he tried re-explaining the plot to them. Madge and Katniss rolled their eyes and told him if he wanted to see the movie again so badly, to go see it by himself. “I’m not going to the movies by myself like some weirdo,” he scoffed, taking his hands off the table as the waitress deposited their plates of food and drinks. 

“Why not?” Katniss asked, picking up a french fry to dip into her milkshake. “I do it all the time.” 

“Because you hate people.” 

“So do you.” He shrugged, not having much to argue there, and picked up his burger. 

“So what time is Trinket summoning you tomorrow?” Gale asked, changing the subject completely, and tearing into his burger. Grease dripped down his hands and Madge tossed a pile of napkins at him. He accepted with a smile and slid his side of pickles over to her, something he purposely ordered more of because he knew how much she liked them. Madge happily bit into one, her eyes gazing at him with such adoration, Katniss rolled her eyes. Their coupling was too much for her sometimes. 

“I thought you didn’t want me talking about marching band,” she said innocently enough, taking a bite into her own burger.

“I didn’t want you talking about Mellark,” he said pointedly, wagging a fry at her. “Marching band is different. Less annoying and less boy drama. So what time does Miss Cream Puff have you coming in?”

It irritated her that Gale simplified her great dislike for Peeta Mellark as mere boy drama because it was far more complicated than that, but there was no point trying to explain it to Gale. He understood a lot about her, but when it came to Peeta… Well, it was best to let him believe whatever he wanted. “Eight a.m. sharp,” she said sourly, dipping another french fry into her milkshake.

Gale winced. “That sucks. Why so early?” 

“Peeta couldn’t get out of working his afternoon shifts and it was either that or not have a single weekend off until November.” She was still bitter about the change in schedule. Originally Miss Trinket wanted them twice a week outside of color guard’s normal rehearsal times, but with Peeta’s work schedule not being as flexible as Katniss’, she’d decided to make it morning rehearsals and make those shorter, which forced them to add another day of rehearsal to make up for the cut time. Now instead of having rehearsal four times a week, Katniss had five with her weekends full of shifts at Aunt LuLu’s shop for the extra cash she desperately needed. This summer was going to blow.

“I still think you should’ve been picked for Juliet,” Katniss told Madge teasingly. “You and Gale, maybe?” she cooed. “The true star-crossed lovers of Athens Ridge.” 

Gale scowled. “I’d rather drop dead than have to deal with Trinket when she’s in choreographer mode. She’s a total tyrant.” 

“She’s not so bad once you get used to her.” 

“Tell me what you think after dealing with her for a whole season, oh captain, my captain.” 

Point taken.

Much like at the pool, they talked for a bit about things going on in their lives—Madge taking some online French class because her grades last semester weren’t great; Gale’s successful find for parts with Thom in the junkyard. Katniss didn’t say much as she munched on her burger and fries, afraid Madge would lecture her again on Peeta Mellark and her inability to let things go with him. That and she promised she was done talking about him. But outside of marching band and him, not much was going on in her life. She felt a bit pathetic about that. 

Conversation picked up when Sae came over, asking how things were doing. The three smiled at the old woman, happy to fill her in on all the small details of their lives. Sae was the unofficial grandmother of the Seam. Always there to show her support for her kiddos. Her small diner was covered with pictures of sports teams she’s sponsored over the years, pictures of her and kids dressed in dance gear, holding certificates. 

“Did you hear the news about Katniss, Sae?” Madge asked when the topic of marching band came up. Sae was always interested in that, loving watching her talented kids play as they wove around the field. “She’s going to be our Juliet this year! Isn’t that exciting?” 

Sae’s grey eyes warmed, turning to Katniss. “Is that so? Captain and the lead part?” She shook her head in astonishment, her salt and peppered colored hair coming loose from her hair tie. “You were always so talented with those flags. I’m not surprised. Who’s your Romeo?” 

“Peeta Mellark.” The name felt lodged in her throat, but thankfully, it squeezed out without too much of a squeak in her voice. 

Sae didn’t know all the kids on the west side, but she definitely knew Peeta. He would often tag along with her and her dad on their trips to the woods, stopping at the diner after for hot chocolate and pie. In fact, his picture was one of the first ones you saw coming in—Sae and six-year-old Peeta smiling at the camera, her arm around him as he proudly held up his lost baby tooth. Her dad had taken the picture, she remembered, and if the camera’s lens had shifted a little more to the right, it would have also captured five-year-old Katniss pouting on the side, upset that he kept losing his baby teeth when she’d lost none. It was a picture her gaze avoided whenever they visited Sae’s, unable to stomach the sight of an old friend turned asshole, the memory of her dad’s laughter as he took the photo. 

“Oh, Peeta,” Sae chuckled, the familiar twinkle she always got in her eyes when he was around. The old woman doted on him when they were kids and he ate up her attention like there was no tomorrow. “How is that boy? Staying out of mischief, I hope?” 

Gale and Madge looked to her with knowing smiles, wondering what she would say. Katniss cleared her throat and looked down at her half-eaten plate for a moment. “Fine, I guess. We don’t hang out anymore. You know that, Sae.” 

She did know that, but it never stopped her from asking whenever he came up. “Aye, girl, I do. I suppose you aren’t happy with Effie Trinket’s choice, then?” 

Gale snorted. “Happy? More like obsessively pissed. She hasn’t shut up about it since May.” She glared at her friend and he shrugged, popping a fry in his mouth. “What? You haven’t.” 

Sae gave one of her warm, crooked teeth smiles. “Maybe this is the push you kiddos need to kiss and make up.” Katniss’ cheeks warmed at the mention of kisses, remembering Leevy’s comment how they were so going to have sex by the end of the year. She still hadn’t fully forgiven her friend for that suggestion.

“I’m afraid that’s impossible, Sae,” she said, her voice still a little strained. “We’re just too different.”  

“Ah, well. I suppose we grow in different directions sometimes,” the woman sighed with a shake of her head. A woman from the book club table called for her and Sae gave them a parting wave and smile. “Tell Peeta ol’ Sae misses her boy and that he needs to come in more. I haven’t seen him in ages.”

Katniss pointedly avoided Gale and Madge’s amused smirks, focusing on the burger in front of her. “I’ll be sure to pass the message along,” she muttered, taking a big bite of her food to avoid continuing this conversation. She loved Sae. Thought of her like a grandmother. But there was no way in hell was she telling Peeta that. No way. Then he’d think she was gushing about him to anyone who would listen, thrilled to be his Juliet, a role many girls at school would kill for (Probably. Maybe. She thinks.), and then his stupid ego would just get bigger and he’d be even more obnoxious to deal with. No, best not to mention anything and lie next time she saw Sae. 

A small part felt guilty at that, though, because Sae was like a grandma who wanted the best for her, and Peeta too, she guessed, but again, Sae didn’t know what happened between them. And Katniss wasn’t going to fill her in on their broken history six years too late. 

Her phone next to her plate vibrated, signifying a text message just came in. Wiping her greasy hands, Katniss frowned, picking up her phone. Who was texting her? Everyone who’d text her was either sitting right across from her or were busy at work or camp. The little text message lit up at her touch, showing it was from an unknown number, and her frown turned into a scowl as she read it. 

Hey!!!!!!!!!1!1111!!!!!!! the message read with a thousand typo-filled exclamation marks. God, who text like that? Trinket gave me ur ######## Hope thats cool. Thought Id give mine!!!!!!!111111 🤗 Ill see u  Mon dearest Juliet ❤️❤️❤️❤️!!!!!!!!!!!!111!😘😘😘😘!!!111!!!!!! 

For the briefest of seconds, Katniss swore her vision blacked out. One moment she was staring at her phone. The next, darkness. Like her brain couldn’t process the simple text on her phone and chose to shut down instead. When her vision cleared, the message was still there, glaring brightly at her with those thousand exclamation/number marks. 

Peeta Mellark texted her. He had her number.

         Her stomach churned and now she feared that what her mother always warned about Sae’s greasy food would come true now and she’d throw it all up. 

Peeta Mellark texted her. It was truly official. He had her number and she had his and they were partners now. If she had any doubts about this whole thing before—as if she had dreamt the last four weeks of her life—they were wiped clean now. Replaced with this typo-filled text message from the very boy who hurt her. 

“You okay?” Madge asked.

Katniss nodded and clicked out of the message, tossing the phone into her bag. She’d deal with it later.

[osakaso5]

IDOLiSH7 5th Anniversary Special Story: Opening Doors...

Chapter 4: A Discussion With No End

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 

Toma Inumaru: First off, what comes to mind when you think of idols?

Mitsuki Izumi: Fun!

Riku Nanase: Popular?

Tamaki Yotsuba: They get to go on TV! They're celebrities!

Momo: They're bustling and happy, I guess?

Gaku Yaotome: Spotlights.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: And dancing.

Tenn Kujo: Singing. Though I'm not sure how you can express singing through food...

Torao Mido: Also... Oh, I know. They do more stuff than you'd expect.

Yamato Nikaido: Right. They can be or do just about anything.

Nagi Rokuya: Emotional. Moving.   They want to make your heart quiver, and they succeed in doing so.

Sogo Osaka: Popular celebrities who can change into just about anything, who sing and dance...

Minami Natsume: I wonder what sort of food would be like that...

Tamaki Yotsuba: Hmm... Wheat flour?

Iori Izumi: Wheat flour’s definitely versatile.

Riku Nanase: But I don't think it's got idol vibes. It's only really popular as a base for other foods.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Ah, okay.

Haruka Isumi: What about eggs?

Gaku Yaotome: Eggs?

Haruka Isumi: Ah, yes. Uh... Well, there's a lot of people who like eggs, and they can become just about anything, so...

Tamaki Yotsuba: Pudding's made of eggs, too! Isumin, you're a genius!

Haruka Isumi: O-oh yeah? Well, it's not like I care if you compliment me or not!

Torao Mido: He's the brother of your girlfriend, so you should be polite  to him.

Tamaki Yotsuba: She's not his girlfriend!

Haruka Isumi: She's not my girlfriend!

Tenn Kujo: The brother of your girlfriend? What's this about?

Mitsuki Izumi: Oh, you don't know, Kujo?

Tenn Kujo: Are you talking about my sister?

Tamaki Yotsuba: She's MY sister!

Yuki: Not to interrupt your conversation or anything, but are you sure you want to do this while the cameras are rolling?

Yamato Nikaido: Calm down, Tama.   We can talk this over later.

Tamaki Yotsuba: ...Fine. Later.

Tenn Kujo: .........

Riku Nanase: Ku... Kujo-san, you still have me!

Tenn Kujo: Ah... Thank you.

Riku Nanase: Ehehe.

Momo: ...How weird does this conversation have to be to anyone who doesn't know these kids' true relationship?

Mitsuki Izumi: It'll be fine! Isn't Re:vale always like this, too?

Momo: I guess so~! Yuki's always got me by his side!

Yuki: I know, Momo.

Gaku Yaotome: You've got me, too.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Exactly. And me!

Yuki: Thank you.

Tenn Kujo: They were clearly talking to me.

Sogo Osaka: Well then, our idol-themed dish will be something with eggs.

Iori Izumi: Osaka-san!? Did you just hit the brakes on our current conversation!?

Sogo Osaka: Ah, sorry. I thought we'd settled on it...

Toma Inumaru: Sogo... You're steamrolling this conversation harder than I expected...

Mitsuki Izumi: You've got it all wrong. He's only trying to force the conversation along because he doesn't know what else to do.

Nagi Rokuya: OH... I too have experienced this.

Nagi Rokuya: When my family is having a hard time planning for a party...

Nagi Rokuya: They begin bulldozing   others.

Minami Natsume: I'm well aware. Though it is interesting to hear about how the ruling classes deal with these sorts of problems.

Momo: It's not like he could do this normally, though. You gotta be a little overbearing when you're dealing with 16 people!

Momo: Thanks, Sogo! I agree that we should make something with eggs!

Sogo Osaka: Thank you. And thank you for the suggestion, Isumi-san.

Haruka Isumi: Ehehe... You're welcome!

Toma Inumaru: Oh, by the way... Should we make a Western or Japanese style dish?

Gaku Yaotome: So basically, idol bowl or idol plate?

Minami Natsume: The plate sounds stylish. It might turn out like a children's lunch special.

Torao Mido: But didn't you make a Good Luck Snake Skin bowl last time?

Minami Natsume: Yes.

Torao Mido: Why didn't you make a plate back then?

Minami Natsume: Who knows. Perhaps I had no interest in appearing stylish or childlike at the time?

Gaku Yaotome: I'd prefer a bowl. It's got more of a kindred spirit to it.

Minami & Torao: Kindred spirit...

Gaku Yaotome: On a plate, all the stuff is cleanly separated, and there's barely any unity there, right?

Tenn Kujo: Can you stop assigning personalitites to food?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: I kinda get where he's coming from, though. Stuff like oyakodon and katsudon do have a kind of unity already.

Gaku Yaotome: Right!?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: A ŹOOĻ bowl would make your group stick together until you're in your 60's!

Toma Inumaru: Yeah, maybe.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: But a ŹOOĻ plate would probably end up driving you all into going solo.

Haruka Isumi: Uh... I guess we should go with a bowl, in that case..?

Gaku Yaotome: Right? Unity is crucial to a group. We're making our menu in the bowl form, with eggs.

Yamato Nikaido: With all these hot bowl takes being thrown around, we've got basically no choice but to go with a Japanese dish...

Mitsuki Izumi: Good thing you're already a big fan of Japanese cuisine to begin with, you geezer.

Yamato Nikaido: Yeah.

Mitsuki Izumi: I can't say I have any complaints about it, either! Raise your hand if you wanna make something Japanese, guys.

Tamaki, Nagi, & Riku: We do!

Minami Natsume: Very well. Let's unite our friends, and devour them.

Torao Mido: Stop talking like a movie villain... I don't mind Japanese food, either.

Toma Inumaru: "Idol bowl" sounds nice and simple!

Haruka Isumi: I'm cool with Japanese, too.  

Mitsuki Izumi: That settles it!

Riku Nanase: Yep!

Tamaki Yotsuba: We're having Japanese and eggs!

Mitsuki Izumi: Great job, picking out a second direction to take our flavor! We've gotta be geniuses!

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Well done, everyone! Let's give ourselves a round of applause! 

Clap clap clap

Haruka Isumi: ...Are you guys always like this?

Iori Izumi: Yes, we are.

Minami Natsume: Hee hee. I like it. You're very self-encouraging.

Momo: Okay! Let's keep the genius ideas coming!

Mitsuki Izumi: What other ingredients do we choose? If all we've got is eggs, we won't even beat some egg on rice.

Gaku Yaotome: It's got great potential.

Riku Nanase: We chose eggs because they're popular and can do anything, right? What else are we working with?

Nagi Rokuya: Let me think... A sunny side up egg and rice bowl.

Nagi Rokuya: While it is a friendly dish, it does not evoke the idea of idols, or anything special.

Yamato Nikaido: I think sunny side up eggs suit idols pretty well. Wouldn't some wieners made for a nice duo with that?

Momo: Like me and Yuki? By the way, do you think I'm the egg or the wieners?

Yamato Nikaido: Uh, I don't really care...

Yuki: Wouldn't you be the sunny side up egg, since you have such a sunny personality?

Momo: I'm so happy you'd say that~!

Mitsuki Izumi: Momo-san, didn't you use to be Yuki-san's fan?

Mitsuki Izumi: Did he ever remind you of an egg and some wieners back then?

Momo: Ah... Nope, not at all. He was like, more special... Like something you can't just get at a supermarket...

Yuki: I guess that means I've been downgraded to common produce over the years.

Mitsuki Izumi: That's exactly my point. I like eggs fine, but to me, someone like Zero is...

Momo: A rare encounter!

Mitsuki Izumi: Right! Someone I don't just get to see whenever!

Tenn Kujo: I get it now.

Tenn Kujo: Idols and fans can't meet whenever they want. Only a few times a year, during lives.

Nagi Rokuya: Yes! They are not something you can see in your refrigerator every day, but special, like a cake.

Momo: Oh, I know! Why don't we make something seasonal!?

Momo: Something you can't eat the whole year round, that you need to really wait for!

Tamaki Yotsuba: Like watermelon!

Haruka Isumi: Or kashiwa mochi?

Torao Mido: Don't you mean seafood? Depending on the season and where you live, it can even be considered a luxury.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Some kind of seasonal seafood dish. Sounds good!

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: High grade meat can feel special too, but seafood and fruit are harder to come by depending on the time of year.

Gaku Yaotome: Right. And fruit probably won't fit into our bowl, so  we can narrow it down to seafood that goes with eggs...

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Like lobster?

Minami Natsume: Lobster and eggs sounds good. I like both.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: They're really good!

Iori Izumi: Not to mention red and yellow are bright colors that go well with our idol theme.

Torao Mido: Then again... You can just go buy lobster at a supermarket these days.

Toma Inumaru: What if we use some super rare kind of lobster? We could probably find something like that online.

Yamato Nikaido: Right. We're gonna be traveling for our ingredients, anyway. Let's look it up.

Haruka Isumi: Super rare lobster...

Iori Izumi: ...What is with your phone case..?

Tamaki Yotsuba: Isumin, you got a new case. It's like, scary but cute.

Haruka Isumi: I got it from a fan. Apparently it's the gothic lolita version of some popular rabbit mascot.

Momo: Now that we've all got our phones out, they really show off our personalities!

Yuki: And don't those of us who are the same age have similar phones? Like Mitsuki-kun and Torao-kun.

Torao Mido: Oh, you're right.

Mitsuki Izumi: Nope, our cases are made from totally different materials.

Torao Mido: Where?

Mitsuki Izumi: See? 

Torao Mido: Ahaha! Nevermind that, your screen's cracked to hell.

Mitsuki Izumi: Ahaha! I drop it a lot!

Momo: I wonder if all the age twins here have similar phones. What about you, Nagi and Minami?

Minami Natsume: Would you like a look? Here you go.

Nagi Rokuya: Have mine, as well! It is Cocona-themed, of course!

Yuki: These two are so different you might as well be a full generation apart.

Momo: I guess not everyone of the same age is similar.

Sogo Osaka: Ah... I found some kind of lobster that's both seasonal and very rare.

Yamato Nikaido: Oh, which one?

Sogo Osaka: This.

Yamato Nikaido: Manami Bay's local specialty, the "Dancing Lobster".

Yamato Nikaido: It can only be caught for a limited time, and its body has been tempered with flavor by the tides. Its name comes from how lively its movements are.

Gaku Yaotome: Sounds like a treat...

Toma Inumaru: Sounds super tasty...

Nagi Rokuya: OH! A dancing lobster! A lobster that dances like an idol! I shall become a lobster and dance, as well!

Tamaki Yotsuba: Ahaha! What's up with your movements!? You pretending to be a lobster?

Nagi Rokuya: Yes! Join me, Tamaki!

Tamaki Yotsuba: Lobsters, lobsters~! Dancing lobsters~!

Yamato Nikaido: Ahaha! What are you guys even doing?

Sogo Osaka: Ah, Yamato-san. May I have my phone back?

Yamato Nikaido: Oh, my bad. Did you need to check something?

Sogo Osaka: No. I just wanted to film their dancing.

Yamato Nikaido: What are you, their dad?

Torao Mido: It's gotta be for surveillance...

Sogo Osaka: N-no, it's not. We can use the video for the show.

Iori Izumi: I found a good spot to get our eggs, as well. There's a place called Dearest Eggs, which raises their chickens in a stress-free environment.

Haruka Isumi: Huh? Lemme see.

Iori Izumi: Look, right over here.

Haruka Isumi: Oh, wow. The chickens are organically fed and get to listen to music...

Iori Izumi: It seems like a nice place, doesn't it?

Haruka Isumi: Yeah. Mom chickens who grew up listening to music. They're like idols too!

Iori Izumi: Haha. ...What is it, Nanase-san? You're pointing your phone at us.

Riku Nanase: I thought you guys might start dancing, like Tamaki and Nagi!

Iori Izumi: We will not!

Haruka Isumi: But since I'm our team's variety expert, maybe I should..?

Iori Izumi: Get a hold of yourself, Isumi-san. Isn't ŹOOĻ supposed to be the anti-society idol group?

Haruka Isumi: What kinda scary title is that..?

Tenn Kujo: As our team's representative, Yamato Nikaido has agreed to dance for us.

Yamato Nikaido: As if. There's no way I'll...

Riku Nanase: Yamato-san! Turn towards my camera!

Yamato Nikaido: R-Riku...

Mitsuki Izumi: Riku's our leader's weak point...

Riku Nanase: Since their name is Dearest Eggs, your dance has to have that kind of vibe, too!

Yamato Nikaido: .........

Yamato Nikaido: D... Dearest~. You're the dearest eggs~.

Riku Nanase: Ahaha! That's so cute!

Mitsuki Izumi: Ahaha! He really is dancing!

Nagi Rokuya: OH! So cute!

Tenn Kujo: Let's give him a round of applause! 

Clap clap clap

Yamato Nikaido: That's enough, already! ...Hm?

Minami Natsume: Hee hee...

Yamato Nikaido: What, Natsume-chan? Were you filming me, too?

Minami Natsume: Yes. I thought I'd send this to a certain senior actor from my former agency.

Yamato Nikaido: Wait... The hell you will!

Yuki: I'll send him a video, too. Do the dance one more time.

Yamato Nikaido: I said no!

Toma Inumaru: The Dancing Lobster, Dearest Eggs... We found pretty good ingredients.

Sogo Osaka: Right. All we need now is something with more neutral colors, to balance their brightness...

Toma Inumaru: Balance, huh. Idols aren't all about flashy centers, after all.

Toma Inumaru: Drawing attention to the centers by dancing behind them is an important job, too.

Toma Inumaru: Could we use some kinda greens to bring out the lobster and the egg?

Yamato Nikaido: Like me?

Yuki: Like me?

Haruka Isumi: Like me?

Toma Inumaru: We're not talking about your color schemes!

Nagi Rokuya: OK! If it is green we need, then I shall nominate green beans!

Mitsuki Izumi: Beans sounds good! I bet even the kiddies will eat them just fine! Does anyone have any suggestions?

Torao Mido: ...Come to think of it, the cook at a tea house I was at served me beans.  

Torao Mido: It was some kind of dish made with high class edamame...

Mitsuki Izumi: Whoa, that sounds delicious. Was it any good?

Torao Mido: Yeah, very flavorful.

Toma Inumaru: Sounds good. Can we ask that cook about them?

Torao Mido: I don't know the number to that place. I'll ask my assistant.

Toma Inumaru: Assistant?

Mitsuki Izumi: You've got an assistant!?

Torao Mido: Technically, they're my brother's PA, who gave me a ride.   I'll message them.

Mitsuki Izumi: Oh.

Torao Mido: Haha, even I know an idol's job isn't anything special enough to warrant an assistant.

Mitsuki Izumi: .........

Torao Mido: What's with the frown? Ah, I don't mean to say that it's a menial job or anything. Especially since I'm so popular.

Torao Mido: Oh, a response. The place is called... Agh!

Torao Mido: ...Why did you slap my arm?

Mitsuki Izumi: An idol's job is special!

Torao Mido: .........

Mitsuki Izumi: It is!

Yamato Nikaido: Hey, Mitsu! Sorry, this guy can be kind of hot-headed.

Sogo Osaka: Mido-san. Mitsuki-san is right, RedFest was an important job.  

Torao Mido: Sogo...

Sogo Osaka: So important that I'd love to be the personal assistant of any artist who performed there.

Tamaki Yotsuba: You never told me you wanna be a PA.

Yuki: Same here.

Momo: You wanna be a PA too, Yuki!?

Mitsuki Izumi: Don't talk like that when you're popular and have been getting plenty of work. Think of how that makes me feel.

Torao Mido: .........

Torao Mido: General...

Mitsuki Izumi: What is it, private!? ...Wait, who are you calling "general"?

Torao Mido: No. I was talking about the beans... They're called the "General's Edamame".

Mitsuki Izumi: Oh, you got a reply already? General's Edamame, now that sounds good.

Torao Mido: Don't you think something named aftera military commander is a weird background element for our dish?

Mitsuki Izumi: Nope, if anything, that just makes it more reliable! You know what they say about actions over words. Here, Nagi. Doesn't this look good?

Nagi Rokuya: OH! Beautiful! Such big and pretty green beans!

Torao Mido: Haha... Okay, I guess that's my rec, then.

Toma Inumaru: Eggs, lobster, beans... Since we've got four teams, we might wanna come up with at least one more thing.

Iori Izumi: Haven't you all forgotten something very essential?

Toma Inumaru: Essential?

Iori Izumi: Our bowl still needs rice.

Riku Nanase: Oh yeah! Rice is really important!

Tamaki Yotsuba: I wonder what kinda rice suits idols.

Nagi Rokuya: It is not comparable to idols, but I know of a rice that is like a live venue.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Live house rice..?

Gaku Yaotome: Or live rice, for short..?

Tenn Kujo: Why did it have to be shortened..?

Nagi Rokuya: YES! The live rice is like the the light of glowsticks.

Nagi Rokuya: As for its true name... Er, Mitsuki, it is the rice you made the other day.

Nagi Rokuya: You bought it to help nourish Tamaki, because he refuses to eat vegetables... Er, mi... mi...

Riku Nanase: Miracle Rice!

Iori Izumi: Are you talking about millet rice?

Nagi Rokuya: OH! That is it! Millet rice!

Mitsuki Izumi: Millet rice is like glowsticks to you..? Ah! You mean because of all the grains that are mixed in!

Sogo Osaka: I guess it does resemble the brightly colored lights at a concert.

Haruka Isumi: When you put it like that, it's kinda cute! Sure, why not? I like millet rice too.

Riku Nanase: I like it too! What about you, Tenn-nii?

Iori Izumi: Ah, you idiot...

Tenn Kujo: .........

Gaku Yaotome: Yeah, I do.

Iori Izumi: Huh?

Tenn Kujo: Huh? Why are you the one responding...

Gaku Yaotome: Because I'm the guy with the hot tenn-per. Right, Nanase?

Riku Nanase: ........! Right!

Riku's Thoughts: Yaotome-san covered for me..!

Ryunosuke's Thoughts: Gaku! He risked himself for Tenn and Riku-kun..!

Toma's Throughts: Gaku Yaotome's such a cool dude...

Iori & Tenn's Thoughts: There's no way they're going to buy that excuse.

Sogo Osaka: In any case, our final ingredient will be millet rice.

Yamato Nikaido: Here it comes..! The steamroller!

Tenn Kujo: He bulldozed us into changing the topic...

Momo: Sogo, it doesn't hurt to raise your voice in times like this.

Sogo Osaka: I see...

Sogo Osaka: Millet rice!

Momo: Wait, that's it!?

Toma Inumaru: Ah... I guess I should yell too...

Sogo Osaka: Ah, right. On three...

Sogo & Toma: Millet rice!

Mitsuki Izumi: Ahaha! You guys are so cute! The most wholesome project leads ever!

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Congrats!

Yamato Nikaido: I don't really get what's going on, but congrats!

Toma Inumaru: Thanks! We've finally got four ingredients!

Sogo Osaka: That's great!

Minami Natsume: As for our particular blend of millet rice, this brand seems good. The "Radiant 16-Grain", which is popular with women.

Nagi Rokuya: OH! Radiant! It really is like glowsticks!

Yamato Nikaido: And it's got as many grains as there are of us, making it perfect for our idol bowl!

Riku Nanase: Does this mean the idol bowl is complete!?

Iori Izumi: Not yet, but we've got all the ingredients.

Mitsuki Izumi: So, which team gets which ingredient?

Yuki: Let's make the youngest member of each group play rock- paper-scissors.

Yuki: Who's the youngest member of Team Peace?

Riku Nanase: It's me!

Tenn Kujo: What about Team Honor Students? Iori Izumi or Haruka Isumi?

Iori Izumi: It's probably me.

Tamaki Yotsuba: And from Team Rascals, it's me!

Nagi Rokuya: OK! And I, from Team Celeb!

Momo: Okay, get started! Rock, paper...

Iori, Tamaki, Nagi, & Riku: Scissors!

Iori Izumi: I won.

Yamato Nikaido: Ichi, the lobsters! Get us the lobsters!

Iori Izumi: Do you really like lobster that much, Nikaido-san?

Yamato Nikaido: There's a higher chance that we get to eat something good if we go to a fishing harbour!

Iori Izumi: Ugh... Are you fine with this as well, Kujo-san and Isumi-san?

Tenn Kujo: I don't mind.

Haruka Isumi: Sure.

Tamaki Yotsuba: I won the next round!

Mitsuki Izumi: Great job! Where do you wanna go, Tamaki?

Tamaki Yotsuba: I wanna go eat eggs. Are you guys cool with that?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Sure, why not? I'm sure fresh eggs will taste delicious!

Toma Inumaru: And they might have some kinda regional pudding that you can't get anywhere else! You like pudding, don't you?

Tamaki Yotsuba: Ahaha! Yeah!

Nagi Rokuya: I have won the next match!

Riku Nanase: Aah! I lost!

Gaku Yaotome: Don't worry about it, Nanase.

Momo: Where do you wanna go, Nagi? It's either the Radiant 16-Grain or the General's Edamame!

Nagi Rokuya: The Radiant 16-Grain, which was my idea! I want to witness it for myself!

Sogo Osaka: Okay, I guess we'll be getting the millet rice.

Torao Mido: Doesn't really sound like a job for Team Celeb, though.

Riku Nanase: Where does Team Peace want to go!?

Yuki: Hehe. The beans are the only thing left.

Minami Natsume: That doesn't sound so bad, does it? I'm sure the General's Edamame will be delicious.

Gaku Yaotome: Right! Let's make the most of it!

Riku Nanase: Yeah!

Iori Izumi: ...Our meeting is finally over.

Mitsuki Izumi: Phew... But it was fun!

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: It's the first time all of us have gotten together for a long chat like this!

Nagi Rokuya: It was very lively!

Yamato Nikaido: I'm beat.

Torao Mido: There's still plenty for us to do.

Momo: Okay, wrap things up, you two!

Sogo Osaka: Yes.

Toma Inumaru: Ah, um...

Momo: Come on, louder...

Sogo & Toma: Meeting over!

All: Good work! 

Clap clap clap

To be continued...

[cinnamon-roll-seth]

Secret || Sarah Cameron x Maybank!Reader

Request: can u do a sarah one were the reader is a jj’s sister and kiaras best friend but she’s secretly dating sarah and then kiara and the pogues all find out and jj’s ok with it after understanding and u can do whatever with kie 😊

“God I could stay here forever,” You moan, digging your face into Sarah’s hair as the two of you cuddle on her large bed.

“I wish you never had to leave,” She agrees. You two had been dating for four months now and while neither of you were ashamed of the other you’d mutually agreed to keep it quiet for awhile.

“JJ gets home in an hour and he’s expecting me to be home. I can’t have Kiara cover for me again, she’s starting to get suspicious.” You loved your brother dearly but he was protective, especially since he’d practically been serving as your father figure for years. Your best friend Kiara had been covering for you a lot since you and Sarah had gotten together but she was starting to ask questions and you were afraid of how she would react if she knew the truth. Her and Sarah didn’t have the best relationship.

“Yeah Rafe will be home from golfing soon and if he spots you it’ll be hell on earth. No offense.” She apologizes at the end and you shrug. You didn’t blame her for her brother’s hatred for the pogues, especially your own brother.

“None taken. If any of my friends knew where I was right now they’d probably call me a kook sympathizer. Or a helpless victim,” You smirk while she slaps your shoulder playfully.

“They wouldn’t call you a victim if they heard how you were moaning my name twenty minutes ago.”

“No they’d just think I’d been brainwashed. The big bad Sarah Cameron got into my head and made me fall in love with her, oh no, the world is going to end.”

“Hey I’ll admit to that one. Now I get you all to myself,” She leans in and plants a sweet watermelon flavored kiss on your lips.

“I could do that all day,” You smile when you pull away but then frown, “But unfortunately I have to leave.”

“So soon?” She pouts as you stand up and start gathering your things.

“Babe believe me. If I didn’t have to go I wouldn’t be. I’ll be back at 9AM on Saturday, JJ’s working another double.” You lean down and give her another kiss and when you pull away she reaches over on her dresser to grab the expensive diamond bracelet that she always wore. It was practically pocket change to her but you’d have to save up for at least a year to be able to afford it.

“Will you wear it?” She asks, pleading up at you with her big brown eyes that you could never resist.

“I wouldn’t want to loose it,” You reply but sigh when she pouts, “If I loose this it’s on you.” You warn, slipping the expensive jewelry over your wrist.

She shrugs, “My dad gave it to me to make up for marrying Rose back before I was able to tolerate her. Do you have any idea how many ‘makeup’ gifts he’s gotten me?”

“I have an idea. I have nothing to give you of mine though.”

“Oh don’t worry. I already took my little souvenir,” She winks as she lifts up her shirt to reveal your lacy red bra covering her chest.

“Sarah Cameron you sneaky little shit,” You smirk as she laughs and pulls her shirt back down.

“I guess you’ll have to leave the girls out.”

“Yeah well me and the girls need to leave. I guess I’ll just have to take this.” You grab one of her sweatshirts off the chair next to her dresser and pull it over your head.

“Oh so my plan failed. Well if you insist. Text me later?” You nod and the two of you kiss one last time before you climb out her window and make the way towards your house.

Sometime along the way you get a text from Kie telling you everyone is meeting up at John B’s so you change your direction, walking towards the chateau. Eventually you start to get hot and, deciding that nobody is around to see your braless chest, pull off the hoodie and tie it around your waist.

When you receive another message stating that JJ is pissed and demanding to know where you are you start to speed up until you’re walking up the front steps of the house, completely forgetting to put the hoodie back on. Not that it matters, all the guys have seen you shirtless at some point anyway (it’s a long story).

You step inside the porch, immediately seeing your brother’s angry face staring back at you, “Where the hell have you been all day?”

“I- um-“ You look back at Kie to silently ask what excuse she told him. She mouths ‘sorry’ as JJ waves his hand in front or your face.

“Don’t look at her. Did you forget that I got off early today? I’ve been off work for hours Y/N. So again, where the hell have you- are you not wearing a bra? What the hell Y/N, were you out screwing someone?!” You push past him into the house.

“It’s none of your damn business where I was JJ. I’m here now aren’t I?” You pull the hoodie off your waist and toss it on the couch before sitting down and leaning back, closing your eyes.

“It is my business because I’m trying to keep you safe! It’s my responsibility as your older brother to- Y/N what the fuck is this?” You open your eyes and they quickly widen as you see what JJ is holding in front of you.

Sarahs hoodie. You didn’t realize before that it was one of her old ones from when she played volleyball and mentally curse yourself as you read ‘Cameron’ on the back in big bold lettering.

“Are you macking Rafe Cameron?! You better not be!” He yells angrily as you stand up and yank the piece of clothing out of his hands.

“Hell no! Are you crazy?!” You yell back.

“Then why the hell do you have a sweatshirt that says Cameron on the back?! Where the hell did that bracelet come from?”

“Oh my god,” Kiara breathes, stepping forward to inspect the diamonds around your wrist, immediately recognizing them, “It’s not Rafe. It’s Sarah.”

“What?” JJ steps back. Kiara was the only person who knew you were bisexual.

“Are you macking Sarah?” Kiara asks.

“Kie-“

“Just tell me Y/N. Are you macking Sarah Cameron?”

“No- yes- it’s not like that. Me and Sarah are together. Like dating.” You finally admit, staring down at the ground.

A look of betrayal comes over her face and she steps back in shock. JJ’s eyes widen as he steps forward in her place. Even John B and Pope who’d been standing off to the side watching had looks of shock on their faces.

“You’re-? Why didn’t you tell me? How long?” Your brother asks.

“Bisexual...I wasn’t ready to tell anybody. Sarah and I have been together for four months.”

“Four months?! You’ve been dating a kook for four months and didn’t tell any of us?!” John B asks.

“Yeah what happened to no secrets between pogues?” Pope continues.

“Sarah Cameron? God Y/N, what were you thinking?! You’re not dating a kook you, you’re dating the god damn kook princess! The Camerons are the worst ones!” JJ yells.

“Well maybe if you all weren’t so judgemental I would’ve told you sooner!” You yell at them angrily. You weren’t about to let them hate on your girl because they had problems with kooks.

“Sarah is nothing like Rafe or any of the other kooks. She’s kind and caring and she doesn’t hate on people simply because of what side of the island they come from. God I’m ashamed of all of you. I thought you guys were better then this.” They all look down at the ground for a moment until JJ speaks up.

“Is she good to you? Are you happy?”

You nod, “Very. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

He sighs, “Then I guess I have to accept it. You’re not a kid anymore. You’re old enough to make your own choices and if you want to be with Sarah Cameron then that’s your decision. As long as you’re happy I’m happy.” John B and Pope both nod in agreement. You smile and step forward to give your brother a hug before pulling back.

You turn towards Kie who’d been standing back, arms crossed over her chest, silent for the past few minutes. The look of betrayal hadn’t left her face and you could tell that she was not going to be easy to get on board.

“Kiara,” You say softly, stepping towards your best friend.

“I didn’t mean to. Trust me, do you think I’d really purposely go for her knowing that you two don’t get along? Of course not! Kie your my best friend, I’ll always take your feelings into consideration. I didn’t mean to fall in love with her. It just happened and now I don’t think I could live without her. Please don’t be angry, I can’t stand you being angry with me,” You plead.

“I’m not angry. It’s not your fault that you fell for her. I won’t pretend to like her but I’ll tolerate her for your sake. Just please be careful okay?” You smile and the two of you hug it out.

“Sarah Cameron, huh sis?” JJ smirks, “Wait, does that mean that we could’ve been checking out chicks together this whole time?”

“We have been, you just didn’t notice. Didn’t you ever question why most of the girls you hooked up with were always tired already?” You and the others laugh as his jaw drops, “Don’t worry bro, they’re all yours. I have a girl now and she’s pretty great.”

I’m currently on an 8 hour drive and this kept me busy for about 2 hours so thanks for requesting lol. I hope you like it! Reminder, requests are currently closed!

[nancypullen]

Melons and Murders

We didn't do anything special on the 4th of July. Because only 30-something percent of Tennesseans are vaccinated and the Delta variant is unpredictable, we're still avoiding crowds. It sucks because I really want to enjoy a ballgame or a concert. Downtown Nashville broke a previous record by hosting an estimated 400,000 drunken idiots for an Independence Day celebration. What could possibly go wrong there, right? So we stayed home, grilled some brats, and watched tv while our neighborhood lit up like a combat zone. It was insane. After all of that grumpy complaining, I'm actually here to pay tribute to summer food. As far as I'm concerned, the absolute QUEEN of the summer is the Sugar Kiss melon.

This melon will change your life. I've never tasted anything so good. Don't be deceived into thinking this is just a cantaloupe. This is magic in your mouth. This melon tastes like it's been injected with vanilla and sugar. They're only in season for a brief part of the summer and we eat about three a week. Not even kidding. We get ours at Publix, even though I've seen and purchased them elsewhere, the Publix melons seem to be at peak freshness. I don't know if Kroger warehouses theirs before they're in stores or what, but the Publix melons are superior. You'll spot Sugar Kiss melons right away, wrapped in their distinctive blue mesh and set apart from the other cantaloupe. Get one (no, seriously, get two) and you can thank me later. It wouldn't be summer without watermelon. I buy one every Saturday, chunk it up and keep it in a big, lidded tub in the frig. When I come in from working in the yard, hot and sweaty, a couple of pieces of chilled watermelon cools me down faster than anything I could drink. Mickey says the same thing. It's always sad toward the end of summer when watermelon becomes scarce. I have some heirloom seeds from my Grandma Ethel's watermelon patch that I treasure, and I haven't had the courage to plant them. How silly is that? I'd hate to get my hopes up and have some stupid pest ruin everything. Anyyywhooo...back to watermelon. Aside from just eating it straight, I'm addicted to this combo.

Day after day, I drop chunks of watermelon into a bowl, sprinkle some feta and a bit of chopped, fresh mint leaves, then top it with a quick squeeze of lime, just a little. Holy moley, I hear angels sing when I eat this. The super sweet melon, the salty feta, the zing from the mint and the lime - it's everything a summer dish should be. It doesn't hurt my feelings that it's really pretty to look at too. Know what else I'm addicted to? Breakfast salads. I love breakfast, it's my favorite meal of the day. I would be content to eat a hearty breakfast and then just nibble for the rest of the day. Normally I'll dice up tomato and onion and get it sizzling in a skillet, then I'll throw in some riced broccoli.

Once that's cooked through, I season and scramble two eggs and pour that in - a few stirs with a spatula and I've got a bowlful of veggie eggs and a yummy breakfast. If you're so inclined and can spare the calories, add cheese or bacon or whatever floats your boat. It's delicious, low in calories and fat, offers plenty of protein and fiber, and will keep you full all day. Winner. Lately I've been throwing together a flavorful salad...spring greens, a quarter of an avocado, a tablespoon of feta, and a tablespoon of crumbled bacon. Super simple.

Then I spritz a pan with a little olive oil and fry an egg. I season it like crazy and plop it right on top of the salad.

When I cut through the egg it releases the warm, yummy yolk as a dressing and coats everything. It's a delicious, healthy breakfast. The mister and I are still working the Weight Watchers thing. It's so stinkin' easy and NOTHING is off limits. I'm on the Purple Plan because I don't like to log things, so I have a bazillion "free" foods but only 16 points a day. The items that cost me are fatty things like mayo and butter. As long as I eat clean and whole foods (even whole grain pasta is zero points for me!) I can finish every day with points to spare. A grilled chicken breast with roasted broccoli and sweet potato is a zero point meal. How simple is that? Of course, that doesn't mean I don't have treats. It didn't take me long to figure out that a macaron is just two points and totally worth it. I'm down 21 pounds and it's been embarrassingly easy to do. It's been a slow drip, pretty much a pound a week, but it's the easiest diet I've ever been on and I think I've tried them all. Sorry, I rambled. I promised melons and murder. The murder part is really more of a question for you. It's no secret that I'm a true crime junkie. My DVR history is frightening- Snapped, Cold Justice, etc. My reading list looks like I'm either planning or solving a murder. But I'm new to true crime podcasts. When I'm at my desk I like to listen to a murder or two, usually tuning into a Dateline series (the Mommy Doomsday episodes will blow your mind). I'm in the market for other podcasts though, so I'm asking for your favorites. You don't have to answer here, you can always send suggestions to njpullen@gmail.com - no need to create a Tumblr profile or any of that. Hit me with your favorites, My Favorite Murder? Anatomy of a Murder? Crime Junkie? Sword & Scale? Do tell! Gotta' go. It's time for me to trot out to the garden and pick more cucumbers and have a chat with the birds and squirrels. Summer is in full swing and I intend to enjoy these days. Besides, if I don't go out and get sweaty, I can't justify eating more melon. I have an agenda. I hope you're having some fun with your day. Stir up some giggles, even if you're just laughing at yourself. I used to write jokes on Post-It notes and leave them on the doors of bathroom stalls at work. I wonder how many pantsless people chuckled ? Go spread some sunshine and make sure you get some on yourself. Stay safe, stay well, stay sunny. XOXO - Nanccy

[bigtstreaming]

How to Build an Empire

ello loves, here is the writing i’ve been teasing. it’s not very plot oriented (more of like a summary of certain events if that makes sense. idk just... read it and you’ll see what i mean). it’s just loosely edited because if i stare at something i do too much i will scream <3 also it’s quite long. enjoy:3

Six months and twenty-two days they have been underground or at least that’s what the tallies carved into the wall read. Six months and twenty-two days since they lost everything; everything they built from the ground up. Wilbur could still remember how the cotton of his shirt stuck to him (before he had to cut it up for bandages), as the sun poured down on him while he watched his son tear down everything he created. A few iron picks and a few hours was all it took to destroy everything they had worked for. The fear in Tubbo’s eyes as he received a heavy pat on the back, his new rank already weighing heavy on his shoulders, haunted all of their dreams. Months later, and the ghost of that hand would still be with him. 

Six months and twenty-two days since his feet bled and cried out in pain, running for miles and miles as they were chased with crossbows and swords, their heads wanted on a silver platter just in time for dinner. If he had gotten everything he wanted, he would’ve personally made sure both of their heads were stuck to each end of his horns, displaying his trophies.

Miles on top of miles they ran. Going from biome to biome to escape them, hiding behind logs and camouflaging with the leaves. The panic he felt when he thought he had lost Tommy while trudging through the Taiga was something he never wanted to experience again- how his heart completely dropped into his stomach like a boulder when his ears rang upon hearing his words.

“My first decree as the president of L’manberg, the emperor of this great country, is to revoke the citizenship of Wilbur Soot and TommyInnit.”

But that was six months and twenty-two days ago. Never again did Tommy have to worry about tripping over his laces as he ran through the tunnel of purple wood. He would never get to walk across the wooden path to his hole in the wall home. His rollercoaster would remain out of business, the tracks slowly rusting. Twigs and sticks wouldn’t scrape his legs as he ran to hide from the hunters, Techno breathing heavy as his side. The baby blue color of his eyes had fallen down, just like the country’s walls and the day’s light. The bright eyed kid he used to be was trapped under the impenetrable shell that the hardships of war had created. He banged and cried out underneath to come out, but still it remained with nothing but a scratch on it.

Six months and twenty-two days spent in their new home. Every day they spent doing all they could to survive. It had started as just a room in a hill, hidden away from the naked eye. A banner behind the door to avoid anyone seeing the light that would emit from the furnaces and torches. 

The three of them remembered the first night very clearly. They were curled up in the corner of the square room, the only light coming from out the door- the moon was shining through. Huddled together underneath Techno’s robe they sat in silence, waiting for someone, anyone, to take the risk and speak. The cheeks of Wilbur were dried with tears and Techno’s scattered with dirt. Tommy silently cried and prayed the tears would stop, but they hadn’t. As soon as they ducked in the mountain and his heavy breathing had stopped, the tears had started. He had lost all he had ever known. Not only was the country he helped build being taken over by a dictator disguised as a president, he had lost his best friend to this creature, nay monster. What hurt the most was that it was all his fault- he had pushed to allow him back onto the lands. And here he was, exiled from all he had ever known and stuck in a cave with a depressed ex-president and someone who had just entered, solely to help them. 

“We need to reestablish ourselves.” Wilbur finally spoke, his voice hoarse from dehydration and exhaustion. 

“This is our home now. We have to accept that.” He says again, his dark eyes look over to Techno and Tommy, the only way they could see the pleading look was because of the moon above.

Tommy’s palms swipe away the tears from his cheeks and he gives a small sniffle before deciding to speak.

“How do we do that, Wilbur? I mean all we have is some iron armor and tools, Technoblade, and a skeleton horse that I stole. We lost everything, we even lost Tubbo.” His voice was drenched with despair and hopelessness and went down to a barely audible whisper at the mention of his best friend.

“You've seen me fucking build a nation, Tommy, I'll do it again.” His voice pierced them directly in the chest like the arrows they narrowly escaped from had tried to just hours before. 

They quickly grew out of this room and had to move deeper underground, not only for expansion but for safety. It wasn’t hard to get a layout, for as soon as they started mining they almost immediately hit the ravine. Techno called out to be careful as the stone fell dozens of blocks down, only then did he realize it was safe when he heard the splash of the rock in water. 

And so this is where they would be forced to stay, hundreds of blocks below ground. They stayed at the top of the ravine, gathering the easily accessible iron and coal, gathering around the furnace for warmth while they sat on the cold stone. For a while the biggest debate was whether or not to use their uniform jackets as pillows or blankets for the night. Empty stomachs were common and the taste of rotten flesh was something that was acquired. 

The food status was what almost broke them. Days on end their stomachs whined and groaned at the lack of subsistence, and curling in disgust when their cries were listened to- only to be met with the rancid taste of rotten flesh. Occasionally they’d crack out one of the carrots they smuggled, but those were low and they had to preserve them as long as they could, especially if they had hoped to somehow regrow them. 

Techno still recalls the way he fell to his knees in tears when he found a minecart. He tore open the chest with such force and what was in it made him yelp out in joy- melons. Three melons sat in the chest. Screw the saddle and diamond, three melons just sitting there, untouched and uneaten. Suddenly the fatigue he had felt for the last week had disappeared, and he swept everything from the chest in one foul swoop before sprinting back to his two partners in crime. 

His always steady hands haven’t stopped shaking since he ran at Tommy’s side in the middle of the woods, away from a man in full netherite and an enchanted crossbow. His head, always held up straight and strong on his head, dangled down, its eyes always on the lookout. It was a new experience for him, to live in constant terror and to be taken off the throne he was so used to living on. Kicked down onto his knees with tears welled up in his eyes, the once fearless leader had to accept what he had become; he had become a man of fear, consumed by it’s slick, fingers, carrying his around like a puppet on strings

Three melons, enough for each of them to all have one. Techno thought that the sweet and juicy taste was only a dream that his tongue had handcrafted for him to escape the acerbic and sharp taste of the flesh. But as he held the slices in his hand, he had realized that his tongue had not mistaken him because his eyes were staring right at the pink flesh. His fingertips could feel how smooth the green rind was. So, they sat in silence and slowly ate the watermelon, the slight sweetness was enough to melt them. One by one they took methodical bites, trying their best to make it last as long as possible. Although there wasn’t a lot of flavor, compared to the previous meal of undead meat, this was five stars. Wilbur swatted Tommy as he saw the boy take quick small nibbles.

“If you eat it too fast you’ll get sick, that’s the last thing we need.” He looked at the boy and his sunken cheeks that the malnourishment has caused and his heart began to crack. His skin, already pale, had gotten even lighter from the lack of sun. The darkness that took over his eyes made him seem dead. He looked as if he was going to shed his skin and become one of the skeletons they had to avoid in the cave. As much as he wanted to flick Tommy and poke jabs at the boy, he was just a kid, just a kid who didn’t deserve to be living like this. None of them deserved it, but to watch his young spirit and commitment to L’Manberg slowly fade and betray him, it made him ache. 

Techno was the one who proposed a farm. However, a farm meant going deeper into the ravine, something that was a scary unknown. They needed the water source for the watermelon seeds, and Techno calculated that with how many zombies they had killed, they should be getting a potato from them any time soon. The carrots they had smuggled when first exiled were close to becoming completely moldy and un-replantable. 

It was a tedious and daunting task getting deeper into the ravine. As much as they knew that there was water below them, they couldn’t be sure how deep the water was or what could be lurking beneath the surface. Carefully Wilbur mined while Techno was behind him, sword in hand, ready to attack anything that might come out. Tommy carried the caboose, trying his damndest to not let his hands shake their only light source around too much. 

And their system worked, Wilbur mined, Techno guarded, and Tommy reminded them that despite each other being all they had, punting the kid down into the water didn’t seem like such a bad idea. It was a long process to get down, it took them a couple nights. The sweet taste of the watermelon was only enough to keep them in high spirits for a couple days, until the small seeds in their pockets just began a constant taunt and tease of what they would only ever have once. 

But as they had done once before, they had done again and Pogtopia was becoming a reality. Carrots and watermelon seeds were sowed into the ground, small green tips peeking out of the ground and instead of everything being in overflowing, disorganized chests, their supplies were relocated to a naturally occurring, carved out cover perfect for lots of organized chests. When a couple days had gone by with absolutely no food, because none of the fruit or vegetables were ready for harvest and no rotten flesh was to be found or gathered, Techno and Wilbur had decided to brave the outside world to gather seeds and prayed that there would be some fish in the nearby sea. 

They snuck out in the pitch black night, the few stars above were the only light they had. Carefully they trudged through the terrain, quietly they broke random pieces of grass, cautious to avoid leaving a large dry spot to avoid detection. Armed with nothing but fishing poles and iron swords, they tip toed until their sore feet sunk into the grainy land and they could smell the saltwater. Tommy, alone in the cave, curled up in the pile of grass and closed his eyes. He was so hungry and sore and tired. Never in his life had he ever experienced these feelings at such an intensity, and it was getting to him. There wasn’t a day where he didn’t miss the banters with Tubbo or the nights spent sharing a steak while they planned for the future of L’manberg. How foolish he was to think that could last he thought. He tried not to beat himself up over it, for he was just a child, but he had taken this larger than life role, and he should've known. 

Wilbur carefully swung the pole and it’s tip landed in the water with a slight plop. He sat there and waited for anything to take a bite, whether a minnow or a giant tuna, he was desperate. Techno’s eyes scanned all the terrain around him, keeping watch that no one was near while Tubbo’s eyes kept darting all around the wooden room. From Niki, to the windows, to the door, to the fabric, and back to Niki, they couldn’t stay in one place for long. The oak wood walls almost felt like they were closing in on him, but he knew they weren’t because every time he had come back here he had felt the same claustrophobic feeling and every time he left, still being able to breathe. His leg bounced and Niki noticed.

“If you keep acting so on edge, Schlatt’s going to notice.” Her hands moved delicately as she weaved a needle with thread in and out of the fabric before she finished the last of the stitches. She carefully folded the last creation and added it to the bag with the other two. 

Three wool blankets, colored pink, blue, and red. As soon as she heard that they were underground, Niki knew she had to give them some sort of comfort item, knowing how cold it can get when you’re below the surface. When Tubbo had told her he was in cahoots with them, she was worried what would not only happen to them, but to Tubbo. If Schlatt finds out...she didn’t even want to think about what could happen, knowing what he was capable of. 

So she worked in silence alongside Tubbo. He would go over and drop off supplies, such as bread or wood when they ran low. Niki would help provide these along with an alibi for Tubbo because if one were to ask he had taken a sudden interest in baking and working for her at the bakery. 

“I can’t help it.” Tubbo takes the bag from Niki and is about to run out before he’s stopped. 

“Here, give them this as well.” She hands him a tin box of bread and multiple chops of mutton wrapped in paper and tied with twine that was itself tied to be a bow.

“Thank you, Niki.” He shoved them into the bag and left the bakery, careful to sneak out the back exit. 

He ran. He ran because his life depended on it. He ran because the livelihood of three people he cared about most in the world depended on it. He ignored the sweet berries that scratched his legs and the twig in his shoe that every time he moved painfully stabbed his foot. He ignored how his lungs burned, begging for a break and while he knew he didn’t have to run- Schlatt was out of town after all- but for an operation of nothing but risks, he didn’t want to jeopardize himself now.

He ran because he hoped his feet would spell out an apology and write a letter of forgiveness. Not only for his friends, but for himself- he never slept alone for the ghosts of guilt and depression lay by his side. They whispered to him all their disappointments and taunted him while he prayed for sleep to overcome him. Every day he got up and these ghosts put on the black suit and patent leather shoes. And every morning, they shined his shoes and adjusted the red tie, his eyes would be glued to the white shirt with yellow buttons in the back of his closet; the blue jacket with brown shoulder pads calling his name. 

But he had no time to reflect on all that went wrong, he had to focus on where he was going and what he was going to tell the three exiles. He and Schlatt had been gone for a couple months away on business, and he had not been able to warn them of his leaving before he was whisked away. Right at his return he decided to tell Niki. She was glad that they were safe, but her heart yearned for their safety. Schlatt had another business trip and had wanted to take Tubbo with him again, but Tubbo was able to safely weasel his way out of it.

That’s how he ended up out of breath and knocking three times on a wooden door hidden in a mountain, pausing before knocking four times. He adjusted the cloth bag on his shoulder and his eyes darted around him once more. Nothing but trees surrounded the small home in a mountain, they were miles and miles away from any civilization. The river where they’d sneak out to fish at night was quiet, only the slight movement of the water traveling north could be heard alongside the rustle of the leaves in the trees around. The area was lifeless other than the shrubbery, not even a chicken ran by. If he didn’t face the possibility of death from standing where he was, he would’ve found it to be quite peaceful.

He almost jumped upon hearing the door open but was met with the eyes of the man he hadn’t seen him months. They had the same dullness to them that they had the first time Tubbo saw them after they ran. The fear they originally held upon hearing the exile announcement had vanished, for he had now done all he could to come to terms with it. Wilbur’s hair was already quite long and shaggy, but it was now tenfold that. The messy curls were past his ears and he had done his best to tie back what he could with string, but the unruly strands had other plans. He donned the same white cotton shirt with yellow buttons as he had before along with the blue jacket with brown shoulder pads, but Tubbo could see that the once pristine shirt had it’s sleeves torn off and the once pristine white color was now shades darker. 

And he felt bad. Standing there with a freshly ironed suit and shoes so shiny you could see the helpless man’s reflection in it. They could’ve stood there for hours, staring at each other in silence, but Wilbur grabbed his arm and pulled him before closing the door and putting the banner back over it. 

The small room was practically the same as it was the first time Tubbo had seen it. But now instead of furnaces covering one wall and disorganized chests, only one double chest and a crafting table were placed. The makeshift bed made from grass, tied together with string, was no longer there. A single torch sat on the crafting table, just barely lighting up the room. What stood out to the boy in the suit was the two by one doorway with a staircase leading down. He tried not to let his attention stay at the entrance, but it was hard when he wondered what they could possibly have down there. 

Wilbur looked at the small boy and held back a giggle. He remembers laughing at how he looked in the revolutionary uniform, like a child wanting to dress up as his hero. While seeing him in the clearly custom tailored suit should’ve terrified the outlaw, it reminded him of that time, a time where . He was just a child who had gotten into his father’s wardrobe, he told himself. But deep down he knew the power he held and the danger he was in, suit and all. The menacing laugh the dictator would give out as he held his head up to the audience, instilling fear into any who ever doubted what lengths he’d go to make sure no one betrayed him.

Instead he pulled the boy into a hug, his head resting on top of him- he could smell the clean scent of the shampoo he used and the nose curling cologne he adopted from his leader. Tubbo’s face was planted directly into his chest and he held back a gag at the foul scent of him. They missed each other because as much as he was self declared at Tommy’s Tubbo and as much as Schlatt declared that Tubbo was now his, he was their Tubbo. The boy who wanted nothing more than to create something with his friends.

Wilbur didn’t want to think about how long he embraced the boy. He missed him with every fiber of his being and wanted to apologize for everything he ever said about him, but he just couldn’t find the words. Instead he let go and directed him down the stairs to the place where the three villains had poured their new hearts and souls into for the last few months. Carefully they navigated the spiral cobble steps before reaching the end. 

Tubbo’s eyes widened upon seeing the ravine, stopped in his tracks at the end of the windy staircase. The ravine was thin but seemed as tall as a skyscraper. Vines grew down from the ceiling, some with glowberries, so that those on the ground floor who looked up felt like they were stargazing. The green of the vines were the only semblance of color other than the yellow glow from the torches haphazardly placed.

The bottom was just water with lily pads scattered on the surface and thin paths of cobble and stone were at the edges of the water. Stacks of cobble and other stones were piled in corners and against walls, pebbles occasionally rolling down into the stream, creating small ripples in the otherwise motionless water. Alongside these mounds were boxes filled with all kinds of monster loot, from gunpowder to bones, they had it all.

Up above him, empty, rickety bridges swung back and forth, the structures only being held together with wood slabs and string. Their brown color contrasting the murky green strings surrounding them. From where he was standing he could see multiple entrances to different sections of the cave. 

Tubbo adjusted the bag on his shoulders, the bundles of wood were heavy on this shoulder. Wilbur was doing his best to be patient, but he drooled because he could still smell the freshly baked bread and his stomach grumbled, his nose knowing that the boy also held some mutton with him. For far too long they ate the tasteless carrots and potatoes; sometimes they’d have flavorless fish when two of the boys braved the open world at nighttime. The watermelons had just recently been ripe enough to harvest, and they savored the taste like they did that first night, but there wasn’t enough sustenance in the fruit to only eat that. 

Wilbur led him to the kitchen and dining, making sure Tubbo was careful to trip and fall into the water. His eyes couldn’t focus on just one thing, they darted all around the base. He could see glimpses of chests and barrels, the reflection of shiny iron swords would catch his attention before dulling back down. Smoke from furnaces and torches twirled up to the roof and collected at the top. The same wall that had the windy staircase was also covered in scratched in tallies, hundreds of them lined the wall.

The kitchen and dining was a naturally carved out cove filled with the warm lighting that was in every ‘room’ of the cave. It was the warmest area in the whole place, other than the smelting room which truth be told just got uncomfortably and unbearably hot. Hand crafted, poorly made cupboards and countertops lined the opposing uneven stone walls. In the corner there was an uneven wooden table and matching uneven wood chairs to accompany it. Tubbo instantly plopped the heavy bag on the table and panicked when the table began to tip. 

“You have to be careful.” Wilbur darts over to stop the tragedy, carefully maneuvering the bag so that it sat on the table in such a way to not disturb the warped sense of gravity it had. 

Tubbo peaked behind Wilbur to see across from where they were, he could see a room with deep amber chests and chestnut barrels that held all the supplies they had accumulated. He watched as Tommy emerged from somewhere above the storage room and effortlessly scaled down a set of ladders to shove some cobble in a chest that he had to use all of his strength to get shut. Behind him he could hear the clink of the bread tin and the ruffling of the wrapped mutton as the older man moved the meat into the ice box. Wilbur was about to ask Tubbo just where he managed to find bedding, but Tommy’s booming voice interrupted. 

“Tubbo!” He looks across from where he had just stuffed cobble to see the small boy in clothes meant for people three times his age.

“Tommy!”

 Their eyes lock and big grins overtake their faces. Quickly he drops his pickaxe and hops across the lily pads before flopping onto the stone in front of his best friend.

Before they had time to blink, they were engulfed in a giant hug, and Tommy smelt worse than the man before had, but it was something Tubbo just chose to look over. His blond hair too had grown out of control, but unlike Wilbur he didn’t make an attempt to tie it back. His once long and beige trousers were now muddied shorts, the torn fabric could be seen fastened around his calf, a red spot peeking through. But what stuck out to him the most was that the dark eyes he so clearly remembers seeing in the days after the exile, were slowly regaining their once bright glow. Now flecks of the light blue were sprinkled around his irises. 

Tommy led the newcomer around and Tubbo’s eyes widened upon every new thing he was shown. Never had he seen such innovation and never did he think Tommy or Wilbur could achieve such a thing. It wasn’t their first time building an empire, sure, but it was their first time truly creating something that went beyond what everyone had thought they were capable of. 

He was shown most of the base, first being a room filled with an automatic smelting machine, minecarts clunking back and forth as they picked up what resources the furnaces dropped. Coal dust coated the ground and every other surface in the room, all the smoke making it difficult for Tubbo to breathe, coughing as soon as he took a breath in the room.

“I wish I could say you get used to all that, but you really don’t.” He grabbed his friend’s arm and kept going on the tour. 

Tommy quickly skipped past the sleeping quarters, more embarrassed than anything to show him the small room with three grass and hay beds, all squeezed next to each other. While the torch in the room provided some heat, they had to sleep close because the stone walls held no warmth, especially in the winter times. Techno’s cloak lay across all the beds as a makeshift duvet. 

What really took the boy’s breath away was the longest branch from the main ravine, where if you stuck to the path it led you to a small pond surrounded by lush underground greenery. A small spurt of water would trickle into the pond, adding to the ambiance. Two giant spore blossoms were there on opposing sides, the light yellow particles seemed like glitter falling to the sky, only complimenting the star appearance of the glow berries hanging from vines. String was woven above the pond, where miscellaneous clothing items hung to dry after an attempt was made to wash them. Azalea bushes lined the back wall of the pond where the water flowed out of, some of its petals falling into the light blue water. Tommy explains how this is where they do the washing, going on about how they want to designate certain water sources for certain things, or something of that nature. 

“The dripleaf plant is a killer, we always forget that if you stand on it too long you begin to fall.” He pauses. “Okay, well I forget. Techno and Wilbur are good about remembering it.”

This wasn’t just a base or a home or a means of survival, it was an entire operation. Tubbo didn’t need to be shown the dozens of secret tunnels and rooms (not that he would be shown them anyway) to know that they existed. He knew that every plan had at least three more backups, and backups for the backups. This had gone beyond presidency and exile- everyone knew that. The second Jschlatt had taken the mic and spit out his rules, policies, and decrees, everything that everyone was fighting for had changed.

Life inside Manberg had shifted, the tensions so high a spoon would cut it too easily. Everywhere you went you felt like eyes were watching you. Eret would watch how Tubbo would jump at the drop of a pin or Fundy would notice how Niki made more bread than usual. HBomb would hear the pitter patter of feet run by and see the flash of brown hair run by, but chose to ignore it. Skeppy closed his blinds whenever he saw the young boy begin to climb a tree to get a jar of honey. But Schlatt was oblivious to these clues, while he kept an eye on Quackity and Tubbo, he wasn’t able to notice these subtle shifts. He knew Tubbo was an oddball, but didn’t realize that his leg bounced because he worried that he had brought too little bread last weekend. Or that he refused to wear shorts that one week when it was so hot it was insufferable to do anything because his legs were so cut up from falling into a bushel of sweet berries. And Quackity spent too much of his time glued to Schaltt that he wouldn’t have had the freetime to pay attention to these things. 

But as Tubbo and Tommy arrived back to the dining, tin cups of water and plates of bread on the shaky table, he felt lighter. Techno braided his hair while Wilbur spoke of something they had not been caught up on yet, grabbing butter out of the ice box. Tommy ran past Tubbo and hopped onto a chair in the back of the table (almost knocking it over) to grab a slice of unbuttered bread, Techno abandoning his task for a second to hold down the table so that the boy didn’t ruin their meal.

The cleanly dressed man had just taken a seat at the table when he realized why he had felt lighter, and wondered how it couldn’t have caught it sooner. A sense of home, safety is what he felt when he entered past the staircase. Above ground, he was a criminal betraying his leader and country, all eyes on him as he snuck around. But below ground, all those things stayed above him, something above ground Tubbo would have to deal with; he figured the ghosts could help him carry that feeling back to the base for him. Right now all he wanted to do, was tell his friends how to survive and dethrone Schlatt.

[the19thduckpotato]

In the Shadow of a Smile (Pt 2)

Part 1

"...right, then.  Popcorn?"

“—a... uh....” Izuku’s fingers twitched tensely, his mind spinning as he tried to figure out what to do or say next. Popcorn didn’t seem right... but what else was left? Surely talking about it would only make All Might feel worse.... “S....sure.” His hands pulled Toshi’s closer, hugging it to his chest in absence of any clumsy words that seemed available.

"Ya sure?"  Toshi looked genuinely concerned at Izuku's sudden drop in boisterous energy. you did that His hand twitched in Izuku's ...until he understood it was being held against the kid's chest, almost protectively. Now Toshi felt confused. He knelt in front of Izuku, head cocked to one side.  "I mean, we don’t have to... but I know a great place that makes flavors of popcorn you cant find anywhere else." His heart ached--look, you dragged him down with you--as he struggled to find something that would light Izuku's face up again.

Izuku took advantage of an accessible pair of shoulders, dropping Toshi’s hand and hugging them instead. “That sounds nice,” he murmured from the spot his head was nestled into. “Are you sure... you really want to though?”

Toshi closed his eyes at the closeness, the warmth, and almost cracked then and there. Almost. Don't ruin his day.  Backpedal.  Fix this.  Go on, "Great Hero". "Of course," he croaked.  He cleared his throat and tried again.  "Seriously though... pickle popcorn.  Ever tried it?"  He offered a warm smile to his student-- please say you want to please please I need to fix this if you want to talk that's ok if you don’t that is too just please ...please don't leave me... --and got to his feet, casually lifting Izuku off the ground till the boy's feet dangled.

"Eeeeww, pickle--? yeEEK!" Izuku laughed, clinging onto Toshi's shoulders and burying his face closer as his feet dangled in the air.

Toshi barked pleased laughter.  "Ok ok, not pickle then.  What about pizza flavored?  Or pineapple.  I'm telling you," he went on, his eyes sparkling in delight, "any flavor." His inner thoughts, for the moment, fell silent and he mentally clutched at the conversation desperately.  Anything to keep those thoughts away.

"What, really?" Izuku's arms were slowly slipping off, his feet reaching closer to the floor. "Like... hmmm...." He tried to think of a weird popcorn flavor. "Like watermelon!"

"Tried that just the other week, in fact."  Toshi held out an arm to help support Izuku.

"Wow!" Izuku's round eyes looked up at Toshi like they were having a normal conversation, all the while slipping like a noodle pulled by the inexorable force of gravity to the floor despite Toshi's supporting arm.

A snort of laughter escaped.  Toshi couldn't help it--it was just too funny.

Izuku grinned widely, heart swelling at the genuine laugh. The smile got a little squished on the way down to the floor, but it was happy all the same.

Toshi smiled his softest, most relieved, happiest smile yet. A faint dark thought tried to nibble st him and he brushed it away.  You don’t get to take my kid from me. No.  You'll do that soon enough.  You always do. And yet the smile remained, determined.

Izuku finally reached the floor, though he kept hugging. "What kind d'you wanna get?"

"Ah, they have specially made stuff tucked away for me.  I really can't do much more than sample.  Buuuut--" His eyes took on an impish twinkle.  "it's always fun bringing a new guinea pig--i mean, customer--over to them."

Izuku smothered a giggle against Toshi's coat. "I mean... I don't. Really. Have money... I'm not really much of a customer...."

Toshi gave him a nonplussed look.  "K-kid," he stammered.  "No, it--i meant--" Good going, genius. shut it "Listen, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret.  You might not believe this, but I'm a foodie.  Or, well.  Was."  He gestured to himself with a worn grimace, then held up one finger.   "But there are so many delicious flavors out there in the world and I feel I'd be remiss in my duty not to share those with someone.  Honoring them by introducing them to others.  So please," he murmured.  "let's not worry about anything but the flavors.  Deal?"

Izuku gave a genuine, crinkly smile, hugging closer. "Thank you," he said softly and gratefully. I hope I appreciate it properly... I'd hate for him to think I'm not enjoying it right.... "I'd really love it." Especially if it's with you. I'd rather be with you no matter where we were.

"Excellent!  We'll start you on the pizza flavor and work our way out from there." but Toshi ignored that thought, letting himself be lost in the goodness of the moment. but And now he had to work to ignore it.  He didn't want those thoughts, didn't want them polluting this good moment.  He began to stride down the hallway quickly, as if hoping to outrun his mental train of thoughts. Pulling Izuku along with him, one arm clutched about the boy in a clumsy hug.

Izuku had to jog to keep up with Toshi, hanging onto his coat. He grinned brightly, laughing a bit more. "Where are we going?" Wait, I know that, that's not what I meant "Like, where is it?"

"Y'know that open air mall by the river?  In fact, there might be a few other shops I'd like to take you to."  The thought cheered him immensely.

“Oh! No, I don’t actually.” Wait can he really want to do that I know he has money but can he really just want to??buy me stuff?? Oh no wait he probably wants to go for HIM, don’t be expecting things Izuku, how rude! —but what if he DOES, he’s always so generous, what if my reaction seems underwhelming, what if— Or... you could just go and have fun? That’s probably all he wants to do, spend time with you. He likes that. It’s why he brought you here, no other reason. Yyyeah... I still don’t get why that’s fun? But it’s nice that he does, and I’ll do my best to be good company! Attaboy....

"There's a great comic book shop, too.  I can show you some of the ones I used to collect when I was your age!" Kids still do comic books, right?  Even though they see heroes every day?  I hope I'm not too out of touch. Toshi glanced to Izuku, gauging his reaction, ready to suggest another shop at a moment's notice.

Izuku's eyes and mouth grew round as quarters. "OhhhhhHHHHH!!" He grinned huge. "That's so cool!!"

Toshi's eyes popped open.  "Yeah?" he replied excitedly.

"Yeah!!" Izuku hopped as he walked. "Which ones did you like? Tell me!"

"All of them, really."  The blond smiled as they strolled toward the river district.  "I always liked to imagine being a hero with a Quirk and what mine would be when I got one.  As I got more toward your age, I especially enjoyed the comics about the underdog heroes that kept fighting, even when the odds were stacked against them.  Even when it seemed impossible.  Because that's about the time I realized I wasn't getting a Quirk." He'd never admit to Izuku how, that same day he had his fateful meeting with Master, he had been ready to hurl his backpack (stuffed to the brim with all his favorite comics) into the river.  He had felt betrayed by a future he thought he'd never achieve.  He wanted to destroy the reminders.  And then she had arrived and his comics survived. Toshi shook himself out of his reverie.  "But yeah, I'm a fan of just about anything.  Especially the creative stuff."

"...Yeah." Izuku was quiet and contemplative, leaning his head against Toshi's arm. "Me too."

Toshi smiled down at his son, then tilted his head.  "Whatcha thinking about, kiddo?"

“—Huh?” Izuku balked a bit, not really wanting to turn the topic to Quirklessness and his childhood musings. “Uh. Not much, really.” Liar. Why did you say that?? Too late to take it back now, though.... “Why, what’re you thinkin’ about?”

A broad grin.  "About which shop I'll take you to after the popcorn place and the comic store.  Hrhhhhmmmm--!!" Easy, don't overdo it. what?  I'm honestly enjoying myself yeah, well, you're also avoiding the rest of yourself Toshi wrinkled his nose and hid it by pretending to stroke his chin.  "Now where to start...."

((Part 3))