#also remember how basil has a weak stomach?

[crowbasils]

What do you think about autistic Basil headcanon?

I made a post about this, I relate to him a lot and I see a lot of his behavioral patterns in me.

YES. i see it!! and i’ve been meaning to talk about the possibility of basil being autistic for quite a while, so, i’ll talk about it here. it’s harder to see it in comparison to sunny’s since he’s most likely masking (which sunny doesn’t really do), but it’s still there!!

(this tweet will kinda be a mess, since it’s not like an analysis analysis. if i’m wrong, please do correct me!)

according to the nhs (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/signs/children/) signs of autism in older children include:

- not seeming to understand what others are thinking or feeling

- unusual speech, such as repeating phrases and talking ‘at’ others

- liking a strict daily routine and getting very upset if it changes

- having a very keen interest in certain subjects or activities

- getting very upset if you ask them to do something

- finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be on their own

- taking things very literally – for example, they may not understand phrases like "break a leg"

- finding it hard to say how they feel

from what we know about him & from what the duet cutscene says, he was alone for most of his life before meeting the friend group. he also has a line (though said by headspace basil) about this! while that may not necessarily be a sign of autism, it’s what he says next that stands out to me.

“you’ve all taught me so much… how to care for others and how to care for myself too!”

that specific line stands out to me because of how it tells us that basil wasn’t always as caring and cheery as he was as a 12 year old. he learned from his friends—through experience with them, and through observation.

he’s also implied to have a hard time making friends. other than aubrey (who he likely met later in his life rather than in early childhood like sunny and kel), he had no friends before that. how awkward he is in the cutscene where aubrey introduces him to her new-found friend group also implies that he hasn’t had experience with friends. (he also looks like he’s somewhat ‘copying’ aubrey’s smile, just in a more awkward way)

basil most likely has difficulty when it comes to identifying feelings—specifically ones he hasn’t experienced himself. such as the fear of spiders. he doesn’t seem to get that others can fear spiders due to how he doesn’t fear spiders and sees them as a positive instead.

(icon can’t be seen due to my bad internet, but it’s headspace basil. a lot of the headspace basil lines in blackspace and omori route help when it comes to understanding his character better. stranger’s lines help as well :3)

(it should be noted, though, that otherwise, he’s good at reading sunny specifically. may not be a sign of it on itself, but taking into consideration that sunny is also likely autistic, it might be. both of them understand each other despite their childhood different experiences due to it.)

he’s also… pretty bad at articulating and identifying feelings.

“…but the words don’t come out.”

“i don’t know if i should apologize”

“but why does part of of me still cling on?”

the feeling of not knowing if you should apologize or not, the inability to form words and articulating yourself, the feeling of not knowing why you do something… that counts, right?

basil has a very keen interest in plants and flowers. he memorized the symbolism of the flowers that the he assigned to the friend group, and we see plants all over and even outside basil’s house.

he also insists on only taking photos of people when they’re not posing for him and genuinely expressing emotion (which does give the headcanon of him observing expressions and feelings through the photo album a little more merit :3)

from OMORI canon, we know how attached he is to the past and how he dislikes sudden changes. it’s why the photo album exists, it’s why he says “everything will be okay”, it’s why he did what he did. this is something that both sunny and basil have in common!

to me, basil is an autistic person who learned how to mask because he’s afraid to be seen as weird by his friends & others. his relationship with sunny is the only one where he’s able to drop that mask and be “free” in a sense. post-incident basil tries to mask too, but fails at it since he has… a lot more going on his mind.

[luckyashes-art]

I wanna hear more about the Welcome Back AU

WAH uh , okay 🏃🏃

[OMORI SPOILERS, CW // suicide]

.

So,

Welcome Back

is an AU I started, and as mentioned @biocrafthero is helpin me on it (so Kaun you can like , correct me on any of this if I'm wrong </3 or even add on info if you'd like)

Unsure how much to share, but basically

Post-Good ending, Basil's and Sunny's Somethings take over their hosts like parasites during their moments of weakness since they didn't quite want them to die yet (Basil tried to stab himself in the stomach after ripping Sunny's eye out & having him pass out, and Sunny was just in really bad condition)

And the two change because of this!

Physically, Sunny's manifests over his free eye-socket. It aims to control his body, as seen with the doodle I made of him. Mentally, Sunny gets a fuck ton more stressed-- And as that stress builds up, Something gets more control and Sunny grows closer to his snapping point. It doesn't help that Sunny has not only the ability to induce fear in others, but can also see hostless Somethings (yes hostless Somethings exist) and Phobias

Now Basil on the other-hand-- His Something manifested in his stomach, resulting in a belly mouth. His Something has a constant hunger (specifically for people iirc), which is something Basil needs to fulfill or his Something will p much kill him (think of it like Venom, except Basil is absolutely terrified of his parasite and wants it gone).

Speaking of wanting Something gone!

Sunny and Basil know about each others Somethings, and have decided to do their best in helping each other get rid of it. (Though post-good ending, Sunny then just goes to Faraway after moving to wherever he went)

But of course ye can't quite exclude the idea of Hero, Kel, and Aubrey also getting jumbled into this entire mess!

Unsure if I should say much but I will mention that Hero possibly knows the idea of Somethings.. And that he used to have one before, back in a time where he was at his lowest (though he cant quite remember it well),,, Kel and Aubrey though? I will admit, still trying to balance out how they'll play a special part in all of it (they might gain their own Somethings,,)

Uhhh yeah , there's that 🏃 I did my best to explain it oop

[fantasy2739]

ohmygod I just read pretty much ALL your douxie fics, I love your writing!! if you’re still down for prompts, completely up to you if you wanna do this bc I know you’ve done a lot of suffering douxie already (but tbh I just love to see it) could you do a douxie sickfic? preferably with him being looked after by archie +/- nari but totally up to you!

Sickfics give me life but I suck at them(fair warning). But thank you so much for reading my works!! I’m glad you’ve liked them. We all love suffering Douxie.

Also, I know some of you are waiting for submissions and I really am going as quickly as I can. My inbox however, is still back on August 16th which is a while ago. I hope no one minds too much that I’m taking my sweet sweet time but I want to be sure these are good enough for you guys.

I hope you enjoy!:

Douxie couldn’t remember the last time he’d been sick. He must have been really young. He’d never been sick with Merlin. Never been sick after he’d fallen asleep. Wizard immortality did that to a man. In all honesty he didn’t think he could get sick. But here he was, laid up in bed with a fever and the worlds stuffiest nose. Nari and Archie hovered by him. They hadn’t needed a first aid kit, why would they? Nari didn’t get ill. Archie didn’t get ill. Douxie didn’t get ill. Except he was and they had no idea what to do. Archie was fluttering around, his dragon wings flapping rapidly. Nari was perched on the edge of the sofa, eyeing him cautiously.

“‘M fine.” Douxie mumbled sleepily. “I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure? You’ve never been ill before.” Archie said. Douxie could make out the blurry shape of Archie floating.

“Fine.” Douxie insisted. It didn’t sound fine. It sounded weak and slightly slurred. Douxie tried to ignore the fact that his body felt like a sauna meeting an igloo somehow. He should be going into work. He should be doing lots of things but he felt like he’d been knocked out flat.

“What do we do when someone is too hot?” Nari asked. “Skrael would dump them in ice and Bellroc would just leave them. But that doesn’t seem right.” Archie pondered it.

“I think food.” He said. “That fixes things. Soup and sleep.”

“So he sleeps now yes?” Nari asked. Douxie would have grumbled. Maybe even complained but sleep sounded really nice. Just a quick nap to ease the headache he could feel forming.

Archie watched Douxie fall asleep with a worried gaze. His friend hadn’t been sick ever. And this might have been one of the worst times to get sick, what with the Arcane Order breathing down their necks. Still, maybe that was part of it. The fight with the Order and the loss of Merlin were still close. Still too soon. And sometimes the mind just had to tell the body enough. Archie wasn’t a hundred percent sure on his suggestions. But they were better than nothing. And at least Douxie would get some sleep out of this. That just left Nari. The little (but not young, never young) green being. She was no doubt worried and if Archie acted worried... well it would only make things worse.

“Let’s leave him to rest.” Archie said, nudging her. He dragged a cover over Douxie and floated to the ground. “He’ll get better.” But was he reassuring Nari or himself. For an all powerful being Nari looked down right terrified.

“If we make this soup he will be fixed?” She asked shyly.

“We’re not going to make it now.” Archie said. “He should get some sleep first. Then we’ll make it.”

“This soup must be powerful magic.”

“It’s not magic per say. It’s food.” Archie said, attempting to reassure her with some humour. “You know what they say, can’t fight on an empty stomach.”

“Douxie is fighting?” Nari asked in alarm, eyes going back to their sleeping companion.

“What? No I mean. Technically.” Archie said. He sighed. “When you get sick it’s a fight within the body, not a person.”

“How does one win this fight?” Nari asked. “It does not sound easy.”

“They rest, they eat and drink water.” Archie said. “It gives them the... power to fight the illness.” Nari nodded and Archi felt just a little less ridiculous.

“So we wait?” Nari asked. Archie nodded. Nari curled up on the floor and sat in an almost meditative pose. Archie curled up, listening to Douxie’s disrupted breathing.

Nari was no expert on this soup thing. Quite honestly it slightly befuddled her. Archie has insisted it wasn’t magic but food. And somehow this magicless food would help Douxie. She wasn’t going to complain if it did, it just seemed... well it seemed useless. Magical beings needed magical things to sustain themselves. Except humans apparently. They all seemed to manage fine without magic plants and whatnot. She pulled out the fan of tomato soup and eyed it suspiciously. It didn’t look harmful. It didn’t feel it either. Archie told her how to prepare it and it all seemed simple. And sensible. And yet Nari couldn’t help but sniff it repeatedly. There was no magic. No poison. Just the smell of tomato and another plant that Archie called Basil. She watched it bubble away for a moment. Only for Archie to tell her that was enough. She’d burn it otherwise. Nari poured the soup into a bowl while Archie went to wake Douxie. He sat up sleepily, half lidded eyes trying to catch Nari. She came over.

“Archie said this will help.” She said, holding it out like an offering. Douxie stared blankly at the bowl and Nari wondered if she’d said something wrong.

“We may need to feed it to him.” Archie said. “And by we I mean you.” He waved a paw. “No thumbs.” Nari set the bowl down and grabbed a chair. Archie helped to prop Douxie up, curling up next to him. Nari plunged a spoon into the reddish orange soup and offered it out. Douxie managed to angle his mouth towards it and after a little swirling, managed to swallow. He grimaced and Nari wondered if it tasted that bad. But Archie had said it would make it better and she wasn’t going to slow down just because he might not like it. She made Douxie finish the bowl, letting him flop back after he was done.

“You will be better soon.” Nari reassured him. Douxie gave her a half smile that warmed her to her horns. He seemed to be drifting back to sleep. Nari took the bowl and watched as he slept on.

“He’ll be fine.” Archie said and she wondered who he was trying to convince. Nari reached over and felt the strong thrum of magic that ran through Douxie. It felt okay. Tired. Worn. But okay.

“He will be.” She said softly. “We will let him rest.” She gave him one last look over before retiring to her room and mumbling a prayer that her new friend would be okay.

[juviin]

Here’s literally all the rosie lore. 

(template 1) (template 2)

Name: Rosemary Nare Etana Alias: Ro, Rose, Rosie Personality: Rosemary is very open about her emotions. She takes a while to warm up to people, but when she does, she loves people very strongly. Relatives: Father (estranged), Mother (deceased), 4 older siblings, 2 younger siblings. Status: Alive Species: Human Gender: cis female Age: 19 Eyes: Gold Hair: Pink Appearance: Rosemary is 5′5 and has short pink hair. She has two scars, one along her back and one on her lower right abdomen. She also has a tattoo on her calf of a lily. Birthday: July 30th Constellation: Leo Height: 5′5″ or 165 cm Blood Type: O Occupation: Magic Knight -Squad: Black Bulls Country: Clover Affinity: Lava Magic (On a scale of 0-10: 0 being terrible and 10 being the best) Physical Strength 5/10 Magic Amount 7/10 Magic Control 9/10 Magic Sensing 6/10 Cleverness 9/10 Growth 8/10 Equipment: none

(this next one is all in first person which i am NOT used to writing in but...)

Part 1: The Basics

What is your full name?--Rosemary Nare Etana

Where and when were you born?--I was born on July 30th in a large city in the Common Realm, however we moved to a small town shortly after I was born.

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)--

Lily Etana was my mother’s name. She worked several jobs while raising us, like waitressing and being a maid. She was very kind too, but a lot of people took advantage of her for that. I guess that’s why Val and I have taken to being aggressive about how we feel, and aggressive in sticking up for her. When I was 12, an assassin killed her and gave me the scar across my back. I’m sure he was sent by my grandparents, but they played the fool and even sent an advisor to her funeral. Since then, that advisor has scheduled meetings with me monthly to make sure I haven’t told anyone.

My father’s name is Andranik Typhos the fourth? something like that, but I don’t know very much about him. I know he’s a noble, but I’ve never met him. I don’t hear that many complaints about him, and Mother says he was a wonderful gentleman, but I’ve met his parents, and I find it hard to believe that they would raise a lovely son.

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?--I have four! On my mom’s side, at least.

Valerian is the oldest. He’s sixteen years older than me, so he’s a lot more mature than me, and very protective of us younger siblings. He has three kids, too, and his wife is Eli’s cousin. They have been married since I was only three, so she’s been in our lives forever. The two of them basically became my parents after our mother died, so I couldn’t be more grateful to them.

Then is Dahlia. Dahlia is 12 years older than me. She’s very calm, and there have been more than a few times where Valerian has been freaking out and Dahlia always keeps her cool and fixes the problem. She’s the best at makeup.

Basil is in the direct middle, and they’re 9 years older than me. They are very energetic and mischievous. I don’t think Basil wants a spouse, but they’re very dedicated to their craft. I blame them for the multiple scams of my father’s estate, but who’s complaining? Basil also has a scar along  their right cheek, running from their nose to their chin

Azalea is the closest to my age, she’s 25. She’s a lot like our mom. She treats everyone with kindness, but I worry about people taking advantage of her for that.

Also, I know that my father has two children younger than me with his wife, but I’ve never met them and I probably never will.

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.--I live with the Black Bulls! The base is really crazy and always changing, but there’s always something going on, so everyday is fun.

What is your occupation?--I’m a Magic Knight, but I have also worked some other jobs in the past.

Write a full physical description of yourself. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks--I’m 5′5, and around 150lbs. My skin is pale, so I tend to burn very easily, and my eyes are yellow and my hair is pink. I like to wear warm colors and clothes that aren’t very tight, as well as boots. I have two large scars, one is about three inches and is a slash along my stomach, while the other one is about eight inches long and runs across my upper back, both from assassination attempts. I try to hide both of them. I also have one tattoo on my lower calf, so it’s usually covered.

To which social class do you belong?--I believe I’m considered a commoner. I likely wouldn’t be considered a noble unless something happened to my father’s legitimate children, though I have no interest in being taken in by his family. 

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?—I get nosebleeds often because of an injury when i was younger. 

Are you right- or left-handed?—right handed

What does your voice sound like?—If I had to describe it, I’d say it’s medium in pitch and kind of airy. 

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?--nothing particularly?

What do you have in your pockets?—um. a handful of flowers, a pocket watch, and assorted candies. 

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?—I sometimes bite my nails. 

Part 2: Growing Up

How would you describe your childhood in general?--Average for the most part, I’d say. I had a loving mother and 4 great siblings. Still, my mother’s death hit all of us very hard.

What is your earliest memory?--Sadly, my first assassination attempt. That one was when I was around five and it was sent by my father’s family. It gave me the scar on my stomach, and also gave Basil the scar on their face from them protecting me.

How much schooling have you had?--I went to the small schoolhouse in town up until I was 12, and then I started going less so I could work more. 

Did you enjoy school?--I enjoyed learning, but I’ve found that I learn more outside of school.

Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities?--I learned basic first aid and how to identify certain plants and herbs from my siblings. I mostly learned battle from experience and assassins.

While growing up, did you have any role models? If so, describe them.—my siblings, especially Basil

While growing up, how did you get along with the other members of your family?--We all got along very well as kids, though they were all a lot older than me so that did strain our relationships a bit, especially as the youngest.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?--As a child I wanted to work in medicine, even though my magic is ill suited for it. I only decided that I wanted to become a Magic Knight after my mother’s death.

As a child, what were your favorite activities?—i used to love helping my mother garden. 

As a child, what kinds of personality traits did you display?--I cried a lot more than I do now. I was always scared, as I knew from a young age that my father’s parents wanted me dead.

As a child, were you popular? Who were your friends, and what were they like?--My only friend was really Eli, but she hung out with all the kids from town, so i vaguely knew them.

When and with whom was your first kiss?--also Eli, when we were about 12 and 13.

Are you a virgin? If not, when and with whom did you lose your virginity?--I’m not. After Eli left town I kind of lost myself for the next two years until I became a knight. 

Part 3: Past Influences

What do you consider the most important event of your life so far?--My mother's death perhaps?

Who has had the most influence on you?--Eli. I think if not for her, I would be a very different person.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?--The amount of nobles I’ve insulted to their faces on official magic knight business.

What is your greatest regret?--being born.

What is the most evil thing you have ever done?--I don’t think I’ve ever done anything “evil”, only some malicious things, but I don’t regret them.

Do you have a criminal record of any kind?--No, but I probably should for extortion.

When was the time you were the most frightened?--The first attempt on my life.

What is the most embarrassing thing ever to happen to you?--My elder brother catching me lying about my profession. 

If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be, and why?—i would be stronger. 

What is your best memory?—probably the first few months with the black bulls. It was genuine happiness for the first time in a while. 

What is your worst memory?—the aftermath of my mother’s death. I don’t remember the actual event, some mix of trauma and head injuries, but I do remember the weeks following. 

Part 4: Beliefs And Opinions

Are you basically optimistic or pessimistic?—i think i’m more pessimistic, but i'm trying to be an optimist. 

What is your greatest fear?--My greatest fear is once again being too weak to protect the people that I love. 

What are your religious views?--I’m not religious.

What are your political views?--I think that the Clover Kingdom’s nobility is corrupt, and the whole system needs to be fixed.

What are your views on sex?--I think nothing much of it. 

Are you able to kill? Under what circumstances do you find killing to be acceptable or unacceptable?--I think I’m a hypocrite on this. I think killing is unacceptable, but I wouldn’t hesitate to kill the people that harm the ones I love. 

In your opinion, what is the most evil thing any human being could do?--In my opinion, the most evil thing one can do is to habitually hurt and abuse others.

Do you believe in the existence of soul mates and/or true love?--No. I don’t think that anything like that is real.

What do you believe makes a successful life?--I think that money plays a large part of success. 

How honest are you about your thoughts and feelings (i.e. do you hide your true self from others, and in what way)?--Very open. My emotions are very easily read.

Do you have any biases or prejudices?--Yeah i hate nobles. 

Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why do you refuse to do it?--I try to stay out of the public eye as best I can. I also refuse to do jobs near my grandparents’ home. 

Who or what, if anything, would you die for (or otherwise go to extremes for)?--Finral or Eli. I’d do anything for them.

Part 5: Relationships With Others

In general, how do you treat others (politely, rudely, by keeping them at a distance, etc.)? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them, and if so, how?—I try to keep people at a distance, but when I become close to someone, they become one of my People. I’d do anything for the people I’m close to. 

Who is the most important person in your life, and why?--Right now, it’s probably Eli or Finral. They’ve positively affected me in more ways than I can count.

Who is the person you respect the most, and why?—Captain Yami is the person I respect the most. Joining the Black Bulls changed my life so much for the better, and I’m so grateful that he gave me that opportunity.

Who are your friends? Do you have a best friend? Describe these people—Eli is my best friend. She’s loud and always smiling, but I worry about her. I’m also pretty close to Magna.  He’s a great friend and brings out my mischievous side more. 

Do you have a spouse or significant other? If so, describe this person.--Finral is great. He’s a little goofy, but he is very loyal and loving. 

Have you ever been in love? If so, describe what happened.--I think I’m in love right now. 

How close are you to your family?--I’m very close to my older siblings.

Have you started your own family? If so, describe them. If not, do you want to? Why or why not?--No. I think I’d like to at some point be a mother, but not for a while longer. 

Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help?--I think I would find it hard to turn to anyone, but if I was so desperate, probably Eli or Magna. I’m too afraid to show Finral my weakness. 

Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who, and why?--No. I need to be strong enough to protect myself. 

If you died or went missing, who would miss you?--I think that the bulls would. 

Who is the person you despise the most, and why?--My father. My mother spoke kindly of him, but he abandoned her. 

Do you tend to argue with people, or avoid conflict?--I argue more.

Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations?—depends who I'm with, but I’m more likely to take a leadership role.

Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not?—I’d prefer a smaller group, personally, but i’m not bad with large groups. 

Do you care what others think of you?—yes. immensely 

Part 6: Likes And Dislikes

What is/are your favorite hobbies and pastimes?--I enjoy reading romance novels, and spending time in nature. Flower fields remind me of home and give me comfort. 

What is your most treasured possession?—my pocket watch. my mother gave it to me, since it was a gift to her from my father. 

What is your favorite color?—i like warm pale yellow

What is your favorite food?—I like crepes!

What, if anything, do you like to read?—I like to read romance. 

What is your idea of good entertainment (consider music, movies, art, etc.)?--I enjoy reading. On days off, I often spend hours at a time sitting outside and reading.

Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit?—I generally don’t, but I will drink sometimes. I probably drink an average amount. 

How do you spend a typical Saturday night?—generally hanging around the Bulls hideout. If I have a day off I often go visit home to see my mother’s grave and give her flowers. 

What makes you laugh?—My squadmates! I’ve been told my sense of humor is bad..

What, if anything, shocks or offends you?--I hate the prejudices of the Clover nobles.

What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself?—When that happens (because it has before) I will usually walk around the base, sometimes I eat a snack. I also like to head outside and look at the stars when I can’t sleep. 

How do you deal with stress?—I will usually end up letting it out, whether emotionally or magically. I don't like to bottle things up. 

Are you spontaneous, or do you always need to have a plan?—I prefer having a plan. 

What are your pet peeves?—people talking over others. 

Part 7: Self Images And Etc.

Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel when this routine is disrupted?--I wake up at about 7 every morning, and get ready for the day. If I have a mission, I’ll leave for it early. On days I don’t have a mission, I will either go visit my mother’s grave or go see my grandparents or their advisor.

What is your greatest strength as a person?--I’d say my strength is supporting people. And also throwing lava. 

What is your greatest weakness?--I lie a bit too much, and I am a bit indifferent towards people I don’t care about.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?--I would want to be more caring. 

Are you generally introverted or extroverted?--I’d say introvert.

Are you generally organized or messy?--Organized. I don’t like disorder.

Name three things you consider yourself to be very good at, and three things you consider yourself to be very bad at.--I’m good at lying, cleaning, and fighting. I’m bad at controlling my emotions, sewing, and cooking.

Do you like yourself?--No, I really don’t. 

What are your reasons for being a magic knight*? Are your real reasons for doing this different than the ones you tell people in public? (If so, detail both sets of reasons…)--I am a magic knight because I want to protect people. 

What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime?--I want to heal from my past. 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?--I hope to still be a Magic Knight, and hopefully a higher rank.

If you could choose, how would you want to die?--I would want to die swiftly if I could choose.

If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you would do in the time you had left.--I would try to isolate myself from the people I love, so that they wouldn’t have to deal with grief. I think I would generally be calm.

What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered after your death?--I want to be remembered for my strength. 

What three words best describe your personality?--open. loyal. decisive.

What three words would others probably use to describe you?--Rosie is loyal, smart, and loving!!-Eli

[mostweakhamlets]

Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Daffodils

Finally a full fic to this post

Summary: Aziraphale has a popular cooking show on the internet. Crowley dedicates part of his garden to the hobby, growing herbs and berries. Crowley also struggles to handle life after the apocalypse. Established relationship. South Downs fic. Features PTSD.

On AO3

By autumn, Crowley’s garden was beginning to die. He thought about yelling at them to keep growing past the season, but Aziraphale had gently reminded him that they had neighbors who most likely did not want to be disturbed any further by his plant discipline. Crowley didn’t necessarily care what the humans thought when he was in his garden, but he cared about Aziraphale’s desire to be good neighbors. So, he let his plants naturally wilt.

He had only a few handfuls of herbs that were salvageable. He was disappointed, but he wouldn’t let the plants know that right then. In a few weeks, he’d uproot them and let them think about their actions in the trash bin.  

Crowley tucked the handle of his basket in the crook of his arm, holding his pruning shears and gloves in the opposite hand and pushing open the door of the cottage with his shoulder.

“And I’m very proud of all of you who are cooking for the first time,” Aziraphale said.

Crowley stepped into the kitchen. Aziraphale stood in front of their stove, his camera sitting just to the side. The aroma of fruit baking flooded the room and immediately Crowley felt indescribably warm. It wasn’t so much a physical warmth as much as it was emotional.

“I enjoy reading how you’re all doing with your first meals. You’re coming along wonderfully. I know that some of you feel as though you’re struggling, but if you keep at it, you’ll be able to look back and see how much you’ve improved.”

Crowley was about to pass behind Aziraphale, hoping he’d go unnoticed so that he could tend to his herb clippings in peace. But of course, Aziraphale turned to him as soon as he was close enough and pulled him in-frame.

Neither was sure why, but Crowley was painfully camera shy. Perhaps it was his fear that it was easy documentation for Above and Below in case they thought it was time to interfere again. It also could have been because whenever Crowley made a cameo in a video, viewers left a flood of adoring comments.

His husband is so sweet for growing everything for him!!

I wish I had a husband that helped me with my hobbies like this.

Anthony should be in more videos! I love seeing them together. It’s like their soulmates.

Since Aziraphale had introduced him to his audience as “Anthony,” they were just as interested in catching glimpses of him as they were watching Aziraphale’s newest recipes. Crowley had never been in such a position before. He was a demon. He was supposed to be hated by his peers and cause chaos for humans--and he had accomplished both with no problems. He wasn’t supposed to be liked.

He hadn’t been liked by so many others since he fell.

The only person who truly liked him was Aziraphale.

And if the humans watching those videos knew what Crowley really was, they wouldn’t be so eager to see him--to like him.

“Taste this, my dear,” Aziraphale said.

He held a spoonful of jam to Crowley’s lips with his free hand cautiously under it, ready to catch any dripping.

Crowley leaned forward to wrap his lips around the spoon.

“Do you like it?”

Crowley’s cheeks heated. He nodded.

Aziraphale rested his hand on Crowley’s waist.

“Thank you, my dear.”  

Most likely his shyness came from the small tender moments Aziraphale was not afraid of showing the world. It had been the topic of many long conversations after Aziraphale took Crowley’s hand in St. James Park, causing Crowley to freeze and break out in a cold sweat. Being discreet had always been their top priority. For 6,000 years, someone would have surely seen them if they embraced in the middle of London. But now, Aziraphale had assured Crowley, things were different. They no longer needed to hide, but Aziraphale would go as slow as Crowley needed him to.

It was almost funny how their roles had switched after the apocalypse.

“You’re welcome, angel,” he mumbled.

Aziraphale smiled and let him go. There would be an offer later, like there always was, to delete whatever parts of the video Crowley was in.

Since the apocalypse and all the trouble that came with it, Crowley had been jumpy. He would wake in the middle of the night from nightmares. He would stop breathing if he saw a tall man with a square jaw in a gray suit (and though he didn’t need��to breathe, it still felt wrong not being able to). But Aziraphale was always there to soothe him back to sleep or guide him away from the stranger that triggered such strong feelings. And every night he made a homemade meal, telling Crowley on bad days, “you’ll feel better if you eat.”

Crowley hated that he was always right.

Even if he picked at his dinner and had Aziraphale tut at him for only eating a few bites, Aziraphale was right.

“Now, if you don’t have a husband to give you feedback, you can be your own critic.”

Crowley shook his head as he laid his basket and tools on the countertop a safe ways away from the camera. He grabbed a handful of thyme, rinsing it and laying it on a clean towel. Aziraphale would decide what to do with it later.

“Remember that the food you make doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be loved.”

Crowley rolled his eyes. He grabbed basil.

Aziraphale’s videos were always met with overwhelming positivity. The viewers, when not writing about Crowley, wrote about how Aziraphale taught them what their parents hadn’t, how they were living on their own for the first time and were slowly learning how to support themselves, how they had had unhealthy relationships with food for years but Aziraphale was helping them change that. To any other demon, it would be sickening. But Crowley was proud of his angel.

Without Heaven, Aziraphale was still performing his good deeds with the freedom to add his own twist. Heaven would never approve of Aziraphale’s new hobby. They hated food. They hated Earthly pleasures. They wouldn’t be able to see that Aziraphale was a great angel when left to his own devices.

“My dear, are you ready for dinner?”

Aziraphale wrapped his arms around Crowley’s waist.

“Is the camera off?”

Crowley hated how his voice sounded. It was quiet. It was meek.

“Of course, my dear,” Aziraphale said. Crowley relaxed. “Dinner?”

“Let me finish this. I’ll only be a minute.”

Aziraphale hummed in agreement and waited exactly three seconds before kissing Crowley’s neck. It wasn’t a sweet peck. It wasn’t a kiss that said: “this is the only place I can kiss you at the moment, but I don’t care because I love every inch of you.”

It was a kiss that Aziraphale knew would make Crowley’s knees go weak. He dropped his basil.

Aziraphale was also just enough of a bad angel to keep things interesting.

                                                            ~

It was the middle of December when the weather turned too cold for Crowley’s well-being.

Having been a snake, he still kept some of the traits. For starters, his yellow eyes were always going to be around. That he didn’t mind (Aziraphale told him multiple times he loved them). What he did mind was that when the cold crept through their cottage and assaulted him when he stepped outside, he grew sluggish and tired and found trouble eating. He really found trouble eating that winter.  

Aziraphale fussed over his cheekbones as they became gaunter. He touched Crowley’s hip bones, which protruded more than they had, and sighed. He caught Crowley when he swayed during a too-long fast and begged him to have a bite of something--just a bite--while he helped him sit.  

But they knew it wasn’t just the cold that had Crowley in such a state. He hadn’t been the sickly thin mess in winters previous.

It was the increasing panic attacks and restless nights and nightmares that angelic miracles couldn’t always stop. It was the awful anxiety that made Crowley’s hands shake and stomach cramp with nausea if he thought about holy water or Hellfire for too long. It was the absence of the relief they had expected South Downs to give them.

The cold just added more intensity to it. It was bad timing.

Aziraphale tucked a hot water bottle against Crowley before pulling the blankets close again. Crowley burrowed into his cocoon of quilts and Aziraphale’s sweater he had stolen weeks ago, curling around the new heat as it worked away aches. He was content where he was on the sofa, pleasantly drowsy and warm for once. He hadn’t moved since early that morning when he declared the spot as his when he stumbled down the stairs, exhausted after another sleepless night.

“Will I disturb you if I cook?” Aziraphale asked.

Crowley shook his head. “Go for it, angel.”

“I’ll make your favorite. Maybe you’ll manage to eat in a couple of hours.”

Crowley didn’t bother hiding his smile. Despite his growing anxiety in the past few months, he found himself smiling more because with every bad moment there was Aziraphale being gentle and doting.

Aziraphale kissed him on the forehead and brushed his temple. “Rest for now. Have sweet dreams.”

And Aziraphale left with a little angelic magic beginning to settle over him.

Crowley closed his eyes, curling up as tight as he could. He could hear Aziraphale trying to be quiet in the kitchen, gently setting pots and pans down and arranging whatever else he was miracling into existence.

“This recipe is a little more challenging,” Crowley heard. “But I thought it would be perfect for the season. My dear husband is under the weather, and I expect many of you are as well right now. Or maybe you know someone who is, and you’d like to make them a meal.”

Crowley could imagine the comments pouring in the second Aziraphale would post the video. Humans were so pitying and adoring of others when they were ill. They’d praise Aziraphale for being so thoughtful. They’d hope for Crowley to recover. It would be, if Crowley were to be honest, disgusting.

“It’s a light soup, so it’s wonderful for someone who has a touch of influenza.”

But Aziraphale deserved that praise. It was the praise Crowley felt too exhausted to give. If he wasn’t sleeping (or laying in bed trying desperately to fall asleep) every second he could, he would write an entire book to Aziraphale, telling him how wonderful he was and how little Crowley deserved such a caring, attentive angel. Once spring came, he would start to rebuild his garden. He would make it bigger than the year before--more room for berries and herbs. He’d let Aziraphale have whatever he wanted. And maybe he’d yell at his plants less.

Or maybe not that last one.

They’d never grow without discipline.

“My dear Anthony loves this soup. He first tried it at the Ritz years ago. I remember the first time I tried making it for him…”

And that was why everyone loved Aziraphale’s videos. 10 minutes were dedicated to telling a story about when he ate the meal for the first time--usually with Crowley, usually not within the last 100 years. He kept certain details out. They didn’t want his audience to know that they were immortal beings.

Maybe Crowley would dig up the grass in the front of the cottage and put in flower beds. Flowers weren’t necessarily his thing, but Aziraphale always admired them on walks. He’d oh so gently touch the petals and lean in to smell them. He’d tell Crowley to do the same, and Crowley would find himself doing it just to humor his angel.

Crowley fell asleep thinking of daffodils lining the front door, listening to Aziraphale list ingredients.

He dreamt of guiding Aziraphale’s hands through the dirt and helping him place bulbs in neat lines. The sun beat down on them, and though Crowley couldn’t feel it, he welcomed it. Aziraphale’s smile was bright, and he was proud of the little mounds in the soil.

There was no more shaking hands or uneven breathing. Crowley felt well again. Aziraphale openly touched him as people walked by, and Crowley laughed when they joked about the dirt and grass stains on Aziraphale’s pale suit that he still insisted on wearing.

They moved to the kitchen where fresh vegetables awaited them. Aziraphale took Crowley’s hands this time, helping him cut peppers and scrape out the seeds.

He woke up to Aziraphale leaning over him.

“I’m sorry, my dear, I lost track of time. This has gone cold.”

Aziraphale pulled the water bottle out of Crowley’s grip. It had turned cold, and Crowley could feel cramps returning.

“I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Aziraphale lifted the blankets again to slide the water bottle--now satisfyingly burning as Crowley liked it--into Crowley’s waiting arms.

“I made you tea,” he said. “We still had just enough leaves left from when I made them a month ago.”

Crowley remembered the tea video. Aziraphale had felt adventurous and set out to cut up the herbs Crowley had been growing in their window sill (the only thing he could manage to grow in cold). The leaves turned out fine without any miracle, though Crowley’s plants saw better days after being butchered.

But the tea Aziraphale made from it was ridiculously amazing. It was earthy and rich. Every cup was perfect.

The newest steaming mug was right by Crowley’s head.

“I thought you might like it before we try dinner.”

Crowley sat up. He kept the water bottle close.

“How was filming?”

Aziraphale sat next to him. Crowley took advantage and rested against him. Much better than the water bottle.

“It was splendid. I’m thinking that everyone might be ready to try more complicated dishes. I’ll have to see what they think of this one. I know they’ll do their best, but there is no need to stress them out.”

Crowley had tried his hardest to explain that many of his viewers didn’t attempt every dish Aziraphale made and they didn’t watch them in chronological order. They simply watched because they were fond of him. But Aziraphale never seemed to understand, insisting that surely they must all be interested in cooking.

Crowley took a sip of his tea. The heat traveled down his throat to his stomach where it began easing knots.

“Remind me. Have you already made a video on crepes?”

Aziraphale huffed. “Of course, I have. It was one of the first. But they didn’t compare to what’s made in Paris. I gave a full disclaimer at the start of the video.”

“Oh, that’s right. I had to stop you from mentioning the Reign of Terror.” Crowley closed his eyes. “Mostly because humans frown upon people having happy memories of it.”

“It wasn’t as though I was talking about the revolution itself. Just the memories that coincidentally aligned with it. Dear, do try to stay awake long enough to eat. I’d love for you to have something tonight.”

Crowley hummed. “I’m not sleeping. Keep talking.”

Aziraphale was quiet, admitting his defeat to himself. Crowley would be asleep again within minutes.

“Anyways, I always tell them that the love surrounding the dishes is what makes it all the more special. That’s why it’s best to cook for someone you love…”

Crowley didn’t hear the rest of Aziraphale’s lecture. He returned to the summer garden.

                                                             ~

Spring was much kinder.

Crowley started his garden again.

He whispered a threat to every seed, telling them that they were for Aziraphale and therefore if they were a disappointment, the consequences would be dire. He had promised to stop yelling at the plants while he was outside in plain sight of passing neighbors. While Aziraphale made a list of the crops he’d like that year, he also made a list of conditions. Inside the cottage was fair game for yelling. All “punishments” had to be done in the shed. Crowley negotiated to be allowed to make an example of bad plants in front of the others at the beginning of the season (and since Aziraphale had never actually witnessed the “punishments” and was beginning to severely doubt that any true punishments were taking place, he allowed it).

Kneeling in front of the garden, detailing the many ways he learned to torture in Hell (a blatant lie as any demon who knew how often Crowley avoided seeing souls being tortured would tell you), he felt at peace. He heard Aziraphale step out the back door and smiled. His stomach flipped, but in a good way. He was excited to show Aziraphale the progress he had made and tell him about all the new plants they would have soon. He was excited to see Aziraphale clap his hands together and tell him how proud he was.

“Dear?”

Crowley turned around.

Aziraphale held the camera out. He had never learned how to zoom in and out and manually held the camera closer or further away instead.

“Angel,” Crowley whined, cheeks turning red.

He tried hiding his face, looking back down at the garden.

“Tell us what you’re doing,” Aziraphale said, sitting down in the grass next to Crowley.

“I’m starting the garden,” Crowley mumbled, still not facing the camera but not exactly minding it as much as he had in the past. “This is your bed. For all of, uh, the crops you need.”

“It’s looking wonderful, my dear. Almost as wonderful as you.”

Crowley didn’t want to imagine the blush the camera was picking up.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Aziraphale said, perhaps beginning to doubt his choice of surprising Crowley.

He began to stand. Crowley finally faced him.

“You don’t have to.”

Aziraphale smiled. “Do you really not mind?”

Crowley shook his head. He held his hand out. Aziraphale took it and sat back down.

“What are we growing this year, my love?”

Crowley’s chest tightened--but again, in a good way.

                                                                  ~

Crowley had just woken up. His new favorite part of summer was waking up to a breeze coming through the open windows and Aziraphale in the kitchen.

June had been treating the couple nicely. They began to enjoy walks through the town on sunny days, fingers laced together and nodding at neighbors who smiled at the eccentric couple who were finally debuting themselves. After their first walk, which included a short, polite yet nervous exchange of small talk with a neighbor about the weather, Aziraphale had kissed Crowley’s face a dozen times as he told him how proud he was. He had come a long way, Aziraphale told him.

Even the rainy days--and being in England, there were many--were beautiful for them. Crowley had grown to enjoy the sound of thunder, and Aziraphale was finding himself pleasantly pinned down by a sleeping Crowley on his lap more often.

Crowley made his way downstairs. He could smell whatever Aziraphale was baking, the sensation of warmth overcoming him as it always did.

“I understand it’s a special month for some of you, and I always see the comments thanking Anthony and me for being ourselves.”

Crowley stayed behind the wall of the hallway. He hadn’t realized Aziraphale was filming.

“I believe that we may have a little more history of rebelling than you’re all aware of. I’ve never acknowledged it before because, well, it is a bit difficult to bring up, but we do understand what it’s like to have to walk away from those who are supposed to be accepting of you. We have plenty of experience going against what we’ve been told is God’s plan, but we found ourselves happier doing so. And believe me, She doesn’t mind what humans are together romantically. I really don’t know where that rumor started.”

Crowley shook his head. To humans, Aziraphale sounded like a pious man that was very certain of his beliefs (and maybe a little crazy when he didn’t bother censoring himself as much as he should have).

“Nevertheless, it is hard to give it all up. You do lose a part of your identity and you have to rebuild that. And maybe Anthony knows a bit more about being rejected and falling--falling out with those who are supposed to love you, I mean.”

Crowley rested his head against the wall. It took a special demon to be a fallen angel and be a traitor to Hell.

“He has had an awfully rough time with it all, but he’s overcoming it. I’m very proud of him. He’s found where he truly belongs, and we’re both much happier.”

There was a pause.

“And the joy I feel being with him finally--here, in this little home we’ve made for ourselves--is indescribable. I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. I do hope the rest of you are able to find similar happiness.”  

Crowley changed his clothes and fixed his hair with a snap of his fingers.

“Anyways, that’s why I’ve decided that scones would be perfect this morning--”

Aziraphale was cut off by the weight of a demon crashing into him. Crowley spun him around and wrapped his arms around him, pressing their hips together.

“Good morning, angel.”

“Good morning, dear.” Aziraphale looked taken aback. “The camera is on--”

“Screw the camera.”

He pressed his lips to Aziraphale’s, taking a long moment to savor it. Every anxiety-inducing thought of the wrong person watching them was momentarily gone. He didn’t care about the people on the other side of the screen. He only thought about holding Aziraphale right there.

Aziraphale cupped Crowley’s face and pulled away.

“I love you very dearly,” he said.

“I think I love you even more.”

Crowley kissed him again.

Aziraphale’s hands moved to Crowley’s shoulders, then his waist, then lower.

“Alright, camera has to go,” Crowley said, breathless.

A wave of his hand and Aziraphale turned off the camera and the oven.  

Truly an awful angel.

(These are the people who asked to be tagged/who I think wanted to be tagged

@frenchibi @thegryffindorbookworm @odysseyinink @misstylersmith @fairkid-forever @a-person-in-the-rain )

[simonsrosebud]

Carry On Countdown day 8- family

Unexpected Surprises

SIMON

Baz is going to kill me.

BAZ

Merlin and Morgana he’s brought home a child.

I quirk a brow as he enters the flat. It’s not until Snow gives me a nervous smile that my stomach drops and I grow alarmed. I stand from where I'm working on my laptop.

“Simon...?”

He drops his bag onto the ground. "I-I know what it looks like- I didn't steal her I-I swear." He holds the child to his chest. She doesn't look over seven months old.

“Please enlighten me, why don't you?" I cross my arms over my chest. I hate the thought of it, but the girl looks straight out of the Pitch family. She's even got the same fiery dark eyes as Fiona. What I hate even more is the fleeting thought that her dark hair reminds me of my own.

Simon rushes to my side. I don't get to protest before he's handing the child over to me. I gasp and gather her in my arms. I mean, I can't just drop her. "You can't get angry with a baby in your hands." Snow smiles, but it's more of a hesitant grimace. "She- I, um, Penny's mum had her over while I was there for the weekend. She's really powerful, I-I think she did a spell to tell- I don't remember what one-”

I take a deep breath. “Is this the magickal orphan that the Old Families found?”

Snow bites his lip, but nods. It's like he's got heart eyes at the girl.

“How did we end up with her?" I stop bouncing the girl on my hip as soon as I notice myself doing it.

Simon grins at her. "I mentioned how we were kind of in the talking phase of the whole baby thing- and Mitali kind of mentioned her needing a home. Temporary or not, depending on if they can find what's up with her parents. She was given up like me." He bites his lip and fusses with his hair. "She just- she's Egyptian, Baz. She reminded me of your mum and-and Fiona and you.”

Fuck. The girl is nearly falling asleep on me.

I'm going to hell.

“Does she have a name?" I ask. Because I'm weak. And there's no other way for us to have magickal children.

Snow shakes his head. "She turns six months tomorrow though so she still has a while to get used to a name. I-I’ve been reading baby books lately." He's talking so fast I'm surprised his words are coming out. "Um, I thought Natasha was fitting." I look up. His face grows panicky. "Unless that's just too much-”

“No." I frown at the baby in arms. "Natasha Snow-Pitch." He looks like he's holding back from just taking her into his arms and peppering kisses all over her face. I'd let him. I sigh. "Fine. But you have to remember that if they find her parents and they want and are seen fit to care for her, then we have to give her back.”

Simon nods. “I know.”

“No fighting for her. It won't be our decision if it happens. We're like... fostering.”

He nods again, albeit a tad bit slower, and when I give him the look he so longs for his lips turn up into a wide smile. He takes her- Natasha, that's going to be hard to get used to, into his arms. Her eyes seem to sparkle up at him, and when he takes hold of her chubby little arm and waves it at me I can't help but let a wicked grin break out on my face.

Simon looks towards the door when someone knocks. "Oh, um, Penny, her mum and little Bayli are here to babyproof the flat and set stuff up. I have all of Natasha's belongings in my car, and Penny and Micah have Bayli's old crib and a changing station thing-”

I stop him there. "And where'd they get all that stuff? They're just giving it to us?”

He shrugs in response, big surprise, and I take Natasha back from him before he gets the door.

-

We only get granted a week of keeping Natasha a secret before Fiona announces that she's coming to visit. Or rather she calls me and tells me she's fifteen minutes away.

“Fiona-Fiona wait, pull over.”

I can just see the sneer on her face. "I'm not fucking pulling over.”

Fuck. I look back into little Tasha's room. She's lying on one of Snow's spread out wings on the ground. He's probably not doing it on purpose, but the tip of his tail tickles her feet to make her giggle.

I lean against the wall in the hallway. "Simon and I have something at the house that's kind of a big deal. You can't freak out, and we'll explain it all when you get here.”

“Can't really get worse from all the other fucked up shit we've been through, kid. I'm fine.”

I purse my lips. "No, not like- we have a child. At the house... With us." I press my fingers to the bridge of my nose.

“What?”

“A baby, Fiona! Simon and I took in the parentless magickal child that they found. She's ours unless they find out what's up with her parents. If they’re fit to handle a child." Simon frowns at me from Natasha's room. I shake my head.

Fiona's not really one to hesitate, but clearly I've caught her off guard with the news. "I... you guys- kids? Had you... I didn't know you guys wanted kids.”

“Yeah." I push a hand through my hair. "We'd only talked about it a bit, but then Snow came home from a weekend at the Bunces with her. I caved.”

Fiona snickers. "You're soft. God you're head over bloody heels for him- wait, I'm here." She hangs up.

Fuck. "Simon!" He looks up from his spot on the floor. Now, Natasha's lying on his chest. "Fiona's here.”

His eyes widen in alarm. I can't blame him, but if I keep Fiona waiting any longer she'll just spell the door open. She looks just about ready to do it anyway when I open it.

“Where is she?”

SIMON

I gather Nat in my arms and take her out to the kitchen where Baz and Fiona are waiting. Impatiently, one might say. I can't say I was expecting hey to visit. Baz better not have either, we were trying to lay low. Fiona doesn't lay low. She looks just about to blow a fuse, actually, but the fire burns out when she sees the baby.

“Bloody hell." She breathes and looks at her quizzically.

I speak up. “Um, her name is Natasha.”

It feels like forever before either of them speak up. I know it’s because Baz is waiting for Fiona’s response, which is especially delayed. She usually spits things out right off the bat.

FIONA

My god, sister, if only you could see him now. He’s really gone and made a family for himself. You’d be so proud, Natasha, they’ve even named the girl after you.

Baz tells me that Simon couldn’t help but bring her home with how much of a Pitch she looked like. He also says that the only reason they got the child without having to go through all the trouble that Normal’s go through is because Mitali trusts Simon enough. Not many people outside the Old Families even know about the girl. They got lucky.

He’s done good, that Snow boy. I think you’d like him well enough. He’s tough like you, in an odd way, but tough all the same. Fuck, I mean, he just gave away all the magick he had in him- I could never. I would never. Plus, he treats Basil good, and he loves him more than your idiot son expected to be loved. Don’t worry, I hit him for that line when he first told me.

No one could ever love him more than you did, sister.

SIMON

I know Fiona well enough to know that she’s accepted our spontaneous decision when she clicks her tongue and smirks at Baz. “Daphne is going to be heartbroken that you didn’t tell her.”

Baz looks at Natasha, and tucks a little piece of hair out of her face. “Father is going to set me ablaze.”

Fiona snorts. “Good. I can’t wait to see it. You’re coming to the house with her tomorrow or I’m telling them all myself.”

Tasha bursts out a little laugh, for no real reason, and reaches an arm out to Fiona. I’ve never pegged Fiona as the motherly type, but she sighs and takes her from my arms anyway.

BAZ

Fuck Fiona. I was honestly having one of the most joyful weeks in a while until she told my family we were coming to visit. I didn’t think she was serious, for once, but a call from my father asking why the sudden visit was confirmation enough.

“What did you tell him?” Simon asks later that afternoon while he’s feeding Tasha tiny slices of banana. He had to eat a few in front of her to get her to try them, and she’s been hooked since. She’s ravenous just like him.

“Just said we have a small surprise for Daphne and the kids.”

He shoots me a toothy smile. “A surprise for Daphne and the kids?” He giggles to himself, but turns back around when Nat reaches for him with a handful of mushy bananas. He gasps at her. “What, baby girl!”

She pushes her tiny fist forward against his mouth and babbles sounds at him. “What! You are a surprise!” He kisses it and blows raspberries on the inside of her arm. Her giggle is infectious, I find myself grinning at the two of them.

Fuck. I know I said it wasn’t up to us, but if this goes south and I don’t fight for her I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life.

[jaroslavlewis]

30 Kisses: Heiji and Kazuha- Bond of Steel

30 Kisses: Heiji and Kazuha

Title: Bond of Steel

Author: Jaroslav Lewis

Fandom: Detective Conan

Theme: #13-excessive chain

Summary: Heiji and Kazuha just always end up getting chained together in all worst ways possible, because what is red string of fate when you have a strong chain of handcuffs to connect both of you?

Warning: Rated R for sexual themes

Disclaimer: I don't own Detective Conan or any of Gosho Aoyama's characters. I simply kidnap them when I'm bored and make them binge watch K-dramas with me. Don't worry I make popcorn for them too.

The first time Heiji and Kazuha were handcuffed together was way back when they were kids. Two innocent seven-year olds snooped into their fathers' stuff and thought that the game of cops and robbers would be a lot better if they used cool, real cop stuff. The poor kids apparently, didn't have the key to unchain themselves and had to wait until their fathers came back from work. By the time Police Chief Criminal Investigator Toyama Ginshiro and Police Super Intendent Hattori Heizo had arrived, Heiji and Kazuha had already done a lot of things together (Granted, they hadn't gotten much choice.), some of them were far too 'intimate' and embarrassing to even bring up as they grew older. But of course, at that time, childhood innocence had no room for any malice. The young boy and the young girl were after all just two curious little children, two playmates who had a little fiasco while playing with their fathers' work stuff. Of course, Heiji and Kazuha got into a lot of trouble for what happened. They had a long sermon from both of their fathers about how they shouldn't be snooping into police stuff and that kids should never be playing with handcuffs. It did not however, take long for the two police officers to receive a long nagging lecture from their wives about how responsible fathers shouldn't be leaving their things within children's reach. All was good in the end. The little incident had become a fond old memory to both the families as the two kids grew up. It had become something that both of their families laughed and made an inside joke about.

It happened the second time when they were seventeen years old and it was unlike the first one. It wasn't an effect of curious innocent child's play but rather, involved a lot of violence, death threats, secret codes, being locked up in a dark, dusty attic, and a huge, nasty old woman pushing Heiji to the creaky wooden floor as she pointed a gun to his head. It was an image Kazuha never wanted to see, the same way that her cries and screams of fear were sounds Heiji never wanted to hear, ever again. It was all the more reason for both of them to swear that they would never be stuck, handcuffed to each other once more.

But for the third time, Heiji and Kazuha were yet again in another handcuff entanglement. It was of course, still as they remembered, uncomfortable as ever, though not as horribly unpleasant as the second time, but it was in no way as cute as the first time. Sure it involved sheer curiosity, not to mention, a different kind of exploration, but it was in no way innocent as the little childhood memory they once had.

It started with a nice candlelit dinner Kazuha had prepared for their wonderful evening. For their 3rd wedding anniversary, the couple decided to have a simple but romantic date night at home. Kazuha fixed up a full-course meal of bacon-wrapped asparagus for the appetizer, tomato-basil lasagna and spinach and cheese-stuffed chicken for the main course and home-made no-bake strawberry cheesecake for dessert. Heiji offered to do the dishes as he figured it was important that he did his share of household chores since Kazuha had already done the cooking. After the dishes were done, the couple handed each other their anniversary gifts. Kazuha got Heiji a limited edition, leather bound, 3-volume set of Ellery Queen's "Masterpieces of Mystery". Heiji on the other hand, got her a 14 karat white gold, heart-shaped locket with elegant diamond embellishment. Inside the locket were the pictures of their fraternal twins, Mikan and Midori on either sides of the locket.

Surprises were surely not over for both of them as they had a few glasses of wine and from there, things started to heat up. Heiji crossed over to Kazuha's side of the counter. He stood behind her as he offered to put the locket around her neck. He paused to stare at the soft, smooth skin of her nape that was exposed since her hair was styled in a neat French chignon up do. He lifted his arms and brought the necklace up to her neck and then hooked the chains together at the back. She stood still as she felt him lean closer to her. She gasped as he kissed the sensitive junction between her neck and her shoulder blade. His lips brushed gingerly against her exposed skin, making her shiver.

Kazuha grew weak against his touch. She leaned closer to him and pressed her back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her from behind.

"Just so you know, I actually have another present for you." She said between her raspy breathing as he left open-mouthed kisses against her neck and jawline. She felt him smirk against her skin before he pulled away, only to press his lips near her ear.

"You're just so full of surprises arencha'?" He whispered in a low, dulcet tone, sending goosebumps to creep on her smooth skin. She then, turned around to face him and looked into his emerald orbs as she smirked.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Why don't you peel off the 'wrapping paper' on this one to see what I have for you?" She said playfully, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Heiji smiled softly as placed his left hand on the side of her waist. He lifted his right hand to tuck the stray hair that had left the confines of her neat bun, before sliding it to her back to tug at the zipper on the back of her dark green, v-neckline, bodycon dress that hugged her curves perfectly.

"Careful. First layer of the 'wrapping paper' is special, not to mention, very expensive." She remembered to warn him since the particular dress was her most favorite among her wardrobe.

"Oh, I should know. I paid for it after all." He said smugly as he started to pull down the zipper of her dress in an ever so slow and teasing pace. His fingers brushed against the skin of her back that was slowly being exposed, making her shudder against his light touch. Kazuha on the other hand, had started to loosen his dark green tie and was slowly working her way through the buttons of his white, long-sleeved button up shirt.

"Ahou." She teased. The old, odd "term of endearment" was never lost in the years of their relationship.

Heiji smirked at her little remark before he leaned in to press his lips against hers in a soft kiss that didn't stay so for long as his right hand moved from the small of her back up to her chin, gently teasing it down to part her lips and allow himself easy access which she granted to him right away. It didn't take long for them to become both intoxicated with the faint taste of red wine on each other's lips.

Lost and drowning in the intensity of their kiss, their movements became driven by sheer passion. Kazuha hadn't even noticed that Heiji had already hoisted her up from the ground even as she willingly wrapped her legs around his waist. Upstairs they went and without breaking their heated kiss, Heiji pushed her to the wall next to the door of their room. With a click of a door knob and one soft push of the door, Heiji entered their dimly-lit bedroom with Kazuha still in his arms. He pinned her to the nearest wall and soon enough her feet were gently placed back on the ground as she held onto him and used the wall to support herself since her knees have gone weak because of his kiss.

What seemed like eternity was soon put to a pause when the two pulled away for some air. Both panting, Heiji and Kazuha gazed into each other's eyes. It took a few beats for them to move again to step away from the wall and advance closer to the bed. As soon as the back of Heiji's leg hit the edge of their bed, Kazuha worked her way into sliding Heiji's shirt off of his shoulders. After the harmless shirt was tossed to the ground, Heiji pulled Kazuha closer to him again to plant a soft kiss on her forehead as his hand went by the back of her head to pull the one hairpin holding her long brunette hair up, untangling it from the confines of her French chignon up do as it pooled down her shoulders.

His lips brushed gingerly against her jawline and then down to the sensitive spot on her neck as he pushed her hair to one side and tugged at the straps of her dress which right then, moved down her shape and fell smoothly on the floor.

He pulled away for a moment to gaze at her exposed beauty and noticed that she had decided to wear something special for him that night. Heiji was in a daze and entrapped in her charm. Butterflies fluttered chaotically inside Kazuha's stomach as she felt his eyes on her. She had been exposed to him several times before. They were husband and wife. It was no big deal. But for some odd reason she still felt the same feeling as when they had their first night together. The tension in her heart was still there. Unknown to her, Heiji also felt the same. No matter how many times he has seen her, she'd always look the same. Beautiful as always. Like the first time he saw her. Like their first night together.

"The second layer's prettier, though. Too bad, it has to go." Heiji teased, breaking the silence between them. The grin on Heiji's face grew wider as Kazuha's blush grew redder with his statement. She was about to call him an ahou yet again when her retort was cut off and lost in another passionate kiss.

Her thoughts were about to get clouded again in pure bliss when something snapped in her.–An idea that sparked from pure curiosity. A part of her was hesitant, but instinct told her to feel otherwise. There wasn't much time to think. Heiji was distracted, trying to distract her, hands lost control in wandering touches.

It was a little game, a battle on who loses focus first and Kazuha swore to never lose to him again. She was going to have it her way this time. And so, it took her all the self-control she could muster to get her plan together and she acted fast.

As Heiji busied himself trying to figure out the intricacies of her little outfit, Kazuha's hand sneaked through the back pocket of his pants to take out a cold chain link of hard steel. She smirked against Heiji's lips. Just as she thought, he had kept them there. He had always placed them there for work. Heiji rarely had any use for them. The police officers always took care of the arresting. But tonight, Kazuha was sure to make good use of them.

Clink.

The evident sound of metal chains clashing shook Heiji's awareness of his surroundings and made him jerk back, putting a short end to such a pleasing kiss.

"K-kazuha?" He blinked back, with eyes albeit startled, were glassy with desire.

And though being a detective skilled in Kendo has sharpened his senses reflexes so well, his capacity to think vanished in the moment and in the beautiful sight of her before him. In one swift move, he was pushed to the bed by such a petite, pretty lady.

As his head hit the headboard, Heiji reminded himself that it was never good to underestimate her. Looks can be deceiving. Aikido has made her strong. It didn't look like it, but like him, she was also a skilled martial artist and could easily flip men and beat them to a pulp.

But she was such a sweet, lovely wife that it made him forget such fact about her at times.

Startled by her newfound boldness and attracted to her beauty, Heiji watched her every movement as she climbed the bed and positioned herself on top of him. Kazuha smirked as she dangled the handcuffs she took from him, right in front of his face. It took a few seconds for him to fully process what was happening.

Click.

Before he could even protest, Kazuha had already handcuffed his right wrist and she grinned in pure success. The shocked look on Heiji's face satisfied her even more.

"Wait- "He tried to stop her but to no avail, was cut off as she pressed her lips against his as her free hand slid down his bare chest, touching him in the right places. Her lips moved to his jawline and then to his neck and all thoughts of his were lost in the hazy cloud of arousal that took over his mind. And then she started moving again, getting through with her plan as she thought she figured him out. But Heiji was smart enough to play her game.

So he fought back because there was something he had to tell her, but what was it again?

He kept forgetting about it. She was so damn good at distracting him.

And she fought as well. She was sure as hell determined to win in their battle for dominance and god was she strong.

Heiji struggled and swung his hand that bore such a peculiar silver bracelet. And then...

Click.

The other side of the handcuffs swung and caught Kazuha's left wrist perfectly.

Kazuha's light green eyes widened in shock. Heiji gaped.

"Crap." He muttered.

"No worries. We could unlock it with the key and play this little game longer." Kazuha said, giggling flirtatiously as she tried to give him ideas, but the detective of the west seemed to have drifted to another place, lost in his thoughts.

She stared at him for a while and she read him. She didn't have to be a detective to figure him out.

"Heiji…"

He failed to respond as he stared at their tangled wrists.

"Please tell me you have the key to unlock this thing."

Heiji gulped and prepared himself for the scolding of his life. But she was silent and he waited.

"Say Kazuha…" Heiji said, breaking the awkward silence between him and his wife as he sat on their bed, shirtless with his wife on his lap, facing him. Her legs were on either sides of his waist, straddling him.

He gazed at the beauty that is her. She was clad in provocative, lacy, pale pink lingerie that complimented her fair skin so stunningly. She looked undeniably alluring in her outfit but her face showed an innocent, half-furious, half-embarrassed expression. Her lips were pouted in the most adorable way possible and her cheeks were flushed crimson red. Her eyebrows furrowed in a frustrated manner as she refused to meet his gaze. Cute and sexy were both contrasting together but Kazuha seemed to be a combination of both, a fact that Heiji couldn't help but marvel at.

Under normal circumstances, Heiji could've easily surrendered to primal, animalistic urges. Screw self-control and reason. He could easily flip her and pin her to the soft mattress of their king-sized bed as he kissed her senselessly, but instead both of them stayed still in their intimate position. He kept his gaze on her as he waited for her to say something but words refused to come out of their mouths as uncomfortable silence continued to fill the air. He felt the lump in his throat thicken as his mouth went dry while they both waited on each other. Heiji figured, he couldn't keep their game of stillness going on forever and so he decided to speak up.

"Remember when we were little our dads told us to never play with handcuffs?" He brought up, clearing his throat. The statement increased the level of awkwardness that surrounded both of them. Kazuha's furious light green eyes darted a glare towards his dark green ones. Heiji yelped, anticipating a loud retort from her or maybe a hard smack on his head, but instead she simply rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Yes." She hissed under her breath as she looked away from him again to hide the guilty expression on her face.

"I think now's the right time to say that we should've just listened to them." Heiji said, stifling a laugh. He also took a mental note not to make jokes during embarrassing situations. It surely did not lighten up the mood.

His gaze then travelled to her left wrist that wore a peculiar accessory of a hard steel bracelet that was connected by a short link of little chains that were attached to an identical steel bracelet wrapped around his right wrist.

"As I have recalled, they only said 'children should not play with handcuffs.' They could've warned us that it's not for adults too." He added, unaware that he had just said his thoughts out loud. He was surprised when Kazuha, who seemed to have lost her cool lifted her left hand in attempt to hit him, but was immediately stopped with the restriction of the handcuffs that connected her wrist to his.

"Ahou." She muttered under her breath as she gave up her attempt at hitting him hard with her hand that was closer to him. Her dominant hand was free, but she suddenly didn't feel like exerting much effort anymore. After all, to say it was kind of her fault was an understatement.

Under dim light, Heiji could still see Kazuha's beautiful peridot orbs that were teary with frustration and annoyance. He immediately took the hint. He could be such a moron about a lot of things but seeing her crestfallen, especially on the night of their third wedding anniversary was not something he'd like to see. So, he decided to diffuse the situation before everything went haywire.

"Okay, let's not panic." He said calmly as his freehand touched her shoulder. Being a detective, Heiji had well-mastered being calm during desperate situations. Age has also matured him in different ways. Over the years, he had learned to manage his hot-temper and impulsiveness and he figured at such times, his newfound self-control did come pretty handy.

"Do you have a hairpin or something we could use to pick the lock?" He asked.

"Inside the first drawer of our night stand." She answered and immediately he moved his right hand to reach the drawer by his right side, forgetting that it was chained to his wife's left wrist. Such action caused Kazuha to grit in pain as her left wrist was dragged carelessly and obliviously by Heiji's force and sudden movement.

"Careful!" She whined.

"Sorry." He said as he shifted his position so that he wouldn't injure his wife's wrist as he reached for their side table drawer.

Kazuha watched intently as Heiji started picking the lock. She silently prayed that picking the lock would work, but Heiji seemed to be struggling with it.

Heiji on the other hand, had started to wonder where his wife started getting ideas. Unbeknownst to him, Kazuha had been thinking about it since they came back to Osaka after their recent visit to Tokyo.

The bookstore from where Kazuha had to buy her anniversary present for Heiji could only be found in Tokyo and only shipped items within the city. So, she asked Ran to take the delivery and cover for her in the meantime. She also figured that it would also be a good opportunity to visit her and Sonoko again to catch up. Ever since the twins came, she and Heiji hardly had any time for anything else. All their hours were spent on their respective careers and on their son, Midori and their daughter, Mikan. Kazuha was thrilled that Heiji did not get suspicious with her motives and that he did not get any ideas about her surprise. She could barely keep anything from him. –One of the cons of marrying a great detective.

Unknown to her, Heiji had a different motive as well. Turns out, he too was also going to buy Kazuha's anniversary present in a store in Tokyo. Heiji had found a good place (thanks to Shinichi's help), to buy the locket. It was the only piece and was sold only in that one store in Tokyo. So, when Kazuha asked him if they could come to Tokyo to visit Ran-chan, he did not have any second thoughts about saying yes. It was the perfect fool-proof plan. –Kazuha, Ran and Sonoko catching up, him and Kudo catching up as well while they go to the store to check the locket out. It would be great, like hitting two birds with one stone.

And so while Heiji and Shinichi were out, there Kazuha was in the living room of the Kudo mansion with her two closest friends catching up with some tea and cake that Ran had prepared. By their side, in a playpen for the toddlers were Mikan, Midori and Conan.

"Thank you so much, Ran-chan for doing this for me. You're a life saver!" Kazuha said as Ran handed her the package Kazuha had asked her to keep for the meantime.

"No worries. I had to keep this from Shinichi because that guy tells Hattori-kun everything. But other than that, it was no biggie." Ran said as she settled the parchment she had kept for Kazuha on the table and then poured tea into Kazuha's cup. "I'm really glad this opportunity came and you finally had the time to visit us, Kazuha-chan."

"I know right? I miss you both a lot. Heiji and I have been very busy. Him with the cases and me with the kids in the hospital, both of us with Mi-kun and Mi-chan. The twins are really a handful." Kazuha said.

"Tell me about it. Conan's been keeping me and Shinichi up every night. I could only imagine you and Hattori-kun's struggle with Midori-kun and Mikan-chan." Ran agreed. "But still, everything's all worth it. It's all rewarding in the end, ne?"

Kazuha turned at her cute daughter and son playing with Ran's toddler and smiled.

"Yeah. It sure is." She giggled, before bringing the cup of warm chamomile tea to her lips.

"Aww, you two. Look at both of you being such great mommies. Gosh, you guys grew up so fast. I'm a proud friend to be honest, but a little out of place since I can't relate." Sonoko joked, pouting before she brought a bite of the slice of Ran's lemon chiffon cake with cream cheese frosting up to her mouth after she had punctured it with a dessert fork.

Ran giggled at Sonoko's remark before she lightly hit her friend's rib with her elbow.

"You and Kyogoku-san have been married for some time, now. Don't you think it's time to fill your mansion with mini versions of you two, running around?" Ran asked and Sonoko shrugged.

"Hmmm, we'll get there I guess. Makoto's brought it up too and we've talked about it. I'm not against the whole idea, but for now I'd just really like to enjoy my married life with my hubby." Sonoko replied with a smile. "Besides, I want to watch and learn from you guys first. For now, I'll just be the cool and fab aunty who'd spoil Conan, Midori and Mikan."

"Anyway, what are your plans for the wedding anniversary, Kazuha-chan?" Sonoko then asked curiously as she turned to their Osakan friend and gave her a knowing wink, making Kazuha blush a light pink shade.

"Eh? Well, not much. Heiji and I are just gonna have a nice dinner at home with the twins. Shizuka-kaasan will be going to Sapporo with Heizo-tousan for an event and my parents will be going to Hokkaido to visit some close relatives. We can't leave Mi-kun and Mi-chan with anybody else." Kazuha answered. The hint of disappointment in her tone didn't go unnoticed by Sonoko and Ran. But immediately, she decided to shrug it off with a smile. "It will be fun. It will be the first time we'll be celebrating our anniversary with the twins."

Somehow the last statement felt as if Kazuha was trying to convince herself. Not only did it sound like that to Ran and Sonoko, but to Kazuha herself too. It seemed wrong in a way, but no matter how she tried to deny it, she strongly felt it. It was the truth and she felt like an irresponsible parent for feeling so.

"Something tells me you're a bit upset about this." Ran scooted closer to Kazuha's side, coaxing her to tell the truth. "Come on, we don't have to be detectives to figure you out, Kazuha-chan."

"Well, I was honestly looking forward to spending some time with Heiji. Alone." Kazuha confessed sighing. Her cheeks have gone a darker shade of red due to embarrassment. She brought her teacup up to her face and took another sip to hide her blushing face. After taking a long sip from her cup of tea, she placed it on the table again and looked down at her lap to avoid Ran and Sonoko's gaze.

"I mean, I know right now, my priority should be Mi-kun and Mi-chan and I love the twins so much. I don't want you guys to think that I'm being a bad mother, ya' know. But the thing is, I rarely spend time with Heiji now and I kind of miss him." She continued shyly.

"Other than that, there's something that has been bothering me for the past few weeks now. I know it's silly but I've been really bothered by something my colleague said about relationships losing spark and all. And to be honest, things between me and Heiji have been a little…bland, ya' know…" Kazuha added, mumbling her last sentence almost inaudibly. It was then that she realized how much she had blubbered and she felt even more nervous and embarrassed with what she said.

"It's normal to feel that way. Sometimes, we also need a little break from parenting." Ran assured as she gave her friend a pat on the back.

"You know, if you really want to spend time with Hattori-kun on your anniversary, Shinichi and I could babysit the twins for you guys. We could come to Osaka that day and rent a villa overnight and you can drop Mikan-chan and Midori-kun there before you celebrate your anniversary." Ran suggested, putting a hopeful but a bit hesitant smile on Kazuha's face.

Of course to Kazuha, the idea was great and she knew very well that she could trust Ran with her kids. Ran was the queen of all mothers for goodness' sake. Even during their teens, Ran had already been a great "mom" and for so many years Kazuha looked up to her and admired her parenting skills. However, she did not want to be a nuisance to Ran and Kudo-kun. She knew very well that they have their own affairs to deal with. Shinichi was a successful detective in Tokyo and Ran has been busy with her career as a lawyer, also assisting her mom in their law firm. The couple also have a toddler of their own to take care of. Furthermore, Mikan and Midori can be quite a handful and she very well knows that.

"Gee, Ran-chan. I mean, I don't want to trouble you and Kudo-kun…" Kazuha said hesistantly.

"It's no trouble at all. Shinichi and I love having Midori-kun and Mikan-chan around. Besides, Conan could really use some playmates and we could really use an out of town family trip." Ran said sincerely. "What do you say?"

"Well, if you say so, then it's really tempting. But I guess, I'd have to discuss this with Heiji first. And you should probably ask permission from Kudo-kun first." Kazuha pointed out, before taking her first bite on Ran's lemon cake which she found really delicious and took a mental note about asking her for the recipe.

Somehow, she felt lighter and more relieved with Ran's words but it didn't take long for Sonoko to interrupt and set the mood back to awkward and bring the topic back just when Kazuha and Ran had thought they had finally settled the conflict.

"Bland you say huh? You don't possibly mean like no sex, right?" Sonoko blurted as if it had been the only thing she was thinking about since Kazuha stated her dilemma. Kazuha choked on her cake and Ran almost spit the tea she was drinking at their friend's blunt statement.

"It's not like that!" Kazuha snapped defensively after she had painfully gulped the cake down her throat.

'Eh… So, maybe it's kinda like that.' She silently thought to herself.

"Sonoko!" Ran hissed, scolding and Sonoko simply snickered playfully. The redness on Kazuha's cheeks had come back just when it had started to subside.

"What? We're all grownups here. And the toddlers are way too young to even understand what we're talking about." Sonoko argued jokingly. Ran shot her a stern glare which Sonoko shrugged off with a huge grin on her face, just like she used to do when they were in high school.

Sonoko then turned her attention to Kazuha who just looked at her with big, round clueless light green eyes.

"Tell you what, Kazuha-chan. If you really want it to be less bland with Heiji, I suggest that you kick things up a notch. Spice things up. Get creative." Sonoko stated, nonchalantly before she gave Kazuha another wink. Slowly, the uneasiness had started to transform into curiosity. Unknowingly, she found herself getting interested in what Sonoko was bound to suggest.

"How do I do that?" She asked, turning her full attention to Sonoko.

"Experiment. Use your imagination. If you ask me, there are plenty things you can do, considering your husband's occupation and interests. Isn't that right, Ran?" Sonoko replied as flashed Ran a sinister grin, causing the latter to turn as red as Kazuha had earlier.

"Sonoko!" Ran whined, hitting her friend with a throw pillow. Sonoko smirked, teasing her friend, knowing exactly how to push Ran's buttons.

"Anyway, Kazuha. Any fantasies of Heijji, you know of? You can use that to your advantage." Sonoko said, before taking another sip from her tea.

Kazuha's thoughts started to drift as she thought hard, but there isn't anything she could come up with.

"Not that I know of, no." She sighed, disheartened. Sonoko figured, Kazuha was a lot more difficult to play than Ran, but she wasn't going to give up.

"How about you? Anything you want to try with Heiji?" She asked, her lips forming an amused, teasing smile as she observed how Kazuha turn red again.

Bingo.

Kazuha's mind on the other hand, drifted to Sonoko's words earlier.

"If you ask me, there are plenty things you can do, considering your husband's occupation and interests."

"Well, looks like I sparked something in you." Sonoko remarked, proud with her work before she sat back and took another bite on her slice of cake.

"Don't listen to her, Kazuha-chan." Ran said, before shooting Sonoko another scolding glare, knowing just how Sonoko's mischievous ideas could cause a lot of ruckus. "Sonoko, don't give her such ideas."

"Yeah right. Says the wifey who dressed up as Irene Adler for her Sherlock Holmes-nerd hubby." Sonoko shot back with a tone filled with so much sarcasm as she rolled her eyes. Suddenly Ran was silent again and looking away trying to hide her crimson-red cheeks. Sonoko couldn't help but become even more amused.

"Didn't you say, Shinichi looked really hot smoking that tobacco pipe?" Sonoko teased, grinning as childishly threw a throw pillow at her. Ran on the other hand, wanted to disappear into a puff of smoke to save herself from further embarrassment.

"How come I never knew about this, Ran-chan?" Kazuha asked curiously as she raised an eye-brow at the Kudo-wife.

"Sonoko, we promised never to speak about 'that'" Ran retorted.

"Besides, shouldn't we be focusing on Kazuha's plans, instead." She added, immediately changing the topic to divert the attention towards Kazuha.

"So, what do you think, Kazuha-chan?" Sonoko asked as she raised an eyebrow mischievously.

"I think it actually sounds like a good idea…" She answered, mumbling it absentmindedly as her thoughts drifted to an idea that had just sparked in her head.

"Ouch! Be gentle, Heiji!"

"I would if you would just hold still."

"I don't think you know what you're doing."

"Yeah right, as if you would if you were in my place."

"THIS WAS SO NOT A GOOD IDEA." Kazuha groaned as she watched Heiji pull and tug on the pin that was stuck to the lock of the handcuffs.

"Ya' think?" Heiji muttered sarcastically, losing his patience. "Ya had to use the handcuffs. Ya' could've used my belt or my necktie or somethin' but ya' had had to use these handcuffs."

"Shut up! Don't ya' dare be sarcastic with me. You were the one who left the keys!" Kazuha retorted accusingly.

'Besides, your belt and tie wouldn't be strong enough to hold you down.' She silently thought to herself.

"You were the one who freakin' tried to handcuff me!" Heiji argued as he turned his attention from the chain of hard steel to his stubborn wife.

"Well, you never told me you didn't have the keys!" Kazuha reasoned out angrily. Of course deep down, she knew it was her entire fault but it still hurt her pride. Furthermore, she was a bit tad upset with how her plan failed and Heiji tended to rub it in.

"Dammit, Kazuha! I was trying to tell you! You were distracting me!" Heiji's tone rose and there was a long pause between them. His emeralds met with her peridot orbs briefly before she broke their eye contact. He blushed, realizing he had snapped and slipped.

Heiji tried to bring his focus back on the picking the lock again, but he had lost all capacity to think. It was not helping that his hormones were pumping through his stream, messing with his head. He was too frustrated to calm down. And despite how annoyed he was with how his wife was being so difficult and troublesome, he couldn't get over how irresistible she was. And god, was she so damn beautiful arguing with him that way. Even if she did tick him off at times, the way she frowned and pouted her lips was so cute, it turned him on. She was so mesmerizing in such a crazy way. Oh, how Heiji wished he could just pry the stupid handcuffs off right away and take her. But damn was that thing too strong. Screw Osaka Prefecture Police Department and their damn security.

Kazuha on the other hand, felt really guilty of the whole situation. It didn't take a while for her to feel guilty about arguing with Heiji. She knew it was her fault for having such foolish ideas. And she wasn't quite sure if she and Heiji were still in the mood to even continue from where they left off. The whole thing was just crazy and it exhausted her. She just wanted to get the thing over with and save herself from all the embarrassment. She felt stupid, for embarrassing herself in front of her husband on such a special evening and now, there they were bickering again, on the night of their wedding anniversary.

"All I wanted was a romantic evening with Heiji. Is that too much to ask?" She sighed. It took a few seconds for her to realized that she had just spoken her thoughts out loud and before she could even shrug it off, Heiji had already forgotten about the handcuffs he had been trying to unlock for some time, now. His gorgeous dark green eyes (that Kazuha loved so much) were all on her as his expression softened. Kazuha bit her lip shyly as she looked down at their handcuffed-wrists, the little mess she made.

For the past few months since Midori and Mikan came, Heiji and Kazuha's relationship had taken a 180 degree turn. It was all good, but very different. Life with the twins was a whole lot of fun. They were double the bundle of joy, but of course, also double the responsibility. A lot has changed since especially their priorities. Being good parents was now at the top of their list of many things to do. Then, there were other kids Kazuha had to attend to, since she has been a successful resident pediatrician at the Osaka Women's and Children's Hospital. Meanwhile, Heiji had his numerous cases to solve. Suddenly, they barely had time to do the things they used to do back when it was just the two of them.

But there were some nights when they'd still try.

"Night's still young and the twins are fast asleep." Heiji whispered suggestively in his wife's ear as he lay and tuck himself in bed with her and then scooted closer to her. His arm snaked teasingly around her waist before he roughly pulled her closer to him and pressed a kiss on her bare shoulder.

"Heiji… We have work tomorrow. I have a scheduled check up with one of my patients, early in the morning and Otousan wants you early in the headquarters tomorrow." She protested, reminding him as she turned back to a book she had been reading to ready herself for sleep. Though she had completely lost focus on what paragraph she stopped when Heiji had interrupted her. Also, the suggestion felt tempting and she loved the warmth of his body against her so much.

"It's still early. So, I suggest you put that damn book away so we can get started. Besides what's so interesting about that book for you to neglect you to neglect your own husband, anyway?" He asked giving her the cutest face he could do to capture her full attention.

"I should ask the same thing about Ellery Queen." She said, giggling she settled her book on their night stand, soon for it to lay forgotten as she gave him the attention he wanted. Heiji chuckled triumphantly as he shifted his position so that she lay trapped in his arms as he leaned in to capture her lips with his.

Just when things started to heat up, a soft baby's cry filled the speaker of the baby monitor sitting by their night stand. Immediately, the couple pulled away from each other, a bit disappointed. But such feeling was lost in urgency as both of them hopped out of bed to dash to the twins' room to find Mikan, awake and soon followed Midori who was interrupted in his deep slumber by his sister.

Heiji picked Mikan up in his arms and Kazuha held Midori.

"It's okay, princess. Daddy's here." He said softly as he looked into his baby girl's dark green eyes that were very much similar to his. It was the only physical feature she inherited from him. She takes after Kazuha so much, which was one of the reasons why Heiji's pretty much wrapped around the infant's finger. The baby girl's crying had started to subside upon hearing her father's voice. She rested her head on her father's shoulder. Her little arms were pressed against his chest and her eyelids started to grow heavy, drooping sleepily as Heiji gently rocked her back and forth.

Kazuha on the other hand, handled her irate baby boy who was being moody about waking up to his sister loud cries.

"Yosh, yosh." She hushed at her son softly. "You take after Heiji so much. Not only did you inherit his looks but his temper as well hmmm?"

Kazuha giggled as she gazed at the toddler version of Heiji in her arms. Midori had Heiji's same dark skin and jet-black hair. It was only Kazuha's light green eyes that he inherited from his mother.

"Ahou. What's that supposed to mean? You throw quite a tantrum too." Heiji argued as he walked closer to Kazuha, still holding the sleeping Mikan protectively with his right arm. Kazuha simply smiled, shaking the argument away as she rocked Midori in her arms, humming him a soft lullaby.

"Sorry, buddy. I'm sure your baby sister didn't mean to wake you up in your sleep." Heiji said as he ruffled his son's hair with his left hand.

"Look at you, playing favorites already." Kazuha scolded playfully after she had briefly paused her lullaby.

"I don't play favorites. Midori is older than Mikan for about a few minutes which makes him the elder brother. He should understand because he's older than her. When they grow up he's gonna protect her from all the sneaky boys trying to make a pass at her." Heiji reasoned. Kazuha on the other hand, rolled her eyes and then continued to sing Midori a lullaby and it was enough for Heiji to become mesmerized by the sound of her voice as well as the sight of her gently taking care of Midori. Heiji couldn't quite explain it, but Kazuha looked even more beautiful with their baby in her arms.

It took a few more minutes before Midori fell asleep in Kazuha's arms. The little boy could be quite difficult at times. Not long after, the two parents gently tucked their babies to bed and then they went back into their room as well (finally).

But as soon as their backs hit the soft mattress all thoughts of continuing their cut-short make out session was gone. Putting the kids to sleep made them want to crawl into deep slumber. Kazuha snuggled closer into Heiji's arms and it did not take long for them to fall asleep, tangled in each other's warm embrace.

Morning followed and after a goodnight's sleep, the two woke up quite nicely. Stirring awake as the sun's rays touched her face, Kazuha's eyes met Heiji's. Turns out the great detective of the west had been lying awake in bed for some minutes now but chose to stay where he was so that he could just watch her sleep.

"Ohayo, Tantei-han." She greeted him thoughtfully, beating the sun's brightness as she smiled.

"Ohayo, Dr. Hattori." He greeted back. The deep sound of his just-woke-up-voice was enough to send chills running down her spine. "So, it's still early. Want to pick up from where we left off last night?"

Despite how awfully numb and dead Heiji's whole body was due to sleep, he had managed to make a move on her already as he flipped over her so she was trapped between him and the mattress.

"Ahou. We didn't even get to start last night." Kazuha said, giggling as her husband had started planting soft kisses against the exposed skin of her shoulder blade and neck. "Heiji, we're gonna be late."

"Relax. A few minutes won't hurt." Heiji protested as he pulled away from her, only to lean in again to press his lips against hers in a fierce kiss that was enough to leave both of them breathless.

"H-Heiji. We have work." She tried to protest as his lips left hers to trail kisses against her jawline while his hands had started to creep up underneath her camisole, touching her bare skin. His hot breath against her neck and his hand gliding against her skin were enough to make her weak.

And then the faint sound of the twins cooing filled their baby monitor. The two snapped out of their hazy thoughts and pulled away from each other.

"Whoops. That's our cue." Kazuha said as she lightly pushed her husband off of her. Heiji sighed.

"I cannot catch a break here, can I?"

"Sorry, Heiji."

Apparently, mornings weren't kind enough to give them a chance either.

And so when Kazuha had "the talk" with her colleague, she couldn't help but be a bit alarmed.

In the clinic, one of Kazuha's fellow doctors just openly discussed her recent divorce. The woman was of course, forlorn about the incident but still handled it with much grace and maturity. Kazuha on the other hand felt down about it. She just couldn't imagine how a couple who chose to commit to each other in marriage would just grow apart and throw away their relationship. It was too difficult for her to process.

She thought about Heiji and the possibility of him getting tired of her and drifting from her and it broke her heart. She just couldn't imagine her life without him. He had always been her partner in life. They had a bond of steel and she chose to believe in it.

"When you're way past the honeymoon stage and the spark's gone. The marriage becomes bland. Soon your relationship grows cold and everything just changes. Time changes people." Hanare-san, Kazuha's colleague said as she shrugged. There was a hint of remorse in her tone and with the way she looked into Kazuha's eyes as she said such words. "But of course, I guess it was my fault too. I didn't give him much of my time. I got really busy…"

And since then, her statement had left a mark in Kazuha.

Kazuha on the other hand, hoped that her and Heiji's bond of steel was strong enough to hold their relationship together.

She noticed Heiji's left hand move. His thumb and index finger cupped her chin, lifting it so that she looked up at him. Her peridot orbs were filled with worry.

"Heiji, do you think we've already lost our spark?" She asked. "Please answer me honestly."

'So, all of this was because she thought that she and I…'

Heiji was caught off guard with her question. He never thought that she would get such ideas. Of course, he had been aware that he and Kazuha hardly have much time for each other and truth be told, he missed spending time with her. But it never bothered him that much. He understood very well. She loves the twins and she loves her career but it never meant that she doesn't love him just as much. He knew it was the same with him and that she understood it very well too. After all, they were already parents. They had grown and taken their relationship to another level higher. He never knew the sudden change in their life had such an impact on her and that she has been having doubts.

"It's just that lately, I have been Midori and Mikan's mother, a doctor at the hospital, but not so much Heiji's wife." She confessed.

"Ahou." He smiled softly at her as he teasingly poked at her forehead, causing her to flinch. "A spark only lasts for a brief moment. A bond of steel on the other hand, lasts a lifetime."

"Heiji…"

"Hey, I promised I wouldn't let go right?" He reminded her as he lifted his right hand and turned it so that the back of it showed. "Kazuha, I held onto that cliff holding you long enough to know, that I was never gonna let you go."

Kazuha glanced at the small but evident ragged line on the back of Heiji's right hand, right next to the knuckle of his index finger. She recognized the scar very well, after all, she was the one who gave it to him, in an attempt to save him from falling from a cliff with her. Her eyes then travelled the gold band on the fourth finger of his right hand, very much identical to the one she wore on the fourth finger of her left hand.

"And remember, you promised not to let go either." Heiji reminded as he grinned and gazed at the shining gold band on the fourth finger of her left hand, the hand he once held and chose to held onto for life.

"Of course. You told me you'd kill me yourself if I didn't hold on tight." Kazuha smiled, knowingly as she reminisced an old fond memory of holding onto Heiji as they both escape the bombed ruins of Satsuki hall in Kyoto after her catastrophic final match in her first Karuta Tournament against Momiji Ooka.

"Ne,Heiji... I'm sorry I got us into this." She apologized as she used her right arm to pull him for a hug which Heiji willingly returned with his unrestricted left arm.

"Funny, how we always end up in these weird situations." He remarked, smiling as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"And bicker over the pettiest things." She added, chuckling softly.

Heiji then pulled away from such a satisfying embrace to gaze at Kazuha's face. He raised an eyebrow as he tucked her bangs behind her ear using his freehand.

"Hey, I've been bickering with you all my life and look where it got us now? Married with two kids and supposedly making baby number 3 if it weren't for these handcuffs." He teased, earning a light punch on the shoulder from his wife.

"You sneaky ahou. We can barely even manage the twins and you want a baby number three." Kazuha complained playfully. Heiji laughed.

"So, what do you say? How about we go down the garage and get some tools to take this thing off and pick up from where we left off? Hmm? Sounds good?" Heiji flashed her a childish grin, Kazuha knew instantly that she couldn't resist him. Also, it was still the night of their anniversary after all.

She was about to move so that both of them could briefly hop out of bed, when Heiji moved his arm and tugged at the chain of their handcuffs, roughly yanking her forward, pulling her to him so her weight crashed against his and her lips pressed against his for a sudden kiss. Her eyes widened in shock. She was still clueless when he briefly pulled away and pressed his lips against her ear, whispering, "You know what, on second thought, I think I can make this work. That is, if you're up for a challenge."

Kazuha smirked.

"Challenge accepted, Tantei-han." She whispered back in his ear, in a sultry voice that was enough to send him off the edge as he flipped them over and pulled the covers over them (with his free hand) for a long night of passion.

The morning after, Heiji used his tools in the garage to cut the metal chains of their handcuffs. Just when Kazuha had decided to dispose of them, Heiji immediately stopped her. He then took the broken chains from her and cut a small piece of them as a "souvenir" to be placed inside each of their Omamori pouches that held the old chains from their very first handcuff fiasco.

'He remembered.' Kazuha thought smiling as her husband reached up to her head and slid her Omamori necklace down to her neck before he wore his own as a necklace identical to hers.

La vena amoris or the "vein of love", according to the Ancient Greeks was the vein that ran directly from the fourth finger of the left hand to the heart. Such theory sparked the tradition of married couples wearing their wedding rings on the fourth finger of the left hand.

Heiji and Kazuha however, chose to defy such tradition, simply because their belief held a more valuable promise only the two of them share, a promise that had sprung from a chain of memories they've had since childhood. Heiji wore his wedding ring on his right hand because it was the hand that got handcuffed to Kazuha's. It was also the same hand that held hers and got scarred by her when they hang on the cliff for dear life. Kazuha on the other hand, wore her ring on her left hand because it was the hand that got handcuffed to Heiji's when they were little, also the hand that Heiji held and chose not to let go.

For the third time, Heiji's and Kazuha's same hands were handcuffed on the night of their third anniversary, as if reminding them of such promise, as if telling them that no matter how troublesome their relationship could get, they would always end up and choose to be stuck with each other.

Some couples have their red string of fate, but Heiji and Kazuha have something stronger. Theirs was a chain link of steel, a bond that was forged in fire, strengthened through time and bound to last for a lifetime.

A.N. Okay so it's 4am here and I wasn't able to proofread the latter part of the story. I apologize if there are typographical errors or grammatically incorrect phrases/sentences. I always end up writing such long one shots. I swear, I did not intend for this to be so long but an idea just sprung from another like an excessive chain. (LOL. Even used the theme in my Author's Note.) Anyway, I'm sorry it took a while for me to make this update. I actually intended to post a different story and use a different theme from the list. I initially wrote something for theme #27-overflow. I even finished halfway, but as I was writing, I realized there were loopholes and some of the ideas weren't thoroughly put together. It took a while before I decided to set it aside and write something else, while I was having a hard time piecing it up. So, I came up with this very mature KazuHei one shot. IDK if this could even be considered as smut/lemon/lime, but yeah, I tried. Sorry if it wasn't any good. I had a better grasp of the ideas on this one compared to the original second oneshot I first wrote, but I had a hard time writing the mature parts. So yeah, this was slowly and carefully created. I also did some research on the La Vena Amoris so that I could connect it well with the handcuff thing. Hahaha. I hope it didn't seem forced. I did some asking around with Kazuha's occupation. And many answered doctor or teacher since she's good with kids. So, I came up with pediatrician. Hihihihi 3 And yeah, I think it suits her well. Also, to clarify, this whole series is not meant to cover only a married Kazuha and Heiji. It just so happens that my two consecutive one shots are about a married KazuHei, because it's honestly fun to work on stories of them being married. I mean, there are just so many possibilities and I honestly like imagining them being more mature and intimate, 'coz we hardly ever see that in the series and the closest we've seen was the scenario in OVA 9. But I assure you, while I have quite a lot of married KazuHei scenarios in my head, I also have some present KazuHei/teen KazuHei scenarios to show you. I also watched Movie 21 last month and I've had some inspired ideas from it. Hihihi Notice, I included a certain reference from the movie here. Sorry for spoiling those who haven't watched it. TT_TT

Hope you guys liked this! Feel free to tell me what you think.

Love,

~J

Omake 1:

"I hope the twins didn't cause you guys much trouble." Kazuha said as she took Mikan from Ran while Heiji took Midori from Shinichi.

"Oh, they were sweet little angels." Ran said as she lightly poked Mikan's cheek before she gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. Mikan cooed and giggled adorably.

Shinichi on the other hand scooted closer to Hattori as he ruffled Midori's hair.

"Oi, oi, Hattori. I love your kids and they were adorable, but you owe me one. Never forget that I babysat them just so you 'could get some'." Shinichi muttered in a tone so low only Heiji could hear. Heiji lightly hit him on the rib with his elbow, causing the latter to yelp.

"Yeah, yeah. You can count on me anytime on your and Neechan's wedding anniversary."Heiji whispered as he patted his friend's back.

"Well, we'll see you guys soon!" Kazuha said, bidding their friends goodbye as they proceeded to step out of Shinichi and Ran's rented villa.

"Come on Mi-kun, MI-chan! Say, 'Bye bye!'" She said to her twins as she moved Mikan's hand with hers in a waving gesture. Heiji also did the same with Midori's.

As Kazuha and Heiji lifted their hands the sleeves of their sweater were tugged down, allowing to show a little evidence from last night.

"Ne, Hattori, what's with that bandage on your and Kazuha-chan's hand?" Shinichi asked, curiously, being the keen detective that he is.

"What happened to you guys?" Ran asked worriedly.

"Just a sprain. A little accident, you know. Hahaha" Kazuha answered, laughing nervously.

"Yeah, housework could cause some accidents sometimes." Heiji added, defensively.

"Well, don't forget to put hot compress on that to prevent it from swelling." Ran reminded, innocently.

"Housework huh?" Shinichi said, suspiciously as he raised an eyebrow and then snickered at his friends' blushing faces.

Omake 2:

"Here's the new pair of handcuffs you requested, Hei-chan." Otaki-han said as he placed a fresh new chain of cold steel on top of Heiji's desk. The thing was still in a nicely wrapped package. All nice and new.

"I wonder what happened to the old ones they gave you, though. They were good as new. You barely even use them." The police officer said, causing Heiji to blush.

"The twins broke it." He lied, laughing nervously.

"Aren't your twins still infants? Those handcuffs are made of good material, Hei-chan." Otaki said, skeptically.

"Well, what can I say? Twins are a handful."

-Owari-

[keesha-mcclellan-blog]

Water Challenge

Why water is VITAL to your health!

Do I REALLY Have to Drink Water?

Yes.  You do.  We all know that drinking water is important, but the reasons why are not always so clear.  And with so many other beverages at your finger tips, it’s easy to bypass the plain, boring water unless you really understand why it’s so necessary.

Reasons Why You Should Drink Water

Weight loss- Drinking water is one of the best tools for weight loss!  First of all, it often replaces high-calorie drinks like soda and juice and alcohol with a drink that doesn’t have any calories. But it’s also a great appetite suppressant, and often when we think we’re hungry, we’re actually just thirsty. Water has no fat, no calories, no carbs, no sugar.

Heart healthy- Drinking water, a good amount of water, could lower your risks of a heart attack. A six-year study published in the May 1, 2002 American Journal of Epidemiology found that those who drink more than 5 glasses of water a day were 41% less likely to die from a heart attack during the study period than those who drank less than two glasses.

Energy– Being dehydrated can sap your energy and make you feel tired — even mild dehydration. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated — and this can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness, dizziness and many other symptoms.

Headache cure- Another symptom of dehydration is headaches. In fact, often when we have headaches it’s simply a matter of not drinking water enough. There are lots of other causes of headaches of course, but dehydration is a very common one. So the next time you have a headache, pick up a bottle of water first! It always helps me.

Healthy Skin- Drinking water can clear up your skin and people often report a healthy glow after drinking water. It won’t happen overnight, of course, but just a week of drinking a healthy amount of water can have good effects on your skin.

Digestive problems- Our digestive systems need a good amount of water to digest food properly. Often water can help cure stomach acid problems, and water along with fiber can cure constipation (often a result of dehydration). So why does dehydration cause constipation? It helps when you understand what's actually happening. When your body lacks water, guess where it grabs extra water from? Right! Your gut and intestines. Your body will squeeze as much water out of your intestines as it can, if you don't give it enough. And waste that lacks water doesn't move!!! Plus who wants that quality of water going back into your body, yet we choose that everyday when we don't give our bodies enough water!!

Cleansing- Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body!! See above! ;)

Cancer risk- Related to the digestive system item above, drinking water has also been found to reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%. Drinking lots of water can also reduce the risk of bladder cancer by 50% and potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Better exercise- Being dehydrated can severely hamper your athletic activities, slowing you down and making it harder to lift weights. Exercise requires additional water, so be sure you are drinking water before, during and after exercise.

How Much Water is Enough?



To figure out how much water you need to drink daily, simply divide your weight in half and the answer is the number of ounces you need.  So for me, that’s 120/2=60 oz. which is approximately seven and a half 8 oz glasses per day.  If you’ve never measured out your water, be sure you do!  Most people think a ‘glass’ of water is much more than it actually is.  :) hint: it’s more likely the short glass, not the tall one

When Should I drink my Water?

The best time for drinking water may not be what you expect.  Most of us are in the habit of having a glass of water with our meals, but this is actually not the best time for water intake.  At meal time, your stomach is filled with digestive acids and enzymes who’s job it is to digest your food.  If you dilute those acids and enzymes, they will not be able to digest your food as efficiently, slowing or disrupting your digestion. And, cold water makes this problem even worse.  It is recommended that you avoid drinking water (or other fluids) 30 minutes before or after your meals.  A few sips of room temperature water to help wash down your bites is ok, just avoid large amounts.

My daily water intake schedule goes like this:

Approximately 20 ounces of warm water from my water bottle that i keep at my bedside with jade lemon or lemongrass essential oil, or more commonly, grape propel packet added to it, very first thing in the morning when I wake up, followed by my workout and additional 20 ounces from that same bottle throughout the morning.  

Wait 30 min while prepping breakfast….

Wait 30 min while prepping Lunch...

By now my water bottle is empty. It holds 40 ounces. So i refill as soon as needed so it has time to get to room temperature, with my propel or essential oil added.

Wait 30 mins while prepping Dinner...

Extra Water at least 8-10 oz right before I lay down for bed. You can’t drink too much before bed!!

Bed

What’s This I Hear About Lemon Water?



Warm lemon water in the morning helps kickstart the digestion process for the day.  There are many health benefits of lemons that have been known for centuries. The two biggest are lemons’ strong antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers and their use as a weight loss aid because lemon juice is a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Lemons contain many substances–notably citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene–that promote immunity and fight infection.

HOW TO DO IT: You should be using purified water and it should be warm-lukewarm not scalding hot. You want to avoid ice cold water, since that can be a lot for your body to process and it takes more energy to process ice cold water than the warm. Always use fresh lemons, organic if possible, or essential oil and never bottled lemon juice. When I use fresh, I squeeze a whole lemon with filled water bottle.

Can I Add Anything to My Water?



There are lots of great things that you are free to add to your water to give it some interest for fun or if you are having trouble with plain water.  Here’s some suggestions:

Give a Squeeze: Add fresh citrus juice, lemon, orange or lime

Infuse: Fill a large jug with water, add sliced fruit (try citrus, berries, melon or pineapple); refrigerate overnight.

Leaf It: Tear up some fresh mint or basil leaves and steep in water before drinking.

Cuke It: Add sliced cucumber!

Tea Time:  Any herbal tea is a great way to add flavor and can be served hot or cold.

What About Coffee and Caffeinated Teas?



Having a small cup of coffee or caffeinated tea is acceptable while eating clean.  It’s the stuff you put IN your coffee that’s often the problem.  Too much caffeine however has some nasty side effects so limit your intake to about 200 mg (2 small cups max).  Remember that caffeinated coffee and teas like Green or White are ok once or twice, the teas are actually quite beneficial, but the caffeine acts as a diuretic, so you will need to add a little extra water to compensate.

Instead of cream and sugar opt for coconut or almond milk (The silk brand has a nice creamy consistency) and stevia (Nunaturals doesn’t have the bitter aftertaste). 

[lindafrancois]

5 Reasons Why Carbonated Drinks Are Harmful For You!  

Carbonated drinks have existed unapologetically for years and millions of people like you and me have been enjoying a glass or two every now and then, particularly while gorging on a scrumptious meal.

Table of Contents

5 Reasons Stop Drinking Carbonated Drinks

Soft Drinks Make You Fat

Soft Drinks May Make You A Diabetic

Carbonated Drinks Affects Your Oral Health

Diet Soft Drinks Not A Healthy Alternative

Interesting facts about Soft Drinks 

We would be lying if we said that carbonated drinks do not tickle our taste buds… because the reality is that they do! But an important point to be remembered whenever we go out to buy our soft drinks that every single sip we put into our mouth casts a hazardous effect on our body.

The worst part is that we know all of this but still go ahead and savour it. Available in various colours, flavours, tastes and fizzes, carbonated drinks (soft drinks as they are commonly called), are laced with sugar and various other harmful ingredients including chemicals and preservatives. Carbonated drinks are in fact considered “empty calories” and should be avoided in all situations.

Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Should Stop Drinking Carbonated Drinks Now!

1. Soft Drinks Make You Fat

It is quite a known fact that soft drinks are totally devoid of any nutrition. In fact, they are laden with calories, high fructose corn syrup, and contribute to the unhealthy pattern of drinking one’s calories.

Beyond the empty calories, research shows that the high fructose corn syrup found in soft drinks actually triggers a hunger hormone that causes you to consume more food than your body needs.

Also drinks with high fructose corn syrup lead to Arthritis in individuals. So, instead of going for a bottle of carbonated drink, motivate yourself to opt for healthy beverages which are loaded with essential nutrients like calcium and magnesium like a glass of milk or a glass of fresh juice.

2. Soft Drinks May Make You A Diabetic

Drinking excessively sweetened drinks leads to the body storing excess energy in the form of fat and thus, drinking too much of soft drinks can play a part in you becoming overweight or even obese. Research has shown that being overweight or obese is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and other conditions.

Since soda has lot of sugar content, here is how high sugar intake could lead to diabetes: Higher blood glucose concentrations from a high load of quick-digesting carbs mean more demand for insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate these blood sugars. 

Higher demand for insulin in the long-term creates “pancreatic exhaustion that can result in glucose intolerance”. High-glycemic-index diets may directly increase insulin resistance.

3. Consumption of Carbonated Drinks Affects Your Oral Health

Believe or not, consumption of carbonated drinks can also have ill effects on your oral health, potentially leading to cavities and even visible tooth decay. When you drink soda, the sugars it contains interact with bacteria in your mouth to form acid. This acid attacks your teeth.

Both regular and sugar-free sodas also contain their own acids, and these attack the teeth too. With each swig of soda, you are starting a damaging reaction that lasts for about 20 minutes. If you sip carbonated drinks all day, your teeth are under constant attack. There are two main dental effects of drinking soda – erosion and cavities.

Erosion:

Erosion begins when the acids in soft drinks encounter the tooth enamel, which is the outermost protective layer on your teeth. Their effect is to reduce the surface hardness of the enamel.

Cavities:

Soft drinks, on the other hand, can also affect the next layer, dentin, and even composite fillings. This damage to your tooth enamel can invite cavities. Cavities, or caries, develop over time in people who drink soft drinks regularly. Add in poor oral hygiene, and a lot of damage can occur to the teeth.

4. Soft Drinks Contain Phosphoric Acid

Phosphoric acid hinders the body’s ability to absorb calcium naturally. Not getting enough calcium can lead to bone softening, osteoporosis, and dental cavities. It also messes with your stomach acid, blocking nutrient absorption and slowing digestion.

5. Drinking Too Much Soda Can Lead to Dehydration

Drinking soda can lead to dehydration because of its high levels of sugar, sodium, and caffeine. Many people will drink soda with a meal instead of water and devoid themselves to get their necessary daily intake of water.

Diet Soft Drinks Not A Healthy Alternative – Better Avoided

If you are working to keep your blood sugar in check or manage your weight, you might choose diet soda. Low in calories and sugar, diet sodas appear to be a good alternative to sugary drinks.

Unfortunately, even though they contain no actual sugar, they are loaded with artificial sweeteners and other unhealthy additives. Diet soda contains aspartame instead of sugar, and it can actually be more harmful for your body.

Reports show that aspartame may be associated with seizures, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, emotional disorders, as well as other health problems.

Try These Instead!

 Instead of reaching for a diet soda, there are several great options you could choose from instead. Infused waters are a great alternative.

You can add fruits (especially berries), cucumbers, lemon, and herbs (like basil and mint) into your water. Sparkling water is also a good option, as long as it is not artificially flavored or sweetened.

Milk is also another acceptable choice.

Black coffee/green tea is another good choice.

A glass of fresh fruit juice is way better than a can of soda.

Interesting facts about Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are called “soft” because they don’t have any alcohol in them.

First flavored soda drinks appeared in Europe in second half of 17th century. They were most popular in France.

Soft drinks are often distinguished by their packaging size, type of container, manufacturer, flavor, ingredients and serving temperature.

The most popular types of soft drinks are flavored water, carbonated water, sweet iced tea, fruit drinks, carbonated soft drinks, diet soft drinks, fruit punch, seltzers and cordials.

Soft drinks can be called by many names. The most popular ones are soda, pop, coke, soda pop, fizzy drink and carbonated beverage.

Over 34 billion gallons of soft drinks are sold in over 200 countries each year.

Sugary drinks are one of the leading causes of increase in number of bacteria in the mouth. This can cause significant tooth decay.

The process of carbonating water (infusing water with carbon dioxide) was invented by Englishman Joseph Priestley in 1767.

The average cola drink has 38 calories per 100 grams.

United States represents 25% of global soft drink market.

Sweetened drinks are high in kilojoules, which can introduce weight gain and obesity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do carbonated drinks affect the body?

Ans. Carbonated drinks are commonly known for increasing the acidity levels of our body along with posing  risk of calcium and magnesium loss from bones due to change in the pH levels. Also the high content of sugar in carbonated drinks leads to weight gain and even obesity besides posing a threat of Diabetes.

Is carbonated water harmful?

Ans. Research claims that drinking carbonated water sucks out calcium from your body exposing you to a greater risk of osteoporosis. It may also lead to destruction of your teeth’s enamel, irritation of stomach and even cancer.

 Is it healthy to drink sparkling water?

Ans.Non sugary sparkling water has weak levels of acids which in turn cause much lesser damage to your teeth. Carbonated soft drinks are known to be at least 100 times more damaging to your dental health than sparkling water.

Wish to direct your life towards healthy living? Truweight stands with you in your journey. Talk to our expert Truweight Nutritionist today. The first consultation is on us. Click here to avail.

The post 5 Reasons Why Carbonated Drinks Are Harmful For You!   appeared first on Truweight Blog.

5 Reasons Why Carbonated Drinks Are Harmful For You!   published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/

[theguardian911]

July 4 Can Be Dangerous... By Dr. Becker Happy July Fourth! Here's hoping you and your family and friends are enjoying your time together. It's important to remember that while holiday festivities are lots of fun for human family members, often the same can't be said for the four-legged members of the household. Unfortunately, July 5 is the busiest day of the year for animal shelters simply because so many pets panic at the sound of fireworks, escape through an open door or window and disappear into the night. Many turn up miles from home frightened, disoriented, dehydrated and sometimes injured. Others are lost forever. That's why each year I take a few minutes to remind everyone to consider the needs of furry family members during Fourth of July activities. There are a number of hazards you can easily avoid or at least be aware of to insure the safety and health of your pet today. Dos and Don'ts for July 4 1. DO ID your pet. In the event your dog or kitty is lost during all the confusion and commotion of holiday get-togethers, make sure she can be identified with an up-to-date ID collar or tag, permanent tattoo or microchip. 2. DO keep party and barbeque foods out of reach of your pet. Feed your dog or cat his regular diet for the holiday, and be especially careful to secure potentially toxic people foods like chocolate, coffee, onions, grapes, raisins and bread dough. Consuming the contents of the grill grease trap is a common cause of summertime pancreatitis, especially in dogs, so make sure to keep pets away from the grill. 3. DON'T give your pet access to glow jewelry. If eaten, it can cause excessive drooling, GI irritation and potentially, intestinal blockage. 4. DO keep alcoholic drinks out of reach of your pet. Beer, wine and liquor can poison your dog or cat. Depending on how much is ingested, your pet can become very intoxicated, weak, depressed and can even slip into a coma. Severe alcohol poisoning can result in death from respiratory failure. 5. DON'T force your pet to wear a costume for July 4. Unless your dog (or even less likely, your cat) loves to play dress-up, don't push the issue. Make sure anything you dress your pet in is comfortably loose and doesn't restrict movement in any way. And remember it's July — your pet can easily get overheated. 6. DO keep citronella candles, oils and insect coils out of reach of your pet. Ingestion can cause stomach irritation and potentially, central nervous system symptoms. Inhaling the oil can cause breathing difficulties and aspiration pneumonia in pets. 7. DO keep matches and lighter fluid out of reach. Some matches contain chlorate, which can damage blood cells, impair respiration and cause kidney disease. Lighter fluid can irritate your pet's skin, and if ingested can cause GI upset and central nervous system depression. Inhaling lighter fluid can result in breathing difficulties and aspiration pneumonia. 8. DON'T allow your pet outside, especially after dark. If she'll be within range of the sights and sounds of fireworks, try to secure her in a room without windows. Create a safe haven with bedding, a toy or two and a few treats. Turn on a TV, radio or other music to help muffle the noise from outside. Leave someone at home with your pet if possible, but whatever you do, don't leave her outside alone. If she becomes frightened, even a fenced yard may not keep her safe. Dogs have been injured while making panicked attempts to escape their yard, and those that succeed can run away, be hit by a car or stolen by a stranger. Another Don't: Fireworks and Pets Professional fireworks displays can be stressful and frightening for pets, so I don't recommending bringing your dog or cat along. Even normally calm dogs can get spooked and disoriented by the noise, lights and crowds involved in a fireworks display. You certainly don't want to frighten your four-legged family member or put him in a situation where he might bolt or become aggressive due to fear. Even pets left at home can be frightened by the loud noises that seem to go on forever the evening of July 4. Your dog or cat has a much better sense of hearing than you do, so sudden loud sounds can be especially unsettling. And this goes double if your pet is older. If your Independence Day celebration involves backyard fireworks, make sure your pet is safe indoors well ahead of time. Lit fireworks can result in severe burns and other injuries, and unused fireworks contain potentially toxic substances like potassium nitrate and arsenic. Also be sure to pick up all fireworks debris from your backyard before letting your pet outside again. Signs your pet is afraid of fireworks or other loud noises include shaking, vocalizing (barking or howling), excessive drooling, looking for a place to hide or escape attempts. If your pet has a noise phobia, the time to make a stress-reduction plan is before the triggering event occurs. I recommend taking your dog out earlier in the day for some vigorous exercise or playtime to tire him out. Turn on the TV or some music to help muffle the sound of fireworks. Natural stress solutions to consider before the fireworks begin include diffusing calming essential oils, administering flower essences or calming herbs (l-theanine, rhodiola, 5-HTP, chamomile, holy basil, GABA and ashwagandha) or giving your pet a calming TTouch massage. With a little advance planning, you can prevent problems for your pet over the July 4 holiday. It will be much easier for you and your family to relax and enjoy the celebrations if you're not worrying about your pet's health and safety. Be smart, safe and have a great 4th. Of July. TheGuardian

[lindafrancois]

5 Reasons Why Carbonated Drinks Are Harmful For You!  

Carbonated drinks have existed unapologetically for years and millions of people like you and me have been enjoying a glass or two every now and then, particularly while gorging on a scrumptious meal.

Table of Contents

5 Reasons Stop Drinking Carbonated Drinks

Soft Drinks Make You Fat

Soft Drinks May Make You A Diabetic

Carbonated Drinks Affects Your Oral Health

Diet Soft Drinks Not A Healthy Alternative

Interesting facts about Soft Drinks 

We would be lying if we said that carbonated drinks do not tickle our taste buds… because the reality is that they do! But an important point to be remembered whenever we go out to buy our soft drinks that every single sip we put into our mouth casts a hazardous effect on our body.

The worst part is that we know all of this but still go ahead and savour it. Available in various colours, flavours, tastes and fizzes, carbonated drinks (soft drinks as they are commonly called), are laced with sugar and various other harmful ingredients including chemicals and preservatives. Carbonated drinks are in fact considered “empty calories” and should be avoided in all situations.

Here Are 5 Reasons Why You Should Stop Drinking Carbonated Drinks Now!

1. Soft Drinks Make You Fat

It is quite a known fact that soft drinks are totally devoid of any nutrition. In fact, they are laden with calories, high fructose corn syrup, and contribute to the unhealthy pattern of drinking one’s calories.

Beyond the empty calories, research shows that the high fructose corn syrup found in soft drinks actually triggers a hunger hormone that causes you to consume more food than your body needs.

Also drinks with high fructose corn syrup lead to Arthritis in individuals. So, instead of going for a bottle of carbonated drink, motivate yourself to opt for healthy beverages which are loaded with essential nutrients like calcium and magnesium like a glass of milk or a glass of fresh juice.

2. Soft Drinks May Make You A Diabetic

Drinking excessively sweetened drinks leads to the body storing excess energy in the form of fat and thus, drinking too much of soft drinks can play a part in you becoming overweight or even obese. Research has shown that being overweight or obese is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and other conditions.

Since soda has lot of sugar content, here is how high sugar intake could lead to diabetes: Higher blood glucose concentrations from a high load of quick-digesting carbs mean more demand for insulin, the hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate these blood sugars. 

Higher demand for insulin in the long-term creates “pancreatic exhaustion that can result in glucose intolerance”. High-glycemic-index diets may directly increase insulin resistance.

3. Consumption of Carbonated Drinks Affects Your Oral Health

Believe or not, consumption of carbonated drinks can also have ill effects on your oral health, potentially leading to cavities and even visible tooth decay. When you drink soda, the sugars it contains interact with bacteria in your mouth to form acid. This acid attacks your teeth.

Both regular and sugar-free sodas also contain their own acids, and these attack the teeth too. With each swig of soda, you are starting a damaging reaction that lasts for about 20 minutes. If you sip carbonated drinks all day, your teeth are under constant attack. There are two main dental effects of drinking soda – erosion and cavities.

Erosion:

Erosion begins when the acids in soft drinks encounter the tooth enamel, which is the outermost protective layer on your teeth. Their effect is to reduce the surface hardness of the enamel.

Cavities:

Soft drinks, on the other hand, can also affect the next layer, dentin, and even composite fillings. This damage to your tooth enamel can invite cavities. Cavities, or caries, develop over time in people who drink soft drinks regularly. Add in poor oral hygiene, and a lot of damage can occur to the teeth.

4. Soft Drinks Contain Phosphoric Acid

Phosphoric acid hinders the body’s ability to absorb calcium naturally. Not getting enough calcium can lead to bone softening, osteoporosis, and dental cavities. It also messes with your stomach acid, blocking nutrient absorption and slowing digestion.

5. Drinking Too Much Soda Can Lead to Dehydration

Drinking soda can lead to dehydration because of its high levels of sugar, sodium, and caffeine. Many people will drink soda with a meal instead of water and devoid themselves to get their necessary daily intake of water.

Diet Soft Drinks Not A Healthy Alternative – Better Avoided

If you are working to keep your blood sugar in check or manage your weight, you might choose diet soda. Low in calories and sugar, diet sodas appear to be a good alternative to sugary drinks.

Unfortunately, even though they contain no actual sugar, they are loaded with artificial sweeteners and other unhealthy additives. Diet soda contains aspartame instead of sugar, and it can actually be more harmful for your body.

Reports show that aspartame may be associated with seizures, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, emotional disorders, as well as other health problems.

Try These Instead!

 Instead of reaching for a diet soda, there are several great options you could choose from instead. Infused waters are a great alternative.

You can add fruits (especially berries), cucumbers, lemon, and herbs (like basil and mint) into your water. Sparkling water is also a good option, as long as it is not artificially flavored or sweetened.

Milk is also another acceptable choice.

Black coffee/green tea is another good choice.

A glass of fresh fruit juice is way better than a can of soda.

Interesting facts about Soft Drinks

Soft drinks are called “soft” because they don’t have any alcohol in them.

First flavored soda drinks appeared in Europe in second half of 17th century. They were most popular in France.

Soft drinks are often distinguished by their packaging size, type of container, manufacturer, flavor, ingredients and serving temperature.

The most popular types of soft drinks are flavored water, carbonated water, sweet iced tea, fruit drinks, carbonated soft drinks, diet soft drinks, fruit punch, seltzers and cordials.

Soft drinks can be called by many names. The most popular ones are soda, pop, coke, soda pop, fizzy drink and carbonated beverage.

Over 34 billion gallons of soft drinks are sold in over 200 countries each year.

Sugary drinks are one of the leading causes of increase in number of bacteria in the mouth. This can cause significant tooth decay.

The process of carbonating water (infusing water with carbon dioxide) was invented by Englishman Joseph Priestley in 1767.

The average cola drink has 38 calories per 100 grams.

United States represents 25% of global soft drink market.

Sweetened drinks are high in kilojoules, which can introduce weight gain and obesity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do carbonated drinks affect the body?

Ans. Carbonated drinks are commonly known for increasing the acidity levels of our body along with posing  risk of calcium and magnesium loss from bones due to change in the pH levels. Also the high content of sugar in carbonated drinks leads to weight gain and even obesity besides posing a threat of Diabetes.

Is carbonated water harmful?

Ans. Research claims that drinking carbonated water sucks out calcium from your body exposing you to a greater risk of osteoporosis. It may also lead to destruction of your teeth’s enamel, irritation of stomach and even cancer.

 Is it healthy to drink sparkling water?

Ans.Non sugary sparkling water has weak levels of acids which in turn cause much lesser damage to your teeth. Carbonated soft drinks are known to be at least 100 times more damaging to your dental health than sparkling water.

Wish to direct your life towards healthy living? Truweight stands with you in your journey. Talk to our expert Truweight Nutritionist today. The first consultation is on us. Click here to avail.

The post 5 Reasons Why Carbonated Drinks Are Harmful For You!   appeared first on Truweight Blog.

5 Reasons Why Carbonated Drinks Are Harmful For You!   published first on https://dietariouspage.tumblr.com/