#and giving the small bits of advice I've gathered as someone who also has a Hard Time™ with fruit and veg

[thefunnyandthoughtful]

A few more ingredient ideas:

Cabbage (crunchy but generally noticable flavor)

Spinach (when chopped finely, can be disguised in lots of stuff)

Yellow squash (can be cooked until very soft or left slightly crunchy; great with cheese; does have seeds)

Spaghetti squash (literally nature's pasta)

Butternut squash (great pureed and put on pasta; 20/10 recommend for tomato haters)

Peas (can be blended into a pesto for pasta)

Herbs (such as basil, chives, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, and sage -- if you find an herb you like, it can help drown out other veggie flavors)

A few recommendations from someone who hasn't always eaten veggies:

If you're someone who struggles with seeing their veggies, I humbly recommend the quesadilla. Chopped spinach will lose its leafiness when cooked inside a quesadilla (or grilled cheese). Chopped cabbage will still remain pretty crunchy; it's flavor can be drowned out with a little BBQ sauce.

If you're someone who doesn't mind a lot of textures/colors/flavors, I humbly recommend stir fry. Chuck some veggies you like in with proteins and rice, add some seasoning, and see what works.

If you don't like the texture of veggies, try incorporating pureed veggies into pasta sauces, pestos, or pizza sauces.

General Cooking Tips:

Boiling isn't always your friend, so if texture's the issue, it might be time for a new approach. Try steaming, frying, or roasting in the oven.

Oil, salt, and pepper can transform some veggies when cooking.

If you don't like a lot of seasonings, or you just want your veggies roasted plain, get your paws on a dish like a CorningWare. Cook your veggies in them until tender, and you can mash or puree them.

Don't be afraid to cook/prepare extra! If you buy a cabbage and you know you'll eat the whole thing chopped, then chop it all and put what you won't eat for this meal in a mason jar in the fridge! Then, the next time you want cabbage, it's already ready!

Also, veggies have families. Some veggies are clearly related but other veggies don't seem like they'd be related when they actually are! It might be helpful to find out what veggies are related to the ones you like and dislike. You might like and dislike different foods from the same family, but you also might discover that you dislike more foods from certain families than others. It's not a perfect method, but it can be a tool in guiding your search!

i mean this in the gentlest way possible: you need to eat vegetables. you need to become comfortable with doing so. i do not care if you are a picky eater because of autism (hi, i used to be this person!), you need to find at least some vegetables you can eat. find a different way to prepare them. chances are you would like a vegetable you hate if you prepared it in a stew or roasted it with seasoning or included it as an ingredient in a recipe. just. please start eating better. potatoes and corn are not sufficient vegetables for a healthy diet.

[laurasimonsdaughter]

Hello! Single selkie parent here, I was hoping you might have some resources to help me.

My pup is 7 years old now and has discovered her ability to walk on land, which is very exciting! Unfortunately, due to extremely negative past experiences on land, I don't feel safe or comfortable joining her, and even seeing her on land makes me feel anxious for her safety.

For now I watch her from the shallows with my sealskin on, and I've taught her basic safety rules, but I know she is growing curious about the world beyond the shores. Do you have any tips or resources you recommend? I don't want her to feel like she has to remain sheltered for my sake, but I do want her to be safe.

Thanks always!

— Beached

Dear Beached,

We can't imagine how hard it must be to encourage your child to explore something that brought you pain. Please believe us when we say we truly admire you for it, and we we would love to help.

You can of course request for an on-land guardian to be appointed for your child and we can help you go through the proper channels for that. But this might be a bit much for the current situation. So our first advice would be to contact the local selkie community initiative: Feet for Flippers. They're a small group, but very dedicated.

F for F organises a support group and social gatherings, but they also have a buddy program that might be interesting for you and your daughter. If there's someone among the group you find suitable, they might be matched to your daughter take her on a visit inland.

There is also quite a number of our landed sea-folk who form an active network meant to help each other out. They often provide people who still live in the sea but visit the land with a place to sleep if they run into any transformation issues or have to wait for the next high tide. This network includes merfolk and merrows and the like as well as selkies, so it might give you some more options than F3.

If you'd like our help contacting either group, or you want any other information, please don't hesitate to contact us again.

Best,

~ the MagISoWo Team

[breezeriderebike]

How Breeze Rider Ebike Has Changed People's Lives: An Interview with a Passionate E-Bike Rider

E-bikes have been gaining popularity around the world as more and more people discover the benefits of this alternative form of transportation. But for some, e-bikes are more than just a way to get around - they're a life-changing experience. To learn more about the transformative power of e-bikes, we spoke with Jane, a passionate e-bike rider. She has been using her e-bike from Breeze Rider Ebike for over a quarter now.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about how you first got into Breeze Rider Ebike?

Jane: Sure! I've always enjoyed cycling. But as I got older, I found it harder and harder to keep up with my friends on longer rides. I also started to worry about hills and steep inclines, which would often leave me exhausted and out of breath. So I started looking into e-bikes, and my friends all recommend the fat tire electric bike for me. After trying it out, I was hooked.

Q: What are some of the benefits you've experienced from using your e-bike?

Jane: There are so many! For starters, I can now keep up with my friends on longer rides without feeling tired or out of breath. I also love the fact that I can tackle steep hills and inclines with ease. It has opened up a whole new world of cycling routes for me. And because I don't have to worry about getting tired or overexerting myself, I can now enjoy longer rides without feeling like I'm pushing myself too hard.

Another benefit of e-bikes is that they offer a more sustainable and eco-friendly mode of transportation. E-bikes are powered by rechargeable batteries and produce zero emissions, making them a great option for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Jane notes that she loves the feeling of being able to travel without contributing to air pollution or traffic congestion.

What’s more, the wide and fat tire can handle rougher terrain and make my cycling trips more stable and smoother. Besides, the shock absorption and comfortable seats further weaken the discomfort caused by the vibration.

Jane also highlights the convenience of e-bikes. She uses her e-bike to commute to work every day, which not only saves her money on gas and parking fees, but also allows her to avoid the stress of traffic and long commutes.

Q: How has using an e-bike changed your life?

Jane: In so many ways! For starters, I'm now more active and healthy than ever before. I use my e-bike to commute to work every day, which means I'm getting exercise without even realizing it. Also, I feel more connected to my community, as I can now bike to local events and gatherings without worrying about traffic or parking. And because the fat tire e-bike is so affordable compared to cars or public transportation, I'm also saving money on transportation costs.

Jane also notes that her e-bike has allowed her to explore her city in new and exciting ways. She's discovered new neighborhoods, parks, and bike paths that she would never have known existed. She also loves the sense of freedom that comes with riding an e-bike - quickly hop on and go wherever she wants, whenever she wants.

Q: What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about trying out an e-bike for the first time?

Jane: I would say go for it! The e-bike from Breeze Rider Ebike is so much fun to ride, and it offers so many benefits. Just make sure you take the time to find the right e-bike for your needs - there are so many different types and models out there, so it's important to do your research and find one that's comfortable and easy to use. And don't be afraid to start small - even a short ride.

In conclusion, Breeze Rider Ebike has the power to change people's lives in so many ways. Whether you're looking for a fun and healthy way to commute to work, or you simply want to explore your community in a new way, you can find the proper e-bike from Breeze Rider Ebike, and it can offer the freedom and flexibility you need to truly enjoy your ride.

[theresnosinlondon]

Don’t Do It For Me - h.s. (part 2)

The one where Harry’s still kind of a friend and more complications occur. (2.4k)

Quite a short part 2. Anyone want part 3? xx

Part 1

The Green Leaf café at 8:30 am tomorrow? x

I wasn’t sure if I was expecting his text or not. The half plan was made before we were drunk and before the mess that ensued later that evening.

I remembered everything, which, sure, reminded me to sort out a plan B pill because the last thing I needed to happen was to get pregnant from a drunken hook up with a famous friend who was in a relationship with someone else, but it also drove me to give useless, mean glares to the spot on my couch we were perched on for a short few minutes.

As bitter as it made me, I had to face the fact that yes, I was a single woman who was technically free to hook up with whoever I pleased, but I, nonetheless, participated in cheating on Jess. I didn’t know how Harry felt after he left, as there has been radio silence between us, until he texted me Sunday evening, confirming the plans for the next morning.

See you then.

I wanted for him to get the hint that we needed to talk about it.

——

Unexpectedly, Harry arrived at the cafe first. He was usually the one that showed up at least ten minutes late to any kind of gathering.

I pushed the door open and made my way to the table he usually occupied whenever he visited the little cafe. Setting my handbag on the circular table, I made eye contact with him and, noting the absence of any kind of beverage, I spoke up. “The usual?”

His eyes held my gaze for a few, long seconds, an unreadable expression on his face. “I’ve ordered for us already, they’ll bring our drinks to the table.”

Harry’s voice was as monotone as his expression. I pulled back the chair across from his and took a seat, sliding my phone in my bag and hanging it on the back of my chair.

Heaving a sigh I addressed him. “Thanks.” I nodded, keeping my gaze on the table.

“How are you?” He leaned his elbows on the wooden surface and linked his hands, thumbs rolling the rings on his knuckles. “I’m sorry I haven’t reached out.”

“I think we should cut the chit chat off. You’ve had two days to sit on it, so what are you thinking now?” My patience was wearing thin and the meaningless small talk was not getting us anywhere.

He pursed his lips, bringing his stare to mine and mulling over his answer. “I honestly don’t know.” He rubbed a and down his face. “Jess came back last night, asked to have dinner, but I couldn’t even think about looking her in the eyes, knowing what I’ve done.”

“What we have done.” I corrected him. “As much as I regret what happened, we were both consensual. But what I want to know is what are you going to do now. Are you going to tell her?”

Harry’s eyes widened and he bit his bottom lip. “I should..” his voice trailed off as if he just started thinking about the repercussions of our actions. “Are you on birth control?”

“No, but I've sorted myself out, don't worry.” Took him long enough to remember we had unprotected sex.

“I’m so sorry, I should've asked you sooner.” His furrowed brows and guilty expression didn't faze me, I was looking after myself and my future. I was not ready for a messy pregnancy. “And I promise, I'm clean.”

“Yeah, same.” I gave him a tight smile. “So, are you going to tell Jess?”

He groaned, closing his eyes and massaging his temple as if a headache was soon to take over his head.

I knew I was being a hypocrite, going against everything I’ve been preaching for the longest time, but seeing the anguish on his face and realising that it might’ve really just been a fluke in his judgment, I gave the advice I never thought I would.

“Maybe you shouldn’t.”

The look of surprise would’ve been entertaining and made me laugh, hadn’t the situation been a complete shit show. “What?”

“Do you still want to be with her? Do you genuinely regret what happened? Do you love her?” I fired off the relevant questions.

“I mean..” His voice sounded unsure, so I gave him a stern look, encouraging him to snap out of it. “I..”

“Harry, for fuck’s sake!” I leaned in, trying to keep my voice down. “I'm trying to help you out here!”

“I know, I just.. I don't know.” His timid voice said.

I blinked at him, completely bewildered by his sudden reluctance. “Have you guys been having issues?”.

“No, but we've been together less than a year and it feels like we're stuck in the same routine. I don't see us moving much forward with it, to be completely honest.” Harry huffed as if a weight has been lifted off his chest. “I don't think I see a future with Jess.”

“So, you're essentially wasting both of your time?” I couldn't help but frown at him. One of the qualities I've picked up about Harry’s personality is that he would never settle to do something he didn't want to - in his personal life, at least.

“What if I'm just not meant to be in a relationship?” His gaze stayed glued to the table.

“What now?”

“I mean, I've always thought of myself as a relationship type of person. But what if I'm just not?” His eyes connected with mine with a certain intensity that left me confused. “Here I am, with a perfectly fine relationship and at the first opportunity, I go and sleep with someone else.”

I knew I shouldn't have taken it personally. Someone else. He didn't mean it in a dismissive, impersonal way, but it still stung. So I took a deep breath, glanced at the ceiling and thanked the waiter who brought our coffees to the table.

“That sounds like a dilemma you'll have to sort on your own, mate.” Was the best thing I could think to say.

His dejected look made me rethink my statement.

“Look, I honestly thought you were happy with Jess. You get along and seem to have a very effortless relationship. You saying what you said just really surprised me.” I reached out and held my forgotten iced coffee. “Don’t blame your relationship for what happened. I guess we just chose to be two complete assholes that night.”

Harry’s chuckle made me smile. “Do you think I should tell her?”

“No.”

His raised eyebrows prompted me to continue.

“Usually, my first reaction would be to bully you into telling her, but if you're going to stay with her and see where the relationship is going, then I guess we can keep this between us and forget about it.”

His mouth pursed, his own hands stretched and engulfed his espresso with one hand, bringing it closer but made no move to take a sip. “Do you think I should stay with her?”

I didn't want to read too much into his question, but I couldn't help and wonder where all these doubts about his relationship came from. “She’s really nice, you'd be stupid to let her go.” I meant it wholeheartedly. “Now, I have to get going ‘cause I haven't started packing yet and I have to leave for the airport in a few hours.”

His hand shot out and held my wrist when I moved to stand, successfully keeping me in place, still sat across from him. His lips were pursed, eyebrows pinched and fingers warm on my skin. “Do you mind if I tag along? I can offer my excellent packing services.”

“I have literally witnessed you throw your belongings in a duffle bag one hour before your scheduled flight.” I managed to recover from his mood swings just enough to give the cheeky answer. “Plus, I think you should go and spend some time with Jess.”

He sighed as if done with the conversation. “She’s at work right now, I'll speak to her later tonight.” He downed his espresso and stood. “C’mon, let's go.”

——

My bedroom’s small chandelier was very dusty. Like, that kind of layer of dust that would probably fly everywhere if hit by a gust of wind. I needed to spring clean after coming back from visiting my family. I had to remember to pack the present I got for my nephews birthday on Saturday. That, and the mango flavoured candle to add to my mum’s collection.

My thoughts were interrupted by a kiss placed on my bare shoulder. My bare shoulder, connected to the rest of my naked body, only covered by my duvet. The duvet that was also covering Harry’s lower half. Harry’s naked lower half.

I was stupid. So, so, so stupid. But I was also only human and he was very cheeky, but also very physically close and one too many touches to my arm, my lower back, a stroke to his bicep, his chest. Suddenly we were in my bed.

At least we remembered to use a condom this time.

“Hey,” he whispered against my skin, followed by yet another peck. “We should finish packing.”

I let out of a breath I didn't realise I was holding, bit my lip and closed my eyes, holding the duvet to my chest. “Yes.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Of course I regret it, H. I've been cheated on before, it's not a great feeling. My morals are kicking my ass right about now.” Turning away from him, I sat at the edge of the mattress and reached for some clothes, slipping them on. I kept my back to him and heard him huff out a breath.

“I’m breaking up with her when I see her tonight.”

When I turned my head towards him, he was lying flat on his back, lower half still haphazardly covered by my duvet, eyes fixated on the ceiling - probably noticing the dust on the tiny chandelier.

“What?” I hooked one leg on the mattress to face him better. “Why?”

The guilt I felt before has tripled in size and I couldn’t help the feeling of dread at having aided him in making the decision.

“I thought about it on my way home after your birthday, then I was almost certain after our talk at the cafe. Now it’s just obvious. I can’t stay in a relationship after having cheated on her twice.” His tone was calm but his face was pensive.”It’s not fair to her.”

“I get it.” I felt selfish for asking, but I had to know if I had to steer clear of Jess for the foreseeable future. “Are you going to tell her the truth?”

“Some of it.” My eyes widened in fear, but then relaxed when he continued talking. “I’ll tell her how I don’t see it working, and that I want to concentrate on my work more for now.”

“That’s such a bullshit reason and you know it. You don’t have to be single to concentrate on work.”

“It’s all I could come up with.” He shrugged as if coming up with another reason why he wants to break up with his girlfriend didn’t matter to him. “At least we wouldn’t feel guilty doing this anymore.”

That got my attention. I frowned, hoping I understood him wrong. “Huh?”

“Well, I quite enjoy this thing between us.” He peered at me, taking in my unamused expression. “Don’t you?”

My thoughts were officially jumbled and I struggled to wrap my head around the fact that he’s including me in the reasons why he wants to break up with Jess.

“At the risk of sounding self-centred,” I made sure we were making strong eye contact, for him to understand how serious I was being. “Don’t do it for me.”

A moment of silence stretched between us, eyes still locked and his eyebrows raised slightly.

“At the risk of sounding like a dick,” he started. “I’m genuinely not.”

I blinked, kind of relieved. “Right.” I nodded. It was sort of presumptuous to think he would end a relationship for me.

“I meant what I said. Jess and I had a good time, but it never turned serious. I never met her family and she only met Gemma because she lives in London and I see her often.” He raised one shoulder in half a shrug. “I miss that specific type of connection with her.”

“Your timing is shit.” I chuckled. “Could’ve realised all of that before cheating on her.”

I stood up and headed to my closet, picking up clothes I wanted to pack. And carefully organised them in the suitcase, conscious of the time ticking by way too fast.

“Are you hungry?” Harry’s voice popped up, completely ignoring my last comment. His eyes were focused on his phone. “I can order some lunch?”

Glancing at the clock, I mentally sectioned off the time I needed to get to the airport, check-in my luggage, go through security, with ample time to browse the duty-free section. “Yeah, food would be great, thanks.”

“Food would be great.” He snickered, mocking me. “I always forget that English isn't your first language.”

“I didn’t say anything wrong.” I frowned at him - I took jabs at my knowledge of the English language very seriously. “Did I?”

He chuckled and shook his head at me. “You’re cute.” He really didn’t have to be so flirty. “Fancy a poke bowl? Salmon?”

“Ooh, yes, please!”

——

“Right, thanks for the coffee, lunch and the lack of help packing.” I flashed Harry a sarcastic smile as we stood by the door of my house, my Uber being three minutes away.

“Anytime.” He chuckled. “Have a great time with your family and send me pictures that will make me jealous. I’ll see you when you’re back, I guess.”

“Thank you, will do and yes.” I stepped towards him and wrapped my arms around his middle, him hugging my shoulders and placing a kiss on the top of my head. “Take care of yourself, please.”

We broke the hug as the Toyota Prius pulled up on the curb. Blocking my view of the car, Harry stepped in front of me, taking a step forward, he cornered me against my front door. I looked at him, confused until he leaned into me and pecked my parted lips. A quick, but strong kiss that left me bewildered, but regretfully wanting more as well.

I bit my lip and rolled my eyes at his cheeky smile. The bastard knew what he was doing.

I walked past him, suitcase in tow and with a quick goodbye to Harry, I boarded the Uber.

Part 3

[aasfandoms]

Hiya, I feel like I've asked this before but I'll ask again. I'd like a bit of writing advice if that's alright with you? Just, how do you write thousands of words without making your story feel like it has too much going on or without making it super purple and wordy? Your fics always strike such a lovely balance between long and not overly detailed. I just struggle to write 1000 words without accidently writing the entire plot in one chapter, even if I try padding it out a bit, it's still too short for my taste.

This is tough to answer because honestly most of it comes with practice, which isn't always fun but is necessary. I find that I can strike a decent balance by including descriptions of the scene or items/people in it (but don't OVER describe, or describe every little thing; you want to mainly give the general vibe/description, the reader's brain will fill in details), what the characters thinks about those things, and their physical or emotional reaction to anything that sticks out.

It also helps to just... add things. Add a tiny thing that happens here and there, doesn't have to be plot relevant, just a little thing that the characters notices then moves past, or a small detail that just expands your length a little. Or something a little bigger that better reveals the characters personality or thoughts.

Here are maybe some examples that might help (featuring BkDK A/B/O);

Instead of saying something like;

"He went to the club right after work and hurried inside. After paying the entrance fee he slipped through a crowd to get to the main stage, where he waited eagerly."

Try expanding and adding some little things;

"After work Katsuki rushed home to change into something nicer than his plain civilian clothes. He chose a plain black shirt with a purple button-up over it and black pants. There was an attempt to do something with his hair, but it did not work. Oh well. He brushed his teeth, hastily wrapped his gifts, and hurried out the door. Maybe, just maybe, he sped a little too.

It was 5:45 by the time he got to the club. He left the gifts in the car and hurried inside. “Has Zuzu danced yet?” He asked the lady behind the counter who took his cash and marked his hand.

“No, but he’s up next.”

“Thanks,” he scurried inside.

It was busier than two nights ago, but that made sense. It was Friday. Every pervert in the city was rushing to the strip clubs to spend their evening getting trashed and watching sexy dancers.

Technically, he was now part of that demographic, but he chose to ignore that fact.

The bar was busy but he didn’t give two shits about getting a drink or snack anyway. Instead, he pushed his way through the crowd to get to the main stage. A pretty female Omega was finishing up her dance, so he stood back until she was done. No sense taking up space that a paying customer could occupy. Wouldn't be fair to her at all. Once her song ended and she strutted off, he pushed forward and planted himself firmly against the stage.

His heart was racing. All he could think about was seeing Izuku again."

So we've added a detour to the house to change and get ready. We added a short conversation with the lady behind the counter. We've added his thoughts/observations about the club. We added a dancing lady that created more realism and lengthened our word count.

Additionally, by mentioning the counter lady and dancing lady, we've reminded the reader that there are other people in this world that effect it (instead of hyper-focusing on our two main characters) and we've shown how our character reacted to them and thereby gave him a little more depth.

We can tell he's eager and worried about being late by the convo with the counter lady. He was polite to wait and allow the dancing lady to make more tips instead of being rude and taking a spot from someone else, showing that even though he'd very focused/eager right now he still considers others and reacts to them, rather than ignoring them.

We also didn't over-describe the club. We know it's busy, we know there's a bar, we know there's a stage. Granted, this particular bar was described a little more in a previous chapter, but the general vibe was the same; we don't need details or the layout, just the important bits.

Here is an example of showing emotion through actions, not words;

Rather than saying;

"He finally received a text back. He stopped punching the bag to check his phone. He was eager to see what it said."

Let's do this;

"The text went unanswered for a few hours. Katsuki nearly forgot about it, so lost in showing this free-standing bag who was boss. He punched it hard enough to knock it over, then used his foot to force it back up. Just as he went for another swing he heard his phone chime. He nearly tripped over his own feet hurrying over to it."

It's a little longer, has a bit more character, has a bit of humor, and we've displayed that he's so excited to receive that text that he nearly fell over to see it. I like to include small, almost silly details like that because it feels human and it tells us what kind of emotions that person is feeling without actually just stating the emotion.

Another thing I like to do is bleed the real world or certain actions with characters thoughts. Here's an example;

"Hideki was standing outside, but his attention was on the dancer. Katsuki probably could have slipped right in past him, but he opted to just lean against the wall nearby and wait. His erection had, thankfully, disappeared, and these few moments alone allowed him to ground himself a little more. Stop exuding horny pheromones, exude some neutral or pleasant ones instead, straighten his clothes, check his hair, make sure he didn’t actually have any droll on his face, look presentable goddamnit."

Katsuki is taking a moment to gather himself and make sure he looks okay and we can tell he's nervous about it by the last 3 words, in which his inner dialogue has bled into what was real-world description.

We can combine these two things as well! Example:

"His schedule was next. It was the same as usual. Patrol started at eight. Lunch from noon to one. Patrol done by five. Same shit different day-

His phone chimed and he nearly dropped his coffee in the scramble to get it out of his pocket.

“The heck? You okay?” Eijiro asked.

“Shut up,” came the venomless bite. A text. From Izuku. Exactly what he’d been hoping for. His heart hammered in his chest."

His inner thoughts were cut-off my real world events and he reacted in a mild panic. By using very short sentences we can also show that his thoughts are racing and he's anxious to see what the text says.

When it comes to writing there are a lot of little tricks you can use to both lengthen your work and make it more fun to read. These are the ones I use most. Hopefully, it was helpful, or at least readable. I'm always happy to expand on something too or offer critiques!

Don't beat yourself up about not being as good as you want to be right now either. Like I said, it takes practice. My writing style now is very different from ten years ago and significantly better, but I've written and LOT of fics since then, read a lot of fics since then, and taken in writing advice I've gotten from others. It takes time to improve but that's no reason to stress! Have fun with your writing, you created it from nothing!

[groovyzombiellama]

Half Winchester

Title: Half Winchester

Requested? Yes.

Plot: You are Dean and Sam’s half sister and when you encounter Liam, the werewolf helps you with your hunt and you end up almost kissing, before Dean pulls you away and throws you in the car.

Word count: 1181

—***—

"Why don't we try following one of them maybe, figure out what their next move is?"

You finally spoke up, making all the eyes in the room turn in your direction. It was as if you just said the most ridiculous thing ever. And what's worse, it was actually the easiest thing they could do compared to all the things they haven't tried yet that were suggested. Among all the other complicated plans the pack and your brothers were trying to concoct, your suggestion, even though ridiculous to an extent, due to how dangerous it was compared to some other meticulously planned ones, was the one that actually stuck in their head the most. It wasn't exactly the epic way to solve things your brothers were used to, and you assumed that this pack you were helping out felt the same way. But one of the pack members, Liam, appeared to be on your side, as he smiled at you and actually made a few pretty good arguments about how your idea might be the best one to start with and make sure which one of their ideas is best for the situation they uncover by following them. You were really thankful for that, it really meant a lot to you that someone was actually paying attention to you.

It was refreshing, since you were used to your brothers just informing you about the plan, without asking you what you thought about it, even though you know a lot about the hunting business of the Winchesters. You spent enough time before even meeting your half brothers, following in your father's footsteps, continuing the family business, but ever since you met Sam and Dean, the three of you became so close that they always wanted to do their best to protect you from anything they could. Sometimes it was annoying you so much that you were on the verge of fighting with them over it, but at the same time, you understood them and you were glad to be so close with them. You had no idea they existed until they tracked you down during their search of your father's past. But you've somehow always had this feeling that there was something missing in your life, and that some day you were gonna find it. In Sammy and Dean, you found the real family that you needed. And continuing the family business with them was very fulfilling.

"Oh come on Sammy, I've done this before, both of you know it. Just give me a shot, no need to act tough after all this time."

You were trying to talk your brothers into letting you go on the following mission. It would be a good way to prove to them once again that you can do it, and that will loosen them up a bit and allow you to go out hunting on your own more often, but also because of the fact that the pack you were helping chose Liam to go on the mission. Since he is the only one who was showing the most confidence in during the planning, you wanted to get to spend a little more time with him. Sam was the softer one of your brothers, so you knew that you could convince him easier than Dean and that he could help you when it came to convincing Dean.

"In case you see trouble, stay behind me. I know you're a great hunter, I just want to make sure you're as safe as possible, using my knowledge of the hunters, otherwise your brothers will tear me apart."

Liam said as the two of you were on your way to a known hiding place for the hunters of Beacon Hills, making you chuckle. It was nice of him to offer you his protection, and it made you feel bubbly, but you were fine by yourself. Liam hesitated a bit, looking at you unsure if he should do what he wanted to do, but still ended up offering you his hand. You looked at his hand, and then to him, seeing the small smile he was sending your way, his cheeks showing a bit of a blush, his eyes full of warmth, before looking back at his hand, and put your own hand in it, with the same smile he shot you with. The feeling of his hand on yours was was downright sending chills down your spine. Your own cheeks were heating up every time you looked down at your connected hands, seeing Liam's skin erupt in goosebumps with every time your thumb moved, slowly caressing his skin. With all of the information you gathered, the others had a but more clear idea what the next step was gonna be. Scott was throwing out orders to his pack, while you and your brothers were making sure all your gear was in order.

A tiny bit of the plan didn't go your way, as you were inches away from being discovered by Monroe, when Liam rushed to your aid and helped you hide better, as he threw himself over you, covering both of you with the nearby cloth that mad eyou look like some of the bags that were surrounding the area the hunters were plotting their next move in. The pack, your brothers and finally you and Liam moved in quickly and took all the weapons and resources from the hunters table and incapacitated the hunters, and you were all rushing back out. When you were all safely outside, you walked over to Liam to thank him for helping you, and the two of you smiled at each other, gazes shifting from each others eyes to lips, and you slowly inched closer, eyes fluttering closed, and you assumed that you were about to kiss, but you were suddenly yanked away from Liam, both of you looking up to see Dean grabbed your hand and was dragging you over to his car. You looked over at Liam with apologetic eyes, but you could tell he understood, as he nodded at you.

"Really Dean? Why did you do that?!"

You went off on your brother as soon as you were in the car, driving back to the McCall residence to empty what you've collected from the hunters so that they could do some research on the plan the hunters were having and if they manufactured some new weapons to fight the supernatural with. Your brother stayed calm and responded that you didn't need to get involved with them, since you were gonna go back home as soon as you were done here, and you were already half way through the process. You made it clear to your brothers that you were in charge of your own life and if you wanted to get involved with someone, you were going to do that. You were not gonna let anyone dictate your life, no matter how much you appreciate them caring for you and their advice. You really liked Liam and wanted to get to spend a lot more time with him. 

—***—

@cokecola4211 sorry for being so late, I was at my aunt's for 3 days and she has no Internet in her home, but I did write some requests that I had in screenshot form, so I'll queue those for today 😊���️

[greeneyedsnake]

Hello! I've seen loads of asks here about Daphne Greengrass,apparently she and Harry até being shipped a lot. Well,I think you made a wonderful job, since she doesn't appear in the books. I wanted to ask you what are your thoughts on the Greengrass sisters? You're an amazing writer! Have a lovely day!

Thank you! I don’t think I can take any credit for the shipping, though, since that’s happening entirely of its own accord...but I’m glad people like her!

As to the Greengrass sisters, oh gosh do I have thoughts! 

Okay, I’m going to put them under a cut because while I don’t think any of this technically counts as spoiler-territory, better safe than sorry right?

So first of all, this is my favorite Greengrass family headcanon I’ve ever seen. Much of my own Greengrass sisters headcanon stems from there, more or less. I mean it goes off on branches...but that’s where the roots started.

(Note that these are general canon headcanons that I hold for the Greengrass girls, and as such may not apply to the Green-Eyed Snake series...but for the most part, they do. For the most part, I’m using my general canon headcanons as my default for writing this AU, and only deviate when I think someone will specifically work better for this story. All talk about future events, however, should definitely not be taken as relevant to the Green-Eyed Snake universe, because I honestly don’t even know who’s going to live to the end of this story yet, let alone who’s going to end up with whom!)

So...my thoughts about the Greengrasses:

I see Daphne as being someone who was embarrassed by her family’s comparatively meager social standing and wealth (relative to the elite of pure-blood society), and who tried to hide it and compensate for it when she got to Hogwarts, and clung to girls like Pansy Parkinson as a shield even when they insulted or mocked her. She was someone who wanted out, who wanted to get away from Knockturn Alley and the apothecary and the very idea of working for a living. She wanted the dream of easy wealth and comfort and big sprawling manors with vaults full of jewels.

I see Astoria as being someone who never paid much attention to the so-called social stigma of being “in trade,” and who enjoyed playing with the plants and the growing and who never liked gossiping with the customers very much, but more because she’d rather leave her nose in her book than talk to them than because she was ashamed of her family’s situation. She didn’t mind living in Knockturn Alley or wearing her sister’s outgrown robes to school, and in fact made a deal with her parents that if she took hand-me-down robes she could use the money they saved there on her books and school instruments instead and get her better quality things than they’d otherwise have afforded.

I see Daphne as loving her little sister and wanting to look out for her, but also being convinced that she knows what’s best for Astoria, and trying to mold and shove her into being the type of girl she thinks they both ought to be -- gossipy social-climbers who care about how fashionable their robes are more than they do their grades -- and Astoria quietly resisting her sisters efforts, which puts a brief wedge between the girls in their adolescence because they don’t understand one another and neither wants to compromise; Daphne resents that Astoria doesn’t seem embarrassed by second-hand robes and shabby books, that she doesn’t try to hide their circumstances, resents that Astoria isn’t grateful to her for all her efforts moving them up the social ladder and won’t do anything to help. Astoria resents being told she has to act differently, resents being told that she ought to be ashamed of things she doesn’t care about, resents her sister bossing her around “for her own good” instead of getting to know her as she is.

I see Astoria as being the sort of girl who does not put up with that for very long, because while she at first valued her sister’s advice when she began her transition, it soon began to feel more confining and constricting than it did constructive, and there’s no wrong way to be a witch, thanks anyway Daphne.

I see the Greengrass parents as having met over plants: she liked herbology, and his parents had an apothecary, and they talked plants more than anything else and still argue about conflicting schools of thought on what to grow and how and what each plant should best be used for, etc. Financial and social strain has added weight to their marriage, especially since their children were born, and they aren’t the cheerfully and constantly arguing couple they once were -- but they don’t hate each other. They just always worked better as colleagues than as a couple, but by the time they figured that out it was too late, and now Mr. Greengrass maybe drinks a little more firewhiskey than he should because he feels ashamed for not being able to better provide for his family and recoup the lost family fortune, and Mrs. Greengrass yells at all of them more than she’d like to because she resents the fact that their situation never improved the way she expected it to...but they don’t hate each other. They just argue more about money than plants these days, which is much less pleasant and much less constructive, and they spend a lot of time in different bedrooms, and are too busy with the business to give their children as much attention as they say they would like to. Neither of them have ever found a long term side-affair; maybe they would both be happier if they did.

The sisters have some Chinese ancestry on the maternal side of the family, and their mother retains enough of her grandparents’ knowledge of Chinese magicks and herbology that she can use it to supplement her and her husband’s standard Hogwarts education, which has been a boon to the apothecary -- but still not as much of a financial success as she had hoped it would be. The British wizarding world is prejudiced against foreign magicks, after all, and so for every patron impressed with the novel and unique things offered at their apothecary, there are two more who turn their noses up at anything that has a tinge of “foreigness” to it, regardless of actual superiority or inferiority.

I see Daphne as being a little bit chubby all her life, with a round pale gold face and long thick black curls and a wide round nose and little round chin. She wishes she was tall and sleek, and occasionally tries really foolish diets in an attempt to get herself to look more like the witch she thinks she ought to be. Pretty, adorable, charming, cute, dainty -- those are all words that can easily be applied to Daphne. She doesn’t want those words: she wants lovely, she wants stunning, she wants elegant. Daphne’s biggest problem is always wanting what she doesn’t have. It drives her, needles at her, bleeds her. As she fills-out, ages, and lightens-up, she grows into her curves and if she ever let herself really own them she’d be a vivacious beauty, but Daphne will never be 100% comfortable with who she is.

I see Astoria as sharing the same plump proportions when she’s little, being a little bit chubbier and shorter even, but slimming out a bit as she gets older -- never to the point of being a girl that would be described as scrawny, but one who might be called delicate -- and being perfectly happy with her body, although she wouldn’t object to being a little bit taller if someone gave her the option. (Especially once she has to start craning her neck to look up at her son, as well as her husband and in-laws.) She has thick black curls too but as she gets older she tends to pull them back in simple ponytails and buns instead of the cascades of ribbons and headbands and twisted braids that her sister spends so much time on. Her complexion is a darker gold than Daphne’s because she spends more time in the greenhouses and thus picks up some sun, despite Daphne’s constant chiding to wear a hat or cast a sun-shielding charm on herself beforehand. She keeps her nails short for digging in the dirt and cleans them meticulously rather than varnishing them like Daphne.

Both girls favor cute, flowery, ruffled clothing, although as they age Daphne’s style grows more sleek while Astoria’s becomes more simple, but they both retain a very traditionally feminine aesthetic. Daphne wears more jewelry than Astoria does, but -- after her marriage, at least -- Astoria’s is higher quality.

Eventually Daphne grows out of being so concerned with appearances, with being who she should be and instead focusing on who she is, and in the end she marries a much subdued, slightly sullen, slightly gentler (but never gentle) Pansy Parkinson, which makes for some awkward family gatherings with the Malfoys. They give their daughter Daphne’s last name, because they want her to be spared Pansy’s minor but lingering infamy, and keep to themselves and their small social circle rather than striving for the prestige and influence that Daphne (and Pansy) always dreamed of having when they were young, and they’re happy enough...although they both still long for those old unattainable dreams.

Astoria and Draco never had much to do with one another growing up and only really start conversing over potions and plants in his seventh year and her fifth, which is a good thing because by then Draco has become much less of an arse when speaking to people, and if she had known him better earlier she probably would never have fallen in love with him later. They live an even more sedate and reclusive life than the Greengrass-Parkinsons, and they both prefer it that way, because Astoria was never an extrovert and Draco...well, he learned to dislike being in the center of attention. So they keep to themselves and dote on their son and try to find a balance between spoiling him and spoiling him rotten. Astoria and Lucius get along well enough through their bond over the gardens, because that was always Lucius’s hobby and he likes having a daughter-in-law who shares the interest, but she and Narcissa never really warm up to each other -- although Narcissa would murder anything that hurt Astoria because she makes her precious son happy, and she dotes on Scorpius as much as anyone; she just doesn’t care much for Astoria, personally. She’s too open-minded. But the little family is happy enough in the secluded, reclusive peace of their manor, safe from the dangers that almost destroyed them, and that’s as happily an ever-after as any of them can claim a right to having.

And fuck Cursed Child and it’s appalling, sexist, “we’re going to fridge a female character off-screen to give the male characters pain trope.” Astoria does not have some weird bloodline curse that kills her early, thank you very much.