#and how sound also travels better here in the cold weather

[femme-enby]

I love havin the house to myself, downside tho is that when it gets colder the house starts settling again for the season (change in temp makes house expand/contract accordingly & we are having our first freeze warning) and since I also have an overactive imagination…

Well. With my overactive imagination I’ve always had moments where I thought I saw something out the corner of my eye while in movement, like turning in the kitchen and thinking I saw something by the table or down the hall, plus I am always anxious that I might actually see something down the hall, especially when I’m recording a video and the hallway happens to be in view…

So odd noises, plus overactive imagination…

Means I got my partner snoring on the phone and plans to do a deep check of the house tomorrow during the day.

But also I’ve seen videos of people supposedly living in people’s attics unbeknownst to the homeowners so… I’m goin up there and checking every room with either my baseball bat or one of the swords we got layin around.

Also prepared to give them alternate housing recommendations prior to violence if it means we all leave the situation happy.

[eepyuii]

frostbite — pt. 11

pairing ; childe x gender neutral!reader

content ; childhood friends to “rivals” to lovers, slowburn-ish

cw ; several mentions of blood, torture and killing (could you guess that it’s dottore related) as well as mentions of self-loathing

notes ; sorry folks, no childe this time! this is the dedicated sumeru chapter, i am not dwelling any fucking further on it or i might die. this chapter is also solely focused on the relationship between reader and scara! bonding about your fucked up boss with the bitchiest little cockroach on earth <33

honestly pretty happy with this one, it’s got the exact depth of character that i’ve been wanting to add to the reader, their internal moral conflict, their skepticism toward gods and their eternal guilt as to what they’ve gone through with dottore. as well as how they’re definite besties with scaramouche!!

finally, just ignore the nahida logic toward the end- i don’t CARE if it doesn’t make sense in the lore for her to be able to do that and also DONT MIND the self insert of the name i gave to my wanderer. ok goodbye.

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you wish someone had warned you of how cold nights in the rainforest were.

leading up to this trip, you were only trying to mentally and physically prepare yourself for the extreme weathers of sumeru, obviously more directed towards the desert. you expected to only be hit with scalding heat that you’d never once see in snezhnaya— but in the rainforest, where you’d been stationed, it was shivering cold during nighttime. cold is no stranger to you, unspokenly so, but the chilliness in sumerian air was different from the one you grew up with. snezhnayan cold was dry and sharp, like microscopic shards of ice constantly nip at your skin, which you’ve long since learned to bear— though sumerian cold was overwhelmingly humid and smothering, like a—

“can you stop shivering? the sound of your joints shaking is gonna give me a headache.”

oh, that’s right. you were in a room with that brat.

for a moment, for one shining moment you’d forgotten you were in a damp workshop, dottore branded, in the middle of the rainforest with the doctor’s most promising little experiment— the balladeer. it’s only been a few weeks into the collaboration between the sages of the akademiya and the fatui, to create a manmade god out of scaramouche with the electro gnosis he’d previously disappeared with. even thinking about everything that was explained to you about the project made bile rise up to your throat.

“is there even anything inside that porcelain head of yours to ache?” you snarl back.

scaramouche scoffs, you can’t tell if he’s annoyed or amused by your response.

“watch your tongue, vermin. wouldn’t want me to call your boss over and see how fast he finds a new squirming roach to refill your position.”

“for someone destined to be a god, you seem to really rely on a ‘mere mortal’ like dottore to get your way.”

“you cower in his presence like a cornered lamb and then start running your mouth the second he’s away, don’t even try to act as if you’re better than me. you never will.”

“it’s funny that you think someone with an ego as catastrophically big as yours could ever become a real god.”

scaramouche inhales sharply, his eyebrows furrow further as a manifestation of how irked he’s become.

“the gall you have to criticize my divinity… i heard of what you did in liyue, y’know— your little.. moment of unfaithfulness. you were only lucky that the imbecile of a harbinger you were up against wouldn’t dream of hurting you.”

the mere indirect mention of ajax makes your heart stutter—you’d only ever admit to yourself how much you wish you were still back in the golden house facing off against foul legacy instead of here. anything but here. the balladeer, somehow, seems to sense that you space out slightly at his words and presumes his snark.

“unlike him, if you decide to join that pathetic traveler and try to stand in my way, i won’t hesitate to crush you into a fine pulp.”

your fists close so tightly that your nails begin to dig into your palms. “at least i have somewhere else to be and someone else to get to! you have nothing but this, if this fails you’ll stay in this form and remain stuck in dottore’s grasp until he gets bored and finds a better lab rat to experiment on. you chose to isolate yourself in the grasp of a fucking monster like him up to the point where this stupid project is all you have in life and it’s all you’ll lose when it goes shit!”

your outburst seems to have finally broken through scaramouche and you can tell that if he had any veins under his skin, they’d be tensing through it at this moment from how vexed he becomes— if he had any blood, it’d be slowly seeping through his bottom lip from how hard he bites it. even though he’s strapped to a wall of tubes and machinery inside the workshop, he launches as far forward as he can like he means to strangle you where you stand.

“i could end your depressing excuse of an existence right this second if i wanted to!” he practically barks out, his words echo through the empty metallic room as you give up on retaliating. silence invades the space between the two of you while you both pant from how much you’ve argued.

this always, inevitably seemed to happen whenever you and scaramouche interacted— you’d back and forth like bickering siblings until both of you were entirely too pissed off at each other to keep going. it was pointless. knowing someone as ‘take-no-shit’ as the balladeer, you’d expected for him to have reprimanded or even just kill you off for your insolence long ago, but he does nothing and your arguments just happen again and again. you can’t tell if it’s because he recognizes you’re one of the few people who has enough of a brain to try to humble him cleverly or if he’s planning a bigger, more painful demise for you lest you stop overestimating your authority before him.

“why…?” he growls lowly, but this time it doesn’t sound like intends to verbally berate you— rather it sounds like he’s just… frustrated. maybe even with himself.

“why are you so sure that this’ll fail? even if you have that idiot to go back to, you still put your career and your life at risk by working for dottore. why? why do you work in fear of him and skepticism of the tsaritsa’s cause?”

you chuckle bitterly. “i had no choice. if my homeland wasn’t so reliant on its military, i would’ve never even considered getting a medical degree in the first place. and,”

you pause, flashes of dottore’s cruel scarlet gaze stab at your mind and you physically flinch slightly. it seems it hadn’t settled into your chest how imprisoned you were as definitively before— you talk big talk but you’re just as trapped as scaramouche.

“a-and he forced me to. i blinked once and suddenly there was blood on my hands that wasn’t mine and an assistant title over my head.”

scaramouche is silent. you can feel his stare on you but, once again, it doesn’t feel as though he scrutinizes you. a smaller, more hopeful part of your brain whispers to you that he might even be sympathizing with you— even if he’s so convinced that this is righteous, that his godly destiny is finally within his grasp admittedly because of dottore, he still fucking despises that man. probably more than you do, given how much he’s been prodded and tested by him over the years of his position within the fatui.

“would you kill him?” he asks suddenly, the question hangs heavy in the air of the workshop. his tone is quiet and deliberative.

“w-what?” your breath is briefly taken from your throat.

“if you could. if you had the chance to wipe his livelihood off of teyvat, would you do it?”

your mind blanks. it’s equally a simple question and the hardest one you’ve ever had to answer in your life. it’s about an innate desire for liberation, for closure— if you just could would you? but then… it’s also about opportunity, about the possibility of you ever stumbling across the chance to finish him— if you would could you?

now that you think about it, you’ve never considered dottore to be someone killable. he’s always been so up high, so entirely unreachable to anyone around him. the second fatui harbinger is a heavy crown, perhaps not for him to wear but for you to bear witness to. it’s almost as if… he’s the untouchable god here, he’s the culmination of unjust divinity that you so loathe, not scaramouche. it was never scaramouche.

you have your answer.

“no.”

“h-huh? why?”

the balladeer is visibly taken aback, his shoulders roll back slightly and his head leans backwards into the wall. sheer incredulousness overtakes his features before it blends into suspiciously— he’s looking for you to elaborate justly on the choice.

you chuckle. “even if it’s.. not exactly right, i’d love for nothing more, trust me. but comparing the two of us… i think you deserve to stab him in the heart more than i do. you’ve known him for longer and that’s a misfortune few people have.”

his breath hitches. it seems he wholeheartedly did not expect that to be your reason for hypothetically letting go of the chance to make sure dottore feels as much pain as he’s cause you— for it to be so he can return what the doctor has done to him over the years. scaramouche analyzes your expression, as if he’s desperately looking to find the logic in your sympathy, after all you barely know what he’s been through. all you’ve been told is that he was supposedly a puppet prototype created by the electro archon, hence his attachment to the relative gnosis— but beyond that, you can’t even begin to imagine what sorts of hardships he’s been through to turn out as hostile as he is. yet this was still your answer. he looks aimlessly toward the ground defeated and… if you dare to say, he’s trying to hide how much your answer affected him.

“foolish human… once i become a god, it won’t matter wether that doctor lives or not.” scaramouche dismisses with a growl and your suspicions are confirmed.

—

at some point of this project, you became thoroughly convinced that you’re a terrible person.

most of your time has been spent inside joururi workshop, overseeing the construction of scaramouche’s godly form— shouki no kami, it’s been called. even overseeing is a gross overstatement of what you do here, which is essentially nothing. you’re a medical professional specialized in, well, human patients and with the closest thing to a patient here being a doll created by an archon, there’s little for you to do.

within these rusted metal walls, you’ve had more than enough time to think over everything— especially how you work for possibly one of the most terrible people in teyvat and do nothing but cower in his shadow while constantly praying that he gets what he deserves without doing anything about it. you’re pathetic. you’ve since met the traveler and paimon in their current stay in sumeru, they’ve told you about their ventures and investigations around the land in the midst of heroically trying to solve the nation’s problems and have specifically reported to you about their discoverings on a scholar named zandik and his atrocious actions, you don’t need to think twice to wonder who he’s become.

you recall paimon’s look of horror while she retells what they found about zandik murdering a classmate, how adamant he was about investigating a ruin killing machine that took several of his peers, his involvement with the investigation of eleazar, the hospital in the desert— and hearing it all, you couldn’t even muster fake shock. all you do is watch that man do unthinkable, inhuman things without even batting an eye, it’s all normal to you now.

you’re a terrible person.

you can’t even bear to recall the forest ranger the traveler and paimon befriended, that they told you about— collei, an unfortunate victim of eleazar and even worse, former… patient of the doctor. you don’t think you could ever muster up the audacity to look her in the eyes if the two of you ever met. collei is partially why you don’t dare to leave the workshop if unrequired, any venture around the rainforest could very likely lead you to stumble into her and be forced to face the very personification of your guilt.

you spend so much time deliberating over all of this and yet… you still blindly follow after the traveler, paimon and a small girl when they enter the facility.

you hide within the shadows and pipeways of the workshop, watching the three brave souls solve the overly complex and arguably unsafe pathways of the place and waiting for them to unlock the marbled elevator leading to the larger area where scaramouche’s fo— err… shouki no kami rests to await the final touches.

when the puzzles are completed, you move to stand beside the structure of the lift and the traveler is the first to spot you as they arrive. she presents you a small, friendly smile, you don’t think you’re deserving of it. you think you’re much less deserving of the immediate kindness you receive from the small girl who came along with the two travelers. she speaks so wisely and patiently, with a distinct aura… it’s like a change in the air, you’ve only felt it twice— near the tsaritsa’s quarters in zapolyarny palace and during your dinner with zhongli. she’s an archon.

your hands close into fists, nails digging into your palms— you’re so tired of entangling yourself with godly beings. yet… your feet still take you inside the chamber, your fingers still tingle with slowly growing cryo energy, your body still mindlessly wants to help sort this out. nothing will fix what you’ve done, what you’ve been an accomplice to and what you’ve allowed to happen, so why are you still here? why are you still trying to help your friends by sustaining them with your healing capabilities, why are you still putting yourself in the frontlines of danger just to provide the most minimal assistance?

you want to say it’s because you’re itching to see scaramouche get his ass handed to him, but… that’s not it. why isn’t that it? he’s so arrogant and condescending, even more now that he’s so far into divinity— he’s never looked at you as if you were an ant to crush quite as much as he is now. he attacks you so mercilessly, like he promised he would, like your answer to his question truly meant nothing to him. he’d evaporate your and dottore’s existence all the same with his new powers, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. though, that taste could also be the blood invading your lips from all the injuries you’re sustaining.

scaramouche, or whatever it is he wishes to be called now, has pushed you to your physical limit and he’s done without breaking a sweat. so why is that something tugs at your chest when he’s desperately clawing out of his cushy seat inside shouki no kami to reach for the gnosis that’s just been torn out of his chest? why do you swallow hard when you hear his nearly crying pleas, or more so threats since it’s scaramouche, for nahida to take anything but the gnosis— his wails that he’ll never go back to what he was before?

and moreover, why do you sprint to catch him, despite how entirely hurt and exhausted you are, when the tubes on his back finally give way and he proceeds to fall from the absurd height of his mechanical form? why do your eyes sting when you fail to catch him and he hits the ground with a devastating cloud of smoke? why is there a warm wetness flowing down your cheeks as you spot a crack on his pale porcelain skin, obviously a consequence of his hard impact against the marbled floor.

and the most vexing question of all— why does nahida let you stay as she whisks away his unconscious form?

—

it’s ironic how much you hate gauzes.

they’re so itchy… they prick at your skin and press uncomfortably against your injuries— you’re only lucky you’re usually tending to others’ wounds rather than receiving them. in fact, the other way around occurs so rarely that you don’t even remember how you got hurt this time. it truly, wholeheartedly escapes your mind and you consider yourself to be someone with a good memory.

every time you try to recall how you got injured, it’s like a buzzing sensation in your brain, a hurtful one, that doesn’t reveal a single mental image of the situation. you’re almost beginning to consider the possibility that you just fell from your bed while sleep and fell so hard that you had to be bedridden in sumeru city while dottore took off to the motherland without a glance back. but to be fair, he’s probably still fuming internally from having to shut down all of his clones at once before the new, young goddess of wisdom.

personally, you’d say it serves him right for uh.. f-for err… what was it again?

gods, you must’ve hit your head when you fell from your bed— that has to be why you’re struggling so hard to remember what dottore was doing in sumeru, the very reason you were transferred here so abruptly.

though, you don’t dwell on the matter for much longer, as nahida, the traveler, paimon and… an unknown person walk into the little room inside the sanctuary of surasthana that you were given. all four of them stare at you expectantly, especially the individual you’ve never seen before— you note that he wears a ridiculously wide hat.

“so… did you intend for them to remember?” paimon asks with uncertainty, still looking at you up and down.

“…no, you idiot. did you forget that i intended to erase myself from the world?” the stranger scoffs toward paimon, you’re slightly unnerved by his rudeness.

he looks over to you and you swear that his gaze unhardens in the most microscopic degree, as if he’s saddened that you… apparently don’t remember something.

“there just—“ he pauses with a sigh and looks toward nahida. “there has to be another way, right?”

the small archon proceeds to gaze down at the floor aimlessly, finger tapping her chin and quiet hum escaping her throat as she thinks deeply. she shakes her head in disappointment.

“directly, no— i can’t extract memories of theirs that don’t exist anymore due to your wish. the closest thing to that would be for me to replicate the compilation of memories i showed to you, only narrowing it down to the moments between the two of you. they’d be watching their past self from your perspective.”

the strangers gaze lights up, once again in the slightest, and he nods vehemently. “yes yes, try that.”

you feel like you’re in a fever dream, or an out-of-body experience where you’re not present in the room at all as they continue to discuss something to do with you that you couldn’t decipher to save your own life. you frown and stand up frustratedly.

“i-i’m sorry, are any of you gonna explain what in teyvat is happening? what memories, what wish? i mean— who even is this guy?!” you gesture to him incredulously.

nahida quietly steps over to stand right in front of you and cups both of your hands into her own with the softest, most gentle hold you’ve ever felt. she looks up at you with equal patient and shoots you a sympathetic smile.

“y/n, please answer this honestly, would you trust me to do this? i know we only met recently, but i promise you i would not take a subordinate of the doctor under my care after they willingly injured themselves to assist me, only to put them back in harm’s way later.”

your eyebrows furrow with confusion once more— you willingly hurt yourself for nahida? not saying that you’d never do that with full consciousness but… how in her majesty’s name could you have possibly injured yourself to the extent you’re currently recovering from?

she chuckles. “that is how you would expectedly react to such a wild reveal of information. but what i am attempting to do next is with the full intent to help you remember what happened. i can’t promise it will fully work, as i’ve never done this before, but i’ll do my best to make sure it will not damage you in any way— past a mild headache, i’d say. i just need you to trust me.”

gods, how could you ever say no to such a soothing presence like nahida’s? there isn’t a single bone in your body that thinks she’s lying to you. plus, the stranger looks at you with such innocent expectancy that there’s an odd pang in your chest, though you don’t know why it’d ever react like that.

you face nahida once again and nod firmly. “i trust you.”

her smile widens with satisfaction and she steps away from you, turns slightly to the side, closes her eyes and joins her palms. after a few seconds she produces a small, blindingly glowing green orb. it’s got several specks of stylized sigils radiating from it, ones that are signature to nahida’s abilities. you give each person in the room a quick glance and they all grin up at you as a silent wish of good luck— except for the stranger, who looks ever so slightly anxious.

you touch the orb.

the first thing you feel is the forewarned headache, it hits you with full force instantaneously. next is horrifically blurred images of… you, from someone else’s perspective. in one image, you’re looking unsuredly at the person, as if it’s a first meeting and not a friendly one— you note that the background seems to be dottore’s lab. next is another environment resemblant of dottore’s work and you’re found in the dead center, yelling with at the person with genuine, irreplicable anger— you note that the perspective is taller than you, as if the subject is physically taller than you or… mounted to a wall or something. finally, the most blurred image of all, you’re sprinting toward the subject from afar with terrified tears forming at your eyes, arms stretched out in front of you as if you’re trying to catch something— you note that you’re upside down in the perspective and it’s in motion, as if the subject is actively falling head first into the ground.

your head really fucking hurts.

your brain is entirely unsure of what to do with the information it’s fed but… what does it mean for you? that you knew the man in front of you and physically forgot of his existence? now what— you still can’t put a name to the face, or the face to someone you know at all!

the stranger seems to recognize exactly what you’re feeling and steps up to exclaim.

“dottore— would you kill him?”

and it’s like everything clicks.

suddenly, you remember everything. you’re hit with a frying pan to the head’s worth of memories, of familiarities and it all clicks with the point of view you were shown. he’s here, he’s okay. and he’s very obviously not a god anymore.

your mouth hangs open as immediate tears gather at the corner of your eyes and you examine him up and down. he’s wearing different clothes, they’re blue and turquoise now— and most of all, he’s got a shiny new anemo vision hung over the left side of his chest. no, more importantly than that, the crack on his porcelain skin is gone. you’re so relieved.

“n-no.” you manage to get out in a shaky, sob-y voice, big relieved smile on your face.

he’s forced to suppress a chuckle at your answer, one that he fails at hiding before you could fully register it. he looks to the side and pulls his hat slightly downwards.

“glad to see you haven’t lost your head, worm.”

you laugh warmly, tears freely flowing before you pause for a moment— sure you’re happy to see him again but… what was his name again? it’s at the very tip of your tongue, to the point where it’s frustrating. it just never comes out.

“wait, uhm— this’ll sound weird but… w-what do i call you? i don’t know if i’ve fully recovered my memories, i just can’t figure it out.”

“wanderer.”

“wanderer..? i-is that a proper name or a title, are you—“

“i’m not going back to the fatui. i have no business there.”

“oh…”

“don’t sulk. i’ll still get my revenge on dottore later.” he teases.

the traveler nudges.. wandere’s side and he coils away with a scowl briefly, before the notices the knowing look on her face. he takes a moment to understand what she’s implying.

“and i suppose… there is another name, i’m not as used to it.”

“what is it?”

“…kunikuzushi.”

“kunikuzushi…” you sound it out and nod with an approving smile.

“i like that.”

taglist ; @kentply @osaemu @rain-and-a-nice-nap @koichirana

[samptlay]

Could We Be High School Sweethearts? - Out on the Field

A/N: shh... wdym it's almost been three weeks???

How in the world can anyone work out in this weather? Maybe you should have been smarter when signing up for Athletics at a place where it’s always cold, there would never be a reason to stay inside. Even with your three workout jackets on, the cold seeps through them and you’re shivering.

The weather in Snezhnaya isn’t something you could easily get accustomed to. Of course, it’s only the normal human natural response when put into a new environment. But of course, he would want to add to your suffering rather than sparring it. 

As your class headed outside the track, Ajax somehow slipped behind you, silently watching how your body turned pale. He can’t help but tease you for it.

“Aw, can’t handle the cold? Believe it or not, today’s one of our warmer days. I’m scared to see how you’d do when winter actually hits.” So this was barely scratching the surface. That’s just amazing, isn’t it? Is it too late to fly back to Liyue? You’ve already seen three different individuals grab icicles from who knows where before starting to munch on them, with no one else batting an eye.

Yeah, maybe homeschooling isn’t as bad as you thought.

With a groan, you turn around and face the redhead and Ajax could tell you weren’t particularly happy with his comment. You could see the smirk on his face grow ever so slightly at the sight of your reaction and it only ticked you off further. 

“I- I don’t understand the people who can swim in this weather.  Also, no normal human should be able to survive in this climate.” You stutter out, and surely the whole world could hear the clattering of your teeth. Your body was not built for this.

“You’ll get used to it. But if it makes you feel better, I’m sure it’ll take me a while to adapt to Liyue once I go there… eventually.” That was some new information to your ears. Well to be honest you didn’t know much about this guy in the first place, so while everyone was lining up on the track, you got behind him and started your interrogation.

“Why would you ever go to Liyue?” The question wasn’t meant to sound harsh, it was formed by your genuine curiosity. You could see something change in his eyes, and it’s only then that you realize that he has no spark inside them.

Maybe you’ll ask about that later if they ever get closer.

“I’m going to be a Fatui Harbinger. I’m going to travel across Teyvat and see every nation, eat all their food, and bring back souvenirs for my siblings. So a little bit after I graduate, I'll be out of here and across the world. There’s more, but you need to learn that information.”

The line moves up when the coach calls out for the next row to go and Childe looks down at you to gauge your reaction to which you look back up at him blankly, the only sign that you heard him is your singular eyebrow raised.

“That’s- a nice dream to have. But… You realize that you’d have to be crazy strong and master so many skills to be able to merely get recognized by the Tsurista?” Now it's Childe’s turn to look confused. His eyebrows furrow, and he shapes his mouth in a way that looks like he just tasted something bad before his face suddenly goes blank again, with a slow smirk forming on his lips.

Right. Everyone on campus is aware of his skill, all except you. Well obviously you’re new so it’s only natural, but that doesn’t mean he’ll fight like he always does at the next monthly Sparring Competition, no he’d do the best he can. Ajax’s sure to knock all the wind out of your lungs the moment you see him against his opponent. But for now, he’ll just let you believe he’s an obnoxious rich kid who doesn’t know what he’s doing.

“Oh come on! Don’t go ahead and crush all my dreams like that with a reality check.” He winces, clutching his stomach as if he’s been hurt, but you both notice he’s next in line to run and he gets in his stance. You roll your eyes and watch as all the other kids follow his motions. “Aww, was that too harsh? Don’t worry, I’m sure you could be a Harbinger’s assistant if anythi-”

As soon as the couch blows the whistle, he leaves everyone behind in the dust. Well, snow in this case, even if there wasn’t lots of it on the athletics field. He was fast and flexible, you had to admit. Sprinting down the track with everyone cheering and clapping, girls practically squealing and you swore you saw him win at one. The wind blew through the strands of his messy hair perfectly and he had finished running the whole thing in under a minute.

In the cold. Shit, he’s good.

You hadn’t realized your jaw was dropped until he stopped running right in front of you, raised his hand to your face, and pushed your chin upwards, causing your cheeks to flush a bit. “Impressed, girly?” Childe suspected you as the Tsundere type, so he was taken off guard when a slight smile came onto your lips.

“I really have to say, I underestimated you. Good job, Ajax.” Huh. He didn’t expect to be getting praised if anything. He thought you would roll your eyes and sarcastically clap for him, not this. Childe still had his finger on your chin, and it's then that he actually took the time to look at you. You were… pretty. And your eyes stood out in the winter compared to all the white around, unlike his dull, soul-threatening ones. Then yours blink. Repeatedly. It’s only then he realizes that he’s so close to you, holding up your chin, and around a crowd. Childe quickly steps back and clears his throat.

“S-Sorry I was just-” “Newby you’re up!” The coach calls, and you quickly turn around, thankful for an excuse to get away. Getting away is something you want more than anything right now since no one had ever expressed interest like he did just now. So while everyone else in your row was getting into their position, you were only thinking of being done, finished and back inside a warm, toasty classroom.

Childe guesses that’s exactly what you were thinking because you were gone in a flash., leaving everyone bewildered.

Taglist: @uhfhfhfhf @xdrin @msun1c0rn @umi-adxhira @lovingnahida @strrawb3rrysh0rtcak3 @ssecylia @skyl8ver @immahuman @meowmeowraven @01234 @markexplanation @esthelily @dawnofazrael @chickenalfredo4life @eccaza @jun-xiu @klemen-time @delulu-val @everi-eve

Borders by @cafekitsune

[thedo0zyslider]

Ohhh I'm very willing to branch out, especially with these two.(@staringamassivemistakeintheface)

[Writing requests :3]

It's a cold night in Dogwarts.

Skizz sits on one of the (admittedly ugly) cobblestone walls, his legs swinging idly of the edge. He doesn't remember why he's here, at Dogwarts instead of his own base, or what the purpose of climbing the wall was. He's just there now, watching the stars twinkle above him and the moon slowly inch it's way across the sky.

It's quite a lovely, albeit chilly, night. The world is quiet around him, a rare things these days. Usually there's some sort of altercation going on at night, as well as in the day. He shivers, and doesn't miss the screams of battle or sounds of explosions in the slighest. The cold and quiet are far better on the ears.

(Maybe he should've put something else on before coming out here. Sitting in like, negative 40 degree weather in a suit with no sleeves doesn't seem like the best idea.)

Skizz sees his breath come out in a puff of air infront of him, and shudders once more. It must be colder than he thought, then. Maybe he won't have to worry about an enemy ambush. No one in their right minds would risk traveling in this weather. Especially now people used ro the warmer climates of desserts and forests and flower valleys.

Well, maybe the desert people would risk it. Their nights are also cold, maybe colder than here. But he doesn't see Grian and Scar passing up a vital chance to sleep, especially when no one's attacked them first, and if they lack a plan as well...

There's a sound from behind him, one of a door swinging open. Skizz turns toward it, surprised, and also relived that it had come from the base. He didn't think anyone else would be up at this hour, or willing to brave the cold. But, apparently, that assumption was wrong.

Ren is there now, walking through the carrot fields, red cape trailing behind him in the snow. For once, the king is alone. A rare sight, to not see Martyn by his side. Skizz is almost suprised, and a little bit relived, he's getting the luxury of witnessing it. He doesn't think Martyn’s left his side once since the beheading...

(It irritates Skizz, that the blonde is always so close to Ren. How Martyn refuses to leave their King's side, never letting anyone get a moment with him, hogging up alm his attention. It irritates him to no end. It makes him wish he were in Martyn’s place instead.)

(Maybe irritation isn't the word he's looking for.)

"Skizz!" The Red King calls up to him, his voice friendly as ever. His boots crunch in the snow as he approaches, and the moonlight makes his blood red garments and blood red eyes all the more vibrant. Skizz tries not to stare. "Why are you on my wall?"

Skizz shrugs. "I'm just sitting here and thinking!" He calls down, a warm smile on his face. He also fails at not staring, by the way, his eyes tracing every inch of Ren's figure. His King is gorgeous. Skizz thinks people should tell him that more.

"Mind if join you?" Ren asks, already walking closer to the wall. His tail is wagging lazily behind him, kicking up small bits of snow from the ground. The King doesn't seem to notice that at all, his gaze trained on the man in front of him; something that was fairly obvious, despite the sunglasses. Watching him like he might say no, or try and run away. Skizz shivers again, and he doesn't think it's from the cold this time.

(He often wonders why his friend wears sunglasses in the wintertime. Especially with eyes as pretty as Ren's are. He shoves the thought away everytime it resurfaces.)

"Of course not!" Skizz responds, right as Ren starts clamoring up the wall. It seemed like answering no was out of the question, then. Not like Skizz was going to. He doesn't think he could say no to this guy if he tried.

Ren sits on the top of the wall with him, getting as comfortable as he can. Skizz brushes some snow off the cobblestone before he does, and gets a muttered thanks in response. He acknowledges it with just a nod. The two of them don't say much after that, not for a little while anyways.

The moon, Skizz thinks as he stares up at it, is beautiful tonight. It's not a full moon just yet, but whatever phase this is is just as pretty as the fullest one. Skizz thinks it's waning right now, though he can't be too sure about that. He always got the waxing and waning moon phases confused.

Ren, who still sits comfortably on his right, spares a glance at Skizz. He's staring at him, that's what he's doing, sunglasses tipped down as red eyes trail over him. And for a second time that night, the Red King makes his friend shiver with something other than the cold.

But Skizz does not turn to stare back, or meet the eyes that are just as red as his own. Instead, he keeps staring at the sky, keeps studying the moon. He doesn't know if it's waning or waxing, but he does know it's a gibbous moon tonight. So at least there's that.

Ren shifts next to him a little awkwardly, and spares his red life ally yet another glance. Skizz holds back a sigh. It seems his moon watching is over. The King wants something from him, and he is curious to know what. And, as a proud and loyal citizen of Dogwarts, he would not dare to deny his King anything he wants.

So he starts up a conversation.

"So...where's your Hand run off too?" Skizz asks, keeping his tone casual. He hopes it sounds casual enough to Ren, because the poorly hidden....irritation under his words is obvious to himself still.

"I told him to get some sleep." Ren responds. If he notices any unrest in his ally's voice, he thankfully doesn't comment on it. "He needs it."

"Yeah, he does." Skizz agrees, and falls silent once more. He finds that he is content to stay that way, too. Doing nothing but relaxing under the moon with Ren in a comforting quiet. His companion, however, has a much different idea of how he wants this night to do.

(Skizz will be grateful for it, later, once morning comes around.)

"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" Ren says, not looking at the night sky at all. His gaze is fixed on Skizz, instead. But the latter didn't glance over at his companion in return, keeping his own eyes firmly fixed on the sky. The moon really was beautiful tonight.

"Yep." Skizz agrees, his gaze flicking towards that gibbous moon once again. His savior in the night sky above. The moon that's as petty as the man next to him. The moon he wishes he could run away to, hand in hand with Ren, and never come back from.

Skizz is startled out if his thoughts by Ren's voice, his tone sickly sweet. The way he says it is, well, almost sickening. "Just as beautiful as you."

"Wha-what?" He splutters, gaze flicking back over to his King. He doesn't try and hide his surprise; red eyes now as wide as the moon that hangs above them, maybe even wider, as he stares at the brunette dumbly.

"You heard me." Is all Ren responds with, a smile on his face. A smile that looks almost sly, like a foxes would. Something that would normally look out of place on a dog. Skizz thinks it fits him just right instead.

"I didn't think you were a flirt, sir." He manages, but not before taking a minute to regain himself. Skizz hadn't been expecting Ren to join him, much less call him beautiful. And right when Skizz himself was thinking about how beautiful his King was, like the moon...

Ren snorts in amusement, hia tail starting to thump against the side of the wall. Skizz isn't an expert on dog body language, but he thinks that mean's he's happy. "Don't call me sir after I just hit on you!"

"Then stop calling your soldiers dude after telling us to kill someone." Skizz counters. Remembering the handful of times Ren had done just that. Ordered them to do something horrible, like blow up someone's house, and added dude right onto the end of it. It was terribly off- putting at first. He thinks they'd all learned to just get used to it by now.

(Poor Marytn gets the worst of it, with Ren calling him dude and whatnot after the beheading. But he's saying that for Martyn’s sake. He wouldn't do anything for Martyn that involved Ren. Not in a million years.)

"Deal." Ren agrees with a nod, and then they fall into silence again. And they stay that way for most of the night. It seems Ren doesn't have anything more to say, and if he does, he's struggling to get the words out.

Skizz just bites his tounge, and keeps whatever stupid things he wants to say inside. He has a lot of stupid things he wants to tell Ren, so many stupid things. But he doesn't know if he can, if it would be allowed. So he looks to the moon instead.

It is an awfully cold, yet beautiful night in Dogwarts. Skizz finds he doesn't really mind the cold, not anymore. Not with a certain someone sitting next to them. Even if he is in a suit with no sleeves.

The moon looks down on them, Skizz's friend in the sky. Skizz looks right back up at her, and wants to run away to space again. He knows he'll stay on earth regardless.

Ren shifts closer to him, wrapping an arm around Skizz. He feels his breath hitch, but doesn't say anything against the contact. It's...nice, being held like this. Being held by Ren. Plus, it keeps the cold at bay and stops him from becoming a Skizzleman-popsicle.

Skizz shifts even closer to his King, until his head is resting a Ren's chest. His heartbeat is pounding in his ears, and a flush is surely spreading across his face, but he does it anyways. In response, Ren finds one of his friend's hands, and places his own atop it.

Skizz suddenly, for a lot of reasons, does not feel even the slighest but of cold anymore. He actually feels rather warm now, Ren's touch burning like fire against his skin. He also feels braver than he did a few minutes ago, and wonders if even more moves would be appreciated.

Oh to hell with it. If Ren was gonna hold and cuddle him and stuff, a little hand hold certainly wouldn't do anything.

(He almost hopes Martyn wakes up to see this, and hopes it would give the blonde the same irritation it does Skizz. It's a ridiculously petty thought. Skizz has it anyways.)

He twines their fingers together, and Ren smiles beside him. Skizz just stares down at their hands, dark purple holding gray, and can't believe how they got here.

"Ren?" He mutters, no longer taking glances at the night sky. Now all his attention is towards the man beside him, the one currently holding Skizz in his arms, like he's the most precious thing in the world. "Stay with me? Out here?"

"Of course." Ren hums, and wraps his arms around Skizz tighter. "I'll be here as long as you need me."

[m1d-45]

on a scale of 1 to 10 — 1 being the least and 10 being the most — how confident are you in surviving an imposter sagau situation?

short answer: i, a non-native in terrain i’ve only ever navigated with 1) a glider 2) no fear of death 3) via a vessel 4) with a map, against various well trained armies, all hellbent on killing me? you’re funny.

now, the long answer…

the long answer, of course, depends on your preferred brand of isekai, as well as the various traits within that. i will… attempt at brevity, but cannot make promises. oh, and there’s no particular order to this list.

1) blood. i myself am more inclined to blue over gold, but that doesn’t matter for this topic. what does matter is if its present and if it manifests immediately.

2) teyvat. is the earth on my side? do the plants and animals know it’s me, or do i need to ‘prove’ it? does it resent me for whatever reason? what’s it’s level of influence (which sounds dumb, but do i have the power of earthquakes and storms or just a few animal helpers?)

3) the imposter situation itself. is there a physical imposter already there,and if so what’s their level of influence? origin? i’d rather go against a wayward traveller than celestia’s puppet. do they have powers? how does teyvat react to them, if at all?

4) speaking of, celestia. are they on my side, the fake’s(if there is one), or staying neutral? what brand of sagau are we even using here? i know i made a post about my version of sagau lore, but one of the key changes since then was celestia. what version of lore are we following?

5) teyvat’s people, emphasis on vision wielders. do they have that subconscious Know? do their visions act up? how do the people overall feel about the one on the throne, if there is one? if there isn’t, is celestia involved in their opinions somehow? what about the traveller, or my vessels?

6) my influence. what can i do? do i have creator abilities, and if so do they take time/some other cue to manifest? is it something i train, or just Click one day? what level? is it an element by element basis, like the traveller, or does that not apply to me? do i have an inventory? if so, can i access the character menus? the map? waypoints? can i move my party, still? do statues of the seven heal me, does food heal me, how do hillichurls and various abyssal beings react to me? ancient gods, such as rhodea (i spelled that wrong) or dvalin or that fucker in the sea outside liyue (yeah i. forgot his name) or azhdaha or yo(u?)kai, if i’m in inazuma? where are we in the in-game lore, by the way?

7) teyvat, again, but this time in terms of biology. i have a few headcanons about teyvat, notably that their gravity is lesser (less fall damage), weather less severe (global warming), and is overall much more temperate/cooler/less humid (global warmingx2 and also just a touch of idealism), so do these apply? this ties into the other points about teyvat, i guess: does the earth let me get cold? can i just shelter in dragonspine?

8) plot armor, for lack of better phrasing. will teyvat let me die? oh, and do i get timeloop’d, or kicked back to my world? do i die, go to my world, then go back to teyvat when i sleep/next log on/whatever? again, tying into other points about teyvat, but will it protect me from death? is my skin like impenetrable or something, or whoops, god is dead, sorry. if i revive in teyvat, is it like that one recent piece i did where the earth moves me? what happens when (if?) i die? does teyvat take revenge?

the long answer… is that it depends.

[softquietsteadylove]

Masterlist

By popular demand, I have done my best to compile things here for you! I will keep it as updated as I can, and I will still use my same tagging system. Chronologically, you can start at the bottom and work your way up!

Thenamesh 18+ List

Part 2 List

Without further ado:

Thenamesh Tomb Raider AU

(Thena is a freelancer who retrieves historical artifacts outside of the usual archaeological duties, although sometimes this conflicts with fellow freelancer - but in no way ally - Gilgamesh) 

Second // First

Thenamesh Vow AU

(Thena suffers an episode which makes her forget the last five years of her life, including her marriage to and even meeting her very sweet husband Gilgamesh)

Elephant in the Room // For Better or Worse // Second First Date // Reminiscing // In Sickness and In Health

Thenamesh Addams Family AU

(Thena meets Gilgamesh, the son of a respected and affluent family, but at least he seems much more pleasant company than their equally dry parents)

Love Stories // Beautiful Weather // The Lee Family

Thenamesh Hamptons AU

(Gil is the private chef for Thena, a reclusive heiress of old money who lives in the Hamptons, and seems really sweet even if she’s only ever said a few words)

Monster’s Ball // Worth its Weight in Gold

Thenamesh Reverse AU

(In a reversal of roles, Gilgamesh is cold and frightening to most, but for the quiet but beloved Warrior Eternal, he’s nothing but soft and warm)

Sunshine // Reversed

Thenamesh Inmate AU

(Thena is an inmate in a women’s correctional facility, where Gil works as a guard and is quite sure there’s more to her than meets the eye)

Safe and Sound // Fair Trade

Thenamesh Cook and Critic AU

(Gil is in the cooking track at a culinary institute which also offers studies such as molecular gastronomy and review for critique, which is how he meets Thena, the critique student with a perfect palette and no personal skills)

The Main Course // Amuse Bouche

Thenamesh 10 Things (I Hate About You) AU

(Sersi is forbidden from dating unless her shrewish sister Thena accompanies her, which Dane accepts with the help of reputational bad-boy Gilgamesh)

Out of the Shadows // Young Love(18+) // To Have and to Hold(18+) // A House Divided // Wherefore Art Thou // Star Crossed // Much Ado // A Midsummer Night

Thenamesh Hunger Games AU

(Gil volunteers for his brother Phastos back home in District 4, and meets Thena, a frighteningly competent but oddly helpful girl from District 2 who volunteered for her younger brother Druig)

In The Wild // In Preparation

Olympia AU

(Sersi uses the unimind energy to bring Gilgamesh back to life, and this ends up with Thena becoming pregnant, but the two aren’t alone in raising their young Eternal)

New Star // Olympia

Thenamesh President AU

(Thena has come into office of the presidency following Ikari’s deposition, with the most key support of her personal assistant, Gilgamesh)

Long Distance Relations // Diplomacy // In Private // Protection Detail // Small Reprieve // Behind Closed Doors

Thenamesh Wildfire AU

(based on Those Who Want Me Dead, Thena is a wildfire fighter who used to do search and rescue, but has sequestered herself to perimeter patrol, where she runs into fellow forest fire fighter Gil)

Enclosed // Key // Safe // Slip Up // Sanctuary // Sparks

Thenamesh Circus AU

(based on Water for Elephants, Thena is a star trapeze artist for a travelling circus, married to ring leader Kro, but undeniably fond of the new veterinarian, Gilgamesh)

Snapped // Out of Sight // Just Out of Reach // Just Us // From Afar // [Just Us]

Thenamesh Gladiator AU

(Gil is a gladiator who fights for Queen Ajak and Princess Thena, who - against all odds - has actually spoken to, and maybe even become fond of, him)

Peace // The War // The Battle // Declaration of War // Tournament Rules // [Declaration of War]

Thenamesh Human AU

(Gil gets weakened to a human status by a Deviant attack, leaving the rest of the Eternals - especially Thena - to protect the Strongest Eternal)

Shattered // Paper Skin // Glass Bones

Thenamesh Dressage AU

(Thena is a champion equestrian and competitive rider of Olympia, whose new caretaker Gilgamesh gets along with the stubborn mare surprisingly well)

Guy Talk // Friends...? // Stallion // High and Mighty // Bales // [Friends...?] // Escaped // Hanging Out // Too Nice

Thenamesh Photographer AU

(Gil is a freelance photographer who has come to work with Thena on various modelling contracts--enough that she’s come to maybe like his company)

Comfy // Three is a Crowd // Natural

Thenamesh Mermaid AU

(Thena is a mermaid who one day saves Gil the fisherman after falling into the water, and they only become closer from there)

Not Today Poseidon // Yearning(18+) // The Morning After // Feeling pt 2(18+) // Expressing pt 1(18+) // Green Around the Gills // Touching(18+) // Not Sharing // Sharing // Forbidden Treasure pt 3 // Forbidden Treasure pt 2 // Forbidden Treasure pt 1 // Home // Protective // Safe // Cuddlefish // Catch and Release // More Human // A Gift // Beautiful

Teach Me to Love AU

(based in this work from Ao3 called Teach Me to Love, in which Thena is a single mother to Druig, whose teacher is Gilgamesh; this has become popular to ask for drabbles on this platform, and thus gets its own section)

Butterflies // Consequences // Tiny Terror // Team Effort // Personal Space // Quiet Night In(18+) // Parent Day // [Personal Space] // Overheard // Bad Dreams // Mister Dad //  Teach Me to Love Again(18+) // Home Sick // Visitation Rights

Thenamesh Hanahaki AU

(Hanahaki is a disease in which love will form in the body as flowers, which can worsen until fatal if gone unrequited or even unspoken)

First Bud // Dying Roses // [First Bud]

Thenamesh Doctor AU

(Thena is a doctor who runs the ER, and is the unofficially official work-wife of Gil, one of the best and certainly the most popular paramedic there)

The Little Things // On Break(18+) // Up Close and Personal(18+) // Search and Rescue // Too Little Too Late // Thanks for the Save // [Up Close and Personal] // 5+1 This Time // Grieving Spouses // Revisiting(18+) // Interrupted(18+) // Red Roses for Love // Dreams // Love // Late Lunch // Ongoing Treatment // Wife Talk // Dropped // If You What // Trapped // A Doctor In the Making // Jealous // Hovering // Threat // Dozing Off // Adrenaline // Dream Team // If Only

Thenamesh Special Forces AU

(Thena is the head of a team of agents, although Kingo is keenly aware that she and Gil feel more strongly about each other than commander and agent)

A Little Help // After the Fight // Fighting for Love pt 4 // Fighting for Love pt 3 // Fighting for Love pt 2 // Fighting for Love pt 1 // Transfer // Guard Dog // First Impressions // Cover Blown // Fall Back // Staying Late // And He Did // Come Back // [A Little Help] //  [First Impressions]

Thenamesh Runaway Bride AU

(Thena is a princess who has run away from her arranged marriage to Prince Eros and found Gil, the very sweet and kind lumberjack who takes her in)

New(18+) // Anniversary Night(18+) // Ruined Celebration // Returning to the Scene // Bedridden // Budding Love // Blueberries // Ran

Thenamesh Bodyguard AU

(Gil is the private bodyguard for the very famous and popular singer, Thena)

Dreams // Cuts the Deepest // Silent Admiration // Sounds of Comfort // Where Is He // Trust Goes Both Ways // Caught in 4K // 5+1 Protection // Duet // Date // Slipped // Contract Negotiation // Sounds of Breakfast // Altercation // Trust // Recovery // Stage Rush // Live // Ambush // Cover // [Live]

Thenamesh Pokemon AU

(Thena is a professional Ace Trainer who works in Victory Road for the League; one day Gil - her best friend and a Pokemon Ranger - rescues a Teddiursa in need of a home)

Antidote // [PSN Heal] // Joining the Flock // [Antidote] // Gil Was Hurt by Poison // First Encounter // Take your Kid to Work Day // 5+1 Interruptions (18+) // Rich Boy Eros Wants to Battle // Just Ask // A Great Fall // Something In the Water // Paldea // Calling In Sick // Accident // Rescue // Poachers // First Checkup // Teddiursa // [First Encounter]

Thenamesh Beauty and the Beast AU

(Gil gets dragged into going up the mountain to look for the cursed beast said to roam around the abandoned castle grounds, unrelated to the missing Princess)

The Eye of the Storm // Search and Rescue // Searching for More // Something in the Mountains

Thenamesh Goalie AU

(Gil is a goalie on the high school hockey team who meets Thena the figure skater in between their practices)

No Practice // Rough Practice

Thenamesh Ghost Files AU

(Gil is an amateur ghost hunter, and an avid believer despite his fear, while Thena joins him whether she believes in ghosts or not; conceived with Taran)

Lying // Forward // Be Still, My Beating Heart

Thenamesh Maleficent AU

(Thena and her brothers Ikaris and Druig visit a larger nest from some southern islands; Gil is a nest guard entrusted with guiding and protecting the visitors)

Lookalike // Nesting // Preening // Healing // Trinket // Rescue // Morning // Exchange

Thenamesh Rus AU

(I headcanon that the Eternals were in Kievan-Rus for a time, during which Thena was the war advisor to Saint Olga)

Doomed to Fail // Yours // Warming Comfort // If It Were You // Wounded Pride // She’ll Live // [Warming Comfort] // Soft Water // Warming Up // [Yours] // [She’ll Live]

Thenamesh Ballerina/Boxer AU

(Thena is a ballerina who teaches classes with Sersi across the hall from Gil and his boxing studio)

Fallen // Holding Back(18+) // Life Imitates Art(18+) // Morning Stretching(18+) // Same Territory Different Angle // Territory // Swan Fight // Night Out // Locker Room(18+) // Friendly Match // Friendly Fire // Kiss // Performance // The Swan

Ice Queen/Tyrant King AU

(Thena and Gil are rival mob bosses in the same city; Gil is a gangster who runs Koreatown and everything therein, while Thena controls the diamond industry)

Retaliation // Matching // Lovers’ Quarrel(18+) // 5+1 The Little Things // Meetings // Boyfriend Stuff // Family Visit // Engaged(18+) // Proposal pt 3 // Proposal pt 2 // Proposal pt 1 // Frisky(18+) // Rings // Home Again // Tell Me // Physiotherapy // [Tell Me] // Shots Fired pt 2 // Shots Fired pt 1 // Standing Up // Lying Down // Tied(18+) // Skating // Lost // [Boyfriend Stuff] // Target Practice // Lunch // Reconciliation(18+) // Committed pt 3 // Committed pt 2 // Committed pt 1 // [Meetings] // Targets // [Target Practice] // Poisoned // Dates // It’s Fine // [Business Casual] // Resolution(18+) // Tension

Thenamesh Life Interrupted AU

(based on the prompt of Girl Interrupted, Thena is a patient in a psych ward, where Gil works in the cafeteria)

New Perspective // Unfamiliar Territory // Getting Better // Bad Day // Outside // Hiding

Thenamesh Receptionist AU

(Thena works as the personal receptionist for Gil, who runs a ‘shipping’ business, but is actually a mafia leader)

Best Served Cold(18+) // Above the Table(18+) // Under the Table(18+) // Free(18+) // Cells // Sundubu Jjigae // Meeting Gone Violent // Shopping // Party // Meeting Gone Wrong // Back in the Office(18+) // Wounded // Sick Day // London(18+) // [Shopping] // Kidnapped // [Sundubu Jjigae]

Thenamesh Actors AU

(Thena and Gil are both professional actors; Gil is famous for doing his own stunts, Thena’s sister Sprite is a big fan of his)

Falling Harder // Sexiest Man Alive // Rubbing It In // Old Wounds // The Big Speech // Too Early for This // (No) Competition // Bewitched // Encouragement // Working Up a Sweat // Never Again // Late Dinner // Red Carpet // He and She // On His Arm // He’s Done // High Score // The Skittles Diet // Salad // Eros’ Panel // Rehearsal // Conference // Movie Night // Sling // Stunt Fall // Paparazzi // Interview // Finally Meeting

Thenamesh Proposal AU

(Thena and Gil have worked together for some time, but when Gil wants trick his father into thinking he’s engaged, he asks Thena for help, and things only get more out of hand from there)

Just Five More Minutes // Just the Dishes // Just One Dance // Just a Snack // The Decaffeinated One // The Beach One // One Bed // The One // Dress Fitting // [One Bed]

Thenamesh Zombie AU

(Thena finds Gil at the end of the world and they decide to stick together)

Candlelit // If Anything Happens // More Than Just Us // Good In the World // 5+1 Injuries // Later // Safe to Sleep // Shed Tears // A Little Help // First Leaving // Train // [First Leaving]

Thenamesh College AU

(Gil and Thena meet through Kingo)

Halloween // First Sight

Thenamesh Spy AU

(all agents have partners, although Thena and Gil might be closer than most)

Relief(18+) // Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing // Rescue Mission // Eyes Elsewhere(18+) // Eyes on Her // Eyes on Target // Extrication

Jack and Thenamesh

(I would consider this somewhere within their canon but not strictly adhering to the rules of the film)

Family Valentines // Day Off // Multigenerational // Confused // Fathers’ Day // Party Guests of Honour // Home Alone // Dog Park // Family Christmas // Bake Sale // Talent Show // Trick or Treating // Prizes // Episode pt 2 // Episode pt 1 // Pick Up // Soccer // Natural

Thenamesh

(I consider these close enough to what we know of the canon to be part of that particular timeline - although not necessarily connected to each other - and dynamic, including Babylon, Australia, Tenochtitlan, etc. I will include things during and close enough to the movie’s timeline, and not things potentially taking place much further from that)

Sleeprunning // Promise of Paradise // Stars // Healing // Warmth // The Sun in Babylon // Three Days Later // Instinct // Be Mine // Out of the House // Comfort // You, Here, This // Aftermath // Hurt // First and Harder // The Bath Halls // Gil’s Nightmare // Woken Up // Nightmare // On the Beach // Drunk // Unwelcome Advances // Sleepwalking // Overly Affectionate // By the River

Thenamesh AU

(every au has this tag, although as soon as it gains a second installment it loses it and becomes part of that running au; anything from slightly outside of the movie’s canon to completely separate ideas)

My Kingdom for a Heart AU // Far Out in the Australian Desert // Bittersweet // Enemies to Lovers // Human and Eternal // The Last of Us Remaining // Academic Tension // Unbearable Love // Last Christmas (This Year) // Curve the Bullet // Sorry to Keep You Waiting // The Tourist // Jujutsu Kaisen AU // Cake // Unspoken // Runaway Love // Camp Counselling // Scream // My First and Only AU // The Tube // Young Babylon // Mind Control // Onions // Only the Mahdness // Socrates // Isn’t it? // This is Him // Mr. And Mrs. Lee AU // His Recipe // Passing Notes AU // Intervening // Dane Meets History // Hit a Nerve // Given Enough // Family Bonding // Wedding Reception // Inevitable // Reunion // Total Erasure // A Running Leap AU // Something New // Christmas Cookies // Lifeguard AU // Panic // Pet Store // Sculptor AU // That Time // Lawyer/Client AU // Arthur // Amnesia AU // Family Dinner // Believe in Love // Flirting // Mr. and Mrs. Lee AU // Public Episode // The Australia Chronicles AU // Mid Fight // Mafia AU // [Wedding Reception] // Wedding Gift // Birthday // Interfering // Territorial

Thenamesh Week 2022

(stand alone entries from pre-selected prompts)

08 - Reunion // 07 - Chaotic Family // Spicy 07 - First Time // 06 - Hurt/Comfort // 05 - Soulmates // 04 - Canon AU // Spicy 04 - Outside // 03 - Remember // Spicy 03 - Sweet and Slow // 02 - First Kiss // Spicy 02 - Shower // 01 - Modern AU // Spicy 01 - Wedding Night

[ladyazulina]

Linney's Campaign

Masterpost - Campaign Page

🌸 Spring 1 🌸

Weather: Stormy ⛈️

Previous Part: Let's not get drenched anymore, please

Who's this?

Word Count: 2.386.

It was not a complete failure, despite arriving in the middle of a storm. This person, whatever their name is, was somewhat slightly helpful, guiding me to someone, Orion, in the valley, who could provide me with more information regarding the letter.

I hope so, because the truth is that I don't have any more leads… Or maybe I do, though it’s only just one, but I would feel a thousand times more comfortable if I don't have to use it.

“Well,” I look up at the woman behind the counter, “the good news is that he will be arriving soon…” She opens and closes her hands, excited.

“He?”

“The better news,” she points at me while she walks out, “is that I have an assortment of hot beverages to help with your inside freezing,” she stops at the end, drumming her long-nailed fingers against the surface, “how does it sound?” She hums.

“Oh,” I blink. “That really does sound good,” I murmur.

Her smile widens and she makes an arm gesture behind me. There are only a bunch of tall tables and reclining chairs, so I really hope I’m not misunderstanding this and that she does want me to sit down.

I take a few steps back to do so in the nearest chair and she doesn’t seem particularly displeased. I accommodate myself just a tiny bit.

“What’s your poison? Hot cocoa? Tea?”

I can’t help but smile at the hint of her own species.

“Hot cocoa, please.”

“It won’t take long,” she smiles, going back again towards that hallway, carrying the folded towel with her, “please get comfortable and try to rest. You will warm up pretty soon!”

She disappears under the arch and it’s like she took with her all the assurance. Should I just be sitting here quietly while feeling this cold inside? Shouldn’t I stand up and move and jump and try to get back the warmth the storm stole from me? The magicked towels and the light spheres are helping a lot with the outside part, but is on the inside the danger.

After days of traveling, with each step carrying its own obstacle, I reached my destination only to end like a popsicle?

“I’m baaaaack~”

I look at the scorpionkin woman wide-eyed. Am I losing the passing of time already?!

She’s smiling broadly, with a small circular tray that only has one wooden-like mug with a few marshmallows decorating the top in the exact middle between her hands. I’m feeling a little warmer just looking at it, and I haven’t caught sight of the steam yet.

“Did you rush it?”

She leans in so I don’t have to move to take the mug. It’s so warm to the touch that I don’t think, I bring it against my chest, as if the warmth is going to go through me directly to my frozen core. The sweet scent of the spices –not all precisely sweet if I’m not mistaken– envelopes me in a cozy embrace.

“How do you believe that?” She laughs softly, waving a hand while taking down the other with the empty tray, moving it behind her back to hold it there. So professional. “I left some water boiling when I went inside before, so I just had to finish the drink,” she smiles.

I nod a bit, bringing the mug to my lips to take a sip. It’s not precisely hot, and it warms its way right where the magical external warmth can’t reach. I sigh, delighted.

“Good, right?” She chuckles, going back to leave the tray on the counter.

“Uh…” A sudden thought makes me wrinkle my nose. “I don’t want to ask, but… is this cocoa also magicked?”

She turns to face me, her whole corporal language changing. I can see the guilt all over her face, on her slumped shoulders, on the intertwined hands behind her back, on her brushing the tip of her foot against the floor, and even in the slightest lean of her tail towards one of her shoulders.

She did it. She magicked my cocoa.

“Just a tiny bit,” she brings two fingers so close that almost touch.

Is that why I find it so delicious?

“We use that mix sometimes in winter,” she’s quick to explain herself, “I had a bit still stored. It serves a lot to warm quickly, especially if the cold isn’t on the outside,” she plays with her fingers, her eyes down. “You said you were freezing inside, so I thought it would fit like a glove,” she finishes in a murmur.

I just smile, surprising even to me. I can’t say it didn’t help.

“Thank you,” I bring the mug closer to take another sip.

“Aren’t you mad?” She looks up at me, surprised, and I let her see my smile.

“Not at all,” I shake my head. “I would have loved if you told me beforehand, but you meant well and did great.”

“Oh, my Serket! I’m so glad!” She hops around, clapping.

“You have to promise me!” I raise my voice, stretching one hand to point at her. She stops in her track immediately. “That you will let me know beforehand in the future.”

“Done!” She goes back to hop.

“Say it!” I insist, already fighting my smile, taking the mug with both hands again.

“I promise!” She sounds excited and I want to laugh.

“Say all the words!”

“I promise to let you know beforehand if I plan to magic your things in the future!”

I sigh, feeling like I can finally rest against the chair.

“Good,” I murmur. “That’s good.”

I don’t know if it took just seconds, but my eyelids close on their own and I guess that I lose track of time.

I know I have been drinking one little sip at a time.

I know that since the first one, I started, slowly but surely, to regain my own warmth.

I know that I probably nodded off. I don’t know, I didn’t leave the scorpionkin woman taking care of her things behind the counter.

Why haven’t we exchanged pleasantries yet?

I know that- A thunder rumbles, loud enough to make me jump in the chair but so far enough to have passed above our heads, just before the door opens. Though I look down almost instantly, relieved at the fact that I didn’t spill even a drop of what’s left of the cocoa on myself.

“Are you here already?~” The scorpionkin woman comes out from behind the counter in rhythmic hops, absolutely delighted.

But I’m not looking at the person at the door, rubbing his shoes against the entrance rug. I’m looking that, behind him, isn’t raining. Until a second before he closes the door, when the torrential splashes with force.

“You called,” his voice is so grave and deep that I have to look at him.

Have I gone crazy already or his voice feels warm?

“As if you came every time I call,” she sounds upset now, with her hands on her hips, but somehow her voice is farther from where she’s standing.

That guy is a demon. With blue skin, some red in his eye, one horn going around the side of his head, pointing slightly to the side from below his pointy ear. His wavy black hair brushes his jaw, covering his other eye… and maybe the fact that something else is missing there. I don’t see the matching horn and, somehow, I don’t feel like is lacking.

His lips curve in a snarl and his brows furrow and there, just there I can be sure that that’s his resting expression.

He’s prepared for the weather with a hoodie, long pants, and boots, though I don’t see an umbrella or something similar, his gloved hands are empty. Of course he didn’t bring anything, the rain stopped when he was out there.

… It did?

“Sweetie?” I blink, looking at the scorpionkin woman leaning in front of me, almost completely blocking my view of the demon, who’s also looking at me but with a raised brow. “Are you still here with us?”

“What did you give her?” He asks, barely a few steps away from the door, crossing his arms.

“Just cocoa,” she doesn’t look at him, moving her head just a little in his direction, “with a few drops of Cozy Inside.”

“To a human?” I see him raising an eyebrow again.

“They can handle it,” she searches in my face, “it was just a tiny bit.”

“I don’t see her handling it well.”

“Them,” I murmur.

The scorpionkin woman’s face lights up.

“What did she say?” He leans forward, not coming any closer.

“‘They say’,” she corrects him with pleasure, looking at me with a brilliant smile. “They’re probably feeling a lot better now, and it wasn’t too much, it’s not that they’re not handling it well,” she straightens. “It’s just that they went through a lot, they’re decompressing.”

The demon makes a face. “Why did you call me?”

“What’s your name?” I finally ask. I think I’m processing everything just a bit slower than normal, but working at a snail’s pace.

“You’re right!” The woman brings her hands together. “We didn’t introduce ourselves! I’m Leif,” she leans a bit again, her tail straight behind her, “and I’m the innkeeper, though I think you already know that. What’s your name?” She holds her hands, leaning to the side.

The demon snaps his tongue.

“Linney…”

“Linney,” she stretches both palms facing upward, “it’s a total pleasure to be your acquaintance.”

“Do you have to be that weird?” He exhales.

“That guy over there,” she points at him without breaking our gaze, “is our lovely, overly-friendly, neighborhood demon, Chase.” She turns to face him, frowning. “They’re Linney.”

He frowns too. “What do I-“ but she didn’t wait for him to finish, coming back to me. “-care…” He snorts.

“Chase is here for two reasons,” she explains to me, raising two fingers before lowering one. “The first one is because he’s our greatest Weather magician,” she nods, proud as if she’s the one she’s talking about. “The second one,” she brings back the second finger, “is that, besides being our greatest Weather magician, he also has an empty couch,” she moves a hand.

“What?” He barks.

As if that settles it.

“They need a place to stay, Chase,” she looks at him, sounding tired, “and you know I don’t have more rooms. You’re the only one I can think of that can make sure they don’t get wetter and have a place to crash,” he’s about to retort, but she rushes it, “at least until the storm passes.”

He swallows his answer and I look down at the rest of my cocoa –with no traces of marshmallows since a while– before I can cross glances with any of them. The mug is still warm. Magic, of course. And I finish drinking it down.

“We can look for another place for them to stay when we can all meet. Good enough for you?”

“Not even close,” he shows his pointy teeth.

Is that a fang?

I look at Leif, but her face’s so far away I can’t make her expression.

“Do we have a deal?” She repeats, adamant.

He growls. “Fine!”

And she melts right there and then.

“Ow! I knew I can count on you!” She gets closer to take his arm, but he dodges her and shows her his teeth.

“Don’t! Go to sleep,” he points to the hallway.

I blink, getting up, and she comes back to take the mug from my hand. “Were you sleeping?”

“Oh,” she waves her free hand. “I wish. This storm has wrecked my schedule…”

“I didn’t know the scorpions were a nocturnal species,” I take off the towel.

“We are,” she smiles at me, taking it too. “Not all of us, but the vast majority. Mine is.”

“It’s good to know,” I smile back.

“Are we going or not?” Chase barks, making me jump.

I look at him turning to the door and opening it, so I rush to the table by the back wall, putting quickly the socks and making the spheres come out by turning the boots to also put them on.

“Don’t be a devil and wait for them!” Leif shouts after him.

I get up and put everything back into the bag, taking as much care as possible at the same time. He can’t get too far away… right?

“I’m sorry, that’s who I am!”

He sounds far away already!

I reach the door in three strides but look back at Leif.

“Thank you so much for your kindness.”

At least for a second, she seems at a loss for words, though she recovers quickly.

“Thank you for your company. And don’t mind him, he’s not that bad!”

I sigh, wishing to be able to believe her. “We will see about that…”

I get out, closing the door behind me, and surprise myself noticing that it’s not raining. Again. I look up at the cloudy sky, the sound of the storm not so far until I find it falling on the buildings on the other side of the arch.

Weather magic, Leif called it.

And Chase is using only a bit of it to make his way rainless.

Definitely convenient…

“How much more are you going to stay there?” I hear him, seeing him close to a statue, which seems to be the center of a square.

He shakes his head, turning to continue walking past it. And I jump when I feel a few drops falling on me, not even looking up before running to try to catch him.

Try My Best! #2 Goal: Get to know my host! Act with… wits (+3) Action dice (1d6): 5 (+3) Action Score: 8 Challenge dice (2d10): 4 (✅) + 8 (❌) Result: Weak hit - I succeed but lose track of time. If this brings me closer towards fulfilling a promise, mark 1 tick on it. Then, Time Passes.

Time Passes #1 Whenever I lose track of time, mark 1 tick on the current day in the calendar. If this tick does not fill the box, envision how time got away from your character. If you spent quality time with a Townie, gain 1 favor with them. Then, continue playing. +1 favor with Leif.

Tagging: @aziz-reads

[sugdenlovesdingle]

Not me staying up until stupid o'clock again writing fic

Written for tarlosweeklyprompts word of the day prompt: Cold

Texas snow (also on AO3 but tumblr has decided to hide my post if I link it)

---

“I'm just saying, I could just go get some pizza. From that place you like. It's just a 10 minute drive.”

“If you think I'm letting you out of my sight in the middle of a snow storm...” Carlos trailed off, settling down on the sofa and turning on the tv. “And besides, there are still leftovers in the freezer. Maybe even some frozen pizzas.”

"Nothing is going to happen to me while getting pizza. I'll take your car. You can come with. You can drive." TK pleaded with his husband.

“We came back a day early because of the weather and now you want to go get junk food in the middle of a blizzard?”

“Well they don't deliver right now.”

Carlos rolled his eyes.

“And why do you think that is?”

TK ignored the snarky comment and looked out the window over Carlos’ shoulder.

“It’s not that bad anymore...”

“Hmm…”

“Though I suppose going out isn’t the best idea right now.”

Carlos didn’t say anything, just raised an eyebrow at him.

“Ok, fine. You were right.” TK sighed “Is that what you want to hear?”

“No, I just don’t want you to almost die again. You and blizzards is a dangerous combination.”

“I promise I won’t attempt to rescue any children from frozen ponds again without the right equipment.” TK declared and sat down next to Carlos. “Though a snowball fight with the kids from the neighbourhood could be fun. I bet they’re out there. We could take those little brats from around the corner. That house with the flag? We can beat them.”

“Again with the going outside.” Carlos complained. “What’s wrong with staying right here and relaxing? I’m tired. We travelled all day. We woke up in NYC this morning.”

“I know, but it’s snowing. How often do we get to throw stuff at people and not get in trouble for it?”

“It’s also cold and wet… and I’m comfy right here.”

“It’s romantic. Just you and me, everything is all quiet and serene.”

“Quiet and serene? You just wanted to have a snowball fight with the Evans kids from down the road. They’re a military family by the way. They have better aim than your average sniper.”

“Maybe. But I was in little league.” TK smiled and ran his fingers through Carlos’ hair, a move he knew made him weak and more likely to agree with anything TK suggested.

Carlos closed his eyes and leaned into the touch.

“You’re playing dirty.”

“Do you want me to stop?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You know…” TK started, leaning in so he could whisper in Carlos’ ear. “If it’s the cold you’re worried about… you and I both know I have ways of warming you up.”

Carlos opened his eyes and looked at TK for a minute before pulling him into his lap.

“Or we could just skip the cold and go straight to the warming up part.” Carlos’ hands moved from TK’s waist to his ass and he gave it a squeeze.

TK bit his lip.

“Now who’s playing dirty?”

“Do you want me to stop?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Carlos tilted his face up for a kiss and TK was more than happy to oblige. Their kisses went from flirty and teasing to slow and sweet and Carlos let himself relax. Happy to be home, happy to be married to the most amazing man, happy to have a few more days of nothing before having to go back to work.

The snowstorm outside was the last thing on his mind.

But unfortunately not for TK who suddenly stopped kissing him and got up from his lap.

“Hey! Where are you going?” Carlos asked but it sounded more like a whine. “I was enjoying myself.”

“I’m going out. It’s snowing in Texas, how often does that happen?!”

“Too often.” Carlos mumbled while he watched TK put his shoes on. “You’re really serious about this going outside thing aren’t you?”

“Yes! Come on, it’ll be fun.” TK shrugged on his winter coat and held Carlos’ out for him. “Do you want to build a snowman?”

“Next time we have Charlie over, we’re watching anything but that.” Carlos decided and reluctantly got up from the sofa. “Do you think she’s too young for Moana?”

TK laughed.

“I promise next time it’s 500 degrees outside, I’ll go with you to wherever you want to go.” He told Carlos. “But I’m a New Yorker, I miss snow.”

“I hate to break it to you babe, but you married a Texan, you’re one of us now. You’re a Texan.”

“Is that so?” TK asked, wrapping Carlos’ scarf around his neck. “Doesn’t that mean you’re a New Yorker now?”

“Nope. It doesn’t work like that.” Carlos replied, slipping his hands underneath TK’s jacket and pulling him close. “I don’t live there, I don’t work there…”

“But the man you married was born there.”

“Yes but he doesn’t live or work there anymore. We officially got married in the state of Texas. You’re a Texan babe. Whenever we go back to New York to visit your mom and Enzo and Jonah again, you’ll be a tourist just like me.”

TK narrowed his eyes at his husband.

“I know what you’re trying to do and it’s not working.”

“I’m not trying to do anything.” Carlos said innocently.

“Oh really? So you’re not trying to distract me with lies and slander and make me forget about going out in the snow?”

Carlos laughed.

“That depends. Is it working?”

TK pressed a quick kiss to his lips before stepping out of his embrace and sliding the door open.

“Nope.”

Carlos sighed, put his shoes on, zipped his coat up to his chin, and followed TK out the door.

When they got outside there were several people from the neighbourhood and even from their building already enjoying the snow.

And Carlos had to admit the street looked almost magical with the moonlight making the snow look even brighter.

Though he also regretted going out in the old joggers he wore to the gym instead of something warmer.

He was just considering going back inside to change and put on his work boots when something cold hit the back of his neck and wetness started to seep into his collar.

“Hey!” he turned around in the direction of the attack and saw TK grinning at him and hiding his hands behind his back.

“What’s wrong babe?” TK asked, trying his best to look innocent. Carlos had seen hardened criminals look more innocent than his husband in that moment.

“What have you got behind your back?”

“Me? Nothing.”

“Uhuh. So you didn’t just throw a snowball at me?”

“Of course not, officer. I wouldn’t dare.”

“You know lying to a police officer is a criminal offense, right?”

“Well then you better come over here and arrest me.”

“No, I think I’ll let you off with a warning this time.” Carlos said while trying to get closer to TK without getting pelted with snow again.

“Thank you officer, that’s very kind.” TK said in a Texas drawl somehow thicker than Judd’s. “But also a big mistake.” He lunged at Carlos, dumped two hands full of snow onto him, and made a run for it.

“Oh you’re going down!” Carlos yelled as he tried to shake the snow out of his collar.

The two of them spent the better part of an hour pelting each other with snow and even got into a full on snowball fight with some neighbourhood kids. Though somehow they’d ended up on opposing teams.

“Leave him to me guys, I’ll take him down.” Carlos told his teammates while mock glaring at his husband behind the other team’s barricades. “You guys take care of the others and we’ll take them all down at once. Ready?”

“Yeah!”

“Ready!”

“Hell yeah!”

“Come on!”

“Ok, on the count of three. One… two… three. GO!”

The five of them jumped out from their hiding place and ran towards the other team, armed with snowballs.

Carlos ignored the kids and went straight for his laughing husband.

TK started throwing snowballs at him and he managed to avoid one but another hit him on the arm.

When he noticed Carlos wasn’t stopping, TK abandoned his post and started running, only before he’d fully realised what was happening, Carlos had tackled him to the ground.

He was face down in the snow but Carlos quickly turned him around and pinned his hands above his head as he straddled his waist.

“Gotcha.” He said triumphantly and leaned down for a kiss. “I win.”

“Using your police training on me isn’t fair.” TK mock pouted.

“All is fair in love and war.” Carlos vowed. “And this is both.” He leaned down for another kiss. “Now how about that warm up I was promised?”

[tatooinetourism]

my brain is making it difficult to focus, so chapter 4 of 'Dashes In Our Stars" will not be out tonight. instead, i give you this; an except from a one-shot i started a couple of months ago and have been meaning to go back to.

see under the cut for the except from 'Fire Bug'. contains some explicit words (but not much.)

It’s a cold night, which is a blessing after a long day travelling between a stuffy office and a suspected crime scene; the buildings roof had completely given out during the fire the night before, meaning there was little shade from the hot summer sun while he worked. Now however, the air was crisp and smelt of rain; it was still a while  off, so while it wasn’t exactly the weather he would like to have…he can appreciate what life gives him. 

As well as being cool, the night is also quiet and more importantly, it’s dark. The hillside near the old farmhouse - long since abandoned, given that the ownership of the land itself is in question - is covered in a clump of trees, which he is able to sit amongst and watch the blaze down below, which lights up the night sky with oranges, reds and yellows - he wishes he was close enough to hear the crackles and pops of the fire as it spreads, consuming everything it can find…but that gives more opportunities for him to be seen, which only gives more chances for his…personal activities to be discovered. 

He sits in the grass and watches the fire, waiting impatiently for the distant sound of sirens and the tell-tale red and blue flashes as the emergency service vehicles arrive. Given how rural the area is, it’s no surprise it takes so long for a passerby to notice the blaze and call it in. Finally, after a little over two hours, he hears the sirens; it’s not long before the truck is pulling up near the house, followed close behind by a second one. 

Fuck, he can just about hear the roar of the fire from where he is; there’s a part of him - one that he has to keep under strict control - that wants, desperately, to feel the heat of a fire as it ravages a building. He knows, realistically, that nothing good could come of him getting too close to one of his fires; the last thing he needs is to be seen near the blaze, or somehow get caught in the structure…unable to get himself to safety before…

He shakes his head, not wanting to get lost in his thoughts; he has time for that once he gets home. He leans forward, watching through his binoculars; his boys are here, he can’t waste time lost in his head when his boys are here, in their full gear while they battle to get the blaze under control. 

“Fuck…” He mutters, shifting where he’s sitting to try and relieve some of the pressure from his cock pressing against the stiff material of his slacks; he hadn’t changed after work, which he knew he’d regret. It’s nothing they can’t handle, more of a nuisance than anything…it doesn’t mean it’s easy by any any however. He watches with his binoculars, upset with himself for his continuous refusal to photograph or video any of his fires; the less evidence of the events, the better, especially when it comes to his potential involvement. In his opinion, the fire is one of the least impressive he’s done; he’s definitely had larger ones. Ones that lasted longer against the efforts of the firefighters. He sighs, disappointed, when it’s clear that the blaze is well under control only minutes after the work has begun; he tucks his binoculars back into their case and clips it shut before he begins the long walk back to his car, which is parked well aways from the building in question. 

He only just makes it home before he gets the call about a scene that needs investigation, and apologies for the late call but he is the closest person to the location - only just barely, he’d been careful about that. After a quick shower and a change into fresh clothes, he makes himself a coffee in his thermos and heads out to the all too familiar location, the drive to it still fresh in his mind from earlier. 

[fascinationex]

I wonder what sealstorm would think about macaroni pasta. Like these pale, gradually softening hot (wheat) tubes. I need this information

here u go anon. they have a fancy hotel room and investigate macaroni.

(if i expand on this later i may add it to sealpatico ao3 series, but it might be destined for Odds and Ends instead)

—-—-—-—-—

Getting Brainstorm into the hotel room was a surprisingly easy feat. The hotel had been selected for its air conditioning—capable of holding the room temperature at 14 degrees twenty four hours a day—and its massive baths. But it also had an underground car park and a well-used goods lift, intended for moving large items of furniture and loads of towels, tablecloths and bedding out of sight of the guests.

Usually Perceptor would not have gone in for hiding Brainstorm away like a bad secret, and the grey grim setting of the car park with its battered heavy duty elevator and harsh fluorescent lighting didn't make him feel much better about that.

Unfortunately, the weather had hit 32 degrees instead of its predicted 26, and Brainstorm had positively wilted since their arrival. He had quickly become quiet and withdrawn in the warmth—enough that they'd stopped at a drive-thru bottle shop and picked up a bag of ice so he could shove his face into it on the drive. After conferring with Chromedome and Rewind in the car, they'd agreed to keep him in the air conditioned limousine while the pair went in and organised a quiet ride up to the suite, away from too many interested and staring people.

"I take it back," said Brainstorm the moment he was free of the limo again, gingerly worming his way over the bitumen. He was hugging his bag of ice like a child with a stuffed animal. "Your country sucks."

"You're not really seeing it at its best right now," sighed Perceptor, who was occupied by holding the second and third bags of ice.

They'd chosen to come here in summer because the winters in the Arctic were dark and terrible, and because much of the necessary temperature regulation could be offloaded onto modern cooling technology and not Brainstorm himself. If the situation grew truly dire, they could drive him ten minutes to the beach and, at his pace, he'd be in cold waters in a couple hours. They'd be the wrong cold waters, of course, but they'd sort the rest out later.

"Good morning! This is Brainstorm, is it?" asked the member of staff who met them in the car park. She was five foot nothing and dressed in a white, blue and gold hotel uniform, and she had the security pass to the elevators.

"That's me," said Brainstorm. The woman blinked like she hadn't expected him to talk at all, but she recovered fast.

"Wonderful. Let me show you up to the thirty second floor and to your suite."

She only hesitated a moment before getting into the enclosed space with him, and then Perceptor followed them both. Brainstorm did seem rather out of place in the elevator: he looked too big for it, even though he fit just fine. It was as if the smaller the space, the more Perceptor realised exactly how large he really was. He immediately leaned a great deal of his weight upon Perceptor, probably because of the bags of ice that were numbing his arms.

The hotel employee swiped her card, pushed the button for 32, and then smiled at them both.

"Is it something in particular that brings you to the city?" she asked.

"I'm doing stuff," Brainstorm said vaguely. "I'm giving lectures at the university, because I'm a genius and they want me to make all their students smart too. And some seafood restaurants invited us to go film there."

"The city is certainly known for its fresh and varied seafood," she said, sounding a bit like she'd swallowed a pocket travel guide and, probably wisely, not touching that first statement. "If you get the opportunity, I highly recommend trying mud crabs while you're here."

Mud crabs were an Indo-Pacific species, and probably not something Brainstorm had tried. He'd probably need twenty to fill up, but that was going to be the restaurant's problem, not Perceptor's. He felt it a natural consequence of silly public relations stunts, like inviting a seal mermaid to film at your venue.

"I do like crab," he said, rallying somehwat at this mention of a favorite topic.

The air in the hotel building was much cooler than the outside or even the car had been, and as they rose in the elevator it became noticeably cooler. It still seemed interminable, humming and creaking around them as it rose and rose.

At last the doors opened, spilling them out into the quiet of a carpeted corridor. The carpets looked spotless, which was quite a feat considering they were plush and dark and had no pattern whatsoever. Perceptor found himself wondering how much the hotel had actually cost... and then he remembered that it was getting billed to a mix of corporate entities about whose finances he didn't much care.

"The thermostat in your suite was set earlier this morning, so it should be nice and cool when you get in," the employee was saying as she led them down a short corridor and around a corner. They went through a set of swinging double doors and emerged into what was clearly the guests' areas. Although the corridor was long and wide, Perceptor counted exactly three doors in it.

The door to their suite, 3201, opened to exhale a rush of air that felt positively frigid by comparison. Brainstorm made a short pleased noise in his throat, took the second bag of ice from Perceptor and lurched his massive body in. He immediately made a beeline for the cool marble of what must have been a bathroom.

Perceptor was left, clutching his remaining ice, to thank the employee and accept their key cards—one each and an extra—in the entryway.

"I hope you have a wonderful stay. If you need anything, dial 0 for reception, we'd be happy to assist." And then she got out of their way and left them alone.

Perceptor pocketed one key card and left two on the console table near the door. He went to find the freezer for the ice so he could get some of the feeling back in his arm.

"There's already ice in the bath," Brainstorm sighed, once he'd heard the door close. He sounded tired, but also pleased. There was a rattling of ice cubes and then a mighty splash, followed by a faintly pornographic noise of relief.

Perceptor went to find his luggage and get an extra layer. It was, after all, only 14 degrees in the room. He explored as he went, taking in the conversation area with its cream leather upholstery and fresh white flowers, the floor-to-ceiling windows that let bright sunlight in despite the chill of the indoor air, and the bright white linens of two king beds. There were mirrors and inoffensive modern prints on the walls, identically framed. There was a desk tucked away into an alcove. Despite its leather inlay and bankers lamps, it seemed intentionally unobtrusive, like an apology for bringing the concept of work into the suite.

The bathroom walls were half wall and half glass, and so Brainstorm's hind flippers and tail, sticking out of the enormous sunken tub, were visible directly from one of the beds. They trailed on the damp marble floor, gleaming wetly in the low light of a table lamp.

"I've put the other bag of ice in the freezer," he said, coming to lean in the doorway. From here he could see that the only reason Brainstorm's flippers were exposed was that he'd buried his entire skull in the ice water. "They did assure me that they could bring up as much ice as you want, while we're here, but there's more there anyway."

Brainstorm's flippers curled and twitched, slapping the floor. Perceptor watched them with interest as they disappeared into the water just as Brainstorm's head emerged. "It's much better in here. I was starting to get worried. I'll be out in a little bit."

He rolled over, sending an ice chip sliding across the floor as his big body displaced the water in the tub. "This isn't so bad."

If Perceptor had not had work to do, he might have given in to the temptation to get on his knees, stick his hands in the icy water and slide his nails through the texture of Brainstorm's fur. Probably Brainstorm would pull him in, and they'd make a tremendous mess, but it was a hotel room—he could warm back up five feet away in the shower.

Unfortunate, then, that he did have work to do. Even worse that he was too responsible to slack off just for this.

"I'm glad," was all he said instead.

This wasn't the kind of place Perceptor could afford on his own. And yet, the grandest luxury still felt like the free and fast wifi. He unpacked the clothes he'd need for tomorrow and set his laptop up at the low coffee table, next to the pale oriental lillies left for them there.

It was only half an hour before Brainstorm seemed recovered from the outside heat. He flopped himself out of the giant tub, dried himself down with three equally enormous towels in deference to the carpeting, and immediately began to investigate every nook and cranny of the hotel suite. This included the bedrooms, the weird little closet that offered an ironing board and steamer, and the minute kitchen area tucked into one corner: a fridge, stocked with tiny bottles of alcohol, soft drinks, a platter of smoked and fresh fish, and still and sparkling water; the two-burner electric stove and tiny sink, and the little side bench where a big black box was set. 'For Our Valued Guests,' read the thick creamy cardstock.

"Am I a valued guest?" Brainstorm wondered, flicking it with his thumb-claw.

Perceptor had already glanced into it and found it contained essentially a gift hamper: loose leaf tea with a strainer, a bottle of truffle infused oil, small batch freeze dried coffee that promised it was a single origin Ethiopian blend, a jar of tapenade, something called garlic salt paste, a six year old shiraz, 200mL of beer verjuice, a little package of artisanal pasta with its packaging all in incomprehensible swirly Italian, several small individually wrapped chocolates in unlikely flavours—orange and ginger, rose and strawberries—and a selection of weird gourmet crackers with labels like 'beets and sea salt'.

Personally he'd have preferred a stock of teabags from the supermarket and a carton of ultra heat treated milk, but Perceptor supposed he wasn't the intended audience for this sort of thing.

"Immensely valued," he murmured now, without looking from his laptop screen. He was, after all. There were twelve new messages about the lecture series. He focused on the same goals with every reply: strong air conditioning, easy vehicle access, security staff briefing, no surprises.

"Oh, there's fish in the fridge! Hmm. Well. It tastes like burning." Clearly Brainstorm had found the smoked salmon.

"They do that on purpose," Perceptor offered. "It's for preservation."

"Do you want some?" A hand appeared in his visual field, dark claws pierced through the oily coral flesh of a slice of smoked salmon.

Perceptor did figure that the fish platter was specifically interned for Brainstorm. He took it off his claws anyway, careful not to cut himself. They went through the soft flesh of the fish with even the most accidental pressure, leaving long gouges.

It tasted like smoked salmon. Oily. Salty. Smoky.

Someone from the university marketing team was messaging him, but Perceptor ignored that in favour of watching Brainstorm rummage.

"Hmm. Hey, what is this? It's a weird shape." Brainstorm held up one of the packages from the gift hamper. "Do you read this?"

"Italian? No, sorry. I don't think anyone we know does."

"I bet someone on social media does..."

Undoubtedly.

He went back to the messages from the marketing person—he was asking about furniture requirements, which was something of a relief, and also about social media which was decidedly not. Perceptor tapped out an answer that he doubted would satisfy.

"Hmm," said Brainstorm. Perceptor looked back to him.

He wiggled the claws of one hand in front of his face, peering thoughtfully at them. Upon each of their sharp tapered tips was now a giant-sized, artisanal elbow macaroni.

Perceptor was struck once again by the pure surrealism of the situation. A hotel room, his work, some silly pasta—and Brainstorm, huge and out of place and not very concerned about it. It was summer and the whole suite was winter-cold and there was ice melting in the bath, like the aftermath of a university-era house party.

Despite being home for the first time in a year, Perceptor suddenly and fiercely missed the arctic circle. So what if it was pitch back?

(He wondered if this was what it was like to have more than one home: was it just missing one place, always, forever?)

While Perceptor watched, Brainstorm examined his own claws and then tapped his thumb macaroni against his pointer finger macaroni with a little tap-tap-tap. "It seems pretty hard. Do they make it like this for crunch?"

He ate the macaroni off his thumb-claw. Perceptor twitched when it did indeed crunch between his flatter back teeth.

"I... no, they're dried for preservation. You cook them in boiling water and they soften as they get hotter and absorb liquid. I doubt you'd enjoy them."

"Huh," said Brainstorm. "Weird." And then he dug his phone out from his satchel and snapped a selfie, featuring his macaroni fingers.

A moment later, Perceptor's phone beeped with the only social media notification he permitted on it.

[randomoranges]

silly little thing. semi related to that little comic i did a few days ago. apparently, i had more to say on the matter. also, was gonna bumb up the day when this takes place to match the comic, but then it meant having to fix up things in the other xmas fic and i didnt want to. so i guess that makes it funnier bcs now the weather in edmonton is less cold but ét doesnt like the cold regardless so it still works haha.

once upon a time the lyrics in the titles of these xmas fics were more recognisable. now you have to squint to even try and recognise the original song sometimes lamao

Traveling Where the Westerly Winds Can Fly [When You Pine for the Sunshine of a Friendly Gaze]

 December 30th 2022

 “So, here’s a thought,” Étienne says halfway through their conversation.  He fiddles with the phone for a moment to make sure Edward can see him properly and waits to have his boyfriend’s full attention. “I’m thinking of visiting; maybe sometime next week? I mean, it won’t be as long as my last few visits – ten days max, but, it’s better than nothing, right? If that’s not too last minute!” He’s quick to add. He knows Edward has repeated at least a dozen or so times that he can show up unannounced and that the door is always open, but Étienne still prefers to check, even when he gets these impulsive ideas. He’d hate to intrude and hate to be a bother.

 Edward’s smile is kind and this side of pleased and it quells the one fear that seems to have taken up residence inside Étienne’s mind, “Not that I don’t want you to visit or that it doesn’t sound like a lovely idea, but have you seen what the weather is like over here? And you know it can get much colder even if it looks decent.”

 Étienne takes a moment to tap on his phone, most likely on a weather app of sorts, and Edward watches with fascination as Étienne’s face transforms from hopeful smile to disgusted grimace in mere seconds. “Ah. Well. Never mind then. Ew. How is that even a temperature. Ké, well, I guess I’ll see you in the summer then. Love you. Take care. Bye.”

 Before he even gets a chance to say anything, Étienne hangs up the phone and Edward laughs, so very used to Étienne’s antics once more. He knows better and thus, he waits for the clogs in Étienne’s mind to spin and make the obvious few connections they hadn’t yet made. His boyfriend will be calling back in a moment or so, he’s convinced of it. Therefore, he remains lying on his sofa, phone resting on his stomach, as he waits.

 Sure enough, just as Edward considers picking up the phone to kill off some time, it vibrates against his sweater and, sure enough, it’s Étienne. He doesn’t even get a chance to say hello that his boyfriend is off on a semi-tangent of mostly coherent thoughts.

 “Hear me out,” He starts again,? “The weather can go fuck itself, but like, I was at yours last year and the year before? For all of winter?? And I survived, yeah? I mean, it sucked but whatever. But, anyways, I realised, cold weather means extra cuddles, right” He looks at Edward with that little manic gleam to his eyes that he gets when he has these crazy ideas and thought processes and Edward gives him a knowing look.

 “Took you long enough to figure it out. Thought for a moment you were done with being touch starved.”Edward teases, making Étienne roll his eyes at him.

 “Please, as if. And, like, I don’t have to go outside, even if it’s a frozen disaster and – and – and – well, I miss you and I haven’t seen you in ages and well, you’re worth the fucking cold and me freezing my ass off. So there. I’m willing to come over. Might have to fuck off to Mexico afterwards just to thaw out properly, but that’s not a problem.” Étienne says it with all the conviction of the world and nearly wants to dare the weather to get even worse, because nothing will stop Étienne M. Maisonneuve once he’s set himself to something. Edward’s a little bit touched by the declaration, really.

 “Aw, I miss you too, Curly, but you know I’ll have work to do,” It’s not that he’s actively trying to dissuade Étienne from visiting, but he’d hate for his boyfriend to have these grand ideas of canoodling indoors with him for however long he plans to visit, only to be severely disappointed when he’ll have to head out to work.

 “Duh, I know that. I can take care of myself and I can go to Muttart, if ever I need extra heat, like I did last time, aaaaaaand” He says, pointing a finger towards the screen to make his point even more important, “I also have other friends I can see if you’re not around; so there.”

 Edward laughs. He loves that Étienne’s already figured it all out. He loves that Étienne still wants to visit him, despite the cold, despite his schedule and despite anything else. Loves that Étienne’s expanded his horizons when visiting to the point that he has places he likes to visit and friends he can visit with.

 “Well, if that’s alright with you, then I’d love for you to visit.” He’s already looking forward to it, now that the idea is out there. Maybe he’ll even ask for a day off or two. Hell, maybe he’ll fuck off to Mexico with Étienne afterwards as well. They haven’t done that in ages.

 “Yeah? Awesome,” Étienne smiles, a pleased little thing, “Kay, so, I’ll look at flights and I’ll text you the details – and I guess I’ll see you soon!”

 Their gazes meet through the screen and they exchange giddy looks.

 “Looking forward to it,” Edward says with all the sincerity of the world.

 The conversation eventually comes to an end and Edward could get up from his couch to do something, but once more, knowing his boyfriend, he waits and sure enough, within moments of hanging up, his phone lights up again, with a text message.

 “Found a flight. Direct thank fuck. Leaves the second. WS114. Arrives at yours @11h37am. Can’t wait!!!! See you soon xxxxxx :D”

 Edward laughs again, not even surprised, and types out a reply. “Me too. See you soon. <3”

 FIN

[suckerpunchsydartchive]

Prompt 11: Surrogate

The ringing bells at the docks of Limsa Lominsa were a comfort to all sailors and sea dogs that returned from the ocean waves. This was no different for the pirates who found comfort here, though perhaps only a short while before darting out to the seas again.

Marmgeim liked navigating port on days like these. clouds obscuring the sky, light mist in the air, merchants shouting over one another hawking their wears and getting louder when a few decided their prices were a bit to high. She spent her day as she usually did, shop for supplies, visit the fishers guild, then meet up with crew at the Missing Member.

Strangest thing was when she headed up to the tavern, she heard someone crying around the side of the building. She decided to check it out, probably some poor lass with her heart broken but crying outside in the cold weather would do her no favors. She turned down the alleyway but saw no one, just some crates and debris scattered haphazardly among the ground. When she called out the crying got quieter. Marmgeim stepped into the alley walking to the end of it and back. She saw a tattered shoe pull itself back into the debris so she walked over and lifted it.

There sat a roegadyn girl, no older than a child. There was a vicious scar on her face, dirt all over her body and eyes full of tears. She must be new in town cause Marmgeim knew the faces of the orphans and troublemaking kids that ran around Limsa picking pockets and this face was a new one. The girl trembled and tried to move past Marmgeim but failed to get up. She started crying again. Marmgeim pitied her and asked, “What’s wrong love? Where are your parents?”

That only seemed to make her cry more. She blubbered out through tears, “Gone, they’re gone, my mask is gone everything is gone.” “Hey hey… it’s alright. What does the mask look like maybe I can help ya get it back? Then we can find somewhere better than an alley to cry. How does that sound?”

The girl inhaled a shaky breath and nods. She describes the mask and the symbol within it. From description the symbol was that of Rhalgr which was curious. This girl and her parents must’ve traveled from Gyr Abania, and only she made it out. Poor kid.

“Here if ya come with me we can look for it together. Im Marmgeim but you can call me Marm. What’s your name?” “Cider…”she says in a whisper. “Well Cider, Lets get going hm? And I’ll get ya a hot chocolate once we get that mask back.” “Thank you miss Marm.”

The two spend the next few hours asking around, Cider sticking so close to Marmgeim that at times shes gripping her leg to not get lost in the crowds. When they saw the mask, it was on the head of some kids. They were passing it back and forth while going over some other spoils they had snatched that day. Cider pointed them out first and Marmgeim sighed. “Right, I’ll be right back ok?” She stomped over to the group of troublemakers and folded her arms. “Now I know a lot of that ain't yours but Im not here for any of that. Gimme the mask, I’ll pay ya 20 gil for it.” It was a quick exchange but she was able to collect the mask. Sure enough on the inside was the symbol of Rhalgr but also an inscription in the fabric. To my little cider gatherer, Love you -Mom

Cider gatherer. Huh. Cydrilona would be what that was in the old Roegadyn language. It had a nice ring to it. She returned and put the mask on the girl who smiled for the first time. Even with her eyes covered she was beaming. “Thank you Marma! Miss Marm!” She corrected herself quickly after wincing, Marma sounded too close to momma for her but Marmgeim found she didn’t mind.

“Ah, dont thank me yet. I still gotta get you that hot chocolate. And if you need a place to stay, I can help with that too. How does that sound?"

The girl nods and grabs Marmgeim hand as the two walk back to the tavern for their warm drinks.

[zanamotorcycle]

The Ultimate Guide to Motorcycle Accessories: Himalayan 450, Honda NX500, Harley Davidson X440, and BMW G 310 GS

Motorcycle enthusiasts understand that the joy of riding is not just about the bike itself, but also about the accessories that enhance the experience. Whether you’re planning a long-distance adventure, a weekend getaway, or simply want to add a touch of personality to your ride, the right accessories can make all the difference. In this guide, we will explore the must-have accessories for four popular motorcycles: the Himalayan 450, Honda NX500, Harley Davidson X440, and BMW G 310 GS.

Himalayan 450 Accessories

The Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 is designed for adventure, and the right Himalayan 450 accessories can help you conquer any terrain. Here are some essential add-ons for the Himalayan 450:

Crash Guards: Protect your bike during off-road adventures with sturdy crash guards. These guards shield the engine and bodywork from damage.

Panniers and Luggage Racks: For long journeys, additional storage is crucial. Panniers and luggage racks provide ample space for your gear.

Adventure Windshield: Upgrade to a larger, adjustable windshield to reduce wind fatigue on long rides.

Hand Guards: Protect your hands from debris and harsh weather with durable hand guards.

Off-Road Tires: Enhance your bike’s off-road capability with specialized tires designed for rough terrain.

Honda NX500 Accessories

The Honda NX500 is a versatile bike that performs well on both urban roads and rugged trails when embedded with right honda nx500 accessories. Here’s how you can enhance its functionality:

LED Lighting Kit: Improve visibility with a high-quality LED lighting kit, essential for night rides and low-visibility conditions.

Heated Grips: Keep your hands warm during cold rides with heated grips, ensuring comfort in all weather conditions.

Skid Plate: Protect the undercarriage of your bike with a skid plate, ideal for off-road adventures.

Top Case: Add a spacious top case for extra storage, perfect for daily commutes and long trips.

Comfort Seat: Upgrade to a more comfortable seat to reduce fatigue on long rides.

Harley Davidson X440 Accessories

The Harley Davidson X440 is a classic cruiser, and customizing it with the right Harley Davidson X440 accessories can elevate your riding experience:

Custom Exhaust: Enhance the sound and performance of your bike with a custom exhaust system.

Saddlebags: Classic leather saddlebags add style and storage space for your essentials.

Foot Pegs: Upgrade to more comfortable and stylish foot pegs for a better riding posture.

Windshield: A detachable windshield can improve aerodynamics and protect you from wind and debris.

LED Headlights: Improve night-time visibility and add a modern touch with LED headlights.

BMW G 310 GS Accessories

The BMW G 310 GS is a compact adventure bike that packs a punch. Equip it with these BMW G 310 GS accessories to maximize its potential:

GPS Mount: Navigate with ease by adding a GPS mount to your handlebars.

Engine Guard: Protect your engine with a robust guard, essential for off-road excursions.

Tank Bag: A tank bag provides easy access to your essentials without compromising comfort.

Adjustable Levers: Improve control and comfort with adjustable brake and clutch levers.

Side Cases: Expand your storage options with side cases, perfect for long-distance travel.

Conclusion

Accessorizing your motorcycle not only enhances its functionality and performance but also allows you to personalize your ride to suit your style and needs. Whether you own a Himalayan 450, Honda NX500, Harley Davidson X440, or BMW G 310 GS, there are countless accessories available to elevate your riding experience. From practical add-ons like luggage racks and skid plates to style upgrades like custom exhausts and LED lights, the right accessories can make every ride more enjoyable and safe.

[alexracheltravel]

Day One: Välkommen

Travel days are always hard. They're harder at night. We took a July 4 "red eye" that left around 8pm and we landed in Iceland at 6am local time. It was about 1am back home. When we got off the plane we stood outside for a moment as we were bussed to the terminal and one man behind us asked: "does it ever get warm here or is it because it's the morning?" We had a quick breakfast of Skyr yogurt (yum!) and an egg salad and lox sandwich, which was all better than we expected airport food deserved to be.

Folks, it warmed up, but not that much! After another 3hr flight we finally made it! Stockholm, Sweden!

Getting to the AirBnB was easy. After all, we're New Yorkians so the only issue was recognizing which subway station was in which direction.

But we made it fairly quickly. But of course, it was time to eat.

Meal #1: Hasselsson Stockholm

Look, to be real, we first thought of going here mostly because it was around the corner from the AirBnB. We walked into this small, hole in the wall spot, and took a seat. Rach ordered a fish and chips, Alex ordered the fish burger. They were virtually identical. Giant pieces of fish, made with a fluffy, crispy batter, and with a side of shoestring fries, garnished with red onion, parsley and cheese (Rachel omitted this). There was also a side of mayo, because that's how Europe does its chips.

It was damn good food.

I'm not doing this "meal 1" stuff for the whole trip, by the way.

After lunch, we popped into a cafe for a quick caffeine boost because we were running on about 4ish hours of sleep. The spot was super cute, trendy, and a lot of people were chatting outside.

We noticed something about the Swedish language. Many words sound the same in English, but are spelled differently, or sound different, but spelled similarly. For example:

Hello = Hej (pronounced "hey")

Good morning = God morgon (pronounced go-moron, lol)

Station = Station, but pronounced in a way we don't quite understand.

Anyway, we didn't get any sweets during this cafe trip, but there is always tomorrow. Instead, our sweets were on the road.

You can hear 50 Cent playing, can't you?

These candies are so good we literally became children once again.

You think that's all we did today? WRONG. We went back to the AirBnB, showered, and then went BACK OUT for dinner.

We went to a spot called Portal, just around the corner. Imagine the cool, trendy neighborhood spot you go to every once in a while. That's what it was like, and it was great. We had some trout, some lamb, some schnitzel, and a touch of ice cream at the end.

Jetlag is catching up to us right as the sun sets at 10pm. It got COLD in the evening! 60s all day and high 50s at "night." Rachel called the weather "perfect."

Alex: Rachel, now we're in Sweden, what do you love the most?

R: The architecture is different from where I have traveled. Historically I don't think it's substantially different from other European countries, but I haven't been to so many, so maybe I'm just loving the look!

A: And what are you looking forward to?

R: I am really excited to explore the other neighborhoods!

A: Any in particular?

R: I'm interested in Gamla Stan (the old city). And also looking forward to some vegan FIKA time.

Good night from Stockholm. More to come tomorrow!

[downtoearthmarkets]

The outset of the new year is always an exciting time for the unveiling of annual food trend predictions and, so far, 2024 is no exception! With the top trends once again highlighting American’s growing preference for sustainably produced, eco-friendly foods, rest assured that your local farmers market is always going to offer an important and environmentally-sound way to source your weekly groceries. Here is a look at some of the other big trends that are shaping the food and beverage industry at large and how you can embrace them while shopping in the farmers market this coming year. 

Make Room for Mushrooms According to key indicators, mushrooms will hit it big in 2024! With sprouting interest in plant-based and plant-forward diets that are better for both the planet and our own health, mushrooms provide a readily accessible and affordable meat replacement full of hearty texture, umami flavor and nutritional goodness. In particular, Lion’s Mane–a spongy, shaggy mushroom native to North America that grows on woody tree trunks and logs–is surging in popularity thanks to its mild flavor and velvety texture that mimics shellfish like scallops, lobster and crab.

To learn about their nutritive properties, unlimited culinary potential and creative ways to incorporate more mushrooms in your diet this winter, be sure to visit the Mushrooms.NYC booth. Mushrooms.NYC is family-owned and run by a collective of long-time friends who came together through their passion for urban farming and sustainability. The mushrooms they grow are chockfull of essential nutrients, quick and easy to prepare and offer a low-carbon alternative to meat in many recipes.

It’s a Big Dill: Pickled and Fermented Foods Pickles are the ‘it’ ingredient again according to the 2024 food trends report from Datassential, a restaurant and menu consultancy. Driven by an exploding interest in functional foods that can boost one’s gut health and the white-hot trend of “newstalgia” that blends familiar flavors with something new and fresh, pickled and fermented foods are set to take center plate in 2024!

Evidence of this trend includes a ‘dill-uge’ of dill pickle flavor in highly processed foods like commercial ketchup and potato chips. But don’t settle for junk food to get your flavor fix: real, old fashioned pickles are a veritable institution in New York farmers markets, with a zingy variety of seasonings and styles available. So, if you want a bite of the real dill, stop by Dr. Pickle for briny, tangy, crunchy pickles and a range of pickled delights from olives to sauerkraut to giardiniera and more.

To give your microbiome and spicy Korean food cravings a real treat, grab a jar of Kimchi Kooks small-batch kimchi that's made in Brooklyn using fermented, seasonal, local vegetables such as kale, cabbage, beets and lotus root. Raw and gluten-free, their kimchi is packed with essential vitamins, minerals and non-dairy probiotics. And swing by SayChef to indulge in their culinary creations featuring local produce from the far east end of Long Island. Chef David uses a special canning method he learned while studying in Italy to preserve and seal their unique recipes such as Sicilian Caponata, Napoli Marinated Artichoke Hearts, Pickled Golden Sweet Beets, and Pickled Turnips & Dill in beautiful, reusable glass jars. 

Soup it up! Just in time to thaw out over cold weather comfort food, The New York Times and other food trend prognosticators have proclaimed soup to be 2024’s Dish of the Year! Not only is soup the ideal winter fare, it also provides a perfect medium for experimenting with other leading food trends including vegetable-forward meals, cross-cultural mashups, and ‘glocal’ flavors that combine global cuisine with locally grown and produced ingredients. For internationally inclined gastronomes, the glocal food movement lets you take your taste buds on a tour of the world without the pricy travel tab or the need to leave your cozy kitchen – a win-win on all accounts!  

To get an “instant” soup fix this Sunday, stop by KITCHEN 36 INC who create vegan and vegetarian small-batch soups that taste just like homemade. All their soups are made from scratch using a variety of seasonal, fresh ingredients and non-GMO beans and legumes. They hand chop, slow-simmer and freeze the soups to maintain their freshness. Just heat and eat for a healthy, delicious and satisfying meal! Alternatively, if you want to relish the snugness of your kitchen while preparing your own steaming pot of goodness, pick up chicken stock from Yellow Bell Farm and winter veggies from the farmstalls to make this hearty winter vegetable soup recipe by Martha Stewart. 

We hope you enjoyed this fun glimpse into the presently unfolding food future of 2024 and look forward to seeing how these predictions play out within the milieu of the farmers market. But, while diet fads and food trends may come and go, fresh, nutritious, seasonal, locally grown and sustainably produced foods are sure to remain a fixture on these lists no matter what the latest spin or twist on them may be. That’s one trend I think we can all get behind this year and beyond!

[a-kaash-me-outside]

Dear Tori,

I would love to give my utmost thank from venus to saturn, from my heart to yours that you have cooked the story so well I almost choked from my own giggles when reading ABD (Gosh, I'm such a…). I am writing this way due to how disappointed I am for turning into a whore for Samu, because fuck. Will I leave Tsumu for Samu though? I don't even want to know the answer for that. But both of them can take me anytime. Idc. I hope I'm able to recover once this series ends.

ANYWAY ON A SERIOUS NOTE THOUGH, I have read chapter 1 two weeks ago. I was about to send you this anon message (as per usual) but somehow I was tired from work, and when I have the time to express my feral emotions for him, somehow, some way, the tumblr app shut down on me and I think God don't want me to say anything I typed before and send it to you (although I stayed anon for a quite some time now).

I don't remember much what I wrote but I remember on how excited I feel when you're back and well, and posting the first chapter of ABD. Again, your writing is so easy for me to understand and capture the scene in my head (yes, even the smut. Can't blame me for being so turned on LMAO AKSJFBGUSGFUGFIUGAIF). I'm typing this using my laptop because HAHA I don't want the Tumblr app on my phone closing on me again because I have to retyped everything. Then, I wouldn't sound and look genuine enough because truly, I REALLY REALLY love your writing style. You could write a book/novel and I'll be there to pre-order it ON THE SPOT!! But I do remember that I relate most of your words to Taylor Swift lyrics from her latest album Midnights. "Just the stars aligning or somethin'" sjdbjsbdvjasivbisbjsdjsb MASTERMIND I SEE YOU (sorry a swifitie here). and for them to be in the same room at the SAME TIME (in the club). My HEART CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. (You should give it a listen or just read the lyrics if you haven't heard of it yet! I see the vision from there hehe :3)

Anyway, I'm glad you're back and healthy (hopefully you are boo), please do rest and drink a lot of water due to changes of the weather. If it's too hot, wear lighter clothes. If it's cold, wear something warm. Sorry, mother mode on. We all understand your situation no matter what Tori! if those who don't I hope they stepped on a lego and their socks are wet from within. Take ALL the rest you need Tori, we will still be here for you until you're back! <3

P.S: I hope Samu go down on y/n though, let him teach y/n what 'forever' feels like because the last chapter I was sooooo sad for Samu because he really want y/n SO BAD JISDBBSVIBISBVIB, God, the things I do for him. But then again, if it were REALLY me though? I would behave the same way because playing hard to get, being anxious, playing by the rules, and anxious……. is so me. But saying that y/n will also breaking her own rules is what I'm rooting for because FFFFFF YES YOU SHOULD DUHHHH!!!

P.S.S: Good smut Tori. I can rest in peace now. I love how this series are more like a slow burn but not so slow burn. First chapter already getting fucked. 5 stars. 10/10 review from me. Also, I'm sorry for the long messages. Have a good day/night Tori!!

-sn

OMGOMGOMG. this is so much /pos. T-T crying. ily ily ily. omg. these mean SO MUCH TO ME. love it. and aww ty for the kind words. i am feeling all better!!!!!!!!!!! so! no more worries there~! i am insanely busy for the summer with travel and BLAH. so i'll be a bit spotty with replies and stuff, but still here and reading everyone's stuff I love it

T-T

look i did say that its literally like full of smut. i wasn't LYING BABE.