#and these were pitas to color

[swimmingtrunks]

It's been a long day, and it's time for Rook to get some well earned rest. But what does that look like exactly?

Does she have a special outfit she sleeps in? What does her sleeping space look like? Is it full of pillows and blankets, or are things more sparse? Does she have any sleep "quirks", like hogging the blanket or talking in her sleep?

Bonus question: Big spoon or little spoon?

Rook is one of those people who can literally sleep anywhere, and often winds up doing so. Though "anywhere" is always some out of the way nook or cranny that would be impossible to find if you weren't looking. (Crow habits.)

Bonus Answer: Backpack.

[calcifiedunderland]

Silky Melon & Spices

Food Fight Ending III

You opened the text, surprised to see that it was from Jamil.

Jamil: Hello (Name), I’m glad I was able to help you earlier. Are you doing alright?

You saw his text bubble pop up, showing that he was writing. You frowned when you saw it pop up, then stop, and go again.

Jamil frowned at his phone in the dark of his room, deleting yet another message. After heading back to Scarabia and finishing his duties, he decided to finally text you.

Deep down, he knew why he kept quiet about how he really felt about you. But some small, selfish part of him didn’t quite want to pull away completely. For a short while, he was happy giving you food and keeping things friendly. But now, it was getting hard to deny the truth. So much, that even Kalim was noticing how often Jamil made ‘extra’ food, and Jamil subconsciously made more of what you liked.

He sighed heavily, and typed out one more text, hitting send before he could stop himself.

To (Name): If you’re available, would you be willing to help me early tomorrow with cooking? I’ll be making some of your favorites. I also wanted to speak with you.

You finally heard your phone go off, signaling that Jamil finished typing. You frowned slightly when you read it. You sent back a Sure, see you then! and flopped back onto your bed, staring at the ceiling.

You’d be lying if you said you weren’t excited to see him again. Jamil was a busy person, and lately you’ve been cherishing the time you were with him. And you supposed, somewhere along the way, you started enjoying his presence more than a regular friend would.

You sighed. You didn’t really know what to make of his message, but you decided to leave it until tomorrow.

—🧡🐍✨—

Jamil finally overturned the last pita, and shut off the stovetop. All the food for Kalim is done, he thought. Sighing, he turned around and began wrapping shawarma in wax paper. He wrapped one with lamb, tahini, and vegetables for himself, and one with (preferred filling) for you. He sighed heavily, feeling antsy. He’d finished earlier than anticipated. All that was left was to wait for you. His heart stuttered.

He began cutting up some silky melon that Kalim’s family sent from the Scalding Sands to keep his hands busy. Absently, his mind drifted to the legend from his homeland.

If you share this melon with someone, your friendship or romance will last forever. He shook his head, setting the bowl (now filled with melon slices) down.

He looked up when he heard a knock. “Hey,” you said softly, walking in. “I hope I’m not too late?” You pursed your lips. It seemed Jamil finished the cooking without you. The cookware was already in the sink, and containers (now filled with steaming food) were already out. Jamil shook his head, giving you a practiced smile. “No, I finished ahead of time, don’t worry.” He cleared his throat, feeling hot, “n-now that you’re here, would you sit outside with me?”

You nodded, smiling. “Sounds good to me,” you followed him outside. The Scarabia dorm wasn’t so sweltering in the early morning - it was pleasantly cool, and the air was dry. You and Jamil perched on a hammock in between two palm trees, munching on the falafel wrap he’d made.

It occurred to you how peaceful this was. Everyone was still asleep in their rooms, and the dunes surrounding the dorm were a sandy gold color against the soft lilac dawn. The silence didn’t seem to be easily broken, because Jamil hardly said a word to you since coming outside. He hadn’t even touched his wrap. Instead, he held the bowl of cut melon slices, staring outward.

You looked at him quizzically. He didn’t seem mad. He noticed you looking at him, and looked away, “I… I’m glad you came.” You angled your head, “I’m glad I did too,” he seemed to relax a bit when you said that. You nodded to the melon bowl, “do you want to split that?” His eyes widened briefly, but he nodded.

You took a slice, and sank your teeth into it. Rich, sweet juice burst into your mouth, dripping down your hand as you chewed. You glanced over, feeling a bit self-conscious when you saw him staring at you, “…you’re not going to have any?” You asked shyly. Jamil bit his lip and nodded, taking up his own slice and biting into it. You both ate, the sun’s rays rising over the horizon.

You finished off your slice. Wiping off your chin, you said “y’know, I thought you wanted me to help you cook. But… if you didn’t ask me for that, then…”

You played with the wax paper from your wrap, now empty, “why did you want to see me?” Jamil stopped. He gulped down the last of his melon, and looked out of the corner of his eyes at you. “I… wanted to see you.” He took a breath, staring back out at the sand dunes.

“You’ve been… very helpful to me, and lately you’ve become…” he swallowed, controlling his voice, “important to me. Not like how Kalim is important, but… different.” Your face felt warm as you looked down at your melon slice. You couldn’t deny that, over the many times you’d hung out with Jamil, you grew to genuinely enjoy his presence. Even more than just friends.

You responded softly, “you’re really important to me too, Jamil.” You couldn’t stop the smile from spreading on your face as he slowly turned to look at you. “And I… I think I know what you mean.” You swallowed nervously, “you’re special to me, in a different way than Grim or even my friends.”

You smiled at Jamil, face feeling warm as the rising sun shone on both of you, “I… really like you, Jamil.” The words hung in the air for a beat, and then Jamil broke the silence. “Really?” His voice cracked.

You let out a small breathy laugh, unable to contain yourself. You lurched toward him in the hammock, wrapping your arms around him. He gasped before holding you too, the two of you giggling before the dawn. You softly kissed Jamil’s cheek. Jamil’s face grew warm, but he couldn’t stop an incredulous smile on his face, eyes shining. You grinned, “really.”

🧡🐍✨

[love-and-hisses]

In short: Pita has been diagnosed with Patent Urachus and she goes for surgery on Tuesday to correct it. It's RARE (of course it is), but it is correctable, and she is going to be FINE.

The long version: 3 1/2 weeks ago, when I was scooping the litter box, Pita climbed in and peed. I happened to glance down and saw that she was passing bloody urine. She was started on antibiotics immediately because it seemed a pretty textbook urinary tract infection.

After 5 days there was no change in the color of her urine (otherwise, she was acting completely fine and in fact has acted 100% normal this entire time), so she saw vet #1. The vet examined her and took a urine sample to send to the lab. She said the urine looked "really weird," which I did not love hearing. The results weren't really helpful, so the next week Pita went to vet #2, where they examined her, did bloodwork, and... well. Ultimately, it wasn't helpful either. Michelle consulted with vet #3, who did some research and had a suggestion on what it might be, but Pita needed an ultrasound to confirm. That's what her appointment yesterday was for, an ultrasound and a follow-up with vet #3, and it was clear: Patent Urachus.

(The urachus acts as a passageway from the fetal urinary bladder to the allantoic cavity. When the umbilical cord is transected at birth, closure of the urachus occurs. If the urachus does not close after birth, then an animal has a patent or persistent urachus.)

If the explanation of the surgery the vet provided yesterday had stuck in my head, I would be able to tell you exactly what he's gonna do. Unfortunately I was so relieved that my brain turned to Teflon™, and the explanation slid right off. Rest assured: he's going to fix it. She's going to be fine.

I've been so worried that we were just beginning down a road that would require weeks and weeks of tests and no answers, that to HAVE an answer and a way to fix the problem is just - I can't even tell you how relieved I am. I slept like a rock last night.

[jerzwriter]

This has been sitting in my ask box for some time (I hope you'll forgive the delay @dr-colossal-pita!) This story ties into the text fic, A Little Mess. I hope you enjoy it!

Story: Open Heart (Post Series) Pairing: Tobias x Casey Carrick (F!MC) Characters: Samantha Carrick (F!OC), Pietro (Original Cat), and Ethan Ramsey (mentioned). Rating: General Words: 726 Summary: Casey's on maternity leave and enjoying a quiet day at home with her family - until there's a little mystery to solve.

It was a rarity in the Carrick household, a quiet afternoon where Tobias and Casey found themselves calmly preparing dinner in the kitchen. A very pregnant Casey diligently chopped vegetables at the table while Tobias began to saute chicken on the stove.

“I love days like this,” he grinned. “When we’re home together, everything is nice and peaceful, and we can just make dinner together and enjoy each other’s company.”

Casey smiled from across the way, about to tell him not to tempt fate when...

CRASH!!

They exchanged glances before rushing into the living room. “You had to go and say it, didn’t you?” Casey sighed, looking at her favorite vase shattered on the floor. “I loved that vase!”

“Unlike the hideous one Ethan broke,” Tobias muttered under his breath.

Casey turned to him with a smile, “So you admit you never liked that vase?”

“I'll never admit it in front of him,” Tobias simpered.

As the two of them began sweeping up the pieces, they noticed their toddler, Samantha, standing nearby, her eyes wide as she stared up at them. Pietro, the cat, was perched on the arm of the couch, watching the scene unfold with an unreadable expression.

“OK, Sammy,” Tobias asked. “Do you know what happened?”

Samantha shook her head, her face the picture of innocence. “No, Daddy. I didn’t do it.”

Pietro flicked his tail at the same time as if to say, “Don't look at me!”

Casey crouched down beside her daughter. “Honey, did you or Pietro knock the vase over? We won’t be mad. We just want to know.”

Samantha pointed dramatically at Pietro. “He did it!” She exclaimed.

Tobias raised an eyebrow. “I think we should investigate.”

They looked at the coffee table, where the vase had stood in all its glory just moments before. A purple crayon, Samantha’s weapon of choice, was lying nearby.

“Looks like someone might’ve been coloring a little too close to the vase,” Tobias chuckled.

Samantha giggled nervously, grabbing her favorite stuffed bunny from the couch.

Casey lifted her daughter in her arms as Tobias tended to the remainder of the mess. “It’s OK if you broke it, Sammy. Accidents happen. But you should tell Mommy and Daddy the truth from now on, all right?”

“All right!” Sammy smiled, handing her bunny to Casey as a peace offering.

Tobias laughed as he watched Pietro standing nearby, observing the scene. “Well, it looks like you’re off the hook this time, buddy.”

Pietro flicked his tail in satisfaction.

“Yes,” Casey nodded. “He’s innocent this time, unlike last time when he broke a family heirloom!”

Tobias shook his head. “That wasn’t him,” he insisted. “That was Ramsey! It was on his watch; it was his fault."

“Tobias,” Casey laughed. “It was not. Poor Ethan almost had a stroke when that thing broke. Can you let him off the hook already?”

“Sure,” Tobias grinned. After sweeping the remains of the vase from the dustpan into the trash, he walked over to kiss his wife and daughter on the head. “I’ll let him off the hook just before I shut my eyes for the very last time.”

“Pietro,” Casey teased. “Did you need to get involved in this ongoing thing between your Daddy and Uncle Ethan?”

“Hey,” Tobias smiled. “Pietro and I are a team.”

Pietro jumped on Casey’s lap as she sat down with Samantha holding her close. She pat the seat beside her, beckoning her husband to join them, which he gladly did.

“I thought we were a team,” she smirked.

“We are!” Tobias insisted. “The best team. But Pietro and I have to stick together – you know – as the men of the house.”

Casey rubbed her growing belly. “Well, you insist this one is a little girl. If you’re right, we’re about to outnumber you once again soon... I guess you two have to stick together.”

MEOW! Pietro bellowed before Tobias had a chance to speak.

“That’s right, pal,” Tobias laughed, rubbing the cat under the chin. “You tell her!”

Casey rested her head on her husband’s shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her. The entire Carrick clan nestled happily on the couch.

“I love days like this,” Tobias whispered in Casey’s ear.

He felt her tense up, then relax when nothing went wrong. “Looks like you didn’t curse it this time!”

“Of course not,” he laughed. “I made sure the usual culprits were here with us first!”

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately

[simlishvalley]

I went for a hike the other day that was a couple of miles. I've been gimpy with sore legs since. It hurts to walk right now so I've been messing with GShade stuff.

There is nothing exciting going on behind the blurs. Haley's butt was showing and Branch is barbie, but since I've had weird things happen in sim land this week, I thought the blurs were better than having my account deleted.

Preset used was a slightly modified ( toned down the brightness) version of Happy Plumbob by erasabledinosaur.

The first thing I've learned is when GShade is uninstalled, the installer doesn't do a clean uninstall. A person has to go in and delete things manually. There is something called "GShade Nuke", however it didn't work for me. I still had to delete stuff. I don't know if this same problem happens with ReShade or not.

I suspect this not uninstalling correctly was causing most of the problems I was having the other day. I can't say for sure.

The second thing I've learned is obvious. If a person is using a simple color correct preset, it uses less GPU power. It is when presets start using things like ADOF and other 'heavier' shaders the more power is needed. With more power usage comes more heat.

I'm a sucker for a beefy preset as it means less processing before posting. There are a number of things I can do so I can have "my cake and eat it too" without resorting to removing case panels to prevent overheating, ect... I haven't found that happy medium yet. I'm still testing / trying things out.

I don't play for hours at a time. A hour is typically my limit. Certainly I can figure something out for a hour worth of game play.

I'm out for now. Internet has been a PITA ( it took 3 hours to download 2 presets last night) and one of my tortoises is not well. He's 30-something years old and is going to the vet tomorrow.

[ccalxx]

Celebrating AlHaitham Day!

Warnings: Spoiler on Haitham's Bday Dialogue (Tweaked it a bit), Nicknames for s/o (my lil bookworm), Gender neutral reader, OOC Alhaitham sry ill prolly remake this

a/n: Happy Birthday to the one and only akademia scribe, AlHaitham 🌱! Posting my first fic on Haitham's bday! Hope you like it!

Prologue: You were living on Alhaitham's abode as well as Kaveh for a long period of time. He was basically one of your friends before becoming your s/o. You were one of those few people that can understand how Alhaitham mind works as well as know his past. You wanted to surprise Alhaitham on his birthday, one that isn't too grand, just for him to experience, since he's special to you.

------

Alhaitham woke up finding his house empty of bickering noise that usually wakes him up everyday. He went out to the kitchen, seeing pre-brewed coffee, plates with butter chicken and pita pockets, and a small mint green colored note that says "Good morning Alhaitham! It's your birthday is it not? Well happy Birthday! I know you don't celebrate your birthdays too grand so we I made you some butter chicken, pita pockets, and I even pre-brewed your favorite coffee! I apologize beforehand as something came up with Kaveh's project, and he asked for my assistance early in the damn morning, so I couldn't greet you when you woke up, nor I think we can't celebrate your birthday a little later. I really apologize, I'll make up to you really!" He read your note with a very small smirk in his face, although the smirk was washed away by a hint of sadness as he could not see your face early in the morning nor even spend time with you later. It is true that both of you were working on a project despite you being a Spantamad scholar and Kaveh as a Kshahrewar scholar. Alhaitham went on his original routine, after his morning coffee and ate the food that you made, he scurried to his office to see application forms piled up on his desk, after minutes of rejecting majority of the proposals, he went to the library to quietly read books.

You and Kaveh didn't actually do his near-due-project, both of you were preparing for a surprise for Alhaitham, since you knew that he hasn't experienced being surprised even when he was little. You knew that this was either a hit or miss situation, but you already decided that whatever Alhaitham might say, you wouldn't take it to heart. "Y/n? Y/n! Are you listening to me?" Kaveh shook you as clearly you weren't listening to him. "Sorry, I was deep in thought, what was it?" you gave Kaveh an apologetic look. "Ah! I was asking what food should we buy later, and the cake, the decor-" "Kaveh, I'm sure Alhaitham doesn't want a grand surprise, lets just make it simple? Simple decor like party streamers, and Alhaitham isn't really picky with food so we can probably make Lambad cook up some fish roll and ask some specialty from our friends, like Nilou, Cyno, Dehya, and Tighnari!" you cut Kaveh as you were walking down the Grand Bazaar "Right, Do you think they'd even agree to that? As that man clearly has no sense of emotion! Not even sense of style nor design! Did you see how he took off the magnificent piece of..." "Kaveh not right now....." Kaveh begins to rant how both of you were preparing for a guy that he clearly hates.

Alhaitham on the other hand, still is on the library, reading his usual range of books. His reading pace is quite slower than normal though. His mind is quite clouded today, as there are times that he thinks about you being unusually unavailable and he's probably thinking of increasing Kaveh's rent in the process. He shook his head, his irrational thoughts getting into him. He actually looks up to you a lot, and you actually gave him the key of feeling emotions, not that he'd give up rationality of course! It's not wrong to say that you made him feel emotions he's not used to feel. Alhaitham noticed that it's passed his office hours, so he packed up and made his way home.

While AlHaitham was spending his last minutes at the library, You and Kaveh were decorating his house; the place was quite tidy, party streamers were hung up, and a variation of food was across the table. You even manage to whip up some gifts from your friends.

Kaveh was on the watch, he saw Alhaitham coming home, he hurriedly sprinted towards the house signaling you "Y/N! He's coming!" he said as both of you hid behind the table.Alhaitham noticed Kaveh's stare from afar and he knew that something was up but he kept it to himself and let Kaveh do his thing.

When Alhaitham was on the doorstep, getting his keys, he could sense something was fishy. He turned the keys, opened the door, switched on the lights only to hear you and Kaveh yelling out "SURPRISE!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALHAITHAM!" For once, Alhaitham was stunned and speechless, however that quickly changed and went back into his usual cold demeanor. "Wouldn't it better to save your enthusiasm on my birthday, to everyday of your lives? In that case Kaveh wouldn't cram his architectural projects and you to wake up early every single morning" Alhaitham said, as a small smile crept his face. "HEY!!" "I sometimes wake up early, mind you!" You both shouted at Alhaitham.

All three of you were hanging out on the living room, talking and chatting how the day went. You noticed how Alhaitham was a bit more quiet than before so you decide to approach him.

"Hey? Everything alright, Haitham?" you questioned him while wearing a worrying look

"It seems so, what made you ask?"

"Well you're more quiet than usual..."

"Mhm? Nothing gets passed by you, doesn't it? Well to be frank, I just don't know how to respond in surprises like this, since I didn't really ask for it" Alhaitham bluntly says.

"Oh wait did we...did I upset you? Sorry I just really want you to experience being-" Alhaitham cupped your cheeks.

"Nonsense, my little bookworm, I just didn't expect you to surprise me, let alone have Kaveh to help you, I apologize if I didn't make myself clear enough" he continues to cup your cheeks and he gives a little peek at Kaveh before giving you an Eskimo kiss. You blush at the action he made and you remembered you still have one surprise left. "Haitham wait...I have something to show you" You led Alhaitham at the backdoor of his house, "I know this wouldn't really be that special to you since...." you opened the door, revealing a small picnic area under the starry skies. "I know... I know you're going to say that stars are just big chunk of rocks on the outer space, and the light reflects on them so you we can see them...but!! I really want to spend this time with you...for once! Under the beautiful night sky!" You gave him a look that's hopeful, he made a small smile, thinking you wouldn't notice and said "The night sky indeed does not appeal to me..." you frown "However... the light from the moon and the stars above illuminate how alluring you look" Your face becomes red as a tomato and Alhaitham slowly slithers his hand to your waist and gave you a forehead kiss. "S-stop! Since when do you talk like some Snezhnayan man!" you cover your face as Alhaitham chuckles.

Both of you were sitting on the picnic-like setting, you were sitting on Alhaitham's lap, his head on top of yours, and his arms around your waist "Thank you..." you heard Alhaitham murmur, "For what?" you looked up to him "For surprising me, I haven't really had any enthusiasm in birthdays since I do believe that enthusiasm is best used in everyday situations; however I acknowledge your efforts" "Oh my... Are you getting sappy? THE Alhaitham thanking me for the surprise?" you made a small smirk and he tackles you and tickles you making him on top of you.

He stopped tickling you and made a cold look "I'm being serious" he told you "I know" you said as you rubbed your nose onto his. He lift up your chin, getting ready to kiss you, and you close your eyes only to hear a slam of the back door, "Y/N I GOT IT I HAVE AN- Ewww are you two making out, like out in the open?! Haitham since when were you this bold-" Kaveh, currently semi-drunk, interrupted the moment he shouldn't have. "KAVEH!!" Both of you screamed, you throw something that was near your grasp and it hit Kaveh's head, making him unconscious (it was a Zaytun peach). "Oops, oh well!" you said while you suddenly kiss Alhaitham, who in exchange also melted in the kiss. Once you were both out of breath, you both suggested to continue this inside, as both of your hands linked with each other and leaving poor Kaveh outside to sleep.

Bonus (the next day):

"Ouch...my head hurts" Kaveh said as he was rubbing his temples. "Hey, Y/N...remind me why was I sleeping outside? And why was there a Zaytun Peach near me...." Kaveh asked you "Oh, I don't know! Maybe the peach fell on your head and knocked you unconscious" You explained to Kaveh while trying to hide your laughter. "Oh I see, thanks Y/N...wait... ZAYTUN PEACHES DOES NOT GROW ON TREES, Y/N COME BACK HERE, WHAT DID REALLY HAPPEN?" Kaveh chases you as you began running when he realized. Alhaitham came out of his room and saw the two of you running around, "It's too early for this..." he said as he turns around and close his room.

[leaderpinhead]

Kalim - The Great Matchmaker!

Prompt: Picnic

Kalim laughed as he raced up the small incline. He paused under the willow tree at the top and spun on his heel. The blanket on his forearm slipped slightly when he lifted his hand to shield his eyes against the sun. “This is perfect! Right, Jamil?”

Jamil sighed and adjusted the large picnic basket in his hand. Kalim could hear him mumble, but it wasn’t loud enough for him to hear. Kalim ignored the mumbling and whipped open the large blanket he’d brought from Scarabia. If Jamil wanted Kalim to hear what he said, then he would have spoken louder. Kalim was trying very hard to learn that he didn’t always have to ask mumbling people to repeat themselves even if he really wanted to hear what they said. Yuu had said sometimes people just need to talk out loud to themselves.

Speaking of the prefect, Kalim paused straightening a corner of the blanket and turned back to shield his eyes against the sun. He could see Ramshackle from across the small field between the dorm and the woods. He checked his phone. He had said one o’clock, right?

“We shouldn’t be away from Scarabia for too long,” Jamil said. Kalim heard the hinges on the picnic basket squeak followed by the hollow pop of a lid being removed from a dish. “I know it’s the weekend, but there are a few tasks around the dorm we need to complete. The elephants need to be taken on a short walk to the oasis to exercise them and...”

Kalim stopped listening when he spotted the figure coming out of Ramshackle Dorm. He swayed back and forth with energetic impatience but made himself wait until Yuu was at least halfway across the field before he frantically waved at her. He waved with both arms when she waved back. “Yuu! You made it!”

He could hear her giggle even at a distance. Kalim realized Jamil had fallen silent and turned back to his friend. Jamil watched Yuu approach them, his face flat of any expression. He slowly blinked when Yuu greeted them both by name. He didn’t say another word as he continued unpacking the lunch from the picnic basket.

Kalim giddily bounced in place and waited for Yuu to reach them under the willow tree. Jamil was just as excited as he was! He could tell by the way he carefully rearranged the colorful dishes to make space for Yuu. Kalim had known that this was a great idea!

Kalim couldn’t contain his excitement any longer, and he launched himself at Yuu as soon as he could. She laughed and thumped his back, returning his tight squeeze with the same amount of enthusiasm. “It’s good to see you too, Kalim! Sorry I’m a bit late. Azul was trying to renegotiate child support to get a cheaper deal.”

Kalim thought he heard Jamil mutter something like “Of course he would.” Kalim simply laughed. “No worries! We just got here too. Jamil was just finishing laying everything out. We’ve got all kinds of picnic foods. I even packed the fruit myself!”

Kalim happily accepted the shoulder pat Yuu gave him. “Good job, Kalim! Did Jamil let you dice them up this time too?”

Kalim’s excitement wilted for the first time today. “No. He said we were already running late, and he could prepare everything faster himself.” Kalim perked again. He pointed at the bowl of red pepper hummus sitting next to a small platter of pita bread. “But I helped prepare the hummus last night! I added extra peppers just for you!”

“That won’t make it too spicy for you, will it?” Kalim hummed at her concern and shook his head. He grabbed her hand and pulled her around the blanket to sit right next to Jamil. Jamil stiffened, but Yuu’s gaze remained focused on Kalim. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want you to suffer just because of my preferences.”

“It’s totally fine! I hadn’t planned on...” Kalim clamped his mouth shut. His eyes darted between Yuu and Jamil. Yuu tipped her head and stared up at him in confusion. Jamil focused on piling various pieces of the picnic food onto one plate. He didn’t look up at Kalim, but Kalim noticed his darkened cheeks when Jamil snuck a glance at Yuu.

Kalim’s grin returned twice the size as it had been. He dismissed Yuu’s concern with a casual wave. “No worries! I might not like curry as much anymore, but I can still eat spicy things.” Kalim casually checked his phone. He gasped and stuffed the device back into his pocket. “Actually, I’ve gotta go, uh, meet someone else right now. I totally forgot about it until just now. You two should still enjoy the picnic. Together. Alone. K’bye!”

Kalim sprinted down the hill and across the field before Yuu’s confused voice registered in his ear. He gasped for breath, but he didn’t stop until he reached Ramshackle Dorm. He spun around and looked back up at the willow tree. Yuu and Jamil seemed to be talking now (or they were at least looking at each other; Kalim couldn’t actually hear anything). He grinned when Jamil offered the prefect the plate he had prepared.

The plan had worked! What better way to make them realize their feelings for each other than to set them up on a romantic date together? It was absolutely genius!

“Is that Jamil and the prefect up on the hill?”

Kalim hummed and turned to answer his fellow housewarden standing just outside the door of Ramshackle Dorm. “It sure is! They’re having a picnic together. Don’t they make a great couple?”

Azul hummed. He took his glasses off and gave them a quick wipe with the small cloth he pulled from his pocket. He still squinted when he replaced his glasses on his nose. Kalim wondered if he might need a stronger prescription to help him see. “A couple? I was under the impression Jamil was abstaining from romance. He appears so steadily dedicated to attending to you that he just doesn’t have the time for it.”

Was Jamil not dating because he was spending so much time helping Kalim? It was a question Kalim would have to investigate later. He had to let Jamil know it was perfectly okay for him to date!

“Perhaps I should pop in on them,” Azul continued with a happy smile. He took a step down from the dorm’s stoop. “Yuu and I were just discussing the current rates to care for the creatures Ramshackle has accumulated. I’m sure Jamil would staunchly agree with my—.”

“No!” Kalim lunged forward to cut Azul off. He threw his arms out to stop Azul. Azul’s eyes dramatically widened. “I’m sorry, Azul, but you can’t interrupt them right now. They’re on a date!"

Azul’s eyes widened even more. “A date?” A short laugh followed his question. “You were being serious? I actually thought...” Azul laughed again. “I suppose you would play matchmaker for those two.” Azul pointed behind Kalim. “Unfortunately, it would seem their date is at risk of being interrupted.”

Kalim whipped around. He gasped. Leona must have looped around the dorm because he was lazily sauntering across the field to the tree. Kalim sprinted after him, almost missing the chuckle from Azul. Kalim launched himself at Leona’s back. “Leona!”

“What the…” Kalim clung to Leona when the older student spun around. An unhappy snarl rumbled through Leona. A large hand landed on the top of Kalim’s head. “Kalim? You’ve got five seconds to explain yourself before I punt you across this field.”

“Leona!” Kalim repeated. He tightened his arms around Leona’s waist when Leona tried to shake him off. “You can’t go up there right now!”

“And why not?” The hand on Kalim’s head applied more pressure. “I take a nap under that tree every weekend.”

“Jamil and Yuu are having a picnic right now,” Kalim insisted. He dug his heels into the ground when Leona tried to wiggle out of his arms. “Please don’t interrupt them!”

Leona froze. “A picnic?” His angry rumble was replaced by a low chuckle. “Is that so? Now I’ve gotta see that.”

Leona dragged Kalim for a few steps. Kalim yelped and tried to dig his heels in deeper. He buried his cheek into Leona’s shoulder and tightened his grip. “Please don’t! I’m trying to help Jamil!”

Leona abruptly stopped. Kalim sagged against his back without the forward motion of Leona’s steps. Leona spun around, dragging Kalim around with an involuntary yip. Kalim heard Leona make a dismissive noise. “Forget it. None of this is worth the hassle of attracting Hunt’s attention.”

Kalim let go of Leona and stumbled to a stop. Leona continued stomping back on the path he had come, his tail agitatedly flicking behind him. Confused by the older boy’s sudden departure, Kalim blinked up the hill at Yuu and Jamil, who seemed to be having a great conversation filled with laughs and smiles between bites of red pepper hummus and fruit. He scratched his head. What had Leona meant by having a hunts attention?

No sooner had Kalim began his pondering did a head pop out from behind the trunk of the willow tree. The feather from Rook’s hat danced playfully in the wind while Rook beamed at the happy couple. He ducked behind the tree when Jamil’s and Yuu’s heads snapped in his direction. There was a pause in their date before they slowly returned to their previous conversation.

Rook reappeared on the other side of the tree trunk. He caught Kalim’s wide eyes and winked with a huge grin. Kalim didn’t realize he was sprinting up the hill until Yuu waved at him. “Kalim! Did you meet—?”

“Don’t worry about me!” Kalim shouted. He rushed right past them without pausing. “Just pretend I’m not here!”

Kalim rounded the tree. Rook was still smiling, but Kalim didn’t give him a chance to say anything. He grabbed the upperclassman by the forearm and jerked him away from the tree. He pulled Rook deeper into the woods until he was sure the others wouldn’t hear them. He sighed in relief. “Rook!”

“Ah! Young love!” Rook gushed. He threw his hands over his chest and sighed. “Like a field of flowers blossoming in spring! Comme mon cœur s'évanouit!”

Kalim grabbed Rook by the shoulders. He gave the older boy a shake. “Rook! You can’t ruin Yuu and Jamil’s date!”

Rook’s eyes widened. “Pardon moi, Roi d’Or. I came in search of the great Roi des Lions. He regularly naps under that tree. I was simply swept away by the playful banter I found instead.”

Kalim sighed. He rubbed his face with his palm. “Sorry, Rook. I’m just trying to make sure Jamil gets his chance to show how he really feels. I know Yuu likes him, but I think Jamil might be too shy to tell her he feels the same. So I made up the whole plan to have a picnic, so they had a chance to be together!”

Rook hummed, and his serious frown told Kalim his upperclassman understood what he was saying. “It is healthy they experience young love to the fullest. They should be encouraged to experience the full natural course of first love, whether that flame flourishes or later dims.”

Kalim blinked at Rook’s smile. He frowned. “You think Jamil and Yuu won’t stay together?”

Rook smiled, but Kalim didn’t like the way it looked. “I can only attest that Jamil is not the only one the Trickster has met beneath that tree.”

Kalim’s eyes widened. Yuu was meeting other guys under the tree? That meant Jamil had competition! He would have to rethink the other dates he had planned. Maybe he should suggest they meet off campus next time. That way, they would have less interruptions.

It was genius!

“Thanks, Rook!” Kalim grinned. Rook’s smile faltered for a brief moment before returning. This smile looked like the one Kalim usually saw from the upperclassman. “I’ll make sure Jamil and Yuu experience love completely!”

Kalim could still hear Rook chuckling behind him when he sprinted back to the willow tree. He whipped around the trunk of the tree and paused next to the picnic blanket. His energetic greeting/farewell died on his tongue. He found only half-eaten pitas with red pepper hummus on the blanket.

“Oi, Deuce! How about you try hitting the little birdie straight next time?”

“Stop trying to distract me!”

Yuu’s snorting laughter made Kalim spin around to face the field. Ace and Deuce chased a small ball with feathers, hitting it back and forth with small rackets. Yuu and Jamil held similar rackets, which they used to hit the ball back at the Heartslabyul students.

Kalim pouted. He had thought Ace and Deuce would be busy in Heartslabyul today. Riddle had even said they would be doing their monthly dorm cleaning!

Yuu laughed when Ace and Deuce ran into each other in an attempt to hit the birdie. Jamil grinned, but he was obviously looking at Yuu instead of the other boys. He said something that made Yuu laugh harder, a snort occasionally punctuating her laughter. Jamil’s grin widened.

Kalim hummed and placed his hands on his hips. It wasn’t exactly how Kalim had envisioned the picnic date, but he couldn’t really be disappointed. Jamil was obviously having fun, and Yuu was still giving more attention to him than the others.

But the next date he set up for the two would definitely be off campus.

[gurgling-guts]

Flatulence in Formal

written for the request in my previous post

content warning: food indulgence, descriptions of stomach noises and flatulence, humiliation

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

A and B were invited to a formal dinner party with A's boss and coworkers, at their boss's house. They were quite excited, as A's boss had a wonderful property, the house with two stories and a basement, and a gorgeous botanical garden past the gazebo. Not to mention, it was her birthday, so she'd be going all out.

B pondered aloud as they finished preparing themselves for the evening,

"I wonder what's planned this time around. Last time she threw a dinner party like this we both came home stuffed to the brim."

"God, I don't know, but we won't need to eat much before we go, or after."

As the pair arrived mid afternoon, they were greeted by a few of A's friends and coworkers, and their boss, guiding them to the dining room.

A's boss bragged, "I do hope you all haven't eaten much yet today, I've quite a filling feast for us tonight."

"I'm sure, you always go all out and feed us well when celebrating like this."

They made their way to the dining room where there was a long table set to seat twenty. The display was gorgeous, bouquets of the flowers in their boss's garden, candle light, and a great spread of vegetables, pita bread, and chips with blue cheese, creamy garlic hummus, and salsa for dipping.

A and B took their seats next to each other and near their dearest friends, and began chatting, digging into the hummus, and wrapping up veggies in their pita for a delicious bite. They wondered if their boss had grown the broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, and other vegetables in her garden, as they were fresh and flavorful, picked at just the right time.

As they talked, one of A's friends complimented their slim midi dress, adorned with gorgeous patterns and lace along the slit.

"I love the way the silk makes it shine in the sunlight. It hugs your figure splendidly."

They smiled, "Why, thank you. Perhaps we should go out and have you fitted for one in your favorite color, I think you would look just lovely."

After a short while of snacking and beginning to drink, the main course would be served. The meal was blackened salmon with a side of toasted brown rice with mushrooms and thyme, and a hearty three bean salad. It smelled amazing, and they couldn't wait to try a bite of salmon with the salad. As the boss's house staff set the plates in front of each guest, A inhaled deeply, mouth watering at the scent of the mushrooms and different seasonings.

They were quick to bite into the salmon, scooping some of the rice with it. It was perfect, tender and falling apart in their mouth. It had a slight kick, but wasn't too spicy. And the mushrooms with the rice… it was a buttery and earthy heaven on their tongue. They swallowed it down with a bit of their wine, going in to try the salad. It was savory and zesty, and somewhat crunchy, with red onions, celery, and a wonderful vinegar dressing.

As they got near the halfway point of their meal, they felt their stomach rumble a bit. Thankfully, it wasn't audible, but they began to feel some discomfort. They applied a bit of pressure to their tummy, noticing a slight tightness around their belly button. For a while, their discomfort was eased as the bubbles moved along their digestive tract. Caring not, they ate more, relishing in the flavor of the salmon and salad.

As they got closer to clearing their plate, their tummy bubbled more, and pressure was building. They were feeling even more uncomfortable around their middle, and their digestion refused to be quiet any longer. A long, bubbly gurgle sounded out from A's tummy. Their coworker next to them, who happened to be a bit tipsy, heard, and decided to tease, "Somebody's got the bubble guts. Eat too many beans?"

A's face flushed, and they put their hand to their tummy, feeling how it had rounded out. It continued bubbling and building up more pressure, stretching the fabric of their dress… Their friend was quite right about the state of their tummy, and they were humiliated to have it pointed out.

"Please excuse me for those noises. I m-must've swallowed quite a bit of air.."

"Sure, that's why it's rumbling. You better be careful, I heard the boss is serving blueberry cheesecake for dessert."

A pushed away their plate, and rubbed their tummy as inconspicuously as they could, making sure to clench their bum to avoid letting anything out. They dreaded the next course and the havoc it would wreak in their gut. They looked toward their partner for comfort, not sure if they should try to stand to go relieve some pressure.

B had overheard, realizing A's situation quickly, and gave them a look of concern. They reached over to A, rubbing their side, and feeling their bloat. They felt sympathy for them, knowing they weren't only uncomfortable, but surely embarrassed from their coworker's teasing. Between the broccoli, garlic hummus, beans, and onions, they were already guaranteed a wicked bellyache, but with dairy added? Even B's gut was a bit rumbly. It was a recipe for some very potent gas, at the least.

A's belly rumbled again, and they winced, the pressure now causing cramps. They clenched tight, and waited for the discomfort to subside before standing. If they didn't go somewhere private soon, they'd be letting loose in front of everyone.

"Excuse me love, I'm going to go.. uhm..freshen up a bit before we have dessert."

"Alright my dear, are you feeling okay?"

Their tummy growled again as they spoke, "Y-yes, I just need some fresh air and a minute of privacy. I'll be back shortly."

B frowned, worried for their partner. They watched as A headed off, a hand low on their gut that now was as round as it could manage. Their dress was most certainly hugging their figure now.

Once A knew they were somewhere they wouldn't be heard, they found a seat, and relaxed their tightened muscles, unclenching their bum. A long string of loud farts rumbled out of them. The gas felt hot on its way out, reeking of all the veggies and beans they'd eaten earlier. They blushed even though they were alone, ashamed of how unruly their gut was… It was their own fault for having so much of the things they knew made them gassy. A groaned, their tummy still bubbling and cramping. They pushed, but couldn't get any more of their gas out.

Worrying about A, B decided to leave the table as well to find them. It didn't take long, as when they turned a corner in the hall, they heard A's groans of discomfort. As they walked further, a faint smell of rotten vegetables and sulfur hit B, and they found A. They looked up at B as they walked in, confused, "What are you doing here, love?"

"I was worried about you.. I know your tummy has been giving you quite a bit of trouble, and I wanted to help."

A blushed, looking to the floor, "You aren't wrong about that… but I'm alright, you don't need to do anything."

B sat with A, putting their hand on B's tummy, feeling all the bubbles rolling through them,

"I know. I want you to feel better, though. May I?"

A sighed, knowing they did need help, and relief. They nodded, "Please…"

Having A's permission, B began to massage their abdomen slowly and gently with pressure. They began at the lower right of their tummy, working their way up their right side, across, and down their left side, several times. A particularly bassy rumble began, ending in the lower left side of A's tummy.

"Oh lord.. I'm so sorry for my tummy's noises, B… I know it's unpleasant."

"You're alright, love. Your tummy is just bubbly, it happens to everyone. Here, feel mine."

A reached out curiously, pressing their fingertips to B's lower belly. Sure enough, they felt the bubbles, and realized B would be gassy as well.

B applied more pressure, working A's trapped gas, and the deep bubbles had let them know it was almost out. Their fingers reached a hard spot, and they pressed just slightly harder, causing a series of growls, and an airy, rumbling fart to erupt from A's rump. They felt some physical relief, but they were a blushing mess. They felt repulsed by their bodily functions.

"Please excuse me again…"

"Of course, love. Does your tummy feel any better?"

"Yes, only a little bit, though."

"I'll keep rubbing your tummy until you feel relieved enough to return to the table, alright?"

"Alright. I can't thank you enough, love…"

They tooted again, flooding rank air out of their irritated bowels.

"Oh goodness, the smell. I'm so sorry my tummy is like this right now. I feel terrible…"

B pressed on their tummy again, forcing more gas out their bum.

"Ex-excuse me."

"I promise you're alright. I don't mind the noises, or even the smell. I want your tummy to feel better, especially before dessert."

A groaned, being reminded of the cheesecake they'd soon be eating, even though they most definitely shouldn't.

"Thank you for helping me… relieve myself. I'm worried though, I know the cheesecake is going to make my tummy even more bubbly than it was."

"Well… do you feel less bloated?"

"I suppose. It's not gurgling much anymore, and it isn't hard to the touch."

"I think it'll be alright, then."

"If you're sure. I think I'm ready to go back."

With that, A and B returned to the table holding hands, A's tummy slightly less distended. They both sat down again, their friends and coworkers on either side greeting them.

Just as before, A's coworker was teasing, inquiring about their tummy,

"How's the bubble guts? You still feeling rumbly in your tummy?"

A couldn't help the blush that showed on their cheeks, but they brushed it off,

"I'm feeling quite alright, but thank you for asking."

A few moments after they took their seats again, the cheesecake was served. It looked amazing with the blueberries and glaze drizzled all over each slice individually. The slices were generous in portion, same as the previous course. Though they knew it would cause them more intestinal distress, their mouth watered at the thought of the taste. They dug in with their fork, making sure to get a blueberry.

The cheesecake was decadent and creamy, the blueberry glaze having the perfect balance of tartness and sweetness, and the crust with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. It was amazing, and though they'd soon regret it, they felt it was worth the consequences, at least at that moment. As A got full after half their cheesecake, their tummy returned to a bubbling, gurgling mess. They passively rubbed their gut, knowing they'd need privacy again soon. Their belly was so full and gassy that it hurt.

A waited for the right time to excuse themselves again, not wanting much attention, especially from the likes of those next to them. To their utter dismay, as they shifted to stand, their tummy rumbled, and a loud fart bubbled out of them. It lasted long enough to break the tables' conversation and draw all attention to A. Their coworker who'd previously teased them for their bubbly tummy spat out their drink, unable to stifle their laughter.

They flushed red immediately, humiliation washing over them, tummy still bubbling loudly.

They stammered out their words, "P-pardon me, something is-" they farted again, this time punctuated by a wet sputter, "S-something is really disagreeing with me. I'm terribly sorry for my stomach's noises and my.. my, uhm, wind."

Their boss chuckled, along with a few giggling coworkers, some of which accidentally farted as well, causing another burst of laughter at the table.

"Don't worry about it, after all, we've all had a plate of beans and a cheesecake. If you need it though, or anyone else, the bathroom is down the left hall, or up the stairs."

They nodded, and excused themselves quickly, tooting on their way to the bathroom. They spent a while in there, waiting out their gas and their shame, hoping that by the time they left the restroom, it would be time to go home. They decided to sit on the toilet, just in case anything other than gas was brewing. This time, thankfully, their timing was good, and once they returned to the dining room, everyone was standing around chatting, while the staff cleared the table.

A beelined their way through goodbyes and friends joking about their eruption at the table, and they got a couple compliments for their gas. A couple coworkers said it was "impressive." This made them feel odd… but not in a bad way, strangely. Once they found B waiting, they squeezed their hand, ready to rush out to their car.

"Are you ready to head home, love?"

"Of course, dear. Is your stomach feeling alright?"

A shook their head. Their belly was still bubbling under their skin, still bloated and stretching their dress. B frowned, and rubbed their side gently.

"Let's head out and get home."

They both said their final goodbyes, and walked out to their car. B made sure to take extra care, and helped A into the passenger's side, gently pulling their seat belt over their lap. Lucky for A, and for B's nose, their house wasn't too far, just over a five minute drive.

Once they got home, A was holding their belly, trying their best not to let anything loose in their car. B saw that they were in pain, and carried them inside, taking them to their bedroom. After undressing themself, changing into light and comfortable silk pajamas, B helped A change as well. They slid the dress over A's head, and slid on a loose nightgown that matched B. Before getting into bed, they pulled a heating pad out of the night stand drawer and gave it to A, slipping into bed behind them.

"I love you, my dear. I'm so sorry about the interruptions my tummy caused tonight…"

"I love you, too, darling. I promise, it's nothing to dwell on. Even my belly is getting rumbly. Just relax and I'll rub your tummy until we fall asleep."

A squeezed B's hand gently, letting them rub their unhappy gut, and sighed. They relaxed under the combination of the heating pad's warmth and B's soothing touch, releasing a cacophony of bubbly farts, muffled by the blankets.

B patted their belly, and kissed the back of their head.

"I hope you have sweet dreams, love."

"I hope you do, too. You're my world."

As they relaxed more into B, they kept letting out long, wet farts. The disagreeable food they'd filled up on earlier was making their gut angrier still as it all moved through them. Another wet toot rumbled out into the room, but it hadn't been A this time. B grunted, putting a hand to their gut as they pushed out a rather gurgly fart.

"Ugh, excuse me. The beans are doing a number on me, too."

Hearing B like this, the same way they were vulnerable earlier… A turned over to face B, and kissed their cheek.

"You're quite alright, darling. How about I rub your belly?"

B smiled, kissing A sweetly.

"I would like that very much."

[maleficentmrsofallevil]

My favorite wigs

Ankle is being a diva again (no walk, just sit), and I'm chatty.

Surprise! My favorite wigs are becoming more expensive - but there are some affordable ones, too.

Leekeworld: many available in-stock from Denver Doll Emporium (DDE). They run about $30 each, but there are a few on sale. I like them because they are soft, on the thinner side (so they lay nice and flat on the doll's head), and they are sewn to an elastic wig cap. I prefer size 7-8 for almost all of my big girls, cuz 8-9 seems a little too big for most heads (exceptions: Volks, Domuya, Supiadoll, and Little Monica. Those girls got some big noggins).

This is a particular favorite (Blend Misty 7/8):

This 60cm-1/3 size brown-black wig from AliExpress for $6.79 currently. It's thin and incredibly soft. AliExpress wigs are very touch-and-go: for the most part, they require significant alterations (thinning, bang trimming), but considering how cheap they are, I'm willing to risk it to find the occasional gem. Wefts are sewn to an elastic wig cap. Currently on Leona:

That's a silver Leekeworld wig on Doll Chateau Bella on the Y-Body-06 in size 6/7, by the way. Imomodoll Dio/Rei is wearing a size 9-10 silver wig that I'm pretty sure I got on sale from DDE.

Iplehouse: made for their dolls specifically. Wefts are sewn to an elastic wig cap. Lots of folks complain that the wigs are too thick and look fake, but I (a) don't care, and (b) love the vibrant colors. Aaliyah is wearing size 8-9 IHW_M075 in Sienna (currently $16.10 plus shipping):

Natural fibers. HOOOO boy, if I thought Leekeworld wigs were pricey, moving into the natural fiber world has been pure sticker shock. Getting one of these for $30 is a STEAL. They tend to run in the $50 and up range. Natural fiber wigs are generally made of animal hair such as alpaca or mohair (goats). A big part of the price is the - well, destink process, to put it bluntly. Goats are stinky. The fibers need to be washed and washed and washed to remove dirt (goats are dirty), stink, and funk. Then dyed, if you want a color other than white or brown. Then you gotta brush the hair and glue it into wefts. A buddy told me about the process after buying unprocessed mohair. No, thank you. I'll just pay someone else, if there's no objections.

However, because these are natural fiber wigs, you don't have the problems that come with styling synthetic (plastic) hair. Human hair dye, curling/flat/crimping irons, and hair products are all good for this kind of hair.

You DO need to worry about the integrity of these wigs. They're frequently glued to hard caps, so no water/wet-wet stuff at the roots. The hair is super fine, so no hard tugging, or you'll pull it out of the wig. But man, are they pretty, and so so soft.

Like custom dolls, outfits, or shoes, these are generally available only from independent artists. Mass-producing these would be a total PITA. And let's be real: you've got to be pretty dedicated to deal with all that goat poop. (Yes, goats have poop on their hair. FREQUENTLY.)

[alkaline-noodles]

im sorry i need a full rundown of all the egg dishes with descriptions and why they are in their respective categories

Went in order of the tier list.

S tier:

Tamagoyaki: Japanese rolled egg with a layer of nori(seaweed)

Tenshinhan: egg mixed with imitation crab over rice with a kind of sweet-sour sauce

Gyudon: thin beef mixed with onion and egg over rice

Deviled eggs: yolks mixed with mayo and a bunch of flavorings spooned into the white and sprinkled with paprika 

Khachapuri: bread boat filled with cheese (ricotta, mozzarella, and feta for this recipe) topped with a runny egg and garnished with parsley

Shakshuka: tomato, bell pepper, and onion cooked down together with poached eggs cooked within. Garnished with feta and parsley. My mom made pita to go with

A tier: 

Fried egg on toast: fried egg on toast

Egg sandwich: hardboiled egg mashed up with mayo and placed between 2 slices of bread

Toad in the hole: cut a circle into a piece of toast, place it on a hot skillet, cook egg inside hole 

Scrambled eggs: beat eggs, mixed in salt and pepper, I added some grated cheese. The trick is to not fully cook the eggs

Egg tacos: for the eggs, I just scrambled some and fried another. Beneath the eggs are roasted potatoes and spinach

Egg drop soup: pretty much like a broth and when it's all hot you drizzle beaten eggs into it and it makes like egg ribbons 

Chawanmushi: savory steamed egg custard. Inside it is shrimp, kamaboko(steamed fish cake), shimeji mushrooms, scallions and parsley

Jammy marinated eggs: boiled eggs for about 6-7 minutes, peeled, dropped into a marinade of soy sauce, sake, sugar. Marinated for at least 10 hours

Cured egg yolk: put egg yolks into a soy sauce and mirin marinade and let sit in fridge for I think I did 8 hours

Eggs florentine and royale: poached egg over smoked salmon and spinach covered with hollandaise sauce 

Zosui: rice soup with chicken, some veggies and egg drizzle. Like if chicken rice soup was combined with egg drop soup 

Ova spongia ex lacte: sweet Roman omelette. Just eggs mixed with some milk cooked into a pancake and drizzled with oil and honey and sprinkled with pepper

Eggy bread: it's just French toast. But my family calls it eggy bread

Tortilla de patatas: thin sliced potato and onion cooked together then mixed with egg and cooked into like a pancake

Ca phe trung: Vietnamese egg coffee. Cup of coffee. Mix egg yolk with sweetened condensed milk until thick. Put on top of coffee

B tier:

Cilbir: poached egg on garlic yogurt

Egg in egg cup: cooked an egg for like 4 minutes. Dipped some bread into it

Cloud eggs: whipped egg whites. Made blobs with them. Baked for a bit. Then placed yolks and baked a bit more

Meringue: whipped whites with sugar. Arranged like fried eggs. The yolk is colored yellow with saffron

Fried rice: rice, egg, mushrooms 

Omelette: cheese, onion, mushroom, spinach 

Egg muffins: egg, prosciutto, spinach, mushroom mixed and baked in muffin tins

Dan bing: sweet potato starch based pancake mixed with scallions rolled with a sheet of egg

Hard boiled eggs: hard boiled eggs 

F tier: 

Raw egg: egg fresh from the butt

Every dish I cooked (key word cooked) was delicious. Just some we're more delicious than others. S tier is some tried and true recipes that I have made a bunch and love and will continue to keep making. The new dishes there were also just outstanding. Dishes I wish I had doubled. A tier is dishes that are delicious. I'm gonna definitely make these again too. B tier were good but either I need to work shop the recipe or there's just not much else I can do before it becomes a different thing. F tier I just couldn't stand the texture of taking a shot of raw egg. Literally only one bad egg day. 

Also I realized I put the meringues in B when I meant to put them in A.

[nice-bright-colors]

T’was a good day.

I found some denim that fits off the rack that doesn’t crush my balls.

We had Belgian Ales, frites, and of course hummus & veggies/ pita.

Circumnavigated a ‘new to us’ grocery store, after said Belgian Ales. (Did I mention they were 9.8% and 9.2%)

Came home and managed to pull out every color shoe with all my pants to find out what color sneakers to buy.

Ordered said sneakers.

Life is good. Dinner is optional.

[giisip]

Tagged by @roguegona 👀

QUESTIONS FOR 15 PALS!

ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?: yes! my great grandfather, and my middle name after my great-grandmother

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?: the other week, my emotions were everywhere, thank you female body 🤣

DO YOU HAVE KIDS?: big fat nope

WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY/ HAVE YOU PLAYED?: back in highschool I used to be on the field hockey team and netball team!

DO YOU USE SARCASM?: HA! this questionaire even tells jokes!!

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?: their smile, then their laugh, I love making people laugh

WHAT’S YOUR EYE COLOR?: hazel

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?: i'd rather pick a scary film over a romcom

ANY TALENTS?: i guess drawing?

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?: WHALES

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?: annoyingly an ever-growing list but; drawing, reading, playing games, board games, playing guitar/piano,, constantly watching reviews on things I want to buy and never end up buying, eating (this is a hobby, yes?), running (well, trying to)

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?: i do! a lil velcro cockapoo who should have been named "OI"/Shadow/Pita

HOW TALL ARE YOU?: 5"6'

FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL?: art, music and maths (which I wasn't that good at 🤣)

DREAM JOB?: i'd love to run my own animation studio

tagging: @persnickety-doodles @designer-fiction @l2bbocsstuff if you wanna 😂

[meerawrites]

Holi Short Story by Me

Brightness of colors: Rang Barse

Read here.

March, Spring in New York City, 1922. 

Marian had always loved sunny New York with its successful, stormy Skyscrapers. It was a place where they felt ecstatic. Marian was a wild, hungry, chai drinker with black hair and brown eyes, their friends saw them as a competent and caring lover. Marian walked over to the window and reflected on their beautiful surroundings. The sun shone like radiant receptive beams.

Then they saw something in the distance or rather some one . T hen, in the distance, they saw something, or rather someone , Catherine, Marian’s lover, was clever with curly hair and short stature. Marian gulped. They were ill-prepared for Catherine.

As Marian stepped outside and Catherine came closer, they could see the disturbed glint in the other's eye. Catherine moved closer, daintily, like a songbird hopping about. Close enough to whisper. 

Catherine gazed with the affection of a delightful misty mouse. She said, in hushed tones, “I love you and I want you and to share experiences of this eternity with you, ma chérie,” she said, most gently, in expert French. French that typically went over Marian’s head, though they spoke Hindi, Sanskrit and English well enough. Catherine, by contrast, was quite adequately fluent in English, French, Russian, Haitian Creole and the Piano Forte. Marian looked back, even more, stable and still fingering the colourful hat. “Catherine, my dearest, I adore you,” they replied. Marian hadn’t lost her dimples or any of her pigment since being turned into a vampire. But, she had lost the very human ability to blush. Marian had to resist fiddling with her hair or biting her claw-like, albeit pretty, nails. 

They looked at each other with warm affection, unusual for humans, rare in vampires like two old-fashioned doves, flirting on a front porch. 

Marian regarded Catherine's curls and new pink short dress softly  “I feel quite the same,” revealed Marian with a delighted grin, that exposed dainty fangs. 

Catherine looked delighted, her face gaining a doting air, for her love, even more so if such was possible. Then Catherine came inside for a nice drink of chai. As far as they both knew, vampires could consume food and drink. They would gain nothing from it but it wouldn’t hurt them at all. Catherine sits like the regency noble she is, clasping her teacup, with better manners than any English Royal and drinking small sips. Marian badly wanted more chai but they restrained themselves. Finally, Marian says what she’s been meaning to say all month. 

“Holi Hai, meree rajakumaree,” Marian says sweetly. 

Catherine opens and closes her dainty lips, presently coloured by pink lipstick in overjoyed shock. 

“A translation, mon amour?” She asks, though not forcefully. 

“My Princess,” Marian said like that Marian was almost in Catherine’s lap. 

“I was thinking … darling, we should do something for Holi, I have never been to India or to such a party but Pita ji says it’s quite fun,” Marian suggests. 

Catherine raises a proud but nonetheless astonished eyebrow. “Well, love, I have no objections, I could certainly deny you nothing, I shall change my clothes. You seem well fit already enough,” a teasing grin and a wink from Catherine and a teasing hand down her neck. Marian shudders, moving closer. Then the small drink, the bite, just the correct dance between pain and a macabre thrilling sort of pleasure to make Marian sigh gently. 

“You’re a tease,” Marian interjects trying and failing at any level of argumentative or objection. 

“So are you,” the Creole beauty Catherine retorts. 

“I—“ Marian stutters softly. 

“Yes, you love me, I love you too, ma chérie,” Catherine gently leans down and innocently kisses Marian on the cheek. 

———————————————————

An hour later, Catherine returns in a white cotton night dress. Marian adjusts their white Kurta and smiles thoughtfully. 

“I brought the colors, and the water,” Marian says, gesturing to a medium bucket of water and a tray full of all the powders in all shades of the rainbow. 

They’d need more than a couple of showers and each other's company after this game. 

Marian moves them outside to wear the sun shining brightly despite the gloom, rainfall, fog and wind in New York the night prior. They stand on their tiptoes and kisses Catherine gently on the forehead. 

Then, Marian picks up the violet powder and throws it at Catherine’s white gown, it colors the white cotton purple, next, Marian moves for the indigo, it lands in Catherine’s creole curls. Catherine shakes her head but still smiles like a Saint. 

It’s not long till Catherine returns more than just fire, coloring Marian’s clothes red and their bob of black hair blue, then there’s the solid splash of water. It would bother Marian, save for that vampire bodily functions are on both sides. No more shivering anymore. 

Finally, coloured like the entire rainbow in varying degrees, messy, overjoyed and the sun setting, not that the sun would do any harm to either of the: that ridiculous trope was invented for a vampire movie in Germany in 1922 which is both horrifying and ridiculous, at least to Miss Catherine and Mx Marian. They settle on a black-coloured couch, gently holding each other in one another’s arms,  their pretty heads nuzzled against each other. 

Suddenly, a strong scent overcame them. The smell of blood. One of the mafias in New York City wreaking havoc. Catherine sighe and Marian leans against her. “It seems the bloody fanged kiss is required once again, ma cher,” Catherine murmured and Marian nodded. 

Ridiculous maybe, perhaps a bit human for vampires, but regardless of what they are, or what they perceive themselves to be. We all could stand for some color, joy and sunlight, even in undeath. After all, didn’t Amy Grant once say, “Without black, no color has any depth?” 

[jerzwriter]

Meet Pietro

This happened entirely by chance! lol After writing Pietro & Azul last night, I've decided, the Carricks are absolutely getting a kitty! Here's a little backstory and some details about him.

Casey & Tobias both had cats in the past and discussed getting one together.

Tobias was more inclined to get a dog. He liked cats, but he had more sibling Rivalry with his mother's prized Persian, Lady, than he ever did with his brother. He definitely had some jealousy issues to work out.

But Casey insisted they had no time for a dog, not with their busy careers, then a surprise pregnancy to boot, so the idea of a pet was put on the back burner.

Still, they waffled. Sometimes Casey was the one with pet fever, sometimes Tobias. But when Sammy came along, they both agreed they'd wait.

Then one day, Tobias came home with this little guy snuggled in his jacket. A friend's cat had kittens, and she posted his picture on Instagram, saying he was the last one who needed a home. Tobias messaged her and said he'd pick it up after work. Casey had no idea.

He told Casey the clincher was the kitten's eyes... he swore they were the same color blue as Casey's, and he knew that meant they had to adopt him. (Yes, Tobias is that whipped.)

Casey said he was insane and insisted Tobias wanted to balance out the male/female ratio in the house now that she and Sammy had overtaken his former bachelor pad. (Poor man had no idea two more little girls were on the way - they were not to be defeated!)

They named him Pietro after one of Casey's favorite pizza places in Philadelphia. When she was pregnant with Sammy, she craved it all the time, and Tobias always figured out ways to get it for her. He did it because he loved his wife, but he loved the pizza, too. They joked that if the baby was a boy, they would name him Pietro.

Sammy was very little when he came along, but she always loved him. She liked him better than her little sister, Brooke, at first.

Everyone loves Pietro except Jackie. She likes him, but they have some beef. lol Pietro is very bonded with Tobias but abandons him for his mother, Vivian, whenever she visits. This drives Tobias insane.

Pietro is a Balinese cat. He is very loving, affectionate (when he wants to be), and playful. He does get into some mischief (and you'll see more of that), but he is a very loved member of the Carrick family. :)

Just tagging some of my T/C regulars (and cat fans) since you'll be seeing more of Pietro. :)

@secretaryunpaid @liaromancewriter @trappedinfanfiction @storyofmychoices @kyra75 @icecoffee90 @coffeeheartaddict2

@stars-are-within-me and @dr-colossal-pita are getting tagged strictly for cat content lol

[rachaelmayo]

This is Deep Rising 10 from 2009.

The dragons in this series keep getting more complex. I tried out a bunch of different things here in terms of composition and pattern. These things were fun to draw and color, but I think the overall shape got away from me. It's hard to read the dragon in the design, hard to differentiate body shapes from each other.

All I can do in a case like this is say that I enjoyed the process and will learn from what did and didn't work. I like the patterns a lot, but the contrasts need to be toned down if I want the body to be readable. I will want to give more thought to the way I layer the body so that the pattern works in its favor rather than confuses it. It's okay that it didn't work out as well as I might have wanted, and I'll try using this pattern again someday in a way that makes more sense.

Also, spiral tube worms are a PITA to draw and color. But in the best way.

Prismacolor pencil over a watercolor wash.

[melikedanika]

Ignorance is bliss - but it's also a bitch. Am I the only one whose been wondering how all the pieces fit?

►GENERAL INFORMATION

FULL NAME: Melike Jafrin Danika NICKNAME(S): Mel, MJ LABEL: The Aesthete AGE: 30 DATE OF BIRTH: September 9, 1993 ZODIAC: Virgo Sun, Cancer Rising, Gemini Moon GENDER & PRONOUNS: Female; She/Her HERITAGE: Turkish, Arab, Lebanese SPOKEN LANGUAGE(S): English, Turkish OCCUPATION: Interior Designer SEXUALITY & ROMANCE: Bisexual; Biromantic

► APPEARANCE

FACE CLAIM: Pinar Deniz HEIGHT: 5'6" WEIGHT: 132 lbs. DOMINANT HAND: Left HAIR COLOR: Brown EYE COLOR: Hazel SCARS: Fingers from being burnt by hot glue gun (barely noticeable) TATTOOS: None.

►PERSONALITY

POSITIVE TRAITS: Adroit, Romantic, Loyal, Brave, Compassionate, Passionate, Ambitious, Benevolent, Athletic. NEGATIVE TRAITS: Enigmatic, Guarded, Sensitive, Stubborn, Easily Bored, Perfectionistic, Detached. LIKES: Cafes, the sound of records playing, the smell of a new book and the smell of rain, astronomy, nature, cable-knit sweaters, the city lights, perfectly-done ponytails, old drive-ins, traveling, art museums, Shakespeare, Van Gogh, deep conversations, road trips, poetry, midnight runs. DISLIKES: Being told what to do, confrontation, being the first to show up, being the last to show up, not being taken seriously, someone underestimating her, the cold, feeling rushed, the sensation of being crowded, being called ‘selfish’ or 'ungrateful', restriction of freedom, close-minded people, being talked over, people who sell out, those without passion.

►MENTALITY

PHOBIAS: N/A DISORDERS: OCD ALLERGIES: Seasonal (Pollen)

►BACKGROUND

HOMETOWN: Adana, Turkey CURRENT RESIDENCE: Queens, NYC, NY EDUCATION LEVEL: BA in Interior Design from University of Cincinnati FAMILIAL CONNECTIONS: - Merjan Danika - Mother, Not in Contact - Ali Danika - 49, Father, Deceased

►FAVORITES

FOOD: Pita flatbread ( margherita style ) DRINK: Chai tea with almond milk MOVIE: The Devil Wears Prada / Black Swan TV SHOW: The Office, The Bold Type, Bob's Burgers BAND: The 1975, The Killers, The Beatles, Lana Del Rey, Smashing Pumpkins SONG: Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins / Zombie - The Cranberries

► EXTRA INFORMATION

JUNG TYPE: ESTP ENNEAGRAM: The Confidant (6w7) TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine MORAL ALIGNMENT: Neutral Good SIN: Glutton (LOL) VIRTUE: Humility ELEMENT: Earth CHARACTER PLAYLIST

"Am I the only one obsessed with making it all make sense?"

► BIOGRAPHY

TW; Death, family dysfunction

Melike was born to a loving couple. At least, that's how it seemed at the time. Growing up in Adana, Turkey, Mel never felt deprived of anything. If anything, she recalls fondly on a time where she was battling dragons with wooden swords that her father so craftily created for her. Her mother? She was always so hard to reach. Mel took on a sort of balancing act. She could be herself around her father; goofy, loving, foolhardy. Around her mother, the young girl had to put a brave face on and take up some pretty adult like chores. At the age of 4, her father was making her breakfast but her mother believed she could fend for herself. Though she tried to relate and bond with her mother, it just wound up turning into an argument. The only times she could remember her mother smiling was over her grades; Mel then focusing on academics because at least her mother cared when she saw her high grades. Her whole life, she learned to hide pieces of herself away to become enough for someone else. Something her father tried so desperately to stop, but it did become a habit to his dismay. When she was off to university, she received a full ride to the University of Cincinnati. Her mother was the one pushing her to become a doctor and go to Penn State. Mel put the decision on the back burner; her own heart and mind at odds, much like her parents were at one another's throats. Her father's death came a couple weeks following her offer letters. The impact had her mother scrambling, and it wasn't until she attempted to sell Mel to a man in order to be his wife, that she finally put her foot down. She decided to go to the University of Cincinnati and hasn't looked back on her life in Turkey since. Two years ago, the woman took the leap to move to NYC due to a job opportunity. She's still gaining her footing here, but she does love the people and the ambiance.

► PERSONALITY

Mel is passionate and loves art and history thanks to her father. Due to this, she is prone to rambles of Shakespeare, Cleopatra, and good 'ole Van Gogh. She loves to go out and have fun in the night life scheme of things, but she also loves to just throw her hair up into a messy bun and have a Netflix marathon. Mel is a hopeless romantic and is all-in when it comes to relationships and crushes. This is an aspect of herself she's scared of, seeing that her parents were a product of an arranged marriage for financial reasons - she's afraid of someone not genuinely loving her and wanting her for their own gain. This has her a bit suspicious of others, and she can be a tad hard to bond with if you hate someone whose hot and cold at first. She genuinely is a warm character and loves the simpler things in life. She loves to rearrange her friends' houses and surprise them with the new layout. She's also an awesome wingwoman. Can take a joke, but will dish it right back. Loves take out and hiking. Mel is fixated on making everything make sense, since her father's passing still doesn't make sense to her; just a trauma response, ya know?

► PLOTS

The Best Friend: This is someone who was here for when Mel first came to Denver. They most likely showed her the ropes and gave her tours. It would be nice for them to have hit it off and been inseperable ever since. - OPEN

College Friends: Friends who went through the same interior design program, maybe? Or, they could've just met around campus and now it's like 'oh shit - you're in Denver too?' - OPEN (x2?)

The Roommate: I kinda see this as like a FRIENDS type of deal. Very much like Mel is the Monica to someone's Rachel and they are trying to figure out life together. Super soft and cute, ok? - OPEN

But, Do I Suck?: The design testers. These people are who Mel runs her ideas by before putting it out into the world and actually decorating someone's house. This is especially if they are a big client. They could be her genuine friends in the design industry, or maybe they just all love art and met/bonded that way. - OPEN (x2)

Once You Have Me, Will You Want Me Still?: Blind date that turned into a hookup and Mel left before they woke up because she got scared. Ya know, she just doesn't want history to repeat itself. - OPEN