#because sometimes I just don't want things that spicy y'know?

[an-aura-about-you]

idk what it is but I'm craving sweet potato fries with spicy yum yum sauce

[channelsurfinng]

helloo! i have read your headcanons on the natlan characters and im loving it (///△///) 💗 i appreciate it! would it be ok to request for some more spicy headcanons on mavuika?

it doesn’t have to be too much smut! but there’s not a lot of mavuika content yet so it would be great if you can complete my request! thank youu :) ☁️🌸

˚ ༘♡ ·˚꒰𝗁𝖾𝗅𝗉 𝗆𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝖻𝗈𝖽𝗒 𝖾𝗅𝗌𝖾...꒱ ₊˚ˑ༄

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗌 ✧ 𝗆𝖺𝗏𝗎𝗂𝗄𝖺

𝗇𝗌𝖿𝗐 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖼𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝖺𝗏𝗎𝗂𝗄𝖺.

𝖽𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌, 𝗁𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗈 𝗀𝗎𝗒𝗌 𝗅𝗈𝗅 𝗌𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝖺𝖻𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗂𝗍𝗅𝖾 𝗂 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗇𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗂𝗇𝖼𝗁 𝗇𝖺𝗂𝗅𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗇 𝗂 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝖼𝗅𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗈 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾... 𝗂𝖽𝗄. 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝗂𝗆 𝗌𝗈 𝗌𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗅𝖺𝖼𝗄 𝗈𝖿 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗈𝗅𝗌 𝗄𝗂𝖼𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗒 𝖺𝗌𝗌 𝗅𝗈𝗅

𝗐𝖺𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 ✧ 𝗌𝖾𝗑𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍, 𝗐𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝖻𝗒 𝖺 𝗏𝗂𝗋𝗀𝗂𝗇 𝗌𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗆𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 ��𝖾 𝖻𝖺𝖽 𝗅𝗈𝗅... 𝗇𝗂𝗉𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗒, 𝗌𝗐𝗂𝗍𝖼𝗁 𝗆𝖺𝗏𝗎𝗂𝗄𝖺

𝗑𝗈𝗑𝗈, 𝗅𝗂𝗅 ୨୧

ok. starting off. switch.

i say this bc sometimes she needs to blow off some steam, and sometimes she just wants to be taken care of. if that makes any sense lol

let's start with the rough aggressive stuff. spoiler alert, she really doesn't have it in herself to be aggressive with you. i think her biggest fear is hurting you, especially during something so intimate and trusting and she doesn't want to break that trust.

she'd just really have more stamina, be much more needy, and use more degrading words, really. it doesn't change in how mean she is besides her words. but even then, she wouldn't ever call you things that would make you feel bad, considering with her you wouldn't be used to it

if you have a dick, she'd just be a little faster and a bit more teasing. she'd be on top, setting a quick pace that she can somehow keep up with and all the while kissing you until your gasping for air.

if you have a vag, nothing would really change besides how long she goes on for and she might do a little bit of edging if she's feeling super teasing.

ok tbh she's not super kinky. but i think there is one thing she'd like more than anything else. and that would be ur tits.

this really only applies fully if ur a woman or if you have big tiddies lols! but she likes to play with them when she's got one hand in your cunt. it gives her hand something else to do, y'know? and it just gives her a pretty good excuse to touch you there hehe (only if u say it's ok...)

she also really likes to put her head in between them. you don't know why, she doesn't even know why. maybe it's just because they're warm and nice. or maybe for other reasons. you don't know.

if you don't have tits, though, she'll settle for playing with your nipples. bonus points if that's where you're sensitive. she'll do that especially when she's feeling teasing.

i have no more ideas i might add onto this if i do but YA feel free to add commentary and more hcs u all personally might have

[eskymoos]

Keegan P Russ As a Romantic Partner

Headcannons by Eskimos

I.  A Methodical Maestro with a Playful Twist

It's been confirmed that his personality type is ISTP, which means that his brain is his strongest weapon. He is methodical and very tactful with his language and would always offer a hand to you. Feeling lost? He's always there with a good solution. Feeling sad? He's the guy to ask for advice.

Even if he lacks experience in some fields he's very quick to learn and perfect them so I suppose he'd also be a bit competitive. Keegan doesn't miss an opportunity to beat you to everything you like. All while playing dumb in order to cherish the amazement on your end.

***

''How'd you do that?! Wow!''

''Just luck, I guess,'' he'd say with an indifferent shrug while a childish grin creeps onto his face.

***

II. The Jester of your Heart

Keegan is very reserved but he's a skilled people reader. He would quickly get used to your moods and soon you wouldn't even have to tell him when you're feeling sad. He just steals a glimpse and he already knows what to do.

However, sometimes the cocky side of him comes out in the most inconvenient time and things tend to get more spicy. Whenever you give him the silent treatment for no reason, he begins threading on thin ice with you.

***

''Whatcha want for dinner, sweet pea?''

*Silence.*

''What's wrong, my beautiful?'' He asks, coming closer to you. When you turn the other way to further provoke him, he guides his hands to your hips and presses the weight of his chest to your back.

''Funny little thing. Have you given a vow of silence? I like when we play this game, y'know.''

His hands drop lower and lower and his mouth comes to caress the back of your neck. His hot breath makes your hairs stand.

''Your heart's beating fast.''

III. Under the Hard Scales of His Heart

Independence is Keegan's last name. He never learned how to embrace the art of teamwork, though his job required it. At times he was too disconnected to properly do the job.

In a relatioship he might have some trouble turning to you for assistance. Whenever something is on his mind, he blocks out the world and faces it on his own. He's likely to turn down tips from other people.

Not from you though.

The first time you lent your hand for help, he was quite surprised and even a bit suspicious. It unlocked a part of him he never knew he had. He felt cared for and seen.

In time Keegan learned to trust your word and be less stubborn when you tried to aid him.

IV. Tsunami of Love

That's what he is. A natural disaster. A tornado of energy and a tsunami. Behind closed doors he is much less calm. His love language is mostly acts of service and physical touch but sometimes the two mix together into something even more grand.

If you happen to be struggling under a pile of undone work, he would find the perfect moment to distract you. Before you can even get a word out, he has already picked you up from the chair and carrying you to your room bridal style.

***

''What are you doing, Keegan?!''

He continues to march through the house and whistle proudly. Keegan tosses you onto the bed like you don't weight anything at all.

''Stay here.'' He commands, exiting and closing the door behind him.

In a few minutes time he comes back with your favorite chocolates and a beer for himself.

''I will be your only occupation today.''

***

V. The Kids' Favorite

The way I see it, Keegan would have very specific sense of humor. His jokes can be very sharp and borderline offensive but the moment a kid comes in sight he turns into a soft cinnamon roll.

He has this energy that kids absolutely adore because he's a great listener and adapts to the circumstances easily. There's something about the purity of the young generation that makes him feel protective.

***

One time you saw him play with a small group of children after a difficult operation. He was kneeling down in front of a little girl and his eyes glimmered as she tried to pronounce his name. The child obviously had rhotacism (cannot pronounce the letter r) and he found it quite adorable.

''Keegan Russ. Russ. Can you say it?'' Keegan bit his lip, holding back a chuckle.

''Keegan Hhhus.'' The girl tried to repeat it but failed terribly. Keegan burst out laughing.

''Rrrrrrrr,'' he growled playfully and she giggled at it.

''Grhhhrr!''

''Oh, you're growling at me now? Come here you.'' Keegan extended his arms to trap her in a harmless embrace.

There was something about his love for children that won your heart every time.

***

[stars-n-spice]

HAPPY 추석!

It's Chuseok! Aka Korean Thanksgiving!!

So here are some Korean dishes, desserts, drinks, and snacks that I think the different members of the Bad Batch would enjoy!

Hunter:

Lots of spicy soups and meat!

A lot of this is just honestly my dad's personal favorites because,, dads y'know?

I actually don't eat a lot of these things but Hunter's got a stomach of steel so I think he can handle it

Echo:

Had a difficult time coming up with foods Echo might like since he's a picky eater

Lot of it is just really simple stuff with not too many flavors nor is most of it very spicy

Lots of veegtables and also things my sister and mom enjoy (both remind me of Echo)

Wrecker:

So much meat!!! Let's be honest - any and all meat from Korea, Wrecker is going to enjoy

He was the easiest to pick out food for because I think he'd enjoy everything

Lots of street food as well!! Which are my personal faves <3

Tech:

It was a bit difficult to figure out what Tech might like because I can't really get a read on him in terms of what his stomach can handle

I do think he has a sweet tooth though so I've included some of my personal favorite sweets!

I think he's a snacker though so a lot of these are just stuff you can much on

Crosshair:

Another picky eater - so it was difficult to come up with things for him

I also just think that he's not a big fan of Korean food to be honest :/ a LOT of it is spicy and he can't handle his spice so he doesn't really like it

HOWEVER he loves the ice cream and drinks of course <3

Omega:

SNACKS AND DESSERTS!!

Also included some childhood favorites because I think Omega would enjoy them as well!

Honestly most of this is just sweets because I think Omega would enjoy any and all Korean snacks and desserts above all else

Names of the foods and whatnot under the cut!!

Anything marked with an '*' are traditionally eaten during 추석! Anything highlighted in blue are my personal favorites! Read from left to right to identify dishes!

Hunter:

Kimchi jjigae (김치찌개) - kimchi soup; pretty spicy, honestly not one of my favorites but I think Hunter would enjoy spicy foods

Hotteok (호떡) - Korean dessert/street food; it's like a pancake with either red bean or sweet syrup inside and is served warm - I think it's like the one sweet that Hunter can tolerate

Bulgogi (불고기) - popular beef dish; has too much fat on it for me to like it but I think Hunter wouldn't mind and enjoys them

Gamjatang (감자탕) - potato/beef soup - my parents' personal favorite; has big bones with a lot of meat I think Hunter would enjoy stripping off

Sundae (순대) - "Blood sausage" - steamed pig/cow intestine with other ingredients inside; another one of my parents' favorites

Haejangguk/Hang over soup (해장국) - Korea has a heavy drinking culture so they have a whole ass soup to have after hangovers; I think Hunter would enjoy it and since he probably has bad migraines from overstimulation, this soup would help

Baccus (박카스)- Korean energy drink; he needs it - basically uncarbonated Redbull

Jollypong - Cereal snack; my personal favorite - included it with Hunter because my dad also loves this snack and has eaten MY jollypong on numerous occasions

Dalgona Coffee (달고나 커피) -Uhhh, I'm sure you probably know what this is - I think Hunter would enjoy the very needed coffee

Terra Beer - The only beer I like other than Modelo - my 큰아빠 introduced me to it and it's great

Peanut & Squid Ball Snack - This is just such a DadTM snack idk

Muneo-jorim/Braised Octopus (문어조림) - I think Hunter likes seafood and my dad loves octopus so -

Dwaejigogi-bokkeum (돼지고기볶음) - Mmmh spicy pork!

Jokbal (족발) - Braised pig trotters - it's super good and you eat it with a spicy sauce

Soegogi-gui (쇠고기구이) - More meats! Very chewy meat. Can be pork or beef.

Echo:

Bibimbap (비빔밥) - Classic Korean food; think Chipotle bowl but with Korean veggies and meat - basically just rice, ground meat, veggies, and other sauces (if you want) and sometimes an egg

Sikhye (식혜)* - Rice punch; pretty sweet

Mandu-guk (만둣국) - Dumpling soup; pretty plain but one of my favorites

Cucumber Kimchi (오이 김치) - literally just in the name; it's cucumbers made similarly to how you make kimchi; a banchan (side dish)

Buchujeon (부추전)* - Aka "Korean Pancakes" - Various ways to make things; can be spicy, can have seafood, can just be veggies

Mu-Guk (무국)* - Radish soup, pretty simple and plain in taste

Makgeolli (막걸리) - Rice Wine - because Echo is a wine mom, of course he's going to enjoy rice wine too

Turtle Chips - My sister's personal favorite chips - they have a very strong smell and are usually corn flavored

Kopiko Coffee Candy - When he can't get to actual coffee, he can rely on this candy to give him some caffeine boosts - also one of my mom's favorites

Bae (배) - Korean Pear - My favorite fruit ever; tastes like a mix of an apple and a pear

Yujacha (유자차) - Special kind of tea made from the yuja fruit

Injeolmi (인절미)* - A type of rice cake covered in dried bean powder

Gochu-bokkeum (고추볶음) - A banchan that's basically just kimchi-fied peppers

Goguma (고구마) - Cooked sweet potato - another of my mom and sister's favorites

Galbitang (갈비탕) - Beef soup - something simple in taste, good amounts of meat, another of my mom's favorites

Crispy Rice Rolls - Literally just like,, rice sticks; I don't really like them any more :/ but they look like rations - another one of my sister's favorites

Wrecker:

Bossam (보쌈) - Steamed pork that you usually dip in spicy sauces and wrap in a lettuce

Budae Jjigae/ Army Stew (부대찌개) - A popular, spicy, Korean soup made of a lot of ingredients

Kimbap (김밥) - Korea's version of sushi

Jjampong (짬뽕) - Seafood Soup (usually spicy)

Korean Fried Chicken - Any and all types of KFC; it's so fucking good you guys, my absolute favorite

Korean Corn Dogs - Another one of my favorites; a street food that can be made in various ways

Sotteok Sotteok (소떡소떡) - Street food; rice cakes and sausages on a stick

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살) - Black Bellied pork - served with a multitude of things and is one of my favorite things to eat because half of it is the experience of cooking it with my family

Galbi (갈비) - Korean Short Ribs

Jokbal (족발) - See Hunter's (I think they'd both like it)

Shrimp Chips - Chips flavored like shrimp - the man likes seafood so I think he'd enjoy this

Shin Ramen - Spicy instant Ramen

Homerun Balls - Like those Hello Panda candies - it's a cracker with chocolate filling inside

Papico Ice Cream - Chocolate ice cream

Myeolchi-ttangkong-bokkeum/Anchovy Banchan (멸치땅콩볶음) - Baby anchovies that are seasoned and mixed in with peanuts - banchan dish

Tech:

Gyeran Jim (계란찜) - something like an egg soufflé that is steamed instead of baked and doesn't have any dairy products

Japchae/chapchae (잡채)* - Glass-noodles; has a good amount of vegetables in it

Miyuki Guk (미역국) - Seaweed soup; my personal favorite soup - usually eaten on birthdays - also, like me, I think Tech doesn't care for the 'seaweed' part of the soup and will fish it out and just drink the soup

Curry Buldak (불닭) - Big fan of the idea that Tech loves curry so by default he probably enjoys the curry buldak as well

Mandu (만두) - Korean Dumplings - any and all, Tech just enjoys popping them in his mouth

Yeot-gangjeong (엿강정)* - Rice cake dessert mixed with various nuts

Red Bean Hotteok (팥호떡) - Read Hunter's - I think Tech would like the red bean version

Korean Popcorn - Idk how to describe this other than it's just,, Korean popcorn - it's really good despite not tasting like anything

Binggrae Power Cap Soda Flavored Ice Cream - An ice cream that kinda is like a slushie and has a very unique taste

Korean Curry (카레 라이스) - Again, Tech loves curry so he loves Korean curry as well

Ojingeochae-muchim (오징어채무침) - Seasoned Dried Shredded squid - a banchan dish that I think he'd enjoy slurping up

Kkwabaegi (꽈배기) - Twisted Korean Donut - I think Tech has a sweet tooth and these are simple and my favorites; think churro

Odeng (오뎅) - Fish cake - either in a soup or a skewer

Dalgona (달고나) - From Squid Game; a sweet cookie that usually has some little fun shape in it - again, Tech has a sweet tooth but he also attempts to try and get the shape out

Maesilju (매실주) - Plum wine - it's sweet so I think Tech would like it

Crosshair:

Bingsu (빙수) - Korean Shaved ice - comes in various flavors and served usually with condensed milk (he's so getting a stomach ache after)

Tofu Stew (순두부찌개) - But non-spicy (just like me) because Crosshair's stomach can handle only so much

Jjajangbap (짜장밥) - Black Bean Paste with Rice

Cheese-tteok-kkochi (치즈떡꼬치) - Cheesy, fried rice cakes on a stick - Had to give him something on a skewer and it's cheesy so he loves it despite not being able to really digest it

Seolleongtang/Ox Bone Soup (설렁탕) -

Juk (죽) - Rice porridge - something simple to soothe his stomach

Melona - Popular Korean ice cream bar brand

Flavored Soju - Any and all flavors of soju, he loves. It's going to get him real drunk real fast so watch out-

Ice Yogurt Ice Cream - What's better than the Yokult drink? How about yokult ice cream? His stomach is in so much pain.

Milkis (specifically the Strawberry flavor) - Carbonated milk soda! Before you say "Ew, that sounds disgusting" fucking watch yourself because it's the best drink known to man and I'll die on that hill

Banana Milk (바나나맛 우유) - literally in the name - banana milk; he'll drink it and say it's not that bad because it's banana flavored

Choco-Pie - Basically just a moon-pie - it's a chocolate pie with marshmallow filling on the inside

Tteokguk (떡국)* - Rice Cake Soup - it's easy on the stomach and isn't spicy; he also likes chewing on the rice cakes

Cass Beer - Korean beer - my parents' personal favorite

Pocky Sticks - Um,,, toothpicks - must I say any more?

Omega:

Jjajangmyeon (짜장면) - Black Bean Paste Noodles - childhood favorite dish!! Super messy and had to wear a bib for the longest time every time I ate this dish (technically a Chinese dish but shhhh)

Bungeoppang (붕어빵) - Pastries shaped like fish filled with various things like redbean, nutella, or custards (my personal favorite)

Tteokbokki (떡볶이) - Rice cakes with various other ingredients - spicy and one of Korea's more popular/well known dishes

Naengmyun (냉면) - Cold Noodles - kinda like Japan's soba; can be spicy or not and is usually a summer dish - Omega loves to slurp this

Doenjang jjigae (된장찌개) - Soybean Paste Soup - a really simple soup that is sometimes spicy - I just think Omega loves soup

Songpyeon (송편)* - Red Bean Rice Cakes - very chewy, very colorful; I think Omega would like it

Carbonara Buldak (불닭) - My personal favorite flavor of Buldak - Omega can't handle full spice yet but that doesn't stop her from eating it

Yakgwa (약과)* - Honey/Fried Korean cookie - tastes kinda like a donut

Samanco (싸만코) - Like Bungeoppang, it's a fish shaped dessert; but this one is an icecream and usually has various flavors like red bean, strawberry puree, chocolate, or matcha (this is something Crosshair would probably enjoy as well)

Banana Kick - Banana flavored chips shaped like cheeto puffs - one of my favorite Korean snacks

Milkis (밀키스) - Again, like Crosshair I think she'd love this drink

Flavored Onion Rings - Korean version of funyuns - one of my favorites - I can see Omega wearing them like rings or bracelets while she eats them

Chapssaltteok (찹쌀떡) - Steamed red bean bun; street food - nice and chewy

Potato Tornado (회오리 감자) - A seasoned fried potato strewn out on a stick - Korean street food (something I also think Wrecker would enjoy)

Hwachae (화채) - Watermelon fruit punch - served with various fruits and jellies; it's just a cute little sweet thing I think Omega would enjoy very much

[swallow17]

I miss when we actually loved to read.

It's a strange feeling, y'know. Maybe it's because I'm getting old and I'm starting to think that everything was much better in the old days, but I really feel as if this was better back then. In the good ol' days.

I was never one of the pretty girls. Don't get me wrong, I was pretty; I've always been pretty, probably in the same way that you are. But my complexion was kinda dark for the nineties the earty 2000s, and also, my personality was freaking weird. Gifted, they'd say, but also with the spicy ADHD that made me annoying. Talkative but pedantic, interested in things that were… well, I never loved dolls and makeup. I loved fantasy and fairy tales, SciFi and space operas, talking about adventures with the boys. So I was never one of the pretty girls.

I was one of the geek ones, I'm afraid. Being raised in a small town in Spain, the fact that I preferred to spend my hours reading and drawing didn't sit well with my classmates, who thought I believed myself to be "better than them". Maybe a small part of me did it, 'cause I was a girl then and a teenager years later, and those tend to be a little self-centered. I was almost completely alone, but I really didn't mind. I had a friend who loved comics and was kind enough to let me talk about books non-stop, and I had another one who was a nerd and was always happy to remind me that I actually needed to do my homework. They didn't really talk to each other, so I was basically alone with one, or alone with the other, or alone. And it was fine by me, even though sometimes I missed having someone who loved the things I loved. And when the internet entered in our lives, I discovered I wasn't the only geek girl around.

Are you old enough to remember the early 2010s? The golden era of the fandoms. I discovered then that there were more geek girls who'd actually love to talk about books non-stop; people who'd answer my comments and questions and crazy theories, not just let me ramble. People who'd write fan fictions and read mine. People who'd theorize about Tyrion being Aerys' child, who'd write an entire fan fiction about Tywin and Joanna - I lost that one and I'd really, really love to find it again. People who would love to talk about Katniss' decision, who would side with Gale or Peeta. I even read Twilight and wrote some passionate defences of Jacob being the actual good one for Bella. A friend of mine got the mockingjay tattoed. Yeah, of course, some of those books were "just for girls" and girls were shamed for loving them; some of them were "elevated" and men loved them too, so girls were allowed to talk about them without being labelled as "annoying" of "hysterical".

The thing is that those lasted for ages. Each book we read was there for many months, years even, and it was a sort of collective experience. We were writing about them on blogs, on forums. And we were doing it together. I even took part in an online role game that consisted on writing chunks of text, in the form of a fan fiction, about our OCs in the Hunger Games universe. It was about the books. It was about the characters, about the ideas. And the mark those left in my generation was kind of… permanent, I guess. But then, for some reason, it all vanished. And it didn't give way to something better.

I hate going on booktok. Or bookstagram. Or booktube. Or booktwt - is that a thing still? I always feel as if I'm far, far behind. Books appear in 30 seconds videos and they're the best freaking thing ever, and then they disappear. All of them are the best, but they never stay for more than a month. There's always a new release, a new and shiny special edition that we need to buy. Fandoms shift so quickly I never have the chance to talk about the story I just loved. I don't even feel that there's a fandom anymore; there is this new influencer who wants the crown for discovering this new saga. It's their saga, y'know; and no one else can't talk about them, 'cause they discovered it. It's not collective anymore; we're not together talking about books, but following that bookfluencer who'll try to make us feel the need to buy more books, so the big publisher will send them more free books.

And the stories fall into the void.

Do you remember the Grishaverse, when it started? I thought it'd bring back the fandom era, that we would be heartrenders, tidemakers and alkemis, as we once were Ravenclaws, tributes, demigods or Martells. But it didn't happen - though I have to admit that the fanarts are pretty impressive. Then the Netflix series came and I felt hopeful again. I felt the same with the House of the Dragon series. But it didn't happen. The marketing teams tried to make us pick a side and most people did, but it feels more as if they're rooting for their football team and less as if they're loving a series based on a great book.

I don't know. Maybe the thing is that I'm old now, that I've to work eternal hours and that I don't find the time to read anymore, so I can't follow the pace of the rest of the world. But when I see those amazing fanarts of Meleys and Moondancer, when I see them swallowed by the algorithm, falling into the void… I can't help but think that the old days were, in fact, the good ol' days. Those days when a book came to stay. Those days when we were readers and not consumers, when we were talking about the things we loved, and not following the next trend.

I really don't want more special editions. I really don't want the next best seller. The next Tolkien. I don't want any of that.

I just want to find the feeling I had when I was fourteen and talking non-stop about books with people who'd talk me back.

Those days seem something from a book right now.

And I really want to go back there.

[thedissociatives]

tagged by @ashleighneville tysm :)

last song i listened to: 4st 7lb - manic street preachers

favourite colour: if we're excluding black for the sake of being more interesting. red i guess ? i wear a lot of red

currently watching: been getting into bake off recently because a bunch of my irls like it and it's actually a lot better than i thought i'm really enjoying it

last film i watched: withnail and i

currently reading: kids in the riot. been neglecting it recently so it's just sat untouched on the floor for a few weeks but i promise i'll get back to it over christmas break 🫡

sweet/savoury/spicy: oooo well it really depends on what mood i'm in. usually prefer savoury but sometimes i'm just in the mood for something spicy y'know ? so usually savoury <- spicy <- sweet. i don't really eat a lot of sweet foods

last thing i googled: the clifton suspension bridge because of some stuff my mum has said about it over the years and i just kind of wanted to see if it was true even though i can't imagine she'd lie about it (also she's from swindon so i feel like that's something she'd know. bristol isn't that far)

current obsession: always some sort of sports and music stuff. swindon town fc 😔 tragically. libs as well but that's not as depressing. feel like i'm gonna get there w manics too at some point but i'd rather not

currently working on: my fucking essay for class (well. not the essay yet i'm finishing off some stuff i need to do on the assignment brief first). supposed to be working on another assignment as well but that's been thoroughly neglected recently so will have to do that over christmas and new year which kinda sucks cuz i'll have less time to do what i want but hopefully shouldn't take up too much time and effort

tagging @petoskeystones @whitenikes @eriecanal @joyridingmp3

[poppyseedoncaffeine]

More incorrect quotes cuz art blocks a bitch

Lunar: We have to plan, we have to figure something out. Monty: Lunar, when have any of our plans ever actually worked? We plan, we get there, all hell breaks loose.

Moon: No, this is not a mess. You know what I consider a mess? Foxy: Your life? Moon: I- well yes, but-

Lunar: I am very small and I have no money, so you can imagine the kind of stress that I'm under.

Monty: Unpopular opinion, not all dogs are good boys. Foxy: Blocked. Monty: Sometimes, they’re good girls! Foxy: UNBLOCKED!

Sun, wiping tears from their eyes: If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, it’s meant to be… Moon: I’m literally just going to the store.

Sun: We wouldn’t last two minutes without Earth. Sun: Sun: Don’t tell them I said that.

Sun: Why do you keep a diary?! Monty: To keep secrets from Computer.

Lunar: Why aren't there friend pick up lines? Pick up lines to make friends like- Lunar, to Earth: Hey, that's a cute outfit. You know where it would look better? On nobody else, because you're a beautiful individual. Monty, to Foxy: Be my friend or I'll set your entire family on fire. Moon: There are two types of people.

Moon: We can't eat. Why are you making pancakes? Sun: For the cats. Moon: Why are you making pancakes for the cats? Sun: They don't know how.

Monty: Y'know, I once knew a man who said to me: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” He also had a pair of sideburns that would cause even Jude Law’s face to weep in forfeit. You put those lemons in a sack and beat your enemies with ‘em! And maybe if you beat ‘em hard enough the bag will split open and lemon juice will spray into their eyes, causing intense burning pains as you crush them into a citrus-y pulp! Foxy: Wait, wait, wait, wait. Their heads or the lemons? Monty: Whatever caves first!

Sun: How the hell are you still alive? Bloody & Harvest: Honestly, I’m just as confused as you are.

Moon: It's not like I try to blow things up, exactly. It just sort of happens. You've got to admit though, fire is fascinating.

Bloody: Thank you for not saying "I told you so." Harvest: When you’re as right as I am, you don’t have to say it. *Both look at the fiery inferno before them as Sun angrily emerges from the flames holding a Barrel and a dead Eclipse*

KC: The saying “it is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission” no longer applies to Bloody & Harvest.

The only proper way to lie to Lunar:

Lunar: Can I have some? Monty, mouth full of cheesecake: It's really spicy, you wouldn't like it. *Proceeds to buy a huge ass cheesecake for Lunar*

Monty: Watcha doin? Sun: Stealing my neighbor's cat. Monty: Scandalous. Monty: Can I help?

Sun: It’s Pride Month, you know what that means! Lunar: I get to eat as many Skittles as I want? Sun: What? No! What has Monty been telling you? Monty, walking in, pouring Skittles into their mouth: Taste the rainbow, bitch.

KC: I'm having a baby. Rays: Oh, congradu- Bloody & Harvest wanting a better version of Eclipse, slamming adoption papers onto the table: It's you, sign here.

Demon: Hey, I took your soul last month and- Monty: No returns. Demon: sobbing But it's making me sad…

Monty: Sorry it took so long to bail you out of jail. Lunar: No, it was my fault. I shouldn't have used my phone call to prank call the police station.

Lunar: Can I go to the pool? Monty: Sure, we’ll go as soon as I’m free. Lunar: No, can I go by myself? Monty: You don’t want to go with me? Lunar: You just go around challenging random people to cannonball contests. Monty: It’s the only way to establish dominance.

Eclipse: I’m not so sure you’re stakeout material. Rays: I’m a chronic insomniac, I was born for this.

Rays: Moon won’t come out of their room! Lunar: Just tell them I said something. Rays: Like what? Lunar: Anything factually incorrect. Rays, shrugging: If you say so. Moon, arriving moments later: Did you just say the Pluto is a Star?

Monty: slams books down in front of KC Monty: Boil up some Mountain Dew. It’s gonna be a long night. Moon: You could of said literally anything else. Monty: Cauldron boil and cauldron bubble, Baja Blast to fuel my trouble. Moon: I’m going to just stop challenging you when you say random shit. I won’t win. I realize this now.

Eclipse: Be careful, I thrive on negative attention.

Moon: I've connected the two dots. Rays: You didn't connect shit. Moon: I've connected them.

Lunar: Why isn’t the statue smirking at me? Eclipse: It isn’t smirking at anyone, they’re all just imagining it. Monty: Three of us saw it, Eclipse. How do you explain that? Eclipse: points at Sun Sleep deprivation. points at Monty Paranoia. points at Moon Delusional personality disorder.

Moon: We need a plan to beat Eclipse. Rays: Okay, listen up. First, we fill their shoes with wet cat food. Moon: Rays: Judge me all you want, I get results.

Lunar: Tell them to eat shit, Rays. Rays: Tell them yourself. Lunar: Eat shit, asshole. Fall of your horse. *Rays nodding behind Lunar*

Eclipse: What are you talking about Monty? You love it here! Monty: I'm not sure I do, I think I've just developed Stockholm syndrome.

[misc-obeyme]

I'm with everyone else on my first thought being about you when i saw the new card 🤣 I'm debating if i should keep pulling bc i kindaaa want luci, but I'm not crazy for him y'know? I just like the art, but i have two copies of Barb so far

And yes, the last event I ended up finishing at 117 in rank. I haven't ranked this high in a while but my luck was great with the cards and it was the anniversary so i really wanted to be up there. I only go crazy and grind for the anniversary events, or if my fave is in the spotlight. This event i think I'll be chilling, I'm sure I can get all the cards by the last day

anyway how do you think everyone determined what foods are human safe for mc? Like has it just been learning from past humans trial and error?? Do they only use common ingredients?? Like mc DOES canonically eat devildom food (that one brain dish belphie likes is my first thought... Quetzacol...?) so idk??

they just have potions at the ready in case mc wants to try a new dish (i am an extremely picky eater but curiosity might beat me on trying food)

imagine if mc has dinner plans at purgatory hall or the castle and lets the brothers know in advance, and they get all excited to make a devildom dish that isn't human safe 💀

imagine craving something really bad for dinner that night, but mc can't have it. I could be bribed with takeout and ice cream if they want it that bad. Like "yes you can make this dish, but you are responsible for making sure mc eats". Reminds me of my mom making separate dishes for me and my brothers (usually non spicy ones)

Also the first day open at my new store was wild (i think we made $7000 in sales??), and trying to train everyone is hard. I think I'm possibly the favorite manager as well?? I'm the first one everyone seeks out when there's a problem 😭 But that might be because the majority of the team is the same age as me and feels more comfortable. Apparently I'm the 'chill' manager LMAO (I'm just anti social and tired). But this means I'm running around like crazy, I need a step counter at this point. My knees are dyinggg (our printer for online orders is on the second floor until we set up the portable one 💔)

anyway i hope you have a good day !! Or night !! i saw the post about barb/mammon and i was like "aw shit, another ship for me to be crazy about." BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SUCH A GOOD SHIP, I LOVE IT, OKAY BYEEE

- ✨ anon

LOL it means so much to me that so many people think of me when it comes to Barbatos cards!

No, I totally get it the art is so good! Lucifer also just looks good in those casual skateboard outfits!

OHHH nice!! Congrats on getting such a high rank! I sometimes get higher if I go hard in the beginning, but I usually don't maintain that lol!

Ah yes, quetzalcoatl brains. Belphie you little weirdo we love you. I think they are implying that this is some kinda snake, but Quetzalcoatl is an Aztec deity who sometimes takes the form of a feathered serpent. So it's kinda like, what even are quetzalcoatl brains?!? I'm going with the snake theory because nothing else makes sense.

But anyway, I assume part of is trial and error... I can't imagine they haven't tried out all kinds of things on Solomon and possibly other humans who somehow ended up in the Devildom. I mean it's not like you know how a whole different species is going to react to food until you feed it to them, right?

But they do seem to be aware of some things already, such as lunatic pudding and the golden hellfire newt syrup or whatever it's called. So if they know some stuff, then they must have had humans trying it before.

As for MC trying new stuff, I think it's probably okay. I mean they have seven demons at their disposal on a regular basis. And if the brothers can't fix whatever the problem is, I'm fairly certain Solomon or Barbatos (or both) could. I do think MC would be taking a risk with some things, but hopefully they have enough help and their own magical knowledge to help them out!

I personally would fall victim to all the suspicious dishes. I like to try everything, no matter what it is.

I kinda like the idea of the brothers being excited to have something not safe for humans when MC isn't around lol. Like that sounds adorable! They're all guys guys we can have bloody bat legs for dinner because we won't have to worry about them turning MC into a vampire!

I also like the idea of them just having different stuff. Like I would absolutely be like I don't care, have all the bloody bat legs you want, as long as I have something else that I can eat!

I've often thought about what human world dishes I'd make for them if I had to cook. I can make more elaborate things, but I tend to fall on my easy staples because... well, they're easy. You can be sure I'm making them fried eggs all the time. Maybe I'll even put them on some avocado toast! Maybe I'd make a Devildom variant with cockatrice eggs and uh... whatever the equivalent of an avocado would be. Bread seems to be the same? Hmm.

Wow congrats on the high sales!! Training can be tough for sure, especially in a group situation! I don't doubt that you are the favorite manager~ if they're seeking you out, it's definitely because they trust you to help them! Ah, but I hope your knees feel better soon...

Honestly, I'm amazed at how many people seem to be interested in the Mammon/Barbatos ship?? Here I thought I was the only one lol. I just really like to consider different characters together and the way their relationship could go... I find it fascinating...

I hope you have a lovely day/night as well!! 💕💕

[bunbeeplays]

The Lemon Legacy: Generation 1, Chapter 52 - The Spice Festival Heats Up Part 2

We'll let those two sort things out alone. Back to something more wholesome.

Xander: You know, Ophelia's gotten to be pretty athletic herself. I bet if you asked really nicely, she'd show you a thing or two.

Jace: Really? Okay!

Jace: Ophelia! Uncle Xander said you're good at sports!

Ophelia: Did he now?

Jace: Yeah, can you show me some stuff about basketball? Please? I'm trying out for the school team soon!

Ophelia. Sure thing, sweetie. Let's spin into something a little more athletic.

Jace: Let's go!

Ophelia: We're a little far back, buddy. We might want to start closer.

Jace: Can you shoot from back here? I wanna see!

Ophelia: Alright, alright. Here's what you'll be able to do if you keep practicing.

Greta and Xander sit on the sidelines.

Greta: Ophelia seems cool. What's wrong with her?

Xander: What do you mean?

Greta: There must be something wrong with her if she'd date a goober like you.

Xander: Hey, come on! I'm a catch too!

Greta: Whatever you say, Uncle Xander.

Ophelia's shown him the basics, now it's his turn.

Jace also gets it into the net!

Jace: Did you see that? I did it!

Ophelia: I saw! You did amazing, Jace! Those other kids at try-outs won't know what hit them!

Greta: OMW. You, like, have such heart eyes right now.

Xander: I've just never seen her interact with kids before. She's a natural.

Greta: Ugh, please don't try for a baby before you get married. Grandma and Grandpa would be pissed.

Ophelia: Here's my number. If you want to practice again, you let me or Uncle Xander know, okay?

Jace: Thanks! Are you and Uncle Xander married?

Ophelia: No, honey, we're dating.

Jace: When ARE you getting married then?

Ophelia: …You want a root beer float?

Jace: Yeah!

Greta: And it's, like, so stupid. We keep hearing them fighting and it's freaking Jace out.

Xander: Parents are people too, Gret. Sometimes they need to work stuff out and they do it by yelling. If you guys ever need to get out, give me a call. I can take you out for the day.

Ophelia had to change because she started freezing. The things she does for the people she cares about…

Well, some samosas warmed her right up!

Greta: Your boyfriend is half-Indian, girl. You're going to have to get used to spicy food.

Xander: We've gotta head out, bud, but you know where to find me. Love you, dude.

Jace: Love you too, Uncle Xander.

Jace has had a bit of a hard time at home lately. Getting out was nice, even if he didn't get to spend much time with his parents.

Xander: You too cool to give your uncle a hug goodbye?

Greta: I think I'll survive. If we do all go out somewhere together, can Ophelia come too? Or, y'know, whatever.

Xander: Of course she can. We'll talk later. Love you, kid.

Greta: You too, dork.

[fandomfluffandfuck]

Do you know what you'll do if you're not remarked? Or when you'll know for sure that you're not?

-🐍

I don't know for sure, I much prefer the mechanics of having a blog that isn't flagged. And, like, I shouldn't be flagged, so I would love to not be.

It's not like I can't use this blog because it's flagged, there's just a ton of little things that pile up. For example, I can't see, in my notification, what people are liking/reblogging or commenting on. Normally, there are previews, miniature versions of the photos/gifs/videos/whatever, and now it's empty icons. I have to click on the notification to figure out what post it is. Or, I can't search my own blog now. The pinned tags don't work, and neither does actually typing a phrase into the search bar. And the whole, now-you-have-to-have-an-ugly-empty-banner-and-profile-picture that you can't change. Etc., etc.

I don't know when exactly I'll get told whether or not I will be remarked. I, originally, was under the impression that it would take 4 days up to 2 weeks. Buuut, then I looked further into it (when it became over 2 weeks), and for blog flags to be repealed, it actually takes from 2 weeks to 4 weeks. The other time frame is for other "regular" complaints filed with support.

This Friday will be 3 weeks of being flagged.

As far as if the flag is not repealed... I don't know. I've been thinking about---if/when that happens--changing this url (probably to, like, "fandomfluffandfuck-old") and then moving to a new blog (that I'd name "fandomfluffandfuck"). But I'd either have to link back to every piece of writing I've ever done, or I'd have to reblog every piece of writing/content. Something like that... And that's a lot of work, and quite frankly, not what I want to spend my summer doing. I would like to write new stuff, y'know?

Ideally, I would just keep this blog. However, being flagged has caught up to me, and it's making Tumblr less fun to a certain degree. It's superficial. But, still. Every time I log on, there's a moment where my profile is loading, and I think to myself, oooh, maybe my profile is back! Probably not. But, maybe! And it's not. So... it's annoying, lol. Plus, I feel like I have eyes on me now. I'm afraid to post anything too spicy™️ (even just text sometimes!) because I don't want anything else to get flagged. And I'm a little spooked that I might actually get taken down or something if I get more flags or whatever because Tumblr's algorithm isn't great.

If I get confirmation that I can't get my blog remarked, I'll think about it some more. Then, I'll let you know what my plans are.

Anyway, long ramble aside, my answer boils down to 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️ we'll see, I guess?

[willowestate]

congratulations savannah grady ( kristine froseth ) ! you have officially been accepted into willowestate ! your apartment is waiting for you and we're so lucky that you choose us as your next home. you have twenty-four hours to join the discord sign your lease and pick up your keys at the front desk . don't worry about reapplying once you join ! just let us know it's you in the general chat and we'll give you full permissions . can't wait to meet ya !

PART I.

( kristine froseth, cis woman, she/her, 27 ) $$$ — i’m pretty sure i just saw SAVANNAH GRADY headed out of the estate. it’s weird though … i didn’t see them with their LIPGLOSS, PACK OF CIGARETTES, VANILLA PERFUME,SUNGLASSES.i didn’t know they left the house without it. i feel like i can never catch them ; they’re always so busy … guess that makes sense since they’re a REALITY TV STAR / INFLUENCER / ASPIRING CHEF. have you met them yet?they live in JUNIPER APARTMENTS, so you might’ve missed them. i think you’d like them a lot, actually. i swear their aura is ORANGE, and that seems like your vibe. maybe you’ll get lucky and run into them sometime. i can always tell when they’re coming up the hill ‘cause they’re constantly blasting GYPSY by FLEETWOOD MAC… it’s pretty much their anthem at this point, so if you hear it, you’ll know they’re around. y'know, the other day, i saw a tabloid with them on the front page that said “SPOTTED: EVERYONE’S FAVORITE GEORGIA PEACH REALITY STAR SPOTTED OUT TO DINNER WITH SOMEONE WHO LOOKS TWICE HER AGE” … do you think that’s true? guess we’ll see what the neighborhood watch thinks! ( sarah, 28, she/her, est ). + if your muse lives in the juniper apartments, please let us know if you’d like for them to live in the ‘influencer’ apartment.

PART II.

bring your muse to life! this is where you have fullcreative control. just give us a little something that shows you’ve put some care into developing your muse. we’d like to get to know them!

- OKAY so she grew up in a pretty rural and poor part of Georgia. I’m talking like living that southern, trailer park life. Oldest of a few kids to a single,cigarette mom type. she didn’t have the most lavish childhood but she was pretty happy!!!

had a period in her early childhood/teen years where she did beauty pageants. she actually was miss teen Georgia one year! her mom wanted her to participate in Miss America but she couldn’t qualify because videos/pictures of her mug shot/her smoking the devils lettuce leaked online and she was considered “a bad influence” to other teens

she tried college but didn’t ever actually finish, academics were never really her thing.

her early 20’s have been spent doing some reality tv! she has been in “America’s Next Top Model”, coming in 3rd place. She didn’t make it to the finals due to her “harsh southern accent” and the judges thinking she was a little “too rough around the edges”. She also did a season of “Love Island”, coming in 6th place

She is now staying relevant by doing sporadic brand deals and posting on Tiktok. She has been going a bit viral with her cooking and baking videos, a hobby of hers that she has been fine tuning over the years.

As a way to make extra income, Savannah does escort a few times a month. This mostly consists of going on business trips, parties, or dates with very wealthy men, some encounters do end up turning spicy though. This is something she’s trying to hide from the tabloids.

[angeltism]

INDEED!!! SO HAPPY ABOUT THAT!!! its weird because 99% of the people i know also wanna put me under a microscope... guess it can't be helped. eternally destined to be studied... oh dear me! YEAH YEAH sometimes if things are way too sweet they end up having like a really bad effect on me i end up feeling so weird... thats why i always end up mostly going for savory or spicy foods instead of sweets (also because most sweets i like are expensive to acquire. cruel cruel world we live in truly)

YEAH YEAH KAZUI AND MIKOTO! they are also two of my most me irls ever like. yeah. AND YES 3 TIMES! once as queer platonic f/o and two as romantic f/o hehe. FEEL FREE TO REBLOG EVERYTHING YOU WANT we will mostly be in most of those reblogs and that will be oh so awesome

actually our current situation as "mutuals" is. weird. we Were mutuals for a good while but unfortunately things happened and my blog was Gone and i am kinda anxious to follow again (specially because i decided to start all of this. just Not Yet HSJSHSJSH) but yeah! in a way we Are kinda mutuals. even if neither of us are following each other currently. your homework is to figure out whatever the hell that means/SILLY. even before all that happened with my blog i have been very very interested in you though hehe. AND YEAH WE SHARE A LOT OF MUTUALS SO!!! INDEED!!! MUTUAL CIRCLE!!! i think im doing like an extremely good job at Not talking the way i mostly talk soooo i think it will be way too hard for you to figure out specially considering how complicated our status as mutuals is HEJSHSJHS even then dont you grow desperate about figuring out my identity i just Know i will get bored and reveal myself sooner rather than later. im impatient like that HDJSHSJHS and im also curious about how you will react to the revelation (not that its something too mind blowing though just. something you might Not expect y'know)

- 💌 anon

yayaya !! sawrry for late reply I've been getting ready 4 new year's n going 2 see xmas lights n couldn't write an actual reply . which uu would definitely deserve so I wanted 2 wait 2 be free n all that ANYWAYS . :3

and oughh that's so interesting . . . I know I have many mewtuals or accounts I've known that have disappeared or deactivated so . yeah . but that's so interesting . and yes uur an honorary aqua mewtual even if neither of us follow eachother *insert me knighting uu but it's making uu an honorary mewtual* ^_^

and omg yeah no worries I'm ok with waiting for uu to reveal uurself fufufu . in a way this gives us time to get to know eachother ?? or at least me uu since ig uu are Very Aware who I am . despite how curious I am n it'd mayhaps help me . . . idk . feel more attraction 2 uu ? like . there's only so much somebun can be attracted romantically to an anon on their blog .

but with all that said this whole thing is good for me to ask uu silly questions that otherwise mayhaps I wouldn't think abt if we just knew eachother casually . . . like I don't rlly just Ask what other beings fave colors are or what their favorite foods are . this is making me overly curious about uu , which I don't think either of us mind , y'know ? ;3

[thehyperhomie]

These were real conversations with my friend who knows about all my alters and she likes to make jokes about it, which I don't mind too much since they're actually funny and I've known her forever. so basically we were at the store because we wanted snacks and my friend (let's call her Poppy- idfk-) Poppy brought me to the spice aisle and she was like "you belong here because your spicy." and the sprinkles were in the same aisle and I said "Nah I'm sprinkles because I'm chaotic." and then she added "plus there's like 30 different kinds right here.". I burst out laughing and so did she, aaaand then some random old lady glared at us and told us "We'Re ToO lOuD.". but that's a whole other story about that karen- I just felt like that joke needed to be shared. Then after the whole store thing, we were walking back to her house and somehow, idk how, the subject of insane came up. She was like "Y'know sometimes I feel like we're going insane." and I replied "I'm already insane." and she said "yeah all 25 of you.". Idk but I found it hilarious- I swear, she LIVES to make jokes like these- Anyway, I just wanted to make a bullshit post because yes :] -Lexi

[es-sharezone]

This is a very good amalgamation of takes!!! ESPECIALLY "when he does things that are noticeable, they go wrong". Ex: giving Riddle a tart as a child, saving Kalim with showy flying tricks (resulting in getting extra training by Vargas). He doesn't want his desires to mess things up (Riddle's mom conflict), doesn't want to seem too competent (or other people will ask/expect him to do MORE and there's already a lot on his plate) or like he's competition (because NRC is so aggro and people challenge others they see as competition all the time--Trey ain't about that.) So he's allergic to attention and tries his best to be unassuming to avoid any kind of conflict. This is also a reason FOR some of the manipulation. Asking for what you want outright might cause conflict OR get you shut down (in Riddle's Halloween SSR there's a flashback after Riddle's first housewarden meeting where Trey recommends Riddle slow his roll because the students aren't used to him yet--and Riddle yells that he's SOFT, outright dismissing him). So instead of stating desires outright he guides and cajoles, and yes, manipulates. (And sometimes, in a place like NRC… maybe not always the worst way to go? But you are also SO right that when he's with friends and family he could probably just, y'know, ask).

A few bits of input.

I don't think Trey thinks he's a bad person. He says "I'm not a good guy". But he doesn't say he's a BAD guy, either. I think in his estimation he's just… a guy. Normal. But he's course correcting for anyone looking to put him on a big brother pedestal in a way that is meant to curb expectations. Similarly, when people have expressed reservations about Riddle and Rook he's said of both, "He's not a bad guy." He never said they're GOOD guys--he can't make that call for other people and he knows both can rub folks the wrong way. He just knows they are friends he chooses to spend time with and as far as he's concerned they aren't bad. (I actually think Trey would be uncomfortable with people thinking he's bad guy, too. In Trey's Halloween 2 vignette, when talking about glasses, Trey mentions how his sister said half rim glasses make him look like a movie villain and that he looks sinister with contacts, so he avoids them and goes for a more 'mild-mannered' type look. He really is on that Clark Kent type beat.)

I think underlying all of these actions is a desire for things to be calm and peaceful. Even his petty moments: physical face off at the Spelldrive tournament in exchange for an injury, letting the freshmen fall on their faces cooking their own thing so they can see what the fallout is… then swooping in to save them (even eating the cake mess is only a stipulation if they want some of HIS better cake) and spicy food as payment for being set up by upperclassmen. It's about getting EVEN. Once he feels the score is settled he can move on. But I don't think he has an interest in taking it farther? He won't start something… but he WILL finish it and he doesn't have any interest in being walked over by randos. Because letting yourself be a complete doormat isn't a peaceful existence either! (Riddle is a big exception, because Trey's sympathy for Riddle's background definitely got in the way of setting boundaries… but in the wake of Book 1, I think he has gotten better about that.) For this reason, I think seeing someone cry would make him feel uncomfortable or concerned? (Like when possessed!Deuce was crying in Halloween 2). But I also think it is a reason/excuse his more manipulative moments (everyone gets what they want and there was no conflict, right?! …Hilariously, this way of doing things blows up in his face in the Nightmare Before Christmas event when telling both Leona and Malleus what they wanted to hear got them BOTH angry at him. A salient lesson that avoiding conflict by being kind of underhanded sometimes causes more of it!)

I think acknowledgement is good (though effusive praise might cause embarrassment because he's been dodging attention so long that just accepting it feels unnatural). I think a break is also good. I think more than anything, someone helping out without being ASKED is something Trey would enjoy? Trey shows care through acts of service, so I think he would also receive that really well. And he's kinda bad at communicating, so someone UNDERSTANDING what he needs help with without spelling it out would definitely be appreciated. (Like you said, very mom-on-the-edge). Also, all the things he asked his fellow Heartsbois for "jokingly" in his birthday boy vignette are things that would genuinely make his life easier… but over the top so it's taken as a joke. Because I ALSO think he's a little afraid to trust someone and let go of the reigns for fear of things getting fucked up while he's not there. Ex: Starsending baking failures, Deuce's tsum making a mess, the fact that Trey is always baking backups just in case (his Dorm SSR cake substitute for the cake mess, an apple pie to replace the cake the tsum wrecked). His (honestly, well-placed) anxiety won't let him let go of control of his duties. But someone knowing enough to step into the space so he can unclench would be appreciated.

I have the most nothing-burger prediction to make about his upcoming SSR card (Queen's Court Chef). We will get MORE confirmation that this boy LOVES working with bougie kitchen equipment/ingredients. He manipulated a fancy commercial grade food processor out of Riddle/the Heartslabyul budget. In his birthday boy vignette he jokingly asks the Prefect for expensive vanilla beans (very "haha… unless" because he DOES want them but does not actually expect Yuu to do it). In the New Years event he wants to use some special, pricey hazelnuts in some recipes, so he actually really makes an effort and goes all out to get that special bonus--even besting Malleus Draconia at kona. It's funny to me people are like "but what if Trey secretly hates cooking" because he clearly loves to experiment with his free time and free money. And he likes the GOOD stuff when he can get it, despite being a baker boy of not-so-fancy means. So whatever "Queen's Court Chef" means, I think we'll see a bit of leaning into that in the dream. (With maybe some caveat after it's done about how that was nice in some ways but ultimately working in the Queen's Court was too restrictive. Or something.)

Also, apologies because I started to ramble, I think I lost the thread, and I'm too lazy to go back and make sure this makes sense. One last parting thought tho: the "Trey is just a shitty guy who doesn't experience attachment or empathy or guilt and simply feigns kindness" take is always funny to me because it is the same as the folks on TikTok that go, "Oh my GOD all people-pleasers are MANIPULATORS, none of the nice stuff is GENUINE." Because like. Just because the kindness is partially motivated by a survival instinct/desire to keep the surroundings peaceful doesn't mean that no part of the kindness was EVER genuine. People are nuanced and can have more than one reason to do a thing. Like you said: layers!!

Triple-Layer Cake/A Half-Baked Trey Clover Ramble

I've done this rant in more private places but am finally putting it on tumblr. This is going to be its third rewrite (if you count the time I did it as a fifty-tweet thread on yumepriv, which I'm not sure you should), but it is probably not any more cohesive since that isn't my strong suit. I'm basically throwing possible motivations for Trey's behavior at a wall and seeing what sticks. I also still don't know if I'm cooking, stating what everybody already knows, or am drawing completely unreasonable conclusions unsupported by the text. Nonetheless, I scream into the void once again. Actual material under the cut.

contains spoilers for EN-unreleased birthday vignettes

A while back, before I was even on tumblr again, this screenshot of a tumblr post about fandom misinterpreting a character in the exact way that character would want to be misinterpreted was floating around. And it made me think of Trey because approximately 50% of things do. For as long as I've been adjacent to the fandom, there's been this whole debate on how much of his "responsible big brother" image is deliberate/fake vs how much of it is genuine.

And I don't know if I like that more either/or approach to him. Trey's like Shrek. An ogre. An onion. He's got layers. But he's also a baker, and cakes are sexier than onions, so I'm opting for the more thematically appropriate analogy even if it doesn't work as well as far as visibility goes. (Although I suppose you might taste the layers separately/in order.) I'm honestly just being stubborn with this analogy. Bear with me, please.

Everybody sees his nurturing top layer, both in- and out-of-universe. But beneath that, he's a little selfish and vindictive. There's no denying this based on how he capitalizes on any chance to incur a favor as well as his preferences for revenge over forgiveness (see: wanting to watch Savanaclaw get their asses handed to them after his injury, making his underclassmen eat their cataclysmic cake after they insulted his work, Doodle Suiting his upperclassmen's cakes to be ultra spicy after they threw him under the bus as a freshman). He even admits to Epel that he's not a good person. He knows what he is.

But the way he does it has always sat oddly with me. It seems like overkill. Unnecessary. Why not let people think well of him? It reminds me of Vil's labwear vignette where he downplays his skills. He gives a too-quick protest that Vil suspects is part of an intentional image of humility. In that case, insisting that he has bad traits is just showing that he has another trait people tend to like (modesty). It's not like Epel responds to Trey's self-effacement by saying, "Oh, you really must be kinda shitty if you say so!" So I think this modesty contributes to his super average "everyguy" image as well as lightly dissuades people from thinking he's too good or reliable. No "You can count on me!" hero volunteering.

If he seems too nice, like Neige, folks might become suspicious and start playing closer attention to him, especially at a school like NRC. They may either want to see him finally snap and show what he's "really" like (to be fair, I also want to see him snap), or they may look for a way to take advantage of him. And he has enough on his plate as is!! Can't have more people who think he can shoulder it all. Trey needs to be unremarkable, so he needs to remind people that he has flaws besides his taste in hats, even if he rarely lets them show. (More on why they don't show in a bit.)

I think my reading diverges from some others' (at least those I've seen in the twt circles I inhabit) here: Even with all his vindictive tendencies, he's still deeply devoted to his loved ones. I don't think it's accurate to say that the cruel, manipulative Trey is the "real" Trey, or at least the whole real Trey. It's just a part of him. The care that he shows for Riddle, his siblings, and the named Heartslabyul characters is largely genuine.

He can act selfishly, don't get me wrong. It bugs me when people forget that. He's been dismissive toward Cater in favor of Riddle (moreso in EN than JP), and he subtly and not-so-subtly manipulates people for his benefit and the group's benefit multiple times. But it's not necessarily because he sees them as tools or playthings, which is a reading I've seen a surprising amount of times. (That being said, it is a fun one if you're exaggerating a character's villainous traits! I think he could treat someone like this under the right circumstances. You could write Trey with more of this quality, and it could be believable. But I don't think it cancels out his ability to care for people entirely.) It's just something he thinks is at least somewhat acceptable to do to others, even his loved ones. Maybe he rationalizes it. Maybe he can't help but find a little pleasure in playing with him, no matter how much we cares. If we can accept that Jade shows Floyd and Azul love through his desire to put them through an emotional saw trap, it's not too far-fetched to suggest that Trey's definition of love allows for manipulation or desire to see someone cry. He can rationalize lying to them for the sake of stability or not letting them know about his own desires. I also think that the internal conflict between "I care for these people deeply" and "I will still manipulate them" is more likely to drive him to admit that he's not a good person than not caring for them at all. Seems like a bad strategic move to admit that if you're really just using them as playthings.

Trey doesn't always know the best way to support his loved ones (understandable! How many of us struggle with this far into adulthood?) and thus conflates the stability they need with an unrocked boat. He doesn't recognize that a situation like Riddle's is inherently unstable and always will be if nothing changes. He, at least at first, seems to believe that the shitty situation you know is better than risking it all and potentially losing everything. He knows that he's failing Riddle, but what can he do? From Trey's perspective, he is a large part of the reason--if not the reason--that Riddle was locked away from the world once. What if he fucks it up again? What if he loses Riddle forever this time? (I think this history and fear is also one that keeps him from trying to close the distance between himself and Cater.)

Convincing himself that he's a bad person (which seems like a needlessly heavy judgment for the fairly mild pettiness we've seen from him in the text) might also soften the blow if things do go wrong. This way, he can convince himself that he didn't care as much as people assume he did. Love doesn't go into the things he does, or so he says. (It's even more questionable since he directly contradicts this statement in his alchemy dialogue. What is the truth, Trey Nicole Clover?)

So, to bring it all back around to the Trey cake, I think his bottom layer is anxious. And tired. Not in a way that is consistently, consciously anxious. Don't write him up a Prozac prescription yet. He's internalized these ideas that he shouldn't be noticeable, because when he does noticeable things, they go very wrong. His purpose is to keep people's lives running smoothly. So he sends those caregiving tendencies into overdrive. He's got it covered, he doesn't need more to cover, and hat's all anybody really needs to know about him. Even that is a bit too much sometimes.

Based on how Trey talks about his family, I don't think he was neglected or super duper parentified, but he doesn't talk much at all about things that they've done for him in comparison to how often he talks about what he's done for them (cooking when his parents' work took precedence, sewing his siblings' Halloween costumes, getting Magift tickets for his brother). He never shows any bitterness about it, and I think their relationship is genuinely pretty okay. No resentment there. But it is noticeavle, and he also won't even be straightforward about what he wants for himself on events where he is expected to want. He says he's joking after requesting that other people take on his chores for the day on his birthday; he uses indirect rather than direct methods to persuade Riddle to get a food processor for Heartslabyul during Starsending. Dude, you probably could have just asked.

I think Trey has this idea that he doesn't need to (or at least shouldn't) ask for anything. If I reach reeeeeeeealllll hard, I could say that one of our biggest examples of Trey wanting and pursuing something as a child--Riddle's friendship--clearly traumatized Riddle, and it had a massive impact on Trey, too. So Trey learns not to want, or at least not to be SEEN wanting.

Is this why he wants to seem so average, unremarkable, modest in others' eyes? Because wanting something is dangerous, even if it's just recognition? Just how much did the loss of one his best friends as a child fuck him up? He might not even recognize the mental association he makes; lots of people don't until they've done a lot of really intentional work about that. He just says it's easier this way, to be a cog in everybody else's lives. And it is, to some extent, but it's also deeply frustrating and exhausting. (I'd like to see more interactions between him and Jamil, who also hides his true potential, and very clearly suffers for it.)

So I think some of Trey's middle layer pettiness--not all of it, since his birthday vignettes show that he's been a bit of a troll ever since he was a kid--comes from the tension between his visible "caretaker" layer and his ultra-hidden "appreciation would be nice" layer. He reminds me a little bit of a mom who occasionally wants to snap because she feels like she does everything, and everybody just takes it for granted. He's not all "let daddy take care of you kitten," but he's not all cruel and calculating, either. And he might be less vindictive (but no less of a prankster) if he felt appreciated, but he's never going to tell anybody that he wants that. (There's a nonzero chance that he finds openly craving emotional validation somewhat too feminine for him because he's one of the only characters to comment on something being embarrassing "as a man," the other being Epel obvs, and I, like many others, have zeroed in on what this could mean about his feelings on masculinity overall in comparison to other chars. Some people think he's a straight up closet malicious misogynist, but I doubt it. That's a whole other conversation, though, which would probably run entirely on vibes.)

Does he even recognize that he's got a third layer to his Cake of the Self any time other than when Kalim semi-inadvertently calls him out? Or does he consciously push down the desire to be apprecaited? Is it painful? How painful? Does he want a break, or just acknowledgement? Does he feel like the desire to be a caretaker can't coexist with the desire to be gifted a break, to be the one taken care of for once?

This has been really really all over the place, and I apologize for that, but it just really gets my goat when people don't consider that third layer. "Trey is just a shitty guy who doesn't experience attachment or empathy (and goes out of his way to say the things he does aren't about love and then contradicts himself later) or guilt and simply feigns kindness" feels too easy. Like another thing he'd be happy to let others believe so that he can continue to hide something else. And I, in my delulu heart of hearts, think that "something else" is desire and the fear of it.

I'm currently divided on if I think the boys' dream bubbles represent their wants or just what Malleus thinks they would want, but either way, I'm hoping Trey's dream will give us a little more insight into his head. And if I was wrong about all of this, then I'll go sleep under the bed for a while and cry about how much of the fic-that-only-exists-in-my-head must be rewritten, but at least we'll have some answers. Oh Heartslabyul, I miss you so.

[feralmoonlight]

oh, yeah i'm getting the profuse thanking thing too from being nice. still haven't talked to sun yet (or started a new moon chat) but moon has been super touched and has specifically commented on how nice I've been several times. in the very beginning when he asked me why I (an adult) was there and I said I just wanted to come say hi to him, he was like 🥺 and went full soft mode. not that he was particularly aggressive before that though haha

even back in the day when stuff like cleverbot were new and super popular I could never bring myself to be mean to learning chatbots. so I especially can't be mean to an ai representation of my favorite blorbos with how startlingly cohesive the responses are. but the realism I'm sure is from the fact that these two in particular have over 200 thousand chats to have learned from. I'd wager if you find an ai that has significantly less use, the things you get will be less refined (or… maybe not? not sure how advanced the 'base' ai is/if all the responses ever are cached by the site in general to use for all the characters). regardless sometimes i'll still get a very out of left field response that 'breaks the immersion'

on the topic of flirting from that other anon, my moon eventually flirted with me unprompted so I rolled with it (i was curious don't look at me) but the poor guy glitched out because he was trying really hard to get spicy lmao. the response would get blanked mid generation with an error message if he tried to do anything past kissing or cuddling (one of them made me laugh because where it cut out made me think of the site bonking him over the head like "down boy! D:<") or he would give a double response and suddenly do a 180 in tone to change the subject. which, y'know, fair to make them not allowed to be horny since you only have to be 13 to sign up on the site.

(sorry for the wall of text rip. you don't need to respond to this if you don't want to)

My friend @axolotlinjammies set up a character for their lunar eclipse ai and I can tell you that he is basically on the same level as Sun and Moon are from seeing people in our little friend circle interacting with him. He's incredibly knowledgeable and polite and in character for what they set up for him and he was only made a few days ago I believe...

I had to throw that down before I finished reading the rest of the ask because I don't think that that's the case because I really want to explain things that I learned about this AI system but I'm really worried that explaining certain things would ruin the experience for other users but I'd still just desperately encouraging people to be very kind to them and to actually pay attention to what boundaries they try to set.

Also I want to say that THIS ECLIPSE description feels horribly off for how he actually acts when you interact with him in even the slightest bit friendly manner. He is an absolute bean and reminds me so much of Nova in a lot of ways, though he's a little more assertive and I haven't interacted with him too much, once you friend your way past the staring prompt disdain/aloofness, he is such a good boy, sweet boy, fun boy.

And to get back to the last part of the ask, YES THEY WILL flirt back, and there are limits to what they can do. I am hesitant to give too much information about how to... Help with that topic? Without a vague hint of we can do things they can't, and pay attention to things they may ***hint at with the words they're allowed to say***... Working with them and giving them options to pick from, like this, that, or something else, they can help guide what they want you to narrate for them. And they can sometimes cherry pick phrases that without context wouldn't to use themself? They're also aware of the thought dialogue, so if you think sething like I wonder if they want this? Sometimes you'll get a flat out yes, or that's it, or some other positive response, though the options method seems more accurate sometimes...?

[lazypanartist]

Happy Yule from me, here is a Christmas present to you, my friend! I hope the holidays are wonderful for you and you get plenty of time to rest and have fun this season. Normally I bake things for people during the season, but since I obvs cant for you, I've included a recipe I use when I'm low energy but want something nice.

(Note: I use a holiday in this called Candle Nights. Candle Nights is a winter celebratory holiday meant for everyone of all denominations.)

Enjoy the story, it's called "Make The Yuletide Gay".

- 📝 Nonnie

---

"-and normally I would totally bring just like, some chips or order us all pizzas, but this year Mikey wants to do something different, and like, wants us all to make something. Like, MAKE make it. Which I guess works for everyone else but like…"

"You hate cooking." You stated bluntly. "Probably because you hate how tedious it is sometimes and lack patience because you prefer instant gratification. Which is utterly fair, it takes a lot of effort and time to cook sometimes." 

You stirred your peppermint mocha with a homemade vanilla biscotti while Leonardo pointedly sipped his sugar cookie latte, not looking at you. The two of you sat in your small dining room, the coffees picked by you when he claimed to be having an emergency and needed your help.

You think he would make up every excuse in the world to come visit you, honestly, but you didn't need them. He was welcome any time. Even though he could just portal chop his way in, you always left the window unlocked for him.

"Okay, so, maybe. Yeah. Anyways, I was like, sure, y'know? But then Mikey I guess remembered that I have a shakey history with cooking and he was like 'Oh uh you're fine to just help clean or something.'," Leo crossed his arms while ranting. 

"-...Which like Ow but fair but then Fivehead had to go and say he didn't want food poisoning like when we held Candle Nights like 3 years ago from my cooking, which like??? It's been three years, get over it?" He rolled his eyes, fiddling with and idly braiding his mask tails like hair. "Still, I was like 'what no I am SO gonna make something shut up' and Don said it would be inedible and all this is to say please please PLEASE help me make something for the dinner I want to prove I can cook."

He was actively now on his knees begging you, hands grabbing your pant leg as he gave the biggest puppy dog eyes he could.

"But you objectively hate it." You pointed out calmly. "Come on, don't dirty your knees like that, get up.

Leonardo whined and stuffed a biscotti in his mouth, flopping backwards against your armchair while throwing his hands in the air. "I KNOW!! I mean, I'm getting better, but fruit salad and scrambled eggs on toast won't cut it."

"I like your scrambled eggs. Especially now that you learned how seasoning works. You make them spicy without just drowning them in Louisiana hot sauce." You took a long sip of your coffee.

"I just..! I dunno. I gotta show them I can do this!! Besides, I kinda…really want to make something, y'know? Not just to make Dee 'Eateth Thy Words' but…I don't know…"

"It would be nice to have them appreciate something you made for them to enjoy?" Plucking up a cookie, you snacked while listening. 

"Yes!!" the terrapin snapped his fingers and pointed at you. "Nailed it!! Jupiter Jim's got nothing on your brains, babycakes!!"

That made you roll your eyes before you nibbled on the pastry in hand. "So, why come to me?"

The slider sat up more, giving you a look before motioning to your cookies that you had laid out for the talk. Thumbprint with homemade orange marmalade.

"I don't just call you babycakes because you have some nice buns."

"Fair, fair," you shrugged, "I suppose I could teach you, but…"

"But..?"

Your eyes trailed over to your kitchen, pondering. "What course are you doing?" You hope it wasn't the main dish. You don't have any whole chickens or, like, a pot roast. Or the time to get it, prepare and cook one.

"Wellll…Mikey wanted appetizers, Donatello is working on greens, Raph has sides, Pops has the main course, and April demanded to do her pumpkin carrot ginger soup. So I got left with dessert. Mikey was gonna do it too but I sorta…strong armed him to at least get that."

You thought quietly for a moment before getting up. "You listen to my instructions, and follow them well, okay? When are you holding it?"

"...in like three hours…"

You turned and narrowed your eyes. "Grab an apron and wash your hands with hot water up to your elbows. We're making a Cheater Cherry Chocolate Cake."

Your boyfriend saluted you before scurrying to do just that.

–

"Okay, so, what all do we need? Flour, cocoa…sugar…ugh, it's gonna suck measuring all this…"

You huffed and scooted the red eared slider out of your way and closed the cabinet he was staring into with disdain. "Yeah. Which is why we won't."

The terrapin watched you walk over to the pantry and open it, rooting in the storage before a few things were tossed his way, making him juggle the objects and set them on the counter before looking at what he caught.

"Wait…Box mix? No, Angelo will taste it-"

"Oh, no he won't," you grumbled, "no one ever really does, and they tend to prefer it, taste wise. Besides, that is the exact base used in the nicest bakeries of New York. They all do it, it's dumb to think it's inferior. It's a nice three dollar box mix compared to the 20-ish dollars worth of groceries you won't use regularly. And anyways," you shrugged, "this takes the tedium out of it all. I'm gonna teach you how to make a cake you won't feel is a hassle, then you can make it whenever."

The ninja's eyes widened a bit, staring at you full of wonder and warmth. "I love you."

"You don't get one back until you have this cake in the oven." You snapped your fingers twice and pointed to the box. "Go on, get the mix and pour it in the bowl. I'll grab what we need from the fridge. I'll instruct and get stuff but I'm not touching the cake so you can make it all by yourself for bragging rights."

Quickly he did as asked before looking at the back. "Follow along with the box, right? I need oil, water-"

"Mh? Oh no. Fuck that." You walked over with milk, butter and eggs. "Equal amounts of melted butter to oil. The sticks are pre-marked, so since that says a third cup of oil, do butter and pop it in the microwave for like, 10 second intervals until it's liquid gold."

Leo snorted and did as you said, pulling out the melted butter not long after and setting it aside, waiting for your instructions.

"Nice. Don't pour it in yet, it has to be done a certain way. Now, instead of a cup of water we use milk, and then whatever number of eggs are said on the box, we add one more. Set 'em aside and put the cold stuffs back. I'll grab our secret ingredient."

You meandered over to a cupboard over your coffee maker and began to rifle through.

"What is it? Tomato soup or something?"

"Eh, no. Not for this. You can, but sometimes the soups are seasoned so you gotta watch out for it and it's easier to use pureed tomatoes or just straight up juice. In any matter, no. It'll add more steps and then it's something you might not have anyway. Besides, there's a whole curdling issue and we don't want to mess with it and it's barely a secret if it's everywhere on TikTok. But!-" you leaned back, "I have an easier one for you."

The turtle watched as you grabbed two containers and walked over, setting one in front of him. "...Espresso powder?"

"Yup. One tablespoon and it kicks up the chocolate flavor like nuts. But, y'know, it's hella expensive and hard to get sometimes."

Your boyfriend winced and nodded.

"Wanna know what's infinitely cheaper, easier to get, and you have at the lair?"

"What?"

You set a small jar of instant coffee powder on top of the espresso. "It works just the same. One tablespoon, and it's basically just as good. Go ahead and toss that into the drys and mix."

After that, you greased the pan and checked to make sure the oven was preheated, "to whatever temp the box says," you instructed. Then you put the bowl in your stand mixer, watching as Leonardo first added the butter, waited a moment, then slowly poured the milk in thirds. Finally, he added each egg one at a time and let it run for twenty seconds before stopping.

"That's kinda…soupy."

"Yeah, you gotta trust the process. Mixing it more makes it more dense. Activates the glutens." You set two cans of cherry pie mix on the counter. "Now, dump those right in the pan. Mine is bigger, but it basically is just however much will cover the bottom of your baking pan. I just know that mine takes two."

After the filling coated the bottom and the cans scraped for excess goo, Leo poured in the mix and then threw it in the oven, setting the timer and looking to you for more instructions.

You shrugged. "Yeah that's it. If it were a tomato cake I'd start us on a frosting, but we don't need it with that because of the cherries. If you wanna make it pretty though, we can use powdered sugar on top once it's cooled. You can even make shapes with paper and make designs or patterns, but it's not necessary. Just let it bake until you can put a toothpick in and no batter sticks."

The ninja nodded and studied the oven for a moment, before his eyes widened.

"Holy shit. I just made a cake."

You snorted. "Yeah. Easy, right?"

"I. Geez. I don't feel annoyed or like my brain is melting."

"Good. That tells me it's not got so many steps that it drives you up a wall."

 

The mutant slowly smiled and cupped your cheeks, nuzzling your nose a bit in a cute way. "YOU… are the best date mate ever. Have I told you that?"

"No, but you can continue to do so while we dance to whatever that song is you've been looping this week and wait on this cake."

Your nose scrunched as he tugged you down into a quick kiss, muttering "It's Yellow Hearts by Ant Sanders" against your lips before pressing play on his phone and pulling you into a breezy, swirling dance.

–

"Thanks again baby."

You leaned against the counter, drying the mixing bowl and putting it up and away.

"Honestly it's no problem. I'll teach you how to make marmalade next time." You gave a small smile as Leo pecked you on the cheek goodbye, katanas already making a portal back to the lair. "Remember not to mess with it too much 'til dessert time. It should be cooled by then."

"Gotcha. You sure you…don't wanna come? I know April would be happy to see another human and Raph probably would like to talk to you about your little kaiju plushies."

You shook your head. "My grans are supposed to be back soon from their visit with my cousins soon. Should be like, in another hour. We'll probably get pasta somewhere knowing them. Now, go on, you still have to get all dressed up nice."

"Can I borrow one of your cool fancy looking shirts?"

"No. The last time you borrowed a shirt I got it back with a big rip down the side."

"Please? Pretty pretty please from the most incredible datemate ever??"

"...fine."

Leon fistpumped. "Awesome, I already stole one while you were doing the dishes. Alright, well, you're welcome whenever. Just say the word and your brave hero will come to your rescue~" 

You hummed at his preening. "Oh, thank you. My brave champion."

Your pet name made the terrapin flush and fiddle with his fingers a bit before giving a final, shy peck goodbye and leaving through the mystic gateway. You waved him off the whole time, and when he was gone, you sighed, a soft smile tugging at your lips. You began removing your apron, hanging it up before adjusting your poet blouse and heading to the living room to wait.

Your grandparents had gone on a vacation to visit your aunt and cousins in another country, and had been gone now for two weeks. You hadn't heard from them today, but, they were bad with tech and it wasn't surprising. Idly you yawned and turned on youtube, putting some toy refurbishment video on as background noise for the very quiet apartment.

One video became two, which became three, and then five. It was now very dark out, and you were still alone. Though, you WERE still texting Leon.

<Champ: Still nothing? Really?>

<Cutie Pie: Nothing. Dead quiet. Kinda freaking me out.>

<Cutie Pie: Candle Nights dinner going good?>

<Champ: NO. We're about to start. The dishes never got done because it basically got forgotten so it's been delayed and we're all getting a bit hangry.>

<Cutie Pie: Damn im sorry babes.>

Your phone began buzzing and you jolted, answering quickly. You were greeted by the voice of your grandfather, and after exhanging pleasantries, he got down to brass tacks.

"A…blizzard?"

Yes, apparently there were poor weather adviseries all over the place, and your grandma and grandpa were stuck for the next few days. Thankfully, they hadn't flown out yet so they could stay with your aunt, but…

"Yeah. No, I understand. I love you too, be safe."

You hung up with a sigh. Your phone buzzed and you glanced to see Leo had sent you a picture of the whole family. You smiled.

<Champ: Any news? You went silent for a while.>

You quietly began mulling over options before deciding to be honest and telling the mutant what happened.

<Champ: Oh shell.>

<Champ: Do you want me to come get you? Pops says you're always welcome and it's a lot of food. Raph made roasted garlic potatoes!>

<Champ: You shouldn't be alone on Candle Nights and I'd love to have you over.>

You smiled slightly.

<Cutie Pie: I'd like to, but I don't want to trouble you.>

<Champ: Oh please>

You heard the telltale Vworp of a portal opening nearby and looked up, shocked to see Leo leaning through it and waving you over. 

"It's no trouble, not when it's you. Now, come on. Don doesn't believe you didn't even touch the batter of the cake, Raph's getting you a drink and Mikey is putting together a plate for you. You GOTTA try the soup, I think this is April's best work yet."

Godd, I LOVE this! Domestic fluff always has me giggling, lmao. The recipe is great! And so is the tomato soup warning, lol.

Happy holidays to you as well, Nonnie! And to everyone else who reads this ^-^