#but alas. ginger calls me again

[westywallowing]

I'm dying my hair ginger again guys

[sh1-n0bu]

✿ 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙮𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 ✿

𝙀𝙥𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙙𝙚 2 — Daily life of the assassin husband

mini series masterlist ⇦prev ep next ep⇨

waking up in the morning next to his loving spouse will always be the highlight of his day alongside every moments spent with them. to yingxing, every moment spent with his most beloved is worthy of not even the heftiest bounty or money. even the most brightest diamonds, gorgeous jewels, ancient statues or bounties worth billions are worthy next to his spouse. everything is nothing but mere useless things, materialistic or not, they turn into meaningless stones and papers when beside his love.

and that reason alone was the main reason yingxing had a hard time searching for the perfect ring for them.

diamond? too cliche and its edges rust and chip very easily. sapphires resembling his eyes? could work. but none of the sapphires he came across were worthy of his lover. too bland, too big, too chunky, too small etc etc. what about a jewel that resembled their eye color? or even hair color? no good. everything was too plain. and therefore, yingxing settled on making a ring for his beloved by his own hands. sure, he got his already fucked up hand gain more scars and injuries. but every pain and scars was worth his beloved spouse.

“‘xing…” a voice drawls sleepily as an arm wraps around his middle, pulling him closer to the slightly smaller body. skin on skin, heart to heart, how he wished to indulge in his greed for you and stay beside you until he turns into nothing but ash and flowers. many would call yingxing a fanatic and maniacal in the ways he loves you, like a devoted follower worshipping a god at its feet. but yingxing didn’t mind the comparison. if he was going to be dubbed as a fanatic lover, then he would be known as a willing fanatic lover.

“‘xing…” another call of his name snaps him out of his thoughts, causing a deep, rumbling chuckle to come from his chest. shifting closer to your side, he runs a hand through your [c] locks. gently, ever so tenderly as if afraid his hand that had dealt in too much killing would taint you by simply touching you.

“morning, my sleepyhead” he speaks up, planting a ginger kiss to the crown of your head. he couldn’t help but laugh when you scrunch your nose, a sleepy groan coming from you as a form of your own special good morning. he found it cute. akin to how a bunny’s nose would twitch whenever you scrunched up your nose like that.

“darling, don’t do that. your adorable face will get wrinkles and you’ll become absolutely irresistible to me” he calls out, kissing the bridge of your nose as his calloused hand comes to cradle your cheek. using the position to his favor, he litters your face in kisses. peppering over your forehead, cheeks that he loves to bite on teasingly, eyelids that covered his favorite stars and lips that was like roses and clover.

yingxing was absolutely enormously in love with you and that was even an understatement.

“do you have to go to work?” you drawl out, hands tightly wrapped around him to keep him close to yourself, unwilling to allow him to slip out of the warmth of your bed. he only laughs, finding your clingy, sleepy self adorable. absolutely endearing. if he could, he wanted to just reach over and take a big ol’ chomp from your cheeks and stay in bed all day alongside you. nothing but the warmth of his lover and your sweet voice to grace his heart. alas, work called and he had no other choice but to leave the safe haven of your arms. much to the dismay of the both of you.

“sadly. i’ll probably be late today, so don’t force yourself to stay awake further than what you’re used to, 亲爱*” yingxing warns in a gentle tone, yet knowing full well that you will still wait for him to return home and stay awake until you fall asleep on the couch again. as heartwarming it was to come back home to your hugs and sweet kisses to mend his broken heart, yingxing knew your condition wasn’t something to just force yourself to act like it was okay.

he worried at times. perhaps a bit too much at times.

hearing that he would be later than usual today, you groan out in protest. unable to help yourself as you hug him tighter in a form of rebellion. your husband could only shake his head, kissing the crown of your head as a form of apology.

the days all start out the same. you two would laze around in bed for a while, bantering, talking of mundane things in life or gossiping about what happened at his office before reluctantly dragging yourselves out of bed. washing your face, brushing your teeth together, sometimes, yingxing would help you in brushing out your hair and its tangles.

making sandwiches, preparing his lunchbox for the day as he makes you your morning coffee just the way you liked. hot, steaming, not too full of the cup with an extra dosage of love and stolen kisses. it will always be hard for yingxing to go to work and leave his beloved, but duty called and being an adult in a society was hard. why couldn’t he just stay home all day and night, cuddling with his beloved at any chance he got? that would have been much more preferable. just stuck beside you like glue, 25/8, never leaving your side.

picking up the bento box that you had made with love carefully in his hand, yingxing slips on his usual shoes for the day before staying at the front door for you to do something. bento over slightly to be on your level, a slight pout on his face and a finger pointing at his forehead.

“place lips here, please?”

ah right, how could you forget? yingxing always loved goodbye kisses as much as he loved his welcome back kisses. in a sense, he was addicted to you. to your essence, to your presence, to your warmth and lips, constantly finding his way back to you, back to your side, back to your lips like a bee hunting for honey would.

“such a needy hubby” he could hear your sleepy laugh, a soft, drawled out hoarse voice from the early morning hours as your lips are placed onto his forehead after swiping his bangs to the side. a gentle peck, maybe two, and a stolen one from his lips. yingxing nearly let out a purr like a satisfied animal, melting into your arms to return his own goodbye kisses.

just one step out of the door and he was ready to grovel for your attention. for you to forcefully drag him back inside the home and just cuddle with him all day. he didn’t care if his suit ended up scrunched or wrinkled, any problem in the world didn’t matter when he would be beside you. alas, fate was cruel and it forced him to wave a goodbye to you as you watch him from the balcony, the smallest of smiles tugging on his lips as he sees your sweet sleepy expression and messy morning hair. he couldn’t wait to finish today’s works early and come back home to you. just 8 or perhaps even 10 hours of work and he would be back in your embrace.

yingxing’s job was a graphic designer to a private company.

he would go to the company, sit down on his office and receive calls all day from clients who liked his former designs of homes — whether they be interior or exterior — wanting him to design a certain specific home for them. an endless calls and endless annoying clients on the phone, on the video calls asking him about adding this or that or cutting off this or that. oh how quickly yingxing wished for his work hours to just end already. at least he had a picture of the two of you on your first date as an official couple framed on the table and your delicious bento to nourish his body during lunchbox.

a small picture frame, you and him inside the small glass box. a bright smile on your face, brighter than the neon lights of the arcade behind the two of you, arms around a cute pink rabbit plushie from a famous cartoon. what was it's name again? he used to watch it with you after all. right, melody. a fitting named character for his beloved whose voice is one. tucked loosely under his left arm was the other half, kuromi, the black bunny with it's mischievous smile while yingxing's right arm stays over your shoulder protectively. your eyes and smile towards the camera but his always on yours. an uncharacteristically gentle smile on his own face, adoring look of his red eyes focused on your beaming face.

you still kept the two plushies from the arcade. the two bunnies kept together, paws beside each other as if holding hands. on the days yingxing felt particularly sappy, he would take kuromi from beside melody, using the cute plushie to peck your cheek as if he was the plushie instead. though, that won't last long until your clingy hubby is replacing kuromi's kisses with his own ones.

on the days he doesn't have any special 'commissions' to take care of for the night, he would take the night train to find you at home, waiting for him per usual. a desired hug, a much needed kiss to his chin or cheek, if lucky he will steal a few before dinner. a seat at the dining table opposite of you, you can ramble about everything to him. be it your work, the home, what you did, the movies you've watched or the latest series you've been loving. anything that falls from your mouth would go in through one ear and out the other. all eyes and attention on you, his hand supporting his chin as he just nods along.

please keep talking, he loves how passionate you are about a topic. he loves the sound of your voice, the slight pitch when you talk of something emotional, the raise when you mention something that ticked you off. he loves how expressive you are.

and when dinner is done, the dishes are washed and it's time to fall back asleep, yingxing would stay awake a little bit longer. just a moment longer, for he realizes every night and morning, every moment you are in his arms that he had fallen in love with an amalgamation of stars, how they run through your veins and how the brightest of them are in your eyes. you have always been his favorite. his beloved sleepyhead.

亲爱 — qīn’ài meaning “dear”, “beloved”

tag list: @thetwinkims, @sc1ssor3, @9log4ridge, @bloodofapinksakura2010x, @interstellar-equilibrium, @chibiduck if you want to be added to the tag list, just let me know in the comment section! and some blog names seem to be having trouble being tagged as well, apologies for that!

[doumadono]

Warnings: graphic descriptions of amputation, blood and gore, a dash of dark humour at the very end, viking themes, mentions of sacrifices

A/N: this original story was commissioned by @amelia-quining on my Ko-fi page. Thank you once again for trusting me with your request. I really hope this little fic meets your expectations ♥

KO-FI COMMISSIONS

In the far reaches of the north of Sweden, nestled amidst towering firs, rugged cliffs and ancient stones, lay the Viking settlement of Hurgå, where the chill winds carried whispers of ancient gods and forgotten rituals. 

Hurgå was a quaint settlement nestled amidst the rugged terrain of the northern lands. Surrounded by dense forests and towering mountains, it exuded an aura of rugged beauty and ancient mystique. The village consisted of sturdy wooden structures, their roofs adorned with thatch, blending seamlessly with the natural landscape. Narrow dirt paths wound their way between the buildings, lined with wildflowers and patches of vibrant greenery.

In the heart of Hurgå, overlooking the settlement square, stood a modest yet revered structure: the temple dedicated to the glory of Odin, the Allfather.  Built with sturdy timber and adorned with intricate carvings depicting scenes from ancient legends, the temple served as a focal point for the spiritual life of the community.

Hurgå was a place of untamed beauty and unyielding harshness, where the whispers of ancient gods still lingered in the crisp mountain air, and where the people revered the old ways with unwavering devotion.

Among them was Åse. 

The girl, in her mid-20s, possessed a striking appearance that captivated those around her. Her long, lustrous ginger hair cascaded down her back, framing her delicate features. Emerald eyes sparkled with intelligence and depth, drawing others into their gaze. Freckles adorned her nose and cheeks like constellations against her porcelain skin, as pale as moonlight, that felt soft and smooth to the touch, like freshly fallen snow. Despite her slender frame and lack of height, there was an undeniable allure to her presence, and many young men found themselves enchanted by her beauty, but alas, their affections remained unrequited. As a devout priestess of Odin, her heart belonged solely to her divine calling, and no earthly suitor could sway her dedication.

Åse was not like the other women of Hurgå. While they busied themselves with domestic chores and tending to the hearth, she sought knowledge and enlightenment in the shadow of the temple built for the glory of Allfather. Her dreams were filled with visions of the future, and she longed to become a seer, a vessel through which Odin's will could be known.

During the summer solstice, when the boundaries between the hominal realm and the divine were said to blur, Åse made the pilgrimage to Uppsala, the sacred center of worship for the northern tribes. There, amidst the throngs of pilgrims and the intoxicating scent of burning incense, she partook in the sacred rituals and consumed the potent hallucinogenic brew offered by the temple priests that would allow her to transcend the mortal realm.

As Åse consumed the potent hallucinogenic brew, the world around her began to shift and warp, blurring the lines between reality and the ethereal. Colors danced before her eyes, swirling and merging into intricate patterns that seemed to pulse with life. Her senses heightened, and she felt as though she were being pulled into another realm.

In her trance, Åse found herself standing in a vast, mist-shrouded forest. The air was thick with the scent of pine and soggy earth, and a sense of ancient wisdom seemed to permeate the very atmosphere. As she walked deeper into the forest, she felt a presence watching her, a powerful and otherworldly presence that seemed to emanate from the very trees themselves.

Amidst the haze, a figure began to materialize before her. He stood tall and imposing, his form wreathed in ethereal light. His features were sharp and regal, with piercing eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of the ages. Though she had never beheld a man so fine in her life, she felt an unmistakable sense of recognition, as if she had known him in some distant time or place. It was him. It was the Allfather.

With a voice barely above a whisper, the girl spoke, her words tinged with gratitude. "Thank you, my lord," she murmured, her voice barely audible amidst the swirling energies of the trance. "For your guidance and your presence in my mere life."

"Daughter of the north," the man spoke, his voice resonating with power. "You have come seeking knowledge and guidance. Ask, and I shall provide."

"Great Allfather," Åse began, her words echoing in the sacred space. "I seek your knowledge and your blessing. I wish to become a seer, to dedicate myself fully to your teachings and to serve you with all that I am."

When he spoke, his voice was like thunder rolling across the heavens, yet infused with a gentle warmth that enveloped Åse like a comforting embrace. "My child," he replied, his words resonating deep within her soul, "Your heart is pure, and your spirit is strong. I grant you my blessing and the gift of sight. May you use it wisely, and may your visions guide you on the path of enlightenment."

With those words, Åse felt a profound sense of connection to the divine. 

Odin's voice echoed in her mind once again, his gaze piercing through her very soul. "But such power comes at a price. Will you prove yourself worthy, my child?"

With unwavering determination, Åse knelt before the man, her heart pounding with anticipation. "I am all yours to command, Allfather," she declared, her voice resolute. 

"To wield such power, one must prove themselves worthy," the god intoned, his one-eyed gaze piercing into Åse's very soul. "Are you prepared to make the necessary sacrifice?"

Åse's heart pounded in her chest as she contemplated the weight of Odin's words. This was no simple bargain; it was a test of her dedication and resolve. But deep within her, she felt a stirring, a flicker of determination that burned brighter with each passing moment. "I am," she declared, her voice steady despite the tremble in her limbs. "I will give all that I am, if it means serving you, Allfather."

A solemn nod from Odin confirmed her choice, his presence seeming to fill all of her being with an otherworldly aura. "Then let it be done," he commanded, his tone both solemn and commanding.

Suddenly, Åse's vision blurred and the world around her seemed to fade into darkness. She felt herself falling, tumbling into a black abyss of oblivion, her senses overwhelmed by the weight of her decision. Time lost its meaning as she drifted in the void, her mind awash with visions of the future and the divine presence of the Allfather.

When she finally awoke, it was with a sense of disorientation, her head swimming with dizziness. But even as she struggled to steady herself, there was a newfound certainty burning within her soul. She knew, without a doubt, that what she had experienced was real, as real as her own flesh.

Determined to fulfill her destiny, Åse made her way to the highest priest of Uppsala, her steps unsteady but resolute. 

Odin's temple in Uppsala stood as a grand testament to the reverence and awe inspired by the ancient deity. The temple itself was a structure of grandeur and majesty, constructed of sturdy timber beams and adorned with intricate carvings depicting scenes from Norse mythology. Massive wooden doors, carved with symbols of Odin's authority, guarded the entrance, inviting only the most devout worshippers to pass through.

Inside, the temple's interior was bathed in the warm glow of flickering torches, casting dancing shadows across the polished stone floors. The air was heavy with the scent of burning incense, mingling with the earthy aroma of the surrounding forest.

At the heart of the temple stood a great altar, adorned with offerings of mead, bread, and other treasures laid out as gifts to the Allfather. Above it, a towering statue of Odin loomed, his piercing gaze seeming to follow the movements of those who entered.

Around the altar, worshippers gathered in reverent silence, their faces upturned in prayer and supplication. The atmosphere was charged with a palpable sense of reverence and devotion as pilgrims sought to commune with the divine and receive the blessings of the Allfather.

As Åse entered the sacred halls of the temple, she soon was led to the back of the temple by an elder woman, and upon entering the chamber of the highest priest, she felt meaningless.

The priest, adorned in ceremonial robes and wreathed in the flickering light of candles, regarded her with solemn gravity. "Åse," he intoned, his voice a low rumble that echoed off the stone walls of the chamber. 

Surprised by the priest's knowledge of her name, the long-haired girl furrowed her ginger brow in confusion. "How do you know my name?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

The priest regarded her with a knowing gaze. "Child," he said, his voice grave and solemn, "The Allfather sees all and knows all. He has watched over you since the day you were born, guiding your footsteps and weaving the tapestry of your destiny, leading you to this exact place."

Åse's eyes widened in astonishment at his words, a shiver coursing down her spine. "The Allfather..." the ginger murmured, her mind reeling with the implications of his revelation.

The priest nodded solemnly, his expression unreadable. "Indeed," he replied. "He has chosen you for a great purpose, Åse. Embrace your destiny, for it is a path that few are privileged to walk. Now, tell me, my child, what did you see in your vision?”

She recounted her vision. With each word, she felt the weight of her commitment grow heavier, yet she knew that she was ready to embrace whatever fate awaited her. She had never felt so chosen, yet the weight of her destiny felt heavy upon her shoulders, so she regarded the man’s words with a single nod.

"You have come seeking the blessing of the Allfather, but know that the path you tread is one of great peril."

Åse nodded, her gaze steady as she met the priest's solemn gaze. "I understand, honored one. I am prepared to make this sacrifice."

The priest inclined his head in acknowledgment, his expression grave. "Very well. You understand the magnitude of what you are about to undertake. This path is one of solitude and sacrifice, and none may accompany you on your journey."

Åse swallowed hard, steeling herself for the ordeal ahead. "I will not falter," she vowed, her voice ringing with pure determination. "I will see this through to the end."

“What did you offer to Odin himself in exchange for his favor?" the priest inquired, his voice low and grave.

Åse squared her shoulders, meeting the man's gaze with determination. "I offered my left arm," she replied, her voice steady despite the tremor in her heart.

The man placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch a silent benediction. "May the gods grant you strength and wisdom in the trials ahead. You walk a path that few dare to tread, but know that you do so with their blessing."

The priest's movements were deliberate as he approached a small box resting on the desk, surrounded by flickering candles. With a solemn air, he opened the lid, revealing the sacrificial knife nestled within. The blade gleamed in the dim light, its sharp edge catching the glow of the candles.

Carefully, the man lifted the knife from the box, wrapping it in a linen cloth before handing it to Åse. "This is the tool of your sacrifice," he said, his voice low and solemn. "To fulfill your oath to Odin, you must wield it with purpose and conviction."

He placed the knife gently into Åse's open hands, his touch reverent. "Remember, Åse," he continued, his words weighted with significance, "The sacrifice you make tomorrow will bind you to Odin's will for eternity. Use the blade wisely, for it is a symbol of your destiny."

On a crisp dawn, Åse knelt before the towering statue of Odin, her heart pounding with anticipation. She was about to make the ultimate sacrifice, a testament to her love and devotion. Clad in a simple white shift, her left arm was bare, the spot where it would be severed was marked with a rune of courage.

Åse began her prayer, her voice echoing in the silent temple.

“Hinn almáttki Óðinn, Alföðr, heyr minn bæn. Veit mér styrk og hugrekki til að takast á við þessa áskorun, til að fórna af sjálfum mér í þínu nafni."

Åse's fingers wrapped around the sacrificial knife, its weight heavy in her palm. 

The blade gleamed with a deadly sheen, its edge honed to a razor-sharpness that promised swift and merciless precision. Adorned with ancient runes, the handle pulsed with an otherworldly energy, each symbol whispering secrets of power and sacrifice. It was a weapon of old, forged in the fires of tradition and steeped in the blood of ages past. And now, it awaited its next offering, hungry for the flesh that would feed its ancient hunger.

With a steady hand, Åse tested the blade's edge, marveling at its keenness as it sliced effortlessly through the skin on the pad of her left index finger. Åse hissed as the sharp blade met her skin, a bead of crimson welling up from the shallow cut. The sting of pain was sharp and quick, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through it, her determination unwavering. This sacrifice was necessary, a small price to pay for the knowledge and power she sought.

As she prepared herself for the task ahead, Åse knew that this blade held the key to her destiny. With its bite, she would carve her path into the annals of history, marking herself as a vessel for the divine will. And though her heart trembled with fear, her resolve remained unshaken, for she understood the importance of the sacrifice that lay before her.

She hadn't conducted any prior research, but fortunately, one of her closest friends, Helga, had assisted a healer back in Hurgå. Åse had witnessed a few instances where limbs were amputated due to the severe injuries sustained by their warriors in battles against Christians or other settlements.

Åse scolded herself inwardly, chastising her own hesitance. "Foolish," she thought, a twinge of uncertainty began to creep into the recesses of her mind, gnawing at her resolve like a relentless predator stalking its prey. "Every moment wasted is another moment of doubt and hesitation. Allfather awaits my sacrifice, and I cannot afford to falter now."

Gripping the sacrificial knife tightly in her hand, she positioned it just at the crook of her left elbow. Her emerald eyes shone with anticipation. With a shaky exhale, she pressed the blade against her skin, feeling the cold steel bite into her flesh with a sickening crunch. 

The first incision was precise, the sharp edge of the blade slicing effortlessly through the layers of dermis and epidermis. A jolt of excruciating pain shot through her arm, causing her to scream in the overwhelming agony. Sweat beaded on her ginger brow as she fought to steady her trembling hand, each movement of the blade sending shockwaves of torment coursing through her body. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she summoned every ounce of determination she possessed and began to saw through her flesh.

As the blade penetrated deeper, the resistance was greater, the tissue denser, but the blade pressed on, its edge biting into the flesh with a relentless determination.

A white-hot agony threatened to overwhelm her completely.

With each sawing motion, Åse felt a searing pain shoot through her arm, radiating outward from the point of contact. The nerves screamed in protest as the blade severed them, sending waves of agony coursing through her body. Blood welled up from the wound, flowing freely down her arm and pooling on the ground below.

As the blade cut through muscle and sinew with alarming ease, Åse could feel the resistance give way, the tissue parting like silk under the blade. The sound of tearing flesh filled the air, accompanied by the sickening sensation of her own thick blood coating her skin.

With each agonizing cut, she felt a piece of herself being torn away, sacrificed in the name of her destiny. The sound of her own labored breathing filled the air, punctuated by the wet, guttural sound of flesh being torn asunder. Her entire being was screaming in protest as she fought to keep moving. 

The metallic tang of blood filled the air, mingling with the acrid scent of burning incense. Her hands slick with blood as she worked to complete the grisly task. 

With a steady hand, the ginger girl applied more pressure to the blade. There was a sickening sensation as the blade sliced through muscles and tendon, but she pushed past it. With a deft movement, she twisted the knife, using its keen edge to pry apart the joint.

Finally, with a final, decisive stroke, there was a soft pop as the joint gave way, and Åse's arm fell down to the floor with a sickening thud, leaving a gaping wound in its wake. Blood poured from the stump, staining the ground and her robes crimson as Åse crumpled to the floor to her knees, her vision swimming with pain and dizziness, her body wracked with pain and exhaustion. She had done it. She had made the ultimate sacrifice.

In that moment, she felt a surge of power unlike anything she had ever known, and she knew that the Allfather was offering her a gift beyond imagining. And then a shroud of darkness descended upon her, swallowing her whole.

Åse didn't know how long she had been unconscious, or if she had crossed the threshold into death itself. 

Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking against the sudden brightness that stung her vision. Blinking away the discomfort, she took in her surroundings, and realized she was lying on a small bed, adorned with furs. The air was thick with the scent of incense and the pungent aroma of mead.

After a few moments of disorientation, Åse tentatively turned her head to the left. With hesitant movements, she lifted the fur covering her upper shoulder, revealing the neatly wrapped bandages that concealed the absence of her forearm. The absence of her limb sent a shiver down her spine, yet she could still feel its phantom presence, a sensation that made her gasp. 

Tears welled in her eyes once more as she gently laid her head back against the pillow. "Thank you, Allfather," she whispered, her voice barely audible in the quiet chamber.

The door creaked open, and an elderly woman entered the room, carrying a bowl filled with fresh bandages. With a gentle smile, she approached Åse's bedside. "You've been unconscious for nearly two weeks, child," the woman said softly, her voice filled with concern. "Many feared you wouldn't make it.”

Åse listened in stunned silence as the woman continued, explaining that her offering had been presented at the altar of Odin and later burnt alongside other tributes. The girl then inquired about when she could return home.

The woman offered a sympathetic smile. "That depends on how quickly you recover, my dear. But rest assured, we will do everything we can to aid your healing."

Åse returned to her settlement, Hurgå, greeted by the shocked and concerned faces of her fellow villagers. Whispers spread like wildfire as people noticed her armless state, and many approached her, their voices trembling with worry.

"Åse, what happened to you? Were you attacked on your trip to Uppsala?" they asked, their eyes wide with fear.

But Åse simply smiled, her demeanor calm and serene despite the questions. "No, I wasn't attacked," she reassured them. "It was an offering I made to the Allfather."

Some of the villagers exchanged skeptical glances, murmuring amongst themselves about her supposed delusions. They couldn't fathom why she would believe that Odin would accept such a lousy sacrifice.

Yet Åse remained undeterred, her faith unwavering as she returned to her daily life, determined to fulfill her destiny, no matter the cost.

Her best friend, Helga, rushed to greet Åse as well as soon as she spotted her. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in Åse's armless form, unable to hide her dismay. “Åse, what happened to you, sweetie?!" 

The ginger slowly nodded her head. "Well, you know how I've always been a bit too giving," she joked, a wry smile playing on her lips. "I guess I just gave a little too much this time,” she let out a soft chuckle, attempting to lighten the mood despite the gravity of her situation.

Helga shook her head in disbelief, struggling to find the right words to express her shock, shaking her head dismissively. "I... I don't know what to say," she stammered, at a loss for words. "You've always been the crazy one," the other woman murmured, her voice tinged with emotion. "But I'm glad you're back, Åse. I missed you.”

Åse gave her friend a genuine smile. "Don't worry about it, Helga," she said with a reassuring smile. "I just made a sacrifice for something greater. It's all part of my journey."

And though some may have viewed her sacrifice with horror or pity, Åse wore her scar with pride, a testament to her unwavering devotion to the gods. 

To Åse, the absence of her arm wasn't a sorrowful event, but a mark of pride, a testament to her commitment to Odin and her readiness to give for a noble cause. As she faced the days ahead with a clearer vision and renewed resolve, she understood that her decision was one she'd never rue. By sacrificing a piece of herself, she'd acquired something profound - a bond with the divine and a destiny that would guide her path forevermore.

[grogusmum]

A Smutty Little Jack Daniels Imagine

I've tried to do a Jack "Whiskey" Daniels fic several times, and I just can't get beyond the idea phase...

Maybe I just can't find him, his voice, something unique I can bring to him... I don't know.

Here is one, still just in an imagine/idea phase, I have literally posted and taken down, and I just don't know if it's something... but chatting with @oonajaeadira , she reminded me who I write for and why, so decided to post it again. We write for ourselves but we share for community. I hope you enjoy.

Warning: poorly executed oral sex (f receiving) it's a pity really

Okay, Ginger pretty clearly lets us know that Jack is not the best lover. But generally speaking, as a fandom, we have decided that Jack is a far more generous and skilled lover than canon tells us . Maybe because it's Pedro (and we literally can not imagine it), or because he has such a sincere and tragic love for his high school sweetheart wife and their little baby whom he has lost... idk. So I was thinking, what if we allow the canon to stand?

Jack Facts:

Fact #1: Can't find your clit to save his life

Fact #2: No foreplay to speak of

Fact #3: He's just terrible, just really bad

Until he meets you...

maybe even at the very same Music Festival that he got swiped left at

You see him go up to Coachella Girl with all his corny swagger and get rejected

But look at him, that dimple, that pout, those jeans, did he say 'what's tinder'?? Adorable

She instead goes for the guy in the track suit jacket and ball cap, cute for sure, but a boy

So you decide chat up "Stetson"

After some flirting, you conclude he is incredibly corny and bit of a goofball, but there's an undeniable charm

You like him and take him back to where your staying

He really talks himself up

All "Ride a real cowboy" "have you calling my name as loud as you want" yada yada

You wonder if he's all talk

But he's a good kisser, a very good kisser, and him calling you "sugar" does something to you

Alas, when you get down to it, his head between your legs, broad shoulds keeping them open wide, he is enthusiastic but sadly incompetent

Every once in awhile he brushes your clit with his mustache or that gorgeous nose and it's a fleeting glimps of heaven but he completely misreads every moan and gasp and does more of what ever the hell his mouth is doing

It's bad if you want him to slow down he speeds up, more to the left he does to the right, no instinct

Finally, you pull him up with sigh

Oh my Gods, he is looking at you with puppy dog eyes. With all his big talk, you'd think the problem is that he is a selfish lover, but you can see he wants to please you

So you are kind and ask him about his experience

He can't tell you about the spy aspect of his experience, of course, but what he does tell you gives you the picture of a whole lot if one-off experiences

You ask if there has been anyone he's reslly gotten to know and experiment with

And his high-school sweet heart - love of his life - wife comes into the conversation

He doesn't say, but you can tell she was somehow taken from him, tgeres a bittersweet shine in his eyes

He admits they were each others first- shy and inexperienced and pretty straightforward in their lovemaking but enthusiastic

You nod and tell him if it were you in high school and he simply put his hand on your knee, you would have melted

He looks down with a crooked smile and then up at you with those hopeful big brown puppy eyes

"Okay," you say, "can you be a good listener, Jack?" He nods enthusiastically. "Get down there, cowboy, I think we can sort this whole thing out."

[eggymf-archived]

of paper planes and wildflowers; 01

ft. ominis gaunt with f!reader (series)

chapter warnings: nsfw, semi-public sex, chaotically embarrassing situations,  mild dubcon, aphrodisiac, feeble attempt at ominis slander for plot(?) purposes, not proofread, unedited

chapter summary:  from teenage gossips to formulating random drinks together with your best friend, everything goes completely awry in the most unexpectedly worst way possible. 

word count: 4k

a/n: i wrote this during 1 am in the morning after a mental breakdown lmao what’s good D:

main masterlist || series masterlist || AO3

“That’s the seventh time you sighed in the last five minutes.”

You grumbled in response at Natsai’s observation, dropping your forehead flat on the table with a distinct thud, much to Madam Scribner’s chagrin who harshly shushed you with a matching glare. Natsai gave the said librarian an apologetic look before turning towards you again with concern.

"Probably ‘cause of her mum again, I reckon,” Garreth piped, flipping his book to the next page as he scribbled down on his rolled-out parchment. You shuddered in response, recalling that damned Howler you received from your mother prior this week when she found out you had landed yourself in detention with Garreth again. Your mother expected great academic success from you and for you to behave yourself, especially during this year when you’ll be taking your OWLs.

“I’m sure you’ll do great for your OWLs. Despite the trouble you get yourself into, you always excel in your studies anyway,” Natsai comforted, rubbing your shoulder as you let out yet another sigh. Yes, you were having problems with your mum’s incessant reminder of picking a career path, and yes, you were tremendously feeling pressured about acing your OWLs. But there was another problem:  a huge one in fact - so huge you couldn’t even tell your two close friends about it. 

“I’ll be fine, you two. I just have a lot in my mind lately,” you mumbled, laying your cheek flat on the surface of the table while staring at an empty table from the distance. 

“I’d say. You’ve been on the edge eversince that potions incident,” Garreth pointed out, earning a fairly loud snort from you.

“Which potions incident, Garreth? Last time I checked, you’ve had a total of three incidents this month,” you teased.

“Oh shush. It wasn’t that bad!” the ginger-haired Gryffindor laughed. “I’m talking about that one drink we concocted around two to three weeks ago. The one that you drank?”

Your cheeks slightly pinked at the memory: of course you remember that incident. It was the main reason that has caused you to get stuck in this infernal situation, after all.

“Pretty sure it's not the potion, Garreth. I’m assuming this is just my academic stress finally getting to me,” you dismissively reasoned, thus dropping the subject to concentrate on each of your respective tasks.

You half-expected your 5th year to be like the usual: focusing on your studies, literally brewing mischief and greatness with Garreth, sneaking out of the castle grounds to “practice” your duelling (extracurricular activities, as you’d like to call it) with Natsai occasionally tagging along, and so much more. Aside from the utter chaos that was presently occurring within the wizarding world, who would’ve thought that your life would also end up being in a state of frenzy. 

You shouldn’t have had that particular conversation with Garreth back then. You shouldn’t have drank that damned potion either. But in your defense, you wouldn’t have tried anything weird from the ginger-haired boy unless you actually helped him with the concoction. You’re pretty well-versed with various ingredients, priding yourself to be both book smart and pro-active in collecting various ingredients from the highlands yourself. But alas you were still a student - a silly little student making silly little mistakes. Somewhere along the process of making that certain concoction, you had messed up the calculations of the ingredients’ ratio - something that would prove to be rather grave on your part. 

You and Garreth were hanging out together at the Transfiguration Courtyard after class, the both of you discussing several ingredient combinations as usual. While he scribbled notes on a piece of parchment during the ongoing conversation, you were practicing non-verbal spellcasting for simple charms. However, the conversation took a different turn when you noticed Garreth’s voice slowly faltering as a certain housemate of yours passed by while carrying several thick books. You smirked in realization, calling out the ebony-haired female. Garreth elbowed you harshly, giving you a half-hearted glare. The female turned and smiled towards the both of you in acknowledgment before heading off.

“Blimey, Garreth. Samantha Dale?” you asked, causing him to flush bright pink. “Since when?”

“Last year during potions. That time when Sharp made her switch places with you,” he admitted, causing you to teasingly snicker.

“W-what? It’s not like you haven’t had a crush!” he sputtered.

“I hate to disappoint you but no, I haven’t,” you deadpanned.

“Tell you what, let me ask you this question instead. If you were given the choice, who would you snog in our year?”

“Garreth Weasley, I am NOT answering that!”

“I’ll get the answers right out of you whether you like it or not and you know it. Is it Amit?”

“No.”

“Is it me?”

You slapped his arm in response, earning a laugh from him.

“I’ll take that as a no. Leander?”

“I’d rather get kissed by a dementor.”

“Touché. Perhaps Sebastian?” 

“Have you seen how he looks at the new 5th year? Poor lad looks like a lovesick crup puppy it makes me sick.”

Garreth paused, deep in thought. His lips curled into a smug grin.

Oh no. This isn’t good. 

“Ominis Gaunt?”

A pregnant silence ensued, your expression utterly mortified. Garreth guffawed at your bewildered state, running away from you as you chased him down. Your face was a bright shade of red - whether it is out of embarrassment, denial, realization, or the fact that you were greatly offended by the mere suggestion, Garreth has already arrived to his own conclusion. He was absolutely never going to live this down. After all, you were normally straightforward especially when it came to your preferences: your hesitation was already an obvious sign to the answer.

Tomfoolery aside, Garreth knew you didn’t really like Ominis. To you, Ominis was a sardonic little gossip. Whenever something of note had occurred and anyone involved passes by, he would often quip about their little secrets or actions alongside his unsolicited opinions. His reputation as a Gaunt also played a part as to why you steered clear of him as much as possible: they were proud, volatile, discriminatory, and has a long history with dark magic.

Everyone in Hogwarts always say that it was impossible for secrets to be kept within the castle walls. If the castle walls have ears, then one of those set of ears most likely belonged to Ominis himself. Unfortunately, that would prove to be a correct statement for your particular little case: a certain male with a particularly strong sense of hearing might’ve picked up on your conversation with Garreth earlier.

“Are you sure about this?” Garreth asked as you grabbed the phial from the potions table. “You don’t need to be the test subject, you know? We could just get other people to try it out.”

The concoction that you’ve been working on together with Garreth now rests in your hand. The both of you haven’t named it yet, but it was supposed to stimulate the mind to focus better and to give its drinker an energy boost. Given how stressed you are with your academic subjects and the fact that you’re on the verge of a mental breakdown, you didn’t really care as long as the potion did something to improve your performance.

“It’s the weekend tomorrow, Garreth. If this goes wrong, I have two days tops to get better. I doubt I’ll even need to go to the hospital wing though,” you reassured, taking a sip. The liquid was fizzy, tasted like sherbet lemons, and it brought a pleasant little buzz at the back of your head after a while. Garreth stared at you expectantly.

“Well...?”

“Hmm. So far, so good. We’ll see what happens for the rest of the day,” you said.

“Grand. I’ll see you later then!”

You and Garreth headed off to your own respective classes. You headed off to the Transfiguration Classroom, feeling increasingly invigorated as the potion took its effect bit by bit. You were rather proud of the concoction you and Garreth had made. It felt as if you chugged a vial of Felix Felicis - nothing would ever go wrong for the day and luck was definitely on your side. 

“Hopefully this little boost lasts until I’m done with all my assignments,” you mumbled to yourself as you entered the Transfiguration Classroom, sitting at one of the vacant desks. Your classmates began to pour in, occupying the remaining seats while you flipped through the pages of your textbook, mulling over the possible lesson for today. Right as Professor Weasley left her office to enter the classroom, the classroom doors barged open revealing the flushed faces Sebastian Sallow and Ominis Gaunt.

“Ah, you two are just in time. Please take your seats,” Professor Weasley said. The two panting boys complied, heading to the remaining vacant seats, which was the one right beside you and the other was beside Cressida Blume. The opal-eyed male opted to occupy the one beside you, much to your hidden distress. You were thankful that you didn’t have Garreth as a classmate here - it would’ve been a nightmare seeing his smug little grin and him occasionally making kissy faces to mock the remaining patience right out of your entire being. 

Thankfully, the class was rather uneventful aside from a brief lecture and all of you trying out the Vanishing Spell on several objects. You kept stealing not-so-secret glances at the boy beside you as he made his own attempts, flawlessly executing the spells within a few tries. As much as you hated to admit it, the Gaunts truly did have their own unique allure. Ominis was one of the living proofs - he looked quite elegant and easy on the eyes compared to most of the guys in your year: milky blue eyes, alabaster skin, beauty marks, and dirty blonde hair that was always neatly-styled. He was someone that people would most likely stare at out of admiration.

“You know I can feel you staring at me, right?”

Until he opens his mouth, that is.

“Hmm? I have no idea what you’re talking about,” you deadpanned, causing his lips to curl into a knowing smirk. You didn’t like that a single bit, and you wanted this class to end so that you could go about your merry little way avoiding the Gaunt as you always did.

“...On that note, I’ll be assigning you all into pairs. Your partners for this assignment are your current seatmates: I’ll be expecting a 6-inch essay compilation of the Inanimatus Conjurus Spell by next week. Class dismissed.”

Your face fell.

“Is there something the matter?” Professor Weasley asked, noticing your rather upfront reaction. You shook your head vehemently, earning a couple of snorts and giggles from your classmates. You quickly shut your textbook and got up.

“Catch you around. Try compose yourself the next time we sit together, won’t you?” Ominis mocked jokingly as he left. You pointedly stared at his retreating back, silently quelling your mild annoyance.

For the most part, you stayed out of trouble for the entire day, focusing on your assignments and catching up on advanced self-studying. The drink proved to be quite a success so far - it was nearly as effective as an Invigorating Draught, and it helped you sort out the tricky bits from your assignments without contemplating on it way too much. You’ve been holed up in the library eversince your last period, and you still felt quite energetic. The library was getting more and more empty, with students opting to go to the Great Hall for their dinners or back to their common rooms. Meanwhile you just got out of the Transfiguration Section after getting the necessary reference books for that blasted compiled essay due next week. 

Suddenly, you felt your head throb, causing you to drop the books rather unceremoniously on the table. Good thing Madam Scribner wasn’t nearby or she would’ve chided you for not handling school property with care. You uncapped the phial of the concoction, chugging the last remaining contents. Perhaps the effect was lessening hence the sudden dizzying headache.

Oh but you were dead wrong. It got worse.

You felt your body heat up uncomfortably as your senses began to get more heightened - your breathing is now labored, your clothes felt unbelievably scratchy against your skin, and you felt that oh so familiar sinful tingling in between your legs. Panicked, you glanced around the library, seeing if there’s anyone nearby. You clenched your legs shut almost painfully, trying to steady your erratic breathing and heartbeat.

“Alright, self. Calm down. As long as nobody sees you like this--”

You were snapped out of your inner monologue with an oh-so-familiar posh-toned voice jolting you back into reality.

“Thought I might find you here. About that assignment...”

You inwardly screamed in sheer horror and embarrassment, cursing the bad luck that had befallen your poor self. Ominis sat right beside you, blissfully unaware of your current predicament. You couldn’t even comprehend what the male was saying to you: you were gripping your skirt tightly and biting your lower lips all in a great effort to suppress anything that might be a dead giveaway to your situation. Ominis, however, was a lot more astute than you expected. His eyebrows furrowed, immediately sensing that something was up.

“Why are you holding your breath?”

Fuck.

“O-oh. Uh... I-I was? W-well I-”

“What’s going on with you?” Ominis asked rather harshly. You gulped, trying your best to keep the last bits of sanity in your brain intact. According to your nether regions, Ominis sounded absolutely ravishing when he talks like that, and the remaining rationality within your mind refuses to accept that depraved notion. 

You almost moaned out loud when he touched your forehead with the back of his hand. He, however, wasn’t looking too amused with how unusual you were acting. Ominis frowned, looking rather offended for getting him caught up in this awkward situation. He got up, getting ready to leave.

“W-wait!” you cried out, tugging at the sleeve of his robes while looking at him with pleading eyes. “P-please help me...”

Ominis quirked an eyebrow, a faint smirk gracing his lips at your begging tone. He turned back towards you, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Oh? And why should I do that?” he sneered.

“Please I... I think I might’ve ingested an a-ah...!” 

“A what?”

“...Aphrodisiac...” you breathed out, shameful tears welling up in your eyes.

Ominis was mortified, a dark shade of pink flushing his usually pale complexion. He cleared his throat while loosening up his necktie in an attempt to diffuse his bashfulness. An aphrodisiac problem was certainly the last thing he would’ve expected from you.

“So you want me to help you... Because you might’ve ingested an aphrodisiac?” he asked, still finding the situation beyond belief.

You sobbed in response, nodding furiously. You felt so utterly humiliated that you were actually on the verge of wailing on the spot. You couldn’t think straight, you were a mess down there, and you were trying your absolute best to get the situation in control. You didn’t want to go to the hospital wing, nor were you even planning to tell Garreth or Natsai about this unfortunate side effect. Your common room wasn’t an option too because it’s a shared dormitory and the Ravenclaw tower was simply too far. Hell, this was one of the worst situations you could ever find yourself in, and there was absolutely no way Ominis would agree to this madness. 

Honestly, you just wanted to stay in a more secluded place to wait for the effects to die out. However, you had no idea where to go and you were desperate enough to ask even Ominis himself.

You were snapped out of your thoughts when he stood up and leaned towards you, grabbing your chin and forcing you to look up at his misty blue eyes while his other hand rested on the table surface behind you to support his weight.

“Are you sure you want me to do it?” he breathed. You blushed at the question, your sobs slowly quieting down as you drank the sight of him under the cold moonlight peering from the arched windows.

He was so frustratingly beautiful. So fucking ethereal.

“... Y-yes,” you gulped shakily. “P-please.”

Wait. Do what? What’s fucking happening? What the fuck did I agree on?!

He hummed in response, seemingly satisfied with your answer. 

“Hmm. Perhaps you do want to snog me after all,” he murmured before planting his lips against yours. Your eyelids fluttered shut as you instantly melted into the softness of his lips, wrapping your arms around his neck. He lifted you from your seat, making you sit on the table. However, the both of you were interrupted by the sound of heels clacking on the wooden floor. You and Ominis quickly got up, hiding behind one of the nearby bookcases.

Madam Scribner came up to the table, frowning. She grabbed the now haphazardly-placed reference books from the table, tutting about how irresponsible students are with handling books before walking off. 

You and Ominis remained still, listening intently at Madam Scribner’s now dying footsteps. As soon as the exit door was opened and then shut close, Ominis captured your lips once again, pushing you towards the nearest table. The both of you were frantically scrambling, attempting to remove each other’s cloaks while remaining in a passionate lip lock. You sat on the table as soon as you felt the edge of the table top hit the back of your thigh, spreading your legs apart to pull Ominis much closer to you. 

For some odd reason, having Ominis Gaunt right in between your legs felt so fucking right. Your head spun with lustful desire, taking in his addicting scent: a faint combination of patchouli, sandalwood and spearmint candy. He gave one of your breasts a firm squeeze while his tongue intruded your mouth, to which you gladly received by lightly suckling on the wet appendage, earning a groan from him. Ominis ground his hips against yours instinctively, brushing his now visible erection against your still clothed privates. 

His lips then began trailing down from your lips to your jawline, latching itself on a sensitive spot at the crook of your neck. You mewled, teasingly trailing your feet along the back of his legs, finally locking your legs around his hips to further push himself harder against your heated core. His hands harshly gripped your ankles in response, your inner thighs quivering in anticipation as he deftly unclasped your Mary Janes. You kicked them off rather impatiently, slightly raising your hips up as Ominis reached underneath your skirt for the waistband of both your tights and knickers, slowly peeling the article of clothing off your legs.

“Bend over for me,” he growled against your ear, to which you happily complied as you leaned over the table while lifting your skirt up. You shuddered both in delight and relief as the cool air hit the skin of your warm lower regions. Ominis traced a finger on your exposed slit, groaning as globs of your honey-like essence coated his digit. 

“Merlin, you’re fucking soaked...” he moaned, inserting his finger inside your hole, earning a breathy gasp from you as your legs trembled in wanton delight. You felt your juices trickle down your legs as Ominis added another finger inside your core, pumping his digits in and out of you at an increasing speed. You whimpered, slapping your hand over your mouth at the brutality of his fingers. With how sensitive your body was, it wouldn’t take long until you had your sweet release. 

Much to your disappointment, Ominis retracted his fingers away from your heat, licking your juices off his fingers. He groaned at your sweet taste while you sobbed in frustration, swaying your rear as your legs trembled at the lack of stimulation. Ominis swiftly unbuttoned his pants, tugging on the waistband of his briefs to free his painfully erect shaft. You let out a surprised whimper upon feeling the blunt head of the thick appendage stroke itself against your weeping slit, lubricating itself before it dove right into your awaiting pussy with little to no resistance. Your back arched instinctively at the sudden intrusion as you gasped blissfully in sheer unadulterated pleasure.

“A-ah..! F-fuck yes! Mmph..!” you cried out. Ominis slapped a hand against your mouth while the other pinned one of your wrists against your lower back as he plowed his cock inside your pussy.  

“Best to keep it down, don’t you think? Wouldn’t want us to get caught now, do you?” he panted, thrusting deep and fast as you mindlessly moaned with absolutely no shame against his hand. He was right - there were enchanted portraits nearby, wandering ghosts, and prefects right outside the library after all. The thought of someone walking in at any minute made your walls clench, which doesn’t go unnoticed by the alabaster-skinned male as he relished in the spasms and flutters of your inner walls, his cock twitching in pleasure.

“Oh, you are absolutely vile!” he chuckled darkly, slowing himself down momentarily yet still thrusting as deep as he could. You swore your knees almost gave out as the tip of his cock kissed your cervix. 

“You’re quite the filthy little whore, aren’t you? It’s almost as if you want to get caught,” he mocked as your knees shook. You sobbed pathetically with pleasure-filled tears running down your face. He yanked your upper body closer to his, letting his hands wander shamelessly on your curves while peppering the column of your neck with bites and kisses. You blissfully sighed, intoxicated with all the sensations happening on your body all at once. Your bleary eyes widened as his cock brushed against a spot within your weeping hole, your mouth hanging ajar in a loud gasp which caused Ominis to smirk against your neck. He slammed your body back on the table, your breasts flat against the table surface as he aimed for the spot precisely with swift, merciless strokes.

Ominis was absolutely delirious as he listened to the debauched symphony of your helplessly submissive little yelps and moans, wet skin slapping against each other, the sound of the table rocking against the hardwood floors, his own erratic breathing and occasional groans whenever he felt your walls flutter around his swollen member. This was now his new guilty pleasure: reducing his normally put-together, top-achieving, goody-two-shoes of a classmate into nothing but a slut who’s hungry for only his cock. Something about that mere thought completely disintegrates his last remaining shred of principles and rationality in the moment as he mindlessly chased his high, sinful fantasies filling his presently depraved, pussy-drunk mind.

“F-fuck! I... I’m cumming! I’m cumming-!” you babbled as your walls clenched unbelievably tight around his cock, causing Ominis to hiss in pleasure as he pulled out of your quivering hole, pumping his member desperately as spurts of milky white semen landed on your labia. The both of you stilled for a moment, breathless and completely fucked-out.

Ominis quickly tucked his now softening member back into his pants and tidied himself up while you shakily got up from the poor table. You groaned, feeling a slight pain in between your legs as you conjured a clean cloth with your wand, wiping away any stray bodily fluids from your lower regions before vanishing the object away. Ominis leaned against the opposite bookshelf as you put your panties and tights back on, crossing his arms. You glanced at him as you sat on the table, clasping your shoes back on. He was still as pristine as ever, as if your recent activities had never even happened.

“Prefects should be gone by now. Will you be alright going back to your common room alone?” he asked. 

“I think so,” you replied, grimacing slightly at the dull throb of your worn-out hole. Ominis hummed, walking towards the staircase leading to the library exit with his wand up, the tip blinking its signature red light.

“Oh, and Gaunt?” 

“Yes?”

“Nothing happened here, alright?”

chapter 2: what a mess! 🔞 >

[wrinkly-fucking-qtip]

SHAMELESS OPINIONS: S6 (cause Mickey's write off hurt and after s5, I watched again from s1 and forced myself to keep watching + no one around me likes Shameless so I need a place to vent)

overall: it's a meh season with strong plotlines

The F Word is SUCH a bop, my boy Gus ate. Sorry Fi, I really like you, but boo, you had it coming.

I get the whole controversy with Sean, trust me I do, but I enjoyed the dramatics of the relationship. He was way too hypocritical tho, the scene with the gun, as scary as it was, rubbed me the wrong way. I wouldn't blame Fiona or Carl for that. As someone raised in a house full of guns, I was taught to never ever go near one. Curiosity killed the cat with Will and he was obviously scared, but Sean my boy, no. I felt Sean sort of blended well with the family, understood dysfunction all too well so that's probably why, but at the end of the day, it was a scabbing wound.

The wedding scene, Fuck Frank, ik he helped Fiona dodge a bullet, but at the end of the day, it was never really about Fiona, it was about his damn ego as always. The whole situation was shitty for everyone and I felt for her, really. The bridge scene was dope as hell. Bravo. Cinematic.

With the Debbie v Fiona, I was honestly on Fiona's side most of the time. A decision like this, in their way of living, oof, and Fiona made it clear she wasn't gonna be in charge of another kid. Harsh, but... I wouldn't do it either. But the reality is, Debbie has always been around kids, and very clearly wanted to be a mother, as early as s1. It's just... timing wasn't right. But to tackle a teen to the ground??? Wtf. A grown ass woman. Girl. No.

Oh Lip... his lip ain't doing good. As fucked as the whole Helene thing was, no relationship has ever made more sense to me than that one (for all the wrong reasons) Mommy issues as bright as day right there. And the fact that he couldn't recognize that and saw it as a normal college Tuesday makes me pity him. People don't agree with the relationship, and they're right, they shouldn't, but not because it's a bad storyline. It should make you feel uncomfortable because it is, but that's something that sooner or later, was bound to happen with him. That scene where he walks to the bar and yaps like Frank does with a beer in his hand, and everyone in disbelief... oof...

EMT IAN. NEED I SPEAK??? My baby... Those first episodes were so hard for him... Fucking Lip being insensitive at times... FUCK Ian makes me cry. Him standing his ground to get the job back, oh lord. There's a deleted scene that should've stayed but oh well. Anyway. I love him.

Don't even get me started on Gallavich. The scene with Lana on patsies cuts me. That prison scene breaks me without fail every time. I can't. I just couldn't envision, if things really went without having to call back Noel for ratings and views in s7, that the prison scene would be -it- for them... His leave was horribly handled too... but alas...

Caleb??? I have much to say about him in s7, but he... isn't half bad here... Don't love him, but he's alright. Motivated our ginger boy to get a job that gave him purpose, gave him soft smooches and little lunches, and taught him to receive softness. I love those things but not because it comes from him, more so because Ian deserves those gestures. The HIV conversation was handled well I think??? Don't have any particular complains... yet

Frank's storyline at the start of the season interested me, with the cancer lady and whatnot, not a fan of indulging Debbie into grooming, but it's Frank, and Frank is a fucking pos, but as soon as Queenie comes along I got so fucking BORED. Just not my cup of tea, the whole organic storyline put me to sleep. Kind of wish Debbie wasn't involved cause I think her pregnancy journey had more potential than ending up with Queenie. Idk that whole thing was just boring for me.

White boy Carl... eh, it is what it is, seemed in character enough ig, everyone expected part of this future to head that way so, yeah. Nick... so many mixed feelings like everyone else. I just feel for him man, that situation was horrendous. That, along with 3x666 are the only two scenes where I can't like... they're hard to stomach, for obvious reasons ik, but yeah. That was tough. I feel like it was fun to see Carl with his shenanigans, somewhat cringe but I can't pinpoint if it's because of E's performance or shitty writing.

Mandy and Ian's moment, holy fuck. That made me tear up. Mandy my beloved... I hope you're doing well.

SVETLANA RISE.

[smilingangel582]

Will the strongest or the smartest survive?

WARNING YOU BETTER WATCH HAIKYUU!!! IF YOU WANNA READ THIS CUZ SPOILERS WILL MEET YOUR PATH!

Summary: (damn I suck at these so mind if I give these summaries a try) Tobio Kageyama is immediately faced with a twisted fate of overpowering someone of height but Kageyama believed he had the strength more than Tsukishima. His fate is sealed all thanks to a certain ginger and alas! The pheasants eventually discover that the king bears a grave weakness, which is used by the witty Tsukishima... how has it come to this? (Dramatic Ik I suck)

It was already after defeating shiratorizawa, and the boys happened to chill around. Tanaka and Noya are busy at Kyoko's tail, and Enoshita and Daichi are with Takeda who called out to a meeting regarding the victory. Mostly that's all Shoyo Hinata knew about the case.

Currently, he's with Kageyama practising his awful receives (as the king calls it), and to their surprise, even Tsukishima joined practice to block spikes of Kageyama which Yameguchi tossed to him.

Kageyama developed excellent spikes and Tsukishima barely managed to block them.

"Oh I'm ready to shut down his highness for good"

Scoffing Kageyama grumbled "yeah I'd like to see you try four eyes"

This struck Hinata to a new idea. He wanted to ask, and thus, he breaks their practice immediately "Hey... so if Tsukishima and Kageyama were to wrestle each other.. who would win?"

Before the setter could state his reasons Tsukishima pushed his glasses in a mocking way as he responded "What an absurd question why the royalty may have power with their commands but my lowly abilities are much superior when I have my height..."

He stared at Kageyama smugly and as expected the youngest setter was infuriated "Please your skinny ass wouldn't be able handle my strength, need I remind you I got abs way better than any one of you"

True, Hinata thought clutching to his midriff as if he could produce the same abs as the prodigal setter.

Yameguchi tilted his head after finishing a jump float server. "Really now... won't it be hard to knock over someone tall, though?"

Tsukishima smirked. "Yeah, you won't be able to push me down so easily, king, don't get cocky, even you have limits to raw mosterously revolting abilities"

Kageyama sneered, "Oh yeah? Gonna flap those chicken arms of yours till I surrender? Yeah, no, I'll beat your first four eyed bean pole!"

"Oh I see" Tsuki smirked "You wanna put your theory to the test... why for once, though I hate to admit it, we're on the same page"

"Safe word, Karasano"

Hinata got an unimpressed stare from Yameguchi. Seriously, that's the word?

Hinata watch them get up now standing in front of each other. Not that Kageyama was short he's actually tall even though with a much lean build, he's muscular than Tsukishima. Their height difference is disturbing even for Kageyama.

Finally, they lunged.

Kageyama genuinely was proven stronger, but he had difficult to gather Tsukishima as a whole to pin him down.

"Unlike you and shorty, I prefer to avoid violence at max. Yet to be insulted like this...?" With that, Tsukishima inherited a spiritual strength to pin Kageyama first."Tsk, that pissed me off..."

Kageyama's face twisted to a menacing glare "You!... grrr! Come on!"

Kageyama had greater horsepower as he pushed Tsukishima down to the floor, managing to pin his shoulders in place.

Hinata clapped unconsciously "Whoa Kageyama... I had most of my bets on specs here"

"Shut it! It's your fault don't forget th-AH!" He was swiftly pinned down by the tall guy and felt his wrists pulled to his chest by him. His knees however were free and this made Kageyama scrape his teeth with irritation "Take this!"

Flipping them again, Tsukishima grunted at the force of impact when Kageyama was back to straddling his hips. He sighed now, realising this beasts stamina is something else. It's not like they were free earlier...almost over exerted themselves to pure collapse this morning.

"Finally! Now... say the safe word four eyed jerk!"

"Oh, you think it's thar easy, your highness?" He enjoyed the growl he saw and the daggers in his blue eyes. He knew he should take another initiative, but what would tire the king?

Flipping each othet constantly will tire him first, so... oh wait...

He wondered now... Will that work with someone of his personality?

He's wide open. Kageyama had his hands on Tsukishima's shoulders to force him down while his own hands...

They latched on to his shirt... so maybe...

"Tsukishima... you should give up now it's useless to th -hihink ah Wait!"

Kageyama immediately pulled his arms towards his torso now hugging his middle with pure shock when he felt delicate scribble on the side.

"Did my eyes deceive me?" Yameguchi blinked frantically as he heard that giggle and the smile Kageyama involuntarily let out.

Tsukishima hummed teasingly now slowly sneaking a hand under Kageyama's untucked shirt and began with that same gentle touch on his waist "My, my is the king slightly sensitive... how unregal of you"

"Hohold on... whahat are yohou -Stohohop tohohouching mehehe!"

"Just trying to get you down... put you where you belong oh king of the court!" Tsukishime was seeing how Kageyama was awkwardly stumbling back now, trying to cover his weak spots though he couldn't hide them from him. He was now on the floor feeling a weight on his waist as Tsukishima attacked his sides with his long fingers and as rigid as a blockers... making it way difficult for Kageyama.

"He's ticklish? That's a first..." Hinata thought with astonishment. He never expected stoic faced Kageyama laughing like this -more or less giggling like a child.

"Gahahahad wahahahit... thihihis ihihis cheheheheheating! Ihihihihihi ahahaham the strohohohngest"

"Spoken up like a true king...now then..." Tsukishima paused but kept his fingers only grazing his sides but not tickling "Say it..."

Panting Kageyama growled "What?!"

"Saaay it, little kageyama... say it..." he worked his fingers now, resuming the torture and this threw him into a hysterical giggle fit.

"Nehehehehhever yohohohohou peheheheice ohohohof shihihihit!"

Tsukishima felt satisfied seeing how flustered he seemed with a red face and blushing ears it's... somewhat cute on him.

Ahem... he's here to win, not look at his appeal. Hinata felt his fingers itch and he wanted to join so badly as if it was a spike he wanted to hit.

Yameguchi however said "Let's save it for later... for now let Tsuki make the king beg..."

Hinata nodded as he watched Tsukishima still tease Kageyama around the sides.

Tsukishima is a frightening teaser, and Hinata felt butterflies in his stomach.

"A most confident declaration of war and yet the king failed his subjects... where your strength sire?"

Kageyama is officially pissed now, and he tried to attack him back. "YOU LIHIHITTlE PUHUHUNK -GAHAHAHAHA WAHAHAHIT WAHAHAHAIT!"

He felt another horrifying touch at the backs of his ribs. He shot up now, arching his back to stop this. He squirmed around now, whining, "Geheheheht ohohohohff!"

"Say the word loser... come on, height or strength doesn't matter, but use your brain, " he smirked."There's more power there..."

Kageyama can't even hear him, and he was squirming around to get away now, but his skinny arms were strong "where are you going? Come here..."

"OH gehehet awahahay yohohou creepy four eheheyes! Ahahah nohoho gehehehet ohohoff mehehe!" He felt Tsukishima latch on to his knees and shrieked. "Nohoho Pleahahse!"

"What's this?" There's no delight in finding another weak spot "Your knees..."

"AHAHAHAHAHA OHOHOHO SHIHIHIT DOHOHONT TOHOHOUCH THEHEHEM!" Kageyama was a lost cause indeed.

"Wow now that's the sound I need"

Tsukishima was playful as he was skittering his finger ls on the sweet spot and Kageyama was helplessly trying to kick his feet.

Hinata realised how tough Kageyama is until this point. He heard the final code word at last.

"KARAHAHAHAHSAANOHOHO! SHHIHHIT NOHOHOW CUHUHUHUT THEHEHEH CRAHAHAHAP!"

Tsukishima victoriously smiled and then gave a final poke to his stomach. "Got the king pegged down at last..."

"To think you could be such a giggle machine" Yameguchi snickered.

Kageyama growled now. "Ihihi hahahate yohohou! I'll pay yohou bahahck!"

Hinata gulped but he felt like he would get Kageyama first before he could.

"I hope you'll at least try to use that brain of yours, sire..." he gave a mocking bow making Kageyama snarl with pure rage almost flamed whipping from his eyes.

"You! I swear I'll get you four eyed know-it-all!"

[lovelykil]

「 drama queen 」

kyle x reader older ver.

cw; dramatic ASS

note; HELP why did i get so poetic here

The leaves rustled around as the howling wind brushed them off the driveway to my place of residence.

The day was a cold one indeed, in the midst of winter where animals hid for hibernation during this long cold winter, pedestrians wrapped up in scars, jackets, mittens.. oh my.

Children played in the thick sparkly snow, letting the magical white dust tickle at their nose.

Where's the days grew short and the nights grew more.

I should feel glee in this small town! Yet my body lays on the ground.

Lifelessly, as I suffer from a heartache.

"It hurts, it hurts!" I croak. Feeling my hand stroke my throat. I whine and cry, it grows dry.

then I sigh.

I awoke from the ground where I lie, tip-toeing my way to the wintry window. My chilly hands touch the surface, closing my eyes as I let out a small breath. I clench my robe and drown in my own thoughts.

He's gone..

I've gone wrong!

how I long to be with him again..

but, alas.. he never loved me.

fingerprints left to be seen as I parted away from the glass, falling into my bed that held much mass.

I sniffle, I choke, I am awfully broke.

Brok-en!

but broke as well.

Ever since he departed ways from me I can no longer feel the legs that I was given, that dangled from the bed.

My eyes weary and tired.

My nose leaky and red.

My throat burning and itching.

I reach for what's left of in the tissue box, blowing my stuffy nose, feeling my eyes grow puffy as I blow.

I am sick, so sick. My heart aches, my body weakens, the light darkness.

The night rises as the day lies.

I am soon swallowed into the dark, the void closing in. There is no hope as I foretold before he has not returned I fear, and shall never.

I groan.

I moan.

And I..

"Y/n I'm back with your medicine that the doctor prescribed you, glad your mom called you'd be missing another week if you didn't take this now." Kyle opened the door, holding onto a white bag.

He looked around the dark room, his brows furrowing. He switched on the light and looked on the bed.

"Oh god."

I lay dead amongst filthy tissues surrounding me, a half-drunken water bottle and a stained robe open to reveal a plain long t-shirt.

"Y/n I swear.." the red head walked his way toward me and sighed as he opened the mysterious bag. I blinked slowly, moving my fingers ever so slightly.

"Alright take two of these."

"Kyle?"

"Yes. It's me. Now take two of these."

"Kyle???" I rose from the bed, suddenly filled with a rush of joy. Kyle reached for my water bottle and opened it.

"Yes sweetheart it's me, now take this please." He set the pills into my cold hands.

"Holy shit you're cold.."

"Oh my goshh my baby is back, I thought you would never come back" I gushed, leaning in towards him. Kyle backed away, fearing he might get infected.

"Sweetie please just tak-"

"You were gone soooo long I thought you left me." I whined. I reached out with my free hand to rub his cheek. He slowly set my hand down, grinning slightly.

"Y/n I was only gone for 20 minutes." He moved my hand to my mouth with the medicine as I looked at him with a frown.

"That was TOOOO longg, don't be gone so muchh...."

"Alright I won't love, now say 'ahh'

"Promise??"

"Promise." He smiled.

My chapped lips formed a bright smile as I let him pour in my pills into my mouth.

"go 'ahhhhh'

" 'aahhhhh'"

Quickly and shortly the medicine touched my tounge.

"Now drink your water sweetheart," He passed me the bottle to which I nodded my head and drank it on my own.

I felt the liquid mix with the medicine making me cringe but quickly I swallowed it all and sighed.

"Good girl." Kyle took the water bottle and put it on the ground. I watched him with a lovesick smile plastered on my sick face, letting out a small cough as I admired.

The ginger took off his sweater and set it on a chair then he looked at my bed. His eyes scanned the nasty booger infectious tissues that laid all around me as I looked back at him with nothing but a smile.

He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Let's go to the.. bathroom to wash you up.."

"Okayy" Kyle walked to the bed and grabbed my hand to pull me up. I held his arm around mine once I was stable on the ground and nudged my head on him like a clingy dog.

"I so thought you left me, please don't leave me again, I was so alone." I clenched his arm, frowning. He walked me out of my bedroom, landing a kiss onto my head.

"I won't, sorry" Kyle said in a playful tone, taking me into the bathroom.

"What's so funny?" I questioned with an eyebrow rise, watching him close the door.

He shook his head playfully, trying to wipe off that smirk "nothing, you're just such a drama queen. Now take off the robe so I can wash it and wash your face I want you to go to school next week because I missed you there." He muttered the last word, smiling to himself.

I whined, turning on the sink and letting the robe slip off my body.

"It's to cold for this!"

"Well then use warm water dummy"

"YEAH BUT ITS JUST-"

"Excusesssss" Kyle opened back up the door, drawing out the word with a grin as he walked away with the dirty robe.

I groaned some more, waiting for the water to turn warm.

"KYLEEE"

"Wash your FACE"

"ughhh."

"Love you too!"

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Helloooo 👋🏽 perhaps sdv and sde bachelors and farmer on a (deadly) jungle adventure? 🍃 🐍🦜

Hell yeah! Sorry for a long reply, was busy with other things.

It can be assumed that I had a lot of fun when I wrote the answer to this headcanon, because fuck me, this HC is huge 😅 I made different situations and maybe they moved away from the main question, apologize for that... I'm just get so hyped about request.

Anyway, thanks for your ask, dear anon!

✨SDV bachelors:✨

Elliott:

Actually, it was all Elliott's idea, as the long-haired writer wanted to collect material for his future novel. "And the best way to write about any adventures is to be on those adventures yourself! You will protect us, my love, I completely trust you!" The Farmer just sighed and left to gather supplies for the trip to Ginger Island.

Elliott is really lucky that his love also turned out to be his bodyguard and guide. While he enthusiastically looked at the wild limurs on the branches in the distance, the Farmer didn't take their eyes off him.

But as soon as they were distracted for a minute, Elliott, not noticing anyone around, wandered further into the depths of the jungle.

He carried on his monologue, still believing that the Farmer was nearby and listening to everything the writer told him. Until Elliott felt something touch his left shoulder.

"O ho ho, my love, that tickles! I certainly don't mind the attention, and if you want some rest, we caaaAAAAAAAAAA-!"

If there was any fauna nearby, then it instantly scattered away from Elliott's heart-rending scream when he saw a huge spider on his shoulder.

So he ran and screamed, until he collided head-on with... No, not with the Farmer, but with a pirate. The pirate, a little clumsily, shouted somewhere to the side: "Ahoy mate, we found yar lover"

Elliott's happiness knew no bounds when their Farmer emerged from the ferns. It turns out that Elliott wandered around Ginger Island for more than hour, and the Farmer decided to ask for help from fellow pirates to help with the search.

"Your friends are pirates? My love, why didn't you tell me sooner!"

Now they will both sit in a cozy cave until the evening, while the Farmer again beats the pirates in darts, while Elliott, already tipsy, listens to stories for a future book. You can even call it almost an autobiography!

(No spiders were harmed in this story)

Sebastian:

Sebby reread at home a magazine that he bought at the last amphibian exhibition, not forgetting to tell the Farmer cool facts about one or another type of frog.

The Farmer listened with interest to their partner until their eyes landed on a familiar sight of an amphibian.

"Oh, I saw these in the jungles of Ginger Island. They only come out when it rains, beautiful creatures, although very shy." "Wait, really?" "Yeah"

Sebastian just had a small collection of photos of frogs and newts, and asked his spouse if they could go there on a rainy day. The Farmer agreed, but warned Sebby to be around as it could be dangerous there.

Sebastian agreed to take weapons, elixirs, and he also read on the Internet how to behave when meeting with wild animals (he does not want to disturb wildlife much).

Luckily for them, there were a dozen of these frogs there. And the rain and dew on the amphibians adorned the picture (thanks that his phone and camera are waterproof).

Only Sebastian accidentally wandered deep into the jungle, and stumbled upon a lone tiger slime. Alas, he didn't have enough strength to defeat this monster, so he did what the Farmer told him in such cases - run.

Mr. Emo man did just that and, fortunately for him, found his spouse again. The Farmer kissed Sebby and promised that they would quickly deal with the slime. In the meantime, in order not to get wet in the rain, they told him to go to their house on the shore.

Only Sebastian wanted to go into the house, as he noticed a small entrance to the cave in the wall on the right. Why hadn't he seen this before? The cave was small, and its only inhabitant was... a huge anthropomorphic toad, sitting in a lotus position and saying that "long before, melons were much sweeter and bombo-big."

.....

Sebastian didn't seem to touch those poisonous frogs and photographed from a distance. Why he hallucinated then?

Until the Farmer went into the cave later, not finding Sebastian at home, and explained that it was kind of like... neighbor.

"Cool" is all that surprised Sebastian said, taking a picture of a huge toad.

Shane:

Fucking finally. A well deserved vacation with his partner.

Shane was so happy about the news about the vacation that he did not hear from the Farmer where exactly they were going and immediately agreed to the offer. It doesn't matter to him where they will rest, even in hell - the main thing is his partner and a pleasant pastime.

Shane realized only when they were in the jungle of Ginger Island, looking for "golden walnuts".

"Honey, but you agreed to travel with me for a little while and take a break from farm work." Shane would have liked to object, but he can't... Fuck.

Well, at least the Farmer gave him a good sword and don't stray far from Shane.

Although chicken man still managed to get lost several times in three palm trees. Like how??!?

The jungle is hot, but quite beautiful, and these flowers are so pret-

"Augh! Goddamn snakes!" "Shane, it's a liana, there are no snakes on Ginger island" "How the hell should I know about this?!"

He want to relax, and he was even more tired. Bluh...

While the Farmer wiped out the slimes, Shane struggled with the local dense vegetation. "Fucking ferns!"

Although in the evening, after a successful hunt for golden acorns ("Walnuts, Shane" "Same thing, doesn't fkng matter..."), they went to their house on the coast (when did his partner manage to buy real estate here??)

Delicious tropical dishes, pina colada (just a little sip), cool sea breeze and sunset - now this is a real vacation!

After they both returned, Shane offered to take another rest in the same way. Although the search for nuts was tiring and dangerous, it was fun.

Harvey:

"Honey, are you sure this is a good idea? There can be many diseases in the tropics, not to mention dangerous animals, mosquitoes, unknown plants to which we may be allergic, and..."

The Farmer was assured that they had already been in the depths of Ginger Island, and nothing serious had happened. They still insist that Harvey go with them "to show something interesting, but it's a surprise ;)" The poor doctor doesn't know how to react to this "surprise", but nevertheless agreed to the request of the Farmer.

A huge backpack stuffed with medicines, food supplies, sunscreen and mosquito spray - Harvey seemed to be preparing for a long journey. He also dressed like a spitting image of Indiana Jones - I mean wow, like a treasure hunter, honestly!

Surprisingly, Harvey reacts very calmly to danger in the jungle. It would seem that he would faint at the sight of an aggressive limur or poisonous insects, but he skillfully avoids danger and does not disturb the animals.

"Darling, we could travel the world like this in retirement" "As long as we have a full first aid kit and a supply of fresh water, I don't even mind. Just please, let's not go rock climbing, you know that I am afraid of heights..."

The Farmer and Harvey finally reached what the Farmer called a "surprise". The entrance to the cave - and they were inside a small space with five huge crystals. When Harvey wanted to ask what it was, Farmer suggested just "sit down and enjoy."

After half a minute, the eyes on the wall stone sculpture lit up, and the cave filled with a ringing melody emanating from bright colored crystals. The melody was... so beautiful. It was the first time Harvey had heard the tune, and at the same time, he could have sworn it sounded like the lullaby her mother used to sing to him when he was a child. Calming, beautiful, and with the sounds of nature outside, it created such a magical atmosphere.

Harvey saw the Farmer smiling at him. The doctor gave Farmer the same sincere smile, took their hand, and in silence they continued to listen to the wonderful melody.

Sam:

It was supposed to be a normal day at the resort, with no misadventures for the famous Pelican Town A.S.S. trinity and Farmer. And everything was relatively calm until, while playing frisbee, Sam accidentally threw the frisbee somewhere in the direction of tall palm trees and dense vegetation. Sam felt sorry for the new frisbee, and he didn’t want to litter anywhere, so he quickly ran towards the jungle in search of the item.

Sam was already far away, and didn't hear the calls of his partner Farmer, completely immersed in the search for the Frisbee. The young guitarist only experienced reality when he tripped over a rock and tumbled down the hill into a small pit.

Fortunately, Sam only escaped with scratches, but realized that he could not get out of the ill-fated pit. Therefore, he had no choice but to call for help from his spouse and friends.

"Sammy, are you okay?" "Yep baby, I'm fine" Sam felt a little guilty when he heard Farmer's worried voice. And why the hell did he go into the jungle for that stupid frisbee!

"The walls are slippery, I can't climb up on my own. Babe, can you throw off some rope?" The Farmer pondered Sam's words for half a minute until they noticed a parrot sitting next to them. "I have a better idea." With that, the Farmer smiled and took out some golden walnuts from their pocket, which they promptly gave to the parrot.

The feathered friend accepted the treat, and at the same moment flew into the air, calling its brethren to the pit. The musician did not even have time to be surprised when he felt that he was enveloped in a loud and feathery dark cloud - and at the same instant he was on the surface next to his partner.

Sam sat there in mute shock, covered in scratches and dirt and feathers, as the Farmer examined him for any injuries.

"Cupcake, are you like a parrots whisperer?" "Something like that ;)" "Wow... If I tell Sebby and Abby about what happened, they won't believe it..."

At the same moment, the frisbee fell next to him, and the parrot that dropped a plastic object nearby shouted something merrily in bird language. The Farmer nodded their head in gratitude, and all the parrots flew off somewhere into the sky, beyond the dense jungle.

Alex:

Alex has long wanted to start reading books and catch up in his youth. One of these books, which he found on the bookshelf (now his, too) of the farm, had drawings of exotic animals on it and in large capital letters: "Extreme Survival Primer."

He knew that the Farmer often went on trips, doing hunting monsters and protecting people when they weren't farming, so books like this could help a little to navigate in an unfamiliar environment. However, he also wanted to be in such a situation so that he knew what to be prepared for.

"Honey, I'm going to have an unusual request" "Yes, dear? What is it?"

The Farmer listened to Alex with all seriousness, and agreed to travel together to Ginger Island to be his guide for a day. They are very responsible for the safety of the athlete, although Alex himself grumbles a little and says that "he is not so helpless."

But once in the thick of the jungle, Alex was nevertheless grateful to the Farmer for the safety rules and the supply of healing elixirs: the athlete skillfully bypassed suspicious spiders and frogs, and when meeting with the slime, he was able to give a worthy rebuff with the Farmer.

"Hell yeah, that's my boy! Maybe Marlon will also accept you in the Adventurer's Guild as well!" Alex blushed at such praise, but tried not to show his partner how flattered he was. It didn't work out, the Farmer knows him too well.

It was a fun time and a good experience for him. Only now Alex worries about the Farmer even more when he sees at least one scratch on the face of his loved one. "It needs to be treated, because dirt can get into wound, and then infection, I read that such diseases are very common in the tropics, and also..."

Not that the Farmer would be against the protective and caring Alex, quite the contrary. But the athlete is now like a mother hen. The Farmer still loves him though :D

✨SVE bachelors:✨

Victor:

Victor and his mother have traveled to various islands throughout the Ferngill Republic, so he was delighted at the offer of the Farmer to relax together in his own house on the beach of Ginger Island. It will be so romantic! "Oh, I need to get a bottle of red wine, and ingredients for spaghetti. Is there somewhere to cook it? Great! I'll make dinner for two for us! and I also need to take a couple of books and-" "Victor, my soul, we're going there for a couple of days"

The first day was very romantic and wonderful. Just like in those advertisements for tourist packages, but here everything was real and beautiful: the sea, a colorful sunset, dinner for two, clinking glasses of wine, a beloved partner... What can I say, Victor is still a hopeless romantic.

The next day, early in the morning, when Victor woke up before the Farmer, he decided not to wake them and take a walk on the sandy shore.

But Victor's curiosity and the instinct of self-preservation, a little blunted after a sleep, led him further to the west of the island. He became interested in what kind of small hut the shore stands in general, and also to examine the wreckage of the ship.

But at the last moment, the poor fellow noticed how a tiger slime was quickly approaching him, with squelching sounds. The monster took him by surprise and Victor was forced to climb the stairs, deep into the jungle, only to realize that he had landed on a whole nest of tiger slimes!

Before he could do anything, a strange circle of symbols formed around him, and the slimes immediately crawled away. "It's pretty dangerous to wander around Ginger Island alone and unarmed. Fortunately, I was there at the right time." Victor only opened his mouth and made a lowing sound when he saw a pink-haired man in front of him. "You must be Victor, right? Farmer's partner? They talked a lot about you on our joint expeditions."

Expeditions, a sword, a blue cloak... Click!

"Are you... an adventurer? And not just an adventurer, but a member of The First Slash clan?!" Victor forgot that recently he was in mortal danger, because he recognized this man! Second in command of the First Slash clan!

He had already managed to ask a thousand questions to the surprised Lance about the life of adventurers and about the clan itself, until the Farmers ran up to them, ready to destroy everything that even dares to harm Victor. What a surprise it was when they discovered their unharmed spouse and fellow adventurer.

Well, at least it ended well. And Victor is generally delighted with such adventures. Adventurer from the First Slash clan! "Victor, are you just squeak?"

Magnus:

Magnus recently spoke with The First Slash clan's mage, and they brought up the subject of testing magical barriers against alien magic on part of Ginger Island, as after the Farmer's activities and the help of parrots, the coast has become a resort now, regularly visited by the inhabitants of Pelican Town. The safety of people is the responsibility of wizards and witches, so someone has to take care of this.

The members of The First Slash, for some important reason, cannot now go on patrol and set up a barrier, so the First Slash mage asked for the help of Rasmodius, as an experienced wizard, and the Farmer, as a talented and gifted adventurer. To which both Magnus and the Farmer agreed to help their colleagues.

Since the Farmer had already combed the whole Ginger Island and learned the area, Magnus relied on them as a guide. They need to go to different parts of the island so that the wizard casts a spell and fixes the barrier.

The first part was right in the heart of the jungle, and Magnus cursed constantly as exotic plants clung to his cloak, already soiled in the local clay and mud. Wild animals and insects did not cause him any panic: a snap of his fingers - and all the dangerous fauna galloped away. This is much better and humane than trying to harm nature.

Then they went west, closer to the old ruins of the sunken ship. The tiger slimes were already waiting for unfortunate prey, but they themselves became prey for the Farmer's sword and Magnus' spells. Now Magnus is also smeared with slime, what a bad luck.

"Razzy, do you have the concept of 'clean things' spells" "Actually, there are as many as 5, but we haven't finished the expedition yet, so... Are you calling me Razzy again? I swear, you and Camilla... I will stop talking to her, and I will divorce you altogether" "You love me too much :D" "Unfortunately, I am"

Now, the barrier is set, it will hold for several seasons. Magnus finally casts a cleansing spell - and now he and all of his robes are clean. He even used it on his spouse (so they don't waste time swimming in the sea, especially since the water is salty there!)

"I'm surprised how calmly you handled wild snakes. Although they are not poisonous, but still very impressive" "Believe me, my darling, I sometimes met such "snakes" among colleagues in the Ministry of Magic that these reptiles on the island are harmless creatures."

A job well done and a lot of praise from his partner - Magnus' trip to the jungle was a success!

Lance:

Joint patrols on Ginger Island are pretty rare for Lance. Well, actually not like that, he and the Farmer often spend time together, but usually the patrolling on this particular island are done one by one. Love, family - this is important, but no one released from the duties of the adventurer. Thankless job, indeed.

Just on this day, when Lance was ready to sail to Ginger Island, the Farmer was told that they wanted to go with him, collect some ginger and edible ferns. Lance is not against the company, especially since it is his partner.

However, he warned his love to take supplies of elixirs and keep the sword at the ready, because tiger slimes live in some parts of the island.

Although the heat and humidity were unbearable at noon, duties are duties, and two adventurers must fulfill them.

After all, Lance was right when he told them both to be on the lookout - several magma sprites crawled out from a huge cave in the volcano, which immediately attacked Lance and the Farmer. The sounds of steel rang out, the local limurs and monkeys raised a roar, but it all ended as quickly as it began - Lance and the Farmer stood in a fighting pose, and the ashes from magma sprites lay under their feet.

“Jolyne was right, the barrier had weakened. We should warn our mage to take care of it.” Lance slid his sword back into its sheath. "Well, my love, we still have time and we can devote ourselves to gathering the ginger roots you spoke about earlier."

Before you started looking for roots, Lance recommended that he cast an invisibility spell on the two of them. "We are unlikely to meet more dangerous monsters in the depths of the jungle, but I would not like to disturb the local fauna too much." The Farmer agreed with him, and they both began gathering.

Naturally, this was accompanied by constant conversations about nature on the island in general, theories about where the dwarves on the volcano came from, and many other topics.

Both of them were in no hurry: after all, invisibility allows you not to disturb the animals and do research in peace. The main thing is not to fall into the pit or step on the snake.

[inafieldofdaisies]

What Would Your OC Sing At Karaoke Night? Tag + (WIP) Music Whenever | Sabrina's | A continuation of @g0dspeeed's tag 🤍

If your OC was at a karaoke night, what would be their go-to song? Would they even partake? Bonus points for a little story.

I'm a bit late to the Music Monday tag, but alas this song so screams Jacob x Mercedes to me.

Now this is a part two to Sabrina's snippet, where Mercedes is feeling a bit down at the absence of a certain ginger as the night progresses. Would she choose something more provocative had he been at the table with the rest of the group, just to get a rise out of him... absolutely. But this song just feels like something she'd pick in the context of the snippet. 🤍

I smell sex and candy here Who's that lounging in my chair? And who's that casting devious stares in my direction? Mama this surely is a dream Yeah, yeah, this surely is a dream

Mercedes wrapped up her song, ignoring the hollering from around the bar, instead focusing on the table where John and Sabrina were close to giving everyone in the Spread Eagle a show. Their happiness was another pesky reminder Jacob had declined time and time again to go out with her and pretty much refused to hang out with the people who had become important to her over the last couple of months. "A girl of many talents, Mer.", Calahan whistled when she sat back down across from him. She forced a smile as she ran her index finger over the edge of her glass mindlessly, contemplating heading home first for once with her mood souring by the minute. "You okay?", Sabrina asked from John's lap, who finally seemed relaxed after spending a full hour looking like he was about to sneak out the second they shifted their eyes away from him. "Yeah.", Mercedes mumbled and got back up, "I'm gonna catch some fresh air." The second she pushed the bar's door open and another song started, she heard Hartley call out after her, "Wait up." They sat in silence, taking in the cool air outside as Hartley took a drag after drag from his cigarette before he eventually spoke up, "You know, he's gonna come around." "Who?", she retorted absently. "Jacob, the bastard who has you all mopey. Who else?" "It's nothing like that." "You can talk to us, Mer. No need to act fake happy." She sighed, "Fine. I wish he'd swallow his pride and come. But he wouldn't ever. I'm trying… to accept it." Calahan raised an eyebrow and finished his cigarette, "John did." "They ain't the same, Cal." "They're brothers.", was all he muttered before heading inside.

Hours passed in a blur where she tried her hardest to have fun, ignoring Jacob's absence until the party crowd began to thin out and John and Sabrina announced they're leaving, she turned down their offer for a ride to the ranch, choosing to stay a little longer. The two said their goodbyes, leaving the table empty with Calahan popping out for a smoke again just then and Leslie conversing with fellow Resistance members at the bar. Mercedes pushed back her chair with a frown, aiming for the ladies' room with even strides, a part of her regretting the idea to stay. Get yourself together. He's missing out. The second she was past the doorway leading to the toilets, a hand wrapped around her wrist, pulling her sideways into a secluded corner. "Hands off, asshole.", she said in a stern tone, fully prepared to deal with some drunken patron, instead blue eyes stared at her in amusement. "Having fun?", Jacob chirped, quirking up a smile her way. "You're here.", she retorted, feeling disbelief at his appearance. "Where else would I be?" "You said-" He interrupted her swiftly as his hands gripped her waist and brought her closer into his body, "I heard you sing. Was the song for me?" "Maybe. What did you think?", she tried to keep the giddiness in her voice at bay, but his presence and the fact he had been there a while made it almost impossible. "Loved it, sweetheart." "Yeah?" Jacob's lips brushed over hers as he whispered, "Let me drive you home and show you how much." She gripped onto his shirt, already wishing they were all alone, "Home?" "The ranch. You're staying there, aren't you? Or should I say, we are, now?" Mercedes nodded, "I need to say goodbye to Cal and Leslie." He dipped down for a brief kiss, thumb running over her cheek when he replied, "Go on then. I will be waiting." Progress. She knew it was indeed that, that the fact he had showed up at a bar in a different region held a promise, Calahan's words came back to her as she left him to lurk in the shadows.

Tagging @josephseedismyfather @adelaidedrubman @thesingularityseries @socially-awkward-skeleton @direwombat @euryalex @detectivelokis @nightbloodbix @aceghosts @madparadoxum @trench-rot @josephslittledeputy @dumbassdep @theelderhazelnut @purplehairsecretlair @neonneurons @shegetsburned @clicheantagonist @poisonedtruth @cassietrn @wrathfulrook @voidika @harmonyowl @schoute @jacobsneed @detectivelokis @strangefable @strafethesesinners and anyone that would like to do the tag(s) <3

[dd122004dd]

The New Mistress Fuca: Part 3 Meeting Madam Fuca

With the agreement set in place, the couple faces their first challenge, pretending to be happy in front of Mrs Fuca. Will she be able to win the approval of Madam Fuca or will she remain in the shadow of Hitara Erqing?

Warnings: None

Author’s Note: Thank you for everyone’s patience and support on the previous chapters, I hope this lives up to your expectations.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

~

Waking up the next day was a strenuous task. Her body resisted being pulled from the soft fabrics of the bed but alas the day had begun, leaving her with no choice but to awaken. Sitting up she looked around the room but found no trace of her husband or the mattress he slept on the night prior. He must have awoken before the sun could touch the horizon.

Her maid swiftly bathed her before helping her dress in a beautiful red robe with beautiful floral embroidery on it. Assmebling her hair into an updo worthy of her new status, she placed hairpins and jewels in the young mistress’ hair before helping her apply her makeup.

“What’s your name?” She asked.

“Mistress, I am called QingQing,” the servant replied meekly, bowing her head.

“Hello QingQing. Do you know where my husband went so early in the morning?”

“Mistress, he is in his study,” QingQing replied.

“Oh? Well then, I suppose I should wish my husband a good morning, shouldn’t I?” She said, rising from her seat. “Take me to his study, will you?”

“Yes mistress,” QingQing replied dutifully while grasping her arm and slowly leading the new Young Mistress of the Fuca clan to her husband’s study.

The polished columns glistened in the soft light as the pair made their way towards the young master’s study. It had a rather beautiful exterior with gently sloping roofs. She opened the door before entering, after being allowed entry.

The sight of her new husband at his desk greeted her. He seemed engrossed in the report before him. After clearing her throat, she finally caught his attention. He questioningly looked up at her.

Smiling at the man she said, “Good morning, husband!”

After a few moments of hesitance he responded, “Good morning.”

“We have to go greet your mother together today, or did you forget?”

“I did not forget,” he said simply before rising from his desk and walking past her, leading the way to the Matron’s courtyard.

“What happened to, ‘you don’t even have to see me’?” he asked rhetorically as they reached the Matron’s courtyard.

“It’s only applicable when we don’t have obligations to be seen together.” She huffed, rolling her eyes at the man, before the pair entered. The matron sat on a beautifully carved wooden chair in the center of the room with ornate seats along the aisle.

The smell of incense wafted through the room as the matron sated sightlessly at the pair, listening to their footsteps as they drew closer and bowed before her.

She smiled, telling them to rise before letting them be seated.

Her new daughter-in-law served the woman tea with elegant hands and a charming smile on her face.

The matron drank the tea, feeling a wave of calm wash over her as the flavors burst on her tongue.

“Delicious,” she breathed reverently, “What did you put in this tea? I’ve never tasted it before.”

“Madam Fuca, I added lemongrass and a bit of ginger, to help warm your body and improve your appetite. I also added a little honey to sweeten the flavor. Do you like it Madam Fuca?”

“You’re so thoughtful! I’m so happy my son was blessed with such a caring wife. I love this tea, perhaps you can make it for me again?”

“If you like it so much, I’d gladly make it for you every day, Madam Fuca.” She replied with a smile on her face. Her husband stared at her with narrowed eyes, making note to keep an eye on her actions in the future.

“Please, don’t call me ‘Madam Fuca’ it’s so formal, we’re family now, please call me mother.”

“Okay, mother,” she said, slightly giggling.

The matron then turned to her maid, beaconing her to bring forward the gift she had prepared for her new daughter in law. On the ornate tray sat a beautiful bracelet of white jade, a golden carnelian hair pin with lilies and lotuses delicately entwined within the design and a pair of gold earrings along with a bracelet engraved with Mandarin ducks, a symbol of love and a lifelong mate.

Smiling graciously, she thanked the matron.

“Oh, my dear. I forgot to tell you. Now that you’ve married into our household, I expect you to help me in household affairs. I’m getting old and I want to teach you how to manage our house as soon as possible.”

Before she was able to respond her husband interrupted, protesting, “Mother. My wife is still young, perhaps it might be better if she just watches for a few years before she starts helping in the household affairs? It would help her learn better. Don’t you think so, wife?”

“Husband,” she said with a pleased smile, “as wise as your suggestion is, I have been helping my mother run our household in preparation, so as to not further burden my in-laws by my lack of knowledge. I think I shall be able to help manage the household affairs, under Mother’s guidance, of course. Do you object, husband?” she said with a wide grin, knowing she backed him into a corner.

“In that case. I do not have a reason to object.” He said through gritted teeth, annoyed at his wife getting her way. He decided in that moment to not let her gain power over the mansion as quickly as his previous wife did.

“Wonderful! In that case, the head-maid Fei will deliver the ledgers to you and if you are able to handle the accounts this month without any mistakes, I will give you more responsibilities. Does that sound fair?”

“Yes, mother. Thank you for trusting me with this. I will not let you down.” She promised.

“I know you won’t. I’m getting a little tired now, its time for me to go get some rest. You may both leave,” She said, rising to her feet.

As she turned to walk away, she left them with a last request, “Oh, and Fuheng? Take your new wife for a tour through the mansion. Also show her the gardens. I hear the flowers are beautiful, this time of the year.”

Fuheng saw his wife looking at him expectantly, sighing he mumbled, “Follow me.”

He led his wife through the mansion with swift, precise steps, showing her the various places within the mansion with a disinterested monotonous tone as she took in the manor, making note to check out certain places that intrigued her. The painfully awkward tour concluded with a tour of the garden where Fuheng stiffly walked beside his wife, wishing for her to speed up as she stopped by each and every flower, asking about it’s name and purpose. When she knew the name of a particular flower she shared what she had read about it, be it sickeningly sweet poetry or its medicinal use.

While Fuheng was suffering through the tour, his wife was taking particular delight in his suffering as she purposely stopped at every flower in the garden, elongating the tour as much as possible and taking slow steps. When she saw him tapping his feet in impatience she slowed down even further, wracking her brains for all the possible plant-related knowledge she had ever learned.

‘Serves him right for doubting my capabilities.’ She thought internally as he sighed for the hundredth time, tapping his sword impatiently.

Just as she was about to point towards another flower a tiny body crashed into Fuheng.

“Father!”

Fuheng looked down at the smiling boy with his arms around his waist. He smiled softly at the child before kneeling before him.

“An’er, you know better than to run wild in the garden,” he admonished.

“Father, I missed you. I haven’t seen you in a few days and when I saw you today, I couldn’t control myself. I’m sorry, father.”

At the boy’s confession, Fuheng seemed to melt before promising to spend more time with the boy.

Satisfied with his father’s promise, he noticed the beautiful woman staring at him with wide eyes. Turning his attention to his father he pointed at the woman and asked, “Father, who is she?”

Fuheng followed his gaze, landing on his new wife. “An’er that is my new wife. She will be your mother from now on.”

“But my mother is Hitara Erqing, she died. How can this woman be my mother?” he asked with child-like curiosity.

Fuheng opened his mouth to explain when he was interrupted by his wife, “(S/N), I am not your birth mother, Hitara Erqing because she will always be your mother and she is always watching you and taking care of you, but because she is not here, I will take care of you as she would want me to.”

Nodding his head in understanding he asked, “Will I have to call you ‘mother’?”

“No dear, you can call me ‘Aunty’ if you want to, okay?”

“Okay aunty!”

“Good boy.” She said, patting his head.

Fuheng watched the interaction with rapt attention, this woman seemed to overturn his expectations of her. Didn’t all women want to be called ‘mother’ by their children, adopted or not?

‘Perhaps she wants to keep (S/N) at a distance so that when the time comes it’d be easier for her children to stand out.’

He decided that this was the only possible reason behind her actions and resolved to keep his son away from his new wife.

“An, you should go get ready for your lessons. Your tutor will be arriving soon,” Fuheng said, leaving no room for argument before turning to his servant and motioning him to escort the young boy away.

“It was lovely meeting you, An!” she said, a large smile on her face as she waved to the departing child.

“Nice meeting you too, pretty aunty!” He exclaimed before following his escort.

Part 4

Taglist: @kazenomegaminowanpisu @shiranai-atsune @hilea-love @cosmic-cares @mango-jj @hanhanartz @navierkalani @genderfluidsanta  @missfancy29 @canary3d @honeyformybees @melodypinky @shiranai-atsune @mufflerfluffler @gabaii @wxndi​ @lalisayeung @carrot-cheese-cake​ @bobamilkii​

[yinwaryuri]

Okay friends of the MDZS/The Untamed fandom

If you've seen my previous post about making lotus root and pork rib soup, you know the journey I've been on. If you'd like to try making the soup yourself, a link to the recipe is toward the end of the OG post. That one got a little long with all the additions and extra advice from friends, but since I've made it again I'm reporting the results. Why I feel the need to do so is beyond me but this is the only genuine cooking I do and I deserve to be proud of every attempt, so if this annoys you, imagine these faces:

I will give a disclaimer that I had meant to make this soup a week and a half earlier but the mental illness was too strong, so yesterday I forced myself to push through the mental illness anyway so I wouldn't waste too many ingredients (we still wasted some 😔). So, alas, this soup had no ginger and half as much lotus root as desired, plus I forgot to read how much seaweed I was actually supposed to use (way less than what I used), and completely omitted the chopped scallion even though I had it ready because I just. Forgot to actually add it.

We carry on.

In all of my past versions of this soup, I didn't include the rehydrated seaweed. I was advised to give it a go this time and ...well. 😅

That bowl is a good 9 inches in diameter and 3 inches deep. And I took that photo AFTER adding a liberal amount of seaweed to the pot. Yes, I rehydrated the whole package. I didn't think about anything other than, "I'm finally adding the final step to this recipe I've been following!" and entirely missed that it only calls for 1 cup. [Hold on. Googling how long rehydrated seaweed be stored right now. OMG YOU CAN FREEZE IT THANK HEAVEN.]

This is me scooping out all the fuckin seaweed that entirely took over the soup 😅😅😅😅😅😅

Remember how I said there was half as much lotus root? Yeah, this is seaweed soup with a hint of pork now. Good luck finding any slices of lotus root.

I had also assumed that this seaweed would be salted (the packaging was NOT in English, but honestly I can't blame the label for this). I had certainly added what I thought was already a generous amount of salt but let's remind ourselves that I am barely a cook by any means. This girl doesn't know shit about how much salt should go into 12 quarts of water to add enough taste. I did go heavy on the goji berries though.

This resulted in the broth being mainly pork and goji berry water :/ if I'd had the motivation to go out and buy fresh ginger and remembered the scallion I'm sure it would've been better (and more salt obviously), but hopefully I'll be in better spirits next time I make an attempt. I learned a lot from this one.

The one thing I am proud of though?

Look at how clear that broth is. The oily bubbles are from the meat, and I also apologize I don't know if it's my phone's camera or my photography skills, but if it doesn't look clear to you I promise it does irl! I didn't use any of the cooking wine or soaking the meat with the ginger like @of-sevenseas suggested, but just by following the process in the recipe and making extra sure I washed the meat well this time, it seemed to work out!

Lessons learned:

Making soup while having a bad mental illness day is not a failed endeavor, but watch out.

Don't do this without ginger. What are you doing. That soup is wet stuff in hot water.

ADD MORE SALT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, YOU CANNOT BE THIS WHITE.

Read the recipe including measurements. Cooking is, of course, more improvisational than baking, but there's a reason we follow guidelines. Especially when we're rookies, still.

Next time we're gonna try the cooking wine and ginger thing with the meat. It sounds like an adventure.

Celebrate your wins!!!! I did have a success in this attempt!

I also did very well keeping the cat away from this whole 7 hour process, which is the greatest success of all.

(Obligatory kitty pic, since I mentioned her. Meet Lucy everyone. She's hiding under my blankets from the loud scary generator outside my window.)

[lurkinglurkerwholurks]

Caring For His Boy

First posted: December 17, 2018

Focuses on: Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne

Favorite bookmark: None worth noting

Tier: In the bottom 3rd for most metrics; in the bottom 10 for comments

This is my “behind the scenes” series where I indulge myself horribly by annotating my fics. Link to the fic itself above. Thoughts below the cut.

Another BatFam Christmas stocking fic, another attempt at a dual meaning title. They just make me happy, okay.

This one was for @renecdote: "Created to fill renecdote's BatFam Christmas Stocking prompt "Bruce worrying over sick or injured kids." I don't know that this is quite what you had in mind, but hopefully it's okay."

It was my first time writing Alfred POV, which made me nervous, but also it was fun—though I hadn't yet befriended Audrey to be my Brit speak check. Alas.

It was 8 AM in Sheffield, a glorious, soft morning with a whisper of a breeze and birdsongs that filtered in through the open window.

Why Sheffield? We don't know. That's just how the opening line popped into my head, so then I had to scramble to figure out what was going on and why.

Bruce had never been one to show emotion, even as a boy. Animation was doled out purposefully, as a tool, as a distraction, as a lever. Alfred had more practice reading him than most, and he didn’t think he was imagining the quiver of tension in Bruce’s voice.

This is one of those bits that I work myself into a frustration over, because do I think that Bruce was a generally reserved child? Yes. Was that heightened further after the death of his parents? Also yes. Would stiff-upper-lip British reserve Alfred note Bruce's own emotional reticence as something exceptional? I'm not sure. Whether a thing is true or not is irrelevant when the question is whether the POV would note it.

What did sick mean? A reaction to fear toxin? A new horror from Ms. Isley?

Alfred is so exceedingly British.

It had certainly been a learning experience, one filled with more than a little uncertainty on everyone’s part, but Alfred had yet to hear Bruce sound so shaken.

Ah, the true terror of help, I need an adult... what do you mean I am the adult???

He wondered how Bruce was dealing with the vomit. The boy had always been a bit of a sympathetic puker.

Alfred would not say puker. This is a from-real-life trait I pulled from the males in my family. Weak stomachs, all of them.

“Master Dick will need to stay hydrated. I recommend alternating ginger ale for the nausea and one of those obnoxious sports drinks you so enjoy for the electrolytes. If he continues to complain of aches, you may give him the paracetamol in the upstairs medicine cabinet, but mind the dosage.”

I did the googling for this and then years later had to do the googling again for my first fic in the Mutual Aid series. Ah, parallels. At least I remembered to have Alf call it paracetamol. Also, when I was a kid, I only associated Gatorade with vomiting for this very reason and couldn't drink it for years. Same with Sprite. (Don't drink Sprite, the sugar will make your nausea worse.)

Alfred had several fond memories of sitting next to the bedside of one sweaty-haired boy, a hand pinning open a book, and the other resting atop small fingers. He also had other memories, dimmer but no less visceral, of being a relatively young man himself, faced with the enormous responsibility of caring for a vulnerable life. Of keeping a brave face while internally despairing of the task before him. He was glad that one set of these memories had stuck with Bruce, while the other had not.

Ah, adulthood. It's scary to look back and realize how much your own parents were likely panicking over things you trusted them to handle. 😅

Alfred fics always get some of the lowest engagement and it's such a pity.

[luna-alatus]

ᕼEᗩᗪᑕᗩᑎOᑎᔕ~

Bungo Stray dogs --------------------- - Chuuya Medium note: Hello little doves! I see you guys enjoyed my other BSD post ^^ and well- I decided to write another one! But this time considering I already did Dazai's- I'll give ya guys our favorite Mr. Fancy Hat he deserves it- especially after all that attention in the season 4 trailer Enjoy~! (will rewrite if out of character so tell me if he is pls ^^" if not then hurray and again, enjoy guys!) _______________________________________

"Did I seriously just get paired up with a ginger-haired brat..?"

Prompt: First meetings

Reader is non-binary

Meaning you can use any pronouns ya want ^^

________________________

Is this actually happening right now..? Right now, a man standing up at about 5'4 feet had just gotten a call from his boss whilst he was searching around his local grocery store. If the people close by said man would look closer they'd see that he seemed pretty pissed.. beyond pissed actually, and all of it was because of a certain boss of his. "You're being serious boss? You know I don't need no partner.. not after that bastard!-.. Mph.. tch, fine I am coming over. That partner of mine better not be annoying, alright.. I'll be there as soon as I can boss." As the ginger-haired male closed his phone, a scowl and hard glare could be seen directed at anyone and anything at the moment.. to the bystanders nearby since the male had a mask on they wouldn't exactly know what had caused the male such agitation that they seemed willing to kill anything in the vicinity. But oh if only they knew that this man.. was an executive in the most feared underground organization there is out there. The Port Mafia. --------------------------------------------

Executive: Chuuya Nakahara Ability: "For the Tainted Sorrow"

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

Arriving back to HQ, Chuuya was already in what he usually wore when he went to work. And well, he's still aggravated about the entire 'new partner' thing his boss, Mori Ogai had set up. Since when did he need a partner..? He was perfectly capable on his own, granted he can't use his ability to its fullest extent without that bandaged bastard anymore.. no, NO!!! No thinking about that bastard Chuuya, he's in the past!! Anyways.. right now as he passed what seemed to be endless hallways and corridors he had finally arrived at his boss's office.. and before entering the male had become slightly curious about who this new partner of his.. though, it wasn't to the extent that it got rid of his irritation of having to have a new partner. But alas, once Mori has made a decision there was 'no one' stopping him from making it. So, he got himself together and knocked on the office's door gently before entering once given permission to do so.

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

Before the ginger-headed fancy hat came... "Mori.. I don't need a partner. How many times do I have to tell you this already?!?!?" The guards nearby the port Mafia boss's office all froze at the loud screeching shout they heard coming from inside the room.. now they all saw who had entered though sadly they had a hood on so they could only see the figure of the person and some small details that were quickly shown before they disappeared as well.

'(h/c) hair, (e/c) eyes.. 5'4 to.. 5'5 it seemed with their shoes on, in height and.. to what gender they were..? They had no idea, though from the aura they gave off.. they were someone not to mess with alright' Now, back in the room. A (h/c) haired person had their hands on Mori's desk glaring though not really threateningly at the boss of the port mafia. "You know how I run and work, a lone wolf. I get work done faster! And I only have to worry about myself, and not worry over somebody else while we're in a life-or-death situation!" The black-haired male behind the desk merely smiled at them, hands clasped together as a.. somehow cheerful aura surrounded the male. "But (y/n)-chan!~ It's such a great opportunity!! Besides, the person you're going to be partnered up with will be a great match for not only you but your ability as well!" The person who Mori had just called (y/n)-chan backed away from the desk with a 'tch' their arms crossing over their chest as they sighed as the man.. their mentor's friend.

-------------------------------------------- Assassin: "Y/n L/n" also known as 'Lobo solitario y ágil' or just 'Lobo' in short. Ability: "Shifter of Dark Speed and Atoms"

-------------------------------------------- (Y/n) (L/n) is a well-known assassin and yet despite that fact no one has seen their face whilst they're on a mission, the only thing proving that they actually were there is the multiple bodies all bloodied and or cut up after a torture session for information. They were good, really, really! Good, though another thing to take note of when it comes to (y/n) is the fact they do not like working with people, ever. Even if they were one of the two last people on earth, they'd stay away from the other one and survive by themselves gladly. A reason for that may be because of the fact they slightly hate humans in general.. the dumb ones especially, or it may have something to do with their experience with humans. Either way, they don't like them end of story. Unfortunately now, they had to be partnered up with someone named.. uhh dang what's that guy's name again.. oh right, Chuuya Nakahara. Whoever they were Mori wouldn't stop boasting about how well their abilities would go together.. like.. how..? Their ability is mostly wolf related, meaning they can conjure up wolves ten times the size of regular ones and control them, become a wolf with them too... and what else.. right, the full form of their ability allows them to control shadows or.. atoms of people under shadows too. Whilst the Nakahara guy is gravity manipulation, the full form of being able to let 'Arahabaki' apparently some destruction God..? Loose and well have the amount of power to destroy an organization overnight.. yeah.. it was polar opposites in their opinion. Then again, the control of shadows and atoms does include but is not limited to.. lifting people up, swallowing them whole leaving them in darkness, controlling their atoms to disappear causing injuries, and.. well controlling people with their own shadow or when they're under a shadow using their atoms or the shadow itself Gravity manipulation is kinda similar to it.. some similar factors that are pretty close to it they suppose.. the atom and shadow thing seeing as it does help them control people in some.. gravity sense way..? Though it isn't gravity more so shadow and atom controlling them.. but.. You get what I mean!! Ehem, back to the situation. Right now, Mori and (Y/n) were just waiting in the office for the executive to arrive, seeing as Ogai decided to be nice enough to send the guy a warning call before they arrived back.. and with (Y/n)'s ability.. Their hearing and senses were all heightened so they heard the words Nakahara was saying, and honestly.. they slightly agreed with them- but at the same time was curious about who 'that bastard' is.. honestly they had a gut feeling seeing as they had some background info about the Port mafia props to his mentor. Natsume Soseki or what they always call him. Natsume-sensei. Fortunately Natsume-sensei's former..? Students/friends...? (Y/n) honestly has no idea but something like that since they seem to treat him like a mentor as well.. going back to the topic- the assassin has met the two. Mori Ogai and Fukuzawa Yukichi They've even had the chance to be trained by the two- then again the injuries and bruises that came along with the training were bad.. very bad. But it was all worth it, in the end, cause look at them now, one of the most well-known and best assassins out there. So they supposed the pain and suffering were slightly worth it-? Because the training also gave them the ability to defend themselves so that's also cool.. Alas, as much as they wanted to just stand in silence in the office of the port mafia boss in front of them. There was a knock.. and that had represented the fact that.. Their future 'partner' was there.. hurray.. --------------------------------------------

To say Chuuya was shocked, irritated and overall pissed at the entire 'new partner' thing would be such an understatement right now. As soon as they saw (Y/n) some kind of dislike immediately grew in him.. and no it wasn't because they were like 2 inches taller than him.. hah!! No way.. .... ...... ....... OKAY FINE MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT BUT COME ON!! MORI COULD'VE AT LEAST PICKED SOMEONE SHORTER THAN HIM-.... MAN!!! (Y/n) on the other hand, having done a quick look down at the male was.. slightly disappointed....? Not really, just.. you know the feeling where you were expecting something else but you get.. this- Hm, never mind they were disappointed. Not only that but they did not like that glare they were giving, and of course, being the badass and best assassin out there they weren't about to back down. So.. the pair had a glare off. .

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Which lasted for at least a couple seconds before Mori decided to break the silence between the two.. "Well now.. go on, introduce yourselves to each other. You guys are going to be assigned partners from now on." (Y/n) heard the 'tch' sound coming from the midget, but they could honestly care less.. tell them again why they decided to work for both the Port mafia and the Agency..? Oh right.. cause sensei told him to look out for both of the organizations.. right.. Why..? They had no idea, and well honestly it was strange cause Natsume-sensei said a thing along the lines of: 'You have the power to connect them all, to protect them, don't let it go to waste young one' Wise right..? But what they were confused about was, what power they had, cause shadow and atom control being the most powerful thing his ability can do is definitely mediocre to other powers.. guess they'd have to find out huh.. Biting back at their pride they poked a hand out towards the shorter ginger and glanced at them as.. unthreateningly as they could. "I am (Y/n) pleasure to meet you.. partner." Blue eyes stared and glared back hard towards (e/c) eyes but.. nonetheless, he shook their hand. "Chuuya Nakahara, the pleasure is mine really.." The two gave each other's hands a threatening squeeze before letting go, facing Mori bored whilst the man smiled and hummed happily at the two's introductions. "Now now~ That's better, well (Y/n) that's all you're needed for this day. Besides, I heard you've got another place to be at tomorrow morning right? Another 'interview' correct?" Now, (Y/n) was at least glad Natsume-sensei had decided to leave out letters to the pair before his disappearance that they'll be joining both of the organizations at the right time. Cause they'd be dead meat if they did so without the two leaders of the organization knowing Natsume-sensei planned for them to go anyways. "Yeah yeah copy that, welp see ya around ginger-midget of a partner. See ya Mori-san." Turning around they started to walk towards the exit not before having to have a shadow stop a punch coming from a certain ginger. "WHAT DID YOU CALL ME YOU-?!?!? OI!! WHAT'S THIS!!??" Staring at them.. dumbfounded, they pushed the executive away and continued their walk to exit the office. "My ability, honestly though.. why did I have to get paired up with a ginger-haired brat?" Before Chuuya could bite back another remark about the name, (Y/n) had already exited. .

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. "WHY THAT BASTARD!!! I'LL GET THEM BACK FOR THAT!!" -------------------------------- The following day..

'FUCK!!! I AM LATE I AM LATE I AM LATE- AHHH!!!!! WAIT CRAP- AM I LATE..?!'

A (h/c) haired person stared down at their watch that was securely strapped around their wrist.. which was a good thing cause with all their running around it would be a shame if it would break because its owner was reckless and it got off their wrist into the street.

Possibly getting run over by some car, as this person glanced at their watch over and over again.. they had come to the realization that they were indeed late for their work interview at the local Detective Agency.

Honestly, they weren't expecting the interview to be this damn early in the morning but well- it seemed the agency really liked being on schedule and getting things done as soon as fucking possible- Cause dang it, who interviews people at 7 in the morning..? Scratch that it was supposed to be 6 but they changed it last minute because of the interviewer's partner.. oh well at least they weren't going to be the only one 'too' late. But dang they didn't want to be later than they already were, so.. they ran, there weren't any people around so thankfully they were able to use their speed to their advantage-.. before of course accidentally bumping into somebody. Normally the assassin's senses would be on top-notch but not this early in the morning no, yeah no way.. they were a night person- I mean, you saw how their ability works. Look at the damn name! Backing away from the person they had bumped into, completely oblivious to the fact their speed was gone since they had touched someone with a nullifying ability. Glancing the male up and down before backing a few steps behind them to apologize quickly and get going as soon as possible. 'GET IT TOGETHER (Y/n) APOLOGIZE THEN GET OUT OF THERE YOU'LL BE LATE- WELL LATER THAN YOU ALREADY ARE NOW!' "Woah there-! What the.. oh? Well hello there, are you alright?" ______________________________________________________________ To be continued..?~ ----------- Note: so~ did you guys enjoy?~ ^^" Hehe, I know you did~ and well if you noticed anything then yes- maybe it's foreshadowing a fic.. maybe or maybe not.. who knows~ for now have these headcanons and go and think about what will happen next~ Farewell for now little birds~

[myimaginedcorner]

A TUMBLR STORY: TORN PAGE (p.2)

“Ah, Fate’s favourite children.”

Lights flicker. Golden shades rest on the woman’s skin, her ginger locks carefully scattered over her slim shoulders.

“You’re a rare encounter around here,” she laughs softly, pulling out a jar with blue and silver battling inside. “Alas, I presume Destiny monitors you much more carefully.”

“Bullshit.”

A hoarse voice intervenes, a voice of a respectful age. Behind me, a creature hidden under a shapeless cloak rests their drink on the table, loud knock echoing through the chamber. Their eyes have no particular tone, years of exhaustion fading all prior colours away. A pair of wise, sharp pupils pierce through you like two spears, their attitude, however, leaving the barwoman unbothered.

“What do you mean, Ralph?” she asks, reading up a new glass for the brewage.

“I mean what I say,” scoffing, Ralph turns around so you can see their temples flash in silver. “Fate’s just bullshit. They’re trapped in that goddamn place, they all are.”

“Ah, Ralph, but aren’t you a bit too judgemental? Our guest here just arrived,” with nothing but a smile, the barwoman gives you a quick nod. “We cannot debate on matters so philosophical without an expert’s opinion.”

“As if,” Ralph’s eyes roll slightly up, snake gaze almost disappearing under heavy eyelids.

“Yes, Ralph, that would be just rude. We must take care of our customer first, and then we can express opinions. After all, we haven’t even heard them out yet.”

You’re served a cup of an uncommon shape: it represents a scale of crystal purity, rivets with pan-holders symmetrically attached to both sides of the beam. Through, you can see the twisted light of candles, bottles of wrong shapes, and the reflection of two emerald eyes, patiently waiting for your evaluation. On it, two different liquids lay within the vessels: right from you, blue smoke raises from an ocean deep to sight, silver floating beneath its surface in swirls of mysterious nature; left, white waits for you, a blizzard climbing up the strings, mist hiding shadows in its diffused realm.

“I’ve tried to replicate your signature beverage,” leaning upon the table, the server’s smile grows wider. “Heard it was made for the peace treaty of the millennia.”

“Peace…?”

It’s the first time they hear your voice. A bit shy, slightly unused to being put to work. Quiet, dry throat preventing you from being more confident. You weren’t expecting to use it so soon – however, you’ve encountered a dilemma. You’ve never heard of that treaty.

“And here you’ve scolded me for being too straightforward…” mutters Ralph behind my back.

“I’m not straightforward, Ralph. I’m realistic!” she shrugs shoulders. “Beings never survive without peace. Somewhere, someone has definitely declared a peace treaty, and we’re celebrating that.”

“You haven’t even asked them when they’re from.”

“Does it matter? It all comes to peace or war. And war eventually comes to peace,” her smile shines. “So, I’m correct no matter their answer.”

You sigh, shaking your head. Their talk confuses you, your mind still not recovered from the ever-present darkness. You still feel void’s touch on your skin – it sends you into shivers.

“Ah, darling, here I am again, losing the conversation!”

Giving it a dramatic sneer, you are once more centre to her attention.

“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t leave my customer so lost when they’ve just arrived. You’re so beautiful, honey – what’s your style called? Or is it a specific creature that you’re portraying?”

DESCRIPTIONS FOR EACH SPECIES:

Human – You're one, aren't you? Well, if you're not, I'm surprised: humans are one of the most widely spread species in the entire Universe. With their origins traced as far as Earth itself, humans are highly adaptable to any kind of environment. They survive in any habitable planet, and are inclined to quickly acquire the most profitable resources to help them in their settling. They're smart, cunning, and versatile: despite their weaker anatomy, they compensate it by having the most advanced defensive and offensive technology in the entire Cosmos. In worlds as magically charged as Therania, humans quickly became skilled mages and healers, building their first cities in lands deemed impossible to prosper in.

Satyr – Nature's guardians. Satyrs aren't that widely spread across the Universe, requiring of specific habitats to live in: they're strongly dependent of an abundant source of magic present in the world's layers, as well as they require of big forests to protect and settle. In most cases, they also need a divine patron that would imbue them with power and immortality - that makes the satyrs some of the innately strongest species on Therania's grounds, but also, some of the most limited ones. They never leave their forests if they're bound to Nature. Otherwise, they are stripped of all their privileges, and become as weak as humans, with their agility being the sole perk that makes them more flexible in their movements. They also get subjected to the 'golden fever': those that experienced true power once, become thirsty for more, and search for new ways - sometimes, illegal ones - to bring that feeling back.

Elf – Scholars. While there are as many approaches to elves as there are Authors on Earth, Therania's elves claim to have one of the oldest ancestries within this species' history. Born as a native race to this magical planet, the elves are creatures of a long lifespan, obsessed with knowledge and research. Most of them spend their entire lives exploring one single topic, learning all what they can about a certain field, and writing papers for future generations. Some have more practical professions, however, they approach them with the same amount of dedication. The amount of time an elf has given to a certain topic can be seen reflected in their appearance: the bigger grows the percentage of their lifespan sacrificed to a certain matter, the more their skin, eyes, hair and even shapes mimic what they have been researching. And yet, despite their drive for progress, the slow, and often eccentric nature of elven research doesn't help Therania's stagnant scientific and magical progress, with little difference brought by the last generation of elven scholars, engineers, or even adventurers.

Berserk – also known as 'the humans from the Battle Lands', little is known of the berserk's actualy history. With no writing tradition present in their culture, various are the legends surrounding these warmongering species, whose mentality is set on constant struggle against each other. Strong, resistant, berserks are split into two factions bound by eternal war: children of Amtell, who believe in magical enhancement of their abilities, and children of Galtris, whose sole path in life is the constant breakthrough for their physical capacities. Both blame each other for the conflict, yet both believe that conflict is the only stage in which their species can exist. Followers of the Old Gods, they grow and live to be a weapon, fight bringing balance to their meaning.

Dryad - if satyrs are Nature's guardians, then dryads are Nature's spawns. They're products of a heavy magical presence within a forest: when energy exceeds a certain level, tree souls are able to acquire a shape, a so, a dryad's born. Bound to their trees at first, dryads live and die with their parent plant, their lives consisting of a carefree existence in the woods' most profound thicket. Often they're seen near lakes and rivers, for their own bathing keeps their trees refreshed in the driest times. Usually, no dryad leaves the forest where they have been born, unless their tree has moved locations. However, everywhere exceptions are to prove the rule. Some dryads, losing their tree, don't disappear immediately, but can live up to what is half of a human lifespan. What happens to them, is unknown: one cannot even imagine what is for a soul to lose its heart and body.

Honsa - In caves far from any sight, in labyrinths so old they were still carved beneath Therania's soil, a species known to barely anyone exists. They spend their time between two worlds, their eyes used to both light and darkness. With settlements built where sun isn't welcomed, they often walk between the other creatures, their presence, nonetheless, unnoticed to unknowing eyes. They're shifters - their true appearance hasn't been recorded by a scholar yet. Often, they choose to look like some exotic angel, and so, it is considered that their real body has its wings. They tend to also be quite big and high, their necks only slightly longer than the rest of species. Their image changes according to the situation, and their adaptability knows no bounds: their wings can be as soft as fluff or as hard as the strongest metal; their breathing can be air sucked into lungs, or water passed through gills. They can survive even the most extreme situations, and so, killing them is extremely hard. They do, however, never show their real face, and that points to a major weakness.

Skazka - Hello.

[happi-meals]

Today's breakfast!

Vegan almond yogurt, carrot, and clemintine drink + pan-fried egg, steamed kale, sliced vegan bratwurst on a bed of rice!

Very rewarding meal, though I would have loved to have the drink and the food together lol. I forgot to prep and make the drink first, so I made and drank it afterward.

Wrt the drink, I cant quite call it a smoothie yet because I dont have ice and its just not the texture I want it at yet. It has very great flavor, especially the citrus zest; 2 clemintines with pulp amplified by twang of ginger root and a brightness of lemon juice (no cider this time! Didnt need it); lots of honey and carrot to add a tinge of particular sweetness.

BUT

I simply dont have the consistency I desire smdh. The lack of ice means theres less volume to the drink and its lack of viscosity makes the chunks of veggies (particularly the carrot) relatively unplesant in texture. I wouldnt mind said chunks and pieces if they were spread evenly in a smoothie. But alas lol.

Will definitely give the kale a break for more of this bright and healthy juice option!

Ingredients for the drink (no particular proportions; experimenting to taste)

2 clemintines with pulp 🍊

A handfull of baby carrots 🥕

A dash of lemon juice 🍋

A few dollops of vegan yogurt (unsweetened) 🍦

Small cut of fresh ginger root 🫚

LOTS of honey! 🍯

Now that I'm thinking about it, this entire drink would have been nice as is if I had some sort of mesh strainer to seperate the large chunks from the juice itself. That way, it could suffice without ice! ���� I def need to invest in one if I cant find one thrifted.

Onto the food!

Nothing too much to say here other than it was a great meal!

The egg was certainly more flavorful than last time, thought I admit it was a bit too much season salt lol. I cooked it last since I was right to remember that eggs cook in like 4 mins max lol. However, I accidentally skipped a step in remembering to heat up the pan with its oil before cracking the egg into it. So for several seconds the poor abortion remained clear and uncooked in the pan, sliding but not simmering. I thought i may have fluked the process again but I turned up the heat a bit and the egg bounced back, the whites appearing slowly as it actually simmered and cooked lol

The rice I simply made in my cute lil rice cooker (i should give it a name 🤔).

My mom got it for me when I was in college, considering I went vegan a few yrs prior, hadnt bought an [unlimited] meal plan at the dorm cafeteria, and may have had limited options (thankfully I didnt, eventually bought and u limited meal plan, and never needed to use the cooker living on campus. It became my ol-reliable later before I left though lol). Its a great cooker and can handle I believe up to around 1 or 1 1/2 cups of rice and its respective portions of water, which is plently for just me and usually enough for 2 servings. I use it almost daily when I cook so its def a staple tool in the kitchen I'm grateful to have. Thanks, mom! 💕

The kale I steamed in a pot with a lid and added a but of Lawry's season salt, a cap full of vinegar, and pepper. Simple yet flavorful. I love seeing the change of volume the kale undergoes as its steamed. A large portion of bright green, rubbery kale leaves that overfills the brim of the pan quickly shrivels into a manageable serving of jeep-green, seasoned kale, steamed to perfection (and much more pleasant to chew!). Speaking of kale transformations lol....

.... Ive had this batch of kale for going on 3 weeks now! I made a post about it before on my nature blog @happigreens (I'll transfer here eventually), but to condense it to the gist of this one, the salt bath i gave the kale was extremely helpful in extending the shelf life of the leaves. By now, theyre finally yellowing and some are wilting from dryness, but many still retain a crisp texture as if freshly harvested. I'll always soak kale leaves in saline water to preserve them! The kale in this meal didnt need that crispness necessarily, but the soaking probably retains its nutritional value for a lot longer, so thats definitely always important!

The brat I cooked the same as last time: pan fried! The brats are so good imo that they dont need any seasoning other than compatible cooking oil! Beyond Meat has some absolutely delish products. I just hope one day plant based products like that can be subsidized or something 😅. Also like before, the brat complimented the egg so well. I really didnt want any meat for this meal but craved the umami flavor combos I had with my last meal. Was not disappointed!

Ingredients for this meal included:

1 Beyond Sausage Brat Origianal link (pulled into pieces for a feeling of bigger portions lol)

1 egg (to be fried)

Like a big bowlfull of kale (again, no exact proportion here lol, but ut was a lot!)

Lawry's season salt (to season kale and egg to taste)

Pepper (for the kale and egg again)

A capful of vinegar (for the kale)

Olive and sesame oil (for pan-frying the egg and brat, and steaming the kale)

1 cup of rice (which take ~2 cups of water to cook)

9/10 It all came together for a great meal! :-)