#but she let us know that she’d just changed her diet

[10moonymhrivertam]

And it absolutely doesn’t have to be a tipping place! Fast food folks are equally happy to get regulars, especially since we are in a setting where everything is timed and knowing exactly how long your stuff takes and where we’re reaching is a godsend

Starving to death this morning because ive been to the new local cafe twice this week already and if i go a third time ill look desperate.

[ineffablywriting]

favourite crime - part ii

Part ii - retail therapy

It had been just under two months since she had spoken to Harry. She hadn’t bothered to reach out again. She figured if he ever wanted to chat he would reach out himself but he never did. 

Initially she’d been hopeful that once he’d calmed down enough that he would try and talk to her again. But that hope had dwindled as the days had gone on, and had officially been snuffed out when she’d received an email from his lawyer three weeks ago. 

It had demanded a paternity test once the baby was born and included a contract and an NDA outlining that Alena was to never publicly speak of Harry being the father, if the paternity test proved true, and an agreed upon amount that he would pay each month as child support. 

She’d quickly signed the NDA and emailed it back before contacting her own lawyer about the contract. 

She’d been telling the truth when she’d said she never wanted anything from Harry, so she’d had them whip up a contract of her own stipulating that she would never ask Harry for any money, but that she also wouldn’t hide his identity from the child once they were old enough to understand and go looking for him. She’d also added a clause that allowed Harry any parental rights should he change his mind, but that when the baby was older Alena would not force a relationship between them if they refused contact with him. 

She’d promptly sent that off as well and hadn’t heard anything since. She hadn’t expected this sort of prolonged reaction from Harry, she’d thought he was one of the good ones, and she was heartbroken that he’d proved her wrong and furious with herself for allowing herself to love him enough that his reaction caused her heart to pinch every time she thought about him. But she didn’t care anymore, she couldn’t care anymore, she had more pressing things to take care of. 

Morning sickness had been an absolute nightmare for her. She’d barely been able to keep any food down and when she’d last gone to see her family doctor she’d been told she had lost too much weight and needed to better maintain her diet. 

Which was easier said than done when everything made her want to throw up. 

She sighed, eyeing the dry biscuits she’d been eating each morning with reluctance. It had been the only thing that didn’t upset her stomach, like she’d been recovering from a stomach virus. 

But this morning she wanted cereal. 

Letting out a quiet sigh, she pushed the biscuits aside and stood up, reaching up for a bowl and her favourite chocolate cereal. She poured only a very small amount before adding some milk and tentatively taking a bite. When she didn’t immediately gag she continued to eat, bringing the milk and cereal pack with her to the table. 

She was halfway through her second bowl when her phone vibrated with a call. 

She stared at the screen in surprise, letting it ring and ring until it stopped then picked up again. 

Gemma Styles calling…

This time she reached out and hesitantly slid the screen across to answer.

She hadn’t expected Harry’s sister to reach out. She’d figured Harry would have told her and his mum everything and they too would want nothing to do with her. 

“He-hello?” she answered, cautiously. 

“My brother is a twat,” Gemma greeted her back. 

Alena choked on the small bite of cereal she’d just swallowed and moved the phone away from her ear to cough and clear her throat. 

“I’m sorry?” she brought the phone back to her ear, sure she must have misheard. 

“My brother is a twat,” Gemma repeated calmly. “Are you ok?” she asked, a hint of concern in her words. 

“Yeah, just-just food went down the wrong pipe.”

“She’s fine mum, just choked on a bit of food,” she heard Gemma call out in the background. So Anne was there too. Alena stood up and started to pace nervously. 

“Ok so, back to my brother being a twat. He is, just in case you missed it. He only just told us everything last week. Why haven’t you called us? Mum’s worried.” 

“I - I didn’t know, I mean, I didn’t think you guys would - I don’t understand. If Harry told you everything then why -” but Gemma cut her off. 

“Why are we calling you?” she asked, words gentle. 

“Yeah,” Alena breathed out. “I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me again.” 

“Yeah, well, we’ve known you almost as long as we’ve known Harry. Just because he’s got his head up his arse, doesn’t mean we do. Besides, we’d at least like to hear your side of things. And honestly, mum is a bit chuffed at the idea of a grandkid. I don’t think she really cares how they come to exist.” 

Alena just imagined Gemma’s eye roll at that and couldn’t help but let out a little laugh. It was full of relief and love for the two women she knew were listening on the other side. 

“Sorry,” she sighed, feeling as though the weight of the world had been lifted off her shoulders. “I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes by calling you,” she admitted, refusing to mention Harry’s name. 

“Harry is a grown man. He can handle us having you in our lives even if he doesn’t approve. And if he can’t, tough. We’ve put up with worse for him,” Gemma said firmly. “Now, mum wants to know when you are free for dinner. We have a couple months worth of catching up to do.” 

“Uh-.” 

“No, Harry won’t be there,” Gemma said before she could ask. Alena let a small smile slip onto her lips as she imagined the eye roll she was getting. 

“I’m free any time,” she replied, refusing to acknowledge how sad and pathetic that sounded. 

“Great, we’ll see you tomorrow night then,” Gemma said happily before they quickly ended the call. 

Alena put her phone down and turned back to her cereal. A small part of her heart had unravelled during the phone call and she felt it fill up with hope as she allowed a small smile to slip onto her face. 

-

He was dating Olivia Wilde. 

It had felt like a punch to the gut when Alena had seen the pictures. She hadn’t been prepared for it, it hadn’t even been something that had crossed her mind as a possibility. Yet there Harry was, pictured out with her and her kids looking like a happy family while she sat at home with his own child growing in her womb, and he couldn’t spare a single thought towards her. 

She knew part of the feelings clenching around her heart were due to the hormones that were swirling wildly in her body, but a larger part was hurt that he’d rather play family with someone else and their kids, than with her. Was being with Alena really that bad? 

She didn’t have time to think about it for too long, the spiralling thoughts interrupted by a knock at her door. 

She had no idea who it could be, thinking maybe she had imagined it until they knocked again. She hurried to her feet, grabbed her keys and unlocked the door without looking through the peephole. 

“Oh, hey Gemma,” she greeted in surprise. Dinner with Gemma and Anne had felt like travelling back in time to when they’d all get together and catch up on all the different stories Harry had told each of them over the weeks he’d spent away on tour. He’d confessed to her once that he never told any of them the same story to make sure they all stayed in touch and took care of one another while he was away. He claimed he felt guilty leaving his mum and sister alone all the time, but Alena had known he’d done it mostly for her. 

They’d grown up together. Every important milestone in their lives had been a shared moment between the two of them when no one else was around. They’d been so many of each other’s firsts and helped each other stay on solid ground when the world was spiralling out of control around them. But each time Harry went away on tour and Alena was left behind, she knew he felt guilty as they drifted further and further apart from each other and she was left alone again. 

Gemma and Anne were family, and after she’d lost her own parents, Harry had wanted her to have some semblance of home while he was away as well. And maybe a small part of him hoped it would help stop the chasm forming between them. 

It had been stories like that and throwaway moments of thoughtfulness that had chipped away at her heart until she’d unknowingly fallen in love with him - a consequence Harry hadn’t ever considered. 

“Hey,” Gemma grinned at her, gently pushing Alena aside and making her way into the apartment. 

Alena flinched at the pile of dishes she’d left in the sink and hoped Gemma wouldn’t judge her for the mess. She was too busy wallowing in self pity to do any housework. 

“Sooo, how are you?” Gemma asked on her way to the lounge. “Dinner was nice. Mum wants to do it again soon. She couldn’t stop talking about how nice it was to have all her girls back together, as though there were more than two of us there,” Gemma rolled her eyes before her expression softened into something like wistfulness. “It was nice though,” she admitted. “I don’t even remember the last time we’d all gotten together. It’s been months. Ever since Harry came back and stole all your time,” she joked. 

Alena’s smile dimmed a little at the mention of her brother and just how much of her time he used to occupy. She hadn’t noticed it until after he’d swiftly exited her life just how reliant on his company she’d become. She was quite cranky at herself for allowing him to weasel his way into taking up all her free time again. The first week he hadn’t called, all Alena had done was sit in front of the telly and try to fill the empty Harry shaped hole in her life with reruns and food. Eventually she’d snapped herself out of it. Now she wondered if there were others who had fallen for the charm and dazzle that was all Harry the way she had, and been left just as high and dry with an aching heart that refused to give up on him. 

She wondered if Olivia Wilde would be the same. 

“Sorry,” she apologised to Gemma. “I don’t know how it happened. I missed you guys too.” 

“It’s not your fault. Harry does it to everyone. He did it when you guys were kids as well,” she rolled her eyes. “The two of you always used to be off in your own little bubble. We’d have to beat it with a stick to get it to pop until you paid the rest of us some attention,” she joked. But Alena still felt bad. 

“He’s just got that thing about him,” she eventually sighed, shoulders dipping in disappointment as the nostalgia of childhood friendships and how easy everything had been back then hit her like a truck. 

“Forget about him,” Gemma said gently, coming up beside Alena and nudging her shoulder. “He may be my brother but he’s not worth wallowing over when he’s being this unreasonable.” 

“That’s easier said than done when his face is literally everywhere, smiling and laughing as though this huge life changing event isn’t going to impact him at all,” Alena grumbled bitterly. 

“Ah. So you’ve seen the pictures already,” Gemma said sheepishly. “Mum and I were hoping I could get to you in time before you saw anything,” she admitted. 

“So this isn’t a social call because you miss spending time with me?” Alena tried to joke. 

“Why can’t it be both?” Gemma grinned back, linking their arms and pulling her further into the apartment. “Come on, get changed. Let’s go shopping and then grab some lunch. I can’t wait to spoil my niece-slash-nephew.” 

Alena groaned. “Please, no. I can't even look at baby things right now. I was looking up a list of things to get and there’s so much,” she looked at Gemma with wide eyes. “Why are there so many different types of prams, Gem? What do they all do? What if I get the wrong one?” 

Gemma laughed. “Don’t worry, you’ve got mum and I around. We’ll help pick things out for the little nugget. I’m pretty sure I saw mum looking up bassinets the other day,” she admitted. “And I won’t lie, I’ve started going to the baby section in some stores. I haven’t bought anything yet though,” she promised, sitting on Alena’s bed while she changed. 

It didn’t take Alena long to throw on an old sweatshirt and some jeans before the two girls were heading out the door, a sense of peace and comfort settling over Alena’s heart, soothing the aching wound Harry had left. 

She was so distracted and happy, wrapping herself and Gemma in a protective bubble of bliss as they walked from store to store buying too many clothes and things they didn’t need, that she didn’t even notice the random flashes of light as people took their photos while they talked and laughed. 

And so when she got home that day after promising Gemma that she’d come by for lunch with her and Anne in a couple of days, and saw her phone light up with a Twitter notification of a ‘Styles sighting’, she ignored it. She wasn’t going to let anything Harry related ruin the rest of her night. 

-

“Stay away from my family,” Harry glared at her from the doorway. When Alena had opened her front door she’d been expecting a teenager with a pizza box in his hands, not Harry. So when she’d looked up from where she’d been tracking her food on her phone, she’d frozen in shock, unable to get a single word out. 

Not that it mattered, Harry seemed to be there to deliver a message and move on. 

Alena blinked up at him, unsure how to respond. 

“Did you hear me?” he huffed. “Stay away from my mum and sister.” 

“I didn’t contact them,” she eventually managed to say, her hands coming up and wrapping protectively around herself. 

Harry’s eyes instinctively looked down at the movement, his gaze lingering for a moment on her stomach. She was just over three months pregnant now and still not showing, but Harry’s frown still made her feel self conscious. 

“You’ve lost weight,” he commented, his voice losing a little of its edge and his eyes losing a little of their ice. But he quickly shook himself out of it and fixed a glare back on his face, bringing the conversation back to the reason why he was there. “I don’t care who contacted whom. Just stay away from them,” he repeated. “Or I’ll take out a restraining order,” he added, almost as an afterthought. 

Alena flinched back, her eyes widening in disbelief and anger. 

She felt her heart pick up its pace and her cheeks heat up. She didn’t care who he was or how much he thought she had wronged him, he had no right threatening her with something like that.

He seemed to realise it too, his face crumpling in apology almost as soon as he had said the words. But it was too late to take them back and Alena was too angry in that moment to give him a chance to do so anyway. 

If she took a moment to think about it, took a moment to just analyse the situation a little bit, she would have picked up on the strange back and forth Harry seemed to be having internally. As though he was saying and doing all the things that were expected of him, while a long ago locked up part of his heart warred with him to be kind. 

“I don’t care who you think you are, Harry,” she spoke stiffly. “But you have no right coming to my door and threatening me with something like that. I never, not once, reached out to Anne or Gemma out of respect for you. They came to me. I don’t care what you see online, you should know better than to believe everything.” 

She moved to close the door, but Harry stuck a foot out before she could slam it in his face. 

“If you think you can trick me into a relationship by charming my mum and sister-”

But Alena cut him off. “Fuck you, Harry Styles,” she said, anger rolling off her in waves. She had never been so hurt and so mad at someone all at the same time. “Fuck you for thinking so low of me. God, you-,” she shook her head, trying to fight back the sudden onslaught of tears that were clogging up her throat. “I can’t believe I wasted a single second of my life loving you,” she laughed bitterly, her heart yelling at her that she still loved him. “You know, I’ve had my heart broken before. By old boyfriends, by friends, even by you. I never gave any of them a second shot at breaking me again. Except for you. I let you break my heart on so many occasions, I was an idiot for letting you do it again. Please,” she begged desperately, tired of feeling on edge and of all the heartbreak Harry brought with him. “Please, just leave me alone. It’s something you’ve been very good at for the last few months, I’m sure you can do it again. But you can’t ask me to have no one, to stay away from the two people who have cared about me. Anne and Gemma have always been my family as well, even if you no longer are. You took my love, trust and friendship and threw it all away like it meant nothing to you. I won’t let you take them away from me too,” she said fiercely. 

She waited until Harry took a step back, then closed the door, making sure to lock it behind her. 

She ignored it when he knocked and called for her again, more gently this time. But Alena was done. She wasn’t going to tiptoe around Harry anymore to spare his feelings when he had zero regard for her own. 

-

Thoughts are always appreciated <3

[it-happened-one-fic]

Overindulgence - Baizhu

Author Notes: Happy (belated) Valentine's Day Genshin fandom! I debated about whether or not to write a Valentine's fic or not before finally breaking down and deciding to do so. I actually had a fair bit of fun writing this one. As per usual, reader is gender neutral. I hope you enjoy!

Type: Gender Neutral reader/ Fluff/ implied romance/ sfw

Word Count: 1121

“What are those?” Even though I wasn’t facing him as I sat down the plate of chocolates I knew exactly what expression on Baizhu’s face. I'd easily known him long enough to know that and clearly picture it solely based on the tone he used.

It was the one that was usually reserved for particularly disobedient or poorly behaved patients. The frustrating ones who wouldn’t do as instructed and would automatically complain when the didn’t recover immediately despite not having done as they were told.

I was proved correct as I turned to look at the doctor with a smile that was perfectly at odds with his frown. But I was wholly unperturbed by the frown on his face as I gestured to the little chocolates on the plate, “Dark chocolate. I helped Qiqi make them.” 

I paused, tilting my head and letting my amusement creep into my voice as I finished, knowing my next words would seal the deal, “She wanted us to have them.”

I watched as Baizhu pursed his lips, unable to turn down the little girl’s gift despite his general distaste for candies.

He’d dealt too often with patients suffering from a stomachache or some other sweets-related ailment to be fond of such foods.

“Where did she get the idea of making chocolates,” His tone sounded weary, but I knew it had more to do with the situation than actual fatigue as I sat down next the table that now held the candies.

“Yaoyao was talking to her about the ways that Valentine’s day was celebrated. I think she decided she wanted to make something after their conversation but then didn’t really know what to do with all of it so she gave some of them to us. She’s giving the others to Yaoyao,” I explained calmly, wondering how long it would take for him to give in and just accept the chocolates.

After all, I wasn’t going to be the only one pushing him about this.

“Surely just one wouldn't hurt?” Changsheng’s tone was almost judgemental as she looked at the doctor and I didn’t even bother to hide my smile as he shot her a look. It wasn’t common for Baizhu to get annoyed with his serpent friend, but it seldom failed to be amusing when it did happen since it was almost always over something like this.

“Did you know that dark chocolate is a very good source of antioxidants?” Baizhu looked my way as soon as I spoke, a smile slipping onto his face at my words. But they were true, and he knew it.

“Yes, but if over-indulged in they can lead to a myriad of health issues,” His eyebrows lifted and crossed his slender arms as he responded. Automatically picking up on my change of tactics and not falling for it.

I nodded agreeably though, humming slightly as I picked up a candy and looked at it carefully. After just a bit of practice Qiqi had picked up on how to shape and powder the candies quickly. And though she wouldn’t remember doing so later, I really did feel like she’d enjoyed herself in her own quiet way, and I knew Yaoyao would be ecstatic to receive such a gift.

And even if he wasn’t admitting it, Baizhu was too. It was just that he tried very hard to follow the same diet he prescribed to so many of his patients.

“So can overdoing medicine and other foods.” I glanced over, meeting Baizhu’s stare before I held the little candy out to him with a smile, “Balance is important for health and life in general. I know you know that, Baizhu.”

I tilted my head as he sighed, seemingly accepting his defeat even as I continued, “One or two pieces aren’t going to hurt you.”

He was smiling at me in an almost rueful manner as he plucked the chocolate from my fingers, surrendering easily just like I’d known he would when I first came into the room. Baizhu could certainly be stubborn about matters pertaining to health, but he was also pretty bad to indulge both me and Qiqi and could be quite reasonable.

He smiled down at the chocolate, chuckling slightly and shaking his head, “I suppose you're right.” He popped the candy into his mouth, humming to himself and nodding as he quickly finished and looked my way, with a proud smile, “She did a good job.”

I felt my smile widen before I nodded, agreeing with him, “She picked up on how to make it very quickly, and I think she enjoyed herself too.”

I watched as his gaze softened and he nodded, smiling more to himself than anyone else now, “Good.”

Changsheng watched him before letting out a sigh and shaking her head before looking my way, “You know, the balance of things goes two ways.”

Both of us now looked at the snake whose eyes stayed on me as she continued, “Too little of something can be detrimental to one’s health too.”

I nodded slowly, agreeing with her, but wondering where she was going with this even as I popped a candy of my own into my mouth. We’d already been victorious in getting Baizhu to accept his chocolate.

“I guess you're like that for Baizhu. If you’re away too long then he becomes useless.” Changsheng’s nonchalant words had me sputtering as I barely managed to swallow the chocolate without choking.

I looked over, wide-eyed, at Baizhu who looked just as startled as I was, if a little mortified while Changsheng continued to gaze at me with a now smug expression.

“We don’t actually know if it goes the other way yet. It seems like it's impossible for him to overindulge in your presence, though he does get distracted some-”

“That’s QUITE enough Changsheng!” Baizhu interrupted hurriedly, causing the snake to look his way in an almost indignant manner. She didn’t get to snap back, though, since he continued in a scolding tone even though he himself was most definitely flustered, “You’re going to make them uncomfortable.”

Chengsheng let out an unimpressed hiss, sliding down from his shoulders and to the ground before making for the door. Only pausing to look back at us over her shoulder, “Suit yourself. But you’ll have to talk about it sooner or later, otherwise we’ll have to start conducting studies to see if there is such a thing as too much of Y/n for you.”

She slid out the door before he could say anything back while I sat, dumbfounded in the chair.

Silence fell heavy between us until Baizhu at last recovered, letting out an awkward cough and gesturing to the side with an uncharacteristically inelegant smile, “Tea?”

[oonajaeadira]

wip wednesday whenever.

LOL. You know, I was surprised when @moonlitbirdie tagged me. I was really starting to believe people forgot I used to write things and it brought me a fair amount of joy to be tagged.

And then @grogusmum. And @the-blind-assassin-12. And now @insomniamamma. I know you probably don't mean it this way, but it feels like the lot of you just invited me to tea for an intervention to say "YOU GOT THIS. JUST WRITE ANYTHING. WE DON'T CARE WHAT. REJOIN THE PARTY."

I love it here.

Anyway, thank you, friends. I'm taking it as an encouragement. <3

I'm about to get my feet swept out from under my ass by the General tonight, so let's have some fluffy Fink x Farrah before I lose myself completely to Roman lust and longing....

There’d been two full moons since Farrah came to the island and she adjusted fast to their strange way of life. She wasn’t as hard driven by hunger as some of the other animals and gained from their talks that was because food had been more scarce where she was from and she was patient when it came to waiting for meals. Fish and shellfish had already been a big part of her diet. 

So she must have come from another island…but Fink couldn’t be sure. Anytime he’d ask more about it, she’d change the subject or go quiet. And she was very very good at being quiet. Probably had to learn that with fur like hers. It’s a wonder she made it to maturity without proper camouflage. Silence and speed would be her only options.

Except when she laughed. She laughed loud and high, almost a cry when she was really going. Farrah was easy to amuse and he made sure to do so whenever he had the chance. He wanted to see her happy and settled here. With him.

And he just liked to hear her laugh. Nobody laughed at his jokes like she did.

“That is the look of a lovelorn fox,” Paddler dryly declared one day, turning away to scrape away at a massive trunk with his crooked incisors. Fink had just cracked a joke at a squirrel’s expense–and not a clever one either, something about the size of nuts–and Farrah had laughed before bounding off after a butterfly. The beaver’s remark made Fink realize that he was wearing a dopey grin and he shook it off, but not before Paddler added, “Be direct. Build her a dam to show how you feel.”

“I’m not going to give her a dam.”

“Ha! Very good! I see what you did there. But I’m telling you, fine fellow. We may be swimming among the trees as a pike in the waters of the river, but the ladies still love a good bit of worked wood. You have that home–a good design, said because, as you will remember it is mine–but a little riverside palace of her own? Eh? What a treat.”

Fink rolled his eyes, playing cavalier. “It’s not like that. We’re–” over in the near clearing, Farrah’s fur sparkled white in the sinking sun, her head tilting side to side as she watched two butterflies dancing, trying to pick up on their whispers, quiet and still….and beautiful. “--friends.”

“Ha!” Paddler choked on a laugh. “You fool no one, sir. Just give her a treasure and be done with it. I’m telling you a dam always does the job, but I suppose you must do as your ilk do.” 

“Is that why there's no Mrs. Paddler?”

“Oh ho! I have had my salacious share of affairs, I assure you. My dams are well-given and wide spread. I am focusing on other projects at the moment,” he boasted with a grand gesture towards his gnarled tree, and turned back to his gnawing.

--That Awooo Inside You, Pt. 2.

tagging: @brandyllyn @littlemisspascal @nicolethered @missredherring @something-tofightfor

[stari-hun]

After TWS and retrieving the ugly squid when everyone’s all together again and the world is back in one piece. I feel like YJH would get chubby, hear me out bros fully a gamer besides literally being forced into an apocalypse and getting the body builder physique because he’s likely always slightly dehydrated and hungry with how much he’s burning off. So once everything calms down yeah he’s still very healthy cause he probably knows from beforehand how having too much weight can be a burden on daily life but I definitely think he would put on some chub. If only because his body would be so used to burning at extreme rates that he gets super hungry after the apocalypse. Like that learning curve year or even up to 3 after, the entirely of KimCo would have a hard to adjusting to how their bodies are doing out of fight or flight mode.

YJH would just take a pretty big hit from adjusting to being human again and not a fighter. Something something long explaination on society but Yoo Sangah and Jung Heewon would have an easier time adjusting, but Han Sooyoung wouldn’t give a shit. She’d let her body absolutely fail and crash until she gets put into the same group as the kids with supervised meal plans and fitness routines that’ll ease their body from full survival mode back into leisure exercise. I’m talking HSY would absolutely forget to drink water one day after a nap, everyone’s bodies would be used to retaining water and food on nothing, to where she eventually passed out in the YSH’s kitchen and nearly killed her and JHW via heart attack. YJH is also in that boat with her but not quite as bad, he’d just be flipping around from too much to neglecting his body until he found proper balance by joining everyone’s Apocalypse Recovery Routine (named by Lee Hyunsung). YJH took over cooking and meal prepping because he was already making Yoo Mia’s stuff and claimed it wouldn’t be any more effort. Lee Hyunsung is also one of the only people who easily rebalanced their body to daily life again.

1863 YJH looks like an absolute tank. He still has the same amount of muscle mass he’s just getting in a proper diet now and balancing everything out. He’d be so paranoid afterwards that he’d never let himself not be in top fighting and survival shape at all times, he gets a recruitment once a month for basically every type of sport. Besides keeping his muscle tone up I feel like he’d go for the most mundane job possible afterwards and be an office worker (and totally not for any other reason), but he’d still game on his off days while his preferences changed to comfy games, anything without fighting and survival. If he does however he always gets hyper fixates until he’s strong enough to clear everything, I’m talking exp farm and grinding til he can beat the enderdragon in one hit. He’d also be super popular online though not by his own volition. People will be people and he’d find himself online from pictures of him in public or at the gym posted by others, every work out one gets reported to staff immediately.

[smolandweirdwriter]

oh let me tell u i am so normal about adaine so here have a collection of some of my headcanons (that i can remember)

adaine starts dressing more "punk" in a sense because she lives with fig (totally not cause shes trying to remove herself from her goody two shoes appearance that her parents knew)

I also think this comes out of necessity as she doesnt have the money to buy new clothes if they get damaged so ends up sowing patches onto her clothes.

Adaine is the second tallest bad kid (after gorgug) at 5'11 simply because fabian is 5'10 and claims hes 6'0 (adaine is having none of it)

Adaine and tracker are still really close even after kristens breakup

She also has chronic fatigue which did not help her anxiety attacks. for most of her life she just believed she was lazy and not trying hard enough due to her parents thinking she was making excuses

Fig realizes at the beginning of Sophomore year that she really, really likes fun colors. She’s sick of all black. She wears bright red skirts and t-shirts of all colors and she smokes her cigarettes and dyes her hair and paints her nails pale pink and is uniquely, wildly, entirely herself. She doesn’t limit herself to a “rocker aesthetic”. Isn’t the whole point of rebellion to be you? 

Adaine’s style has changed so much. Partway through freshman year, she begins dressing as defiantly as possible. Whatever her parents would hate the most, Adaine wears. She borrows Fig’s clothes, which tend to be a bit too short and tight on her, but it’s all black with a leather skirt and ripped fishnets and her mother calls her a slut and her father forces her to go back to her room and change. Aelwyn mocks her for it over breakfast and Adaine stares at her food and doesn't wear fishnets or crop tops again.

(Aelwyn sneaks out that night wearing a similar outfit because she knows what her parents would say and the idea of the look on her mother's face being pointed at her is enough to terrify her to the point of nausea, and she drinks and drinks and drinks until she forgets to be afraid.)

Still, Adaine's style keeps changing. Sophomore Year it's mostly her Jacket of Useful things, t-shirts, and jeans. But as much as she hated being forced to wear the Hudol uniform, she really likes nice clothes. Junior Year she begins exploring more elven clothing: long skirts, vests with collared shirts, pleated blouses, breeches, tall boots, et cetera. She, Ayda, and Gorgug work together combining Wizardry and Artificing on her Jacket of Useful Things so that it can effectively transform into any coat/jacket/vest/etc to go with her outfit. It's perfect as her style is constantly shifting on a daily basis. 

This is just my thought on all of their heights, but here we go:

Riz is shortest, obviously. He’s actually average-height for a goblin, resting at about 3’6’’. 

Fig gives severe Tall Vibes, so much so that people forget she’s actually only 5’3’’. She wears boots that bring her up to about 5’5’’, but she’s still the second-shortest bad kid.

No one will let Fabian let down how short he is. He’s tried changing his diet, stretching, everything he can imagine—he’s still 5’4’’. It’s mortifying. Fig fits into his clothes perfectly.

Kristen has always felt somewhat ungainly, her limbs at different shapes and sizes, and she’d crash into things a lot. She’s always felt too much: too tall, too wide, too much, too much, too much. Junior Year she starts working out and begins getting comfortable with her body. Still, she’s tall, almost 5’10’’.

Adaine is quite tall, but her parents and sister are taller than her, and she’s spent her life feeling inescapably small. Her posture is good, but there’s something to the way she tilts her head, the general way she carries herself, hunching around a too-big orb and clutching books to her chest, that makes her look short and small. Sophomore Year, her confidence grows, she becomes more stable, and most importantly, she eats much more. She uncurls herself, and by the time she finds Aelwyn again, Aelwyn is horrified to see that her little sister looms over her. Adaine is 5’11.

Gorgug hunches over a lot, and it’s actually after becoming an Artificer that he gets better with his posture, because he’s sitting a lot more now and his back hurts if he hunches too much. His actual height is 6’5’’. He’s the tallest bad kid.

My personal headcanon is that Tracker also has anxiety and used to “wolf out” whenever she got overwhelmed. So she understands Adaine very well, perhaps better than anyone else. She understands the way Adaine’s anger stems from her fear, from her lack of control. Tracker helps her find the right anxiety meds and teaches her methods of working through and handling feeling overwhelmed.

When the bad kids see Nara and Tracker again in Fallinel, she introduces them all to Nara. “Ah,” Nara says as she and Adaine are introduced, and Adaine tenses for oracle, the daughter who killed Angwyn Abernant, the oracle who ran away, but what she’s met with was: “Tracker’s little sister.”

Adaine never tells Tracker how much it means. She loves Aelwyn, and Aelwyn loves her, but that love is something that has been asked for by both parties. Adaine never realized before that she shouldn't have to ask. 

[chaoticpuff17]

Amygdala

Masterlist

Chapter 14

Margot awoke to her a gentle shaking on her shoulder. 

“Come on, jagiya.” Yoongi spoke softly, shaking her awake. “You need to wake up, baby.” She groaned, burrowing further into the blanket while Yoongi looked down at her fondly. “I know you’re not feeling good, baby, but you need to get up.” 

She didn’t move.

“Come on, baby.” He cooed, slipping his arms underneath her and picking her up bridal style as she groaned and buried her face into his shoulder. “You need to eat something, and then I promise you can go back to sleep.”

“Don’t wanna.” 

“You have to, baby. You didn’t eat much today.” 

“Whose fault is that?” she huffed, clinging to him as he walked them into the kitchen where a bowl of juk was waiting for her. 

“Food, pain medicine, and then bed.” He ordered, setting her down at the island. 

“Fuck off.” Margot grumbled, picking up the spoon and stirring around the contents of the bowl. “I hate your dishes.” 

He scoffed out the smallest of laughs, taking a seat next to her. “What’s wrong with my dishes?”

“They’re sanatorium white.” 

Yoongi chuckled, gazing at her fondly. “We can get new dishes. You can change anything in the apartment that you’d like. Redecorate to your heart’s content. It’s your house too, jagiya.” 

She looked over at him disgruntled. “This is not my house.” 

“Of course it is.” he shrugged. “Eat.” 

Reluctantly, Margot took a bite of the juk. It had never been her favorite dish. Something about the texture of the rice just wasn’t her favorite, too much like oatmeal too mushy, but it was a staple food for those who didn’t feel well. It also had the added benefit of being easy on an upset stomach. It reminded her of the BRAT diet her mom had used to put her on whenever she’d had stomach issues as a child. 

Thinking of it made her inexplicably homesick. It was a feeling she didn’t get very often, but when she did, it hit like a truck. She missed her family, her friends. She missed the streets she’d grown up on. She missed not having to worry about a man who had a delusional obsession with her. 

“How’s your head?” 

“It’s fine.” 

“Seongnam said you had a migraine today.” 

“Seongnam should mind his own business.” she shot back, shooting him a glare from the corner of her eye. 

“Looking after you is his business.” 

She barked out a laugh, the sound more like a scoff than anything else. “I’m not a fucking child, Yoongi. I don’t need a babysitter to look after me.” 

Yoongi stared her down, his expression less than amused. 

“You do if you don’t take care of yourself.” 

“I got on just fine before you decided to barge in the take over.” she reminded him, eyes narrowed dangerously. “Do you understand how incredibly creepy it is that you have people who watch my every move twenty-four-seven?” She questioned, head tilted slightly to the side. 

“It’s for your own safety, jagiya.” he grumbled, jaw clenched tightly, his fingers tapping a harsh rhythm against the top of the island. 

“Is it for my safety or your comfort?” 

Margot let a spoonful of juk fall back into the bowl, completely uninterested in the meal set before her, her stomach too twisted in knots to really consider eating anything. The throbbing in her skull didn’t help with her appetite either. 

As a teacher, Margot was used to being tired. It was a tiring profession, but there was a bone deep exhaustion hanging about her today that she hadn’t felt in a long time. It was the kind of tired that made her want to spend all day curled up in bed until the rest of the world faded away and all the thoughts cluttering her head faded with it. 

The only cure for it was a lazy day, to rot in bed until she was ready to emerge from her cocoon when her bones felt a little less heavy and the world seemed a little easier to face as it came back into focus. While she’d spent the majority of the day sleeping, she wasn’t quite ready to face the reality of the situation. But Yoongi was insistent on making sure her basic physical needs were met even if the meeting of them pulled a little more on the frayed edges of her soul.

With a heavy sigh, Margot stood, pushing herself up using the island as support. “I’m going to bed.” 

Yoongi’s hand shot out, wrapping around her wrist, the pressure firm but not so harsh that it hurt. It was a silent command to stay where she was, to sit back down before he was forced to make her. 

“You need to eat, baby.” She didn’t say anything, staring at him blankly as he searched her face for any sign that she was going to back down of her own free will. “Just a few more bites, baby.” Still she didn’t move. “Please.” 

The last word came out strained, ragged as though his nerves were as ragged as hers. He needed this. He needed to know that she was safe and well cared for, and for the moment the only thing he could do to make that happen was to make sure she ate something.

He’d gotten updates from her security team as the day had gone on. Yeong had been concerned by how little she’d eaten that morning before she’d gone to lie down again. Baek-ah had reported that she’d barely even stirred during his shift let alone eaten anything. She’d been a little more active during Seongnam’s shift, but she’d only had a few bites of an early dinner and some tea before she’d gone back to sleep again. Overall, the sum of what she’d consumed that day was small enough to cause Yoongi concern. Even if she didn’t want to stay and eat, she needed to, and Yoongi was going to make sure she was safe and healthy even if she wasn’t happy about it.  

“Please,” He tried again, forcing his expression to soften even as annoyance ticked at his jaw. “Just a few more bites, Mari. You didn’t eat today.” 

Margot stared at him trying to puzzle out the look in his eye.

 There was the clear layer of exhaustion, the mirror of her own, but there was also a gleam of something else, something frantic and feral clawing at the edges of his being. It was the same emotion that she’d seen the night before as Yoongi had dragged her from her home. It was as wounded as it was feral, as frayed and worn down as she felt. 

She stared for a few moments more, taking in the information she’d just gleaned, trying to figure out the best course of action even as her own body screamed for her to return to the comfort of sleep. She knew what would be best for her, and yet there was a part of her, so entwined with the entirety of her being, that told her to put the needs of others before her own, and somehow, despite everything, that still included Yoongi. 

Slowly, Margot sat back down, keeping a careful eye on Yoongi as she did, watching as the tense set of his shoulders eased as she settled back down in front of the bowl of juk.

“Just a few more bites.” he assured her, seeing the way she eyed the bowl as though it was going to bite her.

“Don’t.” she sighed, her voice having its hard edge. “Don’t talk to me like a child. This situation is demeaning enough as it is.” 

She didn’t want to be cajoled into eating the meal before her. She didn’t want to even think of taking another bite, the very thought of it making her stomach roll unpleasantly. 

“Baby?” Yoongi’s brow furrowed as he watched the color drain from her face. “Baby, are you okay?” 

“I can’t…” she paused, taking a breath to steady herself. “I don’t think I can eat it.” 

Yoongi’s frown deepened, the knowledge that sometimes when she had a migraine it made her too nauseous to keep anything down coming to the front of his thoughts. 

“Baby?” he reached forward, pressing a hand to her forehead. “Shit.” he cursed under his breath feeling how clammy her skin had gotten, and silently berating himself for not noticing sooner how poorly she actually felt. “I’m sorry, baby. You don’t have to eat it. You can eat something in the morning when you feel better.” he murmured, smoothing some fly-away strands away from her face. “Do you want to go lie down again?” 

Margot nodded, swallowing back the feeling of nausea creeping up her throat. 

“Okay.” Yoongi nodded. “Okay. Let’s get you to bed.” 

Margot grumbled a little as Yoongi once more scooped her up. “I can walk on my own, you know? I’m nauseous, not broken.”

“Let me baby you.” He shushed her, heading towards the bedroom. 

“I’m not a baby, Yoongi. I just don’t feel well. You’re being overbearing.” 

He chuckled a little at that, gazing down at where she rested her head against his shoulder, leaning into his embrace even as she complained about him carrying her. 

“You deserve to be babied, jagi, especially when you don’t feel well.” 

“I can baby myself.” 

“Ah,” he hummed, giving her a soft smile. “But that’s my job, jagiya.” 

“You’re insufferable.” She sighed, a sudden wave of nausea having her tighten her around his shoulders, her whole body tensing.

“Almost there, sweetheart.” he mumbled, tightening his own hold around her. 

Ture to his word, they arrived at the bedroom in just a few moments where Yoongi gently laid her out on the bed. 

“I’m going to grab you some pain meds. Okay, jagi?” 

She didn’t respond, choosing instead to turn onto her side and curling into a ball, wanting nothing more than to be asleep again. 

Yoongi returned swiftly with the promised pain meds and a glass of water for her. 

“Okay, jagi. I need you to sit up for a moment.” She huffed, ignoring his request as she snuggled further into the pillows. “Come on, jagi.” 

Gently, Yoongi helped her to sit up, handing her the pills and the glass of water. 

“You take those. I’m going to go get you some pajamas, sweetheart.” “You know what would make me feel better?” Called after him after swallowing the pills.

“You’re not getting your own room, Mari-ah.” he answered over his shoulder, not even needing to hear the question to know what she wanted. 

Yoongi entered the closet, pleased to see that her things had all seemingly arrived, even if they had yet to be unpacked. Without much care for the mess he was making, Yoongi began to dig through the boxes in search of something she could wear to bed. They needed to unpack, but that could wait until another day. If worse came to worst, he could always have the housekeeper do it as well if his Mari insisted on being stubborn, but she couldn’t live out of boxes forever. 

Her side of the closet would fill up with her own things, everything put into their proper places, and he would add to her side of the closet as well. Margot would be one of the most spoiled women in Seoul if he had anything to say about it. Anything her heart desired would be hers. 

Yoongi managed to find a worn pair of gray sleep shorts before becoming frustrated with digging through the boxes, moving instead to his own side of the closet in search of a shirt for her.

Quickly, Yoongi pulled out a large black t-shirt. Deeming the combination of his shirt and her shorts as adequate enough sleepwear, he made his way back to Margot who was leaning back against the pillows with her eyes closed. 

“I got you some clothes, jagi.” She opened her eyes, gaze flitting to the clothes in his hand and then back to his face, disinterested. 

Yoongi sighed, setting the little pile of clothes on the bed. “I’ll step out so you can change.” 

“Surprisingly gentlemanly for a kidnapper.” 

He quirked a brow, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips. “I could stay if you want.” 

She froze, her spine straightening. “No. Nope. No thank you. You can go.” She shooed him away as he tried to suppress a laugh.

“Didn’t think so.” 

Yoongi gave her a few minutes to change before he entered the room again. He could have sworn that his heart stopped beating for a moment as he saw her standing there in his shirt.

“This is your shirt.” she accused, voice soft as she watched him enter the room. 

“All of your things are still in boxes, jagi.” he pointed out gently, thinking to himself that it wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t unpack if he got to see her in his clothes more often. 

“Stop that.” she snapped, though her tone didn’t have any real bite to it. 

“Stop what?” 

“Stop looking at me like that.” 

Yoongi had to suppress the smile tugging at the corner of his lips as she glared at him. “Looking at you like what, jagiya?”

“All soft and mushy. It’s annoying.” 

Leisurely, Yoongi crossed the room to where she stood glaring at him like a disgruntled cat. She didn’t move as he approached, only watching carefully as he got closer. 

“I can’t be soft with you, jagiya?” he asked, gently sliding a hand through her hair, his hand coming to a rest along her jaw with his thumb brushing a gentle line across her cheek bone. 

“Stop that.” She hissed, stepping away. “We aren’t lovers.” 

“We could be.” 

She paused, seemingly struck speechless by the bold proclamation. 

She spoke after a moment, her voice barely a whisper as she finished mulling over what he’d just said. “No. We couldn’t be.”

part 15

[princess-of-the-corner]

Isakai Chloe

So overthinking how Isakai Chloe is working with the timeskip in One Piece; And my half asleep thoughts made this.

Like Chloe gets yeeted out of the MLB universe after Hawkmoth tries blackmailing her on the roof. He uses the Rooster (Somehow doesn’t think to do what the Paris Special did yet) and then goes to the park to have Mayura make a Senti to replace Chloe. Because the Butterfly lets Hawkmoth have empathic abilities they actually make an internally well programmed copy, but because Hawkmoth only cares about the NEGATIVES the Senti is worse than S1-S3 ever was. Hawkmoth doesn’t care about keeping her reputation good. Thus Chloe is seamlessly replaced in canon with Fu, Chat Noir, and Ladybug being the only ones to know that there is a phony-Chloe turned into Miracle Queen. To the rest of Paris Chloe was attacked by Hawkmoth right after her parents were overshadowed. 

Senti-Chloe doesn’t seem to be aware that she isn’t the real Chloe and is left to wander and act independently; with Gabriel and Nathalie nonchalantly holding her life hostage. Adrien and Marinette have to go through their days silently unable to tell their peers that its a fake Chloe; they don’t know what happened to the original. 

Meanwhile Chloe ends up in the Romance Arc of One Piece and seeks the main character! The Echo of this is that the pages of Adrien’s manga collection begin to change to reflect a new character. Luka and Juleka’s copies also change. Juleka tells Rose and Ivan. When Rose tries to ask S!Chloe about pirates she gives a rude, but clueless answer about it. S!Chloe moves on but pays no mind. When Marinette and others go to The Liberty they see the books and learn something is up. Adrien looks at his copies at home and confirms the changes. Adrien and Marinette each pretend to have ‘told’ their respective secret identities about the development. The Class now knows that their Chloe was yeeted out of universe. Sabrina agrees to keep an eye on S!Chloe. The heroes get to keep wrestling with the options of telling Chloe’s parents but don’t want to cause another Malidictator incident.

The time difference isn’t evenly split so Chloe ends up in Sabaody Archipelago arc with only 2-3 months passing in MLB-universe. When Kuma sends the various Straw Hats to their ‘vacations’ Chloe gets sent home to Paris.

Adrien helps hide Chloe at his house. Nobody mentions the thousands of dollars this guy spends on cheese; hiding the food budget for another whole person will be easy. If anything the private chief is relieved that Adrien is eating more fish to balance out his dairy based diet.

Nino’s rebellion is informed about Chloe’s return and now they’re seeking to find S!Chloe’s amok. Since Adrichat and Maribug know that Mayura doesn’t need to be in possession to dispose of a ‘loose end’ insist on taking Mayura’s miraculous first priority. The two of them silently lamenting the other Senti’s killed in the line of duty because of Hawkmoth’s obsession.

Chloe is frustrated and vents to Sabrina. She knew the two year timeskip was going to happen regardless of her actions leading up. She just didn’t think she’d end up in a different world? How was she supposed to get stronger in the wrong universe? How was she supposed to get stronger here? She can’t bring a Miraculous over to the Grand Line. She has to stay in hiding until they can guarantee S!Chloe’s safety.

TBC…

-

Oh hell yeah

[aquanova99]

The Snow Queen

⋆┈┈｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡┈┈⋆ ⋆┈┈｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡┈┈⋆

Tanya Denali x Reader

A/N: Why was finding a reason for the reader to have some kind of power so difficult this time for real? Anyways how are you guys I missed you, hope your lives are going well 🤍

⋆┈┈｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡┈┈⋆ ⋆┈┈｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡┈┈⋆

Circe was a goddess of sorcery who was skilled in the magic of transmutation, illusion, and necromancy.

Artemis: Goddess of nature, childbirth, wildlife, the Moon, the hunt, sudden death, animals, virginity, young women, and archery

It was certainly one of the most beautiful aspects of having such advanced eyesight. The ability to zone out and shut out the endless drone of sound she was forced to constantly hear without a seconds rest. By focusing on the details no human eye would be able to see, she could find a moments peace. The intricate details of every snowflake that landed on the strawberry blonde tips of her curled hair. She took in a deep breath, a crisp fresh scent of freshly packed snow. The release of air did not create even the slightest plume of smoke. Why would it when there was no warmth that came from inside of her. She copied the human action she’d seen many times over and tightened her hold on her jacket. Though it provided no actual change in her body temperature it still had a feeling of normalcy, the slight pressure change was almost enough to trick her mind that she was warming her cold body up. Her eyes looed up from her hair, landing on her gloves, and then they began to scan the horizon as they did every morning as of late, perhaps today would be the day she’d change her mind. Seen how mistaken she had been. The soft crunching of two pairs of feet on the hardened snow let her know her peaceful morning was about to come to an end.

“Tanya.”

“Don’t.”

“Tanya. We cannot survive like this.”

“You are always welcome to leave Eleazar. I’ve never forced you to stay here.”

“Tanya please, my husband means no harm. With all of the protection efforts being put in place we only worry we will attract attention.” Carmen tiptoes around the blonde, her patience growing thinner by the day.

“I will not stray from the diet. You are more than welcome to go back to eating humans but do so away from my home.”

It was an empty threat. Tanya didn’t have it in her to feel otherwise. For years life had been peaceful, perhaps sad at times when they would remember their losses but peaceful nonetheless. Then Garrett got bored. As far as Tanya was concerned this was all his fault. He had always been rather obnoxious to her, his shameless flirting had won over her sister and suddenly she became the only one without a mate. Without love. It wasnt fair. Human men no longer satisfied her, she was getting reckless. Using too much of her strength. Tanya had convinced herself that they were going unnoticed. She was a fool. With the years passing men seemed to become weaker? No. Stronger. Louder. More Aware.

｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡

‘What are you?’

‘Why are you doing this?’

‘Please…stop’

Those words were the ones that stuck out the most. Before she could control her thirst, sure there were casualties both now… no one had ever told her to stop. She’d heard the stories from Rosalie, Siobhan, the horrors they went through. Tanya had been sick for weeks, discovering she had been no better than those monsters who had hurt her friends. How many men had done as she asked out of fear? It had been driving her mad for weeks. Had she been so blind to think they enjoyed it when she could barely feel anything at all? Then Garrett just had to question her recent lack of nightlife.

‘What’s the matter barbie? Tired of ravaging the villagers?’

‘What... did you just say?’

‘Garrett.’ Kate hissed

‘What? Are we still pretending they enjoy could ever enjoy our company that way?’

‘Would you suggest we kill them?’ Tanya scoffed at the idea, surely it couldn't have been that bad.

He shrugged, ‘I’m sure most them knew it could happen, probably would have prefered it in most cases. You can go on pretending as much as you want but just like Carlisle and his family…they can tell. No matter how much we may want we dont...we arent like them. All we do is cause pain Tan. No matter what way we come into conatct with them.’

He… knew? Did her sister? Did she care? Did she even want to know? No, not really, what Tanya wanted was an excuse. Garrett gave her an excuse. Suddenly the long peaceful days had turned into screaming matches filled with accusations, fights, threats. Every grievance aired like laundry. It was only days before they were at an impasse.

‘You need to get him out.’

‘He’s just worried. We all are. And by the way, you may have been turned first but you are not in charge of me.’

‘Kate please. We have lost too much to be at each others throats like this.’

‘Oh please. Stop. Just stop bringing it up. You act as if this is all his doing. We both know this stopped being about—‘

‘Don’t.’

Kate sighed, ‘It stopped being about "her" ages ago. You were basically her daughter, when she couldn’t replicate you with me, she turned Irina. Do you ever think I wanted this to be forced into a family I knew nothing about? It was only when Visili had come up that you even noticed a fraction of her neglect. Tell me sister, you were the one with the wonderful idea to find someone who could comfort us in our grieve... tell me how many men did you smell on me? You think I lured men to comfort myself? I’ve play along enough.’

‘You…wanted to kill them? Want to kill them? Even now?’

‘God- are you even…. Look. I do not care to hide what I am. We need food. I just played with mine a little.’ Kate shrugged, she said it so simply. A fact that everyone should know. It was something her and Irina never talked about, how Kate always seemed to leave early, never having even a hint of any man on her. Women sometimes but not in that way...Tanya blinked a few times to try and regain her composure.

‘And the women?’ She scoffed, both knowning Kate would never put herself in a position to harm another woman. Neither did Tanya, she supposed maybe deep down she did know what she was doing.

‘Better company. We all grieved differently. But times have changed.’ End of discussion. Tanya had to refocus the conversation, she wouldn't, couldnt lose another sister. Especially not because of her doing.

‘What do we do then?’

‘There’s less animals lately, don’t try and pretend otherwise. We can’t feed too much without drawing attention from the humans.’

‘You can’t be serious.’

‘I’m done arguing Tanya. There’s too many conservation efforts and the locals are noticing the alarming lack of animals. We have to get off the diet. It-" Kate took a quick breath, steadying herself in an attempt to show her sister she was on her side, "It doesnt have to be a permanent solution.'

'No.' Tanys turned away quickly trying to stop whatever conclusion was coming

'Tanya.' Kate grabbed her shoulder, causing the shorter blond to whirl back around, furious. Kate took a step back, there was a new rage building in her sister. Something she had never seen before, and certainly never thought it could ever be aimed towards her.

'I said NO!' Tanya shook with rage. This was all she had left. She needed to keep this one thing, even if just for herself. She had never raised her voice with so much venom at her sister. Her voice to something that could only be described as a mere notch above a whisper, 'If you're so worried...go.'

'Tanya...' The sisters stared at eachother for what seemed an eternity. The silence was so deafening they thought they were able to hear the snow landing on the ground. Eleazar and Carmen watched Kate seem scared for the first time in their life. Her own voice soft, laced with concern

'If you insist on changing our lifestyle. Fine. Leave. And go eat happily elsewhere."

Kates lip trembled for only a second before her steel reserve returned, her eyes darkening, 'Fine.'

Garrett suddenly tried to be the one to diffuse things, started apologizing for angering Tanya to get them to where they were now. In truth, with food this sparce they had all begun worrying. He would never live with himself if Kate lost her sister. ‘Look Tanya, I shouldn’t have—‘

But before he could say more Kate grabbed his hand. With a slight shake of her head, Garret quietly nodded and followed his mate out the door.

｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡

Now… here it was. Only weeks later and it was Carmen and Eleazars turn. And Tanya was too numb to care. She would rather starve for eternity, petrify before having to change the diet. It had been too long. It was the only thing she had been good at. She needed this. At least thats what she was telling herself. Maybe she could join the Cullens for a while. Not likely. She knew they were struggling too and with the amount of people in the coven any food would be a fight to acquire. She sighed as Carmen came up best to her placing her hands around her arms, the touch alone was enough to almost break her.

“We will see if there’s any luck elsewhere.” Tanya just nodded, “Call us anytime.”

With a kiss her and Eleazar ran off. Maybe to join Kate and Garrett. Maybe they would actually try. She couldn’t watch someone else leave her. Not again, she decided to head inside pretend none of this was happening, ignore the gnawing at her throat and stomach. Tanya retreated to the bathroom turning on the bath as hot as it would allow her. She didn’t have to worry about it burning anyway, so why not?

Drip. Drip. Drip.

She counted every drop from the faucet. The steam from her bath dissipated, by the time she was well into the four hundred some odd drop the water had cooled. Her head turned towards the window in her room at a sudden noise. The sun was already setting in the distance, hues of orange, pink and purple painted the sky. She may have smiled at the thought of it if she hadn’t been so preoccupied with someone possible awaiting to attack her. Maybe the volturi decided it was time to pick her off. She sat up too quickly at the thought. The water splashed around as she sat up, drowning the noise.

“Shhh!” She hushed her self immediately, not quite believing she had actually tried to quiet water. She heard something she knew she had. While she could smell nothing but her own candles and perfumes she held out hope it was one of her coven mates. She quickly dressed and rushed towards her bedroom window. It wasn’t her family. It wasn’t anyone she had ever come into contact before.

She saw a figure walking away from her home, head full of ebony hair, braids woven into random strands.

Who was she? And what the hell was she doing here? Tanya thought to herself. She rushed faster than she ever had out to the front of her home, by the time she reached the deck the woman was gone. She saw her a mile in the distance, no human being could move that quickly, but when the woman turned it was clear she was not like Tanya either. Tanya’s hand gripped at the railing of her porch, the wood crackling at the pressure as she continued to stare at the retreating figure walking away.

When she was at the edge of the forest she finally turned, smiling and waving at Tanya before continuing deeper into the wilderness. The woman could only be described as ethereal by Tanya. She wore clothes that couldn’t possibly keep her warm, as if only for appearances. Just like her. She quickly made it to where she was just standing, her footprints already disappearing with the fading light and continuous downfall of snow.

Tanya listened as hard as she could, she heard a soft voice. She could also smell the sudden appearance of blood. A deer. There hadn’t been one near the house in months. Her hunger clouded her judgement, her sole priority to feed on whatever poor creature decided to return.

There was only a small clearing but enough to see the giant caribou, her eyes focused on the deer. Why wasn’t it running? Tanya could taste the warm pool running down her throat, finally, something was going right. She hissed at the animal, give it a chance to run. Make this more exciting. A warm laugh erupted from behind giant creature. And the woman stepped out from behind,

“I should be somewhat offended, but I guess he is really beautiful isn’t he?” Tanya let out a snarl, a warning. This woman needed to back away unless she wanted to become a casualty herself. She didn’t even flinch. She continued to pet the wild creature and laughed, a warm beautiful laugh. Tanya stared at her sepia brown skin, it shone in contrast to the white surrounding her. Her voice made Tanya snap to attention, “you won’t be eating this one.”

“Oh I’m not? Are you going to stop me?”

“I guess not. But I will help out this little guy.”

Before Tanya could ask what she meant the deer began disappearing before her eyes, “No!”

“Tsk. Tsk. We should be careful with earths most precious resources.”

“Bring. It. Back.”

“Why? So you can eat? There’s an overpopulation of humans for you to feast on. If you want them to survive so badly it would actually benefit you to put the smallest dent in some of them.” She took a few steps closer to Tanya. A lopsided smirk on her face as she almost skipped across the snow with her arms behind her back, she stopped right before Tanya, tilting her head as close as she could, “Your eyes. They’re darker than the night sky.”

Tanya growled, swinging her arm towards the girl in front of her. She disappeared as quickly as her arm went up. Suddenly reappearing next to a tree, she leaned against it holding waving one finger, “I thought we were getting along, tell me Tanya of the Denali coven, how long will it take for you to go back to a regular diet. I’m growing tired of these enchantments.”

“Who are you and what do you want?”

“You don’t listen very well do you? I need you start hunting humans, like you’re supposed to. Hunt the rich ones, or the evil ones so you appease whatever guilt you have.”

“I—who are you?”

“Aspa. Lovely to meet you.”

Tanya fixed her hair, trying to regain her composure, “so you’re the one behind all the missing animals.”

“Yes…and no. There really has been a problem. Humans…they’re greedy they take too much, destroy too much. They have been destroying this world since they were allowed to walk around….but they’re smart. No animal means no resources from them to take. So if enough of them disappear for a while they begin making an effort. An actual effort, if only to ensure they survive.”

“So how long until that effort pays off.” Tanya spit out

“You surprise me Tanya. Your extended family broke so quick it was almost too easy.”

“You mean—“

“Oh yea. The Cullens have long been off the diet, the doctor and blonde were difficult to convince but wow the younger guy, he broke instantly. All it took was for their youngest to feed on a poor classmate trying to walk her home, like dominoes really. But you… you want to starve yourself.”

“I would rather not actually.”

“Does it help?”

“Help what?”

“You’re guilt? Does it take it away?”

“I don’t…”

“Please. I had to observe all of you for years to know how to best accomplish all of this. It won’t change what you did to those men.”

Tanya choked back a sob, “I didn’t think—“

“Why? Because no one ever said anything? You knew. Deep down you knew.”

“I get it okay? I’m a monster, I just—I wanted to think they cared about me enough to say nothing. I thought they—forget it” Tanya turned to walk away, but Aspa reached out and grabbed her arm

“So then be better. If you really didn’t know then stop and just continue to not do it. Besides most of those men approached you with less than good intentions anyway.” Tanya shook her off, she had no idea what she’d gone through

“But…”

“Just do better. Find your own person.”

“Where did you even come from?”

She clicked her tongue, “well that’s not very nice is it?” She waited for Tanya to look away, embarrassed. “My birth mother I suppose. She was a hunter and follower of Artemis. A god took a liking to her, she said no, he didn’t care. You know know how it all goes in those stories. Artemis took pity on her, let her give me up so she continue following the goddess. And then little me well… she took me to an island gave me her blessing and I was raised by a wonderful enchantress, my adopted mother I suppose.”

“Goddess? That’s impossible.”

“Why?”

“There are no gods like that. They….aren’t real”

“Maybe to you? They’re plenty real to me. I’m sure the caribou you were thirsting over would be shocked to learn about something like the pudu in South America.”

“Are you equating me to an animal?”

Aspa laughed again, “you love to purposefully avoid what people are trying to communicate with you. Is that why your sister decided to go back to the original meal plan?”

“No I just— I don’t understand.”

Aspa leaned forward, stopping centimeters from Tanya’s face, eliciting a gulp from the blonde, “Understand this. The animals will not return anywhere until I say so. You will not be able see, hear or touch them. No one will.”

“What about the humans? Without animals don’t you think they will outsource all of the plants?”

“Oh Tanya don’t worry about them. They will find exactly how much they need and if some must go…well. That will work out better in the long run.”

She tried to step back but Aspa stepped forward regardless, Tanya could barely breather. Aspas scent filled every cell in her body. Her blood smelled sweet, as if she was filled with the ichor of the gods she claimed to be a descendant of. Her mischievous grin slightly reminded her of Kate whenever people would doubt her abilities. Could she really go back to the old diet? Aspa reached out and raised Tanya’s chin. The heat from her touch felt as if her handprint would be permanently etched on her face. Tanya half hoped it would, before she convinced herself and this was all a dream.

“Tanya you worry too much. Believe me there are plenty of people for you to eat where it shouldn’t harm your conscious. Really, you’d be doing me a favor. You should visit the Amazonian coven, they’ve been helping me with my little homework since I began.” Somehow the knowledge of Aspa showing herself to another vampire almost urged another snarl from her lips.

“You’ve been making your rounds then?”

Another chuckle as she turned around flipping her thick hair as another rush of her scent filled Tanya nose, citrus and what smelled like some type of spirit, “I had to get in touch with your ‘kings’ so yes, you are the last on my list.”

“What?! You’ve met with the volturi?”

She crossed her arms as she made her way towards the end of the clearing, “of course. I did. Your kind isn’t the only ones I’m working with here. The fae and nymphs were the easiest to convince. The witch too but they mainly enjoy the chaos. Most of the others are unaffected. It’s a big world Tanya. You should see more of it when you have the chance.”

The clearing seemed to widen, as if the earth was ready to swallow the woman into the trees. Never to be seen again. It was too much for Tanya to process. Already Aspa had begun disappearing, except unlike the first time this evening she feared not knowing if she would ever see her again. “So that’s it?”

She turned back and simply nodded her head, “mhm. In another few years everything should be back to normal. Some places may even be overpopulated…that is if you want to go back to hunting them.”

“If I do... Will you take them away again?”

“Tch please, aside from my mother who was kind to let learn her magic. I follow the one my birth mother followed too. And she was the best huntress there ever was. There’s a fine line between necessity and sport.” She smiled as she peered behind her shoulder, “I’ll see you around, yeah?”

“Hm is that a promise or a threat?”

She stopped dead in her tracks, “I guess we’ll see. Won’t we?”

｡ﾟ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ❁ུ۪ ❃ུ۪ ❀ུ۪ ﾟ｡

“Tanya.”

“Go away.” Her sister voiced grated her ears, she decided to cover herself in blankets

“Tanya so help me I will shock you out of bed, you can’t lay around all day.”

Tanya continued to cocoon herself in blankets, “I can actually. What does it matter anyway I’m just laying down. It’s only been a few days.”

Kate sighed as she sat on the edge of the bed, “you’ve gotten like the past two here years around this time.”

“I have not.”

“You have. I know because around the time we had that fight.”

Tanya sighed knowing full well that had little to do with it, “I promise I’m fine. I just….I want to rest.”

Kate groaned in her protests, slapping her legs as she stood up, “Nope we are all doing something so get up.”

Tanya had no time to protest before Kate promptly kicked her off the bed, Tanya struggled to get out decidedly just tearing through the thick blankets, downing effectively covering every square inch of her room, “Kate! What the hell??”

Kate laughed, “well it worked.”

Garrett rested his arm on the doorway, “if I knew feathers would have been flying I would have been in here from the beginning.”

“I’m sure you would have.” Kate winked at him causing Tanya to roll her eyes

“Ugh. You win I’m up. Now get out, I need to clean.”

“No the point is to get out. Come on, we haven’t ran in awhile. We can go find one of those hanging lakes the humans live to visit.”

“I do hear they’re quite beautiful.” The three whirled around towards the sound of someone coming from the deck in Tanya’s room. Aspa sat on the railing pretending to inspect her nails. Kate and Garrett snarled and lunged towards her. Tanya opened her mouth to protest but Aspa disappeared into dust before either one could grab her. Garrett almost crashed into the railing towards the floor below. She reconfigured next to Tanya her arm resting on her shoulder.

“I see you haven’t told your friends about me. I’m not sure why but I think I’m slightly offended.”

“You’re….back?”

“I did say I would be.” She quickly looked over Tanya, “I’m glad you listened, the red suits you.”

Tanya looked away at the compliment. Kate looked between her sister and the stranger, in all the centuries between them she’d yet to see her sister ever get flustered like this. “Yo-you know her?”

Aspa wiggled her fingers, scrunching her face in a smile. “Oh we’re acquainted. I promised to pay Tanya here a visit.”

Tanya shrugged Aspa off, wondering what it meant that she was finally back, “so it’s done? It’s all balanced?”

“Since last year actually, I just wanted to see if you would go back. You never even checked.”

“I found ways to appease my guilt.”

“You’ll have to tell me about them sometime.”

Kate started to protest before Garrett wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her into him as he slightly nodded and winked, “come on Katie. I thought we were going to race. Let’s let Tanya and her… friend catch up.”

Kate looked up at her mate, a conversation passing through them before she nodded and the two disappeared from the cabin. Aspa was mouthing a goodbye to the pair as Tanya spun to face her new guest fury climbing at her.

“Why are you here?”

“I told you I would come.” She shrugged, “isn’t that why you asked me about the promise?”

“What you couldn’t communicate earlier than today?”

“I didn’t know you wanted me to.”

“We both know you are smarter than that.”

Aspa softened tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she trailed the back of her hand down her cheek and until she hand chin in between her thumb and pointer finger, “you’re right. That was rude of me. Can you forgive me?”

She pushed her hand away from her face, “ugh. No.”

“No?” She stepped away a pout starting to form on her face

“No. You have to do better than that.”

“Okay well I know of a few places I doubt even you’ve stepped foot on, would you like to see them?”

“I guess seeing as I have nowhere to be.”

“Oh don’t be like that. It will be the best date you’ve ever been on.”

“Who says it’s a date?”

“I do. Come on. I’ll show you a great time.” Aspa extended her hand, Tanya hesitated for only a second before grabbing it. “Ready?”

“Where are we even going?”

“Somewhere warm, where you don’t have to worry about hiding yourself.”

“I doubt anyplace warm can offer that kind of freedom.”

“You doubt me?”

“I—no. It’s just…”

Aspa interrupted Tanya with a kiss in the corner of her lips. “Don’t worry it will be perfect.”

“You’re right. It will be.”

[bicycle4two]

short fic starring jason and his angel from fine as we are, but we want more

find more ficlets of this couple here

Taking it Slow Part 1

One would think that a bunch of vigilantes would have a strict diet regimen considering that they need to keep their health and physique in check. And for the most part, that’s true. They can afford to eat almost anything since beating up bad guys tend to burn a lot of calories but it’s in good practice to not skip their vegetables. But Dick and Barbara are big believers in “treat yoself” and Jason wasn’t going to miss an opportunity seeing her at Becker’s Best. Tim, well Tim’s pretty easy to convince when there’s coffee involved.

“—and that’s everything you ordered,” she says with a grin, straightening her posture after she’s put down all their plates and drinks. “Call me if you need anything else.”

“Thanks, angel,” Jason says, bringing his plate closer to himself before Dick can snag something. “I think we’re set here.”

“I thought we tried all of Mrs. Becker’s food by now but who would have thought she’d have a secret menu?” Tim cradles his cup of coffee in his hand. There’s a foam design dancing around the edges—“We’ve been trying 3D latte art if you’re interested?” she had suggested when Tim ordered his usual black coffee—and Dick already has his phone out to take photos.

“What can I say? She keeps up with the trends,” she shrugs. “Also, these are like her experimental batches. If they get good feedback, she includes them in her main menu.”

“Well, if she needs some taste testers, you know where to find us,” Dick says excitedly.

She laughs and Jason finds himself smiling. “I’ll let her know. Enjoy your food!”

And Jason doesn’t want her to go, not yet, but he knows that she has other customers, has to take orders and deliver them, but it’s been a while since he’s seen her, since they’ve actually been together, she’s been swamped with making coffee and writing papers since she’s fully recovered from her injuries, and, well, he misses her.

“Hey,” he says, grabbing hold of her wrist to stop her from turning away. And the way her expression changes when she looks at him, the way her customer service smile just brightens, turns genuine, excited, makes Jason feel like a hundred bucks. “What time do you get off later?”

“I’m only here ‘til about one.”

“Great. I’ll pick you up.”

“Oh? Just like that, Mr. Todd?”

“I didn’t think you’d refuse, angel.”

She rolls her eyes fondly. Jason’s noticed that she does a lot of things related to him fondly—that although she scoffs at his bad jokes, she smiles later, that her eyes twinkle even though she tries to glare at him. Recently, every time she looks at him, she looks so fond and he doesn’t know what to do about it yet, just knows that he wants her to keep looking at him like that.

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

She eases out of his grip with little effort, he’ll never keep her if she doesn’t want to stay, and she squeezes his arm before she goes back to work. Jason watches her walk away for a second, eyes snapping away when they’ve drifted too low, before he turns his attention back to the table, to his food, and, regrettably, to his family who are staring at him, who were definitely watching the exchange.

“What?” He grouches, embarrassed. He doesn’t like the attention, can already tell he’s not going to like the conversation that follow because of course there’s going to be one.

The Bat family is big on communication even if it takes a bit—a lot for maybe half of them—of work to get them to open up in the first place.

“I can’t believe you’re still flirting in front of my dessert,” Dick starts, scrunching his nose. “C’mon. Have some decency.”

“At least they’re using actual words now,” Barbara laughs into her coffee. “Nice to see that you’re taking the next step, Jason.”

“Next step in what?”

“Your relationship?”

“I, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Jason. We’re all detectives here—no, scratch that. We’re family. You can’t play dumb with us.” Barbara sighs.

“We’re just going to hang out. Like we always do.”

“Sure, like Bernard and me. Total besties.” Tim snorts.

“We are.” Jason insists.

“No, Jay, Roy’s your best friend. Your angel over there, you two have crossed that line ages ago. You’re just the only one who hasn’t noticed.” Dick points his fork at him. Jason swats him because that’s just rude. “Hey!”

“Alfred taught you better than that, Dickie,” Jason scolds. “Pretty sure he also taught you to mind your own business.”

Dick scoffs. “Seriously? Alfred’s the biggest gossip I know.”

“It true,” Barbara nods. “He told us all about your date.”

“He also did tell us not to tell you,” Tim grins. “But I’m pretty sure he knew it was a lost cause.”

Jason groans. He really thought that he could keep this under wraps, that however they acted with one another, treated each other, his family wouldn’t notice the difference. But of course, they did. It seems like they make it a point to notice these things, these changes, developments in his life.

Which should be touching because they’re interested, but Jason feels like he’s a teenager again, trying to hide the fact that he as a crush. It’s mortifying.

“We’re taking it slow.”

“Slow is good,” Barbara encourages.

“Not too slow though. I imagine this has been in the works for years.”

“Shut up, Grayson.”

.

.

.

a/n: i dont know if alfred really is a gossip. i might just be projecting niles from the nanny

[horsesarecreatures]

Some horse/barn related updates:

- Amba has 4 days of minocyline left, so I ordered her some sucralfate to start immediately when it ends. Oddly, it was cheaper to buy in smaller amounts than in bulk. But also, it seems to be significantly cheaper than the last time I bought it 2 years ago. Maybe the prior vet I got it through marked it up? Whatever, I was pleasantly surprised today that it was only $60 for 2 month’s worth.

- The barn is still quiet overall, but in addition to Eli’s owner 3 other people have come who actually ride, so that’s nice. What is not so nice is that sadly 3 out of the four of them are placing other horses who passed away. The end of August was awful because 2 horses other than Cannoli also had to be euthanized (from laminitis - both owners also used Alain which is another reason why I started trimming on my own). 

- Speaking of laminitis, all horses including Amba were overweight. Amba, Patsy, and Alpine were already grain free, and we’ve switched them from second cut hay to first cut. Lynn and I also purchased hay nets with smaller openings. 

- My plan to lease Amba out is on hold until she stays lyme-free for a  significant amount of time. I don’t want to find a good person and then loose them because she has to take time off, and also with her sometimes being spooky while she has it I don’t feel super comfortable with others riding her. 

- I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but Eli’s owner wants to get a horse trailer soon and has invited Amba & I to go places with her when she does. I’m trying not to get my hopes up because D may arbitrarily take back permission for her to keep it on the property, but if Laura does manage to get it it will give us the ability to ride on the North Salem Bridle Trails, the Rockefeller State Park Trails, and the Bedford Riding Trails. 

- 2 of the new boarders are a pair of friends. Katya has a Friesian cross and she bought my wintec from me. Nicole has a cute 8 year quarter horse that is small, grey, and looks quite similar to Amba. I went trail riding with her last weekend, but unfortunately I didn’t realize that she only started riding 8 months ago. The mare, Meadow, for the most part would not go on the trail, and when she did she tried to kick Amba. She also kicked out while being tacked up. She had only been 60 days under saddle before she was bought for $10,500. Nicole’s (former) trainer sold her the horse “because she’s nice and small.” I didn’t need to tell Nicole that she’d been screwed over badly.

- Meadow also had colic this week. It could have just been the change in diet/environment, but I also noticed that both Nicole and Katya give their horses baths even when the weather is very cold. The water itself it warm, but it’s not like this barn has one of those fancy drier things. If anyone has advice on how I can tactfully suggest that the baths aren’t a good idea in winter, let me know. 

- D blew me a kiss as she was leaving the barn the other day. She did it in a joking manner but I still find it to be very, very strange behavior.

- Also, she cleared the lower trails, but then hasn’t gotten anyone to survey the property so I still can’t ride there because of the barbed wire. After telling me last spring that the barbed wire was illegally put there on her property by a neighbor, she still hasn’t taken it down because she’s now apparently unsure. But she still advertises online that there’s miles of trails going from both directions of the farm! Getting a bit bored riding the upper trails over and over again.

- D has thrown many canaries over minor things these past couple of months. Boarders other than me were the target, but I still feel like I’m always walking on eggshells there. However, Riverhorse Farm, which I had in mind as a backup barn now that I have some rental income, has closed. Which pretty much just leaves murder barn and one other that have adequate turnout. But the other one still doesn’t have as good turnout as this barn because they don’t let the horses in the 1 acre pastures if the ground is soft. So I have a feeling if I went there Amba would be stuck on a dry lot for a good part of the year.

- So I think I’d better just do my best to stick it out here. At least it's a bit more lively now with the new people.

[sailtomarina]

Just a Bit of Fluff

He’d stripped off every stitch of clothing and now stood naked in the bathroom, palms sweaty and a faint itch at his collarbone that he ignored.

Taking a deep breath, Ron stepped onto the weighing scale. Hermione had bought it years ago when they were still together. Back then, he hadn’t even bothered to favour it a second glance after stuffing the muggle contraption into the corner behind the tub. Now, with his Healer’s warning from the previous checkup in mind and his next annual only two months away, he wished with all of his being that the efforts he’d taken since then had paid off. 

He watched the funny little grey screen blink, then three numbers appeared.

“Bollocks.”

/ / /

The outdoor air in Hogsmeade was crisp and clean, a result of yet another perfect winter day. Ron took a deep breath and savoured the invigorating chill that coursed through him.

“Ronald, love, can we make a quick stop at Honeydukes? Draco asked if I could pick him up some sugar quills and the like.” Pans looked up at him imploringly, her large hazel eyes usually so convincing.

A decline sat on the tip of his tongue, but how could he say no to her? He was lucky she even bothered to give him the time of day, much less deigned to be seen in public together arm in arm as they were. She could honestly do so much better, but no bloody way was Ron going to tell her that. She’d eviscerate him with that tongue of hers.

On second thought, he quite liked her tongue and the way she used it on him.

“Sure. I’ll stay out here,” he replied, motioning towards the bench just outside the sweets shop.

She looked at him askance.

“But it’s freezing. And I could use your advice.”

“For sugar quills? You know he’s just going to give them to Hermione.”

“Obviously, but I’d still like to get a few other items for them and us.”

At that, Ron shifted and glanced downward, sucking in his stomach as he did so. Pansy didn’t miss the reaction, and she clicked her tongue as she stepped close to wrap both of her arms around his middle.

“I could stand to avoid sweets,” he muttered, still self conscious of the weight he’d been unable to lose after months of exercise and dieting. Never mind the fact that he couldn’t quite stop himself from heaping his plates high each meal. He hadn’t gone back for seconds like when he’d been younger. Why wasn’t that enough?

The tightening around his waist almost had him pushing Pans away; he didn’t want her arms to sink into his hips like some bloody teddy bear. Instead, he grunted and dropped his chin down atop her head, to which she giggled.

“I adore you just the way you are.”

He pulled back just enough to look again into her eyes. He saw nothing but genuine affection.

Merlin, he loved her. If only he could be the sort of wizard she deserved.

As if she had read his mind, her lips transformed into a scowl. “Ronald Bilius Weasley, I’m serious. You are exactly who I want and no amount of fluff,” at that, she squeezed him even tighter, “will change that. If it really matters so much to you, then we can look at eating healthier meals from now on.”

“Bu–”

“No buts! Other than this one right here.”

He yelped as she pinched his arse, then looked around in horror that someone might have heard him. That earned him another pinch from which he attempted to wiggle away. Pansy was true to her Slytherin roots, those tiny arms of hers somehow constricting and keeping him in place despite his supposed size advantage.

“Okay, okay! I’ll join you!” He relented with a disbelieving laugh as Honeydukes customers passed through the nearby doorway with smirks on their faces.

She beamed up at him. “Good. And?”

“And, I love you, you daft witch.”

“As you should. I love you, too.”

This time, he let her pull his face down and kiss his nose which was no doubt red from the chill, not that he noticed. His heart was full of Pansy and her enduring warmth. If she could stave off the cold, then perhaps he should trust her in all other matters, as well.

The sweet scents of caramel and cocoa washed over them both as they entered the store. Ron inhaled deep, then he smiled and glanced down at the petite witch next to him. 

“Maybe one chocolate frog?” he asked hopefully.

She peeked up with that little grin that had first tripped his heart all those months ago. “Let’s make it two.”

Written for the fb group WWW HumpDay Drabbles, Chaos edition! My prompts were Ron, Honeydukes, and eat healthier.

Cross-posted on AO3, Tumblr (sailtomarina), and the WWW Facebook group.

788 WC

Weight loss and dieting have been on my mind a lot lately, so this prompt actually hit a lot closer to home than expected. I thought I'd get something a bit more...chaotic? Hah! Perhaps 'Ron' was the closest thing to a challenge for me mentally since I don't often write in his POV. Balance in exercise and diet is something I'm always trying to achieve, though, like Pansy notes, it's important to still enjoy the things you love. Don't torture yourself!

[foreversecrets]

Uncompromising

Chapter 3 Determination

Steve Rogers x OC (Emma Dotson)

Summary: His brother's had lost everything in his life he ever cared about, so Steve being the kind soul he is decides to take an extended vacation from the Avengers to help Andy get back on his feet. He didn't intend on finding his true mate in the process.

"Babydoll, there is no reason to be nervous,” Steve pulls Emma’s apart from where she’d been twisting and pulling at them in her lap. Bruce and Helen had taken samples early this morning from both of them and been running tests all day to give their thoughts on the possibility of them conceiving. 

She hadn’t been able to sit still since Bruce called and asked them both to return. Doesn’t help that she’s been nervous about meeting the rest of his brothers tomorrow night for dinner. The pressure is on not only for the future of potential offspring but the future of themselves. When Steve explained why the rule was put in place requiring the brothers approval before he could give her his mating mark she was understanding but now she was beyond nervous. If he’s being honest, he is nervous too. The idea that his brothers could refuse him the opportunity to claim his mate nearly sends him into a fury but he keeps calm knowing he needs to focus on Emma right now. It's her emotions that are barely under control at the moment. 

“Bruce said he’d met us here, what if-”

“Don’t do that,” he kisses her to silence her. In the past six months they have been dating he has learned the greatest enemy to their relationship is her getting in her own head and overthinking things. “Everything is going to be alright.”

“I just,” Emma sighs heavily before meeting his eyes. “I have wanted kids all my life and finding out how dangerous it would be, its something I never fully accepted and then you came along and-”

“Nothing is going to change between us, there are other ways we can have kids. But regardless you aren’t alone this time and you never will be again.”

“What if you brothers refused our bonding?”

“It won’t end our relationship, if anything I will go out of my way to advertise it until I whittle them down into giving their blessing.”

“You plan on annoying them into conceding?” she laughed. The sound was a nice balm for the anxiety he too was feeling. Both of them had the same dream but Steve couldn’t let his emotions dictate their day, it didn't matter if they received good or bad news he was going to make today one to be remembered for the happiness of it. Whether it be in celebration or as a distraction.

The door to Bruce’s office swung open and both him and Helen exited with fully masked emotions on their faces. Emma expected herself to be the impatient one jumping the doctors for an answer but her super soldier boyfriend was faster than herself. He stood approaching them quickly leaving Emma to trail a few steps behind. 

“So?” Steve urged. 

“We are 97% certain the DNA passed on from Steve will pass to the fetus.” Bruce started.

“And the other 3%?” Emma’s voice had been so quiet, almost fearful. 

“The 3% chance his enhanced abilities are not passed on, you can still carry to term.” Helen gave her a comforting smile. 

“But my OB said I couldn’t.” Emma remarked.

“Your OB doesn’t have state of the art technology to assist you during pregnancy. Now I’m not saying it would be easy, you would spend the entirety of the pregnancy under observation with strict restrictions to your diet and activity but I am equipped to help you bring a child into this world.”

Emma launched herself at the doctor hugging her tightly but Steve wasn’t convinced just yet. He looked to Bruce who tried to provide reassurance.

“Some things aren’t easy but that just makes them all the more precious when we obtain them.”

“Nothing is worth the life of my mate,” Steve growled, not meaning to be threatening but the idea of losing Emma was unbearable. 

“We found no danger to Emma for either process and were able to calculate the best time to conceive would be in two weeks during your next heat.” Helen explained to Emma, completely ignoring Steve as if his opinion in this matter was irrelevant.

“Oh um,” Emma rubbed the back of her neck looking at Steve.

“We were going to use that time to exchange bond marks.” Steve’s checks flush pink as he explains. 

“Two birds one stone,” Bruce tried to joke but when no one laughed he cleared his throat. “We can run more tests when you're ready to determine when it would be best.”

“Thank you for all your help, you have no idea what this means to me,” Emma sighed, moving over to Steve to take his hand. “what this means to us.”

The wide smile Steve gave Emma as they met each other's gaze left no doubt in Bruce or Helen’s mind that these two were true mates. Bruce as a Beta had never grasped the concept but now seeing it, he could only hope all his friends could find theirs. Helen looked on, hoping she’d find her Alpha one day and that he was at least half the man of the moral man before. 

“We are extremely grateful and will be in touch as things develop.” Steve promised before the two were on their way. 

🩹🩹🩹

Steve did not want to host dinner, he knew Emma’s nerves were going to be haywire all day but cooking seemed to ease the tension in her shoulders. Even more so when Steve put on some music and joined her in preparing the meal. They worked well together, maneuvering throughout his kitchen as if they’d been cooking together their whole lives. Though she kept pausing in her task to ask about dietary needs and allergies of his brothers; even though it was far too late to worry about that. He’d distract her by wrapping his arms around her waist, dragging her back to his chest and nuzzling on her gland in a playful way he knew tickled her. Not stopping until she was pleading nearly out of breath for him to stop. The doorbell rang just as she was pulling the pasta out of the oven, she almost dropped it as the noise and anxiety reminded her how important tonight was to their future. 

“I’ll get it,” he placed a kiss to the top of her head and disappeared into the other room.

Emma placed the pasta on the dining room table in the open place setting and took a deep breath, gripping one of the chairs. “Everything is going to be alright,” she told herself. “Bucky adores you and Andy was the one who really pressed the relationship in the first place.” But Bucky wasn’t going to be here tonight, as close as him and Steve were, Bucky wasn’t part of the brothers therefore his blessing only mattered emotionally for her and Steve. “It's going to be okay.” 

“It really will be, promise.” Andy surprised her, entering to give her a gentle hug. It only distracted her from the voices in the living room for a moment. “Everyone can already see the change in Steve. I gave the two of you my approval before this was even official, Ari will adore you as well. Ransom couldn’t care less, he’ll agree just to get us off his back. It's Lloyd you’ll have to worry about but I’ve had your cooking before and Lloyd’s a big foodie. The moment he takes a bite of dinner he’ll be asking you to go home with him instead.” 

“Doubtful,” a man similar looking to the rest of the brothers but with an amusing mustache entered the room. “So you’re the sugar plum that’s got Stevie Boy so tame?” Lloyd reached over and grabbed a greenbean from the table, taking a bite as he studied her, taking in her scent and appearance before looking over to Andy. “Alright you might be onto something.”

Emma let out an exhausted but amused sigh, shaking her head playfully as Lloyd sat to the left of the head chair. Normally when it was just her and Steve that would be her chair but proper edidcate dedicated she would be across the table from him instead. Andy moved to the right of the head chair smiling widely at her before shoting Lloyd an amused glance. Emma watched as Lloyd reached for a breadroll but she reacted before thinking, slapping his hand gently to stop him. 

“Wait for everyone else,” she scolded. The approval on Andy’s face and the amusement on Lloyd’s reassured her she hadn’t overstepped. Steve had told her this was her home as well, that it was important she acted like the women of the house especially in front of his pack. It would ease them into accepting her easier but part of her still felt guilty for having slapped Lloyd instead of using her voice.

“I see Lloyd’s already gotten in trouble.” another of the brothers entered, this one with shoulder length soft looking hair. Emma was entranced by a strong desire to run her fingers through it emerging. He moved to her and wrapped her in a hug before taking a step back and introducing himself. “I’m Ari.”

“Nice to meet you Ari.” she smiled, blushing a little and the attention. 

“Don’t,” a growl from Steve at the doorway with the last brother she assumed to be Ransom. The scowl on his face was unlike any she’d previously seen. “She is mine , Ari.”

“Steven,” she snapped, all eyes turning to her. “I am not an object and I will not let you start a pissing contest during what you promised me would be a nice evening.”

“Well she’s got my approval,” Ransom smirked, entering to take a seat beside Lloyd at the table. Both men nodded, their amusement rising when Steve approached her like a kicked puppy and looked at her with sad eyes.

“Babydoll-”

“Don’t Steve.”

His pout deepened until she placed a quick kiss to his chin. His arms moved as if he was going to pull her in for more but she was quicker and sat in her seat without his assistance, further dropping his pout. She gave him a reassuring smile as he rounded the table to sit in his seat, Ari sitting besides Andy on Emma’s right. Emma looked over to Ransom with a nervous smile, Andy had told her she should be worried about Lloyd but all the stories Steve had told her, had her  more worried about Ransom. It had been Ransom who had protested Andy and Laurie’s mating the most, though Steve confided that it was done in private between the two of them. The others didn’t know because Steve kept it a secret, worried that Ransom’s pride would be hurt if such care was revealed. Apparently Ransom was still learning to genuinely care about other people after the shit show that was his true biological family. With that care came distrust towards strangers and a bar too high for Emma to reach; at least that’s how she felt. 

“I’m Emma,” she held her hand out to Ransom, the table falling silent as all eyes fell on Ransom who only stared at her hand.

“I already gave me a blessing princess, you don’t have to try so hard,” Ransom growled, reaching for the wine to fill his glass. 

“Ransom!” Steve snapped.

“No Steve, it's alright. I can be a little much and I’ll be honest, I’ve been more bubbly and overbearing lately. I apologize for Ransom.”

Ransom only rolled his eyes but the table began loading up their plates.

“Steve’s been the same way lately.” Ari noted.

“We received some good news recently and it had a giddy effect on us,” Steve smiled like a little kid having just been giving everything he’d ever asked for. His brothers simply stared him down waiting for him to elaborate. 

“Honey, don’t leave them hanging,” Emma laughed as she began digging into her plate. 

“Emma and I are compatible for conceiving pups.”

Smiles and cheers erupted from the brothers, Emma knew they were aware of her failures and had worries that would be a source of contention for them. So learning that Steve and her could, she felt a little relieved that their problems wouldn’t be with her brokenness, which meant most any reason for them to reject her was something she would most likely work on to improve herself. 

“Then you have my blessing as well.” Ari spoke up, the finally brother to give his blessing. While Emma’s worries and fears all melted away at that news, Steve’s temper flared.

“Were you really going to deny me my true mate if we couldn’t have a kid?” Steve growled, he shot Emma a look when he sensed her about to protest. She bowed her head in submission, her sadness seeping into her scent, he’d make it up to her later, for now he had to deal with Ari.

“Yes.”

“Seriously Ari?” Andy looked at his brother in bewilderment. 

“All Steve has ever wanted was kids of his own, it's the one thing he wants most in this world. If she is unable to give that to him, I couldn’t participate in denying him his desires.” Ari explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Please don’t be upset with Ari,” the sad omega voice had all the alphas in the room turning to look at her, their base instincts telling them to comfort her. “His reasons are the same reason why I tried to reject our connection in the first place, Steve. I would never want to be the reason you couldn’t achieve the things you wanted.”

“Alright, we get it, you're perfect for each other! Can we please eat now?” Lloyd shouted, making Emma laugh, her amusement inflating his head slightly as the other alphas relaxed to resume their meals.

The rest of the evening passed ‘normally’ as Steve put it. Ari and Ransom get in a drinking competition spurred on by Lloyd’s pestering of both men, while Steve and Andy try to cut them off. But Emma was having a great time seeing the drunk versions of both men, Ransom was a cuddler who wouldn’t stop touching her much to Steve’s annoyance, while Ari was a cocky drunk coming up with dangerous tasks for himself to achieve that the sober men refused to let him accomplish. By the time everyone was ready to turn in for the night, Ransom was passed out in Emma’s lap and Ari was practically beind carried out to Andy’s car by Andy and Lloyd. 

“Alright, get the hell out of my house Ransom,” Steve ordered, kicking Ransom gently. 

“Why don’t you carry him up to the guest room?” Emma suggested.

“No, he is going to be an asshole in the morning,” Steve picked Ransom up off of her and passed him to Andy and Lloyd who’d reentered the house. “Besides, we have their blessings now, I plan on claiming you tonight that way,” he bent and began pressing kisses to her lips between words. “We. can. Use. you’re. Heat. to. Conceive.” 

“Steven,” she giggled, wiggling out from under him and heading to the stairs. “Tell you what, you catch me before I get to our bathroom you can do that but if I get to the bathroom, no sex until my heat.” she laughed running up the stairs before he could protest. 

She made the deal knowing he’d catch her, he was literally enhanced to be faster than her but she knew he loved the playful game of chase they played. He caught her just as she reached the top step, wrapped his arms under her legs and carried her the rest of the way to their bedroom bridal style. Not letting her get too far away when he plopped her down on their bed.

“You’re getting cocky omega, ordering me around, denying me my spoils.” his voice had dropped in a low seductive tone. 

“I have to keep my alpha in line,” she giggled when her words earned her smack to her rear. Both their faces turned serious and she knew what he was going to ask even before he opened his mouth. “Yes Steve, I want you too.”

“Lay back omega, let me get you ready.” he smirked as his head moved lower. “I promise you the rest of my life.”

🩹🩹🩹

“Well the two of you wasted no time, huh?” Tony Stark smirked seeing the married Rogers pair back in Bruce’s lab. “Only been married a week or so and already back from your honeymoon with a bun in the oven.”

Steve ignored Tony as he focused on Helen and Bruce, “She wasn’t feeling well, took a test and it came back positive. We were worried about being so far away so we came back as quickly as we could.”

“You said if the baby didn’t inherit the serum abilities from Steve I would need to be monitored closely throughout the pregnancy.” Emma rubbed her unchanged stomach as she spoke.

“I’m glad you heeded my warning,” Helen smiled but her gaze was focused on the test result in front of her. “You're about a month along.”

“And I just got the results back on the bloodwork, it looks like the baby takes after dad.” Bruce sighed relieved as the parents felt. 

Steve turned and picked his new wife up, spinning her around in his excitement. “We are going to have a healthy pup!”

“You did this for us Steve,” she whispered on his lips before kissing him deeply, not caring in the slightest about their audience. 

“I wouldn’t celebrate just yet, doesn’t this mean she’s going to be miserable for the next nine months?” Tony asked.

“Given the properties of the serum, there is some concern the pup could do internal damage which is why we want to monitor the development.” Bruce explained.

“We also believe your symptoms are going to be more intense than typical pregnancies, but I suspect Steve is going to be an overprotective alpha. So I don’t imagine you’ll be suffering alone.” Helen joked but Mr and Mrs. Rogers found themseleves too overjoyed to care. They were going to have a pup. Bonded for six months, married for only a week and now they were expecting their first kid. All of their dreams are coming true in less than a year despite a stubborn, broken omega.

[fatteningfeeder]

Curves and Cravings

Jocelyn was known for her dedication to the gym. As a sophomore at college, she prided herself on being the “fit girl” in her sorority and balancing a part-time job at Hooters. The job helped fund her party lifestyle—expensive cocktails, weekend trips, and late-night fast food runs with friends. Initially, she managed to keep up her disciplined routine, squeezing in early morning runs before class and lifting weights in between shifts.

But as the semester went on, Jocelyn’s focus began to drift. Nights out with her sisters stretched longer, and more often than not, she’d find herself too tired to make her morning gym sessions. Her diet, once filled with protein shakes and carefully measured meals, slowly gave way to greasy burgers, fries, and beer. It wasn’t like she hadn’t noticed the changes, but she brushed them off. “I’ll get back on track next week,” she’d mutter to herself while unbuttoning her jeans, feeling the waistband cut into her skin after a late-night binge.

Her Hooters uniform, which had always been snug, now clung uncomfortably to her softening frame. The shorts that used to sit comfortably on her hips were now digging into her sides, leaving faint red marks on her skin by the end of each shift. She found herself constantly readjusting, pulling the waistband away from her belly, hoping no one would notice. But her coworkers did notice.

“Guess all those late-night pizzas are catching up with you, huh, Jocelyn?” one of them teased, poking the small pouch of softness that had started to form over the top of her waistband. Jocelyn laughed it off, but when she turned back to the mirror, she couldn’t help but lift her shirt a little, revealing the pale stretch marks that had begun to spider across her hips and stomach. Her stomach, once flat and toned, now curved outward slightly, pressing against the waistband of her shorts.

“Hey, Joce, you look like you’re finally letting loose a bit, huh?” her coworker, Ashley, joked one evening as they got ready for their shift in the cramped locker room. Jocelyn forced a smile as she tugged at the hem of her Hooters tank top, trying to get it to cover the small roll that had formed just above her shorts. “Yeah, I guess,” she replied, avoiding Ashley's playful smirk. Inside, she felt a pang of insecurity.

Her sorority sisters noticed the changes too. One night, while getting ready for a party, one of them handed her a pair of old jeans. “Here, these might fit you better now,” she said with a chuckle, the comment disguised as an innocent suggestion. Jocelyn’s face flushed, but she forced a smile and shrugged it off. “I’m just bloated,” she mumbled. But she knew that wasn’t true.

One evening, after a long shift, Jocelyn found herself lingering around the kitchen. The dinner rush had ended, and a plate of leftover wings and fries sat on the counter, the kitchen staff too distracted to care. She hadn’t eaten much during her shift, and the smell of the wings made her stomach rumble. She glanced around, then hesitantly reached out for a fry, popping it into her mouth. One fry turned into a few, then into a handful, and before she knew it, she was sitting on a barstool, working her way through the whole plate. The crispy, greasy wings were too good to stop, and each bite seemed to melt away the stress of the day.

As she reached for another wing, she heard a voice behind her. “Wow, Joce, you’re really going to town on those, huh?” Jocelyn nearly jumped out of her seat, a guilty flush creeping up her neck. It was Ashley, leaning against the counter with a knowing smirk on her face. Jocelyn quickly put down the half-eaten wing, trying to act casual, but the grease on her fingers and the crumbs on her lap gave her away.

“I... I was just really hungry,” Jocelyn stammered, wiping her hands on a napkin. She shifted uncomfortably, her uniform digging into her belly, which now felt bloated from the impromptu feast. Ashley raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she glanced down at Jocelyn’s noticeably snug uniform.

“Looks like you’ve been hungry a lot lately,” Ashley teased, reaching out to playfully pinch the small roll that had formed above Jocelyn’s waistband. Jocelyn’s cheeks burned with embarrassment, but she forced a laugh, trying to brush it off. “Yeah, well... I guess I’ve been letting myself enjoy life a little,” she replied, but inside, her stomach twisted with shame.

As the weeks went on, the comments began to sting more. Jocelyn couldn’t ignore the growing heaviness in her limbs, the way her thighs rubbed together when she walked, or how she’d get winded climbing the stairs to her dorm. Her morning jogs became sporadic, then stopped altogether. The moment she laced up her sneakers, her body seemed to protest, muscles that had once thrived on the burn now ached under her new weight.

She decided to make a change. “Alright, that’s it,” she told herself one morning, staring at her reflection in the mirror, frustration knotting her stomach. “No more junk food. No more skipping workouts.” She resolved to go back to her strict diet, swapping greasy burgers for salads and water instead of beer. For a week, she forced herself through workouts, pushing her body to lift weights and run like she used to. But each time, she found herself struggling more than before, panting after just a few minutes on the treadmill, her legs heavy and uncooperative.

“Why is this so hard now?” she grumbled to herself, staring at the scale that stubbornly read over 200 pounds. Her clothes, already tight, seemed to get even smaller, pinching at her sides and cutting into her waist. She tried to squeeze back into her old jeans but couldn’t get them past her thighs. She spent longer and longer in front of the mirror, fingers tracing the soft folds that now gathered around her midsection.

One evening, after a particularly grueling attempt at a workout, she broke down. She sat in her dorm room, surrounded by discarded wrappers from the post-workout snacks she’d promised herself she wouldn’t eat, tears stinging her eyes as she tugged at her too-tight shorts. “I don’t get it,” she whispered to herself, her voice cracking. “I’m trying, but it’s not working... why can’t I just lose it?” She buried her face in her hands, feeling the weight of all the comments, all the jokes, pressing down on her.

But as much as she tried, her old habits crept back. She found herself reaching for late-night snacks, giving in to the temptation of extra fries or another round of beer. And slowly, as the weeks went on, she started to realize that maybe she didn’t have the energy to fight it anymore. She began to notice small things—like the way her new, softer body felt when she wrapped herself in a blanket or the way her thighs cushioned her when she sat down.

Jocelyn stood in front of the full-length mirror in her dorm room, the hum of the air conditioner the only sound cutting through the silence. The room was dimly lit, casting soft shadows over her figure, and she could barely recognize the person staring back at her. Her reflection was a far cry from the fit, toned image she once had, and for a moment, she felt a pang of sadness welling up in her chest.

She hesitated, then slowly pulled her shirt up, revealing her midsection. Her stomach, once flat and firm, now curved outward, soft and round. She traced her fingers across the slight curve of her belly, feeling how it gave under her touch. “How did this happen? How did I let it get this far?” she murmured, biting her lip as her hands drifted lower, running over the stretch marks that had begun to decorate her hips. The marks were faint, like pale lightning bolts streaking across her skin, a roadmap of the changes her body had gone through over the last few months.

She remembered a time when she’d pinch her skin, annoyed by the tiniest bit of softness. Now, when she squeezed at her sides, she could feel a handful of plushness gathering beneath her fingers. It was strange—foreign, even. Her hips had grown wider, curving out in a way that made her shorts struggle to contain them. She turned to the side, examining how her belly pushed forward, no longer lying flat against her body but jutting out just above the waistband of her shorts. It looked almost surreal to her.

“I used to have abs,” she thought, an edge of bitterness creeping into her internal monologue. “What happened to that girl?” Her eyes lingered on her thighs, now pressed tightly together, no longer separated by the gap she had once taken pride in. They looked thicker, smoother, the muscle she had once built buried beneath a layer of softness. Jocelyn tried to remember what it felt like to have those toned legs, but it was like trying to recall a dream after waking up—it felt hazy, distant.

She turned back to face herself fully, taking in the fullness of her face. Her cheeks had grown rounder, giving her a softer, more youthful appearance. She reached up, prodding at her face with a mixture of fascination and frustration. “I look so... different,” she whispered. It was true, she did look different—but was that really so terrible?

Her hands drifted down again, coming to rest on the underside of her belly, feeling how it had begun to sag over the waistband of her shorts. She gave it a tentative jiggle, feeling the way it moved under her touch, almost hypnotic in its rhythm. A part of her recoiled, ashamed of how much her body had changed, of how far she’d let herself stray from the disciplined routine she once held onto so fiercely.

But as she stood there, staring at her reflection, a different thought began to creep in. “Maybe... this isn’t so bad,” she admitted to herself, the idea slipping past her lips before she could even think to stop it. She pressed her hands more firmly into her belly, feeling the warmth of her skin, the softness that had replaced the hard lines of muscle she once knew so well. It felt comforting, in a strange way—like a plush pillow, or a blanket that wrapped around her when she needed it most.

Jocelyn let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, her shoulders relaxing as she studied the way her new curves filled out her frame. She turned from side to side again, a little more slowly this time, letting herself really look. Her hips had taken on a fullness that made her look more womanly, a shape that her friends often complimented. “You look so much more... voluptuous now,” she remembered one of her sorority sisters saying, though at the time she hadn’t known how to take it.

She cupped her thighs, feeling their new heft, the way they pressed together even when she tried to stand with her feet apart. She let out a small, nervous laugh, giving her thigh a little shake and watching how it jiggled in response. “When did I get so soft?” she wondered, but this time, there was a hint of something like curiosity in her voice rather than disdain.

Her gaze shifted back to her stomach, and she ran her fingers over the stretch marks again, this time tracing them more gently. “I guess they’re not so bad,” she thought, tilting her head as she examined them in the low light. They were like little reminders of the nights she’d spent with friends, laughing over pitchers of beer, the impromptu pizza runs after late-night study sessions, the extra scoop of ice cream she’d let herself have when no one was watching. They were marks of a life she had started living a little more freely.

She pressed a hand against her belly one more time, feeling how it curved out beneath her palm. She pushed it out further, almost playfully, as if testing what it felt like to truly embrace her new shape. For the first time, she caught herself smiling. “I don’t look... bad,” she realized, almost surprised by the thought. She gave her belly another little shake, watching the way it moved, how it settled back into place with a soft bounce. There was something almost... endearing about it.

“Maybe this is just... who I am now,” she thought, the words forming more easily in her mind. She rolled her shoulders back, standing up a little straighter, her fingers still tracing the soft line of her belly. She wasn’t sure when it had started, this quiet shift in her thinking. But in that moment, she found herself feeling less like a stranger in her own body and more like... herself, just different than before.

The old guilt and frustration still lingered, but it had dulled, fading into the background as a new kind of acceptance began to take its place. “I don’t have to hate this,” she whispered, the words barely audible. She met her own gaze in the mirror, seeing not just the changes in her body, but the traces of the journey that had brought her here—the late-night adventures, the comfort of shared meals, the laughter, the small indulgences that had started to feel like freedom.

She reached for her phone, scrolling through old photos of herself—pictures from her more disciplined days, where her jawline was sharper, her waist narrower. But as she looked at those images, she didn’t feel the longing she thought she would. Instead, she found herself thinking about the next time she’d order pizza with her friends, or grab late-night burgers after the bar closed. She could almost hear the next joke from her coworkers, but she knew she wouldn’t mind it.

As she turned away from the mirror, she ran a hand through her hair, letting out a breath. For the first time in a long time, she felt a sense of peace settle over her, like a weight lifting from her shoulders. “Maybe... I can be okay with this,” she thought, a small, hopeful smile curling at the edges of her lips.

[mudassir160]

Destined for Diabetes? How One Woman’s Realization Helped Her Lose 70 Pounds and Reclaim Her Health

For as long as she could remember, Jessica Morgan had been haunted by the shadow of diabetes. It ran deep in her family — her mother, grandmother, and two aunts had all been diagnosed. Growing up, Jessica watched as her loved ones struggled with the disease, enduring the constant blood sugar checks, the medications, and the dietary restrictions that seemed to take the joy out of life. By the time she reached her 30s and her weight had climbed to nearly 240 pounds, Jessica was convinced that diabetes was her inevitable future.

But deep down, Jessica couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be a way out. She had tried dieting before — fad diets, extreme calorie-cutting, juice cleanses — but nothing ever lasted. Each failed attempt only reinforced her belief that diabetes was her destiny. It wasn’t until a routine check-up with her doctor that everything changed.

During the visit, her doctor shared some alarming news: Jessica’s blood sugar levels were dangerously close to the pre-diabetic range. It was the wake-up call she dreaded but knew was coming. Yet, as she left the doctor’s office, something shifted in Jessica’s mind. She realized that while diabetes might run in her family, it didn’t have to define her future. For the first time, Jessica understood that she had the power to change her course.

It was this realization that sparked her journey toward better health. Jessica knew she needed a sustainable approach — something that could work for the long haul, not just a temporary fix. She started by making small, manageable changes. Instead of focusing on losing weight, she shifted her mindset to living healthier and more balanced. She began cutting out processed foods and sugary drinks, replacing them with whole foods, lean proteins, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Jessica also committed to moving her body every day, even if it was just a short walk around the block.

In the early days, progress was slow, but Jessica didn’t let that deter her. She set small, achievable goals, celebrating each victory along the way. When she lost her first 10 pounds, she treated herself to a new pair of walking shoes. When she hit the 25-pound mark, she signed up for a local yoga class — a practice she had always wanted to try but felt too self-conscious to pursue.

As the weight continued to come off, Jessica noticed other changes as well. Her energy levels soared, her sleep improved, and she found herself enjoying physical activity for the first time in years. She started hiking on weekends, joined a community cycling group, and even rediscovered her love for swimming — activities she never thought she’d be able to do again.

By the time Jessica had lost 70 pounds, her life had transformed in ways she never imagined. Her blood sugar levels had returned to a healthy range, and she no longer lived in fear of an impending diabetes diagnosis. But more than that, Jessica had gained something far more valuable: the belief that she was in control of her health and her future.

Jessica’s story is a powerful reminder that while genetics play a role in our health, they don’t dictate our destiny. She turned her fear of diabetes into a catalyst for change, proving that with determination and the right mindset, it’s possible to rewrite the narrative.

Today, Jessica continues to prioritize her health, not just for herself but for her family. She’s become an advocate for healthy living in her community, sharing her story with others who feel trapped by their own health challenges. Jessica’s journey is far from over, but she now walks it with confidence, knowing that she has the tools to create the future she wants.

As Jessica often says, “I used to think diabetes was my fate, but I’ve learned that my choices shape my future. Losing weight wasn’t just about the number on the scale; it was about gaining control of my life and proving to myself that I can change my destiny.”

[wives-natlho]

Fate (Carmen Weaver part 5)

“Yes, I’m sure. Thank you for the opportunity and the support. It has been very enlightening.” Carmen gave her goodbyes to Thubyrgeim, who was trying desperately to get her to stay. The Highlander had been a good student despite her troubles, and the guild was making good use of her talents when it came to dealing with customs disputes. After her encounter with Athena, she returned to the guild for a while, taking a few leves and working with the guild to make sure the shipments are safe and legal. Bookish folk that could stare down an axe-wielding former pirate twice their size were in short supply. Carmen was able to give the iciest of stares when needed, and the raw power behind her magic was a sight to behold. She will be missed.

“Very well. You can keep your tome, and if you end up wanting to continue your work here, please don’t hesitate to come and see me.” Thubyrgeim responded. 

Carmen nodded, smiled, and left the room. 

Her profession had changed 3 times in as many months. From student, to Arcanist, and now Adventurer. However, her goal of learning remained. She decided she will join this group of adventurers that Athena had spoken about, to get into their good graces, and learn the ways of adventuring and helping others. Hopefully along the way she would discover something worthy of bringing back to Sharlayan. Time will tell. 

Her travel would be convoluted. She’d take a ship from Limsa Lominsa to Vesper bay, then a rail car to Camp Bluefog in Northern Thanalan. From there, she would need to travel by cart past the ceruleum processing plants and through the abandoned Garlean Castrum to Mor Dhona, then it’s on foot from there. That was the plan anyways. 

—------------

How was I supposed to know that the railcar hasn’t run in Thanalan since the Calamity? She thought, while a Lalafellin merchant in Vesper Bay just laughed at her. 

“Okay, fine. How much for a chocobo porter?” Carmen sighed as she spoke. 

“No porters today, Miss. These two behind me are boarded. That one over there is for sale.” The middle-aged merchant woman pointed from atop her box across the plaza to a single white-feathered chocobo tied up to a post, with a Hellsguard Roegadyn man tending to it. “Thanks for the help.” Carmen said with some level of venom to her voice. She didn’t appreciate being laughed at. 

Across the way, she went to take a good look at the bird. It was old. She could tell by its beak and feathers. The white coloration was half from diet, and half from age. Carmen leaned down and inspected further. The old bird was a girl, and had unkempt claws. 

“Oy! Can I help you?” That Roegadyn man from earlier approached behind Carmen. 

“Yes, please. I’m looking to buy.” It was either that or walking the whole way. 

“Hah! Are ya, now? She cannae lift my oversized arse no more, so I’m lookin’ ta sell.” The man had a smile on his face. Carmen knew Thanalan was famous for its merchants, shrewd to the last breath. The good news is, since Carmen was a Sharlayan student, she was well-trained in debate and logical fallacy, and the man had already misplayed his first card. 

“She can’t, huh? Well, then…” 

—

One spirited bout of haggling later, Carmen was packing up her pouches on the saddle of her new old bird. And for less than what she had budgeted for the railcar and carriage rides. 

“Let’s give you a name.” She looked into the bird’s black eyes, against the white canvas of its feathers. The light and dark reminded her of the threads of fate, and the goddess Nymia. The good and the bad intermingling. The light and the dark. “How about Fate?”

The aged chocobo chirped in pleasure and nuzzled into her new rider. Carmen actually giggled. Out loud! 

“Fate…” She smiled and petted Fate’s neck. “I think I’m gonna like you.”

—---------------

Carmen and Fate got along nicely. Carmen would talk to her, and tell her stories of everything she had done since leaving Sharlayan. Fate seemed to enjoy how light Carmen was compared to the mountain of a man she had been carrying before, and would even chirp happily during pauses in Carmen’s stories. She wasn’t sure, but Carmen liked to think Fate could understand her. The irony was palpable at times, as fate had usually been cruel to her. 

The ride was brisk and smooth. The old nag of a chocobo was practiced in carrying, and did so with grace. The two stopped at Black Brush station to get some Gysahl Greens for Fate, some dried meats for Carmen, and some water for both. She hitched Fate to a post and gathered a pouch of supplies for the road. 

“Afternoon. Where ya’ headed?” The Highlander man looked like he’d been left out in the sun too long. He was scarred and ragged, most likely from battle, Carmen assumed. He was friendly, though, and wore a kind smile. His greying black hair connected to a thick beard across his jaw, but not his upper lip. 

“North. Ishgard eventually.” Carmen replied. “Careful with foot travel. There’s rumor some kinda’ beast has holed up in the old Garlean castrum. Not sure what exactly.” “Thanks. I’ll be careful.” Carmen paid for items and went back to Fate. KWEH!

“Yeah. Me, too.”

—-------------

The ride through Northern Thanalan was uneventful, aside from Carmen’s constant vigilance. The air was filled with blue ceruleum and created a sunset that would have been beautiful except for the fact that Carmen could not bring herself to forget about the gassy pollution. She decided to stop at the edge of a long bridge that spans across the gap from Thanalan into Mor Dhona. The other end led straight into Castrum Centri, the dangerous one if that merchant was to be believed. 

She unhooked the saddle from Fate and made camp, alone on the edge of the cliff. A small fire lit the pair and kept them warm. Fate snacked on greens laid out by Carmen, and the Hyur kept herself filled with dried meats and fruits. It was unsatisfying, but would have to do. The northern stretch of Thanalan did not allow much for game animals except for those trained in hunting. Carmen was not. 

Overnight, Carmen and Fate snuggled up together and kept warm. The downy feathers under Fate’s small wings made for an excellent pillow. 

The following morning, Carmen and Fate crossed the long bridge over the ravine into Mor Dhona. Castrum Centuri on the other side was previously a heavily fortified base for Garlean activity in the area. Since the fall of the empire, it has been abandoned, and opened up. Adventurers made short work of looting the place and uncovering all the valuables. Now, the gates remain open and travel through the Castrum is free for all, including the less-desirable. 

As she crossed into the courtyard of the Castrum, she saw something moving. One of the corners had been overgrown with greenery, vines, and colorful aetherically-bloated flowers. When she turned to look, the movement was gone. She pulled Fate’s reins and came to a stop and then dismounted. 

She was certain she saw something move. She stared at the viney mass for nearly a full minute, pacing slowly towards it. 

KWEH!

Fate was panicked. Carmen spun around to see another mossy shape, but this one was mobile, and advancing on the chocobo. It stood on long, thick vines or tentacles. Carmen wasn’t sure. She’d heard of a Morbol, but had not expected it to be this big, or have this many teeth. Or smell this bad. 

Carmen reached up and slapped Fate on the haunch, causing her to shake free of her panic and take off, running away from the area. Carmen spun on her heels and did the same, sprinting away. The trouble was that the Morbol was between her and the exit to Revenant’s Toll. Her hair started to come out of place as she leapt behind a pile of rubble and started to plan. 

She was wearing her rucksack, which had her tome in it. What luck! She fished it out along with her quill, and peeked over the rubble pile. She watched the Morbol thrash about, and started planning. 

Top heavy, but lots of legs, hard to tip over.

Big mouth - Attack when open?

Smells bad, cover nose

Nouliths on saddle, must use tome

FATE! 

Carmen smiled and realized that even though she was the only person here, she wasn’t alone. She watched Fate on the other side, running in circles and keeping the Morbol’s attention. She took the moment to focus energy into a familiar creature, her Carbuncle. 

She scribbled the word “Teamwork” at the top of the page and underlined it. Time to jump into action. 

—

A sharp whistle cut through the air, and the Morbol’s attention was drawn across the courtyard. Carmen stood in the middle of the way, ready to fight. Her right hand held her tome of spells, and her plan. 

The Morbol charged at her. A series of wet slaps was heard against the metal roadway as the tentacle vines carried the creature faster than Carmen expected. Fate watched from behind, finally able to catch a breath. Carmen figured the creature’s constant wetness was something that kept it mobile and stout. To deal with that, she needed heat. 

She started focusing a spell in her open hand, one of stone aether. The quick spell rocketed a blast of sharp gravel towards the creature and slammed in its face. It did nothing to harm it, but just to slow it down. Perfect.

Just then, the Carbuncle came out from the side, aspected with fire and colored bright red. It left a trail of flame in the air behind it as it rocketed in a straight line to the base of the creature’s footing. It ran quickly enough to lodge itself in the thick mass of vines at its base. After a moment’s pause, the fire belched out from every opening within the tangled web of tentacles. The moisture in the creature’s base evaporated, and the creature slowed to a crawl. 

From behind, Fate found her breath and started sprinting towards the Morbol. Before it got there, Carmen focused another spell, a long, slow build of fire energies, ready to be released all at once. Timing would be key. If she channeled too long, then the fire could explode in her hand. If she released it too early, then it wouldn’t be strong enough. It had to be perfect. 

Three seconds.The Morbol started to move again, slow, but angry. It growled, and dark green viscous slime spilled from its maw. She could smell it from here. 

Two.

Fate approached right on time. Carmen saw her head dip down. She was going into attack mode. The fire was starting to burn Carmen’s fingers. 

One.

The chocobo took a short hop and lifted her right leg behind her, and extended her claws. She kicked with every bit of force she could muster. The Morbol’s mouth opened wide and it roared in pain. 

NOW!

Carmen released the Ruby Ruin spell directly at the creature’s open throat. The fire collided with the back of the mouth and seared through the back of its head. The Morbol roared, spat, and cried before falling over. Its tentacles curled up and it stopped moving. At least for a moment. 

One thick vine twitched and began to slide over to the side. Carmen and Fate both prepared for more. A moment later, the Carbuncle finished pushing its way out of the mass. The moving stopped entirely after that. 

The three gathered up about twenty yalms from the dead Morbol. After a quick breath, Fate let out a tired Kweh, and the carbuncle dissipated into aether. Carmen slid down to sitting and let the stress from her shoulders. The book fell to the ground, and an airy silence overtook the Castrum.

“We did it, Fate.” Carmen said, between heavy breaths. “Good teamwork.”

—------------

She spent the night in Revenant’s Toll before riding onward to Ishgard. Fate earned double greens that night. She was literally a lifesaver. Carmen treated herself to a white wine. She’d had better, but this one was tasty nonetheless. The taste of the victory was sweeter than the wine. 

A couple days later, Carmen and Fate arrived in Ishgard. After taking some time to adjust to the cold. She boarded Fate and rented a room at the Forgotten Knight, and headed out to the Empyrium to find the end of her journey:

The Sweet and Savoury Tavern.