#crunchy and so soft at the same time it’s just so fun

[a-concert-just-for-me]

Everyone is wrong about candy corn. Candy corn is great…but watch out! After 1 handful it becomes the most disgusting thing you’ve ever eaten. Hope this clears some things up <3

[myysaints]

°˖ ⊹ ꒰ LN4 ꒱ PICTURES OF YOU ─ LANDO NORRIS

LANDO NORRIS x f!model!reader

⌗︙・ summary — lando accidentally slips up on stream, revealing he has a girlfriend. chaos subsequently ensues.

genre — social media au, fc yeji from itzy

notes — as a fashion girlie myself this was like scripting my ideal life LOL. i love lando and i'm so excited for baku!!! hopefully he can haul ass and get that mclaren to podium - or at least a girl can dream. also gif not mine!!! pics are all from pinterest :) hope you enjoy this one! sorry for the crunchy quality on the tweets, can't seem to find a high quality tweet maker 😭

yourusername

Liked by landonorris, hoooooyeony, bellahadid, and 1,263,402 others

yourusername   new york, it’s been a minute ❤️

view all 564,221 comments

bellahadid   so great to see u on the runway again! xx

yourusername   had so much fun with u babe xx

miumiu   🤍🩰

heconghc   pretty girl

Liked by landonorris yourusername   all u ❤️

maxitaxi   anyone else notice lando lurking in the comments? 🤨

landonorrizz   my guy aint slick at ALL 🤣 y/nults   lmfaooo leave him alone he just like us fr Liked by landonorris

tifosiiibabe   So Lando and Y/N were both in NY at the same time, AND he’s liking every comment calling her pretty?

lulusdelulu   the math is, in fact, mathing…. yukismatchagirl   Y/N WAG CONFIRMED!!!!!!!

lando.jpg

Liked by yourusername, daniel.jpg, f1, and 3,219,004 others

lando.jpg   Singapore. Shot by Lando Norris.

view all 899,216 comments

daniel.jpg   you’re gonna give me a run for my money mate!

lando.jpg   All’s fair in love and war, mate

yourusername   talented showstopping incredible!!!!!

Liked by lando.jpg

yourusername

Liked by lando.jpg, lilymhe, carlossainz55, and 14,912 others

yourusername   shot by my love

view all 324 comments

yourbestfriend   okayyyyyy so the mystery man has skillz!

yourusername   On and off the track ;)

lilymhe   gorgeous baby!!!! date me!!!!!

alex_albon   :((( yourusername   🤭 alex_albon   sleep with five eyes open, y/n >:(

y/nsbiggestfan   y/n interacting with lily he and alex albon i prayed for days like these

kimikimchi   y/n at the paddock WHEN

y/nnspinkiefinger   no one talking about this post being a literal soft launch ?????

takeawalk   omg yeah and the “on and off the track” comment…. SO HE IS A DRIVER!!!!! landooonorizz   fr like “SHOT BY LANDO NORRIS” “SHOT BY MY LOVE”. IF 1+1=2....

yourusername added to their story.                                                      17s

[caption: gooooooo teammmmmmmm @/mclaren]

f1wagupdates

Liked by landonorris, and 34,021 others

f1wagupdates   Cause for celebration! After his podium win at the Singapore Grand Prix, fans spotted Lando Norris enjoying a night to remember with a mystery woman on a small motorboat not far from the Sentosa resort at which he allegedly stayed at. Fans reported the couple being “all over each other” and “laughing the night away”. 🥂🪩

view all 4,551 comments

maxitaxi   that is so definitely yourusername you don’t even have to think for a minute

sarascardriving   BROOOOO tagging her is crazy 😭😭   maxitaxi   and i’ll do it again. so yourusername when’s the hard launch? maxitaxi   as a matter of fact. landonorris when’s the Y/N .jpg feature?

drivingmeinsane   lando liked omfg

kikilikeskiwi   all thanks to maxitaxi thank you for your service 🫡

lando.jpg

Liked by daniel.jpg, yourusername, pierregasly, and 1,293,334 others

lando.jpg   You ask, I deliver.

view all 774,291 comments

maxitaxi   I-

Liked by lando.jpg

yourusername   hot damn norris. who’s the pretty lady?

lando.jpg   🤷‍♂️

daniel.jpg   Man, you’re gonna put me out of business!

lando.jpg   Too bad I have the prettiest muse. Liked by yourusername

charles_leclerc   Wearing the superior team colours I see.

lando.jpg   Don’t even start, I can take you on anyday Frenchie louderlauda   OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH HE HIT HIM WHERE IT HURTS yourusername   low blow, norris, low blow lando.jpg   😔 sorry ma’am reorgegussellshirt   🤳📸

danielricciardo added to their story.                                                                                   38s

[caption: making a @/lando.jpg post]

yourusername

Liked by landonorris, danielricciardo, heidiberger, and 2,219,442 others

yourusername   sun’s out & fun’s out!

view all 213,459 comments

bellahadid   glowing

lilyrosedepp   mother is mothering!

landonorris   ahem, pic creds?

yourusername   🙄 thanks i guess…. landonorris   we can talk about my payment when you get home 😉 This comment has been removed.

barbiealbono   “when you get home” UM. HELLO????

dannyr333   Sooooo the girl Lando was taking a pic of for lando.jpg on danielricciardo 's story is … Y/N?

tsunodascupcake   girl you lost me at Lando betaromeo   no fr like i had a stroke tryna read that 😭

lando.jpg

Liked by yourusername, lilymhe, and 4,213,577 others

🏷   yourusername

lando.jpg   lost the pic but gained some great memories 🎞 have this one instead as an apology

Comments on this post have been limited.

yourusername   what a great shot

lando.jpg   well, it’s pretty easy when you have a great muse daniel.jpg   We get it, the two of you are in love. Now leave the rest of us in peace lando.jpg   Wow, thanks for the support, Daniel yourusername   you’re uninvited from our housewarming party daniel.jpg   NOOOOO I TAKE IT BACK I TAKE IT BACKKKKKKKKK      

yourusername

Liked by charles_leclerc, carlossainz55, danielricciardo, and 8,213,994 others

🏷   landonorris

yourusername   swapping out the soft launch for the hard launch 🛞 did i get it right landonorris ?

view all 657,492 comments

landonorris   nailed it ❤️ couldn’t have been prouder my love

yourusername   does this mean i get to pick the movie tonight? landonorris   You’re cute, but not that cute landonorris   Just kidding babe i love you landonorris   Babe landonorris   Baby? landonorris   I’m sorry baby I didn’t mean it you can pick the movie you can pick dinner just call me back PLEASE landonorris   …Y/N? yourusername   whoops sorry my phone died !!!! what happened here???? landonorris   …. yourusername   LOL love you babe xx yourusername   soooooooo do i still get to pick the movie tonight…? landonorris   i love you, so fine. yourusername   ❤️ !!!! landonorris   😊

© myysaints

[doctorprofessorsong]

Destiel fic recs

Another round of brainrot. I hope they never fix what's wrong with me.

Beggars Would Ride by Tiamatv (Explicit, 118k)

You had me at Aladdin AU. When Dean Winchester is caught stealing, he's given one chance for freedom. Go into the Cave of Wonders, grab the amulet, and get out. Things don't go as planned. Now he's got a moody ancient genie to contend with. But maybe he can use up two of his wishes and then grant the genie his wish: to be free. What could go wrong?

This fic is an absolutely delight. I laughed so hard, especially at the fun ways Tiamatv played with the SPN canon and the Disney movies. But beyond the humor is some really fantastic world building and a beautiful story about finding your way when you feel trapped by life.

Genie Cas is very cute and grumpy and sassy, and it's fun to watch him start to care. And Dean has so much heart it will make you ache. Sam and Jess are disgustingly cute but both are also whip smart and fun. And Jo (Jess’ sister in this) is the knife girl of my dreams.

This one is hard to put down.

Tourbillon Dreams by kayliemalinza @kayliemalinza (Mature, 40k)

Dean uses Bobby's life insurance proceeds to buy a hoarders house stuffed to the brim with cursed and haunted objects. But when he finds a clock that also happens to be an angel, things take an unexpected turn.

It sounds cracky and there is some delightful humor, but this fic packs a beautiful emotional punch. Dean is in his peak caretaking, competency mode and Clockstiel is adorable and entranced with Dean in a way that is just immensely readable.

There is something starkly gorgeous about the way Dean and Cas are physically so different and yet they find each other in meaningful and beautiful ways.

Love Is a Meat Loaf Song by followyourenergy @followyourenergy (Explicit, 68k)

A reimagining of canon where Dean is never saved and becomes a demon. He's bored waiting for the apocalypse when he happens upon a certain blue eyed seraph and they decide to work together.

This fic has all the delightful sassiness you expect of Demon!Dean and especially when he spends time with his frenemy, Meg. It also has just absolutely amazing angel lore and a deep dive into Cas and his trauma. All of this is wrapped up in a soft love story about two beings finding each other and seeing each other and breaking down each other's walls.

It's the entire package of funny, sincere and romantic.

Where there is Darkness by quiettewandering @wanderingcas (Explicit, 91k)

I may have popped this on at some point when it was a WIP but I have to renew my recommendation if so. Dean and Sam are lighthouse keepers, but Dean keeps driving off the third member of their team until Cas shows up. But will they be able to overcome their past to carve out happiness?

This Dean and Cas are so delicious. I am deeply fond of them both. They are fighting against so much baggage and yet they find in each other something so special. Sammy is also perfectly oblivious in the best way. It's hard to explain what makes this fic special except that it is so engrossing, you will be slamming next chapter

Valley of God by ValleyDean @valleydean (Mature, 145k)

I know. I KNOW. The MCD tag is daunting in a fic like this but I promise that while it is accurate, then ending is softer than you think and it's really the way it should end.

So there are a few things about this fic that make it absolutely delicious. First, it really delves into Cas’ trauma in a really gorgeous way. We don’t have enough fics that look at his angel trauma (we can't for me tbh) and this one uses a religious cult situation to delve into it. Second, Dean and Cas in this fic are just so messy and delightful. Dean wants to believe that Cas is good so badly. Cas wants to protect Dean the same way. It's crunchy. Finally, the atmosphere is amazing. It's creepy. It gets under your skin.

Is it dark? Absolutely. But it's also amazing.

The Darkest Sunshine by StarlightOfFandoms @starlightoffandoms (Explicit, 35k)

If murder husbands is your thing, this one is a delight of a fic. Dean Winchester is the Righteous Man serial killer, a notorious murderer who goes after monsters (in human form). People who are guilty of abhorrent crimes. But when he goes after Cas, a professor believed to have murdered several students, he discovers an innocent man being framed. Together with Cas and his team, Dean decides to find the real killer. He just has to pretend to be Cas’ boyfriend until they succeed.

The fake dating trope in a murder husbands fic was a total delight. So was the fact that Dean doesn't work alone and has a full support system to go after the worst of the worst. It's an intriguing concept done really well. Dean in this fic is an interesting blend of sociopathic tendencies, a strong sense of justice, and a willingness to do anything for those he is loyal to. Cas is intrigued by Dean and accepts him as he is. It's a really great combination.

A Weed In Any Other Place by VioletHaze @scones-and-texting-and-murder (Explicit, 63k)

On the other end of the spectrum is this fluffy rom com. There is some angst, but most of it is soft, sweet falling in love along with supportive friends and family.

Cas is a writer. Well, Cas had a book published and now he's desperately trying to write his second while convincing himself the first was probably just a fluke. Writers block is a bitch. That is until his car breaks down and he ends up at a little shop called Winchester and Son. By some weird trick of fate, it's exactly what he needs. He has the most productive day in years sitting in their waiting room. So he comes back, and keeps coming back. The extremely cute mechanic with green eyes doesn't hurt.

Cas is a disaster at social situations in a relatable way. Dean is struggling to put away some bad lessons from his dad so that he can find what he wants instead of what his father pushed on him. Both have a lovely support system. Charlie, in particular, makes me deeply fond in this fic.

i like your shoelaces (thanks! i stole them from the president) by you-cant-spell-subtext-without (ayreisha) @you-cant-spell-subtext-without (Explicit, WIP, 33k so far)

My lovely Tumblr wife is back at it, writing the most delightfully chaotic fic based on Misha's prompt awhile back for President Cas and Fast Food Janitorial Staff Dean Winchester. It's a Cinderella story and in equal parts hilarious and adorable. Also it is a Dean-saster/Cas-tastrophe pairing which is always fun plus there's a 2 person love triangle situation.

Dean's stuck in a miserable job with his only escape being his love of How I Met Your Mother and the Tumblr blog he devotes to the fandom. But when a handsome man walks in one night after hours, things heat up. Too bad the man in question is actually the President.

It's a romp and a love letter to fandom.

[canarysage]

…make a psd look interesting?

aka, how to fuck up a psd no glue no borax. have you ever looked at your psd and gone, damn, this shit doesn’t fuck? happens to the best of us. here are easy ways to spice up your psds so you don’t end up with the editor equivalent of communion bread

for example purposes, i made a simplistic psd to test these methods on. they should work with most psds, but, as always, fuck around and find out on your own for best results <3

i. threshold + gradient map

this one is an easy way to add specific colors to your psds. step one: add a threshold layer, and adjust it your liking. typically, i set mine to somewhere between 60-40. if you’re making a psd to work on dark skintones, you may want to set it even lower, but if you’re working with, say, pjsk characters, you can go pretty high

wow flashbang. you can see on my example behind that it doesn’t work super well on irl pictures, and my pjsk images don’t have threshold at all lol. next thing you want to do is set the blending mode of your threshold layer to either multiply or darken—they’re basically the same thing

(psst, if you want to know more about blending modes, check out this post!)

waow crunchy! but still boring right? still boring. not to worry, here’s the fun part: add a gradient map layer, tap it, and go to the slidey icon on the side, which’ll bring up a page like this:

click the gradient in the middle there to edit it. once in, edit the black color to be at about 80-90%, and then change the white color to whatever you like. edit out, and tap the little square next to the text that says “reverse” which should make your gradient look more or less like this:

then change the blending mode on your gradient map to ‘screen’ which’ll axe all the black and just leave your color. now your image looks like this:

boy howdy, isn’t that fucked up! it is more interesting, but if you don’t want to be looking at that abomination, change your color in your gradient map to be darker, which’ll give you something more along the lines of:

…which is much more reasonable. this is a fun way to add color to your shadows slash lineart, and can be a quick and easy way to make a psd look less flat.

ii. noise gradient map

some of you may be thinking, but, canarysage, what the fuck is a noise gradient map? to which i reply: you’re boring. let me show you.

kinda fucked up, right? well, that’s the goal. unfortunately, there isn’t a way to directly edit a gradient map, but you can just click that little button that says ‘randomize’ a couple times until you get something you like! you can also mess with the percentages but i don’t do that because it looks weird

boy howdy, that’s weird looking. not to worry, though. once again, our best friend blending mode is going to come in handy

i typically go to soft light and set the opacity to about 20-30%, but, as with anything, feel free to mess around and do whatever you want. luminosity is also a fun setting for noise gradient maps, just make sure to crank the opacity way down for the sake of my eyes

wow, much better! you can see that the gradient map added a bit of purple coloring and a funky little texture. super cool! thank you, gradient map!

iii. channel mixer

i already have a post on channel mixer and i’m not rewriting all that so if you don’t know how channel mixer works check that shit out but the tl;dr is: ideally, all your channels should add up to 100 (including negative numbers) but that rule can be broken if it looks cool enough. capiche?

iv. color lookup

photopea has a few default color lookups that are pretty easy to use, but i have a couple of presets that i like to add if i’m feeling stuck. to make your own color lookup, open up a psd, and go to file > export color lookup

then save it and open it from your files. when you open a color lookup layer, you’ll see an arrow next to the text saying LUTs—click that and your new color lookup should be there

once you tap that, you’ll get a compressed version of your psd added to your folder. it’ll look something like this:

holy orange and blue, batman. luckily, you can apply blending modes to color lookups just like any other layer—mess around with them until it looks how you want!

waow much more reasonable! i set this one on color and about 55% opacity, but that is really dependent on what your color lookup looks like and how you want your psd to look. remember, there’s no right way to do things!

an additional note: if you want to, you can save the psd you’re working on as a color lookup instead. if it looks too simple or just isn’t turning out how you want, that’s a good way to incorporate it later :3 just follow the same steps as above!

v. no shame in starting over

if you’ve added and taken away, duplicated and removed, fucked around and found out, and your psd still isn’t how you want: it’s alright to just axe it. the edit police aren’t gonna kill you for it, i promise. if you’re worried about wanting it later, just save it as a psd and come back when your brain is refreshed ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

psd-making isn’t an exact art, so, obviously, there’s no real simple solution to making it look how you want. you just have to mess with it and see what you’ve got. these are just my methods of making my psds less blagh, but, obviously, my editing is moderately more deranged than your average editor.

…so that’s how you do it.

[boy-comics]

XDINARY HEROES AND REALIZING YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON THEM

── .✦ tags; swearing

── .✦ a/n; (pt 1 | pt 3 | pt 4)

── .✦ gunil;

you've always had a hard time making friends. moving from a small town to a big city just made it harder, and even with your cousin around at the beginning to introduce you to people, you find yourself melding into the wall at social gatherings and fumbling every conversation that comes your way.

by the third party, you're sure that you've missed all your chances. maybe you would have, if it weren't for goo gunil.

he's everything you wish you were. friendly, confident, funny, talented. he invites you to the next party at his house, and to your surprise, you go, and you have fun. there's something about goo gunil that makes you feel like you don't have to put on a show to get him to be friends with you. he talks to you like he wants you to be yourself.

it's the effort he makes, maybe, that sweeps you off your feet.

the group chat is discussing another outing together. everyone's comparing schedules and it's starting to look like most people are available next weekend—but you aren't.

you muster up the courage to send a brief text. i won't be able to go that day. is there another weekend that we can go?

almost immediately, gunil replies. of course! what weekends work for you?

there's a bit of gentle push-back from some who want to do the activity sooner. you worriedly send another text saying that you can just miss out and go to the next gathering after that, but gunil seems dead set on making sure you can go, and eventually, everyone agrees on a later day that works for all of you.

thanks, you text.

don't mention it. it's gunil again who replies. it wouldn't be the same without you ^^

you stare at his message.

badump. badump-badump-badump.

you bury your flaming face into your pillow with a groan. it's not just admiration that you feel towards goo gunil, is it?

── .✦ jungsu;

you don't know much about him. but you do know that he's nice, and when you happen to reach the front doors together at the end of the day and it's pouring buckets on the other side of the glass, neither of you having brought an umbrella, he offers his bigger and heavier jacket for you to use.

even though the jacket looks wonderfully suited for rainy weather, and the notion of such a cute guy letting you borrow it is dreadfully appealing, you decline on the grounds that you don't want him to catch a cold.

the disappointed pout that flickers just briefly across his face almost makes you reconsider. but a thoughtful look, followed by a slight blush, overtakes it before you can do so, and he shyly offers a compromise.

we can share and make a run for it?

his eyes widen and his blush deepens as soon as he suggests it. before he can follow up with what you suspect is an apology, you step closer and agree, unsure if it's out of sympathy or something more selfish.

whatever the case, it's how you end up underneath jungsu's jacket with him, shrieking at the cold rain soaking through your shoes as the two of you dash across the street, his laughter clear and glowing, the soft smell of him surrounding you on every side.

at first, you blame the rush from trying to outrun the rain. but your heart keeps its quickened beat long after you've found shelter, and it picks up the pace every time you see him thereafter, so you eventually have to accept the fact that he is the reason for it.

── .✦ gaon;

the sun has long gone down, the rest of your friends have gone home, and jiseok is lining up the sad remnants of your snacks out on the kitchen table, ranking them by potential as ice cream toppings. salty, sweet, gummy, crunchy; the debate is endless, if only because you want him to stay a little longer.

he contemplates a box of pocky that you speculate is empty. however, upon turning it upside down and shaking it, a single stick falls out.

the two of you look at it. you look at each other. and then jiseok is dashing out of the kitchen, pocky stick wielded high in the air as you follow hot on his heels.

he jumps onto the arm of your couch, both hands raised above his head daringly. you don't waste a minute in climbing onto the cushions, and his laughter morphs into a wobbly protest as you wrap your arms around his middle and bring him crashing down with you.

you wheeze, triumphant, when he lands right on top of you. jiseok quickly pushes himself up, none the worse for wear, though he grimaces when he looks at the spot near your head.

shit, the ...

his eyes lock with yours, and the rest of his sentence dies out.

you swallow the sudden lump in your throat as his lips part wordlessly. his breath brushes warmly over your skin, his nose nearly touching yours, and his eyes are so dark and—

pretty.

and then he's tumbling off you, groaning as he hits the floor. you sit up and fix your clothes.

the ... he clears his throat when you risk a glance at him, his voice raspy as he gestures at the pieces strewn next to you on the couch. the pocky broke.

indeed, it had. but as you glance over at jiseok's blushing face again, you know that a broken biscuit stick is not why you're feeling disappointed.

── .✦ o.de;

having been best friends for so long, seeing seungmin interact with your family, both immediate and extended, is nothing new and almost something mundane. so when the two of you head back to your house after he's taken you shopping at the outdoor mall, you figure that you'll go through the usual routine of supper, clothes sorting, and fending off your little brother and sister as they try to climb onto seungmin's shoulders.

you go through the first two tasks with no problem. unfortunately, you then have to go to the bathroom, leaving seungmin vulnerable to attack.

when you get back, they've already gotten him, shrieking with glee and covering every inch of his face with grubby hands.

he's smiling, though. you linger at the door of your bedroom as your sister begs him to let her stand on his shoulder, and he says, no, your mom will get mad at me, but i can toss you onto the bed. and he does so, resulting in more happy shrieks from the little gremlins before he turns around and finally sees you.

i'm back, you say. and for some reason, you sound different, and he looks different, and the room is suddenly ten times smaller.

seungmin's expression is affectionate. he holds your gaze, even as he lets your little brother jump onto his back. welcome back, he greets, and it's as natural as breathing, the way he utters that phrase like it was made just for you.

something finally clicks in your head.

(it was him all along.)

── .✦ junhan;

it's fifteen minutes before the concert starts, and you're a mess.

you don't know why. maybe it's the fatigue and stress of your first big tour finally catching up to you. but your hands are clammy, your chest is tight, and you're so anxious that you're sure you'll screw everything up and disappoint everyone. your bandmates have been trying to calm you down, to no avail, and they're getting desperate.

finally, in a last-ditch effort, your main vocalist forces you to take your phone out and unlock it. they tap the screen a few times before placing it against your ear.

hyeongjun picks up on the second ring, his voice soft and a bit confused.

you look up at your vocalist, shocked. they gesture at you to respond, and you swallow, gripping your phone tightly as you close your eyes.

… hello?

i'm so freaking scared to go out on stage, hyeongjun. i don't kn-know what to do.

there's a terrifying pause. then, right as you start to apologize for bothering him, he responds.

if you're scared, then do it scared. you're one of the best guitarists i know. you've worked really hard, and everyone's there to support you, so it'll be okay.

the wave of reassurance that washes over you is almost overwhelming. his words are not dissimilar to the ones you've already heard, but the way he says them, so calm and honest, makes you feel immensely better. still nervous, but better.

thank you. your voice cracks.

mhmm. u-um, you can call me after you're done, too. if you want.

okay.

when you end the call and stand up, sheepishly glancing at your bandmates, they roll their eyes. you seriously need to start dating him, they say as they wrap you in hugs and shuffle off with you to go backstage.

for the first time, you realize that they're right.

── .✦ jooyeon;

he likes you.

your friends think like is too weak of a verb. someone's always pointing out how his eyes always seem to wander over to whatever part of the room you're in, how he tries to impress you with his accomplishments, how his expression melts into something soft and dreamy when you laugh at his jokes. you don't think it goes that deep. it's simply a misplaced kind of admiration, at most a puppy crush that will go away with time.

as long as you keep certain boundaries in place, everything will be alright. you love him very much, after all, so if he does end up saying something you will do your best to let him down gently.

the afternoon is grey and windy. you had taken jooyeon out to eat, trying to boost his gloomy mood after a difficult week, but it seems that even the weather is trying to remind him of how miserable life can be.

then a sudden gust of wind snatches the hat off your head, carrying it far down the hill.

you hardly get a word out before he flies down after it.

he doesn't stop, scarf fluttering behind him, until he retrieves it from the bushes at the bottom. you carefully hurry down to meet him halfway. and while you scold him for running so recklessly down a steep incline, he grins and dusts your hat off, fitting it snugly back onto your head.

aigoo, he says in the same tone you so often use on him. his hand rests on top of your head. what would you do without me around?

it's so silly. but your heart skips a terrifying beat, and you distract yourself by squishing his cheeks and telling him to be more careful. when he laughs, grabbing your wrists gently not to pull you away but rather, you suspect, to keep your hands in place, it skips another beat, and that is when you know you are in trouble.

[vulpixisananimal]

<Null> {Mal Du Pays} (Siffrin) [Loop] [(???)]

[(Darkest of night. No moon in sight and stars that hide. The curtains were closed. They were closed, they really were closed. Actors milling about back stage, yet here you are, in the dusty forgotten corridors.)]

[(You woke up and couldn't sleep. Didn't want to. Finally, no annoying voices, just, you. Siffrin. Only Siffrin. Nothing more, nothing less. You stood there in the night for a minute, feeling the winds and the biting chill of the seasons turn to winter.)]

[(You walk to The Kids cooking supplies. You crouch down, and start rummaging.)]

[(You take a piece of carrot, and bite. Crunchy, different, tastes okay. You bite into an onion. Tasty, burns, good. Bread, boring, bleh. Garlic, oh that's a fun taste, strong, VERY strong.)]

[(Spices, too. You taste the cinnamon, thyme, ginger, good and textured, flavored, you cough a few time. Next is some drops of vanilla, peppermint-)]

"What're you doing?" [(You turn around. The Kid is there, it looks like having just woken up.)]

". . . Testing for poison!" [(You lie. What, would you say the truth? The truth that you hadn't gotten to taste something like this, REALLY taste something like this, for a long, long time? No. So you lie.)]

[(The Kid squints at you.)] ". . . Who're you?"

"I'm, Siffrin?" [(You reply.)]

"Nuh uh." [(They cross their arms.)] "'Frins weird but not THAT weird."

"But that's my name!" [(Keep your voice down.)] "Regular old helpful Siffrin, just, helping out?"

"Don't lie to me!" [(The Kid's trying to be quiet.)] "I know you're 'Frin 'cause you're ALL 'Frin but you're not the 'Frin I know!"

"Then just. Call. Me. Siffrin!" [(You're smiling.)] "Why don't you back to bed? Big day tomorrow, kiddo."

"Nuh." [(Big pout.)] "You gotta sleep too, not'frin. AND I still dunno who you are!"

"I said I'm-"

"I KNOW!!" [(The Kid barely contained their shout, then paused, then continued.)] ". . . Lulu's 'Frin, Null's 'Frin, 'Ays is 'Frin, you're 'Frin. Sif'frin got that name 'cause they're around a lot. You're 'Frin but you're also, uhm. . ."

[(You stare at them, still smiling. Then to the pack. You grab a bottle.)] "What's this?"

"Huh? Oh, saffron. 's Spice." [(The Kid shrugs, distracted.)]

[(You pause, then take some out and eat it. . . Tasty, floral, earthy, good.)]

". . . You're a weirdfrin." [(The Kid walked closer.)] "Weirdy weirdo weirdfrin."

"Yup! That's me! Weirdy weirdfrin Siffrin!" [(You turn and smile, holding the bottle up.)] "Saffron?"

"Uh huh."

"Do I really need a nickname if I'm Siffrin?"

"Uh HUH!" [(The Kid said insistently.)] "Same body or not you'd need a nickname!"

". . ." [(You hate it. So confident, mean, cooking good, kind now? The Kid was talking to you, talking to you. . . Normally? Fine. You put the cooking things back.)] "Saffron then. I liked it."

"Ok Saffron!" [(Well and just like that, you two were best buddies again. They helped put the mess away, but handed you the onion.)]

". . . . Onion?"

"You took a bite, dummy, eat it."

". . . Oh, right."

[(You take a few more bites of the onion, eye watering, it's, too much. You put it down.)]

"Heh, stupidfrin." [(The Kid looked so smug right now.)] "Punishment onion."

"Punishment onion." [(You agree solemnly, still smiling. You stand up.)] "I'm sleeping. Good night."

"Uh. . . Night." [(You turned away from The Kid. It all felt so alien, even still. . .)]

[(. . . You may never get used to this.)]

>>>

|You bolt upright. It's the middle of the night, you're, you're in a room, an inn room? Are you traveling? You are traveling, aren't you. You remember a lot of, walking. And before, fighting, no, and, before-|

|Red|

|The blanket feels heavy and inviting, and a second body lying in the bed was warm and soft, but, you had to get up. You stand, wobbly, your body feels wrong, very wrong, and small. Your vision is wonky, just, step by step. You walk to a little side of the room, mirror, mirror, mirror, you need, a mirror- there!|

|You can barely see yourself in this light. You, candle, or, crafted lamp, or- you find a small crafted light. With a spark you turn it on, a soft glow in the corner of a room and, and you look, in the mirror. . .|

|. . . . .|

|. . . . . That's not your face.|

|Your're, young. You look soft. You have messy darkless hair with dyed ends. You have one eye, and had scars down the neck. Your arms were short, you were short. You were breathing faster, you, you, this, you, you KNEW this body.|

|You're crying, no, nononono why, what's going on, why are, you, you remember, do you remember? No you do! Because, because it's, this body, it belongs to-|

"Siffrin?" |A soft, concerning voice came from accros the room. You whip around to see that other person, no, Isabeau. Isabeau was looking at you. You couldn't hide your emotions.|

". . . ." |You, couldn't speak. What, what do you do?!? Why are you here?!? You're and in their body, THEIR body, that body, person, someone, you, ruined the life of. Destroyed. Crushed. A-and, and-|

"H-heyyy it's okay, it's okay." |He was talking so softly. Like, like he cared about you?| "Are you new?"

". . . N-new?" |You finally say, your voice feels wrong.|

". . Haaaave you walked around? Like, this? Before?"

|'Like this' does he mean in a different persons body? Or outside of the house? Of frozen time? Just, answer.| "I. . . I don't think so?"

"Okay!" |He smiles at you.| "Don't, uh, freak out? So uh, youuuu're kind of sharing a body with a few people- oh crab are you okay?"

|Huh? Are you- oh. You touch your cheek, you're crying.| "I. . . I'm sorry, I don't know why. . ."

"It's okay, this stuff's confusing, haha. . ." |He looks away, he's worried.| ". . . O-oh! Sif keeps a journal, I think there's some stuff in there about, all this?"

"O-okay. . ." |You walk back over to your side of the bed with the lamp. There's a pack, yours? You think? After a bit of looking, you find a book you think is right, and open it.|

|. The inside cover has a couple pictures pressed into it. The first is a childs drawing of five figures, the one in the middle has an arrow with the word "You!" pointing to it. The second one is a smaller one with another figure on it. The first page had a big, bold, "DON'T PANIC!!!" at the top. Too late, but you read on, and, Universe willing, you would feel better after.|

|"If you're reading this, you're probably confused on what's going on." The handwriting was neat and deliberate, if this was to be a message to you, well, it was well crafted. "I'll try and explain things nice and quick, but you'll get the idea soon enough."|

|"You're sharing a body with me (Siffrin) and four other people at time of writing. Don't ask why, the brain just, kinda does this sometimes? I dunno." Ah yes, this was making you very confident. "This book we've been using to try and remember things, and note down who else we're sharing a body with."|

|"You see those pictures? That's our family! We're traveling with them all now, and they all know about our whole "body thing", so feel free to talk to them." Ah, that makes sense. The big, tough looking one must be Isabeau?|

|As if on cue, you turn to see him offer you a glass of water. You take it, smiling. He smiles back.|

|Back to the book. "There's some papers on this stuff in our bag if you want specifics, and at the back of the book we've been writing down who's in our little "system." So feel free to add yourself! It'll save everyone a headache." Can't you just, dissapear for a bit instead? "Lastly, we've also been writing down events daily starting on the next page. Leave a note on the latest entry when you read this. K?"|

|"We're all in this together, okay? Welcome to the club. - Siffrin."|

|. . . . You wanted to throw up.|

|You wanted to scream and cry and run away and dive into the ocean. You wanted to punch something. You wanted to see something break. You wanted to see the stars, you, you, you didn't want this. Right? N-no you, you don't deserve to be here. You SHOULDN'T be here. You felt, strange, like, you're not, who you think you are. . .|

|You remember yourself. You remember fighting yourself. You remember, pain, suffering, tears- Oh stars you can't think about that. You got a headache, and were crying more. You drink some of the water, calm, down. You just need water, and to breathe. Breathe in, hold for 1..2..3.........9..10.. And out. . . .|

"You okay?" |You hadn't noticed, but Isabeau had moved next to you.|

|You nod.| "I am. . . Okay. Just, okay."

"Well, uh, I'm here to help, okay?"

|You nod again, then back to the journal. You flip to the back of the book. At the top of the back page was one big title with stylised stars around it.|

|"CONSTELLATION"|

|. . . Oh, a collection of stars. It is what you all were. So, that's the name of your group? Cute. You look at the entries.|

|"Siffrin. He/they. I'll be in charge of the body the most."|

|"Loop, They/them~ Your wonderful, helpful Loop~"|

|"Mal Du Pays. It/its. Protector. Dont hurt the body and we're fine."|

|"Null. He/him. That's all you're getting."|

|"Saffron. He/they."|

|You were a little curious, or worried, why the last entry didn't have more detail. No matter, there were more in detailed descriptions on the next couple pages, too. . . You, you should add one.|

|. . . . . . . . . . . .|

|"Asterion. He/him."|

|The name just, came to you. You don't know why, but, you knew that was your name. Asterion. Oh. . . Or was it Asterius? You felt both were right, but, the first you. . . Liked more. Either a father of a tyrant king, or monster said king was cursed with. . . You didn't put more details in the journal. You didn't want to. And, if you did, you had a terrible feeling they'd. . .|

|. . . . You look at the latest journal entries.|

|Earlier Today: "Got into town! We'll take a day to relax, Wolworth is just a little bit further. Still glad that talk about Saffron went well - Sif"|

|Yesterday: "Fought sadness. Getting repopulated. Very weak. All is good. - MAL"|

|Two days ago: "Well it looks like lovely our new addition made the decision for us! He woke up in the middle of the night and scared Bonnie oh so badly. Eating an onion? Spices?!? Ugh, at least we have a name, now. Saffron. - Loop<3"|

|. . . How. . . Eventful? You have strange, phantom memories of these events. Remember remembering, like you should know it but don't. . . You leave a note under the latest entry.|

|"Woke up at night, not sure why I am here. Isabeau was able to help." You think for a moment. . . "I will not cause trouble, I am just very anxious about all of this. I may hide, but, thank you for the introduction. - Asterion"|

|You stared at the letters you wrote on the page. Reading and re-reading them a thousand times at least. . . They wont find out. They, can't find out. Please, don't find out. . .|

|You take a breath, and hold it, then release. You close the book and put it to the side.|

"Better?" |Isa asks. You drink the rest of the water he got you.|

"I. . . Yes." |You turn off the lamp and lay back down, staring at the ceeling.| "Yes I, I think I'll be okay."

|. . . Eventually, you close your eyes. Isabeau gets closer to you. As if on instinct, you fit yourself into his arms. He's warm, strong, and protective. . . Oh. . If he knew. . .|

|You had no plan. What WAS there to plan. You, lost. You lost one hundred times, in fact. Your title will live down and be remembered by all as one of doom. Oh. .The man who nearly saved a country. Well. . . Oh would it have truly been saved? Would it not just be forgotten in time as your home was?|

|That made it hurt all the more.|

|You, were not, him.|

|You felt with every bone in your body that you were that tyrant frozen in time. But you know in your soul you were not. The memories you have of those bloodiest of battles. . Oh. . They showed a villain who was cruel. So, so cruel. . Oh you could never do such a thing. It hurt to think about. It hurt to remember. And it hurt, it hurt in your stomach when you, you. . .|

|. . . You need, to sleep. . .|

|. . .|

|Your name is Asterion. And you are The King.|

[devilishchaos]

aventuras em Miami | Rúben Dias Imagine

Rating / genre: M (18+); filthy smut, fluff

Pairings: Reader x Rúben Dias

Summary: Y/N and Rúben go on a vacation with Rúben's friends, in Miami. Y/N surprises him with sex chocolate.

Warnings: Explicit smut, oral sex (f receiving), explicit talk, unprotected vaginal penetration (don't do it!!! stay safe!), hair grabbing, use of pet names "baby", "babe", size talk just for a sec

Word Count: 4 277 words

This is a work of fiction. The story, names, characters and incidents either are product or the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

The sunglasses that were once placed on top of your head, now sat on the bridge of your nose in order to block out the blazing rays of the sun on this record breaking, hot day in Miami. The sand underneath your feet felt soft, yet crunchy at the same time and very hot. A cool, light breeze had your hair blowing. The water was calm enough to be safe for those that wanted to play in the water, but still provided big enough waves for surfers to ride comfortably behind the scattered swimmers. In the sky there wasn’t a cloud in sight, which meant you were going to need help lathering sunscreen on your skin by your ever helpful and willing boyfriend - Rúben. 

Speaking of Rúben - him, Ivan and their two friends, Nuno and João, were currently riding jets in the middle of the ocean, so you used the opportunity to go explore the shop that caught your attention while you guys were making your way to the beach. A sex shop. Exciting. 

A red haired woman, approximately your age, looks up from the counter at the tinkling of the bell, signifying someone coming into the store. 

“Um, hello..“ you say timidly. 

“Can I help you?” she asks pleasantly, seeing you glance around the shop at all the various dildos and sex toys.

“I was wondering what these chocolates do..those over there..“ you pointed to the chocolate pieces, placed in front of the window, next to the front door. 

“Do you know what you’re looking for specifically?” 

“Mmm..not really.” you shake your head, “I’ve never used one. I want to surprise my boyfriend.” 

“Alright. Good choice by the way.” she smiled and pulled out, from underneath the till, a tray with said chocolates on display. “So this is pleasure-boosting dark chocolate with high-quality natural ingredients to increase your sex performance. It stimulates blood flow, enhances performance and increases sex drive. Consists of 60% dark chocolate, epimedium, maca root and DHEA. One block consists of two servings - one for you and one for your partner. You take it, wait 30 minutes and enjoy your time.” 

“I’ll take a pack, please.” you were really intrigued at this point. 

The employee wrapped it up nicely for you “Have fun.” 

“Thank you. Have a great day.” you smiled and made your way back to the beach. 

*

You were back at the hotel and were currently getting ready to go to dinner. 

“What did you do while we were jet riding?” Rúben asked you as he was coming out of the bathroom. 

“Umm..” you played with your earrings “I..got us..something.” you turned around to face him as he was putting his watch on his wrist. 

“You got us something?” Rúben looked at you puzzled. “And what is it?” 

“Chocolate.” you hold up the package for him to see. 

Rúben frowns, far away enough to not be able to read the words on the front “I could have bought you Reese's cups or something.” 

“This is not..It’s a different kind of chocolate..” you grin wickedly “..have you heard of tabs chocolate?” 

“Are they that fancy ass company that charges, like, $60 per bar?” Rúben puts his wallet in his pant’s pocket. 

“No.” you laugh “These have aphrodisiacs in them.”

“Aphrodisiacs?” your boyfriend hums with a furrowed brow “Isn’t that-?”

“It’s sex chocolate.” you finally reveal your secret to him “You up for a bit more exercise today?” 

“Sex-ercise you mean?” Rúben rushes to your side with a shit-eating grin, far too proud of his shitty joke. He's grabbing for the chocolates but you snatch them away, giggling. 

“We take them now and have to wait like 30 min, for it to kick in.” 

“Oh, spicy!” he laughs, tugging the box out of your hands, and scanning the cover “You want to take these now? See who can last longer without touching the other?” 

“How strong can this little square be?” you grumble, snatching the little foil squares from their places “Okay, break..” you snap the square in two “..bite..” you hold Rúben’s portion out for him, letting him take it from your hand. His trimmed beard prickles against your skin and you bite back a giggle, stuffing your mouth with chocolate instead. 

The chocolate is savory and bitter on your tongue, with just the right amount of sugar. You don’t get to swallow the chocolate and finish their signature slogan before Rúben has wolfed down his bar, tossing the package on the side table and surging for your lips “..bang.”

The kiss he drags you into nearly buckles your knees. It’s intense and hot, the chocolate coating his tongue and his fingers that dig into your waist as he tugs you closer, making it hard for you to breathe. 

“Mmf..Rúben!” you gasp, dragging in a lungful of air that he’d practically stolen from you with that kiss. He’s eager to touch you, to feel you, to taste you as his lips never part from your skin, dragging down your neck, to the spot just under your jaw that makes your stomach tingly. 

“Let’s get going or we will be late.” and with that you were up for an exciting evening. 

*

Dinner was absolute torture. 

Rúben always looks good in your eyes, but tonight he somehow looked even better. His sun kissed skin, peeking out from underneath his light blue shirt, made your head spin. His hand on your thigh seemed to leave a burnt imprint on your delicate skin. The air seemed to not be enough, no matter that you were seated outside. 

“How strong can this little square be?” my ass. You were currently beating yourself up internally as you were all seated in the V.I.P section in one of the most popular Miami nightclubs, a U-shaped couch with a table in the middle and then a small section in front of it for people to dance and mingle. You were sitting in the corner with Rúben, his arm around your shoulders as you both tried to seem relaxed. You had to admit, with uni and the internship and Rúben’s busy schedule, you didn't really get to spend much quality time with each other. So this vacation was more than welcomed. 

You were currently 3 drinks and 5 shots deep, laughing at something Ivan and Nuno were bickering over, when Rúben’s face suddenly got closer to yours as he whispered in your ear.

“I'm gonna go to the bathroom.”

“Okay.” you shot him a smile and pecked his lips quickly before he got up and left the area. You were kind of disappointed honestly, because you expected him to have broken your guy’s agreement two hours ago. 

“Come on, let's do some more shots.” you yelled over the music. Ivan grabbed the bottle of alcohol from the table and lined you both up with two shots each. 

“You guys are crazy, man.” Nuno shook his head. 

When Rúben returned, he found you and Ivan hysterically laughing, the half filled bottle of alcohol he'd left you with was now empty and a waitress was placing another bottle on the table. Rúben smirked to himself as he stepped closer to you and Ivan. 

“Hi, baby.” you rushed over to Rúben, wrapping your arms around his neck.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he grinned as you nodded, you both shared a sloppy kiss before you went back to dance with Ivan. 

Rúben mingled with his friends, spoke to a few people and was enjoying his evening as well when you plopped yourself down next to him, his hand naturally falling onto your thigh as you wrapped one arm around his forearm. 

“You okay, meu amor?” he turned to look at you, your head resting on his shoulder and your eyes closed. 

“You look so good right now..” you lured yourself into his lap. Lightly grabbing you by the neck Rúben pulled you into a kiss. 

As the kiss went on, it got deeper and more needy. Rúben slowly trailed his kisses off of your lips, kissing down your neck to your shoulders. He had rotated you to the front, with your back facing him. He was rubbing all over your thighs while still kissing on your neck. 

Without any words, Rúben grabbed your hips and started grinding your ass on his lap to the rhythm of the song. You knew what he wanted you to do, so his moves soon became your own. You took over grinding yourself into his lap, moving your hips to the beat. You could feel him rubbing and smacking your ass, and you were glad that it was almost too dark into the club so pretty much nobody could see you two. Rúben was clearly turned on, you could feel his hard on under you, ever so slightly brushing against your heat at times, making you go absolutely crazy for him. 

At this point Rúben was ready to take you home. He reluctantly slid you out of his lap only for the fact that his friends were soon gonna be flooding back into the section. He draped both of your legs over one of his and you leaned in to kiss him one last time. 

“Take me home, Rúben.” you both smiled before excusing yourselves and leaving the club. 

Rúben held onto your body as he navigated you through the club, your feet hurting from the shoes you were wearing and it was making it impossible for either of you to get very far without you needing to stop. Once you got outside, Rúben sat you in the car and helped you take off your shoes. The car you were in was luxurious, the seats were ridiculously comfy, so you instantly relaxed into them, your legs stretching out so your feet were resting on Rúben's lap as he sat opposite you. 

Back at the hotel, you had barely put your bag on the counter before you were pushed into it, a gasp left your mouth as Rúben trapped you. Hands on your shoulders, hips pressed into your ass, firmly keeping you in place. 

“I can’t believe you made us take these damn chocolates. I already wanted to fuck when we got home from the beach.” His deep voice in my ear. 

“Yeah..” I whispered softly, gripping the counter. Your head fell against his shoulder, his hands running over your front as he trailed kisses from your cheek to your neck. 

“How am I supposed to keep my hands off of you, hm?” he hums, his breath hot and heavy against your neck. He sucks a patch of skin just to the left of your throat, one that makes you grab the counter even harder “You’re so fuckin’ sexy, don’t need a chocolate to think that.” 

“I want you so bad, babe..” you whine and you take his hand. It's rough and strong from all the hard work he puts in the gym. It curls around yours and you lead him to your bedroom, letting him sit on the edge of the bed while you slip your dress off, leaving you only in your panties in front of his wild wandering gaze. 

“Come here..” Rúben calls softly and you get closer to stand in front of him, in between his muscular thighs. 

When his large hands slide up your thighs, smoothing over the fabric of your panties, you inhale deeply. He gives you a few moments of silence and they’re anything but comfortable. Tension is thrumming through every vein in your body, concentrated on whatever shapes Rúben's palms were drawing on your skin. He massages your thighs, but his thumbs edge up the curve of your ass, closer to their target. His fingers knead and squeeze at the soft flesh of your inner thighs, paying special attention to the hypersensitive skin between your cunt and your thighs. When he ghosts his fingernail over the crease there and you clench your thighs together, he knows he’s got you. 

Rúben gets up from the bed, your innocent eyes follow his every move. He places his hands on your waist and with one swift move you are already laying on your back, on the bed, and he is hovering over you. The second your lips are in his line of sight, he’s on them. His own press enthusiastically to yours, a heavy pant released into your mouth as he braces his knees on the mattress. 

“I can't fucking take it anymore.” he groans, choking out his words in between kisses. His tongue is sloppy, licking up your own like he’s trying to swallow it. 

You’re having trouble focusing with his tongue lapping sensually at your own in smooth, eager strokes and his fingers skillfully pinching at your left nipple. When you jolt into his touch, your hips buck up and you feel his hard cock against your eager core, through his pants. 

Rúben hums approvingly into the kiss, parting with a sloppy trail of saliva and speaking hotly against your lips “So needy..gonna grind this pussy all over me?” 

“Ahh yes..fuck me Rúben. Please, fuck me..” you manage to breathe out he sucks harshly at the skin of your neck. You accentuate your words with another desperate roll of your hips, grinding your clothed cunt over his bulge. He's straining in the fabric of his boxers, a fact that makes your mouth water, and Rúben tears himself away from your neck to wrestle with his undergarments.

He knows you’re aching, burning with desire, because he is, too. His cock bounces free of his boxers and stands hard, angled towards his stomach and oozing pre-cum. It’s the most sexy sight you’ve ever taken in, you will never get tired of it. 

Rúben hisses as his thumb carasses against your panties, his fingers slip beneath the hemline. He feels your slick soaking through the fabric at the slightest pressure from his single finger, revealing just how wet you’ve gotten while waiting for him. 

“Oh my God, you’re dripping, meu amor.” Rúben groans, his voice thick and lustful as his face screws up in concentration, his sexy accent coming through. 

“R-Rúben, pleasee..” 

Rúben chuckled against the waistband of your panties, his hands hooked there and he pulled them down slowly, the material making your legs tingle from how gently Rúben removed them from you. He shifted further down the bed so that his head was right between your legs, and he leaned in closer and closer..you jumped when the cool tip of his nose brushed against your core and Rúben shushed you gently. The noise sent a vibration through you and you closed your eyes and allowed yourself to sink into the sound, finding comfort within the very person, who was making your blood sing in your veins. 

Rúben dived right in for a taste. He kissed your inner lips the way he usually kissed your mouth and you gasped, your hips arching up off the mattress to get closer to Rúben’s touches. He tested the waters with kitten licks, slow and careful, and he groaned at the taste of you. Like a switch had been flicked, Rúben’s hands curl around the plush flesh of your thighs so he could hold you open as he pressed his face into your folds, his tongue now beginning to explore your folds with a heated passion unlike anything you had ever experienced. You couldn’t help but to squeeze your thighs around Rúben’s head and the man groaned yet again, the sound sent another shockwave through your core. 

“Ohh..Rú- Rúbenn..” his name fell from your parted lips like a prayer, as your pleasure heightened. You could feel the mattress beneath you moving as Rúben rutted into it at the same pace that his tongue moved against your core. 

“Ah, baby..” you gasp, face pinched in half ecstasy, half dread as he sucks at your clit “..please, no..I’m gonna- I’m gonna cum!”

“Do it.” he urges, tongue licking a long, wet, slick stripe up your cunt before diving back between your folds “Cum on my face, baby. Come on, give it to me.”

“No. Want- I want to cum..with you inside of me..please..I need- need your dick!” you reach for his face, sitting up in your pleasured haze. 

“You can have it.” he promises, fingers coming to bully your puffy clit while he focuses his tongue on your vagina “Later.” 

His nose rubbed against your clit with every movement, his hips stuttering now, the rhythm of his mouth broken, but desperate, and the coil within your stomach tightened. Your thighs clenched, your core did the same around nothing and that coil within you snapped. Your orgasm crashed over you, through you, like a tidal wave and for just a moment - your mind, body and soul all merged together and you saw stars. 

Rúben is eager to continue even when you’ve finished, licking and sucking desperately at your sensitive pussy. It feels good, but you’re almost too sensitive already and you’re not waiting another second for his cock. 

“No, no..I want- “ Rúben doesn’t let you tell him what you want - he doesn’t have to, he already knows. He knows what you really want is in between his legs, so he surges forward, locking his lips with yours and using the momentum to lay you back down onto the mattress. 

“Oh, fuck..” you breathe, feeling his cock nudge at your sensitive cunt immediately “..fuck me, babe, plea-” he slams into you with no hesitation, hips on a mission to fuse with your own as he rams his cock into you. The rhythm is relentless, more desperate than you’ve ever felt him before, and you clutch at his broad shoulders as he buries his face in your shoulder. 

“Fuck.” he huffs, a grunting, groaning mess “Ugh..you feel so good. Oh, God.” he pants, mouth falling open and tongue flattening against your neck, swiping up over your jaw. His mouth latches there, sucking harshly just beneath your ear at the curve of your jaw. His hips drive the same steady pace into you, filling you up impossibly deep with each pump of his cock. His dick so hot and mind-numbingly hard, probably achingly painful too, as he buries it inside of you to get relief. The more he thrusts the deeper he goes in, until he’s slamming into your sweet spot, balls landing heavy against the curve of your ass as he fucks into you. 

“Rúbenn..” you moan, nails scraping against the tan, toned skin of his back “..don’t- don’t s- stop!” 

“I'm so close, fuck..” he grunts, voice muffled slightly in what you suspect is shame. His libido is strong and he doesn’t usually finish this fast. But with the aphrodisiac in his system you’re not surprised he’s cumming quickly, nor are you put off by it. In fact, you’re exceptionally aroused by it. The feeling of him fucking into you so eagerly, so needy - it gets you going like nothing else. You feel another wave of pleasure begining to creep in. With the constant motion of Rúben’s thick cock and every flex of his tongue over your neck, as he sucks bruises into your skin, you feel your orgasm approaching. 

Apparently, the way that your nails dig into Rúben’s skin is encouragement for him as well. Your thighs tremble from the weight of your previous orgasm, and the impending pressure of your next one, his dick twitches like it’s painful for him to keep it together. 

“It’s okay, baby..” you pant, scraping a hand up his back to cradle the back of his neck. He's still suckling on your neck, tongue and teeth working in tandem to mark your skin “You can cum. Feels sooo good, ughh..you feel so fucking good!” 

Your encouragement seems to help and his dick twitches again. You tug on his hair and his thighs tense. You yank his head back with a fistful of his hair, pulling him out of your neck to kiss him and invite him to occupy his tongue with your own instead of your throat. 

The second your tongue brushes against his own, he cums. It’s like a dam bursting, every ounce of arousal he’d tried holding in, busting from his head straight into your incredibly wet pussy. You’re already slick enough from all of your own release, but his own gushes from the seam between his cock and your vagina. 

“Fuck me. Oh my God.” Rúben pants, the words flowing directly between your lips as he mouths at your mouth. He’s desperate to do something with his mouth, he always has been, and it’s no surprise that he’d taken his time to appreciate your pussy earlier.

He licks over your tongue, his own tucking to the inside of your cheek for a brief second before he sucks at yours again. It only makes your own arousal more intense, and before you know it, your second, possibly more intense orgasm is seizing you, tensing your muscles and spasming through you. 

Rúben cums for a long time, dick twitching and spurting cum the more he makes out with you, and the more your cunt convulses around him. Your kiss is sloppy, it’s messy, there’s drool leaking down the corners of your mouth, and that’s what makes it so effective to stretch out his orgasm. When you’re both sure you couldn’t cum more even if you tried, he slumps over your chest, his full weight on you as he lays panting on your sweaty skin. 

“Fuck..that- ” he groans, voice broken and raspy with strain “that was the best sex we’ve ever had.” 

“Mhmmm..” you nod lazily, enjoying a rare moment of breathing freely “..yeah, we need to use those chocolates again.”

“For sure.” he agrees, his beard prickling against the skin at the slope of your breast “I didn’t think it would work.” 

“I'm glad it did.” you said thoughtfully, and you feel Rúben shift against your thigh, his cock already half-hard again. He grinds it into you, what you think is accidentally, but his groan lets you know it felt nice. 

“Baby..” you start, but he’s already rubbing up against you once more, humping his hardening cock against your thigh.

“I need- I need a little more.” he almost whimpers, tightening his hold on your upper half “Babe, i need more..please.” 

“Okay.” you soothe, kissing his sweaty forehead “Okay, umm..I want to ride you.” You replied. Uttering the phrase felt like jumping over a mental fence. You basically had to force the words past your lips. Although, once they finally escaped, you felt much less shy about it. Speaking so boldly to him felt very empowering. 

“Fuck yes.” He replied and lied on his back next to you, patting his thighs for you to straddle. “Ride me.” He said. It wasn’t a suggestion, it wasn’t a question, it was a command. It makes your knees feel wobbly and your legs feel like jelly. 

You obliged, straddling his body. “Watch me.” You commanded back, your eyes meeting his and a moan escaped his lips. He sat up on his elbows and obeyed, watching as you slid your soaked core up and down his dick. 

“Oh my god, fuck!” His eyes widened and his hands grabbed at your thighs. 

You took his dick in your hand and slowly guided it to your entrance, sitting down on him and taking him deep into your core. 

“Oh, fuck..you feel so big.” You said. You felt a small sting as he stretched your walls, but carried on. 

“A-and your wet little pussy is so fucking tight.” The words barely escaped his mouth as he was breathless. He stayed propped up on his elbows to get a full view. 

You began to slowly rock your hips, grinding your clit against his pubic bone, feeling him twitching inside of you. You moaned at the sensation, but he moaned louder. 

“Fuck- move up and down..” He said, his eyes glued to the spot that your bodies collide “Let me see my dick disappear inside of you.” 

You gasped at his filthy mouth once again, but granted his wishes. You moved your legs around so that you could stand on your feet and began moving up and down, bouncing on his dick, feeling how he stretched you with each motion. The new angle gave you new pleasure, he was hitting spots you never even knew existed before. 

“O-oh my god, baby-“ your voice was shaking. You knew at this point you weren't going to last much longer. And quite frankly, he wasn't going to either. 

“Yeah? Feels good?” You barely heard him say through the fog of your pleasure. 

“Yes, Rúben! Fuck..feels- oh, so good..” You were unable to form words.

You shouted, unsure of what you were even saying, as pleasure overtook your entire body. 

Your vision went white and the world became a blur. You didn’t even know if he had finished - by the time you came to your senses it was all over. You had collapsed onto his chest and his arms were around you, as he whispered god knows what into your ear. You truly were on another planet.

“..so fucking good. You were so fucking good.” He praised you. 

“What?” You mumbled out, blinking your eyes a few times as you grounded yourself, which caused you to giggle. 

“Are you alright, meu amor?” Rúben asked you, a smile could be heard in his voice. 

“Wonderful.” You hummed. You didn’t want to move. Your body melted into his. “I like filthy sex with you, Rúbes.” 

“I like any kind of sex with you.” Rúben said as he kissed your forehead. 

[afreakingdork]

Soft Spot - Chapter 16

RotTMNT Donatello x Reader

@garbagemilkshake and I thought that something a bit more on the fan service side would be fun for this week's chapter art and I totally didn't write a whole additional scene to make it happen.

Rated: Explicit

Warnings/Tags: Romance, Established Relationship, Married Couple, Married Life, Aged-Up Mutant Ninja Turtles, Villain Donatello (TMNT), Love, POV Second Person, Babies, Pregnancy, AFAB reader, Vaginal Sex, Rough Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Creampie, Breeding Kink, Multiple Orgasms, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Fertility Issues, Pregnant Sex, Pregnancy Kink, Reader-Insert, Cunnilingus, Fellatio, Cum Eating, Turtle Noises (TMNT), I have a Biology Degree and I’m Using it, Menstruation, There WILL NOT be any Miscarriages

Synopsis: First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes the next step about as smooth as the others arrived. The baby-oriented sequel to Weak Spot.

Also available on Ao3

First 💜 Previous

Folate.

You were sick of spinach.

It seemed to only have two settings: crunchy or snotty. Donnie had done his best to be creative, but it was within those two confines that you were stuck. Any sort of cooking preparation reduced the leaves to slim slime. It was tolerable enough baked into Florentines or strung up through pasta, but as time wore on, eating it became a chore. You found yourself sifting through your food to gobble down the spinach first so you could have a few blessed bites without it.

The same went with salads. While there were any number of preparations or sauce options, at a base level you were eating roughage. The greens came in a litany of hues, but their flavors hadn’t ranged much. Spinach blended in while radicchio stood out, but the concept at its core was a monotonous one. The real trouble came with pesticides and bacteria. While Donnie couldn’t smell the latter, their proliferation meant he could scent when a product was off. You shopped at a number of places to get the best produce, but you were still riding a 50/50 line where the vegetables would need to be tossed, just in case, for your growing fetus’ health. 

You didn’t want to hang your entire folate consumption on spinach, but the matter had seemingly been taken away from you. Fortified cereals were either too processed or blander than if you had eaten wheat straight from the plant. From there, other fruits and vegetables scaled with trace amounts except for asparagus. You once enjoyed the stalk roasted and beside a nice fish, but your body’s shifts had started.

You could no longer digest the vegetable properly.

The first time it had happened, you couldn’t identify the issue. You ate a day’s worth of food and you were awoken in the darkened early morning with stomach cramps. They persisted until you had a bowel movement and the next day Donnie poured over the causes. Your lunch was swapped out, but you ran on a meal plan for dinner which meant a repeat of the same effect. You had a snack of only asparagus on a hunch after that and the ensuing bathroom trip was a third time shame on you before you cut it out of your diet.

Calcium.

Your giant vitamin wasn’t doing enough.

It was yet another thing you had trouble noticing at first. Your legs had been achey, but there weren’t necessarily alarm bells for you. Days where you were a little more stationary at work had the same effect. You were moving into your tenth week of pregnancy and, while there certainly wasn’t enough weight inside you for those sorts of aches to build up, you figured maybe it was your little bean. Donnie had examined your gait and further reassured that you had yet to walk differently. Your hips were relatively fine, but you found that particularly in the morning, your calves pinched. Donnie rubbed them to encourage blood flow, but felt no makings of muscle tension.

It was the calcium.

You hadn’t even needed to bring it up during your eleventh week visit with Dr. Kuro.

You had simply winced when getting off the exam table and she caught the movement with flicking ears.

She promptly informed you that low levels of the mineral were often related to muscle cramps as calcium aided in contraction. Donnie’s gaze had gone glazed for missing something so obvious, but Dr. Kuro talked him down. She had seen glimpses of his intense concern over making every little thing right and put you both side by side in chairs. She spoke to the supposed rules of pregnancy and, without trying to scare either of you, specified that you could do everything right and things might not go as intended.

She perforated the fear with a teasing that if you followed all the scare tactics then you would be left with nothing to eat at all.

Dairy became a staple in your diet after that.

It wasn’t something you obsessed over prior, but it became a necessity. You had trouble downing a glass of milk straight for what it did to your intestines, but sprinkling cheese and the like throughout your dishes added the necessary pop. Your legs loosened near immediately and your required baseline of calcium was raised. That came not with a heftier pill, but a larger dosage and further blood tests. Dr. Kuro reminded you that you were finding the norms for something totally unique so there would be some adjustment. As long as nothing ever got too uncomfortable, you were safe to experiment.

You swore to tell Dr. Kuro about every single little change that happened to your body after that.

You doubted she minded.

Vitamin D.

In your uneducated days, fish had seemed like some damning entity to pregnancy. Whispers of mercury levels and haunting tales of sushi made the entire ocean into something to be avoided. It was further perpetuated by the dreaded colossal fish oil pills, which were supposedly the only substitute. Maybe because of their name, but you had always equated fish oil with snake oil in your mind. That was an issue for pregnant people you had thought before and had never minded expensive baubles that looked like edible glass.

You hadn’t had any restrictions before. 

Now that you did, you found that your misconception was just that. 

Fish was good for pregnancy. 

Mostly. 

It all seemed obvious enough until you actually began to learn about the product. In an annoying pendulum swing, what went from bad to good then apparently went rotten again. Nearly all commercial salmon was brightened to its signature orange via a color additive. Natural caught fish touted an organic brightness, but then there was talk of fishing practices. Sustainable or not was difficult to find out by design and hatcheries supposedly lost the necessary nutrition value. You were damned if you did and damned if you didn’t and all the while there were imaginary eyes on you.

It was an inkling you had because you had been there. You could see yourself, heavy with child, and surrounded by whispers about what you did or did not eat. The judgment was imminent and, though no stranger could probably tell you were pregnant, you were aware of others. You watched on as those who were perceived to be carrying had to act as if they weren’t being whispered about. People had endless things to say about business that wasn’t theirs. Others would soon think they had a say in what you did with your body and baby and you were haunted by that fact.

Donnie was both worse and better in that regard. Your mate respected you, but he was also beholden to his science. Before you were pregnant, there hadn’t been much mention toward what you consumed. Your mate had his own long stemming issues with food that he was slowly recovering from to this day. His interest in it waned with the more dishes he tried and he’d long phased out of drives to cook. He now did it for the sake of balancing household work, but his time of experimentation had passed. 

Your baby was an entirely new entity. 

Right when his interest had settled, he had been forced to become hyper aware of consumption yet again. A new life that was not his own depending on it and therefore he couldn’t just throw random supplements to keep it going. He wanted the best for your child and that came with knowing all about where each morsel came from or did. In an instant, he was trailing company ledgers to find out an entire life cycle of any given product. He didn’t knock his enriched foods of old, but he saw them differently. There was science to what the body could absorb and digest. He lived by your vitamins, but saw their limitations. Anything synthesized resulted in a poorer uptake of nutrients than from what he was now forced to categorize as real food and then just like with fish as a concept, so came the counter swing. 

Those same labs that made the vitamins and supplements also often had a hand in the fortification of those supposedly real foods. The scare tactics around genetically modified foods was a hoax at best. He had gone on long winded tangents about how selective breeding fell under the umbrella which had been done long before the idea of intercepting genes in seeds was a concept. Unfortunately it mattered little what your mate thought on the concept as larger companies had long been pillaging the market. They affected germination only to boost dividends and destroyed small farms in the process. They eliminated competition both literally and amongst the very produce they sought to monopolize. The swinging pendulum of the good and bad of industry was exhausting your mate.

It hollowed him out for his basal attitude, which you had long known to be staunch. He voiced his opinions boldly and his current one regarded what you ate. You were fine with taking his opinion at first, since you were actually interested in those. Your interests aligned there and that was why you let him sift through vegetables. You wanted your baby to be just as happy and healthy so it was easy to let him sniff out pesticides or leaves wilting from unknown branches of E. coli, but the moment you got to fish it went a proverbial overboard.

There were many types of fish. Some were farm raised and others came from fancy fishmongers. There was preparation. There was an endless ocean of what could and could not be done to get a fish to a plate. Before you even began your discussion, you could sense discomfort wafting off of him. The factors were as endless as the unknowns about your baby and it was unsettling especially to the man who preached science as his gospel. It was the only sense he had for many years and seeing it round on him illustrated the failings of society. For every advancement in food safety, there was a greedy corporate hound there to dismantle it.

He played his own part with Genius Built. Your forkfuls were bites of a moral conundrum. Donnie approached the debate on the side of banning fish. Its industry above all others posed the greatest risk. You had landed on the side of wanting to eat it. Instead of a fight, you had both stewed in silence. 

Together you had exhausted all information. You were prepared for Donnie to persuade you. Instead, he waited. He knew duality better than most. The norm was usually choosing whatever lesser evil pertained to the individual. In this area, you chose for him. 

You were growing your child after all. You compromised and set a standard that would be applied to whatever foods came next. There would be a limit on how much time you could weigh the benefits of a food item. If it became a headache, then it would be thrown out. If you felt strongly about eating something, then exceptions could be made.

You would do your best and that was all you could do.

Protein.

After the limitations were set, you could tell Donnie thrived under the parameters. With a time limit, he could no longer go on adding pros and cons until it drove him mad. He had a certain window in which to research and that eased his mind. While all of it was dedicated to you in some way, you liked having him around attentively instead of distracted by research about how to do right by you or your baby.

You also stepped in. After fish had illustrated the dark side of food consumption while pregnant, you made yourself present during the meal planning. You sat down with him once a week and did your best to decide together what to eat. You picked out things you were craving and built up around that. When you weren’t particularly feeling anything, you then chose lighter fare and left days open for exploration. You used them up eating out at restaurants where the components of a dish were known. You acknowledged your privilege in getting to do so, but balanced it amongst what seemed like waning time with your mate.

There would soon be another person vying for your attention and you were more aware of it in your thirteenth week. It marked the occasion where there was a stark drop off in the chance that you would miscarry. You made the date an entire night out with your mate and he partook without reservation. Those consecutive visits that you thought might be tedious suddenly blossomed into a journey.  That live feed, static cam footage of what was happening inside of you continued to grow and with it your confidence. You were going to have a baby with the love of your life and you spent a balmy July night wrapped up in that knowledge.

You then spent the next day planning meals around chicken.

It felt like a comical omen of things. For as fantastical as your world was, there was an inevitable dose of reality. Donnie’s endless pocket book did little when crafting a daily menu. You guessed the less sensible of his type of elite had someone else do this sort of thing, but Donnie had never been anything less than hands on. You owned a set of aged mismatched Tupperware like anyone else. You filled containers with a rice medley and tried to dole out even amounts even while the vessels varied in shape. They came with you as you went to work and you waited in the same line when it came time to reheat your food in the microwave.

It was grounding.

In the world where Dr. Kuro was taking notes like she would soon publish multiple prize winning scientific papers, you were still you.

You had no plans of quitting this life when the baby was born.

Donnie had more than enough time to take the role of a stay at home parent and you relished the thought. You pictured him with towels on his shoulder for spit up and the ensuing gag he’d surely make for each diaper. You bet he would fashion himself a mask to preserve his nostrils and he’d strap in with an entire suit to protect his person from fluids. There was no way he’d actually be able to subvert the dirtiness that came with babies and you bet as soon as Lady Nagami found out that she would be  wringing her hands at the increased income stream coming her way. 

Your husband in an apron.

Your husband with a lump that looked just like him sleeping on his chest.

Your husband exhausted in the middle of the night as he soothed a sobbing infant.

You mooned it all until someone popped your bubble with a comment about your food having long finished warming in the microwave.

You excused an additional 15 seconds to get that extra boiling temp amongst teasing groans.

You ate with your coworkers and caught up on gossip.

Things were looking up. 

Iron.

Spinach was back.

In reality, it had been back. 

It was your most dreaded super food.

It had been haunting you since your days of calcium.

Popeye vexed you in ways you couldn’t quite articulate.

You almost wished you could chug down a can like him in one gulp.

You would swallow your daily dose whole and be done with it.

Instead, you reconsidered your position on fortified foods. It was in your fourteenth week that you walked right up to where Donnie was sitting at his desk. He spun his chair to address you openly and you cleanly told him, “I need a break from spinach. I want to barter on juice and cereal!”

He approached the metaphorical table with folded hands in front of his mouth. “Go on.”

“You make the juice and we do a cereal taste test.”

You had clearly thought over your proposal and he dropped his act. He accepted and asked if he had forced the greenery on you. You told him that he hadn’t, but you were on your last nerve with the repetition. You both ruminated on all the benefits as a way to give spinach it's time before you let it go. You left the chance open that you might return to it, but in the meantime you ordered a juicer.

It was delivered the next day and Donnie studied how best to utilize it. The planter Spencer had sent over soon multiplied. Where one box hung ornamental flowers, another soon sat with wheat grass and additives. Actual herbs were located amongst your other vegetables on the roof and with that, you planned an exploratory trip to a farmer’s market that weekend. 

The sun cooked the summer day and your large hat did little amongst the persisting heat. Even Donnie in his layers seemed worn by it and you ended up purchasing drink after drink. You found a particular blend of fresh juice and lemon ginger tea to be a hallmark amongst your sips. Donnie probed the purveyor and found him to be satisfying enough that he purchased a set of juices from the stand. You haul was then supplemented with a few produce items you didn’t grow yourself and you returned to send them through the blades of your machine. 

Each morning that followed would come with you and Donnie teasing each other with concoctions in the kitchen. You made up for the loss in fiber from fruit by tossing in things like flax through the juicer. It seemed like a silly act at the time, but you and your mate both found that it mixed in well. A spice grinder soon appeared and you were putting peppery spins of drinks for the sake of it.

By the fifteenth week, you welcomed spinach back, but only if it was joined by the quintessential apple a day and a few other vitamin boosting and flavor covering pals and ground beyond its textures and into something new.

You got used to lugging around colorful sips in a handy insulated bottle and it was something you toted around. Most places cared little in the city if you had a water bottle and you took advantage of that. You found it easier to sip mindlessly while you did other activities. It worked almost as an idling method while you thought, which was something you did in front of a wall of cereals.

Donnie’s glasses were especially flared in their dual colors as he analyzed the lot and you waited nearby. You had long learned at this point not to be swayed by anything written on the packaging. You were chained to ingredient’s lists. They were the closest you could get to the honest truth of a food’s make-up and Donnie had modified his glasses to sweep through that and a company’s procedure with only a glance.

“Options!” Your mate spoke suddenly and surged forward.

You sucked from your straw and leaned against your cart as you waited.

Donnie picked things off the shelf in a growing stack.

You watched them increase to a brow raising level before he walked the balancing act over to you.

He lined them up in a standing row and swept a hand over top. “Here’s a viable selection, my dearest.”

“That’s more than I thought.” You leaned forward on the cart’s handle to overlook the bounty.

“Quite.”

“You always think it’ll all be sugary.” You refused to move and stepped up on the lower cart bar.

Donnie grabbed the basket so it wouldn’t move.

“Take out that third one. Catalina Crunch is not a cereal. They like to pretend. It’s totally just cardboard meant to be eaten dry.” You pointed.

He plucked the selection free and returned it to the shelf.

“A few of these are the same brand.”

“I selected within your taste preference.” He returned just as the cart started to roll and stopped it with his foot. “Shall we further narrow?”

You sighed as if put out and hopped off the cart. Donnie took his turn to lean as you joined his side. He watched you instead of your choices as you flipped through the boxes. You plucked two from the same brand whose names were one word off and compared them back to back. There was an odd difference in calories while all the other nutrition facts seemed the same. The ingredients list revealed little, but time crept up on you. You ended up tossing out both options and left the store with seven total cereals.

You parted from Donnie and the bags at the door when you got home. Your husband was none the wiser as he twisted with his totes and made sure everything was closed. He sauntered over to meet you in the kitchen and paused when he saw you had a litany of bowls out. He reviewed the many dishes and you turned to him with two spoons and a sparkling gaze.

“We’ll need a rinsing process or a new utensil each time for an adequate taste test.” He spoke with metered affection.

You leapt at him and he took your weight with a hefty squeeze.

You were sat down, but he didn’t leave where he was pressed to you as you dolled out cereal.

You opened a box at a time and he poured the milk with a flourished grace. You teased him about what kind of barista he would have been and he scoffed at the concept. You went on through your first bite to mention how he ground his own beans. By your third and fourth bowls you added how finicky he was about water temperature. He was darting his eyes by the sixth bowl as you detailed his organic cotton filters and his gooseneck kettle.

By the last bowl, you had two cereals chosen and an alternate line of work for your husband.

You spun a yarn about your twilight years as Donnie cleaned up. The rest of the cereal was sealed off and bound to be downed by that exact man. You would join him on a few of the options for the sake of it, but he never particularly cared to down a food as long as it was inoffensive to him.

He listened attentively to your tale about how your kids would be grown and moved out. They’d have illustrious careers and the two of you would give up city life. You’d find a lake that better mimicked Donnie’s biodome and buy it outright. He’d improve the ecosystem, set up a nature preserve, and the café on the edge of the grounds would fund it. You would live in a house connected to it and spend lazy days surrounded by nature and the sweet smells of coffee.

“Will they come to visit?” Donnie whispered as you finished up your story.

“Our kids?” You looked at him.

He nodded one anxious time.

You smiled and took your time in dusting cereal flakes from his black ensemble. “Every year.”

That response seemed too tepid for him, but you weren’t done.

“Instead of just Christmas, they take the whole last few weeks of the year off to stay with us. The oldest picks up pond study where your knees have been giving you trouble and our youngest whines about how there aren't better shops nearby. You remind them that you asked for their lists beforehand so you can order everything, but they always forget.”

Donnie slacked and came in closer.

“Then there’s the surprise visits and we lose count. One of them gets dumped and drives out and shows up in the middle of the night looking like a mess. You spend the whole night cheering them up and plotting some poor kid’s take down. Sometimes they get bored and pop in with a silly, ‘we were in the area.’ Then there’s the grandkids. They love the water and their pop-pop.”

“Pop-pop?” The illusion was broken and Donnie chuffed.

“You would want something silly like that.”

“Papa.” Donnie spoke with a sharp edge.

“Isn’t that for dads?” You teased.

“Could be for both…” He had a soft, unrelenting smile.

You guessed it was. 

Exercise.

“It’s been three months.” Donnie spoke as he moved the sofa.

“Mhm.” The bundle of your mat was clutched to your chest.

“Well?”

You feigned a listless gasp.

His cheeks puffed out the slightest amount as he set the furniture aside.

“My beloved Donatello, corrupted by gossip!” You continued on and rolled out your mat.

Said man rounded toward you with his displeasure.

You laughed and spread out your hands to get the corners down.

He waited with a grouch above you.

You cutely rolled onto your back and looked up at him.

He had to school himself to keep his features annoyed.

“I know what you’re asking, but I kind of want to hear you say it.”

He frowned deeply.

You sat up long enough to locate your resistance band.

He paced mentally and it showed in the slightest bob of his body.

You flopped back down with less grace and stretched the band between your hands.

“What happened with Coral and Nelson?” He all but snapped the truth of his question.

Your grin split your face.

He dropped down to squat beside you and waited.

“You’re so cute.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Patently incorrect. I do not have enlarged eyes, rounded cheeks, or comparatively small bone structure.”

“You’re describing babies.”

He was further put out and a protesting whine caught in his throat.

“Adorable.” You told him with full admiration.

He wilted with his large arms. “Darling…”

“I’m not teasing you.”  You explained. “I really do think so, Sweet. I’ve thought so since the moment we met. I thought you were handsome and then I thought you were cute.”

“Your taste…” He ushered and clearly held himself back from touching you.

You stretched with the band and brushed the backs of your hands together for the sake of it.

He churred softly.

“Okay, so the pilates move I’ve been having trouble with…” You laid down and gave the resistance band some length before hiking your legs up and tucking your heels into it.

He watched on with some gripe oozing off of him.

You would tell him what he wanted to know, but couldn’t help but drum up suspense. “So there’s a machine to do this in, but theoretically I shouldn’t need it.

You stretched out your legs and the band came with you. You wrapped the rubber around your palms for a good hold and brought your legs straight up into the air. You kept the band from snapping away with pointed toes and then tried to split your legs, but your heels caught on the rubber.

“See.”

Donnie let go of some of his complaints and his head wove in observation. “What is the machine like?”

“It has separate bands for each leg.”

“Easier to split.” He hummed.

“Exactly.”

“Socks?” He wondered.

“I can’t use them. Too much grip.”

He frowned and stood to approach your legs.

“She’s still doing the class, obviously.” You snuck in. “Coral, I mean.” 

Donnie continued to examine your feet.

“I think she likes it. It’s not really a super sweaty kind of workout. I think it's fine. I get that it's a low impact exercise, but some of the ways the teacher can stretch are terrifying…! Like she’ll do a jackknife, go into control balance, and then she backwards somersault into a crab!”  

“Is this how you were told to do it?” He asked.

“Yeah.”

“Your teacher, she’s a career instructor?”

“Yeah, after doing ballet when she was young.”

He nodded once before tapping your legs.

You brought them down and safely freed the band.

“I’m unfamiliar with resistance training, but I recognize a pulley.”

He urged you to sit up.

You did so and watched as he went for your gym bag. He gathered a toning tube and traded it out for your loop band. After stowing the other item, he returned and had you sit with your legs out. He started with your right and slipped the handle around your foot. He then wound around your back so the band stretched and pulled against the resistance to do the same to your left foot. “Now try.”

“It’ll slip when I stick my legs out.”

He openly thought. “Being on your back isolates leg muscles, but the band should compensate. Does the motion require your legs to straighten?”

It was your turn to ponder. “No…? I’m supposed to go up, out, and in to stretch the pelvis.”

“Rendering start position irrelevant.”

You nodded and laid back.

It took some adjusting to lay comfortably on a rubber cord, but you eventually managed. Once you were settled, you pulled at the band with your knees folded and were careful in raising your legs up. You soon had them extended high and rolled outward for the necessary spreading motion. The band undulated beneath you, but stayed in place until you completed one rep of the exercise.

“We got it!” You cheered and did a few more for the sake of it.

“Discuss with your teacher if this is appropriate.”

“And if not I’ll find out why.” You sent him knowing affection.

He lavished in it.

“So Coral and I have done seven total weeks of pilates. That’s three more than the three month deadline of asking Nelson out.”

Donnie’s head lifted with attention.

You held out eye contact.

His pupils darted through a few imagined scenarios before he finally looked at you. 

“Their first date is next week.”

He perked up with high brows. “Really?”

“Yup.”

“How?”

“He asked her.”

Donnie got to his knees and addressed you fully. “Explain.”

You laughed and continued to stretch your legs. “They say exercise boosts confidence. Nel’s never really had that, but he’s been doing this circuit training thing since his last girlfriend or whatever. The three month deal deadline came up and Coral said she was looking for the best time to spring it on him which is so weird for her. I figured she would just blurt it out, but I guess it’s different since they’ve known each other for years. Anyway, she got home from the gym one day at the same time as him. He made them both quinoa because it’s good after a workout or whatever and boom, he served it up, told her there was a place that makes way better, and asked if she wanted to go.”

Donnie slowly took in the information.

“Oh and she did blurt out asking if that was a date. I guess he laughed and said it was if she wanted and she berated him for being noncommittal.”

“They’ll last weeks at most.” He chuffed.

“Or forever. No in-between.” You chuckled.

You folded your legs to end your exercise and watched Donnie trace the movement.

“Wanna try?”

“My prosthetic.” His gaze pinched. “I can fashion an attachment.”

“Like I’d start you here!” You playfully sat up. “I’m a bonafide intermediate!”

“I see…” He deferred to you even though he had leagues of fighting experience that made that statement particularly inaccurate and gave you an idea. 

“We should remember the grip thing…” You got off the mat so he could get on. “Since you’re new and all.”

He took your spot. 

“It’s better-no safer with bare skin and it would be way too much trouble for you to change into your gym clothes so you should ditch your pants…”

He saw right through your game with narrowed eyes. 

You waited with excitement that would have had your tail wagging if you had one. 

He was obvious in giving up for a show and arched to get his waistband. “You are the intermediate.” 

“Yay!” You cheered as softly as you could before biting your lip at your husband’s chiseled form.

💜 NEXT 💜

Thank you to my beta @tmntxthings 

[mercur1e]

Just a silly thought i had- what if the god of war characters were adorable cats???

Okay so Kratos would be named Kittos, and he’d be a white maine coon with a scar on his eye! (deep down he’s a black cat to me though) OH AND HE’D HAVE A CRUNCHY MEOW!! You’d have to slowly earn his trust for him to feel comfortable with you petting him or getting near his baby. Otherwise he will hiss and bite. He comes and goes as he pleases.

Atreus would be Mewtreus, and he’d be a little orange tabby kitty!! He’ll always be following behind his papa💗 He has a high pitched meow that slightly deepens as he becomes a teenager.

Faye would be a pretty orange Norwegian forest cat, who Mewtreus got his looks from. Her name would be the same because I think it’s just so pretty. A soft, light meow and she’s very watchful yet playful! For an outdoor cat she’s not very dirty at all!

Freya would be a Balinese cat and Freyr would be a Balinese or Siamese cat! Their names would be Mewa and Mewer :) Mewer really loves his uh…cat grass. He cuddles nicely and has a stuffed toy boat named Skiðblaðnir that he loves very much💖

Mimir would be an Oriental shorthair because he loves to talk, and oriental shorthairs are too! Of course i’m going to name him Mewmir😂 He’d be a sweet little kitty who needs a kitty wheelchair but trust he’s always on bumpers when it’s time to fight! He loves pets and will meow until you give him what he wants.

Sindri would be a Sphynx cat but has patches of hair, and Brok would too but he’d be bald(totally NOT because Brok is a skirted egg) They have skippty pap sessions sometimes but they’ll put aside their differences quickly. Sindri loves his personal space, but Brok also loves Sindri’s personal space.

Thor would be an orange persian cat who is fiercely protective of his last daughter, Mewed. (I’m not very creative with the names I know) He will hiss and swat at anyone that gets too close to his baby except for Sif. Has a deep meow and beautiful coat.

Baldur is an Abyssinian and only lets those close to to him pet him, and does not like his mother. He is an outdoor cat that will only come back every blue moon. Kittdur loves to hunt, and would bring back dead prey to as presents.

Sif would be named Sniff and is a Siberian Forest cat! She won’t meow much, but when she does it’s very adorable.

Odin would also be an either an Oriental shorthair because he also talks A LOT !! If not an oriental cat, he’d be a Cornish Rex. Meowdin would be one of those cats that steps on your face in the middle of your night.

Angrboda would be an adorable Calico Kitty!!!! Meowgrboda is her name🫶🏽 She and Mewtreus will cuddle on occasion. She’s the kind of kitty who will stay in your arms all night and snuggle you! She loved to be picked up and enjoys challenging toys. She’s an adorable indoor cat who loves her toys!

Heimdall would be named Hissdall and is a Turkish Van who hisses at everyone except his owner. Will swat at other cats and enjoys his solitude. He tried to bite Mewtreus one time and Kittos didn’t take kindly to that.

Týr would be a brown oriental shorthair, is surprisingly very quiet for his breed but sweet as can be! Will circle around your legs for pets! Has the trademark honk meow and it’s a true treat to hear it.

Do you guys know that one cat meme and it’s just like cuddled nicely vs. bit my ass? Yeah that’s Mewer and Hissdall.

This was fun to write!! I’d would like to write about the Valkyries as cats next, would anyone be interested in seeing that? Please let me know if you are! :)

[whifferdills]

stopped watching the game and made soup instead:

WHIFFERDILLS BUSTANUT SOUP

->cook this first

1x large butternut squash, split, seeded, and roasted face-down on a sheet pan til soft. parchment paper or silicon mat unless you love scrubbing pans. duration of time for temperature? 400? idk. time. half hour? depends on the squarsh. scoop the flesh out from the rind. there is no graceful way to do this, but a nice big spoon helps.

->this at the same time but it's in a pot, i didn't want to confuse you

2x spanish onion roughly chopped and sauteed down to not quite carmelized, along w a clove or three of minced garlic and a thumb of minced ginger. let the onion cook down a little before adding the garlic and ginger, it'll keep it from burning. if it starts drying out add a little water

little bit of salt. bay leaf, if you remember. other herbs? whatcha got. rosemary is nice sometimes. pull these out before the next step

->then everything in big bowl. add in:

1x pack silken tofu (problems with this? maybe coconut milk and a little less stock down the line. but i really love the sort of ascended 'shitty diner slop' texture silken tofu gives, and it adds a little extra protein)

2c ish vegetable stock

1x confident sploosh vinegar-y hot sauce OR dash of cayenne and some apple cider vinegar

1x sprinkle nutmeg, some black pepper. you can get kind of wacky here, have fun with it! pumpkin spice that shit!!

hand blender time. blitz to shit, salt to taste. i am King MSG so of course, add some here if you have it on hand. maybe more stock if it's too thick but remember: it is difficult to go backwards! add in increments. if you run out of stock, water is fine (try to find the line between 'perfect consistency but a little weak' and 'too thique but taste great')

if you don't have a stick blender, any type of food processor works, just go in batches

if you have no devices: grab a whisk or fork and feel the burn

but seriously a half-decent stick blender is pretty cheap and it WILL change your life

✨immersion blender✨ whatever

->also

i always add in some crunchy vegetables cooked just past raw, since creamy soup like this is so samey-samey. went w brussel sprouts tonight bc that's what's in my fridge but cauliflower works well here. chop to approximate mouth size, toss in oil and salt/pepper, put in Lazy Fuck Steamer Box (hotel pan covered with sheet pan, although any covered cooking vessel is the same). cook at temperature until done (15 minutes at 350? idk). this is the happy idiot way to cook vegetables, the results are average but BOY is it easy. i guess you could roast things instead if it's important to you

great with crusty bread obviously but it's nice sometimes to cook up some wild rice or etc and toss that in for your carb-on-carb action

serves a lot, get your tupperware out

[decks-writing-blog]

Snow's a Scam

Summary: The Science Team decide to vacation at a ski resort.

[A/N] This was my 1st bonus idea while writing WhateverTF Benrey Is when I decided to make Benrey cold-blooded. It opens up the question of how he responds to extreme temperatures with potentially interesting answers. Such as: there are some frogs that can be frozen and then thawed and be perfectly fine with the whole thing, which is pretty neat so I decided it applies to Benrey.

I was gonna have be part of the drabble series but uh... even doing my best to streamline it, it got long. In part because the whole crew (plus Darnold) is there so I'm putting it in it's own fic. Especially since it puts me one fic closer to 400 total over on Ao3.

~

Benrey had been oh so patient in the car since they’d first entered proper snow territory. He’d wanted to wait until they were deeper in so his first touch of of it would be extra good so he might as well wait until they reached their destination; the ski resort. Plus the anticipation would make it more fun, right? Except no, it sucked.

He’d stuck his hand into the first mound of snow he’d come across and scooped out a handful of it and it sucked. It wasn’t anywhere even close to as soft or fluffy as it looked. Video games had of course exaggerated it but in real life it looked pleasant too. Sparkling and pretty, a winter wonderland. The physical feel of it though didn’t match the vibe of any kind of ‘wonderland’ at all.

Cold he’d expected so the unpleasantness of that only added to the rest of it. It wasn’t wasn’t soft or fluffy but instead crunchy and horrid. Despite that he tried but mostly failed to roll it into a ball as it froze to his hands, coating them in a layer of ice and snow.

He turned back to face the Science Team plus Darnold who were just now finally all out of their two rented special snow trucks. “Snow’s a scam.”

“I don’t think snow can be a scam,” Tommy said as he hooked Sunkist’s leash onto her collar – apparently this place had some dumb ‘dogs must be leashed’ rule. “It’s just frozen water and um… I don’t think anyone is claiming it’s anything else.”

Coomer stepped up next to him, lifting a finger to make a point. “It’s a scam in that, despite being water, when in a survival situation eating it in an attempt to ease thirst would only make you die faster.”

“And yellow snow is the biggest scam of all,” Bubby added.

“For the sake of my sanity, I’m gonna assume you’re not talking from personal experience,” Gordon said before walking over to stand next to Benrey. “But uh… Benrey, don’t like the snow, huh?” The ‘I told you so’ didn’t even need to be said. He’d warned that Benrey probably wouldn’t like to several times. Him being right was annoying.

“It’s got a bad texture and it…” Benrey ran his hands down the front of his coat, wiping as much of the snow off as he could. It being frozen directly to his form made it a bit stubborn but with a bit of work he did manage to free his hands of it. “It’s cold and sucks.”

“Try picking some up with your gloves on, you might have better luck.”

They’d already determined that cold weather gear wouldn’t do much for Benrey for the same reason normal blankets didn’t; he didn’t produce any body heat to trap and keep himself warm with. Gordon had bought him a full set before setting out on this ski trip anyway for whatever help it could offer, even if it only protected from direct contact with the cold air but mostly so he’d fit in. Meaning he did have a pair of gloves. Being for cold weather though, they were thick and thus he couldn’t move his hands right in them. But well, they weren’t as bad as sticking his bare hands in snow again.

He pulled them out of his pocket and slipped them on. Flexing his hands in them was annoying in the ways his movement was affected but as he scooped up another wad of snow, he did indeed have more luck. The awful crunchy texture of it was much less intense through cloth and it didn’t stick to the gloves nearly as much as it had to his bare hands, allowing him to roll it into a proper snowball. He stepped back a little more as he looked up at Gordon and…

“Don’t you dare throw that at me.”

Benrey paused, his hand rearing back to do just that. Was this one of those Gordon would be annoyed if Benrey threw it at him anyway or would it be upsetting? Like when he’d freaked out about the bucket prank because of his trauma about things jumping out at him. He’d certainly see this coming but it would still be something rushing at him really fast so it might be bad. Benrey only wanted to annoy him, not upset him, so… he lowered his hand. “I wasn’t gonna.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Damn,” Bubby cut in, “Gordon, you actually managed to civilize him. I never would’ve thought…” He cut off with a small yelp as Benrey’s snowball hit him in the face, knocking his glasses askew. He recovered quickly though as he scooped up a wad of snow and without even bothering to roll it into a ball tossed it in retaliation. Expecting it, Benrey let it phase through himself.

Bubby frowned at that as he fixed his glasses, though he didn’t bother to wipe snow of them. “Bitch.”

Benrey laughed as he stuck his hands in his coat pockets. Annoying Gordon might be the most fun but the others sometimes had good reactions too. Speaking of Gordon, he chuckled too; he’d also thought it was funny.

“We’re having a snowball fight?” Darnold asked as he stepped up to join them, carrying his ski gear. He was the only one who already had ski stuff, the rest of them were renting.

“We should uh… get settled in first, I think,” Tommy said. “Also the parking lot’s probably not a good place for it. There are cars coming and going.”

“Right, right. There’s no room for a proper pair of snow forts out here anyway. Let’s go sort out our cabins.”

As he marched off, leading the way, everyone else set into following. Gordon fell into step with Benrey at the rear of the group. “How you holding up?”

“Hmm… it’s cold.” True to expectation, the coat, thick as it was, didn’t seem to be doing as much as it was supposed to.

“That’s why I asked. Now that you’ve got a taste of it you still sure you’re gonna be okay up here for three whole days? Actually more than three because technically there’s the rest of today too.”

“If it damages me, I’ll heal from it.” Even if it was so far proving to be worse than he’d expected, he’d still agreed to go. Skiing seemed like fun though even if he had to suffer some intense cold for it.

“I know but… just if it gets too uncomfortable, let me know and we can find a warm place inside to hang out for a bit, okay?”

“Okay.” Benrey might take him up on that. This cold was rather unpleasant.

~

After checking in and dropping their packs off in their respective rented cabins, Darnold offered to show them around the resort with the rest of today’s sunlight since they’d arrived earlier than planned. Which meant they could skip the tour tomorrow morning and go straight to Darnold and Coomer teaching the rest of them how to ski. A good plan for sure, they didn’t have anything else to do but… Benrey would rather curl up in the cabin with Gordon next to the heater. Everyone else went though so he continued to tag along at the rear of the group.

He’d brought his camera and thus took advantage of the opportunity to take pics of anything that caught his eye. It was a very pretty area after all. Even all the buildings, cabins and shopping areas alike, were aesthetically pleasing. Like with the snow earlier, the visuals juxtaposed oddly against the misery of the rest of it. No one else seemed bothered by the cold, in the group or any of the other tourists going about their business around them, so it probably wasn’t as intense as it had potential to be. Even so it was more than bad enough; Benrey hated it more and more the longer he was out in it.

Was it possible for him to mimic what warm animals’ bodies did that made them warm? Like was there an organ that produced heat? … He’d seen human anatomy diagrams though and surely such a thing would’ve been important enough to get a label. So probably that wasn’t a thing. It had to be something physical though, right?

He lightly bumped shoulders with Gordon, getting his attention. “What makes warm animals warm?”

“Uh… what?”

“Like um, what does your body do that makes you warm?”

“I’m not a biologist so I don’t know the specifics well enough to explain it. Tommy probably does though, maybe try asking him.”

Normally Benrey wouldn’t have a problem with pushing forward to ask Tommy instead but it didn’t really feel like it was worth the effort right now. Likely he wouldn’t understand the explanation anyway because Tommy was bad at explaining things. Bubby probably knew too – he was designed to be the ultimate genius after all – but it wasn’t really that important. Benrey would look it up later or ask one of them or maybe just drop it.

“If you’re cold though, we could head back to the cabin.” Gordon gestured back the way they’d come.

“Nah, I’m fine.” The cold had sunk its claws into him like a million tiny frozen knives, digging deeper and deeper the longer he was out in it. He could just turn off feeling though and thus could indeed be fine, sort of. Not being able to physically feel anything, made him clumsier and brought with it a sense of being detached from his form that he also didn’t like. But it was a solution to the cold growing bad enough to cause pain so… he could do it intermittently until the tour was complete. Which it should be soon; how big could this place be outside of the ski slopes which they wouldn’t explore properly until tomorrow?

***

Given how the Science Team was and after how their time here had started, a snowball fight was basically inevitable. Gordon might’ve been willing to join in except he was tired from the drive down here and not in the mood to miss every throw because he had no practice throwing stuff with his left hand. Also, his arm was starting to hurt right where his gun hand melded with the rest of his forearm. Not particularly bad, he could easily ignore it, but any pain in that area was cause for concern, right? So instead after standing and watching for a little while, he quietly excused himself and sat on a nearby bench, close enough to watch but far enough away that he was he was unlikely to be hit by a stray snowball.

He carefully unwrapped it and pulled his coat sleeve up. The cold air hitting the part of his arm that could still feel temperature had him quickly regretting that decision. It looked find though, the same as it ever had so maybe he shouldn’t worry about it even if the cold air might’ve made the pain worse. … He’d wrap it more warmly tomorrow. For now though, he quickly covered it back up before anyone else saw and to escape the cold air.

As he looked back up towards the Science Team’s snowball fight, who was winning was impossible to tell. Sunkist had been let off her leash though, allowing her to run back and forth to catch snowballs thrown from both sides. Because there were only two sides now. Benrey had declared himself on a side of his own at the start but despite the game having gone for maybe ten minutes at most, he’d abandoned it to start for Gordon’s bench instead.

“You okay?” Gordon asked a few moments later as Benrey closed in, dragging his feet through the snow the whole way.

Benrey groaned as sat on the bench next to him. He pulled Gordon’s arm into a hug as he leaned into him, resting his head on his shoulder. Even through Gordon’s coat, he felt cold, making it a bit uncomfortable. But Gordon wasn’t about to push him away because clearly the answer to his question was ‘no’.

“Wanna go back to the cabin?” Gordon wouldn’t mind that actually. The cold was getting to him too and it would start getting dark soon, meaning it was getting colder.

Benrey groaned again. “Too far. I’m tired.”

“You slept a couple nights ago though, right?” So he shouldn’t be tired, especially not enough to complain about it.

“Yeah.”

“Then we should definitely go back. Being tired is a sign of advanced hypothermia… I think. I don’t really know but I’ve heard that it is.” In hindsight he maybe should’ve done more research on the subject before coming up here in general but especially with Benrey in tow.

“Nah, I’m fine. Just need to sit for a bit. Wanna sit with you.”

“That’s very sweet but…”

“Shh… shh… Cold stopped hurting so I’m fine now. Just relax, ‘kay?”

“That doesn’t help me relax.” Yeah Benrey could heal from any damage the cold did to him so maybe Gordon shouldn’t be anxious about it but it was hard not to be. He didn’t want Benrey to suffer even if he could heal from it. He’d insisted he’d be fine on this trip every time Gordon had asked him though so… Gordon should maybe take his word for it when he said he was fine. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d lied about being fine though. “But… all right, sure. We’ll sit for a bit then we’re gonna get up and head to the cabin. The cold’s starting to get to me too anyway. Okay?”

“’Kay.” Benrey nuzzled closer, leaning more heavily into Gordon, trapping his arm against his body. It’s not like he going to be using it for anything anyway though. With a sigh, Gordon turned his attention back onto the snowball fight.

Eventually a winner was declared; Bubby and Dr. Coomer’s team. The advantage Dr. Coomer’s robot arms gave him, even when he was holding back as he had been, didn’t seem to bother anyone but it no doubt played a roll in their victory. It was all in good fun so it didn’t matter who won anyway. … Though, if Gordon ever did feel up to participating in a snowball he’d try to finagle his way onto Dr. Coomer’s team. He loved Benrey sure but based off their co-op gaming experience if a funny betrayal opportunity presented itself, Benrey would always take it.

Speaking of Benrey, a look back at him revealed that he’d seemingly fallen asleep. He wasn’t limp against Gordon’s side though but instead oddly stiff. Not helping Gordon’s anxiety for him any. As agreed upon, they’d been sitting for a bit though, thus it was time to get up and head to the cabin the two of them were sharing with Dr. Coomer and Bubby.

He shook Benrey’s shoulder. “Time to wake up. You can finish your nap somewhere warm but first you have to get there.”

No response. Not even a twitch.

“Come on, dude. I’m not carrying you.”

Still nothing.

“Hello Gordon!” Dr. Coomer said as the group – minus Tommy who’d stopped to call Sunkist over to put her leash back on – reached Gordon’s bench.

“Yes, hello Dr. Coomer. Could you help me wake Benrey maybe?”

Dr. Coomer stepped over and gave Benrey a firm enough shake that Gordon felt it too. Benrey didn’t stir. “Would you like me to try slapping him?”

“Uh… maybe in a bit.”

Bubby stepped forward, frowning down at Benrey. “I’d say we could try rolling him down a ladder but I doubt there are any nearby. We could try slapping him though. Whether or not it would work would depend on what’s wrong with him.”

“He said he was fine.”

“Is he actually fine though?” Darnold asked. “I mean people say they’re fine all the time, right? I’ve heard people lie about that sometimes. So how often are they telling the truth?”

Gordon shrugged which didn’t dislodge Benrey or cause him to stir. “I don’t know. He can heal any damage the cold does to him though and he said it didn’t hurt anymore. Which implies that it did hurt at one point. But he fell asleep and uh… now apparently won’t wake up.” Gordon should’ve insisted harder they go back as soon as it became clear something was wrong.

“He could be in a coma.” Dr. Coomer’s tone was nonchalant enough that it took Gordon a second to catch the full implication of his words.

“What? Why would he be in a coma?”

“Some animals, such as certain tree frogs, go to a coma-like state of hibernation during winter. Essentially they freeze and cease functioning until thawed. I doubt Benrey has the same processes in his body to facilitate that but we know he doesn’t produce any body-heat and thus freezing is a potential concern for him. It is currently negative eight degrees Celsius out here after all, below freezing. He can’t die easily though so upon freezing solid, he perhaps goes to sleep and ceases functioning until thawed. Or he might be fully aware but not able to move or speak due to the aforementioned frozen state he seems to be in.”

Gordon tried to move the arm that Benrey was still holding. Which not only mostly failed – Benrey did indeed seem to be at least partially frozen – but also moving it brought to his attention that it had grown somewhat numb around where his flesh met gun. More comfortable than pain but worrying in a different way. “In that case I uh… think we really need to get somewhere warm sooner rather than later. Could someone help me move him please.”

Dr. Coomer bent over and manhandled Gordon’s arm free of Benrey’s hold. It didn’t seem to take much effort from him to move Benrey’s arms but it was Dr. Coomer so even if his arms were frozen all the way through, it wouldn’t be an issue. Benrey didn’t respond at all, not even when Dr. Coomer picked him up, proving the theory that he was frozen held water as he didn’t hang limp as one sleeping usually would.

Gordon stood and without another word started back for the cabins, fast walking. The sooner they got there, the better.

~

Pulling Benrey’s outer layer of clothing off – it was encrusted with snow – wrapping him in the heated blanket, and placing him directly in front of and leaning against the extra space heater they’d brought thawed him out fairly quickly. But he remained asleep and unresponsive to attempts to rouse him.

Gordon paced the length of the cabin. Ostensibly to warm himself up too but really it was because he was anxious. Benrey would probably be fine but… what if he wasn’t? What if cold was the one thing that could kill him permanently? Why that would be the case, he couldn’t come up with a sound hypothesis for but few other things about Benrey made sense either so that meant nothing.

Adding to his anxiety and need to keep moving was the numbness in his arm had thawed into sharp dagger like pain. If he got frostbite in his wrist bad enough from the cold metal of the gun they’d have to cut it off, wouldn’t they? So he’d have to be very, very careful about that too. In hindsight that was something he should’ve thought about before agreeing to go on this trip but he was stupid apparently and hadn’t. He would for sure wrap it better tomorrow and be more vigilant of it.

If he even went out tomorrow anyway. Because if Benrey didn’t wake then… He had no idea what he’d do but he surely wouldn’t be up to trying to have fun learning now to ski or whatever.

Taking Benrey to the medical station was technically a possibility but they wouldn’t know what to do for him. And keeping what he was secret in general was kind of important. If anyone find out it could easily make its way to the news and then who knows what kind of problems might come up? So maybe Gordon should try something instead? He knew the most about Benrey’s composition and whatnot after all but medicine wasn’t something he knew much about for naturally occurring animals so figuring out how to help Benrey would be even harder.

Maybe he should go back to college and get a medical degree. If his knowledge of how Benrey had been constructed in the lab made him the only one capable of potentially helping him should he encounter a real medical emergency then surely he should, right? What if it was already too late though? What if…

“Stop fucking pacing,” Bubby said as he stepped directly in Gordon’s path, forcing him to stop just in time to not crash into him. “You’re driving me insane.”

“Sorry.” Gordon might’ve gone elsewhere to pace but there really wasn’t anywhere he could go, the bedroom he was set to share with Benrey was too small. And he couldn’t tell Bubby to leave since he and Dr. Coomer were splitting the rent on their two bedroom cabin. “I’m just… a bit nervous.”

“I believe ‘a bit’ is an understatement, Gordon,” Dr. Coomer chimed in from where he remained on the couch. “You seem to be quite nervous.”

“Yeah, yeah, I just… what if he doesn’t wake up?” Plus his arm was still hurting. When was frostbite supposed to stop hurting? How bad did it have to be before amputation became the only option? What if he had to go through that and Benrey never waking up? “What if we killed him for good because of this?”

It would at least partially be Gordon’s fault too. He’s the one who’d first brought up the idea with Benrey even if Darnold was the one who’d suggested this particular trip. All of them knew Benrey was cold-blooded too and thus likely to not respond well to these kinds of temperatures. They, Gordon especially, could’ve all insisted harder he not go. Gordon would’ve of course stayed with him, maybe brought him on a different kind of trip.

Bubby sighed, his scowl softening a little. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“We could slap him and see if he wakes up,” Dr. Coomer added. “My slaps can be a bit extreme so maybe Gordon should do it. Unless extreme is what we want.”

“Let’s not resort to slapping yet,” Bubby said. “Give him another couple hours and then we slap the shit out of him until he either wakes up or is proven to be dead. For now Harold, help me get Gordon to sit down and stay sitting before I slap him instead.”

“On it.” Dr. Coomer stood and turned to face Gordon. “Please have a seat, Dr. Freeman.” He gestured towards where he’d just been sitting. “On this side, closest to Benrey.”

With a sigh, Gordon walked over and sat. He was too anxious to sit still for long but the best pacing path in the room was in front of TV so he undoubtedly was being quite annoying with it. So he’d try for as long as he could and then maybe find a less annoying path when he inevitably started again.

Instead of sitting back down as Gordon would’ve expected, Dr. Coomer walked over to the space heater, Benrey still leaning against it. He bent down and scooped Benrey up into his arms, heated blanket and all, then walked back over to the couch and deposited him on Gordon’s lap. Didn’t give him any chance to even try to protest.

“Oh.” Gordon really had no choice but to take him. Unlike earlier, between being near the heater so long and the electric blanket being on its highest setting, Benrey was warm now.

“And now you can’t move,” Dr. Coomer said as he sat down next to him, Bubby sitting on his other side. “It’s illegal.”

“It’s not illegal and wouldn’t even disturb him if I did. Or did you forget we were literally just talking about slapping him to try to wake him up?”

“You’ll stay.” Dr. Coomer’s tone indicated he knew that with a hundred percent certainty.

Gordon sighed but did lean back and adjust Benrey in his arms. With how cold it was outside, the warmth of the heater and blanket weren’t unwelcome. Maybe he would be able to stay for a while.

***

A tapping on his check woke Benrey. He lifted a hand to try to swat it away because he was warm and cozy and didn’t want to open his eyes yet. His arms were under the warm blanket though, they couldn’t reach. The tapping on his face grew more insistent.

“Benrey, I love you and I’m so, so glad you’re okay but you gotta wake up.” Gordon was whispering directly into his ear. “You’re purring and I don’t know if you’re okay with the others knowing about that or whatever so like… wake up.”

That was about the only thing that could convince Benrey to pull himself the rest of the way out of sleep so he could force the soft purr in his chest to stop. Maybe it would be okay if the others knew but he didn’t know who all ‘the others’ entailed in this instance.

He blinked open his eyes to look up at Gordon. Benrey was on his lap, wrapped in the heated blanket. “Thought you said the blanket was too hot.” They’d cuddled under it once before Gordon declared it uncomfortable.

“Normally it is but not when we’re up in the Rocky Mountains when its below freezing outside. But gosh, I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Benrey had rarely felt less not okay. This was great.

Before Gordon could answer… “He’s awake,” Coomer said, prompting Benrey to tilt his head backward to look at him. He was sitting right next to them, killing once and for all the purr in Benrey’s chest. Had he heard the one before? Probably not, right? He was old and the TV and heater were on, creating a drone of noise. Probably, hopefully, Benrey’s cute secret remained as such. “Congrats on not freezing to death, Benrey!”

“See, Gordon, I told you he’d be fine,” Bubby added from Coomer’s other side. “Now, guess I’ll text Tommy and Darnold to let them know too.”

“Why would I have frozen to death?”

“Because,” Gordon replied as Benrey looked back up at him for the answer, “you were literally fucking frozen solid as far as we could tell. You wouldn’t wake up. I was worried for a moment that… I’m glad you’re okay.” He leaned in to kiss Benrey. Not particularly long but still intense, passionate. He’d apparently been quite worried.

Silly. Benrey never stayed hurt or dead. Gordon knew that, it had been a point of annoyance for him once upon a time. But they had established that emotions, especially anxiety and worry, weren’t always logical.

“Sorry. I’m okay though. How long I sleep for?” It felt like a long time.

“About five and a half hours,” Coomer replied.

Wow, not long at all. It must’ve been a very deep sleep. But that thankfully meant he hadn’t missed any of the fun. Or he had, the creeping tiredness had dragged him away from the snowball fight after all. But there could be more of those later, hopefully, there was plenty of snow after all even if it was wretched.

“Tommy wants to know if you still want to go skiing tomorrow,” Bubby chimed in. “Or if you’d rather hang out in the cabin.”

“It’s what we’re here for so why wouldn’t I?”

Gordon gave him a look that he couldn’t quite read. “Are you sure? I mean like… you froze dude.”

Benrey shrugged. “Don’t wanna come all this way for nothing, right? Maybe um, I won’t stay out that long again though. It kinda sucked.” But he’d been mostly fine for the first couple hours. And if he got to return to this, that discomfort would be more than worth it. A couple hours having fun skiing then a couple hours hanging out in the warmth, maybe with Gordon if he wanted to as well, before going back out sounded nice.

“Okay then if you’re sure. I guess you and I can stay out only a couple hours at a time. Not really long enough to get much done but… maybe it’ll be fine.’

“Sweet.”

[chooh2]

(tagged by the always wonderful @breezypunk tysm 🙏 I had a ton of fun doing this!)

NIGHT CITY N54 INTERVIEW:

NAME? "Yeah I got one, preem-ass name too. Real nice ring to it, rolls off the tongue. Too bad you don't get the pleasure of knowin' it. You can call me V."

NICKNAMES? "Mi luna calls me Sunshine, that one's my favorite, she's my favorite~💕" (*1)

GENDER? "Lost to the wind, better off that way!"

STAR SIGN? "Gemini. Know those stars well enough, not so much the mystical shit behind 'em. Got a good choom who could lay out their meaning like the lines of her palm, though. Oughta ask her about it..."

HEIGHT? "I can reach the Scop Puffs in the pantry for ya if that's what you're askin'."

ORIENTATION? "Never been a picky eater~"

NATIONALITY? " 'Merican."

FAVORITE FRUIT? "Ooohoho, shit! Hang on! You ever eaten a real plum before? Juicy, sweet, but with a little bit of tang! Not super crunchy, but not too soft either! Swiped one outta some bigwig's fruit bowl once upon a gig and- wait, no, that one was plastic-"

FAVORITE SEASON? "Always liked Fall best, 'specially out on the open road. Way the air bites a little, almost smells cleaner. Can't beat Halloween either!"

FAVORITE FLOWER? "Oh! Those little solar powered guys that dance in the sun! Even got one of 'em sittin' on the dash of my ride!" (*2)

FAVORITE SCENT? "Y'know, doesn't matter how many times I wash it, jacket still smells the same. Smells like the good ol' days." (*3)

COFFEE OR TEA? "Coffee with sugar. Don't drink it much anymore though, get too jittery."

AVERAGE AMOUNT OF SLEEP? "Eh, three? Four maybe?" ...HOURS? MINUTES? "Maybe Four-and-a-Half?"

DOG OR CAT PERSON? "Dunno detectives, d'you really hafta ask?"

DREAM TRIP? "Already got my round trip to space, think I might be set for life! Hm... Road-trip northeast could be nice..."

FAVORITE FICTIONAL CHARACTER? "Chewbacca, easy!"

NUMBER OF BLANKETS YOU SLEEP WITH? "Personally don't need more than one, but I keep a couple extras piled just for the cats."

RANDOM FACT? "Got a heart shaped birthmark on my ass, wanna see-" NO! "Re-lax! I'm just joshin' ya!"

(think a lot of people have done this already, but if you haven't this is your chance! i'm tagging you! right now! go and have fun with it!)

1: Speaking of nicknames, Mi luna (My moon) is referring to So Mi :)

2: Think most everybody knows what these are but!

V's got the sunflower one 100%

3: Y'know how sometimes when u wear other ppl's clothes (sweaters, shirts, etc) it sometimes smells a little like them? Got my own headcanon that the jacket they're always wearing used to belong to one of their parents, a memento of better days roaming with their family, something familiar and safe

[callahanisms]

the wine for your cup

i’m not the biggest fan of aegon, but i don’t mind writing for him. thought it would be fun to include him with general and romantic headcanons.

please keep in mind this is my own interpretation. these headcanons are just that. headcanons. if you don’t like them, just don’t read them and ignore this post.

aegon is actually very picky with what he eats. he’s not overly critical but he has a certain palette that he wants fulfilled. plus he’s definitely more of a texture person than anything.

he prefers anything crunchy and crisp and firm. when it comes to fruit, you will catch him eating under-ripened fruit solely because he cannot, and does not want to, handle the texture of soft fruits.

hates oranges. texturally just makes no sense.

he is actually very good with his hands. that is to be interpretted however you want. but the man is good with his hands, partially because he used to embroider in his free time.

a lot of his mannerisms mimic his mother’s whether it’s facial expressions, the way his body moves, even down to how he talks. he resembles alicent very strongly. if his hair wasn’t valyrian silver and was brown instead, he’d probably look like the male version of his mother.

there are whispers that aegon was destined to be a hightower rather than a targaryen unlike his younger brother aemond, who was born to be a targaryen rather than a hightower.

aegon numbs himself through wine (and alcohol in general). this is not a secret. he much prefers to be apathetic than have to deal with his existential dread every day. he doesn’t need any more reminders that he will never be good enough.

he’s pretty awful in combat. also not a surprise. he has no hands on experience unlike his brother and dedicates his training time to reading and/or drinking instead.

similar to helaena, the eldest prince really enjoys reading. books have provided him a brief escape from the expectations placed upon him due to his birth. expectations in stories are far different and you may find him taking out multiple books at a time while at the library.

aegon really enjoys stories about bards. bards are not limited to one place and they spend their time singing, playing instruments, wooing everyone around them. bards are free and he wishes he could be a bard instead of a prince.

aegon receives love through physical touch. he craves human touch. and while he has let other people touch him, their touches never feel genuine. he never feels at ease and it does not satisfy his craving. but when he receives physical touch from you, someone who genuinely cares about him, he always feels like he’s ascending. he needs your touch and goes out of his way to touch you all the time. it’s a lot more blatant compared to aemond. this man has no shame.

aegon gives love through physical touch. as someone who has always been touchstarved, he doesn’t want his beloved to feel the same way. so he’s always touching you to reassure his love for you. his favorite thing to do in particular is help you bathe. mostly because you have done the same thing for him and it’s his way of repaying you.

he has an anxious-avoidant attachment style, otherwise known as the hot-and-cold attachment style. it takes a while for aegon to come around to you. one moment, he doesn’t want you to leave. the next moment, he’s aloof. much of it has to deal with his own feelings of abandonment and feeling unloved. he expects you to leave eventually. but you don’t. rather, you stick around while setting firm boundaries.

aegon’s kisses are never quick. they last a long time. quite a long time actually. he does everything in his power to keep your lips against his for as long as possible. and there’s also a lot of biting and nipping involved. much like aemond, he wants to devour you. and it’s kind of hot to see how much he wants you.

you’ve never really been wanted by anyone. so the fact that the firstborn prince wants you so much that he’s willing to do anything for you gives you an ego boost.

aegon also loves to mark you up, similar to his brother. but unlike aemond, aegon is very obvious with his marking. he does not care about the thoughts of the court. after all, rumors already surround his reputation. what is one more?

you have hickies all over your body, but especially on your neck and collarbone. they are quite visible and he loves that your hickies are on display. it proves you’re his. what’s the point in giving you these marks if everyone won’t see them?

this man has no shame. he will kiss you in public and even go further than that if you’re willing.

aegon’s favorite part of you is your legs. he was very honest when he told aemond that the one thing him and helaena had in common was liking things with long legs. it doesn’t matter how long or short your legs were. he loves them regardless. he loves kissing upwards to your thighs and giving you hickies at the skin.

your favorite part of aegon are his eyes and his lips. you love how his lips curve with that cupid’s bow of his (most certainly a trait all the targaryen siblings have). but his eyes. they’re always gentle, soft, when they look at you. and they hold such reverence for you. you’re always ready to melt when he gives you those puppy eyes and that cute pout of his.

“prince aegon is not what you think he is. i swear he is a lot gentler than rumors make him out to be. i would lay down my life for him if he asked me to. but he would never.”

[rabbitcruiser]

National Dessert Day

Satisfy your sweet tooth with cakes, pastries, tarts and candies on Dessert Day, have a bake-off with friends or invent a brand-new delicacy of your own.

So, What is more fun than making dinner or lunch? Dessert. It can be made with all things that are sweet and juicy or tart and sour and can come out in ways that are warm and soft, flavorful and crunchy, but it’s always delicious. You can indulge dessert with a range of chocolates, candy, or pastries, cakes, and cupcakes, and what about tarts and pies? Preparing them can make the wait for them all the sweeter, or you can grab a pudding or two on the go just to make the day that much brighter. National Dessert Day is your excuse to indulge in your favorite treats.

Learn about National Dessert Day

Are you a starter or a dessert person? If you fall into the latter category, you are going to love National Dessert Day. This day provides us with the perfect excuse to let our sweet tooth take over. You can indulge in as many desserts as you wish, and no one can tell you to do otherwise! What could be better? From pastries and cakes to chocolates and mousses; there is a dessert for everyone. What’s your favorite?

If you do a little bit of digging online, you will see that there are some interesting facts and statistics about desserts and the most popular choices. Of course, you have probably heard of tiramisu, which is the world’s most famous Italian dessert. What about Sacher cake, from Austria, or Baklava, from Greece and the Middle East? Research different cultures and try new desserts on this day!

History of National Dessert Day

The origin of the word dessert comes from the French “desservir,” a word which here means “to clear the table.” This, of course, referenced the dish that came after the clearing of the main dishes served as part of the meal. The earliest references to the term dessert being used are in the 1600’s and arrived at the same time as the concept of serving a meal in courses, letting each part of the meal be its own experience.

While it may seem like a no-brainer now, the idea of serving a sweet repast following the main meal wasn’t something that was always done. Those masters of decadence, the French, were known to serve a sweet wine as an aperitif, and it didn’t take long before the concept of sweet followings to the main dish became commonplace.

The birth of the sugar and honey trade helped to bolster the idea of dessert as it became easier to obtain sweeteners, though for a long time it was still known as a lush decadence reserved for the wealthy.

National Dessert Day Timeline

1300

Filo dough is first used

This base for all sorts of delicious sweets is recorded as having been filled with different nuts and spices, though they may have been serves as appetizers as well as dessert.

17th Century

First dessert cookbook is made 

As New World plantations lower the price of sugar, more recipes for sweet dishes are explored.

1691

First recipe for crème brûlée is recorded

England, Spain and France all make claims on this delicious dessert, but the first printed recipe with this name is by a cook at the Palace of Versailles, in France.

1847

First edible chocolate bar is created

British company, J.S. Fry & Sons, makes the first chocolate bar from cocoa powder, cocoa butter and sugar.

2007

Guinness World Record set for most expensive dessert 

The famous cafe in New York City, Serendipity 3, sets the record for the most expensive dessert ever: $25,000 for a chocolate ice cream sundae decorated with gold.

How to Celebrate National Dessert Day

National Dessert Day encourages us to celebrate by selecting our favorite delicacies and indulging in them, while also exploring the ever-growing number of options we have to experience in the world of sweets. There are so many to choose from cakes, pies, fried dough, chocolate, tarts, candy, jellied desserts, and pastries; it’s all about choosing how you make them and what to make, and maybe even where to make it?

Dessert can happen at home with family, or you can pick them up from your local store, and there’s always grandma’s house? The only important question on National Dessert Day is “What is your favorite dessert, and how would you like it?” Maybe there’s an old family recipe or something that the bakery down the street made fresh that morning. Whatever you decide, National Dessert Day is your opportunity to indulge in your favorite treats and maybe relive some old memories while doing so.

From rich chocolate to sweet strawberries, there are many desserts you can make on this day. How about Sticky Toffee Pudding? This is a British classic. For those that are unaware, Sticky Toffee Pudding is a delicious moist sponge cake that is made with finely chopped dates. The star of the show is, of course, the toffee sauce that is poured over the top.

If you fancy something a bit more modern, how about Green Tea-Coated Chocolate Mousse? Green tea is a massive hit in desserts at the moment. The Strawberry Cobbler is another dessert worth a mention. For something spectacular, serve it with cream cheese and warm vanilla seed custard. It is warm, comforting, and will melt in your mouth.

Or, what about Sicilian Lemon Tart? The balance between the sweetness and tartness in this dessert is spot on. We could go on, and on, and on, and on… after all, there are so many delicious and mouth-watering desserts out there! All you need to do is a quick search on the Internet and you are going to find plenty of exciting recipes to try on this day.

Another fun way to celebrate National Dessert Day is by watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. When you think of sweet treats and chocolate, this is often the first thing that comes to mind. It is a great film, and it is something that all of the family can watch. So, prepare your dessert, whether it be an ice cream sundae or a comforting apple pie, and get yourself comfortable in front of the television so that you and the family can enjoy a good movie night together. What could be better?

If you are really feeling adventurous, you may want to try making your own dessert invention on National Dessert Day. After all, the best recipes out there usually started as a bit of trial and error. Get plenty of different baking ingredients in and have fun experimenting with different flavors.

You could even turn this into a bit of a bake-off competition with your family or friends. You can all have your own ‘workstation’ and then you can try everyone’s desserts to see who is crowned the winner. It’s always fun to do something a little bit different with your loved ones, isn’t it?

National Dessert Day FAQs

Where did dessert come from? 

Derived from the French word “desservir”, the word dessert means “to clear the table”, which seems fitting for the last course of a large meal.

Are desserts bad for you?

Some desserts that are high in fat, sugar and empty calories can be unhealthy, especially when eaten every day. But in moderation, it’s okay!

Can desserts be healthy?

Sure! Desserts that have a small amount of sugar and lots of fiber, like fresh fruit, applesauce, or frozen fruit pops, can be a healthy end to a meal.

What dessert is Italy famous for?

Most people would say that the most famous Italian dessert is Tiramisu, which is made with coffee, ladyfingers, cinnamon and sweet cream.

Should dessert wine be chilled?

Yes, sweet wines that are meant to be served after a meal should be chilled to between 6-10 degrees C or 45-50 degrees F.

Source

[tokusaatsus]

I HOPE I'M NOT LATE...KANATA + 29? (you already know who this is [heart hands])

KANATA + 29: putting an ear over their heart

warnings: none

As you lay down on an embroidered picnic blanket spread haphazardly across the sand, you feel wandering hands interlink with yours. Crusted as they are with salt and sticky with ocean residue, it should be an uncomfortable experience, and yet you don’t mind. The sea is as a part of him as you are, and you would have it no other way. Were it not for the ocean, it would not have brought you the boy sitting next to you.

The gentle sounds of his voice, lilting like a songbird’s melody, paired with the soothing crash of the waves lapping against the shore serves only to drag you further into the embrace of sleep. Your eyelids get heavy, and you give a slow–near catlike, one might even say–blink.

You feel your head drooping. Crunchy granules of sand catch in the ends of your hair, and you nestle your face into the expanse of Kanata’s chest, turned towards his heart. Vibrations reverberate through the shell of your ear, and you find your fingers tracing aimless patterns–the same wavelength as his heartbeat you are so attuned to.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

“are you ‘tired’, love?” He asks, his voice like syrup. If you looked up, you know his eyes would hold that same sweetness. “you should ‘rest’. it is not good to ‘strain’ your body~”

You give a soft hum in response. “I’m fine. Just feeling a little… Oh, I don’t know. I want to spend time with you, and I feel like if I fall asleep our time will be cut short.”

He giggles, a sound like popping bubbles. His finger gently rests on your nose. “do not be ‘silly’. we can lie down together, and i will hold you so you have ‘sweet’ dreams~”

“My hero,” You agree, curling into him. Kanata raises his hand so you can burrow into his side, lying half atop him. There is sand clinging to you everywhere and you know it will be a pain to get rid of later, but he is nicely warm skin–ocean- and sun-kissed–that absorbs the rays of sunlight cascading down upon the two of you. “You’ll protect me from my nightmares, won’t you?”

“yes~” He says, pleased as punch. “if you are feeling ‘scared’, you should listen to my ‘heartbeat’ ♪”

You press your ear against his chest, listening to the steady pulse.

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

“Hm,” You say seriously, because a little teasing never heard anyone. “I can hear the ocean in there.”

“that is because i ‘love’ it,” Kanata tells you, just as serious. And yet, the corners of his mouth twitch: a precursor to a smile if you’ve ever seen one. People say he is something not-quite-human, but you look at this boy: he is as present as the seafoam sometimes, but he is as real and as human as you. His heartbeat says it all, in perfect sync with yours. “keep ‘listening’. what else do you hear~?”

You know he’s looking for something in your answers, so you try again. “I don’t know, what else is there to hear?”

Kanata cants his head to the side. “you don’t ‘hear’ it? it is your voice, after all.”

“Eh?” You blink, a little startled. “My voice…?”

“mm,” He pulls you down so your head rests on his chest once again, the steady drumbeat of his heart lingering in your ears. “it is ‘because’ i love you as much as the ‘ocean’. that is why you are ‘always’ in my heart.”

notes!

WC: 582 words

reze txt (@tokusaatsus) written as a gift for swanee @yumetokashite // @swantosa !! i love knsw and i love swanee and this was vv fun to write wehehehe :3 i hope you enjoy this~ mwamwamwa <3

[jisungshotfirst]

top 10 title tracks of 2023

in which i am a nerd and rant about music<3

10. BYOB - Billlie

this is just the cutest little city pop song! it's simple and catchy and it was a real change to hear such soft voices from billlie! softer title tracks always stand out to me because they are often so so pretty and delicate and byob is so so pretty and delicate! and the lyrics... i have claimed this as an aromantic anthem, it's ours. not relating to your friends having crushes .... billlie i see u

9. Break the Brake - Xdinary Heroes

this song is just straight vibes... the loudest rock we've gotten from xdinary and I appreciate it SO much. the verses r so clean and the falsetto.. its harmonically so interesting so the noise of the chorus feels properly cathartic and doesn't feel like a loss which can sometimes happen in scream-esc choruses. It's arranged SO well to balance all these things and be stimulating while also being so emotive. AND JUNHAN WITH THOSE CRUNCHY NOTES IN HIS SOLO. the dissonance.. its so brain-sratchy

8. In Bloom - Zerobaseone

zebi brainrot is so real friends.. be careful. this song is so beautiful! i think its a perfect example of the song marrying the concept and mv and members tones so well. from literally the first minute of zb1 i was so excited about their concept of mixing natural imagery like flowers with glitchy technology imagery and i hoped the music would match... AND IT DID! its so lyrical while being crunchy and energetic. SUCH a slayful debut

7. #menow - Fromis_9

this song is sooooo pretty. epitome of a soft bop. it's a classic fromis sound but with this sense of maturity and humility that makes it so engaging and emotional. it demands to be taken seriously but still is so fun! the vocal production is next level.. the effect on their voices in the chorus so they're used like instruments... one of favourite techniques ever. i LOVE when the vocals truly feel like part of the arrangement and not just sitting on top and this song truly does that

6. Spicy - Aespa

the absolute cunt aespa serve in this song... who let them. anyone who knows me knows i'm obsessed with everything moonshine has ever made.. and so when i heard they were doing an aespa title... i went crazy. and i am so right for it. THE BASS IS INSANE?? it puts all other synth basses to shame with how in your face it is. and the crispy snare? idk how to describe this song other than cunty because she genuinely does not care about being clean or palatable... like she is In Your Face with sound. and aespa literally ate that up... they are so fun and cheeky and confident! i'm sorry this is the kind of song that only a group of baddies could handle and aespa stepped up

5. Sugar Rush Ride - TXT

txt doing disco... like you already have me at that. it's sooooo groovy and although the anti-chorus was surprising.. i'm not mad at it! I'm so happy they went into it full force with the whisper vocals and the choreo switching mood, it rly helped the genre change make sense. and the DISCOOO at the end.. bop central. the lyrics and choreo and vibes overall r just so beautiful.. what can i say i love songs about gay sex i mean forbidden love...

4. Groovy - Cravity

the funky bop of all funky bops... literally funk pop goodness! there is so much movement in this track theres so many different rhythms happening and the blend together sooo well. the dance break is perfect.. literally everything you want from a dance break with the continuation of the same sounds but a new tone to it and new rhythmic focuses. and the choreo for it literally hits ever beat you want it to and stretches out the time between them perfectlyyyy. but ultimately it is on here because it is a feel-good happy fun bop.. and she excels at it! vity makes me so happy and they are so good at making songs that make you happy

3. Galileo - Kep1er

cutest song of the year! it is so groovy and fun and danceable. it is sooo feel-good it literally makes me smile every time. thank you hiyyih for putting aegyo in a song<3 where is her nobel peace prize. this is the kind of song where you truly can't hear the music theory going on because it just does exactly what you want it to do! any tension chords are resolved perfectly where you want them to. it's the perfect example of chords from minor keys borrowed to make a song that sounds so major and happy. there is absolutely nothing i would change about this song it is sooo perfect. absolutely filled to the brim with joy

2. ROAR - The Boyz

...like literally hello? this song came out of nowhere for me i did NOT expect to be as impressed as i was like my life changed after this song. firstly the whistle.. hot and sexy and catchy. carrying it through as a motif, chopping it up, creating variations, translating it to a singable vocal line... all of that is SO impressive to be able to pull off. crunchy track underneath.. beautiful. but what is most impressive to me about this song is the topline. the vocals are literally insane.. chanhee and hyunjae have my favourite tbz voices and u are crazy if u don't agree that they r the main characters of this song. some of those chorus lines are So high and they can sing them in a way that sounds so effortless. and the backing vocals... the Incredibly high harmony in the choruses makes me want to scream (it's jacob i think.. jail). and there is just voices Everywhere.. everywhere theres little 'ahs' hidden around and it not only fits the songs sexy concept in such a natural way but it just fills up every bit of space in the song. and the lyrics... once again i love a song about ..*checks notes* forbidden love.. that is damned by heaven... definitely not about gay sex tho .. definitely not..

1. Chill Kill - Red Velvet

second moonshine on the list .. no one is suprised. i think this song has complimented red velvet's two sides of creepy and feel-good the most successfully. the tone shift from the verses to the chorus is so obvious... but seamless. and what does it is the harmony! the chords are perfect... it seems redundant to talk about rv vocals but they rly just make the song. and the outro... blending both vocal parts of the chorus together.. it sounds epic. it adds to both the happy and creepy by sounding like a group of friends together.. but also cult-y with all that creepiness still lingering. singing 'forget about your sorrow' with the happiest voices like the verses weren't filled with creepy minor sounds... literally gaslighting queens. this song is terrifying and also the most joyful (hi sooyoung 😘) experience to listen to.... only the dream team of moonshine cazziopeia and red velvet can manage that. and it's no surprise this dream team gets my no.1 spot!

thank you for reading if you got this far ! pls share your favs with me and if we share any i'd love to hear what you think! happy new year everyone I truly hope it treats you well<3 and here's to more bops in the new year!!!