#grown in funky liquid

[mockhoundart]

Stunwave was a lil test tube baby Grown with love

[hearts4kaulitz]

“ HE WAS WEARING SKINNY JEANS, HAD FUNKY HAIR. “

bill x gn! reader

YOU HAD JUST ARRIVED TO THE EVENT, it was hosted for multiple popular bands and solo artists. theyd mainly hosted it so bands could artists could collaborate and get to know each other more.

you on the other hand had really one came for the alcohol and special treats, there was nothing that peaked your interest about the event.

strolling through the crowd of people as you made your way to the drinks. grabbing a cup and quickly filling it up with a beer of some sort apathetically.

you rolled your head back as you let the bitter liquid roll down your throat as your face soured up. you hadn’t drank in a while.

a scoff left your lips as you shook your head, setting down your drink on the counter but still having a hold on it.

looking around awkwardly you spotted a boy with spunky hair and skinny jeans, tilting your head slightly as a grin crossed your lips.

he was cute, really cute.

after you admired him for a minute or two his gazed locked with yours. a shock ran down your spine as you swiftly looked away, focusing down on your drink.

you tried to act cool but you could feel the boys stare burning into you. turning your weight on each foot whilst you watched the beer twirl in your cup as you shook it nervously.

after a few long seconds you looked up hesitantly, you noticed that a smile had grown on the boys face.

he seemed amused at your embarrassment before he turned to a boy with dreads.

his hand quickly flew to your direction as both of the boys were staring at you now. looking away from them as you hummed nervously.

he trailed over to you after a small wait, his smile never leaving.

you slowly turned your head to him as he muttered a small hi.

you returned the greeting quickly as an awkward silence fell over you two.

“du bist sehr schön,” he blurted, a small pinking tainting his face. “what?” you asked, a smile found your lips.

“you are very pretty.” he chuckled, your heart fluttered as your breathing quickly sped up.

you had took german a few years back and remembered a few sentences, so you’d decided to put them to use.

“danke,” you smirked, your face now matching the solo cup in your hands. his face lit up.

he could obviously tell you weren’t t german but it filled him with a sense of joy that one of the most beautiful people he’d ever seen knew some of his native language.

“you know german?” he asked gleefully, his smile growing. “a little.” you answered.

“i noticed you from somewhere… arent you in a band?” you inquired, tilting your head as you shifted your weight onto one of your hips.

he nodded, “tokio hotel, im bill kaulitz.” he introduced happily.

“yes thats where your from! i absolutely love your guys music. your all so talented!” you complimented.

it was true, you adored the band’s music. especially bills voice. you had only acted like you didn’t know the boy at first so you wouldn’t seem weird.

“oh— thank you! i love your music also! its very unique!” bill tried to search for the right words as he hadn’t really ever thought of a way to describe your music, especially since he wasn’t great at english just yet.

“thank you so much! id never think id be complimented by bill kaulitz.” you smiled, laughing nervously as you quickly regretted your choice of words.

“call me bill.” he giggled, he hadn’t seemed to mind your odd sentence which made you feel slightly better.

“alright bill… what do you usually do in your free time?” you asked, trying to clear the tension.

“oh! i like to sleep alot… thats really it.” he laughed while he rubbed the back of his head.

“how about you?” he quickly returned the question.

“well i just sit around and do whatever, i enjoy doing anything really. “ you shrugged nervously, your anxiety was starting to go away but he was scarily taller than you and the fact he was extremely attractive didnt help.

“thats nice… do you uh, smoke?” he randomly asked, making a gesture with his hands as he searched for the word.

“oh— well yeah… why?” your eyebrows furrowed with confusing as a look of amusement played onto your face.

“would you like to smoke with me?” he blurted out, tom had taught him if you wanted to rest the tension it was better to get shit faced high so the both you would be more relaxed.

“sure..! that sounds cool..” you hesitantly nodded as you weren’t sure what bill’s intentions were but you knew they couldn’t have been horrible.

he flashed a smile before he signaled for you to follow him, leading the both of you outside.

YOU AND BILL WERE NOW OFF THE WALLS HIGH, laying on the grass while it poked through your clothing uncomfortably but you couldn’t care less.

you were listening to bill ramble about something but you couldn’t really understand a word he was saying, you two had only shared a blunt but your tolerance wasn’t the strongest.

your gaze rested on his lips as they moved whilst they matched his words perfectly, everything about him was perfect.

his accent, his hair, his clothing, everything little thing you loved about him.

you two had only met about an hour ago but it felt like forever.

shit— were you falling in love?

as much as you loved the feeling your mine couldn’t process the fact you loved someone youd just met.

your body moved faster than your thoughts though.

soon your lips connected with bills, cupping his face gently. you began to pull away but the german boy swiftly kissed back.

the moment quickly got heated, simple kisses had turned into lustrous ones. his hands held your waist as he straddled ontop of you.

his cold rings burned against your now exposed waist, moving them up and down teasingly.

a soft whine left your lips as bill traveled down your neck, leaving dark hickeys all around.

“oh my god— were to high for this..” you moaned out as his kisses went lower and lower until he reached the waistband of your pants.

he swiftly came up as your gaze met his, both of you smiling.

“thats what makes it fun.” he whispered.

[jo-in-the-snow]

Finished episode 11 of Welcome to the Horizon a bit ago And I have SO MANY THOUGHTS!! Spoilers for any non-patreon members!

My genuine reaction to the final 10 mins was just me going “what the fuck” over and over again because I was genuinely in shock.

Anyway let’s get into the good stuff

FIRST! They end up on Trusk and I was thinking “Maybe they are like the Diner?” But they mentioned that they had been there the previous day so that bashed that theory. It’s also the first planet that Leif goes to after leaving Bert Bert in Young Leif and I think that might not be a coincidence.

SECOND! Now we have met a Leif from a different time line? I genuinely don’t know but I know this will be important for the ending of Season 4! But I don’t think Even Older Leif ever mentioned how he got his robo arm. Now we know that he doesn’t even know. Also brings me back to Even Older Leif not knowing who Gloria is (I can remember what Chapter it’s from), cause like timelines are funky I guess.

THIRD! The fact that we almost found more about Krok the Propagator but then Leif had to go spew his guts out is such a Leif thing to do.

FORTH! The reaction Verge is going to have seeing Leif again is going to be wild. They got the message from him telling them to go to Earth because he knew it would be safe and just wanted Verge to have a safe place to go and Verge didn’t only just find a safe place but a safe person *cries*. But I want to know how he showed back up at the Horizon!

FIFTH! Do you think Trinket is still high on those mushroom juice liquid she drank? Like is she going to march in on Krok and just go “Your vibes are all off and I don’t like you” cause I think that would be badass and totally something she would do

Anyway I have grown waaaay too attached to all of these characters to just let them go and if anything happens to them I will cry.

I can’t wait to see how this all ties in with Season 4 ending and the beginnings of Season 5!!

Thank you so much for reading my rambles!!

[blog-moved-lol]

Healing Magic (Batfam: Jason)

Ajsjskajsjd this is a story about Jason experiencing Lazarus Pit healing magic for the first time, because that's something I headcanon him having- Anyway, these guys will be written out of character because writing in character is hard, so I suppose this is just my version of them? Idk, here's the story lol

(!There's a depiction of vomiting in this, but I tried not to make it too realistic/descriptive!)

Jason is fine. Probably. Maybe. Okay, so he has a bullet lodged in his chest and there's blood staining his shirt, but still, he's not dead, right? Alfred is rummaging around in his collection of medical supplies, gathering gauze, a needle, and sutures.. All the things he usually needs when stitching wounds like this. Apart from Jason's bleeding, the rest of the cave is fairly normal, at least. Damian is on the couch with Alfred the cat, Tim is speaking with Bruce about the mission and Jason's injury, and Dick is buzzing about the table, shooting worried glances at Jason every so often.

Jason isn't really worried; It's not like this is the first time he's been shot, and his pain tolerance has grown exponentially over the years. He sighs, leaning casually against the back of the cot with his hand pressed to the wound. Bruce and Tim's conversation is nothing more than a buzz in the background, as Jason can't find it in him to listen to what they're saying. Maybe that's because his head is a little fuzzy from blood loss? But still, he's fine. Even if the tingly sensation building in his chest is new, he's doing alright. His eyes wander the room, making a conscious effort to keep his breathing even and steady as he waits for Alfred to finish sterilizing the tools.

As much as he keeps telling himself that he's fine, it is sort of strange—this funky feeling in his chest. I mean, feeling pain���sure, that's to be expected, but feeling a tingly sensation—vaguely similar to the kind you feel when your foot falls asleep? Jason's.. Well, he's never quite felt anything like it in all of his years of fighting. It doesn't necessarily hurt, but it's an intense feeling that's beginning to overtake the pain. The sensation is almost dizzying, making him feel weak. Jason slides his hand away from the wound to grip the edge of the cot in an attempt to steady himself, his blood smearing onto the metal underneath him. He hears a muffled voice that sounds like Dick saying his name, but his mind is getting too fuzzy to focus on anything but the nausea that's beginning to stir in his stomach. He swallows thickly, but the gross feeling in his stomach gets worse, and his vision begins to blur as his family members spread into vague shapes moving in the cave around him.

Jason tries to keep calm, but when he's suddenly feeling so weak, he doesn't exactly have the control to hold his stomach. He starts to feel a pain in his chest, even worse than when the bullet went in, a feeling as though his skin is being yanked and stretched to fit back together and cover his wound. His entire body shudders as he coughs, the mix of dizziness and pain making him gag as he spits up something cold and slimy. His eyes water from the taste, not vomit, yet still something unpleasant and familiar.. Jason has no choice but to grit his teeth through whatever is happening in his chest, his hands shaking as he clenches them into fists to fight the urge to yell out. He can hear the louder, more worried-sounding voices of the others, but he can't make out what they're saying. It feels like he sits there for hours, coughing as his skin burns with pain, though in reality, it's probably only a few minutes.

Eventually, the pain fades enough for him to get his coughing under control—though he still feels incredibly sore—and he finally manages to pry his eyes open and catch sight of Dick, Damian, and Alfred, all looking different levels of worried. Jason's eyes flick down to his lap, where he had coughed up the liquid, but he finds no vomit. Instead, he finds a glowing neon green substance—a thin, cold, familiar liquid. Jason raises a shaky hand to wipe his mouth and eyes, swallowing down the disgusting taste. Lazarus Pit water.. That's what it has to be. It tasted just like it, and it's the only non-acid he knows that glows that bright, neon green. In the middle of the puddle is the bullet that was lodged inside Jason. Bruce's footsteps echo through the cave as he walks over to the cot, kneeling in front of it and examining both the substance and Jason. Bruce's eyes fixate on Jason's chest, and he raises a thumb to brush over the skin. Jason winces from the pain, but he notices that it doesn't hurt nearly as much. He hears Bruce make a 'Hm' sound that coaxes him into looking down himself, and he finds that the bullet wound is.. stitched. Healed, almost. Already a scab or a scar, despite Alfred never using the needle to fix it up. Jason probably would've been surprised, had he not been healed by water from the Lazarus Pit before. But still, this was interesting. It was like he had.. superpowers. Healing powers. Only towards himself, though? Well maybe if you were to apply the Lazarus Pit water he threw up to someone else's wounds it would heal them.. But that's a test for another day because Jason is fairly certain none of his brothers would ever allow him to put him vomit on their skin, even if it'd heal them.. Jason takes a deep breath, finally calming himself down after all of the pain and wooziness.

What a way to find out about having magic, huh?

[2willowlane]

i've been posting silly crack fanfiction on ao3 lately, and i decided to just upload this on my tumblr. it's inspired off of interstellartoaster's kalampokiphobia: fear of corn, and the mods harvey's irrational apple hatred and harvey hates apples.

fantastic works; mind you.

gender neutral reader, sfw; not really focused on romance, as it is just absurdity

tallying his profit, of which was a big fat zero, harvey sighed; pushing up his glasses. it's been a rather long week for him, considering no one wants to buy those energy tonic muscle whatever medication that he supplies. the only time that anyone has ever purchased such a redundant item from him, was whenever they misclick- accidentally bought it; and then just sold it again. the only way that he'll ever make a good buck out of his pharmaceutical care was if he just eradicated the valley's food supply... of which, did sound tempting, but harvey loves his pickles too much to give them up.

there haven't been any appointments placed recently, so he was having a hard time trying to keep up with the expenses. right now, he could so go for a bottle of fine wine... maybe it's because he's spending too much of his expenses on plane models, rather than actually trying to keep up with all of the financial records, like an actual adult should. huh, what a foreign concept. well, he's just going to go continue complaining about his money situation, until further notice.

with the door opening, he had to them correct his shrimp posture, as he then greeted you, the almost superhuman farmer, into the clinic. normally, you just like to go behind the counter and access rooms that are off-limits to regular patients, but there was something about your gumption that made you so lovable. even if you do tend to barge into private examinations, there was something that made you feel so rebellious; that harvey couldn't help but swoon over you! also, he's a pathetic beanpole of a man, so he'll probably get pummeled into the ground by your combat prowess if he ever rejects your blatant non-filtered view of what "personal space" meant.

you were about to get some items turned into the community center; as you were carrying a basket full of assorted goods (they ranged from something simple to five highly-graded melons, a still-flopping ghostfish, and poisonous mushrooms). oh well, with the poisonous mushrooms, those are harvey's choice of decoration during the autumn seasons; so, the doctor felt rather seen whenever he saw those clumped together. he grimaced at the fish, however. other than that, he was glad to see a good friend pop in now and then; he needed something to spice up his days, and he can always expect you at around 9am, or somehow always being in the places he's trying to go to... coincidence?

normally, you'd stop on buy and get him a coffee. either you've brewed it yourself, or stopped by gus', it was coffee. you wonder how many mugs harvey has, considering you also gift him a free cup alongside the sweet, sweet ground bean liquid. it really wasn't the healthiest thing to drink due to the sugar and caffeine levels, and you were pretty worried for the guy who has been through years and years of intensive schooling to know better about those dietary concerns. you assume he probably only has a cup twice a week, considering you have some type of intergalactic force keeping you from extending that quota.

you had some apples somewhere on your person, and it was probably the only thing he'd like; you'd figure. after all, they're just funky little guys. who doesn't like a good, crisp apple? even though they're supposed to be for the community center, you can always just get one later. you'd give harvey something else, but you decided that he deserved better than just countless upon countless liters of his favourite brew. you knew harvey appreciated a good foraged, natural good—especially with someone locally grown on your acres. fishing out an apple out of your pockets, you then present it to him.

"... i think i may be allergic to this."

as harvey looked like a sad shih tzu puppy, looking off to the side, your heart sank. he was allergic to apples? at first, you really wanted to make fun of him. he seemed like the type of person who'd be allergic to peanut butter, and be the kid that doesn't allow their classmates to bring in anything homemade due to those medical reasons. holding the red delicious apple in your hands, rotating it around in your palm, you decided to test that theory.

"may?" you inquiried, and with a look of horror, harvey began to shudder. yes, he's an anxious man at heart, but due to various interesting cases at the clinic, he's grown insensitive to many things. plus, he's in front of the one and only farmer(tm), and his crush. god, what an embarrassment he is. he didn't want to talk about his irrational hatred for apples; those disgusting overblown flower ovaries called "fruit" just sicken him to death, not to mention that the apples were the first to hate HIM—it wasn't his fault that his body rejects them!

"yes, yes! just- just get it away from me!"

"i don't believe you..."

and that's where you've learnt that the phrase "an apple a day keep the doctor away" was right.

[evolutionsvoid]

It should be no surprise that when someone thinks about the dangers of the wild, most tend to focus on the animals. How could you not? With razor claws, huge fangs and a hunger for flesh, it's just like in all those horror stories or pulp novels! Though I argue that not every place is filled to bursting with bloodthirsty beasts, it is important to understand what species live in the environment you are visiting and which of them may be aggressive or territorial. But it isn't just animals that may pose a problem when delving into wild forests, jungles and other such biomes, as plants and fungi can be just as dangerous or even more! Stinging leaves, sharp thorns, infectious spores and so much more! Part of their danger is the fact that most people don't pay them any mind, and don't realize the threat until they step right in it. It's just a flower, what could it possibly do? Well, it depends on what species you are dealing with, ranging from "itchy skin rash" to "looks like we will have to amputate." Sound extreme? Believe me, I am not exaggerating here. There are tons of dangerous plants and fungi, and I don't just mean ones that are bad to eat. At least those ones you can avoid by not being an idiot and not shoving unknown specimens in your mouth. Just get a plant ID book and don't eat stuff you can't identify exactly. But back to my original point! What I was saying is that there are indeed flora and fungi that can ruin your trip to the woods and your life on this planet. The Manus Bloom is a very good example, as most people think it just some pretty flower or funky plant until they decide to admire it up close.

The Manus Bloom is an active plant that spends a good portion of its life unrooted. Their stalk is incredibly flexible and lets this plant move and coil like a snake. They do have roots at their very end, as they do grow from the ground as a seed. When they reach maturity, however, they uproot themselves and take on a more mobile life. The full grown ones can still bury their roots in the earth from time to time to absorb soil nutrients, or parasitically latch themselves to a much larger plant. At the other end is a impressive display of leaves, splayed wide in a hand-like arrangement. Their pink coloration causes people to think they are petals and that the whole structure is a flower, but the real bloom is not so obvious. When it is the season for flowering and pollination, a thin stalk emerges from the center of the leaves, tipped in a tiny flower. Here is where the pollen is produced, formed in sticky packets. Manus Blooms do have pollinators, typical bees and wasps, which is why the flower is positioned so far from the main body. It turns out, those leaves aren't just there to be pretty. 

If you were crazy enough to get a closer look at these leaves, you would notice a vast amount of pores dotting their pink surface. The faint shine of liquid would reveal to you a glue-like substance that leaks from these openings. The hand-like arrangement of leaves are absolutely soaked with this adhesive, which is useful for catching food. Manus Blooms are carnivorous, using their colors and sticky fluid to trap insects and other small critters. It is why their flower is kept far away from their leaves, so that their pollinators don't fall for this trap. Other creatures will see it as just another plant, or be lured in by the sweet smell they give off. Some folk suggest that even the shine of the fluid may fool some prey into thinking there is water trapped in its open leaves. However they are lured in, they will soon find their doom if they make contact with the leaves. The fluid is a potent glue, and it gets prey stuck real fast. Most attempts to escape from its grip only causes them to get further coated in this mucilage, ensuring there is no escape.

To help speed up the process or snare prey that is too wary, the Manus Bloom will manipulate its own leaves like fingers, grabbing nearby prey or squeezing them in folded leaves to further coat them. The serpentine stalk lets them coil up and launch themselves at quick speeds, perfect for nabbing victims that refuse to get close. Once prey is caught, the secondary effect of the mucilage will reveal itself. The fluid isn't just a glue, but a digestive enzyme, and a potent one at that. It will begin to eat through prey like acid, melting them down so that their nutrients can be absorbed by the leaves. Hopefully prey suffocate themselves on the glue before this kicks in, because I imagine it is a pretty painful way to go. When prey is reduced to a fully digested goop, it will wipe its leaves off on a nearby tree or the ground to dislodge the bits it can't absorb.  

Manus Blooms are ambush hunters, though they don't do much to actually hide. They tend to latch themselves to trees and other tall vegetation, so that they are exposed to passing prey and are easier to see. When positioned, they remain perfectly still, acting like any other rooted plant. This way, their small prey can spot them and move in for a closer look. However, it turns out that the Manus Bloom doesn't just eat bugs and tree mice, as they are more than happy to grab hold of a meatier meal. When positioned at the right height in the forest, their sticky hands can grab hold of passing beasts. Larger animals may not notice them as they travel, and may accidentally bump into one as they navigate the sea of vegetation. The mucilage lets them to stick to hair and hide, and the Manus Bloom lets go of its perch to hitch a ride. It will secrete even more glue to cement itself to the flesh and it will begin to digest.

At some point, the beast must notice the burning sensation in their side, and realize this thing is literally eating a hole into them. Some may try to shake them loose, but the glue makes their grip unbreakable. Their only hope is to violently rub the parasitic Manus Bloom against a nearby tree or rock, as that can damage the plant enough that it bails. They can take a surprising amount of punishment, but eventually they will call it quits if they are beat around enough. They will break their hold and drop off the animal, but this tends to remove a hefty layer of skin and digested flesh with it. Even with the plant dislodged, the left behind glue will continue to burn away for a good while after. If you ever see a beast in the woods with a horrible burned hole in their side, know that they had a run in with a Manus Bloom. 

So these plants are capable of latching onto larger creatures and burning away their flesh with acidic glue. Sound horrifying? Well, we aren't done yet, as the Manus Bloom isn't always a patient hunter. With their snake-like movements and coils, they can actually choose to attack nearby creatures, launching themselves at food that is just close enough. So even if you don't physically touch one, they may decide to close the gap. This is why I said getting a closer look at one is a bad idea, as even being near them means a chance they may spring forward like a viper and grab hold. Some may dangle from branches and drop down on prey, or they may use their hand-like leaves to take a swing! Another, less elegant, name for the Manus Bloom is "Slapper," as they can whip their bodies around and slap that sticky hand onto anything within reach. And once they are on, it is almost impossible to avoid getting burned. Don't even bother trying to pull them off, it won't work. Even if you had the strength of troll, you would just rip the plant to pieces and still have them glued to your body. Instead, you need to find a knife or properly sharp object and start carving it off, doing your best to slip the blade between the plant and your skin. I will warn you, it isn't easy! Slicing it up and peeling it off is your best bet, but accept the fact that you are going to lose skin doing it. Minor burns and cuts are acceptable, when compared to having an entire chunk of your limb or body being melted off. Waiting for it to finish and drop off on its own isn't an option, unless you want to lose some weight real fast and real messily. 

I hope I painted a nasty enough picture when describing these things, because Manus Blooms are real bad customers for those who travel the wilds. People who are forging a path and not paying attention will bump into one and have it latch on, resulting in a frantic struggle to get it off. I have heard of folk who have lost arms and legs to these plants, having it eat enough flesh off that an infection later sets in and the limb has to be amputated. There are even some tales of those who decided to admire it or perhaps leaned in to smell some of that sweet aroma. Having one of those latch on to your face? Yeesh, I don't even want to imagine that. Maybe the best option there is to find the fastest and most painless way to die before you get the sensation of that glue eating through your face and eyes.

Obviously, locals despise these plants and destroy them whenever they find them. Even dryads aren't a fan, as they will happily latch onto anything that moves. Even if the glue doesn't fully eat our flesh like it would meat, it does cause a burning itchy sensation and the glue is capable of smothering us. The existence of the Manus Bloom makes it extremely important to wear protective gear when traveling into the unknown. Layers of clothing that covers you from head to toe helps a whole lot. If the Slapper gets a hold of your clothing instead of your flesh, then you can rip that sleeve off and cast away the horrid plant before it can cause any actual damage. Dryads have also been able to create a thinning fluid to help counteract the glue and acid, making it easier to scrub it free from your body and also lessening the burn of the enzyme. Even then, any encounter with a Manus Bloom is a panicked one, and I am glad to have never gotten one on me. Let this entry be a reminder that stopping to smell the roses should only be done when you are absolutely sure those are only roses....

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian    

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

"Manus Bloom AKA The Slapper"

Another entry to help represent the other kinds of carnivorous plants of the world! Pitcher plants and flytraps stand aside! Now is the time of the butterwort! FEAR THE SLAPPER!

[roseofithaca]

The Next Layer

(A fic requested by @idiotwithanipad . Hope it's okay, I've been lacking in creative energy this week).

They'd been playing. Hide and Seek, of course, Kitty's favourite. It had been Amy's turn to Seek, though she was usually better at Hiding. Sometimes too much. There were days when, not feeling in the mood to socialise but not wanting to disappoint her friends, she agreed to play only to find a moment to hide away good enough so that they'd never find her. At least, not until they gave up and asked either Robin or Humphrey's body to "hunt" for her.

Today had ironically been a day when her spirit had been rather high, almost to the point where it matched the level of the bubbly Georgian and the permastoned Pagan. A day where she'd wanted to play, to laugh, to lay in the sun and laugh about the "grown ups" as if they were all much younger than nineteen to early twenties, before running about and indulging in schoolyard games in the house, before they planned to sit on the roof all night and chat until Silver's eyes would begin to droop for her month-long slumber.

She didn't make it that far. Never would again. Had she known that the last month the three girls had sat on that roof together would be the last time....

When she opens her eyes, she knows the sky is not that of the one that blankets over Button House, or anywhere on Earth. It's colors are serene, gentle hues of soft violet and sapphire and turquoise. The sun shines bright but not to the point of annoying or blinding. She doesn't squint. Just like the moon, she realises she can stare into the centre of this sun as long as she wishes. What surrounds the sun are both clouds and stars and nebulas and comets. She remembers once visiting the Planetarium in Londond on a school trip. This makes it seem like a public bathroom floor.

"Fuck! Silv, are you seeing this?" Is the first thing she asks. At the reply of silence, she sits up.

Long, soft grass that flows like waves of water with the warm breeze cushions her. The emerald field stretches for miles as she sits atop a hill, spotting a lake on the horizon and mountains glistening as if topped with diamonds. Maybe they are.

Where the fuck is she?

"Silver? Kitty?" She calls out, heart pounding as she realises she's alone; "HUMPHREY? ROBIN?!"

It must be a dream. Maybe she passed out and Silver touched her with her ghost power to give her some funky dream. It wouldn't be the first time. Except Silver never did so without her permission, and the types of dreams Amy had were nothing like this.

No water park where the liquid is Manco Loco. No ICP concert. Not the park with her friend Shan. Not her and Humphrey - a whole and modern dressed Humphrey - sat watching a movie and eating popcorn like a normal father and daughter.

This place is beautiful. Gorgeous. But it's not somewhere she would wish to be. Not alone.

"ANYONE?! IS ANYONE THERE? GUYS!" She calls out so loud, her voice echoing towards the mountings; "I SWEAR WHOEVER HAS TAKEN ME HERE, I'M GONNA RIP THEIR BALLS OFF AND STICK THEM DOWN THEIR THROATS!"

"Oooh, 'ark at her! Had I offspring I swear she be mine own kin." Chuckles a female voice.

Amy turns in the direction as the wind carries a swirl of tiny orange lights that merge together to form a figure. A slender, older woman not much taller than her. Puritan clothes. A thin set of lips with eyes alight with humor.

The teen steps back.

"Where am I? Who are you? Where are my friends and what's going on?!" She demands.

"There there, child. One question at a time. Wes all been where you are and know it can be scary." The woman says, raising her hand.

"Wh...what can be scary?"

Her mouth has gone dry. There's a part of her already that suspects the answer but she's afraid to believe it.

"The suckings off."

A new voice. Amy blinks as another set of floating sparks form a taller woman next to the Puritan. Before they have even finished solidifying, Amy knows who this one is, having looked at the sketch of her beside her friend's bed many times.

As good as Alison's drawing is, it doesn't do justice to the sweet softness and kind smile on the woman's face as she gazes fondly at Amy.

"Are you....Mary?"

The woman nods, wearing the same peasant dress, but there didn't seem to be any sign of soot or smoke or the scent of toast that everyone had always said was part of her. Even her hair, though tucked partly beneath a simple bonnet, seems smoother and tidier, not the slightest singe.

"That I be. And I knows who you is. Amy, daughter of Humphrey Bone." She says with a cheeky grin.

"We have a little Lady in our midst, Mary!" Her companion teases, nudging her slightly.

Amy sets her jaw. She doesn't like being made fun of at the best of times but right know she's far from the mood for jokes.

"I ain't no fucking lady."

"Don't mind Annie, love, she don't mean nothin' by it." Mary placates before the two of them can clash; "Head bit was always so lonely, I is glad he got to have a child of his own."

"How the hell do you know about me and Humphrey? Is that what you all do in this place, spy on us?!"

Annie shrugs; "Sometimes."

Mary gives her a warning slap to the wrist and a sharp glare.

"T'is not you I watch, child. I look in on my little'en when I can and most often than not in recent times, yous been at her side." Mary explains.

Little'en. "You mean Silver?"

Another nod.

"When I first got my suckings off and arrived here, at first I be overjoyed, in most part to be reunited with my beloved." Mary reaches to take the Puritan's hand. Annie gives a coy smile and squeezes it.

Amy understands now. She remembers Silver and Robin talking about Mary's "wife" who they hoped she was back with.

Shit. They're gonna be so happy to learn...

She watches as Mary's eyes turn sad; "But my heart did begins to crumble when I realised I has left my girl behind. She hads become the daughter I lost, as if returned to me like Lazerus, and now I was parted from her. I woulds have gladly taken being blown back just to return to her...."

The look on her face as she meets Amy's eyes makes the teen want to scream. The truth stabs deep at her chest.

"....No....No." She shakes her head, tears forming.

"Amy-."

"I don't want it! Not now, not when I've finally started to enjoy it. Fuck, I've even started having some civil conversations with Fanny and Cap! I was having fun with my friends, I...I had a dad! Have a dad! Fuck, no, I'm not losing that! No ones gonna take it from me!"

The beauty of the landscape around her now seems like a wide open prison. She would run, but she wouldn't have the slightest clue as to where she would go, or what direction. There are no roads, no doors, not even a bulding in sight.

Nothing but....space. Fields, mountains, water and the surreal sky.

"Who is in charge? Is there some sort of God or....fuck, who was it Silver worshipped, Percy-fee, the Goddess of the Dead?!"

Annie covers her mouth this time to stifle her laugh; "Think you mean Persephone, Poppet."

"Don't call me that, only Da..." She bites her lip. More tears fall.

She'll never hear him call her that again.

A sob escapes her and she hugs herself, tighter than she ever would. Despite having just recovered from a flare up of HS, she expects the scar beneath her arm to be irritated. But there's nothing.

She frowns. She touches her joints. Her armpits.

"Your buboes be gone now." Mary explains; "They shan't arise again. There be no maladies of the flesh in this layer."

"Thank Jove, my throat used to itch like crazy with them bread crumbs back in the other place." Titters Annie.

No more HS? No more flare ups? No more itching and seeping and having to hide down with the Plaguers in the basement? The thought takes time to settle. It had been part of her since puberty. It was a silver lining and yet...

She would gladly suffer her skin to be covered with welts if it meant going back to Humphrey right now.

As she crumbles, Mary steps forward, her arms open. Amy let's them encircle her, now that physical touch won't cause her the pain it once did. For the first time in years she takes comfort in a motherly hug, and understands for a moment why Silver adored this woman so.

"There there, little'en. It not be so bad." Mary whispers, stroking her hair, "This place doth hold many wonders. Annie and I shall tutor thee on how to appreciate them."

"W-wonders?" She sniffles.

"Hmm. Like that funny helmet of yours. What purpose doth it serve?"

Amy pulls back from the hug; "My headphones? They...play music but...they're broken now."

"Are they?" Asks Annie.

The Puritan steps forward and taps them.

Amy nearly jumps with surprise as music, real music, the same that had been playing before she died, suddenly sounds through the speakers resting beside her ear. She gasps, thinking she'd never get to hear ICP again except for through the Bose speaker in Higham Suite when it was her turn to use it.

"Wha....How did you....?" She stares at Annie as if she were a witch.

Annie laughs; "That only be a glimpse of what be possible here, girl."

Mary squeezes Amy's wrist.

"Here we are not prisoners. Here we may go where we wish, when we wish, see splendors beyond even mine own imagination. We may eats, drinks, laughs and make merry as we please. You willst never be bored here, young one. And wes shall be with you, at least until there be others who hath been sucked off that ye wish to meet?"

Amy remembers her grandparents. Childhood pets. Are they all here somewhere? Waiting for her?

She gulps; "I just want....I just want to go home."

The words make her sound like a little girl. That's how she feels.

Mary's face swamps with sympathy as she pets her.

"I know, dear girl. I know. That be the price we pay for Heaven, Is afraid. To leave our loved ones behind and wait for thems to catch up."

That's all she can do? Wait?

"But....you said you'd looked in on Silver? That you saw me?" Amy asks.

Mary and Annie share a glance before Mary nods.

"That be the truth."

"How?" Demands Amy.

"There be a great waterfall, that be a mirror, that be a window to the old world." Mary explained; "T'is through there we each may watch our loved ones for a time."

"So like a magic webcam?" Amy simplifies; "Take me there."

"Child, it's advised that one not look at it for a time. That you should take a moment to get used to your new home." Advises Annie.

"Fuck that. This ain't my home. It won't be until Humphrey is here with me. And Silver and Robin and Kitty...." She says, clenching her fist; "Take me there. Now. Please."

Her voice breaks on the last word as she looks at Mary, who cannot resist the plea of a heartbroken child.

She takes Amy's hand in hers. Then the world swirls around them. Amy feels her body dissolve, nauseating at first and then strangely freeing for a few seconds, before it becomes whole again.

In a dense, green woodland, in the middle of some hidden grove, they stand before the waterfall.

Amy follows the women's instructions to step into the pool, letting it drench herself up to her waist in warm water. She stares at the vertical stream. And wishes.

In three blinks, she sees them. Hears them.

-

"Fifth time now. No Stompy." Robin pants, having returned from another sweep of the grounds.

"One more. There must be somewhere you missed!" Humphrey demands of the caveman.

He shakes his ragged head; "It no good, head bit. There no smell of her around. Even body bit give up."

With a wave of his paw, he gestures to where Humphrey's body sits on the floor in front of the fireplace where it first fell centuries ago. Like a giant forgotten headless doll, it sits, slumping slightly forward.

Head of Humphrey scoffs as he rests in Kitty's hands; "Useless, the both of you! Come on, girls, you know my Amy, she's just the best at this game but we can find her."

"But it's been hours. I'm tired." Kitty sighs, though she sounds more heartbroken than exhausted. She doesn't wish to say she agrees with Robin.

"We'll never find her." Silver sits in the windowsill, her tone nearly robotic, drained of its spark; "She's gone."

"Don't say that! No one saw her go!" Humphrey rebukes.

"I did!" Says Mick, on a rare intrusion up above ground level; "I was about to help her find a good spot and then....whoosh! Caught me right off guard."

"Ah. There you have it, Humphrey." Says Captain, stoicially; "An eyewitness."

"His kind wouldn't have been counted as a witness in my day, let alone human!"

"That's enough, Humphrey! You're not yourself. What would Amy think to hear you speak of her friends that way?" Kitty chastises.

"Yeah, I loved that girl like she were my own niece! She was as good and decent to us as any have been!" Mick defends, upset.

"I know, I...." Humphrey sniffs; "I just...I just can't believe it...I feel like I only just found her and now...It's so...bloody unfair."

"Hmm. It's gonna be very strange not having her scare the living daylights out of me. I'm gonna miss not seeing her in the corner of my eye." Julian mused, patting Robin's back.

"She certainly was an unforgettable character. And as much as we clashed, I secretly admired her spirit." Fanny spoke.

"A sweet girl....underneath all that...y'know." Pat guestered to her make up and overall appearance; "We'll have to contact Alison. She can help us arrange-."

"The funeral?" Silver finished, then stunned everyone by bursting into laughter. "Haha...Hahaha.....Hahahahahaha!"

She hugged her legs close as she began to rock. Everyone stared at her.

"Silver? Love, are you okay?" Asked Pat gently.

"Hehehehe....of course....Of course, I'm okay....At least I was awake for this one...Hahaha....." Despite her laughter, her eyes shone with tears. "Thanks Amy. If you're watching....Thanks for not leaving while I slept.....Thanks for one last laugh....Hahahaha...."

It's Robin who rushes over to her and gathers her into his arms, understanding her moods better than anyone, how they often seemed to border on mania. She fights him at first, hands batting at his furs before sinking into him.

Humphrey cries next. Kitty holds him tight as she let's her own tears fall, Captain reaching forward to pat her back.

No one speaks for a while after. There will be time for a proper service to say their goodbyes.

-

Amy pounds at the water like glass.

"I'M HERE! I'M RIGHT HERE! YOU FUCKING IDIOTS, WHY CAN'T YOU HEAR ME?!" She wails and sobs before falling on her knees into the water.

Mary moves to pull her away but Annie holds her back. She needs this as much as the figures in the waterfall need their grief. As much as Mary needed to scream and cry when she was taken away from them. From her Silver.

So they stand. And they wait. They stay with her.

[ticklepinions]

Blogs You Just Need to Follow

Hi, I am here to promote some seriously amazing people. I will try my best to give a good summary of why they are so special. I hope you enjoy and I hope you consider reblogging their work. (If we mutuals and you didn't make the "cut" no hard feelings, I plan to update regularly). Also not a ranked list. All the people mentioned are amazing in their own right. As always please read their bios before following. Some may be a mix between sfw/nsfw. They will be highlighted orange.

To help find who was recently added, I highlighted their tags in blue.

Tword Fiction/Stories:

@littlelovelyspiderling - okay so when I do find time to cozy up and read a fic never did I expect to come across such a literary masterpiece. The worldbuilding, the diction, the cadence of their words easily capture me in their stories. If you love Marvel, especially if you want to read a very heartwarming story between two dorks (Johnny and Peter) I HIGHLY recommend you follow. Check out the incoming tag #littlelovelyspiderling

@intheticklecloset - another wonderful and lovely person. You know those people who get really excited about a certain topic and you can see the joy in their eyes? That's exactly the what you'll get if you follow. With countless amazing fics from many beloved fandoms like Big Windup, Haikyuu! Check the tag #inthetwordcloset

@happyandticklish - their writing is like liquid gold. You want to drink until you drop. It quenches a thirst you didn't even know you had. Writer of multiple fandoms, you're definitely missing out if you don't follow them. Check the incoming tag #happyandtwordish for my personal faves!

@writingwitharlo - there is just something about their writing that just makes you crave for more. As you know I love when you can feel the artist's love in their craft. Writes for Harry Potter, Heartstopper and more! Make sure to show them some love! Check out the incoming tag #writingwitharlo for my personal faves!

@ticklishraspberries - they are an amazing writer. One that perfects letting the writer feel immersed within their story. A phenomenal writer that's written for over 65 fandoms. Yes. 65. Not only are they a talented writer but they have a fun loving personality as well. Check out the incoming #twordishraspberries to see my personal faves!

@cantsaythetword - my bro bro crow. Love this funky lad and his spectacular fics. If you love things like Marvel (stucky fans I'm looking at you), heartstopper, Dr Who AND more, this blog is for you. He is an incredible human being blessed with the gift of writing beautiful and wholesome pieces. Check out the incoming #cantsaythetword to see my faves :).

@parker-fluff - not just a writer but an artist too. And phenomenal at both. Your chibi artsyle brings a smile to my face. And I can't wait to read through the countless fics/drabbles you've made! If you love Peter Parker, then you'll adore our friendly neighbourhood artist/writer parker-fluff! Check out the #parkerfluff tag for my faves!

Artists:

@ppystkposts - Genshin lovers assemble, if you are in search of an artist that seems to perfect the raw emotion that comes with being a human, I got someone for you. I love love love their art style and have grown more fond of linework (is that what it's called!? Idk obsessed is what I am and that is all that matters). You are truly one of the greatest out there, thank you for blessing us with your work. #ppystkposts is the incoming tag (PSSSST they do commissions, always remember to check for availabilities!)

@tomurah - adding onto the evergrowing list of amazing, talented and brilliant artists. If you're in the COD fandom or just appreciatr staring at pretty lil things you know what to do. The line art is impeccable and I love every single one of their works, show some support! #tomurah

@skribblz - now the artists on this platform are going to be the crème de la crème. And one of them is my buddy, my pal, skribblsz. The talent y'all. The sheer talent that oozes from this blog will have you in awe. Trigger warning, everytime you visit this blog your jaw will most definitely drop. Lovely, and kind hearted artist who loves their craft and it shows. Check the tag #skribblz

@ticklishfanart - I freaking love Jay. Look at their stuff I dare you. Do you see the love that's in the lines that are drawn? Cause I do. Every piece of work they put out is an absolute masterpiece. MHA fans should definitely pay a visit, you won't be disappointed. Check the tag #twordishfanart Or #ticklishfanart

@ssnicker-doodless - okay. Like. I just. I can rave on about them till the cows come home. The artist of the century. Picasso reborn. You do not want to stare at their art too long, perfection burns the eyes. #snickers doodles

@sleepysheepytea - okay so. The softest, cutest, most adorable art??? So glad I recently followed them. If I were to describe the beautiful art they create it would be like a nice and much needed cup of hot choccy on a cold winter night; it just hit right ya feel? #sleepy

@tiklart - a really unique and wonderful art style. If you're looking for MHA art, hint hint. Amazing and talented artist!! #tiklart

@wormonastriing - one of the OGs. The mf GOAT. Drawings that are so freaking realistic, idk how people can even be that talented. Must be illegal. Jail for bestie. #wormy

@simplysmilingdrew - super cute art. Even cuter scenarios. She is honestly a master of her craft. On top of all the wonderful drawn art is that she us a tword fic writer too! A whole double threat! Worth the follow for sure.

@isoots - new to the scene and already coming in hot with the talent. Give their art some well-deserved lovin'

@spensed-up-chilly-pepps - just recently followed and let me tell ya, if you like art and good vibes all around, you should definitely follow them. If you love team fortress you're in luck.

@dokidoki-muffin - such a talented artist. One look of their work and you'll be foaming at the mouth /pos. Pretty sure humankind was not fit for seeing such perfection- and for free!?!? And the artist is a sweetheart on top of all of that???? Follow now. Check out the new tag #dokidokimuffin for my fav pieces (spoiler alert its all of them).

@lovelymessybubbly - such a an angel and kind and caring person. Such a unique and adorable art style as well! Always love when you can tell how much love an artist pours into their creations, definitely worth a follow. Check out the incoming tag #lovelymessybubbly

@kiri-mikua - literally followed them a couple of days ago. A new artist on the block, with their own unique art style that is simply to die for. Their intricate works make you crave even more. Please show them lots of much deserved love! Check out the incoming #kirimikua for my faves!

@jettorii - we have so many new upcoming artists so ofc we gotta hype them up. I LOVE their art so much. The line art style is so cute and well done. A wonderful artist who has graced us with amazing fan art of spiderman, ninjago, and puss 'n boots. Please join me in applauding their great work. Check out the incoming #jettori tag for my faves :)

@chibimochii - if you like Genshin Impact boy oh boy do I have an artist for you! From colorured to sketched, following them is something you won't regret. Simply a beautiful art style that rivals the actual game imo. Thank you for sharing your wonderful art with us all. Check out the incoming #chibimochii tag for my personal faves!

@fanta-syrop - no because your style is so unique and idk how to describe it other than it evokes so much joy and happiness. They are a multi fandom artist currently feeding us with Genshin fan art. So very worthy of your following. Check out the incoming #fantasyrop for my faves!

@tklfluff - genuinely obsessed with your art. Not only that but you're a talented writer too!? Damn. Double homicide /ref. Fuelling my need for the Peter Parker Bros, and seeing them in your beautiful work is truly an honour. Check out the incoming #tklfluff tag for my faves!

@carrie-tate - yet another extremely talented artist I follow! So many fandoms and even their own OCs! Love how you draw your faves getting flustered over some wiggling fingers. Your art is truly one of a kind /pos. Check out the incoming #carrie-tate tag for my faves!

@feathergil - totally and utterly in love with their art style. It's soft and cute and sophisticated. Their art genuinely looks like it comes to life "night at the museum" style. Not only are they genuinely such a talented person they are also so cool and nice. Check out the incoming #feathergil tag for my faves!

@reererfjernfibeufkjebq - a hidden gem in our humble community. You may not be able to pronounce their blog name but why do you need to anyways? You'll need all your brain power to comprehend the sheer talent this person has. If you love Marvel especially characters that don't get a lot of mainstream attention, this blog is for you. Check out the incoming #reerer tag for my faves!

Bonus:

Check out my masterlist if you want to read some of my work

[shinebrightlikeanarwhal]

Travis figuring out how to make and use living clay, then offering to fix Sal's cheek after showing him how it works. (end result looks a little weird, with the difference between scarred and slightly burnt flesh and the unblemished new cheek, but Sal can finally drink liquids normally.)

I def think Travis would do this with Larry as a surprise for Sal.

Like Larry knows his brother. He can help Travis with getting the right colors and shapes. Sal hardly moves his mask around most others. Travis has only seen it once in a life or death situation with the cult and Larry sees it pretty often when the two are relaxing at home.

Of course Sal tries to reject the gift. He doesn’t want pity for something he’s lived with for years, but the sincerity in Travis who never pities. He only wants to do something that might make Sal feel a little less stuffy and have some ease on his eating. They try eating in public and aside from people startled by his hair, height and voice, no one gives Sal another glance. Though his tall boyfriend and his taller brother get quite the looks when they start arguing over who ordered what (Larry was just trying to steal Travis’ drink because he likes to bother him).

I can certainly agree that it looks a little funky at first but with time and a lot of practice, Sal his a face that he could have grown with and doesn’t have to wear that stuffy mask all the time. Though he does wear it occasionally. He still greatly appreciates the effort of Travis just wanting to do something nice for him.

[the-mind-emporium]

Dreams Shattered Beyond Recognition

Hello everyone! Decided to post this little,, thing?? It's not really a fic so I won't post it to our ao3, but enjoy this funky shattered dream mini-writing!

Obligatory @a-mega-sad-nerd hi

(Writing under the cut)

Dark. As dark as the void, yet somehow darker. The coat of what seemed to be liquid gold looked as though it had been burnt to an ugly black, but that’s not right. It wasn’t ugly. It was mesmerizing. 

The core of the last hope the multiverse had was discarded by the molten creature. This wasn’t Dream, no, this was something else. A creature born of pure toxicity. Was it negativity or positivity? Perhaps it was a mix of both, but it does not matter. 

The multiverse’s dreams had been shattered, but they were laughing. A shrill, manic laugh. A laugh that told a story of five centuries of suffering, guilt, pressure, and fake smiling. The story had finished, and yet it hadn’t at the same time. This wasn’t the ending, not at all. It was only the beginning of a new chapter.

It found it ironic, to be completely honest. Nobody from the village had come to help Nightmare when he had suffered the cruel, unrelenting agony of the apples. And yet, everybody the guardian had known was gathered around, trying to help. Most of them were impaled by the tendrils, sleek with blood, they had grown. But it purposefully left a few of them standing; After all, it wouldn’t be fun without any toys to play with.

Perhaps that child still resided somewhere within the vast darkness of the creature’s subconscious. If he did, he certainly wasn’t getting out any time soon. This new creature that had taken his place was absolutely exhilarated by its newfound power. It knew what it had to do. 

It would make dreams shatter beyond recognition. 

[writing-the-end]

LoL Chapter 38- Potions

Masterpost

A Wizard Hermits tale (AU, designs, ideas belongs to @theguardiansofredland)

Redland, the capitol city of magic, where the hermits hope to gather the supplies they need if they hope to survive the Hangman’s Playground. While Etho and Stress are gathering potions, they meet unlikely allies- with closer ties than they expect.

______________________________

Redland stretches to the sky, the quirky nature of magic on full show even in the architecture of the city. Towers peaked with rotund pinnacles, painted bright and distinctive colors. All levels of the city are full of the bright, baubled roofs. The main street and busy sections of the city are perfectly manicured, hedges with vibrant flowers and verdant greens, but when the hermits look down calm alleys and quiet streets, nature has settled against the brickwork and grown between the cobble, nature filling in with it’s own eccentric accents. 

The hermits wander through the city, an eclectic town full of wandering walkways, silent speakeasies, and unique universities. The schools of magic sit across from each other, students of offensive magic having lunch with students studying performance arcana. Bright banners wave in the breeze. Shops are full of any and every kind of item, a bazaar of the magic and mundane. Some shops boast large inventories, enchantments made enmasse and sold to large crowds- glamors were a favorite. Others host the antique and unique. No rhyme or reason what they hold, useless lamps next to powerful staffs.

TFC turns to Xisuma. “Can you divvy up the gold? We can cover more ground finding supplies for our mission if we separate.” 

“What I wouldn’t give for that sky kid’s magic right now.” Xisuma sighs, digging out the gold and handing it off to various groups of hermits. 

Stress and Etho glance at one another. “I think we’re gonna look for some potions firstly. If we go to the alchemy academy, I’m absolutely positive we’ll find somethin’.” 

“And if not, we can… convince a student to help us get what we want.” Etho pats his back, feeling his kusarigama tucked in his light, silent material. 

“Don’t forget to ask about the ingredients!” BDubs shouts as the two walk away, towards the bright green and yellow tower that holds the school of potion brewing. “Silvershade is not the same as Shadesilver!” 

Stress shakes her head, and challenges Etho to a footrace through the city. He accepts with a grin, and they take off down the main avenue. She laughs, feeling a sense of freedom in how strong the magic is in the city. Redland embodies everything magic is. It’s natural, it's eclectic, it’s bright, it’s unique. And every flower blooming in between the cobblestones, every shop full of mysterious wares and magical amulets, is full of that spirit. 

She turns her head, calling back to Etho from over her shoulder. “I’m gonna win, try an’ catch me!” 

From beneath the midnight blue mask that covers Etho’s nose and lips, a coy grin appears. He’s given Stress the lead, only to shock his friend when he wins. His mismatched eyes glimmer with mischief, and he turns. Running straight into a tree. 

Straight into a tree’s shadow. He leaves the plane of existence, and skids on his feet as he enters the shadow realm. Grey, calming mist dances through shadows, and his feet tapping through puddles of water across the floor. In all the time he’s spent in this realm, he can never truly understand it. He doesn’t know why it’s so misty, impossible to see more than a few meters in front of him. Or where the mist comes from, dancing in the darkness. Why it’s damp, like a rain had just occurred. He’s never seen it rain here. He also has no clue why it smells funky in here. Like a wayward explosion matched with rotten fish. Is there even anything more than a puddle around here? 

No matter. Etho’s winning this race. He takes off in the direction he and Stress were running, feeling himself pass through buildings, hedges, even people in the other realm. It’s a tingly feeling in his belly. Once he’s sure he’s made it to the alchemy school, he casts his magic, tossing it in front of him to reenter the mortal realm. 

He passes right through it. He stumbles and crashes to the floor, not so ninja-like. “Dammit, no not now!” 

There’s no discernable shadows for him to jump through. The sun must be tucked behind a cloud. Too big a swath of darkness for him to use, too general. He paces, tossing a circle with every turn of his heels, running through each time. He did this to beat Stress, being a badass and a bastard. He specializes in that delicate balance of the two.  But instead, he’s stuck in the stinky shadow realm, and worse he lost the footrace. 

His spell casts again, but when he walks through this time, he’s met by the blinding bright light of the sun. And Stress’s gleeful cackle. “You cheated! None of that magical stuff!” 

“What does it matter, it didn’t work.�� He states, but he’s smiling all the same. Etho runs his hand over his white hair, tugging it away from his face so he can see the alchemy tower in full. “Should we check the shops first? What are we even looking for?” 

“Queen Erlea said we’re gonna need some healing potions and deterrents for the forest. I can assume mental and emotional potions are in that category.” Stress counts along the street full of potion shops, before spinning around and letting fate decide where they search first. A bright green shop, the window filled with potted plants and chaotic cats. Stress squeals at the sight of the kittens and bolts to the shop. Etho follows behind, grabbing the door before it can slam back to it’s jamb, without disturbing the sunbathing felines. 

They peruse this store. And the next. And the next. Finding healing potions was easy, and with Etho’s aggressive bartering they’re even discounted. Bottles of bright pink liquid, bundles of travel sized form- gummy chews easy to pop into one’s mouth-, and tiny tinctures full of potent life saving potions. 

But no matter what store they enter, how many times they ask or persuade, no one sells mental potions. Some say they’re pseudomagic, others that they’re too hard to create. And after being kicked out of another alchemy shop, Stress and Etho are sitting on the sidewalk, bouncing ideas across each other. 

“Maybe we don’t need them? Maybe the others will find supplies that can do the job?” Etho offers. 

“Or perhaps we can search Joe’s library to find something else.” Stress flops back, ignoring how she blocks the sidewalk as she stares up at the sky. “Where can we get mental barrier potions but Redland?” 

“Why not try making them ourselves?” Etho looks over, gazing at the Alchemy tower. “I bet that school has every book, ingredient, and setup ever invented. We’re clever and smart, we’re hermits after all. If no one makes them, we’ll make them ourselves.” 

Stress reclines up to her elbows, squinting her eyes. “Yer right, Etho. Think you can get us into one of them potion rooms of the school?” 

“Do I think I can? I know I can.” Etho snickers. They walk through the open doors of the school, bustling past students young and old, human or kipling or insectia or even bacca, boy or girl or otherwise. Etho pulls down his mask to fit in with the crowd, though his hair always sticks out. Stress keeps close to him, glancing around the halls. For a second, she swears she sees someone looking at her, but she ducks her head and keeps moving. They turn a cornerl, following the signs for potion labs. Listening for one room to be empty. Etho stops at the doorway of one. Closes his eyes, and walks through a shadow. 

But he returns from where he entered. “No, no it’s all dark in there! Why don’t they have anything boiling, any lamps or anything! What kind of lab is this?” 

“My lab, and what do you plan to do with my laboratory?” A strong, clear voice cuts through both hermits like a knife, and they both freeze. Maybe if they don’t move, the voice will move on. But instead, another voice rises up. 

“You’re hermits, are you not?” A younger, sharp voice drawls. “I was told about you. Didn’t expect two of you bitches to be sneakin’ into my professor’s lab.” 

Etho makes a bolt for the nearest shadow, but he passes right through the shadow and back into light. Stumbling down the hall, he’s dragged back to the professor and student combo, while Stress is turned around to face them. Etho taps his fingers. “We were just… looking around! Trying to find the bathrooms.” 

The student looks up at the professor, eyebrows rising from a serious face. He nods, clasping his hands behind his back. The student grins, tucks a lock of black hair behind an elongated ear, and snaps her fingers. 

“We’re sneakin’ inta the lab to make potions!” Stress claps her hand over her mouth. She didn’t mean to say that. Why did she say that? “No one makes what we need to enter the Forest of Memories!” 

“The Forest of Memories? Red said you were batshit crazy, but that…” Etho picks up his head, vaguely recognizing the name. 

“Well, you could have just asked for my keys.” Sylaeus shrugs, producing a ring full of mismatched keys and dangling chains. “Selene, be a dear and get these two my Encyclopedia of Potions. I’ll start up the burners.” 

Shock registers on both hermits faces, but Selene dutifully saunters down the hall, turning and entering a large door in the passage. Stress walks into the lab, admiring the collection of jars, half finished potions, and ingredients kept in the room. But Etho no longer has the inclination to enter. “Why are you helping us? We just tried to break into your lab.” 

“If you need a potion that badly that you would try to break into my office, you must need it for good reason. Adventuring into the Forest of Memories is one hell of a reason at that.” Sylaeus ignites a flame beneath a long, complicated series of funnels, tubes, and flasks. He tempers the flame, fire glimmering of his intense gaze. “Besides, it means I get to teach more about potions.” 

Selene returns with the book, hefting a tome as large as her torso and twice as thick. “So what the hell kind of potions are you guys going to make?” 

“Potions that will negate our fears and dampen the effects of the forest?” Stress tries her best to repeat what Queen Erlea suggested. “Maybe some repel potions as well?” 

The long eared mage hauls open the book, flipping through the pages with intense, glaring eyes. She stops, turning it around for Etho and Stress to see. “You had to request the most difficult potions to fucking make. It’s a damn good thing I spent the past month gathering more than enough supplies for you to use.” 

And with the guidance of Sylaeus and his student, Etho and Stress get to work. The careful art of alchemy came naturally to both hermits- Stress’s attention to detail let her see exactly when the right shade of amber for the potion appeared, while Etho’s perceptive training and patience guide him through finding just the right mixture of Silvershade and shadesilver. Even Sylaeus complimented his new students on their fine work. 

“While we’re waiting for the mixture to cool, would either of you like a drink?” She waves her hand, and four cups appear before them. The professor grins, swiping a drink and guzzling the never ending cup down. 

“My student’s finest mixture.” Sylaeus grins, patting his apprentice on the top of her fluffy, long mane of hair. 

“Is it a healing potion?” Etho questions. “Or maybe a stamina potion?” 

“Lemonade. Sip sip bitch.” Selene retorts, deadpanned. 

“Miss Selene, are you a multi-mage? You used telekinesis to drag Etho back before, but now you used summoning magic.” Stress takes a drink, shocked to watch that her cup is never ending. “A-and some kind of spatial magic?” 

“Selene here is my best student for more reasons than one. Not only can she brew better potions than even master alchemists, but she also spent years studying magic until she gained power of her own.” Sylaeus sees the confusion on the two’s face, and lets Selene fill them in. 

“I was born without magic.” She states. “It’s rare, but it happens. I wasn’t ready to give up on myself yet. I spent days and nights, studying every book I could get my hands on, watching the other kids use their magic. With enough time and dedication, I found the power within myself. Whatever magic I study, I can create.” 

Stress has tears welling in her eyes by the time the story is over. “What a lovely tale, an’ look at you now! All that persistence and never givin’ up paid off!” 

“I’m sure Selene could have lived her life without magic, or have chosen a darker route to gain power. But it’s her own magic, and she’s a proud S-Class wizard!” Sylaeus beams like a father, a teacher proud of his student.

The potion behind them starts to rapidly shift colors, and all four descend upon it to add the last ingredient- prismarine shards shed from a guardian. Etho wonders where Selene got such a prized ingredient, something most kiplings aren’t willing to part with.

 In a puff of smoke, the potion stabilizes. Selene corks the bottle, writing in scrawling handwriting of it’s intention, and hands it off to Stress. She also guides them out, an orb of soft white light guiding them down the halls of the academy. 

Etho’s reminded of one other person who had seemingly unlimited types of magic. “You know… Magistrate Dolios claims to be a multi-mage, but his magic is a lot like yours.” 

“Watch it, asshole.” Selene growls, opening the door and letting them out of the Alchemy tower. “I think we both know that the magistrate lies about everything. Perhaps that includes how he got his magic.”

[strangelyokay]

A How To on Acrylic Nails

Beauty tends to change just about every month and depending on the location it can be entirely different than what it is at a different place in the world. Sure, people like to advocate for the natural beauty for the simple and just be yourself platforms but sometimes what we add to our appearances define our moods and confidence. Accessories are part of our self-expression and I like to believe it adds extra personality to someone's individual style. Now am I a certified person to be talking about the beauty trends of the world?  Simply put no. I am not a fashion student or guru for that matter, but I do have interest. Specifically, in one beauty trend that seems to change and grow each year. Nails!!!

Well acrylic nails to be more specific. They have always interested me, sometimes in a good way and sometimes in a bad way. See, as a kid I didn't understand them. I remember seeing girls around school with perfectly French tip nails. And as a young naive kid, I used to believe that those were their original nails. I always thought, “Wow their nails are so pretty, why are my……” Yes, I used to think my nails were less than desirable but hey can you blame me? No one told me the secret. My mom didn't understand the concept of spending money on unnecessary things. And to be honest I thought the same into one day I walked to my very first nail salon. I felt powerful, beautiful, different. When I got my very first set of acrylic nails something clicked. Sure, there were downfalls like not being able to open jars, sodas, and sometimes doors, but the perks were so good. I felt like an inner diva rose and said,” You look good.”

Now this blog isn't just me going on and on about how I love Acrylic Nails or how they are a good accessory or even about how they fit in in the new beauty era. Nope, I was interested in how to affordably get my nails done. I figured YouTube is popular with “how to” videos so I figured it was time for me to get a new hobby. I know very little on how to create beautiful nails, but I can give you the information that I have learned from my new hobby, first with what you will need and second the steps to create.

What equipment/products are needed to achieve beauty long acrylic nails?

●       Acrylic Nail tips- These are used as a template for nail shapes/lengths and it makes the nail stronger. Also, if you are like me and nervously chew your nails, these help a lot.

●       Nail Glue- Self-explanatory but this is needed for the fake nail to stay on your real nail.

●       Acrylic Nail Clipper/Nail File- Used to cut and shape the nail. I don't recommend using scissors, because they wouldn't be able to clip the nail even, and it would look bad.

●       Electric Nail Drill- Use to file, buff and shape the nail so that it doesn't look like a hot mess. You don't have to have a drill, you can always use a simple file, but it will take longer, like a lot longer.

●       Acrylic Monomer/ Acrylic Powders- When combined they make the substance use to create acrylic nails. They smell bad.

●       Acrylic Dish- To hold Monomer and the brush

●       Acrylic Nail brush- It's a must to have a good quality nail brush, because if not it wouldn't last long and it can even make your application impossible to make.

●       Nail Polish Remover- It helps to clean off the brush and fix small mistakes, plus it removes you know, nail polish.

●       Nail Primer- Use to make nails last longer, I personally don't use this because I am still learning how to create good nails and they are easier to take off without the primer, but if you really want to use it go ahead.

●       Nail Dust Remover/ Mask- Trust me, there will be a lot of nail dust everywhere.

Acrylic Nails Application steps.

Clean your nails- Your body naturally creates oil. Remove all nail polish and overall make them look neat.

File- File your natural nail so that it's in manageable length and then file the top of the nails so that it leaves a little rough surface. This is to help the fake nails stay longer but be careful and don't over file them.

Cuticles- Now you can put cuticle remover and push your cuticles back, but I like removing them with the drill. If you don't know what cuticles are, they are that thin layer of extra looking skin on the edges of your nails. If you don't remove them. It looks like your nails have grown out and they will make your nails look, well messy.

Fake Nail tips- Make sure to take your time getting the right sizes for each finger. If they are too big, it will cover the skin and your nails will hurt, especially if forcefully removed (I used to laugh at any girl who cried for a broken nail until it happened to me, it hurts really bad).

Nail primer- After your nails are in place put a small layer of nail primer. I usually skip this step and I recommend it, if you are new to the nail game like me.

Acrylic monomer/ powder- Acrylic dish and Nail brush will be needed. Put the brush inside the dish with the monomer. Gentle rub the brush against the glass side to remove excess liquid. Gently place on powder and create a bead and then place on the back end of the nail. Repeat the steps but this time apply the bead on the middle of the nail and then on the tip of the nail. Each time you do this remember to swipe the brush so that I combine gradually and nicely with the fake nail. This takes practice and I mean a lot of practices. You will mess up but don't get discouraged and try again and remember you can always use the electric drill to fix your obvious mistakes. Make sure to apply the mixture fast because it will dry out.

Electric Drill- With the drill you will trim the bumps and undesirable mistakes, then file and buff.    

Overall

It's fun to create the nails I want but it does take practice, and patience. I sometimes take a day to finish a set of nails. I manage to do one hand and I get too tired to do the other one. After they are created the fun part is decorating them. I personally like gel nails because they last longer than regular nail polish. To decorate with gel polish, you will need a UV Nail Light because gel polish only dries under it. I am serious, you can wait 20 years and gel polish will not dry on its own. Now after all these steps you are probably thinking,” I prefer paying for acrylic nails” or “this is too much work.” But let me tell you, you will save money and it's actually very rewarding when you create them on your own. Sure, nails aren't for everyone and with the way beauty trends change there's a good chance acrylic nails will be a thing of the pass. But I still recommend learning to create them. It's a form of art, which helps reduce stress, you save money in the long run (well if you get your nails done regularly), and it's a form of expression. It added a spice of, THIS IS ME, vibes and you get to create something from nothing. Plus, you can also show off your new skill to your friends. If you do decide to learn this skill remember to keep practicing, it's okay to take your time and don't give up. I advocate for this trend because it gives me confidence that I can do anything. I like to express my mood through the colors that I chose and give my personality a voice with the designs I chose. I also ran out of things to do in my time off and when thinking about what to do in my isolated boredom I came to the realization that doing acrylic nails could be fun. I did think of the more common hobbies to pick up like exercising , painting, even writing, but I wanted to challenge myself in a way that those other hobbies couldn't ( I hate running, I paint like a three year old and writing acquired extra focus/ thinking). Creating nails challenge me on a creative artistic level. It also gives me motivation to succeed because doing all that effort for them to come out ugly was not an option. I recommend looking at a lot of videos and overall staying positive. Yes, they will come out looking a bit funky at first and your fingers might feel like they are going to fall off but it's really fun to try. Whether it's this beauty trend or a different one just remember don't let others stop you from expressing your individuality.

Here are a couple of links to some helpful videos:

Acrylic Nails At Home: Step by Step How-To Tutorial

💅🏼Acrylic Nail Tutorial - How To Apply Acrylic For Beginners 🎉📚

DIY Nail Workshop - Acrylic Application

[anabantoid]

Altering pH, what's it for, how do you do it?

We've heard it a lot before, "I don't need a certain pH, I just need a stable pH" and we've never questioned it. And why should we? What is pH, the measured scale of acidic to alkaline, and how does it effect the lives of our fish in the aquaria and outside of it? 

First let's start off with what it is. As mentioned above, pH is a scale with which you measure the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid, your soil, even some parts of your body, and more. Here's a good chart.

Here’s the short and sweet version:

You can’t just dunk in a bunch of pH down to lower your pH, or you’ll cause the pH to drop, then rise back up, and kill your fish.

You have to determine your kH and pH from the tap

High kH will prevent your pH from being lowered because of its high buffering capabilities, low kH will make your pH swing wildly because of its lack of buffering capabilities

Play around with altering your water in an unstocked tank to get a feel for the procedure and how much remineralizer to use or chemical buffers to use without harming your fish.

RO/DI will give you water with 0 kH and 0 gH. Use Salty Shrimp gH/kH+ to remineralize. A kH value between 4-6 will allow you to safely alter your pH without it swinging. You need to add gH because it contains essential minerals fish and plants need to live.

Use botanicals, such a leaves (refer to the charts!) or seed pods, to release tannins and lower the pH OR you can use an active aquasoil (refer to the paragraph above for the pros and cons and further explanation).

You can also use chemical buffers like acid buffer from Seachem that will soften your water (lower kH) and allow for your pH to be adjusted, or you can use neutral regulator the same was as it brings your pH to 7 and softens the water.

Stock accordingly, check your kH, gH and pH often to make sure it’s all correct and stable.

Have fun!

Here’s the long and meaty version:

In the wild, there's multiple factors that lead to waters being more acidic, more neutral and more alkaline. In Amazonian rivers, as well as peat bogs in Indonesia, the concentration of decaying organic matter like leaf litter and wood releases tannins.

Tannins are an organic compound found in plants, and in some trees the tannins help prevent predation from insects, as well as operating as an antimicrobial and antifungal. When the parts of the plant fall into the water, the tannins are leached out and released into the water, which alters the water's chemistry by making it more acidic, and over time, softer. This is what gives peat swamps and the Amazon their rich, dark colored waters, and makes them soft and acidic. Another friend that helps out with this is humic acid, molecules present in plants that help them receive nutrients. Blackwater is filled with tannic and humic acids because of the decaying plant matter!

In reverse, the minerals in bodies of water will alter its chemistry. Karstic lakes are bodies of water carved into dolomite, limestone or gypsum, which are all rich in hard water causing minerals like calcium carbonates, and those minerals in turn can make the water very hard and alkaline.

We all agree that Rift Lake cichlids and saltwater fish need a certain water chemistry, they've evolved to live and flourish only in those water conditions, and taking them out long term can be detrimental to their health and cause illness and shorten their lifespans. Fish that evolved to be acidophiles evolved a specific way for a reason, and a few generations in captivity doesn't change that. In fact many breeders don't breed in hard water, but soften their water using RO/DI for these acid loving fish, and raise them in these conditions. This is why when you bring home cardinal tetras, you see a massive die off because you're taking fish kept in neutral to below neutral waters and adding them to a tank that had your tap with a pH of 8 and it shocks them and kills them.

Okay, great, you're thinking, you told me a bunch of stuff but haven't told me how to change my pH.

In order to to adjust your pH, you need to know your kH (carbonate hardness). It's the carbonate hardness that determines your pH in MOST situations (Sulawesi need not apply, the waters there are soft but the pH is alkaline!).

My friend @justnoodlefishthings can explain it way better than me: "Carbonate hardness, or kH, is the measure of calcium carbonate in the water. Calcium carbonate will dissociate into calcium and carbonate ions in water. The carbonate ions are unstable and unhappy and thus will readily suck up all available hydrogen ions in the water. The more hydrogen ions you have in water, the more acidic it is and vice versa for basicity. So, if you have a high kH, then there are not a lot of H+’s floating around to make the water any more acidic than what it already is. This prevents the pH from swinging wildly in any direction."

What this means is that it's crucial to know your kH in order to adjust your pH. You can't just add tannins and go "well that should do it!", otherwise you'll get alkaline tea water.

This is the range you're looking for when altering: 4-6 kH. The higher you get, the harder it is to lower your pH, and the lower you get, the more your pH will swing randomly without the buffering capabilities of your kH. That means your pH can swing to bother very acidic levels, like a peat swamp, or very alkaline levels, like a Sulawesi lake, despite having no kH.

Alright, so then how do I actually do it?

After testing your tap and determining your starting pH and kH, and you know you wanna keep specialized acidophiles, you realize you gotta do something. Your kH is reading at 8 and your pH is reading at 7.8, both of these things are the opposite of what you need. How can you fix this?

The safest is way is by getting RO/DI water from your LFS, or investing in a system of your own. They're not expensive compared to other tank equipment, roughly $60 can get you a nice RO Buddy off of Amazon. Your LFS prices may vary, but my advice is to get about ten gallons of RO from your LFS (it'll usually be $10-$15) and you can always try out altering the tank before getting any stock and seeing how you feel about this. You need to remineralize the RO/DI water, Salty Shrimp gH/kH+ is what I recommend so that you can have some kH for its buffering and stabilizing properties, and you need to add gH back into your tank. gH, calcium, magnesium and other minerals, are vital to fish and plants and all bodies of water contain varying amounts. 

Remember, you want your pH low, but stable, so aim for that 4-5 kH sweet spot. You can play around and get used to mixing the water and finding out your ratios before worrying about if you'll harm your stock if you do this with an empty tank. 

Adding botanicals to your water once it’s at that sweet spot will bring and keep your pH down. Botanicals would be any organic matter that releases tannins and humic acid; leaf litter, seed pods, coconot coir, etc. Here’s a fun chart that shows the different leaves you can use (and you can collect yourself) as well as the tannin outputs.

And this is how those leaves can effect your water.

(From here, also a good article expanding on botanicals and how to collect them yourself)

You can also peruse the catalog of Tannin Aquatics to get some fun things, but be aware that seed pods do eventually rot and you’ll want to periodically pull them out if you notice it being a bit too funky. A slight sulfur smell is okay, that’s the organic material breaking down, but if it smells like rancid farts you’ll want to cycle it out with a new pod.

Another, more expensive route, is to use an aquasoil with your RO/DI water. Aquasoils are things like ADA Amazonia, UNS, Fluval, etc. They’re clay-based, high CEC (cation exchange capacity) which means they’re excellent for your planted tanks. They absorb nutrients from your water and hold onto it so that your plants can use it continuously. It’s also an active soil, it will buffer your pH to around 6 and keep it there without needing to use an additive to raise your kH, but you will need to raise you gH, which would be your calcium and magnesium and other minerals that are vital to fish and plant health. There’s downsides beside the cost; they leech a lot of ammonia when you add them, and can take a month to subside, though this aids in starting a cycle. They will break down over time and turn into mud, and you can’t disturb the soil or have digging fish otherwise they’ll generate massive mud clouds. They also eventually need to be replaced every two years or so, and if you’re like me you don’t like the idea of needing to break down a tank every two years. This is, however, a good option if you’re okay with the above downsides.

You can also use chemical buffers to do all of this work, acid buffer will break down your kH and create co2, and allow for your pH to drop, neutral regulator will soften your water the same way but keep your pH, well, at a neutral 7. I’ve used acid buffer successfully, you just need to follow the directions on the bottle, but you can also experiment with this the same way you would with the RO/DI water.

Remember this, though, below a pH of 5, most bacteria that aid in the nitrogen cycle are unable to live because of the highly acidic conditions. In these extremely low pH environments, they’re peat bogs typically, and peat bogs have one important kind of plant that makes it a peat bog; the sphagnum moss. The sphagnum acts as the beneficial bacteria in this situation, as it takes in the ammonia and nitrogen the bacteria typically would, and uses it up, eliminating it from the water. This is how low pH peat bogs and swamps “cycle” themselves! And why leaving the sphagnum moss alone in these places is important, because they’re the very livelihood of the swamps and bogs. You can always obtain sustainably grown sphagnum moss if you’re looking to replicate a peat bog of your own and allow it to float on the surface in a mat of other mosses, leaves and organic matter, just like you’d see in a real bog.

[sampaii-ca]

Hunger (Klance fic)

Have you ever been so in love with a character it makes you cry?  Ya well that's Keith for me lol happy birthday you funky little Galra and beautiful knife boy!

Today's prompt was birthday...duh.

*** Lance couldn’t take his eyes off of the stage in front of him.  He never in his wildest dreams would have thought he’d be graced by the spectacle that is unveiling in front of him at the moment.

The date is October 23rd.

Time: a few minutes past 10pm.

Place: Balmera Cove aka a dive bar with a karaoke machine.

Said machine is part of the cause of Lance’s entertainment at the moment.  His husband is currently on stage belting out the lyrics to “My Heart Will Go On”.  Lance has the biggest grin on his face as he records Keith trying with all his might to hit those impossibly high notes.  It comes out sounding more like a dying cat than anything resembling a note Celine carries, but Lance loves it and can’t stop staring at the beautiful, and very tipsy, man singing on stage.

The gang all came out tonight to celebrate Keith’s 30th birthday, Balmera Cove was a local dive that they frequented often when they could all go grab a drink and catch up.  Since they were known as regulars, the bar let them decorate for Keith’s birthday.  Pidge had the bright idea to post “Over the Hill” tombstone posters everywhere to make fun of Keith’s ripe old age of 30.  Lance wanted to make something more sentimental so he went and visited Keith’s mom to collect a bunch of childhood photos to make a collage, which now hangs above the booth the gang has claimed as their own.  Lance couldn’t stop cooing at every photo he looked at and had a hard time picking his favorites.  The one where Keith was 5 and had on a superman cape, just his underwear and the biggest smile was probably his absolute favorite though and he decided to put it smack dab in the middle of the collage for everyone to see.  Keith turned bright red when he saw the damn thing and Lance took pride in the fact that he could still fluster Keith even after years of being married.

Now back on stage, Keith finished up his song and hopped off.  He strode towards Lance and stumbled a little bit into his open arms.

“Hi babe.”  Lance chuckled into the top of Keith’s head.

Keith looked up with a lazy smile and hazy eyes, “Hi….Lance…”  He poked Lance in the chest, “My Lance.”  Then he pecked Lance on the lips.  “Did you like my song?”

Lance felt a little starstruck at the gorgeous creature in his arms, even if his breath smelled like tequila and he was sweating a little.  It took him a moment to realize Keith had asked him a question.

“Of course babe!  You were great!  I knew you could do karaoke.”

Keith snorted and gave Lance an incredulous glance, “O please, I know I’m terrible.  The only reason I got up there was because of the 2 shots of tequila Pidge bought for me.  Nothing like a little liquid courage to help me.”  He chuckled and took Lance’s hand.  “Come ooooon.  We’re up next!”

“Wait..we?”  Lance followed Keith to the side of the stage as he dragged him along.

“Well duh!  We need to do a duet!”

“What are we singing?”

Keith smirked up at Lance and Lance felt a little thrill run through him, he knew that smirk.  It was the one Keith wore when he wanted to cause trouble.  It usually resulted in Lance embarrassing the hell out of himself or had him and Keith running away to sneak off to be alone.  Seeing as he and Keith were walking up on stage right now, looks like the former was most likely to occur.

“Babe, what song are we singing?”  Lance asked again as Keith handed him a microphone.

“You’ll know it when it starts.”  Keith winked at him and pressed play on the machine.

The beat started up and Lance immediately recognized it.

“Yooooooo..I tell you what I want!  What I really really want!”  Keith sang.

“So tell me what you want, what you really, really want!”  Lance parried back.

“I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want!”

“So tell me what you want, what you really, really want!”

“I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha) I wanna, (ha)

I wanna really, really, really wanna zigazig ah!”  Lance gave a little hip shimmy as he sang.

They continued their duet while also trying to dance with each other which resulted in them missing a few verses.  But neither one of them cared.  Their smiles were only directed at each other and Lance couldn’t help but be reminded at how lucky he was to have Keith by his side.  His perfect duet and life partner.

***

A few drinks later and now past midnight, Lance was having a very intense, drunken, conversation (more like argument) with Pidge on whether or not a hot dog is classified as a sandwich.

“Pidge,” Lance slurred a little and pointed at Pidge.  She looked right at his finger and it resulted in her going a little cross eyed, which ended up looking way funnier than it should have because it was amplified by her glasses.  “Look, a sandwich is defined as: a food typically consisting of vegetables, sliced cheese or meat, placed on or between slices of bread,  more generally any dish wherein two or more pieces of bread serve as a container or a wrapper.  According to Wikipedia.  So a hot dog is the meat and the bun is bread, the hog dog sits in the middle of the bread.  So it is a SANDWICH!”

Pidge scoffed and crossed her arms.  “Lance, when you order a hot dog do you say ‘I want a hot dog sandwich?’  No!  You say I want a hot dog!  Just hot dog!  It’s in it’s own category!”

“It’s still meat in bread!  A sandwich!”

“No it’s not!  It’s just a hot dog!”  Pidge stood up and leaned into Lance’s space and flicked him on the forehead. “HOT DOG.”

Lance was about to retaliate when Keith plopped down next to him with a round of fresh beers for them.

“What are we talking about?”  He asked taking a sip from his beer.

“Lance here thinks a hot dog is a sandwich.”  Pidge huffs and grabs her beer.

“Wait, what?  No it’s not. It’s just a hot dog.”  Keith turns to look at Lance and Pidge slams her fist on the table.  “HA!  I TOLD YOU!”

Lance squawks and puts his hand over his heart.  “Keith, babe, sweetie, light of my life.  A hot dog IS sandwich and I can’t believe you think otherwise!  And you’re supposed to agree with me on everything!  I am your husband!”

Keith glances up at Lance through his lashes and that damn smirk is back.  He slides his hand up Lance’s thigh under the table, stopping just short of his crotch.  He dances his fingers lightly on the inside, tapping out a slow rhythm.  He leans in, lips ghosting across Lance’s ear.  “I know what kind of ‘hot dog’ I’d like to eat later.”  His hand finally presses into the bulge in Lance’s pants.

Lance audibly gulps and a flush rushes to his cheeks.  He glances across the table to find Pidge rolling her eyes and muttering gross as she downs her drink and leaves the booth to find the others.

Keith has now taken up residence in the crook of Lance’s neck and is leaving a trail of small kisses.  Lance pushes him back so he can look at his face and Keith makes a little whining noise.

“Baaaabbbeeee.”  Lance wants to continue this but he knows him and Keith will get scolded by  Shiro if they start making out in the booth.  They may be grown men now but Shiro still acts like the dad of the group and this isn’t the first time this has happened and it probably won’t be the last.

“What?  It’s my birthday and I want to unwrap my present.”  Keith breathes across Lance’s lips and grips his crotch a little tighter for emphasis.

Lance is ashamed at the squeak that escapes him but he isn’t about to deny Keith what he wants.  Let’s face it, Lance is weak for Keith on a normal day so considering it’s his birthday, who is he to deny his husband anything.

He scooches Keith out of the booth and takes his hand.  They make their way towards the bar where the rest of the group is getting drinks.  

“Hey, so Keith is getting hungry so we’re gunna go grab something to eat.”  Lance explains, all the while Keith has his arms around his waist from behind and is buried in his neck again.  

Everyone looks at them with skeptical glances.  “O he’s definitely hungry for SOMETHING.”  Pidge looks them up and down with a smirk.  “Hungry for dick.”

“PIDGE!”

“Well she’s not wrong.”  Keith says as he nibbles on Lance’s ear.

“Keith!”  Lance squirms in his hold and waves goodbye to everyone.  “Ok, we’re out of here.  Let Rolo know we’ll be back tomorrow to take down the decorations.  Thanks guys!”  He grabs Keith’s hand and starts to walk towards the exit.  They all yell happy birthday to Keith and he glances back at the group and waves in thanks as they walk out the door.

***

Lance has been trying to get the key in the lock for the past few minutes but he’s having a hard time concentrating when Keith is plastered to his back and his hands are roaming up and down his sides.  Keith’s kisses on his neck are light and fleeting and has Lance squirming under the attention.  

He finally, FINALLY, manages to unlock the door and they stumble into their house.  Once the door closes Keith wastes no time in pushing Lance against the door and covering his mouth with his own.  Lance can taste the alcohol on Keith’s lips but his probably taste just the same.

“God you taste good.”  Keith pants into Lance’s mouth.  Keith reaches for the bottom of Lance’s shirt and attempts to take it off but Lance stops him.  Keith pulls back with a pout and gives Lance a questionable glare.

“I have a surprise for you.  Let’s go the bedroom.”  Lance pulls Keith down the hall and they slip into their room.  Their two cats Rose and Aqua lay sleeping in the corner chair.

Lance forces Keith to sit on the edge of the bed and he walks over to the ipod dock and turns on some music.  Keith’s eyes go wide as Lance slowly turns around and starts to slink towards him.  Keith has a feeling where this is going and his grin is so wide he’s surprised his face doesn’t crack in two.

Lance stops in front of Keith and plays with the bottom hem of his shirt, barely raising it to show just a sliver of skin.  All the while swaying his hips to the music.  Keith reaches out to run his fingers over Lance’s tantalizing stomach but his hand is smacked away.

“Ow, what the hell Lance.”  Keith pouts and tucks his hands in his lap.

“No touching, not until I’m done.”  Lance sing songs as he turns around slowly so his back is facing Keith.

He starts to lift the hem of his shirt up, slowly, o so slowly and Keith can see his back muscles flexing as they work to lift the shirt up over his head.  Keith is practically drooling on himself, he’s always had a thing for Lance’s back.  Ever since he first saw Lance at swim practice.  He could stare at the corded muscles and broad shoulders for hours.

Lance turns around and Keith mourns the loss of Lance’s back but disappointment is quickly washed away as Lance’s abs are on full display now.  Keith is definitely drooling now, he’s seen Lance naked at least a thousand times but every damn time it still manages to take Keith’s breath away.  He knows it’ll be like that all the way until they are old and grey.

Lance takes his shirt and pulls it taunt between his hands and shimmies towards Keith, he plops down in Keith’s lap and wraps the shirt around his neck to hang there.  Lance starts to grind his hips and runs his fingers through his own hair, shooting a coy look over at Keith.  Lance then grabs his shirt on both ends and tugs Keith’s face towards him, stopping just shy of his lips.  Keith’s eyes close expectantly but all Lance does is ghost his lips across Keith’s and stands up.  

Keith makes a whimpering sound at the loss of warmth from Lance’s body.  Again, no time to dwell on said loss because Lance is a few feet in front of him now, undoing his belt buckle.    Lance lossen’s the buckle and zips down his fly.  Keith looks like a fish, mouth hanging open, eyes wide, pupils blown out with lust as he watches Lance.  Lance loves the fact that he can make Keith look at him like that, revels in the fact that if Lance let him, Keith would have ripped his clothes off already.  Lance starts to work his pants down his legs, he turns so his backside is to Keith, wants to get Keith drooling again.  

But Lance is realizing his mistake now, he wore skinny jeans.  Jeans so skinny that it usually took him a few minutes to shimmy into the them and get them on.  He manages to get them down over his ass and he can hear Keith’s intake of breath at the sight of the booty shorts Lance has on underneath.  They are a deep shade of red, a color he knows Keith loves on him.  Lance smirks and forces his pants down to his ankles, almost off he thinks.  He realizes this next part isn’t going to be very graceful but he works his foot out of one pant leg and steps on the mess of pants on the floor to get his other foot out without having to bend over.  He almost has it done too but his foot gets caught in the tight ankle of the pants and he loses his balance.  He windmills his arms trying to regain his balance but it’s too late.  That, mixed with the alcohol in Lance’s system sends him toppling to the ground.

“Eeeppp!!”  Lance squeaks as he crashes to the floor.  

“Lance!”  Keith yelped as he watched in slow motion his adorable disaster of a husband land flat on his back.

Lance ended up starfished across their floor, staring at the ceiling with his foot still stuck in his pant leg.  Keith came into his line of vision, “Hey babe, how’s the weather down there?”  Keith snickers as he extends his hand out to help Lance up.

“O shut up.”  Lance growls.  “I was trying to be sexy!  I wanted to blow your mind with a seductive lap dance.”  He pouts as he takes Keith’s hand and is hoisted up off the floor.  Keith kneels down and puts Lance’s hands on his shoulders.  

“Lift your leg up babe.”  Lance does and Keith gently tugs off the stuck pant leg from his foot.  He tosses the pants aside and stands up so he’s face to face with Lance who is still pouting.

“Aww babe, don’t pout.”  Keith tries to console Lance but he can’t help the snicker that leaves his lips.  Lance shoots him a glare but he can tell there’s a smile starting to creep onto his face.

Keith hooks his arms around Lance’s waist and snakes his hands down his backside, kneading the firm muscle through the booty shorts.

“These are nice,” Keith snaps the waistband of the shorts.  “You know how much I love you in red.”

Lance hums in appreciation, “That’s why I bought them.”

“I liked your lap dance too.”  Keith starts to kiss up Lance’s neck.  Lance snorts, “Well it could have gone better.”

Keith nuzzles under Lance’s neck and nibbles at the soft skin.  “I’m still hungry though.”

A shiver runs through Lance as he answers, “Then let’s eat.”  He kisses Keith and whispers, “Happy Birthday love.”  And he grins as Keith picks him up and they fall onto the bed and get tangled in the sheets until the early hours of the morning.

***

They don’t make it back to the bar to clean up until late in the afternoon the next day

[midgardbrewhouse]

Fruit Addition to Wild Yeast Lambic

Really pleased with the progress of my wild yeast Lambic, after 6 days it had worked down to 1.012! It must be the temperature control that kept it up to speed. Be interested to see how low it can go.

The sample tasted light crisp and citrusy with a touch of sourness but not much. The blackcurrant will soon sort that out though. There's a chance if there isn't any Brett in there that this might actually be drinkable sooner than I thought.

So on day 7 I prepared 1325g of home-grown Blackcurrants and 425g of White Currants which I had frozen fresh from picking. I added these to my big brewpot with 1.5L of water, 300g of brown sugar, 1tsp of pectolase (to prevent it turning to jam) and simmered it for 10 minutes. I also used this opportunity to put in 15g of Oak Chips as well so that they’d be sterilised. I’m trying to emulate the oak barrel ageing that a traditional Lambic would get with these.

I then added this all to my muslin bag inside a small FV to cool, pouring the liquid and placing the bag into the main FV later on. This way I can easily remove the fruit pulp and oak when I need to. The sample that came out was a glorious colour and tasted really nice as well. Gravity was up to 1.015 which is good considering I added nearly 2.5L of extra liquid. The wild yeast tucked into those extra sugar pretty fast, I’m so happy with how it’s performing after it’s slow development over 3 months in the starter jar. I’ll take a sample again after a week and see how it’s going. I did have some notes saying that it could do to sit on the fruit for 3 months. I’m thinking with the way it’s progressing that the aging might be better in the bottle rather than the FV. The lack of sourness is making my think this is just quite a straightforward wild yeast that I’ve caught here, which I’m happy with but it might not be the funky Lambic I thought it would be.