#history of hot chocolate in france

[most-normal-eccles-cake-ignorer]

Good Omens: Lockdown, Aziraphale’s SAD-ASS desk, and how they get to 'Our bookshop' in S2

Welcome to part 2 of me reading reeaally far into the Good Omens: Lockdown video! (part 1 from Crowley's POV here) This post assumes the item choices in the Lockdown visuals are intentional. What follows is going to be my headcanon regardless, but if you're into the Word of God, Lockdown is canon 'If you want it to be.' and I want it to be, sooo checkmate! >;D

Also this is something of a long boi (~13 minute read without following the links >.>), so if you're into unhinged analysis of details and literary references that indicate Aziraphale is in his longing era and want to learn more about author and fave-of-Gaiman, G.K. Chesterton, either get comfy or mark this to read later when you have time!

C: What? A: *somehow surprised even though HE CALLED* A-ah, hello. It's me! C: I know it's you, Aziraphale. A: *regaining composure* Yes, well, just calling to see how you were doing in lockdown.

The video starts with shots of Aziraphale and Crowley's da Vinci sketches (and some sushi remnants)... Babygirl is flipping through the time-goes-too-fast-for-me version of a facebook album, thinking about his crush. vERY chill of him. (also the paper looks new and he's eating on top of them, suggesting these are prints and he has multiple copies of them... sooo normal)

If we look closer at the still of Crowley's portrait, we can see part of the spine of a book that reads Kei- Chesterto-. This is, of course, author Gilbert Keith Chesterton, to whom Neil and Terry (and Crowley) dedicated Good Omens:

The authors would like to join the demon Crowley in dedicating this book to the memory of G. K. Chesterton A man who knew what was going on.

In this post by @azfellandco about Chesterton, you can see a photo of the dedication page and also read the book excerpt where Crowley describes Chesterton as 'the only poet in the twentieth century to even come close to the Truth'.

C: I'm bored. I'm so very very bored - transcendentally bored. There's nothing to do here!

As Crowley is explaining his nap contingency plan, we get a shot of Aziraphale picking up his mug of hot chocolate, then the image below of the 2/3rds gone bottle of Courvoisier cognac (i mean maybe he is baking with it let's not jump to conclusions), and then the stack of books beside a framed woodcut print of witches dancing with devils...

...that I used reverse image search to trace back to page 17 of a book from 1720 called The history of witches and wizards: giving a true account of all their tryals in England, Scotland, Swedeland, France, and New England; with their confession and condemnation.

Interestingly, the text above and below the picture reads:

At their Meeting they have usually Wine, or good Beer, Cakes, Meat, or the like; they Eat and Drink really: When they meet in their Bodies, Dance also, and have Musick...

Beside the framed print of Aziraphale's idea of a really great night out is a stack of books that includes (going from top to bottom):

Homer's The Iliad, Book 2

Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton

Forbidden Rites: A Necromancer's Manual of the Fifteenth Century by Richard Kieckhefer

a book by Hilaire Belloc with no visible title

The Club of Queer Trades by G.K. Chesterton

The Iliad (according to sparknotes) has the following major themes:

....Interesting, ok. Book 2 in particular starts with a god (Zeus) messing with someone (Agamemnon) via a dream that says he will be successful in taking Troy if he launches a full assault, balls to the (city) wall. Agamemnon, who is supposed to be leading the Achaean army to conquer Troy, believes the dream but then in a weird twist decides to test his army and be like 'jk actually I'm giving up and going home' and then is mad when the soldiers are like 'sick, to the boats!' Then Odysseus, who sparknotes tells me is the most eloquent of the Achaeans, gives an impressive speech to inspire the troops and reminds them that they vowed 'that they would not abandon their struggle until the city fell.' ...No way that could worsen Aziraphale's internal conflict about being a bad Angel who thwarted the Great Plan. >.>; Orthodoxy we'll get to in a second.

Then there's Forbidden Rites which is a medieval necromancy guide translated from Latin with added commentary - Aziraphale is perhaps studying occult topics in an attempt to understand Crowley better? And then there's the Hilaire Belloc book on top of the second Chesterton book, a collection of related stories/episodes?, The Club of Queer Trades. The book's Wikipedia page says:

Each story in the collection is centered on a person who is making his living by some novel and extraordinary means. To gain admittance [to the Club of Queer Trades] one must have invented a unique means of earning a living and the subsequent trade being the main source of income.

Aziraphale and Crowley have rather novel/extraordinary jobs and they're both peculiar-queer and gay-queer. Neat. The narrator in the book is named Charlie "Cherub" Swinburne - also neat. >.> He goes on an adventure with his friend, a retired judge and president of the Club of Queer Trades, Basil Grant, (who Oct 2021 GoodReads reviewer Cecily said is "described as mad, mystical, and a poet, with almost no friends, but who “would talk to any one anywhere”) and Basil's younger brother, a private detective named Inspector Constable Rupert Grant. The last line of the book is:

Thus our epic ended where it had begun, like a true cycle. (something something "It starts, as it will end, with a garden.")

Anyway, the Belloc book and The Club of Queer Trades are placed back to back in such a way that they almost look like they could be one book with two different aesthetics, or... two halves of a pantomime beast?! (stay with me I needed a segue)

Belloc and Chesterton have what is essentially a ship name:

It was coined by George Bernard Shaw (if you are like me and didn't know why you've heard of him: he wrote, among other things, Pygmalion, which was adapted into My Fair Lady). Shaw apparently liked to gossip about Belloc and Chesterton with H.G. Wells (again if you're uncultured like me: he wrote, among other science fiction-y things, The War of the Worlds).

In the Feb 15, 1908 issue of The New Age newspaper, Shaw said:

He continued:

"Chesterton and Belloc are so unlike that they get frightfully into one another’s way. ... They are unlike in everything except the specific literary genius and delight in play-acting that is common to them, and that threw them into one another’s arms.”

Shaw says Belloc is 'a bit of a rowdy', and 'cannot bear isolation'. Hmm. Then he says Chesterton is 'friendly, easy-going, unaffected, gentle, magnanimous, and genuinely democratic'. HMM.

“They share one failing—almost the only specific trait they have in common except their literary talent. That failing is, I grieve to say, addiction to the pleasures of the table.”

Ok ok I think we can see where this is going.

(^ from Staged S3E6)

Now, someone did ask Neil Gaiman about this similarity, and he said the Lockdown video was filmed by Rob Wilkins in Terry Pratchett's library, and that he suspects 'Belloc is there because he was on Terry's shelves beside Chesterton.' And it MAY VERY WELL BE that NONE (0) of the book titles are meant in any way other than 'these are books from Sir Pratchett's library that looked nice on camera and ofc we wanted some Chesterton refs and maybe some demon-y stuff for Crowley' but that is WAY less fun so I am choosing to take them as intentional: these are books Aziraphale is actually reading (along with the sushi and many cakes he is actually eating). Let's put ourselves in Aziraphale's shoes and try to imagine how it would be to read this stuff during lockdown while you pine for a demon with slinky hips after you got in big trouble at work for Armageddoff (and work happens to have defined your worldview and general purpose in life).

C: welll... ngk then people might follow my bad example and get ill. Or even die—

As Crowley acknowledges that he ought to be out making peoples' lives worse, we see Orthodoxy by Chesterton open on the desk.

Orthodoxy is described as a ‘spiritual autobiography’ and is considered a classic of Christian apologetics, i.e. the religious discipline of defending religious doctrines (in this case, Catholic) through systematic argumentation and discourse. Wikipedia also says Chesterton's The Everlasting Man contributed to C.S. Lewis' conversion to Christianity, so overall it sounds like he must've been fairly convincing. (and so maybe reading it also poked at that work-related-but-religious-trauma-adjacent stuff Aziraphale has going on?)

You can read Orthodoxy (and probably any of the books I mention bc theyre all old) on project gutenberg but I will include this part of what is shown on the righthand page bc it just reminds me (and so probably Azirapalala as well) of a certain angel squeaking happily at a nebula:

"I felt economical about the stars as if they were sapphires (they are called so in Milton's Eden): I hoarded the hills. For the universe is a single jewel, and while it is a natural cant to talk of a jewel as peerless and priceless, of this jewel it is literally true. This cosmos is indeed without peer and without price: for there cannot be another one."

Ok great, so Aziraphale is diving into the works of one of Crowley's favorite authors bc he misses him, that's cute. What else? Oh he already wrote him a letter right before calling - THE WICK ON THE WAX STICK FOR THE SEAL IS STILL SMOKING. sO CASUAL asdashgfjds

something something 'either call on the phone and talk, or appear mysteriously; don't do both'

When Aziraphale gets to 'I've never had so few customers, not in two hundred years!' We get a close up of this glass of cognac with droplets still on the side — I take back what I said about baking, Aziraphale is drinking it~

He's not drinking a wine, eg Châteauneuf-du-pape, which would be ~14% alcohol by volume (ABV), or a sherry (15-20% ABV); he is drinking Courvoisier cognac, a hard liquor (40% ABV). Crowley's Talisker whisky is 48.5% while we are on the topic. This is stronger than what Aziraphale usually drinks which means... he could be a bit tipsy.

As Aziraphale starts talking about the would-be cash-box burglary, we get this wide shot of the desk:

In the top left hand corner, we see two stacks of books, most (all?) of which appear to be Chesterton when I zoom in. Some of them have Chesterton's name visible on them, others have the publisher name 'Darwen Finlayson' on them, which according to my googling is a house that published several of Chesterton's works. If Chesterton was truly 'a man who knew what was going on', then perhaps this is Aziraphale seeking not just to feel closer to Crowley, but also to make sense of the warring ideas in his mind. Interestingly, Chesterton has also been described as 'The Eccentric Prince of Paradox'.

C: *clearly amused* Did you smite them with your wroth?

The screen then shows two occult-y books and a flickering candle (lower left image). Then Aziraphale explains about his cake~, and as Crowley cuts him off because he's about to nervously ask to come over bc he is so so lonely & down bad for a certain angelic bookworm, we see a map of Oxfordshire on top of Pilgrim's Progress (lower right image).

The two books beside the candle are Satanism and Witchcraft (presumably the 1862 book by Jules Michelet that comes up when I search the title), and another called Magic: An Occult Primer.

Satanism and Witchcraft is described on Wikipedia as 'notable for being one of the first sympathetic histories of witchcraft' and says 'Michelet was one of the first few people to attempt to show the sociological explanation of the Witch Trials.’ Sympathy for people who like to eat/drink/dance with demons, if you will?

Magic: An Occult Primer is a 1972 book by David Conway, a Welsh (CACHU HWCH!) magus and is described as 'a seminal work that brought magical training to the every-magician'. It also includes an appendix called The Occult Who's Who, which is somewhat reminiscent of Hastur's Furfur's book about angels. In Chapter 11: A Word About Demons, it says in regard to summoning them:

"Assuming that the form has turned up in the right place, it will soon begin to act and talk in a very friendly manner; do not forget, however, that its winning ways conceal a sinister intention-- namely, to get the adept out of the circle, and into its clutches.”

...okay?? Aziraphale's desk has a flickering candle on it throughout the video, and we get a close up of the flame when Crowley offers to slither over:

and just like that, Aziraphale has summoned a demon~~

Naturally, he freaks out:

A: *panicking*Oh I— I— I— I— I'm afraid that would be Breaking All The Rules! *nervous breathing* Out of the question! I'll see you… when this is over.

But why? Isn't this what he wanted? Let's go back to the Pilgrim's Progress shot from right before the successful demon summoning and zoom in:

In a similar vein to Orthodoxy, Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan, is an allegorical Puritan conversion narrative. Christian is the main character / stand in for anyone who wants to be in the allegory and Hopeful is well, hopeful, from what I gather. A slightly larger continuous excerpt is here for the curious, but here are some bits I thought were especially interesting in the part of the book shown above:

Christian: Why, what was it that brought your sins to mind again? Hopeful: Many things; as, If I did but meet a good man in the streets; or, If I have heard any read in the Bible; or, If mine head did begin to ache; or, If I were told that some of my neighbors were sick; or, If I heard the bell toll for some that were dead; or, If I thought of dying myself; or, If I heard that sudden death happened to others; But especially when I thought of myself that I must quickly come to judgment.

Perhaps the pandemic is bringing Aziraphale's "sins" to mind again, on top of the whole choosing faces thing to avoid 'quickly coming to judgment'. And then:

Hopeful: I thought I must endeavor to mend my life; for else, thought I, I am sure to be lost forever. Christian: And did you endeavor to mend? Hopeful: Yes, and fled from not only my sins, but sinful company too, and betook me to religious duties, as praying, reading, weeping for sin, speaking truth to my neighbors, etc.

UM??? While I can't say about the praying or weeping for sin, he has definitely been reading and the whole 'giving a good talking to' the burglars could be 'speaking truth to [the] neighbors'...?

Anyway to recap:

Aziraphale has been poring over books about dark magic and demons as well as a ton of books by an author that Crowley loves and who formed a partnership w a very different person in a sort of yin-yang, pantomime beast situation

He has been looking at pictures that remind him of their fun times w Leo in Florence and eating sushi and cake cake cake (and forgiving sinners) and drinking hot chocolate and cognac trying to fill a void but now he's tipsy so he wrote Crowley a letter, stamped it with a wax seal and then thought 'I should call her' BUT

His recent brush with attempted death penalties, the death toll of the pandemic, and some of the religious books he was reading have also filled him with guilt/fear over disobeying Heaven, who he knows could still be watching him and Crowley, so he feels much more conflicted than usual AND

He probably has some inkling that he wants to go ape shit on that ox rib if it comes over to hang out (lol editing to add bc i remembered ox rib discourse: ape shit in an emotional way! whether you hc them as ace or not I just think he really likes him and I’m using ox ribs as a stand in for general forbidden joy/love, not specifically sexy stuff)

So he has to say no.

Anything else might cause him to spontaneously discorporate into a plume of pining and cognitively dissonant gay smoke, which may be all well and good if you only think there's a God, but if you KNOW it and the angels are absolutely recording you and Heaven just tried to kill you and your wife colleague, it's... kind of a big deal.

C: Right. gnnehh. I'm setting the alarm clock for July. Good night, angel. *dial tone*

We don't get to hear Aziraphale's response, but besties you and I both know he is not feeling tickety-boo. He spent like a month putting off calling Crowley (UK lockdowns started end of March, the call is at the beginning of May), finally got drunk and said what the Hell, it'll just be a fun flirty chat in between his temptations, and then it turned out Crowley was depressed and not going anywhere and Aziraphale made him even sadder. And then it got worse because it wasn't all over in July, or in October, even.

I think Aziraphale ends up with a lot of time and brain space in which to think about how Orthodoxy and Pilgrim's Progress were only written to guide *mortals* and how it really wouldn't be so bad if he spent more time with Crowley, would it? Heaven hasn't reached out in actual years again, things feel safer. Crowley is essentially Good and spending time with him would be sort of ministering to the downtrodden and afflicted, and Aziraphale does miss reporting his good deeds (lol you know, whatever rationalizations you need to get you there).

More than anything, he thinks about how hollow everything feels without Crowley; how no mouthful of food or drink tastes as satisfying in his absence because it wasn't ever just about the 'gross matter'...

So when lockdowns end, Aziraphale begins to summon his demon again, but this time with much less inner struggling. It all comes so naturally, when you let it. By the beginning of Season 2 in 2023, they seem delightfully comfortable with their shared routines and places (see also this lovely post by @nightgoodomens). Our car. Our bookshop.

Aziraphale might take longer to catch up, but he does get there.

(SHHH DON'T THINK ABOUT EPISODE 6! STOP! I'M HANGING UP!)

“The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost.” ― G.K. Chesterton

[filmtv2022]

Ineffable Agony

Pairing: Aziraphale x Platonic!Reader x Crowley

Synopsis: One quiet night, Aziraphale and Crowley's world is rocked. A fallen angel is dropped on their doorstep. Their very presence shoves the reality of their Earthly partnership back into view and calls into question the very stability of Heaven and Hell. Aziraphale and Crowley struggle not only to understand the depth of the situation they've found themselves in but also to save the reader.

Warning: bleeding/blood loss + death.

A/N: I tried my best to use gender-neutral language in this one. The reader does have hair, but other than that, I think their physicality is fairly nondescript. As always, I apologize for any mistakes. It's getting late & I'm super tired.

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

Warm light spilled out of the wide windows of A.Z. Fell and Co: Antiquarian and Unusual Books. Inside, surrounded by unruly shelves and half-empty bottles of red wine sat the oddest and most right pair in celestial history. Aziraphale had long since set aside his glass of wine, forgoing further intoxication for a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Crowley on the other hand had continued to sip away, which glass or bottle he was on remained a bit unclear.

Feeling his head turning fuzzy, the demon slowed his pace of consumption, his eyelids heavy with exhaustion and inebriation. In the days post averting the apocalypse, Aziraphale and Crowley found themselves settling into this new life. One free from apparent oversight from both Heaven and Hell. The two indulged in human luxury wherever and whenever they liked, unencumbered by the pull from their respective head offices. For the first time in millennia, they felt truly free to live as they liked, and what a life it was.  

“How does breakfast at the Ritz sound, Angel? I think I could do with a nice morning out, feeding the ducks, fancy tea… or perhaps we'll pop over to France for some crepes?” 

“That sounds lovely. ” Smiling sweetly at Crowley, he swallowed the last bit of his drink before standing to return the dirty cup to the sink in the back. 

A sudden burst of white light flashed like the sun, flooding the space before being replaced by the wretched orange and red of hell fire, stopping him in his tracks. Inky darkness replaced the flare as fast as it happened. Snapping his attention to the entrance, Aziraphale stood in observation waiting in anticipation for something more to happen. Having seen, the display from his seat, Crowley stood and joined the Angel.

“What’s going on?” 

“I…I don’t know. There was a…”

A sudden thump of something heavy smacking into the door forced him to stop speaking. To the human senses, nothing seemed out of place, the world continued to move just as it always had, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The air began to thrum with energy, the waves pouring into the store erratically, their intensity growing stronger the longer it went on. Crowley hissed, a guttural reaction to the feel of pain that roared through them both. Fighting to stay upright, Aziraphle gripped the demon’s shoulders as he doubled over in pain.

“Are you all right?” Pushing aside the ache that filled his own head, Aziraphale struggled to focus on the present, caught between concern for Crowley and whatever… or whoever was causing this to happen. 

“I’m fine, just dandy, but I’d be better if my insides weren’t twisting around knots.” 

“Yes, of course.”

Closing his eyes, the angel searched for a miracle, one strong enough to put an end to the horrific suffering that flowed freely into the room. Celestial magic hummed over his skin but died as he worked to make it so. Trying again, and failing, dread bubbled hot in in Zira’s chest. 

“It’s not working!”

“Obviously!” 

Groaning, Crowley clutched at his stomach as Aziraphale whimpered next to him. The angel’s head was full to the bursting point as if his mind was being ripped apart at the seams.

“I… I don’t know what to do!” 

Forcing himself to stand to his full height, Crowley removed himself from the angel’s hold, “Fine, I’ll finish this myself.” 

He too searched for a miracle. The darkness of his own magic flooded over his senses as he worked, but nothing happened. The lick of heat that always accompanied his miracles ran cold, leaving a chill over his skin in its absence. Aziraphale’s knees buckled as the pressure in his skull intensified. Dropping to the ground with him, Crowley held onto his angel.

Then as quickly as it started, the vibrations ceased to exist. Panting hard, the pair stood up on shaky legs. Crowley’s hand stayed firm on Aizraphale’s back, helping the Angel along as well as grounding himself. Stumbling toward the door, Zirh’s fingers trembled as he reached for the handle. Glancing at Crowley, he waited for some sign of reassurance, which was freely given in the form of a nearly imperceptible nod. Opening the door, their eyes immediately fell on the torn figure slumped face down on the ground before them. Slashes cut through their jacket and pants, the flesh below ripped to shreds and bleeding heavily. Ichor coated the surface of the stoop, pooling in a wide swath before spilling down the step. Kneeling down to see things more clearly, Aziraphale gently rolled over the stranger, the gore staining his hands red. 

“They’re an angel.” Laying them on their back, his fingers felt for a pulse. It was weak, barely more than a flutter, but it was there.

“Not anymore.” Crowley gritted his teeth as he spoke, the realization of what had happened hitting too close to home, “They’ve been cast down.”

“Cast down? But Heaven they’ve… they’ve taken…” 

“Taken their wings, yes.” 

“That’s not supposed to happen?” 

“And yet it did.” 

“Why?”

“Why not? It certainly makes a statement.” Reaching for their hand, Crowley slowly unfurled their fist, removing the gore-soaked paper from within. 

“A statement for who?”

“Us.” Peeling apart the folds, Crowley read the smeared words aloud, “To the attention of one A.Z. Fell & Anthony J. Crowley. Your actions have consequences that reach far behind the realms of Heaven and Hell. You’ve set something in motion that must be stopped.” 

Locking eyes with the demon, Zira struggles to find words, “What does this mean?”

“I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough.” 

Scooping the fallen angel into his arms, Crowley deftly made his way toward the second floor of the bookshop. Finding the first door on the right partially open, he pushed it open with his foot. A couple of strong strides had him standing next to the bed, scanning over their face for any sign of familiarity. Finding nothing, he placed them down on the mattress on their side before turning his attention to the wounds. Trying yet again to use his magic, Crowley reached out in search of a way to staunch the flow. The stream slowed slightly, but not nearly enough.

“The bleeding won’t stop.” Waiting for an answer, he pushed his palms into the worst of the gashes, but when no response came, he shouted for assistance, “Angel, a little help here!”

“Oh, yes!” knocked back into reality, Aziraphale made his way to the bed, his stained hands once again reaching for the being before him. Using what little magic he could muster, he managed to lessen the bleeding to a trickle.

Feeling it still running between his fingers, Crowley’s head dropped between his shoulders, a deep exhale releasing as he tried to let go of the panic coursing through his system. It was an unnatural state for the demon, one that he’d only felt a few other times in his 6,000 years of life. He’d done a keen job of compartmentalizing the memory of his own fall, relegating it to the deepest depths of his mind. This, however, hit too close to home. While he’d been lucky enough to keep his wings, the transition from Heavinly Being to a Demon of Hell was horrific at best. The darkness, the pain… the loneliness. It was all too much to think about even now, all these years later. 

Letting go of his hold on their wounds, Crowley gingerly placed them on their back, hoping the pressure who stop the rest of the bleeding. Sinking down beside the bed, he rested his head back on the mattress and closed his eyes tightly.

“What could they possibly have done to deserve this?” Aziraphale’s voice cracked as he spoke, his eyes never leaving their face. Brushing his fingers over their hair, he pushed the blood-coated strands out of the way.

“We better hope they wake up so we can find out.” Standing up, Crowley stalked out of the room, pounding down the hall toward the bathroom. 

Turning on the water, he let it pour from the faucet until steam rolled from the stream. Hot enough to scald, he scrubbed vigorously at his hands. The red of the gore was replaced by the angry color of his skin beneath as he fought to rid himself of the stains. Standing in the doorway to the bathroom, Aziraphale watched in concern, his brows furrowed at the sight before. Losing control of himself, Crowley snapped off the water, slamming his fists down upon the porcelain and letting loose a rage-filled growl. Pushing his way past the angel, he pounded down the stairs toward the front door.

Following in his wake, Zira called to his demon, “Where are you going?”

“To find out what in the hell is going on?” 

“But what if something happens… I-I should come with you.”

Snapping around, Crowley’s yellow eyes stopped Aziraphale in his tracks, “Stay here, take care of the angel… demon… thing. I’ll be back, I promise.” 

Nodding in agreement, Aziraphale watched Crowley drive away, the Bentley tires screaming along the pavement.

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

Agonizing flashes of pain radiated from the jagged wounds as cold sweat coated your skin turning into a slick mess of drying blood and perspiration. Spasms racked your body, each one more powerful than the last. You were dying, or so you thought. But what did that really mean for angel turned demon? You were even really alive to begin with? Where would your ‘death’ leave you? Certainly not in Heaven, they’d made it quite clear you were no longer welcome amongst their kind. So that left two other options. One being an eternity in Hell, rotting away with the other demons. The other was much more frightening… nothingness, your soul relegated to the black void somewhere between the realms. Alone. Cold. Unneeded… Unwanted. Stuck in purgatory for all time. 

Time ceased to exist, and all sounds and feelings apart from the physical and mental torment fell away as you were trapped in the endless cycle of pain. Giving into it all, you allowed yourself to fall further away from the light. The beacons of Heaven were only a dim glow on the horizon. Their cool white was replaced by the furious red of the gates below. It was warm, welcoming even. It would have been so easy to let go, to surrender, and yet some small part of you keep a firm hold on the life you’d had before. Unable, or perhaps unwilling, to relinquish it fully.

The gentle press of a hand against your cheek pulled a quiet whimper from you, the touch kind and comforting. A tender voice spoke in a low mumble, their words unclear, but their intentions certain. There was something familiar about it as if a long-lost friend had come to visit. 

“I’m so sorry, but this is going to hurt.” 

Undoing the buttons of your shirt, the person gingerly pulled you into their chest, your forehead resting on their shoulder as they removed your top. A strangled groan fell from your lips at their ministrations.

“I know, I know.” Smoothing over your hair, they laid you back on the bed, this time on your side so they could access your body. 

Walking around to the other side of the bed, they began the delicate work of cleaning the wounds. Rag and after rag came away crimson, and the cloths were discarded nearby on the floor. Slowly, but surely, the gashes were stitched and covered. Finished closing the wounds, they began to wash away the rest of the blood as best they could. The task was slow and tedious. 

“There, that’s better. Now. let’s get you some fresh clothes.” 

Standing from the bed, Aziraphale sought out a pair of his pajamas. Returning to your side, he slipped the jumper over your head and shoulders, taking great care to not bump your most tender spots. Moving on, he carefully peeled away your trousers, the white was splotched with darkening red. Dropping them on the pile of used rags, he then shimmied the plaid bottoms over your frame. His hands were unsure and timid as he moved. 

Once again laying flat on your back, Zira pulled a blanket over you. Taking a moment to adjust the pillows, he sank back down into the spot next to you, his hands wrapping warmly around your own. 

“Who are you?” 

The previous question was barely more than a whisper, making the utterance of a name from your lips even more surprising. With eyes closed tight, and no other signs of consciousness, a singular word tumbled out for him to hear.

“Aziraphale…” 

Zira was left speechless. What about him? Why were saying his name? 

In a measure of cosmic timing, the telephone downstairs began to ring. It’s incessant trill bounding off the walls, calling to the angel. Leaving his spot, he was forced to let go of your hands. The loss of his touch caused a pained look to contort your features.

“I’ll be right back, don’t you worry.” 

Silence fell over the room, as Aziraphale quietly closed the door behind himself, leaving you alone. It was as if in his absence the darkness began to creep back in, closing the distance between you and the void. Black hands reached for you, threatening to drag you away from the world of the living. Fighting against their searing grip, your body twitched and thrashed on the bed. Soon the motions were followed by gasping screams, the sounds shrill and bloodcurdling flew down the stairs toward Aziraphale. The pounding of footfalls was masked by the blistering screeches from Hell that rang in your ears. Soft hands gripped your shoulders, calling to you through the panic.

“I’m here, I’m…” Placing his palm on the side of your head, the heat rolling off your skin nearly burned him. Knowing he needed to act quickly, he flooded your mind with celestial light. Instantly, your body began to relax and your temperature dropped.

Falling limp against the pillows, your chest rose and fell in rapid succession. Sweat had soaked through the collar of the shirt, staining it darker than the rest. Aziraphale’s fingertips ran in soft arcs down your face as he continued to murmur words of comfort. Fearful of leaving your side again, he yanked the chair from the corner of the room to the side of the bed. Clasping your hand in his, he took a seat and waited. Crowley would be back soon enough, he’d promised.

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

Hours passed and eventually, sleep overtook Aziraphale. Slumping back in the chair, he managed to keep a hold of your hand. Returning to the bookshop with little to no information in hand, Crowley made his way upstairs in search of his Angel. The door to the first guest room was flung wide open, and he was greeted with the image of Zira fast asleep, the lines of worry still creased between his brows. With his promise to return in mind, Crowley softly shook the angel awake. 

“You’re back.”

“I promised, didn’t I.” 

“Of course, What did you find out?”

“Not much. Nothing seems out of place, and the lines between Hell and Earth are quiet. Whatever this is, it’s either from Heaven alone or somebody’s going to dangerous lengths to keep it hidden.” 

“Hidden? They were dropped on our front porch! How is that hidden?” 

“You’ve got a point, but it doesn’t change the fact that there's nothing on the radar.” Turning to look at the stranger on the bed, Crowley’s tone softened as he spoke again, “How are they doing?” 

“As best as can be expected… there was so much blood.” Shifting forward, Aziraphale adjusted his grip on your hand, “They spoke in their sleep while you were away. It didn’t make sense, but they spoke.”

“What did they say?”

“My name…”

“You name? As in Aziraphale, Angel of the Eastern Gate, giver of the flaming sword and forestaller of the end of days” 

“That’s what I’ve said isn’t it?” Impatience touching the edge of the question.

“Yes, but how would they know your name?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea…” 

Crowley’s thoughts raced at the realization of what that could mean for Heaven. If they had fallen so far as to mutilate those they cast down then things were much worse off than he’d ever expected.

“Perhaps Heaven’s become more like Hell than they’d ever care to admit.” 

Stunned into silence, the pair sat quietly for a while, observing the rise and fall of your chest. The steady movement was just enough to ease some of the worries that festered. 

“There was one other thing they said while you were gone?”

“Yes?” 

“The phone rang while you were out, when I left to answer, they… they started to scream—terrible screeching wails, as if… as if Hell itself was coming for them. And when I returned, their skin… it was burning like fire. Between the screams, they were calling for you.”

“Me?”

Nodding yes, he continued on, “Over and over, begging… pleading for you. They know us Crowley, and yet I’m sure I’ve never seen this face before.” 

“Neither have I.” 

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

Morning broke over the quaint yet busy street, and the rumble of cars and voices floated in from outside. Your eyes fluttered open, and the unchecked sunlight beaming into the room assaulted your sensitive eyes. Hissing at the daggers of light, your whole body recoiled. Slamming your lids shut again, you scrambled back to retreat from the intrusive light. The mangled flesh of your back crashed against the headboard in your attempt to flee from the light. The sudden movement sent shockwaves through your body as the stitches in your wounds tugged sharply. Hearing and feeling your stir, Aziraphale and Crowley sat bolt upright in their respective positions. Zira in the same chair as the night before, and Crowley in the vanity chair across the room. 

Catching your attempt to flee from the overwhelming sensations, Aizraphale reached for your shoulders and tried his best to push you back down into the pillows. His sure hands were commanding and gentle as they kept you from hurting yourself further. 

“You’re all right. Careful now or you’ll rip your stitches.” 

Simultaneously, Crowley was up out of his chair, his own hand coming up to grip your chin, holding your face in his direction. Your eyes flew open again as if called to look by some hell-born bond. And what he saw brought a moment of hesitation. The whites of your eyes were flooded with a sickening crimson as if every blood vessel had burst. While your pupils were blown large, covering nearly the entirety of your eyes. Shaking off the unsettling nature of your appearance, the demon deftly removed his sunglasses and placed them on your face. 

“It’s their eyes, they’re not used to the light.” Stepping back, Crowley reached out a hand to Aziraphale, pushing him away from you, “Careful, Angel, emotions can be a bit unsteady.” 

“It’s all right, Crowley. As you said, they’re in pain, why don’t you let me help.” 

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” 

“Nonsense!” stepping back to your side, Aziraphale’s fingertips aligned with your temples as a gentle light filled the room.

Your breathing began to slow as the ache faded both mentally and physically. Slowly, you opened your eyes, finding that the dark lenses made the world around you much more bearable to view. Weakness replaced the pain leaving you incapable of moving, your power sat dormant, but hot beneath your skin. The heady mix of emotions melded together in what was certain to become an explosive combination. 

Pushing down the flames, you spoke as if greeting old friends, “Crowley… Aziraphale… finally.” 

“How do you know our names?” Zira’s question was far from accusatory.

“Oh Aziraphale, I’ve known you for thousands of years… the same goes for you, Crowley.” 

“Who are you? Why do you know us?” Crowley on the other hand couldn’t help the accusation that threaded over his words.

Tilting your head to the side, you focused on him. The yellow of his snake-like eyes glinted in the sun, strong and fierce in demeanor. 

“It was my job, to know you, to follow your biddings here on Earth. Like a celestial watchdog, I suppose.” 

“Watchdog?” Crowley tensed at the very thought of Heaven having watched him for millennia after his fall. 

“Yes. It was my job to track your movements, particularly in the years since your delivery of the AntiChrist. Well, you and Aziraphale. There was some… hesitation regarding the pair of you, given your shared history of questionable decision-making. Need I mention your flaming sword and apple debacles?” Your voice was weak and breathy as if speaking drained you of what little energy you’d recouped.

“All right, no need to rub it in. Enough about us, you’ve yet to answer our other question, demon. Who are you?” 

“Well, I don’t know how this works exactly, but I suppose my angelic name will do for now. I’m Y/N.” 

“And why are you here… Y/N?” Aziraphale uttered your name sweetly as if to encourage you to continue. 

“It’s simple really, I’m the same as you, Crowley. I asked too many questions… I doubted the ineffable plan.” Sinking further back into the pillows, you turned your head to look at the demon. 

“You what? Why?” Aziraphaled asked in shock.

“Because… you were happy.” Shifting your body slightly so that you could gaze at him, you felt a warm hand wrap around your own, “And the more I watched you here on Earth enjoying your lives together, the humanity … it made me think. Why were we going to end it all? And after such a short time as well? I saw how you looked at the world and couldn’t imagine it ceasing to exist. But even more than that… I couldn’t bear the thought of…” 

Your voice caught in your throat as a fresh spasm racked your frame. The tightening of the muscles along the expanse of your back ripped the air from your lungs causing you to gasp and groan. Folding forward at the waist, the glasses slipped down your nose exposing your eyes to the blinding rays once again. Desperate to block it out, you pressed the heel of your palms into your eyes knocking the sunglasses onto the blanket covering your lap. Steady vibrations rolled through the space around you as your power spilled out unchecked. A blood-curdling wail tore from your lips as your skin flushed hot from the touch of Hell once more. Shocked by the sounds, Aziraphale took a few steps back, putting some distance between the two of you.

Crowley had returned to your side, his strong hands holding tightly to your biceps. The heat of your skin burned and blistered his palms, and yet he remained unfazed. 

“Y/N, Y/N, listen to- listen to me. You’ve got to push away, you’ve got to fight against it!”

Gripping you tightly, he watched as your body spasmed beneath his touch. Blood soon tinged the light cream of the jumper you were wearing, the sudden movements having torn the stitches from your flesh. Furthermore, the heat radiating from within you singed the fabric, leaving behind blackened holes in its wake. A wet gurgle accompanied your labored breathing as if you were drowning on dry land. Coughing and choking, a blackish liquid oozed out the corners of your mouth, the scene grew more horrific as the substances ran down the exposed column of your neck. Crowley’s palms smoothed over it, wiping away the mess as best he could, but it just kept coming. Every wet hack brought more of it flooding out to replace what he’d tried to clean up. 

“Crowley! Crowley, what’s happening?” Stammering, Aziraphale was frozen to his spot.

“They’re dying, the transition is consuming them.”

“But I thought-”

“Whatever you thought about this was wrong, Angel. This is the reality.”

“But I… what we can do?” 

“There’s nothing we can do except ease their pain and hope for the best. It’s up to them now. Either they find the strength to fight against the darkness or it consumes them.” 

Trembling, Zira moved to your side and eased himself down onto the bed. Cautiously, he reached out to touch you, his hand brushing over Crowley’s as he sought out your temples. 

Turning his head to look at the demon, Aziraphale whispered one simple word, “Together.” 

Understanding what he meant, Crowley nodded his head silently. Placing the pads of their fingers along your hairline, the two worked to rid you of the pain. A calming wash of peace flooded over you, chasing out the panic and terror. Your hot skin now sat cool to the touch, and the blisters covering Crowley’s hands began to heal. Slowly, your breathing regulated and the crackling wetness ceased to hinder your lungs. Serene peace settled over your features as they untwisted from the pain. Sensing that the limit of help and available miracles for this situation had been reached, both Crowley and Aziraphale sat back. Their eyes never left you as they watched for signs that their magic had failed. Zira was the first to speak

“What do we do now?”

“We wait.” 

“For how long?”

“Not long now I think.” Crowley’s voice was thick with emotion. 

Tracking the rise and fall of your chest, the pair watched as the movement became more erratic. The time between inhales turned more inconsistent and further apart the longer time went on. Eventually, it stopped altogether, and the last vestiges of pain fell from your features leaving behind a mask of perfect peace. 

“What do we do now?” Zira asked in shock.

“We find out who the hell is responsible and we make them bleed” Looking Aziraphle in the eyes, Crowley's own brimmed with emotion, “But more importantly, we live, we live for them.

[itstokkii]

All these anons just make me want to talk about Turkey more. What are your favorite Turkey headcanons? Personally I love to think that Sadik writes poetry in his spare time, and is very, very good at it.

As someone who ships Turkfra because of how fascinating the history between France and the Ottoman Empire is (Franco-Ottoman alliance) I like to think that they would both really bond over each other’s rich poetry culture. Not to mention their rich cuisines. Maybe they cook together in the evenings, or take turns cooking and surprising each other with elaborate dinners.

Youre so right

aph turkey hcs

- physically he's around 180cm, perhaps he had visible muscles during the ottoman empire period but he's mellowed out now and let a little softness take over his form. He put on a little bit of weight bc he's a sweet tooth but it fluctuates from time to time.

- definitely keeps cat treats in his pocket for the stray cats of istanbul!! and when he fishes he leaves a portion for the cats to eat!

- while he is a cat person and owns cats(one of them is named tombili 🥺), he also owns a few dogs too! he probably gets along with germany on that part(maybe korea? though korea owns the cute fluffy tiny dogs that feel the need to eat your face off when it makes eye contact with you).

- is a man of the kitchen. aside from cooking the most banger meals, he dabbles in tweaking recipes or creating new ones altogether! ive seen enough turkish dessert accounts on instagram to know he'd make a bomber cake with coconut shavings, or a pretty good custard.

- the coconut shavings are important btw they're like on every single homemade turkish chocolate cake for some reason??(source: baby tokki grew up with a lot of turkish family friends)

- sorry i have to do this but...he has mediocre drip 🥲 sometimes he dresses like your average old man or middle aged dad and then sometimes it's so obvious that he's trying to dress like the youngsters.. he def has his knockoff Adidas tracksuits and they always come in clutch

- he's not an old man however. he was born as one of the many tribes running around in the seljuk era before he eventually became the ottoman empire. physically...around his mid 20s to early 30s?

- and cuz he has turkish dad vibes...he regularly watches soccer games. like he lays down on the couch elbow propped up eating pistachios as he watches soccer in a Galatasaray shirt(actually turkish fans of hetalia pls tell me who hed be a fan of bc I don't regularly watch turkish soccer)

- regularly plays volleyball!

- life of the party at weddings tbh, especially those rural ones

- very hospitable! he'll arrange a table full of treats and black tea for you and won't take no for an answer as he brags about how hospitable he is.

- when you're at his house DO NOT EVER suggest getting takeout. he will stare at you with a >:0 face

- WILL spill the tea over tea. man's got enough connections to tell you abt who's cheating on who etc. while he has his whole spread of treats and black tea out he'll keep you up on everything. when he goes "Ok so basically" that's when you brace yourself because OH BOY is someone in a secret relationship with someone else and that person you'd always assumed was super shy actually sprinkled salt on their ex's backyard

- the ac in his istanbul apartment keeps breaking(good luck with that man 😔)

- that's why in the summer he spends a big chunk of his paycheck on icecream. bro makes sure to always have icecream stocked on him at all times(just like me fr !!). he'd even eat it in the winter he loves it that much.

- also at the same time he drinks hot tea in the 40-50 degree summer as well, another win for the turkuzbek fans !

- big into architecture, and back in the day it was custom to write a poem to commemorate a new building. he definitely wrote a few but spent forever thinking about how to write it and pissed a lot of people off because they were waiting for the poem lol

- i actually really like fraturk's dynamic! because theyve got a lot of history together, it would be terrible to ignore. i think they have definitely gotten together during the Franco-Ottoman alliance lol.

- one time the french wanted to flex on austria × spain by going "oh yeah??? well we got turkey!!" and commissioned a huge super ornate crown to gift to suleiman the great. see the funny part about this is um. the turks didn't wear crowns. so suleiman never wore it lol

turkey, holding the crown: uhmmmm... wall decoration I guess?? this is awkward

- the name "turquoise" comes from the French "turkish" to describe the gem. i guess that's a fraturk win??? since we all associate that color with turkey now

- they'd probably try to one up each other with the dinners they cook! (can france handle lahmacun??? tune in later today at 11pm to find out !!)

- coffee guy x tea guy with the whole parisian coffee culture and turkish tea culture thing. (except I mean. turkish coffee also exists so)

- I wanna think france tries to help turkey with his drip situation but. turkey always got that inner middle aged dad in him it's not going anywhere

- bulgaria likes going to turkeys place cuz the stuff there is dirt cheap ~~~~!!! rip the lira you would have loved economic stability

- speaking of bulgaria, bulgaria greece and turkey argue a lot over who invented yogurt. turkey thinks he's got a stake in it because of the etymology of yogurt(yoğurtmak), but like the bacteria to make yogurt is called lactobacillius bulgaricus, but everyone thinks of greek yogurt...yeah you can see why they're all arguing

- speaking of arguing he's ratioed saudi a couple times on twitter lol

- he also posts those ironic turk/turan copy pastas as well

- egypt kinda doesn't like him. during the ottoman empire turkey launched egypt to suppress arab revolts like a pokemon.

*putting down fingers* "the greeks don't like us, egypt doesn't like us, saudi definitely doesn't like us....bulgaria likes us cuz we're a cheap travel destination for them..." - my turkish business teacher in highschool, 2023

- gets along well with korea(uhoh BIAS incoming !!!) due to their history beginning from the korean war. the turkish brigade was the only military unit that built a school for korean orphans. there's a story of a soldier taking care of a korean orphan, but he wasn't able to adopt her. they were separated for years after that until one day they reunited. they'd also suffered the third most losses in the war. that's why we call turkey our "older brother country."

- there's even a turkish culture center in seoul(which baby tokki went to a lot lol). recently turkish kaymak has been trending since one of the top korean celebrity chefs paik joongwon visited turkey a while back to try food. people have been traveling to turkey to go to the exact stores and try those foods as well. there's a lot of kebab shops in korea! the turkish presence in korea was the starting point to accommodate muslims in korea as well.

- all of this to say korea and turkey have a mutual admiration and korea definitely calls turkey oppa or hyung. korea also tries to get him to change his drip but NOTHJNG CAN DEFEAT THE STEADFAST TURKISH MIDDLE AGED MAN RAAAH 🇹🇷🇹🇷🇹🇷

- I've said it before I'll say it again: turkey cannot hold a normal conversation with mongolia because he'll always go "OH MY FELLOW NOMAD STEPPE ALTAIC BROTHER HOW ARE YOU DOING!!!" what???

- same with the central asians tbh given their nomadic history as well. he was the first nation to recognize all of their indepences fom russia. he gets along with turkmenistan a lot because they're the closest languages to each other(both in oghuz family) and a lot of turkmens go to turkey to study at their universities! the governments quite stagnant with their policies however, so turkey's having a hard time convincing her to join the turkic council as a full time member. they give me a gojo and megumi vibe for some reason lol

- kazakhstan 🤝 turkey: both having the asian/european identity crisis

- in terms of first meetings, the kazakh khanate and ottoman empire first established diplomatic relations in 1713, and along with uzbekistan, tried to seek turkey's help in the face of an expanding russian empire.

- nowadays, turkey and kazakhstan are the ones to both try to stir up that regional/turkic unity among the central asians. they've gained some small wins along the way lol. in fact, turkey, kazakhstan, and kyrgyzstan were the founding members of the turkic council! kazakhstan admires all that turkey's doing for them but sometimes thinks he's too cocky. actually all the central asians think he's cocky to certain extents lol

- bro gets along a little better with hungary now and that could be because of the whole "huns=turkic?" debate resurfacing in hungary which is why they somehow landed a spot in the turkic council as well???

uzb kaz kyrg turk azer @ hungary: white woman jumpscare,

- he and hungary regularly bother prussia whenever they're in germany lol

- scraps w the netherlands bc tulips come from him!!! not from Licorice Man!!!!!

- fluctuating relationship with iran over the years

- was a fanboy of iran during the seljuk empire until she joined the khwarazmian empire(uzb's mom lol) and then he hated her

- also close with: azerbaijan(who may or may not be his number one fanboy), japan

Here's everything I could squeeze out of my brain lol hope you like it!!

a good chunk of these hcs are by @peonycats and @hetalia-fannn btw!! sorry for not initially crediting u guys i forgot 😭

[fattlestacks]

Speaking of chubby bunnies there's one piece of mascot history that is interesting - though I don't know how well known it is outside of France... But you know the Nesquik mascot, the bunny? Quicky's the name. Well in France, before Quicky exists, the Nestlé mascot of Nesquik was "Groquik" (gros meaning "big" or "fat"). Created in 1978 it was a big, fat, happy yellow hippo - he also existed in Greece as "Kuikaras". But in the 90s Groquik offically "took holidays" and was completely removed, replaced by Quicky. And that was because the advertisers had realized that having such a big and fat character as a mascot could mean "If you eat our products, you will be getting fat". And since at the time child obesity became a hot topic, they decided to change the mascot into one fitting more modern days - a thin, active, dancing, skateboarding, sport-loving rabbit (hence the "quick" in the name). I mean Quicky existed before Groquick, but he was the American mascot, and wasn't brought in France until Groquick's "eviction"

All of that to say - there's something to dig in there, about Quicky and weight gain and chubby bunnies... Maybe even someone trying to turn a fit jock bunny into a hippo-sized chub-bun as a just return of things...

That was your history trivia of the day Xp

Heh! That's funny. Though I must say I'd prefer a cute bunny over a hippo but that's just me. XD

I can't remember if the bunny had an official name in the US other than just being referred to as the "Quik Bunny" or the "Quik Rabbit". I don't recall him every being called "Quicky" or anything like that, but I could be wrong. I am old and my memory often fails me, haha.

I was born in 1978 so the product/mascot I grew up with was Quik, I don't think they changed over to Nesquik in the US until sometime in the late 90's or something. I loved Strawberry Quik when I was a kid, my mom would get me a little carton whenever we went grocery shopping. Is the Strawberry Quik bunny supposed to be the same guy or is he like... Chocolate Quik Bunny's cousin or some shit?

He's pink and has overalls.

[unhingedwomandiaries]

Christ on a bike, someone at work's asked me for dating advice again. Me! The walking disaster zone of romantic mishaps. They're like "Would you enjoy going for drinks?" which is about as useful to me as x's dietary advice. I don't even drink, you muppet. Actually, thinking about it, I can't remember a single proper pub date in my colorful catastrophe of a dating history.

Let me take you on this magical mystery tour of dating disasters, shall we? First up, we've got teenage me, absolutely cocking it up by inviting my best friend along as a third wheel while my dad's grilling burgers. Because nothing says romance like your mate watching some twat try to assault you in the woods. Best bit? Said "friend" then started dating him. Because apparently that's what passes for friendship these days.

Then there's the long-distance legend, splitting time between France and Toronto like some discount jet-setter. First date? Twelve hours of RuneScape over Skype. Proper Romeo and Juliet stuff, that.

Oh, and let's not forget the famous one - underage drinking through New York like proper delinquents before I snuck him through my bedroom window like some budget Shakespeare play. Mom nearly called the cops on him - turns out future millionaires can still smell like they've been dumpster diving.

The highlights reel continues: Olive Garden guy who thought breadsticks were the height of romance (though the mountain hike after wasn't half bad), Waterbed Wonder who introduced me to his parents on date one (nothing weird about that), and the Atari heir who wooed me with frozen yogurt and vintage video games.

Then there's the Polish bodybuilder - absolute weapon who thought "no" meant "please maul me during Denzel Washington" and left me walking home with more spots than a leopard. My ex's response? I "deserved it" for dating after we broke up, while he was already planning his wedding. Because that makes perfect fucking sense.

The parade of peculiarity marches on: Jeff Beck concert guy (too busy watching guitar solos to actually date), Blanket Fort Builder (How To Train Your Dragon marathon, because why not), the absolute madman who took me - a Yankees fan - to Fenway Park (some people just want to watch the world burn), Thrift Shop Romeo (making us both look like charity shop explosions), and Car Track Guy (bless his autistic heart).

We've got the European backpacker who knew a girl needed pancakes, Mr. London Eye-Hot-Tub-Boat (subtle), World Cup Tickets (showing off much?), Boat Pancake Man (bit of a theme developing here), Lord of the Rings and Hot Chocolate guy (actually quite sweet that one), and the Leukemia Liar who probably catfished half of Sussex.

Finally landed on my husband - proper Lord of the Rings final film date. Because apparently that's my type: nerdy film buffs who don't try to assault me in the woods.

So no, Head of R&D, I won't be recommending pub dates anytime soon. Unless you're looking to recreate scenes from a dating horror story, in which case, fill your boots.

[rose-of-oz]

🌟 + Cher Johnston please and thank you?

Ooooh, yes, of course, thank you for the ask!! (And I’ll also tag @goldheartedchaoticdisaster ‘cause I know they love Cher as well. <3)

Cher’s favorite color is pale pink. She likes how soft and pretty it is, and even though most people think redheads shouldn’t wear pink, she loves how she looks in it.

She’s read Wuthering Heights eleven times over the years. It’s her favorite book, even though none of the characters are good people; she’s never been able to get enough of the Brontë sisters’ writing.

Her real first name, Cheryl, comes from her father’s aunt, a dedicated police detective who died in the line of duty before Cher’s mother even got pregnant. Her father loved his aunt dearly and wanted to honor her, hoping his daughter would be as strong and courageous as her namesake.

Cher has a strong love for jazz music, along with her love for Madonna - her parents even got her a record player for Christmas along with a bunch of jazz records, and most nights she’ll fall asleep to the sound of Ella Fitzgerald playing under the needle.

Cher makes some of the best hot chocolate you will ever taste in your life - mainly because she refuses to use any of the powder you can get at the grocery store, insisting on melting chocolate and milk together in a pan instead.

Though you definitely wouldn’t know it from looking at her, Cher can actually throw a really good punch. Her mother, who was taught by her own father, taught her when she was young, wanting her daughter to be able to defend herself if it came down to it.

Despite generally being more interested in things like math, science, and classic literature, Cher also has a mild interest in psychology, and is very interested when they meet Freud during the first time travel adventure, even if his theories are crock and largely offensive.

Even though Cher doesn’t want actual kids, she and Ted do get two cats after they’ve been together for a few years, sisters named Rocky and Mist. They’re the loves of the couple’s lives, and even though Ted wasn’t sure about not having human kids at first he’s completely satisfied with his furry ones now.

Cher’s love language is absolutely acts of service - she may not be good with her words or a huge cuddler, but anything she can do for the people she cares about, she’s damn well going to do her best to get it done.

Cher has always wanted to go to France, fascinated by all of the history and beauty of that country. Ted has always promised that, after Wyld Stallyns has earned enough money, he’ll take her on a trip there, and Cher can’t wait to go.

send me an oc and i’l give you ten facts about them!!

[criminalhobbit]

People I'd like to get to know

Thank you to @luv-not-hate for tagging me in this! I'm not used to posting anything on here but this seems fun :).

Last song: Lady Writer by the Dire Straits. It has a KILLER guitar solo that isn't as well-known as the one in Sultans of Swings and I'm absolutely living for it.

Favorite color: There aren't that many colours that I don't like! I tend to go for deep blue, but forest green is a close second. Pink is just about the only colour I'm not a fan of.

Last movie/TV show: I recently finished Bodies on Netflix, and it was...ok. Not a bad show, just not as good as it could have been in my opinion. Now if you're looking for a mind blowing time travelling show of amazing quality, I HIGHLY recommend Dark on Netflix!

Sweet/spicy/savory?: YES/ Yes / Yes. I LOVE anything sweet! Baking is a hobby of mine so you'll often find me in the kitchen making banana bread or brownies when I should really be doing something else. It's my way of procrastinating. I like spicy food! I like to think that I can handle it pretty well? At least as well as a white person can handle it ;). As for savoury, who doesn't like savoury food?

Relationship status: Single, and perfectly happy. While I do find the idea of partnership appealing, I don't crave it or need it to be happy. I've got friends and family and I am quite pleased with my situation.

Last thing I googled: How chocolate was brought into the French court during the 16th-17th history. I'm a sucker for history and always looking for fun party facts :). If you were interested, it was through King Louis XIV's wife, Maria Theresa of Spain, who loved hot chocolate and made it popular in France :).

Current obsession: I sold my soul to Larian. I'm deep in Baldur's Gate III these days (though who isn't??) and loving every second of it. It really reminds me of Dragon Age Origin in the best of ways. I love how you can gather allies and get them to play a meaningful part of how your story will end, as it did for the DA:O ending. I haven't finished the game yet but I'm in Act 3! My other obsession is the Legend of Drizzt series. I've been playing DnD since I was 17 and I've recently made the switch from player to DM, and so I picked up the Drizzt series as a way to familiarize myself with the lore of DnD. So far I'm on book 5 (of like 40??) and adoring it!

Here's hoping the following folks enjoy these questions as much as I enjoy sharing. Please include me in the mention so I can receive notices of your response if you decide to play.

@americankimchi @azdesertwillow @miraamell @saltybiowarefantears

[jdsmineralwater]

it is time...

rtc toy show night headcanons

for reference, the late late toy show is an annual production streamed on the rte in ireland in place of the late late show on the last friday of november. it features ryan tubridy being very panicked over how many childrens toys hes breaking, trying not to have a repeat of The Fanta IncidentTM and seeing how many quick changes one person can do in an hour. the late late show has been broadcast every week since the rte was established making it the longest running tv show in irish history.

yea that was just me being a history nerd, we continue

for the sake of the story, pretend uranium is a town in the middle of nowhere... but in ireland

constance makes hot chocolate every year, with whipped cream, marshmallows, cinnamon flakes, the works

imagine ned flanders hot chocolate

that

she also has more boxes of roses than any one person should have

because roses are the best

and she shares them with the rest of the choir

her and ocean do matching toy show pyjamas, with the little owl on them

fluffy socks, open fire on (oop-), loads of blankets

ocean drinks more caffeine than youve ever seen a human consume healthily in the hour beforehand

she conks out at ten otherwise

she loves doing the matching pyjamas with constance every year, shes the one who came up with the idea

she brings celebrations! bc its hers and noels favourite

she eat the bounties bc she thinks coconut is really nice

noel hates that, but it means he gets to eat all of the good ones before ocean starts on them

noel does face masks during the show, and laughs at every single kid who falls over during the ride-ons

every

single

one

if noel was irish i hc that he was a toy show kid

he auditioned with ocean and they went on as that one pair of little kids who are best friends and make sure you know it

they got to go on a holiday to france and ocean got a meeting with micky d

mischa did all of the competitions when they used to run them

and then they started doing the donations and he would donate his whole bank account

bc he could win this too

he couldnt win that bc you cant win donating

but hes gonna try

penny likes the toy testers, she loves seeing them all get excited over the toys and the games

she thinks their so cute

she buys one of those owl teddy/cushion things, and yk those tesco teddies they show every year?

she buys them the second they come out

partially because theyre incredible

partially bc 'mischa thought he won donating?? beat this'

ricky likes the dancing and the video game kids

he also like seeing them get their surprises after they toy test

him and penny are constantly pointing out the hints ryan gives before the surprise is revealed, like

oh my god hes gonna do it

when the whole womens football team showed up this year they lost it

like omg its the whole football team

OMG THEY GAVE THEM TICKETS TO THE EUROS

they were living for this little kid drama

everyone sleeps over at constances on the night

usually they hang out at mischas but theres something about having a cozy homey toy show watch thats so amazing

[the-martyrfication-of-the-matron]

Because @ineedanamepplpls asked for it,

A post about a small group of my ocs :)

Might draw them later idk.

So we start off with Lea. Yes she is based off of a sim I made. Hush. She/her pronouns, straight (*gasp*), she’s half Arab and half Chinese, and she’s dating Reed, who we shall get into later. She’s a film student, really obsessed with period films set in like 1800s France and also noir films, is actually working on a script for a noir film with werewolves in it. She can play piano (though her dorm only fits in a keyboard), and eats just straight up peas as a snack. She shares a dorm room with Andie.

Andie, he/him (trans dude), bi, and he’s black. He’s dating Olive (who we shall also get into) but he did date Lea for a short while. He’s an art student, though he also does classes for Violin and does veterinary science to fill his empty time. He isn’t doing great in his classes because he’s a little distracted with his partner but he tries. He’s actually doing better than Lea is, she’s like three seconds away from getting kicked out because of how poorly she’s doing.

Olive, he/her (non-binary), queer but doesn’t explain how exactly she is, white. Dating Andie, and occasionally crashes at him and Lea’s dorm since it’s closer to some of his lessons. She has way too many of his own clothes there and that’s where he keeps his video games because her roommate hates them. She studies literature and history, and often shares with Andie some cringey lines in the books he has to read. Doing shockingly well in classes though she never attends his classes. Oh also he can see dead people and phase through physical objects.

Reed, he/him, straight (*another gasp*). dating Lea. Old old white man. He’s one of the professors at the school and also a superhero (since that’s the little universe idea they’re set in). And Olive’s dad. Which isn’t awkward or anything. He teaches one of Lea’s film classes though clearly doesn’t let their relationship sweeten up her grades at all. He has your classic super strength, Olive gets her powers from her mother’s side. Reed also doesn’t know that Olive is queer in any form nor that he’s dating anyone, let alone Lea’s whole ass roommate. That reveal would end up fairly awkward.

Jasmine is Lea’s sister, she/her, lesbian, half Arab half white, graduated a while ago, currently works as a TA for a music class. Occasionally pops in to see how Lea is holding up.

Alex, he/him, gay??, white. He has the form next to Andie and Lea’s and they yell at him all the time for having his music too loud. He’s kind of a himbo and genuinely doesn’t realise how loud he plays it. He’s a film student too and is the current planned director for Lea’s werewolf noir (he’s a big noir nerd too) but they argue a lot about creative choices regarding the werewolves designs. They don’t know much about him at all and everything they do know is a pure guess. He may or may not put cheese in his hot chocolate, based off of Lea seeing something in the corner of her eye one time and her always being low on both cheese and hot chocolate every time Alex comes over.

[sonata-ix]

Tea and Books Asks

The Dreamling Nation server told me to.

1. What period of history do you enjoy learning about? Any. I'm a history idiot. Teach me all the things, preferably by telling me their stories.

2. Who is your favourite fictional character and why? Lanen Kaelar from Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner. Everything I saw in myself as a child and wanted to be as an adult.

3. What do you order at a café? Dessert

4. Libraries, botanical gardens, or art galleries? Libraries

5. Do you have a favourite film soundtrack? Are you kidding, film soundtracks are my favorite *genre*. I'll go with...Gladiator, and Labyrinth, and The Greatest Showman.

6. What does your dream home look like? A Victorian house with lots of little hidden nooks and an unusual layout.

7. What makes you feel better on gloomy days? Being snuggled in bed with a book

8. What are your top three films? Books? Films: Labyrinth, The Last Unicorn, Gladiator. Books: Song in the Silence by Elizabeth Kerner, The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle, the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (is that cheating?)

9. Are you an organized person, generally? Yes

10. Do you have a favourite classic novel? A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

11. What character archetype or trope is your favourite? Something along the lines of benevolent monsters or dark is not evil. I love it when a story tells us a person/creature is the villain and it turns out that's not true at all.

12. Do you prefer baking or cooking? Baking, though I rarely have the patience for either

13. Which season do you feel at home in? Summer

14. What is your opinion on poetry? Set it all to music

15. Do you speak formally when texting and emailing? Depends on who I'm talking to

16. How do you organize your music playlists? By mood (upbeat, sad, nostalgic), by theme (showtunes, filk, parody), or by need (only slow quiet songs for bedtime, no lyrics for when I'm working)

17. Who is your favourite author? Peter S Beagle, but Sarah J Maas and Brandon Sanderson are up there too

18. Chai or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate

19. Do you prefer forests, sea shores, or meadows? I'm more interested in the temperature...I need something warm and humid or I try to hibernate

20. If you were to cultivate a fruit orchard, what would you grow? Uh. Bananas? I don't know, I don't like very many fruits

@altair214 @hopefulpenance @immacaria @mathomhouse-e @quillingwords @the-cloudy-dreamer @virgo-dream and everyone else I can't tag today for some reason

[therobinwing]

thanks @autumncalls for tagging me :>

Share your wallpaper: I'm also not comfortable sharing my phone wallpaper for privacy reasons, but my PC wallpaper is this screenshot of a trail in Red Dead Online:

(the hot air balloon is a modder who fortunately was friendly and didn't like, kill us with magic.)

Last song you listened to: Currently listening to "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" by Nancy Sinatra

Currently reading: The last thing I started reading was "Severed: A History of Heads Lost and Heads Found" by Frances Larson, but who knows if I'll actually finish it

Last movie you watched: Brokeback Mountain

Craving: not having to work today?

What are you wearing right now: Sweatshorts and a pyjama t-shirt

How tall are you: 165cm/5'4 :/

Piercings: so technically I got my ears pierced but those have definitely closed back up at this point

Tattoos: none, but I kinda wanna get a stylised lil flower on my ankle

Glasses? Contacts? I wear glasses when I'm at my computer. Technically they're good for any kind of screen but I don't need them that badly and I don't like wearing them when I'm like, lounging around

Last drink: Water with my meds in it

Last thing I ate: my meds? last actual food was a chocolate croissant

Last show: uuuh I watched a few episodes of Bluey a while ago?

Favourite colour: rainbow

Current obsession: the new zelda game

Unrelated obsession: red dead 2

Any pets: no :( but i really want cats!

Do you have a crush on anyone: i'm aromantic so i don't really do crushes. I do have a few squishes (like, friend crushes) on ppl from the red dead discord I'm in though :>

Favourite fictional characters: oh so many. lately i've been particularly obsessed with CharlesnSmith from red dead though

The last place you travelled: my parent's. but like, actual big travel, Croatia with a bunch of extended family last summer!

tagging @something-something-sonnschein and @courfeyracs-swordcane if you wanna :>

[switrusholidays]

A Culinary Symphony of Europe’s Winter Delights

Winter in Europe is a feast for all senses, especially your taste buds. From hearty stews to sweet pastries, each country boasts traditional dishes that not only warm you up but also connect you to its rich history and culture. Switrus Holidays brings you the ultimate Europe tour, ensuring you experience these delightful cuisines firsthand. With our Europe tour packages, including departures from Hyderabad, you can enjoy an immersive culinary journey through Europe.

1. Swiss Fondue – Switzerland

No Europe tour is complete without indulging in Swiss fondue. Melted cheese served with bread cubes is the ultimate winter comfort food. Paired with snowy Alpine views, this dish is a highlight of any Europe tour package.

2. Goulash – Hungary

A slow-cooked stew with tender meat, vegetables, and paprika, goulash is Hungary’s soul-warming dish. Perfect for chilly days, it’s a must-try on any trip to Central Europe.

3. Pierogi – Poland

These filled dumplings are a Polish staple. Stuffed with cheese, potatoes, or even fruit, pierogis are both delicious and versatile. Enjoy them during festive markets on your Europe tour packages from Hyderabad.

4. Raclette – France and Switzerland

Another cheese delight, raclette involves melting cheese and scraping it over potatoes, pickles, and cured meats. It’s a social dish, often enjoyed in winter chalets.

5. Glühwein – Germany

Winter markets in Germany are synonymous with Glühwein, a warm, spiced wine that’s perfect for sipping while browsing holiday stalls.

6. Belgian Waffles – Belgium

A visit to Belgium in winter is incomplete without savoring their iconic waffles, topped with chocolate, whipped cream, or fresh fruits.

7. Wiener Schnitzel – Austria

Austria’s golden-fried veal cutlet is a comforting winter meal. Pair it with a visit to Vienna’s winter wonderland for a magical experience.

8. Christmas Pudding – United Kingdom

This rich, steamed dessert filled with dried fruits and spices is a festive staple in the UK. Often served with brandy sauce, it’s a holiday must-have.

9. Smørrebrød – Denmark

These open-faced sandwiches are a Danish classic, topped with everything from smoked salmon to creamy cheeses. It’s a quick yet flavorful winter treat.

10. Kanelbullar – Sweden

Sweden’s cinnamon buns are perfect for winter coffee breaks. Enjoy them with a warm cup of glögg (Swedish mulled wine) on your Scandinavian journey.

Why Switrus Holidays?

Switrus Holidays specializes in Europe tour packages, ensuring you experience not only iconic landmarks but also the authentic flavors of Europe. With Europe tour packages from Hyderabad, our curated itineraries include food experiences that enrich your journey.

Tips for Winter Food Tours in Europe

Plan Around Festivals: Visit during Christmas and New Year for special winter menus.

Embrace Street Food: Local markets offer authentic and budget-friendly options.

Stay Warm: Enjoy hot drinks like mulled wine or cocoa to beat the chill.

Embark on a culinary adventure this winter with Switrus Holidays. From snowy landscapes to comforting dishes, your Europe tour promises unforgettable memories. Book your Europe tour package from Hyderabad today and let Switrus Holidays make your dream journey a reality.

For easy booking, visit https://switrus.com/europe-tour-packages.

[josephblogs123]

A Delectable Adventure Through the History of the Croissant

The croissant, a flaky, buttery pastry, has captured hearts and palates worldwide. Its distinctive crescent shape and rich, layered texture have made it a beloved breakfast and dessert item. But where did this culinary delight originate? Let's take a tasty trip to learn more about the croissant's past.

Early Origins

While the croissant is often associated with French cuisine, its roots can be traced back to Austria. In the 17th century, Viennese bakers introduced a type of crescent-shaped roll called the "kipper." These early skippers were made with yeast dough and were often filled with nuts or poppy seeds.

The French Connection

The kettler eventually made its way to France, where it underwent a transformation. French bakers, known for their innovative spirit, began experimenting with the recipe, incorporating butter into the dough to create a richer, flakier pastry. This innovation led to the birth of the croissant as we know it today.

The Viennoiserie Tradition

The croissant is part of a broader category of pastries known as viennoiserie. Viennoiserie encompasses a wide range of pastries, including pain au chocolat, brioche, and desserts. These pastries are characterized by their rich, buttery dough and often incorporate layers of dough, creating a flaky, airy texture.

The Art of Croissant Making

Making a perfect croissant is a delicate and time-consuming process. It involves a series of steps, including laminating the dough, rolling it out, and folding it repeatedly. This process, known as lamination, creates the layers of butter that give the croissant its signature flaky texture.

The Croissant's Global Popularity

The croissant's popularity has spread far beyond its origins in France. It is now enjoyed in countries around the world, and its versatility has led to countless variations, including chocolate croissants, almond croissants, and savoury croissants.

The Croissant's Cultural Significance

The croissant has come to represent French food and culture. It is often associated with luxury, indulgence, and the finer things in life. In France, the croissant is a beloved breakfast food, and it is often enjoyed with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate.

The Science Behind the Flaky Layers

The flaky layers of a croissant are a result of a complex process involving butter, dough, and time. During lamination, the butter is incorporated into the dough in thin layers. As the dough is folded and rolled, the butter layers are stretched and flattened, creating a network of air pockets. When the croissant is baked, the butter melts, causing the dough to rise and the layers to separate, resulting in the flaky, airy texture that we all love.

The Perfect Croissant: A Matter of Technique

While the recipe for a croissant may seem simple, the art of making a truly exceptional croissant lies in the technique. The temperature of the butter, the number of folds, and the timing of the baking process all play a crucial role in determining the final product. Skilled bakers can create croissants with delicate, flaky layers and a rich, buttery flavour.

The Croissant's Enduring Appeal

The croissant's enduring appeal can be attributed to its unique combination of taste, texture, and versatility. It is a delicious and satisfying treat that can be enjoyed on its own or paired with other foods. Whether you prefer a classic butter croissant or a more indulgent chocolate or almond version, there is a croissant out there to satisfy every palate.

The Croissant's Future

As the culinary world continues to evolve, the croissant is likely to remain a popular and enduring pastry. Its versatility, elegance, and delicious taste have ensured its place in the hearts of food lovers around the globe.

In conclusion, the croissant is a testament to the power of culinary innovation. From its humble beginnings as a simple Viennese roll to its status as a global icon, the croissant has captured the world's imagination. Its rich history, intricate preparation, and undeniable deliciousness have made it a timeless classic.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Milk Chocolate Day

Create yummy desserts, from cake to candy bars, with this light and creamy confectionery on Milk Chocolate Day and enjoy its mood-enhancing effects.

How is milk chocolate different from other chocolates? It’s a mix of cocoa solids and either dry or condensed milk. While dark chocolate is traditionally used as a baking ingredient, this lighter version is used to make chocolate candy bars, hot chocolate, and many other delicious desserts.

Did you know that chocolate actually has mood-enhancing benefits? That’s right—chocolate can make you happy! This is due to the fact that it contains a stimulant called theobromine and a compound called anandamide. Now that’s a reason to celebrate!

History of National Milk Chocolate Day

Daniel Peter, the inventor of milk chocolate, was born in the village of Moudon, located in the Canton of Vaud, in beautiful, mountainous Switzerland in 1836. Peter attended school and graduated there.

Later on in life, Daniel Peter had formed a strong friendship with his neighbor, Henry Nestle, who had settled in Vevey, Switzerland, about 1843. Nestle had developed a process to make baby food in which he used what was then called a “milky flour.” It was at this point in his life that Daniel Peter asked himself the question, “Why not try to make a chocolate containing milk?”

This idea stayed with the young Daniel Peter to the point of becoming an obsession with him. He further realized that in order to stay in the chocolate market, already principally controlled by Caliller, Suchard, Kohler, and others, he must produce a new product that would become

pleasing and desired by the consumer.It should be noted by all that since the early 20th century, the countries of Europe have been producing milk chocolate of varying qualities.

It should also be understood that the development of the process by Daniel Peter was created in the community of Vevey, with the Canton of Vaud, in Switzerland, and further pointed out that the first chocolate process, although not milk chocolate, was also created in Vevey, Switzerland, by Francois Louis Cailler, at the age of twenty-three, upon his return to that community from France and Italy in 1819.

Our research has found that National Milk Chocolate Day was started by the Confectioner’s Association.

Source

Calling all chocolate lovers! National Milk Chocolate Day is celebrated annually on July 28. When solid chocolate is combined with either powdered, liquid or condensed milk; it’s known as milk chocolate. Milk chocolate is the most popular member of the chocolate family and with good reason. It’s creamy, smooth and mostly used in candy bars. It is believed that in the mid-1800s, milk chocolate was first created as a beverage in Germany. The first milk chocolate, in the form of a bar that we all recognize today, was created by Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter while collaborating with Henri Nestlé, the founder of his Nestlé chocolate company.  So if you’re a true chocoholic, get ready to celebrate all things milk chocolate!

National Milk Chocolate Day timeline

1900 B.C.Chocolate is Created

The Olmec, one of the earliest civilizations in Latin America, turns the cacao plant into chocolate.

1689Hans Sloane Popularizes Chocolate Milk

While in Jamaica, Irish physician Hans Sloane adds milk to the ‘chocolate water’ to make it taste better and he brings his discovery back to England.

1828Van Houten Invents Cocoa Pressing

The Van Houten company in Amsterdam invents the cocoa pressing method to produce a light, fluffy chocolate powder that can be easily dissolved in water or milk.

1876What a Concoction!

Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter adds dried milk powder to chocolate to create milk chocolate.

National Milk Chocolate Day Activities

Eat a candy bar

Bake a cake

Drink your chocolate

Since it's National Milk Chocolate Day, your task is a delicious one. Grab your favorite milk chocolate candy bar and enjoy.  With so many mouth-watering choices like caramel, coconut or cookie nugget — take your pick. Then, spend some time licking the melted good stuff off your fingers.

During the Victorian era, baking a cake was expensive because sweet ingredients like sugar, chocolates and exotic fruits, were considered   as luxuries. Only the nobility and the upper middle class could afford cakes for birthdays, weddings or holidays. As prices dropped, every special occasion included a cake, ideally made out of milk chocolate and stacked in multiple layers.

No kids allowed. Dessert cocktails are perfect when you’re having a chocolate craving. They’re rich, creamy and made to satisfy that sweet tooth. Your favorite alcoholic beverage can be a perfect complement to milk chocolate.

Why We Love National Milk Chocolate Day

It’s the perfect ingredient

It's sweet yet adaptable

Don't believe the negative hype about milk chocolate not being nutritious

Nothing gets us more excited to bake than the idea of whipping up  a milky, chocolaty dessert when we're done. Whether the recipe uses milk chocolate chips or a milk chocolate bar,  a chocolate craving provides the perfect excuse to create a decadent, totally self-indulgent treat. Chocolate pudding, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, a triple-layered cake, whatever, just as long as the main ingredient is milky, silky, chocolate. Don't forget to lick the bowl!

We all know you can eat the sweet treat but did you know there are other uses for it, too? Milk chocolate is sometimes used in products for hair and skin care because it  contains little-known ingredients that are beneficial to your skin. The level of antioxidant compounds in cocoa is higher than that of green tea, black tea or red wine.

Ok, so the nutritional benefits of milk chocolate are not as extensive as those found in dark chocolate. But milk chocolate still has a lot going for it. For example, milk chocolate gives you stamina because it stimulates your brain and your emotions. Also, eaten in moderation, milk chocolate gives our bodies the fat we need in our daily diet.

Source

[rainbowxocs]

(REFERENCE COMING SOON)

Name: Jonah Louis Francois.

Alt Names: Moon, Mouse.

Special Titles: Forsaken God.

Old Titles: Roi De France, Dauphin de France, General, God of Knowledge, God of Mourning, God of the Moon, False God.

Username: @jonahfrancois

Nicknames: Your Majesty, Your Highness, My Prince, Chiot, Baby Girl, La Lune, Moonie, Old Man, Hero, Mr Nice Guy, Dog Boy, My Muse, Watson.

Chronological Age: 4.5 Billion.

Vessel Age: 605.

Age: 45.

Pronouns: Any Pronouns.

Sexuality: Demisexual, Gay.

Gender: Transfeminine, Nonbinary, Genderqueer.

Base Species: Starling.

Current Species: Litch.

Disorders: Insomnia, CPTSD, Morality OCD, Autism, Schizophrenia, NPD, ASPD, Bulimia.

Physical Disabilities: Blind in Left Eye,Dyslexia, Chronic Pain, Cursed, Immunocompromised.

Curse Info: He got cursed after trying to deceive the gods. The curse has two parts to it, Jonah is able to feel everyone‘s pain and emotions within a 50 mile radius of him, Jonah is able to take a persons pain/injury and transfer it to himself. Jonah also has a sort of Hanahaki-esque part to his curse, where Roses and Thorny Branches will sometimes consume him or cause him to throw up the flowers. Usually this part of the curse activates if Jonah hurts someone. His hands and arms can also blacken if he uses excessive power.

Recovering Addictions: Nicotine (Cigarettes), Alcohol, Cocaine.

Religion: None.

Job: Professional Antihero, Hospital Administrator, Cafe Owner, Painter.

Degrees: Mathematics, Physics, Paramedic Science, NPLQ, Health Administration.

Lives in: NYC, New York, 2306.

Languages: Voynich,French, English, ASL, LSF, Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Arabic, German, Danish, Italian, Russian, Dutch.

Height: 6’5”

Ethnicity: French.

Accent: French.

Monster Form: Black Shadowy Werewolf-Like Creature with glowing white eyes. Slightly staticy.

Animal Form: Giant Powder Blue Isopod.

Other Form: Blue Goop.

Spirit Form: Blue Firey Figure with Glowing White Eyes.

Spirit Level: Acceptance.

Powers: Healing, Thorn Vines, Siren, Illusion Magic, Reality Bending, Shapeshifting, Snow Magic, Fire Magic, Plant Magic, Hypnosis, Water Magic, Causing Eclipses, Strings, Necromancy, Ocean Magic, Mind Walking, Dream Walking.

Weapons: Sword, Knife.

Alignment: Lawful Neutral.

Text Color: Blue.

Main Animal: Dogs, Otters, Mice.

Main Hobbies: Piano, Painting, Sewing, Crochet, Knitting, Antiquing, Reading, Video Games.

Favorite Drinks: Peppermint Tea, Hot Chocolate,

Favorite Snacks: Almonds, Cheese, Tortilla Chips, Triskets, Pomegranates.

Favorite Meals: Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwiches, Mac and Cheese, Tacos, Ratatouille, Garbure, Mushroom and Olive Pizza, Maki Rolls, Sashimi, Toast.

Favorite Dessert: Blueberry Muffins, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Swirl Icecream.

Favorite Flower: Daffodils, Lilies, Daisies.

Scent: Fancy Vanilla Cologne.

Handedness: Right Handed.

Blood Color: Gold/Silver, Sometimes Red.

Awareness: Very Aware. (Effect: Negative.)

Birthday: December 1st 1701

Theme:

Playlist:

Fun Facts: Jane Austen is one of his favorite authors, He is fork lift certified.

Special Interests: History, Heroism, Physics, Project Sekai and Vocaloid, Idols, Animals.

Stims: Very subtle stims. Fidgeting with pens, playing with his hair, etc.

Stimboard: COMING SOON.

Moodboard: COMING SOON.

Fashion Board: COMING SOON.

Comfort Objects: Teddy (Old Teddy Bear.)

Family:

Alden Francois, Madeline Francois. (Parents.)

Charles, Pierre, Raphael, Angelo. (Brothers.)

Evelyn Williams (Adoptive Grandmother)

Lila Francois (Adoptive Daughter)

Evan Sirius (Adoptive Son)

Kaela Sirius (Adoptive Daughter)

Eurydice DuPont (Daughter)

Aurora DuPont (Daughter)

Eeshani DuPont (Step Daughter)

Friends: Samantha, Claire, Malik.

Romance: James DuPont, Aditya Ravi. (Spouses.)

Enemies: James DuPont (Mortal Enemy)

Pets: Jasper (Service Dog) (Golden Retriver), Pepper (Grey,Tan, and White Cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia), Aquarium with Various Fish.

Reincarnations: Achilles, Other Unknown Reincarnations.

Brief Personality: Not many people know the real Jonah. He has carefully crafted his personality over the past few hundred years in order to be the epitome of perfection. Kind, Generous, Empathetic. He wants nothing more than to help people, to be good. However underneath the mask, Jonah is incredibly lonely. He often feels like there is a glass wall between him and other people. The “real” Jonah, doesn’t react correctly, doesn’t have the proper emotions or thoughts. So he buries that within himself. Though, some have noticed his mask is slipping.

Brief Backstory: [COMING SOON]

[xtruss]

Rare 400-Year-Old Chocolate Book Heads To Auction In Portugal

Deemed the Oldest Book Dedicated Entirely to Chocolate, "Un Discurso del Chocolate" is Going Under the Hammer in Portugal at a Starting Price of €2000.

— By Theo Farrant | April 04, 2024

A rare 400-year-old book titled "Un Discurso del Chocolate", regarded as the oldest known book solely dedicated to chocolate, is hitting the auction block in Portugal.

This prized artefact, printed in Seville in 1624, is one of just three surviving copies of this work, written by Santiago de Valverde Turices, a Spanish doctor and academic.

Until now, only two other copies of the work were known to exist, one housed in the national library in Madrid and the other at the University of San Diego in California, according to Francisco Brito, a consultant at the Anno auction house, as reported by Portugal’s Publico newspaper.

"Un Discurso del Chocolate" contains a fusion of scientific inquiry, practical advice, recipes and cultural commentary. Divided into five parts, the book offers insights into the multifaceted nature of chocolate and its effects on the human body.

Notably, Turices cautions against the potential of chocolate to incite choleric tendencies in its consumers. Drawing from the medieval and early modern concept of bodily humors, he warns of chocolate's "hot, humid, and greasy" nature, which he believes can lead to irritability and anger.

Choco-Lore: A Bitter-Sweet History of The Confectionary

Native Americans roasting and grinding the beans, and mixing the chocolate in a jug with a whisk. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The domestication of cocoa beans traces back at least 5,300 years to the region now known as southeast Ecuador's Zamora-Chinchipe Province, where the Mayo-Chinchipe culture first cultivated them. The practice was then introduced to Mesoamerica.

The indigenous peoples of Central America, particularly the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztecs, considered the cacao tree to be sacred, and its beans were used to create a bitter, frothy beverage called "xocolātl", which means "bitter water" in Nahuatl.

Legend has it that when Spanish explorers, led by conquistador Hernán Cortés, arrived in the Americas in the early 16th century in search of gold and riches, they discovered the smooth beverage.

Following the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, xocolātl found its way to Europe. The Spanish soon adapted the indigenous recipe by adding sugar or honey to sweeten the bitter drink, as well as other spices like cinnamon and vanilla.

At first, it was consumed primarily as a drink, but eventually, chocolate houses began to emerge across Europe, particularly in Spain, Italy, and France in the 17th century.

A page from "Un discurso del chocolate" by Santiago de Valverde Turices. Credit: University of California

The recipes contained within Turices book, sourced from experts both in Spain and the "new world," provide a glimpse into the historical preparation and consumption of chocolate.

Turices advocates for the inclusion of annatto seeds, known as achiote, to enhance the taste, colour, and flavour of chocolate, particularly for people with choleric and sanguine temperaments.

The book, priced at €2,000, is among nine pieces being auctioned from the collection of José Augusto Correia de Campos, a Portuguese military officer, author, and archaeologist who passed away in 1977.