#i didn’t even get to eat the subway sandwich

[sammichbreadalmighty]

I had a dream last night where I was doing an obstacle course with a bunch of people from my school and after doing it once we looped back and did it again and when I got to this zip line obstacle the people who owned the course gave me a subway sandwich all wrapped up and everything. Then they said that I should come to the subway that was inside the obstacle course to order some more food that they would cover. So now I have to come and do this zip line but with a subway sandwich in my hand. Eventually I decide to run up ahead to where people go after they’re done with the course (and also where the actual subway is) on foot and put down my sandwich, then go back and do the zip line. But when I get back to the zip line, the room is empty, and they’ve disassembled the zip line because no one was using it I guess. So I come back to the little subway to order the food they said they’d pay for. Then they give me the menu, which is a bunch of meme templates, copypastas, and general gibberish, printed on four glass triangles. I take these triangles to a side room which for some reason has a bed. I lie down on the bed and look out the window to see my parents car, with them inside, parked outside the obstacle course. I didn’t think much of it though. Eventually I realise the menu doesn’t have any food on it except for a couple options. So I go and ask the people running it why there isn’t food on the menu and they said that when subway branched to this obstacle course, they got so tired of selling just starfaits (yes, the Undertale food) so they expanded to everything else. But because you’re not supposed to read the menu on the subway website, they didn’t make the actual menu make sense. And then the dream abruptly ended. I don’t expect this to get much traction but honestly I just need to get in out there.

[narislvr]

HEY THERE, SUBW4Y GIRL

one-last-stop au ౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ | e.williams x fem!reader

cw? reader is painfully bad at asking women out (she will get better dw) new characters introduced, plot is beginning, literally just fluff for now, book dialog and possible(not really) spoilers, not proofread

nari note ᝰ.ᐟ Hi! I just wanted to say thank you so much for all the support on the first part of this series, it really motivates me to keep going and I hope I don't disappoint! Im not staying entirely book accurate but If you've read the book and want certain scenes to show up then please let me know! If you'd like to be part of the taglist then lmk also! That's all for now, and thank you again ♡

m.list [๋࣭🪻] part one [ 🌆 ] palestine-resources & daily click

"The spark in Subway girls eyes ignites so brilliantly that August half expect her to jump out her seat. "Wait, that's my sandwich! I invented it!" ── page 35

Weekday evening shifts were your favorite.

The lights were always dim, painting the old diner atmosphere in hues of orange and amber, and with how slow it was, you weren't forced to run around hoping that table six wouldn't holler you over as you ran to get pancakes for table nine. It was actually quite nice at times.

Being a waitress at a 24/7 diner was not in your plans when you moved away from your last campus all the way in the other corner of the country, but Millers was nice. The building, despite it’s age and outdated fashion, was homey and even with the annoyance of leaving the place smelling like pancake batter and greasey bacon, it was a place youve come to hold dear in your heart.

Having a soft spot for the place and liking your job, however, didn’t mean that you were necessarily good at it a hundred percent of the time. Sleep deprived rushes particularly, made you loath coming in saturday evenings, but today was good.

The evening had been going relatively smooth so far. In the two and a half weeks you’ve worked here, your mistakes have leveled down to now and then little to mix-ups —not counting wedsdays slip up— and your boss, Eliza, had yet to come in and save the day by placing an extra plate of toast on your tray when you accidentally forget them in the kitchen.

With it being close to nine on a Thursday, work was slow, thus, you found yourself leaning on the front counter scribbling random drawings on your notepad with a Miller’s House Of Pancakes pen in hand. With the scribbling, you mindlessly began to reflect on your week so far; your first full day of lectures went well, and balancing work and lectures hasn't been so bad yet ──but then again, the semester just started. Rent was coming up and you had saved enough to pay your share of the apartment and really other than Monday morning's coffee accident, things have been good.

Monday morning…

Subway girl.

Truth be told, you hadn't stopped thinking about the pretty stranger you met on the train a little over three days ago. Sure, she may have only offered her kindness out of pitty at the sight of your teary face, but it was something touching to you nonetheless. It was something that she needed that day, spmething that went right. You didn't see her on your commute to work earlier today, and a part of you couldn't help but feel disappointed. She was just some girl ──green eyes, freckled cheeks, tall and teasing── you had talked to for no more than five minute and yet your mind couldn't stop replaying her smile and her fingers brushing the curve of your shoulders as she wrapped her scarf around you.

You were hopeless

Eliza comes up behind you, shaking her head with a tut of her tongue as she perches her elbow on the counter beside you. "Slacking off on the job, new girl?" Her brow was arched and despite the edge in her tone, you could tell she wasn't exactly scolding you for it either.

"Sorry," you respond as you straighten yourself up. There's a hint of a smirk on the women's face for a second before she shakes her head.

"You eat?" In the six hours you've been in shift, you hadn't eaten anything other than a pack of fruit snacks you'd taken from one of your roommates snacks in the pantry, but did she really have to know that.

‘Uhm, yes?”

"Liar. That's why you slack off. You don't eat. You have no energy," Eliza shakes her head calling out to the man on the grill before you were even able to argue back.

“Jesse!”

"What!" He responds, annoyance in his muffled voice.

“Ew special”

"I already made you one!" Eliza groans, responding with a "for the new girl, Jesse," in an even more annoyed tone before turning to leave at the sound of table 3 calling for more syrup.

What in the world was an ew special?

—

An Ew Special as it turns out, was a sandwich with hashbrown and some cheesy ketchup concoction which honestly, was way better than you expected.

The time on your cracked screen marked 10:07 as you made your way into the subway station for your commute back home. Atleast tonight you'd get a decent night's rest before another full day of lectures and another evening shift. And with that, you sat on one of the benches under fluorescent lighting waiting for your train.

Around your neck was the scarf from before, this time it being worn to keep you warm rather than to cover a stain on your shirt, and definitely not because it was a gift from the handsome girl from before. Nope.

It doesn't take long for your train to arrive, and as you walk in, you can't help but glance around for a familiar auburn haired girl. And again, she's not there, what were you expecting? She was merely a kind stranger, one of the few you've encountered and have never seen again, why would she be any different?

—

The following morning, you follow your usual routine. Wake up, take your vitamin c gummy and see if there's any breakfast worthy left overs before taking a shower, get ready, and leave the 4th floor apartment to make your way to your station. It was a nice routine, one you wouldn't mind repeating the rest of your days in Seattle with the exception of one new thing you've recently had the habit of doing: look around for the girl on the subway, Subway girl.

Subway girl was a smile lost in the tracks. A girl who showed up, saved the day, and blinked out of existence.

It was embarrassing the amount of times you've looked for her only for the same result, so, in order to save yourself another disappointment, you'd instead focuse on yourself and not look around.

And you don't look around, not intentionally atleast, not until a group of late-twenty year olds step off the car two stops into your ride and you catch a glimpse of a familiar auburn girl.

Subway girl. The flannel she had worn the day you'd first met her sat neatly on her lap alowing for a better view of the outlined tattoos on her arms as her white t-shirt sleeves were cuffed below her shoulders.

You couldn't believe your luck.

Her eyes were closed as her head leaned against the window sill, but as she felt your gaze from across of her, she slowly opened her eyes and her mouth formed a soft "oh" in surprise.

"Coffee girl," She smiles, sitting up in her seat as she turned to face you directly. There's a pleasant glint in her eyes as she looked at you, one that you hoped you'd see forever.

“Subway girl.”

Her smile spreads. “Mornin’.”

Your brain tries to reply with a "hi", perhaps ask about her day, but your mouth goes to say "morning", and so what comes out is, "Horny.”

Maybe it's not too late to jump out the emergency exit. You expect her to turn away, wonder why she'd even tried to talk to you, but instead she snorts.

Her eyebrows raise in amusement before she grins teasingly with her voice ever smooth, "I mean, sure, sometimes." She rolls her shoulders back and pulls down her faded green headphones, the ones you saw the day you met her, before setting them on her lap with her flannel and taking out her Walkman to pause her music. It was interesting, you'd never seen anyone actually use a Walkman ──much less walk around with it── but you didn't question it.

"Sorry, I'm─ morning brain. It's too early," you muster out and something shifts in her expression.

"Is it?" Subway girl asks with what seemed like genuine interest.

"Yeah, um... I had a late night.”

Her brows raise again, and you couldn't help but look away as she seemed to try and guess what it was that had kept you up. "Doing what?”

It's not necessarily a lie, but it's not exactly the truth, and really you just needed some cover to not look like an idiot after the word vomit from a moment earlier. "Oh, uh, I had a night shift. I wait tables at Miller's and it's twenty-four hours─”

"Miller's...? As in Miller's house of pancakes on the edge of the city?”

She rests her elbows on her knees and perches her chin on her hands. Her eyes are wide, and curious, her attention solely on you as she awaited your answer.

"You know it?”

She bites her lip, which is fine, and she shakes her head.

"Oh man, I used to wait tables there too," She says. "The owners would argue about how they wanted to name the place so it would always change until they stuck with that.. Jesse still in the kitchen?”

You laugh, her mind blown expression causing a flurry of butterflies in your stomach. Lucky again. "Yeah, he's been there forever. I can't imagine him ever not being there. Everyday as I clock in he's all─”

"Mornin' buttercup," She says in perfect imitation which earns another small laugh from you. "He's such a babe, right?”

"A babe? Oh god," Your reaction gets yet another snort out of her, and as the two of you meet gazes again you both fall into a fit of laughter. It was sweet, and nice, and maybe, just maybe, meant to be.

"Man, there's this thing they serve there now and.. God, it's delicious. I had it the other day, an Ew special'.”

The spark in Subway girls eyes ignites so brilliantly that you half expect her to jump out her seat. "Wait, that's my sandwich! I invented it!”

"No way! Really?"

"Ew is a play on to my initials E.W," She explains. "I had Jesse make it specual for me so many times that eventually everyone else started having them too. Can't believe he still makes them there. He might be in love with me or something," She quips.

"Maybe. He makes them all the time and it's absolutely delicious, it definitely brings you back after a long shift, so, thank you.”

“No problem,” Subway girl says. Shes got this far-off look in her eyes as if she were reminiscing on the sights of customers and the smells of the diner, but she shakes the look off and lets out an exhale. “God, I miss that place. I don’t know if you feel it but, something about it… It's magic.”

You don’t do magic, but who were you to say that when she looks so wistful as if there was a deeper meaning behind her words so you simply hum in agreement.

‘I don't know how they haven’t fired me yet. I’m not the worst waitress, promise, but I accidentally dropped a pie on a five-year-old two days ago. We had to give him a free T-shirt.”

It takes a second, but Subway girl laughs, loud and hearty before shaking her head. “You'll get the hang of it soon,” She says with so much confidence that you believe her instantly. “Small fuckin’ world, huh?”

“Yeah…” You agree. “Small fuckin world.”

A comforting silence lingers in the air as you smile at each other. Subway girl is the first to break it as she glances at the scarf sticking out of your bag, “Nice scarf, by the way.”

You forgot you still had it with you so you quickly go to take it out and hand it to her but subway girl is quick to hold up a hand. “I told you to keep it and besides,” she pulls out a blue plaid one out of her bag, “It's been replaced.”

You look between the scarf in your hand and the green eyed girl in front of you, “I, yeah– thank you again, so much. I wanted– I mean, it was my first day of class and i was already late and didnt want to show up looking–”

“Hey, I mean, Its not that you looked bad,” Subway girl counters. “You just… looked like you needed something to go right that morning. So.” She shrugs, and the intercom suddenly comes on, announcing a stop that was barely audible from how unusually garbled it sounded.

Subway girl points over at the board. “Thats your stop right? The one heading to the college?”

Shit. It was your stop.

You realize as you swing your bag onto your shoulder and glance at the girl across from you that you might never get this lucky again. You seeing her again after 4 days of disappointment could have just been the world messing with you, raising your hopes up only to have her leave for good leaving you with only the memory of the pretty subway masc who saved the day and left you wanting more.

“I’m working breakfast tomorrow. At Millers,” You blurt out as you stand up. “If you want to stop by I could sneak you a sandwich. As payback for the scarf y’know?”

Subway girl looks up at you with an expression so strange and unreadable that you feel your stomach drop, of course, you had to find a way to ruin this. Whatever “this” even was.

Her expression clears up however and she smiles again, “Oh, man. I'd love that.”

“Okay,” you say and start walking to the door, still looking at her. “Okay. Great. Cool. Yeah-” You were going to stop saying words any second now. God, you usually weren't this awkward about asking people out.

Subway girl only watches you go, an amused look in her eyes as she moves a strand of hair from her face.

“What's your name?” she asks.

You stop in your tracks and turn around accidentally hitting another passenger getting off with your bag. “Ah– It’s [ ]. My names [ ].”

Subway girl's smile softens as if she somehow already knew.

“[ ],” she repeats. “I’m Ellie.”

“Ellie.. Hi, Ellie.”

Subway girl, now known as Ellie, smiles. She brings her hand up to her face and gives you a small salute as you say her name, a dorky gesture but one you found endearing nonetheless.

There's a little warning bell to announce the door closing so you quickly step off while still trying to keep your eyes on the auburn haired girl.

“The scarf looks better on you anyways,” Ellie winks, and the Subway doors close in front of you.

TAG LIST ౨ৎ ˖ ࣪⊹ @seraphicsentences @amberputh @k1ssesworld @mikellie @williamellieslilho @boobdrug

[ignoremyworld]

Remember me?

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Eddie is a metal star living in New York and needed a bite to eat. It doesn’t get awkward until he runs into his past

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The streets of New York City were busy. Even at night. Of course the thousands of people taking pictures weren’t helping.

Eddie had just gotten done with his gig at Webster hall and decided to take a late night walk to get fresh air after being stuck, sweaty and gross on a stage for three hours. He was still wearing his outfit from the show, a pair of baggy cargo pants with his bandana tucked into his back pocket and his cuffs hanging off one of his belt loops, a cropped re designed version of the hellfire logo, a fishnet shirt under that and his hair up in a bun to get the sweat off his neck.

Even if the streets were busy he didn’t mind. Walking past shop after shop he’d look through the windows to see what kind of stuff they were selling. A sports memorabilia store selling sport cards and merch like hats and jerseys. A little yarn shop filled with different textures and colors. A subway shop that he desperately wanted to stop into and he would if he hadn’t forgotten his wallet.

Staring through the subway window he saw the cashier making their customer the desired sandwich. He watched as he, somewhat, skillfully put the cheese and meat onto the bread, taking some bacon and putting it in their weird microwave. Eddie’s stomach growled and as it did he remembered about Apple Pay. He had about $73 dollars left on there so he walked in and hoped they took tap.

Waiting in line he heard the door ring signaling someone had entered. Hearing their footsteps stomp behind him and a sharp breath was taken. As the line slowly moved forward, Eddie could hear the aforementioned guy behind him put his phone up to his ear as the ringing became muffled.

He heard the guy start to whisper to the recipient on the phone, curious but not enough to eavesdrop on their conversation. The few people in front of him had came and left and it was soon his turn. He wrapped up his order with a foot long, a cookie, chips and a drink. The took his phone out and got Apple Pay ready when the man that was behind him, now next to him, spoke.

“I’ll pay for it man” a deep voice had spoken up beside him.

The sound of gravelly morning voice made Eddie jolt. Taking him back to Hawkins. Laying in bed with…

“Steve” he said softly, his heart beating ten times faster than it was.

He turned his head to meet Steve’s eyes. Still brown like firewood after the flames have been put out. His hair had changed. What was once tall and fluffy, helped by Farrah fawcet spray, was now laying beside his cheeks with the tips dyed blue. He had gotten more freckles since the last time he saw him.

The last time Eddie had seen anyone really. He had left in the middle of the night to go with his band mates to start his dream job. No one knew he was gonna leave, he knew they’d make a big fuss about it and a part of him couldn’t stand the look that would have been on Steve’s face when he said he’d be leaving.

The cashier broke the long silence between them “so, which one of you is going to pay? There’s a line forming”

Steve walked up to the register and handed the man his card, not taking his eyes off Eddie.

“Been a bit hasn’t it” Steve said. Finally tearing his eyes away from Eddie to look literally anywhere else.

“Yeah. A bit” Eddie replied, a wave of guilt washing over him

“Seven years is a long time” Steve whispered, taking his card back from the cashier “and you never called” he said before walking out.

Eddie chased after him and caught his arm. Pulling him back

“I wanted to call! I really did but I knew you’d be mad at me. Just like you are now! I’m so so sorry Stevie.” He said feeling tears well in his eyes.

“Don’t call me that” Steve snapped “you lost that privilege when you left and didn’t say anything. Not even a note Eddie! You have no clue how hurt and worried I was about you. It wasn’t until rob had said she saw you on television that I knew you had left us. That you had left me” tears had started to slip from Steve’s eyes and Eddie desperately wanted to place his hand on steves cheek like he used to and kiss them away.

“I know stevi- Steve. I know. And I’m so incredibly sorry. I wish there was some way I could make it up to you.” Eddie had sighed and let go of Steve’s arm “but unless you let me, there’s no way I can fix what I did”

There was a silence. The sound of cars rushing by was the only thing that was heard between the two.

Steve broke the silence and said “you can start by coming home with me”

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

WELL that took such a long time. I want to start making longer stories and maybe continuous parts. Should I make a second part

And please any advice on writing or tips are appreciated as I’m still new to this.

Hope you liked it!

[freyanistics]

Fiery flames 🔥 (part 1)

Wally (human) x dragon!reader

Part two here

Thousands of years ago dragons ruled the skies. With their terrible fiery breaths and intelligence they were seen as the biggest threat to mankind. But as the years pass and the world changed dragons started to disappear one by one from the war between them and humans. Nowadays they are simply deemed a fantasy in storybooks. But you are still alive. Sure you might have to stick to your human form and adapt to modern life but the large scaly beast was still active inside of you, waiting to break free.

You lived in an apartment complex in the lesser side of the city, where crime was a bit more prominent, your typical robbers and car jackers. No one dared to bother you so you were never worried of waking up with your stuff stolen or getting mugged off the street. The reason you moved here was because it was much more interesting than surrounding yourself around pompous idiots in the white collar district. You also had made a couple of friends in the complex including a young mother with two young children that you babysit every Friday night and an widow who always told nice stories.

It took awhile to adjust to your new mundane life. You missed the times when you were a large liege seizing havoc upon knights and hoarding your prized possessions but that didn’t mean you couldn’t entertain yourself. At night you would fly through the dark skies over the city looking down at the light up buildings just like the old times.

This particular morning you woke up around six am getting up and ready for work at your new job. You was a camera person for this live set children’s show called ‘Welcome Home’. If you had to pick it reminded you a bit of Mister Rogers and Sesame Street. There were live actors that would dress up as these characters and do your typical lessons like being kind to one another and how to count to ten. You didn’t have no opinion on it since you wasn’t the targeted audience. After getting dress and shoving a toast in your mouth you rush out of the building to the train station taking the D train to the uptown area. While riding the train you looked down at your phone scrolling through your feed not paying anyone no mind, even when someone was singing loudly drunk.

After getting to the studio and clocking in you immediately got to work setting up the cameras. The other workers rushed around preparing to record a few episodes while the actors got ready. You’ve met all of them finding them kinda quirky but friendly folks, but your least favorite of them all was Wally. He was a weirdo to say the least. The ‘star’ of the show most would say and for good reason; he was funny, charming, and pretty outgoing to everyone who met him. A lot of the people around here and his fanbase found him attractive as well with his cocoa brown skin and dark blue dyed hair that was always put up in a pompodor. You however didn’t see the hype but then again humans didn’t really get you going, you only dated a handful in the past. On top of all of this he just had a weird vibe that you couldn’t exactly place, maybe because he had a bit of a staring problem that people overlooked.

After thirty minutes everything was put in place as you started to record. You sat there with the other camera people as the actors performed on the set. This particular episode featured Wally, Barnaby, and Howdy teaching kids about counting and adding. Wally was explaining how adding works while looking straight at your camera, but it felt like he was staring at you. There goes that weird feeling again but you quickly shook it off. Afterwards the break bell rings and you all stepped away to eat lunch. You pick up your subway sandwich sitting down between Poppy and Frank diving in hungrily, scarfing it down in less than ten minutes.

“Geez Y/N, you sure can eat!” Barnaby says teasingly from across the table. “That wasn’t even five minutes!”

“What can I say? I’m a growing person.” You respond patting your stomach causing the others to laugh.

“How about about an eating contest?” He challenge raising an eyebrow.

“You’re on big guy.” You smirk as Julie jumps up clapping her hands. “Me and Frank can be the judge!” Frank cuts his eyes over at the rest of you while holding up a book. “Why me? They’re going to just get themselves sick.” He shakes his head.

“Come on Frank, it’ll be fun.” Julie pleads as he sighs putting a bookmark in his book before closing it.

“Can I also judge?” A voice calls as all of you turn to the star of the show himself, Wally. While everyone lights up you couldn’t help a frown appearing. Great. Mister big shot was here.

“Sure Wally!” Julie was saying excitedly as she starts listing stuff they would need. You could feel his eyes boring into the side of your face as you tried not to look over at the blue haired man. Don’t make eye contact to give him any ideas. The bell rings signaling that lunch was over. As everyone disperse to go back to their places you felt a hand on your shoulder looking over to see it was Wally. He was staring at you so intensely that it felt like he was looking into your soul.

“Hello Y/N, how have you been?” He asks in that sickly sweet voice you loathed.

“I’ve been alright Wally.” You said putting your hands on your pockets. You both stared at one another in some type of staring contest. He was shorter than you, probably just above 5’1, so he was looking up at you. You wasn’t intimidated by this kid, in fact you was more annoyed by him than ever. What did he want? You couldn’t help but feel like he was hiding something.

“So did you needed something or did you just wanted to stare at my pretty face?” You said chuckling trying to break the tension. At your comment Wally grins flashing all of his teeth and you could have sworn his pupils got larger.

“I don’t mind either.” He said in a flirtatious tone causing you to double take. Was he…flirting with you? Just as you was about to say something he turns and strolls off casually, hands behind his back as he hummed the Welcome Home theme song.

God he was weird.

(This is a test to see if I can write Wally well! I know it says part one but I’m not sure if I’ll continue, if y’all like it and want more let me know!)

[sonnet-of-anarchy]

Ghosts (& coopers) at Subway:

Lady B: Lipton ice tea, lemon. The toppings were apparently ‘disgusting’ but decided on a six inch tuna and cucumber with salt and vinegar crisps. Refused to make a crisp sandwich because that behavavior, Humphrey, is Beneath her. 🥒

Alison: latte, chicken tikka wrap and some nachos that Mike sort-of stole. Ended up paying. 🫔

Julian: six inch cheese steak, Coke and a white chip macadamia nut cookie. “Do you know who I am?” (No they didn’t). Did not get a discount in the ‘pleb’ shop but made jokes about sandwich lengths. 📏

Captain: thought all the subs were code for something so ended up with chicken ‘Bravo Bravo Quebec’ with cheese & onion crisps & a black tea, (large.) also infatuated by the operating system line. 🫖

Thomas: Costa caramel latte, six inch BMT and a side salad because he once saw Toby nightingale eating one. 🥗

Mary: water, margarita slice and cheesy bites that ‘be hell in thine mouth’ (they were too hot) 🧀

Pat: six inch Big Breakwich with hash browns & a tea. Was really friendly to the worker. 🥔

Kitty: six inch chicken, bacon and cheese with a few pieces of lettuce because Cap told her to get one vegetable. Also a fanta fruit twist and a rainbow chocolate cookie. She said “hello” to every single employee. 🥬

Humphrey: six inch BBQ chicken & bacon, cool original Doritos & a cappuccino with extra chocolate. 🥓

Mike: Chicken salad with extra olives, also some walkers Max Paprika, Dr Pepper and a raspberry cheesecake cookie. Ate most of Alison’s nachos.🥤

Robin: footlong, double steak. None of that vegetable shit. Perhaps also some ham & chicken (also deapthroated one of those foot-long cookies in like 4 bites ) 🍪

Bonus: they see Barkley in there and he panics because he’s been caught in the poor people fast-food place so he hides in the toilet for, like, two hours even though everyone knows he’s in there.

[elsanna-shenanigans]

December 2023/January 2024 Contest Submission #9: a pinch of salt

Words: ca. 5,000 Setting: modern AU Lemon: no CW: none

With a low grunt, Elsa lifted the bag of flour to spill into the industrial mixer. Holding her breath and turning her head away while a puff of flour wafted out of the steal bowl. She didn’t need to measure, the cupcakes she was making required the entire bag and if it was a little off, no one ever seemed to notice. This wasn’t Paris anymore after all.

It was a big shift from quantity over quality. She still did her best on the more specialty confections, the ones in smaller batches. But with these cupcakes, she simply couldn’t, they were made and bought in mass.

“Good morning sweetie,” Elsa’s mother said, pushing open the back door with her shoulder. Letting in both the sounds and smells of the city. It closed with a soft thud and the noise in the back room was once again just the hum of the equipment. “I got you a latte.”

“Mom, we can make lattes here.” Elsa sighed, crumbling the empty bag and brushing off her apron.

“Yes, but that little shop on the corner has the egg sandwiches your father loves. And I just want him to be happy, he’s really struggling.” Iduna dipped her head and placed a small paper bag and a coffee cup on the counter near Elsa. 

“I know.”

“I got you some food too, I can’t just go in there and buy one sandwich, that would be weird.” Iduna laughed, it sounded a little forced but Elsa chose to ignore it.

“Well, you can, but thank you I didn’t have time to make anything.”

“Hmm, I figured and you can drink this coffee now while I get our machine set up.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Elsa opened the paper bag and took out the egg sandwich. her mom smiled and disappeared through another door that led to the upstairs. She glanced over at the mixer, debating for a moment before she leaned back and ate. Better to eat it while it’s hot, the cupcakes could wait a few minutes.

***

“And that wraps up today’s cafe adventure, make sure to leave a comment with your suggestion for my next cafe. Thanks for watching!” Anna smiled and held of the peace sign, counting to three in my head before she flipped the phone around and stopped the recording.

She took a sip of her drink and looked around the busy cafe, glad that she had long since grown out of being embarrassed of filming herself in public. Truly no one really cared, specially in cafes where folks were in and out with a snack and drink or deeply buried in their work of choice — hunched over laptops. 

Anna pulled out her own laptop, a few minutes later she was deep in editing mode, headphones on, computer glasses askew. A little notepad sat next to her where her marked notes for a voice voice she would record later.

The cafe thinned out around her, settling into the mid-afternoon calm before the teenagers and after-workers descended in masses. This was Anna’s favorite time at any cafe when she could really look around and enjoy the decor and little unique touches. This place was rather ordinary. Anna found herself stretching to come up with some positive things to say.

“Miss, we have two hour limit unless you buy something.” A tired looking barista said.

“Oh I’m sorry, I’ll just pack up and get out of your hair.” Anna smiled and the barista just sighed and nodded, drifting off to another table. Anna debated buying something on her way out as an apology, but the only non-drink items were some basic-looking chocolate chip cookies. She shoved her laptop in her backpack and shouldered.

“One cookie please,”

“Sure,” the person behind the counter said, scooping the cookie into a paper bag and handing it over in one smooth action.

Outside the cafe, the early evening was just starting to kiss the city, long shadows and slow traffic. She started walking, no destination, just to wonder till it got dark and then she would navigate the subway system home from wherever she ended up.

She passed a homeless man, sitting on a small blanket with his back leaned against a wall. People passed without paying him much mind. Anna approached and he eyed her but made no other moves.

“Here, I just bought it,” Anna said, offering him the cookie.

A weather-worn hand reached out and grabbed the bag, “Thank you, young lady.” He said offering a smile.

Anna returned it before continuing, hopefully the cookie would brighten his day a bit.

“Jimmy get the door.” A woman shouted once Anna rounded a corner. Only Anna didn’t see a woman, she only saw a stack of purple boxes wobbling towards a waiting town car and a panicked-looking young boy who was opening the door while his eyes, wide and frightened, stared at the stack of purple.

Anna held her breath but the woman was able to safely get the boxes into the back seat and she breathed out a sigh of relief at the same time as the boy. The pair of strangers disappeared into the car and it pulled away into traffic. She glanced at where the woman had come from and was surprised to find a combo cafe and bakery.

She pulled out her phone and googled the location. ‘Fjord Flavors Bakery’ popped up on maps but lacked a website or any social media. Anna’s interest spiked, this could be the hidden gem she’s been looking for for her web series.

She walked up to the door at the same time someone did from the other side of the glass. A woman. Tall and blonde, stood inside the shop. She looked at Anna for a moment as if waiting for something before she reached up and flipped the sign on the door to closed. She pointed with a long finger to a faded paper sign with hours before turning her back and walked away.

Anna was left speechless and intrigued, she needed to know more. She attempted to look through the windows at the bakery counter but the lights were flipped off and Anna was left staring at her own reflection.

***

Elsa pushed through the door to the back and hung up her apron. It was quiet now in the back room save for a faint hum from the walk-in fridge.

“Hi sweetie,” Iduna said, opening to door to the apartment upstairs. “I scrubbed the floors and wiped everything down already. You just need to take the trash out.”

“Thanks Mom,” Elsa said, rolling her sleeves up. “What did you want for dinner?”

“Oh, your father really wants Chinese takeout if that’s okay.”

“Yeah, that will work,” Elsa said with a sigh. “I’ll just get my usual. I’ll be up after this.”

“Alright sweetheart, I’ll call Wok The Block.” Her mother disappeared through the door. Elsa took the trash out, wrinkling her nose at the smell and pretending not to see the rats scurrying away from the shared dumpster.

She looked up at the glowing window of the second floor where she shared an apartment with her parents. This wasn’t where she had imagined herself being but life is weird like that.

“Hey dad,” Elsa said as she finally walked into the apartment. “How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’m doing great honey, I think I can come downstairs and help tomorrow.” Her father replied, his voice raspy.

“That’s great dad.” Elsa forced a small smile, it was the same every day. But he was never well enough the next day. She often flipped between annoyed and missing the man her father used to be before he got sick, before Elsa came back home to help.

  ***

Anna held up a hand to shield her eyes from the early morning bright sun, well early for her anyway. She was making her way back to Fjord Flavors Bakery, she needed to scope it out and make sure they were okay with her filming a vlog in there. Most places had no issue but she always asked anyway.

The bakery was fairly busy with sleepy patrons and frantic-looking folks of intern age. It smelled like a lovely mix of coffee and fresh bread with a hint of sweetness. There were stacks of purple boxes in various sizes on nearly every counter behind the register and the sparking large glass case showcased everything from chocolate moose cake to simple bagels.

Anna was captivated, her eyes darting around the small shop, bouncing from various things in the glass display case to the handwritten menu board. She didn’t notice she was next in line till a warm voice cut through her thoughts.

“What can I get you this morning?”

Anna blinked and chewed on her lip. “Um, a vanilla latte and a—“ She looked over at the case, noticing the blonde woman from last night for the first time. She had a baseball hat pulled down low on her face, hiding most of it in shadow as she moved with an almost floating grace, putting goods in boxes or bags.

“Sweetheart?” The woman at the register asked again. She was older but looked much like the blonde woman, at least from what Anna remembered from the few seconds she saw her on the other side of the glass.

“A chocolate muffin please.”

“Good choice, you can tap your card when you’re ready.”  She didn’t wait for Anna to finish paying before turning around to begin working on Anna’s latte.

As Anna waited for her latte and chocolate muffin, she couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation that fluttered in her chest. The bustling atmosphere of Fjord Flavors Bakery seemed to envelop her. She pulled out her phone on instinct, realizing at that moment that she forgot to ask about filming, too distracted with the baked goods. And, if she was honest, the younger of the two women behind the counter. Something about her just captivated Anna.

Lost in her thoughts, Anna’s eyes inadvertently met those of the mysterious blonde woman. A brief moment passed between them, a flicker of recognition that left Anna both intrigued and slightly unnerved. The woman’s gaze was penetrating, as if she could see through Anna entirely.

The older woman at the register, likely the mother of the intriguing figure behind the counter, smiled at Anna, snapping her out of the momentary trance. “Sweetheart, your card didn’t go through.”

Anna fumbled for her wallet and tapped her card again, grateful for the distraction. Once the reader beeped the older woman nodded her head and handed over her latte and muffin — enclosed in a little purple bag. Anna stepped away from the counter and took a sip of her latte before turning on one heal — committing before she could change her mind, and approached the younger woman who was still engrossed in her work.

“Hi,” Anna began, her voice carrying a hint of nervousness. “I was here last night, and I’m Anna, and I’m a food blogger. I was wondering if it’s okay for me to film a vlog here. Your bakery is so charming, and I’d love to share it with my audience.”

The blonde woman, her eyes still concealed beneath the shadow of the hat, looked up from her task. There was a pause, a moment of silence that stretched, leaving Anna wondering if she had overstepped a boundary.

But then, to Anna’s surprise, a small smile tugged at the corners of the woman’s lips. “Sure, you can film. Just try not to get in the way too much. We’ve got a busy morning ahead.”

Anna beamed with gratitude, her excitement bubbling over. “Thank you so much! I promise I’ll be quiet as a mouse. Your bakery is truly special, and I want to capture its magic.”

The woman’s smile vanished. “Can you not put my face in your video? You can film my mom, Iduna, she loves attention.”

“Yeah of course, no problem-o uh… I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”

“Because I didn’t give it, I usually don’t, but maybe I’ll tell you.” The blonde shrugged and turned around to busy herself with some other task, effectively ending the conversion.

Anna retreated to a corner, setting up her camera and adjusting the frame. The bakery’s ambiance, the hum of activity, and the tantalizing aroma of fresh pastries served as the backdrop for her vlog.

As Anna began recording, she couldn’t help stealing glances at the blonde woman, who continued working with a quiet intensity. The exchange between them felt charged with unspoken intrigue, a dance of curiosity and captivation.

***

Elsa continued her meticulous work behind the counter, arranging pastries with practiced precision. The rhythmic hum of the bakery machinery and the murmur of customers created a familiar symphony around her. She was engrossed in the delicate dance of crafting confections, her mind focused on the artistry of each creation.

The arrival of this new customer, Anna, occupied Elsa’s thoughts. She had observed the woman from beneath the shadow of her hat, curious about the stranger who had locked eyes with her the night before. Elsa’s eyes, sharp and discerning, followed Anna’s movements as she fumbled for her wallet and paid for her order.

Her mother, ever knowing glanced her way and gave her daughter a smirk. Elsa could swear that woman was some kind of mind-reading witch sometimes.

When the woman turned away from the counter, Elsa felt her heart sink a little only to have it completely flip over and she couldn’t help but feel a flutter of anticipation as she approached. There was something about this food blogger, Anna, that piqued her curiosity, a blend of charm and nervous energy that resonated with the essence of the baking itself.

Anna’s voice, smooth and kind sounding, reached Elsa’s ears and rang through them like a gentle song. The request to film a vlog seemed to echo through the busy bakery, and Elsa found herself torn between the desire to share Fjord Flavors’ story and the instinctive need to guard her own privacy.

The moment of silence that followed stretched, and Elsa locked eyes with Anna. The intensity of the gaze exchanged between them held a silent understanding, a recognition of the delicate balance they were navigating. When Anna’s request was met with a small smile, Elsa allowed a fraction of relief to wash over her.

“Sure, you can film. Just try not to get in the way too much. We’ve got a busy morning ahead,” Elsa replied, her tone measured. The decision to allow the filming was not without hesitation, but she couldn’t deny the bakery’s newfound visibility had its benefits. They needed more customers, they were barely breaking even as it was.

Anna’s gratitude beamed like a ray of sunshine, but Elsa’s smile faltered when the request about her face being excluded from the video surfaced. The vulnerability beneath the confident exterior became apparent. “Can you not put my face in your video? You can film my mom, Iduna; she loves attention,” Elsa stated, her voice carrying a mix of firmness and vulnerability.

“Yeah, of course, no problem-o, uh… I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name,” Anna responded, her enthusiasm tempered by the subtle shift in the conversation.

“Because I didn’t give it. I usually don’t, but maybe I’ll tell you,” Elsa said with a shrug, turning her attention back to her tasks. The brief exchange left an air of mystery hanging between them, an unspoken understanding that some stories were meant to be guarded.

As Anna retreated to a corner to set up her camera, Elsa returned to her craft, the dance of creation resuming amidst the inviting aroma of freshly baked pastries. The bakery’s ambiance, now subtly altered by the presence of a camera, continued to weave its magic, leaving Elsa to navigate the intricate dance between visibility and the sanctuary of the shadows.

****

Anna’s vlog unfolded seamlessly, capturing the essence of Fjord Flavors Bakery with a blend of charm and authenticity. Anna highlighted the meticulous craftsmanship behind each pastry, the warm interactions between staff and customers, and the unique charm that set the bakery apart.

The mysterious blonde woman, now a central figure in Anna’s narrative, moved gracefully through the frames, her hands expertly crafting delicate pastries. Anna didn’t realize until she was editing how much footage she got of the woman. That was not like her to make that much B-Roll.

The vlog, however, resonated with Anna’s audience, who eagerly embraced the enchanting story of Fjord Flavors. Within a few hours, it was already set to be one of her top posts. This was truly the hidden gem she had been looking for — she couldn’t wait to get back and film more.

As the week unfolded, the bakery continued to buzz with activity. The patrons, now aware of the filming, exchanged smiles with Anna. The atmosphere was charged with a sense of community, a shared appreciation for the hidden gem that had captured their hearts.

As Anna packed up her equipment, a few days later the older woman approached her, her eyes reflecting a mix of warmth and curiosity. “You’ve got a way of capturing the soul of a place,” she said. “We’re glad to have you share our story.”

Anna smiled, touched by the genuine sentiment. “It’s a special place, and your daughter… she’s something else. There’s a magic about her.”

The older woman’s eyes twinkled knowingly. “Elsa has always had a touch of magic. It’s what makes Fjord Flavors what it is. Don’t tell her father I said that though, he built the place.”

“Elsa,” Anna repeated, tasting the letters for the first time.

“Hmm, I don’t think I was supposed to tell you her name. Silly old me.” Iduna said, failing to hide a smirk. She turned and walked away before Anna could reply, disappearing into the back room.

“Elsa.” Anna repeated to herself as she glanced over to the counter again where Elsa herself was polishing the top of the glass case. Her hat pulled down so low that Anna could only see the very edge of her chin.

***

Elsa wiped her hands on her apron, the remnants of flour clinging to the fabric. The bustling activity of the bakery had quieted as closing time approached. Iduna, joined her behind the counter, offering a weary but affectionate smile.

“Another day is done,” Iduna remarked, her eyes reflecting a mix of exhaustion and resilience.

Elsa nodded, the weight of responsibility settling on her shoulders. “Let’s clean up and head upstairs. Dad’s probably waiting.”

Together, they moved with a practiced efficiency, tidying up the bakery with a shared understanding of the routine. The aroma of the day’s creations lingered in the air, a comforting scent that masked the underlying concerns both women carried.

Once the last tray was stored, Elsa locked the front door. They ascended the narrow staircase that led to the second floor. As they entered the apartment, the atmosphere shifted from the warmth of the bakery to a more intimate, subdued setting. The living room was adorned with family photos and traces of the life they had built together. Soft light illuminated the room, casting a gentle glow.

Elsa’s father was in his favorite chair, a worn blanket draped over his frail shoulders. His eyes, once vibrant, now held a weariness that spoke of battles fought within. Despite his illness, a flicker of a smile appeared and he sat up straighter as he saw Elsa and Iduna enter.

“Hey, Dad,” Elsa greeted, her voice carrying a mix of tenderness and concern. It had been months now and he hadn’t shown any progress. “How was your day?”

He coughed softly, a reminder of the fragility that had settled in and Elsa was painfully reminded that they couldn’t afford the medicine that could help him. “Same as always, sweetheart. You girls working too hard down there?”

Iduna leaned down to kiss his forehead. “You know us, always keeping things running.”

Elsa fetched a glass of water from the kitchen, handing it to her father. As he took a sip, his eyes met Elsa’s, and an unspoken understanding passed between them. The weight of their shared reality hung in the air.

“I’ll start dinner,” Iduna suggested, attempting to infuse the moment with normalcy.

Elsa remained by her father’s side, her hand gently resting on his. “You doing okay, Dad?”

He sighed, his gaze distant. “Just tired, sweetheart. But seeing you and your mother’s faces at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile. Your mother tells me the bakery has been a video-er the last few days.”

“Yes, we’re not paying her but it seems to be helping business.”

“I heard she’s really sweet and pretty and your mother told me I have to tell you to talk to her.” A familiar twinkle danced across her father’s eyes.

“I’ll try Dad.” Elsa replied, not sure how much she believed her own words.

Her father smiled and leaned his head back, closing his eyes. Elsa squeezed his hand, a mixture of love and sorrow coursing through her. The trio settled into the familiar routine of an evening together, finding solace in the shared moments that transcended the challenges they faced.

As the evening unfolded, the soft hum of family echoed through the apartment—a fragile melody that held within it the strength of love, resilience, and the unwavering bond that anchored them in the face of life’s uncertainties.

***

The following week unfolded with a rhythm of anticipation as Anna returned to Fjord Flavors Bakery. The atmosphere had shifted subtly as if the bakery itself recognized the growing curiosity that surrounded it.

Elsa, the elusive figure behind the counter, continued her work with a quiet determination. Her hat pulled low, veiled her expression, leaving Anna to wonder about the stories concealed beneath the surface. The name “Elsa” echoed in Anna’s mind like a secret she was on the verge of unraveling.

As Anna set up her camera for another day of filming, she couldn’t help but feel a magnetic pull toward the enigmatic blonde woman. It was a dance of curiosity and respect, a delicate balance that Anna had grown accustomed to navigating.

The day unfolded with the familiar symphony of Fjord Flavors—the hum of machinery, the aroma of fresh pastries, and the chatter of contented patrons. Anna’s lens captured the intricate details of the bakery, from the artful arrangement of desserts to the interactions between staff and customers.

While filming, Elsa’s hands worked their magic with practiced finesse. The vlog became a canvas, each frame painted with the passion and dedication that Elsa poured into her creations. Anna couldn’t deny the magnetic allure that Elsa exuded, and her camera seemed drawn to the mysterious pastry chef.

As the day wound down and Anna packed up her equipment, Iduna approached once more, her eyes twinkling with a knowing gleam. “You’ve been capturing the essence of Fjord Flavors beautifully, dear. My daughter may be a bit of a mystery, I’m afraid. There’s a reason I suppose, but I think she needs someone to talk to.”

Anna nodded, grateful for the hospitality she had received. “Thank you,” she paused before continuing, weighing her words. “Do you think I’m the person to talk to her? I’m just a vlogger, I can’t say I’m really friends with Elsa.”

Iduna chuckled softly. “Well, dear, I watch your vlogs and I know my daughter,” She looked directly into Anna’s eyes, her expression hard to read. “Sure, sometimes the best stories are the ones left untold. But I have a feeling Elsa might be willing to share a bit more, given the right nudge.” She winked and walked away.

Encouraged by Iduna’s words, Anna glanced over at Elsa, who was now meticulously arranging a display of delicate pastries. The hat cast a shadow over her features. Anna swallowed, she wanted nothing more than to have a meaningful conversation with Elsa. Even with her face covered, the woman drew Anna in like a moth to a flame.

Approaching Elsa with a newfound resolve, Anna couldn’t suppress the curiosity that fueled her, if Elsa was a cliff, she willingly jumped over the edge.

“Elsa?” Anna began.

Elsa jumped and visibly tensed, forcing Anna to fall silent. She turned slowly, cold blue eyes locking with Anna’s. There was fear there, a panic that stirred under the surface. And Anna wanted nothing more than to reach out and calm the storm.

“Elsa?” Anna tried again and was met with a scowl as Elsa rushed forward and placed a hand over her mouth.

“How did you learn my name?” Elsa demanded in a hushed whisper. Anna was distracted by how close their bodies were, never mind the strong hand over her mouth. With Elsa this close she could really see her face and the delicate features, the sharp cheekbones, the soft lips. She was beautiful.

She looked familiar…

Someone cleared their throat on the other side of the bakery and Elsa stepped back, letting her hand fall but her eyes never left Anna.

“Come into the back, we need to talk.”

“Aye aye, Captain,” Anna mumbled, she ran over to her bag and scooped up her belongings before following Elsa behind the counter and through the door into the back room.

***

The back room offered a small reprieve from the prying eyes in the bakery. Elsa closed the door behind them, the muffled sounds of the bakery now distant. She turned to face Anna, the air between them charged with unspoken tension.

Anna broke the silence first. “Okay, spill. Why the secrecy, Elsa? Which, by the way, your mom told me, alright?”

Elsa sighed, feeling the weight of the years of hiding settle on her shoulders. “I’m sorry I touched you without asking, it just caught me off guard and I got scared.” She took off her hat and ran a hand through her hair, letting her bangs fall. “As for the name thing… well, that’s on me. I should’ve been more careful I guess. But the secrecy, it’s a long story.”

Anna grinned, and Elsa could sense her eagerness and curiosity. “Long stories are my specialty. Lay it on me.”

Elsa motioned for Anna to sit at a small well-worn table in the corner. The old chair creaked as she sat down and gathered her thoughts, her gaze fixed on the floor. She was so tired of hiding, but so scared of being open. Yet this weird nerdy girl with a camera that kept coming back day after day had worn down a wall. And Elsa felt this urge to open up to her. Anna felt safe, and she liked that feeling.

With a sigh, she decided to just open the floodgates and see what happened. “I used to be a TV chef, you know? A pretty famous one, actually,” Elsa began, the memories stirring a mix of nostalgia and regret. “I had my own cooking show, traveled the world, won awards. It was everything I thought I wanted.”

Anna’s eyes widened with genuine surprise. “You were a TV chef? Seriously? That’s amazing! That’s why you look so familiar, I used to watch your shows. I was so upset you lost Iron Chef, that judge was stupid. Why’d you stop?”

Elsa sighed again, the weight of the past pressing upon her. “It’s a glamorous life, but it comes at a cost. The constant scrutiny, the pressure to maintain an image. I felt like I was losing myself. And then my dad got sick. So, one day, I decided to step away. I came back here, to my family’s bakery.”

Anna’s excitement tempered with understanding. “But why the secrecy? You could’ve been a sensation, Elsa! People would love to know the famous TV chef behind Fjord Flavors.”

Elsa’s eyes met Anna’s, revealing a vulnerability that went beyond the façade she had carefully crafted. “I don’t want the fame, Anna. I found solace here, away from the spotlight. I wanted to be able to focus on my dad and help him, and I did till my money ran out.” She picked at a piece of dried flour on her apron. I didn’t want people to see the TV chef; I didn’t want the food critics coming here and tearing this place apart just because I was famous. I just wanted them to enjoy the pastries.”

Anna nodded, absorbing the sincerity in Elsa’s words. “You’re not just hiding from the world; you’re hiding from your past. From who you used to be.”

Elsa simply nodded.

Anna’s gaze softened “You know, Elsa, I get it. Fame isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. But your story, it’s captivating. People would understand.”

Elsa offered a small, appreciative smile and stood up. “Wait here.” She ran up the stairs into the apartment, pausing to check on her father who was softly snoring away. After grabbing the box she was looking for she ran back downstairs to find Anna looking around at the various machines.

“Look, I don’t know if this is the right thing or not, but if anyone was going to break the news that Chef Elsa has been here in this little bakery, I want it to be you.” Elsa held out the box to Anna who took it with a confused look.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a bunch of my old TV stuff, tapes, and photos, things you can use in your video. Everything in that box is all yours, consider it a gift.”

“No Elsa, I can’t take this,” Anna said, handing the box back. “You kept your privacy for so long, why now suddenly?”

“Because maybe you’re right. I thought people would judge me. But as you pointed out, people would understand. And I’m selfish for not using my fame to help my dad. So here we are.”

“Okay, but I have a better idea than I box of the past.” Anna bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling.  “Two things, first, let’s let up an interview and I’ll film it. Second, let’s go on a date, get dressed up, have some drinks, and just talk about whatever.”

A warm feeling bubbled up inside Elsa and she couldn’t help but smile. “You mean that?”

“Well yeah, I have my camera stuff with me.”

“No, about the date?”

Anna’s face turned bright red. “Oh I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have overstepped, I just thought that uh… I’m sorry.”

“Hush, I would love to go on a date with you. I’ve been waiting for you to ask.”

[eviltiddyproductions]

Destined With You : Episode 16

I will feel all of the feelings of this being a finale later. HONG JOOOO WHERE ARE YOU ?!!!

my impatient ass sitting through the intro after the first episode 😂😭

why has this loser emptied her purse

lmaoooo she even scared me for a minute

oh god bless for once my sister didn’t get tricked into something (again!)

he’s so nasty and this plot is so absurd 😭

GET AWAY FROM HER !!!!

GOOD JOB HONGJOOOO

YOU BETTER DASHI RUN 🏃‍♀️

ooh she’s rocking the Duan Jiaxu fit from Hidden Love!

where are you running towards Sinyu and if you’re running why is the police not following you 😭 ???

sis you should’ve just ran 😩😩😩

but also saying ‘you’re just insane’ to his face before he kidnaps you again was kind of a serve 💅

Sinyu has gotten zero days of rest since he got out of that hospital

he’s got the red string of fate tied to my sister NOOO GET AWAY FROM HER !!!

his creepy ass turning towards her with the blood red moon behind him

all about that fate and going into the next life and the second the police flashes light on him he cut the string…. nasty loser 😭

Rowoon’s acting’s gagging me rn like suddenly I’m genuinely feeling the shock of seeing someone you love passed out (possibly dead)

someone hold my hand 😭

not this romantic music playing

‘hong jo ah’

police !!! paramedics !!! where are y’all 😭😭😭😭😭😭

oh 💔💔💔

the way he leapt off of the ambulance

oh my heart

the tiny nurse 💀

my poor bean

hongsinyu nation we made it !!

mother is here 😭💕💕💕

who even asked the dad to be here like go work on your failing company idk 😭

I thought he was going to talk about the curse he’s talking about the baby 😭💀

they’re being so adorable rn

the office couple again…

everything that hongjoo does goes public but at least this time it’s for the greater good!!!

talk your shit office girlies! chew Nayeon’s head off 😍😍😍

recorded by the weirdo assaulting ex of Nayeon, isn’t it

exactly bean, you don’t have to thank or forgive him at all!

Nayeon’s getting dumped again lol. right after she suggests marriage too 😭

lmaooo I know he isn’t calling her a bully and a bad look, he was sexually harassing people in the first episode

my babies are on my screen again 🥰

oh he’s still got that bracelet on! <3

my sweetest beans !!!

lmfao Mr. Kwon

oh I was genuinely scared when I saw someone near Hong Jo’s house staring from the mirror, it’s just Nayeon

that shove was satisfying

get your lick back bestie !!!

Mr. Kwon bodied the construction loser 💸

are they going to do the perilla leaves trend thingy

can he just leave the marriage thing alone for 5 seconds

Subway !!!! I know it’s for ease of shooting but these sandwiches in the kdramas are so dry 😭 like it’s technically not the best advertising like babe what are you even eating 😩 just bread ???!

I don’t fully get them but look at Ms Ma getting married in a suit !!! 🩷 oh just saw her whole fit. well a blazer !!!

lmao Mr. I wear shirts at home Sinyu is wearing a simple T-shirt to this wedding 😂😭

I can’t believe it’s ending so quickly, I’m not ready to let go 😩

I knew our princess Sinyu was going to catch the bouquet 😂

they finally get to enjoy cherry blossoms together 😭💕

LMAOOOO the lawyer bestie became an actor?!!! did not see this (adorable and fun) plot twist coming 😂

the old man being investigated instead of being let go by the main leads! progress in the drama world! although I know they’ll defend and help him

and Sinyu’s here!

he’s going to move in isn’t he 💀

lmaoooo she pounced on the car and he pounced on her I LOVE THEM 🦁

aaaaah they’re both so cute 😭😭😭😭😭

‘you sure use your money wisely’ ‘you got me here to work’ 😟

lmaooo go off Hong Jooooo !!! queenie 🤣 (context: she just turned off the light and started rolling with him on the bed)

cannot wait to rewatch this series with lightness and fluffiness in my heart !!!

I did not see this coming 😭😭😭 the peach is Sinyu’s little sister 😭😭😭

to be fair Hong Jo had a gulped a lot of poison, they would’ve let us know back then but wow 💀

back at the beach again 🥰

I love how in love they are and how they’re always ready to vocalise it. Oh I love them downnnn

I knew he was going to ask her dad! 🌊

💍🥰💕

they’re back at the mountain, my lil diligent civil servant and grim reaper!

I know y’all are well versed with the other realm but don’t open random relics let me just 🧿🧿🧿

goodbye my sweet loves 🥹

now what was that little turn of 300 year old Sinyu for 🤨🤨🤨

AAAH it’s over 😭💔💕

can’t wait to rewatch this again! our past and present couple made all the caving plot lines worthwhile. let me go binge from episode 1 again. 💕💕💕

[bountyhaunter]

TIMING: Current LOCATION: ClubWeigh PARTIES: Wyatt @loftylockjaw and Daiyu @bountyhaunter SUMMARY: At clubweigh, Wyatt's eating a sandwich when Daiyu slides down in the seat across from him. She knows him from somewhere, but where... CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A

Daiyu had walked into ClubWeigh thinking it was Subway — she’d seen the distinct green and yellow and thought it was the chain she knew and loved. She wasn’t even aware that this wasn’t the same store she’d frequented plenty of times before, more focused on the way the employee was assembling her sandwich and how her stomach was lurching with not just hunger but something else.

There was a lamia in the shop.

She had this feeling – the hunter tingle, as she called it – a lot in Wicked’s Rest. It seemed the place was relatively overrun with shifters. It wasn’t often that she felt it this distinctly, though, that she was hit with the certainty of the nature of the shifters. Lamia were rare, after all. But there was one here in this shop. 

It wasn’t going to keep her from her meal, of course. She had her priorities straight. And so when her sandwich was done, she maneuvred around the shop, setting her sights on the only other person eating away and plopping down across from him. It was pretty shit manners, to sit down at someone’s table when there were other ones free, but Daiyu had a speech prepared, “Sorry to barge in on your eating moment, but you know, in this society? We have allll these public seating spaces and no one ever sits together. Really sad. So! I’m doing a thing where I sit down with strangers.” 

She lifted her sub (which was really a club) to take a bite and eyed the other, who looked very familiar. This was troubling. Encountering a lamia during lunch was one thing, but a lamia she recognized … “Which sub d’you have?” She didn’t know where she recognized him from, though. Maybe he’d tell her. Possibly by reaching across the table and attacking her because he knew she was a hunter — but she hoped he’d have better manners than that. “I got the Italian … something. Fucking slaps.”

—

Despite gaining no real nutrition from it, Wyatt was still a habitual eater of human-food. Cooking was his passion, after all, it wouldn’t be right if he never ate any of the things he made. Plus it still tasted good, usually. And empty calories, well, that was a win-win! The lamia could gorge himself on ice cream if he wanted without suffering a single side effect. That meant that trying shifty local sandwich shops was never a waste of a meal, and for whatever reason, the locals were a little nuts about this one. The whole rabbit’s foot promotion thing aside, they swore up and down it was a million times better than the chain it often got confused with. So.. fuck it. He wanted to stress eat, anyway.

Sitting down alone with his food, he paid no mind when another customer entered the restaurant ten or so minutes later. He was staring out the window at the street beyond it, sunglasses hiding his eyes that had decided they didn’t want to be their usual, human blue, and instead insisted on remaining yellow with slits for pupils. It wasn’t just that, either—there were scales on his midsection that he couldn’t get rid of! No matter how hard he focused, his body was determined to fuck around today. It probably would have been wiser to stay home, but he was going fucking stir crazy in that place. Wyatt was lost in his thoughts when that other customer was suddenly sitting across from him, drawing his gaze away from the window that was now getting streaked by raindrops. 

“... it was somethin’ like a Chicago dog, but a sandwich. At least, I think that’s what they were goin’ for…” he spoke after a moment of stunned silence. As he answered the stranger’s question, his surprise waned and he gathered himself up, pushing his other worries from his mind for the time being. “That’s mighty brave of you, anyway. Can’t say I disagree with the sentiment.” He smirked gently, but there was a general air of sadness about him that he couldn’t seem to shake. “So… you find a rabbit’s foot in yours, or…?” 

— 

Her aunt had been killed by a lamia. Nay, eaten. Hair and skin and all. Daiyu hadn’t really known her, as she’d been off in a different state, but it’d made quite an impact on her when she’d been young. She’d conjured up images of it in her mind’s eye, picturing a gigantic snake wrapping its jaws around her aunt and swallowing her whole. Sometimes the imagined snake would burp up some of her aunt’s signature blonde hair. Sometimes it’d lick its paws. (In this fantasy, the snake had paws.) She was a big eater, but swallowing a whole person or animal in full made her feel rather uneasy. It seemed like a pretty shitty death. 

So why was this lamia eating a Chicago dog-sandwich? Daiyu wondered if he’d loosen his jaw to swallow it whole. It wasn’t the first thought on her mind, but it was definitively there. She mostly was just trying to remember where she knew his face from as she worked on a bite of her sandwich. Was it from somewhere back in Seattle? Couldn’t be — most lamia she and her family had encountered there had been killed. Her sister had a nice lamia-skin pair of boots to prove as much. Maybe he was an actor. Mack Ross was a zombie, after all, so maybe this guy was also an actor whose name she couldn’t recall, and just happened to also be a sandwich eating lamia.

She was trying to remember all the lamias who had met an end at her hands, but those weren’t ringing any bells either. It was also making her head feel fuzzy with static, like an old tv. Like she might shock herself. “Soooo…. not very authentic, then?,” she concluded, as if she wasn’t remembering blood spurting from half-reptiles, half-humans. At least these things never managed to ruin her appetite. “Good, good. Otherwise this would become very uncomfortable real fast. We’re becoming too lonely as a species.” They were not the same species. Daiyu did not eat aunts and other people whole. “Nope. I checked right when I got it. Disappointing, you know? I could use some luck. You?”

—

“Not especially, no,” Wyatt agreed. “Granted, never had one from Chicago itself, so really, who am I to talk?” He reached for his cup, taking a sip through the straw as he regarded the woman with a critical eye. He wasn’t nervous, but her behavior was unexpected. Maybe not suspicious, it was difficult to say just yet, but still. He was trying to be more aware of his surroundings since keeping his head in the dirt had only caused him trouble lately. “God, yeah. Could use a whole truckload of it, as it happens. Been mighty unlucky these past few weeks! Super lame.” 

Making sure his hands were clean first, the lamia extended a hand halfway across the table. “Well, stranger, I’m Wyatt. What should I be callin’ you?” His gaze was drawn briefly to the window again as the rain suddenly came down harder, pelting it so hard it sounded like hail. A flash of lightning lit up the dark afternoon sky, and thunder rolled in the distance. Wyatt raised a brow, shaking his head and giving a gentle laugh. “Damn… dunno if I wanna be steppin’ out into that any time soon.”

—

“I mean, that whole authentic shit doesn’t really matter to me anyway sometimes. I just want my food to taste good, ya know?” There were some instances where she was more critical, especially as it pertained to the Chinese cuisine — but generally speaking Daiyu’s palette was far from refined. She thought herself a connoisseur all the same, though, and so did her 16 instagram followers. (Half of them were bots, but they were smart bots.) “Very fucking lame. Has to be something in the water, then. Maybe we should order a truckload of sammies and see if we get lucky.” 

She shook the hand, her gut protesting at the physical proximity. She tried not to let her lip rise in something negative. Not disgust – she’d never really been good at feeling disgust – but it was something all the same. She still didn’t know who this Wyatt was. Wyatt… Why… at… It rung no bells. “I’m Daiyu,” she quipped in reply, eyeing the weather outside at the same time as the other. “Nah, I definitely don’t. Been rained on so much these past months. Fucking Maine.” Not that Washington was any better, rain wise. “Must be because we didn’t get the rabbit’s foot that the weather’s this bad.” She turned her head, jumping onto another topic as the other’s familiarity continued to be an itch she couldn’t scratch. “Say, you look familiar. Are you a model or something?”

—

“Sure, if you’re buying,” Wyatt laughed. Daiyu. The name was scratching the back of his brain. Something about it was familiar, though he was nearly certain he’d never heard it spoken aloud before. Quietly pondering this as the woman asked him a question, he broke out into a wide grin. “Wow, straight to model, eh? I’m not, but between you n’ my other friend’s comments, I’m startin’ to think I oughtta put this face to good use…” 

…. wait, Daiyu? It struck him suddenly. “Hold on… you’re the one that said you’d sign my tits! The one with a sticky sweet center,” he cackled, delighted to be meeting the wisecrack in the flesh. His gaze dropped to the drink she had with her and he shook his head almost fondly, clicking his tongue. “And look at you go, workin’ hard on that as we speak.” 

—

“What?” She looked offended. “What do you mean? We’re gonna dine and dash. Or, lunch and leave, I guess.” Daiyu didn’t want to make an enemy out  of the sandwich shop, in all truth, but in this hypothetical there was no fucking way she was paying for tens and tens of sandwiches. If they were going to eat their weight (and then some) in clubs to get that rabbit foot, they’d do it for free.

She was about to go on about his modeling features when he made the connection. “Oh my god,” she said. “You’re him! The rotten fruit with bad taste himself! Do you have frog legs on your sandwich?” Daiyu crinkled her nose at the fact, which was ironic considering all the Snicker-Snackers she’d eaten in her life. She squinted, wondering if that online conversation was where she knew the other from, but no. Her itch remained unscratched. “Yes, I am ready to be eaten. After I am done eating myself, of course.”

—

Giving Daiyu a smirk, Wyatt made a show of opening his sandwich to show her the (peculiar) ingredients. “See? Decidedly lackin’ in frogs legs. Coulda thrown some on there, though… wouldn’t have minded.” Yes, I am ready to be eaten. Her declaration, however innocuous given the context of their online conversation, still made him chuckle. And… consider. She looked like she’d be tasty. He didn’t have a particular sweet-tooth, but still. 

“Well, then… to dyin’ and bein’ devoured,” he toasted with a small lift of his sandwich, grinning as he went in for another bite. Chicago dog sandwich… who came up with this shit? Wasn’t a hot dog like, already a sandwich? He was pretty sure there were countless online arguments about  that subject.

—

There was a lot more to be said and Daiyu was ready to prattle on forever and ever before taking a bite of her sandwich. It was really unfortunate, the way her chatterbox nature kept her from eating sometimes — but this time it wasn’t that which kept her from taking a bite. As Wyatt lifted his sandwich to take a bite and a bit of sausage covered his upper lip from her perspective, the dots connected.

“You —” She lifted a finger, this time. “You used to have a mustache!” Daiyu quickly remembered herself and took hold of her own sub (club?) and took a large bite to keep herself from revealing how she knew that. But her itch was finally scratched. She had not seen Wyatt before in a family context, nor had she seen him in magazines or simply online — his face had been plastered on the bounty wall. Dead or alive, for eating someone alive. With a nice sum. She swallowed half the bite and tried to sound normal, the excitement from recognizing the other dissipating. “Where’d it go, man?” 

—

That was… odd. He had not been the only mustachioed man in town, though perhaps he’d been the most handsome… still was, of course, stache or no. His brow furrowed curiously, an uncertain smile following shortly after. There might have been good reason to be suspicious, given everything about this town, but the shifter’s ego was of course always the first consideration, and being recognized by someone he didn’t know was only one rung below being complimented on the ladder of hubris. Of course she recognized him. Even if she’d only seen him out in public once, of course she would recognize him. He was hard to forget.

His free hand swiped across his face as if to confirm that yes, it was in fact gone now, matching the length of the rest of his facial hair instead. “That I did,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “Got tired of the upkeep.” Got depressed, was more like it. Shaved it off, then decided to not fuck much with his general appearance. He didn’t need to fuss, anyway. He was pretty even when the curly hair on his head was experiencing wanderlust. “Sorry, have we met before? I can be shit with faces…”

— 

See? This was why she preferred to hunt in the woods. That was how it was supposed to be. She, nature, her weapons, her tracking equipment. Daiyu grumbled inward at her mess up, annoyed that the person across from her was a murdering alligator person who wasn’t lounging around in a bit of woods but in stead just sat here. Across from her. Eating a sandwich just for the heck of it, because it certainly didn’t fit into his serial-murder diet. (Although she was a foodie who was known for shoveling food into her mouth, she always found the way lamia ate pretty distasteful.)

“Aaaaaaah,” she said, drawing out the sound and quickly stuffing her mouth with another bite. This was awkward. It was even potentially really stupid. She tried to remember how much money the shifter across from her was worth and recalled it was a fair bit. But there was no attacking people in a place of business. Especially not ones she wanted to return to — but the other knew her now, and she didn’t like being known by her prey. Whatever. She’d talk her way out of it and figure it out. “Yeah, man, totally — I remember now. We met at a bar, I think? You def had a mustache then.” 

—

A bar. Well, it was about as likely as anything else. And if it’d been a bar, there was a good chance he’d actually met her and just wasn’t remembering it. Wyatt had a tendency of getting a little out of hand when alcohol was involved. Speaking of things getting out of hand… he could feel his control over his current state of human-ness slipping again, likely a result of his staunch refusal to let himself nap for even a moment. Things kept going to shit every time he closed his eyes, so he was on day… oh, who knew anymore? The sunglasses weren’t just hiding yellow irises, but the exhaustion his eyes could no longer mask. The teeth in his mouth had gotten sharper, noticed as he fidgeted on the spot and accidentally scraped his own tongue on them.

It was time to go. 

Crumpling up the last few bites of his questionable sandwich into its wrapper, the shifter cleared his throat. “Sounds like me!” he agreed, offering Daiyu a smile. “Hey, I just remembered that I have to be somewhere, so… I’m gonna go.” There wasn’t time for being clever. He glanced outside again, dreading the rain as much as he had when remarking that he would not be going out in it, but now he had no choice. “Good to meet you in person, and all. Don’t be a stranger!” He was clearly trying to get out of there quickly, offering no more explanation as he chucked his trash into the bin on his way to the door, hissing in a breath as the cold humidity hit him in the face. Ugh. Ugh, it was too fuckin’ cold when it rained around here.

— 

The sense that a lamia was in the store with her grew stronger, which was a strange thing and most likely meant he was becoming more … reptilian and less human. Daiyu considered the person across from her, wondering if Wyatt would start showing what kind of lamia he was. If scales would spread on his hands, if he’d grow his teeth into pointy, poisonous things in a response to her recognition of him. She could have been more smooth about it, but smooth had never been her style and her mouth did move faster than her head at all times. But the shifter did not … shift. Not fully, at the very least, and nothing came from the feeling tugging at her stomach.

“Oh,” she said at his vague statement. Daiyu watched from where she sat as the other got up, not having to play up how flabbergasted she was by this sudden turn of events. The guy across from her was a lamia wanted for eating a guy alive. That same lamia was also someone she’d shot the shit with online. And before she could properly grasp that, he was gone.

She made quick work of wrapping her own sandwich in a bit of tissue paper and got up, moving on instinct alone. Stache or no stache, there was a bounty connected to this guy and with good reason — the least she could do was track (or tail, in this case) him to wherever he was going for future reference. So Daiyu got in her car and kept her eyes sharp, following her literal gut feeling as she tailed the other from a distance as her club sandwich laid on the passenger seat, waiting to be finished. The route they were driving was familiar and it was almost like she wasn’t even tailing the guy — it was almost as if she was just driving home to her rented cabin in the Pines. He took a left where she’d usually take a right at some point, though so it at least wasn’t like he was driving to her house (a worry she’d had for one paranoid minute).

She waited in the wings, watching the lamia get out of his car from a fair bit away before driving past and stopping by the side of the road some 700 feet further down. Daiyu opened up her phone, got out her maps app and placed a pin at 12 Mudpuppy Point for later, before restarting her car and going home. 

[butterflybaby247]

Yesterday I ate an entire foot long subway sandwich and cried about it for 20 minutes before my bf came home and then I had to stop Bc I didn’t want him to hear me- Lol just girly things.

🥪

There are these little individually wrapped cakes on sale at Walmart that are only 120 cals per serving. I got some Ube flavored ones and they’ve been a really nice low cal option for when I’m craving something sweet but don’t want to fuck up. I cut them into slices and that makes them last longer, But today I couldn’t keep one down so I ended up purging it. Then I had 2/3 of a Trader Joe’s Veggie Pizza 🍕that my bf brought home an hour later (330 cals) and then at 7 PM I walked to Trader Joe’s and got a bag of plain frozen shrimp🥶🍤The whole bag was only 300 calories and I cooked it in seasonings with water and a teaspoon of sesame oil with green onions. It was delicious and I’m not even hungry now. For desert I had a diet reeds ginger beer. All in all I’ve had 670 cal today. I’ve been doing that 12-3-30 but I’ve been doing it for 60 minutes (or 3 miles) every day except Saturday. I also didn’t go today because I wasn’t feeling well (like dizzy w stomach pain and sweating). I think I’m gna eat a salad tomorrow after I get off the treadmill. There’s one place I really like near me that always makes the best salads. 🥗

[laurenetuttle]

Japan Day 6 (September 11, 2024)

Today was a great day! We woke up at 5 AM this morning in hopes of seeing the sunrise and Mount Fuji without any clouds obstructing the view. 5 AM was a little bit earlier than we have been waking up in previous days, but we were pretty determined to see Mount Fuji. And thankfully, our plan worked! The sun hadn’t quite risen all the way up by the time we woke, but we could see that there weren’t any clouds. We could see the lights of the hikers along the trail who were trying to summit Mount Fuji too. That was pretty cool. we were both super excited to be able to see Mount Fuji. We went one floor above to the rooftop onsen to hot tub and watch the sunrise with Mount Fuji. it was pretty spectacular. To start the day with a hot spring hot tub and get to see this revered mountain. Unfortunately, it was pretty hot. So we didn’t last very long. We went back to our room and sat in our own personal hot tub/onsen on the balcony of our room. We were able to make that hot tub a little bit cooler so it was more tolerable for a long period time. so we got to sit and relax and appreciate the views. It is probably one of the best experiences on this trip. After a solid while of relaxing, we rent off and changed into the hotel provided Japanese pajamas to head to breakfast. This breakfast buffet was mostly pretty traditional in regards to Japanese breakfast cuisine. Which means a lot of fish and savory items. There was a salad bar. I cannot emphasize how much fish there was. Thankfully, there were enough items for us to eat that weren’t fish. We both loaded up on fruit and omelette, and there are mini pancakes and even a little bit of Nutella. After breakfast, we still had about two hours to relax before we needed to leave and check out of the hotel. So we walked around the hotel more and spent some time relaxing in our big room and finish packing up belongings.

We checked out around 10 o’clock in the morning and the hotel organized a shuttle to take us to the Shinkansen station (the bullet train). we thought that the shuttle was going to take about an hour and a half. However, it only ended up being about an hour. So we had plenty of time at the train station to make sure we found the right platform for our bullet train. There weren’t a ton of food options at this small station. So we both ate a cliff bar that we had brought and tried a peanut butter sandwich that I purchased that a convenience store. we then boarded our first bullet train. And man do those trains go fast. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. It was really cool. Also a little bit nauseating thinking about how fast we are going. Whenever we passed by bullet train going the opposite direction it was like a flash. Both trains were going so fast and opposite directions. We were on this first bullet train for about 20 minutes. Then we had to get off to transfer and change trains. The station that we got off was so hot. Cannot emphasize how hot and humid. We were both instantly super sweaty. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait for too long. Our next bullet train showed up within 20 minutes. And thankfully, it was on the same set of tracks so we didn’t have to change platforms. We boarded the second bullet train. This bullet train was about an hour and a half ride into Kyoto! We both just listened to some music and relaxed for the hour and a half. After we pulled into Kyoto, we decided to take the subway to a station closer to our hotel. So then we boarded basically our third train for the day and fourth leg of the journey. After the subway ride, we then had a 14 minute walk from the subway station to the hotel. This walk was a huge struggle. It is extremely hot and humid. And I’m carrying rather heavy backpack into tote bags that are totally full. It was worth it not to bring a roller bag because there are a lot of stairs and all of these train and subway stations. so a roller bag would’ve been a huge pain as well. But man was this walk a struggle. With only one break, we made it to the hotel. Of note, Kyoto is a smaller town than Tokyo. And interestingly, a lot of the streets are very narrow, one-way streets with no sidewalks. So it seems like you’re walking down little alleyways. But in fact, they are actual real streets that are heavily used.

After taking a quick 20 minute break in the air conditioning, we had to head out to our tour. And man were we drenched in sweat. I had booked us a tea ceremony tour in Kyoto. It was another 15 minute walk from our hotel. And the tour included getting dressed up in kimonos, learning about traditional Japanese tea, ceremonies, and making our own Matcha tea. After we checked in for the tour, we were quickly whisked away by a bunch of Japanese ladies and, we were undressed, dressed in kimonos, had our hair done, and given accessories, such as toe socks, flowers in our hair, Japanese purses, and Japanese samples. It was quite the whirlwind experience. And I felt horrible because I was totally wet, including my hair. But they were so nice. There was no hesitation about getting me dressed up into a kimono and doing my hair. I got to pick out a lovely blue flower kimono. Liz picked out a beautiful purple flower kimono. it was so much fun to get dressed up in traditional Japanese garb. We got to keep the weird toe socks and we continue to wear the fancy hair-dos the rest of the evening. For the tea ceremony, they took us into a little house with traditional tatami mats. We had a little lesson about Japanese culture in regards to ceremonies. Including how they date back to the 1600s. We learned a lot about the meaning behind the tea ceremonies. Including being present in the moment and meditation. we were provided with a couple of Japanese sweets. We learned that traditionally people have some sweet before Matcha because it’s so bitter. We then learned how to make our own Matcha. The instructor poured hot water into bowls that had Matcha powder already in it. We used a bamboo whisk to whisk the powdered Matcha into the hot water. We did this until it was nice and bubbly and frothy. After approval from the instructor and a couple of pictures, we got to drink our Matcha. Matcha is definitely very bitter. I don’t think it’s our favorite tea drinks. Both of us had so much fun learning about the history of Matcha and tea ceremonies. After the ceremony, we were able to take some fun pictures inside the little house and in the nearby garden. We went back to change into our clothes. Not surprisingly my clothes were cold and wet from all the sweating from before. It was really gross. It is what it is though.

After the tea ceremony tour, we wandered the nearby streets, looking for dinner. We found this really amazing restaurant where you order like breaded steak and you cook it yourself on a hot plate in front of you. We both ordered a tenderloin steak. It was some of the best steak that I think I’ve had in recent years. It was so lean and tender. it came with all of these dipping sauces as well. This included curry, soy sauce, egg, and a couple of other things I didn’t recognize. We also had some soup and rice and tea. Really hit the spot. It was a solid dinner. Would definitely recommend and do again. After dinner, we continue to wander the streets and popped into a couple of stores. Did a little bit of souvenir shopping. We then headed back towards the hotel. At check-in, they told us at the they don’t have a kitchen here at the hotel. So they bring breakfast sandwiches to our room every morning. But they cannot bring breakfast earlier than 8:40 AM , which is a little bit later than we were hoping for for tomorrow. So on our way back from dinner tonight, we stopped by 7-Eleven to pick up some breakfast foods. We have a microwave and a fridge in our hotel room. We are now back in the hotel enjoying the AC. We are both enjoying a glorious shower and getting into our pajamas to go to sleep. it was an absolutely lovely day. Albeit very hot and sweaty. But we are looking forward to these next couple of days in Kyoto.

[mania-sama]

post op day 6 update: today… a great thing has occurred. a very wonderful thing. and i will get into it NOW with the eating section:

THREE bottles of water

TWO cheese sticks

ONE spoonful of peanut butter

ONE cup of kraft mac n cheese

ONE scoop of ice cream

TWO reeces pieces cups

ONE mini sonic m&m blast

ONE packet of those brownie muffin things that i still don’t know the name of

ONE of those brownie things??? the ones with those round sprinkles?? i also don’t know what they are called

and… finally… TWO slices of cheese pizza!!!!!!!!!

MY FOOD RECOMMENDATION: you already know. YOU ALREADY KNOW. that pizza may have taken me 3x as long to eat as i normally do, but i don’t even CARE. it didn’t even really hurt all that much to eat, honestly. i was on hour 3-4 of my medication, which is prime time for experiencing the least amount of pain. so while i was working my jaw hard, i didn’t have that much trouble. i’m just so happy to be eating something that isn’t so soft or a snack food. the peanut butter was also quite nice. i love peanut butter, and i have been too nervous this entire time to eat it because it’s sticking and would force my jaw to work too hard. also, it could’ve gotten stuck against my stitches or blood clots and that would NOT be good. but today i threw caution to the wind and i am not regretful. the m&m blast is still painful to eat, though :|

tomorrow will be an eventful day. that is, i go to my post-op appointment. it will also be a full week out of surgery, and thus will be the last day i will be updating. from here on out, it will just be progressively getting better and better, i think. i won’t have much to say; i’m not doing anything new with medication or oral care or anything. the only time i will bother to update i think is when i get to eat my first subway sandwich again (i love subway, so it is now my goal to be able to eat a subway sandwich comfortably)

ratings:

pain: 5/10. it was back again in the morning, and honestly it had looked for the entire first half of my day to be like it was going to be a very much worse pain day than yesterday. HOWEVER. after i took my medication at 2 pm, i really didn’t… have any pain afterwards. even typing this now, i’m in less pain than i was yesterday. i was able to get through that pizza without really being in any pain, either, so today has been good. but because of the morning, i’m not going to say it was better.

stitches: 0/10. them little shits have stayed in my mouth this entire time and will have to be cut out by the oral surgeon. i am scared. so not cool.

swelling: 4/10. yes!!! SO much better than yesterday!!! i’m beginning to wonder if i will ever feel truly normal again in my face, but that’s a problem for future me to worry about. for now, i am relatively optimistic.

talking: 8/10. i’m talking, singing, shouting a little bit. it was a bit difficult in the morning, but life is getting better. the jaw mobility is almost all the way back.

overall: 9/10. PIZZA!!!!!

[eachday4j]

I asked our boys this question:

"If you could return to your childhood and relive a memory, or an era, with Mom, what would it be?"

Here's what they said:

1. There is no doubt in my mind that the museum era of my childhood had a major influence on who I am today and how I view the world. Some of my earliest memories are at the children's museum, the science center, the natural history museum. I remember the feelings of seeing things for the first time: massive train displays, roller coaster simulators, dinosaur skeletons. These memories are filled with the awe and excitement that came from these new experiences, but one part of each of these memories is consistent: Mom. I have fond memories of eating cheese sandwiches for lunch at the tables in the science center, of seeing a real submarine for the first time and walking down the steep, steep steps together. I remember climbing the massive play structure in the lobby of the children's museum, climbing higher and higher, but always looking to see if I could see her down below, and running to find her when I was done. I remember sitting at the piano with her, watching the shows in the giant science center room and being scared of the Tesla coil, donning ponchos to play in the water area of the children's museum.

Looking back, each and every one of those memories is filled with all of the things that drive me today - a desire to learn, excitement for knowledge, wonder about the world, but also with Mom. She is forever tied into my curiosity and scientific interest, and I couldn't be more thankful for all of the experiences she gave us not just in our younger years, but throughout our lives.

2. It would be the entire time I was in elementary school. There were a lot of special memories associated with this time period, but one of the most significant to me was all the events she would plan for special class parties or events. When other parents would plan the events, they were without a doubt very lame. However, when Mom would plan them, they were on a different level. Everyone could tell when Mom did it, because there were really cool activities and awesome snacks other than the single slice of pizza or popcorn we would get at other parties. It just meant so much that she put so much time and effort into planning those events, and everyone could tell how special it was, even the teachers. I also remember always being really excited when Mom would come to school and bring me lunch or eat lunch with me. It always felt touching to see her there, because not everyone had parents who were willing to come do something as simple as eat lunch, even though it really meant a lot.

I remember one time during a field day when Mom came and brought me Subway, and after we ate it, we left because I had a really bad headache. Even though I didn’t feel great, it is still a good memory because I got to spend time with Mom. It is always nice for me to think back on that time because of all the special things Mom did for me that showed me how much love she has for me and also how willing she is to get involved and make an impact as I grew up. Even just seeing her after school in the minivan waiting to pick me up is such a good memory of my time in elementary school. She was always there, no matter what it was, and she always really made sure to put us first so we could have good memories, which is something she has always done, no matter how old we are.

3. I would go back to the days when we found the spaceship in the woods and went so many times to play on it. I have been thinking about this a lot recently since I have used this story on college applications. I remember finding the fallen tree spaceship so vividly, because it was really one of the moments that inspired my love for nature, and realized that I wanted to be outdoors as much as possible. It is such a nice memory of Mom for me, because she was so open and creative with my imagination. She helped me to form a fun story in the woods, and took me to so many other places to fuel my imagination and creativity. This place in the woods was also very special, since the overlook next to the old pavilion is near it. Once, when we were sitting on this overlook, we decided that we were going to go out to eat each chance we got when I got home from morning kindergarten. We did this because my brothers were going to be at school a lot and we would have free time.This was also so fun to me, since I knew that it meant that I was going to get so many lunches at our favorite Chinese restaurant in the future. I wish that I could go back to these days and play in the woods and go out to lunch with Mom every day.

Their memories are filled with the creative ways you've raised them; all the amazing places you've brought them; and the strong love that they feel because of all the time you've spent with them!

Happy Mother's Day! Thank you so much for all you do for these amazing boys!

[clarabowmp3]

I agree, but mcdonalds just isn't an essential. You have to make sacrifices sometimes. I have dietary requirements that limit me hugely too so i get that but sometimes you have to look at whether it is a need or a want. Im sure there are other options you could take. I hope you don't think I'm attacking you because that's not the case but it really sucks seeing people justify why buying non essentials is justified when it is contributing to killing my people

I see, I understand where you’re coming from and thank you for not being aggressive.

What I was trying to say is that it isn’t sustainable for someone to run solely on needs and never indulge in a want, like I did today. Yes, it is classified as a non-essential, but in my family’s really dry lifestyle having a great like this IS essential to us. I go out with my friends occasionally so it’s not as bad for me, but the rest of my family doesn’t go out for movies, very rarely do we roam around in malls or go shopping (only to buy essential things). The only thing we do is eat out and sit at a park, but we haven’t even been able to go to that park recently because of the terrible weather. We don’t have a very smooth sailing life, this past month alone I was extremely close to being hospitalised.

As a middle class family, we have very little comforts. Our physical and mental health haven’t been the best lately for reasons I don’t want to go into. We do not have the capacity to make any more sacrifices than we are already making.

Let me also explain in terms of the other fast food joints here:

Burger King: we can ask for meat to be removed in special instructions, but sometimes they don’t, and then we can’t eat the food

Subway: their bread can be tough especially if they deliver the sandwich cold, and we wanted a breakfast with warm eggs instead of cold egg mayo

The Soup Spoon Union: ridiculously expensive and is better enjoyed for lunch/dinner, all our food for 4 people goes up to $100, including service charge and delivery fees

MOS Burger: closed on Sundays

Pastamania: really heavy food, a bit uncomfortable to have pasta for breakfast

Pizza Hut: same reason but for pizza

Could we have eaten someplace else if McDonald’s didn’t exist? Yes. But I don’t think there is anything morally wrong over the $22 we spent for a breakfast we thoroughly enjoyed. Of course we know how to differentiate between wants and needs, and we are doing the best/most we can, just like everybody else.

[electricgirlsubmerged]

Monday, June 5th, 2023 11:27pm

Today, I thought I didn’t do my best at my job but then when I reported what I completed today (Z’s to O’s on a spreadsheet…I like to start from bottom-up), my boss told me I always go above and beyond and it’s so appreciated. And I’m like……really?

Yesterday night was just so gloomy and bad in my mind. It was like I was sinking or trapped in some sort of unpleasant, stinky quicksand. And then this morning I woke up and then cried. And then my husband and I made love (omg hope that’s not too tmi but like y’all don’t know me so it’s cool. In fact I don’t think anyone would read this anyways, I’m writing to myself! 😆) and my entire day was just a million times better because of it.

Sigh.

I’m so codependent.

Also I haven’t been writing my dreams because I don’t remember them as well. A few nights ago I dreamt about my Dad. I was getting him a subway sandwich but I was taking too long to order. As every dream with my Dad in it, I forgot he was dead and didn’t remember until I woke up.

Also yesterday, we went to a man made lake to go fishing with our neighbors. My husband fished for the first time. Our neighbor caught 2 fish, and one of them was pregnant. I saw that as a very precious gift from God…he not only got us one catfish, but another huge one, with baby eggs inside. And it was so desperate to survive the entire way home and while they were cutting it up. Even after they hit its head with a mallet. It was still alive…(My neighbor kept saying it was nerves, but no way. That fish was alive.)

It just made me so mindful of how precious life is and how difficult it is for something to die. We all want to live, to the microscopic level. And also, God loves us so much, because he lets us have his animals. And he loves his animals and he lets them get all cut up like that. Then again, he did give us the most precious thing to him in the entire world!

My husband was hesitant about eating the catfish but he ate a bit of it. I ate it and savored it, because it was a gift. I think that is how I am not a vegetarian…I know God gave us meat to eat.

But also…I have an old chicken in the fridge that I think is going to be wasted because it’s so old. I should have been more responsible with it all. Every bit of meat is precious. An entire cow is worth thousands of dollars! An entire chicken is smaller than a cow, but still…..it was alive and could have done much more with its life than prepare for me a few meals. I don’t ever want to waste meat ever again. Never ever again. And I want to be grateful for everything I put in my mouth to eat.

[angelvyxen]

Y’all subway anon back again please don’t eat a breakfast bowl my stomach sound like world war II I’m deadass I’ll let you know how I am tomorrow. Oh my god

I feel like you almost deserve this anon because why would you get anything other than a sandwich from there? I didn’t even know they sold breakfast 🤣 I hope you’re alright though.

[greer-writing]

Wednesday : 2/08/2023

Things right now feel complicated. I am angry at myself and the things that go on inside of my head. I am getting to a point where I don’t really want to be around people anymore.... and that scares me. I am used to being a people person, being able to talk through my issues, being able to speak my mind..... I have spent so much time alone and working from home that I do not really ever the time to practice those rituals anymore. I don’t see people anymore... I don’t talk to people. I have turned into a recluse.. and I fucking hate that. 

In reality it is nice being my own boss and it is nice having my own business but I miss human contact. I know longer know how to communicate with people anymore... after all I have spent over a year now hidden in a basement. 

Today I got angry, the anger seems to be coming back through the cracks. Its starting to come out in my nightmares and in my daily activities. I just with people would stop taking it so personal. The anger I hold is between me and myself. For as much as I want to blame other people I can not, I did that for years and it just made me more mad cause in reality I chose who walks into my life, I chose who affects me in what way, I chose to allow all of those choices to fuck me up. Out of all the bad shit that has happened to me in my life only a few things where completely out of my control... everything else was because I made bad decisions or wrong place or wrong time. What kills me is that simple decisions could have helped me avoid these issues like saying no more than once, Not going to Target that one specific time, or letting a dude eat a subway sandwich without being a creep.. or allowing them to be a creep back. It seems to be the tiny things that cause tornados. 

Joe told me I needed to focus on the small things, the small good things but I am going to be honest, there is more rain than sunshine... hardly ever a rainbow.. and not a single bird in sight to tell me a safe place is ahead. 

At this point I am stuck in this state of limbo. Small things are to small, big things are to monumental.. I am a train wreck... Maybe I do act childish, but to be fair I had no choice but to grow up. Joe did have a choice, he had a choice to leave his home and be with his friends and do drugs and be a wild child.... I had to sneak around to do any of that.. I had to lie and hide and sneak out and do stupid shit that forced me into uncomfortable situations I couldn't ask for help getting out of. Being that uncomfortable at that young of an age caused the inner child to duck, hide and find cover. It was explosive. It was dangerous and it was what I thought the idea of teenage fun was supposed to be.... turns out I kept putting myself into shitty situations. At one point I got alcohol poisoning and didn't even care, along with a black eye... all in one weekend. I snuck out of school and almost coped a charge for having sex in a park, I spent the last two years of high school smoking weed trying to let go of shit I should have been coping with. I was put in a mental hospital cause my lack of fucks flew out the window... I even cheated on my first husband countless times... I was literally a walking mental case.. I had no idea who I am (still don't know if I do). I need therapy but can’t really afford that shit..... and even if I could I would now feel guilty for spending money. Honestly, and I have said this countless times, I am exhausted. Mentally and Physically. I want to scream, I want to have a tantrum like a child, maybe cause I was never able to have a tantrum as a child. 

I don't really know if typing this out helped or not, but maybe it will give the future K some insight...... I feel this was a good first writing entry to many that may help me over come some shit I have been battling.

PS FUTURE K: KEEP YOURSELF UPBEAT, EVEN ON THE BAD DAYS TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. EAT. SLEEP. EXERCISE. SING. DANCE. EVEN SCREAM. Let out every single emotion, angry, sad, happy, depressed, anxious. Keeping it all inside can be painful and hurt others. At least try it for a short period of time. JUST KEEP SWIMMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!