#i only give them all kibble in the morning

[hussyknee]

Slept late today and was quite worried because the terrors hadn't woken me up at the ass crack of dawn to demand their breakfast. Neither did they seem that enthused when I set their kibble out two hours later than usual. Moo and Méka just about managed to finish theirs, but Mau left his half-eaten, a true sign of the endtimes. He drank down half their water bowl and went to nap quietly instead of following me around lodging his usual morning list of strident and mysterious complaints that had accumulated in the night. Méka and Moo also meandered around looking lethargic and kind of...hungover.

We're in the middle of a heatwave with real feel temperatures of nearly 40°C (104 F). I've left their water bowls full and within reach and they never go in the sun, but I still spent an hour googling overheating symptoms in cats and why they would be thirstier than usual. According to the internet, they have intestinal parasites, kidney disease and multiple organ failure.

Came down to forage for a late breakfast, still debating whether to call the vet, to find the housekeeper in high dudgeon. Apparently the little demons had gotten into the pantry before she'd woken up. They had discovered our tom cat's half-full bucket of adult kibble, overturned it, and gorged themselves on the contents. There had only been a handful left by the time she finally found them. And they still had room for breakfast! Except for Mau, who obviously couldn't physically stomach any more food because he's the most gluttonous of the greedy-guts and probably polished off the lion's share by himself.

Small mercy they didn't throw up in the house. Probably did in the garden. They're presently curled up dozing like crocodiles after swallowing a wholeass water buffalo. Just try yowling for food today, assholes.

[butmakeitgayblog]

What the fuck?! Why are your anons such masochists? I wanted to hear about Sal’s hobbies and favorite things to do and someone asked for all dogs go to heaven?! Goddamnit.

🥺

I can give you all that stuff ya just gotta send in in the asks babe 👉👈

So for the record, Sal's favorite hobby is eating. He's really good at it - some say Olympics level talent, but he was never interested in going pro. Man's can snarf down half a bowl of the kibble, fruit, vegetables, raw eggs, and meat medley she makes him in the time it takes Lexa to go and refill his water bowl so he can drank after. She freezes peeled seedless whole watermelons in summertime for him to gnaw at in the backyard, and he can demolish a small 2lb one that's frozen solid in under an hour. Truly impressive. He is intimidated by no plate of food.

Except the ones mom says he better not touch 😔

After eating he likes taking walks*. He is a show dog after all, by his own estimation at least, which means he absolutely deserves to regularly be shown off. His wiggly butt and goofy ass face attract a lot of attention from the neighborhood kids, so going on their slow, ambling morning and evening walks is just the best time because then everyone gets to see him and pet him and perhaps enjoy an only moderately! slobbery kiss🥰 (he's very giving with his time in that way, you see)

After that he loves napping. World class napper. He's got it down to a science honestly. Let him sneak one of his mom's socks from the hamper and curl up (as much as a mountain can curl up at least) on the couch next to mom, and he's out like a light. Will not wake up until he hears the crinkle of a snack wrapper (see hobby one), or mom starts groaning very meaningless, unnecessary things about how her pinned down legs are asleep and 'how do you always manage to end up half on my lap' and also 'my God, Sal, how are you this big??' Questions that really have no answers and thus will forever be mysteries to the universe, so he just politely ignores them and stretches out more and goes back to sleep again.

*car rides will suffice too

[kylobith]

Little Town Tails

Chapter 5: The First Butterflies

Summary: Halsin and Tav are given the chance to know each other a little bit better.

Ship/Pairing: Halsin x Fem!Tav

Trope: Modern AU, Meet-cute, Little countryside town, Cosy

Word count: 5,647

Read it on Ao3 here

Listen to the dedicated playlist on Spotify here

Emerald Grove goes through its first week as smoothly as a cog with the winds in its sails. Halsin welcomes a variety of animals in his consultation room for reasons as diverse as the species he has seen. From a routine checkup to heavier surgeries, every animal receives care and devotion in his practice, either from him or Karlach, who never skips on the chance to give the pets a good cuddle before they leave. A few of them need to remain under observation overnight, especially for older patients whose state requires closer monitoring. Before going home at the end of each shift, the tiefling makes sure to spend some quality time with the animals, giving them enough cuddles and kisses to last a lifetime, not hesitating to stay for an extra unpaid hour. Luckily, Halsin has found himself so grateful to have such a dedicated assistant that he does not hesitate to pay her for what they affectionately name ‘cuddle time’.

If anything, Karlach has only improved in her work. Fewer mistakes have been made when logging in patient information or appointments, and Halsin trusts her enough to make new patient files for those who desire to make him their pets’ designated veterinarian. She is a fast learner, constantly working on welcoming anxious owners in the best way possible, offering treats to the pets and sweets to the humans, always slipping one or two extra to the tiny ones.

Astarion’s work is just as qualitative. Halsin cleared the guest room in his own home so the vampire could sew in peace with a proper workspace and in a way that the noise will not disturb or frighten the animals. As promised, he enjoys quite a lot of freedom when choosing fabrics and patterns, and his first shirts were already given away to freshly operated pets in recovery. As far as they are aware, no problems with the shirts have been reported and, in fact, many owners and their children seemed to have felt more in control of the situation by being offered a choice in silly and cute patterns for the recovery shirts.

On Friday morning, everybody is busy with their own task at Emerald Grove. The faint whirring of the sewing machine can be heard through the ceiling, but not so much that it becomes a bother or that it startles you. Every so often, the floorboards crack when Astarion moves around the room to fetch new fabric, patterns or his equipment. Downstairs, playing Led Zeppelin through the speakers, Karlach hums along to the tunes while managing incoming emails or putting away the delivered kibble Halsin ordered on Wednesday.

In his office, Halsin reads the files of his afternoon patients once their previous veterinarians have transferred them over to him. While reading the medical history of a rat struggling with chronic severe itching to see what treatments have already been attempted, he hears his work phone ping. Startled by the sound, he chugs the cold tea he has forgotten, so focused he has been on the record. He grabs the telephone and unlocks it, seeing that a text message has come in.

‘Good morning Doctor Silverbough, would it be possible to make a medical report for Beaky’s injury? The lawyer from the APO advised me to get one to add more weight to the lawsuit against Mr Bongle. I hope that’s not too much trouble! Thank you in advance.’

Halsin smiles from ear to ear as he realises that it is from Tav. Without thinking, he puts the phone down and opens a new document on his computer to type in the medical report. He adds all the information he can cram into it, even seemingly minor details to be safe, and joins the X-rays taken of Beaky’s paw before and after surgery to the file. Once all is done, he takes his phone again to answer her.

‘Good morning Miss Ashguard, this is no problem at all, I am glad that you are asking and I am just as happy to provide for Beaky’s well-being. To which email address should I send it? Doctor Silverbough.’

Swiping his thumb down, he consults missed notifications and skips some of them. But right as he is about to open an important email, the phone vibrates. Tav answered already.

‘Would it be possible to print out two copies? I don’t have a printer and it seems that the lawyer is a bit old-fashioned. I will be in Heawick today, I can just pick them up.’

Feeling an odd tingle in his fingertips, Halsin smiles at the screen. On the computer, he sets out to print three copies of the file to be safe, then types in an answer.

‘They will be waiting for you in my office, then. Come by at any time. I can also put them aside for another day if you do not find the time to come, should that happen. Doctor Silverbough.’

Then, he hears the little doorbell and puts his phone in his pocket. Time for his duty.

Later on, when all morning consultations are done and the printed medical reports are sorted on his desk, Halsin peeks outside the window. For once, it is quite sunny and warm outside, even for an early spring day. He decides to take his lunch break outside. As he puts his jacket over his scrubs, he lets Karlach know that she can close the practice for half an hour, and that she and Astarion can use the spare key should they wish to fetch something to eat in town. Then, carrying his old cotton sandwich bag, he goes out.

The small park has never looked prettier than on this fine day. As he sits on a sunlit bench, fondly watching the ducks quacking around in the pond, he enjoys his lunch on his own. His phones are silenced for this half hour, his only music is the singing of the birds over his head, although the occasional car disrupts the otherwise harmonious setting. Even when he is done eating, he rests his elbows on the backrest and tilts his head back, welcoming the warmth kissing his traits.

The rustle of plastic bags pulls him out of his reverie. He cracks an eye open and sees Melly, the baker’s mother, dressed in her infamous duck cardigan and carrying her groceries. Out of politeness, Halsin stands up and smiles at the elderly lady.

‘Good afternoon, Melly,’ he greets her warmly. ‘Isn’t it nice to see the sun again after so much rain?’

‘Halsin! What a surprise!’ the woman beams. ‘Oh, quite pleasant, indeed! How has your week been, dear? Everything alright at the practice?’

He invites her to sit down on the bench next to him, gracefully taking the bags from her and holding her hand so she can lower herself onto the small seat. What an unpractical design. They set the bags between them and begin to chat merrily. He tells her about employing Astarion for pet shirts, and Melly is nothing but intrigued to hear about it. He omits the vampire’s legal issues, of course, not wishing to breach confidentiality in the way that the lawyer seems to have done to help his cases. 

‘Now this sounds like quite the week, dear!’ she says while rummaging through one of the bags. She takes out a box of chocolate biscuits and opens it, before pointing it at him. ‘Would you like to share?’

‘Oh, no, thank you Melly. I am trying to watch out. The renovations and the opening completely threw off my eating habits. I want to get back to healthy eating.’

‘Oh, dearie, the occasional snack has never hurt anybody. You should treat yourself from time to time. Still no?’

Halsin chuckles and hesitates for a second before reaching into the box to catch a biscuit. As she does so too, she clinks her cookie against his, as though she is toasting. They laugh and savour the treat in silence, watching the ducks and their bring new twigs towards the little floating nesting box that the town hall had built for them.

‘There should be ducklings about soon, I believe,’ he says enthusiastically.

‘You really do love ducks, Halsin, don’t you?’

There is no hint of judgment in Melly’s voice. Merely affection, as always. Ever since he moved to Heawick, she has given him unconditional support, despite her having no particular reason to do so. At first, it was curiosity that brought her out of the bakery to inquire about the works done to what was once a woodworker’s shop. After a lovely chat during which he invited her in for tea and she brought some pastries, she seemed to have taken a liking to him and never hesitated to watch him work from the bakery and bring him food if she noticed that he had not taken a break in a long time.

Despite his advanced age, Melly is the coddling grandmother he never had. Whenever he sees her, while feeling the urge to be courteous and mannered, he cannot help but feel some childlike joy ignite within him. If anything, she is one of the reasons why he has felt like home from the moment he set foot in Heawick.

‘Mh?’

Feeling the old lady nudge him playfully, he realises that he was lost in thought. He jolts and chuckles.

‘Oh, sorry. Yes, I love ducks. And bears. They are my absolute favourites.’

‘That is good to know. And that explains the little duck on your reception counter.’

Halsin laughs again and sees that Melly is trying to stand up. He rises to his feet and helps her up, then picks up her groceries from the bench.

‘Let me carry them for you,’ he offers.

‘Oh, no, no, son, don’t you bother. You have to go back to work! Besides, I’m stronger than you think for my age.’

She takes the bags from him and pretends to be lifting weights just to make him smile.

‘Well, it seems that you are happy with your week, Halsin, it warms my heart to see it,’ she chimes with a pinch of his cheek. I’ve already heard from Arfer that he was most satisfied with your methods and Clawdia was quite jolly afterwards herself!’

‘That is all that matters to me.’

‘In this case, you should head back. I will see bring you and your two colleagues some treats on Monday. Ta-ta!’

‘Bye, Melly!’

While he waves at her, he takes a step away and feels that his foot is crushing another under its weight and his shoulder knocks into someone’s chest. As the other person yelps and nearly loses balance, he quickly catches them. Embarrassment dusts his cheeks with rosy hues, which only deepen when his gaze meets a pair of beautiful turquoise eyes. His breath catches in his throat instantly. His heart races. If not already holding her by the arms, his palms would grow clammy.

‘Miss Ashguard!’ he blurts out breathlessly. ‘Oh, I apologise, I did not look where I was going. Did I hurt you?’

Tav’s face illuminates in a heartbeat as she recognises him.

‘Oh, hi, Doctor Silverbough! I wasn’t looking either, I’m sorry. But no, no, you didn’t hurt me. Are you alright?’

‘Oh, yes, yes.’

They stare into each other’s eyes for a split second, before clearing their throats and letting go of one another. Halsin scratches the back of his neck.

‘How is Beaky?’

‘He’s doing great! Recovering like a champ, I must say. I’m really glad that you took care of him. You did great.’

‘Thank you. And it was a pleasure.’

Tav tucks a lock of her fiery hair behind her pointy ear and points towards the path she is coming from.

‘Were you heading back to the practice?’

‘Indeed.’

‘May I walk with you?’

‘Of course! I have the files ready on my desk, you can already take them with you.’

‘Brilliant!’

As they walk out of the park side by side, Tav admires the town with her hands buried in her pockets.

‘Beaky’s already going outdoors again, by the way,’ she says, ‘I hope that it’s alright for his recovery. He just couldn’t stay put anymore if I left him indoors.’

‘Was it this bad?’ he inquires with an amused laugh, seizing the opportunity to take in her beauty, although he refuses to admit it, even to himself.

‘Oh, horrible! He kept horsing around, breaking stuff because he just didn’t feel comfortable inside. He almost knocked down my dad’s ashes. Now that would’ve been hell to clean from the rug.’

Halsin snaps his head around in concern. He observes her expression, which remains oddly calm after mentioning her father in such a nonchalant way.

‘I am sorry for your loss.’

‘Mh? Oh. That’s okay. I’m used to his absence by now, I suppose. Besides, he’d rather have me laugh about it than cry whenever I talk about him.’ ‘Were you two close?’

‘When I was younger we were,’ she says, burying her hands in her pockets. ‘But towards the end, we were constantly bickering about my career. He just didn’t approve of it. Not even a revelation in his last hours or anything. He hated it until the end.’

They reach the practice and enter. Karlach’s eyes illuminate with a blend of excitement and mischief as she recognises Tav and notices the fleeting glance she gives Halsin. The two women wave at each other and Halsin shows her to his office. On the desk is a stack of three coloured files of the same size. He picks them up and hands them over to her.

‘Beaky’s medical report. I made you three copies to be safe.’

‘Thank you so much,’ she chimes, taking them and briefly skimming the report. ‘That should be of great help.’

Halsin offers him a warm grin. Oddly, he is not eager for her to leave just yet. They may not have talked for long, but he feels the same tingles in his fingertips as he did when she texted him earlier this morning. What in the hells are they?

As she smiles bashfully at him and turns towards the door, his heart races and his mind nearly short-circuits. He wants to speak with her just a bit longer. Has he been a good host? Probably not. Why would he want to ask her to stay? Foolish. Stupid.

‘Would you like to stay for a cup of tea?’ he blurts out before he can stop himself, causing her to halt and peer over her shoulder at him. He suddenly wishes that he could disappear on the spot. Melt into a puddle. Deflate like a balloon and fly out the window. Catch fire. Anything. Why does he feel so giddy when she is around? He does not know her, neither she does him.

When she blinks while considering his offer, he wants to tell her that he is joking but he knows that he is not. He clears his throat and decides to play it smoothly.

‘I also have coffee and water, if that is more to your taste.’

Tav shrugs and grins. Such a beautiful sight.

‘Tea sounds heavenly.’

‘Right. Um. Have a seat,’ he says, pulling out his desk chair, the most comfortable he has ever sat on. ‘What kind? I can make you mint tea with honey.’

‘Like when I felt dizzy?’ she recollects, tilting her head in the most adorable way. ‘I would love that. It was delicious.’

Halsin nods and disappears into the kitchen to put the kettle on. Just like the first time he met Tav, he takes a moment to take deep breaths to calm his maddening heart. He cannot believe that he is losing his composure like a teenager experiencing puppy love. He is supposed to be professional and serious. This practice has been on his mind for nearly twenty years and he has finally fulfilled his dream. Is he going to throw it all away from the start by developing a crush on a pet’s owner? The first one to have ever walked in his practice, on top of that?

He cannot let this happen. Whatever this is, he must rationalise the situation. First of all, he knows next to nothing about her. Second, she is obviously younger than him, she would be better off with people her age. Third, he is being immature and he should perhaps take Karlach’s advice and sign up on one of these dating apps or sign up to a whittling or wildlife photography club in his free time. He would be meeting other people there. Other women. More appropriate relationship could occur there.

There. His heart is finally quiet. But the boiling kettle is not, yet he nearly misses its signal that the water is ready. He hastily prepares two cups of tea and brings them over to his office.

He finds Tav reading the report while gently swinging from side to side on his desk chair. When she hears his footsteps, she looks up and closes the files, putting them away for safety, should she accidentally spill her cup.

‘Thank you!’

Halsin smiles and sits in front of her on the stool that originally stood in his guestroom but swapped for the chair so Astarion can work comfortably. The clinking of her spoon against her cup as she stirs the honey while holding the branch of mint soothes him. His office often feels much too lonely, and finally having someone visit him there that is not Karlach or Astarion feels rather special to him.

‘So,’ he starts, trying to break the awkward silence, ‘you mentioned earlier that your father disapproved of your career. What awful path is it that you chose for him to be so against it?’

Tav chuckles and takes a first sip of the tea, grimacing as she burns her tongue.

‘I compose radio and commercial jingles.’

‘That is quite interesting, actually! Anything I might have heard?’

‘Probably not, unless you listen to the radio. The commercials aren’t broadcast widely, they’re mostly local.’

‘Do you like what you do, then?’

She shrugs and dares to take another sip, which finally comes easier to her. Just like him, she wraps her hands around the cup to savour its heat and takes a second to smell the mouth-watering blend of minty freshness and the heartwarming sweetness of the honey.

‘I do, but I wish I could aim higher. Ah, at least my schedule gives me enough free time to discover the region. Sometimes I can go for months without commissions, so I do need to find temporary jobs to survive. At least my dad taught me how to be a good moneysaver.’

‘That is important. I hope you will manage to sign bigger contracts, eventually.’

‘So do I,’ she grins. ‘Anyway. May I ask you when you settled down in Heawick? I can tell you’re not from here from your accent. It’s not too obvious, but there’s a hint of one. Are you from… the east?’

Halsin laughs softly and the tingles resume. Godsdammit. How dare she pay attention to the way he speaks?

‘I am! I arrived about six months ago. I bought the house upstairs and I am renting the office space for the practice. I find it somewhat silly that they came separately, but it is working so far. But I am hoping to buy it by next year, provided that all works well.’

‘Ah, yes, I remember the two being separate.’

‘How did you know?’

Tav drinks half of her cup, sighing contentedly as the drink flows down her throat.

‘I actually made an offer for the house. I made it to the final list, but it seems that your case was stronger than mine.’

He widens his eyes in surprise. The unreasonable voice in his brain whispers to him that it is fate bringing them together, but its resisting rival reminds him of the list he made in his mind earlier. He does not know her. She is younger. Dating apps.

Hiding his reaction as best he can, he takes a sip and 

‘I apologise, had I known…’

‘Oh, no, not at all! I’m glad you got it. Everyone’s so happy that the practice opened, you know? That was the talk in Combury for the whole week!’

Blushing at the idea that the idea he has been cultivating for years brought such joy to the community he has been meaning to serve and help. He cannot deny that the sole knowledge of it is bringing him to the highest highs. Within the first week, he has already achieved what he assumed would take months to establish. Yet trust is easily given within and across these towns, it seems. It is much different from where he comes from.

There, despite towns being as small and close to one another, few people reached such levels of altruism and compassion as he has experienced in Heawick. Where he grew up, too many members within the same circles turned on one another over the pettiest quibbles. That was precisely why his parents preferred to take him and retire into a tightly-knit community, closer to nature.

His love for animals and the environment stems from this peculiar upbringing. Reverting to a simpler way of life, Halsin was raised surrounded by the same familiar faces who took turns in caring for him whenever something came in the way. Whenever his mother or father became ill, there was always somebody jumping in to help with chores or with feeding him. If anybody encountered a problem in their life, the community strove to tend to them as best they could until the person finally jumped over the obstacle.

Meditation in the forest was commonplace as well, and he quickly learnt to care for the animals that inhabited it. Despite being homeschooled and isolated from the rest of civilisation, he often snuck out to study in libraries and research things that he had never heard about when among his folks.

Indeed, not everything about it was as idyllic as it may sound. If a member decided to leave and pursue other interests or another lifestyle, they were shunned and became the object of much gossip. If the person had children, then they could no longer come in contact with the children of the community, no matter how well they got along. Many ties were severed abruptly in his youth as more parents realised how this concept that, while coming from good intentions, had turned rotten and corrupt.

As soon as he was old enough to gain independence, Halsin fought to leave the community. While ‘civilisation’ in itself never particularly attracted him, he believed that there would be something in-between this seemingly carefree group and the bustling, polluted city. And he found it in little towns such as Heawick. Ever since he left his family, never to speak to them again, he stuck to smaller populations, which always brought him comfort from their numbers alone.

Adapting was decidedly difficult at first, but once he found a way to fend for himself with the support of charities and organisations meant to help people like him, living in the semi-civilised world began to feel natural. He received a proper education to fill in the gaps in his general and specialised knowledge, and he was eventually able to study to become a veterinarian. And it was during his studies already that the idea of opening his own practice to connect people and serve them sprouted.

Now, it has blossomed. And what a blossom it is!

Halsin finishes his tea and leans against the table beside him, gazing at Tav.

‘Why Combury, then? Since you wanted to settle in Heawick, why did you not look for other houses?’

‘The house on Birch Lane wasn’t on sale yet, so there weren’t any other options in Heawick itself. And… I don’t know, I really wanted to live by a forest, so Combury was the other logical choice. Now I’m renting my house, which is on the forest’s edge like yours, and I own a patch of field behind it because of Beaky.’

‘Does your landlord agree about Beaky living on the property?’

‘I didn’t tell him. That’s why I try to keep Beaky on the field as much as possible. He’s happier there anyway.’

He tilts his head in disapproval.

‘You should tell him. It is a bad idea to keep it from him. I would not want you to be in trouble because of your kindness towards Beaky. Perhaps you can compromise on certain things. Just… Do not leave them in the dark.’

‘I know, I will. I just don’t know what to tell him,’ she admits, drinking the rest of her cup. She then glances at her wristwatch and stands up. ‘I’m afraid I must go, I’ve got an appointment shortly.’

While Halsin stands up and gathers the cups, she grabs the copies of the medical report and slips them inside her bag. He escorts her back to the reception, even forgetting to take the empty teacups at all, so eager is he to spend every second with her. When they find themselves near Karlach’s desk, unknowingly piquing her curiosity again, Tav rummages through her bag.

‘How much do I owe you for the report and the copies?’

The question takes him aback. Perhaps he is supposed to charge her even a small fee for making him work on Beaky’s case again, but honestly, he does not have the heart to it. After all, if this lawsuit can help with granting her compensation for the strife caused by Mr Bongle while showing that the court cares about wild animals as much as it does pets, then he can only be glad to have participated.

‘Nothing at all,’ he says warmly. ‘It was my pleasure.’

‘Doctor Silverbough, you’ve worked on this file and used precious ink and paper so I could have everything. Please, tell me how much I owe you. It’s only fair.’

Halsin gently places his hands around hers as she pulls her wallet out of the back. Unbeknownst to him, Tav is a blushing mess when he does it. It only lasts a split second, yet it is enough to turn her assurance into bashfulness and to nearly create an explosion as Karlach suppresses the urge to scream ‘I told you so’. 

‘I insist. Beaky’s well-being and his safety are worth much more to me than money. I assure you.’

Tav sighs, but a smirk curves her rosy lips. She takes out a note equivalent to a hundred gold coins and slips it into the tip jar on Karlach’s desk. Both the veterinarian and his assistant stare with wide eyes as she does so, not having anticipated her gesture, let alone the amount that she put in.

Before he can react at all, Tav takes his hand and gives it a firm shake, adding to his sheepishness.

‘Thank you again for your help, Doctor Silverbough.’

Halsin sighs as though he has been holding his breath for a thousand years. Still shaken up by her donation, his handshake is not as firm as he means it to be, and he wonders whether she would take it as an insult. Probably not. The people in his region would, though.

‘Thank you for… Well. The donation. Thank you.’

Tav chuckles and shakes his hand again, and this time, he does not disappoint.

‘Have a good week-end, Doctor Silverbough.’

‘You too, Miss Ashguard.’

‘Goodbye, Miss Cliffgate!’

Karlach, quite speechless from the scene she has just witnessed, waves at her with a smile. She cannot help but boil inside as she suppresses the flaming hot urge to gossip about Halsin’s crush on Tav with Astarion.

Once Tav has left, Halsin is still facing the door, quite dumbfounded. He then hears a hardly dissimulated squeal as Karlach stomps her feet on the floor and drums her fingers on her desk.

‘Doc, do I get to tell you “I told you so” or not yet?’

He peers over his shoulder at her, raising an eyebrow.

‘Sorry?’

‘You have the ninth-layer-of-the-hells-hots for Miss Ashguard! Look at you, Doc! What was that about? Her touching your hand? Shaking it twice?!’

‘You are reading too much into things, Karlach.’

Halsin attempted to distract himself from the allegation by taking a distracted look at his agenda and checking the time. The tiefling elbows him playfully and pokes her own nose.

‘I’ve got a flair for romance, doc. Who do you think played matchmaker with Astarion? He’s married now!’

‘Miss Ashguard is the owner of an animal who happened to be treated and operated here. Our relations are purely professional. I have a code of honour.’

‘But you’re dying to breach it. I can sense it.’

Growing frustrated by the situation more than by Karlach, he rolls his eyes and prepares the consultation room for the rat with recurring skin rashes. The rest of the days goes by as smoothly as the rest of the week, and there comes the time for the team to close up shop for the week-end. Astarion joins them, carrying his sewing machine and a bundle of pet shirts of all sizes he gives to Halsin. Once he has taken a brief look and approved of them, he brings them over to the small storage room and sorts them into several boxes according to species and size.

While the vampire fetches the rest of his personal equipment and brings them downstairs, Karlach squeals as she gazes out the glass door. Halsin frowns and comes by her side to observe what is going on. Coming out of an indigo car is a man about ten years younger than him with brown and grey hair combed back yet maintaining a carefully tousled appearance. His purple shirt is unbuttoned at the top, revealing some of his chest hair and a peculiar symbol tattooed into his skin. In his hand wearing a simple golden band, he carries a thick bouquet of red roses.

Astarion, hating when he is left out of gossip, comes to look with them and lets out a groan.

‘Ugh, he should know by now that I hate flowers. What a silly gift!’

Halsin rolls his eyes with a smile and unlocks the door as the man approaches. He holds out his hand to him.

‘Hello, you must be Mr Dekarios-Ancúnin!’

Gale chuckles and shakes his hand firmly, acknowledging Karlach with a bright grin and a wink.

‘Just Dekarios, actually. I’m afraid that only one of us was allowed to change his name, and Astarion insisted,’ he responds with his usual charming demeanour. ‘You must be Doctor Silverbough.’

‘Halsin is fine. Please, come on in.’

‘Then Gale is fine too! Thank you.’

Upon seeing Astarion, who is forcing a smile despite hating the fact that he is being given flowers, Gale beams with pride and affection unlike anything Halsin has ever witnessed before.

‘Hello, my love!’ he chimes, going towards his husband to kiss him. ‘This is for you, for completing your first week without being fired!’

He laughs merrily, before slipping his hand into the vampire’s.

‘Jokes aside, I’m so extraordinarily proud of you, Astarion. Really. So I thought that maybe we could celebrate it tonight?’

‘Mh. Thanks,’ Astarion replies curtly at first. Thankfully, his grimace does not last as he notices the sincerity in his husband’s gaze. He returns the kiss and nuzzles the other man’s nose. ‘Fine.’

‘Great! I already have something planned.’

‘Ugh, this better be a hot bath with candles and wine.’

Gale simply winks, yet this is enough for Astarion to smile giddily. The teacher picks up the sewing equipment to help his husband carry it to the car. Everybody goes their own way, the couple to their car, Karlach to her motorcycle, and Halsin upstairs to his home.

After this busy day, Halsin takes a warm shower and only puts some underwear on before dragging his feet, clad in bear-shaped slippers, towards the couch. He lies down on it and covers himself with his favourite plaid, before switching the television on. He zaps from channel to channel until he finds a documentary on the ocean’s wildlife. He makes himself comfortable and takes a moment to finally relax after work, doing something he truly loves.

That is, until his work phone pings.

He sighs and picks it up from the coffee table to check the notification. His face instantly illuminates as he sees Tav’s name on the screen.

‘Thank you again for the reports! You’re truly an angel! I forgot to ask you something earlier, I was wondering if you’d accept to be Beaky’s designated vet? Like people have their own GP?’

Without the need to think, his thumbs type his answer.

‘It was my pleasure, Miss Ashguard. I usually do not do this, but Beaky was an exemplary patient, so why not? I will create the patient file over the week-end, so you have nothing to worry about. Enjoy your evening. Doctor Silverbough.’

He runs a hand across his face and places the phone beside him on the blanket to divert his attention back to the documentary, which is now showing footage of a shoal of fish swimming in a set pattern. Nothing short of mesmerising.

When the ringtone plays again, he instantly check his screen with an impressive reflex.

‘Thank you! Apparently, that’s the only thing I’m able to say to you, haha! Enjoy your week-end, doctor, see you next week!’

Next week? Huh. Beaky’s appointment is not before two weeks. Ah, for now, it does not matter. He will see her then. If he gets to see her in the week to come, he will be just as glad.

The prospect alone releases butterflies in the pit of his stomach.

Taglist: @emmanuellececchi @cakenpiewhyohmy @reignydeys

[marc--chilton]

(wcau) after scrapping with a fox aiming to take his territory and deeming his injuries as non-life threatening, rather than stay in his lonely little den or accept help from plainsclan, he dragged his battered body all the way to wilson's yard, slip through the latticework under the deck, and bunker down. he was found the morning after, sniffed out by amber and only saved by her respect for her twolegs' property. wilson tries to convince house to let them take him to a vet but house talks him down.

there's not really anything to hunt there under the deck -- even if there was, house is too sore to try -- so wilson sneaks him food from his bowl. he'll take a mouthful (shovel bites), trot outside, and drop it between the wood planks for house. it's not very tasty but it's kind of a religious experience so it evens out.

but becomes clear that house comes down with an infection a few days later, his voice not as strong when it drifts up to grumble at wilson and his meal delivery, "not hungry." wilson never stopped worrying so he doesn't hesitate taking this into his own paws, meowing incessantly at his twolegs, pawing at their faces or legs, trotting to the pet door when they try to pet him and scratching the floorboards outside.

amber's barking and growling is one thing -- she's painfully territorial so she barks at anything -- but wilson, for his friendly, curious nature, is exceptionally normal and pleasant, so this behavior gets their attention quickly. they're animal lovers, and by now they're aware of house coming and going and have grown to like him ("he has so much character!") so they don't hesitate to help him when they see him curled up in the cold dirt surrounded by old, grimy kibble and cobwebs. luckily for them, house is too ill and exhausted to put up much of a fight (he still gets burrito'd tho)

the vet stay is short and passes in a blur. house wakes up, feeling better but still weak, inside. as in inside the house. in a closed room. and there's a warm body next to him.

"hey," wilson greets him, wary of an outburst, for house to push him away. they'd never touched before. he's loafed, soft and warm and unmoving, and house decides immediately that he is an excellent pillow. "before you get mad, if i didn't get you help you probably would've died."

he thinks about it for a second. they're in an office where one of the adults of the house sometimes works remotely from; a low traffic room relinquished solely for house to heal in, even moved wilson's cat bed in for him. and apparently they trusted their pretty kitty alone with a feral cat (in reality while house was still unconscious wilson made a huge fuss about keeping house company to the point his twolegs gave in, especially when he darted inside while they were giving house more water to make up for what dehydrated, flopped down right next to him, and refused to move)

then house flops back down, rolling onto his side and his cheek squished into wilson's side, grumbling, "if they cut my balls off while i was out, i'd rather have died."

if he's bickering, he must feel better, so wilson lets himself relax a little. "i wouldn't know. can you feel your balls?"

and house just leers back, his eyes still a little unfocused, "i can't feel much of anything thanks to whatever they gave me. you should check for me." wilson does not take up this offer but his whiskers twitch with contained amusement so house counts it as a win anyway

[ratsoh-writes]

Can you give us some fun facts about your pets?

Ooooo

Ok jess, this hoe:

Jess is my baby, my darling, my sweet ugly girl. I do have cute pictures of her, but they are far and in between. This vacuum bag hairball is the most unphotogenic creature known to man. And she coughs like a 40 year old man. And she has allergies so she sneezes everywhere, and she has brilliant aim if she’s near your face

She’s black, and she loves the sun, so she likes to fry herself outside every morning. And she comes back in smelling like a mixture of ass and roadkill. And naturally this is when she wants my cuddles the most

For some reason the sound of squeaky toys gives her eargasms so hard that she screams and howls her little rat heart out at them. Rubber duckies are the bane of her existence

This rat was found behind a dumpster (literally), but middle class family life has softened that boney dog butt of hers. She can no longer tolerate the cold hard ground of fake wood floors. She knows how to sit, but will hover her butt over the ground when on hard floor. She actually sits on carpet though. And even though her food is in the tiled laundry room, she likes to grab a mouthful of kibble, walk all across the house, and bring it to the living room just to eat it on carpet. Oh and she tries to bury her treats in my room for some reason.

Now Mario: this slut:

As the only boy in the household, Mario is unapologetically my moms favorite. But to be fair, he’s a slut, but only for her. He’s a loyal boy. His favorite past times include barking at nothing, pissing on every square inch of the backyard, and biting at my moms ankles every time she walks down the hall

He must’ve failed doggy language classes or something, because when he wants attention, he doesn’t whine cutely like jess, or snort like Jake (my late beagle, love you boo), he growls. He hikes his little tiny crusty grandma dog teeth up and does his best growl. I rate it as horrifying as spam sizzling on a frying pan, so not much. (And no, these growls are purely affectionate, he’s never actually bitten anyone or been aggressive, he’s a coward lol)

When we have the freeloaders do their trick routine, he gets mad if we don’t let him go first, and if jess is doing her tricks too slow he’ll straight up body slam her away and do it for her. He’s got golden child syndrome and can’t handle not being in the spotlight

He’s super possessive of my mom, and anytime anyone touches her when she’s at her office chair, he growls and barks. Unless it’s my uncle. He’s terrified of that guy. My uncle only calls him George and so he answers to that as a second name too.

[yanderepuck]

The Pets Favorite Foods

Jupiter: gives me berry vibes. Mainly blueberries but also blackberries

Schelm: baby loves fish. Owls eat a lot of small rodents, but he gets spoiled with pieces of fish

Lumiere: chicken is what he screams for the most but he also really loves turkey and also cheese??? But he will s team for anything

Brush: what won't this baby eat. He likes fruit because it's sweet but he will go cRAZY FOR PEANUT BUTTER. Hell stuck his whole head in a jar and lick it clean

King: Theo tries not to give him people food but he can't say no to begging puppy eyes. But he gives me vegetable vibes. They don't feed him kibble, he already eats fresh food as his normal meals, but I feel like he likes crunchy vegetables. Theo is confused.

Vic: eggs. Boy wants eggs. In the morning when breakfast is being made he gets his own egg for breakfast

Harry: he's munching on bugs all day on the floor. He keeps the mansion clean of bugs. But when Sebastian comes to give Isaac his food he puts a side of fruit or vegetables on his plate but that's Harry's snack. His REAL favorite seems to be watermelon.

Bunta: he will definitely go crazy for some bread but since it's not good for birds Dazai tries to limit that and treat him with sunflower seeds and some nuts. But he will swoop down and steal a bite of your bread if you're not careful.

Cherie: she already eats fresh meat daily, so to her normal cat food is a little treat and she'll gobble it down. But she loves pumpkins so in the fall Jean gets her a bunch.

Puck: apparently his favorite thing to chew on is that chair in the corner, but other than that it's definitely bananas and raspberries. Will gives him a little too many raspberries because of the mess it makes around his mouth.

Time: you're toes and anything Comte has. He tasted an apple once and now he goes crazy for them. Ferrets are also lactose intolerant so of course he will stick his head in a cup of yogurt.

Lottie: melons. Any kind of melons. She will DEVOUR IT.

Marshmallow: she will only eat the finest best quality meat there is...and mushrooms? Yeah. She found them in the garden and started eating them and now goes looking for them when she goes outside.

Mephie: she wants pasta. Give her pasta. Fusilli pasta is what Faust will give her the most but she demands different kinds of ravioli

Louis: he's so addicted to oranges that he's learned how to peel them himself

[bergeronprocess]

9/25/24

It’s raining really hard today and it just made me think about a rainy day in Paldea and how my original/game protagonist character might deal with that.

Also good god I love Scarvi so much but they REALLY needed to give the areas proper names. 

Well, there go my plans, thought Violetta the moment she opened her eyes. The rain was driving hard against her window, the world outside tinged in gray, creating a morning darker than it should have been. Her plan had been to head out to South Province Area 4 and go on a Pokemon catching spree, but immediately she knew the marshy area would be even worse than usual with all this hard rain and it was just going to be a miserable time.

So instead, it was time to create a plan B.

Violetta sat up, stretched and looked over to see her partner Pokemon Sprigatito (Spriggy for short) still curled up asleep in her bed, which just so happened to be shaped like a pizza. She knew that wouldn’t be the case for much longer, though, so she hopped out of bed and immediately saw to filling Spriggy’s bowl with kibble. The sound of the kibble woke her up and she ambled over to get her breakfast, her Everstone clinking on her collar as she walked. She meowed approvingly and began to eat.

“As for me,” Violetta said aloud, her accent giving away her Wyndonian heritage. “Breakfast here, or at the dining hall?” She took a quick inventory of what was available in her cabinets and found a box of Choco-Pokeball cereal, her absolute favorite. “Right, that’s the way!” And so she poured herself a big bowl of it, added some Moomoo Milk from her fridge, then sat at her desk and opened her laptop to browse the internet while she ate.

A quick check of the weather confirmed that this rain would be falling all day. Violetta had already attended all of her required class sessions for the week, so she didn’t have that as a backup plan. No new messages had popped up in her Uva Academy email account overnight and her direct messages inbox was empty on the Uva Grapes social media site. The weather was too dreadful for her to want to visit her mum’s restaurant in Los Platos. She really and truly had no plans.

What to do?!

She got cleaned up and got dressed in casual clothes (not needing to go to class meant no need for uniforms), recalled Spriggy to her Pokeball, made sure she had her purse and left her room.

Having arrived in Paldea at the start of this school year after moving to the region with her mum, Violetta found herself in a surprising new role at Uva Academy. She was popular. All the other kids seemed to be interested in her. The combination of Galarian accent, battling Team Star on her first day, her unusual Cyclizar-like Pokemon with a color that matched her hair and her willingness to give anything a go had endeared her to the population. It was very much the opposite of her experience back in Galar, where she purposefully distanced herself from everyone because her father kept her up to her eyeballs helping to run the bed and breakfast. It was different - and it was nice.

She said hi to everyone she saw as she made her way, using only internal hallways and corridors so as to stay dry, into the library. Her father hadn’t allowed her to have a Pokemon, so she felt she was lagging behind other students in terms of her Pokemon knowledge. Thankfully the library had tomes upon tomes to help her get up to speed. She spent some time quietly reading up on her type advantages - some of them made sense to her, but she really struggled to master others - and then felt her phone vibrate.

It was her best mate Nemona! 

“What’s up today?” read her text message. 

“Literally nothing. Not going anywhere in this rain!” Violetta answered.

“I hear that,” Nemona answered. “Me neither. Classes?”

“Finished them for the week.”

“Same. Nowhere indoors to battle safely either :( Ugh this sucks.” That was a relatively down note for the eternally chipper Nemona, thought Violetta. “Where you at?”

“Library. Reading up on type advantages. I just can’t make heads or tails of Poison type!”

“Just try to remember that the ground safely absorbs poison and that a psychic can see the poison coming and avoid it!” Oh, that’s actually quite a good mnemonic. No wonder she’s a Champion, thought Violetta. “Let’s get some churros at the dining hall.” Well, go on then!

The two girls sat side-by-side, facing outward, all the better to people-watch as they dunked their freshly-made churros into luscious chocolate sauce. Nemona was chatting away about how she battled a third year after class yesterday and totally schooled him, he had no idea what he was up against, he was so mismatched, he…

Then suddenly Violetta felt like she could barely hear Nemona despite her literally being right there. A certain someone walked into the dining hall and time seemed to slow down entirely, like in a movie. Everything else faded away for a moment. He even has his hair up in a Ponytatail, thought Violetta as she felt herself get warmer and felt her heart start to beat faster and faster. I love when he has his hair in a Ponytatail.

Arven made a Beedrill-line straight for the counter. Violetta couldn’t hear whatever he was ordering over the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears. She absentmindedly continued to dunk the same churro in her chocolate sauce over and over again - it was rapidly becoming a mushy mess - he looked so good saying thank you to the staff members and then receiving his tray of food, she couldn’t stop staring, his arms looked so strong holding that tray, did he work out or something, wait hold on, hold on, is he…

“Little buddy!” he said brightly, smiling from ear to ear as he noticed Violetta sitting there. Overly excited, she waved…the hand that had been dipping that churro so thoroughly, flinging chocolate sauce all over.

“Oye!! Stop that!!” Nemona protested, flailing her arms about, scrambling to grab a napkin.

“Oh no!! Sorry!!” Violetta said with an embarrassed gasp, letting go of the churro so it would plop onto her tray before realizing she’d splattered chocolate sauce all over her shirt. Now she felt mortified, so much so that she just wanted to shrink into her chair. Arven probably thinks I’m mad, or an idiot, or both.

But instead, he just kept smiling, set down his tray containing a mug of Tapu Cocoa topped with pink marshmallows that had Ditto faces on them and put his oversize backpack onto the chair in front of his tray. Unzipping one of its many, many pockets, he retrieved a towel and offered it to Violetta.

“Here,” he said, his voice as warm as that Tapu Cocoa must be. “It’s OK. Happens to us all sometimes.” 

Her hand trembling, Violetta took the towel and somehow managed to thank him before she attempted to tidy up her shirt. She was able to mop up some of the damage, but she still knew she’d have to go back to her room, change shirts and pop over to the laundry room. Guess that’s my plan for the afternoon then, she thought. Wait, this towel’s going to need washing up as well, won’t it…

“Looking better already,” he said, his voice still as warm as the sun. Even though Violetta still felt quite mortified, his voice did seem to comfort her a bit. 

“Ay, I’ll need to wash this shirt,” Nemona mumbled under her breath. 

“Th-thanks again,” Violetta mumbled. She could feel that her ears were warmer than usual, and she suspected she was blushing as well. “Erm, do you want this back?” she asked, gesturing to the dirtied towel. 

Arven chuckled a little bit. “Nah, all good. Keep it, little buddy.”

Little buddy…I kind of hate when he calls me that, but I also kind of love when he calls me that. Is that weird? That’s weird, isn’t it? Does he think I’m weird? Does he think about me at all? Does he have any idea that I fancy him? Violetta’s thoughts were racing.

Nemona, noticing that Violetta was temporarily on another planet, rolled her eyes and then spoke up louder than normal. “Thanks, Arven! That’s so kind of you! You’re so thoughtful!” She was intentionally laying it on thick. “Isn’t he so kind and thoughtful, Vi?”

“What? Huh? Yeah!! Er, yeah! Really…” Violetta turned red from ear to ear. “Really kind and really thoughtful.” She could hardly bear to look directly at him, the feelings were just so intense. “Really…thanks…” 

Arven smiled again. “Of course! Any time.” He then made to pick up his tray again. Oh no, is he leaving?! I’ve driven him off, Violetta lamented. But then he stopped. “Hey, little buddy, do you have any plans for tomorrow?” Her heart leapt in her chest. “I could just use your help with something if you’re not busy.” 

Violetta knew that was his attempt to remain subtle and not broadcast his Herba Mystica quest out loud to everyone in earshot. They’d already been on one outing before, so she was already familiar with this mission.

But Nemona, not knowing any of this backstory, saw it totally differently.

“Oye!!! Arven! Are you asking Violetta out on a DATE?!” she said at full volume. Violetta thought she was going to fall right out of her chair in shock! “Tomorrow is FRIDAY! That’s perfect for a DATE!” Then she grinned as she beheld Violetta and Arven, both as red as Tamato Berries, rendered fully unable to react for what seemed like an eternity.

Until…

“Er,” Violetta said quietly, her mouth dry. “I…would…I would like that.”

Arven looked surprised. “You would?” Violetta just nodded. “Well then…” Now he looked resolute. “Let’s go into town tomorrow night.”

Violetta was thrilled. All of a sudden, this boring rainy day had turned extremely interesting!

[lucysweatslove]

12.2.23 // Oreo’s First Teeth Cleaning and other thoughts

Oreo has his first teeth cleaning on Friday. He’s five, and this is the first year it was recommended by his vet (we asked about it a few years ago, set up an appointment, was told his teeth were so clean and healthy the risk of anesthesia was not worth the cleaning). I was a nervous Nelly all day. My husband called me at 1, just when class was starting, because they had called him. Oreo is apparently really sensitive to anesthesia, which is weird to me because he’s been under twice before (neuter and anal gland removal) and did okay- but I wonder if anesthesia is dosed by weight class? He was ~19 lbs during his neuter and gland removal and is now ~23 lbs.

He struggled when he got home. I was in class and couldn’t leave, so I didn’t get to see the worst of it, but apparently his back legs didn’t work super well, and he just wanted to be swaddled and held like an infant. Husband said he held him and rocked/walked with him for an hour and then held him on the couch until I got home.

He was very clearly hungry and wanted to eat, but since he was intubated and had his teeth scraped at, chewing was hard- and I was worried that dry kibble would scratch up his throat. So I made rice and chicken- which obviously he loved. The problem? The chicken breasts were frozen and HUMONGOUS and took over an hour to cook. After 40 min at 375 my husband took over, and when I saw the chicken my husband deemed “well cooked” it still looked pink to me… we bickered, and ofc nobody could win that argument because we no longer have a meat thermometer (ours was left outside and rusted).

This morning husband informed me that Oreo ate all of his kibble but needed coaxing- I had wanted to keep him in C&R today to support his throat and because he had diarrhea last night and this morning, but apparently husband decided noooo he wanted the chicken for himself… he actually made himself chicken fried rice for dinner. And poor Oreo could smell the chicken and rice and seemed really excited by the smell… so I made the executive decision to give him C&R again.

Well…. Everybody in the family has had multiple bouts of diarrhea since then. 🙃🙃🙃 Ive had it the easiest. I didn’t eat any of the chicken but realized that I failed to wash my hands after feeding Oreo before I ate something myself. It was all a little early for the time frame for the typical chicken bacteria (salmonella, campy, c perfringens) but it’s the only thing we all had contact with… Thankfully both boys are snoring now, but yeah, not a pleasant day. And now I’m having intermittent stabby spleen pain 🙃🙃

On top of all that my skin is flaring again. My legs have some folliculitis that is… quite bad to the point where if it wasn’t focal in the hair follicles I’d be worried for some kind of insect bites. I’m annoyed by all of the recurrent infections.

Anyway, all of that aside, I’m doing okay all things considered. I’ve been playing Disney Dreamlight Valley (fun) and really not studying the way I should be for school… it’s just hard to motivate. I’ve done some reviewing and don’t suspect I’ll fail but definitely checked out for winter break. I’m also torn atm with body stuff. I feel better having put words to the body and gender disconnect, but when it comes to day to day, it’s hard to DO anything about it other than just internally vibe. Idk, maybe I’d feel better if I was more “out,” but I fear others’ reactions might not be neutral to positive. I’m sure most people wouldn’t care at all if they even noticed a pronoun shift, but it’s the not KNOWING how people will react- the ambiguity… like, assuming they’ll all react positively or neutrally is just as egregious in my mind as assuming anybody would react negatively or use it to other me furthers. Especially professionally. I’m like 99% positive nobody in my class would give it a second thought if they even noticed. But I expect negativity as much as I expect positivity from them, and in the greater professional world there is a lot of negativity. Especially about identities like mine- the ones that are borderline, where I’ve somehow simultaneously been othered by both groups of people with normative and groups with divergent experiences.

Tbh I really don’t know what would help me feel more like me and not eat home in my own body. Old ED brain keeps whispering, oh, people will accept you more if you were thin- and then you can express yourself however you want and look okay enough instead of like a Michelin man. Of course I know that if I fed into that, I still probably would never be happy or content.

I’m doing a good job not falling back into disordered eating patterns, but I can’t take full credit for that because tbh I kinda want to, but it always involved more work and time for me (exercise purging, meal planning and prepping, etc). I don’t have the time or executive functioning to make normal easy meals or go to the gym a regular human amount- I def don’t have 3+ hours to go do split sessions at the gym and 3+ hours to craft the “perfect” meal that I can enjoy but not too much and has protein so I can spare muscle and not totally screw myself over…

And that brings up a lot of other feels too, because Like one part of my feels guilty for thinking about heavy restriction and exercise purging at all. But another part feels entirely invalidated because I’m fat now and unable to “willpower” my way into thinness again (like “if I were ever really sick I’d be able to fall back into this without any problems and be totally fine until I got thin again” which has so many layers to dissect…). And another part is just curious, is it possible to become thin and not hate my appearance without falling into ED world? And aaaannoootthhherr part is curious what others would notice- if anything at all- if I did slip back into ED brain considering how it took YEARS to get anybody to see it was a problem the first time around.

Also can we talk about the time patterns? Because I always get worse in the winter, which screams of SAD, but actually I see two other factors for winter pattern. One, memories (SA, friend’s suicide). Two, I hate how my body looks in winter clothes (Michelin man effect every time I try to wear a sweater lol). There is always the underlying belief that people will like me more if I’m thinner/I’ll be better able to make friends/etc. But during the winter, it’s compounded with memories of the assault, remembering how alone I was, the loss of the one person who was nice… and then all wrapped up in a bow of feeling like I absolutely cannot in any way express myself because winter clothes never feel like me.

But… yeah, all of that aside I’m actually doing okay. I’m holding up. Still eating. I think in my head as long as I’m still eating salad kits with the full fat dressing I’m fine 😅 I’ve had periods of time where I’m like “oh but I could cut so many calories if I swap to Walden farms” and then I’m like “yeah and lose out on 95% of the joy of a salad… “ I’m eating vegetables now when historically they’ve been a punishment, I’ll take the win.

[sleekervae]

Nutella Cake | The Neighbour

Masterlist

A/N: Hi. My mental health is in the toilet. But today is a special holiday, so I wrote this to cheer me (and hopefully some of you) up. Happy Birthday to the Nutella King!! 👑

Warnings: set in the future of The Neighbour, spoilers for that obviously. Mostly a ball of fluffiness

--

It was as though someone had flipped a switch, and once again Remington's birthday was upon him. He always liked his birthdays, especially now, feeling blessed he could share in the joy with some of the most special people in his life.

His girlfriend of course was at the apex of his list.

He had woken up at a reasonable time this morning, the sun just peaking out from cracks in the Venetian blinds. He wasn't hungover, but he was tired as he'd been up late the night before. The band was getting ready to start filming one of their most ambitious projects yet, and of course in his excitement, Remington had lost track of his timing.

Nevertheless, he was looking forward to having a quiet day today. He'd gone on vacations, thrown some wild parties, but not very often did he get to have a quieter occasion for his birthday. Since the move to Europe, he took solace in the peaceful goings on.

He grumbled to himself as he turned over, his hand reaching out before he could even think to open his eyes. He expected to brush against warm skin, though instead his fingers grazed the soft hyde of cat fur. Remington's eyes slipped open, blearily making out Pluto's haunch as he laid curled up where Eva was supposed to be. To say he wasn't a little annoyed was a fib, he always looked for any opportunity he could to snuggle with his girl after all. However, his grumbling morphed into curiosity as he heard some clamouring in the kitchen.

Doing a quick stretch, he scooped the pale tabby in his arms, cradling him like the big baby he was he Remington shuffled into the kitchen. The blinds had been drawn up to let in the warm sunlight, basking Eva in the most delicate glow imaginable. She was the image of sweetness and perfection, her cotton shorts sitting on her hips, matched with a delicate grey bralette. Her hair, longer now, was loose and flowing around her shoulders. Remington sometimes missed how cute she was with her shorter hair, but he couldn't deny how drop dead gorgeous she was with longer hair, too. He loved everything about her, unabashedly shameless about watching her fix the morning coffee.

Eva's attention was only garnered as she heard some rustling, followed by the patter of four paws clicking against the tile. Pluto was impatient -- as usual -- and had leapt out of Remington's arm to waddle over to his food bowl for inspection. He paid the couple no mind as he began to eat his kibble.

Her smile was radiant, though she appeared a little skittish as she brewed the coffee and shoved at some knick knacks behind the cupboard.

"Good morning,"

"Good morning," he sauntered over to her, unashamed to be only dressed in his boxers, and surely his jet black hair was a crow's nest right now. Neither of them cared, Eva was the first to lock her arms around him, embracing him in a sweet morning kiss.

She pulled away gently, her lips still brushing against his as she whispered, "Happy birthday,"

"Thank you," and he dove back in again, tasting the hint of orange juice she'd enjoyed moments earlier, one hand resting on her hip while the other rested on the small of her back... and slipping lower and lower...

Eva giggled as his fingers pushed at the hem of her shorts, "You don't want to wait for your coffee?" she teased.

He shook his head, smirking playfully, "Not when I have my gift to unwrap," he replied.

He then slipped his hand under the waistband, rubbing over her bum and giving her an affectionate squeeze. Eva mewled, stepping forth to push him against the rim of the kitchen counter.

"But I have a real present for you," she grinned back, "If you'll grant me some patience...?"

"Oh, alright," he mocked a heavy sigh, letting her go nonetheless as she slipped back to the coffee machine. Eva pulled out a white box from behind, peaking his interest as she caught him looking at her.

"Look over there," she pointed in the other direction.

"Really?" he chuckled.

"Yes! Really!" she demanded coyly, "Or I'll beat you up,"

"Okay! Okay!" Remington turned his gaze to the opposing window, looking out over the sleepy Friday morning neighbourhood. He heard cardboard folding, a distinctive clicking, and then he smelled it: candle wax.

"Okay, you can look now," he turned around again, warmth filling his chest and his lips turning up as high as they could in a beaming grin. Eva had a small chocolate cake on a plate, adorned in hazelnut crumbs and Ferrero truffles, with an adorable birthday candle sizzling in the middle. She smiled, nervously shifting back and forth. She didn't know why, she had celebrated four birthdays now with Remington, and she was still nervous about making his day special. He always did for her, anyhow.

"Happy birthday," she beamed.

Remington chuckled, "What? You're not gonna sing to me?"

"Not if we want this to be a happy occasion," she giggled nervously.

He shook his head at her, "Every day with you's a happy occasion," he replied coyly.

Eva refrained from rolling her eyes, standing maybe a foot apart from him as she held out the cake, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. The candle's gonna drip!"

"I gotta' make a wish, first!" he replied.

Remington took a moment, eyes flitting up to the ceiling, then humming quite loudly to himself, stroking the few hairs he had on his chin. Eva rolled her eyes at him that time, she sighed loudly enough to match him.

"What?" he simpered.

"I didn't say anything," she shrugged back.

"Oh, you didn't have to," with that, Remington leaned forward and blew out the candle.

"What did you wish for?" she asked as she lowered the cake.

Remington grinned back, "Nothing," he shook his head, "Absolutely nothing,"

Eva cocked a brow, "Just like last year, and the year before, and the year before?"

"Actually -- three years ago I had a lot of wishes. One was to put out a bangin' fucking album, one was to travel the entire world with my best friends... and one of them was to have you as my girlfriend," he replied.

She simpered back, "So, I imagine option three was a bit of a disappointment," she said as she set the cake down.

"Says the woman who broke out birthday cake for breakfast," he drawled, taking her by her hips.

"It's appropriate," she shrugged, pressing up on her toes to kiss him again. It was wild for her to comprehend that he was twenty-nine now, she still always thought of Remington as that twenty-six year old dorky kid who answered the door in his boxers and wanted to dye his hair every three months. Eva was twenty-seven now, a concept she herself couldn't grasp as she felt so mature, and still so young and unknowing. So much had changed in three years, and still the love she had for him never faltered, no matter whether they were separated by distance or commitments. All that she was absolutely sure of was that every day was a new adventure with Remington.

"I do have one wish," he mumbled quietly.

"I'm scared," she giggled.

He smirked coyly, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek before whispering in her ear, "I wanna' hear you sing,"

She groaned, pulling away and instead going in search of plates, "Rem..."

"Evaaaa..."

"I hate you,"

"It's my birthday, though!" he cried defiantly, "C'mon, you were right! I don't ever wish for anything!"

Eva shook her head, pulling out two plates, forks, and a cake slicer, "Does it make a difference if I mention the cake's made with Nutella?" she asked.

Remington glanced at the chocolatey confection, his stomach beginning to tremble at the notion, "It looks fantastic, thank you," he pressed another kiss to her temple, leaning against the counter as she began to slice it up, "Why don't you ever sing for me? You won't even sing with me in the car?"

"Rem, trust me. I'm not a good singer," Eva assured him.

"Says who?"

"Said Greg, Magda, and a few unsavoury characters from middle school," she slipped the first slice onto his plate.

"Okay, but middle school was a long time ago," he noted.

"And my boyfriend is a literal rockstar, so --" she pointed to herself with the slicer "Me doing the singing thing -- nope. Nah uh," she shook her head again.

Remington sighed, subtly swiping his finger through the icing at the side, "Five seconds?" he queried, "Five seconds of whatever you wanna' sing. I'll take Old McDonald at this point," he pouted at her, "Pretty please?"

Eva whimpered under her breath, softening at his gentle plea. She stared up at the ceiling for a moment, stared back at him, then scrunched her eyes shut, her knuckles gripping white around the cake slicer as she inhaled sharply.

"... Happy birthday to you!" she couldn't get through the full verse without breaking out into giggles; her face went red and her shoulders slumped. Remington was in awe, everything she did he found especially adorable. Especially when she was shy.

"Aw, c'mon! That was great!" he pulled her into his chest, "I do have some notes --"

"Remington!" she scolded.

"I'm kidding," he chuckled, "Best birthday gift, ever,"

She narrowed her eyes at him, "That was the best birthday gift you've ever received? Dear God, I need to put some work in," she huffed.

"C'mon, you already do so much for me," he then swiped the icing across her nose. Eva huffed, relinquishing defeat.

"As he irritates the woman holding the knife," she held up the slicer, mockingly waving it with threat.

Remington feigned shock, "You wouldn't dare!"

Eva pressed a kiss to his cheek, making sure to smush some of the icing across his face, "Nope. I'd never," she grinned back.

Remington wiped some off with his knuckle, tasting the familiar, indulgent nuttiness of the chocolate frosting, "Delicious," he swiped some more across his bottom lip, "You wanna taste?" his lips formed a smirk as he eyed her, a brow quirked up.

"Sure," the words barely left her before his mouth was on hers once again, locking her lips with his in another heated kiss. Her fingers brushed up into his hair, long enough again that he'd started tying it back on occasion. The touch of his fingertips on her skin left behind a field of goosebumps, chocolate crossing from his lips to hers and making a proper mess of the both of them. He pecked across her cheek and down her neck, decorating her in splotches of sweetness.

Eva gasped as Remington suddenly scooped her up and lifted her onto the counter, her leg just shy of missing the cake. Remington never looked more beautiful than when he backed away momentarily; his lips slightly red and swollen, panting heavily with his hair all a mess because of her fingers.

His eyes followed her free hand, a finger taking some more cake and holding it up to him. He obliged, greedily licking it off of her and biting down gently on the digit. They were both a sight to behold, covered in cake and half dressed, and yet Eva never appeared more beautiful to him. He truly felt so blessed to have her, all of his wishes came true.

Remington did so much for Eva, and no matter how much she tried to repay him back it never seemed like enough. He made the bad days better, showed her newer, beautiful things across the world, took care of her when she was sick. More than anything, she was grateful to him for loving her, wholly and completely, and she knew he felt just the same about her.

She brushed his hair from his eyes, picking out flecks of icing stuck in strands that they'd surely need to get out in the shower later. Her heart melt as his eyes held nothing but pure love for her. Love, and gratuity for the life they'd built together.

"Happy birthday, Remington,"

None of them were the wiser however to the pale tabby sitting on the table, watching the loved up pair as Pluto wondered which of them were going to feed him...

[trash-monkey]

Dog House

Chapter 4

I open my eyes when my mind finally wake up only to find a furry body laying on top of me and when I moved them onto the bed to see it's Crash, suddenly I can hear clicking moving towards my way to see Dragen come around the corner and into the room.

"It's fine leave him here, come on." I loop a finger in his collar and pull him with me to the kitchen which he did without much of a struggle.

"Those that wake up first gets a treat." I give him a wink as I throw sausage into the pan, once I got everything done cooking and onto a plate which I seat on the island before taking a dog bowl to fill with kibble along with one piece of sausage on top like a cherry.

"Just don't tell the others" I said after washing my hands and start eating my breakfast, once I take a bite out of a piece of toast is when Crash strolls in with the girls behind him which I tell them I'll get their food ready once I get done eating mine. I can see Dragen eating the last bit of his food when Crash start bothering him by climbing onto his back and just sitting there even while Dragen moved into the living room after getting a drink from a large bowl I had sit down in the kitchen, the girls waiting patiently by my feet. Once finished I put my dishes into the sink to wash after feeding the dogs which I started filling all the bowls before placing them around the kitchen, walking to the dogs room and stand at the door frame to see them still sleeping. I give the clock a glance to see it's getting close to eleven o'clock so with a loud whistle they jumped awake.

"Time to rise and shine, food is waiting in the kitchen." I teased before walking back to the kitchen to hear multiple paws following, while they eat breakfast I wash the dishes. The rest of the day goes by slow and lazy with the dogs either playing outside or in for a nap while I get to know them well except for Knight since he doesn't go near me and stays close to Crash.

"Hello?" I picked up the phone when it started ringing late in the evening.

"Hey, it's me. I'm just calling to tell you that we just got your tags done and your shipment should be in the morning so you can pick up everything around tomorrow noon." We talked about the price of everything before she asked a question.

"You bringing a dog with you tomorrow?" I sighed before thinking.

"Well, these are pretty smart dogs so I'll just ask them." Riley makes a noise in disbelief.

"The shelter worker said that they are the smartest dogs that they ever had and they showed it too, they even picked out their own collar and harnesses." I insisted before turning to the dogs that are sitting around living room.

"I'm going out into town tomorrow and I'm going to take one or two of you with me, decides who goes." I stated loud enough for Riley to hear and I can her laughing which I rolled my eyes at.

"Stop laughing before you bust your gut." I sounded mad but I started cracking a few seconds later along with Riley.

"Ok, I'll let you get back to work and leave it as a surprise for tomorrow so I'll see then." I hang up after saying bye, I turn to see Osiris and Dragen has been siting behind me causing me to jump at the sudden appears of them.

"Jezz, give me a heart attack how don't you. You two going with me tomorrow?" The two give a bark of confrontation at my question and spend the rest of today lazing around waiting for tomorrow.

The next morning I wake up to find Crash asleep on me with Dragen coming to the door again so after moving Crash aside I stand up from the bed and yawned a good morning to Dragen on the way to kitchen where I fixed us breakfast before taking a shower, once dried with fresh clothes on I stroll to the dogs room and wake them up with a loud whistle. One by one gets their breakfast, by the time everyone is done eating and settled down doing whatever they wished for the day it's turning noon.

"Osiris Dragen, come on! It's time to go into town!" Dragen jogged over with Osiris following to where I'm standing at the front door with their harnesses in hand since I had put them all by the door, I easily put the dragon's eye harness onto Dragen's upper body while Osiris is more hesitant to let me do so but whatever Dragen had said to him calmed his nerves and let me put his leather K9 harness on.

"Ok everyone, we are heading into town now! Bane's in charge while I'm gone and please for the love of everything don't break anything unless you wish to sleep outside for a few nights!" I warned before locking the door and letting the two walking by my side jump into the trucks bed.

"No leashes until we're in town, ok?" The two give a bark as I got into the drivers seat and once we parked into a spot outside the pet shop I hook a leash to their harnesses before they jumped down, the bell rings when I open the door and walk towards the back where the counter is while the two dogs follow behind looking at things as we move along.

"Hey Riley!" I cheered at seeing her behind the counter while she squeals at the two beside me.

"Osiris the dalmatian and Dragen the borzoi." I introduced the two to her.

"They decided to come?" She mocked.

"I will show you." I simple said before dropping their leashes on the floor but they didn't move until I said they could explore around and if they like anything bring it back to me, slowly they wander off while being cautious not get the leashes they're bragging behind get stuck in things.

"Now..." I trail off after opening my wallet and hand over the amount she said on the phone while we wait for the two to come back.

"I took it upon myself to order buttons that speaks their names since the large set doesn't have that." She explained why there's an extra package in my order which I thanked her while paying for it before taking a look around myself and kept my already payed stuff on the counter ready to go. Walking through the first aisle I found pet travel gear and summer stuff where I found a dog outside step on water fountain, I put two in the cart I had gotten before looking around. After putting a few kongs, a book on homemade doggy treats with food and kibble toppers/boosters, two doggy doorbells, and 18 pet gps trackers into my buggy Dragen comes running to lead me into the clothes section of the store. He gives a small whine after trying to get a piece of black and white clothing off a rack but not having any luck.

"You want it?" He barks with his tail wagging so I put two with different patterns into the cart before a crash comes from somewhere in the store with a yelp. Quickly running to the source of the noise to find Osiris shaking next to several bags of treats on the floor, I guess he wanted one tried get it but multiple fell and scared him.

"Hey it's ok, it's just an accident." I giggled at him while giving his body a few pats before picking up the bags but he grabs one.

"Take it to the cart." I set the bags back on the shelf but take a second bag before heading back to the cart.

"That enough for now, we still got groceries to get." I move the cart to the counter where Riley rings everything up while I put my already paid things into the cart before putting the others in and pay once again.

"That offer of staying over soon still open?" She asked after handing over the last bag.

"I don't know." I joked before telling her of course, then picked up the dog leashes and head out to the truck where I pack everything into the backseat while the dogs are back in the trucks bed.

_______________________________________________

[kirklandsheartsecrets]

can you write some headcanons on what would they be like as cats? i imagine scotland to be this giant furball who's vigilant, but LOVES lazing around in the sun

UK Brothers as cats II headcannons

Scotland

Burmese cat

giant furball yes but it 's not noticeable first

THICC fur but not long

Loves laying in the sun, absolutely

but only if it's in a random hill

sun baths cost a price

lays down for a few seconds, but the slightest bee or butterfly makes him jump or lift his neck to check

unfortunately the weather in scotland CANNOT afford this kind of sun enough

ends up standing right under the oven.

That spot right against the oven, he lays down there.

Give him your hand he'll bite on it

not painfully but he just keeps it there

Lanky as hell

just like the man

you cannot miss him when he is laid down on the floor

but be pls careful about the bed or couch

he is probably there, behind the pillow or under the blanket

has not problem with water overall

not impressed by people in general

wondering how he is still alive after licking so much irn bru off the bottles he finds around the house or the bit that spilled on the table.

hates wales

N.Ireland

American bobtail

cute white little tail

that picture of people bowing down, hands in the air in front of someone holding a cat

his moment

triggered easily

cuddle buddy

but

has an imaginary ladder

if you let him sleep in your bed

have him in your arms during dinner

give him food he shouldn't be eating

you're going straight down low on the ladder

top of the ladder is whoever is the boss

cannot act up against this boss

you never know if he wants to cuddle or not

you be laying on the couch and he comes to your side

squeezing his body in between your legs and the arm rest

even tho there is a whole couch on your other side free

then sometimes

stands as far as he can away from you

try to get his attention he'll just look at you for a second

no more

smug about it

also bad sign

you're low on the « imaginary ladder » if that happens

has his favorite blanket in the house

the way to his heart

picky about his food

he always grabs them in his mouth, drops them on the floor,

picks the ones he wants to eat.

Useless to force him

waits before diving into his kibble bowl

doesn't get along with scotland and wales

Ireland

balinese

that iconic smile of him y'know ?

(・ω・｀)

imaginary ladder user too

wondering how he is alive from licking so much sodas bottles

leaves the house randomly

everyone is panicked

comes back as if nothing happened

likes cold tiles

for instance cold tiles after cleaning day

strecthes himself

but only in the morning

eats a lot

always hungry

on a diet

open bags and boxes

has a specific way to do

he takes whatever he is looking for

food mostly..

and takes it to his little corner mat

then tries to get the most out of it

acts stupid but really intelligent

so if you have no sign from him for more than 10 minutes

get worried darling

he is either taking a stroll or eating the snacks from your bag

'kiss me im irish'

needs kisses all the time

hates england

mysterious old man keeps an eye on him

nice overall but sneaky

England

britsih shorthair obv

looks mean but actually really nice

Doesn’t eat kibbles 

Eats whole meat he is chic

Voluminous and thick fur

France and Scotland hate him for that

has a cute bow but

only for pics

out of sight out of mind

Will not come to you if you do not look for him

Usually becomes desperate and looks for you

Used to love the outside when he was smaller

Now meh 

Stolen toys from his brothers 

like the monarchy jewelry

do not call me out to Charles or Lizzie about what I just wrote

Look like he doesn’t want hugs 

Actually likes them

Special spot on the bookshelf 

No imaginary ladder

Just sleeps in your bed if comfortable with you enough

Paddington bear is his favorite toy 

Likes standing there, surrounded with people

Just sits down and watches

Take his ears into your hands

He is cute and great personality 

Wales

angora

listen up

he is not easy

but if you’re up for a challenge then alright

imaginary ladder but the top of the ladder is him

Eats grass

Coughs

Goes back to eating grass

If you have a garden or just growing strawberries

I’m sorry gal but they’re his

Gets his way all the time

Spoiled

Has toys but doesn’t use them

Gives them to england

Plays a lot outside

Favorite spot : sheeps back

looks like a cinnamon bun

tastes like it

means not good as it looks

Needs attention but don’t look out for him

Not scared easily

Extremely difficult to take care of his paws

Screaming

Crying

Hissing

Sits on your legs or in between but don’t get comfortable too fast

As cliche as it sounds, celtic music helps

If you’re his favorite person congrats

Not all hero wears capes

The incident with Scotland and N.Ireland

Manipulated them into going to a farm

Did not end well

for them

Since then scot and north hate him

My sincere apologies if you end up with him

[wallabywannabe]

I followed my vet's advice to a T and absolutely zero results. So then I followed a hunch of my own and...voila!

So I love my vet and she's the only reason I would hesitate to move too far away. I went through a lot of vets to find her when I was having trouble with my first cat.

I've grown and learned a lot and will always be learning more. I know anecdotal evidence is not great. I KNOW this. But the problem is there often isn't much else to go off of! And nutrition is especially lacking in veterinary medicine. All of the research is pretty much in the hands of the big pet food companies. Which is obviously suspect.

I have also learned that human doctors don't do a lot of nutrition schooling, which I believe carries over to how veterinary schools work. But at least there are human nutritionists that can fill that gap a little bit. That's not common for veterinary medicine.

Anyway, I refuse to believe feeding corn/wheat/soy/legumes/plant starches in high proportions can be good for obligate carnivores like cats. Zoologists and wildlife experts try to fit diet for captive animals in their care as close to what they would eat in the wild as possible. Why would it be different for domestic animals? Their brains are a little different from their wild ancestors which makes them domesticated, but their digestive systems have not experienced consistent evolutionary pressure for long enough to cause big changes there.

What Hills and Purina recipe formulators and scientists do is start with a cheap base of calories (corn, soy, or wheat) and add in supplements till it meets the basic nutritional needs for a cat to not develop short term problems (for a couple years). Long term problems do develop, because animals get sick. (But also I suspect that they get sick more often than they would because of the diet.) And they take their base formula and see if they can tweak things like pH and concentrations of vitamins and minerals to conteract a specific illness until they get results. It works for some diseases, so those they make food for and market it to vets. It goes through research and trials and results are measurable, so they're convincing and scientific! And they can sell them as a prescription diet at a huge markup.

But they don't do any research to see if feeding a more biologically appropriate ingredient profile would have even better results, or not lead to the problems in the first place. And they don't check long term to see if their tweaked prescription diet might cause other long-term problems down the line.

For example, I have never heard of a cat who has only ever been fed wet food and/or properly hydrated raw food who ended up with urinary crystals. It's very common in cats that eat dry kibble, though (but don't worry! Hills has several prescription diets for that!).

Anyway, I largely operate off the idea that I should feed wet and get as close to a carnviorous diet as possible with my cats. Not easy to avoid all problematic ingredients in commercial foods, but I don't feel confident enough that I have the time and energy to make my own at this point.

Petra started having loose stool about 8 months ago. No other symptoms. Vet went through the checklist with bloodwork and a detailed ultrasound, leading to a diagnosis of simple colitis. Vet told me I could keep feeding her normal food, but I just had to add a probiotic in the morning and beer root fiber powder in the evening.

Now, I already give a probiotic that I've had great results with. It completely cured my first cat's constipation, and I have noticed that if I don't give it, my otherwise healthy current cat Purrcy seems to get a little constipated. My theory, and this I admit could have no merit because it's just an idea I can't prove, is that wild cats eat the intestines of their prey and get a dose of naturally occurring probiotics every meal that way, so maybe their intestines aren't built to maintain a healthy microbiome without redosing every meal.

So I give my cats probiotics. I worked for a bit in microbiome research, so I know enough to know that we really don't understand why probiotics work or what certain strains are doing exactly, but we know from trial and error that there are benefits. I started with an expensive pet probiotic with several strains and good reviews, which worked. I eventually switched to a human brand with a few strains that have good general reputations, high CFU count, and good reviews. That worked just as well.

My vet gave me a Purina brand probiotic to use instead. She said try it and see, and if I didn't see results I could go back. This prescription (expensive) Purina probiotic only has 1 strain that I hadn't been using, but I didn't do any research on it so I don't know much about it. I was going to follow her instructions exactly, though, to see if there was anything to it.

So I gave the new probiotic and the fiber in my cat's food, slowly increasing the amount of fiber as directed. I reached the full dose she initially recommended, but she said I could do more, so when I saw no improvement, I eventually went up to double that.

6 weeks of no improvement. Her stool might even have gotten more watery. And on top of that, Petra had stopped eating as much of her food, either because she could taste the fiber at that dose or it was making her feel too full.

I was willing to try the plant fiber additive. Sometimes when you have an illness you need an atypical diet. That happens. But after it didn't work, I decided to try something else.

In the past I tried a lot of different foods with my constipation-prone cats. Most raw foods I couldn't feed 100% of the time, because they tend to have a rather high bone content, since they grind the meat whole with the bone in. Too high and it would make constipation worse. (There was ONE brand that substituted bone with eggshells as a calcium source and it was amazing until the FDA shut it down after testing a sample that had been in a hot car all day. I'll never forgive that. RIP Radcat!)

But, maybe bone was what I needed to firm up my cat's stool and get her colon back on track, since fiber wasn't doing it.

So I got a couple types of commercial raw. One brand Petra loved immediately. It's been 2 days and already her stool has form to it again!

I'll have to monitor for constipation in the other cat, since trying to separate their food seems to give them a whole new anxiety disorder. Maybe I'll have to tinker a ratio of wet and raw. But I think I'm finally on the right track!

I'm going to tell my vet what I discovered and I'm sure she'll be fine. Like I said, I think she's great! But there are still a lot of unknowns in veterinary medicine.

I don't think there's any magical property about raw food that makes it better than canned or kibble. (I do think there are a lot of dental benefits to feeding whole prey raw or pieces of raw meat/bones, but that's a whole other post). The commercial raw food I buy has been pasteurized, so does it really even count as "raw" still? But what's important is these raw foods tend to have species-appropriate ingredients, and this isn't the first time I've seen that kind of diet make a difference.

[carlacachu]

So a happy thing just happened. You know what’s next: yet another blog post. Lol.

Just this morning, while feeding the dogs, I realized how much I needed the payday to come sooner. I have 4 chihuahuas and I sincerely worry where will I get their next fill when the kibbles container runs empty. I’d give them 2 scoops of kibbles each, but again, since it’s nearly empty, I gave them 1 scoop each with 1/2 cup of boiled squash. Next meal is dinner. And my anxiety’s high. I have no money left, and the container will only give 1 scoop of kibbles each. I will have to make up for the lack of food through boiled squash again.

Left them at my mom’s so they can play while I go to work.

Before working, though, I spent a good amount of time with God. I savored in praying and read His word. I was so happy about it that I completely forgot about the dog food problem. Of course I asked for His provision, but I didn’t ask for peace to ease my anxiety. I forgot about it too. Haha.

Went with my routines afterwards: took a bath, had breakfast (peanut butter sandwich), worked, had lunch and the most amazing thing happened: CITY HONORARIUM CAME. It’s not much, really. But it was enough for me to buy 17 kilograms of dogfood — and still have money left.

Didn’t use all of it on dogfood, however. Bought dogfood, paid the money I owed from my dad, and thought I’d still something for carwash and a few liters of gas for my car.

I’m still weighed by the month’s bills. One of them was due yesterday. But I thought I could still wait for the payday is coming up. Opened up my Messenger account and saw the announcement saying our end of month’s salary came in today as well.

Oh how grateful I truly am. Just now, I was able to pay all my bills and still have little for anything that might come up.

Praising God for His very timely blessing ❤️🙏🏻

[lonetile]

RIN HIKARI SFW ALPHABET

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

Rin is VERY affectionate to almost anyone. She loves to offer hugs and listen to whatever they want to say without judgment (unless it obtains a certain topic). She's doesn't care which faction or allegiance the other has.

B = Best friend (What would they be like as a best friend? How would the friendship start?)

Rin is very trustworthy. She is good at keeping secrets and just being someone who listens. She's outgoing, which makes it a bit easier for others to perceive her as a friend.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

YES, YES, YES. She loves cuddling. She likes being held close and tightly. She likes feeling the weight of someone's servo gently resting on her small body. Likes laying on someone's chassis or in the crook of an arm.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

Rin's amazing at making drinks. However, she is not the best cook. She doesn't really know how to cook. She's never tried it. She tries to keep things neat, but it tends to become messy rather quickly.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

Rin wouldn't normally be the one to break up, but if she was, she would be very upset with herself, thinking that maybe it was her doing something wrong. She sit with them at a table, maybe a restaurant or a bar, and after she pays for the meal, she'll tell them. She'd be very apologetic about the whole thing.

F = Fiance(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

She'd love to have a Conjunx one day, likely with Swerve. She doesn't feel ready for it yet. She's happy with the arrangement she had. She'd probably be the one to ask to be Conjunxes.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

Rin is not very gentle when it comes to physical. She likes giving big tight hugs and cling to someone's arm or kibble. She is emotionally gentle. She has trouble advocating for herself, but when there is a problem that needs to be addressed, she will bring it up and try to find a compromise.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Rin is all about hugs. She loves leaping onto someone to give them a hug. She has a few people who she does it to. But most others, she just hugs them or asks if she could. Hugs are her go-to when greeting someone she likes.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

Rin loves expressing how much she loves Swerve, in a romantic sense. She loves everyone else as a family. The Lost Light crew is one big dysfunctional family in her eyes.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Rin does not get jealous. It's one of the two emotions she doesn't feel.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

She likes giving cheek kisses and forehead kisses. She gives the occasional mouth to mouth kiss, but it embarrasses her. She kisses Swerve in public every so often, loving the way he heats up and smiles. When it's a mouth to mouth kiss, she prefers to do it in private.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

Never been around any before.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

Rin is usually very groggy in the morning, not really all there until an hour later. If she has something she needs to do, however, She is up and ready for the day, only to pass out right after the task is complete.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

She likes staying up and working with Swerve in the evenings. She takes small naps during the day, but night is when she'd most awake. After the bar closes, she does go to bed, curled up on top of Swerve's chassis.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Rin's very open about most things and happy to share about her friends, family, and the little amount of knowledge of her past that she knows. However, she doesn't share important secrets or information about her crew or her intimate life.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

Patience is one of Rin's strongest attributes. She could handle non-stop talking for nearly 10 hours. However, if a topic she's not comfortable with, especially about intimacy, she will get a bit peeved.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

Rin doesn't have the best memory, but she can always remember important things, like how to repair something or remembering languages she's picked up and interesting facts about different Cybertronians she has met.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Rin loves the first time she confessed to Swerve and asked him to become her Amica. Rewind had recorded it and gave her the recording on a dataslug, which she keeps with her everywhere she goes.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Rin will do anything to protect her friends and family. They are her strongest bonds, and if something threatens them, she's quick to jump in. Albeit, quite recklessly.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

Rin is hardworking. Always doing the best she can on something. She doesn't give or receive gifts too often, but when she does, it's always something she thinks the other person would like. She spends hours looking at different items in a store, just thinking which one would be perfect. Sometimes, she just buys them all.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

Rin has picked up some of Rodimus's habits and personality. She's a bit more reckless than she used to and does occasionally say, "Til all are one!" Every so often, which she quickly apologizes for. She had the issue of calling people of higher status "sir" or "ma'am," even if they gave her permission to use their name.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Rin isn't too concerned. She doesn't have the normal modesty standard has humans. While she won't walk around naked. She does walk around with only a bra and panties on. No one has really commented on it, except Swerve, who finds himself staring wherever Rin's distracted.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Rin feels lonely easily, especially when she is not with the crew. She gets a bit more withdrawn and easier to anger or annoy. She's very family bound.

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

While Rin is very passionate about her friends and family, she's not co-defendant. She knows how to take care of herself and doesn't NEED someone to baby her or do things for her. She is quite independent of most things.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

She doesn't like anyone who continuously tries to piss her off on purpose (except Whirl) or talks badly about her close friends. She doesn't like it when Swerve starts to have self-doubt and let his anxiety take ahold of him. But she sits by him and helps him through it.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

Rin sleeps more than a normal person, usually an hour every 5 hours or so, unless she has a task to complete. Because Rin doesn't need to eat so much, it's assumed that her sleep helps her retain her energy.

[daddycest-hub]

Cordell came home to a sight he was getting more and more used to seeing. His wife on her hands and knees, moaning like a two-bit whore while his once-faithful dog, Y/N, rammed her from behind. Underneath her, 9 of her puppies scrambled for the milk leaking out of her saddlebag tits. They never stopped drinking so her breasts just kept pumping. It might be arousing if he still had any feelings left for her.

He used to be so proud of his wife, the mother of his children. Now, he knew she was just a bitch.

He walked past with barely a greeting, not that she would've responded.

He went into the kitchen to get a snack and looked out the window onto the ranch. In the shade of their shed, he saw Stella in a similar position to her mother. Although, for her, some of her puppies were under her tits and the rest of them were licking at her cunt. None of the boys would fuck them yet, not while Y/N was still the top dog. Cordell wondered how much longer it would be before the bigger pups decided to try and stake their claim.

He grabbed some crackers and sliced meat and headed back to his bedroom. Just his; he'd been kicked out of the master bedroom after the pups were born. Stella, Emily, and Y/N shared that bed now. He was in the guest room and most of the pups had taken to sleeping in Stella's old room. Thank goodness August was already off at college and couldn't see how far his beloved mother and sister had fallen.

Once he entered his room, he relaxed and smiled. "Hey there, girls. Daddy's home."

Emily and Stella had each given birth to 10 puppies- 9 boys and 1 girl each. The boys all loved their mothers, constantly vying for their milk and attention. But the girls.... The girls loved Cordell.

It had started small, with them just following him around the house. He'd found it annoying at first and didn't want anything to do with them, but he couldn't find it in himself to make them leave him alone. He'd become lonely after everything. So he let them follow him around, let them into his bed, let them lick his face and cuddle up to him at night. It felt good, having someone in the house that wanted him. He grew quite fond of them.

Then, one morning, he woke up- from a very confusing dream- to see that not only was he sporting a painful morning wood, but that his little girls were already set about making it better. He fisted the sheets in his hands, moaning and grunting while their long tongues licked up and down his shaft and around his balls. It was wrong and part of him knew he should stop it, but he couldn't. It had been months since he felt any affection from Emily and it felt good. So he let them. And when he came, they licked his seed up and he called them his good girls.

It became a routine, after that morning. They would wake him up like that and he'd kiss them for a job well done. He'd get them breakfast (meat or kibble; they'd long graduated from their mothers' tits), take them for a morning walk, go to work, then come home and give them a little snack before he made dinner.

"Here you go," he cooed, feeding them the slices of meat. "Were you good today? I bet you were."

The girls ate what he fed them, lapping up the attention and the meat. Then, one of them started nosing at the bulge in his work pants and whined.

"Awww, you want Daddy's meat, don't you? Want to lick Daddy's bone?" Who was he to say no to those eyes?

He undid his belt and zipper and pulled his rapidly hardening cock out of his pants and let them get to work. "Good girls," he murmured, petting them as they started in on his cock. "Daddy loves you so much.... You're so good to me...."

They yipped and eagerly lapped at his cock, like it was their favorite treat. While they licked, his hands slid from their heads, down their backs, and under their tails to rub ad their doggy cunts. They were too small for his cock, but he could still return the favor of their pleasure. One day, when they were bigger, he'd do it properly. Maybe even have some pups of his own one day.

He smirked at the thought. "Good girls.... My good girls...."

[depress-ed-me]

My doggo has been given his marching orders once again. This time, he really is ready to go. Last year we were told that he had cancer on his liver and that a $12k surgery would give them more of an idea how sick he was. Invasive surgery, with no guarantees and a long, painful recovery. I opted out, and took him home thinking he has days, weeks to live. 8 months later, more bad news. 

On top of all the liver issues, arthritis etc, he has developed diabetes caused by long term use of the Pred which has been keeping him alive. Because his liver and also pancreas are already affected and the fact that getting diabetes under control can be a long process, we’re told it’s better to do it before he gets really sick. He’s still got life in him so this is making it so, so hard.

My little friend has been poorly for a few days leading up to the appointment, but he’s been so strong and I asked him to give me a sign. I desperately wanted him to just keep kicking on forever. He raised his little leg and urinated on the laundry door in front of me. 

I took it as a sign.

This little dog was taken in from a rescue shelter by my mum 12 years ago, to be her companion in retirement. He loved her so. He didn’t like me very much at all. I wasn’t ready for a new dog. My beloved 16yr old Pom has only left me a little over a year ago. He knew that. 

Coop didn’t like strangers in the house either. He would keep a very, very close eye on anyone who came thru the door. If he could bite them, he would. Often accepting a pat, and a treat and then grabbing them on the ankle under the table first chance he got. This proved difficult when mum had medical people over.

When mum got really sick, he was her constant. He kept her company, gave her love and I really believe gave her strength to fight. She didn’t rescue him. He rescued her. He made it difficult for me to care for her, because if I went near her bed he would immediately go into guard dog mode and growl and snarl like I was about to do something to hurt mum.

He was my rock when she passed. I would not have done so well if I didn’t have this little dog. It took a little while for him to fully trust me. He would still go for my ankle if I did anything he didn’t like. The dining room table where mum had sat at when she was recovering from Radiotherapy was out of bounds. I’d often forget and go to put my bag on it. Coop let me know that it was wrong with a little nip on the ankle. 

We made friends slowly over the next few years. Coop even slept in my room next to my bed and gave me affectionate cuddles.

2020 lockdown. I don’t know how long I was confined to my house over the next 2 years, but this little dog saved me from going absolutely batshit crazy. If I didn’t have his company, I honestly have no idea how I would have survived. He gave me reason to get up in the morning and kept me entertained during the day. Having someone to talk to and cry to probably saved my life. We formed a strong bond in those long months and I think he loves me almost as much (not quite) as he loved my mum.

I have never lived alone before. I don’t know how to be completely in my own company. It is going to be a long long time before I will think of getting a new companion.

Coop is asleep on the floor next to me right now. He’s uncomfortable and I’ve been told he will decline quite rapidly in the next few days and that I needed to make the decision to say goodbye. Looking at the way he jumps up to get some treats and obediently runs outside with me and a handful of kibble every hour or so he remembers to wee outside (he forgets he needs to wee more often and has been having accidents in the house) he’s learnt that new routine very quickly.  He wasn’t always motivated by food. But if it gives him reason to fight for a little longer he can have all the treats in the world.

I have to make the decision in the next few days. 

I really, really don’t want to. But I know it’s for the best.