#i want to say yang but that feels like saying my favorite food is soup or smth | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

hanniiesuckle17 · 4 years ago

Text

Ateez Reaction: Hangover

A/n: i am so obsessed with Ateez. like wow. damn. so this is my first ateez reaction but i cant wait to do more! I'm still a new Atiny so please go easy on me and i hope you like it!

Tag List: @ashisparanoid @mini-meanhoe @leggomylino @hanstagrams @desertofdessert @hoes4hoseok @yangomangos @jeonqqin @geminirules @crscendoforsung @mrsunshine999 @jisungsjheekies @hannie-squirrel00 @cotccotc @kodzu-ken @konenichi�� @yangs-jeongin

Warnings: cussing

Hongjoong:

You awoke to pain between your legs and sore muscles all around your body. Normally, you took pretty well to hangovers. They never bothered you much. However, the night prior both you and your boyfriend had quite a lot to drink which led to a very...explorative and wild night.

You made a small attempt to sit up, but that was quickly stilled by the aching pain all over your mostly bare body. Rolling over, you grabbed the closest shirt on the floor and wheezed at the twinges of pain as you lifted it over your head. Looking over you saw Hongjoong still fast asleep. He lay on his stomach, the muscles in his back shifting every now and then.

Smiling, you pressend gentle kisses along his bare skin. Slowly he began to wake up. “Oh- my head-.....good morning, gorgeous.” His voice was raw sending shivers down your spine. His red hair was sticking up in wild directions, reminding you of a cute Einstein. His lips were puffy and there were several red marks on his neck and shoulder. “Is your hangover as bad as mine?” He mumbled, rubbing the fatigue and sleep away from his face.

“I have a small headache. I’m mostly sore...and hungry.”

“Ooooo! You know what sounds perfect?” Hongjoong mused, bottom lip tugging between his teeth. “Pizza.”He laughed seeing your eyes light up. Reaching over on the night stand he pulled out his phone and began ordering a huge pizza, with you looking over his shoulder.

“Do you think they would deliver it straight to the bed? I don’t wanna get up.”

Hongjoong laughed and finished the order before rolling on top of you and covering your face with lazy kisses. “Good thing I have the day off. I feel like shit and I have no plan of leaving this bed.” After a little while the two of you heard a knock at the apartment door. “I’m not getting up,” Holding out your fist the two of you played rock, paper, scissors for who had to get up and answer the door. Hongjoong groaned as you crushed his two fingers with your fist.

“Fuck you,” He said with a light hearted laugh before throwing off the covers and grabbing a clean pair of sweats to cover himself.

“You already did. Multiple times.”

Joong left laughing and came back with a pizza in hand. The two of you sat in bed the rest of the day, snacking on the greasy food and chasing away the hangovers and aches.

Seonghwa:

Seonghwa didn’t drink often. He preferred to be the sober one of the group; making sure no one got arrested or molested or something like that. Even when he got drunk with you, the next morning he was always the one taking care of you. He’d pop about twelve painkillers and rush around making you soup and getting medicine for your headaches.

This morning was not the normal case. Last night he and Hongjoong had gone out and come back blasted. Waking up to Hongjoong drooling on your couch was definitely not what you had expected. After kicking him out with money for a cab and a thermos of coffee you turned your attention to your now groaning boyfriend. You leaned on the doorframe and watched Seonghwa starfish and moan in the center of your shared bed.

“Morning, Toothless.”

“This is not morning. This is death. I am Death. Your Toothless is dead.”

There was no stopping the laugh that bubbled up in your chest. “What about my Seonghwa? Where is he?”

“He’s dead too. Too much vodka.”

Nodding, you played along before slinking into the bathroom and grabbing two Advil and glass of water. The cup thunked against the night stand and Seonghwa buried himself further into the blankets. “Tell your ghost there is medicine on the table.” The only answer you received was a shaky and pathetic groan from a lump of blanket. “Such a fucking drama queen,” You mumbled with a laugh.

You spent the next thirty minutes making Seonghwa hangover soup. You had found a recipe marked “For Tequila Y/n Aftermath” and assumed it should get your boyfriend back in working- or at least functioning- order.

Carefully, you brought a steaming bowl into the bedroom and forced Seonghwa to sit up against the headboard. He turned to you with puppy eyes. “Feed me?” Rolling your eyes, you reached for the bowl and gave him a spoonful. His eyes lit up with a happy smile.

“You’re lucky you’re cute, Toothless.”

Yunho:

“Wake up, lovebirds!” San screamed, throwing open the curtains.

Both you and Yunho shrugged away from the light. “San, fuck off!” You mumbled, burrowing further into Yunho’s chest. You whined as he sat up. Hearing San shriek you could only assume Yunho threw a pillow at the younger boy.

“How bad is your hangover?” Yunho asked, wrapping his long arms around you.

“How bad is yours?”

“Not too bad.....” You scoffed and pinched his arm making him yelp. “Okay-that was a lie. It’s pretty bad.”

“Same here.”

Your cold fingers wrapped around the blankets and pulled them over both your heads. “Let’s never drink again.” Yunho mumbled, eyes closing. The sheets rustled as he threw one of his long legs over you, hugging you with his entire body.

You chuckled, poking your boyfriend’s puffy cheek. You could only imagine how bloated your face was. “You and I both know that’s not gonna happen.” His lips pouted in frustration, eyes still closed. Unable to resist his cuteness you leaned up and pecked his lips. One peck turned into a few. A few turned into many.

“Hey, baby?” Yunho mumbled, lying on his back. You hummed, tracing patterns on his chest. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” You laughed and let him loose from your arms. Your giant boyfriend lumbered into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Your body ached and your head was throbbing against the frame of your skull. After a few moments Yunho emerged with a wet washcloth and his breath smelling like mint tooth paste. He still looked very hungover. “Come back to bed, bear.” He crawled over, careful not to get the blankets wet with the washcloth, and rest his head on your chest.

“For you, baby.” His long fingers gingerly lay the cool cloth on your forehead, easing the headache you were having. “What do you say to a few more hours of sleep?” He asked, listening to your heartbeat. Your hands slowly ran through his hair.

“Sounds pretty damn great.”

Yeosang:

The last you had heard from Yeosang was the ten drunk voicemails he left in your inbox. You called the boys’ manager and made sure that they got home safely. A few minutes ago you received a text from Hongjoong saying all the boys were now up (at two in the afternoon). Hopping in your car, you drove over to their dorm.

“Knock knock?” You entered the dorm knowing most of the boys would be like zombies. Just as you predicted several of the boys were strewn out in the mostly still dark apartment. The second you opened the blinds they yelped, still sensitive to the light. “Where’s Yeosang?” You asked between laughs.

Mingi groaned from the couch and gestured to the kitchen. There you saw Yeosang attempting to stir something in a pot. He got tired halfway through the motion and rested his head on the counter. Quietly, you took off your coat and approached him from behind. Your boyfriend jumped almost a full foot in the air when you wrapped your arms around him from behind. “Y/n? When did you get here, honey?”

Yeosang abandoned the pot for you, choosing instead to nuzzle his head in your neck. “Just a few minutes ago.” He pulled you into a soft hug, breathing in the scent of your perfume. “So how much and what did you drink last night?” You asked with a laugh. He pulled away and drowsily looked you in the eyes.

“Ummmm....I remember lots of soju....then San made us do tequila shots.” Out of habit you pushed his soft hair out of his face as he spoke. He leaned into your hand like a moth drawn to light.

Reaching up, you felt his forehead. “Aww baby. You’ve got a little bit of a fever.” He nodded reattaching his head to the crook of your neck. Normally Yeosang was the opposite of clingy. He was shy and preferred to not flaunt his affection for you. “You want me to finish making your food, Sangie?” He pouted with a nod and shuffled so he was behind you. Picking up where he left off you began to finish his meal.

“More spice please.” He asked cutely pressing a kiss to your neck.

San:

Sweet, sweet karma. What did you do to deserve this? You thought with a grin. Everytime you had a hangover San was the first to unleash all hell at you. He played loud music in the morning. He “dropped” pans while making breakfast. But worst of all....without fail, he dragged you to the gym and made you work out with him. He claimed it was the best cure for a hangover.

Now here he lay, still completely knocked out from the night before. Your boyfriend’s legs were tangled in the sheets and his arms were wrapped tightly around a pillow, a sad replacement for your body. “Sweet revenge, you are mine.” Swiftly you kicked San’s leg only earning a groan from the man. “San,” you sang.

“What.” The man said lifting his head up and glaring at your smiling face.

“Did you have a little too much fun last night, baby?”

“No.” He simply hugged the pillow tighter and attempted to go back to sleep.

San flinched, grabbing his head as you slammed down his favorite sneakers on the nightstand. “You what the best cure for a hangover is?” Knowing he wasn’t going to answer you yanked the blankets away. San whined and groaned like a little child. “A workout.”

“NO!”

Depsite his protests, like your boyfriend had done to you many times, you now dragged him to the gym and forced him through a seemingly endless exercise routine. You couldn’t help but laugh at the sight beside you. San looked terrible as he struggled to keep up with your pace on the treadmill. “You good to keep going?” He glared knowing it was not a question but his face quickly changed.

“Fuck- I’m gonna be sick.”

Jumping off the machine, San sprinted to the gym’s bathrooms, most likely to wrench his guts out. Emerging, San wiped his mouth and looked at you with a guilty smile. “What are you never ever going to do again?”

“I will never make you work out with a hangover.”

“Good,” Laughing you watched his face twist embarrassment. Regardless, he leaned down capturing your lips in a kiss. You curled away, shivering. “Okay, I love you but no more kisses until you’ve brushed your teeth and showered.”

Mingi:

Your head was pounding. Thankfully your bedroom was still dark except for the small source of light emitting from your boyfriend’s phone. “Mingi?” The boy turned hearing his name. His head was resting against the head board, colored hair sticking up in random places.

Little blue rectangles reflected the screen of his phone in his glasses. “Hi, baby,” He mumbled, voice still raw. Like the big baby he was, Mingi rolled over ontop of you, eliciting a groan from your lips.

“What time is it?”

“Early....but late....but also early...”

“Mingi are you still drunk from last night?” He shook his head, nuzzling into your neck. He was unquestionably still drunk. The boys had roped you into their crazy antics which resulted in you and Mingi drunkenly stumbling into a cab back to your apartment. Mingi did have.....a lot...to drink. Way more than you.

“Lemme get the curtains.” With a goofy smile, Mingi pecked your lips before his tall form wobbled over to the covered window. Pulling back the curtains he gasped and turned to you cutely. “Babe!” You snorted at your cute, still tipsy, boyfriend. “Shit! It’s dark outside! Did we sleep the whole day?”

Laughing, you checked your phone. “Mingi, it’s just raining. It’s only 10:00 AM.” Feeling the effects of your growing hangover you snuggled back under the covers. “Babyyyyy, come back to bed.” You whined watching Mingi mess with something on his phone.

“Noooo! I’m up! Oh my god! Y/n! Let’s dance!”

Mingi began playing a loud sound on his phone and dancing over the foot of the bed. “Baby.....you’re still drunk.” He shook his head and began singing the lyrics quite loudly. Headache spiking, you covered your ears.

Launching the nearest pillow at him quickly shut your boyfriend up. “Why did you do that?” He asked with a pout.

“Aww bub...come back to bed.” Finally obliging, Mingi crawled back into your arms and the two of you slept off the remaining effects of alcohol.

Wooyoung:

You awoke to heavenly smells of something good floating from your kitchen. Squinting at the bright light in your room you sat up and turned to see Wooyoung’s side of the bed cold and empty.

“Woo?”

Your throat was dry and scratchy as you called out to your boyfriend. It shocked you to see your usually stoic and sarcastic boyfriend rush into the room, spoon in hand. “You’re awake?” He asked quietly. You groaned as Wooyoung pounced on top of you in a bear hug. “How bad is your hangover?” He asked kissing all over your face.

“Very bad.”

“Well, you did try to drink San under the table.”

Your eyebrow quirked up and Wooyoung laughed at your sleepy face. “The question is....did I win?” He laughed even more before nodding. “Then I deem this hangover- ‘worth it’.”Gently, Wooyoung tucked his hands under your legs and lifted you up.

You were glad your sore muscles didn’t have to move much as your newly doting boyfriend carried you into the kitchen, even setting you down on a stool at the counter. This was a new side of Wooyoung you hadn’t seen.

“Whatcha cookin’, good lookin’?”

“Hangover soup just for you, love.”

You watched him cut the remaining vegetables and ingredients with expert skill and slide them across the cutting board and into the pot. Watching Wooyoung move around the kitchen like it was second nature sent a warm bubbly feeling to your chest and stomach. “Were you always this domestic?” You asked resting your chin against your palm.

A light layer of sweat rested on his forehead, pieces of black hair clinging to the skin. The steam from the pot after up onto his handsome face. “Does it turn you on?” He answered wiggling his eyebrows.

“And there is my horny, evil, chaotic Wooyoung.”

The corner of his lips lifted up in a smile as he ladled the warm homemade soup into bowls. Setting yours in front of you with a kiss on the cheek he encouraged you to eat. “You love me all the same.”

“Yes. Thank you for taking care of me,” A smile filled your face as you tried some of the soup, Wooyoung anxiously awaiting your opinion. You nodded eagerly and quickly ate the rest of the bowl, feeling better by the second.

Jongho:

“Never again. Never again will I drink.”

The phrase left your lips like a mantra as you rolled around in bed. The room was dark, blinds drawn and your head stuffed under the covers. Your whole body was sore and your head was throbbing. “Oh...shit....here it comes.” You cried feeling the contents of your stomach begin to crawl up your throat.

Rushing to the bathroom you hurled into the white porcelain bowl. You hated throwing up. Not being able to stand the vile taste in your mouth, you immediately brushed your teeth. Grabbing your phone on the way back to the warmth and comfort of your bed, you unlocked it and winced at the harsh blue light.

Pressing the device to your ear, you listened to the dial tone and awaited the sweet sound of your boyfriend’s voice. “Hi my baby!” Jongho greeted in English. Despite the piercing volume of his voice, you couldn't help but grin. How was it possible you were dating the cutest man on the entire planet. “Say hi to Atiny!” Nevermind. He was no longer cute. He put you on speaker phone.

“Hi, Atiny! Jongho, darling, take me off speaker for a sec.”

He hummed in response. “Did you just wake up? When I left you last night you tried to get me to dance the Harlem Shake with you.” You covered your face in embarrassment. You and Jongho and gone out last night and you may have had way too much to drink.

“What time is it?”

“Like.....4 pm.”

“OH MY GOD!”

Jongho’s laugh was like music to your ears. “Should I come over later? I’m done about seven-ish.” Groaning you rolled over, struggling against the urge to vomit again. “Is that a no groan, a yes groan, or I’m too hungover to speak groan?”

“You said seven? Could you bring medicine..........and pizza.....yeah. Lots of pizza.”

“So pizza, meds, anything else?”

“Nope! I love youuuu!”

Jongho chuckled over the phone. “I love you too, baby. See you later,”

Masterlist

483 notes · View notes

thebakingqueen5 · 3 years ago

Text

KW 2021: Blending Cultures

Day 2 for Kataang Week 2021 hosted by @kataang-week with the prompt Blending Cultures!

Definitely one of my better oneshots this week, mildly inspired by that one tumblr post talking about how the cloudbabies' mixed heritage should've been more highlighted in LoK. Hope I did it justice!

Links: AO3 | FF.net

Summary: Another year, another summer, another week of prompts celebrating our favorite couple. Kataang Week 2021 Day 2: Blending Cultures. Aang and Katara were from two very different cultures, but they made their family work anyways.

Word Count: 2.6K

The Air Nation and the Water Tribes.

Two extremely versatile societies, with rich cultures and very diverse people.

From these two societies came two very special people, who against all odds managed to create a beautiful life together: Avatar Aang from the Southern Air Temple and Master Katara from the Southern Water Tribe.

From the very start, Aang and Katara intertwined their traditions in ways not many believed were possible in the fresh post-war era.

Their wedding, the beginning of their family, had been the grandest event in over a century for both nations given that the war had prevented such festivities during its reign of terror. That day was to be a sign of healing, of peace, and of celebration as their friends and family from all four nations came together at Air Temple Island in honor of love.

Aang had been standing at the marble altar in long flowing robes of the brightest yellows, reds, and oranges. The warm smile on his face complimented the warm hues of his clothing, and a string of engraved wooden beads and thread tassels adorned his neck.

Katara, on the other hand, looked like the night to his day, wearing a deep, dark blue dress passed down from her mother. It had golden thread embroidered on the bodice and skirt to mimic the constellations sailors used to navigate the icy waters surrounding her home, and, in Aang’s opinion, it gave her an absolutely ethereal presence.

Bouquets of ice lilies, pink flowers that grew near the Southern Spirit Oasis, intermingled with the flowers of moon peaches grown at the Air Temples lined the halls of the temple as the bride and groom’s loved ones watched them perform each nation’s respective wedding customs.

As per Air Nomad tradition, the week before the wedding, Aang and Katara had visited the four air temples and meditated in front of each of the eternal tornadoes in hopes that the cardinal wind spirits would guide them in the right direction no matter where life led.

The pair had also gotten complimentary tattoos on their backs, right over their hearts (slightly above in Aang’s case due to his scar): yin for Aang and yang for Katara, to symbolize how they balanced each other and created harmony.

When they stood on the altar, their officiator, Hakoda, had tied three sacred red strings around their ring fingers. They were woven from plants growing around Aang’s original home, the Southern Air Temple, and symbolized the red thread of fate binding them to each other, their soulmates. The strings also stood for the three tenets of a successful marriage: trust, communication, and love, all of which they had plenty of.

The second part of the ceremony incorporated the Southern Water Tribe traditions. Around Katara’s neck rested her mother’s necklace, the symbol for water on one side and the symbol for air on the other, an addition by Aang (with her permission of course) so that she would never have to choose between wearing one pendant or the other.

After their hands had been binded by the threads, their two chosen tribal elders, Pakku and Kanna, stepped up with wooden bowls of navy paint in hand and gave them their marks from ice dodging all those years ago. Katara, once again, received a crescent moon in the center of her forehead, the Mark of the Brave, while Aang was given the Mark of the Trusted, a slightly curved arch that barely touched the tip of his arrow.

“Aang and Katara,” Hakoda began, “Your two marks show that you are the embodiment of bravery and honesty, and these traits will do you well in the years to come. You will always have courage and trust in one another, as those are your natural inclinations, but you must take care to incorporate logic and wisdom into your interactions and decisions with one another to remain as steadfast and stable as the undulations of the great ocean.”

He turned to the enraptured airbender, who was unable to tear his gaze away from his soon-to-be wife.

“Do you, Avatar Aang of the Air Nomads, vow to trust Katara, to accept, learn from, and return her courage and bravery, to love her through wind and hail, through blizzards and storms, in times of plenty and of scarcity, for as long as the moon guides the sea’s waves to shore?”

“I do.”

Hakoda smiled and turned to his daughter.

“And do you, Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, vow to have courage for Aang, to accept, learn from, and return his trust and honesty, to love him through wind and hail, through blizzards and storms, in times of plenty and of scarcity, for as long as moon guides the sea’s waves to shore?”

“I do.”

“Then let the spirits of our ancestors, the great Tui and La, and the cardinal wind spirits bear witness to this union and bless it as they have with all those before.”

Hakoda, Pakku, and Kanna all dipped their fingers into a small bowl of water from the Spirit Oasis and sprinkled it over the couple.

“You are now husband and wife. Welcome to the family, son.”

Aang and Katara both smiled widely and pulled each other into a tight embrace.

“We’re married,” the airbender whispered incredulously.

“I know,” she said back. “I was there.”

He laughed and swept her up in a kiss, taking care not to mess up her ornate braids as he closed the distance between them.

“I love you,” he murmured when they finally parted.

“I should hope so, you did just vow to love me no matter what.”

Aang rolled his eyes and pouted. “I’m trying to be sweet here, the least you could do is return the favor.”

Katara gave him an exaggerated sigh and rested her head on his chest, her arms draped around his neck and she closed her eyes in contentment.

“I love you too, Aang. Forever and always.”

“See now that’s more like it!” he grinned, making the waterbender chuckle.

“All that planning, all the months of stress and doing overtime to get the next two weeks off and planning and the wedding invitations and did I mention the planning?” The two shared a short laugh. “All of that and we’re finally here. We’re married. What do we do now? Where do we go from here?”

“Slow down there, Tara. We have the rest of our lives together to figure all that out. Let’s stay in the moment.”

“Rest of our lives. I like the sound of that,” she smiled.

“I did promise you that we would grow old together, did I not? I intend on seeing that through. For now though, the buffet will be starting and I’m famished. Let’s go eat!”

“You sound like Sokka,” she deadpanned, an amused glint in her eyes nevertheless. “Lead the way, my dear husband.”

The airbender gallantly gestured to where the rest of the crowd had already started heading. “But of course, my lovely wife.”

The banquet, like their wedding, was an exquisite culmination of food from all over. There were countless Air Nomad and Water Tribe dishes present, in addition to a few from the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation like bean curd puffs, mochi, and, of course, Aang’s personal favorite, egg custard tarts.

Though Aang had reassured his bride during the wedding planning that she could arrange for as many meat dishes as she liked for her Water Tribe family, Katara had declined, saying that they could go without it for one day.

Instead, the feast had traditional southern foods like kale cookies, five flavor soup, sea prune stew (which Aang took extra care to avoid), and a new dessert that Sokka had been working on: spun sugar in the shape of a ball that he liked to call “cotton candy”.

The guests attending were especially excited for the Air Nomad cuisine present, as such a variety of foods from their culture hadn’t been seen in over a century. Vegetable-filled dumplings and bowls of savory mung bean curry sat on round platforms that rotated in the center of the tables. Golden platters held coconut macaroons, warm steamed buns, and a large variety of fruit pies made from the trees that grew on the mountainside next to the temples. There was also a special syrup made from maple trees that went over a fluffy Earth Kingdom delicacy called “pancakes.”

Everyone had an absolutely grand time, and the event was one talked about for quite some time to come, both with its political significance (the Avatar’s wedding wasn’t something that happened every day) and the symbolism it had for how the nations themselves could work together if they tried to create something beautiful.

The way Aang and Katara’s traditions mixed that very first day of their family was reflected throughout the rest of their life as they blended their cultures for their children.

Aang often took Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin to meditate by the lagoon for some tranquility and peace of mind. He reminded them of the importance of being open to new ideas and to look at things clearly and calmly. He helped them take on life as it came and have faith that they would always be led in the right direction by fate like a leaf being carried by the wind.

Katara also took the three to the lagoon on the southwest tip of the island, not so much to meditate but rather to observe the motion of ripples and the subtle movement of the water. She taught them to always have hope and to not be detached from their emotions. She wanted them to remain present in the moment, making sure they were aware of what they were feeling without being consumed by it- a delicate balance like the ebb and flow of the tides.

Once Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin each turned 14, their parents took them down to the South Pole for ice dodging, a Southern Water Tribe coming-of-age ceremony and rite of passage. As was tradition, their dad, Aang, was to take the three out on a wooden sailboat to navigate the treacherous and iceberg-filled waters of the Antarctic.

Though he wasn’t born in the Water Tribes, the airbender made sure to ask and learn all he could from Hakoda, Sokka, and Pakku so that he could pass on and perform those special father-child rituals.

No one was grinning wider than Aang when he awarded Bumi the Mark of the Brave for preventing the boat from capsizing, his heart had overflowed with joy giving Kya the Mark of the Trusted after she guided them through a narrow glacial pass, and he felt nothing but pure pride painting the Mark of the Wise on Tenzin’s freshly-tattooed arrow after his creative airbending solution to evade an ice blockade.

Despite his young age, Tenzin was an incredibly skilled airbender. Alongside Aang, he was one of the youngest masters in Air Nomad history, having earned his arrows in an extremely tear-filled ceremony a mere month before going ice dodging.

In fact, all of the kids were quite naturally talented at their respective disciplines. Bumi, a nonbender, took up many martial arts forms and combat styles, specifically “aikido” and “anipak.”

Aikido was an Air Nomad self defense technique. Though Aang taught all his children to use any form of fighting only as a last resort, he wanted to make sure they could protect themselves in a precarious situation. Aikido aligned with the Air Nomad beliefs of pacifism by relying on the principle of using your opponent's energy against them rather than being the aggressor.

Anipak, on the other hand, was the name given to the Southern Water Tribe style of combat. Bumi learned the ways of the boomerang and scimitar, a type of sword with a long curved blade, from his uncle Sokka and grandfather, who were delighted to teach him such a vital part of his heritage.

Both fighting techniques served Bumi well during his time in the United Forces and made him known as a great general, soldier, and leader, not just the child of two of the most powerful benders in the world.

As the only girl and spitting image of Katara, Kya learned healing and the Southern Water Tribe style of waterbending from her mother. Despite being a waterbender, she had the heart and spirit of an airbender like her father. She had a natural aptitude towards healing, much like Katara, but didn’t want to learn to fight. It wasn’t until Aang showed her how to incorporate airbending-like movements into her waterbending that she ever opened up to the idea.

Over the years, both parents taught her well, and, true to her nomadic roots, she went on to travel the globe and became a world-renowned healer who could most definitely hold her own in a fight.

Finally, the youngest of the three was Tenzin. With the weight of a whole nation on his shoulders, it was no secret that he held more of a connection to his Air Nomad side, but there was still significant Water Tribe influence.

Tenzin learned airbending from his father, Aang, but after years of watching his mother and sister waterbend, his movements became quite similar. He incorporated more redirection and punchier motions with his acrobatics to create a unique style of airbending that came from both cultures. These gave him an advantage while fighting and led to the thing that would earn him his mastery tattoos: the air wheel, inspired by a similar spinning water move Tenzin had seen Katara do.

The three cloudbabies had truly gotten the best of both worlds, and carried on their parents’ legacies by ushering the world into new eras of unity, peace, and prosperity.

Of course, despite all Aang and Katara’s efforts, there were still moments when Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin felt detached from their heritage. After all, they weren’t fully immersed in either society, having lived at Air Temple Island all their lives. Whether they were visiting their grandpa in the South or sitting in on an Air Acolyte lesson, there would often be a feeling of not quite belonging.

They were from the two rarest cultures in the world, and their combination had never been seen before. No one completely understood what it was like for them, not even each other. All three of them each had different relationships to each part of their culture, whether it was feeling closer to one or not feeling connected to either.

Katara and Aang did their best to assuage any fears or concerns they had, teaching them everything they wanted to know while also telling them that there was no pressure to learn, that they could go on to forge their own path and leave old traditions behind in the past, if that was what they wanted. And sometimes that reassurance helped, but sometimes it didn’t.

No family was perfect, and that held true for them. They had their fair share of problems, but at the end of the day, both Aang and Katara, as well as their children, were proud to be who they were. They were proud of their heritage, of where they came from, and of their unique set of traditions, and they wouldn’t give it up for the world.

So in spite of all the hardships, all the challenges, and all the struggles, with an abundance of love in their hearts for both each other and their children, Aang and Katara, two very different people from two very different nations, managed to create their own culture, a unique mix of Air Nomad and Southern Water Tribe traditions, just as beautiful and blended as their family.

#kataang week #kataang week 2021 #kataang #aang x katara #kataangtag #bc their experience needs to be kNOWN

33 notes · View notes

murusagi · 4 years ago

Text

[Ambush Meal] A Collaboration with Lord Toma!? Love and Madness of Delicious Meal Ft. Cage Translation

This is a part of Otomate’s April Fool’s Special Event in which the cast of several of the company’s franchises turn into social media personalities.

Orlok: ...Bonjourno. [Pio House] Episode 1926. Today, we're going to film your favorite series, "Oruru's Ambush☆Delicious Meal Next Door".

In this series, I'm going to make a surprise visit to someone's home and enjoy a meal there.

Nicola: Orlok, can you hear me?

Orlok: Yes. The earphones are working perfectly.

Nicola: Great. I also can see you clearly through this camera.

Gilbert: We better explain the rules to the viewers.

[Rule No. 1: Oruru must obey any instructions given to him through the earphones.]

[Rule No. 2: Oruru must eat the given food without being picky.]

[The ones giving instructions in this episode.]

Orlok: I'll do my best.

Direttore: Nice answer. Now then, without further ado, let us ambush our target this time around! Please press the interphone in front of you.

Orlok: ...Clicks.

Ding Dong

Toma: Who is it--oh, if it isn't Orlok from [Pio House]! Did you come here by yourself? What a good boy.

Orlok: Y-Yes…

Dante: ...He's stroking his head.

Nicola: That's Orlok for you. He's quick at gaining someone's favor.

Orlok: Umm… I'm happy to be able to meet Toma from "Love and Madness of Animal Channel".

Toma: Me too. So, what brings you here? Do you want to hang out with me or what?

Orlok: No. Actually…

Toma: I see, so you want to have dinner here. Hmmm… let's see.

Orlok: Huh… A-Am I not allowed to?

Direttore: ...We already made an appointment, right?

Gilbert: Yeah, we should have made it…

Toma: You kind of remind me of Shin, Orlok.

Orlok: R-Really…?

Toma: Yeah. He's like a lil brother to me. ...Right. Can you try me calling me Onii-chan?

Orlok: What?

Toma: I'll let you in if you do. How?

Direttore: That's quite the painful request from someone whom you just met.

Nicola: I understand his feelings, though. "Onii-chan"... It has a nice ring to it.

Dante: I'll give it some thoughts if you want to be called that…?

Nicola: I don't know how to feel if you call me Onii-chan at this age… You think so, right, Direttore?

Direttore: Fufu… I will hate it, for sure. Well, I don't have little brothers? No need to worry about that?

Orlok: U-Umm, so what should I do?

Gilbert: Oops. M'bad. We stopped giving you instructions. ...Do as he said. We can't go on with the filming if he doesn't let us in.

Orlok: Okay.

...To-Toma Onii-chan.

Toma: Hm? Sorry, your voice is so small I couldn't hear it. Can you say it again?

Dante: He definitely heard it!

Nicola: Orlok, one more time!

Orlok: Toma Onii-chan…!

Toma: ...Nice. This feels satisfying for some reason. That guy will never call me that, after all. Alright, come in.

Orlok: I… I feel like I lost something important… In any case, I'm coming in.

Toma: I'm making dinner right now. Wait a bit, 'kay?

Orlok: Y-Yes.

Nicola: Orlok, how's the target doing?

Orlok: U-Uhh…

Toma: Bolognese with lots of minced meat~I feel like an Italian already~♪

Orlok: He's humming… some spells, I think? He's frying something while doing that… Looks very focused.

Dante: I see. It's time for our usual "House Tour" then.

Yang: Go to his closet.

Orlok: ...What!?

Nicola: Hm? You're up, Yang? Too bad. I wish you wouldn't wake up for eternity.

Yang: You sure are messing around with me, filming while I was sleeping. 5 billion women are crying right now.

Dante: 5 billion…!?

Yang: In any case, off you go to the closet, Orlok. Let's uncover the true nature of our targ--What are you all…?

Knocks.

Orlok: H-Huh? I can't hear you guys all of sudden...

Gilbert: ...Orlok, can you hear us?

Nicola: Don't mind us and just go on, Orlok. Yang is currently reflecting.

Orlok: O… Okay. So, I don't need to go to the closet?

Dante: Unfortunately, you must obey any instructions that have already been given to you. Let's head there while Toma is cooking.

Orlok: A-Alright.

***

Orlok: ...I found the closet.

Gilbert: Looks normal to me.

Nicola: Hey, Direttore? You've been quiet for a while. Come on, say something interesting.

Direttore: ...Ridiculous.

Dante: Where did all his tension from before go!?

Gilbert: H-Hey, you okay? Is your stomach hurt or something?

Direttore: ...I'm not interested in peeking into someone else's room.

Nicola: Hey, your real self is starting to show, you know? Be careful.

Direttore: ...Oops. I sincerely apologize for the mistake, letting out my honest opinions like that.

Orlok: ...I found the closet. It doesn't look suspicious.

Nicola: Where should we go next? He lives in a one-room apartment so there's nothing to look at.

Orlok: The balcony, maybe?

Gilbert: Nice idea. Let's take a look. Maybe he has a kitchen garden or something.

Orlok: Then, I'll open the curtain…

Opens.

Orlok: ...This is…

Dante: ...A cage.

Nicola: A cage.

Direttore: That's undoubtedly a cage.

Dante: This must be… the cage he uses for "Love and Madness of Animal Channel", right?

Orlok: To observe the animals…?

Gilbert: Y-Yea. Let's just think it that way.

Nicola: But any animals who could go into this cage… For example…

Direttore: Human beings.

All: …….

Nicola: ...Let's just pretend we do not see it.

Dante: I-I agree. My capo's intuition tells me this isn't something you can touch carelessly.

Orlok: Y-Yes. I'll close the curtain.

Closes.

Toma: …..

Orlok: !!?

Toma: ...Did you see?

Orlok: I-I didn't…

Toma: Really?

Orlok: (gulps)

Toma: Fine. Follow me, I just finished cooking.

Orlok: O-Okay.

Toma: I could only make this much.

Orlok: Whoa… Amazing.

Gilbert: How could he make this many in such a short amount of time!?

Dante: Now that I look at it again, what are those strange ingredients!?

Toma: You're in your growth period, right, Orlok? Eat a lot.

Orlok: Tha-Thank you. But is it really okay for me to eat this much…?

Toma: This is Latium's famous Volcano Bocca, a soup containing shrimps, shellfish and vegetables. You can warm up your body with this.

Direttore: Latium… I feel like I heard about it somewhere.

Orlok: I'm digging in...ugh!

Dante: A-Are you okay!? Did he put in poison or--!?

Orlok: S-Spicy… But it has such deep flavors…

Toma: These are steamed crab dumplings, dobin-mushi, and fried sesames. I used the vegetables from Kaga, queen crabs and barracuda stocks.

Orlok: T-These are great too! It tastes like something a pro chef makes.

Nicola: I get him. They look like the high-quality food you receive at the inns around Kanazawa.

Gilbert: That's an awfully detailed comment you have there.

Dante: Where is Kanazawa, anyway…?

Nicola: A place with the best onsen around.

Toma: I also have a cake. I heard your birthday is on April 23? Mine is on April 12. Since our birthdays fall on the same month, I made it for celebration.

Orlok: T-Thank you… Hehe… I'm happy…

Dante: …

Direttore: What is wrong, signore? Are you jealous he got sweets?

Dante: W-Why would I…!? I-I-I just think the appearance gets my taste buds tingling…!

Nicola: Endure it for a while. I'll buy you gelato after this.

Gilbert: Anyway, how come Toma knows Orlok's birthday?

Nicola: ...Now that you mention it…

Dante: …

Direttore: Let's put that aside. It's better to keep that a secret.

Orlok: (munch munch)

Toma: How? Is it tasty?

Orlok: Yeah. ...It makes me happy.

Dante: I don't know how to explain it but seeing Orlok eat makes me feel peaceful…

Nicola: I get you. Seeing Gilbert and Yang eat doesn't make me this happy. It's not heart-warming at all.

Gilbert: Yang aside, why do you have to connect it to me?

Yang: For crying out loud, don't put me and Redford on the same shoes.

Nicola: ...Oh? I'm sure I already locked you up. You broke out already?

Yang: Of course. After receiving such a warm welcome, I should give my thanks…

Gilbert: S-Stop it, Yang! Don't pull out your blade!

Dante: You too, Nicola! Put your gun away! We're still filming!

Direttore: Oh… What a scandalous dispute. It pains my heart.

[We are experiencing poor reception issues. Please enjoy this beautiful view of Sakura.]

Orlok: Thanks for the food.

Direttore: What a good boy. He ate them all without leaving anything.

Toma: Amazing, you ate them all by yourself. I was planning to put the leftovers into a container so you can share it with the others.

Gilbert: I wanted to try some after seeing so many interesting foods like those.

Orlok: So-Sorry. All of them were delicious so I just…

Dante: It's all right. Finishing them off is part of the rules so you didn't do anything wrong.

Nicola: Great job, Orlok. We have enough footage with this.

Orlok: Thanks for today, Toma. I'll be going now.

Toma: Ah, wait a minute. I actually have a request for you.

Orlok: ?

Toma: I still need more footage for my channel, can you help me with that?

Gilbert: Well, why not? He helped us wrap up the filming without any troubles.

Dante: We should return the favor.

Orlok: Okay. I'd like to help if there's anything I can do.

Toma: Great to hear that. Now--.

Can you get into the cage?

Orlok: ….Huh? ...What?

Toma: I've been keeping my eyes on you. Since you look like a small animal, it’s just perfect.

Gilbert: I see, so it's come to this…

Toma: I figured you'll be lonely so I put some plushies inside.

Orlok: T-That's not the problem here…

Toma: Now, now. You can't tell unless you try. Get in there.

Orlok: I don't want to--.

Toma: Only you can do this, Orlok. Please.

Orlok: ….

Toma: Can you look here? ...Yes, nice. It'll gain more viewers, I'm sure.

Orlok: Can I… get out of here already?

Toma: No, you just got in here. Oh, right. I have some chains. Can you put them on?

Dante: Even chains… This is abnormal…

Orlok: U-Uuuhhh… Guys, what should I do…?

Nicola: You'll be fine, Orlok. It surprisingly suits you.

Direttore: I agree. I'm sure there are people who are into this kind of thing.

Orlok: ...I'm not fine at all…

Toma: It's not as cute as hamster, but there's a huge demand for something like this. Do you mind if I turn it into a series if it gets good feedback?

Orlok: !!?

Toma: I think we were meant to meet. Shin would scold me again if he were here, though.

Orlok: I want to go home…

Toma: Hm? You want to meet him? He's off for another recording right now, so he probably won't return for a while.

Orlok: ….

...I realized something. I shouldn't trust others. The only one I could rely on is myself…

Toma: Haha. That's a nice expression you have there. With that said, it all depends on you guys whether I should make this a series or not. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel!

T/L Notes: Dobin-mushi: Food steam-boiled in an earthenware teapot

#piofiore #amnesia #toma #orlok #dante falzone #nicola francesca #yang #gilbert redford #Henri Lambert #otomate

87 notes · View notes

redmaneroster · 4 years ago

Text

Our Home Away From Home, Away From Home

[1] [x] [3] [4-5] [6] [7] [8-9] [10]

PART 2 – Adhesion

It’s the second year at Beacon and the rest of the juniors are out by the cliffs watching freshmen start their initiation by being hurled into the woods at a speed that would break normal people’s necks.

Weiss wants to scope out the competition to see if they’ll have any favorable opponents for the Vytal festival. They’re competing this year again too and she aims to win.

Yang arrives a little later than the rest since she spent much of the night before unpacking.

On instinct she moves to sit next to Jaune but then he laughs at something Pyrrha says and she almost doesn’t. Almost. She plops down anyway and asks what’s up. Turns out, another student was launched screaming through the sky just like Jaune was.

He decides then to make an announcement. Then promptly shuts his mouth. He wants to keep it a surprise. Ruby bugs him to say it anyway but he holds his tongue.

Yang can tell Pyrrha already knows and its clear Ren has an inkling. (Nora’s poker face is so legendary that nothing can be read). It’s another thing Yang doesn’t know about Jaune.

-0-

Ruby has taken to decorating their room. She strings lights across the ceiling, sets table cloths on their nightstands, lays a carpet in the middle of the room, and smatters the walls with pictures of them and their adventures. It feels a little more like home and Weiss doesn’t fuss about how scattered it all looks.

Yang can’t help but fixate on one photo tucked into the corner of the room.

The two teams are huddled together, but on the far side is Jaune and Pyrrha. Cheeks pressed together and their hands – unseen in the photo – are clutched together behind them. They were in love then, she tells herself, even if the word love is so ambiguous at this point that it makes her irritable.

Maybe one day she’ll convince herself he’s okay and that he has nothing to hide. At least from her.

“Going for a walk,” she announces to the busyness of the room.

The clatter of Blake’s book follows after her as she plunges into the noise of the hallway.

Blake walks with her without a word because the halls are filled with so many voices behind the hundred closed doors and any one of them could be listening in. It still, somehow, feels uncomfortably quiet.

They sit at the garden just out by the dorm and Blake asks her what’s on her mind.

Yang says that it’s not worth mentioning. A petty, tiny thing that she’ll get over in a day and that it’s silly she’s even worrying about it.

Blake tells her that it can be silly if she’s worrying about it. Just because the world has bigger problems doesn’t mean she should feel ashamed for feeling what she feels. Some things – she says slowly, empathically – are beyond our control. Even in ourselves.

Blake’s smile isn’t real. Yang catches the self-defeat hiding in the too wide look in her eyes.

Not wanting to let Blake wallow in her own torments amidst the silence, Yang confesses that she’s gotten to really know Jaune for the better part of a month. She says she’s his friend but believes that she barely qualifies. She doesn’t really know the real Jaune Arc.

“What’s the first thing he does in the morning?” Blake asks.

“Uh… cook breakfast, water the cactus, play death metal at my door so I wake up to set the table.”

“He has a cactus?”

“Don’t ask me to explain. It’s a long story.”

Blake explains that despite her little courtship triangle with Sun and Ilia over the summer, she couldn’t answer the question herself. If anything, they know more about each other than she does them. When it was happening, she tried to memorize everything on the surface. Music tastes, favorite food, books they’ve read (they didn’t have many. They’re movie buffs), but one time the two of them were arguing and Ilia let slip that Sun was a virgin, and Sun returned fire by reminding her that so was she.

Blake didn’t know any of that, but they told each other in confidence somehow.

It was no surprise that they called things off a month before school started. She even overheard Sun setting Ilia up with a close friend of his, and Ilia’s been behind him and Pyrrha ever since.

Yang tells her that it doesn’t mean she didn’t get to know them or get closer.

Blake smiles, brightly with a ghost of a chuckle rumbling from her lips. “Yeah, that’s what I mean.” Blake may not have gotten to know them as well as they did with each other, but who can say who is closer to who. Does that kind of comparison even matter?

The bottom line is that they care about each other. It’ll take some time to get to know them but love isn’t a quantity set with knowing what someone says or does. Those are things that make it easier, but love of any kind has only one requirement: a willingness to give something selflessly.

Yang is surprised by that and admits, rather somberly, that she hasn’t done that yet.

“What are you talking about? You did.”

Blake explains that – for the most part – people give things to those they care about without really knowing it. You listen to them talk so you lend them your ear, you eat where they want to eat so you give them your time, you say something nice, you crack a joke, and sometimes, just sometimes, you sit there and be whatever they need. The sacrifice is often tiny, but you’re still giving for their benefit.

And sometimes these connections go at a different pace, she says. Like her with Sun and Ilia, them to each other, Yang with herself, and Yang with Jaune. That doesn’t mean they’re any more or less valuable.

So maybe it isn’t so bad that she’s still getting to know him, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t friends.

-0-

At lunch, everyone seats themselves around a blonde in a hoodie, snoozing with the hood pulled up. Minutes later, Jaune shows up and they all stare wide-eyed at the mysterious blonde they converged around. Jaune’s surprise, apparently, is that his twin sister, Joan, is attending Beacon with her team.

Yang realizes that Jaune hasn’t been wearing his hoodie.

Joan calls it the “elder hoodie,” because no one knows who was born first so they trade the hoodie depending on who the eldest is supposed to be at the time. Since he stole it for a year, she’s keeping it till they finish being sophomores. Everyone’s just going to have to get used to him without it for a while.

Nora says he should stop putting it on altogether cause his muscles are showing. Joan takes a quick look at her chest – undefined in the oversized cloth – and quickly takes it off and tries to give it back to him. They fight over it until Yang snatches it for herself.

The twins are momentarily embarrassed until she says, “Okay! I’m the eldest now.”

Joan decides that Yang makes a great big sister. No one tells her that Yang’s three months younger.

-0-

It’s Friday after class and Yang shouldn’t be surprised that Joan muscles into the apartment. She doesn’t take the couch either. Joan and Jaune shared a bed so often that she decided that bunking with him was evidently the logical conclusion.

Joan cooks soup for dinner. It has banana slices in it. It reminds them of home.

Yang wakes up on Saturday morning to find Jaune sat on the couch in a towel; shampoo still in his hair. Joan woke up grumpy (he doesn’t mention the teary-eyed look) and kicked him out of the bedroom so she could shower and change without him seeing. Yang doesn’t like this, but Jaune tells her not to get mad at her.

He explains that, even though he reconciled with his parents, it didn’t go so smoothly with his sisters. Joan especially. Had she known he was running away to Beacon, she’d have followed after him. He didn’t want to risk her future for the same shot in the dark as his.

Still, she’s upset cause she spent a year worrying about him and being petty for one morning is hardly the worst she could do.

“And what if she does this again?” she asks, arms crossed.

“She won’t,” he says swiftly, an affection to his eyes that tells her that he knows his twin sister as well as he does himself.

Joan is probably hating herself for kicking him out in the first place, and will come out apologizing for it. Cause she’s eighteen and things should have been okay now. No sense in dragging things along.

Yang offers her bathroom for him to finish. She resists innuendo. He catches it anyway. They laugh.

“I’ll get some soap from my closet real quick.”

“Dude, use mine. I don’t care.”

As predicted, Joan comes out into the living room looking sheepish. She asks where Jaune is. Yang instead offers to talk.

With a hesitant step, she sits down with her.

Joan tells her about how things went down at home. She spent a lot of time defending Jaune, saying he’d come back soon. It was only a week before even she seriously doubted he’d come back safe. They feared the worst until Jaune called Saphron at the height of his guilt to explain that he’s fine and that he got accepted into Beacon. A week later, he calls again and tells them about his team.

When they heard they were both nice and competent, they left him alone until he was ready to come back.

They knew they had to trust him and their dad, Apolian, admitted that he should have tried to prepare him instead of pushing him to pursue medicine like a civilian.

Good things did come out of it though. Joan got training like she wanted and she got registered with a local team. It was too late to enroll for freshman year but their accolades qualified them as sophomores. She didn’t want to stay in the field though. She wanted the academy experience.

It’s thirty minutes later after an anecdote about one of her teammates, that they realize that Jaune’s already starting breakfast. (He still had some of his spare clothes in Yang’s closet. It did use to be his).

He’s happy they’re getting along.

Joan is sorry she was being petty.

He’s sorry he ran away without telling her.

Apologies go back and forth until it ends abruptly. Yang almost envies the speed in which they hash things out.

They spend the day together.

Joan took the same guitar lessons as Jaune. They’re both terrible at singing. So is Yang. The neighbors hate it. Then they make plans to buy amps.

The afternoon is a blur of stalls and dust shops. Sugar and music. Noises and laughter. Joan is still fresh into the city life and Yang feels like she could take her under her wing. She even has an interest in getting a bike.

Yang shows Joan the Club. Junior is amicable with there now being two Arcs who will keep her on the dance floor instead of the bar.

There’s a moment where Yang and Joan are talking between themselves. In that time, Jaune thinks to himself for a minute too long and he reaches for his flask to ease the torments swirling in his mind. Yang takes his hand. She noticed. With a smile small enough to be honest and pleading, she leads him out of the booth and into the dance floor.

Joan watches the way they look at each other.

“Huh.”

She snaps a picture.

-0-

So much happened the day before that Yang almost gets whiplash when it’s just her and Jaune again. It’s blistering hot outside so they decide to make milkshakes.

Yang goes on a tirade about why Jaune should just buy a bike instead of saving up for a car. Jaune insists on getting a Highway Aries his sister Sable vowed was safe and sturdy. They’re so distracted by the conversation that someone forgets to lid the blender.

The mishap is explosive, and they’re both covered in stray milk and sugar. They take a picture and laugh it off. It’s another memory – they decide – that would be timeless.

After getting changed, they get the idea to get a “before and after” shot. Since they couldn’t take a before shot, they take one now and pretend that it is since the kitchen’s all cleaned.

They try with the milkshakes again, remembering to have the lid closed, and after smothering each in whipped cream, they’re sat at the TV, streaming an old film they saw as kids.

Their scrolls buzz.

Everyone saw the photos.

Ren asks why their clothes are different in both shots.

Nora sends a winky face.

Joan rants about how she leaves them for one day and they’re already messing around.

Weiss rants about their lack of propriety.

Jaune is static as he stares at the continued outburst from the rest of their friends just because Ren had to question the logic and Nora had to take it that way. Before he types down an explanation, Yang stops him. She takes another photo, milkshakes in hand, and captions it.

“Come join us next time. Let’s make it a party.” Everyone who isn’t Weiss knows the party is genuine. Weiss struggles to even say “orgy” and, somehow, “preposterous.”

Jaune takes pity on her and asks Neptune to explain that it’s a joke. Somehow realizing she misread the whole thing makes Weiss feel even more embarrassed.

Yang is very satisfied with the outcome.

Sat quietly together, their movie drones on and they forget that milkshakes aren’t exactly coffee. Their drowsiness straps weights to their eyelids. Haphazard jokes that mean nothing and make no sense are the only attempt at staying awake.

Joan slips into the living room cause she forgot something. She finds Jaune cleaning glasses while Yang slumbers on the couch.

“No luck?” she asks.

“Didn’t even try,” he answers.

“Maybe you should.”

“Maybe I’ll screw up again.”

“Maybe you won’t.”

“Maybe it’s safer –” he pushes a tiny strongbox into her hands, “–that I don’t.”

Despite herself, Joan doesn’t pry. She hugs him instead and makes for the door. Before she leaves, she peeks through the crack in the door and sees Jaune staring at Yang. Temptation twitches at his fingers. He goes for his flask.

Joan gets an idea.

-0-

Joan skips class Monday morning. She sneaks into the apartment and waters down Jaune’s whiskey.

She doesn’t know if it’s wise. It might even end poorly, but it might turn out precisely how it should. Jaune already hardly notices the taste, and this won’t feel much different.

A week passes and nothing happens. That is until Joan is sitting with Ruby on Sunday. The weekend before, they went to the dock to indulge in the carnival.

Joan is, at first, not surprised to hear that Jaune and Yang disappeared somewhere towards the end.

Then, it turns out, Yang came back to the dorm really late with a bruised lip. She was also missing her jacket.

Jaune walks into the cafeteria with band aid on his neck. They already know he’s hiding a hickey.

Ruby makes a demand: as his best friend, she wants to know what he did with her sister. Her and Joan look up at him expectantly.

“Fine,” he groans, “but this stays between us.”

#rwby dragonslayer #yang xiao long #jaune arc #jaune x yang #yang x jaune

32 notes · View notes

homogrimoire · 5 years ago

Text

Fun, Family, and Fishing

Fair Game Week 2020: Day 3 - Family / Weapons

Read it on AO3 here.

After months of planning, they were finally going on their camping trip, and boy did it take planning. It was a hard time to find a time where five adults were all free for a vacation. Eventually, they all decided to embark on their trip during the summer when Tai was free from his teaching job, and when fishing was in season. Qrow, Clover, Summer, and Raven just decided to use their sick days to get the time off. At first, it was just going to be them and Ruby and Yang, but then they begged their parents to let their friends Weiss and Blake tag along. They gave in quickly. They knew they could handle two more kids, and quickly met with the other kid’s parents to get the okay from them. To all the kids’ delight, they agreed. But then, all four of them ganged up on the adults to convince them to let their other friends, Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren, join in on the trip. The kids were around so much they practically were family, but eight kids seemed like too much, so at first, they said no. Then they saw the children’s puppy eyes. Then they fell for the puppy eyes and pleas. Then they went to get permission from all the kids’ guardians. And then they modified their plans to include eight kids instead of four kids, which had first only planned for two kids. It was hectic, to say the least, but it all worked out. They ended up renting two RVs and getting more supplies than they could carry. After a day of driving and trying to keep middle school kids entertained, they reached their reserved campsite nightfall, exhausted and tired. They decided to begin their activities the next day. Tai and Clover were the first to wake, used to an early schedule.

“Morning Tai.”

“Morning Clover.” They both began unloading the supplies for breakfast, though most of the cooking would be done by Tai. Clover wasn’t allowed to cook after the time he burned soup, which no one ever let him forget. The only thing he could cook well was fish.

“So, how was your night?”

“Pretty good, all things considered. Team JNPR fell asleep pretty quickly, and Qrow too. He is pretty good with kids after all.”

“Team JNPR?” Tai questioned.

“It’s what Qrow calls Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren’s group.” Clover clarified. “He calls the girls Team RWBY.”

“Hmm, I’m gonna steal that from him. If anyone asks, I thought of it on my own.”

“My lips are sealed.” Clover said as he motioned his lips shut.

“Anyways, my night was terrible. Try falling asleep while teenage girls giggle until midnight, AND, while Raven snores. I don’t know how Summer even fell asleep in the first place.”

“Damn. Well, at least we’ll have tents to sleep in tonight while the kids sleep in the RV.”

“Yeah, but I can only imagine what that’s going to do to my back.”

“Oh Tai, you say that like we're old men. We’re only barely fourty.” Clover shook his head at the silly notion.

“I do crossword puzzles on my lunch breaks and you collect vintage fishing tackles.” He deadpanned, looking Clover straight into his eyes. Clover opened his mouth to refute the statement, but realized Tai was right.

“Okay. I see your point.” Clover conceded. There was also the fact that he was starting to gray on his sides. He liked how it looked though, and so did Qrow, whose hair was already colored salt and pepper. As Tai started breakfast, Clover took out the tent equipment. The next to awake were Ren, Nora, and Qrow.

“Good morning Uncle Clover and Mr. Xiao-Long.” Nora greeted cheerfully. She and the other kids had started calling Qrow Uncle Qrow in elementary school when they started hanging out with Ruby and Yang and their cool uncle. He didn’t particularly like it at first, but soon grew accustomed to it. And when he married Clover, it was only natural that they would call Clover Uncle Clover. Needless to say, Clover felt honored and readily accepted the title, especially since he was an only child and therefore couldn’t have nieces or nephews. Ren, still waking up, had also given a respectful “Good morning as well.”

“Morning, and please tell me someone made coffee.” Qrow asked, his drowsiness evident. The drowsiness certainly wasn’t going to stop him from giving his husband a good morning kiss on the cheek though.

“Lucky for you, Tai did. I’ll get you some.” Clover went and poured him a cup of pure black coffee.

“Thanks Cloves.” He said as he eyed the cup as if it held the secrets of life. Graciously, he took a sip. “Ahh, that's the stuff.” He smiled as he began to feel the drowsiness fade away.

“Uncle Clover! Can I have some?” Nora asked with bright eyed innocence.

“Uhh,” he responded at first. He didn’t really know if he should give her any, but got his answer from Ren who seemed wide awake now. Behind her, he mouthed “no” and fearfully shook his head. “No.”

“Aww, why not?” she asked, deflated.

“Because …” she stared at him as he tried to think of a reason.

“It’ll stunt your growth. You want to grow big and strong like your uncles, don’t you? Of course you do.” He quickly said before she could answer. “Here, have some juice.” He tossed her a box of some juice, which she caught.

“Thanks Uncle Qrow!”

“No problem kiddo.” She then moved over to Tai to see what he was cooking. Clover let out a sigh of relief.

“Thanks you two.”

“No need to thank us. We just don’t want Nora to run off in the wilderness and come back with a bear slung over her back.” Qrow told his husband as he took another sip.

“If you think she’s hyper now, you should have seen what happened in fifth grade when she drank an energy drink.” Ren, nursing a box of juice as well, said as he looked into the distance as if reliving a war memory.

“I’m pretty sure it left poor old Tai traumatized. But hey, he’s still an elementary school teacher, so it obviously wasn’t that bad.”

“I do not envy Tai’s work.” Clover replied as he sat down next to Qrow to take a break from unpacking. Next to wake up was Raven and Summer.

“Good morning. my wonderful wives.” Tai greeted them each with a kiss as he held a pan of cooking food.

“Too. Energetic.” Summer was obviously not a morning person “Need. Coffee.” She still had her eyes closed Raven guided her to a seat. She poured herself and her wife a cup.

“Morning Raven. You look great.” Qrow teased. She had a serious case of bedhead, which Qrow could not help but make fun of.

“I will throw you into the river, and I will laugh when your eyeliner gets ruined, little brother.” She glared at him as she took a long sip.

“Jokes on you, I didn't bring any.” He laughed at her, as she could only scowl at him. “Besides, I’d just have my knight in shining armor rescue me.” He gave Clover another kiss, which caused him to blush.

“Aww, look at that. Qrow and Clover sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.” teased Summer, who had turned back to her usual self thanks to the coffee. Now Qrow and Clover were both blushing.

“Ha! Look at them! Nice one!” Raven exclaimed as she high fived her wife. Before anymore could be said or done, Tai announced that breakfast was done, and asked them to wake the rest of the kids.

“This isn’t over, Summer.” Clover mocked as he motioned that he would be keeping his eyes on her, his cheeks still flushed.

“Oh, I know.” she said as she smiled, excited for the antics that would follow, and went to wake up Team RWBY. While Clover went to wake up Jaune and Pyrrah, Raven and Qrow only glared at each other, occasionally taking a sip of their coffee.

With all the kids now up, the real party would begin. After eating and mingling with one another, they changed into their outfits for the main event of the day: a fishing contest. Tai had decided that he would stay behind to watch the stuff. Ren, Nora, Ruby, and Weiss had decided to stay with him, since Nora and Weiss didn’t like getting wet, and Ren and Ruby didn't want to leave their best friend behind. When Tai told them they could help with the tents, Ruby screamed “Yay! Child labor!” which had caused all the adults to laugh, except for Tai, who looked sad and tired already.

The last ones to change into their fishing outfits were Qrow and Clover. Everyone expected him to look the most prepared because the man had been fishing most of his life, and he did look the most prepared. A fishing vest, with his signature pin tacked on, cargo shorts, and shoes with good grip were all immaculate, despite years of use, save for the shoes that were recently bought. He looked like he was about to enter a fishing contest, save for one particular part of his clothing: his hat. It was a gift from his fathers on his twentieth birthday, much like his prized fishing pole that he lovingly monikered after his favorite bird, “aside from Qrow” he would often clarify, the Kingfisher. Naturally he carried the fishing pole and wore the hat with pride. What made the hat so unaligned with his outfit was the fact that it said “Men want me Fish fear me” on it. Stepping out of the RV with Qrow, Clover saw Raven do a double take. Once she was able to make out the words on the hat, she began to die of laughter, which caused Summer to turn to look at what had made her wife laugh so hard. As a result, she began to laugh as well, calling her husband over in between laughs. Soon, he was dying of laughter as well. Qrow took in a deep breath and exhaled.

“You’re lucky I love you.”

“I know, and it’s all thanks to my good luck charm.” Clover sing-songed as he kissed Qrow on the cheek. He tried to hide a smile, but failed miserably. “Come on Qrow, let's go win our fishing contest.” Raven And Summer began to laugh even harder.

“You hear that Rav! They think- They think they’re gonna win!” They continued laughing.

“Laugh all you want now, we’ll see if you’ll be laughing later when you’re eating the fish we caught.” Clover taunted.

“I hope you like the taste of defeat, ladies.” Qrow said cooly, as if he and Clover already won.

“I’m sure they will. Now, let's get going. It’s already noon.” With that, Clover led the way to the river, Qrow by his side, the kids in tow playing around, and Summer and Raven behind the kids, recovering from their laughing fit. Soon, they arrived at a place where the deep river forked, one path remaining deep, the other turning shallow. As the kids played in the shallow area, the adults set up their fishing rods and chairs, one of them periodically going to the nearby shallow area to check in on the kids.

“All set!” exclaimed, the first to finish setting up. He stood back and admired his handiwork, everything neat and orderly. With that, he cast out his line, and waited. Next to finish setting up was Qrow, but only because he had Clover help him. Immediately after was Summer. While she wasn’t nowhere as talented in fishing as Clover, she was still a force to be reckoned with. Lastly was Raven, who was decent at fishing with a pole. And so, they waited, chatting about current events, their jobs, and the kids.

“So thats where Ruby learned about child labor, huh?” asked Qrow.

“Yup.” Confirmed Summer. “Speaking of Ruby, she recently asked when she’s going to have some cousins, and frankly, I wanna know too.” The two men began stumbling over each other’s words, explaining that they talked about it here and there, but never really seriously.

“Now’s as good a time as any.” Raven spoke. “You’re both about middle aged, have stable jobs with a good retirement plan, and you have us to help you out if you ever need it. After this trip, think about it maybe.”

“Wow Raven, that’s ... actually some good advice. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, Clover. I dragged it out from the kindness I keep in my heart.” Raven joked, putting a hand over her heart.

“You have a heart? I wouldn’t have ever known.” said a smug Qrow.

“Fine then, fuck you. I just wanted to have another person to tell all the embarrassing stories I have about you.” She angrily, almost comically, cast a line back into the water.

“Hey, watch you’re fucking language, there’s kids nearby.” Clover reprimanded, pretending to be serious. They all just laughed. The loud children were too far away to be able to discern their words.

“Eh, but seriously, thanks Rae, we’ll think about it.”

“If it helps, just know that I would make a great auntie.”

“I’m sure you would, Summer.” Qrow replied, mostly focusing on the fishing rod.

“You know, there is one thing we talked about.” Clover teased, immediately grabbing the attention of the two women.

“Oh, yeah! Names. We were thinking either Basil, or Bluebird.”

“Those are nice.” Raven replied.

“They are. I get Bluebird,” Summer stated, “but how did you decide on Basil?”

“Like my namesake, it’s another plant that can bring good luck.” Clover clarified.

“Ahh, I see. Oh! Clover! Look!” Summer shouted. His pole had hooked onto something, and after a bit of fighting, Clover reeled in a decently sized fish.

“Think you could top this?” Clover asked Qrow specifically, with a wink and a smirk on his face as he put the fish in a bucket of water.

“I mean, I have before.” He replied, unphased. It took a moment for the women to catch on to what he said. Once they realized, they made sounds of disgust and made sure it was known.

“Ugh! Gods have mercy on me!” Summer screeched in desperation, covering her ears.

“I wouldn’t waste my breath if I were you. Trust me, I know. You know how many times they didn't show me any mercy in college.” Qrow shuddered at the memories of him accidentally walking in on Raven, Summer, and Tai. They resumed their normal conversations and soon slipped into comfortable silence, each of them catching a fish now and then, except for Qrow. By the time lunch rolled around and the kids had eaten and resumed their playing, Qrow had still caught nothing. Currently in the lead was Raven, though Clover had wondered why the fish weren’t as big as they usually were. He just chalked it up to luck.

“Fuck it.” Qrow said. He rolled up his pants and waded into the river. Clover watched in curiosity as his husband stood still with laser focus in knee deep water. Soon, his curiosity was replaced with awe as the man shot into the water and resurfaced with a fish that put him in the lead. Clover wouldn’t have said it out loud, but seeing Qrow glistening in the river with a big fish in his hands was kind of hot.

“Qrow where the hell did you learn that!? That was amazing!” After Qrow placed his catch in his bucket, he was met with a kiss on the lips.

“Looks like I better catch more fish if this is my reward, huh?” Qrow asked, knowing the answer to his question. Clover whispered his answer into Qrow’s ear. Apparently, he did not know the answer. His face got visibly redder, and he quickly went back into the river.

“Don’t think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it.” Summer repeated to herself.

“I think I know how to help with that.” Raven walked over to Summer, gave her a kiss, then walked into the water. Needless to say, it worked. Soon, after Clover and Summer caught another fish, too small to dethrone Qrow, Raven striked, and reemerged with two fish in hand, one big enough to take the lead. “We learned lots of things back when we were a part of that traveling tribe. Some of us learned better than others.” Suavely, she tossed the smaller fish back into the water and replaced the fish in her bucket with the bigger one as Summer cheered her on.

Sibling rivalry mode was in full swing among the pair. Mostly in silence, they continued their contest. Qrow managed to catch a bigger one, but was dethroned by Clover, which he didn't mind. Meanwhile, poor Summer remained in last place. She was starting to lose hope, until something that seemed particularly big got hooked onto her pole. By then, Raven and Summer had left the water and had packed up most of the stuff. She fought with it, slowly but surely making progress. However, as she was fighting the fish standing up, she slipped, sending her into the center of the river, where it was deepest. Summer had lost her rod, but had fortunately felt someone tug her back to the surface. As she broke the surface, she gasped for air.

“Oh Raven, my love, you saved me. That’s what a real knight in shining armor is like Qrow!” Her eyes still closed and cradled in a set of arms, she moved to give her savior a kiss, but felt something that something was off, and stopped. “Wait a minute…” she reached for the chest area and gave a light squeeze. They were thick, nowhere as plump as Raven’s, but thicker than Qrow’s. She knew that it could only mean one thing. She rubbed her eyes and opened them to face Clover.

“A real knight in shining armor huh?” he asked smugly. She gave a small scream and squirmed about, falling back into the water.

“None of you saw or heard any of that!” she yelled, pointing a finger at all of them. Her heart dropped when she saw Qrow on shore, holding his phone, the camera light on. “Oh gods no.”

“I did say it wasn’t over, remember? This’ll make for a great video to show everyone.”

“You monster!” she yelled as she pretended to try to drown the man, though that would be difficult, considering he practically grew up in water. Meanwhile, Clover was laughing and Qrow was laughing as he ran from Raven who was trying to steal his phone so she could protect her wife’s honor by deleting the video. However, their antics were interrupted.

“Mom! Uncle Qrow! Look what Blake caught!” Yang shouted from down the river. In the distance, they could make out what looked to be a large fish.

“Holy fuck...” Qrow stated in awe.

“Don’t tell me...” said Raven, also awestruck. “Hey!” she shouted at Clover and Summer. “Meet us down the river with the kids. You’ll want to see this!”

“Oh boy...” Clover knew that with this family, it was bound to be something interesting, to say the least. He and Summer swam over, seeing the figure Blake had dragged in becoming clearer and clearer. They could also see Raven checking Blake to make sure she was alright as Qrow untangled the line from the caught fish.

“No. Way. “They both said in unison. Once they reached shallow enough water, They ran to confirm that Blake was alright, and that she had indeed caught the fish that threw Summer into the water. Blake’s shyness was evident as her friends showered her with praise.

“Blake! Where did you learn to do that!? That was amazing!” asked Yang, proud of her best friend.

“That, its nothing.” she shied away, pushing her wet hair out of her face and turning her head to hide a blush. “I’ve been doing it with my mom since I was young. Really, it’s nothing spectacular.”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself short kid, that thing’s half your size. That’s nothing to sneeze at.” said Qrow. He had had low self esteem for a long time, and wasn’t about to let any of the kids put themselves down.

“That is very incredible Blake, but try not to do that again without letting us know. We just don’t want anything bad to happen.” clover explained.

“Yes, of course, I’ll be sure to let one of you know next time.” she stated.

“You do know what this means, right Blake?” asked Summer.

“Uhh, no?”

“It means you won our fishing contests silly! You caught the biggest fish! You Win!” Blake was confused at first when she was picked up by Raven and placed on her shoulder.

“That also means you get to lead the victory parade, little champion.”

“Ooh, mom, pick me up too!” Yang exclaimed. She wasn’t going to refuse. She had seen how close the little champion and her daughter were getting. It brought her comfort to know her daughter would be with such a strong person. Once the equipment and dinner packed and ready for transport, they marched back to their campsite, the children shouting Blake’s name as she was carried in front.

“Damn, what are the Belladonnas feeding her?” Clover wondered.

“Pure protein, by the looks of it.” Summer replied.

“Well, at least she’s alright.” Qrow said.

“Yeah.” agreed Summer and Clover.

The sun was beginning to set by the time they returned. By then, they were all beginning to feel tired and hungry once more. Tai and Clover made sure to make the fish mouth watering delicious. The served the first piece to Blake, whose mouth was watering at the sight. While the kids ate and Yang retold the story of how her bff caught the beat, the adults chatted some more. After dinner, they all roasted marshmallows and told scary stories. If anyone had asked Clover if he had yelped and grabbed onto his husband’s arm when an ominous howl coincided with the climax of Tai’s scary story, he would say it didn’t happen. Everyone else would beg to differ, especially Qrow. As it got later, the fire died and the kids who wanted to sleep outside retired to a tent, while the kids who wanted to sleep inside retired to the RVs. While there was room for the adults in the RV, they wanted to appreciate the cool air and beautiful night sky.

“Hey, Clover?”

“Yes, my Lucky Charm?”

“It’s been a nice day with you, and them.” Clover hummed in agreement.

“It has. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” They laid together in comfortable silence for a moment more, taking in the starry sky through their clear-topped tent.

“Beautiful view, isn’t it?” Qrow asked. Clover turned to face him. His deep crimson eyes shone a unique brilliance that was incomparable to anything else. Qrow had just looked so serene in the light of the moon and stars and the darkness of the night. Clover found himself enamored.

“Most beautiful sight in the world, if I must say.”

“Clover, I swear, if you’re─” he stopped mid sentence as he turned his head to see Clover staring right at him, obviously caught up in admiring his dark-haired husband. Qrow softly smiled back. Together, they silently admired each other.

“You know, I do think of you and your family as the best thing to ever happen to me. Never had a big family, and I’m pretty much all I have from my side of the family now. I guess I just appreciate you and your family a lot.”

“Our family, Lucky Charm.”

“Hmm?” Clover said, surprised.

“Our family. You’re as much a part of it as anyone else here, and we all love you just the same too.” Bewildered. Clover couldn’t think of a response. He was so used to the loneliness that he hadn’t really considered he could be a part of a family again. He moved closer to hug Qrow, who readily accepted him. He buried his head into the crook of his shoulders. And Clover wasn’t going to lie. He was crying a little. However, Qrow’s scent helped comfort him, as well as Qrow stroking his hair and the knowledge that he had a family.

“I love you Qrow.” Clover’s voice came out a tad strained, though it was almost undetectable.

“I love you too Clover.” With Qrow humming a song, Clover fell into a peaceful sleep. Soon after, Qrow fell asleep to the calm rise and fall of his husband’s chest. In this sleep, Clover had a dream, though he only remembered an image from it. Tai, Summer, and Raven were in it, as well as all the kids, albeit slightly older. Qrow was standing right beside him, their hands intertwined. In between them were two children who he could not discern. Yet, he felt happy, he felt like he was where he belonged, he felt love.

#fair game #fairgameweek2020 #qrow branwen #clover ebi #rwby

47 notes · View notes

rosethornewrites · 5 years ago

Text

Fic: Love Language, ch. 5

Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi, Sabine Cheng/Tom Dupain, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Wayhem

Characters: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Kagami Tsurugi, Tikki, Tom Dupain, Tomoe Tsurugi, Sabine Cheng, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Alya Césaire, Nino Lahiffe, Kitty Section, Jagged Stone, Penny Rolling, Clara Nightingale, Alec Cataldi, Nadja Chamack, Fang, XY, Lila Rossi, Chloé Bourgeois, Wayhem, Le Gorille | Adrien Agreste's Bodyguard

Tags: Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Language of Flowers, Gifts, Traditions, Holidays, Cultural Differences, Kimono, Qipao, Family, Love, Romance, Celebrations, Symbolism, Aged-Up Character(s), Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Christmas Fluff, Identity Reveal, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Themes, Established Relationship, Marriage Proposal, Family Dinners, Airports, feeding each other, sharing ceremony, Anxiety, Engagement, Kissing, It was supposed to be a one-shot, Admiration, Pet Names, Cuddling & Snuggling, yin and yang, Communication, Smut, Food Sex, Cunnilingus, Vaginal Fingering, Multiple Orgasms, Bathing/Washing, Kagami is a boob woman, Nudity, Instagram, Social Media, Sleeping Together, Wedding Planning, Wedding Rings, Lila salt, Alec Cataldi salt, Food Porn, Paparazzi, Panic Attacks, Chloé Bourgeois Redemption, Lila Rossi Lies, Date Night, Adrien Sugar, Relationship Goals, Protective Kagami Tsurugi

Summary: Kagami and Marinette have date night... which is abruptly interrupted by the paparazzi.

Notes: See end.

AO3 link (ch. 3 has smut)

FFN link (ch. 3 has implied sex)

Part 5 (currently) of the Catch a Falling Star series

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |

Love Language: Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

-----------

Kagami and Marinette decided on New Year’s Eve Eve as date night, since the Eve itself was spoken for. While they normally didn’t frequent many Chinese or Japanese restaurants given the quality of what they could have at home, this particular restaurant was a new Asian fusion place, one that mixed Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Korean, Chinese, and Japanese cuisines. It had received glowing reviews.

The fusion theme also appealed to both of them, based on the symbolism of their recent engagement, and they had dressed appropriately. Kagami was wearing a kimono-style tunic Marinette had designed and made for her, red and black with a diagonal half-skirt, over leggings with some very stylish boots. A matching fabric headband finished the look. Marinette was wearing the full-length qipao she had sewn for last year’s Lunar New Year. It was black with pink embroidery, and she’d added an experimental French flair with peeping black lace down the false slit along the shoulder and all the way down the dress. Kagami had confessed it was one of her favorites, so she loved to spoil her by wearing it. She had put her hair in twin buns again, the same style she had worn when Kagami proposed.

Even in a crowded restaurant, Marinette was hyper-aware of Kagami, of the details of every moment. She loved the feeling that they were in their own world, a special intensity to everything. No moment spent with her was boring; she brought life to everything by virtue of her presence.

Some fusion restaurants simply had food from multiple cultures, but this one actually fused different dishes in fascinating ways. Even better: the servings were tapas-style, so smaller portions, enabling them to try an assortment of options. With each dish, they posted pictures to Instagram, tagging the restaurant and working to come up with descriptions of the flavors to describe to people who might want to try it.

They were both fascinated by the menu and its many options. For her drink, Marinette chose a Korean, Chinese, and Taiwanese inspired omija chrysanthemum milk tea with rose jelly, which was unique and delicious. The mix of flavors was heady, hitting the whole tongue at once. Kagami selected a Taiwanese and Vietnamese fusion, orange tamarind boba smoothie; also fantastic, both fruits a mix of sweet and tart that somehow leveled out both in a way that enhanced the drink.

Since soups traditionally started the meal, they decided on seafood chao ga with dashi flavoring and clams, whitefish, and sea urchin—lovely rice porridge for the cold. The texture was thick and the dashi lent a savory flavor that balanced the fish well. Kagami mentioned that one of the flavors was possibly the light earthy-sweet of miso paste, as well as ginger and a touch of rayu chili oil.

Then they decided on an assortment of bāozi stuffed with different things, including Korean bulgogi, Thai coconut curry chicken, Japanese unagi no kabayaki, Cambodian fish amok, and Vietnamese bun cha. Marinette was familiar with all but the last two. The fish amok turned out to be a unique yogurt-thick fish curry made with coconut milk and a mixture of spices that offered a savory quality rather than heat. Bun cha was amazing grilled pork belly that had been marinated in fish sauce and mixed with rice vermicelli and pickled vegetables, all stuffed in a perfectly-steamed bun.

They also tried a couple types of okonomiyaki, one with kimchi and japchae and the other with spicy Sichuan làzǐ jī. The japchae folded into the pancake was sweet potato glass noodles, strips of beef, and a variety of thin-sliced vegetables, and it matched well with the spicy tang of the kimchi spread atop. A sweet umami Korean junganjang cream sauce, a light spiral on the red kimchi, cut the heat a bit and added another layer of flavor. The làzǐ jī was the kind of spicy that would put off those not used to Sichuan peppercorns, a wonderful numbing sort of flavor that was tempered by the okonomiyaki batter, paired well with a Japanese-style sweet ginger mayonnaise drizzled over the top.

By that point, all they could handle was dessert.

Kagami ordered Chinese gāo diǎn stuffed with Thai pumpkin coconut pudding; they were glazed lightly with a spritz of honey-rosewater. Still warm, the pudding and pastry melted together in the mouth. Marinette opted for Cambodian mango sweet sticky rice with a scoop of black sesame ice cream that both of them knew had roots in both China and Japan. They tried each part separately, then mixed, enjoying the texture of the slightly-warm sticky rice against the icy cream of the ice cream, and the way the different varieties of sweet melded.

Marinette had just fed Kagami the last spoon of the ice cream when their table was abruptly surrounded by people with cameras and microphones, startling her into dropping the spoon. The clatter it made sounded louder than the cacophony of competing voices that assailed them.

She only made our pieces of them, words and phrases.

“... that you’re a gold-digger…?”

“...stalked Adrien Agreste…?”

“...settled for…?”

“...Chinese concubine…?”

Though Marinette felt frozen under the deluge of abusive questions, Kagami stood at that last one.

The reporters quieted somewhat, waiting for a response.

“You dare imply the love of my life is the equivalent of ianfu?!” She pinpointed the man who had asked the question and Marinette noted absently that he was, of course, an older white man. “Ah, you work for that rag. My lawyer will be in contact.”

Marinette stood, trying to find courage in the fire in Kagami’s eyes.

“We do not consent to be filmed or photographed. If any footage or photos appear in any of your media, you will hear from our lawyers,” Marinette added, reaching out and taking Kagami’s hand.

She received a reassuring squeeze. This had happened immediately following their announcement, and in preparation for that Tomoe had the Tsurugi family lawyer appraise them of their right to control being photographed and the use of those photographs—one of the lovelier facets of French law.

The cameras lowered, but the questions commenced, their personal space invaded as what she realized were tabloid reporters jockeyed for position.

Marinette felt hemmed in, trapped by the ugly questions.

In the distance someone yelled, “Is that Adrien Agreste?!”

The shift away from them allowed Kagami to pull her toward the kitchen, which they were thankfully seated near.

Marinette nearly jumped out of her skin when someone touched her shoulder, but standing behind her was Wayhem.

He pulled them into the kitchen, where a waiter handed them their coats and whisked them toward a back exit.

“Adrien?” Kagami asked Wayhem, slipping several large bills to the waiter, far more than enough to cover their meal.

The clipped nature of her tone hinted at her stress.

“In the car. One of my buddies in a wig is distracting the morons.”

Marinette let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Whatever had sparked this, it was big enough for Adrien and Wayhem to mount a rescue—and do it quickly.

The back door of the car opened as they rushed out, and Adrien scooted over to make room for them. Wayhem didn’t bother trying to squeeze in back, instead taking the front passenger seat beside the Gorilla.

Before she could entirely register what happened, the car was pulling out of the alley, the restaurant receding in the background.

Kagami squeezing her hand brought her back to the present.

“I don’t understand,” she murmured. “I thought it had died down.”

“You missed us talking about that, Mari.” Adrien offered her a smile that was tinged with sadness. “It had. Then there were rumors spread by someone to major and minor tabloids. They literally started breaking an hour ago.”

Marinette felt overwhelmed, almost like her skin was too heavy and smothering to bear. “The things they were saying…”

Kagami wrapped her in an embrace, and the feeling started to ease immediately—because they were together, in this. Together in everything.

“My father is coordinating with Tomoe on finding out what happened. But it sounds like different rumors were released to different places, all at once almost.”

“Throwing shit at the wall to see what sticks,” Wayhem added.

Adrien scowled then, a look she almost never saw on him, and she realized he was truly angry on their behalf.

“I would bet anything we know who it was, though these faux journalists might pull the ‘protect their sources’ routine.”

Marinette went cold, her eyes meeting Kagami’s. They were filled with a fire that consumed, rather than that which usually smoldered.

“Lila.” Kagami said the name like it was something disgusting she had to expel.

“H-how… You got here so fast,” Marinette murmured. “Thank you.”

“We were on our way out for date night when the news broke,” Wayhem explained. “We saw you were at that restaurant—sounds amazing, by the way—and had the Gorilla divert.”

“Wayhem called ahead to the restaurant. Then he had a friend who lives nearby and does cosplay at comic conventions play decoy. I called my father, and he’s gotten in touch with Tomoe. Nathalie’s texting me updates.” Adrien’s lips twisted further. “Some of those rumors involve me, which means he’ll actually do something. Because ‘it affects the brand.’ Otherwise he wouldn’t care.”

Oddly, his anger helped ease her distress. Marinette let herself melt into Kagami’s arms, using breathing exercises Fu had taught her so long ago to work on finding her calm. As awful as this was, she couldn’t afford to get Akumatized.

“We aren’t headed to my home,” Kagami noted. “Or to Marinette’s.”

“Paparazzi.” Wayhem turned in his seat. “They’re camped out. It’s a mess.”

“Chloé called. We’re going to the Grand Paris.”

Marinette looked at him incredulously.

“She’s changed.” Adrien shrugged. “She’s probably mad on my behalf, not yours. But she extended the offer. My house is mobbed, too.”

A buzzing sensation registered against Marinette’s leg, and she realized it was Tikki trying to get her attention. She reached her hand in her purse and Tikki pressed her phone into it. She had missed calls and texts from Alya.

Alya: I didn’t know he’d do that.

Alya: he took evrythng out of context

Alya: that bastard i;m sorry

Alya: Mari pick up plz

Another call came in from Alya and Marinette pressed accept.

“Oh thank god! Mari, you got away?” Alya sounded positively frantic. “The feeds cut when you told them off.”

“Yeah. Adrien and Wayhem helped us escape. Putting you on speaker.”

“Thank god for the gays.” Alya’s voice filled the car. “Fucking Alec Cataldi, he… Dammit, I had no idea. He asked about our friendship and I thought it was like for a fluff piece or something.”

Marinette’s heart sank into her gut as she catastrophized over what Alya could have said.

Adrien held out his phone, a video playing.

“Yeah, we’re all awesome friends. For a while Mari had trouble talking to Adrien, had a big crush, bu—”

The clip cut to Alec Cataldi. “And there you have it, folks. An inside source confirms: Marinette Dupain-Cheng, fiancée of Kagami Tsurugi, was involved in a love triangle. An anonymous source revealed a history of stalking and trying to use Adrien Agreste to jump-start her fashion career. So is she a gold-digger…?”

Adrien stopped the clip.

“I’m so sorry!” Alya’s voice was strangled with rage and guilt.

Kagami wiped at her face with the sleeve of her tunic; Marinette hadn’t realized she’d been crying.

“That… You didn’t know,” she managed. “I can’t talk right now, though. I… I just can’t.”

They had ignored Cataldi’s requests for an interview because he did this sort of thing, but Marinette had never expected this. She felt sick, wondering if Nadja had been involved at all. She doubted it, but...

“I understand, girl. I’m gonna do a livestream. Set the record straight. That asshole.”

The call ended. Marinette let Kagami take her phone and tuck it in her purse, likely handing it off to Tikki.

She let Kagami gather her close, pressing her face into her shoulder. Her friends stayed silent the rest of the drive, letting her work to clear her mind, to push through.

By the time she really was able to focus on the world, she and Kagami were ensconced in a plush room at the Grand Paris, and a cup of tea was being pressed in her hands.

“Oh, you’re back.” Chloé’s voice was oddly gentle, the arrogant tone missing. “It’s chamomile. Helps me when I’m stressed.”

It was strange, seeing Chloé almost as though for the first time. The fallout from Miracle Queen back in collège had left her friendless, Sabrina eschewing her, and she’d left to finish her studies through online courses, then attended a different lycée. Marinette hadn’t seen much of her since.

She’d toned down, it seemed. Maybe even gained a little humility. She was wearing much more muted tones of makeup that fit her skin tone and hair. The smirk that had often twisted her features was absent. Even her hair was styled differently, in a loose bun.

“Hi,” Marinette murmured. “Th-thank you.”

Chloé nodded, looking a bit uncomfortable as she backed away. Their previous relationship had been oppositional. This was different for both of them.

Kagami was pressed against her side, offering comfort in her presence. Marinette noted she had her own cup of chamomile, shaking slightly in her hands. She leaned her head against her fiancée’s shoulder.

“I’m okay, mon beignet,” she whispered, and was relieved when Kagami laughed at the endearment and her hand stopped shaking. “We’re in this together. We can do anything.”

A giggle caught her attention, and she was surprised to find it had come from Chloé. Her laugh had always had a haughty quality. It was absent now.

“Those rags are ridiculous, falling for those rumors. You two… just ridiculous how in love you are. Bakery endearments. Geez.”

It was almost strange to hear her say ridiculous as she always had, compared to the rest of her tone.

“It’s like they think collège wasn’t forever ago for us.” Chloé offered a soft smile. “Sorry, I know this is weird.”

Marinette nodded. “You’re… different.”

Chloé shrugged. “I was a complete bitch. But… Well, we’re not in collège anymore. And I didn’t want to be that person who peaked there as nothing but a mean girl.”

A look passed over her face, almost anguished, and she turned away slightly.

“I didn’t want to keep being the stupid entitled brat who willingly worked with a supervillain as part of a fucking temper tantrum.”

The silence that followed was uncomfortable. Chloé offered no attempt at justification, no request for forgiveness.

“I’m glad,” Marinette finally said, at least offering that much, if not absolution. “And I hope you’re happier.”

When Chloé turned back, there were tears on her face. “You know, when you said you thought I could be a hero… I was so awful to you, but still you…” She took a breath. “I just want to let you know it really meant a lot. It was important. So thank you.”

Marinette didn’t know what to say, and just offered a smile.

Chloé fidgeted a bit for a moment. “Um, anyway. This is Jagged and Penny’s suite. They’re getting here later tonight. Already told them what’s going on. Wayhem and Adrien are staying, too, in another suite—you’ll be sharing that one once it’s ready.” She flashed an awkward smile. “I’ll get you guys pajamas and such. We’ll figure this out.”

Then Chloé fled.

Marinette let her; no matter how much she had changed, she knew this was more than a little uncomfortable for both of them—more so for Chloé’s developed conscience.

And Chloé had given her something new to consider, something positive. Something else Marinette could cleave to as she worked through the shock of the awful things she was going to be reading about herself, and that she would have to refute.

She brought the fine china teacup to her lips, the delicate scent of chamomile wafting through her even before she took a sip. The warmth of the tea, of Kagami’s presence, the remnants of their date tattered but still existent, the knowledge that this couldn’t touch the world they had created… all came together to help calm her.

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

Notes:

I’m big on verisimilitude, and I know if I read a fic that had the kind of restaurant described at the beginning, I’d want to know the fusion aspects. So I did a bunch of research on foods from each culture. All the foods do exist, but I’ve actually melded them in ways that I don’t believe do. With the exception of Thai curry chicken bao, which you can get at Wow Bao. Man do I wish a lot of them did, though!

I didn’t expect the chapter to go the way it did, in some respects. I actually thought I’d get further, to the New Year Tsurugi family event. But there was a lot happening in this chapter and I realized my initial estimation was way off.

I also wasn’t sure if there was going to be Chloé redemption, but then it just… happened.

Oh, and happy Adrien/Wayhem. In Catch a Falling Star-verse after “Never Let It Fade Away,” Adrien will have done some soul-searching and come to the realization he’s bisexual and was just so hung up on Ladybug he didn’t realize it (much like Mari being bi but hung up on Adrien). So when Alya jokingly calls them “the gays,” it’s more a general statement than bi erasure. Wayhem is totes gay though. Also, it’s casually brought in because they’ve been together a bit and is thus a normal thing to all the characters.

Enjoy the Alec Cataldi and Lila salt.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanfiction #kagami tsurugi #marinette dupain cheng #marigami #kagaminette #kagami x marinette #wayhem #adrien agreste #ml gorilla #alya cesaire #alec cataldi #alec cataldi salt #lila 'the liar' rossi #lila salt #chloe bourgeois #chloe redemption #my fanfiction #adrien sugar

4 notes · View notes

woofools · 5 years ago

Note

soft headcanons for Yo, Carl and Herman please?

Herman

what they smell like: Depends when you catch him. If it’s right after he finishes training, sweat. Right after/during battle, blood and dirt. Downtime, probably whatever the ant equivalent to aftershave would be.

what their favorite smells in the world are: Wood smoke, confectioneries, and steel.

what pajamas they wear/what they wear to sleep in: Robe and boxers (if he bothers with boxers in the first place… I dunno the “cartoon animal” aspect of this throws me off a little).

my favorite ship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them: Herman/Charles! (and you are entirely to blame for this, thank/curse you) Headcanon is that Charles helps Herman get ready for any public appearances he has to make (+ evil Sunday dinner). Makes sure his armor’s straight. Listens as Herman practices any speeches he might have to give. Makes sure he has everything he might need prepped and ready. Tells him things like “you look fantastic, sir.” Stuff like that.

my favorite friendship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them: HERMAN AND CARL NEED TO BE GET ALONG IT’S IMPORTANT TO ME. Headcanon is that despite… well, everything, Herman does have the capacity to get protective over Carl sometimes. The hypothetical catalyst to activate Herman’s Big Brother Instinct would be Carl showing romantic interest in someone. Herman would immediately be on the offensive, what’s this guy’s story, what does he want with Carl, is he going to take advantage of him and split, that whole thing. And Herman wouldn’t be above being as intimidating as he could to get to the bottom of things. (Carl doesn’t realize he’s actually trying to protect him with this; he thinks he’s bullying him again by trying to scare off the guy he likes.)

a song that reminds me of them: I’ve mentioned this before, but Hail to the King by Avenged Sevenfold.

what animal i think they would be if they were an animal: Mob boss.

what position they sleep in: On his back, starfished out.

their favorite drink: Either a steaming cup of black tea or soda. ANY soda. And okay, I get that Herman dislikes the stereotype of ants loving sugar, but have you ever left a soda outside in the summer? Maybe forgot about it for a few hours before finally coming back for it? Fuckin ANTS everywhere.

a gift i would give them if i could: A soda A hypoallergenic pillow sham.

Carl

what they smell like: Since Carl’s been called “prissy” a couple times in-series (which I’m pretty sure was meant as a thinly-veiled, slightly derogatory way to call him gay, which shame on you, Boyle, but anyway), I’d say most of the time he smells like soap. He gets called “prissy” because he doesn’t buy the MEN’S SOAP FOR MEN, since all the MEN’S soap smells like off-brand cleaner in his opinion. He’ll stick with a nice shea-butter, thanks.

what their favorite smells in the world are: Fruit or flower scented candles!

what pajamas they wear/what they wear to sleep in: Oversized t-shirt or he just takes off his cape? Same sitch as he brother really, I’m not sure.

my favorite ship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them: The closest I had for this was Carl/Yang, but I’d only kinda shipped that, and it had been after a long time of not watching the show. Having since done a thorough rewatch, I can confirm their dynamic is better as an older/younger sibling one. As the characters currently are in-show, at least, I stand by that their dynamic could be really cute once their age-gap closed up and they had time to develop with each other. But as it stands I guess I don’t currently have a ship for Carl?? Someone help me fix this. Workshop some scenarios with me.

my favorite friendship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them: I have… A LOT of fave friendships for Carl, mostly because I believe he deserves all of them. I’ll go with the forerunner and say “Yin and Yang” though. Headcanon is that, once they establish that they ARE friends, Carl goes full-on Older Brother on them. And not just when the chips are down or “special occasions” like Herman with him. One or both of the twins is sad? Carl’s here, come talk, he’ll get some ice cream, now’s the time for calories. Someone’s bothering them? NOT ON HIS WATCH, BITCH BEST STEP BACK. They’re excited about something? No promises he’ll understand what’s got them so hyped but he’ll do his absolute best to be supportive of it.

a song that reminds me of them: I’m likely just going to steal songs from what I’ve already talked about for all these guys, but the reprise of Waiting in the Wings from the Tangled series. Kills me.

what animal i think they would be if they were an animal: Grocery bagger (kid’s only like sixteen cut him some slack)

what position they sleep in: On his side half hugging his pillow.

their favorite drink: Virgin margarita. I can picture him having a budding interest in mixology for some reason.

a gift i would give them if i could: ALL MY LOVE AND SUPPORT. Also maybe some bath salts, I dunno, I feel like he’d like that.

what they smell like: Old Guy smell.

what their favorite smells in the world are: Food cooking (he’s not picky as to what’s cooking specifically, though he does have a preference to things like soups and roasts and - duh - soft pretzels) and guitar strings.

what pajamas they wear/what they wear to sleep in: We get a shot of him in a robe and pjs in Scarf It Up, but then he doesn’t seem to wear anything besides a sash most of the rest of the time. Soo I guess he wears standard pjs when he’s cold, or else doesn’t bother.

my favorite ship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them: Yo/Night Master!! Headcanon that- okay, so NM’s a bat right? When he’s particularly pleased, he’ll make high-pitched happy bat sounds. He hates it, and has managed to keep this particular factoid under wraps most of his life, but it’s Yo’s job to be a thorn in his side, so. for example petting his ears turns him into goo and turns him into a squeaking mess Since NM never gave him an actual name to call him by, Yo’s taken to almost exclusively calling him “Squeaker.”

my favorite friendship (if applicable) and a cute hc about them: Yin and Yang again. Headcanon that as they get closer they start up carving out time specifically to spend together. As in, non- master/student work time. They’ll get together to watch movies, or have a game night. Yin and Yang can now each successfully bluff at poker. Yo’s very proud.

a song that reminds me of them: Save Rock and Roll by Fall Out Boy.

what animal i think they would be if they were an animal: Blue collar worker who’s Tired.

what position they sleep in: Usually on his back, because if he sleeps on his side his hip starts bothering him.

their favorite drink: Rum and coke Coffee with some milk and sugar’s fine, thanks.

a gift i would give them if i could: Gift card to Pretzel Maker and hug.

#I speak #Herman #Carl #Master Yo #lesbianblixer

4 notes · View notes

dr-nero-is-god · 6 years ago

Note

all of the evil asks (but only if you have the time!!) for wing because he's my favorite son

Good news, nonnie! I am recovering from a twenty-one hour journey yesterday, which leaves me too dead to do adulting but just awake enough to dedicate 46 acres of my mind to Wing Fanchu. (And really, which is the more wholesome task, anyway?)

1. What does their bedroom look like?

I’ll do his pre-H.I.V.E. bedroom, since we’re all familiar with the cells. Tan walls, a large window with a dark pull-down shade, and a large, low bed with a white comforter. Some posters of tricky martial arts positions. A neatly-rolled yoga mat in the corner, and space on the floor to use it.

2. Do they have any daily rituals?

Meditation, for 15-30 minutes every morning, assuming Otto has not set a new harebrained scheme in motion.

3. Do they exercise, and if so, what do they do? How often?

Wing certainly would, even if he didn’t have to. Martial arts, running, swimming, pull-ups, all those things. Probably every day. Maybe many times a day. Can you get paid to be strong?

4. What would they do if they needed to make dinner but the kitchen was busy?

Wait patiently, acting as though he wasn’t hungry at all.

5. Cleanliness habits (personal, workspace, etc.)

Very neat, but some of that comes from being someone who doesn’t take much stock in an excess of personal possessions. That said, Wing is very good about grooming his long hair, and keeping his notebooks in order, and so on. He makes his bed every morning, too, cuz his mama raised him right.

6. Eating habits and sample daily menu

Generally lots of vegetables—he enjoys treats but isn’t swayed by food just because it looks fancy. That said, he isn’t a picky eater, either. Whatever is on the lunch menu, he doesn’t mind.

Breakfast: raisin bran and yogurt, or avocado toast

Mid-morning snack: crushed nuts and dried fruit

Lunch: veggie wrap (i.e. tortilla with hummus, bell peppers, salad, tomatoes, cucumber, and cheese)

Mid-afternoon snack: peanut butter and celery

Dinner: Roasted mushrooms, onions, and broccoli with rice and a tofu burger

7. Favorite way to waste time and feelings surrounding wasting time

Wing isn’t really a time-waster. If he has a few extra moments, he might meditate or sleep. When he can’t focus, he tends to get up and do something else and try again later.

8. Favorite indulgence and feelings surrounding indulging

As a disciplined person, Wing doesn’t give much thought to indulgence, but he is generally good about restarting his routines after breaking them. Biggest example would be taking a day off from his workout routine.

9. Makeup?

“I am pleased you admire my high cheekbones, Shelby, but I see no reason to do something so frivolous as contour them.”

11. Intellectual pursuits?

Wing occasionally might read a book on strategy or martial arts, but he prefers the practical application in the gym.

12. Favorite book genre?

Non-fiction. He has little to no use for fantasies and make-believe.

13. Sexual Orientation? And, regardless of own orientation, thoughts on sexual orientation in general?

Pansexual. Generally accepting of queer identities, but also considers them to be a very private matter and so can feel uncomfortable when people bring it up.

14. Physical abnormalities? (Both visible and not, including injuries/disabilities, long-term illnesses, food-intolerances, etc.)

Allergy to strawberries and a bad knee from an accident that will probably need to be replaced later.

15. Biggest and smallest short term goal?

Biggest: get out of H.I.V.E. alive

Smallest: beat Shelby at literally any competition

16. Biggest and smallest long term goal?

Biggest: keep one (1) otto malpense from getting beaten up, burned, assaulted, kidnapped, brainwashed, bullied, bruised, cut, crushed, killed, maimed, and/or otherwise damaged

Smallest: visit his mom’s grave annually

17. Preferred mode of dress and rituals surrounding dress

Simple, non-dramatic garb. I have always imagined that Wing would be his best self in business casual sweaters. He is also very particular about the shoes that he wears, but I don’t know enough about shoes to comment.

18. Favorite beverage?

Water.

19. What do they think about before falling asleep at night?

He doesn’t.

20. Childhood illnesses? Any interesting stories behind them?

Nothing much worse than the common cold, but he still has fond memories of his mom stopping in to check on him and give him soup, and his dad checking in on him before bed.

21. Turn-ons? Turn-offs?

Turn-ons: Sarcasm, which makes living with Otto and Shelby nigh unbearable.

Turn-offs: people who use the word “like” as a filler too much.

22. Given a blank piece of paper, a pencil, and nothing to do, what would happen?

He would set them neatly to the side and then put his head down and take on his chainsaw persona.

23. How organized are they? How does this organization/disorganization manifest in their everyday life?

Wing is very neat, but not entirely organized. In particular, he isn’t always good at keeping track of assignments for school, so he has gotten marked down a few times for not paying attention to dates and times, much to his disappointment.

24. Is there one subject of study that they excel at? Or do they even care about intellectual pursuits at all?

Wing has a modest success with almost all of his classes, but he is really good at strategy. If pressed, he could be a one-man armada. (That said, it isn’t like he considers intellectual things like math his beloved.)

25. How do they see themselves 5 years from today?

I don’t think Wing knows, but he would certainly hope to be partnering with one of his friends from school. If not, perhaps finding his place after going through his mother’s belongings.

26. Do they have any plans for the future? Any contingency plans if things don’t work out?

No, in part because H.I.V.E. doesn’t exactly cater to someone with his particular ethical framework. Wing wouldn’t want to exploit people for money, fame, or love, but he would find it just as tasteless to contract with a government to expose these deeds. Wing would feel most satisfied in a career where he has a personal connection—for example, running security in Laura’s tech company, or working as Otto’s personal bodyguard. Until Wing can get some life experience away from the island, he won’t have a clear idea of where he belongs.

27. What is their biggest regret?

Losing Otto to H.O.P.E. and allowing him to be brainwashed and taken advantage of in the worst of ways.

28. Who do they see as their best friend? Their worst enemy?

Best friend is Otto, obviously. Though their friendship was kind of manufactured by their close proximity, Wing finds Otto to be inspiring, trustworthy, and relatable.

Wing disdains all people he considers dishonorable, but he particularly loathes people who abuse their authority, like Dekker.

29. Reaction to sudden extrapersonal disaster (e.g. The house is on fire! What do they do?)

Action! If there are people and pets involved, then he saves them! If there is critical information that is needed, he makes that a second priority! He gets people to safety, calls for help, and continues to risk life and limb to make sure the people he cares about are okay.

30. Reaction to sudden intrapersonal disaster (eg close family member suddenly dies)

Well. It can be hard to tell, at first—Wing isn’t an entirely expressive guy. But, unsurprisingly, his pain has to come out in other ways. Lashing out, making rash decisions, losing motivation… all of these things are his way of not-coping with disaster because he struggles to express his emotions in a healthy way. (Many thanks to his dad for making him respond this way.)

31. Most prized possession?

His mom’s yin/yang necklace, although that is a gimme.

32. Thoughts on material possessions in general?

Not particularly concerned. Though Wing is not immune from sentiment, as in the case of his mom’s necklace, Wing’s strongest responses are for people and situations, not lifeless objects. It isn’t true to say that you could just pick Wing up and drop him anywhere, because of the social loss, but you could certainly burn his house down and he would be able to move on.

33. Concept of home and family?

Wing makes very deep bonds with the people who are emotionally open with him and who he spends a lot of time working and playing with. His mother (and father, to some extent) gave him that familial care when he was very young, but after Xiu Mei’s death and Cypher’s withdrawal from his home life, Lao became that staple of home love, a bond made strong by commitment and involvement. The same occurred when Wing came to H.I.V.E., and found a small home group in Otto, Laura, Shelby, Franz, and Nigel, who formed reciprocal relationships and made him feel like he belonged through the time they spent together.

34. Thoughts on privacy? (Are they a private person, or are they prone to ‘TMI’?)

Super private. He doesn’t mind sharing personal things with his nosy friends, but the rest of the school? If he had his way they wouldn’t know his eye color, much less the status of his feelings or relationships.

35. What activities do they enjoy, but consider to be a waste of time?

Puzzles, parkour, and frisbee.

36. What makes them feel guilty?

The times he has let down his friends, either by wrong action or inaction. Not taking care of himself. Lying by omission about his thoughts and feelings that he is not confident enough to share with people he respects. Leaving behind Lao, who might not know where he is.

37. Are they more analytical or more emotional in their decision-making?

Analytical, but with emotional motivations. Wing will bide his time bemoaning the loss of his best pal, very emotional and sad, and then assess the situation and jump into a helicopter when the time is right to save that pasty best friend’s ass.

38. Would they consider themselves a Type A or Type B personality?

Type B, which is not a usual thing for Alphas, let me tell you.

39. What recharges them when they’re feeling drained?

Sleep, meditation, working out, snuggling, listening to his friends have brilliant ideas (but only if he has been drained by hard and/or boring intellectual work), sleep.

40. Would you say that they have a superiority-complex? Inferiority-complex? Neither?

Maybe a slight inferiority complex that doesn’t show. In the wake of Xiu Mei’s death, Cypher made his son feel completely unimportant. Lao did the important work of rebuilding Wing’s self-esteem, but that sense of abandonment and unimportance can return in dark moments.

41. How misanthropic are they?

Not very. True facts, Wing could probably work for Greenpeace or a humanitarian aid society after school and feel very fulfilled defending ordinary people from corrupt militias and other dangerous things.

(Side note, Laura and Nigel would be my other contenders for humanitarian/charitable work, but Laura needs a greater intellectual challenge and Nigel would probably get overwhelmed and get back into evil botany.)

42. Hobbies?

Martial arts, sand art, yoga

43. How far did they get in formal education? What are their views on formal education vs self-education?

Wing received the best education his parents could get him as a young boy, but after his mother’s death he didn’t feel involved or interested, and his only interest became the passion for martial arts that he received from his mentor Lao. He quite admires self-education when it is done well, because it demonstrates high motivation and a deep passion for a subject of study.

44. Religion?

None, but he respects those who have one.

45. Superstitions or views on the occult?

Nothing major, but he does sometimes get the impression that his mother might be looking out for him, or reappearing in his life in small ways. Maybe in the way a flower blooms, maybe in hearing a familiar laugh. Or just good things happening.

46. Do they express their thoughts through words or deeds?

Usually deeds, because it is easier for Wing to step up to the plate and help his friends in whatever way they need to be helped without their asking. But nor is Wing embarrassed to admit it when he cares about people, and when he says those things, he means them.

47. If they were to fall in love, who (or what) is their ideal?

Brilliant smile. Someone he can enjoy a little competition with, but always in a friendly way. Someone who balances his quiet nature and composure with eagerness and ambition. Soft. Enjoys snuggling. Someone he can be honest with, but also someone he doesn’t completely understand. Someone who makes him laugh. Someone who makes an effort to understand him, even when it is hard. Hard worker. Talented. Smart. Someone who doesn’t allow him to take himself seriously. Someone who meshes with his friends, or bare minimum won’t take those friends away from him.

48. How do they express love?

In the dramatic ways, like risking his life. Also in mundane ways, like kissing on top of the head, or running errands on a busy day, or making sure that the beloved who fell asleep doing homework gets all the way into bed with a warm blanket.

49. If this person were to get into a fist fight, what is their fighting style like?

… at this point, I am going to defer to the master and tell you to just re-read the books. Like damn what do you want me to SAY.

50. Is this person afraid of dying? Why or why not?

No, but he would prefer not to. He doesn’t lose sleep over the inevitable, though.

#wing fanchu #evil asks #headcanon #otto malpense #laura brand #shelby trinity #nigel darkdoom #franz argentblum #i hope you're happy nonnie #headcanons #long post

3 notes · View notes

texanredrose · 6 years ago

Text

Did You Know?

-Today, 0317- (214) 13-170-9: Did you know that "hamburger" is two words combined, but it's not "ham" and "burger", but "hamburg" and "er"? No idea what "er" means, though. Or “Hamburg” really. English is weird. You: Who are you and how did you get this number? (214) 13-170-9: Shit, is this not Blake? You: No. I am not Blake. (214) 13-170-9: Ah fuck, sorry, must've fat fingered the number! You: It's four in the morning here. (214) 13-170-9: Oh, cool, same timezone. Still, sorry about that. You: It's fine. You: And, for the record, -er is an Atlesian suffix that roughly means "from" and Hamburg is a city in Atlas. "Hamburger" means, quite literally, "from Hamburg". You: I grew up not too far from there. (214) 13-170-9: Oh, that's so cool! My name's Yang! You: Noted. Now, may I return to slumber or do you have any other useless trivia to impart upon me? (214) 13-170-9: Right, sorry! Again! (214) 13-170-9: Night! Sweet dreams!

-Today, 1034- You: Now that it’s a somewhat respectable hour, I’d like to apologize for being curt last night. (214) 13-170-9: Hey, I get it! I’d be a little cranky if someone woke me up, too. (214) 13-170-9: Really, no harm, no foul. (214) 13-170-9: But if you’re ever in need of useless trivia, I’m here! You: That was... harsh of me. (214) 13-170-9: I mean, you’re not exactly wrong. Most of this stuff isn’t really that useful. But it can be food for thought or even a little funny! Like, did you know the electric chair was invented by a dentist? Sounds weirdly appropriate, doesn’t it? (214) 13-170-9: Guess he got his patients confused with chickens; THOSE are the ones where you pull out all the white things and THEN fry ‘em. You: That was dark. You: I’ll admit it made me laugh out loud, but still dark. (214) 13-170-9: Okay, look, I work with what material’s available to me, and that was the first one that popped into my head. (214) 13-170-9: Also, did you really type out ‘laugh out loud’? lol, really? You: What do you have against properly spelling out words? (214) 13-170-9: Okay, you know what, in hindsight, you’re right. It just caught me off guard. Most people use abbreviations. (214) 13-170-9: Or emojis. You: I honestly hate the sight of that stupid word. You: Also, I spend all day trapped in an alphabet soup hell. I don’t need more abbreviations, thank you. (214) 13-170-9: But they make things so much quicker! btw, ofc I could spell it all out, but rn I’m using one hand, other’s occupied. (214) 13-170-9: I swear that’s not as dirty as it sounds. You: At EOD, I meet with my POC for a SITREP, then CM to the DFAC. (214) 13-170-9: I respectfully withdraw my argument, have a good day.

-Today, 1425- (214) 13-170-9: Um. I might be overstepping here and maybe you’re busy but either way I hope I didn’t upset you or insult you earlier. You: You said “have a good day”; I assumed that was the end of the conversation. (214) 13-170-9: Do you even meme?! You: I realize I implied and now am outright stating that English isn’t my primary language but you don’t have to make up words. (214) 13-170-9: Oml have you never seen a meme before? Hold on. (214) 13-170-9: [MyHairIsABird.jpeg][open][save] You: What.The. Fuck. (214) 13-170-9: You’ve never seen that before? You: I have and am now wondering why I allowed myself to be teleported back a decade. You: At least. It’s probably closer to two at this point. (214) 13-170-9: That’s a meme. It’s short for mimetic mutation I think? Where a joke gets so far removed from the source that it loses all connection but it’s still somehow funny? You: No. (214) 13-170-9: Look, I’ve never had to explain a meme before! You: I’m not saying “no” to your explanation; I’m saying “no” to that meme, as you call it. (214) 13-170-9: That’s what it’s called! You: Of course it is. (214) 13-170-9: Okay, fine, how about this one? (214) 13-170-9: [loss.jpeg][open][save] You: Now you’re tormenting me. You: Wait. I recognize this format. You: This is the stupid joke the idiots I call my subordinates are giggling about like school children? You: It’s not even a joke. This is a serious matter. (214) 13-170-9: I mean, I agree, I’m not sure how it became a joke but it did? (214) 13-170-9: I swear I’m not as dark as I’ve been sounding. (214) 13-170-9: Like, this whole conversation is kinda atypical for me, I swear. You: You’re putting in a lot of effort to convince a stranger that you’re not exactly as you’ve been acting. (214) 13-170-9: Well, you got me there. Sorry.

-Today, 1832- You: You’ve gone quiet. I suppose both of your hands were required? (214) 13-170-9: I just figured you probably had a point and I should just stop digging a bigger hole for myself. You: You don’t have any more trivia? (214) 13-170-9: Did you know a shark’s top speed is 96 km/h? You: Which species? (214) 13-170-9: Uh, Mako shark, I think. You: You are correct. I have a certain affinity for sharks. You: They aren’t as terrible as people make them out to be, you know. Yang: Actually, more people die from being struck on the head with a coconut than from shark attacks every year. They’re mostly fine if you leave them alone. Unprovoked attacks aren’t as common as people think, I mean. It’s mostly just one species responsible for them, too, but people lump all sharks together. You: They do. Sharks are dangerous, yes, but most creatures are. Sharks just get a bad reputation for essentially no reason. Yang: Actually, the movie Jaws spawned a lot of the social stigma around sharks. Yang: Do you have a favorite shark? You: The catshark. There’s several species all over Remnant; they’re deep sea creatures, living below what most people fish at, but they’re occasionally spotted by research vessels. They have beautiful skins with wonderful patterns but very little is known about them, and each subspecies is unique in its own way. You: They’re truly fascinating creatures. Yang: They sound really cool! You: I have a question for you. Yang: Shoot. You: You’ve given me your name yet you haven’t ask me mine. Why? Yang: Well, let’s start from the top. Yang: I messaged you in the middle of the night on accident, which you weren’t very happy about. Then when you apologized, I made a bad joke and you took it literally. THEN, I apologized again, and we talked about memes, and that entire discussion didn’t go anywhere good, I think we’re on the same page on that one. Yang: So, from my perspective, I really don’t have any right to ask your name. I gave you mine so you’d know who to specifically curse if you’re religiously inclined. Yang: Or, like, you just want the satisfaction of specifically cursing me, because like, mood. You: How thoughtful. You: It’s Winter. Yang: I’m pretty sure it’s spring? You: You boob. My name is Winter. Yang: OH Yang: IT’S A GOOD NAME You: ... really? Yang: Absolutely! It’s a beautiful name! You: That wasn’t me looking for reassurance; that was me being... surprised by your response. Yang: It makes me think of Atlas, kinda, cause it’s so cold up there. Yang: Oh. Yang: I am just a series of “open mouth, insert foot” examples today. You: Are you on something? Alcohol? Weed? Nicotine? Yang: NO! You: Admittedly, that last one wouldn’t lead to such a lapse in judgement as you’ve currently displayed. You: Are you lying to me? Yang: FUCKING NO, I’M NOT ON ANYTHING! Yang: I just haven’t been sleeping well recently and my head’s a little fuzzy. That’s all. You: That would explain the middle-of-the-night trivia session. Yang: I said I was sorry about that. You: I believe you but I also believe that a good night’s rest in fundamentally important. You: Tonight, you’re going to sleep at a reasonable hour. Yang: You can’t just command me to go to sleep! You: I just did. Yang: Wait a minute, the acronyms, the orders, “subordinates”- you’re military, aren’t you? You: Yes. Yang: That’s awesome! I’m just a mechanic. I like working on engines. You: Riveting, truly, but those are topics for tomorrow. Tonight, you sleep. Yang: lmao, nice pun! You: I didn’t make a pun. Yang: I said I’m a mechanic, you said “riveting”, how was that not a pun? You: You’re deflecting. Yang: My shields are up. You: I’m not engaging in a pun war when you should be going to bed. Yang: I’m not going to bed, so I guess we’re at a stalemate. You: Fine. Here’s the deal. Make me a promise. Yang: Wow, we’re hardly on first name basis and now we’re making promises? You move fast. You: Promise me you’ll text me whatever piece of trivia comes to mind whenever you’re having trouble sleeping. Yang: I don’t get it. I’d be waking you up at all hours. You: Exactly. You seem like the sort of person to care very much about others so I doubt you’d compromise my sleep intentionally. Now that you have a clear purpose of going to sleep to help someone else sleep, you’ll have an easier time accomplishing the task. Yang: What are you, some kinda quack psychologist? Yang: You’re playing dirty. You: I’m military. What did you honestly expect? Yang: Touche. Yang: Fine. I’ll try to sleep tonight. But just know! I have a whole bunch of factoids for ya! Get ready cause neither of us is sleeping tonight! You: Usually, I’d insist someone buy me dinner first. Yang: Now you’re flirting. You: I’m merely stating fact. You: How about one more “factoid” before bed? Yang: Did you know a shark’s teeth are literally hard as steel? You: Playing to my interests, I see. Yang: I have my moments of brilliance. You: Indeed you do. Now, good night, Yang. Get some sleep. Yang: Good night Winter. Sweet dreams. You: And to you the same.

-Today, 0947- Yang: I hate you. You: Care to elaborate? Yang: Somehow, it worked, and I just woke up from the sleep of the dead. My body feels like mush sloshing around a hollow lead cylinder. You: What you’re feeling is the side effects of your body getting both too little and too much rest at the same time. If you establish a better sleep schedule, you’ll avoid this feeling in the future. Yang: Thank you, Doctor Winter. Do I get a lollipop? You: Continue being this cheeky; I assure you it’s doing nothing but improving my perception of you. Yang: Harsh. You: That was teasing. Yang: Oh. You really should add, like, an lol or something when you're joking. I'm not awake enough to find context clues. You: Aside from the lethargy, how are you feeling? Yang: Hungry. I finally dragged myself out of bed to cook breakfast and it turns out my sister already made me some. I’ve taught her well. You: Older or younger? Yang: I’m older by two years. Sometimes, it feels longer than that, though; I practically raised her. You: Interesting. I’m glad she made some food for you. Yang: Yeah. Now that I think about it, probably worried her pretty bad the last few weeks. You: Is that how long you’ve been having trouble sleeping?” Yang: About that. Yang: These pancakes taste fucking delicious btw. Yang: Did you know that, for most people, their right lung takes in more air than their left? You: We need to have a talk about priorities because I highly doubt you’ve inhaled your food that quickly. Yang: Sorry, my sis had to leave, so it’s a quiet breakfast over here. You: I don’t see that as something that needs to be corrected. You: However, I find myself wondering if you know the reason behind the lung trivia. Yang: I do! It’s because, for most people, your heart is just to the left of the center of your chest. So, since the heart takes up space, there’s only two sacs in your left lung, as opposed to three in your right. Yang: *sacks? Idek You: Idek? Yang: I Don’t Even Know- not sure what the difference between “sacs” and “sacks” is. You: This is why acronyms and abbreviations are more trouble than they’re worth. Yang: Okay, so basically, a sac is biological and a sack is manufactured. Like, sacs are things naturally occurring that fill with air or liquid, either in the body or outside it. Sacks are made for carrying things like groceries. Yang: Meanwhile, “sack” as a verb means either getting hit or getting laid off. Or maybe both, I guess, depending on your job. You: You went and looked it up? Yang: What, you think I was born with all these random things preprogrammed? Yang: I have a really good retention rate and I'm curious a lot. Yang: Google is my friend. You: Obviously. I suppose the appropriate follow-up question would be: you kept highlighting “most people”. Why? Yang: Well, there are a lot of medical reasons that makes it not applicable to everyone. Dextrocardia, for instance, in its mildest form causes the heart to face the opposite way, so the lungs usually fill differently because of that. More severe cases mean that more visceral organs are mirrored, too. You: Okay, so, language, sharks, the electric chair, and now medical trivia. The breadth of your subjects of interest is impressive. Yang: Thanks! Yang: Did you know that the cracking sound made by a whip is caused by the tip breaking the sound barrier? Yang: I’m pretty sure this counts as physics. You: I’ll add physics to the list. You: Now finish your breakfast and do something small. Take a nap in a few hours or whenever you feel tired. Yang: Do you have any siblings? Yang: You don't have to answer right away! Yang: Or at all. Yang: Guess you're busy? Eating breakfast maybe?

-Today, 1036- You: Actually, I was in formation. It's usually at 0930 but there were... complications this morning, so they pushed it back half an hour. Yang: Huh. For some reason, I always thought the military would be, like, SUPER punctual. You: And I have a younger sister and a younger brother, in that order. You: I'm going to tell you a secret: the military is always late. We just never admit it. Yang: So, you're like a bunch of cats? You: Given what constitutes my workday, yes, I would say that's accurate. "Herding cats" is the most accurate description of my job title. Yang: lmao, that's wild. Your siblings here in Vale too? Or back home in Atlas? You: My sister is here; she moved here to study at Beacon and then decided to stay. I suspect her girlfriend might factor into that decision but she's remaining tight lipped about it. My brother is at home, in Atlas. You: Now explain “lmao”. Yang: Laughing My As Off Yang: You really don’t know any chat abbreviations? You: Has it occurred to you that abbreviations is a very long word to describe the shortening of words and is, in itself, evidence that it’s all very silly? Yang: I know this is going to sound very grade school but you’re kinda cute when you’re annoyed. You: You’re right; that does sound very grade school. You: And you only say that because you can’t see me. Yang: Oh, so you don’t go all broody, kinda constipated, pursed lips when you’re annoyed by something? You: I understand those words individually but, combined, I’m lost. What would that even look like? Yang: Here. Yang: [photo][open][save] You: First, I want to assure you that you’re a very beautiful individual. You: Next, you look absolutely ridiculous. Yang: Hey, that’s how I think you look when you’re annoyed! You: I do not. Yang: Okay, I’ll take your word for it! You: [photo][open][save] Yang: Oh Yang: Wow You: That is what I look like when annoyed. You: And, not to wound your ego, but that annoyance isn’t inspired by you. A subordinate just asked me for fucking grid squares. You: At this point, one would think that joke’s too tired to work, but one would be wrong. Yang: Did you know that the winter of 392 was so cold, all of Beacon Falls froze over? You: Back to trivia? Yang: It’s my default response when higher brain function shuts down. You: I’ll admit, this is the first time in a long while I’ve felt flattery to be entirely sincere. Yang: This isn’t flattery; this is cold, hard facts. You: I see. Yang: Hey, I, uh, just realized the time, I gotta get to work. Yang: See if I still have a job, at any rate. You: I understand. Good luck. Yang: Thanks! Hope your work day gets better!

-Today, 1236- You: I assume the radio silence to be a good sign.

-Today, 1428- Yang: Yeah! Turns out, the shop kept a spot for me. My boss is being really understanding. Yang: Kinda... babying me, too, but... I’m getting used to it. Yang: At least he fired the idiot that started this whole mess. You: Am I permitted to inquire as to what happened? Yang: I don’t wanna go into details. You: That’s understandable. You: I’m glad they kept a spot for you. Are you going to return to work full time or ease into it? Yang: Give me a minute. You: Very well.

-Today, 1513- Yang: A few months ago, there was an accident at the shop. We do body work too and this guy tried using a machine he had no business using. Freaked out, caused a scene, I tried going over to help, ended up with my right arm caught in the damn thing. Mangled it pretty bad. So bad the docs had to take it. I got fitted for a prosthetic and I’m just trying to find normal again. Yang: I know I said I didn’t wanna go into the details but I’m actually shit at lying. Yang: Except in, like, weirdly specific circumstances. You: Thank you. Yang: Ok. Gotta admit. Not the response I expected. You: It must be very difficult to discuss and think about the accident. You didn’t have to go into it, yet you did, and I thank you for trusting me with that. You: That being said, is this a contributing factor to your insomnia? Yang: It’s not insomnia. I’m just not sleeping well. Yang: But yeah, idk, maybe it’s related. I liked sleeping on my right side and I can’t anymore. Anchor digs into my ribs. You: Establishing a new routine can be tricky at first. Everything is just a painful reminder of the incident. Yang: Sounds like you have experience with this. You: A bit. A superior of mine whom I respect greatly lost most of his body a few years back. He speaks very frankly about the challenges he faced when returning to the line. Yang: Wait, you mean General Ironwood? You: You know him? Yang: Who in Remnant doesn’t? He’s basically a celebrity. I mean, not just for the prosthetic body thing; he’s also the youngest commanding General of the Atlesian military. Yang: Which... tbh, is kinda weird. Isn’t he pushing fifty? You: Age takes on a whole new concept in the military. Yang: I’d say. Yang: They talked about him when I started my physical therapy. Supposed to inspire me, I guess. You: For what it’s worth, he actually dislikes when people do that. He says that each individual case is a war all unto itself. Comparisons are detrimental to the individual’s recovery. Yang: I like him better already. I’ve been over here trying to just “suck it up” I mean, not like I lost anything more than an arm, what do I have to complain about? You: Hold that thought. Yang: Okay?

-Today, 1558- You: Miss Yang? This is General Ironwood. Yang: Look, I’m all for practical jokes, but this isn’t a good one. You: [photo][open][save] Yang: This is not a joke. You: No, it is not. You: Miss Yang, I’d like to extend my deepest, sincerest sympathies to you for your loss. Having your life upended in such a way can be extremely disorienting. However, the measure of your strength does not come from what you can or can’t do in comparison to before. It comes from your desire to continue fighting, to find a new balance to your life. Asymmetry is a measure of beauty, strength, and courage in its own right. Yang: Thank you, sir. Yang: *Sir. You: I’d like to extend an invitation to a support group I host. It’s mostly military members from all over Remnant but, if you don’t mind a bit of morbidly crass humor- a habit I’m attempting to break the lot of them from, with limited results- we’d be honored with your presence. Yang: No offense, but I doubt a bunch of soldiers would be “honored” by a mechanic. You: The first thing I teach is to see similarities instead of differences. You saw something dangerous and, rather than run away, you ran towards it. All of us share that experience. You: Except Carl. Yang: What happened to him? You: I apologize; it’s a military specific meme. Winter mentioned you’re rather fond of memes. Yang: Oh, so you know what a meme is, but she doesn’t? You: Don’t tell her I said so- she’s a very good soldier- but she’s always had a stick up her ass. She could use more memes in her life. Yang: Should I take that as an order? You: Absolutely. Yang: Can do. And, uh, sure. About the support group. You: Excellent! I’ll give Winter the details so she can pass them onto you. It was wonderful taking to you, Miss Yang. Yang: Yeah, you too, Sir. You: It’s Winter again. I hope that helped. Yang: Did you literally walk into the office of the commanding General of Atlas’ military, just to hand him your scroll and say ‘talk to this bitch’? You: I didn’t use those words; I told him I had a friend who recently attended physical therapy post amputation and I thought some words of encouragement from him would be a good idea. You: Wait, did he literally say I have a stick up my ass? Yang: WOOOW, meme savvy he might be, but apparently he doesn’t know how to delete a text message. You: I can’t believe he’d say that. You: I most certainly do not have a stick lodged in my posterior, figurative or otherwise. Yang: I’d offer to check but that’s a bit too fast too soon, so I’ll just say you seem alright to me. You: Thank you, Yang. Yang: Cranky when I wake you up at the asscrack of dawn, though. That might be when ass and stick are firm friends. You: Do not make me take it back. Yang: I’m just kidding! Yang: Seriously, though, thanks. You didn’t have to do that. You: You’re welcome.

-Today, 0233- Yang: Did you know it takes the average person seven minutes to fall asleep? You: I sincerely thought you’d be asleep by now. Yang: I did. Woke up. Yang: Sorry. You: Do you know what a contact truck is? Yang: Uh, no, no idea. You: It’s the military vehicle utilized by mechanics, outfitted with tools, so they can drive out and repair other vehicles. Do you know why it’s called that? Yang: Hit me with it. You: That was an actual question. Yang: Huh? You: I’ve been asking for as long as I’ve been in. Not even General Ironwood knows why it’s called that. It just is. Yang: omg that’s hilarious You: It’s that, too. Also incredibly vexing. You: I just want to know why it’s called that. Yang: Heh. If I find out, I’ll let you know. You: Go back to sleep, Yang. Yang: I’ll try. Night. You: And sweet dream. Yang: lol, same to you.

#TRR writes #Elderburn #Texting AU

129 notes · View notes

isolement · 3 years ago

Text

mansionofmuses:

Goodness, such humble roots! Still, Weiss had heard stories of Kuchinashi back in Atlas. Their culture was definitely interesting. What stood out most to her was the odd usage of people using dismembered Grimm parts as a warning in the entrances of town. Trying to remember, Weiss tilted her head curiously and questioned.

“Is it true there’s really mummified Grimm in Kuchinashi’s entrance? Isn’t that a bit… Extreme?”

Mummified Grimm aside, Weiss figured the town itself was a nice place. Although there was also a surge of crime in there as well, so she heard. Weiss tried to keep herself as a well-versed woman, so this type of worldly knowledge was to be expected.

Then came Noire’s other message about Haven’s living arrangements. Honestly, the idea of having her own private room sounded fantastic at times. Living with the other members of team RWBY, Weiss didn’t get much privacy. As such, she couldn’t help but wave a dismissive hand at the thought.

“Girl, I wish I had my own private room sometimes. Sharing a room with Ruby and Yang can be a lot to handle sometimes.”

A light-hearted laugh. She didn’t mean any ill will by it. Her teammates were just a bit hectic at times. Especially when it came to a certain blonde snoring. Or Ruby’s incessant need to blow that darned whistle at the break of dawn! Weiss could basically kiss her shut-eye goodbye.

Still, to hear Noire had natural talent was most intriguing. Weiss would love to get a chance to spar with her at some point. She saw the way she handled the first round. Sure a curb stomp may have been… excessive, but it was nothing if not effective! Weiss had to give her props on that.

Since Weiss just finished her soup nad saw Noire looking displeased at hers, she figured to set her bowl aside and focus entirely on the cute girl before her. Her reaction to the soup made Weiss wonder how authentic Mistralian soup would taste. But her train of thought was cut short at Noire’s inquiry.

“Ah… Right. Well…”

The heiress bit her lower lip and looked somewhat dejectedly to the side. The thought of Weiss’s family really wasn’t a good one. At the very least, she had two people in mind she could say she genuinely missed. Managing a smile again, she looked back at Noire with refound confidence.

“I would say I miss my older sister, Winter. She’s taught me everything I know, and she really looked out for me when we were kids. I’d also say I really miss my butler, Klein. He’s a real sweetheart. Honestly, he feels more like a father to me than my actual father. But don’t tell anyone I said that.”

A nervous chuckle. Weiss didn’t want anyone to worry about her or anything. That life was behind her now. She had genuine friends who felt more like family to her than her actual family. The heiress figured to ask the same question to Noire, so she simply rose a brow.

“And yourself? Any friends or family you miss back home?”

they lean back again, eyes closed as they listen to weiss' words and the general hubbub of the noisy market around them. noire cracks a grin at the astonishment shown by weiss in response to the mummified grimm, nodding in confirmation. the mummified grimm were indeed real, and neo's first encounter with them had been terrifying. the grin stays on their face as weiss mentions little red and the blonde, already well acquainted with yang's fighting style.

the grin disappears at weiss' hesitance, noire leaning forward and head tilting in curiosity. they relax momentarily later, making a mental note of the heiress' disinterest in discussing their family. she didn't seem to miss her parents, so i'm guessing they don't treat her too well, thought neo, i'll mention it to cinder next meeting, maybe. they pull another sticky-note off of their pile, scribbling a response onto it. ' eh, not really missing anyone. only have a couple of friends, and one of them is attending. if anything, i'm missing my favorite food stalls from back home. '

#mansionofmuses #vol 3 // neo #ic // neo

9 notes · View notes

acecavenger · 7 years ago

Note

Hi :3 Don't think I've picked on you yet, or at least not recently. Let's fix that >:3 Questions 1-150

Aerllette you monster

1. Who was the last person you held hands with? @cenizacaer (dont tell her gf)2. Are you outgoing or shy? depends on the situation, but mostly shy3. Who are you looking forward to seeing? My friends, again. But if i do go to RTX London then my friends in the EU!!!4. Are you easy to get along with? I guess so5. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you? Ceni and @gh0stmach1ne helped me when i got drunk on the 4th...6. What kind of people are you attracted to? Honestly red heads 7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now? Dunno8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind? my female friends?9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable? A little yea...10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with? Ceni11. What does the most recent text that you sent say? my mom asking if i want lunch or not 12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now? Peace Sign, Armed and Ready, I May Fall remix, Deadend in Tokyo, Somebody to Love13. Do you like it when people play with your hair? YES14. Do you believe in luck and miracles? eh15. What good thing happened this summer? RTX201716. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? Sure17. Do you think there is life on other planets? probably18. Do you still talk to your first crush? nope19. Do you like bubble baths? havent had one in YEARS20. Do you like your neighbors? nope21. What are you bad habits? stay up late and sleeping til 3pm22. Where would you like to travel? BACK TO AUSTIN 23. Do you have trust issues? kinda24. Favorite part of your daily routine? going back to sleep25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with? my chest/torso 26. What do you do when you wake up? do back to sleep27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker? i jsut wish i wasnt so fucking pale28. Who are you most comfortable around? my friends29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up? no30. Do you ever want to get married? im not i not position to answer that rn31. If your hair long enough for a pony tail? ive tried32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with? uhh gal gadot and scarjo33. Spell your name with your chin. Z,mdsx34. Do you play sports? What sports? i swam(i know the irony)35. Would you rather live without TV or music? TV, i need music36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them? yep37. What do you say during awkward silences? “SOOOOOO how bout that sports team?”38. Describe your dream girl/guy? someone i can see a future with would would also like to cosplays otps at cons with 39. What are your favorite stores to shop in? Best Buy40. What do you want to do after high school? forget about highschool41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? sure42. If your being extremely quiet what does it mean? im thinking of what to say 43. Do you smile at strangers? from time to time 44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean? SPAAAAACE45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning? food 46. What are you paranoid about? my future47. Have you ever been high? nope48. Have you ever been drunk? oh yeah49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about? not really 50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore? black51. Ever wished you were someone else? occasionally 52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself? i wish i was just a bit more motivated to do things 53. Favourite makeup brand? dont wear any54. Favourite store? Amazon55. Favourite blog? mine :P56. Favourite colour? blue 57. Favourite food? shrimp58. Last thing you ate? a sandwich59. First thing you ate this morning? ..a sandwich 60. Ever won a competition? For what? uh, swimming 61. Been suspended/expelled? For what? ...fighting...62. Been arrested? For what? nope63. Ever been in love? yep64. Tell us the story of your first kiss? welp, we were interrupted by a homeless man asking change for the bus...65. Are you hungry right now? nope66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends? yes67. Facebook or Twitter? twitter68. Twitter or Tumblr? tumblr 69. Are you watching tv right now? kinda70. Names of your bestfriends? sami, keira, sakura, kelso, kit, 71. Craving something? What? LIBERATION 72. What colour are your towels? blue 72. How many pillows do you sleep with? two73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals? no74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have? the one yang plush75. Favourite animal? shark76. What colour is your underwear? red77. Chocolate or Vanilla? chocolate 78. Favourite ice cream flavour? mint chocolate chip79. What colour shirt are you wearing? navy blue 80. What colour pants? black81. Favourite tv show? mythbusters 82. Favourite movie? guardians of the galaxy vol 283. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2? neither 84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street? jump street85. Favourite character from Mean Girls? never saw it86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo? nemo87. First person you talked to today? mom88. Last person you talked to today? mom89. Name a person you hate? Isaac 90. Name a person you love? Sami91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now? yes92. In a fight with someone? yes93. How many sweatpants do you have? 394. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have? 4-595. Last movie you watched? Wonder Woamn96. Favourite actress? Gal Gadot 97. Favourite actor? Chris Prat 98. Do you tan a lot? no99. Have any pets? yes 100. How are you feeling? exhausted 101. Do you type fast? nope102. Do you regret anything from your past? yes 103. Can you spell well? noep104. Do you miss anyone from your past? yes105. Ever been to a bonfire party? once 106. Ever broken someone’s heart? i hope not107. Have you ever been on a horse? yes108. What should you be doing? showering 109. Is something irritating you right now? yes 110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt? yea111. Do you have trust issues? kinda 112. Who was the last person you cried in front of? ... my friends bc im not gonna see most of them for awhile 113. What was your childhood nickname? my uncle called me Ally Cat, idk why114. Have you ever been out of your province/state? yes115. Do you play the Wii? not anymore 116. Are you listening to music right now? nope117. Do you like chicken noodle soup? yes118. Do you like Chinese food? yes 119. Favourite book? Son of Neptune120. Are you afraid of the dark? a little121. Are you mean? i try not to be 122. Is cheating ever okay? never 123. Can you keep white shoes clean? no124. Do you believe in love at first sight? maybe, ive never experienced it..125. Do you believe in true love? maybe126. Are you currently bored? yes127. What makes you happy? anime128. Would you change your name? maybe129. What your zodiac sign? aquarius 130. Do you like subway? ye131. Your bestfriend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? tell them i acknowledge their feels, but dont want to ruin the friendship that we have if something go wrong if we date 132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? didnt i answer this?133. Favourite lyrics right now? “OUT OF MY WAY CAUSE IM ARMED AND REAAAAADY”134. Can you count to one million? nah135. Dumbest lie you ever told? “its for a friend”136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed? closed137. How tall are you? 6′3″138. Curly or Straight hair? uh139. Brunette or Blonde? blonde(bc yang)140. Summer or Winter? winter141. Night or Day? night 142. Favourite month? July bc RTX143. Are you a vegetarian? nope144. Dark, milk or white chocolate? dark145. Tea or Coffee? neither 146. Was today a good day? its ok 147. Mars or Snickers? snickers 148. What’s your favourite quote? “Keep Moving Forward”149. Do you believe in ghosts? kinda 150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page? “PLUS........ULTRAAAAAAA”

#aerllette

3 notes · View notes

riannagalvez · 6 years ago

Text

Hello, dolls!! Hello, wonderful April! I know I have been expressing how exhausted I have been lately but man do I love being busy — the irony, right? I think that’s just how women are, we are born as “doers”. I once read an article online that mentioned how vital a woman’s role in a household is. That before we could even think of sitting down, we make sure we have everything covered, and for most of us, that happens right before bedtime! Now, I am not trying to say men don’t do their fair share of responsibilities at home. I like to think I am fortunate more than others when it comes to my husband being involved in our daily chores, but I sometimes wonder, if women stopped doing the things they do, and men are left with no structure at home, would it be as efficient as it would be?

Anyway, I am still reliving our Austin trip and all the amazing food that we had. After 3 consecutive delayed/canceled flights from our last two trips, I can’t believe that I am finally telling myself to go on a break from jet setting and just stick to road trips until our big family trip in December! So I guess I am going to let my blog travel for me for a while by reliving my great adventures.

Before I move on to my Quezon City lunch food guide, let me promote the giveaway I am hosting right now in Partnership with Maryland Families for Safe Birth. If you want to win a swag bag worth $300, please click here for the giveaway! ❤

One of the hardest decisions we face on the regular is choosing a restaurant to eat with friends or family. How many times did you get stuck thinking about “that place” you can all agree with? Whenever we are in Manila, A is all about eating Chinese food. Lucky for him, Quezon City has a lot of places to offer — especially since we are very close to Banawe aka the Chinatown of Quezon City.

Option 1: Wan Chai

Wan Chai is one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in the Philippines. I remember how excited my Dad was when he told us to get ready for lunch because he wants to eat Peking Duck, especially with A.

A loving the dim sum cart.

Nothing like hot-soft-pillowy siopaos to start our Chinese feast.

We got our favorites! Fall off the bone chicken feet, steamed spareribs, fish in black bean sauce, and yang chow fried rice.

‘Pancit Canton/ Noodles for long life — cause A has to have noodles when at a Chinese restaurant lol

…and the main reason why my Dad took us to Wan Chai for lunch — Peking Duck! The manager told him it’s advisable to order the Peking duck in advance (not sure if it’s because they run out or because it takes a while to prepare). We had 3 ways and everyone was just ready to dig in!

First way: Crispy peking duck skin is delicious BUT lethal!! I used to eat a lot of this but now that I am more conscious about calories and all that I limit myself to 3 pancake wraps of it.

Second way: Stir-fried peking duck in lettuce wraps. MY FAVORITE! The sweet and savory flavor that fills the crunchy lettuce makes me crave for more. I almost feel like I shouldn’t worry about calories when eating this! lol

Third Way: Peking duck as a soup. I went to some restaurants that would deep fry the bones with aromatic spices and then serve it just like that. It was my first time to try it in a soup and it was pretty good!

Where to have dessert/snack after:

Rockies in Fisher Mall. Have you ever seen those cool looking rolled ice cream? Do you go for the toppings or to watch the person behind the counter turn that yummy milk mixture into ice cream? I am all about the toppings! I guess since I’ve worked in the kitchen for so long, seeing certain ingredients turn into “something” is pretty normal for me. I know my siblings love watching so to those who like to be entertained with something new, Rockies is the perfect spot for ice cream and a little bit of that.

Option 2: Elarz

Elarz Lechon

Were you even in the Philippines if you did not have lechon??

One of my favorite memories with my Lolo was going to Elarz for lunch to eat homestyle Filipino food and delicious lechon. I remember going there with him and feeling like we were just having lunch at home because all the servers knew him and made us feel comfortable.

Where to have dessert after: Mr. Binatog

Binatog is boiled white corn topped with coconut shavings, salt, and condensed milk (if you like). It’s one of Filipinos’ favorite street foods and I am so happy someone decided to open up Mr. Binatog in most shopping malls because I do not have to wait for the street vendor to pass by our house when I am in the Philippines.

I love mine sweet and salty! I put coconut, salt, and extra condensed milk. YUMMMM!!

_____________________

Option 3: Tasty Dumplings

Tasty Dumplings is one of my favorite go-to restaurants in Quezon City. I remember in high school I would get excited during exam week because we get to go home early — meaning, I can go to Tasty Dumplings for late lunch.

I am always torn between getting an order of pork chop or 2 orders of dumplings 😛 Their crispy fried pork chops are perfectly crispy and HUGE! The dumplings have the best filling, just as good as one of our favorite Chinese restaurants in Binondo – La Mien.

I love how A looks forward to going to Tasty Dumplings too whenever we are in the Philippines. This year, I know little A will love it here too because of their wintermelon juice and delicious dumplings! My little Asian boy :P

What to eat for dessert/snack after : Milk Tea

There are milk tea stores all over the country in every corner. What better way to push down mouthwatering Chinese food than to have milk tea, right? Lol

I wanted to check what baby products I won’t be able to easily find here in the US. The malls are always too crowded and I get overwhelmed with the amount of sales ladies in the department stores asking if we need help every 3 minutes. I’ve been following The Parenting Emporium on Instagram even before our trip and thought it’s a great place for me to discover new brands and products.

I’ve been using the mosquito repellant stickers on little A ever since my cousin Ate Carla gave us a box of it. We love it so much especially during summer when he is out every day.

It was nice of them to post about us on their Facebook and Instagram page after our visit! 😛

I had to make sure our trip won’t affect my milk supply so I stocked up on lactating treats!

Little A is looking forward to his trip to the Philippines too! He’s been telling my Dad he wants to go to Jollibee because of the fried chicken — sounds like his Daddy! LOL

Soon I will have two babies in my arms ❤

R ❤

Manila Food Guide: Where To Eat Lunch in Quezon City Hello, dolls!! Hello, wonderful April! I know I have been expressing how exhausted I have been lately but man do I love being busy --

0 notes

recentnews18-blog · 6 years ago

Photo

New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/a-night-at-dimples-japantowns-sometimes-curious-often-funny-always-welcoming-oasis/

A night at Dimples, Japantown's sometimes curious, often funny, always welcoming oasis

It’s a Friday around 11 p.m., and Dimples is in full swing. The karaoke rooms of this subterranean Japantown bar are occupied by one party of mild middle-aged men singing Korean songs, and one group of decidedly not-mild 30-somethings singing the standards. Shouted segments of “Don’t Stop Believin’” blare into the main bar whenever someone opens the door.

At the bar, an old man in a newsboy cap nurses a Budweiser as he watches a sports recap on TV, a bag of golf clubs propped next to his stool. To his left, a guy in his 20s chats with a bartender, while both of them ignore the fact that the guy’s friend is full-on asleep, face down on the bar.

To the right, near the door — where posted notices include a “no smoking” sign (a few feet from where two patrons are smoking) and a flier alerting victims of sex trafficking of their rights — is a foursome that looks to have just come from a more upscale establishment, a double date.

“I mean, he doesn’t like soup or salad,” says one of the women, a blonde who came in limping from her heels, to the other woman. “What am I supposed to do?” Her friend has no discernible solution.

It is, in many ways, a typical dive bar on a Friday night. But Dimples is more than meets the eye. There’s a mythology to this place — and you don’t need to be a troublemaker to leave Dimples with a good story. People who are not fighting types get into fights at Dimples. Mistakes are made. Once, while standing outside, I watched a man bolt up the staircase, vomit efficiently on the sidewalk, then casually trot back down.

“I’ve been asked to leave Dimples,” wrote Chris Ying last year in a Chronicle column on Japantown and the kind of guilty voyeurism the neighborhood can inspire. “If you’ve been to Dimples, you understand what it takes to get kicked out of Dimples.”

For the record, my interest remains piqued.

Dimples was opened in 2002 by Tracy Yang, an effusive woman now in her 50s with a warm and frequent laugh. Yang emigrated to the U.S. from South Korea in 1982; she was running an Irish pub in the Sunset when the Japantown bar came up for sale, and she decided to make a move. Then called Club Cello (though city maps show the basement room was technically USA Karaoke Box), the bar got a swift rebrand: Dimples was the name of Yang’s favorite restaurant back home.

In 2018, San Francisco’s Dimples is more a time machine than a means of vicarious international travel, thanks to its interior design, which can best be described as a sort of faded glory, vaguely “Miami Vice”-esque kitsch. It boasts magenta lighting, mint-green vinyl booths, indoor foliage, mirrored walls, two rooms for private karaoke ($75 an hour), a jukebox (sadly upgraded to the digital variety in the past couple years), a small seating area at the bottom of the entry stairwell in which someone is always chain-smoking and an L-shaped bar from behind which an all-female staff serves cocktails that are neither well-made nor especially reasonably priced. Depending on the day and time, you might also be served free peanuts or pretzels or seemingly leftover fried squid.

The cumulative effect is both unabashedly strange and, somehow, charming as hell.

More Information

To order: Sierra Nevada in a bottle ($5)

Where: Dimples, 1700 Post St., S.F. 415-775-6688.

When: 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

And then there’s this: In April 2014, Dimples had its license suspended for 45 days after a three-month investigation in which the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control determined what nearly every Dimples patron already knew. Dimples is a hostess bar.

Hostess bars, in which patrons can pay extra for female company, are a fixture of the nightlife industry in countries including Japan. They are legal in California, and commonplace in Hawaii. There’s nothing explicit about the transaction: A table full of businessmen might pay a surcharge for a pretty employee to sit and flirt with them for an hour or two, for example.

But the ABC caught Dimples on a technicality: It’s fine for hostesses to receive tips directly from patrons, but apparently illegal for them to receive a cut of the bar’s take. The ABC’s report described this as a “drink solicitation scheme” that could “contribute to the over-service of alcohol.” Within the industry, regulators point to the profit-sharing — not the hostessing itself — as a gateway to prostitution.

There have been no prostitution charges at Dimples. But some of the bar’s idiosyncrasies are hard to ignore: Roughly half the times I’ve been to Dimples, there’s been a chair in the single-stall women’s bathroom, sometimes accompanied by a few pump-top bottles of lotion. Whispers about the karaoke rooms’ less musical uses have floated around for years.

Suffice it to say, few who have been to Dimples were stunned by the suspension. “Dimples Karaoke Bar is Shut Down and No One is Surprised,” read the Bold Italic’s headline. After closing for 45 days in 2014, the bar reopened around Memorial Day. I heard that weekend was packed.

Yang chalks the legal issues up to one bartender and a handful of isolated incidents in which customers were solicited for extra cash after asking servers to dance, she says. Since that time, she keeps a more watchful eye.

“I don’t want any trouble,” she says.

It was, it turned out, Yang’s second sting inside three months. Pagoda, a bar just up the block whose license is also under her legal name (Sonyong Crouere), had been slapped with a 90-day suspension in February 2014. In Pagoda’s case, according to The Chronicle, “one employee was arrested on suspicion of soliciting prostitution and another was investigated over allegations of pimping.”

When asked about the Pagoda allegations, Yang waves off mention of funny business there as well, but adds that she’s recently sold Pagoda to her half-brother and sister. She’s taking a step back. She just moved to Concord after years in San Francisco, and she has five rescue dogs that need her attention.

But she’s keeping Dimples. She loves Dimples. And Dimples, she says, is now following the rules.

I saw little evidence of hostessing — in air quotes or otherwise — on my two most recent visits to Dimples. On one occasion a server asked an older man at the end of the bar for money, which she promptly used for the jukebox.

No, on these visits, my most enduring impression of Dimples was the almost stunning lack of effort they seem to put into what most bars would call their main goal: making and serving alcoholic beverages.

At our table of six on this particular Friday, an impressive one-third of the drinks seem to be wrong. My friend’s date made the beginner’s mistake of ordering a cocktail with more than two ingredients: a Cosmopolitan, as advertised on the laminated menu card. We all sip it, and it’s not a Cosmo. It’s Bacardi or a similar rum, plus something red. Another friend, who ordered a Cazadores Tequila and soda, is more intrigued than upset by the apparent errors. What’s in it that’s sweet, exactly? Tonic water?

Nearby, a man is having a waitress itemize the tab she’s just closed for him. Does he believe his bill was jacked up as part of a “drink solicitation” scheme? I wonder. Or something much less insidious, just an honest mistake? You can almost see the triangulations: his sense of justice versus not wanting to argue with this friendly woman, especially while someone has propped the karaoke-room door open and “I Want It That Way” is making it difficult to talk at all.

And then perhaps the more important question: How exactly do I justify my affection for this place? It’s tough, as I sit in this weirdly lit basement, listening to this man argue about his bill, while my friends sip bad drinks.

I’m still working it out, but I think my Dimples loyalty has to do with the following: life in this city can sometimes feel besieged by affectation — by shiny surfaces, by self-importance and exclusivity, by menus that treat mixology like it’s going to cure brain cancer.

In that context, Dimples is an oasis. A sometimes gross, often funny, always welcoming oasis. Come as you are, it whispers. And all kinds of people heed its call.

Around 1 a.m., the woman on the date with the picky eater is making friends with someone from the karaoke room, asking if she can join. A server is absentmindedly patting the sleeping customer on the back. Overcharged guy has paid his bill — and then been persuaded by his friends to get another round.

We decide it’s time to leave then, to climb the stairs, up out of the bar and back into San Francisco, the San Francisco of “rules” and “expectations” and “standard drink recipes.” We’re a little tipsy, a little lighter in the wallet — but altogether comforted by the evidence that this city still has its weird edges. You just might have to look underground.

Emma Silvers is a San Francisco freelance writer. Twitter: @emmaruthless Email: [email protected]

Source: https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/A-night-at-Dimples-Japantown-s-sometimes-13350144.php

0 notes

tebbyclinic11 · 6 years ago

Text

Dumplings, Kaya Toast, and Chili Crab: Inside the ...

New Post has been published on https://kitchengadgetsreviews.com/dumplings-kaya-toast-and-chili-crab-inside-the/

Dumplings, Kaya Toast, and Chili Crab: Inside the ...

amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "a841501-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "Shop Related Products"; amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "cooking"; amzn_assoc_default_category = "Kitchen"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "51fe4d035c7af8dc5928e6f5e5b79c4e"; amzn_assoc_default_browse_node = "284507"; amzn_assoc_rows = "4"; amzn_assoc_design = "text_links";

The premise of this summer’s runaway hit movie Crazy Rich Asians is Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) flying to Singapore to meet her boyfriend Nick Young’s (Henry Golding) family. But before she exchanges any awkward hugs, she’s first introduced to Singaporean food. The moment after she lands, Nick and his friends, Colin (Chris Pang) and Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno), take her to eat at a hawker centre, a huge lineup of local, affordable street food stalls serving satay, chili crab, stir-fried noodles, and huge bowls of laksa curry. Little does she know that all of that food is just fuel for the drama she’ll endure with his crazy-rich relatives.

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Nick (Golding), Colin (Pang), Araminta (Sonoya Mizuno), and Rachel (Constance Wu) at a hawker centre.

That scene serves as an introduction to Singapore for many moviegoers in America, and if there’s one clear takeaway, it’s that you should want to eat there. The hunger pangs only grow as Rachel devours a lavish lunch of lobster, longevity noodles, and braised abalone with her friend Goh Peik Lin’s (Awkwafina) family; walks through a kitchen full of decadent roast meats, salt-baked salmon, and intricate desserts at Nick’s grandmother’s party; and attends the wedding of the century with an endless buffet of whole suckling pigs, a shellfish display, and a literal boat full of caviar. Casual.

Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros.

Golding, Kwan, director Jon M. Chu, and Wu on set.

Food may be only seen for brief glimpses in the film to punctuate just how crazy rich these people are, but in the original book trilogy, written by Kevin Kwan, it’s a major character. There are footnotes dedicated to explaining the origins of dishes, and detailed descriptions that make you feel like you can taste that piece of kaya toast or banana-leaf-wrapped sticky rice. To celebrate the film’s incredible success over the past two weeks, we spoke to Kwan about the Singaporean dishes he holds most dear after growing up there, and the stories behind their place in the books and movie. “I try to feature the greatest hits in my book, but there are so many amazing dishes that I could write a whole other book just about food,” he explains. Jimmy O. Yang, who plays Nick’s ridiculously over-the-top childhood friend Bernard Tai in the film, is also the guest on this week’s Bon Appétit Foodcast, and shares some anecdotes from his time filming in Singapore. Listen to the full episode below, and then read more about each dish’s importance in the wild, dramatic, and hungry world of Crazy Rich Asians.

1. Hokkien Fried Mee

Getty Images

“I’m such a noodle boy. I grew up just loving noodles like you wouldn’t believe, especially traditional hawker stall hokkien fried mee: thick, yellow noodles that you find only in Singapore, stir-fried with seafood, meat, and egg in this thick, brown gravy,” Kwan says. “For me, that’s a plate of heaven.” This dish is featured in the book and movie during a whirlwind trip to Newton Hawker Centre, one of the largest in Singapore. Kwan adds: “In Singapore, the richest billionaire in the world will go to a hawker stall for the right plate of noodles. People there are so obsessively in love with food that it doesn’t really matter what the surroundings are like. They’ll eat in a Michelin-starred restaurant that’s decorated to the hilt, or they’ll go to some back alley to look for the best fish porridge in the world. The best food can be found for $3 or $300.”

2. Chili Crab and Hainanese Chicken Rice

Christopher Wise

Chili crab, considered one of Singapore’s national dishes, is messy to eat. It is whole cooked crab tossed with a not-actually-spicy, thick, sweet, and savory tomato-chili sauce, served with fried mantou buns (crispy Chinese steamed buns) for dipping. “Chili crab is great, and so are the satays and oyster omelets [at hawker stalls], but the best is Hainanese chicken rice,” Yang adds, referring to the country’s unassuming yet iconic dish of poached chicken over garlicky rice with chili and ginger sauces on the side. “Every stall is just a little different, and it’s just wonderful.” He also notes that laksa, a coconut-based noodle curry soup eaten at all times of day in Singapore, is one of his all-time favorites. “I’m a big noodle soup guy. My diet consists of mainly noodle soups: pho, ramen, Chinese noodles, and laksa.”

3. Popiah

Getty Images

In a scene that didn’t make the movie, Rachel has a popiah-making party with Peik Lin’s family, which Kwan says shows how “communal and intimate cooking can be, and how close their family is.” He explains popiah as “beautiful rice pancakes that are thin and filled with various delicious things, like meat, vegetables like carrots and jicama, shrimp, egg, ground peanuts, and cilantro.” Then they are rolled up like a “sleek little burrito,” Kwan explains. “You make and eat them during a big, family-style feast. Everyone sits around a table and makes their own. There’s a very special sort of sugary brown sauce that goes over it all. It’s similar to hoisin sauce but it’s not exactly that, and it is delicious.“

4. Dumplings

Sanja Bucko/Warner Bros.

Nick (Golding) and Rachel (Wu) make dumplings in Crazy Rich Asians.

This food-centric scene features one of the most tense back-and-forths between Rachel and Nick’s mother (Michelle Yeoh), but it wasn’t in the original book. “The dumpling making was a surprise to me when I first read about it in one of the early scripts. They had created this scene just for Rachel to get to know the family. I thought it was very effective, quite frankly, and just a lovely moment in the movie,” Kwan says. Dumpling skins were hand-rolled carefully with a dowel, and Nick teaches Rachel to put the “baby” (filling) into bed (wrapper) and tuck, tuck, tuck (pleat) it in. “Then you eat the baby,” she jokes. Kwan says that he did not have dumpling-making parties in his Singaporean home growing up, as his family had a staff that would make everything. But he would sneak into the kitchen and run errands for the cooks as a kid, “learning to fold wontons, sort through rice, and just see what happens behind the scenes.”

5. Kaya Toast

Danielle Tsi/Getty Images

“Kaya is a coconut jam that’s infused with pandan leaves that is very popular in Singapore. It is the uni of jams. There’s something so rich and decadent about it, the texture and flavor. There’s a lusciousness to how smooth and yet thick it is,” Kwan raves. “Uni is kind of sexual, in a way—there’s this confluence of flavors and a sensual pleasure to eating it. In a strange way, I feel the same way about kaya.” Many people toast and butter their bread before spreading it with kaya to make a sandwich, and dip it in either coffee or soft-boiled eggs with soy sauce and white pepper for breakfast, but Kwan prefers things simple. “I had mine on very fresh white bread, crusts cut off, spread with a thick layer of kaya. It was all I needed.” Sometimes it is bright green in color from the pandan leaves, and other times it is more cream-colored—both are equally delicious.

6. Nyonya Kueh Pastries and Cheng Tng

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

An assortment of nyonya keuh set out for Nick’s mother’s bible study group.

Desserts are a huge part of Crazy Rich Asians. Trays of intricate nyonya kueh (the Peranakan name for a style of bite-sized desserts) are on display at Nick’s mother’s bible study, at a lavish party at his grandmother’s, and, of course, the blowout reception after Araminta and Colin’s wedding. However, one of Kwan’s favorite desserts is actually a soup. “Cheng tng is often found in hawker markets, and it is like shaved ice, but they pile all these different types of translucent jellies inside and on top of different toppings and flavors. But the root of it is this lovely chilled soup that is sweet and aromatic, and I think infused with longan fruit. It’s subtle and beautiful—it’s like the Armani dress of soups.” Soup, but make it fashion. Crazy Rich Asians always stays on brand.

amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = "bottom"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "a841501-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "Shop Related Products"; amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "cookware"; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "b45319dac495d29e17b5eff312392025"; Source link

0 notes