#ic : coco labelle.

[likemosaic]

coco follows along, as ever, looking at salem expectantly. if it's more tangled, then she'll hear her out, pulled along on the string of salem's strangled kindnesses. she's undaunted by salem's pulling away--coco is used to being the one who pushes too hard, asks for too much, the one who needs and is never satisfied by what she's given. it would have been far more uncomfortable if salem hadn't removed her from her mind and body. she's come to expect a certain level of rejection from every person she meets. salem's blunt honesty is more than coco has been given in the past, and she's grateful for that, at least. even if it hurts.

coco's never been married and never really planned to be, even further into adulthood. not that there's no one good enough, but rather, the inverse: who could she show her insides to? who would still want her if they knew it all? coco tries to imagine herself in either salem or...ozpin? ozma's? shoes, at war with the one who knows your vulnerabilities. but no matter how she tries, she can't imagine a good explanation for trying to kill the one you love. she's too young and full of optimistic ideas to entirely understand; coco thinks that, if she were at war with someone she loved, she'd just want it to be over. and it sounds like salem wants, if nothing else, for the fighting to stop.

she tries to picture ozpin and salem married, very obviously studying salem to do so. it's an odd picture, but then-

"-that makes sense, i think. you guys kind of talk the same, you know?" perhaps that explains her near-immediate trust in salem.

beacon was only the first move. the residual loyalty to beacon and its headmaster pings her again, insistent. something isn't right. though she wants to pretend she understands all that salem has explained, she can't keep in one of the most burning questions. "but why beacon? what does that do? how does that end the, um, the war? it was just a bunch of students, you know? some teachers." she tries to understand, but neither option makes sense: salem seems too logical and intelligent to destroy beacon for a petty grudge; ozpin wouldn't destroy beacon, end statement. would he? doubt creeps in. it's plain coco had absolutely no idea what was really at stake, and no one had felt the need to clarify to her, either. maybe cinder acted alone (coco's gone rogue a few times herself), but she gets the sense that isn't the case.

someone has to be good and someone has to be bad, here. coco can't process the grey. can't accept that she and the other students may have been an afterthought.

she studies the floor as they walk, arms folded, not paying attention to where they're going. her head throbs, and she touches the wall to try and keep her balance.

salem is playing a masterful chess game for humanity against her (ex?) husband and coco feels...ridiculous, for having her priorities so skewed. but she says it anyway, her blunt nature never fully suppressed, even in the throes of a fawning trauma response. "it was my home. i lived there." the earnest belief of a girl with a good heart: why would anyone want to destroy her home? the shield protecting her from her father's machinations? she remembers an expression from bart's class (she had never called him professor oobleck, and he had never seemed to mind): two elephants fought. the ants in the middle died. but up against gods, maybe salem is an ant, too, just trying to survive.

"did it have to be beacon?" said with mild hope and big brown eyes directed salem's way. like salem could put it back together and say, you're right, i'm sorry. let's try a different way. you can go home now.

Yet more tension strings itself down her back when the soft murmurings of the girl’s semblance nudge against the bounds of her mind. Misty pleas and wax-drippings of sympathy, that blurry coercive edge more vaporous than before. Don’t be sad. Don’t be angry—as if anything could ever be okay while the blade still rests upon Remnant’s throat. Salem pours the dark gall of her bitterness back into its reservoir even as it rises, and the thin smile twitching over her lips as she presses the girl out of her head is only a little poisoned.

(Her sorrow runs deep and cold as the glacial light that spills from the moon’s jaws; her fury howls within her of the witching rage in the scorched-black spaces between stars, of fire, of ashes and dust. She has never known how to be anything else but what she is.)

The girl’s apologies froth and churn, surf against stone, confused and scattering. Salem listens, and doesn’t quite flinch when the girl touches her—though she stills, holding her breath, waiting for it to be over. Her skin shivers with unease.

“It is,” she says at length, voice low and fried for lack of air as she glances to meet the too-earnest look the girl’s giving her, “more… tangled than that. I–”

She cuts herself off, shaking her head, and steps away to resume the sedate pace of before. The girl will find it all less overwhelming to digest once her hunger has been sated; and words have always come to her more easily in motion, even before the grimm.

“We were married,” Salem mutters. It’s a sour thing to admit, long since bled of any pleasant memories by the soul-deep cut of their lies, but she finds a venomous satisfaction in saying it, too. They try so hard to pretend it never happened. “Ozma and I, before they told me what their god had commanded them to do. I…” Her mouth thins. What she said that night had unraveled even as she spoke, a chaos of dread and desperate despair, but she remembers what she meant. “…refused. The Brothers will never set foot on Remnant while I live, I swore that long ago. We fought.”

The last word is a curt sickle-edged thing, forged from blood and quenched in fire. Salem sinks her talons into her palm, and takes a breath, and presses the shattered pieces of that night back down into the abyss.

“I don’t know,” she says with a touch of self-deprecation, “why they lie. Ozpin, Osiander, all the others who came before; the surface changes, but Ozma is always the same, and they always keep secrets. So here we are.” She glances sideways, eyes half-lidded. “Beacon was only the first move. Oz has been waging a silent war against my existence for lifetimes; I mean to end it.”

[luuv-zomby]

Winter Alter Template

pt. "winter alter template"

General

✿ —⁠ name : Winter, Frost, Crystal ✿ —⁠ pronouns : they/them/snow/snowself ✿ —⁠ gender terms : neutral ✿ —⁠ presentation (masc, fem, neu) : neutral, masculine ✿ —⁠ age : 17 ✿ —⁠ labels : nonbinary, omnisexual female preference ✿ —⁠ birthday : January 8th 2007

System

✿ —⁠ role(s) : protector ✿ —⁠ type : willogenic ✿ —⁠ source : @luuv-zomby

Personality

✿ —⁠ general mood / emotion : tired ✿ —⁠ traits : motivated, hard worker, emotionally drained, outdoorsy ✿ —⁠ mannerisms / habits : does chores ✿ —⁠ priorities : working, survival ✿ —⁠ pet peeves : snow in boots ✿ —⁠ introvert / extrovert / omnivert / ambivert : introvert ✿ —⁠ aesthetic : winter ✿ —⁠ theme : winter ✿ —⁠ theme song : Maneater - Nelly Furtado

Appearance

✿ —⁠ body type : upsidedown triangle ✿ —⁠ species : fae ✿ —⁠ height / weight : 5’8, 150Ibs ✿ —⁠ voice / accent : calm, drowsy, deep-medium, American accent ✿ —⁠ hairstyle / hair type / hair color : spiky white hair ✿ —⁠ facial shape : diamond ✿ —⁠ eye shape / eye color : upturned, yellow eyes ✿ —⁠ nose shape : upturned ✿ —⁠ lip shape : thin lips ✿ —⁠ other features : n/a ✿ —⁠ clothing aesthetic : winter, bundled up, furry

Ideas

✿ —⁠ dream job : military medic ✿ —⁠ fears : losing people close to them ✿ —⁠ regrets : n/a ✿ —⁠ insecurities : n/a ✿ —⁠ core values : n/a ✿ —⁠ philosophies : n/a

Interests

✿ —⁠ likes : the outdoors, reading, working, dark makeup ✿ —⁠ dislikes : heights ✿ —⁠ loves : hot chocolate, being alone ✿ —⁠ hates : losing ✿ —⁠ hyperfixations : ice hockey ✿ —⁠ unbearable : snow in their boots ✿ —⁠ comforts : ice hockey ✿ —⁠ favorite color : white ✿ —⁠ favorite activity : ice hockey ✿ —⁠ favorite song : Maneater - Nelly Furtado ✿ —⁠ favorite music genre : pop music ✿ —⁠ favorite game : ice hockey ✿ —⁠ favorite TV show : NHL matches ✿ —⁠ favorite movie : Home Alone ✿ —⁠ favorite food : pizza and popcorn ✿ —⁠ favorite drink : coco cola ✿ —⁠ favorite scent : hot chocolate ✿ —⁠ favorite flower : water lilies ✿ —⁠ favorite feeling : motivation ✿ —⁠ favorite season : winter ✿ —⁠ favorite weather : snowing

Extra

✿ —⁠ other : n/a

I love this one so much. I hope they treat you well. -Catherine II

[cherryblossomsmist]

Tony has been forced into public events and appearances all day, the perils of keeping busy in the holiday season, but due to some scheduling oversight he has an entire day of outdoor events one after another. And the multiple events for different organizations and businesses and charities isn’t odd but yeah somehow his newest PA hadn’t realized he was going to be outside for various things like tree cutting, ice skating, sleigh riding, tree lighting, Christmas Market grand opening, and finally winter fire works.

And either it’s been a freezing cold snowy day or maybe it’s been a wet and rainy (but still cold) day and he powered thru it like a champ (or a man that knew if he canceled on even one of these events he was going to be labeled a Scrooge by the media). In anycase he’s chilled to the bone and Steve takes care of him that night

Maybe he and Steve had plans they cancel to get Tony warm, maybe Steve runs into him coming home and sees he needs help, maybe they are together or maybe this is the first time they snuggle up by the fire as friends and leave as something more. Maybe Steve leaps into action, eager to help, or maybe Tony’s chilled skin and pallor makes him think of the ice and he muscles thru that discomfort to help Tony.

I assume hot coco or warm cider is enjoyed, a wood fire it lit, and maybe a bath is drawn, there’s definitely soft warm sheets slid into at the end

Oh, my God, I LOVE this. Like the hurt/comfort potential is so good, and it's so Tony to like, push himself like that, even if he's miserable. And extra if you know, he really hates the cold and really feels it, partly because of his bad circulation, partly because of how when he was on the streets, the cold really got to him, and he almost died in that blizzard that lead to his getting sober, and every winter he goes back to that, wakes up with nightmares about being back there--so he's already exhausted before the whole marathon of Christmas outdoor experiences. And of course he's never actually talked about that with anyone, so no one actually knows how bad it is to him, and how it gets to him. His hands are aching and freezing through his gloves and he keeps feeling like he's freezing to death again despite the warm cashmere coat he's wearing, but he's not gonna complain, he's just not.

And Steve, who used to suffer through his own miserable winters as a boy, who for a while there was afraid he might freeze to death some winters in a tenement without heat, takes one look at him when he gets back to the mansion, tower, whatever it is, and he just knows he's miserable. Tony's so cold, he's so pale, he feels like he's half frozen, and maybe it does make him a little uncomfortable, but he still leaps into action, eager to help. Tony's ... dazed, he's a little slow from the cold, and he's clearly miserable. He responds with vague words to his worried questions, and isn't even able to effectively pretend he's okay. His hair is wet under his hat from the snow. When Steve touches his cheek, Tony can barely feel it, he can tell. Steve is Fixing This.

He makes Tony some hot cocoa (because I keep imagining Tony as a closet lover of chocolate, and Steve knows it), and he rubs on his cold hands and blows on them--if they're together, he kisses at each cold knuckle and the tips of his fingers--and rubs his hands up under his shirt, up and down his back, exclaiming over how cold Tony feels with soft concern, before he draws him a bath and gently bullies him into it, while he asks Jarvis for a heating pad for the bed like he often uses himself when he gets a little too close to the ice in his head. He massages him after, either just his shoulders and arms and hands and feet if they're not together, his whole body if they are together, and makes sure he puts on warm pajamas and a warm robe. He puts his arms around him and Tony just--leans into him, because he never expected all of this. Any of this. Tony's kind of horrified when he realizes he's nuzzling into Steve's chest, but he's so, so warm and comforting and steadying, and his warm hands are stroking Tony's shoulders, up into his hair, kneading at his muscles.

And maybe that progresses to sex, if they're together, or even if it's their first time--what better way to warm Tony up, after all, right? But Steve insists he stays bundled up while they're doing it, until Tony is actively flushed in the face, and he drinks a lot of cold water after they're done, as Steve laughs at how overheated he's gotten Tony and kisses all over his face, pressing his big warm body up against Tony, and Tony rubbing his hands up and down Steve's bare chest in between drags of ice water, while Steve rubs at the back of his neck with one hand.

[alkaliineee]

Is that COCO JONES? Oh, no, that’s JORDYN CARTER, a TWENTY-SIX year old MUSICIAN who uses SHE/HER pronouns. They currently live in PALMERAS DEL PARAÍSO in VIÑA DEL MAR, and the character they identify with most is JESSICA RABBIT from WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT. Hopefully they find their own little paradise here in el país de los poetas! 

BASIC STATS .

FULL NAME . jordyn grace carter

NICKNAME(S) . j.c, jo, jordi

AGE/BIRTHDAY/ZODIAC . 26 / july 25th / leo

SEXUALITY . bisexual

BIRTHPLACE . new orleans, louisiana

HEIGHT . 5‘9

EYES . brown

PEIRCINGS . ears. TATTOOS . leo sign on the inside of her middle finger.

FC . coco jones

FAMILY  .

FIRST LAST ( relation, alive/deceased )

james carter (father/alive)

nora carter (mother/deceased)

-- carter (brother/29-35/alive)

levi carter (twin/deceased)

-- carter (sibling/23-25/alive)

-- carter (sibling/21-22/alive)

OTHER CONNECTIONS   .

TBA

EDUCATION   .

high school diploma

LANGUAGES   .

english. french. spanish.

WORK   .

Position .

musician

coco jones discography claim.

tbd discography claim.

FAVORITE   .

ANIMALS. dolphins. lions. sea otters. COLOURS. purple. gold. blue. DESSERTS. pralines. beignets. bananas foster. apple crisp. strawberry shortcake. cronuts. DRINKS. iced lattes. vodka. tequila. iced tea. cold pressed juice. smoothies. FRUIT. apples. strawberries. blackberries. peaches. HOLIDAY. mardi gras. ICE CREAM. pralines and cream. strawberry. vanilla bean. salted caramel. MUSIC GENRES. r&b. pop. soul. jazz.  SCENTS. vanilla. amber. driftwood. cedarwood. SEASON. summer. SNACKS. apple slices with peanut butter. french fries. avocado toast. snoball. kettle chips. fish tacos. WEATHER. sunny.

AESTHETIC   .

what are words? here is her pinterest instead.

PERSONALITY   .

+ charasmatic

+ loyal

+ observant

- dramatic

- stubborn

- tardy

BACKGROUND .

jordyn was third born ( shy of second born by just a few minutes and you would never hear her claim to be a middle child; that was an energy she just wouldn’t accept, ) to a couple who made you believe in love just by seeing their daily interactions. their home was always one filled with the padding of little feet, boisterous laughter and sticky fingers and she couldn’t imagine growing up any other way.

her mother was a singer at a jazz club, her father a chef, and the passion they both held for their respective careers was the kindling to jordyn’s own passion for music and cooking. she always loved helping her parents and siblings in the kitchen; even if at times it made more work for them, and watching her mother sing was a core memory for her. if they were all good and had all of their homework completed their father would take them to see her perform on the weekends, the six of them tucked into a booth, jordyn’s eyes wide and gleaming with awe.

tw: cancer & death mention. no matter how much she loved the idea of singing, making a career out of music always felt too daunting of a task, even if she had the support of her family behind her; but that changed shortly after her mother was diagnosed with throat cancer, because then it wasn’t just her dream, but her mothers too. jordyn was sixteen when her mother passed, and while utterly devastated she wasn’t going to break the promise of following through with their dreams. after graduating high school she moved to LA with levi in tow, his own producer career stuck in his sights.

we are skimming over the beginnings of. her music career / life in LA because hello my brain, but we know the importants, she signed with a label, was doing gigs, working in the studio, doing all the fun LA girl things, runyon canyon, beach days, drinking overpriced smoothies; yadayada all that fun stuff.

tw: car accident, drowning & death mention. jordyn and levi always went back home for christmas; no matter how busy their schedules had become, it had always been a family affair and usually one of the only times they all managed to be together under the same roof, so they always carved out the week to be able to spend adequate time with their father and siblings. the year after they turned 25 was no different. until it was. they were driving and reminiscing the day before they returned to LA, no clear destination in mind when they were run off the road by a drunk driver, except it wasn’t just a road but a bridge. the car started to sink and when jordyn looked over, levi was unconscious and with seatbelts that wouldn’t budge there was nothing she could do, and the car kept on sinking beneath the surface. as luck would have it, a good samaritan saw them go over the edge of the bridge and when jordyn was hanging on to the brink of consciousness he came to the twins aid, breaking jordyn’s window and cutting her free from her seatbelt, he had managed to get her to the surface, the wail of sirens heard off in the distance, but by the time he went back to retrieve levi it had been too late. no amount of cpr could save him and a part of her died right along with him.

for six months she barely functioned, neither new orleans or los angeles were places she could bear to be without her brother, and while she had the support of her other siblings and her father, nothing was the same, so she packed up her apartment and booked a one way ticket far away in hopes that a fresh start would make her fractured heart hurt a little less. a year of therapy later and there are still days where she wants to hide in bed and never come out, but she also has an understanding that more than anything levi would have wanted her to be happy, and now that she’s living for the both of them she’s trying her very best to do by right by him.

HEADCANONS .

very much has a dual personality. her stage/public persona is very confident and outgoing, but those she loves and trusts get to witness a softer side.

hates driving. absolutely haaaates it. will do anything in her power to not be in a vehicle and when she has to her window is always rolled down, doesn't matter the weather and there's a good chance she won't be wearing her seatbelt.

LA made her a beach girly, though since the accident she doesn't get more than her feet wet.

loves cooking. it's something her parents were very passionate about, especially her father and it's just been something that's ingrained into her.

ambivert.

not a huge fan of the gym, it's just not the vibe, but she does love a good hike.

if you've made plans there is a 99% chance that jordyn Will be late, it’s just the way life is.

doesn’t love being alone, growing up with a built in best friend who was essentially attached at the hip didn’t give her a lot of time to figure out how to be lonely without it feeling really uncomfortable, so she tries to surround herself with people when she can.

big fan of having friends over for dinner parties bc it reminds her of home and she doesn’t usually cook a full on spread when it’s just her, so it gives her a great excuse to do a big thing.

calls her father and siblings at least once a week, even if that time is just spent on facetime doing mundane tasks, it lifts her spirits.

you will never catch her without her headphones, she’s always listening to something.

big on going out, usually accompanied by alcohol but she has been known to go to the club just to dance.

constantly taking photos of her friends and loved ones, documenting everything she can because you never know when all you’ll have to remember someone by are the memories.

will be added 2 as my brain produces more things but this is where we are ending it tonight.

WANTED CONNECTIONS .

bestie: this could be someone prior to jordyn moving to valpo or someone who she instantly clicked with since moving here, either way that's her ride or die.

girls girl: who doesn't want a group of baddies to brunch, shop and go out with !! pls give me !!

flirtationship: this could always progress into more depending on the chemistry and whatever, but someone to have a flirty fun time with!

outdoorsy-ish pals: someone who won't curse her for dragging them out to do an all day hike, or even other semi-active type things, beach days, aquarium dates, farmers markets, whathaveyou.

misc: neighbours, enemies, exes (friends or romantic idc), musician friends, party pals !! i'm sure there are more but my brain is dead, we are open to literally just about anything !!!

[blazethemodel]

BASIC INFORMATION.

Full Name: Nico Valdez

Nickname(s): Nic and Coco

Age: 24

Date of Birth: Feb. 14th, 2000

Hometown: St. Augustin, Florida

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/her

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

Romantic Orientation: Biromantic

Occupation: Professional Makeup Artist and Travel Host.

Language(s) Spoken: English and Spanish.

Accent: Un poquito.

PLOTS WANTED.

Gym Buddy

Twin Flame

Sneaky Link

Study Partner

Frenemy/Rival

(honestly anything you can think of)

FAMILY INFORMATION.

Father: Ernesto Valdez

Mother: Deceased; Rachel Valdez

Sibling(s): 2 younger brothers

Pet(s): 1 teacup poodle, Rex

Family’s Financial Status: Working lower-class

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

Hair Colour: Black, but constantly changing it

Eye Colour: Brown

Height: 5'3

Weight: 155

Build: Curvy, thick

Tattoos: 27 and counting

Piercings: 4

Clothing Style: Modern street style/urban trending

PERSONALITY MAKERS.

Label: The Siren

Positive Traits: Hardworking, strong-willed, ambitious, opinionated, soft spoken, and considerate.

Negative Traits: Superstitious, calculating, temperamental, perfectionist, impulsive, and impatient.

Goals/Desires: Taking my current makeup artistry business beyond six figures. To operate a luxury travel hosting company with trained travel experts that tour different exotic destinations for large groups.

Hobbies: Exercise/gym, makeup artistry, trying new restaurants, and swimming.

FAVORITES.

Weather: Rain

Colour: Eclectic yellow and golden yellow

Artist(s): Meek Mill, Lil Durk, Future, Lil Baby, Flo Milli, H.E.R. , Tems, Tyla, and Burna Boy.

Movies(s): Boyz n the Hood, Mrs. Doubtfire, Friday, Liar Liar, and Poetic Justice.

Sport: Basketball

Beverage: Iced french vanilla coffee and rum and coke.

Food: Baked ziti

Animal: Red panda

[dietdrclinic]

Gluten-free food options

Ever wondered if that ice-cold Coco-Cola you were eying up is gluten-free? Ever wanted to know if pizza and pasta are gluten-free? How about your favorite cheeseburger and fries? How about the Vodka and Beer? Whatever it is that you are looking for, we got you covered in this list of gluten-free foods. A gluten-free foods list can be a valuable resource. You have been spending hours and hours navigating stores and restaurants to find gluten-free food options and it may be really challenging at times. Therefore on hand, the gluten-free foods list below might help you know what to look for (and what to look out for) when choosing grains and other foods that may contain gluten. Below are a few things to look out for when you're buying gluten-free foods. 1. Gluten-Free Whole Grains: Oats, Cereals, Bread, and More…

Grains (including bread, pasta, rice, and crackers), specifically whole grains, are an important part of a healthy diet. Whole grains are a good source of healthy carbohydrates, providing energy to get you through the day. Most whole grains are high in fiber, which keeps you full and helps with digestion. Though many grains have gluten, a wide variety is naturally gluten-free.

Naturally Gluten-Free Grains & Starches: Rice Quinoa Millet Oats (use oats labeled "gluten-free," as oats are often cross-contaminated with wheat and barley.) Cassava/Yuca Sorghum Teff Corn Buckwheat Amaranth Potatoes and potato flour

2. Gluten-Free Vegetables & Fruits All fresh, whole vegetables and fruits are naturally gluten-free and important to include in a gluten-free diet. Organic local produce mostly delivers a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However, you need to look out for sneaky gluten once you move out of the produce aisle. Plain fresh and frozen (without sauce) vegetables are all gluten-free, but make sure to double-check ingredient lists on packages to be sure. When buying canned veggies, buy those packed with water or natural juices (typically the healthier option anyway). Here's what to look out for when selecting gluten-free fruit and vegetables.

What to Avoid When Shopping for Fruits and Vegetables: Hydrolyzed wheat protein Modified food starch: Check the label if it does not specify what type of starch is used, and check with the manufacturer, as it may be wheat. Malt: Including malt syrup, malt vinegar, malt extract, malt flavoring Gluten stabilizer Maltodextrin: This is OK when made from corn, potato, or rice starch. If it is made from wheat, it will be labeled: you may have a reaction, though many claim the gluten is destroyed in processing.

Safe Ingredients: Corn-starch Potato starch/potato starch flour Distilled vinegar Mono- and diglycerides Oat gum Citric acid, lactic acid, and malic acid

3. Gluten-Free Proteins Most protein sources-both animal and vegetable proteins-are naturally gluten-free. You may use the below list to help you decide which proteins can fit into a gluten-free diet. Naturally Gluten-Free Proteins: Red meat: Fresh beef, pork, lamb, goat, bison, duck, etc. (Avoid marinades as if gluten is added it might sneak into your meat) Poultry: Fresh chicken and turkey (Check if any marination is added) Seafood: Fresh fish, scallops, lobster, clams and more are all naturally gluten-free. (Check if any marination is added) Tofu: It's made from soy, which is gluten-free, but check for any additional ingredients with gluten. Beans Nuts and seeds

Proteins That Need a Second Look: Processed meats: Including hot dogs, pepperoni, sausage, etc. These may have gluten added, so be sure to check the ingredient list and avoid those with wheat gluten, wheat starch, or wheat dextrin. Cold cuts: Cross-contamination can also happen at the deli on the meat slicer. Cold cuts may have gluten-containing ingredients added Ground meat: Ground beef or ground turkey can have gluten added in as filler. Be sure to check the ingredients carefully. Veggie burgers and other meat substitutes: Some flavors and brands are made with ingredients that contain gluten-check the labels.

4. Gluten-Free Sauces, Spices, and Condiments In many common condiments, gluten-containing ingredients can be used as thickeners, stabilizers, or flavor enhancers. Wheat flour is a common thickener in many sauces and marinades, which means they contain gluten. Look out for cross-contamination once these items are in your home. For example, a knife that spreads mustard on wheat bread shouldn't be dipped back into the mustard jar if you want it to stay gluten-free.

Sauces, Spices, and Condiments That Are Usually Safe: Mustard: Some specialty or flavored mustards may contain gluten so always check the ingredients. Mayonnaise: Check the ingredients to be sure though typically not made with gluten. Dry spices: Single-ingredient herbs and spices (think dried basil, garlic powder, chili powder) do not contain gluten, though because of cross-contamination concerns it's best to look for specifically labeled gluten-free spices or check with the manufacturer.

Sauces, Spices, and Condiments That Need a Second Look: Ketchup and Worcestershire sauce: Both condiments can be made using malt vinegar, which is not gluten-free. Double-check the ingredients. Barbecue sauce: Avoid BBQ sauces made with barley-based beer, soy sauce, malt vinegar, and barley malt flour as these typically contain gluten. Soy sauce: Soy sauce is traditionally made with wheat, so it usually is not gluten-free unless otherwise marked. Malt vinegar: Malt vinegar is mostly found in some salad dressings and sauces and it's not gluten-free. However, white vinegar, distilled vinegar, and apple cider vinegar are all gluten-free.

5. Gluten-Free Desserts & Sweets Many sweets and desserts are made with wheat flour or other ingredients with gluten. Be mindful that gluten-free sweets are not necessarily healthier for you than regular treats but they might prevent a bad reaction if you are sensitive to gluten.

Sweets That Are Usually Safe: Chocolate: Chocolate does not naturally contain gluten. There is also a risk of cross-contamination, so it's best to check the label on the chocolate. Hard candy and gummies: Candies don’t usually contain gluten; avoid those listing "wheat flour" as an ingredient. Ice cream, sherbet, gelato, frozen yogurt: These treats are generally gluten-free, but steer clear of those with pretzels, cookie dough, graham crackers, brownie bites, and other gluten-containing add-ins. Sweets to Avoid: Grain-based desserts: Cookies, cakes, brownies, pies, doughnuts, pastries, cheesecake, etc. are almost always made with gluten unless marked "gluten-free." Licorice: Sweet candy may be made with wheat flour and therefore is not gluten-free unless otherwise noted on the packaging. Barley malt: Avoid sweets made with this ingredient, which is used to sweeten some candies and chocolates.

6. Gluten-Free Drinks and Beverages Water, of course, is naturally gluten-free and is your best healthy way to stay hydrated. For all prepared beverages, be sure to check the ingredients, as variations and blends may contain gluten.

Drinks and Beverages That Are Usually Safe: • Coffee and tea: These beverages are both naturally gluten-free, but if you're sensitive to gluten it's best to check and make sure there was no cross-contamination with your coffee beans or tea leaves or added ingredients in blended beverages. • Juices, sodas, and sports drinks: Check the label to be safe, but these generally won't have added gluten-containing ingredients

[likemosaic]

coco bites back her insecurity about it, keeps her expression even. if he wants a reaction, it's not forthcoming—yet. instead, she sucks on her straw obnoxiously and loudly before she answers, tone careless, "iiiiii dunno about that. felt pretty personal to me. like, compensating for something? i mean, i get it. yatsu makes all the short guys reeeeally upset."

* 🙴 @likemosaic ; ❝ s'nothing personal, i promise—— we would have trashed anyone else too. just so happened to be your team that round. ❞

[likemosaic]

@veiliisms sent an ask : ❛ You already lost. Don’t throw away your dignity.  ❜ vee to coco i wanna see some fighting >:) GAME STARTERS VOL. 3 | FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS

coco wipes the sweat off her forehead, giving vera as mean a glare as she can manage. she's never been good at close combat and though she knows it, it doesn't stop her from going round after round with a superior opponent, sweat dripping down her back. her pride is stronger than the ache in her arms or the annoyance of the other's smug expression (don't french people always look smug, anyway?).

"ouai, ouai, maman," said with a sarcastic wave of the hand. coco takes a moment to swig off of her water bottle and brush the loose strands of her ponytail back. she's enjoying the challenge, truthfully. she doesn't really understand what beef they have, but that's been her whole life: most people end up head over heels in love with her, and the rest dislike her for their own reasons. no one has ever been neutral about coco labelle; vermilion is no exception. if it weren't for renji, coco wouldn't really give a shit about the negative opinions. but she likes a fight, and maybe they'll come out of their sparring match a little friendlier. win-win.

"jokes on you, i never had dignity in the first place." coco pushes her sweaty hair out of her face, drinking from a water bottle that is ungodly expensive, wearing workout gear that could break a lesser woman's bank. "what, you're not having any fun beating the shit out of me?"

[ac-art-and-stuff]

Heyo! Meet the person doin the art stuff!

( • ̀ω•́ )✧

Issa meee! In case one cannot read my chicken scratch handwriting, here's the rundown under the cut:

My name is AC, 24, Sagittarius, She/her and They/them, from the USA. I've got two cats (Tux and Dragon) and two dogs (Marti and Coco) whomst I love very much. I'm also Bi/Omni and my gender is fluid (at least those are the labels that fit me in this portion of my life)

Fun Facts! I'm a rightie but I lead with my left foot (which is uncommon for those who are right hand dominant, I believe) I think that's because it's a habit from when I was learning Tae Kwon Do. I have three tattoos (currently, but I've got plans for MORE) and one of them is a glowy UV ink tattoo of the 2017 total solar eclipse! I was also on a bowling league! I think my highest game was 267 but it's been literal years so I could be off.

I like: cats, music (seriously the playlist I consistently listen to has a little bit of everything), vampires (or more generally gothic stuff), whiskey, pins and stickers (I have a little collection), writing, fantasy, and all things beachy!

I dislike: avocado, clowns (coulrophobia baybee!), the sound of scraping against ice/ice skating, piercing noises in general, anxiety (it is HELL), and my own handwriting lol

and for the little blurbs next to me: Yes, my ears are pointy, I'm 5' 4", I have a memorial tattoo on my arm (it's representative of my grandparents), comfort above ALL, I have a blue ringed octopus tattoo on my thigh, and ankle socks FTW

[lboogie1906]

Tracy Lauren Marrow (born February 16, 1958), known by his stage name Ice-T, is a musician, rapper, songwriter, actor, record producer, and author. He began his career as an underground rapper in the 1980s and was signed to Sire Records in 1987 when he released his debut album Rhyme Pays; the second hip-hop album to carry an explicit content sticker after Slick Rick’s La Di Da Di. He founded the record label Rhyme $yndicate Records and released another album, Power, which went on to go Platinum. He released several other albums that went Gold.

He was born in Newark, New Jersey to Solomon and Alice Marrow.

He co-founded the heavy metal band Body Count, which he introduced on his 1991 rap album O.G.: Original Gangster, on the track titled “Body Count”. The band released its self-titled debut album in 1992. He encountered controversy over his track “Cop Killer”, the lyrics of which discussed killing police officers. He asked to be released from his contract with Warner Bros. Records, and his next solo album, Home Invasion, was released in February 1993 through Priority Records. Body Count’s next album was released in 1994, and he released two more albums in the late 1990s. He has portrayed NYPD Detective/Sergeant Odafin Tutuola on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

He married Nicole “Coco” Austin (2002) and they have a daughter. He has two other children. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[likemosaic]

coco pouts even more intensely than before, her lower lip stuck out in an obnoxious expression. then immediately grins, mischief glinting in her eyes. "you're so mean to me," she sighs, but she's still smiling, mirroring renji. yes, she's flirting. and to think they were cat-fighting not all that long ago. "i'm trying to set you up for success with women here, you know. you're already so handsome, you just need a little boost." coco's too embarrassed to say it explicitly, but whatever she buys here for renji, she plans on tailoring to their body, both for comfort and so his prosthetic arm will fit comfortably. yes, she's down bad, don't laugh.

and though she's very certainly too embarrassed to say this either, it's a sign of coco's affection that she's trying to dress renji up like a doll--however materialistic it may seem of her. coco's japanese is still shoddy (and improving, thanks to renji), but she catches afton's name, and her mood instantly sours a smidgen. if she knew what they were saying, she'd probably just laugh, but her insecurity (and the fact that afton and vera weren't immediately charmed by coco's crass attitude) makes her defensive.

"don't speak the name of the devil in a holy place," coco says sarcastically, hand on her hip (all department stores being places of worship, of course). "maybe i'll dress him up as prince next, since you don't want to participate. hey, if it works and he starts dating, maybe he'll chill the fuck out and hop off my ass. you know, i think he's just jealous that i get you all to myself these days." she throws another pair of pants into the cart (these ones a bit closer to something renji might actually wear, because she's a merciful goddess). either way, sorry renji, but she's decided for you. say a prayer.

*RENJI & COCO. / @likemosaic​ from x.

there’s the heaviest urge to roll his eyes, but, for her, he’ll refrain. (at least, until she turns back to the rack. then, it’s very hard to contain. when she turns back with those outrageous pants, he shakes his head, but he can’t help the mile-wide smile on his face. “i am not wearing those,” he says, voice threatening to let out a laugh. he looks down at the clothes in his hands, glances over to a mirror to see what he’s wearing now.

they’re all… a stark contrast to what he wears, where he usually shops. they’re nice clothes! don’t get him wrong, they’re all nice, but… it’s. different, from the distressed jeans, the flannel under the leather jacket, a simple and modern taste for someone who changes clothes like… well, like they change socks. they look back towards coco, but their brows raise when he catches sight of the name on the current garment.

“i don’t think i look anything like prince, coco,” he then chuckles, absolutely not thrilled about the thought of wearing the jacket. “and i’m not exactly in the market of getting, uh. so many bitches, as you so… eloquently put it.” he then says something in japanese, something akin to, and i thought afton had a way with words. 

[eazy-group]

Ultrarunner Andrew Glaze Shares Dinner Miles and Hard-Earned Smiles

New Post has been published on https://eazycamping.net/ultrarunner-andrew-glaze-shares-dinner-miles-and-hard-earned-smiles/

Ultrarunner Andrew Glaze Shares Dinner Miles and Hard-Earned Smiles

A few months ago, Andrew Glaze would say “dinner miles” as a joke when he ran at night. The way it went was he would feed his body and his legs. It was a playful way to excuse himself and go for a run. 

Then, he started saying it on social media. In videos on his Instagram and TikTok channels, he used it as a sort of catchphrase followed by: “I’m feeding my legs miles because my legs are hungry.” Soon after, “dinner miles” started trending among his more than 465,000 followers.  

People from all over the world started sending him videos tagged “dinner miles” as well as “breakfast miles” and sometimes “brunch miles.” It generated so much buzz that he launched the Dinner Miles Club on the running app Strava. In just a few weeks, it gained more than 1,600 members. 

Dinner Miles might sound like a run-of-the-mill social media strategy, but unlike influencers, Glaze doesn’t make money from his posts. In an interview with Outdoors.com, the 45-year-old ultrarunner explained that he kind of rejects the idea of getting paid for his content.  

“There’s a little bit of punk rock still in me where I’m ‘F corporations.’ I’m not a NASCAR. You’re not gonna put your little label on me. You can’t buy me,” he said. “I definitely have a little bit of that on the inside.”

The Ultrarunner

Andrew Glaze holds up his race bib ahead of the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler near Huntsville, Alabama in February 2023. Source: Andrew Glaze

Glaze started running at age 24 as a way to deal with anxiety and depression, which he said was the result of an unhealthy lifestyle and inactivity. Then, about 10 years ago, he signed up for a 24-hour tough mudder. 

“I was like, ‘I’m gonna be running really far in 24 hours so I better train for that.’ And so the way I trained for it was running a couple of 50Ks, which is 31 miles, and that’s sort of like the rabbit hole of getting into ultras,” he said. 

While he found the tough mudder to be hard on his body — he didn’t want to blow out a knee or shoulder — he liked the endurance challenge, so he decided to stick with running. And he pretty much hasn’t stopped since.

However, he has a lot more responsibility today. He’s a firefighter and a captain in his department, a husband, and a father of three, so he runs for the same reasons he started and more. As a runner, he covers nearly 8,000 miles a year, competes in ultras all over the country, and he regularly films his activities. 

In most of his videos, he’s running with his phone in his hand, taking a dip into an ice bath, or sitting in a sauna — his “daily reminder to do hard things” — but almost every week, he posts about a major event like a long run or race. One of his most recent adventures was a wild one. 

The Coco Canyons 350

On April 28, Glaze finished the Canyon Endurance Race in the California foothills of the Sierra Nevada range in just under 28 hours. Running a 100-mile race is good enough for most people for the week, but a couple of days later, Glaze headed over to run the Cocodona 250. As the name implies, it’s a 250-mile race from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, Arizona. 

He said he wanted to run 350 miles in less than a week to challenge himself, and challenge himself he did. Over four days, 12 hours, 22 minutes, and 58 seconds, he pushed his body to emotional and physical extremes. While he started and finished with a smile, he also cried tears of joy, hallucinated objects emerging from the ground, and at times struggled to stay awake while running. 

Why push himself to these extremes? Glaze is an ultrarunner, and that’s what ultrarunners do. They endure the pain and discomfort that come with running extremely long distances. It’s about the journey, not the destination. But why record these vulnerable moments and post them on the internet for all to see?

The Vlogging Runner

While it may seem like his running and vlogging go hand-in-hand, Glaze said his motivations come from different places. He runs not just because it’s therapeutic but also because he loves it. With a three-year running streak of covering more than 100 miles per week, it’s fair to say he has an obsession. 

What keeps Glaze making content, though, is the same reason he launched the Dinner Miles Club: it’s his way of inspiring others to run. “If people are running and thinking of me and putting that energy out in the world, I feel like I’m successful in my endeavor of why I’m doing all this,” he said.

Andrew Glaze at the top of Mount Langley in the Sierra Nevada in August 2022. Source: Andrew Glaze

However, another explanation for his vlogging is that it’s simply easy to do thanks to platforms like Instagram and TikTok. If you look back to his early videos, some nine years on YouTube, you can tell he added some production value, but they’re not as personal. If you ask him what changed, he’ll say the platforms. 

“I think I kind of like tripped into this whole thing because I’ve always made videos but they never went viral. But now that there’s a new format that makes videos so much easier to make and upload, I’m just able to reach a lot more people.”

He explained with Instagram’s Reels and TikTok, he can make a video in five or 10 minutes and post it with just his phone and his videos will get millions of views. If he wanted the same results on Youtube, he’d need to invest more time and money into equipment. 

“It’s funny because I’ve always sort of made videos of my races and stuff, but back in the day, it wasn’t quite as easy to do. I’d videotape myself, but then I didn’t really have the proper software to edit it or do anything,” he said. “None of that was really easy to do back then.”

The Glazeruns Channel

At the end of the day, Glaze runs and makes content because it makes him feel good. He records the joy that he gets out of running, but he doesn’t shy away from the challenges involved with the sport. He relates to his audience, sharing his successes, failures, goals, and gear list. It’s as if it’s in his nature. 

“I like to make (videos) because I want to be helping people,” he said. “I got into the fire service because I truly wanted to help people. I’m a paramedic and I’ve been on teams that have saved a lot of lives, and it’s very rewarding to do something like that, and likewise with the social media.”

Glaze explained he gets messages every day from people he inspired to start running and they’ve inspired someone else to start running. 

“I’m not trying to make money. I’m just like trying to push good into the world because there’s so much negativity and there’s so much bad in the world right now,” he said. 

“If I could just make the smallest amount of difference before I die, then I’ll feel like I can die happy,” he concludes. “As cliché as that sounds, I really truly believe that in the deepest part of my soul.”

Source

[aquoteamusetheword]

Coco – Nut

 “Life is short, lick the bowl” – Julia Child

 I have loved coconut for as long as I can remember. I love coconut cake, Mounds bars, Almond Joy, Outshine coconut bars, coconut ice cream, coconut milk, virgin pina coladas, coconut shrimp, coconut shampoo, tropical coconut air freshener in my car… (this is starting to have a Forrest Gump vibe), you get the idea.

 I can trace my fascination with coconut back to two origins.

 The first is every Easter of my young life. I remember waking up in the middle of the night hearing the plastic from my easter basket being placed in my room. I was terrified, not daring to sneak a peek at the imagined six-foot-tall Easter Bunny at the foot of my bed. Once and if I was able to go back to sleep, I would awake to an amazing Easter basket, with a 3-foot-tall chocolate bunny (not a hollow one mind you). There would be baby powder “bunny tracks” making their way to the holy grail of my Easter… (trumpets sounding) my coconut bunny cake, with different colored coconut for the pink ears and a gum drop nose. Me consuming over half of the cake in one sitting was not uncommon. It is entirely probable that much of the ADHD epidemic of my generation was a misdiagnosis; it may have been over consumption of bunny cakes.  I am not ashamed to admit, mom made these cakes well into my teens.

 The second is the world-famous Lorene Thompson six-layer (spontaneous diabetes) coconut cake. Whenever I visited, my grandmother made this cake. This cake is even the subject of Thompson’s folklore. After a trip to Albertville, Alabama, my stepmom Cherryl saved a piece and took it all the way back to Texas. After a meal she relished the last piece, my Pops walked by and scooped off all of the ambrosia that was the icing and licked it off his finger. If a marriage can survive this…

 She even showed me how to make it once. The ingredients were Betty Crocker white cake mix, two fresh coconuts, a 50-gallon oil drum of Crisco, 24 eggs and all of the sugar in the world. Seriously, she would hand shave two coconuts, emulsify some of it in sweetened condensed milk. Then cut three cake layers in half, poke holes in the cake with toothpicks, douse each layer with the milk. She would whip up four cups of egg white icing (fortified with more coconut), there was a layer of icing on the entire cake and in between each layer. Finally, the entire thing was dusted with the remaining shredded coconut. If you tried to create a nutritional information label for this behemoth it would look like a CVS receipt. But it was all ok, she used Splenda to make her sweet tea.

 Love and coconuts…

Happy belated Mother’s Day to Mom and Cherryl.

[trenttrendspotter]

12 Trends to Watch in 2023—As Seen at Natural Products Expo East...and the brands that help meet the demand!

As we head into 2023, we are reminded of all the amazing trends and brands we saw at Natural Products Expo East this past September in Philadelphia, and how they are sure to shape 2023. We saw a lot of evolution in existing trends, and many new trends on the horizon. Hands down, the overarching trend of the show was sustainability. Read up on the latest in Natural Products Trend Forecast: Sustainability Rules in 2023.

There’s lots more on the horizon, too. Read on for more of what we spotted at Natural Products Expo East that is shaping the industry for 2023!

Globally Inspired Flavors

Thai tea, the mega-famous drink known for its bright color, sweet flavor, and use in Boba Teas, became a pantry must-have since Thaiwala released its shelf-stable concentrate, which is easy to store, easy to prepare, and perfect to enjoy hot or cold. Authentic Thaiwala brings the experience of drinking an artfully crafted tea that sources the perfect ingredients to honor Thailand’s recipe and packages it for a personal moment anyone can enjoy from the comfort of their couch.

Sanzo is the first Asian inspired sparkling water brand, bringing traditional Asian flavors with a modern taste to the U.S. market. Their sparkling water uses real fruit and has no added sugar. For some, these flavors are a taste of home; for others, they are a new source of discovery. Sanzo is excited to offer authentic flavors in the most delicious way. The gap in market between the modern, clean label of the new-age “American” brands and the preservative and sugar-laden labels of the legacy Asian brands is what inspired company founder Sandro Roco.

Afar Foods is breaking the mold of protein bar brands that think sugar = flavor. Featuring savory, global flavors and a crunchy texture, their protein bars will satisfy hunger and cravings with 90% less sugar than other bars. A multi-destination trip around the world, with all four tasty flavors in one box. Frequent flyer miles not included.

Marco Sweets & Spices is a culinary ice cream inspired by international cuisine. Perfect for entertaining, gifting, or devouring by yourself. Mouthwatering flavors like Aztec chocolate, Thai coco-lime, Turkish mocha allow you to experience other cultures form the comfort of your own home.

Inspired by its 10-year history as a Beijing street food restaurant, Mr. Bing Chili Crisp is an intensely flavorful, crispy condiment. Made with four peppers of complimentary heat, smokiness, fruitiness and umami-rich mushroom powder, and a crunchy punch of garlic and onion, it brings the flavor of Northern China home to elevate everyday meals with a burst of heat and just enough sweetness.

Miyoshi Oil & Fat Co. has been leading the Japanese market in all things oil and fat for over 100 years. Breaking into the U.S. market, there is now a product for every type of fat or oil need. They offer a wide range of versatile products that include food-based products like margarine, shortening, lard, powdered fats and oils and whipping cream but also industrial soaps, other industrial fats and oils, textile treatment agents, antifoaming agents and more.

Foods with Function

Hazel the Health Nut from Oregon Orchards is sharing all of the benefits of hazelnuts from their versatility to their nutritional components like omega 6 and 9, high folate, vitamins B1 and E, and protein. Oregon Orchards provides the best quality hazelnut products like baking, candied and snacking hazelnuts along with extra virgin and refined hazelnut oil, brought to you by Hazelnut Growers of Oregon.

Nush Foods is a small-batch business baking low-carb snacks that contain clean ingredients and are grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, and paleo! Nush helps get you off the sugar-and-carb roller coaster by satisfying your appetite with protein, fiber, and balanced fats. They are super quick and easy, just pop open the bag and enjoy one of the already made keto cakes.

Broma is focused on elevating the ordinary with wholesome, nutrient-packed ingredients. They use all the good, like cacao, lentils, almonds, and coconut sugar, and none of the bad. They believe functional foods can also be tasty. Their spreadable, creamy almond butters are a complete protein (almonds + lentils = perfect combination!) and contains all 9 essential amino acids that your body needs as well as micronutrients like fiber, iron and folate that people often miss in their diets.

Three Dads Superfood Popcorn is a hit with kids and adults. Made by, as the name implies, three dads who are committed to making nutritious quality snacks that you can be proud to serve your family. A whole grain that originated in the Americas, corn has been part of the human diet for around 9,000 years. Their corn is organic and comes from a family farm in California and is popped by air, not oil. While most popcorn is soaked in oil and popped in a kettle, they pop their corn using nothing more than hot air.

Brightfull is your superfood blend of essential vitamins that support memory and mental wellness. Cognitive decline begins 18 years before the first symptoms and Alzheimer’s clinical diagnosis. Brightfull BLEND delivers nutrients that help take care of memory.

The Power of Ayurveda

The Ayurveda Experience is the most recognized and trusted place for Ayurvedic products delivering safe, natural and effective products made of pure, potent herbs and ingredients in time-tested formulations, based on the 5000-year-old science of life. With a store in LA and more to come, you can experience the unique and original products and ingredients used in Ayurveda.

CANE’d is revolutionizing sugarcane juice among cultures and increasing awareness about its nutritional benefits. Their juice blends are 100% natural, Non-GMO Verified, have no added sugar and are fresh cold pressed to contain all the nutrients that are present in the raw fruits and vegetables. Their juice blends boost immune function and provide natural hydration. Their blends enhance the nutritional properties and flavors of sugarcane juice by pairing it with healthy fruits and Ayurvedic ingredients.

Sober Curious

Three Spirit is a non-alcoholic beverage brand harnessing the power of plants to create functional beverages packed with benefits. Rooted in alchemy and focused on flavor, the Three Spirit team brings complexity and depth to alternative spirits and wine in a way that hasn’t been seen before. Whether you need to boost your mood or unwind, Three Spirit has a drink for everyone, whether you are totally sober, trying to cut back, or just want to mix things up.

AVEC is flavor-forward and perfectly balanced, taking the guesswork out of making a delicious drink, whether you mix them with spirit-free liquors or full-proof spirits. Their light effervescence makes them a pleasure to sip solo, too.  Avec means ‘with’ in French. Because ‘with’ is what this is all about. These beverages are made specifically to be mixed with. Born from the belief that mixers should be healthier, tastier and real. Made for the moments, places, and people you feel your best with.

Cheers is a brand of products designed to help you feel better the day after drinking alcohol. They are dedicated to fun, responsible, and health-conscious alcohol consumption. Their products are designed to keep you healthy, whether you drink a little, a lot, or not at all.

Ritual Zero Proof is the zero-calorie liquor replacement meaning zero alcohol and zero regrets. Simply replace traditional spirits like tequila, vodka, gin, etc. with Ritual to make a non-alcoholic version, or swap out half the hard stuff for a low abv version. Whether yo are dieting, driving, training, making a baby, taking a break, staying up late, getting up early, or just don’t want to, Ritual has you covered.

Elevated Beverages

Straight from the earth to you, the mountain spring water in Chlorophyll Water is bottled at the source, a preserved natural resource deep in the Pennsylvania mountains protected from all elements by a 1,500-acre forest. Chlorophyll is a vital plant pigment that can assist in promoting healthy alkaline pH levels, oxygenating the body, boosting energy levels, detoxifying the body, providing a source of vitamin A, C and D, and so much more.

Twrl Milk Tea is the better-for-you milk tea latte (aka tea latte or boba tea) that’s ready to enjoy anytime, anywhere! Using ethically sourced organic tea, plant-based milk and low-glycemic sugars, their passion is creating a delicious, guilt-free treat! This organic fair-trade, nitro infused tea uses pea milk for its low sugar and carb content and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Welcome to the Rubyverse, a flavorful world of less sugar with Ruby, a line of organic, unsweetened, 0 calorie, delicious, refreshing, magical, amazing, spectral red hibiscus water, available in sparkling or still. Brewed the right way, hibiscus tastes like dried cherries–nice & tart (and a little sweet). It will wake your taste buds up and take them on a wonderful trip.

URJA is the first premium pink coconut water in the market. It comes straight from the source, cold crafted and 100% pure, that is why their coconut water is always pink. It’s the mother’s seal of freshness, from Kerala, the land of coconuts.

Morning Wood Bloody Mary Mix is a premium craft bloody mary mix made in West Des Moines, Iowa. As bloody mary lovers, they found it hard to find the perfect mix. That inspired them to create Morning Wood Bloody Mary. Unlike they competition, they value serving a premium product that is free from artificial coloring, adulterants, and impurities. They aim to be a nationally recognized brand with a grasp of several large markets.

Nourish Cold Pressed Juices are pressed at their farmhouse kitchen facility in Kennett Square, PA using the professional grade Goodnature X-1 juicer. They understand a good juice starts with good agriculture, and that quality organic ingredients make the best tasting juices. Supporting local farmers and small businesses is a part of their mission and lifestyle, but they take it a step further: Nourish is USDA Certified Organic, Non-GMO, and the only Certified B Corp cold pressed juice company in the United States.

Fresh Takes on Childhood Favorites

Your favorite pizza bagels and pizza rolls are reimagined by Snow Days. Organic pizza bites loaded with vegetables, grass-fed mozzarella and 10g of protein, these delicious and healthy eats are made with organic ingredients and zero empty calories. They took all the unnatural things out of pizza bites and replaced them with organic, grain-free ingredients so you can finally feel free to enjoy what you love.

Chubby Snacks is updating the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so you never have to decide between nutritious and delicious. They take tasty convenience to the next level with nostalgic flavors and healthy ingredients. So yeah, your mom might’ve made a good PB&J, but they make the best. Now, the only question is…are you a grape or a strawberry person?

Mompops was founded by the mother and son team of Sandra and Issa Ostrander, with the goal of creating a healthy treat that everyone can enjoy. The ice-pop is an American classic dating back to 1905. It’s a treat that generates a smile and brings to mind fun and carefree times. They wanted to recreate that feeling with a healthy twist, so they made all natural pops that are plant-based, kosher, free of the top 8 allergens, use real fruits and never any concentrates and no added cane sugar.

Meet your new healthy soda, Super Natural, that actually tastes like soda. A soda with zero sugar, zero calories and nothing artificial. Coming in nostalgic flavors of the sodas you grew up with like Cola, Lemon-Lime, Baja Best and Dr. Best. It is your classic full-bodied soda, just without any of the stuff that destroys your health.

Better-For-You Snacking

Artisan Tropic is a family business making wholesome Plantain and Cassava snacks to improve the quality of life for their customers, employees, and their families. After the Guzman family moved to Charlotte, NC, Maca was diagnosed with autoimmunity. The Guzmans exhausted medical options and ended up trying a holistic approach. They became passionate about food and nutrition and used that passion as the vision for starting a healthy snack brand called Artisan Tropic.

Freestyle Snacks brings together high quality, flavorful olives grown in Greece with convenient, liquid-free pouch packaging. The brand aims to unleash the freedom to snack with a delicious, healthy, and seamless way to satisfy any savory craving. The snack is low calorie, plant based, sugar-free, and filled with heart healthy fats. The product will initially be available in three flavors: Kalamata Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Green Olives Lemon Garlic, and Green Olives Hot & Spicy.

Chickease snackable chickpeas are a tasty, healthy, 100% natural chickpea snack that is packed with flavor and is perfectly packable (and snackable). Never dry, on-the-fly, easy peasy, all for meezy! They’re the perfect plant-based pick-me-up on the go, with no refrigeration, no preservatives, no worries. A savory source of protein and nutrients, cooked from scratch and bursting with Mediterranean flavors. Snack fresh and healthy anywhere, anytime.

A light, airy and crisp popcorn bar packed full of savory tastiness, Wowza is a gluten-free snack with no preservatives. With three flavors to choose from (caramel, chocolate and blueberry), you’ll surely find a Wowza in every bite.

France knows a thing or two about decadent desserts, and Petit Pot offers all of that delicious tradition in a convenient, petite jar. This delightful dessert is naturally gluten free and made with the best organic, local ingredients. With reusable jars and sustainable packaging, Petit Pot is a treat you can feel good about enjoying.

Innovations in Animal Products

BUF Creamery is committed to making 100% grass fed, free-range, award-winning cheese. Inspiration came while riding a horse through their farms. As they watched the bufalas grazing on fourth-generation farms in Colombia, they thought why not make mozzarella di bufala? At BUF, their attention to detail has allowed them to create the exquisite taste of their cheese. They are committed to crafting delicious, healthy and responsible cheeses all from the milk of free ranging & grass-fed water buffalo.

Fourth-generation butcher, Cara Nicoletti, grew up working at her family’s butcher shop outside of Boston. Seemore came to life after she started to explore ways to get her customers to consume less meat. The answer? Sausages. These sausages are making an impact by offsetting carbon emissions, using humanely raised meat, up to 35% fresh veggies, using less meat, not going meatless to help you eat meat responsibly and adding more nutrients and less calories.

Tired of settling for bland, boring food for herself and her family due to their food allergies, Ashley Kohn set out to develop the best tasting beef jerky, Prevail Jerky. It is free of allergens and additives and made with real, clean ingredients to show that healthy food can be delicious. Using 100% grass-fed and free-range turkey, Prevail is available in 5 crave worthy flavors.

Sips with Prebiotics & Probiotics

A boost, a breath of fresh air, a bio-benefit…that’s Better Booch. The fermented tea isn’t just an ancient tradition or immune supporting tonic, it’s good enough to make you say mmm, and refreshing enough to make you go ahhhh. It’s a drink that makes sense just about anywhere you take it; have it with your people or enjoy it just for you. So, crack open a cold one–with cred.

From the makers of Mother’s Kombucha comes Agua Bucha, a sparkling water infused with kombucha. Which means you’re getting a crisp, refreshing bubbly beverage with the added benefits of B vitamins and organic acids. Best of all, it’s low in calories and sugar, all organic, and easy to enjoy. Just a delicately flavored sparkling water with lots to love and nothing to hide.

WildWonder is the world’s first sparkling prebiotic and probiotic beverage for gut health. The flavors are inspired by heritage and taste like a California produce stand. WildWonder combines the two crucial components for a healthy gut – live probiotics and prebiotic fiber, supported by functional herbs and luscious fruits for a delicious and holistic approach to gut health.

GoodBelly is probiotic juice that uses the probiotic strain called Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (LP299V®), a probiotic that has over two decades of demonstrated safe and effective use and has been subject to over 60 human clinical trials. GoodBelly chose this scientifically backed strain from the very start because it has been shown to be one of the most effective probiotics on the market supporting digestive health, which is where overall health begins.

Gut-Friendly Fare

Bonafide Provisions was created by a mom and Clinical Nutritionist who used a whole food approach as the cornerstone of her nutritional practice because food has the power to change lives. They promise to make their products the same way you would in your own kitchen (NO shortcuts, NO funky ingredients, ever). They use only the highest-quality, certified organic ingredients to deliver wellness-promoting foods that are made from the cleanest ingredients and taste like homemade (if not better!).

Bone Brewhouse has mastered the timeless tradition of slow-simmered, delicious bone broth. And now, whether you’re on the go, or at home preparing your favorite recipe, you can enjoy nutrient-rich, bone broths to nourish your body, inside and out. Bone Brewhouse allows you to make wellness a delicious daily routine in an instant with their easy-to-digest and gut-friendly, deliciously sippable, instant bone broths.

Not everything that is low FODMAP is actually good for your health. That’s why Gourmend Foods is committed to bringing you whole, clean, low FODMAP essentials free of all fillers, additives and preservatives. Only real food to help you lead a healthier life. They are on a mission to make low-FODMAP foods more flavorful and healthier and are committed to finding ways for everyone to enjoy cooking and eating delicious meals.

Dalci gut-healthy brownies and blondies are made with organic, non-GMO fair trade dark chocolate, almond butter and avocado oil. Every brownie is crafted with premium gut-healthy ingredients that are ethically sourced and organic so you can indulge what you crave, happily (and free of stomach bloat or side effects). Now you can enjoy clean desserts that actually taste good and are actually clean.

Chef Curated Culinary Experiences

Founded in 2002, Sticky Fingers is your home for 100% plant-based delicious treats. They offer Bake-It-Yourself and Decorate-It-Yourself kits as well as Ready-To-Eat cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and more. And it all ships nationwide, because they believe everyone deserves access to plant-based sweets. They are located in Washington, D.C., so if you’re in town, visit them for even more plant-based goodies.

Washington D.C. natives might also recognize Laoban Dumplings from Union Market. They are now available in the freezer section to be enjoyed anywhere. Laoban has taken the classic Chinese dumplings and reimagined them in a modern way. They are coming up with fun new combinations, trying to keep things fresh and fun, but still trying to maintain that authenticity.

From NYC to events around the country, and now at home in your freezer, Big Mozz brings the best tasting mozzarella sticks to you. Often called the world’s tastiest, cheesiest, and authentically crafted mozzarella sticks. Your tastebuds won’t know what hit ‘em. Freezer to oven (or air fryer) yummy goodness in minutes. The best party food ever, made from the best ingredients they can find.

This Little Goat is Chef Stephanie Izard’s brand of sauces, spices, and everything crunch inspired by flavors from her award-winning restaurants. When your everyday meals could use a little something, This Little Goat has a sauce, spice mix, or crunchy topping for the job. It’s time to spice up your salads, snazzify your soups, and just generally up your meal game, because This Little Goat goes on anything.

Greener HABA & Home Goods

The Unscented Company was born from the belief that clean doesn’t have to smell like lemons, berries, oranges or mountain forest. The company believes clean can simply smell fresh and that we would all be better for it. They have expanded wellness beyond the traditional spectrum. They believe that healthier home and body care products can make a difference. That’s why they created effective unscented home and body care smartly designed for conscious living. Because healthy households make for a healthier world.

MomRemedy is a family friendly Everything Household Cleaner and Stain Remover that is hydrogen-peroxide based and naturally scented with citrus. The cleaning collection can safely be used for cleaning throughout your entire home. This line allows you to reduce the need for multiple cleaning products with one powerful Hydrogen Peroxide based cleaner. Have peace of mind knowing your cleaning products are safe for the whole family, yet effective enough to clean up the messes of each member.

Epsom-It is your Epsom salt soak without the tub. Their unique natural formula of concentrated pure Epsom salt fortified with Arnica aids in muscle cramps and nerve pain. Epsom-It is a concentrated Epsom salt lotion that is 5x more concentrated than a bath, because honestly, who has time to soak everything pain strikes?

STOKES Firestarters is the easiest and most effective fire starter, made from all-natural recycled materials, allowing you to start your fireplace, wood stove, charcoal grill, or campfire without the use of harmful accelerants.

As the industry pioneer in ear health, Wally’s Natural is aware of how important it is to take care of oneself. More than three decades ago, a family’s quest to find a solution for their young son’s ear problems evolved into a mission to provide families everywhere with the best ear products. Their wellness tools help to ensure healthier ear canals and a happier life. Wally’s Natural candling offers a euphoric experience that soothes, calms, and relaxes. Their organic oil comforts and cleans, and the scrub is designed for children to clean their ears with ease.

Nature’s Fusions was founded in 2009 by brothers David and CJ Peterson. What began as a small essential oil distribution company for family and friends, quickly grew to what it is today: a leading provider of 100% pure, natural, and authentic essential oils and other all-natural products. Whether you’re new to essential oils or a seasoned aficionado, they’re here to assist you on your journey towards optimal wellness.

More to come at Natural Products Expo West 2023

It is hard to believe that this is just a handful of the trends and brands we noticed. An honorable mention we saw was seed paper. Seed paper is paper made embedded with seeds. After using the paper, it can be planted directly into soil, which can then grow into live plants. Many brands did this with their businesses card, Freestyle Snacks being one of them.

We are expecting to see these trends be a big part of 2023 and shape the naturals product. Natural Products Expo West will occur in Anaheim, CA from March 7 – 11, 2023. These trends along with many others are sure to be on display.For more trends,

read the latest from trendspotter Nancy Trent

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[likemosaic]

coco jumps a little and ends up dropping the piece of arthur's tech she'd picked up. it doesn't shatter, but it makes a clattering sound that can't mean anything good. she's kinda regretting coming in here, but there's no one else to hand off a tech problem (or in her case, a possible tech present) to among salem's team. she's desperately wishing there was, but the extent of mercury's tech ability includes hacking his little...game...thing to run without internet access. a gameman? a toyboy? coco's not a video games type, much to his disappointment. "touchy, touchy. we can't all be blessed with naturally dark lashes, okay? check your privilege, firstly."

coco puts her hands on her hips, her information drive tucked into her palm. she's thinking about snapping it in half in front of arthur's face, just to see him get even madder, but she abstains. as fun as it would be to watch his face go an even deeper shade of purple, she doesn't think salem would be happy to know that their only tech expert died of a stress-induced heart attack.

"my name is coco, thanks. not girl. it would be super rude if i called you, i dunno, old fuck instead of your name. which i actually bothered to learn, because i'm really, really nice." the audacity of a wealthy young adult, traumatized and willing to traumatize the world back, is truly inspiring. coco wonders if the reason arthur has no idea who she is, is because he's spent the last twenty years in salem's basement.

buuut she can admit that she's being inflammatory. coco pulls her hands off her hips and folds her arms. "i know this is gonna make you yell at me more, but...what's the cactus? shouldn't you be over there working with them...or...something?" she had a solid C- in her technical advancements courses, if it's not obvious. enough knowledge to be obnoxious, not enough knowledge to be helpful.

Eyes narrowed, Arthur slowly takes his hands off his keyboard. He can type and talk—a skill honed by long practice and one he takes no small amount of pride in—but not when he’s apoplectic with anger, and it is obvious that this child thinks it’s funny to try his patience.

But! Arthur Watts is no longer the hot-headed youngish man who had faked his death and cruised out of Atlas in a stolen airship on a wave of pure unspeakable frustration: oh, no. No. Salem has (he will admit it in the privacy of his own mind, if nowhere else) been good for him. He is seven years older and wiser now. He has learnt the art of patience. He–

That idiot child is touching his things.

Grinding his teeth together, Arthur snaps: “Put that down, girl!”

Was she raised in a barn?—No, no, that’s an insult both to domesticated livestock, who at least have the good graces to be nutritious, and to the minuscule number of actual farmers Arthur has met in his life. No. Worse. This girl acts like she’d attended a private boarding school to the tune of millions of lien every year from the day she turned five!

He kicks his seat back from the desk, fingers laced together, long arms outstretched; his knuckles crackle horribly. “So sorry about your little mascara problem,” Arthur drawls, with withering disdain. “If that pathetic excuse for a KE team Atlas sent to Vale ever manages to get the Cactus back online—” They won’t. “—I’ll be sure to take down every. last. retailer. hawking beauty products over the ’net so that you continue to have that problem forever!”

Just so she’s clear about where they stand.

[venusiangguk]

may we see the fight tae oc scene pls pls please!!! u can delete later🤔🤔🤔🤔😳😳😳😳 i’m really curious. i mean ofc u don’t have to. still 😧🙃

idealizations concerning real life relations: deleted scene

>>pairing: jungkook x reader / icrlr!couple

>>genre: fwb, angst, rated PG

>>word count: 2.5k

>>warnings: alcohol, implied smut

>>notes: this is a deleted scene from icrlr, that i omitted simply because of the length of the final fic!! feel free to skip or ignore, it doesn't change anything, but since u guys are curious about it, i'll post it as a lil ty for helping me hit that milestone <3 it takes place after the tattoo party scene, and before the lecture scene.

this does NOT provide an alternative ending.

>>summary: taehyung tries to make you see things for what they really are, but it's hard to see through the rose colored glasses.

Winter break has been long awaited and it is finally, finally here. The snow has coated the ground thick, making the town look like a winter wonderland. The air is sharp and cold but not to a miserable extent. Just chilly enough to bundle up, to hold a hand a little tighter and soak up their warmth.

Your favorite season is fall, but the later months are a close second. You love seeing the way everyone’s faces get red when snow flurries come down to kiss their nose and cheeks. Love the way pom poms bounce atop little hats as children play and have snowball fights. Winter is surprisingly one of the warmest, sweetest times of the year. Like the hot coco Jeongguk has been swapping your regular macchiato with lately.

There’s a greatly anticipated party tonight- a mashup of Taehyung’s birthday and New Year’s Eve. Anticipated for the simple fact that said birthday boy has steadily been ignoring you for weeks, and tonight was a night where he couldn’t evade your attempts of reconciliation. He hasn’t returned a single call or even sent a text back. You can’t even be mad at him really, you know it’s justified. You know you fucked up. The coffee date you had with Yoongi last week let you know what you did.

Over an iced coffee, you learned that you had unintentionally skipped out on your best friend's Winter Showcase. The important one that he mentioned multiple times. The one you promised to attend no matter what.

It wasn’t on purpose; you wanted to go, to support him. But you just got caught up. In life, in school, in Jeongguk. It happens.

When Yoongi asked you why you had missed it, when he told you how hurt Taehyung was by your absence, your heart dropped, sank deep within your chest as your mouth fell open before closing, a small pursed frown on your lips. You didn’t have a good excuse. You went to get tattoos with Jeongguk and then to a party where you fucked him, and then home after that? You were too tired to make it? You just simply forgot? Those excuses weren’t good enough for you and you knew they wouldn’t be good enough for Taehyung.

Whereas Yoongi was okay with distance, long periods in between hanging out and talking, Taehyung wasn’t. He was the kind of friend that needed support, reassurance that you cared. He liked quality time and hangs outs that were planned ahead so he could look forward to them. He was looking forward to you being at his showcase.

The party is packed, even more so than usual. Students, drop-outs, alumni, and randoms alike, all congregate to bring in the new year, to celebrate the end of finals, and a certain art majors birthday. Bodies are on bodies, music is loud and deafening. Cups, bottles, and small baggies litter the floor and the smell of weed is nauseating.

Jeongguk’s hand in yours is sweet, though. Enough to ebb the distaste in your mouth as you watch the stereotypical disaster that is a college party.

“I’m going to go find the drinks, okay?” you lie, squeezing Jeongguk’s hand lightly.

He squeezes back, kisses the side of your head as he says, “Bring me one back too?”

You nod, and slip out of his view. Scanning the crowd until you see a familiar face.

Jimin is laughing, red cup in his hand, eyes curled and happy. He’s sitting on the arm of a couch, legs swinging as he laughs with a group of people. He takes a drink from his cup and let’s his eyes roam the room like he’s looking for someone.

The way his face changes when he sees you approaching is like a punch in the gut. It goes from happy, and carefree to stony- only a small, irritated, close-lipped smile on his face. Eyes harsh and cold, no longer holding the mirth they were just seconds ago. He says nothing when you step in front of him, he just looks you over like he’s bored and waiting for you to get on with it so he can be done with it.

You shift on your feet under his scrutiny. “Where’s Tae?” you ask.

Jimin narrows his eyes at you and tilts his head. “Now you want to know where he is? Haven’t been concerned with his whereabouts for months. Definitely weren’t worried about it last week.”

You wince but carry on swiftly. “Listen, I know I fucked up. I’m here to apologize.” You look at him expectantly, but he holds his ground. When he doesn’t falter, you resort to begging, “Please, Jimin. He’s my best friend… I miss him.”

You must look pitiful, because Jimin’s indifferent facade fades, and he clicks his tongue like he’s annoyed at himself for giving into you. “He’s getting us drinks in the kitchen.”

A smile takes over your face as you rush out a ‘thank you’, quickly turning on your heel to head in the opposite direction, before Jimin calls after you.

“Yeah?” you ask, looking over your shoulder at him.

“If he’s your best friend, maybe treat him like it, yeah?”

You continue to the kitchen without replying, and you can’t help the little simmer of annoyance that bubbles in your chest. Taehyung has been your best friend for years. And even though Jimin had a point, who was he to tell you anything about yours and Taehyung’s friendship?

Before the thought can fester, however, you see the boy you came looking for, two bottles of vodka in his hand like he’s trying to decide which to use. You see the little party hat atop his shaggy hair before anything else and your heart aches a little. You really did miss him. He lets out a small annoyed sound, and knowing him, he’s probably trying to figure out which has the highest alcohol percentage. You come up next to him, and say his name gently. He jumps, but when he realizes it’s you, the ghost of a smile curls on his lips like he’s happy to see you.

Until it’s replaced with resentment just as quickly. His sharp eyes squint at you before turning back to the bottles in his hands, scowl still in place.

“So you decided you could pencil me in between getting your heart toyed with and your back blown out?” He gives you a side glance and sees how your jaw drops in surprise. He carries on, unbothered. “Or did this just work out because it coincides with New Year’s and because he was invited? Only because he’s Jimin’s friend might I add.”

“Tae-” you try, doing your best to keep the hurt whine out of your tone.

“Save it, __. I don’t want to hear the excuses you have. Just-” he looks at you again, and you think that maybe he softens when he sees your crestfallen features. He sighs like he’s tired. “Just leave me alone. Just for a bit, okay? I’ll get over it eventually,” he finishes, finally deciding on the vodka he wants.

You know his request isn't unreasonable. But it’s already been so long that the distance in your friendship has been eating away at it, that you’re scared ‘eventually’ might take too long and by the time he comes around, there won’t be much of a friendship left. That the damage done, will be irreparable.

“Tae… It’s already been months, can’t we-”

Like night and day, the softness that you were able to pull out of him is immediately replaced with that resentment and anger you were met with when you first stepped into the kitchen.

“Yeah,” he seethes, strong brows furrowed. “And whose fault is that?”

His words are sharp and the sting from them makes you take a step back. That is, until you feel anger of your own creep up your throat like venom. “You’re one to talk, Taehyung. You could have reached out to me, too. You’re no better than me when you’re in a relationship.”

He groans, gives an exasperated laugh before shrugging. “You know what? Maybe I am just as bad as you, but at least I’m actually in a relationship,” he spits, “You’re just fucking someone that doesn’t give a fuck about you.”

You know he’s hurt because of the distance. That he doesn’t intend to be so mean. But that doesn’t make it hurt any less, and it doesn’t stop the angry tears from pooling in your eyes.

And although you’re angry, almost shaking with rage at the feeling of being cornered and blamed, your heart aches at hearing his words.

Jimin, who started seeing Taehyung after you started seeing Jeongguk, had already made your friend official. Had given him the title, the commitment, the relationship that you had been patiently and understandingly waiting for with Jeongguk. The bitterness that bleeds into your heart makes you feel gross and ugly.

You know what they say; that labels are superficial and don’t mean that much. But when you don’t have them? It makes you wonder. If a label really isn’t that important, like everyone says, why is Jeongguk so reluctant to give one to you?

“Jimin’s your boyfriend?” you whisper.

Taehyung gives you a short nod. “Month and half ago. You would’ve known if you got your head out of Jeongguk’s ass.”

Almost like he was summoned, the topic of debate waltz into the room, coming up behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist. He nuzzles into your neck.

It’s instinctual now, the way your body responds to him. The way you melt into his chest like second-nature, how your hands settle over his like they are keeping them in place. How immediately in his presence you feel calmer; the panicky, hurt feeling you were experiencing moments ago vanishing as if it were just a fleeting thought and not something that’s always in the back of your head.

Not in a possessive, ‘I need him to be mine’ kind of way, though.

More like, ‘Why won’t he be mine?’

“Hi,” he murmurs into your neck.

“Hi, baby,” you respond softly, out of habit. The room shirks around you whenever he’s near. Makes you feel like you’re in your own bubble with him.

Jeongguk’s about to reply, ask where the drinks are, but then he hears an annoyed scoff sound in front of you both. Jeongguk bristles as he looks up and sees Taehyung taking a big swig from his cup.

“Uh- am I interrupting? Should I go?” he asks hesitantly, looking between you and your friend.

“No-” you say at the same time that Taehyung says, “Yes.”

You cringe, and turn in Jeongguk’s arms, hands resting on his chest. “Just give me a couple more minutes okay? I’ll bring the drinks.”

Jeongguk searches your eyes, before looking at Taehyung one last time before giving you a stern nod and a quick kiss.

You turn back to Taehyung, ready to apologize for Jeongguk’s interruption, when he talks over you.

“You’re pathetic,” he starts, and you roll your eyes with an irritated sigh before he continues, “but I know you love him. And that you can’t help it,” he shrugs. “But as your friend, I have to tell you that it’s not going to end well. You probably don’t even need me to tell you that. You probably already know and are choosing to ignore it for the sake of the delusions you’ve made up in your ‘pretty little head’.”

You pout at him quoting you, and your brows furrow. “He cares about me. And he’s Jimin’s best friend. He’s a good person, you don’t even know him,” you argue defensively. Though you know your arguments make little sense and are flimsy at best.

Taehyung frowns. Pauses like he’s thinking.

“I didn’t say he was a bad person, and maybe he does care about you in his own messed up way. But he doesn’t care about you in the way that you want him to.” His lips are still down turned when he speaks again.

“And the difference between him with you and him with Jimin is astronomical; it shouldn’t even be a comparison, but I will humor you,” he rubs a hand up and down his face like he’s tired. “The dynamic is completely different, for obvious reasons. For one, Jimin is a safe relationship. You are not. Jimin isn’t in love with him, Jimin isn’t sucking his dick, and Jimin doesn’t want things from Jeongguk that Jeongguk cannot give, or does not want to give,” he says with a raised brow as he takes a sip of his drink.

It seems that the anger has died down some between you both, a semi-civil conversation finally being had. You wrinkle your brows in confusion at him. “What are you talking about?”

He rolls his eyes. “Cmon __. Why do you think he hasn’t made you his girlfriend? Why do you think he literally has not been in a serious relationship since high school? Why do you think he never agrees to anything more than 2 months out?” He waits for you to answer but you just purse your lips stubbornly. “He’s scared. Dare I say terrified of commitment, and that’s exactly what you want from him right?”

You stay headstrong and quiet for a moment longer, ignoring his question in favor of asking one of your own when you finally do speak up. “If I’m so scary, why hasn’t he left?”

Taehyung shrugs. “Fuck if I know? Maybe he does care about you like you say he does. I don’t think so, but hey,” He raises his hands in mock surrender, like he is throwing in the figurative towel. “Maybe you’re right and maybe I‘m wrong. Or maybe there’s some fucked up codependency fermenting between you both when you copulate. I genuinely have no clue, and frankly, I don’t care to find out. Don’t text me until you come to your senses. And don’t get mad when I tell you ‘I told you so’.”

And with that, he turns and leaves you to make your own drinks. You hope the smile you give Jeongguk when you find him is believable.

That night when you go back to his place, you voice your concerns to him in between sweet, heated kisses that taste like hot cider. You tell him hesitantly how Taehyung voiced his concerns about Jeongguk not caring about you and Jeongguk got a little irritated, a little miffed as he unlatched his lips from your neck. He asked what Taehyung knew, how he even came to that conclusion when he’s not around you both.

He assured you with gentle touches and tender words that of course he cares about you. He reminded you that he always makes time for you, he always answers your calls and your texts, he takes you out every now and then, too. He asks you what you think and when you contemplate your answer, going over what he said, you can’t really argue with him. Even if an uneasy, dismal feeling settles in the pit of your tummy.

~~~

hellooo!! again, this is just a scene and part of the plot that i chose not to use because i felt like the fic was already so long. i wish that i had ended up including it tho, so i hope you enjoyed even though its nothing special <3 feel free to do the things if you liked it: like, comment, reblog, send an ask~~ love u, ty again for helping me reach that milestone <3