#like i know it crops up when its colder but its not that cold yet

[sodrippy]

ok winter just officially started guys (my hand is swollen in a fashion reminiscent of but not at all actually arthritis)

[wise-tortoise]

Chengxian+first time ever experiencing snow, prompted by @twinclownsoflotuspiers . Thank you for the prompt! Sorry I know this is definitely not what you had in mind, but I was struck by inspiration and my hands went by themselves :3

***

By virtue of its geographical position, Yunmeng generally gets a warm, humid climate, with temperature rarely going below what could comfortably be tolerated with a somewhat heavier robe in winter. 

Gusu, however, is another story entirely. Jiang Cheng knew this, everybody knew this, which is why he came prepared for his year under the guidance of Lan Xiansheng with the other young masters. His mother commissioned new robes and furs to help him sustain the harsher weather, and they occupied a big part of his luggage when he arrived. 

Nothing, however, could have prepared him for the sheer, ethereal beauty of snow. 

He was fascinated with the shape of snowflakes and their orderly perfection. Jiang Cheng understood, then, why so many poets couldn’t help but sing of snow. 

A truly beautiful phenomenon - Nie Huaisang himself, who had studied in Gusu for two years and came from the mountains where the weather was colder, had confessed to never growing tired of seeing snow. 

And yet - 

And yet, as he watched some of the guest disciples play in the snow and then get reprimanded by a Lan disciple from his window, Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but feel like he couldn’t quite enjoy it. 

Not when he was alone and the one person who could have dragged him out to have fun - all the while citing poetry and making a fool of himself, no doubt - was far, far away, stuck in Lotus Pier. 

Jiang Cheng sighed, giving one last look to the now retreating disciples, and went back to studying his scroll. 

*** 

Wen Qing was fretting, making sure A-Yuan was covered in enough layers that he could practically roll down the mountain if he moved wrong. Wei Wuxian didn’t know where she’d found all that fabric. 

She had always been cautious: perhaps she had decided to trade a few pickled radishes for heavier robes when she’d gone down to the village. 

It wasn’t like their radishes could buy an entire tailor’s shop, however, so the only ones who ended up in comfortable clothes were A-Yuan and Popo. 

The rest of them were huddled around a fire in his cave, trying to keep each other warm. 

The cold had not been kind on their fragile crops, nor on the group’s health for that matter. 

The snow fell, unrelenting, uncaring of human matters, like needing to eat or needing warmth to live. 

It was pretty; A-Yuan had been entranced by it, the silent fall weaving an immaculate blanket on their dead land. He had wanted to play in the snow, before Wen Ning had brought him inside with everyone else. 

Tomorrow, Wei Wuxian would indulge him, if A-Yuan was still inclined to enjoy it, and if Wei Wuxian’s health didn’t get any worse. 

Tomorrow, they would think about what to do if the situation persisted and they couldn’t survive on pickled radishes. 

For now, Wei Wuxian just warmed his warped bones by the fire. 

Still- 

He couldn’t help but think, there wasn’t much of a difference between snow and ash. 

*** 

This year’s winter sect conference would be held in Qinghe, which meant that all the grannies in Lotus Pier were up in arms, wanting to make sure zongzhu and his young man would be warm and comfortable during their travels. 

“Zongzhu, I took the liberty of adding another layer, the young master is so thin - we can’t have him getting ill!” 

“Zongzhu, I made more broth so you can drink it on the carriage. You know how the mountains are!” 

“Zongzhu, I’m afraid you will need to bring more horses, or else you won’t be able to bring the extra fur robe!” 

Wei Wuxian watched with amusement as the people of Lotus Pier came together to make sure their sect leader - an accomplished cultivator with a strong and powerful golden core - wouldn’t catch a cold. 

“Is it always like this when you leave for a conference?” he asked, trying to balance the three robes that had just been deposited in his arms. Jiang Cheng himself wasn’t faring much better with the four heavy containers of broth. 

“Not really. It’s because they can see your ribs that they’re so worried now,” he said, bumping their shoulders. 

“Hey, that’s not true! I’ve gained weight since I came to live here!” 

“Yes, and you still have the endurance of a newborn kitten. Come, let’s put all this in the boat” and off he went, with Wei Wuxian at his heels. 

“Aiya, Jiang Cheng! Do you think it will snow in Qinghe?” he asked, not quite expecting an answer. 

Jiang Cheng stopped for a moment, as if thinking deeply. 

“Perhaps,” he said, after a minute “Nie Huaisang has been complaining in his letters about the unusual cold” 

“Unusual cold? Aiya, whatever will I do? Good thing I have my sect leader who will keep me warm at night- Oi, don’t roll your eyes like that, they’ll get stuck! Wait, where are you- wait for me! Jiang Cheeeeeeeeeeng!” 

[whetstonefires]

I don't think you're seriously wrong about anything that I noticed lmao.

I guess I also start with mountains sometimes, but I tend to start with a rough coastline, then plot in locations such as cities whose distance from one another matters. Then I will tend to arrange fresh water to make these cities etc work as intended, and backfill mountains to make the rivers function correctly.

It's always funny to me how everyone emphasizes the rain shadow effect so hard and summarize it as 'the rain comes from the ocean and is blocked by mountains.' But then I happen to live irl quite near an ocean, relatively speaking, and we get very little of our weather from it. The weather systems move east from the Pacific, lose most of their water at the coast, then pick up more as they cross the whole entire continent to reach us, and don't care overmuch about the Appalachians.

Ofc the Great Lakes are kind of operating as seas for weather purposes, but still. The prevailing winds and currents will dictate the relationship between mountains and rain, as will the height of the hills.

A delta afaik happens when a river silts up its own mouth and begins to sprawl. Many variations on this theme.

The reason there are plains versus forests are dictated by a variety of things including 1) soil composition 2) soil depth 3) the rest of the geology 4) rainfall 5) other weather such as cold and wind 6) the rest of the ecology and history of the place and 7) really 6a, literally whether there happen to be trees there, they do take a while to get established, sometimes there could be trees but aren't yet/anymore for some reason.

The rest of the ecology very much includes animals, including humans. There's indications savanna straight up doesn't exist without human intervention, but definitely it doesn't exist without a lot of large ruminants around. But sometimes you get grassland rather than forest because grass, being annual, can handle much colder winters, or because it's better adapted for drought or for thin soil, and so on.

You get forest rather than grassland when trees can grow somewhere and have done so lmao. Forests are much older than grasslands; grass as a tough groundcover rather than a marsh plant is a relatively recent development.

A lot of Europe got forested after the last ice age, which had kept it steppish and grassy both via temperature/permafrost and the dryness resulting from a lot of water being locked up in glaciers. Which I've read gave wolves a competitive advantage over hyenas, as the forests grew, which is why there aren't hyenas in Europe anymore.

The lions stuck it out longer lmao but they too are long gone.

Hm I am it seems on the lower edge of the Canadian Shield; this has mostly impacted my life in the form of these hills famously grow a huge crop of rocks every damn spring, on account of the glaciers. What is it like to Dig Big Hole in an area with more soil. Fascinating. I'm not sure this geological situation counts as a biome but eh it's a fuzzy word.

I have read the wiki article now and am delighted to know we have a Deranged Drainage System.

what's your map advice? genuinely curious🤔

Oh look at this! Asks got bottled huh.

I think I remember what this was about. I don't have a specific set of Map Advice but I maintain that 'take real country borders and frankenstein them together, then invert colors and declare that pangaea-bloc ocean to get a realisitically greebled coastline for your made-up planet' is wildly unhinged methodology.

Like. It works fine! If efficiency and realistic invocation of the coastline paradox are your priorities, this is an effective strategy pretty much.

Although you have a pretty limited pool of countries to work from since in like, Africa the inland borders tend to be draw-a-line-on-a-map straight, and there aren't enough large peninsulas and isthmuses (isthmi?) in the world for you to put one of those in without it being fairly obvious you stole myanmar, and so forth.

Except of course because of the inversion trick you would instead wind up with a body of water shaped like myanmar??? And lakes are not really distributed like islands. And so on. The realism is very subject to breaking down.

Basically it answers a very limited set of the needs for which a fictional world map might be sought, and I think there are online tools to generate random maps that will serve most of those purposes already, so it's just a very specific trick to recommend as a general mapping technique. good for ttrpg setting time-saver if you don't like any of those free online tools?

i think it's cool that the creator came up with this very funny way of meeting their own map needs, but also lol.

I think if I had to give Making A Fantasy Map advice it would be, start with a basic childish diagram of the relative position of the major features you already know about, and then add things at a steadily smaller scale as relevant, and don't try to make a nice draft until you've worked out the gross spatial situation because you'll just distract yourself.

But this advice won't work for everyone either, it depends on your needs and your drafting process and so on and so forth.

[husbandohunter]

Stardew Impact [Stardew Valley+Genshin Impact x Reader]

Part 2/3 Zhongli, Xiao

Synopsis: “A mysterious phenomenon brought you and your s/o to an unfamiliar world: Pelican Town! Without the power of Visions, the two of you begin to learn the life of what it takes to be...a farmer?”

(DOMESTIC FARM LIFE ROUND TWO)

Genre: Fluff

Others

Diluc and Kaeya

Albedo and Childe

(A/n): This was meant to be part 3 but I couldn't wait to write xiao. Plus Ive been writing Albedo for almost the whole month already Word count_2.6k

-------

Xiao

• Thrown in an unfamiliar environment puts Xiao on high alert. Instincts kick in and his hand subconciously grabs for his spear. Nothing. Not even his vision activated. Xiao's gaze darts all over before landing on your figure. He sighs in relief, you're safe, that much he can decipher as of now.

• Stripped of his power, left with only claws and teeth (if must) to protect you from any dangers, he was ansty with every little thing. 

• The villagers are so nice??? For what reason must they have to act so friendly to strangers (Xiao wonders). The Mayor even granted you two a vast farmland free of charge. 

• Shortly he realized he no longer had his karmaic debt. Xiao wasn't sure how to live his life in this state. He dedicated his entire existence to years of slaughter and suffering that it became the only thing he knew. He won't admit it of course, he'll just throw in scoffs and remarks about how mundane activities are a waste of time when in reality, he just has no clue on how to handle them.

• Thats why the first day was difficult as you both try to figure out how to plant parnsips. Deciding it was better to go with an experiment, you split the share of seeds in half and used what basic knowledge you had on farming to finish the job. Xiao on the other hand tried copying what you did….though the outcome wasn't so desirable it was a mess. (His trained hands have taught him to be on the rough side).

• He doesn't bother socializing with the townspeople even though he has no karmaic debt to worry about. Xiao thinks you're more than enough anyways so what's the point? 

• Robin is the only person who can tolerate him for obvious reasons (cough Sebastian cough) she knows exactly how to deal with his personality type. His glares don't faze her, she simply thinks its just a teenage phase of some sort. 

• Eventually they become mutuals, Xiao thinks Robin is similar to Verr Goldet in a way. Since he's the one who does the heavy labour of chopping down trees and mining stones for building upgrades, he gets a chance to visit her house quite often. He comes back with lots of recipes too.

• You find out that his adepti blood never left him. Xiao doesn't need sleep so you better believe it when he tells you the next morning that he spent the whole night watering all 300 of your crops (watering is the only process he's good at for farming). 

• Sometimes you catch him staring out of the window, wondering what he may be thinking. Life was so much more different, almost hard to recognize. Was this real? Is it okay for it to be real, just this once? Ever since he committed his duty to Morax, Xiao didn't dream of a time when everything would be peaceful. Yet here he is, no longer a weapon but on a journey to find out what it's like to live as a normal person. 

• Spring: Every morning you find him kneeling behind the cabin with the pet cat (yes, cats seem to suit Xiao very much). He just stares at them, hesitant if he wanted to pet their fur or rub their chin. So he continues to glare intensely, scaring your cat away :(

• Whenever you wanted to attend any of the town's festivities, Xiao wouldn't even hide his distastefulness but goes with you regardless. Why do mortals consider hiding eggs and finding them a fun activity? And what kind of a name is Flower Dance? Can't they just call it a dance?

• Though…he does like the sight of you wearing a flower crown. Xiao likes putting stuff in your hair.

Since setting foot upon this new world, time seemed to have slowed down to the point that almost everything felt like an eternity. And you didn't mind, with him by your side, you wouldn't mind if it did last forever.

The lull of the grass was the only sound Xiao could hear as he closed his eyes and rested his head on your lap. You maneuvered across his scalp in small, subtle motions, surprised with how warm he felt against the heat your palm. He stirs a little and lets out a soft breath before turning his face to lay on the side.

You were slightly intrigued by the yaksha's new demeanor. From far away, Xiao was an intimidating man, even during the first time you laid eyes him, his presence felt similar to a knife pointing at anyone who dares to come too close. But now, the face that usually held his signature annoyance melted into something you never thought you'd see as the sun rays brushed against the surface of his fair skin. You observed the way his dark eyebrows stayed in a relaxed arch. The red crescents lining right above his beautiful long lashes and the sound of soft snores through parted lips. It was hard to believe that this man was the same person who claimed to have ended a thousand lives through thousands of years.

Did he fall asleep already?

Gently moving away the strands away from his cheekbone, hovered your gaze above him and whispered, "I thought adepti don't need rest."

"Hmph," Xiao responds, though there was no harshness in his tone, "Quit trying to be difficult, I didn't tell you to stop."

The smug grin on your face only widens. You lean downward and said to his ear, "And what's the magic word~?"

Xiao sighs at your antics. You were truly pushing your luck today and he simply didn't have the patience to entertain you. Without a warning, he grabs your wrist and pulls you down, foreheads pressing until you were but a breath away. The adepti conquers, he does not plead.

• Summer: As expected, your parnsnips weren't able to grow as much. Thus, this season was going to be the one to make up for the lost profit. Xiao is very good at hunting, perhaps the best in the entire town. Though the way he catches fish is rather peculiar, said by the folks. He prefers to carve a spear made of wood and repeatedly stabs the lake until results show. Xiao dislikes the old fashioned way, he says its unproductive and it unecissarily takes too much time. 

• But as much as he scared the whole town, they were extremely grateful when he cleaned up the slime issues happening in the mines. You could say that he grew very popular since then and eventually mustered up the courage to greet him a hello whenever he passes by. 

• You nudge him to reply back. Xiao usually shoots you a glare but slowly, he learns the courtesy of acknowledging someone's prescence.

• Fall: You woke up to a burnt smell coming from the kitchen. Xiao just thought he would return the favour since you always worked so hard. (He was actually trying to figure out what a 'whisk' was. It was no wonder why there were eggshells in the dish!)

• You realized that Xiao was taking more initation compared to before. At night, when you thought the animals were actively jumping in the barns, the noise was actually from Xiao trying to adjust himself to the ways of tending the field. After learning what TV was, he would always switch to the channel "Livin off the land" to gain some insight. Truly, Xiao was greatful even though he knew he eventually had to return to his duties, he wanted to utilize the current days the best way he could. And what better way was it to just make you happy in return?

• Winter: This was the season to test the accumulation of Xiao's abilities: you caught a cold and he had to manage everything in his own. Xiao scolded you for not wearing enough and being too careless but at the same he considered that you must've been working too hard.

• Goes to Robin for help. She basically became his mom now. Prepares the food and leaves them in the fridge, she teaches Xiao how to use the phone in case he needed any help and also lets him know where all the essentials are. 

• Xiao stayed by your side the whole time even though you told him you'd be fine. But he refuses, he may no longer be a gaurdian but he was your gaurdian. That role never changed.

~~x~~

Zhongli

• You wake up on a soft bed with Zhongli sitting at a chair nearby. He hands you a cup of brewed water but you're still blatlantly confused. Seems like everything was taken care of by Zhongli, it ends up with him explaining everything to you. 

• The folks instantly assumes you both as a married couple. Who could blame them? He did carry your unconcious body all the way to town while asking for a local doctor. You can bet that the ladies wish they were you at that moment. Zhongli took care of everything, including with the contract with the new farm.

• It didn't take long for you both to adjust to the new lifestyle. Zhongli's accumulated knowledge was enough to last all four seasons. Days past by peacefully as you shared the tasks. He'd place down the stone paths towards the gate and you busied yourself with decorating the house. After that was done, Zhongli would rest upon the rocking chair outside your door (like the grandpa he is) and sometimes you'd join him in one reading session. His voice was soothing, you eventually dipped into a slumber as the evening grew colder. Just like always, your beloved brings his arm to encapsulate you from the wind, brushing his thumb against your skin subconciously while you snore softly into his shoulder.

• In a way, the townsfolk were right. You both do act like a married couple. It's basically domestic life with Zhongli in a nutshell.

• He gets connected with Gunther and lands a role in the Museum. Since he's there so often, Zhongli also manages to be acquainted with Elliot as well. Two men who have a common interest with books while speaking in poetic prose. Their conversation would last for hours to the point Gunther had to kick them out of the library!

• Veeeery good with the children, not in an entertaining way but its just the aura he reeks. Penny usually had trouble dealing with Vincent since he never seems to be able to focus but the minute Zhongli speaks, he's all ears. Not only that he was also very good with the elderly. He even recommended some herbs George could take to soothe his back issues.

• Problem is that he still forgets to bring his wallet and Childe isn't here to save him. So once you stepped foot into the Stardrop Saloon and Gus calls you over, he tells you about the cost he owed to his tab….

• But this tranquil life full of genuinity and deprived of sovereignty, he was overjoyed to be able to spend it with you. Because he knew you were unlike him, that all humans were born with an expiry date. He knew so well that after every new greeting, he would have to face the goodbyes over and over until the world eventually came to an end. He knew you were also going to be part of those many goodbyes while he would still be here.

• But as Zhongli walks amongst the fallen leaves, he remembered the beauty that carries within every new beginning. They brought him to you and he would never hesitate to trade his gnosis for it.

Spring: You shot up your bed when Zhongli blast the TV at full volume. He apologizes, saying that he was simply trying to change the channel. You figured it was best for him to go outside before he somehow glitches the screen until it couldn't repair itself (Robin charges for repairs).

• Every thursday you both go to Pierre's store to complete your grocery shopping. He offers to push the cart as you fill the basket with all the necessities (plus it saves you the trouble of having him tossing whatever he sees without looking at the price tag).

• Every afternoon you order a take out from the Saloon, sharing the meal while sitting at the fountain's edge near the community center. Every evening Zhongli would take you to explore the rest of the vast farmland, discovering places you weren't even aware of. It was no wonder why everyone thought you were a married couple. 

• Summer: Since the cabin was too small for a bathroom, you guys would have to travel up the mountains in order to get to the Spa house (cue sweatiness x10). 

• The concept of hotsprings was derived from Inazuma so it was no surprise that Liyue eventually took it after him. Zhongli had collected some incense from foraging items over the past few months, he knows whats up. But overall he gives the best bath sessions (hands down) and you were the one who insisted in joining him.  He was a gentle and sweet lover, always putting your needs before his. Ancient artifacts and old history books have always been precious to him, he treated you no differently.

The heartbeat of the oceans continues to rock back and forth until they brush up on the sandy shore, washing away the two pairs of footprints left behind by a man and a woman.

Gold against gold, his amber eyes reflected against the scenery. Millions of lights flashed among the sea when the sun began to climb down from the sky, it's rays hugged across the valley like an ethereal glow bestowed by the heavens as summer's wind brought even more warmth than what he had currently felt. You trance ahead of with the same light shaping around your form. 

"Oh hey there's another rainbow shell," you waved at him before running off, "I'll be back!"

How is it that you still continue to shine like gold in his memories?

Zhongli suddenly ponders at the chapters laying ahead of him. He spent so many years turning each page without ever reaching a conclusion, forever searching the fabled happy endings written in fairytale books, but he knew his immortality wouldn't grant him that wish.

Thus, the formal archon raised his pen and reweaves his own story. He envisions his future with you by his side, engraving every detail until it was immortalized in his memories.

Perhaps I shouldn't keep her waiting.

With a renewed resolve, Zhongli clutches the gemstone tightly in his palm, he seals the page with the final contract between your future and his.

• Fall: After getting your first house upgrade, it was time for the next event: the ceremony. Yes, Zhongli would only have a wedding if Liyue traditions were involved. Everyone was invited of course, they were quite intrigued with the flashy setup such as lanterns and fireworks (you were a little worried with where he got the budget for such items) and Zhongli even educated Gus about some recipes he can use for the Saloon.

• You found out that Zhongli was saving all his money for this day (it was no wonder that he couldn't pay for his tab!). Old habits die hard, it was a shame that he didn't have his powers to craft the right items, but at least he got to sea you in a traditional eastern dress (it's the part he was looming forward to the most).

• Fall is the best season. One you wouldn't forget.

• Winter: Ah he finally learns how to use  technology after three seasons. He only knows two channels from the TV which was 'Livin off the Land' and the weather channel. Zhongli oftens talks to himself as he tries to figure out more mechanics, he seems to be extremely absorbed in the most basic things.

• The miner of the house. But instead of using them to upgrade tools and donating them to the museum, Zhongli likes to keep some of them for collection. You could say your house also had a little museum in the other room.

• Romcom movies and soap operas. You can't change my mind that this is what you both spend your time watching as the snowstorm rages outside. 

[taones]

If You Can Hold On - Part 2

Pairing: Poly!Asahi, Daichi + Suga x gender neutral!reader

Notes: lowkey have a mention of Yachi x Kiyoko in this ayyyy and the reader reflecting my thoughts about rain whoop 

Warnings: pining, angst, requited-unrequited love cause we love some dramatic irony, this whole series is hurt/comfort

Find part one here

Soft murmurs woke you from your rough sleep. After hearing them talk about adding another person to their relationship, it was kind of hard to have a good rest. The car had stopped. You four were now parked in a motel car park, bathed in the signs' soft red light. 

“I went in but they only have one room, so all four of us will have to share” 

The disappointed tone to Daichi’s statement felt like an arrow through your heart. You guys were best friends, you shared beds all the time. Why would that matter now? Ever since you had known them you had been comfortable sharing beds etc, even after they started dating. The fact it was different now made you think back to their earlier conversation about a new partner. Did this person not like you? Maybe that was why they weren’t as close with you. The shuffling of your tallest friend pulled your attention once again. They were getting out of the car.

Once again, you pretended to be asleep. There was now ay you were ready to face them without crying and you really didn’t want Asahi to ask for his hoodie back. You were scared it would be the last part of him you had for a long time. The sharp twinge of panic shot through your stomach at the thought of it. There was always a chance that their new partner would like you but not as many people would be as comfortable with their s/o being as close to their friend as those three were. 

“It’s okay” you heard Asahi whisper, “I’ll carry them”

You stirred at that. If he touched you, you were certain you would cry. S it was a perfect time to break your facade. The soft glimmer of tears in your eyes was hidden by the scarlet light shining on your face, something you were thankful for. Cold, wet gravel seeped through the mesh of your shoes but it was okay as long as you were going to be in the room soon, able to be away from the constant reminder the boys gave you. In your ‘sleepy’ state, you pulled your bags out of the car and grabbed the keys from Daichi’s hand. In your haste to walk away, you missed the look of despair on Asahi’s face and the way his shorter boyfriend held his hand to his chest as if you had burnt it with your hasty touch.

The room itself was painted a bright yellow, something you assumed would be more bright if you weren’t feeling so dull yourself. There was a queen size bed in the centre of the room and a sofa off to the side. It was as if the red of the sofa cushions was mocking you with its garish colour, reminding you that you would never actually be with the other three. You scoffed and layed your things on the sofa before pulling out some pyjama shorts and one of Koushi’s t-shirts that you had borrowed. Just as the boys came in, you disappeared into the tiny bathroom to get changed. 

Thinking you had escaped, you sighed and leant against the door. Only to hear the voices of the three men loud and clear. 

“I wonder what’s wrong with y/n” Koushi asked, seemingly dismissive

“I’m sure we’ll find out soon, they don’t hide anything from us” the comforting voice of Sawamura responded

If only they knew just how much you hid from them. If only they knew that even being around them right now was literally breaking your heart. 

“Wait look what I took the other day Suga, it’ll cheer you up”

You heard Azumane pull out his phone and then a sound of awe from the grey haired man.

“I wish we could ask them to join us sooner but we have to wait till we’re back huh?” Suga lamented, “wish this trip could be over already” 

Ouch, that one hurt.

So he was showing them a picture of this mystery person. You really didn’t understand why they hadn’t told you yet. It only made the feeling of dread in you grow, expanding into a pit that sucked in all of your other emotions. If they really wanted this to be over then you may as well just leave them now. Let them leave you behind and pursue this person that you’ll never be.

A knock on the door pulled you out of your thoughts. Looking in the mirror, you noticed tears you didn’t realise had fallen. You managed to hastily rub the evidence of your face and leave the yellow lit room in time for it to not seem too suspicious. You grabbed the blanket that had been laid over the sofa and walked out the door. 

“I’ll be right back, just have to do something” you muttered, avoiding eye contact “don’t wait up for me” 

Cold gravel crunched against your shoes once again and air pricked at your exposed legs. The pool. It was dimly lit but hadn’t been covered so you assumed it was okay for you to sit in. The water was a clear blue and slightly warmed from the earlier sunshine. Perfect for you to stick your legs in. Water and night had always managed to calm you down and stop your thoughts racing. While this was no rain storm, it was good enough for you to swish your cold limbs in and make the calming sounds you liked so much. 

Your reflection stared back at you from the water. There was no hiding the mess you were in, hair dishevelled and an old blanket wrapped around your shoulders. It was no wonder they didn’t want you. The soft ringtone you recognised as Kiyoko’s wrenched you back to reality.

“Hello?” you sniffed down the phone

Kiyoko was another best friend of yours but one you were fortunately not in love with. She and Yachi had been on holiday when you had left but it was clear the couple was now back. Shimizu was the only person that knew about your feelings.

“How are you holding up y/n” her soft voice rang in your ears

“Not well” you admitted, “It’s like they’re doing it on purpose Shimizu”

She hummed, never one for too many words

“They want to add another person to their relationship but they made sure i was sleeping when they talked about it. I don’t know why but it hurts Kiyoko. I know it’s selfish but it hurts so bad, I don’t know how much longer I can take this trip”

Something inside you broke down. It had been a while since you had been able to get this off your chest and it was like a weight was lifted from your shoulders. Tears rolled down your cheeks for what felt like the hundredth time this trip.

“Do you need us to come pick you up y/n?” the woman's voice asked, concern clear

“I really don't know” you admitted with defeat, “I’ll see how it goes but I hate this so much”

The conversation ended rather quickly after that. It was late for you both after all and it had started raining so you had to put your phone in your bag to prevent it from getting wet. What you didn’t notice was the flash of cropped brunette hair disappearing behind your room door.

Cold rain hit your skin. It was refreshing, a break from what you were feeling. Rain was simple. Rain didn’t have feelings, didn’t have thoughts. It was just nice, cool rain and you revelled in it’s simplistic beauty. With closed eyes, you laid on the pool tile and let the droplets hit your face. Even as it got colder and heavier, it was nothing compared to what you felt on the inside and this was something you were thankful for. The silence was comforting and you let your mind slip into nothing but the rain.

Suga came out to check on you after half an hour, worried about the rain. When he saw you laying next to the pool, covered in a layer of wetness and your face cold, he felt a cold wash of fear come over him. The soft rise and fall of your chest reassured him but he knew he would have to get you inside. Asahi came to stand next to his shorter partner, resting his chin on his shoulder sleepily. 

“I wish I knew what was going on in their head sometimes” the grey haired man whispered, “I wish I knew how to save them”

His counterpart hummed and moved to pick your sleeping figure from the ground. You were cold to the touch and your face lacked the despair that had been plaguing it for the whole trip. He felt a flower of guilt grow in the pit of his stomach at the thought the rain had made you happier then they ever could. 

“C’mon” called Daichi from the doorway, “They’re gonna catch their death we need to get them some clothes”

You limp hand came up to grasp at the fabric, not wanting to let go of the comforting presence even in sleep. Three melancholy smiles were sent your way, not that you would ever know. They knew you hated smiles of pity, even if that’s the only ones you really seemed to get from them anymore.

@bewwybun @xeina @mage-moon @naimalove143 @bisasterrr @aristatrois​ @hamiltrash1411​ @tazzi-baby​ @adreamoflonelyaddiction​ 

Hope you guys enjoy, sorry it took so long and sorry about any typos it’s been a long week

[apollostears]

ICY HOT [ l. wong ]

↬︎ group: wayv

↬︎ pairing: vampire!lucas x black!huntress!oc

↬︎ warning(s): blood, violence, angst, swearing

↬︎ wc: 1255

↬︎ apart of the ‘cold blooded’ series

PLOT. continuation of ‘cold & colder’ where selene and lucas are about to have their arranged wedding, eight months after the events at the gala. sinister forces are at work to stop this wedding from happening, even if it means death.

2021 halloween masterlist

“selene, i’m telling you what i already know; these flowers will not go with this dress!” selene’s mother had been adamant on her distaste for the flowers her daughter had chosen for her bouquet.

according to her mother it was tacky to want to have black roses as a bouquet.

“great thing you aren’t wearing it, yes? also, this is my wedding, however forced it may be, and i will not allow you to have your way. understood?”

it was rough how she spoke with her mother, but their relationship was strenuous and if it was up to selene, she’d only be her mother by name. queen mei was a lot nicer and more motherly to her than she had ever experienced in her twenty-one years of life. selene wished the undead woman was here instead.

“well, i think it would look lovely paired with you selene! and i’m sure we can make any alterations needed to dress, to make those flowers fit!” her wedding planner, kai, had encouraged.

in the few months selene had been planning this ceremony, kai had to endure a lot of tense conversations and awkward stares. selene would make sure the prestigious wedding planner was paid handsomely.

“thank you, kai. now, what’s next?” she asked, handing the flowers back to the florist before following kai out the shop.

her mother was the last thing on selene’s mind as the two chatted away about the day’s plans. “actually, you and the prince will be meeting at the castle for a private dance session with estelle and eben to go over the first and final dance. after that, you are free for the day.”

selene let out a sigh of relief. planning for a wedding was exhausting. especially one that’s fit for a prince and soon-to-be princess of the vampire race. it was still very weird to her. a huntress marrying a vampire; a prey being with its predator. she was sure that several people throughout the supernatural world were not pleased with this union. and neither was she to be honest, but then she understood why this was happening and figured she push her pride aside for the greater good.

“am i to change then before heading over there?” selene had been dressed in light blue jeans and a cream colored turtleneck with trainers on.

without paying her any mind, kai gave her an answer that had the huntress smiling and rolling her eyes at her. “aye-aye boss lady.”

after selene's comment, the rest of the ride to selene's apartment was silent. reese, her driver, had dropped mrs. cole off first, much to selene's pleasure. their exchange was brief with her mom promising to call later about her table seating for everyone that rsvp'd.

truthfully, selene was surprised by the turnout for the reception. she didn't have many friends, but she did invite the few that still liked her despite her situation. lucas invited whoever he knew and then the rest were just elders that the two would have to grow familiar with during their reign as king and queen.

"hate to put you on a time limit, but you really only have ten minutes before we have to be at the gate to make it on time." kai advised, fingers moving across the ipad.

selene nodded and quickly exited the car with the help of reese, to enter her apartment building. her place of sanctuary for the last four years of her life. she was only twenty-one, about to turn twenty-two, and her she was about to get married to an immortal being. being's that she, just a few months ago, was slaying in the streets at night.

entering her penthouse suite, selene hastily got changed. going through the motions, she slipped on some sweatpants and a cotton crop-top with sneakers. grabbing a water bottle and her keys, selene was on her way out the door when she noticed something.

"took you awhile to notice me darling. planning a wedding makes you soft, doesn't it?" his voice was smooth, non-threatening in the slightest, but that doesn't stop the chill that runs down her spine.

"the fuck are you doing here?" she was nervous. how long had he been here? how did she miss him? why was he here?

the man tsk'd and stood from the loveseat positioned by her window overlooking the city. his posture was straight, footsteps heavy, and stature terrifying. selene was not one easily frightened, but he. . . he was her version of the boogeyman.

she backed up slowly, moving closer to the door for an easy escape. "don't run from me angel. i just came to share something interesting with you."

"who's to say that you're telling the truth?"

suddenly, he stopped moving, almost looking like he was in thought before he lunged at selene and pushed her up against the wall with a harsh grip on her neck.

she was surprised and scared, her nails leaving tiny trails of blood on his hands as she clawed at them for release. he hadn't restricted her airway yet, careful not to squeeze too hard to avoid bruising. his breath tickled her ear as he leaned forward to whisper in it.

"someone isn't who they say they are, princess. several people are working actively against you as we speak. now, i'd hate for my favorite monster slayer to perish over some trivial diplomacy. so, be a good girl and figure out who it is after you and your precious vampire prince." he warned, releasing his grip on her neck at the end.

selene glared at him as she attempted to soothe her burning skin. "how can i trust you? you just attempted to choke me out and broke it my house. how do i know it's not you plotting against me?"

as she questioned him, the man made his way back over to her window and pushed it open. "if i wanted you dead, i would have killed you the second you stepped foot in the door. see you later selene."

and just as easily as he came in, he was gone like nothing happened. all that was left of his presence was her aching throat and her open window.

"hey selene! you in there? we gotta go!" kai's voice pulled selene back to reality and she cleared her sore throat before speaking.

"yes! yes, sorry! i'm coming out now." she called out, hastily picking up the items she dropped and rushing to her door. selene stopped in her tracks at her face in the mirror. her dark skin showed no signs of bruising, but the fear in her eyes said everything she needed to know.

shaking her head, selene attempted to pull herself together before opening her door and stepping out into the hallway.

"that's my bad. i forgot where i put my water bottle." she laughed, locking her door.

her hands were shaking and she cursed herself for being so weak. she's supposed to be this feared huntress and she can't even lock her fucking door.

"hey, you okay? are you nervous about seeing lucas?"

kai was kind. too kind for her own good, but selene had to remind herself that she hadn't grown up in the world she did. where kindness gets you killed.

"yes. just hungry probably. lets go, we're already late."

but what selene didn’t know, and wouldn’t until later, was that people really were watching her every move. and if kai hadn’t of came when she did, she would be dead.

❧ join my taglist: @cliffordasparagus @olamidey @supop @knjkitten @sweeneyblue1 @pimpnameyannie @sunrayyellowhalo @namjoonswifeyy @valkryienymph @wayv127dream @lordoftomatoes @marvellifeforever

NOTE. this is part two in the series! as i was writing this, i figured i would make this into a mini series. hope you guys enjoy!

[thefanficmonster]

Never Satisfied [Chapter 2]

Corpse Husband x Original Female Character

Warnings: Language

Collaboration between Vy & Ashens 🖤

“this chick is crazy...and I kinda dig it“

It’s been four days since the incident and he’s all but forgotten about it, removed it from his memory entirely as if girls hide from police in his car on a regular basis. 

Today is colder than usual, and his body has been quick to respond to the change, aching around the joints. Some days it’s impossible to move, feeling his clothes and sandpaper and housing spikes as joints. Thankfully, today isn’t that bad, the pain is rather manageable. Which checks out well for him, considering he has to do some cleaning around his apartment. His skin itched at the sight of the mess his living space has become over the last few weeks he hasn’t been bothered to pick up the strewn about items or wash the dishes in the sink. 

Standing in his living room, he turns in a circle, taking in the disaster that is surrounding him. His chest tightens, throat closing up due to the overwhelmingness of the work he has ahead of him while all he wants to do is hide in his room, under the blankets of his bed that is for sure not willing to offer him much comfort at the moment, seeing as how it too is a mess. 

Forget about that! He isn’t sure if his mind is telling him to forget the task he has at hand or the comfort he has in mind. Either way, he knows what the right thing to do is. It may give him anxiety, but it has to be done. 

He clenches his jaw and closes his eyes, taking deep measured breaths and exhaling slowly just like his doctor had instructed him to do, in hopes to ease the tension around his lungs. 

Calming down a bit, he finally decides to get on with it, starting with the smallest space he has to clean, hoping accomplishing a small victory would fuel his ambition to move onto the actual rooms with a lesser struggle. So, pulling on his favorite hoodie and a beanie over his black curls, he slips out of the front door and down the stairs of his apartment complex with a trash bag in hand. He may hate cleaning, but he hates messes more, therefore it’s an easy call to make. Easy when putting the two in comparison, a struggle when he actually has to get on with the process of cleaning. 

With a deep breath as a final ‘You got this’ before action, he unlocks his car doors and looks around its interior. He starts off with the junk in the front - first tending to the passenger seat where he finds a couple plastic bags and a few water bottles. He keeps the area around the driver’s seat clean as can be, so he skips that side. Unfortunately, now he has to turn to the nightmare that is the backseats. 

While it may be tame, compared to most, the three paper bags, five disposable coffee cups that he’d dropped to the floor are more than enough to annoy him. He also makes a frustrating find of a hoodie, a few shirts, a hat, and what appears to be a forgotten CVS bag of medication. Much to his dismay, there’s more: handfuls of old receipts that he is now shoving into the garbage bag he has in hand along with straw wrappers, a few stray cold fries dating back to God-knows-when. He sighs, somewhat relieved to see the backseat is doing a lot better now than it was a couple minutes ago, though it’s not even entirely clean just yet. Something catches his eye though - a choker that was probably covered by one of the clothing items he had found. He picks it up, turning it over in his hand. It’s made of soft leather with a gunmetal ”C” and a pentagram embossed on it. It has a leather braided cord on both ends to tie together and no price tag or brand to indicate its origin. He can’t remember buying this...but then again, retail therapy is a thing and it wouldn’t be the first time he forgot a purchase. He gives it one final once-over before shrugging and pocketing it. After collecting the headphones he’d also dumped in the back and retrieving a pair of boots from the trunk, he locks up his car and heads back into the building, mentally preparing himself for facing the terror of cleaning his apartment.

Returning to his place after tossing the trash in the dumpster along the way, Corpse locks the front door behind him and proceeds to drop the things he’s brought back near the front door. 

This defeats the purpose of cleaning up in the first place, Corpse. He scolds himself but that’s what it remains at - just a scold. He slips the hoodie off his torso, but pauses when the leather collar falls to the floor. Tossing the clothing item on a dining room chair behind him, he picks up the choker and, without as much as a second thought, places it around his throat just below his Adam’s apple The metal feels cool against his skin and as he ties the leather cords at the back of his neck the corners of his lips curve upwards just a little. 

I probably look stupid. He thinks to himself. Corpse tries not to look much at his own reflection, mostly because it’s a reminder of how little sleep he gets with the dark circles and worn out, exhausted eyes staring back at him whenever he looks. But when he catches a glimpse of himself in his peripheral on his way to piss, he admires his reflection, or more so the way the black leather stands out across his pale skin. He’s gotta admit, it looks pretty cool. Edgy. Very urban. Goth maybe? But he still prefers the chains he’s known to wear over chokers.

After doing his business, he starts heading toward his office with the intention of recording a new story for his channel if he manages to find a decent submission - and also to ignore the cleaning he still had to do eventually - when the sound of someone banging on the door of his neighbor’s apartment makes him jump, thinking the sound was coming from his door instead. Being the nosey bitch he is, he creeps to his door, listening to the muffled and almost completely incomprehensible voices from across the hall. The screaming match taking place is making him rather nervous and anxious and as much as he’d rather hide in his room and pretend he never heard or saw anything, he also doesn’t want the altercation to escalate into anything physical. 

“You fucking bailed on me!” An angry female shout dominates over the other voice, a male one, that’s quick to follow the previous example with the tone volume.

“You almost got caught, it's not my fault you screwed up!” It’s the male’s turn to shout, his words intriguing Corpse.

Got caught? Screwed up what?

“Fuck you! You don’t just ditch like that! That’s such a dick move!” 

Ditched? If it wasn’t for the ‘getting caught’ part I would’ve thought it was a flopped date?

“I wasn’t about to get arrested for your klepto ass! I’m done with your shit!” The male voice takes the upper hand again, and though the female attempts to speak, she’s promptly cut off by the male, “No! No, I said I’m fucking done! Get the fuck out of my apartment!” A loud bang that sounded remarkably like a chair being flipped over made Corpse jump again with his thoughts once again racing to try and make sense of the situation. 

Klepto? So she’s a thief. Great. He rolls his eyes, not that he needed a reminder that he lives in a bad neighborhood, but he sure got it. He inhales slowly, finally deciding to check the aftermath in the hallway. Again, it isn’t his business whatsoever, but he can’t rest easy until he knows there isn’t an injured person outside his door right now. He peeks out the peephole before unlocking the door and sticking his head out to see a long haired individual still standing in front of his neighbor’s door. They have their back turned to him and are getting prepared to start banging on the door once again. 

“Little scared-ass bitch! I’ll be back for my shit!” She screams, kicking the door to punctuate her point. 

This chick is absolutely nuts. Everything in his gut is telling him to turn around and go back inside but his brain’s less-rational side is convincing him to check on her. He carefully steps into the hallway, swallowing nervously as he reaches out to tap her shoulder. “Are um-...you okay?”

The girl whips around, a furious expression on her face. Corpse makes a pause, his eyes widening at the sight of that familiar face.

Holy shit, I know this girl. 

Standing in front of him is the girl who leaped into the backseat of his car only a few days ago. 

Shit! What are the odds? 

She’s wearing a pair of black skinny jeans and a cropped sweatshirt with the quote “Mercury’s in Gatorade or Some Shit” written in bold letters and a solar system around it, with a leather jacket on top. 

His mouth dries when he makes a realization... 

Oh fuck. She’s way prettier in the natural light instead of that ugly light I saw her in that night. 

“Oh hey! Parking lot guy! What are y-...is that my choker?” She interrupts herself, looking closer at the black leather on his pale skin, her brows furrowing. He’d forgotten he was even wearing it to be honest, but she seems to recognize it. “That’s my fucking choker, dude! I’ve been looking everywhere for it!” She reaches up seemingly with the intention of taking it off him, causing his whole body to freeze up.

Finally finding his senses, Corpse takes half a step back, eyes slightly widened, “Woah, hey! Easy there, I’m pretty sure I bought this.” He warns, hands hesitantly held out in front of himself to try and create some distance between them. 

She seems not to take the hint at his desire for personal space as she reaches out again, stepping closer. “No, I made it with my own two hands, man! It’s got a C on it for my name - Cora.” She says sharply to the point of anger that honestly frightens him a bit. 

He quickly unties the leather straps, removing it from his neck. However, he refuses to give it back so easily as he holds it up out of her reach. 

Maybe if it isn’t on me she won’t be all up in his personal space. Yeah, it’s a bit evil, but he didn’t care. Besides, part of him is still mad about the fact she used his car as a hiding spot, shooting his anxiety through the roof in the process. 

“I feel like you owe me for those fries you stole last time we saw each other. Make it up to me and I’ll give it back. If it’s even yours, that is...” He says, brows furrowing slightly and eyes narrowing as he takes another step back. “And, you know, for nearly getting me busted by the police for something I wasn’t even a part of.” 

Sure, he was talking but her eyes are wandering analyzing him: first the silver chains around his neck that glimmer in the light and his dark hair, strands dangling carelessly as a curtain over his face. 

He too finds himself admiring her, memorizing her features better in this light. She has olive skin and sports a little bit of a tan. Stray locks of wavy dark brown hair hang around her ears having come loose from her messy bun. She has earthy brown eyes with flecks of green that he can’t help but stare at, despite their current sharpness. Her right arm is decorated with a few small tattoos: a skull of some sort of animal that appears to be puking flowers; a small cartoon t-rex floating via many colorful balloons and a brain with a spiky spiral in the center of it. She has a single line drawn around her pinky finger on the hand of the other arm and the shadowy silhouette of a forest around her wrist. However, the one thing Corpse could see better than all of that, was she is pissed. 

“Gimme my fucking choker back! I paid you for those fries, it’s not my fault you spent them on douchebag lessons!” She snaps, hopping to try and grab his arm. 

She is pressed up against him now, a wave of perfume hitting him when she attempts another jump. He holds the choker higher, maybe even subconsciously, just enjoying the warm presence of another body for as long as possible - not that he’d admit that. 

Corpse’s brief content comes crashing down as he stumbles backwards when he feels something hard on his hip and her hands grabbing at the front of his shirt. 

“Wait-“ He tries to say, but is cut off when a good amount of weight pulls at his jeans. “Oh Fuck!” He rasps out, dropping the choker as he slams onto the floor. In the split second he spared to take a breath, his pants had been yanked down to his knees and his neck was crooked up against his door. He’s now lying on the floor as the girl hovers over him having landed with her hand on top of his head and one leg over his chest while the other is pinning his arm down.

While remaining unmoving under the girl, he takes a moment to let the previous five seconds sink in before replaying them in his mind:

This small woman, Cora she said her name was, had put the boot clad toes of her left foot into the pocket of his baggy jeans to use as a stepping stool. In turn, they were shoved down, effectively pantsing him and tearing the pocket before knocking them both to the floor. 

Corpse leans against his door, jeans still around his knees, hair a mess as he watches Cora stand up from where she’d practically tackled him and equip the choker. 

“Serves you right.” She sticks her tongue out, tying the piece of jewelry behind her neck. “Now get up before someone calls the cops, we both know what happens then.” She rolls her eyes and bends down, offering her hands to help him up after he situated his trousers.

“Ah-um...I-...” anxiety started reigning in his chest and head as he realized everything that had happened. He takes both her hands and she uses all her weight to pull him up. Her pull was so strong that when he stood up, he had to hold her tight to keep her from falling back. He stabilizes her, maybe a little too hard because her chest collides with his. He apologizes under his breath, releasing her hands quickly. “Don’t people buy dinner first before yanking off their pants?” He snorts, trying to make light of the situation and crossing his arms over his chest. “But then again, you stole my dinner.” 

“Are you insinuating I should take off my pants?” She asks with a smirk. 

Corpse nearly chokes on his own inhale, eyes wide as he quickly looks away.

Oh my god is she serious? “N-no!” He says, perhaps too quickly. Too loudly. His cheeks turned dark pink as he gapes at her for a moment before furrowing his brows again. He hunches his shoulders a little, doing his best to avoid those sharp hazel eyes. 

She’s pretty. Way too pretty for him and now she has him all flustered. This girl has way too much power over the agoraphobic anxiety bundle that is Corpse. 

“Oh so you’re insinuating that I should buy you dinner since I took off your pants?” She prompts, eyes narrowing with a delighted little smirk on her face. She has to be enjoying watching him squirm in embarrassment, otherwise, why would she keep asking questions like that? Of course she does. She is like every other girl in his life.

“I’m..-just...Forget it.” He mumbles, shrinking back away from her as he turns to go back inside the safety of his apartment. 

She’s probably making fun of me. Great, as if I didn’t have enough self-esteem issues already.

Before he could get inside, a hand grabs his shirt at the small of his back. “Hey, I’m just fucking with you, dude.” She says, giving the shirt’s fabric a tug. 

He turns and looks at her with wary eyes, wondering if she was trying to goad him into falling for her taunting again. But the ice in her gaze has melted and she gives him a crooked smile. “Lemme buy you dinner to pay you back. It’s the least I can do after you helped keep my ass out of jail.” She releases his shirt after a brief moment of reluctance and then offers her hand to him for a handshake. “Oh, I should introduce myself, officially this time. I’m Cora.” 

Corpse looks at her hand and carefully takes it. She has small hands and his long fingers practically engulfed hers as he shakes it lightly. He gives her his name in return and she smiles that light filled, beaming smile he remembers from the car. 

“Nice to, um- meet you, I guess.” He finds himself staring at her, unknowingly still holding her hand in his until she looks up and grins a little wider. 

“This seems like a roundabout way to hold my hand, bro. You could have just asked,you know.” She teases, but this time it felt okay, his embarrassment having faded slightly, but he still hurries to look away and release his hold on her. 

Corpse murmurs a quick apology, but before he could stick his hand back into the ripped pocket of his jeans, she takes hold of it again, tugging him forward. “Come on, lock your door. I’ll buy you something to eat. You drive though.” She lets go of his hand after a moment and, much to his surprise, he catches himself missing the warmth that it provided him while it was there. Turning, he ducked into his apartment to grab his hoodie and keys, feeling suddenly thankful he’d cleaned his car out.

Taglist: @vixenl  @fockingwhore

[the-great-bbe]

The children shriek with laughter as the waves roll against their legs. The sweet sound melds with the crashing of the sea, of Mellario and Ellaria gossiping about their beloveds, of Rhaella sighing and relaxing for once. All is bright and golden and warm, save for their ice-cold goblets of sangria. Elia tilts her head back against her chair and smiles. Let those bastards keep that ugly ass throne, she has all she needs right here.

Or, the sangria beach party that Elia and her loved ones deserved. A short fic to start off Summer is for Dorne!

Among his many talents, Elia’s little brother is a master of mixing drinks.

He is a viper after all, and vipers know their poisons and how to mix them. Tequila from the agave blooming across the hillsides pairs perfectly with lime juice and distilled orange blossom nectar to make a margarita. Horchata foamy and fragrant with Summer Islander cinnamon can be elevated with sugarcane rum. And there’s nothing better on the gods’ green earth than red wine—proper Dornish sweetwine, not that diabetic piss from the Arbor—left to idle in icy splendor with strong brandy and fruit. Blood oranges, black strawberries, white nectarines, even a tart green apple or two. Their cousin Manfrey picked them all fresh from his private orchards near the Water Gardens just the day before. The bounty of Dorne for Dorne and Dornishmen alone.

A pitcher of his perfect sangria rests in a bucket full of ice slurry. Already her goblet is half empty, despite her efforts to sip and savor. It tastes so rich on her tongue much abused by dull Riverlands ale and Reacher wines. There are few blood oranges to be found north of the Boneway, even for a Princess of Dorne, and Elia feels the urge to inhale her drink. She sighs and rolls her shoulders. Just another sip for now. Summer explodes on her tongue, ripe and rich and such a dear welcome home.

Elia doesn’t remember the last time she was this happy. On Dragonstone it was a constant haze of sulfur and marine fog, and Kings Landing reeks from miles away. But here, on a long stretch of beach near Saltshore, the sun burns bright and delicious above the palm trees. Not a single cloud in the sapphire sky, nor any fog to mar the turquoise seas. Elia rolls her head back against her wicker chair. Perhaps later she’ll relocate to the hammock strung between two date palms and let the balmy sea breeze lull her and her children to sleep. But for now her precious Rhaenys plays in the surf with her cousins and Viserys, and dear Aegon builds a sandcastle with Oberyn’s help.

Instead of cowering from the Mad King’s rages and simmering with hatred towards her once husband, Elia lounges in the shade. Zinc paste is cloudy white on her shoulders, nose and ears to protect her from the strongest of the sun, just like the children. But the rest of her body is resplendent with shea butter and avocado oil. Thick aloe leaves already sticky with cooling sap wait in a basket by her feet in case she must ward away a sun burn, but her skin soaks up the midmorning sun like a child returning to her mother’s embrace. Gods, but the sun! She stretches her arms above her head and nearly knocks her wide brimmed hat aside. She swears she can feel the sunlight itself like warm silk through her fingers, like a waterfall down her chest to pool in her stomach and ignite joy in her veins.

She lets her gaze fall back towards the sea. When was the last time Rhaenys laughed this loudly? When was the last time Viserys laughed at all? Poor boy, but he, his mother and his baby sister are well in hand now. Targaryens by birth they may be, but the blood of Myriah Martell and Dyanna Dayne run sevenfold in their veins. Dorne shall never turn its back on any child no matter the color of their skin, and even from her shaded refuge Elia sees the freckles blooming across Viserys’s shoulders. Good; the more sun the better. Uncle Lewyn’s eldest daughter Obara throws him headlong into the waves and he shrieks with joy, while her little sister Nym and Doran’s Arianne demand their own toss into the surf. Rhaenys and Manfrey’s daughter Sarella help Lewyn’s Tyene search for shells and crabs, giggling and kicking seaweed at each other. When they find a proper shell, they bring it to Aegon and Oberyn who add it to their castle. Aegon blows a messy kiss onto Rhaenys’s cheek and Elia’s heart runs over with sweet warmth. Her babies, alive and well and happy.

It was a terribly close thing by the end of Robert’s Rebellion. Elia’s correspondence was cut off by Aerys in his paranoia, but she was able to smuggle out a letter to Oberyn when Rhaella left for Dragonstone. He returned with his sellswords to rescue them from their imprisonment, and not a moment sooner—Elia remembers how Kings Landing burned from her view on the ship home to Dorne. To think of what would’ve happened had they stayed…they say that Aerys was cut down by his own Kingsguard, and that the royal nursery was torn to shreds by the Mountain That Rides in search of children to kill.

Elia shudders. Perish the thought, banish it to the seven hells. Rhaegar is dead, and her children are Martells now. Even Rhaella forsook the Targaryen name when they alighted in Sunspear and she was hurried into proper birthing chambers. Daenerys came to the world not as a Targaryen princess but as a Lady Martell of Dorne, with Rhaella Martell the new Lady of Planky Town. Viserys and Aegon shall not give their lives to the Wall and Rhaenys shall not be chained to a Baratheon prince. Not if Westeros intends for Dorne to remain in the Seven Kingdoms, and truth be told Elia wonders if Doran intends to leave anyway. They entered into a kingdom with a union, and perhaps they shall leave with the sundering of one…

But that’s not what matters today. What matters is refilling her goblet. Elia raises it high, and Doran shuffles over with the pitcher. Her dear older brother is shirtless, stained with sand and salt, and there is a sweet flush to his cheeks. Even his bad leg seems fine with the therapy of burning sunlight illuminating their bones from the inside out. Mellario must certainly appreciate that! Her good sister lies on a spread linen sheet on the sands with Ellaria, Oberyn’s paramour. Both of them are bronze in the sun, a silk turban around Mellario’s head and Ellaria’s curls formed into twists down her back. And its’ said that Cersei Lannister is the most beautiful in Westeros, obviously people are blind. They look up at them with mischievous grins, before bumping their heads together and giggling. Elia smirks at Doran. “Careful now, habibi. I believe you’ll be ambushed later in the night and whisked away by a mystery woman.”

He laughs and his eyes crinkle at the edges. “I’ll be sure to not fight back too much.” He plops down next to her and sips at his lemon water. The maesters forbid him from alcohol and sugar until his gout is under control, a true tragedy in Elia’s eyes as the sangria is excellent. But even more excellent is seeing how happy her brother is. Gods, to imagine him mourning her and her babies as they did for uncle Lewyn, it’s a fate she would not wish on her loved ones. She intends to live to a hundred and twenty, just to ensure he’ll always smile at her with crinkled eyes.

Elia leans against his shoulder and peers out towards the cabana higher up towards the oasis grove. “Has Rhaella returned from Saltshore yet? Dany was giving the wet nurse a bit of a hard time.”

“Missed me, have you?” Rhaella, emerged from their cabana and the platters of fruit kept safe from the sea salt there, calls down to them. It’s been only a few months, and Rhaella is unrecognizable. Elia is glad to see the plump roundness of her stomach and thighs where before she was only skin and bone. And her skin, once as pale as parchment and twice as translucent, is as dark as her great-grandmother Dyanna. It glows against her silver-gold hair and lavender eyes, and there is happiness in her face where before there was only stifled fear.

Elia waves Rhaella over to the empty wicker chair by her side. Perhaps later, when the children sleep off their lunch and the adults are properly sauced from sangrias and margaritas, they’ll return to the cabana and lounge on the day beds. Maybe even one of the cabana boys—cabana men in truth, with their strong arms and backs—can give them all shoulder massages. Rhaella has a little favorite who is always eager to help his new lady relax. Elia raises her eyebrows at her good mother and she takes a long sip of her margarita. Elia is far from judging, as Rhaella deserves whatever happiness she can grasp.

They all do. How long have they all suffered these last years? Suffering Aerys, suffering Rhaegar, suffering the war that they wrought upon Westeros. Elia still remembers the screams from Rhaella’s chambers during their terrible stays in Kings Landing, she remembers the cold silences before Harrenhal and the even colder absences after. And now those men are dead and thousands with them. All over some Northern girl, and a prophecy that probably foretold the coming of the seasons than any promised prince!

Well, fuck them. Westeros has a new king now, in that stinking castle filled with blood and shit and ghosts, and the Baratheons and Lannisters can figure it out now. Let them have the starving smallfolk ready to rebel after a harsh winter. Let them have the honor of bartering away pieces of their souls until all that remains is bleeding pride. Let them have it all. All that matters to Dorne is the rice crop, and managing citrus exports, and the wellbeing of its people. Elia plans to build a new school for smallfolk children and petty gentry in Sunspear, as she is now Princess of Sunspear. More Martell branches for a blood orange tree to bear wondrous fruit. All beneath the sun, so bright in that perfect sky…

Elia sips her sangria. Oberyn and Aegon are finished with their sandcastle, and now he’s pulled out a guitar from somewhere and tries to teach his nephew how to play. Rhaenys perches on Obara’s shoulders and pretends to joust with Arianne who is on Viserys’s. Manfrey and his Summer Islander wife Bellegara Otherys finally finish up their romantic walk up and down the shore, with Bellegara joining Mellario and Ellaria’s whisper pile and Manfrey pulling Doran away to talk drunken business. Something about making a fleet of ships to rival Nymeria’s, and selling sweetwine to Sothoryos in exchange for coconut and date liquor. Elia giggles and can’t stop. Not with the sun so warm on her skin, not with Rhaella raising her goblet and toasting the coming summer.

It’s still winter north of the Red Mountains, but not here. No, summer is here for Dorne, and it is here to stay.

The children shriek with laughter as the waves roll against their legs. The sweet sound melds with the crashing of the sea, of Mellario and Ellaria gossiping about their beloveds, of Rhaella sighing and relaxing for once. All is bright and golden and warm, save for their ice-cold goblets of sangria. Elia tilts her head back against her chair and smiles.

Let those bastards keep that ugly ass throne, she has all she needs right here.

[prof-peach]

I have a question: what variations of Torterra are there? For example, is there a Tropical variation or a Tundra variation? And if so, how would you be able to tell them apart?

Torterra are interesting, one of my favourite Pokemon to talk about, they hold a lot of interesting secrets, I have done a comic some place on them, might help a bit too.

The Pokemon itself is an individual that works symbiotically with other little creatures and living organisms, their soil basically has what we now know as another species living in it, much like how we humans have health gut bacteria for example. It’s a fungus that helps the Pokemon and the plants living on their back link together, exchanging nutrients to and from each other in a harmonious way, that is more efficient and productive than soil without these microscopic little energy boosters. We find sick torterra don’t have a high count of these, and so we can add some in to help boost immune systems and lead to healthier Pokemon.

this all comes to the soil, the most important thing to look at when planting, trimming, or caring for torterra. It also dictates what kind of tees are best suited to that individual Pokemon. Some have loamy rich forest floor soil that smells like a damp bright cold morning all the time, fresh, they can grow anything from oak trees, to birch, you can get some with fir trees in this soil type, and sprouting shrubs such as holly or lilac in them, fuchsias too. Usually this soil groups Pokemon body will be the most textbook looking torterra. Usually deciduous, and carpeted with thick moss in some patches. They yield sturdy crops sometimes too. You can sometimes find variants that prouduce things with seeds, and you can attempt to grow a new turtwig from the seed. That’s another issue for another ask someday later haha. But this seeded group allows for apples, pears, and cherries to be grown upon their backs, amongst a few other things.

then there’s acid soil, the Pokemon is usually grey in complexion, colder to look at colour wise, they can handle rhododendrons, pines, blueberries, and things like hydrangea, and fir trees. I’ve seen a particularly lovely monkey puzzle variant once, a real old girl. They will be sturdier in their defence stat and have adapted for mountain life, harsh winds, sheet rain, and no shelter from the sun. A tough breed. You don’t even need to bring these ones in in winter, they survive well in colder climate with snow and wind battering them. Their bodies are sturdy, the tree is strong.

you can get sandy gritty soil, though they usually are a smaller species, as a whole, a lot faster but lower, smaller, and lighter in every way. They have big personalities normally, don’t know if it’s because they’re trying to make up for something. Just stroppy normally. These species can come in a number of palms, coconut, and rubber tree. Speaking of, did you know palms are a member of the grass family and so torterra with these types of trees are especially interesting. Factoid. They usually need a good water and more protection in winter than most of the other variants, heavily susceptible to frost.

There is even torterra that love the water, most are dual ground/grass types, but I’ve seen a wonderful tropical variation with mangrove trees, they love to swim, have the grass/water dual type. Not very common at all, but none the less important to note. They need hot house temperatures and a lot of care and attention. I have yet to study these further, sightings are rare.

Along side knowing the ins and outs of their tees and their soil, you also need to care for their stony feet and horns. The pine category suffer most from this. Rocks can chaff and overgrow the Pokemon, limiting its movement. To keep them trim, take them to a professional for a sort out, they use careful drill work to trim back anything painful or in the way. Never go to an unlicensed trimmer, they need to be certified. You can look this up on the web, or go to them, they by law have to have their certification up in view someplace in the work place.

I find torterra are a strange and wonderfully strong Pokemon, some have come my way with their tree cut clean off, others come in with rot, or bug damage beyond what you’d think is fixable, but they bounce back. They’re incredibly robust, adaptable, and above all cute as heck.

hope his points you in a vague direction, I’m sure you’ll learn even more as you get to meet them.

[ladyy-grimm]

~Corvid Bride~

Dire Crowley x F reader

*In inspiration of the Ghost Marriage event - as well as watching one too many dramas - I present whatever AU this is.

“I’m sorry dear, I’m so, so sorry...” Is the only words your mother gave you. Her voice strained and hoarse.

The day, which was as gloomy as a funeral - was your wedding day.

The hushed murmurs of your friends and neighbors were your accompaniment, instead of celebratory music as you made your way towards a lone black carriage.

“So, she’s to be the bride?”

“Poor thing, she’s so young...”

“Thers’s nothing that can be done...If we don’t offer someone then, then we will starve. All of us..”

“We have to calm him...”

By whatever good grace yet remained in the world did you find yourself in the carriage with what remained of your closest friends. One of them adjusting your white veil, giving you the pitiful excuse of remaining hidden for your “groom”. They couldn’t bring themselves to look at you, not with what awaited you at the end of the carriage ride.

“Please don’t hate us.” One of them finally dared to speak. Yet somehow it made the small space quieter as they spoke. “We didn’t want this to happen...None of us. But, I’m glad you are going.”

“We’re very grateful to you.” Another spoke up.

“We can now all live because of you.”

You wanted to scream.

How dare they. How dare they try and make you feel better. They were just glad it was you and not them. That it was not their daughter. It wasn’t their fault you were unlucky, there needed to be a sacrifice anyway. It may have been an old fairytale, but they didn’t care so long as the crops and animals were blessed back to what they once were. As long as it wasn’t them, it didn’t matter.

Despite all that, your lips remained shut. As you arrived at your destination did you remember as to why you should remain so. The wind was still, despite being so high up into the mountains. The horses nervously whinnied behind you, your heels crunching under the stone as you made your way towards the cliffs end. Your bridesmaids giving you a wide berth as you made your way towards a large iron birdcage, alongside an old iron crank.

There were no final goodbyes nor tears as you made your way inside. Your veil and gown semi spilling out as you were lowered to the blanket of fog below. The air grew colder, your breath began to appear as from above you could hear your wedding party scrambling to leave. Leave behind all memory and with time - all traces of you. In resignation did you sit down, not even a bubble of a sob surfaced to your throat.

What point would tears give you? It didn’t help Lettie; as she was torn away from her widowed mother and not given a chance to be a proper bride. Or how about Amilie whom had tried to run away with her lover, condemning them both.

‘At least they died together.’ You couldn’t help but muse. You? You had no one besides your family back home, if you could even call it that anymore. They were just as part of this as any other. Yet any hatred you wanted to direct was cut short as you shivered. The cold had begun to set in.

Halfhazardly you wrapped your wedding gown around you as best as you could, aiding you a little. The birdcage swinging back and forth at your movements, causing slight nausea to set in. Repeatedly like a prayer did you tell yourself not to look down, though even if you did not but fog would greet you. How you wish it had deigned to surround you as well, that way you wouldn’t have had to see the other birdcages littered around you. All human sized, rusted, frosted, some even broken while others still housed their “residents”.

You didn’t consider yourself fortunate in the least at seeing the skeletal remains. A corpse should be best left alone after all, at least that is what you wished for yourself.

Would you freeze to death first? Or maybe you would attempt one last daring escape and fall to your death? Which was quicker? Or perhaps, you would wait for him? Whatever it was your village gave offerings to for a plentiful harvest, that had suddenly decided to stop granting such a boon. Devil? Fae? It didn’t matter so long as there was food at the table and all was well.

But obviously, not anymore. Not for a long, long time now.

“Having fun? Thinking of your final moments?”

You would have fallen to your death had the bars of the cage not been small enough, as you jumped in shock at the sudden voice. Wildly did you look around, seeing no one - except of course for one lone crow at the opposite side of you. It cocked its head, curious at you as it sat between the bars.

“You haven’t lost your mind yet.” It stated as to what you were thinking, its beak curving into the hints of a grin.

“I wish I was.” You blurted in response, earning you a cawing of sudden laughter.

“Ooh, decided to give a clever one away did they? That’s a pity for the arts.” The crow continued to laugh.

The statement was enough for a small smile to tug at your lips, only a small one though as your mind had caught up to what was currently happening. “I’m sorry, you are -“

“Hmm? Wish to know my name? I’ll give you mine if you give me yours.” Here the crow extended a wing, as if it were extending a hand.

Such an action caused your mind to reel. Memories of your grandmother teaching you the way of fairytales rushing to mind. The cold caused your voice - now laced with caution - to crack out your lie. “Y-You may call me Ainsel.”

The crow, appeared to grin more and his eyes to turn from a shiny black, like twin pebbles. To glowing moons. “Ah, you are indeed a clever one.”

With that there was suddenly a large puff of smoke, and there at the other end of your already small cage appeared a man. He was draped in a dark coat with a cut to resemble wings, and obscuring his face was a long beaked mask that only shown his glowing pupils. The birdcage was too small for him to stand fully, but he had no need to as with a flourish did he remove his top hat and bowed at his waist to you. His eyes glowing in delight as they looked towards you.

Instinctually, hurriedly did you try to stand. Only realizing that you had wrapped your wedding gown around you for warmth too tightly. This caused the man to laugh.

“‘Tis alright, I’d much rather have you remain sitting as to what we are to discuss little bird.” With that he knelt before you, being mindful of your gown and giving you plenty of room to breath. You did just meet after all. “Now, I’m sure you have already figured out who I am and what I do. So, let us cut the chase and have me ask you; What would you like to do now?”

“What?” You couldn’t help but ask.

“Hmm? Did you simply think I just fly in here and gobble you ‘brides’ up?” He chuckled at his own dark humor. “I’m kind enough to give you brides a choice, when you were given none.”

His words gave you pause, so he continued. “You can choose to try and get back up towards the cliffs. Some have made it and have lived to see their childrens children. Others, falling to a death of their own will. Others, I will say have chosen to remain in this final resting place - whilst I - well, can’t refuse what whatever God has left before me now can I? Or if you prefer I could give your corpse to those animals as a “blessing” if that is what you wish.”

The information given both baffled yet made complete sense. As was the won’t of the lands of Twisted Wonderland. With a jolt did you suddenly recoil back. He had outstretched a claw ringed hand towards you.

“I’d very much like to give you more time to ponder your choice but, it grows darker by the moment and colder as well.”

How right he was. Your teeth were now chattering without you realizing. It wasn’t much of a choice you had to admit, but it was a choice nonetheless. More than you had been given, and there was only one that you had in mind.

“Your name...” You mumbled, lips beginning to freeze.

He cocked his head to the side.

“I’d, I’d like to know my husbands name....”

He smiled, gently taking your hand in his as he drew you towards him. Weakly did you stumble into his embrace, your legs having become numb as the iron floor had frosted and your gown as well. Yet you had no need to walk a he opted to carry you as any bride wished to be. He was pleasantly warm, his overcoat framing even you a bit. As if it were a large pair of wings.

“Dire Crowley.”

You smiled, thinking of how your name matched with his. It had a nice ring to it.

~

In the days to come the people of your village would be back to the cliff side to check on you. They would find your almost empty birdcage, and be filled with fear immediately. The bars remained intact. Your corpse did not hang, nor had it been coated in frost or even be eaten by the wildlife that could reach you. Nay, all that remained was your bouquet as fresh as the day your mother had picked it.

Far, far away you would be found laughing happily alongside your husband. Eccentric and troublesome as he was, he had given you the choice that only ever mattered. That choice was to live, and having him at your side was a pleasant bonus.

[leavesofolive]

🌞🧹🌻Hearth Witch Tips!🌻🧹🌞

04: Your kitchen eats with you!

Just like with the rest of the house, what you put into the kitchen also heavily affects its energy. When you treat the hearth in certain ways, it reacts in certain ways. Your relationship with any room in the house is give-and-take. That means that if you don’t give back occasionally, the room will grow cold and stop appreciating your presence. But there are plenty of ways to mend your relationship! And the first step is to identify the problem!

From my experience, there are three main reasons why the kitchen stops being a warm and inviting place: 1) You are filling the cupboards with too much toxic, processed foods; 2) You aren’t spending enough time in that room; 3) Or you aren’t keeping the room clean enough.

When there’s a problem in the hearth, it’s always either one of these things or some combination of them. We’ll start with number three since it’s the easiest to explain. The kitchen should be anyone’s top priority to keep clean. It’s where all of your food, the nutrition and fuel of your physical and spiritual bodies, comes from! What you eat is your first defense against illness, injury, and your mental health. If the kitchen is filthy, then the food you take into your body will also begin to develop the same properties.

To keep the kitchen clean, I always start my day by washing last night’s dishes and give the counters a quick wipe. Once a month, I take stock of what’s in the fridge and freezer and scrub them out to prevent bacteria build-up. Sweeping the kitchen floors happens once a week and takes me all of three minutes to complete, tops. Once per season, normally at the beginning, I scrub the floors with soap and water, descale the coffee maker, wipe down the other appliances, and clean out the cupboards. So the only true “cleaning days” for the kitchen is four days out of the entire year. The rest of the time, the chores only take me about 30 minutes. As a quick tip, rinsing your dishes before setting them in the sink speeds up the dish washing process a ton! I’ve personally never trusted dishwashers since they don’t clean stuff well enough and it’s easier, faster, and far more cost effective to do it by hand.

The next problem the kitchen’s energy might be suffering from is how much time you’re spending there. First, spending a lot of time in the kitchen is a great thing! It absorbs the energy you feed to it, so when you don’t go in the kitchen very often or just don’t spend much time in there to begin with, the kitchen grows darker and colder. It loses the warmth and emotion and love that would’ve been sinking into it when you aren’t there.

The way to fix this problem is actually really easy! Cooking your own meals ensures that you are in there for a good amount of time each day because of the prep work and meal planning, etc. Plus, you get healthier, tastier food that way too! If you can’t cook all that well yet, don’t worry! Just like any skill, there’s no talent involved in learning something. It just depends on how much effort you apply to it. Another way to boost the hearth’s energy is to just hang out in that room. Invite some friends over, set out a snack tray, and just chill in the kitchen. Of course, since it’s pandemic right now, it’s best to wait until that’s over with to try this approach. But you, yourself, can still hang out in the kitchen!

The last problem, and a very, very common one in this day and age, is the influence of toxic food. Just like how your house absorbs energy from the land its on and what its built with, the kitchen also absorbs energy from the ingredients you keep within it. Toxic foods include anything processed or with a bunch of added sugars, and even GMO ingredients to some extent due to the trace chemicals that are still on the crops. These kinds of foods, if that’s the only thing in your house, will rot the energy. Not to mention, easy to grab snacks also end up causing you to spend a lot less time in the kitchen if that’s all you eat. Needless to say, no one eats healthy all the time. I don’t either! But having only toxic food in your kitchen isn’t great for you or the hearth.

Once again, cooking comes to the rescue! Even if you’re bad at it, it’s the thought that counts and little by little, as your skills grow and improve, the kitchen will learn to help guide you. There have been many times where I’d be stuck on how to fix something and a bottle of spice would fall of the shelf right next to me. If you listen to the kitchen, it will listen to you, too! Even if you don’t have time to cook, snacks like apples, berries, seeds, nuts, and dried meats are all healthy alternatives! I usually keep kale chips in the house for some yummy, salty crunchiness!

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

If you are worried about cost with this approach (believe me, due to my own situation it’s been a struggle at times), I’ve found out several tips and tricks to significantly lower the grocery bill. Anymore, my bill would actually be bigger if I bought crap food instead! Here’s my advice:

☀  Plan your week ahead! I always plan four meals a week that I’ll cook, and three days that I’ll scavenge for snacks and leftovers. I also stick to the rule of “one simple, one chicken, one meatless, one freebie” to remain more cost effective! The “simple” meal is just something I can make quickly if I know I’ll be short on time. The reason for have one of the meals be chicken is because it’s a much less expensive meat than beef or pork, and it’s a little better for the environment. The meatless meal is for the same reasoning. Meat is expensive and commercial brands are horrible for both the environment and the animals themselves. When I do buy meat, I make sure to buy local, grass-fed, organic meat as often as I can afford to. Keep in mind that every time you purchase anything, you are casting your vote for what is acceptable for society to continue. The “freebie” meal is just whatever I’ve been craving. If I want some kind of beef, I wait until this day.

☀  Learn to bake your own bread! For those of us with the time, this is a great way to save money and to stay healthy! Basic, white bread is actually pretty easy to make and only uses a couple ingredients. Those ingredients also go a long way. It costs me about 24¢ to make one loaf of bread because things like flour, sugar, salt, butter, honey, and yeast are all things that you buy once and can use for several loaves before you have to buy them again! It’s also not as time consuming as you’d think. Yes, it takes about 2 hours, but most of that time is proofing so you can easily be running around doing other things in between.

☀  Grow a garden! Even if it’s just a small, window herb garden, it can take the edge off of your overall food cost. Portobello mushrooms are also super easy to grow inside with minimal effort and equipment. If you have outdoor space, planting a small garden with the ingredients you use the most can help immensely!

☀  Only buy what you need! I know those sales look crazy tempting, but most of them are actually bogus and don’t actually save you any money. Think about what you are actually going to use before it goes bad and stick to your list. The bottom shelves at the store, aka the ones not in your direct line of sight, are usually where the grocery stores hide the better priced goods. At the back of most stores that have bakeries, there’s also usually a spot to get baked goods left over from the previous day for a slightly cheaper price. Day-old baked novelties like bread, cookies, and cakes are still perfectly good, and much easier to enjoy where you don’t have to spend as much!

☀  Check what’s already in your fridge before making your list! This is a huge one, since it prevents food waste, which in turn prevents money waste! What can you make during this week that can use up some of the ingredients leftover from last week? You’ll be impressed how quickly your food cost drops when you aren’t throwing things away. Waste not, want not! This trick also applies in another way, as well. When making your weekly meal plans, what types of foods use similar ingredients? If one meal calls for a slightly pricier ingredient, what other food can you cook with that ingredient to make the cost worth it? This also ensures that you get full use of things without wasting them. For example, this week I bought some fresh mozzarella cheese. Because this item is a little more expensive, I’m using it to make both the tomato mozzarella sandwiches and the beef wellingtons I’m making this week!

☀  Buy mostly produce! One of the best ways to lower your bill while still eating healthy is to simply add more fruits and veggies into your diet! There are so many tasty recipes that call for these babies that you’ll never run out of options, and there’s several things out there for everyone! Because I deal with sensory issues, I had to experiment a lot with what textures and tastes I could handle, especially on the bad days, but even still I found an over-abundance of things I love to eat. Fresh produce is way less expensive than meat, and much less expensive than many of the more mainstream snacks like chips or other processed foods.

                                     ------------------------------ All in all, taking care of your kitchen will also end up taking care of you, as well! Spending time there, actually using the kitchen the way it’s supposed to be, and just keeping it clean can work wonders in opening up your home and making it ten times warmer and more inviting! Trust me, your health and home will thank you for it!

[anabantoid]

The Ubiquitous Betta Care Guide

Literally everyone and their mother has written a care guide about bettas, but I felt like I could provide a care guide based around my opinions and experiences in keeping bettas. I’ve kept bettas since I was about 15 years old, they were one of my first fish, and I fell in love with them and at one point I had over a dozen bettas at one time! That’s ridiculous now, but this was 2005/2006, bettas were cheaper and not as disposable then, definitely lasting for the oft-quoted “2-3 year” lifespans that people struggle to see today. Nowadays, I struggle to be able to get a betta to live past 6 months. So, what’s happening? Am I suddenly taking worse care of bettas than I did when I was 15? 

Well, no, all of my most recent bettas were kept in tanks that were over 50 gallons, well planted, my tap water is soft (kH of 5), my pH is neutral (7-7.4) and my water is easily modified with botanicals or wood to be about 6 if need be. They live in filtered tanks with 80 degree water, eat nothing but live or frozen food, and never fall ill with disease or parasites. That’s more than I can say about teenage me. I dealt with a lot of issues, obviously, from bacterial to fungal infections because of my ignorance, but nowadays I can’t say I’ve had to treat a betta for anything, they just sorta..die, and at seemingly random too. What’s going on? 

Today, bettas come in every color, shape and variety you can think of, which wasn’t the case when I was 15. The reason for the huge variety is the desire for more ornamental fish, but for commercial selling, there’s mass breeding on an industrial scale which leads to poor stock, inbreeding, and deformed fish and genetic issues we just can’t see. It doesn’t matter if it’s a local breeder or from a store, they’re all coming from the same stock now. 

I’ve touched about betta problems in the past, and if you’ve followed my blog for a few years or see me in my discord server (Fish Tea), then you already know how I feel. That’s not what this post is about! This post is about caring for your betta, what I’ve learned in my experiences with them, and how to treat and care for the common ailments that befall them.

THEIR CARE:

Min tank size: 10 gallons. Why 10 gallons? In all my time keeping bettas, they do best in larger tanks that allow them to move, they get proper muscle tone in larger tanks because they’re able to move, and I’ve never had an issue with constipation in bettas when placed in larger tanks because movement makes it easier for animals to pass their waste. I can’t think of any other 2 inch-3 inch, active fish that anyone would suggest for a 5 gallon, but for some reason people all say 5 gallons is fine. This is MY recommendation, this is something I will tell people to follow, but whether or not you agree is up to you. You can keep them as you wish, but I prefer having bettas in larger tanks.

Temperature: 80+. In the wild, the Betta genus comes from hot, humid environments in Southeast Asia, living in shallow bodies of water that can be over 80 degrees in temperature. Wild Betta splendens have been observed living in rice paddies with an average temperature of 84 degrees (Jaroensutasinee & Jaroensutansinee, 2001). While it can be argued that domestic bettas are different from their wild counterparts, we have not bred them for cold resistance, and bettas display poor health in colder temps, lethargy, loss of appetite, bloating and constipation. 

Water Params: My position about water parameters has evolved over time, but I still think a betta does best in neutral to acidic waters, because a betta in a pH of 8+ will not have a great time. Essentially, most people’s tap water will be fine, you don’t need RO water to keep a domestic betta.

Feeding: I feed my bettas live food in the form of blackworms, fruit flies, random small bugs I find, a spider….anything that’s an invert and they can swallow, they can eat it. I also feed them frozen foods such as bloodworms, krill, mysis, cyclops and sometimes just cut up cocktail shrimp. You can feed them live and frozen, and you can also give them prepared foods, like New Life Spectrum, Bug Bites, or Bug Pro. They have excellent sources of protein that are not derived from soy like other brands such as Hikari, Omega One, Tetra, Aqueon and such. You can also make repashy grub pie and feed them that. 

Furnishings: Bettas naturally come from environments that are dense with vegetative growth (Jaroensutasinee & Jaroensutansinee, 2001), which means your bettas should also be in tanks that are filled to the brim with plants! I like live plants, but you can use soft silks too, anything that can provide them some cover that they can serpentine and swim through. My rule of thumb usually is if you can see straight through one end of the tank with no broken lines of sight, you don’t have enough plants. Lack of proper coverage can make them stressed out, lethargic and more susceptible to illness and refusal to eat.

Tank mates: If you want to keep bettas with other fish, I suggest a 20 long as a minimum. If your betta has long fins, avoid getting any boisterous, nipping fish like tetras. Kuhli loaches make wonderful tankmates for bettas because they tolerate the high temps a betta likes, as well as Hypancistrus plecos, some corydoras, smaller spiny eels and more. I don’t recommend ever putting shrimp in with bettas, aside from larger shrimp like amanos, because shrimp are a betta’s natural prey and they will hunt them all down!

WHAT IF MY BETTA GETS SICK?

Bettas can and will get ill, you will most likely encounter an issue with your betta one way or another, but what can you do to help? In most cases, the problem is lack of proper care and poor water conditions. The best way to insure your betta remains happy and healthy is to have a clean tank. The easiest way to do this is to make sure your tank is cycled and you do regular, weekly water changes of 25%-30%. 

When you buy a betta, make sure you are picking out an active one, don’t try to be a saint and pick out one laying on its side, half dead. The likelihood is that it will just die, you’ll feel upset, and then you’ll go out and try it again. I’ve been there! It doesn’t work! Get a fish that wiggles at you and looks like it wants to kick your ass. That’s a good betta.

Here’s some common betta ailments:

Popeye: This happens because your water quality is poor and a bacterial infection brews up, causing fluid retention that can pop the eye out. Your best course of action is to address the water quality issue, then use an antibiotic such as kanaplex or metroplex. 

Bloat and constipation: The betta is fed too much, the tank is unheated, the water quality is poor, the tank is too small, and more. This is a symptom of an underlying issues, and it needs to be addressed by seeing what you’re doing wrong. To treat it, give your betta a soak in an epsom salt bath for 10-15 minutes in a bucket or other container, with 1 tbs of epsom salt per gallon. Feed them some frozen food like daphnia or brine shrimp to aid in passing their waste. 

Ich: This can literally happen to anyone, and it sometimes just. Happens. Inexplicably. Whether or not it’s introduced or always in the water, it can crop up in even the warmest of tanks, as ich nowadays seems to have gotten particularly strong. Up your temps to about 86, your betta can handle temps into the 90’s, and use an ich treatment, I usually do Ich X, follow the directions on the bottle. You can also do a salt dip on the betta at the first signs of ich, 1 tbs of aquarium or table salt per gallon in a separate container, do a 10 minute soak. Up the temps and see if the ich subsides, if not, follow through with medication.

Fin rot: This is a water quality issue, you need to address this first before proceeding with treatment, as usually providing clean, warm water is enough to stop fin rot. If you do this but notice the fin rot is especially aggressive or starting to proceed onto the body, treat with an antibiotic such as kanaplex.

Velvet: This is a parasitic infection like ich, though for this one it comes from yet another water quality issue. It can happen in the store they come from, or it can happen in your home if you’re not up and up on your care. You would treat it the same way as ich, however shut your lights off, as it appears to be light sensitive.

Lethargy, bottom sitting, loss of appetite: These are symptoms of a bigger issue, be it water quality, age, or simply just something going wrong internally that we can’t see. If your tank is too cold, you’re not feeding enough or you’re not on top of water changes, you can help by adjusting all of that. If it’s from age or something else, all you can do is wait and see how much longer the betta has left, or euthanize if you feel he won’t get better. You can attempt an epsom salt bath, raising temps, and feeding live or frozen, but at that point it’s palliative care rather than a solution.

What if you just got your betta, and it seemed fine, and then one day it didn’t look good and the next you found it dead? Well, circling back to my long winded intro, you can see that the answer is in the poor breeding practices. Bettas are not as strong or hardy as they used to be, in fact they seem to just be about as durable as tissue paper nowadays and will die after a few months or a year, with some exceptions. It can be disheartening to feel like you’re failing at a fish that’s touted as being one of the hardiest fish out there, but I promise you that if you’re providing the best care for them, they’ll still die early, and you’re not at fault. I still get bettas, but I only buy one after another passes, and I try to not spend more than $15 on one. I settle with the fact they won’t live as long, and I enjoy them while I have them, and if you feel the same way, go for it.

If you’d like to learn more about bettas, their alternatives and more, the best way to reach me and a whole community of experiences keepers is through Fish Tea, an lgbt+ friendly discord server dedicated to all things aquatic.

(reference: Jaroensutasinee, M., & Jaroensutansinee, K. (2001). Bubble nest habitat characteristics of wild Siamese fighting fish. Journal of Fish Biology, 58(5), 1311-1319. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2001.tb02288.x)

[timeforelfnonsense]

Lost and Found

Astarion x Dafni 

Rating: T

Hurt/Comfort

TW for depression mention 

Ao3

I’ve been working on this bad boy for a month and it’s done at last!

 An important note: There is some reference to the Lolth Sworn drow in this and I feel the need to clear the air and state that I have some issues with the way WotC characterizes the drow as inherently evil. My house rules are that none of the races are inherently evil because the broad strokes in the source material as problematic af. So while the followers of Lolth might be evil I want to make it clear that doesn't equal all drow are bad. Dafni holds all varieties of elves in tender regard. As an eladrin of the fey wilds and a follower of Corellon she understands that fluid and changing nature of all living things. Life is messy and people do not fit into boxes, very few folks are all bad or all god. Not every elf worships the Seldarine and that’s ok. A fundamental part of Corellon is freedom and choice therefore it would be foolish to insist her path is the only right one. Her issue is with Lolth not the drow as a whole.

The Underdark was a horrid and forsaken place. A shudder ran down Dafni’s spine as she rubbed away the gooseflesh cropping up across her arms. Lolth’s influence hung heavy in the stale air. She would have to step lightly. A cleric of Corellon would be a great prize to the followers of the Spider Queen. She missed the warm sun on her face, the feeling of grass beneath her bare feet. She could feel herself wilting under the oppressive darkness that surrounded them.

Anxiety was a strange and forging feeling. The majority of her 160 years had been spent embodying the playful delight of spring. Perhaps it was on account of her relative youth. Or, maybe it was the influence of Corellon Larethian, whose wild and wonderful influence she had felt all her life. He had looked out for her. Cared for her as a father would his child. Truly, Corellon felt as much a parent to her as her mother, Thesmia did. A meek half-smile tugged at the corner of her lips. He had given her a reason to leave home when the wanderlust became far too much for her to contain. If she was to flourish as both an elf and a divine servant, Dafni would need to truly know herself beyond being Thesmia’s shadow. Absentmindedly her fingers reached for the familiar crescent moon that hung from her neck.

Her feet skidded to a halt, her trembling hand pulled away empty. Her blood turned to ice. An agonizing dagger of guilt pierced her heart and she felt as though the ground beneath her would open up and swallow her whole. Part of her wished that it would. She had carried the holy symbol since she was a young girl. Though she knew in her soul it had been her’s even before that. It had served as her connection not just to her god, but her heritage and primal spirit- The very essence of her being. 

“I lost it.” Her voice was less than a whisper, stunned and distant. Tears began to well up in her eyes. The world around her was growing colder by the second. “My amulet is gone.” Her breath began to come out in heaves and she began to sob in earnest. “It- It must have gotten lost when the minotaur tossed me!” 

 Her sharp cry stopped her traveling companions in their tracks. Each of their faces dressed in varying degrees of confusion and concern. Gale began to speak but his words were drowned out but the low ringing in her ears. A dizzy, sickening feeling bloomed in her gut and the edges of her vision began to blur as the darkness she had so feared gripped her soul.

They had doubled back to the old Selûnite fort. The others were still there setting up a temporary camp. Shadowheart hadn’t been able to find anything physically wrong with her aside from the normal bumps and scrapes that were to be expected on an active adventurer. 

Astarion felt truly helpless for the first time since he’d escaped Cazador’s clutches. It had been an hour and Dafni had yet to wake. He clasped her hand in his. A soft blue had slowly been spreading over her sage-green skin, creeping its way from the tips of her fingers to the crown of her head. Her locks were shifting at the root from rosy pink to a frosty teal. The flowers that wove through her loose ponytail had all weathered into dust. 

He squeezed her hand, “Come on Daffodil…”

Gale had been fairly positive that this was, to some extent normal for the eladrin of the Feywilds. Something about a book he’d read by some notable wizard? Truth be told Astarion hadn’t been paying much attention. He was too busy staring down Lae’zel, who’s paranoia filled gaze had been locked on Dafni’s sleeping form from the moment they’d returned. 

He should have been annoyed at her. The loss of some silly costume jewelry had caused her to swoon like a high born lady. He knew she was made of stronger stuff than that. Her little spell had put them all behind and left them without a healer the whole trek back to the fort. Yet, try as he might Astarion couldn’t seem to conjure up the ire he held for those too weak to survive hardship on their own.

 He groaned, letting his head hit the wall behind him with a soft thunk. There it was again- That damn sentimentality! By the Hells, he was a vampire, not a nursemaid! What had gotten into him? 

“You should rest.” Wyll placed a hand on his shoulder, “I’ll keep an eye on her for a bit.” 

His eyes went narrow, a low growl rumbling in his chest. The idea of leaving her while she was vulnerable made his blood boil. 

I’ll watch your back and you watch mine…

Her promise echoed through his thoughts. Dafni had held her end of the bargain with unwavering resolve. If he left now it would feel too much like betraying the one person he’d allowed even a fragment of trust in the past two centuries.

“I’m sorry. That wasn’t an appropriate reaction.” He muttered while he whisked away an icy tear from her cheek. “I’m just a bit... Out of sorts.” 

Wyll nodded, taking a seat on the dusty floor beside him, “Hey, she’s tough. She’ll pull through, whatever this is.” The warlock gave him an almost smug look, “You really care for her don’t you?” 

“I hardly see how that’s any of your concern.” He sneered with a wave of his hand, “Besides, my concern is simply a matter of pragmatism. Our little band of misfits can’t afford to lose our best healer-” Astarion hesitated for a moment before adding, “Don’t tell Shadowheart I said that. We need not add my body to the pile- Should things go poorly.” 

“If I promise not to sell you out will you take a break?” 

For the first time since she had fainted, he noticed the scratchy dryness in his throat. Astarion scowled, there was little in the way of appetizing food that he had seen but he would just have to make due. He was loathed to leave her side but Wyll was a good man, a better one than him in truth. He would keep her safe. 

“What’s this? The legendary Blade of the Frontiers, stooping to common blackmail.” He tried to keep his tone flat but he couldn’t help the smile that formed on his lips, “Fine, I’ll take a break. I’m a bit parched anyway. I suppose I’ll try to track something palatable down here. Unless…”

 He arched an eyebrow towards Wyll who moved away with an overstated scoot. 

“Not a chance, now go!” 

Cold. 

A crushing, all-consuming chill wrapped its arms around her spirit. Spring had left her. Now she stood alone in the isolating melancholy of winter. She reached out for the familiar warmth of The Protector but here- In this cursed place his influence felt far and foreign. If only she had her holy amulet. It could have served as a compass leading her back to Corellon’s embrace. She would simply have to press on. She had put them behind already and there was no time for sentiment. She wouldn’t be able to cast spells until she found a replacement and the chances of a spare symbol of her god in the Underdark were laughable. Dafni tried to sniff back the tears pricking at the edges of her eyes but it was no use. They rolled down her baby blue cheeks freezing before they could fall to the ground. She glanced up at Astarion, who walked a few paces ahead. While Gale and Wyll had spent the better part of a day coddling her, he had remained distant. 

Maybe he didn’t want her like this? Her sadness threatened to consume anyone near her and he had enough grief of his own. He had admitted once that he enjoyed having her near. Whispered in her ear that she was sunlight and happiness made flesh as he took her in a flower patch of her own creation. 

The feeling of a gentle hand pulled her from her thoughts. Gale offered her a small smile before speaking, “Are you all right?” 

“Oh-” She sniffed, whipping away another frozen tear, “I’ll be alright. I just don’t feel much like myself right now.” 

Gale nodded in response, “Yes, I can see that. Perhaps we shouldn’t have brought you here. The Underdark does seem quite at conflict with the very core of your being.”

A mournful laugh escaped her aching chest, “I don’t think we’d have had any better luck with that shadow curse above ground. No, my sorrow isn’t a good enough reason to risk the rest of the group’s safety.” She brought an icy hand to Gale's cheek, causing him to shiver, “I appreciate your concern but really I’ll be alright. We eladrin are ruled by our emotions, a shift of season was inevitable at some point or another. It’s unfortunate for the rest of you it had to be winter. Things are dire enough without my sorrowful presence bringing you all down with me. Perhaps it would be best for all of you to keep your distance.”

 She sighed, her eyes falling on Astarion, who lingered just on the edge of the bitter cold her sadness created. While it pained her to say it, she knew he was right to keep away. The others should do the same if they were wise. Gale gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. 

“He’s a funny one, Astarion.” Gale mused, “Wyll told me he had to resort to extortion to pry him from your side while you were out. Yet, today he acts as if you have the plague.”

A small snort of laughter broke past her tears, “Extortion?” 

“I believe comments were made comparing Shadowheart’s healing abilities to your own. Wyll offended his silence in exchange for Astarion taking a break.”

“That’s not fair to her.” Dafni sniffed, “She’s not a life cleric, she does her best.” 

“You have a good heart, Dafni.” Gale said giving her arm a squeeze, “My point is I think he cares about you, in his own odd way. At the very least he’s far more pleasant when you are around”

“You really think so?” 

“I do,” Gale assured, “he’d have to be the biggest fool in Faerûn not to see how wonderful you are.” 

Dafni felt a bit of warmth return to her heart. Not enough to thaw her sorrows but it was a start. Gale’s words helped her sort through the chaos of her mind as they had so many times before. He was a loyal and kind friend, as was Wyll. Shadowheart too despite her evasive and secretive nature. Even Lae’zel had warmed to her as best she was able despite their differences. There was a solace to be found in the support of her peers. She wasn’t so alone after all.

The sound of her laugh hit Astartion like a battering ram. She seemed to be in slightly better spirits since arriving in the Myconid Circle. She floated about the fungus folk with an easy familiarity. It seemed being among the vibrant plants and creatures of grotto had offered her some sense of normalcy. He looked over his shoulder to see what had coaxed a giggle from her (no matter how pitiful and melancholy it sounded). A sharp twinge of jealousy ran down his spine as he watched Dafni stroke Gale’s cheek with a somber smile. 

He bit the feeling back. It was better for them both if he kept his distance. Gentle kindness was hardly his strong suit. Gods, he was a disaster. How many times had she offered him comfort even when he spurned her? She had given so freely to him, her kindness, the warmth of her bed, the very blood in her veins. And there he was relying on someone else to comfort his lover.   

 Dafni was a resilient little thing. So optimistic and sweet it made his teeth hurt. It was disorienting to see her so morose. He had learned the boundaries of her emotional aura rather quickly. He had noticed an unfamiliar warm feeling that first night at camp. He found himself lingering near her as often as he could after that. Savoring the tender happiness that radiated from off of her. She had told him it was simply part of her nature. A charming quirk he’d grown to enjoy a great deal. But now he could feel her heavy sorrow as if it were his own and he longed to make her hurt go away.  

Damn sentimentality.

He had his own worries. He didn’t need to take on hers as well. She didn’t need him to coddle her. And more importantly, he most certainly was not beholden to her contentment for his own survival despite his halfwit heart’s insistence to the contrary. She was making him soft. It was ridiculous! He was far too old to be fretting over her like a lovelorn sprat. 

It must be the tadpole. Her compassion must have wormed its way into his brain somehow. That was the only logical explanation.

He needed to clear his head and get some distance between them so he could feel more himself. He wandered aimlessly about the grotto as he attempted to show away any feelings of softhearted sympathy but it was no use. He rubbed his temples and let out a frustrated huff. He should never have taken that first taste of her. She’d become an irresistible craving from that moment on. It wasn’t just her blood, but every aspect of her that called to him. Inviting him to take refuge in her affections. He could feel himself lowering his guard a little bit more each day despite his efforts to keep her at arm's length. She’d flash him that beguiling little grin, her topaz eyes brimming over with admiration and he would find himself tempted to let her just another inch closer. He’d known she was dangerous from the moment he clapped eyes on her in the wreckage of the crash. He’d prepared himself for a stake to the heart but the infatuation she had inspired in him was infinitely more frightening and possible just as deadly.

He made his way to the alcove where the Society of Brilliance had set up shop. The strange hobgoblin had mentioned something to the party about being a collector of magical items and oddities. Walking had failed to rid him of his frustrations perhaps shopping would. 

A glimmer caught his eye as he approached the cluttered stall. There, on the table was a familiar silver amulet. He was going to get it back for her and pray the gesture was enough to curb his need to see her happy. He could swipe it easily enough but he didn’t want to draw trouble to Dafni if she was spotted wearing it. No, charm and a dash of intimidation would be his best shot.

“Excuse me,” He smiled wide allowing for a slight flash of his fangs, “I was hoping you would be willing to part with that necklace.”

“A vampire interested in the acquisition of a holy symbol?” 

“Yes, it’s very ironic.” Astarion rolled his eyes. “Now, how much do you want for the damn thing?”

“Well, first time for everything.” the hobgoblin shrugged, “You have a good eye, this is very unique. It’s forged from mithral and inlaId with sylvan moonstones. The holy symbol of Corellon is more commonly depicted as an eight-pointed star these days rather than the crescent moon. Meaning this item is very old indeed! It was brought in just yesterday. I would be hesitant to sell it but my research does require more funding. How does 900 gold sound?”

“I hate to be the one to tell you but ‘very old’ is a relative term when it comes to items of elvish origin.” He kept his tone flat and unimpressed, “Long-lived people do tend to hold onto things.” 

“Ah, but you’ll find this is more than your average antique! Judging by the craftsmanship I would say it dates back to the time of the primal elves.”

Shit. 

Of course, her necklace had much more than sentimental value. He had hoped for a quick haggle but it seemed he was going to have to work for it. He really didn’t have that much coin on him, nor was he inclined to spend it on something that was not rightfully the hobgoblin’s to sell. He raffled through his mind searching for a thinly veiled threat or convincing argument to lower the price until the perfect mixture of the two dawned on him.

Astarion let out a droll hum as he checked his nails with casual disinterest. He spoke in a low, blasé voice, “You said before you weren’t much for combat? Don’t you think it’s risky, carrying around a holy item of Corellon in the den of the Spider Queen? It would be such a shame if something were to happen to you at the hands of a zealot. Really I’m doing you a favor by purchasing it. I’ve crossed swords with the Lolth sworn before they are merciless and skilled fighters almost as dangerous and bloodthirsty as vampires.”

He let a wicked bark of laughter. A bemused expression flickering across his face. He could smell the fear stirring in the timid merchant. It would seem he hadn’t lost his edge after all.  

Blurg swallowed hard before mustering a response, “ Ah- I hadn’t thought about that...”

Dafni sat cross-legged on the ramparts of the fort fletching a new batch of arrows. She’d need more to compensate for her lack of magic for the time being. She’d spent the whole trek back to their camp scanning the ground for her necklace but it had all been for not. She’d just have to accept the fact it was gone no matter how much it broke her heart. 

“There you are, darling. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

 The sound of Astarion’s voice caused her to jump, tossing her arrow down with a start. Dafni clutched her chest shooting him a sharp look. He only laughed, his infuriating gorgeous face fixed in a grin that reminded her of a satyr who stumbled upon a river of bathing nymphs. He dipped to his knees placing a hungry kiss on her scowling lips. He couldn’t be serious. All-day she had been desperate for his attention and he was completely uninterested but now that he had an itch to scratch he was searching up and down for her. Unbelievable! She shouldn't have been surprised. It wasn’t as if he’d ever promised her his undying love and devotion. Still, she had thought him tactful enough not to proposition her after the hell she’d been through that day. 

“I’m not really in the mood right now.” She scolded, “You’ll just have to entertain yourself tonight, you egotistical lecher!”

“That- Isn’t why I sought you out. But, if you truly don’t want my company I’ll leave you be.” He shrugged his tone flippant despite the flash of vulnerability in his ruby eyes.

“I- I’m sorry that was really mean and uncalled for. Please stay.”

Stupid impulsive girl.

She slumped forwards, hiding her face in her knees. She could feel the icy tears threatening to spill over for the hundredth time that day. He’d come to check on her and she’d cut him down because of her own insecurity. The bitterness had gotten the better of her and she had unwittingly discouraged his attempt at compassion. 

“If you think the accusation of being a rake is the most heinous insult that’s been hurled at me I’m afraid you’ve missed the mark by quite a lot.” 

He sat down beside her, placing a hesitant hand on her back. She could sense his uncertainty. He was nervous and clearly out of his depth but he was trying. His cautious fingertips moved slowly across the expanse of her back, tracing nebulas shapes and patterns as she drew short, shallow breaths. She couldn’t bear to look at him. She just knew he was staring at her with the same wide, gentle eyes he had when she’d offered her neck to him that night in the woods. If she saw him like that the dam would break and she’d be an utter mess. 

“I still shouldn’t have said it.” Her voice came out shaky and quiet as she peeked over the top of her knees at him. 

“I think I’ll find it in my heart to forgive you.” He leaned in close, whispering in her ear. “I have something for you. Now, stand up and close your eyes.”

She arched a questioning brow but compiled, hopping to her feet. He pushed her ponytail to one side. His touch lingered on her jumping pulse causing a shiver to run down her spine. A warm chuckle falling from his lips in response. The cool feeling of metal draped across her throat, an otherworldly comfort hummed all around her as the delicate weight of a pendant fell against her chest. 

“Where did you find it!!” Dafni gasped, “I thought I had lost it forever! You can’t fathom how much this means to me.”

“It’s a gift, to repay you for all the ones you’ve given me.”  

It probably seemed a small thing to him but he’d returned a missing piece of herself. Words felt woefully inadequate to express her gratitude. She threw her arms around his neck, sending him staggering back a bit. She hardly noticed. She stood on her tiptoes placing gentle kisses all over him. First over the bridge of his nose and then his cheeks and down his neck. Her fingers laced through his soft curls tugging him close, her lips brushed against his. Astarion’s hands fell to her soft waist, his mouth ever so slightly parting for hers. Dafni sighed, running her tongue along the warm seam of his lip earning her a satisfied purr. His hand ventured to the small of her back gently coaxing her closer. She took in a deep breath, the dizzying blend of leather and patchouli making her weak at the knee. She could have stayed like that forever, pressed safe and content against his solid chest. The feeling was big and terrifying but magical and perfect all at once. 

Drat...

She was falling in love with him.

[mackinmacki]

The Growth of Winter (White Rose Week #4)

Fandom: RWBY

Pairing: White Rose

Word Count: 7424

Rating: G

Synopsis: As the goddess of winter, Weiss is used to being lonely. She's ignored by the other gods, and cursed by the humans below for her season. She expects an eternity of that, until a little goddess decides she wants to step into her life.

Prompt: Goddesses

Links: FFN | AO3

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There was nothing wrong with the season that she had become associated with. She found winter to be beautiful, with its chilly mornings and freezing nights. To compliment the temperatures, she had created a white, powdery substance that the humans called 'snow'. The name felt right, and on some cold nights, she would walk down the lonely paths the humans had made with their footfalls and make snow fall around her. She loved to watch the ground turn from brown to white, becoming so beautifully pristine. In her more fanciful moments, she thought of falling into the snow and just sinking into its embrace.

However, not everyone loved the winter like she did. When the temperatures started to change, the humans below would bemoan the death of their crops. They would pray to the goddess of growth for assistance, and in the same breath would curse her for bringing such a cold season upon their lands. She would scowl at such cheek, as the land had been created for them. They did not own it. In an instant, she could erase the world and their existence from the chaos. 

More than anger, though, she felt an irreparable sadness. When the snow would melt, and the sun would shine brightly, she would watch the humans cheer. They tended to their fields, and they would make offerings to the goddesses of growth and fire. Watching them pay such respect to other goddesses and not to her made her feel miserable inside, which in turn only made the winters colder. The few sacrifices she ever got were from humans that she suspected were better off not being associated with her.

She spent most of her time alone because of that. Even when there were gatherings of the gods, she kept her distance from the rest of them. None of them paid her much mind, and that was fine with her. Even if it ate away at her insides that not even her fellow immortals wanted to associate with her, she had to pretend that it was fine. Showing weakness would only make things worse for her. Besides, she didn't need any companionship. With her powers, she could make friends. She could carve wolves and bears out of ice and breathe life into them. They would follow her to the ends of the earth if she so willed them. It just wasn't the same as someone wanting to be around her without coercion.

That all led to the day where everything changed. It was at another gathering that she went to reluctantly. During the summer, she felt more comfortable staying in the place she had carved out for herself in the world. It was an area that was far from civilization: always cold, always foreboding. Whenever she went to those gatherings, she never felt like she was home. There were gods and goddesses all around her, yet she never felt more alone. That was, until for the first time, she was approached by someone.

"Hi there!" She had just been sitting in her chair, keeping to herself like she always did. Naturally, she was startled by the sudden appearance. Jumping onto her feet, she found herself staring right into the most arresting eyes she had ever seen. "You're Weiss, right? We've never spoken before, so I wanted to come say hi!" It was Ruby, the goddess of growth and younger sister to the goddess of fire, Yang. That was quite unexpected.

"Yes, we haven't." She felt on edge, wondering if there was some ulterior motive to Ruby coming to talk to her. It just didn't seem likely that she would just appear out of the blue to initiate conversation --- she was too important to humanity for that. Like the other gods and goddesses, she knew all about Ruby. Crafted from starlight by the god of the sun and entwined with the reddest flowers on Remnant, she was beyond reproach. The other gods and goddesses adored her cuteness and her constant, beautiful smile, while the humans praised her for the growth she brought their crops. It was the kind of praise she herself would never receive. "I know who you are."

"Yeah, I've heard that before." Ruby laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. It was hard to look away from her with how adorable she was being. She knew that others found their eyes drawn to Yang, as a goddess of incredible strength and attractiveness. While she wasn't there to judge, she was starting to wonder if their wandering eyes weren't better trained on the young goddess standing in front of her. Her cute smile was positively blinding. "I guess I should have expected such a pretty goddess like you to know what everyone's talking about."

"Pretty?" She blinked, wondering if she had heard that correctly. When she determined that yes, she had heard Ruby correctly, her face started to heat up. "Well, naturally. I always keep abreast of what's happening with the other gods and goddesses." She expected the conversation to end there, and for Ruby to go back to speak with the others. However, she instead stuck around, standing there and fidgeting as if desperate to say something else. "Are you alright, Ruby?"

"I like the snow you created." That took her aback. She had never heard someone say that they liked the snow. Sure, they would say that it was pretty, but the way their sentences dragged on without words, she knew they wished for clearer ground. It never made sense to her, and it fed into her sadness and isolation. To hear someone actually say they liked it was throwing her for a loop. "It's so pretty! Every time I see that it's snowing, I wanna just dive in and roll around in it. I wish we had snow in the spring."

"I don't think you want that." She rolled her eyes, sensing the naivety dripping from Ruby's tone. "The humans aren't as fond of it as you are." She could only imagine the uproar that would happen if it started snowing during the spring. All the crops would die when they were supposed to be blooming, and then she would be cursed again for her existence. The thought soured her extremely.

"But it's so pretty! Yang and I watch it snowing in the winter and I just love how it looks. It makes the world look so pure and beautiful. I wish more people could see that as well." She could barely believe what she was hearing. The cutest goddess in the entire pantheon was talking to her, and telling her how beautiful her creation was. It made her nearly speechless, wanting to try and hold on to those words verbatim as long as she could.

"I do too," she whispered, feeling an aching pang in her heart. If only the others felt the same was as Ruby did, then maybe she wouldn't be so alone. "It's nice to just walk in the cold of the night and let the snow fall around me, coating the ground in its purity. There's no better place to just be by yourself and think." She figured it was better if she didn't say out loud exactly what she was always thinking about.

"Yeah, it seems awesome! I wanna do it next time the snow falls!" She seemed so innocent and truthful, despite everything in her mind telling her that it had to be nothing but lies. Why would Ruby want to spend time in her environment, though? Most of the gods and goddesses stayed up in their home when the first flakes of snow fell, leaving her to wander the lands alone. To hear Ruby say that made her heart feel warm.

"Well, nothing's stopping you. I can always take you on a walk during the winter if you want." She didn't expect to see Ruby's eyes light up so brightly from such a simple offer. It felt like she was going to be blinded by those shining silver eyes. Only her sudden need to keep focused on Ruby kept her from looking away, not wanting to miss a second of the goddess in front of her.

"Really? You really mean that?" She nodded, wondering why Ruby would think she didn't mean it. Why else would she offer up the opportunity, then? "Ooh yay! I can't wait!" She started to hop up and down, drawing attention towards them from a couple other gods. Embarrassed, Weiss finally looked away from Ruby, trying to pretend that the two of them weren't in each other's company. "I wish it was winter already!"

"Why would you want that?" Both of them were surprised by the appearance of a third party. The wild blonde hair of the goddess slapping her strong hands down on Ruby's shoulders, nearly making her knees buckle, gave away exactly who it was: Yang, the goddess of fire, and Ruby's big sister. Closely related to the god of the sun, also known as her father, Yang was revered among humans and gods alike for her beauty as well as her strength. She was always willing to show both traits off. "Summer's the best, sis! It's so hot and perfect for competition!"

"I know, but we're always playing in the sun! Wouldn't it be fun to spend some time in the snow?" Ruby shrugged off Yang's hands, circling around to jump onto her back. "You scared of getting cold?" Yang's eyes started to burn, which made Weiss take a couple of steps back. It seemed as if the temptation of competition got her fired up.

"No way! I burn so bright that all the snow will just melt!" She reached back to try and grab Ruby, who slipped off her back and stuck her tongue out at her. The two of them then began to playfully shove and trash talk each other, forgetting that Weiss was even there. Lowering her eyes, she decided it was time to leave. Clearly the conversation was over, and there wasn't another reason for her to keep being there. So while the sisters were distracted, she disappeared from the gathering.

"Wait wait wait!" Ruby ducked out of Yang's grasp, looking to where Weiss had previously been standing. Now there was just nothing but an empty chair. "Where did she go?"

"Where'd who go?" Yang slung an arm around Ruby's shoulder, looking where she was looking. "Oh, Weiss? The snowflake queen's probably ducked out or somethin'. She never sticks around for our gatherings. Always been a loner and all that."

"Oh..." Ruby frowned, still staring at the empty spot. "That sucks," she muttered to herself, thinking about the extremely pretty lady who controlled all the cool-looking snow, and how maybe there had been something more in her eyes than she originally let on. "Everyone should have a friend."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There were different sounds around her humble, wintery abode that she had learned to ignore. The wind was always blowing outside, sending flurries swirling around the wood that her house was built out of. Occasionally, when her mood was as low as it was then, the wind would be enough to make the entire place shake a bit. She would have to ignore the rattling of her meager cooking supplies and other trinkets on their shelves. All of those sounds had become commonplace to her, but knocking on her door? That was unusual.

She cautiously walked to the door, holding her breath as she pressed her ear to the wood. It could have been something outside that hit her door, and it just happened to sound like knocking. If there was actually someone there, they would knock again- There it was: another knock. She stood up straight, frowning. Who in the world would be foolish enough to venture all the way into the tundra just to see her? Who even knew she was there? On edge now, she opened the door, expecting the worst.

"Hi Weiss!" Her jaw dropped upon seeing Ruby and Yang standing at her door. Ruby was bundled up in a large jacket that seemed to have been sewn together out of grass blades and different-colored flowers. On anyone else, she would have scoffed at such ridiculous attire, but Ruby made it look adorable. She looked so warm, comfortable, and so... so her. This fit the tales she had heard of the young goddess with ears tuned to idle gossip.

"Let us in," Yang huffed out through gritted teeth. Unlike her warmly-dressed sister, she was just standing there in a yellow top with a black symbol drawn on it. From what she remembered wandering about Remnant, it looked like a symbol of fire that the humans had made in honor of her. She didn't look particularly fiery at the moment. Between that top and her leggings that were cut off at the knees, she was dressed for a warm summer day, not the frozen landscape she found herself in.

Rolling her eyes, she stepped back and let Yang burst into the house. "Great Father, it's still cold in here! How do you live like this?!" Ruby followed in after her, laughing as she thanked Weiss for giving them shelter. She could only nod stiffly, struck dumb by how beautiful Ruby's laugh sounded.

"Because she's the goddess of winter, genius." Weiss shut the door, wondering why just seeing Ruby in her house was making her heart beat like crazy. She barely even knew her! "I thought you said you could handle this kind of weather. You seem, you know..." She sidled over to Yang, placing a gloved hand on her bare arm and whispering in her ear. "... cold."

"I..." Yang threw her hands up, groaning before bowing in defeat. "Fine, alright? I'm cold! I can't hack it, alright? You happy?!" The huge smile on Ruby's face showed that yes, she was very happy. "Ugh, can we get a fire going in here or something? Ah, you know what? Never mind, I'll do it myself." Holding out her hands, a ball of flames suddenly appeared floating in her palms. It grew larger, until it seemed to engulf her hands. "Ahh, that's much better!"

"Please don't set my chairs on fire." Shaking her head in disbelief, Weiss decided it was better to spend her time looking at Ruby. She just happened to look at her at the same time as Ruby turned to face her. Now they were looking in each other's eyes, and she couldn't take the purity inside them. She looked away first, a blush on her cheeks as she remembered that there was an important question she was supposed to ask. "What are you two doing here?"

"We came to see you, of course!" Ruby acted like that was the most normal thing in the world, when it most assuredly was not. Nobody came to visit her: nobody even knew where she lived! Which was actually a good follow-up question once she got a word in edgewise. "I was talking with Yang, and we decided that it wasn't fair that you had to live out here all alone with no friends."

"She decided that, Yang chimed in, sitting down on one of Weiss's chairs with her hands still on fire. "I came because I wasn't going to let my lil' sis get lost finding your crazy living conditions. If this is where you choose to live, I can't imagine where your followers build your temples."

"That's their business," she huffed back, deciding to not admit that she didn't have enough temples built in her honor to be picky about their locations. "... You know what? What do you mean by that?" She narrowed her eyes at Ruby, her initial question being forgotten by a newer, more-important one. "What do you mean by saying I have no friends?"

"Well, do you?" Ruby's blunt response caught her completely off-guard. She stood there with her mouth opening, trying to make words come out that would say that she had plenty of friends, or even that she didn't need friends. Instead, she looked like a fish flopping about on the bottom of a fisherman's boat. There was no need for her to even say anything at that point.

"No... I don't have any friends." She couldn't even put on a strong front because she knew how pathetic the truth was. The other gods didn't bother to spend time with her, her worshippers were few and crazy at that, and her family was... complicated, to say the least. For her, this was normal. Having someone like Ruby come all this way just to talk with her was foreign. "Don't look at me like that," she felt compelled to respond when she saw Ruby looking at her with the biggest, saddest puppy-dog eyes.

"But Weisss!" Ruby wrapped her up in a surprisingly tight hug which almost took her breath away. However, it wasn't because Ruby was squeezing the air out of her lungs, but because she had hugged her. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt such pure affection from someone, if it had ever happened. It was making her feel things that she knew she shouldn't be. "Everyone deserves a friend! Let me be your friend!" She let go of her and started bouncing on her toes, her eyes wide and eager. "Please please pleeease?!"

"Alright, alright! You don't have to beg!" She had never met someone quite like Ruby. There were a plethora of personalities within their pantheon, but never had she found a fellow deity who was just so uncompromisingly energetic and nice. It threw her well-crafted wall that tried to keep her from feeling too hurt out the window. She felt bare without that wall, with all kinds of emotions washing over her that she had tried so hard not to feel. Knowing that there was someone like Ruby made her feel lonely for having not known her sooner. "I suppose we can be friends, as long as you behave."

"Good luck with that. She's a real hassle to reign in." Ruby whipped around, looking crushed at Yang's utter betrayal. "If you turn around for one second, poof-" She flicked the fire from her left hand out of existence. "-she's gone. I'm surprised she's stayed still long enough to talk to you in the first place."

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang!" She drew her name out so long, Weiss was surprised she still had enough breath to keep talking. "Don't embarrass me in front of my new friend!" She whirled back around to face Weiss, looking legitimately concerned. "That's not true, Weiss! I can stand here as long as you want! I'll stay here all night if you want me to!"

"You... don't have to do that, Ruby." How could she just so casually say she would stay at her place all night? Nobody just said that so innocently like that! She knew that some of the other gods - well, most of the other gods - had certain proclivities that she personally did not take part in. Saying that she would 'stay all night' was par for the course, really, but it didn't sound like she expected it to coming out of Ruby's mouth. It sounded way too innocent for that.

"Well, then can I least keep coming to see you? Without supervision?" She shot a pointed look Yang's way, who just shrugged before bringing the fire back to life in her hand. "I can make it here without trouble, as you can see. Plus, I know how to dress properly." She couldn't help but get that last dig in, and even Weiss had to crack a smile at that. Yang couldn't even say something to the contrary: she was the idiot who had risen to the challenge.

"If you want to come visit me again, I'm not opposed to that. However, I believe you'll find my company rather boring." She didn't have a lot of long interactions to prove such a claim, but she couldn't imagine that anything about herself would be appealing to Ruby. This was clearly a goddess who needed to be free, and the slow shackles of ice and snow didn't fit. She would never want to spend more than one more day coming to see her, and then she could go back to her normal, lonely life. The thought made her feel hollow.

"Aww, I'm sure that's not true! You seem like lots of fun!" Now that she certainly didn't believe. She couldn't imagine a single person saying she was 'a lot of fun.' All of those farmers whose crops perished during her season would likely beg to differ. "I just have so many questions I wanna ask! And you don't have to answer them all if you don't wanna, but I just wanna know more about you!"

"I... suppose I could answer a few questions." Ruby was becoming overbearing for her lonely mind. It wasn't a bad thing, though. Secretly, she did want companionship, but she had resigned herself to being alone forever. Then suddenly Ruby decides she wants to talk to her, and then somehow find where she lived to spend more time with her. It was overbearing because she kept expecting Ruby to disappear, leaving nothing but a memory to prove she had been there at all. "How did the two of you find where I lived anyway? I don't exactly advertise my location."

"Oh yeah, we asked your mom where we could find you."

"WHAT?! You asked my mother?!" Ruby nodded happily, and Yang gave her a helpless shrug from across the room. At that point, with the deed done, she could only hang her head and sigh deeply. Somehow Ruby had gotten through the elusive, drunken haze that surrounded her mother every forsaken second. That was... she didn't even know what it was. How in the world was she going to deal with this?

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

  The summer sun sank beneath the horizon, and the autumn leaves blew away into the night. As winter fell onto the lands, snow naturally followed. The browning grass was hidden beneath blankets of pure white snow, making a beautiful, pristine landscape. Due to the drop in temperature, most people stayed in the homes, stoking the fires in their furnaces and cursing the goddess of winter for bringing such terrible weather onto their lands. Weiss did her best to pretend people weren't thinking such things.

She and Ruby were taking a walk together, their first while the snow was falling. It was fascinating seeing Ruby watch it fall with such wide-eyed wonder. To her, snow was a common occurrence: it was beautiful, but familiar. However, Ruby was experiencing it in person for the first time, and she was clearly wowed by it. She couldn't admit it out loud, but it made her happy to see someone truly enjoying her creation. It wasn't something she got much of before.

"This is incredible!" Ruby shouted, running forward and spreading out her arms. She laughed as she started spinning in circles, sticking out her tongue to catch a few snowflakes. The scene was so childish and adorable that Weiss started to laugh. She covered her mouth to try and hide it, but she had been heard. "I made you laugh! Score one for Ruby!"

"You are such a child. Were you created yesterday?" It felt good to have those little back and forth conversations with Ruby. Sometimes she would go so long without speaking that she feared her voice would disappear. 

"Nope! I am a fully-fledged goddess, just like you." Sticking out her tongue like the fully-fledged goddess she was, Ruby suddenly dropped down into the snow. Lying on her back, she started flailing her arms and legs back and forth, laughing the whole time. "Look Weiss, I'm making snow people!"

"Careful you don't bring them to life. We already enough people in this world." She walked over to stand in front of Ruby, looking down at her with an amused look. "Are you having fun acting like a child down there?"

"Well excuuuse me for having fun! Haven't you ever wanted to play around in the snow before? I mean, you're the one who created all of this."

"No, I suppose I haven't." It seemed too childish for her to do, and Ruby showing her the proof helped explain why she didn't. However, it seemed that Ruby wasn't as fond of that answer. Sitting up, she suddenly grabbed Weiss's hand and yanked her down. "RubYYY!" She let out an undignified screech as she was pulled down, falling right on top of Ruby.

"Doesn't the snow look better from up close?" Ruby giggled, hands tight around Weiss's wrists. Weiss could only nod, feeling as if the entire world had just been flipped upside down. She was lying on top of Ruby, as close as she had ever been to the goddess that had steadily gained her affection. For the first time, she truly felt what she could only describe as warmth. It made her feel more like Yang. In that moment, there was no place she would rather be than lying on top of Ruby.

"I... I suppose it does," she murmured, reluctantly rolling off of Ruby and down into the snow. Staring up at the sky, she watched the snow come down and sighed deeply, feeling her mind getting lost in the dark cosmos above. She swore that the snowflakes falling above her were perfectly mimicking the constellation of Beowulf. "I have never had anyone to do things like this with."

"Not even your sister?" As loathe as she was to mention the details of her family to anyone, she had felt comfortable enough to divulge a feel details to Ruby one fall evening. Ever since, she had constantly felt that she had made a mistake, but Ruby didn't bring them up much, thank goodness. That didn't mean she never did, though. "Which, by the way, I can't believe your sister's name is Winter, and she's not the goddess of winter. I mean, she was named so perfectly!"

"She didn't ask to be named that. Blame my parents." She felt her stomach twisting uncomfortably. Conversations concerning her family were always awkward to her, and she had never really had to experience them that much before. Now she had a super curious goddess in her company, and sometimes it seemed she just couldn't help herself. It wasn't like she could blame Ruby, but that didn't make talking about them any easier. "I haven't seen her in awhile." She decided that being vague about how long 'awhile' was would be prudent.

"Aww..." Ruby fell silent for a moment, meaning that all there was to listen to was the wind. "Well, I'll always be here for you!" She tilted her head to see Ruby staring at her, smiling her big, innocent smile that she had begun to fall for. "As long as I'm here, you won't ever have to be alone!"

"Thank you, Ruby." Her voice came out as a whisper, feeling emotions welling up inside her. Ruby was just such a nice person: there were no ulterior motives in her actions. She legitimately wanted to spend time with her, even if no one else would. For months and months, she had been coming to see her without a desire for anything but her company. It confused her, and it made her feel like the luckiest goddess in the pantheon. "I appreciate that."

"And I appreciate you spending time with me too!" Ruby sat up and scooped up some snow with her hands. She tossed it up into the air, smiling as it all came back down. "It's nice to make new friends, especially when they treat me like a normal goddess." For the first time, she saw a crack in the normally happy air that always surrounded Ruby. "Because of how I came to be, everyone treats me like I'm a special, precious object. As if I would break if they stopped watching me for one second."

That wasn't surprising to hear. While it had never been explicitly stated, she had noticed the way others acted around Ruby, especially Yang. For the first few times that Ruby visited her, Yang tagged along despite her aversion to the cold. It took a lot of pleading from Ruby to get her to back off, but apparently that wasn't the end of it. From what she had been told, Ruby's father, the sun god Taiyang, was likely watching over her from above. It all seemed overbearing, but she also felt a certain longing when she heard it. She wondered what it would be like to have family that cared enough to constantly watch over her.

"Well, you seem perfectly capable of taking care of yourself." She sat up as well, running a hand along the ground. Sometimes the snow felt like a representation of herself: a lonely, oft-undisturbed substance that people cursed with every breath. To see Ruby playing with it like it was the most fun thing she had ever experienced made her feel so much different about it. If she wasn't careful, her emotions were going to overwhelm her.

"Right?! What's the point of being a goddess if I'm not allowed to do anything?!" As quickly as she had sat up, she flopped back down, kicking her legs in a fit of petulance. When she finally calmed down, she let out a weary sigh. It sounded too ancient of a sound for someone so young and vibrant. "Sometimes I wish I was just a normal goddess like the others. I just want to be able to do things like everyone else."

"Then why don't you?" In a way, she could understand why Ruby's family was so overprotective. The more time she spent around Ruby, the more she wanted to protect her as well. Still, Ruby was her own person, and she should be allowed to dictate what she did with her time. "You're a goddess just like the rest of us. Whether or not you're special doesn't matter. We all have our powers and our domains, and you do as well. Don't let your family tell you how to go about your business."

"I wish," Ruby laughed, flicking the snow around with her fingers. "I say that I can take care of myself all the time, but my parents and Yang are just so protective. Maybe it's because Yang's-" She shut up in an instant, eyes widening for a second. "Uh, forget I said anything," she mumbled, which only piqued Weiss's curiosity. However, wanting to respect her only friend, she didn't pry. "It just sucks, you know?" She could only nod, not truly understanding Ruby's plight, but wishing she could do something to make her feel better.

"Well, as long as you're here with me, you're free to do anything you want. As long as you don't destroy anything." She meant every word, but seeing Ruby's smile was an extra bonus to saying it. Seeing Ruby smile at her always made her lose track of where she was. It felt like she was floating in the Mistral River, having nowhere to go and no place to be. If she could see Ruby smile like that every day, she would never complain about her loneliness ever again.

"Aww, you just had to take the fun out of it, didn't you?" She held the straightest face she could until Weiss's frown was too much to handle, bursting into giggles right afterwards. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I won't destroy anything, promise!" Once she calmed down, she resumed her normal, smiling ways, which continued to make Weiss's heart do a series of flips. "I'm really glad we get to spend time together, Weiss. You're such an awesome friend, and I really wanna spend more time playing in the snow with you!"

"I..." She swallowed thickly, a wave of emotions cresting inside her. It was taking everything she had to not let them overcome her. "I want to spend more time with you too. I'm just... surprised you're not bored with me yet." That had been a constant fear rooted in her mind. She had been so sure that her presence would be uninteresting to Ruby, and even after all the time they had spent together, it was hard to not believe it would eventually happen. The thought of Ruby not showing up one day, and never coming back, hurt her more than she ever expected it to.

"Are you kidding? You're lots of fun! Besides, we don't always have to be doing something. Like right now. We're just lying together in the snow, right? It's not 'fun', but it's nice because it's with you." Weiss blushed at that comment, wondering if she could hide it in the snow. It was too late for that, as Ruby was already giggling at her embarrassment. She didn't feel angry about it, though. There were other, much stronger emotions at play, and every word Ruby said made it harder to not let them overwhelm her. "Sooo, you said I could do anything I want when I'm with you, right?"

"I did say that..." She quirked an eyebrow, feeling suspicious about where this was going. "Maybe I ought to put in some qualifiers just in case."

"Oh no, it's nothing bad! At least, I hope it's not." Ruby laughed, but it was more nervous than before. She picked up on it instantly. "But you're sure I can do anything?" There was a hopeful look in her eyes as she waited for a response. Weiss wasn't sure she could say no, even if it ended up destroying something.

"That's what I said, isn't it?" She wasn't sure what to wait for, so she tried to prepare herself for anything. However, there were things she couldn't prepare for, and Ruby chose something that she never would have predicted: she leaned in and kissed her. It lasted for a mere second, but the ghostly sensation stayed long after Ruby moved away.

"Was... Was that okay?" Ruby slapped her hands against her legs, touching her lips with her tongue. "I mean, it felt okay, but maybe that was just me." She laughed, looking so innocent and cute and just... too much. Way too much. It was all too much for Weiss's fragile, lonely heart to handle. Without warning, tears started to fall down her cheeks. "O-Oh! Weiss, I'm sorry!" Panicking, Ruby started trying to wipe her tears away.

However, Ruby's eyes widened when she saw Weiss's tears turn to ice. As she wiped them away, the teardrops froze and swam around in the air, circling around the pair. The more Weiss cried, the more frozen teardrops appeared. Ruby was caught between awe and worry, watching it all happen while being unsure of what to do. All she knew was that she never, ever wanted to see Weiss crying like that.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, staring at Ruby through blurry eyes. There didn't seem to be a way to stop herself from crying. "I didn't expect you to kiss me. No, that isn't it." There was more to it than that. The kiss was surprising: no doubt about that. However, everything had been leading up to her letting her emotions out, and the kiss was the final straw. "It's everything about you. I don't understand... Why do you care about me? Why do you spend so much time with me?" She had to choke back a sob before continuing. "Why do you like me enough to kiss me?"

"Well, because you're likable?" Ruby tilted her head, seemingly confused by all of the questions. "I don't understand, Weiss. Why would you think I wouldn't care about you? You're awesome! I mean, you're super pretty, and you have so much knowledge of Remnant. You're powerful too! I mean, the snow?" She grabbed some and tossed it up in the air, watching it fall with a smile. "It's so beautiful. I'm so happy you let me see it with you!"

"You're the only one," she muttered, feeling her tears finally starting to abate. "All of the humans hate me. The winter weather kills their crops, and they curse me for it. Only strange humans bother to populate my temples, and none of the other gods come to see me during my season. Not even my family..." Her tone was extremely bitter, cutting through the air like a knife.

"That's... That's terrible." Ruby let out a whimper, looking like she was about to cry as well. "They're wrong, though. The snow is beautiful, and winter is a necessary season. Every season exists for a reason, don't they?" Weiss nodded slowly, looking down at the snow. "If they can't see that, then they don't deserve to worship you anyway!"

"I appreciate that, Ruby." She actually laughed at that, wiping away a few more stray tears. The frozen teardrops almost completely encircled them, as if keeping them in a world of their own. "That doesn't change the fact that you're one of the few who actually care about what I do. It's hard not to feel lonely." She hadn't meant to dump all of that on Ruby. That was all supposed to be kept internally, her pain and loneliness for her heart only. There was just something about Ruby that made the truth easier to let slip out.

"Then I won't let you feel lonely! I'll always be here to spend time with you!" Ruby put her hands on Weiss's shoulders, staring at her with an intense seriousness. "Maybe they don't understand the beauty behind winter, but I do. I'll... I'll do something to show them that there's beauty in the season! I just need time to think on it." There was no hesitation or falsehoods in her eyes. Everything she had spoken was the truth.

"You don't have to do that, Ruby. Having you here is enough for me." She too meant those words. Smiling, she pressed her forehead against Ruby's and sighed softly. "I have no idea what I deserved to gain a friend like you."

"By being yourself," Ruby replied with a big smile. "I wanna be friends with you because you're you. I'm so happy that we talked at the gathering! Otherwise, I may never have gotten to know you, and I don't even wanna think about that." A light blush crossed her face before she spoke again. "So, uh, I can still do whatever I want when I'm with you, right?"

"Yes, that's still alright." Weiss started to blush too, having a feeling that she knew what was about to happen. When Ruby started to lean in, her feelings were confirmed. This time, their kiss lasted quite awhile longer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was unusual to see so many people coming outside in the dead of winter. In the warmest clothes they could make, they filed together to stare in awe at what had happened. Growing outside were flowers, their petals a perfect swirl of red and white. There were dozens upon dozens of them, all popping up through the snow-covered fields. Everybody seemed to be entranced by their beauty.

"They smell amazing!" someone exclaimed, and others murmured in agreement. They started to get closer, some kneeling to look at the flowers up close. Multiple people spoke of how wonderful the smell was, which led to one adventurous soul plucking one and giving it a taste. The others watched them in both amazement and curiosity, waiting to see what would happen. 

"It... It tastes good!" they shouted in amazement, catching the attention of everyone else. "It's sweet..." They bit into the flower again, confirming that it indeed was a sweet-tasting flower. "I bet we could eat these!" With that, everybody charged forward to grab a flower of their own, wanting to see if what had been said was true. As everyone would soon find out, it was just as sweet as had been promised.

"Wow, this is wonderful!" "Thank you, Weiss!" "The goddess has granted our prayers!" "We need to go pray for her blessings!" Everyone grabbed another flower before heading off towards the closest temple. Of course, that temple was abandoned, having been for a deity that no humans would remember. They were determined to re-purpose it into a new temple for Weiss, though.

"See?" Watching from the skies, Ruby turned to Weiss with the giddiest expression all over her face. "They love you now! I told you I'd figure something out!"

"I suppose you did." She could only shake her head in disbelief. While she had appreciated what Ruby was trying to do, she found it difficult to believe that anything would make the humans love her. Leave it to Ruby, the most wonderful goddess ever created, to find a way to prove her wrong. Though she didn't want to admit it out loud, she was in awe of her powers. "They should be praying to you, though. You're the one who grew those flowers."

"Aw, that's not necessary. They already pray to me enough. You deserve this." In their time together, Weiss had found out something surprising about Ruby: she could be very, very stubborn. Maybe the two of them weren't as different as she had originally thought. She was determined to make the people worship Weiss, and she refused to take any sort of credit. It was flattering, but also annoying.

"But you did it. It's because of you that they even care about me."

"I did it for you, though. If I was just trying to get more people to pray to me, I wouldn't have bothered." She crossed her arms, looking a lot more mature than she usually did. "I'm not budging on this, Weiss. I did this for you, because I love you, and I want everyone down there to feel the same way I do." She stopped, seeing Weiss's face rapidly turning red. "What? What's wrong?"

"You said you..." Weiss could barely get the words out, unable to believe Ruby didn't realize what she had said. "You said you love me, Ruby..."

"Huh?" She blinked in confusion, thinking back on what she had just said. "I did?" She went back, back, until Weiss wasn't the only one with a red face. "Oh... I, uh, I guess I did," she laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Ahaha, I'm sorry, but... yeah, I do love you, Weiss. I mean, you're my friend, so of course I'd love you, but..." She clasped her hands together, biting on her lip. "I think it's become more than that. I, uh, actually talked to my dad about how I was feeling."

"You did what?!" What was it with Ruby talking to their parents about these things? First her mom, now the literal god of the sun. She could feel herself already melting away beneath the angry glare of Taiyang. There was no way he would be happy that his younger daughter was telling the least-liked goddess that she loved her.

"I didn't say I loved you," which was not reassuring in the slightest. As if Taiyang didn't have more omnipotence than most. "I just said I thought I had feelings for someone, and I asked for advice. When I told him how I was feeling, he said he had felt the same way about his wives. If I was feeling that way, then it must be something special." She smiled, taking one of Weiss's hands in hers, stroking her palm with a finger. "And they are special. You're special to me, Weiss."

"Ruby..." She sniffled, feeling tears falling down her cheeks. Ruby had this way of making her emotions come out in a way that nothing and no one else could. She had always had emotions, but she kept them bottled up inside where they belonged. It wasn't befitting of a goddess such as herself, and she had no one to truly confide in anyway. Now that Ruby had offered herself up in such a way, she found it too hard to keep herself in control. "I... I love you too."

"Yay!" Ruby happily jumped onto Weiss, kissing her with everything she had. Laughing and crying, Weiss kissed her back, holding on as tightly as she could. Snow fell as they confirmed their affections for one another, and the humans down below danced, sang, and prayed for the bounty of the goddesses above. The goddess of winter had never experienced a better winter than she had then.

For once, no one wanted the snow to go away.

[truelovevoltage]

Ice Princess - Krioff

“Anonymous said: For kriof, he notice that mc would carry around a box with markings. It turns out that she used to be a princess that has ice powers, which cause her parents to be afraid of her except for maid. One day she and the maid decided to have a sleepover together as way to help mc feel better; she was so happy her powers got unlock which led to accidental maid die. After her death, mc found a way to lock her powers which was the box. Afterward he and mc became close and end up falling in love. I hope it help”

Y/N and Krioff weren’t always close as they are now, they use ignore each other presence when one of them passes by. But for Krioff to ignore someone while he walks down the hall is normal, it’s nothing new. Y/N on the other hand was used to greeting everyone she met, that is until the incident happen. Ever since then, she wasn’t the same Y/N anymore. 

Krioff noticed the small box with markings that Y/N would always carry whenever there’s a lot of people around her. No one’s really suspicious about it because it looks like something she’d hold to carry her things such as her reading book, pencil and paper because she tends to sketch sometimes. 

One day Y/N came out to the backyard and she sat at her most memorable spot with her maid. Krioff can only watch and observe her from afar but he did notice the box beside her again. It made him curious what was inside the box that she carries around and wanted to confront her about it. 

He walked towards Y/N, “May I sit here?” He asked. 

“That’s fine, as long as you don’t bother me.” She stated. 

It was now or never, he was going to ask her about the box no matter what. Curiousity killed the cat they say, but curiousity is killing him softly and wanted to get over with it. “Just one thing though... Y/N what’s in that box? And why do you carry that around?” 

Y/N stopped what she was doing and drop her pen. She looked at Krioff and he was determined to know what was in the box. She sighed, “Well if you must know... You might as well listen. But let me tell you this I am not repeating it okay?” She looked at him before starting her story. 

”First of all you should know by now that I tend to push people away because she’s afraid that she’ll hurt them, even her own parent feared me. Why? You might ask, its because of the power that I possess” 

Flashback

Her parents were afraid of the power she posses and could possible harm them or the kingdom that they rule. They didn’t see Y/N as their daughter but they saw her as a threat, this meant that they did everything to keep Y/N away from the public and the eyes of their people. No one knew what the Princess Y/N looked like unless they’re inside working in the castle. 

Although she has ice powers, she feels like the love from her parents are colder compared to it. She never understood why her parents were very distant to her, but whenever she saw a maid’s love to their child, she felt envious. Sometimes she’d wonder if her parents regretted having her at all or that they wished she was never born. 

One day her parents appointed a maid to take care of Y/N. She was around her age and didn’t have any family, the maid was taken in and they’d train her in order to have a place to sleep in. Y/N didn’t know the importance of a friend or feeling love and wanted because she was never given that kind of affection from her parents. But everything changed when the maid came into her life. 

Y/N was happier and would smile a lot. But because she was quite young, she didn’t know how to control her powers just yet. That was easily solved due to the young maids observation. “Your Majesty, I think the Princess’ mood can either cause greatness to our kingdom or the opposite of it.” Both the King and Queen looked at the young girl thinking that she’s crazy. “What do you mean by that exactly?” The King asked. 

“I have noticed that whenever the Princess is happy or in a good mood it’s always warmer around her or the weather outside in general even though it’s the peak of our winter season. But if she’s in a foul mood the temperature drops therefore there are time during our winter season comes early. However this is just an observation Your Majesty, it is just a theory.” 

The King and Queen thought about those times where their winter came sooner that they’d expect that’s why the people in their kingdom would start harvesting or travelling to neighbouring kingdoms to trade their crops. They wanted to test this theory and maybe they’ve been doing everything wrong. Maybe it was time to stop getting scared of their own daughter and maybe start showing her some love. 

It was hard for the King and Queen to show their affections at first and it took Y/N by a surprised by the sudden turn of tides that her parents have been acting, not that she hates it or anything but she loved the attention. She was finally getting the attention she wanted from them from the longest time and that was because of a young maid’s observation. “Thank you, it seems like you know our daughter well more that we do.” The Queen thanked the maid. “I don’t have a family anymore but I know how much they loved me and when I saw the Princess, I wanted to help her. There is nothing you should be thanking me for Your Majesty.” 

Years have passed and the Kingdom was doing well. There were no more unpredictable winters and Y/N was finally happy. As they grew older their friendship grew stronger. They weren’t a Princess or a Maid, they were bestfriends, sisters even. No one could separate the two and she was the one who showed Y/N the feeling of being loved. And because the Maid made Y/N happy, the King and Queen did not object Y/N’s wish that the maid will sleep in her room with her rather than the maid quarters. It was the least they can do for helping them how to control Y/N powers. 

One night on a full moon Y/N invited the maid over to her room. Y/N wanted to know what the world was like out there. “Your Highness the temperature is dropping but the surroundings were still as beautiful as ever.” 

“Man, I wish I could go out there someday.” Y/N sighed, she was jealous. She really wants to see the outside world and experience it herself rather than hearing stories. Just then Y/N stomach growled loudly and caused the her and the maid to laugh. 

The two of them ventured out to the kitchen trying to make minimal noise because they didn’t want to wake up the people in the castle but the two could stop giggling. Y/N was very happy that day that her powers slowly started to show. The maid knew her powers and she thought that it was very cool that Y/N has powers like that. 

“Are you going to make your special shaved ice again Your Highness?” The maid beamed with happiness. 

“You’re never going to get tired of eating the shaved ice I make huh.” 

“Never!” She replied causing Y/N to chuckle. 

Even though they tried to be quiet, the Queen walked down. “Mother!” Y/N yelped in surprise as she hid her hand behind her back and hoped that nothing happen. Regardless of how much she wanted to stop her powers then, most of it hit the maid square on the chest and Y/N only noticed when her bestfriend fell down to the ground. 

“No, no, no. This can’t be happening. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!” It was starting to get harder for the other girl to breath because her chest was struck with Y/N’s ice powers. The Queen stood there in shock, she didn’t know that she would witness this, she knew that it was an accident as well but that didn’t erase the feeling that she might be Y/N’s next victim. “Your Highness please don’t cry. I know it wasn’t your fault. It was an accident so please don’t cry. You don’t want me to remember your crying face now do we? And I must say this is the only time I can say that you have an ugly cry.” Y/N knew that she was trying to make her feel better and she also knew that she’s trying to take tension away. 

“Come on now Your Highness, please smile for me. And promise me that you’ll always be happy no matter what, at least for the both of us.” Y/N could only nod as she cried holding her best friend in her arms. “Can you please smile one last time for me Your Highness? Seeing your smile always made everything better for me.” Y/N wiped all her tears and showed her a smile. “I’ll always remember you Your Highness. I hope you’ll always remember me.... Farewell, my friend.” Her hand went limp and Y/N cried. The Queen woke up the King and told her the news. They needed to think something fast. 

The King and Queen new that your powers could either benefit them, or be their worst nightmare, either or, they weren’t going let this happen again. They already neglected her before and that made things worst, now all they could do is guide her and seek help on how to control her powers. 

The King thought of an excuse why Y/N needed a new maid and everyone believed them. It was also easier because that maid didn’t have any family therefore no one will look for her even she’s gone. 

Ever since the death of her best friend she would try to distance herself from others even her parents. She was afraid that she’d accidentally hurt them just like how she did to her only friend. The King and Queen assured her that it wasn’t going to happen, they will do everything to help Y/N control her powers even if it takes years. 

Each day that Y/N mourns for the death of her dearest friend she promised herself not to leave the room anymore unless it’s an important matter. She took out on of the gifts that the maid gave her three years ago when she went to town and shopped around. That was the only thing she had in remembrance of her and she would think about the happy moments they had as she held them. The maid already helped her once when she noticed that Y/N’s mood affects a cold and early winter or warm winter at its peak. And now her gift is acting as an absorber of her powers to lessen it or possibly helping her control it without Y/N even realizing it. 

End of Flashback

“And that’s the end of the story. I keep this box around me to keep me from hurting other especially the ones that I love.” Y/N stated. 

Krioff can only look at her with admiration. He didn’t know that she went through a lot. Plus he couldn’t believe that her own parents even hated her for in the beginning. They didn’t even bother loving her first and showering her with the love she needs but he was glad someone what there to show her what love was and he wouldn’t mind if he’s going to be the reason why she opens up to people once again. 

He knows that its still too early to tell but he wanted to get to know her more and make her happy. He just wanted to be there for her because she doesn’t have anyone else. He wants to fill that void in her heart and although it’ll be a challenge he will take that challenge head on and conquer in no matter how long it takes. 

[grumpygreenwitch]

Summer Gardening.

So it’s been a while, and for that I apologize to the... 200+ people who follow me. I’m sure y’all are here for the cat pics and the nekked men, but TOO BAD. Today you get to suffer through pics of my green children. Also, I do share seed. My seed list link will be up later in the year. To begin with, the summer flowers are out en force:

Echinacea Purpurea, the original echinacea. I do save yearly seed from these guys, although it’s an incredibly pointy, stabby and bleed-y job. 

Mountain Phlox. Unfortunately, all of it around the house is afflicted with powdery mildew, so I will not share seed. But it’s still pretty to look at, and the clearwings (hummingbird moths) love it. Not pictured is the white variant, who grows on the other side of the house. Look, it was hot and I was already melting.

Peppermint Balsam. This thing is basically indestructible, for an annual. It will reseed freely (to truly Lovecraftian levels) and blooms continuously from late spring until mid-fall, when the seed-pods set. There is a dormant genetic in it for double flowers, but when it pops up it’s always been sterile. It just pops up occasionally from the peppermint seed.

I may give the roommate hell over the hostas (I hate them. They’re so useful to protect toads and control weeds, but I hate them), but they do put out pretty flowers. There are several variants around the house - white-edged, blue and green, but hostas in general are very, very hard to start from seed. I will save it on request, only. We were also incredibly lucky to have a Moth Mullein sprout in our porch bed, along with some Variegated Solomon’s Seal.The SS doesn’t put out seeds, and I don’t have enough to share bulbs (yet), but the mullein has been exceptionally generous with seed pods, and it repels bugs. It repels ROACHES. It’s going everywhere. And I may be convinced to part with some seed.

Onward!

A view from a hill. Can you see the garden? That’s OK, I can’t either. Those are peach trees, on the side of the orchard closest to the house. Unfortunately a freak storm during early spring killed all the blossoms. Also, don’t mistake ‘orchard’ for ‘organized’. There’s a pear, some apples, a plum, some nectarines? And front and center are two walnuts. I’ll probably be plunking my laurel there to see if it survives winter. And someday when I have a job and money again, I would like to drop a few Chicago Hardy figs, and maybe a kiwi trellis.

This is the big garden (and fortunately not my responsibility, or I would cry). The guys are ‘handling’ it. The weeds say otherwise.

The jasmine tree and the roommate’s garden. Because of a bad back injury that refuses to heal, I’ve been helping them on and off with it. And if you thought jasmine was supposed to stay a delightful little bush, AHAHAHAHAH. Yes, that’s a light-post next to it. For size comparison.

MY CHILDREN. Please ignore the dead soccer ball. That’d be a dog toy.

Lemon balm, amaranth, and a new bed that I’ll be finishing off during fall, for use next year. The lemon balm is a permanent row - it will overwinter just fine, and it will even keep growing through the mildest part of December. Mine didn’t die back until a few solid days of sleet in January. Unfortunately the weed fabric under the amaranth turned out to be an old roll, and fell apart on me (no big, the whole point is for it to fall apart eventually), so the weeds have kinda eaten it alive.

Unfortunately, both cucumber beetles and blister beetles love the amaranth. Fortunately, it does not seem to give a damn. It’s an incredibly resilient plant, not minding weeds, bugs, flood or drought. We’ll see what the grain actually tastes like, but so far it’s looking like a good candidate for continuous growing.

The lemon balm is lemon-balming. Planted on a lark, it’s proven to be a fantastic wind-breaker - because it grows so early and so quick, it keeps the colder winds that come down through the hollow from my more fragile seedlings, like the lettuce, dill and cilantro. You can see here where the spent flower-heads are dying but there’s new growth underneath; I really have to get in there and behead it. It makes nice hot tea, meh cold tea, and hanging fresh bunches of it around the balcony keeps the skeeters off. It also seems to be a decoy for cabbage moths.

Canary Zinnia. The seed was sent to me as a gift with one of my seed orders, and this is my first year growing it. -If- I can save some, I’ll definitely be sharing and growing again. It’s a lovely plant, very sturdy, and the bees love it.

Dwarf Castor Oil. I don’t think there’s anything dwarf about it, but then I’m a short green witch myself, so maybe it’s all about perspective. Don’t let the pods lie to you, until they dry the spikes are relatively soft. However, it being castor oil, I don’t recommend it to anyone with ducks, chickens, goats, or anything that might accidentally try talking a nibble or pecking at the beans. I do, however, recommend them from jewelry if you know how to pierce things and so on. They are a gorgeous tiger-stripe pattern.

Say hello to the chard! Say goodbye to the chard! Nothing else, absolutely nothing else since the limas, has given me so much trouble. The deer love getting into my chard bed and destroying it (ergo all the forks). And once I managed to chase those off, the blister beetles showed up in force. This will be the last year I grow it - we just don’t eat enough of it to make it worth my while, and it only occasionally sold at the Farmers’ Market.

Red lettuce - Merlot and Lollo Vino, a combination of bought and saved seed. I planted a red romaine of some sort, too, but unsurprisingly it bolted in the heat. The darker reds of my favorites, though, keep bugs off them, keep deer from noticing them, and keep them from bolting. It’s just now threatening to, and at this point its kind of allowed. I need more seed for next year. Seed for this will likely be shared by the teaspoon-ful.

Calendula! I searched for a long time to find the plain ol’ calendula officinalis ancestor, rather than a cultivar where I would have no way of knowing if the medicinal principles would have been sacrificed for looks. It’s supposed to work well as poor man’s saffron (color, no taste), and I’m going to be soaking the heck outta my feet on it during winter. The plant is... not pretty. It gets leggy and the leaves get grotty very quickly. But it’s very sturdy and as long as you cut the flowerheads off as fast as you can, it’ll keep blooming until well into winter. I usually leave it to go to seed around late September.

Green cilantro seeds. You pick ‘em when they’re brown, but before they drop off the plant. Or you pick ‘em when they’re brown-ing, and put them in a paper bag so they’ll finish ripening there and you don’t end up with fifty wild cilantro plants in your garden >_> Most of the row is already gone, and I’ll be putting in a late dill crop in its place. No such thing as too  much dill!

Don’t let lemongrass lie to you. Unless you tie it up, it will not grow up neat and tidy, as most grass does. Instead it will sprawl like a dramatic wilting Elizabethan lady and do its best to end up under your feet so you’ll feel bad about it. I just tie it up with a half-blade of grass; it dries up and withers away before it can hurt the plant.

I ordered pennyroyal seed because... Well, because it’s something one should have on hand, considering the way the world is going. What I got was Creeping Pennyroyal, which doesn’t care if you step on it (mint family), smells absolutely delightful, and has the most adorable, tiny purple flowers. I plan on harvesting, drying and sprinkling it everywhere in the crawlspace under the house. Making war on cave crickets, wood roaches, and other such sundries, me.

The thyme and Spicy Oregano took a beating in the heat, but they’re slowly bouncing back. The bed behind them is more pennyroyal, desperately in need of weeding, but there’s only one of me, y’know.

SIGH. Just. You absolute, ill-mannered monster of a creature. That would be horseradish, gloriously happy to be alive, as horseradish should be. Also, NOT IN ITS BASKET. Because never mind the rules, I guess.

I don’t even know how I’m gonna dig that up come winter. With some construction equipment, I GUESS. 

Decorative gourd! It’s the only one producing so far, but being the seed was 10+ years old, I’m very pleased.

And an apple gourd (I think?), from a mixture of drying gourds that was only slightly less ancient. Snake, apple and birdhouse gourds. There’s a bunch of them competing in the basket at this point, we’ll see what we will see.

And this, I think, is a great use of a dead canopy frame (the dogs ate the canopy. No, I’m not making it up.) I hope to coax the gourds to grow me a lil’ roof so I can sit in shade, surrounded by pennyroyal anti-skeeter barriers, eating my maters.

My Peter Peppers (nrehehehehe) aren’t producing yet - it takes them a while. But my Chinese 5-Color are getting started. It’s a lovely pepper, both edible and ornamental, with (so I’m told) about four times the heat of a Jalapeno. They’re tiny, with deep purple undertones to the plant. They’ll go purple-white-yellow-orange-red.

The bullhorns, on the other hand, are fairly sizable SWEET peppers on very tiny plants, and I honestly suggest staking them while they’re young so they grow a sturdy trunk, else you might end up with all of them growing at a slant.They’re just now beginning to turn colors. Keeping in mind I’m virulently allergic to peppers (less so sweet than hot, but allergic to all of them), the roommate loves ‘em.

It’s a small pepper bed - mainly to refresh my seed on the hots, and to grow sweets for the roommate. Pardon the nekked bed, the autumn lettuce hasn’t sprouted yet. And yes, that’s a mixed basil/dill bed next to it. My basil grew in patchy holes (NEVER buying from those seed people again), so I filled the holes with dill. Unfortunately, dill seed heads are so fine that they’re hard to photograph well.

The tomato row. After arguing with them for this long, I went the extra mile. Every plant has a metal stake. There’s also a double line growing at the top supporting the stakes so they don’t fall over. And they still fell over. Because why not, you unruly children, why not.

Green, white, pink and brown cherry tomatoes. Delicious!

Two kinds of cucumbers, some of the only decent shots of the dill seed-heads, and a special guest hiding in the shade. I usually plant dill as soon as the cucumber sprouts, to keep cucumber beetles off it. Otherwise I’d have no cucumbers and a lot of fat beetles.

The Muncher is a small cucumber, somewhat delicate. It’s very sensitive to temperature changes, and it’s candy to cucumber beetles - basically, it’s impossible to grow it without a heavy curtain of dill, or a heavy duty decoy. This year I got lucky enough to have both. It’s also delicious pickled, keeping its crunch and getting a good ooomph in flavor.

The Japanese Long is, as the name implies, long. It’s also incredibly bitey, and absolutely scrumptious. It’s sweet! And unlike the average cucumber, it does not go metallic when salted.

And now for the SPECIAL CHILD OF MY HEART. Seriously. I have been lusting after Blue Tea Peas since I first saw them offered, and every single time they’d be sold out pretty much the day of. This year I finally got some and... remember me mentioning that freak freeze that killed the peach blossoms? Yeah. Guess what it also killed. But two plants soldiered on. I have them heavily shielded by the cucumbers, dill and chamomile, and really I have no words for the blue. Pics don’t do it justice. I won’t have the tea this year, I’m saving as much seed as I can, but I am so pleased to have it at all!

 Last, but not least, and it’s a poor shot of it, the chamomile. I cannot drink chamomile to sleep - it does put me to sleep, but it also gives me bad dreams. I plan on using it as a skin wash for all the bug bites, along with the calendula, and to give me some respite from dry skin during winter.

Stay green! See you in fall! Now back to our normal schedule of frogs, cats and nekked men!