#lil bit of zest

[autobahnmp3]

i bought one single orange and im gonna have it with the bread tomorrow

[cryptocism]

Here’s my thing about the twist at the end of IWTV season 2 (spoilers obvi)

The magic system that IWTV has is for flavour. It’s spice, it’s zest, it’s a lil bit of seasoning that gives the storytelling a fun supernatural kick. 

We are not given exact metrics or data for how exactly the Vampire Powers function, just examples of some that can manifest (pyrokinesis/telekinesis/telepathy/flight/mind control/etc) and that Vampire Powers get stronger as they get older. eg. Armand can walk in the sun – but is he immune or just resistant? How old does a vampire have to be before they can take a midday stroll minus immolation? Is there a time limit? An intensity where they could still be injured? Does the effect lessen if they have some shade like an umbrella or a large hat–

IRRELEVANT!!! The Vampire Powers are for SPICE and these kinds of nerdy-ass questions about scope and scale in this magic system does nothing for the characters or the story. You do not need to know the exact range or power of Louis’ Fire Gift in order to cheer and clap when he burns down the theatre. Lestat’s Cloud Gift doesn’t need a follow-up explanation on how high/fast he can fly in order to be devastating when he uses it to do a domestic violence. This isn’t Fullmetal Alchemist, this isn’t Mistborn. This magic system is SPICE, and getting into specifics about the powers and how they work distracts from the wonderful twisty soap opera of the gay vampires doing war crimes to each other.

So my thing about the twist is not that Armand was willing to let Louis die, and it’s not the reveal that Lestat was actually the one who saved Louis.

My thing about the twist is that it relies on a magic system that wasn’t built to support that kind of major end-of-season plot point. And the consequences that the resulting ambiguity has on Claudia, the greatest tragic hero of all time.

So the Mind Gift. 

Armand has that shit on lock. He’s shown using it extremely competently even before the San Francisco memory-alteration reveal. He’s the only member of the coven who clocks Louis’ recognition at Lestat’s name, he notices the “presence” in Louis’ mind when Louis hallucinates Dreamstat, he knows when Louis is lying to him about Claudia’s involvement in Lestat’s murder, when he tells Louis and Claudia to close their minds before his conversation with Madeline he says “I’ll know it if you haven’t.”. He’s able to knock out the entire coven in one scene, although it’s unclear whether that’s the Mind Gift or a combination of telekinesis and the time stopping(?) thing. Plus of course mind-wiping memory-alteration courtesy of the San Francisco saw trap.

Armand is the oldest vampire in the show so far, we know vampires get more powerful with age, and his previously shown competency with the Mind Gift means that when he says he compelled an audience full of people into banishing Louis, it’s a believable addition to his powerset. 

And, consequently, when he says “it took all my strength” we can guess that he’s lying his ass off. Daniel points out Armand saved Louis and not Claudia because he was trying to reveal the reasoning that everybody except Louis already knows. To quote Assad Zaman: Armand doesn’t give a fuck about Claudia.

Lestat on the other hand.

His one and only use of the Mind Gift (besides the generalized telepathy all the vampires share) is when he mindfucks 30ish soldiers out of his townhouse in the 1900s. His ears bleed about it – and we can pretty confidently interpret orifice-bleeding as a kind of catch-all for mind-powers being difficult. And then we don’t mention it again for a season and a half because the magic system is for spice and Louis is more concerned with other shit.

Until Daniel brings it up in his Big Reveal, and this piece of evidence allows for the truth to come out and Armand to be exposed as an opportunistic liar. Scene is played out brilliantly, Louis puts a crater in his wall via his ex-husband, good stuff.

HOWEVER

This twist has the consequence of shifting the focus of the story. The central question has changed slightly. Instead of the reveal being who killed Claudia, the narrative focus is now on who saved Louis.

And despite my love of Daniel’s reveal scene, despite my love of the Louis/Lestat reunion scene, “who saved Louis” ends up a weaker thematic question.

Claudia is the whole fucking point. Claudia and the way her fathers failed her. Claudia and the tragedy of her narrative doom. Claudia and the ways she never escaped that child’s body in that burning house, no matter how much she tried.

My thing about the twist is that it takes our previous understandings of Armand and Lestat’s respective power and agency in that scene from this:

Armand: Could’ve Prevented It (Chose Not To) Lestat: Genuinely Could Not Have Prevented It

To this:

Armand: Could’ve Prevented It (Chose Not To) Lestat: Could’ve Prevented It (Chose Not To)

And then doesn’t interrogate or explain further. There is no one that says to Lestat, “You saved him, but why didn’t you save her?” 

And look I can understand I’m meant to extrapolate that Lestat used all his strength to save Louis and therefore didn’t have enough juice to do the same for Claudia (his ears bleed about it and everything)

But they sprinkled so much doubt on Armand’s “it took all my strength” excuse and then immediately showed Lestat as much more powerful with the Mind Gift than previously assumed, and so I’m left with too many unanswered questions.

This is where the narrative puts too much weight on a magic system that wasn’t built to support it. The audience is aware, vaguely, that the older a vampire is the more powerful they are, but we aren’t actually given tangible comparisons between Armand and Lestats respective abilities circa 1949. Lestat is shown or said to have all of Armand’s same abilities by this point, but besides Armand being older, he’s never shown outmatching Lestat in power, and so we never get a real sense of Lestat's limitations.

I should mention that, on its own, this wouldn’t be a flaw. Like I said the magic is here for spice and zest and we don’t need Armand and Lestat to have a wizard battle in order to understand that Armand is probably nebulously more powerful.

But when you hinge a plot point on Lestat’s magical abilities and their limits, I would like to know for certain whether Lestat genuinely couldn’t have prevented Claudia’s death or, like Armand, simply chose not to.

If it’s the latter, it counterintuitively makes Lestat a much less sympathetic character, when (as far as I can tell) the purpose of the twist is to make Lestat more of a heroic figure, since post-reveal there are no further interrogations of Lestat's choices.

And I’ve read wonderful meta on Lestat choosing to let Claudia die and then regretting it forever: if he loved her more she would’ve suffered less, if he loved her less she might not have suffered at all, etc.

But none of this is given any focus in the show because besides Lestat’s single heartbreaking line about Claudia looking to him in her last moments. There is no illumination on whether Lestat’s inaction was due to personal choice or lack of ability. There’s no solid evidence in the show to swing it one way or the other, the magic system is too soft to support a solid conclusion about it.

And. Claudia was sentenced before Louis. So even if Lestat only had the ability to save one of them, he still made the conscious choice to save his strength for Louis.

Which is also not necessarily a flaw. Lestat making the choice to save Louis over Claudia would be an extremely compelling road to go down. My issue is that the show has changed the central question from who killed Claudia to who saved Louis and is now pretending that that road doesn’t exist.

There is no indication that Louis feels any kind of way about Lestat ostensibly choosing him over their daughter. There’s no indication that Lestat had any hesitation about his choice, despite his sadness at her death. I can interpret Sam Reid’s acting choices in the final scene as Lestat not realizing how much Claudia meant to him until she looked at him “like a child looking to her father” but by then it was too late – but that would still be speculative.

Giving Lestat the agency to save Louis and Claudia during the trial both puts too much pressure on a magic system that can’t support it, and puts wind-drag on Louis and Lestats reunion: what should be the emotional climax of the show.

And look to be clear: show good. I’m obsessed with show. 

But the structural integrity of the final twist makes me feel like an OSHA inspector in an otherwise competently made building that doesn't have railings on the stairs.

They don't establish enough information wrt the magic system so that Lestat’s sudden ability and subsequent assumed limitations can reasonably track. They don't interrogate the consequences of giving Lestat the choice to save his daughter and then him proceeding to Not Do That.

I don’t think it’s out of character for Armand to choose his coven over Louis considering his habit of clinging to the familiar even if it sucks. I don’t think it’s out of character for Lestat to choose Louis over Claudia considering both Lestat and Louis’ habit of doing exactly that.

But you cannot ask the question “Who killed Claudia? (or, through inaction, allowed Claudia to die)” the entire season and then answer it with “Actually, Lestat saved Louis!”

It shifts the focus, it muddies the theme, it relies too heavily on a magic system that is supposed to be vibes-based and most importantly it treats Claudia like an afterthought when Claudia is literally the entire fucking point.

Claudia isn’t even the main character in her own story, the most tragic of tragic heroes, only someone’s first choice in the moments before her death, and neither she nor the woman she loves can do anything to change their endings. Louis and Lestat’s realization of all the ways they failed her is meant to be the emotional catharsis of the show, but it rings hollow, because the consequence of the final twist serves to render her narratively and metanarratively another round in Louis and Lestat’s stormy romance and un-asking its own central question.

[tainted-liquor]

'Watch Your Fucking Mouth! ...₊˚⊹♡ Ft. 42Miles

...˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

e42!Miles Morales x Autistic!BlackFem!Reader

ingredients: Sugar, Lemon zest, n a lil bit of smiles!

TWs: 'ual harrasment, Miles choosing violence, cussing, bullying

A/N: this is designed for blackfem readers on the mild to moderate end of the autism spectrum. NOT every autistic person is the same, but this is specifically modeled based on MY experience with autism, because this is how I see the world. Enjoy

Reader has a kirby/retro games special interest btw

For the past 7 months, you've been dating your beloved boyfriend, Miles Morales! Of course, this was way easier said than done. Miles had a permanent stone face, a smooth and focused voice, and struggled to describe or depict his emotions. Regardless of that small barrier, he made every effort in the world to make sure you understood where he was coming from. By now he had a pretty good understanding of what to do and what not to do, even going so far as developing somewhat of a routine with you.

You were walking hand in hand with Miles, listening to him recall his day before you briefly paused to look at a cute little shop housing tons of adorable plushies, but most importantly Kirby plushies. Miles stopped, watching as you stared down the cute little sleeping Kirby in the window. Miles chuckled to himself, finding the whole ordeal adorable as you ripped your eyes away from the display window. "You want that plush, huh?" He asked, leading you back in the direction of the tiny store as you nodded eagerly. "Aight, c'mon. Go get it" he nodded as his heart throbbed in his chest while he watched your face light up.

You left the store with 2 new action figures that you fought to pay for and several Kirby plushies. "Happy?" he asked, smiling subtly as his hand found purchase right in yours. "Mhm! I fucking love Kirby man he's just so...cool!" you beamed, rocking your arms side to side with joy. "Aight, c'mon. I gotta get you home before your mom blow my top off" he chuckled, rolling his eyes with faux annoyance as he led you home. "'Kay. Can you walk me to school tomorrow, please?" you asked, gazing into the paper bag holding your merchandise.

"Of course, mama. You want me to bring you a croissant from that bakery?" He asked, watching your side profile with a soft smile gracing his features. "Yes please!" You beamed while rounding the corner to your house. "I think when I get home I'm gonna play with my kitchen set or something...that shit was fun" You giggled as Miles pretended to help you up the stairs like a bodyguard, pressing his imaginary earpiece and muttering an 'all clear'. You waved goodbye, peppering every inch of his face with kisses and tiny bites.

The next day rolled around within the blink of an eye, prompting you to do your daily routine of a hot shower and self-care. You quickly touched up your Fulani braids, slicking down your edges and adding pink star clips to tie the look together before throwing on your uniform, mentally cringing at how the waistband felt against your stomach. You charged down the stairs with your backpack, waiting on the couch for a couple of minutes before getting a text from Miles informing you that he was outside. You flung the front door open, immediately smiling as you caught sight of your boyfriend. "Hey Miles!"

"Hey. I gotchu your croissant, c'mon" he smiled as he gestured behind him with his head. You locked your front door, walking alongside him as he handed you your food and wrapped an arm around your shoulders. You walked the entire way to school, giggling like children as you showed him some dumb 'school tea pages' on your phone. "Niggas be irritatin'...HELP LOOK AT THIS ONE!" you guffawed, tears clouding your eyes as you showed Miles a 'lala bop' video. His eyes widened, jaw hanging open as he read the caption before bursting out in laughter.

"Nah that's TRAGIC...how you 15 with 17 bodies? That's fucking CRAZY!" He gasped, shaking his head in disbelief as you made your way into school. "Aight, Imma see you during 3rd, okay?" He reassured, giving you a kiss on the cheek before walking in the direction of his advisory. You waved bye in between bites of your croissant as you skipped over to your advisory, ready for another boring and dull day of school. You hated the constant cycle of sad blue and white days, praying that something would spice up the day. Well, you got your wish! It just wasn't what you were expecting...at all.

Miles walked through the halls, scrolling through your Instagram on his phone before deciding to make a slight detour to the bathroom. He huffed in annoyance as he saw a small line leading out of the boy's bathroom, opting to lean on a neighboring locker while he continued to mind the business that paid him. "YEO! Miles!" Someone shouted, prompting him to snap his head towards the noise. He locked eyes with his friend Terrence, smirking slightly as he dapped him up. "What's good witchu? You trynna skip 1st period?" Miles asked as he tucked his phone in his back pocket.

"Yessir. Who the fuck bouta be up at 8 AM doing math? They must be fuckin' stupid or some shit, like. Fuck is you talkin' bout" Terrence complained, rolling his eyes with an obvious grimace. "Nah, I feel you. I just do the homework they posted cuz fuck I needa go to the class for if you post the lessons?" Miles grunted, dawning the same grimace as his homie. "Bullshit, that's what it is. But YO! I heard from niggas that you dating what's her name now?" Terrence poked, smirking slightly. "Y/N," Miles corrected "And yes, that's my girl. Why?" He asked, furrowing his brows slightly and turning his head to the side. "Okay, I see you my boy. Her shit mad yurky too I understand" Terrence joked, elbowing Miles slightly with a...disgustingly lustful expression.

"Pardon?" Miles asked, leaning his head towards the shorter boy in an attempt to make sense of his previous sentence. "I'm sayin', she got a body on her. Can't be there for the personality, that bitch a fuckin' geek, just tell her you trynna hit!" Terrence giggled. "Yo, Terrence. Watch your fucking mouth" Miles spat, feeling anger and rage bubble throughout his veins. "My bad gang, I assumed you was in it to hit it! C'mon man, don't tell me you like-"

BOOM!

There was a universal wave of "OHHHH!" and gasps. Splotches of blood littered the floor as the metal locker dented slightly. "Say it again. So I can fuck you up, c'mon" Miles grunted, delivering a disgustingly heavy kick to Terrance's head. "No te quedes callado ahora, vamos" He giggled, leaning back against the locker like nothing ever happened. The news took absolutely zero time to get to you, considering you were two rooms down from the actual fight. "Fuck" you whispered, mentally preparing yourself to have to yell at your boyfriend for two hours.

"MILES FUCKING GONZALO MORALES! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING! WHY WERE YOU EVEN FIGHTING THE NIGGA IN THE FIRST PLACE!" You screamed as soon as Miles showed up at your bedroom window after school. "Baby I'm not gonna subject you to the shit he was saying, but just know it was for you" He cooed, subtly ignoring the fact that you were practically berating him in real time as he mushed his cheek against yours. "DO YOU EVEN HEAR ME RIGHT NOW?" You yelled, ripping his face away from yours as you held his jaw in both hands. "Yes, 'm sorry. I swear I am, but I do not like when niggas talk about my girl" he grunted as he rolled his eyes. You sighed, rubbing your temples as you called upon your ancestors to give you the strength to deal with this boy.

"Look, I can handle myself. Don't do that shit again, aight?"

"Yes my love."

Taglist:

@ashsostrange @chessbox @faeriesoiree333 @janaeby @an1bara @fivestardior

[keisgirl]

I MEANT #4 w taesan my bad 😞😞

hello anonie~ this lil drabble is inspired by this pin here . thanks for requesting!

wrapped in you; boynextdoor taesan

prompt #4 "is that my fav hoodie that is on you right now?" (request)

pairing; bf!taesan x reader

wc; 0.8k

pls reblog and like if you liked the drabble!

looking for moots <3

cheers,, hannah

kpop drabble masterlist | prompt list #1

it had been a long day. the kind of day where all you wanted to do was come home, curl up on the couch, and forget the world outside. you toss your bag onto the floor by the door, kicking off your shoes with a sigh of relief. everything just felt so draining lately. you wanted something (anything) to make you feel comforted.

thats when your eyes land on the half-open closet door in the bedroom, and an idea flickers to life. taesan and you had been together long enough that borrowing each other’s clothes wasnt really a big deal. but tonight, the idea of slipping into one of his hoodies sounds like exactly what you need.

without much thought, you make your way over to the closet and rummage through the neatly hung rows of shirts and sweaters. his scent—something warm and familiar, a mix of burst of tangerine zest, fresh and sharp, softened by the subtle sweetness of blooming jasmine and the subtle freshness of laundry detergent—lingers in the air, wrapping around you like an embrace. finally, your fingers brush against the hoodie. the one you’ve seen him wear countless times, the one that always makes him look so effortlessly cozy and handsome.

its a little ridiculous how soft it is when you pull it off the hanger and slip it over your head. the fabric is worn in all the right places, loose and comfortable, falling to mid-thigh on you. you tug at the oversized sleeves, which completely swallow your hands, and take a deep breath. the scent of him fills your senses, immediately making you feel a little lighter. its like wearing a piece of him, and somehow, that makes everything just a little bit better.

you walk into the living room and collapse onto the couch, pulling your knees up and letting yourself sink into the cushions. the blackish hoodie pools around you, and for the first time today, you actually feel… content. safe, even. like nothing could touch you here, wrapped up in his warmth.

just as you're starting to relax, you hear the soft click of the front door unlocking. your heart skips a beat. he’s home.

the door swings open, and you can hear the familiar shuffle of his footsteps as he steps inside, closing the door behind him, soft thud of his bag falling onto the counter. you glance over your shoulder to see him standing in the entryway, his eyes scanning the room until they land on you.

he freezes for a moment, his eyes widening slightly as he takes in the sight of you curled up in his hoodie, looking impossibly small and cozy. then, a slow grin starts to spread across his face.

"is that my hoodie you’re wearing?" he asks, amusement clear in his voice.

you try to play it cool, tugging at the sleeves as if it’s no big deal. "maybe…"

he lets out a soft chuckle, shaking his head as he walks over to you. there’s a gleam in his eyes, something playful yet tender, and you can feel your heart flutter just a little as he sits down beside you on the couch.

"ill give it back later," you mumble, though even as you say it, you’re not entirely sure you mean it. the hoodie feels like a piece of him, and you’ve grown a little too attached to the way it makes you feel.

he smirks, clearly picking up on your reluctance. "you dont have to," he murmurs, his voice dropping to that soft, teasing tone that always makes your heart race. "it looks perfect on you."

you look up at him, meeting his gaze, and your breath catches in your throat. there’s something about the way he’s looking at you, so warm and affectionate, like you’re the only thing in the world that matters to him right now. it makes your chest ache in the sweetest way.

your cheeks flush, and you’re grateful for the oversized sleeves that let you hide your hands as you bury your face against his shoulder. "you’re too much," you mumble, your voice muffled by the fabric of the hoodie.

he laughs softly, his arm tightening around you as he presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head. "i know," he says, his voice a warm whisper against your hair. "but you love me anyway."

you can’t help but smile, the tension of the day melting away in his embrace. "yeah," you admit quietly, letting yourself sink deeper into the warmth of his hoodie and him. "i really do."

he stays silent for a moment, his hand gently tracing your arm through the fabric, before he leans back a little to look at you again. his expression softens, and his smile turns almost shy. “you know… you can keep it. i mean, if it makes you feel better. ill just have to find excuses to hold you more often.”

you laugh, your heart feeling lighter than it has all day. “fine, deal,” you whisper, feeling the warmth of his smile as you lean in, your forehead resting against his. for now, nothing else mattered. just the two of you, wrapped up in the comfort of each other.

thank you anon for this request! i really liked writing this heheh it gave me so much comfort!

[blue-razzslushie]

I wanted to do this for awhile but it slipped my mind 😭. But since it's pride Month, I present to you. . .

Hogwarts Legacy Sexuality HC's (Including Rory cuz yes)

Students:

Sebastian: Pansexual, lil bro wants affection from everyone. Don't matter who. Your a boy? Girl?! Neither? He don't care tell him he's handsome

Ominis: Bisexual, He leans a bit more towards girls but him and Sebastian have a weird bromance thing going on so there's that

Garreth: Straight Ally, He supports all his friends no matter who they are attracted too. Oh you're gay? Cool, Try this concoction!

Natty: Lesbian, This may just be me projecting onto my favorite characters but I can totally see Natty as a badass lesbian. We love a women's woman who don't take shit

Poppy: Pansexual, She loves everyone regardless of gender. Everyone is hot to her, girls, guys, people in between. . . Merlin they're all so pretty

Amit: Omnisexual, He leans more toward girls but he fancies boys as well. He would just love for someone to share his stars with to be honest

Imelda: Lesbian. Straight up, no projection even needed. You can't look me dead in the eyes and tell me Imelda wouldn't be Lesbian.

Professors (just my favorites):

Professor Fig: Straight Ally, one of the most supportive straight dads you could ever think of deadass. He would wear those "free dad hug" shirts at pride fests if they existed back then

Professor Ronen: Bisexual, He's happily married to his wife but I gotta be honest when I first saw him I thought he had to be a zest fest in some way deadass.

Professor Hecat: Bisexual, She def would lean more towards girls but that's just my vision. We love a Badass Bisexual chat believe you me.

Professor Weasley: Straight Ally, yet another most supportive person you could ever think of. She wouldn't care if you were gay, trans, bisexual. She would love you regardless, and I love her for that

Professor Garlick: Lesbian. 1000%. After that letter she wrote to Sirona and all the mentions of each other they 100% are gay and I am HERE FOR IT.

Professor Sharp: AroAce. Romance? Never heard of it. Only kind of attraction he knows is how Garreth always seems to attract some sort of trouble. I know people mainly HC him as Bi and I'm here for that but I've always seen the man AroAce, He doesn't have time for romance, he has potions to brew and over powered 5th years to keep track of. . .

Rory: Lesbian. They never understood the appeal of men anyway, #1 Man hater besides like. . . A handful they can tolerate. They love women, and only women and they are the most open person about it in the WORLD.

Alright that's my headcanons, Happy pride Month chat!! ^^

[mirakurutaimu]

today’s chicken. tryin a new spice mix with cumin and red pepper flakes and orange zest kinda shit. got a lil kick to it. experimenting with staying low and slow the whole time instead of turning up the heat at the end. overdid the meat a bit because i zoned out and left it on too long but it’s got a sensible char on the bottom and a very thin layer of sweet barbeque sauce. pretty fucking awesome tbh think i’m becoming mimi forma de eating some spice

[ethereal-goats]

Realizing a lot of my shit is just desperation and pressure based. Like, adding a dash of struggle to an experience amps it up a lil for me.

(Fair warning, everything from pee to eggs and hemipenes mentioned)

Having a really full bladder and sinking down on a cock and just shaking at how much fuller and tighter everything is? Being able to see the way a swollen bladder bulges when someone is stuffed full? I’m not as into the piss part of piss stuff, but someone being desperate and tight? Yeah, sure.

Desperate and full to lay eggs ovipositor style or being filled up by smth else and dealing with that pressure and arousal. This one is sorta a no brainer but man. The actual egg laying is also my cup of tea because someone all pathetic bearing down on a clutch and increasing the tension in their gut tenfold? Smth with an ovipositor feeling their partner getting tighter around them as an egg squeezes into them? Yeah, sign me up man.

Upset tummies usually come with some bloating and tension, and of COURSE someone would be wanting relief when their guts are tied in knots. Adding to this a little bit of a helpless edge, because with the previously mentioned things, there is an immediate avenue of relief, y’know?

Size difference is obvious on the pressure part, and especially fun when you add more fantastical elements like nonhuman dicks or any sort of magical aspect to the devil’s tango. Going the hemipene route with nonhuman characters and getting a lil double penetration zest to go with it is also quite fun. Adding to that, exploring non-human desires and exploring the flow of intimacy slightly differently with alien/fantasy/etc partners can also spice stuff up.

It’s not like I find concepts like piss or eggs or upset tummies erotic inherently, but the bodily experience is fucking banger. Like, each one has aspects that appeal to me, even if I don’t spring for every flavor of the kink. I think it’s really fun to try and pick out what facets of an experience produce that erotic experience, and looking to see if that might exist in kinks/interests that I didn’t initially align with. Idk, there is something that appeals to me in the vulnerable, pitiful side of all of these- in breaking that usual level of shame or control most people have. There’s a bit of freedom in being forced into a position where you can’t hold onto usual composure. Hm. Maybe the lack of control is bigger than just pressure and need- might Drabble about that later. Anyways, another stream of consciousness ramble.

[jacksdinonuggets]

Zestial going to Carmilla's for lunch and interacting with lil Vaggie?

Mhm! Finished!

Zestial waited outside of the Carmine warehouse. He had a bottle of Carmilla’s favorite wine and a box of cookies for the girl’s. When they had planned this get-together lunch, Carmilla had explained that she had acquired another kid and to not worry if there's someone new in the house. 

He knocked on the big metal doors and waited for someone to answer. Clara opened the door and immediately gave him a hug

“Uncle Zestial!” She beamed.

“Greetings, Clara,” He petted her head. 

“Lunch is almost ready, come in,” She led him inside and up the elevator into the penthouse.

Clara opened the door to the penthouse once they got up there. Zestial was shocked to find all these baby toys on the ground of the living room. Carmilla was cleaning them up and putting them away.

“Zestial! Glad you could make it!” She stopped what she was doing to give him a hug.

“Where shall I put thy presents?” he asked, gesturing to the cookies and the wine.

“Oh, Zest, you shouldn’t have,” Carmilla said, very flattered.

“It was my pleasure,” He told her. She took the gifts and set them on the counter. 

“Lunch is almost ready, we’re having empanadas,” She said, checking the oven.

“Sounds very appetizing,” He answers truthfully. Suddenly, a crying noise comes from a baby monitor, sitting on the kitchen counter.

“That must be Vaggie. Odette, watch the oven while i get your sister ready,” she tells her daughter, who was sitting on the couch, going through some paperwork. She got up to go watch the oven and make sure nothing burned.

Carmilla walked up the stairs and entered Vaggie’s nursery. Vaggie was trying to get out of her crib, crying for her mama.

“Mama!!” She yelled, making grabby hands for her when she entered the room.

“I’m here, Baby,” Carmilla lifted her up and bounced her by her hip for a little bit, trying to calm her down. Vaggie had abandonment issues and would usually have a meltdown is she awoke and Carmilla wasn't there. She was able to stop crying within a few minutes.

“Uncle Zestial is here for lunch, we need to get you changed,” She said, laying her down on the changing table.

Luckily, Vaggie didn’t make much of a fuss while getting changed into white skirt-alls with a lavender shirt underneath. She was going to put on some booties but stuck with socks instead. She put some accessories in her hair before leading her downstairs.

Zestial was a bit confused when he saw an 18 year old girl, holding Carmilla’s hand while walking down the stairs. He didn’t quite understand why she was dressed in little kid’s clothes and holding a teddy bear.

“Carmilla, why is thou daughter dressed like that?” He asked.

“Oh, I forgot to mention, Vaggie is a little, meaning she acts like a younger kid to cope or just relax. Poor baby had a nightmare this morning and hasn’t aged up since,” Carmilla explained. Zestial sort of understood. He squatted down to meet her eyes.

“Greetings, little one, I am thy uncle Zestial,” he said

“Zebaba!” She babbled, trying to say his name. He found it absolutely adorable.

Vaggie bapped his face, finding his spider-like body very interesting and cool. He picked her up and bounced her on his hip. Her giggle, baby laugh was so cute and contagious that he found himself chuckling. 

“Alright you guys, Lunch is ready!” Carmilla announced from the kitchen.

Zestial carried Vaggie to the dining room. Odette and Clara were there, setting the table while Carmilla brought out the empanada’s salad and some spanish rice.

“You can just sit her in the highchair,” The arm’s dealer told him. There was an adult sized highchair, which wasn’t all that high, only a little bit taller than their normal chairs. The base chair was white with the tray being a light, pastel green. He used to babysit when Odette and Clara were younger, so he knew how to place and buckle someone into a highchair.

The rest of the Carmine family sat down and started eating. Vaggie had a different lunch than the rest, since Carmilla didn’t want to have to bathe Vaggie after they ate. She had some strawberry milk in her bottle and applesauce in a bowl.

“How did thou acquire Vaggie?” Zestial started up a conversation. As Carmilla fed her little, she explained the story of how she found Vaggie and soon adopted her. He found it quite interesting. 

At some point, Vaggie decided she wanted to chip into the talk. However, her babbles were incoherent and couldn’t be understood. But Zestial didn’t want to make it seem like they were ignoring her.

“Really? That is terrific!” He would respond when she would pause, waiting for a response. He nodded and pretended to understand exactly what she was saying. She got really happy and excited that someone new was listening to her rant.

Lunch was very fun, Zestial got to catch up with the Carmine family and got to interact with the newest (and the cutest. His words, not mine) daughter of Carmilla. All in all, Lunch was a success.

[inaconstantstateofchange]

back at you though, drinks edition? a type of drink you couldn't do without, that is your go to for any occasion? give us the specific deets, recipe if needed

oh no you've activated my trap card i love drinks

okay so special occasion drink: brown sugar boba (50% ice 50% sweet) but specifically from the tea shop close-ish to my house. it's expensive so i don't go often but holy shit. they use actual proper tea and fresh-as-hell boba and it's just. it's so good, i think anything from there would be insanely worth it (but i've never bothered to branch out from perfection).

my daily bev: i can't be too specific on brand without lowkey doxxing myself a tad, but there's a local company that does this flavored black tea with cornflower, raspberry, red plum petals, and blueberry, and it's just. it's incredible. mellow and rich and lightly (but not overwhelmingly) floral and fruity. i have it every single day and i'm convinced it is the perfect tea.

and two other faves because you asked for recipes:

strawberry (cheong) lemonade: okay so this is more effort than truly necessary, but i went to one of those u-pick strawberry places last summer and then the cultivar fucking sucked so they weren't even good, so i made cheong with them, which is a korean fruit syrup/preserve you make by layering equal amounts of fruit and sugar in a jar and letting them sit (i put them in the fridge just to be safe) for a few weeks.

the end result is preserves that you can blend into a bangin' spread and a fruit syrup that is like the nectar of the fucking gods. i didn't think it would make a huge difference doing it that way rather than a typical heat-based reduction, but it tastes like fresh strawberries. you don't lose any of that to it breaking down via heat treatment, so similar to the difference between a cold brew and a heat-based one.

anyway those mixed with lemonade (i make a concentrate using half lemons and half regular lemon juice, and include some lemon zest) makes one of the best summer drinks i've ever had.

i'm adding a cut for the last one because i can't/won't stop now but i have some self-awareness. okay, last one:

vanilla chai: i haven't made this in a bit, because when i moved here i ended up using up my stock of cardamom, and the local brand available here is just... not it, and i'm still trying to work out the most cost-effective way to order them online. which is devastating, because cardamom is the flavor most beloved to me in chai. anyway-

the thing that rocks about chai is that it is not actually all that hard, and you can customize it so specifically to your taste. my go-to add-ins are cardamom (5-6 pods, crushed open), cloves (2-3), cinnamon (about half a stick, crushed a lil), fresh ginger (idk how to measure this one, like an inch or two?), and vanilla. i used to use vanilla bean paste i got ages ago as a gift, but that is too rich for the world we live in nowadays, so it's whatever vanilla i have.

technically there's a specific kind of tea you're supposed to use, but i prefer it with regular loose-leaf black tea (which i always have on hand anyway). so you basically get a small pot, and bring your water (about half to 3/4 of your mug) to a boil. once it does, add your tea leaves and spices (not vanilla tho) and let them vibe out there for 5-10 minutes.

then, add your milk (about half of your mug) and vanilla, and warm to desired temp, but don't let it boil (this is my personal preference). add desired amount of sugar to your mug (i usually do a small spoonful of white and a small spoonful of brown sugar) and pour the chai into the mug through a fine mesh sieve (to get out the spice bits). if you have a milk frother, i like to aerate it a bit before drinking (improves flavor and also makes it less likely to burn your tongue).

[whentherewerebicycles]

top 10 things i cooked in 2023

this year i made 104 unique recipes (plus lots of duplicates when i liked something enough to make it multiple times). the places i went to most for recipes were feasting at home + the NYT recipes app, although i very much liked the weekday vegetarians, love and lemons, cookie & kate, nora cooks, and the foodie takes flight.

my top 10, in no particular order:

NYT ricotta pasta with roasted broccoli and crispy chickpeas (super simple but a great yummy pasta to make real quick for friends. I roasted the broccoli instead of broiling and added lots of extra lemon zest, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a tray of oven-roasted chickpeas)

moroccan vegetable tagine (i blended a bunch of recipes but the one linked was my starting point. this is the one form i like butternut squash in lol. modifications: i went heavy on all the spices but especially the cinnamon and cardamom, added chopped dried apricots to the stew for extra sweetness, and threw in a bunch of extra veggies. yum)

indian-ish nachos with cheddar, black beans and chutney (do NOT skip the multiple chutneys and sauces. it will seem like too much work you will say can't i just make one and be done with it but those sauces are where the magic lies. the great tragedy of these nachos is that i wanted to eat them for DAYS but they do not reheat well. but godddd they were good)

ottolenghi's green pancakes with lime butter (these are SO easy. great for brunch but also make delicious additions to your lunch for a couple days after. also it's a perfect way to eat a pound of spinach and feel very virtuous about it when really you just ate delicious jalapeno-y scallion pancakes. the lime butter is great but it's a lot of work so i usually just top these with some sour cream mixed with a lil bit of lime zest & lime juice)

cauliflower shawarma with spicy tahini sauce (YUM! the tahini sauce as written was too bitter for me with the cholula mixed in. i think i'd try it with sriracha next time so it was a little sweeter. i also added chickpeas yum)

roasted cauliflower daal with chickpeas (my notes say this was "OUTTA THIS WORLD DELICIOUS" but also note that it will "really clean you out GI-wise" lol. lentils always have that effect on me though so ymmv. i added bell pepper, roasted the cauliflower first, cooked the lentils most of the way soft in the rice cooker instead of on the stove, and added two chopped serrano peppers with seeds to give it a lil extra kick. i would recommend halving the recipe if you are cooking for one as there were TONS of leftovers and my GI system could not handle being cleansed that many times lol)

pasta with corn, tomatoes, "onion-bacon," and basil (this method of preparing onions really should not taste like bacon and yet it sort of does????? this was a summer recipe i made multiple times for a range of audiences and it was a hit every time. originally from the weekday vegetarians)

creamy corn pasta (THIS HAS NO RIGHT BEING AS GOOD AS IT IS. IT'S SO SIMPLE AND YET IT'S THE BEST THING I'VE EVER TASTED I COULD EAT IT FOR DAYS. WE ATE IT ALL SUMMER)

ottolenghi's very full roasted veggie tart (it will take you hours to make and no time at all to consume but oh my god it's so good and SUCH a satisfying way to spend a long weekend afternoon. liz and i loved this so much we had to have a serious sitdown to discuss how we would divvy up the leftovers because we felt it could seriously damage our friendship if one of us ate all of it)

bombay burritos (the little sauces and things take a long time to make but you can prep a lot of the stuff a day or two in advance and gosh these are so tasty!! the curried mashed potatoes YUM)

honorable mentions:

ottolenghi's mango soba noodles (skip the eggplant i'd do tofu or something instead)

braised tofu with basil (i made this with a veggie-loaded stir fry and topped it with a fried egg)

this carrot cake (it took forever to make but it was the best carrot cake i've ever had and the only thing i'll ever make on my bday from here on out). she also has a pumpkin cake recipe that is so good and much simpler to make (no grating required)

momofuku's ginger scallion tofu with crispy coconut rice (the recipe is for a shrimp version but we made it with tofu and it was very yummy. i made this at a friend's house and it was so good i wanted to ask to take home some of the leftovers but decided that was too rude ahaha)

and then of course i gotta give a shoutout to my #1 comfort foods this year, SHAKSHUKA (my beloved) + a caprese sandwich with balsamic glaze served on really good bread.

[danganronpa-21]

Rating: Mature Audiences

General Warnings: Implied/Referenced Sex

Fandoms: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak Academy

Relationships: Makoto Naegi/Kyoko Kirigiri

Additional Tags: Post-Danganronpa 3: Hope Arc, Embarrassing Moments, Making Out, Teasing & Flirting, Kyoko Kirigiri being a lil sass pot, Just a heads up that this is a little saucier than what I usually write but it’s still pretty tame

Word Count: 4,075 words

Story Summary: Kyoko decides to take advantage of her boyfriend's free time at work. Byakuya, unfortunately, gets caught in the cross fire of this incident.

[Read it on AO3.]

Kyoko has a keen awareness of her boyfriend’s current… free time.

Well, if you asked him, he would tell you that the time wasn’t really all that free. Just because he wasn’t in a meeting or handling student issues didn’t mean that he had all the time in the world. There was still plenty to do as the headmaster of a school like Hope’s Peak, one that had a myriad of talented but trouble-seeking students. Somehow, even with the end of the Tragedy and the abolishment of the Reserve Course/Main Course system, that little thing never seemed to change. She knows Makoto doesn’t mind it. He never would. After all, the kids who attend Hope’s Peak now probably had to grow up much faster than they should have because of what they had seen. The least he could do was let them be creative, wild, and fun – even if that ultimately was more paperwork for him.

Paperwork. That was usually his something, the thing that would make him insist that he had no free time – not even for his beautiful, beloved girlfriend.

It isn’t as if Kyoko is utterly deprived by her boyfriend, nor does she have an appetite for him so insatiable that she just never seems to have had enough of him. No, neither of those things are the problem. It’s just that, for whatever reason, the danger of wanting to be with him here at work is so much more. She likes that even the casual showing of affection between the two of them is forbidden. She’s never been so scandalous as to go past anything but a kiss, but even that, she is not permitted to take. Both she and her boyfriend are responsible for engaging in the utmost professionalism while Hope’s Peak is in their care, and while Kyoko completely understands why, she finds that it doesn’t stop her from this wanting.

The fact that she cannot control the wanting, no matter how hard she may try, is why she is headed to Makoto’s office now.

Improper it may be, but sometimes, a woman just needs to kiss her boyfriend and not care who is watching.

This is the thought she keeps in mind as she struts towards her boyfriend’s office. What can she say? She loves the thrill. Life has become so quaint since they opened Hope’s Peak, and although she won’t take it for granted given everything they’ve been through… She can’t help but want to add a bit of zest to their lives. Nothing that will hurt, but just… something that will make both their hearts beat a little faster. The thought almost makes her giggle like a meek schoolgirl.

The halls of Hope’s Peak are eerily quiet, save for the sound of her high-heeled boots clacking against the tiled floors and the faint voices of teachers instructing their students just beyond the hallway’s walls. The school is not yet populous enough to be filled with a great deal of noise, but there is some, and Kyoko cannot help but enjoy what she can hear as she makes her way down the hall. The students may in theory be keeping her from her boyfriend, but the joy of them having a future is enough to make her forgive them for that. Besides, it’s not like at this point she is open to being deterred from what she wants.

Her walk down the hallway is quick and simple, not interfered with. Perhaps it’s her intimidating gaze or the strength of her gait, but even those who do cross her path don’t seem particularly interested in stopping her for a conversation or even sparing her a glance of acknowledgement. Their heads dip down and they just keep walking, and for a moment, she wonders if they think she must be on her way to scold the headmaster for something. Though he is higher up in the scholastic food chain by a mile, given that she is only part-timing to focus on detective work, the students all seem to get the impression that she completely dominates him. It’s not something she is unused to people assuming, mind you, considering her serious personality and his gentle, cheerful one. Every once in a while, she even hears rumours that it’s truly she who is calling the shots, and Makoto is just the nice man making everything happen.

If only they knew that I call the shots behind closed doors, too, she thinks with a smirk.

She tries not to let her amusement show too greatly as she makes her way down the hall. That would surely ruin her strict, serious image. Besides, to capture Makoto at his best moment, she has to have a particular demeanour about it – anything else would tamper with her plans. She keeps her face straight and her eyes locked forward, marching confidently towards her mission. As she comes upon the doors to the Headmaster’s Office, she finds that she doesn’t even bother knocking before prying them open. As soon as she can see through even the slightest crack, she catches a glimpse of Makoto and notices how he immediately perks up. How cute. His face only seems to light up in further interest when he realizes who it is coming to keep him company. She has to fight not to giggle as she slips into the room with ease, closing the door tightly behind her. Nobody needs to know that she is disturbing the headmaster’s peace. This little moment, it can stay private between the two of them.

“Kyoko?” Makoto says, staring at her from across the way with this innocently curious expression on his face that honestly kind of makes her heart melt. Once upon a time, it would have horrified her to turn into pudding over a man, but now, she’s a little more comfortable embracing her affections. After all, Makoto isn’t just any man. “I’m surprised to see you here. Is everything okay?”

It’s all Kyoko can do to keep a neutral face when she stops dead, staring him right in the eyes. “Take off your clothes.”

Makoto’s flesh turns fifteen different shades of crimson in a matter of four seconds. That has to be some kind of world record, she thinks amusedly to herself.

“W-What?!” He sputters, slack-jawed, unable to believe what his partner has just said to him.

There might have been more, had she the self-control to keep it going, but the sight of his rose-red face is too funny to bear. She can’t help but snicker at the sight, her lips cracking into a warm smile. Makoto is just so much fun to tease – and, thankfully, he’s a good sport about it, too. As soon as he realizes that she’s played a joke on him, he starts laughing along, too. The relief on his face is instant as he wipes his brow with the back of his arm.

“You’re… rotten, Kyoko Kirigiri,” he half-snickers, dropping his pen on the desk, “You really had me there.”

“I’m sorry,” she replies, not sounding nor feeling sorry at all, “I couldn’t help myself. You really are an open book.”

Makoto shrugs, leaning forward on the desk. His face is still pinkish in places, but the embarrassment is fading, and even with that in place, he is still unbearably charming to her. He’s adorable when he’s flustered, but still so sweet on the eyes in his natural state, too. How is she supposed to maintain a professional decorum around this man when he’s just so delightful to be around?

It sounds silly, she supposes, when you put it like that – but it’s just the truth, as far as she’s concerned. She feels like a smitten schoolgirl somedays. It’s embarrassing and electrifying all at the same time.

Makoto seems to only shake his head at her teasing, heaving a sigh as if to ask what he’s going to do with her. It is not the first time the two of them have gone on like this, not by a long shot, and Kyoko can’t help but love how familiar it all feels. Their relationship is still young, but it makes it feel like they’ve been together for years.

“Is there a reason you want to come see me, Kirigiri-san?”

Kyoko raises her eyebrows in mock-surprise. “Kirigiri-san?” she parrots, folding her arms across her chest. Just a minute ago it was the much more familiar Kyoko, and now…? Oh, he can try and make this business-like all he pleases, but she came here on a much different kind of business. Makoto must notice the hint of coyness in her voice, because his smile begins to melt and turn a bit sheepish.

“W-Well, it’s… this is a school, and nobody really knows about us yet,” he laughs, “If anyone heard us acting too close, they might get the wrong idea.”

She quirks a brow. “And who do you think is eavesdropping on us?” she looks around the room, a small part of her – a more paranoid part – almost wondering if he has a point. Cameras loved them once. Who's to say that they wouldn’t again? “There is no one here but us. The things that go on behind closed doors are our business.”

Feeling her heart skip a beat, she takes this opportunity to move closer to her partner. Her walk is meant to be sultry as she struts to his side, but her lacking experience in the area of seduction just makes her feel a bit stupid. Thankfully, she is Makoto’s only experience with a woman intending to pursue him, so he turns into a bit of a puddle for her anyway. His face warms as she approaches, and when she places a hand on the back of his office chair, leaning over him so her long lavender hair hangs down over top of him, she can actually hear his breath hitch. She loves it. His eyes are clouded with a mixture of excitement and worry, and she knows that he must get butterflies in his stomach when she opens her mouth to speak once more.

“There is no one here but you and I, Makoto. This free time that you have, it’s just for us.”

Makoto actually gulps. She swears she sees his eyes flick to the door briefly, like he’s worried that someone is going to barge in. “F-For us?”

She nods. “You’ve been so busy lately. I feel like I never see you.” she struts herself right in front of him, and for a moment, she contemplates plopping herself right down on his lap… but something about that just feels a bit too scandalous. She opts to hop right up on his desk instead, not really thinking about the fact that that might not be much better. She tilts her head teasingly at him. “Surely you can make some time for your significant other, can’t you?”

The sweat must be beading on Makoto’s skin now. He pushes himself to his feet, although he doesn’t seem exactly sure why he does it. For a moment, just a flicker of a moment, it looks as if he might want to protest – push her away, remind her that she’s supposed to be the more responsible one of the two of them – but it dies. Instead, his eyes can do nothing but fall to her lips, looking dazed and confused.

“I… I thought…?”

“You thought what?”

“You’re not, like, propositioning me right now, right?”

“For what?”

“For…” his face reddens again. “I thought we talked about not being ready for that right now.”

Kyoko scrunches up her nose, almost as if disgusted by the prospect. “I’m not propositioning you for that, no.”

The worry fades just a bit, and she notices him start to nibble on his lip ever so slightly. He doesn’t know what’s going to come out of her mouth next – she can tell. She wonders if he’s enjoying the uncertainty. “B-But for something, yeah?”

She sighs and shakes her head, gesturing him over to her. “Just hold your tongue for a minute and kiss me.”

Makoto’s eyes widen for a second, processing the information. The moment he does, however, he follows her instructions with ease. Rushing over, he is now just about at her level, his hand slipping along the underside of her jaw, tilting her head towards him a bit for better access to her lips. She tips her head up a bit to help, and tries not to smile to herself at how grateful he seems for the assistance. Makoto is a pleasant but inexperienced kisser. He likes to try extra hard to make his kisses good.

When he connects their lips, she’s almost surprised by how warm they are. In the midst of a chilly winter, the presence of his warmth is more than a little welcome. It pairs well with the taste – caramel and espresso, perhaps even a hint of whipped cream, although she recognizes that she could be imagining that part. Makoto is the only man she’s met who is so comfortable with ordering a caramel macchiato, but tasting it here on his lips, she finds she can understand what he’s talking about when he says it truly is the best coffee drink. Sweet, and warm… just like him. Soft, too. Soft like his smile, soft like his heart, are his lips. She used to think boys would have unkempt lips, cracked and unpleasant… but Makoto’s were always soft to the point of being almost silken. At times, kissing him felt so perfect that it was almost like it was unreal. Why else would she put herself at the mercy of being caught if she didn’t love it this much?

Her heart swells with affection as his fingers tangle in her hair, tucking some of the silvery-purple strands behind her ear as he deepens their kiss. She hums appreciatively. He’s taken the tips she’s given him. She can’t help but smile against him. She never used to think she would be able to feel such happiness, yet now, the two of them are infinitely together, infinitely connected… In this context, the two of them kissing would be considered so improper, but if it’s really that big of a deal, why does it feel so right? This is all Kyoko can think about, all she can dream of, as she parts her lips to allow Makoto’s tongue to slip into her mouth. Everything about this moment is too perfect, and she could stay in it forever if fate would allow her to. This is all she wanted today – just a flawless moment with her boyfriend, the one man who had destroyed her preconceptions of love. If fate could allow her that, then that was all she needed.

Unfortunately, however, fate finds a disciple in Byakuya Togami.

The door swings open in the blink of an eye. Neither Makoto nor Kyoko has a chance to react or resist as it does. It swings open large and wide, with no discretion or thought given to it, the perfect embodiment of Byakuya and his callous nature. At any other time, she might leap up to break apart from Makoto, but the realization hits her so slowly she doesn’t have the time. Kyoko would swear on her grandfather’s life that she didn’t hear Byakuya’s footsteps coming down the hall, nor did she know that he would have business with Makoto at this hour. She had no idea about him also sharing the gap in his schedule. Her main focus, and quite frankly her only concern, was that Makoto had this free time.

It's what makes it all the more aggravating that Byakuya reacts in loud, disapproving disgust.

“Ugh!”

Makoto breaks off the kiss the second he hears Byakuya’s voice, his face flushing bright red once more. At this point, she’s wondering if he may end up staying like that permanently. Out of the corner of her eye, Kyoko can see her plum-coloured lipstick smudged on Makoto’s mouth. Were the situation less compromising, she might have laughed, yet with Byakuya’s eyes boring into them…

“Of all the-! What is the matter with you two?!” He stomps his foot on the ground like a child, or an employer infuriated with his insubordinate employees. He probably sees them as the latter, if she had to guess. Still, even with this thought in her head, she notices that he seems unable to hide his own embarrassment. The tips of his ears, much like Makoto’s entire face, are tinged pink, and he seems to be darting his eyes around everywhere but their faces. Much as he might dislike admitting it, they are his friends. Even for him, this must stir some odd feelings. It’s no secret to her that many of their companions don’t think of them as sexual beings. They do like to make jokes about their current absence of a sex life. “This is extremely unprofessional!”

Kyoko’s lips press into a flat line. In the back of her mind, she knows that some part of Byakuya is right. There really is a lot to be said about employees, particularly two educators, who seem utterly incapable of keeping their hands off each other. That being said, he is the one who rudely shoved the door open without so much as a single knock. He just assumed Makoto should have this time available to him because he thought that it was free on his schedule. She contemplates laying into him for that in an effort to save face. Truth be told, she doesn’t care much that they’ve been caught, considering it was only by Byakuya, but she knows it will bother Makoto. That is the only reason she even considers trying to reason with their friend.

“It’s… um…” Makoto stammers, reminding her of an anime character just bulleting with sweat, “Well, I… I can… explain…?”

The nervous chuckle he lets out, combined with the scratching at his cheek, makes Kyoko think that that would be unlikely. He looks like he could sweat right through his suit. She could see him fitting in in a sauna right about now.

“Explain what, exactly?” Byakuya snaps. “There is no good reason for you two to… to… To be so brazenly sucking face in the middle of your work day! Have you no shame?”

“That’s quite enough, Togami-kun,” Kyoko scolds, long before she can actually consider whether or not she wants to let him keep going. Without interrupting, they’ll get by easier, but at the same time, she dislikes the way he’s speaking to them. They most definitely were not kissing hard enough to qualify as “sucking face”. Tongue-kissing? Maybe, but there was no face-eating involved, and she intends to make that very clear to him. “Perhaps you have learned your lesson now about knocking before you go opening doors?”

Byakuya clutches his chest in offence. “Me?! You were the ones who-”

Kyoko folds her arms across her chest, sliding off Makoto’s desk to stand and fully face her accuser. This is not the first time that the two of them have engaged in a battle of wits, nor will it be the last, but she knows that in order to win this one, she must look him straight in the eye. Then, and only then, will he start to falter. It is crucial that she make that signature Kirigiri glare work for her once more.

“Who were having a private moment of passion which you so rudely interrupted by bursting through the door.”

Makoto looks like he wants to speak, to add something of substance to the conversation that they are having, but he seems to know well enough to keep his mouth shut. With his level of humiliation, he is in no condition to help Kyoko against Byakuya, nor cut down what Byakuya is saying about him and Kyoko. He is best to just sit and watch, look and listen. Like a good boy, he understands that.

“Certainly you must understand the importance of privacy, Togami-kun. I don’t imagine Mr. Pennyworth came bursting through your door anytime he pleased. You must extend the same courtesy to Makoto and myself. We certainly wouldn’t go bursting through your door.”

Byakuya grits his teeth. “You’re deflecting, you vile little minx.”

Minx, Kyoko thinks. That is new. He has never called me that before. She is not offended. Byakuya’s insults scarcely mean much of anything. They just fly out of his mouth as easily as air goes in.

“Deflecting from what, exactly? Your lack of manners?” She taps her chin. “I think we should be able to forgive you for your transgression, but I surely think we will struggle more if you refuse to let bygones be bygones.”

Byakuya releases a low growl from somewhere in his throat. It reminds her a bit of an animal, but it is not vicious enough to tell her anything other than he is preparing to back down.

“Come now, Togami-kun. You’re embarrassing Makoto.” She shakes her head. “I just wanted a moment alone with my boyfriend. Are you really going to shame us for that? You must understand how important it is for a couple to be together.”

“You’re ridiculous.” He huffs, folding his own arms across his chest. “Utterly ridiculous. Fix your conduct, next time, instead of trying to use that silver tongue of yours on me.”

Kyoko chuckles softly, brushing some hair out of her face. “But I thought you believed me to be using my silver tongue on Makoto?”

She feels her boyfriend lightly jab her in the ribs for that comment. She doesn’t care. The way Byakuya’s face lights up like a firecracker is too amusing for her to just shove away. The shock of the statement strikes him so badly that he actually has to turn away. Makoto will forgive her for it later.

“Naegi-kun, please inform me when Kirigiri-san departs. I have important matters to discuss with you.” Kyoko wants to laugh at how Byakuya won’t even direct his attention at her anymore. He is too busy looking as red as a tomato, shuffling around the papers he is carrying in her arms. If it were anyone else, Kyoko might have felt a bit sorry about this – but given his conduct as of late, it made for a bit of nice revenge. “Until then, I advise both of you – keep your clothes on.”

It is clear on Makoto’s face that he wants to protest the clothes comment, but Byakuya is spinning on his heel and rushing out the door before they know it. As he leaves, Kyoko contemplates calling after him a reminder to knock on the door next time, but decides against it. She’s probably gotten the poor man enough as it is. Instead, she turns her focus back to Makoto, who looks to be a cross between frustrated and sheepish.

“I can’t believe that just happened,” he mutters, his shoulders slumping, “You shouldn’t have antagonized him like that.”

Kyoko shrugs. “Ideally, I wouldn’t have had to, but you know he’s not above making a scene. You’ve only just become headmaster here… It wouldn’t do for you to be dismissed in your first few months for something that wasn’t your idea.”

Makoto weighs her words in his head, seeming to understand what she is driving at. Still, that sheepish look remains on his face, like he just can’t let everything about it go. “Still… we probably shouldn’t have been making out at work.”

“Not with the door unlocked, anyway.” She finds herself staring back at that door, hand to her chin as she loses herself in thought. “I could have sworn I locked it.”

He shrugs. “Maybe the lock’s broken?”

“Maybe… That won’t do, though.”

“Hm?” Makoto quirks a brow. “Why not?”

“Well…” she turns back to him, draping her arms over his shoulders and leaning in close. She brushes her nose against his, able to feel the heat radiating off him as she places herself in front of him. “I don’t think this will be the end of our little moments of stolen free time.”

Makoto gulps loudly. “B-But we just got caught…”

Kyoko smiles a devilish smile. They are still early on in their relationship, still so early on that they both struggle to think of things in a particular context, but… “Maybe that’s part of the thrill of it.”

She swears those words could have made Makoto faint.

[athenasparrow]

No. 20 - Old | Jily Micro March

Thank you for the prompt @jilymicrofics 😘

Summary: In which Euphemia isn't the only one in the family who can incite shenanigans : )

Read on AO3 | 1533 words

WhatsApp Chat

Private : Lily Evans, Kingsley Shaklebolt

Kingsley Shacklebolt : So how did it go?

And I need to know immediately bc not sure what to buy...

Ice cream to cheer you up?

A bottle of wine to drown your sorrows?

Boxing gloves to kick some ass?

Lily Evans : Can I choose all of them?

Kingsley Shacklebolt: That bad?

Lily Evans : And worse : (

You should be lucky you found a nice man.

They’re all gone.

Not a single good one left!

Two bottles of wine?

Kingsley Shacklebolt: I did snag a good one ; )

There are still a few out there Lils! We will find you one.

Two bottles? Easy peasy lemon squeezy

Lily Evans: Doubt it

Yes two, to fix my current state: stressed, depressed lemon zest 

Or simply wallow in it.

Haven’t decided yet.

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

WhatsApp Chat

Private: Lily Evans, Alice Longbottom

Alice Longbottom : Hi Darling!

<attachment>

<attachment>

<attachment>

I told him to wave to his godmother, but apparently pesky motor function isn’t happening yet.

Lily Evans: You don’t know how much you just brightened my day! Look at those chubby cheeks!

Don’t insult my godsons motor skills - he’s only three months old.

He’s got the best motor skills ever. Give him big kisses.

Alice Longbottom: Why does your day need brightening? Are you alright?

There’s a reason you’re his favourite.

<attachment>

Oh look, that sort of looks like a wave

Lily Evans : Nothing to worry about, just another bad date

King is coming over late to help me wade through the “grief”

He’s bringing lots of wine.

I’m fine really, this dating life is just getting quite old, you know?

I might just take a break from it all.

That’s totally a wave Xxxxxxx

Alice Longbottom: Oh you poor thing : (

That sounds amazing, I am jealous of you Lily!

Eh I feel that, but once the right one comes around it won’t feel so tedious, I promise x

Want to come over this weekend and see Neville?

Lily Evans: You better be right Al!

You know I do.

I’ll bring lunch : )

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

WhatsApp Chat

Private: Petunia Dursley, Lily Evans

Petunia Dursley: <attachment>

Please choose a gift from my list for my birthday

Don’t use red wrapping paper, it’s hideous

Lily Evans : Red paper coming right up See you Saturday Tuney.

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

WhatsApp Group Chat

Members: Kingsley Shacklebolt, Blake Rathborne, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin

Remus Lupin: Does anyone happen to have an extra wallet with their stuff from last night?

Blake Rathborne: Nope, nothing here sorry

Didn’t think you’d leave your wallet in your pocket Remus.

Gay clubs get a bit handsy

Sirius Black: Remus loves it when I get handsy with him ; )

Remus Lupin: That is irrelevant since it wasn’t, in fact, my wallet

James’ is missing.

Kingsley Shacklebolt: Well that makes more sense.

Straight men, honestly.

Sirius Black: LOL

Remus Lupin: ????

I’m going to assume nobody knows about it then??

I’ll email lost and found at the club on the off chances it turns up.

And break the news to James that he’ll have to cancel his credit cards.

Kingsley Shacklebolt: Posh bastard.

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

WhatsApp Chat

Private: Sirius Black, Kingsley Shacklebolt

Kingsley Shacklebolt: Did you post it?

Sirius Black: Yup Did it this morning

Should arrive over the weekend

Can’t give Remus time to get suspicious

WhatsApp Group Chat

Members: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter

Sirius Black: Rise and shine sleepy heads

Good news Prongs, found your wallet

James Potter: After all that shit you gave me last night you have it?

Remus Lupin: That’s great. I’ll call the club when they open and tell them to ignore my email

Sirius Black: Found, not have

Club has posted it to you

Remus Lupin: A club we live fifteen minutes away from has posted us something?

James Potter: lol yeah, I’ll just go grab it now

Sirius Black: dunno too late I think

Said they’d posted it

James Potter: Okay fine

But with my wallet gone, you’re buying me lunch Padfoot

Sirius Black: I’ll be there in 10

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

WhatsApp Chat

Private: Lily Evans, unknown

Lily Evans: Hello! Realise this may seem a bit random, but I think someone just accidentally mailed me your wallet by mistake?

I hope this is the right phone number, but if it’s not and you know a “James Potter” could you send through his contact details please? - Lily

Unknown: Oh, hello Lily! Yes, I’m James. So sorry about that not sure how it happened.

I can come by and pick it up?

A relief to know where it is.

Unless you’re not comfortable with me coming

I can meet you somewhere

Or feel free to leave it on a bench or something

Hmm, that sounded like a drug deal

*Unknown number changed to James Potter

Lily Evans: You can come by, it’s fine

I’m sure we can manage without the drug deal

This is me <maps.google.com/droppedpin>

James Potter: But what if I’m a serial killer???

I’ve always wanted to be part of an illicit drug drop

I’m pretty sure my mum would murder me though

But might be a rather exhilarating experience 

I’m on my way

I am happy to meet on the street if you’re more comfortable!

Lily Evans: I’m pretty certain serial killers don’t announce themselves like that

And wouldn’t suggest public spaces for meetings

And lol, wouldn’t you be into killing men anyways?

Incase you didn’t know, I’m a woman,

Unless your sexuality has arisen from a deep-seeded hatred for women?

Exhilarating for a moment maybe, I’m sure the night spent in jail would bring the excitement right down.

Neighbours are moving today so just come on up. 

Apartment 526

James Potter: What? I’m lost now

Lily Evans: What??

James Potter: Why would I be into killing men or hate women?

I’m in your lobby

I’m coming up

Lily Evans: Because of the sexual aspect of serial killers?

You know? Because you’re gay you would kill men???

James Potter: I think there’s been a misunderstanding here

I’m not gay

Hold on I’m on your floor

Is it okay if I come to your door?

Cut for eventual smut

Lily frowned at her phone and moved to her entrance, grabbing the package from the console and heaving the door open.

She glanced to right to see a a very fit man with ruffled curly hair, black jeans and bright hazel eyes that danced behind his square glasses.

A very gorgeous man who was apparently not gay.

“Hi” she called “I’m just over here”

He threw a lopsided grin at her and started making his way over.

“I’m Lily” she said extending her hand and smiling at him when he reached her door.

“James. As you already know” he said grinning ruefully.

“Not gay James” Lily corrected him, biting her lip as a laugh bubbled out of her.

“Yes. Why did you think that?” James said, his brow furrowed “I’ve never been told I give off a gay vibe”

“You don’t” Lily said “but…well…look” she extended the postmarked package his wallet had arrived in.

“What?” he said glancing down at it.

“Well, the return address is a gay club” she said laughing “I’m sorry I made assumptions, but”

“Oh yeah right, of course” James said laughing awkwardly “nope, definitely straight, just there with my mates”

“It’s a fun club” Lily agreed “my friend Kingsley loves it. Used to go there every weekend when he was single”

“Kingsley Shacklebolt?” James asked suddenly.

“Yeah, that’s him!” Lily said smiling “I think he was there this last weekend with his boyfriend. Did you meet him?”

“Yeah, I’m Sirius Black’s brother”

“Oh I have heard about you. I suppose I just didn’t put the dots together” Lily said smiling at him. God, he was fit .

A clap of thunder alerted Lily to the fact that the sky had suddenly decided to open and her sofa was about to get drenched.

“Shit” she cursed running to yank the window closed.

It was easier when a second pair of joined, helping her move the old window back to latch closed.

Lily felt her breath hitch as she registreed the hot press of his body against hers.

He seemed to realise he was flush against her.

“Sorry” he said hastily, stepping back to create distance between them.

Lily suddenly felt overwhelmingly hot even though the cool thunderstorm had blown in a draft.

Her eyes flicked over his soft lips where his tongue darted out nervously. Lily had the sudden urge to taste him. She pulled her gaze away to meet his own, only to notice it was darker than when they’d last locked eyes.

Fuck.

Lily wasn’t even aware she’d moved, but her mind came back into her body at the sizzling feel his lips left on hers. 

He was delicious.

She fought the moan he pulled out of her, before giving in when his warm hand slipped under her shirt.

“Shit, you sound amazing” James murmured.

Lily lost herself in his lips until his hand traced a questioning circle around her thigh and she became aware enough of her surroundings that she realised they’d migrated to the couch.

As she pleaded with him to touch her, a faraway thought crossed her mind.

Perhaps dating wasn’t getting old after all.

[simvibing]

my Simself story

So much led to this moment!

Let’s recap.

My Simself, Shey, decides upon aging up that attending university is the most beneficial decision she could make.

Majoring Fine Arts was a no-brainer. Shey loves to create— doesn’t matter what medium; she’ll dabble in whatever medium makes sense for the vision in her heart.

While in university, she worked part-time as a retail clothing store associate to help pay for tuition and having some extra pocket money to enjoy what campus life had to offer. From Thirsty Thursdays, movies nights, late-night-diner-meals, and contributing to the Shey didn’t party much but she did gather with her roommates for some spontaneous raves where she once met Vincent Feng and he had her bent over. Then, she met Bjorn Bergenson who we all know is married with kids and is supposedly a “good” guy but kept wanting to do the mating dance with my Sim and trying to woohoo in public places 🥴

In Sophomore and Junior year, she started dating Don Lothario but they ended up breaking up when Shey suspected he was flirting with a roommate of hers. From that heartbreak, she decided to just date and have a good time.

Then, she meets Johnny Zest.

Within seconds of speaking to each other, they hit it off with amazing compatibility and instant attraction! Funny enough, Shey had met his parents before meeting him and was good friends with them. The only issue is he didn’t have a god relationship with his parents since he sort to separate from the family’s way of life.

Johnny and Shey dated for months, went of vacations together, slept at each others houses, all the things couples do, but Johnny still hadn’t asked Shey to be his girl. So, Shey started to distances herself a bit as she focused on school and work.

One day, a friend of hers that seemed to be interested in her, Kyle Kylesson, invites Shey out to this new cafe, Oracle. They meet at the to cafe and wait in line to order and suddenly Kyle is becoming increasingly rude with her,

and then something interesting happens…

Like a real Prince Charming, Ace (Dirk) Dreamer sashays into the cafe and instantly locks his eyes on Shey. He introduces himself and they begin to talk. Kyle is left talking to himself while Shey and Ace get to know each other a lil better. They talked for until the cafe was closing up about 3 hours later. Realizing the time, Ace offers to take Shey home. Shey didn’t realize that Ace was the brains behind Cupid’s Corner. With the wild success of this app, Ace became a sim-millionaire and gained “Proper Celebrity” status in what critics say was “overnight”.

Really, it was 10+ years of dedication to his craft and dedication to innovation that made this venture wildly successful. Naturally, Ace is a down-to-earth guy, real low-key and humble. To hide out from the paparazzi, he rented a place out in Evergreen Harbor, the last place they’d expect a celebrity to live unless you live by the water away from the air-choking smog.

One night, Bjorn stops by trying to catch up with my Sim, but Clara was following him the whole time. My Sim and Clara are actually friendly with each other so she told Clara that before she knew her and before she knew Clara was Bjorn’s wife, they had a bit of a fling. Thankfully, Clara wasn’t pissed at my Sim. So, Clara sees Bjorn coming to Shey’s house and confronts him. The gag is Clara is pregnant! She and Bjorn have been BUSY! This is now baby number 5! They argue and Bjorn then throws in her face that he doesn’t even think this baby his his so they go to take paternity test. The baby is his— of course 🫠

After that incident, a few weeks later Ace invites Shey over to his place in the Harbor which was close to Britechester where Shey lived. Ace noticed that she probably had no clue who he was since she never mentioned the app to him. So, he asks her if she was aware of who the owner of Cupid’s Corner was.

“No, I have no clue… let me look it up!”

Ace waited with a smirk of his face as she typed and scrolled on her phone.

As she scrolls, her mouth drops.

She looks up at him with raised eyebrows.

“Are you fucking serious?!” She says in shock and bursts into a nervous laughter “Yeah, that’s me.” Ace says coolly. “And you live here? Why not Del Sol Valley with all the other tech companies?” “I actually just brought a spot out there, but I like to live a slower-paced life away from the constant public eye and scrutiny, you know what I mean?” “Oh wow! Congratulations!” “Thanks. Gotta finish the closing process tomorrow. Don’t worry you’ll be the first person I bring out there.”

and the rest was history.

Ace asked Shey to be his girl 3 months later. Then, a year later, he asks her to move in with him. Shortly after that, Shey went out with her friend, Lilith Pleasant, and suddenly, she had some abdominal pains and begins to spot.

Shey rushes to the hospital and finds out she’s pregnant. At first, she was not excited, mostly because she wasn’t sure if Ace was interested in having a child right now.

There’s only one way to find out how he feels. She knows he loves her, adores her, so she knows even if he’s not ready to be a dad, he’ll still be supportive of her,

When he sees what she has behind her back, he’s in shock, good shock, and is ELATED.

They still haven’t met each other’s parents so this shall be interesting.

[tainted-liquor]

'Hot Wheels! ...🎸⋆⭒˚｡⋆ ft. 1610Miles

...⋆｡° ✮

Ingredients: sugar, kisses, n a lil bit of lemon zest!

TWs: A lil suggestive, but nth serious? Miles js runs a hot wheels car across yo ass like a ramp😭

A/N: Inspired by my man lol

It was dark outside. Wayyy too dark, the kind of dark where your main priority would be to go straight home, regardless of what temptations of bright colors pushed themselves into your face. But right now, you were In Miles' house while his parents were out on their little 15-year anniversary date. You spent the whole day dancing in his room, trying on some of his shorts for the sheer fun of it, and watching TV together so close that it would've sent Mrs. Morales into a coma. It was around 9 o'clock, and the two lovebirds still weren't back from their date.

So, you decided to do something to pass the time. You hopped on on the plushy material of the Morales' couch, doodling in Miles' sketchbook while you waited for him to finish taking his shower. Did you nearly lose your shit when you saw his many many Gwen drawings? Yeah. But you were instantly relieved to see most of them crossed out, painted over, or replaced with drawings of you entirely.

You scribbled down a rough sketch of Miles, groaning in frustration when it didn't turn out how you imagined. He looked French instead of Puerto Rican, and everything decided it wanted to go wrong. You put down the pencil, letting it fall between the concave of its pages before scrolling on your phone. It wasn't very long until Miles emerged from the bathroom, internally panicking as his toned muscles stared at your from his short-sleeved white tee. "Eugh, you stink. Get back in the shower" You joked, sporting a wicked grin and a quiet laugh.

He side-eyed you, looking you up and down before sucking his teeth. "I will throw you off that couch, don't play with me" he chuckled, shifting closer so you could see the tiny blue box in his right hand. "Oooh, what's that?" You asked, turning your head as he loomed over you. He opened the box, revealing 3 toy cars stacked on each other. "My cars!" He beamed, flopping comfortably on the living room floor as he took out every toy car oh so gently. "Cars? Like, Hot Wheels cars?" You inquired, watching as he pretended to rev up the engine.

It was no surprise that he owned toy cars, you had already seen his massive collection of rare toys and posters around his room. You thought it was cute, silently admiring as he explained why he even has the cars, and breaking down their value. "I mean, I can put them away if you want?" He asked, sounding slightly more embarrassed by the second. "Oh, no no no! I love that you have interests!" You reassured. You watched him stay in his own little world, before continuing to scroll on your phone.

It wasn't long before Miles looked back up at you, suddenly brewing an idea. He slowed his actions, analyzing your posture and looking down at his cars. He fought back a smirk that crept on his face, slowly advancing towards you like he was trying to see what you were looking at on your phone. You didn't really notice he was getting closer, finding yourself lost in the world of TikTok as you watched a guy dance to Kung Fu Fighting. And you didn't notice until you felt cold metal hit the fabric of your shorts.

"AH-! FUCK-MILES WH-..." You began, turning around to see Miles using the curve of your spine and the silhouette of your behind as a ramp. Miles burst out in laughter, shivering as he ran each car across your backside. "Are you fuckin' serious right now?" You deadpanned. He nodded, a smug but clearly overjoyed grin plastered on his face. "What? It's-...pffFFHAHAA...It's the perfect ramp!"

"Make me smack you miles"

Taglist: @ashsostrange @chessbox @janaeby @faeriesoiree333 @Fivestardior @an1bara @bachirasegoist @milesnanana77 @niaurluv @sp1derw1re @ban-al3x

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[bylertruther]

early morning shifts at the girlblogging factory are the Best bc i'll either be talking to myself going insane by myself (as per usual, but the fact tht no one's online amps it up a bit n gives it a lil zest) or it's usually only my non-american mutuals hanging around, and both of these scenarios are 10/10 wonderful . peace n luv on planet earth 🫂

[coyoteincense]

similar to an ask you already got but do you have any good summer scents? i really need a summer scent as all of the ones i bought are definitely more fall appropriate. my summer is gonna be full of going out on the lake, going on walks/hikes through fir trees and ferns, etc. maybe some bonfire notes in one of them? just something that screams summer- sweet but active and fun, maybe a lil earthy and salty. thank you!!! maybe even one based around a humid summer evening as well...

before the rainbow by the fine'ry

this is inspired by a way more expensive fragrance by jo malone, but it's infinitely better and cheap!! fresh, salty, and earthy!

venus euplea by nui colbalt designs

a cheap indie fragrance that holds up pretty well for summertime. it's got a zest from the lime, coolness from the honeydew, and everything together gives off a sort of summer ocean breeze vibe

cape heartache by imaginary authors

definitely recommended before, but i will never back down on my love for her... absolutely perfect fragrance for a summer full of being in nature. makes me think of my oregon camping summer days 🫶

sailing day by replica

sorry for Another more oceanic recommendation, but sailing day is a really good summer fragrance!! it's spicy, salty, a liiittle floral...

a city on fire by imaginary authors

now this one is for your bonfire request specifically! if you want to smell like you've just got back from a bonfire, this is the go-to. maybe a bit heavy on the burnt smell, but it dries down alright after a while. you will definitely smell like fire smoke out in nature

other recommendations (hit the photo limit lol):

woody tobacco by dossier — a cheaper alternative to jazz club by replica. i LOOOVE this fragrance and i think it suits your request well. jazz club is fantastic but more expensive, either one would work 👍

fume by hendley — sadly sold out right now but you might find it somewhere online. pine, incense, green earthy goodness i love it and this would be my #1 recommendation if you can find it somewhere!

vince camuto by...vince camuto — yummy musky peppery citrus lavender wood smell!! its longevity is kind of crap if im being honest but it really is a good smell

i hope these help!! tbh i have more i could probably recommend if you're unsure of these