#out of the frying pan para

[sillymoonboi]

Oxymoron: *is curled up in the corner terrified of what is going on it's clear he's dealt with this before*

Void: *gets up and gets a frying pan to knock out para but para just severely injures her*

Venus:VOID!!!

Galaxy just laying on the floor with lots of bruises and wounds they aren’t sure if she’s alive

[luna-crow]

Royal Pains: Pt 1 | Event Self Para

Neve had had many a nightmare that began with the Unseelie knights pounding on her door.

The sun had not yet fully risen in the sky, only the very beginnings of birdsong hinting at the approach of dawn when she was jolted awake by the sound of a fist pounding against the aging wood of her chamber door. It was the dark that frightened her first —the immediate realization that something was terribly wrong. After the particularly boisterous party King Oberon had thrown last night that had spilled into the early morning, the majority of the nobility had stumbled to their chambers two hours ago.

Whomever stood beyond her chamber door hesitated for a moment, allowing Neve to believe perhaps she had dreamt the whole thing before the second knock sounded. A terror gripped her unlike anything she had experienced in the year she had spent as Luna Crow, the adrenaline coursing through her body making it feel as though she were already wide awake. Was this it? Had her time finally come? And in Roheim of all places? It would be her luck to finally be caught in the very place that housed the most notorious dungeons in Midsummer.

"Lady Luna?" The voice that came from behind the door was gruff, but not necessarily unkind. But, Neve knew better than to let her guard down. She blinked away a tear that threatened to spill down her cheek, trying to think over the deafening pounding in her ears. She allowed herself a few calming breaths before squaring her shoulders and tipping her chin upward. The timid, terrified girl fell away to reveal someone haughty and proud -- annoyed even. Neve slid her feet into a pair of green slippers, checked her glamour and signature scowl in the mirror and threw a teal jacquard dressing gown over her chemise before bringing a trembling hand to the doorknob.

"Do you know what time it is?!" Luna's haughty voice came from Neve's mouth with a practiced ease as she flung open her door. She aimed a look of disgust at the uncomfortable looking group of five knights gathered outside her door. “I shouldn’t have to tell you that this is highly improper." Neve was pleased to some of the guards flinch at her tone, and could not help but wonder what they had endured at the hands of the real Luna to appear so unsettled by a woman half their size. The guard in front, a freckled faerie with hair the color and fineness of goose down, handed her a rolled scroll tied with a bottle green ribbon and a few mumbled apologies. Neve snatched it from his grasp and unfurled it with an irritated flourish. She read it silently, feeling self conscious of how long it took her to sound out each word. But, when she finally understood, her eyebrows shot upward.

Out of the frying pan, into the fire.

It seemed she would not die tonight, nor be dragged down to the dungeons. But, something nearly as terrifying lay ahead. King Oberon had commanded his most skilled spellcasters to The Wildlands, including the cousin he knew so well to be one of the magically gifted. But, Neve had not been able to do much magic past her glamoured face in months. She was eroding underneath this mask. Beneath the layer of magic her face was growing gaunt and angular, with dark circles settled under her eyes. Her figure, no matter how much rich food she devoured, was becoming bird-like and full of new angles in a way even her times of genuine starvation had not brought on. She was even beginning to move with a new stiffness. Despite how she tried to push the knowledge to the back of her mind, deep down she knew this magic was killing her. And she knew it wouldn't take long for others at this mysterous camp to notice something wrong when the famed Luna Crow could barely levitate a feather.

Neve accessed the space around her as though some exit would miraculously appear or a someone would come to ferry her away. But, when no miracle appeared. She, merely nodded and held up a single finger instructing the men to wait, before closing the door and beginning to access what she needed for the journey. When all her necessities had been thrown into her rucksack she hesitated, a single hand hovering over the drawer of her vanity. Neve stood in a moral quandary for a few seconds before opening the drawer and hastily tucking a small jeweled ring within the pocket of her traveling cloak. She could feel the dark magic of the ring the minute it touched her fingers, just as she had the night she had so desperately acquired it at the Night Market months before. She took one last look around her, wondering she would ever see Luna’s Roheim chambers again, before allowing the guards to escort her through the halls of the waking castle.

[mrsstefadamsfoster]

Out of the Frying Pan || Stef and Lena

Stef carefully changed back into her wrinkled blouse and slacks and hung the borrowed uniform up in her locker. She couldn’t really keep hiding these extra shifts from Lena for much longer, but she kept telling herself it would just be another week, and her wife would be grateful for the bonus in her paycheck. She checked her phone and saw a text from Lena asking where she was. Dammit. She’d said she would try to get home for dinner tonight, hadn’t she? Well, it was too late now. It was nearly 9:00. She knew when she got home, she’d be in trouble. 

[nitewrighter]

Hiya mun, sorry to ask for one, but could you please write a short ficlet of either any of the ow cast or your ow fankids spending time with their pets, if they have any?

I need to write more Spiderbyte Parent Content. And of course I should write more Smol Marti content.

Also Camille Saint-Saen’s “Aquarium” lives in my mind rent free.

-----

It was the sixth night in two weeks that Marti’s gasping had woken them up. Widowmaker had learned to tune her ears to Marti, and despite how quiet she was in daylight hours, Widowmaker had become aware of the small girl’s shuffling around the house. She felt Marti’s large, deep brown eyes on her, peeking out from around walls and doorways. Marti talked to Sombra in Spanish, but had shrunken back when McCree tried to speak to her, clutching close to Sombra’s legs. At six years old, the top of Marti’s head came up to about Sombra’s hip, but Widowmaker had to listen for her so she didn’t trip over her. Marti had spent the first week in their apartment curled up on a blow-up mattress in Sombra’s study--a space that was more or less rendered walk-in-closet size by Sombra’s multiple monitors and servers---while Symmetra and Torbjorn took out a wall of their apartment to expand into a new room for her. She slept in the pink glow of Sombra’s monitors as she worked, to the faint tapping of keyboards and clicking of a mouse and the warbling of screens projected by Sombra’s own augmentations. Widowmaker wanted to tell Marti how much she understood her, how much she understood the instinct to make yourself smaller, how much comfort lied simply in being in Sombra’s presence as she delved her digital rabbit holes.... but Marti was still wary with her, still distant. It was Sombra who had found Marti that bloody night. Sombra who held her hand and walked her to safety. Sombra who held her on the dropship ride back to Gibraltar, stroking her fingers over Marti’s black hair. Sombra who spoke gentle comforting words to her that she, as a crisis orphan, never got the chance to hear herself. Sombra the guardian. Sombra the godmother.

Widowmaker and Sombra had painted Marti’s room together, a pale orchid pink (Sombra had managed to get Marti to pick out the color swatch) and they had sat on the floor together, puzzling over the parts of a twin-sized captain’s bed and a small desk. Once furniture was all assembled and the scent of drying paint faded enough, Marti moved in, hesitantly, skeptically brushing her hand over the quilted magenta Official Meka bunny-printed comforter and pillowcase that D.Va had donated. Sombra tried to decorate the room with little mementos of Dorado--One wall had a short banner of purple papel picado etched out with floral, star, and sun designs, as well as one in the center of the banner that had Marti’s own name, ‘MARTINA’ in ornate letters hanging over Marti’s bed. The opposite wall had a mulberry-colored macrame wall hanging that Sombra had gotten in a Dorado marketplace. There was a small framed photo of Marti and Soledad on the bookshelf headboard of Marti’s bed. Overall, the room was a cozier, more toned-down adaptation of the hot-pink glitter-addled ‘princess’ rooms that Sombra and Widowmaker never had in their own childhoods--Sombra by virtue of being crammed into an orphanage, and Widowmaker by virtue of her own parents’ brutally avant-garde tastes. Finally, Marti sat on the bed, looking up between Sombra and Widowmaker.

“...Is it okay?” Sombra had asked.

Marti gave a short polite nod and Sombra smiled. Marti gently nudged Sombra’s arm, prompting Sombra to bend down so Marti could whisper in her ear. After a beat Sombra huffed, smiled, brushed a thumb over Marti’s cheek and said, “Para esto estamos,” softly before drawing herself back up to her height. “She said thank you,” Sombra said to Widowmaker.

“I gathered,” Widowmaker said, but felt the distance in the politeness.

And now Marti was waking them up again with her gasps--high pitched sounds with how small she was, creaking with sobs that were suppressed by hyperventilation. Pretty and brittle like thin tree branches whipping in an autumn wind. 

Sombra broke out from Widowmaker’s arms, stumbling, clumsy with sleepiness, and quickly paced into Marti’s room. Widowmaker propped up some pillows in their bed and sat up, resting her bare forearms on her sheet-covered knees as she waited. In the other room, Sombra was talking low and quick in Spanish to Marti, and Widowmaker made out the sound of Sombra demonstratively breathing slow and deep, trying to get Marti to sync her own breaths to her. Those high pitched breaths slowed. Widowmaker pressed her fingertips into the skin of her arm, her lean dancer’s muscles not yielding against her own grip. I should be in there, she thought, I should be helping her. One more person who lost everything to Talon. One more person who lost everything to a fight that had nothing to do with her. But I’m a stranger.

----

“...there has to be more we can do,” Widowmaker said the next morning as she gently eased a fried egg onto a slice of fresh baked baguette smeared with avocado.

“She’s got her first vid conference with that doctor that Ziegler looked up for us next Wednesday,” said Sombra, flicking through a few pink screens at the table, sipping her coffee,  “I checked her out. It’s solid.”

“Mm,” Widowmaker set a plate in front of Sombra.

“And I think we know better than anybody, stuff like this isn’t cut and dry,”  said Sombra, biting into the toast and pulling away quickly to avoid getting egg yolk on her chin as she , “She’s going to be dealing with this for a long time.”

Widowmaker was silent, easing her own fried egg onto her own avocado-smeared baguette slice. She listened to the slight warbles of Sombra’s screens as she cracked pepper over the sunny yellow yolk, then brought her chin up with some resolve. “So we make new memories,” she said.

“Mm?” Sombra glanced up from her screens.

“For me, it was looking up Gérard’s photos, it was... rebuilding, but for her... she’s stuck in a strange place with this--this fear bouncing around in her and so little experience in the world. So we make new memories. We let her see that, even though this thing happened to her, that this world is... is... bright. And... and good.” The words felt a little alien in Widowmaker’s throat and her shoulders were bunched up as she set the plate aside. Widowmaker had spent so long in such a dark place that all the defenses and instincts she had built up in that darkness were completely discombobulated by her own desire to let Marti know safety and happiness. She felt Sombra’s eyes on her, bright and studying.

“So... a day out?” said Sombra, opening up another screen.

A shuffling of bare feet on linoleum came from down the hall and both Sombra and Widowmaker glanced up as Marti entered the kitchen and clambered up into a chair that was just a little too big for her, but she was a little too big for a booster seat.

“How do you like your eggs?” said Widowmaker looking over her shoulder at Marti, “Um...” she gave an uncertain glance at Sombra and then pivoted, pointing at the frying pan with her spatula. “Huevos?”

“Fritos?” Sombra said to Marti, gesturing with her thumb at Widowmaker before pointing at her own plate.

Marti nodded.

“Same thing for her,” said Sombra, looking at Widowmaker.

Widowmaker quickly sliced off another bit of baguette, smeared some avocado over it, and cracked salt, pepper and little squeeze of lemon juice over the avocado, then quickly fried the egg to golden yolk and lacy-browned-edges perfection. Sombra was talking to Marti in Spanish as Widowmaker worked but Widowmaker only made out about 75% of it. Something about Sombra’s computers and... Luz nocturna... night light?

Marti gave a furious, stiff-lipped shake of her head and craned over to whisper something with an unusual amount of forcefulness into Sombra’s ear. Sombra’s shoulders slumped and she said something conceding in Spanish. Sombra gave a “welp” glance over to Widowmaker and Widowmaker understood immediately. Marti didn’t get her hyperventilating nightmares back when she was sleeping in the glow of Sombra’s computers in the study, but she had refused Sombra’s suggestion of a night light. It was all Widowmaker could do to bring Marti’s plate over and take a seat at the table with her own breakfast.

Marti bit into her avocado toast sullenly, not making eye contact with either of them, though her eyes widened as she chewed and she dug into her food with a reassuring eagerness. Widowmaker smiled a little. I’m good at that, at least, she thought, then cleared her throat awkwardly. “I... was thinking... we could all have a day out. Do something fun.”

Marti looked up from her plate, then over at Sombra. Sombra half-translated and Marti seemed thoughtful.

“We could...” Widowmaker gave a flailing, ‘help me’ glance over at Sombra, “We could...um...”

Sombra quickly flicked a pink screen into existence and rapidly scrolled down. “Go to the aquarium!” she blurted out.

“Yes,” Widowmaker latched onto that, “The aquarium.”

“Aquarium?” Marti repeated the word, the latin roots providing a stumbling middle ground for her.

“It’s... educational!” Sombra eked out the words hesitantly and gave a glance to Widowmaker. She smiled at Marti, “I think you should be able to see there’s more to Gibraltar than the watchpoint.”

Marti gave a bewildered glance between them. At that point there was a strange rapport that arced between the three of them, sharp and swift like lightning, all of them fumbling in the dark trying to figure out what it was that families did. Happy families. They had to do things, didn’t they? And aquariums existed, didn’t they? Sombra was looking at her screens. There were children in the promotional pictures--this was a thing kids did, right? Marti gave a hesitant nod and Sombra gave a grin to Widowmaker.

----

“Gibraltar’s artificial reef started as an initiative in 1973, sinking ships in the mediterranean sea to give wildlife structures to colonize and breed in,” a primly dressed tour guide was standing in front of a massive tank that featured fake pier beams and what appeared to be the ragged front half of a fishing boat covered in coral, barnacles, and seaweed. Some skates and fish lazily drifted about the tank, and a few finicky crabs were crawling around the wreck and the rocks. “Overwatch’s ‘Ecowatch’ division’s efforts to mitigate the environmental impacts of the Omnic Crisis, as well as new sunken wreckage from the conflict itself, resulted in an unprecedented explosion of biodiverse marine life!”

Marti was swaying a little where she held Sombra’s hand, not really listening to a tour guide whose words she only understood a little bit. Widowmaker gave an uncertain glance to her own bluish nailbeds. She had gotten a lot of color back in her recovery, but she was still wary, for both hers and Sombra’s sake. Getting here had been easy enough, just Sombra ‘borrowing’ the Watchpoint’s crappy old truck (pretty much anyone who might object was off on a mission), and a short drive from there, and of course Sombra had hacked them tickets, but now Widowmaker became acutely aware of just how strange the situation was now that Marti was in their lives. In any other situation, civilian life would be a mask--her presence here would be merely idling time away before or after a mission, but now she was coming to terms with the fact that people were here and this was their lives, this was their normal lives, and now, though her own life was still far from normal, this was her life too. She and Sombra were both dressed to blend in, of course, Sombra parting her hair and wearing a sleeveless turtleneck to cover up her neural implants, and Widowmaker wearing large coral-framed glasses to distract from the yellowness of her own eyes. Marti stood out more than either of them in a magenta and white sundress and chunky black velcro sandals. Widowmaker smiled a little. The looseness of the sundress and the thickness of the sandals’ straps against her feet seemed to emphasize Marti’s small size, and Marti had doggedly wrangled her thick, wavy black hair into two uneven pigtails that swayed about her bare brown shoulders every time she turned her head. It lent a certain wildness to her appearance that Widowmaker couldn’t help but admire. At the core of all that timidity was a furious, stubborn survival instinct, and it simultaneously filled Widowmaker’s heart with love and compassion, and broke it, for all her desire to have Marti look to her like she looked to Sombra.

But Marti wasn’t looking at either of them, now, those big brown doe eyes were nearly black with blue-white highlights by the light of the aquarium tanks as she stared into a tank of moon jellies, transfixed by the drifting, alien forms. Widowmaker wondered if she was reading too far into Marti’s apparent fascination with the cnidarians’ utter indifference to each other. Marti was still hesitant to interact with the other kids on the watchpoint, which was fair, considering her shakily growing grasp on English and the fact that she was two years older than Rei and four years older than the twins. They were able to watch holo-programs together, at least, but actually playing was a bit awkward. But then Widowmaker’s train of thought was interrupted as Marti lead Sombra along again and Widowmaker trailed along with them. Marti’s silence seemed at home here, the conversations of the crowd only a low murmur and most people resigned to just stare at the fish in the different tanks as they drifted by. Marti made an audible gasping noise as they entered the tropical fish section, yanking Sombra along to point at the more brightly colored fish. 

“...I like this,” Sombra said, as Marti squatted in front of a tank where several leafy sea dragons wove through a mass of seaweed and seagrass, “It’s so easy to forget sometimes, you know? That there’s a world outside the fight.”

“That there’s a world outside that ‘eye?’” Widowmaker glanced over at her and Sombra quickly tensed and looked around, scanning the crowd.

“Sorry--” Widowmaker started.

“No--it’s fine...” Sombra shook her head a little, her eyes fixing on Marti, “Now I have one more person it can target... as if there weren’t enough monsters in the dark already.”

The word ‘dark’ caught Widowmaker. “What you were saying to her earlier... she doesn’t want a night light?”

“She said they’re for babies,” Sombra huffed, putting her hands on her hips, “But if her own stubbornness is just going to keep her hyperventilating like that...”

“It’s awfully dark in here, non?” Widowmaker mused.

“Well, yeah, ‘flash photography bothers the fish’ and all, but most of the light comes from the tanks anyway---” Sombra started and then caught herself and then looked at Widowmaker, “...what web are you spinning now?” she said, a smile pulling at her lips, but Widowmaker just smiled in turn.

The afternoon trailed on in that strange suspension of time one only gets in aquariums, the tension between wanting to see everything, yet being able to stare into the blue forever and the minutes slipping by like so many bluefin tuna. Marti served as the major marker of how much time was passing, going from brisk little jogs, to a more steady pace matching Widow and Sombra’s, to tiredly trailing a couple of steps behind them. . They rested on a bench against the acrylic glass walls of the aquarium’s shark tunnel, watching as rays and a massive angelshark drifted overhead, the ribbons of water-refracted light shimmering across the floor. Marti first leaned against the glass, staring up between Sombra and widowmaker,  then slowly, ever so slowly, thick lashes drooped over her eyes and her head nodded down slightly. The glass of the tunnel squeaked under the bare skin of her shoulders as she drifted to the side, her cheek smooshing against Widowmaker’s shoulder as her weight slumped against her.

Widowmaker froze at the contact, glanced down at Marti with wide eyes, then her eyes flicked over to Sombra, whose face scrunched up with a stifled giggle. Widowmaker just gently brushed a stray strand of hair from Marti’s face. It wouldn’t be cut and dry--it wasn’t for her, and it wouldn’t be for Marti... but she could be here. She and Sombra would both be here.

-----

“So...? What do you think?” said Sombra as Marti’s eyes flicked between different fish tanks at the pet store. A few days had passed since the aquarium.

“Are you sure?” Marti looked over her shoulder at both Sombra and Widow, her words were halting, her accent thick in her consonants, but she was getting more confident, she wasn’t grabbing Sombra to whisper in her ear as often.

“It’s a big responsibility, but we can all help,” said Widowmaker, bending down to Marti’s level, “We’ll read all the books, and work together to make sure it’s very happy with us.”

Marti pressed her lips together tight and gave a short little nod with a very serious, “Hm!” and Widowmaker smiled at her determination. 

“So... which one?” said Sombra, as Marti turned back towards the fish tanks.

Marti surveyed each of the tanks very seriously, her brow furrowed. Several minutes of dead silence passed before Marti pointed to one nearly-black betta with purple-blue undertones and said, “I like this one.”

Both Widowmaker and Sombra stooped down next to Marty to look into the tank. The betta flared its fins at all three of their faces looking through the glass and Widowmaker softly snorted through her nostrils. 

“Why this one?” said Sombra.

“He’s pretty, and um--a little scary,” said Marti.

“Scary?” said Widowmaker.

“He’s a guard fish,” Marti said very firmly.

“Oh, a guard fish, of course,” said Widowmaker.

-----

Another two weeks had passed when Sombra stirred in Widowmaker’s arms in the middle of the night and she slipped out of bed.

“Sombra?” Widowmaker sat up in bed.

“I’ll just be right back,” Sombra whispered.

Curious, Widowmaker slid out of bed after her and trailed behind her down the hall. Sombra was at the frame of Marti’s door, peering in. Marti’s breaths were steady and barely audible amid the sound of a fish tank filter. Sometimes they could hear Marti talking to the fish, which she named Nochito, 

Nochito stood stark against the bright green plants in his tank on Marti’s desk. The faint blue-green glow of the fish tank itself made the pink of the room look more purple in the night. 

“...I keep waking up thinking she might...” Sombra trailed off and Widowmaker gently draped an arm around her shoulder.

“We’ll be here if it happens,” said Widowmaker, gently kissing Sombra on the corner of her jaw. 

“Yeah...” Sombra said, putting her hand over Widowmaker’s, “Yeah, we will, won’t we?”

They watched Marti sleep for another few minutes, her black hair splashed across her pillow in dark whorls. Sombra’s eyes flicked back to the faint light of the fish tank.

“Gotta say, guard fish is way cooler than night light,” said Sombra with a wry grin at Widowmaker. 

“It suits her,” Widowmaker said with a gentle smile.

“She’s a fighter, too,” said Sombra.

[cncofantasias]

This Isn’t Beyoncé We Aren’t All Flawless- Imagine

Imagine: You’re scared of your cooking skills and although you and Richard have been together for more than a year you never cooked for him until one day when he comes home early and you’re making yourself dinner. So all of your fears and anxieties about him trying your food pop up.

Author’s Note: I just wanna say I loveee hot cheeto Richard he looks soo fine 😍😍😍

——————————————————-————————

Since you and Richard had been together you’d always avoided cooking for him because although you felt you cooked okay. Your cooking skills were good enough to feed yourself because you didn’t complain about the way you cooked. Although Richard would never purposely make you feel bad about your cooking you were scared that he wouldn’t like what you cooked and think less of you.

But today for some reason you’d really wanted a chicken parmesan and since Richard was out of town you decided to go to the grocery store and pick up everything you needed. You and Richard at this point, had been together for at least a year and sometimes he would casually joke about when you’d cook a dinner for him.

“Mamita we’ve been together for a year at this point, estás esperando para algo especial so you can finally cook me dinner?”

“Solo estoy esperando que te mueras de hambre and then I’ll consider cooking you a dinner.”

He loudly laughed realizing that was the reason he loved you. You weren’t afraid to say the unpredictable.

“In that case I guess I’ll just be having to cook for the both of us.”

“That would be correct sir, pero por favor cook faster. Unas veces pienso que estás atrás matando la vaca,” teasingly you smiled at him and in response he laughed so hard his stomach hurt. With you two it’d always been light teasing and jokes, but never anything to seriously hurt the others feelings.

You cooked him breakfast and sometimes a light lunch meanwhile Richard would constantly cook a romantic full course meal.

He’d say, “Solo porque te amo tanto. I want to show you my love in the little ways I can amor.”

It made you feel special, loved but in the back of your mind; you felt guilty for the negative thoughts you had associated with cooking and food in terms of him. When he cooked for you, you knew it was with genuine love but at the same time you doubted how he would feel for you if he knew that you weren’t some fire Latina chief like every other Latina that supported him.

You pushed all of those thoughts to the back of your mind as you placed the chicken in the pan hearing the sizzling oil pop up. You’d already gotten a side salad ready for when the pasta was ready and the ziti was ready, but you’d just began frying the chicken. As you concentrated on the sizzling chicken in front of you, the front door opened. It wasn’t until you felt someone wrap their arms around your waist that you realized you weren’t alone anymore.

You jumped slightly ready to hit the person behind you with your thongs.

“Mami cálmate it’s just me; tu alma, tu rey, tu príncipe,” Richard said kissing your neck.

“Ay Richard you scared me I though I was gonna be to throw this pan in your face,” your heart was still beating against your chest as you turned in his arms.

“We would’ve spent our first night since I’ve been away in the ER,” you both chuckled knowing that full well that’s what would’ve happened if he hadn’t said anything.

“Que haces aquí? I thought you weren’t getting back until tomorrow night.”

“I finished everything early and I really wanted to see you. Good thing I decided to come early it looks like you’re cooking para tu rey verdad.”

Suddenly you grew nervous realizing that you’d have to serve him the food you cooked. You couldn’t deny to feed him right?

“Umm yeah something like that..”

He looked at you with a weird look, he sensed something was off and for a second the thought crossed in his mind that you’d been cooking for some else but just as quickly as it came, it went. He knew what you two had was real and that either of would betray the other like that.

“Siéntate and I’ll serve you a plate,” you practically whispered to him and if you two hadn’t been so close he almost would’ve missed what you said.

For another 10 minutes you finished cooking all the chicken and once you’d finished preparing the plates for both you, you walked everything to the table.

“Do you want something to drink my love?”

Eager to escape his face when he first tried your cooking. Eager to get him something to drink in case he choked from the dryness of the chicken or the saltiness.

“It’s okay baby, sit down I’ll grab it.”

As soon as he walked away you quickly cut off a piece of chicken and scoffed it down. You were anxious to make sure that you hadn’t overcooked it or undercooked it or somehow over seasoned or for some other reason had messed up the whole dish.

As Richard came back to the table with the drinks ready, your mouth filled with saliva in a way that you could feel yourself want to start crying. He wouldn’t like it, it wasn’t good enough. When you tried it you didn’t think it was bad, but he wouldn’t like it and now he knew that you weren’t some gourmet Latina chief like all the other girls that chased after him. He’d surely leave you because what why would he want a girl that couldn’t keep up with his needs? Right?

You felt ashamed at the same time, ashamed on so many different levels because you didn’t want to feel this way. You wanted to be secure in yourself but also secure in your relationship and at this moment you weren’t secure in either.

As he began cutting into your dish all the anxieties filled you and before you could stop yourself—

“No no, don’t eat it! No te va gustar. You weren’t supposed to come home early and I don’t want you to eat this ya se que no va gustar,” you’d practically snatched the fork from his mouth and the plate in front of him. He sat there shocked trying to understand what had just happened as you walked away into the kitchen with your cheeks filled with tears.

“Mamita what’s wrong? Que paso?”

You couldn’t look him in the eyes so you just sat in front of the sink with both your dishes thrown in and your eyes welling with more tears. You just shook your head unable to come up with the right words to explain your grief.

As you and Richard’s relationship progressed, it was safe to say that he had seen all the parts of you that you didn’t want anyone to know. You’d always held this persona of confidence, but as you had gotten to know him he shredded all those walls you built up to protect anyone from knowing about your fears, your anxieties. Essentially your story. You as well had seen farther into Richard’s person and his fears as well but it was hard on both your parts to naturally open up about those things because: 1) you both didn’t know how to and 2) you didn’t want to be perceived as weak.

Little did you both know that no matter what the other said, there was nothing that you’d be able to say that could change the amount of love and admiration you held for each other.

“Mamita I’m sorry, did I do something?”

You shook your head before finally speaking up in a small voice, “I just, I’ve never cooked for you for a reason.”

He furrowed his eyebrows confused that he had somehow done something wrong to stop you from opening up that part of yourself with him.

“I don’t understand bebe. Is it me?”

“No it’s me and my stupid insecurity.” You finally turned to him and with the tears still in your eyes you explained it all to him. All your fears and the insecurity that haunted you of not being enough.

As soon as you were done he embraced you tightly and as you both pulled away he gently wiped your tears.

“There nothing you could that would make me think less of you, in my eyes you’re perfect princesa. I don’t love you because I want you to be the woman who cooks for me or constantly cleans after me. I see you as my equal mamita.”

A small smile spread across your face and your heart lifted as if there’d been a weight holding it down.

“Ahora, let me try your food, me estoy muriendo para tratar lo delicioso que es.”

You slowly nodded and with a knife you cut a small piece of chicken. You stabbed it with a fork and fed it to him still a little nervous.

His eyes lit up and he tasted it, “mamita that’s soo good, me encanta tanto.”

You sighed in relief and he pulled you in to another hug kissing your forehead. You both sat at the table one more time scarfing down your food and for the rest of the night you guys stayed up declaring your love for the other. Both with words and actions.

[journeysintowebcomics]

Worm Liveblog #122

UPDATE 122: Kill the Endbringers

Last time Dinah had been taken to a hospital, and there was a very good chance Skitter would get everyone in trouble by letting her desires and ‘I know what’s good for you’ attitude cloud her judgment. Thankfully, she realized that before it was too late! Now what? Let’s find out.

Well looks like Dinah is convinced she won’t be accepted back into her home. Wow, the chapter has barely started and things are looking pretty rough already. Reminder Dinah is young. This kind of thoughts must hurt, wow. Skitter, trying to smooth things over, promises she will be received with arms wide open. Welcome home, Dinah!

“They will want you.  Just wait,” I said.  “They’ll welcome you with open arms, and there won’t even be a hint of fear.”

Oh dear. Don’t make promises that are out of your control, Skitter. Seriously, if this doesn’t go like she is saying it will...that’s going to scar Dinah so badly, and completely break her trust on Skitter. This is not good at all. I hope Dinah’s fears aren’t rooted in reality, I really do.

She even is worried because she looks pretty bad, consequences of Coil’s mistreatment and also the drugs. She thinks it’ll remind her family she has powers and freaks people out with predictions. Hmmmm...with some luck seeing her so...um, emaciated may invoke feelings of pity, perhaps some guilt if they’re aware Dinah feels so out of place. I almost would suggest she takes a look at the odds she will be welcomed back, but...but I fear they may not be favorable. Oh, geez...ignorance is bliss?

I’m not even human anymore.”

“You’re definitely human, Dinah.”

“Then why do they call us parahumans?  Doesn’t the ‘para’ part mean half?  Paraplegic, only half your body works.  Parahuman, half human.”

Hmm...is that really what ‘para’ means? I mean, paranormal sure doesn’t mean it’s half normal, it’s way above that. Paragliding is...um, it sure isn’t half gliding. Parasite doesn’t mean half a site, it’s all about adding an intruder into a body. The conclusion I’m getting is that ‘para’ is not really a reliable prefix. Thank you for coming to my linguistic discussion, was it too noticeable I have no idea what I’m talking about?

The next paragraph is Skitter making the point I was making, that ‘para’ doesn’t really mean ‘half’. She even brings up the word ‘paranormal’, like I did! Aaah, same wavelength! And she finishes her argument by saying her parents can’t judge her for stuff she didn’t choose. To that Iiii will have to disagree. They certainly could. They shouldn’t, but they could. Nothing to do but hope they don’t. I wonder if perhaps Skitter will get to talk to them before they see Dinah? I’m not entirely sure it’d be a good idea or not, but...perhaps she should consider that. Maybe.

The reason why Skitter is so aware of things like prefixes and semantics is because her mom used to be an English teacher. She has continued paying attention to that sort of things as a way to remember her. Honestly that’s pretty sweet of her. It’s...it must be nice to have something to remember your deceased loved ones by, like that. I’m glad. Speaking of family! She also mentions how she has a father, and how he is, well, not someone she has seen for a while because she puts him in danger.

As expected, the effects of Dinah’s withdrawal happen pretty quickly. Dinah is already heaving, with Skitter holding her hair. Damn, I hope she’ll be okay – but she says she won’t, the painkillers didn’t help at all. Afterwards, she says once again there’s no way her parents will accept her. You know, from how many times she’s saying it, I’m starting to fear she’s right. I want to think they will, but...with how much she has repeated it...I fear she’ll do something that’ll force the futures where they don’t accept her.

“And even if they do take me, it’ll be weird, because they can’t ignore my power now.  They pretended I didn’t have one.  Pretended I was an ordinary kid.  Pretended the headaches didn’t mean anything, like they pretended the heart disease wasn’t a thing.”

“Heart disease?  You?”

Dinah shook her head.  “Not me.”

She didn’t elaborate.  Related to her trigger event?

Oh. There’s that too. It’s going to be impossible to pretend things are fine and back to normal when Dinah was kidnapped because of her powers. I mean, measures will have to be taken so something like that doesn’t happen again, right? That’s got to include some sort of tinker technology, or guards, or something. Also, they’re a former mayor’s family. That could be used as a cover story of sorts for any noticeable security measures.

Reassuring Dinah this is the drug withdrawal talking, Skitter gets a comb and tries to make her look more presentable, so at least the parents don’t have a first sight of a young, haggard girl in the middle of the throes of withdrawal. Golly, I get shivers just from thinking about how Dinah will look. She’s feverish, she’s sweating like crazy...this won’t be pretty at all, obviously. But surely Dinah’s parents would look past all that and take her back, right? At least because seeing her like that will make them worry. Right?

...right?

Dinah asks Skitter to go knock on the door and bring her parents out. It’s time to face the music, let’s see how this particular subplot ends. Crossing fingers for a positive result! Skitter goes to the entrance and rings the bell, it doesn’t work. Instead she knocks on the door and lets a pair of flies go inside, she finds Dinah’s parents. The father takes a frying pan and gets ready, in case it’s an attack.

...

Skitter still has her costume on, doesn’t she? Cripes, what a thing to find when you open the door. No wonder the father closed the door right away! Damn! Still, I’d like to think that, if villains were to attack a residence, they wouldn’t be politely knocking on the door. Not that this fact is going to make the dad lower his guard, is it.

Of course, their first reaction is to think Skitter is trying to extort them – a reasonable thought, given she’s a villain and the first thing she says is that she has their daughter! Well, she said she brought Dinah, but still. Skitter hurries to make things clear, and doesn’t mince any words. Better that way, probably. Better for them to be aware of what Dinah is going through, than seeing her sorry state and then fall into more despair. I mean, the blow will be hard, but it’s...easier when you’re aware of what’s coming, no?

...

Gosh, that must be a nightmare for any parent.

“She has abilities, then?” the dad asked.

Oh. They didn’t know? If they didn’t, then that really adds to Dinah’s fears, then. Would they accept her, even though she has a power? Honestly, I had interpreted it all as the parents trying hard to pretend she didn’t, but...there’s really no point to feign ignorance here. Even if Skitter is a villain, she already has Dinah in her clutches.

Even though Dinah is still afraid, she accepts Skitter’s help and steps out of the car, being brought towards her family. Contrary to what Dinah was predicting – and much to my relief – her parents don’t hesitate to approach. The mother immediately hugs her, the father comes behind just a second later, which I’m sure was more out of caution towards Skitter than because of anything from Dinah. There we go! A family reunited, and there doesn’t seem to be even a bit of trouble brewing. Times will be hard for them, given Dinah’s withdrawal, but I’m sure they’ll be fine. I hope.

The father even thanks Skitter! Which she tries not to acknowledge. The guilt of having been indirectly responsible for the kidnapping in the first place, you see. There’s also something else, something that’s somewhat selfish, but perfectly understandable, in my opinion:

I wasn’t sure I felt good about that.  I’d gotten this far by making the most out of every resource I had available, and by being smart about things.  This was throwing away a resource, tying my own hands.  The decision felt dumb, even as I knew it was the right thing to do.

I know, right? It’d have been so tempting to try to convince Dinah to stay and give advice about how to fight the end of the world. Dinah herself saw that in the cards, so to say. If Dinah hadn’t said it, I think Skitter would have kept her, justifying that with how it was to prevent the end of the world. She’d have promised herself that she’d return Dinah once the end of the world was averted, even if that took two years, no? I don’t know what the rest of the Undersiders would have said, but I doubt they’d have tried to return Dinah to the family. All in all, Skitter has done the right thing, even though it may feel dumb right now.

With nothing else to do there, Skitter asks the driver to get going. She also finds two pieces of paper, probably left by Dinah. I hope they’re not meant to be private, because Skitter will have to ask someone else to read those for her. Perhaps they’re little predictions about odds? Possibly about the end of the world?

Scene cut!

Heeeere’s the team! The team and also Ballistic, who isn’t part of the Undersiders, but personally I’m not discarding he may join in some manner. The situation kind of demands it. Parian is also here.

I turned to Parian.  “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Tattletale got in touch.  I… I apparently missed a lot.”

“You’re up for this?”

“No.  But I want to know what’s going on, in case it affects my territory.”

Oh dear! I’m pretty sure it involves the entirety of Brockton Bay. Welcome to the Noelle situation, Parian, we’re very screwed right now. There’s only one hour and forty minutes until dawn, and then it’s showtime. Probably.

There’s been one sighting of Noelle. What’s she doing, I really have to wonder. Is she just wandering around aimlessly? Either way, Parian makes a wiener dog for everyone to ride, which is simply hilarious. Here comes the cavalry, riding a wiener dog! Hah! Awesome.

“This is so lame,” Imp said.  “How are you supposed to build a decent rep if you’re caught riding a wiener dog?”

Aw, come on, Imp, it’s great! Don’t be like that.

There’s some nice banter that ends in Imp having to settle for the plush wiener dog, while Skitter rides on Bentley with Heckpuppy. Along the way, Tattletale asks if everyone is okay with she taking charge, and they all ask Ballistic for an assessment of how dangerous Noelle is. Give the deets, pal!

“It’s why I’m here.  Consider Noelle a triple threat,” he said.  “She’s strong, she’s got nothing to hold her back, now, and she’s smart.”

She’s a natural tactician, he says. I’m going to have to doubt that a little, not because I doubt Noelle isn’t smart, or able to come up with plans. I’m doubting it because, well, she was in a gaming team. That’s completely different to something like this. Skills usable there may not transfer to other things. Still, it’d be bad to underestimate Noelle. It has been said a lot about how she’s very dangerous, I’m sure she’ll be a genuine threat.

Whooops, Ballistic is sitting out of the fight. So is Parian, but that one isn’t really terribly surprising, Parian has nothing to do with any of this beyond protecting her territory. The reason why Ballistic is sitting out is because he’s sure Noelle will use him against them somehow. That’s...a reasonable concern, really. It can happen.

...is Skitter seriously underestimating Noelle right now? Come on, you can’t be serious. Ballistic says the reason why Noelle was fooled with all the lies she was told was because she trusted Trickster blindly. Even though he got her into this situation in the first place, technically? I guess that, although she blamed him, she saw him as the only one who could help her. He being the only one visiting her must also be a factor, I’m sure.

“He became team leader more because he’s fast at thinking on his feet than because he’s good at making the right call.  He took it on himself to make a whole lot of wrong calls.  I let a lot of that slide because he used to be a friend.  And maybe because they weren’t blatantly wrong.  Just a little wrong, a little disagreeable.  But at some point every call was a disagreeable call and every word out of his mouth became a white lie.  He started lying to us for what he saw as our own good.  Not Noelle with her delicate state, but us.”

I read earlier Noelle was good at being intuitive and making moves because she read the situation well. This paragraph here makes it sound like they named Francis the team leader because he was the closest they got in terms of skill.

Speaking of Trickster! He may make things much worse, or he may be of help, depending on if he’ll help them or not. Personally I think he won’t help. Tattletale just said his focus would always be on Noelle and himself. No way he’s going to do a thing if it’ll hurt Noelle, even if it’s to save Brockton Bay. What does he care, if this isn’t even his world?

There’s some briefing about what Noelle can do, I don’t really see anything we don’t already know. What’s important to remark here, at least the way Ballistic says it, is that they have to get this all done before Noelle makes clones. Parian tries to say those clones are people, Ballistic quite reasonably says they’re not. And yeah, they’re not. The way those Cody clones were acting...yeah, I doubt they could be considered people. Oh boy, there’ll totally be some clones going on, right? I bet some if not all of the Undersiders will have to face clones of themselves.

As a general rule I still don’t like clones, but...honestly, the way Worm is doing it, it seems like it could be interesting to read! Neato!

The regeneration will be somewhat troublesome, especially since it’ll make it much harder to kill her. Skitter right away says she doesn’t want to do that unless there’s no other choice. Hum.

Ballistic turned my way, and he had a funny tone in his voice as he asked, “How do you think you’re going to handle this?”

“Containment,” I said.  “If I get enough spiders together, I could try to surround her in web.”

Hum. You know, I’m not sure containing her will be a terribly good idea. She has gotten stronger; the kind of long-term containment she’d need would have to be carefully planned in order to work. She can’t just be shunted into the Birdcage, after all! And anything can happen in the time it takes to finish a vault or something to contain her. It’s way too dangerous, way too risky. I’m not sure it’s worth it. I hate to admit it, but...maybe lethal force has to be considered? Because Noelle is pretty close to being too dangerous to not subdue lethally anytime soon.

I mean, personally I think it’s not impossible the characters will figure a way to defeat Noelle without killing her, but...given the situation...I admit lethal force is more and more like a necessity here. Oh well! Skitter has been really resourceful in the past, it’s not really impossible she’ll figure something out!

Still, Tattletale accuses Ballistic of having no consideration towards Noelle because he’s suggesting to kill her, and needless to say, Ballistic didn’t like that at all. Geez, Tattletale. That could have been handled waaaay more tactfully. I can’t blame Ballistic for deciding to leave right away, he doesn’t even wait for the sausage dog to stop moving before he gets off. Welp! There gooooo all the chances of Ballistic joining the Undersiders. No way it’s happening now, or at least it’s much less likely.

Then again...maybe I’m being too callous about Noelle? I just think she is a huge danger, given everything that’s been shown. It’s always possible I’m just taking it waaaay too callously. After all, it’s way easier to make these calls when they’re fictional characters in a story.

In what’s another possibly bad move, they try to convince Parian to fight. She refuses, asking what she can do to protect her territory. She’s not interested in dealing with Noelle.

“I really don’t think we have a choice.  You fought Leviathan,” I said.

Parian shook her head, “I almost wish I didn’t.  I only did it because I promised myself when I was a kid, when I first learned about the Endbringers, that I would fight them if I ever got powers.  That’s why I did it, because I didn’t want to betray the kid version of myself.”

“Wouldn’t your child-self want you to do this?”  I asked.

“I don’t know.  But I didn’t make any promises to myself about this.”

Honestly I can’t blame her for not wanting to get involved in that. Leviathan is an Endbringer who threatens to destroy so much of the world. Its name makes everyone tremble in fear. Noelle is...well, for now, she is more of a domestic affair for the Undersiders. I don’t discard the possibility Parian will have to fight at some point, but right now? I think it’s fair she doesn’t join the fight.

Not really any time to discuss it further, because they encounter the heroes. They’re right over there. Hi! Guys, there’s a pseudoEndbringer about to destroy the city! It’s another day in Brockton Bay – and I’m so making that the slogan for Worm: It’s Another Day in Brockton Bay.

Miss Militia is here, and her immediate reaction is to aim at them with a rifle. How welcoming. There’s some wreckage here, and Miss Militia wants to know if the Undersiders had anything to do with it. Skitter very truthfully replies they were indirectly responsible, which...is that really the best thing to be saying?

...maybe, because it’d be coming out at some point, anyway.

Miss Militia’s reasoning is that there are reports that fit with what the Undersiders have done in the past, and a hero has been kidnapped. Huh. Noelle is already making her move, it seems! How screwed are we?

“Vista,” I finished Miss Militia’s thought.  “You’re talking about Vista.”

Huh. That so? That’s one versatile combatant out of the fight, indeed. I remember Skitter had mentioned earlier that they should ask the heroes’ help so they could bring containment foam and also have Vista use her powers to help. That’s going to throw a wrench into Skitter’s hopes for containment. Right now, though, the priority is explaining to the heroes they didn’t do this...directly, and that Noelle is a huge threat. That shouldn’t be hard to convince, right? I hope, at least. Time to take a look!

...or not. It’s an interlude. Well, I guess that was a time for a cliffhanger, but it certainly wasn’t what I wanted to read, I admit. I wanted more of the current situation. I hope this interlude will be worthwhile, because...yeah, I wish I could skip it to continue with the story. But hey, let’s tackle it. Onwards!

Kevin Norton, hm...the name doesn’t sound familiar. Then again, it’s likely it has been a while since I read it, so it’s not impossible I just don’t remember him. Hell, it’s possible a Norton was already shown and this is a relative. Who could this man be? He has a dog, too.

“I’ve saved millions of lives.  Billions.”

Another hand signal bidding another small woof of agreement.

He’s making some hefty claims, too. I won’t be surprised if he’s telling the truth, though. A lot can happen in Worm. Who knows, maybe he singlehandedly prevented a widespread tragedy, by foreseeing it or something. Who knows.

Nobody’s paying Kevin Norton any heed. Some parts of his clothing are pretty much falling apart. Kevin talks to the dog he’s with, saying he’s not getting much money and calling himself ‘the most powerful man in the world’ when asking for money. There’s not really much success here, so instead he decides to give the vital backstory info for the reader’s benefit. Just who are you, Mr. Kevin Norton?

Seems like he was in this area ages ago, and so much has changed since then. Kevin reminisces, remembering people who treated him well, and hopes they’re okay. Meanwhile, he gets some comfort for himself by saying he has a lot of responsibilities and he hasn’t shirked them – in fact, he makes it sound like the mere thought of having left them aside is the worst thing that could ever happen.

Also, he’s very alone. Nobody to support him, it seems. As if the world wants to make things a little worse for him, it starts raining.

Seems to me Kevin has regrets. There sure is a lot of talk about courage and cowardice here. Perhaps it’s related to he being the most powerful man in the world, according to himself? Maybe if he had been a little braver, he wouldn’t be in that position – like being the most powerful man in the world ruined his life. It’s one of those ironic things so popular in fiction, no? I wonder what’d be Mr. Wildbow’s take on it.

A woman gives Kevin ten pounds. So this is England, most likely. Quite a distance from Brockton Bay. Kevin braces himself for the judgmental scolding people who give him a lot of money usually give, and the woman doesn’t do anything like that. Instead, she makes conversation, praising the dog and asking why it’s called Duke. Kevin brings up once again he’s the most powerful man in the world. Boy, he’s fixated on that.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Hm?” he perked up, withdrawing his hand.

“You had a look on your face.”

“Just wondering when the last time I had contact with another person was.  Might have been a few years ago.  Pastor gave me a hug as I left his shelter.”

“That sounds so lonely, Kevin.  Years without human contact?”

“Not so lonely.  I’ve got one friend,” he said, scratching Duke’s head.

Lisette nodded.

“But you shouldn’t forget.  The little stuff.  Even a handshake?  That’s something special.  Meaningful.  Value it, even if you get it every day.”

A lonely existence with many, many years without contact. Meaningful contact that wasn’t, say, the brush of fingertips when giving money. Makes me wonder what kind of life Kevin used to have before. So much melancholy in his tone, that’s for sure.

Kevin asks the woman – Lisette, is her name – to walk with him while he talks about himself. While the woman comes with him after some hesitation, she keeps her distance because hey, no harm in being cautious. Kevin starts talking. The beginning of his problems happened when he got into a relationship with a woman who in the end wasn’t really the right one for him, but he doesn’t blame her for his trouble. In the end, Kevin realized he’s gay. Still, that wasn’t the cause for the destruction of his relationship, anyway. It turned abusive in pretty much all ways possible, and Kevin left after a while. Since then he’s been living on the streets.

The place he has taken Lisette to is where he slept first. A bit of nostalgia there – I guess...we all look to our beginnings, huh.

Lisette is asked to hold Duke’s leash for a moment while Kevin got to the water’s edge, splashing some on his face. The situation takes a turn for the unexpected when suddenly there’s a golden man floating there. Huh. Parahuman, no doubt. Duke seems a bit...hm, ears flat against the head is a sign of apprehension, right? And Lisette is speechless.

You know, unless something changed very drastically in Worm and I don’t recall/didn’t notice, there’s only one golden guy floating around untouched by debris and dirt. Is this Scion? Did Scion just...appear out of nowhere to hang out here?

“Hello old friend,” Kevin said.

The only answer was the pouring rain.  The golden man didn’t speak.

“Wondered if I would see you here,” Kevin continued.  “Been a long time.  I’d nearly convinced myself I’d imagined you.  That old dog over there, he wasn’t even born when I left, and he’s on his last legs now.  Twelve years old.”

Apparently he did, and it’s not the first time. Kevin had met him before, in this same place. Probably after leaving that abusive woman. Kevin nonchalantly returns to Lisette, and reveals Scion wasn’t ever that guy’s name. An alias, really, like all parahumans have.

This here is the reason why Kevin is the most powerful man in the world. Oh, please give more details! I’m actually intrigued by that. What’s up?

So, looks like I was right in that he met Scion shortly after he fled, encountering him and finding out Scion is sad – even if golden man’s face never changes, he’s sad in the inside, and has always been. Kevin hadn’t liked that and went to shout at him for being more miserable than Kevin was back then. Since Kevin wasn’t instantly vaporized with a laser beam back then, I guess Scion didn’t take offense to that.

In a fit of frustration, Kevin shouted at Scion why doesn’t he go and help someone. Why doesn’t he do something useful with his powers like save people or something. I guess he didn’t use to do that before, hm. And so, since then, Scion has been the hero everyone knows...because that’s all Scion has, it seems. He’s empty, according to Kevin. Saving people is...pretty much all he has. So that’s why Kevin says he has saved billions – he gave Scion the push to go be a hero, and therefore countless lives have been saved. Good thing it was Kevin who found him, then. If Scion was as easily influenced as Kevin is making it sound, then someone coming and telling him ‘hey, go commit crimes’ could have happened too, and things would be so much different right now. Maybe there’s an alternate universe fanfic with such a premise, it could be interesting to write and/or read.

According to Kevin, Scion understands, he just...doesn’t say a thing or react much or even does anything. He marches to the beat of his own drum, except when Kevin gets his hands in the way and makes him stop the beat for a second.

“It’s almost like he’s autistic,” Lisette said.

“How’s that?”  Kevin asked.

“Too connected,” Lisette said.  “Too much in the way of stimuli, drowning everything out.”

“Enhanced hearing, hearing the whole city at once?”

“Maybe.  Or maybe he senses things we don’t,” she said.  “The most powerful person in the world, and looking at him now, he’s like a child.”

Huh. Interesting thought. I wonder if that’s what’s going on. Sensing too much at once, and willfully having to cut the connections to things – or perhaps even unconsciously as some sort of protection mechanism for his psyche. Could be, no? If so, it’s a bit of a miracle Kevin got through to him at all. Hmmm...lucky, that was.

“Why?  Why avoid him?”

Kevin didn’t take his eyes off the golden man.  “He scares me.  He chose me to listen to, of all people.  I’m the most powerful person in the world, just because of that.  Because I can tell the strongest, most capable man in the world what to do.”

Hmmmm...yeah, that sounds like it can be kind of unnerving. Scion is...a mystery. His origins are unknown, all that’s known is his actions, and those are thanks to Kevin. Kevin’s nudging is what has built Scion, pretty much.

At this point I just have to wonder if maybe there’s something up with Kevin and he doesn’t know it. I mean...there’s always the possibility Kevin is being deceitful in some way, but...I don’t know, something about him seems kind of sincere. I don’t think he’s hiding something. Why is Scion listening to him, of all people? There has to be a reason, no?

Still, that’s...such a scary thought. Because since Scion doesn’t even give any indication what he��s thinking, or how he’s interpreting things, if Kevin says a wrong word some bad stuff could happen, and I think Kevin is well aware of that. Honestly, anyone would be terrified. I know I would.

It seems Scion returned every once in a while just to listen to Kevin talk. Kevin just...tended to oblige, not really minding it much, until one night Kevin said something. Something that somehow got a reaction from Scion, and given how it was established he doesn’t bother reacting to anything, that’s very significant. Kevin doesn’t say what it is, but later Scion said it and the entire world latched onto it. That scared Kevin to no end. Okay, what was it? No way this intermission won’t say it! With all that’s been said about it, Mr. Wildbow just has to, no? I want to know!

“What did you say, if the word wasn’t Scion?” Lisette asked.

Ah, I see. So, I don’t really remember the details about Scion’s one and only word, but I faintly recall it was, well, ‘Scion’, and that’s why they’re calling him that. It seems Kevin said something and Scion latched onto it, but it actually was a word similar to that one.

Shenanigans ensue when it’s revealed it was actually Xion, because Kevin is a huge Kingdom Hearts fan and wanted to share some theories he had been building.

Okay, no, hah! Just joking. That’s just what came to mind when trying to think of something similar to ‘Scion’. I got nothing, I admit. Can’t think of a word.

“Only realized later.  Was talking about home, religion and family.  Talking about a memory from my childhood.  Don’t even remember it that well, now.  But the word he paid attention to was Zion.”

“That’s Hebrew, isn’t it?”

I went to search ‘Zion’ in Google, of course. The first result is Zion, a reggaeton singer, but unless Scion here is about to bust out some urban rhythm, that can’t be it. The next result sounds more like it:

Zion (Hebrew: צִיּוֹן‎ Ṣîyōn, LXX Σιών, also variously transliterated Sion, Tzion, Tsion, Tsiyyon) is a placename in the Hebrew Bible used as a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole (see Names of Jerusalem).

That’s from Wikipedia, of course. So, as I see it, maybe it can be a hint about an origin. Nothing indicates Scion popped up into existence twenty years ago or whenever Scion first appeared floating in the air, maybe he has existed for way longer than that and heard that word before. Could be a hint about origins? Hm...

The other possibility is that it’s not so much something related to him, instead it’s something he’s familiar with. Or maybe he’s searching for it. I don’t know. Something’s up with that word, that’s all that’s plainly obvious. Doesn’t seem Kevin here has any ideas, either.

The reason why Kevin came here was to talk to Scion, and make a request. Seems that Kevin once told Scion to go fight the Endbringers, but he fears he wasn’t specific enough, that maybe he should have said to kill them so they couldn’t hurt anyone anymore. That because of that, Scion just...wasn’t bothering to try all he could to kill them, and that because of his bad choice of words, a lot of people have died. Boy that’s terrifying. It’s pretty much what I had said earlier. Part of me almost hopes this doesn’t work, if only so Kevin doesn’t blame himself for all the death and destruction.

Kevin is close to death. He came here to get his affairs in order, which he’s doing by telling Scion that about the Endbringers, and also by telling him to come to Lisette here if he ever needs anything.

Kevin sighed.  “I’m here to get my affairs in order, and you’re most important after Duke.  I want you to keep doing what you were doing.  Help people.  Try to communicate with the good guys more.  I told you to do that before and you didn’t listen, but you should.  And if there’s a problem, if you need someone to listen to, someone to visit from time to time, look for this young lady.  Lisette.  Because she’s good people.  She’s a better person than I am.  Braver.  Has to be braver, if she’s stopping to talk to a homeless motherfucker like me, following him someplace.”

Wow. That’s got to be pretty awful for Lisette. Here, Lisette, you deal with the superpowered guy who doesn’t even give any indication he wants to listen to you. Honestly, it’s a bit of a curse, given how much grief that brought Kevin, and how Lisette, who is privy to why exactly it made Kevin so antsy, will have to undergo it too. It sucks for her, honestly. Goodness gracious.

I’m not sure if Scion will come to her or not, but...what’s done is done, no? Guess she...well...will have to deal with it, if he does come. I know it’s not like Kevin could have asked her permission because really, who’d say yes? But still, wow, that’s rough for Lisette.

Of course, Lisette seems kind of panicked about this. With good reason!

Kevin didn’t turn around or stop walking as he raised his voice to respond over the sound of the pouring rain.  “Good deal, isn’t it?  Ten pounds to become the most powerful person in the world.”

Methinks she may be regretting giving those ten pounds, honestly. That’s pretty rough.

That’s where the interlude ends. I see the tags here, where the character names usually are written, only has ‘Scion’. I guess that means Lisette won’t appear anymore, which is...understandable, honestly. What are the odds she goes to hang out in Brockton Bay for no reason at all? As I see it, it’s possible she’ll appear in a future interlude, but that’s it. I hope she’ll be okay, even if she was given this burden to deal with.

So, the intermission was...it was interesting. Somehow, although half of the time I’m annoyed by intermissions, Mr. Wildbow always manages to deliver. I can’t remember an interlude I ended dissatisfied with. I guess next time the story continues! But for now, this update is over.

[thatesqcrush]

À Votre Goût (To Your Liking)

Rafael x Reader. 

AN: Totally inspired by S*ared. Dedicated to the amazing @madpanda75​ who I had the good fortune of meeting. She is just the sweetest IRL!

AN2:  À Votre Goût is french for “to your liking.”

CW: NSFW. It’s smutty y’all. Language too. 

Tag list: @obsessionprofessional @ottosuricato @madpanda75 @glimmerglittergirl @melsquared79 @dreila03 @sass-and-suspenders @tropes-and-tales @mommakat32 @garturbo @southern-magnolia @niyashell @imjustreallynosy @whyissvuruiningmylovelife @evee87 @scarletsoldierrr @kscarlett1 @redlipstickandplaid @cesarofangirl78

“The elevator is out of service ma’am,” Hugo, the doorman replied as you entered the apartment complex. You sighed, exhausted. After a stressful day at work, the last thing you wanted to do was walk up what seemed like endless flights of stairs. You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Until when?” “Should be repaired by Friday,” Hugo replied. You groaned - Friday was three days away. “Okay, thanks. Any mail?” “Mr. Barba is already home,” Hugo replied. “He took the mail.” You blinked, stunned. Rafael had told you he wouldn’t be home until late - he had to prep witnesses for an upcoming trial. You smiled at the doorman. “Thanks Hugo; have a good night.” You removed your coat, in anticipation of the sweaty climb ahead and folded it in half before tucking it over your arm. Grabbing your work bag, you made your way to the stairs and began your ascent. By the time you got halfway, you realized you chose poorly with footwear as your toes felt cramped in the the toe box. It seemed like forever but eventually you made your way to your floor. You rounded the hallway and walked past the other apartments, towards your door. As you approached your door, a burning odor hit your nostrils. Alarmed, you unlocked the door. “Rafi?” You questioned setting down your coat, and purse on the mahogany console table adjacent to the door. You took note of the bouquet of red roses on the console and read the card that accompanied it: To my dearest Y/N: For once in my life, I don’t have to try to be happy. When I’m with you, it just happens. I love you. -Rafael You smiled and felt a pang in your heart. Setting the card back down, you removed your shoes and rubbed your feet quickly before making your way further into the apartment. The smell of smoke permeated throughout. You crinkled your nose in disgust before padding your way to the kitchen where the smell of smoke was strongest. The scene before you was utter chaos. The sink was full of dirty pots and pans, the island was littered with various vegetables, some half-chopped, some still whole. The stove top was filthy, with sauce spills and water rapidly boiling. A fry pan was smoking - and your boyfriend was sitting on a stool, his hand wrapped in a dish towel, grimacing. “Oh Jesus!” you cried out, dashing over to turn off everything on the stove. You noticed the oven was on too and when you opened the oven door, a billow of hot smoke wafted out, nearly blinding you and taking off your brows. You coughed as you stood fully again, turning the oven off. You turned to face Rafael, “Rafael what is going on? Are you okay?” “Do I look okay?” Rafael gritted. You took in the sight of the handsome prosecutor, noting he had better days. He was still in his suit pants and dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up. He had donned an apron, that read “Kiss the Cook,” to which you let out a small giggle. Rafael looked at you with an eyebrow cocked, his face annoyed. You say next to him and took his wrapped hand into yours and gently unwrapped. You hissed at the wound: a gash graced Rafael’s open palm. It had stopped bleeding but it very clearly needed to be stitched. You stood and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “I’ll be right back,” you replied and left the kitchen. Rafael watched as you walked away and then surveyed the destruction in front of him. He had wanted to surprise you with a homemade romantic dinner but he was a known klutz - something he was endlessly ribbed for. He tripped down the stairs of the courthouse constantly - so much so he kept a spare walking boot in his office; more often than not, he dropped his phone on his face more times than not while checking his phone in bed. Rafael was not trusted in the kitchen - many times he burned himself with a hot pan or cut a finger - like the time he tried to grab something from the food processor but forgot to remove the blade first. Unless you were around, Rafael stayed away from the kitchen and just DoorDashed meals.  Knowing his track record was against him, Rafael took a knife skills course at Le Cordon Bleu one weekend while you were away visiting family. He learned to how properly hold a knife (it should be an extension of your arm). He learned to dice, chop, batonnet, brunoise, julienne, chiffonade and then some. He purchased the best Japanese knives on the market, excited to show off his newly acquired skills.  The menu was set: seared bay scallops with a lemon butter and sage sauce and brown butter steak with kohlrabi salad. Rafael took the day off and spent the day at Grand Central Market buying the best steaks and freshest scallops they had to offer. Rafael heard the disappointment in your voice that afternoon when he said he was working late. Rafael made one last stop on his way home after shopping all morning - he stopped at the local florist and bought a bouquet of red roses. Rafael’s plan was to wine and dine you, and ask you a very important question. He had been meaning to ask you for weeks, carrying around the custom ring he had made. An emerald cut sapphire ring, flanked with two diamonds. The sapphire came from his abuelita’s ring that she had left him when she had passed - “para cuando te cases,” the note that accompanied the ring read. And now, Rafael knew his plans were shot to shit. The knife slipped out of his hands and he instinctively grabbed for it, slicing his hand in process. Rafael spent so much time trying to stop the bleeding, he forgot about dinner and everything began to burn and boil over. All he wanted was for the pain to stop and drink some scotch. Rafael heard you get on the phone - he tried to hear who you were talking to but couldn’t make it out. Finally you came back with a first aid kit and as if you had read his mind, a glass of scotch. “Who was that you were talking to?” he asked curiously, before taking a sip of his drink. “Just Lauren. She’s dropping something off later for me.” Rafael nodded. “Mmmmm.” You pulled up a chair and sat in front of him. Rafael watched as you carefully began to tend to his injury. He hissed and jerked his hand back as you dabbed his cut with hydrogen peroxide. “Rafael,” you warned. “Stay still.” Rafael grunted and you crinkled your nose at him as you continued. You blew on the wound and then placed a zip stitch on his hand followed by a protective dressing. “All better,” you announced, collecting the trash and standing. Rafael sighed. “Thank you cariño.” He swallowed his drink whole. He got up and moved to start cleaning up, when you stopped him. “Look, I can see you were trying to do... something. You’re hurt. Go pour yourself another drink and let me clean up. I’ll be much faster than you. Go change and I’ll be out to join you in a minute,” you replied. Rafael began to protest but you shook your head. You pressed your hands onto his chest, and closed the gap between both of you. “Amor, vete. Siéntate en la sala. Por favor.” Rafael sighed, defeated and exited to the living room. He made himself a new drink and turned on the record player to play some Grover Washington, Jr. The room soon filled with the tunes of the saxophonist. Meanwhile, you wiped down the counters and tossed all the burned and ruined food in the trash. You loaded the dishes and pots into the dishwasher and set it to wash.  There was a knock on the door. You heard Rafael answer and then the door shut once more. You met Rafael in the living room where he was sitting on the couch. “Lauren dropped off a bag for you. She said you owe her big time especially since you made her walk up all of the stairs.” You took the bag from the couch. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Be right back.” Rafael watched as you disappeared with the bag. He sat on the couch, arms outstretched with his eyes closed, his head resting against the couch cushion. “Ahem,” you interrupted. Rafael opened his eyes and his eyes widened, his jaw went slack. “Do you like it?” you asked as you twirled. “Lauren let me borrow it.” You were dressed as a sexy doctor: white thigh highs, a white doctor’s coat that was obscenely short and a stethoscope. “Call me Doctor Y/L/N,” you continued, not letting Rafael answer. “And I am here to take care of you.” You sat on Rafael’s lap, your legs on the outside of his thighs. Rafael moved his hands to your hips and he hissed as he moved his wounded hand. You gently moved his hand to the side, and pressed your lips to his. Rafael returned the kiss, his tongue tracing the outline of your lips, seeking permission to deepen the kiss. You opened your mouth to allow him in and your tongues dueled one another’s. You sighed into the kiss and melted into his embrace. *** You gripped the headboard as Rafael’s tongue lapped between your folds. Rafael devoured your cunt as if he were a starving man with his first meal in ages. You whined as his tongue swirled over your labia and clitoris. Your thighs quivered as he kept at you, alternating his licks with sucks and thrusts. You rocked against Rafael’s face, meeting his tongue thrusts. “Don’t stop, please, don’t stop,” you moaned. Rafael used his good hand to slip a finger inside of your warm sheath while he pulled off to take a breather.  Rafael turned his face side to side, alternating kisses and love bites on your thighs. “God damn, you taste fucking delicious.” You could hear the wet sounds his saliva and your arousal made while he finger fucked you. Your could feel that your thighs were sticky and messy. It made you even more aroused. You kept one hand on the headboard to keep steady and used the other one to cup your breast and pinch your nipple. “I’m going to cum,” you warned. Rafael slipped his fingers out, causing you to whine again. “Gorgeous, that’s the plan,” he growled and pulled you back down against his mouth. He continued lapping your slit and rubbed his nose against your clit. “Right there, right there!” You gasped as you began to unravel all over Rafael’s face. You swore you saw stars as you came, Rafael’s name escaping your lips. Rafael continued to fuck you with his mouth as you rode out your orgasm. As you came down to reality, he blew on your clit, causing you to hiss and jerk. You climbed off Rafael’s face and sunk down his body. He kissed you hard and you could taste yourself on his tongue. Rafael gave your ass a smack. You rubbed your wet cunt against his cock, which was painfully hard. “From behind,” Rafael requested and you nodded. “Okay.” You positioned yourself on all fours. Rafael took his cock in his good hand and smacked his cock against your ass. You thrusted your hips back, seeking fulfillment. Rafael reached over to the nightstand and grabbed some lube. Slathering his cock, he then rubbed it against your entrance before thrusting inside of you. You both simultaneously moaned as he filled you completely. Rafael’s thrusted slowly in and out of you so that you could adjust. “Oh fuck,” he groaned. “Fuck me papi, fuck me hard,” you begged. Rafael began to piston in and out of you, fucking you fast and furiously, as you requested. He gripped your hips tightly, ignoring the throb from his injured hand. “You like that? Is that hard enough for you baby?” Rafael grunted as he pistoned into you, the sound of skin slapping as he surged forward. You nodded and Rafael wrapped a hand into your hair and pulled you up, so that you back was against his chest, while he continued fucking you. “What was that amor? I couldn’t hear you.” “Yes Rafael, oh God, yes,” you babbled. Rafael let go of your hair and you dropped nearly completely onto the bed, your ass stuck up in the air. “Now that’s a sight to see,” Rafael groaned. The bed creaked and the headboard banged against the wall under your amorous activities. You reached down and began to rub your clit haphazardly. Rafael’s thrusts became erratic and you knew he was close. Your walls began to flutter, and you chanted Rafael’s name as if it were a prayer. “That’s it gorgeous, cream on that cock,” Rafael encouraged. “Cover that cock with your cum.” You wailed as your orgasm peaked and cascaded over you. Rafael chased his own release and it came quickly. His own hips stiffened and he held you in place as he spilled his seed inside of you. Rafael slowly slipped out of you and you could feel his seed drip out of you and onto your thighs. “Fuck that’s hot,” Rafael groaned, rubbing his sweat slicked face. You smirked and flopped onto your back, and pulled Rafael down onto the bed. You both were a tangle of limbs. You snuggled into his embrace, and listened to his heartbeat as his chest rose and fell. You traced your fingers along his chest hair, down to his stomach and back up, tracing imaginary patterns. Rafael pressed a kiss onto your head, snuggling you tighter. “So since dinner was a bust, want to get Indian or Chinese?” you asked with a small yawn. “I’m starved.” “Chinese works,” Rafael replied. “But first, before we order, I wanted to tell you something.” “What’s up guapo?” You asked turning over, so that you were on your belly. I — I had planned this wonderful night for you. I was going to make you a special dinner; I had taken lessons —“ “You took lessons?” You asked in disbelief. “Yes. I’ll get back to that - clearly tonight didn’t go the way I wanted it to, though it ended better than it started,” Rafael continued. You let out a low chuckle. “I’ll say.” Rafael pressed a kiss to your forehead. “Be right back.” As Rafael got up and walked away, you admired his naked rear. Rafael returned quickly. Before returning to the bed, he slipped on his boxers. “Y/F/N, I thought it mattered what I said, or where I said it. But it doesn’t. What matters is that I am hopelessly and irrecoverably in love with you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Rafael produced a small black box and opened it. You gasped at the exquisite sparkler. “Rafael are you—“ “Will you marry me?” Rafael asked. You looked at him stunned, tears running down your cheeks. You nodded, a huge beaming smile spreading across your face. “Yes, yes I will.” Rafael took your hand and slipped the ring onto your finger. You pulled Rafael into a kiss, and he pressed himself against your body. You wrapped your legs around his hips, and you could feel his erection. “What’s that about dinner?” You teased, breaking the kiss. “Suddenly I’m not hungry anymore.” Rafael’s eyes darkened. “Oh but I am,” he growled before giving you a searing kiss and then moving down your body. FIN

[ohlalabakery]

TARTA ESPECIADA DE MELOCOTÓN DE NUEVA INGLATERRA Y BOURBON / SPICED NEW ENGLAND PEACH & BOURBON TART 

Se nos va acabando el verano y eso significa que, además del calor, también se terminan algunas frutas de temporada como el melocotón. A modo de despedida traemos hoy al blog esta deliciosa receta con melocotones, en este caso de Nueva Inglaterra, que junto al Bourbon y las especias hacen que esté de escándalo. Ah, y de paso también reivindicamos el consumo de productos locales y de temporada. 

Aquí está la receta para que os animéis. Si has hecho ya la Tarte Tatin, ésta será entonces un paseo. ¡A disfrutar!

Ingredientes:

75 g de mantequilla sin sal

100 g de azúcar fina

5-6 melocotones

1-2 unidades de anís estrellado

1 cucharada de bourbon 

Mezcla de especias: canela, jengibre, nuez moscada, clavo (al gusto)

1 placa de hojaldre

Preparación:

Precalienta el horno a 190C / 375F.2. 

En una sartén antiadherente apta para horno agrega el azúcar y deja que se disuelva a fuego medio. Recuerda no remover. Solo mueve la sartén hasta que se disuelva y se dore.

Mientras se cocina el caramelo, corta a la mitad los melocotones.

Una vez que el caramelo esté listo, echa los trozos de mantequilla, las especias y el anís estrellado y cuando el caramelo esté espumoso agrega el bourbon y cocina durante 2-3 minutos. Coloca las mitades de melocotón en el fondo de la sartén en círculos concéntricos y cocina 9-10 minutos a fuego lento.

Mientras se cocinan los melocotones, extiende el hojaldre de aproximadamente 1 cm de grosor y usa un plato o bol al revés para cortar un círculo del mismo tamaño que la parte superior de la sartén.

Con cuidado cubre la sartén con el hojaldre y mete los bordes. Pincha con un cuchillo o tenedor afilado y hornea durante 25-30 minutos o hasta que el hojaldre esté dorado.

Saca la sartén del horno y déjala enfriar 5 minutos. Coloca un plato encima y dale la vuelta con cuidado en el plato.

Ingredients:

75 g unsalted butter

100 g caster sugar

5-6 peaches

1-2-star anise

1 tablespoon Bourbon

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mixed spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove) (to taste)

1 puff pastry sheet

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 190C/375F

Take a non-stick oven proof frying pan, add the sugar and let dissolve over a medium heat. Remember not to stir. Just shake the pan until dissolved and golden brown.

While the caramel is cooking, cut the peaches in half.

Once the caramel is ready, add the butter chunks, spices, and star anise. When the caramel is foaming add the Bourbon and cook for 2-3 minutes. Arrange the peaches halves in the bottom of the pan in concentric circles and cook for 9-10 minutes on low heat.

While the peaches are cooking roll out the puff pastry about 1 cm thick and use an upside-down plate or bowl to cut out a circle about the same size as the top of your pan.

Carefully top with the puff pastry and tuck the edges in. Prick with a small sharp knife or fork and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top of the pastry and very carefully invert the tart onto the plate.

[anabragaphotography]

PANQUECAS SEM GLÚTEN DE RICOTTA COM BANANA E NOZES

GLUTEN FREE RICOTTA PANCAKES WITH BANANAS AND WALNUTS

Para 25 panquecas

Ingredientes

1/4 chv. farinha de arroz

2 clh.sp farinha quinoa ou trigo sarraceno

2 clh.sp fécula de batata

2 clh.sp amido de tapioca

2 clh.ch fermento em pó

1 clh.ch psyllium husk

300g ricotta

3/4 chv. leite vegetal

3 ovos, separados

60g açúcar demerara

1 clh.ch extrato baunilha

ricotta extra

bananas

nozes picadas

flocos de coco

xarope de ácer ou mel

Num recipiente misture as farinhas com o fermento e o psyllium. Reserve.

Com a ajuda da batedeira, bata as claras em castelo e reserve.

Noutro recipiente bata as gemas com o açúcar, a baunilha, a ricotta e o leite até obter uma mistura cremosa. Junte de seguida a mistura das farinhas e envolva. Por fim, junte as claras em castelo mexendo cuidadosamente e deixe repousar a massa durante alguns minutos.

Para fazer as panquecas, unte uma frigideira anti-aderente com manteiga ou óleo de coco e deixe aquecer em lume brando. Assim que estiver quente adicione uma colher de sopa de massa, espalhando para formar circulos com cerca de 12 cm.

Deixe fritar cerca de 1 minuto de cada lado ou até que se comecem a formar pequenas bolhas na superfícia. Repita o processo até terminar a massa.

Sirva com a restante ricotta, rodelas de banana, nozes, lascas de coco e um fio de xarope de ácer.

English version

Serves 25

Ingredients

1/4 cup rice flour

2 tbsp quinoa flour or buckwheat

2 tbsp potato starch

2 tbsp tapioca starch

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp psyllium husk

300g ricotta

3/4 cup vegetable milk

3 eggs, separated

60g demerara sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

extra ricotta

bananas

chopped nuts

coconut flakes

maple syrup or honey

In a container mix the flours with baking powder and psyllium husk. Reserve.

With the help of a electric stand mixer, beat the egg whites and set aside.

In another container, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, vanilla, ricotta and milk until just smooth. Then add the flour and stir until smooth. Finally, add the egg whites, stirring carefully. Let the batter stand for a few minutes and let’s begin.

To make the pancakes, grease a non-stick pan with butter or coconut oil and let it heat over a low heat. Once it is hot add a tablespoon of batter at a time, spreading it out to form circles about 12 cm.

Allow the pancake to fry for about 1 minute on each side or until small bubbles begin to form on the surface. Repeat the process until the dough is finished.

Serve with the remaining ricotta, banana slices, nuts, coconut flakes and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Recipe adapted from: huffingtonepost

[heartofdaydreams]

some random facts about your Paras?

Whoa you actually sent something? Thanks!

Used my prandom para chooser to pick 5 because I couldn't and I have too many to do them all: Arthur, Elizabeta, Deku, Tadashi, Will

Arthur - He's one of many paras that have PTSD from child abuse although nowadays he and his abuser(s) have made peace (kinda). He's also one of the many to have a DID au where he's in high school and has 4 alters (Alice, Oliver, Iggy and The Captain). He also has PTSD from some wars he's been in and the London Blitz during WW2 but it isn't as severe

Elizabeta - One of the few paras in a heterosexual relationship. She's been married to Roderich for a couple of centuries now. She always caries around a frying pan to hit people (*cough* Gilbert *cough*) with when they piss her off. She kinda has two moods: perfect wife or savage hunter and she switches between them so easily

Deku - not quite a villain but trying his best. Let Deku say fuck 2k20 (he keeps trying but Shoto tackles him to keep him pure). He just wants to help people but makes himself look bad to the public to protect himself. He's heavily based off a fanfiction I read as opposed to the actual character from the source (My Villain, Deku by grimmofthequeen on fanfiction.net - bnha fans (especially tododeku shippers) I suggest you read it it's amazing)

Tadashi - Tadashi exists twice kinda. He's exists in one universe only until he's 8 when he is brutally murdered in from of his 10 year old brother (rip Shota's sanity) and in another which is an au of my main erasermic bnha paracosm where he didn't actually die and he gets taken in by vigilantes before going to find Shota again at 26. I love daydreaming those scenes because it's mostly just Tadashi showing up at Shota's door like "guess who has two hands and didn't actually die 18 years ago...this guyyyy" and Shota just standing there in complete shock for like 5 minutes

Will - let Will be a good boyfriend 2k20. Honestly he's just a soft, sunny, bisexual disaster. Best daydreams he's in is where his boyfriend (Nico) gets into some really dumb af trouble and he has to haul ass halfway across the planet to get him out and heal him while Nico complains that he has to spend another week in the infirmary (he doesn't need that long but Will likes to keep an eye on him). Y'all ever wanted someone to vent to about your mental disorder(s) that you know won't judge and will listen and will try to be as undrstanding as possible but also accept he can't understand everything? You're looking for this guy

This was long I'm sorry. I cut so much out. Like I said, I'm in an oversharing mood

[lunawings]

King of Prism SSS Part 2 (Kakeru, Joji, Minato) Theatrical Weekly Videos screenshots & translation

Like before, if you actually obtain the video of these (an extra on the DVD/BluRay) feel free to use my translation to sub it AS LONG AS you credit me and this blog!

Click for Part 1.

Translator’s notes: For Kakeru’s I translated the audio and not the text on the screen since it’s basically the same thing. But if anyone wants an exact translation of the screen let me know. Joji made me do actual research on Okayama since I couldn’t understand what he was saying. (So I actually linked to everything he talks about since I went that far anyway!) I’m afraid I may have still missed a few words from his dialogue in the end though. He just talks so fast. For Minato’s, yes that’s Masashi Igarashi doing the cooking. There is an extended version on the DVD where you can see his face as he talks to the camera. It literally looks like the filmed this in an office breakroom by the way ahah. 

Episode 4: Kakeru

[A day in the life of Exective Director Kazuo Juuouin]

Narrator: Exective Director Kazuo Juuoin’s weekdays are truly busy.

Awaken at 4:30

Check news and magazines.

Eat a hearty breakfast, review documents during transport by chauffeur, attend the morning company meeting before quickly returning to attend classes at the Kakyoin Academy senior high school division. Power lunch with business associates before returning to class again.

Receive paperwork in transport, work at the executive board room, return to Edel Rose and practice, dinner, finish leftover office work in his room.

But he never misses bathtime.

Finally, after studying in his room, sometimes he doesn’t sleep until as late as 2:00 am.

However, on the weekends Kazuo does not work for one second and instead immerses himself in his personal interests.

He sleeps in, and catches up on his anime and manga.

Enjoys beauty treatment for his skin.

Helps with shopping.

Teatime.

Entertainment.

Diligently engages in hobbies.

By the way, the contents of the “black box” in Kazuo’s room are top secret.

Episode 5: Joji

Joji’s Okayama Voice 29

Host: Joji-san, what do you think of Okayama?

Joji: There’s basically nothing here!

Host: Yeah, you’re right! It really is boring.

[Joji’s expression changes while the host is talking]

Joji: HEY! You know what. 

In Okayama you can find Momotaro all around the station! Like HERE!

AND HERE!

Host: That’s an unusually sleezy-looking Momotaro.

Joji: IT’S CUTE.

Host: I guess Okayama is just a prefecture of Momotaro and nothing else, huh.

Joji: NO.

The Bikan Historical Quarter is the best date spot.

Shimotsui octopus.

Hinase oyster.

Mamakari fish.

And don’t forget Shiro “Para” Milk! SUPER GOOD!

Host: Ah, Shiro “Para” milk is actually from Tottori prefecture.

Joji: GYAAAH! Well there’s mountains! *collapse*

[Okayama Love]

Host: It seems like somehow you really do love Okayama, don’t you?

Joji: I’m working hard in my hometown Tokyo. Everyone from Okayama, you’ll cheer me on, right?

But I was actually born in Tokyo, OK?

[That’s a lie ❤ ]

Episode 6: Minato

[Minato’s 1 Minute Cooking]

Minato: Today’s menu is the Takahashi family special! 

Cabbage and egg stir-fry!

It’s really easy to make!

After heating up the pan, add some sesame seed oil. 

Tsubasa: Be extra careful when you are around a hot stove. 

Minato: And then fry up the cabbage. 

Tsubasa: Ushio, can you handle it?

Ushio: This sort of thing is a piece of cake!

Misaki: The color of the cabbage is lookin’ good. 

Minato: When the cabbage is nice and hot, add a bit of seasoning and some egg.

Tsubasa: You just drop in the whole egg without mixing it first?  

Minato: Mixing it while it’s in the frying pan is the Minato-style!

All: Ohhhhh!

Minato: And when the egg is about half cooked, then add soy sauce as you like, turn up the heat, and mix it all together. 

Gen: It smells so good! 

Nagisa: You don’t add any other seasoning?

Minato: This draws out the flavor of the cabbage, so you don’t need anything else. Turn off the heat just before the egg is fully cooked, plate it, and you’re done!

All: YAAAAY! 

Minato: Well then...

All: LET’S EAT! 

Go to Part 3.

[glitterslither]

The Ultimate Guide To free fire recarga

The shots on the map will be shown in red and you can access the map whenever you want. Weapons can be silenced because on the map you can also find those who are shooting. Try to always be in the safe zone because if you stay out, you lose energy for every second that passes and you are out of the safe zone. An interesting thing is also the frying pan that you can get because it covers them if you are running and they shoot something from behind and they have the frying pan placed as hanging behind it can help you as a shield and cover bullets that come from the back, also the machete complies This function somehow though the pan may cover more. Disclosure Our mission is to give people ability to show only best search results and reviews. Because of that we provide you with a huge choice of results, reviews, best-tasting video games and apps, gaming news , shopping and much more. Tu recarga se envía casi do manera inmediata y el beneficiario puede disfrutar do su crédito. Recibe las últimas noticias y ofertas: Tu recarga se envía casi de manera inmediata y el beneficiario puede disfrutar do su crédito. Recibe las últimas noticias y ofertas: It is very important to get used to using the weapons that we like to know how far we can go and that it serves us. It is also necessary that they have space in the inventory to fill it with what they need so they must know well what it is that they put here. On the map you will see that there is an area delimited with a large white circle that tells you free fire recarga where you should be positioned, if you are outside it is convenient to go inside the circle that is shrinking so as not to lose energy. selva chuvosa molhada grátis - tema chuvoso do paz completo para o Natal na sua própria TV HDR 8k 4k e dispositivos do fogo tais como papel do parede e tema de mediação e paz 10 set 2016 selva chuvosa molhada grátis - tema chuvoso do paz completo para este Natal na sua própria TV HDR 8k 4k e dispositivos do fogo tais como papel de parede e tema por mediaçãeste e paz 10 set 2016 On the map you will see that there is an area delimited with a large white circle that tells you where you should be positioned, if you are outside it is convenient to go inside the circle that is shrinking so as not to lose energy. The first thing you should do if you want to start playing is create a personal account, at the time of creating the account you can fill out a form with your data and email but you also have the option of being able to create it from your already created account. Facebook or Google. It is very important to get used to using the weapons that we like to know how far we can go and that it serves us. It is also necessary that they have space in the inventory to fill it with what they need so they must know well what it is that they put here. When entering an unexplored area, I recommend that you enter with the weapon in your hand and, if possible, bend down so that the steps are not heard, because every time you run you hear the steps going, the high volume is important. in this game when they are playing comfortable so that just doesn't happen to them. It is convenient for them to carry a shotgun, a pistol, when the character is healing they will begin to touch around their hands, so that they identify that they are healing.

[kawaiimesblog]

A Arma secreta para free fire recarga

Every time you see a ceta try to catch it. There are 3 different levels in which you are collecting different things, for example in one you must collect vests, in other backpacks, chargers and helmets. The main thing is to pick up weapons on the way so that when you come across one of the opposing team you can defend yourself, You can also fight with your fist but it is very difficult to win that way, the latter is not recommended. Try to always be in the safe zone because if you stay out, you lose energy for every second that passes and you are out of the safe zone. An interesting thing is also the frying pan that you can get because it covers them if you are running and they shoot something from behind and they have the frying pan placed as hanging behind it can help you as a shield and cover bullets that come from the back, also the machete complies This function somehow though the pan may cover more. It is very important to get used to using the weapons that we like to know how far we can go and that it serves us. It is also necessary that they have space in the inventory to fill it with what they need so they must know well what it is that they put here. Tu recarga se envía casi por manera inmediata y el beneficiario puede disfrutar do su crédito. Recibe las últimas noticias y ofertas: At the beginning is to take the weapons and ammunition, you can carry up to 3 weapons or well if we count the grenades it can be 4 weapons. When you kill one of the other teams you can take away the things you have and it is better to choose the best weapons since you cannot take all of them. Please note that we are not affiliated with any game or app software developer unless specified otherwise. All the games and apps software you can find in our catalog or search results are genuine and has not been modified in any way. It is very important to get used to using the weapons that we like to know how far we can go and that it serves us. It is also necessary that they have space in the inventory to fill it with what they need so they must know well what it is that they put here. Every time you see a ceta try to catch it. There are 3 different levels in which you are collecting different things, for example in one you must collect vests, in other backpacks, chargers and helmets. It is very important to get used to using the weapons that we like to know how far we can go and that it serves us. It is also necessary that they have space in the inventory to fill it with what they need so they must know well what it is that they put here. When entering an unexplored area, I recommend that you enter with the weapon in your hand and, if possible, bend down so that the steps are not heard, because every time you run you hear the steps going, the high volume is important. in this game when they are playing comfortable so that just doesn't happen to them. Once you give Garena Free free fire recarga Fire Download, all you have to do is get to the island from a plane you jump on, land on an island, grab weapons and kill whoever you meet along the way. All the time it will show you the number of participants that are left alive in your team, you have different areas in which you will fall on the Island.

[marehullam]

O Melhor lado da free fire recarga

Porque tenemos espectaculares ofertas diarias para transferencias do tiempo aire internacionales, el empréstimo llega instantáneamente al número do destino y los pagos son procesados en un entorno seguro y confiable. Disclosure Our mission is to give people ability to show only best search results and reviews. Because of that we provide you with a huge choice of results, reviews, best-tasting video games and apps, gaming news , shopping and much more. Try to always be in the safe zone because if you stay out, you lose energy for every second that passes and you are out of the safe zone. An interesting thing is also the frying pan that you can get because it covers them if you are running and they shoot something from behind and they have the frying pan placed as hanging behind it can help you as a shield and cover bullets that come from the back, also the machete complies This function somehow though the pan may cover more. Recarregue este saldo da tua Carteira na Playstation Store por 1 jeito rápido e prático para aproveitar uma biblioteca cujo acervo aumenta a cada dia. Disclosure Our mission is to give people ability to show only best search results and reviews. Because of that we provide you with a huge choice of results, reviews, best-tasting video games and apps, gaming news , shopping and much more. Please note that we are not affiliated with any game or app software developer unless specified otherwise. All the games and apps software you can find in our catalog or search results are genuine and has not been modified in any way. On the map you will see that there is an area delimited with a large white circle that tells you where you should be positioned, if you are outside it is convenient to go inside the circle that is shrinking so as not to lose energy. When entering an unexplored area, I recommend that you enter with the weapon in your hand and, if possible, bend down so that the steps are not heard, because every time you run you hear the steps going, the high volume is important. in this game when they are playing comfortable so that just doesn't happen to them. When entering an unexplored area, I recommend that you enter with the weapon in your hand and, if possible, bend down so that the steps are not heard, because every time you run you hear the steps going, the high volume is important. in this game when they are playing comfortable so that just doesn't happen to them. It is convenient for them to carry a shotgun, a pistol, when the character is healing they will begin to touch around their hands, so that they identify that they are healing. At the beginning is to take the weapons and ammunition, you can carry up to 3 weapons or well if we count the grenades it can be 4 weapons. When you kill one of the other teams you can take away the things you have and it is better to choose the best weapons since you cannot take all of them. The shots on the map will be shown in red and you can access the map whenever you want. Weapons can be silenced because on the map you can also find those who are shooting. The shots on the map will be shown in red and you can access the map whenever you want. Weapons can be silenced because on the map you can also find those who are shooting. It is very important to free fire recarga get used to using the weapons that we like to know how far we can go and that it serves us. It is also necessary that they have space in the inventory to fill it with what they need so they must know well what it is that they put here.

[my-griss-me-blog1]

Não Conhecido detalhes sobre free fire recarga

selva chuvosa molhada grátis - tema chuvoso de paz completo de modo a o Natal na sua TV HDR 8k 4k e dispositivos de fogo tais como papel do parede e tema por mediaçãeste e paz 10 set 2016 Every time you see a ceta try to catch it. There are 3 different levels in which you are collecting different things, for example in one you must collect vests, in other backpacks, chargers and helmets. Try to always be in the safe zone because if you stay out, you lose energy for every second that passes and you are out of the safe zone. An interesting thing is also the frying pan that you can get because it covers them if you are running and they shoot something from behind and they have the frying pan placed as hanging behind it can help you as a shield and cover bullets that come from the back, also the machete complies This function somehow though the pan may cover more. Porque tenemos espectaculares ofertas diarias para transferencias de tiempo aire internacionales, el crédito llega instantáneamente al número de destino y los pagos son procesados en un entorno seguro y confiable. On the map you will see that there is an area delimited with a large white circle that tells you where you should be positioned, if you are outside it is convenient to go inside the circle that is shrinking so as not to lose energy. It depends on the backpack you have is the amount you can carry so it is important that you go taking backpacks of higher levels to be able to store more things. While they are playing they will realize what ammunition each weapon has and how to combine them. The main thing is to pick up weapons on the way so that when you come across one of the opposing team you can defend yourself, You can also fight with your fist but it is very difficult to win that way, the latter is not recommended. When entering an unexplored area, I recommend that you enter with the weapon in your hand and, if possible, bend down so that the steps are not heard, because every time you run you hear the steps going, the high volume is important. in this game when they are playing comfortable so that just doesn't happen to them. It is very important to get used to using the weapons that we like to know how far we can go and that it serves us. It is also necessary that they have space in the inventory to fill it with what they need so they must know well what it is that they put here. On free fire recarga the map you will see that there is an area delimited with a large white circle that tells you where you should be positioned, if you are outside it is convenient to go inside the circle that is shrinking so as not to lose energy. ESTES jogadores podem vir a escolher este local inicial onde irão saltar e podem pegar armas e outros suprimentos de modo a aumentar este tempo do vida na batalha. At the beginning is to take the weapons and ammunition, you can carry up to 3 weapons or well if we count the grenades it can be 4 weapons. When you kill one of the other teams you can take away the things you have and it is better to choose the best weapons since you cannot take all of them. Please note that we are not affiliated with any game or app software developer unless specified otherwise. All the games and apps software you can find in our catalog or search results are genuine and has not been modified in any way. Novos games clássicos e remasterizados chegam aos consoles e igualmente aos PCs; conheça as novidades

[jadelhp]

Tudo Sobre free fire recarga

selva chuvosa molhada grátis - tema chuvoso do paz completo de modo a o Natal na sua própria TV HDR 8k 4k e dispositivos por fogo como papel de parede e tema por mediação e paz 10 set 2016 The first thing you should do if you want to start playing is create a personal account, at the time of creating the account you can fill out a form with your data and email but you also have the option of being able to create it from your already created account. Facebook or Google. Once you give Garena Free Fire Download, all you have to do is get to the island from a plane you jump on, land on an island, grab weapons and kill whoever you meet along the way. All the time it will show you the number of participants that are left alive in your team, you have different areas in which you will fall on the Island. Every time you see a ceta try to catch it. There are 3 different levels in which you are collecting different things, for example in one you must collect vests, in other backpacks, chargers and helmets. Try to always be in the safe zone because if you stay out, you lose energy for every second that passes and you are out of the safe zone. An interesting thing is also the frying pan that you can get because it covers them if you are running and they shoot something from behind and they have the frying pan placed as hanging behind it can help you as a shield and cover bullets that come from the back, also the machete complies This function somehow though the pan may cover more. recarga free fire recargas diamantes diamante para free fire recarga por diamantes recarga jogo recarga game site oficial garena confiável cartãeste débito empréstimo It depends on the backpack you have is the amount you can carry so it is important that you go taking backpacks of higher levels to be able to store more things. While they are playing they will realize what ammunition each weapon has and how to combine them. Once you give Garena Free Fire Download, all you have to do is get to the island from a plane you jump on, land on an island, grab weapons and kill whoever you meet along the way. All the time it will show you the number of participants that are left alive in your team, you have different areas in which you will fall on the Island. selva chuvosa molhada grátis - tema chuvoso por paz free fire recarga completo para este Natal na sua própria TV HDR 8k 4k e dispositivos de fogo saiba como papel do parede e tema de mediaçãeste e paz 10 set 2016 Porque tenemos espectaculares ofertas diarias para transferencias de tiempo aire internacionales, el crédito llega instantáneamente al número de destino y los pagos son procesados en un entorno seguro y confiable. Tu recarga se envía casi por manera inmediata y el beneficiario puede disfrutar do su empréstimo. Recibe las últimas noticias y ofertas: Depending on the map you can play 50 or more players, others less. The classic map consists of 50 participants, you can play in a squad in different ways to play, it varies, you can play the race mode, you can play in pairs, there is a specific map for this, they add things to the game to do it entertaining, they were adding some weapons. Basically if you saw the movie the hunger game is like that, you have to survive everything.