#plastic storage boxes with lids

[harshimpex]

We manufacture premium-grade confectionery containers, which are widely used by companies storing cookies, chocolates, and other edible items. From candy jars to confectionery items, we manufacture the best-quality plastic jars for all confectionery products.

[buddie-buddie]

Tommy stands in the middle of Evan’s loft, hands on his hips, trying— and failing— to suppress the grin tugging at his lips as he surveys the scene before him. There’s a twelve-foot tall animatronic skeleton in the middle of the room, surrounded by black and orange storage bins stacked with military precision, each meticulously labeled. Currently, Tommy’s standing beside a box labeled INDOOR COBWEBS (WHITE)– not to be confused with INDOOR SPIDERWEBS (WHITE)–and blinking up at the gigantic skeleton in front of him.

“His name is Napoleon,” Evan had said earlier, beaming like a proud parent. “Napoleon Bone-parte.”

It was only a few minutes ago that Tommy had woken up from a post-shift nap to find Evan’s bed much emptier than it had been when he’d closed his eyes a few hours before. When he had fallen asleep, Evan had been right there beside him, curled up against Tommy’s chest, his warmth seeping into Tommy’s skin as they both drifted off, exhausted from their shifts. The steady rise and fall of Evan’s chest against his own had been the last thing Tommy remembered before sleep claimed him.

He had woken up with a quiet groan, shifting slightly as his hand reached instinctively for the empty space beside him. The emptiness beside him felt wrong. Tommy had gotten so used to waking up with Evan’s beside him, Evan's arm draped over his waist, the feel of his feet nudging against Tommy’s under the sheets. Tommy loved those moments, the quiet intimacy that lived in the heartbeats between sleep and wakefulness. 

Tommy had shifted again, blinking sleepily at the cold, empty space beside him. A small frown tugged at his lips as he glanced around Evan’s bedroom, searching for some sign of him. But the silence was deafening, his absence was palpable, and the warmth that usually lingered when Evan left the bed had long since dissipated.

His absence was quickly explained when Tommy got out of bed and glanced over the railing of the loft and found himself face to face with Napoleon, standing tall in the middle of the living room like a bony, skeletal sentinel. 

Tommy’s pretty sure it’s the closest he’s ever been to a heart attack. 

Once his heart came back online and Evan finally stopped laughing, Tommy made his way downstairs, where he was formally introduced to Napoleon. 

Napoleon, who Evan had hauled out of the storage closet on his balcony while Tommy was still sleeping, along with thirteen (yes, Tommy counted) storage bins of varying sizes, each with its own overly descriptive label on the side, written in Evan’s handwriting. 

And if those labels weren’t enough, there’s also a print out of an itemized list of the box’s contents taped to each lid. And Evan does not have a printer, which means he either used the one in Bobby’s office or paid to have it all printed at Staples, and Tommy can’t decide which he loves more.  

Evan stands in front of SKELETONS - FULL BODY ONLY, clipboard in hand, looking far too serious for someone staring into a box of plastic skeletons.

“Baby,” Tommy says, eyes flicking between Evan and the clipboard in his hand. “You sure we’re decorating for Halloween and not planning a military operation?”

The way Evan approaches Halloween— with the precision of a general preparing for battle and a checklist to match— is equal parts ridiculous and charming, and Tommy can’t help but poke fun. “Looks like you’ve got the tactical breakdown of a covert mission here.”

Evan glances up, eyebrows raised, his expression hovering between amusement and mock seriousness. “Hey, Halloween is a big deal,” he says, tapping the clipboard with a smirk that makes Tommy’s heart squeeze a little. “Besides, this is fun.”

There’s something endearing about the way Evan’s taking this so seriously, and Tommy can’t resist teasing him just a little more. “Ah, yes,” he says dryly. “Nothing says fun like a color-coded checklist.”  

Evan shoots him a sidelong look, his lips twitching upward. “I’ll have you know this checklist is the product of years of trial and error.”  

Tommy huffs a laugh, crossing his arms as he watches Evan move around the bins. “Somehow, I don’t doubt that.”  

He leans against the counter, his eyes following Evan as he moves with a kind of focused intensity that’s impossible not to admire.

Evan sets the clipboard down, opening another bin with precise care, as if the entire operation depends on getting every cobweb and plastic spider just right. “Well, if we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right. That’s the rule.”

Tommy smirks. “Your rule, you mean.”

“The only rule that matters.” Evan doesn’t look up from where he’s pulling a candle from one of the bins– with far more care than a $8 pumpkin spice candle from HomeGoods might otherwise call for. 

Tommy watches as he places it on the kitchen island, replacing the one that usually sits beside the utensil crock in the middle of the granite. Once satisfied with its placement, he picks the clipboard back up and scribbles a checkmark with a quiet swoosh of his pen. 

Tommy steps closer, the warmth of Evan’s presence drawing him in effortlessly. He glances at the clipboard over Evan’s shoulder, leaning in just enough to catch the scent of Evan’s aftershave. “Is there a section on proper cobweb placement?”  

Without missing a beat, Evan flips to the next page. “Of course there is. Indoor or outdoor?”  

“Indoor?” Tommy plays along, enjoying the rhythm they’ve fallen into, where teasing meets affection and everything just clicks.

Evan grabs a bin from the stack and pulls its lid off with a flourish, revealing enough fake cobwebs to cover Dracula’s mansion twice over. Certainly far more than his 1100-square foot loft could ever possibly need. Tommy raises an eyebrow, glancing at the bin like it might bite him. “You know, some people just throw some fake spiders in a corner and call it a day.”

“Amateurs, maybe.” Evan’s response is quick, but there’s a lightness in his voice, like he knows Tommy’s teasing but he doesn’t mind. There’s a flicker of amusement in his eyes as he starts unpacking the cobwebs with meticulous care, completely unfazed.

“You’re going to cobweb this place like it’s the set of a horror movie, aren’t you?”

“No,” Evan glances up, not missing a beat. “We’re going to cobweb this place like it’s the set of a horror movie.”

Tommy salutes. “Yes, sir.” 

His fondness for Evan only grows as he watches him unroll the cobwebs with precision, like he’s handling some delicate operation rather than Halloween decor. Every move Evan makes is thoughtful, intentional. And while Tommy’s had his fun teasing him for how fastidious he is with all of this, here’s something about it that’s so Evan. And Tommy loves it. 

There’s a lightness in the air as they move around each other, their small touches— Evan’s hand grazing Tommy’s arm as he moves past him, their shoulders knocking as they reach into the bin at the same time— it’s natural and unspoken, like they’ve been doing this forever. It’s a rhythm they’ve fallen into without even realizing it, the ease of being close, of sharing the space between them without any fuss.

Tommy reaches out without thinking, keeping the bin steady as Evan leans in to grab another tangled stretch of cobwebs, and Evan’s fingers brush against Tommy’s wrist, lingering for just a second longer than necessary. Neither of them acknowledges it, but the quiet intimacy lingers between them, woven into the banter and the easy smiles.

It’s the kind of comfort that makes everything feel lighter, like decorating for Halloween is just another excuse to be close. And maybe it is. 

But Tommy certainly isn’t complaining.

“Spooky season only comes once a year,” Evan says, still fussing with the cobwebs. “Gotta make it count.”

Tommy leans in a little closer, eyes twinkling with amusement as he surveys the growing web of decor. “Oh, I’m counting alright. Counting how many fake spiders it’s gonna take before we’re overrun.” 

Evan shoots him a playful glare, the kind that makes Tommy’s chest warm. “Just wait. You’ll appreciate it once the ambiance is perfect.”  

Tommy chuckles, stepping back to give Evan space as he arranges another set of cobwebs. He folds his arms, leaning against the counter with a soft grin.

It’s more than just amusement, seeing Evan so focused and so serious about this. It’s fondness, plain and simple, for the way Evan throws himself into things, for the way he never does anything in halves. Doesn’t matter if it’s fighting fires or figuring out who he is or hanging polyester cobwebs from the banister with a surgeon’s precision under the watchful eye of his 12-foot skeleton. Evan pours every bit of himself into it, gives it his all. 

Tommy watches him in quiet admiration, the way Evan’s brow furrows slightly as he steps back to assess the web placement, then leans forward again to make the tiniest adjustment. It’s that attention to detail, that determination to perfect even the smallest task, that makes Tommy’s heart feel a little fuller. It’s something he admires about Evan— the intensity with which he lives his life, the way he tackles everything head-on.

And it’s not just the decorations. It’s the way Evan approaches everything he does with a sense of purpose and care. It’s the kind of energy Tommy didn’t know he needed until Evan came into his life. 

There’s a comfort in it, in knowing that when Evan commits, he does it wholeheartedly. It makes Tommy’s chest swell, his heart skip, this quiet admiration settling into something deeper, something he hasn’t fully put into words yet.

“Yeah,” Tommy says quietly, his grin softening as he watches Evan step back to admire his handiwork, tilting his head as he studies the cobwebs with a critical eye. “I’m already appreciating it.”  

Evan looks over at him, catching the expression on Tommy’s face, and for a moment the teasing fades into something quieter, warmer. Evan’s lips quirk up in a small, knowing smile, and Tommy feels that familiar warmth settle into his chest, deeper and more certain than before. It’s the kind of warmth that makes the world outside seem distant, like it’s just the two of them in this space they’ve built together.

Evan steps closer, the clipboard forgotten as he reaches out to rest a hand on Tommy’s arm, fingers curling lightly around his sleeve. “You sure it’s the ambiance you’re appreciating?” he teases, but his voice is softer now, the humor laced with affection.

Tommy chuckles, his eyes never leaving Evan’s. “Maybe it’s the cobwebs,” he murmurs, stepping in until they’re just a breath apart. 

“Maybe it’s Napoleon,” Evan hums, glancing at the towering skeleton behind them.

“Or maybe,” Tommy says, his voice dropping, “it’s the guy who’s way too serious about cobweb placement.”

“Oh yeah? Who’s that?”

Tommy grins. “The same one who named his 12-foot skeleton after the Emperor of France.”

“Emperor of the French,” Evan corrects.

Tommy blinks. “Isn’t that… the same thing?”

“Not exactly,” Evan says, eyes bright, his entire face lighting up in that way it always does when he’s gearing up to share a fact. Tommy watches fondly as Evan’s hands start gesturing, his excitement spilling into every word. 

“‘Emperor of the French’ was a title Napoleon took to imply he ruled over people, not just the territory of France,” Evan continues, his voice picking up speed as he dives into the explanation. 

Tommy can’t help the smile that spreads across his face as he listens. He’s heard Evan go off on tangents like this countless times, but it never gets old. The way Evan’s whole body seems to come alive when he’s in his element, the way he talks like he’s letting Tommy in on a secret— it makes Tommy feel like the luckiest guy in the world. For more reasons than one.

“He wanted it to be known that his power came from the will of the people, rather than just the land itself. It was a deliberate political move.”

Tommy stares at him for a moment, eyebrows raised. “So… you named your Halloween skeleton after a guy who was really into branding?”

“Our skeleton now,” Evan corrects, his voice firm but playful. “And yes, yes I did.”

Tommy blinks, momentarily caught off guard. The word our hangs in the air, settling in his chest in a way that’s both silly and surprisingly meaningful. It’s just a Halloween decoration— a ridiculously oversized plastic skeleton, for crying out loud— but hearing Evan claim it as theirs sends a warmth through him that’s hard to shake.

“Mhmmm,” Tommy hums. “Let me rephrase, then: The same one who named his 12-foot skeleton after the Emperor of the French.”

“Hmm, still not sure I know who you’re talking about,” Evan teases.

“The guy who has a designated Halloween clipboard,” Tommy says, nodding towards where Evan’s orange clipboard sits on the kitchen counter. “And a color-coded checklist.”

Evan huffs a laugh, but there’s no denying the way he leans in, his hand sliding up to rest on the back of Tommy’s neck. “Well,” he says, his voice quieter now. “If it works, it works.”

And in this moment— cobwebs half-strung, decorations still scattered around them, Napoleon's LED eyes staring daggers straight through him— Tommy knows it does work. Not just the decorations, not just the ambiance, but them.

He dips his head, brushing his lips softly against Evan’s, gentle and unhurried. When Evan kisses him back, Tommy feels it— a spark of something deeper, a quiet current that hums between them, binding them in a way that words never could. It’s as if everything unspoken, everything growing beneath the surface of their teasing and banter, is laid bare. The kiss is slow, deliberate, filled with a tenderness that leaves no room for doubt. It’s not just desire thrumming between them— it’s affection, warmth, the promise of something real.

Evan leans in closer, his lips warm and soft against Tommy’s, the kind of kiss that speaks more than words ever could. It’s patient, unhurried— as if they both know there’s no need to rush this thing unfolding between them. Tommy’s heart beats a little faster, but it’s not from nerves— it’s from the quiet certainty that with every touch, every shared breath, he’s falling more and more for Evan, further and further past the point of no return. 

Evan’s hand lingers on the back of Tommy’s neck, his fingers threading gently through his hair, and his thumb brushing lightly against Tommy’s skin in a way that's equal parts grounding and electric. There’s no urgency, no rush— just the two of them, cocooned in a moment that feels like it belongs to them alone.

It's a moment he could live in forever.

It’s a kiss filled with quiet promises, the kind that tell Tommy that whatever this is, whatever they are, it’s real. It’s steady and strong, something he can trust, something that’s only just beginning but feels like it’s always been there, waiting for them to find it.

It’s real. And it’s easy. 

And, much like the giant skeleton towering over them, it’s theirs.

also on ao3

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

do you have any good suggestions for keeping humidity in an enclosure sky high (like, 80% bare minimum)? i've heard daily misting does wonders and i know some substrate helps better then others, but do you have a more specific answer?

I'm actually not the biggest fan of misting - unless you've got a very reliable misting system set up, it can be easy for misting to cause dips and spikes in humidity levels and you really want your humidity to stay consistent.

Here's how I maintain tropical humidity levels:

Picking the right enclosure is critical! You can maintain high humidity in screen-top enclosures but that'll be a lot more work for you. For small snakes or babies, plastic tubs are perfect; for adults, PVC is a good material choice.

Choose a good humidity-retaining substrate. Coconut husk is my go-to; it can get dusty when dry but you shouldn't let it get dry. It's very easy to rehydrate by simply dumping water directly into it.

Provide a large water bowl! An easy trick is to add another water bowl on the hot side of the enclosure; as it evaporates, it'll release extra moisture into the air.

Make sure your snake always has access to a humidity box! They can be easily made by cutting a hole in the lid of a food storage container big enough for your snake to fit inside and filling it with damp moss.

Once you've got your enclosure set up with humidity-retaining substrate and nice big water bowls, it's honestly just a matter of maintenance. Use a good hygrometer with a probe, and rehydrate the substrate when you top up the water. I only ever need to mist my tropical enclosures when those snakes are shedding!

[winter-leftovers]

Til The End Of Eternity || Chapter fifteen: Homecoming (15/?)

(Douxie Casperan x f!reader)

Summary: Y/n is trying to figure her life out but is going to be hard since her brother is the new trollhunter and she is plagued by dreams and feelings she doesn’t understand.

Chapter Summary: Y/n finds a new connection to her past. Jim comes back

Word count: 2200

Warnings: daddy issues!!!!! dw douxie is there!! Also my dyslexia was insane this week so maybe some mistakes?

(Episodes Season 2 Episode 4,5,6 )

Song?: You’re on your own, kid by Taylor Swift

Previous - Next

Masterlist

Y/n rubbed her eyes. She had spent the last twelve hours reading all of Blinky’s books about Camelot. Her search had started with The Pale Lady but there weren't many books about her.

She wondered what connection she had to Camelot. She remembered when Alfred let slip out that she had a connection with Merlin. But what bothered her the most was, if she was connected to the kingdom, why wasn’t any of the books helping her remember? Was the spell that strong? Maybe trollish books weren’t the ones she needed to read. Maybe she needed to go to human books.

Y/n got into her car and started driving, maybe if the traffic wasn’t bad enough she could stop by the library before work. She looked at the clock.

“Fuzz..” she whispered. She was late. She ran out the car into the store “sorry…sorry”

“Good morning” greeted the man behind the desk.

Y/n took a step back and looked around. She wasn’t at the store, she wasn’t anywhere she recognised.

“Good morning” she said back.

“Oh. I know you. You’re Y/n. Right?” The man smiled. He looked older than Barbara.

“Yes” she returned the smile. She had never been to this place before.

“Wow. You look incredible” the man laughed. He seemed honest.

“Thank you?” Y/n walked to the desk.

“I guess you’re coming to check your stuff” the man turned to the computer.

“Uh?”

“You came for your storage? Right?”

“Oh, yes. Right” She nodded.

“Okay. Follow me” the man opened a door next to the desk and started to walk along a maze of storage units

Y/n didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t sure how she got there. She was sure she had driven to the store, that she had made the right turns. She looked around. This didn’t seem like a dream. She remembers waking up, beside all her dreams seem to be set in the past and this one is clearly in the present.

“This is 555, Ambrosius, Y/n”

‘Ambrosius?’ She thought. The name brought a burn to her chest.

“Thank you” she smiled.

“You’re welcome” the man smiled back and returned to his desk.

Y/n looked down at the lock. She didn’t have a key. She didn’t even know if she really was Y/n Ambrosius. She sighed and closed her hand on the lock, a small puff of red smoke appeared opening the lock. The unit was small, there wasn’t much inside: a couple boxes taped shut, a coat rack covered by a plastic bag and in the middle, there was the only thing that seemed not to be touched by the dust, a long wooden box

Y/n looked side to side and kneeled next to the box. She inspected the box, with her fingers traced the golden details. She touched the place where the lock should be and the lid lifted. Y/n looked over her shoulders and turned back to the box and opened it. A warm light blinded her. She took both her hands to shield her eyes. The light quickly died down and she was able to put her hands down and to see what was inside the box.

Inside, there was a staff that appeared to be made of dark iron detailed with red stones, with a big red gem on one end and sharp point on the other.

“Wow” she whispered.

She stretched her hand to lift it but the staff light up and lifted itself from the box.

“Oh god. Oh god Oh god” said to herself as she looked back to the door. Praying no one would see her.

The staff flew from the middle of the room to Y/n’s wrist, shrinking itself into a modest bracelet. Y/n stared at her wrist for a couple of minutes in awe. She couldn’t believe what just happened.

Y/n spent her whole day observing her wrist, the bracelet had settled comfortably on her arm but her eyes would constantly drift back to it, scared that her bracelet would turn back into a staff in the most inconvenient time.

She played with her new accessory as she walked down the stairs of TrollMarket.

“Home is the same, school is the same, TrollMarket is the same” Jim's voice resonated through the stands.

“Jim?” Y/n screamed, pushing all of the trolls out of her way until she had her brother in front of him.

“Y/n?”

She laughed. It really was him.

They ran into each other, hugging themselves tighter, scared the other would disappear again.

“I can believe you’re okay” she said into the embrace.

“Me neither” he chuckled.

“Don’t ever do that again” she let go just enough so she could see his face and hug him again.

“Stinking, horrible, traitor” Blinky screamed.

The four of them ran to the library to aid the troll.

“Blinky?” Called Jim

“What are you doing?” Asked Claire

The troll was stacking all his books and burning them.

“You love your books! This isn’t like you” screamed Toby, grabbing his head.

“Aaarrrgghh?” Y/n ran to the troll and hugged him tight “you’re alive?”

Aaarrrgghh sniffed her hair “Forget me nots” he smiled.

“What?” She chuckled.

“Not my books! I’m destroying anything that bear my traitorous brother’s name” Blinky threw another stack of books to the fire “Full of lies” he screamed looking at the fire “My gumm-gumm brother cannot be trusted and neither can these!” He threw another book to the fire.

“Gumm-gumm? What are you talking about?” Y/n frowned. She was confused. Blinky loved his brother.

“Blink!” Jim ran to the bonfire and started to take the books out “but they’ve been useful before, so they can be useful again

“Aren’t you gonna stop him, wingmam?” Toby giggled as Aaarrrgghh sniffled him “Uh, what’s with Aaarrrgghh?” He ask as the troll wouldn’t stop.

“Leave him. Ever since he’s returned from death his sense of smell has been curiously heightened. He’s been sniffing everything for hours” Blinky said uninterestedly as he kept throwing more books into the fire.

“What?!” Y/n ask. Time would pass and no one would explain anything to her. How did Jim come back from the Darklands? What happened with Blinky’s dead brother? And how did Aaarrgghh come back from the dead?

“Mmmmh you had italian” the troll stated and gave one more sniff “Carbonara”

“Yeah, like three days ago” Toby smiled.

“Enough” Y/n said to herself. With a quick movement of her arm she put out the fire and turned to the teenagers and the troll, leaving Blinky fighting with his books in the background.

“Cool” whispered Toby.

“You are going to sit down and explain to me what happened” Y/n cross her arms.

The three teens looked at eachother. Jim put down the bucket of water and sat down next to his friends.

“Toby?” Y/n took a step forward and crouched down putting her face as close as she could “what. are. you. hiding. from. me?”

Toby looked everywhere except at Y/n’s face, he was terrified. He felt the sweat travel through his body. He couldn’t hold on for much longer.

“I’m sorry, Y/n. I’m really sorry!!” Toby broke. He started to scream making Y/n take a couple of steps back “It was all so confusing. Kanji-Aaarrrgghh opened the bridge so we could rescue Jim and Vendel said no and I was out of nugat nummies. I swear I didn’t mean to break your guitar in second grade. It was an accident” he kneeled down and grabbed her shirt.

“That’s…a lot” Y/n petted Toby’s head.

“We should have told you about the plan” said Claire.

“It’s okay. I’m just glad we are safe” Y/n smiled and pulled Toby’s hair “You broke my guitar?”

“Oi oi, it was an accident” he screams as he triess to pulls Y/n’s hand away.

“Talk to Jim yet?” Asked Aaarrrgghh.

Y/n and Toby turned to the now pile of ash and books to see Jim who had escaped to try to rescue the books that survived Blinky’s wrath while Y/n and Toby settled an old dispute.

“He says he hasn’t found the right time” said Claire.

“It’s not just me, right? Ever since he got back, he’s acting super weird” said Toby.

“Can you blame him?” Said Y/n.

“Hey, guy, you know what we need? A calling!” Jim turned “I’m sure there’s been tons of stuff pilling up for us to take care of now that I’m back. Uh, a curse box or a loose monster troll, huh?”

“Actually, Claire and I kinda took care of that stuff while you were gone” said Toby.

“What about some training? It’d be good for us to get back in the Forge and…”

“I smell Usurna” Aaarrrgghh interrupted.

“Oh dear” Blinky stopped his angry rant to see two gigantic troll enter the library followed by Usurna and Vendel

“So…It’s true. The human trollhunter has returned from his frolic in the Darklands” Usurna says.

“The human trollhunter humbly apologizes and throws himself at the mercy of the Troll Tribunal” Blinky bows.

“Tribunal?” Jim turns to Blinky.

Blinky hit him in the side.

“The tribunal has already voted on your fate” Usurna remembers.

Y/n rolls her eyes.

“And, by the barest of margins has ruled to dropped all charges so long as you cooperate from this moment forth” Vendel steps forward.

Everyone sighes in relief.

“Your rash choice to save one child put all of TrollMarket at risk. If any evil had been unleashed unto this world, the blood would have been on your hands” Usurna took a step forward to Jim.

Y/n grabbed her brother by the arm and pushed him back a little so Usurna’s finger wouldn’t touch him.

Before leaving she turned:

“Are you sure nothing followed you on your return?”

“Draal never left his post guarding the bridge” exclaimed Blinky but Y/n didn’t see her friends so convinced.

“Are the Krubera really staying permanently?” Asked Blinky once Usurna left. He was annoyed as Y/n.

“Usurna feels their presence is required in light of my questionable judgment” Vendel turned as his new staff got tangled in the light “Speaking of such, have you made any progress in tracking down the culprit who stole my staff?”

“We will not rest until we bring them to justice” said Blinky.

“Yes, of course. I’m sure whoever took it had a good reason and will return it as soon as possible. I’ve put my neck out far enough for you ungrateful fools any further, and she’ll be sure to lop my head right off” he finally was able to get his staff free.

“Thank you, Vendel. It’s good to see you, too” said Jim.

“Yes, well, if you want to thank me, go look into the goblin mess that one of our trolls discovered on a salvage run”

“Goblin mess?” Toby repeated.

“There appears to be some droppings in a dumpster behind the Arcadia Cinema” Vendel explained.

“Goblins? we haven’t seen any of those in months” Claire said.

“Oh my gosh! Is this a call? Like, a good old trollhunting mission?” Jim was excited.

“Just go” Vendel got his staff tangled in his horn.

“Vendel, could I have a word with you? Something ha…” Y/n took a step forward and helped the troll with his staff.

“Can this wait? I’m too busy today” the troll disappeared through the door leaving Y/n along, the trollhunter team long gone.

“It’s okay” she said to an empty room. Her hand playing with her bracelet. The ashy smell takes her back to an old familiar place she doesn’t want to go.

Y/n walked out of TrollMarket in silence.

“Not now, Y/n. Can’t you see I’m busy?” the voice of a man she knows so well yet doesn’t, stabs her heart.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry” she repeats like she could be forgiven for the cardinal sin of asking for the attention of a loved one.

She keeps walking and the memory of the man standing in front of a window won’t get out of her mind. His back to her and the desperation of her hands to grab his.

“That’s lovely, birdie, but why don’t you go find that friend of yours and show him? Huh?” The man asks without taking his eyes from his work.

Y/n looks down at her hands and wonders what's so wrong with them.

The bell chimes.

“Y/n? Darling? What happened? Why are you crying?” Douxie jumped from his seat at the register and went to the door.

“Huh?” Y/n looked around. She wasn’t in TrollMarket anymore, she was in Douxie’s library “I don’t…” she took her hand to her cheeks, they were wet. She had been crying.

“Did someone do something? Are you hurt?” Douxie grabbed her head and with his thumbs wiped away the tears.

“No. I just… I think my father was kinda of a complicated asshole” Y/n hugged him, hiding her head in his chest.

Douxie chuckled and hugged her back “Yeah, I understand”

A/n: the mood at the end was: ‘hey dad i exist!’ because that was my mood honestly

[dollsonmain]

hahah yay

I need MORE plants to be more like my IRL house (just not any dead ones.... >.>)

Still closes just fine. I didn't secure the plants in at all and didn't even open the "dirt" bag. I'm not sure how well that would age and if it might ruin stuff over time.

Need more stuff for the fireplace room. I have more candles but I don't want them all the same height. I'll keep looking for little stands and things to put them on.

Instead of doing the candle activity I dumped all of the scented pellets into the nubbly jar and taped the lid on so they don't spill.

Put the twine from the terrarium set with the other crafting stuff.

Need more crafting stuff.

Hey, MGA, I need a plastic bin full of embroidery floss in 1/6th scale pls.

And lots of paint.

hehehehehehe

I think I should put some of the Mini Brands shelving in this crib cubby and use it as "storage".

Double sided tape does NOT want to stick to those boxes...

[shannonpurdyjones]

*flashes bat signal* Help me writers of tumblr!

A word I need has completely left my brain.

What would you call the wooden storage bins in an old root cellar or larder? Not baskets, more like the rectangular open topped or lidded wooden boxes for like storing apples or potatoes over winter?

I KNOW there is a specific word for this and I'm SO ANNOYED it's eluding me. Google is predictably just showing ads for plastic storage bins and so is no help.

Thank you in advance for your help!!

[seven-meds]

Marbles Qs (unsure if this has been asked before): How do you store and take care of your marbles? Do you keep them in a nice box or a display case?

Good question! Marble storage becomes tricky as your collection grows. At the moment I keep most of my marbles in a box, either wrapped individually in bubble wrap or held in very small plastic containers. I do have a glass-lidded display case for about 45 of my favorites that sits on my dresser along with some of the more artisanal marbles which I keep on stands (essentially small plastic donuts that they rest on) and some marble oddities like pieces of cullet.

Here is the display case with the lid off. You can see all the oxbloods are in there as well as the double ingots and furnace marbles. There are also some things like corkscrews and swirls with interesting colors and marbles that aren't particularly valuable but hold personal importance.

[desertdollranch]

Hello! I have a dilemma and am wondering if you or your followers might have any tips. I’m entering a phase of my life where I don’t have space to display my AG dolls or their clothes, but am not prepared to part with them. Do you have any advice regarding the best storage solutions for keeping a collection in good condition (without paying a fortune)?

If it helps, there are 11 of them, with the oldest being about 16 years old. I sadly don’t have any of their original boxes, though I do have some for clothes/accessories.

Thank you so much, and happy holidays to you and your dolls!

Hi! I do indeed have a solution for you. I recommend buying a few large plastic storage totes with lids and storing your dolls in those. Here's an example of what they look like.

Here's where to buy them online from Home Depot. They're a little over $12 apiece, but you can also find them at Walmart and Target for a few bucks cheaper.

The reasons why I recommend these:

They are airtight and watertight, so they're protected from dust, mold, and humidity

The tightly sealed lids protect against rodents and bugs

Hard plastic top, bottom, and sides mean the totes cannot be easily crushed by boxes stacked on top

Clear plastic helps you easily identify the contents; if you opt for an opaque container, you can put a label on it

Portable and easy to carry around

If this is the option you choose, then I recommend storing the dolls unclothed in order to avoid dye transfer from their clothes to their vinyl skin, which can happen with long exposure to dyed fabric. This is especially risky if they're stored in a humid location. If that's the case, I recommend storing an open container of baking soda (cover it with a paper towel and secure with a rubber band), or silica gel pellets, in the plastic tote. That will suck up any moisture in the air and direct it away from your dolls.

Use another separate tote to store doll clothes. If you have even a small amount of wool clothing, definitely store a moth deterrent with the clothes. Strong-smelling herbs like lavender, rosemary, and cloves will keep moths and other insects away, as will cedar chips.

[hotlandarchives]

ENTRY ███

We managed to get it out, it backed all the way up into a corner in the shed once we opened the door.

Whatever it is, it’s massive- like a laundry bin’s worth of.. slime..? It’s mostly black, like oil slick, but when it got cornered, it started flashing colors, like a defense mechanism, maybe..? I’ve never seen anything like it before. It kept mimicking voices- our voices. I don’t know where the sound could be coming from, it’s- not.. it doesn’t really have a.. mouth, I don’t think?

Undyne managed to get it into an old plastic storage box and she took it to the lab with me. We.. don’t really know what to do. I put it in a pretty decently-sized aquarium tank, for now, with some old books on top to keep it from knocking the lid off.

Papyrus is pretty shaken up, I.. don’t want that thing escaping.

[jiffey]

Discover the Convenience of Plastic Storage Boxes with Lids with Jiffey

In a world where clutter seems to build up around us constantly, having the right storage solutions can make all the difference. When it comes to practical, flexible, and affordable solutions, nothing quite beats plastic storage boxes with lids. At Jiffey, we offer a wide range of these storage essentials, designed to bring organization and simplicity to your life.

The Magic of Plastic Storage Boxes with Lids:

Plastic storage boxes with lids are the unsung heroes of organization. They are lightweight, durable, and stackable, making them perfect for almost any storage need. From storing clothes during different seasons, keeping your children's toys organized, to safeguarding those important documents, these boxes are the answer to various storage issues.

What sets them apart from other storage solutions is their versatility. They can be used in the home, office, or even in the garage. Plus, their transparent design means you can easily see what's inside without having to rummage through or open multiple boxes.

Why Choose Jiffey's Plastic Storage Boxes with Lids:

When it comes to plastic storage boxes with lids, quality matters. At Jiffey, we're committed to providing top-quality storage solutions that are designed to last. Our boxes are made from durable, high-grade plastic that can withstand the wear and tear of everyday use.

Our storage boxes come in a variety of sizes, meaning there's a solution for every need. Whether you're looking to store bulky items like blankets and duvets or smaller items like craft supplies, we've got you covered.

Moreover, our plastic storage boxes with lids are designed for easy stacking. This helps you make the most of your available space, without the risk of them toppling over.

In conclusion, the convenience of plastic storage boxes with lids cannot be overstated. They provide a simple, affordable, and efficient solution to your storage needs. With Jiffey's range of quality boxes, you'll find the perfect fit for your home, office, or any other space needing a bit of organization.

So, whether you're trying to declutter your living space, keep your workspace tidy, or simply looking for a safe place to store those cherished memories, Jiffey's plastic storage boxes with lids are your best bet. Explore our range today and experience the joy of a well-organized space.

After all, life's too short to spend it looking for things in a cluttered room. Let Jiffey be your partner in achieving a cleaner, more organized, and more manageable space.

[mehilaiselokuva]

Amazing Fin-Swe-Eng food packaging word list

Produced by my question on how much Swedish one could pick up from just reading the Swedish one encounters in Finland! It's a lot even if you don't live in the Swedish-speaking area. This isn't even all, expect more lists like this!

Ainesosat - Ingredienser - Ingredients Ravintosisältö - Näringsinnehåll/Näringsdeklaration - Nutritional Content Energia - Energi - Energy Rasva - Fett - Fat Josta Tyydyttynyttä - Varav Mättat Fett - Of Which Saturated Fat Hiilihydraatit - Kollhydrat - Carbohydrates Josta Sokereita - Varav Socker - Of Which Sugars Proteiini - Protein - Protein Suola - Salt - Salt Per Annos - Per Portion - Per Portion Virvoitusjuoma - Läskedryck - Soft Drink Makeissekoitus - Sötsaksblandning - Assorted Sweets Mansikka - Jordgubbe - Strawberry Sitruuna - Citron - Lemon Hedelmä - Frukt - Fruit Mehu - Saft/Juice - Juice Täysjyväkaura - Fullkornshavre - Whole Grain Oats Jauho - Mjöl - Flour Hiutale - Flingor - Flakes Vesi - Vatten - Water Sokeri - Socker - Sugar Vehnäjauho - Vetemjöl - Wheat Flour Siirappi - Sirap - Syrup Hiiva - Jäst - Yeast Vihannekset - Grönsaker - Vegetables Tomaatti - Tomat - Tomato Jauheliha - Nötfärs - Minced Meat Margariini - Margarin - Margarine Maito - Mjölk - Milk Jauhe - Pulver - Powder Sipuli - Lök - Onion Valkosipuli - Vitlök - Garlic Mausteet - Kryddor - Spices Porkkana - Morot - Carrot Yrtit - Örter - Herbs Muna - Ägg - Egg Keksi - Kex - Cookie Täytekeksi - Fyllda Kex - Cookie With Filling Kreemitäyte - Krämfyllning - Cream Filling Vaniljanmakuinen - Med Vaniljsmak - Vanilla Flavored …makuinen - Med Smak Av… - …flavored Saattaa Sisältää…jäämiä - Kan Innehälla Spår Av… - May Contain Residues Of… Kuidun Lähde - Fiberkälla - A Source Of Fiber Laktoositon - Laktosfritt - Lactose Free Vegaaninen - Vegan - Vegan Sisältää Makeutusaineita - Innehäller Sötningsmedel - Includes Sweeteners Pantti - Pant - (Deposit For Returning Bottle) Paino - Vikt - Weight Kpl - St - Pcs Kappalemäärä - Antal - Quantity Kuluttajapalvelu - Konsumentservice - Consumer Service Säilytys - Förvaring - Storage Parasta Ennen - Bäst Fore - Best Before Valmistuspäivä - Tillverkningsdag - Date Of Manufacture Valmistuttaja - Producerad För… - Manufactured For… Katso Tölkin Pohja - Se Burkens Botten - See Bottom Of Can Kansi - Lock - Lid Etiketti - Etikett - Label Muovirasia - Plastburken - Plastic Box Pääty - Kortsidan - Gable/End Pussinsulkija - Påsförslutare - Bag Sealer Lajittele Metallina - Sorteras Som Metallförpackning - Sort As Metal Kartonki - Kartong - Cardboard Muovipakkaus - Plastförpackning - Plastic Packaging Luokka - Klass - Class Valmistaja - Tillverkare - Producer Pakkaaja - Förpackare - Packer Alkuperämaa -  Ursprungsland - Country Of Origin Säilytetään Kuivassa Ja Viileässä - Förvaras Torrt Och Svalt - Stored In A Dry And Cool Place Huoneenlämpö - Rumstemperatur - Room Temperature Avattuna - Öppnad - Opened Tiiviisti Suljettuna - I Tätslutande Förpackning - Tightly Sealed Tarjoiluehdotus - Serveringsförslag - Serving Suggestion Lue Lisää - Läs Mer - Read More Puhdas - Ren - Clean Kotimainen - Inhemsk - Domestic Other - Annan - Other

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Kingsnake Shopping List

If you've decided on a kingsnake (Lampropeltis sp.) as a pet snake, you've made an excellent choice! Kingsnakes are known for being fantastic eaters and are very hardy, fun pets who can live to be over 15 years old with proper care.

This guide is intended for California and Mexican black kingsnakes, and it can also work for black, Sinaloan, Nelson's, and Honduran milksnakes.

Enclosure setup shopping list:

You will want to set up your enclosure so your snake has room to stretch out, climb, and explore! You will need to set up a temperature gradient of 85-75 Fahrenheit, and kingsnakes prefer mid-range humidity, about 50-60%.

Enclosure. For a young kingsnake, a 20 gallon is fine, and a 40 gallon works well for yearlings. As an adult, your snake will need a 4x2x2 enclosure at the absolute minimum, and bigger is better! Kingsnakes average around 3-5 feet across species, with males being significantly smaller than females. Check out Animal Plastics for affordable, high-quality enclosures.

If your enclosure has a screen lid, two sets of screen clips. Never bring a snake home without screen clips!

A dome heat lamp with ceramic sockets. Any big reptile brand is fine - Fluker's, Zoo Med, and Exo Terra are all trustworthy brands here. Make sure your dome lamp is rated for the wattage of bulb you will be using - 150 is usually a safe bet.

Heat bulbs. I use ceramic heat emitters for my kings. You can choose to provide halogen light and UVB if you'd like. Arcadia makes high-quality heat sources your pet will love. The wattage you choose will depend on your enclosure size and the temperature in your home.

A thermostat to plug your heat source into. Vivarium Electronics thermostats are excellent but pricey; you can go as expensive as you like but here is a cheap one I swear by.

Digital thermometer/hygrometer reader with probes - Zoo Med and Exo Terra make great dual gauges. Avoid stick-on dials!

At least two identical hides, one on either side. A proper hide has three solid walls and a smallish entrance - you want your snake to feel snug and secure. I recommend extra hides for milksnakes, who can often be more timid than other kings.

A container to make a humidity hide. Simply cut a hole in the lid, fill with damp moss, and you're set! Providing your snake with a humid hide will help them have perfect sheds every time!

A large water bowl

(Insider tip: if you go to the grocery store and buy a pack of black plastic food storage containers, you can easily make hides, humidity hides, and a water bowl out of them! Here's my go-to option, you can easily take care of all that for one baby snake for like 5 dollars!)

Sphagnum moss for your humid hide

Substrate - for kingsnakes, I prefer cypress mulch. It allows for easy burrowing and holds humidity well! Other humidity-retaining substrates, such as coconut husk or coconut fibers, are good choices as well. Whatever you choose, provide your snake with at least a couple inches so they can dig.

Climbing branches and other decor - climbing is a must, and vines, rocks, and tunnels made from cardboard tubes are other great options. Kingsnakes thrive on novel stimulation, and small cardboard boxes and hol-ee roller balls are frequent favorites. Cluttering up your enclosure is a must! Rolled up balls of paper towel can make great clutter for young snakes.

Consider a blanket or other visual barrier to put over the enclosure to help your snake feel safe and hidden. Kingsnakes are visual snakes and babies can feel jumpy and exposed in an all-glass enclosure.

General care:

Feeding tongs.

Food for your snake. Even baby kings can eat whole pinky mice. Your offered food should be about 10% of your snake's body weight. It's easy to overfeed kingsnakes - do not listen when they act like they're constantly hungry! Being fed once a week is plenty for young kingsnakes.

A soldering iron, believe it or not! A cheap soldering iron will serve you well throughout your snake's life - you can use it to easily melt holes in bowls and containers to make hides.

A small snake hook can help you with handling your snake, especially if you're nervous. Kingsnakes have excellent feeding responses and mistaken feeding bites can happen, so handling with a snake hook can help get your snake out of food mode and help you be more comfortable.

And some common beginner mistakes:

Don't move your snake to a separate enclosure to feed. It's a myth that will make your snake "aggressive" - it can actually cause more mistaken feeding bites as they associate handling with being fed!

Don't worry if your snake spends most of their time hiding, especially while young. A hiding snake is a happy snake! Don't be concerned if your pet kingsnake seems flighty and jumpy at first, kingsnakes can be jumpy babies but many become much more confident by the time they're a year old.

Don't over-handle your snake, and always give them at least a week to settle in before offering food for the first time.

Never handle your snake for two days after they've eaten - that could cause a regurgitation.

Kingsnakes are some of my favorite snakes to keep, and I'm sure you'll see why when you bring yours home! They're fun, curious snakes with big personalities, and you never have to worry about them missing a meal!

[clickerflight]

The Lion and the Mouse - Part 2

Masterlist

Part 1

He is so littol! My friend had been calling him the Tiny rice boi, and he is! He's a tiny rice boi!

Content: Temporary character death, non-sexual nudity, crushed to death, mentions of past deaths, cold whump, rug burns, rehumanization, mentions of starvation

Let me know if you want to be on the taglist

.....................................................

Kai woke in the stupid capsule, swaying from side to side. He looked down and didn’t recognize the clothing his captor was wearing. He twisted, unable to see anything through the cap, but he pressed his face to the plastic, trying to look up at who was wearing the necklace. He could only see a little, but it was enough. Vigil was wearing him. Why? What was happening? 

Vigil turned quickly into a quiet hallway and then dashed into a storage closet, gently pulling the necklace off. Kai wobbled and curled up to keep from hitting the sides too painfully, but Vigil was careful and Kai’s precaution turned out to be unwarranted. 

Kai looked up as Vigil pried off the cap, staring down at him. “Hi,” Vigil whispered.Kai was thankful for that. At this size his eardrums were delicate, and thus sensitive. Vigil gently tipped the capsule and Kai fell into the middle of his palm. Even if he laid down stretched out with his arms up he wouldn’t be as tall as Vigil’s palm. He thought of throwing himself off of Vigil’s hand and becoming smaller to escape, but he was tired and Vigil’s palm was warm. 

“Okay, okay, um, okay. This is uhhh not ideal. I’m not going to leave you here though. Just have to come up with a plan.”

Kai sat there, shocked, looking up at Vigil. Vigil’s mountain of a forehead worked as he thought. 

“I don’t think I can hear you so you’re just going to have to nod or shake your head. I’m sorry,” Vigil said, leaning back.

Kai nodded eagerly. Vigil wasn’t going to be leaving him behind? This was…. Kai couldn’t even imagine. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying not to lose it as a feeling of hope expanded in his chest. 

Vigil sighed. “Okay. Okay. So….. he’s expecting you in that box this evening. Do you know how big you’ll be by then?”

Kai nodded and got unsteadily to his feet. He tapped one of vigil’s palm lines and then stumbled to the other side and tapped another spot. 

“Okay,” Vigil said as Kai sat down, seeing spots. He was running out of energy quicker than he expected, “Got it. You’ll be easy to hide. If I roll my sleeves down there’d be a gap. I drop you, but you end up in my sleeve. I’m good at tricks so it shouldn’t be too hard, especially if.. Does he close the lid fast when he puts you in the box…. No. It’s too complicated. It won’t work if he checks the box right after I do it….”

Vigil was silent for a moment before biting his lip. “Oh, no….. Does… does your blood stay behind when you wake up?”

Kai didn’t like where this was going, but nodded anyway. “It might be better if you… maybe die again? You can get smaller right?”

Kai nodded again, curling on himself nervously. 

“We’ll say I dropped the necklace while fixing the clasp and it broke and you died. The blood on the inside of the capsule will be proof and then, um you can wait there while you’re small. I tell them what happened and then come back and stand there for a minute. You climb my shoe or something and we get out of here. Do you think you can do that?”

Kai pressed his hands to his chest. What was dying one more time? He’d be free, right? He slowly nodded.

“Okay, okay. I’m not leaving you here, Kai.”

Kai nodded again and, with that, Kai got back into the capsule and they were off. 

…………………………..

Vigil was nervous. He pre broke the clasp and stood near the front door before fidgeting with the necklace. Kai stood, hands pressed to the plastic and his tiny face hopeful. 

“Here goes,” Vigil whispered. He fidgeted with the clasp before letting it slip through his fingers. The capsule hit the floor and Vigil, making sure that this all went right, stepped forward as though he were trying to catch it, crushing it under his foot. 

He felt the snap of plastic and he stumbled back. There was blood in the capsule, and he saw what he thought could be Kai’s body and made sure the spot slipped out as he picked up the capsule. With that, he went running to explain what happened to Leshy. 

…………………………

Kai woke up and it took him several minutes to just get up. He was exhausted. He’d never been this small before and he couldn’t imagine wanting to be. Everything was huge. Just getting out of the walkway would take hours of trekking. Kai finally forced himself up. Vigil had told him to wait at the corner by the front doors and he’d stand there before leaving. Kai just hoped he’d have the energy to climb up Vigil’s shoe. 

He was beginning to doubt it as he started the walk to the wall. 

………………………….

Vigil withstood the reprimand he received from Technical, and the glares he got from Leshy. He didn’t like the way Leshy was looking at him, like he was considering planning some sort of revenge now that he didn’t have his toy. 

Vigil was extremely relieved when Technical told him to leave early, whispering to him as he led him out of the office, “Just so Leshy can calm down, you know. Take tomorrow off, too.”

So, Vigil made his way to the corner, watching the ground to be sure he wasn’t stepping on a tiny villain, and leaned against the wall, pulling out his phone to scroll for a moment while he waited for Kai to get on his shoe. He’d even tied his shoelaces so they would be loose, giving him an excuse to bend down and pick Kai up in the pretense of tying them if need be. 

As he stood there, Nautilus came down the hall and gave him a look. “Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I was just heading out,” Vigil said.

“You might want to hurry. I heard what happened and Leshy’s coming up this way.”

Panicked, Vigil said, “Yeah, I’ll be out of here then.”

“Alright, see ya. Good luck.”

Nautilus headed off and Vigil crouched down, slowly undoing the shoelace, desperately searching for Kai. He couldn’t see anything even moving on the ground. Maybe he was already on his shoe? What if Kai had gotten stepped on again? He was already so small last time, he probably wouldn’t even be visible if he got killed again. How long would it take for him to grow out, or would he be small enough that he’d get stuck in an endless kill cycle?

Vigil was dragged from his thoughts as he heard Leshy turn into the hall and he got up and left out the doors before he could be seen. Kai or no Kai, he did not want to be caught alone with Leshy right now. Besides, he’d be back, and hopefully Kai would be big enough by then to be seen. 

……………………………

When Kai woke up, it was dark in the huge hallways. He blinked confused. Had he fallen asleep? He stood up, whirling around, trying to figure out what was going on. He knew there was a clock in the hallway but there was no way he’d be able to see it without walking forever to the other side of the hallway. Still, the halls were dark which meant it was night time. The heroes would all be in bed and Vigil would be…

Not here. Kai wrapped his arms around himself, trying not to think or worry. Vigil would be back. He’d be back. He just missed his chance today, not missed his chance forever. He’d be fine. Vigil would be back and he could escape later. He still couldn’t believe that he’d dozed off and missed getting out, but the adrenaline had all faded away when he reached the wall and all he could think about was laying down for a minute. 

Kai kicked himself mentally as he tried to make a plan. He was cold, naked, about the size of a grain of rice, and was in a building where if he was caught, his torment would only continue. Heck, after the plan Vigil pulled, there was a good chance the vigilante would never be allowed back in the building. Kai might have to escape by himself. 

Kai nodded slightly. First order of business would be finding shelter. Somewhere hidden and safe, and big enough for him to grow a little. So, he took off down the hallway. After a few hours of travel, he finally came to what he was looking for. A vent. He knew that some of the vents around the place didn’t have grates on them, so he wasn’t trapping himself in here as he got bigger, and while it was nowhere near the size a normal person would need to climb it, it wouldn’t be a problem for him for at most 2 weeks if he couldn’t find much to eat. He’d be able to escape before then. He’d have to. 

So, after climbing up into the vent with the help of a discarded bottle cap he could use as a step stool, he curled up in a corner to sleep again. 

……………………………………..

Kai woke up very suddenly the next day as cold air washed over him. He shivered, the metal soon sucking the heat from his body. He stumbled to his feet and out of the vent, pressing his body to the carpet trying to get warm. 

Of course. It was summer now and the vents were pumping cool air through the base. Kai couldn’t just walk around in there when he was this small. At least, not without some protection. He’d freeze to death. It was a miracle he woke up before he did so this time. If he’d gotten any smaller he would have been at mercy to their air currents in there, maybe even floating up and becoming a part of the dust. 

Kai needed somewhere else. The vents couldn’t provide a shelter for him. If he died in his sleep he would be in serious trouble. 

After a moment of thinking, he realized he knew where he could stay. It was getting there that would be the problem. 

The laundry room. 

He bit his lip nervously. He’d only been in there once and had a very unpleasant experience in the dryer. He didn’t quite die, no, but he almost did, which was worse. 

He ignored the memory of a hammer claw to the back of his head after he didn’t die in there and started off, walking down the long halls. It wasn’t quite morning yet, it seemed as the lights were still off besides the occasional one for emergencies. The darkness stretched on and on, as did time and Kai was beginning to worry about where he would hide if someone came down the hall. He supposed he’d just have to curl up against the wall and hope no one looked at him. All he had to do was get to the laundry room. It was two hallways down from here. He could do it. 

Kai, edged on by nervous energy, started jogging down the hall, the carpet scratchy against his feet. Still, it took him an hour to get to the next turn, and he had to stop and sit down to take a breather. 

It was just as he was getting up again that the lights came on. He froze looking down the hallway, but he heard nothing. The lights must be on a timer, then. This time he took the next hall at a full sprint, trying not to think about the fact that this hall was where some of the bedrooms were. He needed to get past all of the doors before anyone got up, and he had no idea who would be up first. 

That question was answered as one door opened. Kai tried to stop, not wanting his movement to make him easy to pick out and fell to the floor hard enough that he got carpet burn all across his side as he laid facing the wall. 

The floor vibrated as someone walked down the hall, humming and yawning. It sounded like Technical. Kai tensed as the steps passed him, but Technical kept going. Kai got back to his feet, breathing hard before taking off again, his heart thumping hard as he did so. 

He finally turned into the next hall and saw the door to the laundry room, the gap under the door promising him safety. He ran faster despite the pain in his side and legs, gasping for air as he reached it, slowing down and leaning heavily against the wall for a moment, clutching at the stitch in his side, ignoring the pain of the rug burn. 

Finally, he crouched under the door, getting up on the cool tile and looking around. He decided to make for the dryer, going a bit slower now, feeling more comfortable behind the closed door. The room was pretty warm despite the tile on the floor, and as he slid under the dryer, standing up in the pocket underneath, Kai found himself comfortably warm for the first time in weeks. Still, he wouldn’t say no to the piles of dust bunnies and lint that he also found to get a bit warmer. He made quick work of building a little nest and then laying inside, more lint piled on top. He was warm, and laying in what could be somewhat labeled as a bed made him feel human again, so with that, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. 

…………………………………

Waking up in a bed was nearly as nice as falling asleep in one. Kai opened his eyes , still curled up in the fluff. The dryer had been started while he was asleep, and was running merrily above him, warming the space up to truly delightful levels.

Eventually he rolled out of the fluff and sat up. He ached from how far he’d run, his side still hurt from his carpet burn, and he was starving, but he was not so tired anymore. Apparently all of those naps really helped him out. 

He sat down again, grabbing fluff and, after some minutes of trying some things out, started matting it into something he could wear as clothing. He worked on it for hours and his fingers hurt when he was done, but he soon had a cloak of sorts. He pulled apart the fluff in the middle and pulled it on, finding a piece of string and tying it on as a belt to keep it closed. 

A bit more prepared for his day, he started scavenging. There were some buttons and other random trinkets around, but nothing much besides. Nothing he could really use. He supposed that was fine. He had shelter and clothing. At least, for now. He would need to find a new place of shelter before he got too big for this one. The top of his head brushed against the dryer, now, so he’d need to find one soon. He headed towards the back and rolled out to find a slightly larger space there. It would keep him for a day or two, he supposed, but he needed to find somewhere near a vent. That way he could travel through the base without being spotted. He’d be safe from the heat signature scanners for about a week. He knew that from past experience when he was free. He just needed to get out before then. 7 days. That was plenty of time, right?

He’d have to leave it alone for now. He was getting to a size where he might be overlooked, but it was getting risky. The halls in the base were pretty empty and he'd be easy to spot soon, so he’d have to wait until nightfall. Then he would find something to eat and drink and get into the vents. If he was going to be in the vents, though, he’d need more clothing, so he got back to work gathering lint and dust and turning it into a piece of fabric. 

When the lights went off again, Kai had simply been waiting. He made enough fabric to fit him when he was bigger and bundled it up with some useful things he found laying around before he left the safety of the dryer. He struggled to get under the door, but managed it and started trekking down the hall. He would need some food and water soon, and while he hated the idea, he realized he would have to eat off of the floor. The kitchen was usually a mess at this point, so before he went to wander in the vents, he made his way to the kitchen. 

The door had been left open and the smell coming from the room was heavenly. One of the sidekicks probably made dinner. They were both really good at cooking, mostly because the older heroes didn’t want to, so they made their lackey’s do it. 

Still, Kai found some water that had dripped out onto the floor while someone had been washing their hands and he got onto his knees, sipping it up and trying to ignore the fact that he was drinking off a kitchen floor. He imagined he was a dashing action hero drinking from an oasis instead, which helped, but made him feel rather silly when he sat back up and wiped his mouth. 

Then, he got to scavenging. He wouldn’t eat here, but he picked up food and crumbs from the floor, putting it in his bag. He couldn’t wait to be tall enough to climb the rungs on the drawers and get to some real food. That is, unless he managed to get out of here tonight. He doubted it. He was too short to do much and he’d probably have to find some string to help him get out safely anyways, so tonight was not the night. He would instead eat and probably get some more sleep. Tomorrow night would be for some serious scavenging, and the next day? Well, if he was lucky, maybe he’d be out by then. 

He gathered up the crumbs and left, quickly finding one of the vents that didn’t have a cover. He walked in, heading in deeper and turning a corner before sitting down on the cold metal and opening his bag. 

The crumbs were hard from exposure to the air, but as he bit into them, he still salivated like he was eating the tastiest morsels at a king’s feast. This was the first thing he’d eaten in months and it was absolutely everything to him. Money and fame meant nothing in comparison to the first swallows of food he’d had in his stomach for months and he couldn’t help but begin to cry. He cried over how good it tasted, he cried over the full feeling in his stomach, he cried to mourn the person he used to be, and he cried because, despite everything that happened to him, they hadn’t broken him. 

So, he ate the rest of the food with tears rolling down his face and wrapped up in his handmade blanket to sleep.

Part 3

@whumpsday

[dollsonmain]

Got up at 3:30 on a day off just to breathe.

Here comes Son. I need alone time. Trying not to cry.

Anyway. Long, long rambly about food storage and handling.

Still EXTREMELY frustrated by the food handling and storage situation at the gas station, like it takes up space in my head when I'm not at work, and trying to remember what made it so efficient at Wegman's. I've probably already been over this I just can't remember. I'm also just like CAN I say anything? Would that go over well or be annoying? I don't know.

They've owned the place since 2020 and have been doing things this way the whole time as far as I know, and also afaik haven't been tracking expiration dates well at all so likely have no idea how much food/money they're wasting or how much expired food they're feeding customers.

I can't tell if Manager has had the food handler's training and is certified. It could be that she is certified but doesn't really care and it's not a place that a health inspector is likely to wander into and catch them.

Granted Wegman's is a food selling place so would care more about food handling and storage than a gas station, and turns pretty big profits so has more to spend on food handling and storage.

Though proper storage would save money over time and likely increase sales because customers would be able to trust they're going to get something "good" every time. Consistency is important to building a good reputation.

-

Storage

The first thing is a place for everything, everything in it's place.

If we were out of cheddar, for example, there would be an empty shelf in the big walk-in cooler. You could see with a glance that we were out of cheddar or that we had 5 blocks left and it was time to order more.

In the gas station, right now, there are 3 boxes of chicken patties. One in the primary freezer, one in the ice cream freezer, and one in the cooler, thawed and moldy. They should all be in the same place. They should all be frozen.

I wouldn't know there were three if I hadn't happened to stumble upon them myself.

The second is clear containers and washable labels.

Cheddar would arrive in cardboard boxes with each 40lb block in it's own plastic bag and each bag had a printed label on it. Cardboard boxes were discarded and the bags stacked on the shelf. This worked because a block of cheddar was a rectangle.

For things that don't stack easily, like olives which arrived in little plastic kegs, when it was time to open a keg they would be dumped out into large, clear, plastic food storage bins and labeled with what it was and it's expiration date. Once that date hit, regardless of what container it was in, it was discarded.

These food storage bins all had lids designed for stacking and it was very efficient to store because you could just stack everything neatly, see the labels, and see what was inside, it's status, and how much there was. If it got moldy or was running low, you could see.

Some for hummus, it came in large bags and was dumped into steel bins to be put onto the olive bar. The detriment to this is that being spread out into a steel bar bin means more surface area, so in the case of the gas station, keeping the sandwich salads in their original, plastic tubs works just as well in the mini fridge as transferring them to bins would. Less surface area in the containers and the round tubs take up about the same amount of space as the rectangular, stacked bins would. However, getting things in and out would be easier with stacked, rectangular bins.

The places where plastic bins would help the most at the gas station are the freezers and the cooler, though usually we don't have any deli stuff in the cooler other than bread. Right now there's lots of meat in there, too.

Don't get me started on how that's being stored. tl:dr it's wrong.

The dirty shipping boxes are put into the freezer as is, then opened, a hole ripped in the bag inside, and we just stick our [gloved] hand into the open bags to get stuff out. It is not ideal. If the box is up on it's end I can't see the label without taking the box out, if the box is lifted out of the freezer the wrong way the product all falls out, and you can't see how much is left without pulling out the whole box and looking inside. Knowing when to reorder is difficult because everything has to be dumped out to see how much is left.

And, since the bags are just open in there, everything gets frostbitten.

The cooler stays at 35F which is actually a bit low for food storage but is ok. One of the fridges (has factory-made sandwiches, lunchables, and small snack cheeses) gets up to 45-48F now and then long enough to be able to feel the change if I stick my arm in, and that's not acceptable, but I can't do anything about it. That fridge's compressor rattles something awful, too. It'll break soon I think.

-

Expiration dates

We get tubs of sandwich salads pre-made and Manager doesn't seem to understand how expiration dates work.

When we make the sandwiches, she wants the ones made with refrigerated ingredients marked for disposal after 7 days (it should be 4), and with frozen ingredients marked for 9 days (it should also be 4 because those ingredients are thawed as they sit in the cooler) (as a matter of fact the tubs should also be discarded 4 days after they're opened).

That's regardless of the expiration date on the pre-made salads or ingredients. Which is wrong.

For example, we had egg and tuna salads that expired on Oct 3 and were still making sandwiches with them on Oct7 because she decided they're still ok because of when they arrived.

Arrival date has no effect on expiration date, it's manufacture date and the expiration date of any individual ingredients when it's manufactured that affect the expiration date.

Anyway, those sandwiches were still being marked for 7 days out.

We got in a new tub of chicken salad but it expires on the 16th. Every sandwich with that chicken salad, regardless of when it's made, should have a disposal date no later than the 16th, but we're still marking them for 7 days out from when they're assembled.

A new-new tub of chicken salad arrived Thursday that expires on the 17th. Anything made with that tub should have a disposal date no later than the 17th. I guarantee they'll be marked 7 days out regardless of when they're assembled.

-

And like, if I were officially put in charge of these things I would implement these changes and put in a request for food bins immediately but I'm not in charge.

I already solved one minor problem. When I first started she would tell me to make as many sandwiches as there was bread in the bag because she hates trying to keep the bread fresh in the cooler.

Buns are in big, long, weirdly shaped bags for restaurants I guess, and they're difficult to close once you've ripped a hole in the middle to get to the bread.

I open the bags on a corner and tie the bags shut when I'm done.

... That was it. I just tie the bags shut, and the bread keeps longer.

Like.....

I'm so frustrated. Just let me fix it......

[a-strange-inkling]

Day 8: Decorations

Chicago, Illinois 1986

“Any luck?” Eddie asks, coming up behind her as she digs through the unwrapped newspaper of the last empty box.

“No, I’m sorry, Eddie,” she pushes her bangs back as she straightens, looking about ready to cry. “I hope she didn’t get lost in the move.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” he replies, pressing his lips to her hairline. “I’m sure she was just left behind at Wayne’s, I’ll call him tomorrow.”

“I can check the storage unit on my way to class in the morning, maybe there was something left behind, I feel awful that it’s lost.” she sighs.

“It’s just an old decoration.” he returns, smoothing his hand down her hair gently. “Really, don’t worry about it.”

“No it’s not, it’s your mom’s angel,” she says. “I know it’s important to you.”

He just shrugs his shoulders. “We’ve covered all five hundred square feet, sweetheart, not much more to be done about it tonight.”

“But, a tree without an angel…” she trails off sadly, looking up at their Fraser fir. It’s all decorated, lights and everything… just missing a topper.

“Nah, I don’t need an angel,” he tells her, wrapping his arms around her from behind, dropping his chin against her shoulder. “I’ve got you.”

About four days later, just a week before Christmas, they get a package from Wayne that Chrissy carries in when she gets home from her late class, setting it on the coffee table.

“Guess he must have found her.” Eddie smiles as she cuts open the tape with a box cutter.

“I can’t believe we left her behind, the poor thing!” Chrissy says as she lifts the lid, sitting down beside him.

Low and behold, there is his Mom’s tacky little angel with her lacy dress, wild curly brown hair, and her obscurely painted face.

A note from Wayne rests on top of her.

Found this old girl in the back of the closet.

Love and miss you both.

See you soon,

Wayne

“Yeesh, you’ve seen better days.” Eddie says as he holds the angel up. It looks like Wayne dusted her off, but her dress is wrinkly and wings are crooked.

“She just needs a little love.” Chrissy says, cradling her in her arms gently.

“I think her candle still works, just needs some new batters.” he muses as he opens the plastic cavity in her back.

Chrissy spends the next hour washing and drying her dress in the sink and refastening her wings with some ribbon. She brushes her hair, using some water and a toothpick to reset her curls.

After Eddie finds AAA batteries rolling around in one of the kitchen drawers and her candle is lit, they finally get her on top of the tree. Eddie blinks when his eyes mist over, feeling Chrissy tuck under his arm and hug his waist. He squeezes her closer to him. Tears for his mother have become rare, but seeing her angel looking like new, lit up in his new home with Chrissy is enough to make him feel her presence for the first time in years.

@hellcheerxmas