#proven natural ingredients

[happywebdesign]

TWYG

[ambuj1]

Does Procapil help hair growth?

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[maaarine]

Mystery of why Roman buildings have survived so long has been unraveled, scientists say (Katie Hunt, CNN, Jan 06 2023)

“Roman concrete, in many cases, has proven to be longer-lasting than its modern equivalent, which can deteriorate within decades.

Now, scientists behind a new study say they have uncovered the mystery ingredient that allowed the Romans to make their construction material so durable and build elaborate structures in challenging places such as docks, sewers and earthquake zones.

The study team, including researchers from the United States, Italy and Switzerland, analyzed 2,000-year-old concrete samples that were taken from a city wall at the archaeological site of Privernum, in central Italy, and are similar in composition to other concrete found throughout the Roman Empire.

They found that white chunks in the concrete, referred to as lime clasts, gave the concrete the ability to heal cracks that formed over time.

The white chunks previously had been overlooked as evidence of sloppy mixing or poor-quality raw material.

"For me, it was really difficult to believe that ancient Roman (engineers) would not do a good job because they really made careful effort when choosing and processing materials," said study author Admir Masic, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (…)

Additional analysis of the concrete showed that the lime clasts formed at extreme temperatures expected from the use of quicklime, and "hot mixing" was key to the concrete's durable nature.

"The benefits of hot mixing are twofold," Masic said in a news release.

"First, when the overall concrete is heated to high temperatures, it allows chemistries that are not possible if you only used slaked lime, producing high-temperature-associated compounds that would not otherwise form.

Second, this increased temperature significantly reduces curing and setting times since all the reactions are accelerated, allowing for much faster construction."

To investigate whether the lime clasts were responsible for Roman concrete's apparent ability to repair itself, the team conducted an experiment.

They made two samples of concrete, one following Roman formulations and the other made to modern standards, and deliberately cracked them.

After two weeks, water could not flow through the concrete made with a Roman recipe, whereas it passed right through the chunk of concrete made without quicklime.

Their findings suggest that the lime clasts can dissolve into cracks and recrystallize after exposure to water, healing cracks created by weathering before they spread.

The researchers said this self-healing potential could pave the way to producing more long-lasting, and thus more sustainable, modern concrete.

Such a move would reduce concrete's carbon footprint, which accounts for up to 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the study.

For many years, researchers had thought that volcanic ash from the area of Pozzuoli, on the Bay of Naples, was what made Roman concrete so strong.

This kind of ash was transported across the vast Roman empire to be used in construction, and was described as a key ingredient for concrete in accounts by architects and historians at the time.

Masic said that both components are important, but lime was overlooked in the past.”

[sheepispink]

The Perfect Pair

Masterlist AO3

WC: 7.6k Tags: fluff, marriage of convenience, leon kennedy/ reader

Summary: Leon can barely hold himself upright most days and you've finally decided to ditch the DSO life in pursuit of happiness. However, that'd mean leaving all those beautiful tax benefits and medical insurance behind. Turns out Leon and Chris are pretty persuasive, landing you as Leon's 'wife' but you cant help but start to feel something more, unaware that Leon's already set his eyes on you for life.

It’d been a long day at work, the usual really— Chris had roped him into dealing with another bioweapon appearance, thus leading him to take a helicopter to some trashy place, locating the bioweapon, and promptly knocking its freaky nature out of action. Now he lugged his weary feet home to the apartment you shared, his stomach craving a taste of something only your skilled hands would prepare for him. After a short elevator trip that thankfully alleviated the ache of his feet for a moment, he reached the front door and, with a quick fumble with the keys he had inserted the right one inside, opening the door.

“I’m home.” He calls out, his raspy voice filling the silent yet serene space before him. He somehow grew used to this; the sight of two sets of keys on the hook, the vast difference in style as he places his shoes on the rack, and the two coats on the bannister, one far smaller than the other. “Smells good..” He mumbles beneath his breath, making his way towards the kitchen where you stand, back facing him as you work your hands through a ball of minced meat.

“Welcome home.” You turn to meet his hungry gaze with your typical warm smile, heart warming at the exhausted look on his face and even more so that he’d soon find relief in the food you had made.

“You’re lucky, we had just enough mince meat in the freezer for your favourite beef burgers.” That was a lie. You had woken up early this morning and decided he had looked far too tired recently, and it’d been far too long since he’d had his favourite meal. So, as any good wife does, you wanted to make him feel better and took to the nearest supermarket, picking up all the ingredients you needed and some for a tasty dessert too. He always denied that he enjoyed sweet treats, but he would always be the first to finish them, whether it was a sweet chocolate mousse or a tasty doughnut you picked up on the way home.

He chuckles, his hand disappearing into his work jacket as he slips off the leather and lays it on the back of a wooden chair. It then migrates to his collar, tugging on it to alleviate the heat through his body, which is proven by the thin layer of sweat covering his limbs.

“Oh? Thanks, I was sure you finished it last week when you gave Kitty a gourmet meal for once.”

This home wouldn’t be complete without its resident cat, a Siamese fur ball that Leon graciously named ‘Kitty’ though he has no doubt referred to it with a million different names anyway.

“I guess I must've missed a bit. I really treated her for nothing.” While he was smirking, your mind was far from the lightheartedness of this conversation, currently panicking over his words. He had seriously caught you out there; of course you finished the mince, last week but was he actually accusing you of lying or worse—did he know? As you let out an awkward chuckle, he speaks up again, undoing his belt with one hand as his other grabs a glass from the shelf to fill with water. “I’m not complaining though; they really are my favourites for a reason.” He drinks down the glass of water in one swig, letting out a satisfied breath before rolling his shoulders back. “I’m gonna take a quick shower—I don't want to drown your nose with my sweat.” He chuckles again, finally leaving you alone in the kitchen again as he takes his path up the stairs to your shared bedroom.

To say your relationship with him was complicated was a massive understatement; it was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, feelings that felt illicit, and signals that were impossible to decipher. Well, for you it felt like this—you’re not so sure about him. In fact, for someone who sleeps beside him nearly everyday, cooks him meals, eats dinner with him, and even drops off his lunch, you barely knew anything about the man.

This all began when you decided to quit the DSO, finally having enough money to move to a more peaceful job with flexible hours and still end up supporting yourself. You had only worked in communications at the DSO, but that was still a pain in itself. Before you left, they had an informal work dinner. A bunch of agents and other workers came along to a diner for some food before heading to mess around at a karaoke place before the weekend hit. With so many people around, it grew far too hot too quickly, and you soon wandered the halls seeking a breath of fresh air before you heard your name called by an agent. The voice belonged to Chris Redfield–your superior—who was beckoning you to come over, cigarette in hand, to where he stood with Leon right beside him. They were both your superiors in the work field but were perceived as far more important due to the missions they accomplished and lives they saved.

“Yes..?”

You were more confused than scared or anything of the like—why did they even want to talk to you? It’s not like you often saw them. Even so, you walked over to them, trying to reduce the awkwardness when you slipped your hands into the pockets of your jacket, tilting your head slightly.

“You’re gonna leave soon, right?” Leon asks, taking a swig of the golden whisky in his glass whilst Chris blows another puff of smoke off to the side.

“Yeah, I wanted to move onto a different job, a quieter one that isn't so taxing.” You shrug, having only thought out a bit of it so far.

Chris and Leon shared a glance at each other before Leon spoke once more, rolling back his shoulders a little. “You see, I have a bit of a predicament, and Chris thought you could help.”

Before you know it, he’s explaining how busy his work is and that he barely gets home in time for a sip of water before he knocks out, and you’re not really sure how this is your problem until Chris butts in.

“So basically, he needs a wife. You, on the other hand, won't have any of the perks of the DSO since you’re leaving, which includes medical insurance, tax benefits..” He trailed off as you started to ponder it, you really would lose a lot of the things you had grown to exist around. It would be very difficult to manage, and you can't say you’d miss a lot of those perks greatly. The two men give each other a glance as you speak up, nodding along. “You’re right, I will miss out a lot, but I really don't want to stay here longer..” Before Leon can even try and slide it in, Chris has already blurted it out.

“Well, you won't lose anything if you marry him.”

So, after a bunch of awkward talks and surviving interrogations from your coworkers, you ended up with a small wedding, which was mainly done to please your own parents rather than yourselves. Now you’re here, almost a year into this non formal contractual marriage, and your feelings are muddled. Very muddled. It’s hard to not catch feelings when you’re somewhat of a hopeless romantic yourself, or maybe the teenage girl mentality came back full force now you have a lot more free time. You owed him a fair amount to be fair—he didn’t realise how stress-free your life was these days. Wake up, eat a healthy breakfast, maybe watch some television too, head down to the small little bakery you own and teach the part time teenager there before wrapping up at four o'clock and heading home again. Your skin had cleared up, you were actually able to sleep in on the weekends and actually do whatever you want— pick up new hobbies, eat proper meals, and read books to your heart's content.

What you’ve concluded is that your life has drastically improved and you are more relaxed than you’ve ever been. The problem with that is that with the new addition of all this free time and air to breathe in, you’re able to actually think about the man you’ve married. In simpler terms that you tried to deny for a year now, you’ve caught feelings—a lot of feelings for him. That’s why you’re currently stuck in a conundrum; you’re technically allowed to pursue said feelings, as you’re married and no longer ‘colleagues’ needing to act professionally, but does he want the same?

The pan starts to sizzle, snapping you out of your daydreaming as you place the flattened patty into the oil, lightly frying each side. Being his wife meant looking after him as much as he did to you, so cooking was often your chore to handle. Even though you were more than happy to do most of the chores, he’d still help with the dishes after dinner and often cooked when he could—when he was exhausted from another mission. Plus, he did his own laundry. He would’ve done yours too, though after the first time he tried, your cheeks had flushed immediately when he handed you a pile of your freshly washed underwear and t-shirts, and you quickly told him you’d do your own.

The staircase groans as he steps down the stairs, his movements a lot slower now that he had let the tension ease from his muscles in the shower. So far, you’ve managed to cook four patties, which was more than enough to satisfy his stomach and yours. But you had an extra two for his lunch tomorrow and because he tended to have a third burger “just because it’d be a shame to let it go to waste.That’s when you hear him curse softly under his breath, turning back to glance at him in confusion. “What’s wrong?” His hair is damp, still dripping with water onto the white tee he wears. It’s loose and the one you bought him last month when you went on a shopping spree. You try to ignore the way your eyes naturally drift towards his chest; a small sliver of his pale skin peeks out where his hand disappears under his shirt, rubbing his abdomen in a strange way. “Did you get hurt?” You continue, turning down the heat on the hob so you can turn to face him better.

“Oh? This?”

He lifts the shirt a little, revealing the bruise on his right side of his stomach, and also gives you a perfect view of his toned abs. Damn. “It’s not as bad as it looks..” He mumbles, but his eyebrows are still knitted in a frowning gesture. “I’m annoyed because I missed an opportunity..”

That makes you blink, wondering what he could’ve missed in the time he went for his shower and came back here. Did he get a phone call? Or perhaps something happened this week you hadn't picked up on?

“An opportunity?”

“Yeah. I completely missed the chance to ask you, ‘What's cookin, Good Lookin?’. Damnit..”

Did the corniest line to ever exist really just make your chest tighten for a second?

You can’t deny the fact that the line itself had made your lips part as you stood there dumbfounded. Leon had a history with corny one-liners; in fact, whenever his colleagues happened to see you, they’d always mention whatever stupid thing he said during a mission. He’d say it to you occasionally too, usually random puns that he’d quietly snicker about, but he’d never quite openly flirt with you like that. Was it supposed to be a joke? Was it real? You couldn't tell, and so you quickly turned back around before your patties ended up burnt.

“O-of course only you would worry more about that than your own injuries.” His snickering is obvious behind you as you place the cooked patties onto a small plate. “Stop pestering me and go sit down at the table.” You feign annoyance, grumbling as you hide the furious flush of pink upon your cheeks. Unfortunately for you, he didn’t intend to give up that easily, walking up behind you and peering over your shoulder with his hands planted on the counter on either side of your waist.

“That was a good one, c’mon.” He argues, the most exaggerated pout on his face quickly disappearing when he watches the burgers sizzle in the pan. He loves your food so damn much.

“That was not a good one, shoo.”

Thankfully, he ends up leaving you alone in favour of Kitty, who had just woken up from her nap— eager to play with him even if it just means chasing after a wrapper he had thrown across the room. You place down two plates at the table, as per usual, along with a plate full of salad, a bowl of fresh chips you fried, and the small plate of patties— six to be exact. Then, you place down the two fancy glasses you bought last week and grab your usual favourite canned drink while grabbing a Coke Zero for him. Finally, you place Kitty’s dinner on the floor which she runs over for, immediately gobbling up the food. “She’s just like you.” You giggle, watching as she hungrily wolfs down the food, thus making him groan in return. “I do not eat like that.”

Dinner is the same. You’ll ask about his day in which he usually retorts in grunts and moans about the government, incompetent workers, and that woman.. Ada. Just the mention of her name used to make him go quiet back when you worked at the DSO, and even in the first few months of your “marriage”, he would shrug off the subject quickly. Now he talks about it here and there, mentioning how she suddenly appears and always seems to know his location. For some reason, it puts a sick feeling in your stomach, like someone is dragging their nails across the flesh of your insides.

“Ada.. was there. Ever since I saved the president’s daughter, it’s like she’s followed me everywhere. She helps me.. but then she claims to not care..?”

His words stopped registering in your mind after a while as your teeth grit against each other and you absentmindedly dipped your chip into ketchup over and over again. You can’t believe he could be so naive. She had played him once in Raccoon City, faking her identity and using him to her advantage. The same played out in Spain even if she ‘saved’ him. You didn't care about her damn motives; she worked for the enemy, and it irked you—she just used whatever she could to gain her benefit, and it seemed like no one could stop her.

“Earth to my beautiful wife, hello?” He waved his hand in front of your furrowed eyebrows and the obvious scowl upon your face. “You look like you just ate something you find disgusting. I thought you liked this too.”

You immediately realise you had zoned out, your face shifting to something sheepish before you finally stick the ketchup-soaked chip into your mouth. You didn't even get a chance to process what he just called you.

“No, it’s not the food; I was just thinking. Sorry, it’s nothing.”

That only serves to make him all the more curious, though he doesn't push it, instead continuing his story. “Where was I? Oh, right, then Ada shot—” He cuts himself off as your eyes immediately narrow, and you lower your head, picking with your food again subconsciously. It doesn’t take much to piece the clues together, his lips twitching upwards as a smile threatens to spread. Though he wants to test his suspicions one more time.

“Wanna hear something crazy? Ada tried to kiss me again.”

“What?!” You immediately sit up straight, the scowl returning just as fast and teeth grit, but it quickly softens when you see the smirk on his face.

“I knew it. You hate her, don’t you?” Leon always saw right through you, thankfully not with your growing feelings yet, and it made it all the harder to keep his marriage… Well, just as a contract.

“Fine, maybe I don’t like her. So what? She’s not exactly the most moral person.” You say, shrugging your shoulders nonchalantly as you take a bite out of your burger and chew it down. “She helps Umbrella, can you really blame me?” That only makes his lips twitch again, and he leans his elbows on the table, eyes trained on every feature of your face.

“Are you jealous of her?” That almost makes you choke on the burger, and you have to take a large gulp of your drink to swallow down the rest of the food, your face immediately pinkening. It can’t be possible—there’s no way you’re jealous of that cunning, manipulative, hot, extremely hot woman. How did she even look that good?

“Ha— she should be jealous of me.” You scoff boldly, finishing the last of your burger soon after.

“Oh, and why’s that? Because you’re the one wedded to me?

A moment earlier, your heart would’ve described his face as a perfectly carved sculpture, the ones that people bid thousands to place in their homes because not showing off such a perfect creation would be a crime. Right now, he wore a sly grin with his eyebrows raised as he eyed you suggestively.

And that look was very punchable.

“Because I'm living the dream. I’ve got a bakery, a ton of free time, and I guess you’re there too, I suppose.”

With a roll of your eyes, you dismiss his words quickly, even though the faintest blush on your cheeks betrays your true thoughts. What if you said yes? What happens then?

“I should’ve known you wouldn’t give me that satisfaction.” He feigns a pout before his grin returns as he takes a massive bite into his second burger of the night. Of course, he just has to make an exaggerated moan, one elbow leaning on the table as the other covers his face dramatically.

“This is heavenly, you know? One day I swear I'll start dreaming about these burgers.”

There he goes again, babbling on about Lord knows what and his corny lines again. You can't help but flash a small cheeky smile, winking as you pour yourself a glass of water from the pitcher.

“Another reason for her to be jealous of me.”

Once the dinner has been packed away by his speedy hands, he’s returned to make the couch his home again, stretching his whole body against the length of it like a cat would. You’re placing the dishes into your dishwasher before inserting a tablet and putting it on for three hours. As you walk over to wipe down the table, you notice his eyes have fluttered close as he groans and gets comfortable on the cushions. You can't say you didn't feel a tinge of affection—well, much more than that, like a heap almost—every time he crashed out like this, completely exhausted from a mission. “Weekend tomorrow..” You remind him with a gentle hum, swiftly removing any stray stains off the table. “Don’t you want to have a good sleep, y'know, in bed?”

He lets out a muffled grumble in response, burying his face into the cushions before he reluctantly sits up, making you smile a little more—you’d scold him regularly about lying down after eating. “What movie d’ya wanna watch?” He says even if he would usually wander his way to the bedroom after you said that. It’s been at least a month since you had been together like this to watch a movie. A lot had changed in that month, specifically your growing feelings for him. Perhaps distance really does bring fondness, you think.

“I don’t mind; you like action, no?” You finish wiping down the dirt from dinner to glance over whatever he’s doing on the television, only to find him flicking through your favourite genre of movies. Shoving down the warmth on your cheeks is near impossible as you speed walk back to the kitchen. Were these signs? Were you reading too much into it? Your teeth graze against each other nervously as you look up to see him waiting expectantly on the couch for you to join him. What the hell is happening right now? He had always gone to bed immediately or scrolled through his phone for a while— so what’s with the sudden change?

Moments later you’re sitting beside him on the couch, knees tucked to your chest as he presses play on the movie he picked—the one you had mentioned you wanted to watch when it first got announced that it was in production. Despite your excitement, you could hardly concentrate on the movie when he was practically centimetres from you. He was leaning back against the cushions, one arm resting around the back of the couch where you sat and the other comfortably against the armrest. If you had just moved your head back slightly, you would brush against his arm. If you did that, would he wrap it around your shoulders? Just the thought makes you shudder a little, your chin moving forward to sit comfortably on your knees. It was like you were a teenage girl again, sitting in the movies with your crush while you wondered if he thought of you as a friend or something more. You couldn't even believe you were acting like this—hell the two of you were married legally, not to mention you were both grown adults! Who cares if he had just stretched out his arms, his shirt riding up, and you could see the scars on his stomach? Your breath hitching when he had shuffled up to you was completely unnecessary; the warmth radiating off of him was irrelevant, no matter if the characters were kissing on the screen right now. You practically jump when he pokes your shoulder with his hand, your head snapping to him instantly, and you can barely even form a noise when you see how close his face is to yours. His eyes had to be one of your favourite things about him, or was it the messy mop of dirty blond hair on his head? It could even be the sharpness of his jawline, the lines of wear beneath his eyes, how perfectly his nose seemed to be carved, or perhaps, crazily enough, the way his voice rang out in your ears in the mornings.

“Do we have any dessert? I’m craving something sweet.”

Every step back into the kitchen is like torture from how hot your cheeks are, the cold fridge air doing nothing to soothe the embarrassment as you grab the microwave puddings you had bought today. You can't believe you had been so flustered by the proximity that all that had escaped you was a strangled noise before you just hurriedly nodded and escaped to the kitchen. Those five seconds between the poke and his words felt like a millennia— an incredibly romantically tense millennia— where for those whole five seconds, you stupidly thought he’d kiss you right then and there. You fan yourself as if that’ll soothe the metaphoric rush of warmth in your face right now, incredibly embarrassed by your own thoughts and desires. When you sit back down again, you quickly hand him the hot pudding and sit further away from him this time. If you even felt that again, you felt like you’d simply explode altogether.

Unbeknownst to you, he was now wondering if you were annoyed that he had interrupted, and he frowned as he glanced down at the plate with just a singular spoon. Weren’t you going to eat too? Not to mention, you were all stiff and sitting further from him than before—now you’re really twisting the knife in his heart. First he had agitated you by teasing you about Ada, then he laid on the couch right after dinner like you always told him not to do, and now you even refused to eat dessert! Maybe he isn't putting enough effort into all of this as he originally thought. After all, you did a lot to run a bakery in town and still cook, clean, and look after his cat. So, he decides to take a shot and scoops up a particularly chocolatey part of the pudding, the part he always eats first, and holds the spoon up to your lips.

“I know you’re mad, but you can't deny this.” He plasters his typical boyish grin, nudging your lips with the metal of the spoon. But he’s caught off guard when you pull back in surprise, waving your hands around frantically in denial. “H-huh? I ate a lot of sweet things today already—”

“Shut up. Don’t you dare even say you’re on a diet either; you’re perfect already.”

He pushes the spoon against your lips which you accidentally part in surprise at his words, the warm chocolate filling your mouth immediately like an instant boost of serotonin.

“See, it's good, told ya.” He says smugly as you swallow down the tasty pudding and sauce. That’s only for a moment before he notices the smudge of chocolate around your lips from his struggle, casually wiping away the crumbs with his thumb before licking it.

He had just wiped the crumbs.

He wiped it from your lips.

He wiped it and then licked it off his hand.

He didn't even think twice.

“I-its not bad-” That was all you could mutter out before he committed the crime, and now you were left dumbstruck as you watched him casually lick his thumb and then take another spoon of the dessert—the same spoon you just ate from. He leans back against the couch again, about to shove another in your mouth once he gets comfortable enough, though he quickly realises that you still haven’t spoken since. “You can’t still be mad; I’ll shove another one in your mouth, you know—” At that, you know you’re sure to blurt out the truth, and you scramble up, about to make an excuse about needing a glass of water, before your wrist is caught in his hand, and you’re promptly pulled back against the couch again.

“Hm? Where are you going, pink cheeks?”

He says it teasingly, instantly making you flush all the more. You couldn’t understand how anyone could even be so casual about these things, not that you had little experience in the area, but seriously— he had literally just licked the chocolate on your face. That was an indirect kiss!

“Do you do this with all your friends?” The frown on your face is suddenly a little harsher, accusing, and suddenly there's a hint of betrayal. That only serves to confuse him more, you’ve been acting off for a while now, had he cheated in his sleep or something? “What? You’re not my friend, though? That's not comparable.”

He doesn't even see you as a friend? You can't help the way your heart drops in a way you’ve never felt before in your life; it almost hurts the way he can just so easily dismiss you after all the time you’ve spent together—contractual or not. “I- I see how it is..”

“See how what is? You’re not making much sense.” His eyes narrow as you suddenly turn your head away from him, arms crossing firmly on your chest, but what doesn’t escape him is the sudden daze in your eyes. Gently, his hand grabs your chin, squashing your cheeks as he forces you to face him, and his mind instantly clicks all the pieces together.

“.. (Name).” He says firmly, making you let out a small hum in acknowledgement, unaware of the way your eyes are suddenly a lot wetter than they had been before.

“What did you drink earlier?”

“What? All I drank was water, mostly.”

“What about when I told you about Ada, was that water?” Your eyebrows furrow as you hear him repeat her name again, immediately growing more frustrated. “What about her now?”

He lets out a heavy sigh, wrapping a firm arm around your shoulders before he forces you to settle against the couch against him. “You drank some of my drink, didn't you? You were way too annoyed to even notice the whiskey I mixed in.”

The thought immediately clicks into your head; everything is suddenly a lot clearer now, even though you still weren't quite sober yet. Plus, you were pretty much a lightweight when it came to his strong stuff. It perfectly explained the warmth spreading through your chest, the uncoordinated actions, and the way nothing seemed to follow the way your head wanted it to. “S-still, you said I’m not even your friend.” Gently, his thumb rubs the tears that have formed in your eyes and tucks you close into him with his arm snugly around you. Just in case you decide to face plant off the couch as you seemed to want to do before. “You’re not my friend; you’re my wife. Who else would I treat like that?”

“I’m not your real wife though.” You slowly look up at him, turning your head, so your glossy eyes can stare up into his, searching for the right answer— the truth.

“Those papers seem pretty real to me. The way I feel is also pretty real to me.”

He grins at you like he hadn't doubted that fact for a second, and he hadn't, not since you both had signed and received the certificate, one he sometimes sneaks a small fond peek at whilst you’re sleeping. Not that he’d tell you, at least not yet.

“But— I’m not your wife; that’s my title, but I don't act like that.”

“So? I still love you as anyone would with their wife; do you really think I wouldn't fall for you? You’re even more perfect than I imagined.”

You’re momentarily stunned into silence, not quite expecting that but still not believing it quickly, your tipsy mind making you say things that you never would before.

“That's because I do everything for you— not that I mind b-but, I just act like a good partner. You don't feel romantically for me.” You huff, your teeth gritting together as you pettily narrow your eyes at him. What you hadn't considered is that he’d tuck your hair behind your ears, carefully pull you into his lap, and take one of your hands in his. He fondles your hand beneath his, his thumb rubbing gently over the skin before he brings it up to rest on his cheek, smiling fondly at you.

“I’ve been busy, I know. It’s quite hard having an agent as a partner, no? I already regret all the love I've lacked to give you.” This time, you’re positive that your cheeks are reacting to him, breath hiccuping when he turns his face in your grasp. His lips press a kiss to the palm of your hand before intertwining that hand with his and holding it against his heart.

“You just had to go get tipsy, didn't you?” The warmth of his hand on yours as he squeezes it gently is like a drug, one that squeezes your heart at the same rhythm whilst his teasing voice dances in the air around the two of you.

“Not my fault you always have to have a glass with dinner..” You grumble, not happy with how fast he had proven you wrong even if he had just confessed to his deepest feelings. He finds it quite endearing how stubborn a little bit of alcohol can make you. ”Alright, we can blame me for this one. How about you finish this pudding with me, and we can get you settled in bed, how does that sound?”

Before you know it, he’s wiping chocolate stains from your lips again as you sniffle in his lap, mumbling some nonsense about your so-called lack of lovelife while the movie plays in the background. He enjoys all your little comments about the movie, even when you subconsciously glance back at him when the couple starring do something romantic. Taking you up to bed is easy enough considering you’re only just bordering tipsy at the moment and you hardly weigh anything compared to the things he usually deals with. Your head just lolls lazily as he helps you upstairs, your eyes slowly blinking up at him when he sits you on the edge of the bed. “What pajamas do you want, pretty girl? How about your favourite?” The water he helped you drink before had sobered you up a little so you’re starting to feel better already. However, your mind is still a little hazy so you just nod along, not minding if this is the first time he undresses you.

Making sure to be gentle with you, he strips you down to your underwear before helping you pull on your warm sweatshirt and plaid pants. His lips twitched upwards when your own fingers tried to beat him with dressing yourself, finding it adorable how you still insisted on doing everything yourself. He could just put you to bed, but after watching for countless nights how you slave away at your skincare routine and keeping your teeth brushed well— he’d feel awful if he broke that. Before you know it, you’re sitting on the sink as he gently holds your jaw, his other hand using the electric toothbrush to clean your teeth. You’re a little uncooperative, swerving your head away at first until you just settle into a sleepy calm and he handles you with no problems. In no time he has you back on his lap, sitting at your small vanity as he carefully attempts to remember the order of your night time routine. What even is this? He thinks as he picks up a suspicious looking serum, labelled as snail mucin and gives it an experimental sniff. He thought it’d smell worse to be fair.

“No, you have to put the toner first and then the serum.” You mumble at him, gently tugging at his hands with your fingers and before he knows it, you have a toner pad all up in his face, wiping over his nose and cheeks before you cover the rest of his face.

“Hey- i’m meant to be doing your skincare. I don't need this stuff.”

He almost feels a pang of hurt in his chest as you raise an eyebrow at him, as if accusing him of having bad skin. With a huff, he removes the toner pad from your hands and throws it in the bin before gently pulling at your cheeks. “I have great skin, thank you. Dont give me that look.”

You immediately frown and attempt to puff your cheeks, causing him to have mercy and let go before he grabs a new toner pad and repeats your actions to yourself.

When you come back to your senses, your head is smushed against a pillow whilst he changes by the closet behind you. Your thoughts don't feel as hazy as they used to be, and you’re even starting to contemplate everything that happened earlier. Did he really mean what he meant? Did he actually like you.. romantically? You physically cringe at your own thoughts and hide your face behind your hands, groaning just quiet enough that he doesn't quite hear it. Sleeping next to him had always felt odd to you, but you always slept at different times so it never really felt romantic in any sort of way. You liked to stay up late and he liked to get a decent rest before the next morning. It was only recently that you started glancing at his sleeping face beside you, admiring the peace in his expression when he lost himself to his dreams and no other worries. Otherwise, it just felt like a roommate, nothing more nothing less.

But now his trousers were falling to the floor behind you, and you were laying in bed not quite falling asleep nor attempting to stay up. Suddenly, he wanted to sleep with you, not only beside you. It suddenly felt all too real that you two were actually married, actually partners and actually slept beside each other each night. What next, were the notes you left in his lunch romantic too? In truth, you were slightly freaking out but that might’ve been the alcohol making things a hundred times worse than they should’ve been, especially since you had started crying unannounced earlier. That’ll play in the back of your mind forever but for now you’re focused on his soft footsteps as he approaches the bed, dressed in a much looser shirt and pants. He always slept like this but this time he looks down at you, one finger gently poking your cheek as he sits on the other end of the bed.

“I actually prefer to sleep with my shirt off. But we always fell asleep at different times so I never got to ask your permission.”

He hums quietly, the finger now gently rubbing along the soft curve of your cheek instead.

“You can.. I don't mind.” You say quietly, eyes trailing over his form as he settles himself against the headboard right beside you. Touching you.

“Are you sure your cheeks won't get too red?”

He teases, hand moving towards the top of your head to gently card his fingers through your locks. You push yourself up to a sitting position, letting out a soft yawn as you do so before you blink at him hazily again. This time, you press forward and place your hand on his abdomen, absentmindedly rubbing your finger there back and forth. “I want to see your injuries.”

Not even he can stop the way his face softens at that and he tucks you into his side again, his other hand pulling the shirt up and over his head to discard onto the carpet beneath the bed. This view is only for you: his paled skin, the fresh scars, the old scars, fading bruises and fresh bruises, stitches that fall out and others that are pulled tight but most of all, his body. All for your eyes only, only for you. Your hand runs gently over the outline of his newest bruise, a deep purple that covers the entire expanse of his hip. It’s blooming into something worse and you’re sure it’ll hurt more tomorrow, not that he’d ever complain about that anyway. “You always come home with injuries, and you just play them off. Don't they hurt? Don't you want me to care for you?”

You say quietly, voice even softer now that you’ve sobered up, and he just lets out a breath, his face turning to watch the way your brows furrow and your lips press together. To have someone fuss over him like this is something he never thought about much, but it didn't mean he hadn’t craved the idea before. Yours was genuine worry, and you always held that genuine care for him. But it felt different now, more natural, more intimate. Like he was the only one you would worry about like this— he loved that feeling.

“I don't ever want you to worry about a thing, even if I do like the way your eyebrows crease when you do.” He chuckles softly, leaning down to press his lips affectionately against your hair before sitting back up properly again. “I suppose if you really want to.. I couldn't deny I'd be flattered to have you care for me.” The curve of your lips is what makes him smile as well, finding it all too endearing how easily a grin can form on your face.

“You’re such a flirt..” You mutter, trying to play it off and wiggle out of his hold on you, only serving for him to raise an amusing brow at you. “I’m only making up for what I can’t do to a tipsy girl.”

“I’m not tipsy..” You argue, sitting up a little straighter which makes his arm gently rest on your lower back instead.

“Oh? Really now? Let me test you then, since I used to be a policeman.”

“Fine, give me what you’ve got.”

“Sing the alphabet backwards if you’re sober.”

You instantly splutter, shaking your head quickly.

“Hey! Not even a normal person can do that. I knew you didn't actually like me.” He has to stop himself from rolling his eyes up at your grumbling, squashing your cheeks to make you shush.

“Is it really a crime that I don't want you to forget our first kiss because of some stupid whiskey?”

“Your stupid whiskey.” He finally rolls his eyes at your retort, gently pushing you back into bed and pulling the covers up and over you. “Alright fine, my stupid whiskey. Now, be honest with me, are you sober?”

The little frown on your face has disappeared with the hope his question brings, and you nod quietly, wide eyes looking into his.

“Are you very sure?” You were definitely sober now, his voice immediately lowering to a rasp as his hands travel up to cup the soft curves of your cheeks as they begin to turn pink. Just like that, he’s the man you’ve fallen for all over again, soft strands of fair hair framing his chiselled face as if they’re perfectly placed to put you under his spell. His index tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, gently rubbing the skin of your cheek with his calloused thumbs. His skin is so rough and yet you can't help but feel he is so soft at this moment; his eyes are like gentle waves, looking at you so fondly that you finally remember to reply.

“I-i'm sure.”

He doesn't hesitate, leaning in closer until his nose just touches the tip of yours, eyes locked onto every small movement you can even think about doing. “Can I?” The nod you give is the green light he’s always dreamed of; this day is all he has ever thought about since you joined his life. You let your eyes flutter closed, feel the warmth of his breath that tickles your skin as he draws closer and closer until his lips meet yours so gently. You have to physically stop yourself from giggling, probably the alcohol still trying to make a fool of you, but you just can't believe he’s the one wrapping you in his touch. Likewise, you wrap your arms around his neck, and he lets out a small gasp when you suddenly gain the strength to meet him upright, almost as if you’re threatening to pin him instead. Of course, he couldn't just let that slide easily. So, as anyone would, he pushes you back down into the mound of pillows, causing you to squeal as he leaves his touch all over your face, fleeting kisses painting your skin a rosy red. “You better not forget this in the morning.” He scoffs playfully as your eyes squeeze shut, giggles that spill out your mouth while he gives the affection he’s craved to gift to someone for years.

His job is hard, his life has been hard, and even this marriage initially felt the same. It wasn't so much the fact that he had essentially tied himself down to someone he barely knew, it was the realisation that he would never find his one person. That's why he did this after all, it seemed like it’d benefit the both of you and the day where he’d actually have a woman by his side slipped away with each mission. You, you were different though. You may have been an agent before, but outside of work you were the sweetest thing. Always subconsciously fussing over him, delaying sleep to prepare his lunch no matter how much he insisted you didn't need to, taking a personal duty to look after his cat, and still not being afraid to ask him when he seemed low or uncomfortable. You were everything he never had, even the annoying nagging of trying to get him to not lay on the couch after he ate or the fact that's his third whiskey yet.

Corny lines, the occasional flirty remark, dragging you to watch a movie— he wanted to do all of that before so you’d become actually his, actually the one he could say he loves and loves him back. But things got in the way, life got in the way, and he was starting to see his opportunities dissolve with each tired return from the mission. Despite his grumpy attitudes some days, his exhausted look as he collapsed into bed at eight, you still managed to fuss over him all the same— never once did you treat him differently, if not for the fact you’d cook him a slightly nicer meal after missions.

He was still busy, yes of course, but somehow he had managed to win you over. Maybe it was his silly jokes, though he’d seen you stare at his hair many times before so maybe that caught your eye. In any case, he’s happy to give any part of him to you, if not all of him. So when he’s pressed the last kiss on your nose and pulls the covers high over you, he tucks you into his chest, a final kiss to your temple as he looks down at your angelic expression. The way your smile curves at literally nothing but his touch is enough to make him fold right there, but he doesn't right now, squeezing you against him.

“Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you.”

He whispers out, and you can't ignore it, eyes snapping up to look at him just from those three words. He sees the wonder in your eyes, the way they question the truth and if this really is real. Then you nod slowly, tuck your head into his chest, nestled against the beat of his heart.

“I love you too.”

[reality-detective]

MORE ABOUT THIS↙️

Do you Love making natural remedies?

Did you know that you can easily make this powerful remedy at home?

you will only need :

• 1 orange 🍊

• 1 Lime 💚

• 1 Lemon 🍋

• Onion skin (From 1 🧅)

• Big chunk of ginger 💛

• 5 willow leaves 🍃

• 1/2 tsp Turmeric 🧡

• Pinch of black pepper 🖤 (to activate Turmeric)

• More than pinch of Chilli pepper 🌶

1. Drop them all into a pot

2. Pour in water so all ingredients are under water

3. Steep for 15-20 mins

And you done ✅

Drink 1-2 cups daily

Good in fridge for up to a week+

Benefits of :

Orange 🍊 :

The vitamin C in it can help :

• Protect your cells from damage

• Helps your body make collagen.

Lime 💚 & Lemon 🍋:

• Consuming limes or drinking the juice may improve immunity

• Reduce heart disease risk factors

• Prevent kidney stones

Onion skin 🧅 :

• The skins of onion provides an excellent source of vitamins A, C, E, and numerous antioxidants.

• They're also a rich source of flavonoids, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ginger 💛 :

• Has powerful components that lower blood sugar levels and prevent heart disease

• Eating ginger every day can regulate the production of insulin in patients with diabetes.

Willow bark 🍃 :

• Has been used throughout the centuries in China and Europe, and continues to be used today for the treatment of pain (particularly low back pain and osteoarthritis), headache, and inflammatory conditions, such as bursitis and tendinitis.

Turmeric 🧡 :

• Its most active compound, curcumin, has many scientifically proven health benefits, such as the potential to improve heart health

• Prevent against Alzheimer's and cancer.

Chilli pepper 🌶 :

• Helps Protect Your Heart.

• Can Help You Burn Fat and Lose Weight.

• Help Soothe Intestinal Diseases.

U can sure use fewer ingredients then shown, if u are sick just use those witch are needed at that time. 🤔

[animeyanderelover]

Witch s/o but with hisoka ,chrollo,kite,killua

Tw: Yandere themes, possessive behavior, toxic relationship, obsession, delusional mindset, clingy behavior, manipulation, threats, blackmailing, murder

Tags: @jamayah @chxxz @leveyani @cynniical @shenryu-sama @maggiequinn59

Witch s/o

Killua Zoldyck

🪀​You're certainly not going to scare him with anything that you store in your home nor with the questionable rituals you perform at times to complete a spell or summon something. Killua has seen too much shit in his life to the point where he engages you in your occasionally morbid interests. If you need some special ingredients like a heart or intestines just call him and he'll deliver it fresh to you. It is quite relaxing to be around him as he doesn't judge you for your interests and hobbies. If you have a small cottage somewhere in the forest and live isolated from civilisation he'd be able to have you almost exclusively to himself and he'd absolutely love that. As you are able to use powers not even Nen-user can utilise there should be little reason for the assassin to worry about you yet being protective is something that comes naturally with his obsession and will be unavoidable sooner or later. He doesn't trust easily and as someone who has grown up to see all types of people he is fully aware that some would very much desire to either use your magic or perceive you as a threat and would want to get rid of you.

Hisoka Morow

Gosh, he loves you. You're perfect, unique and best of all you are all his. Living in an isolated area in a dark forest has never proven to be more painful the moment Hisoka stumbled upon your peaceful home after he heard the rumors in the village. It is no secret that he lives for the thrill of fighting strong opponents yet you prove to be the most promising unpolished diamond yet. Never before has he encountered someone who uses magic and he just can't wait to see what you are capable off. He's lurking around your cottage all the time and as much as you try to ignore him, you are fully aware that by doing so you'll only encourage him to keep on stalking around to find a weak spot to use. He slaughters people who dare to intrude into the forest and drops their corpses in front of your home like a cat, jokingly proclaiming that he has brought you some ingredients for you to use in your next concoction. The only reason why he hasn't broken into your home yet is because you used seals to prohibit him from entering. Only giving him a small taste of your power... You're such a tease, you know~

Chrollo Lucilfer

📖​Chrollo is undeniably intrigued. Magic is something that has only ever appeared in fairytales yet your existence proves that there is always a little bit of truth in every legend. His Nen-ability has always allowed him to steal the powers of others if he fulfilled the conditions yet he is unable to steal your source of power. His approach is much more careful and calculated now as he enters unknown territory with you. There is so much he has yet to find out about you and your magic and he knows that it may take time yet patience is a virtue Chrollo has learned to embrace for himself. After all every moment with you is an experience he intends to savour, every word that leaves your lips another piece of a puzzle he intends to solve. You possess knowledge he wishes to claim and every little story you share with him about your own world is a story he is deeply invested in. Treasure has never been something Chrollo has limited to diamonds and gold and in his eyes you are a treasure, the most priced one at that. You fascinate and enchant him and he wishes to claim you for himself. He supposes that you wouldn't willingly abandon your lifestyle for him though, would you? Seems like he'll have to use other methods then.

Kite

🤡Both of you are able to share mutual interests as his profession and your work as a witch align. He documents unknown species to the government together with his friends and you as a watch have creatures to offer that he has probably never heard about. Similar to Killua the morbid sight of body parts or disgustingly looking things stuffed in jars and stored in your house do not deter him in the slightest. He's genuinely interested in the knowledge you have to share with him and the stories you have to tell. Kite is very cautious around you though as he perceives you as the strong individual that you are. Aware of his own obsession he has going on, he does his best to not give you any reason to distrust him. You're anything but weak and the last thing he would want is to provoke a fight with you, especially since there is still so little he knows about your magic. Instead he stays low in regards to his obsession, enjoys the time he spends with you all whilst slowly collection information just in case something should go wrong.

[skst8497]

How PhenGold Supercharges Your Weight Loss Journey!  (No Filler, Just Results!)

https://swiy.co/phngld - Discover How PhenGold Can Transform Your Weight Loss Journey Hey everyone, welcome back to my channel! Today, I've got something super exciting to share with you all. If you're looking to shed some pounds and boost your energy, you'll definitely want to stick around. We’re diving into PhenGold, a metabolism booster by HealthNutrition, that's been getting a lot of buzz lately. So, let's see what all the hype is about and how it can help you on your weight loss journey. Alright, so let's talk about PhenGold. This isn't just any weight loss supplement. It's got a multi-action formula that really gets your body's natural fat-burning abilities going. What does that mean? Well, it speeds up weight loss by increasing your metabolism. It's like having a little helper inside your body, breaking down stored fat and turning it into energy. PhenGold is made with clinically proven ingredients, which means that there's real science backing up its effectiveness. And for all my veggie friends out there—good news! It's vegetarian and vegan-friendly. Plus, no soy, gluten, or dairy, and absolutely no fillers or artificial ingredients.

[serene-faerie]

On the subject of Elven perfume-making

The Sindar of Doriath are the experts and pioneers in Elven perfumes and fragrances. Though perfume-making was a popular pastime among female Elves, it hasn't stopped male Elves from making their own fragrances as well.

During the Years of the Trees, many Iathrim women would venture to all the forests of Doriath to study the plants, berries, and flowers that grew. They went to Neldoreth, Brethil, Nivrim, Region, and Radhrim, and using what they learned from trial and experimentation, they would gather and cultivate the flora and herbs and berries with the best fragrances and perfume notes. Then, they would use them to create perfumes by distilling certain ingredients in brandy.

The five most popular Doriathrim fragrances are:

Lavender: while useful as an antiseptic and an air freshener for sick rooms, lavender also has other uses. Sindarin women often use lavender soaps and elixirs for bathing, and it's also a popular fragrance for everyday use. Mothers also use lavender balms to soothe their children and help them sleep. This started when Lúthien was a baby, and had trouble sleeping. Melian made herself smell like lavender, and she would also rub baby Lúthien with a lavender balm to soothe her into sleep. Since then, a lot of Sindarin mothers began using lavender balms on their children; a tradition that would be carried down throughout the ages.

Sandalwood: this perfume is popular for both Sindarin men and women for one particular reason- its aphrodisiac qualities. With its distinctive soft, warm, smooth woodsy scent, it is especially powerful when mixed with a floral fragrance. Sandalwood is frequently mixed with jasmine to reduce stress and enhance arousal. It's common to spray marital beds with sandalwood perfume to enhance arousal in a newlywed couple. In addition, many Sindarin brides wear this perfume on their wedding night, and it's quite common to give a bottle of sandalwood and jasmine perfume as a wedding gift to a newly-married couple.

Orange blossom: this scent is commonly worn in late spring or early summer. It's a sweet, refreshing, and delicate scent, which stimulates the senses and brings a sense of anticipation for the summer months. In Doriath, this scent is associated with youthfulness, and is given to adolescent Elves on their first teenage begetting day. Orange blossom perfume is mostly popular among the Sindar of the Falas, where the coastal environment almost enhances the citrusy qualities of the scent.

Mugwort: while this herb is commonly used in Sindarin herbal medicine, it's also quite popular for male fragrances in Doriath. It has fresh, herbaceous, and bitter notes, and it's often combined with other ingredients like amber and cedarwood to create a comforting and woodsy scent. The march wardens of Doriath often rub themselves with mugwort balms so that they can hide their natural scent and blend into their environment whenever they go hunting. It makes it much easier for them to hunt without their scent being detected by the animals.

Sage: this herb has soothing qualities to it that makes it useful in both medicine and in fragrances. Its distinctly herbal scent has proven to be calming in many ways, and it has also been used in incense as well. During times of war, the soldiers of Doriath would perfume their armour and weaponry with sage incense as part of a ritual, and many would use sage incense to meditate as well. The fragrance allows soldiers to soothe their minds and nerves before battle, allowing them to reflect on the probability of death, on their hope of survival, and the possibility of victory. Following the First Battle of Beleriand, sage became associated with funerary rites and mourning as well, as many fallen soldiers were commemorated with sage incense during lengthy funeral services in the wake of the battle.

[reveriesatelier]

Tips for hair growth

Massage your scalp for 5 minutes a day. This increases the blood flow in the scalp. Your hair follicles derive their nourishment from the blood which delivers oxygen and hair-building nutrients, so the more blood circulation their is, the more nutrients the hair gets, which leads to hair growth👌👌👌.

Regularly oil your hair. Sebum is a natural oil that is produced from the sebaceous glands in our scalp that helps maintain our hair health. Sebum is meant to help by moisturising and lubricating hair as a natural conditioner. But when it’s not produced in balanced amounts, hair feels extra greasy or super dry and flaky. This is where hair oiling can be helpful. A quality hair oil will mimic the effects that natural sebum provides. Because we all produce sebum, hair oiling works for all hair types. When you coat the strands, it seals in the moisture instead of having it evaporate. This properly nourishes the hair deep within the strands and scalp. 

Consistently eat pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seed extract is a gentle yet effective ingredient that has been scientifically proven to block the 5-alpha reductase enzyme that produces DHT, a byproduct of testosterone that causes hair loss.

Don't wash your hair with hot water. Hot water in the shower can contribute to over-stripping the scalp and hair of natural oils, which can make hair feel brittle and scalp dry.

Remember that you won't see hair growth results immediately, it takes a few months to a year, just remember that consistency is the key! 

[ambuj1]

Does Procapil help hair growth?

Cerise naturals Procapil Serum is a combination of a vitamin Matrikine with Apigenin and Oleanolic Acid from Olive Tree Leaves. It fights follicle ageing process to prevent hair loss. Cosmetically, this product is used in hair strengthening and anti-hair loss treatments such as lotions, conditioners and leave-on products.

[beasbees]

Food Safe Wood Conditioner and Sealant Made With Beeswax!

I've been dying to try some practical recipes with honey and beeswax for so long! I've had this book for a bit, and finally put aside some time and the ingredients to make something.

I got a handmade cutting board from a customer this week, and it seemed totally raw and unprotected. So I wanted to make a food safe sealant and conditioner for it, so that I can start abusing it in the kitchen lol.

I have plenty of minimally rendered beeswax, and did some YouTube research on the best food safe wood oils. Tung and mineral oil are the most popular, but I had easiest access to walnut oil, and it has proven to have natural curing agents in it, which I thought would be beneficial to the wood over time.

I followed the Salad Bowl Conditioner recipe from Beehive Alchemy; very simple, fast, and straightforward. I used my bare hands to massage it into the wood, and I'm glad I did, as it turned out more solid than expected and more difficult to apply because of that. I thinking the future I'll increase the oil ratio to make it softer and more absorbent.

The wood looks great though! I'm letting it chill overnight before using it so that it absorbs as much as possible. It's recommended to reapply conditioner and sealant every week or two, depending on the intensity of use of the wood. It has almost no smell, and now my hands are nice and soft lol. I look forward to seeing how it performs!

[phoenix-manga]

Ru Khan

CV: Nagao Shizune

Biographical Information

Gender: Female

Age: 16

Birthday: May 17

Starsign: Taurus

Height: 175 cm

Eye Color: Bilbao

Hair Color: Chalk & Space Grey

Professional Status

Dorm: Dragonstone

School Year: 1st Year

Class: 1-D | Student no. 12

Occupation: Student

Club: Horse Grooming Club

Best Subject: Marathon Run

Fun Facts

Favorite Food: Ramen

Least Favorite Food: Garlic & Onion

Dislikes: Fancy restaurants

Hobby: Running

Talents: Breaking things

Idol Stats

Performance: Rough and wild meant for loud songs

Choreography: Freestyle kicks

Styling Jewel Outfits: Cultural | Cool

Ru is a rough and tough girl who isn’t afraid to back down from a fight. She tends to be stubborn and doesn’t take back what she said unless someone she is close with tells her to apologize. Ru is a bit of a tsundere.

She is also someone who trusts her gut. She tends to judge people by their looks and vibes because she has encountered unruly people in Afterglow Savannah. It may seem rude but this is how Ru developed this mentality to survive the slums. She does let up reluctantly if she is proven wrong.

Ru is mostly surrounded by street kids growing up. She often climbs trees or plays tag with them, so she’s got a bit of spunk to her. She has this sense of bravery where she will outright fight anyone who dares to mess with her. It was normal around where she lives but her dad always reminds her to just tell an adult, while her uncle and grandmother ask her if she won.

She won’t hold back in what she thinks of people, but she won’t blindly say it to start a fight.

When someone wants to fight, she would always start it with an argument, asking them if they REALLY want to fight, usually the opponent backs off when she dares them.

She can be impatient and easily irritated only because she doesn’t want to face repercussions. It might take a while for her to be convinced to take it easy.

Hometown: Afterglow Savannah

Family History

Ru lives in Afterglow Savannah where they live in a place with open fields and quite far from the city. But it was a walk away from a slum area, Ru lives with her uncle and grandmother who run a noodle shop. 

Her uncle and her dad used to live in an eastern village. Then they moved to the Village of Harvest where Ru spent her 5-7 years of age there until they had to move somewhere else again, which was Afterglow Savannah where their grandmother lives. They moved from place to place due to business and other circumstances.

Ru is left with the uncle and grandmother while her dad looks for work in the city. He comes home late but Ru understands their circumstances. She is homeschooled and often has to help her uncle run the shop.

Her uncle runs a noodle shop and has a field behind the house to grow the needed ingredients for his recipe. Because Ru often assists him either with farm work or with making noodles, she has developed a natural talent for cooking his specialty noodles.

Although she prefers to make dumplings since they are easier in her opinion. The noodles being served are really cheap but taste really good which attracts a lot of regulars.

Her grandmother owns the house they live in and bakes sweet tofu to sell in the streets. Every single day, she wakes up in the morning to make them by hand and goes around the neighborhood to sell.

Her uncle is a hardworking man and teaches Ru some basic self-defense. His way of training is mostly by focused on kicks.

Most customers are often workers and students but there’s the occasional street kid or homeless man who begs for alms. Ru’s uncle tends to serve noodles even if they couldn’t pay.

Childhood Memories

Ru used to play with the kids in her previous homes, out of all of them she only remembers a farm boy with lilac hair that she rough plays with from time to time.

In her permanent home in Afterglow Savannah, she would be seen playing with the certain hyena. She remembers brawling with the certain hyena when he stole radishes from the fields.

Ru’s grandmother stopped the brawl and scolded the hyena, but gave the radishes anyway.

When the hyena boy came back, Ru was ready to fight. To her shock, the hyena boy apologized because her grandmother reminds him of his own and it made him feel bad. The two made a mutual agreement that Ru could give away a few of their crops if the hyena boy helps out.

Ru is often a lone wolf when it comes to her school life. If she has to be partnered with someone, she responds when needed and doesn’t make idle chitchat. Mainly because she has no idea how to act in an elite academy, she is under the impression that it was serious business.

So, she tends to get a bit snappy when she is paired by a slacker or a chatterbox. Afraid to get a bad grade that might otherwise get her kicked out of the academy.

Despite being serious about school, she tends to struggle with other subjects due to her homeschooling. Her family had limited access to books and used hand-me-downs, but she tries to shoulder her own burdens to save face.

Bailong

She is a silkie hen gifted to Ru when her uncle won a horse during a fair and the hen was won by her grandmother from gambling with mahjong with one of the neighbors. Bailong likes to chill in potted plants and is overall quiet.

At least until she starts clucking and running about because she heard something interesting. Never ever let this hen catch wind of your secrets.

Her unique magic is called, Bronco Stampede, she gains a strength boost and speed boost for a short period of time. Whenever she uses it her arms and legs glow jade green with markings of hooves. After using this spell, her limbs would be sore for a while. She doesn’t use this a lot unless it was really needed. Prolonged use of the spell causes intense muscle ache that renders her immobile.

Ru doesn’t use magic all that often as she does everything with her own physical capabilities.

Suan Khan

Ru’s father. He had a girlfriend who perished after childbirth, now he is left to raise his daughter with his family.

He used to be reckless and a bit of a bad boy, but after the passing of his girlfriend, the weight of responsibility weighed down on him. He straightened up and went to look for work to provide for his daughter.

His relationship with Ru tends to be a bit awkward despite being understanding of their circumstance. She hasn’t had a chance to interact with him as much, she feels a bit regretful about how things turned out with no idea how to fix that.

Jiang Khan

He’s the older brother of Suan Khan, he takes the role of Ru’s parent when Suan leaves for work. He is a tough beastman who teaches Ru that she won’t take crap from anyone!

Doufu Khan

She is the grandma of Ru and the mother of Suan and Jiang. She has a stern yet compassionate personality. She tends to scold her sons more than her grandchild.

The character’s name, “Ru” was made up so it would sound a bit cooler when paired with her last name, “Khan” which is the name of Mulan’s horse.

The names of Ru’s family are based on Chinese ingredients and spices. Suan is Garlic, Jiang is Ginger, and Doufu is Tofu. The reason for these names being based on ingredients is because of how the family runs a noodle shop.

Ru is supposed to have a horse named Cheung for the sake of irony, but the artist decided not to torture themselves by adding another horse for the sake of a joke.

[rodricksfilipinagf]

Academia AU Pt. 2 (Eris Vanserra x Reader)

CW: Baking, Smut

         Why, why did I agree to bake with Eris? I should have insisted I’d do it all by myself. Not that he would let me. He was as eager to prove his commitment and devotion to the English department as I was. Which meant agreeing to bake for its annual ball. 

         I don’t know how I was expecting Eris to live. Rich, definitely because of his wealthy father. The quintessential overstuffed bookshelves that an English professor would have. But when I get to his apartment, I’m proven right. Sure, there’s a crackling fireplace, tons of wooden bookshelves overstuffed with books (only classic literature, naturally.) There’s also cold, sterile vibes in the kitchen, with its enormous refrigerator and marble white island stocked with baking ingredients. What I wasn’t expecting were two smiling, friendly…

         “Greyhounds?” I ask.

         He sighs. “Y/N, meet Ben and Bea. They’re my pride and joy, and to my dismay, they seem to like you.” He hands me a bowl of dog treats. “Here, do you want to feed them?”

         “Sure,” I say, and put a dog treat on my hand for Ben to eat. He gobbles it from my hand easily, and Bea instantly whines, wanting her turn. She puts her paws on my thighs and starts licking my hand. “Okay, okay.” I reach into the bowl and take out a dog treat. Bea swallows it and gives me lots of tail wags. “I didn’t know you liked dogs,” I say as I kneel down and give Bea scritches behind the ears. Ben, not to be forgotten about, licks my face until I relent and pet him too. 

         “What pet would you have attributed to me?” he asks, looking as if he’s fighting off a smile. Is it possible he’s…happy at the sight of me bonding with his dogs. 

         “I don’t know. A snake, maybe?” After I say this, Ben barks numerous times as if to agree.

         This time, Eris can’t help but laugh. “Why?” A mischievous look enters his eye. “Might it be because you think I have a long-“

         “You talk this way in front of your dogs?” I shake my head. “Shame on you, Eris Vanserra. You’re not being a very good dog dad.”

         His face blanches, despite his jovial mood seconds earlier. “Shall we start baking?”

         “Um…okay,” I say, reluctant to stop playing with his dogs. 

         “Go in the living room. Go, go,” he says to the dogs, and they obediently go and settle onto their dog beds.

         “Their beds are in the living room?” I ask, washing my hands.

         “They have two each, one in the living room, and one in my bedroom. Through they don’t like use the bedroom ones. They’d rather take up too much space on my bed.”

         “Aww,” I say involuntarily. The thought of Eris being squished by his enormous dogs in bed sounded almost…cute. I dry my hands with a paper towel, determined to flush those thoughts out of my head. Eris Vanserra was not cute. He was a pain in my backside. Speaking of which…

         “I’m surprised you didn’t want to do brownies. From a box. The easy way, right?”

         My nostrils flare. “You just had to ruin it by being infuriating.”

         He raises an eyebrow. “Ruin what?”

I let out a sigh. “You being a decent human being.”

         I start kneading the dough. “You know my last class actually went well. My guest lecturer was superb.”

         Eris’s fist tightened around the rolling pin. “Oh, really?”

         “Yeah,” I say. “Rhysand really engaged the kids.”

         He snorts. “The fact that you call them kids says it all. They’re young adults. And should be treated like so. You’re not even presenting them with anything challenging.”

         “Oh, like you would know,” I fire back. 

         “So what makes Rhysand so special?” he skewers, using the rolling pin to flatten the dough. 

         “Well, like I said. He knows what the students want. First he did a reading of his latest romance novel, then he did a Q and A for whatever questions the students had, and then he led them in a writing workshop to see what they could do.”

         “I bet he did,” mutters Eris. 

         “The students loved him, which is more than I can say for you,” I say, laying out the chocolate chips. 

         “So I decided to do what you said and I picked up a romance book. His romance book.”

         I laugh. “Let me guess. You hated it.”

         “How could I not? It was dull and derivative.”

         “How dare you call it dull?” It was one of my favorite recent romance novels.

         “You mean have an opinion? Is this what you’re like in the classroom?” He continues, “It was riddled with cliches and went by them motion to motion, as if it were a paint by numbers. That should be something you’re familiar with.”

         “You are so annoying!” I explode.

         He snorts. “As if you’re not? Everything you say I want to shut you up.”

         “Well, too bad for you.” I flare my nostrils and glare at him. 

         He narrows his eyes. “You know what?” He takes a fistful of flour and releases it into my hair. 

         My face burns with rage. 

         He snickers. “This is a good look for you, bunny.”

         “Ughhh, you are such a child,” I stew.

         “Oh, really?” He raises an eyebrow. 

         My eyes go to the vanilla extract and his eyes follow mine. His hand is faster than mine and before I know it, he trickles vanilla extract down my cleavage.

         My blood is boiling by now. “Fuck you.”

         Eris smirks. “If you say so, bunny.”

         His lips crash into mine and I feel his fingers grip my ass and squeeze it as he lifts me onto the kitchen island. I pant heavily as he tears off my shirt and undoes my bra, tossing it away. I unbutton my pants and kick them off as he does the same to his pants and boxers.

         He fingers the edge of my panties. “If I were to remove these, would I find you wet for me?”

         “Fuck no,” I spit out.

         Eris clicks his tongue. “You know I punish liars, right, Y/N?”

         I grow wetter and wetter as he talks, and as he strokes outside my panties, I’m convinced he feels it. 

         “Mmm. Let’s see,” he says as he whips them off. He circles my very, very wet entrance with his finger. “Looks like someone’s been a bad girl. And you know what happens to bad girls.”

         He cleans up my sopping wet pussy with his tongue, teasing very close to my clit but not quite reaching it. 

         He tops me on the kitchen island and starts covering the underside of my breasts with slow licks. My nipples are hard by now, which is exactly what he wants.

         Eris examines my stiffening nipples with ravenous eyes. “Bunny, are these for me?” He gives me a wicked grin. “You shouldn’t have.” He takes a nipple into his mouth, giving it tantalizing licks before biting it hard. 

         I blush as I grow even wetter. 

         He smirks. “You like that, bunny?” He eases his dick inside me and starts thrusting into me. 

         I let out a moan. 

         “You looks so hot under me,” he tells me. “I like you a lot better this way.” He starts pounding into me harder and harder.

         He starts circling my clit with the tip of his dick, and I let out an excruciating moan. 

         “Want to finish, bunny?” he asks. “Admit you’re attracted to me.”

         I hesitate. 

         “I already licked your pussy. Your feelings for me are pretty obvious. I just want to hear you say it.” He smiles evilly at me. “Anytime now, bunny.”

         “Fine,” I breathe out. “I’m attracted to you, you asshole.”

         “That’s more like it,” he says before he plunges his dick into my clit. I let out an earthshattering scream as Eris loudly groans. 

         “Did you finish?” I ask. 

         A sinister look enters his eyes. “Not quite,” Eris replies as he takes his hand and closes it around his dick, spraying my face with what remained. 

He snickers. “Thanks for admitting you’re attracted to me.” What a dick.

                                                     ~

Eris lets me clean up in his bathroom, claiming haughtily that we’d better get some work done with our baking if we didn’t want to waste the evening. 

         As I cleaned up my face, I wondered if this was something Eris wanted to do for a while or only did during the spur of the moment. Either way, it was hot. I was sort of ashamed to admit it, given he’d treated me like absolute trash. But I hated to admit that he did also satisfy me sexually. 

         When I opened the bathroom door and saw him there, I couldn’t help but blush, thinking about how he made me feel. 

         “Are you done?” he asks tersely. 

         “Um, yeah,” I say, stepping outside. 

         “Good,” he replies, stepping into the bathroom. 

         I make my way back to the kitchen, wondering what was up with him. It was understandable that he wanted this to be a one-time thing but now he wasn’t acting like himself. 

         In fact- I swallow- he acted most like himself when we were fucking. What happened? I start sprinkling chocolate chips into the dough. Not that I want him to do it again- he was a repugnant asshole…but also the sexiest man I’ve ever been with. 

         I almost didn’t hear him come in. “So Y/N…” I hear him say, but then my phone rings. 

         “Hang on,” I tell him. I dig out my phone from my purse. “Hello?”

         “Hello, darling,” Rhysand’s voice purrs. “How is your gorgeous self?”

         “Oh.” I blush, and Eris’ eyes narrow. “Great, Rhysand, what’s up?”

         “I just wanted to know if…guest lecturers such as myself were welcome at the English Department Charity Ball this Friday night. I wanted to check before leaving town completely.”

         “Oh. Yeah, Rhysand, you can absolutely come.”

         Eris was positively glowering at this point. 

         “Fantastic. Would it be too forward of me to ask you to be my date?”

         “Your date?” I repeat. I glance at Eris, who just looked at me blankly. “It’s not really a date…event. Thank you for asking, though.”

         “Of course, darling. I’ll see you there.” 

         Eris deigned to say, “Rhysand” after I hung up the phone. “He asked you out?”

         “Yes,” I say. Just because he fucked just now didn’t mean that he owned me. “So?”

         He shrugs. “I don’t care.”

         I let out an incredulous breath. “What, were you going to ask me?”

         He rolls his eyes. “Why would I? Go with perfect Rhysand, who enthralled all your students.”

         “Wait,” I say. 

         “No, I wasn’t going to ask you,” he said, bunching up the cookie dough into little balls. “Why would I? I despise you.”

         “I- I despise you too,” I say. “Us fucking was a one-time thing.”

         He gives me a cruel smile. “Do you want it to be a one-time thing? I may hate you, but I don’t hate fucking you,” he assures me. 

         My heart lifts in spite of itself. “Fine.” I don’t want to seem too eager. 

         He nods. “Fine. Should we get back to baking?”

         “Yeah,” I say. So he wants to fuck me, but he doesn’t want to date me. That’s fine. That’s perfectly fine. Maybe I should give Rhysand a chance…

[lord-of-the-muses]

Oh, that's my pet lion "Kitty Kat"

Pairings: Wednesday Addams x Female Reader x Enid Sinclair

It was a typical Wednesday afternoon when Enid, a bubbly and outgoing Nevermore student and the roommate of Wednesday Addams met Kitty Kat, the pet lion. Wednesday had arranged the meeting, expecting Enid to run off like everyone else did when they first laid eyes on the majestic beast. But Enid was not everyone else. She was fearless, and her love for animals was unparalleled.

As soon as Enid laid eyes on Kitty Kat, she knew she was in love. The lion was majestic and regal, with a thick mane of golden hair that cascaded down his back. Enid couldn't help but giggle with excitement as she approached him. She reached out her hand tentatively, expecting the lion to shy away, but instead, Kitty Kat nuzzled her gently with his nose.

With a wide smile on her face, Enid threw her arms around the lion's neck and hugged him tightly. She could feel the lion's muscles rippling beneath her touch as he purred contentedly. Enid couldn't believe her luck. She had always dreamed of having a pet lion, and now she had the chance to interact with one up close and personal.

As Enid petted the lion and whispered sweet nothings in his ear, Wednesday watched from a safe distance. She had been skeptical of Enid's ability to handle the lion, but she was quickly proven wrong. Enid's fearlessness and love for animals had won over the lion, and they were now the best of friends.

As Enid and Kitty Kat bonded, Y/N, who was both Enid's and Wednesday's lover, couldn't help but be drawn to Morticia's garden. The garden was full of beautiful and exotic plants, but Y/N's eyes were drawn to the Pitcher plant. The plant was a deep shade of purple, and its leaves were shaped like the mouth of a pitcher. Y/N was mesmerized by its beauty and couldn't help but want to know more about it.

Wednesday, noticing Y/N's interest in the Pitcher plant, explained that it was a carnivorous plant that trapped and digested insects. Y/N was fascinated by the plant's unique way of survival and couldn't help but fall in love with it.

As Enid and Kitty Kat played together, Y/N and Wednesday tended to Morticia's garden, planting new seeds and nurturing the existing plants. The three of them spent the rest of the afternoon together, enjoying the beauty of nature and the company of each other.

Enid, Wednesday, and Y/N all shared a love for the beauty and wonder of nature, and as they spent time together, they realized that they shared a special bond. They couldn't wait to spend many more Wednesdays together, exploring the world around them and discovering new things.

After all their hard work in Morticia's garden, Lurch brought out a tray of steaming hot chocolate for Enid, Wednesday, and Y/N. As they sipped the warm and rich drink, they all felt happy and content. The hot chocolate was unlike any they had ever tasted before, and they couldn't help but ask Wednesday how it was made.

Wednesday, with a smile on her face, happily explained the process. She told them that the secret ingredient was the blood of a rare beetle. The beetle's blood was crushed and mixed into the hot chocolate, giving it a unique and rich flavor.

Enid and Y/N's eyes widened in shock as they quickly finished off their hot chocolate. They couldn't believe that they had just consumed beetle blood. They had been so excited to try Morticia's special hot chocolate, but now they regretted finishing it so quickly.

Despite their initial shock, Enid and Y/N couldn't deny the delicious taste of the hot chocolate. They couldn't help but wonder what other secrets Morticia's garden held. They knew that they would have to come back soon to explore it more and discover its many wonders.