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ootori-sibs · 4 years ago

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Birthday cake

Day three of @ohshc-week : kitchen/baking or self-discovery

"He doesn't like sweets! We can't use icing!"

"We're making a cake boss! It's gonna be sweet either way!"

Haruhi sighed, they were supposed to be making a birthday cake for Kyoya… but it was dissolved into messes and fighting. Honey and Mori were working on making little purple roses out of icing, well Honey was, Mori was more focused on stopping Honey from eating any of the ingredients.

The twins were fighting with Tamaki over how to decorate the cake, meanwhile poor Haruhi was the only one actually making the cake. Dark chocolate, with some cherries in, Haruhi couldn't help to notice how it was practically a black forest gateau but with some alterations to make it more enjoyable to the shadow king. She found it rather funny how Kyoya preferred a sharper taste to something sweet, it fit him so well, she was happy to use some tricks her mother had taught her; such as adding a pinch of salt with the sugar to keep the taste less sweet, or melting the butter a little before adding it so it's easier to mix. The hosts would probably be very confused by it, if they were paying attention to the actual cake instead of the decorations of it.

The twins were still arguing with Tamaki, they had been for around twenty minutes now. Haruhi sighed and walked over, arms crossed. "Are you three finished with your arguing yet? I need the cake bases now."

They glanced at her, and Tamaki practically melted into whining, "Haaarruuuuhuiii! Tell them we can't use icing! Kyoya doesn't like sweet things!!" He clung to her, pouting and just doing those horrid puppy eyes.

Haruhi just rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, "not liking sweet things doesn't mean we should leave the cake plain, we can just use a drizzle… how about a caramel sauce?"

The trio watched closely as Haruhi mixed the cream with the sugar and caramel, adding salt in spite of the concern that the hosts had. "Have you boys never cooked before? Of course you put salt in, otherwise it'd be too sweet," she didn't know why she'd even asked that, of course this gaggle of spoiled brats had never cooked before, they all had gourmet chefs working for them. She let the twins put the cake in the oven, barely glancing to make sure they got the settings right, as she was preoccupied with the huge bowl of caramel sauce. Tamaki however, was just sat there doing nothing, so Haruhi sighed, turning to him, "senpai, can't you think of something to do?"

The king pouted, resting his head on the counter, "noo… I'm bored…" he glanced up at Haruhi, big puppy eyes on full blast.

She sighed, rolling her eyes at him, "why don't you just make some little marzipan balls for decoration? That should keep you busy." She slid the tray of marzipan towards him, smiling softly when he instantly got to work, rolling little orbs of white and black.

After the decorations were all ready, sitting on their trays, ready for the cake to finish baking. Tamaki perked up slightly, "do you think Kyoya's back from spending time with his brothers yet? I wanna give him his cards and gifts!"

The twins shrugged, "we don't know, we asked him to text us but he hasn't yet."

Honey giggled, "his brothers probably don't want to stop hanging out with him! I know I wouldn't want to stop spending time with Chika." Oh yeah, Honey definitely had a unique perspective on this situation, having a younger sibling of his own, Mori, having one too, nods in agreement.

Haruhi sighs, finally relaxing, "we've only got an hour to wait until the cake's done, then we wait half an hour before we decorate it, so we wouldn't even be able to spend that much time with him without leaving again."

At these words, the hosts all collectively pouted, it was Kyoya's birthday after all, and all they wanted was to spend time with their beloved shadow king. They sat and waited in silence after that, staring at the oven as the cakes were baking. As much as they joked that Kyoya was heartless and cruel, he was mommy for a reason; he went out of his way to make sure everyone was doing the best they could, he took care of 80% of the duties that were really supposed to be Tamaki's job, he always had a bag or two of sweets in his bag- even though he wasn't that big of a fan of sweet things, really he was the mother of the group, no matter how much he tried to deny it. They all loved him with all their hearts, and wanted The best for him, unfortunately Kyoya isn't very open to love and affection, so the hosts have to be sneaky when showing their care with him.

The more Haruhi thought about it, the more Kyoya was like a particularly feral cat- one that was suddenly been shown affection and warmth; he was entirely self-sufficient, he treated literally everyone as if they were incapable and needed him to keep them going, was disgusted by the idea of affections, but silently craved being seen in a positive light, he was loving and caring but denied ever being such things, hiding it behind a rough and cruel exterior. The thought made her smile fondly, though she did wish they could just tell him how much they cared, instead of having to dance it around and hope he understands.

She knew what almost everyone had bought Kyoya, they'd all shown off happily. She felt a little bad about her measly little scarf she'd made him, but he always seemed too cold, hands shaking almost every time she saw them, he did so much for everyone- Haruhi just wanted to do something considerate back. The boys, as is typical of rich people, used gift being as an unwitting display of wealth; each gift more ornate and expensive then the next.

The twins had gotten him a four piece suit, complete with a male corset and rather impressive shoes. It was black and purple, with silver details, they'd even bought practically a bucketful of accessories, stating that Kyoya's outfits were always so plain. The accessories were quite tasteful, although some may be too feminine for Kyoya's tastes.

Honey of course, had gotten Kyoya many different squishies and stress balls and other fidgety, stimulating toys. Haruhi thought this was a great idea, even if some of them are a tad cutesy, Kyoya's always so angry, he's definitely going to appreciate them! Then she saw him pull out a fidget toy with opals on it, sure it was pretty, but do they have to flaunt wealth at every point? At least Honey had a good reason, stating that black opal was Kyoya's favourite gemstone. Another good thing about these toys, is that honey had them custom made, and claimed that they were made to be practically indestructible, which was rather impressive- and needed too, Haruhi had seen Kyoya dent an armoured car in a fit of rage, any toys he had would have to be able to put up with that level of violence.

Mori had bought a couple of books he thought Kyoya might find interesting, as well as a new usb with pdf copies of each book, Haruhi honestly thought that was one of the best gifts, thoughtful and subtle, then Mori showed them the books and they were all first edition copies. Haruhi had sat there, cursing the frivolous spending of these boys, was this a competition to them?

Tamaki had happily shown off the gift he'd gotten for Kyoya, pens, lots and lots of pens, a whole briefcase of them; fountain pens, gel pens, erasable pens, gold, diamonds, opals- just the most decadent set of pens you've ever seen, the fountain pens had refilled in every known colour, and the briefcase itself had gold embellishments. Haruhi was, in all honesty, blown away even imagining how much that had coated, did he have to spend so much money on pens? Although she knew Kyoya would appreciate pens, he broke one practically every week, and wrote like nobody's business. He was the only person haruhi had even known to actually run out of ink in a pen.

So it was clear the hosts were vying for the most expensive gift, and Haruhi couldn't help but feel slightly inferior for the little purple and green scarf she'd made Kyoya, it was rather nice looking in her opinion, and it has taken her quite a while… she really hoped Kyoya would appreciate it.

By now, the cakes had not only finished baking, but they'd cooled as well, so the twins placed the first layer, about the size of a wheel, on the plate. Honey added the whipped cream before Mori put the second layer on top, there were four layers in total, stacking up nice and high. Haruhi had got a chair to stand on and poured the caramel sauce over the cake, making sure it was entirely coated, with a nice pool at the bottom. She'd then stepped back, letting Tamaki and the twins place the marzipan balls that Tamaki had made whilst Mori and Honey placed the little purple roses made out of icing, life size and miniature too.

When they were finished, the cake looked beautiful, they were all so proud of it. Proud… and covered in the ingredients, they really looked a mess, they should probably clean up before leaving the kitchen. Haruhi was the least covered in eggs and flour, she only had some caramel on her sleeve. So she was the one to add the candles, purple and white striped ones, all 18 of them. God, this was a big birthday huh, he was an adult now. No wonder his family finally wanted to spend time with him.

Kyoya had returned, rolling his eyes at how excited Tamaki was, the blonde hanging off his arm. He glanced around the room, clearly taking in the sigh of all the gifts and cards gotten for him, there was a table full of things from the guests, and each host was holding the gift they'd gotten for him. He just sighed, adjusting his jumper, it was big, grey and oversized, not the kind of thing he'd normally wear. He put his shopping bags down, glancing over at the hosts, "why are we making a fuss about this? It's just getting a little older."

"But Kyoya! Don't think of it like aging! Think of it more like… surviving yet another year? Isn't that something worth celebrating?" Tamaki smiles, hugging Kyoya's arm.

Kyoya visibly pauses, thinking over what Tamaki had said, almost looking sad, just for a moment, then he smiled slightly, nodding, "ok, sure… You know Tamaki, you sound just like Fiyumi sometimes, she says that, every year…" Tamaki stops for a moment, turning and looking at Kyoya in silence, he then rushed over, hugging Kyoya.

"Hey come on! Let's not focus on the idea of the other end of things! Let's celebrate! We all got you something!" He beamed, stepping back and gesturing to the other hosts, "come see what we got you!"

They had Kyoya sit down in Tamaki's big chair, handing him gift after gift after gift. They had opened the ones from the guests first, all sorts of cute and shiny nonsense, too many chocolate boxes to count- for the last requested host, Kyoya sure had a lot of fans. Then they came to the gifts gotten by each host, the gift the twins had gotten Kyoya made him smile, he'd rolled his eyes, "god, Yuuichi tells me that every day, he says I dress strangely, he got me this jumper, he says I look better when I dress cutely." They'd laughed at that, and Honey had handed him the gift he'd gotten.

That gift had made Kyoya pause for a bit, picking some up and looking at them, before fiddling with one of the fidget toys, and getting entirely engrossed in it, until Tamaki shakes him gently. Kyoya sighed then turned to Honey, nodding gently, "thank you." Honey had beamed at that, happily pointing out that it was indestructible, because he'd seen how destructive Kyoya can be without even realising. Kyoya had frozen at that, looking down at the toy in his hands, something seemingly coming to mind, something he very openly didn't like, dropping the toy back into the box. It seemed Mori had noticed that, nudging the box aside with his foot and placing the gift he had gotten, onto Kyoya's lap, a little hum of assurance.

Kyoya opened the gift, looking at it for a moment before picking one up, running a finger along the spine before reading the blurb on the back of the book, then another, then another. Slowly, Kyoya read the blurbs of each of the books, before carefully placing them all back into their box, he turned to Mori, nodding, "these all seem like very interesting books, Thank you." Mori hums again, placing a gentle hand on the top of Kyoya's head, a gesture that did not go unnoticed. Kyoya sighed softly, closing his eyes for a second, the closest any of the hosts had ever seen to him reciprocating affection, and Tamaki's eyes lit up, if just for a moment. But the king stepped aside, and let Haruhi hand Kyoya her gift first.

The shadow king looked down at the brown paper wrapping, nothing he was at all used to, he used his nails, surprisingly sharp as they were, to tear into it, playing around with the texture for a moment or two, before tearing into the paper. He looked almost surprised at the soft wooden scarf that lay across his lap now, the greens and the purple sitting in unison, he picked it up, testing the feel of it in his fingers… he smiled. He slowly wrapped the scarf around his neck, clearly pleased by how soft it was, he glanced at Haruhi, curiosity clear in his eyes, "did you make this?" Haruhi had nodded, telling him how it took her over a month, he glanced back down at the scarf, rubbing the wool between his fingers, "hm, it's very good quality, welldone Haruhi, and thank you." These words sent Tamaki into a frenzy, going on about how Mommy and darling daughter were getting along so well, and Haruhi noticed how Kyoya just smiled softly at that, watching the king flounder about with adoring eyes.

Haruhi had paused, she'd glanced across at the twins, then to Honey, then Mori, then finally to Tamaki, she was beginning to notice how much all of them loved each other, how much she loved all of them. She wondered if they were aware of how much they loved each other, or was that just a Tamaki thing… she wasn't even sure Tamaki was all too aware.

When Kyoya saw the pens Tamaki had bought him, he was near tears- of course that was an exaggeration, an Ootori never cried, they were infamous for such, but Kyoya's eyes were certainly wet as he stared down at all those shimmering beauties, his hand twitched, clearly wanting to hold them, but he glanced up at Tamaki instead, "I can't take these, I break pens so easily, I'd just ruin them…" his voice, it was shaking, if Haruhi didn't know any better, she'd say Kyoya sounded scared of breaking the pens.

Tamaki had smiled softly, putting a gentle hand over Kyoya's shaking one, "don't worry Kyoya! I don't mind if you break them, as long as you enjoy writing with them. Not everything is meant to stay forever, no matter how beautiful!" Kyoya clearly didn't believe him, so Tamaki sighed, continuing, "and even if they do break, they'll still be beautiful, I know beautiful things that break and break and break and they're still as beautiful as the day I saw them first, even if they can't be used for their original purpose, besides, you can always fix them can't you?"

She'd been suspicious of something for a while now, since that night near the beach, with that thunderstorm… and Kyoya, being just as much of a feel as the other boy's… she'd thought about her theory as he'd told her how the club was formed, when Kyoya's father had slapped him, as she watched him watch Tamaki's car leave during the festival, when they stood together under the fireworks and Kyoya had kept a couple of steps distance, and right now… She hoped to god Tamaki didn't mean what she thought he did, standing next to Kyoya, her hand went to his forearm, smiling at him as he looked at her, "those are pretty pens senpai, I'd be a shame if you didn't write with them. If you break them then that's not your fault, pens aren't anything like people, so you shouldn't feel too bad if you break it."

Kyoya had paused for a moment, ruminating on something, before he nodded, "you're right, both of you, I'd love to write with these pens, thank you Tamaki- it's a wonderful gift." There was silence, just a comfortable, soft silence, everyone was smiling, everyone was happy.

Then Honey piped up, jumping up and down, "cake time! Cake time!"

Kyoya had glanced back at him in alarm, "cake? But I-"

The twins shrugged at that, speaking in unison, "well you have to have a cake, it's your birthday." Kyoya didn't seem to want to argue with that, so he just let Haruhi turn the lights off, and take out a camera as Mori brought the cake in, with Honey hopping around behind him.

They sang happy birthday, though Tamaki had decided to make his way to the piano, playing them a melody to sing to, he himself was singing the words in french, that blended into the Japanese to create a strange sound, one that felt comforting to them all, they didn't understand the words Tamaki sang, but they knew their meaning. Mori brought the cake over and placed it on a table in front of Kyoya, who looked at it, in… what had to be awe. Everyone knew Kyoya wasn't one for sweets, but the way he stared at that cake, Haruhi had to wonder if it wasn't so much a dislike, as it was a show, a character he was building.

He stood up to blow the candles out, rolling his eyes as everyone clapped, but when they had finished he did have one question, "did you make this?" Everyone nodded, happily explaining the things they had done, and the steps taken to make sure that Kyoya enjoys it. With every word spoken, it's clear that Kyoya becomes more and more touched by the notion, then when he would argue the need for a cake not five minutes ago.

They each got a slice, though Kyoya got the biggest- Honey had talked his way into getting the second biggest of course, the cake was actually delicious, not as sweet as they'd expected, though they never saw Haruhi add the salt, she was rather proud of her baking personally, though she had to admit the things the others did were indeed vital for the cakes success. She had glanced over to Kyoya, noticing how slowly he was eating his cake, other than Tamaki and the twins rambling on about something or other, it was quiet, and Haruhi just watched Kyoya eat. It was strange, she genuinely couldn't tell if he was happy or not, he'd seemed happy throughout the gift giving, but now his expression was blank. She wondered if his so-called hatred for sweet things outlived his love for his friends, or maybe he just didn't know how to deal with enjoying something. The last time Haruhi had watched him eat like she was right now, they'd been in a mcdonald's, and he had shown terrible table manners, but right now, he was moving as perfectly polite and daintily as a human possibly could, especially for a human that breaks things on a daily basis, Haruhi was forced to come to the conclusion that… maybe Kyoya was monitoring his own behaviour, he must be enjoying the cake the same way he enjoyed everything, with massive amounts of guilt.

#ohshcweek #kyoya ootori #ouran high school host club #implied polyhosts #polyhosts #haruhi fujioka #tamaki suoh #kaoru hitachiin #hikaru hitachiin #hikaru and kaoru #mori #takashi morinozuka #honey #mitsukuni haninozuka #ootori siblings #(mentioned)

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omniswords · 5 years ago

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Could you do #23 with felinette if you're still taking requests?

23. A kiss that tastes of the food/dessert they are eating.

leave me a pairing and a number and i’ll write you a kiss! [CLOSED FOR NOW]

another part of the Fake Not-Dating AU c: enjoy!

“I’ll never really understand,” Félix says idly from the couch, “why so many people like to claim that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”

“Of course not,” is Marinette’s quick reply, despite how busy she seems to be in the kitchen; he can hear her scoffing, loud and clear. “The way to your heart is through your wallet.”

“No, the way to other people’s hearts is through my wallet.”

“Not mine.”

She’s got her back to him, but he smiles her way all the same. “No,” he hums. “Certainly not yours.”

All things considered, he is rather grateful to Mr. Dupain and Mrs. Cheng for allowing him into the bakery, and upstairs into their apartment to boot. It’s been mind-numbingly difficult, finding time to be alone with Marinette without it being suspicious or obvious—especially when these days he’s been coming to Paris much more often than he or his cousin have been used to. And always resorting to his hotel room or places that are so crowded that they’ll never be spotted has been getting monotonous. This is… a pleasant change. The soft, old-fashioned music. The simple décor and the bursts of color that unequivocally scream of her style. And Marinette, in her element, baking, because she’s apparently incapable of sitting around and doing nothing.

It’s comfortable. And, in his books, more than welcome.

“Fé,” she calls without turning. “You’re not allergic to any food, right? Come taste this.” He doesn’t know why she’s started calling him that, or why it’s sticking. Or why he likes it. She just sounds so… endearing, when she says it. As though, perhaps, she loves him, even though she’s never said as much, and even though he… never expects her to. No matter how much he wants her to.

Still—ever devoted to her bidding—he gets up from the couch and shuffles into the kitchen, resisting every urge to come up and hold her from behind. It’s funny; the more time he’s spent with her, the more she’s shown a side of her that’s frankly adorable. A side that, judging from how she carries it, was always there, and which she guarded from him until she decided he was worth the sight of it. “Taste what?” he says, his hands flexing so much he has to stuff them into his pockets to control himself. Doesn’t she know the bow of her apron is crooked? Or that she has all those lovely flyaway hairs at the base of her neck?

She turns to give him room, revealing her work among the scatter of used bowls and spatulas: a serving platter of éclairs. Only one or two, it seems, have only been filled with cream, and the rest have been dipped in a decadent chocolate ganache.

He wrinkles his nose, and at least makes the effort to hide it. “You know I’m not terribly fond of chocolate aside from the drink,” he murmurs, coughing uncomfortably behind his fist. “You recall.”

Of course she does. It’s all he has to say to remind them of the Valentine’s Day they never speak of. “I know,” she says. “I just thought it might be different this time. I haven’t had a lot of practice making them, and I could use a second opinion, you know?”

“What about your father’s?” Félix narrows his eyes. “He’s the baker, you know. Not me.”

“He’s also working,” she points out, then folds her arms and bats her eyes. “Please try one? For me?”

It’s wholly unfair, how someone can do so little to convince so much. It’s also wholly unfair how he can’t decide whether those éclairs could possibly be sweeter than her smile. He sighs—”All right, all right, I’ll try one. Just one”—and begins to rummage through the cupboards for a small plate while she, apparently, tries to decide which of her handiwork is worthy of his palate. Finally, she picks one out for him, and, bracing himself, he takes a hesitant bite. It’s not so much that he’d recoil from it, but not so little that she wouldn’t be happy.

And, actually, it’s… not so bad. Not overwhelmingly sweet, but enough to satisfy anyone who might be looking to kill a craving. It’s worth another bite, and then two, and even he’s surprised by the fact that all that remains are some crumbs. He’s half-expecting her to give him one of those smug smiles he’s seen steal across her face sometimes, but instead… instead, her whole face lights up, like a goddamn firework, and she claps her hands together, holding them to her mouth in utter delight as he dabs his mouth clean. “You like it,” she breathes. “You really like it.”

God, is it worth seeing her like this. “Well, what do you know. You may turn my taste buds yet.” He leans against the counter, careful not to dirty his clothes, and nods toward the serving plate. “Aren’t you going to try one?”

There it is. The grin. “I don’t need to,” she coos, sidling up to him and leaning up on her toes. She surprises him with a kiss, soft and warm and one he’s elated to return in spite of how her phone buzzes in the pocket of her apron. Before he can make mention of it, though, she giggles, and tugs him closer by the front of his shirt, and as he’s pressing her into the kitchen counter he thinks there’s no way she can’t taste her own work on his tongue. It’s as his hands find their way to the dip in her spine, as she’s hoisting herself onto clean counter space and pulling him closer still, that there’s a sharp knocking at the door—one Marinette pointedly ignores until a voice oozes through the crack.

“Marinette? Are you in there? Girl, I’ve called you like, five times, open the door.”

They break the kiss abruptly, eyes going wide and blood running cold.

“Césaire,” he whispers.

And Marinette hisses, “Hide.”

#miraculous ladybug #felinette #felix graham de vanily #marinette dupain cheng #fake not dating au #kiss meme #TAKE IT #THERE'S SO MUCH MORE COMING #THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME WITH THESE FELINETTE REQUESTS #I'M HAVING A FUCKIN *BLAST*#Anonymous #answers

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patriciasage · 4 years ago

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Resolution

Author: Patricia_Sage

Fandom: The Adventure Zone - Balance

Summary:

"I understand why you felt like you couldn’t tell the others. They would have had a whole existential argument about.” Taako sits down in the chair opposite her and leans his staff against her desk. “But, Lucy, surely you know that my moral compass is just an arrow pointing toward Lup.”

[another apology. an unexpected outcome.]

posted in full under the break, but find me on AO3!!

It feels strange to write in her journals again. Lucretia has been documenting everything for so long, but when a century’s worth of your words gets erased from the world and then later projected to every living person…it feels a little strange.

There’s a knock on her office door. She puts down her pens. “Come in.”

Taako’s hat pokes through. “Hey, Director.”

“Taako, please,” she admonishes. She hates when he calls her that…and he knows it. He does it to tease her.

When he enters the room, there’s an uncharacteristic seriousness to him. Lucretia feels her spine straighten. “Can we…can we talk? About. You know.” His shoulders are high and he's fidgeting with the rings on his fingers.

She doesn’t want to say it in case she’s wrong. She doesn’t want to have this conversation if she doesn’t have to. He’s avoiding her eyes. He takes a breath to steel himself and begins speaking.

Looking at her wrinkled hands is infinitely easier than looking him in the eye. In her dreams she sees his face when he was inoculated – she’d never seen such betrayal and heartbreak directed toward her before. But Taako is resigned in this moment while he continues to speak. “I would have helped you, no questions asked, if it meant that I could keep looking for her. And when I found that umbrella, I would have known she was there!” Her heart aches with regret. “And that’s why I’m so mad. She spent ten fucking years trapped in there, helpless and alone. I spent ten years wandering around, helpless and alone.” His voice breaks and Lucretia can’t stop herself from looking up at him then. He’s holding his hat in his lap and staring at it, but she can see the hurt and regret on his dark features. “We’d never been apart from each other, not in over 200 years of life. Do you know what that’s like?” His eyes meet hers. She shakes her head.

“I don’t mean to make it all about me; everybody went through shit. But you hurt me in a way no one has ever hurt me…in a way I didn’t think anyone could.”

This conversation is different from the others they’ve had. Taako has been cordial, inviting her to every family event, chatting with her about the Bureau of Benevolence, baking her sweets on Candlenights. But there’s a look in his eyes sometimes when he catches himself from falling into old fondness. He’ll smile at her when she laughs at one of his jokes, but then he’ll be reminded, and the warmth will fade. And sometimes there’s sharp, offhand remarks when he’s drunk. She knows him very well, knows how he protects himself with barbed wire, and she knows he’s making a conscious effort not to lash out. Honestly, that’s all she can expect of him.

But this is different. He’s open and vulnerable, prying open his hard shell to reveal his soft and injured insides. She doesn’t feel doused in shame like she usually does when she thinks of it. She feels awful but secure. She releases that feeling in a few simple words.

“You’re right.”

His dark eyes meet hers. The shadows on his face are pronounced beneath his scarred, freckled skin. Fighting for the planar system had taken its toll and they both look older in different ways.

Lucretia lets her feelings slowly pour out of her mouth. “I hurt everyone.” (I weighed the pros and cons. It was for your own good. No. She’s said that enough and it doesn’t help.) “But you and the Captain got the worst of it. I understand that you might never forgive me, Taako. And it took me a while but I’m at peace with that. If I’m being honest, I appreciate you being so transparent with me. I know where you stand; I know you care for me and I know you’re still hurt. Those two things can coexist.” Taako nods, uncharacteristically quiet and still.

Lucretia runs her hands through her short, white curls. She doesn’t have time for long, intricate hairstyles like she did on the Starblaster. “Davenport told me he forgives me. But he doesn’t.” She tries to keep the despair out of her voice, even though she feels it crawling up from her lungs. “I can tell he’s lying. And, Taako, that hurts me so much more. I’d rather we rebuild like you and I, hesitant but…honest.”

She reaches out and offers her hand to him, resting against the wood of her desk. Taako purses his lips but places his ringed fingers carefully on her calloused palm. Neither of them close their hands, leaving it as a loose connection. “I shouldn’t have taken Lup away from you,” she says. “I shouldn’t have taken away your sister, your heart, your entire support system.” Tears gather in the corners of Taako’s eyes, but he holds her gaze. Every other time she’s apologized, Lucretia has followed it with a justification (I needed to do it because you wouldn’t have stopped looking for her), but this time she doesn’t. “You’re right. I should have talked to you. We could have worked together. I panicked, Taako. And I never really stopped to think about how erasing Lup would devastate you. I am so sorry.”

They sit in silence for a minute, sharing space and lost in thought. Taako’s thin fingers are cold and still. Lucretia jumps when he suddenly clasps her hand. “Come on, I’m craving hot chocolate.”

“Alright.”

They make quite the pair as they walk down the Bureau’s halls, both leaning on their staffs and holding hands with the other. Taako leads Lucretia to the kitchen island and then releases her, but she doesn’t feel a distance when he steps away. It’s as if they’ve created a bubble around them filled with an overwhelming combination of tension and trust. She doesn’t feel compelled to run like she has in the past.

The drink is made with dark chocolate and cinnamon – her favourite, exactly how he used to make it for her on the Starblaster. Lucretia remembers one cycle where she, Merle, and Taako were the only ones left for the last few months. That was when she realized just how much Taako draws energy from those around him. That cycle was filled with board games and philosophical conversations, teaching each other new skills. It was early on in their journey and Lucretia realized that Lup and Taako were quite different. When they’re together, they create almost an entirely new entity, cohesive and bright.

Taako sits across from her takes a sip from his mug. He was quiet and inwardly focused in the silence. He softly interrupts her thoughts. “Yeah, okay. I forgive you.”

He means it. Lucretia feels her heart stop. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

Things don’t go back to how they were. They never will. She can’t take back what happened and Taako will always live with the consequences. But he lets himself love her again.

#taz balance spoilers #the adventure zone #the adventure zone balance #taz balance #the adventure zone fanfic #taz fanfic #taz balance fanfic #fanfiction #lucretia #taako #taz lucretia #taz taako #lup #taz lup #lup taaco #taako taaco #taaco twins

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cabin-fever-bang · 5 years ago

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Campfire Stories (Vol. 1)

Welcome to the Cabin! We proudly present the first edition of Campfire Stories: your one-stop shop for quality quarantine content.

We’re going to do these regularly, with in-depth reviews of everything that’s been submitted as a prompt fill and additional recommendations from the masterlists of writers who get involved.

If you’d like to be one of those writers, just follow us, comb through our prompts, and be sure to tag us when you post! It’s that easy. We welcome all fandoms and pairings.

This batch of reviews was cooked up by @thoughtslikeaminefield (MJ), @there-must-be-a-lock (Lou), @itmighthavebeenintentional (Val), @fangirlxwritesx67 (Viv), @cracksinthewalls (Bri), and @mskathywriteswords (Kathy), but we encourage you to pass along the random acts of writer-love and reblog with your own additions!

Pull up a seat, toast a marshmallow or two, and settle in for some excellent reading material.

Choices We Make - @becs-bunker - GIF prompt submitted by @dawnie1988

Pairing: Demon Dean x Female Reader

Warnings: angst, brief threat & violence, smut, language, dub con-ish, unprotected sex, orgasm denial

Words: 1374

Everyone loves a Demon!Dean fic, and this is a good one! Lots of action, lots of angst, and some really hot, awful Dean.

Honestly it all felt like some surreal nightmare you couldn’t wake up from. You just wanted Dean back, your Dean.

These lines summarize both the Demon!Dean story arc and the narrator's frame of mind so well, pulling the reader right into the perspective of the story.

“I missed you, y’know?” Dean sighed, and the naive part of you wished he was telling the truth. That somehow, deep down, he still loved you.

This is heartbreaking because it's relatable, because the author does such a good job with the narrator's voice.

Dean licked his lips and there was a familiar hunger in his green eyes that made a whole different sensation rise in your body, and it wasn’t fear.

I'm not going to quote any more lines from the story because the author has written one hell of a twist, but trust me when I said, I gasped out loud reading it. The rest of this story is an absolute roller coaster, well worth the ride.

- Viv

Come For Me - @fangirlxwritesx67 - image prompts created and submitted by @idabbleincrazy

Pairing: Sam Winchester x female reader

Warnings: smut, canon level violence, fingering, first time together

Words: 3100

First, let’s talk about this aesthetic. It’s soft and beautiful, but stark and needy. I love the quotes and photos, the way they flow together. Fantastic visual prompt. "Sam Winchester?” He spoke in a theatrical, mocking tone. “Ooooh, I’m frightened." This line made me chuckle. I love the idea of what’s ahead of us. The bad guy is built up in a hilarious way. Sam is presented through the heart and mind of the narrator, you. But thinking of Sam suffused you with a warm confidence. Not for one moment did you doubt him. This confidence is contagious and warming. Meanwhile, the anxiety over the vampire lurking somewhere else, waiting to taste you… it builds in a beautiful and believable way. There’s a rush of emotions as Sam rescues you, and he’s patient and kind, even while making jokes and being the Sam you know and love. Things progress, and there’s a beautiful and sweet (okay, and hot!) sex scene, with a first time between Sam and you. All in all, a really solid piece, with some story, some tension, some sex, and a whole lot of sweetness.

- Kathy

A New Day - @becs-bunker - image prompt created and submitted by @there-must-be-a-lock

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Reader

Warnings: fluff

I’ve not reviewed an image prompt before, so let’s just jump in. The first word that jumps to my mind is light, but I love how suffused and golden the whole image is. Softer, safer, intimate. There are little pinpoints of light, rays of light, shining light, and the whole thing makes me feel...well...light. Sunrise and candlelight, new day, new beginnings.

The images chosen for Sam, the angles and features we get, are such close, personal angles and shots, giving us this tender atmosphere and setting the tone for this story: personal. Everything you're about to read is intimate, personal, and private, in such a lovely, delicate way.

The curtains in that first shot are so filmy and ethereal, and the whole story feels like it’s set in a kind of golden-hazed forest. And, let’s face it, any sort of vacation for a Winchester is a kind of fairy tale.

I’ve managed to stay pretty much above the brow, so Imma have to dip down for a minute and just drool over Sam’s trapezius muscles. Oh. MY. GAWD.

Golden, glorious, graceful, and just a touch of gooey. Good, good, good.

So, right off the bat, let me tell you that this story is everything I’ve ever wanted for Sam, like everything the show and Chuck and the universe has ever denied him. He’s rested, he’s comforted, he’s bathed in glow (the sun, the reader’s love, all that jazz, you know?).

And then it goes and hits all my camping weaknesses. I was literally just telling someone how I’m missing my camp more than ever now. It’s been eight years since I’ve been, and this story brings back all those feelings of serenity and calm, voluntary isolation with people you more or less chose, because camp was and is my forever real home.

I know that seems a little rambly and off-topic, but the thing is, that’s what this story is for me. They aren’t at the bunker, their “home,” but they’re still home all the same, because (and, yes, you can shoot me for this) home is where your heart is, so this wonderful little cabin in the woods is home, whether they’ve been there together once or a hundred times because Sam.

And then that bit of sugar tossed in at the end...Oh, this story was good for my soul. “Warm mug of coffee on a chill morning, under a blanket” kind of good for my soul.

It’s one of those where I would love to have so much more of these two, of this warmth between them, but I also am perfectly content to know them just in this one perfect moment forever, before the day starts, when everything is still in the “it’s about to happen and it will be great” stages. The beginning of a great new day.

Thank you. I needed this story, now more than ever.

- Val

Crash - @myinconnelly1 - requested by @adoptdontshoppets for @idreamofplaid aesthetic

Pairing: Dean Winchester x reader

Warnings: smut, fluff

Words: 810

The first thing that draws my eye in the aesthetic is the linked fingers. I love pinky links (I’m sure there’s a less cutesy way to say it, but I like it; sue me). They’re sweet, and really personal. You’ve got super tough Dean Winchester who isn’t embarrassed or afraid of intimate, goofy gestures. In fact, I feel like that would one hundred percent be Dean in a relationship: Dean is a giant ball of goofy, intimate gestures.

I love the choices of relaxed, bearded Dean/Jensen paired with the casual, cool color palette immediately set me at ease. This isn’t going to be a terrifying, angsty ordeal. This is going to be calm, soothing, sensual.

And the roses, the sand, the surf, the candlelight, the pokey palm tree fronds...I can hear, smell, feel every bit of these images. The golden-pink wine...ugh. This whole experience is a trip to paradise.

I love how all five senses are emphasized and made equally important. It gives us so much more connection to the moment, makes it that much more intimate. The constant crashing of the waves in the background; the bittersweet chocolate; the cozy, homey image of the baking-wrecked kitchen followed by the much more erotic, candelit bedroom; and then the scent of the oil mixed with the warmth and strength of Dean’s touch.

I also love the level of comfort in the story. We have the cookies, a hard-core comfort staple. We have the warm, lazy beach setting. And the easiness these two have together: that’s the dream, my friend. I love how they have no trouble at all communicating what they want and need, how they are comfortable enough to be messy and cute and flirty and sexy, one right after the other.

And the description is so thorough, I have no trouble at all imagining myself there, in that wonderful, relaxing moment.

This story is relaxing, decadent, soothing, and fun all at once. I am a huge fan of the ending, as well. I was smiling through the whole story, but at the end, I literally laughed aloud. And now I think I’m going to have to excuse myself to go find some chocolate chip cookies. This story gave me a couple of cravings, and as Dean Winchester is in short supply in the real world, cookies are the one I can satisfy right now.

This story is, dare I say it, such a sweet escape.

- Val

No Sugar Added - @myinconnelly1 - requested by @fangirlxwritesx67 - “I’d like to see Steve Rogers from MARVEL sharing Depression-era coping tips. Maybe he vlogs how to make apple-less apple pie.”

No pairing

Warnings: Spoilers for Infinity Wars + Endgame, mention of mental health issues

Words: 446

This was my prompt for the Cabin, and I loved what this author did with the story! A little bit of fluffy cheer.

“Hello, I’m Steve Rogers. As many of you know, I’m also Captain America, and I was alive during another time of hard living conditions.”

Right now, a lot of things in the world seem scary and unsettling. It's one of those times when we turn for comfort to the lessons of the past, to the wisdom of generations, and to heroes. This author does a great job with Captain America, Steve Rogers. His cooking lesson is exactly the sort of inspiring, instructional video I would love to see.

“What is that smell?” Natasha asked as she looked behind her to see Steve walking into the office with the plate.

Because it was never about pie, apple or otherwise. It was always about comfort. Our favorite foods help with that, and so does Captain America, especially written this well.

There are some fun tidbits in this story, including a peek of history and an actual recipe!

- Viv

Communion - @thoughtslikeaminefield - requested by @mskathywriteswords “Fluffy dean or Jensen smoking weed plz, ty”

Pairing: Dean Winchester x unnamed female character

Warnings: marijuana use, high sex, het sex, fluffy smut

Words: 1002

How do I love this? Let me count the motherfucking ways.

First of all, the way this sucks you into the characters’ headspace is beautiful and subtle and masterfully done. It’s in the sentence structure and the flow of the words; there’s no need to describe their inner state, because it’s written into the movement of the sentences and the choice of words. She doesn’t have to say that they’re high, because you can fucking feel it in phrases like “It’s sending me off somewhere…” or “I shiver at the thoughts careening through my mind.”

Second, this is molten hot, but (as with the best smut) it’s not just some rote story of “then he was hard and we banged and it was great.” The sexy bits are unique; this isn’t the same smut you’ve read a thousand times before. It’s got its own personality and tone and voice that very much belong to this particular story.

Also? Filth with feelings! My favorite genre! It’s deeply emotional. I am all for smut that is both dirty and tender. This is like a masterclass on how to walk that line.

It’s such a simple premise that becomes so much more; this has things to say about Dean, about his personality, about this relationship. This takes a very specific moment and uses it as a framework for something big and meaningful. This, for example:

When Dean has to be big, he uses his whole self. His body takes up space and his mere presence -- he can make the darkest of demons shudder with his presence alone.

But Dean’s natural state is this -- nesting, nuzzling, curled up and warm.

Yuuuup.

Also:

His hands -- the same hands I’ve seen thrust a blade into the guts of angels and demons -- are tender, fingertips light but persistent as they slip under my tank top and splay over my belly.

It’s so intimate. This is why we read fanfic, right? To feel like we’re close to these characters that we love so much, to delve into the sides of them that we don’t get to see much in canon… this fic feels like something personal and private that we’ve been lucky enough to be let in on.

- Lou

Deeper Than Deep Conditioner - @fangirlxwritesx67 - requested by @awesomesusiebstuff “The two Sam’s (our Sam and AU Sam) maintaining their hair care routines while quarantined.”

It’s one of those days when I’m feeling too fragile for this world. What’s the best remedy to knock some sunlight into my dark mood? Today, it’s fic -- and one that makes me giggle is a bonus.

This little gem is filled with funny one-liners and side-eye moments to make you laugh out loud:

Dean dreamed of driving away, of bikini beauties on the beaches of Rio. Sam dreamed of scarves and what it would be like to have no bigger worries in the world than his hair.

The look Dean gave him would’ve curdled milk, if there was any, which there wasn’t, because Dean took his coffee black, like a man.

A touch of realism in this bizarro situation got a chuckle, too:

“Sorry, sweethearts,” alt!Dean said, “Flights are all cancelled. A virus or something.”

When Viv named the alternates Deano and Sami, I gave in and embraced the madness. I was delighted with Deano; that’s my own nickname for Dean in my head. But Sami, a most pretentious twist on Sammy? A master stroke. I was tickled.

I was fully on board with enjoying this romp through the bizarro world, but then I was taken by surprise. This little moment, a hint that Sam has been trying to make the best of their circumstances, touched me:

“Is this really how you live?” said Sami, with a dismissive glance at his paper napkin.

“Look,” Sam answered. “I’ve done my best. It’s taken a lot to get us this far.”

I was prepared for that to be the exception to the rule -- a moment of sincerity amongst a sea of lighthearted fun. And there was plenty of fun ahead of me. The jokes come at you hard and fast in this story! But I realized the mood was steadily changing, and suddenly, I was immersed in sincerity and maybe a little sadness:

...somewhere out there, was a universe where he pampered himself...

...maybe there was a place where he could enjoy something as simple as a deep condition...

...something Sam had wanted to watch but never had time for...

...for the first time in a long time, he caught himself laughing...

I thought maybe that was it. A few moments of Sam learning to appreciate what Sami (I was still laughing at that) had to offer, instead of simply mocking his manbun and scarf (I don’t think I could ever stop mocking that, but Sam’s a better person than I am).

But no. It didn’t end there, and I still wasn’t ready. Before I knew it, I was steeped in Sam’s melancholy, his yearning for a life kinder and gentler than what he’d been given. I was truly heartbroken for him in that moment.

I won’t spoil the rest, but by the time I got to the ending, I was grateful for the funny beginning that softened the landing. I expected a comedy, but what I got really was deeper than deep conditioner.

- Bri

Dear Mr. Fantasy - @itmighthavebeenintentional - image prompt submitted @thoughtslikeaminefield

Warnings: SEASON 15 SPOILERS, bit of angst.

Words: 2157

I found the image prompt in my Tumblr feed and immediately started plotting ideas that I cannot write bc I have too many fucking WIPs so imagine my excite when one of my all-time favorite fic writers (and one of my very best friends) filled the prompt as a surprise for me!

Val tells stories with a depth and humor like no one else I’ve ever read. Her natural wit and smarts shine through her fictional words as well, and I love seeing glimpses of her in her work.

In one universe, someone neglected Baby (couldn’t have been Dean, had to’ve been Sam) to the point where she pulls slightly to the left. Dean spends the morning after that dream with a muscle tick in his cheek and a suspicious, side-eyed glare for Sam that he never bothers to explain.

Dear Mr. Fantasy is bittersweet. It is soft and rich and full of color — all the senses are here. It’s a sledgehammer of realism wrapped in velvet. And it’s so very Dean.

At forty-eight years old (none of that years young bullshit, either; he’s old, and he’s goddamn earned it)

In the midst of reading canon Dean dreaming of and admiring and protecting his favorite of his AU-selves and that version’s life, we are treated to what it would be like if he was allowed a normal life. Our devoted, brave, warm, and loving hunter as a common mechanic would be just as brave and loyal, no?

“Pretty sure she’s settled on ya, so just make sure you’re worth it.”

So that’s what Dean did.

But our Dean — the Real Dean as Chuck says — can’t quite let his guard down even in his dreams of another world, even if that other world is safe as houses. He’s still aware of just how unreal this reality is.

Splashes of indigo and orange paint the horizon, framing her approach in a wash of colors blending into shadows that hold no danger.

Then, he lets himself mingle with that dream, if only for a few moments and it’s bliss.

Older Dean and worn-out, monster-plagued Dean sigh together, content down to their bones. This life is it for both of them. She is it. One Dean still can’t believe his amazing luck after all these years, and the other aches at the simple, total happiness he feels honored to witness.

I love you, she whispers, and he allows himself to believe for one moment that she’s talking directly to him.

I’m not going to spoil anything for you, but I will say that you need some tissues. I cried through 90% of this story, from joy and from heartache.

Because that’s what Valerie does, breaks your heart and makes you smile, and it is so fucking good.

- MJ

Synesthesia - @there-must-be-a-lock - request by @wendibird “SPN, Sastiel, due to all the Angelic Grace Sam has been exposed to over time, he starts resonating with Castiel’s. Especially if Cas’ emotions are running high.”

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Castiel

Warnings: none!

Words: 750

First, I love the song that enhanced this idea for Lou. It lends a tenderness and whimsy to the plot that isn’t inherent.

Second, Lou’s words are like poetry and watercolor doing a dance of their own making — GORGEOUS phrasing and rhythm.

Cas whirls around, and Sam is hypnotized by the bright blue in his eyes, wide and concerned in a way that makes Sam feel like he’s being lit up from the inside. There’s a floodlight in his chest.

And, y’all, I don’t even go here, but I swooned SO HARD.

It’s an effort to focus, but when he meets Cas’s eyes, Cas smiles. Sam sees a shower of sparks like the last fizzle of a firework.

Sam hears it as a flutter of spring green like a new leaf.

And Lou’s characterization is always spot on, right? But like Dean isn’t even in the scene, yet here we are.

Don’t let the words fool you; there’s a very angry rainbow happening in his head most of the time.

And did I mention the ARTWORK that is this woman’s WORDS?

There are stars under their feet, entire galaxies spinning out around them, dancing spirals of kaleidoscopic green and gold melting into whorls of brilliant blue.

Anyway, please go read. You’ll be flying high for hours afterward. xox

- MJ

Salvation - @dontshootmespence - image created and submitted by @idabbleincrazy

Pairings: Sam Winchester x reader

Warnings: angst, torture, gore, smut

Words: 1,401

The aesthetics by this artist inspire stories just because they are so well done. This one was a good balance of handsome Sam and some nice suggestive pics along with the phrases that helped shape the action of the story.

This story feels like an episode of the show from earlier seasons, just the right balance of angst and monster fighting with tantalizing peeks of smut and feels. Excellent job!

There are no words that come close to explaining what she means to him. How she saves what soul he has left.

These flashback scenes are both hot and tender. The voice the author gives to Sam is spot on, achingly familiar.

"You're Sam Winchester, the boy with the demon blood."

It's easy to forget, sometimes, all the things that Sam has been and done, how fearsome of a hunter he is. This story reminds us with razor sharp precision.

When he meets her gaze, he finds the peace he's craved for so long.

The contrast between the flashbacks and the action is painfully good.

What’s more frightening, a man like Dean, practiced in his violence out of necessity? Or a man like him, on the verge of losing everything and nothing left to lose?

This is a well drawn distinction between the Winchester brothers, and such a good characterization of Sam!

"You're safe with me, Sam. You never have to hide from me."

Such a beautiful relationship between Sam and this woman! It's no wonder he's fighting so hard to save her.

This story has an imaginative plot, fast paced action, some sweet hotness, and such a good Sam!

- Viv

The Second Hand Unwinds - @mskathywriteswords - image prompt created and submitted by @there-must-be-a-lock

Pairing: Dean Winchester x reader

Warnings: hurt, comfort, angst

I had a vibe in mind when I created this aesthetic but this went so far beyond anything I could’ve imagined. It absolutely nailed that nostalgic, wistful, antique-photo-album feel, and then it managed to knife me in the fucking gut in a few ways, none of which I saw coming.

The JOY in the first part of this is absolutely tangible. It’s so romantic and sweet in a very dreamy way that feels exactly like first love. I love the scattered, disjointed imagery around the flowers in the first part, like flashes of memories coming at you all at once, and then when it settles into the narrative it manages to hold onto that dreamy feeling while still moving neatly through the plot.

This moment was about us, and I wanted to live in it forever. You never gave me reason to cover my body, not that night or ever.

Goddamn right. Ugh, precious and beautiful. And then this:

After so much undiluted time together, I had no idea how to sleep alone. I felt raw waking up by myself, not being able to feel your stubble tickling my skin.

There’s something about that last line that just grabbed my heart and tugged it in a wonderful way. It’s ACCURATE, first of all; this is one of those super-specific feelings that is hard to describe concisely. I haven’t really thought about that feeling in a while, but that little sentence just cut through so many years and brought me right back in a deep and visceral way.

You took pride in doing all the things that were never done for you, you’d told me.

Ouch. It’s little touches like this that make this ring true to character even though it’s a very different Dean than we see in canon.

And then that ENDING.

How do you contain a bomb once it’s been set on fire with grief?

Fuck, dude. Everything about that ending was so painful. I love that she left it raw and messy and not like a simple “welcome back!” kinda moment.

This was just gorgeously done. Can not recommend it enough.

Fort - @there-must-be-a-lock - prompt by @mskathywriteswords “Fluffy dean or Jensen smoking weed plz, ty.”

Pairing: J2 x reader

Warnings: blowjobs and weed.

Words: ~2150

This piece of deliciousness opens with Jensen walking out of the bathroom with a towel on his hips; do I need to say more? I don’t, but I will. After some beautiful description of the blanket fort, we get treated to Jared in nothing but pajama pants. The descriptions in this piece are vivid and full. the way Jared’s hand looks between Jensen’s muscled shoulderblades, thumb stroking back and forth between patches of gold and red light, makes me want to capture the moment and hold onto it. I can see that image in my mind, picture the two of them together, and that’s what makes excellent writing for me. The warnings attached to this piece are fully applicable; the story is very cute and sweet, there’s weed, and there’s Jared and a wicked oral fixation, which in the case of this one-shot means dear Reader, that’s you, get to witness a searing blowjob from one J to another. The way these three interact makes my heart swell, and there’s something about watching the dynamic change between them that really hammers home just how functional they are together. Dive in to this universe, Everything. There are no regrets to be had, maybe only that you waited so long to get wet.

- Kathy

The Gazelle - @thoughtslikeaminefield - requested by Anonymous “I’d really love some more Dean x Benny fanfiction, AU, aligned with canon timeline, whatever. I think they deserved a chance and Benny got killed off before it could even be explored :(”

Pairing: AU Dean Winchester x AU Benny Lafitte x unnamed female character

Warnings: power exchange, mmf threesome implied, Denny apparent, nudity

Words: 1000

Let me start with a caveat: I’m in the bag for pretty much any Dean x Benny fic, pretty much any Dean x Benny x person #3 fic, and absolutely any MJ fic. So you could stop reading this review right now and just go read the fic, if you want; in fact, I sort of recommend it, because it’s better than anything I could have to say about it. But if you want to stick around, I promise to be a little more coherent than ZOMGGGG PERFECT HOT SEXY TIMES DENNY LOVE GORGEOUS MORE PLZ!

Before we even get to the words, we’ve got a gorgeous graphic. Black and white beautiful boys, staring you down with those “I’m gonna fuck you so good” eyes, paired with a sweetly sexy woman tinted with a soft pink; she looks carefree, open to have some fun, and you can imagine her telling them to bring it on. MJ’s graphics are always great, setting the perfect mood for her fics, and this is no exception.

And right from the jump:

Dean and me — we share a lot of things.

We share good music and good drink. Tonight, we’re sharing a good woman.

Oh, this is in Benny’s voice?! Okay okay okay, cool cool cool, I can handle this…

...Dean purrs like a jungle cat as he hovers behind her, hands in her hair, twisting and twirling the silky tresses…

...Dean sets the pace and is the anchor, always. He keeps everything stable and grounded…

And now I’ve realized that I’m going to be seeing Dean through Benny’s eyes -- and no, not cool, can’t handle this -- but I’m definitely not stopping.

I like to mix things up, though, and he lets me.

MJ is a brilliant writer with many talents, but I think her specialty, regardless of what characters she’s writing with, is brilliantly salacious smut that’s steeped in emotion. She can’t help it. Her fucks come with feels, every single time, and I hope it never changes.

This piece is certainly no exception. Dean and Benny are circling their prey, this unnamed woman, utilizing their individual strengths -- Dean’s encouraging, I’m demanding -- and the sexual tension is building with soft touches and lingering kisses. As the scene is progressing, Benny’s inner monologue is sprinkled with thoughts about Dean:

Times we don’t have a subject, Dean’s focus is on me. I don’t argue and I do not complain. Dean knows what to do with every inch of that long, lean body of his. He knows how to cage a person in, make them feel safe, wanted, fucking needed.

She’s handily building emotion and a personal backstory without an exposition dump, without taking focus away from the action for too long:

His hands move slowly, seemingly random, but I know how focused he is on her and the moment. Giving and seeking pleasure are vital things to Dean and he takes the acts to heart.

I’m immersed in the now of this scene but I also understand the depth of their feelings for one another, their history and dedication to each other, and how they work together to bring another partner into their orbit. MJ makes it look easy, when it’s anything but.

And then she gifts us with this perfection and I’ve melted into a puddle of emotionally aroused goo:

“You promise to love, honor, and cherish ‘til the morning light, Dean?”

That is a vow of devotion to a one-night stand. What?! How?! Does her brain come up with this?

From there, the scene continues, the action escalating, supported by a framework of realism and heart. Her Dean feels familiar and in character, even though we’ve never seen him in this particular situation. And Benny, we hardly knew ye, but she brings him to life alongside Dean and I buy their relationship completely. I buy all of this, and now I’m invested.

And then…

“Do it, then,” she says, challenging. “Wreck me.”

My breath catches, my heart starts to race -- yes, here we go! -- a few more sentences, one last connection between Dean and Benny, and then --

Oh, you are evil, MJ. You are so perfectly evil and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

- Bri

#random acts of love #cabin-fever-bang #cabin fever bang #fanfiction #fic rec #rec list #bear hugs #welcome to the cabin #campfire stories #writers supporting writers

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lovetoreidd · 5 years ago

Text

Baked With Love - Spencer Reid

Um, hello! This is my first fic ever. Not gonna lie, I’m a little nervous, but I already write normally and I’ve watched twelve seasons of Criminal Minds, so I’m hoping I can get Spencer Reid right. I hope you like it! I think it’s decent, very cute.

You want to make cookies with an old family recipe, but quickly learn you’re not cut out for the kitchen. Luckily, your boyfriend, Spencer Reid seems to be a natural.

Okay, so the team is mentioned in this, and it’s with Hotch, Rossi, Garcia, Morgan, JJ, Prentiss, and Reid. They’re the characters that I know the best so...

Warnings: None, it’s pure fluff. Unless you should be warned for kissing?

Word Count: 1.7k

- - - - -

Growing up, your mom made the most delicious double chocolate chip cookies ever. Your whole family did. You loved the chocolate cookie, mixed with mint and chocolate chips.

When you went to college, you stayed close to home, so your mom continued to bake the cookies for you. You had always been too nervous about messing up the recipe to try making them yourself. Your mom didn’t mind. She liked baking them for you.

“(Y/N), I can’t mail you cookies. You’re going to have to bake them yourself.” lately, you’d been craving those double chocolate chip cookies. Your mom was nowhere near Virginia, where you lived after joining the BAU as the Communications Liason. JJ, a profiler on the team, was previously the Liason, and you had big shoes to fill.

You seemed to have amazing luck, though, because you had a beautiful genius to help you get settled in.

The two of you clicked immediately. Not to sound cliché, but it was honestly love at first sight. The minute you looked into those hazel eyes, you knew that you were going to be with him.

“Guys, this is Agent (Y/N) (Y/L/N), our new Communications Liason,” your team leader, Aaron Hotchner announced. You stood in the briefing room nervously, already slightly uncomfortable being surrounded by people that were trained to pick up on every little move that you made.

Hotch went around introducing everybody. “This is our Technical Analyst, Penelope Garcia.”

You looked at the colorful woman, who wore a kind smile and immediately found something about you to compliment. “I love your blouse! It’s a gorgeous shade of purple.”just from the two sentences and her bubbly persona, you knew that you would be friends with her.

The other introductions weren’t as memorable. There was Emily Prentiss, Jennifer Jareau, who insisted that you call her JJ, Derek Morgan, David Rossi, and then...”

“Dr. Spencer Reid.” he introduced himself to you, cutting off Hotchner. He held out his hand, which you quickly shook. The man named Derek seemed to find the action amusing.

“I thought you didn’t shake hands, Pretty Boy.”

Spencer cleared his throat, his cheeks turning pink. You had to fight off a smile while you looked up at him. He was tall, thin, his hair looked like it was the best texture to run your fingers through. “I- I uh...” he looked around, hoping someone would save him. “She carries hand sanitizer around, I’m not too worried about the germs.”

You were surprised that he noticed. The last time that you’d touched the bottle was after shaking Hotch’s hand for the first time. He must have been watching you for a while. The thought made butterflies flutter in your stomach.

“Yeah, I’m not really a germaphobe but I’m still not a fan.” just thinking about it made you pull the bottle out and squirt a bit of the liquid into your hands, enjoying the familiar smell. You offered the bottle to him, to which he stuck out his hand.

The rest of the team found our entire encounter interesting. Derek stifled a laugh. “Is this how nerds flirt?” you didn’t need a mirror to know that your face was flaming. Spencer’s was too.

From that moment on, you were done for.

That was over a year ago. From then on, you felt a pull towards Spencer that you couldn’t explain. You started dating around two months after joining the team, and things were pure bliss. You’d even moved into his apartment just a few weeks ago.

“I don’t even have the recipe!”

“No, but I know how texting works. I’ll send it to you.”

Before you could even protest, she’d hung up. You groaned, setting your phone on the arm of the couch and staring at the ceiling. “What’s wrong, baby?”

You looked over at your boyfriend, smiling at the sight of him in sweatpants and a black t shirt instead of one of his suits, though you loved that look on him too. You were donned in old shorts and one of his old Caltech sweatshirts. “My mom is making me bake cookies because she won’t.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Doesn’t that make sense? She lives in a completely different state.” you shrugged, sulking. A smile tugged at his beautiful, pink lips as he sat next to you. “I can do it for you, you know.”

Immediately, you shook your head. “No! It’s my family recipe. I have to do it.”

“(Y/N), have you ever actually baked before?”

You paused. “...No. But it’s never too late to start!”

Spencer had opened his mouth to speak, but instead, your phone vibrated. You looked down at it and saw that your mother had texted you a picture of the recipe. You looked to Spencer, smiling. “You stay here, I’m gonna go make the best cookies that you’ve ever tasted!”

- - - - -

You weren’t going to be able to follow through with your promise.

The batter was lumpy, and that was a nice description of it, and it tasted incredibly bitter. Still, you shrugged it off and placed the batter onto a cookie sheet in uneven piles.

While they cooked, you snuggled up to Spencer on the couch and watched a Doctor Who rerun. It had been one of the many things that the two of you had in common.

An entire episode had finished when you both felt and heard Spencer chuckling. You wrinkled your nose, looking up at him curiously from your position on his chest. “What?”

“I think you forgot about the cookies.”

Your eyes widened and you shot off of the couch and ran to the kitchen, surprised that the smoke alarm hadn’t gone off. When you pulled the cookies out of the oven, they were almost completely black. You groaned.

“Are you sure that you don’t need some help, babe?” Spencer stood by the refrigerator, an infuriating smug look on his face. You glared at him but still pulled the recipe up on your phone for him to look over.

You sat on the edge of the counter and watched him separate the ingredients, putting certain ones together. Soon, he got to work, mixing the flour, baking soda, and salt together.

After just a few minutes of observing, you grew bored and slid off the counter to stand behind him. Your arms wrapped around from behind as you pressed your left cheek against his back. His movements stopped, and he turned around, engulfing you into his arms.

Just like always, you melted into him, a goofy smile crossing your face. “The cookies aren’t gonna make themselves.” you didn’t want to stop hugging him, but you really wanted those cookies. He rolled his eyes and released you to go back to the task at hand. You returned to your spot on the counter.

Things were going smoothly, and you couldn’t help but be jealous because of how much better his batter looked. “How do you do that?” you crossed your arms, glaring at him but not actually mad.

He shrugged, turning to you. “Baking is essentially chemistry. It’s all about mixing the right amount.” he returned to the batter, using a scoop to put almost perfectly even amounts of batter on the cookie sheet.

Afterwards, he put the sheet into the oven and brought both the whisk he had been mixing with and the scoop to the sink. “Spence, what do you think you’re doing?”

Spencer looked to you, brows furrowed. His tongue darted across his lips as his eyes traveled to the items in his hand. “Washing these?”

You placed a hand to your chest, gasping. “Baby, did you hit your head? You don’t rinse, you lick the batter off. Everyone knows that.”

He shook his head, watching as you took the scoop and licked a bit of batter off. “(Y/N), there’s raw eggs in the batter. You could get salmonella!” you swiped some batter with your finger and booped his nose. He almost immediately wiped his nose, glaring at you jokingly. You innocently went back to cleaning the scoop.

“Just try it. Please?” you looked up at him with puppy dog eyes and a pout that he’d never been able to say no to. Reluctantly, Spencer did the same with his whisk. His eyes widened as he stared down at it. “Is it good?”

After a nod of his head, he continued licking the whisk, a small smile on his lips. “If we get salmonella, I might become an unsub looking for revenge because of the woman who wronged him.”

You rolled your eyes at his stupid joke, shrugging. “Worth it.” you dropped your scoop in the sink, he followed with the whisk, before placing his hands on your waist and pulling you in for a gentle kiss.

It was moments like that that were your favorite. Sweet, lingering kisses that somehow silently communicated the love the two of you shared. You didn’t need grand gestures or anything like that. Just each other.

A small amount of time passed before the both of you pulled away, still holding each other close. You stayed silent. The moment held an intimacy you couldn’t replicate.

You didn’t know how long the two of you had been standing there for before Spencer let go of you. “It’s been ten minutes, babe. I need to check on the cookies.”

Without his arms around you, you felt cold, but the heat from the open oven quickly changed that. The smell of the cookies filled your nose and you grinned, even more excited.

Spencer had to literally grab your hand to stop you from grabbing a cookie, laughter bubbling out of him. “They’re fresh out of the oven, calm down. I don’t want you to burn your hands.”

Not like you cared. In your opinion, it would have been worth it if it meant you got to try a cookie. They looked perfect. You pulled out your phone and took a picture, sending it to your mother and saying that Spencer was too good to you. She responded by telling you to marry him.

Looking over at him, you smiled. Oh, I will.

Finally, he let you pick up a cookie, admiring it. “I love you so much, Spencer.”

You took a bite from the cookie, memories from your childhood flowing through your mind. It really was perfect, baked with love and everything.

“But I might love this cookie just a little more.”

#spencer reid #fluff #baking #criminal minds #he's so cute i can't

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kunoichi-ume · 8 years ago

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Pi Day Drabble

In honor of Pi day, even if I am a little late (it is still Pi day in California, I am going to say that counts!) I wrote a little something about our favorite pie maker: Ibiki! That;s right, he isn't just a cupcake master but a professional level pastry chef.

Also please image Ibiki as the dad in the gif above, cheering on his pies and they bake to perfection. He absolutely has those flags too (They were a gift from Anko).

Everyone has that one holiday that speaks to them on a personal level, that one day of the year that makes the rest of the it worth dealing with. That holiday they are 100% down for, decorations, costumes, music, the whole nine yards.

Anko, for example, was probably the biggest Halloween fan in the village. She lived and breathed for the dark and macabre atmosphere of the season and usually had her costume plans for the big night thought out by May, at the very latest.

Genma was a Valentine’s Day kinda guy and not just because it was easier to hit on girls who were desperate for a date (though if questioned that would be his reason). No, he was a hopeless romantic who loved the flowers, sappy songs and any good excuse for fancy dinner dates.

But some prefer less… showy holidays. Ones that were more a community acceptance than official holiday. After all, to those in the know, everyday was national “something” day. From National Hangover Day (January 1st), to National Get Out Of The Dog House Day (the third Monday in July) to National Whiners Day (December 26th) everyday could be a holiday if you kept up with the extensive list of dates.

Ibiki was one who made it his business to always know what day it was. After all, there were so many wonderful baking opportunities to be had. January alone had National Cream Puff Day (2nd), Whipped Cream Day (5th), Shortbread Day (6th), English Toffee Day (8th), Bittersweet Chocolate Day (10th), Marzipan Day (12th), Blonde Brownie Day (22nd), Peanut Brittle Day (26th), Chocolate Cake Day (27th), and Croissant Day (30th). Ibiki’s date book was meticulously organized and each date that related to baking had the day’s title inscribed in the top right corner of the page.

Some of these days he liked more than others (December 15th - National Cupcake Day was always a big baking day for him), and some he chose not to celebrate at all (April 23rd, National Cherry Cheesecake Day he avoided due to his cherry allergy) but one of his all time favorites was March 14.

Also known as Pi Day.

There were other pie days of course, in fact the year had two National pie days on both January 23rd and December 1st. Specific pies had their 24 hours in the spotlight as well, such as Banana Cream Pie Day (March 2nd) and Pecan Pie Day (July 12th). August was host to five separate pie themed days in the course of it’s 31 days.

But Ibiki liked Pi Day best. It gave him free rein of pies to bake for the day, and was an amusing pun. (Little known fact, Ibiki could never resist a good pun.)

Ibiki smiled as he closed his date book, the smell of baking crust and caramelized apples filling the air of his bright kitchen. The window was open, letting the delicate scents mingle with the flowery fragrance that came with early spring, and cooling the three pies that he had baked earlier. Lined up on the windowsill was a perfect blackberry lattice pie, an egg custard pie with a braided crust, and a sour cream strawberry pie. The various smells laced together were positively sinful and Ibiki honestly wasn’t sure which he was the most excited to taste.

The timer sitting on the counter, a novelty item fashioned to look like a purple spotted bull mastiff (a gift from Kakashi he found on his desk not long after the masked man learned of his hobby) went off and the shrill beeping broke the quiet serenity of his home. Knocking the thing on the head to shut it up, Ibiki slipped on his oven mitts and quickly removed the pie.

He smiled as he inspected the pastry, the top crust perfectly golden brown and the Konoha Leaf he had cut into it had held it’s shape beautifully while working as a steam vent.

A quick glance at the clock showed that he had more enough time for the pies to cool before he packed them up to take into the office for a late night shift (that was assuming of course the Anbu squad was back on time with his next guest). While he was always a bit excited to share his creations with others, he couldn’t possibly eat all of these on his own after all, he could almost hear Genma’s griping about the lack of a pumpkin pie in his mind.

Ibiki turned from the window, having moved the apple pie to join the others to cool, and decided that he really didn’t want to spend the night listening to the senbon chewing ninja bitching about his need for a pumpkin spice fix. Reaching for his cookbook he mentally thanked his mother for teaching him a very important lesson about baking.

Always have extra ingredients on hand because you never know when you will need to satisfy a craving (even if it isn’t your own).

#ibiki morino #ibiki the cupcake man #Pi day #My writing #20 minutes late #oh well #close enough!

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fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years ago

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A Text From My Mom Cured My Sunday Scaries

http://fashion-trendin.com/a-text-from-my-mom-cured-my-sunday-scaries/

A Text From My Mom Cured My Sunday Scaries

10:30 a.m.

Is there anything Sunday-scarier than waking up and remembering you volunteered to write a diary about your day even though you have absolutely zero plans? I’m not sure. Nevertheless, I am calmed by the revelation that I slept in until 10:30 a.m. (a body clock rarity) because I haven’t slept well the last few nights. I lounge in bed for awhile and try to make the most of the fact that I have nothing exciting to do today, a prospect that usually delights me.

10:32 a.m.

I congratulate myself for not being hungover, a welcome change from the previous morning.

11:30 a.m.

My boyfriend, Austin, asks me what I want to do for brunch. I’m craving Sant Ambroeus, which is around the corner from his apartment and has really good (i.e. buttery) omelettes, so I suggest going there. He agrees, and we head out. We get a table outside and order our food (an omelette with spinach and mushrooms washed down with a whole milk iced cappuccino for me, and smoked salmon with toast for him). We’re not being particularly chatty, I think because we are both eavesdropping on a funny conversation happening at the table behind us. Or I am, at least.

12:30 p.m.

We sit around Austin’s apartment and make up for our lack of chattiness at brunch. I talk about everything I have to do this week and suddenly I feel the unpleasant but familiar churn of anxiety settle in my stomach (right next to the eggs). This happens to me pretty consistently on Sunday afternoons: Instead of looking at the incoming weekdays and their associated tasks like a neat row of Dominos, waiting for me to tip them over one by one, I tend to see them as a gargantuan, indistinguishable lump of to-dos. This outlook tends to exacerbate some of my baser insecurities, too, which is probably why I find myself suddenly and silently staring at my thighs, thinking I don’t particularly love how they look in these shorts, when the sound of a voice sucks me out of the bubble. I turn my head and realize it is Austin asking me what’s wrong. “Nothing,” I say. “Just anxious.”

12:35 p.m.

My mom texts me a photo of her puppy, and suddenly my anxiety feels utterly digestible. What’s so bad about having a lot of stuff to do, anyways? Just this morning I was stressing about having nothing to do, and two hours later I’m stressing about the opposite. That, my lizards, is straight-up peanuts. I am invigorated by this revelation. I pat my thighs and thank them for taking my absurd critique like true professionals. Puppies, man.

1:30 p.m.

I decide to make my way home to take care of some of the aforementioned “stuff I need to do,” starting with a trip to the grocery store, which is possibly my favorite variety of adult errand. After years of accompanying my mom to the grocery store as a child and obediently keeping my hands inside my lap, I don’t think I’ve ever fully adjusted to the equal parts intoxicating and delightful power of being able to throw candy into my shopping cart as I’m checking out just because I can.

2 p.m.

I go to Whole Foods and pick up a few things: baby spinach, baby carrots (hooray for miniature food), broccoli, popcorn, tempeh, tofu, teriyaki sauce, greek yogurt and kombucha. I grab a chocolate bar as I’m checking out because I really set myself up for that huh?

3 p.m.

I put in a load of laundry and clean my room while watching Jane the Virgin, a show I started watching because Haley keeps talking about it at the office. It’s delightful. [Ed note from Haley: YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!]

3:30 p.m.

I was planning to order takeout for dinner because I’m feeling lazy, but when I’m unloading groceries in my kitchen I realize I have two sweet potatoes that need to be cooked soon, so I decide to roast them along with some of the broccoli and tempeh I just purchased. Having recently resolved to cook more often at home, I am in the process of perfecting my method for the perfect sweet potato. One thing I’ve realized (after like, one trial and one error) is they can take AWHILE to cook, so I figure I should start roasting them now while I’m waiting for my laundry to finish and eat them later when I’m hungry. I cut the two sweet potatoes in half and lay them down on a baking sheet. One of them has white flesh and the other orange. After sticking them in the oven, I search “types of sweet potatoes” on Google and educate myself on this important topic.

4 p.m.

After my Google sesh, I start prepping the rest of my dinner. I marinate some tempeh in teriyaki sauce and coat two heads of broccoli in coconut oil. I think to myself that I am potentially having the most boring Sunday ever but at least I’m a beacon of authenticity. On that note, I take a break from my meal prep to go into the bathroom and pluck a few chin hairs.

4:30 p.m.

I look out the window and try to determine whether or not it’s actually about to pour. Despite what my weather app says, it seems like it’s going to hold off for a bit, so I decide to go for a quick run outside while the rest of my food is cooking. I throw on some workout clothes, take the sweet potatoes out of the oven, swap in the broccoli and tempeh and head out into an armpit’s worth of New York summer humidity.

5 p.m.

I run for about 20 minutes before calling it quits — just enough time for the frizz around my head to reach a uniquely seductive peak. Right when I arrive back at my doorstep, it starts to rain. A Sunday Scaries miracle.

5:15 p.m.

I shower. (<– Should that be the headline of this story?)

5:45 p.m.

Dressed in a fluffy bathrobe and shellacked with Drunk Elephant’s Babyfacial mask, I clean my room and organize some outfits for a small “e-commerce” shoot I’m doing with Edith for her highly anticipated T-shirt launch. I regard the fruits of my labor (i.e. a stack of clothes on my bed) and hope I am doing her Pantone shirts justice.

6:15 p.m.

I remove the face mask, change into PJs and sit down to eat my dinner: the white-fleshed sweet potato (sorry for all the times I’ve said “flesh” so far in this diary), some tempeh and more broccoli than I’ve ever consumed in one sitting. It is delicious but extremely un-photogenic.

8 p.m.

My roommate Sofia comes home, which is great news because the sound of my own thoughts is starting to take on the tenor of Janice in Friends. We hang out for awhile and talk about her wedding planning progress. She sends me the discount code for her hotel block so I can book my room in advance, which I do immediately. Her wedding is in April 2019, but hey, a to-do list is a to-do list, and I’m still running on puppy endorphins.

10 p.m.

After successfully wrestling my freshly washed duvet cover back on my bed, I climb in and crack open a new book — Tara Westover’s Educated, a memoir about her experience growing up in a survivalist family that didn’t believe in going to the doctor or attending school. I’m immediately engrossed.

11 p.m.

I start to get sleepy, so I close my iPad and conch out like the crab that I am.

Graphic by Madeline Montoya.

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mostly-plants · 7 years ago

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Week 2 of eating vegan

Day 8 started out fabulously because I met a good friend for breakfast at Smith and Daughters and we had a lovely time catching up over some delightfully fluffy and custardy mulled wine french toast, with quince paste and some kind of magical vegan whipped (coconut?) cream. Yummmmmmm!

Afterwards we wandered down to the Cruelty Free shop because I wanted to have a look and investigate a couple of ingredients I hadn’t been able to find in regular grocery stores. They had the things I was looking for (gluten flour for a homemade seitan experiment, and a particular seasoning called Kala Namak that imparts a flavour similar to eggs, for things like tofu scramble/vegan mayo).

It was fun browsing all of the different products, and they definitely get credit for stocking my favourite lip balm, HURRAW! but ultimately, exploring different places is a good reminder that eating vegan is like eating any other way - it can be healthy or junky, easy or complicated, cheap or expensive, or any combination of these things depending on how you choose to go about it! I am very lucky in that I can afford and find all the core ingredients I need (like veggies, fruit, rice, oats, legumes, nuts and seeds) from my local market or supermarket at reasonable prices. Although I’m fortunate to be able to find and buy more specialised ingredients for a treat, it’s definitely not essential to have these in order to eat vegan. In reflecting on my first week of eating vegan, I realised that I had eaten a relatively junky diet (mostly because of “taste-testing” new snacks I’d wanted to try, and nomming on baked goods I’d been experimenting with)... oops! So for Week 2 I was keen to try and keep things fairly simple and healthy. Hence - Sunday batch cooking! I made a Pad Thai dish with lots of veggies and some marinated tempeh, and I was very pleasantly surprised by how good it was! Most tempeh I had eaten in my previous life as a vegetarian had pretty much tasted like rubber... mushy, unappetising rubber. Thankfully, this recipe by Minimalist Baker makes it taste soooooo much better. I’m still more of a tofu person, but alright - I’ll give you another chance Tempeh, you tricky beast.

Day 9: I’ve been learning how to build new food routines based around plant foods, and have now figured out a couple of breakfasts that are quick, tasty, and pack in as much nutrition as possible. Thanks to my batch cook on Sunday I had some apple cinnamon compote in the fridge, which made a delicious addition to some muesli with chia seeds, nut milk and coconut yoghurt for breakfast. It also made a great snack with toasted granola!

With any way of eating, it’s important to ensure we get enough of the nutrients we need, and I’m aware that a few key ones to watch for are Iron, Calcium and B12 intake. As someone who has had Iron deficiency for the most part of the past ten years, I can tell you: a) It is not fun. You feel suuuuuuuper duper tired and weak b) it is also suuuuuuuper possible to be iron deficient on an omnivorous diet. Even when I was eating a diet containing red meat a couple of times a week, my iron levels kept dropping so low that I had to take supplements. Ironically (pun intended), I am more consistently getting enough dietary iron now that I am eating vegan, because I am actually paying attention to my iron intake, and making an effort to eat more iron-rich plant foods like beans, lentils, chickpeas and tofu. Day 10: Speaking of chickpeas - chickpea smash is one of my new favourite things!

A little while ago, I made a vegan mayonnaise from a Viet Vegan recipe that uses aquafaba instead of egg (chickpeas, what can’t you do?). This chickpea salad is just mashed cooked chickpeas, vegan mayo, salt and pepper, lemon juice and a ton of chopped dill. I love the flavour of dill in this, but you could just swap it for another herb if you prefer - no big dill... :D

Day 11 involved some blueberry bircher muesli and coffee for breakfast, veggie bibimbap at a Korean restaurant with work friends, and leftover tofu, pumpkin and spinach curry based on this delicious recipe from Mary’s Test Kitchen for Cheater Butter Chicken. It’s become a favourite at our place - especially with my cheater garlic naan (which I will post a recipe for at some point)!

I also discovered a new favourite treat snack today - Thinkfood Pumpkin Seed Munch. It is so satisfyingly crunchy and just slightly sweet, but with reasonably healthy ingredients. However, it is dangerously easy to eat a whole pack, so I had a bit of a snackcident!

Day 12 I had some leftover smoothie and some chickpea smash on toast for breakfast, and some interesting chats at work with a(nother) colleague who is mostly vegan. the last of my leftover dhal and rice made a handy lunch, and dinner was more leftover curry with a handful of greens thrown in. Fruit for snacks (and a leftover cookie or three) rounded out this almost entirely left-over-based day of food. Finally I had some apple with coconut yoghurt a bit of granola, and then realised... the granola had honey in it - so it wasn’t completely vegan because honey is an animal product. Oops! Luckily, I had recently watched this video about making mistakes on a vegan diet (summary: they happen to everyone), so I just filed that under learning experiences and moved on.

Day 13: I was less rushed this morning and was in the mood for a slightly more substantial breakfast, so I decided to try making tofu scramble based on this recipe from vegan YouTube channel, Hot For Food. I used silken tofu because I wanted to see if it would work, and it actually turned out really well (although you end up with smaller pieces of tofu because they break down a bit further as you stir things around). I was surprised how tasty it was. Next time I’d use about 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric instead of 1/2 a teaspoon as I found that flavour to be a bit stronger than I’d prefer. Otherwise the recipe was great, except that I probably didn’t need to add the nut milk because silken tofu already contains more moisture than firm tofu. Other than that, I would definitely make it again, and I’ll try experimenting with kala namak next time!

Breakfast was very filling so that kept me going for most of the day, but I did have some papaya and kiwi fruit as a snack in the afternoon, and it was so colourful and pretty I had to take a photo. Fruit is the best! Thanks nature. We’re so lucky to have access to fresh food, so I think it’s worth appreciating it.

Late afternoon I had some more leftover chickpea smash on rye toast, and then in the evening I made PIZZA! It was Friday night and the boyfriend had been working very hard, so I felt like it was a good time to have something a little bit special for dinner. I made one pizza with a base of barbecue sauce from Mary’s Test Kitchen topped with spinach, caramelised onion and asparagus spears (spoiler alert: it was delicious!) and another pizza with a tomato based sauce and olive tapenade, topped with roast zucchini and red capsicum. Yum! Totally satisfied the pizza craving, no cheese necessary (even for my cheese-loving boo!)

Day 14 was a Saturday, so I got to sleep in (such a luxury!) and then we went for a walk to our local cafe. They generally have very nice food, and I knew they had some vegan sweets, so I had hoped it would be easy to find something on the menu I could eat. Nothing on the menu was labelled as vegan, so I asked if they could just leave the feta off an otherwise vegan dish, but the waitress said the feta was part of the avocado smash. They had avocado in their sides menu, so I asked if I could order that dish and they could just swap out the avocado-feta smash for plain avocado. I thought she’d understood, but when she came back with our food, mine was just 2 pieces of plain toast with half an avocado and some oil on the side. Luckily my boyfriend is super lovely, and shared his roast tomato with me so that my breakfast was a bit more interesting. I recognise that we’re very privileged to even be able to go out to eat occasionally, but that’s partly why I was a bit disappointed with this cafe, because when you’re paying more for a meal out, you want it to be enjoyable and worthwhile. Although I respect how challenging commercial cookery is, I don’t think it necessarily has to be that hard to swap out one ingredient of a dish, or prepare things in a way that provides options for people. However, when we went for a walk around our area, I discovered two other places that have many more vegan options, so next time I look forward to trying one of them! When I got home I was thirsty, so blended up some papaya, frozen raspberries, lemon juice and coconut water. Very refreshing and so colourful! I also made some peanut butter maple granola (using this recipe from Emilie Eats - minus the banana chips and chocolate chips) so that I could enjoy some for a snack without the accidental honey that was in the previous batch. Yum! It turned out very tasty and crunchy, and was very fast to make. Everything you want in homemade granola!

As the cherry on top of week 2, we got to have dinner with a couple of wonderful friends who kindly whipped up an AMAZING vegan feast based on Hana Assifiri’s Moroccan Soup Bar cookbook, including an apple, zucchini and pomegranate salad, a cauliflower and potato bake, and a burghul and eggplant dish topped with almonds and tahini dressing. I love my friends! If you are in Melbourne and haven’t been to the Moroccan Soup Bar (or their sister place, the Moroccan Deli-cacy), I highly recommend a visit. Just look at this deliciousness:

And that was week 2 of vegan eats. So far so very good!

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syrephine · 7 years ago

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So, many of you have probably looked at this title and said “WTF?! Who the hell is

SCHÄR ?

Well, to be honest I had no clue who they were until the wonderful lady at Celiac and the Beast mentioned them and did a giveaway through them. Schär is a Gluten Free bread company that I am seriously blessed to know. I had one day entered their summer time giveaway where you could win some backyard bbq bread. I was like okay why not try for it.

I was pleasently surprised when I saw that I was just one of the people chosen. The awesome people at Schär sent me a box of great smelling and looking breads from hamburger buns, hotdog buns, bagels, regular bread and even crackers like graham crackers and saltines. I was in bread heaven and of course with my daughter being gluten intolerant she was happy too because the hamburger buns were just the right size of my thick and juicy sliders I would make her.

Everything I had been craving to eat since being diagnosed with Celiac, I was able to make, eat and ENJOY! Now, I don’t have a picture of my grilled cheese sandwich I had made with their bread but it was great! I am very…. let me stress VERY VERY pickyy when it comes to bread and food because if it doesn’t preform or taste like it’s gluten filled counter parts I will not eat it and I will never ever lie to someone and say its good. I have never been paid for my opinions on food and such like a lot of food reviewers are but probably because I am to honest and will not sugar coat the truth is why none of them have ever asked me, plus I am not anyone special….. why would companies care about a commoner like me right?

Now with that being said…….. I was not paid to write this or offered anything what so ever to write this but I believe in giving credit where it is due. BUT……. to Schär company there is one thing I will talk about at the end and that is the dessert. So, understand this is coming from me a person who loves to bake and cook, plus I am very picky even on my own cooking.

Schar Company is dedicated to bring yummy, tasteful and great food to those who have Celiac or Celiac intolerance.

Schär has complete control of grain cultivation.

Gluten free eating is also based on trust. Our reliability in terms of security and sustainability is guaranteed by our direct involvement in cultivation. Schär cultivates the grains for the most important raw materials, calling upon the help of trusted and expert farmers. This means that we have complete control of all the production phases, from sowing to harvest and the end product and we can guarantee the exceptional quality of our gluten free products. All our raw materials are subject to strict testing at our quality labs, before they are used in production.

This is the only way that we can be sure that all Schär products are gluten free and:

do not contain chemical sweeteners

do not contain flavour enhancers

do not contain colorants

do not contain GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)

You can find out more about all their products and where to find them here ——> Schaer Gluten Free

They are also on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook.

So, first thing that cam to my mind when I opened my box of goodies was I saw the table crackers. I was like YES! I get to have my all time favorite thing to eat as a kid and that is Honey, crackers and butter. Can I get a YAY? Ummmm…probably not since many people probably never did the crackers, butter and honey like I did as a child or even another staple that I loved eating as a kid was a piece of bread with soften butter spread on it and about a tablespoon of honey slathered on it! YUM!!!!

Hmmmmm…… I think I will go make one of those right now since I have the bread to do it with. I will show you all here ……………. MY Childhood Joy……………….

Pink Panther Helping me out!

As, you can tell I love my honey and butter. Now I usually use Vegan butter called Earth Balance but because I am out of it and can’t afford any more of it from being broke and no job I had to make due with what I was given which was regualr butter. Now, don’t hate on me its not like I don’t like cream butter its just that I can tell a diference in the way I feel when I had regular butter now compared to the vegan butter. With the vegan butter I don’t feel sick to my stomach and not as groggy. I like the lightness of it and it tastes amazing. But with that being said there is one Vegan company I have been following for a good while now that is based out of California called Miyoko’s Kitchen here is a link to their shop ———->> Miyoko’s Kitchen from what I have read, seen on their site and watched from the live feeds they will have on their Facebook page I dream of trying their VeganButter, cheeses and dips……….Especially the Mozzarella and the Double Cream Garlic OMG!!!!! It sounds so DIVINE! But alas I have to hang my head down because one I can’t afford to order it and two they are not available even within a 50 mile radius of me. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!Okay, enough of crying about what I can’t get right? So, going along with the butter and bread I also like to have butter and crackers. No! I don’t put butter on graham crackers but if I had Ice cream I so would be crushing them up and making Fried Ice cream with honey, chocolate and marshmallow! ***Sighing***

The table crackers are great and you can’t even tell they don’t have gluten in them! They come in a good size package but the great surprise is that the are individually wrapped smaller packages of 6-8 (can’t remember) with 6 long crackers in each package. Well…….. unfortunately with my love for crackers and butter they didn’t last long but only being 160 cal. per package it so was worth eating as lunch every other day.

Then yesterday for lunch was always a good standby which is Peanut butter and Jelly! This bread was great, it wasn’t dry it was soft and moist and didn’t tear when spreading either the jelly or peanut butter which is always a plus in my book especially if I wanted to have a fried PB&J!

Now, on to the last thing……….. and like I said earlier this is just my opinion but I figured if Schar Company see’s this they can take note to what I say, because I am so picky.

Hello its dessert TIME!! Now, if I would of had Ice cream to go with this little cake it might have made it a bit more moist.

These little babies are called Schar Gluten Free Sch’nacks. Yes, that is exactly what it says on the package!

These little snacks are only 160 calories a cake so its great for on the go, with coffee and like I said probably great with ice cream. But the one I am showing you was my last one I was saving just for this blog. *crying on the inside*

This little cake has a thin white cream layer in the middle surrounded by a flaky cake, now with that being said this is why it is good with coffee and maybe Ice cream because it is actually a bit on the dry side. The chocolate on top makes you think that with the smooth creaminess of it that the cake will be very moist like a soft sponge cake. But unfortunately its not the case here. With coffee you can dip it in and it will soak up some of that moisture with gives the cake a great flavor added to it but without having that moisture already there the cake is dry and a bit bland. I personally would like a bit more of the cram in the middle, more moisture to the cake and maybe a bit more vanilla flavor or shoot make it a coffee type snack cake aka *Mocha Snack Cake* but either way it lacks the moisture. It is still good and I do recommend it to anyone who wants something to put in their kiddos lunch pack or even in your own lunch bag or purse for a quick bite, Just make sure you have something to drink with it.

Unwrapped Snack cake

Insidce the snack cake

As you can see it has a Soft light texture to it with the creamy milk chocolate on the outside, but its lacking the moisture on the inside. And that is the only down side of the whole thing is the dryness and lack of flavor of the cake itself. Like I said I love to bake and I miss baking since I don’t have an oven anymore, but I am again picky on my breads and cakes and one thing that always turns me off of food is lack of flavor and moisture. This can most definitely be remedied but I will take it as I can and just improve on it here at home by adding coffee to it or a bit of milk to the cake.

So, there you have it my review for Schär Gluten Free products that I have tried so far… I haven’t had the chance to try the hotdog buns or hamburger buns myself but I will soon I hope, I just need money to buy meat, I really like vegan hotdogs which is mentioned Here ——>> Vegan Hotdogs & Fast easy filling meal! but I just can’t afford anything right now even my internet will be shut off soon. So that is why I decided to get this written up as soon as I possibly could.

Thanks so much for reading my blog, there are links to my YouTube Channel which I try to update with all randomness along with my dreams of living and teaching in Japan. But again have to get money for plane ticket, place to live and money to eat on until my first check there……. So, me loving and dreaming of Japan will have to wait a bit longer! *CRYING ON THE INSIDE*

People that have talked to me whether it be in private message or comments on my videos or other social media have said that they have never seen or talked to someone who has such passion and love for their home country that they live in or are from. (they say this to me because of my passion for Japan, it’s culture, people, food, traditions, arts and laws.) My dream is to one day also as I would live and work in Japan, is to show the world through my eyes why I am so passionate about the beautiful and mesmerizing country of Japan. Now, some others ask me what about other Asian countries such as China, Korea, Philippines, Thailand and many others? All I can say is this I would love to visit all these places and discover their cultures and food etc. But so far Japan has captured my heart, welcomed me there with open arms and made me feel at home…..at peace.

Again, thank you so much for visiting my blog page. If you have anything you would like me to review or just have a question or comment leave it below or shoot me a message.

Please don’t forget me, I am right here beside you. I feel like a ghost at times screaming at the top of my lungs, “Hello!”. Do you see me? Do you know I am here? Can you here me? Do you care? Maybe I try to hard you tell me, because maybe I am just in between. I need you to see me, hear me and touch me. Please what is it you need from me, so I can be seen in your eyes, your life, your future.-by ME

Your true identity is not in the hands of other people. Your identity can never be what some other person may think about you.

Have a heart that never hardens, and a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts. – Charles Dickens

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Thankful for Schär Company! So, many of you have probably looked at this title and said "WTF?! Who the hell is…

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superfitbabe · 7 years ago

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Hi everybody! I just uploaded a new YouTube video! Woohoo!

Vlog #3 essentially captures everything that I did and ate leading up to my one-year vegan anniversary, which was Friday, August 24th, the official day I became vegan and the start of not eating anymore animal products for good! Just to clarify, vegan anniversaries are a special commencement that vegans alike love to celebrate annually. The first day of being a vegan is very important to us because it marks such a wonderful life change!

This video really highlights the food and includes some bits and pieces of my potato face and awkward personality, so you can enjoy that too. Oh yes, and I’ll admit that lately I have been obsessed with Luis Fonsi’s music. No shame! 😉 I highly encourage you to watch the video, but if you want a more in-depth peek into my week, then keep scrolling down (fortunately for you all, there won’t be any cringey dancing involved)!

AUGUST 22ND 2017

Wednesday started off perfectly with two juicy nectarines and an incredible workout that followed this snack! I have been hooked on peaches and nectarines lately, and I will be devastated when they go out of season! I might miss them even more than figs, which says a LOT!

Post-workout munchies really started to kick in around four hours later and I wanted something really quick and easy. This meal took less than ten minutes to make! Everything is basically cooked edamame spaghetti that I sauteed with two LARGE handfuls of spinach, a bit of curry powder, and a splash of low sodium organic soy sauce! Even though this dish is really simple, it’s going to get its own recipe post because it’s insanely delicious! This kept me so satiated until I headed out to hang out with Cory (follow him on Instagram too!)!

Just HAD to sneak in another nectarine. Yep, I’m addicted.

Pomegranate was the main destination my dad dropped me off at so I could see my vegan Instagram pal Cory! Basically, Pomegranate is a completely plant-based cafe that serves deli and hot-bar items, as well as a small selection of desserts! Unfortunately, Cory and I were under the impression that Pomegranate was mainly a bakery, not a cafe, hence we were very underwhelmed with the array of desserts provided. However, we did not leave empty-handed–I bought this “sweet” chocolate cake that happens to be completely sugar free! WHAT?! Anyways, overall, had I known that this cafe serves more lunch-based items than desserts, I would probably have had a better experience. I will definitely come back to try more, but because we were disappointed with the small selection that day, we hopped in Cory’s vehicle and drove to an old favorite, Pressed Juicery.

On the way to Pressed, Cory and I tried some of the miso almond cookies that he bought from Pomegranate! This cookie was absolutely to die for–slightly salty and tangy from the miso, but sweet and mild with a nutty aftertaste as well. Definitely on the smaller side for a cookie, but it’s totally worth a try!

Looks like we were made to come to Pressed Juicery, because it had this amazing $1 deal for their smallest size (they only have two sizes: one is 4-6 ounces and the other is 8-10) that day! My first size 1 consisted of their vanilla freeze with strawberries and a little pink sea salt, which I paired with the sugar free chocolate cake!

Combination-wise? Oh. My. Goodness. The cake was really creamy and slightly firm from its different layers of goodness! It’s definitely richer than sweetener, so if you are sensitive to bitterness, this is not the cake for you. However, the sweetness from the dates in the vanilla freeze balances out the bitter chocolate in the cake, so do have the cake with something sweet!

Had a lot of fun topping everything off!

Ever tried leave-in-the-oven-and-go-do-something-else-while-it-bakes meals? Well, this is exactly what those meals are! Anyways, I roasted some organic firm tofu and heaps of Brussels sprouts at 450F for around forty minutes, and then paired everything with organic and low sugar sweet and sour sauce. This was absolutely to die for, even though this dish is incredibly simple! Problem is, the Brussels sprouts left quite a stench in the kitchen. Remember: roasted Brussels sprouts are parent-disapproved.

AUGUST 23RD, 2017

Farewell, nectarine. Hello, workout! As a quick pre-workout snack, I demolished the last nectarine in our fridge! As you can see, I’m absolutely obsessed with stone fruits. My workout went really well as always. I haven’t had a sucky workout in a long time, and I think having a little fruit or carby snack really helps! (Obviously, everyone works differently. You might need more or less food!)

Talk about EPICNESS here. I made this AMAZING chocolate cake made with oat flour and butternut squash! No egg substitute, oil, nor gluten necessary! But yes, the chocolate is necessary. Otherwise, it’s not a chocolate cake. 😉

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To frost the cake, I used one packet of Nutiva chocolate plant protein with 30 superfoods! With an amazing nutritional profile, this protein tastes wonderful! It’s definitely not very sweet, so you will have to add some Stevia or any kind of sweetener to taste. Texture-wise, it’s in between creamy and downright grassy, so I would say it’s around average when weighing in for vegan protein. Not my favorite in terms of palatable-ness, but the ingredients and macronutrients are A+!

My protein was used in my two-ingredient chocolate protein frosting recipe that I’m obsessed with, and went on top of the cake along with some goji berries and Nature’s Path pumpkin flax granola, which I bought in bulk at Costco!

Stay tuned, because I will be creating the recipe in a separate post very soon! But this cake was incredible–I had NO complaints whatsoever. You bet I ate the entire cake too.

Kettle corn has to be my favorite kind of popcorn! After a few hours, my mother and sisters came back from Whole Foods and bought some Boom Chicka Pop! light kettle corn and finished the last of the bag as a midday snack. This treat was really crunchy, perfectly sweetened, and had just the right amount of saltiness!

Corn-flake cravings started to really kick in, hence I made a bowl of corn flakes but mixed in some of that same Nutiva chocolate superfoods protein blended in water and liquid Stevia! Even though this snack was so simple, I absolutely love the taste of it! Crunchy with a hint of chocolate goodness–YES. That’s all I can say.

Twisted things up around dinnertime when my mother decided to boil and chill some buckwheat soba, which I paired with nori, black and white sesame seeds, and some Japanese-style spinach (unpictured). If I had to pick a favorite type of grain (or seed?) based pasta, buckwheat soba would definitely win. But I have tried quinoa pasta before, and that is also absolutely delicious!

AUGUST 24TH 2017

While protein “mylk” with cereal is much more popular as a post-workout meal among fitness influencers, I actually whipped it up half an hour before exercising! This tasted as delicious as it did the previous day. Also, is it weird that I actually like cereal that’s slightly soggy? Of course, there has to be some crunchiness, but the softness in the majority of the flakes really appeal to my tastebuds! Call me crazy, but I love soft cereal!

Rarity of a beauty. This is basically how you would describe an Okinawan purple sweet potato. Even though I didn’t have enough time to steam or bake these sweet potatoes–I just microwaved them on high power–the texture and flavor were still perfect! Okinawan purple sweet potatoes have a very dense, brownie-like texture, while the flavor is relatively rich yet naturally sweet at the same time! Why do these bad boys have to be so expensive?!

Guess where I went to next. Go on. If you watch the video, you will know that I got dropped off at the one and only…PizzaRev! For DAYS, I had to fend off a pizza craving I couldn’t satisfy because I didn’t have my car to drive anywhere nearby to buy ingredients or order one for myself! Once I peeked at the menu, I decided to create my own masterpiece. I stuck with their signature thin crust, which was spread with spicy tomato sauce, green bell peppers, red onion, spinach, pickled jalapenos, cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, mushrooms, vegan sausage, and cilantro! Yes, I felt like eating gluten today. Yes, this pizza was SUPER spicy. No, I regretted nothing.

Fun fact: a really nice man saw me trying to take a selfie with my pizza and offered to take a picture of me with it. Hence, photo credits towards him for this shot, which I absolutely adore! The positive encounter just made my day that much brighter!

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During my trip at Target in the local shopping mall, I bought a whole box of Health Warrior dark chocolate chia bars to taste! Honestly, they are now one of my favorite flavors EVER. Think of a brownie with a chia seed base. The bar is rich, fudgy, decadent, crunchy from the chia seeds and dark chocolate chips, and scantly sweet. Chocolate peanut butter probably still ranks #1, but watch out, because dark chocolate is climbing to the top fiercely!

Tofu makes a glorious appearance once again, but in the form of a lovely tomato dish! This recipe was actually inspired by the tomato fried tofu I gobbled all up back in Vietnam when we visited some family. Instead of frying the tofu, my mother and I decided to keep it plain and tossed it in a puree of tomatoes, garlic, and onions! Even though the result looks more like a stew than a stir-fry, taste and appearance are both incredible. I might like this one even more!

Got the goods paired with spinach and a cup of brown rice. Yep. Carbs after dark is happening, folks.

Dessert actually turned out to be my middle sister’s leftover vanilla Pressed Freeze! I was so grateful that she allowed me to finish it all, because I am addicted to this stuff. Everything was garnished with goji berries and more pumpkin flax granola, and I took pictures while impatiently waiting for the freeze to thaw out.

Can’t end a perfect vegan anniversary without chocolate, right? Hence, I made some more protein frosting with Nutiva chocolate protein and corn flakes to have on the side! I wouldn’t say that this protein tastes like Nutella, but hey, it does the job. I went to bed, absolutely grateful of everything I’ve had and experienced this day. Happy One-Year to me!

Do you have a perfect week or weekend of eating? What would you celebrate more than once?

What I Ate During the Week of my One-Year Vegan Anniversary dd Hi everybody! I just uploaded a new YouTube video! Woohoo! Vlog #3 essentially captures everything that I did and ate leading up to my one-year vegan anniversary, which was Friday, August 24th, the official day I became vegan and the start of not eating anymore animal products for good!

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xjhhfwejr · 8 years ago

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8 maids a-milking

Lexi didn't make dessert often -- she rarely found the results worth the effort, let alone the time. This was the general answer any criticism of cooking skills, no matter how many eyerolls it got her in return.

For example, she would complain, it was much easier to buy ice-cream from the drive-thru than it was to remember to pull it out from the freezer, set it on the counter, remember to go back to it once the craving had passed and it had defrosted enough to stab a spoon into, and then find a dish to slap it into. Easier was always better.

She never seemed to see a problem with her logic.

The sole exception to this rule was when Lucifer did the shopping, because he bought the expensive ice-cream that melted on the tongue like bloody ambrosia, and that was worth it. Also he had this habit of rearranging the kitchen to remind her that it wasn't her house, and by the time Lexi even found a place, the ice-cream was sufficiently softened.

But because he insisted on rearranging things, she could never find her way around in the dark. She glowered through the doorway to the other room, the TV still blaring, and resented that he hadn't come to investigate even when she'd dropped the pot and stubbed her toe and made a one-person cacophony -- what if she had actually been hurt? Revenge was in order, obviously, and a paltry tub of ice-cream wasn't nearly enough.

What to do, what to do?

Put more effort into it, clearly. She flicked on a light, which is how you knew she meant business.

There was a solitary banana left in the midst of an empty fruit bowl, and Lexi sniffed at it warily, glancing around for the punchline to the joke -- he didn't even like them, and De' hadn't been home in a week, so what was the deal with this? Did he have a secret girlfriend who insisted on a high potassium diet? That was the most likely explanation, so fuck that mystery woman whoever she thought she was, because now it was going to be used for revenge.

She peeled the banana apart and sliced it down the center, placing both halves into the bowl.

Hmmmmm. She frowned as she eyed this, thinking she could just dump the ice-cream on top and call it a day like a common pleb, but a sophisticated palette would demand another flavor between the subtlety of the fruit flesh and the cool tartness of the frozen treat.

There was chocolate syrup in the cupboard, hidden behind the baked beans like it always was. Lexi shook the bottle of a few times, weighed the amount left against Lucifer's irritation once he found it gone, and shrugged; she tipped it upside down and thick ooze drizzled out, spreading into a deceptively large mass once it stopped being so solid. Was that too much? It was too much.

It was disgusting. It was foul. It was the perfect accompaniment to her dessert.

She arranged the ice-cream, and added more sauce for good measure. Already the two were swirling together, puddling at the bottom of the bowl. It was still missing something.

More ice-cream? Yes, that would help -- she didn't hesitate to pile it on, and unearthed a bottle of caramel sauce that was ancient enough to be more solid than otherwise. She tossed it into the trash where it belonged and tried the strawberry preserve, the sundae now three tiers high and sweet enough that a brief glance was enough to make her teeth ache

Whipped cream next, obviously -- you couldn't have ice-cream without cream, but dolloping it on failed to fill the hole in her soul where understanding and sympathy should be, and she frowned harder at the mess. The ice-cream was little more than mush.

Cherries? Yes, cherries were -- who the hell only had one cherry? It was like Lucifer went out of his way to make her life difficult. She considered chopping it into thirds and found the thought of doing that exhausting, so settled for a last dollop of cream in the middle, balancing the cherry on top like it was a medalists podium.

The whole thing had a definite lilt to it now, leaning to the side as the ice-cream lost its nerve. She ignored that and threw sprinkles on top, only to immediately curse her need to go overboard -- now that was just too much sugar, what had she been thinking, who was going to take her seriously when she did ridiculous crap like this? Time to toss it out and start over.

Except that would be effort.

Did she care enough to put that much effort into the whole ordeal, Lexi wondered, arms crossed as she frowned at the bench. Behind her the freezer slammed shut, and Lucifer stomped up beside her. He looked from her to the bench and back again, his scowl deepening.

"I'm not cleaning... this up," he informed her, waving a hand at the concoction.

"Nothing to clean up," she argued absently, tapping her foot as she puzzled over how to proceed. "It's all completely contained."

On cue, the whole thing slid to one side. The top two tiers landed on the counter with a splat! and a flood of melted ice-cream rushed towards the edge. As they watched it reached the lip, receded, and then gained new life as it swelled over the side and drip-drip-dripped down the front of the cupboards.

"I want to be surprised," Lucifer lied, staring at her. "I really do."

"Mmmm." Lexi looked at him, irritated by his lack of faith. "The foundations were weak."

"The ice-cream was twenty bucks a pint," he said. Maybe it was a lament.

"Your fault for leaving it out, I'm afraid." She wasn't nearly as cut up as he was.

"Leaving it out at the back of the freezer?"

"Precisely." She frowned a second longer, then made a sound and waved his concerns away, almost smacking him in the face with her hand. He ducked back to avoid it and she ignored him, stepping forward to dip her finger into the globule dangling from the side of the bowl. She put it into her face, the frown never lessening, but her doubt growing. "You paid twenty bucks for this?"

"It's artisan. You get what you pay for."

"You're a dick, Lucifer."

It was unclear if this criticism was about his brief foray into the pretentious or his attitude in general, but both were valid arguments. He scowled, but accepted the spoon she offered.

"I'm not eating this," he complained, using it to wave at the bench. "You ruined it."

"Ruined it?" Lexi countered. "Or made it better?"

With no concern at all for his wilting scowl she dug her spoon right in, coming up with a viscous chunk of ooze. Under his watchful eye, she ate the entire thing, not even chewing.

Eh. It was okay, but not great -- not worth the effort, and definitely not worth the money. You win some you lose some, and the important thing is to never let on that you see a difference.

"This," the woman stated aloud, letting a shit-eating grin blossom on her face and an excited lilt creep into her tone. "This is the best thing I have ever tasted."

Lucifer rolled his eyes.

"You're not even a good liar, you know -- I know you too well."

She said nothing and dug a second spoonful out, cramming it right into her face. It hurt her teeth and her head throbbed with brain freeze, but she sure as hell wasn't about to admit it -- and it was totally worth it for the look on his face when he put his own tiny, cautious spoonful into his mouth.

He didn't swallow, he just let it sit there until it no doubt melted and then turned luke-warm. It was an unpleasant mental image and Lexi wasn't sure what either of them were trying to prove except that she was almost certain he wouldn't be telling her to get her own coffee again any time soon, and wasn't that the real victory?

Probably not, but it was close enough.

Lucifer looked at her.

"Delicious," he lied, badly, and she smiled.

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