#stream cream soda for good skin

[vikensbrainrot]

He is so Yin Nezha coded oh lord

[smoshyourheadin]

Sunshine and Soda Cans

Part 3 - Refreshing

“oh my god tell me EVERYTHING”

angela runs up to you as she hears your keys in the door, practically tackling you for information.

“okay! okay! so, well, we were editing, and then we streamed, and then i drove him to his apartment, and we kissed, and i dont know!” you retort, flopping down on the couch. “also wheres that ice-cream?” you ask her with puppy dog eyes.

“oh shoot yeah! ill grab it,” she scurries off for a minute, and returns with two bowls of vanilla ice-cream topped with strawberry slices. “here you are m’lady”

you hiss as your skin touches the cold bowl

“okay, so, how did it happen? was it good? do you think he likes you?” she begins to spew questions at you.

“one at a time jelly, jeez! okay so , it happened when we were outside his apartment, yes it was good, and i think so? maybe? i hope so at least.”

“well,” she says with a huf “if he doesn't like you he’s missing out!”

you giggle at her, and turn on tangled for the hundredth time this month, it’s your guys’ favourite. you curl up together under a blanket, and drift off.

the weekend goes on pretty smoothly, you and angela just hanging out. then monday comes around.

“cmon (y/n/n) wake up! we’re gonna be late!” you feel the mattress dipping, and rub your eyes.

“huh-“ you reply groggily, and then you realise whats happening

“ANGELA STOP JUMPING ON MY BED!” you laugh at her energy, as she flops down beside you. managing to hoist yourself out if bed, you throw on a sweatshirt and linen pants. on the way to the office, you guys stop at coffee bean for smoothies, which angela almost spills everywhere.

walking into the office, you spot spencer and give him a sweet smile. but he freezes up and just walks away.

what?

you shrug it off, and continue on through the day.

at around 2, you’re about to start shooting an aitah video with spencer and, obviously, shayne. but spencer is being really avoidant, not looking at you while kiana tells you about the shoot. so you chase him up just before the shoot, because you don’t want that tension on screen

“spencer hey,” you jog up to him in the kitchen as he grabs a mt dew kickstart. “whats up? why are you being weird with me? have i done something?” you look into his eyes as you ask him, and you can see his sadness.

“no, i just, i don't know…” he starts to trail off “i just feel like i forced you to kiss me when you didnt want to and i feel really shitty about it and i-”

“hey,” you gently grab his hands “it’s okay, it was nice. i liked it” you smile, and kiss him on the cheek, turning away to go get ready for the shoot. you feel the heat in your cheeks.

during the shoot, you and spencer share the chunky knit blanket as shayne reads you some of the most outrageous stories you’ve ever heard, and you wonder how people online are comfortable enough to say this kind of stuff

afterwards, as you begin to leave, spencer catches up with you.

“(y/n)!” he shouts, catching up with you at your desk while you pack your bag “so um, i was wondering, and obviously feel free to say no, um, if you’d want to go to the fair with me on friday night?” he looks nervous, almost as if he feels he shouldn't ask you.

“yeah, yeah that’d be nice” you smile at him, and his eyes light up at your statement. he thanks you, and says he’ll text you about it later. walking outside, you meet angela and hop in the car.

“what’s got you in a good mood? you’re only ever this quiet when you’re happy. what happened? DID SPENCER-” she begins to interrogate you as you pull out of the lot

“yes, it’s to do with spencer. he asked me on a date.”

angela gasps so loud you swear she could break glass.

“OHMYGOD FINALLY!! I THOUGHT HE WAS IGNORING YOU THIS MORNING BUT HE WAS PROBABLY JUST NERVOUS OH MY GOSH IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!” she bounces in her seat, rattling the car. you laugh, leaning away from the hyperactive puppy of a best friend you have.

over the next few days, you and spencer start hanging out a lot more and get a lot closer. you find yourselves sharing longing gazes across rooms, staying up late into the night just talking about life, and discovering things about each other you didn't know. each moment you spend together feels like a lifetime, the bond between you two deepening with every laugh. and then you realise something. you wanted to spend all you time with him.

fuck.

friday evening rolls around, and you’re sat at your desk finishing an edit, and waiting for arasha to bring you a coffee, when spencer walks over to you. his hair is messy, and he’s wearing a plaid shirt tucked in his worn in dickies, with a denim jacket over the top. he looks beautiful.

“you ready to go?” he says, cocking his head slightly

“just give me a minute, im just finishing up this edit and arasha’s bringing me coffee. but feel free to hang out here while i finish up!” you say looking up at him with a smile.

you finish the edit, and arasha walks over with courtney and shayne, and coffee in her hand.

“sup lovers! (y/n) here’s your overly sweet coffee,” she sets it down on your desk, then taking a sip of her own “so, big plans tonight spencer? you’re dressed up…” arasha says slyly, raising an eyebrow

“i mean if taking (y/n) on a date is big plans then, i guess so” spencer smiles at her

“HA! I KNEW IT! IAN AND YOU OWE ME 10 BUCKS EACH” courtney fist pumps the air, and shoves shayne in the shoulder

“ugh why do you always have to be right! you suck!” he dejectedly pulls a 10 dollar note out of his back pocket, and she pinches it with a “thank-you!”. you just look at them all, mouth agape.

“you placed bets on this!?” you look at courtney in shock.

“i mean, obviously. i knew you liked him, but we placed bets on how long it would take for anything to happen. my guess was a month and a week and hey, here we are”

“huh, weirdly specific but… go you!” you smirk at her, standing up to slide your jacket on.

“well, if you’ll exuse us, we have oversized bears to win” spencer smirks and holds his hand out for you to take, as you walk out the office together.

“awh,” tommy says, walking up to the three of them who were lingering near your desk “they’re so cute together!”

“sup nerds, what are we talking about?” ian jumps in

“ian give me my 10 dollars, spencer and (y/n) are going on a date as we speak” she grins at him

“ughhhhhh, fineeeeeeeee. you’re the worst court”

you and spencer hop in the car, and drive off to the fair, and as soon as you arrive, you run and buy a tub of cotton candy.

as you walk around, arms linked with spencer, you drag him to all the shitty games that you’re convinced are rigged.

“what!! no i definitely hit that one!” you stomp your feet like an upset child at the coconut shy, frowning because you didn’t get the giant giraffe teddy.

“watch this” spencer says confidently, and you gawk at him as he hits all the targets perfectly.

“how the hell did you manage that!” you say in amazement

he just laughs and passes you the giraffe “years of playing video games sometimes pays off”

you take the giraffe, and decide to call it amanda. so obviously, you send her a picture

//

amanderp 😚

———

you: [picture of you and the giraffe]

you: guess what i named it

amanderp 😚: giraffey?

you: nope, meet amanda ;)

amanderp 😚: omg i love you!! can she live at your desk? i want to meet her 😆😆

you: of course! i’ll bring her in on monday :))

//

you and spencer continue to sort of just walk around, giggling with eachother. as the night comes to a close, you get on the ferris wheel.

“its so pretty up here” you look out across the fair, the lights dancing over peoples faces as you sit at the top.

“yeah, makes you realise how pretty other things are” you turn to look at him, and he’s already looking at you. he looks at your lips, then back into your eyes. you close the distance between you both, pressing your lips together sofly, bringing your hand up to his hair and gently running your fingers through his curls. you break it apart, foreheads presses together, and he giggles

“hey whats funny!” you pout, sitting up and looking him in the eyes

“you taste like cotton candy. you taste like you. just overly sweet.”

you cant help but smile, leaning on his shoulder and lacing your fingers together. he looks down at you, and in that moment, you became his sunshine.

——————————

a/n: AHHH ITS FINISHED!! thank you all so much for the love on this series, it was so fun to write and it’s been so nice seeing your guys’ comments 💛💛 requests are open <3

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #248

What movie are you looking forward to? The Mufasa movie.

What was your horoscope today? Was it accurate? I don't give a rat's ass what my horoscope is, I'm not even checking. I'm sorry, I think astrology is one of the dumbest things people believe in.

What’s the biggest thing you have going on? Uh... nothing lmfao.

Do you keep magazines by your toilet? No.

What did you last take a picture of with your camera? My actual DSLR camera, a pretty stream with nice trees and boulders. I took it close to a week ago and I'm so scared to put it into Lightroom. I haven't worked on a picture in literally a year now and I'm so scared I'm going to hate it.

Would you prefer an ice cream sundae or an ice cream cone? Cone.

Do you like to have ice in your drinks? No, it waters down whatever I'm drinking.

What song are you most likely to sing in the shower? I don't sing in the shower, or almost ever.

When was the last time you went to the dentist? I think it was actually like two months ago.

What’s your favorite TV show? Meerkat Manor is my favorite of all time.

Would you ever have sex with the last person you texted? The last person I texted with my mom. You can properly guess my answer to that.

How old were you when you had the chicken pox? I actually never got chicken pox.

Ever had a friend named Alex or John? Alex, yes.

What type of music do you listen to the most? Metal or rock of some sort.

Have you ever had to get braces? Yes, I had braces for a long time.

Are you happy with your relationship status? I am.

Which one: chocolate chip or sugar cookie? Chocolate chip.

Do you like the smell of gasoline? Why or why not? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I hate it. It just doesn't smell good in general to me, and it gives me a headache.

Do you like the color orange? Is it your favorite? I do like orange, but it's not my favorite.

What kind of stuff do you like on your hot dogs? Ketchup and mustard. I can handle a tiny bit of finely diced onions.

What’s the largest animal you’ve ever had as a pet? Probably our old boxer mix named Cali.

Do you own any kind of helmet? No.

Out of everything currently in your refrigerator, what food or drink is your favorite? Mountain Lightning. Mom got a 24 pack and I wish she hadn't, I don't like having soda always available to me.

Were your grandparents present when you were born? Not to my knowledge, they didn't even live in the same state as us.

Do you own any jewelry containing your birthstone? No.

Did you cry when you first watched Titanic? I sure did lol, but I was also in a psych hospital when they let us watch it, so I was ALREADY emotionally compromised. Even without that though, I probably woulda still cried.

Ever kissed someone with a tongue piercing? No, but *I* used to have a tongue ring.

Are your parents divorced? Yes.

If you got kicked out, where would you go? I guess my dad's or Girt's.

If any of your friends got kicked out, would your parents let them stay with you? I think it would depend on how close we are and if they had their own income. Mom can barely get herself and me by.

Would you get your feet tattooed? I think I'm getting ONE foot tattoo, a Silent Hill 4 reference that is a pair of numbers carved into the skin. I'm not certain yet though, I don't tend to like foot tats much.

Do you know people that smoke weed? I'd say this is pretty normal these days, yes. It's not legal here (yet, hopefully one day), but yes.

What is/was your worst subject in school? All types of math.

Do you find it rude when people text when they’re talking to you? Yes.

Ever seen a pregnant woman smoking/drinking? Yes, which I think is dumb as fuck if you actually WANT to deliver a baby, a baby that's healthy.

What’s something you want for your next birthday? I think I'm going to try to convince Mom to let me get a velvet spider... I talked to her about it once and she wasn't for it, BUT she honestly seemed convincable about THAT kind of spider, if I try hard enough lmfao.

Have you ever clogged a public toilet? I don't think so?

Have you ever been followed by a stranger when walking home? Tbh I've never "walked" home anywhere.

Do you own more then 50 different colored eye shadows? Dude I think I own ONE thing of eye shadow.

Do you currently have any medicine in your bag/purse/etc? If so, what kind? Yes, I keep Klonopin in there for anxiety attacks.

What do you like on your pasta/noodles? Sauce, butter, grated cheese, etc.? Spaghetti sauce is a must, I also like meatballs with it.

Do you think it’s wrong to put yourself before others? In what sort of situations? No. You can't care for others if you don't care for yourself. I mean yes, there are different situations, but honestly I don't care enough right now to divulge into different possibilities.

Are you wary of displaying signs of affection for your significant other around adults? Why or why not? No. I've been with him over three years, there's zero embarrassment or hesitance in me loving him.

Have you ever had red velvet cake or carrot cake? Have you ever made either of those? I've had both but made neither myself. Red velvet is one of my favorites.

Has your favorite band/artist ever toured Europe? Literally both of my favorite bands originate from Europe, so obviously lol.

Is the room you’re in carpeted or is it a hard wood floor? Are there any rugs? Carpeted.

What would be worse - going out in public with no bra or no panties? I think this is a personal opinion, but *I'd* be less comfortable without a bra in public. In private, I never wear one, but I'm very large-chested and would be very self-conscious publicly without one.

If you had to change a tire right now, would you know how? Nope.

Would you ever let your child drop out of high school? I don't want children, but if I did have a child and their mental health really, genuinely suffered because of school, I'd let them drop out, but never because they "just wanted" to.

Honestly, do you think that inner beauty is as important as outer beauty? Inner beauty is astronomically more important than what you look like on the outside.

What is something you used to be afraid of, but aren’t anymore? Taking the last person's answer, spiders. I love them now.

Privacy and respect; which is more important to you? You know, I originally answered with respect, but I actually think I'd rather have a right to privacy than you respect me.

Do you pronounce “aunt” like “awnt” or “ant”? "Ant."

Do you find not washing your hands after using the bathroom to be gross? I mean, yes? I think everyone would agree to this.

Are you an official couple with the last person you kissed? Yes.

Looking back, did you ever think you would be where you are now? No, especially if you're talking to child/young teen me. I expected to be so much more.

How old do you think you will be when you finally have kids? I'm not having kids. I wish I was infertile literally now.

Do you think you’ll be married in ten years? I think so.

Does your ex still love/like you? No ex loves/likes me. There's maybe two that I'm sure are indifferent, but I can confidently say one hates me and another doesn't want to associate so I'm sure doesn't like me. Maybe by now he's indifferent, idk.

Are you stubborn? Yes.

Do you tend to hold a grudge? It really depends on our personal relationship.

How many states have you lived in? Only North Carolina.

Who was the last person to hold your hand? Girt.

What do you miss most about your ex? "The" ex, I think I'll always miss that he was a lot more romantic than Girt is. He was, in some ways, better at being a boyfriend by my expectations, but in Girt's defense, Jason also very much lacked in other contexts.

What’s a fact about the last person you kissed? His favorite game is Nier.

How long have you liked the person you like? Confidently, it's been close to three years. I wondered since I was a teenager, but I was never sure, even when we started dating the second time. It took a major, trauma-healing event to be certain.

Have you ever regretted kissing someone? Yes, I did it because I felt like I was supposed to. I had no romantic interest in him.

Are you faster at text messaging or typing on the computer? TYPING, I tend to make typos when texting on a phone. I wonder if it's because of my hand tremors.

Tongue piercings - cute or trashy? I've literally had a tongue piercing and it was my favorite piercing I ever had, I thought it was so damn cute. I only took it out because it was damaging my teeth.

I’ve got to know, who do you prefer: Mario or Luigi? Luigi.

Have you ever changed clothes in a public area (not a dressing room)? In a car.

Yes or no: techno music? I tend to like it.

Have you ever kissed anybody who had a mustache? Not a big one, but yes.

If you were famous do you think you could handle the popularity? Absolutely not.

Do you get on better with funny or serious people? Funny.

Have your friends met the last person you kissed? Some old high school friends have because we went to the same school.

How old is your oldest cousin? Idk.

What if you saw your best friend holding hands with your ex? My boyfriend is my best friend and all but one of my exes are men and he's straight, so what a scene lmao.

Your last relationship, who dumped who? She dumped me. I'm honestly just glad it didn't last, she's not the kind of person I ever SHOULD have dated.

How old were you when you had your first boyfriend/girlfriend? Idk actual age, but I know I was in the 7th grade.

Is your home town nice? No.

Do you consider yourself mature enough to make your own decisions? It's not even a matter of maturity to me, it's me not trusting myself or even just not knowing what I want.

Do you have trouble reading small fonts? Not really, but I do have more trouble than I used to.

Do you know anybody that believes that magic/witchery truly exists? Yes.

Excluding surveys, what is something you waste a lot of time doing? Watching YouTube.

Do you find watching animals in their natural habitat to be exciting & fascinating? YES!!!!!

Of all the decisions you have thus far made in your life, which was the best & which was the worst? Best: letting go of Jason and deciding I could live without him. Worst: I can't think of a single event that REALLY stands out. I could say attempting to kill myself, but it's like... that led to me getting the help I desperately needed. Real healing started THAT month. I can think of awful mistakes I made, but picking one that stands out furthest is hard. A lot of things that caused trouble in my life weren't a choice.

Will you be expecting any company tomorrow? No.

Discarding the fact that they can smell & tend to get dirty a lot, do you like your feet, or feet in general? No, I hate feet, including mine.

What has been your best/favourite Halloween costume? I have no idea.

If you could visit just one European country next week, where would you go? GERMANY

What was the last job interview you went to? For a Food Lion deli. I got the job, which was a massive fuckin' mistake :^)

Have you ever had a meal kit subscription like Hello Fresh? No.

What colour are your nails right now? I don't paint my nails.

Are you good at meditating? No, I can't clear my mind like that and all it causes is anxiety trying to quiet my brain.

Can you do a pull-up? What about a push-up? Absolutely not to both.

Have you ever been fired from a job? Did you think it was fair? No, I've never really worked anywhere long enough for this...

Do you have any furniture from IKEA? I doubt it. Most of the furniture in this house came with it, the previous owner died.

Are you listening to anything now? Yes, "Moskau" by Rammstein.

Do you like to play Jenga? No, it actually stresses me out. I don't like the tension and especially the sound when everything falls.

Do you like gardening? I've never actually tried gardening. In my ideal life, I'd like some with fruits, but realistically, I would never maintain one.

If you have a dog, does it sleep with you? She's Mom's dog, and she sleeps with her or on the living room couch.

Do you like Fresca? It's okay, but low on my list for sodas. My mom used to love them.

Would you rather your middle name be your first? No.

If you get married, who would cook? Look can I be fuckin real, I hate thinking about this lmfao. I don't know how to cook, and Girt's no expert either, but he's better than me. Girt likes meal subscription services though, but he stopped a while ago. Tbfh, I don't even know how he eats now. The most realistic situation of us living together would probably include me cooking easy things, like in an air fryer or microwave; it looks likely I won't be a worker, which Girt has reassured me he's completely fine with, and because he'd be working, it's not like I'm just gonna laze around at the house all day. I have to pull my weight too, so the way things look right now, I'm probably going to be a housewife. Employment hasn't exactly worked for me, but I'm not happy about that at all.

Would you name your child after someone you know? No.

Have you ever been on a cruise? No.

What celebrity do you get told you look like? I've never been compared to a celebrity.

Have you ever taken a Vicodin? I suppose it's possible?

Are you a vegetarian? I had a vegetarian phase, but it's not sustainable for me and my diet. I'm far, far too picky, and if I followed vegetarianism for an extended period, I'd be malnourished.

How many towels do you use after a shower? One.

Would you smoke marijuana if it were legal? No, I'm not interested in smoking anything. I'd try edibles if it was legal here, though. I'm curious how it would affect my anxiety and depression.

Are you easily embarrassed? YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would you ever flash a cop if you knew you'd get out of a ticket? No.

[ashknife]

Low-Key Haikus 6: Bringing the Heat

Haiku silliness after the break. There are haikus hidden in the haikus. A couple of creative liberties were taken for syllable count and phrasing (e.g. yes, I know the phrase in a hidden haiku is supposed to be "Whoa, Nellie!").

Immolation now The sun burns out all of life Typical August

Time for a long dip Swimming in the afternoon Pool of cool water

Searing heat burns all The rocks boil and trees wilt Hurray for A/C

Air conditioning Blessed extraction of heat Boo: power outage

Melting ice cream cone Dripping all over the place A sticky delight

Icebergs melting down High temperatures persist Where is the winter?

Lubrication on Sunscreen deflects the UV Sunburn protection

Dries, the sun, it does Boils the swamp to nothing Heatstroke for Yoda

Smoke means fire, they say Hot weather means drier fuel Bear says, “Only you.”

Until fall, no reprieve Shovel snow cone to beat heat Glorious brain freeze

Mealtime has arrived Fruits, yogurt, and sandwiches Fare for the hot days

Meat: grilled perfection Juicy flesh encased in crust Texas barbecue

Enflamed surroundings Puffy dark clouds rolling in Blessed thunderstorm

Right to the river Fishing, splashing, marshmallows Tent under the stars

Oh, thunderous blast! Colors sparkle in the night Fireworks explode bright

Nellie nips at feet Chasing kids into water Doggo beats the heat

Lips meet lemonade Cool, sweet, and tart: perfection The simple pleasures

Yearning for better Oppressive heat reminds us Of His still waters

To hell and then back Grocery run for dessert Popsicles melted

Eat outside with friends Laughter and games, food and drink Work days forgotten

Never hike alone Carry plenty of water Heatstroke is deadly

Thinking of degrees The warmth of the Father’s love, Or the lake of fire?

Hard, cold ice in cups Filled with bubbly soda pop Sweet, sweet refreshment

Outside burns all life Armageddon comes for all O summer afternoon

Usually we hide To avoid the heated air Inside with cool fans

Swimming at the pool Diving and cannonballs, ho! The children giggle

Also dreading school Summer days are flying by Time flies on fun

Needing vacation The waves of the beach call forth Road trip is inbound

Drinks cool heated soul Restores dehydrated flesh Wonderful fluids

Draining streams flood curb Thunder, lightning, and raindrops Fresh scent of cool air

Energy for fan Stuffy air now in full breeze Electric goodness

Grief in afternoon Hot sun beats on laborers Sweat and tears to live

Reaching for the stars Crickets chirping in concert Lazy summer night

Extremities burn Unrelenting sun cooks all Soothing aloe heals

Executing: dive Modulation: forward flip Error: belly flop

Shade shields the sun’s rays Hottest days made bearable Rest stop for walkers

Maybe the heat sucks Summer still holds its treasures Certain points of view

Use caution with fire Roasted marshmallows are good Burnt fingers, not so

Sunscreen: good for skin No sunscreen: may cause cancer Like everything else

Tanning on the beach Waves are crashing; lulled to sleep Now, extra crispy

Has the brisket smoked? Bring the sides, set the table Tasty meal for all

Applications in Summer jobs for college kids Funds for having fun

Very hot today is Refreshing swamp cooler is Drink green Muppet needs

Effective cool breeze Opened windows admit air Chaotic chimes ring

Another scorcher Concrete jungle burns hotter Windows up, air on

Scorcher coming up Triple digits, stay inside Excuse for ice cream

Nighttime thunderstorms Flashes of light, deep rumbles Refreshing raindrops

Only six months away Jolly fat man and reindeer If it would just snow

Will umbrella help? Drink tasty with or without Pina colada

Cool desserts are great Whether the world burns right now Or during winter

Off sprayed on the arms Blood-sucking insects begone Buffet I am not

Not long is the night Brief respite from the sun’s rays Starry sky wonder

Enjoyable vacay Lots to do and things to see Never long enough

[cheri-translates]

Headcanon - When you suddenly hold his hand

Original title: 当你突然握住他的手

Original author: 池离子

[ VICTOR ]

You’re sitting on the sofa while Victor’s next to you, looking through documents.

Peering at Victor, you watch as he pores over the documents very seriously - so seriously that he doesn't even notice you staring at him. Carefully admiring him from head to toe, your eyes finally land on Victor’s hand.

His hand is much larger than yours. Looking at your own small and petite hands, you find them adorable and a perfect match for Victor’s well-defined hands. Reaching out, you place your hand atop the hand that he’s using to hold the documents. 

He turns to glance at you, realising that you’re staring at his hand. In response, he swaps the documents to his other hand, freeing the hand that’s held by you.

“You’ve already had one pudding tonight. There isn’t a second one."

You swat his hand angrily.

"What? In your eyes, is everything I do linked to pudding?”

He’s taken aback slightly, but eventually returns his gaze to the document.

You spread his hand flat, then put your own hand on it. One big and one small - a good fit. You can feel the warmth of his palm. This hand held yours at the dance, held your waist in the ski resort, and wiped cream from the corner of your mouth. Thinking about it, you unfurl your hand before clutching Victor’s tightly.

Victor’s eyes never leave the document, but he returns your grip with equal force.

Your hand is delicate and small. His thumb strokes the back of your hand, and the ticklish sensation makes you stifle your laughter. Despite wanting to pull your hand away, he doesn't let you go. Instead, he tightens his grip, as though fearing that you’d pull your hand away from his.

"Don’t move.”

“In this lifetime... you can’t leave.”

-

[ GAVIN ]

Gavin is watching TV with you, the both of you huddled in a corner of the sofa, squished into a small ball. Your head is resting on his shoulder, and your hands are on your kneecaps. A faint light has been purposefully left on in the room to prevent it from being in complete darkness, and also to set the ambience.

Your gaze shifts from the boring advertisement to Gavin, and see that his hand is on his leg.

You’re suddenly struck with a mischievous idea.

You place your small and delicate hand on the back of Gavin’s. Noticing your action, he lowers his head slightly and asks if something’s wrong.

Ignoring him, you continue playing with his hand, feeling the rough callouses on it from years of wielding a gun. After giving them careful touches, you burrow your own hand underneath Gavin’s. With this, your hand makes direct contact with his leg.

Gavin doesn’t say a word. You can sense that he’s gradually tightening his grip on your hand. He’s exerting pressure, but is in control to ensure that he isn’t grasping your hand too tightly. He wraps your small hand in his large palm. His heartbeat seems to be following his palm, sending you a steady stream of signals.

Lifting your head to look at him, you find that his eyes are fixed on the TV, and his ears have turned crimson.

Using your free hand, you reach out to touch his ear. It’s terribly hot.

“Gavin, your ears are so red and warm...”

Gavin turns to face you.

“Cough. That’s because... you lighted the fire...”

-

[ LUCIEN ]

You’ve come to Lucien’s laboratory to pick him up from work. By this time, Lucien should have already hung up his white coat, and should be sitting on his office chair, grinning as you rush in with snacks you bought along the way. But today, when you rush in with the egg tart you purchased, the white lab coat is still on Lucien. He sits before the laptop, holding some documents while perusing through them.

"You’re here? Sorry, there was a little issue at work today. I'm currently looking for the cause of it. You might have to wait a while. I'll be done as soon as possible.”

You nod, placing the egg tart on his table. Shifting a chair over, you sit beside him.

Lucien always smells good, you think to yourself. There’s always a cool and fragrant scent on him, but you’ve never seen him spraying cologne. The flowers at home don’t have this scent either. Giving him a careful whiff, you can’t guess what it is.

You haven’t seen Lucien in an entire day! Right now, you really need a Lucien-recharge, so you stand up to move behind him. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you bury your face in his white coat, one hand hanging loosely in front of his chest. He isn’t too surprised, nor is he caught off guard. After all, you’ve used this trick many times, and he’s grown used to it.

Inhaling Lucien’s scent deeply, you find that he’s really nice to smell. Lucien seems to be tickled by your breath. He chuckles lightly while giving the arm in front of him a gentle pet. You grab his hand.

"Lulu... how much longer will you take?”

He grips your hand tightly, as though he’s giving you a response.

“Ten minutes. Just wait for a little longer. I’ll be done soon, okay?”

With this, he brings your hand to his lips, giving the back of your hand a gentle kiss.

This action flusters you so much that you want to find a hole to burrow into. Although you hurriedly attempt to withdraw your hand, Lucien’s stronger than you, and he clasps your hand tightly, giving it another firm kiss.

As though succumbing to fate, you slump against his neck, putting your arms around his neck.

Even though you can’t see your own expression, your face has already started to feel warm, and your ears are probably red to their tips as well.

"You must be feeling shy. Let me see...” After saying this, he turns his head.

“Don’t look!" You mumble, burying your face in the shoulder of his white coat.

-

[ KIRO ]

The two of you have just finished a game, and are slumped on two beanbags next to each other, surrounded by potato chips and soda. Kiro tosses the controller to the side, then leans against you coquettishly.

"Miss Chips is too good at playing! I can't beat her at all! I’m not playing anymore! It’s so embarrassing!”

You rub the golden head that has leaned over. His hair is so soft. For a moment, you even feel like you’re petting a large golden retriever.

You glance at the controller which has been thrown onto the carpet. Eyes shifting upwards, you see a pair of hands that you’re highly envious of.

He’s a celebrity, so of course it’s very important to have a pair of nice-looking hands. Kiro has taken off his ring. Originally, his hands are thin, long and pale, and the part where he often wears the ring is even more tender. You look at your own hands. As compared to Kiro’s, you probably aren’t even considered a female.

Brimming with jealousy, you slowly stroke the back of his hand. The delicateness of Kiro’s hand is just like yours.

"Miss Chips..."

You hear him calling you like this, but you have no intention of responding. You simply rely on your courage to continue. You put your hand in his palm and look at him, anticipating his next move.

Kiro is fascinated by the huge watery eyes you’re giving him, and immediately grabs your hand.

"I knew it... You’re just as hungry as I am, aren’t you? Let's find something to eat! There’s never enough snacks!”

"?"

He gets up quickly and grips your hand tightly, trying to pull you up too.

"What do you want to eat? I'll make it for you!"

You look up at him as he radiates with light, and release a chuckle.

"Okay, okay!”

Borrowing his strength, you stand up as well. The two of you walk to the kitchen while grinning and swinging each others’ hands like little children.

-

[ SHAW ]

It's too hot. Surviving the summer is going to be difficult.

The air conditioner at home is broken, and you’re still sweating despite wearing a blouse. Shaw steps out of the kitchen with a large glass of iced cola in his hand. Judging by the volume, it’s clear that he mixed Cola and Sprite again. 

He sits next to you, gulping it down, and you watch as water vapour surrounds and the glass. it must have been chilled. You’re going crazy from the heat, so you unfurl your hand in front of him, indicating that he had better give you a sip of the iced cola.

Instead, this ignorant man put his hand on yours. Not only is there no cola to drink, but it’s also warm.

"Stinky Brother, I asked you to give me a sip, not your hand." You swat his hand away, moving forward to snatch the cola in his other hand.

"Hey hey hey Mary Sue, be careful. I mixed two soft drinks in this. Don't spill it on me..."

Shaw knows that you genuinely can’t stand the heat, so he doesn’t tease you this time. Instead, he obediently places the cup in the palm of your hand. The wall of the cup is icy cold, and it’s so comfortable that you want to stick your face against it.

You take a small sip, and the cooling sensation fills your mouth, and your mood becomes exponentially better. Filled with a sudden impulse, you reach out, grabbing Shaw’s hand tightly.

You expected Shaw to respond by returning your grip.

But Shaw is Shaw, and he’s always testing your patience.

"Oh? Auntie, you maintain your skin pretty well for someone who has reached middle-age... tsk tsk tsk.” He speaks, lifting your hand up and scrutinising it.

"You brat. I’m right here, so you better cleanse your mouth...”

With the cola in one hand, you try to retract the other.

Not caring that it’s warm, Shaw grasps your hand tightly, uttering a casual apology. On account of the cola, you decide not to hold a grudge against him.

"Mary Sue, save me some. Don't drink it all." Shaw leans over, and the only thing separating your faces is the glass.

“Also, let’s head out later. Your hand’s really empty... I need to get you some jewellery... Do you like rings?”

–

More translated and original works: here

–

[ Permission to translate ]

池离子: OK! Just state that the source is LOFTER池离子. Also, if you’ve posted it, could you also take a screenshot for me? No need for the whole thing - just a little will do!

[starkeristheendgame]

Prompt where tony wakes up and peters not there and he freaks out but peter was just in the kitchen making breakfast for them (clingy boyfriend tony)

Thank you so much for this prompt, Non! I hope that you enjoy this :’)

TW: Tiniest smidge of angst | Tony Stark’s Gay Panic | Slightest misunderstanding

Some people woke up whimsically and prettily, blinking slowly and gently awake like some sort of Sleeping Beauty come true. 

Tony did not. 

Tony awoke with a start and a snort, squinting into the stream of sunlight that filtered through the curtains. His hair stuck up on one side and was completely flat on the other, and pillow creases dented and reddened one cheek. None of this, however, was the biggest concern or tragedy of the morning. 

The bedspace besides him was empty. 

Where there was supposed to be a baby faced, drooling, snuffling brunet there was rumpled sheets and a head-dented pillow, cool to the touch and void of life.

If not for the half-drunk glass of now flat soda on his nightstand and the lingering twinge in the back of his thigh from a too-adventurous position last night, he might’ve thought that he’d gone to sleep alone, that the time passed was nothing but a dream. 

“Peter?” 

Silence. 

No running water from the en suite, no no snickering from the ceiling. Just... Quiet. He sucked in a breath and sat up, sheets pooling around his naked hips as he tried to kick his brain into gear. Peter could’ve always gone for a run - The kid was a freak that way, just like Cap. 

Up at the ass-crack of dawn to pound the sidewalk at Roger’s side, usually returning winded and red-cheeked but loose and happy. 

He could’ve gone to visit his friends. It was...Friday? Sunday? It couldn’t be a school night. Peter hadn’t huffed and puffed at going to bed so late, hadn’t whined about any school related obligations in the morning. 

His Aunt could’ve called. He could’ve gone down to visit anyone still lingering on the communal floor. He could’ve, he could’ve, he could’ve. 

“J? Is...Are there any messages? From Peter?” 

A beat. And then; “No, Sir.”

Tony blew out a breath. Right. Okay. No notes on the nightstand. He checked his arms, rolled over to squint in the mirror. No Sharpie messages scrawled across his skin, but a truly horrific half-mohican, and was that another grey hair at his temple? Just his fucking luck. 

Maybe that’s why Peter left, he finally realised Tony was just an ageing, old man with nothing but a fat wallet and fast fading good looks to keep him around. 

“You look like a startled hedgehog.”

“Thanks,” he shot back sulkily, lips downturning, before his sleep-addled brain caught up to the conversation like a bee-stung racehorse and his gaze snapped up, fixing on where Peter stood in the doorway. 

The boy looked impossibly soft, hair mussed and all over his forehead, wearing nothing but a pair of Tony’s boxers as he carefully balanced a tray of bagels and orange juice, sour cream smeared on his chin where he’d inevitably snacked during the meal prep. 

“You’re still here,” he breathed out, and Peter frowned slightly, bottom lip sucked into his mouth as he padded cautiously across the room and set the tray down on the bedside table. 

“Yuh-huh. I was super hungry after last night,” and, wasn’t that adorable, his cheeks went red at the mere mention of sex, “and I thought my tummy grumbling was gonna wake you. And then I thought, hey. If I’m hungry, you might be too, so. I made bagels. For the both of us.”

Peter sank down onto the edge of the bed, looking across at Tony almost like he was embarrassed, and Tony couldn’t stop himself from reaching out, dragging the kid down and over his chest so he could kiss him breathless, heedless of the fact he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet. 

When he finally let Peter up for a breath the kid looked dazed, lips dark and cheeks ruddy, a little starstuck and a lot happy. 

“Wait, you thought I left?” he realised after a moment, brows furrowing again, and Tony shifted beneath him guiltily. 

“I’ve had a lot of people leave after sex, kid. And I’ve done a lot of leaving.”

“Oh, well. I’m not going anywhere, Mr. Stark. Especially if your hand is going where I think it is,” Peter told him earnestly, gaze dropping to where Tony’s fingertips where inching towards his spread thighs, and Tony grinned lavishly as he pulled Peter down for another kiss.

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs, “Crime Scene.”

WARNING: Relatively graphic depictions of a dead alien, and discussion about a horrific crime scene, so read at your own discretion.

This idea was taken from a suggestion by some of the readers and then adapted a little bit, so I hope you all like it. 

Rain drummed down in great sheets from above, falling like curtains from the uppermost spires of the city skyscrapers and lofty towers. Rain collected on open wires and came dripping down in trickling runnels of water, only to collect in great puddles on the pavement gurgling away into the gutter to vanish down storm drains.

Massive, colorful, neon signs hung above in the driving rain, casting reflection down onto the sodden pavement giving an eerie sort of light to the darkness. There were few people on the street at this time, though figures could be seen flitting from the shadow of one overhang to another. Despite their efforts, the soaking cold was nearly impossible to avoid.

As unoccupied as the street was, it gave more than enough room for a dark figure hurriedly splashing through puddles as his long leather coat whipped behind him, collar pulled up against the rain.

Massive television screens running with rivulets of water rose up on all sides boasting advertisements ranging from fur care to skin cream to casino resorts. The voices of these advertisements babbled through the rain, impossible to understand with a background of white noise.

The echoes rose upwards, following the trail of advertisement screens as they rose ever higher into the night, taking up every available surface until the very peaks of the skyscrapers high above in the rainy mist.

The darkly clad figure was joined a moment later as two other figures hurried from the shadows, one no more than two feet tall, and another that towered over the first figure by nearly a foot.

Little eruptions of water leapt up from where their feet splashed through the puddles.

A delicate silver halo outlined the figures as rain bounced off their bodies and back into the air.

With a motion of his hand, the first figure motioned his companions sideways, and into a long-dark alley. The stream of water that ran down it’s middle was nearly ankle deep, and the three figures made to avoid the worst of it, walking along the side of the alley, though sometimes they were made to choose between ankle deep water or refuse.

The rain grew harder, drumming down against their backs as they hurried across another cross street, down another alley and towards their final destination.

Foot  traffic had picked up now, though it happened to be as a direct result of the bright neon caution holograms blocking off an area of buildings just to the right of their alley.

A dark furred Tesraki, posted out under an umbrella-like energy field waved them through without bothering to check their ID.

The three of them stepped through the cation hologram and towards the shopfront passing under a curtain of water, and into the little shop beyond where they stopped.

They waited there for a few moments, until a figure appeared from the long line of shelves: A Tesraki wearing a large hat, with holes cut in it for the ears.

“Admiral, I’m glad you could make it.”

Admiral Vir shook water from his coat, and undid the belt that held the front together, allowing it to hang open. He then removed his hat, shaking it out beside the door.

To his right, Sunny shook runnels of water from her carapace, while Dr. Krill cleared droplets from his prismatic orange eyes.

Admiral Vir adjusted the collar of his shirt, absent of a tie, “We came as soon as we heard.” He said fitting the hat back onto his head. His face was slick with humidity, though the protruding brim of his hat had kept the worst of the rain from his face.

“We do appreciate it.” The Tesraki lifted a hand, “Follow me, but don’t touch anything.”

Admiral Vir held up his hands to show the mostly-dry leather gloves he wore, “Not a problem.”

The Tesraki nodded it’s head and led them further into the shop past lines and displays of cheap touristy trinkets likely manufactured for a quarter of the price on Noctopolis. Just to their right a refrigeration unit hummed. Peering past the glass Admiral Vir was surprised to see cans of human soda preserved behind the glass.

They passed through the side of the shop, and were stopped outside the opening to the back room, where another Tesraki insisted they put plastic covers over their shoes and feet.

Everyone was supplied with gloves, before they were allowed in.

Sunny flexed her hands against the strange rubber synthetic, though Dr. Krill seemed right at home.

Admiral Vir was the first to step through, passing into the dim back room to immediately be met by the sharp tang of blood. He paused as if he had hit a wall face screwing up in response to the smell. It wasn’t human blood, of course, it was Tesraki blood, a smell that had been all too common during the Drev war.

He blinked hard, allowing his eyes to adjust to the room, which was dark, mostly, except for the flickering holovision on the wall across. A couple of technicians were busy setting up flood lights on the side of the room. His vision was mostly obscured, by a large sofa just to his front, but slowly, and with direction from the Tesraki, he inched around the side until he was finally able to get a good view of the scene before him.

He crushed immediately and turned his head away fighting down a sudden and surprising bout of nausea, though it passed within moments.

He turned his head back inch by inch grimacing slightly as he did.

Rosy blue light from the holovision glittered down on the scene before him glittering lightly off a coagulating green pool that appeared almost black in this lighting. The figure was stiff and still having not been moved since it was found.

The dead Tesraki lay sprawled on its side in a pool of his own blood, an expression of fear and horror frozen on his face. Admiral Vir had to force himself to look closely at the body, which he could see was missing it’s tail, a leg, and one arm. Looking around he could find no sign of where the missing limbs might have gone.

“We’ve never seen anything like it before.” The Tesraki said, walking up to stand beside him.

Admiral Vir grimaced, “Never?”

“No, never, which is why we called you.”

He turned to look at the Tesraki, long leather coat brushing against his pants just above the knees, “Why? I’m no detective.”

The Tesraki nodded, “We know, but you have to understand, we have NEVER seen anything like this… not EVER.” He leaned into his emphasis, turning to look at the Admiral, “Tesraki don’t commit crimes like this. If we want someone dead, there are always traffic accidents and poisoning.”

Admiral Vir raised an eyebrow, “I wasn’t aware Tesraki were even capable of committing murder.”

“Not directly, no.” 

He paused staring at the body as the implication set in, “You don’t think a Tesraki did this.” 

Off to the side of the room, the technicians had managed to rig up the lights, and the room was suddenly filled by double beams of blinding white light illuminated the scene before them with sharp contrast. The black blood became green, the shadowy mound, which had been the body was suddenly brought into sharp relief, each hair visible in excruciating detail on it’s dismembered body.

“Sweet Jupiter.” He muttered 

His oversvation from before had been correct. The Tesraki was missing three of his five limbs. The blood pool in which he lay was a good four foot circle around him. The eyes were open and glassy, staring up into nothing. His face and lips were twisted into an expression of pure horror. Coagulated blood matted the fur along his back and sides. His remaining arm was covered in a line of deep and shallow defensive wounds while the fur about his chest was matted with green icor.

“What do you know so far?”

“Nothing much, we’ve been waiting for them to set up the lights.”

Admiral Vir motioned Dr. krill forward, “Think you can take a look?”

The doctor nodded his head, “I believe I can.”

At his announcement one of the Tesraki walked forward offering up a floating platform for the Dr. to stand on. He looked as if he was about to reject the offer, but took it, using it to keep off the floor around the crime scene as he floated closer to the body.

Admiral Vir rested his hands on his hips as he watched.

“Who is he?”

“His name was Inenor, the owner of the shop you came through on your way in. Admittedly he was no one of great renown, mostly profited in selling high priced and cheaply manufactured trinkets to tourists, a practice that might be frowned upon, but not one that generally gets you killed.”

“Or dismembered.” Admiral Vir added, reaching down a hand to rub absently as the junction where his stump met his prosthetic.

The Tesraki nodded, “Yes, by all rights he was your average shopkeeper in the tourist district. None of his wares are particularly expensive, he had no more enemies than his average shop rivals, no family, and, based on our cursory glance through his online history, no involvement in any other nefarious groups, plots, schemes or otherwise.”

“Shop rivals?”

“The other shopkeepers in the area selling the same thing.”

“And you don’t think it could be one of them.”

The Tesraki shook his head, “No, they may not like each other, but Tesraki business owners rely on competition to keep the economy working in each district. Prices fluctuate between shops creating a constant cycling of where the tourist goes for the least expensive or highest quality goods. It avoids stagnation, and allows for a dynamic environment where money is always trickling in. They may hate each other, but they understand how to work a balanced system between each other.”

Admiral Vir glanced over at Kril, who was busily scrutinizing one of the Tesraki’s stumps 

“So you think a human did this.”

The tesraki held up his hands, “I didn’t say that.”

“It’s alright. I can see where you are coming from.” again, he looked away from the body, “A nobody who works a shop in the tourist district on an alien planet is brutally murdered and then dismembered. There is not history of such a crime ever being committed by Tesraki in living memory. The Rundi couldn’t do it  as the water content in Tesraki blood could hurt them, not to mention they aren’t known to be tourists. We can rule out the Gromm, Celzex, Bran and Iotins for similar reasons.” He took a few steps forward, “Gibb and Vrul are completely off the table as they aren’t nearly strong enough or vicious enough to do something like that.”

The Tesraki was nodding in agreement.

“So you must have come to the conclusion that there are really only three options. Burg, Drev…. Or humans.” He walked around to the other side of the couch to get a better look at the missing tail. Though the stump was matted with congealing green and black blood, he could still see a small spike of bone protruding from the flesh, “And the Burg have been withdrawn from GA airspace since the burg war, and are only now starting to return, so it couldn't be one of them. That leaves Drev and humans. Drev have a history of dismembering their victims but…..”

Sunny stepped up beside him just then, resting a hand on his shoulder. He felt her squeeze lightly, though to everyone else it wouldn't have been noticeable.

“But generally they do not take the limbs with them.” She added before pointing to the body, “Those cuts are too clean. A drev would rely on power first cutting into the leg, breaking the bone and then ripping through. IT would be a much messier process.”

Admiral Vir nodded, allowing her hand to linger on his shoulder longer than was absolutely necessary before stepping away.

Dr krill leaned back from his work and looked over at them, “I tend to agree with Sunny’s oversaviton. These cuts were very clean, probably cone by a sharp knife or scalpel of some kind. The bone itself has been sawed through. Now whoever did this were no medical professionals as the cuts were half hazzard and mostly center on the middle of the bone.” He turned to look at them more intensely, “Besides, whoever came here came for his limbs specifically.”

There was a shocked pause.

“You mean.”

“I mean the Tesraki was dismembered postmortem. Cause of death was likely strangulation.”

Admiral Vir shook his head in disbelief, “You mean they came here…. Specifically for his limbs.”

 Krill nodded, “it would seem so.” He glanced over at the Tesraki, “Nothing else is missing.”

The Tesraki shook his head, “Credits are still there, and the manifest is showing that all his wares are here as well.”

“Why would someone take the limbs?” Sunny asked, incredulity coloring her voice as she stared down at the gory scene before them.

Krill sat up “How about the prodigum, they are known to feast on decaying flesh.”

Admiral vir shook his head, “No, if it was a prodigum they would have taken the whole body, not just the limbs, besides, they have connections with the slave trade and get most of their exotic feeding there. This entire thing doesn't make sense for them.”

“Does that mean, Admiral, that you are suggesting….”

“Suggesting that humans did it?” He finished, and the Tesraki nodded.

Admiral vir paused for a moment before sighing, “It would seem so as much as I hate to admit it. Humans are more than capable of doing something like this, and brutal murder is not somethng we are strangers to.” He walked around to the other side of the body again, holding onto the lapels of his jacket, which were now mostly dry, though he couldn't feel sure past the leather gloves he wore, “We have a brutal human-like murder on the edge of a major human tourist district. No cash or credits are missing, none of his wares (which don't seem worth thieving anyway)  and whoever they are they likely went after his limbs for…. Some reason.”

From the corner of her eye, Sunny saw a flash of guilt on the man’s face, and knew he was withholding something.

“How long ago did this happen.” He asked 

“Not more than a few hours.”

Admiral Vir tapped his foot on the floor, “Than they couldn’t have left planet just yet. It wasn’t a military installation as I know where all of those are located, and none of the fleet were here during the time of the murder. It would have to be a civilian.” He pulled up his sleeve to check his implant, “i will call in and order all civilian transport grounded. That should give us enough time to investigate if you find anything, don’t send any of your men in, but call me.”

The Tesraki nodded in agreement, “Thank you Admiral.”

“Let me step out to make the call.”

The Tesraki let him go, and he stepped out the door, pulling the now soggy plastic covers off his boots as he made his way to the front of the stoor. Sunny listened patiently as he called a halt to all civilian transports, smiling a little when he ordered the man to stop complaining and do as he was ordered by power of the combined UNSC and GA.

Eventually, he cut the call and turned to look at her.

She could tell by the pained expression on his face, that his original thought had only gotten worse.

“What are you thinking?” She mumbled softly, looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening.

He paused before answering, “I think I know why they took his limbs.”

Sunny paused, “What! Why?”

The human grimaced, his face shot through with pain and shame, though that seemed odd as he hadn’t done anything.

“I think…. I…”

A horn blasted from outside making the two of them jump before it faded into the distance.

Admiral Vir hung his head, “I think they are going to….”

She put a hand on his shoulder, “spit it out.”

“Eat him!”

Sunny froze, and the two of the locked eyes, one horrified, the other ashamed.

“No….”

“Yes….”

[charincharge]

Cruel Summer, Part 1

cruel summer masterlist

AN: It’s here. Idk what the posting schedule will be like, I have no idea what my writing schedule will be like, but... I think it’s gonna be 25ish chapters? Maybe? Who knows. It’s gonna be fun, I think. I hope. Looking forward to hearing everyone’s thoughts. Alright... without further ado...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rowan Whitethorn is having a really horrible day. Not just the kind of bad that he can shrug off, but the kind that seeps through his skin and sinks into his bones, that permeates even the smallest thing, turning everything into a giant annoyance.

First, he missed his alarm, so his grumpy manager, Lorcan, has been even grumpier with him since he pulled through the gates of Ashryver Playland this morning. The amusement park job is less than ideal. Rowan hadn’t planned for his summer to be taking tickets and cleaning up melted ice cream cones from sweaty-faced teens – but it was the only place that called him back, and he doesn’t come from the type of family that can afford to pay his rent. So unless Rowan had wanted to spend the summer in his mom’s unairconditioned apartment, dodging set ups with her mahjong circle’s daughters, this was his only option.

It's nearly 3PM, and Rowan still hasn’t been able to take his lunch break. He knows that’s adding to his bad attitude. Rowan has a tendency to get hangry, or so his coworker Fenrys tells him. And because he was in a rush this morning, he forgot to pack his lunch. Which means he’ll have to spend money buying overpriced crap at the park.

Rowan’s also on trash duty today. Which means he gets to spend the whole day circling the park grounds with a giant broom and pan and pick up the fallen bits of funnel cake and popcorn and soda cups and dump them into the closest trash. Then, once those are full, he gets to haul the heavy bags of stinking trash all the way to the back of the park where the dumpsters are. It’s pretty much his worst nightmare. Though Rowan isn’t opposed to physical activity, he’s not super fond of smelling like rancid garbage. He tugs at the collar of the too tight uniform polo shirt stretching uncomfortably across his chest and frowns. After a bag split all over him earlier, Rowan was forced to go diving in the employee lost and found for another uniform. Apparently, the only person who’s missing a shirt is two times smaller than him. He sniffs himself and nearly gags. He can’t wait to get home and shower. He look at his watch … in … five more hours.

“Whitethorn,” Lorcan calls, crossing across the yard at him. “Take your thirty now. Then you’re taking over for Connall at the ferris wheel ‘til closing, yeah?”

Rowan barely contains a shudder upon hearing his new assignment. He hates trash, but working the ferris wheel is somehow worse. He didn’t realize until last week that’s where every middle schooler goes on their first make out date. He’s had to pull too many kids off the ride, feeling like their disapproving father as he pulled their clashing braces apart to make room for the next patrons in line. Frankly, he finds PDA disgusting. And the sight of thirteen-year-olds going at it is enough to scar him for life.

At least Rowan finally gets to eat something, though. The oppressive mid-day heat combined with hours of physical labor and no fuel has him feeling like he could keel over any second. He grunts his acknowledgement at Lorcan and makes his way to the closest concessions stand, which luckily has barely a line – I guess since it’s 3 fucking PM and not actually lunch time. Rowan is about to step forward when he feels tiny fingers poke against the back of his knees. He’s about to snap at whatever parent to keep their kid on a tighter leash when he realizes there is no parent, just a kid – and the kid is, in fact, trying to get his attention.

“Um, excuse me? Sir?” the little boy says. Rowan’s never been a sir before. He hates it.

“Yeah?”

“I think I lost my family,” he says resolutely, not sounding even a little bit scared. “Can you help me find them?”

Rowan’s stomach grumbles and his head pounds. He knows he has to return this child to his family, but he also knows he needs to eat immediately or he’s going to lose it.

“We can absolutely do that,” Rowan begins, “but I haven’t eaten all day. Do you think you can wait like… ten minutes?”

The little boy nods and sticks out his hand. “I’m Gavin and I’m five.”

“Hey, Gavin. I’m Rowan and I’m hungry.” Gavin giggles at that, and Rowan finally cracks a smile and shakes the boy’s hand.

Rowan steps up to order, thinking about what’s going to be the fastest, since his thirty minute break is going to include an unforeseen detour to security at the entryway of the park. “Can I get a hot dog, a pretzel, a cherry coke and…” He looks at the little boy next to him. “Anything for you?”

Gavin’s eyes widen with glee. “Cotton candy?!”

“…and a cotton candy.”

Rowan reluctantly hands over a $20, saying goodbye to three hours of hard work. But he has no choice. They get their food and make their way to the eating tent. Rowan keeps his eyes open for anyone looking panicked or in search of a child, but he doesn’t see anyone who fits the bill.

Rowan inhales his hot dog in record speed and takes a giant gulp of his cherry coke and immediately feels better. Sitting under the shade of the tent helps, too. The pair sit quietly and eat their food. Gavin swings his legs happily as he peels off pieces of his cotton candy, licking the sticky sugar from his fingers.

“So…” Rowan has no idea how to talk to a kid, but he figures he should ask him a few questions to figure out who to return him to, at least. “Who are you here with today? You said your family?”

Gavin nods excitedly, the sugar clearly starting to make its way through his tiny body. “Yup! My whole family is here today. My mom, my dad, Auntie Ae, Nana and Grandpa.”

“Wow.” Rowan’s heart tugs slightly. “That’s fun. Any special occasion?”

“Nope. We come every week,” Gavin says.

“Every week?” Rowan asks, his voice rising in pitch. He’s trying to do the math of the ticket prices. $30 for six family members. That’s $180. For every week of the summer…? Rowan’s mental math skills stop there, but he knows that’s a LOT more than he’s ever been able to casually throw down.

“Yup. Since I was a baby,” Gavin says. “It’s my family’s special place.”

“Think your family would adopt me?” Rowan jokes. He loves his mom a lot, and she did the absolute best job raising him, but they’ve never had a special place. His mom thinks adding guacamole to her Chipotle bowl is special. Not that Rowan disagrees. Guacamole is a perfect condiment.

Gavin finishes his last lick of cotton candy and holds his red hands up at Rowan. “I’m sticky.”

Rowan shoves the final bite of his pretzel into his mouth and stands up. “Me too. Let’s go wash our hands and then find your family. Sound good?”

Gavin nods, skipping next to Rowan, his little shoes lighting up as he matches the striding pace. They make their way to the row of porta-potties and outdoor sinks, which line the side of the park. As Rowan washes his hands, he notices Gavin struggling to reach the stream of water. Of course. He’s only five.

“Need a hand?” Rowan asks, and Gavin nods, holding his arms up to be lifted. Rowan’s arms burn, since he’s been picking up giant bags of trash all day, but he manages to keep Gavin mid-air until he’s finished cleaning the sugary crystals from his hands. He’s putting Gavin back on the ground when he hears a loud voice shrieking behind him –

“YOU! SIR, STEP AWAY FROM THE CHILD!”

Damn it.

Rowan sighs and turns, letting his hold on Gavin drop completely. This is so not what he needs right now.

“Gavin, honey, come here,” the voice calls again.

Rowan searches to see who the voice belongs to and is momentarily stunned. Gavin’s mom is… young. And hot. Her golden blonde hair is swept away from her face in a high ponytail, resting softly down her bare back, on display in a strappy yellow tank top. And her jean shorts show off her long, tanned legs. Rowan stares a beat too long because the next thing he hears is, “Gavin, earmuffs,” and suddenly the blonde woman is inches away from him, in his face and pushing at his chest with her pointed finger. She is mad.

“Stay away from this little boy, you pervert!” The woman’s eyes flare angrily as she pushes Rowan’s chest again forcefully with her finger, and he is not having any of that. He grabs her finger in his large fist and moves it away from him, making the woman stumble back slightly. Her mouth widens into a small circle as she looks up at the man grabbing her finger.

“I’m sorry, pervert?” He chuckles humorlessly. “This little boy asked for my help finding his irresponsible family. Who lost him. I work here.” Rowan uses his other hand to point to the stupid logo on the corner of his polo. “He happened to find me on my lunch break. Maybe if you’d been a more responsible mother you wouldn’t feel the need to get this worked up the guy who was clearly about to take your kid to security.”

“Mom?” the woman says, horrified and snatches back her finger. “Oh my god.” Her demeanor shifts entirely as she looks to Gavin and motions for him to uncover his ears. “Gavin, please tell this very rude man that I am way too young and cool to be your mom.”

Gavin frowns. “I don’t think he’s rude, Auntie Ae. He gave me cotton candy.”

The woman’s eyebrows shoot up in accusation. ‘You gave him cotton candy? You’re only proving my point.”

Rowan puffs out his chest defensively. “I’m sorry, is cotton candy a sex offender favorite? I wouldn’t know.”

“You clearly offered sweets to a child to lure him away from his family!” she says way too loudly, looking around and making a show of her statement.

“Quiet down!” Rowan snipes through gritted teeth. “I need to keep this job, for fuck’s sake.”

The woman smirks and steps closer. “I think your employer deserves to know you were luring children away from their families!” she exclaims dramatically, attracting the attention of a nearby security guard.

“No,” Rowan says, his voice increasing in volume as well. He’s had it up to here with this day, and this woman has grated his last nerve. “That’s not… Listen…” Rowan takes a deep breath. He really cannot lose this job. “I was starving and about to go on my lunch break when some poor lost kid asked for help finding his family. I told him he could order something with me, since I felt bad. Sorry. I’ll be sure never to be polite ever again.”

Rowan has gotten in “Auntie Ae’s” face, and he’s breathing hard. He’s worked up, and he knows it’s not her fault, but fuck this day.

“Is everything alright here, Ms. Ashryver?” the approaching security guard asks, and Rowan pales.

The woman steps back and takes a breath, her fury melting into a warm smile for the guard. “No, Frank, everything is fine. Just thanking one of our newest employees, who made friends with Gavin today.”

The guard chuckles. “He run off again?”

The woman’s eyes flash in warning and the guard shakes his head. “Ah, don’t be mad, Aelin. You did the same exact thing when you were his age. Running from ride to ride and driving your old man crazy.”

Rowan crosses his arms as the guard saunters off, and the woman turns back to him with a shy smile.

“Ashryver, hm?” Rowan asks, feeling a little ill as he pictures the large Ashryver sign that hangs over the entryway to the park.  “So, what is this, like… hazing?”

“No! I was really only going to make the one joke and then let it go,” the woman says, biting her lip guiltily and shoving her hands into her jean shorts pockets. “But then you called me his mom and I just… got carried away. I do that sometimes. I’m Aelin. Ashryver.”

“So I heard.” Rowan rolls his eyes. “You know there’s absolutely nothing funny about calling someone a predator, right? I could be arrested if the wrong person overheard that.”

“You’re making me feel very bad,” Aelin says with a grimace.

“Good,” Rowan says resolutely. “Because now I’m also late to get back to work.” He’s more than a little annoyed at how this entire exchange has played out. And even more annoyed that he can’t stop staring at Aelin’s bright blue eyes. This is the last thing he needs. He’s about to head off when –

“You’re really not going to tell me your name?” Aelin asks, tilting her head up, trying to figure Rowan out. Rowan’s about to reply when she cuts him off, not even giving him a chance. “That’s fine. I’ll find it out. I have connections, you know.”

“I’m sure you do, princess,” Rowan says. Her lips purse at the nickname, and Rowan can’t tell if she loves it or hates it.  

“See you, stranger,” she replies, dismissing him and grabbing Gavin’s hand as she walks off. Just before turning the corner, she tosses her ponytail over her shoulder and looks back. It’s only when she winks at him that Rowan realizes he’s still standing motionless, watching her go.

[mczenrath]

aesthetic.

what are your muse’s aesthetics? bold any which apply to your muse! remember to REPOST! feel free to add to the list!

[ COLORS ] ~ burgundy. red. crimson. scarlet. maroon. mahogany. copper. amber. chocolate. brown. tawny. tan. bronze. brass. orange. gold. saffron. yellow. chartreuse. spring green. lime. mint. green. olive. forest. turquoise. teal. cerulean. blue. navy. cobalt. periwinkle. indigo. pewter. plum. purple. magenta. fuchsia. lilac. lavender. pink. coral. peach. ivory. cream. white. silver. grey. smoke. charcoal. ebony. black. pastels. vibrant. matte. metallic. muted. dark. light.

[ BODY ] ~ mutations. claws. fangs. wings. tails. feathers. webs. spikes. scales. fur. stripes. spots. freckles. acne. bruises. scars. scratches. gashes. lashes. wounds. amputations. burns. brands. teeth. gums. tongues. lips. beards. mustaches. cheeks. noses. ears. eyes. eyelashes. eyebrows. hair. heads. neck. shoulders. collar bones. arms. elbows. wrists. hands. fingers. breast. back. ribs. abs. belly. hips. curves. butts. legs. thighs. knees. shins. ankles. feet. toes. nails. sweat. spit. tears. blood. heart. stomach. lungs. liver. veins. guts. bones. spine. muscle. skin. feline. canine. masculine. feminine.

[ WEAPONS ] ~ bites. fists. kicks. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. bow. crossbow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. bombs. missiles. boomerangs. lethal pets. lasers. canons.

[ MATERIALS ] ~ metal. gold. silver. platinum. pewter. titanium. iron. steel. copper. bronze. brass. tin. bismuth. diamonds. pearls. rubies. garnets. sapphires. emeralds. jade. peridots. alexandrite. opal. topaz. jasper. quartz. rose quartz. smoky quartz. amethyst. citrine. fluorite. amber. malachite. turquoise. lapis lazuli. sodalite. pyrite. labradorite. moonstone. petrified wood. wood. paper. parchment. hemp. canvas. burlap. oils skin. muslin. rayon. faux. wool. fur. lace. leather. skins. suede. corduroy. silk. satin. chiffon. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. rocks. flint. asphalt. brick. granite. marble. dust. rust. glitter. sand. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. carbonate. rubber. synthetics. nylon. polyester. plastic. glass. porcelain. bone. shells. coral.

[ NATURE ] ~ grass. leaves. trees. bark. flowers. roses. daisies. forget me nots. tulips. lavender. sunflowers. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. roots. ocean. pond. river. stream. waterfall. creek. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rain forest. tropical. jungle. marsh. moors. swamp. plains. hills. highlands. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. fire. lava. ice. frost. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. shadow. tornado. hurricane. water spout. thunder. hail. twisters. humidity. dryness.

[ ANIMALS ] ~ birds. penguins. eagles. owls. falcons. vultures. hawks. swans. parrots. parakeets. doves. pigeons. ducks. robins. cardinals. blue jays. bluebirds. blackbirds. crows. ravens. magpies. mockingbirds. flamingos. ostriches. seagulls. albatross. peacocks. condors. finches. pelicans. chickens. geese. quail. bats. sheep. cows. buffalo. deer. hedgehogs. elephants. horses. giraffes. cats. lions. tigers. pumas. cheetahs. jaguars. foxes. dogs. wolves. coyotes. bunnies. mice. rats. monkeys. apes. bears. pandas. polar bears. snakes. iguanas. chameleons. alligators. crocodiles. turtles. lizards. frogs. toads. whales.dolphins. fish. sharks. stingrays. octopus. lobsters. crabs. bugs. spiders. moths. butterflies. flies. maggots. roaches. ladybugs. beetles. cicadas. dragonflies. fleas. termites. leeches. worms. snails. mosquitoes. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. dinosaurs.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] ~ pepper. salt. sugar. honey. syrup. caramel. candy. bubblegum. mints. candy canes. gumdrops. lollipops. chocolate. vanilla. cinnamon. ice cream. cake. cookies. brownies. biscuits. pie. tarts. lemonade. soda. champagne. wine. brandy. rum. whiskey. vodka. tequila. sake. beer. soju. gin. crema de cacao. cocoa. latte. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. fruit. apples. oranges. lemons. cherries. strawberries. blueberries. raspberries. cranberries. watermelons. cantaloupes. bananas. coconuts. grapes. kiwi. pomegranates. tomatoes. vegetables. potatoes. cucumbers. carrots. turnips. onions. leeks. celery. broccoli. cabbages. lettuces. roots. nuts. white meat. red meat. raw meat. veal. pork. chicken. beef. venison. fish. lobster. oysters. pizza. ambrosia. pasta. sandwiches. soup.

[ HOBBIES ] ~ music. piano. flute. woodwinds. whistles. drums. guitar. cello. synthesizer. violin. lute. harp. fiddle. harmonica. trumpet. brass. singing. composing. folk. classical. bluegrass. blues. jazz. big band. pop. country. rock. punk. metal. electronica. hip hop. reggae. ska. rap. vinyl records. cassettes. cds. soundcloud. itunes. spotify. art. sculpting. pottery. painting. watercolour. drawing. pastels. charcoal. sketching. graffiti. printing. inking. collecting. fighting. martial arts. self-defense. boxing. fencing. sumo. wrestling. jousting. paintball. lazer tag. duelling. hunting. fishing. climbing. weight lifting. training. sports. football. football (usa). rugby. baseball. cricket. lacrosse. volleyball. basketball. tennis. badminton. skating. cycling. sailing. swimming. rowing. hiking. running. gymnastics. dancing. ice skating. hockey. reading. writing. cooking. sewing. acting. photography. video games. horseback riding. gardening. smithing. shopping. traveling. movies. theatre, libraries. books. magazines. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. science.

[ STYLE ] ~ nudism. perfume. cologne. piercings. tattoos. henna. body paint. war paint. make up. lipstick. mascara. eyeliner. eye shadow. powder. beauty marks. blush. nail polish. lingerie. fishnet. pantie-hoes. socks. stockings. leggings. long johns. under armor. corsets. sports bras. bustles. camisoles. blouses. button ups. tunics. vests. waistcoats. leather jackets. ponchos. sweaters/jumpers. hoodies. skirts. jeans. kilts. breeches. scarfs. cravats. ascots. belts. sashes. gloves. heels. sandals. platforms. tennis shoes. penny loafers. jordans. slippers. boots. cowboy boots. rain boots. army boots. armor. justaucorps. trench coats. capes. cloaks. burqa. suits. tuxedos. kimonos. saris. sun dresses. gowns. jewelry. earrings. nose rings. lip rings. tongue piercings. belly rings. gauges. eyebrow rings. necklaces. pearl strings. leis. bracelets. bangles. cuffs. watches. friendship bracelets. rings. pendants. lockets. broaches. boutonnieres. pocket watches. cuff links. hats. crowns. circlets. flower crowns. helmets. hijabs. turbans. baseball caps. cowboy hats. brocade. doublet. gorget. bracers. masks. cowls. braces. glasses. sun glasses. eye contacts. pajamas.

[ MISC ] ~ balloons. bubbles. candles. battle. war. diplomacy. peace. money. power. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. sex. hugs. duality. sin. lust. greed. wrath. envy. sloth. gluttony. pride. virtue. chivalry. honor. piety. charity. diligence. chastity. gentleness. aggression. romance. hatred. grief. pity. success. bitterness. sorrow. joy. fear. anger. good. evil. relativity. vampirism. sapphism. life. birth. time. death. illusion. silence.

Tagged stole from: @ababwa Tagging: @direbcrn @sunsreign & anyone else who wants to do iiit

[popatochisssp]

Happy (Belated) Valentine’s Day!

I’m a procrastinator and then also I needed to sleep at one point, RIP anyway

-

Soul Searching

Your partner takes you aside on Valentine’s Day, somewhere nice and private.

You can guess at his intentions, especially when he tells you there’s something he wants to give you, but the chocolates and flowers you’re half-expecting don’t come.

Instead…

Instead, he talks to you, telling more than you already know about monster customs, monster relationships, monster milestones.

He thinks it’s time to do one of those right now, on your cute human love-holiday, a specific show of intimacy and trust like no other.

He touches his phalanges to his chest and his soul—the culmination of his entire being—comes forth.

And he wants you to hold it.

-

Sans (Undertale):

His smile is relaxed and easy, even lit from below by the soft white glow of his soul.

“Are you sure?” you ask him, and his grin widens.

“of course,” he replies without hesitation. “it’s you.”

Sans trusts you, wholeheartedly.

The thought makes you feel soft, and for lack of any kind of answer to it, you reach for his soul.

Your fingers brush against it and you’re immediately overwhelmed with…impressions, feelings, synesthetic thoughts as your mind attempts to translate this thing of pure magic into something you can understand.

A crisp breeze, blowing by your face.

Sliding into a freshly-made bed, rumpling a clean set of sheets for the first time.

The gently spiced sweetness of gingerbread, and the tart burst of blueberries.

A single, resonating chime of a bell, fading out into stillness.

“well?” Sans asks, drawing your attention back to his face. “what do you think?”

It’s said casually but it’s obvious your answer is important.

“I love it,” you tell him. “It’s you.”

-

Papyrus (Undertale):

“I’M! NOT NERVOUS ABOUT THIS, BY THE WAY! IF YOU WERE WONDERING.” Papyrus tells you.

…Which is an obvious lie by the way his leg is bouncing a mile a minute.

But you’re not about to call him out on it.

“It’d be okay, if you were nervous,” you say with diplomacy. “This seems like a pretty personal thing…”

“OH, VERY MUCH SO. BUT,” Papyrus beams at you, just the barest edge of nerves in his smile, “IF THERE’S ANYONE I’D TRUST WITH MY ENTIRE SELF, IT WOULD BE YOU!”

So saying, he nudges his soul forward; closer to you, wordlessly inviting you to touch it.

You’re not nearly rude enough to decline that invitation.

Papyrus is…

Polished marble beneath your fingertips.

Warm, gentle sunbeams on your skin.

The snap of a pretzel and the zing of cold, fresh lemonade, ice cubes clinking against the glass.

Waves, crashing onto the beach, rhythmic and powerful.

“Papyrus,” you breathe. “You’re amazing…”

He blinks at you a moment.

And then he laughs, boisterously, proclaiming, “YES! O-OF COURSE I AM! NYEH-HEH-HEH!” like he knew it all along.

He might not have…but you certainly did!

-

Sky (Underswap Sans):

“…COURSE YOU DON’T HAVE TO, IF YOU FEEL IT’S TOO SOON—I UNDERSTAND COMPLETELY!—BUT I WANTED TO OFFER BECAUSE…WELL, IT’S ABOUT THE GESTURE, AND OBVIOUSLY I TRUST YOU, SO—”

“Sans,” you interrupt, laughing a little despite yourself. “You’re…you’re rambling a little…”

Sans’ mouth shuts, a faint tinge of blue coming across his face.

“I…YES, I WAS, WASN’T I? HEHEHEH… I’M SORRY,” he sighs, a touch rueful. “I’M JUST…A LITTLE EXCITED! I KNOW YOU LACK THE CULTURAL CONTEXT, BUT THIS IS…KIND OF A BIG DEAL?”

You look at the upside down heart, bobbing before you in mid-air—Sans’ soul.

“Yeah, I kinda figured.”

“IT’S JUST…I LOVE YOU,” Sans admits. “SO…I WANT YOU TO LIKE IT…DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?”

“It does. ” And the least you can give your skeleton beau is an honest answer, so… “I am ready. I’ll do it.”

Sans’ eye-lights brighten happily as you reach out and cup his soul in your hands.

Just like he warned you, in as much magi-scientific detail as monsterly possible, it’s…weird, an utterly bizarre sensory experience for your brain.

It’s the soft, cloying sweetness of marshmallow, cut with the sharp, icy tingle of mint.

It’s the tickling bubbles of carbonation from a freshly cracked soda can.

It’s the swoop in your stomach at the top of a rollercoaster, just as you start to fall.

It’s birdsong, ambient and melodious.

It’s Sans.

So, “It’s perfect.”

-

Paps (Underswap Papyrus):

Such a bold invitation from your favorite shy skeleton is unexpected, to say the least.

But far from unwelcome.

The pale upside down heart is like a magnet for your fingers, your hands itching to touch the very core of the man you love so much.

But you have to be certain.

“This is…really okay?” you ask. “You’re okay…with this?”

Papyrus, with his ducked skull and fidgeting hands, looks utterly bashful, but the way he meets your eyes is nothing short of resolved.

“yeah,” he says. “i want to share this with you. i want you to know me…like this.”

He reaches for your hands and you let him take them, pulling them to closer to where his soul hovers.

“it’s okay,” he promises.

So you reach, and find…

The trickling sound of a quiet stream, flowing steadily forward.

Lacquered wood, smooth and sturdy.

A hot shower after a long day, filling the room with soothing steam.

Heavy cream, thick and sweet…with the faintest hint of hazelnut.

It’s probably rude, or at the very least extremely cheeky…but you can’t quite stop yourself from bringing Papyrus’ soul up to your lips for a chaste little peck.

He shivers, an enticing cerulean dusting his face.

Your intent must have quite clear, because he chuckles.

“i…i love you, too…”

-

Jasper (Underfell Sans):

“figured it was about that time,” Sans is saying with a shrug. “one of those things ya’ gotta get to sooner or later, y’know?”

His tone is blasé, perfectly casual; verging on cocky, even.

You might’ve bought it if he hadn’t stuffed his hands into his pockets, trying to hide their trembling from you.

Real emotion—vulnerability—scared the hell out of Sans and you both knew it.

With his soul laid bare before you, utterly exposed in the truest sense possible, he really couldn’t get any more vulnerable than this.

…but he’s showing you anyway.

He chose to be vulnerable to you, for you, and there aren’t words for how special that makes you feel.

“Thank you,” you tell him, hoping he understands what you mean and reaching slowly, carefully for everything that makes him…him.

The magic that settles in your palms feels like dry heat, almost insistently warm.

It feels like static, like peeling apart a pair of socks stuck to each other, fresh out of the dryer.

A puff like cinnamon and the tang of a tart apple, sour and sweet and spice all at once.

A distant rumble, like from a far off storm…

Sans’ eye-sockets go wide when you pull his soul closer to you, holding it against your chest.

You know what it probably looks like, like you’re aiming for an even more intimate type of sharing, but really, you just…want him near to you.

Because…

“Sans…you feel like home…”

-

Pyre (Underfell Papyrus):

“I’M SURE YOU’RE INCREDIBLY FLATTERED. TO HAVE WON SO MUCH OF MY REGARD IS NO SMALL FEAT—EVEN FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY HUMAN SUCH AS YOURSELF!”

He’s probably been talking for a solid two minutes now, blustering about how intimidated you must be by such a bold, romantic gesture; how loved you must feel to have such an amazing partner, willing to trust you with his soul; how he understands if you need a moment to process all this overwhelming information.

If you didn’t know better, you might’ve thought Papyrus was projecting a bit, stalling for time…

But you do know better: surely, the fact that he can’t seem to meet your eyes right now is just to…keep you from feeling nervous.

Surely.

“…AN HONOR, REALLY—”

“I am,” you say, cutting into his long-winded tirade.

Papyrus’ jaw clicks shut.

“I…WHAT.”

“You’re right,” you clarify. “I’m honored. Really.”

Ah, Papyrus hadn’t prepared a script for that response: you can tell by the way his cheekbones go the palest shade of pink, and by how he all but thrusts his soul at you.

“I! JUST…JUST TAKE IT!” he demands.

And well…you’re not often one to tell Papyrus ‘no.’

You carefully grasp his soul.

Sharp spice like ginger, dripping in rich dark chocolate, riding the line between bitter and sweet.

A razor’s edge beneath a fingertip, safe only for a careful hand.

Fine silk that flows and ghosts against your limbs, the barest whisper of touch.

Crackling, like the tamed fire of a well-stoked hearth.

You let go.

Papyrus looks uncertain, too proud to ask for your thoughts outright but obviously dying to know.

You opt not to leave him in suspense, grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him down to meet you in a kiss.

Your partner is a fascinating man…

-

Mal (Swapfell Sans):

You startle when Sans grabs your hands in his own, intercepting you.

“Is…Did you change your mind?” you wonder, attempting to pull back. “It’s okay, you don’t have to—”

“NO. NO, IT’S FINE,” Sans assures you. “I TRUST YOU, DEAR. I DO.”

But still, he holds your hands, his grip firm.

“……I don’t—”

“JUST…YOU CAN…GO AHEAD. I JUST NEED…THIS……WHILE YOU DO.”

Your beloved Sans—ever emotionally-constipated—probably can’t do any better than that strained and halting explanation.

It’s a good thing that (you think) you understood it.

You can hold his soul.

He wants you to hold his soul.

…But the faint shred of control in such a vulnerable act, holding onto you while you hold onto him, is something he needs to have, too.

If it helps him feel comfortable, you don’t mind in the slightest.

You reach for his soul, with his gloved phalanges still curled around your hands.

Sans allows it.

A subtle yet persistent hum, background, like a nearly-forgotten device in a silent room.

A…strange sort of sweetness, bitter like licorice, or sour like raspberry—impossible to separate from one another, either way.

Pressure, intense and purposeful, bearing steadily downwards.

Crushed ice, stingingly, numbingly cold…

You’re not sure what to make of it…at first.

But then, you remember the last time you’d felt a wisp of this magic.

When you’d been hurt, not badly but enough to make Sans dart over to scold you, even as green light started to pour from his claws—easing your pain, putting you back to rights.

It was the same.

You release your grasp on Sans’ soul, taking no offense in the way it immediately retreats back into his chest.

You turn your hands in his, lacing your fingers together and squeezing tight.

“Thank you…for trusting me.”

And then, you lean in for a kiss.

-

Rus (Swapfell Papyrus):

You can’t believe it sometimes.

How you ever managed to snag yourself such an adorable, goofy sweetheart of a skeleton.

“i-i mean, if you don’t…y’know, ‘cause, i-if it’s weird, for you, uh…i wouldn’t want you to feel…obligated??? that’s…mmmaybe not the right word…”

Poor Papyrus is absolutely babbling by now in a way that could only be more endearing if he didn’t look so nervous.

“i don’t…i dunno, whatever, uh, whatever you want, to do, i just…wanted it to be…out there, if—………”

He goes dead silent when you make your answer to his proposition clear, taking his soul into your hands.

It’s…not what you expected.

The sensation of a thick plume of faux fur against your cheek.

Lukewarm wax cooling, growing tacky on your fingertips.

What rain sounds like when it’s falling outside, while you’re safe and dry indoors.

Dripping, overwhelming sweetness, dense like marmalade and sticky like caramel.

No…not really what you expected…

But somehow, it suits him wonderfully, this odd, clingy duck of a skeleton you’ve chosen as your own.

Papyrus visibly jumps when you raise his soul up to your face and give it a tender little nuzzle.

“I love you,” is all you have to say to make his whole skull glow violet.

It’s true, though—you really do.

-

Slate (Horrortale Sans):

He doesn’t look particularly…happy…about this.

In fact, Sans looks pretty much the opposite, a grimace on his face and his single red eye-light pointedly averted from the sight of his own soul, hovering there between you.

You manage to tear your eyes away from the sight of it, looking at him instead.

“Why?” you ask.

His frown deepens, confusion obvious.

“Why do you want me to do this?” you try again, hopefully clearer. “If it’s… If you don’t want to…”

“……no,” Sans says at length. “it’s not… you should get to……you…deserve to………to know it.”

“But…if you don’t want me to—”

“not… no, that’s not it.”

Sans looks at his soul, his expression visibly pained.

“i just…wish it weren’t…like this…”

Finally, it clicks.

He’s talking about the state of his soul, littered with cracks and fissures, marks of damage from all the horrible trauma he lived through.

He’s…

Sans is ashamed of it.

His own soul.

…

Something…comes over you.

Without hesitation, you reach out and take the manifestation of the skeleton you love into your hands.

It feels like…

Oil dripping over your fingers, dark and slick.

Plush velvet, soft and smooth.

A sharp burst like grapefruit and the warring bitter and sweet of burnt sugar.

Intermittent cricket chirps, on an otherwise still and silent night.

Just like you thought…

You pull Sans’ soul in, bringing it to your lips to pepper it with kisses—one for every little crack and imperfection on its surface—even as Sans shudders and goes that soft gray-blue color you adore so much.

He only manages to hold back the tears (relief? Joy? Disbelief?) until you speak.

“It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

And then, well…you’ve got plenty more kisses to give.

-

Papy (Horrortale Papyrus):

“So! If You’d Like… You Can Just Go Ahead And…”

Don’t mind if you do!

The soft white soul in front of you is utterly enchanting, lovely to look at—and that should be no surprise at all, knowing the man it belongs to.

You lean in closer, admiring it just a moment longer…

“Wait!”

You look up.

Papyrus, his smile gone tight all of a sudden, is reaching for his own soul too…calling it back?

No…

Just…turning it, slightly, a minor little adjustment.

Which is, quite frankly, deeply suspicious.

“Uh…what are you doing?”

“Nothing!” Papyrus assures you. “Don’t You Want To—”

He cuts off abruptly as you lean to the side, testing.

Sure enough, he re-angles his soul for you again, almost on instinct, and when he realizes how badly he’s given himself away, a nervous drop of sweat beads along the side of his skull.

“Papyrus… Why are you trying to ‘dark side of the moon’ your soul?”

“………”

You frown.

“Papyrus.”

“It’s! Not Very Nice, To Look At, Over There,” he confesses, admitting defeat. “Wouldn’t You Rather Just…Look At The Light Side? Like The Moon? The Moon Is Lovely, Nobody Needs To See—”

“I want to see,” you tell him, firmly.

His meddling hands…reluctantly retreat.

Leaving you free to take Papyrus’ soul in your grasp and see what all the fuss was about.

He was right, that the deep scar on the other side of his soul wasn’t particularly pretty—imperfectly healed, a gnarled silver streak across glowing white.

But when you touch him, his innermost self, it’s also…

Soft and impossibly delicate, like holding a single page of scritta paper between your fingers.

Cold steel, stainless and nigh unbreakable, fit to outlast anything.

Malleable marzipan and slippery olive oil, sweet and light and…weird, just a little offbeat.

A steady thrumming, beneath your fingers, like a heart; a strong, steady pulse.

“Thought so,” you say at length, gently trailing your fingers over Papyrus’ soul.

“Thought What?” he asks.

His hands are wringing in his lap, already anxious, so you decide not to make him wait for your answer.

“I love all of you,” you explain. “Not just the ‘pretty’ parts.”

And oh, Papyrus’ eye-sockets sparkle.

-

Ash (Undergloom Sans):

The way Sans looks at his own soul, you’d think he’d never seen it before.

His eye-lights are blown wide in their sockets, that soft shade of gray you’ve come to love so much filled with nothing less than total surprise.

Like he’s not even sure of what he’s seeing.

It doesn’t look like anything out of the ordinary to you.

It’s just…a normal monster soul, an upside down heart shape made of glowing white light.

Maybe…he sees something you don’t?

“Everything okay…?” you ask, and Sans finally blinks.

“huh? oh…yeah…yeah, nothing’s……”

He trails off a moment.

“i just……never seen it this bright before…”

Oh.

Oh.

If you had to make a guess, you’d say that that’s a very, very good thing.

…and it makes you want to hold his soul in your hands even more.

“So…can I…?”

“oh yeah, sure. heheh, go for it—just be gentle.”

As if you would do anything less.

You scoop Sans’ soul up, cradling it in your palms.

It feels like…

Standing in the rain without an umbrella, letting the droplets pelt your skin.

A window pane under your hand, cold, flat, and even.

Soft white noise, unidentifiable yet soothing.

A glass of milk and a fistful of semisweet chocolate chips, plain and simple—uncomplicated.

“This is…beyond cool,” you say, because frankly, it is.

Sans smiles.

You love it when he smiles, the way the expression seems to weaken the dark circles beneath his eye-sockets.

Apparently, it also makes his soul glow just a little bit brighter, and you like that even more.

You think you’ll just have to make Sans smile as much as you possibly can.

-

Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus):

“SO…YOU’RE CLEAR, YES? WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN?”

You nod.

Papyrus’ concise explanation of the synesthetic experience that was holding a soul had been as well-crafted as one of his lectures, and just as informative.

Perceiving all of him, through all of your senses at once, is an exciting prospect to be sure.

“AND…YOU UNDERSTAND? WHAT IT MEANS?”

“I think so…” Which of course, makes you wonder… “Are you sure you want me to…?”

Papyrus smiles, the corners of his eye-sockets crinkling with gentle amusement…and a hint of self-deprecation.

“IT’S SWEET OF YOU TO ASK,” he says. “BUT…DO YOU REALLY THINK WE’D BE HERE IF I WASN’T ABSOLUTELY SURE?”

………

He has a point.

You remember how terribly flustered Papyrus would get, back at the beginning of your relationship—unable to hold your hand without starting to sweat and stammering over his words like you’d suggested something lewd instead.

He seems perfectly calm now, not even blushing (…you think—the pale, pearly color of his magic makes it nearly impossible to tell).

“Alright… You’re sure.”

Without further ado, your grasp Papyrus’ soul with careful hands.

He’s warm, steaming chai, sugar cubes dissolving within.

Picking an autumn leaf up off the ground, bright yet fragile.

Fingers trailing over smooth, worn leather.

A soft, slow sound, like breathing beside you in bed in the middle of the night.

You gently stroke your thumb over the surface of Papyrus’ soul.

He sighs when you do, eye-sockets falling shut.

Trusting himself wholly in your hands.

“Oh Dear-Heart,” he breathes, his voice going quiet. “I Love You…”

You know.

The feeling is very much mutual.

-

Brick (Horrorfell Sans):

“So…I just…touch it?”

Sans’ big phalanges curl, his wrist flicking twice—“yeah.”

Seems simple enough, you suppose?

Under Sans’ watchful red eye-light, you reach forward…

“wa—it…!”

You jump, your eyes going wide, and the soul darts away from your fingers but you don’t care about that.

Sans’ pained grimace is far more important to you right now, seeing his knuckles pressed against his throat as if to soothe the ache.

“Use your hands!” you exclaim fretfully with concern, grasping at his claws and pulling them out in front of him.

You’d learned sign for a reason, and it wasn’t so Sans could hurt himself trying to make words out loud with a voice that seared and stung him so painfully.

“i know,” he assures you, looking chagrined. “i know, i… sorry. i…panicked, a little.”

More than a little, you almost say, but don’t.

You’re sure it was hard enough already for him to admit, even peripherally, that he’d been…scared.

“Are you okay now? Because…we don’t have to—”

“no,” Sans signs, forcefully. “i want to. i just…i wasn’t ready. i am now. you can… you can go ahead.”

Well… so long as he’s sure.

You reach again, moving slowly this time so Sans can see exactly what you’re doing, where your hands are going…

Wrapping ever so gently around the faintly cracked white soul glowing before you.

It feels like…

Tightening your grip on a handful of hot sand, making it slip away though your fingers even as the heat starts to hurt.

The high, droning cry of cicadas in the dead of summer.

Wool, clean but unprocessed—a thick tangle of softness just shy of raw.

Earthy rye bread and sharp black coffee, warm and fragrant.

Just as slow and steady as you took it in your hands, you pass it back.

Sans takes it, absorbing it back into his chest.

His grin is crooked, almost sheepish.

“so…what’s the damage?”

You sigh, regretfully.

“I’m so sorry…I don’t know how to tell you this, Sans, but…I think you might be baby.”

“…what,” Sans signs, even as that cute hissing sound you’d come to realize was his laughter fills the air, his shoulders bouncing.

“I’m sure this is very upsetting news,” you continue. “It’s a terminal condition, to be just baby, but—mphmh!”

Sans’ hand settles over half of your face, muffling your words.

But he’s still laughing, so you think you’re alright.

-

King (Horrorfell Papyrus):

“YOU REALIZE, OF COURSE, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS,” Papyrus says.

His needle-sharp phalanges locked tightly around your hands, the stern and imperious look upon his skull as he tells you so…

You’d be hard-pressed not to realize that this was important.

The scarred yet lovely white soul hovering almost hauntingly between you, awaiting your touch, only adds to the gravitas of the moment.

Papyrus releases your hands.

You don’t move.

He stares at you a moment, taking you in.

And then he reaches for you.

The backs of his claws light carefully on your cheek, stroking slow and purposeful.

“…I LOVE YOU, MY JEWEL,” he says, quietly; matter of fact. “THERE ISN’T ANOTHER SOUL ALIVE I’D ALLOW TO DO THIS. YOU KNOW THAT…YES?”

“Yes,” you answer, because you do know it.

As aloof and closed off and even mean as Papyrus once was…once he let you in, you were in, and he never made you doubt that.

You take his soul in your hands.

The sound of wind, gale-force, rushing past your ears.

Pressing down on a healing bruise, testing the fading soreness.

More heat than sweet, peppery cayenne overpowering a faint hint of juicy pomegranate.

Curling your fingers around the stem of a rose, just lightly enough that the thorns don’t prick you.

Papyrus is…a singular sort of skeleton, not the easiest to get close to by any means of the word.

But you’re here, holding all that he is in the palm of your hands, at his own invitation.

You raise his soul and press a kiss to its scuffed and wounded surface, feeding all your intent into the gesture.

I love you, too.

[thelastspeecher]

Best Revenge AU - Masks

I think like a week ago, I mentioned I was working on a write that featured Angie getting a bit more agency in the Best Revenge AU.  Here’s that write, finally finished.  Enjoy some of Angie’s backstory in this AU and her being more than just someone that things happen to.

——————————————————————————————

              Angie and Max sat high up in one of the tallest trees in the apple orchard.  It was the only place on the McGucket farm with some semblance of privacy.

              “So…” Angie started hesitantly.  Max looked at her.  His straw-blond hair had gotten shaggy recently, to the extent that Angie didn’t know how he could see through his bangs.  “I, uh, I heard back from West Coast Tech.”

              “And?”

              “I got in.”

              “You-”  Max’s jaw dropped.  “Angie, that’s amazin’!”  Angie smiled. “I actually just heard back from my first choice school, too.  University of Southern California.”

              “Where is that?”

              “Los Angeles.”  Max beamed.  “Which ain’t that far from San Diego.  We won’t be livin’ in the same city, but we won’t be that far apart.”  He suddenly looked down at the branch they were sitting on nervously.  “That- that is- if ya want to stay together.”

              “Of course!  I want to keep datin’ you!” Angie said.  She scooted closer to him.  Her fingers intertwined with his.  “Why wouldn’t I?  I’m in this fer the long haul, Sprout.”  Max grinned at his pet name, derived from how his abrupt growth spurt last summer had catapulted him from Angie’s height to almost a full foot taller than her.

              “Good.  ‘Cause I’m in it fer the long haul, too.”  He took a breath.  “And, actually, since the both of us don’t have plans on breakin’ up anytime soon, I wanted to share a secret with ya.”

              “Oh?” Angie said curiously.  “What would that be?”  Max pulled something out of his pocket and handed it to Angie.  Angie looked down at the object.  It was a small rock.  Before she could ask why he’d given her a rock, it flew out of her hand and back into Max’s.  She stared at him in shock.

              “I’m a super,” Max whispered.  He held out an open palm.  The rock hovered above it.  “Specifically, I got geokinesis.”

              “…Wow,” Angie breathed.

              “And…”  Max swallowed.  “I want to use my abilities to help people.”  Angie’s excitement plummeted.  “I want to be a hero.”  The last bit of hope Angie had held onto, that she had somehow misunderstood what Max meant, crashed.

              Oh, no!  Angie’s breath caught in her throat.  A hero?  But... She thought back to the plans she and Lute had come up with to enter the villainy scene out west.  They were both eager to follow in their parents’ criminal footsteps.  I can’t be a villain if my boyfriend is a hero.

              “Angie?” Max asked hesitantly.  “Is somethin’ wrong?”

              “No, I just- this is a lot to take in,” Angie said quietly.  She looked down at the ground far below them, her mind still racing.  “Bein’ a hero is, it’s-”

              “Yeah, it’s dangerous.  But I feel like I was given my power fer a reason,” Max said. Exuberance colored his voice.  “I don’t want to waste it.  Y’know?”

              “Yeah…”

              Can I really give up on bein’ a villain fer Max?  Before Angie could think on it more, there was a loud crack.  The branch they were sitting on split in two.  Max let out a shout.  Angie quickly wrapped her arms around him, summoning winds to keep them aloft. They hovered a few inches above the ground for a moment before she carefully lowered them.

              “Yer a super, too,” Max whispered.  Angie broke off the embrace.

              “Yeah.”

              “That’s incredible!”  Max put his hands on the sides of Angie’s face.  “May- may I kiss ya?” he asked.  Angie nodded.  Max leaned in, planting a sweet kiss on her lips.  “I knew you were somethin’ special,” he said once he had pulled away. He stroked her cheek.  Angie leaned into the gesture, warmth spreading through her chest.  “We could be heroes together!”

              “No,” Angie said sharply.  Max seemed taken aback, but recovered quickly.

              “I understand.  It ain’t fer everyone.”  He smiled at her.  “I love ya somethin’ fierce.”

              “I love you, too,” Angie said.

              But do I love him enough to give up on bein’ a villain?

              “Now that I think about it, maybe it’s fer the best if yer not a hero,” Max said.  “I couldn’t bear to see ya get hurt.”  Angie stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

              Yes.  I do.

-----

              Angie landed in the backyard of the house she and her husband had bought back when they first got engaged.  She watched her flower garden mournfully for a few moments.

              I poured so much love into this place, this relationship.  And I’m ‘bout to leave it all behind.  The back door opened.

              “Angie, is that you?” Max called.

              “Yes.”  Angie walked over to her husband.  Max smiled at her.

              “I’m glad yer home.  I was startin’ to get worried ‘bout ya,” he said softly.  He kissed her cheek.

              “I can take care of myself.”

              “Angel, I know yer very capable.  But even the most prepared person can get hurt,” Max said. The familiar words sparked Angie’s simmering anger.  She brushed past him roughly.  “Angel?”

              “Don’t call me yer angel,” Angie spat.  Max followed her inside.

              “What’s wrong?” Max asked, closing the door behind them.  “I thought yer walk or flight or whatever would’ve cooled ya off.”

              “It did.”  Angie turned to face him.

              “Good.”  Max sighed. “I hate when ya storm off all angry fer some reason.  And it’s been happenin’ so frequently lately-”

              “‘Fer some reason’?” Angie demanded.  “Max, I have told ya each and every time I’ve left why I’m doin’ so.  So, either ya aren’t listenin’, or ya don’t think my reasons ‘re valid.  And quite frankly, I ain’t sure which one’s worse!” Max walked up to her.  He stroked Angie’s cheek.

              “I’m sorry.  I’m sorry, okay?” Max said soothingly.  “Angel, I don’t want to fight.”

              “I don’t want to fight either,” Angie said. She took a shaky breath.  “Which is why I can’t do this no more.”

              “What do you mean?”

              “I’m leaving.”

              “Wh- but you just got here.”

              “Not-”  Angie met Max’s gaze directly.  “Not like that.  Max, I want a divorce.”  Max’s amber eyes widened.  One of Angie’s favorite ways to get Max to blush was to say she wanted to drink him in, just like the cream soda his eyes reminded her of.  Her heart broke at the memory of all the times she’d turned him red and stuttering.

              “What?!  Angie, no! No, we can- we can work through this!” Max desperately reached for Angie’s hands.  “You don’t- we-”

              “We can’t work through this,” Angie said softly.  “It’s clear to me now that what you want and what I want contradict each other.”

              “That ain’t true!”

              “It is!” Angie insisted.  “You want a baby right away and a wife who’ll stay home to take care of him or her.  I don’t want to leave my job, I don’t want a baby right now.  If we stick together, only one of us will wind up happy, and the other one ‘ll be bitter.”

              “That’s not- Angie, please!” Max begged.  He squeezed her hands.  “Remember the first time we danced!”

              Freshman year of high school.  Yer friends dared you to dance with me, mine dared me to dance with you.

              “Our first kiss!”

              Under the mistletoe during Christmas break, when ya came over to play games with Lute, but wound up helpin’ me bake treats in the kitchen.  You tasted like the sugar cookies we made together.

              “When we went to college!”

              We spent every weekend together, stayin’ up late and wakin’ up early just so’s we wouldn’t waste a single minute with each other.

              “Our wedding!”

              When you lifted my veil, ya looked at me like I was the sunrise. A single tear traced its way down Angie’s cheek.  Like I was the most beautiful woman in the world, and the only thing in yours.

              “Don’t you remember?” Max asked.  Angie choked back a sob.

              “I do remember.  That’s the problem.”

              “What- what do you mean?”

              “You aren’t the person you were when we made those memories together.”

              “What?” Max whispered.  Angie pulled her hands away.

              “You’ve changed, Max.  The memories I hold most dear are all from when ya encouraged me to be adventurous, when ya followed me into trouble without a thought, when ya asked ‘fore kissin’ me.”

              “Do you want me to ask before I kiss you?  I can do that.”

              “It’s just an example.”  Angie looked away.  “An example of how ya used to care about my opinion.  Ya don’t anymore.”

              “That’s not-”

              “Don’t lie,” Angie snapped, suddenly driven to her breaking point.  “If ya cared ‘bout my feelin’s or thoughts, we wouldn’t be havin’ this conversation!” She turned away.  “I’m grabbin’ a bag to stay at Lute’s fer the night.”

              “No!”  Max grabbed Angie’s wrist.  “Don’t leave!”  Angie let out a soft gasp of pain at the strength of his grip.

              That’s goin’ to leave a mark, ain’t it?

              “Let me go,” she whispered.

              “No.”

              “Let me go,” Angie repeated firmly.  “Or I’ll make you.”

              “How?” Max asked.  Angie ground her teeth.  She stomped on Max’s foot, making him yelp in pain.  Using the moment of surprise to her advantage, she ripped her hand free of Max’s grip and grabbed his arms, twisting them behind his back.  She shoved him to the ground.

              “That’s how,” she spat.  “All those times ya told me I was too fragile to walk down the street at night, I was actually capable of takin’ down a trained superhero.”

              “Where did you-”

              “It ain’t yer business where I learned how to fight.  If I planned on stayin’ with ya, maybe I’d tell ya.  But since I’m leavin’, I won’t say a word.”  Angie let Max go.  He stayed on the floor, still in shock.  “And since ya can’t behave yourself, I’m goin’ to Lute’s now.  He’ll drop by later to pick up some things fer me.”  Max slowly sat up.  He looked up at Angie with plaintive eyes.

              “Angel…”

              “Eat shit,” Angie snarled.  She stormed out through the door she had entered not even ten minutes ago.  Before she took flight, she looked down at her wrist.  Like she’d feared, the skin was already turning purple.  Bile rose in her throat.

              “Angie!” Max shouted.  A gust of wind blew the back door shut, then lifted Angie into the air. Tears streaming down her face, she looked back at the house one last time.

              “Goodbye, Sprout.”

-----

              Angie and Stan sat on the roof of Stan’s apartment complex.  From their spot on the ledge, they could see the city bustling far below.  Angie idly kicked her legs, which, like Stan’s, dangled over the edge, high above the streets.

              These shoes better not fall off ‘n hit some poor pedestrian.

              “I like the view,” Angie said idly.

              “Yeah.  It’s kinda weird, actually,” Stan said.

              “That ya like the view?” Angie asked.  Stan nodded.  “Why?”

              “When I was a kid, I was afraid of heights.”

              “Really?”  Angie stared at her boyfriend.  “Ya don’t seem the type to be easily spooked.”

              “Flattery, huh?”

              “No, truth.”  Angie tilted her head, smiling.  “Yer a rather brave feller.”  The compliment got her intended reaction.  Stan immediately blushed.  “So, what made ya stop bein’ afraid of heights?”

              “Well…”  Stan rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.  “I stopped being afraid of heights when I realized I could use my powers to fly. No point in being scared of falling if you won’t ever hit the ground.”  Angie opened her mouth.  “Yeah, I’m, uh, I’m a super.”  Stan held out his hand.  Fire crackled into life above his open palm.

              “Oh, I knew that,” Angie said.  The fire disappeared.  Stan stared at her.  “I was just goin’ to say that now I know yer at least a level two, if not level three pyro.”

              “How- you- what-” Stan stammered.  Angie smiled.

              “Not to insult you or anything, but pyros ain’t exactly rare.  I know how to spot one.”

              “Oh.”  Stan grinned. “Makes sense you’d be able to spot a super, since you’re one, too.”  Angie’s jaw dropped.  “Don’t get me wrong, you’re pretty good at hiding it.  But there’ve been a few times where you get worked up, and suddenly it’s really windy, even though we’re inside and all the doors and windows are closed.  You’re an aerokinetic, right?”

              “Yer more clever than ya claim to be,” Angie commented, still reeling from Stan’s revelation.  “Especially since aerokinesis is a pretty rare power.  Most folks don’t even realize it exists.”

              “My mom knew an aero,” Stan said with a shrug. He took a deep breath.  “But me being a super isn’t the only thing I need to tell you.”

              “Oh?”

              “I’m also a mask.”

              Shit.  Angie’s blood ran cold.  It would be just my luck if I’ve only ever dated two people and they were both heroes.

              “If ya don’t mind me askin’, which, ah, side do ya fight on?” Angie asked carefully.  Stan winced.

              “The illegal side.”  He held up his hands.  “I know you’re probably the kinda person who doesn’t like the…law-avoidant community.  But-”

              “I don’t mind none.”

              “Wait, really?”

              “Ya don’t do any of the really bad stuff, right?” Angie asked.  “Just things like theft?”

              “Mostly, yeah.”

              “Then my statement stands.  I don’t mind,” Angie said, struggling to keep her response mild.  Stan gaped at her.  “Yer a good man, whether ya steal or not.”

              He’s a villain!  He’s a pyro villain.  Angie searched Stan’s face.  Oh, he’s prob’ly that coworker Lute likes.  What’s his name?  Flamethrower.

              “You really don’t care I’m a villain?” Stan pried.

              I prefer it.

              “Nope.”  Angie smiled sweetly.  “I care ‘bout who ya are as a person.”  Stan smiled back.  “But I do have a question.”

              “Shoot.”

              “Why are ya tellin’ me this?  We’ve only been datin’ fer a month.”

              “My gut said I could trust you,” Stan said with a shrug.  “My gut’s never been wrong.”

              “That’s why ya felt comfortable tellin’ me,” Angie said.  “Not why ya told me.”  Stan eyed her.  “If ya don’t want to share, ya don’t have to.  But don’t dress up an answer I didn’t ask fer as the one I did.”  Stan managed a crooked grin.

              “Damn.  There’s no fooling you.”

              “My folks raised me right.”

              Any villain worth their salt has to be good at controllin’ a conversation.

              “Well, you figured out I was trying to get out of telling you, so I guess you’ve earned the answer,” Stan said, rubbing the back of his neck.  He sighed.  “My mom was a hero.  But she didn’t tell my Pops until she already had three kids with him.  She didn’t even tell him she was a super.”

              “Really?  That seems…” Angie paused to search for the right word.  “Ill-advised.”  Stan snorted.

              “No shit.  Pops woulda liked some warning before I burst into flames while he was holding me.  That’s how my powers manifested.  Pops was drying me off after a bath.  I caught on fire.”  Stan snickered.  “Luckily, he hadn’t drained the tub yet, so he chucked me back in and shouted for my mom. Mom had to come clean after that.”

              “Does pyrokinesis run in yer fam’ly?”

              “Nope.  Not even close.  My mom’s got your basic ESP package.  Shermie’s a normie.  And Ford’s got some weird teleportation thing.”

              “Who are Shermie and Ford?”

              “Shermie’s my older brother.  Ford’s not important.”  Stan looked away.  His voice suddenly became mournful.  “Not right now, anyways.”  Angie put her hand on his shoulder.  He looked at her with a weak smile.  “But, um, back to the stuff with my parents.  Shermie says that their marriage wasn’t exactly ideal before, but after Pops found out she was a superhero and kept it from him, it got worse.  I like how things are going, Ang.  I don’t wanna keep a big thing from you and risk you leaving me.”  Angie reached for Stan’s hand and intertwined her fingers with his.  “This is the best relationship I’ve ever been in.”

              “I’d say the same, but it ain’t as great a compliment, since I only ever dated one person ‘fore ya,” Angie said.  Stan chuckled.  Angie squeezed Stan’s hand.  “Thank you fer tellin’ me.”

              “Like I said, my gut says I can trust you.”

              “Yer gut is right.”  Angie grinned deviously.  “I ain’t no snitch.”  Stan laughed again.  Angie leaned against him, her head on his shoulder.  “I love you,” she whispered, for the first time since she’d left Max. Stan rested his head on top of hers.

              “I love you, too.”

[softnaruto]

Overthinking*

Overthinking* (AU)

(REPOST BC MY DUMBASS DELETED THE POST BY ACCIDENT)

author: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REQUESTING THIS! This is my favorite piece of literature I have ever written for this blog specifically. I literately felt so alive while writing this! I hope you like it! It’s pretty long so I do hope you like it! I also know you specifically requested headcanons, but it was easier to write as a scenario! I am sorry about that! I also failed to mention this is an AU!

pairings: AU Shisui x female! reader (It could be gender-neutral too)

words: 1813

genre: angst & fluffy

warnings: jealousy, angst, and too much fluff

Black Lives Matter Petitions

Black Lives Matter Donations

(it is really long so it’s continued below the cut)

The cold wind made the shivers up your spine mutate into creatures of the night, scratching and roughly cutting into your skin as you ran through the streets, tightly holding two bags full of the appetizing junk food you had shockingly found at your local corner store. You allowed your scarf to blow through the wind as you looked ahead of you, capturing the gate of his apartment.

You slowed down, typing in the numbers to the small pin-pad laying on the gate before entering the apartment complex, rushing through the halls, and into the nearest elevator. You pushed the button to his floor, your finger clicking the button in careless desperation. The elevator closed in a seemingly ignorant manner, earning a disgruntled sigh from you.

Upon reaching his floor, you began running again, almost bumping into a couple that was entering the elevator. You squeaked an apology before turning your attention back to your whereabouts, finally reaching your destination. You knocked on his door, almost wanting to claw at the rundown paint as every second felt like an eternity.

The door opened with a loud groan and you were greeted with darkness. Your eyes searched for another pair in the darkness and you finally let out the breath of air you were unconsciously holding in. The eyes that stared back at you, once warm and inviting, were emotionless and cruel. You felt the air spill out of your lungs with desperation and you opened your mouth to speak, but to no avail. Nothing was appropriate for this type of meeting.

You walked into his apartment, shrugging off the heavy feeling that had accumulated in your chest, before turning on one of the lights in his kitchen. You let the bags fall on the counter, removing the items carelessly.

“I brought you vanilla, chocolate, cookie dough, and cookies and cream ice cream,” Your voice was turning into mush as you began to name the countless things you had bought in a rush. You were met with silence.

You turned around to look at your best friend, eyes widening as you noticed his disheveled state. His eyes were surrounded by red, swollen skin, his shirt covered in smudges, and his sickly pale skin made his brokenness obvious. It wasn’t only emotionally painful, you had noticed, his pain had also manifested itself physically.  

You stopped removing the items from the bag, stepping away from the counter until you were in front of him. He had always been taller than you, fitter than you, and always had this well-put-together aura about him that always bothered you. He seemed much smaller now; his shoulders were hunched over, arms hanging down as if gravity were to pull them apart from his body at any minute, and his eyes that were once windows to a kind soul, were dull.

You pursed your lips, knowing that the jokes that were patiently sitting on your tongue weren’t appropriate. You reached for his hand, taking it in yours as you led him through his small apartment and onto the couch you had both found sitting at the corner of a street with a “Free” sign attached to it.

You let him sit down before sitting down next to him, leaning back and pulling him onto your chest. You held onto his lifeless body in hopes of comforting him, drawing random shapes onto his back. There was nothing to say and nothing to feel except for the pain that was radiating from him as he began to cry onto your shirt.

You had never seen him like this. Your best friend that you were hopelessly in love with was always a happy, go-lucky person. He was the one to lift others up, he was the one to appear with countless tubs of ice cream and nerdy jokes when someone was emotionally broken. It was never the other way around. Except this time, it was.

“Shisui—” You began saying, your voice barely above a whisper. You had no idea what you were going to say next and you hesitated, allowing your voice to drown in his tears.

“It’ll be okay.” You whispered, the soft hum of the television drowning out your hesitant words. For once you were thankful that the television was loud enough to drown the noise in the living room.

You had once wished for his television to be shut off. Back then his apartment was full of people, full of classmates and coworkers, full of… her. You were sitting on the same couch, with a soda in hand, observing him from afar. His arm was around her shoulders as he happily talked to someone irrelevant. That night, her hand held his with a love that was now confirmed to be a lie and all of the words you’d direct at him would submerge in the noise of the television, never to be heard of again.

Back then you hated his television, his apartment, his friends, and… his girlfriend. Ex-girlfriend.

“It’ll be okay, Shisui,” You whispered, running one of your hands through his messy hair, “Everything will be back to normal before you know it.”

“What’s normal?” The silence you had now grown accustomed to was disrupted by his voice, which had been beaten down to a frail whisper. Your eyes looked ahead and began noticing a frame holding a picture of his broken relationship. That was his normal, not yours. You had somehow forgotten that his normal was a life with her and her only.

“You’ll have your friends to rely on. You’ll hang out with Itachi and Kakashi,” Your voice wavered as your eyes fell upon another picture, one that had the both of you together. Your eyes traced the way his arm wrapped around your shoulder, just like it was on hers the one night you refused to remember. “You’ll have me.”

Why was it coming to you now? Why was the jealousy and pain you felt that night coming back to you?

Why did you feel like blurting out your feelings to him, confessing in a state of panic? Why did you want to take the pain away and comfort him in ways he never expected of you?

A kiss would be sufficient. The idea of kissing him was irresistible and yet you did not want to take advantage of his pain. You decided that you would never confess your feelings to him, as you bit your lip, trying to figure out your next move. Your next… lie.

Should you say that he would find someone else? Someone that wasn’t you?

“Y/N, it will never be the same.” Shisui lifted his head up, tears streaming down his cheeks as his eyes met yours. “She will never be the same to me. You know I could have forgiven her—I tried to forgive her for weeks—but every day I would wake up to the thought that maybe she was with him again. Am I not good enough? Am I really that shitty for her to want to be with other people?”

“No tou’re not, Shisui! She’s the shitty one.” You answered, becoming angry with the thought that Shisui would even feel as conflicted as he did before you. “You’re so thoughtful. You always do nice things for everyone and always prioritize others before yourself and…”

Why would he feel that way? Was he really so in love with her that he had become blind to his own kindness?

“Maybe I prioritized everyone but her.” Shisui’s words felt like poison as you tasted his hatred, and tears began filling your eyes as you couldn’t handle seeing him in pain any longer. Shisui’s eyes, his expression, had been crumbled into nothing but hatred. A hatred you had never experienced. “Maybe she just realized—"

“No, Shisui! You did not do that. In fact, you put her above everyone else! Honestly if I were her, I would have—” The words had slipped out. The words had slipped out of you as if someone had held a knife against your neck and forced you to confess. You stopped yourself from talking, wanting to swallow the childish words you had just blurted out.

“If you were her what, Y/N? If you were her what would you have done?” It was as if he was egging you on, trying to see what your next move would be. His dark eyes almost seemed a blood-red as he demanded an answer from you, his eyes slightly becoming soft as he realized that he was almost yelling at you, his face inches away from yours.

“I would have been with you forever.” Your voice was above a whisper, but for once, the television hadn’t swallowed your words. For once, he was in front of you, looking at you in a way he had never seen you before. In the way you had always seen him.

“Then prove it.” His voice had dropped to a whisper, a playful tint to his pain inflicted voice.

You couldn’t hold back anymore. As painful as it was to make a move under the circumstance, you felt yourself being pulled to him like a magnet. Your lips crashed against his with desperation at first, the salty taste bringing you back to your senses. You tried to lean back, immediately regretting your decisions, but was pulled back by a hand that had begun to caress your cheek. His lips met yours with a much softer greeting as his movements aligned with yours in a synchronized dance. His soft touch felt like fire against your skin and the pit of your stomach began to overflow with butterflies; his touch wasn’t the same anymore.

Shisui leaned back, his eyes wide in realization as he looked into your shocked ones. You felt your heart drop at the thought of Shisui not feeling the exact same way. You felt yourself wanting to throw up as thoughts of him disappearing from your life began to flood your mind. You didn’t want to lose him—not even as a friend.

“I—I’m,” You stumbled over your words, not knowing whether to apologize or to leave. You looked around you; you had no way out. He was encircling you, his hands on your cheeks, warmth so hot it could burn your skin.

“No, don’t say anything,” Shisui answered, his voice much stronger than it had been that entire day; much stronger than it had been that entire month. As he looked into your eyes, the eyes that he always looked at with such adoration, he came upon a realization.

It wasn’t her. It never was and never would be.

“Y/N.” Shisui breathed, trying to find the right words to say without pushing you away.

He wasn’t sure if it was in the moment, if your kiss and advances were in the moment, but he didn’t care. He had come upon a realization too important to be disregarded.  

“I love you.”

[prettyboongi]

A Sweet Mess

Reader x Kim Seokjin

1.6k+ words

Fluff, Angst (with some soft smut)

Summary: To cure your homesickness, you decided to whip yourself your favorite childhood treat. But it doesn’t go exactly to plan...

[Note: Funny story: I got this idea from my boyfriend. This was somewhat inspired by a real life accident involving me and some root beer. He even suggested the story should involve Jin (which he won’t admit but I know he likes Jin the most). So I’m gonna dedicate this to the man that has to be put up with my dumbass on a daily basis lol. I love you honey!]

It’s been five months since you decided to make the big move to South Korea to start your new career and new life with your longtime boyfriend, Seokjin. Despite already getting used to your new life, the feeling of homesickness would sometimes sneak up on you and cover you like a heavy blanket. After all, you did leave behind your friends, family and everything else you associated with home. Whenever you did start to miss home, you did your best to not bother Jin about it; Jin was already stressed out about work as it is, you didn’t want to add on to the burden. 

Unfortunately for you, tonight was one of those nights when your longing for home was especially bad. It was in the middle of the night and you and Jin were fast asleep. That was until you woke up from a dream, a dream of you having fun with your family like old times before the move. Instead of waking up from cold sweat or gasping for air as it happens with your usual troubling dreams, you woke with intense feelings of melancholy. Although you regularly contacted your family, called your folks twice a week and texted your favorite sister every single day, it still wasn’t the same as being with in person. You felt tears starting to bubble up, and you wanted nothing more than to wake Jin up and cry into his arms. But you remembered that he has his own issues to deal with and you didn’t want to make them worse. So like the big girl that you were, you sat yourself up, wiped your wet eyes and headed towards the kitchen. There was one thing that cheered you up during moments like this and it was indulging in your favorite childhood treat: a root beer float. 

Arriving at the kitchen, you flip the light switch that brightly illuminated the entire area. You had to squint your eyes in order to get used to the light. You first opened the freezer and got out a pint of French vanilla ice cream. After setting it on the counter, you opened the fridge and got out a single sized bottle of root beer. Once settling into Korea, you remember how hard it was to come across your favorite soda and when you did actually find some, you took the chance to stock up on it. 

You were scooping generous globs of ice cream into a glass mug when you were started by a loud yawn. Looking up, you saw your sleepy boyfriend walking into the kitchen. 

“What’re you doing up?,” he asks, his voice thick with grogginess. He opens the fridge to grab a cold bottle of water. 

“Oh, I was having problems sleeping,” you sheepishly answer, “I thought having a late night snack would help me relax a bit.” 

Jin looked over to what you were making and, the second he laid eyes on the root beer, his face instantly twisted in disgust. “Ugh,” he spats out, “I’ll never understand why you like that stuff. It’s so strong.” 

“If by strong you mean delicious and heavenly, then yes it is strong,” you sassed. Jin rolled his eyes as he took a sip from his water. “You sure you don’t want some? I can make you a tiny float.” 

“Um, I think I’m good but thanks for the offer, hon.” 

“Suit yourself,” you say as you reached out for the root beer. Taking his water, Jin was heading back to the bedroom when he heard you shriek. He immediately runs back to the kitchen to make sure you were alright. Instead, he finds you stunned and soaked with the brown fizzy drink. The sudden stream of root beer initially hit your face, ultimately having it seep through your white top. The surrounding area where you stood was also a mess but it seemed like you took the brunt of it. 

“Goddammit!,” you belted out, “I just took a shower too!” Your anger turns into embarrassment once you hear your boyfriend burst in laughter. The sight of you was so hilarious to Jin that he had to steady himself on the wall to keep from collapsing on the floor. “It’s not funny, Jin!,” you cried out while blotting the excess root beer off your face and neck. 

Wiping the tears from his eyes, he replied, “I’m sorry, baby, it’s just- pfffft!”, but he couldn’t even finish his sentence, breaking into another fit of laughter. 

It wasn’t supposed to end up like this. Your intention was to just have a nice, late night pick me up, not have the whole thing literally explode on your face. And with Jin witnessing your blunder and laughing his ass off, it didn’t make things any better. 

Utterly defeated, you flung your head down as you felt the tears you’ve been holding for so long start to spill out. 

Finally done reeling from laughter, Jin hears your silent sniffles and walks towards. “Y/N, what are you crying about?,” he asks in a tone that was more stern than concerning. 

It takes you a moment before you finally answer. “All I wanted to do was make a fucking root beer float,” you blubbered, “but I couldn’t even do that.” 

“Y/N, I know you and I know for sure you wouldn’t cry over something as stupid as this.” 

You didn’t respond to his remark, you just kept your head down away from his gaze. Jin suddenly spins you towards him and tightly holds you to his chest. Worried you might mess up his own clothes, you stammer, “No, Jin, I’m sticky-I don’t-”

“You don’t have to act so strong all the time, Y/N” he interrupts you. His voice is now gentle and soothing. You stood there speechless as Jin continued to hold you, caressing your hair. “I know it’s been hard for you with the move and everything. I know how close you were with your family. And I know I’ve been tense with work and I’m sorry for attentive enough with your feelings. But you should know that it’s alright to cry and you’ll alway have me to cry on. Never forget that.” 

The love and sincerity that came with Jin’s words hit you so hard that you finally let out all of the pain you’ve been feeling these past months. You tightly held on to your boyfriend, sobbing loudly into his broad chest. Jin didn’t mind the fact that you were still wet and sticky from the soda, he just calmly stroked your head with one hand while rubbing circles on your back with the other. “It’s okay, Y/N,” he cooed, “You’re safe with me.” 

“I just miss them so much,” you said in between sobs.

 After a while, your crying finally died down; while there was still a part of you that felt brokenhearted, you felt so much better being open with your feelings. Jin pulled an inch away from you to check your face. He wiped off your tear streaked cheeks with his thumbs before planting a lingering kiss on one of them. His kiss slowly moved down to your jawline and eventually your neck. Despite expressing his dislike for root beer earlier, he found himself savoring in the sweet, sticky taste on your neck. He travelled up and down your neck with his soft, plushed lips, which made you lost in his warm kisses. It was until you felt the tip of his tongue slide up your throat that made you alert of his intentions. 

“Jin, what’re you doing?”, you asked, your breath slightly hitched. But he didn’t answer you. He looked down at you with desire in his eyes and swiftly scooped you up in his strong arms. 

“Whoa!” you exclaimed as he carried you towards your bedroom. Once there, he sat you gently on the bed. “Jin, w-,” you tried speaking but he interrupted you again, but with his lips landing on yours. Responding instantly, you closed your eyes and wrapped your arms around his neck to deepen the kiss. You felt him poke your lips with his tongue, permission to gain access to your mouth, and you happily obliged. When breaking away for a moment, Jin grabbed the hemline of your damp shirt and pulled it over your head, revealing your naked torso. With your guidance, he then laid you down on the bed. 

“Let me take care of you, my princess,” he says invitingly while hovering over you, gazing into your eyes. He helps you slide off your pajama pants and panties before, once again, crashing his lips onto yours. You moan into his mouth as you felt him caress your soft skin with his nimble hands. Breathlessly and with hot tears in your eyes, you muttered softy, “I love you so much, Jin…” Jin responds, “I love you too,” before spreading your legs and entering himself in your warmth. You didn’t understand how your dumb accident into this but you honestly didn’t care. The combination of Jin’s passion and your vulnerable feelings made for an unexpected yet extremely intimate night for the both of you. 

Hours later, you woke up around 6’ o'clock feeling rather relaxed and uplifted. You felt Jin’s long arm wrapped around your waist with his bare chest on your back. Not daring to wake up Jin and ruined this beautiful moment, you snuggled closer to him and soon fell back to sleep. 

Even as time passes, you know there will always be a part of you that misses your old life. But you also know that with having Jin by your side, you’ll always feel right at home. 

[meerejash]

The Best Herpes Advice To Help Once And For All

Eczema is an irritating skin condition. flexobliss reviews  This condition causes inflamed, reddened and very itchy skin. It is vital for you to find ways to control the symptoms. This article is going to give you great tips on eczema.

Dress in cotton, or at least wear a cotton blend. This type of fabric usually does not irritate people who have eczema. Avoid things like polyester, which can cause an outbreak. In addition, when you purchase new clothing, make sure you put it in the washing machine prior to wearing it.

Lotions and creams do not usually work as well as ointments. Ointments have a bit more oil in them, which generally helps them moisturize more effectively. They are a little harder to apply than creams, however, but they are much better at adding a protective layer to the skin and easing your symptoms.

Know what your triggers are so you can avoid them. Your triggers may laundry detergent, soaps, and dust.  flexobliss reviews You should probably steer clear of any products that contain fragrances, chemicals or other unnatural additives. Choose pure and unscented products instead. This will help to reduce the discomfort of daily eczema flare-ups.

Control your indoor temperature. Eczema tends to flare up during shifts in temps or humidity. Use your air conditioner to stay cool in the warmer months. A humidifier can help you keep your skin from drying out during colder weather. Staying comfortable temp wise will help reduce the frequency of flare ups.

Some types of clothing can be a real irritant to your eczema. Certain fabrics, such as synthetic ones, could cause flare ups. If you suffer from eczema, cottons are the healthiest fabrics. Always wash new clothing prior to the first wear. Wash it with a gentle and unscented liquid detergent, and do not use any fabric softener.

Keep your nails tidy and trimmed. Scratching can seriously complicate eczema. This could worsen your rash, and if your nails are long, it could make the problem even worse. Make sure you're cleaning under the nails on a regular basis.

To prevent a flare up of your eczema, try to reduce sweating. Being moist and covered in bacteria isn't good for eczema sufferers. If you enjoy working out, make an effort to cool off your skin immediately following your activities. Get into the shower rapidly.

Moisturize immediately following bathing. This is the best time to do it because your skin is still damp. Make sure to only pat dry your skin between showering and moisturizing. You don't want to remove any moisture that your skin has already absorbed; that is counterproductive to treating your eczema.

A warm bath may give you some relief from itching skin. Make sure the water isn't too hot or cold. Try sprinkling a little colloidal oatmeal or baking soda into a bath to make your skin more soothed. You might also try putting a bit of bleach into your bath to help get rid of skin bacteria.

People that have eczema are prone to skin infections. When the skin is irritated, sometimes its surface cracks and gaps are formed. Germs can envade the skin through these gaps and cause an infection. To reduce this risk, use a mild, non-drying cleanser on your skin to remove dirt, bacteria, and other foreign matter. Gently apply the cleanser with your fingertips and rinse it off with tepid water.

Eczema is a skin condition that produces red, itchy, dry and cracked skin. Using moisturizer frequently will help treat the symptoms and provide some relief. Petroleum jelly is an excellent moisturizer that contains no perfumes to irritate the skin. Keep a jar of petroleum jelly near every sink and use it throughout the day to soothe and add moisture to your skin.

If you have to use rubber or  Revision supplement reviews latex gloves, put on a pair of thin cotton gloves before you put the rubber or latex gloves on. This will help avoid a reaction to the rubber or latex and will help keep your hands protected from the sweat that these gloves can cause.

If you prescribed or preferred moisturized comes in a tub, do not use your hands to scoop it out. This puts bacteria in the moisturizer that can get into your blood stream during a breakout. Use a spoon or spatula to get enough moisturizer out of the tub to use. Make sure to clean the spoon between uses.

[soymimikyu]

Food in Netflix’s Series of Unfortunate Events: Season 3

It is over. I finally finished season 3 about 2 hours ago and needed the time to recover and process the ending. While I have only faint memories of the ending in the book, this ending seemed very different (and I want to say I liked it more? I just recall being let down by the way the books ended; however, I was quite young at the time...).

Here is the final set of food notes from the show. The final season was comparatively sparse, but there were some interesting culinary choices. I hope you enjoy!

(Also, since this is the final installment, if anyone enjoyed my rambling carefully curated notes on food in TV shows, I would happily take requests to do this for a different show in the future. It was fun and gave me much to think about in the kitchen.)

Today’s notes are brought to you by Glassworks - Opening played by Ólafsson (because that I what I’m listening to).

Food in The Slippery Slope

Sarsaparilla

What Olaf drinks and discards while driving. It is flat. The bottle helps Violet and Klaus determine which fork to take.

Coffee and Tea

What pretentious people drink according to Olaf

Absinthe

A random beverage that popped into Olaf’s mind.

Marshmallows

Made Brucie the Snow Scout Leader sick after eating too many.

I really want to make these! Gelatin is such a fun platform for cooking so many things! The real goal would be blooming marshmallow flowers with whiskied caramel hot chocolate!

Rutabaga

What the circus freaks plan on growing on their farm.

Hot Dogs

What Olaf’s cooks with this troupe.

Brandy Sidecar or Coffee

What Esme wants with Breakfast.

A Brandy sidecar is a cocktail of cognac, cointreau (orange flavored liqueur), and lemon juice. Sounds pretty tasty -- I think (I know next to nothing about drinks...).

Frozen Orange Juice

Found by Sunny in trunk.

She uses this to make Sorbet.

Salmon

Caught in the stricken stream by Hook-handed man and given to Sunny. She prepares Sashimi with this.

Hot Cider [X]

Quigley’s last meal with his mother. What saved him from the fire.

Canned Peaches

Quigley’s meal at Montgomery’s.

Montgomery had a lot of canned peaches (or just two cans) because the Hook handed man in season 1 is also eating canned peaches when posing as a detective. Nothing wrong with this -- canned peaches are delicious.

Poisonous Berries

Mr. Poe tries to help by finding Breakfast.

I often see poisonous berries as red in TV (I am thinking mostly of a specific seen in the Netflix Witcher series) and it made me curious if real poison berries are always red. Nope: nightshade (duh) is black, and several other harmful berries are also black/blue. Some are orange. Given the brightness of these berries I am going to guess they were Mezereon or Elderberry.

Granola Bar

Mr. Poe has these. Kit has some.

Poe always has granola bars.

Lox

Sunny’s idea for dinner

Pistachios

Lemony is saying something and thinks they are for everyone one.

Parsley Soda

What Sunny gets when she requests a fizzy drink.

Boysenberry Jam

The darkest Jam in the VFD fridge.

This really makes me want good jam or to try jamming. Roasted lamb and jam...not sure where I would easily source lamb right now and is likely to be a far greater headache than I care.

Olives

There were 5 green olives filled with pimento in the jar. It indicated the gathering was on Thursday.

Mustard

All I wrote is the last safe place. I don’t recall the details -- but it was probably a clue.

Mustard is my favorite condiment. I can (and have) eat it plain.

False spring rolls

What was prepared for a meal for Olaf’s troupe by Sunny and Hook handed man.

How did they get wraps on a mountain...maybe you can repurpose a part of a fish to use as wraps. The skin or various internal linings? Seems less appetizing / food safe.

Rutabaga (again)

What Olaf’s troupe wants to grow.

Food in The Grim Grotto

Chewing Gum

Phil only cooks meals with chewing gum.

Chewy Casserole

Chewing gum casserole.

In my experience heating gum or gummy like things often goes very poorly. You can add them towards the end of the cooking process to create some sort of layer -- but definitely not from the start.

Potato and Cod Chowder

Non-gum based meal that Sunny and Phil prepared.

Calamari

What Sunny thinks Olaf’s sonar symbol is.

I fully accept that the children are seriously smart, but where is Sunny learning all of this? Did the books have cooking books (I think so..)? I shall assume that Sunny demands to be read only cooking books as bed time stories.

Soft Pretzels

Olaf wants these. I do too -- I should make them!

Turmeric

In one of Esme’s evil laughs.

Cabernet

Olaf wants wine and gets lost in the octopus submarine looking for some. He pronounces it as Caber-NET.

Horseradish

Cure for the Medusoid Mycelium.

Taragon, Wasabi

Contents of kitchen cabinets while Sunny is sick.

The wasabi is what is used as a culinary substitute and cure. Interestingly, it is Mr. Bobby brand. Would anyone know if this has significance? Brand names in this universe are interesting.

Lemon Lime Soda, Gorgonzola Cheese, Birthday cake for Violet

Contents of the fridge while Klaus and Violet are looking for horse radish.

That is a damn impressive cake. Fondant is really well done. Can you make fondant from gum? Probably not, but Sunny is resourceful and likely found a suitable culinary substitute.

Sub Sandwich

Prepared by Hook-Handed man to delay Olaf form assisting in torturing the children.

Looks like a pretty standard sub on a softer baguette. It appeared to have sliced deli meat.

Chef Salad

Fernald’s analogy for people to emphasize that categorizing people as noble, good, bad, or evil is invalid.

Pig Eating Pork

Ok -- this one is not food, but I was amused by Olaf’s simile to describe his joy.

Food in The Penultimate Peril

The Picnic Basket

I absolutely lost my mind with this scene. We only briefly see the contents of the picnic basket as Violet removes the top layer to reveal the concierge disguises Kit prepared. I paused and replayed this seen maybe 10 times to examine what was in that top layer. I then needed to cross reference some incomplete descriptions with two large pastry books (thankfully they have an entrement section...). I feel reasonably successful:

Millefeuille [X]

This is napoleon. Adding a flavor to the custard is a great way to modernize this dessert.

Cream Puffs (Might be a profiterole) [X -- I’ve done eclairs]

Choux pastry is very forgiving and a good entry point into fancier pastries. It forms the basis of eclairs, cream puffs, and, if you are crazy, croquembouche.

3 Layer cake

Unclear what more to say. Since these are all french pastries, perhaps the sponge is genoise?

Mini Opera Cake

Opera cake is layers of Joconde sponge (almond sponge) flavored with coffee syrup, layered with italian butter cream, and then topped with chocolate ganache. It was something I planned on making before everything closed down (I can’t eat it myself X.x).

Madeleine or Beignet [X]

Since this was a picnic basket, I am leaning in favor of Madeleines. They fit the other set of deserts better than a Beignet.

Nut Entrement

I think is this another cake, but it is unclear. I can’t seem to source this one either. Maybe it is carrot cake! That often has nuts around the perimeter.

Sauvignon Blanc

Olaf’s wine of choice

Aqueous Martini

Jerome’s drink of choice.

Indian Food

Larry, in his last waiter position, poses in an Indian Restaurant. Poe orders a glass of milk.

The Barking Gin Distiller Dry Goods

Interesting brand on the bag belonging to a lady on the trolley during the sequence when Justice Strauss is searching for the Children.

Tea

In flash back with Kit and Esme. Kit likes her tea as bitter as worm wood and sharp as a double edged sword.

Sausages

Crow meat and an analogy for learning the Law (you don’t want to know how the sausage is made, just like you don’t want to know how the law works).

Too much pepper and makes the court audience cough.

Food in The End

Root Beer Float [X]

Lemony has one. It is his thirteenth.

Waffles

Partially consumed by the man following Lemony at the diner.

Mixed Nuts

All that is left to eat on the boat. Sunny offers some to Olaf, but he knocks it into the sea.

Ceviche

Since the islanders don’t have any spice, they eat raw fish.

I have never had this, but recall reading in a book about sushi how it was integrated by some sushi chefs in South America into more traditional Japanese cuisine.

Fermented Coconut Cordial

I have no idea how you could get anything resembling an opioid from fermenting coconut water. Unless Ish is adding something, this seems suspect. Fermenting something sweet and earthy also does not really sound appealing.

Wasabi and Wormwood

Sunny’s suggestions on how to treat the Medusoid Mycelium.

Wormwood and related foods appear often.

Apple

Modified by Bertrand and Beatrice to contain the sugars giving immunity to the Medusoid Mycelium.

Chocolate Cake [X]

SQUEEE this was adorable. Sunny makes a cake for Beatrice II’s first birthday.

Salad

Shared by Fiona and Fernald.

Root Beer Float

Shared between Lemony and Beatrice II as she tells him the remaining story.

I want to believe that this is his 14th root beer float.

Black Bean and Mango Salad

Sunny makes this during the Finnish Female Pirates incident as told by Beatrice II.

This sounds amazing! Slightly ripe mango with a citrusy black bean mixture would be delightful!

[rightpath]

aesthetic.

What are your muse’s aesthetics? BOLD any which apply to your muse! Remember to REPOST! Feel free to add to the list!

[ COLOURS ]  ~  burgundy. RED. crimson. scarlet. maroon. mahogany. copper. AMBER. CHOCOLATE. brown. tawny. tan. bronze. BRASS. orange. gold. saffron. yellow. chartreuse. spring green. lime. mint. green. olive. forest. turquoise. teal. CERULEAN. blue. navy. cobalt. periwinkle. indigo. pewter. plum. purple. magenta. fuchsia. lilac. lavender. pink. coral. peach. IVORY. cream. white. SILVER. grey. SMOKE. charcoal. ebony. black. pastels. vibrant. matte. METALLIC. muted. dark. light.

[ BODY ] ~ mutations. claws. fangs. wings. tails. FEATHERS. webs. spikes. scales. fur. stripes. spots. freckles. acne. bruises. scars. scratches. gashes. lashes. wounds. amputations. burns. brands. teeth. gums. tongues. lips. beards. mustaches. CHEEKS. noses. ears. eyes. EYELASHES. eyebrows. HAIR. heads. neck. shoulders. collar bones. arms. elbows. wrists. HANDS. fingers. breast. back. ribs. abs. belly. hips. curves. butts. legs. thighs. knees. shins. ankles. feet. toes. nails. SWEAT. spit. TEARS. BLOOD. heart. stomach. lungs. liver. veins. guts. bones. SPINE. muscle. skin. FELINE. canine. MASCULINE. FEMININE.

[ WEAPONS ]  ~  bites. fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. bow. crossbow. hammer. SHIELD. poison. GUNS. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. TASERS. MACHINE GUNS. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. BOMBS. MISSILES. boomerangs. lethal pets. LASERS.

[ MATERIALS ]  ~ METAL. gold. silver. platinum. pewter. TITANIUM. IRON. STEEL. copper. BRONZE. brass. tin. bismuth. diamonds. pearls. rubies. garnets. sapphires. emeralds. jade. peridots. alexandrite. opal. topaz. jasper. quartz. rose quartz. smoky quartz. amethyst. citrine. fluorite. amber. malachite. turquoise. lapis lazuli. sodalite. pyrite. labradorite. moonstone. petrified wood. wood. paper. parchment. hemp. canvas. burlap. oils skin. muslin. rayon. faux. wool. fur. lace. leather. skins. suede. corduroy. silk. satin. chiffon. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. rocks. flint. asphalt. brick. granite. marble. dust. rust. glitter. sand. dirt. mud. SMOKE. ash. carbonate. rubber. SYNTHETICS. nylon. polyester. plastic. GLASS. porcelain. bone. shells. coral.

[ NATURE ]  ~ grass. leaves. trees. bark. flowers. roses. daisies. forget me nots. tulips. lavender. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. roots. OCEAN. pond. river. stream. waterfall. creek. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rain forest. tropical. jungle. marsh. moors. swamp. plains. hills. highlands. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. CLOUDS. mountains. fire. lava. ice. frost. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. shadow. tornado. hurricane. water spout. thunder. hail. twisters. humidity. dryness.

[ ANIMALS ] ~ birds. penguins. eagles. owls. falcons. vultures. hawks. swans. parrots. parakeets. doves. pigeons. ducks. robins. cardinals. blue jays. bluebirds. blackbirds. crows. ravens. magpies. mockingbirds. flamingos. ostriches. seagulls. STORKS. albatross. peacocks. condors. finches. pelicans. chickens. geese. quail. bats. sheep. cows. buffalo. deer. hedgehogs. elephants. horses. giraffes. CATS. lions. tigers. pumas. cheetahs. jaguars. foxes. dogs. wolves. coyotes. bunnies. mice. rats. monkeys. apes. bears. pandas. polar bears. snakes. iguanas. chameleons. alligators. crocodiles. turtles. lizards. frogs. toads. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. stingrays. octopus. lobsters. crabs. bugs. spiders. ants. moths. butterflies. flies. maggots. roaches. ladybugs. beetles. cicadas. dragonflies. fleas. termites. leeches. worms. snails. mosquitoes. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. dinosaurs.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ]  ~  pepper. salt. SUGAR. honey. SYRUP. caramel. CANDY. bubblegum. mints. candy canes. gumdrops. lollipops. CHOCOLATE. vanilla. cinnamon. ICE CREAM. CAKE. COOKIES. BROWNIES. biscuits. pie. tarts. lemonade. SODA. champagne. wine. brandy. rum. whiskey. vodka. tequila. sake. beer. soju. gin. crema de cacao. COCOA. latte. coffee. TEA. spices. herbs. fruit. apples. oranges. lemons. cherries. STRAWBERRIES. blueberries. raspberries. cranberries. watermelons. cantaloupes. bananas. coconuts. grapes. kiwi. pomegranates. tomatoes. vegetables. potatoes. cucumbers. carrots. turnips. onions. leeks. celery. broccoli. cabbages. lettuces. roots. nuts. white meat. red meat. raw meat. veal. pork. chicken. beef. venison. fish. lobster. oysters. pizza. ambrosia. pasta. sandwiches. soup.

[ HOBBIES ]  ~  music. piano. flute. woodwinds. whistles. drums. guitar. cello. synthesizer. violin. lute. harp. fiddle. harmonica. trumpet. brass. singing. composing. folk. classical. bluegrass. blues. jazz. big band. pop. country. rock. punk. metal. electronica. hip hop. reggae. ska. rap. vinyl records. cassettes. cds. soundcloud. itunes. spotify. art. sculpting. pottery. painting. watercolour. drawing. pastels. charcoal. sketching. graffiti. printing. inking. collecting. FIGHTING. martial arts. self-defence. boxing. fencing. sumo. wrestling. jousting. paintball. LAZER TAG. duelling. hunting. fishing. climbing. weight lifting. TRAINING. sports. football. football (usa). rugby. baseball. cricket. lacrosse. volleyball. basketball. tennis. badminton. skating. cycling. sailing. rowing. hiking. running. gymnastics. dancing. ice skating. hockey. reading. writing. cooking. sewing. acting. photography. VIDEO GAMES. horseback riding. gardening. smithing. shopping. traveling. MOVIES. theatre. libraries. books. magazines. playing cards. poker chips. CHESS. dice. science.

[ STYLE ]  ~ nudism. perfume. cologne. piercings. tattoos. henna. body paint. war paint. make up. lipstick. mascara. eyeliner. eye shadow. powder. beauty marks. blush. nail polish. lingerie. fishnet. pantie-hoes. socks. stockings. leggings. long johns. under armor. corsets. sports bras. bustles. camisoles. blouses. button ups. tunics. VESTS. waistcoats. leather jackets. ponchos. sweaters/jumpers. hoodies. SKIRTS. jeans. kilts. breeches. scarfs. cravats. ascots. BELTS. sashes. gloves. heels. sandals. platforms. tennis shoes. penny loafers. jordans. slippers. BOOTS. cowboy boots. rain boots. army boots. armor. justaucorps. trench coats. capes. cloaks. burqa. suits. tuxedos. kimonos. saris. sun dresses. gowns.jewelry. earrings. noes rings. lip rings. tongue piercings. belly rings. gauges. eyebrow rings.necklaces. pearl strings. leis. bracelets. bangles. cuffs. watches. friendship bracelets. rings. pendants. lockets. broaches. boutonnieres. pocket watches. cuff links. hats. crowns. circlets. flower crowns. helmets. hijabs. turbans. baseball caps. cowboy hats. brocade. doublet. gorget. bracers. masks. cowls. braces. glasses. sun glasses. eye contacts. pyjamas.

[ MISC ]  ~ balloons. bubbles. candles. BATTLE. WAR. DIPLOMACY. PEACE. money. POWER. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. OPTIMISM. pessimism. loneliness. family. FRIENDS. assistants. co-workers. enemies. LOYALTY. smoking. drugs. KINDNESS. love. sex. hugs. duality. sin. lust. greed. wrath. envy. sloth. gluttony. pride. virtue. CHIVALRY. HONOR. piety. charity. DILIGENCE. chastity. gentleness. AGGRESSION. romance. hatred. grief. pity. success. bitterness. sorrow. joy. fear. ANGER. good. evil. relativity. vampirism. sapphism. life. BIRTH. time. death. illusion. silence.