#technically its “a chamomile tea”

[noegrets]

...but on the other hand, english is a battle-royale-free-for-all kind of language: if you want to write it like lightswitch or waterbottle, who exactly is going to stop you? it's still perfectly communicative, the result is perfectly understandable. you can make YOUR words frot on purpose :)

On a slightly more serious note: I write a lot in english, which is a language I learned later in life. My wife beta-reads for me, english being her mother tongue. We find lots of words where she informs me that this word is not usually hyphenated like this, or compound like that: so we look up the way I wrote it vs. all the other variations (google n-gram viewer used to be good for this) and, almost always, we learn that the way I wrote it has plenty recorded uses overall, but is currently uncommon. And so I say - sure, why can't I use the uncommon one if I like it that way? It's still perfectly understandable, and language is made by those who use it.

We won't have any prescriptivism in this house: my words may fuck as they please.

one thing i hate about english is your open compound words. what do you mean it's a light switch and not a lightswitch or a water bottle instead of a waterbottle. get real

[souliebird]

[[and then I met you || ch. 17]]

Series: Daredevil || Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader || Rating: Explicit

Summary:

A one-night stand years ago gave you a daughter and you are now able to put a name to her father – Matthew Murdock. Everything is about to change again as you navigate trying to integrate your life with that of the handsome and charming blind lawyer’s and Matt realizes he needs to not only protect his new family from Hell's Kitchen, but from the world.

pt: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

Words: 4.3k

ao3 link

banner thanks to the wonderful @theradioactivespidergwen

“No.” 

Minnie plants her little feet firmly on the sidewalk and pulls her hands out of your and Matt’s grips so she can make her point by crossing her arms over her chest. A pout starts forming on her face and you have the feeling this is as far as your daughter will be going.

Across the street looms Clinton Church and you can understand why your daughter does not want to go anywhere near it. The building is as imposing as it is grand with its traditional architecture half shadowed in the morning sun. There is light reflecting off the many windows, casting little glares that you are sure Minnie can interpret in multiple ways - including eyes looking down at her. 

Try as you might, you can’t imagine what else your little one must be picking up from the building. Is there someone praying inside? Or chanting? What sort of terrifying noises is the building making? How many rats are scurrying around the grounds, hissing and eeking and becoming unseen monsters? 

How many real monsters are there? 

Right now, the only monster you know of is the one in your chest named Anxiety. It is roaring inside you and causing all sorts of ruckus. 

You know Minnie can pick up on your upset, and it is probably influencing her, but no amount of breathing exercises or chamomile tea is going to relax you. 

Meeting someone’s parents is always going to be nerve wracking under any circumstance - but meeting the mother of the man who fathered your child? Who already has a unique and slightly estranged relationship with her son?

Frankly, you’d rather give birth again. 

To make matters worse for your over analyzing, Matt's mother is a nun. 

You have never interacted with a nun before, and your mind has been nonstop screaming that you are going to make an absolute fool of yourself. You are convinced you are going to say something dumb - like Jesus is stupid or some other blasphemous thing. 

You don't even know what counts as blasphemy, but you know your mouth will find a way to make you want to sink into the floor and disappear forever.

You are on the same page as Minnie and don't want to take another step toward the Church. 

“No?” Matt questions, tilting his head down towards his daughter. He looks a bit baffled, like he can’t understand why she’s taken such a stance. You know he is nervous about the meeting as well, having told you such earlier, but you don’t think he realizes how much his nerves, on top of your own, are affecting Mouse and her fear of the new big building.

“No.” Your daughter repeats, giving a tiny stomp of one foot to emphasize her point. 

“No, what, sweetheart?” He kneels down to be on the same level as her, but you have a feeling that isn't going to help much. Minnie has made her decision and trying to sway a determined, upset toddler is a near impossible task.

“I don't wanna,” she tells him, her voice starting to get whiny. She turns away from him to press herself into your leg, her pout growing even bigger.

Matt knits his brows together, confusion clear, “You don't want to go to the park?”

Technically, you are supposed to meet Matt's mother in the Church park that is between the main building and the orphanage but as far as you are concerned, all of the grounds are Church. Apparently, your daughter feels the same. 

“No. I don't wanna,” she declares, which quickly turns into the chant of, “I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna!”

You can feel the tantrum coming and intervene, scooping Minnie up and hugging her to you. She instantly clings to you, burying her face against your neck with an additional almost screech of, “I don't wanna!”

You start to gently rock her from side to side and rub at her back to try and soothe her. You kiss her hair and promise, “We don’t have to go, baby. It is okay.”

As soon as the words leave your mouth, you feel like a grade A asshole. 

Matt’s face crumbles into heartbreak and you totally deserve to walk into traffic. He had opened up to you about his mother - about how she had left him as a baby only to end up raising him after his father had been killed - but not telling him who she was. He told you how he only recently learned the truth - less than a year ago - and how hard it was for him. 

But now he had you and Minnie and maybe, just maybe, you could all learn to be a family together.

Anxiety overdrive kicks in and a potential solution tumbles out of your mouth, “What if we go somewhere else instead? Somewhere we’ve been before?”

Matt lifts his head up at you, so you see yourself in his glasses, and for a second you think he's going to argue - insist you go to the Church playground - but then he tilts it towards where you don't want to go. You don't know what he is listening for, but after a moment, he stands again. He steps closer, a hand going to sit on your waist and trapping Minnie between the two of you. She stays nestled against you, little fist tight on your shirt, but you find yourself breathing a little easier at his touch.

“Would the office be okay? Foggy is out meeting clients and Karen is at the Bulletin today, it will just be us.” He offers quietly. Relief washes through you at the suggestion - you think the office would be a much easier meeting place.

But it is not your decision to make. You gently bounce Mouse to get her attention and ask, “Do you want to go to Daddy’s work?”

She doesn’t respond right away, but you feel her twist your shirt in her hands. You can tell she is thinking over her answer, so you wait, trying to focus on your daughter instead on how firm Matt’s hand is on your waist. It takes about twenty seconds, but Minnie finally nods into your shoulder. 

“Okay, We’ll go to Daddy's work.”

To reward her for being so brave, you press a kiss to your daughter’s hair and Matt quickly mimics you. Minnie clings tighter to you at the affection and you think she is going to remain tense and upset until you are far away from the Church.

“Okay. Wait here, I'll go tell Sister Maggie about the change in plans,” Matt tells you and you wonder if it is really okay with him. 

You know you and Minnie meeting her is important to Matt, but is the location important as well or is it just convenient? You are too wound up to ask and fearing you won't like the answer, you keep your mouth shut and focus on rocking Mouse.

Matt gives Minnie another kiss as he tightens his grip on you just slightly. It isn’t painful, but you get the impression he does not want to let go. You want to lean into the touch, your overactive mind telling you it might be nice if he never let you go, but before you can process those feelings, he is pulling away and crossing the street.

You step to the side, so you don’t impede foot traffic, and watch as he navigates past the cars and disappears around the side of the large building. Once he is out of sight, you look down to your daughter.

You want to ask her why she doesn’t want to go to the park at the Church, so you can better understand how she sees the world, but you also don’t want to put too much pressure on her. She’s already clearly upset, and you think trying to get her to answer your questions will just make things worse. 

So, you focus on making things better for her.

“Would you like your headphones, Minnie?”

That gets her to lift her head up to look at you, squinting like she’s trying to determine if this is some sort of trap. Eventually she gives you one curt nod before hiding her face again.

You are a pro at being able to maneuver to get into your purse while carrying a toddler and soon enough you are handing over neon blue headphones. She needs no help in unfolding them and situating them over her ears, and once they are on, she snuggles herself back into your arms. You have no issues or complaints with the action - you simply begin to rock her again and hope this mood subsides once you are at Matt’s office. 

You think about ways to get Minnie to interact with Matt’s mother as you wait for Matt to reappear. You think this might be the perfect time for parallel play - you’ve got a few coloring books stuffed in your purse, along with some small toys. You think it may be best to let her do her own thing while the adults talk, and that she comes over when she’s ready. 

You hope that Sister Maggie understands that would be ideal - you know she helps to raise children, so she must understand that some kids are shyer than others. Pushing Minnie to interact when she’s fussy will only result in tears. 

Possibly your own.

A few more minutes pass before Matt returns to the sidewalk followed by who you assume to be his mother. She's dressed in a gray and blue smock dress and matching habit, which is far less intimidating than the all black look you were expecting. She has an air of authority about her, holding herself tall as she walks, and you have the feeling she is a no-nonsense person.

You pray to a God you don’t really believe in that this meeting goes better than you fear it will. 

You move to meet the pair as they cross the street to you and offer what you hope to be a warm smile. The smile, though not as overtly friendly as yours, is returned and Matt does the honor of introducing you. You adjust your hold on your daughter so you can shake the woman's hand. 

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Matthew has told me wonderful things about you,” Sister Maggie says before directing her attention to her granddaughter. “And who might this little one be?”

To no surprise to you, Minnie attempts to burrow into you more at the question, smushing her face hard into your neck. You rub her back, trying to let her know everything is okay.

“This is Minnie, she's a little shy right now.”

Sister Maggie gives a knowing nod, “New places can be intimidating.” She drops her voice just slightly, in what you guess is an attempt to be comforting, and addresses Minnie, “Did your father tell you this is where he grew up?”

He did - you and Matt explained the outing to your daughter, but you don’t know how much she understood. You do know no amount of sweet talk will change her mind, even if it is about her new favorite subject - her Daddy. 

“I don't wanna go,” Mouse mumbles against you defiantly. You aren't sure if Sister Maggie can hear her, but you know Matt can. He steps forward, once again boxing in Minnie between the two of you and leans down to kiss the back of her head.

“We're not going there, princess. We're going to Daddy's office, remember? You've been there before,” he whispers into her hair. She shifts around in your arms a bit before giving another nod. You can feel her jutting out her bottom lip against your neck and part of you thinks you should call this all off and reschedule - but you aren’t going to do that to Matt.

Sister Maggie is watching your little family’s interaction, and you can’t bear to look in her direction to see what her reaction is, if she has one. Your anxiety has only prepared you for the worst.

“Perhaps we should start heading that way instead of saying where we are not going,” the nun advises after a moment and instinct and rational has you agreeing with her.

“I think that would be best.”

Matt pulls away from you and Minnie and you watch with downcast eyes as Sister Maggie offers her son her arm. He seems hesitant to take it, but he does, and your little group starts moving away from the Church and towards Nelson, Page, and Murdock.

The walk is quiet and you use the time to try and desperately calm your nerves, if only for the sake of your daughter. 

You think about Matt and what kind of person he is - he is full of love and care. He got those traits somewhere, and whether you argue Nature or Nurture, Sister Maggie has certainly influenced that. Did she encourage his Goodness? She must have had some sort of positive influence if he is not only wanting her to be in his life, but his daughter’s life, as well. 

You know some people believe family comes before anything, even if they treat you horribly, but you also know that if Sister Maggie was not a Good person, Matt would not allow her near Minnie.

He wouldn’t risk losing his relationship with his daughter. 

That is something you have no doubts about. 

As you arrive at Matt’s office building, Minnie lifts her head up off your shoulder. She wrinkles up her nose like she’s thinking hard before pointing to the plaque that state’s the firm’s name. You give her a warm smile, proud of her for recognizing it, but that only makes her squirrel away again.

This is the behavior you are used to seeing from your daughter in public - overly shy and not wanting to interact. You aren’t sure if the nerves and uncomfortableness from the church still linger, but you hope that once you are upstairs, she will start warming up a little. You won’t push her to do something she doesn’t want to do, but for Matt’s sake, you would like her to at least try talking to her grandmother.

Matt leads you all into the building and up the stairs. Sister Maggie runs a finger over the banister as you climb the stairs, giving a pleased hum, “Franklin did an amazing job cleaning this place up. Tell me that nose of yours helped in getting rid of all the mold.”

Matt huffs at the comment, “The property manager hired someone to come do that.”

“And did they get it all?” 

Matt’s mouth presses into a thin line and you already know the answer. 

“No, we spent a weekend getting the rest of it.” 

You stop in front of the Nelson, Page, and Murdock office, and as Matt fishes out the key, you look up and down the hallway, mulling over what is implied.

“You cleaned the whole building?” 

“Oh no, we couldn’t get permission from the other businesses to do that, but we did what we could to the public space and our offices. People feel comfortable here now.”

The door is opened and as you all file in, Matt suggests hanging out in the conference room. It has a nice window and plenty of space to sprawl out, so you have no objections. 

You set Minnie down as Sister Maggie and Matt head into the other room. She instantly clings to your leg, practically hiding behind it. You pet her hair a few times before pulling her away just enough so you can kneel down to talk with her. As soon as you are at her level, she is trying to get into your arms again. 

You let her hug onto you as you let her know what is going on, “Hey Mouse, do you remember earlier when I told you we were going to meet Daddy’s Mommy?” She nods but says nothing, so you continue on. “That is her. She wants to talk to me and Daddy and you and get to know us so she can be part of our family, too. But you don’t need to talk if you don’t want to, okay? I have your coloring books and you can color while we talk.”

That gets her to pull back just a hair and peek up at you with big brown eyes, “What are you gonna talk abouts?” 

You smile at the question and gently run your hands over her back, “All sorts of things, but we’re going to end up talking about you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you. If you don’t want us to talk about you, you can tell me, okay? We’ll talk about something else.”

“But I don’ gotta talk?” 

You nod, and let your bag fall off your shoulder. Minnie’s new zoo themed coloring book and crayons are easy to pull out and you offer them to your daughter. She lets go of you to greedily take her toys and hug them to her chest.

“You don’t need to talk,” you confirm. “Do you want to sit at the table, or do you want to sit on the floor?” 

Minnie considers the question, and you take advantage of no longer being hugged onto to stand up. Your little one peeks towards the conference room, then back up to you, and declares, “I wanna sit on Daddy’s lap.” 

You feel so much pride over your daughter making such a bold decision. 

“Okay, let’s go ask Daddy if you can sit in his lap.” You know Matt would never deny her, but you do want to drill in making sure Minnie asks permission first.

She waits for you to lead the way before following you into the conference room. Matt and Sister Maggie are sitting opposite each other, and Matt has already scooted his chair out and is holding his hands out to help Minnie into his lap. 

“Daddy!” 

She hurries to him and gets scooped up and crushed into a hug. She hugs back best she can while holding her coloring book.

You take the chair beside Matt and finally allow yourself to look at the nun across from you. She’s watching Matt and Minnie with an almost unreadable expression, but there is something soft behind her eyes - like she’s been keeping it repressed for years. 

But then she catches you looking, and the softness is gone, replaced by that All-Knowing Nun look you’ve seen in movies before. 

“How old is she?” Sister Maggie asks, and you can’t help but flush at her directness.

“Almost four, her birthday is on the 28th,” you reply, forcing yourself to not completely avert your gaze and hideaway. 

She raises her brows before turning her sharp gaze to Matt, accusing him with, “You did not mention her birthday was coming up.”

He has the decency to look a little bit ashamed, “There were a few other things to cover, first.” 

The older woman shakes her head, “Priorities, Matthew. I may be new to being a grandmother, but you know well I have raised plenty of children and we have never skimped on birthdays. We may not always have the money to spoil someone, but we do well to make sure they know they are loved.” She looks back to you, “Do you have plans for the day?”

“Oh, um, the zoo. We’re going to go to the zoo,” you tell her.

Beside you, Minnie has slipped down into Matt’s lap, so she is sitting. She has started to flip through her coloring book, examining each picture before making her decision about what to color. At the mention of the zoo, she quietly mimics you, “Going to the zoo.”

Matt breaks into a smile at the words, looking proud as can be that Minnie spoke around his mother. He wraps his arms around her middle and you have the feeling he wants to crush her to his chest again but is resisting. 

Sister Maggie seems to know Minnie isn’t speaking to her, but just in general, and keeps the conversation to you, “That sounds like a lovely birthday. Zoo trips are always a delight with the kids.” She tilts her head slightly to the left before continuing on, “Matthew said you do not have a support network.”

“That isn’t what I said!” Matt quickly says, before turning his head towards you, “That isn’t what I said.”

Sister Maggie scoffs, “It is what you meant, and it is not a bad thing. You more than anyone know what it means to have a support network. Now,” she says your name gently and offers you a somewhat kind smile, “You are welcome to come to the Church and use any of the services we offer, and you may come by anytime you need, day or night. We will always have our doors open for you.”

You stare across the table as you process the words she has said. Shame and embarrassment course through you at the idea of Matt talking about you. You know you’ve never really had anyone to turn to, but the thought of others discussing such matters makes you want to crawl into a hole and cry. Yet, on the other hand, the mere offer of being welcomed at the Church has you spiraling in all sorts of good and overwhelming ways. 

But of course, instead of being thankful, the words that tumble out of your mouth are, “I’m not religious.” 

“That changes nothing,” she says simply and somehow, sits up straighter, “I have been given a second chance to know my son and through this a blessing of a granddaughter. I will not run from these responsibilities again and -”

“Daddy,” Minnie suddenly says, cutting Sister Maggie off while pouring all her crayons out on the table, “Pick a color!” 

Matt’s cheeks turn pink at the interruption, and you try to not slide down in your seat. You know you can’t expect your daughter to sit there quietly, even if she’s being a little fussy, especially if Matt is around. She’s a toddler. 

Matt clears his throat and asks, “What colors are there, sweetheart?”

“There’s green, and blue, and purple, and red, and orange, and yellow,” she lists off, holding up each crayon as she does.

“Let’s go with red.”

“Okay!” Minnie picks up the chosen crayon and begins to carefully start coloring in a gorilla. 

Since she spoke up on her own, you try to engage with your daughter to bring her out of her shell, “Can you tell Daddy what animal you’re coloring?”

You expect her to answer happily - after all she loves explaining things to Matt and she’s been learning all her zoo animals.

So of course, she does not do that. She whips her head around to look at you, and with the sternest little voice you have ever heard, barks out, “I don’t gotta talk!”

Your first instinct is to laugh at the outburst, but you bite down on your lip to control yourself. The urge passes quickly, and you decide you should praise your daughter for setting her boundaries, “That is right, you don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. I’m sorry.”

She narrows her eyes at you for a moment, clearly judging you, before turning back to her artwork. 

Only then do you allow yourself a chuckle. 

To your surprise, Sister Maggie laughs as well. “Well, she is certainly a Murdock.”

That gets your attention and you and Matt both let out a curious, “Oh?”

“That little glare was all Murdock. I have seen it so many times from Matthew, who got it from his father,” she says and there is almost a fondness in her voice. “I expect the hands on the hips pose is genetic as well.”

Your eyes go wide at that. Matt’s father has never been brought up in depth before - you read the news article about his death in an online archive, and he was almost brushed over when Matt told you about his mother. You assumed, like your own parents, it was a sensitive topic. 

“I..didn’t know that,” Matt starts slowly, and you can practically feel the emotion bubbling inside him. Without considering it, you reach across the small gap between your chairs and take his hand, squeezing it. He instantly squeezes back. “I don’t remember him ever doing that.”

“I suspect he tried to not let his frustrations show around you, but it is something I remember clear as day - Jack with his hands on his hips, glaring at the refrigerator because it dared to lose power during a blackout,” Sister Maggie tell him, before she motions to her eyes, “They may not be the same color, but that look is the identical.”

The room goes quiet, save the noise of Minnie scribbling. You keep your hand around Matt’s, trying to communicate you are there for him in his love language. He starts to roll his bottom lip between his teeth, and you wait for him to react before you do. 

“You…,” Matt starts after a few more moments, voice almost warbling, “don’t talk about him. You don’t talk about him like that - what he was like.”

“Yes, well, I’ve never had reason to,” Sister Maggie says. She places her hands on the table in front of her, clasping them together, and she looks like she is about to give an interview. “But that has changed, clearly.” She looks from Matt to you, “Matthew said you were looking for family history. I do not have much from Jack’s side, but I can tell you what I do know, and I keep my own meticulous records. I believe reviewing these things, medical and non-medical, together, will��help us heal.”

You look to for his reaction. His mouth is parted, and he looks like he is going through his own emotional rollercoaster. You know how important family is to him and how dear this information must be to him, so you make a decision.

You lace your fingers with his and smile at Sister Maggie and ask, “How did you meet Jack?”

“Ah, yes, now that is a colorful story…” 

a/n: maggie is v hard to write

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[jungle-angel]

Lessons In Nursing (Calvin Evans x Reader)

Summary: You decide to have your mother-in-law come and give a lecture to your class, but woe to the heckler who incurs her wrath

Tagging: @floydsmuse Meggy, I hope you're good with it, but the entire time I wrote this I was picturing Emma from White Christmas as Patricia and could literally hear her voice as I wrote it (lol).

Warnings: Pregnancy, college admin being a sexist moron, misogynistic remarks, etc.

"You nervous Pat?" you asked as the three of you made your way towards the science buildings on campus.

"Not in the least (y/n)," Pat answered confidently. "I've had to give numerous lectures in the past and have yet to face one that I couldn't do. How about yourself? How are things?"

"I'm tired," you answered.

"I tried that home remedy you suggested the other day Ma," Calvin answered. "The one with the raw ginger?"

"Did it help with the morning sickness?" Pat asked.

"Morning sickness, yes but the fatigue is a different story," Cal said.

"A mug full of chamomile tea in the morning will do you good," Patricia explained. "Did it with every single one of my kids and it hasn't failed me since."

The three of you had at last arrived at Franklin Hall, a tall, imposing gothic monstrosity of a building that looked more like a medieval church than a reputable college institution. Here was where the science classes were all held, chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology as well as the nursing courses that you taught.

"You gonna be able to make it this afternoon?" you asked Calvin as he handed Six-Thirty and his leash off to you.

"I'll make it," Calvin promised. "Dr. Powers and I will both be there after our classes get out at twelve. But after that I need you down to the cafeteria so you can get something to eat. I don't want you faint in the middle of the lecture."

You chuckled and kissed your husband, even as Six-Thirty nudged your belly with his nose. "Now you knock that off," you told the dog. "That's Daddy's job."

Calvin smiled as he gave you one last hug, his hands trailing to the slightly evident bump that had shown up overnight. He couldn't feel the baby kicking quite yet, but you knew that when he did, he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off you.

"Good luck Sweetpea," he said, pressing one last kiss to your lips. "I'll see you at noon."

"I'll see you then."

Cal pulled open the heavy oak and iron doors, letting you, Six-Thirty and his mother in first before he followed you both down the hall. He headed straight for the chemistry labs with Dr. Powers while you and Pat headed for the anatomy lecture room.

Your girls were all awaiting in the room, each one in their lab coats, chattering away as you and Pat took yours from the rack. "Good morning ladies," you chirped.

"GOOD MORNING PROFESSOR EVANS!" they chimed in.

"Alright ladies," you announced, taking your place in the lecture pit. "We've got our demonstration today at noon and to prepare, I've brought a little guest to help. So without further adieu, I present to you all, my mother-in-law, Patricia Evans."

"Thank you sweetheart," Patricia said, taking her place at the stand. "Alright ladies, none of the usual bullshit this morning. Lets get down to business....."

********************

"So am I technically doing this right?" the eighteen year old asked Calvin.

"Yep, you're good," Calvin assured him. "Just let it drip into the beaker and let it do its thing."

Calvin absolutely loved working with the eager, fresh-faced students who had come from all the local high schools in the area. To him it meant being able to get back to basics, to go back to the roots of chemistry and to teach them from the ground up. He loved when they got creative with their notebooks, drawing colorful pictures and diagrams and experimented with their handwriting. Any other professor would have turned their noses up at it, but Calvin and Anthony Powers absolutely loved it.

"Hey Professor Evans?"

"What's up Frank?"

"Remind me again what color the fluids are supposed to be again after they've boiled?"

"It's supposed to be pale pink," Calvin answered. "What color is it now?"

"It's a dark pink."

"Let it go another five to ten minutes but no more than that," Calvin instructed.

He looked up at the wall clock and saw that it was ten minutes till noon. As soon as he had the chance, Calvin ordered everyone to clean up and to put their experiments in the glass cabinets until tomorrow. He dropped his lab coat in the laundry and made his way down to the other end of the wing, eager to hear and see your demonstration.

*******************

"..........Now these particular tests are quite easy, but determining the results can be a real hassle," Patricia explained to the audience. "Back in the day you wouldn't have thought to test the patient's blood at all and half the time you'd wait until really, truly, severe symptoms appeared......."

"Your mother's a knowledgeable lady that's for sure," Dr. Powers remarked to Calvin, the two of them sitting higher up from the pit.

"Knowledgeable isn't even the half of it," Calvin whispered back to him. "You should see when she really gets going."

"Now after the blood test has been done," Patricia continued to explained. "It's best to continue the treatment as is, until further notice or until the results come in and then determine the course of action therewith."

"Sounds like a brilliant plan," someone in the crowd spoke. "Coming from a woman."

The entire room fell so silent one would have been able to hear a dog whistle. "I'm sorry?' Patricia enquired.

"It just seems funny to me to think that you know more than the doctors on this campus," the grey-haired young man said to her. "After all, nursing is one of the lesser sciences."

Calvin wide-eyed and made a face, Dr. Powers groaning and running his hands over his chubby, round face. "Oh no, he didn't," Powers groaned.

"Brace yourself, this shitshow's about to get worse," Calvin warned him under his breath.

You and Patricia glanced at each other, your mother-in-law noticing the way your jaw clenched and how your posture stiffened.

"Young man do you work here?" she asked.

"Well......yes but I....."

"And to what department do you belong?" Patricia questioned sharply.

"Well, the medical arts," the young man replied. "You see I had studied at the Harvard Medical College and......."

"Oh and Ivy Leaguer huh?" Patricia said. "Tell me now, have you ever stitched up a man with shrapnel flying around you in all directions?"

"No I......."

"Have you ever had to repair a torn aorta in a tent before?"

"No I......"

"What about trenchfoot?" Patricia questioned again. "Ever had to deal with any of that?"

"No ma'am I......"

"Then I wouldn't consider you much of a doctor in that case," Patricia scoffed.

"Now ma'am you see here for a moment!"

"Young man, I had to earn my stripes in the middle of a shelled out church in France, rearraigning men's guts day after day while everywhere else was having the living daylights pounded out of them," Patricia snapped. "So until you yourself have been there, I suggest you sit up a little straighter, keep your legs crossed, shut your mouth and mind your own business!"

The young man cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter, as did everyone else including Six-Thirty who was in the corner at your feet. Not a single soul in that lecture hall dared to make another snide comment to Patricia Evans or to you.

***************

"Well that went a little better than expected," Patricia commented as you, her and Cal made your way up the little brick path to the house. "Although I could've done without Mr. Ivy Leaguer there making those snide remarks."

"I saw him cross his legs the minute you snapped Ma," Calvin chuckled, unlocking the door.

"My apologies, but the damn fool had it coming," Patricia remarked. "Besides, if that had been your father, he would have said things that would have Ulysses S. Grant himself rolling over in his grave."

"Or blushing in most cases," you chuckled.

You both entered the house, the place warm and cozy as ever with the smell of dinner cooking on the stove. One could say whatever they liked about Henry Evans Jr., but the man was a damn good cook.

Henry and Pat both conversed about the happenings of the day while you and Cal enjoyed their company. All of you laughed at the lecture incident, but when Calvin looked at you and mouthed a silent "I love you", you couldn't help but lean into him, one arm round you and the warmth of your husband surrounding you.

[rainesol]

TWST OC :P

Another oc based on a canon character! She's based on the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland. (Yes I know that's technically Trey. Shut up.) She's (probably) my first oc based on an actual Disney character.

Name: Harriet Chamomile

Nicknames: Hattie (Reserved for friends only), Harri

Age/Year/Birthday: 18, Third year, February 15

Pronouns: She/Her

Club: She's in a sewing club!

House: N/A

Homeland: Queendom of Roses

Description-

Harriet is an average height young lady at 165cm, or 5'4. She's white and implied to be TWSTs Scottish equivalent, with an average build and champagne hair tied into two pigtails. Her right (viewers left) eye is brown, and her left (viewers right) eye is green. She has faint freckles and a gap between her two front teeth. She is human.

Harriet is seen mostly in her school uniform. She wears a white button down shirt with gold buttons, a black skirt and gloves, brown heels and white leg warmers. She typically accessorises with a pair of green hair ribbons, and a burgundy top hat with another green ribbon. It's often adorned with wildflowers or feathers. She will sometimes remove these when unwinding foe the night, or tying her hair into a ponytail to do something ridiculous.

She was a part of the childhood Heartslabyul group, sometimes joining them for games. She doesn't affect the actual story all that much. Just a silly beast.

Personality/Character traits-

Harriet is extroverted and excitable, knowing most of Heartslabyul (and Che'Nya's classmates) by name. She enjoys tea parties, and knows unbirthday traditions well. She helped set up Riddle's first unbirthday as housewarden. Harriet was surprised at the amount of the Queen's rules implemented into it however, taking a 'Well, as long as you're having fun' approach to it. She's also very eccentric in her speech and mannerisms, through no choice of her own. When first meeting Yuu, she excitedly shook their hand for much, much longer than necessary, and needed to be told to let them go.

Harriet often talks herself in circles, and can confuse herself and others. She often takes phrases very literally. This can be negated by adding 'metaphorically speaking' into your conversations with her. Her memory ranges from comically poor to photographic, and she can be surprisingly petty at times. Harriet puts a lot of emphasis on (her idea of) manners and etiquette. She's very affectionate with friends and sees no problem with platonic hugs and hand-holding. She respects boundaries though!! She will go away if told. She knows TWST equivalent BSL and Makaton, and is a talented seamstress.

Harriet is INCREDIBLY lame. Like an actual loser. She constantly falls, gets lost, insulted etc. Her poor social skills do not help with this reputation </3. A lot of my personal problems with growing up autistic are projected onto her, and as such she was bullied in primary (Middle?) school. Sorry girl!

(It is unknown what makes her 'mad'. She is implied to be autistic as well, but it is not what causes her to behave the way she does)

Her unique magic is called Distortion Party, and allows her to bend the laws of physics/reality. It can only be used to its full extent in a closed off area.

She is my favourite little freak (affectionate) and once again, I'm happy for any questions or otherwise! :3

[ghouletteanon]

Mushy May: Day 26 - Preparing the other's drink for them

After 25 days, we are at the first of two suggestion I had for Mushy May! This fic is set loosely within the same universe as the other ace!Sunny fics, the same universe where Mountain hibernates and Sunshine stays behind to ratsit but can be read on its own. Prompt list for Mushy May can be found here, curated by the wonderful @forlorn-crows.

Relationships: Aether & Sunshine, polyghouls

Summary: Sunshine has a new evening routine now that it's just her and Aether at the Abbey. She looks after Aether, and Aether looks after her.

Word count: 603

Rating: Gen

Sunshine closes the rat cage, waving goodbye to Copia’s bambini, as he likes to call them. It’s day five of her new routine and she has discovered that she actually likes looking after the rats. They all have different personalities, and she was slowly winning over the most hesitant of the pack. Her phone was slowly filling out with rat photos that she kept sending to Copia, spamming him so he would not miss his babies too much.

With the rats taken care of, Sunshine begins step two of the evening routine. Dew had given her a secret task, and she had squealed in his face when he told her to make sure his mate was not overworking himself and given her instructions on how to prepare Aether’s tea. Technically, it was not even tea as there was no tea involved. Mountain had corrected Sunshine the first time she asked about what Dew had called chamomile tea, as it was actually a herbal infusion.

Mug of chamomile drink in hand, tablet in the other, Sunshine skips over to where she knows Aether is still hiding. It’s already nine in the evening, and Aether has been hard at work for most of the day. Sunshine could not wait for the moment Aether is done with the backlog that’s been building up after Copia became too busy with the Ghost project and the clergy had conveniently forgotten to hire someone to do the taxes.

Sunshine uses her tail to push the handle of the office door and nudges the door open with her hip. “Aether, hands off the keyboard!”

Aether looks up, fingers still on the keys. There are no lights on in the office, and he is lit up only by the computer screen. “Is it already 9?”

“Yupp,” Sunshine says, popping the ‘p’ loudly, flicking the light switch with the spade of her tail. Aether hisses at the sudden change in lighting, but Sunshine has no mercy. It is his own fault for ignoring needs for breaks. She gives Aether a peck on the cheek as she hands over the mug to him. “Estimated time for the long-distance date night call with the pack is in 15 minutes.”

Aether cradles the mug in both of his hands. He takes a sip of the hot drink, sighing loudly as he leans back in the office chair. Sunshine can hear his bones crack as he stretches for the first time in what she can confidently assume is in hours. “Sunny, you are a literal life saver. I would work myself to death if you weren’t here.”

“And I would not get out of bed in the morning and get nothing done if you did not literally kick me so it’s a win-win,” Sunshine plops down on the couch in the corner of the office, right in the pile of pillows and blankets. “How’s the ~herbal infusion~?” Sunshine says in her best impression of Mountain's deep rumble.

“Delicious as always, thank you Sunny,” Aether sips the drink again. He gets up, places the mug on the coffee table next to the couch and starts stretching. Sunshine sneaks a few pictures of Aether in the downward dog, posting them in the group chat to tell the others she and Aether were ready for the video call.

Sunshine giggles at the multiple variations of “BIG STRETCH!” being posted as replies to the pictures. She still misses them, but the chat does help. It’s almost like having them in the same room as her but the moment they were back she would still demand cuddles from each of them.

[backyardbrew1]

Tea Online: A Guide to Exploring and Enjoying Your Favorite Brews

In recent years, purchasing tea online has become a popular trend, transforming how enthusiasts and casual drinkers discover and enjoy this timeless beverage. With countless varieties available, from classic black and green teas to herbal infusions and exotic blends, online shopping provides an unparalleled opportunity to explore the world of tea. In this blog, we will delve into the benefits of buying tea online, explore different types of tea, share tips for selecting the best products, and provide insights into how to brew the perfect cup at home.

The Advantages of Buying Tea Online

Purchasing tea online comes with several unique benefits that cater to tea lovers everywhere:

1. Extensive Selection

One of the most significant advantages of buying tea online is the sheer variety available. Unlike local stores, which may have limited options, online retailers often provide an extensive selection of teas from different regions and types. You can easily discover new flavors and blends that may not be available in your area.

2. Quality Assurance

Reputable online tea sellers usually prioritize quality, sourcing their products directly from farmers or trusted suppliers. Many provide detailed information about the origins, processing methods, and flavor profiles of their teas, allowing you to make informed choices and select high-quality options that suit your preferences.

3. Convenience

Shopping for tea online is incredibly convenient. You can browse and order your favorite blends from the comfort of your home, saving time and effort. Many retailers offer subscription services, ensuring you never run out of your favorite teas while often providing discounts for recurring orders.

4. Customer Reviews and Recommendations

Online shopping platforms allow you to read customer reviews, which can be invaluable when trying to decide which tea to purchase. You can learn about the experiences of other tea lovers, helping you find the best products based on their feedback.

Types of Tea Available Online

To fully appreciate the diversity of tea, it's essential to understand the different types available. Here’s a breakdown of the primary categories of tea you can find online:

1. Black Tea

Black tea is one of the most popular types of tea worldwide. It is fully oxidized, resulting in a bold flavor and dark color. Common varieties include Assam, Darjeeling, and Earl Grey. Black tea is often enjoyed with milk and sugar but can also be appreciated on its own.

2. Green Tea

Green tea is known for its delicate flavor and numerous health benefits. It is minimally processed and retains its natural green color. Popular varieties include Sencha, Matcha, and Dragon Well. Green tea is often enjoyed plain but can be enhanced with lemon or honey.

3. Oolong Tea

Oolong tea falls somewhere between black and green tea, as it is partially oxidized. This unique processing method gives it a complex flavor profile, ranging from floral to fruity. Well-known varieties include Tie Guan Yin and Da Hong Pao.

4. White Tea

White tea is the least processed of all tea types, made from young tea leaves and buds. It has a light, subtle flavor and is rich in antioxidants. Silver Needle and White Peony are popular varieties.

5. Herbal Tea

Technically not a tea since it doesn’t come from the Camellia sinensis plant, herbal tea is made from various herbs, spices, and flowers. Herbal teas come in countless varieties and can offer a range of flavors and health benefits. Popular options include chamomile, peppermint, and hibiscus.

Tips for Buying Tea Online

When purchasing tea online, consider the following tips to enhance your shopping experience:

1. Read Product Descriptions Carefully

Take the time to read the product descriptions on the retailer's website. Look for information about the tea's origin, flavor notes, and brewing instructions. This will help you choose the best tea for your taste preferences.

2. Check for Freshness

Quality tea should be fresh. Look for retailers that provide harvest dates or packaging dates to ensure you’re buying tea that hasn’t been sitting on the shelf for too long.

3. Explore Sample Packs

If you’re unsure which tea to choose, consider purchasing sample packs. Many online retailers offer curated selections that allow you to taste different teas without committing to a full-sized package.

4. Buy Premium Tea Online with Backyard Brew

If you’re looking for high-quality tea, buy premium tea online with Backyard Brew. Our selection features a variety of teas sourced from reputable suppliers, ensuring you receive the best quality for your tea-drinking experience.

Brewing the Perfect Cup of Tea

Once you’ve selected your tea, it’s time to brew the perfect cup! The brewing method can greatly influence the flavor and aroma of your tea. Here are some essential tips for brewing various types of tea:

1. Use Fresh Water

Always start with fresh, cold water. The quality of the water you use will affect the final taste of your tea. Avoid using water that has been previously boiled, as it can lose oxygen, resulting in flat-tasting tea.

2. Measure the Tea

Using the right amount of tea leaves is crucial for achieving the perfect flavor. Generally, one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup (8 oz) of water is a good guideline, but this can vary based on the type of tea and personal preference.

3. Monitor Water Temperature

Different types of tea require different brewing temperatures:

Black Tea: 200-212°F (93-100°C)

Green Tea: 160-180°F (70-82°C)

Oolong Tea: 180-200°F (82-93°C)

White Tea: 160-185°F (70-85°C)

Herbal Tea: 200-212°F (93-100°C)

Using the correct temperature will help you extract the best flavors from your tea leaves.

4. Brewing Time

Brewing time is essential for achieving the desired flavor:

Black Tea: 3-5 minutes

Green Tea: 2-3 minutes

Oolong Tea: 4-7 minutes

White Tea: 4-5 minutes

Herbal Tea: 5-7 minutes

Keep an eye on the clock to avoid over-steeping, which can lead to bitterness.

Conclusion

Buying tea online has revolutionized the way we discover and enjoy this beloved beverage. With access to an extensive selection, the ability to read reviews, and the convenience of delivery, tea enthusiasts can explore new flavors and blends with ease. By understanding the different types of tea, following our tips for purchasing, and mastering the brewing process, you can elevate your tea experience to new heights.

So, why wait? Dive into the world of online tea shopping and discover the delightful flavors that await you. With the right knowledge and resources, you’ll find the perfect cup of tea that suits your palate and enhances your daily routine.

FAQs

1. Is buying tea online safe?

Yes, purchasing tea online is safe if you buy from reputable retailers. Look for reviews and check the seller’s return policy.

2. How should I store my tea?

Store tea in an airtight container in a cool, dark place to maintain freshness and flavor.

3. Can I return tea if I don’t like it?

Many online retailers offer satisfaction guarantees, so check their return policy for specifics.

4. How long does tea stay fresh?

Tea is best consumed within a year of purchase for optimal flavor, although some types may last longer if stored correctly.

5. What is the best way to brew tea?

It depends on the type of tea you’re using. Follow the brewing instructions for each variety to achieve the best results.

By exploring the world of online tea shopping, you’ll be well on your way to finding the perfect blends to enjoy!

[live-love-laugh-lesbian]

hi again!!

hot cross buns my beloved <33 ive only had fresh ones once because im too broke 😭 but they're soo good i hope yours turned out great!!

and you have no idea how much you pinning the asks helps me 😭 its literally the most helpful thing ever so thank you so muchhh

how long have you been a swiftie?

i would say like 13 years? i learned about her from quite a young age because of my sister and u listened to her quite a bit but like a proper proper obsessed swiftie would be 4 years? fun fact: my first taylor song was teardrops on my guitar <3 what was yours?

would you rather be able to fly or to breathe underwater?

ooh this one is hard i suck at decision making ajshhdjsd but if i were to choose id say fly? bc a) i can fly to my family at any time since im quite a bit away at uni b) i grew up watching my little pony and my favourite character was rainbow dash (SHE PLAYS ELECTRIC GUITARRRR) so do with that what you will and c) flying seems fun and i cant swim so i would probably never step in water... howeverrr if i do drown the breathing underwater would help and if me flying was w wings they would weigh me down... but lets not focus on the bad ansjrjsnsbf

what about you?

and i have a question for you: tea or coffee? and how do you drink the one you prefer?

goodbye 'til next time <33

-swiftie spring exchange anon

I used to hate hot cross buns, funnily enough XD I was lucky that the only thing I needed to get was some yeast for them, cause a while ago I got a bunch of flour etc...also I'm glad pinning helps! I reblog so much that I was like...hold up, would I wanna go scrolling back that far...no? Ok assume they don't either XD

I've literally been a swiftie for like 2 years XD I was so new to it all that when people were talking about Taylor's Version of things I had no idea what they were on about, and was confused by how some versions of some songs sounded different lol. My like...very first song was technically Story Of Us because I found it on an anime amv as a kid and was like D:

But the first one that started making me a swiftie was I think Cruel Summer. I saw a random youtube short about songs from TS that needed music videos and watched it on a whim. From there, got really into the Lover album, then tried Reputation, and then proceeded to listen through every album she had lol.

See I too cannot swim, so breathing underwater would just be me stuck alone at the bottom of the water...bit nightmarish for my liking. If I could swim then I'd love to breathe underwater. But since I cannot I am forced to pick flight as well XD Also I love My Little Pony, and Rainbow Dash is an excellent choice for favourite pony XD

Ah tea easily. Coffee ranges from "bad texture" to "bad taste" to me...! But with tea I always go for herbal tea (usually peppermint or chamomile cause I can get those cheaply). I used to put honey in it, but even if I weren't vegan now I also just got lazy about it. I only used honey for tea, and at some point was like "is it worth the money" and decided no XD What about you?

Another question (my workplace does "question of the day"s and so I have many of these random things): Would you rather be able to master any instrument you wanted to learn, or any sport you wanted to play?

[bellarad]

This post is blowing up for some reason so I just wanted to post a bit more on the subject of herbalism and herbal teas.

Most herbal teas are safe to use even with medications, but its extremely important to double check this. And honestly, I dont suggest going to your doctor for questions - I suggest going to a pharmacist. A pharmacist should have a better understanding of potential interactions. If they don't, contact a TRAINED, EXPERIENCED herbalist who can tell you about what sort of risk factors there are for certain herbs and at which dosage.

Ginger is technically an emmenagogue. It can start your period early/on time and induce early miscarriage if you take enough of it. But it's also frequently drunk safely in teas in early pregnancy to combat morning sickness. One of my pharmacy profs gave is this wise piece of advice:

The dose makes the poison

Some tips:

If you are taking herbal teas, tinctures or supplements, I highly suggest only taking one herb at a time to see how it affects you. I.e. drink chamomile tea instead of a whole blend of sedative herbs. This will give you a chance to see how you react to a particular herb and help you rule out any adverse reactions you may have to something within a blend.

Be mindful with the herbs that you take and by that I mean, sit with the herb while you're taking it. When you drink your first few cups of tea, take time to savor it and listen to your body. How does the tea make you feel? What does it remind you of? Does it feel healing or does something feel off? Really tune into your body. In the hours after youve taken it, try to check in with yourself and how you feel. Did your stomach go off? Do you have a headache? Feel a little *too* relaxed? Maybe this herb isn't right for you.

Be aware of upper limits to herbs, how much you should take and how long. Most herbalists suggest only taking herbs for a few weeks to a couple months as opposed to continuously. Some herbs are strong enough to cause damage to the liver and kidneys, especially if taken in tincture form and for a prolonged period. Again, check in with an herbalist or with a reputable herbalism source about what dosage is safe for you, being mindful of your own physical circumstances and health history. I saw someone comment that they have a history of thyroid problems and can't take adhwagandah because it's an adaptogen. This is a good example.

Be safe, be smart, be mindful.

This is why ppl taking meds need to check the ingredients on tea.

Willow bark has similar (albeit milder) effects as Aspirin. Willow bark has salicylates which reduce inflammation and related pain, but also act as blood thinners. If you're taking blood thinners, other NSAIDs and other meds that would normally interact with aspirin, you shouldn't be taking Willow bark.

Nettle is a great nerve tonic and while often used in later pregnancy, has been known to have the potential to cause miscarriage in the first trimester. It also has the potential to interact with some medications such as diabetes medications, blood thinners, and antihypertensives.

It bothers me that teas like this are just in the regular tea section with no other warning on them despite having the potential to cause issues for people. I've also seen teas with St. John's Wort; Valerian is common; and NO warnings on them.

Please always check med interactions. It could be nothing, but it could be something. I had a crazy interaction affecting my heart when I drank half a bottle of coke on Wellbutrin because of the caffeine. PLEASE BE CAREFUL

[calmersutrateas-blog]

The Magic Of Organic Tea: Sip Your Way To Wellness

There's something truly enchanting about a warm cup of tea, isn't there? The gentle aroma, the soothing flavors, and the comforting ritual of brewing a steaming cup can instantly transport you to a place of tranquility. If you're someone who appreciates the finer things in life and values their well-being, organic tea is a delightful choice that combines taste and health benefits seamlessly.

In this blog post, we'll delve into the world of organic tea Australia, exploring its origins, benefits, and how you can incorporate it into your daily routine. So sit back, relax, and let's embark on this tea-filled journey together!

Unveiling the Origins of Organic Tea

Tea has a rich history that spans centuries and continents. Originating in ancient China, it quickly spread across Asia and eventually made its way to the rest of the world. However, not all tea is created equal. Organic tea stands out from the rest as it is grown and processed without the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. This ensures that every sip you take is as close to nature as possible, allowing you to experience tea in its purest form.

The Benefits of Choosing Organic Tea

Organic tea offers a plethora of benefits for both your body and the environment. Here are just a few reasons why you should consider incorporating it into your daily routine:

Healthier You:By opting for organic tea, you're choosing a beverage free from harmful residues that can be present in conventionally grown tea. This means you're consuming fewer toxins and pesticides, promoting a healthier lifestyle.

Rich in Antioxidants:Organic tea is known for its high levels of antioxidants, which play a crucial role in fighting free radicals in the body. These antioxidants can help boost your immune system, protect against chronic diseases, and promote overall well-being.

Flavorful Delights:Organic tea is often praised for its exceptional taste. Grown in nutrient-rich soil and carefully harvested, it offers a vibrant and complex flavor profile that can tantalize your taste buds with every sip.

Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly:Choosing organic tea supports sustainable agricultural practices and helps protect our planet. Organic farming methods prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and the conservation of natural resources.

Exploring the Diverse World of Organic Tea

The world of organic tea is vast and diverse, offering a wide array of options to suit every taste preference. Here are a few popular varieties to get you started:

Green Tea:Known for its fresh and grassy flavor, green tea is packed with antioxidants and is believed to have numerous health benefits, including aiding in weight management and improving brain function.

Black Tea:With its robust and bold flavor, black tea is a classic favorite for many tea enthusiasts. It's often enjoyed with milk and sugar and provides a gentle energy boost to help you start your day.

Herbal Tea:While not technically tea (as it doesn't come from the Camellia sinensis plant), herbal infusions offer a wide range of flavors and wellness benefits. From calming chamomile to invigorating peppermint, there's an herbal tea for every mood.

Making Organic Tea a Part of Your Daily Ritual

Incorporating organic tea into your daily routine is easier than you might think. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Choose Quality:Look for reputable brands that specialize in organic tea. Ensure that their products are certified organic to guarantee authenticity.

Experiment and Explore:Don't be afraid to try new flavors and blends. With the diverse range of organic teas available, you're sureto find something that suits your taste buds.

Brew with Care:Follow the recommended brewing instructions for each type of tea to ensure you get the best flavor and benefits. Remember, patience is key!

Enjoy the Moment:Take a break from your busy day, find a cozy spot, and savor your cup of organic tea. Allow yourself to be fully present in the moment and let the soothing warmth of the tea envelop you.

Conclusion

organic tea Australia offers a delightful journey for your senses and a myriad of benefits for your well-being. From the enchanting origins to the diverse flavors, each cup of organic tea is a sip of harmony and health. So why not indulge in this magical beverage and experience the wonders it has to offer? Embrace the ritual, explore the flavors, and let organic tea become an integral part of your daily life. Cheers to a healthier, tastier, and more sustainable tea-drinking experience!

Source - https://calmersutratea.godaddysites.com/f/the-magic-of-organic-tea-sip-your-way-to-wellness

[elijah714]

Some undiscovered Benefits of Herbal Tea you need to know!

Herbal tea is one of the best drinks that you can have due to its health benefits. Though not technically a tea as they are made from herbs, fruits, barks, spices or roots, herbal tea is caffeine free. As we know water is hydrating however herbal tea is a great alternative to drinking water. Not only that but it also delivers powerful impacts to your health. We have listed the Top 5 hidden herbal tea benefits which including easing digestion, minimising inflammation, boosting the immune system, aiding with weight loss and helping to relieve stress. They’re all awesome reasons as to why you should drink herbal tea bags from teapigs and get the benefits of herbal tea.

Herbal Tea Benefits

Here are some benefits of herbal tea for your health.

1. Eases Digestion

One of the benefits of herbal tea is helping to ease digestion. Different herbal teas have been used for centuries as a natural remedy for settling the stomach. They also help with bloating and gas. The properties contained in herbal teas are beneficial in soothing and settling your digestive system, so you feel good again.

From our teapigs range, our peppermint tea and our chamomile tea are the go-to to help with digestion. Have our peppermint or sweet ginger to enhance your digestion as well as your health and well-being.

2. Minimise inflammation

Inflammation occurs when you get a cut, bruise or an injury and your body reacts by forming a protective barrier. Inflammation is easily recognised by its redness, swelling and the soreness surrounding the area. When you have inflammation, your body is working to heal and repair itself in order to stop further infections occurring.

Chronic inflammation arises if the body has not healed properly. It can also result due to ill health or lifestyle factors like stress. In the worst case scenario, chronic inflammation can lead to serious health issues like cancer, heart disease, arthritis, diabetes or Alzheimer’s.

The benefits of herbal tea are so good that it can help minimise inflammation. They have certain plant compounds that eases inflammation. Different herbal teas have the ability to work on your body, so you experience less inflammation and pain.

3. Boost immune system

One of the best drinks that you can have to boost your immune system is herbal tea. Due to the antioxidants along with antiviral and antibacterial properties, drinking herbal tea on a regular basis can keep you healthy. If you have a cold or the flu, herbal tea will help you recover.

Herbal teas have things bioactive compounds like phenolic acids, flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids and carotenoids that enhances your immune system. Keeping your immune system strong is super important particularly during the cooler months. That is why having herbal tea benefits you by boosting your immune system.

4. Aid weight loss

Do you find it hard to shift the kgs? If so, herbal tea can help you out.

Herbal teas contain ingredients like lemon, ginger, cinnamon and lemongrass that are beneficial for helping with your metabolism. For those who are on a quest to shed some weight, having herbal tea will help you along the way. When combined with fitness and exercise, herbal teas work as a natural detox to help you burn fat.

One such herbal tea that aids in weight loss is lemongrass tea. The polyphenol compounds contained in lemongrass helps with burning your body’s energy as well as your body fat. As there are very little calories and carbs in lemongrass tea, it is the perfect drink to have before lunch or dinner as it makes you feel full and stops you from gorging on food.

5. Relieves stress

We all have busy lives juggling work, study, family, kids, friends as well as our hobbies and interests. When everything gets overwhelming, stress can appear and cause havoc. It’s important to look after yourself when you experience these types of moments in your life. Having a warm drink with herbal tea bags will make a difference to your life. Calming and relaxing, things will become peaceful again.

Drinking chamomile tea helps to calm the overactive mind and creates a sense of serenity. The extract in chamomile tea helps to reduce stress and anxiety. If you unable to switch off, one cup of this tea will ease your mind. Relax and put your feet up whilst sipping on our chamomile tea.

Conclusion

Self-care and looking after your health is important. That is why herbal tea is just what you need in your life.

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[dunksoap]

Maison talo x reader

Short Headcannons

WARNING : smut but only a bit / yandere behavior ( not extreme )

( ps this is a continuation of my maison talo fanfic )

He'd probably want to keep you in the house yknow " for the rating "

His dick is probably 8 to 12 inches , ( yes he disguised his dick as the mailbox )

If you do go out he'll occasionally ask you to get more people to " check out" the house

He specifically stated that he doesnt want people touching " the mailbox " , and said " thats only for you to do dear tenant"

He likes tea and its a mixture of earl grey and lavander

Sometimes you get chamomile tea to put him to sleep so you can have a bit of time to yourself , shopping etc.

He likes when you suggest new colors for the exterior of the house

He likes it when you paint his nails ( other colors than red )

He calls you " tenant " because technically you live there now in some weird way "

His tounge is the sofa so you can imagine what kind of things he can do with that

[rabbitbugz]

🌈 Stupid Silly Splendorman Headcannons 🌈

these are some of my personal headcannons but feel free to use this post for ideas :>

Will often let people pick a nickname and set of pronouns for him if they ask!

Likes any pronouns! He’s technically sexless as well. Feminine and neutral are rarely used for him but he enjoys them nonetheless!

If you’re excited h e ‘ s excited.

G l i t t e r

Glitter is always on his person, no one knows how.

The only man with the patience to get glitter out of a dyer after a freak glitter-bag-was-left-in-his-pants-pocket mishap.

Doesnt sleep! Ever!

He also doesn’t need to eat, but eats for the enjoyment of it and quality time with others!

His favorite color is all of them, he feels bad leaving some out.

His favorite teas range but chamomile, chai, darjeeling are his top three!

His favorite food is butternut squash soup (but he won’t ever admit it.)

His favorite deserts are chocolate cake and rice pudding.

Not a big fan of cheeses or meats. He tries not to eat anything that was once breathing. But he’s just iffy about cheese.

Has a rotation chart for his stuffed animals and which he hasn’t spent time with yet. He tries to do group activities with them, but one of one is important too.

His alias is “Felix” !

Has the ability to change other’s perceptions. He doesn’t like to use this ability, but he will to call less attention to himself in public. Splendy often choices to hold a human appearance.

Splendorman uses his human “appearance” mainly when going to hospitals, orphanages, or schools to volunteer!

Everything. Has. A. Personality. Its a habit he’s picked up from working with children, but he tends to sympathize and personify a lot of items.

Playing songs, dancing, reading stories, supervising and helping teach are just a few of the responsibilities he takes on!

His instrument of choice is probably the harpsichord, but he also really enjoys the kalimba as well. Both have a sweet lullaby sound to him.

Splendy can play other instruments such the piano, xylophone, and tambourine. He’d like to try and learn how to play string instruments again but in his own stride.

A lot of what he does, doesn’t just stop with assisting kids either. Sometimes he’ll reach a hand out to parents and guardians as well to educate and help lead them through tough situations.

Mental health is very important for his species, so he has a lot of activities he participates in to decompress or enjoy himself.

Gardening especially is an activity he finds cathartic and helps him gather his thoughts.

Owns a gardening apron made for him by Trenderman! Its one of his favorite items.

His garden is full of plants that can be used to feed people who need it, or used as herbal remedies of sorts. For example: lavender, he’ll use it to make tea to help others sleep.

Daisies are his favorites

He constantly has daisies on him, they seem to stay fresh when on his person. Because of this he hands them out to loft spirits.

Recycling is important to him! He tries to use everything to the best of his ability.

Because respecting and protecting lofe is so important to him, he often finds himself using things he’s cultivated personally in the foods/crafts he makes. (yes this means he has chickens)

“Thank you for providing such wonderful flowers this season, and thank you for growing.”

A letter writer. He often ends his letters of with something along the lines of “Sincerely, Splendor! ☆” there’s always a star.

Pretty educated! In trying to properly assimilate into human culture he’s done an awful lot of reading to be as verse and literate as he can. Its a lot more helpful that it seems!

Probably shouldn’t play guessing games with him, he’s exceptionally sharp.

And no he’s not cheating, he’s just got a really good imagination.

Despite being rather organized and thoughtful, this doesn’t stop him from being a bit careless time to time.

You’d think he was on auto pilot with the amount of times he’s tripped on absolutely nothing.

“Trender: *holds an item out*” “Splendor: *holds :D*” dynamic.

“Trender: I need-“ “Splendor: *holding it out :D*” dynamic part two.

Wakes up every day to put those bells on the ends of his tendrils.

His bells aren’t the only way he can eminent a “soothing energy” to others, in fact he doesn’t need them, but he finds its a lot less invasive, and easier to use a harmonious sound.

Splendorman and Slenderman, are twins.

Despite being twins, the two rarely have contact.

In fact Splendorman has very little contact with family in general. The only exception to this being Trenderman, whom he spends a great deal of time with!

As much as it sometimes saddens Splendy that his twin brother would prefer for him not to be around, he finds comfort in the fact he gets to see family that’s much less toxic towards him.

Despite not being human, he enjoys human holidays! He thinks its a great excuse way to give more than he usually would.

Splendy also recognizes that Trender at some point w a s human, and these holidays often help him retain a feeling of “normalcy” in his new state.

Doesn’t like being around the other pasta’s much either because of their violent habits.

The only exception so far being Dina, Liu, and Sally. Even then there’s a slight discomfort.

Actively trying to find a way to help Sally. Splendorman respects his brother but there’s a anxiety and distrust about allowing Sally to stay with him. He worries about her quite a bit.

Splendorman also desires to help Janet. He’s not sure what he could do for her as she’s expressed a hesitance and general distrust with his presence. He won’t push her, but if she ever wants help he’s there to reach out a hand.

Despite his friendly and bouncy nature, Splendorman isn’t naive in any sense, nor is he inconsiderate or willfully ignorant. He’s a very cheerful person but its taken some work to get there! He recognizes that expressing sadness or anger in a healthy is just as important being happy.

A great memory, even if he’s only met you once for half a second, he’ll be able to recall you with ease.

This includes boundaries! Splendorman does his best to make others comfortable, so he does his best to pay attention to others discomfort and requests.

Addresses people formally, in fact a lot of his speak is warm and formal! But he tends to choose friendlier speech when others have expressed closeness towards him.

Just wants to help ! ☆

If you have any questions or wanna know more about characters in my AU direct them to my ask box!

[andragoras-in-vanity]

hellooo traveler, answer me these questions 3 (x5) or I will idk. curse your pee ✨🧙‍♂️✨ top 5 songs top 5 flowers you want in your hair top 5 scents

oooooo YES,💚 thank youu💚

songs:

1. rise above this-seether

2. planet zero-shinedown

3. fairy of the bog-blackbriar

4. devil like you-bridge city sinners

5. ship will sail-paddy and the rats (although candy by the blasting company nearly made the list too, and same damn life, god damn music is so good)

flowers:

1. pink or white roses, thorns included

2. lavender (white and purple) and yellow honeysuckle

3. buttercups and forget me nots and chamomile

4. cherry blossoms (like the double petal sakura blooms, not actual cherry tree flowers)

5. not technically flowers but oak, maple, and birch leaves, maybe apple blossoms too

scents:

1. myrrh, its familiar and warm

2. peony and pears

3. lilacs and late night rain

4. homemade bread and fresh muffins

5. herbal tea and nature, far far from humans and cities, so that it only smells green and earthy

(id add my perfume but i dont actually know whats in it?? i think its jasmine and tonka but it has pictures of lilies on it and its called death and decay??)

thank you mah fran!!💚💚💚

[shiversdownyerspine]

7. Premeditated

GETTING WARMER FOR ALL THEM OTTO PEEPS. >:D

18+

You take a deep steadying breath into your hands, dragging them down your face as you breathe out. Stars twinkling in the window, you lean forward against the counter as your body shivers uncontrollably. With your elbows atop the counter, you wait once again for your kettle to boil, already dreading morning. 

This can't go on. At this rate, you're going to drink all the coffee in your home! But what can you do except wait? You've done it time and time again; wrap up in your covers, drink your piping hot tea, and catch a couple hours of sleep before the cold sets in again and you start the whole process over. Rinse and repeat the whole night away, the week away, until the chill that has made a home in your bones eases its grip. For a time.

Lips parting on a shaky sigh, you fiddle with your sleeve, allowing your flannel pajamas' polka dot pattern to distract you from your joyless thoughts. Feeling the fuzzy interior around the inside of the cuff, you miss the meager vestiges of body heat that had long disappeared into the night. Small as they were, at least they had been something. Your head swivels to eye your stove, the little flame burning under your kettle, and hop up on the counter to sit. Not too close to the flame, but close enough to soak up some of the heat.

As the water bubbles in its confines, you quickly switch off the stove and pop the kettle up before it can start to whistle. Filling your classic mug of chamomile tea, your thoughts once again fall; this was much easier to handle when you had no guests, no one to pick up on your little problem. Of course that's not their fault, and you're certainly not blaming them, just appreciating a freedom that you were unaware of before. 

Smile pulling at your lips, you recall a couple days prior how you taunted the three before disappearing to your room before revenge could be had. Your familiarity with the men has certainly been making you bold. Honestly, you're kind of surprised no one has retaliated against you, but on the other hand, the suspense offers a sort of retribution all on its own. You doubt that'd be enough for them though.

This introspection has you distracted well and good, to the point that when the tallest brother leaves the guestroom and walks barefoot to your kitchen, you had yet to notice him until he was practically in front of you. Deja vu strikes; your grasp falters, hands fumbling with your drink with the familiar sudden appearance of a long john wearing man. Wide eyed, you blink up at Otto as he scans you head to toe, taking in your shivering layers and that you are once more preparing a drink late in the night.

He is direct, "You're awake, why?"

Judging by his determined tone, the man is on a hunt. You fidget, "Can't sleep sometimes."

He snorts, "Weeks of bad sleep? No."

He gestures to your kettle, "Drink, why?"

Your answer is technically honest, "...I get cold sometimes."

With narrow eyes, he crushes your wish that he would leave it at that, "Cold why?" 

Your gaze lowers to your steaming cup, pouting just a little, "I was kind of hoping you'd just assume it's because I'm smaller in stature." Otto waits patiently, folding his arms in victory.

Tapping a nervous rhythm on the sides of your mug, you give it a go, "Well, you all know about my regeneration? So...I suffered a serious injury to my diaphragm and my ribcage when I was young and my healing was in..early development. It did heal, but not...uh..the way it should have...it was..different? Wrong?" 

Your brow furrows with frustration, "I-I'm sorry, I know I'm not being very clear, but the only way I'd know for certain is with a doctor visit...which I can't do for...many reasons. Basically all I have is just...theory." 

You sip your drink, eyes drifting back up to Otto.

"I think when the injury healed, it healed incorrectly and permanently. Because of that, I have difficulty generating and sustaining my own body heat. It just slips away sometimes. It took a good while to get used to these...random cold spells. They don't hurt, not really, I just...lose out on more sleep than I'd like."

Although the colder seasons are...pretty rough. You can't lie to yourself about that.

Otto cocks his head, frowning. He takes a moment to find the words, which he speaks softly, "All your blankets..sweaters...ah..hot drinking?" 

You smile to confirm, patting the knit blanket on your shoulder as you hum, "Yup, all to help with my condition. Well...not exclusively. I do enjoy all those things quite a bit, so even if I didn't have this little problem, I don't know if my tastes would be much different. There's just something about knit-wear and hot cocoa that makes me happy." You grin, wiggling your feet in the heavy fuzzy socks that currently adorn them, displaying your enjoyment of their softness. You can get a bit silly when you're so tired.

The look he gives you is...focused. Judging by the tense set of his jaw and the soft popping of his knuckles as his hands curl into fists, it's almost like he's...

"Who hurt you?" 

Your thought process is abruptly cut off. You blink in mild surprise...he's not asking what, but who. Does he suspect it wasn't some sort of accident then? You do have a lack of pictures around your home, no friends or family from before you became affiliated with the Commission, so maybe he reasoned that your isolation had something to do with an aversion to people? And not just fear of your ability being discovered?...The man pays attention.

The smile on your face fades as you fall still, thinking carefully. Of course you were trying to figure out some sort of way to answer his question without diving into dangerous waters, but you find that his question is pulling from you some honest consideration; you weren't sure how you felt about the agents that brought you to that man, but in the end they were just doing their jobs...you don't even know if they had any idea what was actually going on. Regardless of intent, you have no warm thoughts or feelings to spare for them. But, there was only one person that made the feathers on the back of your neck stand on end with just a thought.

"It doesn't matter, they're long gone now. Good riddance." Your last sentence leaves your lips in a quiet hiss.

Ottos frown deepens into a furious scowl, "Where."

Your hands squeeze your mug, "Dead. I promise."

You're fairly certain you're the one that did it. You had gotten some flickers of memory quite a while back, one in particular had been of a man in...dire need of assistance as he flailed uselessly underneath long frantically swiping claws. He hadn't really been recognizable under all the mess and gore...but oh, there was this feeling.

The tension in the large man seems to ease, but Otto pauses with curiosity and surprise as he processes the pure vitriol in your voice, "You kill?"

You stumble over your words, "I...well, anyone can kill...if they're backed into a corner, right? If there's no other way out, and...and really.." 

Your voice trails off at about the same time as your mind does, beginning the descent into fuzzy memory.

You're not even sure why you're fighting the urge to panic; these men are assassins, killing is a part of their life. They understand ending a life to defend oneself... but that isn't the problem, is it. It's not that someone might think less of you, it's that...you don't remember. 

"I barely remember doing it. I don't remember what I was thinking or what I felt. I don't remember being shot at, but I do remember the pain. Bullets and blood spilling out. I don't remember if that man said anything before I started mauling him. I don't remember if when I had staggered up off the floor after a never-ending beating if..if I'd ran or tracked the man down first and...what sort of person has that maliciousness at 12 years old?"

Sighing, you scrub a hand tiredly over your face, the thick silence in the air bringing your gaze back up to Otto and...oh...you'd said everything out loud.

Color drains from your face as your eyes fall to the half full cradle of tea that is the inside of your mug. The exhaustion swallows any further panic as you mumble an apology, that you didn't intend to burden him.

Bare feet quietly pat against the kitchen floor as the man steps closer to you, burning fingertips gracing your cheek. Deep in the back of your mind you're reminded of Axel's touch, but it isn't quite the same because it's Otto's. The warmth has you leaning into his palm, seeking more instinctively to chase the chill away. It's not enough.

Otto is quiet for a moment, searching for the words before he describes their first kill, how the brothers had been young as well but older than you were. Young adults. They hadn't been employed by the Commission yet, but what you can gather from the little he gives of the situation is that they were protecting Oscar. It happened so quickly, didn't feel real. It weighed heavy on them, got easier with time. Still have rare moments where it's heavy again, old thoughts, memories. He rests his nose and lips at the top of your head, lightly in your hair. Like you. You are like them.

Perched up on the counter, your knees lightly brush his hips as he stands close, nearly between your legs as his hand cups the back of your neck. His palm rests oh so lightly atop your feathers, careful not to ruffle or stress, only offering a sheepish sort of comfort. His scent surrounds you, and it's fresh laundry and unexplainably his own and it's making you dizzy, everything is making you fuzzy and you're so drained and he's so so close...

Impulsivity, desperation, and prolonged sleeplessness has stolen away your common sense as you scoot closer to him. Your arms wrap tentatively over his shoulders in a loose hug, carefully leaning in as you tuck your face tiredly into his neck. Otto goes very still and quiet for a moment, before a quiet expletive in Swedish leaves his mouth. His palm remains on your nape, neither of you moving as you bask in his warmth.

Your lips are ticklish as they brush against his skin, murmuring a muffled bashful apology about clinginess and coldness and he can feel your hands slipping away from him. Impulsivity can be very contagious; before your touch has the chance to leave him completely, both of his big hands slip to your back and he's pulling you right back into him. Any response you have dies on your tongue, stunned and a bit timid as he pulls you forward off the counter, chest to chest. Otto has one of his arms curled under your rear, the other hand splayed at the middle of your back as he walks to the living room.

He insists, "You need to sleep."

Otto supposes he really should have just set you down after pulling you off the counter, but that doesn't necessarily mean he needs to detangle from you right now...just when he reaches your door. And when your legs aren't quite so snug around him. Of course.

Flustered, you pull back from his neck and remind him, "Sleep is easier said than done. Drinks and blankets help but it's only temporary, it comes back and I wake up."

He pauses before he can reach the hallway, scowling at your predicament. And then he wonders about you taking initiative to boldly press to him for what he had first considered to be emotional comfort...but now? You're not shivering as much so...

He offers curiously, "Body heat?"

Your mouth open, closes, then opens again, "I..um.."

Reflexive embarrassment fades as you take a moment to really think about it; you had had short professional relationships in your life, tentative friendships when you were younger that you had abandoned in the end, holding everyone at arm's length...when was the last time you had indulged in a simple hug? When you were a child?

You answer quietly, "I don't know."

Otto redirects his path and walks to the sofa instead, listening, "It's possible? I never really had the chance to find out, never mind finding the trust for it. It just didn't seem like a good idea to get that close to someone, anyone. It was too much of a risk, all things considered."

The large man understands, in a way. He knows his brothers would understand this kind of hesitation as well; caution had to be taken in many aspects of their lives working for the Commission as assassins, they still remember the early paranoia itching at the back of their minds when they first started. Luckily they had each other to rely on in their lives, not to mention the later experience to read intent and confidently indulge in a good fuck every now and then to chase away the touch deprivation.

But you...you had adopted solitude from a much earlier age, had molded your life around isolation. Sure, it wasn't exactly the same, but the similarities were there.

As he unwinds your legs from him so he can sit comfortably with you on his lap, his mind slips unbidden to other thoughts. Your earlier mention of a lack of social interaction and now admitting to a lack of touch confirmed that there were certain...activities...you had never experienced. Oscar had a point when he teased eating you out; the thought of your spread thighs shaking in his hands at the unfamiliar feeling of his wet mouth on you is intoxicating, but it may also be a necessary extra preparation before he fucks y-

Otto rips his mind from lurid thoughts, reminding himself to concentrate on his original effort to help you. Hopefully that would prevent his cock from rising to attention under your soft rear. You peer at the large man; he had gone quiet for a moment, drifting away...maybe he was processing or finding the words he wanted to say? 

You eye the flush on his face, concerned for a moment that your actions had finally made him uncomfortable before he flicks his hair out of his face and asks with a mild strain, "Curious so..find out? Answer?"

You consider putting an end to your invasion of his space, time, and sleep, feeling you had imposed enough. Strangely though, you don't quite seem to have the will to pull away from Otto. You find yourself relenting and accepting. It was too tempting, the thought of finally having relief from this stubborn cold spell. You'd brush aside your shyness and impropriety, especially if it meant you could finally sleep through the night undisturbed.

With your consent, Otto pulls you down to the couch on your sides with you still tucked in to him. Reaching for the quilt on the back of the sofa, he tugs it down and gives a couple of good single-handed shakes to unfold it before tossing it messily over the two of you with a grunt. His ears burn when he hears the muffled giggle at his minor predicament reverberate against his chest, responding to you with a huff, "Sleep."

And you do. You sleep for hours right through the night and well into morning as your body insists on you taking the opportunity.

Otto wakes to the sound of his younger brother wandering out of their guest room, but his eyes remain closed, more interested in focusing on the feel of your soft weight on his chest. Oscar wanders in to the living room to offer Butternut and Pumpkin a morning scratch, but notices the quilt missing from the back of the sofa. Figuring the cats might have messed with it, he wanders over to the aforementioned piece of furniture and nearly doesn't believe his eyes when he sees who are resting on the cushions. Is this an emergency? It has to be. He has to show Axel, it is an emergency.

Otto's ears perk as he listens to Oscar retreat to their room and return a moment later with an extra set of footsteps. Both feet stop at the back of the sofa, and the reclining man feels a pair of eyes looking intently down upon the two of you. Otto cracks open an eye, muttering that you most likely won't be up for a while longer. With a sigh, Axel trudges off to the kitchen to prepare food, insisting on a replay of last night's events when he's finished.

Earlier on, your habit of staying up late and waking in the night had made the eldest and his brothers a bit...antsy. As time went on their suspicions quickly died down, reasoning that your habits were simply a mild form of insomnia. They've all had their fair share of sleepless nights, yet over the course of a couple of weeks, you had steadily been staying up longer and longer and appearing more weary by the day. And as you fought to keep up, they could only watch with growing concern as you were slowly submerged. They had began to wonder if the culprit was something else.

As Axel prepares coffee and breakfast, Oscar heads off to check on the kittens and feed them while you are indisposed of. Otto waits patiently for his brothers to return and give him what he knows will be their undivided attention. He dips his chin down to watch you curiously; judging from your slow deep breathing, you are still very much dead to the world. Well, he supposes this means you both found the answer to the question of body heat to be a firm 'yes'. His brothers return shortly, leaning against the back of the sofa and eyeing you with not so subtle relief.

Otto begins his retelling by first asserting that it hadn't been insomnia like they thought, but an old injury made into a persistent condition by your ability. And just like he had found himself incensed as you accidentally revealed bits of your attack, so too did his brothers become possessive and protective; their lips twitching with the urge to bare teeth, postures tense and eyes blazing. Of course Oscar's rage was the most outwardly evident, but he knew how to read Axel. They were all mad dogs really, all of them.

The surprise on their faces when he revealed your kill was satisfying to say the least. Their expressions gradually changed to approval as they processed the information; it was hard to believe that you, tiny little sweetheart that you are, had actually killed someone. Of course anyone in a dire situation could be capable of things they hadn't thought possible, but you ripped a man to shreds. As a kid. Not to mention you did it with your bare hands? Well...maybe not bare per se.

Axel rests his elbows atop the sofa, hands clasped together as his attention returns once again to your ability. Oscar peers down at you in fascination and quiet disbelief. The eldest and youngest brothers' thoughts are eerily similar, the two men compare your unanticipated ferocity with the first time they saw your Phase; when Otto had caught you, the claws on your hands hadn't seemed all that significant...but then again they hadn't really asked all that much about the aspects of your ability, hadn't felt the need as they had taken your changes at face-value.

But what if there was more to it than general appearance? They weren't threatened, no, they were intrigued. After all, you had proven time and time again that you weren't interested in fighting or killing, even as they presented themselves as threats to you more than once...and not once did you attack them.

Needless to say, they have some more questions for you when you wake up. And perhaps a couple of changes as well.

[behindheremeraldeyes]

title: Empty Nest

summary: It’s been a peaceful week for the Titans, as nothing bad has happened in Jump City. And although she knew she should be enjoying that while she could, Raven just couldn’t rest until her little Robin returned to his nest.

a/n: okay... This is my very first DamiRae fic and I’m really really excited-slash-nervous about this! To be honest, it was very hard to work with their own particularities and I guess that was why I had such a great time writing this fic! It’s a fluff, not very complicated (but definitely longer than I had originally planned), and I do hope you guys can enjoy it! Constructive criticism is VERY MUCH appreciated, please! It’s a new experience for me, English is not my main language and I would love it if you could tell me your honest opinion (especially since I’m not really familiar with the comics yet). Have fun!

Also, I would like to thank @ravenfan1242 for being so sweet and for always making my dash so beautiful! Thank you so so much for making me feel so welcomed!

Pairing: Damian x Raven

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.

.

The clock was striking 3:07 am, but her amethyst eyes were still wide open as she flipped yet another page of her newest, mystery book. The tower was quiet, as most of its inhabitants were asleep, and from her large window, she could see the dim lights of Jump city flickering across the distant shore. For an entire week, there had been no reports on villainous acts, and apparently, that night would be no different.

Life seemed to be oddly peaceful, and for she knew better than to believe that would last forever, Raven was determined to enjoy every second of that temporary peace. It had been ages since she had last stayed up late reading, hence, the empath figured that would be the perfect opportunity to share such a delightful night with a hard-covered book.

Yes, that was definitely the reason why she was awake at such late hours of the dawn. Or at least that was the lie she had been telling herself for the past 6 hours.

Though it wasn’t really unusual for her to get lost in the pages of a good novel, Raven was just too stubborn to buy her own excuse. She knew the book was but a mere consequence of her insomnia— the sole whiteness of what has become of her nights whenever her little bird was summoned by the bat.

Yes, as embarrassing as it could be, Damian Wayne was the reason why she was up at such late hours. Though she knew better than to doubt her boyfriend’s impeccable combat skills, it was inevitable for her not to lose sleep whenever he had to go to Gotham in order to aid his father in yet another dangerous mission. Even with Bruce and Dick constantly patrolling the streets, she has never liked that cursed city, and knowing he was there fighting against A-class criminals such as the Joker and Bane was more than enough to leave her worried.

Her heart was beating incredibly loud in her chest, the air in her lungs felt heavier and even if she had technically read over 50 pages of her book, her eyes were constantly glancing towards her phone, waiting for the only notification that could make her feel less like a ticking bomb. Raven needed to know he was safe, and that would only happen when he had time to answer the message she had strategically sent him a couple of hours after he left for his mission. She would always choose her words carefully, making sure he wouldn’t notice her real intentions, and eventually, he would end up saying he was on his way back home to the Wayne mansion or anything that would imply it.

Most of the times, Raven would just ask him to send a pic from something she knew he could only find in the mansion, such as Titus, Alfred or even a picture of himself after a warm shower. Even if she could just ask him directly about his whereabouts, the empath didn’t want him to know she was actually worried about his safety, or else his ego would certainly explode.

He is a Wayne, after all.

That night, though, instead of a not-so-random pic, she had asked him to bring her a pack of chocolate chip cookies she has only ever found in Gotham. It’s a special recipe from an old man that lives a couple of blocks away from the police department, and even if he has once shared his secrets with Raven, that delicate taste of cinnamon is still a mystery to the empath. Those cookies are probably the only good thing about that forsaken city, and if they could help her keep track on him, then they were really the best cookies she could’ve ever asked for.

An annoyed sigh escaped her lips as she could now feel her stomach growling inside her belly. If just that stupid anxiety wasn’t already enough, now Raven was also growing hungry at the thought of her cookies. At that moment, she also realized her reading wasn’t taking her anywhere, therefore she chose to shut the book and let it rest over her chest. She closed her heavy eyes for a moment, then, taking a deep breath before picking up her phone from her nightstand. It had been hardly 16 minutes since she had last checked it, and she could feel anger running through her veins.

How much longer was he gonna take with those bandits? Had Batman never heard of curfew?

Apparently, not even all of those years of meditating seemed to have prepared her for dating a Robin. She was growing impatient with every passing minute, and as she held her phone in her hands, a new, desperate idea crossed her mind.

Raven was going to call him.

Even if she rarely ever used that phone for such purposes, and even if she knew he might be busy, the purple-haired girl had made up her mind. She was going to risk inflating his ego so she could check on him, and if by Azarath she discovered he had ignored her message and was already fast asleep back home, chances were that she was going to teleport to Gotham just to scold him— even if theoretically she knew he didn’t really deserve to be scolded.

Yes, that was exactly what she was going to do. She was going to call him, and he would better have her damn cooki—

Her cellphone buzzed. A new message was displayed on the screen, and as soon as she saw his name there, her amethyst eyes widened. Quickly, the girl sat up on her bed, the book sliding from her body, and it took her less than a second to unlock her phone so she could read the words her boyfriend had sent her.

‘Long night. I’ll ask Alfred to get it for you tomorrow. On my way home now.’

Her eyes read that message at least three times so she could make sure she didn’t misunderstand his words. Once they entered her head, though, it was as if a wave of relief rushed through her system. Her heart settled, a soft smile took over her lips and it was as if she could breath normally again.

He was going home. Finally.

At last, Damian was out of the dirty streets of Gotham and on his way to the safety of the Wayne mansion. She didn’t need to worry anymore— at least not for the rest of that night— and now, she could finally allow herself to fall asleep.

But not before a warm mug of tea.

A satisfied sigh escaped her lungs and in one, swift move; Raven was standing on her feet, stretching her arms above her head. Her short, purple hair framed her small face, slowly brushing her cheeks as she walked out of her room and towards the kitchen. For everyone was already asleep, she made sure not to make any unnecessary noise as she boiled the water in the electric kettle. She opened the cabinet to get her black mug, and soon, poured the water with the tea-bag already waiting inside.

The relaxing scent of chamomile invaded her nostrils, and maybe it was because she was still trapped in that rare, blissful moment of pure peace; but that lazy smile refused to leave her lips, as she carefully made her way back to her room with her tea in hands. At last, the empath was ready to sit back, relax and even read a couple more pages while the tea lasted. Perhaps, she could even go back and try to understand what she had supposedly read in the past couple of hours so she wouldn’t waste a good book.

Yes, that seemed like a nice idea, indeed. She nodded to herself, accepting her newest decision, and expertly, she used her elbow to activate the sensor so the automatic door could slide open. Her semi-dark room quickly came into view, a soft breeze blowing her locks away, and once her amethyst eyes landed on her bed, her heart skipped a beat.

Lips parted, eyes widened and knees slightly shaken. Though the sight of that green mask on his face was far from unpleasant, Raven would be lying if she said his presence didn’t startle her.

Damian has that effect on her. Always had and always will, she knows.

“You really have to stop sleeping with your window unlocked, Rae.”

His voice filled her ears and unconsciously, her chest grew warmer at how casual that short version of her name escaped his lips. Her eyes were set on him, watching as he took off his heavy boots. His eyes weren’t looking at her, but if they were, the raven haired boy would’ve noticed the way her shoulders tensed at his presence and the way her hands had turned slightly paler around the mug. The ceramic was still hot, but at that moment, she didn’t seem to care about that, no.

Unexpectedly, her boyfriend was back. And though that was far from an emergency, nothing else seemed to matter anymore.

“Damian...” His name rolled out of her tongue almost as a whisper. What was he doing there? Why didn’t he return to the mansion where he could get some proper rest after the night patrol? Did something happen?

Slowly, the empath realized her thoughts were leading her to think about bad scenarios that could explain the whole thing, and even if she was trying not to overthink, she knew better than to believe that was even an option at such hours.

Her eyes were now clinically scanning him, and physically, he seemed to be okay. There were no signs of major bleeding and all of his limbs were where they were meant to be. Could it be that something had happened to Bruce, then? Did they have a fight and that was why he didn’t go back home? Maybe Alfred—

The sound of her room’s automatic door closing suddenly brought her back to earth, and she could finally get a hold on her thoughts. She swallowed dry, releasing a sigh she didn’t know she was holding, as she took a couple of slow steps towards him. He had finally freed his feet from those boots, and judging by the way his lips curled up, it was easy to deduce that freedom felt nice after hours of kicking bad guys.

“You—” She spoke, his face now lifting so their eyes could meet behind his mask. Perhaps she really could just ask him why he was back so soon. “What are you—“

“Even if I doubt bad guys would even consider using your window to invade the tower, I’m pretty sure Kori wouldn’t like to wake up in the middle of the night with the intruder alarm.”

“What?” She asked, confusedly, as she had clearly not payed any attention to what he had been talking about before. “The window? No, that’s not important. I—“

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m probably the only one who uses it to enter your room anyway.” He chuckled, a smirk now playing on his lips. His elbows were now resting on his knees as he moved his neck to relieve some of the tension. “And besides, we can always blame Gar for the—”

“Damian!” She started, her voice an octave louder, cutting his train of thought. Once he noticed how serious her face looked, his smirk suddenly disappeared. He was definitely listening now. “What are you doing here?”

His eyes squinted under his mask, a wrinkle forming on the bridge of his nose, and Raven realized he looked genuinely confused at her question. For a couple of seconds, the room grew silent around them, and slowly, she felt her patience dying inside of her. The clock was about to strike 4a.m and she just didn’t feel like playing games anymore.

“... I live here, remember? The Robin of the team... The future leader of the titans. Are you okay, Rae?”

“No, that was not— Tch.” She scoffed, using a hand to massage her temples. That was really not her night. “I know you live here. I just meant to ask why you’re here and not in Gotham. You usually spend the night there after patrolling with Bruce. Did something happen?”

“Oh, that.” He started, his voice now holding a calmer tone. His lips were now slightly curled up, and judging by the way he stood up and tilted his head to the right, she could tell he was trying to read her as if she was an open book. Even if he refused to admit so, Damian was very much like his father, and that certainly included Bruce’s impeccably annoying, detective skills. “Nothing happened. I told you I was coming home.”

“I-I know you did, but...” She asked, taking another step closer and pointing an accusing finger at him. Her brows were knitted, as she was clearly not in the mood for jokes. “You better not be hiding anything from me, Damian.”

A smirk crossed his lips at the sight of his girlfriend all fired up, and if anything, he didn’t back off a single inch from her. Even if she could still not see his green eyes, she knew they would be holding that sly gleam that is so characteristic of him. “Don’t worry, okay? Nothing bad happened, I swear. The patrol was quite boring tonight so I just decided to get the jet and come back a bit earlier.”

“Really? Simple as that?”

“Yes, simple as that. I give you my word.” He lifted his right hand as to illustrate his seriousness, and at that moment, after analyzing his body language, Raven thought she could believe him this time. His voice sounded calm and she couldn’t feel any turbulence in his emotions, so, perhaps, she could accept the simple answer this time. Unconsciously, then, her expression softened, and she decided she could just be happy to have him back and they could finally get some sleep together.

Simple as that, she thought.

But maybe, Raven had made up her mind too soon.

“Why are you so surprised, though?”

“What?” Her eyes widened, a confused expression taking over her face.

“Well, you seem quite surprised that I actually chose to come back. Is there any particular reason for such reaction, Raven?”

Shit.

Though she had first believed to be the one in charge of their little argument, only now Raven could see how he had so smoothly turned the tables. At his words, she could feel her throat growing dry and she knew he was coming too close to the truth she was trying to hide.

She hated whenever he did that. Whenever he started to press her into voicing something they both already knew — because he knew, she was sure of that. He knew she was overthinking and that she was worrying over nothing. He knew she was trying to understand his reasons so she could accept her own answers.

He knew she was hiding something stupid. And he wanted to know what.

“Tch, don’t be ridiculous, Damian.” She tried to dismiss him, which was clearly to no avail. Raven crossed her arms across her chest, looking away from him, but she could still feel his eyes on her, as if they were stripping her from her own facade. “I’m glad you’re here. Just curious on why you didn’t use the door like the rest of us.”

“Well, it is 4am, Rae. Kory and the others are still asleep and I didn’t want to wake them up.”

“Oh, but waking me up was fine, then?”

“But you weren’t really asleep, were you?” He grinned. “Judging by how wide your eyes are and by the fact that you’re drinking tea instead of water; I don’t think it’s just a coincidence that you’re still up.”

The teasing tone of his voice made her want to punch him in the face at that moment. She had fallen right into his trap, and she knew she didn’t have much time to come up with a plausible answer if she didn’t want him to grow even more suspicious than he already was.

Raven had to say something. Anything would be better than to give him that chance to tease her into admitting the truth that she was, indeed, awake and waiting for him to get home safely. Even if that wasn’t really an interrogatory, she knew her boyfriend was using his elevated IQ to get the answers he wanted so he could use that against her in the near future. She couldn’t give him the taste of victory, no.

He would be insufferable if she did.

“I lost track of time while reading a book, that’s all. Most days you would find me asleep by now.”

“A book, sure...” He started, clearly not buying her excuse. “Are you sure you weren’t awake because you were worried about me?”

“You wish.” She said, turning to face him once again, as their eyes stubbornly battled for dominance.

Neither of them gave any signs of backing down anytime soon, and even if that could be slightly frustrating, both Damian and Raven enjoyed that little game of push and pull. It was exciting, the thrill of their little competition, as it showed just how intense their love could be. They flirted with very narrow limits and took advantage of slight changes on each other’s body language; and if anything, that only showed how deeply they cared for one another.

How deeply they loved.

“If you say so...” He started, the words slowly leaving his lips. He was smiling softly now, his tall body towering over hers as he took her left hand in his gloved ones. “Either way, I’m glad you’re up. It’s like you’re welcoming me home and it feels really nice. Thank you, Raven”

At his pure words, Raven couldn’t help but feel her knees shaking under her weight. Her heart skipped a beat and her chest got so warm that something inside her melted.

That little bastard.

Now he had really done it.

Even if the empath knew better than to simply believe those words held no deeper meaning, she knew he had carefully chosen them just to mess with her feelings. After giving up on teasing her with his standard strategy, Damian chose to use his secret weapon that would only work against her. It wasn’t meant to cause her pain or anything of the sort, but it sure was a powerful enough to take her down.

Damian was being soft, to the point where she couldn’t really resist. He was being sincere and true to his feelings, and perhaps, that was the main reason why she couldn’t find it in herself to even fight back. She knew about his past and his deepest struggles regarding his future. She knew about all the things he had to go through in order to be where he is now, and it’s impossible for her not to feel touched whenever he voices his true emotions.

For years, he had to walk his own, merciless path alone, not knowing for sure he had a place to call home. The expectations he had upon himself were too heavy for him to carry alone, yet, he never stumbled or complained about them. He has always been so hard on himself, never accepting anything but perfection— he was raised as the perfect child, after all.

He was never accepted. Never loved or even welcomed for most of his life.

But now—well...

Now his life was so much different than before. He has a father, a brother, friends and a place where he can be himself and make as many mistakes as he wants.

He has a place to call home and a person waiting solely for him. And the best part in all that is that he knows.

He truly knows.

As realizations stroke her, the empath released an exasperated sigh. It was really late—not that she was even planning on sleeping anymore— and there was no way she could beat him anymore. Her heart was moved by his low move, and the only thing left for her was to silently admit defeat and properly welcome him home.

Her mug of tea— now colder than Dr. Freeze’s ice beams—was soon enveloped by her magic as it floated around the room until she placed it on her nightstand. She freed her hand, then, and slowly, she reached for his face, her fingertips touching the edges of his mask. He didn’t flinch, she noticed. He never really does whenever she touches him. His silence was the only permission she needed, and soon, Raven removed his mask, finally being able to look deep into his emerald eyes.

They stared at each other for a little too long, examining every change and every flicker hidden behind those orbs. Her amethyst eyes were looking at him softly, and she watched as all that bold malice disappeared from his lips. Damian was offering her a delicate smile, and before she knew it, her lips were also curling up. A soft blush tinged her cheeks, and at that moment, she could sense their emotions mixing together.

They were the same. Perfectly connected by one feeling called love.

“I’m glad you’re home, Damian.” She spoke, simply. “It made me happy, too.”

“TT” He scoffed, bitting his lower lip in order to suppress a smile. “And you still wonder why I chose to come back.”

A chuckle escaped her lips, and before she could even answer his statement, Raven felt his hand on her lower back, carefully pulling her closer to his body. It was a soft and slow move, but soon, she found herself on the tips of her toes and their lips were pressed firmly against each other. In one hand, she was still holding his mask, and with the other, the empath reached for his cheek, caressing his skin and holding their faces together in a chaste and puerile kiss.

It wasn’t needy, sloppy or rushed; for they knew there was no need for that. They had all the time in the world to enjoy their shared kisses, and thankfully, they knew exactly how to enjoy that time.

“You know...” He started, pulling back just a few inches from her lips, his hand now resting on her hip. “I could get used to this. Maybe I should start giving you a new book every time I have to go to Gotham.”

“Though I would love the new books, I also need to sleep. I can’t keep doing this every time you have to go to Gotham or else I won’t be able to keep up with morning practice, and we both know Kory is going to get really pissed.”

“Yeah, you’re right...” He nodded, a new smirk taking over his lips. “I really need to hurry and become the leader of this team.”

“Keep dreaming, Wonder Boy.” She chuckled, playfully patting his cheek before walking away and towards her desk, where she carefully placed his mask. After that, she reached for a big drawer near her dresser, picking a white towel and tossing it at him. “Now go clean yourself already, Damian. A true leader can’t smell like Gotham.”

“Heh, well, we did go check the sewers tonight.”

“Ugh, gross.”

“Perks of being a super-hero.” He nodded, folding the tower in his hands. “Do you wanna take off your pajamas and join me?”

“It’s 4am, Damian. The only people showering now are the ones who really need it.”

“You have a fair point.” He stated, detaching his cape from his shoulders and unbuckling his upper armor.

“Of course I do.” She said, watching as he turned his back to her and walked towards the bathroom. He turned on the lights and placed the towel on the cabinet, as he was now focusing on removing his gauntlets. Though it seemed to be a simple uniform, removing the accessories was a real pain in the ass. “Do you need help with the zippers?”

“Nah, don’t worry. I got this. Get to bed and I’ll meet you there soon.”

“Okay.” She nodded, pulling the sheets so she could get under them. She looked at him one more time, his shirt now removed and exposing his defined muscles and battle scars. Damian has grown into a handsome man, for sure, both inside and out. Looking at him like that, in such a casual condition such as taking a shower in her bathroom made her heart flutter with joy, and though she could now feel the lack of sleep taking its toll on her, Raven couldn’t wait until he was finally sleeping safely by her side.

They both deserved a good night of sleep. And even if they would have just a couple of hours to enjoy it, it would still be enough. It had to be.

“Damian...” She spoke, making him turn to face her one more time before closing the bathroom door so the steam wouldn’t invade the room.

“What?” He asked, curiosity spread across his face.

“Don’t take too long... I’m waiting for you.”

Slowly, a genuine smile took over his lips and he nodded before closing the door behind him. She turned off the lights, then, and soon, her head was resting on her pillow and her eyelids closed over her eyes. Raven took a deep and relieved breath, then, and slowly, felt her muscles relaxing against the mattress.

Now that he was back, she could finally rest.

Now that he was back, she could finally sleep.

As her ears captured the sound of water running down, a genuine smile took over her lips, and if anything, she knew it would be there by the time she woke up again.

fin.

[elijah714]

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