#tended to

[viva-la-whump]

Whumptober/Whumperless Whump Event (WWE) - #13

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Crosshair busied himself with brushing down his horse. It was a familiar action, one that allowed him to get lost in the rhythmic movements and not have to think. Especially today. 

It was the fifth anniversary of their village being destroyed and the memories of that day and the people they’d lost crowded his thoughts. So he appreciated the distraction that the chores around the ranch provided. But he must have gotten a bit too distracted when he switched to cleaning his horse’s hooves and digging in too deep with his pick.

The horse kicked out in pain and surprise, knocking Crosshair off his stool. He in turn knocked the lantern from where it sat on another stool, shattering the glass sending fire instantly spreading across the straw-strewn ground.

And Crosshair froze.

The flames danced in his eyes and in his memory. His village on fire. His own home burned to an unrecognizable pile of charred debris. The sense of helplessness and loss and sorrow. It swallowed him up, encasing him in fear so strong that he couldn’t move, even as the flames drew closer…

---

Mayday heard the frenzied cry of Crosshair’s horse first and looked out the window in time to see it bolting from the barn. The next thing he saw was the smoke billowing out of the open door.

Dashing outside, he picked up a bucket as he ran towards the barn, dunking it in a trough of water and charging into the barn.

“Crosshair?” he called, coughing against the smoke. He threw the water onto the nearest flames. He wanted to find Crosshair, make sure he was alright, before going out to get more. “Crosshair, are you in here?”

Peering through the smoke, he spotted his friend sitting on the ground inside his horse’s stall. The fire was originating from there, blocking the entrance. Making a quick decision, Mayday ran outside and grabbed another bucket full of water. This one he tossed through the flames to land directly on Crosshair. It wouldn’t do much, but it would at least help to protect him against the encroaching flames.

Pressing his jacket over his face, Mayday jumped into the stall and landed beside Crosshair. He grabbed the taller man by the arm and towed him through the flames, out of the barn, and into the clear air of the yard.

He dumped Crosshair to the ground unceremoniously. There wasn’t time to tend to him at the moment. Grabbing another bucket, Mayday continued his one-man water line to put out the flames. It took a few minutes, but finally he was satisfied that the fire was completely out and no embers remained. Luckily, the damage didn’t look too bad. Some boards would have to be replaced, but overall the barn was intact and stable. Now it was time to see if the same could be said about Crosshair.

Crosshair was still sitting exactly where Mayday had left him—eyes wide, staring at the barn while also seeming to be gazing at something a thousand miles away. His body shook with alternative coughing and gasping sobs. 

Mayday stopped in his tracks. He’d never seen Crosshair like this before. The only emotions he ever really showed were snark, anger, and the occasional bit of levity. He almost didn’t recognize the man in front of him.

Looking more closely, Mayday saw Crosshair’s right pant leg was charred and he suspected the skin underneath it was burned. He needed to tend to it quickly before it got infected, but he had a sneaking suspicion that Crosshair wouldn’t take well to him rushing him into the house.

So he slowly started walking towards him.

“Crosshair,” he said, his voice calm and pitched low. “You’re hurt. We need to get you inside.” The man didn’t respond. Getting closer, Mayday knelt beside him and, after a brief hesitation, gently put his hand on the shaking man’s shoulder. That seemed to break whatever spell Crosshair was under.

The white-haired man’s jerked to look at him, eyes wide with fear and surprise. His breath hitched in his chest and tears started to well in his eyes that had until now been dry. The tracks of liquid ran down his sooty cheeks. A giant sob escaped from his mouth and his body shook even more. Crosshair buried his face in his hands.

“I c-can’t stop c-crying.” His muffled voice hitched with his continued sobs and Mayday wrapped his arm around Crosshair’s shoulder.

“It’s alright,” he comforted. “Just try to breathe.”

They sat like that for a few minutes until Crosshair’s crying lessened and his breathing evened out.

“Now, do you think you can walk? We need to take care of that burn on your leg.”

Crosshair looked down and seemed surprised to see that he’d been injured. But he nodded and Mayday helped him to his feet, supporting him as he limped back to the house.

--

After painfully cleaning the wound, applying the healing salve, and bandaging his leg, Mayday brought two bowls of soup up into Crosshair’s room where he lay on his bed. He’d be laid up for a while as his wounds healed, but Mayday suspected he’d be alright. He’d call for the doctor in the morning, though. Just in case.

They sat in silence eating their dinner. Mayday knew better to press, and he also knew how stubborn and close-lipped Crosshair could be about anything personal. So he wasn’t expecting any sort of explanation. He was a bit surprised, though, when it was Crosshair who broke the silence.

“I’m sorry about the barn,” he said quietly.

Mayday shrugged, swallowing his spoonful of soup.

“Not too much damage done. You can help me when you’re on your feet again.”

Crosshair nodded and continued eating.

Once they were both done with dinner and Mayday was about to leave to let Crosshair sleep, he was surprised once again.

“Thank you.”

Mayday turned to look at his friend, head cocked to the side in question.

“For not asking.”

Mayday smiled slightly. “We all have things in our past that haunt us. Things that affect us more than we’d like that we’d rather not talk about. I know I do. But you don’t have to tell me, Crosshair. But if or when you do, I’ll listen.”

Mayday left, closing the door behind him. Crosshair hadn’t known him for too long, but he knew that the bearded man meant what he said. Always. And what he’d said just now, Crosshair believed him. Trust came hard for the sniper. But maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to trust this man who was becoming his friend.

[sabertoothwalrus]

I believe pretty firmly that it's really only the stylization that makes Chilchuck's age as ambiguous as it is, and that it'd be a lot easier to tell in real life.

and after a serious-ish comic here's a little bit of bullshit

[hansoeii]

look at you, you're gorgeous!

[canisalbus]

✦ Picciriddu ✦

[transgayhawkeyepierce]

Everyone reblog with your most unemployable traits

[souperluminal]

Every day Road Work Wizard fills in potholes and every night Dark Road Work Wizard crafts new ones

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

The squad of all time has arrived on scene.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

woke up and someone spilled vanilla extract all over my dash, so as punishment you strange little beasties are getting all the VANILLA FACTS i know:

vanilla is the 2nd most expensive spice in the world (2nd to saffron)

which is why more than 99% of what we call "vanilla extract" is actually vanillin (vanilla's dominant flavor compound) and is not extracted from real vanilla.

luckily, even professionals struggle to tell the difference when it comes to things like baked goods. but there is a distinct difference in non-heat treated products like vanilla ice cream. real vanilla has a more complex, individualized flavor profile.

why is vanilla so expensive? because it is a ridiculously delicate & demanding crop. complete primadonna.

vanilla beans come from vanilla orchids. these crazy flowers bloom for A SINGLE DAY and have to be HAND-POLLINATED in a process that is exhausting, delicate, and requires specialist knowledge passed down over generations.

then, if you're lucky, you get vanilla beans.

which then require months of further specialized treatment.

the entire process takes about a year and can go wrong at any stage

vanilla has been cultivated for over 800 years (possibly much longer). the first known cultivators are the Totonac, an indigenous people of Mexico.

the Aztecs used it as a sweetener to balance out the bitter taste of cocoa. it was popular in a drink called xocolatl--the precursor to modern hot chocolate!

it is only pollinated by a very specific orchid bee!!!

which is why no fruit could be grown outside of Mexico until the 1800s

Edmond Albius, born into slavery, invented the pollination method we still use today--launching a global industry when he was just 12 years old.

today, the majority of the world's vanilla is grown in Madagascar

if you want real vanilla, read the labels carefully--it's harder to find than you think!

in conclusion, those tiny black specks you see in fancy vanilla ice cream? those are vanilla bean seeds! itty bitty orchid seeds!!! they are delicious and also a PRISSY BITCH!

(src)

[octarineblues]

supporting communities & people impacted by the Southport attack and the far-right riots in the UK

here is a list of community fundraisers I found, starting with those aiming to support the Southport community after the appalling attack at a children dance party, to the fundraisers helping those affected by the subsequent racist and Islamophobic far-right/nazi riots

Edited on 5 August to include Middlesbrough fundraisers. Edited on 6 August to correct the link on the Books for Spellow Lane fundraiser, to adjust the name change for the Belfast fundraiser, and to adjust the wording in the second last paragraph.

Southport:

Southport Strong Together Appeal - organised by the community foundation for Merseyside, for those affected by the Southport knife attack

United for Southport families - the funds will be distributed among the nine families of the children who were at the party

Swifties for Southport - a fundraiser for the Alder Hey Children's charity, which supports the victims and the affected families, as well as first responders and clinicians. Extra funds will also support the wider Southport community

Fundraiser for the Southport Mosque - a fundraiser to aid rebuilding or possibly re-locating the Southport Mosque after the damages it suffered during the riots

Rebuilding Windsor Mini Mart - fundraiser to rebuild the locally-owned grocery store that was targeted during the attacks, broken into, and looted

Liverpool:

Fundraiser for the Spellow Hub - the Spellow Hub was broken into, looted and set on fire at night during the riots. The Spellow Hub is a newly created one-of-a-kind (in the UK) institution, which consists of a library as well as a community centre with a mission to help people get education and pathways to work

Books for Spellow Lane - another fundraiser for the library in the Spellow Hub, to replace the books and rebuild the library there edit: included the correct link

Hartlepool:

Fundraiser for the Nasir Mosque - the Nasir Mosque was attacked following Southport riots; this fundraiser is organised by Hartlepool citizens to help the mosque deal with the damages as well as to show appreciation for the role of the mosque in the community. edit: the funds will be also distributed to the local community!

Rebuilding the Farm Shop - the shop was targeted during the riots, and when the owner and his son tried to protect it, they were also violently attacked. The fundraiser is to help fix the damages to the store.

Sunderland:

help rebuild Citizens Advice Sunderland offices after arson - two of the Citizens Advice Sunderland offices were set on fire during the riots, and one of them is completely destroyed.

Hull:

Hull Help for Refugees - a local fundraiser to support the Hull Help for Refugees charity, the donated money will be re-distributed to community members affected by the riots

Fundraiser for Hull Help for Refugees and Welcome House in Hull - collected money will be donated to the two charities

Belfast:

help fix racially motivated damages - originally the fundraiser for the Sahara Shisha Cafe which was targeted by the far right in Belfast during the riots, now a fundraiser for all affected businesses in the area. edited to reflect the change of the name of the fundraiser to avoid any confusion

Middlesbrough:

Supporting residents after the riots - Middlesbrough has suffered so much during the riots, lots of businesses as well as just regular family homes were vandalised, had their windows smashed or even were broken into. This fundraiser wants to distribute the funds between affected people to help them fix the damages, and to generally support the local community. the newest fundraiser, imo potentially the most urgent one

Fundraiser for a Care worker's car which was set on fire - a car belonging to an employee of a care agency was set on fire during the riots while he was on shift at a care home.

If you want to donate locally but there is no fundraiser to support where you live, consider donating to your local charities oriented towards Muslim or PoC communities, or towards anti-racist and refugee organizations! And go support your local Muslim/Arab/Black/Asian/Refugee owned businesses!

If you have any information about other local fundraisers, feel free to add to the post or don't hesitate to let me know and I will add them here! We have seen so much hate in the past few days, we have to stay strong and keep supporting each other!

Stay safe everyone 💛

[licollisa]

In which Papyrus gets a diagnosis

[sabertoothwalrus]

does science experiments on you (homoerotically)

[descendant-of-truth]

Shipping is fun and all but I swear every single time someone makes a comment, whether as a joke or in a legitimate analysis, about there being "no other explanation" for a pair's interactions, I lose just a bit more of my sanity

Like, no, you guys don't get it. Romance is not about the Amount of devotion, it's about the COLOR. the FLAVOR of it all. a character can be just as devoted to their platonic friend as they are to their romantic partner, and they don't love either of them more, just differently.

But because the majority of people still have it stuck in their minds that romance exists on the highest tier of love, I'm stuck seeing endless takes that boil down to "these two care about each other too much for it to NOT be romantic" as if that's the core determining factor to how literally any of this works

In conclusion: stop telling me that I don't understand the story if I don't interpret the leads as romantic, I am TIRED

[tojisun]

thinking about the way simon leans into you for a kiss like this— he curls his hand around your throat, and he doesn’t really tug or tighten it, instead uses his hold as a leverage to push himself close to you, like he is sucked into your gravitational force, always orbiting. always tethered.

he doesn’t know how it is to not be with you.

and this kiss, just one of many, shows the attraction he always succumbs to. he holds onto you like the way one would clap their hands around a glittering firefly, snuffing its way out to force it to sparkle only for themselves, and folds himself close like he is about to whisper a wish.

the kiss becomes a prayer; it is his offering to you.

and when he pulls back, you see the way your lips had burned him, leaving him all pinked cheeks and twitching nose. you feel breathless at the weight of his adoration, his reverence, because simon looks at you like you are worth more than the flesh that holds you up.

you swallow, throat bobbing, and simon’s fingers twitch on your skin. his hand around your throat feels like an anchor but you watch the way he still sinks into you.

[collgeruledzebra]

the thing about trying to recommend fiction podcasts to someone who isn't familiar with them is that not only are so so many genres represented but also the level of production can fall anywhere from "basically an audiobook" to "major motion picture minus the pictures"

[despazito]

Idk I have such a fascination with people who coddle and baby wild animals (or even domestic ones). Maybe it's not that deep but I think in some ways it does speak to a lack of maturity in empathy, which sounds counterintuitive but I think its not unlike some forms of unhealthy parenting. It's a cognitive disconnect that perhaps the way you'd like to be treated does not always translate to what others want or feel comfortable with. That maybe your reality is not universal, and an inability to place yourself in another's shoes. People hear low empathy and assume it means distant and unloving, but it can also look like lovebombing or over imposing oneself on others with a lack of boundaries. From the outside it can look loving and pampering and an incredible life, but do they ever really stop to try and get to know the other party, what it actually feels and wants? Are you doing what's best for it, or just what you think is best? Or worse, what you think makes you look best in front of others?

They call animal care professionals who ask for more restraint and less contact with said animals uncaring and cold because they honest to god cannot place themselves in a reality where a kindhearted hug could feel terrifying and a free donut could be horrible for one's survival. And I think information based arguments can fall short because they are primarily operating through emotions and what "feels" right to them. And I think some of these people may be drawn to animals and habituating wildlife because they won't ever tell them off in clean english. Idk it intrigues me