#they will not survive this winter 😊😊😊

[ragingtwilight]

Pup died in WolfQuest now time to uproot the entire pack responsible

[magpine]

If you have slept outside in the winter, maybe you know how hard it is to sleep comfortably in the cold, even in a pretty good shelter. Can you imagine sleeping like that all year, in all seasons? When it is very hot, or wet? While hearing bombs go off nearby? While sick? Imagine how tired you might be in the morning. This is how life has been for a year for Ghazi Al Amoudi @alamoudi-ghazi, who still every morning has to work to survive and take care of his family. Ghazi is only twenty five, one of a family of seven who has been displaced for a year and are living in danger in a tent. Ghazi's fundraiser has been vetted by gaza-vetters, 90-ghost, and others and still needs much more support to reach their goal and help provide supplies, safety, and peace for his family. Can you join me in donating to help them reach their goal? Even a few dollars can help get supplies that they need. You have the power to help keep someone dry, fed, warm, and healthy. It feels good to be able to help. Giving to Ghazi is a gift to both you and him. And whether or not you can spare some money, you definitely have the power to share this post to help him meet his goal. 😊 Thank you for reading!

https://gofund.me/ee3f64a4

[learnyouabiology]

Fun Fact: Many Frogs get through Winter... Underwater

Many people have heard of the legendary frogs that are able to freeze solid and survive the winter. (if not, I did write a whole post about it. so.)

This post is not about those frogs. Though amazing, they are the exception rather than the rule. It is much more common for frogs to overwinter in other ways!

The most common strategy to survive winter is to simply live somewhere that does not have winter!

(you’ll notice there are more species of frog closer to the equator. this is not a coincidence. image source)

But some frogs don’t HAVE that luxury! SOME frogs have to deal with a winter that lasts close to 6 entire months! 

(im suffering)

The majority of frogs that face this threat survive by either digging underground, or by finding a permanent body of water and just... chilling 🥶😎.

(I will not apologise for my excellent jokes. image source)

Ice is less dense than water, which is why ice burgs exist, among other things. Water is at its densest around 4°Celcius. The 4°C sinks, which means that, in the wintertime, the unfrozen bottom of the pond will (generally) not get colder than 4°C.

Additionally, frogs are ectotherms, aka “cold-blooded”, and as their body temperature drops, so too does their metabolism. This makes it so the frogs can go a long time without food, and also allows them to get by without much oxygen. 

(i love them. image source)

Frogs still need some oxygen, though, so it’s a good thing that frogs are able to absorb oxygen through their skin, just like most amphibians (all amphibians? i can’t think of an exception, but there are so many frog species that I don’t want to commit to a big word like “all”).

Generally, they’ll stay at the bottom of the pond, in a spot that has enough water flow to provide sufficient oxygen for the frogs’ diminished metabolic needs! They generally don’t bury themselves in the mud, though. That part of the pond is nearly devoid of oxygen, and also where the turtles are hibernating!

Here are some pictures of frogs overwinter underwater:

(image sources, in order: mink frog, Green Frog, Bull Frog,  fire-bellied toad, marsh frog, siberian wood frog, northern Leopard Frog.)

was this an excuse to show y’all a bunch of pictures of frogs that I like? Yes. 

(also please note: second last frog is a siberian wood frog, NOT an american wood frog, and they DO overwinter underwater (Berman et al. 2019). They’re special because they can survive months with very little oxygen, or maybe even no oxygen at all! Good for them 😊)

This has been Fun Fact Friday, letting you know that when the frog gets cold, the frog goes to bed for 6 months. Honestly same.

Sources under the cut!

Berman, D. I., Bulakhova, N. A., & Meshcheryakova, E. N. (2019). The Siberian wood frog survives for months underwater without oxygen. Scientific reports, 9(1), 1-7. [PDF]

Jenkins, C. N., Pimm, S. L., & Joppa, L. N. (2013). Global patterns of terrestrial vertebrate diversity and conservation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(28), E2602-E2610. [PDF]

How do frogs survive winter? Why don't they freeze to death? Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-frogs-survive-wint/

[morgana-larkin]

Either a Melissa or Chessy prompt. How about r experience the spring for the first time? She's foreign and in her home country there's only two season so she doesn't have the experience of fall, winter, spring. Then when it's like spring season, the redhead learned about it and took r in sort of a special place where she can see the newly flourishing plants, leaves and flowers.

Surprise! I did both of them because I’m extra like that 😊. I thought this prompt was really cute and both of them would take a different approach. So here’s 3000 words of just fluff. Not edited in the slightest and I hope you like it!

On another note: I got 2 other Chessy fics that are out. I’m taking a small break from Worth It to focus on the other 9 prompts that I have. I’m still taking prompts as well for both Melissa and Chessy. I also wanted to ask how do you make a masterlist with all the links and everything? I tried googling it but it basically was like 🤷🏻‍♀️… 😒. Any help would be appreciated.

Spring is When Love Blooms

Warnings: tooth rotting fluff.

Words: 3k

Melissa

You walk into the halls of Abbott, and go straight to the break room and sit down at an empty table. It’s spring time outside but the weather is still very cold to you. You’re from the French Riviera where they pretty much only have summer there, weather wise.

“Not used to the cold yet y/n?” A voice said behind you and you turned around and Melissa is standing right behind you.

“No, at least it’s not as cold as it was though.” Melissa rubs her hands up and down your hands to create heat for you to warm you up. “Thanks.” You tell her and she nods as you shrug your jacket off.

“Why are you sitting here all by yourself? I told you that you could join Barb and I.” She says and you look over to their table and see Barb there. You don’t know why but Melissa has taken an interest in you. You moved here to the states in the summer and was really surprised by the fall. You saw all the leaves change colour and even brought a few inside to look at them and everyone looked at you weirdly at first but then told them you haven’t seen colour changing leaves before.

After saying that, the trio began telling you all about fall and why the leaves change colours. You listen to them all excitedly, learning about new things that you never experienced before.

“I don’t know, just, I usually sit by myself, routine I guess.” You told her and she nods.

“Well come on, come join us.” She says with a smile. And of course you obey, the hold this woman has on you is strong.

When you sit down at their table, Barb immediately talks to you. “So dear, are you ready for the spring? For the weather to warm up and all the flowers to bloom?” She asks you and you look at her confused.

“What do you mean for the flowers to bloom? Where did they go?” You ask innocently and Melissa looks at you.

“They died hun. They don’t survive in the cold so they died and now they come back.” She tells you. “Have you not seen when flowers are new? When they still have to grow a bit more?” She asks you and you shake your head.

A month goes by and you forgot about the conversation you had with Barb and Melissa, but Melissa didn’t. The weather has gotten warmer and flowers are starting to bloom. It’s a Friday morning and you’re excited for the weekend.

“Hey hun.” Melissa says as she sees you enter the break room.

“Hey Melissa.” You tell her. “No Barb yet?” You say as the woman in question isn’t here.

“No she’s running a bit late but she’ll get here on time.” She tells you as you sit down next to her. “So I was thinking of going somewhere this weekend and wanted to know if you wanted to come with me?” She says to you.

“That depends where you’re going.” You tell her.

“Well it’s more of a surprise but I will tell you that it’s a little bit out of town.” She tells you with a smile, and that’s the smile that she knows you can’t say no to.

“Alright I guess, I have no plans this weekend.” You say and her smile grows.

“Perfect, how about I pick you up tomorrow morning at around 8?” She asks and you nod.

Tomorrow arrives and you wake up at 6:30 and excitedly get ready. You have a shower, get changed and eat. You pack yourself some snacks and a lunch cause you have no idea how long you’ll be gone for. You’re putting the last item in your bag when there’s a knock on your door. You cross the room to open it and there stands Melissa on the other side, with leather pants, a green top and her leather jacket. Honestly, how could you not find this woman attractive?

“Hey hun, you ready?” She asks you.

“I forgot to ask if I’ll need my overnight things.” You say and she shakes her head.

“Nope, we’ll be back before the day is over.” She simply says and you nod and grab your bag.

You walk to Melissa’s car and you put your bag in the backseat and hop in the passenger seat. Melissa gets in, buckles up, starts the car, and pulls out of the driveway, and then something suddenly hits you. You’re going to be in the car with this woman for maybe a couple hours, this woman you’ve had a crush on for a few months, this woman who…who looks amazing when the sun hits her, you think as the sun hits her face just now.

You get startled by your thoughts when your phone rings and you see that it’s your mom, she usually calls you on Saturday morning.

“Sorry, it’s my mom, do you mind if I talk to her? It won’t take long.” You ask her.

“No go right ahead hun.” She tells you.

You pick up the phone “Bonjour maman.” (Hi mom.) You tell her. “Oui je suis avec Melissa maintenant.”(yes I’m with Melissa right now.) “Oui, la femme qui est une professeur à Abbott aussi. (Yes, the woman who’s a teacher at Abbott as well.) “Je ne sais pas, elle ne me le dira pas.” (I don’t know she won’t tell me.) “une seconde.” (One second) “my mom wants me to ask you if you plan to murder me.” You ask her and she giggles. “Quoi? Ok.” (What? Ok.) You pull the phone away and put it on speaker. “You’re on speaker maman.”

“Hello Melissa.” Your mom says through the speaker, accent a bit thicker than yours.

“Hi, Mrs. Y/l/n.” Melissa politely greets her.

“Oh no need for that, call me Kara, please.” She tells her.

“Alright, hello Kara.”

“I wanted to know if you plan to murder my daughter.” She asks her.

“No I don’t, I like your daughter too much to do that.” Melissa says genuinely and you look at her.

“She told me that you’re taking her on a surprise trip out of town. Is that correct?”

“Yep that’s right. About a two hour drive.” Melissa tells her.

“What are your intentions with my daughter?”

“Maman, please, why the third degree?” You ask her and Melissa laughs.

“It’s ok y/n. Kara, I respect your daughter and will not do anything to break her or your trust.” She tells your mom.

“Alright, y/n, I expect to hear from you tonight then.” She tells you.

“Of course maman. Au revoir.” (Goodbye)

“Au revoir y/n.” She tells you and then you hang up.

“Sorry about that.” You tell her and she just smiles and shakes her head.

“It’s perfectly alright y/n. I get protective mothers, I’m a teacher, I’ve seen it all.” She tells you.

For the next hour drive, you and Melissa spend it talking about anything, from current life to childhood moments and everything in between.

“So then I punched her in the face and they caught a photo of it.” She finishes telling you about the iconic picture of her punching Kristen Marie in the face.

“Oh wow, that’s quite the story.” You tell her while laughing.

“Ya it is. Hey, do you want to listen to music?” She asks.

“Sure.”

“Well we can have the radio or if you want to use your Spotify then you can plug your phone in.”

“Don’t you have Spotify?” You ask her.

“I do, but I’d rather listen to your playlist.” She says and you smile at her.

“Alright if you insist.” You tell her and plug your phone in and then open Spotify, once you go to your playlist, you hit shuffle then play. To Melissa’s surprise, it’s not a French song but an English one. She knows the song and both of you start singing when the lyrics start.

“If you’re blue and you don't know where to go, why don’t you go where fashion sits. Puttin’ on the Ritz.” You both sing. And for the next hour you both sing songs from your playlist. She eventually pulls up to a field and parks.

“I used to come here a couple times a year.” She tells you and turns the car off. You unbuckle yourself and then open the door once Melissa gets out. Once you step out you see a field full of flowers and trees in the middle of blooming. Trees that are almost full of new green leaves, flowers that are almost fully open or already completely open. And flowers of different colours, sizes and types of flowers all over. The grass is also a beautiful green colour and there’s a few bushes around. Your eyes go wide and you stand there stunned by all the beauty for a moment. “What do you think?” Melissa asks you and it snaps you out of your trance.

“It’s beautiful.” You tell her and you start walking. You walk through the flower field with your hands out to touch some of them as you walk by. Melissa is walking behind you the entire time.

“Here.” She says and you turn around. Melissa bends down and picks a beautiful white flower. She gets back up and puts it in your hair.

“What flower is that?” You ask her.

“It’s a daffodil.” She tells you and smiles.

“Do flowers have meaning here? Cause they do in France.” You ask her and she nods her heard. “Then what does a daffodil mean?”

“It has a few meanings, but the main two are unequalled love and the sun is always shining when I’m with you.” She tells you and you suck in a breath.

Melissa bends down and picks up 3 more flowers, a red one, a pink one and another white one, but a different white flower. She also picks a striped one of the same flower. She stands pack up holding the 4 flowers. “And what flowers are those?”

“They’re carnations.”

“They’re beautiful.” You tell her and feel the petals.”

“Ya they are.” She says and looks a bit nervous. “All the colours have a different meaning.” She starts and then hands you the white one. “A white carnation means innocence or sweet and lovely.” She hands you the pink one “pink means I’ll never forget you.” Hands you the red one “red means admiration or my heart aches for you.” She tells you and her eyes look a little sad. She then hands you the striped one. “And striped means two different things, either I can’t be with you or I wish I could be with you.” She tells you and you stare at her.

“And what does yours mean?” You ask her.

“I wish I could be with you.” She whispers and looks down. You look down at the ground too and see a red rose in between you two. You bend down and pick it, then stand back up.

“Melissa.” You say her name to get her attention and she looks back up. “Here.” You tell her and hand her the red rose. “I hope a red rose means what it does in France. Because then it would mean I love you.” You tell her and she looks at you with wide eyes. “I hope these flowers you gave me is a confession because I do love you. I have for a couple months now.” You tell her and a tear falls down her cheek.

“It is a confession. I do wish to be with you.” She tells you and you cup her cheek and wipe the tear stain away. You lean in and kiss her and she kisses you back. You both stand there kissing in a field of flowers and you pull back and look at her. “I love you too.” She says and you giggle.

“Thank you for helping me experience spring for the first time in the best way.” You tell her and she smiles at you.

“Of course.” She tells you and leans in to kiss you again.

Chessy

You walk up the pathway of the vineyard and knock on the door. A woman answers the door and you stare at her.

“Hi, can I help you?” She says as you just stare at her.

You shake yourself out of the trance. “Oh um hi, I’m y/n and this may sound a bit awkward and weird but I’ve seen you at the store getting groceries and it turns out that I live just down the street from you and wanted to introduce myself.” You tell her and she tilts her head slightly.

“Ya I think I’ve seen you there too, I’m Chessy.” She says and brings a hand out to shake and you immediately shake her hand. “I’m the live in nanny here.” She tells you and you stare at her.

“Wow, a nanny, that’s so cool.” You tell her and she smiles.

“Ya it sounds cool but I got twin devils to look after.” She says and you hear footsteps coming up behind you.

“Hey Chessy, guess what shirt I got at the store.” A little ginger hair girl says and runs up to her but stops when she sees you. “Oh hi, who are you?” She asks.

“I’m y/n, I live down the street.” You tell her.

“Oh hi, I’m Hallie.” She tells you.

“I’m Annie.” The other one says and you realise these are the twins that Chessy is the nanny too.

“Hi y/n, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Nick and this is my wife Elizabeth.” Nick greets you.

“Hi, if you don’t mind me asking where are you from? Is that a French accent?” Elizabeth asks you and you nod.

“Ya, I just moved here and for some reason all the trees are like orange.” You tell her and Chessy snorts and you look at her.

“First time experience fall?” She asks and you nod. “But you’ll love winter then, it gets a bit chilly here.” She says and you just look at her.

A few months go by, along with winter and you and Chessy have met and talked at the grocery store quite often and you’ve even been invited a few times to the house for lunch or dinner.

“You’re gonna love spring.” Chessy tells you when you’re over. “All the trees and flowers that died come back and bloom.” She tells you and you smile.

“Wow, I can’t wait to see that.” You tell her and she smiles back at you.

2 weeks pass and you’re at the house again. After lunch, Chessy says she has a surprise for you. She takes you outside to the stables and gets a horse ready for horseback riding.

“I asked for the afternoon off and they gave it to me immediately.” She tells you and gets on the horse. She then sticks her hand out and you look at her.

“You want me to get on?” You tell her and she nods.

“Have you never been horseback riding before?” She asks and you shake your head. “Well don’t worry, it’s not scary.” She tells you and you take her hand. She pulls you up and you get on in front of her. “Now, hold on here ok.” She tells you and you grab the reins. “If you get scared then just hold on tighter ok?” She says and you mumble out an ‘ok’. “Don’t worry, like I said it’s not that scary and I’ll be here the entire time.” She says and she holds the reins as well. And due to that, her arms are on both sides of you, effectively trapping you, and you don’t mind being trapped by her arms. She makes the horse start going and you tense up. “It’s ok.” She tells you, basically right in your ear and you shiver. She gets the horse to start going faster and it’s starting to run, and then it starts full on running.

“Oh my god, that’s really fast.” You say and close your eyes. You feel a hand wrap around your waist and pull you back a bit.

“It’s ok, I’m right here.” She tells you and you lean into her. She lets go of you to grab the reins with both hands but she has her arms more tight on your sides to hold you better. After a few minutes she slows the horse down and she speaks again. “It’s alright, you’re not going to fall. Try to open your eyes.” She says and you do. You cautiously open them and what you see is beautiful. All the trees are growing new leaves, the bushes are growing their branches back and some flowers are growing.

“Wow, this is beautiful.” You say and she puts her head on your right shoulder.

“This is the path to take if you want to do a scenic route.” She says and you’re still looking around, and still leaning on her. “Fall is when things start to die and spring is when they’re reborn again.” She tells you and you smile.

“Thank you for showing me this.” You tell her and she smiles.

“Of course, best view for your first spring.” She says and you turn your head a bit to look at her. She moves her head off your shoulder and to the side more to see you. Both of you then lean in and kiss. She moves one of her hands to your stomach and deepens the kiss a bit. You open your mouth and her tongue slides in and she tastes you. You both pull away after about a minute and just stare into her beautiful eyes. You both just look at each other and smile until you hear a couple birds tweeting close by and you look at the view in front of you. You still lean into her and she puts her head back on your shoulder while she shows you the best view of spring.

Taglist: @esposadejoyhuerta

@imaginesmultifandoms

@idonothingalldays-blog

@sexysapphicshopowner

@dvrkhcld

@lilfartbox1

Let me know if you’d like to be added!

[agentrouka-blog]

Accidentally stumbled into a Sansa anti (well they call themselves an Arya stan but they apparently think those things go hand in hand)blog and am now baffled and a little disgusted at the amount of vitriol these people have for..a little girl, honestly they had reblogged a post about how Arya being believed to be a hostage to Ramsay galvanised so many people in the North, etc and the difference between that and Sansa being the Lannisters hostage/Tyrions bride, and like..so this little girls life being worthless to these men (whether that's true or not) is somehow validation for you? Honestly it's a little disturbing (there's also a pattern of most of them hating Alicent as well which seems..meaningful)

Ah, yes, the fantasy that they have that the North uniquely loves Arya and somehow instinctively rejects Sansa, and that this would be a good thing rather than screaming misogyny. 😊

There's exactly one group in the North agitating for Ned Stark's daughter herself (the one within reach of them, mind) and that's the mountain clans, for two reason:

Distant family loyalty, alongside Stark loyalty. (A Liddle also aids Bran in the mountains.)

A culture that encourages them to seek death, not survival, at this particular time where Stannis comes knocking.

His father's mother's mother had been a Flint of the mountains. Old Nan once said that it was her blood in him that made Bran such a fool for climbing before his fall.  (ASOS, Bran ll)

It was a tale that any northmen knew well. "My father's grandmother was a Flint of the mountains, on his mother's side," Jon told her. "The First Flints, they call themselves. They say the other Flints are the blood of younger sons, who had to leave the mountains to find food and land and wives. It has always been a harsh life up there. When the snows fall and food grows scarce, their young must travel to the winter town or take service at one castle or the other. The old men gather up what strength remains in them and announce that they are going hunting. Some are found come spring. More are never seen again." (ADWD, Jon X)

"Winter is almost upon us, boy. And winter is death. I would sooner my men die fighting for the Ned's little girl than alone and hungry in the snow, weeping tears that freeze upon their cheeks. No one sings songs of men who die like that. As for me, I am old. This will be my last winter. Let me bathe in Bolton blood before I die. I want to feel it spatter across my face when my axe bites deep into a Bolton skull. I want to lick it off my lips and die with the taste of it on my tongue." (ADWD, The King's Prize)

Let's not overtly romanticize the North. Manderly's money is on Rickon the son. There's a sizable faction actually supporting the Boltons (Dustin/Ryswell and Karstark). No one lifts a single finger for "Arya" until Jon gives Stannis the advice to gather support in the mountains with his army, and those are the ones with comparatively little to do but die and "bathe in Bolton blood".

The main aspect here is opportunity v. cost.

But more to the point, just as you point out, if it was Sansa that Jeyne was pretending to be, it would be the same. It's not the girls (within their actual reach) they specifically care for, it's Ned and House Stark.

The specific (small) subset of Sansa Anti/Arya stan that pushes these takes is, indeed, less interested in Arya, the actual books and the political dynamics therein, than they are in a distorted Cinderella fantasy where Arya is uniquely chosen and loved over Sansa. The rejection of Sansa is as central to that fantasy as the elevation of Arya, because the Mean Girl needs to be vanquished and punished in order to destroy the very notion in the world that Their Projection Surface was ever not The Prettiest And Bestest, deprived of the admiration she rightfully deserved by the cruel machinations of a middleschool bully.

You know, that's the complex philosophical, political and literary themes and interpersonal dynamics that GRRM is known for. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[zoeykallus]

Mayday

Mayday x Reader Oneshot

Angst/Fluff/Comfort

I already put it in the tags, but just in case: SPOILER ALERT FOR TBB SEASON2!!!!

___________________

AC: After a misunderstanding with someone requesting this on anon. I decided to write this one now and don't put it in my to-do list first. As a little "apology" because I was pretty rude. Wish I could tag you, but unfortunately you contacted me on anon. Hope you still get to read this 😊

___________________

Actually, you don't work for the Empire. You are an independent contractor, a small business mainly for cargo and logistics. When an Imperial officer contacts you, you are reluctant to take on the job. However, you don't want to upset the Empire either. None of your handful of workers is eager to deliver the cargo for the Empire, especially not to Barton-4, the ice-cold lump of a planet. So you take over the delivery yourself. Food, gasoline, energy packs for flashlights and a new generator for environmental sensors are to be delivered. Even the approach to the imperial station is complicated and dangerous. Fierce crosswinds push your cargo shuttle from all sides and make it difficult to land the ship safely. But you make it anyway. With a sigh, you see the clone troopers coming across the landing platform, who should be unloading the goods. You put on your thermal jacket, zip it up to the top and pull the hood of the jacket over your head, then you open the ramp and see the soldiers already coming towards you. Their equipment doesn't look exactly winterized, some of the men are provisionally wrapped in cloth and skins in addition to their armor. The sight makes you frown. One of them addresses you. "Of course, the Empire is sending civilian transport out here". You blink, then say dryly, "I guess the Empire knows they don't have pilots good enough to land in these weather conditions." You hear a rough laugh from under the clone's helmet, shortly after the soldier removes his helmet and you see an unfamiliar image. You clearly have a clone soldier in front of you, but one with long hair and a full beard, something you haven't seen before. He holds out his hand to you. "I'm Commander Mayday, this is Hexx and Veetch." You shake his hand, the others too, and introduce yourself. "Hi, nice to meet you guys" Maydays laughs again, and you can see a cheeky glint in his eyes. "We'll probably get to know each other a little better, whether you like it or not, the weather has been closing in, changes like this happen practically every minute around here. You're not going to get the shuttle out of here anytime soon." You look down the ramp, over which an icy wind blows into the interior of the shuttle. Outside everything is white, it is snowing, a blizzard, you can barely see two meters. "Fantastic," you say with a dry smile, and begin to help the men unload.

You have your own little area. But at night, the weather still hasn't cleared, and the cold is even more relentless than during the day. A bit unsure, you make your way out of your little cabin and into the main area, where you find the commander. He is sitting at a heat battery, his helmet lying next to him on a dura steel table. When he hears your footsteps, he looks up. You are still wrapped in your thermal jacket, in this outpost nothing works at all, not even the heating system, which is actually essential for survival. A barely noticeable, gentle smile twitches at the corners of his mouth as your eyes meet. "It's not so easy to fall asleep in this cold, especially when you're not used to it. In fact, it's probably better that way, here in this cold they tend to mistake fatigue for hypothermia. Lost some good men that way". You raise your eyebrows in surprise as well as shock and sit with him, close to the heat battery, across from Mayday. "Wait, that's that serious medical condition in which a person's body temperature falls below the usual level as a result of being in severe cold for a long time? Right?" you ask, frowning. Mayday nods. "Mmm, that's right. The body shuts down, you get very tired, but in reality you die instead of falling asleep." "That's terrible! Why don't you get proper care here? They should have given me more heat batteries and a technician to get your heating system back up to speed. Not even your equipment is intact." Mayday sighs softly and shrugs his broad shoulders, his arms folded in front of his chest, a thick wool blanket draped around his shoulder. "Clone soldiers are expendable, we always have been, but since the Republic was replaced by the Empire, it's worse than ever" Your teeth start to chatter even as you try to suppress it, your whole body keeps shivering as it tries to fight the cold that creeps under your skin despite the thermal jacket. Mayday raises his brows and looks at you. "You're not used to the cold, hmm?" "Not even close," you admit, "I've spent most of my life on Tatooine." Mayday laughed softly, "It's an extreme contrast to Barton-4."

He taps the bench he's sitting on next to him and holds out his blanket invitingly. "If we huddle together, we can keep each other warm. I'm happy to share my blanket with you" For a second you consider if the clone has any ulterior motives, but even if he does, it is so cold you don't care, and he is probably just as cold, probably even too cold for ulterior motives. You walk around the table and sit right next to him, close to the heat battery, and let him put the blanket around your shoulders so that the two of you are finally underneath it. You sit so close to each other that no hand's width fits between you. Your pulse is a little faster and you really feel warmer. However, you are not sure if it is the blanket, the heat battery, or the situation. Slowly, you turn your head to look at him. "Are you okay?" he asks quietly, and you can feel the bass in his voice as you sit so close to each other. "Yeah, it's getting better" He smirks. "Told you so"

You talk for a while. Mayday tells you about his experiences in the war and how he and his men have fared since he was stationed on Barton-4. You sympathize and feel your anger at the Empire flare anew. At a certain point, you are leaning against him, and he has an arm around you. It happened automatically and yet your heart is beating fast. You talk until the sun comes up. As you both look out the window and see that the weather has cleared up considerably, you feel no real relief. You have enjoyed Mayday's company very much, and the fact that this togetherness must inevitably end pleases neither of you. Mayday takes you out to your shuttle on the landing platform. As you say goodbye, you begin to feel a certain longing, which is reflecting in his eyes. On impulse, you kiss his wind-chilled cheek. He blinks in surprise, but he finally smiles at you. "We probably won't see each other again too soon," he says a bit wistfully, with a sad smile. You smile and say, "Maybe we will." As you take off in your shuttle, he watches you for a long time until the shuttle is completely out of his sight, and finally turns back to the outpost with a sigh.

One week later "Commander! An unannounced shuttle is on approach!" Mayday jumps up, puts on his helmet and asks, "Identification?" "It's the cargo shuttle that was here a few days ago, the civilian freighter". Mayday feels his pulse quicken. "Really?" "Yes, sir." Mayday makes his way out onto the landing platform, alone this time. He doesn't want to greet you in the presence of the others, wants a moment to himself. He's as excited as a young Cadet and doesn't really know how to categorize that feeling. All he knows is that he is looking forward to seeing you again. As the ramp to your shuttle opens, he pulls off his helmet and tucks it under his arm. You smile back at him as you walk down the ramp. "Actually, I can't allow you to land here, not without explicit Imperial permission," he says with a wry smile. "And yet you don't seem to want to chase me away," you return, amused. Mayday admits, "I was looking forward to seeing you again." You smile, feeling your face grow warm despite the cold wind. "I take it the Empire still hasn't provided for you properly?" He shakes his head. "We are expendable, still". You cross your arms in front of your chest and say, "Not for me". Behind you comes an astromech and a cargo droid. "I brought you something" Mayday frowns. "This is not an official delivery by the Empire". You shake your head, confirming his statement. "No, a little something from me and my workers. We chipped in and got you a few things. The cargo droid is to help you with transportation and the astromech is an all-rounder, he can fix your heating system. I also brought half a dozen heat batteries, a few more rations, including caf and tea." Mayday strides up the ramp so that you are finally facing each other halfway up. "Thank you." A simple word, but coupled with the soft expression on his face and the warmth in his voice, this word speaks more than a thousand words. You kiss his cheek again, like last time when you parted. "You deserve it, more than that, actually. But I hope this helps you for a while" Suddenly his hands are on your cheeks and his face comes closer. His lips touch yours. It's not urgent, not challenging, it's tender, slow, and intimate as he kisses you. Your heart almost flips over in your chest. As his lips very slowly, languidly break away from yours, you ask softly, "Would you like me to stay maybe a night or two?" Mayday smiles and replies," Please do."

Ko-Fi (If you feel like giving me some coffee)

[sdwolfpup]

Oh festive prompt 27 puhhhhleese!!

Last one! 😊 A little post-ADWD book canon that is not exactly festive but does have snow.

(I appreciate the asks from people! The fics that I didn't post separately to AO3, I'll add to my A Job Lot of Junk collection after this.)

27. confessing a crush when it's snowing

In the end, the sun rose again. Though it had felt like it would never happen, the Long Night finally ended.

The winter hadn't, though. Jaime had hoped, when the last Other had fallen, that they would take the snow with them--but his luck had never been that good.

At least, not until Brienne of Tarth had dragged him across Westeros.

Some would say she had been the start of his bad luck, and there had been a time he would have agreed. Losing a hand would make even the most stalwart idealist falter, and he had burned away his idealism long ago.

But since she had stormed into his life with her stubborn honor and bullheaded bravery, he had never felt more grateful for being alive. He had intended to tell her so a hundred times, but there had always been distance, or something more important between them, or his own cowardice. Now that they had survived the Long Night, there were no more excuses. Plans were already being made for what came next, and he could not bear the thought of not being part of hers. He had to tell her, or risk losing her forever.

If only he could find her.

"You don't know where she is? Are you not her squire?" he demanded of the trembling stick of a boy in front of him a few days after the Long Night.

"Y-y-y-yes, s-s-s-ser."

"How do you lose a person that size, then?"

Podrick flinched, as though expecting a blow. "S-s-s-s-s-sorry, s-s-s-ser."

Jaime sighed and forced himself to calm. He had seen Brienne just last night, when he had watched her eat a meal of mostly inedible mush with Podrick and the useless Hyle Hunt. It wasn't the boy's fault she was an eternally early riser with a predilection for solitude, even after the most difficult and dangerous battle of their lives.

"Never mind," he told the boy more kindly. "I'll find her myself."

The boy was still stuttering over his thanks as Jaime walked away.

*****

"There you are!" he finally said, hours later. He'd tromped all over and through Winterfell until he'd finally decided she'd run away in the night, or been taken by grumkins. Then, on his way to the stables to procure a horse to search for her further afield to make sure she hadn't died, he'd found her exiting them. The snow had started to fall again, and Jaime felt a shiver roll through him.

"Where have you been?" he nearly shouted. "I looked everywhere for you."

Brienne came to a halt, her blue eyes going very wide and darting away, as if he'd caught her doing something she shouldn't. No one had been forbidden from leaving Winterfell, though it was foolish to go alone so soon after the Long Night.

"I... I went for a ride," she said in the soft voice he heard in his dreams.

"On your own? Without even telling your poor, worried squire?"

Her massive brow furrowed. "You spoke with Podrick?"

"I couldn't very well speak with you, could I?" he snarled.

That furrow turned into an annoyed crease.

"I am free to go where and when I please, Ser. Just as you are."

He laughed dully. "Indeed." The snow was falling harder now. "You are entirely free. Free to take rides by yourself in the countryside. Free to eat with that useless hedge knight, Hunt. You could even scamper back to Tarth tomorrow, if you wanted."

Brienne huffed, loud as a bear. "Were you only looking for for me to harangue me about my independence? If so, might we do it inside where it's warmer?"

He planted his feet and blinked away the snowflakes that were sticking to his lashes. "Here is fine. So tell me, my lady, why were you out riding with nary a word to anyone?"

There went her eyes again, escaping his gaze to stare somewhere off his left ear. "I needed the air."

Jaime gestured around them. "There is more than enough air here."

"I do not have to explain myself to you," she groused. She started to move past him and he grabbed her wrist. She spun, her other hand coming up as if to fight and he released her immediately. "What do you want?" Her voice was thin and sharp as an icicle.

"I want to know what you're hiding from me."

"Nothing." She looked almost as if she might cry, and a fissure cracked across his heart.

"Brienne," he said softly and she bit down on her thick, chapped lip. "You promised me no more lies." She flushed, her head drooping. "I want only to help you. So tell me: why did you go out on your own? Why did you tell no one?" And then, because he could not stop himself, he pleaded, "Why did you not tell me?"

Her hands wrapped around each other, her knuckles red from the cold. Snow was trapped in her thin, plaited hair and had started turning her nose an unsightly pink where it melted upon it.

He thought she might choose rather to freeze than to speak, until she said in a resigned voice, "I needed to think. And I needed to be away from you to do it."

The chasm of concern that had opened in his chest iced over in the bitter wind of her words. "I see."

"It is not what you think," she hurriedly said.

The snow swirled around them, but Jaime felt none of it, numb inside and out. "It seems very clear to me."

"You... confuse me," she explained haltingly, her hands throttling each other. "I cannot think clearly when you are near."

The ice ceased hardening, and he held himself very still. "I did not realize my mere presence was such a problem."

She exhaled sharply, a warm blast of air in the cold. "You are vexing," she said, as though scolding him. "And confounding. And I needed clarity."

"About what?" he asked, desperate to understand.

"About you." Brienne's hands waved wide and wild in the air, swirling snowflakes all around her. "About why you would search all of Winterfell looking for me and then act as if you don't care once you are here. About how we fought at each other's side through all the Long Night, and yet we barely even eat together now that it is done. About what you did for me with Lady Catelyn." Her voice had dropped, almost lost in the snow. "And how you have refused my every gratitude since."

Jaime sighed. "That was nothing to be grateful for."

"I am grateful."

"Because you are a naive fool."

She growled and took a threatening step nearer. He felt his blood pump to life, heating his veins and cracking the ice.

"A fool I may be, but I am not naive," she said with a force and conviction that made his spine jolt with pride--and his knees weak with something far less honorable. "Not any longer. Not after all I have been through." She pierced him with her astonishing blue eyes. "Not after all we have been through."

His usually reliable tongue failed him, and Jaime could only draw a pitiful excuse for a smirk upon his face.

Brienne frowned. "You have had my honest answer, ser, now give me yours: why were you so determined to find me? What do you want?"

The snow blew about them, white and cold and a distant reminder of the dark freeze that had so recently gripped the world. But for Jaime, it was spring in Brienne's eyes, in the familiar, frustrated concern in her face. In the way his heart was blooming in his chest, shaking off the lingering frost.

"What do I want?" he repeated, a slow, simmering smile growing on his face. Brienne only looked more wary--and he found it endearing. "I should think that was obvious. I want you, Brienne."

"For what?"

He chuckled fondly. "For whatever you wish of me. I find myself at odds and ends when you are not there to drag me about."

She glowered at him. "I do not drag you."

"Not any longer," he allowed. Then, with all the seriousness of intention he could muster, he said, "Now, I follow you willingly. I want to follow you for as many days as you will allow me, Brienne. Wherever you may go."

He knew it was not the snow that made her cheeks swirl suddenly pink. The color reminded him of the first sunrise after the Long Night--and he was as grateful for and overwhelmed by it.

"I would rather you walked beside me," she said in hushed tones, her eyes searching his own.

He hoped she could see the truth in them when he replied, "That is a place I fought demons off to be."

"Do you not see that I fought for that place by you as well?" she asked without reprimand.

He inhaled sharply, her words filling his very lungs. She had found him as often as he had her during the battles. She had found him from the beginning, the lost and lonely man that everyone else had overlooked. "Perhaps I am the fool," he said in a choked voice.

He held out his hand and she took it. He felt her trembling as they walked hand-in-hand across the courtyard. The snow slowed to a caressing drift, and the sun fought valiantly through the flat white of the sky to peek through in the distance. Perhaps later there would be warmth and the first breath of spring.

It was a marvelous day to be alive, and walking beside Brienne.

[ethicaltreatmentofcowplants]

Winterfest was an unusually calm affair. Lilac seems aware that her time in this save is coming to a close, and thus was filled with a new sense of tolerance for her housemates' zanier activities.

Raj also cooked. Which may be the key to surviving in a household as a SLOB traited sim - am I right, @akitasimblr? 😊

(If this seems like a jump from last time, it's because the glare from the snow can be somewhat hard on my eyes so I typically shorten winter to seven days in settings.)

[m00npaw]

Heya guys, I would like to hear your opinion on something again.

Some people get tattoos after going through trauma as a sort of symbol of survival, strength etc. (e.g. the Medusa tattoo means you survived s*xual ab*se (I think))...and as we all know, Bucky Barnes, the former Winter Soldier, has been through a lot too...so imagine if he also got a tattoo (or several) to symbolize his survival, strength, etc., which one do you think he would get and with what meaning?

I'm curious to hear your thoughts, headcanons etc.😊

[neocelticavalon]

Is there Splinter in your knight AU? Have you ever tried to draw him?

Ahh...yeah...about Splinter 🤔🤔 uhmm actually I haven't written or drawn anything about him (I dunno how to draw that Rat Dad) Buuutt...I have thoughts lately about Splinter Fantasy AU, (a lil sneak peek won't hurt 🤭😉)

Splinter is just a simple wanderer, a wanderer trying to survive a hard, cruel life. However, life's getting more tougher. One day, Splinter rescued the Tribunal Turtle tots from a bounty hunters at the black market, at night (nasty place...full of criminals, monster bounty hunters, villains) and raising the Tribunal Turtle tots awaaayy from their threats. So they lived in the deepest part of the forest, living in darkness. They lived happily under his protection...but sadly, it doesn't lasts long 🥲Somekind of calamity, an evil spirits...coming on their way...they were trying to separate them. Splinter lost his tribunal turtle tots somewhere. (Don't worry the turtle tots made it out alive! Strong kids😊🐢) Splinter been searching for them all day, night and day, from the forests to the mountains, to the villages. Wearing his old cloak to blend in, no matter how cold the winter, and under the scorching summer sun. He misses his boys so bad, and he believes that his sons can survive and live long enough, his sons are strong. Hopefully Splinter will meet them again.

Okay, I think that's it about my Splinter Fantasy AU little backstory about how he found his Tribunal Turtle tots! When I get the mood to write more about him, I'll get back to it soon!🥲🥲🥲

[andreafmn]

12 Days of Ficmas - Day 5

Prompt (by @12-days-of-ficmas): i hate christmas but you really love it and i feel bad raining on your parade so i guess it wouldn’t kill me to act a little happier

Word Count: 2.7K

Story Description: It's the first Christmas for Lip and (Y/N). He's not used to having the holiday times be a very festive event, but something about being with (Y/N) makes everything better.

Fandom: Shameless

Pairing: Lip Gallagher x NonBinary!Reader

Warnings: foul language

A/N: not precisely day 5, just a few hours after but I am all caught up now. I wanted more details into the story but this is how it flowed out😅

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If you’d like to be tagged in 12 days of ficmas, let me know in the comments. 

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For You, Anything

It was no secret that the Gallagher gang had a rough life growing up. Holidays weren’t such a thing to celebrate, simply something that happened during the winter whilst they were trying to survive the cold months. Their whole life had been a struggle. It was what they were used to, and what they would probably always have hanging in the back of their heads for the rest of their lives.

It had been two and a half years since Lip had moved out of the family home and had to care for fewer people. A year and three months that he and Tami had amicably gone their separate ways and shared custody of their son Freddie. And a year since he met (Y/N).

His life had drastically changed since they had come into their life. Lip had started the transformation of his life long ago. Though he did have some major lows in his journey, he was ways away from the frightened boy he used to be. One of those lows was breaking things off with Tami. It had been a mutual breakup – they had grown apart. But it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt and he had to go through a transitional period where he didn’t see his son every day and he came home to an empty house every night.

During that transitional period, when Tami and he were still figuring out the best way to divide custody of Freddie, was when he met (Y/N).

They were walking out of a coffee shop as Lip was walking in, on his way to get an order. He bumped into them and ended up spilling their iced coffee all over them, staining their crisp white shirt and their grey pantsuit.

“Fuck,” he said. “I am so sorry. I’d say I would pay for the dry cleaning but that suit looks more expensive than my whole wardrobe.”

“No worries,” they chuckled. “You can make it up to me over dinner. I’m (Y/N).” 

“Lip. Uh, Philip, but you can call me Lip.”

“Well, Lip. Here’s my number. Call me some time,” they said as they handed the man a business card.

It took him a week to call (Y/N). He had put the card on his secondhand fridge, letting it taunt him. He’d felt intimidated as soon as he read the little cardboard. They were an attorney at one of the biggest firms in Chicago. He felt slightly intimidated at the prospect of falling for someone that seemed to have it all together.

Eventually, his curiosity peaked. He wanted to know this person that had taken an interest in him just by only knowing his name. So, he called, and the rest was history.

The pair hit it off right away, finding they had more in common than differences. And although they came from different backgrounds, and lived drastically different lives, and it seemed like there would never be a way for them to ever intermingle, they did.

Lip certainly had never felt this way before. He’d been obsessed with people before; he couldn’t deny that. He was ready to give everything up for Karen; he grew infatuated with Mandy; he had a crazy rendezvous with Amanda which intertwined with the affair he was having with his much older professor Helene; finally, there was Tami, the woman he was ready to change everything for, even if it didn’t work out in the end.

But it was different with (Y/N). The intoxicating adrenaline feeling he normally got when meeting someone new was gone. He felt calm, at peace. There wasn’t the giddy feeling of finding out just how big of a trainwreck the relationship would be. Rather he felt like riding softly on the waves of their relationship.

Their relationship moved quite fast – though for Southside standards it was slow. At the end of their first month, they had already said they loved each other. After four months together, (Y/N) asked him to move in with them – they would spend so much time there that it was almost like he already did. Five months in and they met Freddie.

Now, a year into their relationship they were spending their first Christmas together, and the first Christmas Lip would spend with Freddie since the breakup. But he had never been a holiday person. He never had the luxury to be one. Not even when his kid had been born did he celebrate it well – according to Tami’s family.

On the other hand, (Y/N) was a Christmas fanatic. And when they heard that Freddie would be spending those holidays at their place, they decided to go all out.

“Okay,” they said as they joined Lip on the couch one night a week before Freddie got there. “I made a list of all the things I think will make this an unforgettable Christmas for Fred. And before you say anything, I know he’s only four years old and he probably won’t remember much of it, but I still wanna make this amazing.”

“Alright,” Lip chuckled. “Let me have it.”

“So, I know this week you still have two finals this week, so I kept it light. Mainly stuff at home,” (Y/N) started. “I was thinking we could a gingerbread house, make letters to Santa, watch Christmas classics, and bake some cookies. That way you can study during his downtime. What do you think?”

Lip couldn’t help but smile at his partner. Before them, every time the holidays came around he couldn’t help the anger that washed over him. Whilst other families had the ability to give their families happy memories to hold onto, all he could remember was having to help his family pass the winter without dying of the cold or hunger. It was something he never wanted his own son to go through. And with (Y/N) he knew it was possible.

Since they loved Christmas so much, he decided he would try his best to enjoy the holiday for the sake of his partner and his son.

“Sounds like a perfect plan,” he replied. His hands cradled their face, placing a soft kiss on their lips, a glimmer of adoration in his eyes.

“What?” (Y/N) chuckled as they noticed Lip kept staring at them.

“I’m just so fucking grateful to have met you, baby,” he said. “A year ago I never thought my life would look this way. I mean, somehow I’m back in school; I have a healthy and happy son; I’ve been two years – and counting – sober; and I have the most amazing life partner with me.”

Tears started welling up in his eyes as he recalled how his life was changing. He wanted to be the person they knew he could be. (Y/N) had helped him make a life plan and taught him that it was okay if he had to improvise some things along the way. They helped him get back into school, where he would get an advanced masters. At least that’s what he hoped. Because he wanted to change. (Y/N) made him want to change. Regardless of who he left behind.

“This is the first time I don’t feel guilty for making a better life for myself,” he continued. “The first time I don’t have to worry where my siblings will rest their heads or if they have enough food to get them through the winter or worry I’ll find my father passed out in an alley freezing. You’ve given me the time and space I’ve needed to allow myself to leave the southside behind.

People always told me that just because I was from the southside it didn’t mean I was supposed to stay there. And I always blew them off because I always found a way to screw things up and stay there. That’s when people always leave. But you haven’t. You know everything I’ve done, all the skeletons in my closet, and yet you still chose to be with me.

I truly don’t know what I did to deserve you, (Y/N). But you make me want to be a better person every day of my life. Because I love you, I want to be the person you think I can be.

And I want to enjoy this Christmas. I want to make memories with you and Freddie, even if he won’t remember them. Cause I fucking will. And I want pictures with Santa and to go ice skating, and to open presents on Christmas morning. Because we deserve it.” 

(Y/N) couldn’t help but wrap their arms around his neck, kissing him once more.

“Lip, I’m the one who’s lucky. You gave my life direction,” they smiled. “Having all this, it meant nothing because I didn’t have someone to share it with. I worked, I came home, ate and slept, and did it all again. Day after day. That was my life. Now, I look forward to coming home because I know there’s someone waiting at home for me.

You and I were raised very differently. I know that. But I’ve known the gut-wrenching feeling of thinking there’s nothing better out there. With you, I know I’ve got better now.

And I know this is simply gonna be the first Christmas of many as a family. So, list or no list, I wanna do whatever you want. Because I love you and want you to have an amazing time.” 

“I think I’ll stick to the list,” he chuckled through teary eyes. “I trust the expert.”

And he did. Because the thing he was mostly looking forward to was the Christmas dinner they had planned with his family, their family, and their friends. The day he would ask (Y/N) if they’d spend the rest of their lives together, making memories to last them a lifetime.

Taglist: @adaydreamaway08 @beckiej0073-blog

[prikarin]

Hello, I'm not very good at English. If my understanding of the storyline of WWCG is wrong, I apologize.

After I tried playing the game, the characters are very interesting. Crowe is very good at observing others, so I was suspicious at first that he could read minds. And Aspen is very cute, he reminds me of my cat.... But I can't help but wonder about Crowe's personality.

- Why did Crowe look so careless in the first meeting scene in the kitchen? In a hypothetical case, if Aspen was a dangerous person, I think Crowe could hardly defend himself from an ambush from behind.

- I'm not sure if Aspen should be angry that Crowe changed his clothes because from my observation, it seems that the shirt inside was not changed, right?

- I think someone else was helped by Crowe before Aspen appeared, right?

- I've heard that drinking alcohol helps in very cold weather. Does Crowe drink or have it?

- If Aspen didn't call him by his nickname Jewel, what other nicknames would he like to be called by?

- If Crowe didn't do the Blood Pact, how would he live or conduct himself? I think his knowledge and kindness would help him become well-known and popular in normal society.

- I don't understand Crowe's thinking in the Yandere route. Why did he still spare Aspen and stick with theirs? Since Aspen clearly showed that they didn't like his actions, and Crowe could really drug him forever?

- If in the Yandere route Aspen didn't eat the granola bars, how would Crowe take him back?

- I think Crowe's courtship is quite polite and slow-paced. In the route where he is Aspen's lover, could he be the one to take the lead in the relationship, like asking Aspen for a hug? Because I think Crowe might be too shy to ask for something like that directly.

Hello, there! Thank you for playing my game, I'm happy you liked it!! 😊 Also, your English is fine! I will make an exception this time but, next time, please don't ask so many questions altogether 😖. I'm only one person and it can be a bit overwhelming to answer so much at the time 🙏💦 Next time I won't be answering asks as long as this one. Another thing to note, Aspen is not a man. They identify as nonbinary so their pronouns are they/them. Most of these questions contain BIG spoilers so the answers will be below the "Keep Reading".

Why did Crowe look so careless in the first meeting scene in the kitchen? In a hypothetical case, if Aspen was a dangerous person, I think Crowe could hardly defend himself from an ambush from behind. It's important to note that all the people who arrived at Winter Hollow before Aspen got affected by the blizzards. Even if some of them happened to be dangerous, they wouldn't have survived because Crowe has only ever been interested in saving Aspen. Therefore, the scene in the kitchen wouldn't have happened .

I'm not sure if Aspen should be angry that Crowe changed their clothes because from my observation, it seems that the shirt inside was not changed, right? That's why there are 3 different options in that scene, so that the player can decide what they feel is right for them. Canonical Aspen would most probably NOT get angry for having their clothes changed since they understand that Crowe did it to save their life. However, Crowe most definitely changed ALL of their clothes. The clothes were completely cold from the weather, so Crowe had to remove all of them before warming Aspen up.

I think someone else was helped by Crowe before Aspen appeared, right? No, Aspen was the first person that Crowe helped because he felt needed. It felt good for Crowe to have someone need him, and he was also starting to feel a bit guilty from what he was doing.

I've heard that drinking alcohol helps in very cold weather. Does Crowe drink or have it? Crowe doesn't drink alcohol, he doesn't like it. But he does have a few bottles of alcohol for cooking.

If Aspen didn't call him by his nickname Jewel, what other nicknames would he like to be called by? If it's Aspen calling him petnames, probably anything 😂 But I think he'd like it if Aspen called him 'honey'.

If Crowe didn't do the Blood Pact, how would he live or conduct himself? I think his knowledge and kindness would help him become well-known and popular in normal society. Even with the blood pact active, Crowe is a researcher who loves studying nature. I think he'd still do that and eventually sell his books on his discoveries. As for the other kind of job he'd have, he'd sell wild herbal teas/infusions together with Aspen. As someone who prefers to keep to himself and as an introvert, Crowe wouldn't really be interested in helping society or becoming famous. He prefers to do things for himself, nature and the people he cares about (Aspen).

I don't understand Crowe's thinking in the Yandere route. Why did he still spare Aspen and stick with theirs? Since Aspen clearly showed that they didn't like his actions, and Crowe could really drug them forever? Because he is completely obsessed with Aspen in the yandere ending. In the yandere route, Crowe believes he is in love with Aspen (he isn't, he's just obsessed) and is very selfish, only thinking about what HE wants, so he doesn't really care how Aspen sees him anymore. Crowe is determined to keep Aspen forever, no matter what he has to do. That's why he keeps Aspen in the cabin against their will.

I think Crowe's courtship is quite polite and slow-paced. In the route where he is Aspen's lover, could he be the one to take the lead in the relationship, like asking Aspen for a hug? Because I think Crowe might be too shy to ask for something like that directly. The dynamic between Crowe's and Aspen's romance, canonically, is teasing and being teased back. It depends on the choices you made in the story, but Crowe is also very flirty with Aspen when he wants to be and makes Aspen blush a lot as well. Both are flirty and both are shy, it just depends on the situation. In the game in particular, when Aspen is more flirty and eager, you get the TWISTED ENDING, but if Aspen is more neutral and shy, you get the SWEET ENDING. Also, Crowe and Aspen actually become lovers in BOTH the Twisted Ending and the Sweet Ending. It's just that Aspen is more shy in the sweet ending. In the Twisted Ending, while it's true that Aspen is more eager there, the time-skip shows both of them being lovey-dovey with each other.

[heyiwrotesomethings]

I do not think I could survive Love Blossoms in the Dead of Winter-- not for any of the near-death situations or even Shinobu's teasing-- but because I have a petrifying fear of bees and Mitsuri harvests honey from them.

Actually now that I think about it, that's any scenario that involves Mitsuri, isn't it... and wait, the Butterfly Mansion probably has a bunch because of all the flowers around...

...uh oh. 😰

All jokes aside, they would protect you because they’re the best 😤 Shinobu may tease, but she’d never purposely put you in the way of the bees and Mitsuri’s completely empathetic.

Just hang out under the shade on the engawa and enjoy the vibe from afar, and reap the benefits of their harvest from a safe distance. Maybe share some refreshing drinks when all the work is done 😊

[red-dipped-feathers]

Moon of the Crusted Snow

(picture taken by me)

I am starting off the year with this amazing book written by an indigenous author. Not gonna lie, what attracted me to this book was the beautiful book cover and title with its wintery desolated landscape and mysterious name. Usually, the apocalypse or post-apocalypse genre isn’t something I would read but I was very interested in seeing this genre being explored from an indigenous perspective and boy was I not disappointed! This book was captivating from start to end and it’s definitely going in my recommendations. So here is my review of it. Hope you like it and that I convince you to give this book a shot 😊

Title: Moon of The Crusted Snow

Author: Waubgeshig Rice

Genre: Novel, Apocalypse, post-apocalypse

Publication Date: 2 Octobre 2018

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Introduction:

In Waubgeshig Rice's "Moon of the Crusted Snow," the tranquil existence of a remote Anishinaabe community in Northern Ontario is shattered by an unexplained societal collapse. As winter blankets the land, the novel explores the community's struggle for survival amid diminishing resources and isolation. Rice skillfully blends traditional Anishinaabe storytelling with a stark portrayal of the post-apocalyptic landscape, offering a poignant reflection on culture, community, and the resilience of the human spirit against an unforgiving backdrop of crusted snow and encroaching darkness.

Plot:

The overarching plot of the narrative proves to be a compelling and intriguing aspect of "Moon of the Crusted Snow." Waubgeshig Rice skillfully introduces a palpable sense of anxiety that permeates the characters' experiences as they grapple with the impending end of the world, all while remaining oblivious to its occurrence. Although the story begins at a deliberate pace, it progressively gains momentum, ensuring a smooth and well-paced development without feeling rushed.

What sets Rice's storytelling apart is his ability to sustain a high level of suspense throughout, even when readers are privy to the impending apocalypse. The narrative skillfully keeps readers on the edge of their seats, evoking a genuine sense of unease for the characters and their uncertain fate. Remarkably, despite the limited action, the storyline remains engaging, avoiding any dull or stagnant moments. The brevity of the chapters contributes to the overall dynamism, allowing the narrative to maintain its momentum and ensuring that the reader remains captivated by the unfolding events.

Plot rating : 4/5

Characters:

The narrative predominantly unfolds through the lens of the central character, Evan, serving as the focal point through which the actions of the other characters come into view. While it's worth noting that the book doesn't delve into extensive character development, I find it to be fitting for the genre. In the context of this apocalyptic tale, the emphasis on character evolution might be secondary.

Evan, as the protagonist, provides readers with a vivid portrayal of life in a secluded community during the apocalypse. The narrative encapsulates the prevalent mistrust and paranoia that takes root within the community, creating a palpable atmosphere of impending doom. This thematic focus, coupled with Evan's perspective, adds a layer of intensity to the storyline, making it a captivating read.

Notably, the narrative occasionally shifts its lens to Nicole, Evan's wife, offering a valuable alternative perspective. This additional point of view provides a nuanced exploration of the unfolding events, enriching the reader's understanding of the characters and the dire situation they find themselves in.

Character rating : 3.25/5

Themes and Messages:

"Moon of the Crusted Snow" by Waubgeshig Rice delves into the themes of survival, resilience, and cultural identity within an Anishinaabe community facing an apocalyptic scenario. The narrative underscores the importance of preserving traditional knowledge, emphasizes community bonds, and explores the fear of the unknown. The novel subtly addresses the impact of modernity on indigenous communities and reflects on power dynamics within the community during times of crisis. Against a backdrop of a harsh winter landscape, the story intertwines environmental resonance with human experiences, prompting reflection on the interconnectedness between nature and humanity. Overall, Rice weaves a compelling narrative that goes beyond the typical post-apocalyptic tale, inviting readers to ponder cultural preservation, collective strength, and the profound effects of societal collapse on a community deeply rooted in its traditions.

Theme rating : 5/5

Strengths:

Brings a different perspective to the end of the world

Well written story line

High level of suspense, you can feel your anxiety building with each chapter

Weaknesses:

Does start off at a slow pace

Not a lot of action (personally, I don’t feel it was needed for this story but I know some of you might find the story a bit lacking or even boring)

So here you go, the first review of the year and the first review on this blog! let me know if you liked it and if it made you want to read the book.

Also, if you already read this book let me know if you enjoyed it and if you agree or disagree with my review 😊

See you next time !

Red dipped feathers

P.S. I’m def going to read the second book to this story called “Moon of the Turning Leaves”, so make sure to stick around for that review!

[miru667]

https://www.neka.cc/composer/11762 <- This is like a picrew, you can make a pokemon team here!! It doesn't have every pokemon but it was still so fun to do 😊 Here's Audrey Grace's team:

I usually only share picrew images on my Twitter but I decided to post this one on tumblr too since it has oc lore! 😆 So below are the explanations for my pokemon choices for her:

Leafeon - It's all about the PHOTOSYNTHESIS! It makes fresh air for her and its tail can become sharp and deadly (like her knives) :) It also smells like grass which she likes! I think out of all pokemon I'm keeping leafeon for her no matter what

Pumpkaboo - Audrey loves pumpkins, and is afraid of the dark so pumpkaboo can provide her with light 😌 It can also keep her company if she ever becomes ghostdrey again (she has leftover trauma from Beach AU)

Galarian Rapidash - Audrey loved unicorns when she was a little kid so now as an adult she gets to indulge! She also likes to go FAST when traveling. Also Galarian rapidash can protect and heal you from poison?? I wonder if it would work again zombie infections..

Cutiefly - It can sense auras, and is attracted to people who are excited since it makes their auras resemble a flower in full bloom! I thought this was perfect because not only do I associate Audrey with flowers a lot but she also doesn't hold back when she's happy about something (e.g. crying over delicious food) so she probably attracted a cutiefly at some point haha

Cleffa - Audrey likes to dance and she also likes to watch meteor showers so I imagine she found some cleffa during one of her stargazing nights and danced with them for fun and one of them decided to follow her home

Wooloo - I just think she deserves to relax and cuddle with a nice soft wooloo in the grass! :") She's a retired knight and she's lived through an apocalypse and a war and escaping a cult so now it's time to mow hay. Also Audrey has always been a self sufficient girl so maybe she makes clothes out of wooloo's wool to survive the winter just like how she used werewolf fur in mainverse :3

And that's all of them! I see half the team ended up being fairy types and I think that's fair, Audrey Grace has always been surrounded by magical stuff x)

I tried to include at least one fighting type since she's supposed to be very athletic and a good fighter but idk none of them really spoke to me 😔 Audrey will just have to be the fighter in her team, she'll protect everyone. 😤 Maybe she'll make friends with a Lucario though and they'll go on zombie sweeps together, I think that could be cool...

[acutemushroom]

I'm at my parent's home for the weekend and I decided to take pictures of the family dogs.

Say hi to :

Sophia, our geriatric bichon (Maltese? )

Not a thought in that brain, might as well be half-cat, but she is adorable. Doesn't have a survival instinct; everybody is her friend. She is also a challenge to find in the yard during winter.😆

Charlie, our geriatric border collie

The only one with some sort of brain. She is the wise grandma of the group. Really calm. Also visibly shy in front of camera, since this is the best picture of her I have. The house is next to a school, so every kid in the village knows her, which I find adorable. 😊

Louca, the younger border collie

The baby of the group (3 y/o), and a little rocket. Always energetic he is constantly jumping on people to be pet. Addicted to affection, he is always by our side. Adorable, but lack a brain. Our beloved little himbo 🥰