#this idea has just been stewing and marinating....

[cayennecrush]

i cant even lie, the moment i saw Meowdas i knew he'd look good all tied up LMAO (prob part 1/2)

[docochocart]

DOCORONPA R

CHAPTER THREE

[ victim ]

In the blink of an eye the evening had been flipped on its head.

As Social Star graciously accepted her award, an unknown object had dropped from the ceiling at breakneck speed.

Almost instantaneously, a splatter of blood smacked the spotlight lit curtain behind the now terrified girl. Just like that, Cowboy was dead.

THIRD VICTIM

ULTIMATE COWBOY

*ding dong*

"A body has been discovered!"

This chilling announcement was interrupted with the sound of metal crashing against the floor, followed by the tremendous thud of Cowboy's corpse.

A thick wave of red quickly washed across the stage as the room descended into complete chaos. As the insanity unfolded around her Drummer stood motionless, reflecting on what Rebel had warned of.

Social Star hurriedly escaped the stage turned crime scene, hopping into Personal Trainer's hysteric grasp. With the doors to escape till locked by MonoMaton, the cast was forced to stew in their hysteria.

Cowboy's absence was immediately evident in this scene. There was nobody to lead the room and stop this chaos. Well, almost nobody.

"Enough!"

Ice Skater had taken center stage, staring down at her horrified classmates as blood pooled under her boots. She parted her lips to speak, only to be interrupted by her usual protesters.

Bartender and Sailor took to the bottom of the stage, staring the power-hungry woman down from beneath with a fervor. The gruesome twosome weaponized their insane combined volume to make Ice Skater completely inaudible to the room.

"Well, Well, Well... Look what we have here."

The cast did a 180 to meet this sickeningly sweet voice, seeing a lone MonoMaton standing in front of the locked exit:

"What's to do now? We have two more students to award tonight."

The cast looked on in disbelief, not one of them uttering a word in response. MonoMaton, predictably, continued anyway:

"Okay fine... let's just get this over with."

MonoMaton playfully waddled through the crowd, making his way onto the stage with the final goodie bags tucked behind his back:

"Luckily, both of our winners are already with me on stage!"

Joyfully skipping toward the side of Cowboy's corpse, MonoMaton announced the winner of 'perfect victim' was the deceased. The crowd, including Ice Skater, stood in silence as the plushy made the short trek across the stage to deliver her the final award:

"And to the shock of nobody, our perfect killer award goes to... Ice Skater!"

Confetti shot into the air for a final time showering the eerily quiet room with a dreamlike glimmer.

As MonoMaton made a hasty exit and the last of the glitter rained down, Ice Skater took her opportunity to speak. She strongly suggested that the group split into pairs to cover as much ground as possible in the short time allotted.

To the shock of nobody Bartender and Sailor contested this idea, insinuating that Ice Skater, and by extension Marine Biologist, couldn't be trusted.

To the shock of everybody an unexpected camper stepped up to settle the matter.

Rebel stomped his way toward the front of the crowd, grumpily nominating himself to 'keep an eye' on Ice Skater while they investigate.

Seeing an opportunity she'd rarely get, Drummer spoke up for once:

"I could pair up with Marine Biologist."

Other than a strange look from PT, there wasn't any pushback on Drummer's offer. The same went for Rebel's as the group continued on claiming pairings.

Sailor and Bartender's pairing went without saying, while Streamer awkwardly assigned herself to an inconsolable Welder. Because of the group now being an odd number, PT and Social Star insisted they take Ghost Hunter with them.

With that settled, each pair was assigned a section of the farm to comb over. Drummer and Marine Biologist were given the hotel and animal pens to search.

Marine Biologist sheepishly approached Drummer to begin their search, quietly whispering "thank you" as the two left the Pageant Hall.

...

The two traveled back to the hotel in an unbearable silence.

Marine Biologist was clearly very distraught, leading the two by several paces and constantly checking her surroundings as they walked. Drummer followed closely behind, to paralyzed with anxiety to comfort her.

Once enough distance had been made between them and the pageant hall, Marine Biologist stopped in her tracks. She looked back at a now frozen Drummer with wide eyes. She spoke with a tremble:

"She snuck out again. Last night."

Drummer didn't know what to say for a moment, pausing before muttering:

"Then... Why keep covering for her?"

Marine Biologist seemed offended by the question, furrowing her brow as she turned away:

"Let's just focus on the investigation for now."

...

After an uneventful search of the Hotel, the pair awkwardly made their way to the pig pen. Words still failing both of them, Marine Biologist trailed several feet behind Drummer as they walked in silence.

Finally reaching the edge of the pen, an unbearable stench brought a wince to their faces. It seemed much worse than the typical petting zoo stench they'd grown accustomed to over the week. Neither of them questioned it as they circled the perimeter of the enclosure.

As they skimmed through the crowd of pigs, the deformities of each grew more and more prominent. Many had their facial features slightly askew, their shoulders and hips miss-aligned and a smattering of teeth like growths dotting their heads.

Drummer grew more and more disturbed as she took the time to inspect the pigs closer, only pausing to check for Marine Biologist's reaction. The poor girl stood frozen a few feet behind before finally breaking the silence:

"Why are they like this?"

Drummer turned back to the hoard of swine, desperately racking her brain for some sort of explanation for this. Fearing letting another conversation die, Drummer began to guess aloud:

"Maybe it could be-"

As Drummer began theorizing, a part in the crowd of pigs revealed a mangled pile of innards on the ground beneath their misshapen hooves. The carnage was just a few feet from the girls.

Marine Biologist was the first to react, letting out a terrified shriek as she clung helplessly to Drummers shoulder. Within a moment, Drummer joined her in screaming.

As the two clung to one another in terror, a dreaded noise rung all throughout the farm:

*ding dong*

"A body has been discovered!"

By the end of this announcement, the two had finished their panic. They remained transfixed on the small glimpses of deep red they got between the pig's bodies as the speakers petered out.

The screaming, however, continued.

With both of the girls now completely silent, they realized they hadn't been the ones to find a fellow camper's body.

The girls hurried down the trail to meet the far away call fearing the worst. Unfortunately for them, they'd be right.

...

Reaching the shanty town, Drummer and Marine Biologist were met with a sobbing Social Star sitting on the trail out front of the Saloon.

Personal Trainer and Ghost Hunter both were cautiously trying to soothe the distraught diva to no avail. All three of them were visibly shaken up by what they'd just witnessed:

"She's fucking-g... she's fucking dead!

Social Star continued her uncontrollable wailing, completely ignoring the arrival of Drummer and Marine Biologist. Personal Trainer silently pointed the girls into the saloon, they followed this order without question.

Once inside, they were met with a Welder, Bartender and Sailor sitting anxiously in the dining area.

Welder's sobbing rivaled Social Stars, with their head pressed firmly into the table as they wailed. While Sailor was clearly too drunk to be concerned with anything, Bartender turned to the girls with dread in her eyes:

"She's in the kitchen."

The girls slowly stepped through the kitchen door, peaking around the corner to see rebel guarding the large, metal of a walk-in freezer.

Without a word, the pouting lug rolled his eyes and opened the massive, steel door to reveal the gruesome scene hidden inside.

FOURTH VICTIM

ULTIMATE STREAMER

Streamer dangled in the center of the meat locker, suspended feet above the ground. She was nearly unrecognizable with the amount of blood that had been frozen to her corpse.

Ice Skater stood just behind the hanging corpse, silently inspecting the damages. She paid no mind to Drummer's and Marine Biologists screams as she combed over the body.

Rebel slammed the cellar door shut after a few moments, waiting for the girls to finish screaming before he spoke:

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... Back to the dining room. We got two bodies and a trial in less than an hour."

To be continued...

[bowsie22]

Alone in a Marine cell, Sanji has time to think. That's never a good thing

Sanji didn't know what was worse, the pain all over his body or not knowing what was happening to his crew. He avoided looking at the broken fingers and dislocated knee, knowing it would send him into another panic attack if he did.

He still couldn't believe that he’d been captured. But the other choice was to let Usopp be caught and he would never let that happen. He’d quickly distracted the marines, so concerned with protecting his young friend that he didn’t realise they were herding him towards a trap. And now here he was. Alone, injured, and with no idea if anyone was coming to rescue him.

It was easy enough to track the days. Oatmeal for breakfast as the dawn broke, his daily questioning/beating/torture, and then late in the evening, some watery stew and bread. He'd go to bed, wake up and repeat. He'd repeated it five times to far, so he knew he'd been here for a week at least. 

Sanji was worried. That long and still no sign of his crew. Were they captured as well? Were they hurt? 'Maybe they finally realised they’re better off without you.' Sanji shook his head. It wasn't the first time that voice had spoken up in the past few days, but he was determined to ignore it. He knew better, he knew his crew loved him. He trusted that they’d come for him, no matter what the Marines or his brain said.

Ten days. He’d been here for ten days, alone, starving. Scared. Not that he’d let the Marines know that. But as it turned out they weren’t completely stupid. His captors had quickly realised that physical pain didn’t mean too much to Sanji, but mental and emotional pain? They could destroy him with that. Every day they reminded him that his crew wasn’t coming for him, telling him they saw the Straw Hat crew sail away days ago. Sanji denied it every day, defending his friends, spitting swears and insults at the Marines who tried to break him. But when they left, it was a different story.

‘They’re not wrong. Why would the crew waste their time saving you. There are hundreds of cooks out there better than you. And thousands of better fighters. Your father was right, you’re worthless, you’re a liability. How many times has Zoro had to risk himself to save you? It was just a matter of time before they came to their senses and realised they were better off without you.’

The voice went from a whisper to a scream, and nothing worked to block it. Not singing, not screaming until his throat bled, not bashing his head off the wall until he blacked out. Nothing worked. He didn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. The Marines had won, they had broken Blackleg Sanji.

A head wound with dehydration and malnutrition meant Sanji spent most of his time sleeping. Meaning he wasn’t even awake when his crew forced their way through the Marine base and saved him, bringing him back to the Sunny. He woke to Nami sleeping in the chair by his bedside, Luffy on the floor at his head, Zoro at the foot of the bed and Usopp tinkering with something beside Nami. Sanji groaned, Usopp fumbling whatever he was messing with, desperately making sure it didn’t fall. “Sanji, you’re awake! Oh, thank heavens, we’ve been so worried. I’m sorry it took so long for us to find you. They had a Fruit User who could create hallucinations. We’d go to where we thought the base was and it would just be a farm or forest. It was so annoying; we were so scared!”

Following Sanji’s eyes, Usopp grabbed the glass of water and helping Sanji sit up, held it to the other’s lips, watching as the man sipped it down. They both knew better than to gulp it down. “We bought you to a doctor in town. Some infections, but the main concern was dehydration and malnourishment. Which we can treat. Our cooking mightn’t be as good as yours, but it’ll help. We’re going to look after you Sanji, so just relax and concentrate on getting better ok. We’re here for you Sanji, we got you.”

Sanji drifted off to sleep, Usopp’s fingers in his hair, his voice in his ear detailing the thrilling rescue of their nakama. Maybe that voice was wrong, maybe the crew did love him. But that was a problem for another day. For now, he was surrounded by the people important to him, back in his home. For now, he was safe and happy. For now, that was enough.

[ryttu3k]

Any recommendations for cruelty-free Xmas lunch options?

Oh, sure! For which hemisphere? What I recommend for Australia would be pretty different for what I'd recommend elsewhere, haha.

For the northern hemisphere, you have a cavalcade of dishes involving baked and roasted veggies, stews, showstopping pumpkin and squash dishes, stuff like that. I'd recommend making one or two 'main' dishes, then having a whole host of fun sides. Root veggies and mushrooms are all seasonal and super filling.

Main dish suggestions: Mushroom wellington, stuffed butternut roast, shepherd's pie. Nice and wintery, all have protein. For a less-protein-y option, this cauliflower is pretty cool-looking!

Side dish suggestions: Aside from all the roast veggies and delish cool-weather salads with grains and stuff, here's a recipe for vegan Yorkshire puddings! You can use the chickpeas for another dish, too - maybe a topped hommus?

Dessert suggestions: While there are always cakes and puddings and the like, stuffed baked fruits are always pretty funky-looking too. Here are some stuffed apples and stuffed pears.

The southern hemisphere is a little trickier! Our Christmas dishes do sometimes resemble northern hemisphere ones, but sometimes it's 35 C and the idea of putting the oven on makes you want to die, and also seafood is pretty traditional. I've always been partial to just taking advantage of the fact that summer is fantastic for abundant fresh produce, and making an absolute ton of different dishes. No actual Main Dish(tm), but lots of smaller ones that people can pick and choose from.

We're having a more casual thing this year - tomorrow, actually! - because my brother and SIL are taking nibling down to SIL's family in the country for actual Christmas, so what we're doing is my favourite loaded potato salad (you can add protein in the form of vegan deli slices, or marinated tofu or tempeh, or beans, or honestly anything you like), homemade sushi rolls (tofu and veggies), and breads and dips, although that's admittedly just a small casual menu for a small casual thing. Here's what we did a few years back, though, and that has a bunch more stuff, including an admittedly store-bought vegan roast, haha.

But yeah, lots of salads, lots of fresh veggie dishes. Desserts can really focus on amazing fresh fruits, like mangoes and cherries. For hot dishes, using a barbeque is a great option; here are recipes for portobello mushrooms, veggie skewers, and corn ribs. Pasta salads can be made ahead of time and left to cool - if you don't mind using the oven, one of my favourites has pasta, spinach leaves, roasted pumpkin, sundried tomatoes, capers, and pine nuts, with a maple mustard dressing (if it's just too damn hot, you can do the pumpkin on the stove, but roasting does add lovely depth of flavour). Bean salads are great too, they work very well with fresh tomatoes (especially if you get a bunch of different colours). Stuffed veggies are great too, capsicum and eggplant in particular hold their shapes well.

For dessert, focus on dishes using fresh fruit, and stuff you can make ahead. You can make mini-pavlovas using meringue made with aquafaba, trifles (most custard powder mixes are already vegan, and there are a lot of jellies that can be made with things like agar, including commercially-available ones), ice creams (including commercially-available ones - if you can get a reasonably-priced vanilla, which Coles has if you're in Australia, you can make that into a huge variety of different flavour combinations, including an extremely nice rocky road using chocolate chunks, nuts, and Turkish delight - just make sure it's the proper stuff and not the cheap shortcut type that uses gelatin and cochineal), I really enjoy medjool dates stuffed with marzipan and dipped in chocolate...

Have a delish meal!

[sweetfirebird]

er. the process.

*weak jazz hands*

Someone asked, which then forced me to again think upon the mess that might be called "my process."

It is organized. It is not at all organized.

I did a Q&A on Patreon for patrons last year and some of them asked sort of similar questions, which I did my best to answer. I looked at those again, and I am going to post one of the questions and my answer here. But I'm not sure it's even what "my process" fully is.

(But also like, part of me feels like this is all pretty standard writing stuff. I mean, as I say, I don't write plot-based stories. I do character-based stories. So if you are a heavy plotter, this might be weird looking to you)

Anyway, the answer from that Q&A session. Question asked by KGA. <3

I'm curious which comes to you first, the characters or the story idea, and how much do you know/plan before you write the book.

--Sometimes, it starts with a notion. The notion can be small. “Dragon woos someone with garbage.” Which was a tumblr discussion that eventually, eventually, led to Zarrin. (It’s not quite garbage, in the end, but Joe was still confused.) Sometimes, it starts from a discussion about fun tropes from which we get “hyper space nerd has to be rescued repeatedly by giant space marine and at some point, has to think he’s been left behind only then giant space marine returns to save him.” And… you can tell what that ended up. Delf was because I just… originally wanted to do something with knights and a threatening vibe (what the threat was, I hadn’t decided yet). Knights alone in a dark, dark wood, that sort of thing, was the original notion. But why make the woods scary when the rest of the world is really what you should keep your eye on?

Occasionally, the character or part of the character comes first. I saw the name Potts on something and wanted to think about a gentle soul named Potts. (Or Jericho. Whatever).

Then I stew over the idea for a while. It rarely stays in its original raw form but the joy I took in that idea has to stay. That is the important thing. And then I start to consider what would get me to the point necessary for space nerd to always be in danger, to consider why the lonely witch in his lonely house is so lonely in the first place, or what on earth two knights would be doing in the woods if they aren’t after a dragon or a grail.

The steps are roughly the same after that. (Roughly.) Muse on it until it sparks into scenes or more ideas that please my brain. Extend a premise out of that. Then think about plot and characters. But characters first. Plotting is not my strong suit.

I make what I call ‘notes.’ Which is sort of an outline, or a map. I do it in linear order, because the characters grow over the course of a story so I can’t jump ahead too far or I will pay for it later when the characters that they become no longer want or need to do a thing I thought they might.

This process takes a while, and it basically… hmm I described it somewhere once as sort of like building a house. Sort of. The first part of the notes process is just me trying to get out all the ideas that have been forming in my head, including any specific scenes or lines I thought of.

Then I go to the start of the document and make little character sheets for their names and maybe some stuff about them. (There are a lot of question marks here.) Then once I have a better idea of my people, I go back to the outline part and I start to fill it in. This takes several passes and generally some time. A week or two or much longer than that, depending on the book or story. Each pass has more detail. Sometimes I will basically write a whole scene, including dialogue, but in messy note form.

When it actually gets written, though, sometimes that whole scene changes or gets cut. So what I call notes goes from true notes, to an outline, to a first draft of sorts, before I actually “write” it.

The notes for the ending scenes are always the most vague, deliberately. I usually have some sort of ending in mind (Confront emperor. Declare feelings in public. Realize your two boyfriends are your two boyfriends. And so on.) but, like I said, the characters will have been changed by the events of the story (some of which I don’t even know about yet) so the exact details cannot be known.

Little Wolf in my original notes ran away from Wolf’s Paw to protect it from Silas and also because he was used to running when he was scared. He goes back to Los Cerros, finds Ray (and Cal) and eventually Nathaniel came to get him. This was a terrible idea and because it was just notes, easy enough to delete and change. It would not have suited the Tim we actually get at the end of the book, because that Tim didn’t want to run anymore. Our baby grew up. Aw.

The notes I am working on now for a new thing have gone through… several versions omg. Over the past two years, I have considered and reconsidered what I wanted to do with this story and, in fact, at the time of answering this, I had only just figured out the end. And by that, I mean, it’s roughly there. It’s also finally more of what I want. My brain wantsto tell this story, so this is the one. Hopefully, it’s romantic enough for everyone. I think it is, or will be, with some more tweaking. (And you know, all the writing I have to do.)

(The new thing in question was Forget-Me-Not btw.)

[qsycomplainsalot]

Somehow I forgot to mention it when I wrote this, perhaps because it's a fairly personal, innocuous event, but I have a pretty good example of the brain rot that seems to underlie all these issues. I've worked two years as a fish wife in a supermarket, following my experience in a proper fish shop. My colleagues and I worked really hard to both run a profitable fish stand and provide good service and advice to all our customers, the last part being invaluable when you sell fish so far island. Alsatian people know cod and they know shrimps, but anything else they tend to need a little nudging to come around to. So anyway it's my last day of work, I just got tipped by a nice old man for my cooking tips, a lady is coming to the stand and starts thanking me. The day before, we'd had a sale on calamari rings because we'd overstocked a bit, and that same lady had asked how even you could make them and I'd given her a handful of ideas from frying them, marinating them etc. So we get to talking about qualified workers, I mention that one customer I've had one christmas who asked me to help him making a seafood platter and ended with "I'm coming here for my seafood now, the other store's filled with imbeciles". So this lady I'm talking to, turns out she knows the owners of the supermarket I'm working at. This is very common, the owners are nouveau rich assholes who rub elbows with everyone who will have them, and many of our customers know them. So far I haven't met a single friend of theirs tho. Apparently the owner once loudly said "all of these, the deli stand, fish stand etc, in three years tops they'll all be gone. I don't wanna have to wait when I do my fucking groceries !" This from the person who has us make him a seafood platter and charcuterie board for every holiday mind you. And I think that's the real root of the problem, that these rich assholes are stuck so far up their own ass that they can't even conceive that anyone "below" them could have have anything to teach them, that they're not just an hindrance that they're paying just to waste time. They look at the numbers and they see our salary not knowing what purpose it serves, they don't see the number of people I've steered towards buying more exotic fish, that I've convinced to get the half off stuff that was getting a little stale by making it into a stew, the dozens of customers who, no bragging, chose to get their fish here because of me. The owner was paying minimum wage to hire me, someone who had been trained by the best fishmonger in Lyon and provided a skillset unique to his store, but all he saw was money coming out of his bank account and he didn't like it. They sold the supermarket recently and it's actually been doing better. Rich people are dipshits, they're just too rich to ever face the consequences.

Something very sad and dumb is happening. During the slow collapse of the Roman empire we lost many "luxury" trades and techniques due to them not being sustainable in a post-roman less connected world. People didn't get dumber, and they kept using and inventing new things to improve their quality of life, but, to take an exemple out of many, the recipe of the seawater concrete that was so closely tied to Rome's monumental architectural projects was forgotten for over a thousand years simply because for quite some time there just weren't cities vast enough to attract the kind of patrons to fund them, which stopped the process known as euergetism to take place. Somehow we have been going through the same process again over the past hundred and so years, not because there's no upper class to chase civic recognition by sponsoring the arts, but because the upper class has lost interest in sponsoring the arts at all. It seems like rich people have become more and more into the idea alone of accumulating money, and just can't think of ways to spend it that wouldn't also be thought off by the most basic dudebros around. Not to glorify rich people at any point in time but it used to be that when you had an insane amount of money you'd use it to foster a court of artist, build gigantic public baths or commission a rank in the navy to discover new continents. Nowadays it all goes towards a dick measuring contest of yachts, mansions and what just seems like the least satisfying way one could ever spend their money. This wouldn't be so much of a problem considering the lower class has had more spending money than ever before in history, but aside from that and in lock step with exponential capitalism, rich people seem to take personal exception to the arts existing at all, opting instead to commodify everything, copy it and sell it for cheap. We're staring down the barrel of losing thousands of crafts honed over dozens of generations simply because the mercantile hellscape we live in does not, for whatever reason, value having the best possible teapot ever produced, or the best knife, or the best brush, etc... instead these products are undermined by cheap imitations sponsored by rich assholes wanting the appearance of quality over the real thing for revenues' sake, possibly because the idea that an ultra-skilled artisan class getting paid insane amounts of money completely proportional to their labor feels alien to this bunch of parasites. And I don't think that trickle down economics has ever been a thing, but it sure as hell feels like we went from being the paid monkeys of the elite, to them not being willing to spend the piss it would take to save us from a fire.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Your new song/header text thing (idk what that area is called lowk) was fr actually just me this past week or two

Pause this is not in our convo but EXCUSE ME KARASU SERIES??? I SEE THAT HEADER GAME TOO HELLO WHAF IS THAT I need to hear the inspiration behind that idea….

Omfg it’s not even near Halloween anymore ok but puss in boots Karasu would be so hot….losing my mind reading this is making me realize how long it’s been wtf glad you didn’t get piled with work on halloweekend though!! I guess on the flip side this means 2-3 weeks away from winter hibernation era LOL

Been so long I barely remember what happened in the episode but now that I think yes I do mad we didn’t get a full day before the match interaction compilation BUT ANALYST KARASU LOOKED SOOOOO GOOD barousagi rivalry on top though they’re dynamic is so much more uhh what’s the word enriching…? That’s not the one I was looking for but growth promoting I can’t find the synonym I need right now wait speaking of the itoshi brother beef being one sided is actually insane I’m ngl it makes rin seem so pathetic LMFAOOOO

LMAAOA it feels like it’s been a millennia since I’ve seen the acronym oaeu forced tumblr cleanse was not on my bucket list but omg that’s right can’t wait to see wingman chigiri too!!

LMAOA our chemical reaction actually cannot be topped Isagi get out of the way we’re the new egoists here (this lowk sounds kinda cringe but whatever)

OK BUT AT LEAST YOU FINISHED PI!! Like you let the quality work marinate and stew and then you cooked by finishing it ofc no hate to writers who cliffhanger stories because I’m sure they don’t mean to and things happen but you came back stronger than ever fr

But FRRRR the tags are always filled with those short blurb mass character things that we talked about ykw is actually hilarious though I was about to be like wait there’s some for nagi and peregrine came to mind and I was like lmao wait you wrote that nvm Kaiser and sae dominating the tags actually my villain origin story I still can’t believe people like sae that much considering we also don’t really see him THAT much like

The name inheritance has such aura omg wait the nature vs nurture idea for the fic is so cool though like having that as an underlying theme goes hard…also if Tullia got with Karasu id end up swerving still lowk but anyways current pursuit with Nagi >>>>>

FRRRR ITS ABOUT TO BE SIX KINDA SOON TOO?? Actually insane can’t imagine the past several months without our convos!!! LMAO THE VELOCITY EDIT COMPARISON so true though id rather have less things but with more substance

Ok merging into a mega post because I don’t want to scroll all the way again oops

Spontaneous late night hangouts are the best that’s where all the good convos happen LMAOO

Sadly have yet to locate the ds I definitely did not throw it but lowk might be buried within storage somewhere from my last big cleanup session so maybe that’s a winter clean out activity…

LAMAOAO ME the last resort option fr when there was nothing left honestly the concept of the platform was pretty good though it just got ruined by the recent paywalls/premium etc and then well. The people. LMAO

OMG YEAH wait i remember i read part of it but got distracted by pursuit and oaeu and bfb im pretty certain i got to the part where she runs across the ocean?? Definitely got past the point where her whole ct is explained and whatnot though that’s actually such a cool concept though another Mira big brain idea

Your brain is actually too big I fear wait also the whole innuendo of them wanting to fight each other for them being in love is actually genius like I need more words for the word genius I also love the way you did it so like eloquently in a way that it doesn’t feel weird or awkward too??? Like also considering (iirc) neither of us are really into the freaky (imagine this in the really bold real italic goofy ass font) side of things I think this was executed so well honestly maybe a writing side hustle is something you should consider LOL

Oaeu so canon at this point it’s hilarious we need an oaeu moment in additional time fr also YEAH USGHS I CANT believe they skipped over that and so many scenes generally no wonder I was like this third selection arc felt REALLY short yeah now we know why UGHHH CHIPMUNK KARASU YOU WILL MEVER BE FORGOTTEN

Wait speaking of your recent nagi drawing with that meme LMAO SO TRUE he also looks so cute i love his hair in your style but yeahhhh given how dubs also sound really stiff generally i figured the southern accent dubs weren’t much better….lmao……

Shidou Karasu dynamic so true I totally forgot to mention in pwc they have some interactions too and Shidous always like “Karasu chan!!” he really thinks Karasu is his bestie so I guess we know why they teamed up within PxG???

APSHDISS YEAH ok maybe it’s a specific demographic subsection of blue lock fans but yeahhh ok wait also the recent ep also did him even dirtier LMFAOA if ykwim that one panel/scene where his face is kinda fucked up SHSHSHSH

NOOO UGH where are the karasus and yukis of society surely fiction has to be based on some truth…right…..

I literally pull out that argument everytime I talk to a Kaiser fan (which granted is very very occasional) but literally like he got psychology books to read to learn to manipulate people wtaf….Kaiser fans have no rights slandering other favs like you like THE opp BFFR

TABIEITA EDIT MY LOVES also omg I remember when this song had a chokehold on everyone it’s giving me flashbacks

Also IVE SEEN THAT ARTIST BEFORE KARASU HAIR DOWN PSLSLSLSLSL SHIDOU COME SAVE US

Ok now more general catch up I guess LOL HOWVE YOU BEEN???? Hope your midterms all went well!!!

- Karasu anon

HELPPP LMAOAOA not me syncing up w you subconsciously…black out days (by phantogram) was fr the soundtrack of my 2021 fall life i listened to it sooo much i heard it the other day and was like forcibly thrown back to that period of my life KSDJHF i felt like it fit with the theme though…because like the background is black…so it’s like black out days…haha…also it’s just like an aesthetic title (?? i think that’s the official name for that particular bit of text ?? no idea though) and i didn’t feel like digging for another song so this is what it is for this theme HAHA

ISN’T THE HEADER FIREEEEE UGHHHHHH sighing dreamily i think that’s one of the prettiest headers i’ve made like ever…so visually pleasing…so thematically appropriate (not that crows really have anything to do with the story but yk. karasu) KSJHFS okay so ngl it’s the header for my vague thoughts about repurposing my megumi royal au (which i already took down jic) where he’s the royal guard but for karasu LMAOO i know we discussed yukimiya for it hence my post about karasu or yukimiya but a) i will always pick karasu and b) look at these lines from the very first version of the royal au (technically the version i took down was the second version because i attempted a rewrite but the first version is what people remember most fondly) and tell me megumi doesn’t give HEAVY karasu vibes in them…like he actually feels more like karasu than himself KSJDHFHK (also these are in no particular order in terms of chronology LMAOO i just took random screenshots…there’s way more karasu-esque moments but image limit + trying to give you less to read so i picked a few highlights that show why karasu is actually lowkey the perf option) unfortunately royal aus are hard for me to stay motivated for so i was like “okay i’ll be responsible and not do this to myself” however i AM rewatching reign rn (kind of…one episode a week pace sadly) so that might get me in the headspace to work on it?? idk

PUSS IN BOOTS KARASU SIGHHHH ugh he’s so handsome in literally everything but yeah him with the hat and the sword and everything LKDFJHW omg i need him…YES WE ARE APPROACHING THE END OF THE FALL SLUMP (hopefully) i am literally counting down the days i miss being motivated i literally haven’t posted any writing since the kaiser request i wrote a MONTH ago it’s disgusting

KARASU LOOKED SO GOOD LAST EP they’ve really been putting in the WORK to make him gorgeous they know what we the people want fr and we love them for it!! HELP i know what you mean the barousagi rivalry helps them grow and learn and whatnot ngl i don’t remember what the right word would be there either but it’s fine i got the concept FHKJSDLHK and yeah omg the itoshi bros continue to be unserious like i can definitely see why rin would be hurt in the moment because sae was admittedly very brutal but also like that’s the first time they’ve ever fought?? idk obviously you can’t expect a lot of emotional maturity out of kids but you’d think he’d at least think to himself “wow i wonder why my visibly unhealthy and traumatized looking brother is saying mean things to me after being alone in a foreign country for months” if not at that moment than at least later on since he’s constantly reflecting on that moment??? like again i acknowledge that sae was saying some CRAZY stuff and jokes aside i wouldn’t be THAT mean to my younger brother but at the same time rin had like 0 empathy for sae when he got back and my interpretation of sae in that moment is that rin basically kept poking at an obviously sore spot until sae snapped if that makes sense 🧐 but also blue lock insults are generally insane so idek if what sae was saying was actually that insane but anyways rin hanging onto it for years upon years and deciding he needs to crush and destroy sae is like next level hilarious to me BROOO it was not that deep ok but ngl this might be smth like how i don’t gaf abt the whole nagireo break up thing like i’ve said before the angst in bllk is just nonexistent to me except very select cases (cough snuffy cough) so i’m just like ok whatever about all of it

OAEUUU HELP I HAVEN’T THOUGHT ABT IT IN SO LONG i miss them…seeing aiku and niko on screen but never togehter is making my oaeu stan heart hurt #aikuniko(platonic)forever no because i always liked niko but oaeu has made me love him sm which is great because he’s really getting some moments in s2 and now i can rlly appreciate them

omg let’s replace all of the core four OPPS while we’re at it…no more itoshi bros + isagi + kaiser the only chemical reaction egoists we need are us two!!

LMAOAOA I DID FINISH!! i think part of it too was just me realizing i needed to give up on gege and accept that i had to come up with my own ending because honestly i finished around when shinjuku started becoming that weird repetitive cycle of fights and that gave me the courage to stop waiting for him to give me a satisfying ending and just become canon divergent…i can’t write a story if i don’t know the end beforehand which is why part 1 of pi was super quick for me — the “end” was planned in terms of the end of vol0 and her bringing yuta back to life!! but then i didn’t know where part 2 and everything with tullia that i set up was going to go until i had the vision of her dying to kill sukuna (also fun fact the way the title connects at the end with the blood like pomegranates was not in fact foreshadowed it just came to me as i was writing the epilogue…i don’t even remember where i got the idea for the title for atp but it was well before i even had the idea for the blood pact and all of that LMAOAO pi was one of those stories that genuinely wrote itself and came together perfectly as i went which made me seem like a foreshadowing genius but in fact it was just happy coincidence)

PLS omg i forget i wrote peregrine too sometimes so dw…i saw a screenshot on my camera roll of my peregrine era and i felt so nostalgic omg things were simpler back then i had like 300 followers or smth when i started it 😭 but yeah nagi really doesn’t have as much as you’d expect tbh!! and since this is such a long ask that likely no one will read i’ll admit that i think most people write him super ooc 😓 i can only stand MY version of nagi no one else has gotten that right balance of nagi vibes that make me like him in the first place so i end up lowkey annoyed because either he’s acting like an infant, a jackass, or a player and he really just is neither of those things…my complex is that i’m convinced no one understands my favs like i do but ESPECIALLY nagi like i think karasu is pretty well characterized for the most part?? people will make him more outgoing and flirty than i’d like but there’s some canon basis for it so i won’t complain but NAGIIII UGH nobody knows or loves him the way i know and love him #real #canon

INHERITANCE KINDA EATS RIGHT?? it gives a bit more horror movie vibes though (i think there’s actually a horror movie called inheritance maybe that’s why) but yeah tullia with karasu would’ve made me emo like wdym she gets my perfect handsome amazing man as a bf and i get shrek ninja 😭💔 okay wait speaking of tullia i was on tik tok earlier and i saw an edit of some anime idek the name but it’s like something something yamada level 9999 idfk (edit: my love story with yamada-lun at lv999…okay i was lowkey close) anyways i was like RIN AND TULLIA??????? it kinda opened my third eye because wait…not in pursuit but in another story why could i lowkey see it…

I MISS EDITS BEING MAJESTIC luckily i think people are starting to really put their souls into editing again which is really exciting OMG YES IT ALMOST IS SIX MONTHS THAT’S CRAZY we have had our ups and downs (aka grass touching and chronically online moments) in turn but truly there is no one i would yap more with and i do always miss you when one of us must vanish from the tumblr-verse briefly HAHA

SDKLJFHSD I’M SORRY THIS IS A VERY LONG RESPONSE TO YOUR ASK YOU WILL BE SCROLLING AND READING FOR SO LONG consider it like all of my thoughts for the past while that you were gone or smth idk I’M SORRY IN ADVANCE LMAOAO I’LL TRY NOT TO RAMBLE AS MUCH (we all know that’s like never happening though i am nothing if not a rambler)

i think my ds is in my armoire somewhere i’d have to look too HKSJFH but yes late night hangouts >>>

yeahhh ads and paywalls and monetization and whatnot really were the death of wattpad as well as the audience it inadvertently attracted 😩 being on wp is def a core memory but i will never go back (although i do miss the nice comments i used to get but it’s not worth it tbh)

I LOVE H / H READER’S TECHNIQUE i mean yk how it is in the miraverse with bird symbolism…h / h reader and karasu need to do a bird theme character meetup or smth (wait side note idk if you saw but apparently kaiser’s is supposed to be based on a tropical bird BRO STFU he doesn’t deserve the bird theme designation!!) HAHA but also YESSS THAT’S LIKE MY FAVORITE THING like the words i love you are never said in that story but it’s so so obvious because every single time they’re like “i want to kill you” “i want you to kill me” yeah…they’re obsessed!! and yeah you’re right i don’t really like writing smut or reading it that much nothing against people who do it’s just not my preferred genre!! but i LOVE writing metaphors for sex idk if that makes sense but like in hurricanes / hummingbirds with the whole dreams of fighting = sex dreams thing idk something about it feels so much more intimate than just outright saying she dreamt of getting railed especially given the dynamic between the two characters where it’s meant to be more figurative…like am i implying something more here or is she literally just dreaming of actually fighting him?? HAHAH something about writing romance in a non physical way will always do it for me when i was younger (think early high school) i read this random bit of writing advice that if your characters need to kiss to prove to the audience that they’re in love then you failed at writing two characters that are in love with each other and i INTERNALIZED that SKLFJHS like look at h / h there are 0 kiss scenes but they’re so clearly in love?? or even either version of bfb there’s one kiss in karasu’s version and i’m p sure none in otoya’s…same with the first part of fwtkac…and all of cherry tree/the sequel…as well as the kaiser request i just posted…also probably all of my work i just don’t really like writing love physically imo love in metaphors >>>>

actually fun fact i do want to be an author!! maybe some day LMAOOO rn i’m on my fanfic grind though but if i ever write a book or smth i’ll let you know

okay this is so unrelated but angry chipmunk karasu is just making me think and like…tabieitaken + alvin and the chipmunks trio costume LMAOOOOOO yuki is obviously simon otoya is theodore (because green) and ig karasu is alvin?? actually i think i’ve seen a fan art on here of karasu shidou and tokimitsu as alvin and the chipmunks with shidou as alvin karasu as simon and toki as theodore but i like the tabieitaken version better because idrc abt tokimitsu (although admittedly karasu in glasses is a beautiful sight)

HAHAHA OMG MY SILLY NAGI SKETCH one of my mutuals had posted one of yuta and was like “i encourage everyone to make shitty drawings of their favs” and i was like wait now i have to do one of nagi LMAOAOA also the way you phrased “your style” is cracking me up fsr it sounds like i’m an official fanartist with an actual style and shit…nagi’s hair is kinda annoying to draw ngl but it’s also fun at the same time?? he’s so silly i love him sm (if you couldn’t tell by now)

LMAOO I KNEW ITTTT shidou and karasu are real to ME and also IN CANON no because idk if you saw my post about them but i am so convinced that shidou thinks they are THE bestie duo of all time meanwhile karasu is like ugh this freak again but he secretly thinks shidou is kinda funny so he’s just like wtvr and lets the guy hang around with him 😭 rn i’m being overwhelmed by this intense love for nagi and rin as a duo actually like it’s genuinely driving me insane how perfectly they go together and NOBODY recognizes that somehow??? like first of all look at their visuals they’re literally gorgeous in a very opposite way but also let’s talk about how rin is very emotional whereas nagi is very detached. how rin exclusively likes horror and nagi likes lighthearted children’s cartoons and dramas and romcoms. rin who seems like he’ll be mean but is nice in his own rude little way and nagi who looks like a sweetheart but consistently says the most foul things with his expression like 🙂. rin who is SO LOVED by his family (specifically sae because we don’t know much abt his parents) but is furious over his perceived abandonment and nagi who was ACTUALLY abandoned but doesn’t even care and thinks it’s normal and that his parents do treat him well. the dark slimy destroyer aura that rin has and the shimmery mystical light death aura that nagi has. the way rin is called a monster and nagi is called a god. how rin is associated with saliva and blood and nagi is associated with bones and graves. how rin wants to be a genius and is always trying to live up to someone else’s expectations and how nagi never wanted to be a genius and is actively trying to escape everyone’s expectations. LKSDFHSLDKF JBSDLFKHBLDKJF LIKE SHUT UPPPPP WHY WOULD I CARE ABOUT NAGIREO AND RINSAGI WHEN THE MOST INSANE PARALLELS ARE STARING ME IN THE FACE???? not that i ship them or anything yk i don’t ship but I NEED a nagi + rin duo or something in the future or else i’m going to have to start another nagi series and make tullia end up with rin just so i can use it as an excuse to write about this further because i could literally go on about it for many more paragraphs and i see NO posts about it?? anyways this is like my fifth rant in this response omg this is going to take you so long to read i’m sorry 😩

bro idk what the animation team is cooking with aiku but honestly idrc about him so i’m happy LMAOOO like they’re doing karasu JUSTICE yukimiya JUSTICE barou JUSTICE nagi KIND OF JUSTICE (he looks better in the manga at this point but he’s also not had his best moments yet so i think we’ll be good also they’re making him rlly cute in the additional times so i can forgive the occasionally weird proportions)

WE WILL FIND THE IRL KARASUS AND YUKIS SOON #TRUST they definitely exist but (at least in my case) they’re not exactly the type of people you meet while wandering the streets at 2am on halloween ykwim 😭

okay but honestly i wouldn’t even mind them liking kaiser because okay go off problematic fav it’s whatever i liked mahito at one point so i get it but they are ALWAYS the ones with the weirdest most ridiculous morality police-type takes it’s CRAZY like bro your own favorite character would probably hate you!! also he is literally the epitome of everything you claim to hate in a character who doesn’t even have those characteristics?? like i can only speak to the nagi hate i see because i don’t really see karasu or barou hate (everyone loves them because they’re perfect) and idrc if people slander characters who aren’t my favs (otoya does get slander but it’s lowkey deserved and yuki gets slander from dude bros but they’re kinda right sometimes so i can’t be too mad like yeah yuki DID kinda fall off in the nel 😭) but it’s ALWAYS the kaiser fans having the most insane out of pocket literally incorrect takes and being proud of them and then being like “yeah kaiser is my fav” MICHAEL KAISER???? YOU HATE NAGI FOR BEING “MANIPULATIVE” AND SAE FOR BEING “UNEMOTIONAL” AND YOUR BLOG THEME IS MICHAEL KAISER??? actually idc abt sae slander that’s #funny but it’s the principle yk…enemy of my enemy is friend and whatnot…anyways it’s rough being a nagi stan nowadays sometimes it feels like i’m the only one 😩 i predict he’ll have a brief resurgence in fans depending on how well his goal is animated but it’ll be forgotten within like a week or two because then rin will score and THEN shidou will come on field and everyone will be talking about sae and shidou leaving nagi to only be relevant in my heart 💔

I WILL KEEP THIS SHORT GIVEN HOW MUCH I’VE BEEN CHATTING buttttt i’ve been pretty good!! just relaxing mostly HAHA my midterms went well thankfully!! i was sick when i took them and hardly studied but still slayed #nagicore now i have like a week and a half until thanksgiving break and then another week or two before my long ass winter break so i will be even more chronically online than i already am after the first week or two of december is over!! that’s about when i locked in with pi last year so maybe something will have a comeback or i’ll start something new or something who knows…hmm i feel like that’s about everything i’ve been up to OH actually i did drive to meet with one of my tumblr mutuals irl because they only live like an hour away from me?? that was fun we hung out for a bit and went out for food together it was kinda funny to meet them irl…we had been insta mutuals for a while as well so it wasn’t like we didn’t know each other whatsoever like they knew my govt name and what i looked like and vice versa before i pulled up so it wasn’t like a jump scare or anything but it was still like omg…you’re a real person…LMAOOOO but yeah other than that i’ve been spending my free time sleeping, occasionally watching tv or reading a book, and trying to write but failing miserably 😓 what about you??? besides the obvious tumblr struggles 😭

[georgexoxoxo]

Exploring the Best Goat Meat in Surrey: A Trip to Captain Meat

Are you a connoisseur of exotic meats, always on the lookout for unique flavors to tantalize your taste buds? If so, Surrey, British Columbia, might just be your next culinary destination. Renowned for its diverse food scene, Surrey is home to a hidden gem that promises to elevate your dining experience to new heights – Captain Meat.

Nestled within the vibrant Payal Business Centre, Captain Meat is a haven for meat enthusiasts, offering a wide array of premium cuts sourced from local farms. But what sets this butcher shop apart from the rest? It's their exceptional selection of goat meat that truly steals the spotlight.

If you're unfamiliar with goat meat, you're in for a treat. Known for its rich flavor and tender texture, goat meat has been a staple in many cuisines around the world for centuries. Whether you're craving a hearty stew, succulent kebabs, or a mouthwatering curry, goat meat lends itself perfectly to a variety of culinary creations.

At Captain Meat, quality is paramount. They take pride in sourcing their goat meat from trusted local suppliers, ensuring that each cut meets the highest standards of freshness and flavor. From bone-in shoulder chops to tenderloin medallions, their extensive selection caters to every taste and preference.

But the journey doesn't end with the purchase of your chosen cut. The knowledgeable staff at Captain Meat are passionate about their products and are always ready to offer expert advice on cooking techniques, flavor pairings, and recipe ideas. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a culinary novice, their friendly guidance will help you unleash your inner kitchen maestro.

One of the best things about goat meat is its versatility. Its robust flavor profile allows it to be paired with a wide range of ingredients, spices, and cooking methods, making it the perfect canvas for culinary experimentation. Whether you prefer traditional recipes rooted in cultural heritage or contemporary twists that push the boundaries of gastronomy, goat meat offers endless possibilities for culinary creativity.

If you're looking to embark on a culinary adventure, why not start with a trip to Captain Meat? Located in the heart of Surrey, their convenient location makes it easy to indulge in the finest goat meat the city has to offer. Whether you're planning a special dinner party, a family barbecue, or simply looking to spice up your weekday meals, Captain Meat has got you covered.

But the benefits of goat meat extend beyond its exceptional taste and culinary versatility. As a lean and nutritious protein source, goat meat is packed with essential nutrients like protein, iron, and vitamin B12, making it a smart choice for health-conscious consumers. Whether you're following a specific diet or simply looking to make healthier choices, goat meat offers a delicious and nutritious alternative to traditional protein sources.

In addition to its culinary prowess and nutritional benefits, goat meat also has a positive environmental impact. Compared to conventional livestock like cattle and pigs, goats require less land, water, and feed to produce the same amount of meat, making them a more sustainable choice for environmentally conscious consumers. By choosing goat meat from Captain Meat, you're not only treating your taste buds to a culinary delight but also doing your part to support sustainable food systems.

Welcome to Captain Meat, your trusted meat shop in Surrey at Payal Business Centre. We take pride in offering a diverse range of top-quality raw meat, including succulent goat meat and flavorful marinated chicken.

So, whether you're a seasoned foodie or just looking to expand your culinary horizons, why not pay a visit to Captain Meat and discover the delights of Goat Meat in Surrey? With its unparalleled flavor, versatility, and nutritional benefits, goat meat is sure to become a staple in your kitchen repertoire. Experience the difference for yourself and elevate your dining experience to new heights with Captain Meat.

[workscounselingcenter]

Holiday Mantras

Hey there mental health miracles. As we marinate in the stew of the holiday season, I’d like to share two words that are serving as mantras for me this year: permission and choice.

Recently I was sitting in a circle of women discussing Thanksgiving and someone commented on the “feeling of anxiety” in the room. Some women were really excited about Thanksgiving, delighted by the coziness of family tradition and the opportunity to intentionally share gratitude. Others felt ambivalent about the origins of the holiday and the problematic narrative surrounding it. Many women felt stressed about to-do lists or worried about family dynamics, sharing vulnerably about how substance use, political opposition, or childhood trauma feels magnified during holiday time. Some people love this string of winter holidays, some people hate them. Some people feel choked by grief and loneliness, others buoyed by wonder and joy. Most people feel some combination of all of these. There’s something about this time of year that amplifies the human experience and what often accompany that amplification are the stories we tell ourselves about how we “should” be feeling. In my experience, it’s not really thoughts and feelings themselves that cause us distress so much as the thoughts and feelings we have about the thoughts and feelings. Does that make sense? In light of this experience, I’m trying to practice extending myself the grace of permissionthis year. Permission to feel what I feel, think what I think, and let those things be okay, no matter what they are. Of course, being angry at my mother doesn’t mean I’m going to rage-carve a turkey at her. I have lots of tools for inhabiting that anger with compassion for all involved. And I’m not going to judge myself for that anger.

Another helpful framework that came from that same circle of women is the idea that just because a tradition exists doesn’t mean it has to continue. Or maybe it continues, but it continues without my involvement. For many years I ignored my mental and emotional needs (not to mention my desires for establishing my own traditions with my spouse and children) because the way my family of origin celebrated the holiday was “the way it’s always been done.” Who was I to alter a 30+ year-long tradition of holiday protocol? Wasn’t it more important to keep my family-of-origin happy, not be selfish, and go along to get along, even if it meant my being a cranky mom and stressed-out partner? Answer: NO. It’s not more important. I am a grown-ass adult with needs and wants that are just as important as anyone else’s and it’s okay for me to choose differently. I have choices. And so do you. Setting boundaries with our people can feel awkward and painful. And if we’re not in the habit of doing so, it can really rock the boat. Choosing something outside the norm of family culture and tradition can hurt feelings. Here are a few of the things I consider when thinking through making a possibly disruptive choice.

What is my motivation? Am I saying “no” to thanksgiving with 30 relatives because I want to stick it to my parents or because it feels important to have a cozy quiet thanksgiving in my own home with my kids and partner?

What is the lesser of evils in any given situation? Going to family Christmas means my mom is happy but I have to deal with drunk-and-handsy Uncle Larry. Not going means I feel safe, but my mom’s feelings are hurt. There’s not always a win-win ending to all of these scenarios. It’s worth considering what each choice will cost.

Do I feel the need to qualify my decision? When adults set boundaries with adults, we share our choice and then it’s the responsibility of all adults to tend to our own responses. If I’m compelled to defend myself or explain my decision, I’m perpetuating a dynamic in which I am either a child, a people-pleaser, or fulfilling the role of peace-keeper. It’s okay to just say “not this year.” Its okay to say “we’ll be there for a few hours but won’t be staying overnight.” It’s okay to simply say “no.”

Wishing everyone a holiday season filled with permission, choice, and freedom. Love, Lindsey.

Please get in touch. We will be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.

[aurorajay]

I'm curious about what sort of mock-ups this quote is referring to. Like who's making these models of 40's kitchens without any older appliances?

I would have expected anything within the field of history/archeology to take the existence of hand-me-downs and inheritance into consideration. But maybe there's areas in which it doesn't get discussed much?

If we're talking theatre or film, that's also a bit odd, because it's one of the basic guidelines for good story telling. Geographic location, financial situation, class status, character age, etc. all inform what a character wears or fills their house with. A young, image-conscious teen with money might have all the latest fashions, but their Grandma is more likely to be dressed in something several decades out of date.

Granted, there's plenty of bad design out there. Lots of cheaply produced TV and film doesn't get that level of consideration put into it because of tight budgets and timelines. But I feel like in those cases the result is usually something modern with tacked on historical flair, rather than perfect reproductions from a single point in time.

The point about how we understand history is interesting though. Personally, I suspect our views of history are being influenced by the current state of consumerism and planned obsolescence, more than the other way around.

Clothing, appliances, furniture, even the structure of a house itself are increasingly designed and built in the cheapest way possible. I think nowadays we expect most new purchases to break or wear out within a few years. The idea that someone might have the same fridge they got 30 years ago is becoming foreign to us. And I bet that the younger you are, the less it even occurs to you.

And to get back to the original complaint about fashion content: Influencer culture as a whole is very youth focused and status obsessed. Also brand-conscious. And like. The idea that a person should be a brand is at best kinda silly, and at worst harmful to mental and physical health. But that's the stew these people are marinating in. "Cohesive aesthetics" is something you do to build a brand, not a person. Only the fashion influencer mindset doesn't draw a distinction between those two things, at least not publicly.

Now I'm sure lots of them are pushing a "buy more" message simply because it gets them advertising revenue and kickbacks from purchases directed through their blogs/instagrams/whatever. Most of these people either have money or are desperately chasing it, and fast fashion is incredibly profitable. The entire industry is built on micro trends selling cheap disposable garments, and I think a lot fashion content is a deliberate, cynical way to grab a piece of that.

But I also think there's a lot of influencers, especially younger ones, that have just kinda bought into the "buy more, build your brand aesthetic" mentality without realizing or questioning it. Even those who are making an effort to be conscious of sustainability and focus on thrifting. There's an unspoken assumption not just that you will be buying clothes regularly, but that you need to. And the worst part is, that's starting be true.

It's getting harder and harder to find clothes that will last more than a couple years. Most of the pieces I own that have stood the test of time were made a decade ago or more. Quite a few of those were pretty standard fast fashion, really nothing special at the time. But the quality is still miles ahead of similar items being produced by the exact same brands today. At a certain point though, those garments will give out. And when they do, I may have to replace them with something that has a fraction of that lifespan.

My eventual goal is to make more of my own clothes, and buy from smaller companies doing good quality work, but it hasn't been easy to find the time or money for it. And because my job includes tons of thrifting, I end up buying most of my stuff second-hand instead. Which used to be a reliable way to find lasting wardrobe staples. But the hidden gems are getting rarer, and they're buried under growing mountains of Shein garbage.

I wish I had a better way to end this whole ramble, because that feels a bit depressing. I guess what I wanna say is. You don't need a "cohesive aesthetic". You're a person not a brand. Everyone has their preferences, colours, cuts, materials, all that. But you don't need to draw a box around them and say "this is what I'm limiting myself to". I feel like style should be descriptive, not prescriptive. If you wanna name whatever you already got going on in your wardrobe, or try new looks that interest you, sure, sounds fun! But imho, anyone who tells you personal style should stick to a single theme doesn't actually enjoy fashion. They enjoy marketing.

There is something I absolutely loathe about fashion content on the whole.

"What is your color season? Buy a whole new wardrobe." - I assure you that I am not throwing out perfectly good things I already have.

"Find your aesthetic and build a whole wardrobe around it" - again, this involves getting rid of things and buying new ones.

"Instead of buying this sweater, buy one that is pure wool." - I have news for you about how affordable pure wool is.

"Just go thrifting!" - Thrifting is not the gold mine that people seem to think it is. A lot of influencers are getting lucky because they live in cities where there is a relatively high turnover of stock at the thrift store. My average thrift store visit ends with me buying one or two things that 1. I like. 2. Are reasonably priced for the condition they're in. 3. Are actually my size.

If I had to sum up my irritation with this, it's that a lot of fashion content (and interior design from what I've seen) is that it is built on the idea that your life should have a unified aesthetic. But I would wager that most people have pieces and parts of different aesthetics cobbled together across different periods of their life. And there's nothing wrong with that. You don't have to start over every time your "aesthetic" shifts a bit.

[jksdistributor]

The Magic Ingredient:The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning

In the world of culinary delights, seasonings play a pivotal role in elevating the flavors of our favorite dishes. Whether a professional chef or a home cook, you understand the importance of the right seasonings to transform a simple meal into a gastronomic masterpiece. One such culinary gem that has recently been making waves is The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning. In this blog, we'll dive deep into the magic of this remarkable seasoning and discover why it has become a must-have in kitchens worldwide.

What is The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning?

The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning is a versatile and flavor-packed condiment that has taken the culinary world by storm. It's known for its unique combination of mildness and depth of flavor, making it a perfect choice for enhancing a wide range of dishes. This liquid seasoning is designed to add a delightful umami kick to your recipes without overwhelming your taste buds.

The Versatility of The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning

One of the standout features of this liquid seasoning is its versatility. It can be used in a multitude of ways to enhance the taste of your dishes:

Marinades: Create mouthwatering marinades for meats, poultry, or seafood by adding "The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning." Its savory notes infuse into the protein, adding depth and a hint of umami.

Sauces and Dressings: Elevate your sauces, dressings, and gravies by incorporating this liquid seasoning. It imparts a rich flavor profile that complements a wide array of cuisines.

Stir-Fries: Add a dash of wonder to your stir-fries. The mildness of this liquid seasoning allows you to control the flavor while enhancing the overall taste.

Soups and Stews: Upgrade the flavor of your soups and stews by including a few drops of The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning. It can turn a simple broth into a gourmet delight.

Seasoning for Vegetables: Even vegetables benefit from a touch of wonder. Drizzle some liquid seasoning over roasted or steamed vegetables for an added layer of taste.

The Magic Ingredients

What sets The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning apart is its carefully crafted blend of high-quality ingredients. It typically includes a combination of soy sauce, selected herbs, spices, and a hint of sweetness. This unique formula creates a harmonious balance of flavors that works wonders in various dishes.

Health-Conscious Choice

For health-conscious people, "The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning" offers a more controlled way to season dishes than traditional salt. You can achieve the same depth of flavor with less sodium, making it a smart choice for those looking to reduce their salt intake.

Endless Culinary Possibilities

The beauty of The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning lies in its ability to adapt to various culinary traditions. Whether you're cooking Asian, Mediterranean, American, or other cuisine, this liquid seasoning seamlessly fits into your recipes. It's an excellent way to experiment with flavors and add an unexpected twist to your favorite dishes.

Culinary Inspiration

To give you a taste of what's possible with The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning, here are a few recipe ideas to get your creative culinary juices flowing:

Teriyaki Chicken: Create a delectable teriyaki sauce by mixing soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and "The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning." Marinate chicken pieces and grill to perfection.

Umami Burger: Elevate your homemade burgers by adding a few drops of liquid seasoning to the ground meat mixture. The umami burst will have your taste buds dancing.

Mediterranean Salad Dressing: Blend olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and a touch of liquid seasoning for a Mediterranean-inspired salad dressing that's both refreshing and savory.

Conclusion

The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning is more than just a condiment; it's a culinary game-changer. Its versatility, rich flavor profile, and health-conscious attributes make it a must-have in any kitchen. Whether you're a seasoned chef or an aspiring home cook, this liquid seasoning can transform ordinary meals into extraordinary culinary experiences. So, embrace the magic of The Wonder Mild Liquid Seasoning as you embark on a flavorful journey in your kitchen.

[zappfreshonline]

Balancing Nutrition and Taste with Ready-to-Eat Mutton

Mutton is a delicious and nutritious meat that can be enjoyed in many different ways. However, it can be time-consuming and difficult to cook mutton at home. This is where ready-to-eat mutton comes in.

Ready-to-eat mutton is simply mutton that has been pre-cooked and packaged for convenience. It can be found in the refrigerated or frozen section of most grocery stores, and it is also available for online delivery.

Ready-to-eat mutton is a great way to balance nutrition and taste. It is a good source of protein, iron, and other nutrients. It is also typically less processed than other types of meat, such as ground beef or chicken nuggets.

Here are a few of the benefits of eating ready-to-eat mutton:

Convenience: Ready-to-eat mutton is a convenient way to enjoy mutton without having to cook it yourself. This is a great option for busy people who don't have a lot of time to cook.

Nutrition: Ready-to-eat mutton is a good source of protein, iron, and other nutrients. This makes it a healthy option for people who are looking for a nutritious meal.

Taste: Ready-to-eat mutton can be just as delicious as mutton that is cooked at home. There are many different varieties of ready-to-eat mutton available, so you can find one that suits your taste preferences.

If you are looking for a convenient and nutritious way to enjoy mutton, ready-to-eat mutton is a great option. There are many different brands of ready-to-eat mutton available, including Zappfresh. Zappfresh sources its mutton from local farms and processes it in a state-of-the-art facility. Zappfresh mutton is then delivered to your door in less than 24 hours, ensuring that you are getting the freshest possible mutton.

Here are a few tips for choosing and preparing ready-to-eat mutton:

Choose a brand that sources its mutton from local farms. This will ensure that you are getting fresh and high-quality mutton.

Read the label carefully to make sure that the mutton is free of preservatives and other additives.

Store ready-to-eat mutton in the refrigerator or freezer according to the package directions.

When reheating ready-to-eat mutton, be sure to heat it thoroughly to an internal temperature of 160°F.

With a little planning, you can easily enjoy delicious and nutritious ready-to-eat mutton meals.

Here are a few specific recipes that you can make with ready-to-eat mutton:

Mutton curry: Heat some oil in a pan and add some onions and garlic. Cook until softened, then add the ready-to-eat mutton and your favorite curry spices. Cook until the mutton is heated through.

Mutton stew: Heat some oil in a pot and add some vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and celery. Cook until softened, then add the ready-to-eat mutton and some broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the meat is tender.

Mutton kebabs: Marinate some ready-to-eat mutton in your favorite kebab marinade. Then, thread the mutton onto skewers and grill until cooked through.

Mutton burgers: Mix together some ready-to-eat mutton, ground beef, onions, garlic, and spices. Form into patties and grill or pan-fry until cooked through.

Mutton meatballs: Mix together some ready-to-eat mutton, bread crumbs, eggs, and spices. Form into meatballs and bake or pan-fry until cooked through.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. With online mutton delivery, you can create endless possibilities for delicious and nutritious meals.

[eazy-group]

Campfire Cooking: Easy Recipes, Cooking Techniques & Tips

New Post has been published on https://eazycamping.net/campfire-cooking-easy-recipes-cooking-techniques-tips/

Campfire Cooking: Easy Recipes, Cooking Techniques & Tips

There are so many methods to make awesome camping food. When you want to add the most excitement to meal creation, you have to choose campfire cooking! Not only do you end up with yummy culinary creations, you get to build, maintain and relax near a crackling fire with mesmerizing dancing flames too.

Psst we’re compensated…see our disclosures.

Our Most Popular Campfire Recipes

We have tons of campfire recipes to inspire you to make awesome campfire meals. Here are some of our most popular ideas.

1. Campfire Corn On The Cob

Campfire Corn On The Cob by CampingForFoodies

Nothing is better than campfire grilled corn on the cob in the summer! It is easy, fun and delicious! You cook it in the husk on a campfire grill grate directly over the coals in your fire pit.

2. Pie Iron French Toast

Pie Iron French Toast Recipe by CampingForFoodies

Dip you bread into a simple egg mixture and cook it in your pie iron over hot campfire coals. This breakfast is a real crowd pleaser.

3. Campfire Stew

After beef chuck roast simmers over low heat you can cut it with a butter knife. We use bacon, vegetables including potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and, dried herbs like rosemary, parsley, thyme to create amazing flavor in this fork-tender stew.

4. Bacon Wrapped Grilled Cheese

Bacon Wrapped Grilled Cheese by CampingForFoodies

You can make this sandwich using a cast iron skillet or griddle. Watch our VIDEO to see how easy it is to create this indulgent meal.

6. Chicken Souvlaki Pitas

Chicken Souvlaki Pita Recipe by CampingForFoodies

After marinating chicken pieces you can thread them onto skewers or just grill them over grates to make these Mediterranean chicken gyro sandwiches.

10. 4 Ingredient Banana Pancakes

4 Ingredient Banana Pancakes by CampingForFoodies

These simple pancakes are almost as easy as opening a bag of trail mix for breakfast. From start to finish, they’ll be on your table in 15 minutes, so, you can just leave the trail mix for your hike! Check out all of our delicious and easy camping breakfast ideas.

11. Campfire Donuts

Powdered Sugar & Cinnamon Sugar Campfire Donuts And Doughnut Holes by CampingForFoodies

Refrigerator biscuit dough is the secret to making these amazingly tasty fresh donuts in just minutes.

12. Rich & Creamy Campfire Hot Cocoa

Ditch the pre-made powder if you want a special treat! Cool weather camping experiences don’t feel complete without a warm cup of hot chocolate and this one is velvety smooth.

Send me FREE camping tips!

I want “5 Secrets To Successful Camping Trips” plus weekly camping tips & recipes.

Foil Packet Meals

Aluminum foil can be your best friend in the great outdoors when you want terrific meals without a pile of dirty dishes to wash. One of the most popular methods of camp fire cooking is using foil packets. The cleanup is almost non-existent too! Try all of our campfire meals in foil, here are a few of our favorites.

15. Shrimp And Asparagus Foil Packs

Shrimp And Asparagus Foil Packs by CampingForFoodies

This is a sort-of fancy meal made with simple ingredients. Shrimp and asparagus are flavored with a little white wine (or chicken broth), Cajun seasoning, garlic, butter, salt and black pepper to create a delicious 20-minute meal.

16. Campfire Chili Cheese Fries

Campfire Chili Cheese Fries by CampingForFoodies

Frozen fries never tasted so good! And, you won’t believe how easy it is to make them!

Dutch Oven Recipes

Dutch Oven Camping Recipes: Looking for easy and tasty Dutch oven recipes? We’ve got loads of them!

17. Dutch Oven French Toast

You don’t have to make individual slices of French toast if you make this casserole version.

18. Mac And Cheese

Dutch Oven Mac And Cheese Camping Recipe by CampingForFoodies

This ooey, gooey, cheesy hot dish is great when served with a simple grilled meat.

19. Dutch Oven Campfire Goulash

Dutch Oven Goulash by CampingForFoodies

Try this goulash if you want yummy comfort food. If you like campfire cooking in the summer, you’ll LOVE winter campfire cooking! You stay warm and cook your meals all at the same time. Check out our favorite winter camping recipes for your next cold-weather menu plan.

20. One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken One Pot Camping Pasta by CampingForFoodies

This easy meal starts with pre-cooked chicken and combines it with pasta, fire roasted tomatoes and cream cheese that is all cooked together. Check out all of our awesome one pot camping meals.

Camping Desserts

Your outdoor vacation won’t be complete unless you indulge in a few yummy camping desserts.

21. Campfire Smores Recipes

You can’t cook over a campfire without having s’mores for dessert at least once during your trip! You can certainly enjoy the traditional toasted marshmallow sandwiched between two graham crackers with a chocolate bar. But, why not get creative with ingredients like caramel sauce, berries, white chocolate coconut candy bars, fruit and different types of cookies? We’ve put a twist on these classic sweet treats that kids and adults will love!

24. Blueberry Cobbler

Campfire Dutch Oven Blueberry Cobbler by CampingForFoodies

When blueberries are in season, THIS is the dessert you need to make!

25. Chocolate Lava Dutch Oven Cakes

Dutch Oven Chocolate Lava Cakes by CampingForFoodies

These little individual cakes are baked in cupcake liners. That keeps them moist and easy to serve.

Campfire Cooking Techniques

We love cooking over campfires so much, we have tons of resources to help you master the art of cooking over a fire.

Dutch Oven Temperature Chart: Knowing how many coals to use and where to place them is super important, especially if you are baking things like … Mountain Man Breakfasts, Dutch Oven Pizzas, breads, cakes and pies!

Dutch Oven Camp Cooking Tips: You can test your knowledge in this post with questions like:

How much heat comes from a coal?

Do ashes add or reduce heat?

Where should you place coals?

What size Dutch oven should you use?

Should you use a standard depth or deep Dutch oven?

What type of wood is best for campfire cooking?

Campfire Cooking Tips: Learn the best campfire cooking techniques including:

Efficient campfire cooking setups

Getting maximum flavor from your food

Open campfire heat control

How to cook in windy conditions and more

Campfire Cooking Equipment: When you have the right campfire cooking gear, you instantly become a wilderness chef! See our top picks for:

Over fire grills

Griddles, Dutch ovens and pans

Dutch oven accessories

Cooking on sticks and more

How To Start A Campfire: You can’t cook over a campfire unless you know how to start one! Learn the most efficient way to start a fire for:

Cooking

Warmth

Relaxation

Rescue

Best Fire Starters: These tips will help you start your campfire even in the roughest weather conditions.

How Much Firewood Do I Need For Camping: Do you know how much wood you’ll need for your entire trip? Consider these factors:

Length of trip

Weather

Type of fire (including fires for cooking)

Size of pieces

Firewood type

Camping wood’s moisture content

Best Dutch Oven For Camping: Most campers who cook over campfires like the durability of cast iron Dutch ovens. We have tips to help you choose the best Dutch oven for your type of camping and cooking!

How To Use A Dutch Oven: Cast iron Dutch ovens are the cooking vessel of choice for many campfire chefs. Learn how to use them like the pros do! Learn about:

Regular vs deep Dutch ovens

Different types of cooking methods

Baking

Roasting

Simmering & Stewing

Frying & Boiling

Cooking utensils

Cast iron cookware care

Dutch Oven Accessories: Add a few essential Dutch oven accessories to your camp kitchen gear for simple and efficient:

Transportation

Storage

Cooking

Cleaning

Lodge Dutch Oven Accessories: Lodge is a favorite brand when it comes to campfire cooking. They have a great line of accessories that make cooking and cleanup simple.

Camping Food Storage Ideas & Handling Tips: You want to start and finish your campfire meal with smiles on faces! Keep your camping clan healthy with proper food handling techniques.

FREE Printable Menu Planner

Source

[oonajaeadira]

Ok you ignore me if this is way too specific or doesn't mesh with your plan but I am here for PATS, an ask: you suffer an unexpected emotional day something bad and need an appointment, though he is booked he senses the urgency in your request and allows you to come much later than he should. You cant stay composed during the massage and he winds up letting you sleep past the timer. Again ignore at all. I awoke feeling sharp apparently.

Hello, love.

I've been thinking about this question a lot. Now, you weren't the only one to ask about an emotional day or sleeping past the timer. And then there were some other asks that I've been stewing over that started to bleed into my daydreams around this answer. (What happens if you miss an appointment? How would he react to the idea of you moving on? How does he treat a silly injury? Does he take tips, and what for?)

I hope you don't mind that your question became a magnet for so many variables.....

Sleeping Past the Timer After an Emotional Week (GTTT PATS)

FANDOM: Calls - Apple TV (PATS is a character from ep. 3. “Pedro Across the Street.” This is not RPF.)

Warnings: smut under the cut

It’s not like you to be late. And half an hour isn’t just late, it’s worryingly absent, especially without a message. Were you another client, he might be irritated. Or maybe he’d just turn off the porch light and enjoy his unexpected free evening with a jack-off session or two, a good stout, and some mindless TV. But it’s you and this is concerning. It isn’t right. He’s pretty certain by now that it would take something monumental to keep you away from your Thursday night appointment.

He checks the portal. Nothing.

After a purely performative moment of hesitation, he clicks through to his bookmarks and pulls up your social media.

Nothing much other than some shared articles (varying subjects, all posted without comment) and one vaguepost about “not being made for this bullshit.” It is this post that captures his attention and he focuses on it for a moment. Something’s going on.

The street outside his house where you normally park your car is empty, but he can feel himself getting hard, like a part of him knows what it should be doing right now. Instead of taking care of that, he’s gonna put it on hold, just in case, making one last ditch effort by sending a message through the portal.

“Just checking in. Not like you to miss an appointment. Let me know if you need to reschedule.”

An hour goes by. Two. He sits, hands off, half-hard, passively watching some documentary on octopuses and has to switch it over to the local college game when they get to the section on mating.

It’s not often that he leaves his laptop open while logged into the portal, so he’s surprised when he hears an unfamiliar notification–the live chat function.

–I’m so sorry! Omg this week has been hell and i didn’t even realize it was thursday I’m so so sorry pedro. It’s probably for the best. Not in the best mood. I won’t be late next week i promise. I will probably need you a lot by then

–Hey. Don’t worry about it. But if you’re that stressed, then you probably have a need to come by. You’re still welcome here tonight. We can get some of that out of you for tomorrow.

–Thank you so much but i can’t. I have a really early day. There’s been a lot of sudden changes at work and it’s been really rough. I’m so sorry

–Are you working late tomorrow? Do you have plans?

–No thankfully just me and a bottle of wine and a weekend ahead i’ll need it

–If you want a rain check, I have an opening tomorrow night.

–Really?

–Of course. Come by at 7. Let’s make you feel better.

He begins palming himself through his jeans, anxious to confirm and get this ache over with.

–I’ll be there thank you

With one hand, he punches in an appointment confirmation into your profile while the other works at his belt and zipper. No need to leave things marinating tonight. Looks like he’s cooking alone. And he’s starving.

He'll cancel his Friday night plans in a few minutes.

________________

He has to breathe through disrobing you, try not to rush it, savor the unwrapping. He knows how much you like it–the way you close your eyes, throw your head back and just give in to him, just gorgeous–and he usually enjoys it too but… Something in him is pushing to get to the point, make sure you never forget another appointment again.

It’s when he sees you wince as he lifts your arms over your head that his focus truly snaps back to the task at hand and his erection takes a back seat so his fingertips can slowly explore your shoulder. He manipulates your arm to get under the shoulder blade, presses in through your ribcage on one side, down to your hip, listening to you breathe, registering any hitches in your intake, until he lands on a spot midway and asks you in a smooth, calming rumble if it’s tender.

You nod, and your face begins to crumple. The tears come hard and heavy. Ashamed, you tell him you’ve been lifting boxes all week and it’s not really what you’re made for. Something about a merger, your business moving locations, your management expecting you to pack up your own office, tons of files, heavy boxes, running out of time, and in an effort to get it done faster, you’d pushed the capacity and weight of what you could lift…and this just happened today because you weren’t thinking, weren’t managing right, how stupid you feel.

“And the stress doesn’t help,” he breathes. The tears make little sparkling fairy tracks down your cheeks in the low light and you’re just on the edge of truly breaking when he presses himself against you, shushing into your neck. “We’re going to take care of it tonight, okay? We’ll work on it. Then I’m going to make you feel good. Fuck this week. You don’t have to work tomorrow, right? Breathe here…”

Your breath is brave, long and stuttering, he runs hands over your bared torso, indicating where he wants you to focus your breath. You shake your head and his length pulses against you. But otherwise he keeps it cool, calm, steady.

“Good. No rush then. Let’s just take our time and see if I–if we–can get this week out of you. Table. Face down.”

Your injury is first priority and he turns his back to the clock, making sure to concentrate on getting the muscle groups around the strain to relax. But you’re still clenched. Thoroughly oiling his hands, he just moves them over you in smooth, firm waves, reading you, mapping you. You’re holding onto something. Something about being here isn’t as relaxing as it should be.

“Is there something else going on, preciosa? Other than the move?”

“What?” The muscles in your back tighten.

“Your office. Moving.”

And they loosen again. “Oh.” There’s a long enough pause that a “no” would be an obvious lie.

He helps you to flip onto your back and settle, sliding his hands under your shoulders, using your weight to help press down into his fingers, tilting your head back. But this time you keep your eyes closed as you explain that the main office is moving several hours away and you need to make some decisions about your job, about keeping it, working remotely but dropping to part time, or following the move.

His fingers curl, rake hard against your shoulder blades, pulling greedily, almost as if he can drag you inside him.

“That’s a hard decision. What’s keeping you here?”

Your eyes float open, meeting his.

Everything external goes on autopilot. His hands keep working, wrapping beautifully around your spine and neck, smoothing them out, smoothing everything out, his face a perfect mask of clinical neutrality. But inside, he’s in a sudden fucking panic. He’s slipped there. Shouldn’t be asking questions he doesn’t want the answers to.

“I like it here.”

“Mmm.” He hears himself, neither affirming nor judgmental. Indifferent. Professional.

But he has to lay your head down gently and step away. To oil his hands again. He takes his time.

After that, no more questions, no more talking. He concentrates on making you feel elastic, relaxed, brand new, fingers exploring through every inch of flesh. Here too, he takes his time. Fuck the clock.

In the bed as well, time is taken. You’re so pliant for him, healed and wanting and so very very present. He can’t bear to take himself out of you, even to change positions, just keeps you to himself and tries not to wonder how many more sessions you might be around for.

You do that thing you sometimes do, wrap your arms around his neck, hold on tight, whisper in his ear to tell him how beautiful he is, insisting how ready he must be to come right when he’s fucking the hardest, right when he’s trying to hold on for dear life, and you just cut through and break his restraint, his body rebelling and choosing to listen to your voice instead of his own.

If you leave, you’ll take that power with you.

You haven’t fallen asleep this hard and fast since the first session. You’re dead to the world by the time he returns with a washcloth and you stay so while he gently cleans you up.

He sits on the bed a while and looks at anything but you, long enough to tell himself it’s okay to break another rule. Just for tonight. The clock says he’s indulged, he’s gotten more than his fair share. So he’ll give you your due. You’ve had a rough week, it’s the least he can do.

Is what he tells himself.

________________

When you wake, the room is strange.

Because you’ve never seen it in the daylight.

You bolt upright, eyes immediately going to the side table. The glass of water is there. The clipboard is there. He is not.

On top of your form, there’s a folded paper. A note waiting.

“You needed the rest. Thought since you didn’t have anything to rush to this morning, I’d let you have it. There’s cold press and cranberry juice in the fridge. Box on the counter’s got some stuff from the corner bakery. Have some. Orders. I’ll know if you don’t. Door will lock behind you. Have a better day.”

The tightness in your back from the week is gone. Completely obliterated. He really knows his stuff.

You uphold your end of the agreement and down the water, glancing at your assessment form.

“Regular time next week. I hope.”

________________

Once he hears the front door close and your car start and pull away, he emerges from his bedroom and moves through the treatment room, resetting the side table and stripping the bed before padding down to the laundry closet and throwing the sheets in to wash.

On his way back out through the kitchen he stops to assess the bakery box to learn which of the confections stole your fancy. Ah. He doesn’t exactly grin, but feels the corner of his mouth pull a little. That’s his favorite too.

There’s a folded piece of paper sticking out from under the box. His note to you.

You’ve written your own on the other side.

“I feel wonderful this morning. Thank you for breakfast and letting me sleep. And letting me cry and get it out. You always know exactly what I need. I know you don’t take tips, but please let me. I really appreciate it. I’ll see you next week for sure. I’m not going anywhere.”

You always know exactly what I need.

There’s a number of bills tucked into the fold.

A tip. Payment for a job well done. For going above and beyond the contract.

He stares at the money.

No, this is good, he tells himself. The cash feels grounding. Realistic. Correct.

Transactional.

It’s good.

But something won’t let him just put it in his wallet.

Instead, he folds it back up into the note. Grabs a pen. Scribbles one word on it and slides it into a drawer before getting on with his day.

“Perspective.”

___

___

NEXT (Full 10K one-shot)

SERIES MASTERLIST

[eyeofthedrgn]

It's Okay

Notes: This is a follow up to Wrecked. I'm not sure if I like it as much, but let me know what you think! This one is based off of Imagine Dragons "It's OK"

Wilhelm laid in his bed for days. He didn't eat. He somehow slept. A lot. Only ever got up to go to the bathroom. Simon's shirt clutched to his chest as he laid there, unfocused eyes staring at the far wall of his room. The tears had run out two days ago, now he just ran through scenarios in his head as his anger grew. All he could think about were plans to get Simon back. Each one worse than the last. Every plan unworthy of the ridiculous standards everyone held him at.

He wasn't okay. Wasn't sure if he would ever be okay. Maybe he was out of his fucking mind. But after a few days of stewing in his ocean of thoughts, he felt like it was okay to be not okay. It was normal for everyone else in this godforsaken world and just because he was a prince it meant he couldn't have problems? What kind of bullshit is that anyway?

Breathe in deep.

Carefully folding the yellow and blue plaid shirt, he tucked it under his pillow. He got out of bed, showered, got dressed. One day at a time. The plans marinated in his skull. Wille would figure this out. He had to. There was only one way to survive, one way to get through his terrible life and that was with Simon, his best friend, his lover, by his side.

The idea was to start small. Begin with something that wouldn't shock the nation to its core. An anxiety disorder. With the shit he has been through in the last few months, the people would understand. Wilhelm was startled when he had somehow managed to get his parents to understand that he was in fact not okay. It was kind of unbelievable. A post was drafted, a photo taken, fear ran through his veins, or at least that's what it felt like as soon as it went live. The Crown Prince of Sweden has anxiety. And that was okay.

Breathe in deep.

Wille was starting to live his truth. However small of a step this was to getting what he really wanted, what he needed, it was okay. It was good.

Every night he held Simon's shirt. Let his thoughts run. He ignored the response to his post, his mother would tell him what he needed to know. She always did. Especially if he did something not up to the standards of Erik. Always comparing. He's not Erik. He will never be Erik. One day his mother will finally figure out that that's okay. Or maybe she won't. He honestly didn't know if she would, but he hoped. Was he completely out of his mind for wanting his mother's approval? Maybe.

Breathe in deep.

Christmas came and went. Wilhelm wasn't forced to smile during photos anymore. It was refreshing and it led to more natural smiles some of the time. Whenever he left his room, he had a stress ball with him. It helped. It was okay. The anxiety, he finally wasn't in it alone. People, good people, sent him tips to help manage it, someone had gifted him the stress ball. He nearly cried at the gesture. The outpour of comfort and support about his mental health was staggering. There were of course the ones who thought he was an emasculated freak for admitting his faults and flaws to the world. But he kept telling himself it's okay to be not okay.

Especially when a text came from the most important person in the world: That was brave, Wille. Happy New Year. He broke then. The tears returning in a deluge of… relief. He pulled the shirt from under his pillow and held it to his heart. It really was okay to be not okay.

Cause it's okay to be out of your mind.

[softrozene]

Stars and Dreams

Anonymous requested: Hello!!! (＾ω＾) Can I request one-shot soulmate au and (magic au? Idk if you name that. 😅) Law x fem! S/O? Okay it's more like a legend. If a person meet another person (in form of a star) in their dreams they're are soulmates together. Law sees her, her appearance is form of a star but he can hear her voice clear and well. Same opposite for fem! S/O. The timeline is somewhere in Punk Hazard. And she's by the strawhats crew. When she meets Law she thinks "hey! His voice is sounds familiar." She has often dream it if she sleeps. She has also heard the legend of soulmates. If they touch each other. Then both in their body shines a bright light. Like magic. And if they sleep again. Then she sees not the star form but person Law standing before her. That's it. I hope it's not to difficult. 😅 And take your time all you need.

Alright! The first request of the year! I saved it from last year because I am beaming with confidence (and I am such a sucker for fluff and soulmates alkdafs) FLDSA I don’t think this classifies as a magic au but I sure as heck am putting that down because stars??? They are freaking magical fluff to me. This was so fun to do so thank you for requesting it!

Trafalgar Law x Female Reader

Warnings: Fluff- tooth-rotting fluff, Slight angst that is fixed with more fluff, probably grammar like always- Technical spoilers for Punk Hazard but I try to be as vague as possible and skip to the end of it.

Words: 1746

-

You loved going to sleep. You loved it so much and the whole crew knows why- You are one of the lucky few who has been blessed to have a soulmate. Some would consider it not lucky at all since it is so uncommon and more like a legend- But you love it so much.

You love the idea of solely being someone’s and them solely being yours.

The first time you had this dream was roughly when you were twenty. The shock that this legend of seeing your soulmate in the form of a star was beyond shocking to you. He was too bright of a light as a star, and you wondered if you appeared that way to him- If you were just as bright and mysterious to him.  Even so, you loved to stare into the light of the star. Even if you could not see his physical form you knew immediately that you loved him. The second you heard his voice too- You melted. He was perfect in every way even if you have yet to learn more about him.

The part that saddened you was even though you could talk to him in your dream- You were not really talking to him. It was only a dream so whatever information his voice gave you, was all in your head. You had no true way of knowing who he is, what he liked, his name, where he was from, absolutely nothing. It made you a bit heartbroken because this was the sad part- You were destined to be together but the only thing you had to go off from was the sound of his voice.

So, it was around six years ago long before you joined the Straw Hats that the dreams started. The dreams were vague and very rare to happen at first until you did join the Straw Hats two years ago.

They got more constant and you loved to fall asleep and dream away to hear his voice. You tried to memorize it for when you were awake in the real world on islands. To try and pinpoint his voice but it was in vain.

Slowly- Ever so slowly, you began to accept the fact that you may never meet him. It broke your heart, but you began to accept it while you and the Straw Hats were split up, and eventually, it just hurt to go to sleep and dream of someone meant to be yours, but you may never have. You started to avoid sleeping.

~*~

For Law- Things were different.

When he first got the dream at age twenty, he denied it. He thought that soulmates were just strictly legends- Something not real. Until that dream and because of how much it made him feel- Alive and surprised that he may be able to love someone and receive their love in return, it frankly scared him.

He avoided sleep whenever he could- He avoided the fact that he has a soulmate.

He did not want one- He did not want to risk losing the person meant for him since he just kept losing people when he was younger.

It terrifies him and he hates it.

He will be stubborn for the next six years but eventually as the dreams got more frequent and he had no choice but to hear your sweet voice- He started to fall and hard.

It pissed him off greatly but since he slowly started to give in and felt the overwhelming love drift to him in his sleep from your star, he… Started to love to sleep when he can. He enjoyed it so much. To hear your sweet feminine voice call for him- Even if it may just be his mind doing that for you he loved it nonetheless.

Though- He did realize he could not let his dreams, his soulmate, ruin his plans for Doflamingo. He tried to keep a strict schedule and since he knew the possibility of dying was there- He tried to sleep and hear your voice so it can be one last comfort he has before the possibility of the next day taking his life comes.

He pursued his plan- Got to Punk Hazard, waited for someone he put his bid on to get there- Monkey D. Luffy to create an alliance with him. What he did not anticipate was to hear that familiar voice coming from his crew.

It became unreal to him and he did think he was going a bit crazy- But… According to the legends, all he had to do was touch you then after this terrible mission he can sleep, and hopefully- He will find out if you really are his soulmate or if this was all just a terrible dream leading him on and making him believe he can be loved in this unforgiving world.

~*~

You were exhausted. And really grumpy. Those two things did not match well, and it made your brain foggy- Definitely not a good thing when you got to Punk Hazard. An island that seemed to be swarming with enemies.

It was cold and you were miserable- Then you heard an annoying voice trying to make an alliance with your captain- Wait, you know that voice.

You couldn’t place it, but you were fairly certain it may have been from your dream. That is your initial thought until Robin informs you that they all met him back Sabaody Archipelago- Trafalgar Law. You do not recall- You remember a polar bear but that is it.

While everyone was fighting you had gotten lost with Zoro and the poor fool got split up with you and you were looking all over for him so you can’t really remember much. It is a shame since that mostly means you met him- Maybe you think it was his voice because of how loopy you are. You should really sleep after all this.

It becomes a hassle to keep up with everyone, but you are used to being exhausted now and days. The others do keep an eye on you when you become a bit dazed, they help you a lot.

Eventually- All the chaos your crew, Law, and the marines ensue on the island comes to an end- Law has Caesar successfully tied down for the next part of the plan he wants you guys to help him with- Going to Dressrosa.

But for now- Everyone, including the marines, is enjoying dinner together after that long and hectic journey of bringing Punk Hazard’s facility to an end. You wait patiently for your food- Waiting for everyone else to get their fill- Even arguing with Sanji and Chopper (who has been concerned about your health) that you can wait.

You sit down and feel the exhaustion creep up on you and nearly smother you then and there but then- You feel a hand on your shoulder and a warm bowl of stew being offered to you.

You look up to see it is Law who has his eyes narrowed down at you.

“You should listen to your doctor more. He informed me about your sleeping habits, and it isn’t good to be low on energy so you should eat up,” He states rather coldly.

You do not take it to heart. You smile and thank him.

“I appreciate the worry now that we will be working together. Oh- I suppose we still do not know each other well from Sabaody. I am (Name),” You say softly.

He narrows his eyes down but replies, “Trafalgar Law… Unfortunately, (Name) we did not have the pleasure of meeting at Sabaody. I would have remembered but it is wonderful to finally meet you now.  You should rest up.”

He leaves before you can process what he said. You are shocked- Because if you truly did not meet him but just his crewmember… Then that means you may not be that loopy. That the voice you fell in love with but have been avoiding is really his.

You hate to say it but… You feel the need to fall asleep. You hate the feeling of hope just in case you are wrong.

~*~

Law is excited. He touched your shoulder, thankfully not like a creep, but as a genuinely concerned doctor. Now he just needs to wait to see if the star will turn to you tonight- He hopes it does but the part of him that does not want to risk losing anyone ever again also hopes it doesn’t.

They sleep there that night deciding to rest up before going on the move to Dressrosa- And like always he is excited to go to sleep, to hear her voice.

Sleep came fast and easy for him- He welcomes the bliss of a clear mind and how he lands in a meadow-like area surrounded by stars- The main star being his soulmate’s form. He waits with anticipation and slowly the star does begin to transform. He can’t help the blush on his face or how he feels the sudden happiness that it is true.

The star turns into your physical form.

He finally found his soulmate.

~*~

Upon waking up- You feel heated. You feel a total sense of comfort and you feel better. That was one of the most peaceful nights of sleep you got since you avoided sleeping and- It was worth falling asleep. You could cry tears of joy from seeing the star turn into Law.

But now that you are awake and you know who your soulmate is- How do you go about it? Do you even assume he had the same thing happen to him?

You are suddenly anxious as the smell of food wakes you up further. That means people will be gathering for breakfast and you all are off to Dressrosa afterward. That means you get to see Law- You feel even more anxious.

However, you do not get the time you needed to compose yourself.

Instead, you hear a knock on the girl’s door- Nami and Robin long awake and letting you sleep since you haven’t lately, and you feel your nerves light on fire as you open the door to see Law standing there.

You notice the blush on his face and the gentle look in his eyes. He decides to address the issue first. You can hear the happiness in his voice.

“So- We are soulmates.”

You smile back.

“Yeah- I guess we are.”