#this is what happens when you don't cut the butter into smaller pieces

[bob-artist]

I had an upsetting dream last night.

[artemismoorea03]

Monkies Deserve Better References pt 2

Back with more references!

For the first part see:

Let's start with a bang shall we! Meet Chikao Mahou - the Red Bottomed Horse Monkey!

Mahou is a Mandrill Baboon and as a result his mask is blue and his ass is red - you know, as his celestial title suggests x'D

Despite how Mahou makes himself look in his 'glamoured' appearance he is actually younger than Wukong! He just gives himself a beard of varying length depending on how desperate he is to make himself look 'wise'. Without the beard he's just an angry twink with issues.

He is one of only two monkeys with short tails which only changes when he has a 'disguised clone' then they will have a long tail and short hair.

Until the fight with Changpu, Mahou had very few scars! Those scars would be the one on his right foot, the smaller cuts on his stomach and ribs, and the wound to his right shoulder. Those wounds all came from his time on Flower Fruit Mountain. For the most part he was able to get away from fights without too many injuries, but of course he couldn't escape forever.

All of the other injuries are from Changpu who literally ripped him apart when he went on his rampage. (Let's be real though, he deserved it).

Next on this list is our most beloved son, Tongbei Tu!

Tu is the only child of a Rage Demon (the sister to Longwei and Yawen Xun) and the Long Armed Ape Monkey; Tongbei Yuanhou. Yuanhou is the only Celestial Primate known for having a biological child and unfortunately he wasn't the most attentive father to Tu.

Yes, he loved Tu to pieces and when his son needed him he didn't hesitate to step up to some extent, but not enough. As soon as Mahou discovered that Tu existed he manipulated Tu into doing his bidding and convinced him to use the Seven-Star Sword to take out the Seven Sages. Tu managed to kill the Roc Demon Spirit King but not before Roc got a good hit in (the scar in the center of Tu's back).

Tu and his father are both Gibbons meaning their arms are very long and while Gibbons typically don't have tails Tu and Yuanhou do - simply because we learned that fact after we wrote these characters and we love their tails.

Tu is (lovingly) called the Peanut Butter and Jelly Monkey by me (Ari) due to the purple patches on his fur and paler tan marks. Another fun fact about Tu is that he has vitiligo like Pengu!

Tu's father - Tongbei Yuanhou is next!

Yuanhou was a well known fighter in the Troupe 'army' on Flower Fruit Mountain and was always rather scrappy! Him and Wukong got into trouble as well as got Macaque out of trouble as they were growing up. But when the time came Yuanhou decided to leave on his own and try to figure out what the cause of the empty feeling in his chest was. This lead him to having a whole bunch of mates including the Rage Demon who conceived Tu.

Yuanhou has quite a few scars ranging from his time on FFM, to his journeys, and to the ones that were caused by his own son and Mahou. The deep scar that cut through his left shoulder as well as the one across the center of his back were both caused by the Seven-Star Sword as was ultimately the wound that would have lead to his demise if Pengu hadn't stepped in and offered him and his son a 'Second Chance'.

Yuanhou - like his son - has long arms but his tail is considerably shorter than his sons and he is the only one of the monkeys who actually has facial hair! (Suck it, Mahou you baby faced bitch). Yuanhou never blamed his son for what happened and if Pengu hadn't stepped in would have willingly given his life to free Tu from Mahou's control.

Finally there's Pengu! Who has four references! (They should have more, but I couldn't be bothered x'D) Mostly because I really don't like how they turned out, but I also can't be bothered to try again at this very moment so... yeah. HERE WE GO.

Pengu - the reincarnation of Pangu the Primordial Primate was born from the Egg of Chaos and separated the Heavens and the Earth. As a result, Pangu's physical body was destroyed and turned into everything. From the moon and sun, to the plants, mountains and animals, but most importantly the vast amount power they had collected over the 18,000 years that they held the Heaven and Earth apart spread out throughout the Mortal and Celestial Realms as well as Underworld (at least in MDB/MAA).

After Pengu was strong enough to take on another physical form they got to work and created the five Celestial Primates to represent and help regulate the different elements.

The Intelligent Stone Monkey - Sun Wukong represented Earth.

The Red Bottomed Horse Monkey - Chikao Mahou was Air.

The Long-Armed Ape Monkey - Tongbei Yuanhou was Water.

The Six-Eared Macaque - Liu'er Mihou was Metal.

and Changpu was meant to be Fire.

Unfortunately, Pengu was far too weak after helping create the five monkeys that they fell into a deep sleep without warning the Celestial Realm about what they had done, so when Wukong hatched the Celestial Realm fell into chaos.

By the time the Celestial Realm got around to investigating Mahou and Yuanhou had already hatched but they found a fourth egg. They thought it was the last egg and removed it from FFM. However, they missed Macaque's egg all together. As a result Changpu was born early at half-power and Macaque been left alone.

Pengu didn't properly wake up for centuries, not until after Wukong had been locked under Five-Phases Mountain. It was Pengu's insisting that helped convince Guanyin and the Jade Emperor that Wukong deserved another chance and they allowed him to go on his journey.

After that Pengu kept getting woken up for the smallest thing involving the monkeys or 'major' issues which became more and more frequent. Which wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for the fact that Pengu holds the realms together and needs to sleep for 18,000 or the realms will fall apart. To get sleep Pengu will often teleport themselves somewhere more peaceful or teleport to somebody they can trust such as Nezha, Xuannu, Chang'e's Moon Garden or FFM. They're eventually found and bothered again though.

Pengu is technically a Gorilla and as a result has a small 'nub' tail as well as large hands, broad shoulders and a rather big head. Pengu is unique in the fact that out of the Celestial Primates they are the only one with horns and they're the only one without a biological sex. Yep, you read that right, Pengu is gender-less. Typically they use they/them pronouns but they also don't truly understand concept so they can be called anything. (Hell, they sometimes refer to themselves as 'it' just to throw people off because they find it hilarious).

Pengu is easily the strongest in the Celestial Realm, even stronger than the Jade Emperor! They have all of the powers that the Celestial Primates have (because they gave them their powers because *genetic shit*) but because they're also just a sleepy little guy they have to hide themselves rather than depend on fighting. The way they do this is shift their appearance to a verity of ages and sizes to help hide them or intimidate those around them to back the hell off. Their favorite forms is that of a 6-Year-Old which leaves them compact enough to hide and allows them to collect the most energy, and a second form that is around the same age as their "children" which helps them get taken more seriously.

Pengu can also change or hide most of their vitiligo markings with the only one that they can't change being the heart-shaped one on their chest. Pengu is the only primate other than Tu that has vitiligo and is also the only Primate to not possess any scars!

Well, that's all for now, I want to finish the last couple before I post the next part of this :3

[twomanyideas]

The Prince's Bride

A collaboration by @mdelpin and @oryu404

Fairy Tail Reverse Bang 2022 Pairing:Sting x Rogue AO3 | Ch 1

Summary: Sting's life is turned upside down when he learns he'll need to pick a bride at a ball to celebrate his eighteenth birthday. Things become even more complicated when a stranger at a new bakery makes him rethink everything he thought he knew about himself.

0-0

It's been 84 years...

Kidding. It's been about 4 months since the start of this project. But here we are with our entry for the Fairy Tail Reverse Bang 2022!

We were very excited to get to work together again, although this time it proved a bit more challenging than usual, if only because it seems we've lost the ability to come up with smaller ideas. So while this isn't the story we originally set out to write (more on that one later) we hope you still enjoy this first chapter! If you do, don't be too shy to leave us a comment. They make our day!

Art by @oryu404, please don't repost or use without permission. Reblogs, though, are totally fine and very much appreciated!

And lastly, big thanks to @ftguildevents, and all the mods and wonderful participants of this event!

Sting walked into the castle’s dining room looking forward to a large breakfast, only to find the room empty. Had he missed breakfast? He didn’t think he’d gotten up that late. 

“Where is everyone?”

“The Queen requested breakfast be served in the garden today, Your Highness. I was just coming to get you.”

He turned to find Yukino, his mother’s handmaid, standing behind him.

“Oh thank god, I thought I was going to starve.”

“Always so dramatic,” Yukino giggled, “Although, you better hurry before your father eats everything.”  

Sting’s eyes widened as he realized this was a definite possibility. He thanked her and took off for the garden at a brisk pace, wanting to get there before her prediction could come true. 

The castle gardens were beautiful in spring, full of colorful blooms that scented the air with their fragrance, although at the moment the smell of bacon overpowered everything else. 

“Sting, over here!”

His father sat at a table underneath the arbored trellis and Sting hurried to join him, especially as he was piling more food onto the mountain that already sat on his plate.

“Hey, are you planning on leaving some for the rest of us?” Sting grumbled as he heaped eggs, bacon, slices of bread slathered with butter, pieces of cut up fruit and pancakes on his own plate and promptly began to eat.

“You should have gotten here earlier. There were these fantastic pastries from some new bakery in town.”

“You didn’t leave me any?!” 

His father just shrugged, looking annoyingly unrepentant. “I was hungry.”

Sting was about to start a rant when he was distracted by the sight of his mother talking to a group of people he didn’t recognize. It was hard to miss her excitement with the elaborate gestures she was making, pointing to different parts of the garden and the castle, all while smiling from ear to ear.

“What’s she up to?” he asked, mouth full of pancake. “And more importantly, should I be concerned?” 

“Well, you know your eighteenth birthday is coming up soon.”

“Yeah, so?” 

“What do you mean, so? Don’t tell me you don’t remember what happens on your eighteenth birthday?” His father stopped to peer at him and shook his head with a smile. “Of course you do. You had me going there for a moment.”  

“I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about,” Sting said, feeling the apprehension build inside him.

His mother had always made a big deal about his birthday, so much so that it had become a national celebration of sorts, complete with town wide fairs. He used to love the attention when he was younger, but once the girls in town started acting crazy around him, the lavish events had become a source of dread. 

What could she possibly have in store for him for his eighteenth birthday?

The answer came much sooner than he was ready for, as his mother noticed him and headed over to the table. 

“There you are!” she said, practically beaming at him as she sat down to join them.

“Here I am,” he agreed, scrambling to think of a way to convince he‌r he’d prefer a small gathering to pretty much anything she had in mind.

“Isn’t it exciting?! I’ve been waiting for this since the day you were born. It’s going to be such a magical evening!”

There were hearts in her eyes as she talked about the flowers she wanted and the performers she was going to hire, going on and on about the different things she had planned while somehow not giving him any actual information about the event itself.

���That all sounds lovely, but you know what would be nice? What if we just had a small party? I could invite some of my friends from town…” He tapered off when he saw the looks on his parents’ faces, a mixture of disbelief and mirth.

“Oh, you!” His mother tapped his arm playfully. “We can’t possibly do that. Well, maybe we could on your actual birthday, but we couldn’t just cancel the ball. It’s been a tradition since anyone can remember.”

“I’m sorry, did you say ball? As in with dancing? Cause I don’t do that.”

But his mother wasn’t listening, she was too busy giving his father The Look. The one that always made Sting feel like he should be elsewhere. And, of course, his father was returning it. 

“Do you remember your ball, Weiss?” 

“Of course I do.” His father grabbed on to his mother’s hand, holding it between his as he stared into her eyes. “It was the best night of my life.”

“Mine too.”

“Oy, can we get back to my ball? You know, the part where you explain why it’s so important we have it?” Sting insisted before they got too lost in their little bubble.

“What do you mean, why is it important? It’s where you’ll pick one of the girls from town to be your future bride!”

It was rare for Sting to be glad that his mouth was empty, but he was certain he would've choked on his food at the word bride. “Hold on a minute, you expect me to marry some random girl? Have you seen how they get around me? No, thank you.”

“This ball has been a family tradition for many generations. It’s one of the ways we show our commitment to the town. It also happens to be how I met your mother.” 

Now that Sting thought about it, he could vaguely remember his parents talking about their first meeting. He'd never cared much about the details, like there being a ball, but he’d always loved the part where his dad recalled laying eyes on his mom for the first time and feeling a “spark,” instantly knowing she was the one.

Now that he was older, the idea both intrigued and terrified him in equal measure. As nice as it sounded, he had no idea how he was supposed to know if someone was the “one”.

“Well, couldn’t we start a new tradition? Plant some trees or something?” 

“Don’t be silly,” his father said. “I know the idea can be a little scary at first. I remember how terrified I was when my parents were planning mine, but it’ll all work out, you’ll see. You have a good head on your shoulders. I know whoever you pick will make you as happy as we are.”

Sting wasn’t as sure of that. He’d given exactly zero thought to the idea of finding a girlfriend, let alone getting married, even though there were plenty of beautiful girls who had showered him with their attention. It just wasn’t something he was interested in yet. 

“We’ll have to talk about this later,” his father said, halting Sting’s protests before he even had time to voice them. “I’m about to be late for a meeting.” He got up and kissed his wife on the cheek, looking at the breakfast table one last time and grabbing a couple of strawberries before he headed back inside the castle.

“Right.”

“Does it really make you that unhappy?” His mother asked, looking crestfallen by his lack of enthusiasm, and he didn’t have the heart to tell her how he felt. Not now that he realized how important the entire experience was to her.

“I’m sure it will be fine. You just caught me by surprise, that’s all.”

She immediately brightened at his response, and he spent the rest of breakfast shoving the food around on his plate as he half listened to his mother prattle on.

Maybe if he basked in it, her excitement would be infectious enough for him to catch it too.

0-0

After hours of listening to his mother's side of the story of the night his parents met, and following her around the gardens as she shared all her ideas for the stupid ball with him, Sting deemed it safe to say he wasn't going to catch her excitement. At all. In fact, the more he heard, the stronger he felt the urge to sneak away during the night and live a hermit's life somewhere in the countryside. No ball, no bride, no problem.

Except he knew ‌he could never do that to his parents, not to mention he was pretty sure he'd die within a few days, from something as embarrassing as eating poisonous berries. 

So that wasn't an option, but he could sure as hell escape more of mom's planning and hide out in town for the day. He took off as soon as a servant came over to ask his mother’s opinion on something.

His frustration eased the closer he got to town. It was already mid-afternoon, which meant some of his friends would be done with their jobs for the day and be free to get a drink with him at the tavern or something. He headed for the town plaza, knowing it was the most likely spot to find them.

The plaza was as busy as usual, so no one paid him any mind, but his friends easily stood out in the crowd. He watched with an amused smile as Natsu sat on a bench arm wrestling Gajeel while bickering with Gray.

“If you don’t stop paying attention to your little girlfriend, I’m going to wipe the floor with you,” Gajeel taunted.

“Call me that one more time, and he won’t be the one you have to worry about,” Gray said, sounding as grumpy as usual.  

“As if you could,” Natsu snorted, “I could beat you blindfolded and with one arm tied behind my back. So could the Princess, for that matter.”

Sting noticed that for once Gray didn’t complain about being called Princess, but he figured the guy had finally realized it was a losing battle. The more he protested, the more Natsu would do it to annoy him.  

“You care to put that to the test?” Sting interrupted, not giving Gajeel a chance to respond, “Cause I think I might have some rope on me.”

“Sting!” Natsu said, overpowering Gajeel in one quick move and getting up to greet him. “You’re back!”

Sting winced at hearing his name said so loudly. He glanced around furtively, trying to gauge how much attention Natsu’s outburst had attracted. A group of girls waved at him when he looked their way, immediately dissolving into giggles and squeals when he gave a half-hearted wave back. He’d probably be okay for a few more minutes, but he should really move somewhere indoors soon before anyone else noticed him.

“That’s cheating. I wasn’t ready!”

“Let it go, man.” Gray said with a shrug. “It wouldn’t have made much of a difference, anyway. He always wins.”

It didn’t seem like Gajeel had any intention of letting it go, so Sting bumped him on the shoulder before things would escalate further. “I tell you what, since I was the one to distract you, how about I buy you a drink to make up for it?” 

“We can get a drink later. First, you gotta try something from the new bakery that Gajeel’s uncle opened up while you were away. Wendy works there.”

“Oh yeah, my dad mentioned something about that earlier. Not that I got to try anything,” Sting pouted at the reminder of the morning's betrayal. “Bastard ate it all.”

“Sounds like someone else I know,” Gray said, giving Natsu a meaningful look.

“Right? My dad does that all the time, too!”

Gajeel scoffed at the response, but he already seemed to be in a better mood. “Are you ladies going to stand here and chat all day, or are we going to the damn bakery?” 

“Funny you should say that…” Sting shoved him forward, having noticed one of his admirers–a particularly persistent one–coming closer. “Let’s go! Lead the way!”

Gajeel grumbled about the rough treatment, but he got moving and as soon as Sting saw where he was heading, he felt like an idiot. The new bakery was in exactly the same place as the old one. Of course it was. Had he really been expecting there to be two bakeries in a small town?

“So, uhm, how is your uncle liking Saber?” he asked, wanting to get back into Gajeel’s good graces, now that his escape was imminent.

“He seems to like it, but he hasn’t seen how harebrained the royals are yet.”

“Oy! In some kingdoms, you could get beheaded for saying something like that, you know.”

“Yeah?” Gajeel said, opening the door and ushering them inside, “Too bad for you, this ain’t one of them.”

Sting was about to joke he could always change that when he caught his first whiff of baked goods. 

“Smells good, right?” Natsu smiled at him knowingly, “Just wait ‘til you taste them.”

And without another word, he dragged him towards the counter. Not that Sting minded, because by this point he was practically drooling in anticipation. He had barely enough time to notice Gray and Gajeel heading towards a small sitting area before being distracted by a display of baked goods, many of which he didn’t recognize.

Everything looked so delicious he couldn’t decide what to try first, and when he heard footsteps approaching from behind the counter, he figured why not try them all?

“Can I help you?” the deep voice of a man addressed him. Definitely not Wendy's, so Sting looked up, assuming he was about to meet Gajeel's uncle.

“Yeah, I'd like one of–” 

He fell silent, surprised to come face to face with a guy who looked to be his age. He had hair as black as licorice, tied back in a high ponytail, and skin as fair as cream, but it was his eyes that held Sting in a trance. They were the most beautiful shade of red he’d ever seen, reminding him of the dark cherries that grew in the castle’s garden. He couldn’t help but stare into them, his order completely forgotten.

“Yes? One of what?”

Sting blinked at the question, trying to make sense of this feeling that had come over him. He could tell the guy was getting annoyed by his lack of response and he tried to pull himself together long enough to order, but he couldn’t seem to put words together to save his life.

“Hey Rogue, get him the Natsu special,” Natsu said, coming to his rescue. “And, same for me.”

“Seriously? There’s someone else who eats like you?” Rogue sighed. “I’ll be right back with those.”

“Let’s go sit down. It’s going to take him a while to grab everything,” Natsu said, walking over to their friends’ table and taking a seat next to Gray. 

Sting stared after Rogue for a moment longer before joining his friends. He tried to join their conversation, but every few minutes his eyes strayed back to the door Rogue had gone through.

“Were you starved during your winter holiday or something?” Gray raised an eyebrow at him.

“Huh?”

“He means you haven’t stopped staring at the kitchen door since you sat down,” Gajeel pointed out, “Are you that hungry?! Cause I can light a fire under my cousin if you want, I doubt my uncle wants the Prince to pass out at his bakery.” 

“What?! No, I’m fine, I was just thinking about something.”

And he was, or rather, someone. 

It was exciting to have someone new settle in Saber. They were a pretty small kingdom, and it wasn’t often that new people moved here. But now they had, and Sting had made possibly the poorest first impression ever.

He couldn't let that slide, especially considering he was bound to see a lot of the guy given he was Gajeel’s cousin. Plus, he loved pastries, so he was sure he’d be a regular here.

He’d just have to try harder. He knew with just a little effort on his part, he could get Rogue to like him.

[cinderspots]

Hello, sorry to break the theme but what if Reader could make a sword made of their own flesh. They don't brag about it and the Ladies finds out by (well you choose) accident, asking or just a really tough piece of meat that no knife could cut.

How will the Re8 Ladies react to this random sword ?

....whoa

Hope you enjoy ❤

Included: Mother Miranda, Mia Winters, Donna Beneviento, Alcina Dimitrescu, Bela Dimitrescu, Cassandra Dimitrescu, Daniela Dimitrescu

Mother Miranda

She notices your sword but doesnt really ask about it

I mean it looks...different from other swords (and she swears she smelled your lotion on it) but otherwise?

She doesn't need it so she leaves it be

But she gets t i r e d

She just asks you to use your sword, just to see if itll work because she certainly isnt getting anywhere

So you cut it like its cake and she asks you what the swords made out of

What? What did you just say? You're own- WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO YOURSELF?

You're lowkey in trouble have fun

Mia Winters

There is no way she isnt asking questions the moment you walk in the house with that

"What is that?" "...a sword" "Why"

Eventually she gets too curious and asks what it's made out of

She wishes she didnt honestly

Donna Beneviento

Donna is making dinner one night

And getting frustrated because this one ingredient just wont cut!

So she relents and allows you to (carefully!) Use your sword

Its slices like butters

Donna looks at all the other ingredients and doesnt even want to risk that happening again so she asks to use it

You try not to snicker and you give it to her

After shes done she asks what it's made out of so she can make a smaller version

She freaks tf out when you tell her

You are not going to hear to end of it anytime soon

Alcina Dimitrescu

She hears about the famed sword from Cassandra who's whining about the fact that you wont give it to her

So at dinner she hesitantly brings it up and you casually mention it's made from your flesh

Back tf up

What did you just say?

Alcina is on your ass about it, and is now watching you so you dont make anymore DIY weapons

(Cassandra calls her a buzzkill later on)

Bela Dimitrescu

She watches you mess with it for a while before asking to practice with jt

She frowns when she holds it because shes never felt a material like this what is it?

"Me" "wHAT"

She is not pleased with that surprise

Cassandra Dimitrescu

You were down in the cellar with her, torturing maids

As one does

When you on a whim decided to slice a leg off

For funsies

Cassandra loves that and immediately asks for your sword

Which you say no to, causing a whiney argument to unfold before the bleeding maidens eyes until you blurt out why

Cassandra....still loves it honestly and continues to bother you about it

Daniela Dimitrescu

Daniela fucking stole it from you

And you had to tell her what it was made out of for her to let go

She pouted at the trickery before ran away cackling

You ended up sharing it, and she goes out of her way to freak people out with the sword

[its-2-late]

A Letter I May Never Send

Full disclosure, I'm currently writing this at 4 am. I suppose if you're reading this it's some time in the future when I finally finished getting everything out and decided to actually send it. At the time of writing, it's mainly me just... needing to scream into the void so to say. So I apologize in advance for how rambly this is going to be. Literally just writing as things come to me.

That being said, I really hardly know what to say, or whether I should say anything at all. So much happened between us. A lot of which we never properly talked about, especially at the end.

I can't say I necessarily regret that things ended. That would mean saying I regret what I have now. My child means absolutely everything to me and I would never wish her to not exist, regardless what I gave up along the way. I do regret HOW they ended. It's been over a year since we last spoke as I'm beginning to write this and it still hurts.

There's a lot of questions I often find myself wishing I could ask.

Does it still hurt you?

Are you like me and have tried to move on, but still feel an ache in your heart some nights when your mind wanders back to us?

Do you prefer to just not think about it at all?

Do you still talk about me? Reminiscing about some fun time we had, or maybe a quiet deep moment we shared?

One of my most vivid memories of you is the first time you held me. Laying on the futon, just goofing off. You saw cuts on my leg and you just rolled over and hugged me from behind. You told me, "you scare the shit out of me." I don't know if I've ever told you the feelings that came over me that night.

For damn near as long as I could remember I'd felt hollow and empty. Like the shadow of a person. Broken pieces that had been taped together to somewhat resemble a functional human being.

That one hug felt like it both broke me entirely and pulled my pieces back together all at the same time. It was one of only two times in my entire life that I felt really and truly wanted, cared about, seen.

It hurt.

I wanted so badly to just melt into the kind of love you seemed to be offering.

I wanted so badly to also run away and hide from the hurt and pain I was terrified would come along with that type of love.

Guess I did a bit of both?

I remember telling you about how friends I'd had for years turned their backs on me. You said you'd never do that. And you truly never did, even when I turned my back on you multiple times. I'm going to try and avoid sounding guilt trippy in this... we both know what I did and saying I'm sorry over and over again won't change or fix anything. Lord knows it doesn't make any pain I caused go away.

There are times I wonder how things might have been different if I'd talked to you more openly. If we would have worked things out, or if we were just meant to eventually drift away from each other. I tell myself often that we just were at different points in life. A big part of me thinks that's true, but maybe instead of basically being strangers we could have still been a part of each other's lives in smaller ways if I'd just talked to you.

I did always mean it when I said you were one of my best friends.

At times I think I miss that the most. Not and of the romantic aspects, but everything else.

The way you made me smile and laugh.

How big, warm, and comfortable your hugs always were.

Hell, even the way you used to purposefully get me riled up over something stupid just to hear me rant.

When you'd smile and wiggle your eyebrows. You have probably the sweetest smile on anyone I've ever known. I miss seeing it.

Sometimes it's seemingly stupid shit that'll make me think of you.

I was listening to Fruits Basket opening/ending songs in the car today and remembered watching with you. Anytime a Sasuke thing comes into Gamestop I still will think, "Oh I should send him a picture of this." Going up to Shreveport reminds me of the time you went with me to see my psychologist and the waiter at Olive Garden gave us butter.

Sometimes a new game or show will come out and I still get the urge to message you to ramble about it.

I still have your number in my phone. I'll randomly check Facebook sometimes to see if you unfriended or blocked me.

I've never been good at letting go of things. Especially anything that ever gives any kind of pleasure or happiness. Fuck, even when that happiness comes along with pain. Probably why I've always clung so tightly to people and things that were bad for me in the end.

Something I'm still working on. And apparently failing.

At one point a few months ago I deleted all the pictures I had of you off of my phone. A part of me regrets it. Probably the part that I literally just said doesn't like letting go of the past. I guess part of me writing this whole letter is is somewhere in me hoping that somehow it'll bring some sort of closure.

I don't ever talk about you. That's part of what hurts. All these memories of someone who meant the world to me, and I can't even talk about you. Not about how I still miss you, or about some funny or stupid thing that just happens to remind me of you. At times I feel like I just need to get drunk and just vent/gush about you to someone for a few hours. Get it all out and maybe finally I could actually begin to properly move on emotionally.

Until then, I guess I'll just keep coming back to this letter anytime I need to say anything. Wonder how long this will end up being. Wonder if you're going to read it at all.

I'm not sure I would.

I'd probably see it and want to just delete it. Bury down whatever feelings I knew it would cause to creep up that I'd rather not have to face and deal with.

I'd want to delete it, but it would more likely just sit in my inbox, unread. I'd go back and stare at it sometimes, not opening it, but just seeing that it was there.

For me, at least, it would answer the question of "do you still think of me." For a while that'd probably be enough for me. I'd just cling to that thought, not really wanting to face whatever else was inside.

I've never been good at accepting the idea of people I love no longer loving me. It's something I've always preferred to just assume, because confirmation and me fully acknowledging it gave it a sense of permanence that felt like the end of the world.

Probably why I did a lot of what I did with you. Especially at the end. Instead of just telling you how I was feeling I just... stopped.

In some ways it was a way to defend myself. Others a way to protect you from me.

Knowing my own feelings for you and how I am when it comes to those sorts of strong feelings, I knew if I allowed you to remain in my life at all during that time I would never be able to let go.

Granted, I guess me writing this is me still not letting go... but I think I would have destroyed myself trying to hold onto something that was no longer there. I don't know how long you'd have stayed for it, but the idea of dragging you even further down with me sealed the idea in my head that it was better for both of us if I just walked away.

Whether that's true or not, I don't know. That was my reasoning at the time. I still feel like it holds water, to some degree. I mean look at me. It's now 5 am and I'm sat here still writing this letter to you. Not sure where I'm even going with it. I just need to get it all out before I lose my mind, whether you ever end up seeing any of this or not.

I still have some of your stuff. Stuff I got you that you never took home. Stuff you brought over and forgot. I've debated asking Ariel to give it to you multiple times. Me clinging to the last remnants of you I guess. Without even pictures anymore it almost feels like if I give that stuff back it'll be as if you never existed.

Even just sitting here thinking about it now has me on the verge of tears and wanting to message you "hi" just to see if you'd respond. Sound stupid? Maybe. Can still hear the sound of your voice in my head, maybe reassuring me that its not stupid.

Wonder what you would do if we saw each other in passing. Would you pretend to not see me? Would you meet my eyes and just keep walking? Would you smile back if I smiled at you?

I've been at work at Gamestop so many times wondering what it would be like if you walked into the store while I was there. Wondering how it'd make me feel. How you would feel to see me there.

I do a lot of wondering. Especially right now. Being alone at night and up at weird hours with a baby leaves me entirely too much time for my mind to wander. Usually to darker parts of my mind I prefer to forget exist.

I was doing good for a long time, you know. I got a tattoo that covers the scars on my one shoulder. I still think about it, though. The urges are still there, especially recently.

I've thought about going back on medication. Doctor offered it to me at my two week post-partum appointment because I was showing moderate symptoms of post-partum depression. Couple weeks later during my therapy appointment I was worse and was ranking as severe in both depression and anxiety.

I've had more breakdowns in the last month than I have in over a year. The loss of progress itself is depressing.

Maybe that's part of why I'm writing this letter. Maybe it's part of why I ran away from you. You reminded me too much of a darker time in my life, despite the fact you were one of the reasons I even got through that time at all.

I just had to stop writing for a minute because my baby spit her pacifier out in her sleep and was fussing. She'll probably wake up hungry soon.

It's been over an hour since I started writing. I'm really tired, but it feels like I've barely scratched the surface of what I want to tell you. So much more I feel like I want to say knowing this may actually be the last time I have the chance.

[theonlyjourneythatmatters]

Another day, another pound

So I know I said I was going to post yesterday, but I had a very long day and I was tired, so I didn't feel like it. I've struggled this week with motivation and energy and I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because of this heat- I don't know.

But with that said, I'm here now. And I've learned a few things! As I've said before, I am no expert and do not claim to be. I just know what's been working for me and that I can share that knowledge and experience with ya'll. So here we go.

What I learned this week:

It's better to get your bulk calories in at the beginning of the day. Breakfast should be your heaviest calorie meal. If you prefer a light breakfast, then focus your calories at lunch. This is because you're more likely to work off those calories during the day than you are at night after dinner. I know a lot of people prefer a heavy dinner- but this is a major reason why that weight doesn't come off like you want it to. You're not burning off those dinner calories!

Everything you do burns calories. Well, I didn't JUST learn this- I've known this. But for some reason, it didn't click! So don't think ONLY strenuous exercise will help you burn calories. Of course, exercise will help you burn them faster in a shorter amount of time, but if you can't get to the gym every day, you're still burning calories.

My apple watch tracks everything. I wear it from the time I get up in the morning til I'm ready to lay down for the night. And what's better than counting my steps? It counts the calories burned, too! Adding this at the end of the night helps me keep a better estimate of what I've taken in vs put out for the day for calories. Do yourself a favor- invest in something that keeps track of that (watch, fitbit, etc). It is well worth the money especially for weight loss.

Sundays are for meal-prep!!!

I meal prep for the following week(s) on Sundays. I typically prep every other Sunday for my work lunches. I do -not- meal prep for dinners.

Every Sunday, I prep my snacks for the week (usually strawberries and blue berries). If there's a new item I want to eat, I'll prep that up as well. Today, I wanted to add cabbage soup to the work lunch mix. SO, that's what I did. I made it in the instant pot, so this is the instant pot recipe- but this can be adapted for a regular stove top. I included pictures for reference so ya'll can see the sizes.

I also decided to meal-prep some breakfast; which I do not normally do. But the meal replacement shakes don't seem to be working as well as they had been previously, so I'm going to retire them for a bit.

Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

2 heads cabbage, medium; chopped in large chunks

3 pieces of thick sliced bacon (I used Great Value brand); chopped and cooked

1 15oz can tomato sauce (Great Value)

1 bag Premium matchstick carrots (Bolthouse Farms- 3.5 oz bag)

1 sweet Vidalia onion, medium size; chopped in small pieces

1 tbsp. of the following: course sea salt, ground black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Slap ya Mama Cajun seasoning (or Tony Cacheres- I like my soup to have a bit of a kick, but you can decrease or increase this amount to suit your tastes)

7 cups water (divided- explained in steps)

Directions:

Put the instant pot on sauté and set for 20 minutes. Chop the 3 pieces of bacon into bite sized pieces and begin to cook them until brown. (I cooked mine a little longer so the crisp wasn't completely lost in the soup)

While the bacon is cooking, start cutting up both heads of cabbage. Cut them into 1-1 & 1/2 inch chunks after removing the core. Set aside in large bowl.

Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, add 1/2 cup of water to "deglaze" the pot. This gets up all of that stuck-to-the-bottom flavor that you need. DO NOT DRAIN THE BACON. We need the grease.

Begin to add the cabbage a hand full at a time, making sure it mixes with the water and bacon pieces. Allow each batch to wilt down some before adding the next batch. Continue with the cabbage until it's all incorporated. Once complete, add 1/2 cup of water.

Add the carrots and mix with the cabbage and bacon mixture.

Add all of your seasonings into 1 cup of water and pour over the top of the cabbage. You can mix it now if you want to, or you can wait.

Set the instant pot to pressure cook, and set for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes is passed, allow the pot to Natural Release for another 10 minutes. After the Natural Release is done, use the manual release. * NOTE: this is a dish with a good amount of liquid. Use a potholder to dish towel to put over the valve when you do the manual release to avoid any splattering liquids.

Once the pressure is released, stir the soup and taste test it. Add any seasonings you feel like it may need.

Chop the onion into small pieces and add it to the soup. Add the entire can of tomato soup, and 5 more cups of water. Stir well. Pressure cook for another 2 minutes and allow to Natural Release for another 10 minutes. Give it one last stir and taste test, and enjoy!

Step one: Sauté the bacon. Ya'll see all that bacony flavored goodness stuck to the bottom?? We WANT that.

Step two: Cut the cabbage. Size isn't that important- but you do want bigger pieces as cabbage likes to shrink!

Step Four & Five: Mix the cabbage and carrots and allow to wilt a little bit

Finished product: big bowl of deliciousness

This recipe yields 20 cups of soup, which is 10 full servings. There are 48 calories and and 4.8g of proteins in a single cup of soup- but I recommend 2 cups being the serving size.

*This recipe can be changed to fit your specific needs. I do not add meat to mine other than the bacon, but you can add chicken, stew meat, etc. You can also add different veggies. I sometimes add canned diced tomatoes but I didn't have any today. Just be mindful of the added calories and adjust the recipe to reflect that (especially if you're using a calorie counter that allows you to create customized meals).

I got 6 meals out of it (would have been the full 10 but I only had 6 available soup bowls); my husband and I had a bowl each, and so did my son. There was some left but no one wanted it so it got thrown out. It was delicious and filling. And the best part? SUPER low on calories! Most soups are; and I will be adding more to my blog as I make them! I make a knock-off Olive Garden Zuppa Toscano, so that might be my next endeavor!

Breakfast:

For this meal-prep, I used eggs, Conecuh sausage links, bacon (same as the one I used for the soup), and sausage patties.

Breakfast # 1: Scrambled eggs, thick sliced bacon, and Conecuh sausage

Ingredients

2 eggs, scrambled

1 tsp butter (I used Country Crock Churn Style)

1 tsp shredded cheese (I used shredded Colby and Monterey jack Great Value brand)

1 oz Conecuh sausage (you can use any type of sausage- I just prefer this brand)

1.5 slices of thick cut bacon (Great Value brand)

Course sea salt

Ground black pepper

Directions

Make 2 eggs, scrambled with butter and whatever seasonings of your choice

Add the cheese to the eggs when they're almost done cooking

Cook the bacon in the air fryer for 6 minutes (time varies depending on how crispy you like your bacon)

Cook the Conecuh in the air fryer for 7 minutes

Put the eggs in to a freezer-safe bowl

Cut the Conecuh and bacon into smaller pieces and put on top

Freeze

This recipe yields 1 full serving. It has 295 calories and 20.5 grams of protein.

Breakfast 2: Scrambled eggs, Conecuh sausage, and sausage patties

Ingredients

eggs, scrambled

1 tsp butter (I used Country Crock Churn Style)

1 tsp shredded cheese (I used shredded Colby and Monterey jack Great Value brand)

2 sausage patties (I used Tennessee Pride)

1 oz Conecuh sausage (any brand, this one is just my preference)

Course sea salt

Ground black pepper

Directions

Make 2 eggs, scrambled with butter and whatever seasonings of your choice

Add the cheese to the eggs when the eggs are almost done cooking

Cook the sausage patties in the air fryer for 8 minutes or until cooked through

Cook the Conecuh in the air fryer for 7 minutes

Put the eggs in to a freezer-safe bowl

Cut the Conecuh and sausage patties into smaller pieces and put on top

Freeze

This recipe yields 1 full serving. It has 481 calories and 29.6g of protein.

But enough of the recipes......

Like I stated previously, it's important to get the bulk of your calories during the day so you have the opportunity to burn them off. I've just been walking. I walk at work, I walk around the house- when I shop, that's when I get a lot of steps in.

Granted, walking doesn't burn a lot of calories. However, if you have your tracker on, throughout the entire day, you'll have burned at least 1 full meal off. It is also especially important to stay hydrated. Water no only helps with cutting down muscle pain (when you exercise), drinking a full 8 oz of water before each meal and after can help you feel fuller faster, and feel fuller longer.

I purchased a QuiFit 1 Gallon Water Bottle from Amazon. It arrived today and I plan to use it at work. I have the worst time drinking enough at work. The water from the sink tastes funny. We have a fountain that fills water bottles, but and don't always remember to bring a bottle of water that I can refill later. The simplest solution was to buy a water bottle and keep it at work.

I think that's all for today, guys. I have school work to do! I'll make a post later next week (unless something cool happens before then that I need to mention) that details what types of foods I eat for dinner since I do not meal prep those.

Have a great day, and thanks for reading!

XOXO, Lauren <3

[k-popmakesmyday]

Hi! Can I make a request? It's a fem reader x Johnny. The fem reader are very innocent girl and whatever she does always make Johnny laugh and lover her even more. In the end she asked for a first kiss but she's too shy to ask. And if u don't mind, can u make the story is a bit longer and full of fluff? Thank u! Take ur time! 💕💕

Thank you for requesting lovely!

Rules for requesting are here

[Monday, 1:02 pm]

“so.. that’s how it happened?” Your best friend, Ten asked you as he sipped his coffee while you told him the events of two days ago

“It was magical Tennie, he asked me to be his girl/boyfriend in front of the fountain and it was like time stopped”

You sighed as you mindlessly played with the spoon that danced around your mug of hot chocolate, Ten laughing slightly at your wonderous antics

“I didn’t think Johnny to be the sentimental and sappy type,” you pouted before Ten shot you a cheeky smile “but I’m happy for you, baby”

Before you could reply to the smirking boy your phone buzzed with a notification

New text from Johnny💝: I’ve been thinking of you.. would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow?

You typed back a quick yes before blushing profusely and giggling out what just happened to the black-haired boy who sat across from you.

[Tuesday, 12:05 pm]

You checked your outfit in a stores window as you passed by practically bouncing along to see your favourite boy, you couldn’t stop thinking about his text since you had recieved it, so you were essentially buzzing.

Smoothing down your clothes before you stepped into the park that Johnny told you to meet him at, you felt your breath hitch upon the sight of him and the surroundings.

The chestnut-haired boy sat on a red-and-white checkered blanket payed over some grass by the lake. The blanket littered with various dishes and cutlery that your heart melted at the sight of. Johnny himself was dressed in a simple shirt and jeans but still wore a jacket despite it being the end of summer, still he was the epitome of perfection.

He met your surprised glance and gave you his signature warm smile before making his way over to you, he enveloped you in a warm hug engulfing your smaller figure with his tall one. You sighed contently as you rested your head on his chest.

“Hey you,” you could hear him smile in his voice “I hope you���re hungry”

You nodded feverishly before pulling away and looking at the beautiful spread that lay out before you

“You did all this?” You blinked in utter awe at the boys effort

“Of course,” he replied “you deserve the best and now that I can call you mine, that’s what I’ll give you”

You blushed an embarrassing shade of red before settling down on the soft blanket, your knees tucked under your body to the side. Letting your gaze wander to the nearby lake and how it glistened in the afternoon sun, you watched the many couples and families ride on various swan boats, not noticing that Johnny had sat down beside you and was carefully unpacking all that he had brought.

When you looked back your eyes widened in surprise, seemingly endless plates of triangular-shaped sandwiches with the crust cut off (just how you liked them) lay before you with various meats, spreads and veggies filling them. There was freshly baked scones with cheese and fruit and little cupcakes with pastel frosting of all colours.

“Wow,” you gasped “did you make all these by yourself?”

The boy giggled sheepishly before replying

“Well I had Kun send over some recipes but mostly, yeah. Do you like it?”

“Like it?” You scoffed “I love it, thank you”

“Well, Bon appetit, madam/sir”

And that you did, you devoured the various treats, each one tasting better than the last with every flavour blending perfectly together. Perfect, just like the boy who made them.

On the other hand, Johnny simply sat back and watched you enjoy his culinary creations with a childish delight sporting your features. He sweared he fell in love with you more with each bite you took as endless ‘thank you’s and ‘this is so good!’ Spilling from your lips every few seconds.

[Wednesday, 9:28 pm]

“And then, he took me on a swan boat ride across the lake all through the park. Although a duck flew in the boat once and he was so scared we almost capsized!” You giggled upon remembering the endeavour

“I would’ve payed to see that” Ten chuckled from beside you as the both you layed on your couch upside down in strange positions.

It was a tradition with your one and only best friend to meet up and have a movie night every Wednesday since Ten was off work and you didn’t have any class that day. Pizza was ordered, shows were binged and tea was spilled, a lot of tea.

“Is it bad that I already miss him Tennie?” Your best friend rolled his eyes before taking a bite of his pepperoni pizza, purposely avoiding the slices with bell pepper with a disgusted glance (look I know it’s fruit he hates but I refuse to put pineapple on pizza I’m sorry it’s just w r o n g and I can’t handle it)

“Y/n, you know I love you, but if you keep pining over my best friend I will throw up on you”

You pouted up at the dark-haired boy before shifting your gaze to the rom-com playing on the tv while taking a sip of your drink

“-plus I invited him over for movie night because I knew you wouldn’t do it”

Your eyes widen before spitting your drink all over your bewildered best friends face, the liquid burning your throat and your nose.

“WHAT!?”

Ten glared at you before wiping his face with nearby napkins, originally for your greasy pizza hands, before continuing;

“I invited him over because I knew you’d never have the guts”

“He’s my boyfriend, Tennie, of course I would’ve invited him.. but movie night is always just me and you”

Ten rolled his eyes playfully before shrugging

“Kun hyung invited me out for drinks so I think I’ll live”

“Why didn’t you tell me~~” you shook your best friends shoulders lazily before you heard a melodic knock at your door, and you froze

“That’s my queue to leave, babe” Ten grinned at you before kissing your cheek and heading to the door and giving Johnny a quick hug before leaving.

You silently padded over to your boyfriend as he wrapped you in a warm embrace, you instantly relaxed

“Hi” you squeaked, in such a child-like tone Johnny swore his knees almost gave way

The brown-haired boy chucked before answering you “hey, you”

[Thursday, 7:04 am]

You awoke to the smell of toast being cooked in your apartment before a smile spread across your face. Due to the lack of wanting to leave your boyfriends warmth last night, you whined at him until he agreed to sleepover.

“Good morning” you mumbled while taking a seat on the kitchen counter as your beloved boyfriend buttered two pieces of toast.

“Morning, sunshine,” your boyfriend smiled upon taking in your dishevelled appearance, his love struck grin grows wider when he remembers how you fell asleep so peacefully in his arms last night causing him to ever so carefully carried you to bed while he slept on your couch (not before sneaking a small kiss to your forehead but you didn’t hear it from me) as your relationship was still new. “I know it’s not fancy pancakes or anything, but I thought you’d appreciate your apartment not burning to a crisp”

Your heart flutters st the thought of your caring boyfriend even considering making breakfast for you, and you shook your head.

“No, it’s perfect. Besides this is fancy toast,” you smirked as Johnny raised an eyebrow at you

“Really? How so?”

“They were made by the Johnny Seo, this is the finest piece of toast in all the land” you dramatically gestured with your hands before Johnny swept you off of the counter, twirling you around your kitchen, causing you to giggle like a five year old.

“Only the best for the prince/princess of the land”

After breakfast you gathered all of your things for class before practically running out the door

“Y/n, wait!”

You whipped your head around, what could possibly be so important that it risked you being late for your lesson

“Yeah?”

“You forgot your keys, silly” the giggling boy said before you grabbed your keys that were dangling off of his index finger

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver!”

“You’re welcome. Have a good day, angel”

“You too! Love you!” You said before rushing out the door.

It took a few minutes to register what you had just said. You just told Johnny that you loved him. Was it too early for that? You had only been official for a week! You cringed as you shoved the thought to the back of your mind.

[Friday, 10:29 am]

You shifted your weight from either foot as you awkwardly rubbed your elbow with your other hand. Staring down your boyfriends dorm door-bell with rage ad you tried to force yourself to announce your presence. You mentally counted down from three before squeezing your eyes shut and pressing the doorbell and hearing the echo from inside the dorm.

Your breath hitches and your panic level rose as you heard what seemed to be a stampede towards the door, followed by a lot of bickering and shushing.

The boy who opened the door was ineffeably beautiful, ‘it must run in the group’ you thought as the light haired boy stuck his hand out for you to shake, you glanced over the boys shoulder to see 7 seven pairs of eyes peering right back at you in wonder

You timidly shook the boys hand as he smiled brightly at you

“You must be Y/n, right? We’ve heard a lot about you from Johnny-”

“Yeah, a lot” a sarcastic voice erupted from near the back of the sea of boys, he was shorter than the others and had sun-kissed tan skin

Taeyong sighed, “you’ll have to excuse them, they’re idiots.” he shot the boy a glare before looking back at you “Come in, won’t you? Johnny will be home soon, he’s out running some errands”

You smiled slightly at Taeyong before stepping into the dorm as you took in your surroundings. The entire place reeked of boy, the floor littered with clothes and the coffee table scattered with unfinished drinks and dishes.

“I’m so sorry,” Taeyong muttered as he rushed around the living room, picking up various bits of trash and throwing them away “I thought I told someone to clean up as we had a guest coming over” he seethed through gritted teeth

“Oh, it’s okay” you giggled “it’s not like I’m used to a bit of mess”

Over the next twenty minutes, you learned the names of the other boys and you fell in love with their friendship as a group. Even if Haechan, the boy who made the previous remark, drove them insane. You helped them clean up the dorm despite Taeyongs protest by the experience found to be quite enjoyable in the end.

When Johnny returned home from his errands, he smiled at the sight of you laughing along with his members. If he was being honest, he was slightly nervous for you to meet them due to the fear of you not liking their rowdiness. He stood in the door waiting for you to notice him for about two minutes before he became too impatient and maybe even a tad jealous.

You yelped at the feeling of arms wrapping around your waist from behind, relaxing instantly when you saw your boyfriends smug expression

“Guys~ stop stealing my girl/boyfriend, they’re mine”

The boys ‘ooh’d and hollered at you and Johnny rolled his eyes at them and carried you off to his room

“I’m sorry you had to go through that” he rolled his eyes playfully at you

“It’s okay! They’re actually really nice.. and not scary at all”

“Scary?” Johnny cocked an eyebrow at you

“I was kind of nervous to meet them to be honest” you giggled sheepishly

Gazing at Johnnys endless brown orbs as they sparkled when he talked about his members, your eyes carefully studied his features until they landed on his perfectly plump lips. You watched in amazement as he formed each syllable flawlessly, all you could think about was kissing him.

“Johnny?” You whispered, your voice barely audible

The boy stopped his rambling and gave you a soft glance

“Yes, y/n?”

“Could you- um- c-could you-”

You struggled to force out your request as your eyes flickered from the boys confused gaze and his lips, until a knowing expression washed over his features.

“A kiss, baby? Is that what you want, hm?”

You shakily nodded as the boy cupped your cheek and leaned in, pressing his pillow-like lips to yours for a few seconds before pulling away and smirking.

“How was that?”

“Hm.. one more time to make sure”

Your lips met once again like two puzzle pieces that were made for each other as Johnnys hands went around your waist as he gently brought you closer to him. When he pulled away you chased his lips, making Johnny giggle.

“Y/n?”

“Y-yeah?”

“I love you too”

You couldn’t wait to tell Ten. Although, on second thought, maybe you’d keep this one between you and your beloved Johnny.

K so this turned into a fic in the end lmao, we’re not gonna talk about how long this took bye hope you enjoyed -Em

[xtruss]

How to Grill Salmon and Shrimp With No Sticking

Get ready to break out the cooking oil.

Do you avoid cooking expensive salmon or shrimp on the grill for fear they'll stick and the grill will end up eating half of your dinner? Try these tips...

— Robin Shreeves | August 4, 2018 | MNN

Your chances of getting salmon off the grill completely intact increase if you have plenty of heat, oil and patience. (Photo: AS Food Studio/Shutterstock)

Do you avoid cooking expensive salmon or shrimp on the grill for fear they'll stick and the grill will end up eating half of your dinner? It's not an unwarranted concern. Without properly preparing your grill or your seafood, it could happen. But with these tips, you'll gain some confidence next time you grill salmon or shrimp.

Grilling Salmon

Don't be afraid to put your good cuts of salmon directly on the grill. (Photo: amenic181/Shutterstock)

There are three important things you'll need to keep your salmon from sticking to the grill: heat, oil and patience. With only these things, you'll be able to place your salmon (and other flaky fish) directly on the grill without needing anything between them like a cedar plank, aluminum foil or even a fish basket. Here's what to do.

Start with a clean grill and get it nice and hot. You want the grates to be very hot to help prevent sticking. Let a gas grill heat up to medium-hot for at least 15 minutes. If you're using a charcoal grill with a chimney to light the coals, after placing the grate over the coals, put the lid on and give it a good 10 to 15 minutes to get the grate very hot.

Grease the hot grate generously. Use a silicone brush dipped in an oil that can withstand high heat, such as canola oil, and coat each grate. Or, you can use a paper towel dipped in oil and held with tongs, as Cooking Light recommends. In fact, they suggest coating the grill at least five times, until it's glossy, leaving about 15 seconds between coatings to let the oil make layers that "form plastic-like polymers that help minimize contact between the fish and metal." This will season your grill much like you season a cast-iron pan.

Put fat on both sides of the salmon. This could be the same oil you used to coat the grate or olive oil, some seasoned oil, butter or seasoned butter (like lemon and garlic). Huffington Post says you can even use mayonnaise in a pinch, but make sure you want a mayo flavor on the fish before doing that.

Place the fish on the hot grill (skin side down if it has skin) diagonally across the grates. This is where patience comes in. You don't want to walk away and ignore the salmon. It will be ready to turn in 2 to 4 minutes, when the skin side is crispy brown on the bottom. Start at the two-minute mark to slowly lift up the salmon. If it sticks, let it continue to cook on that side, checking periodically, until it no longer sticks. You can use a regular metal spatula, but an angled fish spatula, is the best tool to use.

Turn the fish over, and continue to grill until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees F (63 degrees C), which is the U.S. Department of Agriculture-recommended temperature for salmon.

Grilling Shrimp

A skewer can keep smaller shrimp from falling through the grates, but you can also cook shrimp directly on the grill. (Photo: amenic181/Shutterstock)

Preparing the grill for shrimp is the same as preparing the grill for salmon. But there are some specifics steps for shrimp you'll need to take to be successful. Here's what to do.

Make sure your grill is clean and hot. Having the grates very hot will help prevent sticking. If you're using a gas grill, heat it up to medium-hot for at least 15 minutes. With a charcoal grill, after you've placed the grate over the hot goals, put the lid on and wait at least 10 to 15 minutes to make sure the grate is hot.

Now it's time to grease the grate. Grab a silicone brush and dip it in an oil, like canola, that can withstand high heat and coat the entire grate. You can also dip a paper towel in oil and coat the grate using tongs, Cooking Light suggests. They recommend coating the grill at least five times, with only about 15 seconds between coatings. This seasons the grill much like you season a cast-iron pan.

Dry the shrimp. It can be shrimp that still has its shell or has been deshelled. You can do this by blotting thoroughly with a paper towel, but to get them very dry on the outside, Serious Eats recommends placing them uncovered in the refrigerator for about an hour to let them air dry. (Drying the shrimp will help them brown more quickly, and your chances of overcooking them are lower.)

Skewers are not necessary, but they can help in two ways. They'll stop small shrimp from falling through the grates, and if you push the shrimp snug against each other (alternating head to tail), they'll become more like one larger piece of seafood and you can leave them on the grill a little longer without overcooking, another Serious Eats trick.

Whether you skewer or not, coat the shrimp with oil or butter on both sides before placing on the grill.

Place the shrimp on the hot grill diagonally across the grates. Like with salmon, this is where patience comes in. They will be ready to turn in 2 to 4 minutes. Start at the two-minute mark to slowly lift them up. If they stick, continue to cook on that side, checking periodically, until they no longer stick. Turn individual shrimp with tongs, or lift by a skewer edge and flip.

Continue to cook until the shrimp are pinky-white and opaque.