#this is why teeth is never allowed to have caffeine

[blackbloodteeth]

13th Sentence Game

@bcbdrums linked me this post (about sharing the 13th sentence from any WIP), and then ended up spurring me into sharing them from all my WIPs. I hope this chaos is what you wanted.

While this is mostly everything, I've skipped some WIPs for reasons such as maybe ending up as potential Resbangs™, but otherwise enjoy this absurdly long list I've put together over the course of like three hours.

You can play along and try to guess what each one's about, if you want hahaha

1, "2021 July 15"* You're sitting up, sweating like crazy, all you can focus on is taking in air.

*Technically my first fic, but it was scrapped. Never really posted it because it's too confusing and now outdated.

2. "2021 Sep 24"* As the previously stated unpredictable behaviour has led to only a small number of assessments on combat, the full extent of his abilities remain undocumented.

*Was originally for an event, but I've considering expanding upon it.

3. "(WIP) TBN" It was like the world here at DWMA was some kind of grand show, and he was just some background character.

4. Inner Strings They all called him the Soul Eater.

5. "be crime do gay" Just. Not like that.

6. Scythes don't make for practical weapons He had no idea if he was going to be able to make friends at all, let alone find a meister, someone willing to accept him for himself and actually be able to use him effectively.

7. "(simple au)" He had an odd combo of red eyes with white hair and tan skin, sharp teeth pulled into a defiant scowl, and a black jacket hunched over a frame that didn't look to understand posture for shit.

8. When Death City snows over "Come on, I doubt it'll actually snow; that shit never happens here."

9. I ain't Feline fine She gets him to stand in the center of the spell zone while instructing Maka to keep behind her, eagerly fixing her hat with her paws before starting.

10. Teeth So he'd take to his now familiar hideaway, a piano tucked away in a sparsely used room.

11. Happy Birthday, Soul Not even Maka.

12. "cursed hall" Given they've gotten to know each other to some degree before now, he was already pretty adjusted to seeing the two other members of this makeshift team: Soul and, well, Soul.

13. It's been a long night for my entire life There was always work to be done and he couldn't wait to get started.

14. One Word* Seeing all those intertwined neighbors, how easily they all sent signals together, that part of him craving to connect and belong made him feel hollow, made him wish he could have that just like everybody else.

*Let it be known that this is the notorious development hell WIP.

15. It was a dark and stormy night Of course with her literary weapon and the sudden jolt of her appearance, the figure seems to have been startled enough to give an auditory following to their jumping back, dull gleaming red blinking wildly back at her tense confusion while- Wait, Soul??

16. Ride by night only [6:19 PM] Kinda with him actually, why are you in a hurry then lol

17. The Very Hungry Soul “Well if the very hungry caterpillar would like to make sure we’re not late, he should hurry up and get dressed before I eat his breakfast for him before it gets cold.”

18. See you on the other side "Soul?"

19. The Dragon and The Moth He’s stopped entirely in his tracks when she abruptly goes in for a hug, snout nuzzling against his chest with a much softened sweetness.

20. Draconic Upon further noting its smooth surface he soon realized it wasn’t a star but in fact some sort of rock, blandly opaque like that of salt despite its odd moonlit shimmers, which even stranger still became steadily see-through in the absorbed heat of his fingertips.

21. "(wings made of arms)" Could it... really be......?

22. The Unknown Caller Caller unknown. But for him that was a lie.

23. The Exchange [8th] "Drink?"

24. Don't Escape Making his way around the back, his eyes glide along the sides until he reaches the pile of small logs, the ax resting up against them exactly as he’d left it.

25. The 42nd Story (Ch. 2)* The muffled talking of a woman, determined to be coming from a nearby room.

*As stated in The Ramble Room, this entire story was scrapped. While I didn't share the second and only other chapter despite it being finished, the first chapter was still shared.

26. "2023july11" He proceeds with actually cleaning himself up, a faint smile keeping him still awake and upright.

27. "(Aug31)" Her smile fades a little as she looks him over, a different sense of intrigue making her face bunch up funnily.

28. "hand pun" Her horrid fascination grew to the point of needing a new name for it (morbid curiosity, that's a classic) as the guy turns the hand around while it signs to him, eyes impossibly wide when she notices the similar skin tone under his hood and the missing space in his left jacket sleeve and the red of his eyes when he suddenly looks directly at her.

29. "WereWeek prompt 3" There's this girl – new student who moved in this year – who is so bossy.

30. "trees"* So much on his mind that he can't hold at bay and he can't even walk about it.

*Technically a small one-shot collection, but it's all going to be in the same fic.

31. "here and now"* His fingers stretch out from his palms in front of the glass, hurriedly ruffling through his hair, his tongue sticking out and then grinning ear-to-ear at her again with all the sunlight in the world.

*My current WIP! It's been slow-going, but I can't wait to see it through to the end haha

The rest are unsorted WIPs in my "drabble zone (2024)" doc:

32. 'Cause you are more than just a dream There's an odd look he pauses on her with after hopping off that she can really only describe as him expecting her to feel like he just sealed her in with a wild animal.

33. "blacksmith au" While his body shown well the signs of having dedicated much of his life to his craft, there was a strange affliction splitting much of it in twain, diagonally from hip to shoulder as if sliced by the very heavens itself in warning.

34. Devils don't go to Heaven (working title) “...Where is this?”

Anything else is so disorganized or only a small handful of sentences that I'm just gonna go ahead and stop it here haha

Thanks for tuning in, hope this was at least entertaining, or possibly even enlightening to the sheer amount of WIPs I've manged to collect over the past few years. I do want to go back to them eventually, but one step at a time, eh?

[chapel-of-rizztual]

Ghouls Headcanons 4

dew once drank gasoline and kept coughing flames to scare the shit out of copia. He scare the shit out of everyone and almost burnt have the ministry down. Sunny tried to use him as a flame thrower.

There a hole in the wall in the common room from where Swiss fell through while he was drunk. They told sister it’s been patched up. They are filthy liars.

All ghouls watch and love baby sensory videos. It’s one of the only ways to keep them calm and quiet. It’s also one of the only ways to keep them distracted. The dancing fruit one works the best.

Sunshine bought a motorcycle with the ministry credit card. She got in a lot of trouble with sister because of it. She blamed it on copia. She also bought aether one so they can go on joyrides together.

Mountain eats rocks. Will just straight up pick rocks up off the ground and crunch down on them. He says he like the crunch. He’s not allowed to have crystals anymore because they’re like candy to him. Don’t ask him about the teeth marks in the granite work surfaces in the kitchen, it wasn’t him.

Aether needs glasses to read. All of the other ghouls find it incredibly attractive.

Sunshine, Swiss and dew are known as the terror triple around the ministry. They are not allowed to be left unsupervised together. They are banned from using cleaning supplies because they tired to make mustard gas. They peed in the gas tanks of all cars that the ministry own. They tried to make a bomb in a toilet. Not a big one they just thought it would be funny if the all water systems were broken at the same time. Thankfully they were unsuccessful.

Birds, rabbits and deer and the number 1 distraction to ghouls (apart from themselves).

They will stand at any window, staring intently at the small creatures, ears high, tails swishing and pupils blown wide while chittering and chirping to each other while

Swiss can’t be trusted with laundry detergent. He drinks it like it’s a smoothie.

Ghouls can’t dream. Something about them not having souls makes them unable to.

Mountain has terrible posture from having to duck down through doorways and lean down to talk to people. Cirrus always rubs his back for him to help.

Cumulus makes the best tiramisu ever. She’s famous for it around the ministry.

Special lives in the basement of the ministry and is the biggest gossip ever. If he’s bored he’ll make something just to see the drama unfold.

Nobody knows but cowbell lives in the basement with special. Everyone thinks he got sent back to the pits.

Aether has never sat through a full movie. He always falls asleep about halfway through. Especially if he’s in the middle of a cuddle pile.

Dew walks around with his hand in someone else’s pocket. Jean pocket, coat pocket, shirt pocket, front or back it doesn’t matter to him he’s wiggling his hand in there.

Rains favourite tv show is friends. He’s had it on repeat since he was summoned. His favourite character is joey because he reminds him of Swiss.

Ghouls have their own language that only ghouls understand. They only speak it around each other in private. They prefer to speak their papas native tongue or English around anyone else.

Rain and mountain watch my neighbour totoro together every Friday night without fail. Sometimes cirrus and cumulus join them.

Aether likes to eat bath bombs. He likes the way they fizz on his tongue. He’s gotten banned from every lush store he’s been in.

Cirrus drinks perfume. She says it smells nice so why would it taste bad. She’s surprised every time when it’s awful.

None of the ghouls can handle caffeine.

When dew was first summoned he was terrified of snow.

All of the ghouls are incredible at Mario cart. Especially cumulus and rain. They fight for first place all the time. Swiss is undefeated at just dance.

Dew and rain completely switch personalities when they’re off stage.

Cumulus does a face mask almost every night and dew and Swiss try to lick it off her every time without fail.

All ghouls are banned from playing among us. No explanation needed you already why.

[sukoshininja]

Fogged Windows

Keith came as soon as he heard.

He squinted in the darkness, looking for the entrance. The snowfall wasn't making it any easier, the headlights in his old truck flickering. He spotted a blue sign with white "H" and an arrow. He veered right and drove as quick as he dared to the last open parking spot, wheels crunching the snow that had been piling up. Apparently Thursday nights were a popping time. Worst park job of his life, he slammed the door and tripped over the snow in his converse, soaking them. He barely gave it a thought as he jogged to the sliding doors of the building entrance.

The lady at the desk looked like she hadn't had a wink of sleep in a week. He told her who he was here for and after a consulting her computer her face grew somber. She explained as delicately as she could that Lance was in critical condition.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Keith asked, desperately.

She gave him a sad smile. "The doctors will do everything they can. It's their job."

Right. He knew that they weren't supposed to make promises one way or the other. A nurse had explained to him the whys back when Shiro had lost his arm. But the lack of reassurance was killing him.

"Can I see him?"

"At this time only one family member is permitted at a time."

Right. He knew that too was standard for critical care. Back then, he had lied through his teeth and said that he and Shiro were brothers. Luckily, the hospital staff took one look at him and allowed him through. Nevermind that he was Korean and Shiro was Japanese. He didn't think the same trick would work with Lance.

"Down the hall, there is a waiting room. There's a Keurig. The doctors will give you updates when they can," she said, clearly reciting a line she repeated multiple times a day. She still managed to say it kindly.

Keith gave her a curt nod and followed the hall where she directed.

He heard it before he saw it. It was packed. Given that everyone all shared similar features, he guessed they were family. Given that everyone all had brown skin and blue eyes, he guessed they were Lance's.

He had never met Lance's family. But Lance often talked about how large his family was. Keith had wondered what it was like, to have so many people care about you.

He stood awkwardly in the doorway, looking for an empty seat he could disappear into when a familiar voice spoke behind him.

"Oh, you're here."

He turned to find Hunk, double fisting energy drinks. He offered one to Keith.

Keith shook his head. "Caffeine makes me anxious."

Hunk hugged him.

Keith hugged him back.

"Hunk! So good of you to come," someone said behind him.

"Of course, Mrs. McClain. How is he?" Hunk asked, releasing Keith to turn to a middle-aged woman. She was strikingly beautiful. Of course she was, she must be Lance's mom.

Her teary face contorted with worry. "Bad. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt. Went through the windshield."

Of course he fucking wasn't. No matter how Keith nagged, the idiot never remembered to buckle up until Keith reminded him. He had warned him that one day he would die in a car accident, bleeding out in the street like some isekai protagonist. Lance had laughed as he kissed him and said it was good that Keith was there for him then.

"I'm so sorry," Mrs. McClain extended her hand to him. "Who are you?"

Keith took her hand. It was soft, despite the calluses on her fingertips. "I'm Keith. I'm his—" he faltered, catching himself, "...friend."

Lance wasn't out to his family. It never really bothered Keith. Family stuff. It's not like he knew what that was like. But right now it hurt not being able to claim how important her son was to him. Not when things were like this.

She gave him a warm smile, the lines at the corner of her eyes crinkling deeper. "Ah, you must be the one from college. He talks about you."

"That better be for me," Pidge says as they plucked an energy drink from Hunk's hand. "Hey, Mrs. M. Any news?"

She shook her head sadly.

A girl made a beeline for Keith, taking his arm and pulling him into the far corner, away from the majority of the crowd, her eyes sharp behind her glasses.

"You're his boyfriend, aren't you?" she whispered.

"Uh," Keith looked over to Hunk for any sort of sign. He had no idea who this girl was, but Hunk had known Lance since middle school.

"Leave Keith alone, Ronnie." Hunk warned as he weaved his way over to them, lowering his voice. "This isn't the 'met the family' we could have hoped for."

She gave Keith an appraising look. "He's always been a sucker for the pretty ones."

Hunk chuckled in agreement.

"I thought...no one was supposed to know," Keith reeled. Had Lance lied? Why? Did he not want to introduce Keith to his family?

"Oh, don't panic. He never said anything, not to me anyway, but I have fucking eyes," she flipped her bob. "So, do you like him?"

"What?" The directness of the question threw him off.

"Do you like him? Lance throws himself into these things body and soul and sometimes he misses the signs because he's so focused on his own feelings. So if you are just playing with him know that I. Will. Destroy. You." Her eyes were fierce. Keith could feel himself shrinking in on himself from the intensity of her glare.

"Relax, V. Keith was crushing on him way before Lance even noticed his emo ass. It was kind of pathetic really," Pidge said, slinging their arm around Keith. They were quite a bit shorter, and it looked rather awkward.

"Watching them get together gave me cavities," Hunk affirmed.

"I'm Veronica. His big sister," she held out her hand.

He took it. "Keith. Canidate for Lance’s future husband."

Veronica pulled his hand towards her, pulling him in for a hug.

"Positively nauseating," Pidge rolled their eyes.

Veronica held fast and a little too tightly. She was not letting go. "Welcome to the family, Keith," she whispered low enough that only he could hear.

"Hello, McClains?" a woman in a white jacket stepped into the room. "I am afraid I have some heavy news."

* * *

Keith walks out into the cold. But he doesn't feel it. Just like he can't feel his soggy socks or his burning eyes. He's numb to any and all physical sensations. Somehow he finds himself in the cab of his truck. He doesn’t remember getting there. He doesn't know how long he sat there before coming to.

A thin sheet of ice had formed on the windshield. Or maybe his sight is just really blurry. No, that is definitely ice.

The truck starts. His hand is on the key in the ignition. As if his body is on autopilot, moving separately from him. The defroster kicks on and he watches as the ice slowly begins to melt.

He is startled by something moving at his neck. A bead of sweat? It is rather warm in here, he realizes. How long had he been sitting here? No. Not sweat. He touches his face, fingers cold against his cheeks, and it comes away wet. Tears.

Was he crying? Didn't seem possible. You had to feel something to cry. He was just empty. Hollow. A body with no pilot.

The ice melted. The windows fogging up from the heat.

And that's when he saw it.

Fingerprints.

Fingerprints in the windows. It makes him so fucking mad how Lance does — did — that. Drawing on the windows with his finger when he was bored.

The passenger window displays a rather wonky representation of what Keith assumes is supposed to be a dog.

A smily face looks back at him from the review mirror.

And in front of him, on the windshield is a simple scrawled message:

i ♡ u

Something in him breaks. The pieces as sharp and cutting as his cries as he struggles to breathe around his sobs.

Lance is gone.

Lance, the embodiment of sunshine and life, a representation of everything good in this world, no more.

It wasn't right. It couldn't be.

Nothing would ever be right again.

my whumptober masterlist

[deleteddewewted]

Single Dad! Aizawa Headcanon

Aizawa x Gn! Reader

W/n: This is an Au where divorced Aizawa raises his daughter Eri all on his own till he meets the reader. He is not originally 1-A's homeroom teacher.

W: Single Parent Aizawa, Doctor! Reader, Parent Au, Eri is Aizawa's Biological Child, Angst, Fluff, Mentions of Cheating, Hurt/Comfort

If you'd like to support my work (Check my Ko-fi and Throne!)

He's cautious with everyone especially people who interact with his daughter Eri.

She's his everything, his reason for waking up and doing his job. He'd be damned if he allowed someone to come into her life and hurt her.

That's why he was weary to date ever again.

His divorce with his ex-wife was messy. She wanted nothing to do with their daughter and it made it harder on him because he now had to explain to his daughter why "mommy" wasn't coming to see her.

He loathed his ex. She not only destroyed their marriage but she also left her own daughter in pieces.

Because of that, he vowed to never date or remarry ever again.

Love for himself was something he put on the back burner so he could dedicate his time to Eri and her healing since she needed to be put in therapy after the divorce.

He continued teaching and eventually found himself being transferred to the 1-A classroom as their homeroom teacher.

It came with a hefty bonus and greater responsibilities but it allowed him to have greater security.

He moved himself and his daughter to a more secure and safer part of the city that was closer to the school.

He got his daughter new toys and even got her a cat to keep her company while he graded papers at home.

He wanted to give her the safety she felt she lacked.

So when he met you, he struggled to keep you at arm's length.

His daughter was the only person he wanted to focus on but you kept worming into his heart and eventually invaded every thought.

You were a doctor who he started seeing after Mic recommended you.

You were good at your job, always managing to get your patients the best recovery plans and treatment so they could go back to duty.

You've reset his shoulder one time and on another just drawn blood to see if he's caught anything he should be working on.

According to you, his blood pressure is too high and he had to start limiting his caffeine intake.

You were perfect.

He felt the back of his neck and ears run hot whenever you were close by.

Your laugh was infectious and your presence was overwhelming.

You were perfect.

And you were great with children.

You made sure to always ask him about Eri.

You even made him lunch with the addition of a to-go box because you made extra for Eri.

You were a godsend and you didn't even know it.

He invited you to his apartment to meet his daughter.

Eri was weary of you at first, you were a stranger after all and she was still processing the separation.

She slowly started coming out of her shell as you started complimenting her clothes.

She was wearing a cat hoodie with a fur lining. Her slippers were matching but held the addition of little hat ears.

It was absolutely adorable.

As the night went on, Aizawa began relaxing as Eri seemed to like you and the conversation.

He's never seen his daughter smile too much around a stranger.

He kept inviting you over under the gauze of hanging out and that Eri misses you.

And he wasn't completely lying. Eri did adore you.

You were the only other thing she talked about. She begged her dad to keep inviting you just so you could show her more pictures of your cats which she had grown fond of.

You were a positive change and it was a little overwhelming to him because he never thought that someone could make his heart skip a beat ever again after his separation.

He asked you out when he was visiting your clinic for a check-up on an injury.

His nose had been broken and he needed you to reset it back into place and drain the blood out that clogged his sinus.

Through gritted teeth and bloody lips, he asked you out to dinner at his since he couldn't leave Eri alone.

"I'd love to go out with you. Why don't we make it a family-friendly date so Eri can spend time with us?" You were happy to include Eri and you were happy to have dinner with him.

He spent the time leading up to your arrival at his home stressing.

You were nothing like his ex-wife and he knew that.

But his fears still crept in as he made sure to clean up so his home looked presentable.

You arrived at his apartment in your regular clothing and brought with you treats for him, Eri, and their cat.

The night was a success and soon enough you found yourself helping Aizawa get Eri to her bed and tucking her in.

"Thank you for.... being understanding." He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand while avoiding eye contact with you.

He'd understand if you found him to be too much baggage with his child and his career.

You were so nice to him and to his kid that he felt almost embarrassed that you were so kind.

"No problem, Shota. I hope we could do this again sometime soon. I love spending time with you and Eri." You kissed him goodbye as you left for your own apartment.

Since then, his mood has improved. His students notice it and so do his friends.

He gets injured less and his blood pressure is regulated.

He felt refreshed, new, and free.

You were nothing like his ex.

You were someone who he could rely on to have his back.

You were there when Eri needed help

You were a parent to her that she adored with all of her little heart.

You were the person who he saw himself spending the rest of his life with.

[barachiki]

Here's a story because I mentioned the coffee I had:

In university, I used to be really addicted to caffeine. Like full blown shakes and teeth grinding and migraines and anxiety if I didn't get it. I had my own espresso machine, and I had a café right below my dorm where I'd get cheap triple shot lattes every day before class. I was so bad that I usually needed at least a little coffee to calm me down enough to sleep.

There was this class I took, Psychology of Adjustment. I have no idea what it was about anymore, but I do remember this one assignment. We had to break a habit using a method we had learned about, scientifically describe the process, write out the successes, failures and if you were using positive or negative reinforcement. We had three weeks to do this.

My friend Tony did his study on stretches. If he did his physio stretches before noon, then he'd get a piece of Halloween candy as a treat. A simple positive reinforcement.

Sleeping in was the habit I wanted to break, so my plan was that each day I slept in, I wouldn't be allowed my favourite thing: coffee. It was supposed to be a negative reinforcement study.

The thing is, I didn't know how addicted I was to coffee/caffeine. As well, I was horrifically depressed and I've been an insomniac since I was a kid, so I never got the sleep I needed. The task was impossible.

First thing I did was sleep in the first two days. So no coffee for me. I did the negative reinforcement for those two days... but by the third day, I was so beyond irritable, nauseous and headachy and shaky that I snuck some coffee even though I still slept in. Then over the next week, I was practically hallucinating without the caffeine, so I was shaking and making stupid bargains ('I only slept in a half hour so I should get half the coffee', 'Maybe I can just try again tomorrow and have a mocha tonight,' that kind of thing). With classes going until 9pm and trying to get up for 6am, I was fighting a losing battle with both sides of the study.

I quit even trying after nine days.

By the time I had to write up the study, I had no data, no results and nothing to show other than my failure. So I lied. I made up data, I fabricated these tables, notes and explained how I broke my habit and now only take coffee occasionally and I wake up on time cheerfully every morning blah blah blah.

My prof, who was not an idiot, asked me for my handwritten notes. I panicked and said I kept my laptop by my bed and wrote down the notes on my computer. I know he didn't buy it. He was a Psychology prof, who has seen a million of these assignments. But my writeup said all the right things, and it showed that I understood the concept, so I got a C instead of an F.

I realized later that not everyone was 'successful' with their studies, but still got good grades. I knew then that if I had explained how badly I failed my study in the assignment and why (discovering I had a caffeine addiction), I probably would have aced the assignment. After all, it wasn't about breaking the habit, but the process.

I think of this every once in a while, that it is possible to be perfect and still fail, but also it is possible to fail and still be perfect, if you take my meaning (or some other philosophical garbage like that...)

I also know now that denying an insomniac university student her coffee was ambitious and idiotic. I should have just done the stupid Halloween candy thing.

[kaminokatie]

Valentines Day || Crosshair

Synopsis - You have no Valentines for this years Valentines Day.

Warnings - SFW.

Notes - Cross divider by the talented @stars-n-spice

Word Count - 750.

{Caffeinate Me}

Valentines Day was fast approaching and you had yet to secure yourself a date for the evening. It was hard, afterall. Being in the middle of war didn’t give you many opportunities to find a suitor, especially not when you had your boys to protect. You were currently sitting on the Havoc Marauder, on your way back to Kamino with your squad after the completion of your most recent mission. Hunter looked you up and down, eyebrows knitting together as he sensed your frustration. “What’s wrong Y/N?” He asked, sitting across from you in the cockpit. 

You looked up at him, playing with your fingers and smiling softly before responding, “oh it’s nothing.” 

“It must be something,” Hunter replied, his hand reaching out to touch your shoulder gently. 

“I suppose I’m just feeling down,” you responded with a sigh, feeling his gloved hand rest against armour. “Valentine's Day is coming up and I have no date!”

“You celebrate it?” Echo’s voice came from the opposite side of the cockpit. You looked at him with genuine confusion. 

“Yes! You don’t?” 

“We’re soldiers Y/N,” Echo reminded you as he sat in the co-pilot’s chair. “We don’t do Valentine’s Day.” 

You frowned. “That sucks.” The men just shrugged in response, Crosshair's gaze lingering on your form a little longer than usual as he chewed on his toothpick. “You’ve never had a Valentines?”

“It goes against our purpose,” Tech replied, not bothering to look your way. 

“Well,” you said standing up. “This is my first year in a while without a Valentines and I’m upset about itt!”  

“You have more important things to think and worry about now Y/N,” Hunter said sternly forcing you to roll your eyes at him. 

“Yeah yeah,” you waved him off as you continued to roll your eyes. 

“I’m being serious,” Hunter said. 

“I get it,” you said. “Am I not allowed to be sad about it?” You challenged him, standing up and wrapping your arms across your chest. 

“I don’t think that’s what Hunter means Y/N,” Tech interjected, looking away from what he was doing at the controls to notice your furrowed brows. “I think he simply means we have to focus on our missions instead of courting someone.”

“Besides, why would you need a Valentines when you have us!” Wrecker grins as he wraps an arm around your shoulder. 

“Ew you’re like my brothers,” you groan, shaking Wrecker’s arm off your shoulder and storming out of the cockpit frustratedly.  

You sat on your bunk kicking your feet and thinking when you were suddenly interrupted. “Brother’s huh?” It was Crosshair. He had his signature toothpick between his lips as he spoke to you, a singular eyebrow raised as he walked towards your bunk. 

“What?” You asked softly, heart beat racing at the sudden intrusion. 

“We’re like your brothers?” 

“Well, yeah,” you mumbled, pulling your knees up to your chest. 

“Then you won’t want me to ask you to be my Valentine then?” Crosshair asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he removed his toothpick. You swear your heart skipped several beats as soon as the words left his lips. 

“Huh?” You asked, eyes wide. 

“I think you heard me,” Crosshair pressed as he sat down next to you on your bunk. He placed a hand on your thigh after flicking his toothpick carelessly across the ship, leaning his face closer to yours just to whisper “do you want to be my Valentine?” You gulped slightly, fearing this was some sort of prank, but when you searched his eyes for any deceit and found none, you nodded quickly. “Hah, that’s what I thought.”

He pressed a soft kiss to your temple before pulling away and walking back into the cockpit, taking another toothpick out of his pocket and placing it between his teeth. It was only as Crosshair left did Hunter walk in, a knowing smile on his face. “Did you get your date then?” He asked, looking you up and down. 

“I suppose I did,” you mumbled, eyes wide as you watched the door of the cockpit. 

“About time he asked you,” Hunter said, sitting down next to you. 

“What do you mean?” You asked, tearing your eyes away from the door to look at your Sargeant. 

“He’s been pining after you for months,” Hunter chuckled lightly. Your heart began to beat rapidly against your ribcage as Hunter placed a hand on your shoulder, squeezing tightly. “Have fun, soldier. You both deserve it.” 

[sunnywalnut]

To anyone who needs to hear this(especially those in online activism):

You're doing the right thing. Read back your messages, your posts, your writing. See if you make sense. If not, ask yourself why.

What about the "hate" comments? What are they saying? Do they actually correlate with your original post? Or are they just sinking their teeth into the topic without having any ground to stand on?

Or are they really hate at all? Are these people misinformed? Getting propaganda? Are they actually right and have facts to back it up? It's never too late to admit that you didn't have the full details, guys. Mistakes happen. Words come out wrong. The real question is, what are you going to do about it?

Is there any way you can lessen the harm that it's caused? Is there any harm caused at all, or is it just people crying wolf to make you feel bad (again. Does it correlate at all with your original post, or are people changing the topic? These are tools people use to manipulate.)?

Remember. Look through all sources of media. Including the "enemy". You might find an ill informed ally instead.

Be safe, take care of yourselves, and drink something non caffeinated today. You deserve it. Or if you can't do that, do something that you enjoy! Life sucks ass sometimes. You're allowed to do what you can to make it suck a little less. You're worth it. I promise.

[chesters-ocs]

butcher w the pre wedding jitters. am half asleep btw so thats my excuse

Waking up to a phone call, Sylvester answered groggily, not even seeing the ID without his glasses.

"... Wha..?" He slurs, only to hear the tired laughter of his neighbor

"Hey... Sorry, did I wake you?"

"... Fuck d'ya think? Go back to bed, you're married tomorrow." He murmurs, trying to not wake up his own husband as he sits upright in bed, the blanket pooling in his lap.

Mindlessly, he starts petting Monster, who had made her way over to him when he awoke, seeking affection, which he didn't have the heart to deny.

"No can do... I'm uh... on your porch..?" Butcher offers hesitantly, chuckling at the exasperated groan he heard.

Slowly rising from his feet, he gave the cat one last pet, as he slowly stalked outside the room and shut the door gently.

In a few seconds, the main entrance unlocks, causing Butcher to look up and chuckle, commenting "Someone forgot his glasses."

"Shuddup... Why are ya here?" Sylvester pries, sitting down next to Butcher on the steps leading up to the porch. As always, the larger man had a cigarette between his teeth.

"... Couldn't tell you. Anxiety?" Butcher offers, unconvinced himself.

"What, having second thoughts?"

"... Nah... more like worried he will."

Rolling his eyes, Sylvester stuck a hand out. Wordlessly obeying, Butcher drops a pack and a lighter in the outscretched hand with an amused grin, asking, "Still ain't allowed cigs inside?"

"Unfortunately. He loves his lungs or whatever."

"Typical."

A silence fell between the two smokers. Butcher gazing in the direction of his home, while Sylvester looks straight ahead into the clear skies of the early summer sunrise.

"... If it makes ya feel better.." Sylvester interrupts the silence, continuing when Butcher's eyes land on him, "I was the same. Had to take like... thrice the recommended dose to fall asleep. He still doesn't even know."

Butcher hums at the mental image.

"... But. I'm sure it'll go great. It's your big day. Just... hold it back on the whiskey and smokes, yeah? I told Vik to not say shit, but y'know. Maybe you'll get some good karma points for that... For once in your life."

"Hey! I'm not a totally evil person... Right?" He can't help but double check anyways.

"Nah. Insufferable, yeah. Evil? Never." The older man reassures, tapping the ash off the cigarette.

"... Thanks. Really."

Sylvester nods in response, and watches him stand up and pop his bones, speaking: "I'll... Go make breakfast. And have some caffeine."

"Go do that. I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow, big guy."

Butcher snorts at the nickname, before dropping and stomping out the butt of his vice.

Once making sure Butcher had left, Sylvester slid back under the covers, noting how Stone's arm trapped him there, even in his sleep.

The alarm blares 2 hours later.

[antylope]

Energy drinks are not as bad for you as people say

In this post I would like to talk a little about caffeine, energy drinks, coffee, why some people might be against energy drinks and how their logic is most often faulty.

Before I start though, I would like to point out a few things. I didn't drink energy drinks till i was about 17 years old. I started drinking them because I used to get very sleepy after school, and drinking one a day in the morning completely got rid of it, allowing me to sleep well during the night. I was not addicted, I have quit a few times already, always going cold turkey and taking a few month break inbetween.

There is a narrative in media and in public opinion that energy drinks are bad for you. That they will mess with your kidneys, liver, heart, sleep and brain. Basically demonizing them.

Every time I tried to learn more about it, ask people who are against energy drinks, they NEVER could tell me what mechanism makes it bad for you. They NEVER could justify it. It always was "everyone says they are bad for you, that must mean they are bad!" I believe it comes from a lack of knowledge of these people. Like, if they want me to quit it so badly, why can't they give me any logical arguments for it? Below I would like to provide and debunk some of the most common arguments against drinking energy drinks:

"Energy drinks have a lot of sugar." Yes, if there is a sugary energy drinks, it usually has a substantial amount of sugar. But MOST energy drinks do not have ANY sugar at all - they replace it with artificial sweeteners, successfully getting rid of any negatives that could develop from the amount of sugar (such as obesity or cavities in your teeth). Personally, I would say, it is very rare to see an energy drink with sugar. The "worst" thing I've seen in some energy drinks is 20% apple juice, which adds about 80 calories to a 500 ml energy drink. And you can not tell me, that calories from apples are the same thing and are as bad for you as just plain sugar added to many beverages. Anyways, this brings me down to the second point:

"Artifical sweeteners are bad for you." I think this just comes down to the lack of trust and being afraid of novelty. There are countless studies, that prove artificial sweeteners do not cause harm in such quantities. "b-but it gives you cancer!" - yeah, more like if you would drink 110 cans of coke every day for 3 years, as they showed on the studies. Your body can handle such little amount of artificial sweeteners without any risk. Moreover, how many people you know that drink just a plain, black coffee without adding anything to it? Personally, I don't know many. Most of them like to add sugar, milk or some other syrups (which most often have both sugar and atrifical sweeteners) to make it taste better, debunking this argument.

"They have a lot of chemicals." Oh really, would you like totell me which chemicals do they have? Let me point out what an average energy drink in my country has: - water - co2 to make it carbonated - apple juice - citric acid (oh no, we should never eat lemons/oranges, because they have it too!) - atrificial sweeteners - which i debunked already - taurine - which is naturally found in meat and is healthy for you - caffeine - which is usually 30mg/100 ml or drink, so 75 for a small energy drink or 150 mg for a 500 ml one. The daily recommendation for safe caffeine intake is to stay below 400 mg a day. So one "big" energy drink is not even 40% of the recommended intake. - natural aroma from fruits - vitamins which have many *scary* names, such as inositol or niacin (vitamin B8 and B3) Thats it. So how exactly are energy drinks bad for you? How exactly they are full of chemicals? Because by analyzing the ingredients list, I don't see anything so harmful.

"Energy drinks are bad for your heart! You will have a heart attack in your twenties!" So, how exactly would they cause the heart attack? By having a lot of caffeine in them. As you can see above, energy drinks do not have that much caffeine in them as people often like to say. You can drink ONE LITER (2 big cans) of energy drinks and still be under the recommended daily limit by a whole 100 miligrams (so 25%). By hearing this counter-argument, people start to go crazy and they go out of their way to show me some extreme story how a young person died after "consuming energy drinks". You click it, read the article, and what do you see? The guy had like 10 big energy drinks in a span of 5 hours. Holy fuck, like, seriousely? Really? No wonder his heart got obliterated then. You can make the same argument for someone who would drink 10 cups of espresso. But, of course, this story will happen more often with energy drinks, because they are more appealing than coffee for them. Older people hardly ever drink energy drinks.

Attributing downsides of caffeine to energy drinks. Here lies every argument that is associated with the caffeine, and not energy drinks themselves. Energy drinks are just a way to get the caffeine to your body. So, the arguments I hear most often are: "You won't sleep after the energy drinks" (actually, they helped me sleep properly, but thanks for caring!), "You will get heart palpitations" "you won't be able to sit straight after you drink it" and such arguments similar to these. I will repeat it once again: you can get the same effect by drinking coffee, taking caffeine pills or consuming any other caffeine source if you are dedicated enough.

I would also like to point out how most of the adults are ADDICTED to coffee. They will say how drinking ONE energy drink 90 minutes after I wake up is so bad for you, meanwhile they won't be able to leave the house if they don't have coffee right after they wake up. They won't be able to function properly in the job if they don't have a coffee during a break. They will feel extremely tired after they come back from work, so they need another cup of coffee. Of course, most often they also want to eat a piece of cake to their coffee, which makes them complete hypocrites by using the argument no. 1 against energy drinks.

So, I would finish my day drinking ONE energy drink at the start of the day, and they would have ATLEAST 3 cups of coffee - one in the morning, one at noon and one at evening. Then, they will have trouble sleeping in the night and they will wake up EVEN MORE tired because of that. Often times they will sacrafice their sleep during the week and try to "make up for it" during the weekends, completely shattering their sleep schedule in the pieces. Meanwhile, I go to bed exactly at 10 pm every day and wake up at 6:30 am. No matter if it is a week day, weekend or holidays. Am I really the bad one?

As my friend pointed out, we are a society of people endlessly tired. Unfortunately, most people don't even consider doing anything about it, learning anything about it. They drink coffee because it's what others do. They say it's good because that's what they heard in the media. They demonize energy drinks because that's what they heard on the tv. It hurts my soul when people call me out on "being addicted" to energy drinks, when I took a few breaks already, and they have been drinking coffee since 20+ years non stop, every day. Who is the addicted one?

To wrap it up, I would also say I am currently not drinking any energy drinks. I decided to try out coffee. As you can imagine, it tastes bad for me. I am not used to the taste yet. However, there are some thoughts that are bugging me. Even after ignoring the arguments above I have a problem with coffee and I believe energy drinks to be superior with these qualities:

You need to add calories for it to taste good, like milk or sugar. You can also add artifical sweeteners but that's what people said was bad in energy drinks.

You never know how much caffeine is in your body - no one really knows how much is "one cup of coffee" or a "double shot of espresso", there are different cup sizes, different coffee beans beans and you can make a coffee of a various power, whereas in energy drinks you see it on the label.

You can easily chug down your coffee in 3 seconds or less, meaning you'll get an instant shot of 100% of the caffeine, which results in quite a shock to your body because the caffeine is not "spread out". When I drank energy drinks it was impossible to drink it all so quickly, because of the fizziness of the beverage, a small opening in a can and the fact that it was cold af, which resulted in me drinking my whole can in a span of 30-60 minutes, and a full cup of coffee in 10 seconds just to "get it over with".

Feel free to discuss it here. Do you think they are bad? Do you think I am wrong? Or maybe I completely misrepresented some point? Call me out on my "bullsh*t". Ask me some questions. I will answer all of them.

[adoiescents]

Can you believe

Void Stiles x Reader | © adoiescent 2022. reposting or translating is not allowed.

The plan had been simple. Do not, under any circumstances, show a break in the system, in our power.

For you, this has meant to leave the house earlier than needed, for a walk dedicated to caffeine. You’d have your bag, umbrella and purse accessorizing it. The weather would differentiate from rain to sun to cloudy dimmer. There’d be a skip in your walk, a need for quicker movement, for more speed. But why, they’d ask. You’d answer, never with a frown of uncertainty, with a tumble of unsteadiness. Instead, it’d be a laugh of habit, to bury the clear lack of safety trailing along side you.

Scott, so loving and kind, made sure to check anyway. He had searched for an intruder of human kind, of digital threat or supernatural games. But he was unsuccessful, and so, so sorry for you. But of course, the chitter of your lip was gone in an instant, replaced with all but a smile. That is, if it had looked anything alike.

The walk you’d fear now more than ever, consumed and overthrew your rational and human scare of the supernatural. Scott, despite his friendly demeanor, had a bite for kill, eyes for hunt and claws for prey. Allison, an arrow for your heart. Isaac, teeth for your throat. And Lydia, a scream for your head.

You and Stiles were paper thin, easily crushed underneath.

Perhaps that’d been enough of a reason for trust, for vulnerability.

Late into night, for stars and moon to stand higher than all, alarmed a melody for attention and awake. You had sat on your bed, fingernails crushed by your teeth, as the line build up longer and longer, with no telling whether it was ignorance or sleep hindering the awaiting conversation. All windows and roller blinds shut and secured, so nothing was to be seen.

After the second attempt, it had felt silly to you, calling someone who had clearly no time in their life, for an unnervingly spooked teenager.

But, all noise and line stopped, and a deep clear sound sucked you in. For was he awake, or finally annoyed, and had hung up on you, or he’d accepted a camouflaged scream for guidance and safety.

“Hello?” The voice had panted.

“Stiles?” Your voice asked. For security it was really him, or if he’d not read your name, you weren’t sure.

But there was a pause, long and suffocating.

“What do you need?”

That had been your first abandonment of the plan, your first move in a game of chess against an faceless opponent. A mask with a plan, them, unknown, but you, the one to lose. But of course, the downfall had felt like a victory blanket, wrapping you in it’s safe and warm arms. In this case however, it was the coffee sitting in your lap and hands, and the temperature in the jeep older than time.

The seats were comfortable enough to sink into, to lose time and space in the blur of the world. Here, where succumbing to the gentle flows of music would be heaven, you could relax. Stiles had settled for empty words, silent communication. You had brought him a coffee too, yet to be tasted and complained about, even if it was his favorite taste, his favorite drink. He had yet to drink. For now however, the rain drew around you and left you for a rest. The danger be dammed, if sleep could not calm you.

Eyes still painfully open, you sought out the plan of yesterday and tomorrow. Something was happening, to not only you, but Stiles, Allison and Scott. You hadn’t given your soul for your parent, for he was save and sound while theirs were in deadly panic. However, you seemed to have caught a second shadow, lingering in the fearful beyond of your understanding. No trace was ever left, only the little things with no meaning other than dread.

Your room was not the cleanest, but every change made was noticeable. What was yours, was not to be moved without your notice. Your father was quite the cleaner, so every time an item disappeared, your first question would be directed to him. He always had an answer. Well, until now.

You had a camera since your mother had passed, determinant to capture every moment with importance. Once gray would braid into your hair, you would sit with a book, full of memories and moments. You would have a museum of adolescence and childhood, many old and new faces joining along the way. At some point, it would probably get lonelier, but colorful doodles would erase any traces of sadness. One section however, would be missing in the book, set aflame by a teenage you.

The set of photographs that returned with the camera.

After the camera had been removed, and wasn’t found by your all knowing father either, you could only feel restless. Every memory that clung to that collector was a bad one, ruined by blood and death. Canines and corpses were disturbed by it first, a follow on threat from Derek too, as he would sooner or later destroy that camera. He hadn’t, and back then, you were immensely grateful for it. It was the last present from your mother, an item without price. But as the days turned more violent, so did the people.

Matt had been a friend of yours, for he shared the same passion as you had. Only had he used his camera for much more disturbing purposes. Not only the murderous ones, but the stalker and creepy pictures. He hadn’t had any of you, only the ones taken with your knowledge and consent. It was still a fright to see how wrong you can deceive someone as, and how easy it is to pretend you’re someone you’re not. It made you question if all of the moments with him were a façade, or if that was actually him, under all the hatred and rage. Whatever it was, it had been destroyed as soon as a weapon was held parallel to you, shaking from a murderous rage not even you would be spared of.

A set of photographs, five to exact, appeared only this week, along with your camera. Nothing was damaged, but it was clear it had been used by someone with no knowledge of cameras. What they did know however, is how to remove fingerprints. You had asked Stiles to give the stolen item to his father, if he could find something to identify the person who had, not only access to your house, but also was able to put it in place without you noticing. Whenever you weren’t at home, your father was, and having someone hurt your father wasn’t a risk you wanted to take. The sheriff had found nothing, but also suggested to stay with his son.

The photos were taken from outside, always the same position and time. At the front of your house, late into the evening. You could see your room, all open, for the roller blinds were closed in fear of the unknown. One however, was a picture of your front door, seemingly at day. There was no shadow to see, nor any clothing or a hand. Nothing! But worst of all, it was accompanied by a little note on the bottom of the photograph.

Don’t feel too safe.

The person was trying their hardest to write in a way that made it seem like that was their actual handwriting. It looked neat, too neat. The e’s were clearly the odd ones out, for they looked messy and awkward in comparison to the other letters. So whoever wrote the note, and by default also took the photos, was changing their handwriting.

Did she know that person’s handwriting if they tried to conceal it, or was it an attempt to confuse her?

“We’re here.”

And so would be the nightmare to your fright.

They were getting closer, the steps a mere second away from putting their hands on you. You could feel their eyes, the malice in their words. You hadn’t felt safe, even when everyone tried to convince you otherwise. While eating dinner with Scott and his lovely mother was absolutely amazing, the comfort couldn’t reach for your own house. Your room was lonely and dark, the shadows lingering even with the light. You hadn’t want to, yet you still found yourself at the Stilinski’s doorstep.

You rang the bell, pulling closer the jacket meant for rain, not cold. The sun was long gone, accompanying you for your walk, and then taking its own way. The moment was frozen for a second, before the door swung open, and Stiles came to be in your sight, with visible excitement until his eyes fell on you, deflating.

“You’re not the pizza I didn’t order but still kinda wanted.”

“Sad, I know. Now, could you find it in your heart to let me in?”

He sighed before answering dramatically. “If I must.”

He stepped back into his house, the door open for you to follow. You stepped in, the warmth tingling on your cold skin. Your took off your shoes, before closing the door and following Stiles. He was in the kitchen, preparing something. His head turned, his eyes focused on you. “You can already go in the living room.”

You nodded, before leaving for the said room.

It was cozy, with vanilla and spiced candles lit. There were heavy blankets, pillows softer than a dream. The movie that was playing called for your attention, the characters familiar to you, no thanks to Stiles. Star Wars was playing, and you smiled at the scene playing in front of you. A young Anakin Skywalker, telling his love of his hatred for sand. It was a rather amusing scene, for all the wrong reasons. But you felt more happy with a rambling Anakin, than to see him lose everything he cherished. Darth Vader was iconic, no question, but the pain he endured to be him, wasn’t worth it.

You turned your head once Stiles walked in with one mug in his hand, probably for you, as there was already a Star Wars themed one occupying the table. Once he sat next to you, he handed you the warm mug, a blue one with stars and the moon on it. “It’s hot chocolate.” You looked at him, saw him take a sip of his own hot chocolate. You nodded, blew away the steam, and took a sip. It was warm, sweet but the perfect amount. It danced on your tongue, neither burned or froze it, and you had to ask him how he made it later. It warmed your hands.

You could get used to this. You took another sip, sat in peace with Stiles and watched Anakin and Padme. How wrong you were to wish for things that would never be yours, you would have to see.

Stiles took the mug from you, before you could drink even more. “Stiles, what-“ But continuing to speak felt impossible with a tongue so heavy, and a throat so dry. Each of your muscles felt sleepy, your eyes drowsy and weak. The pull to close them was strong, and felt so good to give into. Your limbs felt weightless and a thousand pounds, one simple touch enough to make you collapse. And god, was it easy for him to make you helpless.

Your head fell first, a soft cushion taking most of your fall. You couldn’t move, couldn’t look or speak. Everything felt hazy, your fingers so heavy and hard to move. Nothing was in your control anymore, nothing was for you to do. You were trapped in your own body, until your ears shut down too, and you were all but well. It was easy to pinpoint where you had fallen, the bones easy to feel. Your head was placed upon his knees, the rest of your body still where you had sat before control was whisked away from you.

If one were to see the scene, they would think nothing of malice. Just two people watching a movie, while one of them fell asleep. And with Stiles, this wouldn’t have bothered you, had he not drugged you. There was a question of why the fuck he would do that. Why he would be like this, but finding the answer felt far too away. Reaching for an answer felt difficult, and you just didn’t have the energy to think anymore.

The man above you was grinning, like stars just fell upon him. His hand fell into your hair, massaging your scalp as if you weren’t laying passed out in his lap. It had been so incredibly easy to get you in this position, to get your trust. It was even easier to pretend to be someone he was not. You believed him, and everyone else still did. And with you now exposed to his not very in character actions, he would need to make you act under his rule.

Luckily for him, he got whatever he wanted. Always.

[cruelprincae]

@lcfthaunted liked the sc for older! Cardan

Although he has never had the patience to dedicate time to study all the progress that humanity has made over the passage of the years, merely content with the fundamental information that is the existence of tremendous skyscrapers, internet, pizza and cars ― all of which being Vivi's input on the few occasions that he has come to visit the apartment herself and Heather inhabit ―, Cardan is quite familiar with the concept of coffee shops, for they have been there on the occasion that he visited the mortal land when he was significantly younger, and he would return the ensorceled mortals to their families and homes, away from his brother's influence.

On the rare occasion when his moth would twinkle its antennas in a silent demand of wanting for something other than the six-pack bottle of beer it was accustomed to, to make the journey back to Elfhame, he would visit one of these shops and he would glamour himself a handful of caffeinated beverages; one for himself, and several for the gigantic moth he would often park behind the establishment, hidden away from prying eyes, which he would then pour inside of a bucket for it to drink from. Even if the taste was foul and did little more other than insult his taste buds, it would appear that the moth quite fancied it, as it took its sweet time devouring all the liquid it could find as well as licking all traces of it from the bucket's walls. The Prince knew little of its use, but what he did know ― most of it being from observing the moth's behaviour, which stood on high alert for days on an end after consuming the caffeinated beverage ― is that, upon its consumption, it offers clarity, focus and liberation from the heavy feelings of tiredness that would occasionally wash over him.

Mab, he can use some clarity right about now, particularly since the heir to his throne thought it would be rather fitting to make himself a prisoner of the now-dispatched Court of Teeth, all to impress its teenage Queen. Cardan is no stranger to rough declarations of affection ― in fact, majority of the romances in his life were of such nature ― and, were the circumstances any different, he would have sat back and allowed the youth to work on their problems; alas, Oak's ill judgement made for a fairly ancient enemy of the Crown to threaten the integrity of both the himself and the Court that he has tried to built for the better part of the decade. Interference is, at this point, inevitable.

Alas, he knows not how to move. Both Jude and his General, Grima Mog, opt for a direct attack against the Court of Teeth in sight of such deliberate disrespect, which would most likely result in the uproar of war ― in fact, it would appear that the majority of his court thirsts for the taste of battle after nearly a decade of tranquillity. And, though Cardan is a pacifist, with battle almost always as a last resort, he knows not how to talk his way out of this predicament. Clarity and ideas are what he beseeches, and hence, the reason why he is seated in a particularly crowded coffee shop, with the chatter of mortals like the irksome buzzing of sprites flying above his head.

❛ I wish for a coffee, ❜ He merely says at the girl that comes forth upon his table and pushes forth a green leaf, glamoured to resemble that of mortal money, with two ring-adorned fingers. Then, there is a moment of a silence as his black hues glance upon the catalogue of delicacies in a considerate frown, and he adds; ❛ I also wish for dumplings. ❜

[prince-rosalium]

hiii can we know the parf gang's favorite drinks?

WONDERFUL!!! THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO SEE!!!

val- favorite blood type is b+. oberon and tiff both have it.

dash- he used to get a starbucks iced caramel macchiato when he would commute to work every morning so he has sentimental attachment to it.

lu- if you ask him this he will break out a brick of tea leaves probably worth several hundred dollars and he will chop off a nugget with a fancy tea knife and make it in a yixing clay pot, also worth several hundred dollars. the answer changes every time he gets a new tea cake.

saturday- thai tea. just a beautiful icy thai tea.

luci- kid can't have caffeine for shit anymore, if someone invents a drink that allows him to have his sweet, gross monster energy flavor again but decaf that will be the drink

kenny- chocolate milk. a concoction that amazes him. a wondrous combination, chocolate and milk.

toulouse- she can never answer this. she lives in new york city and she is surrounded by boba shops that are constantly getting new toppings and following new trends. anything she orders is Fucking Weird though, like toppings upon toppings upon toppings, wildly clashing flavors. the boba shop is just like. her ordering a minimum wage worker to make the most monstrous concoction for her entertainment. but she tips well and they have fun!

tiff- honeydew boba tea with lychee jelly. this is admittedly my husband's favorite, but it seemed in character for her

oberon- oh he is a fucking slurpee guy. slushies and slurpies. chews on cold, horrible ice cubes. he likes the way it makes his teeth feel.

betty- shirley temple. why do u think her hair looks like that. she drank too much!!!

donna- i think she's into fancy wines but her guilty pleasure is just a strawberry daquiri

[taleofbread]

Adventure on Wave Mountain

(a short story I wrote 6 years ago in a sleep-deprived caffeine-induced manic state and have finally summoned up the courage to share with the world)

One day, A fell in love with B.  But B was more interested in C.  Unfortunately, C had been captured by E, an evil magician, and was being held in the deepest dungeon of E’s castle, located at the top of Wave Mountain.  They were being subjected daily to horrible magical experiments.

B proposed to A that the two of them go on a journey in order to rescue C.  A agreed, adding that they could contact their friend, D, who had a large amount of knowledge about the terrain around Wave Mountain and could serve as a guide.  D was a small spider who lived in a nearby village.

D agreed to help them.  But what the two didn’t know is that D was secretly in love with A!

The three travelers made the long journey to the mountain.  They faced many dangers, and were beginning to run low on supplies, but finally, just before morning, they made it to E’s dark castle at the mountain’s peak.

The companions opened the front door of the castle to find an entrance room with two other doors, one leading to the right and one to the left.  D, who was skilled at detecting magic, examined both doors.  “There’s a spell on each door allowing only one person to enter, so it looks like you two will have to split up.  I don’t think it applies to nonhumans, though.”  B decided that they would be fine alone, and so D went with A though the door on the left, while B went right.

B found themself in a smallish reception room containing some chairs and a desk.  A lamp on the desk cast a cozy warm glow about the room.  At the desk sat a guard named G.

G introduced themself and explained to B that this was the entrance to E’s dungeon—but to get in, B would have to beat G in a staring contest.  B, though not physically strong, had a large amount of mental control over their own body, and so they agreed to the contest eagerly.

B sat down across from G and the two began to stare at each other.  They stared for five minutes, ten minutes.  To pass the time they started chatting.  G told B about their childhood working in their parents’ bakery, before finding at age fourteen that they identified strongly with E’s evil cause and running away from home to join E and get a job as a guard.  G had had many challengers, they told B, but they had never lost a staring contest.

As the two talked, however, something unusual happened.  After so long staring at B’s face, and hearing about their life, G found themself feeling something they’d never felt before.  B was so…beautiful.  It seemed a shame to G to simply turn B away, as G had done to so many other challengers.  G ached to keep talking to and looking at B.  They were falling head over heels in love.  But then G scolded themself, remembered why they were there.  Protecting the castle was the most important thing.  “My sincere apologies,” G said, pressing a button on the desk as they spoke, “but this is how the boss wants me to play.”

B saw a flash of light, an explosion, and then something red.  And pain.  They clenched their teeth together, determined to keep eye contact with G, but tried to use their peripheral vision to see what had happened on the desk.  Their right hand had been blown clean off.  Shards of wood that had been torn out of the desk were now embedded in their left hand and arms.  A bomb.  They felt sick, but kept their eyes on G, even more determined to win despite the unfairness of it all.  E’s rules are not fair, B knew, but E sticks to them no matter what.  So G will do the same.  Even if my hand needs to be blown off, I’ll be allowed entry if I win.

G swallowed.  Even the best starers had given up after the bomb was pulled on them, and usually it wasn’t even necessary.  B must believe very strongly in their mission.  And their hands, G thought…what have I done to the hands of such a kind, pretty, determined person!  First one tear, then another came to G’s eyes, then many more.  It was the first time they had ever cried in their life.  G hid their head in their hands in shame, trying to cover the tears.  G realized too late that they had broken eye contact.

G glanced at B, then looked down into their lap again.  “Rules are rules,” they said, opening a drawer in their desk.  “Who are you here to save?”  “C,” said B.  G selected a key from their drawer and handed it over.  “Good luck,” they said.  “You’re the first one to ever beat me and you deserve it.  The dungeon is through this door back here.”  B walked to the door they indicated, opened it.  “But be warned that your troubles aren’t over yet,” G called as B went in.

Meanwhile, A and D were walking upwards, seemingly endlessly—a flight of stairs, then a hallway, then another flight.  They finally found a locked door blocking their path.  At first the two thought they were stuck, but then D, because of their small size, volunteered to go inside the lock and turn the bolts with their legs and A agreed.  A watched D disappear into the lock, heard one click, then another, then 6 more.  Then a voice: “There’s one bolt that I can’t reach, but with your strength you should be able to force the door open.”  A wrapped their hand around the knob, then hesitated.  “You’ll be ok?”  “Hopefully,” came the reply.  “Either way, we don’t have any other options.”  “Alright then,” A said.  “Get ready…”  They twisted the knob, harder and harder, until with a sound of snapping metal it turned and the door swung open.

As the door opened A found themself face-to-face with E, who had been making some sort of dastardly magical concoction before they were interrupted.  A froze on the spot in their fear of E’s power.  Then, D fell out of the keyhole to the floor, and suddenly all of E’s attention was directed to the small spider—5 of D’s legs broken, desperately but unsuccessfully trying to stand.

E fell in love instantly.  Who was this attractive spider, they wondered, who had somehow managed to get into their secret laboratory against all odds?  I want this spider to be in my life forever, they thought.  E strode past the cowering A and began to bend down to look at D.  They’re hurt, E realized.  Then A, in desperation, threw themself between the magician and the spider, crying, “stay back!”

“Get out of the way,” commanded E.  “I need to heal that spider.”  Heal?, thought A with confusion, but they said, “Not until you tell me where the dungeon is.  I’m here to rescue a friend.”  “Mhmm,” replied E in a sassy manner, “and since when was such a small human strong enough to order around such a powerful evil magician as I?”  But then E realized that A’s left heel was poised above D.  “Tell me or I’ll crush them,” A said grimly.  Ignoring a startled squeak from D, they continued: “You want to have a chance of healing this spider, you’d better tell me where to go.  I need to rescue somebody who’s important to a friend of mine.”  “What a wet blanket,” sighed E.  “It’s right down these stairs.”  They pointed to another doorway in the back of the lab.  A headed for the door, pausing to look back at the magician and D.  “You’re really going to heal them? Aren’t you evil?”  A asked.  E replied: “You do you, and I’ll do me.”  Apparently satisfied, A turned and continued towards the dungeon.

After descending a different, seemingly endless array of staircases, A went through a door and found themselves face-to-face with B.  B sprawled on the ground, in despair, splattered with blood.  Which seemed to be theirs.  And missing a hand.  “Fuck,” said A.  “Shit.”

They wrapped their arms around B, tears falling from their eyes.  “What happened?”  But B could not answer.  “We need to save C,” was all they said.  “I have a key to their cell.  It’s just over there.”  A looked to where B was pointing, noticed what they hadn’t before.  To their left there was no floor.  Only a seething pit of what A immediately recognized as Hydrofluoric Acid.  Across the pit, A could see another hallway, probably leading to C’s cell.  And to get across—a row of bars, arranged like monkey bars, along the ceiling.

B stood up, hugged A.  “We’re almost there,” they said.  “I can’t use my hands, but you can go across, get C—it should be easy with your strength.  Take the key,” they said, holding it out.  “No,” A said, practically sobbing “I can’t—I just threatened to kill D, B.  I was ready to kill one of my friends to save another.  I can’t save C.  I don’t deserve to.”  “Yes, you can save C,” B replied.  “I’ve done much worse than you did.  People do what they have to in order to save loved ones.  It’s ok.  You can keep going.”  A blinked, rubbed their eyes.  Let go of B’s bleeding hand.  “You’re right,” A said. “keep going…”  They walked towards the pit.  Grabbed the first bar.  “Then you need to come with me,” they said, turning.  “Because I’m pretty sure that door locked behind me.  Hold on to my legs.”

“I guess you’re right,” said B, after checking the doors they both came in through.  “Sure you can carry me?”  “Of course,” said A.  “What else is there to do?”  So B grabbed onto A’s legs with their arms, and A swung onto the first bar, biceps straining to hold both of their weights.  A was the strongest person B knew, and sure enough, they swung to the second bar, and the third, B holding on.

Suddenly, B heard a flapping sound.  Some sort of cloud was approaching the two of them.  As it got closer, B began to make out a flock of birds flying towards them.  “Cave Pigeons!” they yelled to A, but before they had even finished the flock was upon them and all was a blur of feathers.  B felt talons digging into their neck, their arms.  They looked up to see that A was being attacked even more heavily.  A had let go with one hand in an attempt to wave the pigeons away from their other hand, but every time they stopped the pigeons would come back and start clawing at the hand that was still holding on.  Finally, A realized that all they could do was keep going.  They began to reach out their right hand, now covered in cuts, to grasp the next bar, while the pigeons fluttered and clawed all around them.  B watched as A tried once, twice, and on the third try finally managed to wrap their hand around the iron.  A wasn’t going to make it, B realized.  With all the blood on their fingers they wouldn’t be able to grip the bars and carry both of their weights.  There was only one way, B thought, to avoid the two of them falling to their deaths.

“I’m so glad I was able to be friends with you!”  B said to A.  And they let go of A’s feet.  “B!” A screamed.  “No!”  But all they could do was watch as B fell away from them forever.

C, leading A, took the steps up out of a secret dungeon exit into the pinkish light of morning on Wave Mountain.  At the same time, E was emerging from the front door to watch the sunrise.  D, legs healed, rode on their shoulder.  C started in fear to see E, while A just looked at magician and spider dully.  “Don’t worry,” said E, letting D down from their shoulder.  “You three can be on your way whenever you’d like.  I just really wanted to look at the sun rising over the mountains this morning.”  A blinked, then turned to look at the rising sun.  But what A saw was a funeral pyre, set adrift out into the infinite black oceans of space.  Mourning B’s death.  Only, the sun has always been a funeral pyre, A realized with a start.  It’s a funeral pyre for everyone that has ever died, anywhere on the earth.  A stood there, letting it wash them clean in its blinding pink light.

[consumare]

( LEMON ): LEMON'S GOOD AT READING PEOPLE. ITS WHY WHEN IT CAME TO JUDGEMENTS OF CHARACTER, HIS BROTHER ALWAYS LOOKED TO HIM. IT'S ALSO WHY HE HESITATES TO MOVE HIS EYES AWAY FROM THE OTHER MAN. HANNIBAL IS NONTHREATENING, AT LEAST UPON INITIAL LOOK. SOMETHING ABOUT HIM IS OFF, LINGERS MORE TOWARDS DANGER. LEMON'S BEEN TRYING NOT TO PRY INTO OTHERS LATELY, MUCH MORE SUITED TO QUIETLY NUDGING DIESELS OUT OF HIS LIFE, BUT THIS ITCH ABOUT IT ALL - THE WAY HE CANNOT QUITE PINPOINT WHY HANNIBAL'S SMILE FEELS LIKE THE OPEN JAWS OF A PREDATOR. IT'S WHY HE IS CAREFUL. TO STICK YOUR HAND INTO ANOTHER MOUTH IS JUST ASKING FOR TEETH TO BITE CLEAN THROUGH TO THE BONE. ' YOU'RE AN INTERESTING FELLOW, DR LECTER. BUT YOU STILL HAVEN'T ANSWERED MY QUESTION; WHY A PSYCHIATRIST? WHY SIP YOUR COFFEE LIKE YOU EXPECT IT TO FIGHT YOU? ' HE LEANS BACK IN HIS SEAT, SLEEPY EYES NEVER DRAWING AWAY. AS IF THIS WERE ANYTHING BUT A DEFLECTION OF HIS OWN. ' NOT TO YOUR TASTES? YOU STRIKE ME AS SOMEONE WITH A REFINED PALETTE. EXPENSIVE. ' the coffee in his hands burns with distaste. hannibal lecter might throw it away, if such an act weren't rude. if the other man wasn't around to see him do so. instead, he holds it firmly in one hand, allowing the heat of the cup to warm his palm. had lemon not said a word about how hannibal may or may not have been acting toward the drink, doctor lecter would have nonchalantly placed the cup on the side table, and forget about it until he could properly dispose of the hot tar - so thick that hannibal had barely been able to get a mouthful past his refined tongue. but he had pointed it out, which was a problem - not neccessarily because hannibal now had to hold it and pretend it was to his tastes, but because the other man had noticed something about him. it was more of an inference, nothing that had been confirmed, but that was enough to tell hannibal that lemon was much more observant than the doctor would like him to be.

' i'm grateful you thought of me when ordering this morning. i suppose i've just had enough caffeine to satisfy me today, ' just like lemon, hannibal's eyes never leave the other's. like a challenge. whoever looks away first loses, and doctor lecter didn't like to lose. cup is set on his knee, fingers still wrapped around it, and hannibal's expression is almost amused. he is an interesting man. he knows as much, and has been told so before. many times, too many to really count. lemon, too, would be considered intriguing - if he wasn't staring at hannibal like he wanted to figure the man out. for that, he is slightly insufferable, instead. ' why does anyone choose the careers they do? why does a nurse decide to spend their days and nights with sick patients? why does a construction worker select the job that will ultimately wear down their bodies? ' answering a question with more questions. it's a specality ; it allowed people to form their own answers before hannibal had to give his own.

the truth: doctor lecter chose to be a psychatrist because he likes dissecting people. that's why he had become a surgeon first. when that career came to an end ( too much suspicion ; too many dead patients and missing organs ) he settled for the next best thing - picking apart people's minds ( and their bodies, on the side ). there was only so much information hannibal could give to lemon, however. cup is twisted one way, then the other, before movement ceases entirely. ' i long to help those who might not be able to help themselves, ' is his final answer, features falling into a look of practiced modesty. ' i'm under no illusion that i can fix all of my patient's problems. however, someone must be willing to try - don't you agree? ' @lemontart.

[vide0n4sty]

"Too hot for normal coffee." ☕🔪

It's the first thing you say when you walk into the office: air-conditioning cool on your sweaty skin, juggling your lanyard, the office key fob, and a chilly, plastic to-go cup, dripping with condensation, from the coffee place in your building.

The last one you had was free on your rewards card, and now you have to start the cycle all over again. 

You liked the routine, you told yourself, it was a nice way to start the morning and get prepared for work.

Never mind that the coffee place in your building was probably funding a war thousands of miles away. 

You'd cut off the other two 'big brands', as the influencers in million-dollar mansions had told you to do, but had never gotten around to checking if this one aligned with your morals or not.

You couldn't be blamed though, could you?

Your smile is rictus and fake as you plod along through the office, dumpy and out of place, you feel too young, too big, too immature to be in a place like this, the smile of a corpse at a wake, moulded by a mortician to make family and friends feel better about the agony you died in.

Coworkers you've never spoken to nod and smile at you and you feel compelled to do the same. You were well conditioned by the polite society you'd been forced to acclimate to and know if you pass through with your normal, flat expression, people think you're in a bad mood.

You are in a bad mood. You're always in a fucking bad mood.

Your preferred seat is taken when you reach the other side of the office, and it makes your skin itch. 

None of the other seats has your set up, the monitor you like, the laptop stand, the comfortable chair that doesn't cut into your sides, why doesn't anybody FUCKING UNDERSTAND THAT-

"Too hot for normal coffee." You explain again, with your rictus smile, when a member of your team waves you over to where the rest of them are sitting.

You had wanted to sit away from them, as you so often did, for the same reason you never took your lunch at the same time as them, but you can’t think of a reason to turn them down this time.

You work for a charity, even though you're (all) funding war in another country. 

Your team are nice, normal women, the kind who start pronoun circles and write 'she/her' in their email signatures (as if there was any fucking doubt), who do sports, arrange book clubs and look for the best food spots around your office.

They believe in the work you're doing.

And it's not like you don't believe in it. 

You're just pretty sure none of them is counting down the hours until you go home and masturbate to fake snuff movies and demented fetish porn, bodies blurred into bundles of plastic and latex and abstraction, so you can forget your own humanity for one fucking second-

You let out a sigh through your teeth and rub your forehead as you sink into the unfamiliar seat, the arms cutting into your fat hips because you’re not sitting in the right chair.

No, no, no, just calm down, you're catastrophising. 

That's what a therapist called it once, before your trial for free online therapy expired. 

Your mind fixated, as it so often did, on one thing and spiralled, round and round, until it became a swirling, black vortex of misery that derailed your entire day and made you contemplate suicide on the train home.

Calm down. Focus.

You go into the office one day a week, get a fucking grip on yourself. 

People would kill to be in your position, and you're not even good enough to feel thankful for it.

Whatever. 

You never claimed to be good, even if you wanted to be, so badly, that it made you sick. That’s why you worked in charity in the first place.

You take a sip of your iced coffee, the condensation making your already sweaty hands even clammier.

You instantly feel settled and you can't help but grimace.

You stopped smoking and didn't drink anymore (interfered with the medication you took in place of a therapist), so caffeine was the only acceptable drug you allowed yourself to depend on.

But who didn't?

"Too hot for normal coffee." You murmured blankly when a coworker asked if you wanted your regular morning coffee.

They know not to expect much of you today.

[thisiswhathappenswhenimbored]

before you love someone, love yourself first.

This time last year, what was happening in your life? i was settling into life in japan & boy do i miss it there. Did you/will you have coffee or some other form of caffeine today? i went to starbucks this morning.

Who did you last have a text conversation with and what was it about? my best friend commenting on how her ex-husband is on vacation with his new wife for like the 50th time this year.

Are there regular trains in and out of your town/city? i live on an island, like i can get to the other side of the island in about an hour, we don't have trains here.

Do you bathe your pets regularly? when they live with me yeah.

Do you have a mailbox or do you collect your mail from the post office? there's a mailbox right down the street.

What was the last animal you saw, and was it a pet? a chicken or a rooster, i'm positive of that. no they aren't pets. there's feral chickens/roosters all over the place here.

Have you ever had an ear infection? yes, getting them as an adult is even worse.

If you could watch any TV series right now, what would it be? i really really love watching roswell. don't know why i just do.

Would you have any clue when your best friend last got their hair cut? a few weeks ago.

Someone messages you just as you’re about to go to sleep. Do you reply? if it's my husband, absolutely, yes, i like to annoy him.

Do you grind your teeth, and if so, why do you do it? no.

Have you ever been hospitalized due to dehydration? when i was pregnant yeah.

Is there anything you need to remember to do before the day ends? no? i don't think so. i have a lot i need to remember to do tomorrow though.

When you listen to music with headphones, do you keep the volume low enough to hear surrounding noise faintly, or do you blast it? i absolutely blast it, i want to go deaf. i hate being able to hear noise around me when i'm listening to stuff with headphones/ear buds.

What’s your favorite online radio site? i don't really use online radios? i mean unless you count youtube music.

Do your parents have any authority over who you date? absolutely did not have any authority. fuck my dad, he can def kick rocks. my mom never tried to tell me not to date someone. although i'm married now & she tells my husband every year there's no returns allowed.

How many different shades of nail polish do you have? probably like two, i had to throw a bunch of them away when we moved.

What did you have for breakfast this morning? a latte from starbucks. lol. i'm really bad at remembering to eat most of the time

Are you lucky enough to have an ice maker in your refrigerator door? i mean the house i pay an exorbitant amount of money for includes a fridge with an ice maker in it.

Are you the type to wake up before the sun has even risen? i do everyday, sucks having kids that i have to get ready for school.

Have you ever watched an anime series, start to finish? yes.

Do you feel the need to rant about anything right now? If so, go for it. i have plenty of things i could rant about but i won't right now until i get my thoughts together.

Do you have a favorite towel? What color is it? no.

Have you seen any films with Judy Garland in them? yes i have.

How did you feel when you woke up today? Why? exhausted. my husband is gone for work right now & i always sleep like crap when he isn't here, unless i have my dog with me but my dog is on the other side of the country from me.

Who was the last person you messaged on Facebook? my group chat with my friends about the pet shipper i found that said they can get me a quote for an in cabin flight for my dog with a flight nanny. gonna cost a fortune probably but i'm so excited for him to get here.

When was the last time you saw them? uhhhhh, my best friend i saw a year ago the rest of my friends it was a little over a year ago.

Do you have a friend named Nick? What’s his favourite food? my brother's name is nick, he lives on monsters. that's all i know about him.

What are you listening to? let us prey, a docuseries on hbo about ifb churches.

What year are you/did you graduate? i graduated from high school in 2008. i've been working on & putting my BA on hold while we've been bouncing around though.

Are you obsessed with anything? uhhhhhhh, i'm not sure.

Do you prefer waffles or pancakes? waffles.

Do you prefer non-diet or diet soda? non-diet.

Do you like seafood? i never used to then i lived in japan & now hawaii.

Are you craving anything right now? i don't think so.

Do you dress appropriately for your age? yessss, my husband gets mad because he says i normally dress like an old lady but i shouldn't because i'm only 33.

If McDonald’s sold hot dogs, would you buy them? no, i don't even really eat mcdonalds.

How long is your hair? middle of my back, i think.

Do you like your neighbors? i don't know my neighbors.

What’s your school motto? i have no clue.

Has a bird ever flown into your window? yesterday.

Which word did you say first, mama or dada? i don't know, i don't think my parents would know either if i asked them.

How old were you when you learned to walk? young, before one.

What was your first pet’s name? max.

How many kids were in your class in kindergarten? 20?

Who was your best friend in elementary? constance.

Who was the best athlete in your freshman class? pfftttt. uhhhh, i think it was def ej manuel.

What teacher did all the high school boys/girls have a crush on? def mr. larue, he was a little creepy though.

Where do you see yourself in a year? in hawaii still. probably going to school since i quit my job.

If you were able to change one thing about yourself, what would it be? i'm not sure. i kinda like myself like this.

Are you content just blending in with the crowd? yeah, sometimes.