#wren likes to cook for her and bake her things to thank her for her help

[spookyboywhump]

I like thinking about Wren and Alondra

[studentinpursuitofclouds]

Okay, another one!

Baking buddies!

(If I recall correctly, Julian likes to/knows how to bake, right? Or I could be wrong, I've been switching social media ���� But I think you did mention it somewhere here🤔 But I hope I got it right, otherwise, this can be ignored 😭)

This one is what the title implied, baking buddies! Featuring Ziana again, and Rain (@silly-farmer's farmer, since she also can bake/likes to bake. If you know some farmers/NPCs who also know how to bake, feel free to add them as well! I don't know many farmers like you do, unfortunately 😭🙏🏻)

Imagine them all (Julian, Rain & Ziana) good at baking but then there is one that they haven't baked yet (probably... Strange Bun for example in here? 🤔) and one of them suggested trying this out together. So, imagine the scene as they all mess up and struggle in the kitchen trying to bake this thing and after many errors, it's done! And now, for the taste!

The result...? (Up to you 👀 Is it good? Or bad and that they worked hard in vain? This is also another funny interaction, hehe.)

Have fun! ^^ I don't know why I have so many ideas (this is like, a gist of it) 😅🙏🏻

Uh, have a good day, Mousy, and uh, bye! *runs* 🏃🏻‍♀️💨

Hello again! Here's another story, and thanks for the question!

This time, in addition to Julian and Ziana, the heroes will also be Rain (@silly-farmer) and Wren (@girls4zelda). This story is shorter than the previous one, hope you don't mind. Enjoy ❤️

_________________________________________

"The culinary disaster"

________________________________________

The spacious cottage kitchen was filled with various sounds and pleasant aromas. The banging of pans against each other, the sweet smell of strawberry jam, the heat from the oven where baked goods were baking, the noise of water from the tap, the kettle boiling.... And talking, so much talking. Of course, because there are not one but four cooks in the room at once, running from one part of the kitchen to another, trying to get the food everywhere in time.

"Goddamn it! What are we doing wrong?!"

Ah, yes, on top of all this, the kitchen is filled with the shouts of those very same cooks.

"I don't get it", Rain continued to wail. "We're doing everything according to the recipe. This bun is much easier to make than the other dishes!" She gestured with her hand to the tray on which a few burnt pastries lay.

Julian, Ziana, and Wren sat at the walnut kitchen table and watched poor Rain try to figure out the reason for such a botched cooking job.

"Maybe the recipe itself was wrong?" Ziana cautiously voiced her suggestion. Cooking with her friends in the kitchen at Rain's house had seemed like a great idea to her earlier, but she hadn't realized that they would encounter such a problem as not being able to cook a bun properly after perhaps the sixth attempt.

"I don't think there was anything wrong with the recipe. It's just a normal bun, we've made dozens of them before", answered Wren. And indeed, on the table there was a whole vase with freshly baked cookies, puffs and buns and various jams and fruits, which were beckoning with their aroma and beauty.

"Well..." Julian began cautiously. "You don't put void mayonnaise in ordinary buns".

"That's true". Wren couldn't agree more. "Rain, my friend, why don't we just forget about the Strange Bun? Sit down with us, and we'll finally start the meal."

But Rain, arms crossed, waited for the timer on the oven to reach zero. "I'll check on that last bun, and then we'll be done".

All three of them looked sympathetically at the blue-haired girl. They understood that the failed baking had hit Rain's confidence hard, as she was a great cook, and had even agreed with her friends to organize a communal cookout, teaching them new recipes. And all was well... Until Shane left her the recipe for that obscure bake yesterday. And now Rain wants to make sure she hasn't lost her skills. Thankfully, the timer has already managed to emit a chime, alerting those present that it's time to pull out the baking tray.

"YEEEEES!!! We did it! We are the best!" Rain's excitement slightly startled all three of her friends, but they immediately breathed a sigh of relief as the girl held the hot baking tray victoriously in her hands, where a - oh, miracle - properly cooked Strange Bun was displayed.

Rain, satisfied, set the bun aside on a plate, letting it cool. The pastry itself looked true to its name: the dough was unnaturally orange, and the filling was an acid purple color.

"So", Rain summarized, "would anyone like to try this pastry?"

"Nope", Ziana, Julian and Wren answered their friend honestly.

"That's good! I don't want to either..." She looked a little suspiciously at that 'culinary misunderstanding'.

"Now let's drink tea!" Finally, Julian poured hot jasmine tea into each of their cups, and they all sat down at the table, eating the delicious fruits of their labor, listening to praise about each other for their good cooking.

[friend-of-giants]

For Wren: 💤🙈🔥 ☁️

Hiiiiii thank you for the asks! Sorry it took me an entire day to get to these lol

💤 SLEEPING - do they fall asleep easily? what helps them sleep?

Wren loves to sleep, or at least knows how to appreciate it. Her lifestyle is one of travel and all sorts of physical activity, so at the end of the day, once her head hits that pillow (or bedroll laid out over the ground), she's out. She tends to keep an ungodly amount of furs on her bed, and enjoys burying herself almost completely beneath them. She likes to be warm.

🙈 SEE-NO-EVIL - whats a side of your oc that they don't want to show other people?

Deep down inside, beneath the hardened exterior that a life of banditry and the stress of being the Dragonborn has given her, Wren is actually quite full of love and hates to show that side to others. She has a soft spot for both children and animals, and is willing to tear the world apart to defend those she deems worthy of her affections.

🔥 FIRE - do they have any self destructive tendencies? what habits do they have that hinder them from becoming their best self?

She tends to isolate herself from most people and is prone to turning to drinking to keep her mind off certain things. Not to mention her recurring suicidal thoughts, which I wont get into here. She's traumatized, ok? 😂

☁️ CLOUD - a soft headcanon

Her ideal peaceful day off would be spent preparing a salmon dinner (salmon is her favorite and i like to think she LOVES cooking it, and cooking in general), eating said salmon dinner along with a bottle of spiced wine and a fresh baked honey nut treat, reading a book where someone dies (hey, she likes that), then finishing the night by watching the stars before bed, perhaps with someone she cares for.

[magic-multicolored-miracle]

Get to Know Me

Tagged by the lovely @seancekitsch. Thanks Bonnie :)

Relationship Status: Don’t have one, not really looking at the moment Favorite Colors: Purple, Teal, and grey Favorite Food: lox and cream cheese on an everything bagel (I liked them before I moved to NYC, but now...I would live off nothing but if that was an option) Song stuck in my head: 🎵“I am not a person, I’m three possums in a coat”🎵 Although the song I’ve been listening to on repeat all day is “Writing Again” by Seanan McGuire Last thing you googled: “All Nancy Drew Books in order” because I’m reshelving my books and being particular about it Time: 12:27am Dream Trip: Romania. It’s so beautiful, and was one of the few places I really had no option to go to when I was studying abroad Last thing you read: Book Lovers by Emily Henry. Or I guess if we’re being technical, my mail that’s been sitting on my desk for two days.  Last book you enjoyed reading: that is the same question. I am trying to be better about giving up when I don’t enjoy a book, or even when I do but I’m not in the right mood. But I definitely really enjoyed Book Lovers. It’s not groundbreakingly original, but a book doesn’t need to be. And it’s really a fun, self-aware rom-com. Also a couple of times I felt a liiittle bit called out, which is always good in a book (in my opinion). Last book you hated reading: Other than textbooks, which it has been a year+ since I’ve had to read (yay!) I can’t think of one right now.  Favorite thing to cook/bake: lemon bars! Or pancakes even though they never come out pretty. I mean, I like cooking in general (especially chopping vegetables, I find the action and sound both very soothing, let’s not look to far into it) but those top tier Favorite craft to do in your free time: cross-stitch probably. But I’m not a super crafty person, and am very out of practice. Most niche dislike: I don’t think I have one that’s niche. I have many dislikes but they’re all probably pretty common ones.  Opinion on Circuses: Indifferent? I mean, I love a circus or a carnival as a fiction setting because you can do so much with them, and (according to some people strangely) find “circus music” in the right context romantic. But I have no strong feelings about actual circuses one way or the other. Do you have any sense of direction: No. I mean, I’d like to think I have one of narrative direction, but the jury is out. And I could get lost trying to find my way out of a paper bag. Tell us about your D&D Character: I have so many though. Even if I narrow it down to active campaigns that leaves 2...Valsolis and Wren. I talk about V most in my D&D posts (she’s a tiefling bard with roguish tendencies...as in she’s a grifter and con artist, and can pick a lock when she needs to. She is currently being hunted by a cult and they assassinated her merchant husband, which is a tragedy because she was just starting to like him and consider not killing him for his money). But Wren is a new one, she’s rather fun. She’s a halfling ranger with absolutely no charisma, and a squirrel for an animal companion. Technically she lives in town, but I’m pretty sure its in the way a feral cat lives under your porch. I want to cross-class barbarian but haven’t had a chance. 

Tagging, if you want to play: @redlippedladyofrohan @the-winter-witcher @short-and-angry @forenschik @exlibrisfangirl​

[ficklefics]

Who Needs Enemies - Chapter One: Trouble Never Stops

SEQUEL TO FRIENDS LIKE THESE

It’s only been a few months since Harleen’s birthday and her new normal is undoubtedly strange; her and Jerome’s lives are completely intertwined. It’s not quite a relationship, but they undoubtedly have a growing and twisted connection. For once in her life she is happy - until Jerome’s past begins to unravel and she discovers that he has been less than honest with her.

Jerome Valeska x Harleen Quinzel, Jeremiah Valeska x Harleen Quinzel

SERIES MASTERLIST ~ MASTERLIST

Beep! Beep! Beep!

I groan and roll over, slamming my hand onto the clock to silence the shrill alarm. I’ve barely slept, but if I was dreaming I don’t remember what.

Even after three months, it still feels strange to wake up in my empty childhood home.

My parents didn’t come back after they went to Norway. Instead, they moved to New York again – the only logical option from their perspective. They didn’t try to get me to join them; I guess they finally realised that there are far more reasons for me to stay than there are to go.

It’s a typical morning. I get dressed and go downstairs. First thing is to turn on the coffee machine. While it’s doing its thing I fill up Puddin’s food and water. She’s six months old now and reaches up to my knee; almost completely unrecognisable from the puppy I got last Christmas. I scratch behind her ears and stand back up, grabbing two mugs and filling them up with fresh coffee. The scent fills the room, making me sigh audibly.

Then comes the perfectly timed chapping at the back door. I turn around as Jerome comes in. “It really shocks me how punctual you are.” There’s no need for ‘hello’s’. “I’m a criminal, not disrespectful.” He scoffs. I grin, sliding his coffee over to him. He picks it up and takes a slow sip. “You seriously make the best coffee.” “Only because I have an expensive coffee machine.” I walk around the island between us to stand beside him. “Rich girl perks.” I shrug. He wraps an arm around me and squeezes my shoulders, making me giggle. “Guess that’s a good enough reason to keep you around.” “Very funny. You know you’re stuck with me.” I elbow him in the stomach, slightly harden than could be considered teasing. Jerome seems to consider the words for a moment before his grip tightens and I’m being spun around so the counter is pressed against my back and Jerome is leaning over me. “Maybe you’re the one who’s stuck with me.”

A few months ago this would have scared me – not anymore.

I give a smirk and, with a grab of his collar, spin us both around so that we’ve swapped and it’s my arms around him. “Are you sure about that?” “Someone’s confident.” “You know it.” I wink. He shakes his head with a smile before leaning down and kissing me.

His touch still sends electricity through every nerve in my body. My skin tingles. My heart races.

My arm slides away from me on the counter and knocks into one of the mugs. The sound of it smashing on the ground pulls us apart. Jerome laughs at the mess and I slap his shoulder before grabbing a dustpan and a paper towel to clean up the mess. “Thanks for the help,” I grumble as I drop the shards in the trash. “You looked like you had it handled.” “Sure.” I roll my eyes. “Oh, remember, no surprise visits tonight or tomorrow. Wren’s visiting, and she can’t find out about this.” “Not sure how I feel about being your dirty little secret, Harls.” “Deal with it.”

*

As soon as Wren and I are through the door I take off my heels and drop them haphazardly on the floor. She laughs at me and I make a face at her before leading the way into the front room. We collapse onto opposite couches, her facing the bay window and me facing the open doors to the dining room. Who would have thought dinner could be so exhausting?

“It feels weird being back.” She sighs, a melancholy smile on her face. “You’re telling me,” I laugh softly. “You’d think coming back after five years would be the big deal – not five months.” “Well, a lot more has happened in the five months I’ve been in England than the whole time we were in New York.” “That’s a good point.” She hesitates before she speaks again. “I’m glad life is back to normal.” I nod in agreement. “Things got scary for a bit.” “That feels like an understatement.” She rolls her eyes. “I didn’t think it was possible for someone to get kidnapped so much in six months.” “What can I say, I’m an overachiever.” “Hilarious.” She leans forward, an earnest look in her eyes. “It is all over though, right? He’s disappeared?” “Yup. I haven’t seen or heard of Jerome Valeska in months…” I trail off at the sight of the bastard in question frozen in the doors behind Wren. My eyes widen in sudden panic but I force myself to keep calm. “You okay?” She frowns at my sudden change in demeanour. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine, just thought I saw something.” She goes to turn and I panic again. “It’s nothing! It’s fine.” My outburst manages to keep her attention on me long enough for Jerome to disappear out of sight. I have no clue what he’s doing here. I am going to kill him.

*

It’s after midnight when Wren’s head starts to droop. We say our goodnights, and after locking the doors and checking that Jerome is actually gone, I head to my room.

As I’m getting changed I notice a scrap of paper on my desk that I know wasn’t there before. I pick it up and unfold it to find a name: ‘Zachary Trumble’ – Jerome’s uncle. My mind flickers back to Jerome and I, sat in that cell, waiting for death.

“It’s not cheery.” “Nothing is with you. Or everything is.” “Fine. So, when I was a kid, before I realised the world hated me, I had an uncle.” “Zach.” “Smart girl.” “Ha ha.” “Dear old mom’s brother. He was a cook at the circus, and he would bake too. Great at it. We used to try and steal cookies from him. One time, he caught me. Took my hand and shoved it in a pot of boiling stock. Practically cooked me down to the bone. Took months for the burns to heal. And I never forgot the smell of my own flesh boiling.” “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be. It’s funny.”

…

“You said, “we”. Did you have friends?” “Doesn’t matter.” “But -” “I said, it doesn’t matter!”

He never mentioned the story or his uncle again – it was very clearly off-limits. The note means nothing to me, so I drop it back on the desk and let myself fall into a restless sleep.

*

It’s 3am when the ringing of my phone wakes me up. I answer quickly, if only to shut it up. “Hello?” My voice is muddy and hoarse with sleep. “Hey.” It’s Jerome. I can hear sirens. “Look, I’m in trouble.” Now wide awake, I sit up, clutching the phone to my ear. “What’s happening? Do you need help?” “Nah, I’ll be fine. Did you see my note?” “You mean the very unhelpful one?” I glance over at it. “Yeah.” “I need you to find him. Any information you can.” The sirens are getting louder. “Look, I need to go. See ya’ later.” “Wait, Jerome -” Silence. He hung up. There’s nothing I can do.

CHAPTER TWO

[nightwingshero]

1 to 25 for Whitney xoxo

Wow, you really went for it, huh? Lol under the cut, my dear x

1. What’s their go to pick up line/flirting tactic?

Whitney is obvious as a flirt (when she can actually flirt), and it shows in her body language: hair flipping, touching your arm and giggling at anything funny you say, crossing her legs, puffing her chest out a bit, and leaning in close to you. She’s going to wait for you to make the first move, and you will because she will have you eating out of the palm of her hand. Jedi mind trick, because sure, you think picking her up is your choice...when that decision was made before she even started talking to you. 

2. Can they dance?

Nope, not really. While Whitney does work out (she’s not shy from doing physical activity), she hardly ever dances. She believes its silly and she would rather be saved from the embarrassment. 

3. Underwear style?

Silk and lace. Usually in the colors of light pink, white, or shades of gold. 

4. Crayons, markers, colored pencils, or paint?

All of them. Whitney went to school for art and she uses a lot of different mediums. Paint is her favorite, though, and she has a sun room she uses as a studio. 

5. What was their childhood stuffed animal of choice?

A fuzzy teddy bear her mother bought her not long before she died. It has a red ribbon/bow around it’s neck and sits in her armchair in her bedroom. 

6. What’s their sleeping positions?

Whitney doesn’t move around a lot in her sleep. Mostly it’s on her back, but sometimes she sleeps on her side. 

7. Do they snore?

Oh, hell no. Whitney wouldn’t tell you if she did, to be honest. Snoring is above her and ladies don’t do that. 

8. What do they act like when they’re drunk?

Ha! Look, I’m just gonna tell you now: Wren and Jane are the worst influence over her, I swear. Anyway! White girl wasted, I’m telling you. Mostly with tequila though. She’s the fruity drink kind and she’s a light weight...it doesn’t mix well for her. Now, if it’s wine or she’s only had a little to drink--she’s just a little more emotional. 

9. Sweet, sour, salty, or savory?

Sweet. She bakes a lot and loves it. She likes sour drinks, but that’s about it as far as that goes. Whitney has a complicated relationship with salty foods, she tries to eat healthy, so she doesn’t really eat a whole lot of salty things. 

10. Can they play an instrument? If so, which one(s)?

No, not really. She knows some basic piano, but not a whole lot, so she doesn’t really count it. She does sing though and helps with the choir. 

11. What would their favorite book be?

Little Women

12. What is their guilty pleasure?

Already answered! 

13. If they got a new pet, what would they name it?

Something super cute and adorable, like Pumpkin or some shit. She had a small white dog named Snow White once...she’s not original. 

14. Beach house, cozy snowy cabin, treehouse in a forest, or desert paradise?

Already answered!

15. What would their favorite board game be?

Life, Connect Four, Candy Land, and Trivial Pursuit (although Wren and Rowan kick her ass).

16. What do they smell like?

She’s gonna have more of a floral scent, mostly roses. She will also smell like whatever she decided to bake--apple or blueberry pie, sugar cookies, etc. Honey, vanilla, Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb perfume, and Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume.

17. What’s their favorite smell?

Florals, mostly. Anything citrus and some woodsy scents--sandalwood, cedar, and pine (although you won’t catch her dead in the woods). She loves maple and pumpkin spice (she’s one of those), honey, and brown sugar. 

18. If they were drunk, what would they get a tattoo of?

God, Wren would fucking try...Whitney would get a butterfly tattoo, she so fucking would. And yes, probably in the form of a fucking tramp stamp, especially if Wren has anything to do with it. (Istg, Wren and Jane live to corrupt Whitney). If not, she would get it on her hip or get one of those badass under-the-boob tats. I could also see her getting something simple between her boobs--Wren would totally get one with her. 

19. Describe their laugh.

Bells, honestly. I know that sounds weird. But it’s not too different from Wren’s, but Wren’s is more...wholesome. If that makes sense? Like, Whitney has a higher note to it, but its a bit sharper, while Wren’s is a tad bit high-pitched, but more full. I don’t know if I’m explaining this right. 

20. Hoodies, knit sweaters, wool coats or just a blanket to stay warm?

Knit sweaters and blankets quilts. Whitney is warm and loves things like that. She’s very homey underneath the materialistic uptight front she has (mostly thanks to Nancy and some of Joseph). She’s genuinely loving and caring, not the condescending southern rot-your-teeth sweet she uses on her enemies or the Resistance. Whitney is very much “let me cook you a good meal, you’re skin and bones, and have some hot chocolate with 30 blankets--we can watch Hallmark movies together. Or Nicholas Sparks. Do you like Nicholas Sparks?”. She will definitely be a knit sweater kinda girl. 

21. Are they good with their hands? How do they deal with household-type maintenance?

She’s useless, maintenance wise. Good with her hands? With gardening (the only acceptable time to be dirty) and painting, yes. Baking? Absolutely. Fixing things? Hell no. Woman has no idea what she’s doing, she would probably die changing a light bulb. 

22. If they had a custom car horn, what would it be?

Heaven Is a Place on Earth or Pocketful of Sunshine. If Wren’s rigging it, it’s gonna be I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston or Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey....Killer Queen is also on the table.  

23. Favorite carnival attraction?

Cotton candy stand and the carousal. 

24. Showers or baths?

Baths, all day long. She’s a self-care queen, and will either do bubbles, bath bombs, or rose petals. There are candles involved most of the time with a glass of wine and something she can watch Netflix on. 

25. What’s their ideal day like?

A bright sunny day painting next to the pond in her backyard with music lightly playing in the background. Maybe with some friends over for company. If it’s raining, she’s gonna be in the sun room painting or enjoying a classic movie--like Titanic or something. 

[galaxywhump]

@garbagewhump Scarlett (AKA Space Adoptive Mom #2 Because Wren Deserves ALL the Love) - 14, 15, 19, 20, 26, 27, 30,44, 55

@garbagewhump thanks for asking about a character that has not appeared Once in the story lol (love ya) Some info: she has only appeared in my WIP Wednesday post and in her face claim post. She’s Jonna’s wife and Wren’s Very Supportive Lesbian Stepmom™.

14. Can they cook? Can they bake?

She can cook quite well. She experiments a lot, with mixed results, but the outcome is edible more often than not :v She can also bake, and even if the cakes and whatnot are pretty simple, she spends a ridiculous amount of time decorating them, so they always look awesome.

15. Can they sing? Can they dance?

She has a nice singing voice, but she never took singing classes, she just likes to sing along to her favorite songs. She dances well enough not to be laughed at :v

19. Hobbies 

She’s an artsy person - she especially loves sculpting in clay and decorating cakes, but she also enjoys painting.

20. Clothing/Aesthetic

Butch :P I can’t get Lizzie out of my head, so I imagine that Scarlett loves overalls. Most of the time she dresses like a stereotypical eccentric artist.

26. Guilty Pleasure

Very low quality and very cheesy romantic movies. Sometimes they move her to tears and Jonna loves to tease her about it (lovingly)

27. What’s their family like? Who’s in it? What’s their relationship with them?

I am yet to come up with the rest of her and Jonna’s kids, cause so far I’ve only focused on Myrna :v But there are More, and they’re a good, healthy family, with Scarlett and Jonna always willing to listen, understand, grow as parents.

30. What was adolescence like?

She had a bunch of equally artsy friends, she was outgoing, liked parties or spending time together in nature - picnics, going to the beach together, bonfires. She has great memories from that time. 

44. What’s their pokemon team? Try to pick all 6.

I know Nothing about pokemon, sorry.

55. What’s your character’s core trait? What’s their best trait? What’s their worst trait? What happens when these all interact with each other?

Core: artiness

Best: creativity, compassion

Worst: forgetfulness

When they interact: sometimes she can get so absorbed by her art she just straight up breathes art, and it leads to her forgetting about things like putting ice cream back in the freezer, or the cake left in the oven while she was planning how she’d decorate it :v

[minaharkers]

2, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19 & 20 for eriana :)

hiii thank u im sorry this took 3000 years to make

eriana tabris is my warden! 

2. What does your OC smell like? What does your OC wish they smelled like?

when she’s traveling around, i think she smells a lot like woodsmoke with a little bit of the earthy smell of traveling in nature, not necessarily a bad smell…just more natural. when she was growing up she liked little perfume scents, nothing overpowering but something nice? for a gift one birthday her father got her some nice perfume he saved up for and it was one of her favorite things 

11. What plant, animal, and color does your OC feel like today?

plant: edelweiss

animal: wren 

color: navy 

12. If your OC were a superhero, how flashy would their costume be? Also, what would their superpower be? Does this go with their costume at all, or are they all about fashion? #Can’tFightCrimeIfYouAin’tCute

oooh okay i kind of picture eri as being a lot like wonder woman? like a super bad ass fighter with a sword with powers like flight and strength! i don’t think her costume would be crazy flashy, probably some practical armor lol  

14. Is your OC superstitious? If so, what superstitions do they believe? If not, what do they think of superstitious people?

haha nooo Eriana is so not she’s super practical, and sometimes she can get a little impatient with people who are because it can be hard for her to understand why they might feel that way 

17. What’s their go-to parlor trick? Are they actually that good at it, or do they just enjoy it? Do people tell them they’re good, even if they aren’t? How do they handle criticism?

i don’t know if this quite counts but she can actually hold her liquor fairly well for her size,,, this is only happening when shianni can peer pressure her enough to get absolutely wasted bc shes mostly a pretty responsible drinker and is like on Mom Friend mode all the time 

19. Favorite comfort food? Do they enjoy junk food or are they more of a foodie? Can they cook? What’s their favorite thing to cook?

Freshly baked bread right out of the oven! she cooked a lot for her dad when he was super busy and learned a lot from him! soup was always a thing she learned to cook bc they were usually so tight on food and that could feed a lot of ppl with little ingredients and she found recipes she enjoyed making. 

20. Any major theme(s) or conflict(s) in your OC’s life? How have they dealt with that? Are they aware of it, or do they ignore it? Did you design them with such theme(s)/conflict(s) in mind, or did they evolve naturally?

I think a lot of her central conflict is dealing with balancing what she considers what’s expected of her and what she really wants to do. She feels trapped by her expectations and being held down by them even when she joined the Wardens (especially since she really didnt have a choice). I dont know if i really design anyone with conflicts in mind they just sort of pop up in my brain and everything comes up later loll

Pls ask me about my kids

[aka-willow]

Pizza Time

gif

Words: 1543

Characters: Willow Wren, Wanda Maximoff, Natasha Romanoff, Vision

Summary: Wanda tries to help Willow cook a pizza

Timeline: April 2016

Song: What’s Up - 4 Non Blondes

A/N: thought Willow deserved a break ajdshf

—————————————————————————–

I was sitting at the counter in the kitchen, peering under the towel over the bowl at the rising dough underneath. “How do we know when it’s ready?” I asked Wanda. She was consulting the directions on her phone again, and we had just had a laugh about the introduction of the online recipe, which the author opened with “During the alien attacks in the Battle of New York, I was visiting family in Colorado…”

“It’s probably ready by now,” she said. “Here, help me clear the counter and we can roll it out.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, lifting up the corner of the towel again. “What if it hasn’t been long enough?”

“It’s been thirty minutes since you last punched it down,” Wanda said, spraying down the counter with a disinfectant. “I don’t think a few minutes will kill us.” Still, I couldn’t shake my concern, and if I had my phone, I definitely would have looked up proper pizza-dough-rising times. “Could you get the flour out?” Wanda asked. “It’s in the pantry on the third shelf, in one of the plastic containers.”

I jumped down from the stool and opened up the pantry, still in awe of how much food the Avengers had in storage at the Compound. I used to get by on like a box of cereal and dumpster diving not too long ago. I found the flour and brought it back to the counter, opening up the container and resisting the urge to stick my whole hand in the flour, just to see what it would feel like.

“Are your hands still clean?” Wanda asked as if she was reading my mind.

“Yeah.”

“You can go ahead and start sprinkling some flour on this area here, then,” she said, looking back at the directions on her phone. “A good amount.”

“What’s a good amount?” I asked, not wanting to mess it up.

“Just make sure the whole surface is covered.”

I stuck my hand in and scooped flour our, carefully carrying it over to the counter space Wanda had cleared. “Right here?” I asked.

“Right there,” she said, resetting the stove timer right before it went off, and stirring the pizza sauce again.

We rolled out half of the pizza dough, debating if it would be possible to use our powers to do so, and with me asking if she could cook the pizza with her powers (she couldn’t). Afterward, we transferred it to the pizza stone and it was at just this moment that Vision returned from the store with toppings.

“Freshly cut peppers and onions, extra shredded cheese, and… mushrooms?” he confirmed.

“Yeah! Those are for my half of this one,” I said. “Thanks.” I held up my hand for a high-five, but he walked past it as he put the groceries down on the empty chair. Note to self: teach robot cool handshakes.

“Thanks, Viz,” Wanda said. “We owe you one.”

“Oh, it wasn’t a problem at all.” He joined Wanda on the other side of the counter, studying the mess we had made so far. “Is it… going well?”

Wanda laughed. “So far, so good. Willow’s been a great help.”

I folded my arms and looked down at the counter, smiling just a little bit. Wanda and I had been hanging out in the evenings after training, sometimes changing up the schedule so we ate a late dinner afterward while everyone else chilled with us in the lounge. It was just Wanda, Vision, and I right now, though, not as overwhelming, and music was playing quietly over the sound system, a playlist of hits that FRIDAY had shuffled for us. For the first time in forever, I had my wings outside my shirt, able to stretch whenever I wanted. Natasha had been able to get an updated wardrobe with slits in the back of the shirts and it made everything, including training, much more comfortable. I never even knew this was an option in clothes. At first, I had been self-conscious about having my wings visible, but no one seemed to treat me any differently.

“The sauce is ready,” Wanda said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Here, why don’t you scoop some out and put it on the dough?”

“How much?” I asked.

“As much as you want on it.”

That’s not really a helpful answer. How much sauce was on Dominos?

We finished assembling the first pizza, covering it with cheese and toppings on each of our halves. I got up and watched as Wanda slid it into the warm oven, turning on the light so that we could see it cook. I sat down in front of the oven, up on the counter, and watched it cook. “How do we know when it’s done? What if it’s too doughy? Or we burn it?”

“It’ll be fine,” Wanda reassured me, but I stayed sitting, watching the pizza while she talked with Vision. I hummed along to the song that was playing over the speakers until I realized I knew it—it was a song I knew from before escaping the Facility. I had heard it once, most likely on an assignment. It had stayed in my head for years, even through all the resets. I started mouthing the words to myself, half speaking them aloud. Earlier in the day, I had started reading and taking notes on the copy of my HYDRA file and I wanted to keep the good memories, get rid of everything else. I wanted the few good things back because it was my life. This song had been a good one.

I realized that Wanda and Vision’s conversation had gone quiet, and when I turned around, they were watching me. “What?” I asked.

“No, keep going!” she said, smiling. I turned red and looked back at the baking pizza, back to only humming the lyrics. “FRIDAY, turn the volume up,” Wanda said.

I jumped down and leaned onto the counter, shaking my head. Still, as the second verse kicks in, I can’t help but to continue speaking the lyrics, starting to smile as the memories come back and Wanda eggs me on. And I’ll admit it—I’m a bit of a ham. I can’t sing but that doesn’t mean I don’t get into it, interpretive dancing and everything. That’s showbiz, babey.

So, by the second chorus, we’re jumping around the kitchen, yelling the lyrics and for one moment, I feel like I’m back home again, with my friends, goofing around after play rehearsal. God, how far I’ve come since I heard this song for the first time. I pick up the rolling pin from the counter and hold it like a microphone, grinning as I yell “what’s going on?!”

As we’re catching our breath from the second chorus, the door opens and Natasha walks into the kitchen. Wanda is still laughing but I place down the rolling pin.

“You guys seem to be having fun,” Natasha remarks, walking past me to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of water.

“Did you know Willow’s never cooked before?” Wanda asked Natasha. “That’s why we’re making pizza tonight.”

“I’ve cooked,” I said. “Like mac and cheese and stuff.”

“From a box!”

Okay, fair. How many times have you had an actual home-cooked meal? I try to shrug it off. “We always ate takeout at Marty’s. Or like… cereal and plain pasta. His dad was never home, and Marty… couldn’t cook.” I snapped my fingers. “Eggs. I can make eggs sometimes.”

“Sometimes?” Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow as she sat down on one of the couches and opened the bottle of water.

“Well… I… sometimes they don’t come out right.”

“Got it.”

I look back at the pizza, and the cheese has just started bubbling on the top. “Uh… Wanda?” I asked, getting her attention. “The cheese is doing the thing.”

“All right, let’s see,” said Wanda, coming back over to the oven and cracking it open. “Hmm. A few more minutes and it’ll be done. Nice work.” She gave me a pat on my back, on my wings, and I flinched and pulled away. “Oh, sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know…”

The only people that had ever touched my wings had been scientists, and it was never voluntary or gentle. In fact, I could still see scars on them from my recent time in HYDRA labs, scars that I wasn’t sure would ever completely disappear. I went silent again, shuffling back to the pizza workstation and putting more flour down. “Um… is this one also going to be half and half?”

“Yeah. You all right?”

“I fine,” I said quickly. “Uh… Natasha do you want any?” I looked over to where she’s sitting on the couch, having turned on the television at a low volume. “I could make you like a fourth. Or an eighth if I’m really careful.”

“I’m not picky,” she says. “I’ll try whatever you guys give me.”

“Vision?” I ask. “Uh… do you…”

“Eat?” he finishes. “No, but thank you for the offer.”

Wanda and I take the first pizza out in all of its sizzling glory and place it down to cool, while I stand above it, proud. It’s a little lopsided, but we made it ourselves.

[dmitri-smerdyakov]

Family ship meme- newtina and Walter x Daniels

Newtina

* Who’s moreprotective?Tina – hands down. Newt is okay with letting the kids be their own people,with letting them do potentially risky stuff in the case, but Tina is 100% “NOPE,Leo Scamander you get away from that nundu or I swear to Morrigan I will groundyou for a week”* Who’s more carefree?Definitely Newt – Tina is reserved and feels that she has to prove herself,but Newt really couldn’t care less about what society thinks of him or theirfamily.* Who’s the best at maths?Tina – she had to learn a lot about bills/numbers/the like growing upwithout parents and looking after her sister.* Who’s the best at English?Probably Newt, but only because he wrote a book.* When their children are upset, what do the parents do?They comfort them; Tina is very practical about it and talks to themcalmly, talking through what’s upsetting them and reassuring them. Newt bringsthe child down into the case to do something, and while they’re busy hecarefully brings it up. He also knows that if they want some space then to giveit, whilst Tina very-much just wants to get to the bottom of things.* What cheers up the children most?Spending time in the case, especially with both parents down there – also spendingtime with Uncle Jacob and Auntie Queenie and the Kowalski cousins (Jacob makespastries for them and Queenie cooks the best meals ever)* Who works most, and who works least?Oh, Tina certainly works the most – Newt is the stay-at-home parent and heworks on redrafts/new editions of his book when he can, whilst Tina goes outnearly every day to work.* How strict are they?Tina is the stricter one, I feel, whereas Newt is a smidge gentler; Tinahad to grow up raising Queenie, so she has experience and knows a lot of thebasics already. Also, she’s an Auror and a highly-trained one at that – she’dhave to exercise control and discipline.* Private, home, or public school?They’re home-schooled until they go to Hogwarts.* Who spoils the children most?Newt – if the children want chocolate or some other sweet treat, chancesare he’ll get it for them. Leo wants to bring a bowtruckle to bed? Fair enough,my boy, you go ahead. Tina, meanwhile, is tearing her hair out because, “No, hecannot have a bowtruckle in his bed, Newt, he could roll over and kill it!”* How many children do they have/want?In my fics I’ve given them four (one was a little miracle/surprise):Phoenix, Linnet, Leo and Wren…though if I had to rewrite I’d give them lesschildren. They wouldn’t have anywhere near as many as Jacob and Queenie, Ifeel.* Who brings up the idea [of having/adopting children]?It’s something they both think about but with the war they bothsilently/individually decide that it’s not the best time to bring it up…and then,as it turns out, their first baby is a little accident – but a well-loved one.* How do they celebrate birthdays?For the kids: usually 99.9% of the time it’s in the case because they alllove the creatures. Jacob and Queenie bake treats and a birthday cake; Queeniemakes toys or clothes as gifts for the child in question.Newt or Tina: neither of them are really truly very fussed over theirbirthdays, so it’s more of a normal day than anything else – work, children,and in the case. Sometimes they can get Queenie and Jacob to babysit (despitehaving an entire herd of their own) and on those nights then they simply have aquiet dinner together before spending some time in bed (if you get my meaning)* How does everyone show they’re upset?Newt retreats to his case and refuses to speak to anyone or look them inthe eye – usually Tina is the only one who can really get through to him. Tinatries to remain strong when she’s upset, especially around the children, butwhen she’s alone (and alone sometimes includes Newt, actually), she allowsherself a brief moment of crying. Phoenix is very much the same as Tina as heputs on a brave face to remain strong for the younger children; Linnet openlycries, though this happens less often as she gets older - then she is like Newtand retreats into herself. Leo is exactly like Newt as he retreats to spendtime with various creatures – the bowtruckles cheer him up the most. Wren,meanwhile, has to deal with everyone else’s sadness so she’ll find a privatespot to cry before trying to sort things out.* Drinking? Neither Newt or Tina are particularly big drinkers, really, even less sowhen the kids are born.* Do they take their children to work sometimes? (Worded weirdly)Well Newt’s work is in his case, and the children often help him out in thecase so it’s almost every day they’re involved in his work. Tina’s job is fartoo dangerous for that, however…though she did once consider strapping Phoenixto her chest when he was a baby and going to a meeting with him like that (Newtwas caught up with a creature query in Wales and only came home minutes beforeshe left)* Who lays on boobs and who is the one with the boobs that get laid on? (thankyou Megan)WELL, Tina obviously is the one with boobs so if anyone lays on anyone’sboobs, it’s Newt lying on her boobs. HOWEVER, it’s far more common for Tina tolie with her head on Newt’s chest.* Any special traditions, besides holidays?Obviously they celebrate Jewish holidays as well as Christmas, so there’sthat. On the anniversary of the Goldstein parents dying, Tina and Queenie usedto look at photos of them and reminisce – Tina does that with the kids and Newtto keep her memories of her parents alive.* Who has the dirtiest mind? I wouldn’t say it’s dirty butprobably Newt because he’s less concerned about society’s views on sex.* What are arguments between the two SO’s about?“Newt, for God’s sake, the nundu almost took your arm off in front of ourchildren!”(let’s not forget the “Who are you?”, “I’m sorry?”, “Who are you?!”/slamminghim against a wall thing)Other than that, there’s not really any arguments.* What are arguments between the children and the parents about?The children bicker – especially Phoenix and Linnet – over small things (“boysare better!” “no, girls are!”) Leo and Wren aren’t really the bickering type,to be honest. The kids don’t really argue with their parents – though when they’reteenagers, there’s the usual surliness that comes with puberty.* What kind of house would they live in?It’s in Dorset in the countryside; it’s a large house with several bedroomsso that the kids all have their own rooms, it has a wide expanse of field andcountry around so that their creatures can roam outside if need be, and it’svery homey. * Any pets?An entire suitcase of creatures, and then Kneazles; it all started becauseTina and the children rescued an abandoned Kneazle kitten and fell in love withit – now Kneazles are always a part of the Scamander family.* What’s one odd quirk about the family?The fact that they live in a magical suitcase filled with magical beasts;all of the kids learned how to do an erumpent mating dance from Newt, they knowthe Fantastic Beasts textbook practically off-by-heart, and they were oftenbaby-sitted by Dougal the demiguise.* Married before or after having kids?I’ve always said married before because of the time period.* What are some rules in the house?First of all that if Mum or Dad say “do not go near the nundu” then theymean, “do not go near the nundu”. Secondly, if Mum or Dad say “do not take thiscreature out of the case” they mean “do not take this creature out of the case”(usually Tina says it, but still) – and that especially goes for the Niffler.When Mum and Dad say “do not encourage him”, they mean “do not encourage him” –and that means “do not give him shiny things, you’ll encourage him”.* What’s the SO’s ‘song?’I don’t know, to be honest. I’ve never considered them having a song BUT Idid write a fic where Newt came home and saw Tina singing Linnet to sleep with “ByeBye Blackbird” so :D* Some family-shared talents? (I hope that makes sense)Magizoology and an interest in the law/investigative cases; obviously thekids know how to look after magical creatures, but they also learnt from Tinaabout certain Auror cases, about defence and what spells to use. * One thing the kids do that annoys the sh*t out of the parents?“Leo, I mean it, do NOT bring the bowtruckle into your bed!” (Tina). Newtdoesn’t get annoyed easily, really, but he does wish that the children wouldperhaps listen to him when he says “don’t goad the niffler”.Mostly, from both parents, “Phoenix, Linnet, stop arguing”* One thing the SO does that annoys the other?Again, Newt being reckless around certain creatures like the nundu (“damnit, Newt, you have a family now!”) annoys Tina. I don’t think Newt really getsannoyed by Tina or anything she does, to be honest.

 *

Walter x Daniels

* Who’s moreprotective?Ooh, tricky; Daniels is obviously protective because of what happened onthat planet (David, xenomorphs, friends dying) and so she’d be protective overthe kids for that reason. Walter isn’t protective unless he feels that thechildren are directly being threatened – like someone trying to get up in thekids’ faces or something. He’s also protective of Daniels, of course.* Who’s more carefree?I feel once things have settled and the colony starts to thrive, all dutiesare out of the way, then it’s Daniels. Walter isn’t bothered by much, to befair, but she’d be a little looser about things. (“I’m not about to drown inthe lake, Walter, I was a swimming champion in college!”)* Who’s the best at maths?Oh, certainly Walter – for obvious reasons.* Who’s the best at English?Perhaps Daniels? Hard to say really.* When their children are upset, what do the parents do?The children get VERY upset when other kids (or even adult colonists) teasethem and say that Walter is not their father because he’s a synthetic; Walterand Daniels of course comfort them by reassuring them that of course Walter istheir father, DNA doesn’t matter, and Daniels doesn’t share DNA with themeither because they were embryos in cold storage. They tell Jacob and Maggiethat they both love them so much, and that nothing will change that.* What cheers up the children most?Days out by the lake/on the cabin’s porch when it’s sunny, the whole familytogether and just having fun or being together.* Who works most, and who works least?Well, technically, Walter’s systems and functions are always at work, evenwhen he’s simply reading and filing away data. He does a lot for the colony,too, more so than anyone else.* How strict are they?Not particularly strict; obviously, if one of the kids misbehaves then they’regiven a timeout but generally the kids are patient and do as they’re told. * Private, home, or public school?They’re educated with the other children on Origae-6, so…public?* Who spoils the children most?Walter does, unintentionally, because he wants to make the children happyand making them happy involves doing whatever they want. He has some reasoningin his mind to say “no” and judge if he should do what the kids want or not,but he really spoils them unintentionally. * How many children do they have/want?Two – a boy and a girl. Jacob, who is named after the late Jacob Branson,and Maggie, who is named after Tennessee’s wife Faris.* Who brings up the idea [of having/adopting children]?Daniels does because she’s seen how Walter interacts with the children ofOrigae-6, and if she and Jake had both made it to Origae-6 then they would havehad kids someday – it’s something she’d been planning and expecting. Walter is initiallyhesitant because he’s a synthetic and he tries to argue, but Daniels eventuallyshuts down these arguments as being “stupid” and he does come around.* How do they celebrate birthdays?Walter doesn’t have a birthday, though he acknowledges that he has a datethat he was activated on. He has no wishes or desires for gifts – but Danielsdoes stuff anyway. “Everyone deserves to celebrate a birthday, Walter”. Shestruggles to make a cake every year – sometimes she just gives up and buys onein the town – and tries to give him small presents that are usually books. Thebest ones come after the kids are born: they help her make a cake (or they pickone out to buy), and they make presents for him. The best present Walter ever receivedwas a book the kids put together with the help of Daniels; inside werephotographs of the family and drawings that the kids had done over the years,and inside the first page they had written, “To our Daddy, with lots and lotsof love forever and ever and ever, Jacob and Maggie”. Walter keeps all of theirpresents.

Daniels isn’t really a fan of her birthday, but Walter makessure she wakes up to a card with her breakfast and coffee in bed. He andTennessee present her with a small little cake every year (just one candle, noneed for extravagant shit) and they just spend time together laughing. Usuallyends with Walter and Daniels having very heated sex.

Both Walter and Daniels make much more of an effort on thekids’ birthdays, to be honest; it’s the day(s) these blessings came into theirlives, ones that they weren’t sure they’d have (Walter certainly never thoughthe’d be a father, that’s for sure!), and there’s cake with presents. UncleTennessee visits and brings them presents because, to be honest, he spoils theshit out of them.* How does everyone show they’re upset?Walter argues that he does not have the capability for such an emotion –but Daniels knows better. He isalways stoic and well-composed, even when upset – but she knows because of hiseyes, they’re what betrays him.Daniels buries herself in either Jake’s old clothes or Walter’s hoodies beforeallowing herself to cry; there’s something safe and comforting about being inone of these men’s clothes, to be honest. She gets teary-eyed like any otherhuman, but she usually manages to hold it in until later.

The kids really take after Daniels more in this manner; they’llrun to either parent or both and cry as they tell their parents what’s upsetthem. Jacob likes to draw his worries away, and Maggie either reads or hugs herteddy bear (given to her from Uncle Tee)* Drinking? Daniels and Tennessee love to get together and drink, usually beer frombottles. Sometimes, if she’s feeling nostalgic, she’ll drink Jake’s favouritedrink: a bottle of whiskey, straight up, no ice, no water, no chase, “no shit”.Walter can drink and he has a high tolerance for it, but it’s not really goodfor his systems if he has too much at one time. * Do they take their children to work sometimes? (Worded weirdly)Walter takes the kids with him to look after his plants and he teaches themabout each and every one. He also teaches them certain things about physicsetc.Daniels teaches the kids about her terraforming work and biology; they come withher, provided they behave, and watch her as she works in her element.* Who lays on boobs and who is the one with the boobs that get laid on? (thankyou Megan)Well, Daniels has boobs but usually Daniels lays on Walter’s chest.* Any special traditions, besides holidays?Hmmm…birthdays, of course, but then they also have that one day every yearwhere they mourn the lost crew – Jacob, Faris, Oram…* Who has the dirtiest mind? By default, Daniels – Walter has no sexual urges/needs but does enjoy sex.* What are arguments between the two SO’s about?They don’t really argue, though occasionally Daniels snaps at Walter if she’sreally irritated or upset and tells him that he doesn’t understand because he’san android. * What are arguments between the children and the parents about?The only really terrible proper argument that ever occurs is the one time whenone of the kids is upset or angry and lashes out at Walter by shouting that he’snot their father. This pisses Daniels off, she starts shouting, the child inquestion feels guilty after retreating to their room and then apologizes profusely.* What kind of house would they live in?It’s a cabin by the lake. It has a porch, a master bedroom for Daniels andWalter, a room for Jacob, a room for Maggie, and then a downstairs area.* Any pets?Not really, but the family do enjoy observing the wildlife in the area,especially the creatures native to Origae-6. * What’s one odd quirk about the family?Hmmm…other than being raised by a synthetic, there’s not really much of aquirk to be honest…I mean, the kids are really intelligent and they know a lotmore than other kids their age going to school because of Walter explaining alot of things to them (they’re knowledgeable in plants, for example, andterraforming equipment) * Married before or after having kids?Walter and Daniels don’t get married at all; firstly, they don’t feel theneed to – it’s just not something that they feel necessary. Secondly,synthetics aren’t allowed such rights as marriage because they’re notconsidered human.* What are some rules in the house?Normal rules like “don’t fight with each other” (the kids are relativelyclose and don’t fight though), don’t go in or near the lake unless one parentis nearby/watching, don’t play with fire (Daniels especially enforces that one)* What’s the SO’s ‘song?’They don’t really have one? They have a little radio in their cabin thatplays music, and most evenings they’ll sit together and listen – and if a particularlyslow or nice song comes on, then they’ll slowly dance/sway together, juststaring and slowly smiling quite contently.(having said that, don’t play “Take me home” by John Denver around Daniels –she has grown to dislike the song)* Some family-shared talents? (I hope that makes sense)They all are pretty talented with biological aspects such as plant growth,and it comes in handy in helping to sustain life/living on Origae-6.* One thing the kids do that annoys the sh*t out of the parents?The kids don’t annoy Walter, and even Daniels finds herself rarely annoyedby the children – they’re children, after all, and they need patience at times.The only times Daniels is annoyed with them is when they’re consistentlymisbehaving, which is rare, and they’re not listening to her or Walter (again,rare).* One thing the SO does that annoys the other?Again, Walter doesn’t let a lot annoy him at all, and Daniels doesn’t gettoo annoyed with Walter either; the only times Daniels is annoyed with Walteris when they’re debating something – like having children – and he repeatsthings like, “children should have a real father, not a synthetic”. She justgets annoyed because it’s bullshit.

[nothingnoteworthy]

Chapter 2: “Home”

Althea did not enjoy sharing her apartment with a demon. She didn’t enjoy many things, but this was high on the list of things she disliked. She did what she could to ignore the presence. Kept to her own spaces. Cooked. Worked. Cooked at work. Work was cooking. It was a steady chopping, peaceful counting, the smoothness of a knife slicing through carrot pieces, even, crunchy, smells nice. Cool round pieces in her hands. Sizzling with the onions and garlic in the pan. Smells sweeter now, better. Celery went next. It was stringy and less pleasant to cut. But it felt nice whole. Althea preferred putting it into a food processor, letting the machine chop it so she wouldn’t have to deal with the strings much. She dropped the chunks into the pan, stepping back and watching everything soften for a few minutes. Kept her eyes on the pan. Refusing to look up. Whenever she did, Caroline would be looking back. With those big, fake eyes. Dead eyes. Cold. They were there now and Althea knew they were. Ruining the light from the window. Tainting the smell coming from her pan. Awful.

There wasn’t much choice to living with her either. If Caroline was allowed to leave than someone would die. Many someones probably. So she had to stay. Althea just wished there were more rules. Maybe they could keep her in a closet. Chain it shut. Throw those prepackaged microwave burritos that she shoved in her face by the dozen through a small hole. Gross unreasonably sticky burritos. Althea could make better ones. Not necessarily authentic, but she could cook meat and put it in a tortilla. And it wouldn’t be sticky. Why were they sticky? The thought made her skin crawl, trying to consider any possible reason why the burritos were sticky. Sweat kept popping into her mind and that wasn’t making it much better. That was grosser than just thinking about them being sticky to begin with. Maybe if you fried them they wouldn’t be sticky but you still knew that they would be if you put them in the microwave. And how could you eat them knowing that? And- 

“Excuse me, Althea? May I get something to drink?”

The sound made her jump and push her back into the corner. She relaxed slowly. Wren. Gentle, sweet Wren. Warm brown skin and warmer brown eyes. Eyes that never forced contact. She kept to her own space. Looked at your forehead, your nose, your cheeks, off into the clouds and the sky and wherever it was that she went when her face went soft and her mind vanished from the space she stood in. Her arms flexed, squeezing her fingers into her elbow, trying to warm her hands. She’s the only one that found herself very cold. Althea disagreed.

“Sure. Careful. Pan’s hot.” Althea cracked the cap of a box of vegetable stock, careful to keep it away from her. Stock always smelled too much. But it was better than making it herself. That would be messy, and she didn’t have much time as it was. Plus she would have to deal with possibly greasy bags and that was, unacceptable. Greasy textures were the worst. Slimy and sticky at the same time. Boxed was easier, better, faster. It flooded over the vegetables, covering their smell for just a moment. Her knife moved again. It was faster with squash, squash was softer, and the thick rings gave the soup a touch of pretty yellow. She watched Wren out of the corner of her eye, pouring cranberry juice into a narrow glass. Sweet but mostly bitter. It bit you, dried you out. Wren flowed too often towards bitter things. Took too much bitterness in. She avoided sugar, sweet, soft and light. Chocolate was sometimes, but only when it too was bitter. Heavy and Strong. She had plenty of sweetness on her own, smiling at Althea with a bright warmth. But still. Althea wanted to bake her cake. Instead, she decided to bake buttery, fluffy biscuits. Sweet was what she wanted, but savory would do.

She finished the soup in a hurry. Squash went in, then broccoli, then chicken that she’d baked and pulled. Done, ready to be alone, simmer and combine. Then flour. Soft and dusty. It got everywhere and cleaning it was a nightmare. But it was lovely when she was working with it. The butter was less fun. Only flour made it doable. And quick choppy movements. Buttermilk in the center. Mixing again. Sticky but not the wrong kind of sticky. Not the right kind either. Neutral, good and neutral. Althea flicked her eyes towards Wren, perched on the edge of the couch, glass loosely clutched between her hands, with the demon just a bit too close. They were talking about the show. About nothing. Too close. Made folding the dough easier. Pressing flat. Cutting. She stopped, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. A laugh too sharp. A quieter snort. The loud echoing noise of the door being opened and closed.

“It’s me!” Eliana tossed her keys onto their hook, stretching her arms and taking a long breath in. “The restaurant’s going to be packed tomorrow, remember. Tourists are going to start pouring in again. It’s the season!“

Eliana matched Althea’s height but always came across as slight and graceful. Her energy pushed her across the room, slamming into her favorite chair with an electric laugh. The woman was as gorgeous, flawless dark skin, luxurious thick curly hair. All goodness and light. A living sunshower chasing the demon back to the corner of the couch. Wren relaxed. Eliana made her feel safe. Althea understood. Their friend was the real hero of the bunch. The kind that you got a poster of to put on your wall. Althea had one, though she had to order hers custom. When Eliana saw it, she laughed for days. Buying the poster was a good idea.

“I stopped at Mom’s afterwork to hang out and watch tv. Mostly that show where they mess up each other’s cooking with crab outfits or firecrackers or somethin, you know the one right, Althea?” A rich voice, smooth. Althea nodded.

“Yeah. That one and the grocery store one are the best” She hummed. The other poster on her wall. She actually learned her biscuit recipe from the host’s other show. She jumped, remembering her biscuits, tearing the pan out of the oven. Still that pretty golden brown. She needed to remember to set timers. When the house was full it became too distracting to cook without the annoying beeping. Shrill, incessant noises were better than burnt biscuits. These were okay. A little smear of butter and they’d be good. Nice, warm, filling. Tumbling into a soft white napkin in a little metal basket with birds decorating the metal rings. Set gently at the center of the table.

“Hell yeah the grocery store one. I left when they made this one chef use top ramen to make spaghetti. I don’t think that ended well.”

Althea pretended not to notice Wren nearly sliding off of the couch, holding herself up by sheer thigh strength alone, watching the table. No one liked bread quite like Wren liked bread. Especially fresh baked, buttered bread. No matter how often Althea baked Wren always looked at it like she was fresh out of the desert again.

Althea checked the soup, waving at Eliana when she was pleased with the consistency. Wren was first up, as always, lingering by the entry to the small galley kitchen, waiting for Althea to serve herself first. Althea grabbed her favorite bowl and carefully spooned in the right ratio of broth and fillings. Too much broth and she’d leave a puddle to splash around the yellow porcelain. To little broth and she’d be left with mushy vegetables. Maybe a string of chicken or two. She rested the bowl on a small plate, carrying it to her corner of the table. The heat pulsed from the bowl, steam twisting up, carrying warmth and humidity and the deep, comforting heaviness of a warm meal.  The best times were always centered around food. Everyone gathered around it. Close. Together. The fastest track to peace.

Althea gingerly picked up a biscuit, shuffling it in half with a butterknife. Wren sat in the chair next to her, using a bowl that was probably meant more as a serving dish than as an eating one. She grinned at Althea, already grabbing a biscuit and dropping it on a napkin. She bit her biscuit whole, smiling, clearly delighted. If only it was that easy to keep the smile there. Just bake and bake and bake until every bad memory was buried in flour and butter. Eliana had a spoon in her mouth before she hit her chair, nodding approvingly at Wren. As long as it was kosher Eliana wasn’t hard to please either. Althea had never had much problem getting either her or Wren to eat anything that she cooked. It was comforting. She didn’t think she would get rid of the nervous prickling when she watched them take that first bite, but it would go away quicker and quicker. Like Wren’s biscuit. She sheepishly wiped the crumbs off her lips before grabbing another. This one she was a little slower with, lightly spreading butter between two halves.

“Thank you Althea. I could eat nothing but biscuits.” Wren hummed.

“You already do eat nothing but biscuits.” Eliana replied. Wren laughed, quieting with the withering look Caroline was sending her. She set her biscuit down, opting for slow sips of the soup from a deep spoon.

“I could totally do it too though if there was enough butter. For the calcium.” Eliana was still grinning, taking careful spoonfuls of veggies visibly trying to keep the spoon from overflowing with broth. “Although, I guess multivitamins could be used for calcium. But that’s less fun. And less delicious.”

“Are you saying my biscuits need butter to be good?”

“Oh No, I- oh wait you’re playing with me. How cruel. Caroline can you believe this?” Eliana dramatically draped herself against Caroline, resting a hand on her heart. “I’ve been betrayed. How will I ever recover?”

Caroline rolled her eyes, but put on a smile anyway. “How could you, Althea. Our poor, sweet Eliana. She may die from this you know. History has a lot of records of young women dying from heart break.”

“Most of those are like. Plays.”

“Hush Eliana, let your death come quietly. The records are official, from hospitals at the time. That certainly were not speaking from ignorance or mind control or any combination of the two.”

“Oh yeah, yes. Very official. So sad. Am dying.” Eliana nodded, stretching her jaw and making loud exaggerated groans. Caroline raised a hand to her own face, as if dabbing tears away from her eyes. Both seemed intent to carry this on as long as possible. Althea narrowed her eyes and shook her head.

“Oh no, that’s sad. And I think, Dead people don’t do whatever it is you’re doing with your face.” Wren chirped, wiping a spot of broth off their face. “Then again, maybe they do if they’re dying of heartbreak. I’ve never seen that happen.”

“Just say the word and I can show you.” Caroline smiled, batting her eyelashes. Elthea shoved herself back up.

“Thanks for being a creep mate. That’s one way to end a joke. Hope you’re ready for an exciting night of not sleeping. I for one am glad that my life is controlled by adhd and thus I would be awake anyway.”

"Yeah, yeah. Can't we just sit here while Wren eats biscuits." Caroline snarked rocking the chair backward. "You don't even use the night properly. What's the point if you're just going to intentionally attract attention. Why not use the daytime."

"We do, when we can. But some of us work during the day." Eliana pushed her chair in, carrying an armful of dishes to the sink.

"Yeah, because they don't want to do things the right way. I mean. Come on. Don't certain people just deserve to lose a few bucks? From my experience, they hardly notice anyway. Don't you agree Wren?" Caroline cooed, standing up and leaning over the table, managing to make herself tower over the others despite being the shortest.

"I, well, No. That wouldn’t be right. We're trying to be the good ones." Wren muttered, getting up to help Eliana clean the kitchen.

Caroline smiled and murmured so softly Althea could barely hear her. “Try harder.”

<- Last Chapter  I  Next Chapter ->

[guildwarsstartrekskyrim]

Guitar Town

Special thanks to @gulmontjonty

Previously and set before this, this and this.

There's a speed trap up ahead in Selma Town But no local yokel gonna shut me down 'Cause me and my boys got this rig unwound And we've come a thousand miles from a Guitar Town

The small camp was cleared easily. Those bandits that didn’t fight just ran. Most likely they were recent recruits. Shani noted a long time ago that the bandits, and conversely the White Mantle, gave promises of prosperity and even some power to the down trodden. It’s easy to be swayed by words coated in honey when you feel you’ve hit rock bottom. Those ones Shani had some sympathy for, because it’s difficult to find some light at the end of the tunnel, especially when you feel the world is against you to begin with.

Those people she had no problem letting them run. But the so called ‘true believers’, the ones who took in the words of the Unseen Ones, the Justicars, the Confessors. Those ones were the dangerous ones. They were zealots who held such a views that would define cognitive dissonance to a T. They only cared about power and they didn’t really care who they stepped on to get it. If the White Mantle was to continue, then it would be the end of humanity.

As it was, it was very difficult to get rid of such a parasitic disease in society. Even jailing or executing every last member of the White Mantle wouldn’t be enough because someone, somewhere, would hold some sort of sympathy with them.

But today was not the day for thoughts of political resistance or the crushing realities of such an extremist group. Today, Shani, Sywyn and Wren had other things in mind.

As Wren tended the horses, Shani cleared up the camp and searched for anything of value. Sywyn went out to hunt up some food for the evening. Better to get something fresh than subsist on baked beans, flat bread and salted bacon.

As Sywyn returned from his hunt with two pheasants and some fish, Shani finally gave a look around the camp. She sighed as she looked up into a tree and saw a familiar figure lounging lazily like he was born to do such a thing.

“An’ jist how long have y’all been followin’ us, Monty,” Shani said as she stood under the tree where Gulmont sat.

He pushed up his hat and looked directly to to Shani. “Long enough,” he said in his usual quiet manner. With ease he jumped down out of the tree and looked to Sywyn as he carried the fresh kills to a make shift cooking station. His stomach grumbled loudly.

“Care ta join us in a bit o’ supper?” Wren asked with a small smirk.

“Like ya haveta ask thet,” Shani said as she directed Gulmont to the recently set up camp fire.  “I trust y’all was there when thet bomb went off,” Shani said as she moved to the fire and stoked the flames. “Anybody get caught fer it?”

“Not yet,” he replied as he took a seat and watched Sywyn clean and dress the pheasants and fish. “But soon. You can count on it.”

“There will be a reckonin’,” Shani said as she took out her tobacco pouch. “The White Mantle is a festerin’ disease thet has gripped it’s claws into this land more ‘n it should have.”

Gulmont sat down at the fire and smirked as he huffed. “You’d make a good preacher if you didn’t like speechifying so much,” he said, using a turn of phrase Shani often would use.

“There’s a diff’rence b’tween wantin’ ta an’ actually doin’ it,” Shani said as she rolled up a cigarillo for herself. She took note of where Wren sat down at the fire, opposite of Gulmont. There was something there, something that her guardian sister felt around him, but she never pressured for an answer. Thus far, she had no reason to be suspicious of him.

Eventually, food began to cook. Pheasant breast, fish steaks, corn bread, beans and even coffee and tea. The four ate in silence as the sun slowly sank beyond the horizon.

“You gonna ride with us at first light, Monty?” Shani asked as she reached back to her supplies and took out a guitar. “We’re headin’ back up ta Lake Doric through Queensdale.”

“You three’ve left a trail behind you,” Gulmont pointed out. “There’s still trails to run through Queensdale.”

“We’ll avoid the bandit caves,” Sywyn said with a nod. “The only reason ta go through there is ta kill bandits. Or free captives they’ve taken.”

“Which also means killin’ bandits,” Wren said with a shrug. “But if we can avoid ‘em an’ head up through the Reach... b’cause I doubt Lord Beetlestone’ll let us cut through ta Lake Doric by way o’ his mansion.”

“With any luck,” Shani said as she tuned up her guitar. “Thet peckerwood’ll be dead.” There wasn’t much else that needed to be said about such things. Everyone held the same feelings about the corrupted Minister. For now, Shani finished tuning her guitar and began to play.

And hey pretty baby won't you hold me tight I'm loadin' up and rollin' out of here tonight One of these days I'm gonna settle down And take you back with me to the Guitar Town

[nightwingshero]

🌻🌾🍄

Yay!!! Thank you!!! ❤️

🌻 What little things do they notice about people or the world around them? What tiny treasures do they find in the normal every day that makes the world seem a little brighter? Wren notices people’s change in expression and emotion a lot. She can’t read people the way John can, far from it. But she is naturally quiet and observant, also very empathetic. She has a hard telling when someone is lying to her though. She pays very close attention to the nature around her. For example, if she comes across a squirrel, she will stop to watch and appreciate the moment. Those are the things she treasures (and John’s smile/laughter, but doesn’t everybody? 👀)

🌾 Describe your OC through the eyes of someone absolutely head-over-heels in love with them. (YESSSS!!!) Despite all the hardships they faced in the beginning, John would HAPPILY do it again, if it meant having Wren. He’s thought he had lost her before, and he will never let that happen again. She has helped with his rage and anger issues, but if anyone would ever dare to hurt her, that would change real quick, and they would feel the full brunt of his wrath. He LOVES her tattoos, he will trace them early in the morning when she’s still sleeping. It’s why he designed a tattoo for her, his own way of showing her he loves her. It made her cry and he got scared at first, but when he saw that she was happy, he really thought his heart would burst. She’s his everything.

🍄 What are your OCs favorite snacks? Their favorite comfort food which always cheers them up when they’re down? Favorite meal to make? Do they enjoy baking and cooking and are they any good in the kitchen? Wren can’t cook to save her life. She loves the idea of baking, and she’s tried before. She had Jane (a Chosen OC assigned to Wren, they’re close friends) try and help her, but their both miserable. They both ended up banned from the kitchen. (John wasn’t happy). Wren likes brownies, but hates candy. She also enjoys anything potato related and pasta. Especially French fries. But honestly, it totally warms her heart when John cooks her favorite foods, like steak and lobster or lasagna.

[nightwingshero]

🌹 🍄? ♥

🌹 Wren honestly feels most at home with John. Her childhood wasn’t really all that great, so she never really felt like she had a place. Home is where the heart is, you know? She takes that very seriously. She could be anywhere, as long as she’s with him. Although, she’s grown quite fond of his ranch. Can’t say I blame her!

🍄 Wren’s a foodie. She can’t cook to save her life, but she loves to eat. She has a special appreciation for it. Her comfort food is fried food and potatoes. She snacks on sweets, though. Not candy, she can’t stand candy. She likes things more along the lines of baked goods. She tries to bake, but one of her Chosen has to help her. She tried cooking John dinner once...he wouldn’t let her back in the kitchen for awhile.

Thank you!!! 💖💖💖