#And we can hash out the stuff that needs fixin

[cosmoshard]

TELL ME ABOUT TEMPER TEMPER

IM SO GLAD U ASKED :3

This was my pet fic for years, I basically mapped the whole plot down in my notes app and just fixed it up from time to time. THAT BEING SAID, it is old and during my teen angst years so its a wee bit dark~

Its a whole episode of tmnt 2012 where i throw angst bombs at the turtles and force raph to face his trauma of his father dying right in front of him and being ✨The Forgotten Middle Child™️✨/lh

The turtles are in hiding when a mission that Raph and Mikey go on heads south as Shredder goes for the kill and captures Mikey as bait. Raph retreats to the lair to get his brothers but when Leo’s plan doesnt suit him, they part ways until first Leo, then Donnie turn up missing after a heated argument. Raph must seek help from past friends and family to rescue his family, before its too late and Shredder wipes the Hamato clan from existence, forever.

this fic is formatted as if its a lost tmnt episode, bad writing/j and angst material included. It includes his trauma about his father dying, a visit from said dead father CUZ HE NEVER GOT ONE IN THE SHOW,,, his new relationship with Slash, and other stuff. I will admit I didnt know his character well enough back then, so some things will be changed in the original to be more in-character while also giving him the justice he deserves from the fandom…grrhrjtkrgrgrgrgrgjrrhhtgrgrrrr

[thiswasinevitableid]

I had a terrible thought. I want to preface this by saying that I have a difficult time starting new fics when I finish one that I love, even if I’m excited to read it. After reading Metamorphosis, it was difficult to start Falling, and now I am having a similar issue with M&M. Though I enjoy it already and am rooting for the couples! This made me think of reincarnation aus. What if Indrid knew Duck’s soul in a previous life of the latter, but after losing him had to go on?

In addition, Indrid is overjoyed when he realizes he’s finally found Duck again?

Apparently, I’m in a “what if” mood? I was thinking about how Indrid views so many timelines, the way Garnet does. How you mentioned in various parts of the Falling series. What if Duck does follow the “canonical” path, right up until he’s about to leave for Brazil? Indrid living their life through visions of what could have been? BUT THEN, because I can’t stand sad endings, Duck suddenly regains his memories(via your personal choice of magical means) and....(ran out of space)

Okay, so this is wild: A week ago, I was thinking about how I’d do a soulmates/Reincarnation story, because those AUs are not my jam but I was procrastinating (side note: I too struggle to move from one story to another when I read; your brain has to finish the rinse cycle on the universe you were in before starting on the next one)

Behind the cut for angst (with a happy ending) and, perhaps obviously, mentions of death. The fics I reference (for those who spot them) do not, canonically, relate to each other like this but since we’re playing “what if?...

Indrid Cold hangs up the phone.

See you tomorrow?

Is that all he could really think of? But then again, Leo had been in danger prior to that and the whole tree mess is wrecking havoc on his mind. But then again, what could he have said.

Over a century ago, in another life, you hunted me when all my failures turned me to self interest?

Nearly a century ago, I told fortunes in dusty tents and lifted heavy things for their amusement?

As soon as I heard your voice, I knew it was you?

He shakes his head; maybe he’s wrong. Maybe Duck isn’t the man he has loved and lost twice over in his time on earth. Maybe his intuition and visions are wrong.

------------------------------

They’re not wrong. This helps him very little. Because while he remembers, Duck does not. He watches the disgust on his face at the state of the trailer, the fear when he removes his glasses.

Yes, the mess has gotten rather bad. But the first time we met was in a cave.

Please don’t be afraid of me. Please remember all the times you lay in these spindly arms, wrapped in my wings.

Please remember.

Duck saving Billy is so familiar. So like him, and when Indrid sees the argument between him and Minerva play out in the futures hes awash with pride. Stubborn and kind, not nearly as bloodthirsty as fate wishes him to be.

Strong too, if the punch is any indication. 

“I’m gonna save the Mothman.”

You remember. Some part of you remembers. You thought to save me before anything.

“That’s the whole tourism industry of Point Pleasant right there.”

Well, fuck me I guess.

-----------------------------------------------------------

He sits in the trailer for a week after the tree is destroyed. There are futures where Duck comes to apologize, to check on him, to ask for his help.

No matter how many times he plays them over, they do not materialize.

He can’t force the issue. He can’t. He can’t bring himself to go see Duck. The last time, while he never remembered, he seemed as drawn to Indrid as Indrid was to him, their loving blooming naturally as they traveled together.

Duck Newton has fought fate all his life. He’s been hounded to take up a destiny he did not want. Indrid will not be another voice yammering about fate and destiny in his ear. The man he loved, the man he could easily love again, deserves better.

He starts the trailer, and pulls away from the forest.

--------------------------------------------------

The images of the end play out, over and over, as he drives. He tries to drown them out with the timelines he cherishes that never came to be; Duck falling asleep in his arms, Duck kissing him in the snow, Duck seeking him out when everything went to hell.

“It could use some work.”

I will not allow the Quell to take you. Even if you never remember me, never love me, are never even my friend.

--------------------------------------------------

His wings ache, still sore from where something bit them during the fight. He’s staying at the Lodge while the Bago gets repaired (a Quell Rhino went straight through it). Outside he hears Duck laughing, Minivera’s booming laugh underscoring it.

I really did not see that one coming.

Duck is excited for Brazil. He is excited to be with Minerva. He is excited for his future, and Indrid would never, ever, ever take that from him.

“I do not wish to be apart from you. My life has more color, more substance, more futures in it when I am with you. I love you, and I want to stay by your side for as long as you’ll have me. You seem to feel the same about me and wish me to stay. I’m proposing a way that can be true.”

“You’re askin' me to marry you?” Indrid gives the smallest nod as confirmation. His lover turns the ring over in his fingers.

“Well?” Indrids' voice is soft, shy, unsure.

“Mr. Cold, I do believe I’ll accept your proposal.” He slips the ring onto his finger, holds up his hand and watches Indrid slump forward on the table in relief.

Two out of three meetings lead to love, that is more than he could ever dreamed of.

 “Is that what you’d like? For me to carry you away?” Indrid brushes their noses together.

 “So goddamn much.” The strong-man closes the half-inch between them. It’s as gentle and as tender as first kiss ought to be, their lips learning the shape of each other and teasing at the promise of more.

 When Indrid pulls back, pressing their joined hands to his cheek, he whispers, “simply say the word, and it will be so.”

He can’t go back to Sylvain. What good is a seer who can’t let go of the past?

---------------------------------------------

“Indrid? Oh, there you are buddy.” Duck grins at him, setting the box down on the small table in the trailer, “this was stuff they had to move when they were fixin’ it. Didn’t want to chuck it without lettin’ you look through it.”

“Thank you, Duck.” Indrid begins emptying the box, and Duck helps him, setting things in to neat piles.

“Are you excited for your journey?”

“Uh. Yeah, uh, hell, fuck, hell yeah.”

Indrid looks at him, worried.

“I’m havin’ second thoughts. And Minnie and I done nothin’ but fight the last three days.”

“All couples do, I am told.”

“Yeah but this, these feel like bigger fights. Things we need to hash out before we move to totally new fuckin continent.”

“Perhaps you can defer your work? That would give you time to work things out.”

“Ain’t sure that’s a--shit!” The sketchbook turns out to be a stack of loose papers, and they tumble from Duck’s hands. The ranger kneels down along with Indrid, and as they gather them up, Duck’s hands slow.

“Indrid? Why are these all of me?”

With horror, he sees the futures that did not come to pass, but that he drew anyway so he could look at them, held in Duck’s hands.

“They, ah, they were just futures. You must have been having a busy day, or, or something.”

“Hold up, they ain’t just of me. Seems like there’s a lot of us, uh, together. Really together.” Duck blushes, setting aside a page in a hurry as Indrid wills the floor to open up and swallow him.

“As I said, just futures.”

“Futures you wanted?”

“I, ah, I...”

“Wait, how old is this one? Did you so somethin funny to the paper?” Duck holds up the brown and brittle page.

“Huh. That fella looks like me if I were, I dunno, dressin up like a cowboy.”

“Sheriff.” Indrid corrects softly, “that was sheriff Jake Ellis. I man I loved many, many years ago. As far as I can surmise, he is a past life of yours. There was another in between who I, ah, I also loved. Who was also you.”

“........What the fuck?”

“A reasonable reaction. You should go.”

“Wait, Indrid, why didn’t you say nothin?”

“Would you have honestly enjoyed someone saying ‘by the by, we were lovers in two of your past lives, I already feel myself growing attached to you, so please date me because this feels like fate?”

“Okay, fair point, I woulda hated that. Why not stick around then, be my friend, lemme get to know you?”

“You deserved better than my lurking in the shadows in hopes of you loving me.”

“Indrid-”

“Please leave.“ Indrid points to the door. Duck hesitates, then stands and exits the trailer, gait subdued.

----------------------------------------------------

Duck hears the sad chirring start as soon as the door shuts. He turns, heading into the woods. He needs some time to think.

----------------------------------------------------------

It cant be

“Duck? Your, your flight, you missed it.” It’s been a month since he last saw the ranger.

“Yeah. And, uh, Minerva’s stayin with Leo for a bit. Had some things I wanted to sort out in Kepler before I did anythin’ else.”

“Please don’t tell me this is due to my drawings. I cannot bear the thought of you setting aside your life on the off-chance you might come to love me.”

Duck shifts side to side, “Are you at least willin to give me a chance?” He holds out his hand.

Indrid looks at the futures, but they’re too jumbled by his own indecision to be much help.

“Very well. Two months. If you still feel nothing more than friendship for me after that, please promise me you'll forget about me.”

Duck nods, takes his head, “Deal.”

---------------------------------------------

Indrid yawns, pads into the living room still half-asleep. Waiting for him on the table is a vase of flowers and a mega-pack of fruit gushers, along with a note.

Happy six months, darlin. See you tonight.

-Love, Duck.

[oselatra]

A Little Rock late-night eatery rundown

Nine for the nighttime.

The moon is high. The fridge is empty. You haven't had a bite since the early-bird lunch special and you're far too considerate a human being to waltz into a local eatery and order up your dinner 10 minutes before closing time. (Aren't you?) Lucky for you, the late-night dining game in Little Rock has gotten a whole lot stronger, and your options extend far past the realm of smothered-and-covered. Read on, night owl, and patronize some of the fine establishments offering up bar bites and couture fare into the wee hours. 

1. Pantry Crest 722 N. Palm St. 4 p.m.-midnight Mon.-Sat.

The fact that this Pantry Eateries kitchen stays open late is only the beginning. First things first: Happy hour lasts all evening on Mondays, a day when many area restaurants are shuttered. Choice pilsners and pinot noirs can be had at cut rates, along with a bevy of small plates perfect for sharing after a show or when your after-work meeting ran ridiculously late and you're ready to consume the first thing within sight that looks like a carbohydrate. There are the decadently Truffled Deviled Eggs; Pommes Frites; the silky House Made Ricotta, served in the center of a ring of charred bread slices; the house-made Liver Paté; the halved-and-charred Brussels Sprouts with Aioli; that apex of all German comfort foods, Cheese Spaetzle; and, maybe the best of all, the salty-sweet dualism of the Bacon Wrapped Dates on toothpick skewers. The Lasagna al Forno's damned near the stuff of legends; the rotating, one-pot Rustic Bowl is consistently creative; and the house-pressed Country Terrine is a must. (Think: Spam's erudite Parisian cousin.) Even better: It's a place you can comfortably go out for a meal with your friends even during the leanest of months; The Pantry's House-Made Sausage and Bratwurst, topped with mustard and your choice of vegetable lesco or sauerkraut and served on a Boulevard Bread hoagie, are $4.95.

2. Pantry West 11401 N. Rodney Parham Road 11 a.m.-midnight Mon.-Fri., 4 p.m.-midnight Sat.

The Pantry Eateries' first location, est. 2009, is so many things. It's the Zeus' head from which its Hillcrest offshoot sprung in 2014. It's a place to make you feel a little less plebeian after you've just spent an hour in Party City across Rodney Parham Road. It's a place whose dim lighting and internal architecture seem uniquely suited to intimacy; you could hide away in a corner gazing into your beloved's eyes for an entire evening without interruption. It is, in most other respects, similar to its Crest counterpart — a cozy Germanic hangout with consistently delightful small plates. It has a couple of major advantages over its off-Kavanaugh cousin: It serves lunch and is the exclusive spot for chef Tomas Bohm's signature paella, an outsized, jovial celebration of a dish that requires an eight-person minimum and one week's notice to serve.

3. Midtown Billiards 1316 S. Main St. 3 p.m.-5 a.m. daily

Like a great Phoenix with grease-tipped wings and Camel Lights on its breath, Midtown Billiards has risen from the ashes again and again. Sometimes the ashes were metaphorical; the spot's revelry has been broken up by more than one booze-fueled brawl. Sometimes they were literal; the late-night dive and perennial Hub of Bad Decisions was forced to close and remodel after a particularly devastating fire in September 2016. And what were we robbed of in the subsequent months? For one thing, a dreadnought of a sandwich called the "Midtown Burger Challenge" that doubles as a gauntlet thrown at the most voraciously competitive of diners. Therein, challengers work their way through a stack of four beef patties, an entire can of Spam, and two fried eggs layered between buns and all the fixin's. If they do it in half an hour, the sandwich is free; otherwise, they pay $25 for the sandwich and its digestive aftermath. You need not go to such extremes, though, and most don't; Midtown's staple — the plain cheeseburger — will do quite nicely, seasoned with all the oily history of that time-honored flat grill and the sloppy romance of marathon drinking.

4. Dugan's Pub 401 E. Third St. 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun.

The Gaelic saying "Céad Míle Fáilte," literally meaning "a thousand welcomes," greets visitors above the doors at Dugan's Pub at the corner of Third and Rock streets in the River Market district. Named for owner Don Dugan, former owner of Markham Street Grill & Pub, the spacious Irish-inspired pub slings customary bar food, such as cheese dip, nachos, burgers and chicken strips, along with "traditional Irish fare" — shepherd's pie ($8.95), corned beef hash ($9.95) and bangers and mash ($8.95). A large drink menu welcomes patrons with cocktails, cocktail warmers, brews by the bottle and a rotating draft selection. The pub's small slice of covered outdoor patio space is often busy, weather permitting, and Dugan's also sometimes hosts live music. It regularly broadcasts professional and college football games. This corner of the River Market district is also home to Stratton's Market at Dugan's Pub, which offers groceries, specialty foods, produce, wine, beer and liquor, with an emphasis on local products. It's open 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

5. Waffle House Various locations. 24 hours daily

Waffle House, the pervasive diner chain that offers cakey waffles and hash browns served in a delightfully long list of ways — smothered, covered, chunked and, among many other options, the coyly phrased "all the way" style, which combines every option together for what must be a sight to behold — has a familiar appeal that's rooted in the fact that Waffle House is for everyone. Teens squeeze into the booths in the thrillingly empty hours between dinner at home and an 11 p.m. curfew; early risers and folks getting off their overnight shifts line the counter at 5 a.m.; hungover college kids stumble in around noon to slurp down coffee and strips of crispy, greasy bacon, of which the Waffle House website says it slings 341 rashers per minute. The chain is dependable. Waffle Houses are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, so the warm, beckoning lights of each establishment, scattered like its hash browns across 25 states, are perpetually accessible for hungry, bored or weary travelers, drawn to those yellow block letters in the sky like moths to a flame.

6. Four Quarter Bar 415 Main St., North Little Rock 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-2 a.m. Sun.

Bar grub's come a long way in Little Rock in recent years, and Four Quarter — an offshoot of Maggie Hinson's Midtown Billiards family — is leading the charge in the Argenta Arts District. The shotgun dive smokes its own pork and serves the best veggie hash in town. Elevated fare, such as Chicken Cordon Bleu rillades, arrives unceremoniously in those red checkered paper trays you get from food trucks; a pool of otherwise elegantly plated chorizo shrimp cheese grits lands on the table in a styrofoam bowl. It's not unusual at all for the 4Q to smoke a pork belly to perfection, for example, and do something wild with it — batter it up like a corn dog, to pick a recent example. The food's so good it's almost a joke: a high-art-meets-low-art farce. Whatever it is, it translates on the paper plate to a barfly's sweetest dream and a tongue-in-cheek mashup of fine dining with a state fair/gas station nachos aesthetic.

7. JJ's Grill 12111 W. Markham St. 11 a.m.-midnight Mon.-Sat.

At the Rock Creek Square Plaza shopping center at Bowman Road and West Markham Street sits JJ's Grill, a bar/restaurant that could be described as a bizarre hybrid of Applebee's and Hooters. It has a few slogans, including "Do your mouth a favor" and "Boots, class and a lil' sass." In the "Meet Us" section of the restaurant's website, a short video features narration by Jody Thornton, owner of JJ's, as well as testimonials from customers and waitresses (whom Thornton and Andrew Locke, JJ's general manager, refer to as "the girls") about the live music, fresh food and friendly atmosphere. A menu of American bar food favorites is spiced up with some odd originals, such as the PB&J burger ($9.99), topped with grape jelly, bacon, peanut butter and Sriracha. Pricier "serious meals" on the menu include fish 'n' chips ($14.29) and JJ's salisbury steak ($12.59), and there are a variety of salads, tacos and wraps to round out the eatery's offerings. An addendum at the end of the menu asks "Date not hungry?" and lets customers know they can double an order of fries and add three onion rings for $3.29. This section also adds that while JJ's is a "true short-order grill," patrons will have to pay more for extra fixings because "if it costs me, it's gonna cost you." This Arkansas-only restaurant chain also has locations in Conway, Rogers, Bella Vista, Fort Smith, Springdale and Fayetteville.

8. Brewski's Pub & Grub 315 Main St. 11 a.m.-midnight Sun.-Wed., 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Thu.-Sat.

Fratty vibes notwithstanding, the service at this double-decker Main Street pub belies the usual sports-bar mediocrity: The servers and bartenders may not be hip to the ways in which that Brewski's logo was derived from a certain Boston bar of sitcom renown, but they still make you feel welcome to pull up a chair and order a tall one. Wall-filling flat screens surround diners. The beer is served killer cold and the wings piping hot. During some particularly long stints this summer staring (and OK, yelling) at a giant television in the cozy Brewski's basement during the 2018 College World Series, we appreciated the variety of spots to perch on or curl up in: tall stools, low couches, cozy booths or convivial tables. Don't sleep on those cheese curds, either.

9. Ciao Baci 605 N. Beechwood St. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Mon.-Fri., 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Sat.

The cozy atmosphere of Ciao Baci, the Hillcrest bungalow-turned-eatery, welcomes guests to a friendly space that encourages conversation over its tapas-style small plates and appetizers, such as its rich, smokey sweet potato fries basket with chipotle honey ($8) or the utterly decadent baked pimento cheese, served with grilled pita and pepperoncini ($9). These "Ciao Baci Food Favorites," as the menu describes them, are available from 4 p.m. until midnight, while the larger entree plates, described on the restaurant's early fall 2018 menu as "Food Features," are available 5-10:30 p.m. They include an ambitious chef's tasting menu for $45, which, according to the menu, is a five-course progression of "what you should be eating." Other food features, such as the pan-roasted duck breast ($24) or the butternut squash tamale ($14), come paired with well-conceived, complementary side dishes for a satisfying, full-belly experience. Ciao Baci hosts happy hour from 4-6 p.m. daily, and for those in the mood for a cocktail or glass of wine to get through the midweek slump, select bottles of wine are only $20 on Tuesdays and it's happy hour all day on Wednesdays.

A Little Rock late-night eatery rundown

[sadtapas]

Welcome Back! + Umamato Ramen

What’s up, my down and hungry folks!? Look who’s writing here yet again. This is probably my fourth or fifth hiatus I’ve come back from, each time better than the last, possibly, maybe. But the world remains hungry and I remain lonely, so therefore it’s time to spread some deliciousness all over the webbertubes. Since last I’ve recipe’d I moved to Los Angeles, where culinary nightmares of Frankenstein-esque horrors abound (go fuck yourself, hash brown pizza), but I got to hand it to the inventiveness you find here and there. It’s got me inspired. So herewith is a take on a popular LA dish- ramen! With tomato!    

Ingredients:

Noodles. I used Udon here because the store only had those weird blocks of ramen that just look one step removed from packing material.

Chicken broth (can use veggie if you’re veggie)

Tomato

Green onion

Seaweed

Soy sauce, pepper, chili if you like the spice (not pictured)

Okay, so, to start, channel that freshman year culinary mastermind and cook your noodles to the package specification. This usually involves boiling water. Hope I haven’t lost you yet. They usually quick pretty fast so set aside when they’re done.

Now we get to the tomato part, the curveball in this otherwise relatively traditional ramen prep. Considering there’s a famous *cough* overhyped *cough* burger chain with the word in it, I’m gonna assume most of y’all know what umami is. Surprisingly, though they’re often converted into the sugary nightmare of ketchup, tomatoes provide a nice, subtle umami flavor to things. Nothing so wild as parmesan, but enough to get noticed.

Process the tomato into its littlest bits in your preferred blending machine. I have an immersion blender which is dope because it doubles as really grisly home defense. If you’re feeling adventurous and/or you need something, anything, to occupy your time so that you don’t feel the nagging nothingness nipping at your heels and succumb to the paranoia that your existence is just an inescapable vacuum of busywork and lack of consequences, you can add an extra step before processing. Hull the tomato, which essentially means you knife out the core, and cook it in a pan, hole side down, for a while to get some char. This will give you some more tomato oomph, should you want it.

So when you’re done with however you to your mato add the pureed goodnes into your broth. You can take this time to add your preferred seasonings like chili sauce or pepper or, I dunno, tarragon, whatever the fuck that stuff is for. Let it cook as you would cook a soup.

Once that’s done pour it over your noodles in a bowl. Top it off with some green onions and seaweed snacks for that “you could’ve just gone out to a noodle shop and spent a couple bucks on a better ramen bowl” look.

And there you have it! Gotta admit the red broth is really pretty right out of the gate. Toss some soy sauce in if you aren’t worried about how your heart has been beating kind of temperamentally lately. The tomato here adds a light sweetness in addition to its umami punch, making this a lighter kind of ramen as opposed to your usual salty gut bombs. As this is ramen you can of course add your choice of fixins like boiled egg or bean sprouts, but I’m a busy guy what with all my, um, businessings I need to do, since I’m definitely not just eating this in my underwear watching Mystery Science Theater 3000, no, def not.