#IT'S SO DRY AND WARM OUTSIDE I NEED MOISTURE

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

Hi hi!! mm foul legacy is buzzing around my brain againn, brain dump teehee

thinking about Foul Legacy having a partner who adores rain and thunderstorms, always curled up in blankets near a window when its raining, getting excited when it rains, and Foul Legacy just doesn’t get it.

Big Little mothman hasn’t a clue why you like rain and storms, they’re loud and you get all wet, how could you enjoy them?? But he also feels bad when you complain about the lack of rain when the weather is clear skies all day for the second week in a row, he wishes he could help.

Reader and Foul Legacy sitting in a dark room with only candle light, its pouring outside, Foul Legacy is curled up around you as you read a book, idly petting his hair. Oughh my babyy

[📺]

anon this is SO me, i love the rain and the ambiance it provides (and it hasn't rained in WEEKS summer i tell you >:(

Childe really doesn't understand your love of rain- it's cold and wet and tracks mud everywhere! plus his wings become waterlogged very quickly, which is always a pain to deal with. and yet, somehow, you're fascinated by downpours and drizzles. your favorite autumn activity is to perch yourself near a window with a cup of tea and a good book, glancing up at the raindrops sliding down the glass every so often; in the summer, if it's warm enough, you'll go and stand outside with an umbrella during a storm. truly, your behavior confuses him- but he certainly won't complain if it means that you're able to protect him when the weather is particularly fierce, as Foul Legacy hates lightning and thunder more than almost anything

it's not uncommon, especially during the stormier months, to find you and Childe snuggled on the couch during the evening. he's curled around you, rumbling and playing with the hem of your shirt as you read, blankets and quilts piled around him in a comfy mound. the covers are for thunder and lightning, so Legacy can duck under them to hide but still be near you, only his horns and one clawed hand sticking out so he can lace his fingers with yours. storms are too loud and frightening for him, but with you by his side, he feels like he could be brave enough to face the Raiden Shogun herself... just a little bit <33

[cosmal]

crying into Remus' arm after a terrible day- he’d be so gentle and understanding :'(

break down at aldi

summary you break down at aldi and have to walk to remus's flat in the rain. remus warms you up after worrying too much. or just the right amount.

content remus lupin x fem!reader, hurt/comfort

Your knock against Remus's door is tiny. You're surprised you hear him shuffling up the hall after a few seconds of moping outside. Though the surprise doesn't last for long when there's another sob wracking its way up your throat.

You stifle it when Remus appears. He looks tired and soft all at once. Though his tiredness quickly warps into something like worry. His eyes widen, "You're all wet."

Right. You'd forgotten it was raining. You feel a little numb. "I'm sorry, were- were you asleep?"

"No." You know he's lying.

"Can I come in?" you hiccup through another dry sob. You don't know why you're asking. You're tired and you need to sleep. He hums a sympathetic noise and moves to the side to let you in when you step forward. You slowly move past him and stop at his shoe rack to toe your joggers off.

"Don't worry about that, just go sit down, sweetheart." He put his hands on your shoulders to guide you out to his dining room.

"I'll get grass on your rug," you mumble wetly, letting him move you around like you've never been to his flat before.

"Did you walk here?" He ignores your qualms about making a mess and sits you in a chair. You slump into it and it scrapes backwards.

"My," You stop to sniffle, pushing your palms into your eyes meanly, "my car broke down."

Remus moves to kneel at your feet, carefully untying your laces, "You couldn't call me?"

You push into your eyelids until you see stars, "I locked my phone in my car," you sigh.

He takes your shoes and wet socks off, and moves up to grab your hands from your face, "Sweetheart," he coos. He squeezes at your fingertips and it feels nice. It's unexpected. The numbness stretches out and all you can feel is the heat from his skin.

When he wipes the moisture from your face you're not sure if it's tears or rain. You’re sure it's both. Remus stands again and moves to your side to wrap his arms around your shoulders.

"You'll get all wet," you mumble.

"Don't care," he says, squeezing you closer.

"You're in your nice pj's." You look up at him with glassy eyes and Remus feels like he could actually cry with you.

"Dove."

Despite yourself, you push your face into his abdomen and let yourself cry some more. If he wasn't so nice it might be easier to not cry. It's strange. He's so lovely that you cry because you feel like you can.

Remus sets to pushing the damp hair away from your wind-whipped face, tucking strands around your ears. Wiping the water that beads at its ends on his shirt. With your face in his torso, he can get away with making a mess.

“Where’s your car?” he asks, using his hand to hold your head close. He wants you to cry now if you’re feeling like it so he can get you out of your wet clothes without you as upset. He’d rather you not cry at all, really.

“The carpark at Aldi,” you sniffle into his shirt. When you talk all you can smell is him. Like his sheets and the rosehip shampoo you bought for him.

“The Aldi near your work?” he asks. You can hear his own upset he’s trying to hold back.

“Yeah.”

“Sweetheart, that’s 20 minutes away,” he tells you like you don’t already know this. Like you didn’t already walk here.

“I didn’t know what else to do.”

Remus hugs you closer like it’s possible and worries, even more, when you shiver. “It’s okay. Let’s just get you changed, huh?”

You nod and Remus lets you go when he thinks you want him to.

He helps you into some of his clothes. A pair of old bottoms, and a cable knit sweater over the thickest thermal he can find. He gets you on his sofa under at least three soft blankets, and a cup of tea. He thinks maybe he should get you in his lap to make sure you really are warm. He decides against it.

“Warm enough?” he asks once he settles down. You reach for his hand straight away.

“Perfect,” you murmur, setting your head against his shoulder. His shirt soft under your cheeks, soothing the sting of your skin. You relax.

There’s a beat of silence only filled by the whir of his small fan heater on the rickety stool he’d made sure was pulled as close as he could until the cord pulled taut.

He nudges your head with his shoulder, "I'm sorry you had such a shit day, dove."

You push your nose into his arm and breathe him in. "It's okay," you say a little jumbled up. You'd rather stay here in his arm than talk about it. You'd rather be with Remus than do most things most of the time. "I'm just glad I'm home."

Remus's heart swells, "Home." He could die on the spot, he's sure of it.

You know what he means. Remus's flat has been home for you for longer than both of you can remember. It hadn't felt like home for him until you. "Yeah," you say, eyes fluttering closed.

Remus is sure he'll tease you for how quickly you fall alseep around him. He's sure he'll ask you to move in as well.

[e-dubbc11]

Scars

Photos are not mine. They are courtesy of Pinterest/Google.

Pairing: Billy Russo x F! Reader

Warnings: Mentions of childhood trauma, attempted kidnapping, fluff, smooches

Word Count: 1.8K-ish

Summary: Billy comes home while you’re taking a nap, he notices a scar on your ankle and wants to know the story of where it came from

A/N: I found this idea online somewhere. I needed a little help with new ideas and this caught my eye. I hope you like it!

As always, thank you for reading!  I appreciate it so much and comments, reblogs are welcome and encouraged. Don’t be shy to tell me your favorite part. 💕💕 💕

The weather outside your window changed quickly from the early afternoon sun immersing the surrounding buildings in its warm light to it disappearing behind the fast moving gray clouds that swallowed up the bright blue sky.

“Where did the sunshine go?” You said out loud to yourself from your penthouse perch, gazing down at the busy city below.

This time of year could be quite unpredictable as far as the weather goes. Late summer was still very hot, sometimes less humid, and could get a little cool at night into the early morning. But also the sun could be blazing in the sky one minute and the next time you looked outside, your once blue sky was now fully covered in dull gray clouds, ready to rain down on top of you.

And then you heard it, the sound of light rain tapping against the window as you gathered everything you needed to give yourself a relaxing home pedicure. You had the bubbling and warming foot spa, the lavender bath salts, moisturizing lotion, and all of the tools you needed.

Soaking your feet after a long day at work felt wonderful. The hot water bubbled under the balls of your feet, massaging away the stress of your day. As you inhaled sharply and let out a forceful exhale, your shoulders relaxed and your eyes closed, tuning everything out except the rhythmic sound of your own heartbeat in your ears.

Hopefully, you will be finished before Billy comes home.

**********

Faintly, you could hear the rain drumming against the roof. Earlier, that sound had lulled you to sleep and it was also the first thing you heard as you were starting to stir. After painting your nails, you told yourself you were just going to close your eyes for a minute while they were drying.

An hour later, you didn’t even hear Billy come home.

The strong scent of nail polish hung in the air as he walked through the door. Billy called out to you but you didn’t hear him.

“Baby?” He said softly.

No answer.

Meticulously, Billy put his things away…his keys, jacket, gun. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his dress shirt sleeves so he could roll them up to his elbows. He followed the scent of nail polish to your shared bedroom and paused in the doorway to briefly watch you while you slept.

Outside, the sky was gloomy and overcast but inside you were his bright spot. You were the warm afternoon sun that danced across his face and made him smile after his dismal ride home.

Billy carefully walked over to the bed, looked at your newly painted toes and smiled because you had painted them black, his favorite. They shined like patent leather even in the dimly lit room. Your hands were resting on your stomach and he watched as your chest rose and fell gently with every breath you took.

He committed to memory the way you looked at that moment, the soft comfortable shorts you were wearing, his hoodie that you constantly stole from him to keep your arms warm, and he loved the peaceful look you had on your face while you slept.

When he looked closely at your ankle, he spotted a triangle shaped scar that he had never noticed before. Billy thought he had memorized every inch of your body but he didn’t remember if you had ever mentioned how you got that one.

Reaching for you with his agile fingers, he lightly and slowly traced the outline of your scar, while desperately trying not to wake you. Billy had a very light touch but between the rain and the slight tickle you felt on your ankle, your eyes gradually fluttered open.

A sly smile stretched across your lips as you looked down and saw him tracing the scar on your ankle.

“Whatcha doin’, handsome?” You asked.

Before turning his head to look at you, Billy smiled and replied, “I was admiring your fresh pedicure when I noticed this scar and I don’t know what it’s from, I thought I knew every mark on your body. Why don’t I know about this one?”

Billy’s tone was somber and his lips pulled back over his teeth like he was upset that he didn’t know all about your scar.

“It’s just an old bicycle injury, Billy. It’s not a big deal.” You replied and shrugged at the same time as you tried to conceal how nervous you were.

Billy brought his gaze up to yours, his endless brown eyes looked like two black ink wells and the muscles in his jaw tensed when he asked about the scar.

“Tell me, my love.” He said with an uncomfortable smile, almost like he knew it wasn’t JUST an old bicycle injury.

“Billy, I don’t know—“ You had started to say before he interrupted you.

“Just tell me what happened, sweet girl.” He said calmly. “It’s ok.”

Trying to smile, you sat upright in bed with your back resting on the headboard. It had been a long time since you had thought about that day.

It was around this time of year, late summer, the sun was high in the sky so it had to have been around lunchtime or a little after when you were outside playing with your brother and your cousin. You were probably around 11 and the three of you were getting ready to ride your bikes back home from the park where you were playing.

You were the oldest, it was your job to watch out for the younger ones, so you let them ride up ahead of you. Once they had turned onto your street, you felt immense relief that you were almost home and that’s when you sensed a car slowly pull up behind you.

And then you heard that voice.

“Hey sweetheart, you lost? Anyone ever tell you how pretty you are?” He had said with an evil smile.

“Pretty…” Billy hated that word. As you looked over at him, he had clenched his fist, his face was flushed with rage, while he gripped the blanket on the bed so tight that you thought he may rip it.

You couldn’t recall what the man looked like when he called out to you but you do remember his voice. It sounded like he did nothing but smoke cigarettes all day, it was deep, scratchy and made your skin crawl, like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Nervously shaking your head, you said, “No, I’m fine.”

Your heart was leaping out of your chest and you felt the sweat on your brow about to trickle down your forehead when you decided to make a run for it. When you forcefully pushed down on the bike pedal, your foot slipped and you ended up slicing your ankle on the jagged teeth of the pedal which is when another man jumped from the car and tried to grab you.

But you managed to pedal as fast as you could to catch up to your brother and your cousin who were waiting for you around the corner from where the man tried to grab you.

They didn’t follow you and you never saw them again but the memory always came back when the scent of clove cigarettes was in the air, or heard a deep raspy male voice, or felt someone walking behind you.

It was something from your childhood that you never spoke of again until now, not even to your brother or your cousin who were with you that day. And you’ve been looking over your shoulder ever since.

Knowing what Billy had been through as a young child, your entire body tensed watching him seethe with anger. His cheeks were flushed and you could hear him grinding his teeth while still tightly gripping the blanket in between his fingers.

“Billy? Say something, please.” You said, breaking the silence.

He gently kissed the scar on your ankle and crawled from the foot of the bed up to you, pulled you into his chest and kissed the top of your head. His heartbeat pounded against your ear as you melted into his arms and closed your eyes.

“You don’t look over your shoulder when you’re with me, baby.” He said in a slightly confused tone.

You pulled away to snake your arms around his neck and look into his eyes.

With a warm smile, you replied, “Being with you is the ONLY time I don’t look over my shoulder, Billy. Because I know they’d have to get through you to get to me.”

Billy gently pressed his lips to yours which tasted like peppermint. His shoulders relaxed a little as he smiled back and said, “I’ll never let anything happen to you, sweet girl. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted.”

After finally telling someone your secret, the weight of that secret had finally been removed from your chest and you could breathe a little easier now. Your terrifying childhood experience that had been kept inside all of these years was finally out in the open but you were ok with it.

“I love you.” You said in barely more than a whisper as your eyes welled up with tears. “So much, Billy.”

Billy just smiled, lightly brushed his knuckles against your cheek, and kissed you again before saying, “I love you too, sweet girl. And I’ll pay to have that scar removed, just say the word and it will be gone.”

In that moment, you felt so loved, so seen, and understood. All he wanted to do was make sure you were happy, that you were ok, and he would do anything for you to make that happen, even going as far as paying to have your scar removed.

“Oh Billy…that’s so sweet. But my bike probably saved my life, and yes, looking at that scar reminds me of that day but I’m very thankful for that bicycle and the mark it left on me…literally.” You said, trying to smile. “Thank you, my love.”

Although your experience wasn’t the same as Billy’s, he knew it could have been so much worse for you than it was but that didn’t make him any less angry about it. Your only wish was that he had been able to escape his worst nightmare also.

He knew what kind of real life monsters existed in this world and that he may never have had the chance to meet you if they had taken you. You were the person that understood him the most and loved him for exactly who he was. He didn’t even want to think about what his life would be like without you…but he’d never have to.

“Well, if you ever change your mind…” Said Billy, pulling you tight to his chest again.

You would always be there for each other, for love, comfort, or just to listen.

Relaxing into his embrace, you kissed him on the neck, and said with a smile, “I know, baby…I know.”

It felt good to finally let go.

Tag List: @wheresthesunshinesblog @idaoftheburningmind @rafaelakelley @fakehappy27 @snowkestrel @music-indie-tv @kayhi808 @munsonownsmyass @gijos @fictional-hooman @celestialend @nutmeg17 @k-marzolf @vaguekayla @rosaleenablack @danzer8705 @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes @mysteriouslydeafeningwerewolf @aoi-targaryen @rachlovesactors @qu1etwolf

Others that might enjoy: @itwasthereaminuteago @fluffyprettykitty @jvanilly @imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend @mrsbillyrusso @colereads @ittybxttykxttytxtty

If you’d like to be added (or removed from) my tag list(s) for the ever so handsome Billy Russo, just let me know and thank you again for reading! 💕💕💕 If I tagged you but you didn’t want to be, just let me know and I’ll never do it again.

[moonstruckme]

could you please write lily evans with a she/they fem reader who is having a flare up with their skin condition because of the weather getting more humid and warm

(skin condition similar to eczema with dry and itchy skin)

Thank you for requesting !

Lily Evans x fem!reader ♡ 534 words

Lily has confiscated your lotion from you, claiming you’re being too rough with yourself. You’re both sitting crisscross on the floor of your bathroom, knees touching as she works the product into the crooks of your elbows. You have to admit, her hands are kinder, fingertips massaging the lotion into your angry flesh rather than trying to push it in as you’d been doing. Perhaps she’s just more patient with you than you are. 

“You’ve got to stop scratching, sweetheart,” she says, fingers smoothing tenderly over the reddened skin of your arms. “You can’t keep hurting yourself like this.” 

“I think I’m doing it in my sleep,” you admit. Your hair, damp from the shower, cools your shoulders and drips down your back. The aroma of the cookies you’d put in the oven just before hopping into the shower wafts into the bathroom, mingling with the scent of your shampoo.

“We could start taping oven mitts to your hands before bed,” Lily suggests, laughing when you frown. “I’m kidding! Though it might not be the worst idea…” 

“This is completely your fault,” you tell her. “You willed for spring to come early, and now it’s tormenting me.” 

“I wanted for us to be able to go outside so we could have picnics and read together in the park, not for your skin to revolt against you.” Your girlfriend’s tone is jokingly bitter, but when her eyes flit up to yours they hold a timid affection. “I’m sorry, love.” 

You roll your eyes, leaning forward to peck her on the lips. “I forgive you,” you say. 

“Thanks.” She looks as though she really means it, which is terribly sweet and vaguely alarming. She reaches for the tube of moisturizer next to your lotion on the floor. “This is the one for your face, yeah?” 

You nod, and she takes a piece of your wet hair, slotting it behind your ear. You close your eyes as she begins to smooth the moisturizer into your skin, taking special care with your inflamed cheeks. Her thumbs rub in symmetrical circular motions, pausing just near your jaw before beginning to work the extra product down your neck. 

“Does it feel any better?” she asks softly. 

You open your eyes. A bit of pink has colored her cheeks. Not much, but it’s impossible to hide with a face like Lily’s, freckles faded and skin paled from the winter, with coppery hair to contrast. Makes any hint of a flush immediately perceptible. 

You feel your face warm in response. “Yeah, it does.” 

Her lips tilt upwards, a forefinger skimming your collarbone as she retracts her hands. “Good,” she says. She takes your hands in hers, and your palms are both moisturized and soft against each other’s as she stands you up with her. “Now, can you remind me where the oven mitts are?” 

She crosses towards the room and unconsciously, you pivot to face her. A flower tilting towards the sun. “Um, you’re not going to tape them to my hands, right?” 

“Mm, not yet.” She flashes you a beatific smile. “For now, I’m pretty sure our cookies need to come out of the oven. So that first, taping possibly later.”

[seravphs]

ੈ♡˳·˖✶ — AKI x FEM READER 

Aki’s always rescuing you. 

wc — 1k

tags — suggestive 

“Have you drank before?”

“Of course,” you say with more confidence than you feel. You neglect to mention that you’ve only had a sip of beer at your father’s knee, or just one half swallow of a shot from someone else’s glass under someone else’s watchful supervision. 

That someone else steps in to defend you now, as he always does. You feel a strange surge of annoyance and gratitude, always needing to be looked after like a puppy that’s wandered too far from its owner. Aki’s right there to scruff you when you get too reckless. 

“Cut that out,” he says, annoyed. “You’re pressuring her.” 

“Ooh,” Arai smirks. “You hear that, guys? Aki’s got a crushhh-“

He’s cut off by a near collision with Aki’s leg as he gets up to almost effortlessly pluck you off the floor. You yelp as he raises you up so smoothly it’s like it takes nothing out of him at all. 

He’s so cool. 

Aki tugs you away from the crowd and outside. 

“You didn’t have to,” you start lamely, then stop. It’s too awkward. You know Aki always spoils you, but you don’t know how to get him to stop when part of you knows you deserve it. Not his attention, but his overprotectiveness. You’ve gotten yourself into enough sticky situations that he’s then had to bail you out of to protest. 

Tonight alone, he’s taken half the shots that are meant for you. He doesn’t even make you suffer for it, casually swiping it out of your hand before you can bring it to your mouth. It makes you uncomfortable, not with him, but with the care he handles you with. 

Aki’s patient. He waits while you collect your thoughts. It crosses your mind suddenly - an idle thought wondering what would it take for him to snap - before you bat it away like a particularly annoying fly. 

“I feel bad, y’know? You’re always looking after me.” 

“Someone has to,” he says off-handedly before your hurt expression tells him he’s clearly said the wrong thing. 

“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just- You don’t have to feel bad. I’m happy to.” 

He takes your hand in his gently, not thinking much of it. His skin is cool to the touch, a soothing balm against your frayed nerves. You hate work parties. The alcohol makes you dizzy, everyone’s too loud, and the heat is headache inducing. Power’s body is too warm next to yours, and she jostles you with every loud anecdote she recalls. You’d rather be here with Aki on the balcony. Absentmindedly, you play with his fingers. 

Aki’s hands, like everything about him, are elegant and beautiful. His nails are constantly trimmed within a centimeter of standard protocol, as immaculate as the guidebook’s. Denji’s nails are too long because he can’t be bothered to cut them. Sometimes he paints them black because Kobeni told him girls are into that, other times they’re the color of whatever gunk is trapped underneath them. Aki tells him off often for it. His demands that Denji wash his hands fall on deaf ears. 

Aki tries to set a good example, though he doesn’t succeed. He moisturizes every night, slicking his hands up to his wrists with lotion so they stay soft, even in this line of work. The drag of skin over skin is delicate, scented oils perfuming the pulse points in his wrist. His knuckles are slightly bigger than the width of his fingers, making them appear bonier and more fragile than they are. Each finger tapers to a soft curve, his nails ivory crescents.

His thumb presses against the divot on your hand between your thumb and forefinger as he readjusts his grip. Long, graceful, pale fingers belonging to a hand that swallows yours whole. Your throat is dry. The point of connection between you two feels like everything and nothing at the same time. 

With his free hand, he pulls a pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket. This isn’t hard to accomplish with one hand. Lighting up is much harder. Aki struggles to hit the wheel, sparks flying but never igniting. 

You can’t tell if that’s a blush or if the evening light is playing tricks on you. It doesn’t matter. He’s still cool to you. 

Wordlessly, you take the lighter from him and ignite his cigarette. He tips his head back ever so slightly as he takes his first drag of tobacco that hour. 

Addict. 

There’s no rebuke in your thoughts, only fondness. 

You can see the sweet relief on his face as his eyelids close. The profile of his face in the dim flame is stark, shadows like bruises against his cheekbones. Smoke haloes his head. He looks like a remorseful saint from an old painting, the paper yellowed with age around the edges. 

While he’s distracted, you try to sneak a hand in his pocket. He traps you instantly, hand caught between his and his side. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” He narrows his eyes at you, the way he does at Denji and Power when they’re being suspiciously nice. When they do it, it usually means they’ve ruined something in the house. He knows full well what it means when you do it. 

“Getting a cigarette?” You try for an innocent smile. 

“Nice try,” he laughs in your face as he pulls your hand out of his pocket. You grab at it anyways, fingers closing around empty air. 

“But Aki-“

“Actually, stand back.” 

Confused, you retreat an inch. He can’t really be that mad at you for something so small, can he?

“More.” 

“Aki!” 

“Second-hand smoke is bad for you. Maybe you should head inside.” 

His smile is too crooked to be fake. All at once, you realize he’s messing with you. 

“Tease,” you grumble. The wind picks up again and you resist the urge to sneeze. Aki opens his coat and gestures you closer. His skin is as cold as always so it doesn’t help much, but his body blocks out the elements. The circle of his arms is tight around you, his chin hard where it digs into the top of your head. His hands slide to your waist, gentle pressure wrapped around your hips. He smells like ash and tobacco, a little unpleasant but nullified by the warm vanilla spice of his perfume. You know he doesn’t like cologne. 

Aki is muscle, sinew, bone - alive, painfully so. You sear this moment into your memory, knowing all too well what a miracle life is in a profession like yours. 

“Stop thinking,” Aki mutters against your ear, muffled by the stick of his own death he holds between his teeth. 

You obey as his hands creep up your body.

[mapis-putellas]

Don’t say I didn’t warn you

Advent day 12: Carry me?

Paring: sick Yelena x reader

Notes: the longest one yet!

“Come on,” Yelena shouts giddily as the rain water from the puddles soak her legs, spinning in circles with her arms out either side of her. “This is so much fun.”

You watch with a smile -from the very dry threshold of the doorway might you add, as Yelena jumps in yet another puddle. It was currently summer, and after weeks upon weeks of unbearable heat, the sky had finally let loose with a much needed torrential downpour.

It had started of small. Tiny drops of moisture dotting the windows and the cement, then with an almighty roar of thunder, it had begun to bucket it down.

The second Yelena had gotten a glance out of the window after putting away the dishes from lunch, there had been no stopping her. Both her shoes and coat had been left abandoned in the entry way of your home as she’d excitedly run outside, and despite your concerns that this decision might bite her in the butt, you couldn’t deny just how adorable she looks.

Soon, the sound of wet feet hitting the cement catches your attention, and you flicker your eyes over just in time to see Yelena running full speed towards a large, still steadily growing puddle.

Your eyes widen. “Yelena no-” too late. She lands in the very centre, and the power of her feet hitting the water has her absolutely saturated. Seemingly uncaring over this fact, she lets out a loud laugh and wipes at her eyes before turning to face you with a proud grin.

You couldn’t help but return it, not remembering the last time you’d seen her so happy. Knowing she’d be content by herself for a few moments, you disappear inside and grab a few towels from the laundry closet, not intending on letting her back inside when she’d be sure to drip water absolutely everywhere.

By the time you return, she was walking back towards the house looking like an adorably drowned rat, and you hold out one of the towels ready for her to step into. She does, and you don’t miss the sigh of relief that escapes her lips as she allows you to pull her into her arms.

“Did you have fun?” You murmur as you close and lock your front door before securing your arms around the small, shivering blonde, cupping the back of her head with one hand whilst the other rubs up and down her back in a futile attempt at warming her up.

She nods, “So much.” She murmurs contently as she nuzzles her nose into your neck, and you couldn’t help but smile as you press your lips against the side of her head. With the knowledge that she probably wouldn’t willingly leave your arms for at least some time, you bend and lift her with the intention of giving her a lift to the bathroom so she could shower.

“I’m not a baby.” She grumbles, but wraps her legs around your waist anyway, and you roll your eyes fondly as you pat her behind and begin making your way up the stairs.

“Being held doesn’t make you a baby,” you remind her like you’ve done many times before, and though she grumbles, she doesn’t retort knowing you were speaking the truth. Once you’ve made it to the bathroom, you set her down on her feet and cup her face before placing a kiss to her forehead.

Her cheeks flush, and you smile softly as you pull away from her. “Go shower and I’ll make us some hot chocolate, okay?”

“With whipped cream and marshmallows?” She tilts her head to the side, and you nod with a knowing smile.

“Duh.” You retort, and Yelena playfully flips you off before turning towards the shower. Taking that as a dismissal, you turn to leave the room making sure to close the door behind you.

You hum softly to yourself as you begin preparing the drinks, adding a little more chocolate to Yelena’s own knowing that’s how she prefers it. After adding a sufficient amount of whipped cream and marshmallows, you carry both cups through to the living room just in time for Yelena to make an appearance at the bottom of the stairs.

“You should dry your hair.” you say in place of a greeting as you give her a knowing look, sitting down on the couch and picking up the remote. Yelena huffs in fake annoyance as she comes to sit next to you, tucking her bare feet beneath your thigh as she reaches for her drink.

“It will be fine. You worry too much.” She mumbles distractedly as she sticks out her tongue to scoop up a marshmallow, and you watch her for a second before rolling your eyes with a fond sigh.

You knew it was another decision that would later bite her in the ass.

“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” You muse as you select frozen 2 on Disney +, a known favourite of Yelena’s that she would watch at least twice a week.

*

And warn her you did. Just two days later, Yelena had fallen ill with such a heavy cold you wondered just how she was alive. She was severely congested. Hazy with a high fever, and that wasn’t even mentioning the continuous coughs and sneezes.

“Baby, you know the beds a whole lot more comfortable right?” You murmur in quiet amusement as you reach out to gently brush a damp strand of hair out of the sick Russians face.

Yelena simply grunts in acknowledgment as she wipes uselessly at her running nose, and you fondly roll your eyes as you lean down to press a kiss to her warm forehead. “I’ll go get the bed ready okay? You stay here.” You speak, and this time, Yelena doesn’t even acknowledge you. She simply closes her eyes and falls into what you could only assume was a fitful sleep.

You weren’t offended by the action. Yelena was notoriously grumpy when feeling sick, and due to the fact you’d been together for over three years, it was something you were pretty much used to. The same couldn’t be said when you first got together, but that was a story for another time.

With another sigh, -because it sucked when she was sick, even if it wasn’t self inflicted- you leave the living room and make your way up to your shared bedroom. The bed was neatly made, just as it was everyday, and you don’t waste any time in pulling the covers back and knocking the decorative pillows out of the way .

You make sure there were tissues and water readily available on the nightstand before heading back over to the sick blonde, and you couldn’t help but smile when you realise she was in the exact same position you’d left her in.

Well, excluding her nose that was yet again running. Without a word, you grab a few tissue from the box on the coffee table and fold them in half before crouching down before her and pinching the end of her nose in a futile effort to get rid of the dripping snot.

She rouses slightly at the action, her face scrunching up in discomfort, and you quietly shush her with a gentle hand on her stomach as you finish with your task and make quick work of sanitising your hands.

“Time for bed baby, come on.” You reach out and give her behind a few steady pats in a futile effort at rousing her. Yelena whines quietly as she lazily bats your hands away, and you chuckle slightly as you instead reach up to gently pat her upper back. “Lena? Come on. Time to get up.”

Yelena again, bats your hand away, her eyes flickering open and sending you a pretty deadly glare. Before she could chew you out, you scoot a little closer and cup her cheek. Without thought, Yelena falls into your soothing touch, and your lips quirk up at the corners as you trail the pad of your thumb over warm skin.

“Let’s get you in bed, okay?” You murmur, and Yelena sniffles wetly as she gently bobs her head up and down. You release her face and go to stand up, but a gentle whine stops you in your tracks. You look down and see her staring at you with a pleading look on her face.

“What is it baby?” You question, and whilst Yelena’s cheeks flush a light shade of red, she seemingly responds to you with ease.

“Carry me? Please?” She murmurs, and your heart melts in your chest as you immediately nod your head. Normally, it was only ever you who insinuates holding her. So for her to ask, whilst nearly unbelievable, was absolutely amazing.

With a smile, you bend down and wrap your arms around her midsection. You lift her with relative ease, her legs hooking tightly around your waist as she buries her head into your neck. With an arm remaining beneath her behind for support, you bring the other one up to cup the back of her head and press a tender kiss to her shoulder.

“I’ve got you, baby.”

**

@goldenempyrean @alotofpockets @somber-sapphic

[femmefatalevibe]

Hello! I love your blog and would like to ask for your advice. I want to look like an elegant, expensive woman. However, I am having a hard time applying makeup and setting up a skin care routine. Do you have an tips or resources on how to wear makeup elegantly and care for one's skin (for those new to makeup and skin care)?

What are the basic products needed for a dewy, classy make up look? Do you have any tutorials?

What are the basic products needed for healthy, minimal skin care routine?

Thank you for reading this ask! Have a great day!

Hi love! Sharing some of my tips below:

Skin:

Always use a disposable cloth when washing your face: Regular towels store bacteria and can cause breakouts too easily. These facial wipes from Amazon are my holy grail.

Wear sunscreen daily: Yes, even when you spend all day indoors. UV rays can interact with your skin through windows, too.

Niacinamide, Vitamin C Hyaluronic Acid, & Tea Tree Oil are among the few skincare ingredients almost everyone should consider incorporating into their skincare routine.

Learn the correct order to apply the products in your skincare routine: Cleanser, Toner, Serum, Eye Cream, Spot Treatment, Moisturizer, Sunscreen (or Retinol/Skin Oil at night).

Remember: From a dermatologist's perspective, your face starts (or ends) at your nipples. So, ensure you're cleansing, exfoliating, and applying sunscreen daily to your neck, chest, and décolletage to keep your skin smooth, youthful, and well-hydrated.

Vaseline is a great (affordable) alternative to traditional eye creams.

Sugar scrub your facial hair for a more gentle alternative to waxing (Combine sugar, lemon, and water). Laser hair removal, especially under your arms and your arms/legs is life-changing.

Follow up a warm shower with a dry brush and coconut oil for smoother, firmer skin.

Always apply a hydrating lip balm, mask, or Vaseline, hand cream, and moisturizer to your feet before going to sleep.

Layer complementary scents. Ensure the scents of body wash, lotion, and perfume work well together and don't clash.

Makeup:

Learn your skin undertones and educate yourself on color theory (I can create a short ebook/PDF if you want some more educational content on these types of topics – I write about them for a living!).

Test any foundation, concealer, or face powder on your wrists, too.

Don't forget to color-match your bronze and blush: They can appear orange or muddy if you don't find a product with the correct shade or undertones for your skin type.

Invest in products that go on your face, brow products, and eyeliners. Great mascaras and lip products are easy to find at a drugstore or relatively cheap (I suggest Covergirl and NYX, respectively).

Apply concealer in a triangle; don't dot it around your eyes for better coverage.

If you have oily skin (or it's humid outside), apply powder before your liquid/cream products. Set them again with a light powder to lock the color in.

Apply mascara from tip to base for the best lashes of your life: One coat on the tip, another from middle to tip, and the last coat from base to tip.

In a pinch, use a fragrance-free moisturizer and a Q-tip to remove excess makeup (no more raccoon eyes).

Use a light nude or white eyeshadow underneath your brow to make them appear more defined.

Apply face powder under your eyes to help the eyeliner on your waterline last longer.

Create a simple daily makeup routine formula: 1 skin coverage (foundation/concealer), 1 skin color (a favorite blush or bronzer), brows, mascara, an eye-definer (eyeliner or shadow), and a signature "your lips but better" lip shade (1-2 shades deeper or lighter than your natural lip color): This formula provides you the basics, so you never have an excuse not to put yourself together for the day (5-10 minute routine here).

Discover your day-to-night hero product: Always keep a slightly deeper lipstick, a smoky eyeshadow, or liquid liner in your bag to transition your day look into the evening with one portable product.

Hope this helps xx

[ros3ybabe]

Current Skincare Routine(s) 🎀

I have a morning skincare routine and two separate night routines depending on the day of the week and what skincare products I use. For example, on a night I use my AHA/BHA toner, I do NOT use my retinal eye cream. I'll also include some tips that work for me at the end!

My skin type leans more towards Oily-Combination!

🩷 Usual AM Routine -

If I washed my face and did skincare the night before, I simply splash my face with cold water and pat dry with a clean towel. If I did not do my skincare the night before, I wash my face with the Cerave Hydrating Face Wash. This is the only face wash my skin likes, but I'm still looking for alternatives for my night routine!

Once I dry my face, I use the IUNIK Centella Asiatica Calming Gel Cream moisturizer. My skin loves this moisturizer. It helps with my redness and makes my skin feel so nice.

After that's soaked into my skin a bit, I rub in a layer of the Beauty of Joseon Rice and Probiotics SPF 50 sunscreen. I put this on my face and neck!

I typically apply a 2nd layer after the first one drys for some extra protection if I know I'll be outside for a bit during the day.

Cocoa Butter Vaseline or Blistex on my lips for some nice, not chapped lips before I do makeup and/or apply lip gloss/lip stick.

My morning routine is super simple and quick because I usually just want to get it done and move on with my morning. I still enjoy it, tho, because it makes me feel accomplished early on in the day!

🩷 PM Routine: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat

I have an app that breaks down my skincare routine so I'm doing this off memory and what I remember from my typical routine for these days, but I do know these four days are different from the others for sure!

Occasionally, I will double cleanse and use my Hiemish All Clean Balm to remove sebum and oil impurities, but I'm not sure how I feel about this cleansing balm yet.

I wash my face with the Cerave Hydrating Face Wash using warm water and do a final rinse with cold water. Of course, I pat dry with a clean towel. I am looking for a water-based foam cleanser to follow the oil cleanse, so if you have any recommendations, please let me know!!

I then use two cotton balls to rub some Cosrx AHA/BHA Toner along my face to remove dead skin and then I spray some of the toner on my face, patting it in gently with my hands. I have to be careful with my eyes cause it will burn them if I get it in my eyes.

While the toner is still a bit damp on my face, I pump some Cosrx Snail Mucin Essence onto my cheeks, forehead, chin, and a little on my nose and pat it in gently.

I let the essence dry a little bit and then apply some Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid serum while it's still damp. I pat this in as well, as it's better for absorption than just rubbing it in. I used to use the ordinary brand one, but omg, the Good Molecules one is so much better, in my opinion!!

I need to buy a new one, but occasionally, I'll use a niacinimide serum on my forehead, nose, above my upper lip, and chin as those are my more oily areas. I used to use The Oridnary Niacinimide, but I want to try to Good Molecules niacinimide.

Next, I use my Cerave Eye Repair Cream (the blue one) under my eyes for extra hydration while the hyaluronic acid absorbs into my skin.

Depending on how I'm feeling, I'll use either the Cosrx All in One Snail Cream or the Etude Soon Jung 2x Barrier Moisturizer to lock in everything. I usually choose the Cosrx Cream as I prefer it, but it again depends on how I feel!

A little bit of vaseline to end the routine so I can wake up with soft lips!

I feel like this night routine is more complex then my other night routine but it always depends on the products I use.

🩷 PM Routine: Tues, Thurs, Sun

I do not oil cleanse and instead just wash my face with the Cerave Hydrating Face Wash, patting dry after rinsing with cold water.

I then use some of the I'm From Rice Toner, patting it into my face. I layer this one on twice, being careful with my eyes cause this one will burn them like crazy.

I follow up with the Cosrx Snail Mucin Essence, patting it into my skin.

Next is the Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid serum.

After the serum dries down, i apply a quarter to a half pump of the Beauty of Joseon Retinal Eye Cream underneath one eye and another quarter to a half pump to the other undereye areas, patting in gently while avoiding my actual eyes. If there's any leftover I gently pat into the surrounding areas. I'm not sure how my whole face will react to retinal so I'm careful with this one.

I then rub some Cosrx All in One Snail Cream over my face to lock in all the other skincare products and moisture.

A little bit of vaseline to the lips to ensure smooth, soft lips when I wake up!

I haven't noticed a difference with the retinal yet due to my inconsistent use but I do like how it feels the first few times after I use it, so I plan on continuing it.

Now, for some Tips:

Pat your face dry, never rub it with a towel. Rubbing it causes friction and pulling on the skin while patting is way more gentle on the face.

Initially wash with warm water but always final rinse with cold water. A while back I heard this helps with your pores, so I've just always done it and it makes my skin feel nice, especially in the morning!

Try to use either paper towels or a departed face towel (not your body towel) when drying your face. I myself use a separate towel for my face that I wash 2x a week and my skin doesn't typically break out.

Brush your teeth before applying skincare! This way, you don't disrupt the skincare surrounding your lips when brushing your teeth, flossing, or using mouthwash.

Always wash your hands before starting your skincare routine to minimize bacteria getting on your face.

Always try to patch test and figure out what works best for your skin, never just use what's viral or popular because not everyone has the same skin type. I feel lucky that my skin typically likes most products, but my skin is very picky with cleansers. I haven't found a cleanser besides the hydrating cerave one that my face likes. (The B.Lab Matcha Foaming Cleanser was so stripping my face turned red and peeled in certain places, a definite no go for me.)

Korean/Asian based skincare typically focuses more on hydrating the skin, while Western skincare tends to focus more on drying out the acne. I personally, as you have read, love Asian based skincare. Most of what I use is Korean skincare, and I'm still looking to expand my skincare collection because I love it so much!

Do your research! When I find a product that interests me, I watch pintetest and tiktok reviews, read the reviews on the actual shopping app, and read as much as I can on the Asian Beauty subreddit before making a purchase. I also like to read ingredient lists, application directions, and details on products, and I always Google what products can and can not mix together. it's helped me determine what to buy and what not to buy, and so far, my skin has loved it!!

Try to wash your pillowcases at least once a week and avoid touching your face with dirty or greasy hands. Also sanitize/disinfect your handheld devices/audio devices (cellphones, iPad or tablets, headphones, etc), eye glasses/sunglasses, and really just keep anything that touches your face as clean as possible. All of this helps to minimize how much bacteria and dirt make contact with your face.

Research different things that may help with improving skin. Ice rolling, gua sha, silk pillowcases, physical exfoliates, face masks, etc. Look into stuff that might help your skin or make a difference in your skins appearance and health.

This should've been higher up, my apologies, but drink your water!! Staying hydrated on the inside definitely shows on the outside, and being hydrated is an essential component to health overall!!

Wear your sunscreen!! Apply it in multiple layers to both your face AND NECK, as both are exposed to the sun for long periods of time and can suffer from prolonged exposure without proper sunscreen application. Along that line, don't be afraid to apply skincare to your neck!! I've seen photos of older individuals who took care of their face and not their neck and the difference between face and neck skin was astounding, so I personally like to rub excess hydrating serums and moisturizers into my neck as well.

Don't pop your acne! If you do get pimples, which I used to get all the time tho it's slowed down a lot, use a warm/hot washcloth or something similar to apply heat to the pimple. This will help it pop naturally, although popping your pimples may allow for the oil, dirt, and sebum to spread to other areas which may cause more acne. Popping acne with your hands may also cause scarring.

Love your skin!!! Skincare results take time, and there's going to be ups and downs while trying to find what products work for you, so try to love your skin throughout the process. Acne and other skin issues are caused by things sometimes out of our control, such as genetics, hormones, climate and weather, etc, so try not to be too hard on yourself!! Things will improve, and if they don't, after some time, seek out a reputable and trustworthy professional for an opinion and better direction on how to care for your skin!!

Wishing you all the best!! Does anyone have any experience with ice rolling or Gua sha being extremely effective? I haven't tried either, but I am looking into it as I feel like ice rolling, especially, might be beneficial, but I'm unsure. And can anyone recommend any Asian beauty water-based foam cleanser that I can use after an oil cleanse? I fear that my cerave isn't enough to fully remove all the cleansing balm residue from my face, which might end up being detrimental to my skin health.

Also, let me know your skin type and products or tools you recommend, as I am always open to including new things into my routine!! I love doing things for myself so expanding my skincare routine is definitely an interest of mine!

Til next time, lovelies 🩷

[transmogrified-in-the-void]

The Powered Universe: Chapter 2

Leto feels the air behind her arm surge forwards as she tries to hit Malcolm just below his sternum. His hand grabs her curled fist and holds her arm still as he moves his knee closer to her now exposed stomach. A sudden wall of air shoves its way into his body. He falls onto his back, Leto’s fist still securely in his grip.

She jerks forwards, and grunts as the twin soles of thick leather boots make contact with her ribs. Not hard enough to break anything, but she’s definitely going to be bruised tomorrow. The boots dig into her as Malcolm pulls her into them using her arm, and she’s lifted off her feet and flung forwards and over her prone Mentor. 

She uses some strong wind to keep her from falling, and to help her flip around in time to dodge the hand zipping towards her face. She catches the elbow that tries to hit her. Wind sweeps Malcolm’s feet from under him, and she shoves him to the ground. One leg over his shins, the other on his chest, and both of his hands pinned in hers, Leto grins in victory.

“I think I win this one.” She says, and Malcolm’s face gains a horrifyingly familiar grin.

“Do you?”

He swings a leg out from under Leto and raises it up. Stumbling slightly at the sudden change in balance, he curls his leg around hers and pulls it until she falls forwards. Rolling behind Leto and onto his feet, Malcolm grabs one arm and kicks her to the ground. Using her free arm, Leto pushes her and Malcolm into the air. 

She twists her arm out of his grip, and watches as he falls down again. This time, though, she pushes air up under her feet to keep her airborne. 

Malcolm looks up at her, his brows downturned slightly as he chews on his lip. Then, he nods and starts clapping.

“Good work.” He says. “Now, how do you go down without falling?”

Leto looks down. At ten feet, as long as she distributes her weight nothing should be broken. But without falling?

She takes a step forwards, and the air pushes against her foot as it ‘lands’. She takes a step down, and the same thing happens. And another. And another. 

Her feet hit real ground. Malcolm gives her a congratulatory pat on the back. “Take a shower. I’ll meet you outside.”

With that, he walks out of the training room, leaving Leto alone, panting as exhaustion starts to reach into her joints. 

She leaves her hair down after getting all the excess moisture out with the facility towels. It’s a lighter brown than her Mom’s, so are her eyes. Her long, pointed nose is the only part of her Mom that she got.

The sensation of fingers running through her hair startles Leto, but turning around she sees nobody else in the changing room. She shivers, turning back to face the mirror, and dry hair hits the back of her neck.

Oh.

She whispers a small thank you, and smiles a little as a curl of warm air brushes against her face. She finishes putting everything back into her bag, and swings it over her shoulder as she finally leaves for the day. 

Malcolm is waiting outside for her, leaning against the wall by the door with a cigarette between his fingers. He glances at her, and hums something. He lets go of his cigarette as it lights up a blinding white, and disappears into ash. 

“What are you doing?” Leto asks him. He’s never waited before. 

“I heard you graduated last week.”

Leto has to take a moment to fully process his words. “Yeah, I did.” She pulls her bag strap so that her bag is behind her instead of at her side. “Why?”

He stands up straight. “You turned eighteen this spring. Your contract with AHA states that starting at the start of next month you need to spend the next two years dedicated to Hero work. No job, no college.”

Leto’s heart skips a beat. “Am I compensated for any of that?”

“After your first year, when you get your tier assignment. Or if they let you get an office job, which they’ll only do if you end up being hopelessly incompetent.”

Leto grabs onto her bag strap to hide how much her hands are shaking. Her Mom didn’t let her work until this point because she wanted Leto to focus on school as much as possible between Hit training. She was going to get a job this summer. Was. She can’t.

Because of a contract her Mom signed when Leto was not even ten years old. A contract that she’s never seen. A contract that has defined her life for nine years. And will continue to for the next two, at least.

“Walk.” Malcolm’s harsh voice breaks through Leto’s catastrophizing. He’s a few steps ahead of her already, and she quickly falls in stride beside him.

Leto looks straight ahead. “Why didn’t you say this sooner?”

She can feel Malcolm’s eyes burning through her skull. “Why didn’t you?”

“What teenager in high school doing essentially four hours of extracurricular every day is going to think to go look at some piece of paper signed almost a decade ago?”

“A responsible one.”

Leto feels an incredulous laugh leave her mouth. “I don’t know what kind of childhood you had, but most high schoolers don’t have to worry about contracts and legal or financial repercussions of them. Not to mention, until now, I’ve only been told that I have a required number of hours per week training.”

At the mention of childhood, Malcolm’s steps halter for just a moment. He glances at Leto with an expression she’s never seen on his face. She thinks maybe he’s going to say something, but he just looks forward again and resumes his pace. 

She walks beside him in silence for the next several minutes, taking the occasional turn into a part of the city she’d never explored before. 

It’s…unremarkable. It’s not grungy or disheveled, nor neurotically clean and precise. There’s a clear amount of care put into keeping the buildings up, but not enough to power wash them every month, or even every year. Some of the apartment windows have taped up decorations, some are covered by curtains or blinds, some are just left empty. The business signs are clean, but not sterilized. Many seem to be small, hole-in-the-wall shops and restaurants, and there’s a few people wandering around inside the open ones. 

“Where are we going?” Leto asks as she realizes that she’s been following Malcolm almost blindly. 

“A friend’s. We’re almost there.”

“Why?”

“They’ll be able to help you.”

“Can I talk to my Mom first?”

Malcolm falters for a second time. That look from earlier shows up again too, and Leto raises an eyebrow at him. She stops walking and crosses her arms, trying to look confident. “What, didn’t expect that I’d want to talk about this to someone?”

He shakes his head. “No, no, not that. Just,” He looks off into space for a moment, “just forgot. You can call her now, but we- I can only meet them tonight. You can-” He groans as he rubs a hand over his face. “It’s complicated. For me. Call your mom, if you want, but we need to meet them tonight.”

Leto can’t help the curiosity that comes over her at Malcolm’s stumbling and stuttering. In the almost two years that he’s been Mentoring her, not once has he ever lost his composure. Not a single slip up in the cool, detached demeanor that he held up, and now it’s started to crumble.

She gets her phone out of her bag, and calls her Mom. She watches Malcolm as it rings, and rings, and rings, and rings. His face settles back into its typical impassivity.

The person you have called is not available.

“Hey Ma, I’m probably going to be late tonight. Malcolm is taking me somewhere. I’ll send you the address when I get there. Love you.” She puts her phone in her jean pocket, and looks at Malcolm. “Okay, take me to this super important person that you can only see tonight.”

He doesn’t even deign her with a response before continuing his previous pace down the sidewalk. It’s easy to catch up with the sudden distance, since her stride is longer than his, but it’s harder to cross the now uncomfortable silence between them.

The more she thinks about it, the more off her Mentor has been this whole impromptu journey. He seemed normal when they had sparred not even an hour earlier, so what changed? Did he learn about her contract stipulations while she was cleaning up? Or did this elusive friend of his let him know they were available? Maybe some third, even more secret thing she can’t even dream of happened.

Malcolm stops in front of an apartment complex. Leto watches as he stares at the call buttons mounted next to the front door, and tries to search his face for any change in expression, something to let her know what he’s thinking. Not a single muscle twitch as he raises a finger and presses one of the buttons. 

“Who is it?” The speaker crackles as someone’s voice filters through.

“It’s me.” Malcolm answers, and there’s a moment of silence as the person on the other side seems to think about it.

“The speakers are shit. Me who?”

He groans in frustration, the most emotion he’s outwardly expressed outside of when she lands a particularly good hit. “Malcolm.”

There’s no response from the person on the other side. The front door’s lock clicks, and Malcolm opens it and gestures for her to go first. The door clicks shut behind them, and Leto follows Malcolm up the stairs one slow step at a time.

One floor.

Two floors. 

Three floors.

Not a single word is said between them as they step onto the fourth floor and start walking down the hallway. It’s tense, at least on Leto’s end. She doesn’t know what Malcolm is thinking, or feeling, or if he’s even doing any of those things at all. 

He stops in front of door 418. Leto stops behind him, and watches as he hesitantly puts his arm up and raps on the door once.

Silence. He goes to knock a second time, but the sound of heavy footfalls stops him. The sound of a chain rattling, and a deadbolt sliding back is followed by the violent opening of the wooden door, revealing a person who immediately slams the door shut when she sees Malcolm’s face. 

Leto almost jumps out of her skin at the sudden sound. Malcolm knocks on the door again, this time hitting it more than once.

“Fyn, come on. At least let the kid in.” He begs, and there’s an edge to his voice that Leto didn’t know he could have. “She has nothing to do with this.”

The door clicks open again, and Leto actually gets a good look at them this time. They lean against the doorframe, brown arms crossed over their chest. Their worn fingerless gloves curl around their fisted hands, which show signs of mild burn scars. Their braided mohawk falls in front of their face slightly, which is the only reprieve Malcolm gets from their fierce glare. 

They have ten visible piercings in total. A pair of snake bites that look like bats, their ouroboros nose ring, three hoop piercings in each of their upper ears, and one earring in their right ear that looks like a spider hanging down on silk. Their vest and jeans are covered in various patches of all shapes and sizes, and there’s the hint of tattoos covering various scars on their chest that the vest barely covers.

They’re the coolest person Leto’s ever met in her whole life, and they look like they want to kill Malcolm where he stands. Their dark brown eyes move away from Malcolm to stare right at her. Their expression softens, and they sigh

“You can come in.” They move to the side to let Leto in. Their glare returns as they see Malcolm start to turn away. “Both of you.”

Her mentor’s jaw clenches, but he turns and walks ahead of her into the apartment. As Leto follows him in, Fyn gives her a small, gentle smile, and closes the door.

The apartment is small, and tidy. There’s no furniture outside of the table and couch, although there are few bookshelves that hold an eclectic collection of items. There’s a few succulent plants, some handmade figurines, and a few pictures and pieces of art put into cheap frames scattered amongst various trinkets. A couple frames are put face down, and she notices a thin layer of dust on top of them as she sits down on the couch next to Malcolm.

Fyn drags the chair at the table in front of the pair, and sits down in it. “So.” They cross their arms and lean back in the chair. Their dark eyes are staring right at Malcolm, who is refusing to look at their face. “What do I owe the pleasure?”

Leto looks at the man sitting next to her. His hands are in the top most pockets of his pants, and his eyes are staring at some blank spot on the wooden floor. Fyn shifts to lean forwards, elbows on their legs. They turn their attention to her.

“I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Fyn.” They smile at her gently, and Leto feels some of the tension rise away from her shoulders.

“Leto.” She returns the introduction with a nod. She glances at the shelves. “I, uh, like the plants.”

Fyn’s smile reaches their eyes. “Thanks. I’m sometimes out of the city a few days at a time, so it’s easier to have something that doesn’t need to be watered as often.” The reach to the side and pick up a small round cactus. “And some of them make great improvised weapons.”

Leto looks at the door, which has two different deadbolt locks and a chain in addition to the key lock. “You didn’t lock up after us.”

“That’s because he’s here.” Fyn nods to Malcolm, who still hasn’t looked at them. “Y’know, Mal, a little heads up would’ve been nice.”

He shifts a little bit. “I didn’t know where you were until a little bit ago, and I didn’t know how long it’d be before I had another free evening.”

They hum dismissively. “Yeah, I know. I had to put my address in the incident report, and the big old HA would never let you talk to me after-”

“I know, that’s why I’m here now. Shit, Fyn, I’m trying.” Malcolm interrupts them, and finally meets their gaze. “Can’t you see that?”

Malcolm has never looked or sounded more desperate in his life. Leto doesn’t think she should be watching this, hearing this, experiencing this complete deconstruction of a person who’s been nothing but distant and put together. Fyn hasn’t even done anything, not from what she’s seen in the few minutes she’s been here. 

“I can’t, Malcolm. You look like shit, you brought a fucking child here with no explanation, you’ve completely retracted from not only me but everyone else over the last who knows how many years. Mal, why’d you bring a kid into this?!” Their voice slowly starts to get louder as they go on, and they gesture wildly at Leto. “She has nothing to do with our bullshit, much less yours, so why are you getting her involved?”

Malcolm looks at Leto, then back at Fyn. “She’s going to get involved no matter what. She’s my mentee.”

Fyn scoffs, and leans back into the chair. “What a great job you’re doing at it.”

Malcolm’s fists clench, then unclench, and he releases a loud sigh. “Fyn, look, be as mad at me as you want, but I think Leto would benefit from having someone like you in her life.”

Leto whips her head to look at him  with as much visible confusion as she can muster. “What? What does that mean?”

“I’ve seen where you live, and I know how much your mom works. Fyn is separate from all of that.” He looks at them. “And they’re also one of the most hard working, kind people I know.”

“You don’t know me.” Fyn argues. “You haven’t known me since we were 19.”

That starts another argument between Fyn and Malcolm, one which both of them refuse to back down, but Leto isn’t paying attention. She feels sick, and faint, and she wants everyone to shut up, and then she passes out.

First Chapter

Give me a Ko-Fi!

[vykker]

Oddworld Headcanon 5/?: Vykkers Labs is Hot and Sweaty

I was gathering pictures of vykkers for drawing references when I noticed something. Why are their outfits so threadbare and nasty? And how come some of the vykkers we see in-game are ass naked? Their most valued business partners are, I assume, the Glukkons, and the Glukkons take fashion & clothing extremely seriously.

Pictured: My Favorite Boys in their tattered rags

Well, what do we know about vykkers? From an evolutionary perspective, not much. We know they're descendants of some arboreal prey species, that's about it. If we extrapolated on this, we can assume they're jungle dwellers. Jungle = big tree.

Jungles are [generally] hot and humid. A creature that evolved to live there would probably not need to wear clothes to keep warm. They might even find the sensation of clothes unpleasant if they're unaccustomed to it. If you were used to swinging around naked in the tree tops, you'd probably find clothes to be smothering and itchy.

Thus, I postulate that vykkers keep the Vykkers Lab thermostat at a comfy 80 or 90 degrees, which is about the temperature of the Amazon in spring. Not only is it a comfortable temperature to them, but it allows them to do work without having to wear clothes, which they apparently hate. I mean, look at Headley the Auctioneer and his stupid little haircut. He wants to look refined, he's dressed in his finest attire, and it's still just shirt cuffs and bow tie.

Now, there IS an outlier to this idea, and that is our beloved Doc Vykkers from Stranger's Wrath. He's dressed a little more conservatively. That being said, his outfit is still just a body-wrap type thing with a hat. He's not wearing shoes or gloves, and his legs and forearms are bare. I guess you could say that his body wrap is air-tight and made to conserve moisture in the dry desert climate, but that's basing a speculation off of another speculation to try and make my theory fit, it could be as simple as he just likes wearing clothes. [Or my theory is wrong.]

Speaking of humidity: I believe the vykkers prefer their environments nice and humid. However, I don't think they need to do anything specific to keep humidity where they want it. As we see in the first levels of Munch's Oddysee, a massive area of the ship is dedicated to a hydroponic spooce farm.

This massive flooded system, combined with the vykker's preference for warm places, would practically turn the Labs into a sauna. I imagine a human entering the labs would feel disgusted by the air in the Labs, and if a visitor were wearing glasses, they'd immediately fog up.

Having Vykkers Labs be an unexpectedly hot and muggy environment would increase the discomfort of non-vykker workers and experiments, making the Labs even more unbearable to work in, probably even nauseating. The whole place would also stink. High humidity and temperatures are the preferred breeding grounds of bacteria, mold, and funguses. If you walked through Vykkers Labs, I think you'd alternate between smelling whatever slime is growing in the walls, and the extremely toxic chemical cleaners they use to disinfect the place, trying to keep said slime from taking over. That's not even including the smell of blood and medical waste. Vykkers don't seem to have nostrils, but I think I recall Humphrey complaining about "the smell" after Irwin leaves a fuzzle on the burner. Maybe you just get used to it when you're so dedicated to pursing science.

When wealthy visitors hop over to Vykkers Labs, I imagine they're taken to special quarters of the ship that are dehumidified and nuked with air freshener.

There's more. Vykkers Labs is not exactly air tight. Aside from all the rusty paneling we see in the labs, we're also shown massive bay doors on the outside where people can exit and enter. There's also the Poop Chute, where they dump waste, and in the concept art, the bottom center of the ship seems to be hollow.

I think Vykkers Labs consumes a LOT of water. The hydroponic vats keep dehydrating, and the vykkers aren't exactly about resource conservation. I imagine that Vykkers Labs will periodically lower close to the ground in order to collect water. They probably drop a massive hose from the middle of the ship and suck up entire lakes at a time. Ecosystems have died just from them topping off the tank one Tuesday. Not only that, but on summer mornings, when the sunrise first hits the side of the ship, you'd probably see a massive cloud of steam rise from it, like when the sun hits the pavement after a rainy night. A mudokon on the ground, looking up at the sky, would see a trailing white cloud approach, something massive and dark spinning inside it.

[your-dose-of-obidala]

Your dose of Obidala - The hut

I have no clue where this came from. It's a first part, I guess. Maybe there'll be more. Who knows with my muse? Not me, certainly. Tell me what you think...

tw: angst, post-partum depression, hurt/comfort

They live in a hut.

In the first year, the walls of the hut are brown. The walls are rough and she pulls a face whenever she touches them accidentally. The hut is made of some type of clay, Obi-Wan explains but she turns away, dismissing the information outwardly.

She still doesn't talk to him if she doesn't have to.

He endures it with soft features, not a hint of bitterness around his mouth.

Not like she who lives on bitterness likes its sustenance.

The hut is not only brown and ugly and dark, it's also small.

It's smaller than any housing she ever lived in. The whole thing might fit in her childhood bedroom. It's too small for two adults and two babies.

Every time the twins wake her, he wakes too.

And without fail, he takes one, while she takes the other. She doesn't ask, she doesn't have to. They don't talk in the middle of the night. (They also don't talk during the day.)

Dusk is cold and clammy here and she hates it more than the days.

Because at night they have never enough blankets and she is always cold. They always sleep near each other out of necessity, the babies between them.

She is never warm anymore. She misses her planet and the green lushness of it. She misses the luxury of Coruscant. She misses Anakin and his warmth.

*

He is good with the babies.

But she would be good with them too if she could sense what they need.

*

She is getting better.

The first half year was hard. She hated nursing them. Hated their demanding, scrunched-up faces and their wailing that could only be stopped when she fed them her nipples.

She knew she waited too long to feed them and by that time they were ravenous and thrashing their heads from left to right blindly searching, searching like baby birds. Her breasts were raw and bloody and she felt a deep-seated aversion to her own children that made her recoil when she tried to think about it.

She cries in the darkness when she nurses them, her back to him, so that he might not see. She knows that he knows. You cannot hide in a hut this small.

He can feel her sadness, she is sure. Just like he can smell the curdled milk and the salt of her tears.

Moisture always comes with a smell in the desert.

The midwife says her children are always hungry because her milk is not nutritious enough. She cries and nurses them, cries and nurses.

"We can feed them Bantha milk," he says, in the darkness behind her, like it's a secret.

And somehow she cries harder, as if by taking this one act of kindness she is admitting to one more failing.

"Padmé," he whispers. ", did you hear?"

She nods her head. Her hair is matted where she lays on it and it rubs against her wet cheek. One of the babies is still biting her nipple. It hurts. It always hurts. And she can only bear it by telling herself she deserves it.

She thinks of her sister feeding her niece, and imagines her tranquil face and kind smile. Not once, did she feel like this.

The tears flow.

If she could nurture her children on her tears they would be fat and happy.

*

The hut is ugly.

Its colors are brown and beige and grey and brown. Always brown. Everything is rough and dry. But the hut means comfort because it's cool inside during the day and holds warmth during the night.

Obi-Wan works outside during the day and his skin is chapped at all times.

During those first weeks, his skin is burnt from the sun to a worrying degree. He never complains even though she knows that it must hurt. He is too fair. But the sun changes him. His pearly white skin turns red and angry and then a ruddy unbecoming tan.

"Sit down," she says, but doesn't wait for him and starts putting ointment on his face. He winces. It must hurt. Her fingers aren't gentle.

"You have to put this on your skin before you go out."

He doesn't say anything.

"Did you hear?" she asks and grabs his chin, the bristles of his beard rough under her fingers. She meets his light eyes.

"Yes," he says, and because he can't pull away he closes his eyes. In defeat?

Strange how powerful that makes her feel. There is a sensation in her chest, hot and achy and new. She lets him go as if burned by his skin.

"See to it!" she snaps, unable to look at that face: The burnt skin, the rough, dry patches with the ointment settling into it.

Maybe, she thinks, he is doing it on purpose, so she will tend to him.

Just to feel something else.

*

He uses the ointment and she doesn't have to touch him anymore.

And why should they touch? They never did before.

But the smallness of the hut, the constant touching of the babies, makes her realize what is painstakingly obvious: They don't touch because they fear that they wouldn't be able to stop once they started.

*

After the first year, he whitenes the walls.

One morning she rises, bleary-eyed and in need of kaff and he is already at it in the living room. He is only wearing beige pants that hang loosely on his hips. How didn't she notice how much weight he lost? She can count his ribs, could touch them, and feel them moving under the skin.

But what is even more fascinating is that there are constellations of moles on his skin.

She is transfixed by how white this secret skin of his is. She never sees him like this.

She has the urge to put her brown hands on him.

She shakes her head, trying to put this thought to rest.

She fails.

And thinks of it. Again.

And again during the day.

*

The first time she rides him is in the pitch-black darkness. They are only bodies and he helps her to slake her desperate lust.

She couldn't possibly say what he thinks. She only feels that he is hard, just like she is wet. And she knows they fit and it makes her feel whole.

He could be anyone, during those nights. But strangely, he never is.

She never imagines him to be anyone else.

Come to think of it, she never even considered it.

Her hands curl into his chest hair, certainly hurting him, but he doesn't say anything. Let's her. And she imagines his face, not anyone else.

His face.

In the morning she wonders how this could've happened.

Like so many things in her life, she lets them be, ignored but not forgotten. Ready to be considered at a different time.

Just not today.

It doesn't take Obi-Wan long to whiten the walls.

Maybe, she thinks, fucking him was her way of saying thank you.

She considers it, then dismisses it.

She will think about it some other time.

The thing about Tatooine is, that you have all the time in the world.

[foxgloveprincess]

Relaxing Spa Self-Care

Word Count: 530

Warnings: Barely Any Editing, Mildly Suggestive Themes, So Much Fluff (you might barf). Minors do not interact (18+).

Divider by @firefly-graphics.

I love feedback, so go ahead and reblog if you want. No permission given to copy, translate, rewrite or post my work, at all. I cross-post to my AO3 account (FoxglovePrincess). Seeing this anywhere else means it’s been stolen/plagiarized.

Please DO NOT click ‘Keep Reading’ if you are not 18+ years of age. Thank you.

You weren’t expecting company. When you told Ari you would be having a spa day in the bathroom, you didn’t think he’d want to step foot near it. But here you are, sitting on the counter, grinning with you eyes closed as he uses a soft, clean makeup brush to paint the mud mask over your face. Your nose scrunches and you hold back your giggle as the bristles tickle your cheek.

“All done,” he says with a boop to your nose with the brush.

Your eyes flutter open and you smile at the man in front of you. His face painted with the slowly drying green of the mud mask, luscious locks pulled back and slathered with his homemade moisturizing mask—one which he offered to share with you. You didn’t use it, not this time, but maybe next time after you research the ingredients a little. Though, boy, did you enjoy helping him cover his head. Detangling his hair and carding your fingers through to cover each strand.

“Now we gotta let it sit and then wash it off,” he recites from the label, holding the container to the light and squinting to see the fine print. There are already dry patches of the mask on his face, his applied before your own. He reaches to the counter and sets his timer with a flutter of his fingers. “What should we do to pass the time?” His eyebrow quirks in a suggestive tilt.

You laugh, batting him away when he leans forward to wrap his arms about you. But his hold finds you anyway, tickling your sides and dragging you from the counter. You have no choice but to follow.

He brings you to the shower, opening the glass door and putting you on the floor before the shower bench. Your brow pinches in confusion—until he settles behind you and his hands find your shoulder.

The groan you release as he begins to massage is almost pornographic. You don’t know how he knows, but the way he squishes your muscles and kneads out the knots melts you into putty.

“Seems like you need someone taking care of you,” he comments, trailing his fingers along your spine. You sigh and rock your head backward, finding his knee on which to rest. “I’d be happy to oblige, any way you need.” The words he whispers in your ear spark a tingle which travels down you spine and settles in your core.

He wraps a hand around your throat with the other cradling you in your position against him. You hum, letting your eyes close. A blissful eternity passes before the timer rings and you’re brought floating back to reality.

“Let’s get cleaned up, starshine,” he says, coaxing you up and helping peel your clothes from your frame. They get tossed over the top of the shower, plopping onto the floor outside. He does the same for his before turning the knob and letting the water flow and warm.

Steam clouds your vision, already hazy from Ari’s attentions. In the heated stream, you clean each other with soft loofahs and sweet smelling soap until everything feels sparkling and new and light.

[ladyhoneydee]

30 Day Song(fic) Challenge: Day 29

It's the penultimate day of my Song(fic) Challenge! And today, for once, I'm not even late! The prompt for today was "A song by your favorite artist right now". I don't really feel as though I have a particular favorite right now, so I went with an old standby: dodie. Although she has some absolute bangers with a great deal of emotional storytelling, her song "Air So Sweet", which I've loved since it was just a little demo five years ago, captured the exact peacefulness I needed tonight, for myself and for my writing.

in the light and the air

Game: Tears of the Kingdom, post-game

Pairing: Zelda/Link

Word Count: 1080

Keywords: peaceful, happy ending, domestic bliss

It was an ordinary night. She’d had dozens like it in this summer alone; hundreds over the years since they were finally freed from the pitiless jaws of fate. She would have dozens more before the apples in the trees began to drop, and the nights began to crisp and chill and remind her of the air of her almost-endless flight. And yet, with the earth beneath her hands and the air caressing her hair; the water droplets gracing her still-drying legs and the fire of his presence and skin warming hers…this was all she needed.

Read the fic on Ao3, or under the cut!

Hateno summers were notoriously long, warm, and sticky. The moisture from the ocean would rise under the heat of the sun, and get pushed inland by the westward-blowing winds. It’d linger, heavy and wet, over the fields, unless a storm swept over the land in its place, and leave the air clear and sparkling after its passage. Even in the evenings, the humidity could linger heavily in one’s lungs, like a breath held so deep it couldn’t be fully expelled. 

Zelda often chose to spend these nights outside, as the stars blinked their eyes open above her head, and the moon rose to greet her with cool rays that made her horns shine silver. She would sit on the familiar wooden porch, or take a nude dip in the pond in front of their house, or climb a tree to fulfill that intermittent craving for the sky. 

Tonight, she chose to run.

She’d not bothered to put on any shoes on her way out. The thick, scale-lined callouses on the pads of her feet saw to it that very little debris could injure her. Instead, as she dashed up the Firly Plateau back towards their humble home, she could feel every cool tickle of the summer-plush grass beneath her, kissing her heels with each thudding impact upon the welcoming earth. Any twig she landed on snapped cleanly beneath her weight and added delightful percussion to her sprint. The roughness of rocks underfoot only supplemented the symphony of texture.

The night air was so, so still; sweet with the perfume of wildflowers and wetness on her every inhale, and she gulped and gasped for more, eager, eager, eager. She couldn’t get air like this in the heavens she’d flown through for thousands of years, with its preserving, frigid thinness; its presence in the lungs like icy knives of a deathless Death. Only down here, on the surface—as herself—could she inhale pure Life. 

She relished in the sensation of her body. The way it felt to run on two legs, with toes instinctively gripping to and pushing off from the earth; with the echo of impact ringing in her knees as they absorbed the pounding of her footsteps; with the call-and-response of the muscles in her left calf stretching and thigh pulling as she bounded forward, followed by the return of the melody in the right. The sinuous swinging of her tail behind her like a metronome. The burn in her diaphragm and lungs at the lack of air even despite how deeply she inhaled. The tightness of her core muscles, held firm to keep her strong. The reaching swing of each arm, and the warm clenching of her fists, each finger nestled in tightly. 

It had been years since she’d last had to call upon the golden power of the goddess, although she knew it still coiled deep within her, nesting somewhere in her stomach lining like a divine ulcer. When she ran like this, so in tune with Life that it felt like her very soul was rising from her body to sing with the currents of the air and the beating heart of the earth, she could taste a very different flavor of gold: the pure honey of sunshine, rather than the blood-tang of metal. Something all her own.

She crested the final hill, and the familiar taupe stucco of their house came into view. In the air, she could taste rather than smell the dissipating dregs of smoke from that evening’s cooking fire. From the singular window visible at this angle, a gentle light glowed: one of Zelda’s favorite beeswax candles. And above, the stars, fully fruited in the night sky, washed her in light like the softest of summer rains. 

Laughter, breathless and joyous, bubbled up from her chest. It only crescendoed further as she ran straight into the shallows of the pond, feeling the shocking splash of coolness on her shins and spraying all the way up to her torso with the force of her entry. She submerged up to the knee. The water soaked the tea-length, sky-blue skirt of her home-stitched dress, and she didn’t care one jot, letting it swirl around her as she turned to face north, over the glowing windows and darkened fields of the town she called hers. 

Little by little, the temperature cooled, and the air lightened as the humidity bedded down for the night. The shadows of the pond’s fish emerged cautiously from the holes they’d fled to at her tumultuous entry, although they gave Zelda a wide berth from where she still stood in the shallows. Sunset fireflies, with their quintessential gold-green hue, gathered in the yard; bioluminescence below to duet with the stars above. 

Finally beginning to shiver from the chill, Zelda waded slowly from the pond, and sat in the sweet summer grass. It accepted her form—tail and all—like a hug. She watched the glide of the moon across the sky. 

The wooden door swung open behind her and to her right. She could barely feel the impact of his footsteps through the earth, but she could hear the way the grass whispered around his legs as it parted for him like an old friend. 

He sat beside her, and the ember-glow of their touching knees sent her soul spinning into the air once more. She lifted one dirt-smudged hand from where it propped her up to rest it atop his own, feeling his fingers staggered between and beneath her own like the interlinked logs of a cabin, shaped and reshaped by their wholehearted efforts until they fit together just right.

It was an ordinary night. She’d had dozens like it in this summer alone; hundreds over the years since they were finally freed from the pitiless jaws of fate. She would have dozens more before the apples in the trees began to drop, and the nights began to crisp and chill and remind her of the air of her almost-endless flight. And yet, with the earth beneath her hands and the air caressing her hair; the water droplets gracing her still-drying legs and the fire of his presence and skin warming hers…this was all she needed.

It was what she had forced herself to survive for, for all those long years, even when it was a distant dream her dragon-self wasn’t even capable of calling up. 

And it was what she lived for now, in this life that was, at long last, all their own. 

[willtheweaver]

A writer’s guide to forests: from the poles to the tropics, part 4

Goodbye long winters and weeks of darkness. Hello familiar territory, or at least familiar to many people.

Temperate/ Seasonal forest

A place many people, even those from the city, will have some familiarity with (including yours truly, so apologies if I show any favoritism or put more information about this environment than others.)

Location- Mid-latitudes worldwide. Seasonal forests closer to the equator exist only at higher elevations. Many forest areas have been heavily altered by human activity.

Climate- Temperate. Conditions change throughout the year with a define warm period (summer), cold period (winter), and in-between (spring and autumn). Weather conditions vary as well, going from wet to dry throughout the year.

Plant life- Tree types can vary, with some areas dominated by oaks, beech, and maple, and others with a mix of evergreen and deciduous. Birch, willow, and cottonwood grow abundantly in lowland and marshy areas. In areas where the canopy is open, or areas where wildfires have recently been, various wildflowers, shrubs, and bushes grow. Denser areas have forest floors dominated by ferns, and mosses and lichens grow wherever there is moisture. Where humans have practiced fire suppression, the forest can be unnaturally dense and choked with living and dead trees.

Animal life- In terms of the number of species and biomass, seasonal forests are teaming with life. Insects are everywhere, with swarms of certain species emerging in the spring and summer months (think of mayflies and cicadas). Seasonal and permanent water sources are the perfect place for frogs, salamanders and turtles. Small animals, such as squirrels scurry about the trees and the forest floor. Birds, both permanent residents and seasonal migrants are a common sight. Because leaves are more palatable than conifer needles,herbivores of all sizes are abundant. Deer are the most common, and Europe is home to bison (aurochs used to live amongst the woodlands and planes, and current work at resurrecting the species means they may soon roam again.) Due to human activity, large predators such as bears, wolves, lynx, cougars, and tigers have disappeared from many forests. This has had a detrimental effect, as the overabundance of herbivorous species mean that there are fewer small plants and saplings, and from there, causing a cascading effect that decreases the abundance of many species.Forests in isolated islands, such as New Zealand, have become host to invasive species that have brought about the extinction of endemic wildlife.

How the forest affects the story- This is an interesting question, as history both recent and ancient have shown how individuals and societies have interacted and altered the seasonal forests to suit their needs. Your characters may have to deal with more than the seasons .Where does your story intersect with past decisions regarding altering the forest? Do your characters diverge from what has happened and treat the forest differently? What would it be like interacting with a full and healthy biosphere in contemporary times. Of course, you can also set your story in a time when the forest has already been altered. Have your characters ‘escaped’ from modernity recently, or are they part of a society that has lived in the forest their whole life, and they prefer not to have contact with outsiders? What happens when worlds collide? Will there be conflict? What about characters coming together and engaging in forest restoration? And remember, what happens in our world can equally apply to a fantasy or sci-fi one.

[kakushino]

Who I am - What I feel - How I feel

Tw: depression, passive suicidal thoughts, gore imaginery

This is something very personal to me. I have been struggling with mental health problems for years until it all came to a head two years ago. I've been on medication since then, and am able to somewhat manage the symptoms.

This is not a call for help, nor do I want pity. This is simply how it is for me during my episodes of depression, which still do happen. Everyone experiences it differently, this is just my version.

I like to say "It is what it is," because there is no other way for me to be.

The 'he' is my comfort character. I've never been comforted during my lows, but I wanted to be, once upon a time. I don't think I'd be able to handle it now.

At times, I felt unworthy.

The warmth inside of me didn’t feel natural. It didn’t feel like my organs worked to keep me alive with each breath, each beat of the heart; instead it felt like rot, like decay of my flesh from the inside out. 

It felt like I couldn’t breathe too deep for the fear of ripping myself apart. 

I curled closer around the blanket, it serving as a substitute for someone, anyone, who could hold me in this time. 

I felt alone, lonely.

I’ve been laying in the bed since morning, it was dark outside now.

I didn’t move except to roll over to the other side or check my phone for notifications. There were none.

I didn’t know if I could handle any notification either.

I didn’t know if I could handle any one person seeing me like this. Maybe I could, but I wouldn’t want to talk to them; I just wanted quiet and I wanted this to end - I wanted this feeling to end.

My mouth was dry, I didn't feel any hunger, I shouldn’t feel any hunger.

Why was I taking up space?

Why was I even… alive?

I knew deep down that I was too much of a coward to do anything about it though. There was simply no will; there was apathy and the sickly and wrong warmth of a slowly-rotting body on a too hot and too cold bed at the same time.

The oversized t-shirt felt too rough on my skin. The mattress was too soft, too hard, too much. The blanket I was hugging was too warm, too-

I was too much and not enough at the same time.

A teacup cracked and spilling everything it was supposed to hold. A useless teacup. A teacup that should not be.

The door opened.

“I’m home.”

Fuck.

He shouldn’t be home now. I should get up. I should go greet him as I always do.

“Dear?”

Move. Get up.

His steps came too close and I knew he saw me. I tried not to move, imitating sleep.

"I know you aren't sleeping."

I exhaled softly and hummed. 

"Is it one of those days?"

Warm hand touched my shoulder, but stayed there. I was grateful for that, anything more intimate would make me cringe and feel like I'm tainting him with myself, with my filth.

I couldn't handle touch at all right that moment.

"What do you need?"

The softness of his voice created a lump in my throat; my breath hitched, moisture gathering in my eyes. I couldn't answer. The only reaction I could give was my ragged breathing, suddenly too emotional, when before, I was just a sludge of apathy.

His hand disappeared, and he walked away.

I suppressed a sob, tears slipping one by one. 

Did I want him close? Or did I need to be alone?

I didn't know.

I felt so fucking guilty.

He didn't deserve this. He deserved someone who could support him always, who would love him with everything they have - not a walking corpse, spreading ruin to all she touched.

I heard the shower running for a time, laying there, crying, gasping for breath.

When it shut off, I shut off myself too. He didn't need to see this pathetic thing I was. 

I calmed down my breathing while he rummaged in the kitchen. My stomach hurt a little, reminding me I didn't eat all day, nor did I drink anything.

I was too tired to get up.

I would just eat something tomorrow.

It wasn't like I deserved to eat anyway.

His steps neared me again. The bed dipped. He set something on the night table and then I felt his warm hand again, turning me over. I rolled onto my back, but I was too ashamed to look him in the eye, staring at his clavicle instead.

"Are you with me?"

I blinked. "Yeah," I whispered, voice breaking. It echoed strangely. I should have stayed quiet, my presence was too disturbing, too wrong.

"Did you take your pills this morning?"

I couldn't remember.

I'm sorry, I wanted to say. I shouldn't be your burden to bear. I shouldn't be.

Rough calluses scraped against the skin of my cheek. A thumb swept over my lips, making me open them instinctively.

A sigh. 

I closed my eyes. I wouldn't be able to watch his pity.

He helped me sit. Embarrassment flooded me.

The crinkle of pill platter.

I'm just a burden, aren't I?

Two pills were pressed past my lips; then a glass with water.

His thumb traced my lips again, collecting the drop of water stuck there. 

I still couldn't open my eyes. I still felt too hot and too wrong. I still felt rotten and rotting.

"Let's get something in you."

He hand-fed me, piece by piece. Sweet grapes, my favorite snack. We didn't have those yesterday.

It felt too much.

Tears fell one by one, and he hugged me, he pulled me to lay in his embrace, not speaking and not judging.

I snuggled close to his warmth, exhaustion weighing down my muscles, my bones, my soul. Each breath felt like a chore, empty and not refreshing at all. 

But it was a breath.

I didn't know if I needed this or if I needed something else, but it was what was given, and I couldn't do anything about that. I didn't deserve it, but I was going to take it anyway. 

Like a little thief.

[ataleoftwopitties]

5 Tips to Keep Your Dog Warm in the Winter

Invest in doggy outerwear - sweaters, hoodies, jackets, vests, even shoes! There's a whole market of pet clothing nowadays. One of our favorite brands of K9 outerwear is Canada Pooch

It's important to note that not every dog's coat may be enough to keep them warm in the winter - especially puppies, small or hairless breeds, elderly dogs, or those with health issues. Just like with people, pets' cold tolerance can vary based on their coat, body fat stores, activity level, and health. Pets with heart disease, kidney disease, or metabolic diseases like diabetes and Cushing's might also have a harder time regulating their body temperatures. 

Protect your dog's paws when it's snowing. Boots can help minimize contact with the ground and prevent snow and ice from getting lodged between their toes and causing frostbite. Like chapped lips, cracked paws can be annoying and painful, and built up snow and ice can irritate their sensitive skin between their toes.

It might feel awkward at first for some dogs, so try to use positive reinforcement as they try to adjust to wearing their boots. Offer high-reward treats so they can learn to associate good things with their boots - when the boots are on, good things are going to happen! :)

If boots still don't feel right for your dog, you can try applying paw balm or petroleum jelly-based products like Musher's Secret to keep your dog's paws safe and moisturized.

Just always be sure to wipe down and clean your dog's paws thoroughly with with a warm cloth when they come back inside. Sometimes salt and anti-freeze are put on sidewalks and driveways, which can cause chemical burns on your pet's paw pads or gastrointestinal issues if they try to lick it off.

Limit their time outdoors. Winter walks aren't always so magical. Know your dog's limits and shorten their walks if needed. If you can, reserve walks for the warmest parts of the day.

Signs to tell if your dog is too cold: - Shaking, shivering, or trembling - Hunched posture with tail-tucking - Slowing down or reluctant to walk/move - Lifting their paws off the ground - Whining or barking - Ears and nose feel very cold to the touch Even if you decide to leave your dog in the car while you run an errand, it can still be dangerous if they are left for too long without any heat support when its below 30 degrees F outside. While cars can trap blazing temperatures in the summer and open risk for heatstroke, they can also trap freezing temperatures in the winter and open risk for hypothermia. Perhaps try to sit in your car without a jacket and see how long you can bare waiting in there without the heater on.

Provide choices! Give your dog more options for comfortable sleeping places with varying levels of bedding and blankets, in case they need to change their location for more or less warmth.

Set up cozy, wet-proof areas outdoors with heating lamps and wind barriers. Make sure kennels and igloos/houses are well-insulated and have enough space for them to walk in, turn around, and comfortably lay in.

Unless you have a healthy conditioned sled dog, I would not recommend letting them spend the night outdoors in the snow, without proper shelter and heat support. Watch how cold it can get in a simple dog house:

Serve warm food and water. At minimum, aim to make sure whatever they consume is at room temperature - but preferably just above their body temperature (101-103 F) when it's especially cold. Warming their food will also bring out their aroma and make it more enticing for them to eat. If feeding kibble/dry or dehydrated, you can mix in some warm bone broth. If it's canned/wet food, avoid microwaving for too long, as this can make the food too hot and potentially deplete its nutrients. Instead, try warming up your dog's wet food with this technique:

As for home-cooked/fresh food, the Balance It Canine Plus supplement not only makes your dog's complete and balanced, but is actually formulated to withstand reheating/microwaving. Our personal favorite! Below is a tutorial on how to utilize the Balance It system:

When selecting ingredients for your dog's food in the winter, consider including "warming" foods according to TCVM food energetics. Examples of these would be meats like lamb, goat, or venison, and vegetables and starches like sweet potatoes and oats. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that hot/warm food nourishes the body by bringing heat which improves circulation. To support this theory, some studies have found that food associated with heat consists of compounds that are on average lower in molecular weight, yet higher in protein and fat - which contribute to energy production, and magnesium and potassium - which contribute to blood pressure and nerve function.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666154320300247) Here is a list of some hot/warm commercial pet food and treats: - SideBySide Pet "Warming" - Dr. Judy Morgan's Fire Element Diet - Pet Tao "Blaze" Freeze Dried Raw Formula - JustFoodForDogs Venison & Squash Recipe - JustFoodForDogs Lamb & Rice Recipe

For more information on food energetics, watch this video: