#Is onion hot or cold for stomach?

[khulkarjiyo]

Onion soup benefits (All what you need to know)

There aren’t many foods in the world of food that can compare to the love and satisfaction provided by a steaming bowl of onion soup. More than just a meal, onion soup is a soothing embrace for the soul, a reminder of the warmth of home-cooked food, and an example of the magic that can be created from a simple vegetable. How do I make classic onion soup? Onion soup benefits To make classic…

[loveemagicpeace]

🛁Body & Health🧼

🛁6th house is also about your health. How you can get sick or which part of the body may be most vulnerable. Of course, there are other factors as to why and how. But the 6th house is connected to your body, which means that there are things here that can have the greatest impact on your body.

☀️Sun in 6th house you can be prone to exertion. Many times your heart and hair can suffer. Back, spine and immune system -They can many times be affected. It is good if you eat a lot of vitamins. Exercise is also very important. The more you move, the more energy you will have. Heart disease is often confirmed in men due to excessive strain. Herbs good for you: sunflower, calendula, mistletoe, juniper, laurel, chamomile, cinnamon, rosemary.

🌙Moon in 6th house you can be prone to depression. Emotional stress can greatly affect health. You must not be emotionally burdened with work. Your body can recover quickly even after a serious illness if you are emotionally stable. Parts of the body you have to be careful are: breasts, mammary glands, esophagus, stomach, intestines, salivary gland, liver, gallbladder, intestine. Herbs good for you: anise, cabbage, camphor, cucumber, iris, jasmine, lettuce, lily, poppy, violet, willow, lotus, moonwort, mugwort, pumpkin.

🍀Mercury in 6th house-you can be prone to stress. The nervous system is weak and sometimes they are threatened by tension and stress due to the fast pace of life. You have to remind yourself that it is necessary calm down and relax every now and then and try to eat regularly. The brain, lungs, respiratory system and nervous system can be affected the most. With mercury here The lungs are a potential weak point because it's a common cold may develop a persistent cough. Also shoulders, arms and hands. These can be susceptible to injuries such as sprains or fractures. Herbs good for you: lilies of the valley, marjoram, fern, lavender, fennel, anise, mint, thyme, dill, lemon grass.

🍒Venus in 6th house- you can be prone to prone to unpleasantness. Many times it can be something that affects your appearance, your beauty. People with this placement can fluctuate a lot with their body weight. They also tend to tighten in the neck, which is usually the result of tension that has accumulated over time. Because they want to remain calm, most of the time feelings of anger and stress. Parts of the body that may be most prone to damage: throat, kidneys, lumbar region. Herbs good for you: birch, walnut, almond, violet, narcissus, elder, poppy, passion fruit, fig, peach, apricot, olive.

🦋Mars in 6th house- you are prone to irritation. Many times you can get injured during sports or activities. It is not recommended to do things that are dangerous. Many times you can burden yourself too much by being able to finish or do something. You can often be prone to migraines and headaches. Even to a hot temperature, which otherwise quickly disappears. It is not recommended that they be active when they are tired. It can mean that you have too fast a pace of life, which can mean that you skip the main meals (which can lead to digestive problems). Parts of the body that may be most prone to damage: head, muscles, adrenal glands, fetuses. Herbs good for you: pine, pepper, hot pepper, nettle, cherry, radish, horseradish, onion, garlic, ginger, tobacco.

🫧Jupiter in 6th house-Jupiter is usually good in this house because it represents happiness luck abundance. So most likely you will be very blessed with your health. However, you may be inclined to react too impulsively or optimistically to certain health problems. Even if they get sick, they recover quickly. The thinness of the stems is rich food and wine, which can lead to obesity, especially in middle age. They tend to overeat, which can overload the liver. In later years, arthritis and rheumatism affects the hips. Parts of the body that may be most prone to damage: thighs, liver. Herbs good for you: oak, pine, maple, birch, willow, cherry, pear, licorice, moss, wheat, nutmeg, saffron, clover.

🪐Saturn in 6th house-you can be prone to burdnes. Sometimes you can have too much stuff. You are stressing too much and giving yourself too much stress and limitations. When they're exhausted, their weakened immune systems can't cope with minor ailments as easily, and unrelieved tension can prevent a good night's sleep. The main body parts associated with it signs are knees, teeth and bones. Over the years, joints can become stiff. Meticulous dental care is required. They are prone to strong melancholy and can gradually begin to sink into depression. Parts of the body that may also be prone to damage : gall bladder, spleen. Herbs good for you: cypress, hemp, wolf cherry, moss, cumin, ivy, sage.

🪼Neptune in 6th house- you may be prone to self-inflicted diseases. Things can be confusing and not clear. They can get diseases from computers, phones and other modern technology and pollutants. Mysterious health problems that modern medicine cannot define or explain. Complementary therapies may help you more. Since Neptune and Pisces are associated with the feet, this part can be the most affected. Pisces often under severe stress they seek solace in alcohol and drugs. A foot massage will be good for you. Parts of the body that may be most prone to damage : nervous system, feet. Herbs good for you: water lily, mushrooms

🧃Uranus in 6th house- You may be more sensitive to the cold. Diseases that can appear are often related to unknown or strange things. They have an intense mind that needs plenty of stimulation, but they are not always in tune with their body's needs. Daily lack of movement causes a decline in energy and circulation. During the winter months, numb fingers and feet can swell if nothing else take action. Uranus is also associated with the ankles so people can be prone to sprains. They can exercise caution and must wear appropriate footwear. They are also subjected sudden illnesses that then disappear without a trace. Parts of the body that may be most prone to damage: ankles, blood circulation. Herbs good for you:orchid

🐚Pluto in 6th house- They are extremely durable and resistant, which means that they are generally healthy. Some diseases that may be related to them are of a more psychosomatic origin. They may also be prone to nervous tension, which can affect the muscles of the shoulders, neck, and back. A massage is good. The main parts of the body are the bladder and large intestine. It is important that they excrete toxins. It is also good to do a detox diet every now and then. Parts of the body that may be most prone to damage: miscarried, gave birth, bowels. Herbs good for you:eggplant, beetroot, pomegranate, daffodil.

🎸For personal readings u can sign up here: https://snipfeed.co/bekylibra 🎸

-Rebekah🧚🏼‍♀️💕🌙

[starcrossedreaders]

Late Night Ramen

Leon Kennedy x Reader

Honestly, this fic can be any version of Leon you would like it to be. Requests are open btw! 

Fluff

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The shuffling of your boyfriend coming home in the late hours of the night was nothing new to you.  His attempts to be quiet were enduring but, failed miserably. The slamming of his car door could be heard from your shared room, the front door desperately needed to be oiled, and the floorboard near the front door groaned under his footsteps. Tonight was no different, you could hear the slamming of his car door, the squeak of the front door, and the groan of the floorboards, all that was left was the squeak of the bedroom door. After waiting a few heartbeats in anticipation you didn’t hear his quiet footsteps approaching your shared room. Instead you could hear clashing of pots and pans from the kitchen.

Leon tried, he really did tried to be quiet when making his way to the kitchen to cook the spicy ramen he picked up from the local gas station on the corner. His mission took a toll on him, physically. It was only supposed to last a day, so he was only sent away with a day worth's of rations. So by the third day his stomach twisted in pain and the spearmint flavor gum made him sick. So naturally, he stopped to get a quick and easy dinner, or was it breakfast? He couldn’t care less, all he wants is to eat and crawl into his warm bed with you in it. Normally, he would just keep his ramen sweet and simple by cooking it with just what was given, but tonight? He was going to fest and treat himself right. Rummaging through the fridge he took out eggs, green onions, left over meat you had cooked the previous night, and a nice cold beer. It’s the least he can do to treat himself. 

What the fuck was your boyfriend doing at 2:35 in the morning? Gods, you loved him so much but you were in desperate need to be in his arms. Shuffling out bed, you were quick to grab Leon’s old R.P.D. hoodie and shrugged it on. It has seen it’s fair share of wear, the strings were shriveled, the R.P.D was barely readable and the cuffs of the sleeves had a hole on either side. The room door creaked slightly surly warning your significant other of your presence.  You feet padded on the cold wood. You peaked your head around the hallway corner to spot your boyfriend’s defined back. He had taken of his shirt due to the hot apartment, he preferred it cold, while you preferred it hot, so when he would leave on missions you would change the thermostat. He was banging his head lightly as he mumbled some lyrics from his favorite rock song. His hand moved up and down at a rapid pace as he copped something. Steam rose from his left side as you could hear boiling water.

“hmm, whatcha cooking?” you fully walked out of the hallway as Leon jumped a little.

“Whatcha doing up?” Ah, quick witted as always. 

“Well, when you didn’t come to bed I was curious as to what could be more important then your cold lonely girlfriend,” You laid your cold hands on either side of his hips. He was quick to jolt and tear your hands off of his body.

“Baby, you are too cold,” His eyes focused on the green onions in front of him. You peered over his shoulder, resting your chin on his as you pouted.

“So mean,” He scoffed out a laugh and shook his head.

“Would you like some ramen? I’m almost done.”

“That’s what smells so good?”

“Yes, let’s just say I was grossly un-prepared for that last mission and now I’m starving out of my mind,” He was quick to split the ramen into two different bowls. He then, cut the soft boiled eggs and sprinkle the green onions he just cut on top of the steaming noodles. 

“Do you mind grabbing my beer love,” you gave him a hum of approval as he picked up the two bowls in either hand. You opened the silverware draw for some chopsticks and closed it with bump of your hip.  Leon kissed the crown of your head as he lead you to the living room couch. As you sat next to the arm of the couch you set his beer on the coffee table in front of you. Leon sat right next to you so your thighs were touching. You leaned on his shoulder as you guys ate in peace. 

“I can’t believe that,”  you shook you head in disapproval as Leon told you how his mission went. 

“Tell me about it. I’m just glad to be home, I missed you.”

“I missed you more,”

“Impossible,” he mumbled against your lips before he connected his to yours. His hand rested against your jaw and you placed you hand on his thigh to stable yourself. Your bowls were left on the coffee table as your tongues did a waltz.

When you guys pulled apart for air a string of saliva kept you two  connected. Leon was quick to swipe it away.

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

[obeythebutler]

Could I request some kind of cooking date with Mammon? Location, cuisine, and outcome of the cooking is up to you. :)

-qrowsofafeather

One thing about Mammon is that he is scarily good at using knives.

Eons of experience as a Throne and having the physical prowess of a demon mean that he's the fastest, adept at fighting, all quick reflexes and agility. It means that he can handle a knife as if its second skin, whether to harm or defend.

Or even cut vegetables, in this scenario.

Three seconds in and when you took a glance at him the onion has already been peeled and cut finely into cubes, perfectly-sized. And his smug face when you checked up on him, winking at you with flour on his cheek.

Quite effective, but hey, what's the fun in cooking if you can't enjoy the process?

Especially with your loved ones.

"Slow down babe," You say, draining the half-cooked rice before filling it with water again. "You could hurt yourself." You know he could chop them blind and never get hurt. Still, you can't help but caution him.

"And you're the one getting papercuts every week."

"Shush."

You place the pot back on the stove, and turn your attention towards the oil that must be hot by now in the pot. It smokes, and you add in the fenugreek and cumin seeds, watch them splutter about and crackle.

You don't even get the chance to ask before the small container of asafoetida is handed to you. You look at your boyfriend, dumbfounded, before putting some in the pot.

Barbatos had a favour due for you, and so you and Mammon had visited the human world, to procure ingredients that you would not find in the Devildom, and if you did, the substitutes of it would make you laugh endlessly, burn your oesophagus from the inside-out. Like those Acidic Hell Fries.

Whoops, got a bit too graphic there.

Your tolerance grew though, with your tastebuds adjusting to the Devildom.

Mammon follows after, adding the chopped onions, garlic, green chillies and ginger in the pot. He gives it a stir, chewing all the while on the chilli.

Always a fan of spicy foodstuffs.

You watch the demon stir the contents of the pot around, content and concentrated. The brothers are out today due to some student council work, which you and Mammon decided to not attend.

Lucifer is going to hang you both upside-down later.

Nevermind that though.

His brows unconsciously furrow when he's engrossed in his work; in the zone as humans would call it. And with the sparse free moments you have, you decide to aim and deliver a fatal blow.

The squeak that leaves from Mammon's mouth reminds you of a mouse.

"Eek! Couldn't you have waited or somethin' before doing that!"

Your smile is mischievous.

You don't give him a reply, but instead slowly add the chickpea flour and curd mixture into the pot. Hand outstretched, you grab the ladle from Mammon and stir the mixture, ensuring that it does not curdle.

"Should I drain the rice now?" The demon says, though his tone indicates that he's aware of it being ready, yet asks for your affirmation.

You nod, attention still focused on the simmering contents before you. Just a bit more and it will start to boil, then you'll be free. One's mind can't help but wander during such moments, and the memories from your first year here come to mind.

Such peace in this kitchen wasn't always there. Sometimes you would be on duty to guard the fridge against a certain gluttonous demon, another time Lucifer had enchanted the doorway to the kitchen to ensure that whenever someone placed a foot on the kitchen threshold they would find themselves frozen.

It took a whole two minutes for Lucifer to finishing blending the ingredients and turn around to realise that you were stuck on the spot.

Cold metal against your skin makes your eyes widen.

His breath tickles your neck as Mammon hugs you from behind, content in watching you. Goosebumps raise on your skin as his hands slide against your stomach. You place a hand on his, squeezing lightly.

With your and Mammon's boundless energy, nothing short of chaos is expected. Any shenanigans that occur are credited to you both. Always smiling, always snickering.

Moments like these are rare though.

"There, all done." Your voice comes out in a whisper, and you leave the pot be. The kadhi has come to a boil, and Mammon hangs onto you as you add turmeric and salt to it. Half an hour more, and it will be ready to eat. You and your demon are simply content like this, to be.

"Your cooking is really nice, ya' know?" He mutters into your skin, placing a kiss on your neck. "We could make tons of Grimm selling it."

"You'll be my sous-chef then." You turn around, gently removing his hands to place them around your neck, a gentle smile on your face. "You will look so cute in a kitten apron, and flour on your cheeks." You swipe away the flour for him, pinching his cheek at the end.

He always gets riled up at being compared to a feline, though the inhabitants of this house would agree that the cat with the 'head empty' look suits him.

You called Belphegor eepy once.

"Deal no longer valid. Cook alone," Mammon grumbles, removing his hands and turning around to leave the kitchen. But you know he would never.

"Hey, sorry, sorry!" You laugh, grabbing the hem of his sleeve to make him turn towards you. When he does, there's a cute pout on his face as he glares at you. "You're adorable on your own. My first-man," You affirm, smile still present.

It was three am at night when you and Mammon first cooked together. Hours of playing Devilcraft, and with the demon hoarding all the gold he had mined, you both finally got up and stretched your tingling legs and got to work on sneaking into the pantry and then annihilating the kitchen.

You remember jumping in pain after having eaten the hotter than hot toasted sandwich. To top it off Mammon had added hellfire peppers.

It took a minute of hobbling around in agony before downing a glass of milk.

Although you've grown quite tolerant of Devildom cuisine, perhaps even taken a liking to it. The stew you make on Tuesday nights always gets appreciation, and you always serve it first to Mammon.

When he's got your undivided attention like this—you both cooking together—and in tune with each others thoughts, the domesticity of it, like a married couple, makes his heart swell.

Greed is his sin.

That means he'll always crave you, a love set in determined devotion.

When the brothers arrive an hour later, they find two lumps on the couch, complimented with a messy kitchen.

[lionsongfr]

Warrior's Way Snacks

Now this year is the lore it was mentioned that “We’d especially like to thank Arvelle for her generous donation towards our food budget”, and in the pamphlet for Warrior’s Way itself it mentions that “Food is available to participating warriors at all times throughout the course of the event.” So that got me thinking, what kind of food would dragons and beastclans eat during such an event?

Unfortunately, Warrior’s Way is during the summer and the heat can stifle anyone’s appetite- leading to warrior’s struggling to have the energy and hydration necessary to fight. Larger meals most likely would be served in the early morning and after sunset, and battles probably would be held off during the hottest middle of the day. But warriors would also need small meals and snacks to sustain them throughout the day. So, what kind of snacks could they expect?

Live Hornworms- a staple insect for insectivores, this import from the Mire is high in water and can be gut-loaded with either Fire Flower (for magic boost), Redblood Sapper (iron for blood), or Greenpod Bloom (calcium for bones and muscles). They are contained in large barrels with a cooling charm upon them, keeping the insects less active and from perishing in the heat.

Pickle Platter- while our most of our dragons do not sweat (I think maybe Light, Earth, and Ice dragons do), there are beastclans who definitely sweat. And with sweat comes the craving for salt. Pickled foods are high in salt, curb sugar spikes, help blood clot, and can provide the necessary electrolytes to relieve muscle cramps. The most common pickled foods are Basilisk eggs, Dubious Cucumbers, Wild Onions, Zeeba/Rambra sausages, Noxious/Leopard Caterpillar, and Kelp Beds Mackerel. Occasionally, Blacktongue Pepper is added for a spicy kick!

Cold Lume Daffodil and Spearmint Tea- every Fire Flight forge has a pot of tea cooling nearby in a large clay pot for refreshment. While Fire dragons typically prefer Cindermint, the cooling and refreshing combo of Spearmint and Lume Daffodil is a blessing on a hot summer day.  Peppermint tea may also be used for creatures having nervous stomachs for their upcoming battles.

Blood Red Smoothie- to many a Wildclaw’s sorrow this does not actually have blood. This smoothie combines Spinach, Blood Acorn, Strawberries, Blood Spath, Goat milk, and ice into a frothy, highly caloric, and nutritious drink. Sometimes it is easier to drink all of one’s calories than eat them, especially when it is hot outside. (Plus the Spirals brought these cute curly straws to drink them with!)

Cold Cut Wraps-unlike bread, flat breads can be quickly made and can be easily sized per creature.  Creating a wrap with cold cuts of meat, vegetables, and condiments makes for an easy to carry and customizable snack for busy warriors. Some favored cuts are: honeyed Featherback ham, smoked teriyaki Rainbow Trout, roasted lemon pepper Woodland Turkey, and spicy Flameleg Millipede.

Energy bites- the Longnecks are known for their Berry and Nut trail bars and the Centaurs for their Ration Pouches, and dragons have their own Elk pemmican tins and Cricket protein bars. Energy bites are a variant on this idea, mixing granola with a fat (Goat yogurt, Sunflower butter, Elk fat, ground Mealworm), Sugarbee honey, and dried fruit (Blueberries, Raspberries, Mushrooms, Butcher’s Fig) into round balls. The bites are then cooled overnight and put into bags made from Sweet Potato Vine (which is also edible), which can be carried about the event.

Shrimp and Potash Gazpacho- served by the cup or by the gallon (Imperial sized), this is a chilled soup for the seafood lovers. The base of the soup is the tangy and sour Miniature Potash Peach along with Cucumbers, Golden Peppers, and Wild Onions. And then anything seafood can be added to it! Most common is sweet Jumbo Shrimp, Pastel Scallops, and feisty Blue Swimmer Crab.

[sunlightmurdock]

My Future in You | 1.5 | Bradley Bradshaw x Reader

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Masterlist

Synopsis: Bradley’s twenty-two years old and not where he’s supposed to be. He’s supposed to be out of the academy by now. Instead, he’s retaking his senior year of college and praying to god that he gets into flight school. Mav’s gone, his mom’s gone. He’s mad at the world. Then, a hook up at a Halloween party changes his future even more than he could have imagined.

Warnings: accidental pregnancy, references to abortion in a few chapters, angst, will be fluff eventually, will be smut so 18+, enemies to lovers kinda thing — mentions of hospitals, stitches and check ups on pregnancy after accident but no loss etc

…

“I don’t even want to go.” It’s almost a whimper, you drop down to sit on the edge of your bed and rest your hand against your forming stomach. Maybe it’s wrong to expect sympathy from Ryan after everything you’ve put him through, but you’re still surprised by the anger on his face when he turns to face you.

He’s been ready for twenty minutes, you’re sitting in the fourth outfit that you’ve tried on for the night, already on the verge of tears. It’s just frustrating learning to accommodate something you’ve never had to deal with before. It’s not just the bump that’s causing issues — you’ve had bloating make you feel worse. Your boobs have gotten bigger, they’re tender now and all of a sudden, everything you wear is too hot.

It’s February and you’re considering not taking a coat.

“You want to look good because he’s going to be there, don’t you?”

There’s immediate disbelief in the way that you lift your head to look at him. He’s staring at you, brows knotted, serious.

“I want to be comfortable, Ryan,” You answer him, frowning as you lift yourself off of the bed again and stand. Maybe there’s a part of you that does want to look good tonight, but that’s got everything to do with the cheerleader that Bradley’s bringing and nothing to do with the idiot himself.

Bradley has seen you throw up until you pass out and still tried to sleep with you in the same day, you figure that you’re somewhat past putting a pretty dress on for him.

“Can you stop being so snappy?” You sigh, stepping around him and pulling open your closet once more. He watches you flinch at yet another offensive smell. That’s this week’s issue — scents. Everything from your favourite perfume to the onions your roommate was sautéing yesterday now has the power to make you gag.

His face softens. He brushes a dark curl back off of his face as you instinctively step back away from whatever the scent is — fabric softener from doing your laundry at Jake’s.

“I’m sorry. Why don’t you go have some water or something? — I’ll pick some options out for you.” He offers, resting one hand on the small of your back and the other on your stomach. It’s really popped this week. It happened on Tuesday, specifically. You’ve asked everyone, there was a definite overnight change.

It happened to be the nights that your boobs jumped a cup size that your bump also went from maybe just bloating to definite pregnancy. It’s been an adjustment. Ryan has been a little tense, and you can’t blame him, but he reminds you every single day that he’s doing his best in his little efforts like this.

You soften, pressing your lips gently to his clean-shaven jaw and whispering a quick thank you.

Things feel easy again once you’re on the way there. You feel pretty in the cream, fitted dress that Ryan chose for you, and you’re grateful for the autumnish Sherpa jacket he paired it with — because it is actually still cold outside, despite your spiked body temperature.

“You look beautiful.” Ryan tells you tenderly as the car stops in a space, he reaches across and rests his hand on your stomach. It’s accentuated by the fitting dress, but now that the secret’s out, you don’t mind.

You lean forwards and press your lips softly to his.

“This was a bad idea, we should go—“

Kenzie grabs Bradley’s forearm, curling her manicured nails into his skin just enough to let him know that she’s serious but not enough to hurt him. They’re parked in the space opposite, facing Ryan’s shitty Honda Civic, watching you kiss him.

“It was a bad idea two weeks ago when you agreed — you had time to cancel and that time has passed. Let’s go.” Kenzie releases his arms and they both begrudgingly exit the bronco. Bradley feels a little better knowing that your boyfriend has a shitty car.

You’re the first to notice the two of them as you pull back from the kiss. Bradley’s scowling at you. Ryan follows your gaze towards the father of your child, and then at the girl to his side. Admittedly, Ryan had been expecting Bradley to either cancel or be lying about having a girlfriend — he hadn’t ever really been expecting this date to happen.

It’s as awkward as he would have expected it to be. Bradley’s girlfriend tries to break the ice a few times. First, as you’re waiting to be seated. Second, as you’re looking over menus. Third, when you’re sipping on alcohol free drinks.

Bradley glares at you across the table. Maybe he has made things difficult between you and Ryan in the past, but at least he has tried. It’s clear that you have no intention of keeping up conversation with Kenzie whatsoever. Her bubbly personality can only keep things together for so long.

For the third time in ten minutes, Ryan catches Bradley’s gaze slip downwards. The dress isn’t particularly low cut, but you’ve got some cleavage in it — especially with the recent growth.

“Hey.”

Bradley lifts his gaze from the golden R necklace dangling between your collarbones and looks at your boyfriend, frowning slightly.

“Do you mind?” Ryan frowns. You look between him and Bradley, lost. Bradley appears equally lost for a moment, you watch him mentally retrace his steps and figure out what he’s in trouble for now.

His eyes fall back on the necklace.

“Oh — no,” He shakes his head quickly. He’s not staring at your chest. He noticed the difference before you even got out of the car, but he’s not an animal. “I was looking at the necklace. It’s cute.”

You glance down, then give your boyfriend a reassuring smile. Ryan doesn’t seem convinced.

“Wonder if he got it from Claire’s.” Bradley mutters under his breath. Kenzie has been doing her best not to encourage his dislike for your new boyfriend, but she snickers softly at the comment.

Looking up, she catches you staring at her. It’s clear that you don’t like her, and she can’t say that she blames you. She imagines Bradley probably hasn’t explained their situation, or if he has, he hasn’t done it very well.

Still, she offers you a sweet smile and plans to explain once the two of you get a moment alone.

Jake gets a phone call from Kenzie at 9pm, whilst he’s hitting second base with a girl from his economics class — he’s mad when he first picks up the phone, and he’s even more furious when he sets it down.

After first apologizing profusely, Jake finds himself driving to the emergency room half-way across town because his baby sister needs him.

You eyes widen, face softening. Ryan feels you relax, relieved at the moment you spot your big brother.

“What the fuck happened?” Jake breathes out, rushing forwards at the sight of you in the hospital bed. He lifts your chin and examines you for any damage.

Frowning, you swipe his hands away from your face and instead pull him in for a hug. Once he is released, Jake turns his head expectantly towards Ryan. Kenzie’s sitting in the waiting room, filling out forms and Bradley’s not answering his phone.

“She — it was all a misunderstanding, and-“

“I fell, and I haven’t felt the baby move since. They just want to do some tests.” You tell Jake softly. There’s an incompatibility in your answers, and you can see the way that Jake readies to round on your boyfriend.

You squeeze his hand softly. He meets your gaze. Not here, not now. You don’t need another fight, you just need your big brother.

The technician swings open the door.

“Hi, Miss Seresin — I’m Todd, just here to do a scan for you.” He announces, walking over to the machine at the side of the bed. “You can go ahead and lift your dress for me.”

You’re grateful that you decided to wear boy-shorts under it.

“She’s right, she did kinda fall.” Ryan whispers to Jake.

“You can tell me what happened after all this.” Jake’s tone is deadly calm, serious. Ryan sits back in his seat and swallows, nodding softly.

“Alright, I’m sorry — which one of you is the father?” The technician interrupts, resting his arm impatiently against an expensive looking machine as he looks impatiently around the room.

“He’s getting stitches.” Ryan declares from behind the cold compress.

“Should we wait?” It’s the wrong thing to say, you can feel Ryan’s gaze burning daggers into your side the second that it leaves your mouth. As furious as you are, this could be serious — you don’t want Bradley to have to hear it from someone else.

“This isn’t a routine scan, Miss Seresin,” The technician reminds you snidely. He’s just doing his job but you still can’t help but feel scolded. “We don’t have time.”

Jake stands up. He can see the worry on your face and he isn’t going to let Bradley make this any harder on you than it already is.

“I’ll grab him, you go ahead.” Jake reassures you. Your face softens slightly, giving him a grateful nod.

You regret the dress now, as it’s bunched up around your middle and the air conditioning in the room feels borderline freezing. You flinch as the jelly is spread onto your stomach, Ryan’s fingers curl around your hand gently. It’s supposed to be a comforting gesture, but you pull away from his touch sharply.

It’s hard not to pass blame.

His stupid game of ‘who’s dick is bigger with Bradley’ put you in the hospital and he still hasn’t apologised. You rest your head back and close your eyes, silently apologising to the little one in your tummy for the chaos around them already.

“Alright, so you said you haven’t felt movement since the restaurant?” The technician asks calmly, his eyes focused on the screen. His shoulder blocks your view, you’re half tempted to tell him to move. Instead, you answer him politely ‘no’. “Okay, and were you feeling movement regularly before?”

The door swings open and Jake shoves Bradley inside.

Bradley’s hand is bandaged now, but other than that he looks fine. He steps around Ryan swiftly as Jake slips back into the other seat in the room. You’re glad you chose to wear shorts under your dress today. Bradley plants himself on the edge of the hospital bed and slides his hand into yours.

Ryan watches your fingers curl around Bradley’s, moments after you flinched away from his touch.

“Um, it felt kinda fluttery. Not kicking or anything, but yeah, I feel stuff sometimes.” You explain. Bradley’s gaze turns towards you, eyes soft, brows knitted together in a mixture of concern and curiosity. He hasn’t ever asked you about this.

He wishes he had.

“Heartbeat’s good and strong.” The technician declares as the growingly familiar sound of that sped up little beat fills the room. Jake sits forwards slightly, his eyes meeting Bradley’s. This is his first time hearing it. Jake’s gaze turns towards you, softening, he gives you a small smile.

“He’s just fine. Little guy’s growing perfectly, but you did the right thing by coming in.” It isn’t until the technician turns back towards you that he realizes he may have misspoken. Four equally surprised faces stare back at him.

Jake’s the first one to speak up, “He? — It’s a boy?”

The technician does a double take and looks back at the image, “Well - um… you haven’t had your anatomy scan yet?”

You remain silent, finding yourself unsure as to whether this is by choice or a symptom of shock.

“It’s not for a couple more days.” Jake answers for you. You’re reeling, waiting for the technician to tell you that he made a mistake and that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

Bradley stopped listening after the first ‘he’. He heard it loud and clear, and he hasn’t heard anything but his own heartbeat in his ears since. Blinking, he turns his head to look at you. You’re already staring at him.

“Oh my - I’m so sorry, I thought you already knew.” The technician begins to apologise profusely, but neither you nor Bradley are paying attention to him.

Bradley’s brows knit together slightly, his entire face hardening with concern, he squeezes his fingers softly around yours in the hopes that it’ll get you to stop looking at him like that. You study his features.

Physically, there’s never been a flaw that you were concerned about your child inheriting from him. Those pretty puppy-dog eyes that you already knew your child was going to use to sucker you into letting them stay up late. Curly hair that lands somewhere between auburn and caramel. Rounded cheekbones that give him away even when there’s the tiniest hint of a smile on his lips.

The baby was always going to be fifty-percent Bradley, and it hadn’t bothered you in a while now. Not since what had happened over Christmas. Staring at him now, your heart sinks.

He watches as your gaze falls to rest on his bandaged hand. The tears that have been brimming in your eyes for a good few seconds already finally spill out onto your cheeks. He has misread the situation before, but Bradley knows that there’s not a chance in hell that these are tears of joy.

“Hey, it’s okay—“ Jake sits at your other side and wraps his arm around your shoulder. He rests his cheek on top of yours, his eyes landing on Bradley’s. It’s hard to pretend he isn’t excited at the prospect of having a nephew. Bradley doesn’t match his excitement, instead, he stares at the teams spilling onto your cheeks.

“What is it?” Bradley knows you well enough by now to know that you aren’t just disappointed that you aren’t having a girl, that there’s more to this.

You swallow through the burning sensation in your throat long enough to say what he needs to hear, and wipe away your tears long enough to look him in the eye as you say it.

“I don’t want him to be like you.”

Even Jake almost flinches. Ryan’s eyes widen slightly as he looks between you and Bradley. He’s still sitting off to the side, knowing that it isn’t his place to get in the middle of this. His lips quirk just slightly at the lack of emotion on Bradley’s face.

Bradley pulls his hand away from yours. He has tolerated a lot of painful information in his life. That wasn’t the first, and it likely won’t be the last.

Part of you thinks that maybe he doesn’t react because he doesn’t care. Jake knows better than that. As you turn your head and cry into Jake’s shoulder, Jake stares at Bradley and knows how much that hurt to hear.

Jake knows more of what Bradley has been through than you do, and even he doesn’t know everything. The usual pink flush to Bradley’s cheeks is gone now, his eyes dark as he watches the way you grieve.

“Bradshaw, wait-“

You don’t lift your head to look, but feel the bed shift as Bradley stands.

“I’ll - I should take Kenzie home.” He mutters tiredly, turning on his heel. The door swings shut behind him. You whimper softly as you try to stop the tears. It’s a useless effort, they just keep coming regardless.

…

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[ghostismybbygorl]

Im sick right now, hopefully its not covid

( ive had it 4 times now)

But im gonna write some headcannons of 141 plus Alejandro and Rudy when they're sick

Price

in denial that he's sick

"Something must be blooming"

He'll carry a giant box of tissues around him at all times constantly blowing his nose (he's blows his nose so loudly)

Goes through a box of tissues a day

The only time he accepts that he's sick is when he a). Looks like death and is so tired he cant get out of bed b). Gets sick to his stomach or c) when his symptoms get really bad

He got covid and legit was passed out on the couch whining about how shitty he feels

Soap

Price gave him covid

It knocked him the fuck out

Alright now when hes sick

He gets super whiney and clingy when he's sick

"Ghooost" "what" "i dont feel good 🥺" "sucks for you"

Hes in bed box of tussues on the right, trash can on the left filled to the brim with tissues

He sleeps all day if he can but his congestion is so bad he'll just wine and moan about how shit he feels.

He takes all the cold medicine and none of them work for him

He takes hot baths to sweat out the sickness

A cuddle bug he has multiple pillows he just holds onto

When he had covid he whole ass fell asleep eating his food

He cried a little as well

Ghost

This is him when he's sick

He pouts when he's sick

He'll lie in bed all day just zoning out

If he has to do some shit he'll try not to act like he's sick (which fails because he'll be sniffling like crazy and just looks sad)

He gets grumpy too. One time a rookie pissed him off he made them mop the floor with a tooth brush

He hasn't gotten covid yet due to him wearing a mask all the time

He doesnt take anything he just suffers through it

"It'll eventually go away"

Usually gets a sinus infection after he's which pisses him off more

Gaz

Nobody knows he's sick cause he takes everything over the coutner.

He sleeps with a humidifier thats got vics in it

Dayquil, mucinex, afrin, peppermint tea, an edible all in his system.

If he feels REALLY bad he'll just call out and sit in his bed playing video games

Soup is his meal 24/7

Price gave him covid as well

He still cant taste food properly

If he eats something and it doesnt taste like it should he'll throw a glare at price occasionally flooing the bird at him

Alejandro

Mans a beast at home remedies

As soon as his nose gets stuffy he immediately gets the vics and applies it to his sinuses

Carries tissues around him to blow his nose. He does it in private not a big fan of blowing his nose in public he also carries vics everywhere

He has the humidifier, the vapo shower, everything

Makes sopa de pollo with extra jalapeños to clear his sinuses

He makes lemon tea with either hella onion or ginger, tastes like shit but gets the job done

He's rarely sick but when he does he's just tired and speaks with a nasaly voice

Hes not a big fan of cold medicines but if he has to take it he will

Rudy

Like soap he's a big baby when it comes to being sick

But he hides it well in public

Of coure he's all about home remedies

Vics vapo rub is carried around him 24/7

He'll only take theraflu cause that shits the only thing that works.

Religiously takes advil to stop the sinus swelling

When he's not working he'll sleep as much as he can.

He takes HOT baths to sweat out the sickness

König

Sleepy boy when hes sick

He'll just randomly fall asleep on someones shoulders

He'll sleep all day

Doesnt like to take cold medicine but he'll take it if he really doesnt feel good.

He drinks alot of tea and makes herbal remedies

He gets really quiet, doesnt speak at all

He sniffles lightly and he'd hide to blow his nose. Very embarrassed about blowing his nose

Carries peppermints in his pocket and ginger candies

Uses a netty pot and does salt rinces

Takes hot showers with eucalyptus, lavender, and peppermint hanging off the shower head

He likes to curl up in a nest of blankets with sweats and a hoodie. He doesnt wear his hood only a face mask to not make other people sick

He takes vitamin c everyday to help him not get sick

[mayajadewrites]

Sweet Secret (Levi Ackerman x Reader)

Pairing: Levi Ackerman x F! Reader CEO Levi Ackerman coming in hot. I've been wanting to write a CEO Levi/Sugar daddy Levi story for a hot minute. Enjoy! Summary: You needed a job. Ackerman Inc was hiring for an in house assistant for none other than the CEO: Levi Ackerman. He's known to be essentially the worst to work with, you decide to take the job and take on the challenge that is Levi Ackerman. Will your relationship remain professional, or will their be monetary value added to the stakes? Or possibly even... love? ao3 Chapter Three: Sauce

You pad your way downstairs to the kitchen where you Levi’s back is facing you while he stirs some sort of sauce on the stove.

He seems to not have noticed you enter the room, so you take the time to observe him. His cold demeanor is softened a bit by the aroma of the chamomile tea as he stirs.

You’re not used to a quiet house. Growing up, people were always yelling and arguing - filling the space with anger. You take another step toward Levi, sliding onto the barstool.

“Are you gonna just watch me like a creep?” Levi said without turning around. Your eyes got wide as you felt the same butterflies in your stomach again. “It’s rude to stare.”

“Sorry. It just smells so good down here.” You tap your fingers on the counter. “I was wondering… if I could help you cook?”

Levi turned around, his facial expression unsure. “I’m just making pasta, it’s easy-“

“I’ve never cooked anything.” You admit. “I’ve… never had the chance to.”

Levi’s lips twitched as he watched you speak. He mumbles something before nodding. “Okay.”

You walk to the stove that Levi was cooking on, noticing your height difference. Levi isn’t the tallest, but neither are you. You’re about 5’2” on a good day. You still have to look up at him to talk to him.

You observe Levi stir with his right hand, his left hand occupied with his tea cup. He places his fingers over the cup instead of using the handle.

“Did you want some tea?” He asks you as he sets his cup down.

“Sure.” You nod. “Where do you keep the cups?”

“The cabinet right above your head.”

You grab a teacup and Levi slowly pours the liquid. He’s gentle with it - nothing like his demeanor gives off.

“Okay, so what type of sauce are you making with the pasta?”

“Vodka sauce.”

“Do you actually put alcohol in it?!” You say excitedly.

“You can. Are you old enough to drink?” You know he’s joking when he asks you, but you still play along.

“Just turned 21 yesterday!” You laugh. “But do people really put vodka in sauce?”

“Sometimes. Like I said, you can. It doesn’t get you drunk. It’s more like a splash of vodka.”

Levi teaches you how to make the sauce - onions, butter, minced garlic, tomato paste, various spices, and the liquids: vodka and pasta water.

“You stir the sauce while I start the pasta.” Levi hands you the spoon, letting your fingers touch his softly. You feel almost a spark, but you choose to ignore it.

“What type of pasta are you pairing with the sauce?”

“Shells.”

After your impromptu cooking lesson, it was finally time to eat. The sauce smelled amazing - like nothing you’ve ever smelled before. You felt a warm feeling knowing that you helped create this meal. While you stirred the sauce with the pasta, Levi pulled the garlic bread out of the oven.

“Will you be eating with me?” Levi asks as he sets his bowl down on his dining table.

“If I’m allowed to.”

“Why would you-never mind. Sit down.” Levi gestured to the seat.

“So on Monday, I’m going in the office for 8AM. You’ll have to be ready by 7:30 and we will drive together. I have a meeting with a new investor that I want you to sit in on and observe. And take notes.” Levi chewed on one of the shells.

“Got it.” You nod.

“Good thing we’re going shopping, you can’t wear any of this to my office.” Levi eyed you up and down.

“It was good enough for the interview, wasn’t it?” You tilt your head.

“Yeah, that’s just the interview though.”

You want to ask Levi about himself. What he likes, what he doesn’t like, how he prefers his tea.

“Do you like the food?” Levi asks you as he takes a sip of his water. “Your first meal you made yourself.”

“I love it.” You smile - a real smile. Levi only nods, his lips in a straight line. You observe the poutines of his lips – they look pillow soft.

“Tomorrow we can try to make something else.”

Levi may be cold sometimes, but moments like this make you think about what everyone else says about him. He doesn’t seem like a man who is heartless. He has a warm part to him, you just have to find it.

“Quit staring.”

The cold is back.

_______________________________________

Waking up in your bed Sunday morning felt like a dream. The plush white sheets surrounding you as your eyes fluttered open. The sunlight peered through the curtains - the warmth kissing your cheek.

You turn to look at your nightstand where there was already a cup of tea waiting for you.

Did Levi come in while you slept? He must’ve been disgusted by the way you slept. You’re known to snore and your mouth usually hangs open.

You yawn and make your way to the attached bathroom and brush your teeth. Skincare is next, you don’t have anything fancy since you never have the funds for it. So you cleanse and moisturize which is good enough for you.

You take a sip of the tea Levi made you before getting in the shower. The water pressure is perfect, the beads of water hitting your skin. You cleanse your body of all of last weeks problems.

You pull your only pair of jeans over your legs, wiggling them over your thighs and ass. You pulled a black sweater over your head and pair it with your platform converse that Ymir got you for your birthday last year.

You make your way downstairs to see Levi sipping a cup of tea, mindlessly scrolling on his phone.

“Good morning.” You smile as you bring the empty teacup to the sink to wash it. “Thank you for the tea.”

“Mmn.” Levi nods, finishing his own cup. He hands you his, letting you wash it. “We’re only going to a few stores, so let’s get a move on.”

Levi still doesn’t let you open doors for yourself. You’re slowly learning to just accept it because there’s absolutely no point in fighting it.

Levi pulled into the parking garage for the mall, but pulling into the valet area.

“I’ve never been to a mall with a valet.” You watch as Levi hands his keys to the attendant.

“Don’t fuck up my car.” Levi said to the man as he got out of the car. “If I notice even a scratch, it will be your ass that fixes it.”

There’s the demeanor that everyone warned you about. But he wasn’t like this last night, or even this morning.

Levi opened the door for you, holding out his hand for you to take. Contrary to the words he spoke only a few seconds ago, his hand is soft as he helps you out of the car.

This mall is enormous. Impeccably clean, similar to Levi’s home. You look into the spotless windows of the stores, noticing the people that are shopping in them. Without a doubt, they have a lot of money. They’re picking between bags, shoes, and belts.

Levi pulls you into a store, revealing wall to wall clothes.

“Look around.” Levi says lowly, checking his phone. “Pick out some stuff that you like and then you can try it on.”

You nod, venturing over to the front wall.

You check the tag of one of the blouses: $600. Your eyes widen at the number as your heart starts to race.

“Levi, this store is too expensive.” You say as you walk over to him.

“I didn’t ask you to look at prices. I asked you to pick out what you like.”

“$600 for a blouse is outrageous!”

“You need to get better at following directions.” Levi walks with you to the wall. “Don’t look at the tags. Pick out some things to try on. That’s not a question.”

You sigh and pick out clothes that you think will be good for work and casual. Blouses, dresses, shirts, sweaters along with pants, jeans, and some skirts.

“I’m gonna try them on now.” You say as you bring the clothes to the dressing room attendant.

“Mr. Ackerman! Great to see you.” The woman says, taking the clothes from your hands. “You brought your girlfriend, how sweet!”

You turn to Levi who has no reaction. So you should have no reaction. Just ignore it, it’s an honest mistake.

“Let me know if you need another size!” The associate says and you watch Levi sit in the seated area. His eyes are still glued to his phone, his expression sort of angry. You watched his eyebrows furrow as he tapped the screen.

You slip on a pair of pixie pants with a blouse, definitely a work outfit. The pants slide over your thighs perfectly, sculpting out your figure.

You look in the mirror and almost don’t recognize who it is that you see. You open the door and reveal yourself to Levi.

“Does this live up to your office expectations?” You do a twirl as you giggle.

Levi’s eyes were glued onto you. He trailed over your figure, paying special attention to the curve of your back to your ass.

“Good enough.” Levi says and looks back at his phone.

You roll your eyes and try on the rest of the outfits, receiving the Levi stamp of approval.

“Your total is $3,456.14.” The associate says at the counter. Your heart almost falls in your ass as Levi hands them cash.

“Levi, I-“

“Stop talking.” Levi grabbed the bags. “You need shoes now.”

Of course, another designer store. You haven’t seen shoes this expensive ever in your life. Levi watched as your marveled at the heels, appreciating all that there is to them.

“She wants to try these on.” Levi pointed to two pairs of heels.

You don’t protest for once as she brings the boxes out. The first pair are black patent leather pointed toe heels, the other are black block heels.

You slip off your shoes and set them off to the side. Levi moves to kneel in front of you, pulling the heels out of the box. You watch as he slips the heel on your foot, making sure they’re secure.

“Stand up.” Levi steps back, watching your legs. The heels accentuate the muscles in your calves while making your legs look good. “Are they comfortable.”

“Yes.” You smile to yourself as you walk around the small space. You’ve never worn heels like this, that cost as much as 3 months of rent.

Your eyes wander to Levi’s as he studies you like a textbook. His eyes are glued on you as you walk, almost as if he doesn’t know you can see him.

Levi comes back to earth, finally, and he grabs the box of shoes. “We’ll take both.”

It was finally time to go. Levi seemed uncomfortable with the crowds of people coming in, which is probably why he insisted on going early. He didn’t seem his usual self… he was more, nervous? Anxious?

The valet brought the car around and Levi opened the door for you, like usual.

You knew something was on Levi’s mind. He seemed more distracted.

“Everything okay?” You ask, watching his slate eyes turn to you.

“Yes. Just thinking about this upcoming week.”

That was probably a lie, but you didn’t want to pry. You nod as you accept his answer and look out the window during the rest of the car ride.

[deliciousangelfestival]

Random story idea: Cooking competition. The contestants are Y/N, Bucky and Lloyd. Who wins and with what dishes?

-Zombie

Thank you for the ideas, dear bestie @thezombieprostitute. Here it goes. I hope you like it.

🍔

In the wild world of the "Cook-Off Carnival," Y/N, Bucky, and Lloyd whipped up some seriously wacky dishes.

Who will make the best burger?

Y/N kept it chill with the "Happy Classic Burger." Just a tasty beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a bit of homemade sauce. Simple but satisfying.

Bucky Barnes went all out with his "Cosmic Blast Burger." Picture this: a spicy beef patty, onions cooked in hot sauce, blue cheese foam, and a golden egg on top. It's like a flavor explosion in your mouth!

Then there's Lloyd, the king of crazy, with his "Monster Mash Burger." This bad boy had a beef patty mixed with bacon, mac and cheese, and crushed chips. Fried to perfection and served on a donut bun with super cold ketchup.

As the crowd oohed and 'aah' at the wild creations, each chef stood proudly next to their masterpiece.

And guess what? In the end, Y/N's "Happy Classic Burger" won the crowd's hearts (and stomachs). Because sometimes, in a world of crazy, simple, and tasty, it wins the day.

[dreamingkatie]

Wildflowers

Days like this, it’s hard to remember why I’m afraid of him. He comes in for an early supper, his huge hands gentle around a bunch of wildflowers he’s picked on his way in from the farthest field. Turk’s cap lilies and lady slippers and larkspur and Oconee bells. I fill a vase with lukewarm water and he grins and holds out his offering.

My stomach flip flops but I return the smile and take the flowers, arranging them and flinching only the tiniest bit as he brushes by me to wash up, his fingers squeezing the back of my neck as he passes.

I set the flowers on the counter and bring the dishes to the table. Dishes I’ve learned to time just right, so that nothing is cold and nothing is overdone. His footsteps in the hallway, heavy on the oak floors. I stand by my chair and wait, watching his face carefully. He sits and I serve him, a pretty plate of shrimp and grits, garnished with bacon and green onions, sautéed chard, a warm biscuit dripping with butter and honey.

I stand back and wait, my fingers intertwined in front of me. He makes the sign of the Cross and prays. I whisper it along. Bless us, O Lord, and these Thy gifts…

“Sit down,” he says.

I watch him eat. He grunts his approval, and I take his plate for seconds.

“It was a long day, Kate,” he says and he takes a bite of his biscuit, chewing thoughtfully.

I nod. “It's so hot,” I whisper.

“I’m gonna need to use my belt tonight, baby,” he says. “Such a long day.”

I remember why I’m afraid of him. My legs tremble. He stands to take his plate to the sink and stops, peppering my face with kisses, repeating that he loves me, he loves me, he loves me.

[thesugarclubs-blog]

Love In The Dark - AU Bucky Barnes x OC

warnings: fantasy au, prince james "bucky" barnes, he hates everyone but her, he falls first, OC works in his palace, rude comments to staff, smut, 18+

word count: 8k

WP: https://www.wattpad.com/1358436681-love-in-the-dark-davina

Masterlist

“Follow,” the old maid demanded of Davina who scurried behind her in old flats that barely comforted her from the cobblestone beneath. “Do not fall behind on your chores, do you understand girl? Speak!” She barked before Davina could find her voice. “You won’t last a week,” the old woman pushed her through a small wooden door into a massive brick-and-mortar kitchen.

“You’ll work here for the time being,” she looked over at Davina with disgust, and for good reason. Her blonde hair seemed ashen, laced with dirt and plaited back and tied with whatever string she could find. Her skirts were drafty and her blouse was ill-fitting but she was clothed and ready to work for the coin.

“You do not address the king, you do not leave the kitchen unless instructed by my hand,” the maid warned, “and for your own sake do not make yourself known to the Prince. He has a temper.”

“A temper?” Was Davina’s only question when she finally spoke.

“I will speak no further on the matter, heed my warning and mind yourself,” she rumbled up her skirts in her withered old hands and scurried like a mouse from the humid kitchen.

The blonde sucked in a deep breath as she watched the older maid rush up the stone stairs and disappear through a door. From behind her, she could hear the bustling kitchen, the smell of onions and game cooking wafted around. Davina's nerves settled in her stomach and as she spun around to get to work, she jumped backward, startled.

"Watch it!" One of the cooks shouted as they moved around her to slide a hot pan onto the plating surface.

"Sorry," Davina mumbled, waiting for another second before stepping into the scene.

"You, new girl, get those plates in the warmer! The king will have our heads if dinner’s cold," The woman barked, moving around to continue chopping.

She nodded sharply, taking the heavy stack of ceramic plates in her arms and heading to the warmer. Davina kneeled slowly in front of it, focusing her mind on settling her quick breaths as she placed the plates on the cold floor beside her.

The last thing she wanted to do was drop something on her first day, it would certainly make it her last and she couldn’t take that risk.

She opened the warmer door and placed the plates carefully inside it. When she closed it, she let her hand fall to the ornate iron legs on which it stood, admiring the work and detail put into the paws.

She had an affinity for the small wonders of the world. The details that no one took to notice or care for. Someone had hand-crafted the legs of the massive warmer with feathered swirls and filigree.

“Keep moving,” she was ordered by another voice. It didn’t take long until the sweat was pouring down her neck between her breast and shoulder blades.

“Run this out to the dining room,” a gruff-looking male servant shoved a pitcher of wine into her sore arms.

“But—” she tried to protest and explain that she wasn’t to leave the kitchen but before she could. The man had disappeared back to work near the hot stove.

Davina furrowed her brows and stared between the pitcher of wine and the stone staircase that led up to the main house. She was meant to be a kitchen servant, helping the cook and washing dishes, not seen by any one of the upstairs maids or especially not the royal family. But at this moment, there was no one she could protest that to and in the mere moments she'd been in the palace, it was evident that the family hated waiting for things.

With a sharp inhale, she balanced the pitcher in both her hands to ensure it didn't spill and made her way up the staircase. Surely someone up there could help her find the dining room, even if she just had to follow one of the other staff members.

"Okay Davina, you can do this, just keep your head down and look like you've been here forever," she muttered to herself, taking each step slowly and carefully.

The moment she entered the stretch of hallway from the servant's staircase, she felt like she was in a completely different building. Rough stone and creaking wood became intricate designs painted on smooth walls and richly colored woolen carpets on polished floors. Flickering flames lined the hall, and as she followed them down they led to two large wooden doors.

“That must be it,” she murmured to herself as faint voices drifted from that same direction.

Davina straightened her back and made her way with quick quiet steps. She wanted to deliver the wine and get back where she belonged without trouble. But it seemed that was too good to be true.

“What are you doing out here?” The same old maid who had taken her to the kitchens appeared beside her, seemingly out of thin air. “You are to use the stairway that leads directly to the dining hall if you are serving, and I believe I gave you strict instructions not to leave the kitchens.”

“I—I didn’t… I,” Davina stammered, clutching the pitcher to her chest.

“Careful, foolish girl, you’ll crack the pitcher squeezing it like that!” The maid snapped, gripping Davina by the upper arm and spinning her to face the wall.

Davina’s confusion quickly abated as the old maid drew back one of the wall hangings to reveal a hidden door, which she opened and shoved Davina towards.

“Servants travel in the servants’ corridors. We don’t want the likes of you cluttering up the hallways,” she snapped, before stalking away.

Tutting her frustration and wondering why the old maid wasn’t using the servants’ corridors herself, Davina entered the dimly lit walkway and shut the door behind her. It ran parallel to the hallway she had walked down and not too far along was a nondescript wooden door that looked as if it should open into the same room as the large double doors she had spied before.

She steadied her nerve and entered the room, careful to keep it against the wall as she made her way to the long table holding the desserts and fruits until it was time to serve.

She had never been in such a room before. Ceilings so high she needed to crane her neck to see the ornate designs of the crystal chandelier that hung from the vaults. The room was draped in rich, dark green wallpaper that Davina could only assume was more expensive than anything she had ever touched.

“Wine,” a voice snapped from behind her and she was sucked back from her daydream to the loud room. Plush royals picked at their meals while a shrill violin played melancholy music in the corner. The violinist wore a tight smile that felt painful to look at.

“Are you daft?” The voice said again causing Davina to focus. A horribly skinny woman in a pleaded bright yellow gown barked at her. “Wine, now.” She tapped a long, feeble-looking finger against her crystal goblet.

Davina chewed on the inside of her cheek and nodded softly once. She knew she was way out of her depths here, but who was she to say no to one of the royal families? Pinning her shoulders back, she took careful steps towards the table, allowing her gaze to drift around the table as she did.

Taking an inventory of everyone who sat in front of her, she didn't want to be the person who messed up on the names of the royals. King James sat at the head of the table as usual, with Queen Winnifred at the other end. On either side sat another couple, the skinny woman and a man who she assumed was said woman's husband. Finally, there was a younger girl, a brunette in a violet dress, who was paying no attention whatsoever to the dinner but instead, had her gaze fixed on one of the servicemen that stood along the wall.

Her eyes drifted over and she was met with the piercing blue stare of Prince James "Bucky" Barnes, who rather than paying attention to the girl he was supposed to, had his eyes narrowed at Davina, watching her carefully as she moved around the table.

With a sharp intake of breath, Davina turned her head, trying to focus on her task. She could still feel Prince James’ eyes on her, and it took everything in her not to respond to the pull of his gaze.

The woman holding her goblet tutted, clicking her teeth as Davina hurried around to her seat.

“Where is your sense of urgency, girl? I’m parched here!”

“I’m sorry, my lady,” Davina murmured, “it’s my first day.”

She regretted uttering the excuse the moment it left her lips as the woman scoffed and turned to Prince James.

“I take it you’ll be doing an overhaul of the servants once you’re king, James? It’ll be needed.”

The Prince made no comment that Davina could hear and she dared to look at him once more. She wished she hadn’t as she saw his full lips Prince twist in a snarl of derision and his jaw clenched tightly as he turned his attention away from her and focused on the younger girl next to him.

He leaned over and whispered something in her ear, his eyes flashing with devilry as the girl burst into peals of laughter.

“Show some decorum, Rebecca,” the Queen hissed, glaring at her child.

“Sorry Mother,” the Princess replied demurely, trying to rein in her smile.

The wine poured into the goblet carefully despite Davina's shaking hands and she was able to find her spot against the wall once again, cradling the pitcher like it might protect her from the ill intent and dirty stares of the family. Her attention still carefully and quietly focused on the Prince and Princess, who seemed to have their own quiet language that no one else paid much attention to.

She cracked a small smile as the Prince pushed around his food on his plate to resemble a messy, gravy-covered painting that could have been a pig but Davina wasn't sure until Rebecca began laughing again and the King turned beet red as the Prince cast a devilish smirk across the table.

"You two will be the ruin of this family," the king muttered beneath his labor breathing.

"James, please," The queen gritted her teeth, setting her fork down, "Do not start this again"

Davina cast her eyes down into the pitcher, attempting to tune out the conversation that she expected to transpire, afraid she would hear something that she wasn't supposed to. When working for families of higher positions, there was always topics you would overhear and information that was meant to be kept between family members. Most servants would just push it away or discuss it amongst themselves, but it was never on day one that conversations of this stature were witnessed.

"No father, please, continue," Prince James grinned dramatically, "I for one love hearing how Becca and I are going to ruin this realm,"

Davina swallowed hard. It was the first time she actually heard the prince speak. His voice was deep but melodic. Playful.

She stayed in place as the family began to bicker. “James, don’t start,” the queen warned once more. “I do not want more china broken.”

The temper thing seemed true then, Davina thought as her gaze flitted to the prince. She lingered on his jaw, stubbled and tight as it clenched, and then dragged it upward to stormy eyes.

Stormy eyes landed on her, and Prince James furrowed his brow curiously. Davina couldn’t look away this time, transfixed on the way he was staring her down, his dark face framed by long hair.

She swallowed thickly, having to force herself to stop the inappropriate staring when James grunted and scraped his chair back from the table.

“I’m no longer hungry,” he stated, before turning to his younger sister, his voice suddenly a little softer as he continued, “I’ll be in the library, little butterfly if you wish to lose at chess again.”

“I only lose because you cheat, Bucky!” Princess Rebecca called after him as he left the table, much to the clear chagrin of their parents.

Davina could feel the air in the room grow tense as dinner came to a close and the family scattered among the castle walls. Davina finished what chores she had and walked home in the darkness. As the weeks turned to a month Davina settled into her responsibilities but her curiosity for the Prince never faded.

Smoothing down her dress, Davina made her way once more through the stone hallways of the palace. It was a warm summer's day, and she was thankful to be in the wing of the palace that had open hallways into the gardens.

As she walked, soft grunts echoed through the air and when the sight of Prince James came into her view, she stopped in her tracks. He was training outside today, moving swiftly as if he were dancing around his sparing instructor. Beads of sweat dripped down his throat to his chest, and his tanned skin glimmered under the sunlight, making the ocean blue of his eyes stand out that much more.

James parried a blow, blocking an incoming attack from the side, then swung his sword as he swiftly moved his feet in the opposite direction.

He was… beautiful. Davina hid in the shadows, hoping no one could see her as she watched every move the prince made.

He’s brilliant.

She could almost see the calculations he was making in his head, eyes moving fast as he accurately predicted his opponent’s next moves.

Lifting his sword, his muscles tensed as he snarled and brought it down with a mighty clash, metal to metal. Davina’s stomach swooped at the pure strength behind James’ movements, he was sculpted like the statues of the castle, a work of art.

Lost to her reverie, she was spooked by the clearing of a throat behind her.

“You’re not the first maid to stare at my brother and you certainly won’t be the last, not that I understand the reasons why,” the young Princess announced imperiously with a look of thinly veiled disgust.

“Your Highness…” Davina dropped a curtsey and bowed her head. “I wasn’t…I mean, I’m not…”

“If you say so,” Princess Rebecca smirked cheekily, her arms folded across her chest.

Davina stared at her feet, not wanting to admit that maybe she had been admiring the Prince. Even if the Princess was younger than her she was still a member of the royal family. Oh god, she was going to get in trouble for this, wasn't she?

"Ugh, ew!" Davina glanced up, only to see the Princess' nose wrinkled in disgust as she looked her over. "Don't servants bathe? You stink!"

The younger girl whirled around without another word, striding away with the imperious air that was typical of her station, leaving Davina feeling hurt and embarrassed. It wasn't her fault that she had no private place to bath where she lived.

"You kind of do," the Prince's low voice came from behind her, making her jump.

The hair on the back of Davina's neck stood on end as she slowly turned on her heel to face the Prince. Despite the flush of embarrassment on her cheeks she curtsied muttering a soft "Your Highness" before standing straight, taking a step back from his large frame.

Ocean blue eyes narrowed at her for a moment, "My sister, as brash as she is, is right. You need a bath." His words sent a burning sensation behind her eyes as she tried to hold back the tears from feeling the humiliation climbing through her veins.

"Yes sir," She said softly ignoring the shakiness in her voice.

He studied her once more before glancing behind him into the courtyard then up and down the hallways. Her eyes followed his own, finding themselves completely alone. Silence drifted between them before he glanced back at her, his eyes roaming her features as he took a step towards her and lifted his hand. Every muscle in her body tensed as the Prince's thumb brushed over her cheekbone wiping away at the smudge of dirt she had seen this morning but forgot to wipe away herself and watched as the blue in his eyes disappeared with something other than disgust.

Davina's breath shuddered while his hand lingered on her skin almost burning her with curiosity and a feeling in her belly that she should not be having for the Prince.

"There's a bath house for the servants on the edge of the grounds," He said, his voice huskier than before, "Use it. If you are told not to by any of the other maidens, you direct them to me."

Just as quickly as his fingers had found her skin, they were gone. His gaze lingered on her for a moment more before he turned and moved down the corridor, letting Davina force the breath she was holding out through her mouth.

She sighed to herself before going about the rest of her chores for the day in silence. When dusk came, she found the bathhouse that the Prince spoke of. It felt nice to be able to soak in the flowing water and to use the bath oils and hard goat's soap that she found.

Clean and dressed in a new hand-me-down shirt and skirt from an older maid, Davina took her small dinner in the servant's quarters before beginning her evening duties.

The breakfast for tomorrow morning needed preparing, bread dough to be proved and fruits to be soaked in syrup.

The small wooden clock on the mantle told her she was running behind and she hurried to the kitchens, blonde hair flying behind her as she fumbled to tie it back with ribbon. In her haste, she skipped the servant staircase, the castle was quiet and she doubted there would be anyone around to berate her now.

Past the great hall, left at the garden room and— oof

The library door swung open and she collided, hard and fast with the broad body of the prince, clad in soft cotton undergarments.

“Oh…oh my…I’m…your Highness!” Davina stammered, dropping into the lowest curtsey she could manage.

Her face blazed with embarrassment as she remained frozen, her head bowed as her hair slowly slid back out of the poorly-tied ribbon and pooled like satin around her shoulders.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I think perhaps I share some of the blame here,” the Prince rumbled. “Are you hurt?”

Davina looked up, surprised to hear what almost sounded like kindness coming from the usually closed-off Prince.

"Oh, ah, yes, I'm fine, your majesty," She curtsied again, her cheeks hot, "I should have taken the servant's hall, I am so sorry. It won't happen again."

"It's fine, there's no one else around," He murmured. She looked up, hesitating to meet his gaze. He was studying her intently, though what his thoughts may have been she couldn't tell, "You used the bathhouse, I take it?"

"Yes, thank you, sir."

"Hmm," For the second time that day, he reached out, but this time his fingers trailed the collar of her shirt. She struggled not to make a sound when he touched her neck, just barely before his hand dropped away completely.

"What was your name again?" He asked.

"Davina, your royal highness."

She watched as his tongue jutted out over his bottom lip. His plump pink lips glistened under the low light coming from the library after the action causing her breath to hitch in her throat.

“Please,” his voice low and raspy, “just Bucky. I detest the formalities.”

Davina felt the heat creeping slowly up her neck, “Oh, I couldn’t possibly.”

“Just between us,” he stated, tilting his head down slightly, a stray curl falling across his forehead as his eyes searched hers.

Her fingers itched with the urge to push the curl from his face. Realizing he had gone quiet, her eyes peeled from the soft tendril down to his blue eyes. "Of course...Bucky."

The name felt foreign to her lips, almost forbidden, and sparked something in her belly as he shifted in his boots, the corner of his mouth quirked up as he watched her.

"Do I make you nervous, Davina?" He asked in a hushed gravely tone that sent goosebumps up her skin despite the corridor being warm and humid from the night air. Bucky took a step towards her, closing the little distance between them.

Suddenly her throat felt very dry as if every ounce of air had been sucked out of her lungs, "N-no, of course not, I've just -" Davina cleared her throat and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, "I've heard stories," she admitted, finding herself unable to take her blue eyes off of his.

"Stories..." Bucky repeated, a small glimmer of a smirk appeared on his lips and his head tilted to the side as he watched her, "You've not worked here long, have you?"

"Nearly a month," She answered, still trying to hide the small shake in her voice as she took a step backward.

The prince hummed, nodding once and following her backward step with a move forward, staying close to her as his eyes traced her features. Davina was gearing up to hear cruel words drip from his lips as he bashed her for her stupidity. Despite being allowed to call him by his nickname, there was no way she could have prepared for his next words.

"I knew I couldn't be so blind as to miss someone so beautiful working in my palace," He rasped, reaching out to brush a stray piece of blonde hair off her shoulder.

Davina furrowed her brows and took in a sharp breath, "You... you think I'm beautiful?"

“Enchanting, really,” Bucky murmured softly, twisting a strand of her hair around his fingers.

Davina’s breath hitched, her gaze leaving his momentarily to trail the length of his body.

“Forgive me, Davina. I am in battle garments so often, I like to dress down most evenings. I usually stay in my rooms and don’t expect to bump into anyone.”

He peered at her through his dark lashes, blue eyes glistening as his cheeks flushed a soft pink. To see the Prince blush was a surprise.

“It was unexpected, I admit,” she replied, lightness in her voice.

His mouth opened and then closed, as if he wanted to say something but then decided against it. He tried again,

“Do you…read?” He asked, gesturing with his head towards the doorway he’d appeared through.

The tone of his question sparked something in Davina and she felt indignance rise within her.

“Do I read?” She blustered. “Why? Do you think one in a lowly station such as I am not educated? Because I am new here? Because that wretched old chief maid worked me so hard I hadn’t even had time to bathe?!”

Davina’s hands landed on her hips, her eyes blazing.

“Of course, I can read you arrogant ass!”

For a moment the Prince looked taken aback, instead of Davina being the one who was flustered, it was him floundering.

"I didn't mean - " he stopped abruptly and then laughed, his eyes crinkling slightly at the edges while his nose wrinkled up with the smile. "Forgive me, Davina, I didn't mean to imply you had no education. I meant, rather, to ask if you wanted to see the library?"

Who was this man and what had he done with Prince James?!

A shuffling at the end of the hallway startled them both before Davina could form a response. Headed straight for them was the very same wretched old maid she'd mentioned a moment earlier.

"Shit," she cursed quietly, before remembering who she was with. Her hand flew to her mouth, hoping neither the prince nor the maid had heard her.

Before she could think of a reasonable explanation to be caught with the Prince in a dark corridor, his hand grasped her waist as he shuffled to the side.

Davina was stunned- mostly from fear, but partially from the firm grasp he held through the thick fabric of her skirts. He had placed his body between hers and the old maid, who was just a few feet away from them now. Her heart lept to her throat.

“My lord, please forgive the new girl, she’s not right in the head-“ Bucky stepped forward just as the old maid approached with an outstretched hand, poised to slap Davina.

“How dare you speak about my staff in such a manner?” He practically hissed at her. The old maid shrunk at his sharp tone, her hand returning to her waist to smooth her apron.

“Your grace, I’m sorry,” she curtsied. Davina could see the old maid shaking as she averted her eyes. A part of her felt sympathy for a split second - this was another human, after all. And they both were only in this hallway because they served the man standing between them, and his entire royal bloodline.

She wanted to take comfort in the fact that Bucky seemed to be protecting her, but she also couldn’t ignore the fact that he was royalty and she was a mere handmaid.

“I’ll make sure she is punished and-“

Bucky cut the old maid off again. “You will do no such thing, wench,” he spat at her. She shrunk even closer to the floor as Davina started to actually revel in the verbal lashing he was delivering.

They may both be servants, but this woman was unnecessarily wretched.

"Return to your duties, Miss Davina serves me and only me from this night forward." Bucky turned his nose up with his words. His hand squeezed her side when she tensed next to him.

The old maid stood straight once more, her eyes bulging from her skull, "Your Highness, that's not--"

Davina froze once again, her gaze daringly flickered between the two of them just long enough to catch his brow raise and the slight tilt of his head.

"I will not repeat myself again." His words were harsh and firm with warning. The old maid bowed her head once before turning on her heel and away from them.

She felt herself let out a breath before stumbling out of his grasp, "You didn't need to do that." Davina hissed gently, "I shouldn't have been here."

Bucky turned back towards her, his fists clenching at his sides and a hard look plastered over his face. "That old maid has been bitter since I was a child and she abuses what little reign she has on the rest of the servants and clearly more-so you, so yes Davina, I did." She stared up at him, not believing the words she was hearing as his face softened and he reached for the large bronze handle of the Library door, "I'd like to get to know the maiden who will be mine from now on unless you'd like to return to the servants quarters."

The butterflies in her chest exploded and she wasn't sure if his words had a second meaning or not, but the corners of his mouth quirked up again softly creasing the corners of his eyes and showing her a different side of the rumored mean prince.

Davina cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck. She could still feel his hand at her waist. "If... If you want to show me the library, I wouldn't be opposed, sir."

There were rooms in the castle where servants weren’t permitted to enter unless working directly with a member of the family or under extraordinary circumstances. Sleeping quarters, private offices, and, Davina had been disappointed to learn, the library.

So given the opportunity now, as Bucky tucked her hand snuggly into the crook of his elbow, she was giddy to see the large collection of books she’d heard talk of.

“Oh, this is glorious!” She beamed as Bucky guided her into the room, letting her go to close the heavy doors behind them with a loud thunk.

Davina’s heart thundered against her rib cage as she turned to see Bucky watching her take it in, his expression soft. She was truly alone with the prince now, and he was looking at her like she was some creature from heaven.

“It is quite. I always felt there was something missing though, with the room.” He paused and took a large stride towards her, absentmindedly fixing an upturned frill on the shoulder of her shirt. “But I think I just found it.”

Her breath hitched slightly at his closeness, her senses becoming overwhelmed by the new environment. The light in the library was dim, with oil lamps turned down low and the fire in the grate almost at embers. The smell of woodsmoke, leather, and old paper permeated the air, combined with a scent that was so distinctly…royal.

“No one really takes care of them anymore,” he murmured, stepping up behind her. “They keep it clean and tidy but the books are so…neglected.”

“I’d look after them,” Davina breathed. “I’d organize them and make sure they were treated properly, the books,” she clarified.

“I thought you might,” Bucky hummed, his fingers moving from her shoulder to rest against the side of her neck, his thumb tracing small circles against her shoulder blade.

Davina was practically dizzy at the slightest sign of affection from this man. She so desperately wanted to arch her back into him but she couldn’t possibly be so forward, not after he offered her such a generous opportunity.

Gratitude bloomed in her chest as she realized the gravity of what happened here. She suddenly spun around to face him. Bucky’s eyes widened in shock as she stared up at him through her lashes. His hands fell to his sides, but she reached forward and grasped them with her own.

“Your grace, thank you so much for what you did back there. Thank you for- this library is-“

She was overwhelmed by the kindness the Prince was showing her. This was the most human she had felt in a month. Tears welled in her eyes and she sniffed, willing them to dry up and save her a lifetime of embarrassment.

Just as a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek, Bucky reached up and wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. She choked down a sob as he grasped her chin and pointed her gaze toward him. He towered above her.

“You have nothing to thank me for.” He was being so gentle with her, but his tone was firm. She didn’t feel the need to question further.

He gathered her hands against his chest and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. She felt comfortable for the first time since she came to be part of the royal service.

“I meant it when I said you were mine now, you know.”

She brought her lip between her bottom lip, her eyes glued to his as the rest of her body melted into the warmth of his own. Though the doubts about their statuses still lingered in the back of her mind.

"I'm just a maiden..." Davina whispered, "And you...are a-"

She gasped as his lips slotted over her own, silencing her. His hand slid from her lower back up to the nape of her neck, holding her firmly against him as a whimper left her lips. Bucky pulled back gently, just far enough that she could see his eyes as she breathlessly finished her thought, "Prince."

"Tell me, Davina," he brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. "Have I ever given you the impression that I am concerned with stations?"

She swallowed tightly, still dizzy from the kiss but Bucky's hands wrapped around her neck tighter keeping her eyes on him as she collected her thoughts. His rings felt cool against her flushed skin.

"Certainly not," she huffed, finally able to catch her breath, "but I may need more convincing your majesty."

James grinned down at Davina, his eyes dark in the dimly lit room. "Oh really? What could I possibly do to convince you, my Davina? " He slowly began backing them up towards a bench against the far wall, out of sight. "Another kiss? Or would my beautiful maiden want something... more?"

The word was a hushed, low rumble against her ear and Davina swore her heart was pounding so hard, Bucky could surely hear it. She drew back with a raised eyebrow as she tried to steel her nerves.

“Surely you have more decorum than to take a maid in the library, your majesty?”

Bucky laughed, rich and echoing in the vast room.

“Oh, my sweet Davina. We have much to learn about each other, but you know I possess little decorum. Especially around a maiden as intoxicating as you.”

He dipped his head then, brushing the cool tip of his nose up the line of her neck and pressing a soft kiss to the sensitive spot just below her ear. Davina gasped as Bucky suckled lightly at her skin.

“Then I want more,” she breathed.

“Perfect,” he murmured against her skin, trailing his lips across her jaw and back to her mouth.

Davina flushed at the soft whine that escaped her throat, but it only served to spur the Prince onwards. Bringing his hands up to cradle her face he kissed her once more, capturing her top lip with his before deepening their contact and pulling her flush against him.

The heat radiating from his body made her overly conscious of his state of undress, clad as he was in only the soft cotton chemise and shorts he must sleep in.

"M-my lord," she gasped when his lips trailed across her cheek and he nipped her earlobe.

"Mmm, Davina," The prince growled, "I told you to call me Bucky."

They sank to the bench, Bucky caging her below him, but he paused, his eyes searching hers instead of continuing his affections. "Are you sure you want this?"

Davina blinked rapidly, "What?"

"Do you want this? Me?" He asked, before clarifying the question further, "I'm not interested in forcing this on you, no matter what my reputation may suggest otherwise."

She nodded her head, staring into his eyes. The blue of his eyes was only slightly visible, his pupils overtaken with lust.

“Words, Davina,” he chided lightly. She craned her neck to reach his lips but he pulled away slightly. She could still feel his breath against her skin.

“Please,” she breathed. “I want you.” She desperately needed to close the gap between them.

Bucky chuckled slightly as he started suckling her jawline. She moaned and arched her back up from the hardwood of the bench.

“Let me make you mine, little dove.”

"You already did," gasped as his fingers trailed along her side, tugging at the soft cotton until she felt the tips of them on her skin.

He smiled against her skin, moving from her jaw to the column of her neck, to the soft spot between her collarbone and neck, "but to hear you say it," Bucky rasped lifting his head as his hand palmed her breast, "is far more pleasing."

He rolled her nipple through his forefinger and thumb, the coolness from his rings sending jolts straight to her nerves as the fire began to burn in her belly. Davina smiled, combing her fingers through his long hair, pushing back the waves from his eyes, "Then please, make me yours."

Bucky's fingers made quick work of the laces at her breasts before shucking the camisole from her body and leaving her on display. Davina leaned against the bench on her elbows, propping herself up as Bucky sat back, lifting his own tunic from his torso.

Davina looked around, tempted to cover herself in fear of being caught in such a public space but the prince caught her hands before she could do so, clicking his teeth together in a disapproving sound. "I want to see you," he whispered in a tone that sent a spark coursing through her body to her toes. "All of you," his fingers tangled into the hem of her skirt, and tickled a line across her stomach. "May I?"

"Please Bucky," Davina whined, her hips instinctively bucking softly towards him.

Bending down, he placed light kisses down her torso as his fingers tugged her skirt and undergarments down her legs. Sitting back up, he haphazardly threw her bottoms into the dark of the library and grasped her calf in his hand, running his lips over the skin of her ankle and up her leg.

"Gods you're gorgeous," he rasped, peering down at her with a wicked smirk on his lips.

She whimpered softly, surprised that she'd even made the sound. The look on his face made her melt against the wood of the bench she rested against. He wanted her. Her.

Davina reached out with one hand, wanting to be able to touch any part of him that she could reach. "Bucky..."

Slowly, torturing her with each kiss that he pressed against her calf, Bucky moved up her leg. Each time his lips met her skin she whimpered, the heat building in her the closer he got to her hips.

"Is this okay?" He asked. He hadn't taken his eyes from hers, and she could see the fire burning in their depths. Despite experiencing this firsthand, Davina was still having trouble believing that a Prince was interested in a simple maid like herself.

"Yes?" She said, not entirely certain what he meant.

He smirked, pressing another kiss against the tuft of hair between her legs, fingers tickling along the soft skin of her thighs, "One of my greatest pleasures, Davina," He rasped, "Is feasting on the sweet nectar that comes from here."

His fingers pushed between her folds, making her gasp, and then dragged them up, circling her sensitive nib once before he pulled them away. Davina whined at the loss while he popped the soaked digits into his mouth. Bucky groaned deeply, "Fuck, you taste heavenly. Let me have more?"

“Gods yes,” She breathed, her heart hammering against her chest as his eyes bore into hers. Lust and adoration swirled into one, taking over his sea of blue.

“Please, Bucky”

His plump lips curled into a soft smirk at the sound of her pleas only fueling the fire inside of her.

“As you wish, my sweet.”

His sentence was a whisper against her center, just barely finished before he licked a stripe through her wet folds. Davina’s head fell back at the contact, a moan slipping from her lips as he circled her throbbing nub with the tip of his tongue. His fingers dug into the supple skin of her thighs as she bucked her hips into his lips.

His fingers slipped gently between her folds. He continued circling her clit with his tongue- it felt like he was spelling out a prayer with his tongue, treating her body with the utmost reverence.

Davina couldn’t stop her hips from lifting up from the bench. The coil in her belly wound tighter and tighter- “More,” she choked out.

He sped up his prayer, moaning into her cunt. In a haze, she took his hand from her thigh and placed his hand at the column of her throat. He pulled away from her with a whine, his fingers still lingering at her entrance.

Bucky’s eyes widened before he carefully placed his fingers around her neck. He applied no pressure to her throat, just resting his hands against her as he gazed up at her from between her legs.

“Do you still want more?”

Davina nodded, head spinning as she almost immediately felt slight pressure from his grasp on her throat. She wasn’t going to last much longer, especially as the cool of his rings soothed her burning skin.

He ducked his head back down and lapped at her clit while driving two fingers deep inside her. He didn't apply any more pressure at her throat, just enough so her cry was muffled as the coil inside her snapped. Waves of ecstasy crashed down upon her. Her hips bucked against him as he moaned against her, the lower half of his face slick with her arousal.

Davina's body shuddered through the pleasure, her lids heavy as she peered down at Bucky who was nipping at her inner thighs. His freehand had disappeared between them and she could make out the faint gesture of him stroking his length as he lifted his lips from her.

"You're the sweetest thing I've ever tasted Dove," his voice was raspy and dark as he moved the hand around her throat to cup the side of her neck and moved to hover over her, "Where has this cruel world been hiding you?" Bucky muttered rolling his hips gently against her own as he settled his weight on her. The pressure ceased the gentle vibration of her body as her fingertips dug into the muscles of his shoulders.

She knew the question was rhetorical but she couldn't help the words as they fell from her lips, "in your family's shadow."

His brows furrowed for a moment before his lips pressed to hers, "You're filled with too much light to be kept in the shadows my darling."

That familiar burning sensation behind her eyes returned as he slid his knee between her thighs, nudging them apart gently as he peppered her face and neck with slow soft kisses, "Bucky," she whined in a whisper until she felt the head of his cock nudge at her entrance and a small gasp left her.

He lifted his head again, tangling his fingers into her hair, "Be my light Davina, please."

Davina's blue eyes searched Bucky's in the dim light of the library, almost waiting for herself to wake up from this perfect dream. Of all the people she thought would fall for her, a prince was never in her mind. The soft touch of Bucky's lips against her skin made her mind spin in the best way possible.

"I'm yours, Bucky," she whispered into the darkness, "I'm all yours,"

Bucky took in a sharp breath as he moved to capture her lips with his own as he pushed himself inside her, swallowing her moan. As he bottomed out, his hips stilled, feeling Davina wince, and clench around him. His lips shifted to pepper her cheeks with soft, wet kisses, trailing his hand down her body, and finding its home on her hip.

He pulled back just enough to catch her gaze, with a furrowed brow as he searched her face, "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Davina nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck and tangling her fingers into the small curls at the base of his neck, "I'm okay, I promise. You can move, Bucky,"

With another breath and a soft kiss to her lips, Bucky pulled out of her and pushed back in slowly, taking his time to relish in every inch of her body as his blue eyes locked with hers in the warm dim light of the candles.

He watched as Davina's back arched in a beautiful bowing motion, making him smile. "Gods, you are so beautiful." Bucky lowered his head to kiss between her breasts as he slowly thrust repeatedly into her body, listening to her soft whines and moans.

Davina gripped onto the hair at the back of his head, already feeling the coil in her body slowly beginning to tighten again. "Bucky... please... faster please."

Bucky pulled back slightly, thrusting back into her with force, filling her to the brim. His hips began moving faster, hip bones digging into hers surely leaving bruises in their wake.

The feel of his length inside of her coupled with his warm breath against her skin and praises sent Davina into a frenzy. Electricity shot through her nerves and she pressed her lips to his shoulder trying to conceal her moans.

"Let go for me Davina," He groaned, his hips stuttering as he buried his face into her neck, "I have you."

His words sent her over that edge, clawing at his back as she sank her teeth into the skin on his shoulder not hard but to keep herself from screaming his name in the expanse of the library. Her body tightened, the rubberband in her stomach snapped and her legs wrapped around his waist, holding him to her.

"Bucky please," she begged him as his movements became erratic, his breath somehow hotter against her skin. He lifted his head, and a small ring of blue around his pupils glowed in the dim light before his lips crashed against her own, swallowing their groans with his release and sending her over the cliff with him once more.

As Bucky's hips stilled, the two of them collapsed onto the wooden bench beneath them. The coolness of the wood on Davina's back was a contrast to her hot sticky skin. She took comfort, nuzzling herself into Bucky's arms, his touch becoming light and gentle as he pressed soft kisses into her messy blonde waves.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" He rasped, trailing his fingers down Davina's arm and entangling their fingers together before bringing her hand up to his lips.

Davina hummed and let out a deep breath, smiling softly up at the prince as she met his eyes, "I'm perfect," she whispered, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"I hope you know I meant every word," Bucky stated, keeping his blue eyes locked with hers, "Everything I said to you, it wasn't just to get you into my bed. I meant it, Davina."

Her bottom lip found a home between her teeth as she took in his words. The thought had crossed her mind, that he was just being sweet to her for this but there was something about the way he looked at her, the way his touch felt against her skin that pushed that thought away.

"I believe you, Bucky," she answered finally, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

Bucky sighed deeply, moving his gaze down to their hands as he played with her fingers, the soft hint of his real smile danced at the corners of his lips, "I didn't want this life," he finally said, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "The kingdom, the responsibility, becoming my father... It's not me. And yet, despite my best efforts, the rumors around the palace of my temper is just history repeating itself," his blue eyes moved back to meet Davina's, looking down at her through tired eyes, "But the past few weeks, having you around, everything felt different. The air in the palace was suddenly clear and every room I saw you in was someone brighter, but I could never find the opportunity to approach you. That old hag or someone from my family was always lurking about..."

"I'm here now, your majesty," Davina teased, bringing a soft laugh from his lips.

"Yes you are, my beautiful light in all of this darkness," Bucky leaned down and captured her lips with his.

Davina pulled back, resting their foreheads together, she brushed the tips of their noses together lightly, "Always," she whispered.

[gyubakeries]

your work is so so sooo good. you write angst and fluff so well wow. could i please request a similar drabble with seungkwan? any plot is great, just the same loving doting boyfriend as in your seungcheol drabble

𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗮𝗶𝗱 | b.sk

a/n: hi anon! im so glad you liked the seungcheol drabble <3 thanks for requesting this!! kwan is so bf material... this wasnt really hard to write lmaoo. hope you like this!

word count: 2.2k contents: seungkwan x afab!reader , idol!seungkwan , waitress!reader , domestic fluff , mentions of injury (just a small cut) , a little angst , but we get comfort so thank you kwan , set right after nana tour , seungkwan being a pro-nagger

"y/n, just go home," your co-worker, hyeri, sighs. "i'll cover for you."

"i'm fine, hyeri," you shake your head, continuing to wipe down the empty tables.

"you look dead from the lack of sleep," hyeri counters, taking the cleaning rag away from you. "i could see those dark circles under your eyes from miles away."

"are you telling me i look like a panda?" you gasp, and hyeri shoots you an unimpressed look.

"go home, or i'm calling seungkwan up," hyeri threatens, and your eyes widen at the mention of your boyfriend's name.

"are you crazy? don't say that out loud! you never know when someone is listening!" you whisper-yell. dating an idol from a famous kpop group was a tough job, especially when their fans could be lurking anywhere.

"there's literally no one here," hyeri points out. "because it's closing time. now go home before i kick your ass."

"but-"

"non negotiable," hyeri cuts you off. "you've closed every night for the last two weeks, so let me do it now. go home and get some rest, y/n. i'm worried about you."

your shoulders slump. you hated that hyeri had to do your job, but a tiny part of you felt relieved to be going home and finally getting some shut-eye.

"thank you so much, i'll treat you to lunch soon," you say. "at the expensive hot-pot place you like."

hyeri squeals with excitement, and you can only smile at her antics before heading out to the back of the restaurant, grabbing your things, and leaving for the day.

it's almost midnight by the time you're stepping into your apartment. you immediately head into your bedroom to put your phone on charge, it having died sometime during the day while you were working. you quickly go into the bathroom to take a shower, eager to get clean and finally hit the bed, unaware of the text messages lighting up your screen while you shower.

once you're dressed in comfortable clothes, you tuck yourself into bed. you wait for sleep to claim you as soon as your head hits the pillow, but..... it doesn't.

you lie awake, staring at the ceiling blankly. you feel so tired, but your eyes refuse to shut. the frustration overwhelms you, threatening to make unshed tears spill from your eyes. just when you thought things couldn't get worse, your stomach starts rumbling loudly.

groaning because of this unfair situation the universe decided to put you in when all you wanted was to sleep, you get out of bed and walk into the kitchen, hoping to make some ramen for yourself.

you open the cupboard to fetch some instant ramen after putting a pot of water on the stove to boil. while waiting for the water, you take out an egg and some green onion from your fridge.

the ramen noodles go into the water and you take out a knife to chop up some green onions, just to be fancy. just then, a wave of tiredness washes over you, making your eyelids droop.

you yawn, carelessly cutting the green onion. a combination of your exhaustion and your vision blurring with tears as you yawn again makes you miscalculate where your knife lands, and in the blink of an eye, there's a gash on your index finger, bright red blood oozing out of it.

"shit!" you exclaim, rushing to the kitchen sink to run some cold water over your finger. in your panic, you barely register the door to your apartment opening and your boyfriend walking in.

"y/n! i'm ho- shit, what happened?" seungkwan gasps, seeing you hunched over the kitchen sink. he rushes to you, dropping his bag to the floor. he nearly screams too when he sees the cut on your finger and the blood spilling from it.

"wait here, i'll get the first-aid kit," he snaps into action, but you stop him.

"switch the stove off, or the next mess we'll have to clean is the ramen," you instruct, pointing at the ramen bubbling dangerously on the stove.

seungkwan does as you say, and then rushes into the bedroom to find the first-aid kit. he's back in the kitchen in no time, holding a box of band-aids, some cotton, and.... a sharpie?

the cotton turns out to be drenched in warm water, which he uses to clean the wound gently. he then takes a band-aid out of the box and carefully wraps it around your finger, making sure to cover the cut entirely. and then comes the role of the sharpie.

seungkwan pulls the injured finger closer to him and takes off the cap of the marker. his eyebrows furrow with concentration as he brings the pen to the band-aid, drawing something onto it.

when he releases your finger, you see that he's drawn the face of a puppy onto the band-aid. your heart melts.

"kwan, that's so cute!" you squeal, momentarily forgetting about whatever had just happened. and also the fact that your boyfriend was an expert at nagging.

"yah, y/n, don't you think you should be more careful?" seungkwan scolds lightly. "what if the cut was deeper? or your finger got chopped off? what if i hadn't come home at that time? you didn't even know i was going to come! do you know how worried i was when you didn't read my texts?"

your smile is quickly replaced by a frown, and you suddenly feel tired again. seungkwan notices the abrupt change in your mood, and immediately feels bad for scolding you.

"babe, i'm sorry," he apologizes, coming closer to you to take your hands in his. "i was just really worried, you know?"

you only nod in response. you weren't upset because of seungkwan, but because of how pathetic and monotonous your life had become over the last few weeks.

"y/n, talk to me," seungkwan tries, not liking the distant look in your eyes. he could also tell that you were tired from your pale and sullen face. "is everything okay?"

his concerned tone feels like a hug to all the turmoil in your head, and that prompts the first few tears to escape your eyes. you look up at seungkwan, and his distressed expression only upsets you more, making you sob louder.

seungkwan doesn't hesitate for a second, pulling you against his chest in a warm embrace. you inhale deeply, taking in the scent of his cologne that never fails to soothe you.

"how about we lay down?" seungkwan suggests after a while. you nod again, so he carefully guides the both of you towards your bedroom, gently pulling you down next to him on the bed, his arms never leaving your waist.

"do you want to talk about what's been bothering you? was it what i said?" seungkwan asks once your sobs had reduced to sniffles.

"i'm tired." you state. it's the truth, but it's far more complex than just tiredness.

"of course you are. not sleeping for a week does that to people," seungkwan replies in a matter-of-factly tone.

"how did you know that?" you ask, genuinely surprised.

"hyeri texted me earlier. i would have gone to pick you up after your shift, but my dance practice was still on," he answers. "so, what's been up with you? missed me so much you couldn't sleep?"

he said it as a joke, but the words strike a sensitive spot.

"i did," you answer truthfully. "i missed you a lot. it felt like hell without you. and i'm used to months of not seeing you, but this time we couldn't even text because you were busy filming, and it's ridiculous of me to complain about it because it's literally your job, but i missed you a lot. i tried sleeping but i couldn't. not without you texting me a stupid meme vernon sent you before nagging at me to go to sleep. not without you there to hold me. it was torture, kwan."

seungkwan's eyes widen slightly at your rant. he knew long distance was tough, and you two had been through a lot together, but he knew something else was bothering you. you weren't the type to break down this easily.

"i missed you too, babe," seungkwan sighs, pulling you closer to him. "i hated not being able to see your face, especially after i promised to meet you after i came back from japan."

"it's okay, kwannie, i understand," you knew that seungkwan himself wasn't aware of the surprise trip to italy, so you can't really blame him. he also needed that week-long break, especially after having worked so hard.

"thank you, love," seungkwan mutters into your hair, his fingers gently massaging your scalp to alleviate some tension. "but there's something else that's troubling you. i noticed that you were always worrying about something for a few months. you seemed aloof, and i tried to bring it up, but there was never time. what's up?"

"i feel like i'm stuck," you explain. "my life isn't moving forward. it's the same routine of go to work, clean tables, serve food, come home and do chores, and then repeat. i've wanted to do so much more, but i'm just stuck here."

seungkwan's heart breaks at the exhaustion in your voice. you had told him about how you've always wanted to have your own restaurant, which was the only reason you were working in a restaurant yourself.

"babe, it's okay to feel tired sometimes," he comforts you. "there are times when even i feel like i'm stuck in a rut. go to the studio to record, practice room to practice choreo, attend interviews, and repeat it all again. at the start, even i had doubted getting myself into this career, but i realized how deep my passion for music was, which is why i stayed. and the members too, of course."

"i know you love food and cooking, so just stick to your passion. don't give up on it. your big break will come one day. plus, you know mingyu and i will gladly fund your restaurant. you just have to ask, baby."

seungkwan's words have this ability to heal all your wounds. they're like a soothing balm to your sore body, and you're so thankful to have such a caring and loving person in your life.

"if i start my restaurant, i want to do it myself," you crack a small smile. "you're always free to help with the interior design, though."

"thank god, your interior choices are.... questionable," seungkwan teases.

"hey! you can't say that to me!" you pout, but seungkwan doesn't relent.

"seriously? do i have to remind you of that hideous statue of a chihuahua you bought? because you thought it was cute?" he challenges, raising an eyebrow at you.

"it was cute, okay?" you say defensively. "plus, i gave it away because you refused to enter my apartment if it stayed!"

"there was nothing cute about that abomination," seungkwan shudders. "it was a chihuahua wearing red pants and an orange bow-tie. anyways, my point is still valid. i'd be glad to help you design your restaurant."

"thank you, kwan," you smile, leaning up to kiss him. "you always know what to say to make me feel better. how do you do it?"

"i'm magical, baby," seungkwan shoots an over-exaggerated wink at you, making you burst into laughter. "can i say something even better? i'll get all the members to come to your restaurant and we'll post it on our instagram. that kind of publicity would boost your restaurant to the big leagues instantly."

"sure, baby, you can bring all the guys," you nod, endeared by how enthusiastic seungkwan was. you've had a lot of people doubting your plans for your future career as it had bleak prospects, but having seungkwan by your side had reassured you to follow your dreams. he had never lost faith in you, even on days when you yourself gave up on your goals, and it had motivated you to a great extent.

"you've been by my side through everything, y/n," seungkwan whispers softly, looking into your eyes with nothing but adoration and love. "i can't wait to see you grow and become the brightest star too. i'll be there by your side, just like you've been there for me."

"seungkwan- i-" you're at a loss for words. his words are so genuine, and you really don't know what you'd done in your past life to have someone love you so entirely. "i don't even know what to say."

"maybe start with, 'oh my god, seungkwan, you're the best boyfriend ever!' or maybe even 'you're so cute it makes me want to cook my special ramen for you.' any one of those works really," seungkwan says cheekily, and you playfully slap his chest, followed by a loud yawn from the both of you.

"let's have ramen for breakfast tomorrow," you mumble sleepily.

"i gave you another option...." seungkwan sulks jokingly, making you laugh.

"oh my god, seungkwan, you're the best boyfriend ever!" you giggle, speaking in a shrill voice to sound like one of the many fans who fawn over seungkwan. humming with satisfaction, seungkwan presses a loud smooch to your forehead, squeezing you tightly, and then releasing you. your bodies never stray too far away though, always closely intertwined with each other.

and when you wake up the next morning, well-rested and to the sound of seungkwan singing along to girl group songs in the living room while cleaning, you forget about everything that had been weighing you down.

the band-aid on your finger covered the wound on your finger that healed slowly, and seungkwan's love was the band-aid on your heart, healing something he never broke.

- fin.

[highlordofdeeznuts]

The Usurper — Mortal Lands of Prythian Worldbuilding

*Note: This post may be updated alongside the fic.

The Usurper can be found on Ao3 using this link here.

Mortal Lands of Prythian Worldbuilding

Mortals in Prythian live in environments closer to European medieval standards (however they have better hygiene) due to lack of resources and currency 

Most mortals in Prythian live off the land and barter systems 

Currency is still used but less so in more sparsely populated areas

The closer a town is to the Wall of Mist, the poorer the living conditions are

Mortal realms on the neighboring continent are better because they actually have established kingdoms there

Kingdoms trade with Prythian mortals via one seaport in the south of the island 

After the war, the six mortal queens who established the peace treaty also tried to bring back as many mortals as possible 

But the journey is long and expensive, and thousands of people lost their lives at sea due to storms and sea monsters, so the mortals left behind on the island chose to stay despite the poorer conditions 

Mortal lands in Prythian do not have indoor plumbing because no access to running water 

Mortal lands on continent do have plumbing 

Full baths are a two-person job and happen once a week 

Bath house and privy are two separate buildings (usually one-room shacks)  

Privy is wooden bench with hole built over a large tin bucket 

After doing their business, the person brings the bucket outside and uses a shovel to dig a hole out in the woods and dispose of the waste 

Bath house has a small fire pit, a tub, bowl full of soap bars, racks for clothes and towels 

Large water bucket/pan is heated over the fire and dumped into the tub for the person bathing to use 

Usually someone is heating the water and then pouring it in the tub while other person is bathing 

One person can do it for themselves but it’s easier with two people if you want hot water

Tub holds 3-4 buckets of water 

Full baths are done once a week

These include full body washing and hair washing 

Partial baths are done every 1-2 days 

These are just using 1 bucket of water to wash important areas (face, armpits, chest, groin, feet) 

Archeron family water supply

They have a small well behind their cottage that is mostly used for drinking water and laundry 

There is a creek nearby that they use to bathe and collect water from during the summer 

They also have rainwater barrels stored outside the bathhouse that are used during spring/summer/fall 

Snow is collected during winter and melted down for water 

All water must be boiled (for at least one full minute) before use

This is standard in the mortal lands

Plants found during winter – can be grown even in snow 

Spinach 

Onion 

Garlic 

Leek 

Rhubarb 

Broccoli 

Kale 

Cabbage 

Radish 

Turnip 

Apples 

Oranges 

Lemons 

Cranberries 

Pomegranates 

Pears 

Plants found during winter – can be foraged from the forest 

Pine bark, pine needles 

Used for tea

Persimmons 

Rosehips 

Used for tea

Cattails 

Starch from rootstocks can be turned into flour, sprouts can be boiled and eaten as vegetables

Maple sap 

Hickory nuts 

Black walnuts  

Acorns 

Herbs used for cooking 

Basil 

Chamomile 

Chicory 

Chives 

Dill  

Fennel 

Garlic 

Lemon balm 

Mint 

Oregano 

Parsley 

Rosemary  

Sage 

Thyme 

Tarragon  

Herbs used for medicine 

Chamomile – headaches 

Dittany – stomach pain, poultices 

Hemlock – painkiller 

Lavender – disinfectant 

Mint – stomach pain 

Sage – helps with colds

[valeriianz]

Hob hums along to the music quietly playing through his phone speaker, the knife in his hand coming down swiftly over the thinly sliced peppers, dicing them for his latest meal endeavor. He’d never really been much of a cook, but after living on his own for so many years, Hob came to the realization that living off takeout and boxed pasta wasn’t very sustainable (or healthy) and had strived to make at least one homemade meal a day. And today it was breakfast.

He scraped the bell pepper into a small bowl and reached for the red onion. Hob was on a mission this morning to get an omelet correct– redemption round– he called it. Preparing the vegetables was easy enough, it was cooking them with the egg mixture while keeping its integrity that was the challenge. 

With the knife poised to make the first cut into the onion, Hob suddenly feels two arms snake around his waist, followed by a cold nose pushing its way through his hair at the back of his neck.

Hob huffs a startled, but pleased laugh, as Dream nuzzles his way around, pressing feather soft kisses on his neck and up to his ear. He didn’t even hear Dream approach; he never hears Dream, like the man weighed nothing or just glided along the squeaky floorboards. Hob unconsciously tilts his head, stretching his neck out for Dream to have more access.

“You weren’t there when I awoke,” Dream rumbles, his voice impossibly low and rough from sleep.

Hob smiles. He still has the knife in his hand, but he’s lowered it to the cutting board, blade safely out of the way.

“I wanted to get started on breakfast,” he answers simply, trying desperately to not turn his head and meet Dream’s wandering lips. “And I made coffee.”

Dream presses his body along Hob’s, crowding him against the counter and ripping a surprised gasp from Hob, which turns into a soft groan as Dream nips his ear before dragging an open mouth down his neck. One of his hands is slipping underneath the hem of Hob’s shirt, rucking it up and fingers dancing across his stomach.

Hob’s eyes slip closed and he swallows hard.

“I’m holding a knife, love.”

He feels one of Dream’s hands move from his hip to lightly grip his elbow, fingers caressing down Hob’s arm and gently dislodging the knife from his hand. Hob chuckles softly, accepting his fate and allowing Dream to tie their fingers together, resting their hands on the countertop as he pushes himself forward again, so Dream’s front is flush against Hob’s backside.

Hob’s breath catches in his throat, feeling the distinct, hard outline of Dream’s arousal nudge against his ass as he shamelessly rolls his hips, pulling Hob impossibly closer as he does so. Hob brings his free hand around, winding it back and touching Dream’s middle, feeling skin. He tilts his head back against Dream’s shoulder, splaying his fingers and exploring down past Dream’s ribs to his hips, and lower…

Hob is almost breathless as he speaks, almost stammers as Dream bites his exposed neck.

“Why are you naked?”

“Why aren’t you?” Dream counters before getting both hands on Hob’s hips and spinning him around, shoving a gloriously firm, pale leg against Hob’s crotch and crushing Hob against the counter with renewed vigor.

Hob can only meet Dream’s mouth as it descends onto his, moaning as Dream’s tongue slides along his, hot and insistent. Hob crumbles at once, wrapping his arms around Dream’s shoulders and pulling so there’s no more space between them, no more air.

Hob cries out at a particularly hard thrust, causing his lower back to dig into the counter’s edge. Dream is kissing down his neck again and Hob can only hold on, getting a handful of silky soft hair and pulling.

“Dream–”

“Come back to bed,” Dream demands, licking the shell of Hob’s ear and making him shudder pleasantly.

Hob relents, abandoning his mission that was breakfast, it had been a lost cause from the start.

[buffetlicious]

Just the two of us so rather than the dining places that me and mum usually go to, I proposed Xing Hua Delights (回味轩兴化菜馆). What I liked about this place is their homey cooking style which matched my palate well. While waiting for the dishes to be served, we sipped on Barley Drinks. I had the cold version (S$1.80++) while mum took the hot drink (S$1.30++).

We started off with this small (S$11++) Stir-fried Green Beans (干煸四季豆) cooked with minced pork and dried chilli. The beans are still crunchy in the centre and the chilli gave it a little heat; nothing we Singaporeans couldn’t handle.

Normally we had the pig’s stomach in soup so we ordered this S$12++ plate of Flash Fried Pig’s Maw (爆炒豬肚) for a change. Came stir-fried with plenty of vegetables such as bamboo shoots, sweet peas, black fungus, carrots and onions plus spices like ginger and garlic.

Using the lees (红糟) left over from wine fermentation, the restaurant prepared this S$15++ portion of Red Rice Vinesse Pork Belly (红糟三层肉). The lees imparted the dish its alcoholic fragrant and taste. While the pork bellies aren’t too bad, I found them on the springy side. I actually preferred their chicken version cooked in the same style.

[obscurehistoricalinterests]

The Republic is worth a sauce gribiche

by Aurélien Soucheyre

„21 January is the day of the tete de veau dish, to celebrate the day in 1793 when the monarchy of divine right lost its own head. But where does this tradition come from and what's the recipe?

It's been going on for over two hundred years: every 21 January, thousands of gourmets enjoy a tete de veau at republican banquets. The date is no coincidence: it's the anniversary of the beheading of Louis XVI in 1793, the ultimate symbol of the fall of the Old Regime. The tradition comes from the pamphleteer Romeau, who in 1794 invited people to eat a pig's head on 21 January, a biscuit in the shape of the Bastille on 14 July and a 'fat chicken of India' on 10 August, the date of the collapse of royalty in 1792. Only the 21 January head has survived. It went from being a pig, referring to a king caricatured as a piglet in 1791, to a calf in 1848, when the Second Republic was established. The Third, Fourth and Fifth Republics then refrained from changing the animal. As for the sauce, it has evolved over the years, and it is the gribiche that has held the rope for decades, composed, for the purists, of eggs, mustard, oil, parsley, tarragon, chervil, and above all the indispensable capers and gherkins, which represent neither the body nor the breasts of the deceased king.

It's just that the practice has nothing to do with an anthropophagic delirium. It is not the individual Louis XVI who is being eaten, who had already lost his crown and had once again become "citizen Louis Capet". It is the monarchy of divine right that is being swallowed, the political regime itself, digested by the republican stomach. And if that sounds far-fetched, it's because the original idea came from England, as recounted by Gustave Flaubert in E'Education Sentimentale. On 30 January 1649, the British were the first to decapitate their monarch, by attacking Charles 1st. They were also the first to eat calves' heads on that date, in response to the royalists' commemorations. And even though the English throne has since been reoccupied, without absolute powers, the French replay the match every 21 January, with the royalists in the Basilica of Saint-Denis cowering on one side and the republicans laughing on the other.

Cold or hot

So there are confreries of calf's head eaters all over France on D-Day, a combination of English humour and French terror, all under the revolutionary flag. A great fan of tete de veau and "roborative cuisine", according to legend, former French President Jacques Chirac has never said whether he discovered this speciality at a banquet under the tricolour cockade, somewhere between Paris and Corrèze. But he did help to popularise the dish. It can be eaten cold, with little touches to the eyelids, nostrils, tongue and brains, for those who like to chew, or hot like a pot-au-feau. A matter of taste. Because the French Revolution is neither cold nor hot: it's lukewarm, because it's still waiting to be over.“

Tete de veau with gribiche sauce

Ingredients:

- 1 boneless veal head and 1 tongue

- 80g flour - 1 clove of garlic - 4 carrots

- 2 sprigs celery - 3 large onions spiked with cloves

- 1 bouquet garni - salt and pepper

Preparation:

The day before, soak the head and tongue in salted water and change the water several times. The next day, blanch the veal head, previously cut in half. Bring the veal halves and tongue to the boil, starting with cold water. Decant, peel the tongue and cut in half lengthways. Place each tongue half in each veal half, then roll into rotis before tying.

To cook the head. In a large pot, pour the flour delayed in a glass of white vinegar and add 10 litres of cold water. Add all the ingredients (herbs and chopped vegetables) and mix. Bring the bouillon to the boil before adding the two halves of the steak. Leave to simmer for two hours.

Check that it is cooked through, remove the two halves and leave to cool. Remove the string and roll into a ballottine, then wrap tightly in cling film to cut into equal slices.

Serve hot (or cold, according to taste), accompanied by potatoes cooked separately in salted water and a gribiche sauce.

For the sauce

Ingredients:

- 2 or 3 eggs - 1 tbsp wine vinegar (optional)

- 1 tsp mustard - 25cl peanut or rapeseed oil

- salt and pepper - 30 g chopped gherkins

- 30g chopped capers - 1 tbsp parsley

- 1 tbsp chopped tarragon - 1 tbsp chopped chervil

Preparation:

Boil the eggs until they are hard-boiled. Crush the yolks, add the mustard and mix the mayonnaise with the oil. Add the vinegar, salt and pepper and mix in the gherkins, capers, herbs and finely chopped egg whites.