#Modern objects bucket

[softpawsxd]

POV: Me when my fictional crushes think that i'm cursing them for some reason...

(ORIGINAL AUDIO CAN BE FOUND ON INSTAGRAM! ^w^)

[favisdisabled]

Bucket from Modern Objects is disabled! Having no arms is common in object shows, but Bucket is shown to have unique issues with it that makes her disabled-coded!

Requested by @annabiscuits

[moonglow-the-artist]

So.. does anyone here know that one survival game? Ya know? Those ones where you craft and having to survive the night while fighting off creatures and gathering resources? No?

Welp, this'll refresh your mind on what game I'm referring to

Paintbrush (Inanimate Insanity)

Greenyguy (Greeny's Grand Game/Mickey Mouse Battle House Again)

Bucket (Modern Objects)

OJ (Object Invasion)

Jacob Fairclough (Mickey Mouse Battle House Again)

Have y'all guessed it? It's Don't Starve lol, I'm making Object Show x Don't Starve/Don't Starve Together AU

I might post more of this AU considering my hyperfixation on this now

[roughmoon24]

Day 3 - 7

[plumbobacres]

Medieval Pottery Kiln

**Businesses and Hobbies EP Required**

What I Did:

The kiln now works off-the-grid.

There are no lights when the kiln is in-use- or at any time for that matter.

The wooden part of the kiln has been changed to look a bit less processed; I think it compliments the pottery station nicely but it doesn't match (yet). It's made out of walnut wood but the tones are slightly different. I added a bit of ageing/dirt to the wood.

I removed everything from the shelves; I'm considering adding some objects to them at a later date but for now you might be able to mess around with bb.moveobjects and place your own items there.

The clay stored at the bottom in now wrapped in leather to help trap in moisture without the use of modern day processed goods. You can still see a slight colour shift of the original clay through the leather which I kept because I thought it added a nice touch of realism.

I removed the plastic bucket.

The kiln itself is made out of stone which has been gradually darkened over time from the firing of pottery; I'm not exactly happy with it. But in-game I do enjoy it and I will personally be using it as a placeholder until my actual "Medieval Pottery" idea is complete.

The legs holding up the extremely heavy carved stone kiln are made out of weathered iron.. we won't go into the logistics of how that works I just thought it looked better than wood or stone 😅 All of the EA animations have been left intact, nothing about this object has changed other than it's textures. (and the things I removed)

More Information and Free Download HERE

[moniquill]

Thread ported from Facebook, via

PK: Ive been thinking about this comment a lot today …. Kind of all over the place with it. (And this is just me thinking and rambling. Everyone is allowed to fee how they feel and I’m not saying I’m totally right…. Perhaps I’m way off in some ways but, these are just my thoughts as of right now……)

1. I was thinking of how some people think we shouldn’t wear sealskin. I’d always thought it was such an a-hole-ey opinion but, once someone I know and respect asked why I thought it was ok to ware fur and I said well for one thing when you kill an animal to eat it, it seems like it would be wasteful to throw away the skin when you have a use for it. I think a lot of people must believe that most animals are being killed for only one part of them. (Although I/we don’t always use the skin)

2. Once I saw a picture of people with a dead giraffe that they killed and my instant thought was something like “eeee they killed a giraffe”. I’m embarrassed to admit that I was so quick to be judgey but I was. However I was quick to correct myself and tell myself that probably/hopefully they now have 3 years worth of giraffe burgers in the freezer. (Maybe they were unethical tho…. I don’t know… I don’t know anything about giraffe hunting but, I shouldn’t have been so quick to turn up my nose at something I know nothing about.

3. Once my uncle tagged me in a picture where his daughter just got a nanuk and someone from the city told me that polar bear should only be hunted in the old traditional way with darts/unak….. and I was thinking after “man, imagine he’d witness that scene with darts and dogs vs with a rifle … what way would he call more “humane?” (Not that traditional hunting is not humane because people do their very best to make it quick for more than one reason but, with the evolution of ways of hunting and modern ways people are often able to be more safe and more efficient. And hopefully not wasteful tho.)…..: speaking of “safe” and “traditional ways”….. yes we want to preserve practices and knowledge but, Geeze I’m not gonna take my kids in boat without a life jacket now-a-days. And I’ll take running water over buckets. I’m just saying that we don’t have to reject everything modern or not invented by Inuit in order to embrace our culture.

4. I feel like harvesting an animal from nature is far less cruel than raising a pig in a cage knee deep it its own poop. (See I’m being judgy again cause I don’t know how pigs are raised ….. “slaughter house” seems to be pretty descriptive tho.). I’ll look it up after this post to educate myself better. And I realize there is many different paths to fattening up a pig.

….. I dunno I’m just rambling. When I told my husband what I posted in response to that persons comment he said there was a time when he would have voted to attack the person but he said why don’t you educate her.

Well….. laugh first , educate second I guess. Haha

And really this is just my thoughts. I’m certainly not perfect and I live a very modern life in Ontario …. me and my family do our best to keep my children familiar with our home and have them visit often and stay long but, as my dad says “our culture has to be practiced to be strong”…. It makes me sad to be contributing to weakening the youths connection to land based lifestyle but, we all do our best in any way we can….

If you are feeling some kind of guilt like that, I think we need to tell ourselves that we are doing our best …. Not use it as an excuse but, use it so that we don’t feel shame.

Ok. I need to stop going on and on and on. lol.

Reply by Gokomis' Creations: Colonizations main objective is to assimilate everything Indigenous. By telling us that our traditional ways of harvesting, living and healing are wrong is just another form of assimilation. Just another form of assimilation to make us feel shame and drop our beautiful and incredible culture. But we need to remind these colonizers that leave these awful comments, “Indigenous people have been living sustainably and living in harmony with all of the creators gifts since wayyyyy before colonization. I’m pretty sure it’s not us that is causing all of this damage. It is colonization. It is colonial ways that are making these impacts. It is colonization that caused the over fishing and over harvesting in general. Not us indigenous people. We have been living sustainably and in harmony with Mother Earth for centuries even millennials before colonization.

[thewritetofreespeech]

Hiii! May i request a fem!reader x alucard where alucard happend to isekai into the modern universe and reader helps him, but he also ends up falling in love with her?

“Do you miss your old world?”

“I’m not really sure how to answer that question.” Alucard replied as he looked out across the night sky with [Y/N]. Pondering the implications of the ask.

When he first arrive in her world, through a magical portal or some divine intervention, he had been overwhelmed by it. His father had machines of electrical energy but nothing like this. Everything was bright. Everything was loud. People were in mass but it also seemed that vampires were too; finally doing what the vampire Messiah had long hoped to achieve in ‘conquering the night’. Who needed an endless dark when the glow of neon would draw the humans out like moths to a flame, and technology let you have anything you wanted at your fingertips from a little lighted box. Who needed an army of thrall when there was Doordash now?

“ ‘Miss’ I don’t think is the word. Even before we met, I had seen the world shift so much over time. A year a blink. A century to wipe what was missed completely away.” The jump to here was a bit of a shock for Alucard, but he adjusted quickly. With [Y/N]’s help.

She had taken him in when that was objectively foolish and helped him come about in this new world. Taught him things. Showed him how to act to be less conspicuous. Although some of his ‘old world’ habits refused to die down, but at least people perceived that as eccentric rather than insane.

“I don’t know. I think I would like it. The dresses. The old architecture.”

“I assure you, shitting in a bucket once will dissuade your rose tint on the ‘old world’.” Alucard reasoned as he closed his book and came up beside [Y/N].

“What about the magic?” She asked.

“There is magic here.” He reasoned. People of this time just refused to see it. The magic of invention. Modern medicine. Clean water that came from just a flick of a tap. Iron giants that flew through the air. And yes, even indoor plumbing. “The old magic may be gone, but the world has adapted in its absence. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy being here. And, the old world does not have you.” Alucard leaned in to give [Y/N] a kiss. His favorite part of this new world. “Shall we order in and watch that new show on that Netflix you were talking about?”

“Yes please!”

[sfznyxio]

-ˋˏ FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON ˎˊ

SYNOPSIS. everything happens for a reason. sometimes, in a way that is unexpected.

CHARACTERS. bronya, dan heng, gepard, jing yuan, sampo, seele, serval 

CONTENT. gn!reader. modern au. angst, fluff. seasonal romance. meet cute or meet ugly, or something other than that. 0.6k wc. rewrite of i’ll carry the sun in my heart at my old main blog @/verxsyon. arranged marriage (bronya). unrequited love (gepard). yanqing is jing yuan’s son. one night stand (sampo).

VERA. last fic of the year! thank you all for supporting me, especially when i moved from my old blog of almost 4 years. i have so many ideas in store for 2025 and will try my best to get those going, assuming i don't get fucked over my internship... ahaha.

𝄞༉‧₊˚. BRONYA

a sheltered heiress who is secretly a thrill seeker. every night, she sneaks into an underground club where she hangs around with the only person who doesn’t treat her any differently despite her status. on her very last visit, she reveals will be married off soon and her mother discovered her escapades, forbidding her from such activities. it doesn't stop you from crashing the wedding and presenting a fake, cheap ring to object to the marriage, having you as her spouse instead.

𝄞༉‧₊˚. DAN HENG

a tenant under your grandparents and assistant of their small business. his aloof personality intimidates you at first, not much of a talker as he accompanies you around your grandparents’ residence. but there’s more to him than meets the eye. his nightmares catch up the moment he falls for you, and has to repress it to keep you safe. the more he pushes away, the more he wants to yell for help. you hate to come home with a guilty conscience.

𝄞༉‧₊˚. GEPARD

an estranged friend who has been serving the military, and is spending off-duty at home. you haven’t seen him in years, so it’s expected to start off awkwardly, although the two of you are glad to see each other again. besides reuniting with old friends and family, he wishes to resolve his biggest regret: being unable to confess his love for you. maybe it should stay a secret forever when you introduce your fiancé, and all he can do is congratulate you.

𝄞༉‧₊˚. JING YUAN

a playful businessman who visits the bar for his new favorite bartender. your coworker is gone for the entire summer, so you become the target of his flirting. at this point you’ve known the guy for a while, except he has a son who you’ve met at the bar, both terrible in acting and flirting. soon his infamous father arrives, not surprised that his son is there and is happy that he finally met you, his “partner”. perhaps you’ll await an explanation on your date.

𝄞༉‧₊˚. SAMPO

a thief who stole your precious belongings along with your virginity one fateful night. you’re set to finish your bucket list before moving out, but it’s no thanks to a certain someone that you don’t have enough funds. he sees you being the nearest person and pulls you into an alleyway to hide from the police. recognizing each other, he offers to help you with your bucket list as a deal. not only did he steal your stuff, he stole your heart as well. 

𝄞༉‧₊˚. SEELE

a free spirit with a rebellious streak. she’s invited to a road trip, viewing it as an opportunity to assess her strengths and explore places she never traveled before. the beginning of your relationship with her starts rocky, clashing with you about miniscule things, and your friends try their best to diffuse the situation. if those arguments teach you one thing, it is the fact that she’s honest. the only thing she isn’t is when it has to do with her crush on you, and she hopes the arguments will come in handy.

𝄞༉‧₊˚. SERVAL

a fairly popular musician whose name you never heard of until a friend drags you to attend her concert. forced to listen to her setlist before the big day, you gradually become a fan and are able to memorize some of the lyrics. while outside one day, you’re so in the moment that a stylish woman excitedly says she recognizes the music. the brief exchange gets you her contact info and gratitude for your support. you recognize who she is now.

[breelandwalker]

Hunter's Moon - October 17 2024

Grab your masks and candy buckets and trim the twigs on your best besom, witches! It’s time for the Hunter’s Moon!

Hunter’s Moon

The Hunter’s Moon is the name usually given to the full moon which appears in October, provided that the Harvest Moon has occurred in September. (Remember - the Harvest Moon is the full moon closest to the autumnal equinox and that can mean September OR October!) The Hunter’s Moon is next full moon to follow it, so it may occur in October OR November. The Harvest and Hunter’s moons are the only two moons in the calendar which are tied to a specific event in this way, while the others reflect signs of seasonal growth or animal behavior.

Like the Harvest Moon, the Hunter’s Moon rises big, bright, and early, and it may appear to be full for two or three nights in a row. The celestial peak of illumination is at 7:26am EST on October 17th, but the moon may also appear full or nearly-full on the 16th and 18th. This is also the second of this season's series of supermoons!

The name Hunter’s Moon is taken from the traditional timing for the fall hunting season, as the name implies. The fields cleared in previous months and the gradually cooling weather meant that animals fattened up from summer foraging would be roaming in open ground, making prime targets for anyone looking to put some meat in the pantry for winter. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, this may also be the origin of the other common October moniker, the Blood Moon, which has been in use in the British Isles since at least the Middle Ages.

North American indigenous names for the October moon include Falling Leaves Moon (Anishinaabe), Freezing Moon (Ojibwe), Migrating Moon (Cree), and Big Wind Moon (Zuni). In several modern pagan traditions, the October moon is called the Sanguine or Blood Moon due to its’ with the association with the hunt and with alleged sacrifices made ahead of the coming winter. (Keep in mind that any claims about What The Druids Did should be taken with a grain of salt, as they did not keep written records of their ceremonies.)

As you may know, we're also welcoming an additional natural satellite at the moment - a tiny asteroid designated 2024 PT5. This visitor comes from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which is made up of near-Earth objects that orbit the sun at a similar distance to our own cozy little planet. This temporary "mini moon" will be vacationing in and around Earth's orbit until sometime in November, at which point it will continue on its' way through our solar system. Unfortunately, it's too small and too far away to be seen with the naked eye or even with most telescopes, but you may be able to see the peak of the Orionids meteor shower between October 20th and 22nd, depending on where you live. (Check the DarkSky Placefinder to see what will be visible in your area!)

What Does It Mean For Witches?

October is a time to finish our harvests. We gather in the last of what we sowed earlier in the year and reflect on what our work has wrought and what our labor has produced. It is also a time of transition as the weather begins to shift more noticeably toward the chill of winter. Shore up whatever provisions you need for the immediate future and complete whatever preparations you’ve been making for the cold season, both magical and practical. A little weatherproofing goes a long way!

This is also the month when numerous Western cultures remember their honored dead and a time when some believe that contact with various unseen realms is more easily accomplished. If you’re seeking advice or reassurance from the greater beyond, or looking to do some planning or forecasting for the coming year, now might be the optimal time to do it.

What Witchy Things Can We Do?

Celebrate the end of the harvest season with your favorite recipes! Bust out that hearty stew or delicious pie you’ve been dying to make but kept putting off during the hot months. Use local produce to make something special and gather in the last fruits of your garden.

Get your divination game on! Many October party games include fortune-telling aspects for love or marriage or professional prospects. Choose your favorite method and see what it has to tell you about the coming year and where your current path may lead. Remember that the choices we make change the path and therefore the outcome, so try to regard the results as written in sand rather than stone.

Participate in the hunt yourself! Whether it’s an actual seasonal hunt for game (safely and responsibly done, of course) or a bit of foraging or a personal search for something you’ve been needing, this is the perfect time to connect with that drive to seek and gather. Make one more trip for wildcrafted plants before everything turns brown and brittle. Stalk the aisles of your favorite local shops for craft supplies, new decorations, or perhaps that fancy hat you’ve been dreaming of for the upcoming holiday.

Prepare for the cold months! Switch out your wardrobe, heap those blankets on the bed, change the decor to something autumnal, and make sure your home and vehicle are ready for winter. If you do any seasonal crafts or fibre arts, start pulling out your accoutrements.

Shed your metaphorical skin one more time. Examine what you carry in your heart and where your priorities lie. If there is anything left that weighs you down or no longer serves you or disrupts your life unnecessarily, prune it away and let it go. This process is not always comfortable and may leave you feeling raw, but sometimes hard decisions must be made. You are not meant to be in perpetual motion or constant production. Give yourself permission to rest.

Consider also the parts of yourself that you don’t always like. Is there value in the struggle to deny them and push them away? Is there anything that might serve you better if it was embraced rather than denied? So often we speak of letting things go and laying down burdens in order to progress. But there is also power in remembrance, in anger, in spite, in grief, in ambition. Remember that while you should forgive yourself for past mistakes and learn from them, you are not required to do the same for others. Remember also that setting boundaries is healthy and that if they are not respected, you are within your rights to remind others than actions have consequences. Protecting yourself is not always pretty and it is not always polite. And it doesn’t have to be.

Happy Hunter’s Moon, witches! 🌕🏹

Further Reading:

Additional Lunar Calendar posts

Secular Celebrations - Samhain

Hunter’s Moon: Full Supermoon in October, The Old Farmer's Almanac.

Hunters Moon 2024: The Spiritual Meaning of the October Full Moon, The Peculiar Brunette.

Orionid meteor shower 2024: All you need to know, EarthSky, Oct 18 2024.

"Earth will get another moon this month  — but not for long!," Space.com, Sept 17 2024.

Everyday Moon Magic: Spells & Rituals for Abundant Living, Dorothy Morrison, Llewellyn Publications, 2004.

Image Credit - Darkfoxelixir on Shutterstock.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. 😊)

[sunmoon-starfactory]

Loads o' Laundry 2.0

2 years after the release of Loads o' Laundry, we now present: Loads o' Laundry 2.0: a much-improved version of the Laundry mod and system!

Several gameplay features have been improved and many annoyances bigger and smaller have been resolved! A large number of new objects have also been added for your enjoyment. Sims 3 and 4 players may see some familiar things... Overall, it represents a marked improvement over the original version.

Furthermore, the Laundry Mod now comes with full language support for Dutch, French and European Portuguese with more coming soon... Edit: Polish has been added!

Before proceeding further, make sure you have the following requirements installed:

Requirements

Easy Lot Check

Easy Inventory Check

Smarter EP Check

Money Globals

Time-out Controller

Fetch Water (water bucket)

Suds 'n Bubbles (for making your own detergent)

Flowing Fabrics (for the fresh outfit)

Various master meshes (see Manual)

A more detailed list of requirements as well as detailed instructions can be found in the Manual.

Gameplay overview and Download links below the cut

Gameplay Overview

Your Sims will now generate laundry if their hygiene is low enough. This requires the Laundry Global Mod (offered separately from the objects) as well as a Laundry-related object being present on the lot.

Sims may store their laundry in a hamper. Sometimes automatically if it's close enough and your Sim is inclined to be neat....

Wash and dry your clothes: a variety of both historic and modern, manual and mechanical ways to wash and dry your laundry are included.

Tired of the laundry piling up? Simply place a "Laundry-Begone-Box" on your lot and your Sims will no longer generate laundry!

Laundry Global Mod

The global mod is the backbone of the laundry system. You will need it in order to have your sims produce laundry. As it is a Global Mod, it is in its own rar. The Laundry Mod also has various trait-related features for you to enjoy:

Support for the Nevernude, Neat and Slob trait

Support for the following custom lifestates: Ghost, Mermaid & SkeleBro

NEW: Support for @anachronisims' Nudist trait

NEW: Hamper magic! If your sims are neat enough, they may automatically put their dirty laundry in the hamper (if there's one in the room)

MAC-compatible!

You need to have the file "SunMoon-Laundry_Hamper_Wicker_Round-REQUIRED" in your folder in order for the global mod to work!

Washers, Dryers, Tubs and Lines

Your Sims may wash their laundry using a wide variety of both manual tubs and modern washers. Both of these require detergent to use. Of course, after your laundry has been washed, you can dry them using either a dryer or a line. Just make sure not to hang your laundry outside on a rainy day. Just a small overview of the features offered:

Laundromat mode: run your own laundromat business at home or on a community lot! Sims will actually wash their dirty laundry! Of course, it works for visiting Sims too!

NEW: @anachronisims Big Spender Trait now effects the likelihood of a Sim using a laundromat machine

NEW: Stock your washer or tub with a detergent of your choice; no longer will you need an entire box of detergent for a small load, now one detergent will last multiple loads!

NEW: 2 extra detergents have been added. You can now choose between a Box or Bottle of detergent, Soap Solution or even a Baggy of Soap Nuts!

NEW: The fabulous @jellymeduza has created a fantastic little ceiling rack for drying your laundry

NEW: Many more washers and dryers straight from the Sims 3 and 4

NEW: Modern laundry detergent vendor. You can still access any laundry product still despite its looks.

Custom sounds and animations: not only does laundry come with custom (Sims 4) animations courtesy of @mortia, there are also some custom sounds!

Color Controller

This set also comes with a "Color Controller". This object allows you to choose the look of not only your newly-spawned laundry, but also how the fabric on your drying lines looks like! Use only ONE per lot.

Bonus

Another new feature is the (optional) support for @lazyduchess Laundry token: players with FT installed, have the option of downloading his laundry mod and getting the same slower motive decay for comfort when changing into different clothes using our fresh outfit object. Players without FT and/or this token will get a small bonus to the comfort motive instead. This is NOT available for MAC-users! You will need the following files from his mod should you want this feature:

ld_BecksLaundryMotiveDecayController

ld_BecksLaundryMotiveDecayToken

Download links

Now for what you have all been waiting for: the download links. REMOVE all old files before updating! File names have been changed!

Download Laundry Global Mod (Required) Download Loads o' Laundry (objects) View Manual

Localization

Added support for Dutch

Added support for European Portuguese - Obrigada @logansimmingwolverine!

Added support for French - Merci @helene2troie !

Partial language support for many other languages has been added in the form of catalog descriptions for Sims 3 and 4 conversions. (NOTE: 3t2 conversions have no Simplified Chinese, 4t2 conversions have no Hungarian. None of them have Thai)

Polish, Russian and Brazilian Portuguese support is currently in progress and should hopefully become available sometime in early 2024

Would you like to have this set fully translated into YOUR language? Don't hesistate to make a translation using the localization strings. Just send it over when you're done and we will add it to the set! (send it via or Discord or PM fireflowersims)

Special credits and thanks: @gayars, @2fingerswhiskey, @picknmixsims, @lazyduchess, @jellymeduza, @logansimmingwolverine, Gaby, @hodgekiss, @mustluvcatz-reloaded, CashCraft, ATS/Sandy, EAxis, all the people who helped to localize The Sims 3 and 4, all our many wonderful Beta testers

[pankowcrumbs]

Tasked with Falling X Will Poulter

MasterList

Will Poulter Masterlist

The Taskmaster throne loomed above us as Greg Davies leaned forward, a wicked glint in his eye.

"Well, well, well," he said, smirking at me and Will. "If it isn’t the nation’s favourite flirtfest."

I nearly choked on my water.

Will spluttered beside me, cheeks flushing pink.

"I... what? No!" I protested, voice far too high to sound convincing.

Greg gave me a look. "Oh, come off it. I’ve seen less chemistry in GCSE science labs."

The audience howled with laughter.

Beside me, Will shook his head, grinning helplessly as he bumped his knee against mine.

"Maybe we’re just excellent at group tasks," he offered, innocently.

"Right," Greg said, deadpan. "Because when I think 'teamwork,' I think long lingering looks and unnecessary physical contact."

I buried my face in my hands, laughing.

It wasn’t like we meant to be this obvious.

It just… happened.

Earlier - the filming of the group task.

We stood side by side, squinting at a large contraption made of pipes, buckets, and a precarious stack of oranges.

"Your task," Alex Horne handed me the task.

I read "Your task is to transfer all the oranges from the blue bucket to the red bucket using only the items provided."

There was a dramatic pause.

"You may not touch the oranges with your hands."

Will glanced sideways at me, grinning.

"Teamwork makes the dream work?"

I smirked.

"Only if you do exactly as I say."

"Oh, it’s like that, is it?" he teased, nudging me lightly with his shoulder.

We spent the next frantic ten minutes fashioning the world’s worst orange catapult, Will holding a bent bit of guttering while I launched fruit across the lawn, missing the bucket spectacularly almost every time.

"You're meant to catch them!" I shouted, laughing as yet another orange thudded pathetically onto the grass.

"I’m trying, you maniac!" he shouted back, tears of laughter streaming down his face.

At one point, he dove dramatically to save a rogue orange, landing flat on his back with a loud oof. I immediately collapsed beside him, laughing until my stomach hurt.

"New plan," he panted. "We just... eat the oranges."

"Strong plan," I agreed, breathless.

It was a disaster. It was glorious.

In the studio- watching it back.

Greg shook his head as footage of Will sprawled dramatically on the lawn played behind him.

"If I’d known this was going to happen, I’d have given you two a room."

More laughter.

Will turned to me, eyes crinkling with amusement. "You see what I had to deal with?"

I grinned, nudging his knee again under the desk.

"Poor you."

Greg’s eyebrows shot up.

"Right, we’re moving swiftly on before this turns into Love Island."

One of my solo tasks-

I stood in the middle of a dark room, blindfolded, a table of random objects somewhere in front of me.

"Identify these items using only your mouth," Alex’s voice echoed cheerfully.

I pulled a face.

"Brilliant. This is what my career’s come to."

I stumbled forward, tongue tentatively poking out.

At one point, I accidentally licked what turned out to be a Wellington boot, gagged loudly, and swore enough that they’d definitely have to bleep it for broadcast.

in the studio, Greg wiped tears from his eyes.

"I have never," he gasped, "seen someone more betrayed by a piece of footwear."

Will leaned in close, whispering, "You alright, love? Or are you still tasting rubber?"

I elbowed him in the ribs, laughing.

One of Will’s solo tasks-

Will, wearing a ridiculous inflatable sumo suit, had to herd a dozen ducks into a tiny pen using only interpretative dance.

It was majestic. It was tragic. It was art.

He flailed wildly across the garden, ducks scattering in every direction.

At one point, he performed an oddly graceful pirouette and promptly fell flat on his arse.

I laughed so hard in the studio I nearly fell off my chair.

Greg roared.

"If that doesn’t go in the Tate Modern, I’m staging a protest."

Will bowed dramatically, cheeks pink, and shot me a look.

"Reckon I could teach you some moves later?"

I raised an eyebrow, biting back a grin.

"Careful, Poulter. I’m very impressionable."

Greg pretended to retch.

"Good God, get a room."

Another group task-

This one was simple: build the tallest tower using only cooked spaghetti and marshmallows.

Simple, except that Will decided he should hold the base steady while I climbed precariously onto a chair to place the final marshmallow.

He held my waist firmly, steadying me, his touch warm even through my jumper.

"Got you," he murmured, voice low.

I glanced down at him and promptly dropped the marshmallow onto his face.

He blinked up at me, cross-eyed, marshmallow stuck to his forehead.

We both burst into helpless giggles.

Footage of me nearly falling into Will's arms replayed behind us.

Greg stared, utterly incredulous.

"That wasn’t a tower. That was foreplay."

The audience shrieked with laughter.

I buried my flaming face in my hands.

Will just shook his head, smiling.

"What can I say?" he said, shrugging. "We’re... supportive."

"You’re something, mate," Greg said, cackling. "Honestly, it’s like watching two Labradors trying to flirt."

I gasped, offended "Labradors are very dignified!"

Greg arched a sceptical eyebrow.

The next clip showed me tossing a marshmallow at Will’s head while he caught it effortlessly in his mouth, both of us laughing so hard we couldn’t breathe.

I slumped onto the desk, defeated.

"Fair enough."

Live studio task-

"Right," Greg said, grinning evilly, "for the final task, you’ll be working in pairs."

The moment our names were called together, the audience whooped.

Will grinned, reaching out to tug playfully at my sleeve as we stood side by side.

The task - Paint a portrait of your partner using only your non-dominant hand... on their actual face.

"You have five minutes," Alex said, setting a timer.

Immediately, Will dipped a brush into bright blue paint and dabbed it gently onto my nose.

I squeaked.

"Rude."

He chuckled, smoothing more paint across my cheekbone with surprising tenderness.

I retaliated by streaking a wild line of green across his jaw.

It descended into chaos and colour very quickly.

By the time the buzzer sounded, we were both splattered in ridiculous patterns, giggling like children.

Greg stared at us when we turned to face him, dripping with paint, grinning at each other like idiots.

He sighed dramatically.

"Honestly. Just snog and put us all out of our misery."

The audience roared.

I clapped a hand over my mouth, laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe.

Will was pink to the ears but smiling, glancing at me like he couldn’t quite believe any of it either.

Greg leaned back on his throne, shaking his head.

"This is supposed to be Taskmaster, not The Notebook."

As we waited for the final scores to be tallied, Will leaned in, voice low and warm in my ear.

"You know," he said, nudging me with his elbow, "we are a pretty good team."

I smiled up at him, heart hammering.

"Yeah," I said quietly. "We are."

He bumped his shoulder against mine, grinning.

"And for the record, I would’ve caught every single orange. If you’d aimed better."

I laughed, shoving him lightly.

"Oi! My aim was perfect!"

Greg glanced over at us, catching the tail end of our bickering.

"God’s sake," he muttered into his mic, to the audience’s delight. "Just date already."

Will caught my eye and grinned.

And for the first time all day, neither of us looked away.

[verxsyon]

·:*¨༺ ❝ 𝐈'𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐔𝐍 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 ❞

it’s summer: the season of thrills and bittersweetness.

✧ 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠. bronya, dan heng, gepard, jing yuan, sampo, seele, & serval x gn!reader

✧ 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭. headcanon (written) ; 0.6k

✧ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞. modern au, summer romance au ; angst, fluff, hurt/comfort

✧ 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. one night stand (sampo), unrequited love (gepard)

✧ 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚. omg vera comeback! i’m finally free from classes and i’m off from work for three weeks so yay proper summer break! oh yeah, i finally got bronya! my seele’s no longer gf-less. so this is supposed to be bittersweet with ambiguous endings throughout but uh, my mind went elsewhere with most of them lmao. hopefully this makes sense; my writing’s pretty rusty. special thanks to pigeon from the teahouse server who came up with the title!

𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐚. a sheltered heiress who is secretly a thrill seeker. at night, she sneaks into an underground club where she hangs out with the only person who doesn’t treat her any differently despite her status. on very last visit, she reveals she’ll be married soon and her mother discovered her escapades, forbidding her from such activities. that doesn’t stop you from crashing the wedding and presenting a (fake) ring to object to the marriage, having you as her spouse instead.

𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐠. a tenant under your grandparents as well as an assistant of their small business. his aloof personality is intimidating at first, not saying much as he accompanies you around your grandparents’ residence, but there’s more to him in his eyes. his nightmares catch up with him the moment he falls for you, and now he has to repress it to keep you safe. the more he pushes away, the more he wants to yell for help, and you hate to come home with a guilty conscience.

𝐠𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝. an estranged friend who has been serving the military, and is spending his off-duty at home. you haven’t seen him in years, so it is expected to start off awkwardly, but the two of you are glad to see each other again. besides reconnecting with friends and family, he wishes to resolve his biggest regret, being unable to confess his love for you. but maybe it should stay that way when he meets your fiancé, and all he can say is congratulations.

𝐣𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐮𝐚𝐧. a playful businessman who visits the bar just for his new favorite bartender. your coworker is gone for the entire summer, so you become the target of his flirting. at this point you’ve known the guy for a while, except he has a son who you’ve met at the bar, both terrible in acting and flirting. soon his infamous father arrives, not surprised that his son is there and is happy that he finally met you, his “partner”. perhaps you’ll await an explanation on your date.

𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐨. a notorious thief who stole your precious belongings along with your dignity one fateful night. within this season, you’re set to finish your bucket list, however, thanks to a certain someone, there aren’t enough funds. speaking of which, he sees the nearest person and pulls you into an alleyway to hide from the police. recognizing each other, he offers to help you with your bucket list as a deal. not only did he steal your things, he stole your heart as well.

𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞. a free spirit with a rebellious streak. she’s invited to the road trip, viewing it as an opportunity to assess her strength and explore more of the world. the beginning starts off rocky, her clashing with you about meticulous things and the others are trying their best to diffuse the situation. if the arguments teach you one thing, the girl is honest. the one thing she isn’t is when it has to do with her crush on you, hoping the arguments will come in handy.

𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐥. a fairly popular musician whose name you’ve never heard of until your friend drags you to attend her concert. forced to listen to her setlist before the big day, you slowly become a fan and are able to memorize some of the lyrics. while outside one day, you’re so in the moment that a stylish woman excitedly says she recognizes the music. the brief friendship results in her contact info and gratitude for your support. then you realize, you know who she is now.

✧ 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬. if your url is in bold, it means i can’t tag you!

@kamiyatos​​

[roughmoon24]

Day 28

[crashdex]

Gramorn, Kilug & Hefton

Gramorn, the Weight Pokemon

Gramorn is a fighting type, that, despite its smaller size weighs a prodigious amount, making it stand very firmly and making its ram attacks not to be reckoned with.

Kilug, the Carry Pokemon

Kilug is a fighting/steel dual type. When a Gramorn evolves, large metal bars grow out of its body, helping it balance while carrying heavy loads. It is often seen helping to carry water buckets and other loads on its poles.

Hefton, the Lift Pokemon

Hefton stays a fighting/steel dual type. Its strong steel feet protect it from any uneven ground or dangerous objects as its carries its 4 ton body and any additional luggage around. In modern times, Hefton's have been used for great effect to stomp down hot tar to build streets in rural areas. Trainers that manage to ride their Hefton often say there is no ride more stable.

[kylobith]

Little Town Tails

Chapter 6: Something Fishy

Summary: A curious visitor comes to Emerald Grove.

Ship/Pairing: Halsin x Fem!Tav

Trope: Modern AU, Meet-cute, Little countryside town, Cosy

Word count: 4,831

Read it on Ao3 here

Listen to the dedicated playlist on Spotify here

‘Ah, Halsin, there you are!’

‘Good morning, Jaheira,’ he greets the florist back with a bright grin. He wipes his muddy shoes on the rubber mat outside until they are presentable enough to go in. Behind him, Scratch sits at the door, unleashed, waiting for Halsin to be done with his visit before heading home.

Jaheira grins at the white dog and whistles, calling him inside. The dog eyes his owner hesitantly, but when the latter gives him an approving nod, Scratch trots up behind the counter to be petted by his host. She grabs the banana she was snacking on and takes off a piece she offers him.

Halsin approaches the counter and smiles at the sight, always happy to see that his dog is accepted somewhere. While petting Scratch behind the ears, Jaheira looks at his visitor and smirks.

‘Walked around the forest this morning again?’

‘Indeed. The weather was perfect, but last night’s rain made the ground a bit soft, as you could tell from my boots.’

‘It’s always like that. At least they say that this spring will bring more sunny days than usual,’ she adds, chuckling as the dog lies down at her feet. ‘Anyway, did you happen to see Minsc at all? I’ve been trying to call him for two days because he ordered a fresh bouquet, but now the flowers are waning.’

He leans on his elbows and fidgets with one of her business cards on the counter.

‘I did, he was patrolling the area by the other bridge. Had I known, I would have reminded him.’

‘Oh, don’t bother. It’s always like that with him. He tends to forget what he orders on a whim. He’s always ready to support my shop since I opened but he never picks up his orders. He did, once, but that was a flower for Boo’s birthday and he ordered flax seeds. That was it.’

They share a laugh. Minsc certainly is quite the character, anyone meeting him can tell. Quite eccentric compared to the rest of Heawick, but he adds to the charm of the community. Whenever somebody needs help, whether when the flower shop was merely an idea sprouting into Jaheira’s mind or with Beaky’s incident with the bear trap, he never hesitates to lend a hand, even though it tends to distract him from his daily tasks and chores. Yet, there is no better forest warden.

Jaheira flips through the pages of her logbook and finds Halsin’s recent order.

‘So, the spider plant, was it?’ she says absent-mindedly. ‘Found a gorgeous one for you. Fluffy, in good health. Perfect for your counter.’

‘Eager to see it!’

She chuckles and heads to the back to fetch the plant. She returns with precisely what she promised him, setting it down on her counter for him to examine. He touches the long leaves between his fingers, sensing the freshness of their greenish white stripes and admiring the way that they curve elegantly around the gold-painted bucket serving as its display pot.

‘What a beauty!’ he coos, his eyes sparkling in awe. ‘How much do I owe you?’

‘Eighteen gold coins.’

‘Perfect, thank you.’

He takes out and begins to rummage through his coin purse, which takes Jaheira by surprise and causes her to smile. Shaped like the head of a teddy bear, its fur is made from light brown fleece, and the eyes and nose are embroidered in black and pink thread. He bought it at a flea market a few years ago on one of the rare holidays he allowed himself to take. Many raised an eyebrow to see a grown man buy it for himself, but even though he is far from materialistic, it is one of the few objects that he has grown particularly fond of.

He places the eighteen gold coins in the palm of Jaheira’s hand and slips two more into her tip jar.

‘Thank you,’ she says with a brief bow of her head. ‘Don’t forget to repot it from time to time, the roots tend to grow fast. And water it once to twice a week. It’s usually alright if you skip a week, as long as you don’t do it for a month straight.’

The veterinarian laughs and watches the florist remove the plant from the yellow pot. He purses his lips and tilts his head.

‘How much for that pot? It suits the plant quite well.’

Jaheira stops and eyes the bucket.

‘Oh, this? Ah, just take it. On the house.’

‘Certainly not,’ Halsin protests, unzipping his coin purse again and counting the coins in it. ‘Name your price.’

‘I insist, take it. I bought it years ago but it doesn’t suit my home, I use it for visualisation most of the time… Or as a pencil pot.’

She nudges it towards him with a wink. With a sigh and a heavy blush, Halsin slips ten gold coins into the tip jar and winks back. Once the plant is back in the bucket, he calls out for Scratch, who seeks one last pet from Jaheira, then rushes to his owner’s feet. The veterinarian and the florist exchange cheerful goodbyes, and the former exits the shop with his dog in tow and the spider plant tucked in the crook of his elbow.

Halsin whistles a tune as he crosses Heawick with his free hand buried in his pocket. He nods politely at everybody he sees with a smile and continues his walk back to Emerald Grove. The town is still awaking from its slumber and some of the shops are only just opening. Sometimes it still surprises him that Jaheira decides to open hers this early, but as she once said to him, she prefers to tackle her daily routine in the early hours, then close one or two hours before most shops so she can enjoy the town herself and have a longer evening to relax or meet up with her friends at the old pub on Westway Street.

Come to think of it, it is not such a bad idea. Shop owners and employees seldom have the opportunity to shop for themselves, unless they work half shifts or rely on partners who have the time to buy everything they need. More often, their only occasion to do so is on Saturdays, but the busy aisles deter quite a few. Since Heawick has a wider variety of establishments of all the nearing towns — not counting the city, of course —, its streets bustle with visitors on that particular day.

As he turns onto his street, he switches hands to hold the plant and fumbles through his pocket to find his keys. When he pulls them out and looks up to make sure that he does not walk too far, he notices the figure of a man peering through the windows of the practice. Dressed in black from head to toe, matching with his silky and spiky raven hair, the man does not seem to have come with a pet and does not seem particularly eager to enter.

‘Good morning,’ Halsin greets him with an eyebrow raised. ‘May I help you? Do you have or need an appointment?’

The man is startled despite the veterinarian’s soft tone. He straightens up and looks over at Halsin, seemingly analysing him in detail. The stranger rubs his index and thumb together and scowls at Scratch, who does not dare approach him at all. His demeanour already betrays the fact that he comes from the richer quarters of the city and is not used to visiting the area at all. There is a haughty air to him in the way that he carries himself, as if the word ‘peasant’ is about to slip off his tongue at any moment to describe Halsin and his shockingly unleashed pet.

‘No,’ he replies in a honeyed tone still tinted with firmness. ‘But I will come back later.’

Without uttering another word, the man spins around on his heel and walks away, leaving Halsin utterly confused with his key in hand. What a strange character.

The veterinarian shrugs it off and enters the dark practice, ushering Scratch inside before closing the door again behind him. He walks over to Karlach’s counter and finds a suitable spot for the plant, making sure to stand on both sides of the desk to ensure that the view is not obstructed for neither his assistant or a patient’s owner. But in the end, he finds that it does not quite fit there with the cards and flyers and tip jar, so he carries it over to the small coffee table in the centre of the waiting room. At least, if the anxious pets munch on the leaves, they will not be sick from it.

After a brief shower and a change into scrubs, he lets Scratch rest upstairs and heads back to the practice to follow the daily opening routine. As he takes a minute to make himself a cup of fruity tea — a bold decision considering how often he drinks his signature mint and honey infusion —, his mobile phone pings. Karlach’s name appears on the screen.

‘Morning doc, sorry but I’ll be late today, Vixen just won’t start! I’ll be there ASAP, promise promise!’

Halsin grins and immediately types back as he flicks the light switches on and shuffles towards the front door without paying much attention to his surroundings.

‘It should be quiet for the first hour, hopefully you will have found a way by then. Good luck finding an alternative! Perhaps you can ask Gale? Halsin. PS: I hope that Vixen will be alright. Too bad that she is not the type of vixen that I would treat at the practice :-).’

His wrist flicks to unlock the door while he re-reads the message to correct any typos he might have made. Eager to let some fresh air in, he opens the door wide.

‘Morning, doctor!’

Halsin nearly drops his phone when he jolts in surprise, not having expected that somebody might have already arrived. After all, he does not have any appointment planned before an hour. Outside, wiping her feet on the mat, Tav smiles at him with twinkling eyes and a light flush from noticing that her sudden greeting startled him.

His heart instantly leaps inside his chest and his lips mirror her grin.

‘Oh, good morning Miss Ashguard! I apologise for my reaction, I did not expect such an early visit. Is everything alright?’

Tav quickly combs her fingers through her freshly-cut curtain fringe. It suits her incredibly well, he catches himself thinking. The way that it sweeps across her eyebrows, its colour only highlighting the deep blue of her irises… It nearly steals the breath from his lungs.

‘Yes, yes, everything’s fine!’

He steps aside and invites her inside. As she passes him by with a light step, he closes his eyes for a second, savouring the aroma of her flowery perfume. As he realises what he is doing, he clears his throat and follows her to the reception.

‘Do you need anything more for the case against Mr Bongle? Perhaps I have forgotten to include some information in the report?’

She leans her elbows on the counter and does not seem able to eff the smile across her rosy cheeks. The sight, however sweet and pleasant, does stir something within him and he curses himself internally for reacting the way that he does.

‘No, not at all. The lawyer said it was quite complete, actually. She’s revising the case and I just have to wait now,’ she chimes with a shrug. ‘I’ve come here because there’s a stray cat in my street that’s been going around for a while but lately he’s been looking quite thinner. The old lady who used to feed it everyday died a few weeks ago, and I’m not sure anyone feeds him anymore.’

Her gaze wanders over to the rows of kibble bags on the display shelves.

‘I’d like to buy some food for him just to be on the safe side, and since I don’t want to risk giving him the wrong stuff, I thought I’d buy it here.’

‘I see,’ he responds with a nod. His eyes brighten up at the thought that she cares for an animal that is not hers. Most people he has seen refuse to approach stray animals out of fear that they might catch diseases or fleas, and while some caution is always advised, too many of them end up suffering all sorts of infections that go untreated and only cause them agony. Knowing that there is someone like Tav out there caring enough to notice the change in the cat’s weight gives him hope.

Halsin steps back to peruse the selection he has got, heading straight to the cat section.

‘Do you know how old the cat is, approximately?’ he asks.

‘Mmh, he doesn’t look too old. Hears and sees properly from what I know, his fur isn’t too patchy. Some neighbour said the old lady fed him for about three years.’

‘Then let us take one for adult cats to be on the safe side. I suppose that you do not happen to know what type of kibble she gave him?’

‘Not at all. Sorry.’

He nods and asks her a few more questions about what behaviours she has noticed from the cat in general. Once he is able to define a clearer profile of the animal, he picks a bag and sets it down on the counter, pointing at the information written on it with his pen.

‘This is food that is perfect for a cat used to the outdoors, aged five years or more. If it turns out that he is slightly younger, that should not cause any trouble. Since you said that he is on the lighter side, I would recommend thirty grammes of kibble per day. See how much he manages to eat and add a little more if he starts gaining a bit of weight again. But do not give him more than forty-five grammes, since it is likely that he hunts mice or birds on the side.’

‘Noted!’

Reaching into a cabinet behind the reception, he takes out a measuring cup and places it next to the bag.

‘This should help you measure the food without a kitchen scale.’

‘Practical. Alright, let’s take it!’

Halsin smiles and circles the recommended doses on the bag so she does not forget the amount he has told her to give the stray cat. He signs in to his software and enters the right reference to log the sale.

‘Would you like me to add it to your patient account in case you need to buy some new kibble later on?’

‘Gladly,’ she responds cheerfully, leaning her cheek into the palm of her hand while watching him typing on the keyboard.

‘Done! That will be twenty-two gold coins, please. The measuring cup is free.’

Tav takes out her credit card and pays for the bag. Once her wallet is stored away into her small cross-body bag, she carries the dry food under her arm and holds the measuring cup between her fingers.

‘Thank you very much, doctor.’

‘You are most welcome. If anything, I should thank you for caring for the cat.’

She returns his smile and tucks her hair behind her pointy ear, whose tip is reddening. Before he starts staring at it, Halsin drums his fingers on the counter.

‘Oh, before I forget, I beg you not to leave out milk for the cat, because—’

‘— because cats are naturally lactose intolerant,’ she completes his sentence with a smug expression that can be likened to this of a pupil who is proud to show that they have learnt their lessons by heart.

‘Indeed,’ he chuckles. ‘Well, it seems that the cat is in most capable hands, I can sleep soundly at night.’

Tav laughs and readjusts her grip on the bag.

‘When I’m released into society, I’m the type to always bring up that fact and everyone gets annoyed,’ she laughs.

‘At least you are spreading the good word out there. I did not know that you were doing public service on top of jingle compositions.’

‘I’m full of surprises, doctor.’

They share a playful grin, which lingers perhaps a bit longer than it should. His heart stirs when he notices the twinkle in her eye and the subtle reddening of her cheekbones. When her fingers unconsciously loosen around the measuring cup and it slips out of her grasp, he skilfully catches it before it bounces on the floor and hands it back to her.

‘Oh, thanks,’ she mumbles bashfully, tucking it under her free arm. ‘If anything goes wrong with the cat, can I try and bring him here?’

‘Of course. I will be happy to help.’

‘You’re the best! Thanks again. Have a lovely day, doctor.’

‘You too, Miss Ashguard. If you have any doubts, you can always contact me.’

‘I will!’

She waves at him and walks out of the practice. His eyes follow her as he sighs dreamily. However, his distraction is quickly cut short when he finds himself face to face with Astarion stepping inside with a cup of blood from the butcher.

‘Morning.’

‘Ah, good morning, my friend! Could I ask you a favour?’

The vampire grunts and slides his sunglasses up, letting them rest on top of his head. His ruby irises scowl at the veterinarian. Favours are never good in the younger man’s book. Or rarely.

‘I suppose I don’t have a choice,’ he mumbles. ‘What do you want?’

Halsin crosses his arms. No matter how much he tries to connect with him, even if just on a superficial level, Astarion always keeps his guard up and his distance. Honeyed words sometimes ornate his speech, but they never feel genuine, merely a façade that shelters him from others. He does not need to befriend him, of course, but he wishes that they could get along as well as he and Karlach do. But again, everything is easier with her. Sometimes, she might be too social and kind in a world that does not always value such qualities.

‘Karlach’s motorcycle broke down this morning, so she will be late. Do you mind working the reception until she arrives?’

Panic fills Astarion’s eyes right away. He furrows his brow and tries to act nonchalant, but his hesitation clearly stands out.

‘Wh— I don’t even know how any of this works!’

‘Do not worry, I am not saying that you must do all her tasks. If you could keep an eye on the appointments list and welcome the patients, that will help tremendously already. If the phone rings, answer it and write down the names and numbers, I will call them back between consultations. If it is urgent, do not hang up; call for me instead.’

‘Mh. That sounds doable. Alright.’

Astarion walks to the kitchen to drop his jacket and sunglasses, then comes back to the reception. He sits behind the desk and Halsin shows him everything he needs to know. Then, the veterinarian walks into his office and logs in to the general inbox and answers some emails himself.

Soon enough, the first appointment of the day arrives and Astarion directs them to the waiting room, where Halsin eventually comes to call them in. The consultation goes smoothly despite the very reticent puppy howling dramatically at the prospect of receiving one of her first shots. When he is done, Halsin guides the owner and the pet to the reception and registers the payment himself, before offering a treat to the brave puppy.

When they walk out, Halsin’s phone pings again.

‘Found a way, Dammon is bringing me. Be there in ten. Btw, doc, did you just make a joke?? And use a smiley??! Who are you and what did you do to Doc Halsin???’

Halsin laughs and updates Astarion on Karlach’s estimated time of arrival. Before the second consultation, a grumpy customer enters and asks for an anti-flea treatment suitable for a corgi. Once he has explained how to apply the solution efficiently, the veterinarian slithers back behind the desk and Astarion rolls a few inches away with his chair to give him enough space to deal with it all. 

‘Do you already have an account?’ Halsin asks the amber-eyed tiefling, whose tail is whipping around behind him in annoyance.

‘This little shit is not my dog, thank the Gods!’ the customer answers with a scoff and a roll of his eyes. ‘He’s my sister’s.’

‘I see. Does she have an account?’

‘Listen, can I just buy the treatment and go? I feel like I’m being devoured by fleas myself as we speak!’

‘Of course.’

Without protesting, he processes the sale and gives the little pipettes to the young man, who turns around with another scoff and leaves as fast as he can, scratching his head harder than he probably should.

Eyeing the man with concern, Halsin leans towards Astarion.

‘Do you think the dog is at risk with him?’

Much to his surprise, the vampire laughs while filing his nails and admiring the result.

‘Most likely. I know him. Well, know is perhaps a strong word, but I’ve spoken to him a few times. As you can clearly tell, he’s from the city. He’s one of the most arrogant pricks I’ve talked to, and it takes one to know one. He owns a bookshop specialised in academic publications of all sorts, and my husband happens to love the place.’

Could it be? Is he actually opening up by accepting to gossip with him? Not that Halsin particularly likes hearsay and talking negatively about people in their backs, but this exchange already brightens up his day.

The vampire carefully taps his glass nail file on the edge of the bin under the desk to rid it of dust, then tucks it away in its little sleeve.

‘But don’t worry, Rolan’s all bark and no bite, he won’t hurt that pup,’ he continues while shoving the file inside his shirt pocket. ‘You know, he’s clever and all, but Gale took him down a notch a couple of times. You know what? I think my husband’s at his hottest when he gives arrogant people a reality check.’

‘That is good to know, I suppose.’

‘Trust me, doc, I think your next appointment’s here.’

Indeed, the next patient comes in and Halsin welcomes him warmly. Halfway through the consultation, he hears the faint sounds of the sewing machine upstairs, and he concludes that Karlach must have arrived in the meantime and relieved Astarion of his temporary duty.

Halsin does not see her until he finishes the next examination and logs everything into the computer. His assistant pokes her head in when the patient leaves and speaks in a hushed voice.

‘Morning, doc! Uh… There’s an odd chum lurking around in the lobby, doesn’t have a pet or anything and he keeps ignoring me when I ask him if I can help him.’

The veterinarian turns around with an eyebrow raised and instantly rises from his high stool.

‘Go back to the reception, I will talk to him.’

Karlach nods and does as he instructed her, sitting back on her chair and anxiously browsing playlists for something that will calm her nerves while being acceptable to play from the practice’s speakers. Situations like this one is among those she has been dreading most about working at Emerald Grove. Owners losing their pets and leaving without their furry or feathery friends remains the worst of all, but weird and creepy people are close.

In previous jobs, she had her fair share of lurking visitors and customers who made her feel uncomfortable, but the employee handbooks always stated that she could not shoo them away outright. Either a manager or security had to do it. Sadly, it often left her feeling incapable of fending for herself and infantilised.

Soon enough and much to her relief, help is on the way and Halsin arrives, clicking a pen. Without making himself look menacing either, he puffs up his chest slightly. If anybody seeks trouble, he is hoping that his size and his brawn will dissuade whoever stands before him. But as he catches a glimpse of the man in question, his stomach tightens. Intent on not showing his discomfort to Karlach, he smiles and speaks as naturally as possible.

‘Good afternoon, sir. I believe we have met this morning, you were looking inside the practice before opening time?’

The man turns around with a smug smile and a mischievous glint in his eyes so dark that one cannot quite pinpoint their colour. Now that Halsin is closer, he can discern the man’s outfit more clearly. Tucked into high-waisted trousers, his tailored black silk shirt with the top five buttons left undone allows his black chest hair to peek out. His overcoat adorned with golden embroideries has its collar upturned, completely covering the back of his neck. If anything, it gives him a menacing look, as though he is the villain of a fairytale come to life, but dressed as a model.

‘You are the veterinarian who owns the practice, aren’t you?’ the man answers at last with a brief squint of his eyes.

‘Indeed, I am. May I be of any help?’

‘Oh, I am merely looking around.’

As he says so, the stranger buries his hands into his pockets and paces around, inspecting the walls and the layout of the reception and the waiting room. Karlach sneaks a glance towards her boss, wondering how he is going to handle this most peculiar situation. Without blinking, Halsin steps forward, tucking his pen into the breast pocket of his scrubs.

‘May I know what you are looking for, sir?’

‘This is a beautiful working space you’ve got here. Most impressive.’

Before he can press him on, the stranger faces Halsin with a smirk, rubbing his fingers together in the same unsettling way that he did earlier this morning.

‘Tell me, have you ever considered selling this practice?’

Halsin crosses his arms. This time, he has no intention to behave in the same friendly manner. While he knows that escalating such a ridiculous situation would be useless, he knows now that he does not want this man lurking around anymore.

‘No, sir. We have only just opened, thank you very much. Now, if you do not wish to make an appointment or buy anything for a pet, I kindly ask you to leave. I must soon tend to another patient.’

‘Oh, that’s a bloody shame. Well. I’ll see what I can do.’

The man reaches into his inside pocket and takes out a business card, which he hands the veterinarian by tucking it between two well-groomed fingers.

‘In case you change your mind, I would be very happy to discuss it with you. Here’s my contact information. The name’s Enver Gortash.’

Without as much as a goodbye, Gortash walks out of the practice, leaving a dumbfounded pair at the reception. Karlach stands up from her chair, her gaze shifting between the door and Halsin.

‘What in the hells just happened, doc? What the fuck was that about?’

Her boss examines the business card he is holding with a deep frown.

‘I have no clue, Karlach. I am quite at a loss, to be honest with you.’

‘What did he say his name was?’

Halsin hands her the business card. Before she even gives it a look, she sits back on her chair and drags her keyboard towards herself, instantly typing the name in her browser. His curiosity piqued by the results, he joins her behind the desk and leans in to read what comes up on the screen. Karlach clicks on a biographical article from a business-centred media website and begins to skim it.

‘Fuck me, Gortash’s quite the big guy,’ she mumbles pensively. ‘Owns a big company that owns lots of brands itself. Apparently, he’s known for gentrifying the shit out of many neighbourhoods in several cities already. He’s kicked out independent shops to establish a coffee chain and turning flats into offices.’

His eyes scan the same words and the more they read, the tighter the lump in his throat feels. Karlach hands him the mouse so he can peruse the article himself and open others. He checks several sources, and much to his dismay, the information they read in the first article seem to be confirmed through others.

‘I do not like how that sounds,’ he whispers.

‘Me neither, doc. But now that you told him off, he’ll lose interest, right?’

‘Mh. I doubt it. But now I wonder if he has shown interest in other places in Heawick. There is only one way to know.’

The assistant looks up quizzically as he sighs heavily and crosses his arms.

‘If anybody in Heawick knows anything, it is Melly.’

Taglist: @emmanuellececchi @reignydeys @cakenpiewhyohmy @beardedladyqueen

[ogatas-beloved]

Spa Day

Description: Ogata's curiosity about Morgan's beauty products leads him to allow it to try them on him. Written for Prompt #5 of JanAUary - Modern Setting: Modern AU Ships: Morgan x Ogata Warnings: None. It's just Morgan treating Ogata nice lol

Additional notes: I jumped around a bit bc I couldn't think of anything for prompts 3 and 4 but I may come back to those if I do come up with something Dividers

Ogata laid on his stomach on his and Morgan's shared bed, head propped up by his forearms and eyes trained on Morgan. It was sat crisscross in the floor shifting through and organizing a basket of beauty products. Morgan held up a squeeze bottle of what he assumed was face mask and examined the label before setting it to the side and digging back into the bin.

"Does that stuff actually do anything?" He spoke up, eyes still caught on the face mask.

"Huh? My makeup and stuff?" Morgan paused and turned its head to him.

"The mask." He pointed at the bottle resting on the floor at its side.

"Yeah! I mean… I think so. See, feel how soft my skin is!" Morgan reached up and grabbed Ogata's hand, guiding it to smooth over its cheek.

"Mmm. Yeah, it does feel soft…" He shifted his gaze into the bucket and spotted what looked like stick with little rolling rocks at the ends, he pointed them out to Morgan, "What about those? What do they do?"

"These?" It picked up the objects, "These help with puffiness under my eyes."

"Hmm…"

He didn't ask anything more, but he continued to watch like a hawk as Morgan sorted through the items. His stare appeared blank and unimpressed, but Morgan knew he was interested by the fact that he was following its actions so closely at all.

"Are you curious about anything else?" It asked, smiling at him sweetly.

He thought for a moment, "It's a lot to do, isn't it? All this stuff?"

Morgan nodded, "Yeah, it's a lot. But I don't do all of it every day. And I like it!"

"Because it makes you feel pretty?" He questioned.

"Yeah, and well, it just feels nice to take care of myself, ya know?" Morgan grinned brightly, "I like having a nice spa day at home!"

"I see…"

He was so quiet, but so focused on Morgan's explanations and watching everything it picked it up. It made Morgan happy to see, Ogata had never seemed to have much of an interest in this kind of thing before. It wondered now if he might even let it use some of it on him.

"Hey, Oggie, uhm…. do you…" Morgan picked up the face mask bottle and danced it around in its hands, "Wanna try some of this stuff?"

He squinted suspiciously at the tube. He had seen Morgan use it before and it didn't look all that pleasant. It would smear it all over its face and then it sit until it dried, at which point it would peel it off like dead skin. But he'd be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit curious.

"I don't know…"

"Aww, come on, Oggie! Lemme give you a little spa day, just once! It'll help you relax, I think you could use one!"

Ogata looked down at Morgan, lower lip poked out, brows furrowed, hands clasped together. He still wasn't too sure about this whole idea, but Morgan seemed to want it a lot. And, again, he WAS curious.

So, he relented, "Okay. Just this once."

"Yay!" Morgan jumped up from the floor excitedly, it grabbed all the beauty products up off the floor and sat them on it's vanity. "Ok, first thing's first, if you're a spa guest, you need to be dressed comfortably. You need to change."

Ogata sighed as he through his legs over the side of the bed, "Why do I need to change? What's wrong with this?"

Morgan pouted, "A spa day is about relaxation, Oggie. You can't relax in jeans."

Ogata rolled his eyes and stood up from the bed, unbuttoning his jeans and letting them drop to the floor, leaving him standing in his underwear, "This comfortable enough for you?"

Morgan huffed in frustration, "PJ pants."

While Ogata changed into his pajama pants, Morgan sorted through the products it had, picking out ones it thought would be good for Ogata. It set aside a good selection and put the rest of the items back into their place. When Morgan turned around, Ogata spread his arms out wide as if to proudly display himself now that he had changed his pants. It smiled and kissed him on the cheek, then gestured to the chair in front of its vanity.

"Sit there. I'll be back."

He flopped into the chair and Morgan stepped out, leaving him alone in the bedroom. He examined the things that the blonde had set out for him. He had been under the impression that he was just going to try the face mask, but Morgan had prepared a lot more than that. Though, he supposed he had agreed to a 'spa day' and it wouldn't be much of a spa day if all he did was put on a mask.

Morgan returned with a big bottle of water and a rag that appeared to be damp. Ogata cocked an eyebrow, curious what it could possibly be planning with those things. It sat the bottle down and knelt in front of Ogata, reaching under the vanity and sliding out its foot bath. It plugged it in and emptied the bottle of water into the basin. He slipped his feet into the bath without even being told, the bubbles and massaging did feel nice, but the water was pretty cold.

As if Morgan could read his mind, it spoke as it stood from the ground, "It'll warm up, just give it a minute."

It gently pushed at Ogata's shoulders and leaned him back in the chair, it took a pink fluffy headband from the vanity and slipped it over Ogata's head. It then took the rag he had seen it bring in and gently wiped all around his face with it.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Cleaning your face before I put the mask on." It explained.

"Is that… necessary?"

Morgan poked his nose with the tip of its finger and grinned at him, "Yes."

He sighed and let his eyes flutter shut. The water had finally warmed up and it felt so good, easing the aches and pains in his feet. He was a bit startled by the cold sensation on his face when Morgan began spreading the mask, but soon relaxed and allowed it to do it's work. He felt the paddle lift from his face and in a few moments, Morgan's soft hands were holding one of his.

He didn't bother to open his eyes, "What are doing now?"

"I'm gonna clean and trim your nails." Morgan explained.

Ogata was a bit concerned about the idea of one of those cold metal things he'd seen Morgan clean its own nails with sliding under his, but those worries eased when he felt how gentle Morgan was with him. It was an odd but pleasant feeling to let Morgan do all this, he had never been treated so delicately before.

The cleaning and the clipping went by fairly quickly, next was what felt like some rubbery thing on the edges of his nails. That was for cuticles, if he remembered correctly, he was sure he'd seen Morgan use that before too. Everything was going fairly well until he felt Morgan rub something against the tips of his nails. It felt like sandpaper on his fingers, he jerked his hand away quickly.

"You don't like that?" Morgan asked.

"No. It feels weird."

"Ok. We don't have to do that then."

Ogata heard the clatter as Morgan put away the manicuring instruments. It shuffled around some more and then was silent for a moment, before humming to itself curiously.

"Hey, Oggie… would it be okay if I painted your nails too?"

He had never had his nails painted before, but he liked the way it looked on Morgan and he did wonder if he might like the way it looked on himself too, "Sure."

Morgan squealed happily, he kept his eyes closed but he could easily imagine the look on its face. That big, bright, excited smile and shining eyes. It made him smile a little too, just thinking about it.

Morgan began to paint his nails, it treated the task with utmost care and precision as it gently held each of his fingers and filled in his nails with color. Now that he thought about it, maybe he should've requested a color, but Morgan had good tastes, surely it would pick out something that worked for him. When it had finished both hands, Morgan stood and commanded Ogata to open his eyes.

He did as it wished and examined his hands, Morgan had chosen an alternately pattern of pink and black. An interesting decision, for sure. He gave himself a moment to get used to the look, and then nodded to Morgan.

"I like it."

"Yay!" Morgan cheered and clapped its hands together, "Now be careful or you'll smudge them."

"Mhmm."

"I think it's probably time to peel that mask off, do you want me to do it?"

Ogata nodded and Morgan sat itself in his lap, grabbing the sides of his face and turning his head. It started from the lower jaw, peeling a big chunk of the stuff off and dropping the peelings in Ogata's open palm as it went on.

"There! All done!" It patted his cheeks and jumped off his lap.

He inspected the flakes of peeled mask in his hand, pinching one between two of his fingers and holding it up in the light, "Bunny, I've shed."

Morgan laughed, "Yes, I hope you feel refreshed, like you're a brand new lizard now."

"Is that all?" Ogata asked.

"Two more things." Morgan held up two fingers and turned back to the vanity, it grabbed a little spray bottle and instructed him to close his eyes once again.

When he did, he felt a wet spritz on his face from the bottle. He scrunched up his nose and frowned, "Ugh, why am getting the 'get off the table' treatment now?"

"It's a face mist, Oggie. Now hold still, I just wanna do one more thing."

Ogata felt Morgan push the chair forward and slid in behind it, it leaned over the back and grabbed Ogata's cheeks, gently massaging them it pleasant circles. He sighed and let the muscles in his face relax a bit, he hadn't even realized he was holding such tension in until now.

"Is this supposed to help my skin somehow too?" He mumbled weakly.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe. I'm just doing this because I thought it would feel nice for you." Morgan craned its head around the side of the chair and kissed him on the forward, "Ok. We're all done. What'd you think?"

"It was… nice."

Ogata's words may have sounded unimpressed, but he looked like jelly in the chair as Morgan went to turn off the foot spa. He was slouched in the chair, eyes closed, arms draped over the chair rests. He looked comfortable enough to sleep there. Looks like it had been right about him needing this. Morgan smiled, it was nice to see him look so at ease, so peaceful. It hoped it would be able to do more spa days with him in the future and Ogata, too, was hoping for that- but maybe he could do without the face mist next time.