#START BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS

[risquemargay]

call me a radical but actually i think that having a phone shouldn't be a requirement to get food at any university location

[newbusinessideas]

How to Start a Biodegradable Plastic Bags Manufacturing Business

Want to turn your passion for sustainability into a thriving business? 🌍💼 Learn how to launch a biodegradable plastic bags manufacturing business and make a positive impact on the planet! #BiodegradableBags #sustainablebusiness #ecofriendlybusiness

The biodegradable plastic bag industry aims to create eco-friendly substitutes for conventional plastic bags. Biodegradable plastic bags are made to degrade more quickly in natural environments than ordinary plastics, which can take hundreds of years to break down. Usually composed of plant-based materials like sugarcane or cornstarch, these bags have a smaller environmental impact because they…

[pranshusharma28]

Why is biodegradable plastic packaging important, and what does it mean?

Plastic has become a ubiquitous presence in contemporary society, bringing convenience and transforming various businesses. But the widespread usage of it has led to a serious issue: plastic pollution. Biodegradable plastic packaging has become apparent as a possible remedy as a result. As we move toward a cleaner, more sustainable future, this article examines the idea, importance, mechanics, applications, and promotion of biodegradable plastic packaging.

[teaboot]

I feel like if you're using a lot of disposable plastic bags in your day to day life, you've gotta do something sustainable to make up for it. Like using bamboo toilet paper or eco friendly cat litter or something, yknow

Honestly I exaggerate for comedic effect, while I DO routinely use ziplock bags to hold spaghetti I cook maybe once a month and the bag itself is usually for freezer storage. I actually throw out maybe one bag a week? I DO hate washing plates and tupperware and junk but that usually just means I eat sandwiches without a plate.

I agree though that needless waste should be avoided, and I do avoid it- biodegradable bags and recyclables, empty butter tubs used to store leftovers, etc.

This said, though, not applicable necessarily for myself but for a lot of others- I feel that it's importat to remember that there are many people who legitimately NEED things like plastic straws, or catheters, or pre-packaged foods

And the idea that that's a moral failing that individuals need to personally make up for when a single billionaire blows out more CO2 in a long weekend than I will in my whole life on a superjet meet-cute in the Bolivian rainforest between humvee drag races funded by the river-polluting textiles plants they planted in a third world country to avoid EPA laws and give an entire village stillbirths and stomach cancer is an idea that those very same bigwigs have spent a LOT of time and money investing in planting in the public psyche.

Like- Glass bottles are infinitely recyclable, so why are so many drinks in plastic now? Loads of drinks manufacturers used to buy them back and clean them for re-use, so why did they stop? If they chose to make something out of a limited and environmentally irresponsible material, why is it my failing to track down a correct process of disposal for them? What if there are none in my area? Do I lobby for more recycling plants in my area? Do I set aside some of my limited time outside the pain factory of my job- which I have more than one of, thanks to rising costs of things just like that drink I just emptied- to properly dispose of this company's waste FOR them?

Say coca-cola just rolled up to your town and started dumping millions of empty plastic bottles in the street, going, "wow, you should really think about building and staffing a recycling depot, it would be really shameful of you to just put these in the trash." When companies purposefully use materials with limited lifespans- because yes, even plastic can only be reused so many times- and tell you it's your own fault if it harms the environment- that's essentially what they're doing, just with more steps.

Yes, its important to be as environmentally concious as we can in our day to day life, but responsible sustainability is not catholicism. We don't get good boy points from our lord and savior Captain Planet every time the average low-income household gathers together to hold hands and repent for a single-use plastic that allows them to access something they need.

Entire families could eat trees and shit dead lithium batteries for years and still not do as much damage to the planet as an average dye plant or braindead celebrity does in a week just for fun, and I'm mad about it

...this went on longer than intended.

TL/DR: DO recycle and minimize waste, but don't beat yourself up over the little waste you can't avoid, and follow the money.

EDIT: Part 2

[reasonsforhope]

"Kristina Smithe was running the California International Marathon in 2019, grabbing cups of water to stay hydrated, when she started to think about how much waste such events produce. On the flight home, she did the math: 9,000 runners, 17 aid stations and something like 150,000 cups used once and thrown away.

“I was just shocked that, even in California, it’s not sustainable,” Smithe said.

That sparked her idea for something more durable — a lightweight, pliable silicone cup that could be used again and again. After working out a design, Smithe ordered her first shipment and tested them at a race in 2021.

Now her business, Hiccup Earth, has 70,000 cups that Smithe rents out to interested races to replace the typical white paper cups that can pile up like snowdrifts at busy water stops.

Billions of disposable cups are used around the world each year. These cups are often made of plastic, but even if they are made of paper, they typically have a plastic lining that makes it difficult for them to biodegrade. And making these cups, and disposing or burning them, generates planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

“That’s just a small subset of the amount of plastic waste that we produce, but it’s a pretty visible one,” said Sarah Gleeson, solutions research manager and plastics waste expert at climate nonprofit Project Drawdown. “It’s something that generates a lot of waste, and waste — depending on what exactly it’s made of — can really last in landfills for hundreds of years.”

As she was getting her business off the ground, Smithe emailed race directors to ask if their event used disposable cups.

“The answer was always yes,” she said. Her response: “If you’re looking for a sustainable solution, I have one.”

Now, she rents out the cups by the thousand, driving them to events in massive totes and leaving bins with the company logo for collection after use. Smithe picks up the used cups and washes them in a proprietary dishwasher.

At the PNC Women Run the Cities race in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, in early May, Smithe helped quench the thirst of thousands of runners, dropping off 17-gallon tote bags full of her flexible blue cups.

After that race, Smithe, 35, estimated she’s taken her cups to 137 races and spared 902,000 disposable ones from the landfill. She also says her washing process needs only 30 gallons (114 liters) of water per 1,500 cups. An average efficient household dishwasher uses 3 to 5 gallons (11 to 19 liters) for far fewer dishes.

“It’s just a solution to a problem that’s long overdue,” Smithe said.

One trade-off is that the cup rentals cost race directors more than other options. Disposable cups might run just a few cents each, while 10,000 Hiccup cups would rent for about 15 cents each. That price drops if more cups are needed.

Gleeson, of Project Drawdown, sees the reusable cups as just one of many ways that innovators are looking to cut down on waste. Such solutions often have to be rooted in convenience and grounded in local or small applications to get more people to adopt them. Some cities, for instance, are experimenting with reusable food takeout containers that customers return to nearby drop-off spots later on.

While no one solution can fully tackle the problem, “The scalability is there,” Gleeson said. “I think in general, high adoption of these kinds of solutions is what is able to bring costs down and really maximize environmental benefits that you could get.”"

-via AP News, May 27, 2025

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Welcome to my Tuesday morning PSA about plastics!

So--I was walking along the Bolstadt beach approach sidewalk here in Long Beach, WA yesterday afternoon, and I started seeing these little orange pellets on the ground that looked a little bit like salmon roe (but probably weren't). So I picked one up, and it was most definitely rubber. I went around picking up every one I could find, and while I didn't keep exact count I probably amassed 50-60 of them. I took this picture before depositing them in the nearest trash can.

These are airsoft gun pellets, and you can buy them in big jars containing thousands of them. That means that someone who decided that the beach was a great place to shoot their airsoft guns could easily litter the place with countless little bits of plastic rubber in less than an hour. We already have a huge problem here with people leaving trash, including tiny bits of plastic, all over the beach (you should see the gigantic mess after 4th of July fireworks when thousands of people come in from out of town, blow things up, and then leave again without picking up after themselves.)

But these airsoft pellets have a particularly nasty side effect. You know how my first thought was "wow, those look kind of like salmon roe?" Well, we have a number of opportunistic omnivore birds like crows, ravens, and several species of gull that commonly scavenge on the beach, especially along the approaches because people often feed them there. If I can catch the resemblance of an orange airsoft pellet to a fish egg, then chances are there are wildlife that will assume they're edible.

Since birds don't chew their food, they probably won't notice that the taste or texture is wrong--it'll just go down the hatch. And since they can't digest the pellets, there's a good chance they might just build up in the bird's digestive system, especially if the bird eats a large number of them--say, fifty or sixty of them dropped on the ground along the same fifty foot stretch of sidewalk. The bird might die of starvation if there's not enough capacity for food in their stomach--or they might just die painfully of an impacted gut, and no way to get help for it. If the pellets end up washed into the ocean, you get the same issue with fish and other marine wildlife eating them, and then of course the pellets eventually breaking up into microplastic particles.

You can get biodegradable airsoft pellets; they appear to mainly be gray or white in color rather than bright screaming orange and green. But "biodegradable" doesn't mean "instantly dissolves the next time it rains." An Amazon listing for Aim Green biodegradable airsoft pellets advertise them as "Our biodegradable BBs are engineered to degrade only with long-term exposure to water and sun and will degrade 180 days after being used." That's half a year for them to be eaten by wildlife.

I don't know, y'all. That handful of carelessly dropped rubber pellets just encapsulates how much people don't factor in the rest of nature when making decisions, even on something that is purely for entertainment like an airsoft gun. We could have had a lot of the same technological advances we have today, but with much less environmental impact, if we had considered the long-term effects on both other people and other living beings, as well as our habitats. We could have found ways from the beginning to make these things in ways that benefited us but also mitigated any harm as much as possible. Instead we're now having to reverse-engineer things we've been using for decades, and sometimes--like the "biodegradable" airsoft pellets--they still have a significant negative impact.

But--at least there are people trying to do things better, thinking ahead instead of just on immediate profit. We're stuck in a heck of a mess here, figuratively and literally, and changing an entire system can't be done in a day. Maybe we can at least keep pushing for a cultural shift that emphasizes planning far into the future--if not the often-cited "seven generations ahead", then at least throughout the potential lifespan of a given product.

[rosachae]

second skin | daniela avanzini x reader

⁍ song: a little death- the neighbourhood ⁍ genre: venom AU! venom is a wingman ⁍ a/n: not my favorite thing i've ever posted, but oh well. i was due for a dani fic. ⁍ wc: 5.4k ⁍ warnings: mentions of injury, fighting. ⁍ synopsis:

daniela didn’t mean to bond with an alien symbiote. she definitely didn’t mean to fall for her friend either. but when a red symbiote attacks the lab and y/n's life is on the line, secrets unravel fast. daniela has to decide if love is worth the risk of being seen for what she really is.

the biosky labs tower loomed over the city like it knew it was important. sleek glass walls, endless silver panels, and sharp geometric angles that screamed “cutting edge science happens here, now please don’t touch anything.” it was the kind of place that had five different security checks just to use the bathroom.

daniela didn’t belong here. not really. she adjusted her press badge for the fourth time as she stepped into the front atrium, pretending not to feel the weight of a literal alien parasite stretching beneath her skin. her boots squeaked on the polished floor. she hated that. why was everything so shiny in science buildings?

she was here under the guise of journalism—technically true. her editor had sent her to get a word from one of biosky’s board members about their latest green tech initiative. something about biodegradable plastic that disintegrated in sunlight. it sounded great in theory. but daniela hadn’t even brought her recorder. or a pen. she wasn’t here for the story.

she was here for lara.

lara worked in r&d and was one of the very few people daniela trusted. she was also the only one—aside from a sleepy convenience store owner, megan, who definitely wasn’t paid enough to deal with parasite-related trauma—who knew about him.

venom.

the symbiote pulsed beneath her ribs, barely contained, like a cat stretching its claws.

“you are stalling,” venom said, voice curling in her head like smoke. “why are we standing in the lobby like a lost child? do you need a map? or a chaperone?”

“i’m blending in,” daniela muttered under her breath, eyes locked on a very intense sculpture made entirely of test tubes.

“you are loitering. you look suspicious. we should eat someone.”

“we’re not eating anyone in the lobby. i have clearance.”

“coward.”

she sighed and started toward the security desk, flashing her badge at a man who looked like he bench-pressed microscopes for fun. after a quick scan and a deadpan stare, she was waved through to the elevators. inside, the air smelled like sterile metal. scientists in white coats passed by, talking about protein strands and molecular something-or-others. one guy walked by holding a tablet and a cup of black coffee that smelled four weeks stale.

daniela kept her head down, following the path lara had texted her earlier. take the east wing, pass the nanotech lab, avoid eye contact with the cryogenics intern because he will talk about freezing mice for twenty minutes. she rounded a corner and slipped into a side hallway marked ‘authorized personnel only.’ a security camera blinked at her.

“friendly little guy,” she mumbled.

“we should wave.”

daniela rolled her eyes.

this part of the lab was quieter. less tour-friendly. the walls narrowed, and the overhead lights buzzed in a way that made her molars itch. it was here, just past a heavy fire door, that she found lara. half-buried in lab equipment and looking very done with the world.

lara glanced up, goggles on her forehead and a pipette in hand.

“you’re late,” she said.

“you’re lucky i came at all,” daniela replied, stepping into the room, the door clicking firmly shut behind her.

lara raised a brow. “did he say that or you?”

“that was me.”

“hm. he’s rubbing off on you. hello, venom.”

a black tendril mists up out of daniela’s back, waving shortly in faux greeting. despite his simple gesture, his voice slurs teasingly in daniela’s mind.

“she looks delicious today. are you certain i cannot eat her? i have been craving indian.”

daniela rolled her eyes again, possibly the hundredth time that week alone, staying silent as venoms tendril retreated back into her. she pulled a small container from the inside pocket of her jacket. it was sealed shut, but the faintest red glow pulsed from within.

lara’s expression shifted immediately, serious now. curious. “that’s from yesterday?”

daniela knew what she was talking about immediately. she could still feel the pang in her ribs when she inhaled, fresh off a beating the night before. she could still remember the sound of megan’s voice, shocked and concerned, when she dragged herself into the chinese girls convenience store with a black eye and a very annoyed (very moody) symbiote bitching about the world as he knew it. megan didn’t even need to ask what’d happened. she simply grabbed her first aid kit and helped daniela stitch up. nothing a good dab of makeup couldn’t hide. 

and of course, she could still feel the way her heart dropped in her chest when y/n’s name filtered across the cracked screen of her phone. she was late. again. they were supposed to meet up with some of their other friends, lara included, for a birthday party of someone whose name daniela didn’t care to remember. truth be told, the latina had only agreed to go for her. y/n, who made her heart race and her palms clammy. y/n, who looked at her in a way that made her feel human– at least more than she did whenever she was reminded of the symbiote coiling through her like a disease she couldn’t rid.

daniela had long since gotten used to everything unusual. her life was flipped upside down the very minute she met venom, as he called himself, and he attached himself to the core of her being. he said they were ‘compatible’. that it would be ‘better this way’. sometimes, she couldn’t help but feel resentful. especially when y/n looked at her with those eyes, unaware of the monster she hid within.

daniela sighed. she’d already debriefed lara on what happened when she called her throughout the night, demanding answers on where she was, telling her how sad y/n was that she seemed to be avoiding her lately. daniela truly had every intention of showing up– she really did. except she couldn’t, not when she was attacked by a red-skinned symbiote she didn’t recognize, despite the primal familiarity that pronged through her like a knife. venom’s doing.

“yeah. the one downtown. he wasn’t like venom. he—i don’t know. didn’t talk. just looked at me like he wanted to melt my bones. he dropped this when we fought. i didn’t want to keep it on me.”

lara took the container carefully, like it might explode. “you did the right thing. i’ll analyze it. lowkey. don’t worry.”

daniela nodded, trying to shake off the memory of blood-red tendrils and that terrible silence.

“he was ugly,” venom said helpfully, his voice echoing through the silence of her mind. “and rude.”

before she could respond, voices echoed from the hallway. footsteps.

lara froze. “shit,” she whispered. “someone’s coming. probably y/n, she said she was coming by to check the cultures—”

the door opened, and there she was.

y/n stepped into the lab like a punch to the lungs. lab coat, clipboard. a soft smile that could melt steel beams. daniela stiffened immediately, like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water down her spine.

“oh—hey,” y/n said, blinking. “daniela?”

daniela opened her mouth, but nothing came out. for a moment she simply stood, buffering as she stared at the girl who consumed her thoughts on the daily– much to venom’s displeasure.

“oh my god,” venom groaned. “not this again.”

 y/n tilted her head, eyes flicking between daniela and lara, then down to the mysterious container on the desk that was glowing faintly red. her brows lifted, but she didn’t say anything about it. not yet.

“i didn’t know you were stopping by,” she said, and god, her voice was soft. friendly. too casual, considering how daniela’s heart had decided to start jackhammering in her chest like it was trying to escape.

daniela cleared her throat, then immediately regretted it when it came out sounding like a dying engine.

“journalism,” she said, too quickly. “i’m here for journalism. official. press things.”

lara made a noise like she was choking on her own spit.

“right,” y/n said slowly, trying not to laugh. “because this is a very newsworthy hallway. here i was thinking you were going to apologize for ghosting me last night.”

despite the slight edge in y/n’s words, daniela could easily detect the light humor wedged between them. she wasn’t too upset, not really. not knowing what to say, the latina rubbed the nape of her neck.

“i’m sorry about that. some stuff came up…,” daniela mumbled, forcing a shrug. “besides, i’m here for work. some cutting edge stuff, you know? top secret. can’t print anything. very hush-hush.”

“you sound unhinged,” venom drawled. “get it over and done with, already. ask her to mate.”

daniela pointedly ignored venom when lara, mercifully, took over. “she was just dropping something off for me. we’re… collaborating.”

y/n looked at the container again. “on radioactive christmas ornaments?”

“biotech art,” daniela blurted.

lara turned away abruptly, coughing suspiciously into her sleeve.

y/n smiled, bright and blinding, and leaned against the edge of the table like she had no idea what she was doing to daniela’s already fragile composure.

“well, if you’re done with your… science drop-off, you should stick around for the tour. there’s a whole new wing they’re opening up today. i was just going to swing by and check it out.”

daniela blinked. did y/n just invite her to stay?

“she is inviting us,” venom confirmed, smug. “maybe we will stay. maybe we shall eat her?”

venom had lived inside of daniela long enough for her to know when he was joking, yet still she fought the urge of telling him to shut up. you’re not helping, she thought, knowing he would hear her loud and clear. 

“uh—i mean, yeah,” daniela said, hands shoved deep into her jacket pockets to hide the way they trembled. “i’ve got time.”

“great,” y/n said, already turning toward the door. “come on. i’ll show you the part of the lab where we keep the really dangerous stuff.”

“yes please,” venom purred. 

lara shot daniela a look as she passed. it said you’re welcome in all caps and underlined three times.

daniela scowled at her but followed y/n out anyway.

they walked in silence for a beat, the bright lights above humming softly. the lab stretched around them, clean and cold, but strangely alive. screens flickered quietly in the background, machines whirred in glass compartments, and somewhere nearby, someone shouted about “rat genomes” and “ethical boundaries.”

daniela stayed a step behind y/n, watching the way she gestured when she talked, the way her hair bounced with each step. it was unbearable.

“just tell her,” venom said. “tell her you want to kiss her and then take her out for greasy tacos. it’s not hard.”

“shut up,” daniela hissed under her breath.

“sorry?” y/n looked over her shoulder.

daniela froze. “nothing. i was just, uh. admiring the… vent system.”

y/n raised an eyebrow. “you’re weird.”

daniela bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. “you’re just now realizing this?”

y/n laughed. and it echoed in daniela’s ribs like a song she hadn’t heard in years.

they kept walking, deeper into the facility, the air getting colder as the ‘tour’ moved into zones not quite meant for casual visitors. these halls weren’t all glass and chrome like the rest of the building. instead, they were quieter, older. wires snaked along the ceilings like veins. doors hissed softly when they closed behind them. daniela had the distinct feeling they weren’t really supposed to be here. yet, she couldn’t find it within herself to ask. afterall, y/n didn’t seem concerned. she tapped her badge against a side door, waving daniela in like it was nothing. of course, she followed.

every second daniela spent with y/n felt intoxicating, in it’s own simple way. they were friends. had been for years, ever since lara introduced them over a board meeting and hushed laughter. daniela had been enamored ever since. enamored by the sound of y/n’s laugh, the way her smile lit up a room, the way she managed to turn even her darkest days into something worth holding onto. 

and of course, the way y/n looked at her when she admitted at last years new year party she had feelings for her. it lived rent free in her mind-- a record that played on repeat when she lied down at night alone. y/n had said she couldn’t enter the new year without telling her how she felt. daniela wanted so badly to kiss her then and there when the clock hit twelve. to tell y/n that she felt the same way, that she had ever since their eyes met. but, she didn’t.

for all the things daniela avanzini had grown to adore about y/n, through it all, she still couldn’t find it within herself to be honest.

she was dangerous, a fact that kept her up at night whenever she seldom allowed herself to think. 

it tore her apart.

“this is where we keep some of the experimental containment,” y/n said, voice low in a way that sounded conspiratorial. daniela tore herself from her thoughts, focusing entirely on the girl. when y/n knows she has her attention, she continues. “technically, i’m not allowed to bring visitors in here, but technically, you’re a member of the press. so that cancels out, right?”

“definitely how rules work,” daniela replied.

y/n turned, walking backwards now. “so. what’s your angle?”

daniela blinked. “angle?”

“for the article. i know you’re not just here for lara.” she said it with a grin, playful, but there was something beneath it. interest. curiosity. maybe hope.

daniela floundered.

“this is your moment,” venom whispered. “say: ‘i came here for you.’ dramatic pause. raise an eyebrow. smolder.”

daniela stared dumbly. 

.…smolder? she thought. 

“you’re ruining this.”

“i’m just…” she exhaled, rubbing the back of her neck. “it’s been a weird couple weeks. i guess i needed to see someone i didn’t hate.”

y/n’s grin softened. “is that a compliment?”

“i don’t know. depends. do you still microwave fish in the break room?”

“that happened once.” y/n turned back around, but her ears were red.

daniela smiled to herself, just a little.

they entered a side lab that looked like the inside of a very expensive fridge. metal counters, thick glass tubes filled with murky liquid, something humming in the corner that daniela was pretty sure was alive.

“here,” y/n said, stepping aside. “this is where we keep some of the more unstable samples. things that didn’t bond properly. or bonded… wrong.”

daniela’s eyes moved toward a large containment chamber near the back wall. inside, a black smear floated in a thick solution, tendrils curling slowly like seaweed. it didn’t look like venom. it didn’t feel like him either.

she shivered.

y/n noticed. “you okay?”

“yeah,” daniela lied. “just—got a weird vibe. i’ve been writing too many horror articles lately.”

“maybe you’re just getting a sixth sense for drama,” y/n said, still watching her. “you always seem to show up right before things get weird.”

“maybe weird things just follow me,” daniela said, quieter this time.

“she doesn’t know the half of it,” venom added with a snort.

y/n laughed again, stepping closer. “well, for what it’s worth… i’m glad you’re here. you’re not as scary as you act.”

daniela blinked. the words settled somewhere deep in her chest, warm and dangerous. she opened her mouth to say something—anything—but she stopped when the lights flickered. just once. but it was enough.

y/n turned her head. “that’s not supposed to happen.”

the overheads buzzed again, flickering like a warning. the humming in the corner changed pitch. it was no longer soft. it was angry. from down the hall, something slammed. not a door, but something heavier.

daniela’s body tensed when not even a second later, the alarms started with a howl, shrill and piercing, bouncing off the sterile walls like a fire drill from the underworld. lights flashed red overhead, casting the lab in stuttering bursts of color—red, white, red, white—like a heartbeat in panic.

y/n spun toward the door. “what the hell—”

another crash. closer this time.

y/n reached for the wall intercom closest to her. “i-i don’t know what’s going on. i have to talk to central—”

a voice crackled through the lab speakers before she could touch it. not the system voice. not human.

“you have something of mine.”

the voice was wrong. low and sharp, like broken glass dragged across metal. it slithered out of the vents, from the walls, behind their ribs. daniela froze.

“was that…?” y/n didn’t finish the question. her eyes were on daniela now. questioning. uncertain.

daniela moved without thinking, stepping in front of y/n on instinct. her hand went into her coat, where venom curled just beneath her skin, already twitching with anticipation.

“stay behind me,” she said.

y/n looked at her like she was seeing her for the first time. “daniela, what’s going on?”

“he’s here,” venom growled, low and pleased. “our red friend. i can smell him. sharp. rotten. something’s wrong with him.”

the fire door at the end of the hallway slammed open, metal denting from the inside out like someone had punched straight through it. heavy footfalls echoed down the corridor.

venom murmured inside her. “he followed us. he knows. he wants it back.”

“daniela,” y/n said, more quietly this time. “what’s going on?”

she didn’t answer. couldn’t. not without unraveling everything.

and then he appeared. taller than daniela remembered from the day before. red and twisted, like someone had fed barbed wire to a blender. not just red—glowing, pulsing at the edges, veins running hot like lava through a human shape. not quite a man. not quite anything. the symbiote had taken over completely. its eyes that weren’t quite eyes locked onto daniela like it had been hungering for her.

“there you are,” the red symbiote said, grinning. “you took something that doesn’t belong to you.”

daniela spared a quick glance in y/n’s direction, swallowing when she notices the pure shock and horror engraved across her face. the exact kind of horror she lied awake at night worrying about, in the hypothetical situation y/n ever found out the truth. the last thing she ever wanted was for y/n to look at her, scared. like she was a moneter. 

daniela shakes her head, forcing herself to sound composed. “wrong girl.”

the red one tilted his head, almost amused. “you reek of him. of venom.” his smile widened. “don’t play dumb. give it to me, or i take it from the corpse of your little scientist.”

daniela hesitated. just a beat.

“decide,” venom snarled in her skull. “you can’t keep pretending. you’ll lose her.”

daniela grit her teeth. she didn’t want y/n to know. not like this. not with blood and glass and monsters in the walls.

but it didn’t matter.

daniela felt venom rise immediately, slithering under her skin, begging to be let out. not just asking. demanding.

“we need to run,” y/n said, backing up.

“no,” daniela said. “we can’t let him near the rest of the building.”

“what are you talking about? you don’t have a—”

the red thing moved.

fast.

a blur of red tendrils and inhuman muscle, tearing through the hallway like a beast. it slammed a desk out of the way like it was made of cardboard.

y/n grabbed daniela’s arm. “we have to go, now!”

daniela hesitated, just for the briefest of seconds. and then she moved. 

“let me out.”

she didn’t answer. she didn’t have to.

black surged up her throat, over her face, coating her arms in glossy armor and claws. her vision sharpened, blood roaring in her ears. she was in limbo. not quite herself, but also not quite venom. 

y/n screamed. not in terror—more like complete shock.

venom turned and grabbed her gently, claws retracting just enough, and launched both of them through an adjacent wall, crashing through a side corridor just as the red thing smashed into the room behind them. the floor buckled. glass shattered. something exploded in the distance. daniela ran, half-carrying y/n, venom’s strength barely strained. y/n clung to her with both arms, eyes wide, her mouth opening and closing like she wanted to ask something but couldn’t find a single word. they reached the elevator lobby, huge and open and full of windows.

and of course, the worst possible place to be.

behind them, the red symbiote burst through the wall like a monster out of a nightmare.

“no elevators,” venom said. “he’ll crush us before the doors even close.”

“stairs,” daniela snapped, pivoting hard.

but they were too late.

the red thing was already there, tendrils slamming into the ceiling above them, knocking loose steel beams and cables. one snapped, and then another. the floor near the stairwell cracked, tiles tumbling into the yawning black of the empty elevator shaft. daniela shoved y/n toward the edge to dodge a swing just a little too hard. immediately, she regrets it when y/n’s heels hit the crumbling floor. it gave way.

“no—!”

she slipped, and she fell. y/n didn’t have enough time to gather her footing before her body was tripping back in to the empty elevator shaft, a height that would certainly kill her on impact. her eyes met daniela’s for the briefest of seconds. 

daniela didn’t think. she let venom take over. completely. black tendrils lashed out like lightning, diving into the shaft. it all happened in a breath.

one second, y/n was falling. the next, she was dangling midair, suspended by something alien, staring up at venom. eight feet tall. snarling. glistening. unmistakable.

the creature reeled her back in like a fish on a line, gently depositing her to the floor. claws curled around her shoulders to steady her.

“are you hurt?” it asked, voice thick and dual-toned, daniela layered beneath the monster.

y/n blinked up at it. “…daniela?”

venom’s eyes narrowed. then softened, just a little.

“surprise,” daniela said through venom’s mouth.

y/n stared up at her—at venom, at daniela—with something unreadable in her eyes. not fear. not exactly. more like the world had just cracked in half and she was still waiting to see how far it would split.

neither daniela nor venom had the chance to say more before the red symbiote came crashing down the elevator shaft. venom immediately sprung into action. tugging y/n into an empty floor, the air tuned impossibly colder. the red symbiotes' movements were cold and fluid when he followed after them, like he knew he had time. like he enjoyed the anticipation. his body shimmered, pulsing with some internal fire. red tendrils dragged across the walls like claws on chalk.

“i should’ve known,” he purred. “venom always did have a soft spot. he likes the pretty ones.”

venom growled, deep and primal, and it echoed from every surface.

the red symbiote didn’t wait. he launched forward, a snarl ripping out of him, arms splitting into barbed whips of glowing red. venom met him halfway, their bodies colliding with a sound like metal being torn in half. they crashed into a far wall. stone cracked, glass burst, a light fixture dropped from the ceiling. daniela twisted under venom’s skin, trying to keep control, trying to aim the fury. the red one lashed out, slicing across her ribs with a jagged blade-arm. venom howled.

venom surged upward, slamming a fist into the red one’s jaw, then ducked under a retaliating swing and drove both claws into his side. red shrieked—inhuman and sharp—and retaliated with a burst of flame-like tendrils that seared across the lab floor.

y/n ducked behind a desk, eyes wide, watching the monsters tear each other apart in the glow of flickering red lights. she wasn’t scared. not really. just stunned. processing.

but when she looked at venom, at daniela, something else bloomed in her chest. recognition. it was her. the way she moved. protected her. even the way she swore under her breath as the red one got in another hit.

still daniela.

venom got the upper hand for a moment, grabbing the red symbiote by the throat and slamming him into the concrete hard enough to make the walls rattle.

“you’re not taking it,” venom snarled.

the red one laughed through cracked teeth. “you think i care about the girl? or you? i want what you stole. the fragment. give it to me.”

daniela faltered for a beat. the artifact. the glowing red sample. lara still had it—hopefully locked away somewhere deeper in the lab. this whole attack… it was never about her. not really. 

venom hesitated. just a second. the red one used it to his advantage. a tendril speared forward, aimed not at venom, but at y/n. daniela didn’t think. she threw herself in front of it. the impact sent her crashing into a column, plaster and sparks exploding around her.venom roared in pain.

“dani!”

daniela hit the ground hard, venom glitching and rippling around her like a damaged projection. her vision swam, but she doesn’t miss the way y/n raced over. she dropped to her knees beside her. 

“what the hell is this? how long have you—”

“not now,” daniela groaned, blood in her mouth.

the red one stalked forward. venom twitched, trying to stand, but the hit had been brutal.

y/n looked up at the monster barreling toward them. with a newfound sense of confidence, she did the only thing she could. she grabbed a fallen metal pipe and hurled it at the red symbiote’s face.

it bounced off with a sad little clang.

he paused, a look of mild offense striking his grotesque face. 

“seriously?” he muttered.

but it was enough.

the red one surged forward again, limbs splintering into hooked blades and writhing spears. he was a storm of red fury, blind and grinning, hammering toward them with all the heat of something barely held together by rage.

but daniela had already risen.

venom rippled over her like liquid shadow, scars mending mid-motion, claws curling longer, sharper. black tendrils writhed along her spine, ready, hungry. there was no hesitation now. no hiding. no pretending.

only her.

“you want it?” she rasped, voice layered and low, venom’s timbre wrapping around hers like thunder. “come and get it.”

she launched.

they collided midair, red and black blurring together in a screech of tearing metal and flesh. daniela let go of restraint. venom knew how to twist, how to hurt, and daniela guided it with fury like a blade.

the red symbiote struck hard, hammering her into a beam. daniela rebounded, claws dragging sparks off the wall as she swung low, raking open his side.

“you’re wasting your breath,” he snarled. “the fragment’s mine.”

venom lunged, wrapping both arms around the red one’s torso, and bit down.

the scream that tore out of the red symbiote was inhuman, rattling the air and shaking the glass.

his form flickered—unstable now, wounded, tendrils flailing. daniela twisted, slamming him through a row of reinforced lab tables. the metal bent like foil.

“dani!” y/n’s voice came from the side, urgent. “his core—bottom left! it’s destabilizing!”

daniela saw it then—a pulsing red glow beneath the symbiote’s chest. flickering, uneven.

she didn’t ask how y/n knew. she just moved.

venom surged up her arms, curling into a blade. she dropped, twisted beneath the red one’s next swing, and drove the blade up into the core.

there was silence, then a sound like pressure releasing—a deep whoomph, followed by a stuttering crackle of light. the red one staggered, glitching, body tearing apart from the inside out.

“no—no—NO—”

he clawed toward her, toward y/n, toward anything. but venom dragged him back. black tendrils crushed inward. one final twist. one last roar.

the red symbiote collapsed with a shriek and a shudder, its body dissolving into steaming sludge that hissed across the tile.

it was over.

daniela stood, swaying slightly. her breathing was ragged, skin streaked with ash and blood. the last of venom curled back beneath her skin, black retreating like ink down a drain.

and then she collapsed to her knees.

“daniela!” y/n was already moving, sliding across broken glass and debris to catch her. “hey—hey, stay with me—”

but her eyes were closed. still breathing. still there. just… barely. the room went quiet.

until something moved.

a ripple across daniela’s shoulder. black. liquid. alive. venom reemerged—not the full monstrous form, but a slick tendril that uncoiled upward, shifting until it formed a rounded head, eyeless and wet with that reflective sheen. small. almost calm.

y/n froze.

the tendril tilted, then spoke.

“she will be fine,” venom said, voice low and rattling. “we have taken worse hits.”

y/n swallowed. “you… you can talk without her?”

“we prefer her,” venom said, almost wistfully. “she is… fun. angry. but warm.”

y/n stared. “she never told me. about you.”

venom shifted, curling gently around daniela’s shoulder like a shawl. protective. oddly tender.

“she didn’t want you to run.”

y/n blinked. “what?”

“you are the reason she holds back. why she is scared. she believes she is a monster.”

the silence between them stretched long and deep.

“but you’re not,” y/n whispered.

venom moved again, this time toward her. not threatening. just… curious. his voice dropped lower.

“you smell like her heart.”

y/n let out a breath. “that’s either very sweet or very creepy.”

a pause. then, unexpectedly, a snort.

“she would say the same.”

y/n almost smiled.

“will she be okay?”

venom retracted a little, folding back down.

“she is waking.”

and just like that, the black melted away again. daniela stirred, a long groan tearing from her. her eyes fluttered open and the first thing she saw was y/n, sitting right in front of her, hair a mess, lab coat scorched, one scraped knee, and… smiling.

“hey,” y/n said softly. “nice of you to rejoin us.”

daniela winced. “you’re not screaming.”

“not yet.”

a beat.

“venom said i smell like your heart,” y/n added casually.

daniela’s eyes widened.

“oh my god—”

“don’t worry. he’s kind of sweet. in a nightmare slug kind of way.”

the lab was still screaming. alarms howled overhead in stuttering bursts. red lights strobed across shattered glass and scorched tile. from the stairwell, heavy footsteps echoed—boots slamming up the metal steps, guards or scientists or maybe cleanup crews, all just a breath too late.

but in the center of it all, daniela only saw y/n.

her lip was split. her side throbbed. something was probably fractured.and yet, she couldn’t help but frown. 

“are you... are you scared of me?” she asked, voice low, almost too quiet to hear beneath the sirens.

y/n looked at her like that was the dumbest thing she’d ever heard.

“you caught me out of mid-air before i became elevator paste and then took down a rage-possessed lava monster,” she said. “so no. i’m not scared.”

daniela blinked.

y/n leaned closer. “maybe a little mad you didn’t tell me.”

“i didn’t want you to look at me like—like this.”

“well, tough luck.” her voice softened. “because this is how i look at you.”

daniela’s breath hitched when y/n reached out slowly, still cautious, even now. her fingers brushing against daniela’s jaw, hesitant like a question. and then she kissed her. 

it wasn’t soft. it was tired, and cracked, and tasted like smoke and adrenaline and blood—but it was real. daniela’s hands came up into y/n’s hair, pulling her closer like she didn’t care who saw, like she didn’t care if the building collapsed around them. y/n’s fingers curled against her waist, grounding her in the middle of the wreckage.

the footsteps were getting louder. someone was shouting orders. probably close. daniela pulled back just enough to breathe.

y/n’s forehead pressed to hers. “what now?”

behind her eyes, venom stirred. “they will have questions. annoying ones.”

daniela glanced at the ruined elevator, then back to y/n. “lara’s gonna kill me for not waiting.”

“she can wait.” venom’s voice was smug. “take the girl.”

black tendrils curled from beneath daniela’s feet. the world blurred. she grabbed y/n’s hand. didn’t ask.

“hold on,” she whispered.

and then they were gone—swept away through the broken ceiling like smoke, like a shadow vanishing into the night. alarms still blared behind them, questions still screamed in the stairwell. but none of that mattered now. for now, all that mattered was y/n.

and maybe—just maybe—it was time to give honesty a try.

venom purred somewhere beneath her skin.

“finally.”

[you-need-not-apply]

I think people forget that if you process something enough it’s not biodegradable anymore.

Like there is this biodegradable glitter made from seaweed. And they check it’s genuinely is. But the amount of processing that goes into turning it into glitter is too much for it to remain biodegradable. It’s just glitter with extra steps. Maybe a little better at the start (no oil based plastic) but the end result is the same.

So when someone says “oh it’s WOOD based” and it looks like plastic. It’s plastic. It might have started as wood, but it’s plastic now. Same with all those “alternative materials” such as fungi(?) based, plant based, etc.

So if someone’s promising “100% plant based not plastic” and it looks a little too much like plastic… don’t fall for it. It’s still plastic.

Obviously this excludes stuff that is obviously not plastic. Such as a wooden tooth brush, glass, recycled plastic is still plastic but at least they admit it and are reusing it, Cotten, linen, heshen, other genuinely biodegradable materials etc.

[coochiekrab]

shit ive been having the same problem. buying toys and stuff used to make me feel a bit better amongst the stresses of normal life but now i can only see plastic headed to a landfill. i think being tired of these things comes from doing it too much first of all, but second of all i think its because this is the only thing we/the internet really sees as examples of 'self care'. it just feels...trite. like you want to do something more meaningful. personally what ive been doing is trying to figure out how to replicate the fun trinkets in less wasteful ways, like woodcarving or crocheting or something. challenge yourself to make a fun little toy out of something 100% biodegradable or something. thats what i do, and it helps more than buying something for me.

This is also the direction I’ve been going in for awhile but also just with all my purchases in general……I’m starting to realize my Trinkets don’t even really match any of the Nicer Things i own and just don’t look right sitting on my shelves

Like. What’s going on here. I really am drawn to Ceramic and Wood trinkets and if you saw the rest of my room you would say That Trinkets made of Real Materials would look a lot better in here too…….

[stagefoureddiediaz]

When you get your own art put on a phone case 😎😎😎

I’m so happy and excited about how this turned out!!!

The case is a Pela case - they’re made of flax and are fully biodegradable which is why I chose these cases over others (plastic phone cases don’t need to be a thing anymore!!)

they recently started offering customisable cases so I got one ordered as soon as I got my new phone! Only trouble is they’re not cheap and now I’m planning several other cases 😬😬😬

[jasperthehatchet]

🌿indoor garden update: hydroponics edition🌿

I got a grow light, a fan from a yard sale, higher quality soil from my local plant nursery and some hydroponic gardening supplies since my last post. And now i have plenty more plant children!!!

My kitchen scrap radishes and green onions didn't survive, due to a fungus gnat infestation in the soil I used. I managed to save most of my other plants, but the soil those two were in was so infested I had to get rid of them :( but I have added: hot peppers, chives and cherry tomatoes!! Those are the larger pots in the middle of the wood shelf. Two of those started sprouting!! The chives haven't sprouted yet but I have hope. And the tomato plant I had last time got so big I had to separate the seedlings and put them in individual pots:

Theres seven total but i only took a pocture of these six. They're doing very well!! They love the banana fertilizer I made. And I've added some more seedlings to my greenhouse: (first image) more basil, lavender, pepprmint, parsley, catnip and sage. As well as thyme and oregano in the second image here:

I poked holes in the bottom of a recycled spinach container and used that for the thyme and oregano.

Now for my hydroponic jars: butter lettuce (2), Chile peppers (2), cilantro, spinach, bok choy, emerald oak lettuce, and romaine lettuce. These are doing really well too!! This butter lettuce is grown from scraps:

I put it in a coffee filter net i rigged up until my hydroponic supplies arrived, and i transferred it once i got them. So i thought i messed it up and killed the plant but she's growing!! She's strong too. And here's the others that are growing from seeds:

The romaine lettuce and the bok choy are the ones in the back that have the tallest sprouts. I can't wait to take pictures of all the jars once the root systems grow more and I can remove the socks!!!

Oh and here's the orchid. She's doing amazing:

[Image ID: the first image shows my whole indoor greenhouse tent in front of a permanently sealed glass door. All my plants are visible in the image with the pink orchid being the star of the show at the top of a capital A shaped wooden shelf and the sunlight is shining through the glass and feeding all the plants. A table and chair set and a peach tree is somewhat visible, outside in the background.

The second image shows six terracotta colored plastic pots with two-ish inch tall tomato seedlings in each one. They're healthy and happy, and one pot has a yellow gnat sticky trap sticking out of the soil on the side of the pot.

The third image shows a plastic bin full of eleven biodegradable seedling starter pots, these are the basil, parsley, pepprmint, catnip, lavender and sage, and three of the cups towards the top of the image are sprouting but it's hard to see. The fourth image right next to the last image shows a recycled clear plastic spinach container filled with soil with a cardboard divider in the middle and another yellow gnat trap against the divider, sticking out of he soil. No sprouts yet. There's also recycled plastic wrap on one of the edges for trapping the humidity in the planter but it's pulled back for now.

The fifth image shows a wide mouth mason jar full of nutrient water and a beautiful butter lettuce plant growing out the top, out of a black net cup thats touching the water inside the jar. The biggest leaves are about three inches long. My hand is visible in the image as I'm holding the jar.

The sixth image shows six larger wide mouth mason jars with the same arrangement, though the clay pellets im the black net pots are still visible since these are younger plants. The two jars in the back have the tallest sprouts and the two in the middle have smaller sprouts. The two in he front have no sprouts as I planted thoe seeds just yesterday. A part of my grow light is visible in this image, it's got four long lights attached to one base and all the long lights are facing out on different directions but one light is showing. All the plant jars have black socks covering the glass parts which will be removed when strong root systems grow in.

The final image shows my pink orchid. It's hook shaped, so the plant is growing upright and to the left a bit. And she's supported by a stick holding her up. But she's healthy and happy and all her flowers are soft and vibrant. Her leaves at the bottom are a dark but beautiful green and shes currently living in a white pot. End ID]

[foulpaperplane]

Vladco Heiress au is constantly on loop in my head so here my ideas for the other DP characters:

Jazz - researcher psychologist with a focus on socio-cultural psychology. After Danny manages to come to a compromise with his rouges, creating a long-term truce, she becomes interested in cultural differences between Realm beings and Amity Parkers & later on how the two cultures started to blend and form unique social norms.

Tucker - didn’t go to college and just started immediately working at Vladco as Danny's assistant/advisor to help him out while he figured out how to run the company. Once Danny started getting things under control Tucker became an engineer (still at Vladco) to focus on his inventions.

Sam - she properly sat down with her parents and talked to them leading to them realizing they have been acting unreasonably and compromising. Her dad offers to teach her and Danny both business and how to lead a company as an olive branch. I imagine her family has a successful telecommunication company but for now her dad is running the company so Sam can start her own company which creates and researches eco-friendly solutions (e.g biodegradable plastics) while working with a bunch of eco charities.

Valerie - in my au she joins the Phantom team during 50 Shades Of Valerie Grey. The team has trouble trusting her at first but eventually they become close friends. I imagine that she took some odd jobs after high school trying to support her dad and then ended up with a security job she enjoyed. Once Ellie started traveling Danny hired her to act as Ellie's bodyguard because she's the only person he could trust keep Ellie safe. Whenever she's back in Amity she meets up with Danny and Tucker to have geek out sessions where they create ridiculous technology while not sleeping for 3 days.

Wes - became part of Team Phantom after Val but before the release of Pariah Dark. Became an investigative journalist so he travels a lot - this and his tendency to hyper fixate on his articles means that he's horrible at keeping in touch with people. He's closest with Valerie (she was the first one to properly accept him onto the team) and Ellie (they meet up whenever they are in same city and compare notes about rich people - Wes tells her which CEO's he thinks are doing shady shit and she tells him which rich people gave her bad vibes or are assholes).

[distracted-milkshake]

Right Now, Right Now! - Poe Dameron x reader

Warnings: talk of male contraceptives and fertility, likely inaccurate medical information, established relationship but not much specified

Words: >1k, 555

Rating: T

Summary: Poe has a surprise for you on Mother’s Day.

Can you tell I’ve never written Poe or Star Wars before?

Struggling with everything so badly but felt some short fluff nonsense might help. Happy Mother’s Day!

AO3 Link

“Happy Mother’s Day!”

You were laid back in your shared bed, reading. You were comfy, until Poe had all but jumped in beside you, leaning over your bent legs with a huge smile on his face.

“Poe, I’m not a mother.”

“No, but you will be.” He said.

You looked up as he leaned back on his haunches to dig around in his pocket and tossed a half empty plastic pill pack and two tiny metal clips on your lap.

“I got my VOC out and stopped taking my blockers. Babymaker’s up and running!”

You scoffed, sitting up a little.

You had been telling Poe for months how much you wanted a baby and the answer was always he didn’t feel ready or like it was a good idea just yet. Eventually, you just stopped asking.

It wasn’t like you weren’t happy, just you two, and you didn’t want to push him if he really just didn’t feel up to it yet, even if it was that he would never be. But now it looked like he was ready.

You stared at the itty devices on your shirt.

“Poe, those were inside your penis.”

He blinked. “Yeah. Well they’re not anymore. And actually, technically they were on my vas deferens—”

“And you put them on my clothes!”

“I just got back from med bay, they’re clean!”

“That’s still gross!”

“I want to have a child with you and you’re hung up on my contraception device. Typical.”

“You’re seriously ready to have a kid?” You asked.

“I’ve never been more ready.”

“Does this mean you aren’t scared anymore?”

“Oh no, I’m still terrified of becoming a dad. I’m just tired of putting it off, it’s not ever going to be perfect, I’ve gotta stop pretending like it needs to be. Because you’re not gonna be able to have my kids forever, and so long as I’ve known you I’ve known you’d make the best mother in the entire Galaxy. I would be such an idiot if I passed that up.”

“Stop…” You rolled your eyes away from his adoring warm gaze.

“I am dead serious. And I wanna get started right now.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Like right now right now?”

“Right now, right now!” He laughed, sliding his arms around your waist, bobbing his head enthusiastically. “My tubes are all healthy, doesn’t look like there’s any damage, but it still might take a few days or even a week for stuff to get moving properly again.”

He scrunched his nose, just inches from yours. “And I might be firing some blanks for a bit after that, till the pills are completely out of my system, but I really wanted to surprise you today. I wanna, you know, start trying. You never know. And I’ve got loads to make up for.”

“You’re really ready?”

“Yeah. I think I am.”

“Alright then.”

You raked his curls off of his forehead, straightening your leg to pull him close enough to kiss. He brushed the clips off your stomach and returned it sweetly, pushing you both back into the pillows.

He pulled back and brushed your cheek, letting his eyes wander from yours to your lips to the lack of space between you.

“I swear, next Mother’s Day you’re gonna be a mom, starlight.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

————

An unnecessarily comprehensive note on Poe’s contraceptive methods:

I included a real though not commercially available male contraceptive measure called vas-occlusive contraception, which is anything that’s used to block sperm in the tubes that would be cut in a vasectomy (the vas deferens), but instead of cutting the tubes they’re blocked in some other way. The reversible method I settled on was removable clips, but there are also biodegradable gels, plugs, and even little valves which are possibly the funniest looking little things made for the human body I’ve ever seen.

He’s also taking oral hormone blockers on top of this to prevent sperm production as well as not a hundred percent are blocked and he just wanted to be sure.

The exact hormones the blockers would be blocking are gonadotropins, I can’t speak to how harmful this would be long term or at all, as again this is not commercially available and doesn’t have a lot of clinical testing I read into, but everything except the production and sperm’s transport from the testes would be about the same in his body. I didn’t get too deep into this, just enough to hopefully not be wildly inaccurate because you know sometimes you have an idea but it takes a little research before you just throw it in haphazard.

Oh also, by firing blanks, he’s referring to ejaculating with underdeveloped, malformed, or little to no sperm while sperm production is returning to normal.

Would it make sense for him to be able to get treatment this good in the Resistance? I don’t freaking know maybe before the Republic was destroyed I just like Poe and speculative medical practice that takes the burden off female contraceptive measures because he’d be cool like that. I know better than to dig into the lore of a fandom this big for just a oneshot I would never get back out. They probably don’t even celebrate Mother’s Day.

Thank you for reading!

[daichiduskdrop]

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚⋆·˚ ༘ *𝙎𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 ⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Chapter 15

Pairing: BTS Ot7 X fem! reader

Genre: A/B/O AU, Fluff, Angst, Strangers to lovers,

Warnings: none :)

Words: 3866

Taglist: @thelilbutifulthings @ilovemoneymorethenmen @singukieee @cherrysainttt @felicityroth @mageprincess7 @lucis-noctiana @danielle143 @osakis-gf @girl-nahh @vintageoldfashion @neverthefirstchoice @juju-227592 @silentreadersthings @i-have-no-life-charlie @everyonehatesshani @iamkookiesforyou @dragons-flare @fangirl125reader @roseidol

Previous:

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

„This must've been so expensive, though!” you whispered out, shock and disbelief in your words. You could feel your scent start to sour with worry.

At the change, they all jumped into action, the first to react was Jungkook, who gasped loudly before he took your cheeks in his palms.

„Babybun no! It's okay; don't worry about that. It's very important for alphas that you get only the best bunny. Don't you worry about a thing, sweet baby. Do you want to open it now?”

The alpha said, his eyes big with worry. They wanted to spoil you, and they will, but the packmates didn't want you to freak out about any prices either. You didn't have to worry about things like that.

They were very wealthy, so it was only fitting for them to buy you luxury; you didn't deserve anything else. You were their courted omega after all.

Nodding a little bit, you were still very confused. Why were they spending so much money on you?

Whispering out a soft okay, you felt the packalpha pet your head gently, the other alpha helping you pull the plastic seals open.

It was cream-coloured and had a 3D small plaid bump-like pattern, adding to the texture. And the fabric—oh, but the fabric.

You never cared so much about what your clothes were made of, which would bite you back from time to time when you would get skin irritations.

But this was so soft; it was so comforting and gentle on your finger tips; you never felt something like this. You felt your lips strech out into a soft smile, blinking your eyes up at the alpha's watchful gazes.

They knew this was one of the best qualities on the market, but they still felt the need to make sure you actually liked it.

„...It's so soft-!” You gasped, your voice airy and soft. Chuckling softly at you, Jin smiled softly before standing up and going to the kitchen again. Ruffling up your hair on his way. „That's good, then, peaches.”

„Here, bub, we've got you a few more things.” Hoseok smiled widely at you, patting your tight gently and urging you to look back into the giant paper bag on your lap.

Hesitating a little bit, you looked inside again.The packalpha was gently rubbing his chin over the back of your shoulder, helping you pull out the next air-sealed package that had another label on it.

Introducing our exceptional organic cotton sheet set, dyed with the delicate essence of dried poppy petals. Experience the epitome of comfort and sustainability with this luxurious bedding. Crafted from the finest organic cotton, each sheet is meticulously woven to provide a soft and breathable sleep surface. The unique dyeing process with dried poppy petals adds a touch of natural beauty and elegance to your bedroom. Embrace the harmony of nature and indulge in the ultimate sleep experience with our high-quality, eco-friendly organic cotton sheet set.

270x320 top and bottom; 50x80 2x Shams

Machine wash in cold water with mild liquid biodegradable detergent without added bleach or whiteners. Dry on a low setting and remove before completely drying. Line-dry completely, then fold and iron.

Breaking the plastic seals open for you, Hobi helped you pull out the sheet set. It was a very soft grey tone of beige and shone a little bit in the light, reminding you of silk.

Mumbling a soft wow, you turned to Hobi, who smiled at you softly. „We weren't sure about what colour to get you; we will buy new ones when you come with us some time, okay, baby? Don't worry, sunshine.”

„No, no, I love it; thank you so much; seriously, this is too much!" You said, your fingertips going over the fabric. It also felt very soft and didn't carry any smell.

You were used to having sheets from cheap stores, and the biggest difference you noticed (apart from the fabric feeling so much better to touch) was how fully unscented everything was.

It made you feel a lot better since you wouldn't have to sleep in a bed covered with the weird scent of someone you didn't know.

„Good, that's really good, babycheeks.” Taehyung said, watching you fondly. Looking in the bag again, you pulled out a matte black bottle with a cream-white label. Reading over it made you quite excited.

For nights as beautiful as your days, we imagined the Sleep & Glow Sleep Mist! Combining effectiveness and olfactory hedonism, it contains a patented sleep-enhancing accord promoting sleep associated with essential oils with recognized properties such as neroli and petit grain.

Room spray with neroli and petit grain is sleep-promoting, nerve-calming, and relaxing.

INGREDIENTS

Alcohol Denat., Aqua (Water), Parfum (Fragrance), Citral, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool

100ml

„It's for sleeping princess; it should help you rest better during the nights.” The alpha mumbled, smiling gently at you. After the last night of you waking up so scared, they didn't want you to sleep unwell anymore.

And so, after work, the packmates decided that it would be a great idea to make a stop at one of the luxury Omega-targeted stores, full of nesting materials.

They didn't know what to get you when they arrived. Well, that's not a good way to put it. They knew that they would most likely buy you the whole store—every blanket, pillow, and sheet that seemed comfortable enough for them to want to buy for you.

Since all the items were so carefully sealed, they wouldn't be able to touch them right away and feel the fabric themselves, but the store owners already thought that through beforehand; a small sample of the fabric was stuck right next to the price tags on the shelves.

They wandered around the store for a bit, but soon a store assistant rushed over—a nice-looking beta man that had a name tag written on it, reading Min Chungo.

Quickly, the packmates got into a few sentences with him, telling him about you. Quick to understand, the man also revealed that he has an omega in his pack, going over the best advice for better sleep he has discovered alongside his packmates.

Telling them about the wonders a good sleep mist does, the alphas were quick to put it in their cart, smelling each sample carefully to determine which was the best.

Walking them through the store, the beta helped them choose different nesting materials, explaining every detail of them.

Opening the cloudy grey cap, you smelled the nozzle, and it really did smell well. It felt comforting already—not too overbearing and overwhelming, just enough for you to hardly notice it.

„It smells so well, thank you. You breathed out, nudging it towards Taehyung, who also smelled it. Nodding to himself, he was more than satisfied with his other packmates choices.

Taking out the last thing from their shopping spree, Namjoon ripped off the airseals once again, handing you the package. Reading over the label, it said:

TOTEME

monogram silk pyjama set

Ivory monogram silk pyjama set from TOTEME features a monogram pattern, a camp collar, front button fastening, long sleeves, and a straight hem. This print was created to be entirely unique.

Silk 100%

Dry Clean Only

Unfolding the clothing, the fabric felt so smooth against your fingers. The pattern was quite subtle; the cream-white background had only the thinnest lines over it, completing big, written-out letters.

Not being able to contain your excitement, you hugged Jungkook first, the alpha giggling softly at you, his eyes sharing only joy.

„Thank you, alphas.” You whispered out, bit in daze still. You could hear a few deep rumbles come from the men, satisfied with your words.

Hopping back up, you decided to go shower now, taking the new pyjamas you were given to change into. Taking the stairs two at a time, the packmates watched carefully over you, making sure you wouldn't trip.

And so, while you were showering and finishing up your night routine, they all rested back and watched the TV. The soft background audio was nice to listen to.

With Jin preparing some foods for you in the morning and a dinner too, eventually Jimin and Jungkook both went on to help him. It didn't take long before you came back down, a pair of thin white socks on and the silk pyjamas on. You looked comfortable.

Your hair seemed a bit damp, but your face was bright, and you looked happy. The clothes fit you great; they weren't too sure about what size they should get you while they were in the store, but after having a longer discussion about it, they decided that if it wouldn't fit you well, they would come exchange them first thing in the morning.

„Jin oppa! Look at my new pyjamas!” You said, your voice excited as you rushed to the kitchen, stopping next to the counter.

The pants legs seemed a bit long on you, that was for sure, but you didn't seem to mind. You weren't stepping on them either, only having them cover most of your feet, your thumbs peeking out only a little bit.

Turning to you, he also smiled at you, meeting your excitement. Washing his hands quickly, he came to you, crouching a little before you, looking over the fabrics.

„You look adorable, sweet cub. Is it comfortable?” Jin asked, his eyes watching yours closely. You didn't shy away from his warm gaze, instead only nodding enthusiastically.

Nodding to himself, he stood back up, pulling you close for a hug. Resting your face over his wide shoulder, you breathed in the gentle scent he carried. Patting your lower back, he looked back at you.

„Come taste the beef stew, baby.” He said, nudging you with him towards the other two alphas that were also wearing the grey aprons. Smiling at you, Jimin ran his fingers over your back, softly encouraging you to come closer.

Pulling you behind himself, the alpha opened the oven, letting the hot air out before he stepped closer, being mindful not to burn you or himself. Taking a spoon and scooping up a bit of the sauce and a small piece of the meat, he blew on it for a second.

Turning to you again, you parted your lips a bit, allowing him to pluck the spoon from your mouth. Chewing softly, the meat was already tender, and the sauce was delicious—sour but sweet at the same time; it was very tasty.

Nodding vigorously while still chewing, the alphas softly laughed at your reaction. Putting the spoon away, Jimin pulled you to his front quickly.

Swaying you from side to side gently, the alpha rubbed his cheek over your hair softly, proud of his packmates and himself that they prepared food that you liked once again.

„Go wait with the other alphas for a minute, princess; we will come get you soon. It won't take long before we eat, hm?” Patting your lower back, you were ushered to the couch again, where even Yoongi sat now.

Cooing at you when you came closer, you took a seat between Taehyung and Hoseok, resting your back against the soft pillows. „The colour looks so nice on you, babycheeks!” He gasped, nudging your soft skin on your face.

Smiling up at him, you thanked him softly before you relaxed and started paying attention to the TV once again.

„....ention to the economy, South Korea's export sector is experiencing a significant boost. The nation's renowned automobile industry has reported a surge in overseas demand for its eco-friendly electric vehicles. With a strong focus on sustainability and innovation, South Korean automakers are gaining recognition for their environmentally conscious designs and impressive performance. This surge in exports not only contributes to the country's economic growth but also reinforces its commitment to a greener future.

Turning to the world of sports, South Korea's national football team is gearing up for an exciting international tournament. The team, known for its skillful players and tactical prowess, is set to compete against some of the world's top football powerhouses. With the nation's unwavering support behind them, the team aims to showcase their talent and make their mark on the global stage. Football enthusiasts across the country eagerly await the...”

Calling you all for dinner, the packmates slowly stood up, finishing up their cans of beer. Yoongi soon followed after the others.

Pulling out a chair for you, you sat down, the youngest alpha placing a wooden bowl, a pair of chopsticks, and a spoon before you once more. Crouching beside you, he looked up at your face.

„What would you like to drink, my sweetest bunny?” He asked, caressing your cheek gently with his knuckles. Thinking over it, you weren't feeling like drinking much sugar anymore tonight.

„Can I maybe... have sparkling water?” You asked, looking at your lap in shyness. Pursing his lips a bit, the alpha furrowed his brows.

„I'm sorry, pup, but the bubbles could upset your tummy, especially before sleep... What about normal water instead sweet cub? I'm sorry, sweetheart.” The pack alpha stepped in, knowing that saying no to you was exceptionally hard for the youngest.

Sighing out a bit in disappointment, you nodded gently, going along with it. You trusted them well already, and if they said that you might get sick, it was true.

„Thank you, babybun.” Jungkook mumbled out, placing a tall glass of cold water before you. Carrying a big pot and a few smaller bowls, all the alphas worked to set the table.

Putting rice with a bit of spring onion in your bowl first, the packalpha then poured over the steaming stew, with a few smaller pieces of beef placed on top. Sprinkling over sesame seeds and spring onion, you thanked him for plating a dish for you so nicely.

It was a very important tradition for the packalphas to prepare the meals for their pack, and since Namjoon wasn't the most skilled regarding cooking, he at least plated the food whenever he was around.

You really liked this dish. It wasn't spicy at all, but it felt very warm and made you feel at home.

Putting his chopsticks down for a second, the pack alpha sat up a little, watching over his packmates. With his eyes staying on you, he went on to talk.

„Sweet pup, me, and the others stayed behind today to talk with our pack affairs managers.” He didn't say much more until a few seconds later, when your face suddenly became very present and your utensils were also down.

At that point, most of the alphas also stopped eating, wanting to be able to talk if needed.

„We had talked with them about you staying in our packhouse now, we got a green on that one. However, it's important for us that you know that if you were our own omega after all, you might have to travel a lot with us, sweetheart.”

All of them closely watched your reaction as you listened to him speak. After a few seconds when you didn't say anything, you finally spoke, your voice soft and gentle.

„I don't mind travelling much, just... I'm not sure about school and such." You were only in the middle of your studies, still only in your second year. Understanding quickly, Namjoon was already a step ahead.

„I know about that, and I have already contacted your college teachers with the management.

We came to the conclusion that after this semester, it shouldn't be a big problem for you to transfer to online classes from time to time. We would still have to talk the details out, but they were very understanding since it's regarding a pack.”

Nodding slightly, you thought over the option for a second or two. You weren't sure what online classes would be like in art school.

During the worst of COVID, your whole year of school was prolonged and stepped off, so your year started their studies later than was planned in exchange for not having any online classes.

„I guess it should be okay...” You whispered out.

„I know that it's very sudden, pup, but trust me, it would be different if it were possible. We are having a bit of a break right now from any concerts, so we wouldn't have to travel that soon, but I think it would be better to start adjusting to the planes and such; there are a lot of long plane rides from time to time."

The pack alpha realised how problematic those could truly be. The pressure changes, the loud screams of their fans and the paparazzi...

You might have a few issues at first. They would need to soften the blow as much as possible before they would truly start travelling a lot again.

„We just thought it would be better for you, princess, to start coming on the sets more often and get to know some of our staff, managers, and security so you would know who is safe...” Jimin softly said, his voice caring and sweet.

They knew that the adjustment could be harsh, and with how unusual it was for omegas to constantly change locations, often getting unsettled after such stress, they just wanted to help as much as possible.

„Yea, I understand.” You murmured. Hearing them sigh out softly at that, you felt the alpha that sat next to you caress your hair again.

„Thank you so much, kitty.” Yoongi whispered, already picking up a small piece of meat with his own chopsticks and nudging it in your direction.

And so, the dinner continued on. After you finished your meal, you helped pick up the dishes too, this time being faster than any of the men trying to pull you back.

Placing them on the counter, you noticed the eldest alpha already standing with the sleep spray and your new bedding in his arms, looking over you with soft eyes.

Following him closely, a few of the other alphas also started to come up themselves. Turning on the lights in your room, Jin placed all the items on the bed.

„I'll change the sheets for you, soft peaches.” He said it gently, having you nod at him and thank him softly.

Going to brush your teeth in the washroom, you also went to comb your hair, but before you even had the time to do so, Taehyung had already waltzed in, taking the brush from you before he started doing so himself.

Smiling at you through the mirror, he ran his long fingers through your soft locks, mindful not to tangle them up for you anymore. „There, babycheeks. Come on, it's time for sleep now.”

He murmured, taking your palm in his, leading you back through the doors to the bedroom. Jin has already finished setting everything up, and so after he noticed you coming back, he uncovered the duvet for you, letting you slip in before he placed it over you again.

Taking the brown jumper into your arms again, you breathed in the soft scent it carried now. Brushing your hair through, the oldest gently watched over you, his gaze soft and fond.

„There you go, sweet cub. Rest well tonight; alphas are always close if you need anything, peaches. I'll be downstairs for a bit longer; just come there if you need anything, my baby.” He mumbled, hand caressing your temples softly.

Nodding a little, the man smiled at you, tucking the blanket close to you before he stood up and went to get the others so they could also tell their sweet good nights.

Taehyung took a seat next to you on the bed, and he too gently went over your hair, smiling softly at you.

„My sweet babycheeks. Sleep well tonight, alright? If you need anything, we are only a call away.” He mumbled gently, his palms rubbing over your covered shoulder.

Murmuring a soft yes, you folded the hoodie closer to yourself, only your nose and eyes peeking out. With your room's doors opening once again, the others started to walk in one by one.

The first to crouch next to you once again was Hobi, smiling widely at how you hold the hoodie close to yourself. He felt very proud of himself for helping you settle down so well with his own clothing.

„Soft sunshine, is it warm enough? The bedsheets aren't scratchy at all, right? ...good. Make sure you sleep well tonight, bub; we care for you lots and lots. You wouldn't want to upset your alphas, hm?”

Tightening your grip on the fabric, you shook your head a bit. Smiling softly at you, the man watched you closely before he also stood up, patting your hair a little. Walking over to the windows, he made sure all the curtains were tightly shut.

Walking over, the youngest alpha giggled a little at how cuddled up you looked—with the heavy duvet and the throw blanket over yourself, you seemed to be warm tonight. Rubbing his knuckles over your cheek, his fingers gently caressed your face.

„Sleep tight, babybun. If you have any bad dreams, come to alpha right away, okay, sweet baby?” Agreeing silently once again, you let him hold your palm for a few seconds, his thumb going gently over your knuckles.

Allowing the other man to step in, Jungkook moved, letting Jimin take a seat on the bed himself. Placing a glass of water on the bedside table, he couldn't hold a soft coo in, noticing just how settled and tired you seemed already.

„Aigoo... Princess, sweet baby. Rest your eyes now, hm? You're safe here, sweet cub. We got you.” Rubbing his hands on your back, he let his two older packmates have their goodnights soon, going over to Jungkook, who was looking over the heater now.

Crouching on the ground, Yoongi let his palms cover your cheeks fully, his thumbs rubbing the soft skin you had under your eyes. Smiling gently at you, his gummy smile peeked out, making you also smile a bit.

„Kitty, you just sleep for now, okay? Alpha's will take care of everything; you don't have to worry about a thing, baby.” Bending over your form slightly, the alpha rubbed his chin over the crook of your neck, letting his scent cover it.

You should be able to sleep a bit better with their scents around you. Remembering the sleep mist his packmates bought for you, he took the bottle from the small table next to the bed, opening up the cap before he stepped back.

Spraying out only a soft hint of mist, it soon went around the whole room. After checking that everything was turned off and no one was in the bathroom or the walk-in closet, he felt his worried alpha needs settle down.

„Baby pup, aren't you just the softest little thing, sweet baby? Close your eyes for now; let the alphas take care of everything, cub. Alphas got you; don't you worry about a thing now.”

Namjoon softly voiced it, his fingers combing through your hair. With that, you felt sleep come over you fully.

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

Next:

[reasonsforhope]

"For generations, the people of Erakor village in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu would pass their time swimming in the local lagoon. Ken Andrew, a local chief, remembers diving in its depths when he was a child, chasing the fish that spawned in its turquoise waters.

That was decades ago. Now 52, Andrew has noticed a more pernicious entity invading the lagoon: plastic.

“The plastic would form a small island inside the lagoon, it was so thick,” Andrew says. “We used fishing nets to pull some of the trash out, but we didn’t know how to get rid of it all. We couldn’t conquer it, there was just too much.”

While residents were struggling to empty Vanuatu’s waters of plastic, the country’s politicians were considering another solution. Could they stop the waste directly at the source?

Small island nations like Vanuatu face a series of unique challenges when it comes to plastic pollution. Many rely on imported goods to sustain their populations, and receive tonnes of plastic packaging every day as a result. Ocean currents pull plastic waste from around the world into Pacific waters, which eventually end up on the shores of its islands.

Few Pacific island governments have adequate recycling or waste management facilities on their narrow strips of land, so rubbish is often burned or left to wash up in rivers or lagoons like the one in Erakor. It is estimated that Pacific countries generate 1kg of waste per person a day, 40% higher than the global average.

In an attempt to drastically limit the amount of waste generated in Vanuatu, in 2018 the government became one of the first in the world to outlaw the sale and distribution of certain single-use plastics – including a world-first ban on plastic straws.

In the six years since, the results have been impressive. Thin, plastic shopping bags are hardly ever seen, with most shoppers carrying reusable bags at their local market or grocery store. At festivals and outdoor events, food is more often served wrapped in banana leaves instead of polystyrene takeaway boxes. Now-banned items used to make up 35% of Vanuatu’s waste, but now make up less than 2%.

Pictured: Pandanus leaves are now used instead of plastic bags at markets, but supply of the crop can be affected by storms and cyclones, vendors say.

The plastic islands that once choked Erakor lagoon are also shrinking.

“Since they started the ban, you can see the lagoon has become cleaner,” says Andrew.

It is a massive victory for a small island nation made up of just over 300,000 people across 83 islands...

In 2020, a second phase of the policy added seven more items to the list of forbidden plastics, which now covers cutlery, single-use plates and artificial flowers.

“It’s quite difficult to enforce because of the very low capacity of the department of environment,” Regenvanu says. “So we try to work with the municipal authorities and customs and other people as well.”

Compromises had to be made, though. Fishers are still allowed to use plastic to wrap and transport their produce. Plastic bottles are also permitted, even though they often litter coastlines and rivers.

Secondary industries have now developed to provide sustainable alternatives to the banned items. On the island of Pentecost, communities have started replacing plastic planter pots with biodegradable ones made from native pandanus leaves. Mama’s Laef, a social enterprise that began selling fabric sanitary napkins before the ban, has since expanded its range to reusable nappies and bags.

“We came up with these ideas to reduce the amount of plastic in Vanuatu,” says the owner Jack Kalsrap. “We’re a small island state, so we know that pollution can really overwhelm us more than in other, bigger countries.” ...

Willy Sylverio, a coordinator of the Erakor Bridge Youth Association, is trying to find ways to recycle the litter his team regularly dredges up from the lagoon.

“The majority of the plastic waste now comes from noodle packaging or rice packaging, or biscuit packets,” Sylverio says. He hopes the plastic ban will one day include all packaging that covers imported goods. “Banning all plastic is a great idea, because it blocks the main road through which our environment is polluted.”

The Vanuatu government plans to expand the plastic ban to include disposable nappies, and says it will also introduce a plastic bottle deposit scheme this year to help recycle the remaining plastic waste in the country."

-via The Guardian, June 20, 2024