#burn almond to a crisp!!!

[punchitmrsulu]

[fatallyfalling]

Darling ~ ♆

“ C’mere Darling, “

{{ Finnick Odair x Reader }}

warnings: pure fluff, little bit of ptsd if ya squint, reader is gender neutral but has rlly short hair

{{ prompt }} the night is too hard to bear alone, so you seek out the one person who can make everything feel safe again

{{ a/n }} because i’m a liar and can’t post consistent updates for Bitter Water here is a drabble because i’m sad and dysphoria is kicking my ass <3 this is 100% self indulgent i’m so sorry, i also didn’t run this through my normal editing software so please be nice aaaaaaaaaaa

You didn’t like sleeping alone, in fact you despised it.

The bed felt too big and too cold. The dark shadows in the corners near your wardrobe were too ominous to look at for long periods of time as well. You barely wanted to close your eyes, fearing the vivid night terrors that lurked in the trenches of your memories after the sun had set. You tried to comfort and self soothe by keeping a small string of warm lights curled around your headboard but it wasn’t enough to keep the poltergeists in your head away tonight.

With a shaky sigh you pulled yourself from the soft bedding and tugged on a familiar too-big ivory, cable knit sweater that smelled of sea salt with a faded almonds and honey aroma. Pausing to deeply inhale the comforting scent for a moment, the tightness in your chest uncoiled itself a smidge. Blinking away the exhaustion in your eyes, you picked up the comfort item you couldn’t bear to sleep without, threadbare seams from years of love and all, and hugged the plush close before padding out of your bedroom and downstairs towards your front door.

The dusty blue walls and white baseboards had always been too ornate for your liking, and the house you’d been gifted in the Victors Village was too creaky and empty to be alone in all the time. Without caring to slip on a pair of shoes, you left the large empty house and crept across the quiet street towards a house that felt more familiar and safe. It didn’t matter that all of the houses more or less looked the same, what mattered was what lay inside this one, that made it different. The lights weren’t on but you administered a hesitant knock, sucking your bottom lip between your teeth while an anxious crease formed between your brows.

No answer.

You waited a beat before trying again, knocking a bit firmer. The crisp air was chilly, sending a shiver up your spine despite the thick sweater and having wrapped the too-long sleeves over your knuckles to mimic mittens. Your overactive mind started to wonder if you should bother him at this hour, it was indeed very late and he very well could be asleep. Holding the plush in your hands a bit closer, you felt the small flicker of hope in your chest go out after no inference of an answer appeared in the dark windows of the home. Maybe you should go back to your house, even if the idea of doing so churned your insides. Releasing a defeated sigh through your nose, you had turned and started back down the steps of the wooden porch when a small click sounded behind and an all too familiar voice rasped your name.

“What’s wrong…?”

Your head whirls, meeting groggy sea-green irises with eyelids dragged down by sleep. The male’s hair was tousled more than usual, clear evidence he’d been dozing off before your interruption. “I-I’m sorry, I just- my house was too uhm… a-and-“ your stumbling sentences trail off as your cheeks flush, ears burning red as your gaze falls to your socks.

“C’mere Darling,”

The sleepy drawl in the victor’s voice was enough to shut your mouth and set your legs moving to melt into his warm embrace. “mm sorry Finn,” you murmur into his chest as strong arms wrap around your shoulders and waist. A comforting weight rests on your head from Finnick’s chin and the vibrations of his voice are felt against your cheek on his shoulder. “Don’t apologize, it’s okay. Let’s get inside,”

You simply nod, allowing him to lead you in, with your fingers gently interlaced. The calluses on his hands from seafaring and training with his trident were rough, but you didn’t mind. Finnick was always gentle in his touches, careful not to startle or press too harshly. There were few people you allowed to touch you after the traumatic events of your past, and combined with Finnick’s own touch aversions the two of you found peace in the gentleness of each other’s company.

You’re led upstairs into Finnick’s bedroom, his hand never leaving yours while guiding you over to the bed. The two of you comfortably settled beneath the covers as he pulled you close, your head resting on his chest listening to the steady cadence of his heartbeat, while soft featherlight touches drew lazy circles on the bare plush of your thigh hooked over his hip with calloused fingertips. Finnick’s other arm lay under your head, fingers traveling over the buzzed scruff at the nape of your neck and threading through the longer, soft and fluffy mess atop your head. He didn’t mind your shorter hair, rather enjoying playfully ruffling it every chance got and the way you melted into the touch when he threaded his fingers through it.

A content hum emits from your chest as the two of you tangle together in a pleasant embrace. “Home too scary again?” Finnick whispers into your hair. The dim lighting in the room from his bedside lamp gave everything a soft, golden glow that invited comfort and stability to your aching chest. “Yea…” you meekly respond, meeting those sea-green eyes and only finding compassion mixing with hints of worry. A small smile crosses the victor’s lips, dimples pressing into tanned cheeks, as he leans down to press a kiss to your forehead. “s’okay Darling, I’ve got you, you’re safe here.”

You can’t help melting further into the male’s touch. Another content hum leaving your lips as you press ever closer to his chest. The warmth all but lulls you into a gentle sleep, Finnick’s ministrations through your hair adding to the welcome comfort. “m’ love you,” You murmur, words smothered by sleep and your cheek pressing to the male’s tanned chest. You felt safe again, perfectly content and relaxed in the victor’s arms, his almonds and honey aroma soaking into your senses in a pleasant warmth that had you nuzzling closer to his chest.

“I love you more Darling ~”

Finnick’s voice rumbles against your cheek through his chest, and he gives a gentle, reassuring squeeze to your thigh before the two of you settle into a comforting slumber.

It felt good to be home with him, to be safe, and cared for, and loved.

“m’ love you most,”

{{ tags }}

[xenonluxius]

You’re Mine; Don’t Forget That - Chapter 1

Footsteps akin to the cracking of ice resounded through a crystalline hall, grand chandeliers refracting dancing speckles of light across the pale blue carpeted floor. Murmurs, drabbles of nameless humans buzzed around the single woman striding down the path with the confidence and grace of a predator. Isolated words, breathless sighs followed every bounce of her wavy amethyst hair, the tips dipped in a soft lavender hue. Sly ruby eyes glanced at her captivated audience, her eyelashes casting a web of shadows upon her almond shaded skin.

Darkwick Academy’s uniform sat like a mischievous black cat upon her lithe body, the velvety jacket unbuttoned to reveal a crisp white dress shirt underneath. The stormy gray skirt swirled around her mid thighs, matte black tights clinging to toned calves as blood red school-issued dress shoes sauntered merrily along their way. Polished black titanium glinted on their soles and armored the tips, black rubber padding the heel and front tip so as to not make much noise on hard surfaces. Small lily of the valley earrings dangled from her ears, ringing out a soft tune with every step she took, and the gold braids decorating every female uniform seemed almost teasing as they rested upon her bosom, challenging onlookers to allow their gaze to drift downward.

“The Madam Liaison is here…” Hushed whispers gaped incredulously as regular Frostheim students gazed upon the ravishing woman with a mixture of fear and reverence, their eyes skittish as they tracked her movements with anticipation. Full lips tilted upwards as the object of their attention fixed her glimmering eyes upon the hesitant onlookers, siren eyes winking as she waved a nonchalant hand. Men and women alike flushed a crimson red, some of the more faint hearted averting their eyes with a hand to their heart.

Quickly losing interest in the nameless rabble, the woman ran a deft hand through her waist-length hair, clearing strands from her field of vision as she locked on to a monocled man in the distance. “Tohma! Sorry for the wait,” she called out, her honeyed voice toughened with a bit of huskiness. It cut through all remaining whispers like a knife through butter, demanding obedience and begetting silence.

“It is no problem to me, Suzuran. Our captain, on the other hand, may not tolerate your tardiness with such magnanimity,” Tohma Ishibashi uttered as he adjusted his monocle, organizing a stack of papers nestled in his left arm. Despite his blunt words, there was a hint of humor in his eyes as he dipped into a shallow bow, gesturing for Suzuran to place her hand into his palm. Politely kissing the back of her hand, Tohma straightened up and let go. “I wish you all the best in dealing with our problematic captain.”

“What're you talking about? You're going in with me, Tohma. I'm not the one carrying the investigation report,” Suzuran said with a dramatic hand to her heart, spinning on her heel as she began to lead the way to Frostheim’s captain's quarters.

“Of course. You cannot be trusted to give a satisfactory report,” Tohma scolded. “Left to your own devices, you would simply hand him the papers and leave, and you know that the captain would proceed to burn those papers because he couldn't be bothered to read them.”

“I would be hurt at the fact that you have so little faith in me… if I weren't fully aware that it's the truth,” Suzuran chuckled, a seductive sound that had had every poor passerby student in the vicinity flushed and flustered.

“I am thankful of your self awareness,” Tohma commented dryly as they stopped in front of an elaborately decorated wooden door. With zero hesitation, Tohma pushed open the heavy slabs of wood, then stepped aside to allow Suzuran in first.

“Thank you,” she nodded in appreciation, then focused her attention on the man sprawled on the couch on the other side of the room. “Jin! Guess who came to make sure you don't truly morph into a vampire?” Suzuran trilled as she strolled further in, completely ignoring the stirring albino as she flung open the curtains. “It's noon, captain. Wake up and smell the damn roses, you incorrigible man,” she huffed as she tied the curtains up, keeping them ajar.

“Shut the hell up… The sun’s too damn bright,” Jin Kamurai groaned as he covered his eyes with his forearm, his free hand searching blindly for his pack of cigarettes. “Close the fucking curtains and leave, woman.”

“As much as I would love to preserve my mental wellbeing by staying far away from this musty dump of a room, we both know that you simply cannot live without me. And I, the generous person that I am, am willing to set aside therapy in order to make sure you don't send yours to the hospital,” Suzuran drawled as she snatched the wayward cigarettes from the coffee table next to Jin's couch. Lazy ruby eyes regarded the unopened paper box with undisguised disdain, a sigh dragging itself out of her cherry lips as she tore the seal open. Popping one out, she tossed the rest of the pack towards Tohma as she dug into her skirt pocket to grab a lighter.

“I'll send you to the damn hospital if you don't shut that insolent mouth of yours up,” Jin growled, lowering his arm to glare balefully at Suzuran, a leg dangling off the edge of the couch as the other lay across the couch. His white dress shirt, full of unrealized potential to be crisply pressed and unwrinkled, lay like a crumpled tissue across his toned body - two buttons rendered unused, the collar of the shirt ajar to reveal unmarred jade skin and a polished silver necklace. Snowy hair tipped in winter blue hung over his spiteful eyes, only to be combed back with a veiny hand.

“You wound me,” Suzuran quipped, lighting the cigarette and approaching Jin from behind, a hand resting on the couch's wooden frame as she leaned over Jin's head to bring the lit tobacco to his lips. A cheeky grin settled on her lips as soft tendrils of her lavender hair wafted around Jin's face, encapsulating him in a cage of those silken strands. “I'll need compensation for dealing with your bullshit all the time,” she chuckled as he grumpily snatched the cigarette from her fingers, smacking her hand away and breathing in a long drag from the cancer stick.

“Stop stalling and get to the point. Tohma, quit your lurking and come here,” Jin ordered as he lifted his gaze to the ceiling and cushioned his head with a hand, the cigarette limply hanging from his lips as a trail of smoke rose mesmerizingly from its embers.

“I was simply awaiting permission to step foot within your pristine sanctuary,” Tohma uttered smoothly as he stepped forward, stopping a few feet away from the couch as Suzuran stepped away from the moody captain, opting to lurk near the doors in hopes that she could slip away in time for the cafeteria lunch sale.

“Bullshit,” Jin muttered as he closed his eyes, a prominent wrinkle appearing on his brow.

Says you, Suzuran snorted to herself as she turned towards the doorway, then paused as she noticed a timid face peeking hesitantly through the parted doors. Round hazel eyes widened as she noticed the beauty's gaze, a blush of embarrassment dusting the brunette's cheeks. “Who might you be?” Suzuran asked gently, a soft smile brightening her face as she held one of the doors open for the shorter girl.

“Pardon me… I've come to introduce myself to Frostheim's captain at the Chancellor’s request,” the girl said, her fingers fiddling nervously with a button on her blazer as she looked into Suzuran's ruby eyes with no small amount of awe.

“Introduce… Oh, you must be the honor student that the Chancellor was talking about at the entrance ceremony! I caught a glimpse of your cute face from a distance, but I must say that you're absolutely adorable up close,” Suzuran gushed as she reached down to clasp the honor student's left hand between her own, lifting it up with a wide grin.

“C-cute!? Such flattering words are wasted on me,” the brunette denied vehemently, her blush growing even as her nervousness shrank due to the other woman's overflowing goodwill.

“Your modesty makes you even cuter-” Suzuran insisted before a resounding crash interrupted her and caused the brunette to violently jump, a disgruntled sigh escaping Suzuran's mouth at Jin’s following words.

“Who the fuck are you?” he demanded, a glare akin to a freshly sharpened dagger piercing through the distance between the two men and women.

“Show some decency,” Suzuran scowled as she raised an arm to shield the honor student from his ire. “That's no way to talk to someone, and you know it.”

“Like I give a damn. Tohma, use a match on the intruder,” Jin ordered as he took another drag from his cigarette.

This little fucker- Suzuran cursed inwardly even as a strained smile forced its way to her face, stopping Tohma on his tracks with a wave of her hand. “If you ever left your glorified man cave, you would know that the matches don't work on her. A curse, apparently,” she elaborated, knowing that the captain wouldn't know about the curse.

“A curse, huh?” Jin muttered as he stood up, grabbing his jacket from the back of the couch and throwing it over his shoulders as he strode towards the two women.

Just wear the damn thing like a normal person… Suzuran deadpanned before her thoughts were disrupted by Jin's foot slamming into the door behind them. The honor student quaked in fear as Suzuran simply gazed into her captain's eyes with disdain.

“I've had enough of your mouth, Suzuran. My room has anomalous soundproofing,” Jin growled lowly, leaning forward so that the cigarette hanging from his lips drew dangerously close to Suzuran's own lips. “No matter what I do to you two… no matter how much you scream and cry, nobody's gonna hear you.”

“I could say the same thing to you,” Suzuran shot back challengingly, her mouth twisted into a mocking smile and her chin tilted up as she stared down her captain with smoldering fury in the ruby depths of her eyes.

A wolf with fangs of fire and a tiger with claws of ice clashed within the spacious room, the tension between them weighing down like a boulder upon the two other people unfortunate enough to be in the same space. After a heartbeat more, Jin lowered his leg and spun around, his footsteps echoing into the space growing between him and his liaison.

“I never want to see your faces in here again. Same goes for you, Tohma,” he ordered, dropping onto his couch and resuming his recline, the arm thrown across his eyes a clear indication of his desire to have them gone.

“Suzuran, if you would,” Tohma whispered into her ear, somehow materializing beside her with a hand on the handle of the door.

“I know. See you later, Tohma. Miss Honor Student, let's go,” Suzuran bade, a gentle hand on the brunette's back as they retreated from the source of the migraine quickly making its presence known within the crown of Suzuran's head.

Fuck you too, Kamurai.

[ohsangwoosbat]

Hold Me Gently;

Arno Dorian x Jacob Frye

[written by me]

——— ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ———

As the sky grew darker, and the frigid wind gushed up against the window panes; Arno sat in the living room, slowly growing more worried on where the hell his fiancé was.

Checking his treasured pocket-watch, he saw that it was almost 11:00PM… Jacob would’ve usually arrived at around an hour and a half ago- “Où est-il?”, he questioned in his native tongue; a tell-tail sign that he’s anxious… Arno was no stranger to losing someone he loves, and so the mere thought of Jacob being harmed, sent a cold shiver down his spine.

Sighing, he stood from his seat and folded his newspaper neatly, before walking over to the coatrack and grabbing his coat… He draped the hood over his head, and made his way out into the wintry night. With heavy steps, his boots collided with the concrete paving of the street; little clouds of steam erupting from his mouth as he breathed out a stressful sigh- He was afraid— they got into an argument that morning, and hadn’t seen each other since they both left for work straight after. The fight was about boundaries; how Arno constantly hovers over Jacob-

“Why do you need to know my whereabouts all the time?”, the British man questioned in an annoyed tone… “Why? Do I need a reason?”, he replied, eyebrows furrowed as he glared at the shorter male. Jacob huffed out in disbelief- To him, it seemed like Arno didn’t trust him; whether it be his intelligence, or his loyalty… All his life, he had been deemed by others as “irresponsible” and “unintelligent”- He was constantly looked down on, as nobody expected much from him… So Arno wanting to know his every move all the time, made him feel as though his fiancé thought he’d be causing trouble or maybe even being unfaithful. The thought hurt him, deeper than any wounds he could be inflicted…

“Fine then- fuck off from here and see if I care!”, the taller male spat harshly, before grabbing his coat and heading out the front door. He hadn’t seen or heard from Jacob since then, and was scared he’d made him do something rash… Quickening his pace, he turned the corner sharply; Jacob’s usual route home. The streets were dull as melancholy filled the crisp air, fog clouding Arno’s vision… “je ne peux pas faire ça-“, he breathed out before grabbing ahold of the brick wall, scaling it with ease. He graced the rooftops; boots clinking against the tiles as he scanned around for any sign of Jacob… He was being eaten by this overwhelming feeling that something bad had happened— his fiancé’s mission got out of hand, and now he’s bleeding out somewhere-

And after about an hour of searching; his suspicions were confirmed when he spots a man slumped against a chimney. “Jacob!”, he bellowed, a sudden rush of energy shooting through the veins in his legs… Tears formed in the corners of his almond eyes, his hood flying off from impact of the strong wind. The younger man clutched at his side, blood staining his coat… “Oh christ-“, he squatted down next to him; eyes assessing the wound as Jacob breathed heavily. “A-Arno?”, he grunted while trying to move— a pair of large hands holding his actions firmly, yet still quite gently.

“Move your hand for me”, he instructed with icy lips, removing his tie. He wrapped it around Jacob’s waist tightly; trying his best to stop the blood flow… “I-I’m alright, luv”, the scruffy male exhaled, his eyebrows furrowed and jaw tense from the pain— he was yet again, trying not to worry his lover… “Alright?! do you think I’m dumb or something?!”, Arno replied with widened eyes, moving his hand to gently press against the younger man’s forehead. Despite the cold weather, Jacob was burning up— he’s getting a fever- Arno removed his hand as he stared into the chocolate orbs of his lover, tears blurring his vision a little… Jacobs eyes widened at the sight, his heart feeling like it was just stabbed with the hidden blades of an assassin- “No no, no! d-dont cry- I’ll be f-fine”, he tried reassuring the taller male, lips curving up ever-so-slightly in a desperate attempt to cover up his agony.

Although the sight of Jacob like this tore his heart to shreds; this wasn’t the time for emotions. He had to get Jacob home, fast. Arno had acquired the medical knowledge of sewing and stitching up wounds over the years, and he knew that it’s too risky to try find a doctor at this hour… so it was decided. Turning around slightly while still crouching, the French man slung his lovers arms over his shoulders— he opted for carrying him on his back… “A-Arny?”, Jacob questioned hazily; head slumped against the broad shoulder of Dorian. “shh… I’ve got you.”, he reassured, gripping onto the bottom of the small males thighs, standing… And with that, he swiftly glided over the rooftop tiles— careful not to slip.

——— ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ———

The fireplace crackles softly as it burns the oaken wood that was stacked inside it. Wind hitting vengefully against the steamed-over window panes; jaw clenched as he hissed… “fuck-“, he grunted, squeezing his eyes shut while Arno searched for the bullet with the correct tools, trying his best not to worsen the injury. Finally, he finds the metal pod, pulling it out and placing it down on the bedside table… The taller man sighed out in relief, hands still perfectly steady, despite his teetering emotional state. “good thing I’m engaged to a doc, huh?”, the Brit remarked playfully, but still out of breath; a small smile gracing Arno’s lips at the sound of his words… But his smile soon faded, turning into a look of hesitation. “Okay, this is the worst part…”, he winced down at Jacob, grabbing the bottle of whiskey. Even knowing the agony he was about to cause, he knew he had to clean the wound-

“Don’t worry, I-I can handle it- fuck!”, eyes instinctively squeezing shut, Jacob groaned out— every new wipe of the whiskey causing a sharp pain in his lower abdomen… A string of curse words slurred amidst the crackling flame, but Arno continued nevertheless… He scoffed mockingly, pressing the alcohol-soaked wipe harder against the bruised skin. “Oh? handle it, you say…”, he smirked, finding Jacobs fake confidence highly amusing… A huff erupting from the Brits chapped lips; eyebrows knitting together with a pout. “Oh, fuck off mate-“, he hissed, wiggling a little under Arnos hands— having had enough of this alcoholic torment.

Smiling softly to himself, Arno felt extremely relieved that he was able to find his fiancé… Jacob caught glimpse of that smile, while peaking one eye open; the sight more potent than any drug- The way his soft lips curved ever-so-slightly at the corners— how his stubbled face, managed to look so handsome even with the severe lack of sleep he gets… Before he could even stop himself, the smaller male uttered the words he was thinking in that moment-

“You’re beautiful”, his voice was raspy; partly from his injury, and partly from the sheer amount of nicotine he consumed… The words caught Arno completely off-guard, his face dusting a pale shade of rose pink… “excuse me?”, he questioned, as if he was hallucinating the first time. Jacob’s eyes widened at his own words, did he really just say that out loud? “i uh, well i um-“ he stumbled to explain his sudden compliment, sounding like a babbling fool. He was a natural flirt, but sometimes he’s so taken aback by the sheer beauty held by the man before him, that he can’t help but stumble like a schoolboy—embarrassing, really..

Suddenly, the memories of this morning made their way back into the shorter man’s head; the air growing tense and cold, despite the fire in front of them. He still felt like he wasn’t trusted, like he’s a child whom needs supervision.. It’s how his father treated him, albeit being mostly absent, and his sister has treated him for as long as he can remember. Eyes darkening, he averted his gaze from his lover, reaching out for the whiskey bottle that Arno had just used to disinfect his wound. The french man noticed this, a pang sounding in his heart as he stared upon his beloved, his usually bubbly energy nowhere to be seen in this moment..

“Why do you not trust me? Why does nobody ever believe in me?..” the words escaped Frye’s lips, quiet and somber; Arno had never seen Jacob like this before, the sight saddening him as his eyes widened. “What on earth do you mean?! of course i trust and believe in you.. why would you think otherwise?”, he questioned in confusion, eyebrows furrowed upset. The brit finally looked up into his dark brown orbs, tears pricking at the corners of his own.

“Evie never trusted me, nobody has.. always needed to know where i was and what i was doing, so i don’t fuck up the mission-“ he begin, taking another swig of the alcohol grasped in his shaky hand. “what? do you think i’m gonna screw up and get someone killed? or do you perhaps think i’m an unfaithful hog?”

as soon as these words left his chapped lips, the taller males eyes softened, tears forming in them and threatening to fall down his stubbled cheeks. He got hit with the sad realisation that the one he loves so dearly, had bottled up all his fears, all his sadness and all his questions, just to avoid burdening others— he had finally exploded this morning; his heart couldn’t hold anymore and it came pouring out. And what did Dorian do? He told him to fuck off, then slammed the door in his face- Oh, how his heart ached in this moment..

“Bon Dieu, no-!” he exclaimed with a shaky voice, reaching his cold hand up to his lovers cheek to stroke it gently, wiping the hot tear that had slipped from his eyes. Jacob’s cheek was warm against his icy touch, but the smaller didn’t mind. “I only want to know your whereabouts all the time, cause of nightmarish situations like today- what if i couldn’t find you?! what if i got there too late?!”, streams of hurt flowed down to his chin, “i- i don’t know what i’d do with myself…” voice barely coming to a whisper at that point, he looked down and his other hand which was in his lap.

As if on reflex, Frye put down the bottle in his hand, instantly grabbing the man in front of him by each side of his face. Due to his past events and experiences with others, it had never crossed his mind that Arno Dorian, his stern and professional fiancé, would be scared of losing him. “Shhh, hey? look at me, luv” his voice was soft and low, like dark chocolate melting over all anxiety that lingered in the air around them. Hesitantly, the taller of the two met his gaze, vision blurred while he bathed in the warmth of his beloved’s smile; plump lips chapped, yet still so welcoming.

“I’m sorry i made you think otherwise..” he hiccuped, cupping his hand over the calloused on on his right cheek, stroking it with his thumb. His eyes, apologetic and soft, making the organ in Jacob’s chest ache horribly. Without thinking, he leaned forward, grasping soft lips into his own. It was as if this were the only way he could explain that it’s truly okay, and his thoughts were confirmed as he felt Arno melt into the kiss.

Parting lips, their breath fanned against each others faces as their noses remained touching— “you won’t lose me, darling”, he smiled softly, “i’ll make sure of it.”

~the end~

(thank u for reading♡)

[kedreeva]

Made chocolate chip cookies from my sourdough discard, since I had a lot. They are soft and fluffy, with a little bit of tang, I am enjoying them immensely.

Recipe under the cut!

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened

100g granulated sugar

125g brown sugar

1 large egg

250g sourdough starter, unfed

1 1/4 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4-1/2 teaspoon almond extract

260-300g all-purpose flour

7g salt

1 teaspoon baking soda (add a little for more floof)

1-2 cups large chocolate chips (to taste)

In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, sugars, and salt.

Add the egg to the mixture, stir until mixed.

Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Stir in the sourdough starter and baking soda.

Stir in 260g the flour until just mixed. It will seem a little goopy.

Mix in the chocolate chips. If it's still Very goopy, add a more flour, but bear in mind it will firm up in the fridge.

Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (can go overnight if needed!)

Preheat the oven to 350°F while cookies are in the fridge.

I use a standard ice cream scoop to grab fairly large portions of dough and roll into ball. Can lightly flour your hands in order to make a smoother ball. Set on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Recipe should make 16-24 cookies; if you have more than 24, your cookies are too small and idk what will happen. If you have less than 16, your cookies are too big, which isn't a problem necessarily, but you'll need a longer cook time probably. You can test if they're done by sticking a chopstick in the middle to see if it comes out clean.

Bake 20-25 minutes, depends on your oven/location I guess. Mine takes 23 minutes for most variations

Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least a few minutes after taking them out of the oven. They will get a little bit of a crisp on their crust if you do, and it's REALLY delicious. After 5-10 you can put them on a cooling rack if you want. 100% suggest eating one while it's still warm (not burning but warm).

Cookies are best eaten on the first day. Dough can be frozen or fridged if you want to just bake a few at a time. Thaw dough overnight before baking if you freeze it.

[smuttyaf]

SouthSide Serpent

Word Count: 4.8k

Rating: R

features; childhood friends to lovers, loverboy ashton, literally ashton has been pining for y/n, & sum good old smut :)

a/n: idek what to say but hi! i’ve been in retirement for like 4 years and rediscovered this account. i got nostalgic & decided… shit why not write again?

please cut me sum slack tho! i wrote this on my notes app & it’s been years since i’ve written so i would love to hear feedback!

& yes i am hella descriptive and like to build suspense! i can’t help it >.<

also! y/n is heavily based on serena from mtv downtown ( i love her ) & this picture of ashton ( xx )

-

The crisp October breeze blew through your hair as the dull taste of your cigarette burns on your tongue; your forefinger and middle finger clenching the nicotine filled paper and pressing it against your lips, drawing in the vapour.

Your head nods along to the music playing before you just two doors down on the opposite side of your street. There was Ashton and his band, either playing covers of their current favourite songs, oldies, or new ones that they’ve all come together and created.

The usual guitar flow and drum beat of Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs blasted through the speakers in the garage as the sound of Luke’s voice sang along on top of the tune.

You hum along to the lyrics as you glared in the direction, your lips peeling away from the filter and letting the smoke settle in your lungs before releasing it. The four boys were all dressed in their usual attire: white shirt, black trousers, beat up old chunky Doc Martins, and their signature SouthSide Serpents leather jackets.

As the wind picks up again you let your free hand tear away from your windowsill and tug the flying strays of your hair in front of your face behind your ear, the chipped black polish on your almond nails coming into view as you remind yourself you needed to get them done.

The bridge of the song is now blaring down the street, causing you to raise your cigarette back to your lips and think to yourself, what a coincidence this song is playing; the lyrics, the time frame, and the memories that all come flowing back as you hear the familiar melody.

It was 2009 and Ashton had invited you over during Christmas break to play Garage Band since Santa gifted it to him because that was the only thing he asked for on his wish list. You were both 8, banging on the drums and singing songs that you both were too young to know or remember from when your parents would play them on the drive home from school. But, for some reason this is the song that stuck with you both the most. Maybe it was the easy lyrics or the amazing beat but from then on it had you hooked to this alternative sound.

Now fast forward to a year ago, your now ex boyfriend Xavier was laying on your bed, finger pads heavy weight on your skin as he drew sloppy hearts on your hip. The wire of the headphones tangled between your shoulder and his wrist as you both listened to his playlist. The familiar intro notes to the song beginning to ring throughout the buds and the tug of your maroon lined lips turn into a smile.

“Already like the song?” He asked, brown eyes rested on top of dark circles scattered with freckles as he smirked down at you.

“I love it.” You sheepishly said.

The wind knocks you back into reality as it pushes through your window again, only making you remember how much you loved October; the weather changing, leaves blooming, smell of the rain just before it hit the concrete, the sound of the leaves dragging along the pavement, and the endless horror movie marathons that would run on AMC.

The orange, brown, and green leaves spin in the breeze and rustle along the branches as the sun stood brightly among the houses along the horizon. From your view on the windowsill you can see houses upon houses before you see the local water tower and old plazas that scream they need new merchant signs and fresh cement.

Your eyes flick to the lonesome string popping out of your black long sleeve before the sound of your phone’s text tone goes off, your eyes darting to the message running across the screen.

Stop watching me

Ashton’s text read, making you roll your eyes before placing them on the dark hair boy who had a goofy grin on his face from your view, his drum sticks were stuffed in one had and the other held his lit up phone.

With a smile on yours, you let the hand that rested in the crook of your neck tear away from the warm flesh and your middle finger stand in the air as a response.

-

Clothes were thrown in every direction of your room as you let your eyes drag along your frame in the mirror, your loose knitted black sweater hung off one of your shoulders as low waisted charcoal jogging pants rested on your hips. Your hair was in its loose waves as your curtain bangs swept against your temples, your fingers curling into themselves in frustration as you tried to not stress over how you look.

You didn’t want to over enhance your appearance to see Xavier since he wanted to meet up to get “closure” -even though he was the one who called it off despite your many pleas- but you wanted to make him feel bad for even deciding to drop you.

A frustrated sigh left your wine stained lips before turning around and sticking your feet into your ruined Converse. The low muffled sound of Xavier’s Prelude is heard out your window and you feel your heart drop.

You never understood why you always felt this way about him and why you couldn’t just get over this stupid boy who likes to break up with you every other month, a new reason every single time. The constant tears, text threads, and blocking to unblocking seemed to never get exhausting to you because you were always back in the same place, wondering if you overdressed to see your ex for closure.

The chime of Xavier’s specific text tone rings through your room and you already know what it says, so without checking you twisted your foot into your shoe to fit perfectly before you reach over and grasp your phone in your hand and tug your way to the window sill. Fingers pressing the frame up and letting the fall air sweep into your room before crouching down and fitting yourself through the frame and safely scale down the roof, onto the sturdy vine wall filled with dead clematis that prickled on your palms the way down before your feet landed on the short cut grass.

As you turned away from the wall and begin tugging your feet towards the black coupe, your eyes catch on the tall frame standing on their front step as an amber light glows slightly illuminating his face. You already know this is Ashton, so with a slight smile you let your index finger rest against your coated lips, a gesture to him to be quiet.

The only response he gives is his head nodding off to the side with smoke trailing out of his mouth.

The smile quickly falls as your fingers clench the car door handle and tug it open, the smell of him crashing down on you as you sit in the familiar leather, the hum of the engine vibrating under you as the car peels off.

~

The tinge of tequila burned on your buds as you felt the room spinning, the sound of chatter and shouts are heard from below you as the bass of Destroy Lonely’s song can be heard in the room you barged into when you gave up on waiting for Tabitha; who said she wouldn’t be long with the curly haired new kid in her history class.

Red solo cup was loosely clenched in your right hand as left was lazily running through your hair at random moments as you laid against the cottage floral bed sheets.

Here you were, back in the same spot you always found yourself in: drunk, heartbroken, and thinking about a boy who doesn’t even care about you. The constant routine of wanting him, then wanting to be far away but craving him every other second burned into your heart. The comfort and familiarity of him that you missed always overlooked every excuse he gave you whenever he broke things off.

Last month he said he needed time to himself, this month he told you that he was confused and didn’t know what he wanted; frankly he lost feelings for you, at least that was what he says now. Those words kept on replaying in your mind as if that was your favourite song. The way he sounded emotionless yet unsure that, that was what he really wanted.

And just with those thoughts, tears were flowing down your temples. Eyes blurring as the voice replayed in your head, the memory of him sitting beside you and saying that, to then recollect memories of how sweet and endearing the boy you loved in the beginning grew cold to your touch and looked into your hopeful eyes with detached ones.

The popcorn ceiling was fuzzy in your sight as the tears spill over your waterline and beads down the sides of your face. You already knew your cheeks were heated up, the liner and eyeshadow that was occupying your bottom lashes was smudged and probably slipping away with the liquid as a sniffle wrinkled through your nose.

God you hated this; the empty feeling of missing someone who you know you shouldn’t want but yet crave so badly. Why him? Why you?

As you were deep in thought you hear the rustle of the door knob before it turns and the music that pours from outside reaches into the empty depths of the room, the sound of footsteps halting and a sharp intake of breath being heard, but you don’t dare look away at the ceiling. Frankly, you could care less about who sees you crying your eyes out on this outdated duvet with ruined make up.

“Fuck my bad!… Wait Y/N?” The recognizable voice of your childhood friend is heard before the door is closing shut.

The weight of him sinks next to you on the bed as you let your eyes close and the final stream of tears leave your eyes.

“I look desperate don’t I.” You state, voice raspy from the strain in your throat as the usual feeling of a ball is formed.

“I think you look sad,” He points out, making you snort as the hand that was lazily playing in your hair tears away and feels the sheet below you.

“No shit,” You mumble before letting your eyes peel open.

“You and Xavier broke up again?” Ashton questions, the sound of his zippers clashing from his jacket as he shuffles around.

You only hum in response before you let both of your arms sit you up on the bed, your back standing straight as your hands cradle the solo cup. Your eyes stare down at your ruined pantyhose beneath your mini lace black skirt before they flicker to look at the hazel boy.

Eyes connecting with yours, you hear his breath hitch as he draws in your appearance. Cheeks with a glow of cherry red sweeping the bones under your eyes that are damp with black eyeshadow, your eyes were still puffy and red rimmed as they batted slowly up at him.

“He doesn’t know what he wants,” You let out, your eyes rolling before letting your plum coloured lips take a sip of the warm mixture of Pepsi and tequila.

“Oh?” He says in confusion, bushy eyebrows coming together trying to figure out how that could be since he saw you two together three nights ago.

“I’m so sick of being with these screwed up guys all the time,” You state, hand tearing away from the cup to dig your nails into the rips of your stockings.

“Really?”

“I have such crummy luck or taste? What is it with girls like me? All a guy has to say is, he can’t express his feelings or he listens to Deftones and it’s like my head tips right over and my brain start to slip out of my ear.”

Ashton lets out laugh, the beer bottle he’s holding by the neck resting on his knee as he stares down at you. “So which one is Xavier?”

“Both,” You scoff while sticking out your tongue in disgust.

“You know… if you wanted to, I’m sure you could have a different great guy to go out with every night,” Ashton assures, a smirk tugging on your lips as you decide to ignore the glint of promise in his eyes.

“No way, I’ve always been a mess. Remember Cleo?” Your second boyfriend that seemed to be stuck on your hip but ironically found someway to cheat on you every weekend yet you still dumbly went back to him every. single. time.

The feeling of your sheer button up rubs against your arm as you let your hand fall against your hip and feel your black crop top tight to your skin.

“Maybe you just need to talk to someone who isn’t your usual type,” Ashton points out. Your head nods a few beats as your thick wedged heeled boots run over the wooden flooring.

“Maybe I’ll be luckier if I tried dating someone nice for a change,” Voice hopeful as your eyes dart away from the bubbly dark liquid into Ashton’s brown hues.

“Nice guys,” Ashton says with a smile, both of his hands tearing away from his knees as if to gesture to himself in this equation.

A laugh escapes your lips before your eyes run over Ashton’s frame from head to toe.

“What are you getting at Irwin?” You say with a pointed brow, playing stupid to the implication.

“Oh nothing..” He sings while tearing his eyes from yours, toothy smile still spread on his lips before he takes a swing of his beer.

You shake your head with annoyance before your hazy eyes look down at your lap, your hands resting on the cup and drumming a random tune.

“Honestly Y/N… I think you’re a really great girl and…. I just think maybe…” His words a scrambled mess and trailing off. You smile to yourself before turning to look back at him.

“Mm?” You question, the fifteen percent liquor coursing through your bloodstream and giving you confidence as you lean into this chest, eyes never tearing away from his. Because if Ashton was going to give you hopeful eyes and stuttering speeches you might as well put the ‘nice guy’ to the test and see if he was really about what he said.

That only made his lips break into a smirk, his tongue sneakily gladding along his bottom lip to wet it before looking into you daringly.

That only made you squish your plucked eyebrows together in question. How did the stuttering boy from just a view seconds ago all of a sudden turn cocky and confident? How many drinks did he have? Or was it the weed that clung to his jacket that gave him the boost.

“I think you should give me a chance,” He nips back, and before you can even respond to him, you watch his neck crane down and press his lips against yours.

The crisp taste of his beer stung your lips as they opened and immediately danced along with his tongue. White liquor and brown meeting together to taste each other and leave an acquired flavour in your mouths.

You hummed along to the feeling of his tongue circling against yours before peeling away and molding your lips to sink against each other. Your heart was beating through your chest, nails now digging into your plastic cup and head ducked back as you continue to press your mouth against his.

The feeling of his cold hand pressing against your neck caused you to shudder and tear away from his lips for a second, your eyes peeling open as they look in front of you. Black hair loosely falling on his forehead, the smell of his husky cologne clogging your senses, and the feeling of his fingers now dancing along the back of your neck.

“What are we doing Ash?” You breathe against his lips.

“Something that I’ve always wanted to do,” He says, making your heart launch. You bite down on your bruised lip and tear your eyes away from his, your stomach twist as you try and gain some self control as you almost fling yourself on top of him.

Something that he always wanted to do? You never really found yourself desirable to the point we’re men would see you in that type of light? But maybe what Ash said was just a simple lie, just so he can get what he wants and frankly you don’t even care. You’ve heard lies your whole entire life when it came to boys and this wasn’t any different, maybe you should just let your mind shut off from your stupid ex and just be in the moment for once.

So with that final thought, not having a care in the world, you drop the red cup in your hand and let your lips launch back onto his. Ashton follows your movements and the sound of the nearly empty beer bottle drops onto the hard wood, his right hand now resting along your neck as you both kiss each other.

Warm breaths, beating hearts and the sound of music is the only thing heard in the room as you lick into each others mouths. Soon you feel the weight of Ashton nudging you to lay back on the bed as he lies on top, you feel the cold zippers from his jacket press against your skin and all you can do is moan.

The feeling of his left hand tears away from the hairs on the nape of your neck and dance down your collar bone before letting it cup your breast in his hand, kneading the soft tissue which only makes another moan slip through you.

He pulls away from your lips and begins to suck and press kisses along your pulse, your hands that lie by your side now running up the sleeves of his jacket and into his hair.

A whimper spills out as you feel his hand tug your tank down and free your naked breast, he engulfs it in his cold palm making you let a shaky breath escape before you’re curling your fingers in his hair, the feeling of him twisting your nipple makes you bite down on your bottom lip. The pleasurable pain you feel running up your spine making your shoulders slightly buck off the bed.

“Hmm…” Ashton hums in your neck before tearing away, his eyes once such a light brown and green hue, now a chestnut and forest green colour filled with lust.

Your fingers tug away from his hair as he now descends down your body, his warm lips pressing kisses to your exposed skin as you let your hands tear your blouse and tank off. Your eyes never leaving his as he watches you undress. His lips now press against your pieced belly button as his fingers tear away from your chest and roughly takes your skirt by the band and peels it down your hips, your stockings following soon after.

Not wasting a moment he lets his mouth press against you covered core, lips pressing small kisses against your heat making you quietly moan. You wanted so desperately to tug Ashton into you and make him start devouring you right there but instead you let your hands trail back into his hair and play around with his locks.

Small kisses soon turn into open mouth licks, his wet muscle running up and down your clothed slit that it had your head digging back into the sheets, your legs spreading wider and whimpers endlessly trailing out.

“Ash.. please..” The words slip out so quiet that you assume he didn’t hear from the pulsing music below you, but instead your met with the feeling of his finger pulling your panties to the side and his tongue finally meeting you were you desired.

It circles around your clit gently before you feel his lips suck it into his mouth, a moan drawls from your throat due to the sensation. Soon enough, he’s letting his mouth discover the way you taste which only elects a moan from him. His tongue now dipping in between your two lips and curling around your insides.

“Oh my,” You moan as your fingers dig into his hair, eyes closing shut as you begin to slowly move your hips to the movement of his tongue.

The feeling of his right hand breaks away from your thigh and flows to your hips, his nails leaving small indents as you feel his other hand move away from your panty and rub against your clit.

The feeling of him humming against you sends a vibrating pleasure down your back as he continues to lick you, this only made your toes curl and your hands to fall out of his hair and onto his leather shoulders.

“Fuck,” You moan, your hands tugging him gently away from you as you feel your climax about to overcome your nerves.

And just as you feel it on the tip of your toes, the mouth between your legs pulls away beginning to press wet kisses up your thigh, his hand that once laid against your heat now meeting with the other at your hips.

A groan leaves you as your eyes tear open and look down at him. He mischievously looks up at you, his kisses now run up your stomach once again to lead to your neck.

“Upset?” He teases, only making you shudder at the rasp in his voice.

“I want you Ash,” You say breathlessly, turning your head to knock his out the way and look him in the eyes. “Please,” You utter, fingers now leaving his shoulders and brushing against his rip cage covered by his white tee.

Without any hesitation, Ashton is pulling away from your embrace and leaning back. He shrugs off his jacket, tugs his shirt over his head, his fingers going to the back of his baggy jeans to pull out his wallet to dig through before you see a gold package flash. If your cheeks could burn any brighter they differently would.

The mixture of his clothes and yours are strung through out the room, both of your shoes kicked to the bottom of the bed as he now shuffles his way back up to his original position.

Without question your hand meets the band of his boxers as you begin to inch them down his waist, wanting to return the favour.

“I think that can wait love, I rather be in you right now,” He breathes against your neck, only making your heart stutter. A sheepish smile tugs at your lips as you feel him twist around and lay on his side, his hands laying on your hips, turning you into the same position.

Your head rested on his arm as your back laid against his chest, hips aligned with each other as the feeling of his smell overcomes you. His knees prop up your legs as you hear the tearing of the condom package.

Deciding to distract yourself you let your eyes fall looking at Ashton. His black hair a tossed mess from your fingers, hazel eyes drawn to wear you both meet as he begins to run his member against your heat.

A whimper leaves your lips as you close your eyes when you feel him push inside, his hand now propping up your thigh as he eases into you.

He nudges your head forward and begins sucking kisses down the expanse of your neck, the feeling of his heart beating against your back and the smell of his sweat mixed with his cologne was filling your nose.

“Feels so good,” He mumbles against your skin, his arm that rested under your head turning slightly as he runs his hand against your wrist and takes your fingers into his, lacing them together as you continue to feel him stretch you out.

You never expected Ashton to have a thick piece but you also didn’t expect to be in this exact position right now, literally. Your childhood friend having his way with you while you were both drunk off each other and the alcohol in your systems.

His hips meet your backside before drawing back and pushing back in, your walls expanding with each thrust as you feel him begin a good pace. Moans begin to fall from your mouth, your eyes fluttering open every few seconds as your skin burns from the bruises soon to appear on your pulse from the black haired man beside you, skin still stuck to his lips.

“You’re moans are so pretty,” He breathes against you, his hand that was holding up your thigh runs up your hips to your chest, letting your leg fall as he takes one of your breasts and squeezes it gently.

All you can do is hum at his words because you’re too overstimulated to speak. The feeling of his thickness drawing in and out of you so heavily has you nodding off at the sensation, his fingers intertwined with yours beings to squeeze them together as the hand that was on your breast meets with his head at your neck.

“You like me fucking you,” He says into your ear as his hand squeezes your throat gently.

You nod your head as you feel your eyes slip close, and you were completely wrecked. He was so dirty yet gentle with you, peppering you with kisses yet digging into you so devilishly that it had your mind distraught.

“You like the way I feel inside you,” He continues, his hand growing more tight around your throat.

“Ash…” You say breathlessly, as your hand that rested against the bed sheets rises up and places it against the one making you breathless but encouraging your climax.

“Mm I like the way you feel around me,” He eggs on, and that makes you cry out, your back pushing pack and meeting his hips.

The feeling of your stomach twitching and legs quivering to close makes your head tip back even more against Ashton as you feel your orgasm on the brink.

That has him taking his hand away from your throat and slips it to lift your thigh back up as he continues to thrust into you, his lips press more kisses against your neck.

Your toes curl as the knot in your stomach expands and releases, the satisfying sensation washing over you as you let a deep breath break through your lips with a moan.

“Fuck,” Ashton hisses as he feels you twitch around him, the contractions from your high throwing him into his; his hips stutter before rocking back into you slowly, teeth gently digging into your skin, his breath being blown over the expanse of it.

The thickness of him slips out which causes your eyes to open, his hand dropping your thigh to wrap around your hips as his head buries into your neck.

The room is quiet for a moment as the only thing that can be heard is your hearts calming down and the chatter from down below.

“I would give you more kisses but I’ve made a mess on your neck,” His voice vibrates against you, that only makes you let out a broken laugh.

“I don’t even wanna know what it looks like,” You reply, your hand that rested on the duvet linking with his that rest along your stomach.

This felt nice, the amazing sex and cuddling session after. The room just being quiet and the only thing that can be heard is your breaths and beating hearts. This was so spontaneous that you still can’t even wrap your mind around what happened.

“How would you feel about doing this more often?” Ashton says after a few minutes, his chest moving as he pulls his head away from your neck to lie back against the pillows.

Having casual sex with him? You ponder on the idea. It was definitely one of the best you have ever had, he felt amazing and checked off every box when it came to how to please you. You couldn’t even lie and say that you didn’t find Ash attractive, you are also now officially single, free to due what we you wanted, so fuck it.

“Like… Friends with benefits?” You say, your thumb running against his hand still linked with yours by your head.

“Yeah, friends with benefits,” He confirms.

You let your head swish from side to side as you feel the burning sensation of his love bites strain against your neck as you let out a sarcastic hum to yourself as if you’re thinking it over.

“I wouldn’t mind that.”

[mar1ssaway]

1 May 2024.

3/4 Small Unsweetened Almond Latte [80]

Shitake Mushroom Crisps [128]

Chicken Stock Pot Sensations [28]

Cheese [57]

Brocolli and Cauliflower [19]

120g Lamb Leg [164]

Sugarfree Hot Chocolate Almond [14]

Burned 🚴‍♀️: 87. Honestly I'm too tired for more.

Net c@ls: 403.

The Stock Pot Sensations are actually so worth the calories compared to other stock. I drunk it out of my water bottle at work so no one noticed that stock was my intake & not chewable food. 🥹

[ladytesla]

The Great Faerun Baking Show (part two)

I've decided I'm going to run with this anyway. It is a beautiful day in Faerun and I am a horrible goose fanfiction writer. There are several things I need to get done today, so obviously I'm going to not do them and write this instead.

For those of you who are just stopping by, I had a horrible idea a while ago and this is the result. I have no idea what's going to happen or who's going to win. I’m just going to roll a D20 ‘bake check’ for everyone and write out the results, including what everyone rolled so y’all know I’m not cheating just so my druid boyfriend can win.  The person with the lowest total score (out of a possible score of 60) goes home.

We've got the main 6 companions, Jaheira, Halsin, Minsc (and Boo), Minthara, Dammon, and my tav Medora (who y'all can just pretend is Alfira if you don't want someone else's tav in the story, since they're both female bards)

Week One, Cake Week: Star baker was Karlach, Minthara went home

Week Two: Biscuit Week, or "Viconia's Walking Florentine"

Signature Challenge: Sandwich Biscuits

Astarion: Bourbon biscuits. He and Shadowheart took a shot right when the bake started. He took a few more shots after that just because he could, and ended up making a bunch of vampire jokes with Noel Fielding. Despite the alcohol handicap, his biscuits turned out quite nice.

Dammon: Dulce de leche and banana biscuits. The dulce de leche overpowered the banana a bit, but the texture of the biscuits themselves were great.

Gale: Tara's coffee biscuits. He really wanted to bring back the memories of caffeine-fueled all-nighters at Blackstaff Academy. He also used a cat-shaped cookie cutter. The biscuits weren't exactly identical, and the coffee cream was a bit too runny.

Halsin: Lavender and vanilla biscuits. He used a duck-shaped cookie cutter because he likes ducks. They were all perfectly identical and the flavors were incredible. He got a Hollywood Handshake for them.

Jaheira: Malted milk biscuits. She wasn't able to get them as identical as she would have liked, and some of the biscuits were a bit underdone.

Karlach: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich biscuits. She was determined to have Paul like something with peanut butter in it. Unfortunately he still doesn't. They were also a bit messy. They were adorable in their messiness though.

Lae'zel: Pistachio custard creams. They were messy, and the dragon cookie cutter she used was a bit too delicate, resulting in some dragons missing their tails.

Medora: Raspberry and almond linzer biscuits. They had a lovely classic flavor profile, and were nearly identical.

Minsc: Coconut biscuits. He tried to use chocolate designs to make them look like tiny coconuts, but it wasn't completely successful. The flavor, however, was nice.

Shadowheart: Blackberry and earl grey biscuits. She tried to shape them like night orchids, colored with activated charcoal. However, the color made it hard to judge whether or not the biscuits were overcooked, and several of them were burned. The earl grey was so faint it was overpowered by the blackberry and the, well, burn.

Wyll: Empire biscuits. He grew up sneaking them from the kitchen as a boy, and wanted to stick to his 'classics done right' style. Unfortunately the biscuits weren't as crisp as Paul and Prue would have liked. Noel still stuck one in his pocket for later though.

Technical Challenge: Coconut Macaroons

(I think I'm going to list them from worst to best from now on)

11. Dammon

10. Shadowheart

9. Medora

8. Karlach

7. Lae'zel or Wyll (they both rolled a 9)

6. Wyll or Lae'zel

5. Halsin

4. Astarion

3. Jaheira

2. Gale

Minsc (honestly how does he keep doing so well idk man)

Showstopper: Gingerbread Showpiece

Astarion: To keep with his Brand, he decided to make a graveyard with several little gingerbread mausoleums and monuments. His, of course, was the biggest and fanciest one, with the door open and a little paper cut-out of himself coming out. Very tongue-in-cheek. Some of the monuments were sloppy, because he had so many he didn't have time to make them all super polished.

Dammon: He did his best to make an anvil, a hammer and a little piece of pulled sugar as the metal to be forged. He then discovered that despite working with molten metal on a regular basis, molten sugar still burns just as much when hitting the skin, and dropped it. He spent so much time on a backup sugar piece that the presentation on his anvil and hammer suffered a tiny bit.

Gale: His scene was an open book with a little wizard casting Fireball standing on the pages. There were huge cracks in the gingerbread book, but the wizard and his fireball were nicely detailed. He wasted a lot of time because he needed the spell piped on to the gingerbread to be ACCURATE DAMMIT.

Halsin: He created a peaceful woodland scene with trees, a family of bears, and some mushrooms. The largest bear broke, but he was able to fix it somewhat and prop it up against a tree. Bears lean against trees all the time. He hoped the judges might think it was purposeful. They saw right through him, however.

Jaheira: Years of helping her children with various projects has paid off. She somehow in the time limit created Wyrm's Crossing and just for show a poured-sugar River Chionthar. That earned her a Hollywood Handshake.

Karlach: She made an impressive replica of her tent, complete with a small army of teddy bear cookies. She even took the time to make little bears shaped like her friends and the judges. When asked if she hadn't wanted to make something more badass, she shrugged and said she could like cracking skulls and teddy bears at the same time.

Lae'zel: Her red dragon looked more like a guinea pig, unfortunately, so she changed her answer last-minute and said it was a giant space hamster. Due to its red color, though, the judges saw right through her story.

Medora: She attempted to create a lute, a mandolin and a drum. The neck of the lute broke and the piping on the drum was far from precise, but it wasn't a complete disaster.

Minsc: He made a treasure chest mimic. Originally he'd wanted the lid to open, but the hinge broke. It was still beautiful regardless, and quite big. It nearly took up the entire counter.

Shadowheart: Her little gingerbread cottage was already precariously lopsided, and when she turned to grab another piping bag it fell completely off the bench and onto the floor.

Wyll: He replicated his favorite park in Baldur's Gate out of gingerbread, even sculpting a statue with modeling chocolate. It was very impressive.

The Results

Our star baker this week with a total of 45/60 is Halsin!

And unfortunately, with a score of 9/60, Shadowheart has to leave the tent.

Feel free to play along, roll bake checks, and comment with what your Tav would make! Yeah I can't be stopped we're on to bread week next.

[captain-lessship]

His “Sidekick In The Chair” No Longer Pt. 3

A/n: I rushed to get this little part out. Pt 4 will be a fight scene.

Your mother woke you up, knocking on your door, “Sweetie! Pavitr is here!”

You and Toxin groaned as you rolled over, eye squinting at the wall that shined in the morning sun. 

The door then flung open, it was Pav. “Let’s go! Come on! Why are you still in bed?” 

He yapped at you like a chihuahua until you had your teeth brushed, fresh clothes and a spot of breakfast and tea.

He then told you what the morning would consist of and you were not exactly excited.

Candy bar wrappers littered the top of the roof as you laid, breathing heavily to the side. You had been working on mastering using Toxins abilities for hero work all day and you were ready to call it a day but Pavitr wasn’t.

“Come on! One more lap!” Pav said, blowing a whistle he bought for the occasion. He had been making you do laps, pushups, pull ups and burpees. He had turned into a very cheery drill sergeant.

Toxin swallowed the fifth bar of dark chocolate and almonds before speaking to you, “Is it too late to eat him?”

“It wouldn’t do you any good, He has no brains.” 

Toxin grumbled at your comment, you raised up and looked at Pav, annoyance  prevalent on your face. “Blow that whistle one more time.” 

And he did.

You opened your mouth to say something but before you did, a red streak flashed across your vision and you watched as a string of crimson darted towards Pav. Instinctively, you grabbed onto it and pulled it up, watched in horror as is plunged into the television antenna above Pav. 

He looked at you. You expected anger due to the fact it could have wounded him but he had this huge grin on his face like a kid in a candy shop.

“That was so cool!” He shouted, running up to you, “I didn’t know you could do that!” 

You had been hard at work for the past few days. You had made a sort of under suit and helmet that you could use to listen in on the communication line, which was shared with Pav. You also updated his suit to make it more protective.

He, of course, was looming over your shoulder as you showed him what exactly you were doing to his beloved suit.

“Are you sure you should be cutting that?” 

“Yes,” you sighed, “I know what I am doing.” 

On the other shoulder was another critic, “I don’t want to have to hear his voice in my ear constantly.” Toxin hissed out.

“Hey!”

“Shush!” You spun around, listening intently. Sirens.

Pav’s spidey sense was catching up on what ever was making the noise, “Is the suit wearable?”

You quickly sewed the arm shut and tossed it to him. You pulled on your own suit and placed the helmet. “One, Two…” Toxin surrounded you, leaving only the eyes thin enough for you to look through, “Check?”

“Check, check!” Pav said, giving a thumbs up. “You ready for your first fight?” He said as he opened your window but before you could answer, he threw himself out of it. 

“You ready, Toxi?” 

“Yes and I get a nickname?” 

“Yeah?”

“That is really sweet, I never thought-“

“I love you guys but come on,” Pavitr’s voice rang in, “It’s go time!”

You smiled, “We’ll talk later Toxi.” you jumped out the window and felt as a rope extended from your hands, you were web swinging.

You moved and weaved around the buildings, letting Toxin go on autopilot, following Pav’s directions.

You looked down at the city, mind drifting to when Pav once took you web swinging. He pretended to drop you and that put a end to that but you couldn’t help the smile that came to your face as you think about it.

As you swung into the vicinity of Pav, you saw it: Electricity

Light swelled and then popped due to the voltage. Electricity seemed to flow through the air and in the middle was a man who was glowing blue and rippling with strips of purple. You and Pav made it on top of a building.

“Any ideas?” He asked. 

“Well, obviously water is out of the question.”

“If we get to close,” he added, “we will burn to a crisp. Or at the very least look like we licked wall outlets.”

“What’re options?” You asked, “No close range not water.” 

Pav looked at you, “Is he a conductor?”

“What?” 

“Does he absorb electricity?”

“I know what a conductor is, idiot. I am just wondering if you are trying to fry me from the inside out.”

Toxin spoke up. “I am. It doesn’t hurt me. It is not fun though.”

“I think we should try talking to them first.” You said.

“What?” Pav and Toxin said in unison.

“No one goes on a rampage like this for fun. They must want something or need help themselves.” You said, walking to the edge of the building.

“But what if they are just a bad person?” Pav said, walking right behind you.

You smiled to yourself, “Then you wouldn’t have followed me.” 

[kattekilling]

Waking up when it's still dark,

The air still cutting, crisp and sharp

Forcing breakfast 'til you gag

Never enough, enough to brag

Tired burning,

Air is jelly

Wash the sugar off your skin

When I get out, will you be waiting?

Almond cream makes me feel seen

Wake up early, daydream at night

Watching morning's golden light

Flattened tunes, cheap headphones

Distract me from my aching bones

When I get out, will you throw glares

Will you throw chairs after me?

Newly made up, I can't follow

Almonds all get lost at sea

When I get out, will I get out

Will I have grown fins by then?

Swimming far away from you,

Out where there are different sands

Sands that are more home to me

Where, even drowning, I can be

// that feeling in your gut, intethed

[warriors-rewritten-chaos]

Warrior Cats Prefixes List- A

I had a WC Name Generator on Perchance that I made but I don't seem to have access anymore, so I'm remaking it here as just a simple list. The definitions used are the ones that Clan cats have for those things, and thus are the origins of the names. Definitions used are whatever I found when I googled it.

Acorn-: "[noun] the fruit of the oak tree, a smooth oval nut in a rough cup-shaped base"

Adder-: "[noun] a small venomous Eurasian snake that has a dark zigzag pattern on its back"

Agaric-: "[noun] a fungus with a fruiting body that resembles the ordinary mushroom, having a convex or flattened cap with gills on the underside"

Agate-: "[noun] an ornamental stone consisting of a hard variety of chalcedony, typically banded in appearance"

Albatross-: "[noun] a very large oceanic bird related to the shearwaters, with long narrow wings"

Alder-: "[noun] a widely distributed tree of the birch family which has toothed leaves and bears male catkins and woody female cones"

Algae-: "[noun] a simple, nonflowering, and typically aquatic plant"

Allium-: "[noun] a bulbous plant of a genus that includes the onion and its relatives; [noun] flowers growing 4 or 5 feet tall with white, blue, lavender or purple snowball-shaped inflorescences atop bare stems"

Almond-: "[noun] the oval edible nutlike seed of the almond tree, growing in a woody shell; [noun] the tree that produces almonds"

Aloe-: "[noun] a succulent plant, typically having a rosette of toothed fleshy leaves and bell-shaped or tubular flowers on long stems"

Alpine-: "[adj] relating to high mountains; [noun] a plant native to mountain districts; [noun] a butterfly with brownish-black wings and red-orange spots"

Amanita-: "[noun] any of various mostly poisonous fungi with white spores and a globe-shaped swelling about the base of the stem"

Amaryllis-: "[noun] a bulbous plant with white, pink, or red flowers and strap-shaped leaves"

Amber-: "[adj] golden yellow in color; [noun] a honey-yellow color typical of amber; [noun] hard translucent fossilized resin produced by extinct coniferous trees of the Tertiary period, typically yellowish in color"

Amethyst-: "[noun] a precious stone consisting of a violet or purple variety of quartz; [noun] a violet or purple color"

Anemone-: "[noun] a plant of the buttercup family, typically bearing brightly colored flowers"

Ant-: "[noun] a small insect, often with a sting, that usually lives in a complex social colony"

Aphid-: "[noun] a minute bug that feeds by sucking sap from plants"

Apple-: "[noun] the round fruit of a tree of the rose family, which typically has thin red or green skin and crisp flesh; [noun] the tree which bears apples"

Apricot-: "[noun] a juicy, soft fruit, resembling a small peach, of an orange-yellow color; [noun] the tree bearing apricots"

Arch-: "[verb] to have or take on a curved shape"

Argus-: "[noun] a small brown or bluish Eurasian butterfly that typically has eye-like markings near the wing margins"

Ash-: "[noun] the powdery residue left after the burning of a substance; [noun] a tree with silver-gray bark"

Ashen-: "[adj] the pale gray color of ash"

Aspen-: "[noun] a poplar tree with rounded, long-stalked, and typically coarsely toothed leaves"

Asphodel-: "[noun] a Eurasian plant of the lily family, typically having long slender leaves and flowers borne on a spike"

Aster-: "[noun] a plant of the daisy family that has bright rayed flowers, typically of purple or pink"

Auburn-: "[adj] of a reddish-brown color; [noun] a reddish-brown color"

Arum-: "[noun] any of a genus (Arum of the family Araceae, the arum family) of Eurasian plants having usually arrow-shaped leaves and a showy spathe partially enclosing a spadix"

Avalanche-: "[noun] a mass of snow, ice, and rocks falling rapidly down a mountainside"

Avocet-: "[noun] a long-legged wading bird with a slender upturned bill and strikingly patterned plumage"

Azalea-: "[noun] a deciduous flowering shrub of the heath family with clusters of brightly colored, sometimes fragrant flowers"

Azure-: "[adj] bright blue in color; [noun] a bright blue color"

[ceb721]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: AQUIESSE | ‘Santa Barbara’ | Small Glass Scented Soy Candle in Box | 5 oz..

[str1v1ng4z3r0]

F00d l0g 11/5 2024

Breakfast 3

Pāndy raspberry energy drink (3)

Lunch 200

Barebells white chocolate almond protein bar (200)

Snack 101

Pāndy pineapple energy drink (3)

Solero exotic ice cream (98)

Snack #2 4

2 chewing gums (4)

Dinner 373

40g lentil pasta (132)

6 vegan meatballs (102)

1 tbsp unsweetened ketchup (9)

1 tsp mustard (14)

Side salad with vinaigrette (≈82)

2 rye crisp bread (14)

15g soft cheese (19)

Total intake: 682

Total workout: 643

Total net: 39

————————————

Thoughts:

I forgot my gym closes at 6pm on Saturdays and I got there at 5.45 🙄 So I had to go for a long walk instead of hitting the treadmill. Quite disappointing since I was counting of burning 500 on the treadmill and 300 by “regular” walk, and also have time to do some core, shoulder and arm strength training… guess I’m gonna have to make up for it tomorrow.

[hairstyleforteen]

Best Conditioner For Dry Hair| Remove dryness in Hair

Hair care is mandatory for all those with some sort of length to their hair, and to be honest, even if you've got short hair, it needs care as well. I personally have some lengthy hair so I understand the upkeep you have to do in order to keep a nice healthy and beautiful head of hair, also with the whole man bun movement, I’m sure there are a ton of guys out there now looking to keep their hair up to par, and they probably need to keep up with their girlfriends or are tired of stealing their hair care products. Worry not, for I am here to find the best conditioners.

1. Neutrogena Triple Moisture Professional Deep Recovery Hair Mask

I’d have to say this is one of the best conditioners for damaged hair, because it’s like doing a treatment on your hair, I mean come on its a mask for your hair. This stuff will fix your damaged hair right up, give it a lush beautiful full body look as and will be aiding in your journey toward healthy hair. There are three components in this hair mask beginning with olive, then you've got meadowfoam seed, followed by almond, and the reason for these three is the different layers of penetration each of them offer.

2. FRESH Nourishing Conditioner

If your hair is beginning to appear dull or looks a little tired, maybe it’s time to look into something that’s going to moisturize, protect and keep your hair looking beautiful all the while keeping it healthy. We’ve also got to think about the other outside elements such as the sun, wind, and any other crazy things but this conditioner for dry hair has antioxidants in it, which keep hair protected from the sun. Say goodbye to fighting off the elements.

3. IGK Smoke & Mirrors Conditioning Cleansing Oil

Many times our hair ends up dry from either lack of care or too much care and not knowing how to truly care for your hair. An example would be overfishing hair and burning it to a crisp with blow dryers and straighteners. This stuff right here is made to stop all that dry stuff and attack the problem at the source, which would be your scalp. Loaded with nutrients that will dive deep into the core of your hair problems and will nurture your hair back up to a health you may have never had, plus this stuff is going to strengthen your hair to keep that healthy head going for quite some time.

4. OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Conditioner

Coming in at a nice and affordable price, do not mistake the price tag as a deterrent. This is some quality conditioner and is known to get that hair glistening like a knight in shining armor. Many different components of the coconut and revitalizing your hair by giving it electrolytes is what this stuff does best. You’ll have nice shiny, soft, and luscious hair that’ll be turning heads wherever it is you may roam. It’s not a heavy feeling you get from this stuff, like it’s loading your hair with junk or something, actually, it’s a rather light and fluffy feeling you'll be getting from your hair.

5. RAHUA Conditioner

Now this bottle says ‘classy’ to me, and I believe it’s the little cherub and maybe the bottle that looks like lotion or something from a hotel, but do not be fooled by my thoughts or the way it looks, this stuff is quality. It’s made from all organic materials and not only acts as a nice heavy-duty conditioner for the hair, but it also will act as a medium-hold kind of styling cream, which I’d assume in turn moisturizes while it holds. If you’ve gone off and colored your hair and are worried about ruining it, then worry no more because this stuff is safe for color-treated hair, and the oils in it focus on fixing damaged strands and strengthening them. It’s also going to go straight to the scalp and moisturize as well.

Conclusion

Overall you've totally gotta have a checklist in order to go off looking for conditioner for dry hair care products. The best choice, I personally feel is the RAHUA due to it’s simplicity and it can cover all styles of hair while making sure your hair will continue to lead a healthy life. Read the full article

[beautycanva]

How to Apply Orange Peel to the Face for Anti-Aging on a Budget

Embracing the Power of Nature

In the pursuit of radiant, glowing skin, many turn to expensive skincare products laden with chemicals and artificial ingredients. However, nature provides us with a treasure trove of remedies, and one such gem is the humble orange peel. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, orange peel can work wonders for your skin when used correctly. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the various benefits of using orange peel on your face and how to incorporate it into your skincare routine for maximum effectiveness.

Understanding the Benefits of Orange Peel

1. Rich in Vitamin C

Orange peel is abundant in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant known for its ability to brighten the skin, fade dark spots, and promote collagen production. Vitamin C helps combat free radical damage caused by UV radiation and environmental pollutants, resulting in a more youthful complexion.

2. Natural Astringent Properties

The natural oils present in orange peel act as a gentle astringent, helping to tone and tighten the skin. This can reduce the appearance of pores and control excess oil production, making it especially beneficial for those with oily or acne-prone skin.

3. Exfoliating Action

Orange peel contains natural exfoliating agents, such as alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), that help slough off dead skin cells and unclog pores. Regular exfoliation with orange peel can reveal smoother, more radiant skin and prevent breakouts.

4. Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, orange peel can soothe irritated skin, reduce redness, and calm inflammation associated with conditions like acne and eczema. It can also help alleviate discomfort caused by sunburns and insect bites.

Incorporating Orange Peel into Your Skincare Routine

1. Orange Peel Powder Mask

To make an orange peel powder mask, simply dry orange peels in the sun until crisp, then grind them into a fine powder. Mix the powder with a small amount of water or rose water to form a paste. Apply the mask to clean, dry skin and leave it on for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water. Use this mask once or twice a week for best results.

2. Orange Peel Scrub

For a gentle exfoliating scrub, mix orange peel powder with honey or yogurt to create a thick paste. Gently massage the mixture onto damp skin using circular motions, then rinse off with water. This will help remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and leave your skin feeling soft and refreshed.

3. Orange Peel Toner

To create a natural toner, steep dried orange peels in hot water for 10-15 minutes, then strain the liquid and allow it to cool. Transfer the orange peel-infused water to a clean bottle and use it as a toner after cleansing your face. Store the toner in the refrigerator for a refreshing boost whenever needed.

4. Orange Peel Infused Oil

You can also infuse carrier oils, such as jojoba or sweet almond oil, with dried orange peels to create a nourishing facial oil. Simply place dried orange peels in a glass jar and cover them with the carrier oil of your choice. Let the mixture sit in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks, shaking it occasionally. Strain the oil and use it as a moisturizer or as part of your oil cleansing routine.

Precautions and Tips for Safe Use

While orange peel can offer numerous benefits for your skin, it's essential to use it safely to avoid any adverse reactions. Here are some precautions to keep in mind:

Perform a patch test before using orange peel on your face to check for any allergic reactions.

Avoid using orange peel on broken or irritated skin, as it may cause stinging or burning.

Always dilute orange peel powder with water or other gentle ingredients to prevent irritation.

Discontinue use if you experience any redness, itching, or discomfort after application.

I hope this helps you!

[mumsgusto]

Find Out a Best Place to Buy Sugar Free Fresh Bakes, Cheese Fatayer and Keto in UAE

Sugar Free Fresh Bakes are baked products that don't include refined sugar. These baked goods are sweetened with natural sweeteners like erythritol, stevia, monk fruit, or fruit purees in place of regular sugar. These baked products are appropriate for anyone on a low-sugar or sugar-free diet, including those with diabetes or those trying to cut back on sugar for health-related reasons, because they don't contain refined sugar. Sugar-free fresh baked goods often consist of pastries, cakes, cookies, muffins, and bread.

To create a healthy and wholesome baked good, these bakes are frequently created using substitute ingredients such almond flour, coconut flour, oats, or whole wheat flour. Sugar-free fresh bakes offer a healthier substitute for regular baked items by removing refined sugar. They are better for people controlling their blood sugar levels or regulating their weight since they have less calories and a lower glycemic index.

For people with diabetes or those who need to regulate their blood sugar levels, sugar-free fresh bakes are perfect. They make it possible for diabetics to indulge in delectable baked goods without worrying about blood sugar increases. Sugar-free fresh bakes are a wonderful way to fulfill cravings without sacrificing your health and wellness, whether you're trying to control your sugar intake, stick to a diabetic-friendly diet, or just make better choices.

Flavor Explosion: Elevate Your Taste Buds with Cheese Fatayer

Cheese fatayer is a well-known Middle Eastern delicacy with a savory cheese filling wrapped in a light, airy pastry. Usually formed into triangle or boat-shaped bundles, these pastries are cooked till golden brown, giving them a deliciously crispy outside and a gooey, melted cheese within. Cheese fatayer dough is often created using a basic blend of flour, water, yeast, and a tiny bit of sugar and salt.

After smoothing out the dough, it is rolled out into thin ovals or circles. Each dough round has a piece of the cheese filling, which is usually a combination of white cheeses like feta, halloumi, and Akkawi. Once put together, the cheese fatayer are cooked in a hot oven until golden and puffed after being coated with milk or egg wash to give them a glossy sheen.

The outcome is a delectable pastry that can be eaten as a meal or as a snack, with a crisp, golden crust and a deep, cheesy middle. Cheese fatayer is a popular Middle Eastern snack or appetizer that is typically accompanied with other meals like falafel, hummus, and tabbouleh. A favorite for picnics, get-togethers, and special events, they also have a great flavor and a pleasant texture.

Unlock Health & Energy: Dive into the World of Keto

The ketogenic diet, also known as the high-fat, low-carb diet, is a way of eating that is intended to cause the body to enter a state of ketosis. When the body burns fat for energy rather than carbs, a state known as ketosis is reached. This lowers blood sugar levels and increases the body's generation of ketones, which are molecules that act as an alternate energy source. So if you are looking for the best place to buy Keto UAE, then Mumsgusto is a best choice to complete your need.

Because of this restriction, the body is forced to use fat and ketones instead of glucose (sugar) as its main fuel source. Dietary mainstays that are high in healthy fats include nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, and fatty seafood. A ketogenic diet can include some processed foods, but overall, the focus is on full, high-nutrient foods including vegetables, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and good fats.

Increased energy, better blood sugar regulation, weight loss, and improved mental clarity are some advantages of the ketogenic diet. Additionally, it has demonstrated potential in aiding in the management of ailments including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and epilepsy.