#but like when I do I usually add a variety of fruit and more of that fruit than i do banana

[whimsyprinx]

banana is too op, we need to nerf banana

[silverhairsimp]

who's gonna take care of you? k. bakugou

I am sicker than sick and couldn't sleep last night so here's some bakugou fluff.

Pairing & CW: Bakugou x f!reader. Reader and Bakugou have two kids. Brief mentions of pregnancy from Mitsuki (Reader is not actually pregnant). pure, sickly sweet fluff.

Katsuki looks at the clock hanging above the kitchen sink, 7:24am. Usually you’d have been up for at least a half hour by now, maybe more. The kids have to be to school at 8:30, it’s only a 12 minute drive, but they like to get there early and play with their friends before their day of learning starts. He looks at the two of them sitting at the counter, digging into their fresh pancakes and waffles with a variety of fruits. They were similar in a lot of ways, but your daughter refuses to eat pancakes, the same goes with your son and waffles. And what kind of number one dad would The Bakugou Katsuki be if he didn’t make his brats happy?

“You two stay here and finish eating— gonna go check on your ma’,” he calls out to them before heading down the hall, only to stop with a hand on the doorframe to look back at them. “And no eatin’ spoonfuls’a syrup this time! That shi— crap’ll give you diabetes.” 

The two of them laugh at their dads empty threat, knowing they’ll at least sneak one or two spoonfuls before he gets back. 

He has an office day today, full of paperwork and unfished reports that need to be submitted by the end of the week. He’s been working overtime, which means you have too. Working overtime at your own job and taking care of the kids when he gets home too late or leaves too early for work. 

“Baby—“ he calls out when he pushes open your bedroom door. Your cheeks are flushed red, your brows are knit together, you’ve got a mound of blankets on you, yet your feet are sticking out from the bottom. “Hey, y’doing okay?” He asks as he gets closer, sitting next to your sleeping form on the bed when he reaches a hand out to cup your cheek, followed by placing the back of his hand to your forehead. “Jesus babe, you’re burnin’ up. Might be running hotter than I normally do…” 

His words are laced with concern as he heads to your shared bathroom, grabbing a washcloth and wetting it with as cold of water he can get before wringing it out. For good measure, he grabs the thermometer and to confirm his suspicions.

“Open up for me, baby.” He brushes his thumb over your cheek and your eyes finally open when you bring your hand up to touch the cold cloth on your forehead. “‘Ts cold…” you mumble and he slips the thermometer underneath your tongue. “Yeah and you’re hot—“ he waits for the thermometer to finish rereading before he adds: “101.9 to be exact.” 

You try to sit up, “I’m fine…”but the pressure in your head is too much so you flop back down into the pillows. “I don’t know what year you think I was born, but I know what fine is. And you, are not fine.” 

“But the kids— they have school, you have work— I have things to do around the house.” You try to protest in between a fit of coughs, but he plants an arm against the bed, palm down at your side caging you in. “you know the hag— my mom,” he corrects when you give him the glare, “she loves taking them to school. Eijiro too. I could call either one and they’d drop ‘em off. And with work, that’s one of the perks’a bein’ your own boss.” 

He leans down to press a kiss to your cheek, trying to hide the wince at how warm your skin is. Gods you must feel like shit. “Lemme call my mom—“ he steps out of the room and gently closes the door, calling in a favor to the woman who always saves his ass. 

‘Yeah, y/n sick, real sick. Need someone to drop off the beats at school. What? Morning sickness? No she’s not pregnant again. She’s sick sick. Got’a fever of almost 102. Yeah, they ate. Yes, lunches packed. Ugh— what kinda father do you think I— mmgh. Thanks ma. They’ll be ready for ya.’

He comes back in the room slight shake to his head as he thinks back to the conversation he just had with his mom. Your youngest is 6 and she’s been itching for another grand baby, but that’s too bad. She’s got two good ones to love on anyway. “Moms comin’ to pick em up in 15.” 

The two of you can hear the padding of feet running down the hall and your two replicas appear in the door frame. 

“Mommy what’s wrong? Did you catch a bug?” Your 8 year old son asks you as he pushes his hips to the bed. He may have his fathers eyes but he’s got your color hair and the sweetest personality to match. 

“Ew! Why would mommy catch a bug!! That’s so yucky!” Your daughter chimes. She’s got that ash blonde hair to match her fathers and definitely gets his personality. 

“Yeah, squirt, mama’s not feeling great so your Gramma Mitsuki is gonna take you to school.”

“Katsuki— you really shouldn’t have asked your mom to come all the way here.” 

“You say all the way here like she doesn’t live 8 minutes down the road.” He smirks at you, knowing damn well she wasn’t gonna miss the opportunity to be involved in your kids’ lives. 

“Daddy, why can’t we stay and take care of mommy like she takes care of us when we’re sick?” Your boy asks with those gorgeous ruby red eyes peering down at you. “You guys have to stay in school and get good grades. You wanna have your own agency and be the number one hero like your daddy don’t you?” You smile at the two of them and lift your hand off the bed to cup their cheeks one at a time. 

Your daughter flexes her little muscles and grits her teeth. “Yeah mommy! We’ll get strong so we can take good care of you some day!” 

Each of your kiddos leans in to place a kiss to your cheek, it’s no use trying to stop them either. They’re both stubborn, just like you and Katsuki. 

“Go get cleaned up before Gramma gets here— and don’t think I can’t smell the syrup on those sticky fingers, you little shits!” 

It’s no use trying to protest the language when you hear the fit of laughter and screams as they run back down the hall. 

Katsuki gets up to make sure they’re heading out to wash up and grab their school bags while he makes another call to the agency, letting Mina know he won’t be in. 

You’ve nearly fallen back asleep by the time he comes back with a hot bowl of homemade soup, a freshly squeezed cup of orange juice, a ginger shot and two pieces of toast. “They’re right ya know. You’re like super woman to them— and even she needs help sometimes.” He presses a kiss to your forehead and turns on the tv for some back ground noise before he grabs his computer and sits next to you in bed. 

“Katsuki. You’re gonna get sick if you stay here—“ you try to protest and he just smiles and puts the cold rag on your forehead. “Yeah… and when super man needs help; I know you’ll be there too..” He lands a fat one right on your lips and smiles. The two of you share everything together. Even the cooties…

[cadere-art]

What’s one food/drink in your world that sounds amazing

Do they have any musical instruments, if so is it based off of any really world stuff?

Tahen cultures have all sorts of taboo around fire. This is taken to an extreme in Ranai, where open fires are completely forbidden and one must own a special permit to tend a cooking fire. As a result, Ranai cuisine is renowned for it's wealth of raw, pickled, and otherwise marinated foods. Bcause Ranai's territory is an archipelago where fish and seafood is the main source of protein, makwa, acid-cooked fish akin to our world's ceviche, is a staple. Real-life ceviche being delicious, it is only logical that fictional ceviche would also be*.

Bird-fish makwa is an ancient traditional meal of the archipelago. It has three main ingredients: gruel of uciwici, an oat-like, distinctively purple grain rich in anthocyanins, dried and salted kelp, and shrimp and crustacean meat marinated in sumac vinegar. Eggs, herbs, and tart fruits are sometimes added as toppings. Bird-fish makwa most salient tastes are tartness from the sumac vinegar with salt and umami from the seafood and kelp, on a base note of mild and nutty sweetness reminiscient of brown rice from the mashed uciwici. The name of this recipe is a mistranslation of the meal's name from Wetki to Ranaite Tahen.

Jimeleu makwa is a classic ceviche which puportedly originates from the town of Jimeleu, where the soils and climate are conducive to the growth of citrus trees. Jimeleu ceviche consists of diced white fish acid-cooked in lime juice with horseradish, white beans, and cold-cooked uciwici grains. The marinade is usually clear, with a green tinge from the lime and horseradish. Common variants add cold fish broth or cream of green peas to water the ceviche into a soup. Jimeleu makwa is sour and spicy, and variants with cream of green peas have a distinctive sweetness.

Cici-Uli makwa is reminiscient of tataki or carpaccio. A large, white-meat fish is cut into filets which are marinated in a mixture of sumac vinegar, oil, and seasonings (including, but not limited to, salt, horseradish, and tart fruits akin to pincherries). The marinated filet is then cut into very thin slices and served with crunchy seeds and sliced sweet onion. Only the external edge of the fish has cooked: the main flavor of Cici-Uli makwa is that of the raw fish itself. This type of makwa requires very fresh fish.

*Note that I have not tried to make these The Most Palatable Possible - especially the first one!

---

The answer to the second question is a bit less interesting. In short: yes, they do have music instruments! However, I am profoundly not musically inclined and this (as well as sports) is a thing where I show my biases as an individual: I have done roughly 0 musical worldbuilding, and it is unlikely that I will ever do more than the bare minimum (when I remember that the world should, to feel alive, have some music). About Ranaites, I can say that they have a variety of instruments, especially winds and percussions. Bamboo is an important material for their woodwinds and percussion instruments. A large shell is used as a traditional wind instrument. I imagine they have some sort of relatively simple string instrument, and a slightly more complex one with better acoustic imported by members of the Oumdashen diaspora. Ranaites have inherited a taste for passive music such as windchimes from the archipelago's original inhabitants, the Wetki. Shell windchimes are a popular fixture of gardens throughout the archipelago.

[miscfandomwrites]

A/N: Based off a prompt of two people who don't work well together being forced to make breakfast together, expect one of them fucks something up. Also, I made some characters have food allergies. Because I can and it helps make them more relatable in my opinion. Anywho, I can make more of this if y'all like.

Pairing: Stephen Strange x Reader (tried to keep it non-discript as possible)

Warnings: langauge

Words: 700ish

Tagging: @tyler-t0t

~

“You’ve never learned how to cook?” 

“Well, I have, I just don’t mess with hot things or knives or anything that might damage my hands.” 

“Well, that’s a bit vain, but considering your job is messing with someone's very delicate brain, I think you can get a pass. This time.” 

“Oh, this time, huh? Thanks, I guess.” 

I grinned at him. “C’mon, it’s our turn to make breakfast today, we’re gonna go all out so I can show you how to cook.” 

I grabbed a pair of aprons from the side of the fridge, tossing one to him. “I’ll do prep and you can make everything, should be simple.”

I asked FRIDAY to open up a digital whiteboard, and jotted down the ideas I had for breakfast: 

Banana Bread (2 loaves)

Pancakes with and without blueberries

Quiche (3)

Breakfast potatoes (two sheets)

Scrambled eggs

Bacon

Breakfast sausage

Sourdough bread

“That doesn’t look ‘Simple to me’ “ Strange remarked, eyes widening at the list as he finished tying his apron. 

“This is nothing, I used to work in a summer camp kitchen. Besides, we’re feeding several super soldiers, a couple gods, and several others.” I told him as FRIDAY helped make the lists of everything I’d need, and thankfully I had woken up early to feed and start the sourdough bread so it’d be ready to put into the oven in about half an hour. 

Putting on some 2010 hits from when I was a bit younger, I started pulling out ingredients while Stephen got the bowls, pots, and pans ready for it. 

I quickly diced and chopped a variety of vegetables and prepped some quiche in some pre-crusted pans that I pulled from the freezer, popping them into the first oven while I monitored Stephen making the banana bread. 

“Is this literally it? No seasonings or add-ins?” He questioned as he poured the first bread mix into the greased pan. 

“I mean, you can add like cinnamon and nutmeg and stuff but Clint has a nut allergy so I don’t, and last week we found out Loki is allergic to cinnamon, so.” I told him as I parboiled some potatoes. 

He paused at that and turned to me, confused. “A god from another planet has an allergy?” 

“Yeah, not surprising if you think about it for a bit. Took me a little bit to think about it as well.” I replied, taking a sip of my coffee as I used a fork to poke a potato. 

He narrowed his eyes and stared off into space for a bit, something I usually did when I was trying to figure out something in my head. 

“I mean, he is from another planet after all, and I don’t suppose they have the same spices as we do, so that leaves a whole world of possibilities open for them.” He said slowly after a moment. 

I nodded, taking the potatoes off the heat and straining them into the colander in the sink. 

“Peter is allergic to food dyes. Which is why he’s in the kitchen so often making his own candy with his friends.” 

“So that explains the large jar of sugar on the counter then.” he motioned to it as he put the bowl and measuring spoons into the sink. 

“Oh that? I think it’s citric acid, but I’d ask him at breakfast before you go putting it into anything.” 

He stopped for a moment and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, making me pause. 

“You put that into the banana bread, didn’t you?” 

“It looked like sugar! What else was I supposed to use?” He yelled at me. 

“I don’t know! Maybe the jar on the left of the sink with the label Plain Sugar on it!” I yelled back, heading over to the fruit bowl and yanking the rest of the bananas from it. 

“It’s fine, we’ll just keep them in the kitchen and hopefully no one will notice.” 

~ One hour later ~

Everyone had started coming from their various morning routines and piled into the kitchen, grabbing bowls of food and taking it into the dining room as I got the hot pitchers ready with both regular and decaf coffee, and pulling out the pitches of various juices and iced coffee, carrying them into the room as well. 

As we finally all sat down, I explained how Stephen helped make breakfast and pointed towards the banana bread, and soon enough everyone had a slice. 

“WHAT THE FUCK!?” came from Bucky, spitting out the slice on his plate. “WHY IS IT SOUR?” 

Welp, looks like people noticed.

[beneathsilverstars]

you could. probably think if some characters are texture eaters and if so which textures they would prefer or what reactions they'd have over disliked textures

@kimdokjafan replied

I would love to hear what you have to say about the party's food preferences! Things like favorite food, things they dislike/won't eat

i started answering this anon and then got this reply, so i'll combine them. got really long lol, food is such a complex topic!

bonnie enjoys the multi-textured fish head, so they're probably big on texture! i think they're starting to have enough cooking experience to get put off when a texture isn't correct. like the problem isn't the texture itself but rather that rice should not be like that, they overcooked it, yuck, ugh! they would probably make a new batch if possible. however, they're also used to eating what you have because it's all you have — sometimes the nice neighbor drops off her shitty mac n cheese and it's better than nothing, or you mix up salt and sugar for today's bread but you're almost out of flour — so they'll try to come up with a new use for the fucked-up batch where the weird texture works better, or just eat it themself. unpleasant, but better than serving it to someone else or wasting it! as for what they enjoy the most: lots of different textures mixed together, like a salad or deluxe burrito. and chewy things!

we know bonnie's favorite foods are pineapple, rice, and samosas. i'd say they love sweet things as most kids do, but they're really starting to prefer a little more complexity to their sweet treats, like the tart acidity of pineapple. rice is a great favorite bc it's a comforting plain staple, but it can also be used in such a variety of dishes, as the entire base or to add texture! bonnie likes spicy, sour, etc... bring on the flavor! honestly i don't think there's many ingredients they don't like, it's more often a case of that flavor doesn't go there, why would you do that??? maybe they haven't grown into bitter vegetables yet.

siffrin also likes the fish head, so they really enjoy a fun texture, and they like trying new foods as they travel — but when they don't like something they hate it. but they also hate to raise a fuss! so if they're eating with other people, they'll try to just eat around the offending element without making it too obvious that's what they're doing, and then claim they're just not that hungry. if they're by themself, they'll spit it out and rinse out their mouth and eat something crunchy. they don't like tomatoes, which is convenient bc they also don't like when sandwich bread gets soggy at all. they don't like mushrooms or caramalized onion. they enjoy super crunchy things and a nice thick soup!

we know malanga fritters are presumably his favorite. i think he likes mashed potatoes too. fish, of course, and hearty stews. he loves clam chowder! he used to be a big sweet pastries fan, but post-canon he pivots to fruity sweetness bc he can't stand caramel-marshmallow-candy sweetness anymore, and even fruit's on thin ice. most of his disliked foods are about the texture, not the taste. but he's also really sensitive to associations - if he coincidentally gets sick after eating something, eats something badly seasoned, etc, it'll put him off of that taste for a while even if he doesn't remember why.

iirc isabeau wasn't into the fish head. he likes simpler and more predictable foods! he gets yucked out by overripe fruits, but luckily it's usually pretty easy to tell if a fruit will be good. if he does accidentally bite into a bad one, he makes a face and swallows it as quickly as possible, and asks if anyone else wants the rest before he donates it to the local wildlife. he likes fluffy breads and nuts! he's the kind of guy to pack a stack of pb&js and an apple for lunch every day, just buying a different flavor of jam each time he runs out. he doesn't like anything too spicy or bitter! probably a cheese fiend too.

mirabelle isn't super particular about textures, but she is pickier about tastes; she doesn't like a couple common vegetables, like green beans and cooked carrots, and a couple common sauces, like mustard and marinara. she doesn't like nuts, but sometimes eats them anyway because they're so popular in dormont's house for some reason and she gets tired of refusing to eat them, and now she sorta hates them even more but also will absentmindedly stand there munching on them? in general if she doesn't like a food she's served she'll still try to eat enough to be polite, but sometimes can't manage it. some foods she loves are honey, olives, and apple pie. she does love plums too, but it's less that they're objectively her favorite taste and more that they're her thing. it's fun having a thing!

odile likes delicate textures like flaky pastries and watermelon, and doesn't like purely glop-based foods like oatmeal, though it's tolerable with a crunchy topping. she really enjoys a good meat, like a nice herby steak or buttery pork belly. she doesn't dislike sweets, but she doesn't indulge in them in often; when she does, she prefers lemony desserts or bitter chocolate. she finds most foods tolerable at least, and especially likes sharp flavors, like vinegar and vodka!

[niennawept]

Moon Dumplings: A Pan-Elven Cultural Debate in Three Documents (Part 2)

Warning(s): None Rating: Gen Summary: The origins of moon dumplings, shared amongst all branches of elven kindred, are a source of frequent arguments, both culinary and scholarly. Part 1 is here.

Selected Interviews from Díril’s research into moon dumpling origins, transcribed in her own hand

Q: When did you first hear of moon dumplings?

A: They were with us even at Cuiviénen. Had them often when the nights got very cold. They are warming, you know. Good for putting some meat on your bones. You are too skinny, young lady. Respondent 1: a Sindarin elleth of unknown age, asked to estimate she shrugged and said “we did not count years back then”

A: Not until we were nearing the Anduin on the Great Journey. We made lembas out of Valarin corn, but it was not until we halted to wait for better conditions for crossing that those with minds for cooking learned to make the dough. Respondent 2: a Nandorin ellon, born approximately ninety winters before the Journey at Cuiviénen

A: They were invented during the hottest days, of course. Stews and porridges are hearty and delicious, but they leave something to be desired when it gets too warm out. The calming influence of the stars will set that right. [interviewer prompts “can you estimate the year?”] Oh! Right after Oromë gave the Noldor the right type of flour. We kept them secret, you know, from the other kindred. Respondent 3: an Exilic Noldorin elleth, who was born on the Great Journey

A: I do not remember. When I was still a small child. Respondent 4: an Avari ellon, who remembered choosing to stay rather than joining the Great Journey

Q: Why are they called moon dumplings?

A: They were not originally called that. It was only after the moon and his phases that folk changed their name. They used to be called “starbeads.” Respondent 1

Respondent 2 declined to answer.

A: Because they are cured under moonlight these days. What do they teach you in Lindon, girl? Respondent 3

A: We do not call them that. We call them “starbeads.” [respondent says something mostly inaudible, but a portion of it contained the phrase “new names for old things”] Respondent 4

Q: Who invented them?

A: The Noldor. I already told you that. Respondant 3

All other respondents declined to answer.

Q: Are the fillings of this dumpling sweet or savory?

A: Either, whatever is available. Respondent 1

A: Sweet, always. Respondent 2

A: Savory, always. Respondent 3

A: Both, sometimes. Respondent 4

Q: What is the traditional filling for these dumplings?

A: Oh, all sorts. Anything that will not tear the skin while cooking. No one wants to be picking out little bits of burned vegetables from a steam basket. It is important that the filling is soft either by nature or by cooking first. [interviewer asks “which were the most common?”] Mushrooms, wild plants, sometimes fish or fowl. Respondent 1

A: We begin by collecting sap from maple trees, which is boiled to remove impurities and concentrate the flavor. We filter it and add dried fruits and minced nuts. When it has cooked down and become rather sticky, we fill the dumplings. Respondent 2

A: Meat, obviously. [interviewer prompts “what kind of meat?”] Whatever can be gotten with relative ease. Respondent 3

A: Minced nuts are most usual. Respondent 4

Q: Are there alternate fillings that are acceptable?

A: I have already answered that question. Respondent 1

A: Absolutely not. Respondent 2

A: Have you taken leave of your senses? No. Respondent 3

A: Fruit is also common. Respondent 4

Q: What texture should the dumpling wrapping be?

A: They should have a texture that requires a bit of chewing. The flavor improves with more moonlight. Respondant 2

All other respondents answered with a variation of “not tough [like the Nandorin variety.]”

For @silmarillionepistolary week

[jka11072]

Books that trigger me

+ drive with all books epub

────˚⋆𐙚⋆˚ ────

Glucose revolution 10/10

🤍Should you read it?

YES YES YES

🤍She has an instagram account too

🤍Why should we avoid glucose spikes?

Insulin goes up preventing the body from burning fat!

🤍Eat in the right order

Veggies (greens first for fiber) > proteins > carbs (sugar, honey, fruits, bread, pasta, etc..) 

When eating something sweet try to add anything before (greens, nuts, yogurt…) to flatten the spike 

🤍Don’t count cals 🤷‍♀️ not all cals affect your glucose levels

🤍Don’t snack sweet, have it after a meal instead

🤍Drink a tsp of vinegar with water before a meal (helps flatten spikes)

🤍Move for at least 10mins after you eat

────˚⋆𐙚⋆˚ ────

The obesity code 10/10

🤍Should you read it?

Yessss

🤍if you like fasting you should read the book there’s so much tips I can’t fit

🤍Reduce added sugars 

🤍Don’t snack (1-3 meals a day instead)

🤍Coffee is good yay (source of antioxidants, magnesium)

🤍Reduce refined grains (white flour, bread, cookies, cake etc…)

🤍Protein should be about 20-30% of your diet

🤍Increase natural fats (olive oil, nuts, butter) 

🤍Eat more fiber, konjac, vinegar (called protective factors)

🤍Fasting (24hr or 36hr, but do what you can manage)

────˚⋆𐙚⋆˚ ────

French women don’t get fat 7/10

🤍Should you read it?

Maybe

🤍There’re recipes and personal stories in the book if your interested 

🤍Eat slowly 

🤍Eat a wide variety of foods (home cooked, quality over quantity)

🤍Have fun while you prepare your food (🤷‍♀️)

🤍DRINK WATER PLEASE

🤍Only eat while sitting from a plate, don’t eat out of packages, don’t watch anything while eating

🤍Portions, reduce slowly and keep a scale on hand (usually half a pound of anything is usually too much)

🤍Don’t buy foods that you can’t control yourself around, until you can start controlling yourself 

🤍Move please (20 min walk after a meal will do)

🤍Don’t get too hungry (you’ll probably binge) 

🤍The scale isn’t that accurate (measuring or buying a piece of clothing smaller than your usual size)

 ────˚⋆𐙚⋆˚ ────

Salt sugar fat 6/10

🤍should you read it?

It kinda explains how companies fool us with unhealthy foods I mean if your interested in that go for it 🤷‍♀️

🤍In conclusion a combo of sugar fat and salt is addicting 

────˚⋆𐙚⋆˚ ────

The skinny rules 8/10

🤍should you read it?

Yes

🤍It basically tell you the reason for each rule, also goes in depth on how to read food labels, and some recipes

🤍Drink a large glass of water before every meal

🤍No liquid cals

🤍Protein with every meal

🤍Less refined grains (white flour)

🤍Eat more fiber (30-50g)

🤍Eat apples and bananas everyday

🤍No carbs after lunch (potatoes are carbs too)

🤍Pay attention to food labels (serving sizes, protein, sugar etc…)

🤍Pay attention to your portion sizes 

🤍No sugar (even artificial 😞)

🤍Don’t eat meat once a week (🤷‍♀️)

🤍No fast food! 

🤍Big breakfast small dinner (go to bed hungry)

🤍Don’t eat out (feel like it’s the same as no fast food)

🤍Don’t eat high salt foods

🤍Eat your veggies please

🤍Get good sleep

────˚⋆𐙚⋆˚ ────

Ultra processed people 100/10

🤍should you read it?

Yes yes yesss

🤍it basically explain how ultra processed foods are bad for you but I can’t go in depth here so just read itttt, it disgusted me so much that I actually eat waaaay less ultra processed foods, also watch his videos on YouTube!!

In conclusion?

🤍Sugar is bad (especially on an empty stomach)

🤍Don’t snack (1-3 meals instead)

🤍Walk walk walk

🤍Don’t eat white flour

🤍Just don’t eat ultra processed foods

────˚⋆𐙚⋆˚ ────

Drive with all books mentioned (epub)

[moon-is-a-cryptid]

Strawberry energy 🍓

Warnings: none

Gender: use of the word mrs otherwise gender neutral

Kirishima having a Pre-Workout product called Riot Rage is a personal HC 👏🏻❤️‍🔥

It’s advertised as the most manly pre workout for guys, gals and non binary pals, because all genders can be manly in Ejiros opinion. His pre workout would come in a variety of tastes like strawberries, bomb pop, fruit punch all centered around red themed coloring, it’s a fairly successful brand already despite kiri not being a top hero, he can thank his bestie bakugou for helping advertise it.

But the way the Sale SKYROCKET when you, Prohero RedRiots s/o Is caught by the press heading to the gym in a “be unbreakable” red riot work out top drinking a bright red liquid out of a gym bottle to work out with Bakugous S/O, Stopped to ask what you were drinking, what you were going to do, who were you going to see etc. with cameras flashing and the tapes rolling, “I’m heading to the gym to see {bakugous s/o} and I’m drinking RiotRage Strawberry energy” turning to the camera you hold the bottle up next to your face “The perfect pre workout to make you feel unbreakable” with a wink before you push your way past and into the private gym.

Your face would then be plastered on magazines with a wink and holding your RiotRage, Kiris PR Team became all over it and asked if you guys could promote his product more often since he got some popularity off it, the folks seemed to love you and would go wild for the loving work out couple look you guys had. You would occasionally posting about it on your socials and staring in the adds that are put out on social platforms. Kirishima made it very clear that If you were uncomfortable with anything that you didn’t have to do it and his team agreed. You were so excited to agree since it helped Kirishima your loving husband out in his field. Next think you know you and kiri are posing in your usual gym outfits with the brand, making promotional videos about it, listing off the benefits of the pre work out.

Within the week of the preparations you received the first View of the ad that was to be sent out, it was a picture of kirishima lifting you above his head with one arm as if you were a dumbbell while you were drinking out of a gym bottle with different flavors scattered around. At the top of the ad it says “FEEL UNBREAKABLE IN THE GYM” and at the bottom “JUST LIKE MR. AND MRS. REDRIOT”

This came to me literally while i was drinking a code read Mnt Dew💀

See a spicy challenge for bakugous hot sauce brand

See smittens coffee for shinsous coffee brand

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[somethingclevermahogony]

Happy STS! What are some common forms of entertainment for regular, non-noble people in your world?

Thank you for the question! As per usual, I will be sticking to Kishetal for this one, and more specifically the region around Labisa. These are just a few of the things that common people might do for fun! Common people find a number of ways to entertain themselves.

Beer halls (beer is the drink of commoners, as opposed to wine which tends to be more high class or else reserved for special occasions) are very numerous and form one of the main hangout spots for commoners of all ages. Throughout Kishetal, beer has traditionally been brewed and sold by women. Labisa alone has 19 beer halls, all but one of which are run by women. These halls typically serve five varieties of beer along with various food items.

Aruhakishar/Akishar: (Aruha- Dry, Kisharu- Beer) Unadulterated, typically plain beer, this sort of beer is the basis for the other varieties. These vary from brewer to brewer and can differ greatly in terms of strength, flavor, color, etc. This tends to be the cheapest option. Ishkishar: (Isha- Sour/Bitter Kisharu- Beer) Aruhakishar typically with the addition of various herbs, nuts, and even minerals. This beer is typically seen as invigorating, good for lifting the energy and strengthening the resolve against wicked spirits. Few people drink this casually. Wakishar: (Wawa- Sweet, Kisharu- Beer) Similar to the above but rather than the addition of herbs to promote bitter and sour flavors, this variety of beer is typically sweetened with the addition of various sweeteners, most often date syrups, honey, and fruits like fig. These tend to be the most well-liked variety of beer and fall in the middle when it comes to price. Olikishar/Olkishar: (Oli- Blood/Red, Kisharu- Beer) This variety of beer is similar to Wakishar but is flavored specifically with the addition of red fruit, like pomegranate, cherry, and various mountainous berry, giving it that crimson appearance. Some beer halls may add other additives to increase this sanguine appearance. Depending on the quality, this may be the most expensive variety of beer sold at a hall. Ihikishar/ Ihiki: (Ihi- Giggle (haha), Kisharu-Beer) This particular variety of beer is not sold in all halls and tends to be the most expensive, and is viewed among the common folk as more of a treat. This beer can be any of the above with addition of the treated oil of the magical Kasikur plant, also known as jit(from a Forestfolk word). Drinking jit mixed with wine may cause various effects, most commonly a slight high, similar to cannabis. However the use of jit is highly regulated as its magical effects, when consumed in sufficient amounts can have dangerous and bizarre effects.

Storytelling, relating tales of Kishetals history and of the various happenings of the outside world, takes a very robust place in the lives of Kishite people of all walks of life.

Temples often put on performances, mostly reenacting the exploits of legendary heroes. Typically these events are free though a donation is expected. The most extravagant of these performances may also include shows of sagecraft, some of the only magic that common folk are exposed to.

Poets and bards are likewise quite ubiquitous, performing on street corners or else found in the beer halls, competing for the attention, and appreciation of their audiences.

Poetry battles and rhyming contests, in essence thinly veiled battles of insults, are common spectacles and the best poets may even earn some degree of fame amongst their peers.

Gambling with dice or on the outcomes of fights are also quite common. Thiefs dice is particularly common among the enslaved population of Labisa as it only necessitates small gambles.

Suru was on the deck arranging some sort of game atop a wooden crate. " Come down here, Ninma." He called up to her.  Ninma shimmied down the mast and sat at the makeshift table. The crate had on it a pile of dried figs and two dice carved from bone; two of the sides were painted red, one blue, one black, one yellow, and one remained white. " What is this?" Ninma asked, inspecting one of the dice. " Something to distract us while we wait. Narul and I used to call this thief’s dice, no idea what it is actually called. I borrowed the dice from one of the crew. We used to play it in the slave quarters, don’t know if you ever played it up in the palace, doesn’t seem like it. The rules are simple. We take turns rolling the dice. If you get blue, you take a fig. If you get red, it becomes my turn. If you roll yellow, you must put a fig back in the pot. If you get white, you can take one of my figs, but if you get black, I can take one of yours. The game is over when someone rolls a blue, but there are no figs in the pot to take. Back home, we used the money your father gave us at festivals, but I respect you too much to take all your money, princess." He grinned.

Hunting for small game like birds and rabbits is popular among rural populations, though not so much among urban ones. Though, rat-catching is not unheard of among young and adult alike in certain parts of Labisa and other large cities.

Duels, or more accurately brawl matches with sticks and fists, are not at all uncommon, though technically illegal. When such fights do break out, they attract much attention, and typically, much gambling. The city guard, at least under Hutbari, does little to stop this and may even join in on the wager.

Wrestling, boxing, foot races, competitions of skill with slings, and other similar physical activities are popular, and may take place at just about any time. For those rare few that know how, swimming in Lake Shebali is a fun bit of leisure, though not always entirely safe as the depths of the lake can be dangerous. Dance and music are common as well, perhaps most famous is Storm Step. This style of dance theater is almost entirely non-verbal and rather is dependent on facial and bodily expression. The dances are performed on hollow wooden platforms, producing loud thundering sounds, thus giving the style of theater its name. Unlike most styles of theater in Kishetal, Storm Step is entirely dominated by women, and more often than not pairs of sapphic lovers. In some instances entire troupes may form polyamorous unions.

I could keep going, but I think that gives a good picture for now. Let me know if you would like to know more!

[thejoyofseax]

Bustāniyya & Mis̲h̲mis̲h̲iyya

There was a practice day run by Master Agnes Boncuer in the Scout Hall in Clara the weekend just gone, courtesy of the good offices of THL Órlaith Caomhánach, and I took the opportunity to try out a couple of recipes on people. Both of these I've actually cooked before, but it was mostly before I was taking good notes. The two are from the same page of Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens, the translation of al-Warraq by Nawal Nasrallah. They are bustāniyya, a dish with orchard produce, and mis̲h̲mis̲h̲iyya, an apricot stew. Both call for chicken rather than "meat", which makes them somewhat unusual.

It's worth noting that in both cases, where the recipe calls for the juice of the fruit, I used fruit and all. This is the "peasant" version of the dishes, at least in my head; while I can see the elite of the elite using just the juices and presenting meat "alone" as the dish, I can't see most cooks of the time leaving out the fruit. So in it went. I will at some point try the posh as-written version.

Here are the two recipes:

Bustāniyya (cooked with orchard produce) from the copy of Abū Samīn Wash small and sour plums and put them in a wet kerchief [to hydrate them] if using the dried variety. If fresh ones are used, [just] add to them some water, press and mash them then strain the liquid. Cut chicken breasts into finger-like strips and add to them whatever you wish of other meats. [Put them in a pot], add the [strained juice of] cherries, and let them boil together. Season the pot with black pepper, mā kāmak̲h̲ (liquid of fermented sauce), olive oil (zayt), some spices, a small amount of sugar, wine vinegar, and 5 walnuts that have been shelled and crushed. [When meat is cooked], break some eggs on it and let them set [with the steam of the pot], God willing. A recipe for mis̲h̲mis̲h̲iyya (apricot stew) Clean and wash a plump chicken. Disjoint it and put it aside. Choose ripe apricots, which are yellow and sour. Put them in a pot with some water and bring them to a boil. Press and mash them with the water they were boiled in, and strain them into a bowl.Now go back to the chicken, put it in a clean pot and add the white part of fresh onion (bayāḍ baṣal), cilantro, and rue [all chopped]. Add as well a piece of galangal, a stick of cassia, and whole pieces of ginger. Light the fire underneath the pot and let it cook. Then sprinkle the pot with onion juice and add enough of the strained apricot liquid to submerge the chicken. Season the pot with coriander seeds, black pepper, and cassia, all ground.Let the pot simmer until [chicken is] cooked and serve it.

For the bustāniyya, I had fresh plums (probably much sweeter than the ones available in period), frozen sweet cherries (definitely sweeter), and I left out the sugar to compensate. Last time I made this was over a slow fire, outdoors, and two different people asked if there was chocolate in it - at least in part due to the colour it arrives at. The plums this time were very juicy, and there was rather too much liquid overall, so that the eggs at the end were submerged and poached, rather than sitting on top to steam. I think the walnuts might be intended as a thickener, rather than anything else - I had them down to a grit, but not to a powder, so they didn't really work that way. "Some spices" is unusually unhelpful for al-Warraq, but I used some cinnamon and ginger. The spices tasted stronger in this than in the other dish.

The mis̲h̲mis̲h̲iyya I've done a few times now, and it's starting to enter my rotation as just another dish I can do at short notice. Chicken and apricots are a good combination in any cuisine, and I'm pretty sure I've seen tagine recipes very much like this. As usual, I left out the rue, because nobody ever knows if they're allergic to it or not, and I don't fancy someone finding out from my cooking.

Both were served with plain rice and stack of pita and naan bread.

They went down well in general, the mis̲h̲mis̲h̲iyya more so (a few people took some home, too). The bustāniyya had 12 eggs in it, and I've only accounted for about four of them being eaten, so either eight people ate them and didn't notice, or were so horrified by the discovery they couldn't talk about it. Daniel was amused; he'd expected his to be a large chunk of chicken, and was very puzzled by finding white and yolk when he cut into it. I suspect that the bustāniyya might actually be better with just the juices, as written, so that'll be the next thing to try.

[bokettochild]

*sigh*

ur posts always have such great vibes, I could really just imagine a fluffy pancake behind your screen just typing your posts

because ur vibes are like a fluffy pancake with some trauma, but that just adds more depth to the pancake as a sentient pancake

anyways

what do u like on ur pancakes

does legend like pancakes

has he ever fallen asleep face first into a pile of pancakes?

does he ever feed his bees pancakes?

are u concerned about being fed to bees?

probably not cuz ur probably a person but I'm still suspicious ur just a sentient pancake

u can probably do all the person things and put on a little hat and glasses and no body could even guess u were actually just a pancake

but I know I can tell your'e a pancake

unless ur some other type of pastry.. ???

if so then I'm sorry for assuming u were a pancake if u really a souffle or waffle or other cultural variety of fluffy pastry

hold on- don't u have some Irish in ur blood? yeah so you're probably a pancake

u have very nice vibes and probably pretty nice voice too

bye

........oh boy

So, um, funny story? My sister calls me the Pancake Goddess? For reasons?

Reasons:

Inch thick pancakes :)

As for Legend, he loves pancakes! Definitely the type to eat his with fruit, but maple syrup (or as Wild calls it, tree blood) is also a favorite. Both combined though? Sweet tooth heaven! He's ever fallen asleep while eating them. That's sticky and he's kinda...against stickiness. It's very unpleasant :(

And yes! I have Irish blood, and pancakes are a Happy Food for me. Unfortunately I'm the only one in my house who can make them correctly, so if I want to eat them I have to make them myself. that's usually okay though, because it reminds me of making pancakes with my dad when I was a tiny anklebiter and those are Good Memories :)

I love that I give pancake vibes though LOL. My sister asks me to make them for her all the time, and they are her comfort food when she's drunk/high/hungover/depressed so I tend to make them quite a bit LOL

This has, of course, led my other sister given nickname to be Moomin Mama because she is ALSO a pancake goddess <3

[cocosnocalcocoa]

low cal meal tips

here’s a few meal alterations and recipes i have that make eating low cal easier, and healthier!

black coffee/espresso- cafe a la llave espresso

cuban coffee bean is very sweet and rich in flavor so drinking it without adding anything isn’t as unpleasant as drinking a plain american.

if you have a sweet tooth or just cant stand bitter coffee, this is a perfect alternative.

2 cals per 8 oz

healthy sandwich/toast alternatives

this is my go to lunch meal: two slices of toasted challah or whole grain bread, 2 turkey ham slices, equal lettuce slices for each bread, and two slices of tomato.

challah bread is made without butter, and is sweeter, so when i cant come across whole grain bread, i use challah. both are about 80 cals per slice.

this recipe can be really diverse; you can also replace the bread with low carb tortillas if you would like it to be lower in calories + add or replace it with cucumber and tuna or eggs and avocado. its up to your preference!

i like this because it provides a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and greens, and overall its refreshing and filling.

about 200 cals per sandwich- but it varies depends on what you make it with. you can slice it in half and save the rest for later to have 100 cals per meal if you’re looking to eat lower cals

oatmeal

plain cooked oats with a pinch of salt for flavor cooked with water, not milk

you can add almonds, some fruit, or cinnamon if you want extra protein or flavor!

this is my go to if i need fiber and want to stay full for a long period of time

140 cals for 1/2 cup of dry oats, but i usually do 1/4 cup of dry oats for 70 cals

quest protein bars

after trying a lot of different protein bars, this is now my go to

they’re the lowest in cals per serving in comparison with other brands, and provide the most protein per serving as well

at first the flavor and texture is a little gross, but after a while and once you get used to it, its a great alternative if you’re craving dessert or something sweet

170-200 cals per bar, depending on the flavor. (theres a wide variety of favors to choose from!)

those are all the meal tips for now, theyre not very original, but i’ll make an updated list as i come up with more recipes!

lmk if you have any questions or concerns <3

i wish y’all safe eating

[borldwuilding]

most-definitively-a-human

Good luck with worldbuilding! Hope you have a blast.

Questions for you: how do the people of your world get their food? What is the magic like? And do you have a favourite fun fact about your world?

----

Replying to this here like a weirdo because my response to the magic section has actually gotten more lengthy than I intended!

How do people of your world get their food?

For most people, food comes from their own efforts or from close community efforts - be that farming / gardening or hunting. For most people who live outside of more urbanized / tightly packed cities, it’s not uncommon to have a garden to grow some food, and many more rural civilians know how to hunt game or have livestock of some form (even if it’s just a few chickens). Additional food is usually obtained at local markets or from neighbors. For those living in cities, almost all their food is from surrounding land, which is usually produced on much larger scales than rural communities might. Specialty foods may be imported from longer distances to larger and more wealthy cities, like fruits from the more tropical regions or rare types of treats and game.

There is also a large population of hunter-gatherer or nomadic people in Aanrah, which has resulted in a interesting distribution of plants. Many well traveled paths may have commonly used rest spots that are surrounded by a wide variety of produce planted by previous travelers, left for their future selves or for whoever might travel there next. In areas where these groups are frequent, food can be gathered fresh almost daily for a good portion of the growing season as one travels due to the amount planted on well-traveled paths. Seeds accidently and purposefully spread are tended to idly by those resting there for the night, and it’s considered good practice and polite to add to the ‘garden’ if one takes from it.

Favorite Fun Fact 

Since this will be shorter than the magic question!

Aanrah, once having had three moons, used to have pretty violent tides, which left very, very little land that was continuously above water! As a result, some of the best ways to travel long distances is actually the dwarven tunnel systems, which were initially dug with the intention of connecting the sparse few landmasses together in a way that could be traveled without every having to worry about the tides.

How does magic work?

We’re just gonna slap the cut here!

In Aanrah, magic can largely be split into two ‘types’: what will henceforth be called ‘divine’ magic (or inherent magic), and sort of ‘spell’ magic.

In the simplest sense, divine magic is a inherent part of everyone and everything in the world - whether alive or dead, animate or inanimate, sentient or intelligent, everything has divine magic. Divine magic can be thought of in a sort of mechanical/metaphysical sense as a descriptor or ‘tag’ - something that ‘describes’ what a thing is in its most inherent and distilled form. And for most things, they only just legally have divine magic. It exists, but is very weak, and very scattered. But divine magic is what designates a domain if a thing were to ascend to actual divinity, and decides what ‘traits’ a object might have for spellcasting. 

For example, a rock. A rock’s divine magic both covers what it’s made of and is (basically in a scientific ‘what are my elements composing me’ sense) as well as what one might attribute to it when spell casting - earth, stone, a location, tough, sharp, and other things of that nature. 

For a living thing, divine magic is both a mix of what they are (dragon - fire, sharp, flight, red, etc.) as well as who they are (their personality, life events, goals, likes, dislikes, etc.). A person’s divine nature, so to speak, changes as they go through life - but for the most part, until they ascend to divinity, any given ‘category’ of themselves is usually fairly weak. Even strong immortal beings who have honed themselves on something specific don’t have a strong divine aspect in it, and won’t unless/until they ascend to godhood.

The Outsider god Artitengh is considered the patron over divine and inherent magic and power. The nature of divine power is such that with the exception of actually divine beings, one really cannot find out what aspects might be ‘attached’ to a person. If anyone would know, it would be Artitengh - and if it is an ability Artitengh has, it refuses to share that knowledge. However, Artitengh is known to be able to cause individuals to develop ‘inherent power’ if they come into contact with his scales - a sort of ‘superpower’ or internal, self-driven magic akin to that used by sorcerers. However, Artitengh does not seem to be able to determine what that power might be - and for the recorded cases in universe, the power seems somewhat arbitrary.

From a ooc and mechanical point of view, it is. Mostly. Every individual can basically be thought of having, say, 90 1% traits and 5 2% traits from which their power can manifest or take direction. Non divine beings simply do not hone or lean to any one trait or direction the same way deities do - which is for the better. Diversity in ‘divine traits’ allows for diversity in who someone is and what they can do. A person who has ascended into a god will slowly ‘lose’ parts of themselves as they gain divine ranks, leaning more into certain aspects and becoming more ‘distilled’ versions of that. Divine magic determines a being or thing to its very core in a unshakeable and undeniable way that other forces cannot or do not - which is why it’s very broad for things that are not divine. 

For Artitengh’s ability, this means that more then likely, one person’s likes and dislikes, or what they do, will not really have a sway on what their power is. A merfolk water mage is just as likely to roll the ability to control waves as they are the ability to self combust when they sneeze. Even Zhün the Exiled, one of the oldest not fully divine beings (even as a demigod) does not particularly have a strong sway in his divine magic - despite being a practicing necromancer and the first lich since the 2nd Era. Unless he were to ascend to Lesser godhood, his divine magic will remain significantly more general.

For those who do ascend to divinity, divine magic begins to pick a direction. The jump to demigodhood can begin to funnel the sense of self towards something related to the individual, but not always. But once a being ascends to lesser godhood, their divine magic and inherent nature picks a direction, and that being becomes usually fully unable to go down other paths (outside of drastic events). Divine magic tends to go from specific and weak to general and powerful, but this is not a solid rule.

For spellcasting, or otherwise ‘wizard’ / general magic, a large portion of it honestly just follows the vague direction of DnD ruling, just for the purpose that I would like to maybe one day run a campaign in this world. In a less boring and lame way, spellcasting is a mix usually of somatic, material, and verbal components. Prior to the 10th Era and Szaifudrus’s deal with Emrul, spells and spellcasting was incredibly rare. Most magic used by beings was inherent / divine, and those ‘true’ spell casters who used spells for magic were usually taught it directly from Emrul or someone adjacent. Spells were basically impossible to get unless you knew the right people, and even then they were seldom traded or exchanged. 

Since the introduction of a lot of spells into the knowledge of more average civilians, the use of spells has taken off wildly. Spellcrafting and theorizing has reached new levels with the amount of knowledge Szaifudrus let into the public, and from what he gave more experimentation and extrapolation allowed magic to become both more widespread and commonplace, as well as far more versatile and deep. 

While wizards and various mages use the bulk of the magic, it’s not uncommon for normal civilians to know simple spells to help out with daily life. Magic is a major component in the creation and maintenance of the world’s technology - including rail systems, basic light bulbs, and heated water.

[the-hilda-librarians-wife]

Carpe Diem - Chapter 9

Pairing: Sketchbook (Kaisa/Johanna)

Summary: Carpe diem: one of the five latim mottos of the arcadist, or neoclassical movement. Literally translates to "seize the day"

Picking up where Locus Amoenus left off, this fic follows the lives of Kaisa and Johanna for a couple weeks as their feelings grow and develop. Updated weekly.

Notes: >:)

Read it on ao3 or read the first installment on this verse or read the second installment on this verse

It was barely past 6 am when Johanna got the message. True, it was probably a little inhuman to shoot someone a text before eight in the morning on a Saturday, but considering that Johanna was usually already awake at that time, it wasn’t like she could judge. That morning was only different because she’d stayed up later than usual with her friends the night before, and the dull pain behind her eyes let her know that her body hadn’t gotten its due of slumber yet.

Even though her brain told her to go back to sleep, she’d already gotten a glimpse of the name on her screen. It didn’t surprise her at all. If anyone out of all the people she knew would be awake at that time, it would be Kaisa. Save for Edmund, of course, but he was probably also still sleeping after their late game and pizza night. What did surprise her was that it was a voice message. Kaisa never sent her those.

She unlocked the cellphone and pressed play on the message, letting Kaisa’s voice, still with a morning roughness that meant she hadn’t woken up long ago, wash over her as she laid back down and closed her eyelids.

“Hey, Anna.” She began tentatively. “Good morning, I hope I’m not disturbing you. I just… wanted to thank you again. For yesterday, and for everything else. You really are very good to me. Tildy thinks so too. And Frida. So, thank you.” 

A smile spread over Johanna’s face. At the same time that she sounded sincere, she also sounded like she was reading from a script. Like she had been rehearsing what to say in her head so as not to forget once she started recording. It also didn’t escape her that apparently she’d talked even more about her to her family, and that Johanna seemed to have their approval.

Her sleepy mind did not manage to pick up on the fact that Kaisa clearly wanted her to know she had that approval, though.

“Also, Frida told me that the Scouts will be hosting a fundraiser today.” She said after what sounded like a deep breath to gather enough resolve. “They’ll be selling out picnic kits. I was wondering, if you’re free, would you like to go with me so we can spend some time together? Don’t worry about it, though, I know we’re all packed with college stuff to do.”

There was a pause. It sounded like Kaisa wanted to add something, but didn’t know what, or if she should.

“Um, that was it. Let me know when you can. Bye.” 

As much as Johanna’s eyes screamed at her to not look at a screen, Kaisa would be able to see that she’d received and listened to the voice note, and she didn't want to leave her hanging. She managed a quick text assuring her that she’d love to, but put her phone on silent before she could get any texts back about what time they’d meet. They’d sort that out later. For now, Johanna went back to sleep with a dreamy smile tugging at her lips.

                                                     ……… 

The weather closer to the town centre was radically different from that on campus. Where at home it had been drizzling slightly, there it was cloudless and the sun shone as brightly as it could for an October day.

After she’d woken up both body and soul, Johanna had made the appointment to be at the green area closest to the Sparrow Scouts headquarters at about four in the afternoon. Kaisa wouldn’t need to be driven there, she’d assured. She’d be going earlier to keep her sister company.

However, when Johanna arrived, Frida was nowhere in sight, and Kaisa was waving shyly at her from the spot she’d picked them under an Ash tree. She’d already set up their picnic, with a variety of baked goods, spreads, fruits and a couple of cold cuts, all on top of a towel that was white with a flowery pattern. There were other people sitting around the park with similar arrangements, but a quick glance told Johanna that Kaisa had brought some extra food with her to add to that which the Scouts were selling in their kits.

“Hi.” Kaisa stood up when Johanna approached her, ready to accept the hug she was greeted with. “I hope you don’t mind, I picked us a basket in advance. I thought you’d like the pattern of this towel that came with it.”

“I do.” Johanna smiled approvingly. "It's very pretty. Did you sleep well?”

“Oh, sure.” They sat down side by side, their backs resting against the bark of the tree. “I was exhausted. What about you?”

“Me too. Except I went to sleep much later than I’m used to. I had to sleep until, like, ten o’clock to get rid of the brain fog.”

After picking up a buttery biscuit, Johanna looked at Kaisa only to find that she’d gone slightly pale. Or more than usual, at least.

“Oh, shoot! I didn’t wake you up, did I?”

Laughing despite the biscuit still in her mouth, Johanna wondered if Kaisa thought most people woke up at six every weekend. Her reaction made Kaisa groan and bury her face in her hands, muttering out a coy ‘sorry’.

“That’s really okay. I found out I don’t mind being woken up by you at all.”

Lowering her hands enough that Johanna could see a roll of her grey eyes, Kaisa huffed. “I’ll make sure to remind you of that when I next need help with an essay at three in the morning.”

Johanna smirked. “Please. You and I both know you never needed my help. You just wanted to have my lovely self near you and didn’t know how to ask for it.”

“Oh, damn.” Kaisa said in the most monotone voice she managed. “Now you’ve unmasked me. Whatever shall I do?”

She shoved her playfully, and they both turned to analysing the food options in front of them. If there had been any doubt left in Johanna’s mind that Kaisa had a huge sweet tooth, it was gone as soon as she saw how her first choices were always the sugariest available. She took an entire half of the (admittedly tiny) strawberry pie as Johanna spread a heap of spiced herb butter over a cracker. The lower half of Kaisa’s face was pink by the time she finished, and Johanna handed her a napkin even if she thought the image was adorable.

“Sorry again for Abigail’s behaviour last night.” She said as she gave her the piece of paper. Since she’d come to the conclusion that the sweet biscuit had been more worth her while than the cracker, she decided to try another sweet food, a piece of the banana and apple bread. It turned out to have been the right decision, the taste rich and cinnamon-y. When she had joined her friends again after having dropped Kaisa off the night before, they had tried to pretend nothing had happened, but none of them had been pleased with Abi. Only Johanna had been truly mad, but even the rest of them had been clearly disappointed by her conduct. In the end, she’d left earlier. No one had asked her to, of course, but she seemed to have sensed they needed some time to forget about it.

“It’s no matter.” Kaisa shrugged, pretending to be more interested in the bizarre amount of pink that had come off of her face on the napkin than in the events of the previous night. “I really didn’t feel any hostility on her part. Why do you think she acted like that, though?”

Johanna took a pause, and a breath. She knew exactly why Abi had said that. The real question was, was Kaisa ready to hear it? 

She’d been giving her what Johanna sincerely hoped were hints for a while now; singing love songs with her, telling her she made her life better, texting her sweet ‘good morning’ messages filled with emojis, arranging this sweet little picnic for them… and yet, she’d never made an actual move. It could be that Johanna had severely misinterpreted everything, and she was simply excited about their friendship. But if there was even a small chance that Kaisa might be interested in her romantically, and Johanna sincerely hoped there was, she’d come to the conclusion that she would have to be the one to take that step.

Well, she better not throw away an opportunity, in that case. Carpe diem, Johanna thought. Let’s see if I actually learned anything from that seminar.

“Abigail isn’t at all mean, but she isn’t daft either. I hope it’s not too self centred of me to say this, but I got the feeling she was jealous of you.”

Her eyes opening wide, Kaisa’s lips parted in surprise as she blinked. “Wait, of me? Why the hell would she be jealous of me?”

It was impressive, in Johanna’s opinion, how someone could both be the smartest person she knew and not have a single brain cell at the same time.

“Well.” As she took a deep breath, her nerves got the best of her, and made her stare forward into the park instead of at Kaisa. “That would probably be because I’ve been trying to flirt with you since we first met.”

When there was no immediate response, or no response at all for the following couple of seconds, to be more precise, Johanna worried that she’d screwed up beyond repair. So then she forced herself to look back at her friend’s face, and try to understand if it was an ‘apologise’ moment, a ‘pretend it was a joke’ moment, or a ‘get this disaster lesbian to understand someone is into her’ moment.

It was that last one. She should have known.

The confusion was evident on her face, like half of her brain was trying to decide if it was a quip she should laugh about, and the other half was processing the implications of her having spoken seriously. Johanna bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from smiling, wishing she could snap a picture of her and then place it side by side with that confused maths lady meme.

“Not to pressure you, but could you please say something? It’s starting to worry me.”

Kaisa’s face seemed to become even more panicked when she realised she was expected to have a coherent reaction to what was happening, and her eyes shifted from side to side like a deer in headlights, looking at every part of Johanna’s face except her eyes. Johanna sighed, a lot more amused than worried now, and placed her hand next to Kaisa’s on the towel. She wouldn't touch her without knowing if she was too overwhelmed for that at the moment, but the invitation was there in case the girl wanted to reach out.

“Kai.” She said, making sure to sound as patient as possible, and thinking of a clear way to word what she wanted to say. “Sorry to put this much pressure on you all of a sudden, but I’ve been crushing on you for a long while now and I can’t actually figure out if you feel the same, or if you’re happy with us being friends. I mean, I am, but I’d love it if we could try something more romance natured. I’ll be pleased with whatever you say as long as we can still be near each other, I just felt like I needed to put this out here so we could be clear with one another.”

Whatever Johanna had been expecting to get in answer, it was not this. Kaisa actually opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before she managed to get the words out. Each time she did so, the space between her eyebrows creased further, making her look more baffled.

“You can’t figure out if I feel the same?” Kaisa ran a hand over her hair, staring at the spot between their hands because looking directly at Johanna felt like too much at the moment, and she couldn’t risk losing the minimal amount of rationality she’d gathered by making that mistake. “Are you kidding me? I’ve been mad about you for like, almost a month at this point. I wasn’t aware of it for most of this time, sure, but I have! You don’t think I go around inviting all my acquaintances for private freaking picnics, do you?”

It was most likely not how she should react, but in the face of that sudden bluntness from someone she’d spent so long tip toeing around, Johanna couldn’t hold back a laugh. She hunched forward and buried her mouth in her hands, her shoulders shaking.

“Anna, I’m serious!” Now Kaisa was looking at her, and using her hands to gesticulate too. It only made her want to laugh harder, though out of delight or nervousness, she didn’t know. “I told you I listen to music because of you! That’s the simpiest thing in the history of ever, this isn’t fun! Do you think it’s easy having a secret playlist to listen to when I want to think about you?” 

Johanna now felt her face warm pleasantly, and a fluttery feeling take over her belly. Not wasps, she noticed, but beautiful butterflies making a garden of her abdomen.

Or maybe goth moths, come to think of it.

“Okay, okay, hold on.” She breathed when she got her giggling under control, even if it was hard with Kaisa squinting at her like she was going to send her to sleep on the sofa despite them not even living in the same house. “So what you’re telling me is that, if I wanted to kiss you, that would be alright?”

“Of course that would be alright!” Kaisa threw her hands up in the air in defeat. “Listen, I’m trying to be as direct as I dare with you here-”

She didn’t have the opportunity to finish that train of thought. Before her courage could wane, Johanna leaned forward and pressed her lips against hers. It had clearly been an unexpected move for Kaisa, but apparently also the right one, because after a millisecond of being ice still and trying to process this new development, Kaisa sighed in something that was partially joy and partially relief, and melted into it. 

It was a chaste brush of their mouths, but they drew back only long enough to look at one another with adoration before gravitating back to the halfway point between them where their lips met again. It felt like their blood was replaced with silver and stardust, like fireworks exploded just beneath their skin. Johanna captured Kaisa’s bottom lip between hers, amazed that it was just as soft as it looked, and was rewarded by gentle hands cradling the back of her head and threading into her hair. 

It took them longer than it should have to remember that they were in public, in a place filled with child scouts and their parents, and even longer to bring themselves to care about it. When they eventually did, they leaned back only the distance that they absolutely needed to, their foreheads still leaning against each other, in a way that they could feel each warm puff of breath from the other on their face.

Looking at Johanna like this, face flushed and smiling at her like she was some sort of gift, Kaisa felt caught between wanting to shout her feelings from the nearest rooftop and wanting to cry. Sure, the word ‘love’ hadn’t been mentioned, but she’d just made it clear, through words and actions, that she didn’t, apparently, know how far above Kaisa’s level she was. And since she hadn’t been ashamed to admit she’d fallen this far, maybe if Kaisa was smart she could persuade her to plummet even further. 

It should be terrifying. She’d always thought that she would never be close to anyone in this sense. She had thought she was too odd, too obsessive for anyone to truly be able to enjoy her presence beyond the show she put up for the outsiders in her life. But Johanna truly had. This woman had ever so gently lifted up her mask, inch by inch, and for some reason, decided that she liked what she saw. The thought that eventually she might lift it high enough and see something she couldn’t deal with should send Kaisa running, lest she get too attached and break her heart (and heavens know what else) trying to not be a disappointment. But it didn’t. 

From the very beginning, Johanna had taken everything that terrified her and turned it into something new and unexpected. Kaisa had handed her well written essays on why she was no good for a friendship, why she shouldn’t want to get close, why she was everything she was running from; and in turn, Johanna had picked them up with a smile, thanked her, and turned them into artful origamis which she kept close to herself like battled for trophies.

Kaisa was so afraid. She was afraid of disappointing, of not being perfect, of the future, and of everything she couldn’t control. But she wasn’t afraid of this. And, as long as the reason why she wasn’t afraid continued to look at her like there was something in her that was worth protecting, Kaisa was sure she would be alright.

[mistydeyes]

HHHHHHHHIIIII 😭😭😭 is it okay if I can request a MWII pair-up? thank you if you do this and just wanna add that ur writing is so GRJRJRKKKSL

Appearance:

I am a Mexican girl with a medium beige skin tone and a bunch of moles around my body. I have dark brown eyes with long lashes. Dark-ish brown hair that is type 2C and a medium length. I have dark circles some are kindaaa deep. I wear red glasses (my vision is crappy asf). I’d say I’m about 5’3 💀💀. Clothing wise, I really like a Twlight-inspired look, but also loveeeee Chicano-styled clothes.

Personality:

I’m a Leo and INTP. I’m mostly an ambivert, since I switch up constantly depending on who I’m with. Usually, I’m more extroverted, outgoing, and chatty around my friends. If I don’t like somebody–or don’t know them well enough–then I’m quiet and a bit distant. I daydream a lot, and can get easily distracted, and sometimes I zone out when I feel sad or nervous. I’m (thankfully) funny in the words of my friends, and can be a compassionate, caring, and shockingly smart person. At the same time, I’m the type of person who will overthink about having to stand in the front of the class to speak. I also have a bad case of anxiety LMAO

Hobbies/Likes/Skills

Some of my hobbies are drawing and writing, and listening to music while daydreaming. Usually when I’m writing, it’s more like journaling all of my thoughts into a piece of paper. I like a bunch of colors, but a lavender purple (including the scent) has to be one of my favs. My interests are honestly around learning about mental illnesses or anything related to psychology. But, I’ve always had a childhood hyperfixation on SPACEEE (and sometimes the ocean). Some of my skills are bilingualism (English, obviously, and Spanish), the ability to play the violin, running reaaal fast, and being a comedic genius (can you tell I’m lying to myself). OH OH and my fav–sea–animals are the jellyfish and manatee 🫶🫶. And if it helps, my fav artists are TV Girl, Lana Del Rey, and Cults!!!

Okay that’s about it I’m SO SORRY if I made it long. Hopefully you enjoyed reading that long ass paragraph(s). Thank you SO MUCH if you do end up paring me up with one of the lil meow meows, and hope you have a good rest of the day/night 🫶🫶 take ur time!!

Johnny "Soap" Mactavish

How you met: Civilian You adored spending spring and summer in your home country. You didn't care what anyone said, Mexico was a little heaven on earth especially during the warmer months. Today, you decided to walk down to the local street market with some of your friends. You smiled as you walked amongst the various stands and watched as patrons purchased a variety of items. As you walked down another corridor of stands, you were attracted to one that sold flowers. You greeted the elderly stand owner and looked at the gorgeous array of bouquets. You finally settled on a beautiful arrangement of lilacs, hydrangeas, lilies, and your favorite, lavender. "Gracias," you gently said as you paid a fair price for the bouquet. You then continued on your way and tried to find your friends. However, you were distracted by someone arguing with a stand owner over the price of mangos. "This is bloody robbery," he exclaimed and you could see how sweat bounced off his arms which were perfectly showcased by a summer tank top. "This is the final price, sir," the owner firmly responded. You made your way to the stand as you were familiar with the owner. When he saw you approach, he smiled at you and warmly greeted you. "Diez 10 mangos para mi por favor," you happily said to the ire of the man next to you. As the owner prepared your fruits in a bag, you gave the man next to you a small smile. Once you were all paid, you knew your family friend had given you a discount. You took out 5 mangoes from your bag and gently handed it to him, much to the chagrin of the owner. "Thank you, lass," he replied in an accent reminiscent of Scotland or Ireland. "Enjoy your fruits," you remarked before continuing your shopping.

A peek into your relationship: After you helped Johnny with his precious fruit, it wasn't long until he found you again and asked for your number. That moment sparked a long distance relationship with constant texts and FaceTime calls. This time, you were flying on an 11hr flight to London. After some much needed rest, you and Johnny left the hotel to go to a museum he had planned and researched by himself. "Where are we going?" you asked as he helped to navigate through the winding streets and rail lines. "You'll see, bonnie," he simply replied and kissed your forehead. After the maze of directions, you finally arrived to your destination, the Royal Observatory. It took about 1 conversation for Johnny to realize your love for space and astronomy and he knew this was a perfect destination. You felt like a child in a candy store as you navigated through the exhibits and had him take pictures of you next to every picture of the galaxy and historic telescopes. "I saved the best for last," he said as he led you into a large room. You both sat patiently as you waited for the show to begin. Suddenly, the room grew dark and the crowd hushed as the ceiling above you turned into a gorgeous display of stars. Your eyes lit up at the sight and through the reflection of your glasses, Johnny could tell you were taking in the wonders before you. "A view of the stars for, mi estrella," he joked and besides his very poor attempt at Spanish, you blushed at the comment. Before he could say anything more, you quickly shushed him as you attentively listened to the musings of a scientist presenting. He simply laughed and threw his arm around you, happy he had planned an impressive date.

[kitkatt0430]

☕️ on tea? Love it, hate it, never drank it? Favorite, least favorite?

Tea is the best. :D

So I love all kinds of tea, it's the best drink. Coffee upsets my digestive system these days, but even before that started when given a choice between coffee and tea I would pick tea.

There are so many different types of teas out there too. And they're all so good.

First we've got the true teas: black tea, green tea, white tea, pu erh tea, oolong tea, and yellow tea. These are all derived from camellia sinensis plant and are all going to have naturally occuring caffeine in them.

Of the true teas, black teas tend to be my favorites. They typically have a stronger or bolder flavor and sometimes aren't so much black as they are a deep red which can be very pretty. Though add bergamot to a black tea and it'll be extra delicious to me. (Bergamot being a type of orange - bergamot oil/extract is what's typically added to the tea itself.) Bergamot is found in various breakfast teas, Earl Grey, Paris, amongst others and has a very distinctive aroma.

Black teas also go well with chocolate - I don't know that I've tried a chocolate tea that didn't have a black tea base. Of course people might also start blending coffee into their tea and that's where my adventurousness dies, but often those will be on a black tea base too. If I'm looking for a strong black tea to go in place of coffee and I'm not picking a bergamot tea, I'll usually go with masala or some other similarly spiced black tea.

For making home made tea lattes, black teas tend to be my go to as well. I've gotten pretty good at making these on the stove with a caramelized sugar base, milk added, then tea steeped in last, though sometimes I'll steep the tea separately while making the carmalized sugar + milk and then mix the two after. Different methods make different flavors which work better or worse depending on the type of tea and the flavors I'm after.

Enough about black teas, let's move on to the rest.

Green tea is also a favorite. I haven't tried as many varieties as, say, black tea, but I've yet to taste one I didn't like. Powdered green tea also has a lot of interesting uses, including making for a tasty ice cream.

Oolong teas are really good too. Not my favorites, but they can be more naturally sweet than black teas which make them a good choice when I want to use less sweetener.

Of the non 'true' teas, there's also a wiiiiiide variety of herbal teas out there and have a multitude of plant sources. But because these teas do not include the camellia sinensis, they're technically a tisane. But mostly we just call them tea anyway.

Chamomile tea is a favorite of these for when I've been having trouble sleeping or have a sore throat. Peppermint is good for cold nights, though it's never been particularly useful to me for an upset stomach as others like to claim. Ginger tea is a much beloved by others, but I actually don't like it unless there's something to cover the flavor. It's not gross, it's just... too much. It's an overwhelming taste in a sensory experience sort of way, so I will pretty much never pick a ginger tea.

Rooibos and hibiscus teas are some more of my favorites for herbal teas. They mix well with fruits for some of my favorite light summer blends.

And now for the great iced vs hot tea debate. I actually really enjoy both. Some teas are better hot and don't taste good cold. Some teas are better cold and don't taste good hot. Many teas taste good both ways, but taste different when made hot vs cold so the version I want will differ usually based on what the weather is like. Though it can also come down to what flavors the temperature brings out in the tea itself, which is why some teas taste better one way or the other.

Fruit teas tends to do very well as cold tea, for example. Peach tea is a common one for both hot and iced teas, but strawberry teas are really excellent for being served both ways too though those I'd argue are best served cold. Black tea tends to be better hot, but on a hot day most black teas are delightful when served iced. And since I live somewhere it can get up to 100 degrees in the summer and stay that way for several days or even weeks, being able to enjoy iced tea is kind of a necessity in order to enjoy tea in the summer at all.