#but mostly I was researching how different kinds of teas taste on their own

[phoenixiancrystallist]

Day 225, and a subtle update tonight! I made some adjustments to the shading on the metal, and then added shading on the... uh... the whatever-that-is. The grey part. Look, I don't know what I was drawing, I just drew it! XD

[astaroth1357]

Demigod MC Series: Demeter

Have I been using this series to vicariously punish Belphie for the events of Season 1? I cannot confirm nor deny that statement.

Demigod MC Series: Intro, Aphrodite, Hermes, Hades, Dionysus, Demeter

Lucifer

Didn't think too much of the "human" when they popped out of the portal. Sure they had a straw hat and a huge basket full of produce but it wasn’t like they were… Wait… No… Were they…?

Oh no. Oh nonononono, this is not good…!!

Demeter is notoriously doting and protective of her children (see her freakout and breakdown after Hades abducted of Persephone as proof) and they've pretty much done the EXACT. SAME. THING. here!!

It was a mad scramble by him and Diavolo to contact and appease their godly Mother Bear before she came roaring down to Devildom herself to turn them all into barley. Thankfully, Zeus must have intervened at some point because though she was indeed PISSED, she didn't threaten to barge in… yet.

She made one thing very clear. Bend so much as a single hair on her precious child's head and there would be WAR…

The MC received a 24 hour security detail after that. Just Mammon wasn't going to cut it, he needed NO chances. It was a full rotation of Mammon, him and Beel for the entirety of their stay (Asmo and Levi both threw hissy fits at the prospect of babysitting, Satan couldn’t be trusted not to kill them just to irritate him, and Belphie was out for… obvious reasons).

In some ways, it wasn’t so bad. The MC was a very mild sort of person, rather even tempered. He’d dare say they were pleasant, mostly content to just tend to their gardens and be out in the moonlight…

But the problem was, he just could not convince them to stay OUT of nature. Including the forests, which were full of hellish beasts fully intent on gnawing their flesh from their bones… and their specialty was plants, not animals, sooo…

Their habit of sneaking out to wander the woods got so bad that he very nearly considered pulling a Belphie 2 and locking them in the basement for their own good. But Devil knows what damage their mother would do if she found out…

At least they make for pleasant company… And Diavolo seems to like them quite a bit himself so the mortal gets a pass from him. Now if they’d only consider their own safety for a change…

Mammon

They make him a KILLING.

Like, no seriously. Their produce is insane!! He’s never tasted food so good, especially stuff that’s come fresh from the ground! It only took a few berries for Mammon to throw on a straw hat himself and start harvesting! He’s a farmer now, baby!!

Weeellll not quite. He’s still absolutely only in it for the money, but anything he brings to a farmer’s market goes so fast that he can hardly care about the labor! He’s never made this much Grimm in his life!! And it’s totally legit for a change!

He bought himself another car, paid off half of his debt, and even got Levi back that 2 or 3 grand he leant him centuries ago. Really, Mammon’s living his best life and it’s all thanks to MC!

It’s a good thing his blatant grifting doesn’t hurt his relationship with them at all, in fact they seem to enjoy having his help regardless. They bring him drinks on hot days or invite him on picnics and stuff, it’s… it’s really sweet. They’re very nice to him and he appreciates it…

But… COULD YA JUST STAY PUT ALREADY???

It drives him INSANE that they won’t stay out of dangerous places!! After he started caring about them for more than just a meal ticket it only got even worse!!

He’s not usually one for monitoring someone’s every move (that kind of control freak behavior is more a Lucifer thing) but he eventually had to set up familiars around the House just to keep them from sneaking out at night...

What was so interesting out there anyway?? There wasn’t any kind of plant that he could bring them himself! They didn’t have any need to be out there!! 

They’d keep telling him they’d be fine but it’s not like he’s going to actually buy that. They were too… nice to be dangerous or anything so why would he believe them?

No more running off, MC! Please, he’s beggin’ ya!!

Leviathan 

Wait, gardening? Like, being outdoors and stuff? Ew. No thanks, he’ll pass.

That was more or less his first reaction when they showed up and it never really got much better than that…

He admits that they’re friendly and it’s not like he dislikes them or anything, but their thing so far from his thing that they just don’t have a lot in common… you know?

For starters, they get So. Antsy. when they’re inside for too long! He tried to invite them to a marathon once, but they could hardly keep still and kept looking around like they were searching for a window… He said, “to jump out of.” They insisted just for some fresh air, but he didn’t buy it...

They’re nice enough to listen to his rants, but they’re barely ever inside for him to do so and like HELL is he going to leave his room and stand around out there for that long. Ranting is at least a one to two hour engagement! What if he gets hot out there? And have you SEEN Devildom bees?? Hell no!!

He has, however, asked them on multiple occasions to reproduce flowers he’s seen in different anime, especially ones that have a very unique look and they’ve done some real wonders with that!

He can now claim to be the only person to ever own a Ruby-Jade Vine plant, straight from the pages of TSL when it was used to brew tea for the Lord of Lechery during his brief illness and-is anyone even still listening anymore?

The point is, it’s a flower so rare it was imaginary but now HE has it!... or had it for about a week until his utter incompetence of all things plant killed it…

He begged the MC for another but they were out of the plants they needed to make it and would have to go back to the human world to find more… He’s still mourning his loss… Poor Henry 4.0…

Satan

Well… He’s called this MC “salt of the Earth” and he does truly mean it. Take of that what you will.

He doesn’t get much in the way of intellectual conversation out of this mortal UNLESS he’s talking about plants, farming, or botany… Interesting topics and complex in their own right to be sure, but that’s pretty much their wheelhouse and they like it there.

That being said, the feats that they can perform are genuinely mind-blowing! They are the ONLY person he has ever met who can cultivate the Devildom’s own ultra-rare Phantom Orchid, a plant only blooms when it reaches a perfect state of undeath (i.e. both taken care of and neglected just enough so that it's only barely alive. The balance is so tricky to master that one hasn’t bloomed down there for centuries!)

There’s also something just genuinely relaxing about watching them work or helping them in the gardens… More so than he’d ever expected from such a simple activity.

He admits that he’s taken quite a few strolls through the flower-filled courtyard of the Demon Lord’s Castle just to admire its beauty... But anything that they can grow just blows all of that out of the water!

They even taught him several magic botanical techniques so now he can grow some pretty mad plants himself. Lucifer never expected to find that giant Venus Flytrap in his closet, but one was there regardless. 😏

Just… out of curiosity one day, he asked the MC if they could make him a new kind of catnip. Not for any nefarious reason! You know… just for research purposes…

The nip they made was so effective that the House grounds were FILLED with nipped-up cats for a whole month! He was in Heaven!! (and Lucifer practically wiped those plants from existence so he couldn’t get any more… asshole...)

That must have inspired them because they apparently made a demons-only version that they told him about WELL after the fact. Had he known, he probably would have burned the stuff on principle... Do you know how dangerous demon-nip could be to them? Experiment responsibly, MC!

Asmodeus 

Ehhhh, gardening SOUNDS like one of those things that should be super Devilgram-able, but then you realize how sweaty and dirty you get in the process and it’s a huge turn off… Sorry MC.

When they first came down to the Devildom, he thought two things: 1) Such a sweet little flower child, as adorable as they were, would never survive; and 2) even if they could, he would never ever see eye-to-eye with them on the “wonders” of getting all up in the dirt.

Well, he was right about 2, but certainly not 1. Personally, he thinks his brothers worry about them too much, they ARE still a demigod.

At one point he saw a pack of hellhounds almost trample one of their vegetable gardens and they lost it. Word to the wise, never try to take on a child of Demeter in their own garden. Those hounds were wrapped up in rose vines before they could even yelp...

Yeah, the MC would be fine.

That being said, while everybody else clamors over their produce, he thinks that their flowers are really where it’s at!

Taking just five minutes in one of their gardens is something else... He’s never seen blossoms as healthy and immaculate in all the Devildom before! Their beauty could (almost) rivals his own! What they do isn’t just a hobby, it’s an art.

He’s taken multiple pictures with their blossoms and they go viral every time. It’s so rare to actually see gorgeous, petal-filled flowers in the Devildom, most of the native plants are of the man-eating variety.

His only complaint about this MC is that they seem to feel much more at home in work clothes and dirt than they do in any sort of party-look he tries to give them… Cute as they are, they can afford to gussy up sometimes can’t they? Mud and grass stains don’t make for a good look, sorry.

Beelzebub 

Beel gardens and the MC gardens as well. Add on that they seem to be able to grow all manner of fruits and veggies and he likes this one. A lot.

They had just finished apple-picking when the portal nabbed them so they had a massive basket of apples at the time. Naturally, Beel more or less stole the thing on sight, but the apples inside were so juicy and good that he almost shook them down for more on the spot!

Imagine his surprise when they, half pleadingly, explained to him that if he got them some seeds they could just grow more… and it wouldn’t even take that long.

To be clear, the formula he saw was this: Get seeds > bring seeds to mortal > mortal grows seeds > mortal makes endless supply of food….

Congratulations MC, you’ve now earned the sixthborn’s eternal loyalty after a grand total of… two minutes. He didn’t even know their name, but he was willing to take a bullet for them (provided he got more of those apples).

The next several months were spent with Beel attached to them to the hip in some way, but honestly? It was just so wholesome anyway…

If he’s helping in the garden, he never complains. He does most of the heavy lifting and actually likes being out there with them (unlike others...)

Many afternoons were spent sitting under fruit trees and talking. Sometimes, they go to the trouble of preparing a picnic or something but it would always inevitably end with Beel plucking the whole tree clean of whatever ripe (or unripe) fruit he can get his hands on with a smile. 

The MC never minded though. That’s just another excuse to grow more, right?

His only problem was when the MC would sneak out to the forest… especially when they get too antsy and just go alone. 

He HATES it when they do that! How is he supposed to keep them safe if they just wander off?? He knows that they have a special connection to nature and all, but it isn’t safe…

He’s flown in and scooped them back up to the House on numerous occasions and his “talking tos” get sterner after every rescue... Please stay put, MC! He’d have so many reasons to be sad if you were eaten… 😔

Belphegor 

Okay, he was looking for a capable, if not gullible, human. Not a shoeless flower hippy!

He honestly wasn't expecting much out of this one... Damn their little heart because they did genuinely believed his lies, it’s just that they weren't… well… They were really good at gardening.

… And it grew kind of hard to keep hating them whenever they'd show up just to give him fresh berries or a bouquet to see him smile… He may claim that his heart is made of nightmares and orphan tears, but who doesn’t enjoy being given a batch of flowers? 

Damn their sweetness too… Right to here.

When it came time to kill them he had a heavier heart than he thought he would, but kind of saw it like putting down the sacrificial lamb. Gotta be done to reach better goals... Stiff upper lip and all that.

Unfortunately for him, they had taken to carrying packets of demon-nip with them as a self-defense measure…

He wasn’t exactly sure what he expected when they shouted “Get nipped!” at him mid-attack, but it wasn’t a face full of some smelly herb! Like, really smelly…! Actually, that smelt kind of good… Hold on.

Turns out murderous rage really doesn’t last long after you get what is effectively ultra-strong catnip thrown in your face. They ended up having to go and tell Lucifer what happened themselves because Belphie was way too blissed out on the floor to do anything... They were legitimately worried they might have fried his brain...

He’s told the effects of the demon-nip lasted three days. He doesn’t know, because he hardly remembers any of it... They described him as like he was high on “weed” and “ecstasy” at the same time but he doesn’t know what either of those are either so it wasn’t helpful…

Truthfully, they were so nice to him while he was recovering that he couldn’t even be mad afterwards so all's well that ends well? Either way, he’s sleeping under their orchard trees from now on. It’s peaceful out there...

They burnt all that nip though. It’s some strong stuff...

[bitchassbucky]

.avi

Word Count: 1.2k

Warning/s: nsfw! (literally) stalkerish themes. dark!bucky x dark-ish!reader. cybercrimes being committed. f & m masturbation. sex toy (vibrator mention). this is kinda meta, tbh.

A/N: the long-awaited part two of .exe mwahaha. we're delving not-that-deep into bucky's little thingy methinks. as always, reblogs and comments are welcomed! <3

follow the CTRL series:

i - .exe

ii - .avi

iii - .raw

iv - .png

v - .zip

CTRL playlist

CTRL moodboard

Jesus Christ, you’re insatiable.

Bucky barely woke up when he caught you masturbating with a rabbit vibrator on your bed—laying on your stomach. The towel you thoughtfully laid on was folded halfway. He assumes that you’re a squirmer too when you come. The Friday night show was his favorite though, shame that he didn’t get any footage of it.

His dick is already hard but he’s got no time to waste just yet. Clicking open a screen recording app, he gets to work. Bucky’s already got some footage of you sleeping, cleaning up, and tidying your sheets. In his little mind palace, he’d never let you do any of these things—he’ll be the one to change the sheets, he’d tuck you in bed too.

Bucky let the program run on the desktop as he went to get his breakfast. His mind keeps drifting back to you in his office.

How do you like your coffee?

Do you even like coffee?

You look like a tea kind of person.

Maybe he’ll ask you for breakfast, as soon as he learns how your morning routine goes.

When he came back to his desk, the bed was already made up (again). He got worried for a second until your face came into the frame, your glasses fogged up with vapor.

You bring the laptop with you to the living room, along with a big mug of… something.

He’s gotta learn what you like so he can like it too.

On his side of the things, he sees that you keep your word processor running in the background. More work, perhaps? He hadn’t had the chance to check out your files just yet. He kept himself busy with your pictures and candids. Bucky had his favorites all printed out—he, of all people, knows that technology can’t be trusted, so why were you uploading these pictures of yourself?

There were ones taken in your bathroom, he presumes. On your bed. In the kitchen. By a fucking window, for crying out loud.

He wants to be the one to take these pictures, to imprint them into his memory. Seared in his brain. But not yet.

For now, he just needs to get back at making sure you’re safe in your apartment.

You’ve been staring and smiling at your phone for a while now.

What are you up to?

—

Turns out Mr. IT Guy isn’t very social-media savvy.

All his pictures are out in the open for everyone to see. You wonder what he’s like in private, then.

Maybe he likes posting candids of his new girlfriends and deleting them when it’s over? For a man who has a face of a god, you’d expect to see at least a girlfriend within the past few months.

But he doesn't. No corny pictures, no hashtags of anniversaries, no tagged photos.

You spent your morning working up yourself with your trusty vibe, the image of him fucking you by the kitchen sink fresh on your brain.

Holy shit, does he have that effect on everyone?

What if you wander into his office after a shift and you’d find him stroking his cock? Would you close the door and never speak of it? Maybe you’d smirk and walk over him, sinking down on your knees to suck him off.

God, now you’re all worked up again. Horny, hot, and bothered. That’s good though, then you’d have the energy to finish the chapter you left a week ago.

—

So you’re a writer by choice. Bucky knew that much.

What he wasn’t expecting though, is you write the most explicit things.

The all-white collar girl he met last week likes to get fucked roughly. Overstimulated. Choked. Gagged. Slapped. Spit on.

He’s gotta show you how to make love. Slow, sensual love. Preferably after the roughhousing, that is.

Oh, the things he’d do to you—how he’ll worship your body, head to the tip of your toes. Bucky wants to bury his cock between your lips and praise you for the good girl you are. He wants to let you know that you don’t need to be degraded in order to come.

You just need him.

Bucky’s cock twitches in his sweatpants, still painfully hard. The thick vein on the underside of his shaft protrudes, waiting for him to just fuck something warm.

His hand will do for now.

By the time he got his hand gripping the base of his cock, he’s got you in fullscreen. The recording app still running in the background.

You’re busy. Typing. Researching. Looking for words to replace ‘say.’ Your sleep shirt is loose on your soft frame.

Bucky focuses on you, then. Imagining you on your knees, right here in his apartment. You’d be wearing those glasses you have on. He knew he had a thing for girls with glasses.

He closes his eyes to indulge himself in his own movie.

Your tongue laying flat against his girth, drooling all over the thick base of his dick. He’d let you take your time licking, all the way from his balls to tip. Your lips would close around his leaking head, teasing and tasting his precum.

One of his ties would be around your wrists so you’d learn how to use your mouth.

Bucky swears to God that he felt your mouth closing in on his cock as he pistons his fist faster. A guttural moan spills out of his mouth as his toes curl, the carpet gripping the pads of his feet.

“God, fuck—Y/N.”

Bucky forgoes any kind of underwear last night, only dressing himself up with baggy sweatpants. It was for the better too. He doesn’t think he’d come so much from watching someone—well, not just someone—on the screen.

He sighs, wiping himself clean on the underside of his pants. He needs to do his laundry soon.

Bucky looks at your face longingly from his side of the screen; God, is this how long-distance couples feel?

Maybe he’ll shoot you a text later.

—

Unknown Number: I hope you’re doing well.

Unknown Number: How's your laptop?

Unknown Number: Shit, sorry, it’s Bucky from IT. :)

Your head spun in three different directions as the texts came in.

Hey, Bucky! I’m doing well. The laptop is too.

Was it too curt? Well, you didn’t want to come off too strong. It’s not like he’s been on your mind for the better half of your weekend morning.

Your stomach made a worrying flip as the message status turned Read 10:44 AM. But there was no typing bubble.

Whatever, you’re fine. You’re a busy girl. A strong, independent woman who—

IT Guy Bucky: Good! Just checking on you. We had some downtime due to system maintenance last night.

Oh, it’s work.

No problems on my end! You type in quickly, sending it. To be fair, all you had in common was a band.

Hey, I have a question. It’s not work-related.

—

Oh.

Oh, he fucked up, didn’t he?

Y/N: Do you know any restaurants near the office? I’m sick of eating take-out food. Other than the hipster hideyhole you told me.

Bucky breathed out a sigh of fucking relief when he read your text. He chuckles mostly at himself and composed a reply.

Yeah! I have a non-hideyhole spot a block away from the office. You wanna check it out sometime?

You already got inside jokes.

Is 11:30 good?

Yeah, Bucky types, a smile forming on his lips, 11:30 it is.

[trials-and-court-relations]

Hello! Gl on the new blog :0! I was wondering if you could write General relationship hcs for Miles and Kristoph? Thank you!

Absolutely! I do personally think that Miles is different in a romantic relationship depending on his age, so I’ll be splitting his into two parts: one for Trilogy & Ace Investigations Miles, and one for DD & SoJ Miles. These also turned out longer than expected, so I’ll be putting it under a cut, so it doesn’t clog up the tag!

(Young) Miles:

If we’re being honest, Miles is going to be an awkward partner, especially when he’s younger. He’s unused to softer interactions and even less used to receiving softness and care in return. 

Whenever you express concern for him and his health, or you do something small to help him out, he’s at a loss for what to do, really. First, he’ll try to express his thanks through words, but anything that comes out is always tense and curt, and it almost seems like he’s sulking. (He’s trying his best, please be patient.)

Being unable to express his emotions clearly is... frustrating for him, to say the least. He’s so incredibly grateful to have you with him, and for everything you do to help him, even if it’s just something small, like running him a coffee on nights he has to work late.

In recompense, he takes to repaying your kindness in a material manner. Sometimes he’ll take you out for a nice meal, but if he doesn’t have the time to meet for lunch or dinner, you’ll find yourself with some gift delivered to you. 

These will vary quite a bit, especially early on. At his core, Miles is very much a traditional romantic, so his natural inclination is flowers, but... Once he starts doing some research, he frets over whether you might be allergic. He also considers a fruit basket of sorts afterwards, but he runs into a similar issue. After several agonizing hours, you find yourself graced with a luxury fountain pen, something unique, yet still fairly practical and hopefully something you’ll get use out of. 

The longer you’re with him, the better Miles gets at picking out gifts for you. He gets very good very fast, and you have to wonder if he’s taken to asking around for advice or whether he’s just been exceedingly lucky so far. In reality, he just observes you and what you have to say very closely. Even if it’s something you’ve said offhandedly and hardly remember yourself, he’s cataloged it away in his head for later reference.

Though he’s quick to learn your preferences, Miles is rather slow to acclimate to your relationship. Of course, this applies in an emotional and verbal sense, but even moreso applies to how he allocates his time. 

Miles has a habit of burying himself in his work before you get together, and it’s hard for him to learn that he can’t do that anymore. It isn’t until you bring it up to him directly, that you’re upset by how little time he spends with you, that he starts to really even notice how much he works. 

It’s not a swift adjustment, exactly, but there is a noticeable effort from him, and even though it’s frustrating, you can tell the he does care about you and that he wants to make you happy. 

The more time you spend together with Miles, especially away from his work, the more he craves that time and the better he gets about making sure to give you plenty of time. Of course, he’ll still spend a late night or two prepping before a trial, and you can certainly expect an apology gift when he does. 

The first time he says “I love you”, it’s a quiet night together at his home, with the two of you on the couch, his arm wrapped around you and with you gently leaned against his side. It seems to come out of nowhere, and takes you by surprise at first, but when you look over and see him smiling at you, you feel more certain about what you heard.

“Did you say something, Miles?” You try to tease, expecting him to get flustered, as usual. His smile widens into a wry grin, and he meets your gaze with his own, warm and confident. “I did. Perhaps you need to hear it again?” Regardless of what you answer, he does repeat himself for you, just as sure as he is when prosecuting, though he’s tender and much more sincere. 

(Older) Miles:

Now, Miles never really outgrows his awkward phase. He’s naturally an awkward and stiff person, but nowadays, he’s more self-assured and more comfortable in his own identity. As a result, he’s much more comfortable in a relationship, and better at being open with his own feelings as well. 

He can still be a bit dense at times, but he’s very straightforward now. He’ll ask constantly about how you’re feeling, whether you’re happy, and whether there’s anything he does that makes you unhappy. Clear and conscience communication is important to him, both to keep stresses at a minimum, as well as to keep your relationship healthy and happy. 

Though he’s more affectionate overall, he’s still hesitant to be very vocally affectionate in public. He’s a private man, just really doesn’t think that everyone around you two needs to see. His love his yours and yours alone, and he’d prefer to keep it just for your ears and eyes.

Of course, he can’t quite resist the occasional chance to tease you. It’s never anything obvious and clear cut, and it’s always in a nonchalant, cavalier tone. Usually, you’ll almost miss it, but when you glance over and see that telling slight smirk, there’s no doubt that he’s trying to tease.

As for physical affection, Miles has taken to asking you for permission before he does anything, save for holding hands on walks. It’s both adorable and a little infuriating, but seeing how sweetly he smiles and how patiently he waits for your answer, it’s hard to really get fed up with it. He respects you and your boundaries, and will make sure that he oversteps them as little as possible. 

Gifts become less common when he’s older. He still invites you out for food often, of course, but his “thank you”s are more often verbal or favors returned now. When you do get gifts, they’re still just as thoughtful and well selected as before, though he has a tendency to focus less on making sure they’re practical. 

Additionally, Miles has taken to bringing you gifts on a whim. It’s usually when he sees something that reminds him of you, or when he’s feeling especially sappy. If he’s just in the mood to bring you a gift, you can expect flowers. He’s still very much a classic romantic, but your preferences are still important to him, so if you’re not big on flowers in general, he’ll seek out unusual flowers that you haven’t seen before. 

“I love you”s are also less prevalent, specifically verbally, but you certainly won’t feel any less loved. It’s not uncommon for him to state it so plainly, but he’s taken to showing his love for you in other ways more often, now that he knows how to do so. 

Making sure you have a fresh cup of tea or coffee in the morning when he can, listening to you talk about your day, or making sure to celebrate with you when something good has happened for you... There’s lots of little ways he’ll make sure you know you’re adored. 

Kristoph:

When it comes to relationships, Kristoph is the ideal of a perfect partner. Just like his hair, nails, and reputation as a lawyer, his reputation as your boyfriend will be just as spotless.

Any tiffs that you two have won’t last long at all, mostly because Kristoph won’t let them last long. He finds minor arguments pointless and, honestly, rather exhausting. His pride is important yes, but if it’s to save face, then he doesn’t mind sacrificing it a little. 

You’ll be subject to classic, upper class date nights, of course -- Kristoph certainly has the cash to burn, and it boosts his ego to take you to fancy restaurants, concerts, and parties. As much as he enjoys showing off and high class society, they aren’t really his preferred dates, even if he himself won’t admit it.  

Now, aside from classic dates, you’ll also be taken out on less formal “dates”. He won’t necessarily call them as such, but they have a much more romantic and genuine atmosphere, and if you’re lucky, you’ll catch a small, tranquil smile on his face. Usually these consist of trips to the dog park with Vongole, or weekly dinners at Kris’s house. 

On that note, Kristoph absolutely can cook and he can cook well. He tends toward lighter meals, with lots of vegetables and overall very healthy. When he’s cooking for you, he’ll adjust it to your personal tastes and any dietary restrictions or allergies you have. 

Gifts are also a regular occurrence with Kristoph, though they’re generally smaller, and if you pay close enough attention, they’re on a fairly strict schedule. He also has a penchant for personalized gifts as well; in his mind, they’re more personal and more likely to draw attention from others. Specifically, he prefers gifts you can wear or you’ll keep on hand.

Whenever someone asks about a gift he’s given you, and you explain that it’s a present from your boyfriend, he relishes in it. He’s proud of being able to provide for you, but he also enjoys that they mark you as taken, particularly as his. 

If he’s feeling particularly doting, you may find yourself receiving unsolicited poems from your beau. If possible, Kristoph prefers handwritten notes for his poems, but if that’s not an option, he’s not opposed to sending them as simple text messages. 

Though Kristoph is quite eloquent with his words, he’s actually rather introverted, and so he’s actually not huge on chatting. If you enjoy talking, he’ll indulge you, but otherwise, you’ll find yourself sitting in comfortable silence with him quite often. 

Finally, his career is and always will be his highest priority, but he does care for you, in his own way, and he’ll be considerate of you and your feelings. He’ll tell himself that it’s for appearances, and that at his age, it’s proper to have a steady partner.

He does have a tendency to smile a little wider when you’re around. After a while of being together, he’ll even set his phone wallpaper to a picture of you and Vongole, for appearances, of course. Apollo comments on how happy he looks when he explains the picture, and he’s sure that he’s doing well, keeping up appearances, then.

[marsmoonqueen]

Red

WinterSoldier!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warning: Mentions of blood, nightmares.

Prompt / Summary: Bucky has been dreaming with a mysterious girl, and it seems that he is not the only one missing her.

Note: Hi everyone, two in a row, that’s a miracle jajaja. “I could take you anywhere you want” is the continuation of this fic. 

Bucky saw, in his dream, how the sea in which he was drowning changed colors and became blood instead. The blood from the people he had killed as the winter soldier, covering everything around him, including himself.

         He was about to scream both in his dream and in real life, but the ground changed again, and the thing between his fingers wasn’t blood anymore, it was hair, red hair.

         Red hair decorated with green leaves, pink daisies and wildflowers.

         A laugh, a laugh took him out of his nightmare and into another dream. A sweet one, this time; in which he found himself with his, now literal, ‘dream girl’. A dream in which he was the happiest.

         “Red” he murmured between dreams, loud enough for Wanda to hear. She had gone to his room to wake him up from the nightmare he was having, and that was projecting also in her head; but found him instead dreaming with a red-haired woman whose face she couldn’t see.

         Trying to make as little noise as possible, Wanda closed the door, and went back to her room.

  “Steve, do you know if Bucky had a girl, he called Red?” She asked one morning, days after Bucky’s first dream. Three pair of eyes found her face.

         “Red?” Steve tasted the name on his lips. “No, I don’t think so…”

         “Why?” Sam was quick to ask.

         “He has been dreaming with a woman… he calls her Red, and he seems happy around her”. Wanda explained as she took a sip from her tea.

         “Maybe it’s me…” A tension settled in the air around the four friends. “Maybe that’s how he called me when he was the winter soldier”

         “What do you mean ‘maybe’?” Steve asked defensively

         “Yes woman, what do you mean maybe? Did he call you like that or no?” Sam followed, irritated.

         “Well, I don’t remember him calling me that way…” Natasha started “But maybe that was my nickname for himself”.

         “Unlikely” Wanda responded “He was calling for her in his dreams, why would he call her by a name she didn’t know he used for her?” Natasha stayed silent for a while.

          “I don’t know, but who else could it be if not me? Who else does he know with my hair tone?” She counterattacked

          “You are not the only one with that hair color” Sam stepped in.

          “Enough” Steve declared, clearly irritated.

          It wasn’t unknown that Natasha and Steve’s relationship had been passing through some serious patches since Bucky ‘came back’. The problem was that she wouldn’t stop talking about meeting him in his ‘winter soldier phase’, and everybody was tired of it already. Of course, Steve was a coward and wouldn’t talk about it, or the direction of their relationship; they were a lost case.

Two or three morning later, when Bucky realized that Steve was avoiding him a little, and Natasha was giving him longer gazes, and only then, he dared to ask the two ‘experts’.

         “Who is Red?” was the response he got from Wanda.

         “Red? What does this have to do with her?” He asked, with a straight face and a defensive voice.

         “So, there is a ‘Red’… Is it Natasha?” Sam exaggerated ‘is’.

         “What?” Bucky shacked his head no.

         “What Sam is trying to ask is if the woman you call Red is Natasha?” Wanda tried now, with both her hand around her cup of tea.

         “No, no, for God’s sake, of course no… she is my mate’s girlfriend… I would never” Bucky seem disgusted to the idea of betraying Steve, which made Sam and Wanda smile.

         “The who is she?” Sam pushed him again.

         “How do you know about her? That’s a better question”

         “I asked first” Wanda laughed at the duo.

         “It’s a girl I met… in Romania. At that time I had just escaped hydra, and was starting to recover my memories when I found her… she was in trouble, and even being mostly the winter soldier, I helped her… and she helped me in return” A smile painted on his face, without him noticing. “She gave me a place where to stay and helped me remember who I am, she did a lot of research even though she had a lot to study” He now laughed whole heartedly. “She also always had music in her flat… specifically a boy whose name I don’t remember”.

         “Then, what happen?” Wanda touched his shoulder when the light abandoned his eyes.

         “I had to leave her when all the ‘civil war’ between superheroes and the government started… I left a note for her, but couldn’t say goodbye properly”

         “Wait, Romania… Is that why you have been dreaming with her lately? Because of the mission we are going in some days?” Sam babbled. Wanda gave him a ‘shut up’ glare.

         “Dreaming? How did you know that?” Bucky got up from his seat on the table, between them.

         “Sorry Buck, I heard you the other time calling for her, and asked Steve, he and Natasha are kind of sure you were talking about her.” Wanda stood up.

         “That’s why he has been ignoring me? That punk… I should go and talk to him, thanks for the help guys” He took his jacket from behind his empty chair and walked to the door.

         “Wait! What was her name?” Sam shouted, but it was too late, Bucky had already left the kitchen. “Damn it” Wanda laughed.

  The day of the mission arrived, and Steve still would not talk with Bucky for more than five minutes. He was getting frustrated… but he understood, he would act the same if he thought somebody was trying to steal his Red.

         Now, speaking about the mission… it was a mess. It couldn’t have gone worse. For starters they crashed the jet, were ambushed, and Bucky got separated from his group by five hydra agents that took him to ‘the chair’ every hydra base had; they started speaking the words, they didn’t finished them, but the own fact that he was seated in that  god damned chair made him become someone he was not. After that, he was no longer in control. The winter soldier was.

         A series of events and actions, mostly took by the soldier, brough the team to an empty street in front of an apartment complex. Truth to be told, Wanda and Sam weren’t trying to stop him, they had a vague idea of where the winter soldier wanted to go, after Bucky had told him more stories about him and the red beauty that plagued his dreams.

          But Steve and Natasha were trying everything in their power to stop him from going any further.

         “Okay… I have an idea” Steve tried to find her in the dark “Let me talk to him”

         “No”

         “Steve, you and I know he will listen to me, he knows me… you heard what he told Wanda and Sam, I am the only one that can control him”

         “Oh really? then why hasn’t he stopped yet? Also, what conversation are you talking about?” Sam asked by the intel, with a roll of his eyes.

         “He hasn’t seen me completely… he hasn’t heard my voice” She responded, ignoring the second question.

         “That won’t make any difference” Wanda jumped from a building to another, far behind Natasha.

         “Of course, it will!” Natasha fell on her feet in front of the soldier, who was trying to climb the wall, to get to one of the apartments.

         “Nat no!” Steve yelled. She took her ‘in ear monitor’ off and walked closer to him.

         “Hi Buck, hey it’s okay” she took his hanging foot and pulled him. “C’mon Bucky, get down” When she finally pulled him down, he wasn’t so happy about it. Bucky looked at her in the eyes and his metal hand made its way to her throat.

         “Nat!” Steve yelled from somewhere, but he was still far behind. The three friends tried to arrive as fast as they could to help her… but a voice beat them.

         “James? Is that you?” A girl with a black coat hiding her nightgown asked from the foot of the door. He didn’t hear her… and she realized that she wasn’t talking to him. “Winter! Stop that!” She walked away from the door and the light that was inside, but the soldier recognized her. He teared his gaze from Natasha to the girl, and as usual, he was awestruck. “Let her go” (Y/n) got closer “C’mon boy, let her go, she is a friend” she had seen the black widow many times on the tv to know she was on the good guys side.

         “I don’t have friends” He answered, with that raspy voice she remembered so well. And contrary to his words, he let her go; and walked the distance left between them with his imponent steps.

         If Sam hadn’t been so worried about Nat, he would have laughed at Bucky’s words. He, Wanda and Steve had arrived just in time to watch the girl get out from the building.

         “Oh yeah?” she interrupted their thoughts “Then what am I?” As soon as the words left her lips, the soldier tackled her in a big hug, but moved her between his arms so he could see Natasha if she decided to attack.

         “You are my girl” He whispered to her ear, but because of his earpiece, everyone heard him.

         The girl laughed “Good to know you still remember… won’t you introduce me to your friends?” she asked once she caught a glimpse of them. Bad idea, Bucky rapidly turned around and hided her behind his back, ready to attack.

        “They are not my friends” He took a defensive position when Sam landed in the floor in front of him with Wanda and Steve by his side.

        “Yes, they are silly, you just don’t remember them… but is fine” she tried to get in front of him, but Bucky thinking that he was protecting her, didn’t let her. “Okay, change of context: they are my friends, boy, so calm down”

        He turned his head to watch her “You are lying”

        “No, I’m not” She walked away from him, before Bucky could put another hand on her. “Now, let’s all go inside, shall we?” she opened the door from where she had gotten out and waited for them. Bucky was the first one to enter, but stayed next to her watching every move of his friends as they came inside too.

 Once they were all inside, the girl took them to her apartment, receiving an angry glare from the landlord because it was forbidden to have ‘stray’ people stay the night in the apartments, but a look to Bucky’s own angry face made him shut up.

         “Would you like some dinner? I can call a pizza or something” The girl suggested as she closed her apartment door, just to be received with Bucky arms, who was glaring at everyone.

         Natasha seemed mad about something the girl couldn’t point out, the captain seemed lost in his own head too, but the other pair, the witch and the falcon looked ecstatic.

         “I’m (y/n) by the way” she extended her hand, but before Sam could shake it, Bucky slapped his hand.

         “Ouch! Control yourself Barnes”

         “Winter!” the girl turned around to see him to his eyes, but his gaze was fixed on Sam.

         “Don’t touch her” He hugged her tighter, as he wanted to hid her inside him.

         “Sorry guys, he can get very overprotective when he wants” her voice came out muffled because of her lips being pressed to his chest.

         “Oh really?” Natasha said sarcastically.

         “So, you are Red?” Steve spoke for the first time, Wanda glared at him.

         “Red? Yes, that’s how he calls me, you know… my hair” she said, moving between Bucky’s arms until he let her face his friends.

         “Forgive us, I’m Wanda, this is Sam, Steve and Natasha… and as you know we are friends of Bucky” Wanda smiled at her, but dared not to come closer, in case Bucky slapped her hand too.

         “And yes, we would like some pizza” Sam added, making the girl laugh and Bucky look at her with a frown.

  No one made another sound until the pizza arrived.

         “So… how did this happened?” (Y/n) asked from between Bucky’s legs as she pointing at him, who by the way, hadn’t let go of her since he saw her, and was currently eating pizza from her hands. The soldier was still alert, but more relaxed. “Did someone say the words in your mission or whatever?”

         “Something like that” Steve started. “From what we heard, they didn’t finish, but I don’t know, I think the room was enough to well… program him?” He mumbled the last part unsure.

         “Mhh, I get you” The young woman started “Sometimes, James would become the winter soldier because of a memory, or a dream”

         “Did he tried to hurt you?” Wanda asked, worried.

         “Sometimes in the beginning, but later… I think he thought I was his handler or something, he would wait for me to give him an order” A shiver ran through her spine, Bucky hugged her tighter.

         Sam, Steve, Wanda and even Natasha released a breath they didn’t even know they were holding.

         “Anyway, usually after a good nap he would become himself, if the words were not spoken, if they were… it would take days to come back” She said absently, but then shacked her head no.  “Aimlessly, you can pass the night in here, I don’t mind, we’ll see what happens tomorrow” She smiled at them

         “Thank you, we appreciate your hospitality” Steve got up holding his plate, ready to take it to the sink.

         “Yeah, it doesn’t matter, any of James’ friend is mine”.

 After the plates were cleaned and the pizza boxes were in the trash can, (y/n) divided the rooms, Nat and Steve would be going to the guest room, Sam and Wanda in the living room, Wanda in the couch and Sam in the floor; (y/n) tried to make him use her room along with Bucky but Sam said he’d ‘rather sleep in the floor than near him, even when he was himself’ which made her laugh. Finally, she and Bucky would stay in her room.

         As soon as her back touched her bed, after she changed clothes, Bucky’s arms were around her, caging her against his chest.

        “I missed you too, soldier” (y/n) whispered as she also hugged him.

        “Sleep tight, Red” was the last thing she heard, as she fell asleep.                

[funkymbtifiction]

hey, me again (the person you typed as SFP). Thanks for your respond. First of all; you are certainly right about me using fi-te, thats actually i am quiet sure about by now (even though i had some trouble seeing myself as a feeler at first because it is usually described that feelers are in general more empathic and i can assure you no person i know would ever use the word "empathic" to describe me)...

You sound like an NP in what you wrote here, yes.

Fi's appear stoic on the outside, but are a swarm of specific emotions on the inside. They are self-referencing; if something doesn't ignite an emotional response in them, they don't care and aren't particularly sympathetic from "the outside," hence why people call them "cold." But they are very easily insulted, if they're INFPs. Much more so than an ENFP, who will consider it through Ne/Te more often than Fi.

[breaddaerb]

Heeeey ! I just found out your blog and it's amazing! I already love your ideas!

Can I have Soviper hcs and scenarios ??

Please please !

[ sova x viper I ]

✎↷: no need to beg anon, for i, the glorious bread, has your back! thank you for the compliments, it never gets old hahsjz.. enjoy!

sova and viper aren’t really two different sides of the same coin. the taller agent is softer, kinder, and genuinely dorkish. viper is by all means the opposite, so their relationship had grown as colleagues over time thar had grown into lovers instead of a spicy romance. their interactions took place mostly on missions, with having viper rely on sova for main communications and information.

it felt like years for any feelings to spark, but it took that level of intimacy just to dig underneath that first barrier of viper’s skin. sova is patient, too welcoming and kind to someone who thinks so differently of themself. it’s odd, but they manage to make it work.

some highlights of those years:

in the middle of the night, sova crept to viper’s laboratory, knowing that she was awake at such odd hours. research and experiments never do seem to have an end, after all, and it’s a calming factor to the russian as he stepped into the room. what he requested was simple; a remedy or a drug for his insomnia, something to put his mind to sleep in the train wreck of life. he finds viper at her desk, worn but focused, and his voice travels in a whisper.

when viper hears of his request, the first thing she does is turn him down. the life of medicine was lost behind her now, replaced by venoms and unforgiving revenge. this man did not need her help and yet he appeared so lost, eyes sunken and his hair a mess. and - god, she couldn’t believe she was doing this - viper scribbled something down on paper. for him to remember.

sova had retreated from the room after that, and had looked over the paper only to find not a prescription, but a recipe. for a nightcap that’ll soothe him better. he has never believed in these homemade remedies, but when he tried the recipe, he found himself fast asleep not long after finishing it.

the recipe is seared into sova’s brain, folded underneath the delicate strands of his heart. he can recite it from memory perfectly.

sova accidentally ate viper’s food once. he was spaced out and tired, and their containers looked so similar that he had just reached in, grabbed it, and ate it in the middle of the kitchen. viper walked in on him not long after, looked down at the box in his hands and at the russian’s mouth and let out a sigh-scoff.

“a pleasure to see you welcome yourself to my things, isn’t it?” viper said sarcastically, walking around the kitchen island. sova paled to paper white, pausing as he chewed into the sandwich. he gulped, mind racing, when he whispered slowly. “..i like your cooking and i forgot to ask. sorry.”

viper hadn’t expected that answer. she thought he would say something wittier or off handed, but it was never that from the hunter. only the more tender, but sweet side of him. the american didn’t have any energy to shut him down after that, so she had sighed and shook her head. “it’s fine. but you owe me, owl, don’t forget that.”

it was when they were dating when sova made up for it. he made a whole array of his and viper’s favorite sandwiches, though they were somewhat sloppy. clearly he had put a lot of effort into it and viper didn’t want to hurt his feelings (ignoring how flustered she was on the inside), and invited him to share an impromptu picnic together in her quarters.

—

aside from those incidents, the two of them are a happy couple. there are a lot of things viper has to work around, like the needle-rung wounds that sunk in beyond her skin, and they work through it. her problems have always been on the table for her, but sharing a seat with sova ar that same table just seemed impossible to her. there are things she can’t and won’t talk about, yet she tries her hardest to be around for sova.

he’s aware of them, too. it’s why sova is so much more open and welcome to viper, ready to bring her into a more loving environment as long as she lets him. the scientist has tasted the sweetness at one point, and only a touch of it. intoxicating, is how she would describe it. and still so far out of reach.

sova’s patience only lasts so long. the owl is filled with dread on the daily basis at times, to worry about not only viper’s health but his own too. the american looks out for these moment specifically and is quick to step on them, reassuring him in rubs and sandwiches. the method works out often.

viper hardly allows sova to take her out on dates. relaxation for her as always come out of her experiments and her push for knowledge, not roaming around an amusement park. however, she lets him bring her scarves from the town he grew up in, or spare audio tapes and recordings of his life. it’s enough for them, and they tend to always focus on the happier bits and pieces of sova’s past life.

sova knits viper sweaters sometimes, or just random of things like coasters or gloves. he got it from his babushka, and it’s a tradition that’s stuck with him. viper was amused when she found out about the habit, but somehow accepts and makes use of each and every one of these gifts.

“sabine. is the sweater i gave you sitting in a vat of poison?”

“..no. i’m washing it.”

“by dissolving it?”

sips tea.

[randomfandomasks]

Undyne General Headcanons:

All Undynes are either a Gryffindor or a Slytherin there is no other way, and there is also no in between. 

Gryffindor: Storyshift Undyne, Classic Undyne, Underswap Undyne

Slytherin: Underfell Undyne, Swapfell Undyne, Horrortale Undyne

All Undynes love Anime and each one of them can play a little bit of piano. Also, they all are terrible at cooking. 

I headcanon that Undyne, no matter what AU, actually has a green SOUL (on the surface) green = Kindness. Even the “edgy” ones. In general, they are very kind, but the world doesn’t let them be. 

Another thing that all Undynes have in commons is that each one of them is incredible loyal, and also very emotional. Undyne is in general very open with her emotions. 

Classic Undyne: Badass! This Undyne basically invented the word badass that’s how awesome she is. Classic Undyne is the most powerful Undyne (only Glitchtale Undyne is stronger). As I mentioned she is very loyal, she values all of her friends. She loves every single Monster in the underground, and she is willing to sacrifice herself for them, even for Monsters that doesn’t like that much (like Mettaton). Undyne is very hardworking, and she trains every day most of the time together with Papyrus. She isn’t actually that bad at cooking it taste pretty decent...if only the rest of the house would look as decent as her dishes. She is actually very insecure about her scar which is why she decided to cover it in the first place. Undyne pretend that she doesn’t care what the others think about her, but she does care. She knows that a lot of people fear her, and it makes her very upset when she sees them cover away from her. There are times when she really feels guilty over all the humans that she killed or fought (and injured) sometimes she even has nightmares. While Undyne actually really loves wrestling and such things...she doesn’t enjoy hurting others. 

Underswap Undyne: A very scary mix of a nerdy scientist and a badass. She gets flustered way faster than the other Undynes, but she still recovers pretty fast. Everyone in the Underground is actually very scared of her inventions and experiments. They usually expect that one day she´s going to destroy all of the Underground with one of her inventions. Despite that people do respect her, and they do look up to her. Also, she is always very pumped up as she works on her experiments. She won’t really hide her “failed” experiments like Alphys. While she does hide a lot of things, this is one thing that she won’t hide. She and Carrot/Orange (Underswap Papyrus) are just as close as the Classic Undyne and Papyrus. The only difference is that they do not train together or cook, but they do hang out with each other. While Classic Undyne is more or less obsessed with fighting this Undyne is obsessed with science. She still trains now and then though. Underswap Undyne would definitely spend way more time with the other Monsters than Classic Alphys does. This is probably the reason why people like her so much, and fear her at the same time. She can’t cook...like at all her food will always end up burned, and she really doesn’t want to burn down her Laboratory. She usually buys food from Muffet or Grillby. 

Underfell Undyne: Every Monster is afraid of her, and who can blame them? She is very dangerous and strong. This Undyne is not as confident as Classic Undyne, and people treat her more like a tool than a living being. Deep down inside of her she is very kind, and also very loyal. She is still willing to sacrifice herself for her people despite the fact that she is nothing more than a weapon for them. Edgy Undyne values her friend even though she can’t really express it. She doesn’t have a lot of friends. The only friend that she has are Edge and Underfell Alphys. She doesn’t see Underfell Asgore as a mentor or something like that, for her, he is just her King. Her fighting style is way more aggressive. This is the only time when she lets her emotions take control over her. No matter how cool and profession she tries to act she still has a short temper, and she also gets very pumped up. She is scary when she is angry though. There is a difference between her usually aggressive attitude and her being pissed off. The poor soul that dares to lay a finger on her people, especially her two friends will die...a quick but painful death. Underfell Undyne is very insecure...she is fully aware that the other Monsters don’t really care about her...and this upsets her more than she shows. This is the reason why she is so determined to protect her people. She hopes that once she helps them collect all the souls and once they destroy the humans...maybe then the people will see her as something more than just a weapon or a tool. 

Swapfell Undyne: Now this Undyne is really scary and creepy...at least that’s the first though that runs through the heads of those that meat her for the first time. She is ruthless, crazy, and she experiments on Monsters and Humans without feeling guilty. She is her own failed experiment. While she was researching on Determination and LOVE, she injected herself with both of those things. The result is that now she has basically two personalities. One is very similar to the US! Undyne but slightly more edgy and the other one(which is basically Undyne THE Undying) is the crazy, ruthless Monster that just loves killing, and experimenting (basically torturing) others.  She can’t really control it. Sometimes when she loses control she turns into one of the most dangerous Monsters in the Underground. The normal Undyne is a big fan of dark humor, she is very energetic, and she also gets easily pumped up. She also loves Anime although the Anime that she watches are mostly very dark. Undyne is afraid of losing control over herself she is constantly working. She tries to find any kind of medication or something like that will help to calm her down. Right now the only thing that calms her down is tea, but even that doesn’t help her when it gets really bad. 

Horrortale Undyne: Everyone hates her, everyone fears her even those that are working with her together, and she knows that. Deep down she knows that what she does is not okay, but she doesn't see another way. She never wanted to be the “Queen” of Underground. But she didn’t have a choice. Asgore is dead, and Alphys, too. She blames herself for their deaths. If she just simply killed that brat (Frisk), and took their SOUL then Asgore and Alphys would still be alive. She may come off as angry, ruthless and cold...and maybe there is something very true about it. But she is suffering. She grieves over the lost of two Monsters that were really important to her, and they still are. She never meant to starve the others or to be mean to Papyrus or to hurt Sans. She never wanted anything like that to happen. But there is not enough food for everyone, and she has to do something. This Undyne is lost, she is pissed. She takes out her anger, her grief and all other emotions out by yelling or beating up the others. Deep down she is still the nice, brave and loyal friend. And despite how ruthless and cold she might be...she is still ready to sacrifice herself for her people. She just needs help, and she maybe with time the old Undyne will return.

Storyshift Undyne: She hates that her director always forces her to make those stupid shows. Undyne doesn’t care about these shows and fame. She does this only because she knows that it cheers up the Monsters. After being stuck in the Underground for so long it gets boring, and Undyne TV is the only fun thing that happens there. Her best friends are Asgore, Papyrus and Alphys. She misses Prince Papyrus and Alphys. Asgore is almost like a father to her, and she is very thankful to him for saving her life. But she is very insecure about her robotic parts. She isn’t a full robot only a few parts of her body are not real. Although she wanted to be a full robot at first, but not anymore. Sometimes she has phantom pain, and it annoys her. Storyshift Undyne is also very energetic and pumped up like the other Undynes, but she is not as confident as them. She is actually a huge flirt, and she loves giving compliments, and making other people blush. But after her accident she doesn’t flirt that much anymore. She only flirts with people that make her comfortable. She gets flustered very easily. If someone compliments her she is going to be a blushing mess. Sometimes she’s even close to tears...she appreciates it. On the other hand she is kinda happy that she has a robotic body because like that she can take a lot of hits, and protect her people. 

[scone-lover]

Sour Cherry Scones

True to my name, today I’m sharing my tested-and-true recipe for incredible sour cherry scones! ❤️

THEY ARE SOOOO GOOD.

I’ve been thinking about these scones since reading Carry On, specifically the line: “I just can't pass up the scones if they're there. They're soft and light and a little bit salty. Sometimes I dream about them.” 

Me too, Simon, me too.

I use my own small-batch scone dough base recipe, which was originally adapted from the blog dessertfortwo. I also drew some inspiration from the recipe from fiction food cafe. I haven’t made @cookingmywaythroughcarryon‘s recipe but I’m hoping to try it soon!

These are quite different from all of those, and I’ve tested them about 4 times now (and not just because I want to eat them again... and again.) Fiction Food mentioned they might be round in canon, and while I prefer triangle scones, I cut these round with a mason jar lid and they turned out really nice—very English-teatime looking.

Tips:

butter: I actually don’t like to use frozen butter. It tends to result in a crumblier texture than I would like. These scones are flaky on the outside and dense inside. I don’t use a pastry cutter or food processor—I cut cold butter into cubes, then rub/smush it into the flour with my hands. I’ve found that results in the best texture. 

cherries: I did a lot of research on sour cherries (this post from The Kitchn) and used dried Montmorency cherries from Trader Joe’s. A friend recommended soaking them in liquid (water, OJ, rum) to plump them, which I haven’t tried but might do next! The dried cherries worked great for the texture. Although fresh would be ideal, obviously, I would be careful with the amount of liquid they add during cooking, which can lead to a soggy scone.

baking powder: My first two batches fell flat because my baking powder was expired! You can easily check this by adding some to hot water and seeing if it fizzes.

salt: The amount of salt in this depends on what kind of salt you have on hand. I used pink Himalayan and ½ tsp was the perfect amount so you could taste it and have that salty/sweet combo. If you’re using kosher salt, ½ tsp should also be fine. If you have sea salt I’d reduce to about ¼ tsp. You can use table salt in a pinch (I prefer not to bake with it) and I’m guessing that would be ¼ tsp as well.

egg: I think dessertfortwo uses just an egg yolk in order to maintain proper liquid proportions for the small batch recipe. However, I found that using just an egg yolk also reduces fluffiness, which is ideal—we want a scone, not a muffin. An unexpected perk is that it contributes to that beautiful golden colour!

Notes:

The photos in this post are mostly from the best-tasting batch I made with the recipe posted here. However, they spread out a little in the oven because my baking powder was expired. The paler scones were made with an experimental recipe which turned out far worse, but I used non-expired baking powder (lol) so I’m putting them here for a height reference.

Recipe is below, and scroll/click “keep reading” below that for a step by step with photos!

SOUR CHERRY SCONES

Makes: 6 scones

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ to ½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

4 tablespoons salted butter, cold

⅓ cup cold heavy cream, plus extra for brushing

1 egg yolk

¼ cup dried sour/tart cherries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC).

In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.

Cut the butter into squares and add it to the flour mixture. Work the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, forks or knives, or your hands. It should be evenly distributed in pieces the size of peas.

Add the sour cherries and mix. (You can also do this after adding the wet ingredients for a better sense of how many cherries you want.)

Whisk together the egg yolk and heavy cream in a separate bowl. Pour it into the dry ingredients and incorporate using a spatula.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and shape it into a circle about an inch thick. Using a cookie cutter or anything round (I used the top of a mason jar), cut the scone into circle shapes.

Place the scones on a baking sheet (optional lined with parchment paper). Brush the top of each piece with heavy cream.

Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the scones are golden brown on the edges and a toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy with butter or cream, tea, and a book :) (Preferably Carry On)

STEP BY STEP PHOTOS

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Cut the cold butter into squares and add it to the flour mixture. Use your hands (or a pastry cutter or utensils) to distribute the butter until the chunks are pea-sized.

Combine the heavy cream, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then add it to the flour/butter mixture.

Stir until it forms a shaggy dough. Add the sour cherries if you haven’t already.

Flip the dough onto a floured surface and push it together with your hands until it forms a ball. Pat/roll it into a circle about one inch thick.

Use a circular cutter or whatever you have on hand, cut out the scones. Do not twist the cutter -- the ragged edges are part of what helps them rise.

Place the scones on a baking sheet either greased, lined with parchment paper, or a silpat mat.

(Can you tell which photos I edited for my blog, lol)

Brush the tops of the scones with heavy cream. DO NOT SKIP THIS - it’s heavenly and gives them a wonderful crunch on the top. Much better than egg wash. It’s seriously decadent.

Bake the scones at 400ºF (205ºC) for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.

Make a scone-butter sandwich and pretend that you’re Simon Snow. 

Enjoy, my loves ❤️ 

[demivampirew]

Keep Calm and Go to London chapter 13

Synopsis: This is the story of (y/n), a successful actress, musician, musical producer and songwriter. After battling depression and breaking up a long relationship, she seeks for a change of air, escaping LA for a while going to visit some friends in London and there she meets Henry. -Disclaimer: some chapters are mostly smut.

Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Triggers:  not triggers for this chapter (I think so 😁 )

Tag list: Here’s the incredible people who showed me support (thank  you   so much for that) and people who asked me to tag them too  ☺️   (I   think I will write a few chapters of this story, if you want me to  tag   you, tell me ☺️   ) @cavillanche @mary-ann84 @henry-owns-these-tatas @yespolkadotkitty @dancingwendigo   constip8merm8   penwieldingdreamer iloveyouyen  littlefreya  wondersofdreaming  alyxkbrl solariumss  sweetybuzz25 @thethirstyarchive @agniavateira   @honeyloverogers @hell1129-blog   @lunedelorient​  @michelle-1185​

How nice was to be able to wake without the noise of cars and drivers screaming at each other. It was so calm there. Henry was still asleep, with his arms wrap around you. Gosh, he looked like an angel. You wanted to prepare breakfast for him, so you moved slowly, putting his arm on the bed carefully so he wouldn't wake up. You grabbed a pair of red pants, a white hoodie and a shirt to wear underneath. You made a big effort not to made any noise. When you left the room, Kal surprised you running towards you, excited to see you. You petted him and rushed him to the kitchen, so he wouldn't bark in front of the bedroom door and wake Henry up. You were studying his Instagram Stories and tried to replicate some of his previous breakfast and made some tea and toast for you. You couldn't contain the chills and tingles in your body when you felt his body pressed against your back, while he hugged you and kissed you on the neck and the cheek. You laughed as a reflex of the tingles and then turned around to kiss him. - I made you breakfast- you told him as you ran your fingers through his hair. - I see and smells delicious, I must say - he replied and kissed your forehead - It could smell delicious but taste horrible- you joked and he grinned - I'm sure it's pretty tasty. You spend part of the morning talking about all the smaller things than you hadn't talked during your time apart. Things that you did while you were on LA, funny things that Kal did, etc. Later, he decided to train with the machine that he had on the house while you use the time to check houses in London. You wanted a house as close to Henry's as you could, but the house had to be big. You needed to have enough rooms so you could have room to store your instruments and you also wanted a room that you could turn into a small recording studio. After some time researching, you found the perfect one. It had three small floors. It was white on the outside and luxurious on the inside. It had the main room and two guest bedrooms, a gym, a small cinema and a pool room. It had a gorgeous patio and a terrace that was also great. Your emailed the link to the sale to Brian and asked him if he could contact the people for you to see if the house was still available to purchase. You realized that once that you moved to London, you'll need to get yourself an assistant because you would no longer rely on your agent to do everything for you. You offered to prepare lunch and make risotto. Henry took a shower after training and joined you in the kitchen and helped you with the cooking. - I don't have to work tomorrow either, you know- he told you - I know, that means that we'll have another day to spend together, right?- you asked, excited - Yes. And there's another thing... - What? - Tonight I'm going to a friend's house to watch a Rugby game. - That's great! You deserved to spend time with your friends -you encouraged him- we can hang out tomorrow. - Actually, I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me?- he asked - Really? You want me to meet your friends? - you questioned surprised - Absolutely! - he assured you - Do you think that your friends will be ok with me going too? - I've already asked and yes. Besides, is not like is just men in there, all my friends always bring their girlfriends and wives. - Oh, so great, I will not be the only lady in there. - No.- he said grinning- plus, one of my friends in that group is a girl. - Oh, yeah? - you asked, raising an eyebrow- Is she pretty? - She's like a little sister- he answered, making sure that you wouldn't be jealous and you laughed. - That's ok. I'm not going to tell you not to be friends with a girl. You can be around a woman and doesn't have to mean anything more than a friendship. I have male friends I'm close to. They have been there for me for better and for worst so yeah, you can be friends without anything else going on. - you said and smiled at him and he smiled back.- Oh, by the way, I need to give you a heads up. - What? - I don't know shit about Rugby.-you admitted and Henry laughed. - That's ok. I'll explain to you later if you want or you could watch the game and try if you can understand something or go to talk with the other ladies that don't care much for the game.

You put on a black short skirt dress with a black vegan leather jacket on top; a nice pair of black short stiletto boots with long black socks underneath. For makeup, this time you went with a different approach a did a black smokey eye. As for your lips, you only put gloss, so it wouldn't be too much. You looked like if you were going to a fashion show instead of a house of Henry's friend to watch Rugby, but you wanted to cause a good impression. He was one hell of a man, you didn't want his friends to think that he could do better. More than all, you wanted to believe it yourself, that there was no one better out there for him than you. Henry was waiting for you in the living room. He had a light grey Royal Marines hoddie, a pair of blue jeans and a beanie of England's Rugby team. He stood up as soon as you showed up and looked at you astonished. - You look alluring. Like...I cannot tell you how much I wish to cancel the plans right now and run to the bedroom with you. That's how beautiful you look. I mean, you always look beautiful, but right now, you look "you're going to give me a heart attack" kind of beautiful. - you rolled your eyes and called him exaggerated and then kissed him, leaving a little gloss on his lips, which made both of you burst into laughter. His friend's house was lovely. Homie. You recognized him and a few faces from a picture that Henry had on his place. His friend introduced you to his wife and said: "This is Henry's girlfriend, y/n". Everyone knew who you were, you were famous around the globe, your face was easy to recognize, but he still introduced you to everyone as "Henry's girlfriend". Henry was greeting his friends and chatting with them, as his friend handed him a cold Guinness and offered you one as well, but you rejected it and decided to go for soda instead. You sat next to Henry and while he was talking with the group, you were lost in one thought "Henry's girlfriend". - Babe?- Henry spoke to you, touching your knee to call your attention. - Yeah, sorry, I got a little distracted. I sucked with names and I was trying to memorize all before I forget them.- you lied and smile. - They asked me how we met and I was telling them that we ran into each other at Simon's party.- he explained to you - Yeah. I wasn't even invited. Not really. Was more like "ok, you can bring your friend, now leave me alone" kind of case I'm sure.- you joked and the rest joined you. - So you met at the party and started to date? Who made the first move? -asked one girl curiously. - Well, that depends. Technically, both. He asked me out as a friend and then I visited him to thank him for the date and after a lovely chat and, thanks to said friend, already knowing that he liked me, I told him that I liked him too, and the rest is history. - you said and look at him and smiled and he smiled back at you and kissed you. That caught you off guard. You have never been kissed in front of other people before. It felt weird but nice. A bit uncomfortable, but like a warm hug at the same time. He put his arm around your shoulders and watch the game with his friends. You didn't pay attention at all to what was happening, all you did was stared at his face as if it was the most perfect painting that you've ever seen. He caught you looking at him a couple of times, smiled and kissed you and gave his attention back to the game. You love how passionate he was about his favourite things. After the game, he and the rest of the group spend some time discussing the game results and then just talk. You liked his friends a lot. They were funny, nice and real. For those hours that you've been there, you weren't "y/n, the superstar, the legend", you were " "Henry's girlfriend, y/n". It was nice for once to feel like a normal person. After you left, you picked up Kal from his assistant's place and then headed home. Once there, you decided that was time to address the elephant in the room. - You know, your friend introduced me tonight as your girlfriend. Did you told him that I was "your girlfriend"?- you asked, trying hard not to blush. Henry sit on the couch of the living room and looked at you, a bit nervous. - Yes and no.- he answered and that confused you- I didn't call you "my girlfriend", I called you "my girl".- dammit! you could feel the warmness of your cheeks. - Oh... - I should have consulted with you first before I told my friend.-he apologized - No, that's ok. It took me by surprise, that's all. - So, you want to make this official then? - he questioned - Hu? - you asked speechlessly - Do you want to be my girlfriend? I totally understand if it's too soon for you for a formal relationship, but for me, I already know that I want to be with you, so was the point of a wait when I already have what I want, except for the right to call you my girl. - Yes. - Yes, what? -he asked raising an eyebrow - Yes, I want to be your girlfriend, silly. - You said and he looked at you with a big smile. He was still sitting on the couch, petting Kal who was sitting next to him- Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill, if you don't stand up and come and kiss me right now I swear...- you didn't have the chance to finish the speech. He was already grabbing your face and kissing you. Then, as you put your arms around his neck, he put his around your hips, pulling you closer to him.

[oracleofkairos]

30 Questions For Your Guardian

These questions are taken from the post here by @fem-birb-woman, seemed like a good way to kick this off! 1.) What is your guardian’s name? What does it mean? What inspired you to choose that name for them? "The Oracle Of Kairos. I didn't choose it, but it was given to me by the followers of Osiris, after my frequent excursions into the Infinite Forest."

2.) What did your guardian name their ghost? What does it mean? What inspired them to choose that name?

"This here is Custode, means Guardian in a pre-collapse tongue. Little bit of a joke, but this little guy has seen me through many trials, and I'll know he always has my back."

3.) What is your guardians favorite weapon of choice? What mod do they use for it? Do they have a masterwork on it and if so, how many enemies have they killed with that weapon?

"The IKELOS_HC_V1.0.2 , a gift from Rasputin. I've tuned it to handle rank and file opponents, I have had the aid of others to bring it up to a masterwork of engineering, and frankly, I've lost count of how many this pistol has killed."

4.) Do they participate in the Crucible often or do they just go to complete the daily challenges? "I hate the crucible. I understand it's purpose, both for morale and training, but I still can't bring myself to enjoy getting curbstomped by other guardians."

5.) If your guardian had to choose to be another class, what class would they pick? Or would they stay the same? "I think I'd prefer to stay a Warlock, but I could see myself as a half-decent titan, but I'd be much more of a strategist than an unstoppable battering ram."

6.) What is their favorite subclass within their own class? "Stormcaller. I've always felt a more tangible tie to Arc energies, and since the reawakening of my light, that has only strengthened."

7.) What is their favorite subclass in a different class?

"Sentinel titans will always have my respect, they put themselves on the line to shield allies from harm, and they're very good at it."

8.) Would they rather receive a titan kiss ( a hard ass headbutt that mostly results in death ), asking a warlock a question that might result in a long explanation, or deciding to play the knife game with hunter and bet at high stakes? "Ask the question of a Warlock. I'd much rather have an interesting conversation than risk losing a body part, no matter how briefly."

9.) Would they prank other guardians or just their close friends? What kind of pranks would they pull?

"The Hijinks of the Drifter and Cayde always made me... Afraid, of pranks. I don't think I could bring myself to engage in such things."

10.) Which vanguard member to they like to hang out with the most? "I'm on good terms with both Ikora and Zavala, but I more often find myself discussing theories or new intrigues with Ikora whenever I stop by the tower. She's been a fine mentor and a better friend."

11.) Who would they fmk out of Skolas, Ghaul, and Calus? "Frankly, I hate everything about this question, but in the interest of honesty; Fuck Skolas, Marry Calus, and Kill Ghaul."

12.) What kind of hobbies do they do in their free time? Are there any particular skills they have that help them with this hobby(s)? "I've always found an interest in etchings and engravings, I've got a good hand from many hours with a pen, and that serves me to handle the tools when making carvings."

13.) What is their favorite armor set and what shader do they use for it? "Oddly, I've always been attached to the Exodus Down armor provided by Failsafe... It's always just... Fit me, in a way. Almost all our armor is perfectly tailored, but this runs deeper than that. And, in honor of the Followers of Osiris, I wear Kairos Bronze."

14.) Do they prefer silence or are they unbothered in loud areas? "Depends on what I'm doing, when studying or researching, I require quiet, but I do enjoy the bustle of the Tower when I need to relax."

15.) Are they afraid of storms? If so, is there a specific reason why? "To the contrary, I love storms. There's nothing better than wandering and just taking in the energy radiating from those electric clouds."

16.) Who were they before their ghost revived them? Do they know about this and if so how or what did they use to learn about themselves? "I know looking into such things is... Frowned on, but I have done some research into it. Between my own strange clicks, and the fact I was first revived on Nessus, I believe I may have been one of the crew or colonists aboard the Exodus Black."

17.) How close are your guardian and their ghost? If they are not close, would your guardian kill their ghost and choose to answer the darkness’ calls? "I love Custode. If anything were to happen to him, I'm not sure I could, or would want, to survive the experience."

18.) Would your guardian engage in a romantic relationship with Fallen, Cabal, Hive, etc? If so, what do they find attractive about the species? "This... Is an odd question, I suppose I couldn't deny the possibility of finding myself with a sentient member of any of those species. I wonder what a relationship with the hive would even be like..."

19.) Who is their favorite lore hero? Example, Jolder, Saint-14, Andal Brask, etc. Why is this person their favorite and in what ways do they inspire your guardian? What would your guardian say if they were face to face with them? "Osiris and Toland The Shattered. I could not hold them to the title of Hero, but I look to their works as examples on how to push the limits of Guardian knowledge, but also how to be mindful of the edges of madness."

20.) Does your guardian like plants? If so, what kinds? Do they prefer flowers or trees or shrubs? Would they start a garden?

"I do enjoy plants, and I actually have a small terrarium containing a blueberry bush inside my orbiter."

21.) If your guardian became obsessed with something, what would it be? "The infinite forest... I was... Unable, to resist the temptations of the possibilities within, and found myself lost for a long few years... I've only recently re-emerged, only to find Cayde dead, Osiris hostage, Mara, Saint, and others returned, and some mad scheme about swearing guardians to the darkness. It was... A difficult adjustment."

22.) Do they like reading books or watching movies or both? What genres are their favorites? Does their fireteam have the same taste? "I've always enjoyed both books and cinema, whenever I was invited to showing by other guardians. Historical fiction and high fantasy hold a special place in my heart, as they speak to our capacity for imagination."

23.) What kind of music do they like? Do they dance around anybody in any situation or in the privacy of their quarters? What would their favorite song from the Golden Age be? "I've always enjoyed Golden Age Classical, since I first heard it among Rasputin's broadcasts. And while I don't often dance, I do enjoy the occasional slow dance with a partner during The Dawning, or other festivals."

24.) What does their living space look like? Are there a bunch of pictures around or do Knick knacks cover the shelves? Do they enjoy bright, neutral, or dark colors? Would they purchase a fur rug? "I do my best to keep organized, but there's many, many little momentos of my travels, and it makes it difficult to keep things tidy. I prefer cooler colors, and I do have a fur rug I pinched from Clovis Bray's facilities. Bear, I think."

25.) Do they travel around the city often? If so, what are their favorite places to go and who do they go with? Are the civilians ever excited to see them or do they give them a look because of precious mishaps that resulted in property damage? "I often travel within the city, whether I'm visiting friends in the New Monarchy, or going to the various scrappers and book-vendors. I have a few good friends, and I do my best to be polite and respectful to all others."

26.) Are they good with kids? If not, how do they react when a child tries to talk to them? If they are good with kids, what kind of things do they do to entertain them? "I'm... Not amazing, with children. I enjoy their inquisitive nature, but I sometimes get too wrapped up in my explanations, and either scare them with things they didn't need to know, or leave them with more questions than they started with."

27.) Are they in love with Shaxx?

"No. In the words of a man with wisdom beyond his years; 'Every minute I spend in the crucible makes me wish I stayed dead.' "

28.) When your guardian sleeps, are they stiff and stay in one spot or wild and kick off the sheets? Do they have nightmares often and if so, about what? How often do they sleep? "Custode does his best to remind me to get a full nights sleep, and tells me he sometimes has to verify I'm still alive, given that I'm almost perfectly still. As for nightmares... They happen, especially after everything on the Moon."

29.) Do they enjoy coffee, tea, soda, or water? Would they mix all of these together and drink the liquid on a dare? "I'm partial to both Coffee and Tea, particularly one kind Eris was kind enough to make for me during our stay on Luna... And absolutely not."

30.) What about their personality attracts other guardians to them? What is it about other guardians that attracts your guardian to them?

"I enjoy other guardians with a passion for discovery and a desire for knowledge, and I often find others who seek me out for the same. Though there have been cases other guardians or fireteams have sought my guidance after my years in the Infinite Forest, hoping I have insight into future events."

[lilacasia]

[ voicelines ]

hello  —  welcome to my clinic  ,  i’m dr. casia vincent  ,  casia is just fine . . . no need for the intimidating title  ,  let’s start off with being friends and get more comfortable with each other.

good morning  —  have you had breakfast  ??  no  ??  let me make you some  ,  come  ,  sit  .  don’t be shy  !!  i like having guests over for a meal  !!

good afternoon  —  have you ever had the pleasure of having afternoon tea in the clearing near here  ??  it’s absolutely blissful  ,  enjoying the scenery with a cup of tea and sweet treats  ,  it really refreshes the mind

good evening  —  the day just flew by  ,  where does the time go  ??  there’s still so much to do  ,  but not enough time to do them  !!  sometimes i wish there were multiples of me  .  i wonder if that’s possible to do

good night  —  beauty sleep is real and it’s important for your skin and your health  !!  it’s no joke  ,  sleeping eight hours will do wonders for your body  !!

chat ( idleness )  —  hmm . . .i wonder if i might be able to make a wound freezing agent . . . maybe if i mix it with slime condensate . . . interesting . . . i need to look into this more

chat ( traveling )  —  it’s hard  ,  but for the sake of gathering materials and finding new resources  ,  it’s worth it in the end . . . plus  ,  i get to see new sights every time  !!

chat ( research )  —  i’m trying to come up with efficient and easy-to-use potions and remedies for people to use . . . ones that people can easily access and even make themselves for times when doctors cannot be reached

when it rains  —  goodness  ,  i guess our plans have to be postponed until a later time . . . as much as i enjoy a good dousing of rain  ,  getting sick is not that fun  .

when the sun is out  —  beautiful  !!  today’s the perfect day to go for a stroll and maybe even a tea break in the forest  .

when it’s windy  —  heavens above  ,  someone must have peeved the lord of wind . . . let us be careful on our way today  ,  it’s hard to tell what sort of things we may come across  .

about casia ( schooling )  —  i was mostly homeschooled until the age of 16 when my vision appeared . . . that was when my parents and i discussed receiving official schooling to learn how to use my vision properly and to further my knowledge  .

about casia ( career )  —  i became a doctor  ,  not only because my parents were  ,  but because i also enjoy helping people . . . i want them to be a better version of themselves  ,  it brings me joy to know that i can help people live to the fullest  .

about casia ( fashion )  —  i always find it so interesting how people dress in different regions . . . i unfortunately have yet to come across those from inazuma and snezhnaya  ,  but i do wish to know how they dress over there  ,  what the current style is like  .  i wonder if it’s like the trends here  .

about us ( potions )  —  here  ,  let me teach you how to make this potion without wasting a lot of resources  ,  you’ll thank me later  .  it’s really simple  ,  come closer  .

about us ( plants  )  —  these plants here are edible  ,  if you’re ever hungry  ,  give them a wash and eat them  .  it’s not much  ,  but it’s better than starving and running out energy . . . don’t put yourself in danger  ,  even if it’s just some plants  ,  it’ll give you a boost until you can find proper food  .

about the vision  —  a gift  ??  i’m not really sure how to explain how i feel  ,  but perhaps it’s a driving factor in wanting to better myself  .  had i not received a vision  ,  i would not have found myself so driven to use my ability for something and explore the world  .

anything to share  —  i know you already have a companion  ,  but if i may be so bold and ask . . . would you mind if i accompanied you on your next trip  ??  i’d be honored if you’d allow me  ,  i promise i won’t be a burden  !!

interesting things  —  if you’re looking for a refreshing tea  ,  take some mint and some sweet flowers  ,  grind them together and steep them in hot water for a few minutes  .  add a bit of honey and voila  ,  you have a sweet and minty tea that’s good for the palate  !!  it tastes good cold as well  !!

about albedo [ @likepyrite​ ]  —  a bold  ,  bold man  !!  he has definitely swayed my heart with his upfront confession  ,  he has me anticipating to hear and see more from him  !!  aside from that  ,  i respect him as a fellow alchemist and scholar  ,  i’m often amazed by the work he’s put out  .

about vlad [ @dayguard​ ]  —  my . . . one night hero  ??  people haven’t had the greatest opinions about the fatui  ,  but they are people with feelings  .  i’m less surprised that a fatui saved me than i am surprised that someone stepped in to help  .  i hope people understand that the people in the fatui aren’t . . . bad  .

about terry [ @spitefulgames​​ ]  —  a sweet and gentle boy  .  whoever hurt him and left him in the forest needs to answer for their crimes  .  he’s been a great help  ,  i just wish he’d stop feeling as if he owes me something . . . i did what i did because i wanted to  ,  not because i was expecting something in return  .  now . . . the other side of him . . . [ nervous laugh ] i’m not quite sure how to feel about him  .

about sucrose [ @naturalisstatera​ ]  —  sucrose is hardworking and dedicated  ,  i can see why sir albedo took her on as an apprentice  .  she’s got a curious nature and is willing to explore  .  i can’t wait to see what sort of research she brings to the table  .

about york [ @warblissed​ ]  —  the only person i’ve met that finds being in an emergency room romantic . . . truly  ,  york needs to find a better definition of romantic  ,  or archons save his soul  ,  he’s going to get dumped . . .

more about casia [ i ]  —  i grew up in a small farming region on the edge of mondstadt  ,  my family has a long history of being physicians and herbologists so we were kind of unofficially dubbed as the local hospital . . . we have many patients from nearby villages come for our help

more about casia [ ii ]  —  hm  ??  why do i keep looking . . . ah . . . you caught me  .  i’m just appreciating that gentleman’s fine physique  ,  it’s quite a beauty to see  .  he’s quite handsome too  !!  what a treat for my tired eyes  ,  i feel absolutely refreshed just by watching him move  !!

more about casia [ iii ]  — why didn’t i go home after i finished school and opened my own clinic instead  ??  well  ,  they have enough help at home already . . . they don’t need me to crowd them  .  plus  ,  my clinic is now closer to the library at the favonius headquarters so i have access to plenty of reading materials  .

hobbies  —  i enjoy making my own makeup and perfume . . . all natural and in very pretty shades  .  it’s a huge trial and error process  ,  but that’s the fun in it  .  some ingredients are harder to acquire  ,  but the result makes it worth it  .

troubles  —  i just can’t seem to find a set of earrings that match this outfit  !!  and even more  ,  now i have to redo my makeup . . . there’s just not enough time to put together a good looking outfit for the day . . . how upsetting  .

favorite foods  —  i prefer balanced meals  ,  nothing too salty nor spicy nor sweet . . . a meal with dessert  !!  i’m not picky about food  !!

least favorite foods  —  not picky at all  ,  i’ll eat anything that is edible and filling  !!

birthday  —  oh darling  !!  it’s your birthday  ??  why didn’t you say so  ??  come  ,  come . . . i’m gonna get you all dressed up then we’ll have a night in town  ,  everything’s on me tonight  !!

feelings about ascension ( intro )  —  wow  ,  i didn’t know i could do even more with my powers

feelings about ascension ( building up )  — now i’m giddy to learn what else i can do  !!  show me more  !!

feelings about ascension ( climax )  — so this is what it means to be a better you . . . amazing  ,  i feel like i’m constantly evolving  !!

feelings about ascension ( conclusion )  — incredible  ,  just when i thought i knew my abilities  ,  you have shown me a whole new world  !!  please  !!  do go on  ,  i wish to learn more  !!

battle and exploration

added to party  —  you won’t regret it  !!  /  i’m excited  !!

elemental skill  —  watch this  !!

elemental burst  —  don’t take your eyes off of me  !!

idle  —  same as chat lines above

dash  —  watch out for the mud  ,  these shoes are new  !!

gliding  —  oh dear  ,  i really hope this doesn’t mess up my hair

damage  —  ugh  !!   how rude  !!

knocked out  —  i was too hasty  /  i hope i have enough potions to heal

[paodequeijofeliz-blog]

Let me tell you a good story

Bloodbound Fanfiction (characters and main story belongs to Pixelberry Studios).

Pairing: Kamilah Sayeed and MC (Annie)

Information:  this takes place after Bloodbound 3, here I’m recreating how Kamilah and MC would meet if she had never gone to Raines Corporation right away.

Summary: Thirty years after meeting Annie for the first time, Kamilah is now a wife and a mother. During a regular family dinner, she decides to tell her daughter and their new son-in-law the story of how she fell in love with Annie after an unusual meeting through the hallways of NYU.

Warnings: none.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 7 (Finale)

Let me tell you a good story - Part 6

March 2nd, 2048

           “So… When and how did you find out, exactly?” Drake cupped his own chin, intrigued. “I mean, you DO know that the woman beside you is Kamilah Sayeed, Ms. K. Sayeed of Ahmanet Financial, right?”

           Anna’s snorted a laugh. “Yes, I actually DO know I married Ms. Kamilah Sayeed, although she isn’t a “Ms” anymore.”

           “Jump to the part you realized it. It was a painful and funny scene to watch, all at once. And it wasn’t long after you two started making out, right?” Adrian’s hands are always resting in his pockets when he feels safe and relaxed. Especially around family. Right now, they had been there ever since he entered the house. There was no safer place to be.

           “Four days after that. September 16th.” Kamilah gave a soft smile. She was damn good remembering dates. “Because on September 15th, I asked her to follow me to the Penthouse after work and share a drink. We had made great advancement on the research…”

           “…and on other things…” Anna cofed.

           “…that too…” The vampire relaxed back against the chair. “I think it’s your turn to talk. We’re all excited to hear this part from you, darling. Tell them how you found out the truth.”

           The historian sighed.

 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 15th, 2018

           That place was nothing remotely close to what Annie had pictured in her head. She knew Kamilah was rich, of course, the woman wore only Armani and Louis Vitton for days, but not that rich. It was so big, she was afraid to wonder off and get lost in there. They would need to call the firefighters to find her back. Maybe even set up some search teams, hire a few detectives…

           “My goodness, you’re so dramatic. Stop stalling already.”

           “You hush, wife. You had your time telling, now it’s mine.”

           It was indeed a huge apartment. But it had nothing that could lead Anna into finding Kamilah’s last name. Not a document, a picture, a tag, anything. It was mostly fancy and elegant furniture carefully selected to match a refined set of Egyptian displayed objects. Everything there seemed to cost thirty times the historian’s pay check, so she kept her arms pretty tight to her body while walking slowly at a safe distance from anything that could be bumped into.

           “Are you feeling well?” Kamilah arched an eyebrow from the beverage side cart where she was choosing a drink.

           “Yes. I’m perfect.” Anna turned to walk in her direction but stopped after a few steps. There were too many fancy glasses and bottles on that cart.

           “What do you usually drink?”

           Her eyes scanned it from the distance. “Hm… Rum.”

           Kamilah lifted her gaze, impressed. Since Anna’s face looked confident, she didn’t argue, putting a generous dose on a short glass. “With…?”

           “Ice and peppermint.”

           “Who would’ve thought…” the Egyptian handed her the drink, choosing for herself a highly alcoholic liquor with scents of cocoa and cinnamon.

           “What?” Anna smiled, turning the glass and drinking half of it like it was some tasty light tea. “Were you expecting me to ask for something else? Something lighter or sweeter?”

           “Maybe. Although, you are a woman of good tastes for coffee. I should’ve expected you to own good tastes for alcohol either.”

           “Why, thank you. I also have a good taste for women.”

           Kamilah gave her a malicious smile, leaning in enough to brush the lips on Anna’s. The kiss she placed there was a light one, just enough to speed her heartbeat. After a couple seconds, the Egyptian gently took Annie’s hand and guided her to the balcony, so they could talk beneath the moonlight. Ever since the first kiss at the office, it had been impossible to keep their hands off each other. In the past few days, the historian was always finding an excuse to go see Kamilah unexpectedly. She had the permission to do so even before the kiss, and now it was using it on her advantage, showing up in different hours so the Egyptian would be caught off guarded. That morning, it was Kamilah who flipped the game.

           “Was I a good visitor today?” the CEO took their glasses once they were finished, leaving it on an iron table.

           Anna narrowed her eyes. “Yes. You could’ve announced your presence before pinning me on the wall, though. I almost had a heart attack.”

           Kamilah laughed, hugging her from behind and pressing Annie’s body against the balcony. They could see the entire city from there, but all the Egyptian’s eyes wanted was to admire the smooth curve of the neck where she started to kiss. “I like to keep you on the edge. You’ve been way naughty for my taste… I think I allowed you too much freedom around me.”

           “Is that so? Do you prefer me to give you space?”

           Kamilah’s grip around her waist tightened harshly, nails sinking. “No.” She turned the girl in a fast movement. Those brown eyes were glowing dangerously. “I do not wish any space to be put between us. What I want is for you to be a good girl and stop teasing me around.”

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

           “Now I have to skip a few parts…” Annie smiled at them, biting her knuckles to muffle a spicy laugh. “For my daughter’s sake.”

           “Thank God.” Lysia agreed. 

           “My sake too, ma’am. No offense intended.” Drake lifted his hands, blushed.

           “Non taken… So… Hm… In the next morning…” Anna’s voice was starting to get slower, loosing track while her accent seemed to strengthen.

           Kamilah is a smart woman. And knows her wife too damn well. The vampire’s gaze was lingering at the ceiling, but her ears and perceptions were capturing every single movement Annie made while telling the story. The historian was already showing her regular signs of being too sleepy. Kamilah fought the idea of interrupting and taking her wife to bed. But then, her attention caught the adorable giggle Anna made while describing how beautiful Kamilah looked that morning years ago. She just couldn’t stop her wife’s fun. Ten more minutes wouldn’t hurt.

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 16th, 2018

             “Good morning.” Kamilah woke her by gently stroking the woman’s hair, trying to uncover her sleepy face. She found out two dozy big black eyes opening to meet hers. “It’s almost ten, already. Did I tire you this much?”

           Annie denied it with a scoff, but her silly opened smile was there to unmask the truth. For a while, they just stayed there, breathing comfortably with their bodies still kind of tangled on each other. Kamilah kept caressing that wavy long hair, her face resting on the top of the historian’s head. She could smell vanilla on it, a sweet scent one day the Egyptian would know so well, it became part of her home. Mixed with it, there was Opium, Kamilah’s favourite parfum. Knowing she had touched Anna so much to the point of their scents getting mixed made the CEO smile. The idea of being all over the professor’s skin was too appealing.

           “I need coffee.” Annie finally said something, although her voice sounded half asleep. Slowly, she turned to kiss Kamilah between her breasts, tracing a path that finished under her earlobe. “Let me make you some. Ok?”

           The Egyptian loved the sweet way Anna would always ask “Ok?” after anything and everything, even though the answer for that question had only been “yes” so far. – “Of course. I’ll take a shower and meet you in the kitchen.”

           Fifteen minutes later, the doorbell rang. Annie hesitated, a pan with boiling water on her hands. “Kamilah? Someone’s at your door…”.

           No answer. Still uncertain, the girl went to look through the peephole, but there wasn’t anyone there. She slowly opened a crack to find two silver boxes wrapped with satin ribbon bows and a small note with “Ms. Sayeed” written on it.

           “What are you doing?” Kamilah’s hand took the hot pan in a flash. “Don’t walk around with boiling water in your hands, you could’ve gotten in an accident.” Which was an extremely probable outcome, since she saw the historian dropping too many books and pens while working, besides constantly tripping on her own toes.

           “Uh, sorry, I forgot I had it… The doorbell rang…” Anna’s eyes scanned the carpet, afraid she might have dripped the water somehow, but there was no stain.

           “Bring it in, it’s our outfits.” With that, Kamilah head back to the kitchen to finish the coffee. It took a moment for Annie to follow her, as the woman was walking with extreme caution, like the boxes were made of crystal. “Relax, darling. Nothing in there is breakable. Leave it on the bed, please.”

           “Why is there a note with Ms. Sayeed’s name? She gave you this?” her voice came from the distance, while Anna was taking the boxes to the bedroom.

           Kamilah bitted her lower lip, pondering about telling or not the truth already. “Yes”, she finally said, deciding to let Anna find it out on her own, “It’s for tonight’s gala. She desires us to look elegant.”

           “Hmmmm I love the smell of a fresh batch of morning coffee.” The historian was right back, jumping happily to sit at the table. The smell of coffee was killing her. “Why did she send both here? Wouldn’t it be easier to just mail Adrian’s to his house?”

           For a moment, the Egyptian leaned her head, confused. “Oh” - she finally realized it, stopping on her tracks with the pot still on her hands. Kamilah cleaned her throat, suddenly uncomfortable. “Anna. The second box it’s not Adrian’s. I was, in fact, hoping you would accompany me to the gala tonight. Therefore, we received two dresses. In case you do decide to accept my invitation.”

           She smiled. An adorable, sweet and still kind of sleepy smile. “Are you asking me to be your date tonight?”

           Kamilah didn’t blush but dropped her gaze to focus on putting them coffee. “I’m terribly sorry for giving you such short notice. I’ll understand if you can’t make it.”

           “I can. I want to.” She whispered, leaning in to steal a quick kiss from the Egyptian. Those brown eyes widened a little, a hint of surprise quickly supressed.

           “Good. Then I hope you like the dress that… Ms. Sayeed… Chose.”

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          “Come on!!!” Drake couldn’t take it any longer. “That’s not possible!”

           “We’re getting there, I promise!” Anna covered her face. “It was at the gala. Or course it had to be in front of everybody.”

           “You’ll love this part.” said the human girl, gently squeezing her fiancé’s hand.

           “It was a very, hm… Interesting… Revelation.” Adrian confirmed with a wink. “Go on, Annie. Rip the band-aid off. It’s time.”

[malibvnghts]

[ voicelines ]

hello  —  welcome to my clinic  ,  i’m dr. casia vincent  ,  casia is just fine . . . no need for the intimidating title  ,  let’s start off with being friends and get more comfortable with each other.

good morning  —  have you had breakfast  ??  no  ??  let me make you some  ,  come  ,  sit  .  don’t be shy  !!  i like having guests over for a meal  !!

good afternoon  —  have you ever had the pleasure of having afternoon tea in the clearing near here  ??  it’s absolutely blissful  ,  enjoying the scenery with a cup of tea and sweet treats  ,  it really refreshes the mind

good evening  —  the day just flew by  ,  where does the time go  ??  there’s still so much to do  ,  but not enough time to do them  !!  sometimes i wish there were multiples of me  .  i wonder if that’s possible to do

good night  —  beauty sleep is real and it’s important for your skin and your health  !!  it’s no joke  ,  sleeping eight hours will do wonders for your body  !!

chat ( idleness )  —  hmm . . .i wonder if i might be able to make a wound freezing agent . . . maybe if i mix it with slime condensate . . . interesting . . . i need to look into this more

chat ( traveling )  —  it’s hard  ,  but for the sake of gathering materials and finding new resources  ,  it’s worth it in the end . . . plus  ,  i get to see new sights every time  !!

chat ( research )  —  i’m trying to come up with efficient and easy-to-use potions and remedies for people to use . . . ones that people can easily access and even make themselves for times when doctors cannot be reached

when it rains  —  goodness  ,  i guess our plans have to be postponed until a later time . . . as much as i enjoy a good dousing of rain  ,  getting sick is not that fun  .

when the sun is out  —  beautiful  !!  today’s the perfect day to go for a stroll and maybe even a tea break in the forest  .

when it’s windy  —  heavens above  ,  someone must have peeved the lord of wind . . . let us be careful on our way today  ,  it’s hard to tell what sort of things we may come across  .

about casia ( schooling )  —  i was mostly homeschooled until the age of 16 when my vision appeared . . . that was when my parents and i discussed receiving official schooling to learn how to use my vision properly and to further my knowledge  .

about casia ( career )  —  i became a doctor  ,  not only because my parents were  ,  but because i also enjoy helping people . . . i want them to be a better version of themselves  ,  it brings me joy to know that i can help people live to the fullest  .

about casia ( fashion )  —  i always find it so interesting how people dress in different regions . . . i unfortunately have yet to come across those from inazuma and snezhnaya  ,  but i do wish to know how they dress over there  ,  what the current style is like  .  i wonder if it’s like the trends here  .

about us ( potions )  —  here  ,  let me teach you how to make this potion without wasting a lot of resources  ,  you’ll thank me later  .  it’s really simple  ,  come closer  .

about us ( plants  )  —  these plants here are edible  ,  if you’re ever hungry  ,  give them a wash and eat them  .  it’s not much  ,  but it’s better than starving and running out energy . . . don’t put yourself in danger  ,  even if it’s just some plants  ,  it’ll give you a boost until you can find proper food  .

about the vision  —  a gift  ??  i’m not really sure how to explain how i feel  ,  but perhaps it’s a driving factor in wanting to better myself  .  had i not received a vision  ,  i would not have found myself so driven to use my ability for something and explore the world  .

anything to share  —  i know you already have a companion  ,  but if i may be so bold and ask . . . would you mind if i accompanied you on your next trip  ??  i’d be honored if you’d allow me  ,  i promise i won’t be a burden  !!

interesting things  —  if you’re looking for a refreshing tea  ,  take some mint and some sweet flowers  ,  grind them together and steep them in hot water for a few minutes  .  add a bit of honey and voila  ,  you have a sweet and minty tea that’s good for the palate  !!  it tastes good cold as well  !!

about albedo  —   i respect him as a fellow alchemist and scholar  ,  i’m often amazed by the work he’s put out  .  he knows much i can learn about  ,  when i’m stuck  ,  i always seek out his assistance  .

about diluc  —  sir diluc is such an amazing person  ,  he’s shouldered so much  .  i respect him and well  ,  his tavern does have quite the delicious drinks  !!

about sucrose  —  sucrose is hardworking and dedicated  ,  i can see why sir albedo took her on as an apprentice  .  she’s got a curious nature and is willing to explore  .  i can’t wait to see what sort of research she brings to the table  .

more about casia [ i ]  —  i grew up in a small farming region on the edge of mondstadt  ,  my family has a long history of being physicians and herbologists so we were kind of unofficially dubbed as the local hospital . . . we have many patients from nearby villages come for our help

more about casia [ ii ]  —  hm  ??  why do i keep looking . . . ah . . . you caught me  .  i’m just appreciating that gentleman’s fine physique  ,  it’s quite a beauty to see  .  he’s quite handsome too  !!  what a treat for my tired eyes  ,  i feel absolutely refreshed just by watching him move  !!

more about casia [ iii ]  — why didn’t i go home after i finished school and opened my own clinic instead  ??  well  ,  they have enough help at home already . . . they don’t need me to crowd them  .  plus  ,  my clinic is now closer to the library at the favonius headquarters so i have access to plenty of reading materials  .

hobbies  —  i enjoy making my own makeup and perfume . . . all natural and in very pretty shades  .  it’s a huge trial and error process  ,  but that’s the fun in it  .  some ingredients are harder to acquire  ,  but the result makes it worth it  .

troubles  —  i just can’t seem to find a set of earrings that match this outfit  !!  and even more  ,  now i have to redo my makeup . . . there’s just not enough time to put together a good looking outfit for the day . . . how upsetting  .

favorite foods  —  i prefer balanced meals  ,  nothing too salty nor spicy nor sweet . . . a meal with dessert  !!  i’m not picky about food  !!

least favorite foods  —  not picky at all  ,  i’ll eat anything that is edible and filling  !!

birthday  —  oh darling  !!  it’s your birthday  ??  why didn’t you say so  ??  come  ,  come . . . i’m gonna get you all dressed up then we’ll have a night in town  ,  everything’s on me tonight  !!

feelings about ascension ( intro )  —  wow  ,  i didn’t know i could do even more with my powers

feelings about ascension ( building up )  — now i’m giddy to learn what else i can do  !!  show me more  !!

feelings about ascension ( climax )  — so this is what it means to be a better you . . . amazing  ,  i feel like i’m constantly evolving  !!

feelings about ascension ( conclusion )  — incredible  ,  just when i thought i knew my abilities  ,  you have shown me a whole new world  !!  please  !!  do go on  ,  i wish to learn more  !!

battle and exploration

added to party  —  you won’t regret it  !!  /  i’m excited  !!

elemental skill  —  watch this  !!

elemental burst  —  don’t take your eyes off of me  !!

idle  —  same as chat lines above

dash  —  watch out for the mud  ,  these shoes are new  !!

gliding  —  oh dear  ,  i really hope this doesn’t mess up my hair

damage  —  ugh  !!   how rude  !!

knocked out  —  i was too hasty  /  i hope i have enough potions to heal

[inkstainedhandsandcoffee]

Inquisitors fav brand/kind of tea if they drink it (like converso and Thaumaturges)

Thank you for the ask Layers! I really like this one in particular since I’ve actually been researching tea lately.

I apologize if I went a little too educational on this. As hard as I try to avoid doing it, I tend to drone on and on about whatever I research. 😅

Torque: Almost definitely a tea man; probably has a variety of tea. But I bet you all my money Torque drinks Assam Tea the most (aka English Breakfast tea.).

It has all the benefits of coffee (high in caffeine, similar robust flavor, etc.) but is ten times as healthy with even more benefits. (Significantly reduces stress, regulates metabolism, great for the heart, strengthens immune system, etc.)

I’d genuinely surprised if Torque, as a swordsman and evident workaholic, didn’t drink it.

It also makes sense in terms of historical accuracy. Radiant’s Inquisition and it’s members are based off the Spanish Inquisition, which existed around the same time Assam Tea was introduced to the world internationally.

Torque may also drink some type of Pu-erh Tea which has similar benefits but has a reputation for being overly expensive (not always true if you’re smart about your shopping.) and something only for rich, tea snobs, but he doesn’t seem like the type of person indulge like that.

Santori: Santori seems like he’d drink Fennel Herbal Tea, Hawkthorn Tea, and Rosemary Herbal Tea partially because they taste good and partially because there’s not a chance in hell you can be as active as Santori at his age without some sort of health boost.

Fennel Herbal Tea, for example, is perhaps one of the oldest teas to date, going all the way back to 800 BC Ancient Greece/Rome. It’s unwavering usage is likely due to its exceptional ability to regulate and energize the body with benefits such as heart burn prevention, acid reflux reduction and immune system strengthening.

Hawkthorn Tea and Rosemary Herbal Tea have health benefits such as reducing headaches, may prevent diseases such as Alzheimer's, help protect the body from oxidative stress, and relieve cold symptoms.

Emeth: He’s got a Eucalyptus Leaf Tea vibe about him. It’s quite common and inexpensive (you can’t tell me that the Inquisition would ever pay the infected nearly as much as they pay their ‘pure’ members) as far as tea goes with a fair amount of health benefits like soothing stiffness and swelling of the muscles, and relieving mental fatigue.

Despite his strong and silent, no shits given, type of vibe, I see him as someone who cares about flavor, so I think he’d appreciate the gentle mintiness of the Eucalyptus Leaf Tea.

Adriel: Adriel seems very close to Emeth, so I’m certain Eucalyptus Leaf Tea is something he drinks as well or has tried at the very least. I need to know more about him before I decide any specific tea however.

Ullmina: Ullmina seems like she’d drink some kind of Green Tea. I imagine she would best appreciate something very bitter, maybe even a little chocolate-like, with health benefits for her skin, hair, and nails.

Liselotte & Dragunov: I see them both as people who drink more coffee/alcohol, but they would drink tea too.

Cinnamon Herbal Tea is not only a preference among coffee drinkers for its robust but sweet flavor, but it also improves cognitive speed, increases focus, and encourages the growth of neural pathways; all things I imagine are very helpful with a position that requires you to be as mentally sharp as an Inquisition Captain.

Piodon: There’s not a lot to go off when it comes to Piodon, but anyone who looks at the sheer work he’s put into his mysterious plan can see that he is a very stressed out guy whether he shows it or not. So if he drinks tea, it’s safe to assume that he drinks something along the lines of Catnip Herbal Tea or Eucalyptus Leaf Tea.

Both are similar in the way they do wonders for those suffering from mental fatigue but differ in flavor; while Eucalyptus Leaf Tea has a gentle minty, licorice flavor, Catnip Herbal Tea has a grassy, citrus flavor.

Von Teppes: Nope. Von Teppes doesn’t seem like a tea guy at all. Only way I could see Von Teppes drinking tea is out of politeness or some unconscious desire to emulate someone he looks up to. *Cough* *cough* Torque *cough*.

Verone: I doubt Verone drinks tea (of his own volition anyway) mostly because of how young he is and thus how underdeveloped his taste fuds are. Children twelve and under are very sensitive to strong flavors, which is why it’s so hard to get them to eat things with bitter and/or flat flavors like broccoli, potatoes, and spinnach. (Unrelated but always boil and season vegetables before introducing them to young children. It’s a god send I tell you.)

If Verone does drink tea, it’s because it’s either a type of sweet tea or has a dose of honey or fruit to overpower any bitterness or other less than child friendly flavor.

[steve0discusses]

Yugioh S4 Ep 15: Yami Joins the Bay Area Tribe By Throwing a Riot About Sports on Caltrain

So as you’ve probably guessed because of my lack of posts--I got kinda busy with life stuff and just got hit with this really nasty flu at the same time. Yes, I am in a Coronavirus-affected area but no, I don’t have it and I am not dying (although I did do the right thing and quarantined myself anyway, much like a whole lot of the Bay who are just...working from home. Traffic’s been great.) It’s just that every January/February I tend to fall apart and get the flu so bad I lose my voice for 5 days. This year was 6 days. I just catch the flu a lot, but at least I get my shots so it’s not as bad as it would have been.

So, I took a hell ton of Nyquil and Dayquil and while I’m...functional...I don’t know if any of this make sense. So forgive my rambling. I usually ramble, today I’ll be like...hella rambling. About TRAINS.

So anyway, Lets talk about Yugioh.

Lets board a Californian train!

Yugioh has decided that out of every vehicle they’ve devoted episodes to--they haven’t done trains yet, so it’s train time. Train time...in America...which is not a great place for trains. Like I never really think about it but...people take the freakin Greyhound over trains. Which is wild, guys, the Greyhound is...it’s a state of mind. We ignore trains so much.

It’s just really funny that they left Japan to go to America to ride a train when it’s like...the show takes place...in Japan. The land of wonderful trains. But wtv, they wanted ye Old Western experience.

Anyway, Rebecca really wanted to go on the train with them, but everyone pretty much decided that children were no longer safe on this trip with Yugi and co. The fact that Yugi and co are also children is something I guess we decided to push under the rug. I mean Duke Devlin has a freakin job and a work Visa at 17 so...that’s adult enough, right?

(*in a very Roaring Camp Railroad Commercial voice, and over the dulcet sounds of a banjo* More TRAINS under the cut!)

And then Arthur decided to just really grill it into Yami for some reason.

I think it was mostly to act as a recap but damn, Arthur Hawkins just really seems to hate Yami for killing Yugi. Anyway, lets get a good look at our train.

Surprisingly for this show, they decided not to put us on the Roaring Camp Railroad through the Santa Cruz Mountains, instead, they put us on an actual legit commuter train, and it blew my mind because...it’s the CALTRAIN.

That’s my train! What’s my Caltrain doing in Yugioh!?!?

They even got the paint job right! This is absolutely the Caltrain!

We never update this train. So yes, it still looks like this over 10 years later. It’s very underfunded.

+++THIS IS TRAIN FACTS FEEL FREE TO SKIP TRAIN FACTS+++++

So the Caltrain was originally privately owned tracks--which is how they are really nicely laid out--a private company bought everything/pushed out the old owners before the place got developed. When trains went under, the tracks were purchased by the State and then given to Amtrack to manage. So, Caltrain is strictly property of the State Government but still run by the Federal Government at the same time. Don’t ask me how it works, I don’t know, I just pay my taxes and it goes vroom.

We’ve wanted to extend the Caltrain down to Southern California for a very long time, but because of corruption and a lot of people in politics refusing to expand the Bay out of the fear of maybe dropping our housing prices to reasonable limits, and the fear of making it way too feasible to get more children to Disneyland, the track has stayed roughly the same length for over 40 years.

Overall, It’s less drive time than this duel that takes up this next arc, I’m pretty sure. I’m gonna guess that the duel will be 3 episodes long because c’mon. This is Yugioh. It’s always 3 episodes long, like a Nintendo boss.

Anyway, all these train facts are things that are probably so weird and foreign to places that have ample trains--but in America, we just don’t have a strong train lobby compared to our auto lobby. So, I’m sure that people in Japan making this series thought “Oh they’re on a train--it can just go forever because why wouldn’t it be long? Aren’t all American trains connected?” but uh...it’s a short train. Like we’re talking like a few hours max, and that’s only if they’re starting from Gilroy.

I will say that BART is longer and has multiple tracks, so you would think they’d just take BART instead. But, it goes under the ocean for part of it, and we’ll get to why that would have been a very big problem in this episode later. Also, BART is very gross and no one wants to animate that outside of a horror movie.

But at least they didn’t go way out of left field and take the SF trolley. The Caltrain does actually go pretty fast. It...kind of makes sense. They did actual research into a real thing that we do have.

++++END RANT ABOUT THIS TRAIN AND HOW NONE OF THIS EPISODE MAKES SENSE BUT IT’S YUGIOH SO I WILL IGNORE THAT++++

And youknow...there’s something just so adorable about seeing desert mesas reflected in the window of the Caltrain. It’s just delightful. Because, in reality the entire stretch of the Caltrain is very densely suburban/urban, and the only place where it isn’t surrounded by city is when it’s flanked by the sea.

But yeah, just put mesas on it!

*freakin curtains*

Joey and Tristan hit the “dining car,” which I don’t think is a thing in any form of commuter train. These trains are for trips the length of about 1 extensive Puzzles and Dragons session on your phone, give or take.

(And man, speaking of, the Yugioh PAD collab was so good, guys. Ah man. Been wrecking like every dungeon in multiplayer ever since Bro and I both got a Yugi to put as our leader. He’s basically one of the best leaders in the game right now and I feel like people at PAD were huge Yugioh fans because they were like “what if we made...basically every Yugioh pull into a freakin beast that broke every dungeon in the game?”)

I can’t believe Joey Wheeler went thousands of miles from his homeland and was like “I better drink an American soda” and chose Orange. I mean he might be drinking an Arizona Tea, but I’m pretty sure he thought “ah, Kenan and Kel, right?” and just nabbed the nastiest soda that exists outside of grape.

I feel like I can still taste the orange soda I drank over 20 years ago. It is terrible. It is SO orange. Gross. But at the same time...good? I really don't know with Orange Soda. It’s probably gross.

Meanwhile, Tea decides it’s an appropriate time for Yami to work on his social skills. Now. When he’s visibly grieving after being berated by his Basically-Step-Grandfather and Rebecca.

And then we find out something I’ve never realized before, and it’s that Tea is really bad at social cues. Like maybe even worse than Yami. Like, I dunno how Pharaoh could look more like an angry cat/hedgehog but Tea was not picking up on it.

And y’all I’m not making that up, these are the topics Tea actually came up with for the guy who just saw his best friend die/was very implicit in said murder. Beaches and Bathing Suits.

She got over Yugi being dead like immediately.

Of course, this episode is kind of weird because, much like this show has done so many times already, these guys are still struggling to truly understand that Yugi is two people in one body. Tea sort of comes to this realization as if she...forgot that she has stepped inside his actual head and seen this for herself.

Or maybe it’s denial, but I’m thinking maybe the show did this for the new people coming to the show, to explain a rather complicated thing that took 3 seasons to cement in our minds. But still, it makes Tea seem very forgetful over a guy she should sort of be dating I guess.

Anyway it’s their first real fight. Kind of. I mean it’s hard to tell if anyone on this show is dating, and it’s equally hard to tell if they are fighting, too.

Well, first real fight if you don’t count Zero when Yugi tried to make out with Miho over a card duel, but I think we’re all doing our best to forget that ever happened. Yugi especially.

Or I guess that time she strangled him nearly to death in the nurse’s office when Shadi took over his body. That counts as a fight, right?

Ah. Now we’re on Caltrain.

Don’t take it the wrong way, Caltrain is actually our higher end safe train, compared to our other transit, BART, which will always sit you next to a weirdo, guaranteed. Caltrain--you can take a good nap on Caltrain. BART...you will never feel comfortable enough to take a nap on BART (also because there’s not enough seating room anymore)

But a lot of people who take the train are just freakin WEIRD. I used to take the Caltrain with my older brother (different bro than the bro of this blog, this is my chaotic neutral bro) because we both worked near the same place in downtown SF, and he would always take with him--I kid you not--a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Lightning for a snack.

For those not in the States, Mountain Lightning is the offbrand Walmart version of Mountain Dew. Yes. I know what I said. It seems dumbfounding as Mountain Dew is already an off brand of Sprite--the true lemon/lemon lime--but indeed, like Inception, you can always go deeper, and if there is a soda so bewildering and random, my older brother will be ON IT.

Anyways, my older bro is a train weirdo, so not only does he prefer Mountain Lightning to Mountain Dew, he would take out a 2 liter from his backpack, tilt back his head, and just chug the whole thing straight from the huge ass bottle in front of God and everyone on that train.

He’d polish it off completely on the ride there and the ride back, because my older brother has this weird medical problem where he can’t really feel pain and he has an insane metabolism and never gained weight until he was like 32, so he can just...chug as much soda as he freakin wants. So, at some point of the trip he would have to use the very tiny bathroom, and it would be very urgent, and he’d just scramble over me to get to the aisle and then kind of skip and hop all the way there on the rush hour train that was completely full of people.

Like, most people don’t even know that Caltrain has a bathroom--well now you know, and for several years there, it was just always taken by my brother violently pissing. That was us (well...him). My apologies.

In case your curious, now my bro has hardcore acid reflux, and all he needs to do is stop drinking so much damn soda, but it’s been very hard for him, so he has cut back to “diet soda”. This is still a lot of soda and it still causes acid reflux. His doctor is working on him.

And yes, Diet Mountain Lightning exists. That’s just so many steps removed from Sprite at this point.

Anyways, enough waxing long about train memories, lets get back to the show, because it’s not this season of Yugioh until there’s a problem with the commute.

Unrelated to Pharaoh punching the walls, everyone has “disappeared.”

My bro looked up the Wiki that says there's “no explanation for the missing train passengers” but we all know what that really means on this show, right?

So, how many people fit on Caltrain?

There’s just NO WAY they’re alive anymore, right? Like Yugioh went and killed 756 Bay Area passengers because...it’s a filler season!

I really feel like there’s just no way Seto or Bakura will ever catch up to Darts’ death count at this rate.

After this, we have ourselves this fun train-jumping trope.

Pretty sure it was the superhuman opposing force of Tea jumping from the back train to the front of the train that forced the back to lose all of it’s 100+ mph momentum and immediately come to a full and complete stop.

Not sure how Darts did this thing with the train separating. But he did. Or maybe it was Rex and Weevil? Either way, he somehow managed to do this well enough to strand Joey and Tristan on the other side of the line that now has no engine.

(course I say this like in 1400 AD the Bay wasn’t full of the Ohlone. this place was basically always developed because...the weather’s hella good when it’s not on fire.)

Now if you go East--southern Utah looks like this, and parts of me wonder if maybe the artists thought they were taking the train all the way to Florida. Did the English dub add “we’re taking the train to the airport” because they knew there was no one in their right mind in America who would take a California-Florida train?

I have no other explanation for why the Bay Area looks like this, than to assume that this is an alternate California where there never was a Loma Prieta Earthquake and also one where Seto and Pegasus bought out and destroyed both Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Which makes Seto and Pegasus sound like just real true heroes, never paving any sort of way for Mark Zuckerberg to happen and unintentionally (or intentionally who knows) screw up our elections.

Or maybe that was entirely Darts? Maybe it was Darts who’s been eating up the Bay, harvesting nerd souls for the leviathan and knowing that no one will miss these Twitter developers if Twitter never happens in the first place. Especially if he’s just ghosting entire Caltrains willy nilly.

But anyway, fun fact about the Caltrain that the creators of this show didn’t know--the train is a push-pull train, so...It has an engine on both sides of the train. Joey and Tristan...still have an engine. It would have never stopped, even with Tea’s incredible backward momentum.

This is normal train stuff and is something you should always assume about a commuter train that cannot afford the time to reattach the locomotive in order to turn around, but we forget about this in TV shows basically all the time.

However, there are fantasy rules that we give to TV that we sort of don’t extend to other places. We suspend our disbelief for things like this train stopping in a track that would, realistically, have another train passing by in 10 minutes anyway. Things like rogue waves that topple over ocean liners. Or CEOs in Silicon Valley who have ass-length blue hair that is tied with one single hair precarious band.

The point at which we no longer can suspend our disbelief when it comes to TV is SO interesting to me. Because I’m fully willing to let go of the fact that Caltrain is A Push-Pull train because it’s still a fun trope although this can never really happen to you on...almost any train at all anymore. But if this were a movie? People would be losing their freakin MINDS. Look what they did after Star Wars. They lost their entire minds over force-field science that doesn’t even exist.

Like, maybe the people who made this episode really do know that San Jose is the 3rd largest city in California, and that this is a push-pull train, and that there are no mesas anywhere near the ocean of San Fransisco. Maybe they did know that--but they decided to suspend our disbelief by pushing this Wild Wild West fantasy aesthetic SO HARD so it makes it believable although this is just...so wrong. Mostly because...it’s fun TV. Not because it makes any sense, but because I would like to have fun instead of thinking.

Which is also how most romance novels work ps. But Yugioh, although *almost* understanding the key ingredient to how romance actually works, I will assume never figures that out.

I hope.

Also, Rex is here.

Bro would like to bring up that Red Eyes is not a rare card in the real world. So Rex is going out of his way to venge a card that costs...$4.50 at Target. That’s less than a meal at McDonalds. This card may have been in a Happy Meal at McDonalds.

*pictured here, the actual canyons of San Jose*

So something that’s interesting between Yami and Joey is that Yami gives in basically immediately and decides to duel Weevil, who would be very easy to just gently push off of this train. Joey on the other hand, looks down at both of his punching fists and is like “why would I bother?”

Not that it mattered, it’s just interesting that even Joey has more restraint than Yami, who has 0 restraint, apparently, when it comes to dueling cards.

Joey has more restraint that Yami, and Joey is the kid who has tried to punch out Seto Kaiba in nearly every conversation he has ever had with Seto Kaiba over the last 4 seasons.

Also, Tea is just standing on top of this train like it’s a completely normal day outside. Girl has no fear.

Wouldn’t these people be covered in bug guts? Like how are they not getting assaulted by so many flies and birds?

But because she has no decent cards the Oricalchos just kicks her out? I dunno. There’s a lot of weird physics in the next scene.

And she just grabs onto a moving train with her bare hands. I feel like Tea is just so woefully overpowered in this group but for the wrong game. I say this a lot. She’s like their One Punch Man but will never, ever know.

So anyway, that was a long time between updates and now I’m out of sync and behind on everything so...hell knows when the next update will be. Depends on the length of episode I guess? Bro really wants to get to what comes next soon though. He’ll pester me until I do it.

Now I can’t mention Mountain Lightning without sharing with you what you do with 2-4 liters of Mountain Lightning after your brother leaves and then just...doesn’t have enough room for all of his Mountain Lightning AND his baby in his car, so he just leaves it in your house.

It’s called Mountain Dew Cake <-(that is a link) and it’s actually pretty damn good.

I made this once and fed it to a British person and they were like “this is so decadent--what’s in this?” and I uh didn’t know how to respond to that other than “it’s really just Mountain Dew, I’m so sorry” and that was a lie, because it was full of Mountain Lightning.

Anyway, if you just got here, this is a link to read these recaps in order.