#do they also eat the duck fried rice that comes with it

[prying-pandora666]

The Gaang’s Favorite Foods

Aang is an ovo-lacto vegetarian. He still consumes milk and eggs, just nothing that requires killing an animal. Being more used to getting nutrients from a variety of plant foods including nuts and seeds, supported by nutrient rich bison milk and whatever eggs they eat in this world, Aang’s diet is surprisingly diverse and not as restrictive as it first seems. People have and still do eat this way. He loves egg tarts!

Sokka is a growing teen boy, used to a high-fat diet of primarily fish, mollusks, large ruminants, marine mammals (and their blubber), full fat milk, eggs, blood, etc, and only minorly supported by additional foods like seaweed, berries, tubers, perhaps the occasional imported flour or rice. He is going to need a LOT of animal meat and fat. Especially organs. The cookbook says he loves dried salmon collars.

Katara is also a growing teen girl, and considering what starts for girls around her age, she probably also has higher iron requirements. Heme-iron (from meat) is the most easily absorbed, and if it’s what her body is accustomed to, I imagine there’s going to be a lot of cravings there too. It’s possible she slowly converted to a vegetarian diet eventually, but there isn’t actually anything in canon to say that Katara and Aang didn’t just maintain different diets. The comics and cookbook say she likes soups and stews including sea prunes which are actually a type of mollusk.

Toph comes from a wealthy family. Although most of the Earth Kingdom relies primarily on staple grains (rice mainly, but also others), she likely had a decently diverse diet compared to others. Including plenty of meat (beef, chicken, duck, pork), a variety of vegetables, and even luxury items like refined sugar. According to the cookbook, she doesn’t like to eat her vegetables, which implies she had open access to meat for most of her life. She is fond of tea eggs.

Zuko comes from the wealthiest nation which is also in a tropical climate. He’d have access to a plethora of fruits the others had never even heard of! Tropical fruits, berries, coconut, and all the different dishes you can make with them. The nutrient-rich volcanic soil would also lend itself to farming, giving this country plenty of fresh vegetables and staple grains. However, culturally they seem to be a meat and seafood loving people, and spiciness is critical! Being a prince, Zuko would have even more access to all of the above than the common person. According to the cookbook, his favorite snack is sizzle-crisps which is basically fried and seasoned pork belly. He also sneaks Komodo-chicken to his uncle in prison.

BONUS:

Azula, like Zuko, is royalty in a nation blessed with great diversity of fruits, meat, seafood, and fresh veggies. We know she attended a harsh military academy which puts its students through rigorous survival training. Azula knows how to live off the land and likely can survive off of whatever petty things she can forage or catch. But being royalty, she is more accustomed to having whatever she desires prepared for her. She seems to have a bit of a sweet tooth, which can happen when you give a teen unfettered access to luxury goods like sugar. With her nation’s relatively advanced stage of industrialization, certain more processed foods and desserts are available to her. She is fond of cherries and in the comics she is a fiend for mochi!

[wisteriagoesvroom]

alex, lily and guanyu going to eat beijing duck together is something that can be so intensely personal

[hurpdurpburps]

The Otherside Picnic Michelin Guide

Instead of prepping all the shit I have to do for an upcoming 80-hour work week, my procrastination has led me to writing this list, which is mostly a food-focused curation of my OP Pilgrimage Destination List, with new additions that I've discovered since publishing that.

I like to eat and my 4 years of working as a food journalist have sorta ingrained a subconscious razor-sharp attention to mentions of food in the media that I consume (pun intended). Armed with 5 years of experience living full-time in Tokyo, I've decided to redirect my powers for the Greater Gastronomic Good.

All photos featured are taken from Tablelog/official sources. I haven't been to any of these places myself, but you bet your ass I will be visiting most of them and writing up reviews on here when I'm done.

1. Kitchen Nankai Jinbocho (キッチン南海 神保町店)

The "Western food" (洋食) place Sorawo and Toriko visited for a quick builder's lunch in Vol 6 (File 20 - T is for Templeborn).

In case you're interested in what our protagonists ate:

Sorawo ordered the tonkatsu curry (カツカレー) topped with cheese, while Toriko went for the fried flounder and ginger pork with rice (ひらめフライ生姜焼きライス).

From the photos on their Tablelog page, raw egg seems to be the most popular topping for curry, which is surprising to me since cheese seems like the most intuitive candidate. Best to bring a healthy appetite since their portions look absolutely huge.

2. Sichuan Cuisine Aki Jinbocho (四川料理 秋 神保町本店)

The Chinese restaurant near Jinbocho station where Toriko and Sorawo held their first ever afterparty together after hunting the kunekune.

Unlike what the name implies, it seems to be a run-of-the-mill Chinese place that kinda does a jack-of-all-trades menu rather than any focused niche in Sichuan cuisine. They even have peking duck on the menu according to their Tablelog page, but I can't guarantee if it'd be any good.

If you want to follow what SoraTori ordered, then go for the cashew chicken (鶏肉のカシューナッツ炒め), cumin lamb (ラム肉のクミン炒め) and water spinach (空芯菜), and wash it all down with Tsingtao beer.

3. Cafe Pause Ikebukuro

The cafe where Toriko and Sorawo had their first fight. Its location right behind Junkudo presumably translates into a lot of foot traffic from bookworms. Reviews that I've read say that more than half of its customers come here just to read in peace, and it's got free wifi to boot, so the ambience's probably top notch as well.

The cafe regularly updates its menu (but not online, sadly) and offers a wide range of cafe staples such as fresh pasta lunch sets and homemade baked goods. If you want to recreate Sorawo's one-woman feast, you can check to see if the menu has some or all of the following items:

Taco rice

Chocolate and sour cherry cake

Matcha terrine

“Tart of the day” topped with raspberries

Caffè latte

Grape-flavoured black tea (ぶどうの紅茶)

Check out their website and Instagram here.

4. Maison c

Also nearby Junkudo is this cosy little wine bar in Ikebukuro where Sorawo and Toriko had a rather gloomy dinner after the Ninja Cat saga in Vol 2 (File 8 - Little Bird in a Box).

They don't have a website or a menu, but from what I could glean from their Instagram, they serve mostly seasonal French-Italian fare. Order some sparkling red wine and a prosciutto-salami platter for that SoraTori experience.

Place looks tiny so I wouldn't try to visit with more than one companion, or at least not without a reservation (strictly by phone).

6. Keio Plaza Hotel Shinjuku

The buffet that The Girls stuffed their faces at for their first anniversary dinner in Vol 7 (File 22 - Toilet Paper Moon) is the Glass Court Super Buffet, located on the 2nd floor.

The line in the book about roast beef being their signature is probably true. I mean LOOK AT THIS:

Other shout-outs from the book (MASSIVE HUNGER WARNING):

Picking away at the appetizer of sakura shrimp and lily bulbs as we talked, our first glasses were soon empty.

I gluttonously loaded up my plate with fresh fried tempura, mussels, foie gras with strawberry sauce, Berkshire pork and mountain vegetables fried in miso, and tom yum noodles. Toriko got a chicken stir fry with chili peppers, chicken liver and bamboo shoots in garlic, a bunch of Iberian ham, and more. It was a lot of meat, but she also had a Caesar salad and yuba maki rolls, so she still succeeded in having a somewhat stylish plate overall.

Just a bit of an intermission here to note a couple of slight mistranslations. The Japanese text is as follows:

揚げたての天ぷらとか、ムール貝とか、フォアグラの苺ソースがけとか黒豚と山菜の味噌焼きとかトムヤム麵とか、欲望のまま皿に取ってきた。鳥子は鶏肉の唐辛子炒め、砂肝と筍のガーリック風味、たっぷりの生ハムなどなど、やたら肉が多めだったけど、ちゃんとシーザーサラダや野菜の湯葉巻きなんかも取っていて、全体として小洒落た感じにまとめることに成功していた。

砂肝 (sunagimo - lit. "sand liver") refers to the gizzard. The name is derived from how the organ works, which stores bits of grit to help grind up food before it's digested, since birds can't chew.

生ハム (nama hamu - lit. "raw ham") is a term for generic proscuitto, and is not interchangeable with the much more culturally/geographically-specific parma ham or jamon iberico.

We both went to the buffet and came back, having gotten gratin, paella, beef curry, and other heavy foods that would pair well with red wine.

Toriko asked between bites of roast beef. It was the type the chef cuts as you watch, and I’d gotten some too. This was supposed to be one of their best dishes here and the taste reflected that.

I got a tiny cake and a confection called nerikiri, then poured myself a cup of black tea.

It was Crêpes Suzette, warm crepes in an orange sauce with coconut ice cream on top.

The second half of the night takes place at the Aurora Sky Lounge on the 45th floor.

Definitely a great (and very convenient) choice to bring a date to get in the mood.

7. Chichibu Waraji Katsu Tei (秩父わらじかつ亭)

After escaping Hasshaku-sama in Vol 1 (File 2 - Hasshaku-sama Survival), Toriko and Sorawo had dinner at a waraji katsu shop located within the food court of a recreational complex that was connected to Seibu-Chichibu station.

This complex is called Matsuri No Yu (祭の湯) and the only waraji katsu shop here is Chichibu Waraji Katsu Tei (秩父わらじかつ亭).

Here's their Tablelog page. According to reviews, the standard serving size is two pieces of katsu. Miyazawa really wasn't lying about meat overflowing from the bowl.

8. Masan's Home (琉球酒場 ま～さんの家)

The Okinawan izakaya that Sorawo and Toriko pigged out at after finding themselves on Kokusai-dori in Naha.

Their Tablelog page features a very extensive menu. Jimami tofu and sea grapes are a must if you're visiting Okinawa for the first time, and I also recommend going for the local sashimi platter as well as other Okinawan specialties such as rafute, Okinawa soba, goat sashimi and bitter gourd stir-fry (ゴーヤチャンプルー).

Honourable Mentions

1. Mendokoro Maruwa (麺処 まるわ)

In case you missed it, there was an OP x ramen collab back in 2018. You can read all about it in my first ever tumblr post (literally I made a whole ass tumblr acc bc I felt like I NEEDED to share it with the world lmao).

I'm not sure if the Ultra Blue is still up on the menu (probably not after all these years), but if you're enthusiastic about the restaurant's link with the series then perhaps it's worth checking out. Their signature is the basil salt tsukemen (バ��ルソルトつけ麺) so it wouldn't be too different from the Ultra Blue in terms of base flavour profile.

Here's their Tablelog page and Twitter.

PS. This place is in Chiba prefecture, outside of Tokyo. So like idk maybe plan it before a Disneyland trip or smth to be more time-efficient.

2. Kayu San Chin Keio Mall (粥餐庁 京王モール店)

The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) food therapy restaurant that Sorawo and gang visited in Vol 3 after the events of the Kotoribako was KOGA Seibu Ikebukuro (皇雅西武池袋店), which closed down a few years ago.

While not a perfect replacement, there's a store specialising in Chinese-style congee located at the Keio Mall in Shinjuku, called Kayu San Chin (粥餐庁 - lit. "congee restaurant" in Chinese).

Their menu is similar enough (sans the TCM tea selection that was apparently a signature offering by Koga).

3. A Whole Buncha Meat Places

Kozakura treated Toriko and Sorawo to a luxurious steak lunch near Shakujii-kōen station after the kidnapping incident in Vol 4 (File 12 - The Matter of that Farm). While Meat Bar Modavaca (ニクバル モダ・バッカ) has since closed down, there's more than a handful of places where you can try out the quintessential "sizzling hot plate" Japanese steakhouse experience for yourself.

Ikinari Steak (いきなり！ステーキ) is the most easily accesible place where you can order a cut of beef by weight. It's a chain, so don't get your hopes up with regards to the meat quality, but it's also a convenient and budget-friendly option. Website here.

Steak Kuni (ステーキくに) is a similar concept business but on a much smaller scale - with only three locations so far split between Tokyo, Natori in Miyagi prefecture and Koshigaya in Saitama prefecture. Website and Instagram here.

Beef Up Tokyo is a chic joint nestled somewhere near the Yaesu side of Tokyo station near Kyobashi. Which bumps it up really high on my to-try list based on the location alone (I'm pretty sure my usual hotel is max 2 streets away from it). They have basic options that start at 1,800 yen for a 200g cut of run-of-the-mill sirloin, to A5 marbled wagyu going at 3,600 yen for the same size. Which is a steal imo. Click here for their Tablelog page, Instagram and official website.

Pound-Ya Roppongi (听屋 六本木) is another option if you want to splurge a little bit more on quality. Their wagyu steaks are priced at 2,200 yen/100g for the rump/round and 4,000 yen/100g for the sirloin, with the filet taking the cake at 5,600 yen/100g. Tablelog page and Instagram here.

PS. I KNOW that you laughed at that name.

[eraserisms]

Shota + 🍙 Food Preferences

Let's talk about what Shota likes & doesn't like! Shota isn't particularly picky and eats whatever he can get his hands on. As far as Aizawa is concerned, a cooked meal is a cooked meal, even if it isn't something he favors.

Sweets

Shota is fond of sweet things. Some sweet things that he likes in particular are his jelly pouches (mostly the apple ones), strawberry & matcha cake, and mochi. He loves iced lattes, shaved ice and ice cream during the summer months. Matcha flavored things is his default preference. Shota does like chocolate here and there but there is a kind of richness to it that sometimes Shota can find to be too much. He does enjoy it in small doses though. Shota doesn't particularly care for floral flavors. Shota doesn't like the taste of lavender, jasmine or sakura.

Sour

Shota is a fan of sour things. He enjoys things like sour/green apples and citrus fruits. He loves yuzu lemon, oranges, grapefruit and limes in that order. He enjoys cherries when they are sweet, but he also loves when they have a tartness to them. He is a huge fan of pickled and fermented vegetables. Some of his favorite things to eat are kimchi, pickles of all kind of varieties; cucumbers, carrots, garlic, onions. Umeboshi is another sour food that he likes. He enjoys them cooked with rice and also loves them as a stuffing for onigiri. While Shota does enjoy sour things, he doesn't really like things that are more on the artificial side of things. Things covered with citric acid are usually a no-go such as Sour Patch Kids or Warheads.

Cuisines

Western cuisine really isn't his thing, but that isn't to say he hates it. Shota's favorite Western fare is Italian, but he also enjoys haute cuisine and Spanish dishes as well. American food isn't his favorite, but there are some things that he does really enjoy; burgers, fries and ribs. American foods that he isn't really fond of are turkey and mac & cheese. Some other victual that Shota has a distaste for is Indian and while Shota isn't all that familiar with African, Latin or South American food, those too wouldn't fall under one of his favorites. But that isn't to say that Shota would be incapable of finding a dish or two from those places that he would enjoy. The reason why Shota would dislike these continental cuisines comes down to Shota's spice preferences. Shota isn't a huge fan of herbs and spices such as cumin, nutmeg, allspice coriander, cloves and cilantro (it tastes like soap to him). This is also why he doesn't care for pumpkin spice flavored things. Some other foods that Shota doesn't like are avocado and eggplant due to their texture. He does like the flavor of okra, but it has to be prepared in a way that the texture isn't slimy. On the flipside, Shota loves Korean, Chinese and Thai food.

Favorite Dishes

Japanese: Yakimeshi, Tonkatsu, Ramen, Tempura, Onigiri, Korean: Kimchi-jjigae, Japchae, Jjajangmyeon, Dubu-jorim Italian: Carbonara, Spaghetti alla puttanesca, Pizza, Tiramisu Other: Ban Mi, (Vietnamese) Mapo Tofu, Congee, Peking Duck (Chinese) Tom Sum, Pad Thai, Pad see ew(Thai)

Alcohol

Shota's favorite liquor is whiskey, but Soju follows as a close second for him. Given Shota's close relationship with his maternal grandmother, Shota finds it nostalgic. He used to drink it with her, especially when he spent his summers in Korea. They usually would do either shots of it or make somaek (Soju bombs). Shota also enjoys having a beer or two after work or on the weekends when he has the time. He usually ends up going out onto the porch to drink and have a cigarette with it. If he is going out with co-workers, beer is his his liquor of choice. Shota isn't a fan of tequila or gin. He straight up just doesn't like tequila, and doesn't like the floral taste of gin. Shota dislikes seltzers such as White Claw because they are too dry for him and don't have enough sweetness.

Spice Tolerance

Having spent so much of his childhood in Korea, Shota has a decent tolerance for spice. Sometimes his tolerance can vary though, if Shota hasn't had spicy food for a while, that obviously plays a factor in how much he can handle.

Temperature

If food is supposed to be served warm, and isn't boiling lava hot, Shota probably isn't going to want it.

[weekend-conspiracy-theorist]

A continuation.

When Stephanie Brown was fourteen, dressed in green tights and red body armor, she was on a short solo patrol when she caught sight of movement in her periphery. She caught sight of it again a block later and knew, in her bones, that she was being followed. Whoever it was was doing a good job of matching pace with her, anticipating her movements while keeping a careful distance.

So she ducked down one alleyway and then doubled back, cutting sharply towards the path her mysterious stalker was taking. Stephanie placed herself in their path, just ahead of where she expected them to come bursting out of their own alley, and she bent down to pretend to adjust the laces on her combat boots.

The fall of her cape obscured the motion as she silently grasped the brick on the ground next to her left foot, and quick, quiet footsteps suddenly rounded the corner. Stephanie came up swinging.

The black-haired kid who'd been following her went down in a heap. He'd looked up at her with big blue eyes, blood leaking out from between his fingers, and wheezed out, "I thibk my bose is broken."

It was love at first sight, more or less.

When Tim Drake was fourteen, he was hot on the trail of the freshly-minted Girl Wonder, and she broke his nose. With a brick. (Six years later, she still refused to apologize.)

He'd explained, begrudgingly, that he was just trying to take pictures of her being a hero, and she'd gotten them milkshakes from McDonald's and helped him shove the napkins up his nostrils.

"I can definitely get you some good shots," she told him. Her blonde hair had way too much hairspray in it to waterfall down over her shoulder when she leaned forward, smiling so big that he knew her eyes must be sparkling behind the lenses of her domino mask, but he liked the way it spiked around her headband. She looked cool. She was cool.

Tim, on the other hand, was having to eat his milkshake with a spoon to not put too much pressure on his tender sinuses. He was also, occasionally, holding the cup up against his aching face.

"I dob't thingk Bahman's gonna 'prove of you posin' for pictures," he had pointed out.

Robin's grin had only gotten bigger. "Who said we were gonna tell Batman?"

It was love at first sight, more or less.

"This is going to calm down eventually, right?" Tim asked, dryly. His phone was sandwiched between his ear and his shoulder as he juggled leftover takeout containers and kicked his fridge door closed with the heel of his left foot. "I've had three different vigilantes crash my stakeouts over the last two weeks. Robin gave me a shovel talk at katana point, even though, A) you broke up with me, and B) our entire romance practically happened before he was born. Then Nightwing wanted to know if that story about you egging Boyfriend's car was true--"

"It is."

"Not the way you tell it."

"I saw the tears with my own two eyes, Boyfriend. You ain't foolin' me."

Tim dumped the remains of his beef fried rice into a bowl and scooped some sesame chicken on top of it. "I'm not having this argument again."

Stephanie laughed, the big, delighted one that meant she was throwing her head back and scrunching up her nose, and at least three-quarters of Tim's annoyance faded away, just like that. Still, for the principle of the thing, he added, "I can't believe you blew up our spot on a whim. We'd obfuscated the details of our friendship for six years. World record holders of lying to Batman."

"Naw, I bet Nightwing's still got a couple secrets packed away with his pixie boots." A pause, then she admitted, "Maybe nothing this big, but Wing's definitely got some secrets. Besides--" the rasp of fabric on fabric as she rolled over in her bed-- "it's your fault for not telling me you hired a fake authority figure in your life, again. I couldn't help it. There was no hiding my reaction."

Tim rolled his eyes, sticking his spoon into his mouth as he transferred the bowl of Chinese food to the microwave. "I still don' ge' wha's so funny," he said around it. He pulled out the spoon, brandishing it as he switched ears with the phone. "It makes perfect sense. I need to have five years working as a Private Investigator on the record before I can get a license. I also need to be twenty-five. I am also not willing to actually work for another PI and end up spending the first couple years fetching coffee and reading police reports instead of solving cases."

"So obviously, you hired a fake boss through a shell company, gave him a fake PI license, and then had him hire you," Stephanie said, still sounding like it was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.

"Again, I don't understand why you're laughing. Alvin Draper may not exist, but he has a totally real PI license; the State of New Jersey just didn't know they were giving it to him." Tim shut the microwave, punching in 3:00 and hitting start. "You know I don't need any more training. You were my tutor for The Art of Private Detective Work 101 through 401, Batman Edition."

"All I really had to do was smuggle you the course materials," Stephanie pointed out. She sounded fond. "You taught yourself."

"Nah," Tim said softly. "We taught each other. Everything always makes more sense when I'm working with you."

Stephanie huffed a quiet laugh. "Don't get sappy on me now, Boyfriend," she cautioned. But she sounded a little sappy herself. She cleared her throat, audibly rolling over once more, and asked, "So who was number three?"

"Number three what?" Tim asked, distracted, as he poked at his leftovers to make sure they were warm the whole way through.

"The third vigilante who crashed one of your stakeouts. You said Robin wanted to threaten you-- right of passage, by the way-- and Nightwing wanted to get the dirt, but who was number three?"

"Oh." Tim grimaced. "Batman."

Stephanie sucked in a breath through her teeth. "Shovel talk part two?" she guessed.

"Uh, no, actually. He never actually said a word; just posted up by a gargoyle on the apartment building next to the one I was set up on, and brooded menacingly in my direction for like four hours."

"Drama queen."

"I got sick of it, eventually, so I ordered a pizza up to the roof of that apartment and told them I'd pay cash on delivery."

Stephanie sounded giddy. "You're kidding."

"What? I knew he could afford it."

She burst out laughing again, that bright Robin laugh that Tim had developed a Pavlovian response to sometime around the third time he'd heard it, and he smiled to himself as he dug into his dinner, letting her laugh herself out.

"I'd feel bad for the delivery guy because he looked like he was about to shit himself when he realized he was looking at the Batman, but I'm also pretty sure he's got the greatest pizza delivery story of all time now. And Batman didn't grapple over to my roof to lecture me or anything, so he must have taken it in good humor." Tim paused, wincing, and added, "Relatively."

He'd been typing up the case report at the office a few days later when a pizza guy showed up with two mushroom-and-black-olive pizzas, to be paid cash on delivery. Tim didn't even like mushrooms; he'd just chosen them because he knew from Stephanie that Batman did.

He didn't have to say anything else for Stephanie to guess the implications. After all, she'd been Batman's Robin for over four years. "B-man always gets the last word," she said dryly. "Even when you think you've gotten away with it, suddenly a week later he'll launch a new offensive."

"That's consistent across identities," Tim muttered. Wanye Enterprises was good at coming out of things with the upper hand; he remembered his dad complaining about it more than once as he worked late into the night in his study, quietly existing alongside Tim as he did homework while sprawled across the couch on the other side of the room. Tim had even experienced it a couple times himself, too, although he'd never really had much involvement in Drake Industries' day-to-day operations.

He had kept just enough of his inherited shares to be able to throw his weight around when he needed to, making sure that DI was earning itself a reputation as a generous and ethical place to work. But Tim certainly didn't work for DI; his time-- and his passion-- were entirely invested in Red Bird Investigations.

"As Vicki Vale has learned time and time again," Steph agreed.

They fell into companionable silence for a minute, Tim putting his phone on speaker and dropping it onto the kitchen island next to where he was sitting, cross-legged, to dedicatedly work his way through his dinner. Stephanie had been intending to catch a quick nap before she jotted out on patrol until he'd called, but he knew she'd have hung up on him by now if she really needed the sleep, so he didn't worry too much about it.

"You know we wouldn't have been able to hide it much longer anyway, right?" she asked, finally, and Tim made a noncommittal grunt. She huffed, and he knew the noise went along with a roll of her eyes. "It only took you like six months of working as a PI before you sought out the Red Hood. Did you really think you were going to stay under the rest of the Bats' radar for long?"

"Over eight months, actually, and yes," Tim said stubbornly. "Practically anything else I could have taken to you or Black Bat. But I was working in the Alley, and everybody there looks to Hood for guidance in one way or another. I kept getting stonewalled. Conversely, I have no reason to seek out Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Batwoman, the Signal, Bluebird, or anybody else I'm currently forgetting."

Actually, Tim was pretty sure he'd end up working with the Signal eventually. As a perfectly legal PI-in-training (so long as nobody looked too deeply into Alvin Draper), Tim didn't limit himself to either daytime or nighttime investigations, and Signal was intelligent, competent, and fun to hang around. But there was no reason to think Signal would assume there was anything unusual or Bat-related in Tim's past; they'd already run into each other a few times during the Robin Gang era. Tim Drake was just another piece of the Gotham scenery for him.

"Yeah, and that works great, until Commissioner Gordon or one of the GCPD detectives you've been working with decides to ask Batman about you," Stephanie pointed out. "You're already starting to make a name for yourself, and Batman doesn't just ignore the presence of new players on the board. There are other private investigators around Gotham, and he has files on all of them. That's pretty much what I stumbled onto Hood and Oracle throwing together, anyway."

"So, they'd have figured out that Alvin's a sham," Tim sighed. "But--"

"I know I'm usually the first person to extoll Batman's flaws--well, okay, the second. Jason is the first. But they don't call him the World's Greatest Detective for nothing, Boyfriend, and even the surface level of your existence is pretty fucking weird. Sure, there's nothing about 'Drake heir turned private detective' that screams 'I knew Robin when she had pigtails,' but he was definitely going to start digging, and it was going to be obvious eventually that we knew each other. And maybe," Steph said, pitching her voice over his next protest, "if you were about to get sucked into the collective Batfamily's orbit, I didn't want to have to pretend not to know my best fucking friend as well as I do."

Oh. Well, Tim wouldn't have enjoyed that either.

He thought about what might've happened if Hood had tapped Batgirl in on the case Tim had brought to him, about working with Stephanie as if she was a total stranger and not someone he understood on a level deeper than he understood his own self. He probably would have given up within fifteen minutes, consequences be damned.

He took the out she'd offered. "'Best friends' is reductive," he said, a familiar mantra.

"'Platonic soulmates' would be reductive, Boyfriend," Stephanie countered automatically, a smile re-entering her tone. "But it's a little wordy to start calling you things like my phantom limb or the peanut butter to my jelly."

"Your brother from another mother," Tim mused.

"Hey, now, I know she wasn't in a great spot when your parents died, but I bet that Crystal would be happy to adopt you now if you asked."

Tim barked a laugh, caught off guard by the assertion, and Stephanie giggled, her voice growing faint amongst the rustle of her sheets. "Ugh, you wasted my prime napping window with your grumpiness. I've gotta go pull on the atomic wedgy machine so I can punch crime in the face."

Tim snorted. "I thought it wasn't that bad since the latest round of suit upgrades."

"It wasn't," Stephanie groaned. "But Cass has introduced a lot of lunges to our workout routine, and now the ass is getting snug."

"First world vigilante problems," Tim commented dryly.

"I'd wear a thong or something, but Bruce would find out somehow and I think it'd actually kill him." Tim choked on the last bite of his beef fried rice, but Stephanie just cackled. "I'd get blown up and the suit would get torn in a weirdly horny way, and then Batman would have a heart attack upon seeing my bare, burned ass waddling around the Batcave."

"Sticking out from under a piece of rubble," Tim suggested, laughter bubbling beneath the surface of his voice.

Stephanie wheezed. "Oh, god."

"Robin would have to go to therapy."

"Nightwing would just slap a hand over his domino so he couldn't see."

"Now that would be a picture I'd break out the film for."

"Shut up! I'm laughing too hard to get my body armor on."

"You started it." Tim yawned so wide his jaw cracked, and he reached up to rub at the hinge, grimacing. "That's the one downside of selling the manor," he added with a sigh. "No space for a darkroom in this apartment."

Stephanie snorted. "Isn't every room in that apartment a dark room?"

"You're just jealous of my blackout curtains."

"I'm really not," Stephanie assured him dryly. Her voice grew closer again, and the background static of speakerphone cut off as she picked her phone back up. "I gotta go, Boyfriend. Oracle wants to run over some stuff with me and the best Bat before we hit the pavement tonight."

Tim couldn't help the smile that slipped across his face as he hopped down from the counter. "Give Cassie my love. And ask Oracle to be a little less conspicuous next time she goes poking around Red Bird's systems--I know she was letting me see her in order to make a point, and I already knew that no matter how good I am, Oracle's better, but I do still have client confidentiality to maintain my plausible deniability about."

Stephanie let out a quiet huff of laughter. "I'll pass it along," she promised.

"Be safe."

"No promises."

"Break a leg."

"Two or three, even!"

Tim laughed, and Stephanie made an obnoxious kissing noise into the phone before she hung up on him. The screen lit back up, showing the nearly fifty minute call duration and the selfie she'd taken of the two of them at the lighting of the big Menorah on the Gotham University Quad the previous Hanukkah. The Menorah was in the background, two candles brightly lit, and the two of them looked windswept and red-cheeked. Stephanie had had to grapple them across the rooftops in order to make it in time to sing the first blessing, and they'd squeezed in together so tightly for the picture that Tim had been able to lick her cheek without moving. Stephanie's face was scrunched up in horrified anger, and Tim's was bright with laughter, his tongue still sticking out.

It was a good picture. It was a good memory, even if Stephanie had shoved him into a snowbank in retaliation.

Stephanie Brown had been the best Robin. Most people would argue--even Tim would have, years and years ago--but they were wrong. Batman needed Robin, and he was so fucking lucky he'd stumbled across Spoiler at just the right moment to keep himself from going down a dark path.

If nothing else, Tim mused, it was nice that he was now free to say that directly to Bruce Wayne's face some time.

[ailelie]

So I've been thinking a lot about cuisine in Astelan. So far it is a mish-mash, but here are the guidelines:

Astelan was formerly part of a sprawling Empire and so has always been familiar with a variety of cuisines, cooking styles, etc.

However, after becoming independent, they did not have a good fuel source because they refused to cut down trees. They were able, however, to figure out how to make ethanol. Ethanol does not burn hot, so they adapted. Comfort food, everyday food, etc in Astelan is stuff that is cooked for hours on low heat. This leads to basically curries, very soft meats, porridges, steamed buns, etc. They also eat a lot of rice.

But, once they found alternative fuels (likely oil) they started baking again. Most stoves are still ethanol-based, but they can fry and bake now. Fried foods are most common at food stalls.

They don't have a lot of wheat and wheat makes many people sick, so they use a lot of flour blends to recreate Imperial treats, like cookies, pies, etc. (Nora is surprised in one cafe at how soft and flaky a pie crust it.)

Cream of tartar (called wine crystals in this because that's basically what it is) is new, experimental, and definitely not Guild-approved.

They are in a warm climate so their primary meats are fish, duck, and goat.

They do have a lot of seasonal fruits.

They store food primarily through pickling and salting.

Cinnamon is a rare spice growing in popularity (largely because it is imported and most people in Astelan don't realize where it comes from).

I haven't figured out preferred flavor pairings yet (e.g., salt-sweet, etc). Ambrose, the crowned prince, likes bitter flavors and loves smoky flavors.

[thehungrykat1]

The Cheng Dynasty Hotpot Offers Unlimited Hotpot, Sushi, Buffet and Teppanyaki

There's a new hotpot restaurant in Quezon City that's currently the talk of the town with its majestic interiors and luxurious hotpot menu that also includes a buffet and other premium add-on sets which makes its truly fit for royalty. The Hungry Kat was invited to try out one of the hottest new dining destinations in the city so I was more than ready to pay a visit to The Cheng Dynasty.

The Cheng Dynasty is a new Szechuan and Japanese hotpot restaurant that recently had its Grand Opening just a few weeks ago. You can find it along N.S. Amoranto Street (formerly Retiro) near the corner of Banawe Avenue where a lot of foodies go to find great dining places. If the character in their logo looks a bit familiar, that's because the restaurant is named after one of it's owners - toy and sneaker collector, DJ, vlogger, scion of the country's biggest foam producer Uratex, and now restaurateur, Big Boy Cheng.

The restaurant comes with an opulent but casual vibe, with most of the interiors in bright red and gold colors. There's plenty of tables for small and big groups, which is how a fun hotpot dining experience should be with.

There's also a semi private room at the back of the restaurant which houses some of Big Boy's personal artwork and art collection. Big Boy Cheng is a very prominent art collector and his Ronac Art Center in San Juan showcases contemporary art and pop culture displays.

The Cheng Dynasty Hotpot comes with several All You Can Eat options depending on your preference. The most basic set is the Terracotta (₱599) which offers their unlimited hotpot menu and is available from 11:00am to 5:00pm on weekdays and from 10:30pm to 1:00am daily.

The first thing to do with hotpot is to prepare your sauce. The Cheng Dynasty has a station where you can customize your choice of ingredients, but you can also request for their special sauce if you're not sure what you like.

Now it's time to try their hotpot! There's a time limit of two hours for each diner, but that's more than enough time to cook and enjoy all these delicious items from meats, vegetables, balls, and noodles. Just check the boxes of the dishes that you want to order and the server will bring these to you on a golden trolley.

We ordered some of our favorite items like the US Fatty Beef, Lean Beef Tenderloin, Shrimp, Squid, Smoked Duck Breast, Beef Balls, Lobster Balls, Golden Cheese Balls, Crab Roe Bomb, Golden Mushroom, and more.

You can also choose from their eight soup bases. The great thing about The Cheng Dynasty is that their hotpot bowls are all in individual sizes, so each diner can choose his own broth flavor. No need to share the pot with everyone else.

I chose the Tonkotsu soup base which has a flavorful broth made from pork bones. Just put your hotpot ingredients inside the golden bowls and wait for them to start boiling. It's as easy as that.

My husband ordered the Beef Sate soup base which comes with a meatier and saltier flavor. I really want to try their other flavors so I will surely do that on my next visit.

If you are feeling really hungry, another menu option is their Weekend Terracotta (₱699) which is available for lunch on weekends and includes unlimited hotpot PLUS an all you can eat Buffet selection.

It's rare to find a hotpot restaurant that also comes with a buffet, but The Cheng Dynasty lets you have all the tempura, tonkatsu, and chicken karaage that you want.

There are also plenty of other cooked dishes like the Lo Ba Chinese Braised Pork Belly, shrimp sotanghon, egg fried rice, and more.

If you want an even bigger buffet selection, head over to The Cheng Dynasty Hotpot from 6:00pm to 10:30pm for their Dinner Terracotta (₱899) where you can get unlimited hotpot and buffet PLUS as many trips as you want to the Sushi Station.

Aside from the aburi sushi, truffle maki, mani salad rolls, and other sushi variants, you can also get unlimited servings of the premium Scallop Gunkan and the Hunan Style Spicy Salmon and Salad.

If that is still not enough for you, then go for the Samurai (₱999) set which features all these unlimited hotpot, buffet, and sushi PLUS Unlimited Teppanyaki!

Choose from among the following teppanyaki dishes that will be cooked upon order: Miso Butter Beef Enoki, Pork Yakiniku, Salmon Yakiniku, Beef Pinsu, Shrimp and Garlic, Yasai Itami, and even Angus Beef Chahan.

I was already quite full so I wasn't able to try all of the teppanyaki options, so I'm surely coming back to sample these other tempting dishes. The Angus beef chahan will be first on my list next time.

Now if all those delicious and sumptuous items still leave you wanting more, then go for the ultimate menu that is fit for an emperor. The Emperor's Feast (₱1,299) comes with all those unlimited items mentioned above PLUS unlimited Shao Kao and a single serving from their Star Selection. Shao Kao are Chinese skewers which are grilled upon order. You can enjoy a selection of unlimited barbecued meats, balls, and vegetables that will be served and cooked on a skewer. It' a different way to experience eating these items that are usually just served for hotpot.

That's not all because the Emperor's Feast also lets each person get one serving of their deluxe Star Selection menu. You can order the Premium Sashimi Set which comes with salmon, ebi, and scallop sashimi. You can get your money's worth with just this dish alone.

Another option is the Emperor Cheng's Dragon Roll which has a tempura roll topped with unagi and salmon roe.

The Abalone in Chicken Essence with Crunchy Noodles is another premium dish you can order with your Star Selection. These exquisite abalone are beautifully plated on top of crispy noodles and doused with a special chicken sauce before being served.

We were all so full and satisfied from our hotpot, buffet, and teppanyaki lunch at The Cheng Dynasty, but there was one more activity waiting for us. The owners of the restaurant also placed a small room inside the restaurant that featured their other passion, Drip Art! All About Art PH has a studio at Secret Fresh inside RONAC Art Center in San Juan where kids and adults alike can enjoy drip painting and art activities. They decided to put a small branch here so that guests waiting for their tables or those too full to leave can have another activity to share with the family.

These DIY kits will give the artist inside everyone a chance to shine and sparkle. I had never done this kind of painting before so I was excited to have my first drip painting experience here at The Cheng Dynasty.

First, choose your figure. The price of your DIY kit depends on the figure you choose and its size. Next, choose three different paint colors that you can mix together or separately on a bowl. Lastly, pour the paint slowly on the figure, making sure all the corners and crevices are covered. That's it! The staff will then box these since it takes a few days to totally dry. Drip painting is a great bonding activity that can be enjoyed with friends and family so check out their Facebook and Instagram @allaboutartph if you want to know more.

The Cheng Dynasty Hotpot is truly a fantastic addition to the ever growing foodie destinations along Banawe Avenue and Quezon City. The luxurious interiors and the premium dishes will surely make you feel like an emperor yourself. I suggest you make reservations first before going because the lines can get pretty long, so send them a message and book your tables now.

Cheng Dynasty Hotpot

625 N.S. Amoranto St. , Quezon City

(0917) 159-7877

www.facebook.com/chengdynastyhotpotph

Instagram: @chengdynastyhotpotph

[40sandfabulousaf]

大家好! Where red meat is concerned, pork is mentioned more in this blog; my preferred red meat though, is duck, specifically roasted duck. Pork dishes are more accessible - many places sell them, which is why I eat pork more often - also, I love xiao long bao (soup dumplings) so... 😋 Once in awhile, the craving for my preferred red meat grows too strong and I dash to the nearest dining place for ya mian tang (duck noodle soup) with additional choy sum (Chinese flowering cabbage). After a satisfying meal of ya mian tang, it was time for guava juice.

Morning errands took me to a different part of the country; since I was there, might as well try the food. Their hawker centre was crowded and busy even on a Wednesday after most had started work. After searching for moderately healthy fare, I settled for jian cai yu pian mi fen tang (Chinese water spinach, sliced fish and vermicelli soup) since it was raining and soup is my comfort food. There were lots of veggies, the fish was tender and the clear broth was very tasty. My exploring mood took over, so after the meal, I headed to somewhere else and had soy bean drink instead of coffee.

I returned to the same hawker centre to try the other food stalls although I may not return that often since it's very out of the way. A meatless meal for me this time, comprising stewed fu pi (tofu skin) and tofu, fried tofu, stirfried cabbage with bean sprouts and carrot strips as well as stirfried okra and bee hoon (rice vermicelli). I've eaten better bee hoon, but it was still tasty and most importantly, moderately healthy. Star fruit and pear juice completed the meal. I may consider having more vegetarian meals since they taste pretty alright and can be very filling.

Grace had enough of drooling over photos of anago and unagi and asked me to take her to the restaurant; yes ma'am! She loved the thick ika (squid) sashimi slices as well as their unagi tamago donburi, but like Pa and me, she loved their anago donburi much more. Tender eel was simmered to feathery perfection and, without too much sauce, we tasted its natural freshness and fragrance. Grace ditched the car and we took the MRT together to and from the restaurant. She enjoyed the experience so much, she'll consider reducing her reliance on travelling by car in future.

How will I eat more vegetarian meals moving forward - I haven't thought about it but first and foremost, I hope to share 1 meal per post or at least once a week. The reason I'm willing to do this will be shared in the next post. If it all goes smoothly, the final goal is: 3 days' worth of meals will involve plant-based protein, 3 days' worth of meals will involve fish/seafood/eggs and 1 days' worth of meals will involve meat in any order. It will be a gradual process to give me time to get used to eating less fish and seafood, which I love; I'll also need time to tweak quantities since plant-based proteins usually lead to weight loss and I'm not looking to reduce my weight. 下次见！

[fssgsetlunch]

Bánh xèo ( Sizzling Pancake )

Nguồn gốc bánh xèo từ đâu?

Cái tên “bánh xèo” bắt nguồn từ âm thanh khi lớp bột gạo “hạ cánh” trên chiếc chảo nóng và chiên đến giòn rụm. Ở mỗi vùng miền, bánh có kích cỡ và thành phần nguyên liệu khác nhau, nhờ đó mà chúng ta có rất nhiều phiên bản bánh xèo đặc sắc và ngon miệng.

Cũng như thời điểm ra đời, bánh xèo có nguồn gốc từ đâu thì vẫn còn nhiều ý kiến khác nhau. Có tài liệu cho rằng bánh xèo xuất xứ từ món bánh khoái của Huế, càng đi vào phía Nam thì kích cỡ bánh xèo ngày càng lớn dần, phần nhân và nước chấm cũng được biến đổi phù hợp với từng vùng.

Phân loại bánh xèo

Ở Việt Nam, có hai trường phái “bánh xèo” rõ rệt. Trường phái bánh xèo đầu tiên là “bánh xèo to” ở miền Nam có nguồn gốc từ văn hóa ẩm thực người Khmer hay Đồng Bằng Sông Cửu Long. Còn trường phái thứ ha, nguồn gốc bánh xèo được cho là từ Bình Định với “bánh xèo nhỏ” ở miền Trung. Bánh xèo miền Trung còn được chia thành 2 loại: “bánh xèo miền Trung cổ truyền” và “bánh xèo Huế”.

Bánh xèo miền Nam (còn gọi là bánh xèo miền Tây) 

- Hình dáng: Người miền Nam đổ bánh xèo to gấp 3-4 lần so với bánh xèo có nguồn gốc miền Trung, hệt như lối sống hào sảng của mình. Vỏ bánh được tráng mỏng, giòn, hơi dai dai ở giữa, cực kỳ thơm bởi có nước cốt dừa.

- Nhân bánh: Nếu nguồn gốc bánh xèo là miền Nam thì nhân bánh sẽ bao gồm thịt ba chỉ, tôm, đậu xanh, có khi là thịt vịt, củ sắn (củ đậu), giá đỗ và đậu xanh.

- Cách ăn: Cuốn bánh, nhân và rau cùng với nhau sau đó chấm với nước mắm chua ngọt. Có thể dùng bánh tráng cuốn bánh xèo cho gọn, dễ ăn hơn.

Bánh xèo miền Trung cổ truyền

- Hình dáng: Nếu bánh có kích thước nhỏ gọn thì chắc hẳn nguồn gốc bánh xèo là từ miền Trung rồi. Vỏ bánh giòn tan, không quá dày cũng không quá mỏng.

- Nhân bánh: Nhân có thịt heo hoặc hải sản tôm, mực.

- Cách ăn: Cho bánh vào chén rồi thêm rau sống, ăn kèm với nước mắm chua ngọt.

Where do sizzling pancake come from?

The name "banh xeo" comes from the sound when the rice flour layer "landed" on a hot pan and fried until crispy. In each region, the cake has different sizes and ingredients, thanks to which we have many unique and delicious versions of pancakes.

Just like the time of its birth, where did “banh xeo” come from, there are still many different opinions. There are documents that say that “banh xeo” originated from Hue's banh chung, the further south you go, the larger the size of “banh xeo”, the filling and the dipping sauce are also changed to suit each region.

Classification of sizzling pancake

In Vietnam, there are two distinct schools of "banh xeo". The first school of “banh xeo” was "big banh xeo" in the South, originating from the culinary culture of the Khmer or the Mekong Delta. As for the second school, the origin of “banh xeo” is said to be from Binh Dinh with "small pancakes" in the Central region. Central pancakes are also divided into 2 types: "Traditional Central Sizzling cake".

Southern Sizzling Pancake (also known as Western Sizzling pancake)

- Shape: Southern people make “banh xeo” 3-4 times bigger than “banh xeo” of central origin, just like their generous lifestyle. The crust is thin, crispy, slightly chewy in the middle, extremely fragrant with coconut milk.

- Cake filling: If the origin of “banh xeo” is in the South, the filling will include bacon, shrimp, green beans, sometimes duck meat, cassava tubers (beans), bean sprouts and green beans.

- How to eat: Roll cake, filling and vegetables together then dip with sweet and sour fish sauce. You can use rice paper rolls to make pancakes more compact and easier to eat.

Traditional central Sizzling pancake

- Shape: If the cake has a compact size, the origin of the pancake is probably from the Central region. The crust is crispy, neither too thick nor too thin.

- Cake filling: The filling has pork or seafood shrimp, squid.

[tastesoftamriel]

I'm sorry if you've already answered this one. What are the daily meals usually eaten by the various peoples of Skyrim? Is second breakfast a thing?

Daily meals across Tamriel are highly subjective, and this list is barely the tip of the iceberg where day-to-day cuisine is concerned. Nonetheless, these are some of my favourite dishes when you're just not feeling up to something remarkable, but still want something delicious. As for second breakfast, you can have as many breakfasts as you can fit into you anywhere but Summerset!

Altmer

When it's not horrendously complex, Altmeri cooking is really quite remarkable in its simplicity. One of the most common dishes you'll find in households and taverns across Summerset is a warm, smoked seafood and dill tartine. The most popular version of this recipe calls for smoked marlin or halibut, but is also just as good with everything from eel to clams and sea urchin. Baked into a smooth and creamy egg custard in a buttery shell, and topped with a sprig of fresh dill, this is a seafood lover's go-to!

Argonians

One of the things you'll find in Murkmire is the sheer number of crocodiles. And the best thing to do with those crocodiles, bar leather, is to cook them. Similar in taste and texture to frog or chicken, crocodile is a slightly dry meat that's marinaded overnight in a spice paste, and wrapped in pandan leaves to infuse the flavour. The next day, the croc is chopped into bite-sized pieces and fried in coconut oil, and served with a big plate of rice and steamed vegetables.

Bosmer

The Wood Elves love their soup, and soups aplenty do they have! A particularly popular recipe is deer stew, which is a chunky thunderbug egg-drop soup with deer meatballs. Boiled thunderbug eggs become soft and spicy, whisked goose egg-drops thicken it up, and fried venison meatballs add flavour and texture. It's simple, tasty, and made from easy to find ingredients.

Bretons

High Rock may very well be the bread capital of Tamriel, and it's no surprise that one of the most common dishes is a type of stuffed bread. A deliciously unconventional yet very popular option is large buns flavoured with cardamom, which are stuffed with blueberries, crispy lardons, and blue cheese, and served hot with a slathering of butter. Great with a cup of tea!

Dunmer

Saltrice is a staple in the Dunmer kitchen, whether it's been fermented in sauce, stir-fried with hackle-lo, or baked into crackers. Saltrice and ash yam bowls are a typical food, where generous servings of other ingredients are served atop a bowl of freshly steamed saltrice, and slices or cubes of fried or baked ash yams. Toppings can include anything from scrambled kwama egg, pulled bantam guar, nix-hound curry, or pickled comberry and spicy seasoned hackle-lo.

Imperials

Stuffed and baked pasta logs, or cannelloni, are a Cyrodiilic staple that you'll be eating at least once a week in the Province. Stuffed with things like minced boar and vine-ripened tomatoes, ricotta and spinach, or smoked aubergine and caviar, these tubes of wheat pasta are slathered in a rich cream or tomato sauce, covered in cheese, and baked until crisp. A favourite of both the young and old.

Khajiit

Noodles are a Khajiit's best friend, and roast meats are any noodle dish's best friend! Roast duck, barbecue pork, or chicken noodles with a sweet-and-salty sauce are sure to be a hit at any home in Elsweyr. Thin egg noodles are stir fried with a signature moon sugar soy sauce, and topped with juicy slices of roast meat with crispy skin are served on top. For a couple of Septims more, you can make it a truly satisfying meal by throwing in a few crispy shrimp dumplings!

Nords

When it comes down to it, nothing hits the spot for a Nord quite like a good old jacket potato with spiced beef, sausage, and beans. There really isn't much to say here, aside from the fact that nothing is off limits when it comes to jacket potatoes. Whether it's Eidar cheese and bacon or reheated rabbit pemmican, everything tastes great when it's been mashed together with a potato that's about the same core temperature as Red Mountain.

Orcs

Contrary to popular belief, the Orsimer have a varied diet beyond roasted meats and root vegetables. A popular Stronghold dish, for example, is spaghetti squash stew, made with a curious type of squash that turns stringy when cooked, mimicking Imperial spaghetti. The stew it's served with is made from meat (usually beef, boar or mammoth), cream, mushrooms, and a good measure of ale. It's rich and hearty, and also goes well with a side of bread to mop up the gravy.

Redguards

Goat is the staple meat in Redguard cuisine, and it's in everything from curries to kebabs. One of my favourite ways to eat goat is a commoner's dish of baked goat in coconut milk, served with saffron rice. The meat is juicy as it is baked in a clay oven in a sauce made from a thick paste of spices and coconut milk, and has a bit of char that brings out the flavour. It's complemented perfectly by the rice, and is best washed down with a cup of sweet cardamom tea.

[shadowaccio6181]

I just... keep thinking about the Jedi and food. @brachiosaurus-on, please come and collect your plot bunnies. This was originally supposed to be an ask, you know? And it just... proliferated. 

I'm just imagining them preparing things together? Specifically, dumplings.

I'm thinking of Masters pulling out a giant wooden board and dusting it with flour and grabbing their meter-long rolling pin that their padawan has probably pretended was a lightsaber at one point and just... rolling out dumpling wrappers. 

And maybe it's more than just the master and padawan, maybe there's also other knights and initiates, and some initiates and padawans try and learn with extra rolling pins, but others are happy to make dumplings.

And the dumplings all look different.

Some are overstuffed, some are half-way to bursting and the master needs to swoop in and maybe do some emergency patch-ups so it won't burst when the dumplings are going to be boiled, and maybe some still burst.

Some are uglier, some are lopsided, at least one padawan or knight prefers to make them wonton-shaped, some try to pinch them so the dumplings look more like xiao long bao, some are delicately scalloped, someone definitely tried to stack rounded ones to mimic a snowman, there's at least a few that are just two dumpling wrappers sandwiching the filling, and...And maybe there are leftovers. 

Maybe it's the filling, and they're cooked as meatballs or stir-fried as a loose, crumbly topping.

Maybe it's the flour, and it's rolled thinly and sliced into uneven noodles.

And maybe they just all get to eat together at the end of the day. Maybe they make their sauces together, reaching over and around and jostling for space and getting annoyed when the being next to them bumps them as they’re trying to pour something.

Maybe they get into feuds about how each one likes their sauce.

At least one person just uses rice vinegar, maybe everyone just stares in confused disbelief at the person who just uses soy sauce and nothing more.

There's an entire counter with condiments, from nut butters to sesame paste to soy sauce to rice vinegar to black vinegar to sesame oil to chili oil to sugar to chili flakes to chopped green onions and finely-julienned ginger and more.

Maybe they also have multiple pots of soup. Maybe there's one knight who decides now's the perfect time for an impromptu hot pot and runs back to their rooms to get stuff.

Maybe some hoard the dumplings they know they made, or maybe they forcibly insist their friends/master try their work. Maybe some try to identify who made what, or tease their friends mercilessly for how ugly their dumplings look. 

And then maybe they do the dishes together. Maybe they just have a giant bowl of warm water, and the younger Jedi splash each other or start a water fight and the masters just look at them and sigh... before using the force to make an even bigger splash of water, and maybe the water fight drags on long enough that someone decides to heat up the water on the countertop and boil some of the extra dumplings they’d already put away in the freezer, and it takes forever, but at the end of the day, everything’s finally sorted out.

(Maybe they’d also gotten into a flour fight earlier. Maybe there’s some who chased each other around, brandishing spoons and chopsticks and rolling pins and maybe there’s a master who tried to separate them. Maybe there’s older Jedi who joined in, or placed bets, or just sighed in resignation and ducked around them as they tried to finish making the dumplings. And maybe the water fight had started earlier)

But at the end of the day, everyone’s just... happy.

[aceofspadegrass]

Hair Day

Characters: Niragi Suguru, Chishiya Shuntaro, Hatter, Last Boss

Genre: Crack. Niragi stole Chishiya's hair.

1.7k words

I did it. I have made a fic based on the cursed Niragi pic. It's.... very chaotic, @niragis-right-hand-rabbit.

Do I know how hair works? Barely, but hey, it's gotta work somehow.

Also look, I did it. Yes I had to slap normal bean on top of cat bean but I tried. A real shame the strand is on the wrong side though I forgot to edit it out and it's too late for me to put it on the correct side.

Oh yeah, and there's a little hint of sleep drugging. Just a tad.

Niragi stares at the empty container with pure disdain in his eyes, hair loose after a couple of days without his beloved hair gel. Sure, it’s left his hair decently soft enough and nobody has really noticed the distinct lack of shine when he pulls his hair up every morning, but he missed the smell and feel.

He runs his hand through his hair, still a little knotted after he slept, but nothing a brush couldn’t handle. Niragi squints at himself in the mirror, his hair falling in front of his face and framing it in a way that reminded Niragi of a certain someone. He tries to tuck one side out of the way, but it falls back inevitably like a stubborn thorn in his cheek. Pausing, Niragi stares at himself in the mirror, thinking to himself as he leaned closer before he got a rather ridiculous idea.

Standing up proud and straight, he ties it back as he always did, making sure to brush extra well so no hairs would fall out of his bun, even sliding a few pins in the back to properly secure it. With a pleased grin, he leaves the bathroom and grabs his rifle from where he left it on the bed, positioning it over his shoulder and heading out for the day for a quick patrol.

The hallways themselves were fairly empty, with the only real instances of noises being from within a few rooms, but Niragi didn’t bother to check inside every single one. He makes it down to the stairs and heads down with a whistle, flashing a smirk at a pair of women who were chatting in the stairwell. The girls stepped out of his way as he made his way down, their conversation halting until Niragi was at the bottom, their whispers rampant and echoing from above.

Niragi walks around until he makes it to the cafeteria, people already grabbing and eating breakfast. He doesn’t bother with sitting by any of the residing militants however today, his mind on something else. He instead grabs a bottle of strawberry milk from the fridge and some rice balls that one of the current kitchen workers handed him before rushing out with a sort of excited fire in his eyes.

Niragi slips into the medical bay whilst cramming a rice ball into his mouth, ignoring the nurse on duty as he goes towards the medicine cabinet. Sliding it open, he pushes aside bottles until he finds what he was looking for, shoving it into his pocket and running out, nearly knocking over the same nurse without so much as an apology.

Niragi shoves yet another rice ball into his mouth as he walked back to his room, pill bottle and milk in one hand and rice balls in the other. He sets the bottles down on the nightstand and takes a brief break to finish breakfast before starting on his silly little switcheroo mission.

Niragi quietly hums to himself as he makes his way to Chishiya’s room, hoping the man was still in there. If he wasn’t, Niragi would just hunt him down anyways and drag him back in here whether the fried egg wanted to or not. Opening the door, he peeks inside.

Bingo.

Chishiya was sitting at his desk, with the only sounds being the scratching of pencil on paper. Niragi slips inside and shuts the door, coming over to the desk and setting the perfectly innocuous bottle of milk on the corner of Chishiya’s desk. The man barely even acknowledges him, Niragi staring at Chishiya in silence. One glance to the paper only showed Chishiya drawing a bunch of squares in a distorted array, with exactly one circle inside in red pen. “ What the fuck is that.”

“ Why are you in my room.”

“ Why do you care, hm?”

Chishiya slowly turns his head and shoulders to look up at Niragi blankly, and Niragi really wanted to just say fuck it with the drink and choke the little bitch until he was unconscious by his own hands.

“ ….. Do you need something?”

“ Yeah. Drink this.” Niragi taps the cap to the milk, Chishiya not even taking a single glance.

“ And if I don’t?” Chishiya blinks, cracking a lazy smirk. Niragi leans down and turns Chishiya’s whole body around until their noses and legs were nearly touching, Niragi licking the top of his lip as he grins.

“ Then I’m gonna make you drink it by force. So how about you use your brain and figure it out.” Niragi responds, Chishiya staring directly into his eyes without so much as a flinch. Chishiya clicks his tongue and flicks Niragi’s forehead, Niragi recoiling as Chishiya takes the bottle and inspects it, letting a small puff of air through his nose.

“ Strawberry, how quaint.” Chishiya twists the cap, the safety lock cracking without an issue. Chishiya looks back up at Niragi, who was watching him now with a blank expression, and toasts to nothing before turning back around in his chair and taking slow ample sips. Niragi backs away and heads into Chishiya’s connected bathroom, digging through his cabinets as he hears a soft thunk noise from the main room. Niragi preens internally with his plan working as he pulls a box out from the cabinet and sets them on the sink bench, along with a second box that he was hiding behind his back. Sure, it was now warm because of Niragi, but he didn’t think it would affect anything.

The local blackberry heads out and comes over to the table, Chishiya slumped over the desk unconscious. Never the wiser really, Niragi hoisting him out from the chair with not too much trouble as he drags him into the bathroom. Niragi leaves him in the bathtub and stares at his prone form for three whole seconds maximum before going back to rummage through Chishiya’s bathroom cabinets.

He finds a sizable plastic bag rolled up under the sink, as well as scissors and gloves, Niragi pleased that Chishiya kept them in reach so he didn’t have to go anywhere else.

Turning to the unconscious cat, Niragi’s grin grows wider as he approached with the bag.

The man dutifully makes sure to leave the surfaces decently cleaned despite no real reason to do so, his hair covered in aluminum foils and plastic wrap. Chishiya remained completely and utterly unconscious in the bathroom, a plain plastic bag tied over his hair as the dye set in.

Niragi didn’t feel like staying around, itching to go take his shower and tone his hair as soon as he could. He slips out of the room without a sound and makes his way down the hall to his own room, not caring who saw him. The path was thankfully empty the entire way, Niragi ducking in and heading to the showers.

By the time he got out, put toner, waited got back in to finish, and got back out again, Niragi could tell Chishiya was probably going to find him sometimes soon. He’d be ready of course, Niragi quietly humming as he checked his hair in the mirror before leaving.

He passes by a few of the other militants, who stare at him in confusion. Niragi glances over at them and sticks his tongue out with a proud smile, striding past them before they could even get a word in, back on his mission to Chishiya’s room.

That is, until Last Boss approached him from buttfuck nowhere and dragged his now blond ass to the meeting room.

“ Hey what’s the rush?!”

Last Boss doesn’t bother with a response as he pushes the doors open, Hatter standing there as Chishiya slowly turns to Niragi with eyes of murder. Hatter, who apparently was dragged into this at some point, claps his hands together. “ Oh, I see now! Well then, if I may be so inclined to ask: What in the bright fuck is this.”

Niragi just runs his fingers through his hair, which he managed to style somewhat close to Chishiya’s normal hairstyle. “ I stole Chishiya’s hair because I ran out of hair gel.”

Hatter slowly nods, and Chishiya continued to stare directly at Niragi. Last Boss had dipped out completely the moment he completed his mission. Hatter turns to Chishiya, and brushes a finger through the shortcake’s newly blackened hair. “ And this?”

“ I stole Chishiya’s hair.” Niragi repeats. It wasn’t that hard to understand, really.

“…. I see. Well then, it certainly is something! If you had just told me I may have been willing to help, but the job here is rather phenomenal.” Hatter muses, then looks back to Niragi. “ Do you have a tie?”

Chishiya was already trying to move away when he knew something was up, but Niragi and Hatter were faster as Niragi tosses him a hairband, Hatter grabbing Chishiya’s shoulders and forcing him still, his other hand reaching up and brushing Chishiya’s hair back. Chishiya continues to look directly at a now grinning Niragi as Hatter tied Chishiya’s upper hair into a bun, and then patting said bun once he finished.

“ There you go you! You look…. better, in a way!” Hatter chirps

“ So! Chishiya, what where you doing with him, huh? Were you trying to complain to the manager?”

“ Don’t word it like that. And no, I was merely talking to him when he mentioned my apparently sudden hair change. So, Niragi, how did you do it.”

Niragi slowly rolls his head to the other side, repositioning his weight onto the other leg. “ Do… what.”

“ You slipped something into that milk, didn’t you.”

Niragi scoffs, rolling his eyes. “ Course I did.”

“ Yet the bottle was unopened.”

“ I’m not stupid, stupid. I have thoughts. I can problem solve.”

“ Sometimes.”

“ Oi, you take that back!”

Hatter chuckles, and puts a hand on Chishiya’s shoulder, pushing him forward until he reaches Niragi. Putting a hand on his shoulder as well, he pushes the both of them out of the meeting room. “ Ladies, ladies, no fighting~ If you need to, take it outside, maybe have a good martini or whatever. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to mentally process this look. Okay byyyyye!” Hatter shuts the door on the both of them, Niragi and Chishiya continuing to stare at each other.

“ You give me my hair back or else.” Chishiya whispers.

“ Or else…. what.” Niragi leans forwards, smirking. Chishiya just smirks back, eyes narrowing. “ You’ll see.”

[amenomiko]

Thank you @amymarple for the request and Thank You so much for liking my writing 🤗🤗🤗😍😍😍❤❤❤! There's no element in your request that makes me uncomfortable so it's okay ✨✨✨. Hope you like this!

First Game - Quiz Game

Team 1 - Masamune, Ranmaru, Yukimura

Team 2 - Sasuke, Nobunaga, Mitsunari

Prize : A photo of MC

❤💖❤💖❤💖❤💖❤💖❤💖❤💖❤

Team 1 be like (˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°˵)(✿❛◡❛)ಠ_ಠ

Team 2 be like (´・ｪ・｀)😏(❁´◡`❁)

Yukimura's one and only question before it started be like "Why am I here again?"

But it was ignored.

Then drum roll.... Start!

Question 1: What is the substitute for wine in dish? To the lords and ninjas of Sengoku era, Wine is a type of alcoholic drink in foreign country.

Masamune: Hoooh substitute eh? I'd say sake? Cause it's also an alcoholic drink.

Ranmaru: But didn't you immediately k.o even after a sip? Why would you want to make anything that required alcohol, Masamune-sama?

Masamune:

Yukimura: PFFFFT- ehem.

Mitsunari: Uhm.. Uhm.. I think.. Maybe.. *Butterfly passes by 🦋🦋🦋* Oh OAO. *Distracted*

Nobunaga: That's easy. It will be MC's tears 😏.

MC: (눈‸눈)...

Sasuke: Grape (´・ｪ・｀)✨.

BING! BING! BING! "Sasuke wins! Points goes to Team 2!"

Sasuke: *Dabs*

Question 2: Margaret has 5 childrens. It's Olivia, Johnathan, Liam, Shana, and Who is the youngest.

Them:

Sasuke: Oh. Ooooh. Okay.

Yukimura: What? What?? Who is the youngest? Who?

Masamune: Hoooh.. This is tricky.

Nobunaga: I think it's Mitsunari. Because our Mitsunari is like the youngest who's mind needed to be protected 😏.

Mitsunari: Thank you, My Lord. I'm honored (❁´◡`❁).

Ranmaru: But wow. This Margaret person is a super woman. She have five kids 😲✨✨✨.

Sasuke: The people in this era is really... *sigh* must protecc!

Yukimura: Sasuke, stop talking in your weird language, I bet you already have the answer don't you?

Sasuke: Yes I do.

Yukimura: So who's the youngest?

Sasuke: Yes.

Yukimura: What-

Sasuke: Who is the youngest.

Yukimura: No, I'm asking you ಠ_ಠ.

Sasuke: Yes bro. Who is the youngest.

Yukimura: I SWEAR TO GOD SASUKE WHO IS THE YOUNGEST??

Sasuke: You don't have to swear it like that, bro. Yes. Who is the youngest.

Yukimura: *SCREEEEEECH*

Final question: If a castle is a home, then a bed is a ______.

Masamune: Kitten meowing my name 😏✨✨✨✨

Hideyoshi in the background: *sighhhhh* 😑😑😑😑

Ranmaru: A place to sleep (✿❛◡❛)!

Nobunaga: Place for MC to be ready for my kiss 😏.

Sasuke: ......

Yukimura: A place to sleep obviously. What else it is for 😒?

Sasuke: *Grabs megaphone* VIRGINNNNNNN~~~~~

Yukimura: What?? (　☉д⊙)

Shingen among the crowd: Oh, my Yuki. And here you are, playing the game so you can win over our Goddess (っω；。).

Yukimura: *Misheard* What? You want to bring a horses on your bed??

Meanwhile Mitsunari: *Still distracted with the butterfly 😳🦋✨✨✨

Winner: Team 2. Thanks to Sasuke.

Mitsunari: I don't know what happened but yaaaay (❁´◡`❁)❤❤❤~~

Nobunaga: *Smiles at MC's photo of sleeping* Hm 😏. *Puts it inside his inner kimono*

Sasuke: *stares at photo of MC cooking in an apron* Oh mah waifu. Le mademoiselle making me a sandwich. *kiss kiss kiss*

Nobunaga: ........

Sasuke: *Cough* Excuse me (´・ｪ・｀).

Second Game - Eating Competition

Team 1 - Shingen, Kennyo

Team 2 - Yukimura, Mitsuhide

Prize: Gold Trophy of MC statue in wedding dress.

Shingen: We can do this, Kennyo 😏. Let's do our best to win our Goddess's heart~

Kennyo: Tsk. I don't see any points of winning this game over a food eating competition-

MC: Alright the food is here~ I cooked it myself ☺☺☺. The dish for this eating competition is fried rice with anchovies, edamame, tempura, and a mix of foreign country, Korea's infamous Kimchi ❤.

Kennyo: I won't lose 😒.

Shingen: ( ͡^ ͜ʖ ͡^)...

Yukimura: Why did I team up with you again?

Mitsuhide: Now, now, don't say that. We might win, you know?

-FOOD EATING COMPETITION... START!-

Shingen: Aaaah it smells so nice. When the Goddess prepared something as divine as this, I couldn't ask for more, aaah such a sin to be eating heavenly food~~

Kennyo: Just be quiet and start eating will you ಠ_ಠ? Nevermind I will start first- *Eats* ....MMF-

Yukimura: GAH WHAT THE HECK WILD BOAR?? It's so salty!!

MC: ☺💢...... My, have I forgotten to tell you that the dishes is not what it taste like? Oh I didn't. Of course. Especially for someone like you, Yukimura.

Kennyo: The rice is salty, the edamame is sour, the tempura is sweet and the kimchi is-- what a combination..! Sh- Shingen- *turns around*

Shingen: X w X.......

Kennyo: He fainted with anchovies hanging in his mouth 😱😱😱 OI! WAKE UP!

Yukimura: *Hurls* Oh f-- hey, are you oka-

Mitsuhide: *Has mixed everything into one bowl and already ate it until halfway* Hm ( ͡^ ͜ʖ ͡^)?

Yukimura: ʕʘ̅͜ʘ̅ʔ....

Winner: Team 2. Thanks to Mitsuhide and his sense of taste.

Mitsuhide: *Chuckles to the trophy* Ah, I can't wait for the real person to wear it. *Smiles at MC*

MC: (ㆁᴗㆁ✿)?

And Yukimura: *Holding the gold trophy with ʕʘ̅͜ʘ̅ʔ face*

Final Game - Pass the Baton

Team 1- Kenshin, Shingen, Yukimura, Ranmaru, Kennyo

Team 2 - Hideyoshi, Masamune, Mitsunari, Ieyasu, Mitsuhide

Prize: A handmade kimono by MC.

Point 1: Masamune and Shingen

Bang!

Both of them dash for the second point, clearly glaring at one another within the race.

"Heh. Handmade Kimono or not, I will make sure I claim many more from her!"

"Aren't we a greedy one, One Eyed Dragon? That will be impossible for you to do so as Team 1 will win this no matter what!" Shingen focused to his front, all more than ready to pass the baton.

Both of them manage to pass the baton!

"Go! Ieyasu / Yuki!"

Sasuke: *Gasp* The Tsunderes of History (´・д・｀)! *Takes out phone out of no where and takes picture (which is attached with orange to charge its battery)*

MC: ಠ_ಠ...

"Heh, I won't lose to you!"

"Focus on your front, future loser."

"EXCUSE ME (　☉д⊙)??"

"Excuse you 😒."

"Damn it..! Ah Kenshin-sama--"

Yukimura: *Saw something + slipped* GAH- *Fell and land like an airplane, flat on the floor* Why are you drinking during a race???

Kenshin: Hmh. I was bored, you are too slow (눈‸눈).

Mitsunari: I'm honored to get the baton from you, Ieyasu-sama (❁´◡`❁)✨✨✨

Ieyasu: Just start with the running already

ヽ(`д´；)/!!!

3rd point, Kenshin and Mitsunari. Despite the slight delay, both of them running in par with one another.

"You are amazing despite having a drink just now, Kenshin-sama."

"Heh. That is nothing much. Besides, you are not bad yourself."

Meanwhile, at the 4th point...

Mitsuhide: ( ͡^ ͜ʖ ͡^) My, hello fellow betrayer.

Ranmaru: QAQ Don't put it that way please~~

Now the baton in both of their respective hands, Ranmaru didn't hesitate to use his ninja skills for a quick stride, and that won't stop Mitsuhide either.

The final point: Hideyoshi and Kennyo.

Both: *Glares at one another*

Kennyo: To think that Nobunaga's lap dog would participate.

Hideyoshi: What did you say ୧( ಠ Д ಠ )୨?? Ah, here he comes..! Pass it here, Mitsuhide!

Mitsuhide: ( ͡^ ͜ʖ ͡^) My, my, someone is impatient. Did you miss me, Hideyoshi?

Hideyoshi: GSHJSKAALF JUST BE QUICK WILL YOU ヽ(`д´；)/??

Mitsuhide: Okay~~

Also Mitsuhide: Ah-

*S T A B*

Everyone in the field: 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 *GASSSPPPPP*

Mitsuhide: My apologies, Hideyoshi. The running makes my legs tire witn fatigue it seems.

Current Hideyoshi's state: *Baton sticking out in his butthole* A-are you trying to kill me, Mitsuhide--- ugh- *faints*

Ranmaru: *Is stuck between helping Hideyoshi but also want to pass the baton to Kennyo* Aaaah I'm sorry, Hideyoshi-sama 😭!! Kennyo-sama!! Here!! *Pass the baton*

Kennyo: *Wince with an eye twitch to Hideyoshi* I pray for the health of your.. W-well. *Runs*

Winner: Team 1.

Kenshin: Kimono is great. But a kiss from you is better.

MC: Wha wha wha o////o..!

Shingen: Are you stealing my lines 😒? So rude~

Kennyo: Hands off your filthy hands on her, Shingen.

Ranmaru: Yaaaay Kimono by Princess (∩´∀`∩)💕!!

Yukimura: *Looking at Hideyoshi who is surrounded by the Azuchi lots* That's.. The most horrifying thing ever ʕʘ̅͜ʘ̅ʔ *shivers*

Meanwhile..

Nobunaga: Your sacrifice will be remembered and honoured, Hideyoshi.

Mitsunari: Noooo Hideyoshi-sama is not a virgin anymoreeee 😭😭😭😭😭😭

Ieyasu: Mitsunari what in the smoking duck-

Mitsunari: Huh? But MC said like that since Hideyoshi-sama is Nobunaga-sama's wife or something just now.. Huh? Ieyasu-sama, a duck can smoke 😱😱😱???

Ieyasu: Yes, just like you 😒.

Mitsuhide: May you rest in peace, my fellow right hand.

Masamune: May your butt rest well, lad. *sighs*

Hideyoshi:

Hideyoshi:

Hideyoshi: HEY S T O P!! I'M NOT DEAD YET ୧( ಠ Д ಠ )୨!!!

[thesameasbe4]

One More Night in Siberia

*Bucky and first person reader.

I mumbled one more “thank you” in my terrible Russian as I closed the door on the intrusive host. Had I not been so tired and sore I would have realized that it was not strange of the owner of the Inn to be suspicious of two people banging on the door in the middle of a blizzard, with no vehicle, in Siberia. But I was too tired - so I just trudged into the room after Bucky and sank to the floor. After a few moments to gather my wits I began looked about the small space. There was an old iron coil heater in the corner on the far side of the room so I rose with a groan and went to examine it. After poking around I found the pilot light was out so I rifled through the bug out bad we had been sharing and pulled out a pack of matches. Soon the ancient coil was creaking and groaning but getting warmer.

Next I turned to Bucky. He had put on a brave face when negotiating for the room, but now he was white as a sheet and stared ahead blankly. “Hold on, Buck,” I murmured to him as I stripped him out of his freezing clothes. I could see fresh blood stains on his undershirt as I pulled that off too, swallowing hard. The bullet wound had not hit any vital organs, just grazed his lower left side, but we had been on the run for a week now and I was worried it was getting infected. There was no bathroom in the room so I slipped outside with our small cooking pot and collected some snow. Returning unnoticed by the innkeeper, I set the pot on the heater to melt.

It had been too long since either of us had had a warm shower and even a heated basin of water was better than anything we should expect. After cleaning his wound and a swallow of whiskey for each of us, Bucky was sitting up again, propped against a wall. I gently ran a bandanna soaked in the warm water over his torso and face. The room was quite toasty now, but Bucky was still shivering. I reached down to feel the leg of his pants and sighed, realizing they were also soaked through. Carefully, I undid them and slid them off his legs, spreading them flat on the ground to dry close to the heat. I then pulled the reindeer skins off the small bed in the corner of the room and tucked them around him, I hadn’t the energy to try to move him to the bed. He was closer to the heater this way.

It was just a few hours till the chopper would meet us here, but Buck didn’t look good. I suspected his wound was becoming infected, he wasn’t losing much blood anymore, so that wasn’t the reason for his pallid skin and he would going through waves of chills. He began to shake again and I could no longer see anything but a cold, sad boy. Coaxing his large frame to lean forward, I managed to slip behind him, straddling his shaking body with my legs. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him tight. “Buck?” I murmured into his ear.

“Yea,” he groaned with much effort.

“I need you to stay awake for me, Bucky. Do you understand?”

“Mmh,” he groaned again, his flesh arm squeezing my ankle. I couldn’t help but lean into him further, while flinching internally as I thought of how we would explain this away when he had his wits about him again.

We passed the hours together by telling stories. I talked about the yellow plastic slide in my back yard growing up. How I had tried about a dozen times to spend a whole night in the tree house my father built but would always come inside when it got dark because I thought a raccoon would sit on my face in the middle of the night. Bucky smiled at that, his light laughter reverberating down his back. Bucky talked about growing up in the city, about the best rooftop view of New York and promised we would visit it together one day. I rolled my eyes even though he couldn’t see them.

“Always the playboy aren’t you?” I teased light heartedly.

Bucky reached around and grabbed my free hand, pulling it to him and placing it on his bare chest. “No, you are too precious to be an object for a playboy,” he said cryptically. I shook it off as a symptom of his fever, though I left my hand where he placed it, kneading his clammy chest gently as he continued to talk, the deep vibrations of his voice making their way to my palm.

A while later, lights on the horizon flashed the signal to let us know it was our ride out of here. I helped Bucky dress and we stumbled out of the droopy little building into the vast white world. Two uniforms met us half way and I gratefully handed Bucky off to them.

…

Several days passed and Bucky and I were recovering well from the mission. I had thought I was going to lose a few toes to frost bite but managed to pull through with all my body parts still attached. Bucky’s infected wound was now on the mend. His side was still tender though he would never admit that.

I looked up from my book at a tap on my door. “Enter!” I said not looking up.

“Hey,” said a low voice from my door.

“What up,” I replied, trying not to seem excited to see him.

“Well, I ordered too much Chinese and you haven’t eaten yet,” he said.

“You have just said two statements, you now need to combine them into a cohesive question,” I said flatly. It had been a frustrating day.

“Okay, as a hungry person, do you think I should share my food with Steve or just eat it all myself?”

I threw a pen at him, which he caught gracefully in mid air. “It would have hit you in the forehead,” I mumbled.

Walking the rest of the way into my room, he placed a full plastic bag on my desk, the delicious smells of fried rice and dumplings seeping into the space. Then he moved to stand behind my desk chair, placing his warm hands on my shoulders. He began to knead the knots in my back. I closed my book and leaned into his touch, trying hard not to moan.

“You know I never properly thanked you for dragging my ass out of Siberia,” he said. I turned to look at him.

“You don’t have to, it’s what partners do,” I replied.

“I know, but you are an exceptional partner.” I waved a hand at him in dismissal but he caught it, and pulled me up to stand in front of him, so close we were almost touching. Then, he placed my hand on his chest again, just like he had done that night in Siberia. I looked up at his face and was startled by his glittering grey-blue eyes.

As if by a force outside of my control, I raised my hands to his face and pulled him down to meet my lips. I was sure he would pull away, make an awkward excuse and duck out, but that’s not what he did. No, he wound his hands around my hips, pulling me in tighter.

His lips were firm against mine, insistent as they explored my mouth, jaw and neck. His metal arm, a shock of cold on my lower back at first, was warming from contact with my heated skin. I was taken aback by his eagerness, surprised and I was more tentative to respond to him, my arm snaking up between us to grab a handful of his shirt. I pressed against his chest, coaxing him away from me gently, and despite the need I sensed in his tense muscles, he moved away just enough for me to shiver as the cool air of the room buffered against me in the places where I had adjusted to Bucky’s body heat. Bucky nuzzled my neck with his stubble questioningly.

“Hey now, the food is getting cold,” I laughed as he continued to cling to me even as I began to unpack the bag of food he had forgotten on my desk. “I’m gonna eat your egg roll if you don’t back off,” I threatened.

…

The lo mein sat heavy in my stomach as I reran our kiss from earlier in the day. I was still at my computer, but I hadn’t gotten anything done in the past hour. Sighing, I rose and headed for the shower. The steam and heat were divine, I never took luxuries like hot water for granted anymore since I had been in so many situations without such things. I stood there in the shower for much too long, till I was bright red and the water started to get cool again. Finally I switched it off and stepped out of the bathroom in a towel.

I was stepping into some comfy sweats as an old melody drifted into my room. I cocked my head and smiled. Bucky, the boy displaced by time, was playing his records from the 40’s again. Returning to my closet, I pulled out a simple, modest knee length black dress as I ran my hand thoughtfully through my drying hair. A few minutes later I caught the image of myself in the mirror as I pulled on a pair of pantyhose, no time for an elaborate hair do, but it was my best efforts at 1940s fashion on a time crunch. Tugging on a pair of matching heels, I clicked down the hall lightly towards the haunting sounds of the record. The door opened before I could knock, super soldier and all, it was hard to catch Bucky by surprise.

“Need a partner?” I asked as I raised my hands, offering to dance with him. He smiled broadly as his gaze swept down my figure and then back up to my face. Gently he stepped closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist, drawing me further into the room and kicking the door closed with his foot. We moved slowly together, inching closer and closer to one another like two magnets, the lazy jazz luring us into the fantasy of a crowded dance floor. Finally I laid my head on his shoulder. We didn’t say anything, we were partners. He knew what I needed and I knew what he was thinking.

[fanficimagery]

Another One Bites the Dust pt. 2

Summary: In which you accidentally run into the new guy, only for him to take an interest in you.

Words: 6.6K Warnings: Violence and swearing. A particular scene here happened pretty early on when Billy first moved to Hawkins, but for the sake of this imagine just pretend it happened a little later on.

Requested? Yes. By a few of you. Lol. Part One can be found HERE. @charmed-asylum​ | @cilorawr​ | @misstartrekandel​ | @procrastinate-queen​ | @delvenakioti​ | @shelby-x​

Billy Hargrove. The boy was an absolute dick to most, but you and he meshed pretty well thanks to the meddling of your best friend Heather. There were days where his dick-ish attitude just rubbed you the wrong way and you gave him the silent treatment until he cut his shit out, and fortunately for you he was quick to remedy his wrong the moment you shrugged off his arm when he was back in one of his playful moods.

You and he became the school's latest will they or won't they duo, and unfortunately for you almost the entire school was leaning towards when you would hook up, not if.

The school day has finally ended and you're more than ready to go home, even if it means riding the school bus since your car was in the shop. Both Billy and Heather were absent, and you had to endure muttered catty remarks, and you're just so over it. No matter how much you denied anything going on between you and Billy, the female population of Hawkins High still held a grudge against you for taking his attention.

Walking outside, you're heading towards the faded yellow buses when blaring music gets louder and louder, and gravel and dust is kicked up when a familiar blue Camaro skids to a stop nearby you. You cough, waving a hand in front of your face to fan away the dust, and then roll your eyes at a smirking Billy. "Don't you look awfully perky for someone who called in sick."

He chuckles. "Get in. I'm not letting you ride the bus."

Normally you'd banter a bit before caving, but you're tired. Riding with Billy sounds a hundred times better than riding the school bus with gossiping bitches. "Oh my god, yes. Thank you. I love you," you babble.

Quickly walking around the front of his car, you open up the passenger side door and plop down into his passenger seat. Billy leans towards you, nudging his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose. "Mmm. Say that again, but slower and whisper it in my ear."

You snort, shaking your head in amusement. "Not today, Hargrove. Please. I just want to go home and sleep."

When you look at him, you're a bit surprised to see how fast he sobers up. "What happened?"

"The usual. Now can you please drive or are we waiting for Max?"

"Max can skateboard her ass home." You frown at him, but you know better than to delve into his relationships with his family. As you and Heather have come to find out, Billy did not get along with any of his family whatsoever and it was best for everyone involved if you never mentioned it. "Your parents still out?"

"Yep, but-"

"Aw come on, Princess. No buts."

"Yes buts, Hargrove. I still don't need a guard dog to sleep at my feet."

He grins and quickly glances back out his windshield. "Who said I'd be sleeping at your feet?"

Groaning and laughing, you reach over to weakly punch his arm. "Shut up and drive, please."

Billy ends up cruising around town and down the back roads, knowing exactly what you need to decompress. With the window down and wind whipping through hair, you turn your head to face Billy and smile at him. He smirks back, thumbs tapping out beats along to the songs blaring from his speaker against his steering wheel. But all too soon the drive comes to a stop when he pulls up to the curb in front of your house.

Just as you reach for your backpack at your feet, Billy lowers the volume to his radio. "So listen, Y/N, I was thinking-"

"Whoa. No way!"

He snorts. "Shut up." You chuckle, miming zipping your lips shut. "So anyways, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Besides sleeping? Nothing. What do you have in mind?"

"Let's grab a bite to eat. Just you and me. No Heather."

You hum as you open the door, sliding out. "Normally I'd tell you to get bent, but I'm game if you're buying." You shut the door and lean down to peer in through the opened window.

"Whatever you say, Princess. It's a date."

Your smile drops and Billy's smirk widens. "What? No it's not."

"What'd you say?" Billy raises the volume to the point that you flinch and he points at his ear, shakes his head, and shrugs. "I can't hear you!"

"You're a dickhead!" He laughs, clearly hearing you and revs his engine. On instinct you step back and Billy shoots off, leaving you waving a hand in front of your face to get rid of the dust his tires kicked up. You sigh. "It's totally not a date."

With nothing better to do and no one to tell you not to nap to your heart's content, you immediately jump into the shower to wash away all the lingering smells and germs from school. Afterward you dress in a shirt that's about two sizes too big and a pair of shorts that your father would burn had he known you were in possession of them. Then after vigorously towel drying your hair before throwing it up into a messy bun, you grab a pillow and blanket and fall onto the couch in front of the TV that's playing MTV.

Your eyes flutter shut for what feels like minutes, but when they fly back open the darkened living room says otherwise. For a moment you're confused as to why you were startled awake, but then the doorbell rings and nearly scares you half to death. When the pounding starts, you're quick to sit up and scramble towards the door, yanking it open seconds later. You're greeted by a beaming Heather and a too smug Billy.

"You have a date?!" She practically screeches.

You frown, rubbing the heel of your palm into your right eye. "Uh, no?"

"That's not what Billy says."

"Billy's a liar. You should know this by now."

Heather giggles and brushes passed you into your house. "Whatever. We brought Chinese. Hope you're hungry."

You watch her go and then turn to face Billy who's now eyeing you up and down. "Is that- is that my shirt?"

Immediately your face heats up and you glance down to see where his gaze has stopped. Grabbing the hem of the shirt and trying to lower it to cover your bare thighs, you nervously clear your throat. "You never asked for it back," you tell him. "You left your gym bag in my car for two weeks and I had to wash your rank ass clothes. I kept the shirt."

He slowly drags his eyes upward, eyes twinkling. "Looks good on you."

"Of course it does. I make everything look good."

You turn on the heel of your foot, gesturing for Billy to follow. He does. "Princess, please tell me you're wearing shorts. Because if you're not, I'm about to have a situation here."

Heather cackles from the kitchen and you roll your eyes even though he can't see it. "If you end up stiff, you're taking care of it in your car."

"You gonna give me a hand? Or a mouth?" He teases.

You snort. "Keep dreaming."

"Oh I will."

Heather dreamily sighs. "God I love when you two are like this," she says, gaze darting between you and Billy. "When you two finally come together, pun totally intended, it's going to be so explosive and I want all the nitty gritty details."

"As if," you say, the same time Billy says, "You got it."

Your friend giggles as she readily takes down plates and glasses from the cabinets. You turn to grab some Cola from the fridge and then head to take a seat at the table. Heather nudges you towards the chair that's closest to Billy and you huff a laugh but accept your fate nonetheless, crossing one leg over the other.

Heather quickly dishes out her food, she then passing you the containers. You dish yourself up some beef teriyaki and fried rice, absentmindedly dishing up the same for Billy while also adding two egg rolls to his plate. Heather coos, you blush, and then blush even harder when Billy slots his left hand between your pressed thighs underneath the table. Your instincts tell you to tell him to remove his hand, but the touch is innocent enough and you bite your tongue. It's as if he's warming his hand between your thighs like you absentmindedly do when your hands get too cold.

Laughter and chatter is shared throughout dinner, you filling them in on your day without them and they each sharing their bogus reasons for skipping school. Unknowingly you started eating with only your right hand and your left hand slipped under the table to join Billy's. You realized a moment too late that you were playing with his fingers, and when you tensed he chose that moment to squeeze your thigh.

You squeak and nearly fall out of your chair, and Heather stares suspiciously between the two of you. "What is going on?"

"Nothing," you tell her.

Billy grins. "I think I just found Y/N's ticklish spot."

You scowl as Heather's gaze drops, a smirk slowly forming. "You found the spot above her knee, huh? There's another spot on the back of her neck. Squeeze there and she drops like a sack of potatoes."

"Heather!" Your eyes widen. "You traitorous bitch." Billy reaches slowly for the back of your neck and you're quick to duck and swat at his hand. "Don't even think about it."

After a quick clean-up of the kitchen, Billy ends up staying a little while longer. The three of you wind up in the living room, MTV playing in the background as Heather playfully riles things up between you and Billy. Eventually though he has to leave and Heather informs you she's spending the night.

As you drag in the mattress from the spare bedroom into your own room, Heather showers to get ready for bed. You toss down extra pillows and a blanket, and then patiently wait for her to join you in your room.

With Cyndi Lauper playing on low, Heather paints her toenails as she asks, "So you and Billy, huh? It's about damn time you agreed to a date."

You sigh, painting your own toenails. "It's not a date."

"Are you sure?" She teases. Then a bit more seriously, she asks, "It's honest hour, Y/N. Do you really not want this to be a date?"

Taking a moment to think about it, you eventually put the polish brush back into it's bottle and meet your friend's gaze. "I like him. Okay?" She smiles. "But we've had this little back and forth going on for a while now, and it'd be weird for me to suddenly cave. I feel- I feel like once he's won, he'll walk soon after to the next girl playing hard to get."

"Oh sweetie," she coos. "Do you really not get that Billy likes you? He doesn't chase girls, Y/N. Girls chase him."

"But I-"

"Didn't chase him. Exactly," she muses. "You caught his attention. He wants you, not anyone else."

"I don't know, Heather."

"Trust me. If you're still not sure, dress casual for dinner. But if he flirts, you flirt back and see where it takes you."

You snort. "I'm pretty sure he'll try to take it to the backseat if I show the teensiest bit of interest."

"Nah. Hargrove's all talk. He'll only head in that direction if you're giving all the right signals. He'll tongue you for sure, but he'll wait for you to take the bigger steps."

You giggle, putting aside your nail polishes before falling back onto your pillows with a sigh. "Mr. California is going to be the death of me."

The following morning Heather helps you make some breakfast before cleaning up your room and helping you choose an outfit for dinner with Billy. She keeps it simple with some high waisted shorts, a black crop top with its sleeves rolled up, and a pair of Doc Martens. It's super casual, but also something that would do well for a first date.

Heather ends up leaving just after lunch and Billy calls you soon after. By his teasing and chuckling, you know he's excited for later that night. He won't tell you what he has planned, but he does give you a time to be ready by. So after some light cleaning, because your parents will be home the following night, you take a few hours nap before waking up to pamper yourself a little bit.

Dressed and now deciding whether or not you want to wear a jean jacket that's about two sizes too big, you opt to leave it on and leave it open when you hear the doorbell ring.

Practically bouncing down the steps, your amused smile falters when you open the door and see Billy's solemn expression. He actually looks really good- the boots, the tight jeans, the deep red shirt that's been unbuttoned down to the top of his stomach, and the black leather jacket. But instead of his usual sparkling eyes that you're used to, your heart falls at the sight of his defeated expression.

"Date's cancelled. Thought you'd like to know."

You frown. "What happened?"

"Max took off. Now I gotta track down the little shit and drag her home."

"Well maybe I can help. The sooner we find her, the sooner we can continue on with our night."

Billy weakly grins, hands digging into his pockets. "Our night, huh? Thought you'd be excited to get out of the date."

"What can I say? You've grown on me, Hargrove. Like a fungus."

That earns a chuckle, but still he's not his usual self like he is when you're hanging out. He looks you up and down, trying to figure out exactly what to do here, and he eventually sighs. "If you can stomach me turning on the charm for a few house moms, you got yourself a deal."

"Don't be gross." You step out onto the porch, shutting the door behind you. "I know the boys we usually see her with. I can easily direct you to where she could possibly be."

You brush past Billy, smirking, and hop down the porch stairs. He stomps down the stairs after you, chuckling as you climb into his car as if you belong there.

You first stop at the Henderson residence, you getting off alone. With Billy looking the way he is, you know for sure Ms. Henderson will attempt to keep him as long as possible. Luckily for you she's not really impressed with teen girls and tells you what you want to know right away. That the boys aren't there.

The Sinclair residence proves the boys aren't there either, but you still end up leaving with a smile when Billy gets roasted by the small pre-teen who had answered the door.

You figured it would be safe for Billy to get off at the Wheeler residence since Mrs. Wheeler is married, but you're proven wrong when she answers the door in her bathrobe and Billy's stance shifts. You can hear his flirtatious tone from the passenger seat of his car and have to bite your tongue when she leads him inside. He doesn't even spare you a glance as he follows after her and your heart twinges as he disappears. You're surprised at the sudden jealousy, but manage to remain cool for five minutes.

Eventually, you sigh and lean over towards the steering wheel to slam your hand on the horn. You let it blare for several long seconds before leaning back in your seat with a huff.

Seconds later the front door opens and Billy saunters out. He smirks at you, you flip him off, and then glower at Mrs. Wheeler who's watching with a frown from her door.

Her displeased expression at your appearance is so unwarranted that you're not really surprised your petty side jumps out. So just as Billy reaches the driver's side door, you can't help but slightly lean out the passenger window and shout, "How's the husband doing, Mrs. Wheeler?"

She smiles tightly in response, wraps her robe tighter around herself, lifts a hand in a stiff wave, and then re-enters her home. Billy laughs as he settles into his seat, slamming the door shut behind him. "Really, Y/N? Old lady Wheeler is what gets the jealousy stirring?"

"Fuck off, Hargrove, and drive. You figure out where the kids are yet?"

He smirks and then shrugs as he starts his car. "She said something about the Byers residence."

"Of course she did. Lets go."

The entire ride there Billy teases you about your now obvious dislike for Mrs. Wheeler and no amount of trying to explain why deterred him. You only disliked her because of her obvious flirting with a teenager while being married and not because she was a female flirting with the teenager you just so happened to have a crush on. Nope. Not. At. All.

But the moment you pull into the long driveway leading up to the Byers' house, all of Billy's amusement flees. Your grin falters as your gaze jumps between him and the somewhat familiar car sitting in front of the house, and you sigh. "I know you're pissed, but keep your shit straight. They're still kids, Billy."

His hand tightens on the steering wheel. "That's Harrington's car."

Well fuck. This won't end well.

Billy parks and lets his car idle for a few seconds before cutting the engine. In the silence, he pulls down a cigarette from his visor and lights up. Then placing the stick between his lips, he inhales deeply as the tip of his cig burns bright in the dark. The front door to the house opens and out steps Steve Harrington, and you're quick to exit the passenger side door as Billy angrily exits his side.

"Is that you, Harrington?" He asks, falsely amused.

"Yeah. Don't cream yourself."

You snort as you come to rest against the front end of Billy's car, shrugging when he glares at you and mumbles about you being a traitor. He then turns his attention back to Steve. You listen as they go back and forth, Billy asking about the whereabouts of his little sister and Steve denying having seen her.

Billy continues to call Steve a creep for hanging out with young boys, Steve continues to weakly defend himself, and your attention is dragged towards the house windows when you see the curtain move. Several small heads pop up to peer outside, Max included, and you cringe. You glance at Billy, hoping he hadn't seen, but when the kids all drop you know it was because Billy had seen them. And sure enough, when he points them out and Steve groans, you know the night's just taken a turn for the worse.

Billy stomps past Steve and you push off his car to follow. "Goddammit, Steve, why didn't you just admit to her being here?"

"And let him kill her? No thanks." He says, keeping pace with you.

"Fuck off, Harrington. When you saw me with him, you should have admitted she was here. Do you really think I'd let him hurt her?"

There's a shout, a couple girlish screams, and glass breaking. You swear and rush inside with Steve on your heels, only to run into pure chaos.

Billy threatens Lucas Sinclair and Steve rushes to save him. Steve throws the first punch and the room erupts with screams and shouts for Steve to beat the shit out of Billy. The boys immediately draw blood and instead of shouting at Billy to cool it, because there's no way he'll calm down now, you keep an eye on the other kids. When Billy dazes Steve, he angrily turns back towards Lucas and you rush to jump between them.

"Don't even think about it, Hargrove!" You tell him, hands planted on his chest. "He's a kid." His nostrils flare in anger, but you stand your ground.

Instead Billy focuses on Steve once more and you glance over your shoulder to nod in reassurance at the kids who are staring at you in surprise.

The fight quickly turns brutal and even you join in with the kids, shouting at Billy to stop when he leans over Steve to pummel him. But Billy's not listening to anyone and you're soon distracted by Max when you see her rush towards something on the floor and bend over to pick it up. You see her stare at a syringe now in her hand before she glances at Billy, and when you see the determination in her eyes you move.

"Max, don't!" You lunge towards Billy and shove your hand to shield the side of his neck, crying out when the needle is sloppily shoved deep into your forearm. Your cry draws Billy's attention, every one of the rioting boys quiet down, and Max's eyes widen. You stumble back, empty syringe stuck into your arm, and you hastily pull it out to toss aside. "What the ffuu-" You slur.

"I-I'm sorry!" She stammers. "I didn't mean-

The room swims before your very eyes and you trip over a piece of broken furniture. You flinch at every kid that tries to reach out to steady you, so Billy rushes forward and gently grabs you by the arms. You squeak, but he gently shushes you, and you have to flutter your eyelids just to properly focus your gaze. Staring up at him as he comes into focus, you take note of his worried expression and bleeding nose. "B-Billy?"

He nods before glancing over his shoulder. "Max, what the fuck did you give her?!"

"I-It was a tranquilizer! It was meant for you," she admits. "But she put her arm in the way."

The room spins again and you whine, squeezing your eyes shut. "Make it stop. Please make it stop."

"Guys!" One of the kids shouts. "We don't have time for this. We need to go!"

"Go how? Steve's down for the count," someone else says, "and we don't all fit in his car."

For some reason the tip of Billy's nose catches your attention and you can't help but boop it with a giggle. "Billy's got a car," you muse.

He swats at your hand. "Like hell I'm gonna drive these crotch goblins anywhere."

You poke his chin, giggling when he catches your hand. "Come on, babe. Let's go on an adventure!" You say excitedly right before your world goes dark.

When Y/N's body goes limp, Billy takes her full weight into his arm. He gently taps her cheek. "Y/N? Y/N!" When he gets no answer, he glances up and glares at Max.

She's quick to hold her hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to drug your girlfriend, but we really do need a ride. It's a life or death situation."

"Max!"

"What? He needs to know, Mike! We're not going to save anyone if we don't find a ride there and we can't exactly steal his car with him still conscious!"

Billy stares down at Y/N, then back at Max. His frustration is at its peak, but with Y/N passed out in his arms there's nothing he can do about it. The annoying kids are all staring at him, sans one who's now helping Steve to his feet, and he groans. "Fine. But you're explaining what the hell is going on, on the way there, Max. And all your little friends are riding in Harrington's car. You're with me and Y/N to make sure she doesn't choke on her own vomit."

"Fine. Whatever."

"Fine. Lets go!"

It's a complete clusterfuck just getting to the cars, the young boys struggling to get Steve moving. He's in no shape to drive, so Billy yells at them to get their shit together and pick a driver. Mike reluctantly gets into the driver's seat as they shove Steve into the back with Lucas and Billy gently shoves Y/N into the backseat of his own car with Max.

As they get on the road, Billy sighs at the shitty driving skills the kid is displaying in front of him, but follows nonetheless.

"Alright. Explain." Billy stares at Max through the rearview mirror and watches as she mentally prepares what she's going to say.

"You're not going to believe me," she starts with. "I didn't believe it until I witnessed some things first hand."

"Max," he grits out. "Tell me."

"Okay, so basically monsters are real," Max blurts. Billy says nothing, but his hands do tighten around the steering wheel. "There was some laboratory in town that was super into child experimentation and one of these experiments had powers that opened up a door to another dimension." Billy scoffs. "It's true," she glares. "A monster escaped and kidnapped Will Byers. They presumed him dead, but he was actually alive. The laboratory faked his death so they didn't have to admit what they were doing, but his mom and Chief Hopper saved him. He's possessed now which is why we're going to an opening we know about to cause a distraction while they save Will and shut the dimension door once and for all."

There's a tense moment of silence before Billy says, "Are you guys stoned? What the fuck, Max?"

She groans. "I told you, you wouldn't believe me!"

"Are you even hearing yourself right now?! What the hell did they drag you into?"

"Billy, I'm telling you the truth." Max meets his stare in the mirror, eyes pleading. "Just please follow them. I need to help and you don't even have to get off the car. We'll do all the work."

"Whatever," he grumbles. "But after all this shit is done and over with, you're gonna be on your best behavior for the next several months. I don't need Neil on my ass about babysitting you anymore."

"Fine. Deal. Whatever."

Billy's annoyed when he has to drive his baby through a goddamn pumpkin patch and then even more annoyed with the rotted smell after they park. The kids and Harrington all readily climb out of the car, and he warns Max to not die because he's not taking the blame for that shit. He watches as they produce swimming goggles, bandanas, ropes, and gloves. Flashlights are handed out, as well as canisters of what he presumes is gasoline.

"What the fuck," he mutters. Sighing, he glances at Y/N still passed out in the backseat and seeing that she's not going anywhere anytime soon he decides to get out of his car. So with his headlights left on and shining towards the same spot Steve left his headlights shining on, Billy gets out and stomps around towards the group. "Yo, dipshits! What the hell are you doing with those gas cans?"

In the midst of tying their makeshift masks around their faces, everyone glances at Billy before staring at Max. She groans and addresses her stepbrother. "It's called the Upside Down- the place where the monsters come from. Their world started leaking into ours and there's an opening over there in the patch," she says while pointing. "We're going to go in and torch it."

Off in the distance there's a roar of an animal that Billy has never heard before. The headlights to the two vehicles flicker before cutting out and flashlights get turned on. But even then the flashlights flicker too.

"If we're going to do this, we're doing it now," Steve says.

Billy follows the group towards the rotted out pumpkin patch and watches them secure a rope before tossing the rest of the length down the hole. One by one they jump down and before Max can take her turn, he grabs her by the arm. "Don't die, dipshit."

She huffs. "Sure thing, asshole."

Steve is the last to go, but before he goes down he looks at Billy. "I'll, uh, I'll keep an eye on her."

"You better, pretty boy. If she gets hurt, I'm coming after you."

Steve's eyes widen before he lowers the ridiculous goggles to shield his eyes and then jumps down. Billy walks over to the ledge, frowning down into the hole. The kids must get further from the entrance because the small beams of light soon disappear and with no way to see he heads back to his car.

As soon as he opens up the driver's side door, Billy yanks the seat forward and climbs into the back with Y/N.

Shifting in your seat, your eyes flutter open and you're momentarily confused with the near darkness that greets you. "Where-" You utter, cutting yourself off and gulping. Your mouth feels a little dry and your tongue feels heavy. "What's going on?"

"Hey. Shh." Turning to the side and squinting, you can make out Billy's features. His hands gently cup your face and you flinch the touch. "It's okay. You're alright."

"Billy?" You let your eyes close, head aching. "Where are we?"

"In the backseat of my car in the middle of some field with rotted pumpkins."

You whimper softly. "The backseat of your car? I told Heather I wouldn't be that girl."

Billy chuckles. "Relax, Princess. You were drugged. I'm not in the business of taking advantage of girls."

"Drugged?" Bits and pieces of earlier that night comes to you and you sit up a little in your seat. "Max was going to stab you!"

"Relax." He tugs you into his side, draping an arm around you and keeping you pressed against him. "Max had her reason for wanting to knock me out. I did a serious number on Harrington back at the house."

Your brow furrows the more you try to recall. You groan quietly and press your face into Billy's chest. "I feel like I should tell you something for fighting, but I'm just so tired."

"Go to sleep, Y/N. You can scold me later."

"Okay. Just one question." He hums and waits for you to continue. "What the fuck are we doing in the middle of a field?"

Billy's sudden laugh startles you and you pinch him in retaliation. "That's a story for when you're less loopy. It's pretty unbelievable and I'm still not sure I believe it myself."

"Okay. If you say so, Bobby."

"Jesus Christ," he sighs. "Go back to sleep."

You lose track of time over the rest of the weekend, barely keeping yourself focused during phone calls with Billy, Heather, and Jonathan Byers since he was pretty close to the situation going on that led the kids to acting crazy and Max drugging you. Your parents are in and out of your room, but they leave you alone thinking you'd caught a very mild case of the flu.

One morning you wake up to the smell of something cooking and stumble your way out of the room, heading towards the kitchen. You rub at your eyes, yawning and stretching carefully since you're aching in several places, and blink in confusion at the sight of your mom cooking.

"Mom?" You frown. "What are you doing home?"

"Hmm. Oh, honey," she smiles. "Your father pushed his trip back a couple of days to make sure you were feeling well before we left again."

"Oh. Well thanks, but I'm actually feeling pretty good. I'm just really tired," you tell her with yet another yawn. She smiles at you and your gaze is then drawn towards a vase holding three sunflowers. "Dad forget an important day?" You ask. "He rarely buys flowers unless he's in trouble."

Your mom laughs. "No, those are yours. Some young girl brought them over last night and when we told her you were feeling a bit unwell, she said to tell you that she apologizes for ruining your date."

Max. Max had brought you flowers because she had ruined what would have been your first date with Billy. And speaking of Billy, the memories of that night rush to the forefront of your mind and you can't help but smile at how adoringly attentive he had been when you were out of your mind in the backseat of his car. You even remember him driving you home and helping you upstairs before he tucking you into bed while Max had gotten you a glass of water and some Tylenol.

Your mom suddenly clears her throat and at her smug little grin, your cheeks heat up. "Don't make it weird. It's just Billy."

"The boy who's been chasing you for the past several months? That Billy?"

"Yep." You head towards the flowers, delicately running your fingers over them and huffing a short laugh. "That girl that dropped these off is Max, his step sister. She kind of took off without letting their parents know she was leaving and Billy had to search for her."

"Oh. Well it was kind of her to apologize."

"Yeah. Yeah it was." As you're staring at the flowers, it suddenly hits you that you really want to see Billy. Plus it's also a weekday and you should be getting ready for school. "Well I'm gonna go shower and get ready. Don't wanna be late for class."

"Y/N." You turn towards your mom before you can make an escape and she frowns at you. "It's about to be lunch time, sweetheart. You've already missed your morning classes."

"What?" Your heart skips a beat. Looking out the window, you're surprised you hadn't realized just how bright it was. "Crap."

"You slept through your alarm so I figured you weren't feeling well."

"It's- it's fine. I'm just gonna freshen up and make a quick appearance at school."

You're in a rush to get back to your room that you barely hear your mom call out, "Tell Billy I say hello," with laughter lacing her tone.

��         ----------

Twenty minutes later you're pulling into the school parking lot with only a handful of minutes left to spare in the lunch period. Billy is easy to spot, a gaggle of his usual fans surrounding the front of his car as Heather sits on the hood next to him and glares at all the simpering messes.

You park nearby, cutting the engine and slamming your door shut as you climb out. Everyone turns to stare at you, but you only have eyes for the smoking moron who pushes himself off his car to stand tall as you approach.

You pass up one car and then two, and then, "Nice house shoes," Steve muses from his perch on Jonathan Byers' car.

"Eat my ass, Harrington." Jonathan snorts and you barely give Steve and his affronted expression a brief grin as Nancy giggles from Jonathan's side.

Continuing on your path towards Billy, a few girls give up upon seeing you and move on while others stand their ground. You have no problem shoving between them all to get to your friend and Billy tosses down his cigarette when he sees you're on a mission.

"Well, well, well. It looks like Sleeping Beauty finally-" You grab him by the lapels of his jean jacket and pull him down so you don't have to tiptoe in order to kiss him. He tenses momentarily and someone wolf whistles, Heather most likely, while others grumble and others mutter slurs beneath their breath before stomping off.

But almost as soon as he tenses, he relaxes and his hands slide down to grip your hips. With his mouth still connected to yours and teeth nipping, Billy turns you and readily lifts you onto the hood of his car as he steps between your knees.

"Goddamn. Finally!" Heather gushes.

Her words manage to pierce through the lustful fog in your brain and you pull back from Billy, laughing. You shake your head at her as she wiggles her eyebrows and swat at Billy's hands as his fingers trail down your thighs.

"Uh, excuse you," someone scoffs. "We were talking."

Heather's smile drops as her gaze immediately darts to the girl who dared speak up and you turn to slowly meet the annoyed girl's stare. You smile. "You're excused, Natalie."

"It's Natasha."

"Did I stutter?" Billy snorts as he leans forward, dropping his forehead on your shoulder. "Move along, Natalie. Your presence is no longer required."

The bell ringing has the crowd slowly dispersing in order to get back to class, but you, Billy, and Heather remain rooted right where you're at.

When the shuffling of feet or petty remarks can no longer be heard, Billy lifts his head. "Not that I'm complaining, but what brought this on?"

"Saturday night was a total shitshow," you say, your hands tugging at the lapels of his jacket before smoothing them down and then sliding around to clasp at the back of his neck, "but something definitely shifted after your step-sister drugged me."

"She did what?!" Heather practically shouts.

Billy chuckles but doesn't say anything and a feeling of uncertainty washes over you. You sigh. "This is weird, isn't it?"

"No. Definitely not," he's quick to reply. "You just caught me off guard, but I'm totally into it."

"Of course you are. You're into anything if it means you're going to get laid."

"Am I?" He asks, right eyebrow raising. "Going to get laid?" He then clarifies.

You roll your eyes. "Maybe. We'll play it by ear."

"Uhh.. excuse me!?" Heather says, gaze ping-ponging between you and Billy. "Is anyone going to explain? Why the hell were you drugged?!"

You and Billy laugh as you meet her surprised expression. "Oh, Heather. There's so much more to Hawkins that we have to teach you."

"But not right now," Billy says. His hands hook beneath your knees as he drags you towards the edge of his car and you readily wrap your legs around his waist as he lifts you up. "Y/N and I are going somewhere quieter to talk."

"Mhm. I'm sure you are." Heather hops off the hood and starts to slowly walk backwards toward the school.

"And you," you say while tossing her your keys, "are going to take my car after school. I'll get it from you later."

"Jesus. If I'd known you would be this nice, I'd have encouraged Billy to get into your pants a lot sooner."

"Eat me, Holloway."

"That's Billy's job, Y/L/N." With that she turns on her heel and skips away.

Billy snorts as he spots your cheeks flaming, but you pinch the side of his neck before pecking his lips and then letting your legs drop so you can stand on your own two feet once more. He chuckles as he watches you walk around to the passenger side of his car and you waste no time settling inside. As he then moves to take his place behind the wheel, you can't help but think about how exhilarating this all is. You've known he was attractive from the moment you saw him, but you made him your friend before pursuing any type of relationship with him.

So now as you sit in his passenger seat like you have been for several months, you can't help but feel a bout of nervousness as he reaches across the seat and offers you his right hand. You grab it and then bite back a giggle as he laces your fingers together.

"So my place or yours?"

"Yours. Definitely yours."

[seasonsofeverlark]

Pumpkin Duck

Author: @mega-aulover​

Prompt: How about Katniss taking Peeta to the forest during the fall for the first time to see all of the fall colors. [submitted by anonymous]

Rating: K

Author’s note: Special thanks to @jroseley​ for beta-ing. :)

____________ 

“You smell like a snickerdoodle Sweetheart?”

Katniss slammed the door of Haymitch’s man cave and sat down. She narrowed her eyes at her mentor. She was beginning to hate anything fall flavored related, including cinnamon.  Most of all she grew a distinct dislike of pumpkin.

“Peeta’s still baking up a storm.”

“He claims he’s experimenting with recipes for the bakery,” she huffed. “But the thing is he’s making stuff that isn’t sold at the bakery.��

Haymitch handed her a beer. “So what has the boy done that has you spittin nails?”

She twisted the bottle cap angrily. “This morning he said he was going to create a pumpkin flavored  macaroni and cheese. Macaroni and cheese shouldn’t be pumpkin flavored. For that matter pumpkins don’t have a flavor like tomatoes, apples, or broccoli.”

Haymitch lifted an eyebrow. “Broccoli?”

“Yes broccoli,” Katniss said, putting the bottle down.

“Sweetheart, have you seen my house, I have orange coming out of my ears. I found Effie changing out my tidy-whities for oranges ones with squirrels sitting on piles of leaves. It’s not even fall yet.” 

Katniss hung her head. “Why don’t we make a run for it?”

Haymitch chuckled, “Effie’s got a tracker in me she’ll find me.”

Katniss laughed. Effie always seemed to show up wherever Haymitch hid.

“Fall’s like a week away Haymitch but he’s been driving me bananas.” Peeta yesterday dragged out his wok to make fried rice with pumpkins. She shuttered.  “How do you do it?”

“We find them appealing, they put up with our crap.” 

Katniss grimaced.

“No you don’t have the right to make that face. You and I both know Effie puts up with my geese and the boy puts up with muddy footprints all over the floor. Besides we are nuts about them.”

Her shoulders drooped, she did love Peeta. “He is cute when he wakes up in the morning  with his wavy hair all askew.”  

Haymitch grinned, he handed her half of his ham and cheese sandwich.

Having the normal food calmed her down.  “He says he wants to be ready for fall.”

“Why don’t you do something for him?”

“Like what?”

“You like the woods right?”

Katniss frowned she wasn’t following. “Yeah.”

“His favorite time of year is the fall, and next week the fall starts.” 

“Oh take him to the woods so he can see the real deal.” She had taken Peeta to the lake during the summer but never when the leaves were changing. Finishing up the sandwich she bounded out of the door. “Thanks Haymitch.”

“Don’t mention it,” Haymitch muttered. 

Katniss walked by Effie who today was dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit with a hat that looked like a pile of leaves. She shook her head but managed a smile at her former escort. “Hi Effie.”

“Oh, hello Katniss, is Haymitch still cooped up in there?”

“Sure is, the game’s nearly finished,” Katniss paused and then turned to her former Escort. Haymitch needed a break and she needed help. “Effie how quickly do you think I can get camping equipment?”

“Why?” Effie turned around. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well Haymitch gave me a great idea. I know how much Peeta loves the fall, so I thought I would take him camping up in the mountains. The leaves change colors in the mountains quicker because it’s cooler.”

“OH,” Effie gasped. Her lashes with miniature fall leaves batted quickly as her eyes became brighter. “What a darling idea? What exactly do you need?”

“Well,” Katniss said, linking her arm with Effie. “First off I need camping clothing, and I need a large enough tent.”

“Ooohhh, I know some people who can help.”

Katniss grinned. “I also need this to be a surprise. You know I cannot lie to Peeta.” Now if she could only survive the couple of days of pumpkin wreaking havoc in her life.

“That is the utter truth.” Effie said. 

The next day when Peeta returned to the bakery Katniss and Effie got to work. Katniss  had to make sure the path was still there. Around here the leaves were still green, but high up in the mountains the air was colder and the leaves changed color quicker.

Her father had taken her there once. She was a small child but she’d been past the trail a dozen times when she hunted in the woods with Gale but she’d never explored. After the war when Peeta came back she took a walk. She discovered the trail and everyday she cleared it little by little until she made it to the peak of the mountain. It took three days and Peeta was scared out of his mind when she came back. He kissed her hard, yelled at her, and kissed her again. Her toes curled in her old boots at the memory of that passionate kiss.

“Look Effie,” Katniss shouted excited to find the trail. When she found the trail she was overjoyed. 

“Oh dear this will not do,” Effie tsked. “We need someone to make a clear path, Peeta will not be able to get through there easily. I know who to call.” 

Katniss wasn’t sure about the gleam in Effie’s eyes. But true enough within a day Effie had Thom and a crew working around the clock to clear a path up to the mountain that would be even enough for Peeta to make his way up the mountain. 

A few days later she was in the mudroom looking bewildered at all of the packages Effe had brought over. There were boxes dozens of them of every size and shape. Katniss wasn’t sure how she was going to keep this from Peeta. He knew she was frugal and she just didn’t buy anything. 

“Katniss,” Peeta said, popping his head in her mudroom.

Katniss looked up, surprised that Peeta had come home early.

“What is all of this?”

“Nothing,” Katniss said, hiding the orange plaid shirt behind her back. Horrified she watched Peeta pick up a box.  

“Looks like Effie is trying to hide purchases from Haymitch.”

Katniss glanced down at the nearest box and indeed Effie’s name was on the shipping label of the boxes. “Erm…yeah,” Katniss nodded, she fought to keep her embarrassment from showing up on her face. “What are you doing home so early?”

“Well I wanted to make some ravioli, for dinner.”

Katniss eyes lit up at the thought of the fluffy pasta filled with oozing cheese or ground meat.”

“Yeah I got an idea for pumpkin flavored raviolis. I got the ingredients at the grocers,” he began walking away. “..they had these beautiful pumpkins.”

Her smile turned into a frown. “Great more freaking pumpkins,” she muttered under her breath.

The day before the great adventure Katniss sat outside with Haymitch.

“Effie is…” Katniss said to Haymitch a few days before.

“Determined?”

“Like a general in the rebellion,” Katniss said leaning up against the porch watching Peeta and Effie talk about the upcoming fall festival.

“You all set for tomorrow?”

“Didn’t you hear what I said about Effie?”

“I’m not talking about the trek, I’m talking about the…”

Katniss looked away…she looked at her beer. She drank it savoring the brew. “Yeah.”

“You, ready for this?” Haymitch leveled a look at her.

Katniss glanced toward Peeta, “I love him, even with his pumpkin obsession.”

“Good, that’s all that matters.”  

The next morning all went awry. A huge storm pulled into the  mountains and a deluge flooded the roads. They were stuck inside. Katniss sat by the window looking at the rain fall. 

“Katniss what's wrong?”

Katniss turned around biting her bottom lip. She wanted to cry but instead she squared her shoulders. “Today is the first day of fall but.”

“Yeah I know it’s the autumnal equinox.”

Jutting her chin out with determination she said, “We’re making fall.” 

“What?”

Determined, she went to his art supplies and said, “We’re making the fall indoors.”

“Kat?” 

“Get your paint box Peeta,” Katniss said, marching upstairs to an empty room. They were going to have to do this backwards. 

Peeta had his paints. “Okay are you going to tell me what this is about?”

“We’re going to make a mural Peeta. Big beautiful trees, one for each season.”

“Okay,” he looked around.

The words tumbled out of her lips,  “I had this entire weekend planned we were going to go up into the mountains.  We were going to eat fresh game and wonder at the colors of the fall. Then I was going to give you this.” Katniss took a small envelope and pressed it into his hands. 

Peeta frowned. He opened the envelope and took out the card. She watched his lips move as he read what she’d written. Katniss delighted in watching the way Peeta’s eyes lit up bigger than the bonfire she planned cooking their meals on. “You wanna try?”

Katniss nodded. 

“Real or not real, you wanna try to have a baby with me?”

“Real,” she whispered.

“Real,” Peeta uttered. Tears fell down his face.

“Yes,” Katniss pointed toward the room. “Wouldn’t this room make an amazing nursery?”

Peeta grasped her by the middle and swung her around. Katniss laughed. He put her down and then said, as he gathered his painting gear.  “I’m going to make us something special,  butternut squash soup, oh and some pumpkin bread…to go with pumpkin spiced duck.” 

Katniss scowled; she loved Peeta but she still hated the pumpkin.