#durian >:C

[starboy2461]

mwahahah

*introduces my oc via dumb meme*

HIII HI HELLOOOO this is A1ka (Aika) she’s an android character for my Fruit salad story, aka strawb’s world. She does have a nickname from Strawb actually, it’s Durian, mainly because Strawb hates durian. A1ka is a ai musician, but she’s no hatsune miku, she’s a lesbian manipulator, she’s an industry plant who has the voice of a famous dead musician in the world, Aika Violet. She borders on copyright infringement and stole the voice of the deceased artist for her music. She wants to sign on Strawb to her industry to be legally able to take her voice for AI usage.

Character sheet:

Haha.. autistic coded..

[buffetlicious]

My younger brother passed us a block of sliced Ondeh Ondeh Cake from J&C Bakery located in the nearby industrial estate. Nothing to rave about as this is just an average cake with sweetened desiccated coconut and butter cream in-between sponge cakes topped with coconut flakes.

Also from my brother is this Durian Swiss Roll wrapped in plastic wrapper in a pink and white striped box. Now, I am familiar with durian desserts; this has no durian in it and is more likely flavoured with durian essence. Anyway, still a better eat than the former as I don’t fancy butter cream.

[michyeosseo]

So elegant, so stubborn.

Yoon Hae Young and Choi Myung Gil as JANG SE-MI & BAEK DO-YI LADY DURIAN (2023) 1.10

[thunderstruck9]

Georgette Chen (Singaporean, 1906-1993), Still Life with Big Durian, c.1965. Oil on canvas, 46 x 55 cm.

[anjeliquesworld]

Thaddeus ABC headcanon

Note: currently hoping for my baby to heal soon😭🙏 ----------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------♡----------------------------

A - Artistic: Thaddeus has a surprising talent for sketching, often expressing his emotions through intricate drawings that he keeps to himself. He actually keeps a little sketchbook in his pocket. It's one of the many little secrets he has.

B - Bold: Thaddeus doesn’t shy away from making his intentions clear. If he’s attracted to you, he won’t waste time playing games. His confidence is magnetic, and he knows how to make you feel like the center of his world with just a look or a playful, suggestive remark.

C - Charming: Despite his rough edges, Thaddeus has a certain charm that makes him hard to dislike, especially when he’s being sarcastic or playful. He knows for a fact how attractive he is and uses it to his advantage. He knows how to work a room and isn’t afraid to show a little bit of his more playful, daring side.

D - Deep Thinker: Beneath his tough exterior, Thaddeus often reflects on life’s deeper meanings and struggles, though he rarely shares these thoughts with others. He has a tendency to overthink people’s actions and words due to his tough past.

E - Empath: He may not show it outwardly, but Thaddeus cares deeply about those close to him and can be surprisingly empathetic when they’re in need.

F - Funny Durian: Thaddeus loves to make people laugh, but his jokes tend to be a bit sharp or dark, matching his more cynical side. His teasing can range from sweet to sarcastic, but it’s always done in a way that makes you feel like he’s trying to keep things lighthearted, even when things are a little serious.

G - Glutton: Thaddeus loves candy. When he feels sad, he eats a bunch of sweet treats. His favorite candy is Tanghulu (that's a fact ATP XD), a Chinese fruit skewer coated in a clear, hardened sugar syrup.

H - Heated: When things get heated, whether it’s a heated argument or a more intimate encounter, Thaddeus dives in fully. There’s no holding back when he’s in the mood; he gives everything with a fervor that makes every touch feel even more electrifying.

I - Independent: Thaddeus values his independence and often pushes away help, preferring to handle things on his own. He looks for people who think with their own heads and are independent as well.

J - Jealousy: Thaddeus’s jealousy manifests in a darker, possessive way. While he usually maintains control, when he feels threatened, he becomes extremely territorial. Thaddeus doesn’t like feeling vulnerable, and his jealousy can turn into a quiet, smoldering rage that he keeps hidden, biding its time until the right moment to strike.

K - Kindness in Disguise: Beneath his rough exterior, Thaddeus is capable of great kindness, though it’s often hidden under layers of sarcasm or gruffness.

L - Loyal: Once someone earns Thaddeus’s trust, he is fiercely loyal and will go to great lengths to protect them. He would even go out of his way to protect and cherish them.

M - Mysterious: Thaddeus often keeps things about himself shrouded in mystery, leaving others to guess his true feelings or intentions. He finds it difficult to let people into his heart and mind.

N - NSFW: Thaddeus has a playful side to him, especially when he’s feeling mischievous. He knows just how to make you blush with barely more than a few words. Whether it’s the way he whispers something naughty or the way his hands linger just a little too long, he knows how to stir up desire and leave you craving more.

O - Observant: Thaddeus is highly observant, catching details that others might overlook. It makes him excellent at reading people. He pays a lot of attention to details, even if they seem small and insignificant.

P - Protective: He’s incredibly protective of those he cares about, even if it means putting himself in harm's way. He goes to extreme lengths to protect those he loves, even if it means doing things that appear twisted or questionable in nature. When he’s really into someone, he has this way of holding you close, as if he doesn't want to let you go, and he’s not shy about it.

Q - Quick-Witted: Thaddeus is quick on his feet with sharp comebacks and clever remarks, often using humor to deflect from uncomfortable situations.

R - Rebellious: Thaddeus doesn’t like being told what to do and often goes against authority or societal expectations just for the sake of it.

S - Sexy Time: There’s a roughness to Thaddeus, a raw intensity that makes everything about him feel a little more dangerous. That, makes him sexy. This is part of his appeal—it makes him seem unpredictable, like you never quite know what he’ll do next, which is both thrilling and alluring. His physical appearance obviously plays a big part.

T - Touch Starved: Thaddeus may have difficulty sharing his emotions and feelings, but he loves physical contact, especially when in a relationship. He would find any excuse to touch them and have them close to him. He likes the feeling of your smooth skin under his fingers. He may, from time to time, appear clingy, but that's only because he's deeply devoted to you. Thaddeus is surprisingly affectionate in his own way, though it’s often more intense and possessive than soft.

U - Unpredictable: You never quite know what Thaddeus will do next, which makes him both exciting and difficult to deal with. He's an adventurer at heart, always looking for new challenges and to explore new horizons.

V - Vengeful: When wronged, Thaddeus has a tendency to seek revenge, especially if someone has hurt those he cares about.

W - Wounded: Thaddeus carries old emotional scars, and they occasionally bubble to the surface, making him act out in ways that confuse others. That's why he often isolates himself and finds it difficult to open up and make true friends.

X - X-rated: Thaddeus has a secretive, sultry side that he rarely lets anyone see. When he's feeling particularly confident or drawn to someone, he becomes a master of subtle flirtation—using his words, his gaze, and his body language to send messages that are anything but innocent. His charm can be dangerously persuasive, and though he keeps this side of him tightly under wraps, when it comes out, it’s intense, often leaving people both intrigued and a little flustered. He’s fully aware of his effect on others, but he enjoys the control it gives him, knowing he can get under someone’s skin without ever saying a word.

Y - Yearning for Something More: Thaddeus secretly longs for a deeper connection with others, but he’s too proud or afraid to admit it. In romance, he looks for a long-lasting relationship where trust and loyalty are mutual and unconditional.

Z - Zoning Out: Thaddeus has a tendency to zone out when he’s deep in thought or processing his emotions, especially when he's feeling overwhelmed or conflicted. During these moments, he can become incredibly distant and unresponsive to those around him, sometimes losing track of time.

-------------------------------------------------------🎀

.

.

.

.

[ashuribbon]

The entire backstory of Crispy Durian Cookie and Emperor Abalone Cookie described in one image. c:

[ Reblogs > Likes /nm ] Support me on Patreon! | Kofi | Socials

[7-pines]

top 10 things to put into aging barrels

Cactus honey <- Bee house <- Cactus (flower)

Large gesha coffee <- Keg <- Large gesha coffee bean

Goat cheese wheel <- Cheese press <- Large goat milk

Large salted quail egg <- Mason jar <- Large quail egg

Gesha coffee <- Keg <- Gesha coffee bean

Melon juice <- Keg <- Melon (fruit)

Goat cheese <- Cheese press <- Goat milk

Fairy rose honey <- Bee house <- Fairy rose (flower)

Pineapple juice <- Keg <- Pineapple (fruit)

Salted quail egg <- Mason jar <- Quail egg

Calculated without factoring buy prices into this. While animals are expensive, they don't ever stop producing. Ranking based on profit per hour (i.e. how much per hour you make while while these are in their respective artisanal machines).

Since the top 10 largely answers what animal products to prioritize (though I will say, white truffle oil and large llama yarn beat out cactus mead on their own), moving onto other categories of things to prepare for aging barrels. For everything here, make the flowers into honey via bee houses, fruits into juice via kegs and vegetables into pickles via mason jars.

Best Spring Crop: Snowdrop (Rank C, 45g seeds)

Best Summer Crop: Melon (Rank E, 130g seeds)

Best Fall Crop: Cactus (Rank B, 300g seeds)

Best Winter Crop: Snowdrop (Rank C, 45g seeds)

Best Seedling: Lychee... but it's ranked 38 (way below everything else here)

Best Saplings in order of profit:

Durian (spring)

Peach (summer)

Apple (fall)

Alternatives: Cauliflower (Rank F, 70g seeds) during Spring. Fairy Rose (Rank C), Lily (Rank D) and Rice (Rank F) (put this one in the keg) for Fall.

[nardo-headcanons]

Kirigakure Worldbuilding II - Specialties

Inspired by a recent conversation I had with @pxssy-stuntin-for-itxchi, I got wanted to add more to my Kirigakure worldbuiling post!

Food Preservation Since except for a month during the winter, it never really gets cold in Kirigakure. This has lead to its citizens becoming very creative at enhancing the shelf life of the food that they have. Meat/fish is dry-aged and smoked, fruits are turned into preserve, cheong, or slow-dried. Dairy is a luxury in the water realm, so there are a lot of plant based dairy alternatives already, so it’s no surprise the wave realm has a quite big vegetarian and vegan population. Even though their spice tolerance is not the highest, when talking SALT tolerance, no village can beat Kiri. They are VERY generous with salting their food. In order to get a smokey flavor to any dish, you can obtain smoked salt everywhere in the country. The water realm was the first region the come up with the concept of fermentation of food. Milk is turned into yoghurt and cabbage is turned into kimchi and its more popular variant - sauerkraut. Fun fact: Suigetsu comes from a high ranking caste, so he actually was able to afford dairy yoghurt and jello with actual gelatine, and they're his favorite foods.

Kimchi and Sauerkraut

The general spice tolerance of Kiri citizens is not the highest across the shinobi world, so kimchi is mostly exported to Konoha and Suna. The cabbage grown in the water realm is specifically bred to be extra heat resistant and crunchy. In order to cut down on waste, the excess is turned into sauerkraut juice. To put less of a strain on the public healthcare system, the water realm government has issued its citizens to exercise and eat healthy – especially children. To get more children to drink sauerkraut juice, it is produced in portable, biodegradable little juice boxes which are handed out for free in the Kirigakure academy. Every Kiri genin has tasted it atleast once. Scurvy was once a big problem for most shinobi going on long term stealth missionas, since most just lived off dried meat and crackers, except for Kiri Nin, since they always carry sauerkraut juice (and kumquats) with them.

Fruit

Mangos: With their sweet and fruity taste, they’re popular amongst children, especially when dried, rolled into balls with an added sugar crust. While other countries see them as a special treat they’re a staple in Kiri. Papaya: Another Kiri staple. It is eaten either as a fruit in its orange form or in its green form in more hearty dishes. The seeds are ground and sold as a pepper alternative. Its extracts of the are used by the Kiri beauty industry, which is the biggest one, closely followed by Suna's beauty industry. Peaches: Often grown on the mountaintops of the water realm, they’re loved all over the country. Peach trees are seen as a sign of fertility, renewal and good luck. The pits are turned into persipan, which many foreigners don't like. Durian: Those stinky fruit are banned in Kiri’s public spaces. However, it is still the most popular fruit overall, so only a few get exported yearly, much to the other countries' durian lovers' chagrin. Jackfruit: Not a lot of Kiri citizens like its fleshy texture but it is often used as meat alternative by Kiri’s large plant-based population. Lychee: They’re often sugared and canned, or added to jelly. They're amongst the most popular fruit to make cheong with.

Kumquat: Kiri nin love them because they’re basically easily portable, vitamin c filled snacks. Other honorable mentions include: Rambutan, Mangosteen, Starfruit, Cherimoya, Soursop, Yuzu and Tamarillo.

Jelly If you’ve read my last post on Kiri specialties, you probably know that instead of manufactured candy, Sweet tooths (teeth?) in Kiri chomp down on dried fruit, fermented sugary sticky rice and – jelly. Gelatine, like most non fish animal products, is a luxury so most jellies are made with agar-agar, a plant based “gelatine”. Just take some fruit juice and set it with agar – and there you have jelly. Most foreigners find Kiri’s obsession with jelly pudding off-putting, but that doesn’t stop them. Fun fact: Suigetsu comes from a high ranking caste, so he actually was able to afford dairy yoghurt and jello with actual gelatine, and they're his favorite foods. Non food fun fact: As genetic engineering gets more advanced and Kirigakure already having no issues using bacteria, they're also the biggest exporter of nutrient agar for agar plates which are used for the cultivation of bacteria and funghi. Kigakure is the leading village when it comes to biological and medical advancements, which is why Orochimaru has visited very often (and eventually ran into Kimimaro)

[calocera]

fruit review #30: Marang!

first time having marang, i have mixed thoughts lol. I made the mistake of leaving it in the car, i did not know that it smells like gasoline and vitamin C. me and friends drove an hour home with it after it infused the car with the smell and we all got a bit carsick. ik some people enjoy the smell of gasoline but i do not. my friends are still mad at me about it 😢

peeling it was soooo fun, the skin just rips away leaving the fruit. the taste to me is like…guava but creamier and musky. it is completely sweet/musky, no sour or tart notes. the gas smell doesn’t translate to the flavor but the vitamin C absolutely does. my hands smelled like vitamin C for hours after even with many hand washes.

tbh i feel like i got this fruit overhyped for me, i’ve seen people say it’s better than jackfruit and durian but it is definitely not imo :( i prefer fruit with some sour/tart component and this is just pure sweet. id eat it again but i don’t think id buy it again.

[tonycries]

D: i love durian man :c

maybe bc i grew up eating it but theyre good af

*points*

WITCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[theceolacanther]

top theceolacanther tumblr post of 2024??

coping my buddy pot with this one cant decide on just 1

burger post if im being honest just an all timer

wizard posting classic and any bit that involves a bibliography is legendary

girls cant even make typos anymore, classic. infinite uses

girls go to venus to jack they penis, classic queefsteak quote

i wanna make a tumblr post, good meta joke but again, doesnt beat my top 4

cumchoke, funny and first content warning'ed post but not better than the others

i know what you are, banger post, not really a c post original tho

magnum penis squimp, its weak but its good, fun stim

when talking about fruits that indonesian people eat everyone always talks about durians and the fucking jackfruit. when are we gonna talk about the fruit they actually eat. like boobs, again i think pretty good but the joke didnt land because my friends dont really speak indo

shes so gender pretty good, a little weak

thank you for reading my list

[ectoviolet]

does anyone else play games in their head to help fall asleep? when i am trying to sleep i play the alphabet game which is that i pick a category and go through the alphabet and i try to come up with something that starts with each letter and fits the category. for example if i pick fruits then a is apple and b is blueberry and c is cranberry and d is durian and so on. usually i fall asleep towards the middle of the alphabet because some letters are very tricky and i spend a lot of time on them.

[mimagnettic]

masterlist (๑>◡<๑)

f - fluff a - angst c - crack cc - comfort

⋮ mini series ᯓ★ DRAWN INTO YOU ( f , cc ) fine arts student park sunghoon pt 1 . pt 2 ⋮ wc > 1k ᯓ★ LOVERS IN THE NIGHT ( f , cc ) sung hanbin R/CRUSHES : HOW DO I TALK TO MY OFFICE CRUSH ? ( f , cc , c ) lee jeno A LOVE NEVER DECLARED ( a ) lee heeseung

⋮ wc < 1k ᯓ★ CATCH ME WHEN I FALL ( cc ) sim jaeyun UNTITLED (f) lee jihoon LOSERS' GUIDE TO HOLDING HANDS ( f , c ) txt enha svt p1h zb1 THE SEA , THE SHORE AND YOU ( f , cc ) yoon jeonghan SOMEDAY ( a ) choi beomgyu

FLU ( f ) park sunghoon

CHERRY FLAVOURED LOVE ( f , cc ) svt enha zb1 txt nct

WHEN IM WITH YOU ( f ) wen junhui DURIAN BOY ( f , c ) zhang hao NO BETTER THAN A COWARD ( a ) park jongseong

[worldsandemanations]

Georgette Chen (Singaporean, 1906-1993), Still Life with Big Durian, c.1965

[embossross]

2023 in books: fiction edition

literary fiction published 2013-2023 (based on English translation)

The Employees by Olga Ravn (���⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamín Labatut (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

There’s No Such Thing As an Easy Job by Kikuko Tsumura (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Human Acts by Han Kang (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Bunny by Mona Awad (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Frankissstein by Jeanette Winterson (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

All Your Children Scattered by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Mister N by Najwa Barakat (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Fever Dream by Samanta Schweblin (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Brickmakers by Selva Almada (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

True Biz by Sara Nović (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Abyss by Pilar Quintana (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Meursault Investigation by Kamel Daoud (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Spring Garden by Tomoka Shibasaki (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Rombo by Esther Kinsky (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Concerning My Daughter by Kim Hye-Jin (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The House of Rust by Khadija Abdalla Bajaber (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Men without Women by Haruki Murakami (⭐⭐⭐)

The Sky Above the Roof by Natacha Appanah (⭐⭐⭐)

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa (⭐⭐⭐)

Luster by Raven Leilani (⭐⭐⭐)

Solo Dance by Li Kotomi (⭐⭐⭐)

Untold Night and Day by Bae Suah (⭐⭐⭐)

The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste (⭐⭐⭐)

The Deep by Rivers Solomon (⭐⭐⭐)

Afterlives by Abdurazak Gurnah (⭐⭐⭐)

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

Indelicacy by Amina Cain (⭐⭐⭐)

Out of Love by Hazel Hayes (⭐⭐⭐)

Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi (⭐⭐⭐)

The Reactive by Masande Ntshanga (⭐⭐⭐)

The Houseguest: And Other Stories by Amparo Dávila (⭐⭐)

The Glutton by A.K. Blakemore (⭐⭐)

Homebodies by Tembe Denton-Hurst (⭐⭐)

Nervous System by Lina Meruane (⭐⭐)

Owlish by Dorothy Tse (⭐⭐)

The President and the Frog by Carolina de Robertis (⭐⭐)

The Magic of Discovery by Britt Andrews (⭐)

literary fiction published 1971-2012

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Corregidora by Gayl Jones (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Changes: A Love Story by Ama Ata Aidoo (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Open City by Teju Cole (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Lover by Marguerite Duras (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Mild Vertigo by Mieko Kanai (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Abandon by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Toddler Hunting and Other Stories by Taeko Kōno (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Elena Knows by Claudia Piñeiro (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Perestroika by Tony Kushner *a play (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Strange Weather in Tokyo by Hiromi Kawakami (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

By Night in Chile by Roberto Bolaño (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Three Strong Women by Marie NDiaye (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Kingdom Cons by Yuri Herrera (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Paradise Rot by Jenny Hval (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

A Mountain to the North, A Lake to the South, Paths to the West, a River to the East by Laszlo Krasznahorkai (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Queen Pokou by Véronique Tadjo (⭐⭐⭐)

The Private Lives of Trees by Alejandro Zambra (⭐⭐⭐)

The Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector (⭐⭐⭐)

Sweet Days of Discipline by Fleur Jaeggy (⭐⭐⭐)

Mr. Potter by Jamaica Kincaid (⭐⭐⭐)

Bluebeard’s First Wife by Ha Seong-nan (⭐⭐⭐)

The Body Artist by Don DeLillo (⭐⭐⭐)

Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith (⭐⭐⭐)

Curtain by Agatha Christie (⭐⭐⭐)

The Iliac Crest by Cristina Rivera Garza (⭐⭐⭐)

My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk (⭐⭐⭐)

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman (⭐⭐⭐)

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel (⭐⭐⭐)

Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (⭐⭐)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (⭐⭐)

The End of the Moment We Had by Toshiki Okada (⭐⭐)

The Optimist’s Daughter by Eudora Welty (⭐)

literary fiction published start of time-1970

Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

🔁 The Stranger by Albert Camus (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

🔁 One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas by Machado de Assis (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Empty Wardrobes by Maria Judite de Carvalho (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Stoner by John Williams (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Chandelier by Clarice Lispector (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

An Apprenticeship, or the Book of Pleasures by Clarice Lispector (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

The Woman in the Dunes by Kōbō Abe (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Nightwood by Djuna Barnes (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Dracula by Bram Stoker (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Chess Story by Stefan Zweig (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Aura by Carlos Fuentes (⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (⭐⭐⭐)

All Passion Spent by Vita Sackville-West (⭐⭐⭐)

The Hole by José Revueltas (⭐⭐⭐)

Baron Bagge by Alexander Lernet-Holenia (⭐⭐⭐)

Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (⭐⭐)

Barabbas by Pär Lagerkvist (⭐)

[abyssalmemory]

Title: Peppermint Summary: Steven's title as "the singer" of his and Connie's relationship is challenged. Word Count: 661

Prepare for a doozie. For Glow Week day 4, I used the prompt "Nurture."

The short is also beneath the cut:

Singing had always, unequivocally, been Steven’s thing. Sure, Connie would occasionally join in softly as he belted out lyrics in the car, but those moments remained few and far between.

Steven sang to her as a child, he sang to her as a young adult, he sang as he proposed for the first time; he even sang as he proposed a second time. He sang to her baby bump, he sang at her college graduation, he sang at their wedding, he sang all throughout their honeymoon; and, most recently, he sang as they held their daughter for the first time ever.

This dynamic remained unchanged, unchallenged, for over a decade. That is, until one fateful summer night…

“Your turn, hun…” Steven sighed as an all-too-familiar wailing came blaring through the nearby baby monitor.

“On it…” Connie yawned. She practically flopped out of bed before slipping on a blue robe and a pair of falcon-shaped slippers. Lion followed her out of the room as she then shuffled over to the adjacent nursery.

As a series of ‘it’s okay’s and tender shushes made their way out of the monitor, Steven attempted dozing off once more, having been in the middle of a particularly exciting dream. Just moments before his mind could slip into unconsciousness, however, something unbelievable, absolutely unprecedented, caught his ear: his wife’s unprompted singing.

To say the absolute least, it was angelic. Actually, Steven thought, that was an understatement: it was mind-bendingly ethereal. Had she always been able to sing like that? And since when did she know entire songs in Hindi?

In that moment, he felt, everything changed about their dynamic. He was no longer the singer of the two of them. Hell, compared to her, he wasn’t even a singer. She was leagues upon leagues more talented than he could ever, in a zillion years, hope to be, no matter how little she demonstrated her skill.

His entire body flushed a deep shade of pink. Oh lord, what was happening to him? What were these thoughts he was having?

---

“Morning, biscuit!” Connie beamed as she set little Gracie in her high chair. The woman produced a bottle of milk which the infant instantly ripped from her hands. “Looks like someone’s thirsty,” she snorted. “Speaking of, I made tea. Peppermint, your favorite,” she hummed.

Steven produced a warm, albeit strained, smile. “Thanks,” he nodded. He took a seat beside his daughter, who immediately attempted grabbing his curls as she downed her milk at light speed.

“Sleep well?” Connie exhaled; she placed a frog-patterned mug in her husband’s hand before leaning against the fridge, arms crossed.

Steven felt his eyes widen. “Uhm, very,” he coughed before hiding his expression behind his drink. Something must’ve given away his discomposure, however; his wife quirked a brow. The subtle resistance immediately caused any mental fortitude he possessed to explode into a billion tiny pieces. “I heard you singing last night!” he blurted before immediately burying his face behind his mug once more.

Connie pursed her lips. “Oh, uh… really?” She tapped her gem-studded wedding ring against her own frog-patterned mug. “I learned those songs from my mom,” she half-tittered before taking a sip of her drink, durian juice—she wasn’t a huge fan of coffee or tea, having been put off the latter by a certain affront to all things sacred she had drank as a twelve-year-old. “Did you…” she inhaled, “like my singing?”

“‘Like’?” Steven repeated. He slammed his drink onto the table; Gracie laughed and slammed her own cup against her high chair. “Connie, I-I wanna marry you again! C-can we please have a second wedding?” he begged. “No no, forget it,”—he slapped a palm to his face—“that wouldn’t make any sense…” He rubbed his forehead for but a moment before perking up once more. “Wait, wait,” he began, “I’ve got it!” He threw up his arms. “Let’s have another baby!”

Connie simply blinked.

Lisa Maheswaran-Universe was born ten months later.