#jerky also works great

[florida3exclamationpoints]

.

[isaacswhy]

CAMPING WITH... SOFTWILLY

softwilly x gn!reader (sfw + nsfw) heavily inspired by the group camping video series: isaac tanner yumi larry MINORS DNI

It's 50/50 whether you asked him to go camping or if it was him, he enjoys the outdoors but he can be lazy. He's more likely to ask to go to the gym together.

Nick tries his best to pack what you'll need but expect to end up with 6 bags of hot cheetos in both of your bags and some bug spray.

Definitely vlogging the experience.

Lots of protein bars, beef jerky, all the stuff to keep his protein count up. Lots of hot dogs.

If you want to try to do "real" camping, don't expect for it to work out. Expect a rehash of the DoorDash pizza incident.

When he's bored, he either does nothing and sits around or he gets strangely productive.

"Nick, baby, why are you running three miles?" "I'm bored!"

But what he won't do is put up a tent solo. If you can somehow get him to try, do not expect it to go well.

Will be more concerned with finding the biggest rock to pick up and use as a mallet than getting the hooks in the ground at all.

Asks for you to take photos of him. A photoshoot of Nick with the sunset is mandatory. He will try to make his muscles look good.

He gets so hungry so fast. It's a joint effort trying to cook up the hotdogs, unfortunately half of them either end up completely blackened or in the fire itself.

He does a great job trying to make sure your food looks good and makes sure you get the best one, though. It's the little things.

He wants to stargaze. Once it's dark and you've eaten, you lay out on a blanket and watch the stars.

He's always got an arm around you, holding you as the air turns colder and trying to keep you warm.

If anyone else comes around the camp, he acts strangely macho and protective of you until they leave. He looks like a guard dog.

When you and Nick are finally worn out from the day, you climb into your tent and he holds you close.

You slip into sleep but wake up when you're cold and notice Nick has turned away from you, and he's breathing hard.

Turns out, he got really hard as you were falling asleep and was trying to take care of it himself.

That just wouldn't do. In an instant, clothes were off and you were on your hands and knees taking him.

Nick is also rough. He likes hearing you loud, and he will get results. If there's any campers nearby, they know his name.

It's a quicker fuck, given he was already half there by the time you caught him, but you finished twice over before he did.

You finally do go back to bed a mess and one of Nick's arms around you. He doesn't cling to you, but that's only because he's overheated from all the work he puts in.

You wake up first to him rutting against you in the morning. Round two continued from last night ensues.

It's slower, but that's only because he's still waking up.

You stay in the tent for a while cooling off before finally getting up around eleven, but that's only because Nick just wants to go home. Both of you miss AC and chilling at your computers.

He's much more efficient packing the camp up than he was setting it up. When he puts his mind to it, Nick will get results.

You're home by noon. You take half an hour to chill in Nick's bed before he's wanting to lay on the couch watching anime and order food.

Camping is a somewhat success.

[taxidermycanine]

Hey not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I'm looking for whoever might be able to offer advice. My wife just told me she's therian today (wolf). I'm completely supportive of it of course. As another wolf therian, do you have any suggestions for things I could do to help her feel more comfortable or support her better?

(Anon ask to protect her privacy because she's self conscious about it)

hi! this is absolutely the right place to ask, welcome :o)

this is very sweet of you to do, and i'm sure your wife appreciates you looking more into therianthropy so you can understand her better!

i hope you enjoy this post, and thank you again for this ask! the tips are under the cut

species affirming 101: wolves and other canids

hello there! struggling to figure out ways to affirm your therianthropy because you don't know where to start? or maybe you're someone who knows a critter personally and want to learn how to make them more comfortable around you? then sit down and get comfortable because this is species affirming 101 (with me, the dog).

before we go into it, please note:

not all of these things are for everyone, and that's okay! do what feels right for you.

i will try my best to provide alternatives for any food recommendations for those of you with dietary needs, but apologize in advance if i fail to do so.

that the most important thing to affirm your species is through taking good care of yourself and spending some time outside to ground yourself. sometimes these things take time, they'll come to you eventually.

with that in mind, let's begin with the first tip!

NUMBER ONE: clothing

whether you have shorter or longer fur, this point can help you either way! the human body doesn't grow nearly enough hair to feel comfortable sometimes, which is why i wear clothes that are fuzzy, warm, and the same color as my fur. this is especially helpful in the colder months.

as for the warmer months, i recommend purchasing things such as tail keychains, trimming your nails into claws, drawing paws on your shoes. even meditating in a wooded area can help somewhat (at least in my own experience).

NUMBER TWO: snacks

usually when people think of species affirming snacks their mind immediately goes to something like jerky, and whilst that can help a few folk, in my opinion it's much too gritty for me to enjoy comfortably. i prefer eating slim jims for the saltiness and fall-apart texture. if you can't eat meat for whatever reason, i recommend experimenting with different types of mushrooms. a popular choice for meat imitation is the lions mane mushroom. when cooked a certain way, it's crunchy, filling and has a tender texture.

NUMBER THREE: ambiance

something as simple as putting on a video of nature sounds can make you feel more at home. i recommend mixing this with den making (making your bed feel more like a den by adding lots of blankets, going under them to sleep for coverage, maybe a chair or two to keep the entrance visable. i find having some sort of floor mattress works best for this sort of thing)

NUMBER FOUR: comforts

stuffed animals of your theriotype are always a nice way to feel less lonely, especially if you feel like you're meant to have young. acting like they're your pack, your litter, or simply just your belongings can provide heavy comfort during times of feeling isolated.

if you feel like you shouldn't have stuffed animals because you aren't a domestic breed, you shouldn't worry about that. One, you can do whatever you want forerver. Two, there have been many cases of animals finding things like stuffed animals and playing with them, look at this guy!

NUMBER FIVE: socializing

as canines are social animals, it's important for you to spend time with others, therian or non-therian. if you have human friends, or a human partner, great! if they're comfortable with it, you can have them pet you if you'd like. maybe ask to go on a walk with them for a more discreet option.

i'd also recommend making friends who are also therian so you have others to relate to. it's important to realize that you are not alone in this, and there are so many who feel the way you do right now. if you make some irl, go to the forest together! play in the river! if you're stuck to being online friends for however long, make moodboards! play online games where you can be an animal together! roleplay if that's more your speed! there's plenty to do with loved ones.

for now, that's all i can think of. for the anon though here's a little more just for you, i wish you and your partner the best.

be there for her, tell her that her being a therian doesn't make you love her any less and that you find her therianthropy beautiful. ask her about what she'd like you to do to help with species dysphoria, if she has any. research about her theriotype with her to show her that you care about it. as another wolf therian myself, the thing that helped me the most is having my own partner be there for me. canines are social animals, be social with her.

my love to you both,

bandit

[imagineanime2022]

Little Sister

Illumi Zoldyck X Sister!Reader

Word Count: 2062

Requested: Anon

Request: Could you possibly do a one shot with illumi and a younger sister similar to daki pretty pls who’s also a good assassin and is prided on her looks 😊 AND Basically Illumi little sister (reader) gets a S/O and they cheat on us so we run to him in tears what would he do? How would he handle it? How would he comfort us? AND Hiii can you do brother head canons for illumi with a sister who’s about 15-16 so in the middle of milluki and killua who is like a great assassin but also very like caring with him and similar to daki/ume from demon slayer pls!🐺 AND Can you do a one shot or just headcannons(Whatever you prefer) with a reader who is the third oldest Zoldyck who is a amazing assassin who doesn’t fail while also looking after all her siblings and trying to keep the family together pls :)

You had, much like the rest of your family, established your place in the criminal underworld, your ability to assassinate people without leaving so much as a trace was sought after everywhere, you were good at blending into the shadows, your nen ability markedly more dangerous than some of your siblings. You were an emitter type with the ability to turn any bodily fluid into a poisonous substance, something untraceable with subtle symptoms for the most part well until the asphyxia set in.

Illumi was the brother that you were closest to, he liked working with you and when you were younger he spent the most time with you, Milluki was too busy trying to get his mothers approval and Illumi honestly couldn't care less and that led him to watch you more carefully. He started training you young when he realised your ability was manifesting, you had accidentally killed two butlers when you had gotten injured playing in the garden. He noticed when you were young that you were very pretty, and the compliments that you got from others made it an asset that you could use. Even now at the age of 16 it was the selling point for most of your jobs.

The family was starting to crack now that Killua had decided to leave, with all bets placed on him for the next leader of the family, the adults were scrambling even if they tried to hide it. Illumi was off tracking him down, well that was a strong term at the very least you and Illumi knew where he was, the hunter exam. You decided that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a hunter licence since travel was such a pain when you were on jobs. That was how you found yourself in the underground tunnel waiting for the exam to actually start. You came in as contestant 320 with your boyfriend as number 321. Your eyes found Killua who was already looking at you.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, “I’m not going home.” “I’m not here to take you back, travelling is really hard these days, the licence is going to make that way easier and we both know that we can get through this no problem.” You shrugged and he smiled. “Is Dad mad?” He asked. “Honestly I don’t think so, I think he wants you to go home though.” You answered. “Go find some friends, they’ll be good to have, there’s going to be some stages where you need them.” You turned to walk away feeling someone watching you, you looked over to see a man in green, pins in his face and jerky movements. You continued walking as you got close enough he spoke. “You aren’t supposed to be here?” He said and it was then that you realised who it was, Illumi. “Well, I figured that it might be worth getting a licence and since you're both here why not make it a family outing? Don’t worry I’ll stay out of you and your friends' way.” Your eyes travelled to Hisoka who was leaning against the wall a few paces away, he smirked when his eyes met yours. “Mm, what did you bring him for?” Illumi asked as he gestured towards your boyfriend. “(Y/B/N) is here for a licence too, he wanted one.” You rolled your eyes at your brother’s dislike towards your chosen companion. “Remember not to let your guard down.” He warned. “There’s nothing to worry about.” You waved him off as you walked back over to your boyfriend. “Who was that?” He asked. “I don’t know some creepy guy, guess he’s sizing up the competition.” You answered.

It took two tasks for things to break down you had managed to get separated in the tower, that didn’t cause you any problems and you finished as one of the first, with Hisoka and Illumi being some of the people that you noticed first, as time ticked down you started to worry that you’d have to complete the rest of the tasks alone. Hisoka was the one that came over to you while you were sitting alone. “You know you don’t need to wait for him, I doubt that he’ll get much further.” He said. “What does it matter to you?” Your eyes hadn’t moved from the timer, you could see Illumi in the corner of your eye. “Honestly, it’s rather annoying to watch you handicap yourself so readily, little assassin.” Hisoka answered. “You should know that he’s using you.” “Using me?” You asked with a frown. “What do you mean?” Before Hisoka could answer your question the door opened and out stumbled (Y/B/N) but behind him was a girl, you had seen her throughout the exam, she hadn’t ever approached him while you were with him. “Look at his shirt.” Hisoka prompted before standing and leaving you alone, your eyes travelled to (Y/B/N)’s shirt, it seemed to have been thrown on haphazardly or recently ruffled you couldn’t tell, he walked over and smiled. “I’m glad that you made it.” He smiled. “Same to you.” You smiled, plastering on the fake emotion so naturally as you noticed the smell of the girl on him, everything was adding up to a conclusion that you really didn’t want to think about, not right now.

You sat on the boat taking you to the island that the next task would take place on, you looked at the badge number in your hand 321, (Y/B/N)’s number. You could definitely pass without taking his badge but as you looked at him, the way his eyes now wondered, you realised that you weren’t so sure that you wanted to. You decided to talk to him about the tower. You hadn’t noticed in your pondering that he had disappeared, you attempted to find him and it honestly didn’t take long given your occupation, the problem was the position that him in, the girl that he had come out of the tower with pressed against the wall, they hadn’t even realised that you were there, tears gathering in your eyes as you glared at them. She was the one to notice you but you weren’t sure if it was you or the presence behind you that made them look. “O-oh I-” “You what?” You asked, the presence behind you seemed to have disappeared from the moment he looked back at you. “Look, I don't think we’re going to work.” He said. “Oh really, was that before or after you put your tongue down her throat?” You asked. “You know what? You want to know the truth?” He asked. “Yes!” You answered. “You really aren’t that pretty, you’ve been convenient and honestly you’ve gotten rid of a lot of obstacles. I was hoping that you would be able to get me through this last task but it seems like that won’t be the case.” He explained and you looked at him frozen in place, your family had always told you that you shouldn’t put trust in other people but now you understood why and all you wanted to do was turn around and run but this time the presence you felt before seemed closer and you saw your brother’s long hair out of the corner of your eye. “Are you really going to let him talk to you like that?” He asked. “He’s seems to have taken something from you, I think it’s time that you take it back, little sister.” “Later.” You answered as you held the badge up so that they could all see it “after all you're my target on the island I think I’ll take everything from you there.” “That sounds like a perfect plan.” Illumi answered “and the girl?” “Isn’t that your number, big brother?” You asked.

The island itself had not been a problem, you had been tracking (Y/B/N) and the girl, they were sporadic and jerky in their movements they were trying to preemptively shake you off but you wouldn’t be in the occupation that you were that easily shook off, they stopped for the night and that was when you made your move. “You're stopping here?” You asked from your place in the branches. “Y-you found us?” He asked. “I found you.” You answered “I made a promise, I really need your badge.” “Here, have it!” He threw the badge at you and you smiled picking it up off the floor. “Thank you.” From your crouched position you looked up at him. “T-then go.” He ordered. “No.” You answered as you dove forward, dagger taken from the holster on your as you pressed your knee to his throat, the girl screaming. “Sit down, shut up and I might have mercy on you.” You turned back to him “now back to you, you never asked me what my nen ability was, you really should have because you would have known that everytime you kissed me I chose to let you live.” You moved your knee from his neck moving to straddle him pressing your lips to his as your ability activated, you stood as you walked over to the girl who was still sitting on the ground. “I-I did as y-you said.” She stuttered. “You did.” You said softly as taking her chin in your hand. “You said that you would let me go.” She said, tone lifting in hope as you looked at her and shook your head. “I said I’d have mercy and that just means you don’t die slowly and alone like he does.” You explained. “W-wait don’t I have your brother’s number!? I don’t have my badge see” she pointed to her top “if you kill me you’ll never find it.” “It’s a good thing he doesn’t need it then.” You smirked, her eyes widened “yeah I lied because I knew it would force you to stay with him under the impression that he’d be able to keep you safe, stupid assumption really.” “I-I’m sorry.” She cried. “I’m sure you are.” You nodded before yanking her head to the side and effectively breaking her neck. “Nicely done.” Illumi’s voice emitted over the clearing standing over your dying ex. “Do you have your badge?” You asked. “Mm.” He hummed while holding the badge. “Then I will see you in 3 days.” You muttered as you left the clearing and the dead bodies that you had created there as well.

A few days later you found yourself back home, Killua was back home as well and while he was supposedly being punished for everything that he had done you decided that you should go and talk to your father about, he was the only one that could change anything that was happening “Dad, can I talk to you?” You asked. “Of course, come over here.” Your Dad prompted, he’d always had a soft spot for you, his only daughter, well the only one he acknowledged. “What do you want to talk about?” “Killua.” You answered as you settled next to him. “What about him?” Your Dad asked. “I think we should let him see the world, he’s going to have to at some point, he’ll never run the family if it seems like a prison.” You answered, the silence that followed made you rethink “sorry I have overstepped.” “No, no, it’s not that… You think that he will come back?” Your father asked. “I do.” You nodded. “If we give him reason to.” “And why did you come to talk to me about all of this?” He asked. “I want the family to stay together and I thought this was the best way.” You explained. “Mmm, thank you. Let me talk to your brother.” He said, pressing a kiss to your forehead before you got up to leave. “Once this is done I want to hear about what happened, Illumi said there was something that I should hear of.” “Okay Dad.” You answered as you left the room.

It was only voicing your opinion but you hoped it was enough you wanted everyone in the family to be happy and for it to stay together and it only seemed fair that Killua found his way back to the family on his own rather than being forced. You only hoped that your father headed your advice.

Request Here!!

[hirocimacruiser]

What are old cars like to drive now?

Mazda Familia 3 door full time 4WD1600DOHC turbo review.

The second generation FF Familia tends to be overshadowed by the success of the first FF Familia. The Familia underwent a Key Concept model change in 1985, and the sports version of the 1.6 (twin cam turbo + full-time 4WD) became popular. Yasushi Shimono drove to Osaka for the later model after minor changes.

Text | Yasushi Shimono Photos Chihiro Abe

The other day, I rented a Familia car in Takamatsu, Shikoku. If you see Nippon Rent-a-Car, Toyota Rent-a-Car, and Nissan Rent-A-Car lined up at the counter in the airport lobby, if you're a car fan, you should probably rent a Mazda Rent-A-Car at this time of year.

It's a personal choice, but the Familia 1500AT I rented was actually very nice. The engine and suspension have the solid feel of a German car, and it feels great. Even though I've already driven over 20,000km, I can barely see any wear and tear.

During my summer vacation two years ago, I took a Familia rental car at the station in Tsuruoka, Yamagata Prefecture, and it was a great ride, and my family was happy with it.

For test drives, members of the media always ride in the manufacturer's so-called PR vehicles.

However, when they later try the same car in a rental car, they are often disappointed to varying degrees. I don't have the space to write about the reasons in detail here, but Familia is an extremely rare example of people rediscovering their charm through rental cars. It feels like a very seriously made car.

I am holding this.

FULLY MASCULINE NOUN CAR

In downtown Osaka, I was given a ride on a nostalgic Familia. 1988 model 3 door twin cam turbo 4W.D. It is a full-time 4WD high-performance model that was part of the second-generation FF Familia series that debuted in 1985.

I splurged on expensive 200,000 yen 0Z racing aluminum wheels for the car I bought this spring. There is a bright red mudflap in the wheel arches.

The guard hangs down. The hobby of the owner, Mr. M (35 years old), who really wants to drive a Lancia Delta Integrale, seems to be depicted on the outside.

The inside can also be customized.

It is. The front seats are BRIDE bucket seats. The handle is MOMO's Prototipo. At the tip of the shift lever is a plastic shift knob that looks like a white ball.

The main body of the 1.6LDOHC turbo engine has not been modified, but the muffler and air cleaner have been replaced with "HKS''. The suspension also uses Mazda genuine sports springs combined with GAB dampers. I'm not Kiyoshi Nishikawa, but I get the strong impression that he was trying to do things one by one, starting with what he could do. Mr. M, who works as a tire wholesaler, is a pleasant young man. It is the year of the year. When I pushed in the tape whose head was peeking out from the set, it played Mr. Children, which doesn't really suit Osaka (?).

However, once it started running, the Familia Integrale was a much more radical car than the standard.

First of all, the suspension is much harder than you might imagine from the specs. The ride quality is almost that of a competition vehicle, reacting honestly to the bumps and undulations of the road surface and transmitting short, jerky vibrations.

I didn't think it was power steering at first either. I slowly turned the steering wheel to turn off the engine and realized for the first time that it had power assist. That's how responsive it is. Basically, the normal engine is so energetic that it's hard to believe. Power is already 140 yen on NET display. However, it is more powerful than the face value, and at the signal Grand Prix the acceleration of all four wheels is like that of a rabbit.

I'll show you.

Even though it is a turbo, it starts to crash immediately after idling.

Delivers comfortable torque. The response in the low rotation range is also not bad. Tachometer red zone from 7000rpm. However, the latest 4-valve It's not as smooth and light as the unit.

It has been replaced with an air cleaner for competition. So, at the top end of 6500 or higher, the engine noise, mainly the intake noise, becomes louder.

Air conditioner control panels, air vents, and

-Dark areas where stereo units, ashtrays, etc. are crowded.

There was a designer who once described the center part of the dash as ``the most expensive part of the car's interior,'' but this car has a panel that says ``FULLTIME 4WD'' embedded in part of it. There is. It was kind of noisy. There is also a shiny silver switch inside the spring, and this is for locking the center differential. The owner once benefited from being muddy.

Apparently there is.

The turbo is effective without any noticeable bumps.

It starts to work, and what's more, it works like a turbo. I miss the way the green snail lights up in the instrument panel every time the turbo kick explodes. What's more, every time I shift up and release the accelerator, I hear the resonant whine of the turbine, which is nostalgic. I wasn't able to do it this time due to time constraints, but I was able to drive on mountain passes and some dirt roads, and it still looked really interesting. Manly and sweaty, a perfect masculine noun.

It's Luma.

Of course, the current Familia, which no longer has a sports model in its lineup, is not such a macho car. However, the Familia has always been a car that has not had a fancy feel to it for generations. Fancy is something like ``a womanly thing that a man has come up with.'' I like the character, which is unusual for domestically produced vehicles, but I'm sure there are people who say that's why it doesn't sell well.

PIC CAPTIONS

The second generation FF Familia underwent a full model change in January 1985. It has a 3/5-door hatch and a 4-door sedan body. Initially, it started with 1.3ℓ and 1.5ℓ NA and turbo units, but a 1.6ℓ turbo unit was soon added. The photo is of the later model. The body size is: total length x width x height = 3990 x 1645 x 1405mm. Wheelbase 2400mm.

The steering wheel has been replaced with "MOMO" and the seat has been replaced with "BRIDE". When the New Familia was announced, the company emphasized the improved quality of the interior, saying, ``If the packaging is the same, the quality of the interior is important.''

With minor changes in 8 years, NA unit

The remaining old E-type units were wiped out and replaced by B-type units. Photo of 1597cc 16V DOHC turbo with 140ps @ 6000rpm and 19.0kgm torque @ 5000rpm

Mr. M's Delta Familia has a majestic red mudguard. The ``GAB'' and ``HKS'' stickers and white OZ wheels clearly reflect the owner's taste.

[nurgletwh]

Update part two (this is the rest of it, there isn’t any more… at the moment O.o).

February 2024

It took all of two days for my BP to return to my ‘normal’ (the value I expected and where it’s been for a few years now).

It took over a week for me to feel mostly better, and two to approach feeling normal.

Chug away through the rest of the month, but I’m not energetic at all.

March 2024

Nothing super-exciting, although I slowly but surely feel more and more drained—almost exactly the way I felt when I went in because my blood sugar was high. Which was very confusing, because it was great.

Late March-April 2024

I felt awful again. I could barely get the energy up to do anything, and I was back to sleeping all the time. 14-16 hours per day on the weekend, falling asleep in my chair when I got home from work, waking up enough to crawl into bed and go right back to sleep for the night. Which also adds up to 14-16 hours per day.

Warning: diet talk

———

Remember how I started Ozempic? It does weird things to how I perceive hunger. Add that to how well I remember to eat and…

At some point I realized that in the last three days the only things I’d eaten each day were a couple of pieces of toast w/peanut butter for breakfast, nibbled on jerky for lunch, and maybe ate some more toast for dinner.

Thinking back further, I couldn’t figure out a recent time frame where I had done better than that. I had weighed myself in early February, and remembered wondering if dropping 25lbs. (11.3kg) in eight weeks was a good idea.

Shit.

(FYI: no*, it isn’t.)

So I got my exhausted ass out of the house and grabbed a case of Ensure, multivitamins, and other snacky crap I knew I’d eat. My goal was to get things back together enough to get the energy to start fixing my diet, nothing more. I knew aiming higher wouldn’t work until after I could do something besides work and nap.

(*Experts recommend an initial weight-loss goal of 5% to 10% of your starting weight within 6 months. For me, it should have taken nearly seven months to hit that 10%. Granted, these rates are for ‘unassisted’ dieting.)

———

It took all of three days for me to feel significantly better. Not great, but better. I still didn’t have much energy, but my sleeping patterns altered drastically. I was still napping after work, but I would wake up two hours later and accomplish something before going to bed. I didn’t accomplish much, but it was more than sleeping and more sleeping.

Things slowly got better, but again, getting to “ok” was faster than getting back to “normal.”

I know I dropped off the face of the earth, but it felt like every time I announced that things went wonky but I was feeling better now and put out a few chapters, things would blow up again. I wanted to make sure things were better this time.

Which was a poor choice; I should at least have posted something that said I was fucked up but working on it. I apologize for that lack of communication, although things did blow up again…

April 26, 2024

TORNADO.

A FUCKING TORNADO WENT RIGHT THROUGH OUR WORKSITE.

FUCK FUCK FUCKITY FUCK!!!

I know I posted about it. It wasn’t very strong (HA!) by the time it came over the hill and destroyed the house at the top of it, merely (MERELY!!) tossing over a few rail cars and flipping a few semi-trailers.

We got lucky. This very same tornado absolutely wrecked Elkhorn (west of Omaha, NE).

I’ve stated I live and work in the Omaha area, so I’m not too worried about posting this, but here is an overlay of that tornado’s path on top of Apple Maps with my little blue dot while sitting at my desk.

May 2024

Most of May went fairly smoothly. I even got a little writing done!

Unfortunately, I had fallen so far behind on projects at work during all of the above that I was now trying to get caught up. Said project was over four months late at this point. I was working a bit late (not crazy-late, but about an extra hour most days) while still drained, so I didn’t have a whole lot of extra mental energy for writing.

I was, however, finally back to plotting and planning! Yay! Progress!

Until… (is anyone shocked at this point?)

The Friday before Memorial Day I felt a bit drained.

I woke up Saturday with a headache, feeling achy and sore. It didn’t get better, so I took my temperature around noon. 100.1ºF.

Wonderful.

I took a Covid test (that’s my default action to feeling crappy now), but it came back negative. Note that I wasn’t coughing, and I didn’t feel particularly short of breath or anything.

Nothing improved over Sunday, but it didn’t change much, either.

Same for Monday (Memorial Day). But this now made three days with a fever (also three consecutive negative Covid tests).

I agreed to @grumpyoldsnake’s and their friend’s demands to get my ass to a doctor the next day if I still had the fever, although I really wasn’t feeling too bad other than achy. Note: still no coughing (I promise this is important).

I woke up in the middle of the night when I heard something that sounded like a goddamn goose in my bedroom.

Have you ever woken yourself up by making some weird-ass noise that you then can’t duplicate? Even though you know you made it?

I was able to duplicate it. Without much issue. It fell under “well, that’s odd,” and I went back to sleep.

A bit later I woke up to a different weird noise, but I was sidetracked by what I heard and felt after I coughed a few times. My chest was making a sound like a freshly opened pop can. When my mouth was open, it was even worse. I could feel it bubbling away (it didn’t hurt).

Fuck.

Guess what?

PNEMONIA!!

Fuck my life.

Prior to Friday, I hadn’t been sick. They tested me for the flu; that was negative.

Pneumonia is almost always a secondary infection, not primary. You have a cold, or Covid, or bronchitis, and it turns into pneumonia when bacteria settle into your irritated bronchi.

Me, on the other hand…

I never really coughed all that much. Reviewing the blood oxygen data from my Apple Watch, I could peg when the infection started really kicking in, although it looks like something started about a week prior to that (when I did a round-trip plane trip, spending five or six hours on a plane and in an airport two days in a row…).

It took a week to get to a place where my breathing to start feeling easier, nearly two before the oxygen levels started crawling back up.

I did start coughing.

And coughing up… liquid. It was the weirdest sensation. I’d cough, and end up with a mouthful of what felt like slightly thick water. It didn’t really taste, and was nearly colorless.

I coughed that shit up for nearly three days.

I never coughed up the stuff that had any sort of color, although it did get thicker and more ‘traditional’ for stuff you cough up when you get sick. Which puts to lie that you can tell you have a chest infection by the color of the crud you cough up. :-/

It took another nearly two weeks after finishing the ten days of antibiotics to feel like my breathing was normal. The first day back to work was one hell of a reality check, though. I hadn’t been moving around much, and I knew I was short of breath, but I made it all of fifty feet from my car, then about ⅓ of the way up the stairs to my office before I had to stop. I couldn’t catch my breath and was dizzy.

That was the first time I thought, “that could have killed me.”

Not walking up the stairs, but what led to me standing on the stairs, gasping like a landed fish.

It was emphatically hammered home when I made a joking comment to a coworker that it thankfully wasn’t that bad.

Her response?

“Oh, no. Your x-ray was bad.���

>.<

I’ve been getting better. My nutrition went sideways again due to being utterly distracted, but I think that is fairly understandable. :-P

I refuse to say “I’m doing fine now!!”

Fate doesn’t need the temptation.

I hope to get back to writing. I hope even more that I can tackle the monster my inbox has become (both at AO3 and my personal email, which has been just as neglected).

Take care, everyone. Stay healthy.

[the-solarpunk-activist]

Here's how my grandma and I try to live a low waste lifestyle in the city

First thing is we reuse everything. We have a portion of our shelves dedicated to holding plastic food containers we have washed and are waiting to be used to hold leftovers, dried foods, as seed starting pots, etc. We also save any and all jars to hold dried herbs and food products.

Actually reuse is a big thing for us. We shop at places that use paper bags, which I then cut up to use as scrap paper for grocery lists, etc and then compost after that. We also have a small container with rubber bands from products, bread ties, etc.

If you can afford the start up costs and have the space, preserving your own food is excellent. We have a really small garden that produces a lot of food every year. My favorites are dehydrating (using a dehydrator that is at least 30 years old from back when my grandpa was into making jerky), freezing, and canning.

Also, use every bit of food. Right now in the freezer I have bags of apple cores and peeling, pear cores and peeling, and peach peels along with bags of bones and veggie scraps for broths. The fruit scraps will go towards making big batches of jelly when canning season is over. I'll probably use the pulp leftover to dehydrate and powder to add to baked goods following a success with crabapple jelly pulp. I've also made spaghetti sauce out of tomato peels. Anything rotting or absolutely unusable gets tossed in the compost.

Reusables!! Obviously in today's world you can't avoid plastic but you can reduce how much you use. We use reusable produce bags that I made out of scrap Tulle, reusable grocery bags, water bottles, ziploc bags, etc.

If you have a yard or space, composting is a big one! My grandma says she never realized how much food we tossed until we started one. You don't even have to spend money on it! I know people who use totes they drilled holes into, just toss it In a hole in their garden, etc. The one I use is an old hose winder (one of those cube ones( that broke and my work was going to toss. All I did was cut out the hose winding part and paint it pretty and it's held up for 2 years and counting so far.

Hang dry clothes. In summertime we almost exclusively dry our clothes on a line or on a clothes drying rack I found at a yard sale.

Keep your heat or ac a few degrees higher or lower depending on the season. This helps save energy being used to heat or cool your house.

Wash clothes in cool or cold water. I've been doing this for years and haven't noticed a difference.

Repair. You don't have to be a sewing genius to quickly repair a small tear, especially if it's just for household wear. A great winter time hobby to pick up when gardening season is over.

Trade! This can be as simple as hosting a clothing swap all the way up until trading items u grew/made for items they did! I barter with my coworkers all the time, just talk to them! I never would have known my coworker kept bees if she didn't really like my jellies and proposed a trade. I also trade any of my soft produce I don't have time to do anything with to my coworker with rabbits in exchange for poop for the garden.

Try to be in season from local sources such as garden stands, or just a local grocery store. One of our local farms grew bell peppers and was selling then 2 for a dollar! So we stocked up and dehydratedand froze lots of peppers for winter stews

Blended pumpkin guts makes an excellent pumpkin puree, even if you're just adding little bits of it to your dog's food :)

You can freeze a lot of stuff! Leftover spaghetti sauce, pumpkin puree, etc can all be frozen in a muffin pan and then put in bags for future use!

Forage! I personally mostly forage for greens and a few mushrooms I am confident in my ability in but that still bulks up your food supply as well as medicine supply! I made a salve using bartered beeswax and spring purple dead nettle and summer plantain (and some tea tree EO) for cuts and scrapes and it works miracles! My coworkers love it as well as friends and family

We really try to live by the waste not, want not and use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without phrases. Just figure out what works best for the life you live! Be creative!

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

what’s the difference between curious and worried tongue flicks? also in general, how can you tell whether a snake is curious and happy or worried when handling them?

Great questions!

When handling a snake, you're looking for tongue flicks that are regular and don't appear overly long. It's difficult to describe, because you really just get an eye for it after a while. Curious tongue flicks aren't short (super-short tongue flicks are something associated with feeding mode in a lot of snakes), and a good tell is that they'll often lean towards whatever the snake is smelling.

This video is a great example of what worried/stressed tongue flicks look like! When a snake is feeling scared, their tongue flicks will often get loooooong and slooooow.

Body language can vary a lot between species, but there are good general ways to tell if your snake is feeling curious and content while you're handling them.

A snake that's comfortable and curious while being handled will not be overly tense - they'll be holding onto you, but their body won't feel stiff. Their neck will often be stretched out while they explore - look for "periscoping" (holding the neck straight-up) as a great sign your snake is having a good time exploring! They'll move steadily, with relaxed but alert movements.

In contrast, if a snake is feeling stressed while being handled, their body language will be extremely tense and stiff. Frequently, a scared snake will also act frantic in your hands, moving quickly and jerkily as they try to get away. Many species will hold their necks close to their body, like this:

The snake might also hold their mouth open - this is a common threat display, it's them saying "don't you trifle! I'm willing to bite you!" You might also see tail rattling, hissing, or striking, depending on species. When a scared snake strikes, they're usually very quick, frantic strikes, and they'll rarely ever actually bite down.

A snake who feels scared might puff up their body, hiss, rear up on their coils, or otherwise try to make themselves look big and scary. Hognoses are a great example, one who feels scared might puff up their cheeks and/or neck and curl up their tails.

The specifics depend on the species and the individual you're working with, but in general:

Steady, alert tongue flicks + relaxed muscles + steady movements + stretched-out necks = happy, curious snake

Tense body + frantic/jerky movements + long, slow tongue ficks + trying to make themselves look bigger = worried snake

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group D Round 4: God Troubles Me (Hanhua Riji) vs Happy Sugar Life

#D2: God Troubles Me (Hanhua Riji)

Prophecy girlie, hyper cellphone, and gamer cat get silly

#D3: Happy Sugar Life

Lots of traumatized minors messing each other up bad

Details and poll under the cut!

#D2: God Troubles Me (Hanhua Riji)

Summary:

Su Moting, the daughter of a god and a monster, is the supposed Chosen One set to fix the balance of the universe, but unfortunately, she’s just barely living as it is. Only just told of her great fate, Su Moting couldn’t care less as she juggles her social life, work, and her new duties (which she doesn’t take seriously). Alongside Moting are Star Tianji and Star Dikui, a god and a monster out to help our protagonist with her grand mission. They, too, are also struggling to figure out life on Earth, as Tianji is an immortal who doubles as the god of Su Moting’s personal cellphone and Dikui is a cat monster immortal more concerned with lazing about. Somehow, they make things work as the best worst roommates of all time.

Propaganda:

Four-season donghua (Chinese anime) that’s so recent and seeped in American pop-culture that I needed to do a double take when a literal cockroach said “Run, Forrest, run,” in English with a heavy Chinese accent. There’s a cat who plays video games (he’s very good at it), a phone who’s the worst kind of hype man, a sentient air conditioner, a guy who can shapeshift into any vehicle, off-brand Super-Man but jerky, a high-ranking god that collects anime figures, and the mega ultra cool protagonist who is a normal human girl fresh out of college and always low on money. It’s great

Trigger Warnings: Animal Cruelty or Death, Child Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Flashing Lights, Racism, Self-Harm, Suicide.

All the TW’s above are done for comedic effect, but they come in fast and hard with the humor. Better safe than sorry! The biggest things I remember are one or two “blink and you’ll miss it” racist jokes, characters joking about killing themselves out of embarrassment (no one goes through with it), and there’s a LOT of self-harm via stupid decisions. Stupid things like tying a loose tooth to the back end of a sports car sort of stupid. The protagonists have 3 brain cells collectively.

#D3: Happy Sugar Life

Summary:

Satou Matsuzaka is a beautiful high schooler who has a reputation for being permissive with men. However, a chance encounter with a young girl named Shio Koube makes Satou realize that this is her first and only true feeling of love.

Telling others that she lives with her aunt, Satou secretly shares an apartment with Shio. Despite her innocent appearance, Satou is willing to do anything to protect her beloved, resorting to desperate measures to ensure that their “happy sugar life” remains intact.

Propaganda:

It is questionable, but in the way that the anime is meant to make you uncomfortable. It’s an uneasy psychological horror. You’re meant to dislike almost the entire cast, so you don’t know who to root for. Yes, the characters are fucked up, but it isn’t glorified as far as I can see.

It made my stomach churn, and I was sobbing at the end because that’s what it was trying to do.

I said it’s not good, meaning it’s not comfortable, and none of the characters are good. But it’s well-written and it’s interesting.

Trigger Warnings:

Child Abuse, Pedophilia (not graphic)

Murder/Violence (one brief scene is semi-violent, but most isn’t shown)

Kidnapping

Rape/Non-Con (not shown, but it’s obvious that it happened/explicitly stated)

Suicide

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form with your revisions, and I’ll consider adapting those changes.

New: Starting round 5, screenshots will be included in the poll post. You can submit screenshots through the form linked above, or through here, via ask or dm.

Guidelines in submitting screenshots:

No NSFW or spoilery images.

Pick some good images please. Don’t send any blurry or pixelated ones.

You may send up to 9 screenshots, but not all may be used.

[prfm-multiverse]

I'll take on the role of the bad guy --What is your relationship with Nocchi (Perfume), with whom you sing a duet on "1RKO"?

Nearly 20 years ago, when I had dinner with the three members of Perfume at a sushi restaurant, I asked them, "Does anyone other than Yasutaka Nakata ever write songs?" and "When and how will that be allowed?" If that were to happen, I think it would be a pretty dramatic scene, and I was curious to know what they, the people involved, would think about such a thing.

--I said, "If that happens, I'd like to be allowed to write it."

I'm embarrassed to say that I made that appeal. Since then, I've been waiting for it, wondering if it would happen. But someone who proposes a completely different approach to a team that has achieved great success would definitely be the villain.

--No, no. I'm sure the fans would also like to hear Nocchi's vocals outside of Perfume.

In reality, I would like someone to do it first, and then I would follow suit right away. Because if I do it first, I will inevitably be criticized. But no one will do it no matter how much time passes, so if that's the case, I'll be hesitant to take on the role of the villain, as usual.

──Out of all the members of Perfume, why did you choose Nocchi this time?

Because I had heard that Nocchi listens to my work. I imagined exactly what it was that she liked about it. After considering the sound and scale that would suit her, we decided that this time we wanted her to have a natural yet powerful presence as the vocalist of a small band. We also deliberately wanted it to be something that wasn't danceable. That's why we used a stop-and-go, jerky beat.

What did Nocchi think of recording with her own voice without any effects? She didn't seem nervous or awkward, and seemed to enjoy herself from start to finish. She performed confidently, and listened to her own takes and was amused. I thought, "Ah, this is what I want to do." For the players, including Nocchi, to go along with the plan I've prepared, and become accomplices. That makes me happy in the first place, but what makes me happiest is when you also agree that it's a good idea in relation to your own work.

[cranity]

hi hi! i love your art so much & specifically how you use shapes, especially when you’re drawing heads and faces. i was wondering if you have any tips about how to incorporate shapes this way! pls feel free to ignore if course!

Thank you! I was mulling over this trying to figure out an answer that makes sense. I usually go for what "feels right" which is not a great answer lol so come deconstruct my choices with me in real time--

When i'm drawing figures i'm never aiming particularly for realism when it comes to movement. I go for flashy, poster perfect-esque compositions, so if having Vash's coat-tails flit around him unnaturally don't make sense but it looks cool, then i'll go for it! I think i'm always looking for a solid silhouette so whatever pose the character is striking, you can tell what's going on. Finding the right balance between making a silhouette with too much vs not enough is not something I know how to explain, but something I believe is important! :']

I also tend to extend a characters "energy" outward:

you can see in all these corners and edges everything points outward and even curves a slight bit away. I think this is one of the reasons people tend to call my art sharp/spikey! I don't tend to shade/render my work a terrible amount, preferring a flat graphic look most of the time or just playing with blacks (which is a whole shape language in itself) but when I do, all the shadows and highlights shapes tend to take on a spikey/lightning bolt shape even tho it wouldn't look like that in real life!

It's just really pleasing to me and I like how it looks! The spikier something is for me, the better! If you couldn't guess at this point, starts/lightning bolts are my favorite shapes haha Another thing I tend to do is avoid is curved lines. They're definitely still there! But my flow is more jerky straight lines so that if I drew a circle in my style it'd look like a messed up pentagon with soft points, that basic rule in my art brings forth funky shapes that otherwise wouldn't be there if I was trying to stick to realistic shapes This probably didn't answer a lot ToT but I hope my rambles brought something to light, whatever that may be!

[dony-toonasks]

Not really a lil guide, buuttt here’s my generalized tips for dealing with the Twisted’s for the first time, for the new fellas! Oh, hang on, let me change my pen color so this is easier to read…

Ahem! This is gonna be quite long, sorry about that!

1. Do NOT Approach!

Twisted’s are the absolutely fascinating ‘enemies’ you can find. They’re able to be identified from other Toons by their less smooth motions, such as walking in perfectly straight lines, making jerky motions, and making complete stops in certain places.

They also look far more morbid and torn compared to Toons, often covered in Ichor or having red eyes! No matter how fun they look, do NOT approach! They will attempt to charge and attack you! Trust me, I’ve tried!

Only approach if you’re absolutely positive you can escape.

2. Take it slow!

When you first enter a floor, don’t go around sprinting all the time! If you run into a Twisted, you won’t have the stamina to evade them. It’s important to at least walk or, y’know, keep your stamina bar halfway filled at all times.

Take breaks in safe places to restore your stamina, or use some items! Soda pop is great at restoring stamina.

Another good reason to take it slow is due to a lack of timer, unless an elevators about to take off! Just take your time and fill up those machines at your own pace, maybe watch the Twisteds and try to get a read on where they are and where they’re going. It’s better to be slow than to die to some Twisted!

3. Identify Loops and Routes!

I like to call the items you can run around Loops. They’re usually tables or crates in the middle of rooms you can run around. When you’re being chased by a Twisted, they’ll naturally stop chasing you once you’re out of sight for long enough. They have horrid attention spans, most of them! If you’re being chased, you can keep looping around items until they leave you alone. I don’t recommend this if you’re being chased by more than one, though. I’d run and try to hide when possible for that.

For this to work properly, I’d recommend slowly getting used to whatever floor you’re on. Maybe take a solo trip to go memorize it! Oh, or ask a friend for some help!

4. Don’t Spam Click!

Let’s say you’re extracting something and you’re spotted by a Twisted, it usually boots you off the instant they see you. So don’t go spamming the input to get off the machine, you should already be off! If you do that, you may grab onto it. Can’t run if your hands are full!

Focus on immediately moving. It doesn’t matter where, the instant you’re booted and you hear a loud blare, it’s time to start running and finding cover!

5. Keep Looking!

If you know where the Twisted is coming from, you know to run in the opposite direction. No matter what you’re doing, keep looking around! Only take breaks when you know you’re in a safe space. Even if they’re in the opposite direction, they always have that chance to turn around and start heading your way.

6. It’s Ok to Die!

I…don’t, really know how we come back, but remember, dying is ok! Sure, it, uh…it hurts a lot, but even dying on the first elevator floor is alright! It’s how you slowly learn the layout of a map, or figure out how to best handle a Twisted.

Just do your best! Dying time and time again is key to learning!

…I think!

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

Sweet Decadence || Part 2 of 2 || Bi-Han/Sub-Zero

A/n: After so long, this part is finally finished. I am happy to share it with you. Thank you for your patience and the lovely comments. Please enjoy.

Also, when I first started this, I was under the impression that Sektor was a male due to Bi-Han's tower ending. I went back and changed the first chapter to make her female.

Warning(s): Kidnapping, snide comments, restraints, female reader insert, mixed emotions, bratty reader, Bi-Han being Bi-Han, rough sex, oral (m), sloppy make-out, slight begging, teasing, shock bracelet.

No Minors Allowed!!

You rouse to the undeniable sound of a train clacking over the joints in the track. Its jerky movement, to your dismay, threatens to put you back to sleep, but you can not ignore the icy chill that nips at your skin or the fact you should be dead.

“You can tell him yourself.”

The words Cyrax had spoken to you before you fell unconscious make sense now. She did not mean to kill you but to knock you unconscious. Whatever is in your system is making it hard to stay awake. This is not good. Forcing your eyes open, you glance around and take note that you are in a train cart, one loaded with numerous boxes. Based on your restrictive movement, you are no doubt by something, and to make matters worse, you are also gagged with a silicone bit. The two assholes did their homework it seems. But why? Is there a reason they kidnapped you? 

A slow, taunting clap directs your attention to the corner of the cart below you as Sektor ambles out. 

“Our fiery kunoichi awakens.”

You tell her to go fuck herself, but the bit hinders and slurs your words. Sektor does not seem to care either way. She squats beside you, looking you over. 

“I thought that you would never wake up,” she states. 

“You have little trust in me,” Cyrax interjects as she strolls through the cart from the same area that Sektor had come from. “I gave her a simple anesthetic gas. It sent her into a reversible coma, but I've been monitoring her.”

Isn't that fucking great? You turn up your eyes. No wonder you are extremely groggy. 

“You've got luck on your side,” Sektor jests. She stands, then to your annoyance, nudges you with her foot. “We're nearly home.”

Home. Does she mean Arctika? You widen your eyes. Why are they taking you back? Did Bi-Han order them to?

“It's too bad he considers you a waste.”

A ruse. You bite down hard on the bit. 

They baited me. 

While you do not believe the attack on the town had been to draw you out, you do believe that you presented them with the perfect chance to kidnap you. 

It irritates you to no end. Bi-Han has you in the palm of his hand, and no matter how far you run from him, a yearning to be with him drags you right back. It worries you just what sort of mindset you will be in when you see him.

Fuck. What do you do? 

You figure that you can try to escape. The issue is the bit. With it in your mouth, you can not use your trump card. Then there is the anesthetic. Whatever is still in your system is hindering your ability to focus. Against both assassins, the chances of fleeing are slim to none. You groan, resting your head against the floor. There is no point in trying if you are sure it won't work. For the time being, you allow the vibration of the train to lull you to sleep.

After deboarding in Arctika, Sektor and Cyrax lead you from the train and into a small town at the base of the mountain in the region where the temple is. The trip is rather lengthy, having to trek through a snow-filled forest and up a mountain to the main summit. It is nearing dark when you arrive at the base, being forced down the same halls you had traversed daily when you were loyal to the Lin Kuei. Cyrax leaves you soon after, going who knows where, but Sektor takes you the rest of the way to the study room where you soon learn Bi-Han is waiting.

In front of the door, she knocks. Your heart races as you wait in apprehension for Bi-Han to answer, and when he does, your stomach fills with dread. Whether Sektor notices or not, you are unsure. But she chuckles. 

“I guess you get to find out the answer to that question you were so eager to know.” She pauses, then pokes at the bit with her finger. “Does he like it when you spit or when you swallow?”

You narrow your eyes at her.

Grabbing you by the upper arm, Sektor opens the door and yanks you inside. You have been here before, you recall, to make reports. The room is somewhat different than you remember, but you can not figure out what it is as your eyes divert to Bi-Han sitting behind a grand desk in the center of the room. Your heart races. 

It had not been so long ago that you had last seen him, but given the circumstances of that incident, you feel uneasy. You bite down on the bit, trying to maintain a neutral appearance despite how irritated you are.

Bi-Han spares you a look, then turns his eyes to Sektor beside you. 

“Your results?”

“Efficient for the ninjas,” Sektor answers. She nudges your arm. “This one took out one all on her own, with vibration no less. A little rubber and a little tweaking should fix that though. Some tungsten or titanium carbine will also be needed.”

You raise a brow. Did Kuai Liang also take one out? You hope he and Tomas are well. 

Sektor is either an idiot or she is so confident in her toys. 

Why else would she admit their faults in front of you? Unless, of course, she knows something you do not, or have not yet to realize. 

Bi-Han pinches the bridge of his nose in irritation, but he does not comment. You snort. His little project must be expensive. 

“We will discuss it another time.” 

“And her,” Sektor brings up. She motions toward you with a finger. “What will you have us do with her?” 

Bi-Han directs his eyes to you, much to your dismay, then stands. 

“Unbind her.”

You narrow your eyes. He knows you will not try to fight him; you are behind enemy lines. You won't win. Knowing this irritates you further. 

Sektor releases your arms first, then unlocks the bit, freeing your mouth. You stretch your jaw to ease away the stiffness. In the meantime, she concludes her report, and then bows, but as she strolls towards the door, she suddenly stops as though he forgot something. 

“What was the message you wanted to pass along? You said it right before the antiseptic put you out. Now is the time to tell him.”

She then leaves you alone with Bi-Han. 

Bootlicker, you accuse silently. 

You tighten your jaw, feeling your face burn in embarrassment. Why could she not keep her mouth shut? You sigh. It is what it is.

“You can rot in hell, that's what I told them to pass along,” you tell him. 

Bi-Han raises a brow. If he is irritated by your comment, he does not show it. 

“Time has done nothing to persuade you.”

Anger churns your stomach. 

“Persuade me. As if fucking me was going to make me defect. Have you lost your mind?”

This is enough to push him. He points his finger at you in annoyance.

“You are the one who is lost. I am giving you the chance to be free from Liu Kang and his tyranny,” Bi-Han argues. 

“He's protecting Earthrealm from people who wish to do it harm,” you state in disbelief. “Siding with Shang Tsung and General Shao could have ended with the death of millions of humans. You don't seem to–”

He interjects, clutching your face. Your lips pucker humorously. 

“I am of clear mind! You and my weak brother are blinded by the aspect of peace!” Bi-Han explodes. “He chained us! I only wanted us to stand by his side, but he used us!”

His reasons are justified. You agree that the Lin Kuei could have been more, but Liu Kang had his reasons.

Right? 

You ease his hand away from your face. 

“Don't make an enemy of me, Bi-Han. Those things you let Sektor make; it's not too late to stop her.”

His eyes narrow. 

“You would still deny the truth.”

You sigh. Of course, you do. You do not know what Bi-Han plans to do with the cybernetic assassins, but it can not be good. Not for the Shirai Ryu or the humans of Earthrealm. 

“I won't join you.”

A soft click averts your attention to your wrist where a silicone bracelet now rests. It's lightweight, but something about it unnerves you. You shake your wrist, trying to understand why he would put this on you, and what it does.

“Is this some sort of tracker?” You ask. 

Bi-Han strolls to his desk and lifts a small black device that reminds you of a walkie-talkie. On it is an LED screen that reads 400 square feet. That is the size of a large living room…or a study room. It takes you a moment to put two and two together, but when you do, you widen your eyes. 

“A training bracelet! Are you serious?!”

Of course, he is. You glare at him waiting for an explanation, but Bi-Han ignores you and sits down behind his desk. This is too much, and the worst part is, you are confined to this room. You know what it is now that looks different about the study room. There is a plush couch shoved in the corner. It does not fit. 

What is Bi-Han thinking? 

You glance down at the bracelet, studying it. The band seems easy enough to remove, but you know it can not be so easy. You tighten your jaw. 

This isn't good. 

For the next few weeks, you learn the hard way the boundaries of your prison. It is not a fun experience, to say the least. The shock is enough to drop you to your knees. Escape seems almost impossible, especially since your sonic scream is no use, and tampering with the bracelet only seems to set it off. 

Then there is the matter of the fence system. While the perimeter keeps you bound to the study room where you eat and sleep, there are times when it is extended to the temple so that you can use the bathroom and bathe. Cyrax is the one who monitors you during this time, as Bi-Han is much too busy. That or he is tired of your fruitless attempts to remove the bracelet. She is as loyal to him as Sektor is, but not nearly as remorseless as she. Still, there is no opportunity to escape. 

You feel as though you have tried everything; all but removing your hand. If you can not make it out of Arctika, then something as brutal as cutting off an appendage would be useless. It truly is irritating, the arrangement. 

And boring. 

The warm water of the spring that the bathhouse is built around does little to soothe you as it once had. You feel worn down, caught in an endless cycle of mediocrity that you can not break from. Every day is the same. Wake up, cure your boredom, eat, then go back to sleep. Time away from the room is the same, becoming more tedious.

If Bi-Han planned to bore me to death then he has nearly succeeded.

It is not though, you know. It is the need for him he wants to exploit. There is no denying that you yearn for him, even he can see how much. He pines for you as well and each day the tension seems to grow. He is just too hell-bent on bringing you back into the Lin Kuei to break it.

Remembering your first time with him, you press your knees together as arousal ignites in you. It is a dull tingle now, but the more you think about him bouncing you on his cock, the more the feeling grows. The heat of the water almost feels too hot. You tighten your jaw in irritation. It is time to get out. You leave the spring-fed tub and then dry off, thankful that the bracelet is waterproof. Once you are dressed in a standard uniform, a blue and black tabard, the only clothing you had been given, you stroll out of the bathhouse. Cyrax waits by the door. 

“Are you ready?” She asks. 

There is no need for pleasantries. You nod, then she leads you back to the study room. She does not follow you in; she merely waits for you to walk in, then leaves you to your own devices. You know you are alone by the fact Cyrax does not knock first. Bi-Han must be busy. There is no need for a guard. Once you are inside, the fence system shrinks the perimeter via the device that someone has - you learned this the hard way. 

“Home sweet home,” you grumble. 

There is not much to do aside from sleep and read, so you choose the latter. For the next hour, you read a short story that you have read before, sitting at the desk with your legs carelessly resting on the top. Bi-Han will just have to get over it. In the middle of an intense scene, the door comes open swiftly. You direct your eyes to the entranceway as Bi-Han ambles into the room. What he does next is beyond you as you return your attention to the book, but you know he is heated. You grin. 

Rough day, you opt not to ask. 

Seeing him from the corner of your eye approach, you continue to read. 

“Have you no respect?”

“That's apparent,” you retort. 

He is your captor, not your Grandmaster. Some days you wonder if he forgets. Lifting your arm, the one with the bracelet, you wiggle your wrist. 

“If you insist on treating me like an untrained animal, then I might as well act like one,” you add. 

He wants you to move, you are sure, but instead, you flip to the next page and continue with the story. It is not until he removes the fence system device from his sash, do you spare him another look. A warning beep goes off, the same one that you hear a minute before the bracelet gives you a shock. You tighten your jaw. He demands respect, but he has none of his own to give. You toss your legs off the desktop and quickly stand, pleased that he silences the warning alarm.

He does not have to threaten you with the device every time he feels you misbehave. You would have gotten out of the seat had he asked. Probably. Without a word, you storm by him with a glare, but he grabs your upper arm and guides you in front of him.  

“Where has this ill-mannered behavior derived from?” 

As if he needs to ask. You know you are acting like a bratty child, but you are mad at him. He needs to understand how much. 

“Does your avowed ‘Grandmaster’ condone this?”

You snort in annoyance. While you understand his dislike for Kuai Liang, nothing about this situation has anything to do with him. It is beyond him, at this point. 

“He doesn't, nor do I act in such a way in front of him,” you retort. “He is fair and a good man, qualities you have forsaken.”

His eyes narrow; he tosses the remote onto the desk and then averts his eyes to your mouth, as though he is waiting for what you plan to say next. 

“You are insufferable.”

Now who is being childish? You sigh.

“Then free me.”

What does he want from you? Your ability will pale in comparison to the cyborgs, or whatever name Sektor chooses to call them. It took more than enough effort on your part to take even one of them down. 

“I'm no good to you, Bi-Han. You don't need–”

He interjects and then redirects his hand to your face, an irritating habit he seems to do only with you; even more irritating than his finger-pointing. 

“It is not your place to tell me what I do or do not need.” 

You remove his hand so that you can argue back without sounding like a muffled idiot, but your words are lost as he places his hand around your neck. Your heart races in fear. His skin is as cold as ice. He wouldn't, would he?

Preparing for a fight, you tighten your hand into a fist. At the first crack of ice, you plan to retaliate, but instead, Bi-Han offers you a semblance of weakness that you do not expect from him, leaning in to kiss you. His action is brief and a bit rough because the moment you do not return the kiss - you are in a state of shock - he parts and curls his nose in irritation. You widen your eyes. 

You consider questioning him but know that it will do no good. He would not have kissed you if he didn't want to. An air of sadness washes over you.

“That isn't fair,” you state.

The Bi-Han that is high-strung is much easier to deal with. Not this one; not the one who strips you of your morals with a single kiss. He knows that you feel this way about him; weak and foolish. You tighten your jaw.

Walk away…walk away…

You should. It is an easier decision, but this attention is what you want from him. The situation is just…less than ideal. 

“My beliefs align with the Shirai Ryu, but I am flawed. I can't bring myself to make an enemy of you.”

Not when he is flawed too. He is your main weakness, and one day, he will be your undoing.

So be it. 

You are the first this time to initiate the kiss, but unlike you, Bi-Han is neither taken off guard nor hesitant to return it. He pulls you against his chest, trapping you between the desk and himself. One hand sinks to your waist while the other rises, urging you with his thumb on your chin to open your mouth. It becomes apparent to you that you are not the only one who is driven by need. Goosebumps litter your arms as the kiss becomes heated, a deep and heavy battle that leaves you weak.

Compared to the time in the fortress, this moment is more desperate. It feels like either of you might realize just how blind you are for the other, which is why you do not slow the pace when Bi-Han slides your trousers and underwear to your knees. You press yourself closer to him, taking pleasure in the warmth of his firm chest, a rare moment in which you want to indulge a bit longer, but to your annoyance, he breaks the kiss and leans down to lift you by the waist, sitting you on the edge of the desk. The icy surface on your bare flesh makes you arch your back and shift uncomfortably. 

The cloth around your knees falls to a heap as you wiggle out of them, then spreading your thighs, you reach out to Bi-Han, pleased when he eases between them. You seize his sash, the one with the silver-plated ornaments, and with a tug, you untie it, letting it drop heavy to the floor. A sudden heat spreads to your face; a subconscious unease that sets off when you realize how close you are to his cock. The snide comment that Sektor had made causes you to bristle. You swallow hard, then curl your fingers beneath the band of his harem pants, sliding them down his firm thighs. The comment stays in your mind, taunting you like a cat toying with its prey. Whether it be because of the heated moment or not, the more you think about it, the more curious it makes you. 

Moving aside the flap of his tabard, you take him in your hand, giving him a slow stroke before you lean in and press an open-mouth kiss to the underside of his cock. Bi-Han completely hardens. With a haughty grin, you wet your lips, and then slide him into your mouth, taking him halfway, before you lean back. A pleased hum encourages you to resume and when you do, you feel his hand on the back of your head as if to say ‘I know you can take more’.

You sink to the base; his pubic hairs tickle your nose, soft and groomed, then you slide back halfway and repeat the action. Once you are comfortable with the angle, you bob your head at a quick, steady pace. He tightens his hold on your head, desperately thrusting his hips forward when you slide away. Your pace changes sporadically, just to tease him. It's a powerful feeling, to be the one to subdue Bi-Han in such a way. But it does not last.

To your irritation, he pulls himself from your mouth and tilts your head back. You glare at him, but you have to admit, his flushed cheeks make him look cute. You snort, which you come to realize is a mistake. Bi-Han pulls your head back making you lie flat on your back. Fingers posed in a V, he sides them up your inner thigh to your groin, gently squeezing your outer lips together. Your muscles tense in response. Resting his thumb on your mound, he slowly traces your lips, applying just enough pressure to your clit to stimulate it before he abandons it. What is he doing? You are right here, spread out for him. Why doesn't he take you? Instead, he massages your inner thighs. 

“Bi-Han…”

The sound of his name, desperate and low, makes your walls tighten. He is never like this. You have an idea what he is doing; he is getting back at you. 

For a brief moment, you think that you might have misread his intentions, but when he rubs the pad of his thumb in slow circles around your clit, then abruptly stops, you know that you have hit the nail on the head.

“You're an ass,” you hiss. 

His ruffled expression does not change, but there is a softness in his eyes, as though he is pleased with how frustrated you are. His fingers continue to tease you, drawing soft moans and annoyed whimpers when they brush your clit. You writhe beneath him and an embarrassed heat spreads across your face. This is too much. He does not need to make an example out of you, not to tease him. 

“I'm sorry,” you apologize. 

You sound desperate, but you do not care. Bi-Han pauses, then raises a brow.

“I have my doubts,” he voices.

You tighten your jaw. He's insufferable, but perhaps he is right. Given the chance, you would do it again. You swallow hard. The wetness between your thighs is uncomfortable. You just want him to treat you as he did back at the fortress like you were his and his alone. 

“I need you like this,” you state, recalling your words to him.

He nearly yanks your ass off the edge of the desk as he rests your lower legs over his forearms. His cold gauntlets bite into your flesh, but you ignore the uncomfortable sensation as he spreads you. Then, to your immediate relief, Bi-Han slowly sinks his cock into you down to the base. There is a tight sharp feeling as your walls stretch to fit him, not used to his size, but it soon dulls as he begins to move. It's such a comfort to have him inside you again. You moan, clutching onto his wrists for some semblance of stability.

His thrusts have such power that they bounce you, knocking the air from your lungs. The desk creaks in protest beneath you. Then to add to the already-growing pleasure you feel, Bi-Han reaches between your thighs and rubs your clit with his middle and pointer finger. Your back arches and you tighten your jaw to suppress the loud gasp that nearly escapes you. Words can not describe how good you feel at this very moment; you can hardly make a coherent thought, lost in fucked out daze. All you know beyond this point is that you want to come undone; you need it.

A mild tickle in your lower body starts to spread beyond your control like a raging fire, then it becomes so intense that it pushes you over the edge. Your muscles stiffen as an orgasm overtakes you, bringing warm tears to your eyes. It's too much, but also unlike anything you have ever experienced before. 

Bi-Han continues to fuck you with the same intensity even when you come down from your high. You can feel every thrust, every muscle in your body protesting. Your walls are sore and spent, as though you tried to swim through molasses, a fact he is unaware of. The head of his cock presses against your cervix, a mild pain that you overlook. After the orgasm you just received, he deserves his. 

Slowing down his pace a bit, Bi-Han allows your lower legs to fall free, then unclasps your hands and pulls you into a sitting position. You immediately slide an arm around his broad shoulders, holding him close as he starts at a new rhythm. Tracing your fingers across his flushed cheek, you lean in and capture his lips; he soon reciprocates and the kiss becomes heated and a bit sloppy. Neither of you seem to care. His breath mingles with yours, hot and exerted, and then when he parts from you, tightening his jaw you know he is close. 

“I want to taste you so bad,” you utter. 

A moment later, he steps back leaving you empty, and wraps his hand around himself. You slide off the edge of the desk and sink to your knees in front of him, opening your mouth. Bi-Han strokes his cock until he orgasms, shooting ropes of warm cum onto your tongue; some of it splatters across the bridge of your nose and chin. Once he is finished, staring at you as though he is admiring his work, you bring your tongue back into your mouth, swallowing the mess. 

Bi-Han looks more unkempt than he did the first time. Locks of his dark hair had slipped from the holder, curling near his cheekbone. His face, a flushed shade of red, makes him seem more human than he acts. It reminds you that he is flawed, and it's beautiful. 

Your legs shake as you stand, leaning against the edge of the desk. To your shock, you watch Bi-Han pick up his sash and hand it to you before tucking himself away. 

“Thanks,” you utter. 

This entire moment is awkward. You clean up the best you can with the sash, then sit it aside; you are going to need another bath, but it can wait. Once you are redressed, you reach out to the high-strung Grandmaster, pleased that he comes to you. Frighteningly though, his hand sinks to the place where he had marked you, reaching beneath your shirt to run his finger over the sacred flesh. You tense, but he does not show signs of wanting to mark you again. 

The thought does bring a matter to light. You frown. 

“When the time comes for you to reunite with Kuai Liang on the battlefield, I beg that you do not ask me to turn on him.” You pause and slide your hand onto his cheek. “Please Bi-Han. At least grant me that request.”

He stares at you, unmoved, then frowns. 

“You ask of me promises that I can not make.”

It is as you had expected. Forlornly, you nod. You fear what the future holds for you both, but for now, you take pleasure in the time you have with him before revenge tears you both apart. 

The question is, will you burn with him when the time comes or not? 

[honey-minded-hivemind]

You've inspired me to make a creed reader. It's just a sketch but I had a lot of fun with it. I also love that canonically Sabretooth is a huge fashionista so I wanted to pull on that. I also wanted to imply the Charles and Erik had a hand in raising them

They look like a lion! And I'm glad some of my works inspired you! Their teeth are so sharp! And I love their outfit! (They're dressed to impress!) The deadly dagger claws, that look painful! Their bright eyes! The moon and star earrings! Their long fluffy mane of hair! What would you like like call them? Little Lion Creed Reader? Cave Lion Creed Reader? Lion Creed Reader? Or something else? You did such a great job! Pat yourself on thr back, eat some jerky or a cupcake, and have some water or juice! You did swell!

@vivid-bun and @thewickedweiner and @danni1323 Look guys! A new Creed Reader to join the club!

[yosuwo]

Unrequited Love?

Part 2(DISCONTINUED) lol

Part 1

Note: idk why this took hours, not proofread I'm so sorry in advance. Also bad writing

It's been three days since I last spoke to Wanda, and in the time since, I've tried to strike up a conversation with her whenever I see her. I searched for her in the cafeteria, the hallways, and wherever else, but time and time again I would find myself disappointed when I was met with her cold indifference.

She was avoiding me.

But why?

I sigh, continuing to unpack boxes of food supplies in the backroom of 7-Eleven. To free my mind from Wanda, I decide to help my uncle instead.

Just then, my uncle calls out for me.

"Y/N!" he requests. "can you watch the store for a bit? I gotta run to Ikea to get new seal rings and parts." He sighs, smacking the slush machine in an attempt to make it work, frustration evident on his face. "The damn thing is leaking again."

"Sure, yeah" I reply to him smiling before he left.

Time passes, and I continue serving customers who walked in.

---

"Is that all?" I ask the customer as I pack the items she purchased into a paper bag.

"Yeah, thank y-" she replies, but she's quickly cut off by a loud sound, shattering glass. I turn my head to find a boy next to a broken wine bottle.

"Peter!" the woman yells, running to the boy's side. She checks him over to see if he's okay, before turning to me.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she apologizes, and I swiftly reply, "No, it's okay!"

"Peter, what did I tell you about running around?" the lady scolds. With a sigh, she places her palm to her face in disappointment.

"It's alright," I assure them. "I can clean these up." I look at the boy, who stands awkwardly, too ashamed and embarrassed to raise his head. He merely looks down at his shoes.

---

After returning to the counter and being tipped $60 for the wasted wine and trouble, I sighed in frustration and went to the backroom to get a mop.

Cleaning the mess quickly, I returned to the backroom to return the mop before promptly bumping into the shelf at the back of the counter. "shit!" I curse my clumsiness

I then had to pick up the products that fell to the ground.

As I did so, the bell at the door rang, signalling another customer had entered the store.

I ignored the bell and resumed gathering up the fallen products.

"Hey, how much are these?" I heard a familiar voice speak up.

I turned around to see who it is and was met with beautiful emerald-green eyes her emerald-green eyes

"Wanda...?" I stumbled over my words, my voice caught in my throat at the sight of Wanda standing before me, wearing an oversized black sweater that hugged her curves without it being too big and faded blue jeans that fit snuggly on her hips.

"Great..." she says, annoyed, rolling her eyes as she looks over to see me.

"What are you doing here?" I ask her, surprised. She holds up the pack of beef jerky in front of me.

Oh, right. It's a store. I facepalm myself mentally

After apologizing, I started to check the prices of the items Wanda had selected, my embarrassment growing as a tense silence settled over us.

Trying to break the awkward atmosphere, I couldn't help but smile thoughtfully as I asked her, "You like beef jerky?" hoping that would prompt a response.

Silence.

Trying to reassure her, I blurted out, "Don't worry, I like these t-"

"Can you hurry up?" Wanda demanded cutting me off, her tone cold and dismissive.

the weight of her words making me shrink back in the face of her aggression.

I quickly gathered the items she'd selected.

---

After silently bagging the items, I reluctantly handed them to Wanda. She took out her wallet, paying me without another word before walking off.

Gazing after her retreating figure, I felt my heart twisting with longing, despite the cold treatment she'd given me.

Why was I so drawn to her?

What was it about Wanda that had me yearning for more?

Was it her captivating green eyes, their depth stirring my imagination? Or perhaps it was her long red hair, each strand shining with its own individual brightness, as it flowed gently down her bac- What the fuck?!

Wait...Am I falling for the woman?!

My uncle's voice broke my gaze, drawing me from my thoughts.

"I'm back," he said, surprising me as he entered with a box and a bag in his arms.

Pushing away all other thoughts, I decided to put my feelings to the side and help my uncle.

Am I forgetting something?

"Shit!" I completely forgot to ask Wanda why she had helped me the other day.

"Language!" my uncle yelled from the back room as a reminder, but with a hint of humor in his voice.

I cursed to myself again after remembering that I wasn't alone in the room and that my uncle had a low tolerance for expletives.

[evieljaydedandmalicious]

The VK’s favorite foods because I did this with Ninjago and had a lot of fun (plus it did well lol.)

Mal - Mal’s favorite food is strawberries. They say this, like, 100 times in canon and I can’t ignore it even if I find it dumb.

Evie - Evie doesn’t have a great relationship with food. EQ rarely let her eat anything, especially if it was high calorie. In Auradon, she had to teach herself how to eat and enjoy it. Although she is much better now, she still occasionally feels guilt eating high calorie foods, so I don’t think her favorite food would be anything like that. Honestly, I think if you asked her what her favorite food was, she wouldn’t have an answer. Food is still a tough spot for her and she’s always worried that whatever she says could be taken as either gross and unhealthy or dangerous and worrying for being too healthy. I feel like she really like smoothies, though, and enjoys trying different combinations of fresh fruit. Found out she enjoys coconut a lot. Also, I think she’s vegan. Now that she has plenty of food at her fingertips, she wants to be eating food good for the environment and protecting the animals (plus it means she can knock out a lot of food she feels is “too unhealthy” just by being vegan, but she doesn’t mention that part).

Jay - We learn he likes pizza with the tourney team a lot, but I feel like he more prefers that because of the social environment rather than the food itself. I feel like Jay really enjoys eating foods from his culture in Agrabah. Shocking absolutely nobody, more cultural foods didn’t show up a lot on the Isle, and in Auradon, Jay got to lean a lot more about his culture in Agrabah, and learned to love the food there. I’m not going to give a specific food because I don’t know a lot about the cultural foods in the middle east and don’t would rather give no exact foods than give a stereotypical answer. If you know more, feel free to give your thoughts and fill in my knowledge gaps!

Carlos - Chocolate (specifically chocolate peanut butter cups.) Again, this is canon even if I don’t love the answer.

Uma - Can we talk about the fact that a part octopus person serves fish at her restaurant? I know this is kinda unrelated, but it’s still weird af. It honestly makes my choices so much harder because, like, would she eat fish? Would that be cannibalism? How does that work? I don’t know and I don’t really care. What I do know is octopi eat clams and I feel like Uma would like those so that is her favorite food now. I make the rules, sorry.

Harry - Part of me really wants to say calamari solely for the look on Uma’s face, but I don’t want this post to be quite that morbid lol. I do feel like he enjoys the fish they catch around the docks, though. I feel like his favorite food, though, would be bacon. The crunch, the flavor, the manliness of eating strips of dead pig like a snack, if fits Harry well. That and, like, beef jerky. In summary, he’s a psycho lol.

Gil - He canonically likes eggs. Again, I’m just saying what canon says, although I actually feel like eating just eggs fits his character a lot lol.