#organic fabric dye

[silkfabri]

Sustainable Fabric Supplier: Pioneering the Green Revolution in Textiles

In a world where environmental consciousness is no longer a buzzword but a way of life, the textile industry is undergoing a remarkable transformation. Sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics are at the forefront of this revolution, and finding the right sustainable fabric supplier is crucial for businesses committed to making a positive impact on the environment. In this blog, we will delve into the world of sustainable fabrics, the role of a sustainable fabric supplier, and how this industry is driving the green revolution.

3. *Tencel and Modal*: These fabrics are produced from sustainably sourced wood pulp, often from eucalyptus and beech trees. The closed-loop production process minimizes waste and water usage. 4. *Recycled Fabrics*: These include textiles made from recycled plastic bottles or post-consumer textiles, reducing the need for virgin resources. 5. *Khadi*: Khadi is handspun and handwoven fabric, and its production supports traditional craftsmanship and rural livelihoods. 6. *Peace Silks*: Also known as Ahimsa silk, these are produced without killing silkworms, making them a cruelty-free alternative.

The Role of a Sustainable Fabric Supplier A sustainable fabric supplier plays a critical role in bridging the gap between environmentally conscious businesses and the growing demand for sustainable textiles. Here are some key responsibilities of a sustainable fabric supplier: Curating a Diverse Range of Sustainable Fabrics One of the primary responsibilities of a sustainable fabric supplier is to offer a wide variety of eco-friendly textiles. This ensures that businesses can find fabrics that align with their specific needs, whether it's for clothing, home textiles, or other applications. A diverse inventory of sustainable fabrics enables designers and manufacturers to make eco-conscious choices without compromising on quality or aesthetics.

Ensuring Transparency and Traceability Transparency is essential in the world of sustainable fabrics. A reputable supplier will provide detailed information about the sourcing and production of each fabric. This includes details about the cultivation, processing, and certification of the textiles. Transparency ensures that the fabrics meet the required environmental and ethical standards. Meeting Certification Standards Sustainable fabrics often come with certifications that validate their eco-friendliness. These certifications, such as Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), OEKO-TEX, and Fair Trade, provide assurance that the fabrics are produced with minimal harm to the environment and fair labor practices. A reliable sustainable fabric supplier will stock fabrics with relevant certifications, making it easier for businesses to choose the right materials. Providing Custom Solutions Different businesses have different needs. A sustainable fabric supplier should offer customization options that allow businesses to tailor fabrics to their specific requirements. Whether it's custom colors, blends, or finishes, these options enable brands to create unique and sustainable products that resonate with their target audience.

Supporting Sustainable Practices Collaboration with a sustainable fabric supplier is more than just a transaction. It's a partnership in supporting sustainable practices. Suppliers often work with manufacturers to ensure responsible production and offer guidance on reducing waste and optimizing processes. Sustainable Fabrics: A Game Changer for Fashion and Beyond Sustainable fabrics are not limited to a niche market; they are gaining momentum in the mainstream fashion industry. Brands are increasingly adopting sustainable textiles as consumer awareness about the environmental impact of fast fashion grows. Sustainable fashion is no longer a trend; it's a paradigm shift.

Choosing the Right Sustainable Fabric Supplier Selecting the right sustainable fabric supplier is a decision that can impact the trajectory of your business. Here are some factors to consider when evaluating potential suppliers: 1. Product Range:* Look for a supplier with a wide range of sustainable fabrics, so you have a variety of options to choose from. 2. Certifications:* Ensure the supplier's fabrics are certified by recognized organizations, as this provides assurance of their sustainability. 3. Transparency:* The supplier should be transparent about the sourcing and production of their fabrics. They should provide.Share

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[dandyshucks]

the dollar store did not have much for felt or fabric but i managed to scrounge everything i needed except for guz.ma's skin colour :(

i CAN make the janitor since they had a peach colour but I'll have to look around the house again to see if i can find anything that might work for guz's skin tone

[brandkolab]

Yarn Dyed Fabrics

Yarn Dyed Fabrics: Where Artistry Meets Textile Innovation

Yarn dyed fabrics are a testament to the artistry and craftsmanship that elevate textiles to a whole new level. Unlike printed fabrics, where the design sits on the surface, yarn dyed fabrics are woven with threads pre-dyed in distinct colors, creating patterns and designs that run through the entire fabric. This results in a depth and richness of color that remains vibrant over time, making every garment or home textile a work of enduring beauty.

The meticulous process of yarn dyeing ensures that each thread is saturated with pigment before weaving, offering a longevity of color that resists fading. Whether it's classic stripes, intricate plaids, or intricate checks, yarn dyed fabrics bring a timeless and elegant aesthetic to your fashion or home decor. They are the preferred choice for those who seek quality and style that goes beyond the surface.

Choose yarn dyed fabrics for a touch of sophistication and textile excellence, where every thread tells a story of dedication to quality and design.

[srisakthitex]

Sustainable Cotton Fabrics in India: Sri Shakthi Tex, Your Eco-Friendly Partner

Looking for top-quality, sustainable cotton fabrics in India? Look no further than Sri Shakthi Tex, a leading cotton fabric manufacturer dedicated to ethical and environmentally responsible practices. Founded in 1994, we offer a wide range of high-quality cotton fabrics wholesale, perfect for businesses seeking eco-friendly solutions.

Why Choose Sri Shakthi Tex?

Sustainable Practices: We source our cotton from responsible farms and use eco-friendly dyes and chemicals, minimizing our environmental impact.

Diverse Selection: From plain fabric and shirting fabric to duck canvas and stain fabrics, we have the perfect material for your project.

Superior Quality: We are committed to providing the best possible fabrics at competitive rates, never compromising on quality.

Eco-Friendly Products: Beyond fabrics, we offer cotton bag fabric for sustainable packaging and white dhoti made with ethical practices.

Reliable Supplier: With over 28 years of experience, we are a trusted partner for businesses across India.

More Than Just Fabric:

At Sri Shakthi Tex, we believe in responsible textile production. We are committed to:

Ethical Labor Practices: We ensure fair wages and safe working conditions for all our employees.

Community Development: We actively support our local community through various initiatives.

Reducing Waste: We minimize waste throughout our production process and promote sustainable practices.

Join the Sustainable Movement:

By choosing Sri Shakthi Tex, you are not just buying high-quality cotton fabrics, you are supporting a company that is committed to a sustainable future. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services and how we can help you achieve your sustainability goals.

[urbancreative]

Our half aprons are just ideal for Indian summers! Can be worn effortlessly for long hours, whether you are cooking, gardening or doing household chores.

The aprons come with one large pocket and ties long enough that you can tie it at the back or front as per your comfort.

[blogalkaa]

Natural dyes manufacturers in India .Sam Vegetable Colours is a pre-eminent natural dyes manufacturing company in India. An ISO-certified company, we deal in the manufacturing of a diverse range of Natural dyes from India. Along with manufacturing finest-quality Natural dyes from India, we also provide job work services by using the advanced Jigger dyeing machine for natural dyeing (using Natural dyes from India) on all kinds of fabrics at competitive prices. With us, you can get Natural dyes at best price in India. You can also request for Natural dyes for fabrics bulk price.

[headspace-hotel]

This is approximate since calculations vary, but somewhere in the neighborhood of 20% of carbon emissions since the Industrial Revolution have come from destruction of terrestrial ecosystems—wetland destruction, deforestation, degradation of grasslands and so on

Soil, soil communities, root systems, carbonate rock, wood, living plants, and peat in wetlands—all holds carbon

Now consider what plants do for you

The mere sight of plants and trees improves mental and physical health. I won't elaborate much more upon this, the positive effects are incredible and overwhelming.

Trees and vines that shade your home and outdoor areas: reduce the cost of cooling, meaning less electricity is used. Shade reduces the risk of death in extreme heat events.

(Trees also reduce light and noise pollution)

Edible plants (many wild plants and many plants you can grow): provide you with food reducing your dependence on industrial agriculture and cars to reach supermarkets

Community gardens and orchards: creates resilience and interdependence among small local communities, reducing the power of capitalism and increasing the ability of individuals to organize and create change. Makes more sustainable and plant based diets accessible to people for whom they would ordinarily be inaccessible

Compost piles for gardening: less greenhouse gas emissions than result from waste breaking down anaerobically in landfills

No more traditional lawns: much less use of gas powered lawn mowers, weed whackers etc. which are, by themselves, significant contributions to carbon emissions and urban pollution

Crafting and creating using plants: Locally available wild plant species can be used by local crafters and creators for baskets and containers, yarn, fabrics, dyes, and the like, resulting in less dependence on unsustainable and unethical global industries

More people growing and gathering edible and useful plants and using them = larger body of practical, scientific and technological insights to draw from in order to solve future problems

In conclusion: Plants

[daichiduskdrop]

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚⋆·˚ ༘ *𝙎𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙡 ⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Chapter 15

Pairing: BTS Ot7 X fem! reader

Genre: A/B/O AU, Fluff, Angst, Strangers to lovers,

Warnings: none :)

Words: 3866

Taglist: @thelilbutifulthings @ilovemoneymorethenmen @singukieee @cherrysainttt @felicityroth @mageprincess7 @lucis-noctiana @danielle143 @osakis-gf @girl-nahh @vintageoldfashion @neverthefirstchoice @juju-227592 @silentreadersthings @i-have-no-life-charlie @everyonehatesshani @iamkookiesforyou @dragons-flare @fangirl125reader @roseidol

Previous:

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

„This must've been so expensive, though!” you whispered out, shock and disbelief in your words. You could feel your scent start to sour with worry.

At the change, they all jumped into action, the first to react was Jungkook, who gasped loudly before he took your cheeks in his palms.

„Babybun no! It's okay; don't worry about that. It's very important for alphas that you get only the best bunny. Don't you worry about a thing, sweet baby. Do you want to open it now?”

The alpha said, his eyes big with worry. They wanted to spoil you, and they will, but the packmates didn't want you to freak out about any prices either. You didn't have to worry about things like that.

They were very wealthy, so it was only fitting for them to buy you luxury; you didn't deserve anything else. You were their courted omega after all.

Nodding a little bit, you were still very confused. Why were they spending so much money on you?

Whispering out a soft okay, you felt the packalpha pet your head gently, the other alpha helping you pull the plastic seals open.

It was cream-coloured and had a 3D small plaid bump-like pattern, adding to the texture. And the fabric—oh, but the fabric.

You never cared so much about what your clothes were made of, which would bite you back from time to time when you would get skin irritations.

But this was so soft; it was so comforting and gentle on your finger tips; you never felt something like this. You felt your lips strech out into a soft smile, blinking your eyes up at the alpha's watchful gazes.

They knew this was one of the best qualities on the market, but they still felt the need to make sure you actually liked it.

„...It's so soft-!” You gasped, your voice airy and soft. Chuckling softly at you, Jin smiled softly before standing up and going to the kitchen again. Ruffling up your hair on his way. „That's good, then, peaches.”

„Here, bub, we've got you a few more things.” Hoseok smiled widely at you, patting your tight gently and urging you to look back into the giant paper bag on your lap.

Hesitating a little bit, you looked inside again.The packalpha was gently rubbing his chin over the back of your shoulder, helping you pull out the next air-sealed package that had another label on it.

Introducing our exceptional organic cotton sheet set, dyed with the delicate essence of dried poppy petals. Experience the epitome of comfort and sustainability with this luxurious bedding. Crafted from the finest organic cotton, each sheet is meticulously woven to provide a soft and breathable sleep surface. The unique dyeing process with dried poppy petals adds a touch of natural beauty and elegance to your bedroom. Embrace the harmony of nature and indulge in the ultimate sleep experience with our high-quality, eco-friendly organic cotton sheet set.

270x320 top and bottom; 50x80 2x Shams

Machine wash in cold water with mild liquid biodegradable detergent without added bleach or whiteners. Dry on a low setting and remove before completely drying. Line-dry completely, then fold and iron.

Breaking the plastic seals open for you, Hobi helped you pull out the sheet set. It was a very soft grey tone of beige and shone a little bit in the light, reminding you of silk.

Mumbling a soft wow, you turned to Hobi, who smiled at you softly. „We weren't sure about what colour to get you; we will buy new ones when you come with us some time, okay, baby? Don't worry, sunshine.”

„No, no, I love it; thank you so much; seriously, this is too much!" You said, your fingertips going over the fabric. It also felt very soft and didn't carry any smell.

You were used to having sheets from cheap stores, and the biggest difference you noticed (apart from the fabric feeling so much better to touch) was how fully unscented everything was.

It made you feel a lot better since you wouldn't have to sleep in a bed covered with the weird scent of someone you didn't know.

„Good, that's really good, babycheeks.” Taehyung said, watching you fondly. Looking in the bag again, you pulled out a matte black bottle with a cream-white label. Reading over it made you quite excited.

For nights as beautiful as your days, we imagined the Sleep & Glow Sleep Mist! Combining effectiveness and olfactory hedonism, it contains a patented sleep-enhancing accord promoting sleep associated with essential oils with recognized properties such as neroli and petit grain.

Room spray with neroli and petit grain is sleep-promoting, nerve-calming, and relaxing.

INGREDIENTS

Alcohol Denat., Aqua (Water), Parfum (Fragrance), Citral, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool

100ml

„It's for sleeping princess; it should help you rest better during the nights.” The alpha mumbled, smiling gently at you. After the last night of you waking up so scared, they didn't want you to sleep unwell anymore.

And so, after work, the packmates decided that it would be a great idea to make a stop at one of the luxury Omega-targeted stores, full of nesting materials.

They didn't know what to get you when they arrived. Well, that's not a good way to put it. They knew that they would most likely buy you the whole store—every blanket, pillow, and sheet that seemed comfortable enough for them to want to buy for you.

Since all the items were so carefully sealed, they wouldn't be able to touch them right away and feel the fabric themselves, but the store owners already thought that through beforehand; a small sample of the fabric was stuck right next to the price tags on the shelves.

They wandered around the store for a bit, but soon a store assistant rushed over—a nice-looking beta man that had a name tag written on it, reading Min Chungo.

Quickly, the packmates got into a few sentences with him, telling him about you. Quick to understand, the man also revealed that he has an omega in his pack, going over the best advice for better sleep he has discovered alongside his packmates.

Telling them about the wonders a good sleep mist does, the alphas were quick to put it in their cart, smelling each sample carefully to determine which was the best.

Walking them through the store, the beta helped them choose different nesting materials, explaining every detail of them.

Opening the cloudy grey cap, you smelled the nozzle, and it really did smell well. It felt comforting already—not too overbearing and overwhelming, just enough for you to hardly notice it.

„It smells so well, thank you. You breathed out, nudging it towards Taehyung, who also smelled it. Nodding to himself, he was more than satisfied with his other packmates choices.

Taking out the last thing from their shopping spree, Namjoon ripped off the airseals once again, handing you the package. Reading over the label, it said:

TOTEME

monogram silk pyjama set

Ivory monogram silk pyjama set from TOTEME features a monogram pattern, a camp collar, front button fastening, long sleeves, and a straight hem. This print was created to be entirely unique.

Silk 100%

Dry Clean Only

Unfolding the clothing, the fabric felt so smooth against your fingers. The pattern was quite subtle; the cream-white background had only the thinnest lines over it, completing big, written-out letters.

Not being able to contain your excitement, you hugged Jungkook first, the alpha giggling softly at you, his eyes sharing only joy.

„Thank you, alphas.” You whispered out, bit in daze still. You could hear a few deep rumbles come from the men, satisfied with your words.

Hopping back up, you decided to go shower now, taking the new pyjamas you were given to change into. Taking the stairs two at a time, the packmates watched carefully over you, making sure you wouldn't trip.

And so, while you were showering and finishing up your night routine, they all rested back and watched the TV. The soft background audio was nice to listen to.

With Jin preparing some foods for you in the morning and a dinner too, eventually Jimin and Jungkook both went on to help him. It didn't take long before you came back down, a pair of thin white socks on and the silk pyjamas on. You looked comfortable.

Your hair seemed a bit damp, but your face was bright, and you looked happy. The clothes fit you great; they weren't too sure about what size they should get you while they were in the store, but after having a longer discussion about it, they decided that if it wouldn't fit you well, they would come exchange them first thing in the morning.

„Jin oppa! Look at my new pyjamas!” You said, your voice excited as you rushed to the kitchen, stopping next to the counter.

The pants legs seemed a bit long on you, that was for sure, but you didn't seem to mind. You weren't stepping on them either, only having them cover most of your feet, your thumbs peeking out only a little bit.

Turning to you, he also smiled at you, meeting your excitement. Washing his hands quickly, he came to you, crouching a little before you, looking over the fabrics.

„You look adorable, sweet cub. Is it comfortable?” Jin asked, his eyes watching yours closely. You didn't shy away from his warm gaze, instead only nodding enthusiastically.

Nodding to himself, he stood back up, pulling you close for a hug. Resting your face over his wide shoulder, you breathed in the gentle scent he carried. Patting your lower back, he looked back at you.

„Come taste the beef stew, baby.” He said, nudging you with him towards the other two alphas that were also wearing the grey aprons. Smiling at you, Jimin ran his fingers over your back, softly encouraging you to come closer.

Pulling you behind himself, the alpha opened the oven, letting the hot air out before he stepped closer, being mindful not to burn you or himself. Taking a spoon and scooping up a bit of the sauce and a small piece of the meat, he blew on it for a second.

Turning to you again, you parted your lips a bit, allowing him to pluck the spoon from your mouth. Chewing softly, the meat was already tender, and the sauce was delicious—sour but sweet at the same time; it was very tasty.

Nodding vigorously while still chewing, the alphas softly laughed at your reaction. Putting the spoon away, Jimin pulled you to his front quickly.

Swaying you from side to side gently, the alpha rubbed his cheek over your hair softly, proud of his packmates and himself that they prepared food that you liked once again.

„Go wait with the other alphas for a minute, princess; we will come get you soon. It won't take long before we eat, hm?” Patting your lower back, you were ushered to the couch again, where even Yoongi sat now.

Cooing at you when you came closer, you took a seat between Taehyung and Hoseok, resting your back against the soft pillows. „The colour looks so nice on you, babycheeks!” He gasped, nudging your soft skin on your face.

Smiling up at him, you thanked him softly before you relaxed and started paying attention to the TV once again.

„....ention to the economy, South Korea's export sector is experiencing a significant boost. The nation's renowned automobile industry has reported a surge in overseas demand for its eco-friendly electric vehicles. With a strong focus on sustainability and innovation, South Korean automakers are gaining recognition for their environmentally conscious designs and impressive performance. This surge in exports not only contributes to the country's economic growth but also reinforces its commitment to a greener future.

Turning to the world of sports, South Korea's national football team is gearing up for an exciting international tournament. The team, known for its skillful players and tactical prowess, is set to compete against some of the world's top football powerhouses. With the nation's unwavering support behind them, the team aims to showcase their talent and make their mark on the global stage. Football enthusiasts across the country eagerly await the...”

Calling you all for dinner, the packmates slowly stood up, finishing up their cans of beer. Yoongi soon followed after the others.

Pulling out a chair for you, you sat down, the youngest alpha placing a wooden bowl, a pair of chopsticks, and a spoon before you once more. Crouching beside you, he looked up at your face.

„What would you like to drink, my sweetest bunny?” He asked, caressing your cheek gently with his knuckles. Thinking over it, you weren't feeling like drinking much sugar anymore tonight.

„Can I maybe... have sparkling water?” You asked, looking at your lap in shyness. Pursing his lips a bit, the alpha furrowed his brows.

„I'm sorry, pup, but the bubbles could upset your tummy, especially before sleep... What about normal water instead sweet cub? I'm sorry, sweetheart.” The pack alpha stepped in, knowing that saying no to you was exceptionally hard for the youngest.

Sighing out a bit in disappointment, you nodded gently, going along with it. You trusted them well already, and if they said that you might get sick, it was true.

„Thank you, babybun.” Jungkook mumbled out, placing a tall glass of cold water before you. Carrying a big pot and a few smaller bowls, all the alphas worked to set the table.

Putting rice with a bit of spring onion in your bowl first, the packalpha then poured over the steaming stew, with a few smaller pieces of beef placed on top. Sprinkling over sesame seeds and spring onion, you thanked him for plating a dish for you so nicely.

It was a very important tradition for the packalphas to prepare the meals for their pack, and since Namjoon wasn't the most skilled regarding cooking, he at least plated the food whenever he was around.

You really liked this dish. It wasn't spicy at all, but it felt very warm and made you feel at home.

Putting his chopsticks down for a second, the pack alpha sat up a little, watching over his packmates. With his eyes staying on you, he went on to talk.

„Sweet pup, me, and the others stayed behind today to talk with our pack affairs managers.” He didn't say much more until a few seconds later, when your face suddenly became very present and your utensils were also down.

At that point, most of the alphas also stopped eating, wanting to be able to talk if needed.

„We had talked with them about you staying in our packhouse now, we got a green on that one. However, it's important for us that you know that if you were our own omega after all, you might have to travel a lot with us, sweetheart.”

All of them closely watched your reaction as you listened to him speak. After a few seconds when you didn't say anything, you finally spoke, your voice soft and gentle.

„I don't mind travelling much, just... I'm not sure about school and such." You were only in the middle of your studies, still only in your second year. Understanding quickly, Namjoon was already a step ahead.

„I know about that, and I have already contacted your college teachers with the management.

We came to the conclusion that after this semester, it shouldn't be a big problem for you to transfer to online classes from time to time. We would still have to talk the details out, but they were very understanding since it's regarding a pack.”

Nodding slightly, you thought over the option for a second or two. You weren't sure what online classes would be like in art school.

During the worst of COVID, your whole year of school was prolonged and stepped off, so your year started their studies later than was planned in exchange for not having any online classes.

„I guess it should be okay...” You whispered out.

„I know that it's very sudden, pup, but trust me, it would be different if it were possible. We are having a bit of a break right now from any concerts, so we wouldn't have to travel that soon, but I think it would be better to start adjusting to the planes and such; there are a lot of long plane rides from time to time."

The pack alpha realised how problematic those could truly be. The pressure changes, the loud screams of their fans and the paparazzi...

You might have a few issues at first. They would need to soften the blow as much as possible before they would truly start travelling a lot again.

„We just thought it would be better for you, princess, to start coming on the sets more often and get to know some of our staff, managers, and security so you would know who is safe...” Jimin softly said, his voice caring and sweet.

They knew that the adjustment could be harsh, and with how unusual it was for omegas to constantly change locations, often getting unsettled after such stress, they just wanted to help as much as possible.

„Yea, I understand.” You murmured. Hearing them sigh out softly at that, you felt the alpha that sat next to you caress your hair again.

„Thank you so much, kitty.” Yoongi whispered, already picking up a small piece of meat with his own chopsticks and nudging it in your direction.

And so, the dinner continued on. After you finished your meal, you helped pick up the dishes too, this time being faster than any of the men trying to pull you back.

Placing them on the counter, you noticed the eldest alpha already standing with the sleep spray and your new bedding in his arms, looking over you with soft eyes.

Following him closely, a few of the other alphas also started to come up themselves. Turning on the lights in your room, Jin placed all the items on the bed.

„I'll change the sheets for you, soft peaches.” He said it gently, having you nod at him and thank him softly.

Going to brush your teeth in the washroom, you also went to comb your hair, but before you even had the time to do so, Taehyung had already waltzed in, taking the brush from you before he started doing so himself.

Smiling at you through the mirror, he ran his long fingers through your soft locks, mindful not to tangle them up for you anymore. „There, babycheeks. Come on, it's time for sleep now.”

He murmured, taking your palm in his, leading you back through the doors to the bedroom. Jin has already finished setting everything up, and so after he noticed you coming back, he uncovered the duvet for you, letting you slip in before he placed it over you again.

Taking the brown jumper into your arms again, you breathed in the soft scent it carried now. Brushing your hair through, the oldest gently watched over you, his gaze soft and fond.

„There you go, sweet cub. Rest well tonight; alphas are always close if you need anything, peaches. I'll be downstairs for a bit longer; just come there if you need anything, my baby.” He mumbled, hand caressing your temples softly.

Nodding a little, the man smiled at you, tucking the blanket close to you before he stood up and went to get the others so they could also tell their sweet good nights.

Taehyung took a seat next to you on the bed, and he too gently went over your hair, smiling softly at you.

„My sweet babycheeks. Sleep well tonight, alright? If you need anything, we are only a call away.” He mumbled gently, his palms rubbing over your covered shoulder.

Murmuring a soft yes, you folded the hoodie closer to yourself, only your nose and eyes peeking out. With your room's doors opening once again, the others started to walk in one by one.

The first to crouch next to you once again was Hobi, smiling widely at how you hold the hoodie close to yourself. He felt very proud of himself for helping you settle down so well with his own clothing.

„Soft sunshine, is it warm enough? The bedsheets aren't scratchy at all, right? ...good. Make sure you sleep well tonight, bub; we care for you lots and lots. You wouldn't want to upset your alphas, hm?”

Tightening your grip on the fabric, you shook your head a bit. Smiling softly at you, the man watched you closely before he also stood up, patting your hair a little. Walking over to the windows, he made sure all the curtains were tightly shut.

Walking over, the youngest alpha giggled a little at how cuddled up you looked—with the heavy duvet and the throw blanket over yourself, you seemed to be warm tonight. Rubbing his knuckles over your cheek, his fingers gently caressed your face.

„Sleep tight, babybun. If you have any bad dreams, come to alpha right away, okay, sweet baby?” Agreeing silently once again, you let him hold your palm for a few seconds, his thumb going gently over your knuckles.

Allowing the other man to step in, Jungkook moved, letting Jimin take a seat on the bed himself. Placing a glass of water on the bedside table, he couldn't hold a soft coo in, noticing just how settled and tired you seemed already.

„Aigoo... Princess, sweet baby. Rest your eyes now, hm? You're safe here, sweet cub. We got you.” Rubbing his hands on your back, he let his two older packmates have their goodnights soon, going over to Jungkook, who was looking over the heater now.

Crouching on the ground, Yoongi let his palms cover your cheeks fully, his thumbs rubbing the soft skin you had under your eyes. Smiling gently at you, his gummy smile peeked out, making you also smile a bit.

„Kitty, you just sleep for now, okay? Alpha's will take care of everything; you don't have to worry about a thing, baby.” Bending over your form slightly, the alpha rubbed his chin over the crook of your neck, letting his scent cover it.

You should be able to sleep a bit better with their scents around you. Remembering the sleep mist his packmates bought for you, he took the bottle from the small table next to the bed, opening up the cap before he stepped back.

Spraying out only a soft hint of mist, it soon went around the whole room. After checking that everything was turned off and no one was in the bathroom or the walk-in closet, he felt his worried alpha needs settle down.

„Baby pup, aren't you just the softest little thing, sweet baby? Close your eyes for now; let the alphas take care of everything, cub. Alphas got you; don't you worry about a thing now.”

Namjoon softly voiced it, his fingers combing through your hair. With that, you felt sleep come over you fully.

⋆·˚ ༘ *ੈ✩‧₊˚˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚˚ ✩‧₊˚⋆·˚ ༘ *

Next:

[wordnerdsworld]

Are you a writer constantly in need of cool, fancy sounding words to write about? Are you a person who just wants to expand your vocabulary? Do you just want words to use to make you sound smart? Well then, enjoy this list that took me a few months and tons of books and google searches to create of really good words.

All with the official spellings and definitions from the first result, alphabetically organized :)

Updated and featuring a word for every letter of the alphabet!

Abhor- regard with disgust and hatred

Abject- (of something bad) experienced or present to the maximum degree

Adumbrate/Adumbration- report or represent in outline

Adage- a proverb or short statement expressing a general truth

Aftak (Scottish)- An easing or lull in a storm

Alizarin- a red pigment present in madder root, used in dyeing

Amalgamation- the action, process, or result of combining or uniting

Anchorite- a religious recluse

Anhedonic- inability to feel pleasure

Apocryphal- (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true

Ardent- burning; glowing

Arduous- involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring

Askance- with an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval

Athirst- very eager to get something

Augur- (in ancient Rome) a religious official who observed natural signs, especially the behavior of birds, interpreting these as an indication of divine approval or disapproval of a proposed action

Axiom- a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true

Baroque- relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that followed mannerism and is characterized by ornate detail. In architecture the period is exemplified by the palace of Versailles and by the work of Bernini in Italy

Basorexia- the overwhelming desire to kiss

Bawdy- dealing with sexual matters in a comical way; humorously indecent

Beguile- charm or enchant (someone), sometimes in a deceptive way

Benignant- kindly and benevolent

Bier- a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial or cremation or on which it is carried to the grave

Blunderbuss- an action or way of doing something regarded as lacking in subtlety and precision

Boff- have sex with (someone)

Boudoir- a woman's bedroom or private room

Bovine- an animal of the cattle group, which also includes buffaloes and bisons

Bucolic- relating to the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life

Calamitous- involving calamity; catastrophic or disastrous

Callow- (of a young person) inexperienced and immature

Celerity- swiftness of movement

Cenotaph- a monument to someone buried elsewhere, especially one commemorating people who died in a war

Claret- a deep purplish-red color

Conglomerate- a number of different things or parts that are put or grouped together to form a whole but remain distinct entities

Consternation- feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected

Coppice- an area of woodland in which the trees or shrubs are, or formerly were, periodically cut back to ground level to stimulate growth and provide firewood or timber

Crépuscule- twilight

Covetousness- the feeling of having a strong desire for the things that other people have

Dearth- a scarcity or lack of something

Debutante- an upper-class young woman making her first appearance in fashionable society

Declamation- the action or art of declaiming

Declaiming- utter or deliver words or a speech in a rhetorical or impassioned way, as if to an audience

Demarcated- set the boundaries or limits of

Dichotomy- a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different

Dilatory- slow to act

Diminution- a reduction in the size, extent, or importance of something

Diocese- a district under the pastoral care of a bishop in the Christian Church

Diaphanous- (especially of fabric) light, delicate, and translucent

Dolichocephalic- having a relatively long skull (typically with the breadth less than 80 [or 75] percent of the length)

Dogmatic- being certain that your beliefs are right and that others should accept them, without paying attention to evidence or other opinions

Dutch Crocus- type of flower I thought sounded pretty

Encroached- intrude on (a person's territory or a thing considered to be a right)

Eleutheromania- a mania or frantic zeal for freedom

Encumber- restrict or burden (someone or something) in such a way that free action or movement is difficult

Epigram- a pithy saying or remark expressing an idea in a clever or amusing way

Ephemeral- lasting for a very short time

Erotomania- a delusion in which a person (typically a woman) believes that another person (typically of higher social status) is in love with them

Espionage- the practice of spying or of using spies, typically by governments to obtain political and military information

Expostulate- express strong disapproval or disagreement

Falchion- a broad, slightly curved sword with the cutting edge on the convex side.

Fallacy- a mistaken belief, especially one based on unsound argument

Fervid- intensely enthusiastic or passionate, especially to an excessive degree

Floccinaucinihilipilification- the action or habit of estimating something as worthless

Foibles- a minor weakness or eccentricity in someone's character

Folichonne- (informal) slight, lightweight; mischievous

Forelsket (Norwegian)- The euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love

Fungible- (of a product or commodity) replaceable by another identical item; mutually interchangeable

Funambulist- a tightrope walker

Galvanic- relating to or involving electric currents produced by chemical action

Gant- a yawn

Garrulous- excessively talkative, especially on trivial matters

Gloaming- twilight; dusk

Hedonistic- engaged in the pursuit of pleasure; sensually self-indulgent

Hiraeth- (especially in the context of Wales or Welsh culture) deep longing for something, especially one's home

Idiosyncrasies- a mode of behavior or way of thought peculiar to an individual

Idyll- an extremely happy, peaceful, or picturesque episode or scene, typically an idealized or unsustainable one

Intaglio- a design incised or engraved into a material

Incandescent- soft glow

Irrevocably- not able to be changed, reversed, or recovered; final

Jettisoned- throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship

Kalopsia- The delusion of things being more beautiful than they are

Keening- the action of wailing in grief for a lost loved one

Ken- one's range of knowledge or sight

Lackadaisical- lacking enthusiasm and determination

Logophile- a lover of words

Loquacity- the quality of talking a great deal; talkativeness

Magnanimous- generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person

Magniloquent- using high-flown or bombastic language

Meandering- following a winding course

Meliorism- the belief that the world can be made better by human effort

Mellifluous- (of a voice or words) sweet or musical; pleasant to hear

Metonym- a word, name, or expression used as a substitute for something else with which it is closely associated

Midnightly- Taking place at midnight

Modicum- a small quantity of a particular thing, especially something considered desirable or valuable

Nihilistic- rejecting all religious and moral principles in the belief that life is meaningless

Obsequies- obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.

Obstreperous- noisy and difficult to control

Occultation- An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden from the observer by another object that passes between them

Ochre- an earthy pigment containing ferric oxide, typically with clay, varying from light yellow to brown or red

Panoply- a complete or impressive collection of things

Pastiche- an artistic work in a style that imitates that of another work, artist, or period

Petrichor- a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather

Pious- having or showing a deep respect for God and religion

Pithy- (of a language or style) concise and forcefully expressive

Portending- be a sign or warning that (something, especially something momentous or calamitous) is likely to happen

Portmanteau- a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others, for example motel (from ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’) or brunch (from ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’)

Propinquity- the state of being close to someone or something; proximity or close kinship

Propitious- giving or indicating a good chance of success; favorable

Pulchritudinous- beautiful (yes, that’s the full definition)

Pusillanimous- showing a lack of courage or determination; timid

Qawwalis- a style of Sufi devotional music marked by rhythmic improvisatory repetition of a short phrase, intended to rouse participants to a state of mystical ecstasy

Rapport- a close and harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other's feelings or ideas and communicate well

Recalcitrant- having an obstinately uncooperative attitude toward authority or discipline

Repertoire- a stock of skills or types of behavior that a person habitually uses

Resplendent- attractive and impressive through being richly colorful or sumptuous

Reverberated- (of a loud noise) be repeated several times as an echo or (of a place) appear to vibrate or be disturbed

Reverie- a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream

Requisite- made necessary by particular circumstances or regulations

Ricocheted- rebound one or more times off a surface

Rivulet- a very small stream

Rhododendron- a shrub or small tree of the heath family, with large clusters of bell-shaped flowers and typically with large evergreen leaves, widely grown as an ornamental

Ruched- (of cloth, clothes, etc.) sewn so that they hang in folds

Sablions- French plural word for sand (I’m 90% sure)

Salacious- having or conveying undue or inappropriate interest in sexual matters

Salubrious- health-giving; healthy or a place that is pleasant; not run-down

Sarsen- a silicified sandstone boulder of a kind which occurs on the chalk downs of southern England. Such stones were used in constructing Stonehenge and other prehistoric monuments

Scagliola- imitation marble or other stone, made of plaster mixed with glue and dyes which is then painted or polished

Sceptred- invested with a scepter or sovereign authority

Scintillating- brilliantly and excitingly clever or skillful

Sepia- a reddish-brown color associated particularly with monochrome photographs of the 19th and early 20th centuries

Sepulchral- gloomy; dismal

Sonder- The profound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passing in the street, has a life as complex as one's own, which they are constantly living despite one's personal lack of awareness of it

Soporific- tending to induce drowsiness or sleep

Sumptuous- splendid and expensive-looking

Sycophant- a person who acts obsequiously toward someone important in order to gain advantage

Synecdoche- a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa, as in Cleveland won by six runs (meaning “Cleveland's baseball team”)

Taciturn- (of a person) reserved or uncommunicative in speech; saying little

Tangentially- in a way that relates only slightly to a matter; peripherally

Tantamount- equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as

Tenacious- tending to keep a firm hold of something; clinging or adhering closely

Trepidation- a feeling of fear or agitation about something that may happen

Truculent- eager or quick to argue or fight; aggressively defiant

Ubiquitous- present, appearing, or found everywhere

Unequivocally- leaving no doubt

Valise- a small traveling bag or suitcase

Vaunted- praised or boasted about, especially in an excessive way

Venorexia- the feeling of romance that comes with the arrival of springtime

Verdant- (of countryside) green with grass or other rich vegetation

Wanton- (of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked

Whelm- engulf, submerge, or bury

Xerically- of, pertaining to, or adapted to a dry environment

Yillen (Scottish)- shower of rain

Yoked- attack, especially by strangling

Yūgen- the beauty that we can feel sense into an object, even though the beauty doesn't exist in the literal sense of the word and cannot be seen directly

Zenith- the time at which something is most powerful or successful

I hope you enjoyed my little panoply of words!

Ily all, and ty for really amplifying the last post I made like this! I hope it helps someone out there and if there are any mistakes or inaccuracies PLEASE lmk!

[moonkissedmeli]

🌿Minimizing Waste as a Hearth Witch🌿

Minimizing waste saves money and the environment. With a little creativity, there are many ways you can create opportunities to reduce waste and maximize the supplies you have.

🍄 Keep your jars. If you buy something that comes in a useful container and can be reused - then reuse it. In my experience, the best reuse for plastic containers is to freeze food. Also, small bottles like Advil bottles, are EXCELLENT spell jars. However, for all types, you can use them to store food, organize drawers and closets, store spell ingredients, or even make decorations. The possibilities are nearly endless!

🍄Keep all your fruit, vegetable, and herb scraps. With some scraps and water, you can make a lovely broth. Alternatively, you can use them to make a simmer pot for a spell or simply for the scent.

🍄If you eat meat, keep the bones. Again, a great broth ingredient!

🍄Avoid paper towels whenever possible. These are super wasteful and expensive. Whenever possible, I opt to use a towel or cloth. You can recycle old textiles for rags. However, if you're feeling ambitious you can knit or crochet towels and cloths; this is a great way to use up that scrap yarn you probably have laying around! You may even choose to add a bit of knot magic to these pieces.

🍄Thrift and upcycle. This is a bit of an obvious one; but really. It's a great way to have lovely belongings while reducing waste overall and saving money. With a bit of love, many things can be new.

🍄Almost every dish can be salvaged. It happens. We mess up. But, before you throw it away, do some research on how to salvage it. Odds are, you will be able to do it!

🍄Don't throw away fruits or vegetables that are overripe or wilting. Within reason, of course, many of these fruits and vegetables can be frozen for soups, casseroles, sauces, and smoothies!

🍄Buy a reusable coffee filter and tea basket for loose tea. Really, this is a given if you are a tea or coffee lover. Disposable ones are so wasteful and the reusable ones will pay for themselves in no time.

🍄Compost if you can. Compost dirt is amazing for growing ingredients for dishes and spells. While you're at it, save your eggshells, as well.

🍄Mend your clothes, blankets, and even shoes. A little bit of love can go a long way, including increasing the life of your favorite items. You can also add flair by learning how to darn and apply patches.

🍄Learn how to remove stains from fabric. In the same vein as mending, learning how to remove stains increases the life of your clothes. Different stains require different methods of removal, but usually, it is not impossible. Failing this, learn how to dye your clothes to revamp them.

🍄Use alternative cosmetics. This is a really big topic and I will create a post about this later. But, consider doing research. There are lots of things that can be made or substituted; notably face masks, hair masks, and using coconut oil as a make-up remover.

🍄Localize your practice. Use natural herbs and ingredients found in your local environment. Create your own correspondence if needed.

🍄Collect rainwater. Unfortunately, it is no longer a great idea to drink rainwater - but use it to water plants and clean your floors. Rainwater is also a powerful spell ingredient for spells that don't require drinking or putting on your skin.

🍄Only buy what you need. This time of year more than ever it is VERY tempting to buy up cheap Halloween-themed goods. But, consider an item's long-term usefulness, if it will create clutter and disorder in your home in the future, and if there are alternatives.

🍄Buy a cheap food dehydrator. These are perfect for making tea and drying out herbs, flowers, and other ingredients for spells and cooking.

🍄Consider alternatives in cooking and spells. There is always an alternative, you may not have to buy something new.

🍄Meals and beverages as spells. As a full-blown kitchen, I believe spells eaten and drank are extremely powerful. It also saves on ingredients.

[ntls-24722]

It's about time I made new refs for these 3 c:

They're this polyamorous trio of Debu who got known in their tribe for 1. Sindeer actively throwing herself into the wilderness alone to get hunted by their equivalent of lions and 2. Frequently winning against them, and the three working to make their shells into dye, selling the dye made from their lion-equivalents, and selling things made with the dye.

Breakdown of designs and general loredump below the cut:

*rated on how easy they are to acquire, not how common they are in Debu art/fashion

So, a big thing with these 3 is that they've gotten famous for dealing with their last competent predators - the lionfleas (bottom of post), these bipedal pack-hunting bugs that take advantage of their enourmous size, and their dye isn't just desired because it's made from lions but also because the color is valuable in general, similar to how purple was prized and usually reserved for royalty because of how difficult it was to get.

The first 2 sections of colors are really common with the first one being found constantly in the rocks they're constantly quarrying to make their caves, and the second one being a really prominent color in their plants' "flowers." Yellows, greens, and cyans aren't usual plant/organic colors, so they're very hard to get as pigments, at least for Debu who need a lot more of it. Usually they can only get it through trading Zebrapeople who can create these pigments much more efficiently than Debu, as zebrapeople have domesticated bugs who create them. But these lionfleas' shells produce a surprising golden yellow hue from the vesigial wings that got incorporated into their elytras, and this dye is used in the fabric Sindeer makes as a huge moneymaker and a giant ass flex in their stoles.

Speaking of which, Valley Debu have 3 big ideals - heritage, your in-group, and history/recordkeeping. The second of which I'm about to show off rn:

*The right side is the right side of all of their stoles to show they're all a part of the same group, and each of their left sides show their role in it.

Also, the fertility symbol - I went over this in the first try of this post, but the debu fertility symbol is kinda universally known as this centermost circle within the object it's on, since it's supposed to resemble a yolk from an egg. A lot of societies have a specific sigil but it's very easily recognized from the aforementioned center circle thing. The damn thing is everywhere on account of fertility being a very big ideal for Debu - their environment is harsh, arid, and susceptible to frequent famine, and prospering crops and other Debu is something they look forward to.

Valley Debu really like grouping themselves, establishing and aligning themselves with communities, on the broader and individual scale. Yes they're very nationalistic, but they're also extremely proud of even just friendgroups, they love to show the pride and demonstrate their exclusivity within groups as niche as possible(which leads to a LOT of polarization and wars within Valley Debu). These 3 are no different and when they're out and around other Debu they wear a stole around their hump+shoulders showing off how they're the freaks who keep surviving their equivalent to lions and live to make them into dye. Usually though, around the house they're just naked :P

Also, Extra notes on some of the stuff I added as their professions!

Sindeer is a huntress but she's specifically a whistleblower one, and also carves whistles, and here's why. On Bolur, all 3 species domesticated cloes instead of something like a dog, these bird-like flying reptiles who originally were domesticated to keep bugs off of their crops, who can often be trained to respond to specific whistles that mimic the ones they use naturally. The cloes Debu domesticated act a lot like hunting hounds for Debu, they can locate and kill game. So basically, she hunts with flying dogs and makes dogwhistles.

Then there's Rinkalla, who among other things, makes cement?

On Bolur, they have have land coral, these photosynthetic things with a soft, marrow-y pith and a hard limestone outside. The homo mousike (3 sapient species) really like using it in their cement and concrete since it's really widespread, and Rinkalla... does that! The original reason was because Bolur didn't have wood, but I'm realizing that wood as a concept for plants is so incredibly simple that I don't think I can make it Not canon, even though it was a fun design constraint.

Also, last names: Valley Debu societies are generally patriarchal, but their love of recordkeeping extends past this - they prefer the mother's last name to be passed down since the mother is the most reliable parent. If someone gives birth, no matter what they say who's the father, you can never be sure. But whoever gave birth is DEFINITELY the parent, you know? Their last name also doesn't change even with marital status.

Lepit made his last name up

[tanuki-kimono]

Hello! I love your blog bc it helps me a lot with writing and crafting. Thank you so much for making it!

Are there any patterns that deal with poison? Either in the pattern or in the dyeing process?

Even if there's not I'm glad you and this blog exist 💗

(anon continues) Poison in the dyeing process, like when green dresses were dyed with copper arsenite and it was extremely deadly.

Or a pattern of someone being poisoned, like a historical/folktale.

_______________________________________

Thank you for your kind words <3 I tried to keep things organized but the subject is huge so my of the top of my head answer is going in many directions. I hope you'll still find what you need :3

I'll briefly cover here dyes and (pigments), poison motifs, real life and supernatural poisonings. Buckle up we've got a long post ahead!

____ ABOUT DYE

Tbh I had to think for a moment because I don't recall major "poison" stories linked to dyes in Japan, be it fictionous or real (yet that doesn't mean none ever happened, especially considering Japan's history of industrial poisonings...).

Most gruesome details in the fabric industries I know of are about the horrific life & work conditions of female laborers in spinning mill manufactures (as in many countries, Japan industrialization process was ghastly...).

If potters and dyers had excellent practical knowledge, chemistry as a science officially started kind of late in Japan as it was not a local interest, and as rangaku (study of Western knowledge) often favored other subjects like medicine or warfare.

So, until the introduction of aniline dyes (not textile related, but this article about the use of synthetic dyes in ukiyoe printing is super interesting), Japanese worked with "natural" dyes, like ai (indigo) which was the most used during Edo period.

As with any ingredient, being natural doesn't equal safety. Some mixtures could be quite potent/foul, and process could be dangerous. Plants and minerals base ingredients could be toxic (cinnabar and orpiments were then used as paint pigments, and lead could be found in make up), as were mordants used to set colors.

If you want to easily overview which ingredients were used to create colors, I recommand browsing [Irocore] which presents colors with explanation in English in their database (pick a color then scroll down).

Not related to poison, but ai (indigo) is traditionally prepared in aigame/enormous floor set jars I find utterly terrifying:

I don't know if this tidbit can help you, but some dyes and mordants actually damage the fabric overtime, leaving them brittle (silk desintegrates after a while which is a huge issue in textile conservation).

____ POISON MOTIFS

Concerning "poison" themed patterns, none would be actually used traditionally on a kimono or an obi beside novelty items ^^;

For example, many plants can be toxic, but I don't see them set as pattern for this property - they'd rather refer to a poem, be a symbol of the passing of seasons etc. Fuji (wisteria) can be quite harmful, yet it's a beloved traditional motif in Japan.

You have much more chances to find pattern with kujaku (peacock) which are thought to be impervious to poison in Buddhism, than say venomous mukade (centipede) or the horrific ômukade (a youkai I covered in a folktale).

Snakes like the habu and mamushi are dangerous, but if used as pattern snakes are most often auspicious and linked to rain dragons or goddess Benzaiten.

If you squint hard, toxic fugu could count as poison pattern, but such a seasonal delicacy as a motif would mostly underline wealth (as those fishes are pretty expensive as they are prepared by specialized chefs), a kind of carpe diem spirit, or just a fun pattern because fugu balloon shape is cute ;)

____ POISON MURDERS

Poisoning was certainly a thing is Japan since ancient times (see kodoku sorcery). Poisons were for example used in some fishing techniques.

I am pretty sure some kuge and buke were disposed of this way - even thought poison was seen as a coward weapon (hence why its supposed to be only used by shinobi/ninja - even if this "fact" is opened to a lot of discussions!).

During Edo period, such murders made up the news and penny dreadful-like illustrated books favored by city dwellers in need of a fright. But those stories didn't pass to posterity beside cheap ukiyoe plates, and were never as popular as some shinjû (double suicides) or ghost revenges like poor poisoned and murdered Oiwa's:

____ SUPERNATURAL POISONINGS

If your poison is both physical and metaphorical illbeing, mushi could be your guys ^^ This term actually covers everything small and crawling, from real worms and insects, to anything inside one's body causing distress - be it a parasite, an unknown illness, an overboard emotion, a curse etc. If you've read/seen Mushishi you've got what I mean:

In fact any illness-causing being could count as poison-bringer. Hôsôkami (smallpox demon) was truly feared by all before vaccination was introduced in Japan.

Finally, continuing the supernatural poisoning trail, best girl is probably legendary fox witch Tamamo no Mae who among other terrible deeds made emperor Konoe fall sick with poisonous miasma (some version of the story attributes the disease to another monster, the nue). I covered a similar murderous kitsune folktale here.

[glorified-red]

Autopilot (Damian Wayne x Reader)

summary: After witnessing an event that hit just a little too close to home, you were left at the mercy of your own memories. All the usual tactics Damian knew weren't helping. It's a good thing he had a little helper.

word count: 4,070~

warnings: flashback during a panic attack, disassociation and driving through it, reference to past physical abuse (not specified from who or if it's domestic, it's very vague. But is heavily implied to be from a male), depictions of physical abuse in terms of verbs (punch, kick, hands on body, etc. Nothing more. Aka no bodily harm, just the feeling), and reference to passing out from a panic attack in the past.

Nothing quite like real world events to jerk me out of a writer's block, aye? This is based on a personal experience from just a few days ago so if there is a complaint with this story being too specific, I will ignore it. This fic means a lot to me so please be kind to it. Dont hesitate to let me know what you think of it! For those wondering, yes, I did finish writing that essay. Have not submitted it because I would love to read it and edit it at not 1 am, so that's a task for tomorrow while I dye my hair.

Autopilot — acting or functioning without conscious thought, as a result of routine or habit.

That was one way to describe what was happening. 

From the second you put your helmet back on to the moment your hand closed the front door, you couldn’t pinpoint a single frame in between. The entire world around you was a blur, even as you zipped through Gotham traffic on a busy afternoon. 

Distantly, you knew you should be aware of the wind hitting your skin, especially as it assaulted your jacket with its wispy breath. Each red light and your boots hit asphalt. You should’ve been able to register that feeling shoot up each of your legs, maybe feel the way your body shifted into an upright position.

 But instead, your eyes were blank behind the tinted lens of a bike helmet. 

You didn’t even try to fix it, not yet anyway. Not when there were cars blocking you in from every angle; not when one wrong move—one stuttered breath—could mean your bike jerking into a freefall. 

So you didn’t even try to fight for awareness. If you did, maybe your hands would be gripping the handlebars a little tighter, maybe even twisting the kevlar of your gloves into the grooves until you felt something. You would’ve rubbed your hands down your thighs, dragging the fabric along your skin just enough to force your body into consciousness. 

But you didn’t. 

You just let yourself run on autopilot. 

It was safer that way anyway. Safer than having the worst panic attack of your life while driving at least. You didn’t even want to think about how Damian was going to react when he found out you were driving this far down into your subconscious—on your motorcycle no less. 

He really was going to murder you one of these days. But then again, you had countless retorts ingrained into your repertoire, countless callbacks to days where it wasn’t you in the driver's seat doing this, but the hypocrite himself. 

So you didn’t worry enough about it. You gave it maybe two seconds of thought before you put your helmet on and rolled out of the parking lot. Should you call Damian? Wouldn’t it just be easier for him to pick you up and worry about the bike later? 

Your brain sighed, maybe your body did on instinct, if it did, you wouldn't have known. He was at home—which was barely fifteen minutes away, you could survive that long—waiting for you, it’d worry him too much to get a phone call two hours after you were supposed to be home. 

Somewhere between hues of gray, your legs guided you through the maze of a familiar home. There was a buzz in your ears, like the poor organs were trying desperately to comprehend the noise around you but fell short every time. They were filled with water then dried with cotton only for it to dissipate with water once more: a ferocious cycle that left you a stranger to the greeting happening right before you. 

You shouldered passed . . . something? It didn’t matter. If it did, surely your brain would let you know later . . . right? Then came the mechanical routine of finding a place to bring yourself back. But when every wall looked the same and your boots trudged against the carpet—Damian was so gonna gripe about shoes in the house later—it felt like a losing game. 

So you stuttered to a stop, somewhere. Arguably the worst place because the only tether you had to the outside world was the ground under your boots, which you couldn’t even feel because there was at least an inch of rubber tread between your reality and everyone else's. 

The same buzz hit your ears. Maybe if you tried hard enough, you could blame the disconnect on the inner padding of the helmet stuffed against your head. It’s worked before, it’s not like it’s easy to hear with this thing on, let alone when your brain didn’t even want you to. 

You could start to feel the autopilot wearing thin, the remnants of it dissolving with each passing second you remained idle. You tried to tap each of your fingers against your thumb one at a time to cling to what little autopilot was left. All you got from your body was a single twitch in your thumb. 

A tap, a click, and a slide. All sounds you saw rather than felt or heard yourself. The tinted panel in front of your eyes lifted slowly until your grays turned into greens. You could get lost in that green for eternity and your soul would find contentment. You could find that green from memory, even when your eyes were filled with grays or your body turned blind to it. That green was one you would never lose. 

It came naturally, locking your eyes into his. You could almost laugh at the fact that the last wisp of autopilot was used connecting yourself to him, as if your body had formed a habit you didn’t even know about until now. 

You knew those eyes better than he did himself, even if he’d spent years staring at them before you. It was an easy victory when you traced them in your memories. So you knew each crease of worry that outlined the narrowness they had at the moment, the subtle squint as he tried to reach you. 

Unfortunately for the both of you, he succeeded. 

Your next breath came right before your lungs were punched by reality. The sheer weight of it was enough for you to struggle for air. It was like you were trapped as Atlas once was. But instead of holding the weight on your shoulders, you were crushed underneath all the rubble, having failed to keep everything upright. 

You choked out a sob, hating the way your own breath ricocheted off the helmet back into your skin. You were suffocating. Your hands shot to the offending metal and clawed at each of the safety latches built in. Shaky fingers didn’t have enough dexterity to succeed which only made you gasp harder. 

In an instant, there were skilled hands overtaking your own, practiced enough to succeed where you had failed. 

“—eathe, I’ve got y—”

Newfound peripherals blindsighted you, they were both a blessing and a curse. While the new vision made it easier to protect yourself, the responsibility of having to do so was far too heavy a burden. You wanted to keep living in your tunnel vision and pretending it was safe there. 

You were still suffocating. Air was scarce to come by and when it did travel through you, it scorched your lungs until you considered if air was truly worth the fight if it hurt so much. The same shaky hands grasped for the collar of your jacket, suddenly far too tight against your neck. It was as if the fabric itself was choking you and not Reality. Thready hands were better to imagine than calloused ones. 

You didn’t notice your feet tripping backwards until your back collided with a wall, you didn’t even care, you just wanted this stupid jacket off. Agile hands swifty unlatched everything, unclasping safety mechanics and helped shrug the leather bind off of your skin. 

“—ok, it’s off. Brea—”

The wall was solid; the wall was good; the wall was safe. You let yourself slide all the way down until you hit the floor, your green easily followed. You coughed on an exhale, your inhale having hurt far too badly to finish. 

Your hands settled together behind your neck, fighting to grab at something, might as well protect your pulse points. 

“—off?”

Your gaze struggled to lift up to him without staggering. When it settled back into his calming hue, you choked out a response: “What?” 

Realistically, you exhaled far too much on the word when you received another kick to the chest but you figured he would get the gist. He’s smart. 

“Do you want your boots off?” His hands floated in the space between you both, where your bent legs ended and his crouch began. 

With a tilted comprehension, it took a few breaths—albeit pretty quick ones—for the words to sink in. When they did, you jerked out a nod. Without hesitation, he made quick work of velcro, buckles, and zippers, forcing you to trudge through heightened awareness alone. 

Awareness was always worse than letting your mind shift into sand to pass through fingers with ease, free from the pain those fingers always left. Especially when Reality was combing through sand with a sharp comb, breaking each particle down to the atom. Water couldn’t wash away atoms the same way it could sand. 

Your lungs convulsed again just as your socked feet felt the bite of cold tile, boots long since forgotten. 

“Breathe,” he said simply, telegraphing his movements slowly. “Can I take off your gloves?” 

You liked the safety of where your hands were, but feeling a leather mesh on your neck wasn’t exactly the most comforting feeling.

You jerked your hands out slowly, seeing for yourself just how much you were shaking compared to his steady hands. His movements were slow and deliberate, testing the waters to see how you reacted to his touch on your skin. The second both hands felt air instead of fabric, they retreated back to safety.

“You need to breathe.” 

You shook your head, feeling the muscles under your hands twist along with the motion. “I—” you choked, “I can’t” 

“Yes you can.” Damian shifted from his crouch to sit before you. “You’ve been through this before and you always come out of it, don’t you?” 

You squeezed your eyes shut, hoping it would help somewhat. Another kick to the chest and you were back to scrambling. 

“ ‘t hurts,” you whined. 

“I know it does, but you have to breathe. Breathe with me.” You opened your eyes to look at him through the blur of watery tears. 

That was a mistake. 

Reality was finicky at best. It shifted like the waves in its fluidity, morphing into new forms and combining within itself. Your fingers twitched against your neck. 

Focus on the green. 

But then his hands slowly laid atop your knees, a familiar trick he did every time. Innocent touch, a tethered connection between you two to bring you back to him. The further the attack would go, the more weight he’d put into his palms until your legs unbent without your knowledge. It was an easy way to open your chest cavity to make breathing a little bit easier while making it seem like nothing is changing, especially when your brain is occupied with other things. 

But this time, his hands felt bigger, they felt more calloused, and held more weight in them. You jerked in an inhale. “Sto—stop touching me.” 

Immediately his hands lifted off of you. “Okay, I won’t touch you.” His palms raised in the air so you could see them, an emphasis to his word. “But we’re going to breathe together.” 

Damian waited a single moment for you to register his words, for your eyes to shift from his hands to his eyes, then finally, to his chest. 

“Breathe in.” He exaggerated his chest visually for you to replace touch. Usually there would be some comfort in the way your hand was guided to his sternum, fingers spread out to feel the fabric of his shirt and the way his chest rose with each inhalation, only to fall when he exhaled. Yet this time, his chest would’ve felt different and that thought alone was enough for your breath to stutter. 

“And out.” You envied the way he released his breath so slowly and with so much control where yours was rushed and clunky. 

He praised you all the same. “Good. Again. In,” he breathed in, you followed shortly after, “and out.” 

You fell out of the inhale before he did, your lungs quivering under an invisible hand. Your head hit the wall with a whine. “I can’t.” 

“You can,” he stressed. “I know you can. Try again.” 

You wheezed where he inhaled, you coughed where he exhaled. Your hands sunk from your neck to your chest, gripping on tight to the kevlar.

“That’s it,” he said, just before another set of breaths. You hated this part the most. You could live with the shakiness afterwards, the pain and the burn of your lungs once they finally settled down. You could ignore the feeling of being on edge for hours after, the feeling of fragility, like someone could blow and you’d wither away with the feeble wind. 

But the feeling of true hopelessness that came from this part was always the worst. You couldn’t fathom succeeding at this simple human task, a task that comes mechanically—completely on autopilot. Yet for some reason, it was a monumental task for you. 

Before Damian—and a little bit during—you let yourself get consumed by the darkness. You let the hands squeeze your lungs until your brain fizzled out, the consequences to be dealt with once you woke up. It was far easier than fighting for consciousness, especially when said consciousness was so painful. 

He didn’t like that very much. 

So here you were, clamoring your way through a breathing exercise as if it wasn’t the most painful thing in the world. As if your lungs weren’t burning with rage and your muscles weren’t aching with tension. 

As if you couldn’t feel hands all over your body with each step back into awareness.

As if you couldn’t hear and see things just passed Damian’s silhouette. 

“This isn’t working,” you bite out. Your head had sunk down to face the floor at some point. The carpet was a darker shade of beige than it was a moment ago. Maybe it was your shadow affecting it, but considering everything, you didn’t think so. “I need—” you choked. 

You saw the way Damian’s hands twitched against his pants, fighting to do something to help you. “Tell me what you need.” He tried searching your eyes like before, that tether was one that could bring up to him from just about anywhere. But you were studying the carpet as if it had wronged you on a visceral level. 

You closed your eyes, trying to think past the echoes of an old voice and the remnants of old touch. You were stuck in limbo, caught between two realities that somehow merged in a single moment. Another kick to the chest and your body caved inwards—the same way it had before. 

You could feel your grip on Damian’s reality fading. It was the one you’d prefer any day and it was the one you should be in. Not this one. Yet here you were, taking the hits of hands long in the past. 

But . . .

Damian. 

“When did we meet?” you demanded more so than asked, the words coming in and out with your breaths. 

Despite his shock—and extreme confusion—he didn’t hesitate to answer with a number of years that have passed you by. Questioning you, especially your needs, at this moment wasn’t going to help.

You shook your head, your legs twitching together and back apart, the muscles contracting at random. “What year?” you said, trying to keep your oxygen inside for just a second longer. 

He responded simply, your ears catching the sound with ease. The outside chatter cut down to a buzz. You breathed out a little slower. 

“How?” you breathed in, your inflection cut off just slightly. 

Damian didn’t waver. “We met in high school. I transferred in late and you were assigned as my peer guide to the Academy. You gave me a tour around campus to help figure out my schedule,” he paused, gauging your reaction before adding on just a bit more. “We ended up having a few classes together that year.” 

“How old—” you breathed in, “How old were we?” 

Damian blinked, his eyes shifting to the side as he recalled, probably doing some kind of mental math in his brain. “I started school when I was fourteen. You were probably fourteen or fifteen at the time.” 

You blinked your eyes open, your lungs expanding happily at the information. Realities were disconnecting slowly, each question cutting a strand of fate that had sewed them together. Since neither could coexist, this new information was proof that the voices were just that, the past. Damian didn’t exist in the same era of these voices—these hands—him being here was a testament in it of itself. 

The carpet was tinted just so, but it was enough to make it lighter. 

“What about now?” you asked. 

“What about now?” Damian echoed you, his confusion still prevalent in his voice. “What do you mean?”

You swallowed down the fire. “What year is it?” 

For someone so intelligent, he really was not catching on to what was happening. Knowing him, he was probably scanning your head for a concussion right about now. But he didn’t show it outwardly. As much as he was confused and incredibly concerned, this was helping. So even if he didn’t sign up for trivia night, he’d play along—and he was sure as hell gonna win. 

He responded factually. The math not only aligned, but since it was late into the year, it wasn’t exactly hard to remember. The buzz got even softer than before. You were able to breath out shakily, the intake was sharp in return but the progress was showing. 

“And the date?” 

Your eyes had closed softly, a sense of calm starting to breach through the anxiety. 

Damian’s response immediately shrouded that progress. Suddenly the voice was right next to your ear and a foot was on your chest, constructing any airflow from ever hoping to come to your lips. The same date. A stupid number that just so happened to align, an anniversary, was enough to derail everything. 

Damian’s voice turned to nothing but a buzz, a low rumble with a worried inflection. 

He had asked a question. That much you knew. But your eyes had opened to a shade of dark beige and dreary grays, completely at the mercy of a dissociative state. 

Even your hands lay limp from where they were resting between your knees, your wrists balanced atop the bony joints. You let it happen. You let your breath get squished underneath calloused hands along the back of your neck and a knee to the spine. You let your fingers go numb and your skin go cold as the room around you soured. 

Suddenly it was a different time and a different place entirely. 

Just dark beige and dreary grays. 

The thuds of footsteps were easily drowned out until it was a simple buzz, just a low static rumbling beneath your skin. 

But then your hands lifted at the feeling of fur underneath them. It was soft to the touch, the small fibers splitting away underneath your fingers. The fur shifted, it nosed in-between your pointer and middle finger before sliding down your palm, leaving a slight trail of warmth along your skin. 

Your fingers twitched, the ice around them thawing slowly with each press of warmth until you could interact with it yourself. The fur morphed from a body to a small head that could fit just along your palm. Whiskers pressed into your hand as it was used as a scratching post. A head bump and your palm raised with it, only to slide down the back automatically as if your hand had done it a thousand times before. 

Just along the back and up to the tip of the tail, just for the head to return for more scratches. You felt the tail wrap loosely around your ankle, shifting and swishing, but always remaining against you. 

You scratched at the chin, your chest feeling lighter when the gentle creature tilted their head back to accept more. Reality itself couldn’t deny the creature’s existence, even if they truly wanted your reality to morph into the past. 

Yet here it was, defying Reality, with nothing to say aside from a purr. Your hands touched black and your fingers graced white until you could make out the cat yourself, perched contently between your legs. 

“Alfie,” you sighed out, half out of astonishment and half out of relief. 

“I always seem to find you two together after a hard time,” came Damian’s voice, cutting straight through the static with his deep timbre. “He can help you where I can’t.” 

There was still a shake in your breath, your chest still rising and falling with great difficulty, more than Damian liked. He looked up at you briefly before looking back down at the precious cat, one that only seemed to like a few people on this earth. Even if he liked Damian, it was a hell of a taming. But with you, you two clicked instantly. 

Damian would never forget the day he found you holding Alfred, hugging him close and the content kitten doing nothing but hugging back with its smaller limbs. Alfred’s little head perched on your shoulder, eyes closed in pure bliss. You were swaying slowly, humming in harmony with the soft purrs omitting from the shorthair. 

You were waiting on him, that much he remembered. It was years after you two had met, just shortly after high school graduation and just before Damian started college. That was the blissful moment of limbo where it was just you two hanging out for the summer and getting his apartment together. 

That was the day Damian Wayne fell in love with you. 

So here you were, years later, yet all the same. 

“Alfred gave him to me my senior year,” Damian started. He knew you already knew Alfred’s origin, you were there. But for some reason, exact details of dates were helping you, so he was happy to recall a core memory. “He called it a graduation gift even though the meeting was pure happenstance. He didn’t want to admit the cat reminded him of me, but I knew.” 

You glanced up at Damian and he glanced back. 

He stated the year easily, the fricative consonants adding to his timbre. “That was the year I fell in love with you. I was nineteen. It started with prom night, I should have known what that feeling was by then. But it wasn’t until late summer that I finally realized I could see no other future than one that was beside you.” 

He pointed down at the fuzz ball that was now laying across your crossed legs. “It’s all because of him.” 

Your hands pressed into the fur and massaged the skin underneath gently until the final strand of fate was snapped. You looked into the green, seeing each shade of bright emerald and late spring, eucalyptus and summer leaves. 

You found your voice and it was among his, miles ahead of the distant voices of the past. You said the same year, finding that your consonants blended with his after being around him for so long. Your voices intertwined in some ways and diverged in others. 

“That was the year I fell in love with you.” You responded. “We got bored and decided to paint your bedroom a different color.” You found yourself smiling at the memory, not even thinking twice about how your voice became steady against the mechanics of breath. “We were trying to figure out how to use the paint rollers and you learned the hard way that too much paint was in fact, not, more efficient. You had paint all in your hair after just one swipe.” 

You laughed and Damian found himself smiling at the sound. “I managed to get some on your cheeks,” he recalled.

You nodded. “You did,” a slight chuckle shaking your shoulders. “I got you back though.” 

“Please,” Damian rolled his eyes, “you were covered in far more paint than I was at the end of the night.” 

“Was not!”

Damian hummed in absolute confidence. “As I recall, Alfred gave you a far more disproving look than he gave me.” 

“Because he found me first!” 

Sometime in the near future, you would retell the events that led you to this moment. From witnessing an event that hit just a little too close to home to the police report that followed, you’d tell him everything. 

But for now, you were happy just enjoying the moment with him. 

Taglist ♡

@anothertimdrakestan

@cherry-dropp

@missredrobin

[numerousbees1106]

Crown of Lazarus Teaser #2 - Tumblr exclusive!

No-One Knows Just Who To Believe

(This is the follow-up teaser to the one posted yesterday, which can be read here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/55069789#main). Edited on 4/12/24 to fix some formatting issues.

It began slowly, as it always did. His mind, wrapped in infinite nothingness, thought only in the subconscious, all greater thought replaced with the gentle soundless static of the hindbrain. His body existed somewhere far away, his worries and fears farther yet still. For an endless moment, he simply existed within the threads of reality, interwoven with its fabrics, cradled and protected like a dragon in its egg.

But slowly, the harsher edges of existence began to creep in as they always did, like a camera slowly zooming in, and he became aware of his own wakefulness bit-by-aching-bit.

In his mind’s eye, he saw himself, but the proportions were all wrong, with some parts far too large and exaggerated, and other parts far too small, shrunk down like some sort of twisted caricature. He was rotating in an endless void, but simultaneously he was far too still, like an image pasted hastily into a video.

He became aware of his heart thumping, a sensation painful in its sudden stimulation. His breathing echoed loudly in his ears, his blood crawling through his veins like tunneling insects, bringing with them the numbing agony of his nerves regaining sensation.

Anakin slowly peeled open his eyes, eyelids sticky with disuse, nausea boiling in his gut. He felt too hot and too cold, sweaty and shaking, as his organs and various internal systems began to reboot and reawaken.

Even as his sluggish mind slipped in and out of what Anakin called his Reawakening daze, he clung desperately to lucid thought, knowing that he had to think up a damn good excuse for why he was mysteriously back from the dead.

The morgue, he figured. I’m probably in a body locker in the morgue.

Briefly, he wondered why he wasn’t freezing, but as he clumsily felt along his body, he recognized the scratchy textures of the blankets considered damn-near sacred by the clones. The blankets - thick and one of the more expensive pieces of gear - were limited to one per bunk, and it was a pain in the ass to get a replacement. As such, they were considered special by the clones - the blankets were always neatly folded, even in the messiest of chambers, even if the various other sheets were strewn all over the place. The blankets were always kept clean, and to steal a brother’s blanket was considered to be a serious crime. A handful of the 501st had even customized their blankets with dyes or sewn-on patches, despite it technically not being allowed.

And Anakin could feel some familiar patches on some of the blankets he was wrapped in.

Tears began to sting his eyes as he gingerly ran his fingers over one of the patches, shaping it out in his mind until he was certain - this was Rex’s blanket, that was laid out underneath him, cushioning what to them was Anakin’s eternal slumber. And the blanket draped over his torso, that bound his right arm to his side but left his left arm loose, Anakin recognized as Kix’s. And the one that gently wrapped around his legs and feet, Anakin could feel Jesse’s name embroidered on. A few other blankets embraced him, and more still cushioned the body locker around him, and Anakin’s heart clenched painfully with both immense love and grief. Damn his trust issues - he should have told them long ago.

With a shuddering breath, Anakin carefully unlocked the locker with the Force, gingerly sliding it out until a dim and flickering light greeted him.

Oh-so-gently, he moved the blankets out of the way so that he could sit up - they had really tucked him in tight, and it took all of Anakin’s willpower to not break into ugly sobs right then and there. He needed to find them, now. Just the mere thought of his beloved troops mourning for him another needless minute longer… it coiled something in his chest, curdled his heart like spoiled milk, radiating bitter guilt from his soul. He needed to go to them, to explain, to apologize to them, to beg for their forgiveness. He needed to reassure them that it was alright, that everything would be okay, that he was fine, that they would be fine. But, as he clambered out of his not-so-final resting place, he encountered a bit of an unexpected issue.

His wings were back. And they were a lot bigger than he remembered.

Shavit. Kriff. E chu ta. Karabast. Damn.

How in the Sith Hells was he supposed to hide this?

A thousand horrid scenarios raced through his mind. The Jedi, furious at him for lying to them for years. The Republic, desperate for a victory, throwing him into suicide missions again and again until there was nothing human left of him. Obi-Wan’s crestfallen face as he realized the betrayal.

Experiments. Slavery. Torture. His death.

Scenarios, infinitely numerous and infinitely grotesque, raced through his mind.

Except, as he panicked, he saw as the golden feathers became awash with a sickly pale green color, the same color he had come to associate with fear and panic and terror. And, as he noticed this, the pale green was replaced with the blue-violet of confusion.

Okay, he thought. Okay, maybe there is a way to hide this.

As he thought this, a light pink-yellow shade crept into his wings - hope.

He breathed deeply, tenderly stepping around the candles that had been left in front of his body locker, drawing his wings in tight to prevent them from knocking over the lit flames - or worse, catching fire.

All around the room, tiny trinkets and objects his men had held dear were carefully laid or propped up, tiny offerings to help him in his final march towards a battle far away. That was the idea, anyway.

Anakin only realized he had paused when his drooping wingtips knocked over a small wooden carving of a bantha, the grief-gray and guilt-gray-green feathers flinching in surprise and knocking over a few other nearby trinkets. The subsequent racket, though not terribly loud, was enough to make him freeze, that pale green color returning.

“What was that?” A voice sounded from right outside the door.

The Final Guard, Anakin realized. It was a tradition the clones had inherited from the Mandalorians, wherein the Final Guard - a select group of the deceased’s closest friends and allies - would stand watch over the body until it arrived at its final resting grounds.

“What was what?” A louder voice, one Anakin recognized as Hardcase’s voice, responded.

“Didn’t you hear that? That racket?” The first voice - Appo’s voice - hissed.

“I haven’t been able to hear much of anything since… well.”

A solemn pause, a heavy sigh.

“Get that checked out, vod,” Appo muttered.

“Once the Final Guard is done,” Hardcase agreed. “Oh, and the noise was probably just some of the offerings falling over.”

“Probably,” Appo concurred, voice thick with grief.

Breathing out a soft sigh of relief, Anakin tucked his wings tight against his sides as he eyed the vents. Those would be his best best out of the morgue, unless he wanted to knock out Hardcase and Appo with the Force, which he very much did not want to do.

It would be a tight squeeze, but maybe…

Unscrewing the vent and removing the cover was the easy part. Much harder to do was actually maneuvering his body into the small space that was a few feet above his head, all without making too much of a racket. He, however, had a secret weapon on his side: sheer Skywalker stubbornness.

Alas, he mused forlornly as he kicked uselessly at the air, finding himself stuck within the vent, I am also cursed with Skywalker stupidity.

His wings prevented him from moving forwards, the feathered limbs simply being too wide to fit, but also prevented him from reversing out of the vent, as any backwards motion bent the feathers the wrong way, sending sharp pin-pricks of pain through his newfound appendages.

“Stupid… kriff… damn these wings!” Anakin hissed under his breath, wiggling and wriggling each way in a fruitless attempt to free himself. With a sigh, he went limp, resigning himself to his fate. Still, as he reminisced on the events that had led him to this point - sulking, really, though he’d never admit it - he imagined his wings simply… disappearing.

And they did.

Painfully.

Very painfully.

Feathers fused back into flesh, hollow bones breaking up into thousands of fragments before merging into his muscles, tendons dissolving into goo and sticking to his sides until the wings were gone completely, with only his bleeding gums from where he had cracked a tooth on his metal hand, biting down on it to muffle his agony, to show for it.

Gasping and panting, tears streaming down his face, Anakin forced himself to move forwards with shaking hands. He had to keep moving. He had to keep going. Somehow he knew that his wings would come back, but he didn’t quite know what would bring them back. It could happen at any moment, for all he knew, trapping him in the vents until he reabsorbed them - something he very much was not keen on.

Well. At least he didn’t have to worry about having to hide them, though it wasn’t quite what he was hoping for.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the vent collapsing beneath him, sending him plummeting very ungracefully to the floor below…

Right in front of Rex.

The aura around the petrified clone Captain was a horrid shade of pale green and shock-silver, the man’s face draining of color as he stared down at Anakin’s frozen form, their eyes meeting.

Captain Rex collapsed in front of him, unconscious.

Well, shit.