#recent all fish price and name

[shyamdasgupta]

RECENT WEEK GALIFF STREET FISH PRICE UPDATE | GALIFF STREET FISH MARKET | FISH MARKET | VISIT 26FEB, watch more

[a-b-riddle]

I binged your story after tumblr suggested it to me and it’s so good it invaded my dreams seriously, I’m gonna put down a quick recap on the off chance you wanna know if not just take my praise and ignore below, you’re writing is soooooo good! I really felt for the reader and even the guys kinda you were able to evoke my empathy for these characters and had me on the edge of my seat in just a few short chapters thank you so much for sharing your work! (Seriously I’m sharing you with all my book girls they love angst this is right up their alley)

I dreamt reader washed her hands of the men and got an arranged marriage with a nerd (like square glasses pocket protector stereo type) named ?teddy? Who was really nice and had a sleeper build and I think a library job? They adopted some giant fish & idk my dream started loosing whatever plot it had around there with something about a train trip anyways I woke up confused and wondering if arranged marriage dating apps were even a real thing and google says yes, so yeah you’re story inspired an odd though kinda sweet AU dream and my husband questioning my recent google searches 😂

I'm stuck on the arranged marriage idea now!

so my previous bosses ALL had arranged marriages and were explaining how it worked or how they met (an ad or through parents). And honestly, I would eat UP one where Indian reader dumps her artistic boyfriend who she's had to financially support for four years now and finally relents letting her parents play match maker. She's shocked to find that instead of the son of one her mother's friends (who her mom and been BRAGGING about for years), her dad had arranged for her to meet his very good friend and colleague John Price.

Reader is pissed at first. 1) because he is almost a decade older than her and 2) "A white man? NO!"

But turns out, John is ready to settle down. Doesn't care if you want to be a housewife, a stay at home mom or have a career. He's just so totally over dating in his mid-30s and wants a wife.

Even funnier, your dad tries to boost the fact that his mom is dead so you won't have a mother-in-law (this is literally what one of my bosses' father did) He was like "and his mother is dead, kanna" 💀

She marries John and doesn't realize the man has had fifteen years of income just building and building in the bank since he had been deployed for most of his life and hadn't gotten a chance to spend it. When he notices that she's getting things and hasn't gotten a notification he's like "this is your money. Spend. It."

[starry-eyedblog]

Request for a prnaddict!reader x ghost? You two just became pretty good friends, sharing things about yourselves. Simon shares his recent addiction to cigarettes when you just casually drop that you have a prnaddiction.

side note: Just left a function and its 2am. overheard this scenario unraveling in a balcony earlier. Am too tired to be horny so i left and now leaving this for u if you'd like to :3 goodniiiiiight~

oooo this is such a juicy idea!! also disclaimer, i ken that this probs wouldnae happen in the military where they restrict other soldiers on personal things like smoking but this is FICTION so i dinnae care :3

warnings/tags: simon x gn reader, smoking addictions, porn addiction, smut

it's a friday night, and the bar you are sat at is bustling with bodies. it was starting to get too much so you decided to step out for some air and a tipsy smoke. as you push the heavy door out, the nippy air sweeps in and instantly cools your flushed skin.

a soft sigh leaves you as you step around the corner and pull out your packet of cigs, sliding one out and holding it between your lips as you search for your lighter. once you feel it in your back pocket, you fish it out and spark it up. as the flame lights up your face, this is when you notice the mammoth of a man stood next to you, desperately trying to flicker his lighter to life.

he curses quietly and you look away, lighting up your own fag before silently passing over the lighter to him. he looks up, a black surgical mask hooked beneath his jawline and showing off a pretty gnarly scar across his face. "cheers, love." he grumbles, taking the lighter from you.

you nod silently with a soft smile before taking a long drag from your fag, holding the smoke in your lungs before slowly exhaling. you watch the smoke dance up into in the air for a moment before turning to the man next to you who's chuckling softly.

"like an angel sent from heaven, don't know what i would've done if i couldn't find a lighter." he mumbles as he brings the fag to his lips and inhales. you laugh quietly at his words, taking the lighter back from him.

"no big deal, glad to be of service." you joke with a smile, gently tapping the ash off your fag with your fingers. "i'd be the same if my vibe charger died." you mumble out, but the mysterious man hears you.

"that so?" he questions, and you blush as he turns to you with the fag hanging from his lips. "uh, uhm yeah. all got our own sin or poison, or whatever the saying is." you say, taking a long drag from the fag. he asks for your name, which you give him before asking the same.

once the two of you exchange names, you prompt him about his smoking. "so, addicted to nicotine huh?" you ask, watching him take a long drag from his fag. he nods silently, looking over at you as he slowly exhales the smoke.

"calms my mind and gives me something to do," he shrugs, watching the way you look away from his eyes. "and what about you? can't get enough of a wank?" simon teases and you snort.

"guess you could say that, is it a crime to love porn?" you question with a flushed face, unable to meet his eyes as the two of you smoke outside of the bar together and chat about your addictions.

simon looks back up at he night sky, staring at the bright stars before responding. "didn't say that love," he mumbles before continuing. "each to their own."

months down the line and the two of you are helping each other out - in reality you are only helping the other further aid their addictions.

simon is unable to bring fags now when he gets deployed as they pat him down and confiscate them. a mark now on his file from price to not let him smoke since he's been caught out on his addiction.

so to help, you'll send parcels with fag packets in bulk that he can hide in his room. he has a few secret smoking spots on base where he is sure to be alone and left like that for hours.

when he's back, you'll have him over and fuck him while watching porn together. he indulges in you, sometimes picks out videos that he likes and wants to show you which rots your brain even further.

oh and he fucks you so well, one of the best fuck buddies you've ever had. makes you cum multiple times before he's even got his cock stuffed into you. he likes to grab your jaw and force you to keep your eyes open while watching video after video.

it's a perfect little transaction almost that the both of you have, and no one bothers you about your addictions now. both of you realise that it's unhealthy and if others found out, they'd be disappointed but screw them.

[pfhwrittes]

retail hell au again because why not. so imagine with me that 141 fellas find you after a miserable customer has made you cry.

warnings: reader!character is experiencing the aftermath of a panic attack/distressing emotions when she’s approached by the boys, nothing explicitly stated but she’s feeling a bit vulnerable.

fem!reader and the use of gendered pet names (hen, love) and use of the word cunt as an insult to describe a customer.

also apologies, i’m english and my grasp on scottish slang/scots has mostly been informed by the wonderful show Still Game which is distinctly glaswegian in flavour and various scottish twitter posts.

so you’re hiding out in the smoking area (lmao smoking area, okay let’s be honest it’s where a bucket filled with sand has been dumped near an ex-display bench about idk 20 feet from the customer entrance) because you just need 5 fucking minutes to compose yourself…

gaz is actually coming back from his lunch break and spots you hunched up on the bench in a way that looks truly uncomfortable. he carefully sits next to you and offers a soft smile when you look over at him. “bad customer?” he’s gentle when he asks and doesn’t make a fuss when you make a truly gross sniffling noise and wipe at your eyes. “want a hug?” you shake your head no and hunch in tighter on yourself. “want a milkshake?” you shrug and he passes over a strawberry milkshake. surprisingly he doesn’t say anything and let’s you drink in peace. you like gaz, he’s always friendly and warm when you interact briefly on the shop floor. he always seems to know what to say or do to get the best out of you and everyone else around him. eventually you check your phone and see it’s been 10 minutes since you left the customer service desk with tears in your eyes and lump burning your throat. embarrassment and residual anxiety washes through you when you recall how you’d all but fled to the safety of the smoker’s bench despite not smoking yourself. gaz catches your shudder when you check the time and knocks his shoulder into yours gently. “don’t worry, i’ll let price know you need a few more minutes, alright?” gaz gets up and heads inside the building, you know he’ll speak to price so you unfurl a little bit and chew on the straw of your milkshake.

soap and simon find you next. soap’s chattering away about the most recent delivery as they both approach your bench. simon stops dead a respectable three feet away but soap throws himself onto the bench bumping his knee into yours “what’s the matter wi’ you then, hen? you’ve a face like a smacked arse”. you shift away from soap, usually you don’t mind his directness but it’s just rubbing you the wrong way right now. you’re still feeling raw and a bit sick from finishing gaz’s milkshake and lingering anxiety. “fucks sake johnny, leave ‘er alone.” simon grumbles and fishes a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. “how? am just askin’ what’s the matter!” soap’s hands swat the air near your face and you shuffle further along the bench to avoid being hit in the nose in his agitation. “johnny.” simon snaps and soap huffs and folds his arms across his chest. it’s quiet amongst the three of you while simon taps out a cigarette and pats down his pockets looking for a lighter. soap shoots a wink at you and starts playing with a lighter that apparently has just appeared from thin air. “give me my lighter back johnny.” “gies a cigarette an’ i’ll trade it.” “no.” “c’mon simon! wan little cigarette.” “fuck off.” “awright then you miserable bastard.” you shake your head at their bickering and hold out your hand. soap pouts but drops it into your open palm. you lob the lighter in a poor underhand throw to simon who plucks it out of the air easily and nods in appreciation. “aw c’mon hen, that’s no’ playin’ fair!” soap whines and knocks his knee into yours “i thought i was your favourite.” “favourite pain in the arse.” is simon’s dry response around the lit cigarette and you crack a wobbly smile. “there she is! didn’t i tell you si?” soap’s grin is blinding “i knew we could cheer her up!” your wobbly smile starts to resemble more of its usual cheer when you catch simon’s eye roll directed at soap. you open your mouth maybe to defend soap or maybe to provoke him, you haven’t quite decided, when a pointed throat clearing catches your trio’s attention. your smile drops off your face and the anxiety that had started to quiet down in the face of johnny’s cheerfulness rises again in your belly because price is aiming a stern look towards the three of you from only six feet away.

price gently sits next to you on the bench when you’re certain simon and johnny are back inside. johnny squawking about the injustice of having his break cut short and simon calling him an idiot in response as they both disappear through the doors. you open your mouth to apologise for skiving off and offer any reason or explanation that will help your case but your teeth click shut when price holds out a palm to forestall your inevitable word vomit. “i don’t want to hear it, love.” price’s tone isn’t unkind, he’s just shooting straight with you, it’s something you quite admire about him really. “that customer was a cunt quite frankly and i’m proud of you for handling her the way you did.” the praise creates a small glow in your chest and burns away the last of your dread. “but, a word of advice, as the duty manager for today?” price offers a small encouraging smile so you nod. “you’re not paid enough to put up with that shit, so don’t.” you grimace and blow out a breath, you want to argue, maybe even defend yourself and explain that it’s fine really that’s just how retail is. price chuckles “no love, listen. you aren’t paid enough, but i am. so next time it happens, send ‘em my way alright?” price offers another smile when you nod in agreement before pushing himself off the bench. “now, c’mon. i’ve got stock that needs counting down the plumbing aisle and you can give me a hand. no more talking to muppets on the customer service desk today.” you follow price back into the store feeling much better than you did twenty five minutes ago.

the rest of your shift passes by easily enough and you make a mental note to buy gaz a milkshake as a thank you when he shoots you a friendly smile as you pass him on your way out the store on your lunch.

[aropride]

spotify's current price for premium in the US is $10.99/month, which is a dollar more than before they raised it for the first time recently. the average mcdonald big mac in america costs approximately $5.15. at the new price, you are losing the equivalent of 1 mcdonald big mac every 5 months, which is a tragic loss. however, if you cancel spotify premium, you will be gaining the equivalent of over 2 mcdonald big mac every month, or 25.6 mcdonald big mac per year.

you are a 14 year old tiktok user living in america. (no you're not, i know. we're playing pretend right now. come play in the sand with me. do you want to build a sandcastle). it just so happens that the 13th of april is your birthday, and you just had a birthday and got some birthday money. you've been getting really into [popular artist of ur choice], and you want to listen to them while you're on the bus to school, so you buy spotify premium. you start with the 3 month free trial and when it ends you remember how unbearable the ads are and renew your plan. you have this plan until you go to a four-year college, when you get the student plan. once you leave college, you split the family plan with 3 friends (you have 3 friends after leaving college, so you're already winning). you keep this for a year before becoming disillusioned with streaming services and cancelling your spotify premium plan for good.

in high school, you used spotify premium for 52 months, at $10.99 a month. in college, you used the spotify student premium plan for 48 months, at $5.99 a month. and before you began downloading music off the internet, you used the family plan for 12 months and paid one quarter of the price, $4.25. overall, you have spent $877.03 on spotify premium in less than a decade, not accounting for price changes. this is equivalent to over 170 mcdonald cheeseburger. if the average american eats fast food 1-3 times a week, and you mcdonald cheeseburger two times a week, that's 85 weeks of cheeseburger. 1.6 years of cheeseburger.

or let's say you're a tumblr user. you run a blog where you mainly post about various 80s and 90s rock musicians, and you enjoy listening to music. you've been thinking about getting spotify premium because you're using the free version and the ads are annoying. you figure even though it's $11/month, spotify premium is probably the better option.

a year of spotify costs you $131.88. five years is $659.40. a decade is $1318.80. 60 years is $7,912.80.

or maybe, you post about your desire for spotify premium and your tumblr mutuals immediately start keeling over and sobbing and writhing in pain. your friend stresses the importance of physical media and the fun of piracy, and you decide to believe them and you go to the nearest record store. the store i'm currently looking at online, which i won't say the name of because it's fairly regional, sells cds. most of them seem to be around $13 new or $8 used. you don't really care about buying things used as long as they work, so you tend to go for the used options, but you can be talked into a little treat every once in a while. you burn some CDs from your favorite popular artists, because you know they won't miss the $50 you just saved yourself, and then every month you buy yourself a cd or two from the record store.

after a year, you've bought 13 used cds and 2 new ones for a total of $130. after five years, you've spent $650. after a decade, $1,300. and in sixty years, when you're in your elder years, you'll have spent a grand total of $7,800. but unlike in the alternate universe where you spent $7,912.80, you own all the music you bought (or burned onto CDs). you can pass things down to your grandkids/pet fish/guy down the street who's really into vintage technology who will be excited to inherit them. or over the years if you're less interested in an artist's music you can sell them and get (some of, if not all of) your money back. and when spotify takes your favorite artist's music down or when your phone suddenly breaks, you can still listen to your music. music that you paid for.

you're an american. will you buy cheeseburger and rock and roll disc as god intended, or will pay the devil $10.99 a month to steal your soul?

[slicedmayonnaise]

I want to take a moment to talk about one of my favorite characters in RDR2: Kieran Duffy.

I've seen a few posts on my timeline recently about him and people's different interpretations of him and head canons of him. So, I'm going to add my two cents.

Now, this is my personal head canon about what type of person Kieran is and some of this may be GROSS mischaracterization.

Let's begin with the facts.

Kieran is NOT some weak, innocent, stuttering, scared man. He IS the sassy man apocalypse! He is not afraid to stand up for himself or others when he feels he needs to. He saves Arthur, for one. He is also one of the characters who can knock Arthur out and kick him out of camp when he's being an asshole. We can also see him standing up for himself to people like Javier and Sean during camp interactions. He also draws his pistol when Milton and Ross show up to camp and threaten the gang in chapter 3. He is an army vet and was part of another gang before he was taken by the O'Driscolls.

Now let's get into my personal head canons.

First of all, I don't believe Kieran Duffy is actually his name. When Arthur first asks Kieran his name, he says "I don't know" and after Arthur threatens him a bit more, he comes up with Kieran Duffy. And we of course know outlaws are notorious for using pseudonyms. We see the others use them constantly throughout the game.

Why would Kieran lie about his name though? Easy. Because he is actually secretly a badass, cold-blodded ex gang leader.

Stay with me now.

I believe Kieran was actually the leader of the gang he ran with before the O'Driscolls. And I believe he was a big time outlaw just like Colm or Dutch or Flaco Hernandez.

Why? Because why would Colm waste his time attacking and kidnapping some random guy he found camping in the woods? There had to be a reason. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's rewind.

I believe in leading his gang, Kieran became greedy and corrupt, just like Dutch did. And I believe he, like Dutch, led all of the men (and maybe women) that followed him straight to hell. One by one, they were picked off, just like with the Van Der Linde gang. And I believe the last of them were killed when Colm attacked. Maybe he was originally after Kieran for the price on his head, but decided he was more valuable to him alive. Surely if he's a big time outlaw, Kieran had thousands of dollars stashed away, which Colm would have obviously taken along with Kieran. Maybe the money he got from Kieran was more than the reward he would've gotten for Kieran's head, so he gave Kieran the choice to work for him or die with the last of his gang. Kieran obviously chose to work for Colm because he was afraid to die.

Obviously, Kieran would have felt a lot of guilt because of his gang, and would have gone through a lot of torture at the hands of the O'Driscolls. We can see in the beginning of the game that Colm is abusive towards him, which isn't surprising. He is also malnourished prior to the gang starving him as a means of making him talk. And let's look at how horrified he is at the thought of betraying Colm. He says himself that Colm is an evil man, and he expresses to Sean how scared he is of Colm. This experience would've definitely humbled him and watered him down from the tough outlaw he once was. Much like John, he no longer wanted to be a part of the outlaw life. He just wanted to live quietly with his horses and go fishing. And that's the version we get of him after he finally settles in with the Van Der Linde gang.

I also think Kieran is bisexual and gender fluid. I think he was a lot for femme presenting before he got taken by the O'Driscolls, just given his mannerisms and the way his hair is cut. It looks like he had long hair and chopped it all off Mulan style. I believe, similarly to Javier in rdr1, he stopped taking care of his looks after he joined up with Colm. He cut his hair and let his facial hair grow out, as he lost his desire for vanity.

[youlikefanficdontyousquidward]

Neighbourly

Summary: Whilst hiding from your ex in a new city you meet your rather strange neighbour. Now with a strange artifact bound to you, you must rely on his help as well as his flat mates?

Warnings: unrealistic London flat pricing, past abusive relationship hinted at, slow burns, spiders

Steven Grant x Reader, Marc Spector x Reader, eventual Jake Lockely too

Part one

Next

A move to London was perhaps a rather extreme move to get away from an ex but all things considered not the worst decision you'd made recently. You'd found a lovely open plan flat, a job at a local coffee shop and even adopted a cat for company.

You were happy to settle into a quiet chapter of your life. Well quiet apart from you neighbour. It was just you two on this floor at the moment and he wasn't loud. The oddity came from the few times you'd catch him in the halls.

Sometimes he'd practically shove past, almost knocking shoulders but seemingly unaware of your presence. Other times he'd be wearing a similar scowl but side step you. Most often though he'd awkwardly smile, wave or even squeak out a hello while avoiding your eyes.

You much proffered the latter. He was cute, really cute but his odd temperament was strange. It seemed to mainly happen at night though so you'd brace yourself if you saw him past midnight. Probably just tiered or something.

Work had been slow today, not a lot of tourists making their way down to the cafe. So when the little bell rang it startled you. A familiar head of curls entered out of the afternoon rain. It'd been a few weeks since you'd run into Steven in the lift. Finally getting him to squeeze out more than one word to you.

You'd introduced yourself properly offering him your hand. He'd taken it babbling out his own name and a few apologizes. Including one for shaking your hand too long. You'd just laughed a little before eyeing his stack of books. Turned out he was a big ancient Egypt buff and ranted the rest of the way to your door.

"Sorry, didn't mean to talk your ear off...." He mumbled.

"Ears still attached." You grinned back at him, the topic was rather nostalgic for you. He'd returned the smile before awkwardly stumbling off to his own door and bashing off the door frame.

The firm expression he came with today concerned you slightly and you wondered which attitude you'd have. He didn't glance at you just yet, his eyes were fixed on the metallic coffee machine and set in a bemused frown. You chose to focus on the cleaning you'd been doing while he figured out whatever had him so focused on the espresso machine.

"Hey." He finally spoke. You rose your head, smiling politely at your neighbour.

"Afternoon what can I get you Steven?" You asked brightly. His eyes shifted up and stayed on the board, awkwardly ringing his hands as he shifted his weight.

"Just a black coffee to go please, Y/n." He mumbled. You nodded trying not to make him anymore nervous. You were no stranger to anxiety, perhaps you'd been overly friendly.

"I was wondering..." He started behind you. You glanced back to him from the cup you'd prepared. "I'll be gone a week tomorrow, my friend can't look after my fish. Would you be able to come in and feed him?" He asked suddenly meeting your eyes. His tone was smoother, posture straighter, smile charming, though there was something off about his voice. Despite that you felt a little heat rise to your cheeks as his deep brown eyes stared so firmly back at you. God he was stunning.

"Sure!" You smiled as you passed the coffee over the counter. Trying your best not to sound too excited. "You'll have to tell me what to do though."

Steven's fingers brushed yours as he took the cup and you pulled back your hand quickly. You cleared your throat and told him his total, avoiding his quirked brow. He paid before his eyes settled back on you with another bright smile.

"I'm home tonight just come round and I'll show you." Steven offered. You met his eyes again and returned his smile.

By the time you made it home you'd began to regret agreeing to come over. You were a mix of nerves, half excited at the opportunity to get to know Steven better, half way to a panic attack. Being alone with a guy again set your adrenaline spiking. Still you'd feel guilty not going now.

You headed from your door to his and paused outside for a moment as you collected yourself. Inside you could hear Steven talking, arguing maybe? His voice was raised but you still couldn't make out the words. There was no other voice though so you just waited a moment until it was quiet again before knocking. You could hear a slight yelp before chains jangled on the other side of the door. The door cracked open, wide dark eyes staring through the gap.

"Hi." You waved. Steven pulled the door open suddenly with a slight squeak. You stood in the door frame with him a moment while he stared at to his left before his wide eyes returned to you.

"Oh! Y/n poppin' round, yes yes, for Gus... yeah..." Steven stammered as he retreated back into his flat. Confused you followed considering leaving the door open. Deciding it'd be rude you closed it behind you.

"Did you forget?" You asked as you followed his shuffling form into his kitchen area. There you saw Gus you presumed, a bright orange goldfish in a massive tank. It was well filtered, lots of space and plants. Honestly it might be overkill for one fish but it was sweet how much he cared for the little guy. You couldn't judge considering how much you'd already been spoiling your cat.

"Oh yeah um.. sorry." Steven said before gesturing to the tank. "Ah there's the man himself, have a gander around, I'll uh... get the kettle on." He turned back to his cabinets leaving you at the tank.

You took the opportunity to glance around the room. Open plan, a little gloomy and cluttered. Books and paper scattered almost every surface. Various ancient Egyptian trinkets filling in any left over space which made you stifle a giggle. He really was quiet obsessed.

You stepped around a pile of clothes next to a suitcase as you headed further into the space. Your foot slipped suddenly and you waved your arms out to re-balance yourself. Your cursed as you wobbled glancing down at a broken circle of sand. Curious you toed it before taking in the scene ahead.

Inside a circle of sand was Stevens bed. A mess of tangled sheets atop of roomy king sized with an obvious dent on one side. You quirked an eyebrow at the nearest post. Attached to it was an ankle restraint. You lifted the cuff inspecting the well used buckle.

"Oh uh..." Steven mumbled from behind. You turned to him with an amused expression still holding the cuff.

"Kinky." You hummed before you could stop yourself.

"It's not... I.... its for sleepwalking." Steven rambled trying to usher you away frantically. You caved, trying to save him from anymore embarrassment and followed him back through to his kitchen.

"Must be some sleepwalking to need all that." You gestured back. Steven was beet red now, ringing his hands as he looked everywhere but yourself.

"You get yourself into trouble or something?" You asked taking the tea he'd made into your hands.

"Yeah, yeah something like that." Steven turned to his fish tank.

"Don't fret it I understand." You hummed taking a mug of tea from the counter.

"You do?" He said, those big eyes again scanning your features.

"Yeah, get sleep paralysis sometimes but hey whatever works. So Gus?" You asked trying to take it to easier topics, for both of you.

"Bloody hell Marc..." He gritted as his face scrunched at his fish before he turned back to you. "Oh uh I was..." He stuttered before picking up his phone. "Marc my uh brother...yeah. He was supposed to sort this." He laughed awkwardly as he typed something back.

"No worries, happy to help a neighbour in need." You smiled. So that was who he was arguing with before.

You ended up staying for an hour more after that, tea forgotten and grown cold. Steven was calmer and easier to talk to as time ticked by. He showed you how to feed Gus, then after you nudged he talked about some of his Egyptian stuff. You'd had to excuse yourself when the yawning started but you were hopeful you may get to talk more when he was home.

The week was passing quickly with fish sitting duties and work. It was your last day letting yourself into Steven's flat after work. You'd made a b-line for Guy again, intent on not overstepping. You cooed at the little guy before a rattling distracted you.

The door was closed but you'd not bothered locking it nor setting the chain. If Steven had returned your sure it would have been a key you heard. Instead it was a slight scratching at the keyhole that set your hair on end. You'd regretted not listening to your instincts before and heeded the warning.

The door creaked open right as you'd stepped over the sand ring at the bed. As quietly as you could you slipped under the edge and shuffled until you were completely hidden under the frame. It was a tight squeeze, you hadn't done this since you were a kid but you managed.

Heavy footsteps sounded across the floorboards. Fancy dress shoes came into view and you held your breath. They stepped round the bed before moving away. You followed the movement with your eyes until they paused ahead of you. Your eyes refocused on the rather large house spider less than a foot ahead of you.

It took everything in you not to move, not to scream as the beast stepped towards you. Skittering legs continued their movement as you scrunched your eyes shut. You focused as hard as you could on the sound of the intruder. Foot steps moving into the lounge area of the flat before a light tickle against your nose brought you back. The feather light hairs brushing against you.

You tucked your face to the side swiftly suppressing a shudder. Peaking out just a touch your saw the intruders frame in the other room pause. It was hard to make out past the bookshelf that divided the room but you could see their legs. They moved again back to the kitchen, low light coming in from the blinds glinting off the gun in their hand.

You didn't dare move again but your chest was burning for air. As quietly as you could you took a deep breath in. The intruder didn't seem to hear you though picking up a few things here and there. Their ringing phone startled you and you bumped your head against the bed frame. Still the sound didn't alert them and they headed out Stevens door.

You didn't move for a long time, light dipping from the window and filling the room in darkness before you crawled out. Your legs screamed and cramped from your position but you were sure they were gone.

In a sudden panic you felt your chest constrict, phone fumbled into your hands as you dialed the number Steven had given you. Between rings you rushed to the door, tripping over before you'd even passed the bed. You landed hard on your elbows and knees phone lost as it clattered from your hands.

Groaning you flopped back onto your rear and took a few gulping breathes. Though a horrible shock it seemed to have dispersed the oncoming panic attack. Turning you spied what caused you to fall behind you.

It was an ornate, small, golden box with intricate carvings and bright stones embedded in the metal. It matched the Egypt theme of Steven's home though perhaps a little more ostentatious. Maybe that's why it'd been hidden under the bed.

You picked the box up with you before retrieving your fallen phone. The call hadn't gone through and you sighed, hanging up. The box was oddly heavy for its size but it felt wrong to leave it after someone had just tried to break in. You texted Steven as you head back to your own flat, re-locking his door. He'd be home by tomorrow night, until then you'd keep his odd box safe at least.

It was sometime after you'd tried to go to bed that you found yourself in your kitchen. The night dragged on and despite your best efforts sleep evaded you. You had to give yourself some grace, you'd just witnessed a home invasion. Maybe you should have called the police?

It felt silly to do so now. The man was long gone and he hadn't even taken anything, unlike yourself. The box sat bright on your counter. Shining in the moonlight coming in from the window. It was odd how much it seemed to glow, catching the slightest light and bouncing it a hundred times back.

An impatient meow brought your attention back. The speckled and stripped cat you'd taken in yowling for more head rubs. You relented scratching under her chin as she closed her big emerald eyes. As fickle as ever she shifted out from your pets and rubbed herself under your chin. Her tail tickled against your throat and you laughed lightly in the silence.

Her steps took her closer to the box and before you could stop it she'd nudged it from the counter. You dove an arm out, just catching its corner but the lid opened. Its contents fell the few inches to the floor. You cringed as the metal clattered against your tile floor.

Cursing to yourself you bent to pick up the box first then the shining object from the floor. Somehow both still caught the light and the glare made you squint at the...paper weight? You took it in your hand, turning it as you stood. Laying flat on your palm you recognized the symbol, the Eye of Horus maybe?

To your relief it seemed intact and you made to place it back in its box when an odd tingling in your hand distracted you. Confused you went to pass the eye into your other hand but it stuck. Then it burned.

You shrieked extending your arm to try shake it free but it remained seared to your flesh. In a screaming panic you tried to shove it off with the heal of your other hand to no avail.

Your cat seemed agitated too, heckles raised as she stared off into the dark of the room. The burn started to subside as you heard something shift in your living room. You moaned at the string but tried to focus on the new threat. Had the burglar returned?

You were about ready to plead, let him take the stupid box when the shape in the darkness moved. It wasn't a person. It was far longer than your couch and curled past into your bed room. The slightest hint of moonlight shone in specs along the trunk of this thing at least a meter off the floor.

You gaped, mouth bobbling as you tried to comprehend what slithered across your rug. It reared up, several feet above your head, eyes gleaming red in the dark. Frozen in place your heart hammered relentlessly in your chest. A dizzying feeling swam in your mind as great wings spread in what little space the creature hadn't take over.

Then your door broke open, light bursting in from the hall and banishing the vision from your mind. You were still in place when Steven came into view. You only returned when his hands met your cheeks and turned your face from side to side.

"....you okay, I got your messages. What happened? Did he hurt you? Did he find it?" He asked firmly. His face was cast in a frown as he continued to search you for injury. His hands slipped down your shoulders, following down to your hands where he turned your palms up.

"Shit." He uttered, jaw ticking. Coming back to yourself you glanced down at your hands. The eye statue was gone but its shape remained. Burned into your right palm.

[o-craven-canto]

Recent evolutionary adaptations to the environment in human populations, from Going global by adapting local: A review of recent human adaptation (Fan et al., 2016). The icons show the type of adaptation recorded in various parts of the world, and the acronyms besides (e.g. EDAR1) are the names of the involved genes. Also see Genome-wide detection and characterization of positive selection in human populations (Sabeti et al., 2009), Population Genomics of Human Adaptation (Lachance & Tishkoff, 2013).

Some examples are:

Lactase persistence in Europe, Near East, and East Africa, allowing the digestion of milk in adult age (by default, the lactase required to digest milk sugar would only be produced by infants; this was just a matter of removing a timed switch).

Similarly, greater production of amylase, which breaks down starch, is reported in Europe and Japan (diet based on farmed grains) and among the Hadza of Tanzania (diet based on starchy tubers).

Improved conversion of saturated into unsaturated fatty acids in the Arctic Inuit peoples. This makes it easier to live on a diet of fish and marine mammals in an environment where plant food is scarce.

Smaller stature ("defined as an average height of <150 cm in adult males") in the "pygmy" peoples (Aka and Mbuti) of Central Africa, and other hunter-gatherer peoples in equatorial Asia and South America. This helps shed heat in a hot humid climate where sweat does not evaporate.

More efficient fat synthesis in the Samoa, helping with energy storage at the price of more risk of obesity or diabetes with a richer modern diet.

Improved resistence to malaria, sleeping sickness (trypanosome), and Lassa fever in Subsaharan Africa. Fighting off against parasites is especially difficult (since unlike the inorganic environment, parasites also evolve), so this resistence often comes at a cost, such as anhemia, but is still a great advantage on net. Some improved resistence to arsenic poisoning is noted in an Argentinian population.

Denser red blood cells on the Andean, Ethiopian, and Tibetan highlands, to carry more oxygen which is scarcer at high altitude. I recall from elsewhere that this might increase the risk of thrombosis or strokes due to obstructed blood vessels.

Less melanin (which blocks UV light) and therefore lighter skin color in Eurasia. Melanin shields skin cells from damage due to UV radiations, but some UV light is necessary for the synthesis of vitamin D.

A change in the gene EDAR1, resulting in denser head hair, slightly different tooth shape, and fewer sweat glands (all skin annexes), appears strongly selected for in East Asia, but as far as I can find the advantage of this mutation is still unknown.

From another article (Ilardo et al., 2018): the Sama Bajau people of Indonesia, who have a long tradition of free-diving in apnea, seem to have developed larger spleen to store more oxygenated blood during dives.

[kcrossvine-art]

Hey folks n blokes! A few days ago ya might've been one of the people who helpfully responded to my question asking which LotR recipe we should cook next, and you all had great ideas. Including a golum salmonella sushi platter. There were a few that twinkled directly into my eyes, but only one fish gets fried at a time! Thanks @vensre for the suggestion!

Today from Lord of the Rings, we will be making Bilbo Baggin's Seed Cakes

(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to a Seed Cake?” YOU MIGHT ASKIf you're an amer*can like me, you might have never heard of a seed cake outside of the context of bird feeders.

Salted butter

Fine sugar

Whole milk

Eggs

Almond flour

Vanilla extract

Brown sugar

Caraway/fennel seeds

Ground anise seed

Ground nutmeg

The real key ingredient here is the caraway seeds. The factor that ties all recipes together. Important note, anise seeds and anise stars are 2 separate things!

AND, “what does a Seed Cake taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASKTastes like what an old bookstore smells like.

Smells like warm licorice

But without the chemical-y aftertaste

Take a shortbread and make it denser and with less airpockets. Thats your texture.

A little bit like gingerbread but nuttier, earthier

Very rich

Beautiful crumbly brown outside, soft teddybear-brown inside

Pairs well with a glass of milk hahaha

"A wonderful blend of sweet and savoury, seed cakes make a perfect after-supper morsel."-LotR Online. Mentioned both in the books and the MMO, being served after dinner ties into their real-life origins! Before caraway seeds in cakes became popular in the victorian era, they were often candied and served as dessert because caraway seeds help with after-meal indigestion.

. used an herb grinder for the anise seeds . used light brown sugar where brown sugar called for . used blanched almond flour . if i made this again, would probably use higher quantity of nutmeg or add cinammon

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

From entering the kitchen, to having this in my stomach, it took roughly 2 hours? Ish? Definitely make sure to let your 2 sticks of butter and 3 eggs sit out a bit beforehand so they reach room temp, it helps them whip together the warmer they are.

The most difficult part of this recipe was finding the seeds. Everything except the caraway/fennel and anise seed i already had, and maybe its a recent thing but since when did grocery stores start charging such an obscene amount for a regular bottle of spices? Is it not enough to have everything else infected by price-gouging, now we'll be scraping pennies for our little flavor heavens? Bleh. 

The seed cake is a new experience for me also, and many pardons if some sacred seed cake rule has been broken today. It tasted fantastic! The licorice was a strong flavor I've never experienced in this form before, it suits itself well. If you're baking for children or have a sweeter palette, the bitterness may be a bit much, but just have them dunk it in milk honestly. It did feel like there was some 'empty space' on my palette while eating- if that makes any sense? It couldve been layered with another flavor but i still can't put my finger on what that missing flavor could be.

Definitely be careful to put the eggs into the butter/sugar a little bit at a time. I got impatient the first-go, and the eggs incorporated less, and it led to a greasier cake. People seem to say that storing these and eating them the next day makes them taste better, i cannot attest as i ate both within the same day of making them. 

This recipe has earned itself a glimmering 7/10, for making my kitchen smell nice but also making me use a standmixer if i want my arms to stay attached (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) 

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

220g salted butter

225g fine sugar

16g of milk

3 eggs

175g almond flour

2 drops vanilla extract

Pinch of brown sugar

1tbsp caraway seeds

1 1/2tbsp  ground anise seed

1/2tsp ground nutmeg

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 320F. Soften the butter and let eggs come to room temperature. 

Cream the butter by itself for around 5 minutes with a standmixer on med., until light in color. Add sugar and continue until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

In a seperate bowl beat the eggs until 'frothy'. 

Stir a small amount at a time of the eggs iinto the butter and sugar mixture, making sure each portion incorporates as you go.

Add the caraway, ground anise seed, ground nutmeg, and vanilla extract.

Gently fold in the almond flour. Careful not to overmix.

Add a tablespoon of milk, or until the batter keeps its form but drips off an upside down spoon.

Pour into a greased 9-inch round cake pan, if not available muffin/cupcake pans should also work.

Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top.

Bake for 40-50 minutes. Cool for 10 before serving.

[petalruesimblr]

Download Link: Sim File Share | MTS Name: Resolute Fist Academy Description: Welcome to the Resolute Fist Academy, an esteemed institution founded by the Masters of the ancient Order of the Resolute Fist. With a mission to spread the teachings of Sim Fu across different worlds, this academy offers a dedicated space for martial arts enthusiasts. Train your mind and body in our state-of-the-art facilities including a sparring room, meditation room, a training dummy and board breaker room for honing your skills. After an intense session, unwind in our cozy relaxation room and visit our small café to mingle and build a sense of community. Don't forget to freshen up in our shower room before heading back into the world, revitalized and ready to face new challenges on your Sim Fu journey! Price: 111,598 Lot Size: 30x20 Version: 1.42 Store Content: None CC Used: None Packs Needed: The Sims 3, World Adventures File Type: Package

Hello! I created an academy lot for Sims to learn martial arts or the Sim Fu in their homeworld without the need to travel to Shang Simla. I kept it to a lot size of 30x20 and instead of a usual dojo, I chose instead a refurbished building to make it a modern dojo or academy for the community that will hopefully fit in any world.

Click on the Keep Reading below for more information and pictures on this lot.

This lot will only require the World Adventures expansion pack for the lot assignment to show up and work in your game. I have included only 5 Sheng Hai Training Dummy and Board Breaker each so that it does not get crowded. I also decided not to include gym equipment to keep this lot exclusive for martial arts.

I tried to place Shang Simla books in the Posture-Perfect Bookshelf but the game removed the recipe and fishing skill books once I turned it back to a community lot so I decided to just scrap it and keep it a normal bookshelf instead. This lot has been play-tested and let me know if you experience any problems on your end.

📣 For those who prefer downloading through MTS rather than using Sim File Share, I will be uploading all my recent content to the MTS site but it will still have to go through their moderation process and may take time. I will update the links once it gets approved.

Outside:

Decent parking lot with bike racks

1st Floor:

Reception area

Bathroom

Sparring Room

Small Café with a few tables and chairs, food register and fortune factory fortune cookie maker

2nd Floor:

Bathroom and Shower Room

Meditation Room

Training Dummy Room

3rd Floor:

Bathroom and Shower Room

Board Breaker Room

Relaxation Room with 2 Epic 10th Anniversary Chess Table, bookshelf and beds

[pricegouge]

That drabble was GREAT I'm imagining bear!bunny huffily leaving a review later on Yelp like "0/5 got a fish thrown at me didn't even let me stay to watch the game before they called animal control and my team lost. But the chicken is really good" and Price reading it and having to sit down because. The fucking bear knows how to type?

Oh my god keyboard karen bunny… 

Takes place directly after this. I used google reviews instead of yelp just cause I have more experience with it 

"Soap, what the hell is this?"

The man looks over lazily from where he's pithing lemon, but straightens up when he sees John's genuinely pissed off face. "What's what, sir?"

John slides his open phone to the man across the bar, recent zero star review on full display. "Very funny but you're fucking with my average. Take it down."

Soap frowns down at the phone, reading over the angry lines of text with a scowl that only deepens with every word. "Ah dinnae write this!"

"Then who did?" 

"Fockin' -," he glances back at the phone, scrolls up until he sees the reviewer's name, "Mama-bear-four-oh-six." John just glares at him, unimpressed. Soap huffs, waves the phone back at his boss. "Cap, ah clearly dinnae write this. None of this is in Scots."

"Shite," John deflates. He takes his phone back with a pat to the other man's shoulder. "You're right, sorry mate. But if you didn't, who did?"

"Si?" Soap sounds just as unconvinced about it as John is. "I dinnae ken. Did ye check the account?"

Of course he did. MamaBear406 was a brand new account as far as he could tell; as close to anonymous as Google allowed. One of the main reasons he'd assumed someone was taking the piss. Well, that and because aside from the three of them, the only creature present for the fish incident had been the bear itself. Herself?

"Must've been Simon," John hedges, just in time for the man in question to come easing through the saloon doors, quiet as a mouse save for the way he read allowed from his phone.

"'Zero out of five stars. A real shame about the service. With its beautiful open store front and kitchen I swear I could smell a mile away, I thought I'd found the perfect new watering 'ole. Boy was I wrong. They threw a fish at me! Didn't even let me stay until the end of the second period before calling authorities on me. So rude. Chicken was good.'" Simon eyes them from under his heavy brow. "Cap, you know what this means?"

"My ratings are now arse?"

"Our Johnny's learned to spell."

"Ye fockin' -!"

"Alright," John cut Soap off sternly. "Was it you, Si?"

"Please." The big man lumbers closer, tabling his phone as he leans across the bar to join their huddle. "If I wanted to ruin your reputation, I'd just stop coming to work."

John sighs, bewildered about their predicament, but believing his mate all the same. Soap, then. Meddling bastard. He hangs his head, catching a glimpse of Simon's phone in the process. "Oh look, we've got a defender." 

Soap leans past Simon's shoulder to read the comment below the review asking MamaBear what she did to deserve such treatment. "Ah know him. Regular. Ah'll 'spill' his first round next time he comes in."

"Good lad," John agrees. At a loss, he pulls his own phone back to himself and taps MamaBear's icon again, hoping to glean something new -.

And frowns in shock when he sees a new comment posted, thirty seconds ago.

"'Was just trying to watch the game!'" he recites.

The other men frown in confusion at him and John simply reaches over, refreshing Simon's page to display MamaBear's responding comment under the other one. Even Simon looks confused, eyes darting to Soap suspiciously. 

"How'd you do that?" he demands, and Soap starts whinging about never being believed or something, but John's not listening. Too busy coming to terms with the fact that he may be the kind of man who's willing to believe a bloody bear wrote a Google review.

next>>

[shyamdasgupta]

Kolkatar big fish market

Galiff Street Cheapest Aquarium Fish Market Kolkata | Recent Week Aquarium Fish Price | 19 Feb 2023, Watch more

[gazs-blue-hat]

Chapter 3 of my King Johnny MacTavish x Siren Reader!

Warnings: mild mentions of a brewing conflict. Political strife. (If I missed anything, please let me know)

AN: Dedicated once more to @sprout-fics who enables all my winding Johnny thoughts.

Word count: 2,170

The winter months had parted ways for spring a few weeks after Johnny had gone out on the water alone. The icicles on the castle had started to thaw, filling the air with the soft sounds of dripping water and the occasional crack of ice giving way. The people in the town below had started their springtime gardens, working the soil with their tools to plant seeds that would eventually grow to nourish their families come fall. The children had started running about outside once more, their squeals and laughter flowing like a joyous river through the valley.

Johnny wasn’t able to enjoy the spring. He wasn’t able to feel the warm sun on his face, or listen to the children that were playing. He wasn’t able to even watch the icicles dripping outside his windows. He was stuck sitting in some delegation meeting with his council. He sat restlessly in his chair, feeling the plush blue fabric under his fingers crease as he tightened his grip on the armrest. He wasn’t built for this! He wasn’t meant to sit in on political affairs like trade negotiations and which of his neighbors wanted more land or…

“Your highness? Are you feeling alright?” His spymaster had paused her briefing to look at him, eyebrows furrowed. He perked up, straightening his posture that had been distinctly unkingly. He cleared his throat and nodded, looking down at the map before him. He recognized the kingdoms before him, and he frowned as he saw the lines that had been drawn on the parchment.

The skirmishes in the south have been steadily growing more and more intense. That particular nation had always been hungry for conflict, and they above all else desired the small nation that Johnny had found himself king of. The spymaster had been giving him a report on the subtle events occurring in the courts to the South and he had spent it daydreaming.

“I’m alright Kate. Please continue.” He watched as Kate nodded and began to gesture once more at the map, speaking on the recent union between two families in the southern court. Johnny did his best to pay attention, even going so far as grabbing a piece of parchment to write notes on. He did well, at first, listing a few ideas he had to perhaps smooth things over. He knew that the southern lands were locked from the sea, perhaps he could open his ports and allow them to launch ships from his territories on the sea.

“What if we opened the river to them? Allowed their trade ships to exit there and to the ocean?” His statement caused the people gathered at the table to freeze and look at him. Kate straightened for a moment and looked down at the map, nodding to herself. His military officer, a man named John Price, shifted in his seat, his plate armor clicking softly as he puffed on the cigar in his mouth. “I don’t see why not. We have outposts on the rivers near the largest settlements. If anything happened, we’d know about it in minutes.” The gruff man looked at Johnny and nodded his approval.

Johnny smiled to himself, pleased that he had come up with a solution to a possible problem. He wasn’t not intelligent. He knew the seas as well as the fish themselves, and could maneuver a massive ship in the middle of a firefight. He could muster a crew so fearless that they were willing to face the coldest and most dangerous seas with him. He was intelligent, just not…politically intelligent.

Johnny picked up his pencil again, the tip dulling from the notes he had been scribbling. He picked up a knife and sharpened the tip, not really paying attention to what was being said until there was a quiet mention of her. He coughed and the tip of the knife slipped, catching against the callused end of his thumb. He cursed and shook the appendage, slipping a handkerchief from his pocket and pressing it to the wound. It was only then that he noticed all eyes were on him.

“Alright there Johnny?” His knight captain, the perpetually helmed giant of a man leaned forward, head tilting to the side as he inspected his king. Johnny nodded, grumbling under his breath. “I’m fine, I’m fine. What was that you were just mentioning?”

The tradmaster sighed and crossed his arms, looking a bit concerned but also irritated. “Ships, MacTavish! Ships. Smaller trading vessels belonging to the eastern kingdoms have been going missing! Shipments of luxury goods haven’t been making it to their destinations and the magisters wanted to know if the same thing was happening to us.” Johnny never liked that man, his face always twisted in a scowl.

“I would have assumed you would know about this already, seeing as you can’t tear your gaze away from the sea for ten bloody minutes.” Johnny turned and gently whacked his other advisor, Kyle Garrick, on the arm.

“Shut yer mouth! You know as well as I do the stories about the sea! If ye don't-“ Kyle interrupted him by waving away his comment, a smile on his face. “I know, I know. But it does draw into question a few things. Who’s out there hunting ships? It sure as hell isn’t us, and the most aggressive state is landlocked.” Kyle leaned back and looked at Kate, who shrugged and looked at Price, who then exhaled a plume of smoke and looked at the surgeon. The surgeon shrugged and looked over at Johnny who was doodling on the paper before him.

“Johnny? Are you paying attention?” The words of the surgeon snapped him out of his drawing and he looked up, blushing slightly. Price sighed softly and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’ve got to get a grip on this obsession son. You haven’t been sleeping and your attention span is out the window.” Price sighed heavily and stood, chair groaning against the wooden floor as he pushed back.

“We can implement the shipping idea that his majesty gave us. That should buy us enough time to figure out more of a permanent solution to the conflict and the sinking ships.” Price’s words were strong in the chamber, spurring the others into action. Kate gathered the maps with the help of Kyle, the Knight Captain and the Surgeon snuffed the candles while Johnny stood and gathered his notes. As people filed out, Johnny nodded and mumbled his thanks for their patience and his assurance that he would be back to normal soon.

Soon it was just himself and Price sitting in the dimly lit room, a single candle illuminating their faces. Johnny rested his head in his hands, shaking it gently. “That was a shite meeting and you know it.” Price’s grumbling baritone echoed off the stone walls, filling Johnny with more shame than he already felt.

“Aye…I know. I just…” he looked up, a pleading expression on his face. “Can’t you do this? Take the crown and rule in my stead? I don’t mind abdication, in fact I’m all for it! I ju-“ Price cut him off by exhaling deeply, a cough settling in his chest.

“You know I can’t. You know the laws of the land, your birthright-“

“I dinnae care about that! I just want to see the sea again! I never wanted this life and you know it! You were with me on that fuckin’ ship! You know what happened and what I had to-“ Price slammed his hands down on the table, interrupting Johnny’s train of thought.

“It doesn’t bloody well matter what you wanted! You’re here now and no amount of bitching and moaning will get you anywhere!” Price stood, pushing in his chair and stalking over to the seated king. He leaned close to Johnny’s ear, his fingers plucking the cigar out of his mouth so he could speak unobstructed. “You need to get your head on straight Johnny, before someone comes up here and takes it from you.”

Price stood, gripped Johnny’s shoulder tightly and then exited the room, leaving Johnny alone with his thoughts. With a heavy sigh he reached into his pocket and pulled the pouch of scales from inside. He removed one and rubbed it between his fingers, feeling the tension leave his shoulders almost immediately. The scale seemed to glimmer from an internal light, something he was desperately missing in his life.

Johnny stood up himself, heading to the balcony that had been left open during the meeting. The salty sea breeze flowed into the room, tousling his hair and almost pulling him to the slickened stone. He stepped out into the cobbles, resting his forearms on the salted stones. The ocean was particularly boisterous today, acting almost playful as the wind pushed the waves into breaking over the rocky surf.

He thought back to what Price had said and he frowned. His old friend was right. He needed to let go of the past and start living in the present. He placed the small scale back in the pouch and sinched it closed. He then drew back his arm and tossed the bag as hard as he possibly could, watching it soar through the air like a bird set free from her cage. The bag arced beautifully through the air before landing in the surf, sinking like a stone.

Johnny sighed softly to himself and turned to head back inside when he felt something wet and heavy slap against the back of his head. He turned quickly, drawing his saber once more before looking down at the projectile. It was the pouch! The pouch full of scales had been returned to him.

With a scoff and a shake of his head, he launched it again, further than before and watched it sink below the waves. He kept his eye on the waves this time, watching a figure hoist the bag and then launch it back at him. He caught the projectile as it hit against his hand, water splashing across his face. The figure didn’t disappear beneath the waves, staying up and…coming closer.

The siren from before drew closer, her scales glimmering in the setting sunlight and form shimmering under the golden waves. She bared her teeth at him but didn’t hiss, treading water and staring up at him with her impossibly beautiful eyes. He dropped the pouch again, watching as she caught it. She opened the bag and looked at the scales inside. Johnny’s heart pounded like a war drum in his chest as she furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head, emptying the bag of scales into the sea. Was she disappointed he kept them? Was she angry?

He felt a lump swell up in his throat as he watched her pluck a few loose scales from her tail and hips, placing the shiniest and largest ones in the bag. She gently closed the bag, pressing her teeth against the top to really be sure it was closed. She then angled herself so Johnny could see her magnificent tail. It was still a bit tattered but it had clearly been healing from the damage it had sustained in the storm. She set the bag on the flukes and then with a mighty shove, she flipped the bag into the air and into his awaiting hands.

When he looked back into the water, she had gone, but he had this new batch of scales to tide him over until he saw her next. His siren…

He returned to the drawing room, a new determination settling in his soul. He would be a good king. He had to be a good king. If not for his people, then for her. He’d protect her from conflict, he’d protect her from seeing warships in her oceans. He pushed the doors to the castle open exiting the room and causing a breeze to lift the notes he had taken into the air and over to the balcony.

The sea breeze ruffled the edges of said papers until they gracefully lifted up and fluttered over the side of the parapets. The twisted and turned in the air, being buffeted by gales of fated wind. The papers floated down and danced in the sky until they settled into the water and the awaiting hands of…you.

You, the siren who washed up on his beach during the storm of the century. You, who had gifted him riches and bared your teeth at his presence. You, who played catch with him and gifted him some of your scales. You looked down at what once had been notes on the meeting but now had become drawings of ships and strange figures distorted by what looked to be sketched water.

You turned it in your hands, the water ruining the paper and lifting the charcoal off the face of it. Before the sea could remove all trace or Johnny MacTavish from the paper, you caught a glimpse of yourself. He had sketched your face so clearly and you couldn’t help but bare your teeth in a smile.

Until next time, my Captain.

[midnight-oily]

nashuri cosmic horror | 3/3 | 12.0k words | ao3

“Y’called Captain?”

“It’s unfortunate but Miss Shuri has left us no choice. We must free her from that creature’s influence.”

“...aye, Captain.”

“May she find some comfort that her final resting place will be in the sea.”

—

As the fog rolls through on this somber night, Professor Shuri Udaku tip-toes her way to the bow of the fishing vessel. Heart pounding loudly, she peered over the edge of the railing to stare into the endless dark of the ocean. The flickering light of the moon on the water made it seem like the whole cosmos was dancing upon the calm waves. A trick of the light perhaps but Shuri knew that there was something to it—something enigmatic.

“Namor…” She murmurs quietly, wrapping her arms around her waist, “Where are you?”

El niño sin amor.

Her memory flickers to the first time she heard that wretched name, given to the legendary creature that haunted these waters. It was on a night like this one—somber and cold. The crew was already half drunk, sipping on canisters of bitter alcohol to keep chill away from their toes and fingers. Shuri sat further away, maintaining a cordial distance to the group with her own cup of warm tea. No alcohol for her. She has seen the dark glint in some of these men’s eyes—she would keep her wits about her.

The fishermen were already not happy about having a woman on board but she was wealthy enough to shut them up. Even with their misogyny, men cannot resist their endless greed for wealth. She remembers the hunger in the crew gaze as she pulled out large stacks of bills. So little is known about the marine life in the area that she was willing to pay exorbitant prices to have a spot upon one of the few vessels that dared to sail these waters. This patch of sea is her only option left. She was running out of time.

Shuri is the youngest distinguished professor at Oxford—an achievement that came from her groundbreaking research exploring the greatest mystery of their time: the ocean. The new species of coelacanth she discovered off the coast of Sri Lanka led to a breakthrough in cancer research due to their unusually high healing factor. As a reward, her face was plastered upon many prestigious scientific magazines and she was lauded as one of the greatest minds of their time. A short-lived fame however. People’s memories are short and that discovery was seven years ago. Nothing she has discovered recently has ever matched up to it and there was pressure in her department to publish something substantial or risk having their funding cut.

So, she struck a deal with a fairly dubious captain and his crew. She would be left alone to conduct her scientific inquiries and in return, she agreed to not to interfere with any of the fishermen’s work.

The arrangement worked well enough. There were a few grumblings on board about all the space her scientific equipment would be taking up on the deck but the captain kept the crew’s grips in check with the promise of a cut of her money. Most of her days were boring and uneventful. Shuri would spend her mornings with her notebook in hand, taking notes on all the readings her equipment took over the night. She would then write up her findings in the afternoon underneath a baking sun before spending her evenings in her own private cabin, eating a lukewarm meal that barely kept her warm during the cold, wet nights.

Finally, tired of only having the four walls of her cabin to keep her company, she agreed to join the crew on deck for dinner. Though regret simmers in her gut as she cringes at all the lewd jokes and remarks thrown around between the crew members. As the alcohol flowed, so did these men’s tongues. Luckily, most of them just ignored her. Most of them.

“Did the locals -hic- tell ya about it missus?” One of the men, an American that smells like a wet dog, stumbles towards her, “There’s a beast that haunts these waters. A beast with -hic- dagger teeth and eyes of night that consumes the souls of black hearted men! Nobody dares try to sail over here because of the bastard.”

Shuri flinches as the American looms over her, the stench of alcohol filling her nostrils, “Lucky for you, we are the only dumbfucks brave enough to get on this boat. We aren’t afraid of some el-neen-o-s’more!”

“¡Orale, guey!” scolds another man, a local sailor with missing teeth, “How many times have I told you? It’s el niño sin amor.”

The boy without love. A chill runs up Shuri’s spine.

“That’s what I fucking said! El Neeno–Simor–sin amur–fucking damn—Namor. Yeah, Namor—that's what the captain said it’s name was. Better be careful, missus!”

The local sailor shakes his head, “Keep my beautiful language out of your mouth, guerito.”

“Fuck off, I’ll keep my cock in your ma’s mouth if I want—”

The man wasn’t able to finish his sentence before the local sailor smashed his fist into the side of his jaw. With a loud crack, the man topples over onto his back and the rest of the crew swarm around him including the captain. Shuri is frozen in place, shocked at the violence that had just taken place.

“He’s alive, cap. Nothing feels broken.”

“Carry him to his bunk and let him sleep it off,” grumbles the captain, “Rest of you? Party’s over.”

Shuri decides not to join the crew for dinner again after that.

(Read the rest on AO3! Mind the tags. Eventual 18+ and updates every Sunday)

[silverflame2724]

Alternate universe where Su She admires and wishes to support Wei Wuxian for saving her life 2 times (Aquatic Abysses and Xuanwu Cave) in addition tobe convinced that he hates Lan Wangji and Jin Zixun too

I actually quite like this prompt so forgive me for taking so long to write it! Hope you enjoy!

____________________________

Su Minshan thought that this was the end. That his arrogance that he thought he could match up to Lan-we-gongzi would be his downfall.

Never would he have thought that Wei Wuxian, whose was thought to be the most arrogant of all, would disregard his own safety to help someone like him!

But Wei Wuxian was known more for his speed than strength and was soon weighed down by Su Minshan.

Su Minshan thought that Wei Wuxian would do the obvious thing and let him go to save himself. As he had seen many others do.

But no.

Wei Wuxian did not do the smart thing and let him go. He weaved through the relentless attacks of the waterborne abyss, holding him even tighter than before.

In the end though, they had to rely on Lan-er-gongzi’s arm strength to pull them out. Wei Wuxian teased the young master, only to receive the expected biting sarcasm as before. Su Minshan might have missed it if he weren’t so close, but Wei Wuxian’s hand trembled with an unseen hurt.

Su Minshan narrowed his eyes at this. He would make sure to repay his savior, Wei Wuxian. Not now, but perhaps when he has the necessary power and resources. Or, at a good time.

He found an opportunity soon enough. Jin Zixuan was famously known for disrespecting Wei Wuxian’s Shijie. While Su Minshan did not want to draw a sect heir’s ire, if he could get revenge for his saviour somehow, wouldn’t Wei Wuxian look upon him with favor?

So he put his plan into motion in the coming few days.

.

.

The common people were rather grateful to him and the others that helped contained the Waterborne Abyss so it was easy to buy a bunch of fish at a cheap price.

He planned to donate the fish to the Cloud Recesses’ kitchens - he was not naive - wasting food was just wrong - only asking for the scraps of the fish - namely the guts. Of course, to not implicate himself, he had left the fish in special storage containers after gutting the fish. Soon after, Su Minshan waited until the afternoon, made sure his savior was locked up in the Library Pavilion to complete his copying punishment and smeared most of the fish guts all over Jin Zixuan’s room.

The reason he waited until Wei Wuxian was in the Library Pavilion was because he knew people would be quick to blame his savior for the incident. After all, Jin Zixuan had recentlymade a snide remark about Jiang Yanli recently and Su Minshan had watched Wei Wuxian tremble with rage, being barely held back by his shidis. Wei Wuxian had ample motive to carry out this revenge and Su Minshan wished not to implicate him.

Jin Zixuan soon arrived in his room and nearly retched at the smell. Su Minshan grinned. 

Jin Zixuan had raged for a while, thinking it was Wei Wuxian, but when questioned, Wei Wuxian had been in the library completing his punishment. There was not enough time for him to do that to Jin Zixuan and no one had seen him anywhere near Jin Zixuan’s room.

Wei Wuxian was let go and Su Minshan sighed in relief. Revenge complete.

...................................

Wei Wuxian was evidently a lot smarter than people thought and quickly found out that it was Su Minshan who had done that. Turns out he hadn’t been as sneaky as he had thought.

When asked why, Su Minshan merely smiled. “Wei-gongzi, you rescued me, remember? This is what I should do to repay you.”

“Ah...that--” Wei Wuxian looked sheepish. “Thank you.....umm....”

“Su She, Su Minshan. I know we never got introduced to each other.”

“Then.. Su-xiong. Thank you, really.” He gave Su Minshan a bright smile. “I really appreciate it.”

Su Minshan felt elated being recognized like this. “Can....Can we be friends?”

Wei Wuxian grinned. “Of course! Call me Wei-xiong or Wei Wuxian, whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“Okay, Wei Wuxian.”

After an invitation to join Wei Wuxian and his friends was offered, Su Minshan agreed and parted soon after. He had classes to get to. But when he turned around, he was met with a glare from Lan-er-gongzi. Which was odd considering he hadn’t done anything.

But, as Su Minshan found out, Lan-er-gongzi was jealous. Jealous of the closeness between them, of the casual, affectionate touches Wei Wuxian gave everyone but him.

Hmph. If he was so jealous, he shouldn’t have hurt Wei Wuxian’s feelings.

.................................

It was regrettable, but the time the guest disciples were here came to an end. Wei Wuxian promised to write letters to him and Su Minshan was elated at that. 

However, he had to breathe a sigh of relief at the same time. He had had a tough time keeping Wei Wuxian from punching Jin Zixuan and getting sent home early, but thanks to Su She’s interference, it didn’t end up like that. He even spent a lot of time distracting Wei Wuxian from mischief that the Jiang clan always seemed to draw him into.

But, thanks to that, Wei Wuxian and him had become close. 

And perhaps, because of that closeness, Su Minshan despised Lan Wangji. That man had finally had the balls to approach Wei Wuxian after the other had left him alone and only had the harshest things to say. Watching Wei Wuxian flinch imperceptibly had made him shake with anger.

Su Minshan took great joy in making sure Wei Wuxian hardly ever crossed paths with Lan Wangji and seeing Lan Wangji’s distraught face from afar. Eventually, Wei Wuxian avoided Lan Wangji on his own and Su Minshan was satisfied seeing Wei Wuxian finally start to dislike the Second Jade.

Childishly, he wanted to stick his tongue out at the man.

...........................................................

However, tragedy struck. The Cloud Recesses burned and they barely had time to recover before being forced into an indoctrination. As usual, Wei Wuxian took care of everyone and did his best to make sure everyone's spirits were up, even Lan Wangji's. Su Minshan might have disliked Lan Wangji for his treatment of Wei Wuxian, but after what had happened, Su Minshan didn't block Wei Wuxian from assisting Lan Wangji. Especially since Lan Wangji's leg was broken during the Wen invasion.

.

.

Wen Chao is a terrible, good-for-nothing and Su Minshan wants nothing more than to crush him. But as weakened as he was and how surrounded by Wens they were, there was not much he could do. However.....when push came to shove and a girl - Luo Qingyang, if he recalled correctly - was to be bled to force out whatever beast was in the cave, Wei Wuxian, as always, came up with a great solution and held Wen Chao at sword point, effectively stopping the Wens' movement. Not even a few minutes later, a huge murderous turtle moved from underneath Wei Wuxian, distracting everyone. This was Su Minshan's chance!

Wen Zhuliu had been a deterrent to all. The Core-Melting hand had been a big reason for everyone's hesitance to rebel. If he was gone.....

Su Minshan sent a strong kick towards Wen Zhuliu's back and quickly hid amongst the panic. He watched in satisfaction as Wen Zhuliu was snapped up in the turtle's jaws and quickly swallowed down.

There. He won't bother anyone ever again.

..................................

He didn't want to. Wei Wuxian had volunteered to stay behind and distract the monster to allow everyone to escape. Su Minshan wanted to stay behind but Wei Wuxian grinned and pushed him out.

"Don't worry. I'll be right behind you. Thanks for worrying though, Minshan."

Su Minshan nodded and reluctantly started to leave with the others. He turned around to say goodbye and saw the turtle snap at Wei Wuxian.

"Wei-xiong, watch out!"

Wei Wuxian turned too late. However....Lan Wangji had pushed him out of the way and gotten captured by the turtle instead. He didn't see what happened next as he was pulled underwater and through the exit.

.........................................

He didn't see Wei Wuxian when they exited the cave. He heard, of course, how they killed the Xuanwu of Slaughter. But didn't see him. He didn't see Wei Wuxian at all until he came back, cloaked in darkness.

He pushed everyone away and his sunlight-like smile was replaced by a manic grin. Su Minshan of course knew what might have happened. He had heard of the burning of Lotus Pier, of the loss of their disciples. And, of course, Wei Wuxian being captured by Wen Chao. There were rumors and whispers from the Wen guards that Wen Chao tossed Wei Wuxian into the Burial Mounds.

Most brushed that off, saying it was impossible for anyone to survive it. But not Su Minshan. He knew that that had probably happened. What with Wei Wuxian controlling resentful energy, his uncharacteristic attitude towards the Wens, towards his friends.

No one gets out of the Burial Mounds alive. And, perhaps, in a way, that is true. For the Wei Wuxian they all knew - the sunshine-bright boy - was gone.

But what Wei Wuxian needed was not judgement, like that bastard Jin Zixun. It wasn't pity (or whatever Lan Wangji was attempting to do). It was support. And if Su Minshan could provide that for him, he who remembered him and saved him over and over again. Su Minshan would be satisfied with that.

...................................

"Wei-xiong."

"Hm? Minshan? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Su Minshan shook his head. "I'm fine." He paused. "Well, as fine as anyone could be with the war going on. But I'm worried about you."

"Me? I'm fine, there's nothing wrong." Wei Wuxian put his shields up, eyes shifty and nervous.

"Wei-xiong.....we're friends, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then, you should know that I support you, right?"

"But doesn't GusuLan have rules against demonic cultivation?"

"Sure they do. But you're not evil. Those rules are bullshit sometimes. Like they think that just by following the "orthodox" path, you can avoid being evil. But if that were true, the Wens wouldn't have done all of this."

Wei Wuxian gave a small chuckle. "That's true enough."

"Now, Wei-xiong, I heard from many Wen guards that you were tossed in the Burial Mounds." Wei Wuxian paled. "Now while most refuse to believe that. I believe that that had happened. How else would you have such mastery over it? You love to boast about your cultivation. Why would you risk tainting it with demonic cultivation? Something must have forced you to use it."

"You're quite smart." Wei Wuxian whispered after some time.

"Heh. One of my best strengths." Su Minshan felt happy at the praise. "But most people are idiots."

Wei Wuxian laughed again. "You're the best. Thank you."

"No problem. You've always saved me. I would be an idiot to not help you in return. If you can't accept my help, think of it as a debt I want to pay back to you."

"Alright." Wei Wuxian smiled, not as bright as before, but still there. "Alright."

________________________________

Lol. Anon, you asked for me to have a Su Minshan that wishes to support Wei Wuxian but I took it as Su Minshan actively supporting Wei Wuxian from the shadows. Let me know if this is fine or if you'd like me to change it!

[burnwater13]

Boba Fett and Din Djarin protecting Mos Espa from the Pyke Syndicate. Image from The Book of Boba Fett, Season 1, Episode 7, In the Name of Honor. Calendar from DataWorks.

If there was one thing that made Grogu happy about all the adventures he’d been on recently was that he had found a Mandalorian who acted more like his dad than those other Mandos. Boba Fett wasn’t trying to lead and just giving up. Nope. Not him. According to Fennec, Boba Fett never gave up on anything or anyone. 

Grogu smiled thinking about that. His dad was just like that. Din Djarin didn’t give up. He didn’t sit back. He didn’t pout. As least he didn’t pout about work going sideways. He pouted a lot when Grogu just happened to have gotten mud on his armor or maybe left a bag of dung worms in the N-1 a day too long. Wow. Grogu could feel that pouting in a real way.

Aside from the unexpected outcomes of playtime, Grogu knew that when his dad was faced with adversity, the Mandalorian just became more determined to see the task out to the end, bitter or otherwise. 

“Well, my young friend, Mandalorians know more about adversity than most people you will ever meet. Certainly an individual may have a life filled with conflict an pain. But few other peoples have been so singled out for such universal treatment. I suppose it was because they were too good.”

Grogu perked up and paid more attention to the Daimyo. He had really just been looking from one man to the other. He hadn’t said anything. He hadn’t actually even made a peep, coo, or grumble. For a change of pace he had been simply silent. 

“Your face is very expressive. Particularly your eyes. I have been told that they are the same color as your father’s, as mine match my father’s.”

The Daimyo smiled at him and looked both proud and sad. 

“You rarely mention your father. Was he a bounty hunter?”

Din Djarin asked the question quietly, as was his habit within the throne room. 

“He was. A Mandalorian bounty hunter who was taken advantage of by the Old Republic and the Jedi Counsel. You know about the Clone Wars?”

Grogu nodded his head. He, personally, would have liked to have forgotten about them, but when someone like Moff Gideon spent time tracking you down, you couldn’t forget about anything that caused the fall of the Old Republic or the rise of the Empire. 

“I do. I know about the Separatists. I know that the Jedi were involved. By the time things were at there worst I was already on Concordia. The Mandalorians who trained me did not speak of it, except to say that it was a fool’s errand and no good could come of it. They were right about that, given how it ended.”

Grogu was surprised that his Dad didn’t sound as annoyed, bitter, and, not quite smug, but more aggrieved, than he usually did when this topic popped up. Perhaps he was striking a more neutral tone because of the affect that whole sequence of events had on the Daimyo. 

“They were right. But it did not start that simply. You know the Jedi have visions. There are those who say they can see the future. That ability served them poorly. They recognized that they might one day need a fighting force. One that was much larger than the Old Republic kept on hand. So the project on Kamino was started in secret.”

The Daimyo took a deep breath and Grogu almost told him that they could skip the story and go fishing if it all hurt him too much to think about. 

“I am fine. I have lived with many painful memories and their pain did not lesson because I ignored them, my friend. Now, where was I? Oh, yes. You cannot have a fighting force without the people necessary. But where would you get such a force? The Jedi knew too much and not enough. They went to Kamino, as the Kaminoans were well known for their skills at cloning, and found a willing partner in their enterprise. For a price. After that, they just needed to find a template. Clones were used for many things back then, young one. Whatever task a business might need to perform but they did not have the staff, they would either assign to droids or to clones. If you had enough funds they would rent a workforce to you for whatever specified period of time that you needed them. Then they were retired.”

Daimyo Fett laughed at that. 

“It sounds much nicer than it was, my friend. Retired is just a nice way to say that the clones were ended. They had no individual rights as they were clones. Not a unique person but merely a copy of a unique person. That is at least what they told my father and he told me. You see, when they began to look for the template for the Jedi’s fighting force they realized that they couldn’t clone a Jedi. Something about the Force affects the process. They never perfected it. 

Without being able to use a Jedi they came to the conclusion that the Jedi’s enemy would be the best source material and only one group of people had survived being the Jedi’s enemy for any length of time. Mandalorians. Funny, isn’t it? You and I and your father, we are good friends and not enemies at all. But back then heads were not so cool, on any side.”

Another deep breath. 

“My father, Jango, was an accomplished bounty hunter. Best in the galaxy according to the records the Kaminoans kept about him. They approached him and he agreed to be the template. Oh, it wasn’t quite as simple as that, but what a father tells a son may often be affected by sentiment. My father was a sentimental man. That is why I exist. You see, I am not his son in the typical way. I am his clone. A duplicate, you see. And for a time I had more than 3,000,000 brothers. They became the fighting force that the Jedi and the Old Republic needed to address the Separatists. Unfortunately for the Jedi they trusted people who should not be trusted. I say that not as their enemy, but as a student of the past. When you buy cooperation from people like the Kaminoans, you may discover it is as easily sold to another. Which they found was the case, much to their, and no doubt your, dismay.”

The Daimyo fell silent for a moment. Grogu didn’t know if he was doing that because he remembered how his own father fell or out of kindness to Grogu or kindness to Din Djarin. All three of them had lost loved ones due to the that conflict.

“I was able to escape. Take my father’s ship and leave those immediate problems behind, but I never forgot the stories my father had told me about being a bounty hunter. It had been a better life for him and I was determined to honor him by taking that up. It is hard work and not for the faint of heart. You must take a risk and work it all the way to the end. If you fail at it, well, the end is bitter and you are cold. Very cold.”

“Boss, are you telling sad stories again? The three of you look like something the rancor dragged into that enclosure it spends all its time in. Cheer up. It’s a beautiful day out. I am told that rain is in the forecast and you know what that means.”

Grogu jumped just like the Daimyo and his dad at the sound of Fennec’s cheerful voice.

“No Fennec. I do not know what that means. Enlighten us, please.”

“Flowers. Little flowers will pop up all over Tatooine. I’m told it’s beautiful. Isn’t that right, Mando?”

Grogu turned to look at his dad. He was about to scold him soundly, but his dad beat him to it. 

“It is. Very beautiful. If you start now, you might be able to collect enough to make a posey. I’m sure that ‘friend’ of yours would like it.”

The Daimyo burst out laughing and Grogu laughed with him. He didn’t know why it was funny, but he was glad to have the opportunity to laugh. Maybe this was how Mandalorians were able to survive so much? They never forgot the present, even when they were talking about the past. In any case, he coo’d to Fennec that he was willing to pick flowers with her, but he was too late. She had vanished as quickly as she had appeared just a few moments earlier. Just like the flowers would.