#source: lucy rice

[viandclintbarton-supremacy]

Lionesses Cub (England Womens and Mens imagine) Gender Neutral Reader

The moment had arrived when F/N's teammates decided it was time to let them in on a little secret. that the Lionesses had a tendency to "baby" them from time to time. It had been a source of amusement among the team and they couldn't resist spilling the beans.

One evening, while the teams was gathered in their hotel room, Rice, Grealish, Foden and Pickford sat F/N down for a serious discussion, or so it seemed. They all wore exaggerated, stern expressions that F/N couldn't help but find suspicious.

"F/N" Declan Rice began, his voice grave, "there's something we need to talk to you about."

F/N raised an eyebrow, glancing around at their friends. "What's going on?"

Jack Grealish leaned forward, placing a hand on F/N's shoulder for dramatic effect. "You see, mate, we've noticed something... peculiar."

Phil Foden chimed in with an equally serious tone. "It's about the Lionesses, F/N. They seem to have a soft spot for you."

Jordan Pickford nodded gravely. "A very, very soft spot."

F/N's confusion deepened. "Soft spot? What are you guys talking about?"

Declan Rice cleared his throat and then began to recount some rather amusing incidents involving the Lionesses. "Remember that time Bronze tied your shoelaces during practice?"

*FLASHBACK*

"Oi, F/N," she called, her voice carrying across the field.

F/N looked up, Their brow furrowing in confusion. "Yeah, Lucy?"

Lucy, not one to beat around the bush, simply bent down and began to tie F/N's shoelaces, Much to F/N's confused face

"Lucy, I've got it," F/N protested, trying to pull their foot away, but Lucy's grip was firm.

"Nonsense," she replied playfully slapping their boot to signal stop moving. "We can't have you tripping over your own shoelaces, can we? Safety first, mate."

The male players couldn't help but watch the spectacle, their amusement growing with each passing moment. F/N's protests grew more and more comical as they tried to wriggle out of Lucy's grasp.

"Lucy, seriously, I can tie my own shoelaces," They insisted, but Lucy was having none of it.

"There you go," she declared triumphantly, having successfully tied a perfect knot. She gave Jack's boot a playful pat. "All done. You're welcome." Lucy said with a smile and ran back on the pitch

F/N sighed in disbelief , realizing that there was no arguing with Lucy's determined instincts.

*FLASHBACK END*

F/N's eyes widened in realization. "...........that was one time.......well she still does it" they looked down scratching the back of their head

Jack Grealish couldn't contain his laughter. "And what about when Millie Bright offered to carry your bags after training because they looked heavy?"

*FLASHBACK*

"Oi, F/N," she called out, her voice carrying across the hallway. "Need a hand with that?"

F/N, determined to prove that they could handle their bag on their own, shook their head vigorously. "Nah, I've got it Millie. Thanks though."

But Millie was having none of it. Ignoring F/N's protest, she strolled over to them, a confident grin on her face. she grabbed the heavy bag, hoisted it onto her shoulder and began to carry it up the stairs with ease.

F/N stood there, their mouth agape, watching in awe as Millie Bright effortlessly managed what they had struggled with just moments ago. Rachel Daly who was walking with Bright couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

But Millie wasn't finished. Once she had deposited F/N's bag at the top of the stairs, she turned back to him with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Alright, F/N, hop on!" she declared.

F/N, baffled and unsure of what she meant, "Hop on what?"

Without Warning, Rachel lightly pushed F/N into Millie who simply crouched down and pick them up onto her shoulders into a firemens carry

F/N's eyes widened in disbelief. "You've got to be joking!" They said turning red in the cheeks as Millie walked up the stars

As they reached the top of the stairs, Jack Grealish, who had been nursing a hangover in a nearby room and had wandered out to see what the commotion was about, stood there, wide-eyed and utterly baffled by the sight before him.

He rubbed his eyes, thinking he must be seeing things due to the remnants of his hangover. Without a word, he turned on his heel and quietly slipped away, leaving the scene behind.

*FLASHBACK END*

F/N covered thier face "She didnt put me down till we got to my hotel room door"

Phil Foden added with a grin, "Or when Hemp gave you THAT pep talk?"

*FLASHBACK*

"F/N" F/N who was sitting at a pub watching a game turned to see Lauren Hemp. her tone filled with the conviction of a big sister, "you've got this. You just need to walk up to them, look them in the eye and be confident."

F/N, slightly bewildered by Lauren's words, furrowed their brow. "Huh? What are you talking about, Lauren?"

Lauren leaned in closer, giving F/N an encouraging nod. "Don't be shy, F/N. Just go for it. We're all here to support you."

Y/N, still a bit perplexed, glanced back at the television screen and then back at Lauren. "Are you ok?, Lauren? I'm just watching the match."

Lauren, not one to back down, was convinced she had caught Y/n in the act of asking out a stranger. "Come on, Y/N! Life's too short. Ask them out!"

F/N's confusion deepened, but before they could explain that they was not interested in anyone at the bar, Lauren, with an encouraging pat on the back, said, "You've got this. Just be yourself."

With that, Lauren Hemp left the pub, leaving a bemused F/N and a chuckling Phil Foden in her wake.

F/N turned to Foden with an incredulous expression. "Did she just...?"

Foden burst into laughter, shaking his head. "I think she thought you were about to make a move on someone at the bar, mate."

*FLASHBACKEND *

Jordan Pickford chuckled. "And let's not forget Mary , who made you a cup of tea and said you needed to relax after a tough match."

*FLASHBACK*

"F/N, you look like you could use a pick me up. How about a nice cup of tea?"

F/N, always appreciative of a comforting cuppa, nodded gratefully. "That sounds perfect, Mary. Thanks."

Mary bustled about, preparing a cup of tea with precision and care. handed the steaming cup to F/N, but she leaned in with a whisper.

"F/N, I have to give you a piece of advice," she began, her tone serious.

F/N raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's that?"

Mary's expression grew solemn as she leaned in closer. "Promise me, you'll never, ever drink Lipton tea."

F/N blinked in surprise. Lipton tea? It wasn't their favourite brand anyway, but Mary's dramatic warning piqued his curiosity.

"Why not, Mary?" they asked, playing along.

"Because it's just not proper tea, F/N. You deserve better."

F/N couldn't help but burst into laughter at Mary's playful theatrics. "Don't worry, Mary, I'll steer clear of Lipton. I wouldn't want to offend the tea gods."

Mary grinned, satisfied with her mission accomplished. "That's the spirit, F/N. Stick to the good stuff."

*FLASHBACK END*

As the stories continued to flow, F/N's face shifted from confusion to a mix of embarrassment and amusement. They couldn't believe they had never noticed these "babying" moments from the Lionesses before.

"You guys are having a laugh, right? Has Jack been on a pub crawl with you guys again?" F/N said, realizing and trying to deny that they had been on the receiving end of some well-intentioned but sometimes humorous acts of care from their female counterparts.

The room erupted in laughter as their friends confirmed the truth of their stories. "Mate, you're like the Lionesses' little Sibling!" Grealish exclaimed, still chuckling.

F/N couldn't help but think of all the moments they didn't mention. "Well, I guess I never really noticed. They ain't that bad, are they?"

The next day, during the joint training session where both the men's and women's teams were on the field together, F/N couldn't help but notice the subtle instances of "babying" from the Lionesses. It seemed like their friends had opened their eyes to something they had been blissfully oblivious to.

As they stretched before practice, Lucy Bronze offered them a water bottle and reminded them to stay hydrated and double checked to see if F/N shoelaces were tied, earning F/N a playful jab from Harry Kane who basically said "see" with his facial expression. Millie Bright flashed them a knowing smile when she saw them tying his shoelaces and Lauren Hemp couldn't resist giving them a thumbs-up from across the field when he put on yellow bip on.

During drills, The team had some free time to do a game and F/N swapped places with Ramsdale letting F/N go in goal. Mary Earps called out encouragement to them as they made a save, her words carrying across the field. The rest of the women's team were equally supportive, offering F/N high-fives and words of encouragement that were just a tad more enthusiastic than usual.

After a gruelling training session, as the players gathered to cool down and chat, F/N found himself surrounded by the Lionesses, each offering their own version of friendly advice and care.

"F/N, don't forget to ice that ankle!" Lauren Hemp said with a grin.

Lucy Bronze patted them on the back and said, "You were amazing out there today, young one."

Millie Bright chimed in, "Make sure you eat a good meal, F/N. We don't want you getting too tired."

Mary Earps gave them a wink. "And get a good night's sleep, alright? No late-night gaming sessions."

F/N couldn't help but laugh at the attention they were receiving. "Alright, alright, I get it! I'll take care of myself."

Sterling: "This is mad"

F/N male friends, who had been observing the interactions, couldn't resist but watch the lionesses surround F/N.

Sancho: "Yeah its like F/N is their child"

The group watched as F/N made eye contact with them and made a face saying help me. To which the group of Sterling, Sancho, Jack, Foden and Saka turned thier backs leaving a betrayed look on F/N's face

Saka: "You guys are never gonna let them hear the end of this are you?"

Grealish: "You are correct, The young cub needs to learn" Jack said in a playful voice as Foden gasped

Foden: "Oh my days. F/N is the lionesses's cub" The group laughed at the new nickname and the accuracy of the name

Throughout the day, the nickname "the Lionesses cub" stuck and spread to all the male footballers and staff even Serena Wiegman was told by Southgate. The men couldn't wait to announce the name to F/N

Later a team meeting was held in a spacious conference room and it was a special occasion where both the men's and women's teams were gathered together. Gareth Southgate and Serena Wiegman, the respective managers were present.

As the meeting progressed, the topic of team dynamics and bonding was discussed. Serena Wiegman, with a twinkle in her eye took a moment to address the combined group.

"Before we continue," Serena began, "I think it's important to recognize the strong bonds that have formed between our teams. We've become more than just teammates; we're like a family."

Gareth Southgate nodded in agreement, acknowledging the sentiment. "Absolutely. Our collective spirit and support for each other are what make us stronger on and off the field."

Serena then turned her attention to F/N, who was sitting among their male teammates. "Speaking of which, I believe there's a certain matter we need to address."

All eyes turned to F/N, who looked genuinely terrified as both teams starred at them but slightly curious. They had a sinking feeling that they were about to be the center of attention once again.

Serena smiled warmly at F/N. "L/N, it has come to our attention that you have a new nickname within the team, one that reflects the unique care and camaraderie we share."

Y/N: "this can't be good"

Gareth Southgate, who couldn't hide a grin, decided to spill the beans. "Y/N, from this day forward, you shall be known as 'the Lionesses' cub.'"

The room burst into laughter, and even Serena couldn't help but chuckle at the playful reaction. F/N, their face turning red and became frozen.

They hadn't expected the managers to join in on the teasing. The room erupted in laughter, both from the men and women players.

Alessia Russio and Toone exchanged a mischievous glance, clearly enjoying the moment. Lucy Bronze couldn't help but grin, and Millie Bright covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. Mary Earps laughing as she thinks how this can be turned into a TikTok.

Later that night Alessia Russio and Toone sat together on the training field, "I mean, I could tie my own shoelaces, but Lucy was so adamant about it."

Russio nodded, laughing at Toone's comment. "I remember Lauren Hemp giving me a whole speech about confidence and pick up lines"

They both turned to see a rather unamused F/N in the distance. What caught their attention even more was the sight of Fran Kirby, standing on her tiptoes, holding a handheld fan to F/N's face, trying to cool him down.

THE END

Wanted to try something new and thought why not do something with both the lions and lionesses. i hope you guys enjoyed and if you want more let me know. feedback is always accpeted too

Sorry for spelling mistakes and bad grammer

[white-cat-of-doom]

A busy and noteworthy two show Caturday for the first week in Taipei, Taiwan (29 July 2023), with two Demeter cover debuts!

Lucy Rice performed the evening show and Sophie-Rose Middleton the matinee.

Congratulations to the both of them!

With Katie Hutton as Rumpleteazer, Johnny Randall as Mistoffelees, Taryn Donna as Cassandra, and Nathan Zach Johnson covering Munkustrap.

Sophie-Rose has now covered all of her roles, plus a few additional Toms! With Lucy Rice, Lydia Gerrard, Quinlan Kelly, and Benjamin McMillan.

Katie also squeezed in some photos with Saverio Pescucci as Alonzo, Petra Ilse Dam as Bombalurina, Anita Louise Combe as Babygriz, and Matt Krzan as Munkustrap, along with Sophie-Rose covering Demeter.

Matt Krzan seems to be leaving his role as Munkustrap, and I have a feeling that Russell Dickson will be taking over for the final few weeks, seen here with Oliver Ramsdale and his Admetus makeup.

Amy Louise Whittle is bright and cheery as Jennyanydots, and Saverio Pescucci as Alonzo was determined and ready for the big day!

Intermission Kitty time fun from Gavin Eden as Skimbleshanks and Matt Krzan as Munkustrap. (Source)

[skimblyshanks]

Along with Jemistrap, another rare pairup on display from Oasis Cast 12 is Skimbleteazer!

Source: Lucy Rice's farewell post 💖

[sundove88]

Shonen Jump Power Linkage: The Republic of Heroes Linkers

Did I decide to make even MORE Shonen Jump Power Linkage characters? Yes. And they all are equally powerful!

Lucy Carson (Allen Walker): “If you have an Akuma in your body already, why can’t you Just talk to other ones?” (Spectral Business) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lucy has a good case of PTSD, with her parents dying in a car accident when she was only very young. She survived and now currently lives with her aunt and uncle in Dallas, Texas.

She loves murder mystery books and desires to be like a great detective just like her idol, Sir Donovan Phoenix.

She and Allen Walker linked while she was visiting a bookstore near to her home, and just as it started to rain heavily and show no signs of stopping.

Catherine Luxe (Lala Satalin Deviluke): “Ya know what a rich girl like me does in her spare time? Volunteer and help out around town!” (Heart of Solid Gold) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Catherine is the only daughter of a wealthy businessman, and takes after her father’s philanthropist ways. She and her family live in a mansion in Seattle, Washington.

Although she has a love for the fine things in life, she does often volunteer and help out around the town, spreading her voice for all the right reasons.

She and Lala linked when Catherine was busy organizing her bedroom, albeit putting away some of her fashion dolls and awards that she earned through contests.

Jane Pinkett (Chitoge Kirisaki): “Apparently I do love my waffles with extra toppings and yummy fruits. And for you?” (Most Important Sweets of The Day) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jane and her family run a breakfast cafe in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. They’re known for their extra fluffy waffles with whipped cream, maple syrup, French butter, and fresh berries piled up high.

She created one of the cafe’s best selling products- The Cross-Omelette. It’s an omelette that has all the fillings stuffed into a freshly baked croissant with any type of sauce available.

She and Chitoge linked when the cafe was close to closing, and while she was planning out a new recipe to serve at the cafe- said recipe was a latte, with the foam in the shape of a baby chick.

Michael Keller (Kenshiro): “This heart of gold has never rusted and never will anyway!” (A Heroic Comeback) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Michael is an adult businessman hailing from Mystic, Connecticut. And since he lives there; not only does he like helping out the folks in his town, but also visiting the aquarium.

He has done weight training, and especially with extra large ones. He prefers 20 ton weights to 50 tons, though; as he can’t handle them that much.

He and Kenshiro linked when he was on his way to work- only for a Despairius to nearly attack him and throw him off guard. Kenshiro took out the fiend and the rest is history.

Jesse Kim (Toriko): “Alrighty! Now you toss' em in- It’s that easy!” (Heir to The Restaurant) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jesse lives in Edgewater, Florida, and he helps his Korean-American family run their local cat cafe. He often helps with the cooking, and loves the pastries best.

His favorite food of all time is Tteokbokki, or spicy rice cakes. He often makes them with extra fish cakes, cheese, and eggs; plus a dash of ramen noodles.

He and Toriko linked when the latter was looking around Edgewater for new foods to eat. Jesse invited him into his cafe to escape the pouring rain, and they immediately formed the bond.

Aidan St. Cloud (Luckyman): “No way! I never get this many arcade tickets! I must be dreaming or something like that!” (Lady Luck on My Side) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aidan comes from San Diego, California; and he loves the summer sun and everything about it. Plus, his family was lucky enough to win tickets to SDCC, and he’s been there every summer. Plus, he’s on the autism spectrum.

Because his family has been blessed with insanely good luck, ironically he has a pet black cat named Clover. He considers her to be a source of good luck, and even added a Chinese lucky knot to her collar.

He and Luckyman Linked when Aidan felt as if he was unable to win a prize from the claw machine; and as such, Luckyman gave him that much needed boost.

Gary Limestone (Tatsumi Oga): “I’ve interacted with tons of babies, but Beel is just the embodiment of adorableness!” (Not So Demonic Baby) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gary hails from Reine, Norway, and often serves as a babysitter for the younger kids of the village. He loves to help them out, play with them, and often give them treats when they behave well (His cloak was inspired by Sherbet Cookie)!

The kids he babysits often leave drawings for him to thank him for his help; and he’ll often put them in his scrapbook so he can remember the kids in the future.

He and Tatsumi linked when he was notified about a family that needed babysitting, but in reality was a call for help from Director Lumi.

Donna Toussaint (Souma Yukihara): “Only the French know the secrets to culinary perfection, but still the sweets reign supreme.” (Parisian Perfection) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Donna is from Southern France, and she has always yearned to go to Paris; but for now she is baking macarons and pastries in the family bakery, albeit with their recipe dating back to the great grandparents of the family.

Her favorite pastry to make is vanilla bean cream puffs, especially since she gets to fill them with tasty whipped cream and her favorite strawberries.

She and Souma linked when she was making the family cream puffs to sell, and Souma immediately took the first one- love at first bite in an instant.

Rex Dennington (Tsunayoshi Sawada): “You’re part of a mafia organization? Because if so, life’s a bit wild.” (Family of Hitfolks) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rex is from Vancouver, Canada; and he loves reading about Italian mafia drama- his father’s side of the family is Italian; and he often hums The Godfather theme when not busy (His hair was also inspired by Sherbet Cookie)

Speaking of his father’s side of the family, he often goes on an annual trip to Naples, Italy, where that side of the family mostly lives. They often bring back tons of souvenirs.

He and Tsunayoshi linked on one of said trips, and when he was running from some Despairiuses disguised as his family. Luckily, Tsunayoshi stepped in and got him away before the Despisriuses could attack.

Cara Plitkin (Arale Norimaki): “Say, wanna go to the arcade? I’ll race you there!” (Arcade Heroines) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cara is from Newton, Massachusetts, and is a very happy go lucky girl. She loves to doodle in her sketchbook, and will often trick her parents into eating the desserts that she bakes herself.

Her favorite hobby is collecting fun stickers, but she loves making them even more with her parents’ sticker machine.

Arale and her linked when Cara was at the mall and she nearly got lost. Luckily, Arale linked with her and she managed to find her parents.

Medusa Arwen (Senku Ishigami): “Ironically, I’m named after a snake lady who turns people to stone. But this is great!” (Set in Stone) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Medusa Arwen hails from Santorini, Greece, and has a love for Greek mythology. She was named after Medusa, a mythical monster with snakes for hair and a gaze that can turn anyone into a statue. (Her hair was inspired by White Lily Cookie)

She actually lost her left arm in a car accident, and thus was given a prosthetic arm that has the patterns of a snake. This also connects to her namesake of Medusa, who is not only half snake, but also has the iconic snake hair.

She and Senku linked when the former was working on a statue of the goddess Athena, and Senku immediately took notice of the girl.

Lance Reddan (Kuroko Tetsuya): “It’s been my dream to play in the All Star League- I’ll definitely seize that chance!” (Welcome to The Jam) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lance is from Buffalo, NY, and he is a huge fan of basketball and chicken wings alike. Plus, he has driven his team to victory more than one time, earning him the title of “Truest MVP” for the school he attends.

He is a big fan of sports movies such as Space Jam, and it’s what inspired him to play basketball and join the school team as a whole.

He and Kuroko linked when he was taking a break from a game, and Kuroko saw the opportunity to meet him. Lance also took said opportunity, and the rest is history.

[aroomwithspace]

Lucia Bosé (1931-2020) by Truus, Bob & Jan too! Italian postcard by Bromofoto, Milano, no. 270. Today, 23 March 2020, Italian actress Lucia Bosé passed away in Brieva, Spain. She died of pneumonia caused by the coronavirus. Bosé was famous for her films from the 1950s with a.o. Giuseppe De Santis and Michelangelo Antonioni. In the same years and after she also worked with other famous directors such as Juan Bardem, Luis Buñuel, the Taviani brothers, Liliane Cavani, Francesco Rosi, and Ferzan Özpetek. Lucie Bosé was 89. Lucia Bosè was born Lucia Borloni in Milan, Italy in 1931. She comes from a peasant and working-class family and began to work at the age of twelve years. She was first a messenger for a law firm, later a clerk in Milan's fine pastry shop Galli. In 1947 she participated in the first Miss Italy pageant, where she was able to win against competitors like Gianna Maria Canale, Eleonora Rossi Drago, and Gina Lollobrigida. Had Giuseppe De Santis still preferred Silvana Mangano for Riso amaro/Bitter Rice (1949), he chose Bosè for his next film, Non c'è pace tra gli ulivi/No peace among the olive trees (Giuseppe De Santis, 1950), a typical Neorealist film about a poor shepherd (Raf Vallone) who tries steal back his sheep stolen from him while he was at war. In the same year, Bosé starred opposite Massimo Girotti in the well-to-do set, modernist crime story and drama Cronaca di un amore/Story of a love affair (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1950). It was Antonioni's first full length feature film, about an adulterous couple plotting to kill her husband. Numerous screen engagements followed. Antonioni cast her again in La signora senza camelie/The Lady Without Camelias (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1953) about a newly discovered starlet and her experiences in the Italian cinema. Juan Bardem cast her in Muerte di un ciclista/Death of a Cyclist (1955) about an adulterous couple that runs over a cyclist and leaves him to die. Bosé also acted in Francesco Maselli's debut Gli sbandati/The Abandoned (1955) and Luis Buñuel's Cela s'appelle l'aurore/That Is the Dawn (1956). In 1955 Lucia Bosè married Luis Miguel Dominguín, a five years older, popular Spanish bullfighter and occasional actor. From the marriage, which ended in divorce in 1967, sprang three children, two of whom - Paola Dominguin and Miguel Bosé - are also active as actors. Luchino Visconti was godfather to her son Miguel, Pablo Picasso to her daughter Paola. At the time, Lucia Bosè lived in Spain and put her career on halt, except for a sporadic appearance in Le testament d'Orphée/Testament of Orpheus (Jean Cocteau, 1959). In 1968 Bosé returned to film acting after almost a ten-year break and worked first in Spain and afterward in Italy. There she worked among others in Federico Fellini's Satyricon (1969), the Taviani Brothers' Sotto il segno dello scorpione/Under the Sign of Scorpio (1969), and Liliana Cavani's L'ospite/The Guest (1972). Other interesting films with her were Nathalie Granger (Marguerite Duras, 1972), Lumière (Jeanne Moreau, 1976) and Violanta (Daniel Schmid, 1977). After 1978, she acted significantly less but remained active, also on television. She had memorable film performances in Cronaca di una morte annunciata/Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Francesco Rosi, 1987) starring Rupert Everett, El niño de la Luna/Moon Child (Agustí Villaronga, 1989), Harem suaré/Harem (Ferzan Özpetek, 1999) and I vicerè/The Viceroy (Roberto Faenza, 2007). Her most recent screen appearance was in Alfonsina y el mar/One more time (Pablo Benedetti, David Sordella, 2013), as an 80-year-old actress who returns to the small Chilean town of her youth to fulfill her father's dream of creating a TV channel in a place which has never known television. Sources: CinéArtistes (French), Wikipedia (German, English, and Italian) and IMDb. https://flic.kr/p/2iH3q9T

[thuzyblog]

Unveiling the Marvels of Maltese Poodle: A Delightful Dive into Designer Dog Bliss

Meet the Maltese Poodle, lovingly referred to as the Maltipoo, a charming blend of the intelligent Maltese and graceful Poodle breeds. Adored for their wit, elegance, and affectionate demeanor, this designer dog seamlessly merges the best traits of both worlds. With a gentle disposition and hypoallergenic allure, the Maltese Poodle is fast becoming the cherished companion of ardent dog aficionados.

Exploring the Enchanting Maltese Poodle Realm:

Elegance in Size: Small stature graced with curly or wavy fur.

Personality Traits: Affectionate, intelligent, and playfully spirited.

Designer Dog Stardom: Among the elite designer dog breeds.

Temperament: Friendly, adaptable, and ever-eager to please.

Years of Joy: A resilient 10 to 15 years of companionship.

Color Palette: Varied hues, including pristine white, creamy, and silvery tones.

Genetic Fusion: A delightful blend, showcasing the genetic treasures of both Maltese and Poodle.

Guide to Nurturing Your Maltese Poodle: A Warm Embrace of Care

Delicious Cuisine:

Chicken: A lean protein source with essential amino acids.

Brown Rice: Fiber-rich, promoting digestive health.

Fish Oil: Omega-3 fatty acids for a lustrous coat.

Comfortable Surroundings:

Soft warding off boredom.

Secure Play Area: Protection from larger animals and a safe haven for play.

Care Routine: Regular interaction and playtime for happiness and mental stimulation.

Grooming Ritual: Brushing thrice weekly, monthly baths, bi-weekly face cleanups, and monthly nail checks.

Embarking on the Joyful Journey with Your Maltese Poodle:

Welcoming a Maltese Poodle into your home is akin to embracing a bundle of joy. While their needs aren't exhaustive, diligent care is paramount. Devotion to their well-being ensures a harmonious companionship. Equip yourself by preparing a balanced diet, a cozy environment, stimulating toys, a consistent care routine, structured training sessions, and avenues for socialization.

Essential Equipment:

Soft-bristle brush for grooming.

Chew toys aiding in dental health.

Comfortable harness for leisurely walks.

Safeguarding the Health Landscape: Common Ailments and Precautions

Common Health Issues:

Patellar Luxation: Regular vet checks for early detection; consider glucosamine supplements.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy: Vet visits for early detection; no known preventive medication.

White Shaker Syndrome: Regular vet monitoring with prescribed prednisone.

Essential Vaccines: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, Parainfluenza), Rabies, Bordetella.

Embarking on the Naming Adventure: Common Monikers for Your Maltese Poodle

When naming your Maltese Poodle, resonate with their personality and appearance. Opt for names aligning with their charming demeanor.

Common Names:

Bella, Max, Daisy, Charlie, Lucy.

Navigating the Path to Acquisition: Buying/Adopting Your Maltese Poodle

Hotspots of Popularity:

U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia. Average Price Range:

$1,000 to $3,000. Adoption Community:

Explore platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and breed-specific forums. Pre-Adoption Checklist:

Verify the dog's health, vaccination status, and medical history. Rescue Groups:

Maltipoo Rescues spanning the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

Embark on this enchanting journey with your Maltese Poodle, and let the companionship bloom! 🐾

[kellieblog]

Maltese Poodle Unveiled: Unveiling the Charms and Wonders

The Maltese Poodle, affectionately known as the Maltipoo, stands as a testament to the delightful fusion of the Maltese and Poodle breeds. Celebrated for their intelligence, grace, and loving disposition, this designer dog harmoniously blends the best of both worlds. With a gentle temperament and hypoallergenic traits, the Maltese Poodle emerges as an increasingly favored companion among devoted dog enthusiasts.

Insights into the Maltese Poodle Realm:

Appearance: Small stature, often adorned with curly or wavy fur.

Characteristics: Affectionate, intelligent, and playfully spirited.

Popularity: Among the top echelons of designer dog breeds.

Temperament: Friendly, adaptable, and ever-eager to please.

Lifespan: A resilient 10 to 15 years.

Coat color: Varied palette, including shades of white, cream, and silver.

Breed Status: A delightful amalgamation, blending the genetic treasures of the Maltese and Poodle.

Nurturing Your Maltese Poodle: A Comprehensive Guide

Food:

Chicken: A source of lean protein and essential amino acids.

Brown Rice: Facilitates digestive health through its fiber content.

Fish Oil: Enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, contributing to a lustrous coat.

Environment:

Soft Bedding: Ensures warmth and comfort.

Interactive Toys: Stimulate their minds, staving off boredom.

Secure Area: Provides protection from larger animals and a safe play haven.

Care Method: Regular interaction and playtime foster happiness and mental stimulation.

Grooming: Brush thrice weekly, monthly baths, bi-weekly face cleanups, and monthly nail checks.

Preparing for Life with Your Maltese Poodle: A Joyful Journey

Adopting a Maltese Poodle parallels welcoming a bundle of joy into your abode. While their needs aren't exhaustive, diligent care is paramount. Dedication to their well-being ensures a harmonious companionship. Equip yourself by preparing a balanced diet, a snug environment, stimulating toys, a consistent care routine, structured training sessions, and avenues for socialization.

Essential Equipment:

Soft-bristle brush for grooming.

Chew toys aiding in dental health.

A comfortable harness for leisurely walks.

Navigating the Health Landscape: Common Ailments and Safeguards

Common Health Issues:

Patellar Luxation: Regular vet checks for early detection; consider glucosamine supplements.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy: Vet visits for early detection; no known preventive medication.

White Shaker Syndrome: Regular vet monitoring with prescribed prednisone.

Vaccines: DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvo, Parainfluenza), Rabies, Bordetella.

Embarking on the Naming Journey: Common Monikers for Your Maltese Poodle

When christening your Maltese Poodle, resonate with their personality and appearance. Opt for names that align with their charming demeanor.

Common Names:

Bella, Max, Daisy, Charlie, Lucy.

The Path to Acquisition: Buying/Adopting Your Maltese Poodle

Popularity Hotspots:

U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia. Average Price:

$1,000 to $3,000. Adoption Community:

Explore platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and breed-specific forums. Pre-Adoption Checklist:

Verify the dog's health, vaccination status, and medical history. Rescue Groups:

Maltipoo Rescues spanning the U.S., U.K., and Canada.

[motownfiction]

someone named jason

Lucy has a few rules in life. Every year, it grows. When she was only sixteen, her rules were don’t go around the block in Ann Arbor and don’t eat whipped cream after eight o’clock at night, as she was convinced whipped cream gave people nightmares about money and guns. Now that she’s forty-six, she has many more rules, such as don’t trust anyone who says they like Applebee’s and don’t trust someone named Jason.

Everyone thinks her rule about people named Jason is silly. They all talk about it over dinner one night in late September, early into her younger daughter Emma’s first semester at NYU. Will swears you can’t rule someone out just based on their name; Lucy swears you can, but only if their name is Jason. She says she hasn’t met a single Jason who’s any good. In between huge laughs, their elder daughter Elenore asks if she really has that many examples.

Lucy smirks. Now that Elenore is twenty-nine, she should know better than to ask Mommy to cite her sources. Everybody knows Lucy Callaghan’s got the longest bibliographies of anybody around.

There was Jason Fields, the valedictorian-slash-homecoming king in the class above Lucy and Will’s back at St. Catherine’s, who inexplicably sprayed ketchup all over Lucy’s white shirt when news broke of her pregnancy in ‘83. By the end of the school year, just before graduation, he’d gotten his own girlfriend pregnant, but nobody said shit about that.

Then there was the Jason she’d been paired up with to dissect a frog in her one and only biology class at Michigan. They got a female frog, and he swore he’d deal with the eggs. But he didn’t. He ran off to go flirt with some other girl in the class – one who wasn’t already married, as he said about a million times, like it was going to make Lucy feel bad or something. She still remembers what she did with Will later that night. Feel bad, her ass.

Even though she never knew him, she adds Jayson Blair to the list. You don’t just get to make up stories at The New York Times, she says, and she’s pretty sure she’s right.

The rule gets a pretty good laugh around the dinner table. Even Veronica knows it’s kind of funny, and she’s only seven years old. Everybody’s laughing at Lucy’s new rule except Emma. When Will asks her if she’s OK, she shrugs and says she thinks she’s in love with someone named Jason. He’s in her early film history class, he has big brown eyes, and he knows every line to The Red Balloon in its original French. Lucy suppresses the urge to blow a raspberry over her plate of chicken fried rice. She wishes she could say what she’s feeling: that she’s sure glad she met Will when they were only six, because if she hadn’t met the love of her life before she even knew what romance was, she certainly would have fallen for some jerk like that when she went to college. Emma’s so much like her. Lucy wishes she could say all that – wishes she could beg her youngest to hold out for a guy like her old man – but she doesn’t. She knows better than that. After all, one of her rules is let your kids make decisions for themselves. That’s why she’s a mother in the first place.

In October, just around midterms, Lucy feigns a big smile when Emma announces she’s going on a date with Jason. She’s not worried. His name is Jason, and their courtship will end sooner than it even began. Two days later, it turns out Lucy was right. This Jason won’t even look Emma in the eye during any of the classes they have together. He won’t even acknowledge they went on a date – that they had fun on a date. Emma’s not a crier, but on that Wednesday night, she bawls into her mother’s lap.

Lucy doesn’t reiterate the rule about someone named Jason.

She just seethes about it.

No one does her Emma wrong like that. No one does her Emma wrong at all.

Especially not someone named Jason.

(part of @nosebleedclub december challenge -- day xxiv! is it possible i’m on time? looks like ... for now!)

[sciencespies]

Climate-resilient breadfruit might be the food of the future

https://sciencespies.com/nature/climate-resilient-breadfruit-might-be-the-food-of-the-future/

Climate-resilient breadfruit might be the food of the future

In the face of climate change, breadfruit soon might come to a dinner plate near you.

While researchers predict that climate change will have an adverse effect on most staple crops, including rice, corn and soybeans, a new Northwestern University study finds that breadfruit — a starchy tree fruit native to the Pacific islands — will be relatively unaffected.

Because breadfruit is resilient to predicted climate change and particularly well-suited to growing in areas that experience high levels of food insecurity, the Northwestern team believes breadfruit could be part of the solution to the worsening global hunger crisis.

The study will be published on Aug. 17 in the journal PLOS Climate.

“Breadfruit is a neglected and underutilized species that happens to be relatively resilient in our climate change projections,” said Northwestern’s Daniel Horton, a senior author on the study. “This is good news because several other staples that we rely on are not so resilient. In really hot conditions, some of those staple crops struggle and yields decrease. As we implement strategies to adapt to climate change, breadfruit should be considered in food security adaptation strategies.”

Horton is an assistant professor of Earth and planetary sciences in Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, where he leads the Climate Change Research Group. Lucy Yang, a former student in Horton’s laboratory, is the paper’s first author. For this study, Horton and Yang collaborated with breadfruit expert Nyree Zerega, director of the Program in Plant Biology and Conservation, a partnership between Northwestern and the Chicago Botanic Garden.

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Despite having “fruit” in its name, breadfruit is starchy and seedless, playing a culinary role more like a potato. Closely related to jackfruit, the nutrient-rich food is high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. In tropical parts of the world, people have been eating breadfruit for thousands of years — whether steamed, roasted, fried or fermented. Breadfruit also can be turned into flour, in order to lengthen its shelf life and be exported.

“Breadfruit trees can live for decades and provide a large amount of fruits each year,” Zerega said. “In some cultures, there is a tradition to plant a breadfruit tree when a child is born to ensure the child will have food for the rest of their life.”

But because tropical regions are becoming warmer and wetter, Yang, Horton and Zerega wanted to see if climate change would affect breadfruit’s ability to grow.

To conduct the study, the researchers first determined the climate conditions required to cultivate breadfruit. Then, they looked at how these conditions are predicted to change in the future (between the years 2060 and 2080). For future climate projections, they looked at two scenarios: an unlikely scenario that reflects high greenhouse-gas emissions and a more likely scenario in which emissions stabilize.

In both scenarios, areas suitable for breadfruit cultivation remained mostly unaffected. In the tropics and subtropics, the suitable area for growing breadfruit decreased by a modest 4.4 to 4.5%. The researchers also found suitable territory where growing breadfruit trees could expand — particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where breadfruit trees are not traditionally grown but could provide an important and stable source of food.

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“Despite the fact that climate will drastically change in the tropics, climate is not projected to move outside the window where breadfruit is comfortable,” Yang said. “From a climate perspective, we can already grow breadfruit in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a huge swath of Africa, where breadfruit can grow to various degrees. It just has not been broadly introduced there yet. And, luckily enough, most varieties of breadfruit are seedless and have little-to-no likelihood of becoming invasive.”

According to Zerega, once established, a breadfruit tree can withstand heat and drought much longer than other staple crops. But the benefits don’t end there. Because it’s a perennial crop, it also requires less energy input (including water and fertilizer) than crops that need to be replanted every year, and, like other trees, it sequesters carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over the tree’s lifetime.

“A lot of places where breadfruit can grow have high levels of food insecurity,” Yang said. “Oftentimes, they combat food insecurity by importing staple crops like wheat or rice, and that comes with a high environmental cost and carbon footprint. With breadfruit, however, these communities can produce food more locally.”

As climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine exacerbate global food insecurity, the Northwestern team believes production of breadfruit and other neglected and underutilized foods could be scaled up to build more resilience in the global food system, while bolstering the biodiversity of food production.

“Climate change further emphasizes the need to diversify agriculture, so the world doesn’t rely on a small number of crop species to feed a large number of people,” Zerega said. “Humans rely heavily on a handful of crops to provide most of our food, but there are thousands of potential food crops among the approximately 400,000 described plant species. This points to the need to diversify agriculture and crops globally.”

#Nature

[cryptidvoidwritings]

instagram story: Aug 10, 2023

[thecaffeinebookwarrior]

Monster of the Week: A Writer’s Guide to Vampires!

The Basics: Vampires From Around the World 

Almost every culture has its vampires, and they go way beyond Dracula and Nosferatu. 

There are obviously too many to include in one post, so here are a few especially unique vamps to get you inspired and interested in learning more! 

The Penanggalan, Malaysia - Literally meaning ‘to detach,’ the Penanggalan is an exclusively (apparently) female creature. 

By day, she masquerades as a normal woman (and let’s be real, don’t we all.)  But by night, her head detaches from her body and floats around, entrails hanging like tentacles -- which they nightmarishly use to entangle their victims -- and preys on pregnant woman and babies.  Lovely. 

Creepily, the Penanggalan gravitates towards day jobs such as midwifery, so she can get closer to her prospective prey. 

The Manananggal, Philippines - Much like the Penanggalan, the Manananggal has an unfortunate habit of detaching parts of her body to fly around.  Described as an “ugly, hideous woman” (mood), the Manananggal can detatch her whole-ass torso to fly around like a bat. 

Like the Penanggalan, she preys on pregnant woman and unborn babies, with, creepily, her incredibly long tongue.  Some, however, prefer to seduce and prey on men -- preferable, to be honest -- in which case they appear young and beautiful.

The Upir, Eastern Europe - Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, Romanian, and Czech cultures all have mythos around this abnormally bloodthirsty vampire.  Not only do upirs drink the blood of their victims, but they bath and sleep in it.  They eat the flesh of their victims as well, and are especially partial to the heart.  In a uniquely sadistic detail, the Upir is thought to consume the children of a family and then the parents. 

The Alukah, Judaism - Literally meaning “horse-leach,” the Alukah is one of the earliest vampires, originating in the Bible.  

A fixture of Jewish folklore, and sometimes described as a demon or witch, the Alukah is unique in the fact that she is not undead but a living, shapeshifting being (according to the description in Sefer Hasidim.)

She can fly by unfurling her long hair.

The Brahmaparusha, India - This nightmarishly extra vampire will drink the drained blood of its victims from a skull (which it carries around at all times), before noshing on their brains and wearing their intestines as necklaces and crowns.  Worst of all, this vampire has an unusually ravenous appetite, and consumes several victims per night.  

The Callicantzaros, Greece - In Greece, children born between Christmas and Twelfth Night were thought to be bad luck (?) and susceptible to vampirism.  The Callicantzaros was considered to be egregiously unpleasant, equipped with devilish talons with which to tear victims to shreds.  Their first victims, post-transformation, were supposed to be their own siblings.

Unfortunately, this led to a degree of mistreatment and hostility towards children born during this period, as parents watched for signs of their progeny’s prospective vampirism.  In order to ensure that they didn’t become Callicantzaros, the children’s feet were dangled above a fire, like a reverse Achilles.

Vampire weaknesses: 

Garlic - This one’s not just particular to Western mythos.  Southeast and far Eastern vamps like the Manananggal are also vulnerable to garlic. 

Salt - The Manananggal is vulnerable to salt, as are vampires from most cultures in which salt is considered holy or purifying. 

Silver - A holy metal.  The origin of the “vampires can’t see themselves in mirrors” myth is because it used to be a component in mirror-making. 

Vinegar - Again with the Manananggal. 

Daggers/stakes/sharp objects - Especially through the vampire’s heart.  In many cultures, burning the heart is also advisable.  Be careful, though: sometimes, staking an upir will only bring them back to life stronger. 

Dismemberment and fire - Most vamps are susceptible to this, including the Penanggalan.  The only sure way to kill an upir is to decapitate them and burn the remains. 

Counting - Much like the Count of Sesame Street, vamps can’t resist counting things.  If you scatter some small, countable objects on the ground, the vampire will have to stop and count each one. 

The tails of stingrays - in the case of the Manananggal. 

Sunlight - Obviously.  Though not universal, this pops up in vampire mythology around the world, including the Manananggal. 

Detachment - when the Penanggalan and Manananggal detach their heads and torsos, their discarded torsos and lower bodies are vulnerable.  In the case of the Manananggal, sprinkling the discarded legs with garlic and salt.  The Mananggal will not be able to return to its lower body, and will perish with the rising sun. 

Starvation - The Alukah can be starved if she’s prevented from eating for long enough. 

Stupidity - In the case of the Penanggalan.  If you turn the Penanggalan’s body upside down, she’ll re-attach backwards.  I’m not sure what the purpose of this is, except the exhilaration of punking a vampire and making them walk around on their hands all day like a jackass.

Protection: 

Thorns around windows - Thorns will keep the Penanggalan from harassing you or your unborn children. 

Strings of garlic - Just make sure SOME IDIOT doesn’t take them down (RIP Lucy from Dracula.)

Pots of uncooked rice, ash, or salt - Repellent to the Manananggal.

Running away and hiding - Basically the only method of recourse against the Brahmaparasha.

Eating bread infused with an upir’s blood - Sounds kinky, to be honest. 

Stay on sacred ground - I.e. graveyards and churches.  Just be sure you’re not trying to avoid the kind of vampire that dwells in graveyards if you go for the latter.

Holy water, crucifixes, silver, et cetera - Anything sacred or holy.  Varies based on culture.

Imbibing the ash of a supposed vampire’s burnt heart - I’m not even going to joke about this one, since people actually did this during the vampire scare of New England (my homeland.)  I learned about it from a book about local vampire encounters at the Newport Public Library at age twelve, and it scarred me.

Dangle your baby above a fire - Actually, no, PLEASE don’t do that.  But that’s what seventeenth century Greeks did to prevent their kids from turning into Callicantzaros. 

Age of consent laws - Specifically for Edward from Twilight.

Don’t get a welcoming mat - Counts as inviting them in.  Duh.

Ways to Become A Vampire:*

*Ask your doctor if becoming a vampire is right for you.

Biting - Obviously.  Though if you read Dracula and early accounts of vampirism, it was more of a slowly progressing illness than a sudden transformation.

Reject Christianity - In the case of upirs.  More specifically, the church buried non-believers outside of graveyards, leading them to rise as servants of the Devil.  Honestly, I feel like the church kind of brought that on themselves. 

Be born between Christmas and Twelfth Night - At least if you’re in seventeenth century Greece.  

Be influenced by the Devil while dying - Another version of the Upir origin.

Be a demon possessing a corpse - One prospective explanation for the Brahmaparusha.

Making a pact to obtain eternal youth and beauty that involves not eating meat for 40 days and then breaking it like some kind of an IDIOT - One version of the Penanggalan origin myth.  I shouldn’t judge, my self-control isn’t great either.

Get startled by a man while meditating in a bath and jerk your head so hard that it flies off and at the interloper in fury - Another prospective version of the Pennangalan origin. Relatable, honestly. 

Be so bitter and jealous of couples that you go on an insane killing spree of pregnant woman and get publicly executed by being ripped in two - The Pennangalan, again.  She makes the Kardashians look tame. 

Chanting an incantation, anointing yourself with oil, and purchasing a black chick - In the case of the Manananggal.  The black chick reportedly lives inside the Manananggal, eating its innards while also acting as its life source.  Honestly, after all the drama of the Penanggalan’s origins, this seems reasonable.

Other Sources

Video Essays: 

The Power of the Vampire Myth - A superb sociological dive into the cultural significance of vampires. From the post WWI antisemitism of Nosferatu to their ability to subvert the Hays Code, vampires tend to reflect the shadows of every society. 

Dracula: A Brief History of Eternity 

CREEPIEST Vampire Legends from Around the World 

Vampires: Folklore, Fantasy, and Fact

How did Dracula become the world’s most famous vampire?

Vlad the Impaler: The Real Life Dracula

Influential Vampire Fiction:*

*That I’ve read/seen so far.

Dracula - Duh.  The greatest adaptation of which is, obviously, Dracula: Dead and Loving it.  

Nosferatu - It’s good to be aware of its antisemetic overtones, but it’s still revolutionary at evoking dread.

Varney the Vampire - A penny dreadful series that helped popularize vampires in Victorian England.  It gets bonus points for sounding like a children’s show. 

Camilla - The ORIGINAL lesbian vampire, predating Dracula by decades.  Became an adorable webseries and movie, which I recommend even more than the original novel.

‘Salem’s Lot - Serves as a study of what makes vampires scary in the modern era.   

Underworld - Aside from serving as a badass alternative in the Twilight era, it merits inclusion exclusively for causing my Sapphic awakening at age twelve.

What We Do In the Shadows - Has a unique understanding of the cultural significance of vampires, and why they appeal to societal misfits.  Also has vampire “children” who eat p*dophiles. 

Vampires in the Lemon Grove - The titular story is one of the most unique interpretations of vampires that I’ve seen in the modern era.  Beautiful language that evokes a powerful emotional response.

Twilight - Exclusively because it gave us Rosemary clocking shop in a wedding gown.  And the baseball scene.

Nonfiction:

The Encyclopedia of Vampires, Werewolves, and Other Monsters

From Demons to Dracula: The Creation of the Modern Vampire Myth

Vampires and Vampirism: Legends from Around the World

New Orleans Vampires: History and Legend

Mummies, Cannibals, and Vampires: The History of Corpse Medicine

A History of Vampires in New England 

Happy Halloween, and happy writing, everybody! 

[white-cat-of-doom]

We have another video clip from Cast 12 of the Oasis of the Seas production, this time of Macavity, with Devon-Jade Clark as Demeter and Lucy Rice as Bombalurina front and center.

(source)

[guardianofrivendell]

Guarding Your Heart - chapter 5 {TEASER}

Modern!Fíli AU written by @laurfilijames​ and @guardianofrivendell​

Summary: Lucy is a smart, independent woman who’s getting dragged into her father’s past against her will. Fíli, who is working for the family’s security agency, receives his next assignment: guarding Lucy. On one side someone who doesn’t want to be a ‘babysitter’ and on the other side someone who will do anything to get rid of her ‘bodyguard’, you know this will turn into chaos. Interesting chaos, but still chaos. Until things start to get serious and they have to work together to stay alive.

Chapter 5 moodboard made by @laurfilijames​ - seriously, go check out her fics, it’s all amazing!!

Chapter 5 will be here - if everything goes as planned - this Friday June 18th, 5 pm CET

If you don’t want to miss any updates, you can ask to be on the series taglist!

GUARDING YOUR HEART MASTERLIST

Teaser below the ‘read more’ cut

Warnings: no warnings, pure fluff (yassss fluffy times!) - oh and half naked Fíli is baaaaack :) 

Lucy started to unload the small cupboard to see if they had what she was looking for. Spices, a bag of rice, pasta, and … ah! Coffee. He would need it more than she did, but she felt it was a small gesture of appreciation for giving her the comfort she needed yesterday. 

She did everything as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake him up prematurely. He must be exhausted. But then it came time to grind the coffee beans and Lucy stood staring at the grinder that would no doubt be ridiculously loud. 

She glanced over her shoulder to check if he was still sleeping, only to see his chest rising and falling heavily.  She bit down on the nail of her thumb, torn between wanting to surprise him but not wanting to wake him up. Checking every cupboard again to see if there was a mortar or something she could use to crush the beans herself, she came up empty handed. But then she saw him move a little and he threw his arm over his eyes. He was waking up... 

The kettle was about to click off, which would also make a noise and probably wake him up anyway, so she went for it and started the grinder, bracing herself with a cringe on her face. 

Just as she had expected, Fili shot up in bed with a panicked expression, his eyes immediately searching the room when he found Lucy missing from the bed. He relaxed visibly when he spotted her standing in the kitchen area and he rubbed his hands over his eyes once he discovered the source of the unexpected noise. He swung his legs over the bed but didn’t get up yet, needing a moment to collect himself. 

“Sorry,” Lucy apologized coyly once the beans were pummeled into powder, watching him take deep breaths to bring his heart rate down to normal. 

“It’s fine. Sorry I fell asleep,” he said groggily. 

“You need your sleep too, Fili,” she reminded him. 

“I’m fine.” 

They really liked lying to each other to avoid talking about how they actually felt, she thought. 

“Well, I figured you’d be awake soon anyway so I made coffee. You look like you need it. And I mean that in the nicest way possible,” she added with a grin. 

“Thanks, Luce,” he said, standing and making his way over to retrieve the steaming mug she held out to him. 

His blue eyes stared at her over the rim of the mug as he took a long sip, his gaze making her feel aware of their proximity and causing her to look to the side and clear her throat. 

“Oh, that’s right,” she said, getting excited all of a sudden. “I found us food!” 

“You did?” Fíli asked, holding the mug close to his lips, ready to take another sip. 

Lucy nodded enthusiastically and waved at the cupboard she left open for him to see.  He placed his cup on top of the counter and watched her take out all the food to put on display for him. 

“See? We have enough food for the next couple of days. It’s not ideal of course, I mean, who wants to eat rice with a side of canned pears, but it’s definitely better than what we brought from the petrol station!”

He stared at the bags of dry food and the few cans that were stacked neatly on top of each other, and when he saw how happy Lucy was about all this he couldn’t contain his laughter any longer.

“I’m sorry, I’m acting silly right?” she said apologetically. “I was not looking forward to eating rationed portions of chocolate bars and beef jerky for the next few days, maybe I got a little too excited.” She started putting everything back into the cupboard to hide her embarrassment from him. Fíli had taken his mug again and right before he took another drink, he said, “Don’t worry about it, I think it’s adorable.”

They both froze as soon as the words left his mouth. Fíli because he didn’t mean to say it out loud, and Lucy because she couldn’t believe what he just said to her.

Guarding Your Heart taglist: @roosliefje​ @cassiabaggins​ @the-poldarkian​ @linasofia​ @fizzyxcustard​ @thespiritoflife​ @wishingtobeinadifferentuniverse​ @elvish-sky​ @anjhope1​ @beenovel​ @enchantzz​ @magravenwrites​ @kumqu4t​

[moeruhoshi]

Hi! I hope you're doing well. Idk if you're taking requests but I had this cute idea where little dragon Natsu ends up really liking his teacher Anna (lucy's aunt) bc he smells Lucy on her but Natsu's not able to really understand that so he just knows he likes this teacher (this is based off of that one scene at the end in the anime). And then Anna brings Lucy to school with her bc no one can watch over her. Then Natsu sees Lucy and it all just clicks 👀🥰🥰

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES

“Natsu,” Anna laughed as her little student smothered his face against the legs of her long skirt. “You have to go home, no more clinging to me, okay?”

“But Miss Anna smells really good,” The fledgling whined, using the little bit of strength in his hands to try and stay attached. His father sighed and pulled him by his waist, rolling his eyes when his son began to glare at him.

“Come on, Natsu,” Igneel grumbled and crouched down to his level. “Miss Anna has to go home too, and you’ll see her in the morning,”

“Okay...” He huffed, letting his weirdly strong grip on her go. His eyes glazed up at the smiling woman, his heart not so subtly skipping a beat. “G-Goodnight, Miss Anna!”

“Goodnight, Natsu,” She giggled and waved off the small boy who kept his eyes glued to her form as his father carried him away. He sighed lovingly, resting his head on Igneel’s shoulder. His tail had come out on its own, wagging behind him and slightly smacking his dad in the face.

“N-Natsu!” He sputtered, holding the appendage down. “You do this everyday, can’t you calm down already?”

“Nope!” He grinned as his tired father rolled his eyes, taking off into the air with his miniature prodigy.

Grandine greeted them at the door with a finger to her lips, holding Natsu’s younger sister in her arms.

“I just got Wendy to fall asleep so please be quiet,” She glared, bouncing the baby gently before going back into the house.

“But I wanted to tell mama about school today,” Their son pouted as he pulled off his shoes.

“You can at dinner, alright? But for now, you can sit and watch television.” Igneel ushered the little fire dragon into the living room, making sure the volume was just above two as he left Natsu by his lonesome.

He wandered upstairs to find his wife, Grandine gently putting Wendy to rest in her crib.

He carefully wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek, chuckling lowly as she melted into his hold.

“I love having babies, but I swear, no more,” She shook her head furiously. “Wendy’s sensitivity to sound is...ugh, I just forgot that this is something we’d have to deal with while she’s still so young,”

“Me too,” Igneel sighed, the both of them carefully exiting the room as Wendy cooed in her sleep. “But that might not be the worst of our problems,”

“What do you mean? Natsu’s not fighting at school again, is he?” She groaned, following her husband down the stairs.

“No, hes just very attatched to his teacher. It’s the way she smells, he wouldn’t let her go when I went to pick him up,”

“Oh gosh, that doesn’t sound good,” She pursed her lips and turned to face him. “But there’s nothing else weird about the way he’s acting, is there? I don’t think we need to be worried unless he starts getting possessive or antsy without her around.”

“You’re right, but I swear I’m going to lose it if his instincts wake up early while we’re dealing with Wendy’s hearing,”

“Worst case scenario, we can just send her to stay with my mother for a little while.”

The worst case scenario would prove to be a reality for the Dragneel family as the years went on, but the next day of school was the beginning of the worst of it.

It wasn’t until a dragon reached their adolescence that their instincts woke within them, making it much easier for the parent to walk their child through the understanding of their own body.

And it wasn’t completely unheard of for a dragon to meet his mate early on in life. The only worry that came along with said encounter was a possible, accidental marking. It was hard to tell a child to fight off that kind of urge, especially when it was such an overpowering voice in their mind telling them to do so. And without proper supervision, there was no telling what might happen. It was only when the aftermath occurred, that things went haywire.

Sure, an older dragon could stand being away from their mate for however long they needed to be, were mature enough to understand that it was just a part of life. But for someone so young, they’d whine and cry like you had just taken their favorite bear away. And a baby dragon would have no issue with destroying everything around them in efforts to get what was theirs back at their side.

When Natsu walked through the doors of his preschool, he was quick to run from his father's side and into the open arms of his teacher waiting to greet him.

Igneel watched with a steady smile, but took it as a good sign when all Natsu did was take in a big whiff of her skirt before skipping off to find his friends.

He left for work feeling relatively secure with his assumptions, not knowing the madness he’d soon be faced with that evening.

When everyone had arrived, Anna clapped her hands and had all the students gather on a large and colorful carpet.

“Alright, so today is going to be a little different,” The teacher started, staring into the excited and few wandering eyes. “We have someone joining us today! I want you to make her feel super welcome, because she’s my niece! Everyone, I’d like you to meet Lucy!”

A little blonde girl, not much taller than the rest of them, appeared as if out of nowhere from behind Miss Anna’s skirt.

She waved her small hand and blushed in embarrassment, not used to so many people looking at her all at once.

Natsu, who always sat at the front of the carpet, felt his heart begin to pound. He stared at Lucy with wide eyes and felt a grin split before he knew it.

She was the source of Miss Anna’s hypnotic smell, why hadn’t he met her until now? If Miss Anna knew that she smelled so good, wouldn’t she have brought her here sooner?!

He wanted to stand up and tackle her in a hug, but he knew Miss Anna wouldn’t like it if he interrupted her outside of recess time.

“Lucy lives in Acalypha, but she’ll be here in Magnolia this week while her parents are out of town,” Their teacher said, everyone excitedly waving and saying hi. Though Gray tried not to look too excited about a new friend when he saw Juvia staring relentlessly at him.

“We’ll start this morning with arts and crafts, okay? So go sit at your usual tables,” She said, allowing the bunch of toddlers to stand and find their way to their seat. “Natsu, could I ask you to do a very special thing for me?”

“Uh huh! I can do anything, Miss Anna!” He chirped, practically bouncing as he stood in place.

“Could I ask you to look after Lucy while she’s here?” She asked, crouching down to push her little niece a little closer to the dragon. “She’ll need a good friend to show her the ropes, don’t you think so?”

“Mhm! Just trust me, Luce! I’ll be your bestest friend ever!” Natsu said excitedly, reaching out to grab her by the hand.

“O-Okay,” Lucy squeaked a bit as he pulled her along with him, showing her to his table and the others that sat with him. 

It would have been more obvious as to what was going on if Natsu was more rambunctious, but he was the epitome of calm. Though that really should have set off at least one alarm. Since when was that fire dragon ever this well behaved?

He was kind and didn’t come on too strongly, in the way that he would have towards Gray or Erza. Instead, he was clear and coherent in his usage of words, or as clear as a six year old was able to get.

When Lucy looked like she was confused, he helped her out with instructions or ran off to collect the materials she really wanted to use. Miss Anna would have paid more mind to this if she hadn’t had to focus her attention on one of the more upset students. It was Millianna, as usual, crying over her inability to be at home with her pet cat.

Natsu made sure she got to know his friends too once it was time for recess, the little blonde hitting it off right away with Levy and Cana. Erza was a bit embarrassed to meet someone knew, but warmed up to Lucy’s sweet smile in no time. Juvia...well Juvia was alright the rest of the day since Gray agreed to hold her hand. And Gajeel was always nonchalant, not caring about what was going on...unless Levy was scolding him.

At lunch, if anyone had the ability to notice, would have seen Natsu absolutely swooning from his seat across from Lucy.

He sighed lovingly and pushed his round cheeks up with his hands, leaning forward on them to admire her. She was in the middle of talking about her favorite book to the pixie beside her, Erza and Cana both fumbling to tie her hair in loose braids. They swore they could do it as good as Miss Anna could. 

Once she looked his way, his heart began skipping, his cheeks became flushed, and his adrenaline; well Natsu didn’t really understand that feeling. He really liked the way she looked at him though. 

Lucy laughed and picked a grain of rice that rested on his cheek, popping it between her lips as she stole it from him. 

Uwah...

During nap time, he couldn’t help himself anymore. Lucy absolutely, one hundred percent, needed to sleep by his side. 

Not that she complained. Rather, she was excited that someone else was just as excited to be her friend. 

Natsu smothered his nose against her cheek and fell asleep, holding her like he did his dragon-bear at home. Lucy liked that he was warm and snuggly, like her doggy, Plue. 

That was the first memory of the best sleep he’d ever gotten in his life. And any nap he had at her side in the future would count as well.

When his dad came by at the end of the day...it’s a good thing that everything indoors was magic-proofed. 

Lucy had been in a separate room at the time so she was spared the sight of a mad-raving, fire-spewing and burning, fledgling have to be dragged out of the school.

There was something inside of him that screamed, felt pain beyond what pain had meant. 

No no no no no no no no!

It drove him practically literally insane. It pounded in his brain, in every nerve end and even more so. It was as if he left his heart behind and all that could replace it was rage. 

Needless to say that Wendy and Grandine were out of the house before Igneel got anywhere near them.

Sleeping spells worked, if only for the night. It was spine-chilling to see him so catatonic in the morning. Like all that fire from the night before was all he had, that the flame that rested at the pit of his stomach couldn’t be lit again. 

But when Natsu came back to school and saw Lucy standing there, waving with the cutest grin ever on her face, well...Igneel probably the only one who got upset.

“Anna,” He sighed and wiped a tired hand over his face. “We need to talk, if you have the time right now,”

[bulbpix]

If You Just Listened - Part 7

100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900.

No, that couldn't be right. You counted again.

100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800... 900.

You shook your head. 'Okay, wake up. Focus.' You counted again.

100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600...

You placed the bills on the table, burying your face in your palms. This wasn't enough. This wasn't nearly enough. After your bills, you had a little over fifty dollars.

You hit your forehead with the base of your palm.

'Where did it go?'

Your eyes widened with sudden realization.

'Food.'

You pressed your palms against your eyes. How could you have been so careless? Of course you worked hard. You wouldn't deny that. But you indulged yourself at the wrong time. The completely wrong time. And on top of that, you paid for all of Arthur's food too. You tried to think about your next course of action. Maybe sticking to beans and rice for a while could help? Maybe you could wait to wash your laundry every two weeks? You sighed, dropping your forehead against the table.

Lucy walked into the breakroom, stopping in her tracks once she spotted you. She cleared her throat.

You shot up, startled and embarrassed by her sudden appearance.

"Oh... Hey, what's up?" You brushed yourself off, trying to act casually. "Not much..." she responded, eyeing you curiosly. "Taking a nap?" "Yeah... yeah. I just got tired." She nodded, not quite buying it. She looked towards the bills on the table, which you quickly tucked away. She sighed, taking a seat across from you. "I see. Money problems." Your gaze drifted downward, and you sadly nodded. You opened your mouth to speak, happy to be able to vent- "You know this guy I dated was also bad with money. But man, he was HOT. I'm talking like six pack, long hair, bright eyes..."

The rest of Lucy's monologue was a blur to you. You tuned her out, her voice being nothing but a mumbling background to your thoughts.

What would you do now? How long would you be able to stretch fifty dollars? You certainly couldn't afford to treat yourself anymore. Maybe you could skip a meal or two. But there was something you were forgetting...

Oh god. You wanted to visit your parents. But there was nothing left.

You could feel your eyes begin to water, your face growing hot. Not wanting to be seen like this, you quickly stood up and began walking to the exit.

"Woah, where you headed?" Lucy asked, surprised by your sudden departure. "Home. Shift's over, I just wanted to get some things in order before I left," you responded. She looked at you, a hint of concern in her expression. "Okay...Oh. Also. Mike's buying new liquor for the bar, so the crew is gonna get trashed on the rest of the old stuff in a few days. You in?" "Uh... yeah. Sounds good," you replied, just wanting to leave. It was beginning to get difficult to keep your voice from shaking. "Great. See ya then."

You rushed out of Pogo's, making your way home as quickly as you could. You didn't want anyone to see you like this, Gotham was not a place to show weakness.

'Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. STUPID.'

The air reeked of garbage. Drug deals were clearly happening along every sidewalk. Police cars drove by, apathetic to their surroundings. Every wall was covered in old, peeling flyers and graffiti. And this is where you would stay. Your parents would have to wait.

The thought stung you in your core. You wouldn't be able to visit home, all because you couldn't be responsible with your money. Instead, you would have to stay in this miserable black hole that called itself a city.

Finally, your apartment building was in clear view. You sighed in incredible relief, so desperate to release your emotions somewhere private. You reached into your pocket, pulling out your keys as you approached the door.

You didn't realize how much your hands had been shaking until you tried to put the key in the door. You missed it, then you missed it again, and again,... and again. You furrowed your eyebrows, trying to steady yourself. You went for it again... and dropped your keys on the pavement.

Dropping your keys wasn't particularly upsetting. Nor was trying to guide your trembling hands. But you just couldn't hold yourself together anymore. You turned around, your back sliding against the glass entrance as you sunk to the ground.

You tried to be an optimist about your situation, you really did. But not being able to visit home had made everything so ugly again. You weeped quietly on the floor, your makeup running down your cheeks and dripping off your jaw. You hated this place. You hated the constant noise, the cost, the sense of dread. You just wanted to go home. Just for a little bit. You just wanted to see your family. But you couldn't. And you only had yourself to blame.

You gritted your teeth to prevent yourself from wailing, your body now shaking with your sobs. You took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself down.

Unbeknownst to you, Arthur was also arriving home from his clown gig. The sound of muffled sobbing caught his attention - and it was coming from the apartment building?

He walked closer, poking his head carefully around the brick wall, his green wig comically sticking out.

And there you were. Crying. Sad. Alone.

He quickly ducked back behind the wall, hanging on to his cap and wig. He knew he had to do something. But what? What could he do?

Honk-honk!

You were startled out of your sadness by the sound of a goofy clown horn. You looked up, scanning your surroundings for the source, but saw nothing. Until...

Honk-honk!

Arthur stuck his face out from the corner again, then hid it again, then poked it out again, playing a game of peek-a-boo. You stared at him in confused (but happy) amusement as he began taking exaggerated steps towards you in his ridiculously oversized clown shoes.

All of a sudden, Arthur whipped a magic wand seemingly out of the air, pointing it directly at your nose. You nearly yelped in surprise... but nothing happened. You looked at him, puzzled. Was something supposed to happen?

Arthur scratched his forehead, carefully inspecting the wand. He then offered it to you. You looked at him suspiciously as you took the wand in your hand.

As soon as he released it, the seemingly straight wand went limp like a noodle in your grasp. You smiled and sniffled, wiping your nose with your other hand as you handed him back the wand.

He tapped it against his leg, and like magic, it was straight again. He gave you a smug nod, as if he hadn't planned this from the beginning. You laughed at his stupid, sly expression - to the point of accidentally snorting. A bit embarrassing, but you were having a great time watching his performance.

And voila! He thrust the wand toward you again, a bouquet of fake flowers shot out of it and tickled your nose. You laughed again, taking the flowers from Arthur and holding them closely to you. He bent down in front of you, pointing at his red clown nose. You weren't quite sure what he wanted you to do, but you slowly reached up and pinched the nose between your thumb and pointer.

Arthur began to back up, the string that wrapped the nose around his head beginning to stretch. After taking a few more steps back, he gave you a thumbs up. You smiled, letting go of the nose.

FWOOSH! The nose smacked him on the face! He tumbled backwards dramatically, landing right on his rear. You let out a loud laugh, thoroughly entertained by the silliness of the entire situation, and pleasantly distracted from your stress.

Arthur stood up, brushing himself off and beginning to dance. He spun like a drunken ballerina, and jumped around like a monkey in the jungle. It was ridiculous, nonsensical, extravagant, and most of all - fantastic.

You rested your chin on your hand, softly chuckling at Arthur's show. Your eyes were still puffy, but you were successfully cheered up.

As you sat at the apartment steps, happily watching Arthur dance, you realized something. Arthur wasn't just a nice guy that showed up at Pogo's a lot. He wasn't just a talented clown or a good neighbor simply doing his part.

He was your friend. And he was a great one, too.

A/N - Sorry for the wait guys, ya girl has been very very busy. But here's the latest installment!! YaY!! I wanted to experiment with this chapter, and see how much interaction I could write without any dialogue. Let me know if you guys liked it!

[steele-soulmate]

Tattooed Wings, CHAPTER 426, Peter Steele & OFC, Soulmate AU

SUMMARY: Mary Claire Bradley meets her soulmate- literally- the famous Peter Steele of metal group Type O Negative. But will obstacles including trauma, stalkers, and toxic family members get in the way of their life?

WARNING: mentions of child rape (nothing graphic) PTSD, milk kink, soft smut, grinding, assault, fingering, hand jobs, blow jobs, 69, P in V sex, blood, noncon rape, blood, violence, death, vandalism, graffiti, attempted kidnapping, break-ins, wild animal attacks, terrorist attack (sabotage)

WORDS: 1063

I woke up the next morning and found that the sharp, stinging pain in between my thighs had died off for the most point, but it was still there.

I rolled over, smiling up at my handsome older husband, sitting up and reading from a book of Icelandic viking history. He looked at me to the side, bookmarking the book before setting it onto the bedside table and allowing me to climb up into his lap, welcoming me in as I wriggled myself underneath his sleepshirt and popped my head out through the neck hole.

“Half a pound of tuppenny rice, half a pound of treacle, that’s the way the money goes, pop goes the weasel,” I sang with a little giggle. “You know something my love, the origin of the song comes from the Victorian years, where Cockney- a popular way of speaking in London’s East End was all the rage. The nursery rhyme is written in rhyming slang, and in this idea, ‘weasel’ means ‘coat’ and ‘pop’ is all about pawning stolen goods.”

“I did not know that sweetheart,” he chuckled. “But seriously- how do you know that?”

“I did a ton of research for my Jack the Ripper miniseries,” I told him. “Hunting Jack the Ripper, Romancing Jack the Ripper and Killing Jack the Ripper. Those books were my first published works and helped me get my foot into the publishing world.”

“What is the series about?” Peter asked me, pressing a kiss to the corner of my eye.

“Alice, Emily, Grace and Lucy are ‘women for hire’ working the streets of London during Queen Victoria’s reign in 1888. When a killer emerges from the shadows and starts terrorizing the streets, the four friends band together to take down this monster,” I recited from my memory. “Long story short. I’m thinking of rewriting it- fleshing out the characters more, adding more detailing, cleaning up the story more… Just basically rounding out the story a bit more.”

“Can I read it when you’ve finished rewriting everything?” he asked me.

“I’ll have my publisher send over a complete set for you to read,” I told him, pressing a lazy kiss to the underside of his jaw. “How does that sound?”

“That sounds perfect sweetheart,” he told me, smiling as I snuggled myself in closer to him with a soft little coo.

“Daddy? I don’t think I’ll be up for baby making today,” I meeped timidly. “I’m sorry.”

“No sweetheart, don’t be sorry, please sweetheart,” he murmured, pressing a whiskery kiss to my temple. “What do you want to do today?”

~xoXox~

Fours? Peter signed to me, his eyes flicking his graying hairs away from his playing cards and brightening when I handed him the four of aces that I had been holding. Queens?

Go fish! I signed, giggling as he selected a card from the deck in between us both.

The both of us were playing a game of go fish, using ASL to communicate instead of our voices, just for pure kicks and giggles. I was amazed at how much of the silent language he’d learned in the span of two and a half years, knowing that the source of his determination was his niece.

“Sweetheart, how are the twins doing?” he asked me as he causally rearranged his playing cards.

“They’re doing really good, last I heard,” I told him with a hum. “Aria’s spelling grade is above perfect and Evie is taking a first aid class at Adam’s office chain. Adam is currently looking to retire from his SEAL days though.”

“And Anna?” Peter pressed.

“Well, she’s reteaching herself how to knit,” I told him, chuckling as he threw down his cards, revealing a royal flush. I set my cards down, showing off four A’s and a queen of hearts.

“You win, sweetheart,” he chuckled, shuffling forwards to press a kiss to my lips.

“I don’t think that’s how the game is played, my love,” I commented dryly, shrieking with giggles as he dragged me into his lap, still peppering me with kisses. “But I love you.”

“I love you.” KISS “I love you.” KISS “I love you.” KISS “I love you.” KISS “I love you.” KISS “I love you.” KISS “I love you.” KISS “I love you.” KISS I smiled as my handsome husband proclaimed his never ending love for me as he sat himself up against the headboard with me teetering on the lap, dizzy with love and kisses.

I worked him out of his sweatpants and sunk down onto him with a loud moan, snuggling into my husband’s burly chest with a soft coo.

“Can I just cockwarm you? Please daddy?” I asked him, bumping my head underneath his chin. “We don’t have to have sex, but can I just be intimate with you just right now? Please?”

“FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK…” Peter snarled as his fingers dugs into my hips, leaving little bruises on my skin. “I’ll end up fucking you sweetheart. Are you sure?”

“Well, I’m starting to feel better,” I shrugged, tracing a random pattern onto his chest, admiring the heavy dusting of silver gray hairs. “Besides, we need to fuck a baby into me before we head on back to New York!”

“Yeah?” he hummed, running his hand down my arm before taking my soulmarked fists into his hands and raising them up for kisses.

TAGLISTS ARE OPEN/ ASK BOX IS OPEN/ REQUESTS ARE OPEN/ PLOT BUNNIES ARE WELCOMED

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