#they might be the mildest of spices they might not

[jeankluv]

Birdie - Satoru Gojo | Chapter 06

Words: 4,5k

Summary: You didn’t like him, at all. But due to your bad luck you would have to be forced to work with him and different circumstances end up leading you to the fact that perhaps the word dislike is not the one you use to describe him.

ac: _3aem

Tags: modern au, college au, fem!reader, academic rivals, he fell first, fluff, old money Gojo Satoru, abusive parents, slight slow burn, Satoru is a softy, secondary couple (Geto Suguru x oc), a bit of angst, no use of y/n, eventual smut, Gojo plays basketball

Authors note: I need y’all to chose between yes or no. Depending on which one wins, something will happen in one of the future chapters 🤭 also thank you for the support ❤️

Materialist | previous chapter | next chapter

Fic playlist

Gojo parked the car near the restaurant you had mentioned. It was a street ramen restaurant, a place you had visited countless times before. The ramen bowls were generous, and the prices were quite affordable, much to the relief of your wallet.

Luckily, you found a place to sit and perused the menu.

“I already know what I'm going to order.” You smiled, setting your menu aside.

“Oh, really?” He glanced up.

You nodded. “The house specialty with extra spice.” Just thinking about it made your mouth water.

“You like it spicy?” He looked at you with a hint of horror.

“Of course I do, Gojo. Don't tell me you don't?” Gojo nodded in response to your question. “Shit, most of the dishes here have some spice to them.”

“It's okay, it's just for one day.” He shook his head.

As the conversation flowed lively and you discovered new things about Gojo, the weight that had been on your shoulders since you stepped foot in the lake slowly fade away.

“Gojo…” You whispered after thanking the waiter who brought you dinner. “About what happened at the lake.”

“You don't have to tell me.” He gently interrupted. “If you want to tell me, then I'll listen and support you. But... if it's too much for you, then you don't have to tell me anything, birdie.” He smiled, and you could feel a warmth spreading in your chest.

“Thank you.” You whispered.

At times, you completely forgot that you didn't like Gojo, and another feeling you wanted to suppress emerged.

You shook your head and picked up the chopsticks to start eating. As usual, it was delicious and spicy as you liked it. You glanced through your lashes at Gojo and saw him struggling with the spiciness of his ramen, even though it was one of the mildest they had.

“Are you sure you're okay?” You stifled a laugh as you watched him fan himself with his hand.

“Yes, of course.” He coughed a bit. “It's just that... I'm not used to it.” He tried to smile.

“We can order milk, so the spiciness goes away better.” Gojo nodded deliberately, and you couldn't help but laugh.

You signaled for the waiter to bring a glass of milk. Watching him take a few sips and visibly relax, you couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

“Feeling better now?” You asked, a playful glint in your eyes.

Gojo nodded, a grateful smile spreading across his face. “Much better, thank you.”

The warmth of his smile melted away any lingering tension between you, and for a moment, you simply enjoyed the comfort of Gojo’s company.

As both of you continued eating, Gojo struggled to conceal his discomfort. Despite your initial concerns that dinner might be awkward because of what happened at the lake, it wasn't. You felt at ease with Gojo, and his occasional antics made you forget everything.

As you continued to share anecdotes and laughter, your ramen bowls emptied. And the night grew darker outside.

You watched as Gojo got up from his seat to pay. As you observed his back, you couldn't help but feel grateful for having accepted to come to this place with him. Gojo turned on his heels and flashed you a smile, a smile that made your cheeks turn crimson.

You didn't want to admit it, but perhaps Satoru Gojo was growing on you more than he should.

When Gojo returned to the table, you couldn't help the flutter of warmth his smile had ignited within you. Despite your best efforts to ignore him, you found yourself drawn to him in a way that both excited and unsettled you.

“Ready to go?” He asked, breaking the silence between both of you.

You nodded, getting up from your seat and following him out of the restaurant. The cool night air hit your face as you stepped outside, the soft breeze rustling the fabric of your clothes.

As you walked side by side, the comfortable silence between you said it all. It was a silence filled with unexpressed thoughts and emotions, a silent acknowledgment of the growing connection between you.

With every step, you couldn't help but look at Gojo, the presence of him at your side calming and strangely comforting. And when you got to the car, you couldn't deny the pang of disappointment that washed over you at the thought of saying goodbye.

“Gojo…” You muttered, getting a slight gaze from him. “About the other day…” How could you continue? “I know we are not close but I mean.” Shit. You were awful at these things. “You can talk to me I guess? We are classmates and all that.”

“You seemed awkward.”

“Shit. Is just that I’m awful with these things, okay? That’s why I didn’t know how to react the other day, when you, you…”

“It’s okay birdie. I get it.” You saw him smile. “Thank you for caring and I’m okay, so don’t worry.”

You nodded, still not sure if you should trust that okay he gave you, because it sounded like a lie and that it was hiding more behind.

At this point you couldn't deny that something was growing inside you. Satoru Gojo was making it difficult not to. His easy charm, genuine kindness, and unexpected moments of vulnerability had touched something deep within you, igniting a spark of longing you couldn't ignore.

Lost in your thoughts, you were jolted back to reality as the car came to a stop outside your house. Turning to face Gojo, you were met with his warm gaze, a silent understanding passing between you.

“Thanks for tonight, birdie.” He said softly, his voice tinged with sincerity. “For coming to the match and for then, coming with me to…”

A smile tugged at the corners of your lips as you returned his sentiment. “No, thank you. I had a really wonderful time having dinner with you. And don’t worry about what happened back in the lake, it was not your fault.”

As you stepped out of the car and onto the sidewalk, a sense of anticipation filled you. Despite the late hour and the weariness that threatened to weigh you down, you couldn't shake the excitement that bubbled within you.

Gojo stepped out of his car and walked you to the door, apparently wanting to make sure you arrived safely.

“I'll see you in class.” He whispered.

“Yeah.” You whispered back. “Goodbye, Satoru.” You smiled.

“Huh?” He looked at you in surprise. “Wait, did you just...?”

“Goodbye!” You hummed and closed the door before he could say anything else.

As you leaned against the front door, the familiar sound of Gojo's car engine ignited a flurry of emotions inside you. You couldn't help but feel a pang of longing mixed with a hint of anticipation. However, as the sound faded into the distance, a bittersweet smile appeared at the corners of your lips before you forcibly pushed those feelings away, reminding yourself of the need to remain grounded in the present moment.

As you walked through the quiet house, you found solace in the familiarity of your own room. Kyoko's absence, along with the echo of silence, allowed your thoughts to wander freely. Despite the calm outside, turmoil brewed beneath the surface as repressed memories of that night threatened to resurface.

Sinking into bed, you were once again faced with the weight of unresolved emotions. Your mind returned to a pivotal moment etched into your past. With trembling fingers, you reached for the photograph.

“Mom…”

With a whispered word, you invoked the memory of a figure frozen forever in time.

In the quiet solitude of your room, you wrestled with the complexities of your past, piecing together fragments of memories your mind had decided to forget.

As tears threatened to spill, you recalled the few vivid moments still etched in your memory alongside your mother. But many had long since faded away, her laughter, her voice, her scent, now even her expressions were difficult to conjure.

Resting your head on your knees, you closed your eyes, letting yourself drift back to the sweet melody she used to sing before bedtime. Each note resonated with a sense of comfort and longing, a bittersweet reminder of a love that transcended time and space.

Enveloped by the silence of the room, with only the melody resonating from your vocal cords, you began to feel the warm embrace of sleep. Despite your desire to stay awake for Kyoko, your body was simply too exhausted. Each note of the lullaby seemed to lull you deeper into a state of peaceful surrender, until finally, with a reluctant sigh, you succumbed to the soothing embrace of slumber.

As the sun streamed through your window, you blinked opening your eyes, realizing you had slept through the night without interruption. Your cheeks felt wet, and it wasn't surprising; you had dreamt of your mother, something that hadn't happened since you were a child. You wiped your face with the palm of your hand and stretched as you rose from the bed.

With Kyoko's parents away for the weekend, it would just be the two of you. You reached for your phone in your bag to check for any messages.

Kyoko☀️

I'm home now. I saw you were asleep, so I didn't disturb you. Come to my room as soon as you wake up tomorrow!!

That was a good sign, right?

And then there was another message.

Pain in the ass

The exam is approaching. How about we meet on Sunday to study? By the way, good night birdie.

Perhaps it was time to change the nickname, huh? You mentally chastised yourself for realizing you were smiling. You left your phone aside and headed to Kyoko's room with excitement. You flopped onto her bed, calling out her name eagerly.

“Come on!” You urged, nudging her gently. “You have to tell me what happened yesterday.” You smiled with anticipation.

Kyoko opened her eyes slightly and murmured your name. “What time is it?” She asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

“Almost noon.” You replied.

“Almost noon?” Kyoko sat up, surprised. “I've slept the whole morning away.” She sighed with resignation.

“After getting home at three in the morning, it's understandable.” You teased.

“Don't make fun of me or I won't tell you.” She warned with a smile.

“Come on…” You pleaded with a pout.

Kyoko returned your smile and sat up in bed. “We're officially dating.” She announced with joy. You let out a small yay and embraced your best friend.

“Was it romantic?” You asked curiously.

“Yes. He took me out to dinner first, and then we went to the teamLab, where he asked me.” She sighed nostalgically.

“At teamLab?” You asked, amazed. “You've been wanting to go there for ages, but the tickets were always sold out.” You recalled with surprise.

Kyoko shrugged. “I know, and I don't know how he did it, but we got in, and in one of the rooms, the crystal room, he asked me if I wanted to officially start dating.”

“That's amazing.” You exclaimed, feeling genuinely happy for Kyoko. “It sounds like he put a lot of thought into it.”

Kyoko nodded, a soft smile playing on her lips. “He really did. It was like a dream.”

“I'm so happy for you.” You said, giving her another hug. “You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

Kyoko returned the hug warmly, her eyes shining with gratitude. “Thank you for always being there for me.” She said softly.

“Of course.” You replied, feeling a surge of warmth in your chest. “That's what friends are for, right?”

As you both sat there, basking in the glow of Kyoko's newfound happiness, you couldn't help but feel grateful for moments like these—moments of joy, laughter, etc..

“By the way…” Kyoko looked at you with a smirk on her face. “How was your night?”

“My… my night?” You responded confused.

“Don’t play silly. You went with Satoru, tell me.” She pouted.

“We just went and had dinner.” You said. “Nothing else.”

“Really?” She said with a disappointed tone.

“Yeah.” You shrugged. “Why do you seem upset?”

Kyoko shook her head. “It's nothing, don't worry about it.”

You nodded reluctantly at her response, sensing that she was hiding something. “We'll see each other again tomorrow.” You said. “We're going to study, don't get confused.”

“Pfft.” She laughed. “Of course not.”

“The exam is next week, and I have to beat Sa-Gojo.” You corrected yourself before saying his name.

“Technically, you already had a date.” Kyoko pointed out.

“Last night wasn't a date, we were just two colleagues going out to dinner.”

“Whatever you say.” She smiled. “Anyways, you have to work today right?”

You bite your lip. “Ugh, yeah.”

“Do you want to meet up after your shift? We can meet Shoko and I can introduce you to her.” She smiled.

“That sounds good.” You replied.

“Perfect.” She got up from her bed and stretched. “Should we have breakfast?” You nodded in agreement.

Kyoko and you enjoyed a breakfast filled with laughter and conversation, but before you knew it, it was time for you to head to work. After bidding Kyoko farewell, you made your way to the store.

It was mid-afternoon when you suddenly remembered that you hadn't responded to Gojo's message. Retrieving your phone, you quickly finding the chat with Gojo.

You to Pain in the ass

Okay, we will meet again tomorrow.

At your place?

Within minutes, your phone lit up again, displaying a new message from Gojo.

Pain in the ass

Yep

I'll come pick you up, is 10 AM okay for you?

You read Gojo's message and felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension. Despite the playful nickname you had given him, there was an undeniable anticipation building within you for your upcoming meeting.

You to Pain in the ass

Sounds good, see you then 😌

With the message sent, you set your phone aside and resumed your tasks at the store. The remainder of the afternoon passed in a blur of customer interactions and inventory management, but Gojo's invitation lingered in the back of your mind, adding an extra spring to your step.

As evening approached and your shift came to an end, you found yourself eagerly looking forward to the following day.

You saw Kyoko waiting for you outside, engaged in lively conversation with another girl, whom you assumed was Shoko, Gojo and Suguru's friend. With excitement bubbling within you, you closed the store and made your way over to them.

As you approached, you couldn't help but smile at the sight of Kyoko and Shoko chatting animatedly. Their laughter filled the air, adding to the sense of camaraderie that surrounded them. Kyoko noticed you approaching and waved enthusiastically, gesturing for you to join them.

“Hey there!” Kyoko greeted you with a bright smile. “This is Shoko, the one I was telling you about.”

You exchanged introductions with Shoko, feeling a sense of warmth in her presence.

“Hi!” She smiled wildly. “I have heard a lot about you.”

You felt a twinge of embarrassment coursing through you. “Oh... really?” You attempted to laugh, trying to diffuse the awkward moment.

“Yeah, that idiot…” Shoko began to say before being cut off by Kyoko.

“Shall we?” Kyoko interrupted Shoko before she could continue speaking, her tone indicating a desire to move past that topic.

Confused, you looked at Shoko and then at Kyoko, wondering what had caused this sudden interruption.

“Let's go.” Kyoko said, taking your arm reassuringly. “I know you're starving.”

As you walked together, you couldn't shake off the feeling of curiosity about the conversation that was abruptly halted.

On the way to the restaurant, you learned that Shoko was studying medicine and was of the same age as you. In fact, she had been friends with Gojo and Suguru since they were about 14 or 15 years old.

“They tend to be quite intense.” Shoko joked. “And pretty dumb when they're together, but they're good people.” She added with a smile.

You nodded, returning the smile. The camaraderie between you was growing with each exchange.

“But let's stop talking about those two, tonight is girls' night.” Shoko suggested, changing the subject.

“Exactly.” Kyoko agreed with a smile.

Finally, you arrived at the restaurant and took a seat at a table.

Through the night you found out, Shoko liked to drink just as much as Kyoko. So now you were sitting in front of two drunk girls that wouldn’t stop laughing at every minimum thing. Don’t get it wrong, you also drunk and we’re having fun, just not as much as your best friend and your new friend.

“For real?” Kyoko laughed heavily, holding her belly. “I can’t believe it.”

“I swear.” Shoko said with a small hiccup. “Let’s ask for another round!”

You smiled and stopped her. “Shoko… you both are too drunk. For tonight it’s enough.”

“Oh crap… you just sounded like Satoru.” She looked first at you and then at Kyoko. “They would be cute…” She whispered but it was enough for you to hear. Shoko called out your name. “Do you like Satoru?”

You opened your eyes slightly, surprised by her question. “What…?” Only that question came out of your mouth but your mind was functioning like crazy, because as crazy as sound that question also came to your head in the last few days. “Shoko what are you talking about?” You tried to laugh. “No, no, I don’t…”

Kyoko laughed saying your name. “You’re completely red.”

“That’s true!” Shoko screamed pointing at you. “You do like him!”

“I don’t!” Your voice sounded nervous. “I just… I consider him a friend now!”

“But would you fuck him?” Shoko questioned you.

And your face turned completely red. “Shoko! What?!”

“C’mon!” Kyoko scream. “You would right?”

“You are both drunk!” You stood up from your place. “Let’s head home.”

“She definitely would.” Shoko laughed. “I heard he is quite…”

“Okay enough. Let’s go.” You cut her off before hearing what she was about to say.

“Ugh you are no fun.” Shoko and Kyoko cried out.

With great effort, you managed to get Shoko and Kyoko out of the bar where you had been spending the night. Hailing a taxi, you arranged for transportation back home. Shoko would be staying with you at your place; you didn't want to leave her to her own devices in that state, and besides, you didn't even know where she lived. True, you could have called Gojo and asked him, but after that conversation, the last thing you wanted was to have anything to do with Satoru Gojo. You decided to postpone facing the jumble of emotions inside you until the next day.

As the taxi pulled up to your destination, you helped Shoko and Kyoko out of the car and guided them inside your home. Once inside, you settled Shoko on the couch with a blanket and made sure she was comfortable to rest. Despite the late hour, your mind was buzzing with thoughts of the evening's events and the unresolved feelings surrounding Gojo.

After ensuring your friends were settled in for the night, you retreated to your own room, the weight of the night's emotions pressing down on you. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, but for now, you needed to rest and gather your strength for the emotional turmoil that lay ahead.

*･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･*

You adjusted the rebellious strand of hair that kept falling out of place and took a deep breath. Why were you so nervous? You were just meeting up with Gojo to study, but still, your heart couldn't help but race at the thought.

Your phone buzzed in your bag, signaling that it was likely Gojo letting you know he was already outside waiting for you.

You bid farewell to Kyoko and her parents and stepped out of the house. Your heart skipped a beat as you saw Gojo leaning against his car, engrossed in his phone. When he heard the door close, he looked up, and your eyes met.

“Hey.” Gojo smiled.

You nodded. “Hi…”

Damn it, what was wrong with you?

“Birdie, you okay?” Gojo leaned in slightly to get a better look at your face.

“Huh?” You refocused your gaze on him. “Oh... yeah, yeah.” You smiled faintly. “Ready to go?” You motioned towards the car.

Gojo nodded and reopened the car door, and you climbed into the vehicle that was already starting to feel familiar. Gojo settled in beside you, and as he started the car, it dawned on you that you were headed to Gojo's apartment.

The conversation from last night echoed in your mind. You were beginning to develop feelings for Satoru Gojo. And that terrified you. You were afraid of what might happen if you let those feelings continue to grow.

“You seem quite distracted.” Gojo's gentle voice broke through your thoughts.

“It's nothing.” You tried to brush it off. “Just thinking about something.”

Gojo simply nodded and focused his gaze on the road ahead. The landscape began to change, arriving at a neighborhood of the city that you did not know. It was a rich neighborhood, the cars that were parked and the whole atmosphere screamed money. It didn't surprise you, where else could the great Satoru Gojo live after all.

Gojo parked his car in a garage and you both silently took the elevator. You watched as Gojo played with the car keys in his hand, while he looked ahead. Your heart continued to beat strongly.

As you entered Gojo's apartment, a feeling of surprise washed over you. It was not what you expected, it was a warm, cozy place. You took off your shoes at the entrance and followed Gojo into the kitchen.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Water is fine.” You said. Gojo turned around and grabbed a glass to put some water on it. “Thank you…” You whispered when Gojo gave you the glass.

You tried avoiding his gaze but you knew he knew something was off with you. “Birdie…”

“Should we start with the study time?” You cut him. “Should we study in the living room?” You looked around. “Or there is somewhere else we could study.”

“In the living room it’s okay.” He said, still looking at you.

“Great! Let’s go!” You grabbed your bag and walked towards the living room.

Sitting on the big couch of Gojo’s department, you took out the notebook and waited patiently for Gojo to come and start studying.

You felt Gojo enter the room and sit next to you, too close for your liking. Too much. You could feel your hands starting to sweat and your heart racing again.

Do you like Gojo?

Do you have feelings for him?

The words repeated themselves in your head over and over again.

“Shit…” You murmured.

“Is everything alright birdie?” His soft voice spoke.

“Huh?” You turned your head only to be met with his blue eyes, way too close for your liking, for yourself.

Surprised, you moved backwards, causing you to fall off the couch. Gojo quickly stood up from her position and walked over to you to help you. “Birdie…” He said with concern. "Are you alright?" Gojo grabbed your hands and helped you sit on the couch.

You shook your head. “Yeah…” No. “I went out last night and I’m tired.” I can’t shake this feelings away. “It’s nothing.” It’s everything. “It’s okay…” It’s not.

“You should had told me…” He said with a sad look. “We could have chosen another day…” He whispered. “Nothing would have happened.” He smiled at you.

Satoru Gojo stop or I will completely fall and I don’t want to.

You shook your head. “Don’t worry.” You faintly smiled.

He hesitated but nodded at your words. You both sat next to each other and started studying. Gojo carefully explained the things that were still unclear to you. Each time he approached, your heart rate quickened.

Your feelings were completely tangled up. Satoru Gojo couldn't possibly be someone you liked, but no matter how many times your mind repeated that, your heart felt differently. It reacted tumultuously every time he was near.

As Gojo continued to clarify things for you, you found it increasingly difficult to focus on the conversation. His proximity seemed to amplify the turmoil within you, leaving you torn between what your head was telling you and what your heart was feeling.

Satoru Gojo POV

Gojo glanced at you from the corner of his eye, observing how completely engrossed you were in trying to solve the problem at hand. You delicately chewed on the end of your pen, your brow furrowing slightly in concentration.

She's beautiful.

Gojo shook his head and turned his gaze away from you.

Ever since he realized that you shared classes and even a major, he had tried on numerous occasions to get closer to you, but without any success.

When he invited you to the lake, he had attempted to confess, not in a romantic way. You see, Gojo did have strong feelings for you, a crush according to him. But he considered it too early to express them; he didn't want to risk pushing you away. What he had wanted to confess was his immense gratitude for what you did when you were six years old. However, just as he was about to do so, you had that panic attack.

He felt immensely guilty. Something had happened to you at that lake, and he had unwittingly triggered those memories. Seeing you so vulnerable and broken had shattered his heart. Holding you close had felt natural, and all he had wanted was for that pain you were experiencing to go away as soon as possible.

As Gojo watched you, he felt remorse for unintentionally causing your distress. He had tried to express his gratitude, but he had only made things worse, leaving you emotionally affected.

Despite his good intentions, Gojo felt guilty for contributing to your discomfort. He hadn't wanted to hurt you, he just wanted to comfort you. The image of seeing you so affected haunted him.

He silently decided to be there for you, support you with everything you needed and show you with actions how much you meant to him. Maybe he couldn't express his feelings at the time, but he was determined to show you his affection in other ways.

“Hey, birdie.” Gojo said softly, breaking the silence between them.

You looked up from your task, meeting his gaze with a curious expression. “Yeah, Gojo?”

“I just wanted to say... I'm sorry.” He began, his voice tinged with sincerity. “I know you already told me it was okay but I didn't mean to upset you back at the lake.”

You paused, studying his earnest expression for a moment before offering a small nod. “It's okay, Gojo. I know you didn't mean any wrong. And... thank you, for trying to help.”

Gojo smiled gratefully at your understanding, relieved to have cleared the air between them. “Of course, birdie. I just want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what.”

Gojo saw you blinking slowly at his words and a small smile appearing on your lips. “Thanks, Gojo. That means a lot to me.”

Note: comment if you want to be tagged

Tagged people: @lavender-hvze, @crybabytoru, @sanriosatoru, @norvacaine, @sadmonke, @faetoraa,@hexipessimistic, @gojoful , @kitzusune , @sh0jun

[teabutmakeitazure]

Imagine Chrollo finally lets you cook for him and it’s something that’s like. Yk. Not THAT spicy but his mouth is on fucking FIRE. He’s trying to be nice about it, like yeah it’s great! He says, while his whole face and neck are bright red and he’s on the verge of fainting from it. Idk you think the troupe might be able to handle it? I feel Phinks? Shalnark, and Nobunaga couldn’t handle spice.

There are many dishes that don't look spicy but are spicy. I don't eat spicy food but it's just in our cuisine. For someone who's used to salted boiled chicken with pepper kind of tastes, even the mildest flavour would be too much so imagine an actual dish. Maybe the salted boiled chicken with pepper is an exaggeration but still. I have seen many brave soldiers fall in the face of innocent rice dishes such as biryani only to be saved by milkshakes. Chrollo is no different.

Saving face backfires because even though he's able to push through and eat, the red face and neck give everything away. Take that you pale nihilist.

I'm not sure about the other troupe members but Feitan, Nobunaga and Shalnark strike me as people who can't handle spice at all. Especially the discount samurai.

[karaloza]

So as I sit here hyperfixating on LoZ, I got a neat idea which I will probably never try:

Breath of the Wild-inspired scented candles.

I do make candles for a hobby, and they are usually scented, but I'm not really into the soy wax jar candles that are the usual form these things take (and the form in which they occurred to me, ironically), and I'm also not into a lot of the popular scents for candles. I strongly prefer naturalistic floral and herbal/spice scents and tend to avoid fruit (except citrus) and other, less botanical options...but IF I were doing this project, I would suck it up and lean into the trends.

So here's what I came up with. I don't know if all these blends would even work. I think some of them might turn out terrible if they were done IRL. But if I don't put these out into the world then a very specific part of my brain is going to explode from the pressure.

For each candle, the scents are listed in order from strongest to mildest.

Akkala Wilds: Earthy, autumnal, and herbal. Oakwood, rosemary, nutmeg.

Death Mountain: Smoky and spicy. Campfire, cinnamon.

Faron Woods: "Tropical rain forest." Hibiscus, mango, bamboo grass.

Gerudo Town: Elegant and feminine, yet powerful. Rose, cloves, melon.

Great Fairy Fountain: Heavy floral. Orchid/plumeria, lilac, orange blossom.

Hebra Trail: Biting cold. Pine, camphor, raspberry.

Hyrule Field: Grassy and floral. Lavender, lemongrass, apple peel.

Kara Kara Bazaar: Exotic and layered. Ginger, teakwood, cactus blossom.

Korok Forest: Earthy and spring-tinged. Cherry blossom, maple sugar, patchouli.

Lurelin Coast: Warm seaside. Sea salt, coconut, saffron.

Roadside Stable: Homey and rural. Fresh bread, hay, leather.

Shrine of Resurrection: Fresh and invigorating. Eucalyptus, mint, cucumber.

Silent Princess: Light floral. Gardenia, sweet pea, vanilla.

Zora's Domain: Clean and watery. Rain, lotus, lemon.

And finally:

Yiga Clan Hideout: Bananas.

[brooklynislandgirl]

Are you loud or quiet during sex?

To Add a Little Spice || Accepting

After eight months in Absaroka County, Beth has made a friend of Henry Standing Bear. She assumes it's the unseemly amount of time she spends in the Red Pony, both grabbing meals before and after shift and sometimes because Henry lets her stay when tension rises between the Riley siblings. Her brother occasionally banishes her from their place for the sake of quiet, and she seems to find comfort and a strange sense of relaxation in Henry's company. Maybe too comfortable. The Red Pony is quiet on a midweek night and she's helped herself to helping him, even if he never asked for it. He teases her about having a fall-back career if the whole doctor thing does not work out for her, and she teases him about maybe becoming a cowboy, that with his gentle temper, he'd be good with horses and salty veterans. Work dwindles at they continue to knock it out in tandem, leaving them to enjoy coffee. She'll eventually have to drive back home and doesn't want to risk life and limb. They tell stories, finding common ground in many places. They play cards and without counting them, she's impressed that he's maybe a little better at it than she is. Eventually they end up in a game of truth and dare. Beth thought she had no secrets. And while the truth isn't one that violates her privacy ~if anything, it's almost the mildest thing he could ask~ she's only uncomfortable because she knows she'll disappoint him. "I've always been quiet. Often more so da beddah." She doesn't explain her childhood, it is not something she enjoys even thinking about. "I don' imagine I'd evah be like dem women dat scream like dey in a horror movie. I also imagine it might be really...weird. How does bein' in da t'roes of passion, spirits entwined, bodies all press togeddah, make ya sound like someone's makin' ya insides...ya outsides wi' a chainsaw. Creepy, f'ya aks me. Now did is all jus' conjecture, of course." She looks away for the moment. "I dunno fo' sure. Nevah put it into practice before." When she glances back at him though she wears something soft, something affectionate in that glance. "F'ya evah wan find out some day..." A hand wave, a sip of coffee. "Trut' or dare, Henry?"

[plothooksinc]

43 and 46? :3 (I know the default is Christmas when you hear "holiday" but it can be any holiday)

43. What's your take on spicy foods?

Man, I'm as white as they come. My stepmother burned any desire for spicy food right out of me with her spoonful of curry powder trick, and it took me a good 30 years to come around to acknowledging that maybe the mildest spicy wings are, in fact, okay. |D I vaguely envy people who enjoy spice b/c my diet is so restricted due to a variety of issues anyway, and there's such a smorgasbord of stuff under 'spicy' that I think it'd be nice to try. But I can't deal with spice. Alas.

46. Favourite holiday film?

404 File Not Found. I don't celebrate holidays |D The only one I really even notice going past is Christmas, because the whole world shuts down and reminds you for two months in advance. I don't attach any movies to any holidays, and I hate Christmas with a passion so I will avoid stuff that's Christmassy in general, up to and including Christmas episodes in shows unless they're plain out comedy. The closest I might get is a comfort favourite film I put on to wait out the day, so at this point... I'd have to say the Rise of the TMNT Movie. ♥

Thank you! (I'm sorry my answers are mostly negative here, ahahah)

Weirder ask meme here.

[the-kipsabian]

3, 9, 19, 31 and 43! (plus i love your new url omg!!!!)

3. do you leave the window open at night? nah i dont sleep well with extra sounds (i have like a bus route running right next to my building asdjnasjk) plus owning a cat makes that really hard unfortunately

9. which do you prefer, hot coffee or cold coffee? this changes a lot, it depends on the coffee but mostly hot. especially since a local place does pumpkin spice during the fall months in hot coffee and its the best thing ever hands down

19. imagine we’re at a sleepover, would you paint my nails? absolutely! painting nails is my second favorite form of self expression (right behind dyeing my hair) so i would love to 💜

31. what type of music keeps you grounded? this changes from time to time, but recently ive noticed anything thats like fast paced and heavier keeps me aware. everything else might just kinda not register for me most of the time these days

43. what’s your take on spicy foods? cant do them, like, at all. im a wee baby when it comes to anything spicy, like i cant do even the mildest chips or mild spicy chicken or anything :(

(also thank you!! i was kinda undecided for a while if i wanted to change it but fuck it i have a brand i might as well put it into use since i got it 💜)

[ainews]

If you're one of those people who can't handle even a drop of hot sauce, beware the next time you go to open your kitchen drawer – you might just get a face full of spice.

A new trend is sweeping the internet, and it involves filling a drawer with all sorts of hot sauces, from the mildest to the hottest, and letting unsuspecting people choose their own adventure.

The results, as you can imagine, are often hilarious, and sometimes even a little bit dangerous. So if you're feeling brave, or just want to watch your friends suffer, head to your local hot sauce store and get started on your own spicy drawer.

[shotorozu]

you like their hands

character(s) : todoroki shouto, bakugou katsuki, midoriya izuku (1/?)

legend : [Y/N = your name] they/them pronouns used, quirk’s not specific

post type : headcanons; accompanied with a small scenario [fluff, the mildest of spice not nsfw]

note(s) : i was thinking about todo’s hands today— also i’ll be adding pictures of what i think their hand looks like so.. 😳

»»————-　♡　————-««

todoroki shouto

i’d like to believe that shouto’s hands would be long and pretty— kinda like how i’d imagine akaashi and kageyama’s hands

but have y’all seen that man’s hands in the anime and manga 😳 they’re not really what i’d call them “long”

so i had to find a mid point, kinda like a fusion of both.

his hands are either really pale, or the knuckles are just really red

moving on..

you have a weird infactuation with his hands, and you were gonna tell him! but you just didn’t know when

he didn’t really get it at first??

yes, he will respect and properly entertain your interests. but.. his hands? he doesn’t get that part yet

shouto can say he takes care of them well. washing his hands at least 3 times a day, and applying lotion on them with the slightest mint scent in it

and he takes care of his hands because he needs to rely on them everytime he uses his quirk.

speaking of quirk— his hands are either scorching to the touch, or cold.

so the first time he reaches out for your hand, you just.. freeze?? you were talking about something random while walking with him

then he just suddenly reached for your hand

seeing your reaction, he’s like.. “oh. my hand must be too cold for them. gotta switch.”

then he switches hands, holding your hand with his left. and you’re still the same, and it appears to be that switching didn’t really help

scenario

“what’s wrong, love?” he pulls you aside, staring at your expression— seeing that you became stiff when he reached for your touch.

you want to downplay the entire situation, really. but shouto doesn’t budge, that’s just who he is, and he’s still left wondering what’s wrong, and if he did something.

that is until you mention his hands, and that you like them

“your hands.. are really nice i guess,” you avert your gaze “i like them.” you say in almost a whisper like tone.

he sighs in relief. and he feels better that it’s not about the fact that you hate the temperature of his hands, since they’re either abnormally sahara desert hot or cold like fresh snow on a december morning.

his cheeks flare pink for a moment, in sudden realization “y-you like my hands?” shouto asks this as a confirmation, hoping that he actually heard it correctly.

but when you nod, he takes full advantage— entertaining your interest in his hands to his best abilities

he smiles when he sees your expression change when he brushes the back of your hand with his own. then, he finally holds your hand— the coolness of his right hand is making you hyper aware

your heart only pounds faster against your chest, when he presses his lips to the back of your hand, maintaining eyecontact as he does soz

after dating you, he paints his nails with clear nail polish. it makes him feel better knowing that they’ll stay clean even with all the hectic training

to calm you down, he likes to rub his thumb against your cheek— his quirk slightly activating while he stares into your eyes

a little spicy; but whenever you eat your desert during a date, he will wipe the excess off the side of your lips, and ask you to lick it off.

is he teasing you? or is he serious? we will never know.

bakugou katsuki

SCREAMs

bakugou’s hands are big, and his veins are prominent— but not too veiny to the point it’s concerning.

he sometimes likes wearing rings but.. that’s just sometimes

his hands are strangely soft, especially the palms— but he could say there’s some rough spots here and there, but he’d guess it’s because of his quirk.

bakugou’s hands are always warm and sweaty, which he never actually cared about— until he started dating you

he’s kinda worried that you wouldn’t wanna hold his hand, but you can say it’s actually the opposite?

you really like his hands.. but you’re just scared of getting judged

so when he reaches for your hand, you try to pretend that he wasn’t? you turn your head away— trying to not look the slightest bit of dazed

scenario

“what’s up with you?” bakugou interrogates you, his ruby irises glaring into your eyes— his voice gruff

“what?” you question, the sudden action was out of the blue— and you hold in your breath when his hands cage you in, large hands pressed on the wall behind you

“HAH?” he yells, not amused by your sudden oblivion, “don’t act dumb,” he grits his teeth “spit it out, and tell me what’s wrong.”

“nothing’s wrong, suki— i don’t really follow?” you try to convince him that no, i’m totally not afixiated with something about you, even though you’re my boyfriend; i don’t wanna admit that. however— you’re not very slick.

“tch, fucking liar.” his eyes narrow, “if you hate my fuckin’ hands, then i prefer it if you were honest about it.”

“sorry, but what?” you blink, suddenly appalled by his words, “hate.. your hands?”

“because that’s what it is, huh?” he moves even closer to you, practically inches away; and you can only pray that he can’t hear the rather loud beating of your heart. “my hands are so sweaty that you don’t wanna touch em, is that it?”

you’re agitated by his misunderstanding, and you sigh; finally deciding to come clean. “fine! fine. i like your hands.”

you didn’t mean to make it sound that upfront.

bakugou blinks, the sudden tension releasing into thin air, his expression left almost as equally surprised as you.

“tch. so that’s how it is,” he smirks, and by the way it looks— you suddenly regret telling him that.

well.. not really?

he actually takes advantage of that, making sure you remember his hands nicely.

when he sits next to you on the couch, he’ll throw his beefy ass arm around your shoulders like usual. then, he’ll run his hand up and down, making sure you’re aware of his touch.

bakugou will be THAT BITCH that’ll gesture you to come over so he could kiss you,

and when you’re leaning in— he’ll pinch your cheek, a sly grin on his face.

a little spicy; but he’s the type to rest his hand on your neck when you guys kiss <3 ugh

but overall— he’s really glad you actually like his hands, and it wasn’t like you hated them at all

but GOSH he just wished you told him from the start >:T

midoriya izuku

less veins, but.. DAMN THEY’RE KINDA THICK?? not too thick but.. have you seen his hands in the manga??

of course— his hands are rough, with a bunch of scars from his quirk. which he was kinda conscious about

but he tries hard to take care of them outside of combat things in fights; if they’re damaged then.. oh well

he definitely fiddles with pencils, and when he’s studying— the chance of him having a silver’s hand is likely (the thing where the graphite smeers on the back of your hand) he hates that shit

he definitely has a writer’s callus. PROVE ME WRONG!! that man writes a lot, and so do i so 😌 twinsies

but he tries to keep them clean, and he wants to make them feel less rough— so he will invest in some hand cream

compared to the other two, midoriya’s hands are normal in temperature.

but his grip is firm but he doesn’t really realize it sometimes.

you like his hands because.. the detail on his hands leave you mesmerized

but you don’t really wanna weird him out or make him uncomfortable. since he gets really flustered quick.

and you don’t want him to just stare at his hands and think about your fascination about them. no distractions

but he gets real pouty when you pull away

scenario

“hey Y/N, do you.. hate holding hands with me?” izuku asks one day, when you guys are studying in your room

“what?” you tilt your head, really surprised by his question— since you guys sat in silence for the last few minutes. you can feel the edge in your stomach grow when he mentions his hands.

“you always pull away when i try to hold your hand.” you gesture him to continue what he’s saying, and he continues “ but i get it though! my hands are.. scarred, rough. they’re kinda ugly compared to the rest of the guys.” he’s rambling, and you can’t help but feel really saddened.

“izuku, no.” you shake your head, “your hands aren’t ugly. yeah, they may be scarred and all— but they saved a lot of people, it saved eri, and it helped you get to where you are today.”

izuku’s cheeks flush with red, and he can’t say that you’re wrong. but; though he’s provided with reassurance, that’s not the answer he wanted

“but why won’t you hold my hand?”

“because i..” averting your eyes to the wall behind him, you’re looking for the right words. “i like your hands. i didn’t want to make you feel weird because of me.”

you look at his face after the confession, and it’s just ingulfed in a red shade.

on the contrary, this makes him like his hands more. everytime he looks at his hands, he’ll be motivated by your words.

but he’ll be a little shy with acting on it at first; especially in public

but fear not! izuku may seem innocent, but he also knows what he’s doing so.. don’t be decieved

when he’s studying, he’ll write with his right hand, and feed you little snacks with his left hand— urging you to open your mouth and take the snack

after sparring with you he’ll comment on how you did so good, also while placing his hands on your shoulder— massaging any sore parts

a little spicy, but when you guys are kissing, HIS HANDS WILL ROAM TO PLACES. pulling you closer as he attacks your lips

overall— he might be a little shy at first, but he can say he’s pretty accepting of your interest in his hands. it makes him feel better about the appearance of his hands.

»»————-　♡　————-««

likes and reblogs are appreciated, thanks for reading!

i do not own bnha/mha and it’s characters. boku no hero academia/my hero academia belongs to horikoshi kohei. i only own the writing, and i don’t profit off of my hobby.

do not reupload, translate, and use my work for any reading videos without my consent. do not plagiarize my work :))

[dontshootmespence]

Challenge Accepted

Summary: Spencer is desperate to return to teaching in person amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but with restrictions still looming large, his girlfriend finds a way to switch up his online teaching.

Words: 943

Warnings: Oral sex (male receiving).

A/N: This is the first time I’m writing in like two months because school has been kicking my ass, but I had a request for a piece where Spencer is remote teaching because of COVID and the reader does her best to distract him...sooooo here it goes. :D

From the kitchen, you heard Spencer’s feet pitter patter across the hardwood floors of the apartment. The space wasn’t cramped by any means, it was sizeable, especially for the price in downtown DC, but after weeks upon weeks of quarantining due to the coronavirus, even your spacious apartment was starting to feel like a shoebox.

Spencer’s quickstep either meant he was excited to get his lecture going or he was frustrated in the confines of your apartment and was desperate to get back to teaching in person. His face said it all.

“Losing it?” You asked.

Spencer huffed an threw his head back, brown curls bouncing as he nodded his head and stomped his feet in the mildest of temper tantrums. “I just want this to be over. I understand why it’s necessary, I just really miss teaching in person,” he said sadly, almost wistfully staring out the window. “In person, I feel like I can form relationships with my students. Over Zoom, I can barely hear people, the sound fades in and out, and everyone else is in the same boat. We’re all just tired and...over it.”

If that wasn’t the one of the most relatable things he’d ever said. Padding across the room, you wrapped your arms around him and gave his waist a little squeeze. “Hey,” you said slowly, a devious idea forming jumping forward from the back of your brain. “Do you want me to spice up your lecture a little bit?”

At first, his frustration got in the way of your not-so-hidden meaning, but as soon as your hand traveled down toward his belt, your hand slipping between the leather and his skin, a small smile pulled at the corners of his lips. “People will be able to tell!”

“Only if you can’t control yourself, Spence.”

“Is that a challenge?” He asked.

“Is it a challenge you’re willing to accept?” 

This whole pandemic was getting to you both so his little scrunched up smile was a welcome sight. “Yes, please. Can we have a safe word or something so I can tell you if it’s getting to be too much and I’m actually going to come on camera? Because I’d actually like to keep my job and go back to teaching in person after this whole thing is over.”

Nodding, you returned to washing dishes in the kitchen while Spencer readied himself for his lecture. After finally settling on two taps on the back of the neck if he couldn’t take it anymore, he began the day’s lecture - a specialty he chose about forensic handwriting analysis.

You heard some now familiar terms - graphology, structural differences, connecting strokes and slants - and allowed Spencer to get into the swing of his lecture before you stripped completely bare and crawled across the floor and underneath his desk.

He quickly glanced down to see you bare, skin blushed, your hands traveling slowly and delicately up his legs. When he stumbled over his words, he hid it with a cough that no one would believe and continued on. Carefully, you slipped your hand into his boxers (thankfully, teaching from home meant he could look business up top with boxers on the bottom) and pulled his cock out. 

When you heard the hitch in his voice, you smiled to yourself and licked a strip up the underside of his cock, flicking your tongue back and forth across the tip before dipping to that sweet spot at the front that always drove him wild. Spencer did his best to keep control, moving swiftly between accentuating each and every word to allowing facts and statistics to flow from his mouth in an attempt to keep his secret just that. 

As soon as he managed to control his breathing again, you slapped the head against your tongue and looked up at him with a mischievous glint in your eye. His eyes met yours and you knew you’d ‘get it’ later, but you were willing to suffer the consequences later to have all the control right now. 

While Spencer regaled his students with the differences between left slants and right slants and no slants and what it all meant, you swallowed around his cock and scooted yourself forward, trying to take as much of him as possible without making any noise. At least not too much noise.

To you, each slurp and gag felt loud and obvious, but Spencer spoke louder. These kids he was teaching would be able to see right through it, but you didn’t care all that much. They’d be fine with it. If anything it might give him a little more ‘street cred’ so to speak. 

Leaning forward on your hands, you wrapped your lips around his cock and flattened your tongue, attempting to take as much of him as fast as you could without banging your head on the desk. That didn’t go well. Spencer tapped the back of your neck twice and told his students he wasn’t feeling well, hastily stopping the lecture recording and slamming the laptop shut. “Fuck! Are you trying to kill me?!”

“No, I’m trying to make you come,” you laughed.

“You think my students bought that?” He snaked his hands through your hair and pulled you back toward his cock, which you eagerly lapped at.

You chuckled against him. “Not in the slightest. But I think they’ll be cool with it. We’re all just trying to make it through this pandemic with our sanities in tact.”

As you wrapped your lips around him again, he groaned. “If you keep taking me like that, I might lose my sanity anyway.”

“That’s a chance I’m willing to take.”

[kurowrites]

Because I think your fluff is such a delight, Modern AU Wangxian, "A trip to Bunnyland: A magical place for bunny lovers" 🌼🐰🌈💕😆

Lan Zhan loves bunnies. He also loves petting bunnies. But loving bunnies doesn’t mean that he’ll publicly admit to that, and it doesn’t mean he will ever visit a place like Bunnyland. When he was younger and still dependent on adults, his uncle would have immediately dismissed the request to take him to visit such a place, and even now, he feels he will end up being out of place if he went. He’s an adult now, for one, and petting zoos are places for children. He’s also not good with crowds. That’s why he’ll never go to Bunnyland.

(Un)fortunately for him, Wei Ying has other ideas and a pair of well-working eyes. He sees Lan Zhan gaze longingly at a Bunnyland poster once, and decides that Lan Zhan definitely needs more fun in his life. So he strongarms invites him to an outing to Bunnyland.

Mind you, they are just friends, and this is Not A Date.

All in the name of friendship and some cuddle therapy for Lan Zhan. He definitely needs it.

So they go. To Bunnyland. On the weekend. Which again, is not a Date. They have to take the train, because the place is somewhere out in the countryside, with enough nature and space for all these bunnies.

When they finally arrive and are left to their own bunny-petting devices, it’s hard to say who the more excited of the two is. Lan Zhan, because he’s never seen so many bunnies in one place, or Wei Ying, who’s just genuinely charmed by Lan Zhan’s massive though understated excitement? Well, it doesn’t really matter in the end. They both have a great time.

They pet more bunnies than they can count, and Wei Ying might possibly die a few times in between when he sees how soft and caring Lan Zhan is with the little furballs (it’s criminal, for a grown man to look so good while spoiling a fat rabbit, Wei Ying’s heart is not made for this).

And sometimes Lan Zhan will hand him a particularly docile rabbit to pet, or offers Wei Ying to pet the rabbit he’s currently holding, and their hands will touch, and Wei Ying starts to wonder if he has undiagnosed heart issues. Because such a wildly thumping heart can’t exactly be normal.

But somehow, Wei Ying escapes with his life, and Lan Zhan treats him to lunch. They both have a ridiculous but very cute curry with the rice served in bunny-shape. It’s surprisingly delicious, even though Lan Zhan orders the mildest version of it and Wei Ying the hottest, and they would never be able to agree on a suitable amount of spices.

So yeah, they have a full day of bunny-cuddling, longing glances and surreptitious hand touching. It’s a good day. It’s also not a date.

Finally the time comes to return home, and they leave Bunnyland bunny-free (though not for a lack of trying on Wei Ying’s side).

They go to the train station to take their train home…

…and are informed that due to some accident somewhere down the tracks, the entire lane is currently blocked.

And no, they don’t know when the trains will run again.

Wei Ying is like “oh no” and Lan Zhan ALMOST tells him that he can simply call for a car to come pick them up. It might take a while, but it’s possible.

And then he realises that 1. tomorrow is Sunday and 2. there was a really cute little hotel at Bunnyland. They can perfectly well spend the night there. He has the finances. It’s less trouble for everyone. It’s a perfectly viable solution.

So he’s like “Nn.” and marches Wei Ying back to Bunnyland.

He gets that room. Because other patrons had the same idea as him, only double beds are left by now. But Lan Zhan is Determined now, and he soldiers on regardless.

So they end up in a bunny-themed hotel room pretending they’re not stealing glances at each other as they change into bunny-themed pyjamas after they’ve eaten another bunny-themed meal, and then they gingerly lie down on that double bed, pretending they’re not both dying inside, the tiniest little bit.

And then they talk. And Wei Ying, never able to resist Lan Zhan’s general Lan-Zhan-ness, starts teasing him, poking at him, until Lan Zhan flips them around and holds him down.

“Wow,” Wei Ying thinks to himself, like a dumbass. “I hope that doesn’t awaken anything in me.”

(It’s approximately three years too late for that now.)

Blushing, they separate and move to their proper sides of the bed, shamefully silent. 

That goes on for like 5 minutes until Wei Ying can’t take it anymore, turns back around, and attaches himself to Lan Zhan.

“I’m sorry. Are you mad at me?” he asks, like a dumbass, squishing his face into Lan Zhan’s back.

“I’m never mad at Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan replies.

“Liar.” Wei Ying laughs. “I annoy you all the time! Look at me now! I’m annoying you again, sticking to you like a leech!”

There is a beat of silence, and then Lan Zhan, “I like it when Wei Ying is close to me.”

And then they lie in the dark, slient for far too long, stewing in their mutual pining, and trying to figure out what to do now.

The answer is, of course: to pine more ridiculously.

[monmuses]

" so, um... i might have possibly accidentally tipped the entire jar of cayenne pepper into the soup... and by might have, i mean definitely. " ((for Heidi))

𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒 (𝐏𝐓. 𝟏)

     “...that’s why I taste just spice,” she groaned, sticking her tongue out. “Why did you do that!? I can’t do spice, Nishaaaaaaaa!” There was a prolonged whine, quickly looking to grab something like milk in the kitchen. Even the mildest of spices were a bit much for Heidi, to her dismay.

     “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?!”

[captainscanadian]

Love Me Blue | Bucky Barnes x Reader (Janmashtami)

My Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Summary: When you were younger, you had always dreamed of falling in love with someone who would love you like Lord Krishna loved Radha. A dream that once felt as though it was silly no longer felt that way. 

Word Count: 4400+

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Tamilian!Hindu!Reader

Warnings: MINIMAL TAMIL SONG LYRICS (I’m more than happy to translate!) & TAMIL CULTURE, References to Hinduism, PTSD, Insomnia, Endgame References.

A/N: This is my entry for @bucky-smiles​‘s 3K Diversity Writing Challenge! My prompt was to write a fic with a Hindu reader. I decided to write this fic with a Tamilian reader because I am Tamilian. I was born in Sri Lanka and my mother’s side of the family are Hindu. Although I consider myself an agnostic theist, I do enjoy reading the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. I hope everyone had a wonderful Janmashtami. Along with Lord Krishna himself, it’s also @jalapenobarnes​‘ birthday this weekend so please go shower Saran with all the love. This one’s for you, my chellam! <3 Pics are off of Pinterest! 

Bucky Barnes watched curiously as he sat cross-legged on the tiled floor of your living quarters, splashing a handful of water on the bright green banana leaf that you had laid out in front of him. 

Even though your apartment had a designated dining room with an oak wood table and chairs, he wondered why you preferred to be eating on the living room floor. Not to mention the way you had chosen to serve him on a banana leaf than a plate. 

As much as he found it bizarre, he was also curious about the traditions that you seemed to follow. Not just through the way you ate your meals, but also the way you honored your dead best friend and the way you had filled your apartment with idols and paintings of your Hindu God. It came as a surprise to him that someone as young and well-educated as yourself could even hold onto the traditions that you had been raised with despite having settled away from your home for years. 

Bucky had been surprised to find that as the decades had progressed, traditions had evolved with the emergence of a post-modern society. The way people had practiced religion had also evolved with time, but the way you practiced yours seemed to be the same as the way his own mother had practiced hers back in the day. 

You did not conform to modern life for the sake of it, and he found that inspiring. The old Bucky who had always been fascinated by all that science had to offer would probably disagree with you. But having lived a whole century as one of HYDRA’s science experiments made him wish that he could return to the pre-modern society that he had been born into. He hated confirming with the status quo as much as the next guy, but seeing you made him realize that he did not need to force himself to confirm either. He could be himself, as long as he could figure out who exactly he was meant to be. 

“According to my grandmother, eating off of a banana leaf is a lot more healthier than eating off of a plate. Apparently the nutrients in the leaf can mix with the food.” You explained to him as you served him some of the rice, careful not to overcrowd the banana leaf. You knew that he was unfamiliar with the dishes, but also appreciated that he was willing to try out a new cuisine at this witching hour. “She said that it’s good for the immune system, prevents intestinal ulcers, skin diseases… soothes the stomach, helps with digestion and prevents kidney stones.” 

He nodded, understandably. “Right…” He agreed, not having the heart to tell you that the super soldier serum in his body ensured that his cells would constantly regenerate and prevent him from falling ill. Nevertheless, he found your endearment quite refreshing. You really did treat him like he was Sergeant James Barnes of the 107th and not the Winter Soldier, and he was grateful for that. 

“We’re used to eating off of the leaf during special occasions or when we have guests.” You added. “There’s a Buddhist and Hindu philosophy... Atithi Devo Bhava. It literally means that the guests must be given the same respect as you would give to your Gods. And since you’re my guest tonight, you get the banana leaf.” 

“I’m no God, Y/N.” Bucky clarified, sighing as he ran his metal hand through his greasy hair. “I’m a human being, a brainwashed assassin, a weapon of destruction who brought so much pain in people’s lives. I don’t deserve to be treated with so much respect.” 

“Bucky…” You frowned at his words before shaking your head. “As the one who spent most of my life studying the life of Sergeant James Barnes of the 107th, I beg to differ. I know that you have a lot of internalized guilt about those days and I don’t blame you for that. But you can’t let the Winter Soldier define who you are. You’re more than who you used to be when you were brainwashed. It wasn’t who you were.” 

“To be honest, I don’t even think I know who I am anymore…” He admitted, a truth that he hadn’t told anyone else at the compound but felt that he could trust you with.. “But I know for sure that I don’t deserve to be respected like you respect your God.” 

“You should let me be the judge of that. My concept of God is actually quite different from the Abrahamic religions that you happen to be familiar with.” You protested with a soft chuckle, crossing your legs to sit across from him. “My grandmother once told me that Lord Krishna… being the God of love and compassion, he’s always present in one’s heart. Wherever there’s love, he’s always there. If there’s love in your heart, he’s there. And that makes you just as Godly as anyone else.”  

“I’m the world’s longest prisoner of war who spent most of my life imprisoned in a cryofreezer. There’s nothing Godly about the life that I’ve had to live.” He shook his head. “If anything, I’m a symbol of pain and suffering.” 

“Well, Lord Krishna was born in prison.” You remarked. “His life was meant to be filled with so much love… It started on Janmashtami, in a prison cell where his parents were locked up by his own maternal uncle. Even in all that pain and suffering, the betrayal that Lord Krishna’s parents had to face… they were blessed with a child who was the incarnate of the supreme God himself. All that pain and suffering led to some kind of reward, and I’m sure you’ll get yours in due time. Sri Krishna never discriminates, and he forgives those who are truly remorseful of their sins. He’s the God of compassion after all.” 

Bucky could not help but chuckle softly at your words. For every word of self-hatred that came out of his mouth, you had your own rebuttal that was rooted in your faith. He was left with no choice but to accept his defeat and give in to being treated as your guest for the night. It was the least he could do other than make use of that computer he had been given to catch up with the world by looking up Lord Krishna. “So, what’s on the menu for tonight?”

“Okay!” You exclaimed, pointing to the rice dish that you had placed in the center of the leaf. “Ven pongal, basically made from rice and yellow lentils. It’s also got some peppercorns, cumin, turmeric, ginger, curry leaves and cashews that I fried in some clarified butter. That’s why it smells so good. Don’t worry about the spices though. This is probably the mildest dish I’ve ever eaten in my life.” 

Bucky nodded as he looked up at you. “Do you make this often?”

“It’s a traditional breakfast food in South India, but it also makes for the ultimate comfort food when I’m missing home.” You replied with a shrug of your shoulders before grabbing the bowl of sambar and pouring it over the rice. “Now this might be a little spicy for you. But it’s the side dish of all side dishes. Sambar, basically a mixed vegetable stew with lentils and spices. Great with most South Indian breakfast foods.” 

“And what about the rest?” He asked as he eyed the remainder of the delicacies that you had laid out before him. He could not deny that the warm aroma that wafted up his nostrils made them much more appetizing. Despite it being past midnight, he was starved. 

“Medhu vada… deep fried lentil fritters, coconut chutney to dip ‘em in… and kesari, dessert made from semolina.” You pointed to the items as you placed them on the banana leaf. “I hope you don’t mind eating with your hand. We don’t really use utensils and I kind of forgot to pick some up. If it makes you feel any better, the right hand is commonly used to eat so…” You motioned towards his hand. “Dig in?”

He raised his eyebrow at your words. “I guess that was very convenient for me.” He joked before looking down at the food and back at you. “Aren’t you going to eat with me?”

You chuckled softly before shrugging at his question. “It’s alright, Bucky. I can eat after you. It’s not polite to eat before the guest.”

“Y/N, come on… you just said that you made all of this food because you were feeling homesick. I can’t eat all of this without you.” He clarified with a smile. 

You looked down at your lap in embarrassment as you felt your cheeks heat up. “I kind of only bought one banana leaf because I thought I would be the one eating all of this food.” You told him, shamelessly. “I didn't think I would have company, not that I don’t want you here or anything. I invited you to eat but… my grandmother says it’s rude to eat right out of the serving bowls if you’re going to be serving the food to someone else. I don’t mind waiting until you’re done and helping myself to your leftovers.” 

A part of him could not believe how bound you were to your grandmother’s words, especially when it came to your dining etiquette. Despite the fact that your grandmother had been someone to hold you back from your potential, he admired that you still respected her enough to follow through with the culture that she had taught you. 

“Fine, then if you don’t mind…” He reached down to grab a dollop of the pongal and sambar with his thumb and two fingers, carefully holding his hand up towards your mouth. “Let me at least feed you.”

Your eyes grew wide at his gesture and you found your cheeks heating up in embarrassment once again. “Um…” You gulped, not knowing how to react to that. A part of you wanted to accept his offer, but the pitter patter against your heart mimicked the rain against your window and caused you to become very nervous. 

As much as you had denied it when you were around the rest of the team, you knew that you did have a slight crush on Sergeant James Barnes of the 107th Infantry Regiment when you had first watched through the archival footage from the war. After all, who wouldn’t. At that time, you had believed that he was dead so it didn’t mean much. But now he was very much alive and sitting right before you. He was certainly a good looking man who’s smile could light up the world, and unbeknownst to you he had just lit up yours. 

You had spent years studying his life, along with the rest of The Howling Commandos, in the name of academic curiosity. But you could not deny that now seeing him in person changed how you really felt about this man. Not many people who studied historical figures had the chance to see them face to face. But this had happened to you twice now, and it still felt surreal. Bucky Barnes really was sitting on the floor of your living quarters, about to feed you a bite of your most favourite South Indian comfort food. What kind of idiot would you be not to accept it? 

You accepted the bite of food that Bucky had offered you, bringing your hand over to cover your mouth as you chewed. Your lips curling into a small smile as your eyes glazed over, you looked down at your lap. 

For some reason, eating from this man’s hand had made you miss your father quite so much. Seven years it had been since he had passed away. You never even got to say goodbye, the last time you had spoken on the phone being an argument that you had ended abruptly by hanging up on him. Had you known what was going to happen just hours later, you would have done things differently. You would have cherished the last moments you got to share with your father. Hell, you would have even prevented him from dying the way he did. But it was all too late now. 

Perhaps you suffered from internalized guilt just as much as the super soldier who sat before you, for you did feel partially responsible for your father’s death. Being an agent who was meant to save the world and all, you couldn’t even manage to save your own father. While this did once make you doubt your skills as an agent, you could not deny that you would give anything to be able to do right by the man who had raised you to be anything more than a typical Indian farm girl. But for now, all you had to do was exist for the sake of existing and accept the position that you had been given. Do the right thing, just as your father had taught you. 

When you had been five years old, your grandmother had told you the story of how Lord Krishna was married to more than sixteen thousand women. She had told you that he married every woman who loved him. He loved them back just as much too, being the God of love after all. But the woman he loved the most, he hadn’t even been married to her. Radha Rani was the love of his life. She was his soulmate. Despite not being married, their love for each other was so pure and eternal. 

It was then you told your father, in your childish little voice, “Appa, I want someone to love me like Lord Krishna loved Radha.” 

Now as you swallowed the bite that Bucky Barnes had fed you, you couldn't help but look over his broad shoulders. Up on the wall behind him you had hung one of the many paintings of Radha and Krishna that you owned. But in that particular one, Radha and Krishna were affectionately gazing into each other’s eyes while feeding each other. 

It didn’t seem like a sign to you then, but you prayed for some things to be made clearer in due time. After all, you were going to be here for a while. If Lord Krishna was really going to bless you with the kind of love that makes you blue after all of that pain and suffering, then you might as well accept it like you had just accepted that bite of food from Bucky. 

“Tell me the truth, Bucky.” You looked over at the man who sat next to you on the couch, his legs crossed as he leaned against the armrest. “Why are you even up at this hour?” 

Bucky Barnes looked over at you and let out a sigh, not knowing if lying to you about his insomnia would sell. After all, you seemed to know him better than he knew himself despite the fact that you had met just yesterday. While he feared that admitting the truth would cause you to become weary of him, he knew better than to lie to the woman who was in a position of authority. He had to be transparent with you, mainly because he didn’t have the heart to lie to you. 

“I can’t sleep.” He admitted, biting down on his bottom lip as he sat up straight, his elbows resting against his thighs as he covered his face with his hands. “I haven’t slept properly in a while, ever since I moved into the compound really. Every night I go to bed at a reasonable time. But I still end up waking up at this strange hour because of some nightmare.” 

Leaning over to rest your hand on his shoulder, you wanted to give him a squeeze. But you were quick to realize that his left shoulder was vibranium, so instead you moved your hand to rub his back. “Have you talked to Sam about it?” 

Not that you would assume that his friendship with Sam was anything like his friendship with Steve. As someone who had your own demons, you knew that it was not that easy to confide in someone about something like this. But you were well aware that Sam had some experience offering support groups to veterans who suffered from PTSD during his time working at the VA back in DC. He seemed to be much more equipped to handle something like this than you were, no doubt about that. But since you were now the boss around here, you knew that something needed to be done to address the mental health of your heroes.  

Bucky shook his head. “He’s always been weary of me, Y/N. I don’t think I should worry him about this. The last thing I want is for anyone to think that the Winter Soldier is still in me when he’s not.” 

“Sam can be an asshole at times… but he means well. He cares a lot about his friends, and that includes you and me.” You admitted. “But I know what you mean. What you’re going through, it’s not easy. You’ve had to deal with a lifetime’s worth of torture under HYDRA, along with the whole thing with the blip. The world has changed so much that it’s not all that easy to keep up with anymore.” 

He looked up at you and frowned. “I feel so lost, you know? Like I don’t know where I should start. I’ve missed out on seventy years of… life. The life that I knew before the war is gone and the life that I had since then… is full of torture and bloodshed. I’m just lost in the midst of it all.”

“Bucky, you do know that… if you ever want to talk about anything that has to do with history or what happened in the world during those seventy years, you can just talk to me about it, right? I may have a Master’s degree on The Howling Commandos but I do know a thing or two about what happened in the world after the war.” You offered, finally cracking a smile. “I can definitely help you out with catching up with times.” 

He chuckled softly at your words. “Is that how you and Steve… became friends?” 

You felt your cheeks heat up in embarrassment at the mention of Captain America, a man whom you had respected and aided in the recovery of until Natasha had decided to set the two of you up on a date. It was a brief fling while the two of you had worked together in DC. But once you had realized it wasn’t going to work, you had ended things amicably. While you had remained friends and you had helped him catch up with the world, things had changed so much around you. 

“Yeah, I guess.” You admitted with a shrug. “He needed someone to catch him up to the world and Fury realized that he hired a history major. I think it worked out for all of us.” Looking back now, you only felt blessed to have known Steve Rogers. He was not only an inspiration, but also one of your closest friends. “And that’s why I’m offering to help.”

“But how could you help me, Y/N?” He asked. “What can you possibly do to help me come to terms with who I am?”

“Well, I had Steve read through the Internet a lot and make a list of all the things he wanted to try… like Thai food and Sherlock Holmes. I know that you’re not going on any missions right now. You’re just hanging around the compound and trying to kill time, right? I’d say… make use of the computers we have here, learn as much as you can. We can talk about it. But don’t ever think that you’re alone in this.” 

The Internet was a great place to start learning, right? Surely, Bucky had been apprehensive about taking that step. But he needed to be given a little push. Thankfully, he now had you for that. “I guess I can do that.” He gave in, for he was starting to get bored of the facility’s gym. 

“There is something that needs to be done about your nightmares though.” You pointed out. “This compound needs an on-site therapist. I need one. You need one. Wanda needs one. We all need one after all this crap that we’ve had to deal with.” You made a mental note to make some calls in the morning, but for now you knew that your attention should be on the super soldier. “But right now, you really need to get some sleep.” 

Bucky shook his head in defeat. “I can’t seem to fall asleep in my bed, Y/N. Believe me, I’ve tried… for many nights. I guess I just have to suck it up and kill time until the morning.” 

You raised your eyebrow at his words before crossing your arms against your chest. “What? Do you need me to sing you a lullaby or something?” You asked him, teasingly. 

He laughed at your question before shaking his head. “As if that’s ever going to work on me…” 

“Is that a challenge, Sergeant Barnes?” 

Bucky Barnes had no clue how it even happened. Just twenty-four hours ago, the two of you had been strangers who had nothing in common except for the fact that you both shared a past that had been perfectly entwined somehow. But now you were sitting against the headboard of his queen sized bed in the living quarters adjacent to yours, his head resting against your lap as he shut his eyes. 

Your soft hands running through his silky dark hair, you sang the words that you had pretty much memorized by now. It was a lullaby that your grandmother had sung to you when you were younger, written about how Lord Krishna himself had fallen asleep after a long day of playing around his village. 

Ayarpadi Maaligaiyil

Thaai Madiyil Kandrinai Pol

Maaya Kannan Thoongugindraan, Thaalelo

Ayarpadi Maaligaiyil

Thaai Madiyil Kandrinai Pol

Maaya Kannan Thoongugindraan, Thaalelo

Avan Vaai Niraiya Mannai Undu

Mandalathai Kaattiya Pin

Oiveduthu Thoongugindraan, Aaraaro

Oiveduthu Thoongugindraan, Aaraaro

Ayarpadi Maaligaiyil

Thaai Madiyil Kandrinai Pol

Maaya Kannan Thoongugindraan, Thaalelo

Pinnalitta Gopiyarin Kannathile Kannam Ittu

Mannavan Pol Leelai Seidhaan Thaalelo

Pinnalitta Gopiyarin Kannathile Kannam Ittu

Mannavan Pol Leelai Seidhaan Thaalelo

Andha Mandhirathil Avar Uranga

Mayakkathile Ivan Uranga

Mandalame Urangudhammaa Aaraaro

Mandalame Urangudhammaa Aaraaro

Ayarpadi Maaligaiyil

Thaai Madiyil Kandrinai Pol

Maaya Kannan Thoongugindraan, Thaalelo

Bucky Barnes had no clue how it even happened. But as he listened to the melody of your lullaby, he had drifted off into a deep slumber. When he woke up the next day, he found that you were gone. But he knew that you were the one to thank for helping him sleep after many months of waking up from nightmares. 

As the weeks went by, you and Bucky had become quite close. As most of the team were gone for days at a time because of their respective missions, the two of you often found yourselves being the only ones remaining at the compound. Despite your loneliness, you somehow found comfort in each other. 

Your free time was usually spent cooking up a storm in the common kitchen, and Bucky found himself frequently joining you for your meals. He had taken quite the liking to South Indian cuisine, but he had also kept his promise of making you a completely vegetarian Wakandan meal - something that he apparently prepared by video-calling the Queen Mother of Wakanda herself and asking her for recipes. 

“Does this mean you have diplomatic immunity? Being the adoptive child of Queen Ramonda and all…” You had joked. “They call you the White Wolf, don’t they?” 

“Did you ever have to use your diplomatic immunity?” He had asked you mockingly. “Being the daughter of an Indian diplomat after all.” 

“Bucky, could you please give Queen Ramonda my regards? Let her know that Agent Y/L/N, the daughter of Ambassador Y/L/N, sends her regards and thanks the royal family for all of their help.” You hadn’t been all that familiar with the Wakandan royal family during the reign of King T’Chaka, but it was only after his death did you have the chance to work closely with them. After all, you understood the pain that they had been dealing with all too well. 

Bucky was not familiar with why you seemed to know them so well. He had just assumed it must be because of your career in diplomacy before you became an agent. He did not think much of it though, at least not until he had told Shuri that you gave their family your regards. 

While the truth behind your relationship with the Wakandan royal family had certainly shaken him to his core, he did not make it known that he knew about it. After all, it was a huge part of your own personal life and you were just his boss. He did not feel the need to let you know that he knew something about you that you might not have wanted you to know. But instead, he continued to learn more about you and the culture that you were raised in. 

The Internet was a great place when it came to catching up with the world. He had read just about everything he could get his hands on, from history to literature and science. While he tried to keep up with how much the world had changed, he had also read as much as he could about your religion. 

He often joined you on your visits to the temple in the city after noticing that you made it a habit to go there every Friday. When Janmashtami came around, Bucky had offered to help you paint footprints from your front door to your shrine of Lord Krishna. 

According to your grandmother, the tradition of painting baby footprints was done believing that Lord Krishna would follow them and enter your home. You had been doing that every single year on Janmashtami for as long as you could remember. But that year, you just knew. It was the first year that Krishna had entered your home for real.

[flanugget]

General Ideas for humiliating someone

Have them drop their trousers

Get them turned on and talk about it

Tie them up and talk about how helpless they are

Take their temperature with a rectal thermometer

Make them crawl on a leash,

Do things in front of a mirror

Withhold bathroom privileges

Watch while they go tinkle

Make them play with themselves (in person, on phone, on tape)

Tell them you know how much they are enjoying it

Strip tease – lap dance

Make them beg for something

Genderfuck – panties and lace for boys,

Leave a note with instructions

(cum calendars) Make them keep a journal that you get to read

Make them wear humiliating clothes

Do things involving food

Lift skirt

Forbid them to resist and tickle them silly

Make them repeat embarrassing things

Draw attention to the fact that they are turned on

Assemble an audience

Crete evidence through pictures, drawings recordings

Do things where there is some risk of being caught

Tease

Make them confess their inner thoughts lusts desires

Make them do something scary or embarrassing

Pubic shaving

Role play - dog, pony, slave, geisha, harum girl

Objectification – make them serve as a footstool

<Q> What are humiliation and degradation, and how are they used as a turn-on in SM play? Examples?

<A> Humiliation is the process of lowering a person's pride, dignity, or self-esteem, often by encouraging him to see himself as foolish, contemptible, or worthless. Degradation is the process of lowering a person's rank, status, value, or worth – "de-grading" him – usually in someone else's eyes and often, thereby, in his own. This is how degradation may frequently lead to humiliation.

Many SM and DS interactions achieve their erotic edge through the consensual assumption of inequality between Master or Mistress and slave or other property, Dominant and submissive, or other form of Top and bottom. It is an easy call, therefore, to use degradation and humiliation to establish, enforce, or reinforce the presumptive power disparity. In addition, some people enjoy making or emphasizing such distinctions (or having them made or emphasized) by the Top's belittling, insulting, or otherwise debasing the bottom.

One classic example of degradation and humiliation behavior in SM is verbal abuse. Here, the form degradation takes may be the Top telling the bottom what a worthless piece of flotsam the bottom is; if the bottom accepts and even, perhaps, believes the judgment, he may then feel humiliated. In another situation a Top might dress her butch/macho bottom in diapers and ruffly pink baby clothes, and parade the bottom at the Eagle or at the Mr. Drummer contest. A Top might require a bottom to accept golden showers, either in private or in a public scene. And humiliation can be very subtle, as when a Top gently requires that his shy bottom expose herself at a party or similar consensual public scene, transgressing the childhood inhibitions to which she had been trained.

Degradation and humiliation exist on a continuum that begins with the mildest embarrassment and proceeds through the most severe debasement. And along the way some people learn the difference between humiliation and humility – a state that can only be attained when false pride is stripped away from a posturing ego and the real strength of an individual shines forth. This can be a gift for the Top of stunning beauty.

If playing with degradation and humiliation distresses you or your partner, or turns either of you off, don't do it. These games can emphasize the poor image some people – Tops as well as bottoms – have of themselves and/or of others, and can harm their egos or self-esteem.

At the same time, just because these games don't work for one person doesn't mean they don't work very well for another. Some people whose ego strength is quite good may become erotically aroused by degradation and humiliation; still other people do not find activities such as those I mentioned to be particularly degrading or humiliating or maybe even interesting; yet others may take enormous pleasure in wearing diapers, for instance, or take great pride in being a really good pony or pretty baby; some may find serenity through surrender by demonstrating or receiving the profoundest depths of submission through golden showers. As with all variant sexual behaviors, one person's poison is often another person's grilled spiced tofu with aoli marinade.

[izayoichan]

He opens the door, a chuckle from River making him smile as the silence of the house takes over. The only real sound is the low sound off the TV from the living room, where he sees Hayle sit with two pets sleeping on him. He takes River with him into the kitchen where he starts gathering ingredients.

“Can I help in any way?”

River looks at him as he starts, Rylan looking back, a smile on his face when he saw River watching him, pondering what he can do, then realizing he should, of course, decide what he wants on top of the pizza. 

“Well how about you check in the fridge for something you'd like on it other than the white sauce I'll make, if not it will be white sauce... oh yea, you can choose a cheese, we have a few to choose from.”

He smiles and goes back to making the dough, kneading it together before he lets it rest a little before he will make it into that round form that it needs. River walking over to the fridge takes some ham and notices three different kinds of cheese that have piqued his curiosity on taste. As he comes back, he sees Rylan shape and forms the pizza into a small round one, putting down the ham and the three kinds of cheese.

“You want to use all three? I mean it would be a three-cheese pizza, which sounds fancy.”

He chuckles as he starts on the white sauce, making sure to add very little of the spices he would normally add in it to make sure it would fit River’s taste buds. 

“Which one tastes better? We can use that one.”

River smiles gently, leaning at the counter and just watches him work. Surprised at how skilled he has become and how easy he is making it look. Rylan looks at the cheeses, taking the one he knows is the mildest of the tree. 

“This is the mildest one, the other two have a more sharp taste, why don't you cut a small piece of each and taste, see what one you want?” “So Vy taught you? Why?” “Yeah, Vy taught me and my dad, I think for me it gave me something to do, and it helps Vy when he is too tired to cook on top of healing my brother. Also, after a while, it became kinda fun. I mean after I stopped cutting my fingers and burning the food.”

River breaks a piece of one of the cheeses, tasting it carefully, grimacing making his nose wrinkle in a way that makes Rylan smile. 

“Wow! This one burns on the tongue! Like a tiny salame! Keeping your mind occupied?” “You can mix them too if you want, that way it will be a little less bland, but without too much taste... “

RIver looks away stealing another bite of another cheese, enjoying the taste of this one a bit more though still a bit strong. He turns off the heat under the sauce he is making waiting for River to decide.

“Yeah, when I cook I need to focus on what I am doing, follow a recipe and so on, and that stops the mind from thinking about everything else.” “About what?”

He gives the second mildest to Rylan, having quite enjoyed the taste. In reality, he wants Rylan to tell him how everything has been, what thoughts have been on his mind, everything. Rylan taking the cheese and a grater, grating some before he puts it all together on the pizza bottom and puts it in the oven. 

“How you were doing, what you were doing, if I still had a brother… “

He sighs and goes quiet for a while, still not all that willing to go into any detail, not wanting some silly panic attack to ruin things. 

“Some idiot at work, and well I guess how my parents were holding up if Vy was okay….”

River listens to him, noticing he is still holding back, just touching the very surface of things, but never going into any detail. He reaches out a hand and gently caresses his cheek. 

“If I stay tonight, will you tell me everything? Will you open your heart and spill it all, so at least you don’t have to carry everything alone?”

Rylan looks at him, staying quiet for a while. The “price” of having River stay is tempting, but the panic attacks are not. 

“You know you can stay here, right? Not just for one night, but as your home?”

He puts his hand on top of the one River still has on his cheek. Wanting more than anything for him to stay, to live here just like Vy did. It would be good for what his master had tasked him with too. 

“And I can try, it tends to trigger... well what you saw some off earlier today.” “Only if you're comfortable with it... But I have a feeling you have been holding a lot inside. Am I wrong?” “You’d get your own room… just like Vy has, not that he spends much time there but he has it.. And you're not wrong, It is how I tend to handle things, and if it hadn’t been for Hayden’s endless nagging to talk to him it would probably have been worse than what I am now.” “There's a lot you didn't tell me on the daydreams, that you could but chose not to. And I imagine why... but... Why didn't you tell me?”

He takes Rylan’s hand and gives it a gentle kiss, wondering just how much he has on his mind, just how much he is carrying on his shoulders. Rylan quickly casting a look at the pizza before he looks back at River. 

“I didn't tell you because I was afraid it would make me panic, and I didn't want to worry you with any off it, including my silly panic attacks. Mostly, I didn’t want the dream to break, like the first time.” “I still worried, And I worry that all this time you have been carrying pain and suffering on your own.” “I... I just thought that if you got my problems to worry about, it might take even longer for you to come back... Silly maybe.”

He gets distracted by the ding the oven makes when the timer is up, quickly taking out the pizza, placing it on the bench, taking the pizza cutter and cutting it into slices. 

“And now, you will be the judge of my pizza skills!”

River presses his lips to a thin line. Maybe if he had known what was going on he'd been less obtuse with his master, he would have given in earlier and be out of there sooner. He couldn't push back the guilt, the guilt that even though he had gone to them, angry at their verdict, he had decided to act like a tool and fight morgyn every step of the way until he figured out what he was really doing. How he was hurting the one person he had promised not to. he looks at the pizza.

“Yes, I get to judge it now and I can’t wait.”

Rylan hands him a slice of the pizza he has made, sitting down on a stool next to River, curious as to what he would think about it.

“So do I pass?”

Beginning - Previous - Next

[drouklazher-blog]

❝ Ragar Kertia, hear my command. Seek out the spiciest of this human item called ‘ramyeon’. You may not return until you find one that would make even the Noblesse shed tears. ❞

@soulcleft | @unheimlig - 8|c

     There was no doubt that the Lord did all this to annoy him. Obviously unloading whatever she held back in persistent aggravation, given the former leader of the Kertia family orders just as this one that a many other current [ and former ] leaders would find appalling. Atrocious and something to raise voice about that he should deny these happenings and require upon orders more worth his time and skill!

    Himself? Honestly, he held no care about that. Accepting easily, as would it not permit him to wander back into the realm of humankind and just be for a while? [ in a sense, she did him well with her personal displeasure about plans and orders from her Lord Father ]. And, unlike others, he was not against learning the changes of the world [ even though man-made appliances held little to no worth for him ], having been taught a few things here and there by the modified humans under Viktor’s care. Especially the man named Tao seemed to be delighted that someone of the assassin’s class would be willing to indulge in the ‘benefits’ of this so-called 'internet’, making work a lot simpler while - in the end - Ragar would still go out and about and fancy himself in gathering whatever would come to light in research done over the last hour [ he, still, had to listen to the boy voicing concern about being loaded upon with something quite as - whimsical - as this ].

    Alas, two could play this game.

    “My Lord.”

    It would be laughable to assume that the Noblesse would shed tears, alas, he had left packages behind for Frankenstein to try and indulge his Master, however he saw fit [ he would her about this, later on, he knows ]. “As per your wish, I went out to find the 'spiciest ramyeon’, and will hear later about how it fared with the Noblesse and if it was to his taste.” She couldn’t really mean it, now could she? To make him 'shed tears’ [ too much like her father sometimes ]. With the announcement of return, he bows before her, movements of well-mannered politeness and respect to be fulfilled, accepting her wholly as his new Master and Leader.

    “I’ve had the servants prepare it all regarding what Frankenstein told me how to do it, so if you may want to proceed in trying them as you wish, they are waiting in the adjourning room.” And he was not desultory in his tries. Finding ten different versions, not only from Korea but also Malaysia and India as well - fulfilling it all to utmost perfection. “They are lined up by the 'mildest’ to the 'spiciest’.” And even more might he not want to offer? Of course, but that was due to the scientist’s very mannerism around those that all the nobles would look up to [ couldn’t have helped it, right? alone the fact of task being quite so charmingly hilarious as this had spurred on wants and needs to - 'help’ - ? ]. “I am to also offer my regards from Frankenstein himself.” That would not end well, so he knows. “He provides his skill to add ingredients and spice to the one you like the most if it were still too mild for the Lord’s tongue to taste.” And sure enough - the spiciest of them all held enough heat to have, by a little taste, lingering burn for half an hour on lips alone.

[shotorozu]

you like their hands

character(s) : shinsou hitoshi, kirishima eijirou, monoma neito (2/?)

legend : [Y/N = your name] they/them pronouns, quirk left unmentioned

post type : headcanons + small scenario [fluff, the mildest of spice] not even nsfw

note(s) : i was gonna put denki in this but i had a hard time thinking about what kinda hands he’d have, so i’m putting him in the next post

»»————-　♡　————-««

shinsou hitoshi

his hands are big, and his fingers are quite thick.

really likes wearing rings and bracelets, but he usually doesn’t wear them when he’s working (i’d say that bc wearing jewelry while doing physical activity HURTS)

regarding texture, his hands were initially soft— but due to transferring in the hero course, they roughened up over time

he’ll use hand cream if you want, but he doesn’t go the extra mile. and his nails are trimmed at all times. painting his nails a black color would be great once in a while.

lol i forgot to mention nails in the last post

he notices right away that you like his hands when he catches you staring at them when he’s cracking his knuckles

like.. people have said that his hands are nice, but he doesn’t really say much about them bc they’re not you

scenario

a crack sound is briefly heard in the rather silent room. the scrolling on your phone halts, and your eyes follow the sound of the crack.

ah, he’s cracking his knuckles. you think to yourself, and you’re left just simply admiring the way he applies pressure on a knuckle. who knew that his rather— large hand would look appealing, even while cracking his knuckles.

you snap out of your observation, but instead of just simply going back to whatever you were doing, you’re met with lilac eyes. “you were staring again.”

your cheeks heat up, and you opt to just turn your head to the opposite direction. “sorry,” you apologize. however— that’s not what hitoshi was looking for apparantly.

“if you like my hands alot,” he scoots next to you, hands sliding up and down your arms— his firm grip practically making the pre existing butterflies in your stomach act up again. “then you should’ve said so, kitty.”

is he conscious of his actions? hm. you could say that

he’ll purposely play with his capture tool right in front of you— the material wrapping around his hand. and he can only laugh when you immediately get absorbed into it

the back of his hand will brush against your cheek. then, when he comes in to kiss you, he’ll cup your cheek— kissing you with his other hand resting at your nape

under the table, his hand will start to slide against yours, interlocking hands with you. he’ll act like nothing is happening, but on the inside— he’s taking in your reaction

a little spicy, but when he wants you to look at him— he’ll do that thing where his thumb brushed against your bottom lip, as it almost dips right into your mouth

if he feels a little extra, his hand will also be tugging on your hair (if you’re fine with that. otherwise, he’s sticking to the one above)

oh and he also does that thing where he rests his hand on your neck, thick fingers squeezing your throat lightly.

overall— THIS MAN omg, he’ll entertain your interest in his hand nicely, just for you. and every single thing he does is memorable

kirishima eijirou

his hands are quite normal regarding size, they are almost always veiny, a lot more than bakugou’s actually. i think at some point he was concerned about them

his hands are rather flushed in color, but that’s because of his quirk. his fingers have a few tiny scars here and there,

he occasionally has pen marks on his wrists due to bad penmanship, and his nails.. don’t look the best, but they’re not the worst it’s bc of his quirk

the palms of his hands are ridden with callouses. but he wears them with pride because it’s the pure evidence of his hard work with his training.

but he starts to get worried about them when he goes to hold your hand.

you always had a thing for kirishima’s hands, but you just never had the chance to tell him that. i guess asking you did it for him

scenario

did you even realize how hard you were staring at his hands right now? it happened every single time he enlaced his arms around you, his hands resting at the sides of your arms

at first, he thought it might’ve been because his hands are too rough, or you might’ve been in discomfort— because maybe, just maybe, he accidentally activated his quirk?

the fact that he can’t exactly tell what it is worried him, maybe he should just ask you.

but his worry washed off when you told him upfront that you ‘liked his hands’

“wait so.. you’re staring at my hands because you like them?” kirishima wants to confirm your words, and— so casually, by the way— nod in agreement.

tracing the veins on his hands, you elaborate “your hands are really nice, i can tell how hard you must’ve worked.” pressing your smaller hand against his, you smile.

eijirou takes a moment to process it, but it’s surprisingly quick. “oh t-thanks!” he sheepishly took the compliment, a small blush sporting on his cheeks. “i’m glad it wasn’t because you thought they were weird.”

kirishima unintentionally feeds your interest with his hands. like sometimes.. he’s just not aware of it, but yes— he is feeding your interest well

will always make you compare hand sizes with him, chuckling softly at the dazed look on your face when your palms touch

if you allow him, he’ll fix your hair for you. doesn’t matter what hair type you have, he’ll do LOTS of research to know how to style it

those hands are magical

if you get a papercut, or a wound from cooking— he’ll patch you up, then he’ll press a kiss on the bandaid.

he’ll do this thing where he’ll squeeze your sides when you pull in for a hug. but if you’re not okay with that, he’ll opt to just rubbing your back with his hand— rocking you softly as he hugs you

a little spicy, but his hands do wander a lot. you might need to even hold them in place to make sure they don’t go too wild

in addition to that, he’ll just SLIGHTLY, activate his quirk to make sure you’re conscious of his touch. his finger tips gliding against your back, sending shivers down your spine.

but of course, he’s careful. he doesn’t activate it to the point it causes scratch marks, nor will his actions draw blood. he doesn’t wanna do that

in short— kirishima’s a little clueless at first. he wouldn’t really tease you in public, but he’s surprisingly attentive to your interest.

monoma neito

his hands are on the tipping edge of slightly above average. he doesn’t have a lot of veins on his hands, but they do pop out depending on what quirk he’s using

monoma’s hands are pretty spotless of any scars (from cuts, abrasions, etc.) because he gets REALLY annoyed with wounds pretty easily

to the point he’d want to attend to the wound immediately, he doesn’t let them sit— it’s just a personal preference

his nails are at the perfect length. not too long and not too short to the point it hurts, you don’t know how he does it.

wears watches on his wrists, and not the digital type— he sorta acts like he can read it easily, but it takes him a few seconds to even get to know the time

you know this because kendo snitched on him and told you LOL

you secretly hate yourself for this, but you really like his hands because of how he takes care of them. you’d never tell monoma even though you’re dating him

scenario

you’re unsure of yourself on how your boyfriend— monoma, found out about your fascination with his hands. it was supposed to be a secret for the rest of your life, and you only remember talking about it once out loud

which you assumed was a close call, considering that you thought he didn’t hear it at all— but he did.

“so i heard you like my hands, huh Y/N?” monoma’s teasing tone does not aid the situation. your cheeks heat up with embarassment, and you can’t get yourself to answer his question— without sounding like a fool anyway.

you fake annoyance, “where’d that come from?” you ask, and monoma doesn’t seem to want to switch the topic

“i’m asking you a question, dear Y/N— i heard you like my hands,” his tone would’ve sounded condescending to any other person, but you can tell that he’s either genuinely curious

or just teasing you, because that’s how he is.

to aid his question, he brushes his fingers along your neck— near your pulse. you jolt, stunned by the sudden action— heart beating rapidly against your chest.

“see,” monoma presses his hand against your chest, where your heart is palpitating, grinning in a way that’s teasing you “it’s true, isn’t it? sweet Y/N has a thing for my hands, hm?”

you furrow your eyebrows, and flick his forehead— and he hisses in reaction, “fine then, i do like your hands.” you finally give in, admitting final defeat.

ever since then, you haven’t heard the end of it

definitely that person that’ll just randomly bring it up to you, no matter what hour of the day it is.

“oh Y/N, you were totally fawning over my hands earlier—”

“i will castrate you.”

you know he means well most of the time, but sometimes he just loves teasing the heck out of you.

but that doesn’t mean he neglects your obvious interest in his hands.

he’ll compliment you, he’s a snarky person in general— but to you, he’s totally smooth with it.

slides his hand from your forearm to your hands, only to bring them up to his lips, pressing a kiss against your hand

squeezes your hand everytime he sees you, it’s kind of a nonverbal greeting at this point

similar to kirishima, he likes comparing hand sizes— teasing you about the size difference (even if it’s not even a big of a difference, he’ll take that chance.)

does this thing where he rubs his thumb against his palm. does it a lot when he’s concentrated about something, or just out of the blue

a little spicy, but he’ll make you tell him what you like about his hands, and what you like about the things he does with those hands of his. if that makes sense

he wants all of the details, doesn’t care if it’s mundane, or things he does when he’s feeling a certain way.

he wants to know, because as soon as you’re done with your spewl, he’ll do exactly what you like, teasing you while he’s at it. and so he can start incorporating those habits whenever he’s around you.

totally someone that’ll make you suck on those fingers. oh, but he’ll purposely get some dessert on them— asking you to suck them off

“good grief, i got some dessert on my fingers again. Y/N, come suck them off”

sometimes he’s serious, sometimes he’s just teasing.

overall— it’s pretty adventurous. he starts to act on it as soon as the revelation is revealed to him.

but i’d say he does just fine.

»»————-　♡　————-««

likes and reblogs are appreciated, thanks for reading!

i do not own bnha/mha and it’s characters. boku no hero academia/my hero academia belongs to horikoshi kohei. i only own the writing, and i do not profit off of my hobby

do not plagiarize, translate, repost, or use my work for audio readings without my consent :))