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#and lack of other food options but now we got a whole lot more options so idk.
snekdood · 1 year
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Commercial food brands:
People aren't buying your products bc you put milk in everything and no vegan options. People are learning that eating SO MUCH MILK AND MEAT is NOT actually great for you and your body and also makes ya constipated. I think maybe yall should invest in vegan options and alternatives to your popular products, then you wont lose so many people to being fed up and ultimately resorting to cooking for themselves since like most every popular food brand has 0 alternatives.
#my stomach does Not appreciate having to eat anything w milk and meat in it#aside from any morals i have for myself about eating animal products. my stomach does Not like sitting there tryna digest this shit#and i also dont like it and being constipated like all the time :|#obviously im an Anti Milk Propaganda blog (in spite of being hindu ??) but this isnt even about how milk powder is in everything which it#is and its really annoying. this is about how in general this shit isnt sustainable if you're trying to gain as many consumers as possible#like health is a huge thing for ppl now ppl dont wanna just sit there and mindlessly eat whatever crap no matter whats in it#also okay i dont think its impossible to ethically consume milk. i do believe thats probably what most hindus do#its more like a. we're not cows so why are we doing this kinda thing. like i think we only started consuming milk outta desperation#and lack of other food options but now we got a whole lot more options so idk.#im a snake-man so im just like. avoidant of milk in general djfhhgfdhg. i've always hated how dairy tastes .-.#im sorrey shiva pls forgive me u-u#nvm just looked up the dairy industry in india and its Not looking good out here boys :T#i trust that like ppl with their own cows are good to them but uh... industries gonna industry no matter who gets hurt huh#anyways i need to stop reading about this because im already crying and i dont need to anymore 😢👍#not gonna act like its better in the us but hearing about this stuff and seeing any imagery of it just makes me cry a lot
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wildemaven · 11 months
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Sweet Creature: Chapter Three
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Pairing: Dieter Bravo x F!Reader
WC: 3605
Summary: A washed up movie star with a failing career, fresh out of rehab and looking to turn his life around. He moves back to his small hometown to take a break from stardom and help his sister out with his niece- He's traded the high-life for school runs and crafting. What he doesn't except is to meet you, his niece's school teacher who couldn't care less about his extensive filmography or his dwindling fame.
Warnings: 18+ blog; swearing, mentioning of drugs, abandonment, arguing, food and alcohol, angst, feelings, mention of recovery/rehabilitating, absent parents, nail picking, Diem having to be a mother hen, one line from ‘The Bubble’— I think that’s it, as usual please let me know if I’ve forgotten anything.
A/N: This chapter totally became something I didn’t intend on, but in a good way. There’s a lot of feelings from everyone being thrown around and some hurt, but I think it was needed to be able to move forward— especially from that initial awareness in the kitchen. I’m excited to now get everyone in a somewhat good place with each other, so they can quit being knuckleheads. Thanks so much for all the love on the first two chapters, I am so excited to share more! Big thanks again to @gnpwdrnwhiskey for taking the time to beta for me— she’s been my wingwoman through this and I so appreciate her time and thoughts with each chapter!
Series Masterlist / Sweet Creature Playlist / Main Masterlist
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“Diem’s not home.”
“Oh fuck—”
This is literally one of those worst case scenario situations, and you’re not sure if you’ll ever come back from it. 
You feel sick, the pit in your stomach heavy with regret. A destructive aftershock hits your chest, rolling tremors of guilt crashing through every inch of you. 
“Dieter, I— I’m s-so sorry.” Your voice cracks as you force yourself to break the agonizing silence. 
“Sorry you said it or sorry you got caught?”
You’re not even sure which one is a better option, either way it doesn’t resolve the hurt you’ve caused him. 
His eyes lack that sparkle you saw earlier in the day, dimple no longer visible—his expression now reserved and opaque. 
“I-I didn’t mean for you to hear any of that— I.”
“Oh, so you meant it then?”
“No, I-“
“Like when we first met, a year ago. What was it you said? Ah, I think it was something to the effect of ‘a fucking deadbeat, washed up douchebag’. The memory is a bit hazy, but those words stuck with me this whole time, just didn’t have a face to put with them until now.”
“Dieter, I’m so—“ 
“Yeah, sorry. You mentioned that.”
Tears well up in your eyes, stinging as they threaten to burn trails of remorse down your face. You blink them away, keeping them at bay for the now. Right now is not their time, it’s not your moment to center yourself in misery— this catastrophe of a situation is at the fault of your own actions. 
The click of the front door grabs your attention— Diem’s home. 
Both you and Dieter are still standing in the kitchen, eyes locked onto each other, neither making the first move as you wait for Diem’s arrival into this botched run in. 
“Hey! Sorry I’m late, Wren’s appointment ran later than expected.” Diem’s arms full with take out boxes, completely oblivious to the gloom looming around in her kitchen. “Oh shit! I forgot we were getting together tonight.”
“Mama said a bad word!” Wren already settling herself on a barstool at the counter. 
“Sorry, baby. I should have text you! Wren had a doctors appointment and her booster was in Dieter’s car from this morning— it was a hot fuc— hot mess! But I’m glad you are getting to know each other without me!”
So much is happening around you, your body frozen as you watch Diem arrange the white foam containers about on the kitchen island, a small hand grabbing at the mound of salty rosemary seasoned fries. Dieter settling back against the nearest counter watching as his sister moves about with ease, something he hasn’t been witness to in a while. 
“I grabbed tacos from The Nest downtown. Since I screwed up our night, stay and eat with us.” She says to you as she’s putting plates and silverware out. 
“It’s okay, I can go. I don’t want to intrude on your time together.” Your throat dry, pulse racing, you need to leave immediately. 
“Oh stop! You’re not intruding on us, I insist— the more the merrier, right Dieter.”
His name slices through you like a jagged knife, each syllable a tiny knick, the slow drag of its blade adding to your own downfall. 
“As long as she’s comfortable with it, the more the merrier.” His gaze bores intensely at you, his voice laced with bitterness. 
“Yeah— okay.” Your own words betraying you. 
“Perfect! I was hoping for all of us to have dinner together at some point anyways— no better time than now I guess. Everyone grab a plate and we can sit at the table. Wren, go wash your hands baby.”
“‘Kay, mama!”
*
“I also played on the swings— I showed my friends that trick Uncle Dude taught me!”
“What trick?!” Diem, unaware of any ‘swing tricks’, glances at Dieter with furrowed brows in a panic at the thought of Wren sharing something dangerous with her friends— he seems to be equally confused, shrugging as he waits for Wren to explain further. 
“I swing as higher and higher as I can, then jump so I can fly!” Her little arms stretched out in a flying motion and she continues to munch  away at her fries.
“Oh! Well, let’s save that for when we’re together and not at school where we can get hurt if we fly too high.”
“Okay mama!” 
You’ve barely touched the tacos in front of you, let alone heard much of the conversations being shared around the table. Your brain is so busy running through a list of excuses to leave, you don’t hear your name being called. 
“Hmm?” Refocusing back to the present moment. 
“I asked how things have been at school? We didn’t get our usual catch-up chat at drop off this morning since Dieter took Wren.” 
“Oh— good! Things are g-good!” You force a fake and hopefully believable smile, keeping your response minimal and to the point. 
“Have you made any progress on your upcoming art exhibition at the gallery?” 
“Umm, yeah— I mean kind of. Still trying to nail down a theme right now. Then paint everything before it’s time to prep for the install. Just haven’t found any inspiration just yet, typical artist procrastination.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll figure something out and get it all done in time.” Diem ever the optimist. “And, if you need any ideas, Dieter is well knowledgeable in the field, I already told you he’s an artist. I’m sure he can help you with any questions you might have. Right, Dieter?”
“Yeah— sure.” His response is flat, not even making an attempt to look up from his plate. 
“Thanks.” I think. 
“You okay? You’ve barely eaten.” Diem’s motherly concern not reserved to only Wren tonight. 
“Yeah— sorry, I’m good. Just been a long day, some— umm, things kind of came out of nowhere. A lot on my mind, that’s all.” 
“Hmmph.” Dieter lets out a brief huff of annoyance at your response as he settles back into his chair, pursed lips and arms crossed on his chest— he wants this to be over just as much as you do. 
“What was that Dieter?” 
“Mama, I’m full.” Wren’s sweet little voice breaks through the awkward tension that made itself comfortable at the table for the evening. 
“Wren, you barely ate your tacos— how can you be full?” 
“I’m full of French fries mama! May I be excused?” 
“Sure. Go wash up and brush your teeth. Then you can play for a bit before bath time.” 
Wren doesn’t even wait for the end of Diem’s directions before she’s launching her body out of her chair and heading for the bathroom. Maybe you could borrow a page from her book, you’d rather be full of fries instead of the uneasiness that has settled in your gut. 
Diem lets out a heavy sigh, face resting in her hands as her elbows support her on the table. “I swear, sometimes I feel like she’s testing me.”
“She’s a kid, it’s her job to keep you on your toes and not eat anything you want her to.” Dieter reaches over and gives Diem’s arm a light squeeze. 
“Yeah, he’s right.” Sneaking a glance towards Dieter as you agree with him, there’s a quick flick of his eyes over to you then back to Diem. “It’s developmentally on track for her to be picky or hate something she once enjoyed. It’s nothing you’re doing wrong at all. And if it makes you feel better, she ate all her lunch today— said she loves when you make those special circle cut sandwiches.” 
You catch the momentary smile on her face, hoping your words were enough to give her some relief. While you don’t know the weight that comes with being a parent, it’s  your job to know the ins and outs of kid’s behaviors and how they react to a multitude of situations. 
“Thank you. I’m so grateful— for both of you. This summer is going to be busy, but knowing I have the two of you in my life it seems less stressful. Speaking of which, I’m doing a re-grand opening for the Capri soon, it’s really a glorified pool party— music, drinks, hot guys, and a sweet little girl who might need some looking after while I make sure it all goes smoothly.” 
“Of course! I wouldn’t miss it.” You agree immediately, you love helping Diem whenever she needs it. 
“Yeah. I already told you, any way I can help with Birdie, I’m there.”
Even with the prospect of being around Dieter regularly, you would rather see your friend happy and endure the already strained relationship you and Dieter have. 
It seems like the awkwardness has dissipated and you’re hoping to ease into a peaceful parting for the evening. 
“You both are the best! Gosh, to think it was roughly a year ago you were screaming at Dieter—“
So much for the peaceful part. 
You see Dieter’s shoulders tense as Diem starts to recount the incident you’ve already re-lived earlier this evening. 
“Diem, no—“ Your attempt to get her to stop talking goes unheeded. 
“Calling him a washed up actor, or whatever it was you said—“
“Diem, please don’t—“ Your heart-rate quickening, if you didn’t already feel like shit from your foot-in-mouth event earlier, you definitely do now. 
Dieter’s jaw ticking to the side, as Diem continues the retelling of the story. 
“And then you tried to convince me to not have him stay with me— to think we wouldn’t be able to hang out like this if that were the case!” 
There’s that proverbial bomb you were waiting to explode, a nuclear wave that was bound to destroy everything in its path. 
“You what?! You told my sister to not allow me here?”
“Dieter, I just— I thought you were the type of guy who—“ The tears have made their way back, this time there’s nothing you can do to stop them from falling. 
“What type is that? The annoying movie star whose ego has to be stroked on the regular so he can continue playing the role of ‘look how glamorous I am’? Or is it the washed up-deadbeat-douchebag type that you think so little of?”
“I’m sorry…” Your lungs are filled with the weight of his words, drowning in the thick air of your own words being thrown back at you. 
“Listen— I'm sorry. I'm trying to care, but it's hard— Fuck! I need some goddamn air!” 
“Dieter?!”
Dieter stands hastily, his chair scooting back with the force of his movements, not saying another word as he makes his way out the back door. 
There’s a beat of silence, save for the occasional sound of Wren playing as she was told to do. 
“Okay, what the fuck just happened?!” Diem looking back in the direction of where he had gone, then back to you. 
“I fucked up Diem— I-I fucked up really bad.”
“What do you mean you fucked up? What did you do?”
Diem looking at you with desperation, eyes pleading to clue her in on the reason for Dieter’s agitation. 
You let out a heavy sigh before you begin to recount the events that had unfolded between you and Dieter. 
“I was heading over for our usual weekly get together, saw your car in the driveway and figured it was just you home— “ You can’t bear to look at Diem, your nervous tick of picking at your nails keeping your focus. “I let myself in, like I always do— started talking about Dieter and how I thought he was attractive and healthy looking— But then I just kept going and started talking about what I said when I found him in the bathroom at Wren’s party— I thought I was talking to you, until I realized it wasn’t you, it was Dieter.”
Your gaze slowly lifts to meet Diem’s, her expression solemn as she takes in everything you’ve shared. 
“I’m so sorry, Diem. I know we chat and share things openly with each other, but I didn’t— I didn’t mean for him to ever hear that.”
She takes a deep breath. You don’t get the sense that she’s upset, she’s always been able to keep herself pretty calm even when she’s angry. 
“Look, Dieter will get over it— It might take a minute, but I promise it will blow over in time. But you gotta stop with your constant need to prejudge and criticize people based on their past. Was your first impression of Dieter the greatest? No, it wasn’t ideal— but you can’t keep bashing him forever. He’s put in the work, you’ve got to give him a chance to at least prove it.”
She’s right. Hearing her call you out on your flaws stings more than you thought, but you know she’s right and you accept her unyielding words. 
“You’re my best friend, and I’ve already told you how much I appreciate your loyalty— but he’s also my brother and I can’t just assume he’s going to fail without reason. I’m going to support him and love him through this next chapter of his life, until he shows me otherwise.”
You wipe the last few tears that have started to dry, nodding in agreement. 
“I mean— I love you, but you gotta quit doing this shit. I know your past has hurt you in so many ways, but you got to stop it from letting you move forward with the life you’re living now.”
“Yeah, you’re right— I’ve got to make peace with things. I’m sorry, for how I acted and for the way things went tonight. I’ll make a better effort moving forward.”
“It’s okay. I mean it’s not, but it is. Come on.” She stands and motions for you to follow her, grabbing your things, you both make your way to the front door. “I think we need to let things settle a bit, give everyone time to cool off. Go home, take a bath, relax— don’t let it eat you up though. I’ll talk to Dieter, smooth things over with him.”
“Mama!! I need you!” Wren’s timing always seems to be right on point. 
“That’s my cue— mom mode engaged! I love you! We’ll chat more soon.”
“I love you too.” She pulls you into a tight embrace, it feels like a warm blanket of love. You hug her back, hoping she can feel just how much you love her too. 
“Mama!”
“Coming! Night!”
“Night Diem!”
*
He doesn’t even know how long he’s been sitting, letting the irritation of the evening quiet down, enjoying the chilly air on the back patio. 
The moon starts to crest the evening sky and the stars slowly appear, blinking from their respective peaks. 
The sound of the sliding door opening catches Dieter’s attention from where he’s sitting at the outdoor dining table. 
“Hey, you okay?” Diem placing a glass of ice water for him on the table, then taking a seat next to him. 
“Yeah, I’m fine. Although, a heads up that you and Wren’s teacher were besties would have been nice.” 
“If I’d known you’d both be at each other's throats after your first meeting, I would have.”
He doesn’t really know what any warning would have done, but he wasn’t expecting to be front row to a vent session he wasn’t meant to hear. 
“Her and I talked— I let her know that what she said was not the nicest way of expressing her opinion—“
“Ya think?!” 
“Dieter let me finish. I told her she can’t let her past dictate her life or how she meets certain people.”
“Certain people? You mean people like me, you can say it— a former drug addicted, an actor. What kind of history is so bad that she’s put off by the idea of you letting your own brother live with you?”
“It’s not my place to share that with you. If and when she does decide to, that’s her choice.”
“But it was her place to talk freely about me with you? I’m assuming regularly too, being that you two have these little gossip nights every week.”
“That’s not fair, Dieter.”
“How so?”
“Look, I already told her that she was out of line with her comments. She needs to give you a chance and I’m going to ask you to do the same for her.”
He can feel his frustration bubbling up in his chest. 
“Fuck that! If she’s allowed to voice her opinion about me not coming around, then I’m going to have to do the same— I don’t want her here while I’m staying with you.”
“Well, that’s not an option Dieter, so you can just forget that!”
“Why? Because her friendship is more important than your own brother?”
“First of all, I never said that. Secondly, she’s all I had for a long time— she was here when I needed someone to talk to late at night when I couldn’t sleep, helped me with Wren when I needed it. She stepped up when I didn’t even ask her to.”
He hears the tremble in Diem’s voice, her usual level headed tone shifting towards anger the more she talks. 
“You could have just called and said you needed help, I would have been here.” The moment it leaves his mouth he knows how ridiculous it sounds, and knows whatever Diem is about to unleash on him is more than justified. 
“Are you fucking serious right now?! Called you? When could I have called you for your help?? Hmm?? When you were across the country shooting your big time movies for months on end?? How about when you and what’s his face were off gallivanting across Europe for a year? I should have called you then, right? Oh! I know— I should have called you every time you were strung out from doing fuck knows how many lines of Coke or whatever drug of the week it was.”
He feels gutted, every bit of him fileted open as Diem pours salt into every crevice of his undeserving body. 
This is all part of it though— the healing process. While there is bound to be plenty of excitement and joy around his recovery, there is an equal amount of uncertainty and ugliness that comes along with it. Raw, heavy emotions and animosity all have just as much of a place as the elated ones. 
“I didn’t have mom and dad— and I didn’t have you either.” She uses the sleeve of her shirt to wipe her tears as she brings her feet up onto the edge of the chair, arms pulling her legs close to her chest as she rests her head on her knees. 
“Diem, I’m sorry. I-I’m sorry I wasn’t available and I’m sorry for not being the brother you needed.” 
Reaching over he grabs the arm of her chair pulling it closer to his own, the metal of the legs scraping against the ground. 
He leans against Diem, head resting on hers 
as he wraps an arm around her shoulders. 
“I’m not asking you to be best friends, just to give her a chance, for me. Heck, you can even fake that you like her if you want to.” He laughs, but knows an actual effort is what Diem deserves. “I need you both more than you know. Can you promise that you’ll do that for me, Dieter?”
Her body shifts a bit, he leans back to allow her to bring her arm out from where it was tucked away. 
It’s as if they were transported back to their childhood, her pinky awaiting his to fully seal the agreement. 
“Promise.”
*
The rest of your evening went as Diem suggested— a warm bath with your favorite bath bomb and a small glass of wine to help relax even more. 
You hated how much you were the cause of the evening’s chaos, replaying every word of it on your walk home, as you soaked and now as you situate yourself in bed. 
The only remedy for your lackluster mood was a phone call away. Grabbing for your cellphone and scrolling through the recent call log until your thumb finds the contact you’re seeking. 
It’s ringing, the silence between each ring feels like minutes, but by the fifth ring you can hear the click of the call being accepted. 
“Hello?”
“Hi mom, it’s me.”
“Well hello there, this is a surprise!”
The way her voice is always soothing and warm, it feels as if she’s snuggled in bed next to you. 
“Sorry it’s so late, I just— needed to hear your voice.”
“Okay, what’s bothering you?” Her motherly senses already firing off.  
“How did you move on?”
“What do you mean?”
“With how dad was, is— how did you move on and feel okay to trust again?”
“Well, that’s a loaded question.”
Propping a few of your pillows behind you, nestling into them as you prepare to listen to what she has to say. 
“Time was a big factor. You were my main focus too. But eventually I had to realize that I can’t automatically assume that every guy I meet is going to be like your father, unless they show me otherwise. Once I figured that out, the fear of being let down was no longer keeping me from moving on. I hope that answers your question.”
“It does. Thank you mom.”
“So, who’s the guy?”
“I-I didn’t mention any guy.”
“You didn’t have to. But, he must be worth it though if you’re humble enough to seek out the opinion of your little ole mother.”
“Yeah— we’ll see.”
Next
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dsimeon · 4 months
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Okay, so… Lesson 40 spoilers ahead. I have many thoughts. Be warned, not all thoughts are positive.
Alright, so… We all know the general thoughts and feelings about the writing in nightbringer especially. I’ll touch on that later- but I will say, i sure as hell don’t think it was good in this most recent lesson.
First, I will say- I did greatly enjoy the individual moments with each of our boys. You’ll never guess who my favorite was- no, don’t look at the blog name- shit, yeah, it was Simeon. A close second was Barbatos, and following that, I loved Solomon in the whole lesson.
Simeon’s individual time was adorable. I loved the callback to the previous lesson. Giving him his own advice, and getting the option to cover his eyes for him as well? I think that was a nice touch. I also loved how we could see the seed of distrust planted in Simeon. We got to see him begin questioning his Father, which I think was actually very interesting. There Will be writing based on that coming from me at some point lol.
Next, Barbatos. I’ve seen other people talking about it, but… He knows. Barbatos SO knows. I loved how they hinted at him knowing that we aren’t from that time.
Lastly on the individual characters, Solomon! Normally, in OM, things that happened a while ago just straight up get forgotten, or brushed under the rug if they conflict with something new. I fully expected that to be the case with telling him his food is hot garbage. But it was very fun to see his endeavors in cooking once more, and actually succeeding with the help of Luke and Barbatos! I still feel bad about telling him the truth, but hey… someone had to. And we had a nice moment where his food was actually appreciated for it!
Now… That’s about all the positive things I have to say about this chapter. Please, click away if you don’t want to see criticism.
So… The goodbye felt lacking. The whole thing did, honestly- but the goodbye especially. You mean to tell me that we spent months building up to this epic moment where we are supposed to be going back home and… That?
1: the whole portal thing was absolutely pulled out of someone’s ass. Unless anyone remembers something I don’t- there was absolutely 0 mention of some hole in the sky that was meant to take us home. It makes no sense, either. We had the OPTION to wait until the founding ceremony, according to Solomon. That’s what made it special, in my opinion. The whole thing felt like laziness and rushed explanation. It feels as though they just didn’t want us to see Lucifer’s speech and wanted some excuse for the boys to “sacrifice” something for us, but really- there’s no reason.
2: You mean to tell me we really didn’t get to figure anything out about nightbringer? I want to be able to say that I trust the writers to give us more on nightbringer in the later lessons, but… We all know how much Solmare loves to just brush things under the rug. I wouldn’t be shocked if we got a half assed explanation, or even just ignored the whole nightbringer dudarino entirely.
3: Now, I can’t personally attest to it since I don’t give as many fucks about the hard lessons… But from what I hear, the hard lesson 40 was kinda bullshit. You’ll have to look for someone else’s explanation (or please, post your experience here!) but basically, from what I gathered, it also seemed very half assed.
4: This one is maybe more subjective, but… It bothers me a LOT that we never came clean. We made this big deal about having the brothers and everyone else trust us, but at the end of the day? We were no better. We hid a huge secret. And, don’t get me started with the whole “we can’t say anything because it will alter timelines” bullshit, because what the hell is the excuse with lesson 16 in OG? We died, then showed up again back then. That’s pretty groundbreaking shit.
ADDITIONALLY… Would that not give something for us to overcome? What is the point of storytelling if not to give the characters a problem? Say the timeline went fucky because we said something- I think that’s a way more entertaining tale than if everything went perfectly according to plan.
I’m really, really irritated that the MC had to be so hypocritical. How is it fair that we demand the trust from others if we won’t place our trust in them?
So… There are my thoughts. I don’t think my experience is universal- people are 100% free to disagree. But, with this being the season finale, I feel it was so… so lacking. Please, share your thoughts!
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aus-but-worse · 1 year
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it has occurred to me that Wild / Champion (BOTW Link, in this context designated team cook. Assuming familiarity with Linked Universe but not strictly limited to it), has got to have a hell of a time trying to cook.
Twilight is part wolf as far as I'm concerned, which means there's a lot that is likely straight up poisonous or virtually inedible to him. And because it's caused by his wolf form, unless we assume that Champion knows about the wolf form from the get-go and cooks around that limitation OR Twi shows up for some/all of his meals as a wolf instead... Twi wouldn't probably tell someone that it's a problem, because I mean. Dogs - and I can only assume also wolves - are generally very lactose intolerant and yet his favorite meal (if you believe that it is pumpkin soup) does contain cheese. Which means either he consistently willingly gets a stomachache for Good Soup TM, or he has a tolerance to lactose which is very unwolf-like. I also stand by the idea that he can't have coffee, chocolate, grapes, or other foods not fit for canine consumption, so Champion / Wild most likely still has to be at least a little careful, even if I've seen no evidence of those three particular examples in the games I've played.
Now the same thing probably applies to Hyrule / "Roolie" / NES Link, who *technically* can and probably will eat anything if fae thinks it means survival, coming from a world where (according to Linked Universe and verified by what I've seen of the first game tbh)... food is scarce. Edible, palette-able meat is scarce. Edible fruit is scarce if it exists at all. I've not found a single garden for vegetables and I'm led to believe the ground simply isn't fit for growing most crops or even edible wildlife to a degree. It's inhospitable. Pair this with the water being often / mostly undrinkable and the wide belief that Roolie is a fae and we do expand the palette of options to include normally poisonous goods, but also. If fairies can't touch iron, anything high in iron (red meat and... spinach I think, among likely more things than immediately come to mind) would make Roolie sick. But Hylians are a lot like humans and certainly need at least a small amount of iron in their diets for their blood to Blood Right TM.
Pair BOTH OF THESE with the chosen hero / hero of Skyward Sword, who... has never eaten anything from the surface before that didn't also grow Above. Sky's diet is probably slowly expanding his palette to foods that he's never been exposed to before, but realistically seems to be mostly... Pumpkins, eggs, fish(?), stamina fruit (unprepared), and... That's all I've found so far on Skyloft or have deduced should be there and also is reasonably... edible... (there's no livestock that I know of aside from Loftwings, which I do not presume to contain anything more than feathers, hollow bones, and tight sinewy muscle). Aside from bugs and plentiful grass, there's not that much I can say Sky would have been able to eat. He likely has several food sensitivities if he and his people were raised on an average of four ingredients. Five if you consider heart flowers as something that Sky can eat despite lacking an animation.... And Wild / Champion to my best knowledge lacks two of the five. Three of the five if there's a significant difference between cucco eggs and loftwing eggs aside from size.
Now surely I can go on about my dietary analysis and headcanons for the other Links as I see them but the only other one I can even try to extrapolate for is Time/Mask, and whichever variant of Link appears in ALttP (I phrase it that way because... I could add a whole paragraph about the split and attribution of adventures between Links tbh)
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musingsoflulu · 10 months
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Hey Laura! I wonder if you could talk a little bit about the mental side of being an endurence athlete? How as becoming such a badass and running a 100 miles changed you/your outlook etc? I know you work with a coach but do you journal or use other tools outside of coaching to work through the psychological challenges of ultrarunning?
Hi! I don’t journal and I’m currently taking a break from coaching and just kind of doing my own thing right now.
But I think the most valuable thing I’ve acquired over the years that has really helped my mental strength is experience. I’ve just done a lot of self-powered adventures (either alone or with friends) the past 3-4 years and have been put in situations where quitting wasn’t an option. There was no aid station to drop at, no volunteers to drive me home. When you’re in situations like that, you really learn to persevere through pain, discomfort, lack of calories and water (lesson LEARNED from that day) and just endure because you have no other option.
I think back to this one day on the Willamette Fork Middle Trail in 2020. Mindy and I had planned to run the whole thing (about 30 miles). The weekend turned out to be very hot. It was about 100 F. We did not plan accordingly and did not give Logan an exact spot on the map to meet us. There was no service and we got turned around (on a one way trail… I know). By the time we got back on the right track, Logan thought he missed us and drove even further up the trail. We ended up never seeing each other that day. I ran out of water and had to fill my bladder straight from the river without a filter (I now bring a filter on my long runs), I ran out of food, and I overheated and was significantly electrolyte depleted. I learned A LOT of lessons that day (plan your route accordingly, I got an InReach, I bring a filter, I bring more calories than I need). And when we were at mile 35 of this run (due to us getting turned around) and decided to bush whack our way to the road and try to hitch hike back to camp (yes… two women hitchhiking… in the middle of a pandemic), I started panic crying every 5 minutes as we made our way to the road. Mindy was calm and kept moving, not indulging my little pity party because she was going through the exact same situation. And I realized crying and panicking was not going to get me out of this situation any quicker. In fact, it’s probably going to get me in more trouble.
I still have a sports cry moment on the trail every now and then, but I’ve learned that when I’m in the thick of it, just zoning in and focusing on getting back home or to the car or to camp is much more effective than crying about not being there.
Long story, but hope this sort of answers your question?
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atlastrash · 1 year
Text
SO HEY I’M BACK???? A little ramble, followed by something I want to ask y’all about if you’d be interested in. Sorry for my departure. Life just... really got in the way. I’m still dealing with a lot, and things still aren’t very easy at the moment-- but I desperately needed to do something that gives me a bit of purpose at the moment. Making this comic for others to enjoy was the singlemost eye opening experience for me in a long time, and it also made me realize communication was an entire area of art I was lacking in. Sure, it’s still mostly just messing around and nothing even remotely close to serious, but it’s also a nice testing ground for learning and experimentation with a subject that I don’t have an extremely personal stake in. (Something like working on your own comic, where there’s a looming pressure to always have to make it perfect.) Perfectionism deters experimentation for the sake of staying within the limits of what you know, fear of not meeting your own expectations, all ultimately leading to you never learning new things because you never feel ready to put the pencil to paper in the first place... (I’m on my second attempt at illustrating my own series lmao) Here, I can just mess around without feeling any pressure, and the characters are all familiar to us and don’t require tons of backstory to establish, meaning we can just jump right in to the fun stuff! (And then that, in turn, makes learning and experimenting easier and more approachable!) I realize I still need to learn a lot of basics for comics before I think I’m ready to do my own stuff, and that’s what I really want to do here. So I wanna thank you all for being my guinea pigs (affectionate) in this. Your response to it has meant the world to me, and I really want to get back to that place where I get the warm fuzzies from seeing you all react to whatever weird situation gets drawn from my drawing tablet.
SO ABOUT THE THING I WANTED TO ASK Y’ALL:
I see that Tumblr now has options to allow you to support creators on here, which is actually kinda awesome to see! Would y’all potentially be interested in maybe seeing some extras like sketches, designs, maybe even drawing livestreams, and perhaps some more elaborate art like pinups (I love drawing me some pinups) if I were to have a small subscription option available? (This would never affect the readability of the comic, and no part of AR will ever be behind a subscription.) I’ve been facing an immense amount of financial strain in my life after my whole living situation changed, and things have been pretty rough for my roommates and I. I just can’t morally accept tips unless I can offer you something worthwhile in return, as it’d eat my conscience alive. (I already feel guilty just asking this ngl) Any income made from this would exclusively go to securing rent or food.
Let me know what you think, and don’t be afraid to be honest. I want your genuine opinion, after all :p
So yeah that’s basically it, I’ve been rambling enough and I’m beyond grateful you’ve read this far. Thank you <3
Also ngl seeing Twitter crash and burn like the second I got the guts to finally make an account kinda makes me happy because I’m about ten billion times less stressed to share work on here. Glad to see our favourite little hellsite come back.
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subdee · 2 years
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It me... I'm bisexual and so is my husband.
Before we started going out, I identified as a lesbian* and dated women exclusively** for seven years.
*but with exceptions
**long-term dated women, but between long-term relationships, would hook up with men
Since I have experience with both, I can tell you that identifying as a lesbian was freeing. It freed me from gendered ideas about how I should look, dress, and act to attract a mate. I could gain some weight and wear comfortable baggy clothes keep my hair short (it is thinning anyway) and not wear makeup. I didn't feel that I had to get married, that I had to find a long-term partner by a certain age, that I had to have kids, that I needed to buy a house and take out a mortgage, etc. Just in general I felt freer to be myself and less confined by social norms...
However, it's so much harder to find women to date? That you are compatible with? I mean, the online dating websites (for lesbians OKCupid is the main one BTW) do make it a lot easier. But, it was still hard; not only was the pool is a lot smaller but it was all people using an online dating website. It was especially harder as I got older and the pool of potential dateable women on the dating website stayed the same (mostly 20s). And I experienced the thing many gay women experience, of finding that basically everyone in the local IRL gay dating scene had already slept with each other.
The way I described my sexuality to my now-husband was "men are fast-food, but women are a home-cooked meal." Men are so much quicker and easier, you know?
I guess most bisexuals will tell you it comes down to the person, and that was my experience. I'd hooked up with both genders but I'd enjoyed my long-term relationships with women so much MORE up until that point; saying I preferred women and would end up with a woman felt more or less true. I thought I just slept with the guys out of, I don't know, desperation and a lack of better options. Some of them I even liked and in retrospect, was sexually attracted to, but I didn't consider them to have long-term potential.
But my husband is just a really great guy, you know? So I decided to give him a chance and then I decided that maybe I wasn't so exclusively attracted to women after all.
Identifying as bisexual within a bisexual relationship is freeing for some of the same reasons that identifying as a lesbian was freeing. I don't feel I have to follow gender roles in this relationship, I can just be myself.
But also, to address why so many bisexuals are in m/f relationships... it is easier. I experience zero anxiety around bringing my husband to family events or talking about our relationship at work. Other people approve of this relationship way more than they approved of my previous ones. Now it doesn't matter how I look or act, I'm in a 'straight' relationship, I am married, I have a house, we are going to have a kid. Society approves of all of this and they don't care that we are bisexual because that is private between him and me. All the other stuff is public and we are fulfilling all the public social obligations.
I think it's trendy and easy to say that a relationship with one bisexual person in it is automatically a queer relationship - and my relationship does feel queer to me personally - but it's not really the whole truth. There are still big social pressures whether we acknowledge them or not.
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siriuslytproblem28 · 4 months
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tw: discutions of body image, food, b0dychecking and disordered eating?
ok since this is almost a journal for me, i need to vent abt something that i couldn't absolutely talk to anyone: i think i might have developed a tiny bit kind of disordered eating habits??? unintentionally
i mean, i feel like this is an exaggeration but i don't know how to call it...
for context, I'm a 20yo cis woman, though i question my gender every now and then, and I've spent my whole life being very thin, which started bothering me as i grew up and wanted to have more curves and fit into femine steryotypes of what a woman should look like. my body was always a small insecurity but i really didn't care that much untill the past few years. i started avoiding wearing clothes that showed how small my thighs and butt were, never wore leggings, but that was basically it. then, as i grew into my late teens and early adulthood, i gained a little bit of weight naturally, my boobs grew bigger, even though it never got to my lower body bc of genetics, i think.
i never really had a super flat stomach bc i sometimes struggle with bloating, and that never bothered me untill the past 2 or 3 years. when i noticed that i had gained a little weight i was really happy bc it's something that i wished would happen for so long, and i even tried to start working out at home to try get muscle. i tried to grow my lower body but trained inconsistent so didn't change much. i also tried to train my core to have a stronger but mainly flatter stomach, which also didn't do much since I wasn't training regularly. that went on until early this year, with me being generally ok with my body but recently uncomfortable with my belly. this caused me to start sucking in a lot since i mostly wear crop tops, avoiding tight dresses which i already did bc of lack of butt and hip dips, to the point in which i wore shapewear under a tight dress, and mind you, i had bloating but like a regular person, i didn't look pregnant or anything, i was still a thin person, only slightly bigger than before. I think i some point then i must have developed a tiny body image distortion, cause sometimes i saw myself as almost fat (I'm gonna highlight again the fact that i was still skinny, barely on my healthy bmi but still close to a low weight), but i was still eating mostly healthy. i did consume processed foods which is almost inevitable in my current situation but tried to balance them with healthier options, and i ate enough, sometimes even a little more when i was training, still under a healthy amount.,
but then, this year, i started going to college regularly, and since I study theater, we spent a lot of time on campus sometimes even a whole day, for weeks... since i started being away from home for so long, i started changing my eating habits a little...
at first, sometimes i didn't have much time to have breakfast so i only ate a little (later in the year i would leave without any at all, and mind you, i have low blood pressure and i ALWAYS loved eating breakfast), at lunch, i sometimes didn't wanna eat till i was satisfied either cause i would bloat (and this is when i started wearing lower rise jeans and didn't wanna be with a belly) or bc i have fast metabolism and didn't wanna have to use the bathroom to, yk... (which i started being more comfortable with later in the year), i sometimes went the whole afternoon without eating (which, again, is so weird for me bc I'm the type of person who needs food every 3 to 4 hours), and would only have dinner at home, after like 7 to 11 hours after my last meal, or sometimes at the college earlier but still eating less than i normally would. i also begun to feel self conscious about the amount that i ate, even if it was normal, i realized that my friends all seemed to eat less so i begin serving less food or not eating all of what i served. i didn't realize much of this as it was happening, but it got to other places of my life: before going to parties i would drink teas to reduce my bloating and not eat much before going out to have a flatter stomach. still not noticing that i had all those bad habits. when i was at home, at weekends or days off, i ate regularly like i did before.
besides all this, the quality of what i ate also got worse. i would replace meals with snacks, sometimes higher in calories to make up for the time that i hadn't been eating but so much worse in nutrients, which was more time convenient or was what was available, and also cheaper.
one thing that probably contributed to this, was that i started having a much more active lifestyle. i was closer to being sedentary before, and this year i walked and ran soo much, i was having pratical classes in which we moved for hours, so i burned off more calories.
all of this only stroke me when i weight myself one day, 1 or 2 months ago, after i realized my stomach was in deed smaller and some of my pants and skirts looked bigger on me, and i felt more comfortable wearing low rise jeans, and simultaneously more insecure abt my small butt and thighs, that had gotten even smaller. so i went to weight myself and realized i had lost like 5/6 kg in like 4 months, i wanna say? which isn't a lot, but even at my highest weight i was still very skinny. then suddenly, couple of weeks ago i started seeing myself much skinnier than i had seen before . when last year i thought i was so much bigger, more average than earlier, them went to not really realizing i was losing weight, last week it just downed on me that i am looking like i did when i was in my early teens in terms of body fat and muscle. my boobs are still bigger bc i only got them later and they're mostly mammary glands than fat, and obviously i look like a young woman, but i started seeing my chest bones years after saying goodbye to them, also my clavicles and my shoulder bones look so prominent, my ribs never stopped showing but theyre more visible now, and as i said, my legs got skinnier and the tiny butt i had went away, and finally the point of my whole disturbance here: i got a much flatter stomach, I don't even seem to be bloating that much. i have a little more fat, like a tiny pouch which i think it's due to my poor choices in food recently, but my waist is smaller, i was certain when i measured myself.
so, my big thing here is that i hate how my body looks now, even if it isn't that big of a change, but i feel like my progress in weight gain was lost, and i feel like i look kind of sick, idk, i feel the effects on my health, i get sick more often, i get dizzy and nauseas a lot more than before, and i started bruising very easily which didn't happen before. i haven't done a blood draw to see how my actual levels of vitamins, colesterol and everything else is since i got to this pattern of unhealthy habits so idk how bad it actually might have turned to...
the obvious thing here would be to change my habits, start eating more and healthier, start actually exercing and since i do love food and don't have a bad relationship with eating itself, all this weight loss was unintentional and it makes me uncomfortable that i allowed this to happen to myself, but there's one small problem here: i adore how my waist looks. it's so very conflicting that i think i look uglier this skinny but also am kind of impressed by how small my waist is and do really enjoy it. I don't wanna lose this. Don't want it to grow bigger. ik this isn't a healthy thought but I can't control it. (btw I don't have access to therapy rn🫠) i
honestly, i think that if i didn't think the other parts of my body looked bad bc of the weightloss I wouldn't even consider changing my habits bc i would be loving my flat belly and that would be the only focus.
I'm starting my summer vacation now so I'll stay mostly at home, which probably will make me eat better and will try to exercise for a stronger body since this is really useful even for my classes, but I'm scared of not looking like i want to look, or not liking it when i get to a higher weight. i don't fear gaining, i really want to, but I don't wanna get a big stomach. since I don't have many curves i feel like having a tiny waist makes the illusion of bigger hips and i feel genuinely so much better with the way my stomach looks rn, i started wearing clothes that i could never only a couple months ago.
i had never experienced a weight loss, since my body took years to gain something it just always stayed like that, and i didn't realize it happening, which scares me to think about. i also don't understand how i want to gain healthy weight but also feel a little mesmerized by how skinny i look, how close to some girls that are used for inspiration in 3d forums i ended up looking. i know a lot abt 3d content on the internet bc i have a best friend who struggled with it and it kinda became a hyper fixation for me every once in a while. whenever i saw something abt it i would devour the content and it would make me feel a little bad about myself but i wouldn't act upon it. i knew it wasn't healthy for me as a "healthy" person to see that kind of content, but sometimes i saw something that really triggered me and so i went and seeked more of it, can't explain why...
yeah so idk what to do now, and if I'm being super dramatic here or what, I don't wanna mention this to my friends cause most of them hace struggled with real 3ds and serious stuff and I don't even know what is it with me...
can someone give me a clue? does anyone ever been through this or knows wtf is going on...
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lubdubsworld · 3 years
Text
The Devil’s own.
Jungkook x OC
Mafia Au!
Warnings : Non-Con ! Manipulation, Degradation, Shitty hero with no redeeming Qualities you have been warned. ( i mean he does get better but not much.)
Summary : Just Mob Boss Jungkook doing mob boss things.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
I wasn’t sure how long I stayed there , staring at the ceiling and trying to come to terms with what had just happened. It was revolting. It was nauseating. It made me want to claw my own skin off. I stared at the intricate designs , carved into the ceiling, the panels that reflected life and made the room seem bigger than it was. The scent of jasmine and rosemary clung to the sheets and the drapes in the room, cloyingly sweet and meant to arouse the occupants.
I wondered how I’d got here.
I had memories of satin silk sheets and bright lights. My father had always spoiled me, the best of the best only for his only daughter and I’d indulged in luxury to my heart’s content. More shoes than I could possibly wear in a life time. Every season’s collection, straight into my wardrobe whether I asked for it or not. Diamonds and rubies and emeralds set in platinum and gold , jewelry to match my clothes and even my car if I felt like it.
I shut my eyes in despair. I didn’t miss the luxury as much as I missed the solitude. The option to just not do anything. My father hadn’t cared enough to see what I was upto and everyone knew that I was betrothed to Jungkook.
And that meant no dates or party invites because after the third guy got his arm in a sling after accidentally brushing past me , word kind of spread.  Stay away from Elena Gong or the Jeon kid will break your bones.
I shuddered. It had been an obsession, I thought vacantly.
Jungkook had been obsessed, even back then. I just hadn’t paid much heed to him. Because Jungkook back then had been terrifying but also ridiculously endearing in some way. He had seemed for lack of a better word…..insignificant. I was beautiful and rich, never lacked for attention and he was just one among the dozens. Even if I was betrothed to him, I hadn’t given much thought to him.
And Jungkook had taken my indifference in stride. He’d laughed and played around and I hated to admit it, treated me like a queen. Flowers, chocolates and gifts every other day . He would follow me around like a puppy , and I wondered if perhaps my dismissive attitude towards him back then had been a mistake. Did it push him over the edge?
My heart ached fiercely and when I finally willed myself to move, my body protested.
Every inch of me was sore and aching. My head because of how hard he’d gripped my hair. I sat up on shaky legs, fingers trembling as I pulled my shit up to stare at my body. Bite marks littered my skin, marring the smooth surface and I felt bile in my throat at the memory of his teeth on me.  Finger shaped bruises were beginning to bloom around my thighs and I couldn’t breathe over the agony ripping up my insides.
I glanced down between my thighs, at the sticky mess of his release dripping down into the sheets, staining the sheets a murky pink. I shuddered, disgusted. God, I hated him. Where was my phone? My clothes were still there at the foot of the bed and I noticed the small door on the right wall. Crawling off the bed on shaky legs , I limped carefully to the bathroom.
I took Hoseok’s shirt off dropping it in the corner before turning the showers on.
The water felt like a whip on my skin as I sat on the tiled bathroom floor , a small washcloth gripped tight in my hand as I carefully cleaned myself up. I had no idea what the time was… It must be very early or very late. No matter. I had to get out of here and get to Jisoo. I swallowed, imagining her alone all this time. The doctors had said she would be up in Guilt churned as I quickly grabbed a towel from the closet and wiped myself down.
It took me another ten minutes to finish dressing up and just as I finished slipping into my shoes, the door opened.  I glanced up, catching sight of Hoseok as he leaned against the door. He looked a little haggard, a black silk shirt unbuttoned to his chest and tucked into fitted jeans. I stared at him, watching the way his gaze roved over every inch of exposed skin, looking just a tad bit worried.
“The Hospital called. “ He said gently, “ They’re ready to release you sister. They want to know if you can come pick her up. The baby’s going to have to stay in the NICU for a couple of weeks.”
I groaned. Great. More bills.
“I need a job. “ I said miserably. “ Help me out.” I stared at him beseechingly and Hoseok gave me a look.
“you know the kind of jobs I provide. You’re not built for it. “ He said shortly and I shook my head, impatient.
“that’s not what I meant and you know it. You and your friends pretty much own every club in the city. Get me a job ….” I whispered, moving to stand in front of him and he recoiled.
Just as always, I thought bitterly. Coward.
As much as a coward now as he’d been ten years ago, when he’d pretended that he didn’t have any feelings for me. Pretended that he didn’t give a damn about me.
The throb in my skull grew in intensity.
My throat was dry and I felt my vision swim a bit. I was tired. Exhausted . I hadn’t slept in….how long really? I hadn’t eaten in a day…for sure… And I likely wasn’t going to be eating for a long while, let alone feeding Jisoo if I didn’t get a job right away. I had twelve thousand won to my name and that was it.
“Jungkook-“ He began but I was sick of his name so I growled.
“Fuck, do you want me to beg Hoseok? I will… I can’t … I need a job… Please.” I said desperately, staring at him and his gaze softened.
“Elena, stop looking at me like that, fuck.” He swore, turning and punching the wall hard. “ fuck.”
“Just help me get a job. I’m not asking you to give me money or something.  You don’t even have to get it for me… Just tell me who’s hiring ? Somewhere away from Jungkook and his men.” I whispered , and the sheer irony of it didn’t escape me. Jung Hoseok was possibly one of Jungkook’s main men.
He ran his hand over his forehead, shaking his head.
“You’re going to get me killed someday.” He muttered, “ Fine. There’s a club down in Itaewon. It caters to cops and lawyers exclusively so Jungkook and his men usually keep out of it. My friend owns the place. His name is Im Jaebum.  I’ll get you a job there , waitressing. Is that alright?” He said softly and I wanted to sob in relief as I nodded. Itaewon meant pretty close to where the bakery was. I could take the bus.
“Fine. I’ll talk to him and call you. Here…” He held out a wad of cash and I took it greedily, eyes widening at the 100,000 written on the margin of each note. This was a lot of money.
“Hoseok…”I said stunned and he shrugged. “ Get food and baby stuff for Jisoo. If she’s going to feed the baby she needs to eat well. Fruits and veggies and lot of protein. If you run out, tell Jaebum you need some advance. He’ll pay you well.”
I nodded, stuffing the money into my pockets quickly . I swallowed when my insides throbbed, aching something fierce.
“Thank you.” I said softly, staring up at him and he hesitated, before reaching out and gently cupping my face in his palm. I flinched at his touch and he recoiled.
“Was he… Did he hurt you?” He whispered quietly and I smiled bitterly.
“Wasn’t that the whole point?” I sighed, shaking my head . I hesitated . I wasn’t sure if Hoseok would listen to me but I had to try at least.
“ Can you not tell him? That… That I was a virgin?” I asked quietly and he nodded.
“Wasn’t planning to.” He said casually.
I stared at him. I’d always found him handsome. Beautiful. Perfect . And I wondered where we had gone so wrong.
“Do you regret it.” I whispered. “ All those choices you made.”
“Which ones? …” he asked bitterly.
“you know… “ I snapped. “ the ones that lead us here. You and me…. Standing here like strangers. “
“I wouldn’t risk my life for a stranger. Which is what I’m doing every time I help you .” He said quietly.
“So what are we then?” I demanded.
“Old friends” He said casually.
I snorted.
“Fucking coward.” I whispered , loud enough for him to hear as I brushed past him and walked away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I trudged all the way to the VIP room in the hospital flinching because that was probably a lot of money to be repaid , now owed directly to the devil spawn that was Jeon. I had grabbed a small meal on the way before quickly getting the bus to the Hospital. It was little past eleven in the morning and the hallways were packed with people. Sighing, I moved to the room where Jisoo was, slowly opening the door.
Min Yoongi sat on the chair next to the bed, gazing idly at my sister in law.
To say that I was shocked would be the biggest understatement of the century. My lips parted in shock, panic bubbling up inside me as I exhaled sharply.
“What-“ I swallowed gazing between him and my Jisoo, who was sitting up against the backrest on the bed, a tray of food on her lap and a small smile on her face.
“Lena!! You’re here!” She cried out softly, tears filling her eyes at once as she held both her hands up. I moved to hug her but my mind stayed on the man near the bed, his sultry feline eyes trained unblinkingly on her. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to get my breathing to regulate but it was impossible.
What on earth was Yoongi doing here?
“Mr. Min came to see me. He told me he knew Daehwan.” Jisoo said softly, looking sad but hopeful and I felt my heart turn over as I turned to stare at him.
Min Yoongi knew Daehwan as a target . A hit he had carried out himself.
But I couldn’t say a thing. Not in front of Jisoo.
“I’m only here to offer my help. It pains me to see you suffering, Jisoo. I know your husband would want you to be taken care of.” He said softly, his gaze still fixed on her and I didn’t like it. At all.
Bile rising, I gave him a glare.
“I’ll take care of her. Please don’t trouble yourself.” I said shakily and he glanced at me, lips parting a bit, turning into a smirk.
“You look… well rested.” He smirked and I flushed.
“Lena, come on… I know all this…this must be expensive. We can use all the help we can get and Mr. Min-“
“Please call me Yoongi, sweetheart.” Yoongi said charmingly and my sister in law blushed. I felt my skin crawl.
“Y-Yoongi said he has a spare room. I can’t stay in the bakery.  And it’s not like he’s a murderer or anything. He showed me his card. He’s a lawyer.” She said softly and I sighed in despair. Jisoo was naïve bordering on stupid and I wasn’t equipped to deal with this.
As I watched she went back to the food, eating ravenously and I felt my heart clench. I could see the twin damp spots at her chest and I noticed the breast pump on the table. It looked brand new. I hadn’t even thought about things she may need after the baby, too preoccupied with all the hospital bills and medicines I would have to pay for.
Diapers. Baby wipes. Those little flannel pieces mothers used to wipe down the baby. I felt my head spin, turning to Yoongi who was staring at me casually.
“Can we talk?” I said quietly and he straightened.
“Jisoo ssi… Please enjoy your meal. And here…” He gave her his phone. “ If you’re done, just give me a buzz on this.” He showed her something on the phone .” Go on try it.”
Jisoo pressed down on the screen curiously and Yoongi’s watch rang .
He grinned as she smiled.
“See? One touch and I’ll be here yeah?” He said softly, and I felt like I was stuck in some kind of drama, glancing between the pair of them.
“Are you leaving?” She asked curiously and he shook his head.
“I’ll be right here, outside. Having a word with Elena. You can finish your food and I’m guessing it’s time for you to pump again? The pediatrician said you’d have to pump every two hours with the milk so… if you get it ready, I’ll drop it off at the NICU.” He said calmly.
Jisoo nodded, staring at him with wide eyed gratefulness and I sighed in despair.
Yoongi moved to the door and I gave her a small smile before following him.
I waited till the door had closed behind me before turning to him, furious.
“What do you think you’re-“
“I want her.” He said shortly.
I felt my jaw come unhinged.
“No.” I hissed, furious and helpless with rage. “ Yoongi-“
“Don’t make me put a bullet in your head for this, Elena.” He said calmly and I exhaled shakily.
“She’s… You know she’s not like us. She doesn’t know anything about this life. As far as she knows my brother was a surgeon who got killed in a hit and run. You want to …. What do you really want? Did Jungkook put you upto this?”
“If Jungkook would have his way, your sister in law and your new nephew would both be dead. You know this.” Yoongi said casually. God, could I ever have a conversation with anyone without Jungkook being dragged into it? When did my life get twined so intimately with him?
“Where is he?” I asked quickly and Yoongi shrugged.
“He’s out of the country. He left an hour ago.”
“Switzerland….” I said before thinking and Yoongi stiffened.
“How did you know?” He demanded and I froze.
“I… I overheard …..someone.” I muttered and Yoongi moved so fast I barely caught it. The next second I was pressed up against the wall, his forearm pressing into my throat and holding me down while he held a knife right against my jugular.
“Nice try. Now the truth.” He hissed.
“Ouch..” I choked out , coughing  a bit. “ Fine.. Hoseok.. Hoseok told me.”
Yoongi pulled back.
“You fukcing him?” He asked casually and I glared at him.
“none of your business.” I snapped.
He laughed at that.
“I know you aren’t. Hoseok loves his dick too much to risk having it castrated.”
I sighed, shaking my head. I wasn’t here to talk about these bastards.
“Just leave Jisoo alone.” I said quietly and Yoongi sighed.
“What are you going to do with her, Elena. You can barely afford to feed yourself. You should be thankful I’m taking her off your hands.”
I ignored his nonsense and moved till I was pressed up against him, fingers curling into his chest. Yoongi looked surprised, lips twisting in displeasure when I blinked up at him.
“please.. Yoongi…” I begged, “ Don’t do this to me.” I said quietly. “ I … she’s all I have… She… My brother had nothing to do with any of this. You know that….He left this life decades ago. I don’t… I don’t know why Jungkook wanted him dead in the first place. I loved my brother and my brother loved his wife. I owe it to him … Please…just…Please leave her alone.” I whispered softly, letting my fingers drop to grip his arm.  
He tugged his arm away at once.
“ She needs more than empty platitudes and good intentions. She needs food and a place to stay with her baby. I’m giving her that.”
“And what do you get in return?” I demanded angrily. “ She just gave birth, fuck you. You can’t touch her , not unless you’ve lost the last shreds of humanity in that conscience of yours.”
He rolled his eyes.
“I’m not doing this for sex, Elena. If I wanted easy pussy, I would have come to you…” He smirked.  “ Don’t forget that Jungkook and I share our toys, yeah?”
I opened my mouth to retort before remembering that I was trying to get him to listen to him.
“Then why? What do you want…tell me?”
���I told you. I want her. As she is.” Yoongi shrugged.
“You killed her husband.” I said , voice shaking as I remembered what Jungkook had said. About my brother begging for his life because Jisoo was pregnant. And how Yoongi hadn’t given a shit and shot him anyway.
“A minor inconvenience. Trust me if I’d seen her before I killed him…” He sighed, shaking his head in regret and I frowned.
“You would have spared him? “ I asked bitterly and Yoongi laughed.
“No.. I would have killed him sooner.” He smirked. “ Is there a point to this whole conversation… I’m getting bored and Jisoo’s waiting inside.”
“We’re supposed to get her out of the hospital today and-“
“I’m taking her home.” He said briskly. “ I’ve already spoken to her. And She’s agreed that a ramshackle , dilapidated bakery isn’t the right place for a new mother and a tiny baby.”
And the worst part was that I couldn’t even disagree.
And I couldn’t help but feel angry, betrayed. Jisoo was…. How could she? She hadn’t even bothered to talk to me about it… Just agreeing to move in with Yoongi. She was older than me. Supposed to be the smart one. My body ached. If that was the bed she was going to make , she could lie on it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Going somewhere?” Jungkook’s voice made me freeze.
I swallowed, straightening and stepping back almost instinctively. He stood in the doorway, a cigarette held between his teeth as he stared at me . He looked like he’d showered as well, hair still damp and the smells of citrus and mint permeating the air around him.
It was exactly ten days since I’d last seen him and I’d settled into a routine of sorts. Im Jaebum’s bar, Venom was an exclusive club in Itaewon and I could easily disappear into the shadows, staying low and using the beret ( a part of the uniform ) to keep my face hidden as I served the patrons. Like Hoseok had said, the place was filled with cops and lawyers. Yoongi was a frequent fixture here , stopping for just a drink on most days before heading home to my sister in law.
It made me sick but there was nothing I could do about it. Jisoo and little baby Yunsu were both home and needed a l,ot of care. And Yoongi apparently had a cook, a housekeeper and a nanny who helped her out. Jisoo was wary, her senses finally returning but she was also clearly glad to be out of the streets.
“I’m going home after I finish my shift. “ I said softly, trying not to stare as he stepped into the room. I turned away from him moving to the shelves and pushing the small canister in place.
“Where’s home?” He asked casually. I flinched when he stepped right behind me, fingers reaching out to curl on my shoulder, pulling me back till I was flush against his chest. The heat of his body seeped in through the thin fabric of my blouse and I felt my body heat up.
“You got what you wanted.” I said shakily. “ Let me go.” I whispered, dropping the cleaning cloth in the tray on the lower shelves, before moving to grab the mop. I just had to finish mopping the floor . And then I could leave.
But his grip on me stayed firm. I couldn’t move. Foreboding rose inside me.
Jungkook hummed at that, stepping closer, till I felt his chin brush the top of my head as he bent over me, arms coming around me  and fingers lightly unbuttoning the first two buttons of my  shirt. I stared at the dark ink on his forearm. , swallowing as he kept coming closer.
“What I wanted? That pathetic little display ten days ago?”  He whispered softly “ Just think about this Elena ……  I’ve been chasing you for years, I got rid of your entire family and yet I let you live. Why do you think that was, huh? “ He shook his head, “ For two minutes of you lying underneath me like a frigid bitch? You think that’s what I want Elena? Think I’ll be satisfied with that? ” He laughed.
I stared at the wall in front of me  and I couldn’t do this. Couldn’t play this sick game with him. Not when he kept changing the rules . Not when there was nothing left for me to gamble or lose.
“Jisoo. I have to go see her. Just… Just let me go see her. I need to see if she’s alright and then we can talk. ” I whispered. Jungkook smiled, tilting my  head to the side with his fingers. I felt the damp press of his lips against my jaw and my skin crawled.
“Don’t worry, Yoongi’s taking care of her.” He whispered softly and I felt my heart turn over in my chest at the reminder. I’d been forced to relent because Yoongi had taken her home to a fully finished and decorated nursery , a closet full of baby clothes for her son and nursing clothes for her. She had been bowled over and when I’d told her to think about the why of it…she’d given me a helpless sort of smile. . As far as she was concerned , Yoongi had been nothing but generous and kind… And she wasn’t going to say no to him because she couldn’t afford to..
“I… he promised me he’d let me see her. And the baby…every day. That was the deal.”
Jungkook laughed.
“I thought I made this clear . You don’t get to make deals with anyone because you belong to me. I get to decide what happens to you. Anytime. Anywhere. Do you need another demonstration , Elena?” His hand moved to my breast, groping the flesh, fingers rough and hard and I whimpered in pain.
“No..” I choked out , eyes widening in terror and he made quick work of the rest of the buttons on my blouse. Junkook hummed, kissing the back of my neck and slowly turning me around in his arms.
“Relax. You don’t have a job. How are you going to feed her and the kid? Yoongi isn’t like me. He doesn’t hold a lot of grudges. And for some reason he seems to have a hard on for your sister in law. He wants to marry her. ” He chuckled and I felt nausea bloom.
“No.. Don’t… Don’t do that to her. She’s not like us. She doesn’t know… She doesn’t have anything to do with this life.” I begged, heart racing at the thought of Jisoo, helpless and scared and alone with a baby , trapped with a fucking assassin. Yoongi killed for a living . That was his job. Jisoo was delicate and sensitive.
“She still needs to eat and live right? With what?  He’s feeling particularly generous so he’s taken her home . You don’t have to worry about them anymore… Isn’t that nice?” he smirked and I felt my throat go dry.
I clenched my fists, feeling my breath catch.
“The only person you need to worry about yourself is yourself. Isn’t that how you prefer it anyway? Beautiful selfish Elena who never gave a fuck about anyone but herself. Isn’t that who you truly are, angel?” He smiled.
“Not anyone…. Just you… I don’t give a fuck about you.” I said defiantly, staring right up at him.  
Jungkook stared at me and stepped closer, reaching out and running his fingers up and down my cheek. I flinched because he still held the lit cigarette.
“None at all?”  He asked curiously, lightly tapping on the end of the cigarette, and I flinched when the hot ash spilled onto my shoulder.
“Did that hurt, baby?” He whispered, leaning in and pressing the cigarette to my lips.” I’m sorry. Breathe in for me.” He stuck the cigarette into my mouth and I pulled away , coughing and disgusted.
I closed my eyes as his free hand went to my wrist, tugging me closer. I stiffened as he wrapped his arms around me, drawing me in till my face pressed against his chest, his body flush against mine, one hand moving back to stroke my back.
“I missed you. You’re terrible at pleasing me but I think…with a little bit of training, you can make me cum… ” He smirked. “ Let’s start with a blowjob, yeah?”
I stiffened.
“No.” I said softly and he smirked, pulling back.
“No?” He asked softly. . I felt my throat go dry in fear as I noticed the way his gaze shifted.   I bit my lips to stifle the pain as He carefully pressed the lit end of the cigarette right against the curve of my breast , pressing in for a couple of seconds and pulling away just before the skin began to singe. He glanced up at me, and I blinked through the tears, pain spreading all over my chest at the burn. That would leave a scar, I thought miserably.
“Wrong answer. Try again.” He whispered.
“Go to Hell.” I choked out.
I flinched when his fingers slipped up into my hair, gripping hard. My scalp burned, sharp and insistent and instinct made me grip his wrist, trying to get him off but it was impossible.
“Let me go..” I snapped, glaring at him. God, How I hated him.
“Was I your first??” He whispered, dragging me close enough that his lips brushed my ear. “ Never had a cock before? Was that why you were so fucking tight?”
I bit my lips, glaring at him, defiant and furious. Did Hoseok actually tell him? That two faced snake…. God , why did these fuckers never leave me alone?
“Seokjin hyung told me…Told me he was looking forward to breaking a virgin and that made me think….God, I was the first cock she ever had….” He hummed, looking infinitely pleased.
“Yes. And I got to say… I don’t know what the fuss is about. You couldn’t even make me cum.” I snapped and Jungkook grinned, grip tightening and the other hand moving to curl around my waist, squeezing hard.
“Did I make you bleed from between your legs Elena? Tell me I did….Cause that’s fucking hot. ” He whispered, voice low and gruff.
Jungkook, I thought vacantly, was a psychopath.
“Go to Lisa. Go fuck her and make her bleed if that’s what gets you off….  and leave me alone.” I whispered and he smiled, bending down pressing a kiss right where he’d burned my skin.
“I don’t need you to tell me that. She’s my fiancé. The woman I’m going to marry. And you know what that means? I actually give a shit whether she cums or not. And trust me she does. Multiple times. Sometimes so hard she passes out.”
“Or maybe she fakes it. Maybe she passes out because she can’t stand your touch either.” I shrugged. “ Because we all know that’s what she’s good at Jungkook. She faked her friendship with me , she’ll fake her loyalty to you.”
“Always got something smart to say, huh Elena? Let’s see how mouthy you get when I’m shoving my cock down your throat.”
I flinched when he pushed me, hard enough to send me sprawling on the floor. I caught myself with difficulty , throwing my hands out to keep my head from hitting the floor. I flinched at the pain that shot up my body, every inch throbbing because of how rough this fucker had been with me.
Ten days and the aftermath of that night still lingered on me.
And it was three in the morning  and I’d spent eight hours on my feet bussing tables , I was exhausted.
I closed my eyes, before pressing my palm against the floor, trying to pull myself up when I felt the press of his shoe at the base of my spine, pushing me down.
I whimpered in shock, my hands giving out and shoulder crashing down into the floor.
“Stay down for a second, baby.” He whispered and I exhaled.
I pressed my palm against the floor, head dropping on to the carpeted floor . I whimpered when I felt him crouch down, foot digging in harder into my back and I curled my fingers into the carpet to swallow the pained sound that bubbled up in my throat.
“I’m going to fuck you again. And this time I want you to do all the work.” Jungkook’s voice came from over me and I flinched. I considered the odds of me putting up a fight and actually winning. It was laughable. I wasn’t going to fight a force of nature. And that was what Jeon Jungkook was.
“ You can’t make me do anything Jungkook.” I whispered finally. “ You can hit me and rape me and kill me but you can’t make me do anything to you. You just have to live with that.”
His foot lifted off my spine and I felt hands on my arms, pulling me up till I was kneeling. I watched as he moved around to stand in front of me.
“Look at me.” He said carefully.” From now you only speak when I tell you to.”
“ Whatever.  Let’s get this over with so I can go see my sister and my nephew.“ I said shakily.
He sighed deeply at that, shaking his head.
“See, if it was upto me, I’d just put a bullet in both their heads. Cos at this point they’re just proving to be a nuisance.”
My blood turned to ice in my veins.
“ But,  Yoongi’s just getting to know your pretty little Jisoo…And he’s my favorite hyung. So I’m going to let her live. But, let’s not invade their privacy for a while.” He began unbuckling his belt and I felt nausea rise inside me.
“Jungkook?” The voice came from the door and I stiffened.  Jungkook groaned.
“Baby, what the fuck are you doing here?” He said gruffly, standing up and using his knee to push me out of the way roughly. I swore, gripping the edge of the table near me to steady myself before turning around to stare at the woman at the door.  I stumbled to my feet, still feeling a little out of it. I needed food. Before I collapsed in a heap on the floor.
“You were supposed to come see me tonight. I went looking for you everywhere and I find you here about to get with some common whore?”  she shouted and I stiffened, glaring at her.
She stood framed in the doorway, staring at me for a second before letting her gaze wander all over the room. She stared at me, eyes taking in the unbuttoned blouse and I quickly moved to put the buttons back on.
“Did you fuck her?” She demanded angrily and Jungkook hummed.
“Since when did I owe you answers, angel?” He asked casually and I watched the woman’s eyes widen, before her brows furrowed in a frown.
“ So what, I can’t ask you who you’re with ?” She asked angrily and Jungkook groaned , kicking out at the nearest stand with enough force to send it toppling over the side, crashing to floor and breaking on impact. I stumbled, back, wrapping my arms around myself as he fairly growled.
“What the fuck is up with all you cunts today?” He demanded, glancing at me in distaste. “ I come back after busting my ass at work for ten entire days . I just needed to get my dick sucked and you two.” He shook his head, hand reaching into his jacket and I felt my eyes widen when he pulled his glock out, releasing the safety and loading the gun before pressing the muzzle right against her skull.
The woman whimpered, hands held up as he tapped the firearm against her.
“You. You don’t come anywhere near me unless I send for you. Is that clear?” He asked sharply and she nodded frantically, abject terror written all over her face.
He turned to me.
“And you. You’re coming with me.” He said quietly and I felt my eyes widen. I opened my mouth to protest but the girl at the door beat me to it.
“I think not…. You’re not taking her anywhere, Jungkook, I’ll-“ She began, reaching forward to grab him and Jungkook moved so quickly, I could barely blink.
The shot rang out , making me jump and I watched as she crumbled to the floor, crying out in pain. I stared in horror, watching the hole in her arm, spilling blood all over the floor and the hallway and my throat went completely dry,  staring at the girl on the floor and the blank, absolutely merciless look on his face.
“Just because I let you sit on my cock once in a while, doesn’t mean you get a say in how I live my life.” He said quietly, using his foot to prod her hip. He glanced at me and I felt my throat go dry as he pulled the glock back to reload it.
He aimed the gun right at me, eyes dark and heavy.
“Are you going to be good for me, baby? Or do you need a physical demonstration as well?” He tilted his head to where the girl was on the floor, pressing her palm against her arm.
“She’s  bleeding out.. “ I choked out. “ you need to get her help, Jungk-“
Another shot rang out and I jumped, heart in my throat as I tried to understand what had happened. It took me a second to realize that he hadn’t shot me. That he had fired at the ceiling.
“Answer the bloody question Elena.” He growled and I flinched, nodding.
“I… I’ll listen… Just…” I glanced back at the poor girl on the floor.” Get her some help.”
Jungkook smiled a little. He turned to the girl on the floor and shook his head.
“Get up baby. Go find Hoseok and get that patched up, yeah? And don’t provoke me the next time, yeah? ” He said casually and she stumbled to her feet, looking disoriented and scared as she moved out of the door.
“ And you. “ He glared at me. “Finish dressing up and follow me.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Where are we going?” I asked nervously, fighting the instinct to just take off at a sprint, as we walked down the road to where his Mercedes was parked.
“My home. Where else?” He said casually and I stiffened.
“Jungkook-“
“Didn’t I tell you not to speak unless I ask you to, Elena? I’m jet lagged and angry. Trust me , you don’t want to piss me off now.” He said casually and I swallowed.
He opened the door for me, the polite gesture so at odds with what he was doing that my head began to throb.
But I climbed in nonetheless. I stayed quiet for the short ride to his apartment , eyes fixed straight ahead and Jungkook was quiet too. I was too exhausted to be scared, I thought despondently, my eyes drooping because of how long I’d been up. Glancing out the window, I watched the cars whizz by, people living their lives, completely unaware that almost all of them were merely tiny little gears in a machine run exclusively by men like Jungkook. That all their lives, spent working and earning and dying…it was all meaningless. They had no say in anything. People like Jungkook were the ones who got to shape the world to their liking. The ones who got to play God.
And Jungkook was definitely the closest to an omnipotent human I’d ever come across.
Powerful, untouchable and terrifying.
So perhaps, it was a little flattering, that I was the one thing he couldn’t get out of his head.
I glanced at him discreetly.
He was beautiful, I thought with a pang. One of the most beautiful men on this planet. Despite the years, his boyish charm was still right there on his face and he could slip on a plaid shirt , a white t shirt and stone wash jeans and pass off as an innocent college student. I stared at the taut jaw, the long column of his neck and the broad back. His biceps bulged when he gripped the steering when and my eyes lingered on the long fingers curled around the wheel.
I jumped when his hand moved to grip the stick shift , curling on the knob and yanking it back with force. I swallowed, thighs pressing together as my mind shifted to that night in Hoseok’s club. I hated myself for how often I relived it. And not always with disgust.
My fingers fell on the ring on his finger. His engagement ring, I thought with a pang. Lisa. Beautiful, wonderful Lisa who had been a dear friend . Once. For all her shortcomings I knew she loved the man who sat next to me. Cared deeply for him, even. Why else would she do this to me? She must have strong feelings for him , if  it had prompted her to throw away our friendship of over a decade.
“You’re cheating on her then.” I said quietly.  His reminder to not talk to him rang in my head but I couldn’t stop myself. He wasn’t a stranger. And that ring…the ring that promised to bind two people forever….. I’d worn it too. For him.
Jungkook didn’t reply, merely glancing at me in passing.
I sighed, looking at my knees, feeling my shoulders tremble a bit.
“Is she going to be there?” I asked quietly.
He exhaled sharply. I noticed the way his grip on the steering wheel tightened.
“No.”  He said shortly.
“She lives with you right? You said we’re going home ….then where is she-“
“What is this, twenty fucking questions?” He snapped and I swallowed. “ I’m not taking you home to my fiancée Elena, do I look like a fucking idiot? “ He shook his head.
Before I could demand more answers, he was pulling over into a side alley. I watched as he carefully parked the car before stepping out.  Second later, he was coming around and opening the door.
I stared at him, gripping the hem of my blouse, tight. My stomach twisted into knots.
“Can’t you just let me go?” I whispered softly, pride forgotten in the wake of my tiredness. Jungkook stared at me, face eerily blank.
“Get out of the car.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Like it?” He asked softly and I stood on the threshold, taking in the lavishly decorated apartment on the top floor of the building. I noticed the portrait right up front, a large full sized photo of me and Jungkook from nearly a decade ago, wrapped around each other in a hug , showing off our engagement bands.
“What is this?”
“It was supposed to be your wedding gift. From me. I bought it for you. Nine years ago. Thought you should see it.” He said quietly.
I stayed perfectly still , as he wrapped his hands around me in a hug.
“Why did you leave me, Elena?” He asked quietly and I felt my throat go dry.
“Why do you still have this place? Get rid of it.” I snapped. He laughed at that , pulling away and turning me around till I stared at him.
“ Will you stay here, with me?” He asked softly and I froze.
“You’re out of your mind.” I said shortly.
He hummed.
“Possibly. But then, the problem is this. If I tell you , you can’t leave this place ever again….There’s not much you can do about it, right?” He said thoughtfully and I felt a sob building in my chest.
“I… Don’t.” I said shakily.
“You should see the bedroom. Come.”
His fingers wrapped around my wrist dragging me past the lavish couch and sofa, past a well kept bar onto a wide hallway dimly lit. He stopped at the second door on the right, reaching out to open the lock.  The room was plunged in darkness and I hesitated.
“Go on… After you, Mrs. Jeon.” He said softly . I could feel distaste creeping up my spine at the name, shivering a bit as I stepped into the darkness.
“Can you imagine, if we’d gotten married. This is what our first night together would be like…” He pressed against my back, arms coming around me , so gentle that I shivered.
“Jungkook…what are you doing?” I asked shakily.
“Shush…. “ He whispered, moving to unbutton my blouse again. I grabbed his wrists quickly.
“We aren’t married. I’m not your wife.” I said sharply and I felt him go still behind me.
“Shut your mouth and play along like a good girl.” He said quietly. He shook my hands off, moving to undo the buttons again.
Not sure what he expected, I stayed perfectly still as he hummed, pressing soft feather light kisses down my jaw and past my shoulders. His hands stroked up and down my arm as he laughed .
“Did you miss me Elena…..all these years…” He said quietly. “ Because I missed you. So much.”
He hugged me close, tight and hard.
“Are you scared?” He whispered, “ honey?”
“Oh, God…” I choked out, nausea rising up in my throat at the endearment.
“My wife…” He whispered, pressing a few more kisses against my skin before pushing me a bit towards the bed. “ Should I turn on the lights? I wanna see you.”
He nudged me towards the bed and my legs gave out when I hit the edge of it, legs turning to jelly as I sat on it, shaky and creeped out and terrified. Jungkook moved to turn on the lamp on the bedside table, a soft golden glow lighting up the bed .
“Look at you… so beautiful.” He whispered and I watched as he tugged off his shirt, before moving to his belt. He was watching me like I was something precious. Like I was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
“What are you doing?” I asked quietly and he smiled, running his fingers over the tattoos decorating his chest. He stopped at a large ornate tiger lily, inscribed right over his heart.
“Do you like it?” he said softly. “ I got this for you. My Elena…. As delicate as a lily and as brave as a tiger.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
“Either fuck me or let me go, I’m not here to talk about-“
He slapped me, so hard that my head whipped to the side, my face feeling like it had caught fire. I gasped, the pain spreading all over my jaw and I couldn’t quite grasp what had just happened. I pressed shaky fingers to the throbbing skin near my mouth, eyes watering at the sting.
“Didn’t I tell you to play along, angel?” He whispered sharply and I closed my eyes , shuddering.
Play along. Do it if you want to get out of here alive. ‘
Fucking psychopath.
“ It’s beautiful, Jungkook.” I whispered softly, glancing at him with teary eyes. He nodded.
“We’ll get one for you too. A wolf. With the initials JK on it…. Right here…” He lightly traced a path over my collarbone and I hoped to God, this was some sick fantasy. That he wasn’t seriously considering tattooing his initials on me.
“Strip for me baby… All of it. I want to see you.” He whispered and I hesitated just long enough to take a deep breath. I reached back, quickly undoing my bra clasp and pulling the fabric off.  I hooked my thumbs into my skirt and my panties, tugging both of them off me, swiftly. I dropped all of it on the floor next to the bed, before moving to kneel in the middle of the bed, staring at him with a smile that felt physically painful.
“I’m going to make you feel good, baby.” He whispered quietly, crawling over on top of me.
“Lay down for me.” He said, and I felt repulsed, as he kissed my lips, soft and gentle, pressing in till I was flat on my back, legs parted so he could lie in between.
It was so different from last time and somehow ten times worse.
Jungkook pressed kisses all over my face, whispering gentle words against my skin that felt like acid.
“So beautiful…. Mine. You were always mine Elena. Mine to touch and mine to break . Mine to love and mine to fuck.”
I stared as he loomed over, his face inches from mine, his gaze deceptively affectionate, his eyes warm and almost soft. I watched as he came closer, his lips closing over mine. Instinctively I kept my lips together but his fingers curled around my thigh, squeezing hard enough to make me whimper, lips parting . He pressed his tongue in then , licking into my mouth and I brought my hands up, instinctively wrapping around the bare skin of his shoulders and my body thrummed at the feeling of his muscles under my fingers.
Curiosity made me foolish, and I found myself tracing the hills and valleys of his skin, fascinated by the way the muscles flexed, every time he moved his arm.
“You like that? I worked hard on those…” He chuckled, watching me curl my fingers around his biceps. He was so… big. I moved my fingers up to the hardness of his chest, splaying my palm on his pecs and my fingers caught a hard little scar, almost perfectly round and deep.
“What is this…” I asked , curious my finger dipping into the healed skin and he hummed.
“Your father . He shot me when I was chasing his car down in Jeju Do. Foolish bastard. Thought he could outrun me.” He laughed .
I glanced at him, catching his eyes and the ebbing laughter , my heart twisting.
“Then why am I here? You hate my father. You killed my entire family. So why am I here, Jungkook?”  I asked foolishly, my heart breaking a bit and he hesitated.
“Because you’re mine.” He said simply.
I closed my eyes in despair.
“If this was our wedding night…. What would you say…?” He asked suddenly.
I stared at him, confused.
“What?”
“If we got married back then… When you were eighteen. And it was our first night together….. what would you say?”
I sighed.
“I’d ask you to ….to be gentle.” I whispered.
He nodded.
“Tell me , then.”
I stared at him, feeling helpless.
“Go on, Elena.” He said again.
“Jungkook…” I began but he shook his head.
“Ggukkie.” He said softly. “ Call me GGukkie… That’s what you used to call me …when we were young.”
I clenched my fists, on his chest, resisting the urge to push him off. That wouldn’t end well for me.
“GGukkie…” I whispered, finally, glancing up at him, licking my lips and parting them gently, eyes as wide as they could go, “ you know its my first time right?”
Jungkook’s eyes fairly danced at that and he hummed, leaning closer.
“Is it, baby?” He asked, reaching up to brush my hair away, fingers gentle on my face.
Get into it. Get into it and get it over with.
“You know it is…” I pouted, “ No one else can touch me. I’m yours , aren’t I GGukkie…”
He laughed, rubbing his nose against mine.
“That you are, kitten.”
Kitten? That’s a new one.
Shut up and stay in character , fuck.
I was so fucking screwed.
“ So… will you be gentle?” I whispered , “ I don’t want it to hurt.”
Jungkook wrapped his arms around me rolling over and taking me with him till I was lying flat on top of him.
“Then how about this angel? You can ride me…. As slow and gentle as you like. Make yourself feel good on my cock, yeah….?”
I stared at him.
I’m gonna fuck you and you’re going to do all the work.
He’d played me like a fiddle.
“Well baby? Go on…. Take my pants off.”
I exhaled angrily, before moving down, to tug on his pants. He helped me take them off kicking off his boxer briefs as well.
That’s a beautiful dick. Objectively. Very pretty.
Shut the fuck up.
“ Get it wet for me baby….” He said softly. I glanced down at the hard length of it, jutting out of the small thatch of hair and felt my mouth go dry . Which would be counterproductive if I wanted to get it wet. So I swirled my tongue around my mouth, trying to get my mouth moist, before leaning down and carefully wrapping my lips around the head.
Fuck, he tastes good.
I shook my head a bit to clear the voice in my head, glancing up at him with my lips stretched around the soft pink head and he was looking right back at me, eyes heavy and dark .
“Go on baby, take more of it in, use your tongue…make me feel good.”
I closed my eyes, letting the spit coat the hard length of his cock, sinking down till the tip began to inch down my throat. I sucked lightly, running my tongues back and forth on whatever skin I could touch and it was like sucking a lollipop except the lollipop was thick enough to stretch my mouth wide and hit the back of my throat.
I felt his hand reach into my hair, gripping hard and I whimpered.
“Be gentle…” I whispered, pulling off and his eyebrows shot up , clearly in surprise . He stared at me for a second, as though considering my request and then his fingers loosened , threading through the strands soothingly.
“I’m sorry, baby.” He whispered . I went back to sucking him off, somehow my natural tendency to work hard making me bob up and down, using my tongue and taking him as deep as I could. I felt a sick sort of satisfaction when he moaned in pleasure and for some damn reason I wanted to draw more sounds out of him.
This is a dream. Either that or you tripped over a pothole and fell into another dimension.
“ Are you wet ? Come here, so I can check….” Jungkook said softly and I pulled off moving up to straddle his hips. I flinched when he reached down, tracing my slit with carefully fingers before slipping in two. I tightened against the intrusion, still sore on the inside and he pulled his fingers out, bringing them up to my mouth.
“Suck…and get them nice and wet if you don’t want it to hurt.” He said quietly and I wrapped my lips around his fingers, letting my spit coat the slender digits.
When he pushed them back into me, the slide was easier , wetter and I gripped his shoulders, trying to relax around him. It felt foreign but also good… I felt good…
I stared down at him, the broad muscled body and the handsome face and for a crazy moment I imagine what it would have been, if I had married him. Would it have been this….this… weird pleasure that was somehow both painful and exhilarating at the same time. I bit my lips as he curled his fingers inside me, rubbing at some spot high up inside me that sent heat shooting straight up my spine, slick dripping out of me and onto the hard planes of his stomach like honey from a comb.
“Now sit on my cock.” He said quietly. I trembled, reaching down to lightly grip his cock, moving till the head lined up right against my slit or where I thought my slit was. Biting my lips, I lowered my body, feeling my body cleave to let him in, his cock pressing in and in and in.
My knees gave out and I slid down the length of him, the sudden, incredible fullness knocking the breath right out of me.
“ Fuck…baby….you alright?” He whispered and it messed with my head, the way he actually looked concerned and worried and I couldn’t take anymore of it.
“Please… Please… I just… I want to go home…” I whimpered, feeling full and stretched out, my thighs trembling and my insides wet and warm and somehow stuck between wanting more and wanting it to end.
Jungkook grunted, fingers curling over both my hips and lifting me lightly and with ease.
“Come on baby…. Ride me….” He whispered, “ Put your hands on my chest and roll your hips, up and down .”
I did as he said, one hand braced against his chest, the other gripping his shoulder as I tried to move on him but it was hopeless. I had no energy or inclination to do this and the pleasure was fast ebbing into frustration. Jungkook seemed to sense it because he growled.
“Fuck, you’re so fucking bad at this… Fine… Just lay there and let me use that stupid cunt of yours.” He snapped,  gripping my waist and folding his knees just enough to brace his feet on the bed. I gasped as I got lifted a bit , his cock slipping in impossibly deeper , the tip nudging close to my cervix , the lightest brush of it send sharp jolts of electric pain pleasure up my spine.
“Oh fuck,..” I breathed as he pistoned into me, hips hitting my ass with brutal force as he fucked up into me and I could only tremble, eyes fluttering shut, fingers going numb from how hard I was gripping him.
“You’re gonna cum today… I’m gonna make you cum on my cock…” He growled, reaching down and pressing his thumb against my clit, rubbing softly, slow circles that were almost gentle compared to the brutal pounding oh his hips and I felt my mouth go slack, wetness slipping out of my tongue and dripping down my chin because of how excruciatingly good it felt, having him so deep, pressing in against the edge of my womb and I and to press my palm, right up against my belly , stunned because of how my body seemed to open and shift to make room for him.
“I’m gonna cum inside you, right inside your womb, fuck…. Gonna carry my babies for me, right sweetheart? Gonna watch you get round and full with my seed , watch you drip milk all over me with those beautiful tits….fuck…”
The shock of his words sent me over the edge, my body clenching down on him as I came, my orgasm so strong that I felt like I was cramping up on the inside and I toppled forward onto him, landing on his chest and bouncing a bit. Jungkook grunted a little, wrapping both his arms around me, holding close as he fucked me right through the aftershocks, body stilling only when I stopped shuddering and I felt warm wetness spill inside me, so deep that I knew I would have to swallow three morning after pills after this, although I was on birth control.
Because one could never be too sure with these things.
Jungkook stayed still under me and it took me a few seconds to catch my breath. I finally levered myself off of him, legs shaking as I rolled over and onto the bed before breathing in huge lungfuls of air.
“Can I go?” I choked out.
Jungkook grunted. “ Get the fuck out of here.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I stumbled out of the cab, exhausted and out of my mind with self loathing, I didn’t expect to see Hoseok sitting on the pavement outside the bakery, leaning against a streetlight, face warm but determined.
“Hobi?” I asked stunned. “ What are you-“
He cut me off with a kiss.
I stared wide eyed as he pulled me into an embrace, wrapping me in warmth and scent of his cologne, his hands impossibly gentle around me as he all but cradled me against his body, his lips moving gently against mine.
“Elena…” He breathed against my lips, eyes glinting . “ I love you. I’ve been in love with you for years. I’m so fucking sorry for being such a coward but you deserve to know… you deserve to know how I feel about you.”
I stared at him in disbelief, my heart pounding as I punched his chest in desperation.
“No… No fuck you… what are you doing…. He’ll kill you…” I hissed and he tightened his arms around me.
“I don’t care.” He hissed. “ I don’t… I can’t just… I can’t let him hurt you like this. I won’t. I’m going to tell him. I’m going to tell him to let you go or lose our friendship.” He said angrily and I trembled.  
My heart raced because Hoseok was the only one I’d ever loved. In every way a girl could love a boy. He was and had always been this confusing breed of brother and friend while everyone had drooled after Jeon Jungkook , I’d always been drawn to him…drawn to his quiet strength and to the way he had always treated me as an equal…
But… but Jungkook…. Jungkook who would put a bullet in his brain without a thought if he thought that Hoseok was trying to move in on something that belonged to him…..
“Hoseok…just… Don’t. I… I love you too…” I breathed out, tired and scared and so fucking worried because what if someone was listening even now..what if word got to Jungkook and he tried to hurt ….i couldn’t even think it.
“Come find me when Jungkook is busy . When he can’t find us…” I said softly, reaching out and pressing my palm against his face.
“I’m not scared of him.” Hoseok growled  and it was ridiculous.  
“But I’m scared of losing you. “ I said quickly. “ We can’t… He can’t know. Ever.”
Hoseok nodded before pulling me close again.
“Was he too rough?” He whispered and I blinked, flushing. I shook my head.
“No.. I. No. I think…”
“I hate that he was the one to touch you, first. You.. You deserve to know how good it can be…. How gentle.. I want to… fuck…” He shook his head pulling away and I wrapped my arms around myself.
“We can’t…” I said quietly. “ you know we can’t.”
He glanced at me, eyes blazing and lips parted and I groaned.
“Don’t look at me like that Hobi…” I whispered, shaking my head.
“Tomorrow. He’s going to Jeju Do , to inspect a new resort. He won’t be back till the day after. Call in sick at work.” He said quietly and I bit my lips, feeling a bit like a whole idiot.
I nodded.
He reached forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
No self preservation skills at all, I thought miserably.  
If Jungkook found out…….
Author’s Note : I’ll add the taglist here tomorrow
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folkloreguk · 3 years
Text
an angel for a demon (3)
A/N: Here's the last part of this small series! You don't necessarily need to read all of them to understand this one, but it does probably make more sense if you do. As always, feedback is deeply appreciated! Have a good day x
genre: smut, optional bias (m) x reader (f), demon!bias, angel!reader, unprotected sex, oral (m receiving), reader gives her first bj
words: ~ 6.7 k
PART1 (M)
PART2 (M)
“I’m going out to pick up some food and stuff, do you want to come along?” you heard him ask. You had your legs up against the wall, your back on the bed, and a magazine in your hands. The women on the pages had you gushing, on the verge of hypnotization. You swore if you looked at those infatuating pictures one minute longer, you’d be swallowed whole by them.
When you had worked your way through some science books and were still hungry for more to read, H/N had brought you some magazines, mostly about fashion but also gossip and lifestyle tips. Turns out letting a clueless angel read about what’s supposed to be good for women was not a smart idea. Up in the clouds, from where you used to watch earth’s women, they had all looked equal to you – beautiful, intelligent, and capable. Now, down in the reality of it all, things appeared much more complicated. Which angel could have known it took diets, workout routines, anti-aging creams and the perfect outfit for your body type to be viewed the same way you had always looked at women from above? And most importantly, how did any woman manage to uphold all these expectations the magazines named? It was all too much and seemingly impossible. Abruptly, you were pulled out of your train of thoughts.
“Y/N? Did you hear me?” he asked, peaking his head through the door. “What are you doing?”
“I’m sorry,” you said, putting down the magazine on your chest. “No, I’d like to stay here.”
“Alright,” he said, “Would you like me to bring you anything from the store?”
He walked over to you and sat on the bed. His hands softly brushed over your hair, down your cheek and neck, barely touching your collarbones. He was in his black, intimidating clothes, per usual, but his eyes held nothing but fondness for you.
“Actually, maybe there is something,” you said. “Look.”
You picked up the magazine and pointed at the page.
“Can you buy me a dress like this one? They say it would fit me best. And could you get some makeup for me? I don’t know much about it, but maybe you-“ you said. Usually, he was one to listen carefully to every of your words, as if you were the most interesting person he had ever met. This time, he interrupted you.
“Stop. Where is this coming from?” he asked. “I want you to forget all those things you’ve read in those magazines, okay?”
You were confused, thinking you were learning by reading those articles. Gently, he caressed your face. “You know I’ll buy you anything in the world, right? But only if that’s what youwant. Everything they tell you to do, everything they tell you to buy, it’s brainwashing. You will wear whatever dress you find pretty, and if you want to wear makeup, that’s fine. But you will only do those things if you want to do them, okay? There’s nothing you need to change about yourself.”
“But they say you need to start early to get a nice body, and to prevent aging,” you said. “They say men will admire me.”
“We’re immortal, my angel,” he said. “And even if we weren’t, what’s wrong with growing old? Wouldn’t you want the traces of your experiences to be visible on your skin? Those companies, they all just want your money and so they try to scare you into believing you’re not good enough. But truth is, you always are. All those times people tug on their skin in front of a mirror, or whenever they break a sweat trying to lose weight, or when they compare themselves to those who look different from them – they’re already good enough. They’re perfect. This worlds wants you to never be at peace with who you are. But you need to promise me you won’t succumb to those nonsensical tactics to make you hate yourself. And don’t you ever wait for a man to give you approval. That’s your job and your job only.”
You listened, wide-eyed and intrigued. No magazine could ever speak so honestly, and you believed every word he said. After all, you trusted him much more than some random author of an article that was trying to sell you the latest weight loss-magic-powder.
“Okay, I promise.” You sat up and leaned your head against his shoulder. “I’ve never even really thought about it, but I think I’m pretty.”
“Not thinking about it might just be the best way to go about it in this world,” he said, and placed a kiss on your forehead. The feeling of warmth lingered on your skin seconds after he had already pulled away.
“I change my mind, then,” you said, “Do you think you can get me a dress like this?”
You showed him a different picture this time. It showed a lot more skin than the one you had pointed out before. You only realized this when he was already smirking at your choice.
“I’ll see what I can find,” he said. “That’s an interesting option, angel.”
“Hey! I just like the color, alright?” you defended yourself, making him chuckle. Over the course of four weeks, you had come to know his insinuations and his little jokes better. But at the same time, you couldn’t deny the incredible sensation his eyes on you gave you. When he goggled at you because you had decided to wear his shirt for a day, or the way he watched you welcome him with open arms when he came home.
You now understood that certain words or actions, or even just an article of clothing – or lack thereof – could conjure an insatiable hunger in his eyes. At first, it was a little scary, having a demon stare you down as if he wanted to eat you up. But now that you knew what his hands felt like on your skin, and that his lips were made for much gentler actions than to hurt you, you wanted nothing more than to coax the starving demon into playing with you, any chance you got. And perhaps that dress in the catalogue would do just that, and not only bring you joy. It was a win-win, really.
“I’ll be back in the afternoon,” he said. “Don’t miss me too much.”
“You know I always do,” you said.
“I’ll give you all the missed attention when I get home, alright?” he said, bending down to your ear. “You can have whatever you want, then.”
To be honest, half of the time you didn’t know what you wanted him to do. But with every time his hands explored your body you learned more. There were so many things humans did to make each other feel good, you doubted you’d ever be able to try everything. His promise made you wish he was already back home when he had barely stepped out of the door. One last grin and nod and he left you alone.
What did angels do on a Saturday noon? Usually, you’d be patrolling your village, entertaining yourself by watching children play tag, admiring lovers walking hand in hand or discovering a family that had just adopted a small animal. Their human eyes shined when they felt happiness, and it was infectious to you. You wanted to send your blessing to all of them, make sure they never felt anything but delight, but you knew that wasn’t how business worked down there. Some things were even out of your control. Now, on earth, you were ready to take whichever hardships were to come if it meant you could have been with your demon lover.
You rubbed the sleep out of your eyes. You had only gotten up an hour ago. Last night, you had been kept awake for long. He was untiring when he was between your legs. You had learned that he didn’t need nearly as much sleep as you did, and when he set his mind to making you come by his administrations, he didn’t waver to do so. But losing sleep in exchange for pleasure was okay with you. Time became meaningless, either way, when you had your face buried in a pillow, tears threatening to spill over from how good he made you feel. Sometimes he made you come while sitting in his lap, then you’d cling to him like a baby and muffle your whimpers by pressing your lips against the skin of his shoulder. He loved telling you ‘Look at me’ right when you were falling. It was hard to keep your eyes from rolling to the back of your head or not to collapse in his arms, but for him you would try your best. Often you found your thoughts lingering on the memory of his gaze when you came apart under his touch. It had something of fascination and protectiveness, and you’d never get enough of it.
Great, now you wanted him again. And he wasn’t here. How had you gotten this way? On occasion you wondered if one of the other angels had already spotted you and the sins you were committing. You wouldn’t call them sins now, or ever again. It wasn’t like you wanted to adapt to a demon lifestyle. But you felt at home for the first time, here on earth. It was the perfect grey zone between heaven and hell.
As an attempt to appease your needy mind, you picked up your magazine again. Just because you shouldn’t believe everything they said didn’t mean you shouldn’t have read it at all, right? You flipped through articles on fitness and the newest fashion, but after skimming the pages for only a few seconds, you were done with those tips. He wanted you because of who you were – an angel – and you doubted than any beauty routine could make him more obsessed with you than he already was. But then you read something most curious to your angel eyes. ‘How to make him feel best – tips from a porn star’ the title said. Whatever in the heaven a porn star was, they seemed to be some sort of expert on pleasuring men, and you, always eager to learn something new, were intrigued from the very first word.
But soon you had to admit, you weren’t at all sure what they were referring to with those words and actions. When you and your demon boyfriend had sex, he usually did most of the work, while you took whatever teasing or pleasure he inflicted on you. He had said he liked it this way, but now you weren’t so sure. Or was this ‘10 things to do become a blowjob-pro’ – list just another attempt of society to brainwash women? You weren’t one to initiate talk about sexual stuff, but maybe you’d try to question him on the meaning of what you had read.
You flipped another page and finally you had arrived at a page you could work with. It was a bunch of comfort food recipes. Right away you fell in love with the picture of the freshly baked cinnamon rolls in the top right corner. H/N had promised you to teach you how to cook, but so far you hadn’t made much progress. The difficulty level read beginner, and five minutes later you stood in the kitchen. With some music in the background your enthusiasm only sparked more. Baking was new and came with slight overwhelmingness and the stress of making sure you weren’t forgetting to add any ingredient. But the Christmassy scent of cinnamon and the feeling of making something from scratch made you happy, and with rapt attention you finished your first completed recipe ever.
You wiped some flour off your forehead. Hopefully H/N would like the cinnamon rolls too, because as tasty you found your creation, there was no way you were able to devour them all by yourself. As if on cue, you suddenly heard the key slide into the lock of the front door. Probably prompted by the heavenly scent, he called your name.
“Here,” you answered, mouth full of a bite of cinnamon roll. When he walked in, he already had his famous smirk on his face. It was your favorite. You knew it was reserved only for you.
“What did you make?” he asked. But he had his answer when he saw the baked goods in front of you. He set down the bags and put his arms on your waist from behind. With a hum, you lifted the cinnamon roll to his lips, and he took a bite. He almost moaned at the taste and you grinned.
“Do you like them?” you asked, already knowing the answer but still awaiting more praise. You squealed a little at how quickly he spun you around. His nose touched yours and your heartbeat raced.
“It’s like they came with you straight from heaven,” he said. “Hmm…I missed my angel.”
His lips when he kissed you tasted like sugar and spice and you melted straight into his touch. You only noticed he had run his finger over the gooey leftover icing when it was already too late. He was a demon after all. And if demons were good at one thing, it was causing mischief.
“Hey,” you protested at his hands on your neck. Then your reaction quickly altered as his finger slid lower, down to your collar bones and to where your low-cut shirt started. “Great, now I’m all sticky.”
You didn’t understand at first that messing with you wasn’t his full intention. But he tilted his head to the side and ran his hot tongue over the icing on your skin, and you gasped suddenly. This wasn’t just a joke. He wanted you. He made a humming noise, as if the sweetness combined with your own taste were only complimenting each other. When he pulled down the neckline of your shirt a little, so he could have every last drop of the sugary substance on your skin, you couldn’t help but whimper. You wanted so desperately for him to do it again, that you thought about sticking your own fingers into the bowl of icing and smearing it on your chest. His eyes were playful when he looked up at your reaction.
“Oh no. If you’re all sticky I guess you’ll need a shower, will you?” he said, “What a coincidence. I was thinking of taking one, just now.”
You had never taken a shower with him, or anyone, for that matter. But you had a feeling that the both of you wouldn’t be keeping to yourself, standing naked in front of each other. You didn’t mind. And you guessed your approval was written on your face, because he pulled you in and kissed you hard. Again, you remembered the article you had read. Was now a good time to ask him about it?
While you were contemplating, his tongue slid over your bottom lip and met yours. You had been too shy to ask before, but now you were speechless. Gently, he grabbed your hand and led you out of the kitchen and into the hallway. You were a mess of lips and tongues and hands and feet stumbling over each other. Every few meters you stopped to push yourself close against him. It was like a game of who could go without kissing each other for longer. And you were both lousy at it.
He loved pushing you up against the wall, trapping you between his arms on each side of your head. This way, he could brush up against your shaking body and you had nowhere left to go. Needless to say, you had no intentions of getting away, no matter what. He knocked the breath out of your lungs, and you kissed him back like you could breathe him in instead. As if he had become your new source of oxygen, or whatever it was you really needed to survive. It these moments, air seemed like a subsidiary matter. So long as you had his hot tongue licking down your neck and his busy hands on your ass under your dress, nothing else truly mattered.
Your kisses were open-mouthed and far more confident than they had been only weeks ago. You now knew how much he liked when you grabbed his hair tightly, or when you whispered his name against his devouring lips, as if it was the only word you had ever been taught. Like it was the only word you ever wanted to know. Before you had even made it to the bathroom, half of your clothes were scattered somewhere along the way.
“I can’t believe I just had you yesterday and here I am already missing you this much again,” he mumbled against your earlobe, teeth playing with your soft skin. “You really are otherworldly. There’s no other explanation.”
His words made you feel proud. The pleasure was one thing you had come to love quickly, but then you noticed the power you could have over him, by merely existing. It was almost unbelievable, but there he was, hard and needing you, day by day. Again, your mind wandered off to the magazine article.
“Can I ask you something?” Your voice must had been different from your usual timid tone when you were in the middle of something unholy.
“Anything, angel,” he said. He let his lips linger on your cheek, half an inch from your mouth, and your stomach twisted in how badly you wanted him to sip on your lips like he was starving.
“Do you like always doing everything when we- ,“ you said. He gave you a puzzled expression, so you tried to explain yourself better. “I mean, if you ever want me to do more, you can ask me to. I don’t know everything yet, but I can learn.”
You weren’t even sure if you understood what the heaven you had just stammered. His look reminded you of the one he had when you asked him to buy him the dress and the makeup that morning.
“I love what we have, little angel,” he said, “What’s making you think you need to do anything differently?”
How were you supposed to explain what you had read when you hadn’t even properly grasped it yourself? You opted for taking his hand and walking him to the bedroom. There the magazine still lay, like an ancient cursed book you weren’t sure you wanted to know front to back. You picked it up and quickly handed him the article. Feeling your cheeks heat up, you opted to take a seat on the edge of the bed.
His lips curled into a devilish grin upon eyeing the page, and you thought the ground might swallow you whole. Maybe you shouldn’t have said anything at all and spared yourself the embarrassment. But at the same time, you were eager to know.
“I thought I told you, magazines are just trying to make you doubt yourself,” he said, raising his eyebrows.
“I know, but if there’s anything I can do to make you feel as good as you make me feel, I want to do it,” you confessed. He bent down, cupping your face.
“No one’s ever felt as good to me as you have, angel,” he said, “You’re heaven to me. Do you understand that?”
With your mouth squished together slightly, you nodded your head that was in his hands.
“By the devil, you’re so adorable,” he said. “If you really want to know, though, I’ll show you.”
Even more eagerly, you nodded again. He chuckled. You couldn’t handle how handsome he was – all messy hair, bare chest and black eyes that made you dream of the most unholy things possible.
“You remember how I kiss you…down there?” he asked. You hummed, cheeks on fire. “And how I’ve asked you to put your hands on my cock before?”
You did. But it had been brief, only a few pumps and small touches, until he had become too needy. You had been whining so deliciously for him to fuck you and so he had to have you on the spot.
“In the way you touched me then…you could use your mouth on me. Make me come with your perfect lips and sweet hands,” he said. “If that’s what you want, too.”
“I do!” you said with enthusiasm that only an angel at the feasibility of making someone’s day could bring on. “Let’s postpone that shower.”
The pride in his eyes lasted for approximately two seconds before the raw hunger replaced it. He climbed onto the bed and pat his thighs. On command, you settled on his lap. The simple feeling of his bulge under your center, even if interrupted by some fabric, made your head dizzy and your stomach drop. You kneaded your hands, not sure where to touch him first. But just as he always did to you, you had the impulse to start by his head and go lower from there. Although you were on top of him, he looked amused at your shy eyes.
“Can I kiss your neck, like you always kiss mine?” you asked.
“Be my guest,” he said, grinning like he had just won the lottery. Your lips met his skin and you used your tongue the way you had felt him do it. His scent was intoxicating. It made the empty bedsheets you breathed in sometimes, when he left in the middle of the night for his demon antics, seem like nothing. You used your hands to stabilize yourself as you moved lower. The hiss he let out when you felt up on his abs and waistline almost scared you. Then you realized it was a good sign. Only for the blink of an eye you dared to graze your teeth on his skin. His reaction was immediate.
“Shit,” he cussed, “That’s my angel.”
So, he liked that. You couldn’t wait to tease him by biting him in the future. Provoking a demon would have sounded like something close to a death wish to you, had you thought about it months ago. Now, with a demon as tame as they come beneath you, the thought only excited you. As he liked to do, you touched him through his boxers while you continued your journey down his chest and stomach. The guttural moan he released made your head spin and you never wanted him to be quiet. Usually, you weren’t in a mind state to notice his groans, or your own noises were covering his.
“You’re doing so good, little angel,” he said, short of breath. Once again, your effect on him surprised you. Where was the intimidating, big bad demon you had been taunted by?
“I’m gonna fuck you so well for this,” he said, “Even the angels in heaven will hear you scream. Wouldn’t you like that?”
There he was. You pressed your legs together at the simple mention of him inside of you, but if he thought you were going to answer, he’d be waiting endlessly. You still had enough respect for your angels not to think of them in this moment. Nonetheless you hummed weakly. When you got to his hipbone, you hesitated. You drowned out your doubts by kissing him there, while you contemplated what to do next. Your hand was still wrapped around his clothed cock. It was rock hard, and a wet spot had formed on the fabric from how much he needed you. When your touch became softer, and you pulled your hands away slowly, he lifted his hips, not wanting you to stop. You supposed this was the part where you took off his boxers. At least he didn’t complain when you pulled them off his legs, so you assumed you were still on the right track.
Watching his face for signs of approval, your hand wrapped around his length. He almost seemed electrified at your touch. His jaw dropped slightly, and his hooded eyes somehow appeared even darker than usual.
“Just like that,” he said, “And now move your hand up and down.”
So you did. As you regarded your hand around his shaft, all you could think about was how it used to be. How did your hands, that were usually folded neatly in your lap while you looked down on earth, end up doing such ungodly things? And how come you didn’t even for a second feel guilty?
“Angel, you’re so good to me,” he moaned. Angel. That’s what he loved to emphasize. But was that what you were, still? Maybe you would simply stop putting yourself in a box. Perhaps you were just you, doing what you felt was right and would make you happy. And right now, having a demon clench his fists in your hair and saying your name in that tone, you couldn’t think of a lot of incidents that had made you happier. Was this the part where you should use your mouth? You weren’t sure, but your eyes jumped from his cock to his face and it caught his eyes.
“You can take me in your mouth if you want. If you ever feel like stopping, just do so,” he encouraged you, “But remember, no teeth there, okay?”
You grinned and nodded. You parted your lips and your tongue placed kitten licks on the underside of his member. When you reached the top, you took him between your lips, mirroring the motion of your hands around him. You were surprised at how comfortable you were, when ten minutes ago you were ready to personally descend to hell from embarrassment. There was something enticing about the power you possessed in that moment. You understood humans just a little better, once again. Knowing that the way he bucked his hips and his groans were caused by you and only you had you smiling inwardly. It was a way you had never caught yourself smile before. You felt brave, and like you could do anything, with a demon so at your pity.
It didn’t take long for you to figure out where he was most sensitive. Whenever you pressed your tongue against the tip of his cock, he let out a sigh. It was almost like relief, as if he had been waiting for you all his life. And now here you were, granting him all his wishes. You bobbed your head, but kept your attention on his sweet spot, his moans just too delightful not to evoke them on purpose.
“Fuck, you’re perfect,” he said. Often, you looked up at him. His lids fluttered from the pleasure, but he seemed to like it when you made eye contact. For a moment, you lifted your head, needing some air. Gently, he caressed your face, like you were made of precious porcelain.
“Which one of my dreams did you escape from, little angel?” he asked. You smiled sheepishly, lowering your head. Again, you wrapped your lips around his length. You wondered what he was thinking about. Was his mind as free from any worries as yours whenever he fucked you? Was he able to form any coherent thoughts or was his brain going into the same mental blackout you always experienced?
You continued the way you had, sucking the tip of his cock while your hand pumped him. From time to time, you took a breather and pulled away. Little did you know what you were doing to him. With the short intervals of your lips on him and the pauses in between, you unknowingly made everything more intense for him. It was a dangerous game of edging him you were playing, and you were outright unaware of it.
But why would he have complained? In that moment, you were his personal guardian angel, making sure all his needs were fulfilled. When he saw your lips, all red and puffy, he asked himself where you had been hiding all this time. You peeked up at him through your angel eyes and he felt his entire world become whole in front of him. He was completely and absolutely at your mercy, inebriated by your entire being. Never in his long time on earth had he seen someone so ravishingly beautiful, yet so unaware of their might. He swore to himself in that moment, he’d do anything to make you love him forever.
As divinely as you were treating him, he suddenly wanted you in a different way. And if you continued your sweet actions, he wasn’t sure if that would still be possible. He gently cupped your head, making you look up. You hummed in question.
“You’re doing so well,” he said, “Let me give back to you, won’t you? Does my angel want some attention, too?”
You would have been lying if you said you weren’t practically touch-starved at this moment. And having been taught to always be truthful, you nodded before you even knew it.
“That’s what I thought,” he said, “Why don’t you take off the rest of your clothes?”
When you got up to slip out of your dress, your legs were weak. You hadn’t even done anything, and yet your body felt heavy. All you wanted was to go back to him and have him so close, it felt like he could have been a part of you. As much as you had felt on top of the world minutes ago, his hungry eyes made you shrink inwardly. But it wasn’t out of fear. It was almost admiration, or rather anticipation. You knew he knew your body inside out, and you couldn’t wait for him to prove it to you.
“Come here, angel,” he said. You climbed back onto the bed. “Turn around for me, okay?”
You were on your knees, sitting up right, facing the headboard. His breath on your shoulder sent a shiver down your spine. Then his hands snaked around your body from behind you. A small whimper left your lips when he ran them down your chest, fingers drawing small shapes on your breasts. They continued their way down your stomach and to your parted thighs. The cold air was hitting your dripping core, and had you not had enough self-control, you would have moaned at the mere sensation of his fingertips on the inside of your thigh. But maybe that was just what he was waiting for. After all, he was still taking his time with you. But in this instance, you knew what you wanted, and more importantly when you wanted it.
“Please,” you said. You weren’t sure what to say but starting with a ‘please’ was never a mistake.
“Please what?” he asked. You couldn’t see his face, yet you knew his devilish grin that must’ve been plastered on his face. He never missed a chance to make you shy. “Is this what you want?”
He slid two of his fingers down your slit slowly. It would forever be a mystery to you, how such a simple touch could put you in such a mental state of disarray. You whined at how needy you were, fighting the urge to press your legs together. In a second, his fingers were coated in your juices. When he pressed them against your opening, but didn’t push any further, your head spun with frustration. An impulse yelled at you to grab his hand and show him how you wanted him, but you sensed there was a specific aim in his teasing. Above that, you weren’t close to that brave. Purposely lightly, he rubbed circles onto your clit. Your head fell back onto his shoulder and your breaths came out in little, desperate noises.
Before meeting him, you never knew this sort of inability to control your body. Having power over your motions was an obviousness to you. But as with so many things in life, you had been wrong. Or rather, you had not known better. Now, with his lips brushing over the side of your exposed neck, you were willing to let him do whatever he wanted to do to you. If there was a noise or reaction he wanted to coax out of you, he could do so. And if evoking your little melodic whimper was his aim, he was on the right path, fingers teasing your pussy and flicking over your clit. You knew he wouldn’t hurt you. In fact, he had a head so full of ideas of things you could do together, you doubted you’d ever start to get bored here.
“I want you…inside of me,” you said, surprising yourself. This was your desperate body taking control of your motor speech center, that little region in your brain that allowed you to let out what you wanted to say. Your cheeks were hot for only a moment, then you realized if it got you what you wanted so badly, speaking your mind was probably a fantastic idea. You should really do it more in the future, you thought.
“What my angel wants, my angel gets,” he said. Just for a few seconds, he moved his fingers much faster. You yelped at the sudden pleasure, your hand wrapping around his wrist. His other hand reached for your hand, softly taking it away as you became a whimpering puddle in his arms. You were ready to fall, give in to the pleasure and let go. It was what you so desperately wanted. But as quickly as it had begun, he removed his hands. His attention was gone, and you were left yearning for more.
“Lift your hips,” he said, softly touching your sides. A part of you wanted to cry out, hold him responsible for denying you your sweet release. But you knew it would be no use, and he would tell you to wait either way. You were still on your knees, but straightened up, arms hanging by your sides, waiting for his touch. He was right behind you, his upper body against yours. When you felt his cock run over your slick folds, you sighed at the awaited sensation. The stretch when he filled you up felt so perfect, so out of this world, you reached for his hand to hold on to.
“Why didn’t you ask me earlier if you wanted me so bad?” he asked. He squeezed your hand as his other pulled you flush against his back while he pushed himself further into you. He’d thrust against you for a while, only to pull out completely, and repeat the whole process. It was sending you into complete overdrive.
“Because I wanted to make you feel good,” you said. “Only you, for once.”
You moaned when he snapped his hips against your ass, picking up the pace. In an attempt to support your jittery legs, you grabbed the headboard in front of you. Your breathing came out in short huffs, uneven and a little shaky.
“You’re so sweet and selfless…my patient angel,” he said, his fingers coming in contact with your clit again. His touch was an allure to you, and you wished you could have stayed this way forever. No thoughts, just his body and his dark voice to sedate your mind. “I’ll give you anything you want. You know that, right?”
You hummed and nodded. “Yes. And I’ll do the same for you.” Your words were interrupted by your small whimpers. There had been a time you didn’t know what it felt like, when you didn’t even know there was a such thing of having someone inside of you. Now you couldn’t get enough of him. You were already so sensitive that every time he quickened his thrusts and moved his fingers on you slightly faster, he had you hanging right over the edge. And he could tell by the way you held your breath when you were close. He didn’t want you going there just yet.
“As much as I love your mouth around my dick, this is my favorite way of having you,” he said. He used both of his hands to dig into your sides, pulling your hips closer to him every time he dragged his cock through your walls. You agreed. Should any of your angels ever catch wind of this, they would ban you to earth – or worse, send you to hell. So be it, you thought. You’d be like your lover. One of the creatures of the darkness, thought to be the personification of sin. Even if they ripped your angel title from you, they could never steal away what you had now.
Yes, you were meddling with a demon, but also having the time of your life. It was vastly better than spending your days judging humans for being themselves and for humans living the true way they want to live, instead of abstaining from the simple pleasures of life. Their true colors shown, they weren’t harming anybody, but rather making the world a more acceptable and open-minded place. You aspired to be like them.
“This is my kind of heaven,” he said. It’s what he always called you. Heaven. He groaned when you clenched your walls around him, your inevitable high drawing closer.
“This is my new heaven…you are,” you replied. He chuckled darkly, probably relishing in your confession. The thought that he could make an angel reject the very place they should have belonged filled him with a sense of superiority.
“Look how well you’re taking me,” he said. His hand wrapped around your body, pulling you tighter. He slipped his hand between your legs again, and you almost felt like collapsing, had he not held on to you. On instinct, you closed your eyes and let the feeling crash over you.
“Let me see you come, little angel,” he spoke in your ear, just for you to hear. You would do anything for him. You quivered and buckled at the severity of the feeling, but he had you. Your moans were high and dragged out, as his digits pressed harder onto the sensitive nub on your center.
“Take just a little more for me, can you?” he asked. You obliged willingly, nodding your head while it was still full of nothingness. Even as he kept fucking you, it was pure bliss for another while. It made your legs shake a little, but you felt so safe there, in his embrace, the sensitivity was alright to handle. You could tell by how sloppy his thrusts were becoming that he was almost there, too. He was pressing you against his chest as if you were all he ever wanted. His moans sounded like home to you as he came. He said your name and bent forward, reaching for the headboard, but you both tumbled into the bedsheets together instead. You giggled at your shared clumsiness and you could feel his chest move from laughing as he was lying on top of your back.
“Fuck, that was amazing,” he said, “You’re amazing.”
You turned your head and his lips brushed along your temple, kissing you softly. He brushed a strand of hair out of your eyes so you could look at him. Seeing his beautiful face had you falling into an even deeper state of serenity.
“I want to cuddle,” he said, and it was probably the sweetest thing you had ever heard a demon say. As he rolled off you, you followed his movements and settled in his embrace. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on your skin, but neither of you cared enough to get up just yet.
“I love what you’ve done to me,” you said.
“What is it I have I done to you?” he asked, fingers drawing nonsensical patterns on the side of your bare hips.
“You changed me. But not in a bad way. You let me be who I want to be and showed me that that’s okay,” you said, “You made me understand. Some sins aren’t that sinful at all.”
563 notes · View notes
quarthly · 3 years
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Twilight characters as random animals that I think are oddly fitting
(Also yes, I am roasting the animals as well)
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Edward: He would be a Cheetah. Now I know, seems like a cop out just because of his speed but hear me out. Cheetahs are, at face value, pretty cool. They used to be my favorite animal as a child, but then I grew up.
Cheetahs, through no fault of their own, are severely inbred. Now thats mainly because of poaching, but the cheetas anxiety also comes into play. In captivity, cheetahs are usually given emotional support dogs. I will admit it is cute but it negatively affects the population. Excluding one in the wild, cheetas can be to anxious to breed and thats not good for conservation efforts.
Cheetahs can hit up to 80 miles per hour in a couple of seconds. They are designed for fast running and agility. Their claws are similar to that of a dogs for better traction and they have elongated spines for longer strides. They have a thin build, long legs and a long tail for balance.
This has downsides though. Many times after making a kill, it will get stolen for them by larger predators. Thats right, they get absolutely bodied by the other animals. I should probably make these shorter but I'm on a rant now, so I guess this will be semi educational.
Throughout the series, we see Edward over estimated his abilities and value, constantly getting bodied by others. He's essentially a perfect mormon, though thats on S'meyers. He constantly judges others, dehumanizing them to their baser flaws, without doing any self reflecting. Him viewing himself as a monster doesn't really count to me. While he definitely hates himself, the only thing he is truly demonizing is being a vampire.
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Bella: Picking up from Edwards, Bella is a Chocolate Labrador. Yes, she is his therapy dog. I feel like this is really fitting for her. I know Golden retriever would make more sense, as thats the most common breed for service animals. However, I kind of focused on her appearance. Only at first though! I just know that Edward raved about her human qualities and that would pass over as animals as well. Her chocolate eyes and brown fur, very average and boring. Thats essentially Bella. Even Edward wasn't into her until he got a wiff. Labradors a very loyal dogs and while they have more personality than Bella, I just couldn't shake it. Their also very stupid. Ok that's kind of mean, they're not stupid but when it comes to love, then yeah they are stupid.
I used to have a lab, loved him to death, but god he was something else. Very much danger prone, from their own stupidity or their lack of survival instincts. I know that labs are almost aquatic. They love water, swimming, all that jazz. We can just say that bella has a few screws loose in her dna and is just "not like other labs."
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Rosalie: Now she was hard. There are quite a few animals that I think would fit for her. I'll list the other ones, but that one I went with is the Swan. Like Edward, seems a little on the nose, but I have my reasoning.
I was going to pick a predator for her, as she is shown to be very vengeful and viscous. I would have pick some type of cat, most likely a purebred, from a rich family. It could still work, but the swan just speaks to me on this one.
Swan's are known for being beautiful, graceful, and are pictured as the symbol of love. They are also very vain. Edward constantly brings up Rosalies vanity. She was constantly valued for her beauty as a human, so of course that crossed over in the transformation. She was raised to be married into wealth, she was used as a bargaining chip to increase the family's standing.
Rose has a very strong character and makes her opinions known. She's assertive and aggressive at times. She's not afraid to get dirty.
Swans mate for life and like geese, are known for being great parents. I was also going to choose geese as an option for the maternal instincts. I was wary at first because swans can be really aggressive. Like actually, you think geece are bad? Yikes bestie...
I was conflicted because swans are known for drowning dogs and sometimes people. However, I can actually see Rose drowning Bella. It's not that unbelievable lmao.
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Emmett: Now this one is just ironic. I only associate him with bears. Its inevitable, but picking a Grizzly or Black bear is too obvious. So I went a slightly different route...
So I was going to pick the Sun bear just because of looks alone. Like, I'm not exaggerating, it looks like someone wearing a bear costume. I don't think it fits him but I know for a fact that he would dress up as a sun bear and sneak into a zoo to see if anyone would notice. I'll put a pic of it here
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Like look at this thing. I have no words...
Anyway, what I picked was a Sloth Bear. Now Sloth bears are mostly nocturnal, which either way works consider vamps don't sleep. Their diet is also odd but honestly so is the cullens. They're native to the Indian subcontinent, and are known for being aggressive towards humans. Its said that for the most part they're pretty calm, so I think its just fear of humans that make them act aggressively. Honestly, that's a good thing because they are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red list.
They have some similarities with sloths, which is where they get the name. They have long claws and unusual teeth. They are known to hang upside down from tree branches, and is described as having a messy appearance. Honestly, Emmitt has a messy personality. Sorry bestie but you're a lot of work.
Now heres the biggest reason for choosing this bear. Aside from Baloo from the jungle book being a sloth bear, they are known to run fades with Tigers. Honestly, how fucking badass is that!? Now I don't think there are recorded instances of a Sloth bear killing a Tiger, but when push comes to shove, they can hold their own and I find that incredibly impressive.
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Carlisle: This one was somehow the easiest as well as the toughest. I know Owl seems like the obvious choice, and I can see it. However, I believe Carlisle values emotional intelligence as much or if not more than academic intelligence. He is so charismatic and values other's above himself. He might not be as Saint like as Edward thinks, but he does try and I think he genuinely cares about others. For that reason alone, I choose a Elephant.
Elephant's are very social animals and are extremely intelligent. I could rave about them for ages, I love them so much.
Now elephants live in a familial unit and are usually matriarchal. Bulls usually are on the outer edges of the herd or form little groups with other males. Honestly, they're not that bad aside from when their in musk.
In the group of males, the elder ones will teach the younger where to get the best food, water, how to use things as tools, and every other thing that will increase their odds of survival. This is really cute to me tbh, they do this because the females usually choose the older males because they've proved that they are intelligent and strong, that they have survived and will continue to for awhile. Teaching the younger males these things are to make the odds of them getting chosen to mate more likely. The whole unit just reminds me of a father that has to deal with rowdy teens.
Carlisle likes to take in strays, he might not have a herd but he will make one and teach them to thrive. That's how he envisions it anyway. He just has a found family and is trying his best.
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Esme: Now this might seem like an insult, but I promise it's not! This is in no way misogynistic. I love cattle and ever since I took animal science in highschool, I have appreciated these grass puppies like they deserve. Call me Castro because I love cows.
Yup! I chose a Cow for her. Specifically a beef cow. That might sound weird but its because beef cows have higher maternal instinct than dairy cows. I'm thinking Scottish Highland based on vibes alone.
They are nicknamed the Gentle Giants of Scotland. Super maternal and sweet and ugh look how cute they are!
Esme came from a abusive marriage and had just lost her child, she was depressed and desperate. Her changing was, in a way, salvation. She just fits in. She adopts all these strays along with him and will protect them to the death. She might be gentle by nature, but don't fuck with her family. She lost her first one and she isn't going to lose this one.
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Alice: She's an odd one. There are so many possibilities and maybe I'm biased, but I feel like she would be a Crow.
Ok listen, I'm definitely biased but it just feels right. Crows get a bad rap, they are so cool! They are so intelligent and have the ability to actually sit and think about the past, prest, and future. I forget what its called, but this was only seem in humans! Maybe other apes, I can't remember exactly, but either way its awesome. They do live in groups, or murders, and remember people and faces. They remember locations and are able to pass down information through generations. They essentially have their own language! They are able to use tools too!
Alice's story is really sad. When we first meets her, it revolves around the death of her mother and her institutionalized. She was essentially tortured and forgot everything from her past. All she had was the future and even that wasn't constant. Crows a often viewed as omens, they are associated with death. I personally believe that instead of being the cause, they just know something is going to happen. They are very inquisitive and can be creative.
If you befriend a murder of crows, sometimes, depends or the group, they will bring gifts. Its can range from food to shiny metals and colorful plastic. Hell, I think I've seen a post of one stealing things from people just to gift it to their human.
Alice's love language is gifts. Even if they are focused around fashion, she still goes out of her way to get something that will look good and at least be a little comfortable. By that I mean she tends to forget peoples comfort zones, but she means well.
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Jasper: Honestly not to sure what to put for him. I know a predator would be more fitting, but for some reason I can see a donkey working. I know, seems like I'm clowning on the confederate. Fair, but I'm serious about the donkey thing. Honestly, it would be perfect if it wasn't a herbivore. Porcupine would also work.
Being a predator would make more sense. Given his backstory and his characterization, it wouldn't make sense for him to be a prey animal. Usually I wouldn't count this, but given his gore filled past and trouble with the diet, it seemed fitting.
I see him as a Big Cat. Honestly, vamps in general just give cat vibes. Jasper though especially have some cat like qualities, which originates from hunting and being a soldier.
I specifically see him as a Mountain Lion. Aside from him being blonde, he just has the predatory stealth to him. In midnight sun, we see him use his gift to make the nomads overlook him. He's honestly really powerful.
Mountain lions are known for being stealthy with an air of grace and power to them. They are stong animals. And I mean strong. They can jump 40-45 feet.
They're very elusive and quite. They stalk their prey and tend to attack from behind but don't think they won't hold their ground if need be.
Jasper was changed during the Civil War and forced to fight in the Newborn wars. He was a soldier as a human and as a vampire. He's able to feel and manipulate others emotions. He's covered in scars and is very intimidating.
He still struggles with the diet and honestly I hate how the others handle it. Like they have no room to talk. I don't want to defend the confederate but it just pisses me off. He has to deal with his hunger on top of everyone else's. Like damn, besties always on edge! Everyone doubts him which I don't think helps any.
Also, Mountain lions and Cheetahs can purr!
@aquanova99 I'll do a Volturi one too. That one will be fun lmao
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nctsjiho · 3 years
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Resolve [Part 2 of ‘Explode’]
Click here for part 1
warnings: none, it’s just a bit longer and the angst of part 1 continues so...
❀ Taeyong decides it’s time for Dream and JiHo to make an end to their fight
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JiHo had spent the night over at WayV’s dorm. The chance of seeing Haechan after practise had ended wasn’t one she was willing to take. Johnny had sent Haechan over to the Dream dorm since he wanted the boys to reflect on what they had done and find a way to fix it. He was also slightly agitated and didn’t want to risk yelling at Haechan if he started whining.
A bit after JiHo had left the practise room, the dance instructor came back and had asked where the girl was and why everyone was looking so down. Doyoung had to explain the whole situation which brought the mood down even more. The rest of practise was a nightmare. It felt like it was never going to end. It also made some of the boys realise how JiHo not being there didn’t make much of a difference visually. Realising how JiHo literally wasn’t in any of the unit groups besides the OT24 group dance and some B-tracks which were never going to be performed live. But not having her there did still hurt, it just didn’t feel right.
Mark had checked up on Dream before heading back to his dorm. They all seemed to be coping with the aftermath differently. The unit’s leader wanted to help, but he also knew the boys were old enough to figure it out by themselves. This wasn’t just a small fight and he didn’t want to get too involved.
At WayV’s dorm things weren’t much better. JiHo had found her place in Ten’s bed, the older boy coming to check on her every so often. She didn’t really talk and at a glance she looked like she was going to be just fine, but the next morning she looked horrible. She didn’t get a wink of sleep and Ten knew, but whenever he tried talking to her she just shrugged him off.
They had breakfast together, Lucas and Yangyang trying to cheer her up with some jokes and when she finally smiled for a second the taller one didn’t hesitate to attack her with a hug. “JiHo please talk to us.” He whined burying his head in the crook of her neck. The girl just sighed and continued playing with the food Kun had prepared for her. “Lucas, let her be for a second.” The oldest said patting Lucas on the shoulder. “Please eat something okay? You haven’t touched any of your food yet.” He tried to coax her into eating and she just nodded before taking her first bite.
There were two options: One, have Dream and JiHo fix their problems on their own accord and suffering the possibility that the fight would not be resolved for months. Which would in turn take a toll on their practise and sabotage their comebacks, team work and a lot more for the whole group. Or two, do like they always have. Involve themselves in their problems to try and fix it as a whole group.
As all of NCT gathered in the practise room, Taeyong had made the choice by himself. Mark had noticed someone wasn’t there yet. “Where’s the choreographer?” He asked and everyone started to notice as well. “He’s coming in 2 hours.” Taeyong said walking to the middle of the room. “Why are we here then? I could’ve gotten at least another hour of sleep.” Lucas whined which earned him a slap to the arm from Kun. “Sit down kids, we have some work to do.”
Everyone had gathered around Taeyong in a circle, all clearly confused. He then looked at the Dream members who all looked like they either had been crying for hours last night or if they just rolled out of bed after a horrible night of sleep. He motioned for them to sit in the middle of the circle with a finger. They all hesitantly moved over to where Taeyong pointed. The leader’s gaze than settled on JiHo, who surprisingly looked a lot less dead. Taeyong however knew she wasn’t doing so hot because of the updates he received from WayV ever since she decided to sleep over at their dorm.
Without having to say anything she sat down facing the Dream members, her eyes holding no emotion. “Isn’t this a bit unfair? 6 against 1?” She chuckled sarcastically. Taeyong rolled his eyes. “I think what’s unfair is that the fight between the seven of you is bringing down the whole team. Don’t you agree?” JiHo wasn’t one to raise her voice but the leader’s words just didn’t sit right with her. “Excuse me? You act like I did something wrong. I’m the one who got accused for something I didn’t do! I’m the one who had 6 people screaming at me, acting like I’m the bad guy here! And I saw it in your guys’ eyes yesterday that you were starting to think it was true! I-” She stopped herself when she noticed what she was doing. JiHo had stood up and was yelling at their leader, everyone shocked at the sudden (but not surprising) outburst. “I’m sorry.” She gritted her teeth before sitting down again.
Taeyong had to admit that it was wrong of him to act the way he did. JiHo clearly didn’t do anything wrong, but just because this was now a known fact and the misunderstanding had been cleared up, didn’t mean that the conflict was solved. There was still a lot of tension between the two parties and it wasn’t going to get better if they didn’t address it.
“JiHo we’re sorry-” Renjun started, but Haechan quickly interjected. “It’s all my fault. I just heard you talk to Johnny and heard Jisung’s name and then you started talking about a maknae and I just jumped to conclusions, I shouldn’t have. I should’ve asked, but I was too mad...” JiHo couldn’t make eye contact with any of the boys. Jisung spoke up. “I do trust you JiHo, it’s just that-” “How could you say that if you just believed Haechan anyway? You should’ve asked me first.” It was the first time JiHo’s voice had given in. She sounded so hurt and it made all the members feel horrible. “I know... I didn’t believe Haechan at first, but he also wouldn’t lie to me so I felt conflicted.” It was silent for a bit.
“I just felt like no one was on my side. At least you guys have each other...” The older boys couldn’t watch this anymore, it was such a stupid thing to fight about but the implications were so much more serious. The lack of trust, feeling lonely even while having so many people around. “JiHo, you know I knew the truth.” Johnny spoke up. She didn’t dare to look at him. “We didn’t know that you felt that way.” Jaemin added. “But you just got mad at me without telling me why. Starting to ignore me and look at me like you hated me, and no one said anything. And I know it was so obvious that there was something going on but no one tried bringing it up. You all just waited for someone to explode and for us to start fighting.” JiHo was now talking to the older members. “I- I don’t know, I just felt like I wasn’t part of NCT anymore-” With that Haechan, Jisung and Renjun started bawling their eyes out. The damage they did was even worse than they initially thought. “Don’t say that.” Renjun’s voice hitched. He inhaled deeply after each word as if he forgot how to breath.
The other boys had to do everything they could to hold themselves back from going to comfort the younger members, they still had to talk everything through. Some of them even started crying themselves, wondering how it had gotten so far that one of their members didn’t feel like part of the group anymore.
“It’s almost obvious SM doesn’t want me to be in the group anymore. But I couldn’t help but feel like you guys didn’t want me either after what happened yesterday.” The girl had yet to cry even though she sounded so close to breaking down. She had never cried in front of everyone before, always showing her strongest side. 
A quivering call of her name left Jisung’s lips. He called out for his precious noona, asking what he could do to make her forgive him. The room stayed quiet for a while, everyone anticipating JiHo’s answer, but it never came. Haechan looked at her with hopeful eyes, moving closer cautiously before resting his hand on hers situated in her lap. Her breath hitched and her body jerked slightly at the sudden touch, causing everyone else to jump a little as well. “I’m sorry you couldn’t trust me-” She choked on her own mixture of words and tears. Haechan immediately pulled the girl into his chest, stroking the girl’s hair as he desperately rambled to her. “It’s not your fault”, “I’m sorry”, “I should’ve talked to you”, “Please don’t leave us”. The sentences became a jumbled mess between his painful cries.
It had become too much for everyone. They were either fighting back tears or openly crying, excusing themselves from the room. Taeyong looked down at the mess he had made, but when he saw all the Dream members surround JiHo and Haechan to apologise and tell her how she was in fact a member of NCT and nothing was going to change that, that’s when the leader realised it might not have been so bad after all. The girl had finally opened up and though just this moment alone wasn’t going to solve everything, at least they knew how she felt and it was a great starting point.
Jisung had taken JiHo’s hands in his holding them tightly as he apologised through tears. She gulped at seeing the younger boy like this and pried one of her hands out of his grip. This caused Jisung to let out a sob as he looked at the girl with a shocked expression, mind racing again with the thought she was still mad at him. She quickly placed her hand on top of his own, her thumb caressing the top of his wrist. “It’s okay Jisung-ah. I would never talk bad about you okay?” She looked at him with red cheeks and teary eyes, still trying to stay strong. He nodded quickly just staring back at her, still apologising.
An hour had passed with the younger members talking things out a bit more, JiHo still felt hurt by their actions the day prior, but she also understood where they were coming from. Dream really cared for each other so it was nice to see them have each other's backs. Jisung had now glued himself to the girl, following her closely everywhere she went until Taeyong had called her to talk for a second. He had to clarify to the youngest that he meant talking to JiHo in private, which caused him to hesitantly walk away.
“I’m sorry JiHo, I didn’t mean to make it look like you caused the fight. I also didn’t mean things to become so messy and most importantly make you feel like you weren’t part of NCT. I did a horrible job as a leader-” The girl interrupted him with a hug, knocking the air out of his lungs. “I know you didn’t mean it. I should’ve told you how I felt earlier. But everything is going to be fine now. Okay?” Her whisper made him feel so much more calm. “Okay.” He answered placing his arms over her shoulders and pulling her closer.
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on-stardust-wings · 3 years
Text
I have lots of thoughts and feelings about Crowley and his Fall and I've certainly rambled about it before, but I want to do a bit of a tangent here. It's a bit cracky, and then it turned into the meta variant of the AO3 "crack treated seriously" tag further down. Um. Enjoy?
There's a line in the script book I got hung up on, when Crowley is drunk in the pub and going on about his Fall. It was cut in the show.
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(Excuse the quality, or rather the lack thereof.)
The fact aside that the whole "glorious revolution" sounds more like workers threatening to unionise... Crowley tagged along with Lucifer and the guys because "the food hadn't been so good lately, and [he] had nothing on for the rest of the afternoon".
And I'm sure we can have lots of great angsty discussions about this whole scene, but what I'm stuck on right now is "the food hadn't been so good lately".
The food.
This happened before the Fall, when everyone was still angels. Before Earth and humans and gross matter for consumption was created.
Present day angels don't eat (with the exception of Aziraphale). We don't know much about the demons, but, demons didn't exist yet. It was only angels, and we get a taste of angelic opinion on food when Gabriel comes to pick on Aziraphale's sushi. Gross matter! It sullies the celestial temple!
Now. Several options.
A) Food became associated with demons/Falling at some point after the Fall, and Before angels did eat.
I don't find this particularly likely, because Gabriel's reaction and Aziraphale's reaction to Gabriel's comments make it seem like food is a human thing to them, rather than something demonic. Aziraphale is able to pass off his eating as a means to blend in with humans, and Gabriel seems grossed out by the thought of food, but he isn't chiding Aziraphale openly, either. He wouldn't want to eat himself, but he accepts that it's part of Aziraphale's cover.
So, other options. (Now comes the fun part.)
B) The "food" Crowley mentions is a translation discrepancy. Maybe there was some sort of angelic nourishment in Heaven that angels would consume to replenish their energy. They are, in their original form, spiritual energy creatures. They consist of energy, and also use this energy to do angel things™.
(I think at least a portion of their miracles have to be self-sustaining/"powered" by the individual's own personal energy, rather than energy pulled from a "pool" in Heaven/Hell. I don't think they could be entirely cut off from doing miracles, and it may be argued that the Arrangement wouldn't have worked undetected for so long if Heaven and Hell could keep track of every miracle Aziraphale or Crowley perform, or even if all their power was pulled directly from Heaven/Hell. Smallish everyday miracles like Crowley's driving or Aziraphale reheating his tea, or subconscious miracles like expecting unplugged appliances to work, make a lot more sense logistically to me if they aren't done on "company expenses" but on personal reserves. Also Crowley's time stop at the airbase probably wasn't Hell energy, that would most likely be rather problematic with Satan just about to burst from the ground; in my head, this was Crowley using his personal power.)
If miracles and stuff spent energy that comes from the angel themselves, there has to be a way to restore it. Maybe an angel's natural energy restores by itself over time (aka by resting). Or they can "eat" some sort of angelic nourishment. Maybe they had sunshine cookies with galaxy sprinkles and a cloud mist slurpie to the side or something. And because the word for angel food only exists in the angelic language, and Crowley is speaking English in this scene, he just translates it as food, because that's the equivalent word/concept.
(On that note it would be interesting if/how Aziraphale and Crowley have access to angel food on Earth, or if they're making do with human food and drink so enthusiastically also because they're permanently hungry.)
I also have an option C), and it's a kind of over to top step up from B).
So, C) Crowley saying "food" is a translation/analogy used because he's talking a human language bound to human concepts, when in reality "angel food" isn't sustance in a physical or energetic kind of way, but rather a spiritual nourishment. Angels are beings made up of a soul and lots of energy, maybe they don't need to have their energies fed, but rather their souls. They need... enrichment. Spiritual fulfillment, something like that. Feeling God's love and tasting the spark of creation and the breath of divinity.
But that was starting to be lacking. Creation wasn't as exciting as before anymore. Sure, making nebulae is great and all, but what about variety. Where's the enrichment?
God was starting to be more distant, not talking to everyone all the time anymore.
The food hadn't been that great lately. All those angels didn't get the nourishment, the enrichment they needed, so discontent started spreading. They were starving for God's love and for actually feeling the excitement of creation. So, Lucifer rebelled, and angels like Crowley got caught in the crossfire.
Because the food hadn't been great lately.
Right ... Thank you for coming to my ted talk.
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dameronology · 4 years
Text
everything i need {mando x reader}
summary: din has to rethink his life plans how that you’re by side - not that he’s complaining {i do have a taglist but it’s 1am and i simply cannot be arsed to find it, please accept my not very sincere and very tired apologies}
warnings: much language 
enjoy!! sorry for the lack of imagines lately, i’m back at work and working as a director on two of my group projects so i am neck deep in covid-related paperwork. 
- jazz
p.s this has not been proofread, because i am just that shit 
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Din Djarin had never needed a reason to find a home. Settling down permanently wasn’t an option in his line of work. Permanence had never been part of his plan. 
Then again, a lot of things hadn’t been part of his plan. The Child certainly hadn’t; if you’d told him five years ago that his firstborn son was going to look like...well, like that, he probably would have drop kicked you into the next rim. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t imagine his life without the kid now, or that he would rain hell on anyone who would dare lay a finger on the toad-like toddler. His life had gone in a direction he never could have anticipated and his son wasn’t even the biggest detour. That was you. Din wasn’t even entirely sure where you’d come from or when you’d come into his life, but he would have first surrendered his ship and everything on it before even considering the notion of living without you. Whether it was simply luck, or whether there was some higher power who finally decided to give him a fucking break, The Mandalorian had a family. He was no longer a lone gunslinger with nothing to lose; now, he had everything to lose.
The fear that came with his newfound vulnerability was a small price to pay, however. In the quieter moments - when it was just you and him and the kid - he had no question in his mind that everything was worth it. Every fright, every concern, every agonising moment that Din spent overthinking and calculating a million and one ways to keep you both safe was completely and irretrievably worthwhile. It was a little unconventional but a family was a family. A clan of three. 
You didn’t often get to take breaks. They came every few months, usually whenever Din needed had had a particularly had job. You’d found your place halfway between helping him kick-ass and babysitting the Child (who at this point, was essentially your son too). It meant that days you were running across rooftops in Nevarro with a blaster in hand, and others you were running around after your kid, holding a diaper rather than a gun. The duality was astounding.
The last few weeks had been a little hard. There had been one bounty who had been relentless, and another who had tried to take a hit at you. It hadn’t taken long for you to put the bastard in his place but the Mandalorian had taken it a little more personally than you. Before throwing him into the carbonite, Din had broken a little more than six of the target’s ribs and given him a nice shiner on his left eye. He never minded when he was the one who had a punch or two thrown at him but when it was you? Din never took to it lightly. 
Once both bounties had been sent to their respective clients and you’d collected your rewards, Din had set the Crest’s path towards a jungle planet. It was one he had frequented a few years ago - before you, before the kid - and whilst it was a little desolate, it was safe. It was away from any Imps, any potential danger. It meant that you could both let your guards down for a bit and put your feet up. Plus, the Child had been dealing with cabin fever for the better part of two weeks and you were convinced you were going to lose it if you didn’t get the little fucker to some open space soon. Preferably one with lots of frogs, because he was not taking well to the freeze-dried food that you’d been fobbing him with him for the last few months. 
You were laying in an open field, weight propped up on your elbows as you glanced out into the grass over your sunglasses. Din was making his way back towards you, trudging through the long blades; the low evening sun was bouncing off the beskar of his helmet, causing you to scrunch your face up. You could tell from the way he was talking that he was exhausted. He’d been on kid duty all day (it was your turn tomorrow) and somehow, that was more tiring that any bounty. 
‘Where is he-’
Your question was answered before you could even finish it; the little creature suddenly appeared through the grass, hitting your shin with a thump. Digging his claws into your jeans, he scrambled up onto your legs, plopping into your lap and leaning against your stomach. He peered up at you with big brown eyes for a second, before twisting back around to rest his head against your chest for a nap. There went your evening plans.
‘Did he eat anything?’ You raised your arm out to Din, signalling for him to sit next to you.
Aside from his helmet, he had shed the rest of his armour. The material of the undershirt he was wearing was soft against your skin as you leant into his side, letting it a small hmph as you did. He instinctively wrapped his arm your waist - because even on a safe planet, Din was naturally protective - and pulled you closer, using his free hand to run a finger over the kid’s wrinkly head. 
‘I saw him swallow a frog whole.’ His modulated voice replied. ‘It’s still disturbing.’
‘Not as disturbing as when he ate the fish whole.’ You grimaced, glancing up at him. ‘The thing was bigger than him and he gulped it down. Biologically, it doesn’t work.’
‘Nothing about him makes sense.’ He said. 
‘The only thing that makes sense is that nothing makes sense.’ You joked. ‘But I guess we’ll find out a little bit more when we work out where the hell he actually came from.’
It was a subject you didn’t approach too much. You knew that one day, you’d have to hand him back over to his own species; it was all well and good to look after him when he was still small, but you had no idea what he was going to grow to be. Finding his home planet had sort of been a secondary quest for you and Din, between bounties. Given how slow the little bastard aged, time wasn’t too much of a concern. Knowing where to start was the problem.
‘I wish we could keep him forever.’ You quietly murmured. 
‘Me too, cya’rika.’ Din gave your shoulders a light squeeze. ‘But we have to do what’s right for him.’
‘I know.’ You nodded. ‘What do you think we’ll do after we’ve found his home? His species?’
It wasn’t something that Din had given much thought. He was so used to planning everything in the moment - hours ahead, at most. He hadn’t thought in terms of days, let alone weeks or years. It made sense to, because you weren’t going anywhere. He had an opportunity to have a life outside of being a bounty hunter; you’d shown him that much. He’d found a home with you - a sense of contentment and belonging - but in a physical sense, he’d never thought about settling on a planet. When he was younger, the idea of having his own children and his own clan had played on his mind, but it had faded as the years went by. Maybe it was time to revisit the idea.
‘We could get married.’ Din quietly suggested. ‘Start a clan of our own. Something permanent.’
‘I didn’t realise that the word permanent was in your vocabulary.’ You replied. 
‘It wasn’t. Not before you.’ He said. ‘There was a lot of things I never thought about before you.’
‘A clan?’ You intertwined your fingers with his, giving his hand a light squeeze. ‘In a few years, absolutely - but I am not doing it on that pile of junk.’
‘That pile of junk got us here.’
You rolled your eyes, shaking your head - but there was a smile on your face. ‘We don’t have to think about it now. One step at a time.’
There was silence for a minute, as you both pondered to yourselves. In the same way you hadn’t been part of Din’s plan, he hadn’t really been part of yours. When you’d met him, you’d never expected to fall in love with him. You couldn’t see his face, or his emotions or his feelings - but after a while, you saw him. It was though you had seen straight through the armour and right into his very soul without either of you trying. You were first person to see him as Din, and not as the Mandalorian. You understood his humanity, and the fact he wasn’t always a warrior; it meant he could let his walls down around you, and seek support and solace in a way he’d always thought to be terrifying. And it was, at first, but now it felt natural and healthy. He had you and you had him. Nothing else mattered.
‘I’ll go wherever you go.’ Din broke the quiet, eyes falling down to where the child lay in your lap.
‘You’d do that for me?’ You rested a hand on the side of his helmet; it was cold against your skin, but the gesture was there. ‘You’d give us all this up for me?’
‘I’m not giving anything up.’ He replied. ‘When I have you, I have everything I need.’
Din had always been blunt and straight to the point: sometimes it was a blessing, sometimes it was a curse. Right now, it was completely and entirely a virtue. It meant that you didn’t have to second guess his feelings for you, or worry about him leaving you. Everything he said to you was a promise. Talks of your future were mutuals goals, things to look forward to together. 
‘I love you.’ You pressed a kiss to the edge of his helmet. 
‘I love you too.’ Din replied. 
‘So let’s retire right now and get a moisture farm on Tatooine-’
‘- don’t push it.’ 
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itsmoonpeaches · 3 years
Text
Raya and the Last Dragon and Southeast Asian Food Culture
Disclaimer: The following is from the perspective of a Filipino SEA. Please feel free to add or edit from other perspectives. There are *spoilers* under the cut.
A thing that Raya and the Last Dragon got right? The homely, welcoming food culture of Southeast Asia. This is one of the most integral parts of SEA culture. Food defines who we are as a people, not just by what we serve to you, but how it is served. 
There are many food scenes in RATLD, but each build up in the movie and really drive to the point what sharing a meal means.
Disney made a short featurette on food culture, but it’s barely the tip of the iceberg.
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Ready to eat? Below is a breakdown and analysis of SEA food culture as it is portrayed in this movie.
First, how about food that is familiar to most of SEA? I’m just going to list a few fruits that I saw in this film just casually being thrown about or eaten. I’ve also listed them here in a short post about cultural nods I spotted.
To quote what I originally said:
Random fruits I saw that are native to Southeast Asia: longan, rambutan, dragon fruit, mangoes, jackfruit
Since then I have also noticed that I left out durian, mangosteen, and bananas. The fruits that might be unfamiliar to much of the Western world are linked for your own further reading.
Now, let’s get into the meat of things. No pun intended.
Family
What does food in SEA culture mean more than family? At least, in a Filipino household, oftentimes a family eats together for every. Single. Meal. (Or most meals.) Breakfast, lunch, and dinner? You better be sitting with your immediate family if they’re at home. If your extended family is there? Better eat with them too.
Sometimes it might be considered rude to eat without them when you’re all home together. Unless, of course you’re in a hurry or there’s an emergency. There’s an exception to every rule. Some families might even wait for everyone to be at the table in order to start eating. 
Every meal is and should be made for everyone that intends to eat, and you should be eating at the same table. Eating is a time for a family to have a conversation, to share what they are going to do for the day, what they did, and anything new going on.
Raya has an important conversation about trust and togetherness with the other tribes with her father over a meal.
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Not to mention that family means recipes. Versions of traditional dishes that you are taught by your parents, your grandparents, or any of your elders really. Cousins, and other extended family might share their food secrets too. You can learn to cook something by watching or learning the ingredients. Or, if your family is a cooking family, you can learn by doing. 
Chief Benja teaches his daughter Raya how to make stew with different ingredients and she passes down the recipe later to her friends. It’s lightly touched upon that her father’s way is her own “best” way to cook this particular dish. Because, well, your parents or grandparents always cook it the best. (This is not an opinion. This is a fact. That’s only a little bit of sarcasm in there, but you get the point.)
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Wealth
I think this might be something that is universal, but food in SEA culture can mean wealth. What ingredients do you use? How much rice do you have? Do you eat something with your rice?
Now, “wealth” in this sense does not necessarily have to mean monetary wealth. It could be the wealth of the land you live on. 
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I’ve already talked about how important rice is here. However, here is a quote from that analysis to highlight the importance of the above scene:
There is a scene towards the beginning of the movie when Raya asks Namaari, “Stew or rice?” when asking which she would prefer. Namaari never answers the question, but she says that it is her first time eating rice in a while. Though it’s never explicitly said, it could be implied that it is because they did not have as much rainwater for irrigation at the time.
Namaari’s people lacked wealth of land in the beginning. With rice being such an integral part of SEA food culture, that is sad.
A welcome into a home
One of the first things Raya says to the other tribes at the beginning of the movie is, “Who’s hungry?” You can hear phrases similar to that peppered throughout RATLD. “Have you eaten yet?” is another one.
When Raya asks, “Who’s hungry?” in the beginning, it is to welcome a huge crowd of tribes into their land to share a meal. The first thing someone in a Filipino household would do when someone is visiting is to ask if they’ve eaten yet. If they haven’t there is always a meal that is ready for them. Honestly, the meal might even be prepared for them already even if they weren’t asked.
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Here, Raya and Namaari share their first meal together as the very first thing they do before they do anything else. It is food to welcome Namaari and the others into her home. 
You can notice that they are sitting on the floor. This doesn’t necessarily happen in all of SEA, but sitting on the floor on top of mats or a spread like banana leaves to eat is common practice, even for royalty.
Togetherness and friendship
Eating with family or to welcome someone into your house are not the only reasons why eating together is important. It is also a symbol of being together. Even if you don’t have a family and you just live with roommates or friends, you might eat meals with them on the daily. 
You share the food. That’s important. Say if you lived with a roommate. In this culture, you might cook a meal for both of you, not just yourself. You might cook together and contribute different dishes. That’s not to say there aren’t exceptions, but this is what I’ve personally observed between my own SEA friends versus my non culturally Eastern friends. 
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This is where culturally, the East and West seem to differ a lot. Western society is based on an individualistic culture. Meaning, the focus is on the individual and independence. There is less group mentality. Eastern society is based on a collectivist culture. The whole group is taken into consideration. This can be true for both East and Southeast Asia. 
You can see this as the case in RATLD. As the movie progresses, so do the meals. Raya sits down to eat with her friends, and there is rarely a time she eats without someone.
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Gift giving
I’ve mentioned that welcoming someone into your household with food is a part of SEA culture. However, it is important the other way around as well. 
Sisu does mention a few times that she thinks that they’re best off giving offerings or gifts to the chiefs to show that they mean well. Now, it is common practice in some SEA cultures (and particularly from a Filipino lens), to give someone something when you visit. This doesn’t have to be every time you visit, of course, but it’s seen as nice and polite if you give a host something if you plan on staying there a while. 
For example, if they are providing room and board for you on a visit for a few days. Even if the host is a family member, you should offer them something. Anything could work, but food is a good option. And it’s a great, safe option. Who doesn’t like food?
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Sisu does try the gift route in Talon. She tries to buy a bunch of trinkets, which inevitably fail. The second time she tries? She snatches a pot of (what I’m assuming) is congee to offer to the chief of Spine.
It’s also interesting to note that this is the only time in the whole movie that gift giving doesn’t backfire on them. In Spine, they meet an enemy-turned-friend, Tong.
Trust
Ah, the theme of the entire movie...trust. What does sitting down for a meal equal? Trust. You’re trusting someone to feed you, to give you something good to fill your belly, to essentially be vulnerable with you. Sleeping is a vulnerable time, but eating is as well. 
You naturally let your guard down when you eat, and if someone cooks for you, you don’t expect to be poisoned by it. 
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In the start of the film, Raya is skeptical of the congee that Boun makes. She eats it anyway when she sees that Sisu isn’t poisoned. Obviously, this is a particular issue specific for Raya’s character development. However, it is a part of the process.
By the time we reach the end credits, things come full circle. 
Raya expresses throughout the film that she wishes she could eat a meal with her father again. I’ve also pointed out how important it is to eat together with friends. All of that is showcased in the credits when the cultural importance of food, trust, and togetherness return.
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Raya and Namaari share a meal again. This time, as real friends. (Maybe even...lovers? I cannot unsee it, Disney.) This meal they have together is more of a snack, but that is something of note as well. It’s something intimate because they’re sharing sliced green mangoes with shrimp or fish paste dip (bagoong in Filipino Tagalog). They trust each other enough to share the same dip, to cut up the same mangoes, and to sit together over a meal.
If that isn’t the essence of SEA food culture, I don’t know what is.
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blueknightdg · 3 years
Text
Consideration and Generosity
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Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noire, DCU
Characters: Marinette, Damian
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She sat on a park bench that day; the weather was hot yet, cloudy.
Despite the uncomfortable sweat clinging to her being and the buzzing noise of her surroundings, she smiled happily. She would do anything for inspiration, even endure the blistering feeling of the sun.
Soon enough it has been hours since she began to sketch and draw designs for clothing she wishes to make true.
She feels her head is off, so she takes a break to answer a text from her mother.
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(Mom) Marinette, are you still at the park? It's been five hours.
(Me) Yep! Just taking a break.
(Mom) Just now? It's really hot outside, have you eaten? What about water?
(Me) Don't worry! I'm fine! I stayed in the shade the whole time.
(Mom) Okay, but I want a picture of you eating.
(Me) Okay, I will. I love you!
(Mom) I love you too.
----------------------
Marinette, packs her sketch books and other materials a way in her bag. She stands up, only to tip over onto someone walking past her.
"Hey, you-"
The person stops to keep her from falling all the way down.
"Uh... I'm sorry, I guess I should have taken a break earlier."
She tries to break a way from the strangers grip. They let her go easily. They began to walk a little further a way with a eye in her direction. She sits down again to collect herself. She takes a few breaths and thinks about how to get up without falling and embarrassing herself.
"I wish I packed a water bottle or something, I knew it was hot but I thought I would be fine....", she thought to herself.
She checked her bag in case she just forgot. Lo and behold there was a water bottle in one of the outside pockets.
"Huh....? That's strange, I was sure I......oh well.", she shrugged it off as her forgetting.
Feeling a little better, she carefully stood up. Having not fallen, she smiled and picked up her full bag. She walks in the direction of a small restaurant to eat, since she wouldn't make it home before hunger got to her.
She walked like she wasn't being followed. Casual and slow, she took in the buildings a round her. The same as her memories told her, but still just as beautiful.
Once she got to an empty table, she sat her bag down in front of her. The waitress walks up to her with a smile.
"Hello! Here is the menu, please take your time. Though I do suggest today's special! Mushroom soup with broccoli, carrots, and rice."
"Thank you."
"No problem!"
The waitress leaves her be and she focuses on the menu. It seems that this restaurant is all about healthy living.
She hums to herself as she thinks of her order. However, everything sounded wonderful and she couldn't decide. Then she heard a waitress bring someone's order of a tofu and veggie stuffed bell peppers with a side salad. So she looked over to see the meal and found that it looked delicious. She also saw they ordered tomato juice.
Looking at the menu one more time, she located the meal, drink and picked out a dessert on her own.
As soon as she put her menu down, the waitress came up to her with her pen and notepad out.
"Ready to order?"
"Yes, I would like the Tofu and Veggie stuffed Bell peppers with a side salad, tomato juice, and the vanilla, soy bean ice cream."
"Would you like a topping?"
"Yes, let's see....oh! The coconut sprinkles and strawberry drizzle."
"To repeat: Tofu, veggie stuff bell peppers, side salad, tomato juice, vanilla soy bean ice cream with coconut sprinkles and strawberry drizzle?"
"Yes."
"Okay, we will right on it!"
Marinette took out her phone as she waited. She texted her mom, that she was at a restaurant nearby. Her mom reminded her to send a picture of her eating.
A few minutes later and her food was brought to her.
"Thank you so much!"
"It's no problem, dear, tell me if you need anything!"
The waitress leaves to let her eat. She sends a picture of her food to her mom, who responded with the words 'smile and heart'.
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Change perspective
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His day was normal. He woke up and dealt with the hooligans that plagued his life. He was currently in Paris as a part of a stake out group. His family dispersed during day to do individual actives. His father wanted him near by, but he argued that he didn't need to be monitored.
His father conceded by saying he must practice being considerate of other people and to update him on how it is going and if he needs help. He was more than reluctant to agree. Regardless, he did.
He didn't like the loose nature of his apparel for the day, but had no chouce due to the heat.
Though by no means is his clothing loose in comparison to others definition. He prefers to be dignified at all times.
Most of the day, he had nothing report to his father that was particularly considerate until he notice the ragged look of a girl a round his age. She looked dehydrated and ill. He scoffs at her lack of self preservation until he notice she was immersed in some kind of sketching. He also remembered his has to be 'considerate' today so he will say she was lost to passion. After all, this is Paris, the city known for passion.
He watches her as she unconsciously squints and makes a grim expression at times. She sways ever so slightly.
In his observations, she stopped her work to look at her phone. Her condition is not well. He walks a little closer with a water bottle he bought. The moment he walked next to her and she stood, he stabilized her and slipped the water bottle in her bag as she spoke, trying to clear her head. She was drenched in sweat.
"Father better be grateful, I am being more than generous with being 'considerate', disgusting.", he thought with distain.
He hurried a way from her only to stop a short distance a way to watch her more and to sanitize his hands; to rid himself of the horrid feeling of her sweat.
The girl swayed less than before, but after updating his father of what happened, he was ordered to tail her. What if she collapsed? His efforts would have been in vain if that was so.
He was slightly frustrated and her slow pace did nothing to help. He only felt a bit better at her choice of eatery. He saw that she was heading for a Healthy Living Restaurant and went a head of her to sit down. He typed to his father that the girl was trying to decide what to eat. He was instructed to do what he thought best if he were to interfere at all. So he picked the most sensible option for her condition, in return, she followed and added something to her order.
He ate quietly and finished before her. He then left a large tip; the service was quick, the food palatable, atmosphere was pleasant and he doubted the girl had much on her. Enough to pay perhaps, but she would then be left with nothing else.
She seemed to be middle class, and the middle class does not make much little wealth, to him at least. Sure, her clothing was quite good with quality, but her manners weren't all that remarkable and nothing else about her was either.
Polite, is what she was. Quiet, unnoticeable, and polite.
To him, she was a foolish girl that dreamed too much and did little for her own well-being. Truly the epitome of moronic whelps.
After he left the restaurant, he watched from a distance. Through the window, he saw her tempt to pay, only to be denied. He smirked, perhaps he should visit this particular restaurant again and maybe even invest a bit?
He felt his phone buzz, his father typed, wanting to be updating on the status of the girl. It became apparent that some of the hooligans are now aware of his sudden punish- mission. Yes, this is a mission.
Protecting such weak plebeians is the duty of his father and him, also the unsightly hooligans- not well in his opinion- but he shall add them this once.
"Father is surely proud of how 'considerate' and 'generous' I am.", he believes, "Excessively so."
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The day ends with Marinette safely returning home and the still mysterious young man facing his mismatched family.
The young man remained considerate as he ignored the jeers of the hooligans until he realized, he didn't have to any more and retorted as though his words came from the high heavens.
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The next time he checked in on the young lady, he had some knowledge of her background he shouldn't and decided to continue to see to it that she is well taken care.
"It's called being an arrogant, egotistical xsshxle with a God complex. She doesn't need your 'consideration', she is not a charity case!"
One loud problem claimed as he tuned him out.
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The young man did visit the restaurant once more and she was there. She would visit often and order the same thing as he had the first time. There were times she ordered something else and he would try things she experimented with, minus the meat.
She ordered meat less and less the more she came to the restaurant, he noticed. He had no clue why, since she obviously had no problem eating it.
He didn't order sweets as often as she did, but he would on occasion, get something with a little bit of sweetness to it; like the dried fruit sandwich with any type of sauce it can come with. The sandwich had fresh, and air dried fruit. There would be other ingredients and such to change the flavor of the sandwich, making it a popular item on the menu.
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Change Perspective
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She felt like she has seen the same guy a lot over the past two months and is slightly worried. After some thought to it and the more she believed she was over thinking it and that it was pure coincidence. She did know, however, he had good taste in food and art. Plus that animals are so cute!! He couldn't be all bad if animals liked him.
She would walk a little closer and sometimes walk a little farther from him and since he never moved, she felt better. It really was a coincidence to her knowledge.
Eventually, she would would stop seeing him. He was a tourist, so of course he would leave at some point. Still, she was a little sad.
Oh well, school is starting soon, maybe she'll make friends to fill the loneliness her pretend friend left her.
She liked to pretend this stranger was her friends and that they hung out, since she saw him in most places that she was. She saw him at the restaurant and sometimes the park and rarely he would be at the museum. Technically he wasn't everywhere and not as frequent as she made it seem like he was, but if was often enough to remember him.
"You should have talked to him, get his number."
"But then he might have thought I was hitting on him! I just wanted a friend..."
"Sweetie, look on bright side! Either you can cherish memories that made you happy or you can forget him and move on. You don't know what life has in-store for you, it could be fun!"
"Thank you, mom. You too dad, I will see what happens."
"On that note, want help me frost some cakes?"
"Yes!!!"
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The end.
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