#but no. i am starting to look like boiled lobster

[kon-konk]

Motherfuck I got a sunburn

#pei's beach trip 2023 #i thought i was in the clear and hadn't burned through the sunscreen again because it took so long to show up #but no. i am starting to look like boiled lobster

[kcrossvine-art]

Hi fellow adventurers!! A few weeks ago i caught wind of "Delicious in Dungeon". I'm not really an anime person, but I am a TTRPG, CRPG, and cooking person- . And holy shit. It is so good i  convinced my partner to binge read the whole thing. I'm caught up on dungeon meshi, the anime, and just yesterday i also finished dungeon meshi, the manga.

Its rare to come across a serialized story that is so thematically cohesive and knows its characters so well. All of the bonus content like the artbooks and monster tidbits are just the icing on top.

So, inspired by Ryōko Kui's writing and illustration I'm going to attempt to create a recipe for every single Delicious in Dungeon recipe!-

Today that means Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom hotpot is on the menu!

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

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to a Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom hotpot?” YOU MIGHT ASKThis is one of the pricier dishes until we get to the kelpies and dragons of the menu-

Rock lobster tail

Porcini mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms

Snow fungus

Small potatos

Fensi (glass noodles)

Water

OPTIONAL: your choice of dipping sauces

There was a crossover/promotional event in Shibuya which featured various realworld dishes from the series. They had one for Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom, but they used prawns.  while those cook better in a hotpot, they also didn't look enough like the scorpion for me, they also used udon noodles for the slime and a seaweed/kale(?) mixture for the algae. If you're looking for substitutes due to price or availability i would start with those ingredients.

AND, “what does a Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom hotpot taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASKI hope Senshi would forgive me for technically cooking the lobster outside the pot, once he tastes it.

Okay im always partial to veggies but wowowowowowowoowowowow the snow fungus and the mushrooms tasted soooooooooooo good in the lobster stock

A nice delicate layering of different flavors

Try to get a bite with the lobster meat and shiitake together, dip in butter then chili- trust me

Its up to you what texture you prefer if you want to put the noodles in at the end or put them in halfway through the meal. Either way dont go for eating those first as theyre very filling

I think this would pair well with a citrus drink, something light and clarifying

This would also pair well with being extremely high and hungry (if you feel safe cooking while inebriated lol) very calorically dense

For the trial run I did one lobster tail in the pot with everything else, and one lobster tail off to the side to be picked apart. The former is more in spirit with a hotpot, but it got rubbery as the meal went on and lost its nice taste. The latter may be a bit more work but all you have to do still is boil it and set it aside. I found it held up much better. It was also easier to get inside the shell.

. If you have hardshell maine lobster available, i think it would be superior to rock lobster (keep in mind crustaceans will get rubbery if cooked too long in the pot) . Green onions and/or lotus root would make excellent additions

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

From getting the ingredients out to sitting down and eating, id say it took maybe 30 minutes max? It'd vary on how fast you can prep vegetables and get the various implements heated.

Hotpots are not something i do very often as i'm usually just feeding myself. I think thats why a hotpot makes perfect sense to start the series off. If you want to set the tone of "take care of yourself, eat food with others, and use what you have" (generally speaking) there is nothing more simplistic, flexible, and defeats-the-purpose-if-you-eat-it-alone than a hotpot. Gather around and let your friends bring ingredients to the pot if you want to fill your heart up extra full <3

I'm doing something different here because unlike previous recipes where i used a bunch of different sources and made my own recipe out of hodge-podging it, or just used another persons recipe entirely if they did it really well, i made this more whole-cloth based off of what i had available, what I could discover through research, and my existing knowledge. Instead of the recipe being 50/50 original, this one is more 20/80. So. I'll pass the final verdict off to you guys :D 

What would you rate this recipe out of 10? (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) Did you love it, did you hate it? What're your thoughts on what I could do different, and what would you have done instead?

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

2 Rock lobster tails

3 Porcini mushrooms

2 Shiitake mushrooms

Snow fungus (a good handful, should rehydrate in the hotpot)

2 Small waxy potatos

Fensi (glass noodles)

Water/lobster stock

Method:

Lightly rinse all of your vegetables beforehand and let them dry.

Vertically slice the porcini mushrooms. Cut off and dice the stems of the shiitake mushrooms. You can slice the tops if youd like.

Peel and cube the potatoes, roughly an inch each.

For the lobster tails; Boil a pot of salted water. Keep the shell on. Weigh the largest tail and add 1 minute of cooking time for every ounce of weight.

When done, strain the lobster from the water. Pour the water into your hotpot as the base. Serve the lobster on the side so people can pick the meat out to dip into the hotpot.

Bring the hotpot to a simmer. Add the potato cubes, snow fungus, mushrooms, and noodles.

OPTIONAL: this wasnt in the show, but its fun having sauces on the side :) i had oyster sauce, dry seasoned chili dip, melted butter, and soy sauce available

#dungeon meshi #delicious in dungeon #cooking #digital art

[kerubimcrepin]

Liveblog 8: Episode 5, AKA the one where we discuss Kerubim's dead family again

Since I made pointing out the food they eat A Thing we do here, let's start out with that for this episode.

First of all, their household is so fish-centric. An octopus? A lobster?? A different lobster and a fish?? Plus, multiple bags, one under the lobster, and one under the giant veggie on top of Joris's other veggies. Probably some grain, I guess. Simone is also carrying some greens in a bag.

Basically... Man, they love fish and veggies, I guess?

Yet again, we see Kerubim's low self esteem and need for validation in action.

Yes, he thinks he's amazing. Yes, he uses magic to force people to laugh at his jokes. And yes, it makes him very happy and proud.

Don't worry about it. :)

I find it kind of interesting that Joris is resistant to the magic, but the simplest explanation is that his soul is intermixed with a dragon. I won't think too much about this.

Joris should have a salary for the way Kerubim's reputation hinges on him not talking about the shit that goes on in their house.

Like the deadly swords and cursed items everywhere. Or having mold and rotting meat at every corner for his whole life.

Considering that bamboo milk is alcoholic, I am fascinated by the in-universe implications of this line.

I wish boil-able, alcoholic oat milk was real.

The best way to get Kerubim to do something stupid is to make fun of him. Again, his low, low self-esteem making an appearance.

Genuinely, instead of being at the bar, he should have been in therapy.

Very small note, but we can see an amputee among the many patrons who listen to Kerubim's scary drunken rambling. I wish more cartoons included this sort of thing.

Though, this might be a bit of a brick-joke, considering what we learn about YeCh'Ti and his arm collection.

COUGH COUGH COUGH. ANALYSIS EVENT LEVEL 10 ALARM WEE WOO WEE WOO.

Firstly, god. The sheer insanity of going from his child self's grief and pain over losing both of his parents, all of his sisters and brothers, to making jokes about this, jokes about having no family and being lonely.

Is it really funny to you, Keke? Or are you just pretending again?

Second of all... I could talk for hours about how much I love/despise this man, but fuck, the sheer level of cruelty in this line knows no bounds.

Are you really The Last Crepin in your family, Keke?

Or are you just being cruel and facetious again?

Cruel, and towards the only other person in the whole world who would understand what you went through, because he also went through it?

(This is, yet again, your signal to go read The Wheel of Destiny #8: Kerub Crepin and Dessous De Dofus)

No wonder Atcham wants to turn him into a coat. I would fucking hate him too.

Though, with Atcham kind of using his hate for him as a coping mechanism for not having control in his life, and canonically not thinking that Kerubim really... mistreated him, when they were young, it's far more complex than that.

Especially with the way Kerubim's own conflicted feelings on their relationship are portrayed in-canon.

I'm so normal about them. Haha.

...Aaaanyway, onto the rest of the ep, while trying to pretend this doesn't make me feel all sorts of emotions:

This moment is a continuity error, because Ogrest hasn't started his quest for Dofus yet. Also, he may not even be alive yet. Yes, Kerubim and Joris are that old.

It's too cute of an easter egg for me to mind, though.

God. Joris needs better loved ones. His standards are so low he's looking at Kerubim like 🥺

Something-something Kerubim would genuinely kill himself if it meant people thought he was funny and cool.

I don't think he learned anything from this, actually.

I think we have to kill this guy with hammers.

#ep5 #wakfu #dofus #krosmoz #ro liveblogs dofus #kerubim crepin #atcham crepin

[weirdmarioenemies]

Where do you think we go when we die?

Somewhere nice? Somewhere horrible? Somewhere in between? Do we go anywhere at all, or do we just start anew? I’m not asking for my own sake, I’m not concerned about that, really. I’m just wondering for someone I once knew...

Where are you now, Tetris Friends? I hope you’re happy, wherever you are.

We may never be able to go back in time to May 30th, 2019 to tackle the farmer before he was able to shoot Tetris Friends behind the old barn. But we can always celebrate its life, dangit! Let’s look at some of my favorites from the vast selection of Tetris Friends premade avatars! It is so easy to get lost in all these silly creatures...

First, let’s just appreciate the Tetromono. The humble cube. The basis of nearly all these avatars! So much, from so little!

So here we have me being predictable! I see a funny crab, I am delighted, it is as simple as that. I love how simplistic it is, all it really needs is eyes and claws and you know it’s a crab! Or maybe it’s a lobster, and I’ve been mistaken all these years...? We will never know! But I am inclined to say crab since it is compact.

This funny ant is cute too! It has its very own abdomen behind the cube, and maybe even a thorax hidden between? I also like its cute little x mouth between the mandible. Like the anus of a cartoon cat. The only animals allowed to have an anus!

And look at this octopus! Look at that face! It is so cute and it does not know what is going on around it. It will say “Hwuh? Ok!!!” but not really mean it, it just wants to be done with the conversation and get back to looking at a cool thing in front of it!

That’s enough of regular animals, though. MOST of these icons are weird combinations of the features of the standard animal ones, like a Picrew! How I wish there was an actual Picrew for these.

These three are like a trio to me, all sharing the same face, and I like it! Quite  a cute face! I think I used the panda-looking one at some point, but now my favorite of the three is the one with elephant toes and a rhinoceros tail. Just a sprinkling of creature attributes.

This one is really funny to me! It looks like an Octonaut. It would be like an alien of ambiguous taxonomical placement, but then the snout is so mammal. Mammal who didn’t get the memo to have whiskers over antennae!

Most of the avatars are unique combinations of features, but these pig-nosed, shark-finned cubes are situated right next to each other, and are recolors of each other! I can only assume they are siblings. They will teach Mario and Luigi a new Bros. Technique!

This poor one just ate something yucky. You could use this to communicate that you, too, just ate something yucky! In another world, instead of emojis, people would direct each other to their Tetris Friends profile, where their current avatar would display their current emotion. Too bad we’re in this world. Where Tetris Friends is dead.

Now let’s look at some holiday exclusive ones!

For Thanksgiving we get a Meat On Bone! Would you eat the meat of a Tetromono? Doesn’t HAVE to be the leg. Maybe you would prefer some Tetromono Breast.

There are also TWO pumpkins! A Halloween pumpkin, of course, but also a Thanksgiving pumpkin with a goofy face! I think this may legitimately be the first time I’ve seen a pumpkin with a face for Thanksgiving! This one teaches me that unlike Halloween ones, Thanksgiving pumpkins have real flesh inside!

Of all the Christmas ones, this Gingerbread Cube is just so darling. I bet it’s so cakey! I would love to eat it. If it is alive, then, sorry!

Easter includes this delighted Half A Hard Boiled Egg. I am so amused by this! I guess just an egg on its own isn’t that visually interesting compared to this, but they really went all in on depicting the texture. Fascinating.

And lastly, Tetris Friends did collaborate with another property for some licensed avatars! Just one, ever. It was Ice Age.

Represent yourself with Scrat Girlfriend Cube!

#tetris #tetris friends #not mario #funky friday #mod chikako

[cetaceans-pls]

Hold On, Hold In

Bruce willingly wades into a brutal fight, in the mood for something vicious and dramatic.

Jason takes him out (and under).

Bruce Wayne week 2022, day 5: “I’m vengeance“; rated M, BruJay

a lil more 😳 than usual lads... nothing explicit but uhm there’s some d/s energy in there god love us.

-

“I’m vengeance,” Batman says in a growl so low it hits the hindbrain first, so quiet that the henchmen find themselves straining to hear him even as they’re busy shaking in their shoes.

“I’m the night.”

The lights cut off with a dramatic clunk, all 6 men let out panicked screams none of them would admit to, and at least one person wets themselves in that warehouse that night.

-

“Bet you were mighty proud of yourself,” Jason murmurs, running his hand through Bruce’s hair, petting him like he’s a not a 200-pound vigilante who is the first recorded human being to make representatives of three different alien species cry.

Bruce groans, sloshing a little in the bath tub, but careful not to slosh too much because it’s hot enough to scald. Where he’s not covered in bruises he’s boiled-lobster red, and looks very much like a large sulking dog (still keen to receive his owner’s attention). “I told you to stop watching the cowl cam when I’m out on patrol,” Bruce growls, exactly the pitch and timbre that populates the dreams of many a Gotham goon.

Jason laughs at him, affectionate and mean. “Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t somehow sense that you’d pulled out the whole ‘I am vengeance I am the night’ card, B. It’s a full moon, and I know you can’t resist the little bit of extra drama.” He peruses the series of bruises running along Bruce’s back, pressing in purposely too hard on one that’s the size of his palm.

Bruce hisses; they both shudder.

“It was necessary,” Bruce says, trying to stay on track (to god knows where). “I needed to make a bold distraction so that the engineers could sneak out.”

“Mmhmm.” Jason continues his not-very-gentle but horribly, deeply loving lookover of Bruce, running his nails up and down his back. “Wow, you’re so right, the only way to address that situation was definitely to freak the shit out of trigger-happy henchmen and then throw yourself face first at them.” He pulls his hand back up, then wraps it very gently, very intently around Bruce’s neck. “Couldn’t call for back up, huh? What’s up with that.”

He squeezes, just a little. “Bat got your throat?”

It doesn’t get him much of a response, just a hitch in Bruce’s breathing, an instinctive tensing then a sweet lean into the hold, making a loose grip a little tighter.

That’s a yes, then. “Poor B,” Jason murmurs, and he half means it. “I kick it with the Outlaws for a couple of weeks, and you’re back to being a gloomy gargoyle trying to get shot in the face.” He leans over, presses a kiss to the side of Bruce’s head, and starts pressing him down and down.

Water creeps up Bruce’s chest, up his neck, starts burning Jason’s hand, but their eyes are still tight on each other.

“You need a reminder of how to take care of yourself? Lucky you I’m so damn gifted at the job, huh, B?”

Jason doesn’t wait for a response, just carries on taking Bruce under(water), till the bath water closes over the top of his head, dark hair gone floaty and dreamy, his eyes closed and his face a little blissful.

Christ, should have brought his phone in with him, take a picture. It’s a mangled mess of fairytales, but Jason wants to lean over to kiss his lady in the water, wake him up, whisk him away.

But it’s his hand holding Bruce down, because if Bruce is vengeance then Jason’s the satisfaction that comes after a good job well done. 

They remain there in this weird little tableau that smells of cedar epsom salts, and they could remain here for up to 4 minutes without too much fuss given Bruce’s lung capacity, but Jason’s dutifully counted up to 90 when there’s movement under water.

Bruce had reached up and very lightly tapped on the back of Jason’s hand. One tap, two taps, then he’s slack again, leaving it up to Jason to decide if they keep going.

It’s a farce, but it’s a loving one. Jason is actually singularly terrible at saying no to polite requests; Alfred all on his own could convince him to take over the White House, easy peasy.

Bruce’s tentative requests he cannot manage to voice?

We-ell. Jason’s always been famous for exceeding expectations.

He slowly pulls Bruce out of this makeshift baptism, gives the man a moment to blink water out of his eyes, takes a second to enjoy how the hot water’s got him all flushed all over.

“Again?”

Jason snorts. “Some other time, B. You look half dead.”

Bruce looks a little under, still dreamy and floaty like there’s still 6 inches of water between him and the world. He looks like he’ll ask for again and again and again to chase the easy mindless high, and times like these it’s Jason’s duty to say no.

After all, B has lots of wants but it’s Jason’s duty-and-right-and-privilege to meet his needs.

“Up and out, big guy, don’t pout, it’s not cute.” It’s actually hideously cute. “You need to rest up, so’s you don’t have an excuse when I beat your ass in sparring tomorrow. You wanna be a skulking shadow that almost gets shot by morally-ambiguous characters?” Jason grins, before leaning down to kiss Bruce silly.

“Babe, all you need to do is ask.”

#brucewayneweek2022 #brujay #jason todd #bruce wayne #whale writing #watching a documentary on death valley #and my god i want to line-dry laundry there SO BAD #also hysterically this has the most Regular plot so far but also took so much more effort...... #the heart is willing but the body is ???

[psalacanthea]

WiP Wednesday

A bit early b/c my wednesdays are tabletop day so I have to do lots of prep.  Tagging @kirkwalls-dumbest and @oxygenforthewicked because i can

Here is Nathaniel Howe making friends against his will for the next chapter of the fic.

...

A servant was tipping one last heavy basin of water into the cauldron, which was already steaming.

On the left side, behind the old, tattered curtains, a few soldiers were already talking and scrubbing, filling the air of the cavernous stone room with idle chatter.  Anders was there, but not bathing.  He seemed to be a bit confused from the expression on his face as he stared at the pot over the massive open fireplace.  Nathaniel gave him a curious look, picking a battered wooden tub opposite where everyone else was to drop off his pack.

“Problem?”

Anders spun to face him, giving an awkward laugh.  “No!  I was just…so you, what, have to fill the tub yourself?”

“If you really want to, I suppose.  Generally, though, one pitcher to scrub up, one pitcher to rinse off,” Nathaniel said, a bit confused.  “Have you never had a bath before?”

“Well, yes, but generally it involves…a tub full of water.  That you sit in.  I assume that if I went and sat in that pot, I’d end up being served for dinner.”

“Those of us without magic actually have to labor for a full bath, and that is generally not a luxury a soldier would rate,” Nathaniel said, going to pick up a battered pitcher and a watertight wooden bucket from the pile of such vessels left by the cauldron.  He shoved the bucket at Anders.  “If you want to sit in a tub full of water…you’re going to have to fill it yourself.  Or we’ll be having mage stew for dinner, I suppose.”

He dunked his pitcher into the cauldron, filling it up.

“Beg pardon, was that a joke?”

“No,” Nathaniel said, deadpan, and headed for his chosen tub.  “This is the best you’ll get.  No bath houses in Ferelden anymore.”

Anders being Anders, he latched onto that immediately.  “Anymore?”

Nathaniel sighed, setting down the pitcher and yanking the old curtain closed.  Why did he even bother speaking?  Leave the slightest crack, and the mage would wriggle right in there.  “They used to be common before the occupation.  Avvar style bathhouses.  Steam baths, followed by a cold rinse.  But then the Chantry started calling them ‘uncivilized’, among other things, and so they fell out of fashion.”

“That seems a shame.”

“It was an excuse.  One more way for the Orlesians to destroy Ferelden culture.”  He pulled his shirt over his head, noting how direly it needed to be washed.  With a sigh, he tossed it into the tub, dumping the pitcher of water over it.  Might as well deal with the laundry as well, since he had an extra set of clothes.  

“You said before that Fereldens are trying to reclaim their culture.”

“Yes.  But this is a pious country, and the old bath houses were notorious for licentious behavior and prostitution.  So, the Chantry maintains the line.”

“And here I was looking forward to this bath…”  Anders sighed heavily.  “Now I’m just thinking of what might have been.”

Pushing the curtain open, he headed back to the cauldron to grab another pitcher.  Anders was still standing there with the bucket.  Nathaniel glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.  “If you’re uncomfortable you can tell the Commander.”

“Oh, no.  I grew up in the Circle.  I’ve seen more naked men than you’d believe,” Anders said, with a particularly wry tilt to his smile.  “Just considering how desperate I am for an actual bath.  Plus, the water still looks a bit tepid.  I don’t feel clean unless I look like a boiled lobster.”

“Suit yourself,” Nathaniel said simply, and went to scrub his clothes and wash up.

He had peace for a little while, cleaning and squeezing out his clothes, and then setting to work scrubbing himself down at long last.  He let down his hair and started there, working his way down until he was tingling from scalp to toes, feeling clean and a little bit raw in a way that made him feel at last like he’d washed the last few weeks from his skin.

Nathaniel hadn’t felt this clean since Kirkwall.

Once Anders had finally finished filling his tub, the quiet was finally and unfortunately broken.  “You know, Nathaniel, you’re just like me.”

He stifled a sigh, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice.  “Am I, now?”

“Yes, I was just thinking of it earlier.  Everyone hates your family for something terrible they did, even though you weren't involved!”

Less than pleased by the reminder, he picked up the empty pitcher.  “I hope you have a point, Anders.”  Shaking his head, he headed through the thin curtain.  The water in the central cauldron was indeed warmer now.  Hopefully he wouldn’t scald his skin off when he rinsed.

There were more soldiers bathing now, but they moved in and out at a fairly good clip– no one really bothered with an actual bath here, it seemed.

Well, except for Anders, who was trying and failing.  

“It's like you're a mage! If there were more Howes, they'd lock all of you up in a tower to protect everyone else.”

He dunked in the pitcher.  “A thrilling analogy.”  On his way back, he caught a brief glimpse of Anders crammed up in his tub in a rather uncomfortable-looking attempt at a seated bath, knees practically under his chin from having to cram himself in.  It distracted him from musing over his incredibly inaccurate comparison.  “You look like a wading bird I once saw outside of Markham.”

“Oh, that’s hurtful!” Anders said with a laugh, trying to shift and failing.  “I was born with these knobby knees, but on the other hand, that facial hair is a choice.”

“If you get stuck in there, I’m leaving you.”

#wip wednesday #nathaniel howe #anders #banter in the baths #as one does #anders being in an unsafe new situation #trying to feel his way through #and trying to find common ground with the people around him through jokes #but underneath the jokes are his extreme loneliness #can you imagine leaving the circle which is a horrendous place to be #but everyone knows each other #and you're all trauma bonded #then you run away and you're free but all alone and everyone sees you as Other #it's no wonder in his banter in DAO he keeps trying to hunt for common ground #oops my tags became a rant

[calumaai]

I’ve always hated baths.

Being 6 foot 5 and broad, my body becomes human anvil upon entering the tub. As the bathwater navigates the 3 dimensions of the tub, reservoirs pool and isolate across my hips and around my knees, my head and limbs jutting out the top like a lobster being boiled. 

My new flat only has a bath, a small one at that, meaning every morning I'm forced to navigate my own physicality within this limiting space I have long avoided. The experience has been confronting, engaging me with preconceptions of selfhood and space that I've held close and left unexamined since a child. I chose to memorialise this dialogue by 3D scanning myself in the bath, surrendering my humanity to become a digital artefact. In becoming data points on the X,Y and Z axis, I am left with questions about how much of our digital selves we want to name or claim.��

The materiality and hacked limbs of my new stasis reeks of Grecian sculpture. What first reads as signs of age divulge modernity via pixels and vectors as I submit to the digital currents. My bathwater is left in the atomic realm, as the scanner renders only the remenants of its refractions, the volumetric data of my torso and penis left as neutered mounds. Culturally agreed frames of categorisation fall away as the viewers gaze becomes limitless. In an instance I can go from looking lovingly at myself from between my legs to standing above my likeness like a judgmental other. The relationship between me and my digital echo lays fertile with unexplored reflective potential.

The ability to contain my immediate discomfort to allow conscientization of a larger perspective is the skill my golden bough aims to demonstrate.  It's a skill this course has allowed me to develop, and is imperative for not just finishing the course, but seeing it through to its fullest potential. I am only now becoming aware that the spaces I am excavating may have never before been fully conceptualised. I must step out of my own way to allow myself to become a statue of my own unbecoming, a testament, a platform, meeting point or signpost for others to meet at and build upon. 

Whilst my project invites me to unbecome, it must also allow connection for where I started, ensuring the research allows me the metabolization of personal histories from a new location of knowledge and understanding. Achieved through fully utilising the wide range of institutions held within my learning ecology, this project can promote both personal and professional blossoming.

This is my golden bough, an acknowledgment of the limited space we are given to exist within, an testament of my conscientization of the limits imposed upon me and my body, a meditation on the digitalisation of the self and finally an invitation to others to unbecome with me as we traverse past the known borders of our digital ecosystems. 

[gizzardscrolls]

God of Machines: Wayland's journal

Chapter 2: 30 miles out

As I wake up, I immediately try to stand up, but with the jangling of chains, I realize I'm forced to sit. I try to look down but even my head is caught on a chain, my arms are bound too. I'm still in my chainmail but my helmet, bracers, and boots are all gone. The guard in the passenger seat says 

“You’re one lucky son of a bitch, still alive and not a draugr? The only reason you still have the chainmail on is because you’re such a big bastard we didn't feel like taking it off, you will be taking it off when we get to the labor camp." 

I look around at the others in the transport. None of them have chains. 

“So why am I the one getting the VIP treatment?” 

The guard held up a shadow crystal and retorted “You’re strong enough to kill a Tallman by yourself.” 

Fucking Reavers. A large bandit clan made up mostly of veterans and abandoned workers from the F.C.G., the Free City Gathering, a group of a bunch of free cities that went to war with The Empire of Carn, both sides took damage but Carn ultimately won that one. Out of that, all we got is more bloodshed, higher taxes from the lords, and more fucking currency, everywhere usually take’s silver taels, but Carn’s trying to institute a centralized currency made of paper, on one hand, yeah it’s lighter, on the other hand, good luck recovering it from a house fire, or some demons gut. The others on board look sick and elderly, only a couple look fit enough to not die in a labor camp, I get the feeling some of them aren’t being taken to work. Now that I'm fully awake the area where the berserk runes are is still burning hot. I get the feeling using them to escape these chains would only make me collapse from magic sickness. All the way in the back I see someone covered in so many chains it looks more like a storage method than it does a person, there’s another guard wearing full heavy Carn armor next to them, the dome helmet that reflects back at me has always made me uncomfortable, his thick steel plate’s surround almost every inch of him except his hands which only has the palms and joints exposed. If we weren’t in such a cold environment I'd assume he’d boil alive like a lobster, he had a large belt-fed machine gun. Myself and maybe the bundle of chains over there are probably the only people he’d even struggle with in this transport. A large bump in the road sends all the people up in the air. My chains drag me back down. 

The large one says out of the shitty speaker in his helmet. “Oswald! Watch where you’re fucking driving if this cultist wakes up we’re all fucked!”

 The driver, now identified as Oswald, said “Sorry sergeant sir!” 

That guy sound’s younger than me, he’s probably around sixteen? Poor kid’s going to die for some stupid shit. The bundle of chains starts rattling like crazy. The sergeant starts bashing it where I assume the head is with his gun. After what feels like forever blood drips from some of the chains and it stops moving, we’re all silent after that. After a turn I see a worn metal signpost pointing down the road we turned on, Hadersverg 30 miles out. Hadersverg was a large mining operation before the war in the comparatively low mountaintop of the eastern part of the Terwyn continent, it was privately owned and the metal within fueled both sides of the war. I heard that before it was abandoned, only a fraction of the metal was extracted. At least I know what I'm going to be doing. After the driver pulled into the main gate the man in heavy armor started escorting us all out to another, smaller gate where we were told to stop, almost everyone in front of me was sent down a hallway on the right side, whereas I had to go forward into the heart of the camp, they took the chains off of me so I could finally move properly. 

“Don’t do anything stupid, take off your armor and state your name.”

 As I begin taking off mostly destroyed chainmail, I realize the cost of all the gear when I get out is definitely going to set me back from my nice house.

 I kindly ask “Hey can I at least get my boot’s back?” 

“that’s a funny name” 

haha funny. “It’s Wayland.”

Clearly amused by his own thoughts the guard asked, “It’s your first name?” 

If only I could I’d rip his lungs out, unfortunately, I'm outnumbered with no armor or guns. The last thing I heard from the guard was to follow another down the hallway. Finally inside, the concrete wall and smooth stone floor make this place look quite fancy for what’s now a prison camp.

 “Hey, you’re the guard that was driving us.”

 Oswald, a young kid with tan skin and short brown hair, the boy wasn't well built nor was he fat, no idea how he lasted as long as he did with the Reavers.

 “Sorry sir, they don't want me speaking with the laborers.” 

I shrug “I’m not a sir, I'm not much older than you” 

he doesn't respond.

 “Smart kid”

 He stops and points to the door, “This is the med bay, you’re supposed to get checked out here, they’ll find out what you’re doing” 

walking in I see it’s all empty beds, the humming of a fan and lights, and the white interior really sells the scavenged building vibe, nothing in the building looks like it was part of the same facility. The shaman is sitting at his desk, he has a thick northern Carn accent, a large gray beard, and those little reading glasses old folks get. 

“Ah, a new patient, very good! Come, come, I no bite!” 

A mood change from the gloom of having to work to death in a mine, he seems like a nice guy despite who he works for. I step in front of his desk. 

“Alright I need you take off shirt, only shirt unless you have an injury I no want to see it!”

 Amused at his own joke, his booming laugh reminds me of my father, “You’re big strong man, like me! Many rune’s you are as say in your language, mercenary?” 

What time period is this man from? Most mercs are either hunters or guards, mercenaries died off with the war.

 “Let me see those bandaged hands”

 I extend them forward and as he inspects them he sighs in relief 

“is good you drink health potion? If your hands didn't work they’d have killed you. I give you outfit now, yes one moment” 

as he took out a gray jumpsuit with two red stripes going down the right shoulder, he started to sew something on it 

“I like you strong man, I put pocket in outfit for you to hide those gold hair clips.” 

I wonder why such a nice old man would be with Reavers, “Thank you what’s your name shaman?” 

the big man grins a little, “My name is Reed, if not for job I’d hope to see you more often, little strong man!” 

Curious, I asked him, “Where’s the normal doctor for those with magic sickness?”

 This caused what little happiness in his face to drain. “As Warden Matthias says, old and sick must die, no room for weakness”

 As I walk out of the room there's crackling over the intercom, “All prisoners and personnel are to report to the central courtyard immediately!” 

Oswald waiting for me tells me to get a move on, as we walk past the other guards I notice a lot of them are still using Breznov’s, cheap surplus rifles now, the F.G.C.’s flagship rifle during the war. High caliber and bolt action, they were good for getting through the tough armor of Carn soldiers but fired slower. Semi-auto versions started to appear near the end of the war but it was already over at that point, the weird cylindrical-shaped packets made storage hard for it too, but for managing some disarmed prisoners it was good enough. After getting funneled out into the large courtyard I see 30-40 other prisoners. At the far end is a stage where I assume the warden, Matthias, is standing. In the dead center is a large pit, along the top is a fence made of wooden spikes pointing inwards to prevent people from crawling out. Inside I see the bundle of chains. I don’t want to know why they have a cultist in there. I glance behind me and see Oswald looking rather grim and a guard tower behind him with a roitzer cannon, a large rotary mortar system that has coordinates punched into guide it, it uses a magic crystal to triangulate a range. On the stage with Maitthais, I see the people from the transport on the stage. Hands chained and blindfolded as they are separated into three groups, and one lone person,

 The warden walks over to the first and says to them, “Pick a number between one and three. The same number cannot be called twice. I will pick the first in each of your group. Pray they are luckier than when you attempted to run.”

He rips the blindfold off the man in front of the left group. The old man chose one. 

“Of course, we must start with one. Guards line them up against the wall.”

 The rest of the blindfolded group seems to know what he meant, some of them try to run away but their feet are chained together The warden laughs at them tripping over their own feet. The guards line them up against the wall to my left. Underneath the peak of the mountain, I see the bullet holes and blood-stained cinder block, covering the sandbags beneath. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The guards start firing into the crowd, I hear the noise of puking behind me, I turn around and see Oswald pale as a ghost, poor kid. 

Before the rest of the prisoners have gathered themselves Maitthais rings out, “Next group choose your number! Please try to be interesting.”

 The next group is a young woman who chooses three, Matthais I feel has quite the ego. 

 “Really? Three? That’s the hill you choose to die on? Going against me after I said to start with one, then naturally of course. You would go with two. Fine. Three! Throw them in the pit. And somebody get the caster in there to take its chains off already! I passed it on my way, you don't feel safe about it, that's fine but do your job or you’re next.” 

Un-fucking-fortunatly, I'm standing right in front of the pit, and I'm not going to slink back or draw any attention by moving. I see the caster walk in from the hallway on the right side of the courtyard. His arm’s exposed, more scar than flesh. The runes run along every inch of his arms thinking of the pain to get that would make most second guess how worthwhile the magic is, not me. I wish the tower chose me to gain the power of a caster. His eyes are blindfolded but he seems to know where he’s going as if he could see. He drop’s into the pit then pulls the chains off in one fast motion, the cultist spins in the air and hits the ground with a thud. Just as quickly as he entered the pit he leapt out. Another pain in the ass for a breakout. 

The second group is tossed in and the cultist starts laughing on the ground. The tower’s runes look like a joke compared to what the demonic cultists carve into their own flesh and even bone. Their powers are less tamed than the ones we use and cost them their sanity. The cultist stands up from the ground rising directly from only its legs while the rest of the body is limp. I can't even tell what this thing used to be. Almost inhuman. Its skin, if I can even call it that, looks burnt, crisp, and black with thin strings of red flesh exposed. It now fully stood up, its torso and head leaned forward of its legs. It slowly straightens its back. Its face is smoothed over as if it too was melted, it flashes a smile with bright white teeth, then it darts forwards with a speed similar to the Tallmen, it pierces the stomach of the poor young woman who chose the number, with his hand. With a sickening squelch; cracking and popping the cultist drags out the spine of the young woman. All while the rest of the group screams in terror, the cultist just smiles blindly and continues on.

 I breathe in count to four then exhale.

  It darts behind another and puts him in a chokehold with one arm. It uses its second hand to stab through the jaw and pulls it off slowly, with a terrified gasp as he can’t get a scream out of an even worse gurgling noise coming shortly after with the removal of his jaw, his lower tongue flops about. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The next few suffer similar fates, one gets their head squashed like a grape in its grasp. I breathe in count to four then exhale. Another young boy probably around Oswald's age gets grabbed by their foot and bashed against the wall repeatedly. At first, he cried out for his mother, shortly after his words started slurring together then stopped being words at all. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The last one gets grabbed by both arms and torn off like breaking a twig off a young tree. I breathe in count to four then exhale. The caster from earlier looks down at it, then summons a large pillar of fire out of the ground, burning not only the cultist and his victims but the scene into my mind as well.

#creative writing #long post #diselpunk #fantasy #gore trigger warning #dark fantasy #webnovel

[capseycartwright]

36-40

36. earbuds or headphones

i’m an airpods girlie through and through i have to admit i am nothing if not an apple whore

37. showers or baths

showers are convenient but honestly there’s nothing more delicious than a bath loaded up with all sorts of lovely products that you can just. drown it. weird habit but i like to watch sorority day in the life videos while i boil like a lobster

38. early bird or night owl

oh i am DEF an early bird. i much prefer getting up early and starting my day earlier - lie ins just make me stressed out. i tend to be at my peak brainpower in the mornings and afternoons so being an early bird lets me embrace that

plus i love going for walks or to the gym at like 6am when it’s quieter, it settles my brain

39. candles or scented spray

in theory candles but they freak me out because i tend to lose track of myself and i am always worried i will forget to blow them out so reed diffusers (the scented candles lesser cousin i would say) it is

40. how often do you change your clothes

see. i am a clothes girlie. i love clothes and fashion and so i own like. a lot of clothes. too many some would argue. so i change my clothes every day. also because i sort of need to look professional and put together for work every day as my job is like, not ur classic office job and i just find so much confidence and joy in dressing up and looking nice!

send me a random ask game ask

#in which i ramble #asks #lesbiandiaz #thank u jess

[weird-dere-fics]

Nawt me waking up at 3am exactly.

But anyway another strange dream.

Having to do with cookin and bnha/Haikyuu. Though I’m starting to forget the bnha part.

Idk I was with bakugou but like I am completely forgetting his part now.

Uh at some point I am at home eating food. And that food is shark mest and also lobster. But it’s like a whole mini shark? And a while lobster n it’s weird. Cus like you know both have been like boiled n cooked n shit.

But it’s like after eating both still looked completely unaffected by being eaten? Was weird. Left the food where it was after so it could dry out before desposing if it for some reason.

I come back later and those shits are still ALIVE. Like I see the shark sway it’s tail from time to time like it’s trying to move.

The lobster is able to completely move actually. But at first I don’t see it actually moving it’s body in certain parts, but like it’s moving in space to get closer to me n my mom???

Like that shit began chasing us down with all its might. And it was actually pretty fuckin scary. To the point where me and her fuckin evacuated the house and just started driving somewhere. Called my dad who was supposedly at work in my dream to warn him not to go home so he doesn’t get pinched or smth.

And it was weird cus when she was calling him I know she was reaching my actual dad, but like then as she was calling it went to like a cut scene of like the handsome doctor fairy from fairly odd parent but it was like a person??? And he was like talking to ppl about his YouTube channel. Which implied that was my dad???

Aaaaand then I am standing at a literal 4 way intersection, a specific one here in my college town. It’s day time (when my mom and I were leaving it was night. Mom n car completely disappeared btw.) And at all side are a shit load of Haikyuu characters. And like,,, Kita says some shit about supporting Bokuto (he says it in a way like ‘Why would I something something something I forgot).

Does some weird move where he jumps across the intersection with his arms like behind his back in a weird way, hits a volleyball that was coming his way while in that weird position in the air, then lands on the other side.

Uuuhhh at some point I guess we returned home but we’re worried about where the fuck the lobster was?

Btw the lobster was hella weird. Like at first while chasing us it looked like an irl lobster. Then it was reminiscent of the shrimp from shark tales but larger?

You knew the shell of it was gone but it still made a clicking sound when it moved?????

Anyways back to the intersection, after Kita did the thing my ‘dad’ (the doctor fairy man) is is slow mo catching fucking Anya forger like she was the ball Kita just received all fancily. Completely misses her (purposely) but gets her beanie which separates from her head as she’s falling which has the fucking lobster in it.

And then I woke up.

#i always be havin the weirdest of dreams y’all #like what is my brain AWN #hate when I have dreams about some shit chasing or attacking me #dere musings #dere’s dreams ☁️😴🧸💙

[cricketnationrise]

nursey and dex, reading room, 3:30 am :)

reading room, 3:30am

It’s too goddamn hot in the Haus.

Preseason is great and all - it gets him out of Maine and off the lobster boats early - but there’s a reason Dex plays a winter sport. Years of hockey and pre-dawn work haven’t prepared him for dealing with the height of summer at Samwell.

Dex thought that being in the basement would help, counting on being below ground with minimal windows to keep out the heat of the day. But in this, as in all things, the Haus defies logic. It’s boiling in the basement. And he knows for sure it’s just as hot everywhere else. He’ll have to move if he wants relief, needs moving air, and his fan just isn’t cutting it.

He wanders upstairs in just his briefs, intent on the front porch with a bottle of water and his phone. Dex doesn’t want to go any further than he has to. He’s only been outside for a couple minutes when he hears a clatter and, “Shit, chill,” from above him. Obviously Nursey isn’t asleep yet either. If Dex just shouts up, Nursey might actually fall off the roof. Texting is safer.

Dex: you okay up there? 🐥

“Yo Dexy! You on the porch?”

“Ayuh,” he says, “Too hot in the bungalow.”

“Get up here and keep me company!” And Dex, helpless, goes. He braves the second floor after snagging another bottle for Nursey. It is actually cooler on the reading room than the porch. The second floor is just high enough to catch the slight breeze.

“A blessing on both your houses Dex,” Nursey says at the sight of the extra water bottle, downing half of it immediately. “Chill.”

Dex just rolls his eyes fondly. He does a lot of things fondly now, he thinks, drinking in both his own water and the sight of Nursey in just his briefs. Despite the water, his throat is bone dry. Dex has always thought Nursey was unfairly attractive, even when they were still fighting all the time. But there’s something extra special tonight.

Maybe it’s the moonlight highlighting his curls, or the way his tattoo now extends up over his shoulder and down his back, but Dex can’t look away.

There’s a drop of water sliding down Nursey’s neck.

It keeps getting slightly redirected from his stubble, but it makes its way down his neck, over his Adam’s apple, and settles in the dip of Nursey’s collarbone. Dex wants to lick it off him. He might be panting. Dimly, he’s surprised that he’s not being chirped to within an inch of his life. He’d deserve it, he’s absolutely gone on Nursey and ogling his best friend to whom he hasn’t confessed said feelings is one of the least chill things he’s ever done.

When he finally manages to wrench his eyes back to Nursey’s face, he sees why he’s gotten away with the ogling. Nursey’s eyes are decidedly south of Dex’s face, seemingly stuck on Dex’s thigh. Well, more specifically, on the new ink high up enough that no one on the team has seen it yet.

Dex can feel himself flushing, and not because of the heat. Because Dex has a Pablo Neruda quote on his thigh. In the original Spanish. And Nursey definitely recognizes it because Neruda is Nursey’s favorite poet. Dex spent all of last semester crushing on Nursey to the extent that Dex started reading Neruda on his own, working through the Spanish and looking up analysis and context.

The quote he got isn’t from any of the poems Nursey had (ha!) waxed poetic about. So it’s extremely obvious what he’s done. Nursey says, sort of strangled, not quite meeting his eye, “Nice ink, Dexy.”

“Yeah I got it a few weeks ago.” They are just sort of staring at each other, and for the first time Dex feels like his ridiculous crush isn’t unrequited, that it might even be longed for - can feel a grin trying to break out, but keeps it small for now.

“Oh, chill,” says Nursey, more of a breath than any actual volume. Dex licks his lips and sees Nursey’s eyes track the motion. He takes a deep breath.

And leans in.

#ficlet party #cricket writes #omgcp #check please #whoisthisboy #nurseydex #senior frogs #dex #nursey #my maine man #timestamp ficlet #researching neruda as a love language #texting for safety as a love language #keeping your d partner hydrated as a love language

[crimsonfic]

Kim Seokjin Fanfiction (Injury)

"Please be careful." I said as I watched Jin limp over to the couch.

"I'm fine Jagiya. You've got to relax." He replied as he plopped down.

Jin had just broken his ankle and came to visit me since he couldn't perform with the guys tonight. He was refusing to use his crutches, and don't even get me started on the wheelchair. He's not supposed to put any weight at all on his leg but he's being very hardheaded right now.

"I'll relax if you just sit down. Please."

"You worry too much. Its no big deal."

"Just sit down."

"I am sitting down!" He yelled.

I laughed because he raised his voice at me. I also knew he was sitting down but I just felt like I needed to emphasize he needs to sit down.

"I'm hungry." He said with a smile on his face.

"Well what do you want?"

"Lobster."

"Um.....okay."

"Do you have lobster?"

"Yes. I knew you were coming of course I have lobster."

"Do you know how to make lobster?"

I hesitated too long, which caused Jin to stand up from the couch.

"No, no, no! I've never made it before but how hard can it be? I just steam it or boil it. Easy peasy. I can look it up online. I've got it. Sit back down."

"Online? I don't want lobster that someone taught you how to cook online. I've got it. It's fine. I'll make our lobster."

"Jin sit down! I've got it!" I whined and shouted at the same time.

He sent me a look but otherwise ignored me as he began limping to the kitchen. I came around the counter and tried to stop him from walking into the kitchen.

He stopped and looked down at me.

"Excuse me short stuff"

"I'm not short." I replied sharply. "Go sit."

"Shorter than me." he nonchalantly replied as he tried to by pass me.

"Jiiiiiiin." I said as I put my hands on the wall on either side of me, blocking the entry way.

He began tickling my sides, causing me to drop my arms. He slid into the kitchen, completely ignoring doctors orders by putting weight on his leg.

I sighed.

"How are you doing this anyway? Are you faking your ankle being broke?"

He walked straight over to the freezer and took out the lobster tails. "I would never do that."

I watched as he put them in a bowl in the sink filled with cold water. When he finished he turned to look at me.

"How are you walking on your foot then?" I was giving him a hard glare. He's so hard headed. I could've easily put them in cold water myself.

Without saying a word he sat down at the kitchen table.

"Come." he said gesturing for me to sit on his lap.

I walked over to him but sat down in a chair.

He laughed loudly and grabbed my hand before kissing it. "Sorry." he said.

"No you are not cause you're gonna get up and make the damn lobster in a minute."

"Yeah but I am sorry though. I just want to do it."

"I can do it for you. Just tell me what to do."

"Why don't we do it together?"

I growled in frustration. "Why don't-"

He leaned forward and cut me off by placing a kiss on my lips.

"I don't wan't to just sit. I've been doing that in Korea. Please let me cook."

"No, becau-"

He kissed me again. Effectively shutting me up.

I tried to protest but he deepened the kiss.

Before I realized it we were fully making out.

"Thank You." he said. Assuming that I would let him cook.

I just shook my head at him. He smiled in response.

----------

He cooked.

I tried to stop him but he continued to distract me with kisses every time I tried to stop him.

I'm so weak.

Right now I was washing the dishes and he was on the phone with Namjoon.

I tried not to eavesdrop on their conversation but I couldn't help myself as their conversation took a turn from the concert and their fans get well wishes for Jin.

"No I didn't ask her yet."

"No, I'm waiting until the right time."

"Well you know she's so independent or whatever. It irritates me sometimes. Hahaha, yeah. Like that one time she....." He trailed off because he saw me looking at him from the opening between the living room and kitchen, no longer washing dishes.

"Oh hey, Namjoon I've got to go. Talk to you tomorrow." Jin said quickly before ending their call.

"Hey Jagiya." He smiled at me as I walked out of the kitchen.

"What do you want to ask me?"

"You heard that?"

"What do you want to ask me?"

He chuckled nervously as he played with his earlobe.

"Well, come sit down." He said finally.

"I think I'll stand."

"Oh, me too then." He replied.

"Okay, okay! Geez!" I said hurrying to sit down before he could stand up all the way.

After sitting back down comfortably he turned to face me.

"So I've been thinking..."

"That I'm irritating and too independent, yes go on." I interrupted.

His mouth was open, then he blinked his eyes nervously. "Oh...um..." He said searching for the correct words to say.

I continued to stare at him, my head slightly cocked to the side.

"You don't make it easy for me Jagiya." He laughed nervously before taking a deep breath.

"So...as I was saying. I've been thinking. Traveling back and forth from here to Korea is a lot of work, and money. I think that we should start planning for permanence." He paused before taking another deep breath. He reached out and grabbed my hands, running his thumbs over my fingers in a soothing way. "I have my own penthouse, and I was thinking, maybe you should move in with me. You can still write music and send it to your producers or clients from there, we have a studio you can use it whenever you need to, but....I just....think that after a year and a half we should....solidify this....."

There was a long moment before either of us spoke. I was just looking at him, and he was just looking at me.

"What do you think?" he asked me after minutes of silence.

I hugged him. I didn't have words. There was nothing I could think of to say.

He rubbed my back as he embraced me back.

"Come on." I said breaking our hug.

"Come on? Where are we going?"

"To pack."

He smiled at me.

"So you're moving with me?"

"Of course! Now come on." I replied holding my hand out to him.

As we walked to the stairs, I grabbed his crutches that were resting against the wall.

"You sure you want me to move in? I'm irritating and independent you know...."

He laughed. "About that, I'm sorry. I didn't really mean it. I love how you are, you just make it difficult for me to do what I want to do for you. You don't let me spoil you."

I was planning on leaving him on the stairs to struggle by himself but now I wasn't sure. Its kinda sweet that he wants to spoil me. I kissed him on the cheek softly. "What about that irritating part?"

"You know like irritatingly independent. No offense though sweetheart." He laughed nervously.

I pursed my lips, contemplating my next move.

He playfully batted his eyelashes, causing me to smile.

I rolled my eyes before wrapping my arm around his back to help him walk up the stairs.

"Thank you Jagi." Jin said.

"Sure thing." I replied.

As we moved up the stairs, I tried to recount the times my independence stopped Jin from spoiling me. I couldn't come up with anything that stood out.

When we made it to my bedroom Jin flopped down on the bed.

I immediately went in my closet and pulled out my largest suitcase. I began throwing my clothes from the closet neatly inside.

"You know, I'm just now noticing but you don't have very many clothes." Jin said.

"Yeah, I usually give away my clothes, I tend to shop for occasions, so then afterward I find myself not wearing it enough and just get rid of it. No sense in taking up space in my closet."

"Hmm...as long as I've known you, I've never known that. Why haven't we talked about this before?"

"I don't know." I laughed.

A few minutes of silence went by before either of spoke. I was just about stand up when I heard Jin in the doorway behind me.

"You know what you do have a lot of though?" Jin asked.

"What?" I asked as I turned around to face him.

He was holding a pile of my underwear. Probably everything out of my entire underwear drawer.

"Oh." I answered. A slow smile spread across my face. Now that he mentioned it, I do have a lot of underwear. Under garments as a whole really. Probably an abnormal amount.

He walked over to me and dropped them in the suitcase.

"Every color, every type, some stuff I don't even know how you wear them." He laughed.

I smiled up him, not having a response.

"I cant wait to see what your bra drawer is like now." Jin said.

"Don't worry, you'll have plenty of tie to see them all now that I'm moving with you." I smiled more.

"Mm..you're right."He answered.

There was a brief pause before he dropped himself to the floor and wrapped his arms me.

"Oh jagi I'm so happyyyy!!!" He yelled. Rocking me back in fourth in his arms with a big smile and his eyes closed.

"Me too." I replied laughing at his behavior. He's so loud and funny all the time. Definitely the opposite of how he was when we first met. I thought he was quiet and reserved, and he turned out to be an absolute clown.

I've only lived here for 6 months but I'm eager to leave now. There's nothing holding me here anyway. I look forward to living with Jin. We've had nothing but great times together. I hope that this experience will be good for us and nothing changes.

*********

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Injury | Insecurity | Part 4

#BTS #btsfanfiction #seokjinkim #kimseokjin #btsjin #ambw #ambwfanfiction #Btsarmy #bangtan #jin

[allhailthewicked]

Random JATP Headcannons: Reggie’s Allergies

Hi hello I wrote most of this a while ago and lost the motivation to finish it but I found it again and I finished it up. So there is a chance the writing styles in this could have changed a bit. Also, I know that Reggie is a ghost so he can’t have allergies, but this is my headcannon that I wrote for fun and not to be taken seriously so.... ALSO ALSO trigger warning for food mentions, allergic reaction, dread and panic attacks. Anyway onto the story

Reggie loves food, that’s a common fact about him. Everyone knows that. Honestly at this point his love language is giving and receiving food. So when Ray found out about the ghost band and how they’re now somewhat corporeal, he immediately accepted them into the Molina family and the boys were ECSTATIC, especially Reggie. And Reggie being Reggie (lovable and caring) decide to show his love for Molina family by cooking them a spectacular dinner (even though he couldn’t eat it). Reg decided to make the family a nice lobster and steak surf and turf with mashed potatoes. All was going well to well some might say (is this some foreshadowing??? nah, I would never). Reggie first had to kick the whole Molina family of the kitchen a frustrating task, but there were some many S-Tier moments like: 

“ Don’t worry Ray I promise your kitchen is in safe hands. I used to cook myself all the time in the 90′s, especially when Mom was visiting Gran in the hospice and my old man was at the bar. Don’t worry about me, Dad I’m fine, and I promise I won’t burn down your kitchen … Wait why are you- why are you looking at me like that? … WHAT NOOOO no I totally don’t see you as a father figure, Mr. Molina... oh... I can call you Dad.... noted... Dad!”

“... yes even you Ms. Julie. Why don’t you go find Luke? He was doing some serious pouting earlier because you were busy painting my nails he said something about me being your favorite. I mean he’s right but what if you go paint his nails too!!! I feel like navy is really his color.”

“Don’t be sad little dude tomorrow I’ll make some pancakes, and you can film for your channel and be all like ‘My Kitchen is Haunted By a Pancake Ghost (3 am challenge) *Almost Died* *EMOTIONAL*  See all your YouTube lessons taught me something. Well is that a smile I see now little dude? We love to see that now get out of the kitchen, so I cook you dinner.”

Anyway as I said before all is going well. Reggie hummed the newest song that they band was working on as he peeled, chopped, and boiled the potatoes before moving on to seasoning the rib-eye with salt, black & white pepper, and garlic powder moving his hip to the rhythm. He sliced the onions, mushrooms, and asparagus before sautéing them and going back to mashing the potatoes. Reggie did make the mistake of putting the steak in a scalding hot pan. It didn’t burn the steak or the kitchen that bad, but that wasn’t when things went wrong. It was when he grabbed one of the lobster when things got funky.

The second grabbed one of the swimmy bois he felt that something wasn’t right. He looked down at his hand, widening his eyes as red blotches and streaks started to spread across his hands. His hand rapidly start to swell and double in size, with a burning feeling started to arrive. 

Oh Shit.

How the hell after 25 years did I forget that I’m allergic to shellfish. Reggie thought to himself. I can even make a simple dinner right. It was the only way I could repay them. I’m so stupid. I’m so stupid. I’m so...

His vision started to blur from the unwiped tears, forgetting about his pain as he started to openly sob. He sunk down to the floor (after double-checking to make sure that the burners are off) and put his head in his hands as he ignores the itching and pain starting to appear on his face. 

Reggie sat in that position sobbing for who knows how long until he heard a voice, “Mijo? Are you okay”

Reggie's head shot up at the voice wiping away his tears. “Oh yeah I totally fine Ray onions just me cry. Don’t worry about me,” Reggie said, plastering on a fake smile he is used to putting on that was immediately undermined by his voice being watery and crackling with every word. Reggie followed Ray’s concerned gaze to his hand which swelled up to twice the size

“Reggie, you know you can tell me anything. I won’t be mad, I just want you to feel comfortable around here. I just want you to be safe,” Ray said, trying to comfort the ghost boy.

Immediately Reggie broke down again at Ray’s compassion, “I just ruined dinner because I forgot that I am allergic to fucking shellfish. How the hell does someone forget that.”

Ray pulled the crying boy into a hug rubbing his back as consoling him. “Hey hey hey mijo you didn’t ruin anything. The food looks and smells amazing you do not need to blame yourself for things that are out of your control. Okay, you did an amazing job.”

Reggie looked back up at him with big eye, “Really?”

“Of course! I am so proud of you. I couldn’t a meal like this even if I tried. You know I didn’t know that ghost had allergies,” Ray nodded examine Reggie’s hand. “Do you have your EpiPen on you or do ghost work differently?”

“Hey Reggie, Luke kicked me out of the garage and told me to hel- HOLY SHIT,” Alex shouted rushing over to Reggie. “Hold on I have a spare EpiPen in my bag”

After panicking from Alex and more hugs from Ray, Reggie was able to finish dinner. And it turned out to be a delicious after all.

Bonus:

When Reggie and Luke were in 5th grade, Luke thought it would be a good idea to catch bumblebees in their hands. Let me just say it definitely wasn’t. The caught and release about 3 bumblebees before the incident happened. One stung Reggie hand and immediately his hand swelled up, as hives started to appear on his skin. He tried to stand up before he doubled over in pain and had to sit back down. Luke started to FREAK OUT and ran to a teacher who was helping a baby Alex (by baby I mean like 10 year old) with his math homework. The teacher jumped up to to notice Reggie curled up in a ball breathing heavily, stabbing him with the EpiPen in her bag and sending another teacher inside to call the ambulance. And that was the first time Reggie rode in an ambulance.

When the boys were alive Reggie has mild reactions to a lot of food and he doesn’t realize it a lot of time. He just thought that everyone’s tongue goes numb and tingly when they eat kiwi. So one day Reggie passes Alex is eating a fruit salad and he asks him why he’s eating so much of it without stopping because of all the burning and weird tingles. Alex stops eating puts his for down and is  like Reginald, what do you mean by you feel burning when you eat fruit salad. Now Reggie knows that this is bad because Alex never busts out his full name unless he is trying to cheer him up or trying (and successfully) scolding him. Reggie goes on to explain that sometime when has fruit salad some fruits are spicy so he has to stop every once in a while to have a drink of water and goes a way brief, but the numbness is still there. The band decided to take time out of rehearsal and take him to the doctors and that is when they find out that’s Reggie is allergic to apples, pears, mangos, kiwi, and pineapple. Y’know, along with bees and shellfish.

A/N: Wow, it’s been a while since I wrote something for this fandom. It’s definitely not my best work but I enjoy the concept so much. Also, I’m sorry if some of the dialogue is cringe I’m tired and I really wanted to post before I lost motivation again.

#julie and the phantoms #jatp #reggie peters #jermey shada #reggie molina #julie molina #carlos molina #ray molina #alex mercer #luke patterson #at some point in this you can see when i realied that reggie is ghost and can't have allergic reactions #tw food mention #food mention tw #tw allergies #tw allergic reactions #allergic reaction tw #i'm kind of not the proudest of this one but I don't want it in my drafts anymore #ALSO THIS IS PROBABLY NOT HOW ALLERGIES WORK SO PLEASE EDUCATE ME LMAOOOOOOO

[cockasinthebird]

Something old, as in July 1st old, that I’ve technically never finished, so rather than letting 7 pages rot, I’m posting 4 of them here, and if I ever finish it, I’ll post the rest as a part 2!

Also since this is so old, there’s probably gonna be more errors than usual because as creators we constantly improve!

But I am still very very happy with this, like... yes... good... 

Anyways, enjoy a bit of Poolboy Billy and Rich Brat Steve

-

The sun sits atop of the sky in another unbearably boiling hot summer day in Hawkins, Indiana, and, unfortunately for one rich kid Steve Harrington, not even the AC unit can cool down his house enough for it to be livable.

Ice cream and cold beers by the poolside seem to be his only refuge, hiding underneath a large parasol from the unforgiving gaze of the sun above, Ray-bans pushed far up to shield him from the bright light of day, whilst also disguising how longingly he truly stares at the new pool boy.

Sun-kissed skin, curls of gold, muscles carved by a lustful sculptor, sweat shining like diamonds that glide down over his bare chest, his taut abs, all the way to where his shorts definitely sit too low on strong hips.

It's hard to know if it's really the sun or the view that makes it feel like Steve's body is about to burst into flames; if it's the dry summer air or the way Billy grins that makes him so thirsty.

They don't really talk past the usual niceties whenever Billy comes by to clear the pool of leafs, ensuring that the chemical levels are as they should be, and that the surrounding area is clean and nice to look at. Even in school it's barely more than bumping shoulders and talking trash on the court, although Billy always do seem to make it a daily task to get in the way somehow.

Yet when they're alone like this, a week or so into summer vacation, all that delicious fire and animosity just sorta runs dry. Could be that Billy keeps cool as to not lose his job at one of the only pools around, or maybe all the bravado was just a show of macho to assert himself as some kind of alpha male at school.

He had knocked Steve off of his throne as Keg King, which hadn't been that hard to do, because thanks to Nancy Wheeler's influence and Tommy's betrayal, Steve had gotten far too soft to even fight for that title, but maybe he didn't mind giving it all to Billy. There was some peace in letting go, and excitement in having it taken.

And as he lounges here, daydreaming about having everything taken by Billy, he doesn't notice that that same guy approaches him with a sly grin going up one side.

“You know, you're not gonna catch a tan lying in the shade like that,” he says, skipping by any form of hi or hello.

Even though Billy's wearing sunglasses, Steve knows he's looking up and down his half naked body stretched out here, long legs that goes under all too short swimming trunks, the trail of hair leading up from the waistband, undoubtedly counting every single mole in view. He can practically feel the eyes burn through him like he's a centerfold girl of a dear magazine.

“I'd turn lobster red in minutes,” Steve responds with and rests his head against the pool chair, maybe he flexes a bit, but mentioning that would be to admit Billy was watching.

Then he goes to grab Steve's beer, who doesn't object to it as he follows the motion.

“Maybe you should try wearing sunscreen like normal people.” Billy flashes teeth in an oddly teasing grin, and brings the can up to take a big gulp of it.

Once he's satiated, let's out a refreshed “ahh”, licks his lips slowly – along the curve of his upper lip, then slams down the can again.

Steve looks at his empty beverage, up at Billy who's got this wide shit-eating grin, then back at the can. To where he extends his arm in a lackadaisical fashion, and pushes it off the table with the flick of his index finger. It sings out hollow as it clatters to the tiles.

“Pick that up.” He smiles.

Billy cocks a brow, grinning still as if he's not about to do as demanded by the son of his employer.

“As you wish, princess,” his tone barely dipping into something venomous and challenging, as he bends forward to pick up the empty beer.

When he stands again he runs his hand through sweaty curls to push them away, and wipes his brow with the back of his hand.

“Anything else?” he asks with clear feigned obedience. The can crumbles inside his fist as he closes his hand like it's no big deal at all, as if it isn't telling of his thoughts.

“Yeah why don't you go get me a new one?” Steve asks all nonchalant, yet shifts a bit in his seat at that unnecessary show of aggression. He half expects Billy to throw the can right at him.

It crinkles further between his strong fingers.

“Go get it yourself,” stern and now with more of a snarl.

Steve sighs and looks away to contemplate on just how far he'd dare to push Billy, but the guy is all too easy to agitate it seems, and Steve doesn't feel like throwing a party with a bruised up face. So he stands up, notices the little jerk of Billy's lips as if he's won something, and walks up to stand next to him.

“Think you can clean up all of this shit before tonight?” he asks and gestures with his hand dangerously close to the other's face; close enough to feel the hitch of his breath. “I'm throwing a pool party tonight and want it to look nice. Maybe I'll see you there?”

Billy turns his head to stare at Steve's far more expensive sunglasses. He doesn't answer.

When it's clear that he's never going to, Steve keeps walking. “I'm gonna go take a shower... your money is on the kitchen table.”

And although Billy fights it- struggles against the urge that's begging for him to turn around, he gives in to watch Steve walk away. His plump ass looks so fucking good in anything, especially those too small trunks, and it is infuriating to him the way it carves itself into his memory; joining countless of other times he has looked where he shouldn't, gaze fallen too far down.

A sight that he remembers far more vividly than any bouncing set of tits, and the beer can he's still strangling whines again from within his frustration.

A sight that still sits there as he pours all the sloppy leafs into a black bag and carries it to the trashcan.

A sight that he can't stop thinking about as he rolls up the hose, gathers his net and goes to the storage closet of the pool house.

A sight that he has seen several times in the boys locker room. Naked. Wet. Soaped up.

“I'm gonna go take a shower,” Steve had said all casually, as if he isn't aware of how it goes hand in hand with all those fucking images that Billy sees every time he blinks or dreams. It keeps him up at night. Keeps him hard.

Gently he closes the door to the cramped storage room, filled with cleaning supplies and inflatable pool toys. He breathes with forced calmness, hand still on the handle as he struggles some more against those images. When eyes open to look down, his angered gaze is met with tented shorts. And he takes a deep breath. Fingers unfurl from the door handle. Unties the string of his red shorts, which then falls to the floor.

“Fuck,” he groans out as his half chub hangs free. “Fucking Harrington.”

Billy places his hand against the door and leans on it with all his weight, just in case Steve found a reason to come here, which he doubts that shitty rich kid ever would, but the door doesn't have a lock, so better safe than sorry. He presses his head against it as well, eyes peering down, his right hand moving to where it is so painfully needed.

A harsh exhale escapes as he grabs his cock; runs his thumb along the line of a bulging vein, and he closes his eyes. He barely has to even try before Steve's there with those long legs, round ass, pink lips, doe eyes.

And he finds himself thinking of just minutes ago, his mind recollecting where each and every mole is that he has spent almost a year mapping out. On his cheeks, down his throat, over his arms, across his chest, high up his thighs.

Steve then turns to look at him, pushes up those expensive Ray-bans into his dark hair so that Billy can see how intently those almond eyes stare directly at him.

Billy licks his lips before they fall open to allow out a grunt as he feels himself grow in his hand.

Squeezes his eyes tighter, and in his mind he walks closer to where Steve now sits on the edge of that yellow sun lounger. Billy brings a hand up to the side of Steve's face; runs his thumb across that pretty little mouth, pulls down at his lower lip till he opens up.

Jerks faster around his throbbing erection and feels pre cum trickle down over his fingers.

He can almost imagine the slight sigh that would escape Steve as Billy then presses his thumb into his warm mouth, hard onto his slippery tongue, only to have those lips close around his digit and suck.

“Shit- ah-” Billy moans as heat forms a whirlpool between his thighs.

Watches as Steve pops off of his thumb, lips now shiny with spit, and he keeps them open and inviting, eyes staring up and blinking slowly with heavy lids. Billy doesn't have to move or say a thing before Steve leans forward to sink all the way down Billy's impressive, girthy cock.

Billy spits into his hand before continuing fisting at himself with furor, hoping to reach some semblance of how he imagines Steve's wet mouth taking all of him would feel like.

How he'd gag and groan at the base, lips pulled tightly around teeth, drool running down his chin, and Billy grabs him by the hair; keeps Steve's head still. Pulls out slowly just to slam right back inside and hears how he complains, sees tears run down his cheeks, and does it all again. Starts fucking himself into Steve's face with a pace matching his hand, quick and sloppy, hears all the moans that echoes from within the throat he shoves his prick into, the grotesque and obscene squelching of spit and choking around his head.

“Oh fuck, Steve...” he gasps; his ragged breathing and the slick sounds of his hand moving over hardened flesh the only thing to be truly heard here.

As the first jolt of pleasure daring him closer to climax shoots through his spine, he bends further till the top of his head is pressed against the door, his hand there curling together to a fist against the wood.

Steve, Steve, Steve.

The way his swimming trunks clings to him when he climbs out of the pool. The way he groans and pants on the court during training. The way he looks at Billy, sometimes glaring, sometimes not. The way Hargrove sounds in his voice. The way his punches feel on Billy's cheek.

It's all so heavily ingrained in his memory, suffocating, everything else so dull and muted in comparison. And it brings him over the edge, the thought of cumming down hot into Steve's throat as he chokes on Billy's climax, heat rolling through him as he moans far too loud, hips stuttering into his closed hand that pulls up his length with a harsh stroke to milk out every single drop he can.

Feels it run down his hand. Watches Steve swallow and lick his lips.

Then Billy opens his eyes.

He's still standing alone in the closet, his cum sliding down the wooden door, dripping slightly from his fingers to the floor, pooling between his feet. And he's the one to clean it all up now.

#Harringrove #My Writing #Lemon #I'm... too scared of my own failings to re-read it #errors?? sure go ahead and live!

[sarenhale]

Hi I just wanted to say I love your art! And that I have a question. I haven't played ffxiv yet so idk if it's true but I've heard that the gear tends to look bad on darker skin and I thought maybe that was the reason Aydee is lighter in the game but darker in the art. Is that true?

(not trying to accuse you off anything by the way)

Tysm for the compliments, I’m glad you like my art :) As for the screenshots, I wouldn't say that's a problem about the gear (if you mean gear as in: clothers, armor), it's mostly that the lighting in game varies A LOT depending on the scene, magical effects, angle, time of the day and a lot of similar factors, and I do struggle to keep the skintone consistent in ccreenshots since I often have to compromise between likeness and actually having a well lit, colorful screenshot.

I use gpose to take screenshots of Aydee in game (gpose is like, a little screenshot application built inside the game where you can apply filters to your screens, pose the character, etc), that can also allow you to direct/adjust the lighting however you want. Considering Aydee is dark skinned, I often bump the light in gpose a lot to make her pop in contrast to the environment and background. So that CAN make her skin lighter. Especially in screenshots where it's night time, I bump the lighting up a lot so I can see properly her eyes, face, expression, etc.

The reason she looks darker in my drawings is because I am finally able to draw her the way I envision her without having to compromise with gpose's lighting, camera angles, nighttime scenes and such.

Tbh if I were more of a pro at taking screenshots and using gpose in game to keep the lights consistent (like some amazing people around manage to do) this probably wouldn't happen, it's totally a me being kind of a newb in gpose, but it's something I have to think about when having dark skinned character, yeah. Especially in cutscenes sometimes, where you cannot control the lighting/colors, etc, she gets very light/very dark/very ashy depending on the lightining situation of the scene.

Consider that these are all screens with different lighting on: (cutscenes or not)

this is a cutscene in shadowbringers, I did edit this picture a bit but she's way lighter here than in other scenes

this is an example of aydee during a cutscene in nighttime. her skin gets darker and sometimes 'ashier' and makes her pop less in contrast to the background

while here for example it's also a nighttime scene but I bumped up the lights and colors in gpose so she can pop in the picture a bit more, and that DOES make her skin a bit lighter than 'canon'

for example in this nightscene she's well lit (and the skintone is actually accurate) because she's right next to a bonfire, so a light source that lights her face well

So yeah, in my case having a dark skinned character in game does mean I have to struggle a bit to keep the skintone consistent through the edits in gpose/photoshop, BUT it's not that big of a problem... after all, having access to editing programs and even just gpose means you can fiddle around and find out what works best for the character. I remember when I first started playing and had no idea how to take screens, I used the 'standard' lighting in gpose (which is definitely NOT meant for dark skinned characters as it basically whitewashes them by overexposing the image), it took a lot of fiddling around to find out what worked best with aydee's skin. Even Arihel, that has red skin, sometimes looks like a fucking boiled lobster because the scene has brightness and hue bumped out a lot, and in some he looks very dark red. It's definitely something that varies a lot in game, especially in cutscenes where you have no control over the lighting and color setting (unless you use a reshader).

But yeah, really interesting question actually, got me thinking a lot about my process! Thanks for asking! :)

#aydee #screenshot #screenshots #answered #ffxiv

[imaginarypeteel]

Dear Blue: Kurt Wagner x F! Reader

Your mutation: You have f/c hair and can control people when singing

A/n: This is my first one, just something that's stayed in my mind for awhile. Also, it's been a while since I saw X-Men's movies and I haven't been able to read the comics, so I'm sorry that it's kinda OOC. Also, the song lyrics are improvised by me. I also don't remember if the X-Men were known by mutants but here they are. I also apologize for any mistakes with any products.

Word count: 5k

Gender: Fluff

Warnings: Cursing

Jubilee wanted to watch an interview with her favorite artist - Y/n L/n. Appereantly she made songs for mutants. Jubilee had also made them watch it when they had shown little to no care about the said singer.

"So, Y/n, a question that has been lurking in everyone's mind. What do you really think about mutants?" asked the interviewer. Jubilee's breath hitched.

Y/n gave her interviewer a small smile. "Exactly what I've said every other time it's been asked. I think they're misunderstood. Not everyone is the same. When you walk past a human, you don't scream and run, you just walk past them. But for all you know, maybe this human you just walked past is a psychopath who has killed fifteen plus people. But then you walk past a mutant and most of you will scream and run and maybe even call them monsters. But maybe this mutant you just called a monster saved a kitten and risked their life in the process. You don't know who they are as a person when you walk past them."

"Yes, that she is but other people there might not be as open minded," Jean explained her boyfriend's words softly.

After the interviewer had asked some more questions, the show had ended and a break game, Jubilee jumped up. "See? She's awesome! And she protects us!" the girl gushed.

The other mutants exchanged uncertain glances but shrugged and nodded, "I guess?" Jean said uncertainly.

"Yes! I knew you'd like her which is exactly why I got all of us tickets for her concert that is going to be in New York," Jubilee chirped, showing the tickets.

All of their eyes widened and Kurt filled with slight panic. "What the hell? How do you plan on getting us in? No offence but I don't think we can hide Blue boy over here when we go," Scott growled.

Kurt moved a bit uncomfortably.

Jubilee rolled her eyes, "Hello, where you even listening to what Y/n said? She is completely fine with mutants."

In the end, Kurt had went with the coat and hat since he didn't know what the inside of the giant concert house looked like. Surprisingly, the guards let him in.

Jubilee was quiet for a moment but then she smiled brightly. "But what if he teleports inside? Or maybe wears a coat and a hat?"

~~~

Jubilee was giddily waiting for the show to start, different colored glow rings wrapped around different parts of her body. They had seen a few other mutants with visible mutations like a teenage girl with cat eyes and tail and even some fur and a man who looked a bit like a fairy.

"Why did we agree to this again?" Scott groaned, earning a smack from Jean.

All of a sudden, all the lights turned off. Kurt looked around, he had never been to a concert and he thought that maybe the lights had died. "Oh my gosh, it's starting!" Jubilee squealed.

"Vhat do you mean, zhe li-" Kurt started but cut off as a popping sound came and most of the lights pointed to a girl in the middle of the huge stage with colorful and sparkly clothes. Other lights were running along the stage and some going through the crowd.

The catchy and loud music started and Kurt swore his heart started beating to every single beat. It was bizzare but he swore that's how it was.

"Hello New York! How are you this fine night?" the girl - Y/n - asked loudly into the microphone. There was chorus of screams of 'good' that made Kurt's ears ring. "Good 'cause I'm doing awesome too now that I'm with you," the star replied with a huge smile in her voice. "Now what do you say we get this party started?" Y/n asked. Once again, a chorus of screams 'yes' and Kurt cringed at it again.

"I fear what you think of me once you realize that I'm not like you."

"Will you think of me as a monster or not, as a monster or not?"

Were the first lyrics. Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought.

Kurt felt these lyricys hit him a bit close to heart.

"But I hope you won't because I'm not. I'm just scared. Just really really scared."

The concert had gone horribly wrong. Halfway through and mutant hunters had opened fire. Screams had filled the humongous room and people were trampling over each other.

Kurt had found himself liking the concert much much more than he thought he would. Like that much more that he was dancing. Same with the others, Jubilee and Jean already singing the lyrics off key with Y/n and the crowd.

~~~~

Thankfully Kurt had teleported them out of the place, they were now outside and were about to run towards the X-Jet when hunters jumped in front of them, guns pointed at them. They debated if they should fight or just let Kurt teleport them away when:

"Don't hurt, just leave, just leave, just leave. No one hurt, no one hurt, no one hurt. Just leave."

The hunters froze before lowering their weapons and simply walking away. The X-Men turned their heads towards the source of the voice when a familiar f/c haired popstar jumped out of the shadows, still all colorful and glittery. "Okay! This won't last for long! Let's go!" she rushed them, her e/c eyes quickly snapping between the X-Men and the hunters. Said mutants were a bit... stunned. "Well?!" the popstar cried out desperately.

"Uhm, Kurt, would you teleport us to the X-Jet?" Jean mumbled. They all grabbed onto the blue mutant when Y/n exclaimed, "Waaait! Can I come with you? My driver took off when this started and my place is... not close enough for me to get away from the hunters on foot."

The friends exchanged looks but nodded. Y/n sighed with relief before jumping onto Kurt's arm, making the said boy flush violet.

With a bamf, they were on the X-Jet, Y/n still tightly clinging onto the teleporter's arm. "Woah! That's so cool!" she chirped with excitement, looking around, unknowingly hooking her arm around the German mutant's elbow, making him even more violet.

"O. M. G! Y/n L/n is a mutant! And she's here! On our X-Jet!!!" Jubilee chirped, earning the popstar's attention a shy smile forming on her face.

"I guess I am... Wait... X-Jet? Does that mean..." The f/c haired girl trailed off before letting out a gasp. She finally let go of Kurt to gather her hands around her mouth as she squealed some muffled words into it. "You're the X-Men, aren't you?"

They exchanged looks and nodded.

"Wow! I can't believe this is happening!" Y/n bounced a 360°. She then tucked a stray piece of her dyed hair behind her ear shyly. "Oh my gosh, I have dreamed  for this day. I'm Y/n... You already knew that, 'cause you were at my concert." She stayed quiet for a bit before her e/c colored eyes widened. "The X-Men were at my concert!" she exclaimed. "Holy-"

Two minutes into the flight of Jubilee asking her favorite star all sorts of questions, Y/n opened her mouth to request something. "So, can we stop by my place? I'm not sure if I want to get any more glitter over this thing."

"Not to be rude but we should get going," Ororo interfered.

The popstar blushed like a boiled lobster and nodded while smiling shyly at the floor. She hesitantly sat on a seat that no one took which just so happened to be beside the Nightcrawler.

Ororo, Jean and Scott had a silent conversation between themselves before Jean asked: "Depends, where's your Place?" Y/n grinned before giving her address, it was a bit off route for their path back to the X-Mansion but not too far, so they decided to go there.

~~~

Kurt wasn't sure what he was expecting. A rotten cottage in the middle of the woods? Not Really. An apartment in the city? Maybe. A private nice house? Yes. But not a freaking mansion that challenged the place they lived at.

"You live here alone?!" Peter gasped making the star chuckle.

"No, my parents, a few mutants who are taking cover there and my pig, Cookie also lives there."

Jean rose a brow, "You have a pig?"

Jubilee squealed in her seat, "O. M. G! Yes! Cookie is the cutest!!!"

About fifteen minutes later, a familiar figure was hopping towards them through the woods, clutching three bags. She also had different clothes and a small figure was running after her.

They decided to land hundred feet away from her gates. Y/n started to head off the X-Jet but then she stopped. "By the way what are your names? Only Jubilee told me hers," she chuckled. They all told her their names, Kurt earning a warm smile from the e/c orbed mutant before she bounced off towards her own mansion. She had decided to join the school to focus a bit on her abilities.

"So, Y/n," Ororo started, earning the giddy mutant's immediate attention. "Can you explain your mutation a bit better to us?" the white-haired woman asked.

Y/n smiled awkwardly, "Well I uh, I can control people's minds with what I sing. But it's a limited amount of people and after like um, 3 minutes it wears off and usually they remember that i controlled them. So uh yeah, almost every hunter in New York should know by now that I'm a mutant. If not everyone that is," she mumbled sadly. "Oh! And my hair colour, it's not dyed, it actually is that colour."

~~~

"Oh my gosh that's Cookie!" Jubilee exclaimed, her eyes shining brighter than ever.

"You are not taking that pig with you," Scott grunted as soon as Y/n stepped inside.

Her and Jubilee let out devastated gasps. "What?!" they exclaimed.

Cookie trotted between the seats, sniffing them like a bloodhound, occasionally letting out oinks. He then stopped beside Kurt as he sniffed his spaded tail, his snout and breath tickled it which made Kurt pull his tail back, up to his lap. Cookie didn't seem to like it, because the next moment, the small pig was on the blue mutant's lap.

~~~

"Awww!" Y/n was now leaning against Kurt's chair, making him turn from blue to violet once again. "Look! He already accepted Kurt, why not take him?" the singer argued with Scott.

"He's going to be roasted for dinner if you take him there, pets are not allowed," Cyclops huffed.

"Then they'll have to face me," the f/c haired girl said darkly, dumping her bags in the back, walking over to her previous seat and plopping down there.

"And me! And you know I don't control my powers," Jubilee said. The others made uncomfortable faces but let it go.

"Cookie, did you replace me with Kurt so quickly?" Y/n cried as they were walking towards Professor X's office. It was late... or early. However you would like to take 4am.

The singer waited for a response which was just Cookie running an inch away from the blue boy's strange feet. "I don't blame you, he's cute," Y/n shrugged. Kurt's amber eyes grew to the size of watermelons at the compliment. Cute? No one has ever called me cute. And for the uncountable number of time, she had made him blush once again.

~~~***~~~

Your pig came to you oinking, begging for food. You grabbed another white bread, turning around and connecting your eyes with your small pink friend. "Sit," you had chirped, two seconds after, the dots connected in his little brain and he sat down. You bent down and gave him the bread. Immediately, he started to chew on it loudly. You were used to the noise of his chewing but obviously, some weren't. Half of the people cringed at the sound while others awwed.

When you had entered the dining room in the morning, quite many of the students had choked on their drinks or foods or had spurted it out. "Is that Y/n really walking around the X-Mansion or am I still dreaming?" someone choked, earning a pat on the back from you.

"Are you okay?" you asked with concern.

"yes," they squeaked, earning a smile from you before you trotted to an empty space, once again beside Kurt.

Cookie soon came running down the stairs. Surprisingly, Professor X had let him stay after you had plead and howled on why you need him here. "Is that Cookie?!" a girl gasped, you hummed as confirmation as you rubbed some jam onto your white bread.

After he had eaten the bread and you had completely ignored him on giving another, he had decided to try and swoon Kurt. "Damn, he really likes you. Can't say he is the only one," you smiled, still eating your breakfast. Kurt didn't know how to take that statement. Did you like him as someone you tolerated or something more? No, the latter was nonsense, you had been in the X-Mansion for less than twenty-four hours, plus he looked strange and you hadn't even had a full conversation with him. You probably just meant it as a joke because of how keen on him Cookie was already. You were probably going to ignore him soon anyway.

~~~

A month had passed and anyone saying you were ignoring him would be the biggest liar in Earth's history. After the first week, you were clinging onto him like a koala baby to its mother. It made him shy while you were anything but. You asked him all sorts of strange questions. For example: "If you could be any planet in our solar system, who would you be?" and "Birch or maple tree?"

They had him very confused but he answered them anyway, after sometime, he was comfortable with you though and he thought that maybe that was the point of the strange questions. Something you also did was flirt with him shamelessly from time to time. You just got into that mood sometimes and at those times, you were usually hooked to his elbow with your own and occasionally leaning your head against his arm or shoulder. Now that was what made him shy, awkward and nervous.

~~~

"Kurt," you purred at him, throwing your arms around his shoulders as you headed towards the danger room. Professor X had seen potential in you and now you were training to become an X-Man. You had chosen on the first day to use Siren as your alias.

That fact had awakened Kurt's insecurities that had basically disappeared. You were a worldwide known singer who humans actually liked and you had probably dated lots of normal looking guys and maybe even girls. While he looked anything but normal, elf ears, amber eyes, serious lack of fingers and toes, a tail, fangs and most importantly blue skin. Your only visible mutation was your f/c hair and that was easily covered by two words: hair dye.

You were in your flirt mood again, Kurt gulped at that, "Uhm, hi Y/n."

You squealed at his reply and squeezed him tightly, "Aaah, you're so cute!" Your f/c haired self gushed as you leaned your head on his bicep, Still Walking so you made the two of you sway from side to side slightly. Kurt's tail nervously twitched. He knew a small crush for you had bloomed in him. He would've thought that maybe you liked him too but you often would be flirty with the other boys and sometimes with even Ororo and Jubilee.

Eventually you sighed before squeezing him tightly. "I would wish that you would know how amazing you really are," you said, your voice muffled since your face was buried into his side. He smiled at your words. "Zankz, Y/n."

"Hey Kurtie, if you could wish for one thing from a genie, what would it be?" You asked with interest.

Kurt bitterly replied, "That I could look normal."

His response made you jerk away from him, eyes wide. "What?! Don't you know how amazing you look?" The male mutant shrugged at that, you stared at him for ten seconds, trying to figure out if he was lying or not.

~~~

When Christmas Month rolled around, Kurt became a bit suspicious. You had suddenly started to offer to give him foot, neck and arm massages. You also asked more basic questions "what's your favorite color?" for example.

~~~~~

"And this one's for Kurt," Jean said, passing the gift to the blue mutant. Kurt took the box. It was wrapped in a pale blue paper, Kurt Wagner and Nightcrawler written endlessly in delecate silver handwriting. It was decorated with an indigo bow. By the way your eyes shined brighter and you bounced a little, he guessed it was from you. If you had put so much work into the outside, then was the gift equally as amazing or were you trying to make up for a horrible gift? There was a snow white box inside and this time written with black 'For Kurt'.

"Awwww! Thanks Kurt!" you squealed, squeezing the book he got you tightly.

The male's amber eyes widened at that. "H-How'd you know zat it'z from me?" he asked nervously.

You giggled, "Well honey, your handwriting." Kurt chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck.

He carefully opened the box and his heart softened as he saw the inside. A heart shaped gingerbread stared back at him, looking fancy with the pink and white icing. 'Kurt' was written in the middle of the heart. He put the gingerbread on his knee - he was sitting with his legs criss-crossed. Cookie came to sniff the gingerbread but Kurt shooed him away with his tail. In the gift box was a handmade knitted scarf, pair of wooly socks, gloves and even a hat. All in his two favorite colors. Kurt Wagner was embroidered into all of them delicately.

Nightcrawler bit his cheek with his fangs to stop himself from crying out of happiness. He rose his head and mouthed 'thank you' with a smile, his blue face full of graditude. You beamed at that, e/c eyes bright.

~~~

Kurt bent down, hands stretched out to take Scott's gift and then teleport back to his own room. The mutant was about to come back to a standing position when a force crashed into him, sending him towards the floor. Startled, Kurt teleported to the roof. He immediately heard feminine laughing. And jumped away while flipping also to see who had attacked him.

You were wiping a tear from your eye, quietly mumbling, "Oh my God." You then snorted before letting out another guffaw. Kurt playfully glared at you.

"Okay, I'm done," you said but snorted at the end. This time didn't laugh anymore though. "So, I forgot to put one of your gifts under the tree. It's in my room," you grinned. Kurt's amber eyes widened. You had made him another gift? But the one before was more than enough? With guilt, the blue mutant's shoulders fell. He had only gotten you book. "You zhouldn't have, Vögelchen. I only gotz you a book."

You frowned at his sad face. Your s/c hands flew to the mutant's face and made sure he was looking at you. "Hey, hey! Come on now. I had been searching for that book for ages with no avail. Now, get us to my room so I can give you the other gift," you ordered sternly, still holding onto his scarred cheeks. Kurt flicked his tail but bamfed to your room.

The lights were off but since your roommate was a fortune teller who could tell the future by looking into water, there was an exceptional aquarium in your room that's light brightened up most of the room.

Cookie made happy oinks as he saw Kurt and immediately flew off the bed, right onto the Nightcrawler's feet. "You could say the second gift is from Cookie?" you giggled, making two steps towards the big white box on your bed, pushing the crimson and white Christmas wrapping under your roommate's bed.

Kurt pet Cookie while you headed back to the boys, clutching the gift. Once again 'For Kurt' was written on the box. Kurt took the box and sat on your bed, the present in his lap. Carefully, he took the cover off, his eyes widening at the inside. Four pairs of designer footwear. Brown leather winter boots, white, black and red nikes, red and black flip-flops and finally, black rainboots. When he inspected them, he realized that all of them had 'Kurt Wagner' written on the inside.

While shaking slightly, the blue mutant wrapped his arms around you, "Zank you, Vögelchen," he whispered. You just squeezed him tight as a response. The moment was broken by Cookie scratching Kurt's feet, asking to have a hug too. You both giggled and Nightcrawler picked the pig up, giving him a gentle hug. He earned a snout on his cheek and affectionate licks on his chin.

"If you still want to, I think I know how you can make it up," you said slowly. Kurt gave you an expectant look, still rubbing the pink animal who kept giving him kisses.

~~~

"Oh....my....GOD!" you squealed which made Kurt open his eyes. You had asked for him to take you to Finland, so you could see what a real Christmas was like. He hadn't expected it to work. Basically teleporting to the other side of the world sounded impossible but he had done it apparently. It should be an early morning in Finland and it did appear like it was.

You placed the wiggling pig down and immediately, Cookie went to inspect the snow with his snout. A red Christmas sweater was wrapped around his small body.

Since Kurt was absolutely drained of energy - given the fact that he had just teleported the two of you across to world to another continent - you decided to visit a stall and bring the two of you some tea while he rested on a bench, Cookie sniffing circles around him.

After he was up and well again, the two of you had a snowball fight and visited different stalls. Interacting with the sellers was awkward since your Finnish was very very bad and they knew maximum of three words in English. But besides that, you two had fun.

You even saw other... SOME mutant couples hanging about in the very early hours of the morning. There was a girl with the same toned skin as Kurt and crazily long lighter shade of blue hair, she was holding hands with a man who's snake like tongue popped out from time to time. There was also a normal looking woman who's elbow was locked with the elbow of a man who was glowing. Literally. There were three more couples who did not seem normal but you had focused more on your tailed companion.

~~~~~~

When you returned, you nearly gave your roommate a heart attack. She had been making out with her boyfriend Caleb but when she noticed you two awkwardly shuffling, "Oh my fucking God! What the hell Y/n?!" Jemila screamed, ignoring the distasteful twist on Kurt's face at her choice of words. Your Nigerian roommate glowered at you before apologizing to her ginger boyfriend who just nodded awkwardly. He was a shy boy unlike Jemila and at the moment, the color of his face would've matched his hair if it were a little pinker.

"Sooo..." you trailed but were cut off by clap, the lights went out. When they turned back on, Caleb was nowhere to be found. "Oh come on! It took me ages to convince him to come here," Jemila whined, her dark kinky hair pushing to the front of her face as she rolled her head against the walls.

"I better get going too," Kurt yawned. Yes, he was tired but also very uncomfortable with the situation.

When he bamfed away, you laughed nervously as your dark-skinned roommate glared at you.

~~~~~~

Valentine's Day rolled around and you were walking to History class with Jemila. "I swear you better ask him out today because I am tired of seeing you two being all cutesy and cuddly everytime I feed my babies," the girl hissed at you. Oh man, everytime she started to feed her neon tetras and rainbow fish, she started moaning about seeing Kurt and you being a disgustingly cute couple, cuddling on a couch, both looking a bit older.

Even though the visions your roommate got were comforting, you still hesitated on asking the blue boy out. What if he didn't like you right now? Yes, he had taken you to the other side of the world on Christmas but that was because he felt bad for simply getting you a book. Which you loved and had read through three times by now.

~~~

"Yeah, yeah, you know very well what I have planned for today," you grumbled.

"I do and you better go through with it."

Kurt sat down beside his friends. He greeted them, all of them returned the gesture except for Jean and Scott who were being extra affectionate since it was... Well... Valentine's Day. Kurt's amber eyes ran over the cafeteria to see if you were hanging out with anyone. He was both relived and distressed about you not being there. Relieved since he didn't see you with anyone and distressed because maybe you were on a date or something with someone.

The blue-skinned boy shook his head and started eating his salad. He was almost done when there were claps heard and the cafeteria turned dark. There were confused and scared mumbles of other students. But given his multi mutations, Kurt was able to see you scrambling up on the table Jemila and her boyfriend were occupying. You had a guitar in your hands and a mini skirt wrapped around your lower body perfectly which was rare since you usually settled for pants.

Jemila and Caleb ran off before claps were heard again, letting the lights return into the cafeteria. The students mumbled among each other with confusion before noticing you standing there in a royal blue mini skirt and a white dress shirt with blue butterfly print.

"Thank you for your attention and I hope you'll keep quiet now. Hi, yes! I am going to serenade to my hopefully Valentine once I'll finish the song," you said and Kurt's brain started working fast, wondering who you were going to sing to.

"Dear blue, this song I've made for you.

When you found me I was lost, dark and scared and filled with dust.

The real me had gone to hiding,

feared what people might think of me once they will know who I am.

I put on a brave face, tried to save the ones I could without showing who I am.

But when my concert was crashed by the ones I feared the most,

I saw them try to hurt you and I couldn't just stand by.

So I revealed my biggest secret to the humankind.

It closed my door as a star but opened the door of joy and happiness.

The door which you showed me.

Dear blue, this song I've made for you.

You were one of the first ones, who knew who I was behind the mask I put on.

With you I've gotten better.

I don't fear as much as I once.

I feel free and I feel beautiful.

I feel accepted and I feel wonderful.

And so should you.

I know you sometimes feel bad because of who you are and so do I but we shouldn't.

I don't care what people think anymore because...

Dear blue, this song I've made for you.

I've kept these feelings hidden for as long as I've known you.

No it wasn't love at first sight.

But I did feel fascinated by you.

So I got to know you better and I fell in love within a month.

I fear it, yes but I will never regret it because it made me who I am.

The girl standing on a cafeteria table singing a serenade with a guitar.

All eyes are on me but I can only see you here.

Dear blue, this song I've made for you.

On Christmas I made you gifts, was so nervous how'd they fit.

They were perfect, I admit.

Fit you better than I thought.

But you took me to the other side of the world that night.

I know you were drained of that endless energy you always have but you still did it.

It was the best gift I've ever gotten and I thank you for that.

Dear blue, please be my Valentine because...

I love you,

Kurt Wagner"

Kurt felt a tear slip down his cheek. He knew you were singing about him the second you said the word 'blue' but hearing those last words really warmed his heart.

You shyly averted your e/c eyes from his amber ones as you climbed down from the table. You leaned the guitar against the long bench and started to make your way over to the blue boy.

All eyes were on you two.

Kurt stood up and bamfed in front of you, few tears still roaming down his scarred cheeks.

You bit the inside of your cheek while still smiling shyly. "So," you rocked on your heels, "what's your answer?" you asked. Kurt smiled warmly.

"Yes and I love you too, Y/n L/n."

The tailed boy quickly wrapped his arms around you and the cafeteria cheered, happy tears steamed from both of your eyes and he pressed a kiss to your temple.

Cookie ran over and started nudging the teleporter's foot with his snout and the two of you laughed as you detached yourselves and the Nightcrawler bent down to pick the pig up. The pig rubbed his snout against the boy's cheek while giving him kisses.

"And I love you too, Cookie."

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