#cauliflower benefits

[diabetes-health-corner]

Top 10 Vegetables for diabetics

Vegetables are generally high in water content and fibre, both of which help your digestive system function smoothly. They also create a feeling of ‘fullness’, which leads to smaller food portions, and keeps hunger pangs at bay. This makes them excellent choices for weight loss.

Read full blog here: https://www.freedomfromdiabetes.org/blog/post/top-10-vegetables-for-diabetics/2695

#Vegetables for diabetics #okra health benefits #bottle gourd benefits #bitter Gourd benefits #bitter melon benefits #raw banana benefits #cluster beans benefits #capsicum health benefits #radish health benefits #cabbage benefits #cauliflower benefits #vegetables for diabetes #vegetables for diabetes patient in india #green vegetables for diabetes #top 10 vegetables for diabetes patients #low glycemic vegetables for diabetes

[07cheframesh]

Cauliflower special curry 💚

#cauliflower #curry #Special #delecious #vegitarian #northindianfood #Easycurryrecipes #cauliflower benefits

[coffeestainedcashmere]

Two meals I had this month that I cannot stop thinking about after having them this month: 

 La Vara- everything we ate. but specifically this tempura-esque (but not) butternut squash dish that isn’t on the menu online right now..

Chama Mama - everything we are. but specifically the Cauliflower in Shkmeruli Sauce...

#personal #this really only benefits anyone in NYC #or planning to visit #but these should be mentioned #because they are living in my mind and I cannot seem to forget them #nyc recs #as a vegetarian of nearly two decades i have eaten a lot of cauliflower but none has topped this

[rajanjolly]

Cauliflower Leaves Benefits | Nutrition | Rajan Singh Jolly

#youtube #cauliflower leaves benefits #cauliflower leaves #cauliflower leaves nutrition #rajan singh jolly

[realblog360]

Cauliflower health benefits and side effects (2023)

What are the health benefits of cauliflower?

Cauliflower is a vegetable that has many health benefits, including being high in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and fiber. It is also low in calories which makes it a great option for those looking to lose weight.

Cauliflower contains the amino acid arginine which helps with the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the body - NO can help boost blood flow which can help improve erectile dysfunction and heart health. Additionally, cauliflower provides important antioxidant and detoxification properties. For example, sulforaphane found in cauliflower can activate genes that are related to detoxification and glutathione synthesis. One word of caution: if you have thyroid problems or issues with goiters, you may want to avoid eating raw cauliflower as this vegetable contains goitrogens.

Read More...

#Cauliflower health benefits and side effects (2023) #Cauliflower health benefits and side effects #What are the health risks of cauliflower #Benefits of cauliflower during pregnancy #Cauliflower during pregnancy third trimester #Cauliflower benefits for weight loss

[theambitiouswoman]

Superfoods you should incorporate in your diet:

Superfoods are nutrient-dense foods that are considered beneficial for your health due to their high concentration of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other beneficial compounds.

Combine these superfoods with a variety of other whole foods to ensure you're getting a wide range of nutrients. Also, be mindful of portion sizes and any individual dietary restrictions or allergies you may have.

Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and other berries are rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins.

Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and other leafy greens are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are low in calories and provide important nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin C, and folate.

Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage are part of the cruciferous vegetable family. They contain compounds that may help reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals.

Fish: Fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health and brain function.

Whole grains: Quinoa, brown rice, oats, and whole wheat are examples of whole grains that provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Legumes: Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes are high in fiber, protein, and various nutrients. They are also a good source of plant-based protein.

Turmeric: This spice contains curcumin, a compound with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Green tea: Green tea is rich in antioxidants called catechins and is believed to have various health benefits, including improved brain function and a lower risk of certain diseases.

Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content (70% or higher) is a source of antioxidants and may have positive effects on heart health and mood.

Avocado: Avocados are rich in healthy fats, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. They also provide a good source of potassium.

Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is a protein-rich food that also contains beneficial probiotics, calcium, and vitamin B12.

Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body.

Garlic: Garlic contains sulfur compounds that have been associated with potential health benefits, including immune support and cardiovascular health.

Ginger: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is commonly used to aid digestion and relieve nausea.

Seaweed: Seaweed, such as nori, kelp, and spirulina, is a rich source of minerals like iodine, as well as antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.

Pomegranate: Pomegranates are packed with antioxidants and are believed to have anti-inflammatory properties. They are also a good source of vitamin C and fiber.

Cacao: Raw cacao is the purest form of chocolate and is rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, and minerals. It can be enjoyed as nibs, powder, or in dark chocolate form.

Quinoa: Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that provides a complete source of protein, along with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil is a healthy fat option, particularly extra virgin olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.

Chia seeds: Chia seeds are a great source of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. They can be added to smoothies, yogurt, or used as an egg substitute in recipes.

Beets: Beets are rich in antioxidants and are known for their vibrant color. They also contain nitrates, which have been shown to have beneficial effects on blood pressure and exercise performance.

Matcha: Matcha is a powdered form of green tea and is known for its high concentration of antioxidants. It provides a calm energy boost and can be enjoyed as a tea or added to smoothies and baked goods.

Algae: Algae, such as spirulina and chlorella, are nutrient-dense foods that are rich in protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are often consumed in powdered or supplement form.

Fermented foods: Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, and kombucha are rich in beneficial probiotics that support gut health and digestion.

Maca: Maca is a root vegetable native to the Andes and is often consumed in powdered form. It is known for its potential hormone-balancing properties and is commonly used as an adaptogen.

Goji berries: Goji berries are small red berries that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They can be enjoyed as a snack or added to smoothies and oatmeal.

Hemp seeds: Hemp seeds are a great source of plant-based protein, healthy fats, and minerals like magnesium and iron. They can be sprinkled on salads, yogurt, or blended into smoothies.

Moringa: Moringa is a nutrient-dense plant that is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It is often consumed as a powder or used in tea.

Mushrooms: Certain mushrooms, such as shiitake, reishi, and maitake, have immune-boosting properties and are rich in antioxidants. They can be cooked and added to various dishes.

#health tips #healthy lifestyle #health and wellness #nutrients #healthy life tips #healthy life hacks #healthy diet #level up journey #high value mindset #health is wealth #levelupjourney #glow up tips #glow up #nutrition #healthy living

[thesunhatesme]

🍌🥬🍅The ghouls with vegetables and fruits - HC 🍅🥬🍌

Copia took his ghouls to a farmers market in hopes of getting them to eat more vegetables, because a lot of his ghouls are refusing to eat anything green, or basically any vegetables at all

Mountain

Helped Copia manage everyone

Tasted every single fruit and vegetable

Got sad when he wasn’t allowed to buy from everyone

Forced Dew to hold his hand because he tried to run away

Dew

Tried to run away from all the “bunny food”

Tried the most disgusting thing ever (it was a cucumber)

Got put in time out

Tricked Rain into eating a very spicy chili

Got put in the car

Rain

Kissed Dew with a cucumber slice on his tongue

Ate a chilli he thought was a pepper

Went looking for Phantom

Went looking for Aurora

Got put in the car

Aether

Assured Copia that this was a good idea because some of his ghouls “could benefit from getting introduced to healthy foods”

Cheered on Swiss during his competition

Tried everything except for some really smelly fruit

Was shocked at how easily Mountain ate it

Put a certain three ghouls in the car to sober up

Swiss

Bought loads of chilies to hide in food and “forgot” to pay

Carried Phantom on his back because he was scared of the crowds

Won the apple bobbing contest

Got put in the car

Phantom

Tried corn, grapes and celery

Didn’t try anything else because the celery was an assault to his tastebuds

Made Copia buy grapes and corn

Ran away to taste the grapes again because he needed to double check if he really liked them

Stole some grapes

Aurora

Learned that cauliflower was the most horrible thing to ever exist

Helped Swiss “buy” chillies

Laughed at Dew when Rain kissed him with a cucumber

Laughed at Rain when he ate a chili

Ran away to steal some wine

Cirrus

Dragged Dew in by his neck

Tasted wine with Cumulus, Dew and Rain at a grape stand

Bought wine

Entered Swiss to an apple bobbing contest

Came home sober

Cumulus

Forced Dew to taste vegetables and fruits

Held Phantom’s hand and encouraged him to try at least two things

Helped Mountain carry vegetables and fruits

Tried wine and came home sober

Copia

Drove there

Promised his ghouls ice cream if everyone tried at leas two things

Told himself that his ghouls needed this

Bought crazy amounts of grapes and corn

Bought a lot of veggies for Mountain

Put Aurora in time out for stealing

Put Dew in time out for trying to light a cucumber on fire

Held Phantom’s hand and walked around to see what veggies and fruits there were to try

Tried to put a drunk Swiss and an even more drunk Rain in time out for being drunk

Regretted decisions

#phantom ghoul #dewdrop ghoul #swiss ghoul #rain ghoul #mountain ghoul #aether ghoul #aurora ghoulette #cirrus ghoulette #cumulus ghoulette #the band ghost #hc

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

How's about follower kallamar with a squid reader that is the head doctor and a former follower of his

On the day of your indoctrination...an ugly plague was currently infesting he entire cult. It definitely wasn't the best first impression.

You saw so many sick followers shuffling around, trying not to throw up (although some failed miserably) as they went about their daily tasks.

Lamb excuses themselves to go yell at the healthy followers who didn't bother cleaning all the puke lying around, before sending the sick to their beds and shoving thermometers in their mouths.

And of course, an elder decides to die right next to the goddamn shrine...resulting in those still hanging around to vomit at the sight.

Once everything's slightly under control, Lamb rushes back to officially welcome you into the cult, but you're not impressed at all.

"You promised me sanctuary, Lamb. But all I see is illness and death here...was I right to trust you?"

"....you can blame your "bishop" for all of this......I promise this is a safe haven."

You give them the benefit of the doubt, considering they did save you from being sacrificed to Kallamar.

But when asked why his followers chose you, you explained that you're actually a doctor who treated a lot of sicknesses back in Anchordeep. Sore throats, stomach bugs, flu, pox, etc. You were seen as sort of a miracle worker.

Unfortunately Kallamar saw your skills as a threat to his power, insisting only he can perform "miracles" and decide who's worthy of healing...and his fanatics were inclined to agree.

Luckily, your new leader allowed you to take on that role once again without fear of persecution, and you got the plague under control practically overnight.

You've implemented a system where every follower got a regular checkup. Even if they looked or felt fine, it's better to be safe than sorry.

When Lamb started bartering with ???, they gifted you a gold immortality necklace to ensure you didn't die of old age (seriously, they needed your medical expertise).

You already had a skull necklace, but were grateful nevertheless.

Ironically, Kallamar became the most troubling patient when he arrived into the cult, getting sick right off the bat just from his spiraling anxiety.

He hid behind a tree upon seeing you.....and Lamb found him, literally having to drag him over to your medbay (now a small building instead of a single shrub hut) and order you to treat him.

Great Ones forbid he caused a plague as both bishop and follower. They weren't going to tolerate that.

Ofc, he was hesitant to say anything to you, but after quietly treating his stomach ache and changing his bandages...he breaks down sobbing on the cot, begging for forgiveness.

"I-I was wrong. You do..s-so much good work. You were thriving, performing all these miracles, and....a-and I tried to take that all away....why heal me?"

"Kallamar, I'm not holding that against you anymore." You reassure him. "You're free of the Blue Crown's influence. I know you didn't really want me dead, did you?"

"..n-no, my...followers suggested it. Cult morale was low a-after what happened to Leshy and Heket so...I had to do something!"

Whether that revelation made you feel better or worse, you find it in your heart to forgive him, never denying him treatment even if others in the cult disagree.

You wanted to help him. One squid healing another.

To this day, he still feels bad visiting your medbay, but with time he becomes more comfortable approaching you whenever he gets sick.

Soon enough you find out one of the primary causes of his stomach pains.

It's cauliflower stew (while there's a 5% chance of sickness for everyone else who consumes it, his is always at 100% for some reason).

As it turns out he, ironically, has a severe cauliflower intolerance.

Poor guy never knew that was a thing.

#clanask #anonymous #cotl x reader #cult of the lamb x reader #follower kallamar #kallamar x reader #cotl kallamar x reader #headcanons #tw vomit #hurt/comfort #platonic

[beautyandlifestyleblog86]

Gut-friendly recipe

Turkey and vegetable stir-fry with ginger and garlic

Ingredients:

- 1 lb ground turkey

- 2 bell peppers, thinly sliced

- 1 zucchini, sliced

- 1 cup broccoli florets

- 1 cup sliced mushrooms

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1-inch piece of ginger, grated

- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free option)

- 1 tbsp sesame oil

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Fresh cilantro for garnish

- Cooked rice or cauliflower rice for serving

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

2. Add the garlic, ginger, and vegetables to the skillet. Stir-fry for about 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

3. Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve the stir-fry over cooked rice or cauliflower rice. Garnish with fresh spring onions.

5. Enjoy your delicious and gut-friendly turkey and vegetable stir-fry!

This recipe is rich in lean protein from the ground turkey, fiber and nutrients from the vegetables, and the anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits of ginger and garlic. It's a flavorful and satisfying meal that will support your gut health.

#healthy food #food for thought #comfort food #fast food #food fight #food food food #food photography #foodie #food #foodpics #foodlover #japanese food #foodmyheart #foofa #tw food #lunch recipes #pasta recipes #pasta recipe #salad recipes #soup recipe #recipe #reciprocity #recipies #recipes #healthy salad recipes #autumn cozy #cozy fall #cozyhome #cozy cozy #cozy living

[unpredictable-probabilities]

Azul Ashengrotto of Royal Sword Academy || Chapter 19: Banters and Questions

Summary:

The impromptu sleepover has begun and it starts in the kitchens, where Azul fixes up a dinner for their little group.

In the midst of it, inquiries and curiosities begin to float among the group, one of which calls Jamil and Azul's friendship into question...

Word Count: 2,868

Jade leads them down the corridors to Octavinelle's kitchen, which was fortunately big enough to accommodate all of them without it being cramped.

"What do you usually eat for dinner?" Azul asks Jamil, rolling up his sleeves. He had hung his coat on one of the hooks by the door. "Is there any type of dish you'd like for tonight?"

"Hmm..." Jamil thinks about it.

Ace mutters, “Maybe he’d like to have you for dinner.”

Jamil shoves him aside while Azul’s back is turned.

"You've always wanted to run a catering business, right?” Jamil says. “Perhaps that means you have a signature dish you'd like to feature there. You can make that if it's possible."

"Oh, that reminds me!” Ruggie pipes up. “I heard y'all are planning on opening up a café sometime soon. If you got any job openings, I'm yer guy!"

"Wait, why would you ever need to work anymore? You're gonna get married to royalty someday," Ace asks, confused.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Jumping the gun a lil' here, don'cha think?" The hyena shook his head. "Datin's one thing but who knows what's gonna happen in the future? 'Sides, I ain't plannin' on becoming a meat sack like Leona!"

Jade chuckles, then turns to Azul. "The freezer is there, and the shelves containing the different seasonings and condiments are over there," he gestures around the room. "Feel free to use as much as you like. Meanwhile I'll be by the ovens baking some snacks for us."

Azul nods. "Thank you."

He heads to the freezer and opens it to look at the meats and vegetables inside, then he turns to Jamil. "How's your fever?"

Jamil takes a moment to assess himself, having forgotten how unwell he had been feeling. "Honestly, it seems like I'm all better. A little sluggish, but I think that's from sleeping all day today. What about you? Are you feeling okay enough to cook?"

“Yes,” Azul nods. “My muscles still feel sore but not as much as they were this morning.” He takes two frozen plastic bags from the freezer and puts them in a mixing bowl. “How do you feel about cauliflower?” he asks Jamil.

"Cauliflower? Other than its nutritional benefits and the fact that it looks like a pretty white flower, I think it's a good ingredient. Why?"

“Ruggie’s remark about how he still can’t get Leona to cook vegetables reminded me of a particular vegetable dish I know,” Azul says as he places the mixing bowl on the counter. “If Ruggie likes it, perhaps he can add it to his repertoire of vegetable dishes that he serves to his cubs.” He waves his Magic Pen and defrosts the two plastic bags. Jamil can see that one bag contains the said vegetables, and the other contains chicken. “Have you decided whether you’ll be a cook at Jade’s cafe?” Azul asks as he takes a chopping board and knife from the racks.

"I could," Jamil admits, playfully sidling up to him at the counter. "Do you think the management would like me?"

Azul smiles at him. “I think the management would like you very much. Do you have any specialties you’d like to share with the café?”

"If I have to say that there's a type of dish I specialize in, I suppose it'd be anything that dabbles in heavy spices. It's one of the things the Scalding Sands is most well-known for, after all. So whenever the Asims would have guests over, I'd cook with the professional chefs for 'em. And I like spicy food in general."

Azul perks up. “Oh, then you’ll like this one,” he says as he reaches for red peppers on the shelf and places them on the counter. “It’s a recipe I learned just this year when I was trying out various dishes for myself.”

He lays down the chicken on the chopping board and cuts it into thin slices.

Then Floyd’s laughter echoes in the kitchen. Azul looks up to see that Ace seems to be showing Rielle how to do disappearing card tricks even without using actual magic. Rielle is practicing how to do it, and he had successfully made a card ‘disappear’ and reappear behind Floyd’s ear.

Azul pauses with the slicing and smiles at them, but there’s a noticeable worry in his eyes.

Jamil quiets down to ask, "What's wrong? Worried about Rielle?"

Azul looks down again at the chopping board and continues his slicing. Then he nods. “It isn’t like him to stay out of RSA and then ask permission if he could do so. And I do like staying here myself, so I didn’t contradict him. But I worry that there’s another reason why he wants to stay away from RSA. I was unconscious for most of the time since we got back, and I don’t know how Headmage or the other professors have reacted to Rielle cutting his work short in the Coral Sea, but it’s entirely possible that they’re making him feel pressured again.”

"Ah, that'd certainly explain it." Jamil casts a glance at the others. "So he's essentially hiding away here?"

“It seems like it,” Azul says, putting the chicken aside and chopping some garlic and herbs. “And admittedly I’m not sure what to do. Do I tell him to face the issues at RSA even though he seems so happy here?” he shakes his head. “It feels hypocritical coming from me. I got out of RSA a lot too, during the Winter Ball preparations.”

"Hm... Considering he and Floyd organized all this, perhaps we can let him have his bliss for tonight, and then try and see if we can talk to him about his place within RSA tomorrow. Because for the time being, I think he really needs the rest, so why not indulge him for a little bit? And if you're worried about talking to him alone, I can be there with you." Jamil leans on the counter. "Speaking of, is there anything I can help with? I know you're making this for me, but I feel weird doing nothing while cooking duties are happening before my eyes."

Azul nods and seems to relax a little. “You’re right. He deserves to rest and have fun more than anything.” Then he smiles at Jamil. “Can you roast these peppers in the pan and mince them? I’ll see if I can find any cheese.”

"You got it, boss," Jamil humorously quips and starts to get to work.

"So what kinda game are we gonna play?" Ruggie asks from the counters. "And who, between the both of you, came up with it? This is important info." He looks suspiciously at Floyd and Rielle.

“Flame Tetra said board games, and I said Truth or Dare! It’s a classic!” Floyd says, holding cards in one hand and a 2 of clubs tucked behind his ear. “And it lets me pry information out of people or make ‘em do funny stuff without lifting a fin.”

Ruggie whistles, turning to help Jade load a tray of pastries into the oven. “Kinda wish I’d known that before I agreed to come to this thing. Though honestly I should have expected it when I knew you’re hosting it.”

“Exactly!” Floyd says cheerfully. “You got any juicy secrets I can pry out of you, lil’ Remora?”

"If I do, you're gonna have to pry it outta my cold dead hands," Ruggie sneers.

"Or through Truth or Dare!" Rielle chuckles.

"I'm fine with this," Ace grins. "I can already think of a few juicy questions and dares off the top of my head."

"Better be careful, Crabby, or yer gonna end up gettin' all the bad luck in this game." Floyd grins.

Ace scoffs. “No way! I’m not squeamish when it comes to dares, and I’m not even the one with the juiciest potential secrets here. Azul, Jamil, you’re playing, too, right?”

Azul distractedly looks up from making a mixture of herbs and cheese. “Hm? Of course,” he smiles politely.

"I'm gonna hold you to those dares, Ace," Jamil playfully warns, keeping his gaze onto his work.

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" Ruggie, the only one with an ounce of self-preservation, calls their attention. "Just so we're clear, how 'juicy' we talkin' about here? We got any boundaries we shouldn't cross, at least, oooor..?"

“Hmm, I don’t think we should dare anyone to do anything to another person,” Rielle says. “For example, I can’t dare you to punch Floyd. We shouldn’t involve the others in another person’s dare. As for when truth is chosen, if someone feels that a question is too personal, the group can discuss and collectively decide whether a different question should be asked. What do you think?” he addresses everyone.

"Awwww," Floyd playfully pouts.

"Whew! Thank the Sevens!" Ruggie mimics wiping the sweat off of his brow.

Ace seems a tad disappointed too, but he shrugs. "Eh. I guess that'd at least guarantee we all live to see another day."

"Indeed. Dead bodies here would be such a stain on Octavinelle's reputation," Jade reasons, though he too, is noticeably sorrowful.

A little more than an hour later, Azul had cooked two dishes: Cauliflower steaks with crunchy hazelnuts, browned butter sauce, and lemon zest, and roasted roll-ups of chicken and red peppers with herbs.

He had laid the plates on the counter, beside Jade’s chocolate chip cookies and vanilla-frosted cupcakes.

“I’m surprised you didn’t cook any mushrooms,” Floyd says to his brother.

Jade chuckles. “I wanted to do something different.”

“Shall we bring these up to the rooftop, or would you prefer to eat in the dining area?” Azul asks them.

"Rooftop!" Floyd immediately says, followed by cheering from Rielle and Ace.

Jade chuckles. "You are all like adorable little children."

"Here, lemme help carry all these up!" Ruggie volunteers. "Nice dish ideas you got here, Azul! Mind if I grab myself a sample?"

The hyena proceeds to take one without waiting for Azul to answer.

"It's certainly impressive," Jamil compliments. "And you came up with these from experimenting? It now makes me wonder how different culinary work must be like under the sea."

"Yeah, how'd you cook anything underwater?" Ace asks, getting ready to head out with everyone.

"Well, sometimes... not at all." Jade replies, giving the ginger a toothy grin that makes him shiver.

“Quite a significant amount of magic is involved,” Azul says, smiling in amusement at Jade’s response. “There are magical equipment like pans and stoves that even non-magical merfolk can use.”

“I definitely wanna see something like that someday,” Ruggie says in interest.

They reach the rooftop and arrange the food and plates on the large picnic blanket.

The rooftop is several stories above the water level, and they have the view of the sea spread out before them beneath the night sky.

They settle onto the blanket in a loose circle; Jade in front of the serving plates, to his left is Floyd, then Rielle, Ace, Ruggie, Jamil, and finally Azul to Jade’s right.

Throw pillows are scattered around, but Jamil realizes that there aren’t any blankets. It makes sense because Floyd and Rielle spontaneously prepared the set-up, possibly with Jade’s help. The merfolk probably didn’t feel cold at all and preparing blankets slipped their mind.

Jamil is feeling chilly, though. Especially because it’s nighttime and they’re very close to the sea. He tries to suppress a shiver, telling himself that he's used to cold nights since he gets them in Scarabia and the Scalding Sands.

But Octavinelle is already cold on a normal day. This? This is cold. It's not at the Coral Sea's level, but it's cutting it pretty close. He tries to shrink a little, wrapping his jacket even tighter around himself.

Meanwhile, Ruggie copes with the cold by popping one of the chicken pepper roll-ups into his mouth.

"... Do you think it'd be legal to start a campfire here?" Ace wonders out loud.

“Technically we’re allowed to, but I’m afraid we don’t have any firewood at the moment,” Jade says, then he stands up. “I shall get blankets for everyone. Apologies for not having them around in the first place,” he puts a hand on his chest then leaves to go back inside.

“Oh yeah, you land critters ain’t built for the cold,” Floyd says, leaning casually against Rielle.

“Sorry, I suppose we got so excited about the sleepover that we forgot to prepare some blankets,” Rielle smiles shyly.

Azul notices Jamil bundling himself up tighter in his jacket. “Oh, would you like to borrow my coat?” he asks, already shrugging it off his shoulders.

"H-Huh?" Jamil blinks with a start. "Oh, no you don't have t—"

His voice dies down when the coat and Azul's arms are placed upon his shoulders. He's not sure if it's the jacket or the butterflies in his stomach, but he sure is warming up now.

"Awww," Ruggie teases.

"Wow, I've never seen Jamil this docile," Ace whispers.

Floyd snickers and Rielle chuckles at the reddening of Jamil's face.

"Lookit that. It's doin' wonders already, Octy," Floyd informs Azul.

Azul clears his throat, the teasing of their friends has made his face a little red. “Well, you had only just recovered from your fever, we don’t want it coming back, do we? Besides, you let me borrow a spare dorm uniform when it was too hot for me in Scarabia, it’s only right that I return the favor however I can.”

The atmosphere is quiet for a moment.

"... So tell us straight-up: Are you guys dating or not?" Ace blurts out.

"We're not!" Jamil retorts, his voice returning.

"Why not???" Ace asks. "Does that mean if I or even Jade start hitting on either of you, you both would be okay with it?"

Jamil's expression grows dark, over Ace putting them on the spot and over the sheer imagery of someone asking Azul out before he could.

Azul laughs nervously. “Same some of that energy for the Truth and Dare later, Ace.”

“And why are you only asking them?” Ruggie asks through a mouthful of chicken and pepper. “I don’t see you asking Floyd and Rielle, and they look even cozier together.”

"Floyd's already saying they're dating!" Ace argues.

Floyd sagely nods his head as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Rielle, meanwhile, looks surprised. "Huh? We are?"

Floyd blinks. "Huh? We're not?"

Rielle’s face reddens. “D-Do you want us to?”

“Hell yeah!” Floyd says, getting up from leaning on Rielle to look at his face. “And you told your dad already that you like me, right? I thought you knew that I like you, too?” he tilts his head in confusion.

Rielle looks down and he chuckles shyly. “Then y-yes. We’re dating,” he meets Floyd’s eyes.

Floyd gasps dramatically and throws his arms up. “YAY~!” he wraps them around Rielle and pulls him close, planting a firm kiss on his cheek.

Rielle’s eyes widen and he blushes even more.

“Wow,” Ruggie says, his eyebrows raised in fascination.

“See?” Ace says and looks at the rest of them as if his point was just proven. “It’s that easy to admit it!”

As if I could confess just like that right when Rielle and Floyd just got together, Jamil tries to keep a neutral expression.

"Oh, let 'em be, Ace," Ruggie was the one to step up and knock the freshman down a peg. "The game hasn't started and you're already prying into people's love lives. What, you desperate for some 'cause you don't have any?"

"OHHHHHHH!" Floyd reacts.

"W-Wh..!?" Ace stammers. "I wasn't desperate, I was just asking why Azul and Jamil are dancing around the idea of getting together!"

"Why? You wanna get together with someone yourself?” Ruggie raises an eyebrow. “You talk about our relationships a suspicious ton but never once mentioned yours. Who ya eyein'? Is it Deuce? Is it Yuu?"

Floyd mockingly gasps. "What if it's Grim?"

Ruggie gasps along as Ace cringes.

"UGH! Gross! No DUH it's not Grim!"

"Then is it this Yuu or Deuce?" Rielle mutters.

Jamil sighs in relief now that the spotlight's left the both of them.

"I— Well—!" Ace tries to voice out.

"No!" Ruggie exclaims. "BOTH!?"

"AGH! SHUT IT, WILL YOU?!" Ace yells, standing up.

"My, you're already involving yourselves in the wonder that is friendly gossip?" Jade has returned with a pile of blankets in his arms. "Without me?"

“Floyd and Rielle got together just now!” Ace blurts out, pointing at the couple.

“Weren’t they already together?” Jade asks, placing down the blankets and sitting back down in his place.

“Did it really seem like that?” Rielle smiles shyly.

“Yep, totally,” Ruggie says casually before turning to Jade. “So how’s this game gonna work? Do we spin a bottle or something? Let’s start this and get you involved in the gossip,” he hands Jade a plate of cauliflower steak.

Ace pouts and quietly sits back down.

"We can spin a bottle, yes," Jade nods, taking a generous bite of the steak, before taking a bottle out and placing it on the floor. "I took this as I was taking the blankets. Get yourselves comfortable, everyone, we're about to begin."

<- Chapter 18

Chapter 20 ->

(Masterlist)

#twst au #alternate universe #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland azul ashengrotto #twisted wonderland azul #twisted wonderland jamil #twisted wonderland jamil viper #twisted wonderland fic #twisted wonderland fanfiction #twst #twst fic #twst fanfiction #twst fanfic #twst azul #twst azul ashengrotto #twst jamil #twst jamil viper #azul x jamil #azul ashengrotto x jamil viper #ashenviper #azujami #jamiazu #azul ashengrotto #jamil viper #fanfics #fanfiction #writing #writeblr

[rabbitcruiser]

National Vitamin C Day

It’s good for your immune system, it’s good for your mental health, it’s even good for your skin. Don’t neglect this crucial vitamin on Vitamin C Day.

Vitamin C. We all hear about it, how good it is for us, how it will help us fight off that cold. But how much do we really know about this mystery substance, and just how much can it do to help our bodies? Take advantage of Vitamin C day to learn something new and boost your health, to boot!

Learn about National Vitamin C Day

National Vitamin C Day has been created so that we can appreciate and learn all about the different ways that vitamin C can benefit our health. Vitamin C is also referred to as ascorbate and ascorbic acid. It is found in a number of different foods, as well as being sold as a dietary supplement. It is an essential nutrient in terms of producing a number of neurotransmitters and repairing tissues. It was discovered back in 1912. Sixteen years later, it was isolated. Then, in 1933, it became the first vitamin to be produced chemically.

Vitamin C is widely recognized for helping to keep colds at bay. However, there are plenty of other benefits that are associated with this powerful vitamin! You could reduce your blood pressure by upping your vitamin C uptake, for example. Vitamin C is also beneficial in terms of helping to keep your skin healthy. This is because it protects it from the oxidative damage that is caused as a result of exposure on a daily basis to pollution, heat, and light. This has seen the population of vitamin C products increase considerably.

There are plenty of natural ways to add some more vitamin C to your diet. You don’t need to opt for vitamin C supplements, although many people do. Some of the fruits that have the highest sources of vitamin C include cantaloupe melon, citrus juices and fruits, kiwi fruit, pineapple, papaya, mango, and the various berries, such as cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. There are a number of vegetables that are rich in vitamin C as well, including cauliflower and broccoli.

The History of National Vitamin C Day

As a substance occurring naturally in countless different fruits and vegetables, vitamin C has likely been around as long as the earth itself. Peoples from all over the world have long been aware of the extensive health benefits of consuming foods high in vitamin C as well as the risks associated with not consuming enough of it, one of which is scurvy. It was not until the late 19th century that scurvy was described in detail by British physician Sir Thomas Barlow, that people began to understand just how much this substance can do for our health.

However, scurvy was known for thousands of years prior, with even the great Hippocrates himself writing about it. In the 18th century, it is assumed that the disease killed more British sailors than any enemies they had and was one of the greatest factors limiting maritime travel over the ages. Today, very few people suffer from scurvy and Vitamin C is considered on of the most important nutrients food can and should provide.

How to celebrate National Vitamin C Day

The best way to celebrate National Vitamin C Day is to stay healthy, and this very vitamin can help you with that! Vitamin C is necessary for good health and general well-being, but the unfortunate truth is that not everyone has the time to pay close attention to what they eat and just how many grams or milligrams of a certain substance they consume daily.

The drastic rise in popularity of microwavable dishes has caused people’s diets to become much less healthy over the recent years, as has the fact that many people are working longer hours than ever and don’t have the time or the energy to cook themselves and their families a well-balanced meal every day.

Luckily, there are a few ways to make sure you’re getting enough Vitamin C, no matter your lifestyle. One is to simply squeeze lemon juice into the water you drink. Half a lemon contains almost 100% of your daily vitamin C requirement, so just a squeeze here and there will be more than enough!

The same goes for—alcoholic drinks. If you’re going to have a few Mojitos this Friday anyway, why not use fresh lime juice? And have we mentioned Vitamin C helps prevent hangovers as well?

But it doesn’t stop there—as it tuns out, you can put lemon juice into pretty much everything for your daily dose of Vitamin C as well as a deliciously tangy zing. As opposed to some other “healthy” foods which, let’s face it, can be downright nasty (looking at you, kale!), lemon juice makes almost everything you put it on and in taste better.

Salad dressings. Grilled meats. The list goes on. And if for whatever reason you’re not a fan of lemons, don’t worry! Many fruits and vegetables contain enough Vitamin C to keep you healthy, including tomatoes, strawberries, spinach, peppers, and many more. Take advantage of National Vitamin C Day to do your body a favor!

Vitamin C cannot only be consumed, but it can be applied to your skin as well. As mentioned earlier, Vitamin C is great for skin health. Why not make your own Vitamin C serum? It is not as difficult as you may think! All you need is some aloe vera gel, filtered water, and vitamin C powder. You may decide to add some other vitamins as well, such as vitamin E oil. There are some variations of how to make vitamin C serums and facemasks online, but the ingredient list is a simple one, yet the benefits are vast!

Of course, you can also buy some vitamin C skin products, rather than making your own. If you are going to use a vitamin C serum, whether homemade or not, we recommend washing your face first and using a toner. You can then apply a small amount of the serum. The serum is probably going to be quite thick. Do this before you go to bed, and add another layer of moisturizer. In the morning, you should wash your face thoroughly before any makeup is applied. Because of sun exposure, vitamin C serum is not designed to be used on a daily basis.

Make sure you spread the word about National Vitamin C Day and the benefits associated with this nutrient so that you can help others experience the benefits of it!

Source

#seaberry and hazelnut mousse #lime tree #grape #National Vitamin C Day #VitaminCDay #4 April #flora #nature #original photography #strawberry #Beringer Vineyards #peach #USA #Spain #Sweden #food #Lemon Semifreddo #fruit #lemon #orange #apple #pear #travel #vacation #tourist attraction #landmark #cityscape #Brix Restaurant and Gardens #apricot tarte #peach cobbler

[jennhoney]

Yesterday with my fresh fruits and vegetables health insurance benefits card I wasn’t allowed to get

Green onions

Bell peppers

Cilantro

Pineapple

Garlic

Medley grape tomatoes

Leeks

Green seedless grapes

Head of broccoli

Head of cauliflower

I was able to get:

Red seedless grapes

Broccoli florets

Cauliflower florets

Sweet potato cubes

Yellow grape tomatoes

Red grape tomatoes

It took about 3 hours of trial and error to figure out and then i had to go to Aldi to get the stuff I couldn’t get from Walmart . The grapes thing shows the complete madness of the “system”.

#jennhoney personal log #I’m so grateful that I was paying attention and deleted my debit card from the system because that would have overdrawn me

[snootlestheangel]

Can we get more bout Truck please

I love all your OCs dude they are the best

This honestly took so long at first, but I am really excited to share this! Truck is my big boy!

I'm gonna break this up actually, cause his backstory got way out of hand from my original thing so I'm gonna do a quick physical description/some of his little quirks before I get into the mess of his life!

He's probably like 42 in my head, so old compared to most of the Shadows but close to Graves's age. Around 5'8", broad build, an absolute unit of a man, hooked nose that has been very clearly broken several times, left ear is a cauliflower ear from a fight he got into as a teen, green eyes, looks angry all the time, has so many callouses on his hands and knuckles, so many scars from fights on his face. Those are little scars, but they're still there. GINGER TRUCK!! He so ginger in my head now and it makes me so happy!

Family: Momma is still alive, and he calls/writes her regularly, visits when he can. Pops died not long after he joined, which hurt like hell but he stayed on his course. His family supported him the whole way through. He's got two sisters, both younger, and he'd commit some pretty bad war crimes if anything bad ever happened to either of them. Surprisingly, he's married. He loves his wife but never talks about her; his life is his and not anyone else's. They don't have kids (yet? can't decide if I want him to have kids or not) but they do have 2 shelter dogs they adopted, and they're the cutest freaking things.

Hates anything carbonated, like sodas and stuff. Either drinks water with a little bit of lemon in it or straight black coffee. Doesn't do sweets (unlike Ness and Flash who live off of sweet stuff). Generally keeps a really good diet and workout routine when he's not in his shop. Such a routine oriented guy that it could only take 2 days to learn his full routine. Day two is just to verify everything.

As I've said before, he struggled a lot in school. It wasn't just his dyslexia (that he didn't know he has until sometime after joining); it was his anger issues. He was constantly getting into fights as a teenager. He had been bullied a lot as a kid. He's a ginger, so already was an easy target for bullying, but then you add that he was really poor compared to a lot of kids in the area, and he just became prime bully real estate. That is until he hit puberty and got tougher and stronger. Then he became a bully to his bullies.

He had to pick up a job in high school to afford lunch, and life was just really difficult in general for him. His parents were incredible people, he still has such a great relationship with his momma, but it doesn't change how difficult life had been for him.

His Pops taking him under his wing and teaching him mechanic things was a huge respite from all the icky stuff life threw at him. He got to spend quality time with his dad, which he rarely got to do as a kid cause of how much the man worked. He got to learn in a way that didn't stress him out and make his head hurt. He got to do things and sometimes his strength was necessary to get something fixed. The mechanic shop and the time with Pops probably saved Truck from getting into much more serious trouble as a teenager, so he feels he owes his Pops his life.

He has a lot of ways to cope with his anger issues that don't lead to either self destruction or hurting others. It's actually why he joined the military in the first place. He was once told by a really horrible teacher that if he didn't "shape up and start acting right" then he'd get shipped off to the army and they'd set him right. It was meant to be demeaning, kind of a way for the teacher to tell him that he's too stupid for the real world, the only people that would take him is the army. But for Truck? Free food, free housing, free education (should he want to try his luck at that again), a lot of benefits like insurance and stuff? Hell, decent pay??? Sign him the fuck up!

Not to mention, he wanted the military to shape him up, to make him "act right". You think other people don't like dealing with his anger issues? He loathes his anger issues. It cost him a lot of good friends and ruined trust with a lot of people cause he'd blow up over something stupid and the relationship would never recover. He ended up in the hospital one too many times (literally only once but given his family's financial issues, it was too many), and that was a low point for his family. He believes/knows it's his fault, and the guilt still hangs around.

The assignment that got him on Graves's radar for Shadow Company is actually how he met his wife. It was several years ago, probably around 6-8 years, but his wife was one of the nurses on staff that helped patch up the unit afterwards. Truck wasn't injured but she had been so worried and insisted on examining him. His teammates tried to discourage her from pushing him, cause he's got a super short temper, but they all were shook when he simply said "Okay, fine." and allowed her to examine him.

He insisted on getting in touch with her afterwards because "she's the one person that can push all my buttons and I'll never blow a fuse" *catch me crying in the corner over this fire sentence that I wrote*

Anyways, that's our boy Truck!!! I love him to death even more so now!!

#thank you for letting me rant about my boy Truck #I didn't know I needed it until just now #snootles's shadow ocs #shadow ocs #shadow company oc #shadow oc truck #snootles's askbox #snootles answers

[philliamwrites]

SWYAATL 14: The Happy Years

Pairings: Eren Jaeger x fem! Reader

Warnings: they're all horknee

Summary: “May Queen!” the girl shrieks, and throws a bright flower crown with frightening precision on your head. She then points at you. “We’ve found our May Queen!” Oh. Oh no. “Oh no no no no no,” you say out loud the moment someone swoops you up your feet. Nausea rolls through you—you hate hate being picked up, hate how it makes you feel like the small kid from five years ago during Shiganshina’s attack—before you start hyperventilating, you glimpse Jean in the crowd, doubled over and supporting himself against Marco, laughing at you so hard he almost topples over. Bastard.

Notes: [01] || 13 | 15

Words: 9.5k

A/N: Sorry updates are so scarce! Everything is changing for me with the apprenticeship but it’s a good change and I’m very, very happy where I am right now!! Might go into hiatus for a while because writing just isn’t doing it for me at the moment though. I’ll definitely bring Cadet Corps Arc to an end though, it’s only one or two more chapters after this one!

Don’t flock me, but this might slip a little into Reader/Jean (with Eren/Reader endgame, I promise). Also I’ve decided from this chapter on they’re all finally 18, you’re welcome. They’re all gay, they’re all horny, whoopa.

14: The Happy Years

January, February, March. The winter is a torrent of snow. Falling slow and fat. Falling quick and bright. The sun, if it rises at all, is a weak white flame until spring marches into the battle with all her blossoms and light, banishing the cold for another year.

This time, you were put into farm duty, something you’ve been looking forward to ever since the ground, formerly brownish or covered with snow, is now painted in greener tones. It beats having to prune trees or vines since you’ve always enjoyed working with soil and what the earth grants. There is also the benefit of seeing Dolly again, the only compound ox used to draft the ridge and furrows where you’ll plant this year’s harvest. Apparently, cadets long before your corps named him, realising too late that he was a male—as though the pointy horns are easy to miss—but the name has stuck ever since.

You’re leading the old boy over the field now, towards the other handful of cadets assigned to the duty. Reiner and Marco are tinkering with the bullock cart, checking if, after the long winter, anything has broken and needs to be fixed. Annie, standing a little apart from them, gazes out at the field. She looks as though she could think of a hundred different places she’d rather be. You can get a little behind her indifference. Many consider this task as a waste of time, for every compound receives the majority of vegetables, fruits, fish and dairy from outside farms and fisheries. The annual harvest you yield around autumn is only meant for reserves and emergencies should the usual deliveries not make it on time—which hasn’t happened in the almost three years you’ve been in the military.

You don’t mind the work at all—it is a nice diversity from the tasks you usually get, and you enjoy working outside in nature, where the air is fresh and the last hint of winter still lingers in the air.

“We’re ready,” Marco says now, rising from where he was perching in front of the cart. Already, his pants are dirty where he has knelt in the soil. “All good to go.”

“You two lead the old boy, Annie and I will be right behind you.” Reiner shakes his small basket with cauliflower seeds as you put the cart before Dolly and give his nose a good rub. He flicks his ears and trots after you across the field, occasionally bumping his snoot against your arm as if saying Look, I’m doing it! What about a little treat?,and of course you scratch him under his chin until his eyes fall close for a second in sheer contentment.

“He’s very enamoured with you,” Marco says, watching you two from the side. Even though it’s still cool outside, he’s rolled up his sleeves, showing his strong arms streaked with hard cords of muscle. Recently, his harness seems to be a size too small, cutting into his body parts that were extra thick with muscle such as his arms, thighs and upper chest. Not that you’re complaining about the sight. “Are you hiding treats or something in your uniform?”

“It’s my natural charm,” you say, grinning. “I don’t have to use cheap tricks like that.”

Marco laughs at that, and you notice how he doesn’t disagree. You continue down the field in companionable silence, only making comments whenever one of you spots a falcon gliding over the fields in search of mice. It feels like the build-up to something, but what exactly, you don’t know until finally, Marco says, “Only two more months left now. Those three years passed so quickly, I can hardly believe we’re almost done with our training.”

“Why are you in such low spirits then?” you ask. “What happened to all that enthusiasm of being able to serve the king once you join the MP?”

Marco’s silence makes you look over at him. There’s something wistful about the way he looks out at the fields—his mind seems to be as far away as the rising and sinking curves of the mountains in the far south.

“It’s weird, I know,” he finally says, scratching his chin where you see a dark stubble. “I also thought this was something I’m sure of. Graduate with a good score, join the MP and work my way up into the King’s Guard. But lately…” He gives a half-hearted shrug. “I had this weird dream, you know? There was a parade and the King was there as well but something wasn’t right. There were orphans crying and people seemed distressed. In my dream, I heard rumours about the true nature of the Operation to Reclaim Wall Maria a few years ago, and when I woke up, I realised this must have been because I talked to Armin and Eren recently. Armin told me that there was a parade back then as well, after his grandfather died, to distract from the disputes on food; to have the people be lenient towards the King’s sentence. And weirdly enough, I started to wonder … do I really want to protect the King, or is there maybe something else I should be protecting.”

Marco looks at you now, and there’s something bare in his eyes that makes you turn your head away. All you manage to answer is, “Jean will be very sad if you change your mind last second, you know? You’ve become one of his closest friends and …”

“And what?” Marco inquirers—part hopeful, part reserved.

And I know there’s more, but you’re afraid of it. One afternoon on a rare hour’s break in the barracks, you went over to the boys’ to get Marco for laundry duty, who had slipped inside just a moment ago. Standing in the entryway, you found him and Jean alone. Jean was sitting with his back turned to the entry and Marco used that moment to leap upon him in a fit of enthusiasm, screeching and squawking like a child at play. Jean wrestled Marco off him and they rolled around on the floor, grabbing and jostling, laughing at nothing. When Marco had Jean in a clinch, pinned to the floor, his knees on either side of Jean’s torso, he looked down at him and smiled, his dark hair falling into his eyes.

Even from that distance, you were sure that he had looked at Jean’s lips for a moment, turning his head a little and staring at him, his body arching forward just a touch. Jean raised his knee slightly and risked a smile. They looked at each other—“Ah, Jean,” Marco said mournfully, his voice soft—and then their heads both swivelled around at the sound of creaking wood beneath your feet as you shifted your weight to make a silent retreat, positive that you had walked into a private scene not meant for anyone to see.

Marco jumped up, turning away from Jean. He looked at you, startled, unable to catch Jean’s eye. After a moment of silence, Jean, to lighten the mood, had simply asked if you had lost something, and when the moment was over, everything had returned as if nothing had happened between them.

“And nothing,” you say now. Whatever is between Jean and Marco, it is none of your business. You don’t think Jean would appreciate you poking your nose into his business—especially one that seemed a foreign territory to even himself. Ever since the incident with the wolf last winter, he’s become curt—sometimes even downright nasty whenever Eren is around or you so much as mention him. The only reason you can think of is that with graduation drawing closer, they’re both reminded how opposing their future wishes are, and suddenly nothing of what has happened before—standing together against Victor; fighting the robbers and saving Christa—seems to matter.

“Yeah, I still need to talk to him about that,” Marco says, cutting off your thoughts. “If he’ll join the Scouts.”

“The Scouts?” You almost trip over a mound of dirt, saving yourself only by flinging your arms around Dolly’s strong neck. He snorts appreciatively. “Why the Scouts?”

“You know … the way Jean is, I feel that if he joined the Survey Corps … he could save a lot of lives.”

You give that some thought, and initially, nothing about it seems wrong. Jean is an exceptional soldier, both capable in ODM and analysing the situation in battle to find the best outcome. Funny enough, Jean’s talent seems specifically the reason why Eren keeps blowing the fuse whenever they talk about their future goals—Eren can’t seem to understand why anyone would waste their talent like that. You’ve stopped bringing that up with him. It seems easier to get along with him if you two don’t try to bust each other’s heads about which Corps to join after graduation.

With the field ploughed, the seed sown, you take a little break. The sun stands high on the zenith, and the work has left you sweating. Dolly, freed from the cart, lies on the ground. His tail flicks at flies in lazy swipes, and whenever someone bends down to pet him, he closes his eyes in cosy satisfaction.

“Did I hear that right, you’re thinking about joining the Scouts, Marco?” says Reiner now. He’s perched beside Dolly, and gives his back soft claps. You have a hard time not staring at his thick thighs. “How come?”

Marco, leaning sideways against the fence enclosing the fields, shrugs with one shoulder. “Feels like I might be able to do more if I join them.”

“The Scouts will be happy with a guy like you,” Reiner continues. “You’re a great soldier, Marco.”

Marco ducks his head as if he can hide the red tinting his cheeks. “What about you guys?” he quickly asks. “You’re both at the top as well.” Reiner throws Annie a quick glance which she promptly ignores.

“It’s gonna be the MP for me.” Reiner isn’t shy about his decision, giving Marco a crooked grin. “I’m pretty sure that’s where I can do my best as a soldier.”

A snort comes from Annie’s direction, so quiet that you think you’ve imagined it were it not for Reiner turning his head in her direction. She’s looking down at Dolly’s head resting on top of Reiner’s thigh, and something in her eyes is short enough to send a shudder up your spine.

“Best as a soldier?” she scoffs. “You think anyone joining the MP has such a pretentious, noble goal in mind?”

Even though Annie and Reiner didn’t seem to get along well, or have any common history you’re aware of, sometimes she is capable of saying things that make him go silent for a moment—like right now. Maybe that was just Annie’s expertise—saying things people didn’t want to face.

“What about you?” Reiner turns to you, choosing to run from Annie’s glacier-cutting gaze. “Changed your mind yet? Your performance has dropped, but you can still make a comeback in the final exams next month.”

You look up from where you’re crouching on the ground, digging your hands through the soil. The smell calms you, and nothing is quite a testimony to a hard day at work than the dirt and grime under your nails. “Nope, still don’t care about the MP,” you chirp.

“Really? Has Eren finally convinced you to join the Scouts, then?”

“Eren?” You throw a quick glance at him. “No, why would he have anything to do with that?”

“After everything you’ve been through, I thought you two are like this,” Reiner says, crossing index and middle finger. You throw a handful of dirt at him and pretend it doesn’t please you that the others think you and Eren are that close.

It shouldn’t be a surprise.

Not after you’ve survived the wolves; not while you two gradually gravitate towards each other like moths to a flame. Certainly not when every time you practice together in hand-to-hand-combat, it is like rough, desperate fucking where no one wants to relinquish the upper hand—and dominance—to the other. There is no finesse to your fighting, unlike Annie or Mikasa, you two just rely on brutal force and a desperation to win that is downright frightening at times.

Last time, you had almost won. Almost, if you hadn’t been so blind with joy and stroking your own ego having handed Eren his ass. Then, everything happened so quickly. He hooked his feet behind your ankles and tugged, swiping your legs from under you. Not even a second on your ass, his feet locked behind the back of your knees, he turned to the right, forcing you to turn with him, and suddenly you were the one on all fours, bending over. You had tried to scramble back up, but Eren snatched one arm from under you and his other hand found the back of your neck, pushing your face into the dirt, the other pinning your arm behind your back. His hips pressed hard against your ass. Stunned, you had remained still, and you could have sworn Eren had muttered something along the lines of “Right where I want you,” but you couldn’t be sure because a moment later, Jean was already there, kicking Eren off you. You didn’t pay any attention to their squabble—you didn’t pay attention to anything happening that day because your mind kept conjuring very unnecessary images of Eren using his strength to manhandle you in a bunch of different other positions.

“I made my decision a long time ago,” you say now before your mind can venture to those fantasies again, “and I’m not going to change it. Just like Eren won’t change his mind if I tried talking him out of joining the Scouts. Besides—” You clamp your mouth shut. Three pairs of eyes stare at you, waiting for you to continue, but you can’t just tell them about the deal you’ve made with Ymir.

She approached you two months ago, on a grey, rainy day—though maybe ‘approach’ was too tame a word for how she had slithered after you like a snake sneaking after prey for days on end. It was a simple, small mission; heading out to a long-abandoned manor close to Wall Rose and checking the damage after a vicious storm had swept through it. The rain had subsided enough to venture out, and during a short break under the coverage of a tree’s canopy, you had veered off the group to refill your water bottle with fresh rain water.

The landscape was not gentle and rolling, but harsh and foreboding. Green hills dotted with grey gorse swept up into crags of dark rock. Long lines of mortarless stone walls, meant for keeping in sheep, crisscrossed the green; here and there was dotted the occasional lonely cottage. The sky seemed an endless expanse of white, brushed with the strokes of long, dark grey clouds.

You had noticed Ymir shadowing you all week prior to that conversation. Standing in dark corners, watching you with her unnerving, small eyes like little pinpricks of a dagger’s sharp tip aiming for your throat. You’d known it was only a question of when she’d corner you, and when on that day, she had risen behind you, you were already expecting her, meeting her eyes only slightly obscured by the hood drawn over her face from her cape.

“What do you want?”

Ymir had stared at you, unblinkingly. And then she’d thrown her head back, barking out a laugh that cracked like thunder. “Right to the point, then. I like how you turned out after that whole fiasco with the dogs in the woods.”

“You mean when I almost died? Yeah. Great times.”

“Oh, come on.” Ymir rolled her eyes and joined you kneeling at the ground, wiping forth her own water flask. “You survived. You grew a pair of balls most of the guys here don’t have. It wasn’t all bad.”

You gave a gruff sound of acknowledging her words—the compliment. Ymir never handed out compliments unless one was small, blonde and named Christa, and the fact in itself only proved your theory that she was after something.

Staring at you some more, Ymir’s grin didn’t cool, but it sharpened. A muscle in her jaw clenched, as though she was chewing on her words before she spoke. Finally, she said, “I need you to do something.”

“You need me,” you repeated, just to check that you didn’t mishear, “to do something for you?”

Ymir nodded, a single curt movement as one would chop up wood. Or someone’s head. You felt as if ice water had been dumped down the back of your neck, shoving you to full alertness. “And what exactly would that be?” you asked.

Ymir stood still as a statue, unblinking. You felt as though something very serious was happening right now, and allowed her to take time to find the words. Then, she finally looked up, and said, “You don’t care about the ranking. Let Christa have your spot.”

“Hmm.” You watched the rain droplets collect at the mouth of your flask where they didn’t disappear in the narrow black hole. The wind picked up, whipping your coats left and right. So many thoughts whirled inside your head until they finally settled. “You want Christa in the MP, even though you won’t be able to follow her? Why?”

“None of your business,” Ymir snapped, not even trying to bite back a sharp retort. “Just say Yes or No. I’ll figure out something else.”

“Is it because you love her?” you continued, ignoring her. “Or are you arranging everything so that she’ll help you from inside the Inner Wall later?”

Ymir didn’t respond for a while. When you didn’t think she’d answer at all, she gritted out, “I want a safe life for Christa. Don’t pretend you’ve never had anyone like that.”

You pressed your lips together. The water in your bag had started spilling. You watched the water flow over and soak into the already wet earth.

“Okay,” you said.

There was only a brief pause. “Okay?”

“Yeah.” You shrugged. “It’s like you said, I don’t care about the ranking.”

Very quietly, you heard Ymir exhale a long breath. She rose to her feet, looking like she wanted to seal the deal somehow. With a handshake or a clap to your shoulder. Maybe even pat your cheek like she had done when she’d talked to you for the first time all those years back. Ultimately, she preferred her hand intact and wouldn’t gamble with you biting it off, and stood to go back to the other cadets.

“Ymir,” you said before she left. Ymir stopped. Slowly, she turned. “What’s in for me?”

She positively flashed her teeth at you like a cornered wolf as though you have not already learned how to dance with wolves. You were not afraid of them anymore. Screwing the water flask shut, you closed the distance between you two. “You didn’t think I’d just do you a favour with nothing in return, right?”

“I was hoping you’d be that naive, yes.”

You gave her a smile. It was not a pleasant smile. “No, you’d hoped I’d let you use me. But I’m not letting my chance at having you owe me pass.”

Ymir clicked her tongue. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, and looked mildly annoyed. “What do you want?”

“I don’t know yet,” you answered truthfully. Ymir’s mild look of annoyance grew into a very physical, very palpable thing she looked like she might use and whack you with.

“You had me thinking you’re badass and smart for a second. Who’s to say you hold up your end of the deal but I’ll disappear forever?”

“I’m not worried about that,” you said, climbing after her back up the hill. “I will find you and make you hold up your end of the bargain, Ymir.”

Ymir didn’t stop to look at you. “Is that a threat?”

“No. It’s a promise.”

***

Two years away from Trost, you have almost forgotten how badly crowded the narrow streets are. Carriages roll side by side with costermongers’ carts piled high with fruit and vegetables; women shawled and carrying shallow baskets full of flowers dive madly in and out of traffic as they try to interest the occupants of various carriages in their wares; and cabs come to a full stop in the midst of traffic so that the cab drivers can scream at one another from their seats. The noise adds to the din—ice cream paddlers shouting “Hokey-pokey, coin a lump,” newspaper boys hawking the day’s latest headline, and someone somewhere playing a barrel organ.

It is a vast contrast to today’s morning exercise where you’ve practised evacuating the civilians during a Titan breach, the streets empty save for the giant wooden Titan dummies and a few citizens acting out an emergency. The instructors dubbed it a simple exercise, but everyone knew it was part of the ongoing final examination that had started a week ago and is slowly creeping towards its end.

You’re surprised how easy it is to perform badly. Ymir’s deal gives you a nice way out of carrying the responsibility to make a choice after graduation. Already, other cadets have been mumbling “what a waste it is” that you would “only” join the Garrison when so many would use your rank and buzz off inthat hside the Inner Walls. Now that you’re leaving the spot to Christa, it’s like a weight has slipped from your shoulders.

Shadis notices, of course. The first two weeks had been the beginning of your military training all over again—screaming at you until his spit ran down your face in rivers, penalty drills for slacking off, threats to send you back home where you could pick up and sell shit from the gutters for all that he cared.

You’re still here a week later, though now you wish you weren’t because slowly, you’re running out of patience to deal with Jean’s bitching.

“And why would she just barge in like she owns the place?” he repeats for what must be the third time today. “I told her I’d drop by eventually.”

“Like you dropped by the last time we were stationed near the farms and didn’t visit her?” You haul another basket stacked to the brim with flower garlands onto the cart, pushing it to the very back against the other caskets you’ve already stored. As a little girl, you never noticed how many flowers were involved in the May Day. You were way too busy stuffing your mouth with sweets and pastries, and playing at the game stalls while the adults staggered past you with heavy beer and ale filled jugs, hollering and screeching songs.

The excitement for the holiday is like a charged up buzz jumping from person to person. A day and night full of revelries and pleasantries, games and drinks and good food. A break for cadets before their graduation—and a little pick me up for the Scouts as they’re heading out for another expedition outside the Walls the week after.

You’re mostly looking forward to the food and enjoying a great time with your friends before everyone goes their own way. Who knows when you’ll see each other next time. If you see each other next time.

You shake your head, banishing these thoughts to where they don’t wear down your excitement.

“What do you mean, No?” Jean asks incredulously, which is a problem because he stops and you walk right into him, and the second basket you’re carrying bounces off his back and right into your stomach as you walk into him.

“Ooof.” You glare up at him. “Do you mind? I want to finish this work before lunch break.”

He stares at you, and realises too late, “You didn’t listen to anything I just said, did you?”

You don’t bother trying to look contrite. Jean looks like he might throw his hands up, but the basked in his hands makes that impossible unless he’d prefer a broken foot. Instead, he settles for pulling a face at you.

“I can’t believe I’m pouring my heart out to you like that and you don’t care.” He drops the casket unceremoniously into the cart so that half its contents spill, and turns around to you, thick arms crossed over his broad chest. His white shirt sticks to his skin from the hard work, outlining the strong chords of muscles running along his arms, his abdomen. He always used to be taller than you, but now after years of hard, rigorous training, he’s also broader, and he has no problem letting you know that during hand-to-hand-combat practice or whenever he wants to make a point and hands your ass to you.

“It’s hard to be on your side when all you do is bitch about having a mother who’s looking after you,” you snap. The effect is immediate. Jean takes a step back as if he has been punched and doesn’t know where the blow has come from. When he stares at you, it’s like he’s seeing you for the first time. Something inside his face shuts close.

“You don’t understand—” he begins, but immediately seals his mouth shut.

You cock your head to the side, challenging him. “Why? Because I don’t have a mom? No parents who can fuzz around and worry about me?”

Jean goes very quiet. “That’s not what I meant.”

You stare each other down like two strangers trying to determine if the person standing before you is a threat. It is as though even after these three years and everything you have been through, Jean feels more distant lately.

Before you can open your mouth, a female voice shouts from across the plaza, “You two, stop slacking off and move your asses! We’ve still got too much work to do!”

“Let’s go back,” you say, subdued.

Jean sighs and makes an after-fucking-you gesture. You move to the next row of baskets in silence. Working with your body is easier than working with your brain on how to undo the damage. But one look at Jean tells you his face is still a closed door. You have no patience for delicate lock-picking, and instead decide to kick the door in.

“I’m sorry,” you say at the same time he blurts, “I didn’t mean to be an asshole.”

You look at each other. Smile. Order has been restored.

“Ida just means well. After graduation, she won’t be seeing you anytime soon,” you say. The next basket is full of white daisies, tulips and roses. You stare at the soft-petalled mount, feeling the strange urge to shove your face right into them and inhale. Maybe you’ll get high on the sweet smelling pollen.

“I know, I know.” Jean waves his hand. “I’ll visit her. After that stupid cook off next week.”

“Why did you want to participate in the first place?”

“You think I’d let Sasha and her big mouth go around and tell everyone she’s a better cook than me?”

“Oh, woe is men and their fragile pride.”

Jean shoves you with his elbow, only hard enough to make you lose your balance.

You finish your work, the next assignment already waiting for you on the other side of the District. Your supervising officer orders you to join with the others who are already busy setting up the sets of tables and benches, and the minstrels’ stage.

You walk the same streets as three years ago on the day you signed up for the military. The District hasn’t changed at all, but you two have. You don’t miss how Jean tilts his face upwards, examining the roofs and crenellations of the buildings. Looking for anchor points for his gear. You’ve also categorised the best advance points by height. The whole world looks different since the ODM gear has become a part of you.

As you cross the plaza, Jean throws an apple at you, a leftover from Ida’s surprise visit last week. You catch it with ease, your reflexes sharpened to an arrow’s tip precision over the years. Turning it over in your hand, you barely dodge a cart transporting a row of stacked benches onto the plaza. Good service those reflexes do you. But Jean has pulled you into his side for good measure as well, staring daggers after the cart.

“Bloody Hell, it’s like suddenly they don’t know how to manoeuvre those things,” he says.

You glance at his hand still closed tightly around your upper arm.

“They’re just excited,” you say. “And a little nervous. They still haven’t found a May Queen.”

“I wonder why they don’t just pick a random chick, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“The people of Trost think differently about it.”

Jean mumbles something to himself and lets you go. “That’s why you don’t change tradition. If they’d just pick a pretty lass, we wouldn’t be under this pressure.”

“Anyone specific in mind?”

Jean looks down at you, snuffling. “Mikasa for example.”

“Wow. Okay.”

“What? Do you want to be May Queen?”

You raise your chin. “I mean, I don’t, but why do you sound like I wouldn’t be able to pull it off?”

“I mean…” Jean kneads the back of his neck. “I don’t remember the last time you wore a dress.”

“It’s not like I forgot how to move in petticoats and girdles,” you say. “I just prefer not to.”

“Come on, how hard can it be?”

“Hmph,” you say. “I’d like to see how you’d manage sitting and standing up straight in stays and petticoats for a whole night.”

“So would I,” says Marco, appearing out of nowhere with a table thrown over his shoulder as though it weighs nothing. Jean and you share a moment of silent appreciation for Marco’s arm muscles.

Jean shakes his head. Either about your comment or to clear his head from whatever images Marco’s sight conjures in his mind. “Whatever. I only really care about the food, and after that, it’s straight up inside the Inner Wall and away from this sewer of a District.”

You question that ‘straight,’ but you question even more if Marco has managed to talk with Jean about a change of heart. When you give him a sideways glance, Marco catches your eye and subtly shakes his head. Not yet, it seems.

“You know, if there’s ever a chance I’ll meet your Military Police regiment, I’ll do my best to embarrass you and tell them all those funny stories about little Jeanie how he got trapped naked in a rose bush,” you say, and drop the apple Jean has given you in a beggar-woman’s lap as you enter the wide, open marketplace.

“You wouldn’t—” Jean begins, but is interrupted by cheers erupting like a thunder storm around you. People scream, their hands thrown high in the air. You’re the definition of confusion. Marco almost drops the table and crushes a little girl darting between the adults crowding you three like ants climbing over themselves to reach food.

“May Queen!” the girl shrieks, and throws a bright flower crown with frightening precision on your head. She then points at you. “We’ve found our May Queen!”

Oh.

Oh no.

“Oh no no no no no,” you say out loud the moment someone swoops you up your feet. Nausea rolls through you—you hate hate being picked up, hate how it makes you feel like the small kid from five years ago during Shiganshina’s attack—before you start hyperventilating, you glimpse Jean in the crowd, doubled over and supporting himself against Marco, laughing at you so hard he almost topples over.

Bastard.

“No sense of modesty, not one of them,” you spit, holding your breath as Mina, Hannah and Christa try to get you into that prison of a dress made specifically for this year’s May Day celebrations. The seamstress who worked on the dress, Hilda, smiles patiently.

“Well, the people … and I mean the women, have been complaining for years that only choosing the most beautiful girl seems a little unfair. I liked that no one new this year’s criteria. I’ve heard a woman in Stohess adopted a litter of kittens, and another performed a handstand for hours and hours in Jinae. Acts of kindness make for a far better queen than her appearance, don’t you think so too, girls?”

They grunt their replies, too focused on tying the bodice on your back.

“Since we’re at it,” you wheeze, feeling as though your lungs are being crushed and all your organs squeezed into a pipeline, “how about we change the dress code as well?”

“Now, let’s not get too hasty,” Hilda says, smiling. “Or I will be out of a job.”

“But I will be out of a life.”

“Beauty is harsh,” Hilda provides unhelpfully, “but you will be the most powerful woman tonight.” And with that, she jitters away like a little excited bird to grab more silk ribbons. It’s probably the first and last time you will ever wear something so expensive.

“Last chance,” you say, turning to your friends after Mina finishes tying the last knot at the back of your corset. “Any volunteers? Christa? You would make such a better May Queen than me.”

Christa beams. “Nonsense! You look so stunning, [Name]! And I think this is exactly what you need after dropping out of the ranking.”

Gods bless her heart. You don’t know what to say should she find out you do this for her sake.

“All eyes will be on you tonight.” Mina takes your hand and twirls you around as if you are a princess and she is asking for a dance. The frilly, heavy dress brushes against your thighs and leaves a sliver of skin visible, showing exactly where—and how tight—the white tights you’re wearing end. “I can’t wait for all the festivities and drinks and music!”

“I heard the Scouts will be there as well,” Hannah chimes in. She lets her hand roam over the different fabrics Hilda has laid out before deciding which colour would suit your eyes best. “They’re off to another expedition next week, right?”

“Just a small one. I can’t imagine most of the execs joining tonight though. There’s still the final test at the end of this week, and then the official choosing of our branches.”

“It’s so weird,” Mina whispers, her grey eyes big. “We’ll graduate tomorrow.”

She’s met with silence. Between most of the cadets there is the unanimous agreement that nobody talks about the graduation; about the friends you’ll part from. You look over at Mina, oh and there it is again, the expression on her face you have recently come to see—and loathe—more often: as though her saint has forsaken her and now she is facing a brewing storm all alone.

Mina catches your eyes and gives you a sad, little smile. You have already been instructed that if you join the Garrison, you will be stationed at your home districts. You will stay here in Trost, but Mina will return to Karanes District. Even the promise that you will visit each other is only bitter-sweet knowing the first two or three years will be strictly to settle in your new unit.

“Oh, stop making those faces,” Christa says. “Tonight is a night of fun! I won’t allow you to go out frowning like that.” She grins and takes your hand, and in that brief second something flashes in her eyes that is so unlike Christa that you hesitate when she starts pulling you towards the shop’s front door. It makes her stop dead in her tracks—and there it is again, the timid look etched onto her face like a painting you’re more familiar with after all those years.

Mina must have realised Christa’s plan. She takes your other hand and kicks open the door. “Come on, we’re done taking measures. Let’s go and see the plaza.”

“I don’t think Hilda is done with the dress—” you begin, but your protest falls on deaf ears. Mina’s eyes sparkle with mischief. You have always been unable to tell her No when the Saint of Adventures holds her captive.

She pulls you outside the small tailor shop and into a narrow street where vibrant garlands of flowers hang from the roofs like exotic snakes. Already, the streets are filled with mouth-watering smells of food, the sound of laughter and joy.

Mina plucks a colourful flower wreath from a vendor’s stand. The man’s face behind the counter, just a moment ago a brewing storm, immediately clears of any wrinkles and lights up when he sees you. He bows like a knight courting a princess, greeting you with a loud, jolly “Maienkoenigin!” and with that, you are in the centre of attention.

You’re pretty sure the revelries would have started with a small speech from Trost’s mayor during Commander Pixis’ presence, but now that the people see you are out on the streets, they’ve taken it into their own hands to toast to you.

From all corners you see flower petals thrown in your direction. “Maria Maienkoenigin, wir kommen dich zu gruessen. Oh holde Freudenspenderin, sieh uns zu deinen Fuessen!” they sing the holiday’s song in honour of the May Queen and Wall Maria where the May Festival five years ago should have taken place.

Boys and girls dance around your knees, grabbing for your skirts to get your attention and accept their little flower bouquets as the crowd moves to the plaza with you in the middle. Tall poles stand at the entrances, decorated with more flowers and paper garlands snaking around them to the very top. The May pole, this year a birch tree, has already been erected in the centre where a wide square has been outlined to mark the dance floor and where later boys and girls weave the colourful ribbons around the pole.

Surrounding it are multiple, long rows of tables and on the side, right next to a wooden square where the band plays, officials have prepared a celebratory banquet fit for a queen. Your mouth waters just thinking about all the delicacies waiting to be devoured.

Were it up to you, you’d immediately charge for the food. But Mina has other plans. She pulls you towards a table—you didn’t even notice your training corps has gathered and selected one closest to the banquet.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Mina announces. “Our May Queen!”

A round of polite applause sounds until they get a better look at you.

Connie starts howling like a wild animal.

Somewhere Ymir is screaming her case that Christa should wear that dress instead.

Jean, sitting at the very front, just stares at you—and that of all lashes uncertainty across your chest like a spiky whip. You don’t think you have ever felt self-conscious in front of him, but now you are painfully aware of the low cut of your dress, the corset hugging your body tight and pushing your tits up into full, round mounds. It feels as though one move too much and your tights will rip in two. You are very aware of how you look as you slide onto the bench next to Jean. He doesn’t scoot over to make you place, leaving your thigh pressing right against his, but turns his head away and takes a big swig from his cup as though his mouth is parched.

Compared to Eren, Jean has manners, at least. Ever since you have joined, he hasn’t stopped staring blatantly at your tits.

“Hey,” Jean snaps. Eren doesn’t blink. “Hey, Jeager!” He snaps his fingers right in front of Eren’s eyes. “Eyes up, you freak.”

Eren startles, and blinks as if he’s just woken up from a dream. He looks from you to Jean, and very intelligently says, “Huh?”

“You look very pretty,” Marco mumbles into his cup from Jean’s other side because he is the only gentleman in this rowdy round of pigs.

“I could do with a little less cleavage,” you admit. “And a little more breathing.”

“Well, it’s tradition.” Jean fumbles with his wooden spoon as if it is particularly hot to the touch. When he drops it and it falls in the non-existing space between your touching legs, he glares at it very hard as if by doing that, he might will it back into his hands. You pick it up, hold it out to him. Jean stares at you as if he sees you for the very first time.

“You don’t think there’s anything wrong with a tradition that puts women into skimpy dresses?” you ask. Jean needs a full minute before he finally takes the spoon from you. It is deliberately careful as though you are handing him a sharp tool rigged with thorns that might jump at him any second.

He makes a point looking right into your eyes. “I just think you made a lot of guys very happy today.”

“Meaning how?”

He shrugs. “We guys just talk about stuff.”

You look sideways at him. “Anything interesting?”

Jean gives you a quick once-over and says, “Oh, you have no idea.”

You can tell he wants you to ask what, so you don’t.

Once the excitement settles and the feast begins, you slowly begin to feel more comfortable. You don’t think you’ll get used to the stares and gawking, and you can’t wait to wear your comfortable uniform again where the greatest offence is someone staring at your ass. But for only one day it is nice to be revelled for your womanhood, for your beauty, and the power a woman holds for bringing forth life from her womb.

The food is more delicious than anything you had during your trainee days. You don’t remember the last time you had meat. Roasted pig, a fatty chicken broth with fresh vegetables. Familiar recipes from your childhood are served at the banquet: raviolis, tardpolane, blancmange and clarer. The mead and beer flows in rivers, served by beautiful girls who all wear a distinct flower in their hair. Children come and share their treats with you, piling hills of sweet rolls, candies and honeyed biscuits onto your table. You’re glad Sasha is already working on it.

District Mayor Singman holds his speech about work and prosperity, about the great solidarity that made this feast possible in the first place and the great harvest waiting as a reward later in the year. Commander Pixis is next, but you barely listen to his praises about the recruits showing great promise and how he can’t wait to welcome them. You’re too busy peeking over at Eren who is peeking back at you from time to time. His pupils are blown black whenever his eyes trail over the crimson ribbon holding your front together—one pull on that ribbon alone and your whole dress would come undone.

 So you don’t pay much attention when Jean and Sasha and their teams go to the front and hold their competition. Only when the familiar scent of Ida’s omelette wafts to your table, you look up and see Jean standing up on the podium, looking a little lost as he presents his culinary creation to Commander Pixis. The fact that he used his favourite meal, one of Ida’s many dishes she has perfected over the years just so her little Jeanie would go nuts with joy, unfurls something in your chest, making you feel a warmth that you know has nothing to do with the mead in your belly.

Jean wins, and thus the festival’s games begin.

Everyone who wins a small wooden chip can switch it for a free drink, a treat or a small token of affection from yours truly, the May Queen—all in accordance with your consent, of course, and you’re glad Garrison and MP soldiers on duty make sure no one oversteps your boundaries. You doubt anyone is out for quarrel and blood today, anyway. Revelries like this one are such a rarity that nobody wants to fight.

Most have been very sweet so far. Old grannies and grandpas give you their gifted tokens to hold and pat your hand, telling you their stories—about past May Days and the games and feasts and joyous times before Wall Maria’s fall.

Sometimes you stop listening because you spot a handsome young man or pretty young woman throwing starry-eyed, flirtatious gazes your way from a distance, their chips held close and dear to their chests, unsure if they can come closer. You’ve only had a few sips from the mead served at every table, but you feel so warm, so comfortable. You always smile back at them.

Others would come to chink glasses or invite you to a quick dance under the intoxicating sound of a jolly fiddle and the beautiful voices of a bard duo.

Not even an hour in, the first familiar face emerges from the crowd of strangers. Reiner grins down at you when you roll your eyes in a teasing way.

“Popular, aren’t we?” he says, flipping the chip between his fingers. His shirt is torn at the collar, dust and dirt patches adorn his cheeks and the lower part of his shirt that’s half-tugged into his breeches. Behind him, Bertholdt trails him like a shadow, looking anxious as always when he’s swallowed by a foreign crowd. It isn’t the first time you notice that he’s attractive in this non-conventional way. He doesn’t stick out even though he is so damn tall; he isn’t overly handsome but you really adore his nose and his pale green eyes. Bertholdt catches your eyes and gives you a small, sheepish smile. He looks as though he’d rather face a dozen Titans than asking someone for a quick dance.

“Why am I not surprised?” You smile, slightly leaning forward as you prop yourself up on a fence you’ve been leaning against. Reiner’s eyes immediately drop to your neckline. He mirrors your smile, and you feel all warm and tingly in your belly, the honeyed taste of mead still sweet and heavy on your tongue. “But you look like someone roughed you up real good.”

“Grappling.” He gives a lazy shrug, but you can see that he’s secretly pleased to have won. “You should see the other guy.”

“Tell me then, what affection do you seek?” you recite the quote—not for the first or last time for this night.

His only answer is a suggestive grin, and then he leans over and brushes his lips over your cheek. It sends a bolt of electricity from your face down to your legs where your knees turn to cotton. Satisfied with your reaction, he saunters away, leaving you feeling warmer than after any dance so far. It takes a minute or two until your heart stops thrumming when the next suitors already wait in line.

“Just like I predicted,” Christa beams up at you. She’s circled by Ymir and Mina, and judging from the rose-red blush on their cheeks, you aren’t the only one who’s a few drinks in. They’re wearing flower crowns as well: blood-crimson and virgin-white petals sit proudly on their heads. Except Ymir. You can hardly imagine her a queen anyway. A knight seems more likely. Christa’s virtue has always been Ymir’s biggest priority during trainee days.

Mina sways a little. It takes a moment for you to realise she’s trying to pull something out of her pocket, and when she finally manages it without losing balance, she proudly presents you a wooden chip. “I have a chip,” she declares, just to make sure you don’t miss it. She holds it under your nose as if you might still doubt her. “It was Christa though who won it,” she adds very sadly.

“Yeah, but I’m the only one who can give Christa anything,” Ymir quickly butts in, throwing her arms possessively around Christa’s small frame.

You’re about to blurt that allowing Christa entrance into the MP is already more than anything one could get around here, when Mina slaps her hands on your cheeks and smashes her mouth on yours. Her lips are very, very soft, and she tastes like sweet apple cider.

As quickly, she pulls back, a happy smile spreading on her face.

You grin back. Before joining the military, you’ve kissed one or two boys in Trost, their names already long lost and withered in a garden where you’ve pledged to take care of new flowers that have grown over the last three years. The bouvardia’s little pink heads shake in excitement today.

Mina takes your hand and weaves you surprisingly soberly through the dancing and laughing crowd, dodging expertly whoever tries to reach for you because they want to invite you for another pint or dance. She leads you to a table a little off the main plaza where couples and children dance in never-ending circles to the music, and only when you sit down, a little confused from the new surroundings, you notice the familiar faces of your squad.

Connie and Sasha, arm in arm, sway to the music, singing gibberish lyrics that could be the right ones, could be their whole new take on it. Daz and Samuel try to outdrink each other, not caring about how unkindly their bodies will repay them come tomorrow. You notice Annie, Reiner and Bertholdt are not present and wonder what they might be up to. In your half-drunken state there’s only one answer you arrive at, one that makes you giggle into your mug and almost choke on the mead.

“What are you laughing at?” Jean asks. He has Marco and Armin in tow—one distinctly blushing, the other too aware, too attentive for your liking. Clearly, Armin hasn’t touched any booze yet, and clearly, that is about to change.

The moment he sits down, on cue, a bartender from the closest counter swipes in and distributes new mugs spilling over with beer.

“Here’s your drink, stranger,” he says. “Bottoms up.”

Armin obediently starts getting up.

The bartender gently presses him back down. “The drink, lad.”

“What’s it like, being the popular one for one day?” Jean asks as he leans over the table, wearing that stupid smug smile you’d love to punch off his face. Maybe with your mouth even. The thought whips you sober; kicks up dust that’s settled in a corner for such a long time that you forgot all about the feeling it’s hiding and what it’s like to mourn her.

Answer. You still have to answer, even though you’re afraid you might choke on that dust.

“That’s a whole day more than you’ll ever get, Kirschstein,” you say, quickly locking your lips to your tankard because your mouth feels too dry.

Jean flips you off. Beside you, Marco is fiddling with something in his lap, and when you take a closer look, you see he’s pushing a wooden chip into his palm with his thumb. He catches your gaze and flushes furiously.

“Jean,” he begins, startling Jean opposite from him. Quieter, Marco continues, “Jean won it.”

You level Jean with a long, silent gaze.

“What?” Jean mumbles.

“You saying you wouldn’t wanna kiss [Name]?” Connie shouts from the other end of the table.

Suddenly, it’s deafeningly silent.

“It’d be like kissing my own cousin,” he shouts back, his voice loud enough it almost breaks. From nervousness? From disgust?

The table laughs.

You laugh.

Suddenly, the mead sloshes heavy in your stomach like acid. Maybe you’ve just drunk too much.

The jest unlocks something that’s been holding Marco back. He quickly snatches your hand and presses his lips to your knuckles before dropping it again and lifting himself from the seat. He flees into the crowd of dancers, ears crimson red, Sasha’s cries to bring her more of the sticky honey roast falling on deaf ears.

When you look over at Jean, he’s staring at you, then at Marco, as if he’s just realised something, and his pupils grow large, black. Fathomless.

You need to know what’s going on in his head, but before you can voice your question—bold by wine and pleasure, you’re ready to cross the line—a storm in the form of Eren appears right beside you, trailed by Mikasa who—do your eyes deceive you?—looks as though she’s trying not to smile. She catches Armin’s eyes, and they both share a silent glance.

Eren announces his arrival by slamming a wooden chip right in front of you as though you have insulted him and now it’s his right to demand reparations to his status.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” he demands.

You blink up at him, and it takes time before your eyes meet his as your attention gets lost on the way to his face: on his biceps, on his sharp collarbones winking at you from under his white shirt.

“What’s so hard to understand about it?” Jean snorts into his tankard. “It’s just for fun, Jaeger. Maybe you should look it up in a dictionary.”

Eren does look a little as though he’s never heard of that. You also can’t imagine him participating in a game for fun. He’d make a game of can knockdown into a question of life and death.

“You can give it to me, if you don’t want it,” Connie pipes up.

“You scared of girls, Jeager?” Jean continues, talking over whatever Connie has in mind with you. “This might be your only chance ever getting kissed by one before you head out beyond the Walls and die a horrible, pathetic death.”

“It’s stupid,” Eren says to you, as if you are the inventor of the May Queen’s tradition. “It cost me two coins to play the damn game and this is what I get?”

“No one is forcing you—” Connie tries again, sneaking his hand across the table to swipe the chip.

“Ohh, look at you, Eren, trying to pretend like you’d hate it,” you speak up now, slamming your hand over the chip and almost squishing Connie’s fingers under your palm. He jerks back, cradling his hand close to his chest. “You want to kiss me so bad, it makes you look stupid.”

Once more, laughter rises from your table. You look into the faces of your friends and relish in being the reason for their joy.

Eren doesn’t think it’s funny. Eren Jaeger is fucking determined to prove you wrong. He slaps his hands around your cheeks, holding your head in place. Every sound dies at your table.

You’re about to tell him it’s just a joke, no need to get his knickers in a twist, but he’s dead set on his mission: Giving you a concussion because he smashes his mouth against your forehead and almost knocks you both out cold.

Jean, who’s still been laughing until this point, goes dead silent, looking sickly grey.

“Hey—” he begins, but gets knocked over by an over-excited and slightly drunk Connie, splashing beer all over himself.

Eren reels back, hand pressed against his mouth, his bottom lip bleeding where his teeth have grazed it. Your head throbs and you’re pretty sure your cheeks show red lines where he’s pressed his fingers into your skin with a bruising grip.

“Oh my God, don’t you know how to kiss someone?” Connie hollers, banging his fist on the table hard enough it shakes and you hear a distinct crack. Jean starts to climb over the table, ready to administer rough justice, but his foot gets stuck at the edge and he topples off the table right to the feet of a few girls who misinterpret it and haul him up to drag him away to the dance floor. Your whole table is attacked by merry dancers, and you’re yanked away from your friends when the minstrels begin their performance and the music picks up again. The sounds swell to a roar—as do the guest’s voices when they chime in with the jolly song.

The Fishmonger’s daughter, ba ba The Fishmonger’s daughter, ba ba The Fishmonger’s daughter, ba ba The Fishmonger’s daughter, ba ba ba

A great classic to start off the night. Ring-a-ring-of-roses it goes as the guests dance in a wide circle, arm in arm, shouting in tandem. You don’t know the faces to your left and right, but their smiles are infectious. You laugh so hard your belly and cheeks hurt. The circle breaks, pairs find together like bees to flowers. Now that everyone is on their feet and in a dancing mood, the minstrels start a new song. On and on in circles it goes—left and right, from partner to partner until faces blur and become unrecognisable.

Your head feels light, as though filled with cotton. You want to stay in this moment forever—dancing, singing, laughing.

A strong hand gently settles on your underarm. You look up at strong, broad shoulders and arms the size of logs. The man has slicked his blonde hair back neatly, and when he walks through the crowd, it parts naturally as though he is a force of nature to be reckoned with—and then he turns, and you look up in the sharp, blue eyes of Survey Corps Commander Erwin Smith.

A/N: Fingers crossed I'll upload the final chapter of the first act at the end of October.

***

Taglist: @arisu003, @brooki, @prttyangelbaby, @honeylmnade, @berriesandcrem

#aot x reader #aot x you #aot x y/n #snk x reader #snk x you #snk x y/n #eren x reader #eren x you #eren x y/n #eren jaeger x reader #eren yeager x reader #swyaatl

[foodandfolklore]

Magical Recipes; how to approach an established recipe as a Kitchen Witch

Art by forestfolke on Deviant Art I think one of the most confusing things for new, or even experienced, kitchen witches is how to expand their recipe catalogue for their practice. A lot of new kitchen witches think you need to follow a recipe that has been written special for Witchy Cooking. That the regular recipes they find or use just won't have any magical purpose. But that's just not the case.

You don't need to buy special cook books with recipes exclusively for Kitchen Witches. You can take any recipe that already exists and apply it to your wants or needs. To help explain this process, I'm going to take a recipe I found online then reverse engineer it into a Kitchen Witch Recipe.

The Recipe

My Partner often donates blood, so eating foods that keep his Iron up is important to us. But I also want this dish to be emotionally satisfying Vs just eating a Steak, which neither of us find particularly appealing. I thought I'd try a Cottage Pie (also called Shepperd's Pie) because I want to find a new recipe that will help use up ingredients. Don't get me wrong, soups are awesome; but I tend to go a little light on the meat/alternatives. I tend to keep a good supply of ground meat in the freezer, so know I'll have most of the key stuff.

So I'm starting with this recipe since I don't have my own Cottage Pie recipe. Here are the Ingredients: Filling

1 lb lean ground beef

1 lb ground sausage (I use Jimmy Dean pork sausage)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small yellow onion , chopped

2 ribs celery , chopped

1-2 carrots , chopped (about 1 cup)

3  cloves garlic , minced

1/4  cup  all-purpose flour

2 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth

2  tablespoons  tomato paste

1  cube beef bouillon

2  tablespoons  Worcestershire sauce

1  teaspoon  fresh thyme , chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary , chopped (or ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary)

2  bay leaves

½ cup frozen corn

½ cup frozen peas

Topping

2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes , Yukon gold or russet potatoes

¼ cup  sour cream

½ cup milk

4  tablespoons butter

salt and pepper , to taste

½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese , for topping

So let's start with the topping since it has less ingredients to worry about. For those unfamiliar with cottage pie, the base of the pie is mostly meat and Veggies, and then it's topped with some mashed potatoes before baking. It's common to just use leftover mashed potatoes. So, I'll just use my mashed potato and cauli recipe. In short, it's half potato and half cauliflower with roast garlic and seasonings. Both Potatoes and Cauliflower have protective properties. Since this is the protective top layer of the Pie, I thought the symbolism carried itself further. The Cauliflower will also work well together with the Garlic to Banish any negativity from the pie, as well as from those who consume it.

Now let's break down the filling. Starting with the largest Ingredients. Ground Beef and Ground Sausage. Ground meats in general are fantastic for grounding energy. I'll probably sub the ground beef for whatever ground meat I have on hand, so the grounding aspect is what I'll focus on for now. Potatoes are also good for grounding. This is over all is going to be a very down to earth, hearty meal. Next, the vegetables. Onion, Celery, Carrots, Peas, and Corn. Corn is not something I use on the regular, but it's has a good use in Kitchen Magic as a power multiplier. Similar to Rice. Carrots have heath and energy properties, something I want in a dish for improving Iron Levels. Though I never particularly enjoyed peas, I'll use them for their health and abundance benefit. Green Peas are also high in Iron. Celery is great ingredient to add to a dish to add lasting happiness and satisfaction. Which I defiantly want so when the dish is consumed, you don't feel disappointed. Onion will add onto the Protection and Health. But Onion also has good cleansing properties, so I have the habit of adding it to my pan first to cleanse my cooking station. I'll probably cook some or all of the onion with the meat. Now the Seasonings. Not everything used in your cooking needs to have a magical purpose. It can just be there to enhance the taste of your food. I use Worcestershire sauce often in my cooking with no thought to it's magical abilities. I use it all the time when I want to add some extra umami or savory flavour. But there are some things we can add to help enhance the magic. Thyme, Rosemary, and Bay. All three of these herbs are good for health and healing. I can feed this to my SO before a donation to make sure his Iron is up. Then I can feed it to them after when their body is recuperating. Though I may forgo the Bay leaf. I tend to worry I'll leave it in my food when it's not supposed to be eaten XD But that said, I think I'll add a few of my own. Marjoram seems like it will go well in this, which will add to the Happiness and Comfort of my meal. I wanna add some Basil and Cayenne to this. The Basil I'm hoping will help stop long term fatigue, so my SO's mind is not affected by the donation. Cayenne for a blast of extra energy. I'll also add some extra Garlic and Parsley. I'll also make a few other personal tweaks like swapping the Flour for Cornstarch. I prefer using corn starch in my sauces, and I already have corn as an ingredient anyway, so it should mesh together better on their property levels. Cooking/Assembling Now that I have the magical properties of all my ingredients established, I simply need to assemble them according to the recipe directions. The only difference is, when I add something to the dish, I know what I'm adding not only on a Mundane level, but also the magic properties of the food. I'm adding ground meat to ground my dish and the people consuming it. I add Celery to help the food be emotionally satisfying. I'll add peas to enhance health and healing. Ect.

Also note, you don't need to do as big of a dissection every time you want to cook a recipe as a Kitchen Witch. If you come across an ingredient or two you are familiar with the magic properties for (Or the ingredient just has a spiritual meaning to you personally) You can add it to your meal with that meaning in mind. Like adding a little honey to your tea to sweeten and brighten your day. Also note, most ingredients have multiple magical uses. Just as they have multiple culinary uses. You can add honey to tea for happiness, or may may choose to add it help heal and get over a cold you have. Or you can add it for both reasons! Or neither reason; maybe you just want some honey. You are the Castor, the Decider, the Kitchen Witch!

Eat well and be well 💜💜💜

#food and folklore #klickwitch #kitchen witch #kitchen witchcraft #witch #cottagecore #cottage pie #Shepperd's pie #recipe #witch cooking #food meanings #magic properties #food #yum #pagan #recipes #magic #practical magic #cooking

[sybilius]

BIG garden day! I have been reminded by several sources that my neglect of pollinators in my planting has been....a thing. So this trip to home Depot did indeed mean a BUNCH of plant purchases.

First, and foremost, marigolds for the tomato zone. (Viddy game voice) "it's dangerous to go alone. Bring a friend" (plants a little flower next to my tomat).

Next, a hubristic amount of beefsteak tomato plants. 6 to be exact. I really had space for two, but we made do. I think this is anti-companion planting for my cauliflower but uhhh anyways it's fine I prefer tomato to cauliflower anyways. Don't worry about it. I also pulled up some radishes to make room, and gave a handful to my downstairs neighbor :)

And finally, a little pollinator patch to tidy up the ugly bed that was covered in a tarp (and before that was covered in grass). This is great! They had a little "native plants" pack that benefitted a local wildlife group that made me very happy. I'll probably add a few more plants and change up that rusty tin thing for a proper birdbath at some point so the pollinators can get a drink :)

#personal #gardening