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theonewiththefanfics · 2 years

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Ten Things I Like About You (one-shot)

Synopsis: There is one rule for Y/N to accept Jason Carver's advances: if he wants to go out with her, the jock has to name ten things he likes about the resident 'Freak'Eddie Munson. Can he do it?

Pairing: Eddie Munson x fem!Reader

Warnings: swearing, Jason being a dick as usual, nothing else I can think of (minimally edited)

Genre: fluff mainly

Word count: 3085

DO NOT REPOST OR TRANSLATE MY WORKS ON OTHER PLATFORMS WITHOUT SPECIFIC WRITTEN PERMISSION!!!

Y/N Y/L/N was an enigma at Hawkins High. Not unpopular by any means, but didn’t run directly in with the ‘it’ crowd either. She was friends or at least friendly with most of the cliques, but even with the ones she didn’t interact with, she didn’t bully or look down on them, simply coexisted without any problems. Eddie thought it was probably why he’d started to crush on the girl.

Typically, she’d be sitting by the cheerleader table, her and the Queen of Hawkins High Chrissy Cunningham being as thick as thieves unless Nancy Wheeler had taken some time off from their newspaper to come and eat a bit, but starting from a couple of months ago, from time to time, he’d find the girl by his Hellfire Club table. She wouldn’t bother them, wouldn’t talk, wouldn’t even look at them, simply sat down and started to push around the sludge-like mashed potatoes or scrutinize the way-too-orange looking mac‘n’cheese on her plate.

At first, Eddie wanted to snark at her, wanted to tell her to get lost, but the day Y/N had first taken a seat at the far end of their table, he’d noticed how she’d closed her eyes for a moment, took in a deep breath and exhaled. And then, when she did open her eyes – it was like a giant boulder had come off her shoulders. And he understood it. Maybe not exactly what or why she felt that way, but he did, and Eddie’d be damned if it didn’t make his heart skip a beat at the thought, she felt safe around him and his bunch, safe enough to let down her guard like that.

Slowly it had become a routine. Seemingly whenever Y/N had too much of something, she’d take a now unofficially assigned seat at the right end of their table and just sit there. She’d throw them a small smile and a wave, then pull out her Walkman and put the headphones on, disconnecting her from the surrounding world, and Eddie had sort of taken it upon himself to make sure Y/N enjoyed her forty minutes of peace unbothered. Maybe he’d sometimes let Robin Buckley or Chrissy take her out of the zen state, but for anyone else, Eddie would give the most menacing and crazy look he could muster, so the person tucked their tail between their legs and turned the other way, leaving the girl alone.

This was one of those days where Y/N needed to get away from the crowd, it seemed, as Eddie watched how her shoulders and back tensed more and more with every second the guys from the basketball team spoke around her while she sat next to Chrissy, before something in her snapped. She placed a gentle palm on the other girl’s hand, squeezed it and stood up, taking her food tray with her, as well as her book bag.

Loud “oh, come on, Y/N!” followed her, but she didn’t even look back, rather gritted her teeth so as to seemingly not let out whatever it was, she wanted to actually say.

With a deep sigh, she dropped the bag on the ground, and a bit more carefully placed the red plastic tray on the table as to not let the questionable meal of the day slip off.

She was wearing a pair of light baggy jeans, some graphic tee of an obscure-looking indie movie printed on, tucked behind the waistband and cinched with a black belt while a knitted patchwork cardigan kept her warm in the still somewhat cool spring winds.

Y/N looked comfortable, and that was also one of the things Eddie liked about her. She didn’t really follow the newest fashion trends. Sure, her clothes were mostly styled in a way that reflected whatever was in at that moment, but she did it in her own way. Eddie was pretty much sure, he’d seen that cardigan on her all throughout high school. She didn’t hide behind clothes to create a persona, she used that and make-up, or on some days none of it, to enhance who she already was.

“Shit,” Y/N muttered under her breath, bringing Eddie out from his thoughts as her fork clattered below the table.

Grumbling, she put her Walkman away to lean down and grab it, but the freshman Mike, who’d Eddie had recruited for the D&D club, beat her to it.

“Here,” the boy mumbled, and Y/N flashed him a grateful smile.

“Thanks. But I probably should get a new one. I don’t think I’m brave enough to put anything in my mouth that’s touched the cafeteria floor. Don’t want to be the cause of the new Black Plague or some shit.” She snorted. “Besides, I’ve made it to the end of my senior year. It’d be quite pathetic to kick the bucket like a couple of months before that.”

“Not as pathetic as repeating the senior year, over and over again,” Eddie chuckled from the head of the table, but Y/N didn’t laugh along with him at his self-deprecating joke.

“Just because someone’s not academically skilled, doesn’t mean they’re pathetic.” She was frowning. “I’ve heard you play, Eddie. You’re amazing. I have no doubt that when you get out of this hellhole, you’ll do big things. Just… just don’t give up yet, don't write yourself off like that.”

Eddie was one hundred percent sure he was blushing like a madman, but the soft smile she gave him made his heart soar at her kind words, let alone at the fact she had heard him play and had said he was talented. The man was just about ready to combust from the love in his chest.

Truth be told, Eddie was also academically inclined, it’s just that whatever the school threw his way couldn’t hold his attention for more than a second. He was excellent at math because of D&D, but when it came to finding the x on a Pythagorean theorem, he was lost because there was no intrigue behind it. He was an amazing storyteller, but his grammar wasn’t the best, and his handwriting was even worse, so most of the time even he couldn’t figure out what he’d written on the page, getting himself a fat D- for the unintelligible scribbles.

“Shit,” Mike muttered, bringing Eddie out from his daydreams and making him look up at the freshman, but his eyes were trained somewhere over Y/N’s shoulder.

Slowly he followed as she glanced backwards, and groaned as they noted Jason Carver walking up the Hellfire table, the whole club growing stiff and frowns etching themselves onto their faces.

“Not one single day of fucking peace,” Y/N mumbled under her breath and rolled her eyes.

“You okay?” Eddie leaned closer to her over the table. “Just give the word and I’ll tell him to fuck right off from here. I have no problems making a scene.”

“No.” She sighed, stabbing the fork into the food with a ferocity, Eddie could only imagine it was someone’s face. Hopefully that someone's that was sauntering their way. “Don’t. The shit he does and says to you is bad enough, so please don’t add any fuel to the fire on my account. Sorry, by the way.” She grimaced. “For all of that.”

Eddie shook his head. “It’s not like you’re saying those things, which by the way, thank you.”

Y/N frowned even more. “You shouldn’t be thanking me for being a decent person. Fuck how low has the bar gotten exactly?”

His snort made her lips quirk up in a smile, but all of it was wiped away when Jason cleared his throat.

For a moment she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, as if gathering her self-composure, before turning around in her seat with a raised brow. “Can I help you, Carver?”

“I just - uh - look.” Jason gave Y/N the most charming smile he could muster. “I know the guys can be a lot with the teasing, but I actually came here to say that honestly maybe we should do it, you know...”

She looked at him as if he’d grown a second head. “Should what?”

“Go on that date. I mean I think we’d look pretty cute together.”

“Yes, well, some people think hairless mole rats are cute, but you don’t really argue about taste,” Y/N deadpanned and once again Eddie snorted.

Jason threw him a scalding glare. “Something funny, freakshow?”

“Carver,” she snapped. “Seriously?”

The basketball player’s hands balled into fists, but it seemed like he knew throwing a punch at Eddie would be completely counterproductive. “Okay, look.” He averted his eyes to Y/N. “Can you just come back and sit with us? At least away from… them? I know that all of this,” he gestured towards the Hellfire Club. “Is just an act, okay. I know you’re trying to play hard to get, but at least do it with someone of your own status.”

“My own status? Who the fuck do you think we are?” the girl scoffed. “This is high school, Jason, not the Queen’s court.”

“This shit’ll follow you after high school, Y/N.” Jason looked up and down at Eddie as if he was vermin. “I’m just trying to help you make the right choices.”

Honestly, Eddie wasn’t even listening to what the asshole was saying as he watched in fascination as a plan developed in her head.

“You know what, Jason, you are right,” she said. “I will go out on a date with you, and I will never talk to anyone at this table. In fact, I'll never even walk past here again.”

Well, there went any chance Eddie had.

“If…”

Oh.

Y/N’s eyes met his. Eddie gulped, watching her stand up and slowly saunter away. His heart was beating a mile a minute and even though he didn’t have asthma, he was sure this was how an asthma attack felt, breaths coming in shorter and shorter as Y/N stood behind him.

For a second there was non-verbal communication between the two, as Y/N asked with her eyes if he was alright with her touching him, and he gave her a barely-there nod. Then her palms slowly settled on his shoulders before sliding over them and down and down his chest until she had her chin perked in the crook of his neck, her fingers intertwined right below his pecks, and oh, God, Eddie was gonna pass out.

He was desperately trying not to squirm because if there was one place on his body that was ticklish, it was his neck and collarbones area, but Eddie would stay still like the dead if it kept Y/N’s chin on his shoulder.

She was hugging him, her breaths tickling his neck, as his mind whirred, not even able to process any words coming out of her or Jason’s mouth, the rest of the cafeteria background having turned into white noise. All that existed was Y/N’s scent, and her touch, and her body weight pressing against his back and oh god, oh god, oh god.

“ – isn’t that right, Eddie?” Y/N’s voice invaded his ears and he blinked rapidly to get back to reality.

“What?”

“I said a guy should prove himself to a girl before asking her out, right?”

Eddie swallowed, and nodded, his eyes unable to break from Y/N’s gaze. “Right, yeah. Of course. Definitely. One hundred percent.”

“So then.” Y/N looked at Jason. “Don’t you think you’d have to prove to me I wouldn’t waste my time with you?”

Jason had his arms crossed, glaring at Eddie as he sucked on his teeth, probably trying to figure out a hundred different ways as to how to punch in his nose, but reluctantly looked at Y/N.

“Name your price, Y/L/N.”

“You, Jason Carver, have to name ten nice things about Eddie here. And you have to say them like you mean them.”

Jason let out a laugh, and the rest of the gathered basketball team mimicked him. Eddie hadn't even noticed his goons had gathered to watch the spectacle. “What? I meant something I can actually do.”

“I can start.” Y/N shook her head and smiled as if she was oblivious as to what he’d meant. “But obviously you can’t use my examples, you have to come up with your own. For one.” She turned to the side and looked Eddie directly into his eyes. Yep. He was for sure dead. Had to be. Or definitely was going to be because he wasn’t breathing. Was his heart still working? He wasn’t sure. “I absolutely love how you can play the guitar. I think it’s amazing. It takes dedication and skill to keep up with something like that. And well, I’d say it certainly means you’re good with your fingers, which is an added bonus girls definitely appreciate.”

You know what? If lightning struck him then and there, Eddie would be completely fine by it. Was he a massive virgin? Yes, very much so, he’d never even fingered a girl before, but holy shit, he’d play the guitar until his fingertips bled, if what Y/N said was true, especially if that was her opinion.

“Come on, Y/L/N.” Jason let out a chuckle of disbelief, but Eddie could see he was seething underneath, and it was very much so an enjoyable sight. “Stop playing. Tell me what I actually have to do to get you on a date with me and away from these lowlifes.”

Y/N simply shrugged, pressing her cheek against Eddie’s, pouting as she did so. “What do you mean? I already did – name ten nice things about Eddie. It can be about his looks, what he’s good at, how he’s helped someone – anything. Here’s an easy one – his mind is absolutely brilliant. You have to have amazing imagination to come up with such complex Dungeons & Dragons campaign plots, and I think he’d make an amazing novelist if he put those ideas on paper.”

“He’s a freak.” Jason finally snapped, sneering with as much venom as he could muster. Eddie wouldn’t be surprised if he actually was a snake underneath that skin and hair gel.

Y/N snorted and straightened out, but her palms remained rested on Eddie’s shoulders and he couldn’t help himself but settle his own over hers. Their fingers intertwined and she squeezed his palm in response. He was in heaven.

“And what, you’re not?” Y/N scoffed. “Jason, you’re obsessed with chasing an orange ball around a court like you’re a fucking dog who needs to hear ‘good boy’ every time you almost put it in the hoop. You think you’re so nice and all when you’re the most judgmental piece of shit I know. I asked you to name just ten nice thing about Eddie, and you couldn’t even pull some bullshit one out of your ass, but I definitely can name ten things I hate about you starting with the fact that you’re so high up your own ass you can’t take ‘no’ for an answer. I don’t care about sitting next to you, let alone going on a date with you. The fact that you can’t see beyond your own prejudices, makes me know I did the right choice by telling you to go screw your hand the first time around.”

“You’ll regret this,” Jason sneered. “I’m trying to save you, can’t you see? You’ve been sitting with them so long it’s started to corrupt you.”

She raised her brow. “Will I? Because from my standpoint my future looks pretty a-okay. And saved from what? A fantasy game? You think an elf is gonna chop my head off in the real world? Or some orc's siren-like voice will lure me to my doom? Get a grip, Carver, and get out of my face before I smash it in for you.”

Jason was absolutely seething, his face flushed red while his chest heaved up and down, throwing one final look at Eddie who had a satisfied smirk on his own. “Just you wait, Y/L/N, and you’ll see the true nature of these – these Devil worshippers. And when you do, don’t come crawling back to us.”

“Jason, if you had the last glass of water on earth and I was on fire, I’d rather be consumed by those Hellish flames you’re afraid of than go near you with a ten-foot pole.”

And just to add the cherry on top, just to piss him off even more Eddie wiggled his fingers in a ‘bye-bye’ motion.

For a moment, Jason stammered, clenching and unclenching his fists as if readying himself for a pounce, but even with the whole basketball team behind him, he’d been humiliated by Y/N already, and if Principal Higgins came in to see a brawl, he'd surely believe the girl's version of the story, mainly because Chrissy Cunningham would a hundred percent stand by her best friend.

Eddie was sure he’d pay for her sticking up for him later, and no doubt Jason would find a way to make Y/N’s life a hell, but for now, they celebrated, as Carver turned on his heel and stalked away, the whole of Hellfire erupting in cheers and whoops.

“I’m so in love with you,” Eddie breathed out and Y/N threw her head back in a laugh. He swore it was the most beautiful sound in the world before he realized he’d said his thoughts out loud.

“Yep, and you said that out loud too.” Her smile was blinding, as she took the offered seat at Eddie’s side one of the boys sliding further, instead of retreating to the one at the end of the table. “But it’s okay. I – uh – I kinda like you too. It’s what made putting Jason in his place double the joy.”

Fuck it. It was high-time he shot his shot. “So, if I asked you out on a date would you tell me to go and screw my hand or would you give me a chance?”

She rested her chin on her palm, giving him a coy smile. “Well, can you name ten things you like about me?”

Eddie leaned in closer, their noses almost brushing, wide grins on both of their faces. “Baby I have a whole list – would you like to hear it alphabetically or by the dates I noticed them?”

“Your pick, Eddie.”

By the time he walked that graduation stage and flipped Principal Higgins off, he hadn’t even gotten to B yet as the list was ever growing.

So was hers.

Tags (crossed out wouldn’t take):

Everything tags: @palaiasaurus64 @supernaturalbaesduh @thatawkwardlittlefangirl @sea040561 @staryeyedgirl @deathbyarabbit @m-a-t-91 @maladaptive-ninja-returns @averyrogers83 @in-the-end-im-still-trash @gallifreyansass @dewy-biitch @avxgers @unlikelygalaxygiver @magicwithaknife @ollyoxenfrees @bnhvrdy @tvwhoresblog @thatkindofgurl @sj-thefan @lestersglitterglue @im-squished @strangersstranger

A/N: :)

P.S. Eddie tags are open if anyone wants to be tagged in future stories, HMU or leave a message under the fic :)

#eddie munson #eddie munson x you #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x fem #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #netflix stranger things #stranger things cast #Stranger Things Spoilers #joseph quinn #joseph quinn imagine #joseph quinn x reader #joseph quinn x y/n #joseph quinn x you #joseph quinn fluff #eddie munson fluff

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tiredwitchplant · 9 months

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The Library MEGA POST!

Hwello. This is a mega post of every information we have so far and where links to new information will be added. This is so chu can get to the information quickly and it will be more organized in this space.

Herbs

Wormwood

Mandrake

Lavender

Clary Sage

Belladonna

Yarrow

Pennyroyal

Patchouli

Culinary Herbs

Garlic

Basil

Dill

Rosemary

Thyme

Bay Leaf

Cinnamon

Ginger

Veggies and Fruits

Russet Potatoes

Apples

Pumpkins

Cranberries

Crystals

Black Obsidian

Amethyst

Tiger's Eye

Lapis Lazuli

Peridot

Bloodstone

Carnelian

White Moonstone

Chrysoprase

Miscellaneous

How to Use Rosemary

How to Use Basil

How to Use Lavender

How to Use Mandrake

Water and Plants

How to Celebrate Samhain!

Sources

Plant Witchery by Juliet Diaz

Complete Language of Herbs by S. Theresa Dietz

Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs Scott Cunningham

The Herbal Alchemist Handbook by Karen Harrison

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Magickal Herbs by Judy Ann Nock

The Green Witch by Arin Murphy-Hiscock

Herb Magic by Patti Wigington

Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier

The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells by Judika Illes

Dictionary of Plant Lore by Donald Watts

The Magick of Food by Gwion Raven

The Complete Language of Food by S. Theresa Dietz

Nature Guide, Rocks and Minerals - DK Publishing

Guide to Crystal Grids- Transform Your Life Using the Power of Crystal Layouts - Judy Hall

Crystals- A complete guide to crystals and color healing - Jennie Harding

The Crystal Witch - Leanna Greenaway

The Crystal Bible - Judy Hall

The Zenned Out Guide to Understanding Crystals - Cassie Uhl

The Crystal Workshop - Azalea Lee

Crystals for Witches - Rituals Spells and More - Eliza Mabelle

More will be added as information is added to the little library. Remember you can support this library by tipping and maybe a pateron in the future.

Thank chu. Bye byes~

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angryrantsofdomesticity · 1 year

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Cursed BNHA takes 4

Mic is banned from riding rollercoasters because, if he screams, everyone is doomed.

Class 1B made Emo Vigilante Deku memes from blurry news segments.

Koda bribes Aizawa into giving him extra credit by calling cats into the classroom.

Toga & Twice convinced Shigaraki to touch sliced potatoes for a fraction of a second, to remove the moisture, so they could have potato chips.

Bakugo got detention for threatening to use Tokoyami as a feather duster

Aoyama got 1A addicted to grilled cheese sandwiches, including Bakugo who’s sandwich was made with Jalapeño Pepper Jack.

Tokoyami molts his feathers like a bluejay (google it)

Shoji’s Dorm Chore is carrying in the grocery bags (many arms).

Sato made Fropy a ‘Forg’ cake for her birthday

Miss Joke got photos of Bakugo when he was turned into a meatball from the hero exams & her students made merch of it.

Todoroki tried to fight Bakugo over texting Fyumi for more recipes.

If Mic has a student with an insect quirk, he makes sure Froppy is in the same class for intimidation purposes.

Kirishima once got detention & had to sit in the school zen garden as one of the rocks.

At the end of the year Aizawa brought all 32 of his cats into class & pulled them out of his sleeping bag, like a clown car.

The Sludge Villain from chapter 1 is actually Deku’s Dad.

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pallweople · 5 months

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The Weople are Pretty (gn) like...

Theres a trend on tiktok rn where it compares peoples beauty to items, seasons, weather etc! ITS SO WHOLESOME and I wanted to do that for the palls!!

( @arsonisticscholar ) Arsonator -> Old books

( @astral-catastrophe )Astral/Jay -> Star maps

( @baileyboo2016 ) Bailey -> Wild Flower Fields

( @cal-the-duende ) Cal -> Crescent Moon

( @hero-dualies-pog ) Zen -> Crepuscular rays

( @circusislife ) Circus -> Carnival lights

( @frostedshadow ) Frost -> Frosted roses

( @smolchildonmonster ) Ghost -> Fog

( @hyperfixatezz ) Hyper/Riju -> Campfire embers

( @fingerfuck-the-function ) Katnip -> Old technology

( @ladye-zelda ) Ladye -> Winter melting into spring

( @linksarehere ) Link -> Compasses

( @misc-me0707 ) -> Binary code

( @mushr0oms-and-m0ss ) Mushroom -> Autumns

( @is-apotato ) Potato -> Renaissance clothes

( @somebody-random-lol ) Random -> Lightsabers

( @skyward-shade ) Shade -> Swords

( @soupyboiiiii (aka. 6leafclover) Clover/SOOUP -> Baker's bread

( @xjgbhk ) -> Night sky

( @mossy-chai ) Z -> Childhood stuff animals

( @link-or-sherlock ) Sherlock -> Rusty Blackbirds

( @nancyheart11 ) Nancy -> sewing textiles

( @thorntopieces ) Gloom -> Raindrops on spiderwebs

( @ichangenameseveryfiveseconds ) -> Neon lights

#trippy stars #assignment lists #;D!

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pawzofchaos · 6 months

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What kind of Plants vs Zombies players I think the reboot cast of Total Drama are (I’m slowly losing my mind)

Priya- definitely played and completed every single game. She still plays the first one for Endless and Last Stand and sometimes plays the second one for Penny's Pursuit. Has every single plant except the ones you have to buy for real money.

Bowie- Has played and completed the second one, has almost every $5 plant. Played the first one for a bit but then got bored. Has tried Heroes and enjoyed it (he's a Rose and Electric Boogaloo main)

Caleb- Has heard of it, but never actually played it. Priya FREAKED when she found out and is trying to get him into it.

Raj- Has played both 1 and 2, but enjoys 2 more because he loves Frostbite Caves; has a 100+ win streak in Icebound Battleground. Favorite plant is Snowpea.

Wayne- Same exact thing as Raj; they like to play side by side together on their phones. Favorite plant is Iceberg Lettuce.

Millie- Has played a little bit of 1 but stopped at the Night levels. She likes the design of it.

Julia- Only played the first one so she could use the Zen Garden and post about how "ethical" she was. Now that she revealed her true self, she doesn't do it as much but she sometimes likes to come back to check up on her plants.

MK- Uses weird mods and hacks for 1 and 2. Probably has some bullshit deck in Heroes like the Soul Patch Forcefield one or an insanely powerful Pet deck.

Ripper- Og player, has beaten 1 but not 2. He only really remembers it every few months and comes back to play some minigames. Still regularly plays GW and Heroes though. Super Brainz ahh main.

Chase- Definitely only plays the Xbox version. He makes weird challenge videos like "BEATING PVZ WITH ONLY WALNUTS AND POTATO MINES 😱💥" and does insane Heroes deck gameplay. Plays GW with Ripper sometimes.

Zee- Has only played the second game but has somehow beaten it over 60 times on multiple different accounts. Didn't know the first game existed for a long time. Somehow also remembers playing the 3rd game.

Axel- Literally only plays the first game, Endless and Last stand only and has the highest streak ever for both.

Emma- Played the first one and had beaten it, just getting into the second one. She likes watching people play it rather than playing it herself.

Nichelle- Couldn't beat Zomboss in the first game and ragequit.

Damien- Only plays PvZ Heroes. Professor Brainstorm and Green Shadow main; has almost every card in the game and has a really high rank in arena.

Scary Girl- has played EVERY game. Has a super mega high arena rank in 2, only plays minigames for the 1st one. Has also somehow played the 3rd game. Probably ships Peashooter and Sunflower. Favorite world is Modern Day.

#mixing my two hyperfixations tohether hell yea #mike says shit #pvz #plants vs zombies #total drama #td #tdi #total drama new seasons #tdi 2023 #total drama reboot #total drama 2023 #rambles #text post #headcanons #ig #cast things

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astronicht · 5 months

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i turned 30 today and people like to tell me my life is exciting because i’ve lived a lot of places, but the this is because people have not met my parents. my dad lowkey left home at 18 not to return to picking up sweet potatoes on the Bible Belt farm, or blowing out his eardrums exploding model rockets (main hobby), but to uhhh live in a Zen Buddhist monastery in San Francisco where he was taken care of as a semi-runaway by beat poet Gary Snyder. i very notably did not do that.

#my SF involved a lot more kbbq #important to note that dad is also the calm homebody of the marriage

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zemagltd · 26 days

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Everyday Poetry - "Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes." Alan Watts

[And this is just a potato plant blooming...]

#photography #original photography on tumblr #happiness #quotes #daily calm #art #nature #living #reading

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nondualcafe · 11 months

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"Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes." ~ Alan Watts

#zen #meditation

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indagold-orchid · 9 months

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I’m surprised there’s people who do 24/7 free roam for rats. I know people do that with bunnies but bunnies are kinda just zen potatoes if you bunny proof it. They don’t climb or have grabby paws or desire to do big things outside of consume vegetable and look fabulous.

My guess they have a separate room just for rats? People say it’s their apartment so I can only imagine waking up to your rat trying to play dentist lol

#Rats #rabbits #rodent #lagomorph #Small pets

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pallweople · 10 months

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Assigning Pall Weople To Animals!

Based purely off of vibes! (I know I haven't talked/interacted that much with to a lot of you, but you're still cool as hell! :D)

( @arsonisticscholar ) Arsonator -> Red Panda

( @astral-catastrophe )Astral/Jay -> Moose

( @miadancer24 ) Bailey -> Otter

( @cal-the-duende ) Cal -> Koala

( @hero-dualies-pog ) Campfire/Zen Anon -> Swan

( @circusislife ) Circus -> Bear

( @frostedshadow ) Frost -> Penguin

( @justsomeghostt ) Ghost-> Axolotl

( @hyperfixatezz ) Hyper/Riju -> Ferret

( @justanotherhighlycaffeinatednerd ) Katnip -> Artic Fox

( @ladye-zelda ) Ladye ->Dove

( @linksarehere ) Link -> Zebra

( @misc-me0707 ) -> Flamingo

( @mushr0oms-and-m0ss ) Mushroom -> Frog

( @is-apotato ) Potato -> Rabbit

( @somebody-random-lol ) Random -> Bat

( @skyward-shade ) Shade -> Raccoon

( @hero-of-soup (aka. 6leafclover) Clover/SOOUP -> Humming bird

( @xjgbhk ) -> ShoeBill

( @mossy-chai ) Z -> Squirrel

( @link-or-sherlock ) Sherlock -> Cheetah

( @nancyheart11 ) Nancy -> Ocelot

#trippy stars #HAHAHAH #DID IT!!!#also im sorry if the tags dont work???#i always fuck them up some how 😭😭

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bloofbloofbloof · 1 year

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So I learned rats aren’t as zen for hypnosis or meditation as rabbits are. Rabbits usually just chill but rats, they sit pancaked in your lap for a solid 6 mins, get bored and then piss all over the place.

If you lie down, they nom on your nose.

They do supply a good stream of dopamine for chaos potatoes and give you many kisses.

#rats #ratblr #ratcore #meditation #hypnosis #self hypnosis #relaxation #chaos potato #become rat psychonaut

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maladaptive-ninja-returns · 2 years

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It’s The Avengers (04x01)

Loki x Reader Avengers The Office AU (Slowwwwww Burn)

Season 4 Episode 01: The Unexpected

SEASON Premiere

Series Summary: Living in the Avengers facility post-apocalypse in a better timeline Tony Stark has decided to capture every moment by pulling The Office on the Avengers. All of housemates are pretty used to the idea except for you, who had just come here to finish her degree, and the newest member- Loki.

Warnings: weird happenings

Word Count: I apparently suffered from Dengue and was in recovery when I was told to complete my mandatory holidays. And the thought of holidays made me want to write some. So here we are...thanks to a fucking mosquito I guess.

MASTERLIST in bio, darlings. Tags are open (check bio)

A camera moved about the lounge to show an addition of big plants in all the corners, clearly adding a splash of green to the enormous room. The clock on the kitchenette wall read nine in the morning. A very zen Scott was seen making omelette and ham toast in the pan, going generous on the cheese slices in the middle. A tune was stuck on his lips while he moved about the space quite smoothly. "Oooh! I smell something...not burnt!" Sam entered the lounge clearly after his workout. His hands were about to dig into one prepared french toast when Scott slid that plate aside for him to present his guest with a bowl of fruits, nuts with a side of yoghurt. Wanda entered the lounge from the dorms, greeting Sam and Scott. "Oh! It's Scott's day to make breakfast! I love Scott days!" "Who doesn't?" Scott flipped her imaginary hair out of his face and proceeded to give his favourite witch a tall glass of berry smoothy along with pancakes.

Sam: This is the best feeling in the world. My bowl full of the juiciest fruits, the thickest yoghurt I can ask for, and the best sound in the world. *camera zooms in on his face* silence.

The smartwatch on Scott's wrist chimed. "Oh! it's nine-fifteen. Little bear is up and ready to go." And just as he announced those words, you came out of your room in your straight jeans, a blue tank top covered with a blue jacket. Your bag was barely hanging on one shoulder as you jogged your way towards the kitchenette. "Good morning!" you greeted as you skidded to a halt at the kitchen island, right as Scott pushed your french toast and freshly squeezed orange juice in front of you. "Oh! It's Scott Day!" Taking your first bite of the toast, you hummed a tone of satisfaction at the crunch and melting cheese inside. "Don't forget your lunch, bear. I made some rice balls and potato cutlets." "You're the best, grandma!" you gave Scott a thumbs up. Scott planted a peck on your forehead and put the lunch box in your bag. "I've put in extra for America as well." Steve and Bucky entered the space all hot and flushed after their workout, greeting you. Scott was already bringing out their post-workout protein mix from the mixer into two tall glasses as they wiped off their sweat with towels. Murmurs of "I love Scott days," went around again. "Did you sleep well last night?" Steve asked you. The cameras around the lounge captured the morning murmurs dying down a little as Wanda eyed Steve and everyone cautiously looked at you for something out of the ordinary. You nodded and shrugged. "I guess so, yeah." All the tensed shoulders loosened themselves while Bucky lightly slapped Steve on the back of his head before giving him the gaze. "Although-" all the loosened shoulders tensed back up, waiting for you to finish chewing and complete the sentence -"I think I had a weird dream last night. Wanda was sitting at the edge of my bed trying to catch something in the air. And there was a weird dog sitting by my side. Weird, no?" Everyone hummed in agreement with the same air of nonchalant all at once. "I heard someone's finally taking their car to college?" Scott broke the awkward atmosphere. He picked up the car keys to the Toyota RAV4 and dangled it excitedly in front of you. The camera caught the excitement bubbling on your face as you did your own little dance.

You: I finally learned how to drive! And I am really excited to take my new car out to college! *jump with elation in your seat* *finally settle and sigh* Though I am surprised dad didn't make me drive his Audi to college. The one that I have scratched beyond recognition while learning to parallel park. *nervous laughter*

"Do you want me to take it out of the garage for you?" Sam called from behind you. "No, I learned the hard parts last week. See ya guys!" The elevator dinged to announce your departure to the ground floor. It was also the signal for every breathing person in the lounge to give Steve Rogers the cold stare. "Are you out of your f****ng mind?" Scott gritted through his teeth while Sam raised his hands in the air. "I'm sorry-" Steve breathed out in defeat- "it was a usual question. It just came out of me!" "That usual question almost cost us a night, Steve." Wanda groaned. "We really need to get it together before the dads come home."

Wanda: *takes in a deep breath* It's been three weeks since y/n, Loki and Javier returned from their 'universal travels'. They had been tested for foreign matters and diseases but everything was fine. *nods before gulping* *whispers* till the third night of their return.

The camera cuts to a feed of the lounge at two fifteen at night. Scott and Peter are sleeping on the sofa while watching the reruns of Lulu. A figure- almost eerie- walks from the dorms towards the lounge and comes to a halt right where the boys sleep. The figure is dressed in a familiar grey tee and black shorts and has dark vapours emanating from around them. The figure bends towards the boys a little before letting out a blood-curdling scream that resonates through three dimensions at once. Scott is the first to wake up and scream back at the figure, throwing his custom-made Lulu fluffy toy at the shadow before running towards the kitchenette, grabbing a jug of water to splash the contents on the haunting presence. Scott catches his breath within the pause he takes to look closely at the figure that has not moved. "Y/N? Is that you?" His voice crackles through the recording. In response, the dark figure raises her hands to see the water drip from her head to toe, leading to another blood-curdling scream. Within seconds, Wanda was teleporting out of her room while Bucky was trying to hold you back from gnawing at Scott's skin. And Peter is drooling in his sleep throughout the scenario.

Wanda: Turns out she did contract something in space. It was a night walk terror. And she does not seem to remember about it. Tony and Bruce don't know about it. *clears throat* mostly because they are out at a conference. And Clint is on vacation with his family. So Loki and I have been trying to figure out a way to get that interdimensional being out of her before the adults come home. *nods* *pouts* *shrugs* on the other hand...

cuts to the Avengers facility feed showing trespassers trying to find their way through the facility doors and halls only to be spooked to the point of heart attack by your figure appearing out of nowhere in the dark.

University Grounds "All I'm saying, Javier, is it's weird that no matter how much I sleep I just cannot seem to get enough of it." The camera focused on you getting out of the car. Javier let his device take in the beautiful red colour of the SUV before focusing on the big yawn breaking on your face.

Javier signed something from behind the camera while you tried to take out your bag and laptop from the backseat. “Oh. I’ve got a lecture on social psychology today followed by this one session on neuropsychology my professor has allowed me to come observe. So, we should be done in four hours." The camera caught your genuine smile right before a familiar voice called out your name and made your smile crumble within seconds. "What classes do you have today, Y/N," the very punchable face of David, the assistant professor came and gave a wink to the camera recording you. "None of yours, David," you declared in a monotone before walking towards the campus building, taking Javier with you by his arm.

You: you guys remember David *tired expression* the bane of my existence *groan* the reason I sometimes loathe coming to school This dude has either developed a weird obsession with my presence on campus or he just knows how annoying he can be when he breathes in my direction *camera pans out to zoom in on David in the background walking towards you*

David: Hey Y/N’s sponsor weirdo *waves at the camera before putting his arm around your shoulders* She has had enough days for spring break. It’s time for her to take her studies seriously now. Don’t worry *finger guns* she’s in good hands here. I’ll make sure she passes all her subjects. *walks away but not before patting you on the back*

You: *simmering* *camera pans in on your deadly expression* I would rather *camera zooms further* eat coal.

The Lounge The camera took in the ‘Kiss the chef’ apron before Scott removed it and carefully folded it to be kept aside. “Oh! Here comes the big bear!” The camera swerved around to capture Loki walking into the room from the dorms. His hair was a mess, his eyes had bags underneath them and his face seemed like he had not shaved in a day. There was a scruffy beard growing on his face that he apparently had no botheration scratching. Taking a seat by the kitchen island, the God gulped down a 2-litre bottle of water within ten seconds. The toaster dinged and Scott brought the freshly toasted bread along with jam and clotted cheese towards Loki. “Any leads on Y/N’s po-“ Sam was cut short by Scott’s hand signalling him to stop as the two Avengers watched Loki inhale the toast within a single breath before gulping down on the fresh orange juice from the familiar Brooklyn Nine-Nine mug. Scott shared a look with the camera while Loki wiped his hand with a kitchen towel and turned to Sam. “You said something?” “He said you should take a shower and maybe shave,” Scott blurted out before Sam could get a word in. “No-“ Loki shook his head- “it was something about Y/N.” Scott closed his eyes and sighed. Sam shrugged and looked at the camera.

Scott: *sits and stares at Sam with daggers in his eyes* Sam: *exasperated* how is it my fault if the man prioritises a girl over his hygiene?! Scott: *muted gasp* Okay, first of all, he is alive in this facility because he prioritised that girl over his hygiene for what felt like a year and *whips his index finger out into Sam's face* Secondly, you better learn about that kinda priority if you don't want to die single. Sam: *grinds his teeth* *stares at the camera* I got rejected by a Tinder date one time Scott. ONE TIME!!!

"Loki, how about you go shave first," Scott patted him on the back and signalled him to return to the dorms for his own well-being. "Where's Y/N?" Scott shared an 'I told you so' emotion with Sam. The latter shrugged aggressively, still not believing it to be his fault. "She's gone to college," Wanda finally answered. She was sitting on the sofa with her cell phone in her hand. "I just texted Javier. She's attending her Social Psychology lecture right now." Loki nodded. "Keep me posted." He got up and went to the dorms. "Use my aftershave if you want," Sam yelled behind him before turning to the camera, "it's got a nice odour." "Why are you texting Javi?" Scott came out from behind the kitchen counter and did a few stretches. "Can't you read Y/N's brain signals or something?" Wanda raised her good brow at Scott. "Well, excuse me for trying to live a cell phone life!" Scott nodded slowly before narrowing his eyes at the strongest witch on this planet. "Riiiiiiiight." He stared at Wanda for a few more moments, making the witch shift where she sat. "Her brain's a mess, isn't it?" he finally added, earning a groan from her. "It keeps on going non-stop!" The camera recorded the weariness along with the fear reflecting in Wanda's eyes. "It just doesn't shut up!" With a sigh and a few soft pats on Wanda's head, Scott went back to the kitchenette. "Let me make you some tea."

University Campus "For a moment I thought I would not see you again." You and the camera both turned around at the voice. Your face gave a genuine smile for the first time since landing on the campus. "Yusuf! How are you?!" You gave Yusuf a hug while the six-foot-tall man patted your head and reciprocated that smile. "I had to...I was-I had to go on an unplanned emergency trip...abroad-" you shared a look with the camera before going back to Yusuf. "Everything okay?" "Oh, yes. Just that a family member was in desperate need of some help." You almost bit your lip at the sentence. "How's your thesis coming along?" Yusuf's eyes lit up like fireworks. "Oh, Y/N. It is coming out freaking amazing and it is all thanks to you and your friend." Your brows crinkled but your smile didn't falter just yet. "My friend?" "Yes. Your friend, Scott Longinus, was a huge help. He shared some older theses with me and some fresh papers that were never published here in the States. I am almost on the verge of finishing the first phase and then diving into the editing part." You nodded. "Scott Longinus," you muttered to yourself, staring at an invisible void for a few seconds before a smile crept on your lips. Wrapping your arm around Yusuf's you started walking towards the observation wing of the neurology lab. "Yusuf, darling, tell me more about what all Scott Longinus has discussed with you and spare no details."

The Facility's Library The camera sat by a table next to Wanda, Loki and Steve. The walls could be seen lit up with Friday's scans as she tried her bit to help the Avengers with whatever information they needed. "Did Strange call?" Loki hummed out of nowhere. The camera panned on his grim expression, his eyes stuck on the old pages in front of him while his right hand glimmered in rays of green and golden, his thumb, index and the second finger leading some magical scans of their own. "Hm?" Wanda broke out from a trance but did not look up. "He is on call-" she pointed half-dazed at the phone sitting in the middle of the table- "still searching his library at Kamar Taj." Sam entered, sucking on a lollipop while moving through the pages of a relatively lighter book in his hands. A questioning hum reverberated through his throat before the lollipop came out of his mouth. "Are we sure we are looking at the right angle?" "What do you mean?" both the God and the Witch asked, without looking up from the pages in front of them. "We are working through these on the lines that Y/N is being possessed by a multi-dimensional being who is using her to hop through dimensions and hence to enter the earth. Using her like a portal of sorts. But what if she is the one instigating these jumps?" Steve turned to the magic users next to him, who finally glanced up from their books and then shared a look with each other. "What did Scott feed him today?" Loki whispered to Steve, who genuinely tried to remember what was on Sam's breakfast menu. "Some goddamn edible food," Sam announced, looking up at the camera.

Sam: Ever since this Y/N possession incident, we have been avoiding calling the cooking and cleaning staff to the facility to prevent the word from getting out. So we have been taking turns making meals and doing the laundry. So, take my word when I tell you the day Scott cooks, I'm gonna eat like a fucking horse. *nods aggressively* because he is the only one who makes anything close to edible food in this place. *another voice comes from outside the camera* But you told me you loved my clam chowder Sam: *shrieks and jumps in his seat* *camera pans out to show Natasha standing by the door with a judgmental look* Sam: *clears his throat* *adjusts himself in his seat* The chowder was amazing! *looks at the camera and then back at the Black Widow* And even Scott can't make anything so delicious *laughs weakly*

Natasha: The chowder sucked. These peeps were either running to the toilet with the chowder bowls or running to the toilet to *smirks* release the bowls *giggles while showing her teeth* I just wanted to watch them squirm *camera zooms in on her face* and never ask me to make meals for them...ever again.

"So, you are saying that Y/N is...jumping to some other plane of existence and wherever she is jumping, whoever is out there is..." "Scared, probably?" Sam shrugged. "That would explain why whatever possessed her did not attack Scott," Wanda added, earning a nod from Loki. "Oh, God-" Wanda rubbed her face at the onset of certain realisation, "she's sleep-jumping. Whenever she falls asleep, her conscious guards are down. So her subconscious is repeatedly jumping to the one plane where some corner of her mind is stuck." "Alright so-" Steve kept his hands on the table- "it's not dangerous to her, right?" Loki and Wanda shared a look with each other. The latter cursed under her breath. "Hey, Friday-" Wanda called out to the room, making the walls light up- "can you show us how long Y/N has been plane-jumping from the very first time, till now?" Friday chimed, bringing up a hologram of a graph and the number of minutes to hours you had been spending in your trance travel. "Here are the results, Miss Wanda. Y/N's sleep jumping time has been increasing exponentially and the last two jumps have recorded erratic brain activity as per the readings I have taken." "How erratic?" Steve asked, zooming in on the rhythm readings Friday presented beside the graph. "There were three points in the last two incidents where there were blank readings. The first one lasted for three seconds and twenty-nine milliseconds. The latest one lasted for ten seconds and forty-six milliseconds." The camera was already recording Loki jumping from his seat to run for his phone attached to the charging platform by the nearest wall. His seat hit the floor just as he fast dialed someone on his phone. "What does she mean blank-" Wanda was already answering Sam's question. "She is disappearing." The ringing from the video call reverberated through the library while Wanda disconnected her call to Strange and dialled Wong instead. "Javi, where is Y/N right now." Loki was on the verge of heaving. The camera did not miss the veins popping in the God's neck. "Wong, I need you to bring Strange to Y/N's university. I'll explain everything just reach there right now." Wanda cut the phone and walked over to Loki. Javi signed something on the phone before directing his phone towards a figure sitting a few seats away from him, asleep.

Observation Room, Neuropsychology Lab The room was barely lit, which the larger source of light coming from the MRI machine below in the lab. Yusuf took down notes on his laptop till the researcher in charge left the lab to bring their professor to analyse the readings from the current test subject. "Well, I am glad it's AP Anita overseeing the study with Professor Sherry. But then again, I do not expect David to understand the ABCs of this research somehow." Yusuf looked in the seat next to him for an answer but found you nodding off. Your mouth agape, snoring while your head tried to balance itself on the head of the very uncomfortable seats. "Woah," he whispered, almost stifling a laugh, "and here I thought you could not surprise me after the whole 'dog ate my homework' stunt last week." Yusuf proceeded to take a lone notebook out of his bag before folding it and moving at the back to carefully put it between your head and the seat for support. But just as he touched your head to move it a little bit forward, Javier's camera caught a blue glow emanating from your body. So did Yusuf. "Y/N?" The glow got intense. And to add to the saplings of horror for the college friend, your hair started floating on its own right when your eyes shot open with the same cold blue glow illuminating your iris in the most rotten of hues. "Y/N! What the-" Before the lad could say anything, a strong gust of wind knocked down the photographs on the wall as the camera captured Loki and Wanda entering the room. "Yusuf," the God declared with his natural air of authority, "might I ask you to please step away from the lady." Yusuf was already moving into the wall nearest to him when he was startled by a string of fireworks cutting a hole through the wall to let Strange and Wong in. "That's Dr Strange! A-and you're the Scarlet Witch!" the boy was near to choking on his own bewilderment. Loki looked at the camera with a hint of disdain. "So much for helping out with his thesis," he muttered as he made his way to your figure, which had got up and started floating by now.

Wanda and Wong killed the lights to the observation room before teleporting the entire room to the open grounds of Kamar Taj. Wong was already directing a brutally lost Yusuf to take cover behind him. Wanda and Strange were marking off the boundaries to keep the damage as minimal as possible while Loki stood at the dead centre with your floating figure letting out a low growl that reverberated through the barriers of the magic walls. "Wanda," Loki called out for the witch, never taking his eyes off you, "can you hold her down till I do what needs to be done?" Strange took over from Wanda with the barrier creation. "Do you know where she's been jumping to?' Javier's camera caught the God pressing his lips and clenching his jaw. There was a blink-and-you-miss eye contact between Loki and Javier before the God answered. "I think I might have an idea." Javier was already moving behind Wong, but his camera was stuck on you and Loki, who worked as a distraction for your spine-chilling scream for Wanda to grab from behind and lock your arms in. Within seconds, Loki's fingers were moving on your head, settling on the major points. A golden light was exuding from those very points in seconds, turning those screams into cries for help and your cold blue irises into burning circles of fiery gold. "OH F***!! WHAT THE F*** IS HAPPENING!!!" Yusuf was screaming for his life from behind Wong as Javier tried to record the seven stages of horror on his face. Even when your own cries died down and you practically slumped in Wanda's arms, Yusuf's cries for help echoed singularly through the grounds till the young man realised it and abruptly stopped, wiping his tears and clearing his throat. By now, everyone was staring at him. The deafening silence wanted to make the man curl had it not been for Wong patting him on the back. "It's okay. It's okay. It's your first time," Wong sang, not really comforting the poor lad much.

The Facility, Evening Hours The Lounge was softly lit as almost everyone was gathered together. Scott was deciding which movie to put when the elevator dinged and Peter and Pietro walked out while in the middle of some serious discussion. Pietro immediately called out for his sister in their mother tongue, asking about you. As if to answer his question, you walked out of the dorms with a towel of your washed hair and a weak wave of your hands. "Hey, guys!" "How are you feeling?" Wanda asked for everyone in the room. One camera did catch Loki sitting by the further end of the kitchenette, pouring himself a good shot of whiskey before handing the bottle to Sam. "I'm sorry, guys. I didn't realise what was happening to me. I must have been such a pain in the ass." Everyone pshaw-ed and waved their hands to show their support for you. You hugged Wanda and Natasha tight. "You have Loki to thank for saving your life," Scott was quick to add, "and our lives, of course. He apparently figured everything out just in time because Tony is landing tomorrow." You looked in Loki's direction, who swivelled in his seat to raise his glass in your direction. "Cool. Thanks, man," you stated, slowly earning confused looks from your family around you. Scott chuckled. "Thanks, man? I was half expecting you to run towards Loki and shout 'my saviour' before hugging him tight so I could half expect to have Clint walk out the elevator at that very moment." Natasha chortled at the thought and gave Scott a pat on his back. You walked over to the kitchen island and sat beside Loki. "Sorry for the trouble." Loki scoffed. "Please, woman. This was nothing compared to our space adventure." And he rose over the island to bring out a bottle of the Jagermeister, pouring a shot and presenting it to you. "I am scared someday you'll run out of patience for me." You clinked your glass to his, shared a knowing look with Javier's camera and gulped that shot in seconds. Loki laughed. "Oh, we'll see runs out of patience first." At the other end of the room, Strange eyed Loki quite closely while slowly sipping on his Old Fashion.

Strange: Loki still hasn't told me what Y/N was tethered to. *narrows his eyes to look at some invisible void in the distance* It's almost as if he does want to tell me. *looks back at the camera with the same level of suspicion*

Later That Night Scott is closing the curtains to the recording/interview room when he hears the sound of your soft laughter from the lounge. The camera person with him moves to the door to watch you greeting Loki goodnight as the God is the first to leave the lounge. The camera turns to Scott to signal him to come over. Gathering the hidden packets of snacks in his hands, he tip-toes to the door to watch you sit there and watch Loki disappear into the dorms. Javier sits opposite you on the kitchen island, shaking his head but still recording your expression turning from wistful longing to frustration as your face hangs in between your hands and lets out a groan. "Of all the people in this wide-ass universe," you grumble in a whisper to your confidant, "and I had to fall for him." The looming silence breaks with all the snacks falling down from Scott's limp arms, the camera recording the horror on your and Javier's face before curses fly out of your mouth.

#loki #loki x reader #loki series #loki fluff #loki x female reader #loki smut #It's The Avengers #the office au #loki x y/n #loki the office au #marvel #marvel fluff #marvel fic #loki fic

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sabraeal · 10 months

Text

The Strong Pack Thrives, Part 1

[Read on AO3]

Sequel to The Lone Wolf Survives

Hardly two steps into the breakfast room and the scent assaults her: pork sausage with fennel and garlic, some root vegetable-- potato perhaps-- fried crisp and spritzed with lemon, charred tomatoes with spring onions, a milky sauce of indeterminate spice but what is there is certainly a lot. There’s more besides; an entire basket full of muffins calls to her, as well as small danishes laid out on a tray and topped with generous helpings of jam and custard. But none of those pastries cling to her nose, overwhelming her with choice. Eisetsu’s table had never been sparse, but this morning--

Well, no one would ever guess that they had all spent almost an hour trying to scrub char and pitch and dirt from their skin last night, or that what remained of her clothes had been resigned to the furnace, not the laundry. Thank goodness they’d thought to change before riding out after Ryuu; Eisetsu was no alpha to begrudge her a ruined gift, especially if the ruination was in his service, but still-- she would have spent all breakfast, wondering if she should bare her neck.

“Good morning, Shirayuki,” he calls out, his usual sunny smile sedate. It’s habit to ask if there’s something the matter-- or, more pressing, if there’s anything she can do about it-- but she remembers the woman locked in the suite upstairs, still wrangling with the after effects of Touka Bergatt’s long-term attentions, and bites it back. Obi hadn’t had time to delve into the details of just what happened at the masque, but it didn’t take much to gather that it hadn’t been the joyous reunion Eisetsu had hoped.

“Ah, yes.” She bustles over to breakfast, attempting to be chipper enough for the both of them. “Good morn--”

“Shirayuki!” The chair legs screech across the parquet before Zen catches himself, half risen from his seat. “Ah, I mean. Mistress Shirayuki. It’s pleasure to see you.”

A lord does not rise for a commoners. An alpha does not rise for a beta. And a prince, well...there is a reason why Zen coughs, awkward, before shuffling his chair beneath him. Eisetsu, for his part, only tilts his head, sending a curious glance her way.

“Good morning, Your Highness,” she replies with as formal a bow as she can make with a plate in her hands. “Lady Kiki. Sir Mitsuhide. It’s an honor to dine with you this morning.”

A raised eyebrow from Rugilia’s lord warns her that she has perhaps laid it all on too thick. Obi is a knight of the Royal Circle, an aide to the prince of Clarines; as high as the rest of them ranked, both by blood and inclination, they were his close colleagues. And if she were his, er...

I think I mentioned-- even now she fells the rumble at her back, the hot breath washing over her ear --that alphas like to take care of their mates, Miss.

...Ah, whatever she might be, she would know them. Not well, but enough that she wouldn’t need to bow and scrape. Ugh, this one little lie had seemed so simple when it was just between her and Obi, but now with Zen here, and Kiki, and Mitsuhide-- it’s unwieldy. Every action must be calculated, joy rationed in every smile, and--

And she’s saved from much more of it by a shuffle in the hall. Or several shuffles, perhaps even a scuffle, each one far more awkward than her own, until somehow all the jostling ejects both offenders through the door.

“Lord Tsuruba!” Eisetsu calls out, a hair too loud for the room. “And, er...Lord Tariga...? What a pleasure for you two to join us.”

Side by side, the differences between them are stark; not simply because of Tariga’s braid and Tsuruba’s scar, but because of the way they hold their faces. Similar features mold to distinct persons now that she can see that Tsuruba wields a bland politeness like a shield, making each twitch of his nose or lift of his lips a full expression in itself; or that Tariga’s brows naturally settle at a quizzical angle, like a constant question caught is between his teeth, ready to fall with every breath.

And yet, despite their expression, their scent shifts to a similar shade of skeptical, dubious that their presence at this table could be anything but tolerated, that their duty to attend might be anything but a burden to those already seated.

Ah. Shirayuki rubs at her nose. Strange. She’s not use to so much from a simple sniff. Perhaps she’s simply overstimulated; Eisetsu’s spread is far more pungent this morning, most likely to impress the alphas in the royal party-- or at least, who he assumes are alphas. Still, it pales to the banquets at the palace; there may be a glut of scents, a veritable feast for the nose, but it lacks the complexity of what the castle kitchens put out.

Or maybe, a traitorous part of her whispers in her ear, it has something to do with last night.

It’s-- it’s impossible. It’s not as if she hadn’t-- if she had never--

Well, a beta may not fly into heat or fall into a rut, but Shirayuki had certainly put a hand between her legs before. A few times, even, when the nights ran late and her mind still paced the lab’s floors, composing notes that wouldn’t make it to the page until morning. Something to...to ease the way to sleep. To shut off.

Ah, but in that carriage, shutting off had been the furthest thing from her mind. His hands had skimmed up her thighs, and she had wanted to-- to--

Do something. She hardly knew what, but seeing Obi there across from her after, unfinished and undone--

Her hands had itched, her lips stung. We can do more later, he had rumbled, too low, and--

Clink.

“Shirayuki!” Eisetsu springs to his feet, blinking owlishly at where she stands. “Are you quite all right.”

She glances down, and, ah...the plate rests in one palm, and in another, a piece of it, broken in the shape of her grip. “Oh, goodness! I’m, ah...”

When she dressed this morning, grimacing at the marks she could only hope a high collar would cover, the choice had not felt convenient let alone fortunate. But now, with heat flaring over her chest, threatening to spill up the column of her neck, she feels...armored, if not precisely comfortable. Protected, from scrutiny, at least.

“Please, don’t worry yourself.” With a wave of his hand, a footman appears to take it from her, scurrying it away into the kitchens. “I’m sure it was just...badly thrown. Flawed before it even came to the table!”

“Right.” Considering the expense for gilded dishware she would hope not, but there’s hardly a better explanation. “I just...is Obi coming down to breakfast?”

Zen blinks at her. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“My thought exactly, Your Highness.” Eisetsu’s mouth curves impishly as he tucks in behind his meal. “You are the one with the best opportunity to inquire as to his, mm, morning plans, aren’t you?”

As if the insinuation wasn’t enough, Eisetsu glances around the table, expectant. He’s anticipates their knowing looks, that the royal party will gleefully seize the opportunity to tease Lilias’s most famous lovebirds--

But it is only met with a quizzical silence. Zen’s narrowed gaze darts between them before he ventures, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“If you’re looking for Obi,” comes a soft voice from the hall, “I think I might be able to provide some assistance.”

They’d arrived here last night, all squeezed in on one carriage bench, pressed shoulder-to-shoulder like sardines in can-- him, Miss, and their little pup. No reason for it either; Master had hopped in with Eisetsu without a whisper of warning, Miss Kiki and Sir keeping pace on either of side of them in case of trouble. So they might have taken up the whole cab, letting Obi stretch out his cramped legs and letting the air carry away Miss’s troublesome scent. It’s just--

It felt right. Charred and dirt-stained and foul-smelling as they were, the moment he’d thrown himself to the cushions and Ryuu had followed, burying his nose in the rent beneath his shoulder, Obi felt...

Home. It was home. And Miss piling in on the other side, the sweet scent of her still there, strong beneath the smoke and soil--

His cock twitches, the mattress rising to cradle it, to give it far more attention than its due. He shifts, just enough that his groan is lost in the labyrinth of the pillow’s down, but it doesn’t help, doesn’t do anything but make him wish her soft skin was beneath his neck. Reminds him that he could sink his cock as deep as his teeth into something warm, into something that sighed at Miss’s pitch--

“Obi?”

It’s an effort to lift his head, to even turn enough so that he can see who shuffles at his bedside. His senses are addled by her scent, searching for it, yearning, but-- but the one in his room isn’t hers. Isn’t one he knows, not at first, not until his eyes finally focus and he’s met with blue in a moon-pale face, dark hair no longer long enough to tumble over his forehead. No, it’s cut to look just like his. In the market, a woman asked whether they were brothers, and he--

He needs to focus. “Ryuu...” Haah, his mouth is parched. “What...what are you doing here?”

Big eyes blink at him in a face he can’t quite reconcile to the shaggy mop of a kid he caught under Miss’s desk all those years ago. The one who hadn’t climbed a tree or caught fireflies or had a growth spurt that made his legs ache. The one who used to smell like the stockroom, herby and indistinct, like he caught a whiff of it through an open door, and now--

Now there’s a musk to it, a hint of something deeper. He’s changing; no, Ryuu’s growing up, and Obi’s not sure into who. Someone better than him, that’s for sure. “Breakfast.”

The smell might be different, less herbal tea and more...forest floor, but it’s soothing. Like a cool compress to a fever, the first stirrings of his rut eases. “Where at?”

If it’s one of those informal grab-and-go businesses, he might be able to make it. Just throw his loosest tunic over this whole situation and stuff his pockets full of food. In and out and no one the wiser. “The usual room.”

Which means the informal dining room. Same as the formal one, but no dressing up required. Grabbing encouraged, but not the going. “Right.”

Intimate, is what Eisetsu liked to call his breakfasts. Table right up close to the spread so everyone can comment on what is and isn’t going on a plate. Best seats in the house to witness his ever-growing situation while he got his bacon and eggs.

Damn. He’d really been hoping for a handful of that sausage. Betas keep their table bland-- they don’t know better, really-- but it was recipe from the old count’s time. Man might have been a bastard, but he sure knew how to spice a--

“Obi.” Ryuu stares at him-- no, through him, brows angled like arrows over his nose. “Last night you ate quickly and left.”

It was that or break his hand to keep from feeding Miss from his plate. Kiki had offered her half a scone and he nearly jumped the table.

“You don’t smell right either.” Those wide eyes squint, suspicion caught up in their corners. A knowing he’d rather the kid not have. Not about this. “Are you feeling unwell?”

There’s a stress on it, unwell. Like the way Sir said indisposed when Kiki spent three days locked in her room after Sereg, or Miss said unavailable when Yuzuri made the whole wing smell like butter and citrus.

“Me, pup? I’m in top form.” He gives his chest a rap, just to prove it. “That perfume rattled me a bit, I’m not too proud to admit it, but everything’s right as rain now. Problem is--” he leans in, conspiratorial “--it’s getting crowded around here.”

His mouth fouls up into a frown. “Do you need more suppressants? I made another batch before we left. I can get them now.”

“Ahh. No, no.” There’s nothing those can do for him now, not with a rut so close even his bones feel heavy, begging him to find someone to hold his weight. “I just. Need a bit. Just a day or two to clear out my nose before I play the good omega again.”

“Uh-huh.” Ryuu hasn’t gotten as far as he has at Lilias without knowing a lie when he hears it. But he’s also got experience in keeping secrets, and Obi knows: he’ll keep this one too, so long as it’s safe. “You’ll let me know if you need something. Or Shirayuki?”

“I’ll tell you.” That’s the last thing he needs right now, having her in here. But her scent... “Hey, Little Ryuu, do you think you could do me a favor?”

“Which is why he’s still in his room.” There’s a tightness around Ryuu’s mouth as he speaks, a grimace concealed through movement. He’s keeping something from them, holding something back, and by the way he can’t quite meet her eye, Shirayuki knows it’s not about the crowd.

“He’s not coming, then?” He nods, tight and quick, before turning to the buffet, plate already in hand. “Maybe he’s finally able to relax.”

The muffin drops from between his tongs, rolling across the table before he stiffly picks it up. “Maybe. He definitely slept.”

Guilt stings her nose, sharp and strong as vinegar. She wants to press, to ask just how he might know that for a fact, but Zen’s snort interrupts her. “That one? I bet. He’s practically nocturnal.”

“I don’t think sleep is the issue here,” Kiki hums, her smirk tipping into a wry slant.

“You know how he leans against a wall with his arms crossed sometimes?” Zen leans toward Ryuu, a grin stretched across his lips. “He’s actually sleeping.”

This time when heat gathers at her collar, it’s not pleasant. No, this time her stomach roils, and the flush spreads like steam, right up to the tips of her ears. “That’s--”

That’s because his work keeps him up at night, she manages to snap her teeth around just in time, and then by morning you expect him to sit at your heels.

It takes a breath-- several, all of them under the table’s intense scrutiny-- for her to catch herself, for her to calm enough to say, “I mean that he’s able to relax now that all of you are here. With you around, he doesn’t have to worry...”

About keeping me safe. She glances up at Eisetsu, his curiosity politely perked. “He’s had a long few days, I mean.”

“Oh, I bet. He’ll emerge sooner or later.” Zen smiles at her over the rim of his teacup. “He’ll sneak out of his room, prowling and hungry for lunch.”

“Oh.” Ryuu blinks from his position at the buffet. “He told me to bring him some kind of sandwich.”

Kiki’s brows lift. “A brazen request for an absentee.”

“He put in his appearances last night,” Mitsuhide reminds them, slicing into a thick piece of ham. For one, bright moment, she believes he might be on her side, that he might defend Obi as well, but then he adds, disgruntled, “Maybe he thought that would earn him brownie points.”

“Clever.” Kiki hums, unimpressed. “Give up time now for a little time to himself later.”

Zen glances down the table, smile brimming with his usual charm. “I do apologize, Lord Eisetsu. He’s usually better behaved.”

“Oh, it’s, ah, no trouble at all.” He spares her a startled look, a question she can’t possibly answer brewing in his eyes. “Last night the man told me himself that he planned to spend half the day in his chambers. Well deserved too, if I say so myself.”

It’s with a theatrical sigh that Zen settles back in his chair, the barest hint of a smirk lingering at the corners of his mouth. “Well, what do we think? Should we forgive him? He did inform the master of the house.”

Kiki sips, too delicate, at her tea. “He certainly laid the groundwork.”

“Agreed. However--”

“I don’t think Obi needs your forgiveness.”

It’s not until every eye at the table swivels her way, aristocratic eyebrows all raised to their loftiest arches, that Shirayuki realizes that she’s spoken. That it was her foot that has come down on the neck of this conversation. But now that she has, it’s too late to stop, to keep the words from spilling out like a tea kettle boiled too hot.

“He has spent the last week getting to the bottom of a conspiracy that none of you knew anything about until after we--” Shirayuki hauls herself short of, we told you. Eisetsu has proven himself a trustworthy ally, maybe even friend; she would hate to ruin it by informing him that the prince of Clarines had been a guest in his house without his knowledge. “Last night he not only delivered the culprits to you, but a key witness, and on top of that, saved...”

It’s impossible to put into words what Ryuu is to her. To them. How frantically her heart had raced when they found that bookmark in the forest, the terrible tearing in her gut as she traced the bloody patterns of their secret knock.

“Shira--” There’s the smallest scrape of a chair as Zen makes to rise, his hand lifting off the table to reach out to her, but--

But one curious glance from Eisetsu keeps him in his seat. Because, of course, to him Zen is merely her lover’s lord, an acquaintance that only reflects the favor he must shower on Obi.

“Ah...” There’s an apology in Zen’s eyes, but it’s only for her. “Of course, Miss Shirayuki. We were only teasing. Force of habit. For an omega, Obi always gives as good as he gets.”

Right. Because that’s what they know him as: an omega, an easy and eager target. Not the alpha who bows his head to earn his place. Not the man who--

“If you would excuse me.” Her chair screeches back as she stands, the room suddenly too small, too hot. She glances at Eisetsu. “My lord?”

He blinks back at her. “O-of course, Shirayuki. Was the food not to your liking? You’ve barely eaten--?”

“No.” She can’t bear to look at any of them as she says, “I’ve lost my appetite.”

“Shira--” Zen catches himself. ��Miss Shirayuki, do you need someone to--?”

“No, I’m fine. Just...” She shakes her head. “I need space.”

Shirayuki’s hardly more than a few steps from the hall before she collapses against the wall, tearing at the neck of her dress. She’s sweating, cold and hot at the same time.

“What,” she gasps, pressing her head into her hands, “is wrong with me?”

#obiyukibingo23 #obiyuki #akagami no shirayukihime #snow white with the red hair #my fic #abo au #ans #yes it is BACK because the bingo gods LAUGH in the face of my PAIN #and also because there is a handful of ladies who would not let me rest #this chapter is mainly set up for what is going to come after #more of it than i initially planned!#BUT HERE WE ARE #because if i'm gonna write abo i'm gonna make people suffer PLOT

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