#not enough seasoning and maybe a pack of chicken thighs or something | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ddaehyeon · 3 years

Text

。✧ hyacinth; park serim + reader

— pairing: fashion designer!park serim + photographer!reader

— genre: angst, slight fluff, exes au, post-breakup, slightly suggestive (one scene only!)

— word count: 7.1k

— warning: arguments, heartbreak, mentions of anxiety and emptiness

— summary: years had passed since you broke up with serim; life had been continuously patching up ever since. his name had marked several clothing lines, while your studio was well-known in the small city you lived in. who would’ve known that a sight of him on a bus stop would be enough to bring back wounds you thought had long ago healed?

— navi: playlist | video teaser | cravity masterlist

— a/n: my wips suffered from a major slump and this is quite an overdue fic (i also have another overdue fic help) but i hope someone would still at least read this though >< the first ver of this didn't satisfy me and though this ver didn't satisfy me that much, i feel like after rewriting almost half of the fic, this one's better. i'll do my best to pull something better soon!

autumn must be the most magical part of the year. the leaves experiencing a color alteration, scarlets and golds carpeting the ground— a yearly harvest of the earth where everything was gradually being taken away. long gone was the heat of the summer; the chilly evening breeze sure was much friendlier than of winter. the season served as a comforting quilt. it was such a great time for warm drinks that could lift up the mood even for the wariest.

you let go of a breath as you stared at the window, the sun was setting. the color fleshed out in the sky golden, jiving well with the surrounding that was already of the same palette. with an indoor shoot for a seasonal issue of a magazine, it sure was a tiring day. the sound of camera clicks still ringing in your head, along with the hushed talks and chitchats coming from the staff members and the models.

at first, you were hesitant to accept the project. afraid that you’d bump by one of the renowned fashion designers in your region, park serim. but then, you couldn’t just chicken out when a hefty sum was to be paid. the relief you had when you saw that his name wasn’t on the list of designers was almost the same kind of relief you'd have after preventing big trouble from occurring.

“i finished placing back the props in the room.” hyeongjun’s voice was still as bright as it was this morning as if not touched by any fatigue. he was one of the photographers you hired in your studio, offering only fine shots. “i’ll be going home early, just send me a message about what time tomorrow’s shoot will be!”

“thank you, junie.” a smile was on your brim as you nodded on his words, watching him pack his camera and leave afterward.

silence melted in the room as soon as hyeongjun stepped out. alone in your photography studio, you sat on a stool used earlier by one of the models. the room was dimly lit with only one of the umbrella lights open. it was only by then that you realized your thighs were already stiff from the nonstop work earlier. you wanted to go home and just be in the comforts of your bed.

pulling out your phone, you dialed your brother’s number, frowning when it took him quite a while to pick up. was he busy or did he just forget that he was supposed to pick you up tonight?

jungmo would always fetch you by your studio after his working hours concluded. with the two of you living together in the same house, your brother just found it ideal— bringing you to your work every morning and giving you a drive home every evening. it might seem like he was babying you, but it was a gesture you grew fond of.

“y/n?” jungmo gasped on the other line. it seemed like he was outside, music playing in the background which mingled well with the peals of laughter. “shit, i forgot to tell you.”

you raised a brow, questioning his words. “what’s the matter?”

“can’t fetch you today.” you can already envision the pout he had on his lips. “i’m at a party with allen and woobin, catching up with my colleagues. i’ll make it up to you tomorrow, i promise!”

“alright. i’ll just ride the bus then.” it was your turn to purse your lips. you can’t bring yourself to complain about it though. “have fun! just stay in woobin’s apartment tonight, don’t drive!”

“i will, i will,” jungmo replied, a call of his name following. his friends might’ve been looking for him already. “text me alright? get home safely, y/nie.”

at the end of the phone call came another sigh from you. a tightlipped smile braced your lips as you stood to turn off the remaining lights. you retrieved your camera and placed it back in one of the drawers. making sure everything was back to its place, secured; you gave the place one final look. something you’d do every single day before going home. a reminder of the thing you loved the most. a reminder of what could have been.

the sidewalk wasn’t as empty as you imagined it to be, maybe you weren’t used to walking to the bus stop anymore. strangers of different day occurrences exchanged various looks that shared one same element, tiredness.

when the wind blew, fallen leaves danced along with it. the slight coldness making you tuck your hands inside the pocket of the cardigan you were wearing. you loved the cool breeze, but not when you knew you had to stay out on an open shed with it as your companion. cold weather could be your friend, a company for a better evening sleep. but rather a harsh fellow when you had to be alone, when loneliness can easily be injected to your senses.

tracing the path, a memory went to play in your head. way back in college, this was the same sidewalk you’d walk in with your ex-lover. a camera on your hand while he had a roll of satin in his arms. it was such a usual view for the two of you as you talked about how the day went, ranting about the monotonous lectures, gushing over how you missed each other’s company and how you wished that the two of you could get back to your shared apartment as soon just so you can snuggle on the couch.

you glanced at the sky, the cloud hiding the few scattered twinkling stars. a faint smile spread upon your lips, only to disappear when your gaze went back to the bus stop. the male that passed by in a form of fleeting memory earlier was standing right in front of you as if fleshed out from your mind. a lavender-colored paper bag was hanging on his arm, the logo of his product line delicately stamped on the middle. his phone was resting on his other hand, if he was scrolling through sns or texting someone, you weren’t sure.

the magical feeling he used to offer long gone, your stomach twisting into several knots. a cold sensation went down in your spine as a familiar tug came to pull your heartstring. he’s back? what is he doing here? he lives here again?

your thoughts were loud in your head, but none of it was pulled out loud. each word ending up as a lump in your throat. the air was thickening, your heart beating fast, not out of excitement, but out of the clashing thoughts that left you so nervous and confused. it had been years, how come a single sight of him made you feel like all your resolutions are gone? how did a single sight of him become enough to shatter the glass that protected you from the ache that night had caused you?

it was cold. but no, it was no longer because of the autumn breeze.

“serim?” the name was uttered in the same way you would before everything came crashing, yet it held a much weaker tone. you can’t even remember the last time your voice came to wrap around the syllables of his name.

the male turned his head to look at you, a brow raised as he stared at you. no obvious emotion, his eyes held no recognition.

and his reply? it sent a shiver down your spine, your stomach flipping in a horrendous manner.

“who are you?”

for a moment, the air caused such a nauseous feeling— thin and hard to inhale. it was only three words, yet it was powerful enough to serve as a punch in the gut.

how can he forget?

how can he forget how the two of you first met?

not that it was a very momentous event, just a regular struggle faced by two college students that needed someone else to accomplish a project for a major subject. there were no butterflies involved, nor did sparks fly the moment you met. regardless, up until now, that day burned fresh in your mind.

“i know someone from that department,” woobin said without even looking at you, his eyes focused on his book. though you weren’t sure if he was really paying attention to the words written there as he kept on diving in the conversation every now and then.

“and who might that be?” the dreadful task of having to pair up with the design department had been inhabiting your mind ever since it was given to you. pressure rising as you saw your other blockmates having no hard time getting themselves out there and communicating with the department they weren’t really accustomed to. you still have a month and a half, you were sure you can still make it. it was just a photoshoot anyway, featuring your partner’s designs.

“park serim,” woobin finally answered as if he had to think hard of the person’s name. “i think no one had asked him to become their partner, he’d be available to do it.”

desperate to get over with the task, later that day, you found yourself by the catwalk the design students would take. it was a path that connected their building to the main gate directly. your building wasn’t exactly far away from theirs, but still of a different building. with their building equipped with supplies and machineries for final products, yours were of computers, lightings, and screens.

you stared at your phone, his instagram profile opened. earlier, you already took the pleasure of checking his works out and without much filtering, him as well. he sure does love taking pictures of himself; something that could work perfectly with him being your subject. once satisfied, you left him a dm that was probably one of the most awkward sentences you had ever typed in the entirety of your life.

a notification popped out as you look at your screen, which was shortly followed by another. it was only of common courtesy to follow him before asking him for a favor right? you did that before messaging him and now he followed you back and replied to your dm. unlike you, he didn’t spend much time wandering in your profile. well, as if he had so much to look unto aside from the sceneries and some stories posted.

‘you were the person woobin was talking about? i’ll be out in two minutes. see you in the catwalk.’

it wasn’t too long of a duration, you allowed yourself to simply jump from a social media to another, mindlessly scrolling and liking some post every now and then. only lifting your head up when a wave of students began getting out of the establishment. most were holding mannequins with unfinished clothing attached to them, some were holding rolls of fabrics you weren’t sure what to call.

with squinted eyes, you tried to look for him among the crowds. woobin said that serim was a fashion design major, so he’d probably be holding the same thing as the other students that came out.

and he was.

leaning on his shoulder was a mannequin, asymmetrically dressed in silk. it wasn’t sewn yet, only supported by sewing pins. an arm wrapped around a roll of what seemed to be linen of pastel blue color. there was also a paper bag hanging on his arm which seemed to have some extra fabric and maybe some other supplies.

you walked towards him with a wave to which he gave you a confused look at first, the frown melting away when he realized that you were the one who messaged him not even an hour ago.

“you’re y/n?” he asked, merely to confirm.

you nodded your head and offered a hand in carrying the paper bag. something he didn’t refuse to. “so…” unsure of how to bring up the means of meeting with him after his class, your voice trailed.

“what do you need anyway?” he supported your words as he traced the path of the sidewalk. “take pictures of me or take pictures of the clothes i make?”

“both.” a chuckle left your lips, laced with nothing but sheer abashment, at the same time mentally cursing this project. you were okay with taking pictures, but the negotiation that comes with it wasn’t a task you were so used to doing.

serim hummed, saying an almost inaudible ‘i see’ before taking a big step and stopping in front of you to do a curt observation. his gaze trailing from toes up to your shoulder. “i’ll agree to do it, if you’ll model for me for a project.”

blinking your eyes multiple times, a baffled frown came to mask your countenance. “what?”

“i need a model that will wear the dress i’m doing by the end of the semester,” serim uttered nonchalantly, proceeding to turn his back to you and resume walking. “that would be quits.”

“i’ll do it,” you said, despite still being hesitant. having close to zero knowledge about how such a presentation would work, you were so close to disagreeing. but then again, it would only be a good way to repay him, right? and perhaps the other fashion design students would ask you of the same thing if you try to team up with them.

turning to look at you, there was a curve that formed on his brim. “that’s a deal then.”

how can he forget how the two of you confessed to each other?

two months. it took two months of random meet ups, daily conversations, and occasional hanging out to get to know each other. the awkward messages of checking up on each other’s side of the project turned to asking about each other’s day, sharing rants about academic life or life in general. the occasional hanging out turning to planned dates and spontaneous ones when the two of you both have the time to spare.

you’d usually stay in his unit as he worked on the dress for his project, a clothing that perfectly suits your figure. late night talks induced by the slightest energy given by coffee the two of you had clung into in hopes of being able to finish what was due.

it seemed like time flew by and before you knew it, you were in the backstage. serim was pacing back and forth, more nervous than you were. he wasn’t the one that was going to the stage, but sure his body was restless.

“are you alright?” you asked him once the two of you were left alone in the dressing room.

this was enough for serim’s movement to come to a halt. even when his eyes landed on you, it was obvious that his mind was floating. in fact, it even took him hot seconds before he was able to commit to a verbal response. “i am.”

“you are?” a smile broke out of your countenance which was eventually followed by a chuckle. “are you sure with that?”

your laughter was adequate to ease his nerves a little, a curve appearing on his lips. “i am.”

one of his classmates who was in charge of the flow came knocking to the door, signalling that you should be on standby.

“i’ll do my best,” you said, walking toward the door. it would be a definite lie to say that you were not at all nervous. a deep breath taken before twisting the knob, stopping when serim called you. it was covered with a bit, yet noticeable hesitation that it made you cock a brow for a moment.

“good luck.” it was all that he uttered, along with a gesticulation of him raising both fists. though serim’s mind spoke of different words, words he had little courage to let go of. at least not yet at that moment.

you gave him a smile, nodding your head afterward. “thank you.”

and off you go.

roaring crowds and camera clicks; the auditorium set up for the use of the fashion design students as they exhibit their works through their chosen models. formerly, you’d find yourself among the crowds, snapping pictures and admiring the clothes done by the other students. but this time, you found yourself clothed in a floral print silk-blend asymmetrical dress designed by serim himself.

the lights were blinding, being always part of the photographers, you were quite accustomed with how you were part of the persons behind the camera lense. serim was in the dressing room, watching the runway from the screen that displayed the live broadcast. some of your friends were among the crowds, your older brother even telling you before the show started that he’d be sure to take pictures of you.

fortunately, the few days of practice didn’t go to waste, no major mistakes happened when you modeled serim’s design. perhaps the only problem was you were a little stiff, something too trivial for some audience to notice.

as soon as you stepped by the backstage, serim’s proud smile welcomed you. unable to rest in the dressing room once he saw you getting out of the stage, he practically ran to meet you behind the curtains.

his eyes were filled with adoration, not just for the dress he finished making, but for the overall beauty you radiated. without much thought, he walked closer to you, soon wrapping you in an embrace. tight, yet gentle.

“you did well, y/n,” serim whispered, not letting go.

a soft chuckle was heard from you, your cheeks burning. “you did well,” you corrected. “please, it’s your design.”

“thank you.” releasing you, a smile lingered on his visage. “i’ll make you a better dress in the future.”

“you don’t have to, but thanks,” you replied before the two of you sunk into silence. regardless of how the surrounding was of heavy music and cheers, peace had found its way to emanate in the dimmed part of the area.

no words spoken, yet feelings poured when serim leaned closer. his lips easily capturing yours enough to make your heart pound in your chest, louder than it did while you were in the catwalk.

serim broke the kiss, his lips still close with yours. his eyes were of another glow when he uttered a set of words, familiar yet foreign. “i love you.”

once again, you were under his spell. soft kiss turning into a sloppy one once he guided you to a more secluded area. it would be such a waste to rip the dress off given that it was an original design, yet as the person who sewn each part of the clothing you were wearing, serim had his way to resolve the small dilemma.

the surrounding was silenced, your body frail under each of his touch, breath taken away, chest heaving. sure, it was a night you won’t be able to forget.

how can he forget about how the two of you practically lived with each other for years?

the exuberance exuded while the two of you carried several boxes into an empty unit you called home. maybe it wasn’t really about the place, but it was who you were with. his arms served as a shelter. his hand caught tears of both happiness and sadness. his lips pressed affection that no one else could offer. everywhere with serim was of comfort, of tranquility— a home.

living with another person, being under a single roof wasn’t exactly the easiest thing to adjust to. throughout the first few months of living together, your head was filled with memories of sheer trial and error as the two of you tried to learn the curves. this included adjusting for each other or at least compromising for what the other likes that the other doesn’t. silly mistakes became such a fond memory.

the smell of burnt food that wafted in the air when the two of you decided to stay on the balcony while cooking dinner. astonished by the stars and the almost endless stories that passed on both lips the meal you were preparing was left neglected. that night, the two of you shared bitter food of dark exterior, quite hard to swallow. but the laughter that filled the house after the incident lifted up each other’s mood. despite the bad-tasting meal, it was probably one of the best dinners you had in that apartment.

it didn’t end there. who would forget about the laundry disaster that rendered one of serim’s white long sleeves saturated with colors you weren’t sure what to call. the mixture of forget-me-not blue and azalea pink stood as the most distinguishable pigment along with the other colors. serim only let out of a chuckle at what occurred, even joking that maybe the two of you could start a business of dying white clothing in such a way.

the best memory thus far was a late-night run by the convenience store when the two of you were chasing a morning deadline. a grumbling stomach that broke the mutual silence the two of you exchanged, along with a suspecting look that ended up with laughter.

“let’s buy some food,” serim suggested, removing the tape measure from his shoulder and settling it to the mannequin.

you hit save on your laptop, the editing could wait for a few minutes.

pulling yourself off the chair, you gazed at him with a smile. it wasn’t a surprise that he had the same beam, as bright as the morning, regardless of how the evening was already crawling onto the whole city. sometimes, you wondered how a simple smile could give you so much energy. what kind of magic does a beam flashed by the person you love hold?

a few snacks picked up by the convenience store; a bag in his hand, your hand on the other as the two of you walked back to your unit. the evening sky and the soft gush of wind amplifying the peacefulness provided by the city. no words were exchanged, yet the silence was enough of a word.

deadlines momentarily escaping the mind as you allowed yourself to be engulfed by his presence. his soft voice breaking the silence, the phrase that left his lips drew a curve on your lips. “i love you, y/n.” you weren’t looking at him, but you could perceive the smile he had. “so much.”

“i know,” you replied.

serim’s steps became slower as he looked at you, waiting for the actual response. with a tilted head and shining eyes that reflected your figure and the street lights, his gaze didn’t waver.

a chuckle left your lips, finding yourself lost in his eyes for a moment. “i love you too, serim.” you squeezed his hand, cueing him to continue walking. “so much.”

sighing out of content, a radiant smile decorated his lips.

at that moment, the two of you wished nothing more but just to be next to each other for as long as life would grant you.

how can he forget about your first anniversary?

it wasn’t grand, just the two of you sitting by the balcony. the bouquet he bought abandoned on the dinner table as the two of you gushed over plans you were sure were realistic enough to be achieved. your eyes twinkling with mirth, a lifetime with him sure was the ideal one you’d want to spend.

“y/n,” despite being just beside you, serim called.

you looked at him with a brow raised, catching his eyes on yours. “mhm?”

a smile simply spread onto his lips before he broke the gaze. his hand seeking for an item inside the pocket of his hoodie, a small box retrieved afterward. there, a necklace sat. the pendant was of a ring that was not entirely decorated with fancy stones, rather a lone blue sapphire stone was on it.

“the pendant is a promise ring,” serim explained before scooting closer to you. his hand reached for the back of your head while the necklace rested on your skin. he locked the jewelry on your neck, pressing a gentle kiss on your forehead after.

you were silent the whole time, not because you didn’t like the gesture. but because you were sure words wouldn’t be enough to express the satisfaction and light feeling that was blanketing your heart.

serim had a faint smile as he admired the necklace for a moment. just like you, his heart was in an ocean of peaceful joy. lifting his head to look at you directly, he gave your lips a light peck. “i’ll buy you a better one once we’re ready for it.”

“thank you.” your countenance mirrored the same expression serim had— of joy and serenity. “i love you so much.”

“i love you too.” serim leaned in for another quick kiss, swift yet lingering. “i can’t wait to spend a lifetime with you.”

the evening droned on and on with the two of you staying by the balcony, exchanging conversations about the future. two hearts in one home, seemingly able to find the path where both can hold each other’s hand. minds filled with dreams where the other can also be spotted. a considerably spacious studio apartment became the foundation of your plans and dreams.

aspirations that soon became the neglected cause of why your relationship with him gradually crumbled down.

how can he forget about your very first fight?

gazes that held no definite emotion, silence that cut through the air— it was all an unfamiliar experience, hard to swallow. something that you weren’t able to forget easily as it was the first time you’ve ever seen serim with such a cold expression.

the coaster of shows on the television had long passed, a few recaps played. something that wasn’t really able to get a hold of your attention. your mind drifting elsewhere and the few notifications appearing on your phone were the only ones that managed to pull you out of your daze momentarily.

“where’s serim?” for the nth time that day, you asked. the room was quiet with only a few chatters from the screen in front of you. the evening was growing older and older, but you haven’t received any message about serim's whereabouts. neither had he sent you a message the whole afternoon.

worried, you opted to stay up and wait for him. even prepared a meal that can be easily heated so he can have something to eat once he arrives in case he hasn’t eaten anything yet.

with the door clicking, you were quick to get off the couch. the faint footsteps signaling you right away.

“you’re finally home,” you said, a smile easily located on your brim. only for it to melt away at the sight of serim’s stern look. his gaze piercing through, enough for chills to trace your spine.

he walked past you, not even offering you the regular hugs and kisses he would do every time he’d arrive. all that was left were cold stares. something you attempted to break. and heck did you regret doing so.

“why haven’t you been answering your phone? have you already eaten?” the worry you had accumulated coming through in waves of questions.

a sigh was emitted out of his mouth as he went to get himself a drink. it seemed like a verbal response was not an option for him since he continued to ignore your questions. at this point, it was as if there was no one else in the room. it was like you weren’t there.

“did something happen, serim?”

a minute. it was all it took for the entirety of your relationship to come to an unknown turn. the curve strange, it crawled to the skin with such a frigid touch enough for your stomach to flip horribly.

“can you give me a break?” serim hissed, a glare shoot in your direction. his voice growing power word after word. your breath was taken away, how can words suffice to make you feel so small? he placed his glass on the sink, the item almost meeting its demise. he turned to look at you once again. “can’t you see, i’m tired?”

“i waited for you.” the words spilled out of your lips, disappointment hugging your tone.

“who told you to wait for me?” serim snarled and before you knew it, you were already standing on the same page. similar expression, different cause. yours were anchored in concern, while his were of fatigue from the whole day of heavy workload. those seemed to have lulled both of your senses, blinding each other.

“oh well, i was just worried about you because you didn’t send me a message the whole afternoon up to this point.”

“do i really need to report my actions to you?”

“no, but you have to at least tell me if you’re going home late.” your voice gradually softened, a tear held back.

no, you can’t cry. no, not in front of him. no.

“i was worried,” you broke out. but it wasn’t enough for his fumes to dissolve. like gasoline poured into flames, each of your replies only intensified the exasperation boiling in his stomach.

“i’m going to rest.” serim sigh was audible as he stormed off to your room, leaving you with tears in your eyes.

a minute.

it only took half a minute for everything to fall out of its order. that fight wasn’t the last one and each passing day, the unit you once called home was stuck with unfamiliarity.

it was no longer a home.

how can he forget about that night?

cold meals by the table had your eyes fixated on them. the date encircled in red, a supposedly special day that turned bitter. different from how you used to spend it before—of laughter and warm touches— serim wasn’t there. he was far too involved with projects that your shared unit only became a short shelter. words were barely exchanged, yet alone gazes. you still sleep on the same bed as him, but no warmth was offered.

you weren’t sure which was better, to continue living with him even if it felt like you weren’t living with him or to have him gone in your life for real. regardless of the turns that occurred, the continuous erosion of your relationship, you couldn’t find it to yourself to let go. still tied by your attachment to the former serim.

a sigh left your lips, desolated gaze trailing on the table. you tried. but it seemed like those attempts were futile. it takes two people’s efforts. you can’t revive a relationship alone.

switching place, you went to the living room and sat by the couch. the place dimly lit by a lone lampshade. the city lights filtering through the window. the air gradually thickened around you, it held your throat in a vice grip. the photographs displayed by the shelves were foreign to you, despite how it was simply you and serim. it was like you were staring at completely different people. smiles had long been taken away, touches had melted, flutters subsided— all that was left was a terrible feeling of helplessness. something that seemed to guide you to nowhere. you were lost.

before, you were sure of how the story was to be written. how the chapters were to unfold. but right now, you weren’t even certain what would be on the next page. it was like the next ones were torn from the spine, gone. oh hell, you weren’t even sure what page you were on right now or if the story was bound to be written in the first place.

serim’s arrival went unnoticed at first. only until you heard the clink of the glass meeting the sink did you turn in his direction. an empty gaze was earned and for some reason you found yourself offering him a faint smile. a small gesture packed in pain that was quick to course through your senses.

sighing had become his way of greeting. dark circles under his eyes and the disheveled look emanated how his work had been weighing him. but your mouth was closed regardless of how you wanted to speak of reassurance and praise. it was strange, the inability to speak of warm words around him. why were you so held by fear?

“serim,” you called, breaking the floating silence.

he looked at you, eyes deep like he was examining a piece of fabric. it was enough for your stomach to churn. the stillness continued after your call. you weren’t sure how to continue it; it was as if his name was unnatural in your tongue. not only was your breath sucked, but also all the possible words had dissipated.

yet again another sigh as he tore his gaze away, stepping towards the bedroom. “i’m so tired, y/n,” he uttered, setting a line for you to not cross onto. “very tired.”

resurfacing on your brim was a smile. your eyes weren’t exactly skillful of lying though as tears soon gathered on it. heart hollowed in emptiness as if a scream would echo on its wall. likewise, your voice decided to betray you— shaking. “serim, i’m getting tired too.”

for a swift moment, serim tried to come up with an answer. but just like you, comforting words seemed to be an unfamiliar language. even aware of how a look would be inadequate, he only stared at you. his eyes don’t speak of words nor radiated comfort— it was vacant. lowering his head, he carded his fingers on his hair before letting go of a breath.

serim finally stepped inside the bedroom.

and that was how the two of you parted ways.

how can he forget about you?

it went on and on in your head, the question continuously striking.

a gush of autumn breeze pulled you out of your daze. serim was still looking at you, his eyes slowly lightening with recognition. a few blinks and he spoke. “oh, wait.” he tilted his head to the side. “y/n?”

you weren’t exactly sure what kind of answer to give, but you gave it your best to offer a faint smile. “yes.”

still— despite how other people were walking on the sidewalk and how vehicles passed by the road, the surrounding seemed to come to a stillness you didn’t ask for. denying and pushing away the feelings you’ve long ago tried to bury and made yourself believe that you’ve healed from only brought a new wave of pain. as if you were its child, sadness came to hug you.

just in time, the bus arrived as if to save you from further drowning in emotions you didn’t wish to engulf you in. to your surprise, serim also boarded in. while you chose to sit somewhere just nearby the driver, he went to the last row.

usually, your rides on the way home were the most relaxing ones. a time to just stare at the window and watch the night spread into the city. it will always be accustomed by jungmo asking you on and on about how your day went and also sharing about how his day went. but your brother wasn’t around for that kind of support right now. and you can’t blame him for it. you can’t blame anyone for this unexpected meeting with the person you never knew you’d ever meet again.

the ride was sickeningly slow, all you wished was to get home and allow your voice to echo in your room. to release the emptiness if it was even possible to empty something that was already vacant. the sky held no comfort. its color dissipated and all that was left was an empty canvas that like a broken record, played memories. it was silly how despite those quick memories popping in and out of your mind, questions still managed to penetrate.

serim was living in another city, why did he ride the same bus? was he to meet his new lover? maybe to meet an old friend?

or did he perhaps mean to meet you? this was a guess you despised. the hope it brought that maybe an answer for all the questions formed that night were to be given tasted bitter in your mouth and offered restlessness in the heart.

an urge to talk to him surfaced, but then you asked yourself why. why would you want to talk to him? for what?

despite being curious about the reason why he left that night, a certain fear crawled onto your senses. the fear of knowing.

what could knowing his reasons possibly bring you?

the time when the two of you loved each other wasn’t of the best timing. two newly graduates seeking career growth, wanting nothing but to achieve various goals. those were dreams drawn with the other person placed as a part of it. however, during the process of achieving those, that same person where the aspiration was rooted gradually disappeared from the mind. the path the two of you promised to take together came at crossroads and you ended up taking something different from what he preferred to go to.

at first, there was a powerful yearning that made the two of you grow more fond of each other. but it was slowly replaced by numbness towards it, making love such a foreign word.

you understood. but it wasn’t something you had fully accepted.

a familiar shed came to flash on the window, your stop nearing. and when the vehicle finally came to a halt, you gave serim a final glance. he was looking at you, not moving from his seat. dismissing the contact, you walked down the bus and began tracing the sidewalk with heavy steps.

disappointment curled into your stomach when you arrived near your house, realizing that the recurring questions will not be answered. however, fate played its game. anxiousness arose when once again you heard your name wrapped around serim’s voice.

you turned to look at him, his lips hesitant to let go of a word.

serim was also in deep thoughts, mind all over the place despite how he already had the resolution to talk to you, not to explain and justify himself, but to apologize for the damage done.

“i’m sorry for that night,” serim began, the initial words already clinging into his chest, weighing down. “i should’ve been more honest with you and trusted you more with my struggles.”

there was nothing serim wanted but to prove himself worthy of you. achieve things that could make you be proud of him and deem him as someone who deserves you. working up to late hours, diving into designs in order to perfect his craft. the thing was, he forgot that you already loved him even when he was simply that serim. that you loved him as park serim.

blinded by the goal, the mean diminished. as he was too caught up with it, he was no longer striding towards it for you, but for himself.

“it was selfish of me to decide for something we both should be deciding for. i left that night thinking it was better that way without even considering how you will feel,” serim continued, his voice weakening. he lifted his hand as if to hold you, but stopped midway. it fell to his side as he breathed in. “i’m sorry. i’m really sorry.”

“i was hurt, but you were probably hurt as well.” the way those words left your lips ever so calmly surprised you. “it wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but i hope we both learned from it.” a smile became evident on your visage. “promise me one thing serim, do not make the same mistake with your future lover.”

“i will not,” serim replied.

both of you never really imagined the end of your relationship and as the page of it was torn years ago, an ending was deemed impossible to earn. closing a book would never be that easy, but some stories were meant to end— yours included.

“also, this is for you.” serim handed you the paper bag he was holding. “i told you years ago that i’ll make you a better dress, and here it is. i figured that i wouldn’t be able to keep the promise laced on the ring i gave you before but i at least want to have one of my promises kept.”

you looked at the item for a moment before turning to serim once again. “thank you.”

“i also want you to know that i truly loved you.”

never at once did you doubt serim’s love for you. the thing about it is that people will grow and know love from a better perspective. know how to best keep it. know how to best show it. but it will not change the fact that back then, you felt that it was love.

serim had a single flaw and that was to hold everything to himself to the point that those created a wide gap between the two of you. the distance far enough that reaching his hand became impossible despite how you wanted to hold him.

and maybe during that time, parting was the best solution. and up to this point, it was too.

“it’s nice seeing you again, serim.”

“likewise, y/n.” a genuine smile crossed his lips. “goodbye?”

“goodbye.”

tonight, you gave him a piece of your heart. it was his, to begin with. whatever he was to do with it— keep it, throw it, crush it— it was a decision for him to make. keeping something that shouldn’t be there would only bring further destruction, it’s way better to have an empty spot in your heart rather than keep a damaged one.

the breeze embraced you. the goodbyes uttered were to serve as a beginning. there were new questions that formed and you knew there were tears that were yet to be spilled. but it was a start. opening a buried wound would never be pleasant, but it was way better to open it yourself than have it bare you.

staring at the newly planted hyacinth in the neighboring flower bed, you let go of a sigh. they will bloom in the spring. and you hoped that you would experience the same.

#cravitywriters #cravity imagines #cravity oneshots #cravity scenarios #cravity x reader #cravity angst #cravity fluff #serim x reader #serim #this has been in my drafts for quite a while...#finally got that push to post it u_u #cravity

87 notes · View notes

mikkomacko · 4 years

Text

Bloodsucker I

She loves him.

Loves the way he laughs with all his chest, even if something isn't that funny. Loves the way his emerald green eyes seem to shine. Loves the way his nose twitches when he speaks. She loves everything about him, and she really can't imagine ever not loving him. Harry's just one of the people that linger, always in your heart or mind no matter what. She's certain he'll be someone that's around for eternity.

Eternity. She sighs softly, stroking her fingers through the tangle of curled baby hairs by his temple, imagining a life with Harry. They've been together for almost a year, their anniversary being tomorrow and while it hasn't been very long, y/n hates the thought of not having another year with him. And another after that, and after that, and after that. Morning after morning of seeing his face squished into the pillow, light snores escaping his parted lips.

She's caught up in dreaming up a life with him, one in which she moves into this big house of his and maybe they adopt a little kitty and Harry writes children's stories inspired by their own babies, a beautiful haze that prevents her from noticing the lack of snores coming out of her boyfriend. It's not until his eyes have fluttered open, brilliant in the morning glow, does she realize he's awake.

"S'early dove." Harry croaks, accent thick and voice scratchy. His hand moves out from under the pillow, digging a knuckle into his eye. "Sleep with me again, got all weekend to ourselves."

A smile stretches her mouth, fingers still carding through his hair and he practically purrs at the feeling as he nuzzles back into the pillow. It's true, Harry insisted they spend the whole weekend at his place, just the two of them loving on each other until their anniversary dinner tomorrow night. She didn't hesitate to agree, happily packing up a few necessities from her apartment to now occupy the side of the bed he always reserves for her.

"M'not tired H." Y/n mumbles back, willing away her droopy eyes. Her body feels tired, limbs warm and heavy under the multiple blankets on the bed, but her heart is wide awake and restless.

Scolding, Harry raises the one eyebrow that's not hidden by the pillow. "Know you're tired. Eyes are puffy and ya've got dark circles." Bones cracking like a glow stick, Harry pushes himself up with a slight wince and urges her onto her back so he can fit his large frame between her thighs. He leans down to press a chaste kiss to her forehead, so light her eyes close allowing him to kiss her eyelids with the touch of a butterfly wing. "Sleepy baby."

"Kissy, baby?"

Harry chuckles, breath fanning across the lower half of her face before he connects their mouths at her request, and his enjoyment. Lips still kissing, hers now parted to give him the opportunity to explore, Harry shuffles further up her body to press the bulge in his underwear against her crotch. The blankets fall down to the crooks of his knees, exposing them to the morning air but neither care as he breaks from her mouth to press kisses across her jawbone, up to her ear.

"S'have a morning shag baby," Harry pleads, as if they don't always have a morning shag, and his teeth teasingly nibble on her ear lobe. A bubbly giggle leaves her mouth, nails scratching at his bare shoulder blades. "What are ya laughing for?? M'serious."

Oh she knows he's serious. She can feel just how serious he is against her thigh. "You just told me to go back to sleep!"

Harry pulls back, lifting himself to his hands and frowning down at her. "Well yeah but I think you'd rest better after I've fucked ya good."

He looks like a petulant child, eyebrows pinched together and lips pursed in a grumpy pout. How he can go from being a 28 year old man to a 4 year old boy is unknown to her but she doesn't care because he's her man to love and her boy to baby when he needs it.

"You want to?"

Scoffing, Harry nods rapidly. "Really really want to." As if proving his point he ruts his hips forward just once, allowing her to feel his eagerness. Y/n seals their lips together again, hooking a leg around his hip and using her foot to push his briefs down.

"Go on then, tire me out H."

That's all he really needs before he's removing her pajama shirt, leaving her naked beneath him. His fingertips leave dots of electricity across her skin, gripping her hip in one hand and her thigh in the other. Their mouths part after a sloppy peck, Harry dragging his lips down the column of her throat and nudging the head of his prick between her folds. Like always, when he sinks all the way between her walls, y/n is mush of dazed moans and clingy hands. Harry's quick with his thrusts, fucking her somewhat sloppily but perfectly, and the haze that settles around them is otherworldly. Y/n thinks Harry must be some other being with the way he's always able to pull her apart without much effort. Little does she know, her thoughts aren't far off because after she's reached her peak, whimpering and clenching around his cock, and Harry's emptied inside her as well, he stays awake until she's fully asleep again, tired enough to not even stir when he sinks two sharp teeth into her jugular.

Harry thinks her blood is otherworldly.

<|>

The mid-day sun filters through the yellow and red leaves, scattering into beams of tinged light on the kitchen floor. A pan of tofu sizzles on the stove, the chicken seasoning on it overpowering the smell of pumpkin guts that had filled his kitchen an hour ago when they had carved the vegetable. Harry's wearing the apron he stole from her apartment a few months ago, a blue and white flannel pattern that makes his eyes appear baby blue as well.

They've always enjoyed cooking together, Harry doing more of the cooking and her more of the tasting because he's got magic senses in the kitchen. Everything he makes is delicious, always impressing her whether it's a brand-new recipe or a repeated favorite dish, and she once again longs for forever with him.

"A lifetime gone by,

more years than men need,

a gift of another was bestowed upon me,

and yet time with you will always be..."

The pause in the air is palpable, y/n waiting eagerly for him to continue while she drains their ramen noodles. When the moments passed and Harry is still hunched over the counter, peering down at his journal in deep thought, she speaks. "Always be what babe?"

The scrunch of his nose tightens, sighing in frustration and dropping his black pen to the counter. "Don't know. S'just too many words I could put there but I don't like the way they sound." Shutting the journal, he shoves it aside on the counter until it's resting next to his laptop and other plot lines. While Harry's written many books under a different name, he's starting his first ever poetry book and it's proven to be even more of a struggle than writing romance or horror novels (they're his two favorite).

Shuffling around the counter top, he moves to stir the tofu around in the pan with a disgruntled frown on his face. Placing the noodles back on the stove, y/n drapes herself against his back, arms wrapping tightly around his waist. "You'll get it H," she promises, "you're amazing with words and you've got such a beautiful mind. Wise beyond your years, you know that?"

She doesn't see his smile nor the nervous bob of his Adams apple. If only she knew just how many years he's had.

<|>

In the back corner of the restaurant, a candle flickering between the two of them, y/n watches with hearts in her eyes as he slices through his steak. Her own plate of pasta and sautéed veggies is half eaten in front of her, but there’s no room for any more food in her belly due to the amount of butterflies swirling in there.

“Was thinking of a new story today.” Harry says after swallowing the bite in his mouth and rinsing it down with a gulp of wine. “‘Nother romance one.”

“You’ve been writing a lot of romance lately,” she comments, “not in a horror mood right now?”

His lips quirk up bashfully, popping a bite of medium rare meat between in his teeth. Chest expanding with a deep inhale, he chews with suspense, fists resting on the dining table with his knife and fork in each palm. He looks handsome, powerful and regal with his hair curling down his shoulders perfectly and his button up shirt being more shirt than buttoned up. She wants to reach over the table and trace her fingers over his soft collarbones but she refrains. For now.

“S’fun to write romance when you’ve got a muse.”

The blood that rises to her cheeks is warm and beautiful, catching Harry's eye immediately. He hadn't intended to fluster her with the comment, but now that he's done it he can't help but drool. Which is why they spend the rest of dinner praising each other, Harry's mouth filling with venom every time he hears or smells her blood warm under his words.

And he enjoys her soft spoken words too. It's been a while since he's felt like more than just a monster, and hearing his girl tell him how much she loves and adores him, how she'll never get enough of him, is almost heartwarming.

He's starry eyed when they leave the restaurant, barely catching the keys that the valet hands him followed by the words "get home safe."

Gets home safe. It's ironic Harry thinks right now, with his hand stretched over the center console to hold hers. She looks exhausted, head slumped against the window but watching him with a fond smile. He can feel the thumping of her heart, the pure adoration radiating off of her being. It's the exact way he feels about her. It's the exact reason their blood runs through each other. It's the exact reason why he wants her with him forever. And, unfortunately, it's the exact reason her choice of life is taken from her.

"If you could, would you be mine forever?" He asks, stomach twisting nervously. She doesn't know the extent of the question but he still would like to know. His words cause her to perk up, eyes widening in happiness and a smile pulling at her lips.

Too caught up in her bright eyes, Harry fails to notice the deer crossing the street directly in front of them. Even with his heightened senses, she takes up all of him. It's at the last moment that he catches it out of the corner of his eye, slamming on the brakes and jerking out of the path of the animal. The tires skid and Harry loses all control of the car as it runs off the side of the road. Instinctively, his hands leave the wheel, one coming up to shield his face while the other reaches over for y/n. He's going to grab her, has to grab her. He has to keep her safe. Unfortunately he's not fast enough before the car slams into the tree, glass shattering around them. But over the sound of it all, Harry can only hear her heart take it's last beat.

<|>

Y/n is convinced that she's just waking up. Her day with Harry, their anniversary dinner, the car ride home, the deer....it was all a dream. She'd been up earlier than usual, maybe she fell into such a deep sleep it seemed real.

She's back at Harry's, that she's certain of because it's practically her room as well. The smell of him is stronger, stinging her nostrils and the back of her throat. This does nothing but make the pounding in her skull even worse, eyes squeezing shut to block out the dim room. The action is futile however, because nothing could possibly block out the pain in her body. Her insides feel cold and heavy, weighing down on her muscles and bones. It's then that she realizes the hollowness of her chest.

Her heart's not beating.

The organ that gave her life, fueled her body has gone still, turned to stone in her chest. She's dead. She's died and the afterlife has brought her to Harry's house, to her home.

She doesn't remember what happened, not really. Their anniversary dinner stands out in the fog of her memory, Harry sat under the warm lights in his baby blue button up and suit jacket, the swallows on his chest joining them for dinner. Holding his hand in the car, admiring the way their matching rings look when they're side-by-side. The last thing she can pick out of the night is Harry looking over at her, stoplight gleaming in his eyes as he softly and longingly whispered "if you could, would you be mine forever?"

If he'd been with her in the last place she remembers, perhaps he's here with her too. Pushing herself up from his bed and onto her elbows causes a sharp sting on the bend of her elbow, and when she opens her eyes to investigate, the sight makes her dizzy.

A tube has been stuck into her veins, thick red blood turning the plastic a deep maroon color. It's as if she's simply giving blood if it weren't for the fact that the blood bag attached to the tube is emptying, not filling. And resting on the floor next to the draining one is another empty bag. Her mind swirls with confusion and panic, wondering why she'd need blood in the afterlife and why so much of it. Dead people don't need blood.

"Y/n?"

His voice catches her off guard, snapping her attention away from the blood and turning it towards the doorway of his bedroom. Harry stands in the shadows, face dark with the hallway light illuminating his silhouette.

"Harry?" She whimpers, tears welling in her eyes in relief. He's here which means she'll be ok. He'll take care of her. He inches forward at the sound of her trembling voice but doesn't approach the bed much to her disliking. "Harry please-"

"Are you in pain?" He cuts her off, voice void of any of the usual warmth he carries when speaking to her. His gruffness makes her pause, tears stilling in her eyes. That's not her Harry, she's not safe with whoever is standing in the doorway right now. Cautious, she stays silent. "Does anything hurt y/n? You have to tell me if it does."

As if triggered by his words, a sharp pains seizes in her chest and she's unable to stop the wince that curls her shoulders forward. Harry moves at that, now perching himself on the end of the bed next to her. Before she can make any move away from him, he reaches out, pressing his palm over the throbbing area of her chest and urging her back into the pillows. His touch dulls the pain, leaving her pliant and teary as she watches his shadow.

"S'your organs hardening," Harry says solemnly, not offering another explanation. Y/n thinks she could throw up, her stomach churning and bubbling uncomfortably. Hardening?

"My heart's not beating."

Harry nods, just once. The band that's on her chest moves up to cup her cheek, thumb swiping over her cheek to remove the tear that had fallen. "I know dove, and s'all my fault." His voice cracks, a sniffle breaking through the dark and she wants to sit up and hug him, feel his comfortable arms around her. She refrains, not wanting that sharp pain to spread throughout her body again.

"What's your fault Harry? What's going on?"

Finally, he reaches over and flicks on the lamp on the bedside table. The bulb bathes the room in a soft light, illuminating Harry's sullen face. For the first time since she's met him, his eyes are red rimmed and glazed with tears of anguish. Inhaling shakily, Harry threads his fingers through her hair.

"It's my fault s'not beating darling. I'm your Maker."

"Maker?" She asks, confused.

"You're a vampire now y/n. I turned you."

#Bloodsucker #vampire!Harry #harry styles #fanfic #fanfiction #Harryween #Halloween special #spooky #harry styles au #Harry x reader

244 notes · View notes

solastia · 4 years

Text

Call Of The Sea

Pairing: Jungkook X Hoseok

A/N: So, I went a little crazy. Instead of a tiny drabble this became an almost 4k work. *shrug* As for the smut itself, it’s oviposition (meaning eggs for those that don’t know), so there’s a bit of breeding/impreg kink as well as implied mpreg. I spent way too much time thinking about the mechanics of breeding a human male with a male merman and it shows. Anyway, enjoy!

****

There were a million excuses he’d given his roommates about why he felt the need to visit the beach so often. Most of them bullshit.

He felt more inspired to draw there - which that one was slightly true.

It cures his super frequent migraines - he wasn’t sure he’d ever had one his whole life.

He was interested in marine biology - but not for reasons they might think.

He could never actually tell them the truth: that he spent all of his free time in a beachside cave in Busan because his boyfriend of seven months was a merman.

For one that would sound insane, and he knew that if he ever told Yoongi he’d probably storm down here to save Jungkook from someone that was obviously a scammer. And Seokjin was probably related to someone in the military and would have the merman become a science experiment in two seconds flat.

No, he couldn’t tell them. At least not yet.

So he simply ignored his guilty conscience and let his plastic bag swing as he strolled down to the beach like he didn’t have a care in the world.

He pulled his hoodie tight around his ears to ward off the cold. It was getting to be late in the winter season and the trips to the beach were practically hazardous for his health at this point - good thing his boyfriend's smile was as bright as the sun.

Fuck, that was so cheesy. What the hell was wrong with him?

Anyway, despite what the temperature read, he still wasn't as cold as he should be. Actually, he was almost toasty and he felt like he was just bundling up out of habit rather than need. His temperature had been strange for a few weeks.

He shook his head and turned onto the path that led to his secret cave. Well, not that secret. Sometimes older kids came out here to party, but not often and definitely not in the middle of winter.

Once he reached his cave, he pouted silently over it being empty. He must still be out swimming. Maybe with the water being such a freezing temperature, it slowed him down.

He sighs forlornly, hoping he won’t have to wait too much longer. He lets both of his bags drop to the sandy floor and unzips the pack back, pulling out the two blankets he’d decided to bring. One for sitting, and one big fluffy down blanket so he wouldn’t get pneumonia.

He snorts to himself as he gets comfortable and observes the water lapping close to the cave entrance. It’s not likely he’d even get pneumonia without the blanket, though. Beyond his strange fluctuating body heat, he’s been putting on so much weight recently it was ridiculous, like a bear getting ready to hibernate.

Just this morning he’d tried to wear his sexiest pair of jeans for his boyfriend, only to find that his hips had widened so much he couldn’t pull them up. He’d even had to double up shirts and throw a hoodie over it because his pecs were basically tits now. They were so swollen and sensitive, he didn’t know what was going on.

And don’t even get him started on everything in the plastic bag. He sighed and brought it closer to him as the urge to protect his bounty overcame him. The same overwhelming urge that had caused him to buy all the food in the first place. He sometimes brought his boyfriend little treats here or there because he got so excited, but this had been some primal urge to shower the merman in foodstuffs.

He finally heard the sound he’d been waiting for - the nearby shriek of a waterproof whistle. He grinned excitedly and pulled the whistle he wears around his neck up to his lips and blew. It was a signal that alerted his merman that it was safe to show himself.

“Jungkookie!”

Jungkook grins as the graceful form of his boyfriend appears at the edge of the cave. He beams up at Jungkook from the shallow waters, his silky long black hair a cloud around him and his tail an iridescent blend of oranges and yellows. He’s so bright in the winter gloom that Jungkook’s spirits are instantly lifted.

“Hoseok! I missed you!”

“It’s only been two days, silly human,” but despite his words, he looks pleased and bashful by Jungkook’s unashamed neediness. A neediness that never seemed to go away, not since the moment he’d met the merman in this very spot.

“Whatever,” Jungkook pouts, pulling his blankets up to his chin to hide his blush. “I’ll just keep the things I brought you then since you don’t care.”

“What?! Gimme!”

The merman smiles sunnily, his lips shaped like a heart. Jungkook melts and relents, peeling the blankets off of himself and striding closer to the edge with his bag. He crouches and ruffles in the contents as Hoseok eagerly leans over to peek inside.

“Let’s see, lots of things you said you liked before. Cherry tomatoes, tangerines, fish sausages...a bunch of stuff,” Jungkook shrugs, blushing as he realizes yet again that he may have gone a little overboard judging by the bulging contents of the bag.

Hoseok looks over the bounty with awe, a gleam in his eye that Jungkook wasn’t sure he’d ever seen before.

“My mate has provided for me during the winter months,” he says softly, rummaging through the bag like it was filled with gems.

“That’s a good thing?” Jungkook asks, surprised by Hoseok’s strange response. He’d known the merman would be excited because he liked human food, but he’d been expecting screaming and huge smiles not...whatever this was. And he’d even used the ‘M’ word again - just like he had the last time Jungkook had let the other rut all over him, leaving him with the bite mark that itches on his thigh.

Instead of answering, Hoseok slowly looks up at him with an intense gaze. His jaw is clenched like he’s deep in thought and then finally he nods - before turning away and diving under the water.

“What? Hoseok, where are you going?”

He fucked up somehow. Did he offend the merman? He’s brought him treats before. What did he do wrong?

Nearly ten minutes later Jungkook is close to leaving. The cold is finally starting to annoy him and Hoseok hasn’t come back. He wasn’t sure if he was ever going to.

He sighs and stands up, deciding to leave the bag where it was. Hoseok could come back for it if he wanted to. Jungkook turns and grabs his blankets, intending to throw them into his backpack when a sudden metallic thump startles him. He looks towards the source, his eyes growing impossibly wide as he takes in the sight.

Hoseok’s rainbow-hued bag he’d made from discarded netting was familiar to him. The awe-inspiring pile of what can only be termed ‘Treasure’ was spilling onto the rocky ground was something new. Precious gems, ancient coins, golden bangles and crowns, all touched by the sea but still glittering and obviously valuable.

“Hoseok, what’s all this?”

“Is this enough?” Hoseok’s voice was intense as he watched Jungkook inspect the goods, his eyes alight with some emotion that he couldn’t interpret.

“For what?”

“To provide for you and our young.”

Jungkook whirled around and gaped at the merman in shock. “Our what now?”

Hoseok nods briskly like it was just a fact. “Our young. It’s mating season and you accepted my bite. Then you provided me with food to keep my strength up in the winter and able to breed you. By spring, we’ll have our first young!”

Jungkook drops to the cold ground in shock, staring at Hoseok.

“Babe, I hate to tell you this, but in the human world a man cannot get pregnant.”

“Haven’t you noticed the changes to your body since you accepted my bite? Your body widening to better hold my eggs? Your chest filling out so you can nourish our young?”

“I’m...I...what the fuck?” Jungkook grabs at said chest, feeling their newly acquired plumpness. “Is this permanent? Can I make it stop?”

Hoseok drooped, his excitement falling from him like a cloak and his eyes radiating hurt. “Yes. You’ll go back to normal after the mating season, whether I breed you or not. Do you...not want me to?”

Jungkook thought for a moment, going over the past events between the two of them. He supposed he should have known something was up. Hoseok had been getting more...enthusiastic about touching him lately. He’d chalked it up to them getting closer and Hoseok becoming less shy about affection. He’d just assumed that sex wasn’t on the table because of their different anatomy, although Hoseok certainly loved making out and getting Jungkook off. During their last heavy petting session, Hoseok had given him a very intense blowjob that had ended with him biting into the meaty part of Jungkook’s thigh.

He was definitely crazy about the merman and based on what Hoseok was telling him, he’d basically done everything to make him think that he was down for being his real mate in every way.

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Jungkook begins carefully. “But I didn’t know that’s what we were leading to. I didn’t know about the food or the bite.”

Hoseok’s eyes widen and he clutches a hand to his chest. “I did bad! I forgot you wouldn’t know...I...I’m sorry. I just...it’s instinct and I’ve never found a mate before.”

“It’s okay. Umm…” Jungkook licks his lips nervously and asks shyly, “What all would this entail?”

“Entail? Oh...you mean how would I breed you?”

“Uh, yeah. And like, how would it come out. And what would happen...after.”

Hoseok searches Jungkook’s face, his smile slowly growing as he takes in the shy interest in Jungkook’s eyes.

“Well, first I would make out, as you call it. I like doing that a lot. No one touches lips down there,” Hoseok swims a little closer to the cave edge when Jungkook finally smiles a little. “Then I’ll pump you full of my eggs.”

“EGGS?! I’ll have to lay eggs? Like a chicken?” Jungkook exclaims, his hands flying to his ass like he could protect it.

Hoseok chuckles. “No, silly human. My eggs will nestle in your womb and absorb your DNA until spring. Since you’re a human, only one or two will be born and the rest of the eggs will be absorbed as nutrients for you and our young. If you were a merman as well, you could have easily given birth to ten or more. My sister had thirty.”

“Okay, but how are they going to come out?”

“You’re not done growing,” Hoseok smirked. “The bite is still working on you and helping your body evolve to handle our mating. If you decide to deny our bond, you will completely go back to the way you were before my bite. If you let me breed you, most of the outer changes will go back to normal until next season, but your new internal parts will stay to keep you compatible for the next season. You are growing a womb and a birthing slit.”

“Jesus,” Jungkook stares at the merman in surprise and trepidation. “You must like me a whole lot to want babies and stuff.”

“I do,” Hoseok nodded vigorously. “Bunches and bunches. I’ve never participated in the mating season before. My family called me odd because I was “picky” but now I’m happy I was. My mate is the human Jungkook.”

“How...uh...how will you get the eggs in me?”

Jungkook blushes when Hoseok pierces him with an assessing gaze. He was surprised with himself that the thought of walking around with Hoseok’s eggs - while still fucking weird - also got him rock-hard. Like he could keep a piece of the beautiful man with him on land, and one that he could feel inside of him.

“I have an organ like yours, it just looks a bit different. It’s kept inside until I’m ready.”

“And...are you?”

“Ready?” Hoseok quirks an eyebrow, smirking slightly. “I’m always ready with you, but do you want this?”

Jungkook swallows nervously, but the image of finally being fucked by this beautiful person was enough to get him wanting to scream “Yes.”

Not to mention, the more he thought about it, the more the idea of having a child - no matter how strangely they were made - that was a little bit of him and Hoseok....he found the idea appealing.

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

Hoseok’s heart-shaped smile was as bright as the sun. “Okay! Lose all those silly clothes. My bite should be keeping you warm, especially once you get in the water.”

Jungkook pauses with his shirt half over his head. “I’m going to be in the water? In the middle of winter?”

Hoseok shrugs, “For a little bit.”

Jungkook eyes him dubiously. “Uh-huh.”

Still, he strips, throwing his clothes away from the water as far as he could. He was already embarrassingly hard, his cock barely shaking as he walked towards the merman.

“Lay down and make out!” Hoseok declared, and Jungkook did so with a chuckle. The merman absolutely loved kissing. He’d been wide-eyed with wonder the first time Jungkook had impulsively pecked his lips, then demanded more almost immediately. One time Hoseok had even challenged himself to kiss every inch of Jungkook - every inch.

Jungkook laid on his blanket close to the water’s edge and Hoseok pulled himself up to hover over the human. He quietly studied his face, a tiny fond smile gracing his lips.

“Hi there,” Jungkook giggled. Hoseok grinned and lowered his face more.

“Hello,” he responded quietly, then pressed his lips to Jungkook’s.

The human moaned into the soft kiss, loving the slight tang of the sea and chilled skin against his. After Hoseok had received his fill of lips he moved lower, peppering tiny kisses until he reached Jungkook’s neck.

He growled lightly into the skin, nipping at it playfully. “Hoseok, come on.”

“Yeah? You need it, precious? Need to be bred?”

Jungkook’s breath hitched, not expecting the low husky tone of Hoseok’s voice. He growled into Jungkook’s neck, the words sounding like filth dipped in honeyed caramel.

“Want it. Breed me,” he begged in a hushed voice, still battling his shyness.

“Anything you want, precious. My precious mate,” Hoseok answered, his voice tinged with awe as he stroked his hand all over Jungkook’s soft skin.

He slid away until he was once away fully in the water and held out a hand. “Come join me in here, Jungkook. You’ll be fine.”

“Really?” Jungkook asked, eyeing the water with doubt. It was the middle of winter and the water had to be cold enough to kill someone.

“My bite protects you. Come here.”

Jungkook scoots to the edge and grabs Hoseok’s hand, letting the merman help him into the water. He’d been expecting a shock, but it merely felt lukewarm to him. Comfortable enough, he supposed. Hoseok held him close then turned him towards the rocky edge of the cave.

“Grab onto the ledge,” Hoseok whispered teasingly into his ear.

Jungkook did as he was told, grasping onto the ledge for dear life as Hoseok’s hands traveled down to grab him by the hips.

“Umm, I’m not prepared. We need stuff.”

Hoseok cocks his head curiously, “Stuff?”

“Like, slippery stuff. So, uh, it won’t hurt.”

“OH! No, that happens naturally. I have everything you need. Do humans need extra fluids? How strange.”

Jungkook chuckles, “Yeah, humans are the weird ones here.”

“Hey,” Hoseok playfully frowns. “I’ll leave you to drown.”

“Sorry, sorry. As you were.”

Hoseok made a ‘hrumph’ sound and tapped Jungkook’s ass lightly. He can feel something floating underneath him and he sneaks a peek. It’s long and wide, a fleshy pink with bumps and ridges covering it in a strange pattern. He glances behind him to stare at Hoseok’s tail, noticing the open slit in the middle of it where the pink...oh fuck that’s his dick! It was at least ten inches long, maybe more, and as wide as Jungkook's arm.

“That...that’s supposed to fit inside of me?” Jungkook asks breathlessly, staring in wonder at the monster cock growing out of the merman.

“Mmm, I have to get really deep to protect our eggs,” Hoseok mumbled, pressing a reassuring kiss to the back of Jungkook’s neck.

Jungkook turns his head and stares at the cave ledge, waiting for the first press. He nearly jumps when the bulbous head touches his rim, forcing himself to breathe as Hoseok slowly forces the head inside.

The merman sighs happily and rubs his chin into Jungkook’s hair. “You feel so nice inside,” he hums as he holds still, letting the human’s walls work to contain him.

After a couple seconds Jungkook feels something shooting inside of him. He turns back to glare at Hoseok incredulously. “Already?”

The merman chuckles. “No, precious. It’s just secretions to help you handle me. It’s a while yet until I fill you properly.”

“Oh,” Jungkook gulps.

Hoseok moves his hips again, forcing more and more of his monster cock into Jungkook with every pump. Whatever he’d filled Jungkook with made the slide painless and he felt barely any discomfort.

His cock continued further and further, until it grazed his prostate and went further still. He wasn’t even sure that a dick was supposed to reach that high without hurting him, but he couldn’t complain too much when the outline of Hoseok’s cock bulging from his stomach made his own twitch with need.

“Hold on, Jungkookie,” Hoseok rasps, before slamming to the hilt. He only had a second to grip the ledge with all his might before Hoseok started pounding with such raw power that he wanted to scream and they’d only just started.

He’d never felt so full in his life and the way that Hoseok was hammering into him felt like he was rebuilding his body to fit only him. Jungkook could only whine and sob as his senses were overwhelmed.

“Precious?” Hoseok grunted, “Are you close, sweet thing?”

He was. He was so embarrassingly close but he didn’t want to be. Mere minutes of the merman slamming into him like his life depended on it and he was ready to burst.

“Don’t stop, please don’t stop,” Jungkook begs with a sob. “Don’t ever fucking stop!”

Hoseok chuckles lowly. “Never? You want me to keep filling you up forever and ever? My sweet precious mate. So perfect,” he growls. “I want to stay inside you forever too. Fill you to the brim with my eggs until your belly is round.”

Jungkook whimpers as Hoseok’s teeth graze his neck and he feels his cock growing impossibly wider.

“Bigger?” he moans, “Why? I can’t…”

“You can, precious. Your body is mine. I have to keep you in place so I can fill you up.”

Hoseok’s dick stretches him more than he’d ever thought possible. The bumps and ridges on it rubbing the inside of his walls until he thought he would go crazy.

“Hoseok, I’m gonna…”

“Yeah? Release for me, precious.”

And Jungkook cums with a loud cry, his hips bucking into nothing as he shoots into the sea.

“Good job. Here they come now, sweetness. I’m going to breed my mate.”

Hoseok groans huskily as he grinds against Jungkook’s ass like he was desperately trying to get further inside but couldn’t. He didn’t feel anything different at first, besides the massive river of cum that painted his insides. Then...then he felt something rippling along Hoseok’s cock, making the already large organ wider still.

“Yes, yesss…” Hoseok panted into his ear as he shallowly bucked, seeming like the act of releasing his eggs made him feel even better than an orgasm did.

Finally Jungkook felt the first foreign object enter his body and travel up, up, and up. It hadn’t felt that large, perhaps the size of a lemon, and round. However, with the release of the first egg it seemed the others weren’t far behind.

One more traveled from Hoseok’s cock into him, then another, and another, until he’d lost count. He was unable to do more than rest his forehead against the cool stone floor and try not to be overwhelmed as the little eggs stroked his insides and traveled to their new home in his womb. And he knew it was there because he could feel them settle inside, bulging his tummy and pressing down on his pelvis.

Hoseok hadn’t been able to stop groaning and bucking as each egg was released, seeming to be in an endless state of euphoria.

Jungkook realized that somewhere along the line he’d gotten hard again, the feeling of the eggs jostling his sensitive body too much to handle. It wouldn’t take much to cum again.

Hoseok sighed and finally stopped his grinding, leaning his head onto Jungkook’s shoulder to rest.

“So good, precious Jungkook. I’ve never felt such bliss in all my days.”

Jungkook wanted to respond, but he was trying to reach down and tug himself to completion without slipping into the ocean. Hoseok notices and chuckles.

“Again, my sweet? You like being filled that much?”

Jungkook whimpers and nods, letting Hoseok bat his hand away to replace it with his own.

It only takes a few tugs of those long, nimble fingers before he shouts and cums, his cock slightly pained from sensitivity.

“There we go. And out of the water with you.”

Hoseok slides out of him and his cock is once again sheathed into his tail slit. He helps to heave the human onto the ledge and lets him catch his breath as the merman strokes Jungkook’s bulging stomach.

“So big and full. How do they feel?”

“Um, nice. I like it. I feel...warm and safe.”

Hoseok glances up in surprise, “Yeah? You like it a lot?”

Jungkook nods vigorously. “I can’t wait to meet them. What are we going to do when they’re born?”

Hoseok stares thoughtfully at his hand on the human’s stomach. “I suppose if they have split fins like you they’ll live on land. If they are mer then they’d have to stay with me. At least until I find a way to be with you.”

Jungkook’s eyes widened in surprise. “With me? You want to be on land?”

Hoseok shrugs shyly. “I don’t have much to hold me here, and I’ve always wanted to meet your friends. You speak so highly of them.”

“Yeah,” he muses, only to freeze two seconds later. “Oh fuck, you knocked me up. Yoongi and Seokjin are going to kill you!”

“What?” Hoseok asks in alarm.

“Don’t worry. I think we can get Namjoon on our side, but be prepared for a scolding.”

“You mean, you want me to join you on land?”

“Yeah,” Jungkook grins happily. “You’re my family too, and we’re going to have...young. We’ll figure it out.”

“Yes. Yes, we will.” Hoseok settles and sighs, laying his head onto his mate’s belly.

#bts #bts fanfic #bts fanfiction #bts smut #kinktober #merman!au #merman!hoseok #solastia

76 notes · View notes

oe-ssense · 3 years

Text

Day-off (ft. Seungcheol)

note: demon!seungcheol x reader, 900+ words

hey guys, i hope you are doing okay. its been a long time since i posted my joshua shot. now i’m back for seungcheol’s since it’s his birthday today. i hope you like this one cause this is a bit unpredictable.

summary: while putting your sealed condiment on a food you were preparing, you accidentally make a magical occult symbol and summon a demon

You were busy making ramyeon and coffee for your short break. You've been working on your project that's due in four days. Doing school work and reviewing for your upcoming finals was really stressful. Your sleep schedule was also affected so you thought going on a vacation with your boyfriend would be really nice.

You pour hot water on your cup of coffee and mix it. After that you went to check the pot of ramyeon you were cooking. It was humid weather but you were craving for that combination since you started your animation project. When the water is already boiling, you then open a pack of ramyeon and cook it. As you were about to add the seasonings, you decided to cook some chicken as well. You went to the fridge and grabbed a piece of breast and thigh then seasoned it with salt and pepper. Your eyes suddenly fall to an unopened condiment. Cumin seeds which can be used to spice up chicken so you considered of trying it out.

You remove the pot on the stove and replace it with a pan then add some butter. When the butter melted completely, you started putting in chicken. You let it cook for a few minutes and go on drinking your coffee.

When you were about to check your chicken, you accidentally knocked the pepper and cumin on the floor. Weirdly enough, the mess strangely forms something, a symbol, you thought. Despite being uneasy and feeling something all of a sudden, you shrug it off and proceed to cleaning. After sweeping, you check your chicken and when you were sure it was ready, you took it and went back to your room.

Hours passed and you felt your leg numbing so you stood up and tried to get rid of the numbness. You cleaned your table and then went to the kitchen to clean the plates you used. While doing the dishes, you smell something that was burning. You turn your head to your stove but it was off, even your microwave was dead cold until you hear a thud from the bathroom which is connected to the kitchen. You quietly put the plate you were holding and wiped your hands then grab the broom. You walked carefully, ready to hit the intruder with your defense when the door opened. You caught your breath and froze, a hand was on the door frame and smoke was also coming out. Your eyes were so focused and waiting for the person to come out when your gaze caught what looked like a horn. Then the person, or the thing, came out completely, freaking the hell out of you, literally.

"Hey, sorry I suck at cooking. Don't worry, I didn't put poison on these." You joked.

You sat beside Seungcheol who looked at you as if you were the demon and not him. "You know I'm a demon, right? Poisoning me won't do anything. However, if you were lying, I won't be surprised if I see you in hell." He said, chuckling deeply.

You sulk on his words. "Anyway, how come you were in my bathroom? Like, I am so confused…" You asked him.

While eating he smelled something, "Is that cumin?"

You nodded to him. He stands up and search for the smell.

Seungcheol told you how he got there. He said that he was on a day-off since it was his commemoration day. While busy preparing food for his friends, a portal opens beside him. He only wanted to check what or how it happened but when he completely entered the earthly dimension, the portal closed.

"Oh, I see. So, you opened the portal with this thing here. Mixing cumin and pepper alone creates the symbol and it is also the key to opening the door of hell for me."

You were shocked at his words. Suddenly, you remembered you accidentally spilled the condiments on the floor where it forms a figure. "You're not joking, right. I actually opened it? I-I didn't know it would lead to something like this…"

"Hey Seungcheol, I’m really sorry again for bothering you during your commemoration day. I know it's like a birthday for us humans and I'm really sorry for ruining it."

Seungcheol laughs and walks towards you. "Hey, hey, don't worry, it's just an accident. Besides, opening the Sigil of Lucifer intentionally is also difficult. Maybe you were feeling negativity, that's why you instantly called me." He explains while patting you on the head.

You were sending Seungcheol off back to hell. The demon chuckles at your cuteness and apologies. "Baby, I told you it's nothing. Besides, you get to see me. Think of it as a surprise gift for me." Seungcheol smiled and hugged you. When the two of you parted, he stared at you for a moment and kissed your lips.

"Thank you for this day we didn't expect. Don't worry, okay? I only left hell for about fifteen minutes so I'm sure no one would notice that. Also, I get to have a rest for at least three hours and I’m glad I’m with you to celebrate this special event. Anyway, see you again soon and thank you for the food and for the surprise." He winks before going into the portal and disappearing completely.

Being in a relationship with a demon for a full eight years really stresses you out. You were really hoping that he being the underworld king wouldn’t affect the relationship you have.

#seventeen #seungcheol #scoups #choi seungcheol #oneshot #svt shot #svt fluff #kpop

11 notes · View notes

chaoticgabby · 4 years

Text

My Cheap & Relatively Healthy Grocery List for College Students

Context: I had been used to eating fast food so much because it was cheap that when I went to the doctors' they said I had high glucose content. That wasnt good. So I started eating healthier. Anyway let's skip the BS and get straight into it:

Ramen: the OG cheap food. I personally don't own ramen bc I dont like it that much, but if you want to save money this is the meal, at least add an egg or some veggies to make it healthier.

Frozen Veggies: anywhere from 50 cents to a dollar or two a bag. Can easily be kept in your freezer (if you have one) for months

Mac n' cheese: my all-time favorite. Of course, it might not be healthy for everyone to eat pasta all the time, but I do it anyway. Add some real cheese and spices for taste or chicken and veggies in it / on the side.

Other Pasta boxes (Pasta Roni, Velveeta, Hamburger Helper, etc.): basically as cheap or almost as cheap as Kraft macaroni, but maybe you arent a fan of mac n cheese.

Soup (Soup!!): Cambell's Tomato soup is often $1 a can. I like to eat mine with grilled cheese. Thats a whole ass meal. But of course you can get other soups just as cheap. Basically, any canned foods.

Canned foods & veggies: this one goes without saying. Although, the better options are sometimes $2 to $3 the same can be said for frozen veggies, but just heat these up and cook them in fried rice or just add butter and eat them aside a nice entré

Chunk light tuna: speaking of canned foods, canned tuna is soooo cheap and is a great option (if you even like tuna). Dont actually get the "pack tuna" for $1 a pack unless you want to keep it in your bag bc canned tuna is around 60 cents a can. Mix it with Miracle Whip (or mayo) and spread it over break for a good sammich.

Grilled cheese (or cheese toastie if you arent American I think??): similar to previous options, youre getting your cheese and your butter and your bread. Not as healthy as other options but way better than fast food calories.

Quesadillas: similar to grilled cheese, except spICY. My brother only eats these and he has no meal plan. I do it now too. Honestly, adding up tortillas, cheese dip, shredded cheese, & chicken is kind of costly but worth it. Also cooking chicken is annoying bc I dont have time for that. But. Yknow. A great option.

Pillsbury Crescents: a little costly, about $2+ per tube, but still fookin delicious. Also imma be real: actually havent checked the nutrition label to see if these are actually healthy. But these are sO useful. Make them by themselves for breakfast (with jam, eggs, or alone) or use the dough for other recipes. I use these with Manwich sauce, cheese, and ground beef for snacks :)

Manwiches: manwich sauce cans are $1 and although they have some sugar, its not nearly as bad as fast food. Just cook up some ground beef to go with it & maybe add cheese, sliced bread, or hamburger buns

PB&J: Another OG. I could never get tired of these. You just gotta make sure you have soft bread and the pb&j and youre good to go. Although..like.. some people apparently like theirs toasted or with different jams (I like strawberry).

Eggs!!!! : Just keep these in your fridge. Just do it. You never know when youre going to run out of food. Boiled? Scrambled? Fried? Soft boiled? With ramen? Omelet? In fried rice? Egg sandwich??? Eat them with bread, eat them with toast, eat them as a breakfast sandwich, scramble them with cheese, the list goes on. If you dont eat them often, get a smaller carton, but always have eggs! Also, for baking.

Rice, or fried rice: If you like rice, have been cooking rice for a long time, and can actually make it without burning, make sure you have rice. If you like rice but have never actually made it yourself, it takes trial and error in a pot. Or just invest in a rice cooker. Additionally, fried rice is not that difficult to learn & it fits the bill for healthy bc you can add unlimited veggies and meats. Im not here to educated you but the more ingredients, the better, is how i see it.

Fresh Food:

Fruit: I literally have "an apple a day" for breakfast. It's just good for you. Keep them in your fridge to keep them fresh. Keep one in your bag in case you get hungry. Bananas? Awesome! Use them in smoothies or a milkshake or eat them with your cereal or even with peanut butter. Possibilities are endless with fruit. Just make sure they dont spoil. Apples are OG bc they dont spoil as easily.

Vegetables: Make sure to only periodically get them so that they dont go to waste. Make some broccoli with butter & eat it alongside pasta. Or asparagus. Anything you want. Just make sure to have some with your meals sometimes. Greens are good. Additionally, carrots can get addicting if yoh eat them with ranch. The plus side is they are filling. If you have a tendency to want to munch on something: carrots.

Deli Meat / Sandwich Options: I personally dont make deli sandwiches because ham (as well as roast beef or turkey) can be expensive and then wanting to add lettuce and tomato to a sandwich sounds amazing but I'm scared they will spoil. Dont let me stop you though! Sandwiches are amazing.

Meat: you dont want to be cooking meat all the time bc it can get expensive, but the basics I always get are ground beef and chicken. I prefer "boneless skinless chicken thigh fillets" but you would need to cut off the fat. You could always get rotisserie if you arent feeling to for cooking. Also, if you're feeling expensive one week, salmon is just sooo good. I ate it with asparagus and seasoned with lemon. Delicious.

Snack / Dessert Options:

(I personally don't keep snacks or dessert in my home very often bc you dont want to binge eat. But here is what I have)

Peanut butter: classic, filling, can be potentially bad if you eat a shite ton

Nuts: peanuts, almonds, cashews, and especially pecans

Cookies: make your own, a lot of simple cookie recipes exist and it's a lot easier than you think. Baking essentials like flour, sugar, milk, and eggs are not that expensive to keep around in an apartment kitchen. Difficulties may be vanilla extract (the avg student doesnt have this lying around) a baking sheet, a big bowl, and possible a whisk. Store bought cookie dough isnt too bad either.

Box-cakes / box-brownies: simple and easy. Takes a few eggs sometimes and some oil, milk or water. The same goes for pancake mix. Honestly, I had an out-of-country roommate and he had never heard of boxed cake mix or brownie mix. They always made from scratch where he lived.

Low-calorie ice cream: okay ice cream can be pretty expensive and filled w/ added sugars. I used to eat this strawberry icecream sweetened with stevia and it was SO delicious, but I couldnt find that at my grocery store. Other options are "low-calorie" ice cream or "no added sugars" ice cream. I have one of these and the thing abt it is that its just the right amount of sugar to taste like ice cream and the neat thing is that you dont feel like binging it bc it doesnt have addicting added sugars.

Milkshakes / smoothies: this is a tough one bc me and most other students dont own a blender or juicer. I personally get my smoothies from a local smoothie place that only uses fresh fruit and then I ask not to add the natural sugars bc it is sweet enough with the fruit. Natural smoothies are delicious & I find that you can kind of make then if u freeze your fruits and blend w a fork. "Handmade" milkshakes are actually super easy w this method.

Yogurt: just...mmm.

"Healthy" snack food section, often called the gluten-free aisle: im not too experienced with this and im sure they have added sugars too but what I do know is I tried these gluten free oreos once and they were delicious

Fruits: I mentioned earlier but apples are great snacks

Veggies: also like I said earlier, carrots are great snacks. Not exactly a veggie but possibly potatoes for a meal or snack.

Granola Bars: for when youre too lazy to keep up with fruit and if fruit will spoil, granola bars (they healthy kind, not the chewy sugary kind) are so good to have in your pantry or keep in your backpack for a snack (and to keep you from on campus temptations). Also I used Nature Valley ones instead of cereal. They actually dissolve and are delicious with milk, since some cereals are so sugary.

Since my last college tips post got some notes I figured I'd keep writing these advice posts. For reference, I am hoping to become an RA next year at my college, so I'm not just speaking out of my ass. I generally have experience at college thus far and want to help students.

#Im American and Im not Vegan so sorry if this didnt help non americans and definitely not vegans :(#college tips #college advice #life hack #healthy living #food

59 notes · View notes

thenervouscook · 4 years

Text

Nervous Cooking: An Intro and How To

Hello there. I’m a nervous cook. I hate wasting food. I don’t like being bad at things. I have a very complicated relationship with food, thanks to an eating disorder.

In short, I often feel daunted in the kitchen, have felt that a lot of recipes gatekeep information and make it hard to me to feel like cooking is accessible and fun.

I like food. I love the idea of cooking. With the help of some nice people I know, I’m making good progress into enjoying the kitchen, and playing around making things and swatting away the dreadful pretentiousness, snobbishness, and pomposity that sullies what is supposed to be a joyous, wholesome, and ultimately tasty activity.

So where to start? Before we get to sharing recipes, let’s have a breakdown of what we’re trying to do for ourselves, before we even turn the oven on.

How do we become less nervous in when cooking?

1. Put some music on.

There’s nothing as daunting as standing in your kitchen with a recipe open, feeling like you’re already set for failure before you’ve even begun. So with that, put some good tunes on. You might have to turn the volume down occasionally as it is distracting you too much from the task at hand, but honestly, set yourself up for a good time.

Hall & Oates are great for making your meal with.

2. Read the recipe first. Maybe read it a few times.

Too often, I’ve started cooking and followed the recipe as a go, only to find that the person who wrote the recipe can smash out some sauce in 40 seconds while it takes me ages to do, while I burn my onions in the process.

Reading the recipe first enables you to plan for any tricky moments where you feel unsure, or indeed, helps you to work out how to re-word something that might confusing rather than having to translate it when you’re in the middle of cooking something.

Recently, I made something that said “add 100ml of stock”, which wasn’t included in the recipe itself - reading it through before setting off meant that I didn’t have a nervous breakdown halfway through.

3. Prep the ingredients

Foodies call it ‘mise en place’ - don’t worry about foreign phrases yet, we won’t be using them here and we’ll probably do a translation of cooking terms at some point. These phrases are perfectly fine to use if you know what you’re doing, but of course, when you’re a nervous cook, your brain can go “AAAAAAAAAARGH I DON’T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS AND I’M ALREADY TALKING MYSELF OUT OF COOKING AND I MAY AS WELL JUST GO TO THE CHIPPIE”.

Calm down. It’s all good. Maybe we’ll do a glossary of terms later, so we can understand what these people are talking about.

Don’t worry. Mise en place basically means getting everything ready before you start, like they do on the telly. You’ve seen a TV chef saying “add half a tablespoon of paprika’, and they just tip it out of a little bowl, rather than measuring out while the pan’s on? It’s that.

So, if you’re making a curry and the recipe says that 4 spices are all getting thrown in at the same time, then measure them out first, put it in a bowl, or a little glass dish you’ve saved from when you ate a fancy yoghurt that came in a glass thing rather than a plastic pot, or even a cleaned out plastic yoghurt pot - it literally doesn’t matter - you measure them out, throw them all into a thing, and when the time comes to add them to your cooking, you can lob them in the pan without thinking about it, because you did the groundwork before the stress of the timer.

And ‘mise en place’ will not be used again on this blog, because there’s no need really.

4. Convert American measurements in advance

If you’ve found a recipe that looks ace on an American site, you’ll soon find out they measure everything differently. They have a ‘cups’ system. 1 cup is 128g or 4.5 oz.

If your scales are accurate enough to measure 128g exactly, go nuts. If not, take the time to find another recipe that has measured things out in a way that is more useful to you. If you have the money, have a look online and buy something cheap that measures out in American cups.

Just don’t get caught on the hop while you’re in the middle of cooking your tea and get yourself worked up.

5. You can still eat a cock-up

American writer Hanif Abdurraqib said: “I'm not normally one for baking — I get that it is mostly all about the following of instructions, but I think that has always made the task more daunting for me and my many anxieties. If I failed, that failure would be speaking to some greater inability, or it might tell me something about myself. But, my anxieties, though busy as ever, aren't very interested in whether or not I fail at the moment. Also, I have such a low bar for edible desserts. Even a failed baked good is still a baked good worth consuming, in my home.”

That’s one of the golden things good cooks never share - even when you mess up, chances are, you can still eat it. Set your bar low. Don’t tip it in the bin because you’ve failed or because it looks like a mess.

I made a banoffee pie, and was worried I was going to balls it up, because I’m rubbish at whisking. Talking to a very talented chef I know, she said “don’t bin it - mix it up and call it Banoffee Eton Mess style!”

That was a very important lesson to learn - if it doesn’t work out perfectly, then re-brand the fucker and eat it anyway.

6. Follow good food people and ignore perfectionists if you want

A lot of broadsheet food writers and TV chefs are perfectionists, and don’t share their mistakes. When they appear on TV, they’re often berating some poor amateur cook for messing up their flans or whatever, because they’ve entered a talent show like Great British Bake Off, Masterchef, or whatever.

Ignore all that if you want, or if it puts pressure on you. It’s just you in your kitchen, making something to eat. Doesn’t matter if it looks like a road accident when you put it on your plate, as long as it tastes good.

Everyone’s Instagram accounts only show you their successes, so you can write those off too, if they’re doing your head in.

That said, there’s good people out there who will show you short-cuts, things to not worry about, and enjoy food that looks like an absolute mess. David Chang is a good chef to follow - on his Instagram, he cooked chicken thighs in a plastic bag in the microwave ‘round his mums, and has a show called Ugly Delicious where the focus is about getting rid of the pointless rules and aesthetic bollocks that stops a lot of people from wanting to cook.

Brad Leone at Bon Appetite is another good egg - he’s very much a ‘bung it in, that should be alright shouldn’t it?’ type of cook. Very unpretentious. Good fun. Pronounces the word ‘water’ funnily.

7. Focus on flavour, not aesthetics

I talked to someone who knows a lot of professional chefs, and they told me the difference between restaurant food and what we cook at home is the delicious but disgusting amounts of salt and butter they put in everything. Like, you’ll use a splodge of butter in your food, and a pro chef will stick a whole pack in.

Season the crap out of everything too. Keep tasting it as you go along - you’re not a pro kitchen who has to worry about sticking a spoon in your mouth and then returning it straight to the pan.

When a recipe says 2 cloves of garlic, and you know you love garlic, sod it, put 3 or 4 in.

If you’re nervous about making your food too salty, for example, then just follow the recipe to the letter, and then when you serve it up later, if it needs more, just whack a load on as a booster at the end. It’s cool.

8. Don’t worry about having loads of gear

You might read some recipes that ask you to pulverise something in a food processor and you might not have one. If you can afford the gear, fine, go wild. If not, see what the alternatives are. You might be able to do it by hand, or you might be able to cheat by buying some pre-mixed stuff. Cheating is good. Don’t worry yourself.

If you’re bad at mincing garlic, just buy a tube of garlic paste. The only people who would judge that are terrible people, and terrible people don’t deserve your cooking.

9. Worst case scenario

You’ve burned your food. You’ve used salt instead of sugar. The whole thing has gone so badly that it is inedible. You feel defeated and annoyed at yourself. You swear you’ll never cook again.

It’s okay to wallow for a bit, but remember this - if you angrily sling everything in the bin and walk to the chip shop or Maccies - a Big Mac or chips pie and gravy is still a 10 out of 10 meal to have. In terms of you eating, you’ve not failed yourself.

Get stuck into your nuggets meal and enjoy them, and you’ll remember to not put salt in, instead of sugar next time.

10. Give yourself a break

Chefs, foodies, and cooks often forget to tell you what it feels like to not know how to cook. That makes sense - they’ve been practising for ages.They’re at a certain level, and assume the person they’re talking to is at a certain level too.

When they casually say “knock up a quick roux” and you’re not sure what a roux even is, that’s okay - you can either stop listening to them, and watch a YouTube video about what a roux is, how to make one, and what they’re for... or you can carry on watching your show and just have a holiday in someone else’s good skills.

I can play guitar quite well, but I don’t hear a blistering solo on a Steely Dan record and think ‘well, I may as well throw my guitar into the street’ - I can pootle along on mine, while enjoying someone else who is better at a thing than I am. Try and do the same with food shows. You can always turn them off if they’re making you feel depressed - you don’t owe anyone shit.

Remember how grateful you are when absolutely anyone else cooks for you and how you don’t judge anyone else’s food harshly, because you’re not an arsehole? Do the same for yourself.

#cooking #home cooking #nervous cook

1 note · View note

the-coconut-asado · 5 years

Text

Oh Stumptown my Stumptown!

Portland likes to keep it weird. Officially. You could even buy the tee shirt if tee shirts weren’t so predictable.

From a poster invitation to “Hear my TED Talk about DIY and Impending Doom” to the Big Legrowlski (sic) night club that hangs carpets on the walls - not to balance the sound for the band but because they really bring the room together - the City has an off-beat vibe that feels authentic even while it gets you scratching your head. And where else would you queue round the block for a voodoo-doll shaped doughnut with a pretzel stick through its ‘heart’?

You probably won’t be surprised when I tell you that Portland is the Hipster Capital of the World. You know it’s hipster because it sells more coffee and has more microbreweries per head than anywhere else in the US.

We came for the food because People That Know told us to. It’s not simply that everything is delicious but that chefs, cooks, carts and food enthusiasts are trying to do different. It’s like Masterchef has landed in Twin Peaks. Entrepreneurs are making ice cream out of chickpeas and it works. A pastry chef has re-interpreted her favourite childhood book on a plate and you rejoice in the complex flavours of her tiny reconstructed bunny. So who’s the bunny boiler now?

One thing that puzzled me is why the City changed its name from the original Stumptown (pretty weird) to Portland (the Holiday Inn of city names). Devon, a local lawyer who we chatted to most mornings in Baristas Cafe, explained that Portland was never officially called Stumptown. It became its nickname due to all the trees they had to cut down to build it, leaving the eponymous stumps in their wake. Stumptown is also the name of their iconic coffee brand, which I always assumed was NYC’s greatest invention. This is one of the many ways in which travel expands your mind.

Devon embodied something else about Portland: its friendliness. Even the passport officers are anxious that you have a good time. Full disclosure, it wasn’t just Devon that we sought out each morning - it was Pepper, his cute little dog. I would eat Barista’s fresh, flaky rhubarb hand pie just to drop crumbs that Pepper would breakfast on.

Devon put us onto a couple of great places to eat - one we made it to, one we didn’t. But more of that later.

Where to begin to describe this steel guitar food odyssey? Let me take you through our many highlights from the mountain of food we consumed. Set it to the soundtrack of Chris Isaak’s Wicked Thing.

Our first evening, tired and hungry, we stuck to our guns and found Andina, the City’s Peruvian eatery. When you are both tired and hungry it’s easy to get seduced by posters boasting ‘Meatball Monday’ and forget your mission, but our persistence paid off. That legendary Portlandia hospitality squeezed us into a nook where there really wasn’t a free table, and we dined greedily on humitas, ceviche, lamb shank and seafood, washed down with Oregon’s finest home-grown Pinot Gris. I didn’t quibble that they brought something different from my order. In my fractured Spanish ‘Arroz con Pato’ probably did sound like ‘Seafood Risotto’ - and the risotto was obviously going to be delicious before fork met lip, so I didn’t send it back.

Next day, which coincidentally was Taco Tuesday, we hit the street food.

Portland is big on street food (see: hipster capital of the world). Most food vendors have carts - permanent fixtures where the chef builds enough of a following over months or years to be able to open a small restaurant. Nong’s Khao Man Gai was just one of these. They do one dish - a Vietnamese poached chicken with a secret chilli sauce, accompanied by rice cooked in the chicken broth. You can also have a version with shrimp, pork or Tofu. We bought a bottle of the sauce to bring home. Life’s too short.

It’s not all carts - there are a fair few trucks too.

One which specialised in cheese toasties challenged “ Come and relive the taste of your childhood. But if your childhood sucked, we’ll share the memory of ours”. Have you eaten a cheese toastie recently? I mean really felt the embrace of a sandwich of molten cheese and fried bread? Maybe your childhood did suck after all.

That evening it was the turn of The Hairy Lobster restaurant, and that bunny dessert I mentioned earlier. Little Bunny Foo Foo to give it it’s full name. A delicate carrot cake, covered in cheesecake mousse, accompanied by a ginger crumb, caramel sauce and a marshmallow rabbit.

Despite it’s show-stopping appearance and fusion of flavours, it was their roast squash with curry sauce and pumpkin seed praline that was the stand-out dish for me. The Lobster picnic for our main was pretty damn good too.

Friday brings me to Devon’s first recommendation, Pok Pok, a teeny Thai eatery in the suburbs. Getting there had the added advantage of passing through a neighbourhood full of rambling old houses in the Amityville Horror style. I recalled the first time I had heard of Portland was from a TV thriller full of witches and jabberwocks called Grimm. They had definitely filmed it’s eerily beautiful moments around here.

If I had to single out a food highlight in a week of next-to-no food lows, I would choose Pok Pok. It gave me my first food coma in a long while. Something about it’s smoked aubergine, pork belly curry, marinated chicken with two dips, sublime mango with sticky rice and that rhubarb blush cocktail… I sense I am sharing my food coma with you now. Their signature dish is hot spicy chicken wings. The couple on the table next to us were too full to finish theirs so offered them to us. Maybe it was the wings that tipped me over the edge. I’ll never know.

And so to our last day, and the big daddy of Portland nights out: Jake’s Crawfish. Over 100 years old, walking into Jake’s is like walking into one of Sinatra’s memories. It has a justifiably stellar reputation, and seems to have maintained it for a century. I ate Steel-head trout for the first time, fished on their doorstep from Oregon’s Columbia River, coated with a horseradish crust, and preceded by half a dozen of the plumpest oysters I have ever eaten.

I haven’t yet mentioned Portland’s biggest hipster foodie habit: brunch. No matter what day of the week, the restaurants that brunch are always full. For most of our trip, we were waking up too early to really do brunch justice. Those rhubarb hand pies at Baristas had satisfied our hunger by around 8AM so a mid-morning banquet wasn’t really on. One day, however, we made it to Tasty & Alder in the Pearl DIstrict of the city and managed to sneak in a table for two before the queues built up. Worth it for their Green Frittata with salsa verde (who ever thought of doing that before?) and lightest, fluffiest American biscuits. We never made it to Devon’s second recommendation: Burmasphere, his friend’s Burmese cart on the other side of the river. And now we have an excuse to return.

When it came to rustling up some recipes that take me straight back to Portland weird, I whittled my list down to three: my version of Tasty & Alders’ green frittata with feta and salsa verde; a less labour-intensive version of Andina’s Arroz con Pato, made with chicken or guinea fowl; and in the spirit of weird, though by no means original, a cake inspired by Churros con Chocolate. The best possible end to a Taco Tuesday.

I messaged a friend of mine that had moved to Portland a few years back and asked why she had ever left. “ Too much rain and not enough art.” she said.

You missed the point Sweetie. Great Food IS great art. And if you can’t stand the rain, get into the kitchen.

Green Frittata with Feta and Salsa Verde

A great little brunchy-lunch dish packed with flavour for the carb-conscious. If you want to add some carbs, slices of toasted sourdough will go down a treat. Serves 4

Ingredients

8 large free-range eggs

1tblspn, double cream

100g asparagus spears, chopped into 2 cm chunks

100g shelled garden peas or petit pois

50g feta cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salsa verde:

Small pack of flat-leaf parsley (around 15-20g)

½ a small pack of mint leaves

3 tbsp. Capers

7 anchovy fillets

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp dijon mustard

8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

How to make:

Bring a small saucepan of salted water to the boil, then add the peas. After a couple of minutes, add the chopped asparagus and continue simmering for another 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Put to one side.

Next, make the salsa verde. Put all the ingredients except the olive oil into a blender, season generously with pepper and go easier on the salt (anchovies and capers are already pretty salty). Then, add the olive oil and blend again. Don’t over blend at each step - it's nice to keep the texture a little rough.

Put a skillet on the stove and melt a knob of butter. Beat the eggs, add the cream and season. Lightly saute the green vegetables in the butter for a minute or two.

then pour the eggs over and crumble the feta cheese over the top. Cook for a couple of minutes until the bottom is starting to brown.

pop under the grill to continue cooking, until the top is a light golden colour and the frittata has firmed up with a slight wobble (keep a close eye on this, probably takes 2-3 minutes).

Cut the frittata into 4 wedges and serve with a dollop of salsa verde on top.

Arroz con Gallina Picante

I never did get to eat Arroz con Pato in Andina, but while I adore the rich flavour of duck, devoting two or three days to confitting it before finishing the dish is only for the dedicated dinner party cook. This version with a spicy chicken and a feta-enriched herb sauce (based on a Melissa Clark recipe) goes down just as well - or the richer Guinea Fowl, which I have used here. And Peruvian aji amarillo is now more available by mail order - substitute ordinary chile powder if not. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized chicken or guinea fowl, jointed into 2 breasts, 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs (discard the back or freeze to make stock at a later date)

For the marinade:

6 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp paste made with aji amarillo powder and olive oil

Juice of 1 lime

1 tsp sriracha sauce

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

½ a large bunch coriander leaves, broken up

2 jalapeno chilies, chopped

75g feta cheese, crumbled

1 garlic clove, crushed

Juice of 1-2 limes

2 tsp chopped fresh oregano

½ tsp dijon mustard

½ tbsp aji amarillo paste (see marinade earlier for method)

1 tsp honey

1 tsp ground cumin

½ cup extra virgin olive oil.

For the Peruvian Rice:

3 tbsp sunflower oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 onion, finely chopped

3 heaped tsp aji amarillo paste (see marinade earlier for method)

½ large bunch fresh coriander, broken up and blended till smooth with a tblspn water

500g fresh chicken stock

300g bottle of beer or lager

2 x small green chillies, chopped finely

500g basmati rice

1 red pepper, chopped into small chunks

100g fresh garden peas or petit pois

How to make

First, make the marinade. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl, cover the fowl of your choice in it, cover with cling film and pop in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

For the sauce: put all the ingredients into a blender, and blend till smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover and refrigerate, taking out about 15 minutes ahead of eating to bring to room temperature.

For the rice. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a saucepan, add the onion and garlic and saute until starting to turn golden. Add the blended coriander and chili paste and cook for a couple of minutes until the paste has thickened slightly and smells delicious.

Pour the beer into the saucepan, cook for a few minutes then add the chicken stock. Bring to the boil, season, then take off the heat, cover and put to one side.

Heat the oven to 200C. Pat the chicken or guinea fowl pieces dry, then pop onto a shallow baking tray, season and drizzle with olive oil. Put the tray into the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes.

While the meat roasts, finish the rice. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium sized saucepan, add the peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the rice and stir into the oil and peppers until it starts to crackle a little at the bottom. Add the peas and chilies and stir again, then add the stock, beer and onion garlic mix. Stir, season if needed, then cover and simmer on a low heat for 25 mins.

Fluff up the rice and spoon onto plates. Top with the chicken or guinea fowl pieces, and crown with a dollop of sauce.

Churros Bundt Cake with Dipping Chocolate Sauce

I love churros, and I love a Bundt cake. If you want all the flavours but none of the faffing or frying, then give this a try. The cake will keep, covered in a tin. Just remember to reheat the chocolate sauce for dipping or pouring each time. Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 ¾ cups plain flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp. Salt

170g unsalted butter

130g caster sugar

50g soft brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 375g punnet of sour cream

2 tsp. Vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar ‘glaze’

2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tsp caster sugar

For the chocolate sauce:

½ cup cocoa powder

Pinch chilli flakes

100g dark chocolate (70%)

1 cup double cream

½ cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp cinnamon

How to make

Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease and flour a large bundt cake pan (make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies).

Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl (ideally using an electric stand mixer) until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one and continue to mix between each addition, finishing with the egg yolk. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and beat again until just incorporated. Mix all the dry ingredients, add them to the butter and egg mix and fold in until smooth.

Pour the cake batter into the bundt tin and bake for around 50-55 minutes until a skewer inserted near the middle comes out clean (I usually check the cake after 45 mins). Invert the cake onto a rack to cool.

Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Melt the butter and paint all over the surface of the cake. Dust the cinnamon sugar over the buttered cake, making sure you pat it in places to stick.

To make the chocolate sauce. Pop all the ingredients into a saucepan, then cook, stirring constantly, on a low heat until the chocolate has melted, everything is smooth and custardy. Let it bubble slightly then turn off the heat.

Serve slices of the churros cake with warm chocolate sauce poured over. There are some who prefer their chocolate sauce served cold. That’s fine too.

3 notes · View notes

artificialqueens · 6 years

Text

Ballerina Butt (Craqauria) -PastelChola

Cracker was devastated after being sent home after the Evil-Twin challenge. She had messed up, point-blank. There really was no other way to put it. She had crumbled at the point in the competition where it mattered most - her star power had failed to shine as Asia put it. And Cracker was beginning to believe that maybe Asia was right. But, low and behold, a specific young queen was looking out for Cracker (and even more so for Max).

Aquaria and Cracker were no strangers to one another. They would run into each other somewhere weekly - whether it be at a gig or a party. Unfortunately, Max and Giovanni lived in opposite worlds aside from drag. That was until drag race. The two men had grown closer, bonding over their NYC roots and love for hair. Giovanni was even kind enough to leave his personal phone number on the note he had left at Max’s workstation after the elimination. Neither of them had known what was to come from that simple gesture. Neither of them had known the chaos that would be brought about.

When Max got home to his apartment in Harlem, he nearly completely ignored his luggage, choosing instead to remove a lined paper from the outermost pocket of his smallest suitcase. The paper was still crisp, only carrying smudges of ink from where Giovanni’s hand has pressed black residue into the sheet. Max anticipated texting, the pressure of figuring out what to say looming over him, but filming for Giovanni had not yet ended. Pacing from kitchen to room and back, phone in hand, Max planned out what to say… he didn’t want to sound awkward or manufactured, but those were the two phrases that fit him perfectly. Words swam through his mind for hours and spilled out of his mouth in front of the mirror as he brushed his teeth. Everything sounded either too gritty or too fabricated. Eventually, splayed out on the living room futon, Max settled on a brief “Hi :)” He knew it was a terrible thing to stress over - with all the gay people all over the world that couldn’t express the sheer degree of their sexuality - but Max could not have another strange and oddly sexual relationship with a drag queen as he had had with his drag mother. Unfortunately, in the case of Maxwell Heller, tragically awkward and commercial sexual tension was bound to accumulate.

Once the filming of the final four episode of Drag Race had come to a close, Giovanni was overly eager to pack up and get his phone back. Who could blame him - Gen Z practically lived on their phones. Rarely did Giovanni ever find himself on dating apps, but he needed something quick and good. It had been over a month since Gio had even seen another human being in the nude. Towards the twin-challenge Gio was beginning to eye anyone without a shirt, regardless of age or build. What could he say, he was young and hormonal. Anyway, when Gio turned his phone back on, a blue message from an unknown number popped up - “Hi :)” Giovanni was understandably puzzled, contorting his browless face into a look of bewilderment before he typed a quick “??” and opened spotify to accelerate his packing process. It must have been 2 am in New York on a Thursday night. Nobody in their right mind would be up that late if they had work the next day - especially a drag queen. Nevermind the time, after finishing packing, Gio opened the Grindr app and started to select between anyone remotely “Daddy” in New York.

Of course, like a sane human being, Max was asleep when Gio had texted. He had to rest up for the back to back gigs he had lined up for Friday night. When he woke up, he immediately checked his phone, anticipating a text from his fellow season 10 competitor. He felt kind of dumb when he had realized he hadn’t added his name in the text, leaving Giovanni oblivious to the sender of the original text. Maxwell sighed and sent a quaint “Sorry… this is Max (Cracker)”

Giovanni was exhausted. Between making sure he wasn’t going to miss his flights back to New York, keeping track of his luggage, and juggling texting three different Daddy-ish looking guys, Giovanni’s mind was running faster than his body could keep up with. Against better judgement, Giovanni hadn’t added any sort of indicator of who was the owner of each phone number. Eventually two thirds of the Grindr guys were requesting nudes and Giovanni wasn’t one to chicken out of sending anything. Scrolling through his “My Eyes Only” on Snapchat, Gio settled on a mirror butt pic he had taken a few days before leaving for filming. Years of ballet had toned Giovanni’s body, giving him the perfectly rounded butt and slim-thick thighs. Giovanni couldn’t have been more proud, hence why he saved nearly every nude of himself to “My Eyes Only” for later admiration. Any gay would be lucky to even lay their eyes on that ass, and Gio would not dare to deny the attention he got for it. He saved the image back to his photos and haphazardly pressed on the first number that popped up in his recent text list, sending the photo. It was late - well actually, around 7 in the morning, but Giovanni had been up all night - and the coolness of the Chicago O’Hare airport was lulling him to sleep as he stood in the boarding line for his final flight into New York. As soon as the young man had found his seat in the plane and situated himself, he was out like a light, disregarding all the prior sexting.

Only one thing woke Giovanni when he landed; not the rattling of the plane when it finally touched down, but the numerous dings that radiated from his phone when the service reconnected after landing. Gio rubbed his eyes and fished his phone out of the seat pocket. The few messages he could immediately make out read as follows “???” “I don’t think this picture is meant for me” “Gio is there something you want to talk about”

#craquaria #rpdr fanfiction #ballerina butt #canon compliant #pastelcholita

62 notes · View notes

peterjonesparker · 7 years

Text

hello! i’ve briefly come up for air so that i could fill one prompt and write this! i’m sorry i’ve kinda fallen off the deep end but college is hard, yo. anyway, i hope you enjoy! don’t take this too seriously haha. have this fic in which mj accidentally gives peter a coupon book for sexual favors.

tagging: my wife @spideychelle-romanogers, a gem with a seasonal blog name @spookychelleblessup, the always hilarious @suplosers, someone i need to say hello to again @bellamywarriorblake, and i can’t remember if she wanted me to tag her in things but i’ll do it anyway because i love her @aqhrodites. if you asked me to tag you and i’ve forgotten, please let me know! i’ll actually make a list instead of me just being like oh wait i needed to do this!

this coupon is good for… (ao3 link)

chapter one | chapter two | chapter three | chapter four | chapter five

A List of Things Michelle Only Found Out About Peter After They Became Friends:

He doesn’t know how to use chopsticks properly. (Michelle’s had to show him several times and he’s still helpless.)

Peter isn’t the most well-read. He spends most of his time reading comics, graphic novels, books for class, books about physics, and books that in some way help him build tech for the spidey suit. (Michelle has thrown several books at his head. She’s seen a bookmark in one, so she’ll take what she can get.)

Perhaps most egregious, Peter Parker is, without a doubt, single-handedly, the best gift giver. And it’s infuriating.

See, the thing about being friends with someone who’s great at giving gifts is that you just suck at it. Michelle can spend hours thinking up something to get Peter for his birthday or Christmas or graduation and it will be like getting a rock compared to anything Peter gives her. A signed copy of her favorite book, an exclusive interview with Steve Rogers, a year-long subscription to a sock of the month club.

Michelle manages to get Peter this vintage comic book she happened upon once at an antique store and that was the greatest gift she got him. It wasn’t even a comic he’d read. But he still smiled and gasped and thanked her. Even though it was a really lame present. Michelle is determined to do better.

Yet, despite her sincerest desire to give Peter a good present to finally make up for the years and years of lame presents she’s given him, Michelle always forgets to plan. Which is how she ends up frantically looking through a Hallmark store on a Thursday night at eight pm, searching for a present to give Peter for his birthday tomorrow.

It’s sad, really. But she was busy! Classes have her swamped and it was her midterm week. She feels guilty, though. Because Peter also made her lunch for the entire week and packed it with a note telling her she’d do great. Which is why she wanted to make it up to him with a great present! But here she is, looking at sad, pseudo-edgy journal booklets.

She finally settles on a coupon book she sees offhand. She looks through it and it’s got lots of household chores, which Peter absolutely abhors doing so at least he’ll have use for them. (Peter is, on all accounts, a fantastic roommate. But his tolerance for basic household upkeep leaves something to be desired. She’s had to pick up the spider-man suit from the floor more times than she’d care to admit.) She grabs the red one as a joke (Spider-man!) and purchases it, hoping that the party she has planned for him tomorrow will at least make up for this lame gift.

Michelle makes him breakfast the next morning before his eleven am class. Chicken crumble and scrambled eggs over avocado toast. She also makes him coffee because she saw his light on at two thirty am when she went to use the restroom. He’s sleepy, but he thanks her, kissing her hair lightly on his way to the bar stool. They chat and eat before both of them leave for class. On her way out the door, she reminds him to be back by seven for her surprise.

Michelle thinks it’s very likely he knows it’s a party, but what he doesn’t know is that Tony is coming. It’s been a long time since Peter has seen him and, while she and Tony don’t always see eye-to-eye about everything, she’s excited that Peter will get to see him.

So, when seven pm rolls around and everyone’s waiting eagerly in their apartment, Michelle is, admittedly, a lot excited. May baked a beautiful cake. (Well, May’s girlfriend baked a beautiful cake. May isn’t the most adept baker. Or cook. But everyone really likes Shana and her cooking.) Ned’s flown in because it’s Peter’s twenty first. So did Liz. (Tony may have paid for their tickets, but he doesn’t really want that information spreading around. Doesn’t need anyone asking him to buy them plane tickets whenever they please.) Then the door lock starts rattling and everyone quiets, scrambling to hide.

As soon as Peter opens the door, everyone jumps and screams. “Surprise!”

Peter laughs. “You guys!” He’s smiling brightly in that dopey way he does, and Michelle feels her heart swell and her face heat up. So, she might be a little bit in love with Peter Parker. It doesn’t matter. It’s not important. We can just ignore it.

Tony walks over to Peter, and Peter chokes a bit. The two hug and it’s heartwarming. But then Ned is rushing over and tackling Peter and there’s laughter and smiling again. Michelle is happy that Peter is happy. So she lets Peter make his way around the party, talking to everyone and catching up. She’s content to stay on the sidelines, making sure everyone is happy. Most importantly, Peter.

But Tony Stark finds her halfway through the night. “Michelle, yes?” She nods her head, sipping from the specialty IPA that May brought. (If there’s one thing May does know, it’s beer.) “Thanks for doing this for him. For bringing me.” He looks down, smiling a bit. “He’s told me you don’t always think so highly of me. So, I appreciate you inviting me anyway.”

She doesn’t know how to respond. For one, she wants to punch Peter because she’d told Peter that, not Tony Stark. There’s no point in denying. So: “You mean a lot to Peter. You should get to be here, too.”

He smiles at her, nodding his head lightly. He taps his hand against his thigh and starts to walk away. He pauses for a moment, turns around, and says, as if he can’t decide if he should, “You mean the world to him. Please tell me you know that?”

She’s a bit stunned. She just nods and he seems to accept that because he walks away. She scans the room until she spots Peter. He’s in the middle of what appears to be an animated story because his arms are flying everywhere and he’s laughing and Ned and Liz are laughing into their hands and shaking their heads. Michelle has never loved him more.

She stares long enough that he finally looks at her. He gives her a crooked smile and her heart flutters. He waves her over, but she shakes her head and shoos him so he’ll go back into the conversation. He rolls his eyes and goes back to listening to Liz’s story.

The rest of the party is fairly lowkey. She catches up with Cindy, chats with May, talks to a few people from Peter’s lab. By around ten thirty, people start trickling out. Some people are going to other parties. Some are going home. By the time the last person leaves, there are cups and plates scattered all throughout the apartment for Peter and MJ to clean. (Most likely in the morning, if she’s being honest.)

He hugs her tightly. “Thank you, MJ. I had a great time.”

“I’m glad.” She chuckles, squeezing him a bit before pushing him away. She walks over to her backpack to grab her lame excuse of a gift. “I have a gift, but don’t get too excited.”

He smiles warmly, grabbing the paper bag wrapped book from her hands. When he opens the gift, he smiles and thanks her. He’s sincere and he likes the gift and he’s entirely too nice. She smiles and laughs a bit when he starts to look through the booklet. “You can redeem the coupons whenever.”

He looks at her warily and takes a large gulp. He appears to pale with each new coupon he reads and she’s honestly so confused. “I can redeem any of these coupons?”

She laughs, punching him lightly in the shoulder. “That’s the idea, dork.”

He closes the book and stares at her for a few moments. He manages, “So you’ll do any of these coupons?”

“Yes, Peter.” She chuckles, a bit exasperated. The concept really shouldn’t be this hard to grasp. She shakes her head and continues, “Just give me a little warning and yeah, of course. Any coupon.” She checks her watch and sighs. “On that note, let’s clean up tomorrow. Maybe you can redeem one of your coupons.”

Peter chokes and she looks at him quizzically. But she just shakes her head and walks to her room. She didn’t realize Peter would be so shook that she was offering to do his chores. She knew he didn’t like doing them, but honestly.

Surprisingly, however, Peter doesn’t use any of the coupons the next day. He just helps her clean and eyes her warily. Which, fine, if he doesn’t want to use her coupons, that’s on him. She won’t do his chores, then. She’s not upset that maybe he didn’t actually like the gift even though he seemed so excited about it. She’s not mad. She knows it was a silly gift. It’s all fine.

Until a Thursday night two weeks later when Peter is doing the dishes, which is his least favorite chore and Michelle knows that was one of the coupons, Michelle can’t take it. She snaps. Gently. “You know, if you don’t want to use the coupons, you can just throw them away or give them back.”

“What?” He whips around, mouth agape. “MJ, I-I, what-”

“You haven’t used any.” She pouts. She hates that she can never get him gifts he enjoys. “I can try to get you something else?”

“No!” He says a bit too quickly, taking a deep breath. “I mean.” He gulps. “Sorry. I just, got a little nervous about them.”

“Why?” MJ tilts her head, looking at him confused. “Peter, honestly, just use the coupons. Don’t worry about me. I gave them to you for a reason.” He’s far too noble.

“Just,” he holds up a hand, jumping a bit where he stands. “Give me one second and I’ll go get one.” So, Michelle waits. She walks over to the sink because she figures he’ll have her do the dishes. But, a few moments later, he comes running back with the whole booklet, flipping through. “Honestly, I’m still a little surprised so I’m not sure which one to use.”

She laughs. “Just choose the one you’d like to use, Parker. It’s not that hard.”

He gives her a meaningful look. “You’d be surprised.” He thumbs through the booklet. “You baffle me, honestly.” Then he blushes furiously and looks up at her, warily. “You’re sure about these coupons?”

“Yes, Peter!” She laughs, exasperated as she huffs a bit. He rips one of the coupons from the booklet and hands it to her nervously. She shakes her head but when she reads the coupon she does a double take. Oh. Oh. She’s gone and fucked it all up.

This coupon is good for a twenty minute make out session.

She fucking…why can’t she read? She glances at the booklet on the table and it’s decidedly…not a household chores coupon booklet. It’s got a couple on the front and lips and it’s titled Sexy Favors for Couples. Why is Peter’s costume the color of desire?

Now she gets his nerves. Why he was so confused. She’d be too. And her immediate thought is that she should tell him she made a mistake and she’s sorry and she’ll get him a new gift. But then she remembers that he, well, he wanted to use this coupon. He wants to make out with her for twenty minutes.

“Just to be sure,” she says quietly before finally meeting his eye again. “You want to use this coupon? Like, you don’t have to use it because I got you the gift.”

“Trust me.” He huffs. “I want to use it.” She doesn’t need any other go ahead so she rushes over to him and wraps her hands around his neck, pulling him forward so that their lips are locked.

It’s frantic and most likely reckless and a bad decision. But Michelle’s wanted to kiss Peter for the better part of five years now and God forbid she give up the opportunity now. Even if it’s not in the context she was hoping for. Even if she doesn’t know if Peter feels for her the way she feels for him. At least she can have this one thing.

She allows Peter to nudge her to their couch and they tumble on top of it. She opens her legs to cradle him between them and he moves his lips down to her neck. She gasps when he bites lightly, moving one hand from his back to his head so she can use his hair as an anchor. Her head is angled back so he can have easy access, and boy does he take advantage. He nips and sucks and laves, and MJ is in heaven.

But this is supposed to be for him. It was her gift to him. So, she flips them over as smoothly as she can (which isn’t all that smooth, but Peter still seems pleasantly surprised) and leans down to kiss him on the lips, filthy as she can. She even rolls her hips a little bit, which manages to make Peter gasp, so she’s pretty proud. She tries that one trick she learned from Harry in high school, and Peter loves it.

All in all, it’s a pretty successful make-out session. Especially given the fact that Michelle hasn’t made out with anyone in well over a year. (You can try to get her to admit it’s because of her feelings for Peter, but you’ll fail.) She doesn’t keep track, but she’s pretty sure they’ve been making out for more than twenty minutes. Not that either is complaining. But then MJ feels Peter’s excitement against her thigh and she figures that’s her cue to stop.

Peter’s face is slightly pink and he’s gasping for breath when she pulls away. He takes a few deep breaths and closes his eyes, leaning his head back against the couch and letting out a gentle and awed, “fuck.”

MJ laughs, kissing him lightly before she gets off of him. She doesn’t know how to react now that her crushing need to just kiss Peter Parker is gone. Well, at least for the time being. She doesn’t want to have to deal with a conversation right now because it’ll be complicated and he’ll tell her the coupons are fun but that’s all there is to it. She doesn’t want to deal with that right now.

She takes a deep breath and says, “Okay! I’ve got an early class tomorrow, so I’m going to head to bed. But let me know if you want to use another coupon.” Then she’s walking a little faster than natural to her room and closing the door quickly behind her, taking a deep breath as she leans her head against the wood. She tries to ignore the impending sense of doom that’s looming over her head.

What has she done?

#spiderman homecoming #spiderman: homecoming #spideychelle #michelle jones #peter parker #michelle x peter #peter x michelle #mj x peter #peter x mj #i write things #sh #otp: i'm just kidding i don't care #sex coupon shenanigans #it's so late rip me #i need to sleep #but here i am #posting fanfic

203 notes · View notes

alwayssunnyprompts · 7 years

Note

Can you write a fic, or short story, or oneshot, or anything like that about a sick scenario? Like, Dennis being sick and Mac taking care of him? Or the other way around. Sick or anything with like vulnerability? (Also the way you describe sounds in your work is great I love it a lot so maybe stuff like that?) if you don't want to that's totally okay I understand. Thank you! xo

Thank you so much! This is one of my favorite asks I’ve gotten and I loved writing it! Set while Mac and Dennis are still living together, maybe around season 5. Enjoy some very sick Mac and very caring Dennis!

Dennis glances at the clock for the third time in half an hour. Mac should have been back 15 minutes ago.

Not that he’s counting.

Outside is the worst blizzard that’s hit Phillyin a while. There’s almost a foot on the ground already, double what there’d been a couple hours earlier when he’d sent Mac to buy movie night provisions.

Mac finally trudges home at 8:30 pm, bursting in with a groan, shivering and covered in melting snow. He tosses the grocery bags haphazardly onto the kitchen counter and plops down on the couch next to Dennis. He’s breathing heavily, his head resting on the back of the couch andhis eyes shut. Dennis can see the redness of windburn on the tip of his nose and his cheeks.

“Hey, bud,” Dennis says cautiously.

“Bro, that place was insane. I forgot people got nuts when the weather gets bad. Everybody was running around like it’s the end of the world. Some shelves were just totally empty. Ugh, it was a mess,” he coughs a little, “come on, let’s just watch some movies."

Dennis smiles, clapping Mac on the shoulder.

"Sure, pal."

Four hours later, they’re still going strong. Well, Dennis is. Mac’s spent the last 10 minutes nodding off, forcing himself awake. They’re finishing up Alien vs. Predator when he decides that he’s done for the night.

"Dennis, I’m exhausted. I need to go to sleep, bro.”

“C'mon, man. What kind of lame excuse is that? Just one more!” Dennis rolls his eyes.

“I’m serious, Dennis. I feel weird. My joints are super stiff and I can’t breathe very good. I think I might be coming down with something."

"Well, then stay the hell away from me, dude. I’m not letting you get me sick. One sneeze and you’re on your own. Understand?” Does he really mean that? Probably not. However, the idea of getting sick is not only time-consuming and disgusting, it’s uncomfortable and stressful and he wants nothing to do with it.

He looks back at Mac, who sways a little, seeming unfazed by Dennis’s remarks.

“I–I have to go lay down,” he mutters,“I’ll see you later, Den."

He starts to walk to his room and loses his balance, leaning on the arm of the couch for support. Dennis is at his side ina second, all previous thoughts of abandonment and quarantine forgotten. He rests a hand on the small of Mac’s back.

"Hey, you good?"

Mac looks pale, but more alert.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, dude. I must have tripped."

Dennis doesn’t have to look at the empty living room to know he didn’t trip on a damn thing.

"Okay. Well, how about I help you so youdon’t trip again. How does that sound?”

A blush colors Mac’s cheeks and he nods, leaning into Dennis’s side. He grabs around Mac’s waist and leads him to the bed.

“Do you want to change?” He’s still fully clothed, winter jacket and all.

He looks down at himself, considering the outfit.

“Yeah, I probably should, huh?"

Dennis sighs, and grabs Mac some pajamas from his dresser. He grabs his robe too, partially because he might get cold, but also because he likes seeing Mac wear it.

"Here. Do you need…help?”

Mac grabs the clothes from his hands.

“No, dude! I can do it myself."

Dennis can hear the congestion in his chest, and see his legs quivering under the pressure of standing. He rolls his eyes.

"Okay, fine, asshole. I’ll be right here if you need me, though."

Watch Mac struggle to the bathroom is as hilarious as it is pathetic. He finally makes it, swinging the door almost-shut behind him. Dennis hears him breathing heavily, and grunting as he takes off his layers of clothes. A full 20 minutes pass before Mac emerges, sweaty and exhausted. He drops his street clothes in a rumpled pile on the floor and collapses onto the bed.

"Ughh, Dennis, I think I’m dying.” He groans, rolling over to sprawl out. Dennis can tell he’s getting worse. His nose sounds clogged and gross, and his chest is making crackling noises if hetakes too deep of a breath. He groans, burying his face in a pillow.

“Dennis?"

"What is it?”

“I think I might get a migraine. I feel that pressure you asked me to watch out for.”

Dennis feels a pang of anxiety. Ever since Mac had crashed Dee’s car trying to fake his and Charlie’s deaths, he’d been getting debilitating migraines. They weren’t frequent, but a few times a year he’d be totally out of commission. The rest of the gang didn’t know about it. He’d been doing so well, too—it had been more than six months since his last one. Dennis doesn’t think they have any medicine left in the apartment.

“Okay, we’ll deal with this,” he liftsMac’s quilt and motions for him to get under, “come on, you should get as comfortable as you can.”

Mac scoots slowly under the covers, grabbing one of his pillows and holding it against his chest.

“Dennis, what are we gonna do? I’ve never had the flu and a migraine at the same time. How does that even happen? Jesus Christ, this is bad, dude.” He grips the pillow tighter.

“Hey,” Dennis lays down on his side, so he’s face-to-face with Mac. He reaches over and ruffles his hair gently, “we can deal with this. It’ll be okay. We’ve done this before. Right?”

Mac nods. “Yeah."

"Do you want the hot or cold pack?"

"Not yet.”

“Alright. Try and get some sleep, okay?You’ll need it. I’m gonna go look for some meds and food for when you wake up. Call me if you need anything."

Mac nods.

"Okay…thanks Dennis.”

Dennis leaves the door open just a crack, enough that he’ll be able to hear if something happens or Mac yells for him.

Aside from his own meds, their cabinets are virtually empty. They have a few cough drops, some ice packs, Band-Aids, Mac’s hot pack, but not a single painkiller to speak of. Dennis drags a hand over his face. He thought they were better than this. At the very least Mac’s overprotective nature should mean there’s at least a Tylenol or two somewherein the house. But he’s not seeing anything. He glances out the window, the piles of snow illuminated by the street lights. There must be a couple feet at least, and it’s still coming down. The roads are covered now too. Neither of them are getting out of the house anytime soon.

He goes to the kitchen and pours a glass of water, and searches the pantry. He takes out some tea bags, honey, and a few cans of soup (the shitty chicken noodle that Mac loves so much) that they keep on hand for situations like this. He sets it on the counter and goes to lay on the couch. He lets his eyes close for a little while.

When he opens them again, his mouth feels like cotton and his back is aching.

“Jesus,” he mutters, stretching.

The clock in the kitchen reads 3:45. He’d slept longer than he’d planned to. He stands up and gets a glass of water, and then shuffles over to check on Mac, peeking into his room silently.

Mac is curled in the fetal position. He’s shivering, his hands resting limp on the blankets in front of him. Dennis sits down on the edge of the bed as quietly as he can, reaching over to brush sweaty strands of hair from his face. The darkness under his eyes looks reddish and bruised, and he’s burning up. Dennis’s fingers brush against his forehead and he shudders at the touch, unconsciously moving closer. He whimpers softly, shifting with discomfort.

“Mac?” Dennis tests the waters. He really doesn’t want to have to wake him up, but if something else is wrong, he needs to know. “Mac?”

Mac moans, his eyelids fluttering as he looks up at Dennis as best he can. His eyes are dazed as hell.

“Den?” He sounds absolutely awful. His voice is rough and quiet, like even talking takes a tremendous amount of energy. Guilt settles like a stone in Dennis’s chest.

“Hey, asshole,” he whispers affectionately, trying to push past his discomfort and worry to smile reassuringly, “how are you feeling?"

He keeps his hand gently stroking Mac’s hair, pausing for a few seconds to rest it against his forehead again, and his cheek, feeling the heat radiating off his skin. Mac still looks zoned, taking time to process the answer. A weird expression is spreading across his face. But, to Dennis’ surprise, he simply sniffs in response. At first, he thinks it’s just because of the virus, then he takes a quick breath in, sniffling again. In a few seconds, he’s gasping and sniffling and… goddamnit. Tears start to fall, dropping over where Dennis is still cupping his face.

"Ah, shit,” Dennis says under his breath, moving to brush the tears away as they fall, “shh, no… hey, it’s okay, sweetheart. I’m here. Tell me what’s wrong."

The words slip out so naturally that he doesn’t realize what he’s saying until he’s said it. If Mac hears the term of endearment he shows no sign of it. His breath hitches and gives way to a wet sob and he brings his hands up to cover his face. The shaking returns. He presses his body against Dennis, his head putting pressure on Dennis’ thigh. The sobbing alone is broken and pathetic, but on top of it, his lungs sound like shit, mucus-filled and wheezing with every breath.

Despite himself, Dennis finds his own throat tightening and his eyes misting over at the strangled, congested sounds. Mac doesn’t cry often, and when he does it’s never this random and uncontrolled. It’s usually soft and stifled after a nightmare, or a few tears escaping if it’s been a particularly hard day for them. But this is different.

Dennis can see angry red blotches forming on Mac’s cheeks as he rubs at his eyes violently, his breathing starting to sound erratic. Dennis swallows his welling emotions.

"Mac,” he takes his face in both hands, “look at me."

Mac rubs at his eyes one last time before lowering his hands. Tears are still flowing steadily, and Dennis can see that tiny blood vessels have burst under his right eye. The rest of his face is pinched and pale as he continues crying.

"Is it your head? Or something else?”

Mac nods.

“Both?”

Another nod, quicker this time.

“Okay. Come here.” He opens his arms, gesturing. Mac slowly crawls onto his lap, burying his face in Dennis’s shirt. He’s hot as a goddamn space heater and he’s heavy as shit. Dennis can feel his legs aching under the weight of a full-grown man lying on top of him, but he sure as hell isn’t going to say anything about it.

He can feel Mac blinking against the crook of his neck, his breath hot and fast against Dennis’ collarbone. He wishes they had something he could give him. Even just ibuprofen or some shit that did enough to dull the pain that he could calm down and get a couple hours of uninterrupted sleep.

He runs a hand up and down Mac’s back, pausing togently rub the nape his neck and then reaching with both to stroke his temples. Mac immediately recoils from the touch.

“It hurts,” he chokes out.

"Mac, don’t be–” he pauses, takes a deep breath, “I know. But, it’ll make your head feel better, I promise. If it doesn’t, I’ll stop right away. Okay?"

"Okay.”

He pushes himself into a better position and places his hands back on Mac’s temples, massaging so lightly he’s sure that it isn’t helping anything. Mac gasps at the pressure, his eyes starting to well up again. He works with a little more purpose, and Mac closes his eyes, tries to breathe around the gunk in his lungs. His chest is heaving with exertion.

“Dennis, do you hate me?” His voice is so quiet.

“Where did that come from? Wh–Mac, that’s…” he sighs, “that’s ridiculous. Of course I don’t hate you.”

He knows it’s just the pain and the fever talking, but it’s more than that. There’s genuine sadness behind the delirium. His heart pounds as he holds Mac’s head with the gentleness he’s reserved only for him, wishing he could transplant his feelings directly into Mac so that he’d be able to understand. He presses his cheek against the top of his head.

After a few minutes, Mac sags against him. Dennis carefully lifts his hands and pulls him closer, holding him as his eyelids droop. He murmurs something unintelligible, head nodding against his chest.

“What’d you say, buddy?” He asks softly.

“I love you,” his words slur together like he’s drunk.

Dennis’s heart swells, and he feels a hot blush color cheeks. He chuckles.

“Of course you do. Close your eyes try to go back to sleep. I’ll be right here."

#iasip #its always sunny #mac mcdonald #dennis reynolds #macdennis #sickfic #prompts #this is one of my favorite things I've written #i love writing sickfics and i love gentle macdennis #dennis taking care of him? priceless

109 notes · View notes

benjamingarden · 4 years

Text

Weekending

It was a beautiful weekend in our neck of the woods. I hope it was in yours as well. Yard clean-up was top of the list. I wanted to get the yard tidied up so I can start working in the garden this week. We had hoped to have mulch delivered so I could tackle that as well but it seems we are a bit early on our planning and it can't be delivered until this week or next week. That's ok, I'll get it going on the next decent day. We have to make a trip to the grocery store this week. Not something I'm looking forward to. I'm hoping to get in, find what we need, and get out. We've completely run out of fresh veggies (we still have frozen) and are almost out of fruit. We also want to stock back up on a few pantry items, a bit more meat for Jay and some dairy & non-dairy too.

I certainly hope this finds you and your family doing well. It's a scary time for everyone that I think will make an impact on us all for the remainder of our lives. All we can do is to try and make that a positive impact. Find some lessons to learn from this difficult time that may make our lives a bit better. The links I'm sharing at the end of this post are all food related in hopes to provide you ideas or recipes you may need during our shelter-in-place.

do you see those piles in the yard past the coop? those are our raking piles. we haven't loaded them into the truck yet.

Coop Girls - they are doing really well. They love this time of the year because the snow is (finally) gone and they can dig and scratch and forage to their hearts content. Egg production remains high so we've been giving them away for free to our community while we are not attending the market. We've been told that eggs can be hard to get (not surprising) right now, so our hope is that those who need them can enjoy them.

did you know that Ollie does yoga?

Oliver - Ollie is doing good. We haven't been taking him to the park because the last time we went it was absolutely packed so we didn't walk. It's hard because everyone just wants to get out and there's only so many places to walk. We'll wait until the quarantine is over. Because his stomach is so sensitive and I've only been successful in finding one food he can eat I stocked up on it. So I find comfort in knowing he's good for another 2 months.

Jack - oh brother. He's been something else. His naughty pants are at an all-time high again. He is back to posturing and lunging at Oliver anytime I'm not right by his side. He's such a brat. Jack is very very funny but very very annoying. Oliver sleeps in a pack & play in our bedroom at night. Jack was going through a phase of jumping in it in the middle of the night and getting in Oliver's face and scaring him. So we went through trying to keep Jack out of our bedroom (he shook the door and cried all night) and eventually the trauma of it all made him stop. Now Jack is jumping into Oliver's pack & play during the day. (mind you, he has boxes, blankets, teepees and beds, that are his, throughout the whole house...) The problem, is that I'm afraid he will do this overnight as well because he loves it so much. So, I've found a way to stop him. I call it my "Jack trap" and let me tell you, it is funny. I took a piece of netting that we use to keep the birds away from our fruit trees and clamp it onto the frame of the pack & play once we get up in the morning. As you know, Jack isn't the brightest lamp in the park so he continues to try to jump into the pack & play throughout the day and freaks out when he hits the netting. His hair goes straight up, his ears go back, and he shakes his head like "whoa....what was THAT????" Sometimes he tries it a second time (again, not bright....) and eventually settles for our bed. But he keeps on trying! He really is something else.

Cooking - Hopefully you're taking this opportunity to cook and bake your way through your pantry. Using up any ingredients you purchased for a recipe that you never made, or because it looked good, or even because it was on sale or really cheap. I had some items in each of these categories ( I'm talking to you quinoa flour, xanthan gum, umeboshi plums, and harissa paste). A cleaned out pantry will be the perfect space for, at some point, stocking up on only our true pantry essentials. On that same note, it's also a good opportunity, I realized, to go thru kitchen gadgets and purge. If you aren't using it while you're making so much from scratch, do you really need to keep it? I found some items that are going to be relocated once we can donate them. I'm grateful that I already had enough flour and yeast in the pantry and freezer. We don't use either a lot so I know we are set for some time. I've had a small bag of Einkorn flour in the freezer for a few months that I've been meaning to work with. This past week I decided it was time to try some recipes. The first Einkorn bread recipe I tried was a no-knead one and it was not good. It was fairly flat, dense and crumbly. Disappointing. Next I went to Jovial's website (something I should have done from the beginning) and found their Einkorn Sandwich bread and hit upon a winner. I would purchase more of this flour to create this bread recipe again and would like to try it in sourdough too. I've been trying to keep my schedule of meal prep on Saturdays. This usually is cutting up any veggies, making a big pot of beans I'll use that week (this week it was pintos), making quinoa for salads, making bread or bread dough, and anything else that helps out for meals. I made a batch of vegan meatballs (recipe from Minimalist Baker) that turned out really good. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I used a few last night and put the rest in the freezer for use later.

Business - We've significantly slowed down our manufacturing for 3 reasons really: our sales are slower since they are online only (quite busy, but slower than normal); we have no idea when things will pick back up to "normal" again or, alternatively, what our new normal might be and we don't want shelves of stock just sitting there; which brings us to the third reason, practicing judicial money management to get through this. We are fine (and will be fine), but it's the responsible and prudent thing to do for us and for the business. Anywhoo, this has allowed us extra time to get other things done. We've been checking off some "to do" items on our list, jumping into spring projects early, and actually getting to things we've held on each of our "someday" mental lists. One for me is to make vegan cheese. I know, I know, just the thought likely makes you squeam, but for those of us who can't eat dairy, it's all we've got. I've found a couple of store-bought cheeses that are good, but they contain way too much oil and some have suspect ingredients. So, I'm hoping our shopping trip this week will score me some of the ingredients required to try fermenting for the purposes of making my own vegan cheese. It's the little things.....isn't it? Hoping you had a wonderful weekend and that you and your family stay safe and healthy. Link Love: A few recipes on this blog: No Knead Artisan Bread, SUPER easy and includes recipes for white, wheat, and gluten flour Freezer Breakfast Burritos 16 Homemade Spice & Seasoning Blends The BEST Deviled Eggs Secret Ingredient Potato Salad Homemade Enchilada Sauce Quick & Easy Skillet Spaghetti And a few from other blogs: 20+ Sourdough Recipes, including how to create and maintain a starter (Farmhouse on Boone) 100 Cheap & Easy Pantry Meals (Prudent Penny Pincher) Food Storage Tips, to help your food last longer (Cookie & Kate) 50 Pantry Recipes & Substitutions (Cookie & Kate) Healthy Homemade Easter Candy (Chocolate Covered Katie) 14 Easy Eggless Desserts (Living On A Dime) 10 Cheap Chicken Dinners (Living On A Dime) Honey Beer Bread, we made this last weekend and it was very good. Great recipe if you don't have any yeast on hand. (Gimme Some Oven) 50 Best Beans Recipes (A Couple Cooks) Easy Garlic Naan (A Couple Cooks) 10 Homemade Pantry Staples (One Good Thing By Jillee) 100+ Easy Pantry Recipes (Gimme Some Oven) How To Make Oat Milk, because I have not been successful in finding oat milk locally and think maybe you are struggling to find it too. (Downshiftology) 16 Of The Best Chicken Thigh Recipes (What's Gaby Cooking) Extra Small Batch Chocolatey Brownies (I Am A Food Blog) I hope these links help you find some new winning dishes!

Weekending was originally posted by My Favorite Chicken Blogs(benjamingardening)

0 notes

easyfoodnetwork · 4 years

Text

How to Stock a Pantry

A shopping list to make your cooking that much better

With the restaurant world continuing its devastating free-fall and more cities issuing stay-at-home orders, it’s a fair assumption that you will be cooking at home, potentially more than ever.

If you’re used to going out to restaurants, this can feel like a jarring transition at first. Professional chefs are professionals for a reason; they have an arsenal of techniques and ingredients that few home cooks — even the most enthusiastic ones — can match. That said, there are a few things you can do to load your pantry with both the basics and a few restaurant-style secret weapons to take your home cooking to the next level.

A few things to keep in mind: There is no one-size-fits-all shopping list. Take a look at what you already have, and think about how you actually eat. Sure, beans are so hot right now, but do you like beans? Be realistic with your cooking plans and ability — if spending hours on an intricate pastry project is soothing for you, by all means, but if you just need to get a meal on the table for you and your family, that’s absolutely okay too. Not every meal needs to be blockbuster; even the most food-obsessed among us sometimes just eat to live.

When it comes to shopping, make a list and have a plan so you can get in and out of the store quickly. If the store doesn’t have what you need, it’s probably not worth going to another — be flexible and try something you maybe wouldn’t have picked up before. It’s also worth noting here that many restaurants are selling pantry items and produce as part of their takeout packages — check their Instagrams or websites for up-to-date info on where to shop.

Stocking your pantry: the basics

Consider these items the foundation of a well-stocked kitchen — essential building blocks to cooking all kinds of dishes. Many of the items here are shelf-stable, and we’ve provided tips for shopping and storing meat, dairy, and produce as well.

Pasta and grains

Long pasta, short pasta, tubular pasta — whatever you can get your hands on, really.

Grain-wise, rice is an obvious choice (short and long grain, all colors), but don’t forget whole and ancient grains like farro, barley, bulgur, freekeh, and quinoa.

Canned and jarred goods

Canned tomatoes (whole provides the most versatility — you can always crush or blend them yourself)

Coconut milk for enhancing soups and curries, cooking rice, or poaching meat

Stock/broth (though you can also make your own, it doesn’t hurt to have backup)

Jarred salsas/simmer sauces (great for tying together a bunch of refrigerator loose ends in a pot)

Nut butters

Pickles

Condiments (mustard, jam, soy sauce, etc.)

Beans and legumes

Nutritious and long-lasting, and can be eaten on their own, or added to soups, stews, salads, stir-fries, and more. Dried beans are all the rage, and generally taste better if you’re willing to put in the time to cook them, but canned also work.

Yes, you should definitely get chickpeas and cannellini beans, but don’t forget lentils, split peas, and black-eyed peas, too.

Baking supplies

Flour (and alternative flours if that’s how you roll)

Sugar (brown, white, confectioners)

Baking soda and powder

Yeast for that bread you’re going to make

Bread

Homemade or not, can be pre-sliced and frozen for easier heating

Oil, vinegar, spices

Olive is standard, though grab canola too, which is better for high-heat cooking.

Vinegar (apple cider and rice are good starting points)

Whatever spices you frequently cook or bake with — allspice, bay leaves, cumin, cinnamon, chile flakes, oregano, paprika, pepper, vanilla, etc.

Produce

Lemons, limes, onions, garlic, and root vegetables (potatoes, squash, carrots, beets) last a long time.

Hearty greens like kale and collards will keep for a week, as will most uncut fruit.

Frozen fruit and veggies are also an option, and you can do it yourself — on the fruit front, berries, bananas, and mango do well; veggie-wise, peas, corn, kale, and edamame are easy to throw in a plastic bag, squeeze all the air out, and pop in the freezer.

Fresh soft herbs such as parsley, cilantro, and mint can keep for up to a week if washed, dried, and covered loosely in the fridge. If a bunch is on the verge of collapsing, blitz it into pesto, chimichurri, or an herby vinaigrette. Fresh herbs can also be chopped or pureed with oil and frozen in ice cube trays.

Dairy and eggs

Hard cheeses like Parmesan (in block form) last for weeks; cheddar, Gruyere, and feta are also safe bets.

Eggs are good for breakfast, baking, and tying a bowl of odds and ends together; they keep in the refrigerator for several weeks, as does butter (which also freezes well).

Meat and seafood

The best meats to freeze are cuts that can stand up to a long cook (braising or roasting) without losing their integrity — think ground meat, bone-in chicken legs and thighs, beef brisket or chuck. Frozen shrimp and fish filets are also convenient to keep on hand.

Stocking your pantry: the not-so-basics

Consider these your next-level flavor enhancers — not strictly essential but the welcome-if-you-can-get-’em ingredients that chefs frequently employ to add more depth, spice, tang, or zip to a dish.

Texture boosters

Fried shallots: Fried shallots make it easy to add crunch to rice and noodles, salads, and baked pastas or casseroles. Buy a big bag at an Asian grocer, or turn to the classics (French’s fried onions) in a pinch. They’re also easy (if a little time consuming) to make yourself if you bring home enough shallots from the market.

Chile oil/chile crisp: Add a spicy, garlicky, crunchy kick to everything from rice to veggies to chicken and fish. If you’re feeling frisky, try it on vanilla ice cream.

Fermented and pickled things

Kimchi, sauerkraut, pickled beets, and miso are all instant flavor enhancers and keep indefinitely in the fridge. Miso in particular is a versatile umami-booster that’s at home in soup, marinades, cookies, and more.

Preserved lemons: They last forever, add a cured citrus brightness to stews, curries, grain dishes, and more, and are easy to make.

Cured meats and tinned seafood

Tinned fish: anchovies for melting into sauces and dressings; sardines, mackerel, salmon and/or oil-packed tuna for snacking or flaking into a salad or pasta.

Charcuterie: In addition to being good snacking material, cured meats like salami and smoked meats like bacon keep well, and can be added to broths and stir-fries, and baked into or on top of bready things.

Spreads and stir-ins

Fancy dairy: Labneh and/or creme fraiche are exactly the type of rich, creamy, tangy, dairy-based comfort that can pump a dish up. Throw a dollop on top of roasted vegetables, soups, or baked goods.

Tahini: Use the creamy ground sesame paste in salad dressings, veggie dips, and baked goods.

Next-level seasoning

Turmeric: It’s been popular in India for thousands of years, and with good reason — its vibrant golden hue and electric flavor enhance everything from curries to cakes to eggs to smoothies.

Harissa: A spicy North African chile paste that zips up sauces, eggs, marinades, dips, stir-fries, and more.

Finishing salt: Kosher salt is the type most commonly called for in recipes, but finishing dishes with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt (Maldon for purists, Jacobsen’s for modern tastes) is an easy way to feel fancy at home.

Jamie Feldmar is a Los Angeles-based writer and cookbook author. See more at jamiefeldmar.com and follow her @jfeldmar. Photo credits: Kale photo, Lew Robertson/Getty; Olive oil photo, George Clerk/Getty; Dried pasta photo, Brian Hagiwara/Getty; Loaf of bread photo, Diamond Sky Images/Getty; all other product images courtesy vendors

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/33WrJIp https://ift.tt/3bDwREc

A shopping list to make your cooking that much better

With the restaurant world continuing its devastating free-fall and more cities issuing stay-at-home orders, it’s a fair assumption that you will be cooking at home, potentially more than ever.

Stocking your pantry: the basics

Pasta and grains

Long pasta, short pasta, tubular pasta — whatever you can get your hands on, really.

Grain-wise, rice is an obvious choice (short and long grain, all colors), but don’t forget whole and ancient grains like farro, barley, bulgur, freekeh, and quinoa.

Canned and jarred goods

Canned tomatoes (whole provides the most versatility — you can always crush or blend them yourself)

Coconut milk for enhancing soups and curries, cooking rice, or poaching meat

Stock/broth (though you can also make your own, it doesn’t hurt to have backup)

Jarred salsas/simmer sauces (great for tying together a bunch of refrigerator loose ends in a pot)

Nut butters

Pickles

Condiments (mustard, jam, soy sauce, etc.)

Beans and legumes

Yes, you should definitely get chickpeas and cannellini beans, but don’t forget lentils, split peas, and black-eyed peas, too.

Baking supplies

Flour (and alternative flours if that’s how you roll)

Sugar (brown, white, confectioners)

Baking soda and powder

Yeast for that bread you’re going to make

Bread

Homemade or not, can be pre-sliced and frozen for easier heating

Oil, vinegar, spices

Olive is standard, though grab canola too, which is better for high-heat cooking.

Vinegar (apple cider and rice are good starting points)

Whatever spices you frequently cook or bake with — allspice, bay leaves, cumin, cinnamon, chile flakes, oregano, paprika, pepper, vanilla, etc.

Produce

Lemons, limes, onions, garlic, and root vegetables (potatoes, squash, carrots, beets) last a long time.

Hearty greens like kale and collards will keep for a week, as will most uncut fruit.

Dairy and eggs

Hard cheeses like Parmesan (in block form) last for weeks; cheddar, Gruyere, and feta are also safe bets.

Eggs are good for breakfast, baking, and tying a bowl of odds and ends together; they keep in the refrigerator for several weeks, as does butter (which also freezes well).

Meat and seafood

Stocking your pantry: the not-so-basics

Texture boosters

Chile oil/chile crisp: Add a spicy, garlicky, crunchy kick to everything from rice to veggies to chicken and fish. If you’re feeling frisky, try it on vanilla ice cream.

Fermented and pickled things

Preserved lemons: They last forever, add a cured citrus brightness to stews, curries, grain dishes, and more, and are easy to make.

Cured meats and tinned seafood

Tinned fish: anchovies for melting into sauces and dressings; sardines, mackerel, salmon and/or oil-packed tuna for snacking or flaking into a salad or pasta.

Spreads and stir-ins

Fancy dairy: Labneh and/or creme fraiche are exactly the type of rich, creamy, tangy, dairy-based comfort that can pump a dish up. Throw a dollop on top of roasted vegetables, soups, or baked goods.

Tahini: Use the creamy ground sesame paste in salad dressings, veggie dips, and baked goods.

Next-level seasoning

Turmeric: It’s been popular in India for thousands of years, and with good reason — its vibrant golden hue and electric flavor enhance everything from curries to cakes to eggs to smoothies.

Harissa: A spicy North African chile paste that zips up sauces, eggs, marinades, dips, stir-fries, and more.

from Eater - All https://ift.tt/33WrJIp via Blogger https://ift.tt/3aGo2tf

#Blogger #cooking #Eater #food #recipes

0 notes

opepin · 6 years

Text

oct/nov: week one

30: hm, i don’t know how i woke up at 9 / 10 am today... i got only 5 hours of sleep and i felt kind of awake the entire day. i felt a bit off but was pretty productive. kevin and i woke up at around the same time and he made breakfast and went to work. i didn’t eat but just went on the computer and started working on timesheet stuff. then i got on a call with phil. in the background, i did laundry and wrote down personal things i needed to do for the rest of the week. it was a pretty chill day. i just prepped for tomorrow’s session with phil and got on stand up. i folded laundry and then washed the blankets as well. i was going to take a nap but then i didn’t feel like sleeping when i got into bed. i actually got hungry and ate the last of the leftover fries from mindy’s fat cat order. lol. then kevin came back from work and i did about 50-60 minutes of random ab and cardio workouts in the apartment. i just didn’t feel like walking over to the studio and stuff. i was mentally tired.

i went to shower and kevin made beef stroganoff <3 omg, it was sooo good. he did use sour cream though... next time, we’ll look for a dairy alternative. i think maybe all of the dairy / junk food is catching up to me. my stomach feels pretty acidic and i feel fat and blubbery. we watched two episodes of yakitate! japan and then kevin washed the dishes and gamed. i stayed up a bit to watch youtube videos and a bit of anime. i got really tired though and just went to bed. lol i make it sound like i went to sleep super early. i slept at like 12 am or something though.

31: i am just flubber and blubber right now. i did a hiit workout in the morning, but i don’t know if i pushed myself enough. maybe my body is tired from lack of sleep? after my workout, i showered and made my smoothie before heading out to work. i got to work later than expected thanks to the weird time gap after the 8:55 am train. i got to work and did some tidying up and prepping for the last training session with this customer! :) i got on the call at 11 am and then ate lunch in john and cole’s office lol. they had already eaten their lunch so i just hung around and talked with them a bit before going back to my office for stand up. dave and joe didn’t come in so i had the office all to myself. after stand up, i worked on a few things but also focused on figuring out the best health plan for me. with the help of john and the trusty internet, i found a health plan analysis graphing tool and it made my choice a bit easier. i ended my day doing some quick surveys and then left at around 4:30 pm with cole. we headed to cha time and beard papa’s again and then walked to south station. kevin was already waiting for me and we shared the mango smoothie he wanted. i said goodbye to cole on the platform -- he was frazzled because he missed his train :(

the train was packed and i was separated from kevin. :( lolol but we walked back home together with him looking like a crazy head. his hair was all over the place LOL. he said he was a mad scientist for halloween... kevin went climbing a couple days ago so he asked for a massage and i massaged his arms and back. i’m glad he’s feeling better :) then kevin played some dota while i watched some anime. we stopped to eat leftovers for dinner and watched an episode of yakitate! japan before playing trine 2. the last levels made me crazy. kevin had to pause the game so i could breathe and not get super mad at him LOL. co-op games really test your patience with people :P we finished trine 2!!! the ending was pretty crappy tbh. my head hurt a bit so we didn’t play the DLC and kevin went to game on his computer while i stretched and finished up an episode of the ‘classroom of the elite’ anime i was watching. i stayed up until around 1 am and then went to sleep.

01: i feel really tired and unmotivated to work out. i think the feelings about my weight gain have caught up to me T__T i did get myself out of bed and into the yoga studio to do my morning arm workout. then i did some hip exercises before going back to the apartment, waking up kevin, showering, and making my morning smoothie. kevin made himself a breakfast sandwich and then headed to work. phil sent me a list of things to do and i got started on that right away. then i took a break and ate lunch while watching anime. then i hopped on a call and then got onto stand up right after. i started thinking about christmas presents and stuff. the thought of getting an advent calendar is consuming me, but i don’t really need / really want a specific one. i worked on my to do list during stand up and then continued until the work day was over. it is now the start of my 4-day weekend! woot! :)

i went back to the yoga studio and did more arms and some back. i tried to do less weight today and better form. after the work out, i felt like i didn’t push myself hard enough (the next day i was pretty sore though). kevin came back earlier than i expected but i finished up my work out and headed back to the apartment. he was cooking chimichurri chicken and rice today so i showered and made my protein smoothie. i think i just chilled and waited for dinner. i forget if kevin cooked right away or if he took a break before cooking, but i think i got hungry ahah. the wait was worth it though! i love this recipe (not as much as the beef stroganoff)! it was creamy and garlicky, but it could have been a bit more creamy somehow. we watched two episodes of yakitate! japan and then kevin went to game and i went to watch my anime. i caught up with all the ones i’ve been watching and continued watching ‘the classroom of the elite.’ i went to sleep after. i think my favorite hobby is watching tv or shows right now. i mean, i could do something more productive but i think my mind needs a break from reality right now.

i’ve been trying to embrace instagram again, but i still have some pretty negative thoughts when it comes to how people present themselves and the influence of social media on my generation and the generations after us. i just feel like so many teenagers and utilizing this as a way to get famous quick kind of deal. at first, i was really hyped about getting back on instagram and making a big move to increase my followers and stuff, but just looking at what my friends like (lol kinda stalkerish but i’m also just curious) i notice that there must be a million accounts with a ton of followers but that doesn’t mean they are successful or actually putting their true selves out there. i think that’s the biggest thing for me. i don’t want to ever post something that i don’t identify with and on social media and instagram, i don’t know what’s real lol. i’m the type of person to idealize people, situations, etc. so when i go on instagram and see all the highlights of peoples’ lives, i always need to remind myself that these are photos they choose to share with the world and it’s not the whole picture. i can get lost on instagram and feel real shitty about my life after scrolling a ton. but again, that’s just me and i need to remember that if i really wanted to change my life, i can at anytime. i just to be motivated and break through those obstacles. mmm, sorry... that was a tangent ahah.

02: sleeping in feels so nice, especially on a weekday when you’re supposed to be working :P this is day two out of six of my pto at home for the rest of the year~ kevin made me a breakfast sandwich and we ate breakfast together. then he was off to work. he was supposed to come back early to get a haircut but he left later than usual lol. i started my day finishing up ‘the classroom of elite’ anime. it was interesting... i might wait for season 2 but i’m not sure. the beginning was pretty slow but i feel like everything is going to speed up. then i started watching ‘knight’s & magic.’ the beginning of this anime is a bit rushed but there isn’t much of a real plot... i was super excited about the robots and magic though, haha. i ate lunch while watching and then stopped to try to install this laundry weighing stuff from a survey i signed up for. i realized their plug didn’t fit my washing machine’s plug and had to contact them. i put that aside and then got straight to cleaning the apartment.

i put on my ‘watch later’ youtube playlist on the tv and then thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed the kitchen. then i vacuumed the rest of the apartment and cleaned the entire bathroom. it took longer than i expected. i also didn’t expect to vacuum but there were so many crumbs on the kitchen floor T_T right after cleaning, i hit the fitness center at around 3:30 pm. i was scared away by a person in there (i was hoping no one would be there because it was the middle of the work day) but then i went in and did legs for more than an hour. i didn’t expect to do legs for more than an hour but my rest periods between sets was longer than usual. i used a 50 lb weight to do my sumo squats and deadlifts and i was about to die in the beginning of my workout. i’m still having a lot of trouble with bulgarian split lunges :/ i can’t balance well on my flat feet and my hips hurt a bit when doing them. maybe i’ll do them with less weight next time. my first workout took around 45 minutes, but i was supposed to do it in 30 minutes (was trying to fit two 30 minute leg sessions as i usually do on a regular weekday. i do 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening). so i pushed myself and did an extra 30 minutes on top of that. i did half with some weights and half mat work.

when i got back to the apartment, kevin reminded me that i volunteered to cook. this was a slow cooker recipe so i decided to wait out on my protein shake and showering. i made the sauce and when i took out the chicken thighs from the fridge, they were still frozen D:< it is my biggest pet peeve when i have to cook and my protein is frozen. so i left that out to thaw while i prepped the cabbage and carrots for slaw. i decided to work with them after i made myself my smoothie. my fingers hurt from pulling them apart, but i got the skin off of them and seasoned them and into the slow cooker with the sauce. at first, it didn’t look like they were cooking but they were (thankfully). kevin got back home and we played a steam game together. i forgot what it is called, but it enjoyed this one. we saved our progress after an hour of playing and then he went to run. i showered and then lazed around the apartment. we finished making dinner after kevin showered and the chicken was cooked. i shredded the chicken while kevin made the seasoning for the slaw and toasted buns. we made pulled chicken burgers with slaw for dinner. kevin loves this type of food but i don’t LOL. most of the time when i cook i don’t like what i make. the vinegar taste subsided with the bun so it wasn’t bad.

after dinner, kevin cleaned up and then he gamed. i continued watching my anime and almost fell asleep watching it. i got myself up to brush my teeth and hop into bed. i tried staying up watching youtube videos and then i almost fell asleep again so i just turned everything off and slept at 1 am. lol even on my days off, i can’t sleep too late xP

03: i feel like my eye bags get worse when i sleep in. they are pretty low and dark right now and i’m not sure why. hmm. well, i got up and then made myself a smoothie while kevin ate his breakfast. then he went off to work and i started day three of my pto at home this year ;D i finished watching ‘knight’s & magic’ in the morning; this anime was great and lighthearted. then i decided to watch ‘kimi no todoke’ because i wanted something sappy. then i spent some time packing up the laundry survey materials because i can no longer be a part of it :( the stupid plug is too big. sigh. i had to put in a service request to get someone to push the dryer plug back in because i didn’t have enough strength. lol, i felt super weak after the guy came in and took like 5 seconds to get it back in. ><’ i should have waited for kevin... around 3 pm or so, i went to the yoga studio and did a hiit cardio routine with a step :O it was intense! then i prepped for dinner and made myself a smoothie before showering. kevin got back and wanted to go running but i was hungry so we made dinner before he went for a run. we made shakshuka today and it was delicious!

after eating and digesting a bit, (lol actually, kevin was still in the apartment), i watched the latest episode of ‘jane the virgin’ and stretched. kevin was listening in as he was on his computer doing stuff hahaha. then kevin finally left and i finished stretching. the rest of the night consisted of complete relaxation. i think kevin and i played hammerwatch together for a bit and i watched ‘kimi no todoke’ for the rest of the night until like 3:30 am LMAO. the anime is so cute and addicting. my heart skips a beat when love scenes happen O_O” lol i feel like a haggard old lady.

04: i stayed in bed with kevin instead of working out lol. i really should have worked out before our massage but i wasn’t feeling it. i ended up doing 20 minutes or so of hip hop cardio later on in the day though. anyway, we slept in and then rushed to eat some scallion pancake with egg for breakfast and then left for our appointment at 1:15 pm. we got in and i had one of the best massages ever. my masseuse used the hot stones to religned or stretch out my muscles along my spine. it felt so good! i also got walked on today because i asked for a leg and back focused massage. i came out of the massage knowing that i was going to be super sore the next day. i felt like jello lol. we walked over to oh my tea and i got a hot honey oolong tea with boba and kevin got a large mango smoothie with boba. we shared an egg puff of course! we got back to the apartment and we were going to meal plan but i got so distracted by all the stuff on food52. omg, everything is so beautiful on there. i was also shopping at aerie too lol.

flo and john took the train from south station to our apartment and we went and got them. we gave them a quick apartment tour and then they both showered and got ready for the wedding they were attending. kevin and i finished meal prepping and then we sent them off to their wedding LOL. we felt like parents sending off their children. at this time, we both didn’t feel like going grocery shopping lol. i think kevin went and gamed and i watched videos and watched ‘kimi no todoke’ lol. i really didn’t feel like going outside but kevin wanted to get grocery shopping out of the way, so we did. we went to ikea first to return some items and also to get dinner. we were hoping to be in and out real quick because it was already 7 pm and everything closes at 9 pm. we went to the return area and there was a 20 person wait... so we got a ticket and then waited in line to get dinner. i got the salmon and kevin got the swedish meatballs and chocolate cake. after we found a seat, i left with kevin’s credit card and the stuff to return it. sooo ikea’s layout makes it so that you have to go around the store to get to the check out... i ended up doing that only to end up at the checkout area where there were a ton of lines. i would look super suspicious if i tried going through one of the closed lanes or passing others in line.

so i found this lady putting away stuff at the end of the registers and asked her if i could pass. she said that she didn’t know if i had stolen those and that i should have returned my stuff when i got in ikea. i told her i have the receipt and showed it to her. she didn’t care. she just shrugged and said she wouldn’t let me pass. OMG wtf lady?! so i called kevin clearly frustrated and then i walked all the way back to him. i was really upset. what a rude lady. so then kevin took a stab at it. he took the elevators down thinking it would lead him to the front, but nope, he also had to walk around LOL. good thing he basically finished his food. i wasn’t going to finish my food but i did and i also ate some of the chocolate cake because i was furious. kevin went up to a cashier (person wasn’t busy) and showed them the receipt and they let him through. good thing there were only 3 people waiting now. i had lost our position in line (physically. i lost the ticket in my frustration) but they passed our number already. so we got to return everything, kevin came back, we finished eating, and we dipped. omg, i hate ikea now. i don’t want to go there for a while -____-”

by this time, it was 8:30 pm. all thanks to the lady, we couldn’t finish our grocery run. ugh. we stopped by bj’s, got our stuff, and went back home. i was still agitated so i did hip hop cardio in the apartment to blow off some steam. ajfbsjkdfbsjfsd. then i played helldivers with kevin for part of the night. lol, i’m getting better at the gamee (: i showered at around 12 am and then stayed up watching anime while kevin gamed. flo and john didn’t come back until 3 am? well, it was 2 am minus daylight savings time haha. we let them in and then went to sleep right away. it was about 3:30 am or something when we slept.

05: flo and john woke up early for the time that they slept at. kevin and i got up at around 10:30 am and brushed and made breakfast. i made my smoothie for myself while kevin cooked up a scallion pancake, dumplings, and soup dumplings for him, john, and flo. after i finished drinking my smoothie, i made my orders on aerie and they went through! yay! then i joined the group as we talked about random stuff. then they told us about their trip to iceland and where to go. we planned on going to fat cat for lunch so we drove there and kevin parked further than i thought he would so i was freezing in the thin hoodie that i wore. there was also a 30 minute wait so we ordered to eat in the car. lol, i wish we could have gotten seated :( the receptionist wasn’t very nice either. while we waited for our order, i casually said ‘oh my tea is the best boba i’ve ever had. lol, after that, flo and john were like, ‘we must go!’ so we walked over and they got a strawberry mango smoothie with boba and kevin and i shared a lychee green tea boba. flo said it was the best boba / smoothie she has had in the united states :OOOO woot! we walked back to the car and then drove over to fat cat to pick up the food.

we ate in the car and i’m so happy they liked the food! we ordered lobster mac, calamari, and a seafood red sauce pasta. mmm. they ate as kevin drove to south station. there was a bit of traffic but the HOV lane came through and we dropped them off at the bus terminal with minutes to spare (: it was great having them over! we drove back home and then rested for a bit. i think kevin and i are a bit burnt out when it comes to hosting people. ever since late september or so, we’ve been non-stop hosting or doing stuff on weekends. we went grocery shopping and then i did laundry. i was feeling akfjnskjdfs. my stomach hurt physically -- i think it was all the food i ate from last week and this one. x__x; while the laundry went, i watched a few episodes of ‘kimi no todoke’ and then when i put everything in the dryer, i did cardio kickboxing in the apartment with no weights. i was feeling really tired and sore but didn’t feel like skipping my workout. i took it pretty easy though and didn’t do much jumping.

kevin made us korean rice cake soup for dinner so we could heal from all the eating out. :P we watched yakitate! japan and then cleaned up. kevin went to shower and game and then i continued watching my anime lol. i finished folding laundry and etc too. i finished the first season of ‘kimi no todoke’ and my heart has burst so many times. this anime is so cute! lol. i slept at 1 am because kevin and i make the bed together and i didn’t want to interrupt his game ahha. i ko’d once i put away my phone. zzzz. hopefully, i won’t be sore tomorrow.

2 notes · View notes

jii-chanwrites · 7 years

Text

Prompt 112: "Why are you bleeding?"

I was asked on my main blog to do some prompts by @sofia-altin (thanks, yo! Hope you like it!), and I had actually made this writing blog weeks ago. I just haven’t had anything finished enough that I’d want to post – until now. And damn, does Tumblr ruin my formatting. Ngl, I don’t even wanna mess with it, it’s 3:00AM lol I’ll be posting other short fics in the future! Stay tuned, y’all.

Summary: Otabek’s trying to finish up his new mix for his next DJ venue when Yuri comes to his hotel after a scuffle that’s left him a little roughed up and mostly just wanting to be alone with his favorite person.

Clicking a few things on his laptop, Otabek put his headphones on and leaned back against a stack of pillows. His new mix had to be finished by tomorrow. He had a gig set up for him late at night he was going to DJ at. It’d been a while since he’d done any shows, and he was a little nervous. But at least he was comfy.

Hotel beds always somehow felt better than Otabek’s bed at home. Something about how plush everything was – the way his head sunk into the airy pillows, the way the sheets felt light and cozy, the way he could feel himself fully relax into the mattress. Yeah, that was much better than his bed at home. Not to mention, the hotel was quieter. But sometimes he did miss the bustle of his family. Traveling around for the season had its ups and downs, and missing his sister was always what got him the most.

Otabek shut his eyes, turning the volume up with the little button on the side of his headphones. He had to make sure this was perfect. People were gonna be dancing to this at the club.

Buzz.

Flinching, he opened his eyes. A text? Now? It could wait.

Buzz.

He sat up, pausing the track and then digging into his pocket for his phone. He wouldn’t be able to focus with it vibrating against his thigh. Scattered among some Snapchat and Instagram notifications were texts from Yuri. It was the night before a competition. There was no way he was nervous. Yuri Plisetsky doesn’t get nervous. The guy’s even said so himself. But maybe, for once, he was nervous.

Hey, can I come to your room?

I’ll even bring food.

Beka???

Answer the door, lazy ass.

Blinking, Otabek looked to the hotel door. He took off his headphones and then scooted off his spot at the center of the bed and waited, almost expecting another knock – that is, if Yuri had even knocked before. Wouldn’t be unlike Yuri to just text that he was there. Slipping his phone back into his pocket, Otabek went to the door and opened it. Yuri stormed right in.

“Dude, look at your damn phone.” He walked right to the hotel room’s desk, setting down a large paper bag with an intricate red logo on it. He plopped into the chair before Otabek even had the door locked.

“Sorry, I was busy,” Otabek said. “I need to finish my mix by tomorrow night, so time isn’t exactly on my side.”

“Oh. Right,” Yuri looked away, shoulders sagging. “Shit. Uh, I should probably leave.”

Just as he was getting up, Otabek had made his way over to Yuri, setting gentle hands on his arms.

“Wait a sec, are you bleeding?” Otabek asked, trying to get a better look at Yuri’s face. For once, Yuri’s newfound height wasn’t exactly on his side. Not like he was trying to hide it, though. Part of him just didn’t want Otabek to ask.

“It’s not a big deal.” Yuri waved his hand dismissively and then went to grab the bag.

“What happened?” Otabek pressed.

“Nothing, okay? It’s fine, I’ll go. You’re busy anyway.”

“Yuri, it’s not fine. Sit back down.” Otabek pressed at Yuri’s chest, almost having to shove his friend back into the chair.

Yuri let himself collapse into the swivel chair, sighing. His gaze finally fell directly on Otabek.

“Let’s just say I had a little altercation.” Yuri’s shoulders shook with a small laugh. His eyes trailed away from Otabek when he realized his friend wasn’t finding it funny.

“Jeez,” Otabek breathed. “And the night before the competition, too.”

He leaned in, looking over Yuri’s face. Otabek couldn’t tell if Yuri’s nose was still bleeding, but he had a cut on his cheek, too. It seemed Yuri had tried to use his shirt to do something about the blood from the nosebleed, because his shirt collar was red and there was some blood on his chin and smudged against his collar bone and neck. He was only relieved his friend didn’t have a black eye. That would be tougher to hide.

“What happened?” Otabek asked.

Yuri looked down, shoving his hands into the pockets of his joggers.

“Some fuckers were harassing this girl and I confronted them,” Yuri said. “I guess I at least gave her enough time to get away from them.”

Otabek looked down at Yuri, sighing. He sat down at the foot of the bed, across from the swivel chair.

“I actually thought you might’ve caused some trouble. That seems more likely, honestly,” Otabek joked, smiling.

Yuri shot him a scowl.

“I’m not always being a jerk,” he said through his teeth.

Otabek leaned forward, getting a better look at Yuri’s face again.

“Does it still hurt?”

“Not really. I guess if I put too much pressure on it, it would.”

“Must look worse than it is,” Otabek said, getting up from the bed. “What’d you get us?” He asked as he flicked the bathroom light on. Pulling tissues out of the dispenser by the sink, he crumpled a few in his hand and turned on the faucet.

“Chinese takeout. Hope you like spicy Szechuan chicken. You don’t have a consistent order for Chinese, so sorry if you hate it. Guess that means more for me. At least I won’t get fat like Katsudon.” Otabek could hear Yuri’s throaty laugh from the bathroom. When he came back, Yuri was slouched in the chair, already peeling the bag open.

“Don’t eat yet, I’m gonna wipe your face,” Otabek said, standing over him.

“I can do that myself,” Yuri said, reaching out for the damp clump of tissues.

Otabek grabbed Yuri’s wrist, looking at his knuckles.

“Looks like you actually got some hits in. Do your hands feel okay?”

Yuri rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m fine. Really.”

Nodding, Otabek let go of Yuri’s hand and cupped his chin instead, stubble digging into the pads of his fingers. He rubbed at Yuri’s nose and upper lip, feeling warmth rush to his own face. Something about looking roughed up made Yuri look more like himself. Otabek didn’t always like Yuri’s aggression, but it was definitely part of the guy. And even though this was a strange opportunity, Otabek was letting himself enjoy it. Usually, if he was this close to Yuri’s face, it didn’t last too long. If not for the blood, he might have leaned in and stolen a kiss or two. But it seemed more like he was smudging the blood on Yuri’s face than actually cleaning it off. He’d probably need to get more tissues to actually help. For a quick second, Yuri shut his eyes, scrunching up his face and letting out a grunt.

“Sorry, did that hurt?” Otabek asked, dabbing at Yuri’s face a few more times.

“Just quit it, I’m fine.” Yuri pushed Otabek’s hand away, turning to the desk.

“Okay. You should shave before the competition tomorrow, though,” Otabek said. He tossed the bloodied tissues into the waste basket and returned to the bathroom to wash his hands.

“You’re not my mom, shut up,” Yuri spat. Otabek felt a smile tug at his lips. This was as close to verbal affection as Yuri ever got.

The bed creaked under Otabek’s weight as he sat back across from Yuri, this time facing Yuri’s back. He prodded the back of the chair with his foot.

“Hey, feed me, Tiger,” Otabek teased. His face sported a silly grin.

Yuri turned in the swivel chair, his face and neck red like when he’d get drunk.

“Don’t call me that,” he mumbled as he passed Otabek one of the white boxes packed to the brim with food.

They both sat quietly, hardly looking at each other. The only sounds were the white noise of the hotel’s AC unit and the munching of saucy chicken. Otabek was a little wary about eating something with such dark sauce over plain white sheets.

“The girl I helped earlier,” Yuri started, “she kinda reminded me of your little sister. Same wavy hair, y’know? I think I got a little carried away cuz of that.”

Yuri glanced up at Otabek, almost put off by his look of concern.

“What do you mean ‘carried away’? Am I gonna have to keep you hidden away from the police or something?” Otabek asked.

“You think guys preying on some teenage girl are gonna go to the cops for getting beat?”

“What’d you do to them?” Otabek shot the question out before Yuri really had time to think of something snide. He instead stabbed at his chicken with his fork.

“I broke a guy’s fingers, okay? Whatever.”

He shoved a hunk of chicken into his mouth before Otabek could ask anything else. But Otabek looked even more concerned.

“Seriously? Holy shit, Yura—”

“It wasn’t completely on purpose! The fight got messy and I grabbed his hand funny,” Yuri pushed the chair around with his heel to face the curtained windows, setting the takeout box down on the desk. “Is it bad that getting into a fistfight felt satisfying? Yakov and Lilia have been putting so much damn pressure on me lately, and I had no way to blow off steam this past month, it almost felt like the timing couldn’t have been better.”

Otabek thought for a second, then shrugged.

“No, I wouldn’t say it’s bad. And actually, I’m impressed. I didn’t know you could fight.”

“Shut up,” Yuri said. “Just work on your mix or whatever.” Yuri leaned back in the chair and toed his shoes off.

“You spending the night in my room?” Otabek asked.

“I’m at least gonna make myself comfortable for now. Shit, man, I got blood on this shirt and everything.” Yuri pushed himself out of the chair, walking to the bathroom. “Those ladies at the Chinese restaurant probably thought I was some thug. I’m surprised they didn’t kick me out.”

Otabek watched as Yuri leaned towards the mirror, inspecting his face. It would probably bruise by tomorrow. Lilia would give him an earful for that.

“I bet they get weirder people.” Otabek moved to set his box of chicken on the desk. He stole another gaze at Yuri, smiling.

“C’mere. Worry about that later,” he said, sitting back on the bed. He put his headphones back on and restarted his mix, getting comfy against the pillows like before.

Otabek felt the weight of the bed shift as Yuri got in next to him, sprawling out so his long legs hung off the end of the bed, cheek pressed to Otabek’s stomach.

“Hey, don’t get blood on my shirt now,” he said, running a hand through Yuri’s hair.

He couldn’t hear Yuri’s reply over his music, but the way he felt Yuri’s mouth move, it was probably another “shut up.”

#yuri!!! on ice #otayuri #yuri on ice #yuri x otabek #yoi fanfic #yoi #yuri plisetsky #otabek altin #otabek x yurio #yuri on ice fanfic #otayuri fanfic #fluff #tw: blood #cw: blood #yurio #yurio plisetsky #yuri plisetzki

100 notes · View notes