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cetaceans-pls · 2 years

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And The Mountain Came

Bruce gets summoned to climb a mountain and talk to a god.

He hopes he can get home in time for dinner.

Bruce-centric, Gen.

For literally no reason at all I and my overfull schedule have decided to go all out for @brucewayneweek. Picked the prompt ‘Heart of Gotham’ for day 1. Let’s see if we can get through this in one piece!

It’s a casual up-scale party right in the heart of Old Gotham, full of expensive perfume and things glittering in the quiet dark, and Bruce is practicing sleight of hand on a tray of prawn canapes because he’s starving but serving a full meal’s ‘uncouth’ for a cocktail party.

He’s on prawn canape #11 and mentally trying to figure out if he chew on little wagyu beef sliders without his mouth moving when the centre of the ritzy hotel bar rips open in a blast of blinding light, and where there had been an ancient, beautiful mahogany bartop there is now a pure white column of light shooting through to the heavens.

All right, then. He shoves two beef sliders into his mouth and feels a little bad to be pleased to have an excuse to leave the party.

The thing with startling columns of light that smell like ozone and do funny things to your hearing and balance when you approach it is that it’s really hard to asses the situation. His spare comm is in his ear, plucked from its resting place in his watch the second he’d leapt over the bar to make sure Roxanne and Josephine were all right. Both bartenders, being seasoned Gothamites, had ducked and rolled away at the first sign of trouble, and while Gotham’s upper-crust were still screaming they had begun making their way towards the back entrance, heels off and scuttling at top speed.

He’d waved at them as they passed by, and is content that they’re sensible enough to not bring up Bruce Wayne acting like a weirdo; booze and fear can make most any man go wild, hey.

There’s a sesame seed stuck in between his back right molars; the sliders truly have come back to haunt him. The Light seems to have done away with all its competitors, the ballroom gone dark as soon as it had manifested, and from what he can spot through the windows, downtown Gotham’s also experiencing This.

It’s not draining electricity, because his comm unit is still working, and by where he’s crouching he can hear the hum of the mini-fridge. It does seem to be, ah, draining light, because his phone is buzzing like wild but the screen does not light up.

Works in his favour, then. He won’t need to worry about pesky smartphone footage of him acting unlike a dumbass billionaire, and he’s built for the dark anyways.

“A,” Bruce murmurs quietly. “Status report? I’m assuming you’re aware of the situation at the Gotham Grand.”

“Of course, sir. Half of Gotham appears to have lost light, though not electricity. The Cave is far enough away that we are unaffected. Everyone is converging upon you, sir.”

Bruce looks at the Light, and frowns a little. “What do you mean, everyone?”

“Exactly what it entails, sir. Superman’s called it an all-hands-on-deck emergency, because the beam’s shooting out into space.” Alfred hesitates, then leans in. “Superman very kindly flew off to try to find an end to it, sir. There wasn’t one that he could see.”

Ah, one of those types of emergencies, then. Not human, not alien, or at least any alien the likes of which they have faced. Likely magic, then, or something else.

He wonders if he’s the only who’s hearing flutes and chittering birds, a breeze ruffling through his slicked back hair that carries with it the smell of baked earth.

Bruce feels pulled in by it, by this incredible thing, and the feeling’s not universal. In a rampaging panic the bar’s emptied out quick, and while he can’t see anything but the light, he can’t hear anything but himself (and the mini fridge).

“I can’t confirm it, but while disruptive, this.... phenomenon does not appear antagonistic. I’m going in for a closer look.”

“Sir, do you think that’s wise?”

“Of course not,” Bruce says mildly, and when he stands to take a better look at it, the light rushes up to say hello.

Bruce wakes up, and he’s at the foot of a mountain. It stretches up and up and up and it seems endless, but in Bruce’s experience nothing ever is, not really. He remembers being at the Gotham Grand, but here he’s 30 years younger, feels like, and he’s dressed in a rough linen tunic and loose baggy pants.

He half expects to turn around and see Anton, turn to the side and see Talia, turn to the front and see Damian dressed like him, but no. It’s just him and this endless, endless mountain.

Bruce is starting to think this isn’t regular magic; feels like there’s a task set up ahead of him, feels like fate’s come a-knocking to deliver a divine message, but to what end? For what purpose?

He rotates his right ankle, then his left. Arches his back, reaches forward to touch his toes, takes stock of a body he’s forgotten he’s had underneath the 10,000 hurts he’s earned over the years, and thinks all right then.

If the light’s targeted and is targeting him, the sooner he finds out what’s going on the better. He doesn’t think whoever set this up for him would be terribly welcoming to the 15 heroes he imagines will be trying to follow after his footsteps in the next 5 minutes or so.

Bruce leans down to tighten his sandals, marvels at how his toenails still look pretty regular in this body of his, and he starts the climb.

He thinks he must have climbed for going on 12 hours, but here he doesn’t feel hunger or fatigue, just feels that vague sense of satisfaction to have the body moving (up and up and up). He feels light as a feather, like if he lets go of his grip on this rocky ledge he’ll float, but he also feels the rocks digging into his fingers, the weight he puts on his left foot to propel himself with his right.

Bruce distantly wonders if this vague sense of well-being is something most people don’t need some sort of divine intervention to enjoy. He hauls himself up by the roots of a tree clinging to a near-vertical cliff face, wedges himself between trunk and rock, and enjoys how he’s sweating from exertion but his breathing isn’t laboured and the air is still sweet.

Bruce takes a deep breath, and tilts his face towards the sun. People do like to describe how the Bat’s a creature of the city, fundamentally urban and grotesque like a sewer crocodile, a gargoyle in the night. And they’re right, of course, and it’s all by design, but along the way he’s forgotten this.

Forgotten that little lifetime spent on the roof of the world, looking over so much roaring space he had felt a desperate need to grow and fill all of it.

He takes stock from his little cubby, reaching down to pluck what looks like a ripe pear from the tree, even though pear trees aren’t famous for being hardy cliff-bearing species. The skin is thin and crisp, and juice runs down all over his chin, and Bruce has to admit that never mind magic, this feels fully Divine.

He doesn’t have much experience with Divine (with a capital D) though he’s lived through unasked-for miracle after unasked-for miracle. But it’s unlikely that a magic user, no matter how powerful, would be able to keep him here while the full force of the Justice League and his family are trying to reach heaven through violence on the other side of the light.

Plus this pear on his tongue tastes like a blessing, and Bruce is very, very familiar with what that can feel like.

All right, presumably a deity of some sort has opened up this mountain for him. An axis mundi situation, perhaps? A ladder, a mountain, a trek from the world to heaven? An unexpected direction for someone wanting to meet him, to be honest; Bruce is reasonably sure that he’s a textbook case of someone paving his own damn road to hell with good intentions.

Still, he can’t do much about this situation without knowing more, and if that means he has to keep ascending, then keep ascending he will.

Bruce finishes off the rest of his pear, and the carefully cores out a couple of jet-black seeds from its centre. He rests them under his tongue, for no better reason than if this is some type of almost-heaven, he would be remiss in his duties as son and father to not bring back a gift to grow for his family.

The sesame seed is still stuck in his teeth; Bruce is feeling uncannily hopeful.

He climbs and he climbs and he climbs, and every time he begins to find it tiresome or dull or repetitive, the mountain shifts underneath his feet. Sharp cliff faces give way to rolling meadows on a gentle slope to the looming boulders and little creeks of Everest when spring meets summer. Bruce keeps going, keeps climbing, buffeted on by good wind and bright sun and the song of a hundred thousand birds a hundred thousand miles away.

It’s softer than memory, and the sky will shift between day and night and twilight on a whim. He’s seen the Milky Way many a time, of course, sometimes from relatively up close, but it’s the first time he’s looked at the sky and gotten to think that this is for me.

That’s the thing of it, isn’t it? Every ounce of this experience has been tailor-made to give him some bone-deep pleasure, a rare sense of gladness so whole and complete he almost feels sorry for feeling this way in the absence of Gotham and family and friends.

He rests another little eternity later, this time in terraced ricefields carved into the side of a loamy hill, the rice stalks twice as tall as he is swaying as the breeze urges them all on. Bruce comes to a halt by a little irrigation canal dug neatly in the ground, water cool and clear, fish darting just out of his eyesight. He sits on the edge of the canal, dares to let his feet dip into the water as he lays flat on his back, face to the sky.

Bruce is certain time isn’t operating the same here as it does in his world. It’s a crapshoot though, whether it’s 100 times quicker or slower, if he’ll come back home to the bar a minute after he left it or a thousand years later, but the one good thing about dealing with super-supernatural beings is that it’s so thoroughly beyond his control that even he can’t spiral out of control chewing on his mistakes.

This may well be the doing of someone to whom Fate has to be polite to; a rest in the ricefields will not be the thing that will kill him.

So Bruce closes his eyes for a moment, wonders if he should try to fit a few grains of rice under his tongue, and when he opens his eyes it is to this terrifying thing with a man’s face and a tiger’s body, heavy paw on his chest, smart brown eyes looking into his.

He doesn’t flinch, doesn’t jerk or stutter, even if Bruce thinks his heart might have exploded a little bit. “Hello,” he says, for a lack of anything else to say. “How are you?” he says, because the kingdom of heaven certainly won’t let him in if he’s rude.

The tiger-man steps off of him, heavy muscles roiling under orange-black fur, twice as big as the biggest tiger Bruce has ever had to fight. That’s good. He wouldn’t have been able to do much before his throat gets ripped out, probably, and Bruce has come to a stage in his life where violence even in self-defence against anything non-human makes him worry about what Damian would say.

He sits up, looks at the man-tiger, and wonders if he should be trying different languages, or perhaps apologise for thinking about exporting holy rice.

“Hello,” a woman’s voice says to him, and he spends a brief second feeling like a dick for assuming the it was a tiger-man and not a tiger-woman, before he realises it’s someone else speaking.

Bruce turns, and standing over him is a tall woman in a headdress and heavy, beautifully-embroidered robes. She’s delicate and unending, unbearably beautiful like a mountain range in the misty distance, subtly terrifying up close. Bruce knows he’s looking at her face, and the delicate redness of her lips and the endless dark depths of her eyes, but he keeps feeling like he has to tilt his head further and further back to take her all in.

Oh, my.

“Hello,” he says again. “I’m Bruce.”

She smiles, and her mouth stretches far too far and is filled with far too many teeth, but she’s still the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. Her robes shift a little, and a leopard’s tail is visible along with dainty slippered feet at visible for a second’s second.

Selina would love this, Bruce finds himself thinking somewhat hysterically. He wonders if he should press his forehead to her feet, or avert his eyes, or cry. He has to stifle a desire to check that his hair is neat, or tug at the hem of his shirt.

“I am the Queen Mother of the West,” she says, echoing like a bird call that rings sweetly enough to trigger an avalanche. “You have climbed very far. Come and rest, my guest.”

She gestures, and the world falls over itself to oblige her, and now they’re in a pavilion overlooking gardens so filled with unspeakable beauty Bruce finds tears springing to his eyes. “That’s very kind of you,” he says in a rough croak. “I’m sorry, I didn’t bring a gift with me.”

She laughs, and it’s a little mean and a little kind. “What gift could you give me?” she asks, which is very fair. Bruce feels a blush crawl up his neck, and all of a sudden he’s 6 years old again, shamed out of his mind for getting caught by his mother while trying to purloin an extra sweet treat.

He looks across the bench to her, and she still has fangs and her eyes have no pupil but she also looks like what his mother looked like when she was last healthy and hale and whole.

Bruce presses his palms to his eyes, and reminds himself that this is a situation so beyond his control that this tight sudden grief in his throat probably is no more likely to result in his death than all the rest of it. “Forgive me,” he says, to this Mother and to his. “May I ask why you have brought me here?”

“I have a gift for you,” she says. A wooden table carved so ornately it would make a carpenter weep is between them, and on it is a delicate bowl painted in pinks and greens, in the bowl are 3 peaches that look like a dream of peaches.

Bruce moves his hands and looks at her offering, then looks at her. He hesitates. “Can I ask why you have decided to give me a gift, Queen Mother?”

She tilts her head to one side, and the silver and gold filigree in her headdress sing in the gentle swing. “Must I have a reason?”

“No,” Bruce admits. “Not to give a gift, no. But why me?”

She laughs. “We hold a banquet, every 6000 years. You were chosen because you would make good company, Bruce Wayne.” She gestures at the peaches, and the air goes sweet with the scent of peach blossoms. “Have one, and you may join our court.”

It’s hard to imagine anyone, much less any One, finding him particularly riveting company, much less at a party, so it’s equally as flattering as it is confounding. “I could stay for the meal,” he says diplomatically, “but I should hope that I can return home afterwards, Queen Mother. I have a lot left to do in my world.”

She looks at him quizzically. “You climbed Kunlun, and climbed high enough that you can earn immortality. What do you have if you return?”

Bruce barks a laugh at that. “More climbing,” he says. “Except there’s no peak, no end. No Queen Mother offering me sweet fruit and a gentle life.” Just more to struggle against, more to lose, more to be hurt by, all the way till the day he dies. He laughs again, quieter this time. “I don’t think I know how to climb mountains that have an end,” he admits quietly to his mother.

She considers this, grim and severe and sublime. “Would you like to find out?” she says at long last.

Bruce thinks about, really, really thinks about, thinks about the last time he’d almost died of a stab wound in some horrendous back alley of Gotham, blood pouring down the gutter. How he’d thought is this it?, and was it worth it? He thinks about how Tim had been the first one to reach him, voice rough with tears as he updated the Cave even as he clinically packed Bruce’s guts back in.

He thinks about the divine pleasure climbing up Kunlun and her 10,000 faces had been, a sunny summeriness in the soul that has him almost light enough to float, and finds himself still preferring the thousand times he’s woken up in the medbay to someone who loves him enough to be angry with him.

Bruce gently pushes the bowl of peaches back towards Her. “I wouldn’t enjoy an end that comes from a climb I did alone. I am sure your retinue is sublime, Queen Mother, but another twenty, thirty years wading through hell with the people I care about is more appealing than an eternity of beautiful peaches and, ah, godly company.” He takes a second to wait and see if horror is going to come rushing in after he’s just effectively turned down heaven, but there’s nothing but a sense of confident conviction.

(It couldn’t be heaven, anyways, if he can’t pass around the peaches.)

Queen Mother looks at him for a good long while, eyes endless and teeth long, before she nods and smiles again. “It is your choice when to stop and rest, and when to keep on going. Shall I return you to where you were, and ask again in 6,000 years?”

Bruce finds a smile bubbling up; it’s when his mother catches him red-handed in the cookie jar and lets him indulge anyways. “I don’t know that I’ll be around by then, Queen Mother, but if you call, I’ll come climbing. Even if I can’t stay.”

“Nevertheless,” she says regally, clmbing to her feet and towering like she’s the sky and he’s just a man. “I wish to give you a gift. For your gentle rejection of my banquet, what can I give you, Bruce Wayne?”

Bruce thinks of his mother, and his father, and all the people he’s lost, and all the people other people have lost, and doesn’t think any of this is beyond the power of his Queen Mother. He thinks about becoming a metahuman, being gifted power by a god, maybe even just keeping this body he’s in that still young and strong.

But he could never bring back enough people, could never become strong enough to protect all the rest. It’s something he had made his peace with when he started his mission, his journey, and deviating now seems so foolish and unloving.

Instead, he rolls the seeds in his mouth, and smiles.

“I have a request.”

Bruce comes back to himself surrounded by a circle of desperately worried faces. “Hello,” he says, and it’s like an echo from a dream.

“Hello he says!” and that’s Jason, raging in the background. “Endless pillar of light swallows you up then spits you out and you say hello?!”

Diana is by his right shoulder, and she looks at him like she Knows. She probably does. “Did you have a good journey, my friend?”

“I think so,” Bruce tells her, carefully sitting up in his old, battered body (oh, how he’s missed mass and aches and gentle suffering that sweetens the joy). “None of you needed to have come, I had it under control.”

“UNDER CONTROL!?” Jason’s still howling, but Bruce just feels reassured to hear his son raging, to be in this little circle of people who are royally, fantastically pissed off at him.

“I’m happy to do a mission debrief, but,” he hacks a coughs, and spits three little seeds into his hand. “First, we need to plant these.”

#brucewayneweek2022 #bruce wayne #whale writing #literally written in the space of the past 4 hours #i'm going to re-read it tmrw to figure out if it makes ANY sense at all and edit it for AO3 #inspired by the pbs storied episode on mountains which u should definitely watch

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ultrajaphunter · 3 months

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The menu consisted of:~

•• Potato & Gouda Balls w Mushroom Sauce

•• Creamy Mushroom Risotto Cakes

•• Cannellini Bean & Artichoke Croutes

•• Chicken Gold Bags

•• Chicken Satay w/ Peanut Sauce

•• Duck Spring Rolls w/ Plum Dipping Sauce

•• Bite Size Beef Fillet w/ Truffle Mash & Jus

•• Prawn & Crab Cocktail

•• Mini Salmon Fishcakes w/ Dill Remoulade

•• Mini Beef Burgers w/ Gorgonzola & Confit Onions

And to end:~

•• Choux au Craquelin

•• Mini Pecan Nut Brownies

•• Raspberry Crème Brûlée

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40sandfabulousaf · 8 months

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大家好! CL, SC and I enjoyed a yummy buffet lunch. The spring roll in sweet chilli sauce, tamago with sakura shrimp and ebiko, pandan coconut rice, sweet and sour seabass as well as vegetarian dumplings were especially tasty. For beverage, I chose warm low-fat milk over coffee and tea although, if they had pu er cha (Pu Erh tea), I would've alternated between that and low-fat milk. Overall, it was a nice meal and we enjoyed ourselves.

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Pa and I returned to the vegetarian diner we ate at a few weeks back. Instead of bento, Pa had herbal soup noodles and I chose angelica herb soup noodles with added vegetable dumplings. My dish came with vegetarian 'mutton', konjac 'prawns', tau pok (tofu skin puffs), carrot, lettuce and Chinese tea mushrooms, which are much like tea eggs. Also, I'm avoiding Mike Chen's videos for awhile; he makes noodles look even more delicious than they already are and the craving he triggered this time is insatiable! To be fair, he's great and I have nothing against him; he's just too good at promoting food 😅

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Besides rotating plant and animal proteins for meals at home, I have vegetarian food weekly when dining out, sometimes twice a week. Colourful vegetable dishes look so attractive, I wanna order them all! I've come to appreciate how our unpretentious, homely hawker fare relies purely on the freshness of ingredients to create their vibrant - and, very importantly, incredibly delicious - offerings. The end result: equally aesthetic and tasty meals as 'artistically plated' ones for those of us who eat moderately healthy AND, it's proudly ours. Contrasting textures, at once complementary and complex flavours, and food that embraces diners with familiarity like a warm cuddle at home, hawker food embodies all of it.

Whether it's moderately healthy or plant-based meals, our vibrant local scene has risen to the challenge. Brown rice is boring, dry and hard to people like me, but our hawkers offer fluffy and moist unpolished rice congee that is so yummy, as a hardcore white rice enthusiast (for now, add noodle enthusiast), I willingly eat it once or twice a week. If we want fish or veggie variety, all we have to do is visit different food stalls. This can be fun, like a mini adventure, when we ditch the car on weekends and hop on public transport! Delicious nourishing food plus a fun mini adventure - sounds like a recipe for good health to me!

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Like people living in other Blue Zones, many of us here in Blue Zone 2.0 don't buy into the hype surrounding 'superfoods'. To us, it's done to drive up prices so that we all pay premiums for something that might just be marginally more nutritious (or maybe not at all) and make a few people very rich. What we have is equally good, very nourishing foods, such as pomfret, which has the highest level of Omega 3 amongst all fish (see the article in my previous post), as well as a variety of veggies that offer a wide range of benefits. As long as we make the effort to eat moderately healthy with what we have, we'll continue to do just fine. 下次见!

#Youtube

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makanmatefoodcatering · 9 months

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Makanmate catering services in Singapore

Bento special menu Get ready to experience an explosion of flavours and textures with our specially curated bento boxes! Each box features a variety of Japanese-inspired dishes that are perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner.

Steamboat package Planning for a small family gathering and worried about what food to eat? Worry no more! Makan Mate Catering Seafood Steamboat package is the right option for such small gatherings. It’s delicious, easy to prepare and you can eat for as long as you like without worrying about the food getting cold. We use only the freshest and finest ingredients to give our customers the best experience possible. Soups are made daily from scratch and simmers for hours on the stove. Seafood Steamboat Package (for 2 persons) 1.Premium Natural Collagen Chicken Broth 2.Whole Prawn 3.Sliced Fish 4.Green Mussel 5.Cured Squid 6.Sliced Boneless Chicken Meat 7.Stuffed Taupok 8.Chicken Meat Ball 9.Prawn Gyoza 10.Chinese Cabbage 11.Seasonal Green 12.Corn 13.Enoki Mushroom 14.Shitake Mushrooms 15.Bee Hoon 16. Homemade Chilli Sauce and Condiments Vegan / Vegetarian Catering Treat your taste buds to a feast of flavours with our top-notch vegan / vegetarian catering menu! Our talented chefs are experts in creating delectable meat-free dishes that are both nutritious and satisfying. Whether it’s a corporate event, a wedding, or a private party, our menu has something for everyone.

Mini High Tea Catering and Buffet Indulge in a luxurious dining experience with our Mini High Tea Catering and Buffet services! Our expert chefs have crafted a menu filled with a variety of delicious mini treats and delectable finger foods, perfect for any special occasion. Whether it’s a bridal shower, a birthday party, or a corporate event, our Mini High Tea Catering and Buffet is sure to impress your guests.

Barbeque delight buffet menu

Grilled Meats: Assorted grilled meats such as chicken tikka, seekh kebab, mutton boti, fish tikka, and prawn skewers.

Barbecue Ribs: Slow-cooked and marinated ribs, often with different sauce options like barbecue, honey glaze, or spicy marinade.

Tandoori Specialties: Tandoori chicken, tandoori fish, or tandoori prawns cooked in a clay oven.

Vegetarian Options: Grilled vegetables, paneer tikka (grilled cottage cheese), stuffed bell peppers, or corn on the cob.

Rice and Breads: Flavoured rice dishes like biryani or pulao, naan bread, garlic naan, or roti.

Salads and Starters: Assorted salads, cold cuts, dips, and appetizers like samosas, pakoras, or spring rolls. Desserts: A variety of sweet treats such as Gulab Jamun

Bento meal

A Bento meal, also known as a Bento box meal, is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal commonly found in Japanese cuisine. It typically consists of a variety of food items arranged in a compartmentalized box called a Bento set box. Bento meals are known for their balance of flavours, colors, and nutritional elements.

#bento meal #makan mate menu #vegan food catering #makanmatefood #vegetarian catering #high tea #bento special menu #makanmate

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ana-nemone · 2 years

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Was buying seaweed at the store but I saw spring roll wrappers were on sale and are only 30 cals per wrapper, so I’m gonna try to throw together some steamed spring rolls with cucumbers, carrots, and cabbage :)

If they turn out alright I might end up adding a single chopped up mini prawn to each one but that wholly depends on if I can find one or not. And if THAT turns out alright I’ll post a recipe with instructions+pics!!

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victorl0 · 2 years

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Đồ ăn rất ngon! Come by the newly revamped Red Sparrow at Dempsey Hill which offers home-cooked meals typically found in a Vietnamese household. Fresh ingredients are sourced directly from far and wide regions of Vietnam, to recreate authentic tastes that are yet unique to Red Sparrow. From flavourful broths to the seasoning in every dish by Chef Jeff - be it the humble pepper or exotic native flowers, a fragrant delicacy much sought after or the aroma of barbecued meat trailing the air, with surprises in the dishes. Featured dishes & desserts: 🥢PHẦN ĂN - Choice from any 3 fresh rolls, each choice comes with 2 pieces of rolls and dedicated sauces. 👍🏻😋 🥢BÁNH TRÁNG TRỘN - Rice paper, shredded green mangoes, quail eggs, dried shrimps, tomatoes, chilli oil, Vietnamese coriander and fried shallots with a house special dressing. 👍🏻😋 🥢 TÔM RANG MUỐI - Crispy fried salt and pepper prawns, wok tossed with a mix of garlic, spring onions and chilli. 👍🏻😋 🥢 CƠM CHIÊN - Fried rice cooked in Vietnamese style with fish slices. 👍🏻😋 🥢CHẠO TÔM - Sugarcane prawns and pork paste with lettuce and sweet fish sauce. 👍🏻😋 🥢BÁNH KHỌT - Mini rice pancakes with minced pork, spring onions, coconut cream, tiger prawns, fresh herbs and lettuce to wrap. 👍🏻😋 🥢BÁNH MÌ BÒ NƯỚNG - Lemongrass sliced beef. 👍🏻😋😋 🥢PHỞ ĐẶC BIỆT - Pho noodles with a mix of beef balls, thinly sliced beef, brisket, tripe and tendon. 👍🏻😋😋 🥢THỊT KHO TÀU - Pork belly is slowly braised until it has a beautiful caramel color and becomes so flavorful and tender. 👍🏻😋😋 🥢CANH CHUA - A house favorite! Sweet and sour tamarind soup with sliced fish, pineapples, tomatoes, mixed vegetables and silken tofu (vegetarian option available). 👍🏻😋 🍮 CHÈ CHUỐI - Battered bananas, black glutinous rice, coconut sago cream topped with vanilla ice cream. 😍😍😍 🍮 BANH FLAN - Traditional vanilla caramel flan served with coffee sauce. 😍😍 📍Red Sparrow 11 Dempsey Road # 01-18 Dempsey Hill Singapore 249673 📞 6776 6118 Thanks to @sghappens, @dempseyhillsg & @redsparrowsg for having me! 🙏🏻🙏🏻 (at Red Sparrow SG) https://www.instagram.com/p/CglFi8dh_z8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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onejamtart · 2 years

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OJT EATS | Banh Banh

The other day, we found ourselves in Peckham of all places and with a hankering for Vietnamese food. Luckily, we passed this place Banh Banh so we headed in to give it a go!

We do love a summer roll and these were really good. Fresh ingredients with a good couple of prawns in each one well wrapped so they didn’t fall apart as soon as you bit into them. They were super bouncey in texture which I really liked.

Sesame crackers. These were actually a little bit of a disappointment. They came presented in a way that took up a lot of space while not having that many. To be honest though, I didn’t mind not having too many of these as they were a bit dry and tasted a little artificial.

Beef wrapped in betel leaves. One of my favourite Vietnamese dishes, the spiced grilled beef mince wrapped in betel leaves, grilled to a smoky finish. Deliciously moreish, we could’ve polished off a couple more portions of this! Glad that the sesame crackers were more the exception than the rule!

Sticky fish sauce glazed chicken wings. You can’t really go wrong with these and banh banh did not. Sticky, sweet, savoury and chicken wingy - great!

On the menu as one of the larger sharing plates, these were banh khot pancakes. I’d never actually heard of these before but seemed interesting. Wasn’t really sure what I was expecting but what arrived were these mini pancakes made of rice flour and topped with a prawn and what I’m fairly certain was some coconut milk. We were told to wrap them with lettuce and perilla leaves before dunking into a fish sauce. Be careful you don’t grab too big a perilla leaf as they can be a bit overpowering but otherwise, really tasty. There was a bit of a crisp to the pancake and the prawns were nice and juicy. Definitely worth ordering!

This was their special dessert of crème caramel with a coffee granita. Eating the 2 parts together, it actually reminded me of the coffee jelly you get in Asia. It’s been a while since I’ve had that and I’ve always liked it so I really enjoyed this ending to the meal.

It’s a bit of a trek to get out to Peckham but I’m glad we made the trip out. It’s a fairly unassuming place but the food is tasty and the atmosphere friendly. If I lived closer, I reckon id be down here pretty often!

Banh Banh, 46 Peckham Rye, London, SE15 4JR

Cheers, JL

#foodporn #food porn #banhbanh #banh banh #Peckham #Peckham restaurants #London #londonrestaurants #Vietnam #Vietnamese food #Peckham good

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quieteating · 8 months

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New Post has been published on Quieteating

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/qQOSRW

Tsunami

Big wave – that’s what tsunami means.

When I say big, I am understating that a bit. It is smashing, crushing, furiously ferociously killing menace. It ends life, makes people scream in fear and haunts dreams.

I used to think that could be me.

That’s true when I enter the pool perhaps but not really in other circumstances. Revisiting my younger (and smaller) says, I last came to Tsunami maybe more than 5 years ago? So it definitely has staying power, unlike me. As I am reminded daily, things don’t work as well as they did (and that includes my mouth). Given the lack of clients this Saturday lunch, Tsunami may be also suffering from being closer to its terminal endings than me.

White needle tea. This was surprisingly good. Clean, fresh taste. Small pot and cup forcing you to savour every sip. The decorative leaf was a bit strange though as it just ended up soaking the tea from the rather badly fashioned teapot which proceeded to leak, quite a bit. Reminds me of my wallet.

Volcano Roll Shrimp. Doused in some rather weird cheese? sauce, the shrimp was ok, although probably not something to eat every day as it was a bit dear in price.

The bento box. Looked fairly decent.

Takoyaki, octopus balls. With some weird yellow sauce (at first I thought this was mustard, but I was wrong), it was alright in a surprising way. From the way it looked, I first bit in with trepidation. However, it actually did taste of octopus, lucky me!

Salad. With some token ponzu dressing. In this case, this was fairly sapid so I felt quite sad at this wasted chance to show how good ponzu salad dressing could be. Oh, those days back in Tokyo continue to haunt me.

Teriyaki salmon. Pretty decent together with slivers of courgettes, pak choi and rather larger broccoli. The courgette slivers were particularly nice, slathered as they were in the teriyaki sauce. The courgette was nicely flavourful as soaking up the sauce. The broccoli seemed the wrong side of cooked. Raw mini-trees aren’t really my thing.

Salmon sashimi, prawn sushi, yellow tail sushi. Sadly rather tasteless, the sashimi and sushi was something that made me sad as they all kind of tasted the same. Perhaps they should have been sent on some diversity training, you kind of want things to taste different.

Coconut, vanilla, sesame and mango mochi. These were actually decent with bouncy skins covering ice cream fillings inside. My friend who is lactose intolerant gifted me with all of the above so I greedily stuffed down a double portion of these little things which were probably the best thing of the meal. Sadly, that is saying quite alot.

In the end, I enjoyed my meal here especially as the place was rather empty. It was about 10% full for a Saturday lunch. No matter, its desertification made up somewhat for the lackluster food. Maybe they were all too scared of the tsunami to come to Tsunami. No matter, I suspect that it may aptly be wiped from the face of the earth soon if it keeps going like this.

A quiet eating 7/10.

Lunch (bento box, tea, dessert and sushi roll) was GBP50 excluding other drinks and service.

Tsunami

5-7 Voltaire Road

London SW4 6DQ

#bento box #Mochi #sashimi #sushi #tacoyaki #teriyaki #tsunami #volcano

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shellbilee · 4 years

Text

Undivided Attention

A Henry Cavill One Shot/Mini Fic

Summary: Henry is jealous of you loving and spoiling Kal more

Pairing: Henry Cavill x reader/you

Warnings: Implied smut

Words: 2.7K (my shortest fic ever guys!)

A/N: I received two separate requests for this, one from an anon and one from @suueeeeeee! Thank you for the request my lovelies, I hope this satisfies and is along the lines of what you imagined! Special thanks to my dearest @alyxkbrl for always giving the best constructive feedback and encouraging me. You’re an angel.

---

"Hi sweetheart" you hear Henry yell out to you as you shut the front door closed behind you, shuffling the grocery bags in your hand as you make your way down the hallway.

"Hey handsome" you shout back as you walk into the lounge room, stepping in just in time to see Henry standing up from his spot on the sofa.

You grin at him as he stretches out his arms, silently asking for a hug as he looks over at you with a grin.

A loud bark tears your attention away from Henry for a moment and you drop to your knees when you see the big black and white furry bear bounding over to you.

"Hi big guy!" you exclaim happily as Kal leaps into your arms and almost knocks you flat on your back, "How's my favourite boy?".

You grin and giggle as he wags his tail excitedly, sniffing you and trying his hardest to lick your face as you laugh at the big dogs antics.

"Is this how it is, is it?" Henry asks suddenly, stepping over towards you and Kal and raising an eyebrow as he looks down at the two of you, "I see who your favourite is".

"Oh stop it" you say to Henry with a laugh, rolling your eyes at your boyfriend as you continue to cuddle Kal on the floor, "You know I love you both".

Henry smirks and folds his arms across his chest, shaking his head, "I'm not disputing that. I'm just pointing out that you very obviously love Kal more".

You laugh and shake your head, turning to look down at Kal as you ruffle his thick chest. He's somehow managed to manoeuvre himself to sit on you, the giant 90 pound dog apparently thinking he's a lap dog.

"Your dad's being a tad dramatic wouldn't you say buddy?" you say to the big bear, smiling at him when he lets out a gentle 'woo woo' sound in response.

You look back up at Henry with a grin as Kal pants happily on your lap, shaking your head at your pouting boyfriend.

"Maybe if you looked as happy to see me as Kal did every time, I'd greet you first instead" you quip back to Henry, watching as his expression becomes deadpan.

You laugh and bend to drop a kiss on Kal's head, pushing the giant canine off your lap and standing up from the floor.

You step towards Henry and reach up to cup his face, looking up at his gorgeous blue eyes and grinning.

"Hi baby" you whisper gently, his pouty face quickly replaced with a smile, his arms wrapping around your waist as he bends to press his lips to yours in a gentle hello kiss.

"I missed you" he whispers, his earlier jealousy apparently forgotten, one of his hands reaching up to tuck one side of your hair behind your ear.

You smile up at him and stand on your tiptoes to kiss him a second time, blinking slowly when you pull away.

"I missed you too".

"What do you want to do for dinner, love?" Henry asks as he skims your waist with his fingers, "Order in?".

You smile and shake your head, glancing down at Kal as you feel him lean against you and Henry's legs - clearly not impressed that he's being left out of your shared embrace.

"I stopped by the grocery store on the way here" you explain as you look back at Henry, gesturing to the dropped grocery bags with your foot, "I'm cooking. Chilli prawn linguine".

Henry grins and you swear you hear his stomach rumble in excitement.

"Sounds delicious" Henry replies with a smile, reaching up to run his fingers through his hair, "I have a couple of calls to make first though. Will you be okay for an hour or so?".

You smile and shake your head, "Of course. I've got my favourite boy Kal to keep me company".

You throw your head back with laughter when Henry's expression immediately drops at your comment, rolling his eyes and shaking his head at you as he releases you from his arms.

"You're a devil".

You grin and bend to pick up your grocery bags, winking mischievously at your gorgeous boyfriend.

"But you love me".

Henry laughs. "Unfortunately".

Your jaw drops in offence and Henry chuckles when you give him a playful smack on the shoulder, flashing you a cheeky grin as he walks off down the hallway to his study. You turn and look down at Kal as he looks up at you from the floor, panting quietly as his tail wags happily.

"What do you say boy? You hungry?" You ask as you smile at the big bear, "I bought you something yummy too!".

Kal wags his tail faster at your question and stands up from the floor, bouncing excitedly on his front paws as you reach down to scratch his chin.

"Come on bear, let's go make some dinner".

Henry surfaces from his office 45 minutes later, the scent of something delicious filling his nose as he walks over to the kitchen. He smiles when he sees Kal sitting in the middle of the floor panting happily, his eyes trained on you as you stand at the bench chopping up something.

"Dinner smells incredible, love" Henry announces with a smile, walking over to kiss the back of your neck and leaning against the marble bench with his arms folded.

You smile as you look up at Henry, picking up a piece of carrot and snapping it with your teeth.

"Thanks babe" you reply as you crunch the orange vegetable, "But it's not our dinner. It's Kal's".

Henry's eyebrows knit with confusion and you chuckle as you look up at his odd expression, gesturing to the oven with the knife in your hand.

"I'm making some homemade treats for Kal" you explain as you turn back to your chopping, "I found the recipe the other day and thought I'd make them for him".

Henry raises his eyebrows, "Really?".

You frown and shake your head as you pick up the other piece of your carrot, snapping off another piece for you before throwing the last bit to Kal on the floor. He catches it in his mouth flawlessly and you smile as he crunches it noisily, turning back to Henry and shrugging your shoulders.

"Yes?".

"You're actually cooking food for him?" Henry asks, tilting his head as if he was confirming what he'd heard you say.

You nod, turning back to your chopping. "Is that a problem?".

Henry shakes his head and looks at Kal with a confused expression, tilting his head as he returns his gaze to you.

“I’m not sure whether I love that you love Kal so much, or I’m jealous that he’s getting a homemade meal from you”.

You shake your head and laugh, the knife in your hand pausing mid chop. "You do realise I'm making you dinner too, right?”.

Henry only laughs, shaking his head again, stepping forward to kiss the side of your head and stealing a piece of carrot from your chopped pile.

"I have one more call to make okay love? I'll be out soon".

“Take your time” you reply with a gentle smile, turning to look at Kal on the floor as Henry makes his way back to his study.

"Sounds like your dad’s a little jealous of you bear" you say loud enough for Henry to hear, grinning when you hear him audibly chuckle.

Half an hour later you've finished cooking dinner for both Kal and Henry, the two of you sitting at the kitchen table with Kal at your feet and three empty plates.

"That was delicious sweetheart" Henry says appreciatively as he pushes his empty plate into the centre of the table, reaching for his wine glass and looking down at Kal on the floor. "What did Kal think of his?".

You grin and take a sip of your wine, looking down at Kal who noses his licked clean bowl in front of him.

"That bowl is so clean I can see my reflection in it. So I’d say he was a fan".

Henry chuckles and shakes his head.

"You spoil him more than I do sweetheart".

You shrug innocently and glance down at the loveable bear, "No, I just love him". "And his owner" you add after a moment, glancing back at Henry and flashing him an adoring grin.

Henry offers you an affectionate smile and lifts his glass to drain the last of his wine.

“Thank you for dinner my love” Henry says as he stands up from the table, bending to kiss you before collecting your dirty plates.

“You’re welcome handsome” you reply as you watch him disappear into the kitchen, hearing the faucet turn on as he sets about doing the dishes.

You lean down over the back of your chair to where Kal’s lying on the floor, reaching down to pat him and smiling when he lifts his head to look at you.

“What do you say bear? Want to go watch some TV?”.

Henry emerges from the kitchen ten minutes later to find you and Kal cuddled on the couch, Kal resting his head on your thigh and dozing peacefully as you stroke his fur. Henry smiles at the sight of you both, noting the way that Kal’s sprawled his entire body across the three seater couch.

"I suppose there's no room for me on the couch there then?".

You look up at Henry and laugh, glancing down at Kal’s stretched out body.

"I suppose not. Not unless you can sit here without disturbing him".

Henry only laughs and shakes his head, squashing himself into the end of the couch and lifting Kal’s legs atop his lap.

You bite your lip and giggle at the sight of Henry - your mountain of a boyfriend, all 6 feet of him, trying to squish into the smallest space possible on the couch without bothering Kal.

“Comfortable?” you ask, unable to keep the amusement from your voice, watching as Henry pulls a face at you in response.

“You know, it really should be me that’s lying on your lap getting my head scratched. Not Kal”.

You laugh. “There’s that jealousy coming out again” you tease, winking mischievously at your boyfriend, “Unfortunately, my services are a first in first served basis, and Kal got here first”.

Henry raises an eyebrow, “Is that how it is, is it?”.

You nod, “Mmhmm”, Henry only shaking his head in mild amusement and turning back to the TV without a word.

You watch as he rests his elbow on the arm rest and sits his chin in his palm, his little finger resting on his bottom lip. You raise your own eyebrow this time, your hand coming to a pause on Kal’s head as you look at him. You know Henry well enough to know that he only ever adopts this pose when he’s deep in thought or annoyed at something - or both, you think with a silent sigh.

You stare at him for a moment, wondering if he is truly annoyed at you. He’d been away for work for most of the previous week - meaning that you hadn’t been able to see each other as much as either of you would have liked. Today was the first time that you’d seen him, properly, the first time you’d seen him in almost a week. With a soft sigh you deduce that although he wouldn’t want to admit it, Henry was probably feeling left out of your affections, likely having spent most of the last few days looking forward to tonight with you.

In an instant you feel a pang of guilt stabbing your chest, realising that although you hadn’t meant to, you’d inadvertently given much more of your attention to Kal tonight. You let out a silent sigh and look down at Kal on your lap, smiling gently when you see his liquid brown eyes looking up at you lovingly. Knowing that you should go and tend to Henry, you share a silent conversation with Kal and watch as he suddenly shifts and hops off the couch, walking over and curling up on his bed.

You stretch out your legs - your left leg asleep from having the weight of Kal on it, turning to face Henry to find his position from earlier unchanged. You shift on the couch and shuffle over towards him, resting against his side and tucking yourself under his outstretched arm. He shifts slightly to accommodate you, glancing down at you briefly before turning to look back at the TV without a word.

You roll your eyes inwardly, knowing his stubbornness is going to make you work for his attention, repositioning yourself and swinging your legs over his lap. You reach up and run your fingers along the hair on the bottom of his neck - a move that you know he adores, unable to help your small smile of victory when you see him close his eyes and let out a low sigh.

“I’m sorry” you whisper gently, his beautiful blue eyes opening and looking down at you in confusion.

“For?”.

He drops the hand that was holding his chin and you press your fingers into his neck, massaging his thick muscles in the way that he always asks you for.

“For forgetting that we haven’t seen each other for a week” you say gently, watching as he closes his eyes again briefly and leans back into your fingers, “For giving all of my attention to the bear and forgetting about the other most important man in my life”.

Henry smiles this time, opening his eyes to meet yours and reaching up with one hand to caress your cheek.

“I love that you love Kal as much as I do” he insists, offering you the smallest of smiles that, even after seven months of dating, still makes your heart flutter inside your chest.

You shake your head gently.

“I know you do. But I also know that you love having me all to yourself” you add, releasing his muscles and running your fingers up into his thick curls, “Especially after a week of not being able to see each other”.

He smiles though says nothing and you trail your fingers through his hair, the birth of an idea suddenly sprouting in your mind. You hold his gaze for a moment and use your other hand to cup his face, tilting your chin up and pressing your lips to the thick skin of his neck. You inhale his scent - the sweet and heady cologne that you love, trailing your lips along his neck until you find the spot beneath his ear that you know drives him mad.

You kiss his skin, softly at first, your fingers running through his hair and holding him steady in place. You increase the pressure of your lips and soon you feel his thighs tense beneath you, the breathy moan he lets out instantly making the muscles deep in your belly clench.

Oh Henry.

You pull back to look at him, your heart racing when you find his turquoise blue eyes now hooded and dark, all of the emotion from earlier seemingly lost as he looks back at you. You swallow thickly, feeling yourself heat from just his gaze, an electric shiver running down your spine. Henry, your unbelievably handsome, devastatingly sexy boyfriend.

Oh baby, yes.

You let out a breath and lean forward to press your lips to his in a kiss that you know will leave him wanting, bending and trailing your mouth along his neck until your lips are only an inch from his ear. You bite your lip when you feel his hands trail down your back, your insides stirring wildly when they come to rest on your waist. A small wiggle of your hips on his lap and you know you have him surrendered, his arousal thick and hard and stirring beneath your legs.

You grin devilishly and tighten your grip on his hair, the anticipation of what’s to come making your muscles contract deliciously.

Oh, yes.

Letting out a breath, you bend and nip at his ear with your teeth, your voice low and seductive as you brush your lips along his lobe.

“What do you say we head upstairs and I’ll make it up to you with my undivided attention?”.

---

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#henry cavill edit #henry cavill #henry cavill x reader #henry cavill x you #henry cavill fanfic #henry cavill fanfiction #henry cavill imagine #henry cavill request #henry cavill drabble #henry cavill one shot

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xhanisai · 4 years

Text

Blanc Noise - Chapter One

AO3 / FFN

Summary:

It first began with the feeling of being watched and the flicker of shadows.

Then along came missing items being returned in the most odd places.

Soon it was the glimpses of blue eyes in the darkness and a silhouette of white that haunted her.

Marinette thought she saved him, that she saved her Chat Noir from the dystopian timeline.

She was wrong...oh so wrong...

A/N: Wassup mah d00ds! I hope you're all doing well and everything! Anyways, on tumblr, I made a quick AU of 'What if Chat Blanc comes back but as a ghost?' and it got lots of positive attention hence I decided to start a full fledged story. After all, I am a fucking slut for Mariblanc~ Big thanks to my good friend @/gale-of-the-nomads for the title name (sometimes, he has a good idea or two despite the amount of terrible puns he spews lol). Nevertheless, enjoy! P.S: The story takes place after the episode: Ladybug. Therefore, Maître Fu is still around, the love square is still going strong and Ladybug is not the guardian. Additionally, I've tweaked the timeline. The duo have now started their final year in collège in September (the events of Ladybug happened just before the summer holidays). Do I make myself clear? Good. Have fun! Song listened to whilst writing: White Silence - TK from Ling tosite sigure

~(x)~ . . . "MmmMhmm! That smells amazing! What have brought this time, My Lady?" The feline hero leapt to his feet, faux ears and tails wiggling with delight and pupils dilating with elation. Ladybug laughed softly at her endearing partner, sitting down on their favourite beam of the Eiffel Tower and beckoning the boy to come closer, wiggling the Tupperware in her hand teasingly. Chat Noir didn't hesitate to scurry towards her, plopping down on the spot opposite the heroine as she placed the container in his greedy hands. If he wasn't such a gentleman, he would have immediately tore off the lid and scarfed the delectable goodies down his throat like the alley cat his Lady proclaimed him to be. "Guess." Ladybug humoured him. "And before you ask, the clue is that it's a savoury dish this time. Don't shake it up too much." She playfully took it away from him and then placed it on the spot between them, grinning as Chat's face scrunched up into a thinking expression. Lips pursed, eyes narrowed and arms folded. Absolutely adorable. "Hm...it can't be steamed garlic prawns. You brought that yesterday." Noir mused. "And it doesn't smell like duck pancakes either." He added, scrutinising the mystery within the container. "You mean the Běijīng kǎoyā? Not after that horrible heartburn it gave you last week." Ladybug cheekily flicked his forehead, earning an annoyed grunt from him. "Geez no need to flex on the Chinese, Mlle. I don't know a lick of Mandarin." He tried to swat away Ladybug's hands when she attempted to poke him for making fun of her, chuckling at her mock angry face. "Okay okay! I'll behave- the heartburn was worth it by the way~ I started to crave for more days after, hahaha-" "I know SOME Mandarin, stupid!" "Insults and crude words do not count, My Lady." "Just guess the food in the Tupperware already or else I won't share!" Her threat froze the black cat comically. Chat quickly blabbered out apologies, clearing his throat and then eyed the container again. The sound of his stomach rumbling broke the silence, embarrassing the hero whilst his partner barely kept in her snickers. "Vermicelli rolls?" "Nope." "Kung-Pao chicken?" "Nah." "...wontons?" "You're getting closer," "Agh...okay from when I shook it, it sounded quite hard and crispy so..." He carefully shook the container once more, ears pressed against the cool surface as he tried his best to identify the treasures. Finally, an idea struck him, evident in the way his faux ears and tail shot upwards. "Aha! Spring rolls! It's spring rolls, isn't it?" His face looked like one who won the lottery and Ladybug couldn't help but coo internally. He was such a dork. "That's right, Chaton. Now, if you guess the correct fillings, I'll let you have some." Ladybug added nonchalantly, eating up the way Chat spluttered and the frazzled gestures he made, eyes begging to let him have the treats already. "Oh come on! You're not that cruel, Bug." He pouted but didn't attempt to snatch away the container. He directed his beady glare at his Lady, arms folded. "...La-aaaaady-bu-uuuuug..." He whined. "Just kidding~ Here, Bon appétit ," Ladybug didn't waste time, tearing off the lid and beckoning Chat to take some of the spring rolls. The boy's eyes widened at the sight of the delicious looking treats. The pastry was golden and crisp, the size of each roll were consistent and big enough to finish in three bites and the enticing, spicy scent made the feline salivate. And, they were still piping hot. Hell yeah, Bon appétit indeed! Without hesitation, Chat took a bite, unaware of Ladybug's anticipating look. . "Holy shit...I'm in heaven..." The teen blurted out, eyeing his spring roll with a tearful look, as if it was too beautiful for him to eat. He shoved the whole pastry in his mouth, moaning in delight without a shame whilst his Lady's tinkling giggles was like music to his ears. What a way to spend the last evening of summer before school. A beautiful summer night, a beautiful lady and amazing food! 'Yes, this cat is content for life,' He purred to himself, smiling at his partner as she offered him another roll. "Thank dieu you enjoyed it. I wasn't too sure if you were going to be keen on the secret ingredient I mixed in with the vegetables." Ladybug twirled her roll, cheeks ever so slightly flushed with happiness. "Is it that exotic spicy scent that I've been smelling this whole time?" "Yes. Maman's friend who's from the south-east gave her these homegrown naga-chillies. They're really, really hot on their own but without the seeds, they're bearable to me and make the vegetable filling taste so good." She bit into her roll as if to emphasise her point. She was blind to the way Chat Noir watched her with a pleasant, fulfilled smile. The warmth that pulsed in his stomach provoked his heart to skip a few beats or so- a standard reaction that the love of his life always gave him. 'I wish you would be mine forever...' His unsaid words were left floating in the back of his head as he nibbled on his food. The duo spent the rest of the night laughing, joking, exchanging bizarre stories without giving away their civilian lives and before they knew it, it was midnight. "Uh-oh...I'm turning into a pumpkin! Save me!" Chat Noir wailed dramatically, curling up into a ball and leaning against Ladybug. Her hearty laughter grew in volume, the girl clutching her stomach as she gasped for a breath only for Chat to join her with his contagious laugh. Soon, they calmed down. With the calm came the thoughts. The crescent of the moon shone like a beacon. The temperature of the summer air started to cool and the beautiful city lights below shone like diamonds. The two were hesitant to leave, wanting to prolong their last summer night. The older of two wanted to spend as much time as he wanted with the girl he loved. The younger on the other hand? She wanted to keep him happy and close. After all, She would rather die than fail her partner again and let him be akumatised. Little did she know how potent her sadness was. The atmosphere turned tense in a flip of a switch, sending shivers down Chat's spine and he was quick to glance at his now, forlorn looking Lady. As if they didn't just have a laughing fit and a mini picnic. It was that damn empty, distant looking face again. The boy under the mask absolutely despised it. He would do anything to get rid of it. "You know I'm always here for you, Bug." He placed his hands on her forearms, beckoning her to look at him. Ladybug refused to meet eye contact so he tilted her chin up with a finger, delivering a soft, sad grimace. "It's been months now and yet you wouldn't tell me what happened. Did you think acting more sweet around me would distract me from your tears?" The girl hadn't noticed her eyes were watering till her Chaton pointed it out and wiped away a stray tear. She knew he was much more smarter and perceptive than most would give him credit for yet she couldn't help but pray that he would leave her be. 'He's always been too good for you. You know it. I know it. So why don't you just hurry up and throw the earrings away so that someone else who's actually worthy of utilising the power can properly look after him?' "I told you, nothing happened. Just silly, civilian stuff." Ladybug tried to shrug him off, quickly wiping her eyes and trying her best to not sniffle. "Let's just go home-" "When will you stop lying to me?" The boy hissed out, tail lashing against the beams in anger and feline ears pressed against his dishevelled locks. His acidic green eyes pierced through Ladybug's being. A deadly scowl that would surely cause the blood in Le Papillon's body to freeze and petrify him. Ladybug tried her best to not show how he surprised her, keeping a poker face and swallowed quietly. However, with the way his hands were clasped around her wrists, she feared he could feel her rapid pulse. Why was it always her that caused his rare anger to rise on an occasion or two? It was simply not fair. How righteous his anger was towards her. A sudden gust of wind swept through their hair, ending the summer season and introduced the newly born autumn with a howl. It felt like ice seeping through their suits. Yet, the polka dotted heroine didn't dare move a muscle, observing her partner with a cool, neutral expression. Chat Noir hated it. He absolutely hated it. It was one of the few faces she made when she was forced to keep a secret away from him even if it took a toll on her body and mind. He felt disgustingly useless. "I'm fine, Chat Noir." Ladybug wiggled her hands to free them of his grip, bringing them to her chest as she glanced towards the city below. "Can we please not do this tonight? Please? I want it to end on a good note." Her wish was met with a defeated sigh from her partner, not flinching for even a split second when his tail whipped against a stray beam. An echo of his anger prior. Just as it was quick to come, it was quick to leave, thankfully. "I'm not give up on you," His resolute tone induced a quiet gasp from Ladybug, the girl herself cut her gaze towards him with parted lips. "But for tonight, I'll let you be." He didn't smile but...he didn't frown either. Reaching for her hands one last time, Chat Noir brought them to his lips. His bold, fiery greens never left her soft, steady blues whilst his lips brushed against her knuckles in a traditional kiss. Taking advantage of her lack of hesitation, he kissed the backs of her hands too and then brought them to his chest so that she could feel his fierce, beating heart. It began to lash against his chest when a light rouge tinted her cheeks. "I'm always here for you, always. No matter what, you can count on me to protect you." Then, with a determined nod, he launched forward and pecked her head before letting go of her swiftly and vaulting away with an impeccable speed. Ladybug remained frozen in her position, cheeks flaming until his figure became smaller and smaller in the distance. By the time she could no longer see him, she sunk to her knees, grasping her chest as her throbbing heart felt like it was going to burst out and explode. Millions of emotions ran through her body, fighting against each other as the memory of him kissing her head replayed over and over again. Like the sweetest of poison. Addicting but deadly. Despite the warm, fluttering butterflies, despite the smooth, softness of his lips, despite the comforting, protective touch of his, Ladybug couldn't help but have the memories of the other timeline flare in her mind like a warning sign. An unwanted threat that has never failed to wreck her mind. Biting her lips, she tried to keep her tears at bay, body shaking and pushing against the sobs that threatened to spill out. She was so tempted to run back to him and tell him everything. To care for him like the way he deserves. To love him like the way he needs. Yet the haunting, crazed ice blue eyes of the past invaded the temporary soaring feelings like a virus, eating away all the positivism and hope she tried her upmost best to maintain. 'You have no right to be happy...' An ugly gloom hooded her eyes, killing all her emotions as she staggered back up to her feet, using a beam nearby for support. The harsh wind clawed through her hair, ridding her trademark ponytails of their ribbons and blowing them away to the other side of Paris. Ladybug simply didn't have the energy to get them back, using muscle memory to swing herself back home. Her ribbons long forgotten. It was a cold, bleak September now. ~(x)~ It was quiet. Too quiet. Standing up from her crouch after detransforming on her balcony, Marinette immediately spun around and glared at her surroundings whilst Tikki hovered close. Not a single sound was heard. Not even the wind. Suddenly, Marinette's heart began to pick up pace as beads of sweat started to form on her forehead. The only thing she could hear was her heartbeat as she felt something weird. Her entire neighbourhood was asleep, evident in the lights out and the pitch black environment. The only source of light in her vision were the few lamp posts on the streets as well as around the park. Yet, she couldn't ignore the feeling of being watched. Not wanting to show fear at a possible stalker, Marinette took large strides till she was at the edge of her balcony, clutching the railings and scanned the scene with more scrutiny. One of the lamp posts merely flickered as moths buzzed around it. The trees simply swayed along with the inaudible breeze. The streets and roads remained empty. Not a single soul out. Marinette exhaled softly, eyes never stopping its study of her surroundings. She took a step back, tension leaving her body bit by bit, leaving an aching throb in her chest. The adrenaline that fuelled her veins vaporised. "I don't think there's anyone around, Marinette." Tikki whispered, clutching the girl's loose strands as she also watched for anything suspicious. "Can we go back inside? I'm cold." "...okay." Marinette glared at the scene from her peripheral vision once more, almost swearing that she saw movement under one of the lamps only to brush it off as paranoia and made her way back to the trapdoor. Since she wasn't paying attention, the teen bumped into her table, almost tripping over her feet but thankfully caught herself. "Eek! Are you okay?" The little Goddess freaked out, flying in front of her charge and scanning her from head to toe for any injuries. She was waved off with a tired smile. "Don't worry, it's probably just a little...bruise...?" A slither of red caught Marinette's attention from the corner of her eye only for her to gawk. There, on the railing of her balcony was... ...One of her ribbons. Inhaling sharply and leaping towards the railings, clutching her treasured ribbon, Marinette spied around the neighbourhood desperately like a hawk. Tikki's presence on her shoulders did nothing to alleviate her stress as sweat from palpitation grew on her palms. Her mouth on the other hand ran dry and she refused to blink. She didn't dare to tremble. She was Ladybug. Nothing should scare her. ...with her partner's possible akumatisation aside that is. Regardless, Marinette fixated her stare at the specific lamp post. The area where she brushed off momentarily. The light flickered back and forth whilst moths carried on fluttering around it without a care in the world. She watched. And watched. And watched. . Still nothing. Without looking away, knuckles white from her grip on the ribbon and her free hand cradling her beloved kwami, Marinette walked backwards, gingerly going down her trapdoor and quickly closed it till it was locked shut. . The silence haunted her all night. ~(x)~ "Ma-ri-nette!!!" Instantly, said girl was glomped by her best friend in a hug that would surely asphyxiate a commoner. Thankfully, Marinette was not only Ladybug in disguise but also trained vigorously in many of the martial arts by her dear maman. "Alya! I missed you! How was Morocco with Nino and his family?" Marinette leaned against Alya as the taller of the teens hooked their elbows together, leading them inside the school. "Girllllll I have so many scoops to share, so many deets-" "The million texts and selfies you sent me daily weren't just it?" "They barely scratched the surface! But anyways, it was amazing! I couldn't believe my parents were willing to let me go even when Nora threw a fit haha! I got to relax so much, spent quality time with Nino and his extended family, took so many pictures and tried so many different food. Ah~ Best. Summer. Ever." "Oh the food...I can't believe you shamelessly ate all of that without sharing it with me," The raven-haired girl teased, pushing her hip against Alya's who pushed back without a beat. "You wouldn't be moping if you came along, Mari. Remember the tagine you tried at the local restaurant nearby and you thought that was divine? Lemme tell you, it is nothing compared to the authentic, fresh tagine made by Nino's tante. One taste and I was in heaven. Absolute heaven." "Alya you're making me jealous, I get it, I get it." Marinette playfully scoffed but then her energy soon wore off and fatigue took over her body. Alya was quick to catch the tired girl as soon as she began to sway, perfect brows sculpted in worry as she eyed her best friend. "Marinette...girl...you do not look okay. I'm telling you this 'cos I love you. Go back home and sleep." The brunette brushed Marinette's fringe gently, noting the tired, dark rings under her eyes and the unhealthy paleness of her skin. It was as if Marinette avoided the sun all her life. "I don't wanna..." The stubborn girl whined but didn't fight back when Alya led her to a nearby bench, sitting them both down. "I've been missing you all too much and couldn't wait to see you all again," She admitted, earning a coo from the curvy girl and another hug. Alya's sun-kissed honey skin was a stark contrast against Marinette's pale, porcelain skin. "Alright then but I'll be keeping an eye on you, girl. I can see the effort you put into your cute bun and soft make up. How you do your eyeliner freehand without a guide will always baffle me~" Just as Marinette was about to retort back, the duo were engulfed by a surprise hug from the back. Neither fought back as the familiar laughter and soft, masculine brown arms were registered. "Babe! And dudette! My best girls!" Nino popped his head forward, in between the girls and squished their cheeks against his. "Heyyyy~" He waggled his eyebrows stupidly, his shit eating grin widening when his girlfriend burst out laughing and Marinette following with a quiet giggle. "Nino, g'morning," Alya quickly pecked his lips. To further his dramatics, Nino pretended to swoon and flopped backwards between the girls with a dopey smile. "Finally, a good lundi morning," Nino sighed with exaggeration, his girl still trying her best to stifle her laughter whilst Marinette fondly rolled her eyes at him. "I can now brave through these useless lessons and deal with M. D'Argencourt's bullshit rambles during registration. Oh how amazing the power of lo-oooove truly is!" "Oh yeah, I almost forgot that we won't have Mme. Bustier this year. Was about to say that I was gonna miss her but not gonna lie, she lost all my respect when you got expelled." Alya huffed, pulling Marinette against her like a worried mother hen. "To think that I almost had to spend my last year here without my precious Marinette~" "But Babe! What about me?" "You wish you were as precious as sweetcheeks over here." Alya blew a raspberry at her boyfriend, cheeky grin widening at his dramatics. Marinette on the other hand simply smiled, savouring every moment. The fact that there was a possibility that she would have had to attend a different collège for her final year without her friends made her quiver and she didn't falter in snuggling closer to her best friend. She's been through so much this year. Surely she deserved some sort of happiness. Even if she failed her partner at one point... Right? 'No. You do not deserve anything but pain and suffering you selfish, self-righteous brat. Because of you, how long did your beloved partner go through that hell? How many nights did he spend wide awake after destroying the world? Face it, you don't deserve him or your friends or any sort of love-' The dark, twisted, ugly thoughts and whispers that preyed upon her mind was quick to diminish at the sound of pure sunshine. "You guys! Hey!" Marinette didn't get a chance to look up fully as she and the rest of the small group was tackled by their loving blonde friend in a comfy, sweet hug. Her heart malfunctioned on the spot as all she could smell was the fresh, crisp autumn air that lingered in his soft hair and coat. Her mind rebooted over and over again at the feel of his strong, sturdy arm wrapped around her. Her lips quaked at the feel of his brushing against her cheek despite the gleeful smile he wore. "A-A-Adrien?" The model pulled back slightly to face the stammering girl, lips quirking into a silly but sweet smile. Not thinking twice, he pressed his forehead against Marinette's tenderly, their fringes intermingling with each other and their cool breaths hitting each other's lips. Adrien's eyes sparkled like emeralds and the aspiring designer couldn't help but be mesmerised. "Missed me~?" His nose was touching hers now and his pearly whites gleamed mischievously. Poor Marinette couldn't help but blink, blush already blooming in her cheeks. Dammit. They may have gotten much, much closer yet there were still times that the boy rendered her speechless! What's with the green eyed blonde boys in her life and making her heart a complete wreck?! "B-Bro...can't breathe...I don't wanna die!" Nino's muffled pleas shattered the moment and Adrien immediately broke the hug, snickering at the way Nino gasped for air and clutched a deadpanned Alya. Though, he took a seat besides Marinette and kept an arm around her waist, leaning against her as they watched the couple bicker and banter. "Enjoyed your holidays, Adrien?" Marinette began, playing with the fraying threads of her purse and peeked at him below her lashes. Adrien hummed, sitting up and then directed his gorgeous greens at her. 'Be still, my heart.' Marinette couldn't help but beg. "It was alright. Didn't leave Paris though and had too many photo-shoots. What about you? Didn't you get to go to Shanghai for a week?" Adrien's question almost went unheard as Mari couldn't help but be hyper-aware of the warmth of his hand on her waist. The way his finger casually tapped against it. The innocent smile he had on his lips. This boy was going to be the death of her. 'But you don't deserve him. You don't deserve either of them. Be lucky that they even acknowledge your filthy existence.' The eerie whispers clawed through her brain, her body begging to run away and cry. Yet, she forced her fingers to move away from her purse and pull on the seams of her navy pea-coat, smile never faltering. "Yes, I did. I really enjoyed it there. I wish I got to stay for lo-longer..." She trailed off, swallowing down any babbles or word soup as Adrien squeezed her waist as a gesture of comfort. He was being really sweet today... "I don't blame ya- all the pictures you posted online looked so cool. The skyline at night, the food, heck even your relatives! If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought that cousin of yours was your brother." "You wouldn't be the first to mistaken us as siblings," She giggled. "When we were younger and they came over to Paris to visit, some people used get mixed up between me and him. It didn't help that I had my hair really short at the time and wore nothing but blue and red." "That would have been really cute to see. Hmm, it also makes sense with how easily you accepted that Félix and I were just cousins instead of that weird conspiracy theory that Kim concocted up." "Oh I wouldn't say I accepted it too easily. You and your cousin are like mirrors of each other. It's insane! I thought for a minute that you had an evil twin." Marinette winked merrily, her giggles simply grew while Adrien rolled his eyes at her. "Come on. Not you too." His fake pout didn't last long and he quietly chortled alongside her. Just a smile from his Princesse was enough to brighten up his day despite the small fight he had with Ladybug eight hours prior. Yes, Ladybug was the love of his life. Yes, he would go to the moon and back for her. However, he would be an absolute idiot and horrifically obtuse to deny that his feelings for Marinette weren't as strong. With rare wisdom from his lazy kwami, Adrien learned that having feelings for more than one person was not only natural but also healthy in a way. It showed that he wasn't forever stuck on one person and it eased the pain of his Lady's rejection to his advances. Ladybug and Marinette were his best friends first and foremost and he wouldn't dare to sabotage his precious friendships. It didn't mean he couldn't wish for Ladybug to fall for him one day. Same for Marinette. He's still a silly teen; he could keep dreaming and fantasising! Till then, he was going to go with the flow and see what the future entailed. As far as he was concerned, his future was leaning more towards Marinette and frankly, he did not mind one bit. Abruptly, the morning bell rang, indicating that it was time for the students to head to class for registration. Grunts and groans were heard from the swarm of students in the courtyard, Kim's distinct "It's time for hell, bitches!" being one of the more prominent voices in the crowd along with Alix's curses. "Thank fuck Mari-bee was the class president last year and made sure that we got our class to be the same for this year. I'd have eaten my own hands if I had to deal with that one annoying kid obsessed with magic again." Nino shot a friendly punch against Marinette's shoulder and then wrapped an arm around Alya's waist as she led them to their new classroom. "Did he just indirectly mention that he'd rather have Chloé and Lila over Jean as his classmate?" Marinette huffed with endearment, taking the hand that Adrien offered to help her up. The sudden rush to her head caused her to wobble on the spot. Luckily, Adrien steadied her without a word, hands clasping her forearms. "S-Sorry..." She attempted to step away but the boy's grip on her tightened, halting her. Marinette glanced back at Adrien with confusion, cocking her head to the side slightly and lips pursed. "...you're not feeling well, aren't you?" A nail in the coffin. Adrien scanned her body from head to foot, frown growing deeper. "You can barely stand." "I'm fine. I just...couldn't get any sleep. I was nervous for the first day of school and also didn't want to oversleep." Marinette answered quickly, looking away from him. She didn't expect his finger to hook under her chin, forcing eye contact. For the first time, Adrien glared at her. Glared. He leaned in closer, bending down so that he could reach her height. "Are you lying?" Neither of them budged. The mutterings and chatter from the students that were around grew fainter and fainter until all that was heard was the classroom doors slamming shut and the echos of the teachers doing the register. Marinette wanted to quickly deny the allegation. She wanted to push him aside and run to class. She wanted to forget how she momentarily confused Adrien with her partner. Though, even the Ladybug could run out of luck. "Adrien," She began. "We're going to be late." Her stoic, cool expression showed that she wasn't going to budge, pissing off her friend completely. The model tsked with irritation, quick to grab her hand whilst using his other one to adjust the strap of his bag over his shoulder. He moodily led her to their class, refusing to utter another word. For a split second, the defiance and stubbornness in Marinette's eyes were a hundred percent identical to Ladybug's. He almost blurted out his treasured nickname for her. The annoyance of said stubbornness and refusal to accept his help grew stronger instead, causing him to try and forget about it and brood later on. What's with his treasured girls and their stupid reluctance to let him help!? . He wasn't aware of the horror that was plastered on Marinette's face. The girl refused to tear her eyes away from the main door behind them as a lone, torn up, dirty ribbon flayed in the entrance. A familiar ribbon that was most definitely not there ten seconds ago. When M. Haprèle closed the door, Marinette could have sworn... ...that there was a pair of blue eyes watching her right back. . . . ~(x)~ A/N: That's the end of chapter one! It's more like a prologue ish, slow chapter since we're building up- so bear with me, aight? I hope you enjoyed reading it regardless. I stayed up till 5am to write it after all :0 If this chapter gets at least ten comments, I will update! Till then, see you next time~

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