#i know there are savory baked goods out there but a majority are sweet
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why was i cursed with an affinity for baking but a preference for savory food
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Hi fellow adventurers!! Welcome to chapter 2! We're going to be attempting a nice lil fruit-focused quiche/frittata/pie thing. And yes, tomatoes are fruits.
Who says you cant eat totally normal things in a dungeon with definitely no monsters in them?
You know what that means; Man-Eating Plant Tart!
(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)
MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS
SO, “what goes in to a Man-Eating Plant Tart?” YOU MIGHT ASKThe way its prepared in the show is akin to a frittata, but the crust is borrowed from quiche world.
Eggs
Whole milk
Bell peppers
Persimmons
Cherry tomatoes
Pitted green olives
Thinly sliced OR shredded sweet potatos
Salt
Pepper
In the show they use leftover hotpot stock, slime, and mashed up fruit as the batter ingredients. Fruit mush is easy to work with but I couldn't find any stand-in for slime that would cook correctly into what they made in the show, and the hotpot stock is just not thick enough to carry the base. It is too many watery ingredients at once. Needing a thickening agent, both gelatin and agar agar were tried. It was edible but the texture was… gelatinous. Regular egg and milk will serve for our purposes.
The next complication was the crust- so in the show its made with the skins of fruit, straightforward yeah? Well. You see it also has to be 1. Thick enough to bake without burning 2. Harden through cooking to be sliced and held and 3. Inedible. Lotus leaves? Plantain leaves? Really thin gourds? I couldnt find any historical basis for a savory food cooked in this method, or similar method, with an intentionally inedible crust. I could find a few dishes which used leaves as their crust, but none that hardened during cooking and even less that used fruit skin. I chose sweet potato skin for its visual match and texture. It is edible, and it is not a fruit.
I hope youll forgive me for these 2 major deviations as i wanted to keep it looking how it does in the show while also ensuring it tastes good.
AND, “what does a Man-Eating Plant Tart taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASKFluffy, airy, savory, salty.
The density of the eggs is offset by the crisp fruits
And the saltiness doesnt overpower the remnant fruit-sweetness
(If you eat the crust) the sweet potato brings this nice muted, smokey, flavor
Spongecake-esque in consistency
Would pair well with cranberry or strawberry juice
Would also pair well with a mellow hot sauce?
. You can use heavy cream instead of milk for a creamier batter
. Roast the fruit longer to remove more liquid if too wet (and vice versa if too dry)
. Smoked paprika, pepper flakes, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder would taste good in the mixture
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"A mixture of mashed up and cut up Man-Eating Plant fruit, slime and scorpion soup is poured into a pan lined with the flattened peel of the fruit and cooked before garnishing with some more fruit. Described as salty by the group."
From start to finish this recipe took 3-ish hours? Shredding the potatoes took the longest, so if you get them bagged itd be cut down. A very filling recipe and a good way to sneak veggies/fruits in if you have a hard time getting enough of those essential nutrients. The best advice i can give is to add salt/seasonings at every stage of the process, to build up layers. It makes a difference flavor-wise (even if its just salt). I advise against reheating if possible. The filling will make the crust soggy over time.
If you want to be closer to the cooking of the show, you could double the fruit amounts and mash them together while halving the amount of egg and milk. I hadnt tried due to budget reasons, but it should work with some finangling. I'll pass the final verdict off to you guys with how todays recipe turned out <333
What would you rate this recipe out of 10? (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) Did you love it, did you hate it? What're your thoughts on what I could do better, and what would you have done instead?
🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁
Ingredients:
3 Eggs
13oz whole milk
2 bell peppers
2 small persimmons
140oz cherry tomatoes
12oz pitted green olives
34oz thinly sliced OR shredded sweet potatos
Salt
Pepper
Method:
Heat oven to 420f and grease a 9-inch pie pan.
Thinly slice (or shred) your sweet potatoes and squeeze out any excess moisture. Coat in olive oil, salt and pepper.
Press sweet potato mixture evenly into and up the sides of the pie pan.
Blind bake for roughly 25 minutes or until lightly golden-brown. No worries if the edges get crisp.
Remove pie pan from oven and set aside.
Core and chop up your bell peppers and persimmons. Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Line out on a baking sheet, evenly spaced, and roast for roughly 20 minutes or until softened. (you can do this at the same time on a separate rack from the pie crust if you have room)
Remove the stems from your cherry tomatoes, and drain/dry your green olives if canned.
Bring a frying pan to medium heat with olive oil. Add the green olives and sautee until their skin texture starts dimpling. Add the cherry tomatoes and continue sauteeing for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
Once the bell peppers, persimmons, cherry tomatoes, and green olives are all done, set aside to cool until just above room temp.
Lower the oven temperature to 350f.
In a mixing bowl combine your eggs and milk, add salt to taste. If you want other seasonings nows a good time!
Once uniform in color and texture, add your cooked fruit. Stir until evenly distributed.
Pour mixture into the potato pie crust.
Bake for roughly 40 minutes. The filling should be mostly firm, but wiggle *slightly* when you shake the pan.
Remove from oven and let rest for roughly 15 minutes before serving.
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How would TADC cast react to their s/o baking them some pastries?
TADC cast x reader who bakes!
Funny that this is the next request due to be answered because I'm making orange cranberry scones as we speak (for an order! Not for me sadly, though I have enough to make myself a batch!)
CAINE:
Bro is going to try to shove whatever you've made for him into his jaws before bubble even has a chance to eat it.. has probably eaten right out of your hand before because of this/j
...../hj
He seems the type
Loudly goes on and on about how amazing it tasted, every single time without fail! Gets REALLY creative with his compliments, I thimk
Alas admin is no where near as creative as caine
POMNI:
Looks like she keeps a jar of cookies in her house in the real world. And honestly theres nothing wrong with that... though pomni herself cannot bake for shit
But good news! You're constantly making sure she has a supply to them so things work out in the end!
Though, I think she would eventually feel guilty because you're always making stuff for her, so shes gonna try to return the favor; with varying success
RAGATHA:
I know for a fact I said somewhere that ragatha would, if she ever escaped with her partner to the real world, she would open a bakery with them. As well as this I also hc ragatha to be really into baking
So
You guys bond together through that, and perhaps even have dates where you two get together and make something! (This can be read as platonic, too!)
This leads to you guys sometimes surprising one another with a baked good... kinda funny tbh
JAX:
Similar to zooble, jax is more of a sour over sweet kind of guy. But if you tie say, limes or lemons into a treat, then you've caught his interest. Probably the type of guy to snag pieces of stuff before everythings done and/or assembled, you're probably going to have to bar him from the kifchen
He does this both to be annoying but because you're so so talented he cant resist
Comically slaps his hand as he tries to reach for something
KINGER:
I propose to you;
Person who can cook but sucks at baking x person who can bake but sucks at cooking
Oooo I mentioned in ragathas part that you two would make a bakery in the real world
But imagine you and kinger having a stay-in date in the real world; he makes dinner and you make dessert and its just you two working around in the kitchen and just
Talking
I think that's nice
As for the actual giving of goods, I think he would be honored. Makes it a point to take his time and savor the goodie. It kind of just.. no clips/phases into his head
Weird
Constantly talks about how talented you are to others, I think
ZOOBLE:
Oh... thanks...
Look zooble loves you, a lot, but sweets arent exactly their go to. Now sour and savory, that's another story and if you make her anything that falls into those groups they're gonna subtly hint that they wish for you to bake something
Actually .. no not subtly, zooble doesnt strike me as the type to drops hints like that majority of the time, they seem more blunt
Very nice, none of it goes to waste! Bad at making compliments but does express that your baking is good regardless
GANGLE:
She looks like a strawberry shortcake enjoyer (I have never tried or made strawberry shortcake( and I explain why
Would be over the moon if you gave her some. Actually, she would still be over the moon if you gave her ANYTHING
Shes very shy when it comes to recieving gifts, so she may kinda. Freeze up when you put the plate in her hands... give her a minute shes just trying to find her voice to thank you!
#tadc x reader#the amazing digital circus x reader#digital circus x reader#caine x reader#pomni x reader#ragatha x reader#jax x reader#kinger x reader#zooble x reader#gangle x reader
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Tag nine people you’d like to know better!
I was tagged by @deludedfantasy. I see your game, villain.
Last song: Good Night, Travel Well by The Killers. I will hurt the Trigun fans reading this (pretty sure the majority of my followers. Fifty-two of you, gosh, where did you all come from?) by saying it's The Couch Song for me.
Listen and you'll see why. What harm could it do? (sinister cackle)
Favorite color: Pink. Or purple! I love all variations on red. Honestly bright colours in general.
Currently watching: I need to finish watching Blood Blockade Battlefront, dammit, but I'm so bad at TV shows and I can't get my hands on the manga. Leo is a sweetheart. Femt is so bizarrely endearing?
Sweet/savory/spicy: Savoury. Worst thing about being diagnosed with coeliac (nearly five years ago now) is that I can't eat my favourite kinds of savoury bread unless I make them myself, and gluten-free baking is a pain in the ass. Store-bought gluten-free bread is terrible.
Plus side, I learned to cook. So just now I made black bean quesadillas, which were pleasantly zingy but made super delicious by the cheese.
Relationship status: Single, unless you count a committed relationship with social anxiety. I've been working on leaving the house more lately, though! We need to see other people.
Current obsession: (Lies down on floor, cries.) IT HAS BEEN A YEAR SINCE MY MIND WAS TRULY MY OWN.
Last thing you googled: "Pitbull". I was trying to figure out the breed of a dog who was sitting on my feet, a lovely girl with beautiful golden eyes and a pink nose (owner was nearby, all was well). I think she was actually a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, but the distinction is pretty fine.
I am weak for a pair of sad puppy eyes, and dogs always seem to figure that out immediately. It was raining outside and she was warm and soff, though, so it's just fine with me.
No Pressure Tags: @lov3mayfly, @beaniebaneenie, @versaphile, @prstmmprhdl, @letsrevince, @aloneinsilence126, @c0pperdale, @obscuredelightedbird, @mogtime
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can i request headcanons?? if so i’d like to request for baker!reader with their own bakery with post time skip osamu <33
YESSSSSSSSSSSS THIS IS SO CUTE!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!
I wasn't sure if you wanted meet-cute/first meeting or established relationship so I tried to do both :) ty for the request!! writing it as I enjoy some carrot cake hehe <3
{sweet and savory- m. osamu HCs}
warnings: none, just fluff!! lots of fluff. also me not knowing shit about business despite all the business majors I know.
gn!reader, baker!reader
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okay so
when you first opened up your bakery, you were not expecting to be located right next to another young restaurant owner
you were a bit intimidated before actually settling into your new space
you had only ever been in the area to scope out the location and make note of the surrounding shops
so you had assumed the neighboring restaurant you observed to be extremely popular would have been around for years, or family owned, perhaps
but no. you were wrong. and you found this out a week after officially opening
after greeting your employees and opening up shop, the first customer through the door was the most attractive man you had ever seen in your life
you stared at him from behind the counter for a good ten seconds before he shifted uncomfortably and dinged the bell at the cash
you snapped out of it and sheepishly went to greet him
"good morning, sir, how can I help you today?"
"are you the owner? I'm miya osamu, I own the onigiri shop right next door."
you blinked. once, twice and then a third.
he was the owner of the crazy popular restaurant next door?
someone who didn't look much older than you?
you gaped at him and he laughed a bit
"I wanted to come in durin' yer opening ceremony, but some things came up that I couldn't miss, and this is the first chance I'm getting to properly congratulate you on openin' up shop."
"oh! that's very kind of you. and to answer your first question, yes, I'm the owner," you smiled "I wasn't expecting there to be another young business owner right next door. and for such a successful one, too, wow!"
he grinned and rubbed a hand behind his neck. "thank you... but um, part of the reason I wanted to welcome ya personally was 'cause I wanted to let ya know I'm here if ya need anything. starting up can be rough sometimes, but havin' a friend who's sorta in the same boat would be nice for both of us."
"that's so kind, thank you!"
and from there your friendship blossomed
for about a year you guys would visit each other on your breaks, bounce ideas off of each other and hang out outside of work
it did eventually grow into more, and soon enough you started dating
(he asked atsumu how he should ask you out and then did anything BUT what he suggested, he told you later on)
now onto your relationship~
at home dates consisted of cooking/baking lessons for each other and movie nights
sometimes you'd surprise him with your cooking and he's show up with a poor attempt at a baked good (but you gave him kisses for trying anyway)
eventually you moved in together
and waking up was rough because you opened your bakery early in the morning, so when you had to head out for work and leave him in bed, he was so tempted to just pull you back in
getting used to the new schedule was rough in general actually
bc you opened early and closed early, he opened later and closed later
but since his restaurant had been running a little longer at that point, he didn't always need to stay late, he had a bit more freedom as the owner
which means when he came home early, he was greeted with the sight of you with batter on your clothes and flour on your face, totally focused on the new cake recipe you were putting together
you would always turn around when you noticed him and grinned, pulling him to the counter and making him taste test
and of course you act as a test subject for his new recipes as well
atsumu literally worships the ground you walk on because you always give him the test batches that went slightly wrong for free
you tell him that they won't taste as good as the good ones and you'd be happy to let him have a free sample from your actual shop when he visits but he insists the ones that either have too much baking soda or too little sugar are more than fine
but whenever he does go to visit osamu, he always ends up in your bakery a bit longer for the amazing sweets anyway
you trade stories about osamu and he finds this out one day when he walks into your shop and sees atsumu stuffing his face with cupcakes
you nearly had to break up a fight in your cozy little bakery that day
you also had to promise osamu that you'd give him more cupcakes than you gave his twin
anniversaries and holidays are amazing bc you bake stuff for him as gifts, he literally cannot get enough of your baking, he is such a sweet tooth
he probably also comes up with really sickeningly sweet pet names for you that are bakery/pastry related ://
he unironically thinks its cute but you have to beg him to stop calling you his little strawberry shortcake in public
obviously he picks up on your dislike for it but that only fuels his fire more (only when he wants to get you riled up ofc)
will walk into your bakery when he knows you're at cash and say very loudly
"hello there my sweet pumpkin pie, how has your day been?"
now you were almost the cause of a fight in your cozy little bakery.
"'samu I swear to every higher power there is if you don't stop-"
there would also be late night talks of how you could both grow your shops further and expand
all in all he loves working right next door to you and having you in all other aspects in his life as well <3
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT!!! sorry for the long wait. and if anyone has trouble with the pink text, let me know!! I can change it back to black, I just wanted to try something new :)
pls consider liking and reblogging <3
#miya osamu x reader#miya osamu fluff#osamu x reader fluff#miya osamu x reader fluff#haikyuu x reader fluff#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu fluff#hq x reader#hq fluff
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Patty's Pasteries
Argyle x Reader
Warning(s): None
Summary: Crushing on your regular
Word Count: 1.1K
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After five grueling months of construction, Patty's Pastries had finally opened across the street from Surfer Boy Pizza. But it was all worth it, especially when Argyle could run over and get something sweet during his breaks. He loved pizza, but sometimes his munchies called for something savory and high in sugar.
Walking inside; it was as cutesy on the inside as it looked on the outside. The walls consisted of blue wallpaper and white flowers, while the floor was checkered in a similar color scheme. There were a few booths, but they were all empty despite only being a little past two pm.
The closer Argyle stepped to the cash register, the more his mouth began to water at the divine scent of freshly baked pastries. A cute little sign with 'please ring' sat beside a polished silver bell. Bringing his hand out, he tapped the top of the bell curve and waited.
There was a crashing sound along with curses being heard from the back. Argyle's eyebrows rose in concern as a small muffled argument had arisen before it became silent. Argyle strained his ears and listened as a bang of a metal pan was heard before the double doors finally opened.
"Shut up! And don't you dare burn my kolache rolls, or it's your ass!" you hissed as you walked from the kitchen to the front of the bakery with your back towards Argyle.
"Hello, welcome to Patty's Pasteries. " Looking up, you made eye contact with a pair of pretty brown eyes as you finished drying your hands on your apron. "H--how can I help you?"
Argyle could feel his mouth dry up at the sight of you. Your face had a lovely gleam of sweat from standing near hot ovens. Flower had covered the majority of your apron while a streak had also somehow smeared across your cheek. Overall you looked like a hot mess, but to Argyle, you looked like an absolute angel.
"Are you okay? I can, like, totally come back another time." Argyle pointed his thumb towards the exit as he continued to eye the state you were in. "N-no! You're fine. Just my dumb coworker not knowing the difference from a cannoli to the stick in her ass," you scowled.
Your eyes widened at the realization that you were acting very unprofessional to a customer, and you instantly straightened up. "I'm so sorry. Uhm. What would you like?" A smile slowly crept on his lips the longer he looked at you.
"I don't really know. This is my first time here. Do you know what's good for a case of some munchies?" Your lips quirked up, and you leaned against the counter to get a better look at him. Argyle could feel his skin heat up at how closely you looked at him.
"I think you'd like one of our puff pastry berry pinwheels. You can choose between orange, strawberry, or my personal favorite cherry."
As Argyle began to think about his choices, it gave you time to study him. He was pretty pleasing to the eye. His long silky black hair, soft brown eyes, and his pillowy soft looking plump lips that happened to be moving–
"I'm sorry. What did you say?" You could feel yourself begin to flush after openly staring at him.
"Oh, I just said that. I think I'll try the cherry one. I mean, if you recommend it, then it should be pretty tasty," he said, not realizing how you had looked at him. You smiled and began to package his order of three pinwheels; you also decided to throw in a jumbo-sized chocolate chip cookie.
"Oh, I didn't order the cookie…unless I did?" he questioned himself. You smiled, knowing that his mind was most likely faded as he enjoyed his high.
"Don't worry, it's free." You laughed and rung him up. His eyes brightened up, and his smile grew.
"Oh wow. Thanks, dude!" He dug in his wallet and placed the money in your hands. His thick California accent came through with his vocab.
+++
Argyle soon started to come in more and more, always asking for a recommendation, which you happily obliged. You always made sure to be the one to help him when he came in; even if the store was chaotic, you always took your time to help him specifically.
It didn't take long for you to start harboring feelings for him and vice versa. The two of you were making heart eyes whenever the other was around. You were also about 95% sure that he liked you back, especially when he looked at you with awe and admiration.
The next time he came in, you had insisted that he sit down since you had something special for him.
You had a small white box in your hands before you sat it down in front of him. Sitting on the other side, you waited for him to open it. Five decent-sized puff pastries were powdered to perfection sat and stared up at him.
"Woah, these look good," he said, looking between you and the box. "They taste even better. Here," reaching in the package, you pulled one out and placed it near his lips. His eyebrows shot up, but he shrugged and leaned in. He took a big bite and pulled back as his eyes widened.
"That's so good!" His eyes closed as he chewed the dessert.
"I know how much you love pineapple, so I made something that I thought you'd enjoy," you said, popping the remaining pastry in your mouth. His eyes had unintentionally drifted to your lips as you sucked the powder sugar from your thump and forefinger.
You watched as his Adam's apple bobbed and couldn't help but smile in delight. You were now 99% sure that he liked you back.
"Hey, Argyle?" Your voice had made him finally look up from your lips to your eyes.
"Y-yeah?" You couldn't help but smile at his little voice crack. "Do you want to go on a date?" You suddenly felt shy as the words fell from your lips and began to fiddle with the corner of the box. Peeking up through your lashes, you could see a blush on his tanned cheeks. His lips were parted as he processed what you had asked.
"No pressure, if you don't want to–"
"No! I mean, yes! I am like totally down to go on a date with you." He reached over and held your hands. His cheeks flushed against his complexion, which caused you to smile. His smile only grew the longer he looked at you. Ducking your head into your chest, you smiled at your entwined fingers.
Your heart was beating a mile a minute knowing that you were right and that he actually liked you back.
"So, pick me up at six?"
#Argyle x reader#Stranger things x reader#reader insert#oneshot#gender neutral reader#drabble#stranger things s4#st4
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Saw the majors post and read the tags. Two questions for you
1) what is your favorite pastry to make?
2) do you have a silly/fun cooking apron? What's your favorite apron or an apron you wish you had?
Favorite pastry to make is pie. Pie crust is fun but can be SO picky! Overwork it a little and it’s too tough. Underwork it and it crumbles or breaks in the wrong places during baking. I like to use as few ingredients as possible. All those recipes with eggs and vinegar and sugar? Nah. You just need flour, salt, butter, and cream.
But then you get a good dough and you can fill it with ANYTHING you want!! Fruits! Berries! Meats! Vegetables! Mushrooms! Custards! Mousses! My favorite savory pie right now is a mushroom galette with four kinds of mushrooms, balsamic glaze, and smoked cheddar. Favorite sweet pie has consistently been key lime for decades.
I have one apron I never wear. It was made by my great grandmother who was a Tailor by trade and a Taylor by name. She made several flower-print aprons that basically looked like a tshirt with an extra high neckline, and it had a snap button in the back to keep it on you. She designed it to be full coverage over whatever you were wearing so you could slip in and out of the apron in the kitchen and still wear your Sunday best to present the meal. Super easy and cute - but I have sensory issues around my neck and refuse to alter her apron for my comfort cuz it’s an heirloom.
I’m not a messy cook, so I don’t often need an apron anyway. But if I know I’m gonna be throwing flour around I’ll wear an old tshirt until I’m done baking.
What’s your favorite pie?
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Tutto Italia's Lasagna Al Forno Recipe: An Authentic Italian Dish
If you're a fan of Italian cuisine, you're probably familiar with the mouthwatering flavors of lasagna. And if you've had the pleasure of dining at Tutto Italia Ristorante in Epcot's World Showcase at Walt Disney World, then you know that their Lasagna Al Forno is a dish that's not to be missed.
Fortunately, you don't have to travel all the way to Disney World to indulge in this delicious dish. With this Lasagna Al Forno recipe, you can recreate the same rich and hearty flavors of Tutto Italia's signature dish in your own kitchen.
More Delicious Recipes You Will Love:
- Avoiding Kitchen Bloopers: Perfecting Kona Sweet Bread
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp Spoodles Recipe: A Delicious and Easy Meal
- Kona Cafe’s Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes: Recipe with Sauce
This classic Italian dish features layer upon layer of tender pasta, creamy ricotta cheese, flavorful meat sauce, and melted mozzarella cheese. The recipe also includes a secret ingredient that sets this lasagna apart from others - a touch of nutmeg, which adds a warm and slightly sweet flavor to the savory dish.
Whether you're looking to impress guests at a dinner party or simply craving a comforting and satisfying meal, Tutto Italia's Lasagna Al Forno recipe is sure to hit the spot. So grab your apron and get ready to cook up a taste of Italy in your own home.
Lasagna. Everybody loves it. Right?
Wrong.
I don’t like lasagna. I’ve never liked lasagna. I don’t buy it, I don’t order it, I honestly can’t remember the last time I even ate lasagna. I’m just not a fan.
So what is somebody to do when they hear around dinnertime “I’m in the mood for a good lasagna tonight…” when they’re such a non-fan of the dish that, when put on the spot, they’re not even sure how to make it?
Time to look to find that magical Disney recipe. If there was ever a recipe for something that could turn a food I don’t like into something I can make and actually enjoy, it would be a Disney recipe. I’d hoped, hoped, hoped that I had a recipe from Wolfgang Puck Express, but I actually came up with the next best thing. A Wolfgang Puck-inspired dish from Tutto Italia Ristorante.
So, the things I learned about lasagna by making this dish…First and foremost, there is such a thing as a lasagna that I adore, and this is it. It’s apparently very non-traditional in terms of American-style lasagna, but very classic, authentic Italian. Maybe that’s why I loved it so much.
There were a lot of great flavors, not weighed down by heavy ricotta or cheese. I could taste the tomatoes, the meat, all the spices. Seriously, it was awesome. Even the leftovers were spectacular. This was unlike the lasagna I’ve had before. It was hearty, it didn’t fall apart or disintegrate, and it wasn’t oily or greasy… If all lasagna tasted like this, maybe I’d like it more.
The second thing that I learned… Making lasagna from scratch is easy, though complicated, and it makes A LOT of dishes. And it’s a major investment in time. My stove and dishwasher got quite the workout. Just think if I’d made the pasta, like they do on-site. Holy cow.
I really stuck to the recipe on this one, though I did use dried herbs instead of fresh (again, NH in the winter means no good fresh herbs). I’ll admit I ran out of the pomodoro sauce because I over-sauced the meat and the bottom of the pan, so I couldn’t top the lasagna with a decent layer of sauce before I baked, or dress it after I’d cut and plated it.
Next time, I’ll probably make more, or be a little lighter on how I sauce everything. I did, however, sauce the slices I served with some of the sauce drippings from the pan, and that was brilliant and tasty, if I do say so myself.
So this is my exception to my “I don’t like lasagna” rule. It’s time consuming and makes a mess in the kitchen, but I think if I want to impress people with an amazing dish, this is a great choice.
~~~~ °o° ~~~~
In addition to the delicious food and recipes, Disney World is also known for its unique dining experiences, such as character dining and themed restaurants. Whether you want to have breakfast with Mickey Mouse, dine in a replica of a sci-fi drive-in theater at Hollywood Studios, or enjoy a meal with an ocean view at the Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot, there's something for everyone. And with the help of Recipes Today and the How to Make category, you can even recreate some of these magical dining experiences in your own home. So why not start planning your next Disney-inspired meal or dining experience today?
Read the full article
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I'd love to hear about what Five would eat!
This has been such a hard ask to answer because I have so much detail to back every assertion, I could write a fucking book. I had a lot of fun thinking about this though, and there are a lot of subtopics to explore. But in the spirit of keeping things under a kip... :)
The answer to “What would Five eat?” is Literally Anything with Caloric Value. So I am going to answer the more specific question: What are Five’s comfort foods? Or: What kind of food could his sibling keep in the house to make him feel more comfortable?
From what we’ve seen him eat in the show, Five seems like the kind of person who finds comfort in the familiar. Literally the first thing he fuels himself on is a fluffernutter, something he loved as a child. A fluffernutter sandwich is not just a nostalgia trip, either, when taken into consideration.
Five very obviously operates on carbs, that’s his main source of fuel (not the caffeine). Bread and marshmallows are all sugar. Peanut butter is a superfood, it has all the important things - fat, carbs, and protein with the plus of being easy to digest. Peanut paste is commonly used to treat severe acute malnutrition. Peanut butter being a common snack for Five would absolutely track, regardless of the fact that it’s obviously something he would actually like if he had even a remotely normal relationship to food. It was likely one of the first things he was given to eat when the Commission picked him up, and by far one of the best tasting things.
That’s another thing that should be taken into consideration. Five went the vast majority of his life without basic spices. Not even table salt. I can't imagine Five needs a lot for something to be very savory or tasty to him. Which also means it wouldn’t take much for something to be too rich, either. He probably can’t do spice anymore, or at least will really have to work himself up to it.
The real exception to this is sweet stuff. Five has a sweet tooth a mile wide even when he tries to deny it. It could also be partially instinctual for him to seek out foods that are fast metabolizing, or it could just be his preference for quick energy. He’s obviously got trauma around a twinkie incident, and it would be fair for him to not be able to stomach vanilla cakes or those types of desserts anymore. I like to think he’s a fresh fruits lover at heart, and while he likes his candy, he’d go for sweet fruit if given the choice. This would be a post-apocalypse discovery for him, as fruit wouldn’t be on his radar unless he could grow some. Fruit can be hard to grow though, and I really think he would stick to tubers for their ease and high yield.
The last thing is canned food. Canned food doesn’t actually last forever. It has to be stored in specific conditions, undamaged, and sheltered from the elements. The cans that do survive and are edible after a decade or two would stop tasting good. I suspect Five only lived on canned food for the first two decades at most, and had to have moved to gardening and hunting at some point once the weather cleared. The ultimate time of scarcity would be the back half of the nuclear winter, when the cans were scarce and there still wasn’t enough sunlight reaching the surface for nature to start coming back. It would be a war between Five, the scavengers (rats and vultures mainly), and whatever else managed to survive. I imagine having a supply of non-perishable foods would be a massive comfort to him.
So if his siblings were to stock a kitchen for Five: Canned foods - mostly fruits, veggies, beans, and soups. They would absolutely catch Five eating straight out of the can, utensils optional. He would eat them mostly to keep a rotation going, but his favorite would be the canned fruits.
Sweet treats - mildly sweet cookies, likely nothing vanilla or sugar flavored, tho. Chocolate, toffee, peanut butter, and maybe caramel would be winners in Five’s book. Fruit for sure, and maybe fruit flavored hard candies.
Nutrient dense foods/ easy foods - protein bars and shakes, oatmeal (likely nostalgic as well, since they apparently ate it a lot as children), lightly salted trail mixes, rice and bread. Basic easy things that Five will seek out on his own.
Opinions on meat: I doubt Five would eat very much red meat, likely too rich for him. Poultry and fish would be the only meats he’d eat, and are really the only meats he could have had access to in the apocalypse.
Dairy: At a minimum. His teenage body wouldn’t likely be lactose intolerant but his older body sure as shit would have been. Ice cream would be the one thing he indulges in for that.
Oh, and Five absolutely has basic cooking skills. Knowing how long to heat something so it won’t give you a parasite is an important skill to have, regardless of if you're cooking on a stove or over a fire. He can’t bake, or do anything fancy, but he can make a decent stew if asked.
#thank you for the ask!#the umbrella academy#tua#five hargreeves#this one took me a while and i'm sorry#had to take a few days to organize my thoughts#it was hard for me to stay away from all the tangents i could have gone on#like all the minutia of my theory on canned food as comfort food#and apocalypse theories#so many apocalypse theories#food#food discussion
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The Great Akatsuki Bake-Off
*this was a request in my inbox, I’m so sorry Anonymous I accidentally deleted it before I could reply, but I saw your message and here’s the response! ❤️*
Premise: The Akatsuki is broke af (again), and Pein comes up with the idea of having a bake sale to earn money. Every member of the Akatsuki makes a dessert to sell; chaos (or hilarity) ensues.
**Also I picture them setting up tables outside of one of the Akatsuki hideout caves which of course is equipped with a fully functioning kitchen because why not Jim**
Pein
It was his idea, he’s the leader, so naturally he ain’t cooking. The most the Pein-body will do is sit in the kitchen with Konan while she cooks, offering his opinion or praise.
Kisame
Kisame isn’t the biggest fan of sweets, so is at a bit of a loss for what to make. In the end, he decides to go with something that’s decidedly more savory than sweet; bacon-flavored scones with a maple syrup glazing. This requires some kneading and precise shaping, the latter of which requires small, delicate fingers that Kisame borrows Konan for. Should be noted that he wears a pink Kiss The Cook apron, and he blushes like crazy when Konan reads it and delivers one to his cheek. He gets a bit over-exuberant with the icing, getting more of it on the table than the actual scones. However, the end result is light, fluffy, and absolutely delicious. Deidara especially loves the bacon aspect, and is able to snitch a great number of these until Kakuzu catches him and forces him to pay up.
Deidara
Deidara would make a classic lava cake. He’d know absolutely nothing about this dessert beforehand; he’d be going through a cookbook, his eyes would fixate on the word “lava”, and he’d be sold. Sasori insists that he put on rubber gloves beforehand, because “Nobody wants your hand-drool in their food, brat.” Lava cake requires a very delicate touch and precise timing, something that Deidara has had to become familiar with when deploying his arsenal of bombs. Yet despite being careful he would have to start and re-start this mix many times; maybe he gets eggshells in the batter here, or mistakes oil for milk there. The inside of a lava cake has to smooth and liquid-y but the outside has to be soft yet firm; a single minute in the oven can make the difference between wonderful and awful for these little cakes. When he finally perfects one, he’s ecstatic; but the rest of the group is horrified, at how destroyed the kitchen is. Chocolate batter and powdered sugar covering every wall; yet, somehow, the guy himself remains spotless. Also, Deidara has made another critical error; he assumed that because the recipe was for a cake, it was for a LARGE cake that he could cut into sections and sell piece by piece. However, lava cakes are always small, individual desserts ... and Deidara has only made ONE. Still, he’ll take his one beauty and sell it almost immediately, leaving him time to wander around and filch “free samples” from everyone else’s dishes.
Zetsu
Nobody wants Zetsu trying to cook, because everyone is terrified of what he’d put into his creations. However, White Zetsu insists that (t)he(y) wants to participate, so the others hesitantly let him do so (with everyone periodically coming in to monitor him). His contribution? Pie. Zetsu knows that the key to delicious pie is in the light flakiness of the crust, and he creates several pies that literally melt in the mouth. And he doesn’t just do one flavor; he does apple, blueberry, cherry, and something he calls “surprise berry” ((which is really just a mix of raspberry, blackberry, and strawberry). Before Tobi goes to help Itachi, he’s in charge of helping Zetsu gather up the fruit, and he helps to peel and core and pit and wash until “my hands are really sleepy Zetsu-san!” Zetsu thinks his pies are perfect creations as a whole but Kakuzu insists he cuts them into individual slices to maximize profits, which White Zetsu balks over but Black Zetsu tells him to be quiet about.
Konan
Konan is a delicate, beautiful flower, so naturally anything she makes would reflect this. After much deliberation, she decides to make her version of a layered lemon mascarpone cake. The cake itself is a wonderfully moist vanilla sponge infused with lemon curd, layered with a thick lemon, honey and mascarpone cream, topped with fresh berries, and a light sprinkle of chopped pecans. At first she was only going to make one cake and portion it out into about 20 small pieces; but the demand for it was so high that Kakuzu told her he’d stay and sell the rest while she got back into the kitchen and made another. She’s by far the neatest chef in the kitchen, as she cleans up her mess as she goes so when she’s through, all she has to wash is the empty cake pan itself. She makes sure to save a large piece to secretly take to Nagato later; it’s been a long time since he’s had anything sweet to eat.
Kakuzu
Kakuzu doesn’t want to cook; he’d rather be the one running the sale. However he recognizes that the more desserts they have the more profit they can make, so he grudgingly makes a few trays of brownies. His secret ingredient? Sour cream. At first everyone sees him putting this into his mix and think he’s gone crazy; however, after they try one ((and don’t think for a second he’s not charging his fellow teammates for even a tiny sliver)) they’re blown away by how good they are. After he sets his items on the table, he’s the one who collects the money from the customers. Has to be talked down from the exorbitant prices that he tries to charge people at first. “How much for a piece of blueberry pie?” “500,000 ¥.”
Sasori
He really isn’t into baking (because why would he be? he doesn’t eat) but he knows how to read and follow a recipe. After some careful thought, he chooses to make cupcakes. At first he resolves only to make a dozen, and to keep it all one simple flavor: the chocolate with vanilla frosting that’s in the recipe. Yet as he stands there, a feeling takes hold of him; he remembers happier times, perched on a stool in the kitchen and watching/helping his grandmother as she cooked. That nostalgia drives him to get more creative, and make MUCH more than intended. Some of his creations are great; such as his ginger-chocolate cupcakes with fudge icing. But others, like his broccoli and carrot cake topped with “spicy” cream cheese, not so much. Regardless, the majority of his creations sell, which Sasori’s pleased about. Should be noted that Kakuzu did not entirely trust Sasori not to put some kind of poison into his dessert, so he forced Hidan to sneak and taste-test everything (as he’s the only one who would regenerate from certain death). But Hidan wouldn’t know arsenic from cinnamon; and he winds up with a hell of a stomach-ache after his forced culinary servitude.
Itachi and Tobi
Seeing as how he loves dango so much, Itachi decides to make several dozen sticks of the tri-colored sweet rice dumplings. He keeps the pink dumpling the common strawberry flavor, and the white plain, but he does something special with the green ball, flavoring it with vanilla extract and green tea. Because Tobi is a nightmare in the kitchen (and because he needs supervision when it comes to sweets), Itachi allows him to help, mainly in the form of sticking the dumplings neatly on the stick once they’re shaped. He’s a good helper, except for when Itachi takes his eyes off of him, as he likes to add icing, sprinkles, and a variety of decadent extras that don’t belong on this simple dessert. And it’s a good thing that Itachi makes so many, seeing as they BOTH sneak and eat quite a few when the other is distracted. Tobi is very helpful when it comes to pushing their wares, as his carefree, childlike demeanor attracts customers to their table.
Hidan
Hidan wants something that’s visually representative of him, so what does he make? Red velvet cake bars. The outside is covered with a white-silver frosting, but when you cut into it, the deep red of the cake greatly resembles blood. Hidan isn’t the best at baking (or cooking in general) so he asks Konan to help him when she’s not occupied with her own dish. He’s surprisingly calm and conscientious in the kitchen, keeping his swearing to a minimum and being extra-careful with measuring out ingredients and waiting on the oven to do its thing. He borrows Kisame’s Kiss The Cook apron, only he crosses out the second O and replaces it with a C. His bars come out slightly uneven but really good nonetheless. However, being Hidan, he can’t resist throwing in a prank; he saves some of the cake batter and holds it in his mouth, then, after taking a bite of someone else’s fare, claims that it’s poisoned and spits “blood” out of his mouth, which freaks out their early customers until Kakuzu catches him and exiles him back inside.
#the akatsuki#bake sale#cooking with the Akatsuki? I’d 10/10 watch that show!#pein#konan#deidara#sasori#tobi#zetsu#itachi#kisame#kakuzu#hidan#deadass now I’m hungry af 😫#also I’m sad nobody made my favorite: lemon bars#headcanon
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Stray Kid’s Cafes || OT8
Summary || Stray kids if they were to own cafes!
Genre || Fluffff
Word Count || 1.7k
Note || I wrote this at 2am. (And nervous as hell to post this) I thought it was a cute idea (cause my love fore cafes u know & longing to go to one but covid-) buuuuut... if you think it’s written poorly, my excuse: my half awaken mind and questioning sleep schedule. It’s also because I’m used to writing formally rather than this. Enjoy though ヽ(ヅ)ノ
⤑Bang Chan
Inside/Theme: Dark, moody, and very spacious. Plants in macrame and outlets everywhere. Grey concrete tables with chairs of dark wood and black iron. Either lofi or jazz plays in the background. Flooring patched with large black and white honeycomb tiles. Wood of deep and mysterious browns are made for walls. Glass pendants dangle from above. Perfect for relaxing or studying. Even more perfect to visit on rainy days.
Hours: 9am - 2am
Menu: Cinnamon rolls, espresso, frappes, omelets, sandwiches, croissants (plain or chocolate), salads, raspberry scones, hot chocolate
It’s like your presence just sparked something in Chan. You were a frequent customer, so not only Chan, but other employees recognize you. It just so happened that this day was the day Chan felt braver than others. When you went up to the counter and ordered a hot latte, it was the beginning of an endless exchangement of (cringey) pickup lines. And they were all based on coffee... “If you were coffee grounds, you'd be espresso 'cause you're so fine.” (oh dear god-) The both of you realizing you don’t have all the time in the world, you finish your order but Chan refuses you to pay with money. “Giving me your number sounds like a fairer trade.” And also, starting from this day, would always be some note or saying written on the cup sleeve of your coffee.
⤑Minho
Inside/Theme: Cat Cafe! Small white stools and square tables. Windows as the walls with window sills where cats sleep. Cat toys scattered everywhere. Mini houses with beds and staircases hung on the walls. Like an indoor cat community. In the center is a giant wooden structure in the shape of a tree for cats to climb. Each one has a name. You receive a free slice of cake if you remember each cat’s name. 50% of the treats on display are just for the cats. (And of course, every cat there is up for adoption!!)
Hours: 8am - 10pm
Menu: Shortcakes, blueberry muffins, fruit sandwiches, cookies, lattes (with latte art of cats ofc), mochas, bagels, banana bread.
Scenario || You find a cat wandering the streets and get a hold of it, calling the number displayed on its tags. You eventually return it to the cafe. As a thank you, Minho freely gives you a treat off the menu and a free session with the cats. You two make time fly with endless conversations of your guys love for cats and his opinion on why cats should rule over humans and the entire world. When you're at home later that night, it’s 2am. Turns out Minho saved your number when you called for the loose cat earlier because he sent you photos of his own 3 cats. Many photos. And one with him and a funny/weird filter.
⤑Changbin
Inside/Theme || Open and welcoming, very convenient. A cafe kiosk placed in a park, sheltered by the tall swaying trees and surrounded by the small patches of blossoms. The kiosk is made of tan wood, outlined and roofed with black. The cafe space has a stretched out wooden platform next to it. Above is a wooden frame wrapped in string lighting. Iron benches and long tables. The experience is even more enjoyable during spring.
Hours || 9am - 11pm
Menu || Iced tea, matcha crepe cakes, sandwiches, mocha bread rolls, raspberry lemonade, cappuccinos, ice cream (of many flavors).
Scenario || You should’ve known it was going to rain today. It’s like the huge grey clouds were trying to warn you through the whole morning. Before the pour, though, you strolled through the park and saw the cafe kiosk and let me tell you, those mocha bread rolls sounded good (especially on a chilly day). While sitting on the benches next to the cafe enjoying the mocha rolls, you feel the sky spitting on you and it only gets more aggressive. You look around and see everyone has an umbrella. Except you. Changbin invites you to wait out the rain inside his cafe kiosk (which you gladly accept). He also notices your joy from the mocha bread rolls and decides to show you how he makes it. It was messy (since your lack of baking skills were definitely no help), but fun for the both of you.
⤑Hyunjin
Inside/Theme || A neat and cozy atmosphere dipped in traveling dreams. Walls displayed with plants draping to its heart content and photos of sceneries and dogs (which Hyunjin gladly took and displayed himself). Low tables painted with faint hues of grey, placed against the walls. Linen lounges and small glass vases of baby breaths. Large windows with window sills lined with fuzzy pillows. Towards the back, a small staircase leading to a wooden platform holding up bookshelves.
Hours || 10am - 12am
Menu || Americanos, strawberry crepe cakes, savory crepes, honey toast, fruit tarts, fresh strawberry milk, paninis, strawberry mousse.
Scenario || You’re roaming the section where the bookshelves are. Hands drifting across the aligned books and head pondering what to read. You look next to your side, taking note of Hyunjin suddenly talking to you. He asks about your favorite genres to read. He also recommends you some of his favorite literature (which you eventually discover that majority of them are poems/stories of romance) and says it be fun to read them together, along with his treat of fresh strawberry milk. Reading sessions and strawberry milk became a weekly routine for the two of you.
⤑Jisung
Inside/Theme || Shelves of pastries for you to grab and put on a tray. Filled with an aroma of sweet coffee. Simple tables and benches made of deep browns. White counters tiled with a large honeycomb pattern. Walls are of a light grey. Next to windows are woven hanging chairs with cute cartoon animal characters. On the counter is a jar of stick props for photos ‘cause why not.
Hours || 9:30am - 10pm
Menu || Cheesecake (of many different flavors), chocolate cake, iced americanos, croissants, cake rolls, custard bread, cream puffs, egg tarts, tirimisu.
Scenario || You ordered a few slices of cheesecakes after asking Jisung which ones he recommended. It was quite obvious he loved cheesecake more than anything and of course you couldn’t order just one flavor! Along with the few cheesecakes, You also ordered an americano. After receiving your drink (and cheesecake), you found a small note taped on the cup: “If you want more cheesecake suggestions, ask me anytime!” Below was a doodle of a squirrel and his phone number. AND maybe... just maybe... You take a photo of your cheesecakes to show your friend and Jisung ends up photobombing half of the photos you took (with some of the props from the counter). And of course you don’t notice until your friend starts spamming you about the guy in the background.
⤑Felix
Inside/Theme || A video game cafe, sells mainly bubble tea. Very homey with couches and bean bag chairs. A few TVs hooked up to the Switch. Simple patterned rugs and walls of a faint blue. Cute cartoon stickers displayed on walls and concrete counters. White shelves of board games.
Hours || 8am - 11:30pm
Menu || Bubble tea, brownies, cookies (of many kinds), bubble waffles, banana pudding, toast (sweet & savory), pancakes.
Scenario || You enter the cafe when it’s empty. You order a treat of your choice and make your way to play the Switch. With no other customer around, Felix decides it won’t hurt to take an extra break and play with you. (To beat you in a game or more of Super Smash Bros to be specific.) 1 game turned into countless that you both even lost track of your scores. And perhaps he got too distracted and almost missed the growing line waiting at the counter. But! Weekly video game tournaments between the two of you became something to look forward to. And maybe the two of you decided to play UNO one day and boy did the game put the two of you in a pit of raging hell.
⤑Seungmin
Inside/Theme || A comforting, more on the minimalistic side cafe. White brick walls, light grey flooring, and high beamed ceilings. Black pendant lights hanging, painting the cafe in light hues of honey. Long high tables with tall iron stools. Small potted succulents aligned on the table. White marble counters and pastries displayed in glass cake stands.
Hours || 7:30am - 10:30pm
Menu || Lattes, croissant sandwiches, chocolate mousse dogs, crepes (sweet and savory), lemon poundcake, biscuits with peach jam, homemade soups.
Scenario || Lets just say your day has been extremely hectic. For a cure, a treat from your favorite cafe sounds like a good plan. Though, you end up entering the cafe five minutes after closing hours. Great. Seungmin, who is inside cleaning up one of the tables, notices (and also recognizes you’re the frequent customer he has gotten to be friends with over his shifts). He unlocks the door and happily lets you stay after hours. You have latte (which Seungmin actually draws a happy face on the cream) and a chocolate mousse dog while chatting with Seungmin. Thanks to Seungmin’s constant invitations, late orders and chats ended up becoming regular.
⤑Jeongin
Inside/Theme || Low platform seating and low round tables. Small jars of fairy lights and daisies. Background music is either lofi or indie. Walls of a comforting dark green and floors of dark wood. Framed cute doodles and warm signs decorate the walls. High ceilings with gold lamps hanging.
Hours || 7:30am - 9pm
Menu || Milk bread, milkshakes, taiyaki (with different fillings), taro crepe cakes, fruit tea with popping boba, soufflé pancakes.
Scenario || You know that broken or no internet connection running dinosaur game (if not look it up and it’ll literally change ur life.)? Well, you brought your laptop to study but surely a game or two won’t be a big deal. And maybe playing also lended time to mentally prepare yourself just to ask for the wifi password. When Jeongin came to serve your cake order (a taro crepe cake or any crepe cake is a must try in life), he places the plate next to you and begins to speak as he notices your screen (where you keep running into pterodactyls and failing). And no, he wasn’t giving you the wifi password. “Can I try?” Beating each other’s high scores, still no wifi, and chatting. That’s how the rest of the afternoon went. (With Jeongin taking a break every now and then to help the customers of course.)
#stray kids#stray kids drabbles#hyunjin imagines#bang chan imagines#minho imagines#lee know imagines#jeongin imagines#jisung imagines#han imagines#changbin imagines#seungmin imagines#felix imagines#lee felix imagines#yongbok imagines#skz imagines#stray kids imagines#hyunjin drabbles#bang chan drabbles#jisung drabbles#felix drabbles#stray kids fluff#skz fluff#hyunjin x reader#bang chan x reader#jisung x reader#lee felix x reader#jeongin x reader#changbin x reader#seungmin x reader#minho x reader
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❌ trigger warning for c*owns if you're scared of them! also t/w for b*uises and a*use.
BASIC INFO:
😈 full name: jakko the jester.
👺 nicknames: jak, snowball, the royal frickup. (lol jk) ⭐ fun fact: he's an ablino!
👤 age: 19!
🎩 gender: male.
🌈 sexuality: home of sexual.
👽 species: human.
🔮 powers: none.
🚩languages spoken: english.
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: 👢height: 4'9! (like me 😞)
❄️ hair color: snow white but he wears a jester cowl/hat to cover it because he's totally self conscious about it.
👀 eye color: icy blue.
👻 skin color: an alabaster white.
👁 type of eyes: his eyes are sunken and sad but they are also big and doe-like.
💀 additional notes: his pupil's aren't black, they are a light blue.
🤡 face details: his face is covered in colorful makeup. his lips are sparkly and dark blue. though he has a pretty face, it's also covered in deep bruises and he almost always has black eyes. (this is caused by the lion tamer, my other oc who really isn't a good guy. i'mma make a bio for him one day.) jakko also has long, feather like eyelashes.
👚 regular outfit: he wears a pink and blue body suit that has lots of glitter and big frills on the sleeves. he wears a jester cowl with big white bells connected to the three tassels. his shoes are heeled and they're two different colors. on his neck, he wears an extremely large ruffled clown color.
👗 sleepwear: he wears a real frilly and ruffly nightgown. it's pink and blue as well. he keeps his clown collar on when he wears it.
PERSONALITY:
💬 brief description: his personality is /very/ strong; he has lots and lots of emotions. he's also kind of obnoxious. the jester has a major addiction to sugar and anything sweet.
🐔 first impression: very intense, lots of energy. you may also think he's nervous because he's constantly moving and shaking; nearly buzzing and vibrating, but that's just his overload of energy and excitement.
🐥 once you get to know them: he'll probably bake you lots of sweets and never leave your side. he's loyal.
🐷 default expression: a wide, toothy smile.
🦆 alignment: chaotic good.
🦇 habits: talking real loud and jumping up and down.
🐛 intelligence: he's . . . not that bright. but he has a big heart so i guess it all works out!
SPEECH:
👾 voice description: it's loud and peppy sounding. he talks like a valley girl. (a very excited valley girl.)
💉 swearing?: NEVER!
💭 do they think before they speak?:
i don't even think he thinks at all.
LIFE:
🎀 occupation: being a full-time jester at the carnival and always an international glamour-puss.
💖 past reltionships: although he's very flirty, he really loves the Lion Tamer. He loves no one as much as he loves that piece of poop. doesn't mean that he isn't open for shipping tho! 👀
INTERESTS:
💚 likes: cotton candy, making people happy, hugging people
. 💔 dislikes: salt!
🍔 favorite food: cotton candy, hands down.
🐖 favorite animal: cats, rats or tarantulas.
🎨 favorite Color: either pink or blue.
🤢 least favorite food: seafood or anything savory or salty.
👿 least favorite animal: ducks.
🖤 least favorite color: duh! black.
MISCELLANEOUS: ♫
songs that fits character's personality:
bubblegum bitch- marina and the diamonds
theme from valley of the dolls - donnie warwick
laughing on the outside - bernadette carrol
if - bread
send in the clowns - judy collins
sunshine, lollipops and rainbows - lesley gore
💖 HI GUYS, THANKS SOSOSO MUCH FOR READING!! I HOPE YOU LIKE MY FOOL !! PLEASE COMMENT OR MESSAGE ME IF YOU WANNA INTERACT W HIM !!! 💖
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‘Tis the Season for Smut Challenge
DAY 1 PROMPT: KISS ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE
Pairing: Taki Kozaki / (Reader/MC)
Fandom: Kings of Paradise
Genre: Fluff-SMUT
Word Count: 6,258
Warning: Graphic / NSFW
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Summary
They loved each each way back then and have fallen in love with each other once more 10 years later. Both hurt from the past, they take each other’s hand and recommit to be each other’s strength.
The ways that they express their love may not be innocent anymore after all these years, but the love that they have for each other remains as pure and honest as it has always been.
So what messages do a mistletoe wreath - a simple yet beautiful Christmas ornament - carry for the two of them? Only time...and they...can tell that the messages behind the mistletoe wreath will stand the tests of time -- just as much as their love for each other has always done.
Flashback – 10 Years Ago
Setting: High School Campus – Gym / Auditorium
MC’s POINT OF VIEW
A string of Christmas music plays from the auditorium-based sound system. The mood-stirring music may be loud, but it puts everyone in such a festive mood. There is much excitement and energy since school administration miraculously approved the students to hold a Christmas Fair. And so all of us students are working hard and doing our best to make the school’s very first Christmas Fair a success. We want to impress the administration so that this will be the first of many years that students get to do a three-day Christmas Fair.
There is a lot of noise at the school auditorium where the upper-year students separate into two main groups – boys and girls. The bursts of excitement on both sides increase as chats about the most mundane and blush-inducing things happen along with talks on how to get tasks done. The auditorium, considered a prime location during any school event, is the upper-year student’s territory.
Taki and the other taller boys are helping out in hanging decorations. They work along with another group composed of boys and girls who hand out decorations they have hand-crafted along with store-bought ones purchased from the discount stores from long ago.
Meanwhile, a smaller group of us are throwing in ideas on what sweet and savory delicacies we will be making, selling, and serving for the Fair.
As every minute passes, the excitement escalates in spite of everyone doing his or her best efforts to keep the noise down. After all, we do not want school administration to change their minds.
Speaking of Taki, he was amazing! If it were not for him, all of these festivities would have not been made possible. I was part of the group that met with the school principal and vice-principal. Before he spoke, the administration turned down our proposal even though the majority of the students have already signed a petition in favor of the school hosting a Christmas Fair. I witnessed how his persuasive reasoning had marketed the school Christmas Fair into something appealing. He justified that the Fair will generate additional funds for much-needed repairs as well as serve and entertain the community at the same time.
With that thought resting in my mind and heart, I renew my commitment to pour my all into this endeavor. I do not want Taki’s and our student body’s efforts to go to waste.
And all throughout the time spent in the auditorium, Taki and I steal furtive glances. Our eyes sometimes meet, and when they do then we allow our eyes to do the smiling for us.
Taki and I have known each other for as long as I can remember, and we have seen the best and worst of each other. Well, the worst of each other becomes a point for teasing and shared laughs so all is well. He and I have also spent many Christmases together. We had an agreement ever since the first Christmas we have celebrated together – no gifts, and if we do give a gift it must be hand-made. We have also made a commitment to be each other’s first greeter for Christmas.
So ever since I have known Taki, he has been the first person who I see every Christmas. He has made a point to drop by my house to wish my parents and me a Merry Christmas, and then dart back home. He has done this even if it means only spending a few minutes just to see each other – something that I have always appreciated. On times where he could not make the personal visit, he would call me on the phone a few minutes before midnight so that we can greet each other.
Taki even did this when his mother became sick, and the first Christmas that he celebrated since she passed away.
This year, though, is different. This is the first Christmas that we will be spending as boyfriend-girlfriend. This new change in our relationship makes me look forward to Christmas this year.
Maybe I should bake those cookies that Taki loves and wrap them nicely in a gift basket…? I would like to give him something that I know he will appreciate and make him smile…
A girl classmate from the Decorations Committee pulls me out of my thoughts and says, “Hey, MC… Can you do us a favor?”
I smile back and reply, “Sure! What’s up?”
“Can you help Taki out, please? He’ll need someone to come with him to choose and get more decorations at the nearby storage room. The rest of the boys are getting more decorations and lighting from the supply room at the other end of the school for the night sky. They actually need more people to haul the stuff but they’ll make do with what they have. All the girls are going out shopping at the discount store for more decorations.”
“Of course I’ll help! Let’s clear it first, though, with my group.”
My classmate sighs, wiping the sweat from her brow but then grins again. “But hey – it’ll be so worth it! Not only are we turning the auditorium into a Christmas-themed garden, but making it into a night setting!”
I nod, and warm feelings flood my heart as I can picture in my mind what the auditorium can look like once our work is done. I can picture rows of strategically-placed dwarf trees lining up the perimeter to give it life mingled in with a Christmas tree in every corner of the auditorium.
And the main highlight is the stage where there will be two photo areas – one on the far left, and another on the far right. The left-side photo area will remain open with a festive background of green, red, burgundy, and gold decor. The right-side photo area will have an arch with ivy adorned with cooler shades of silver, ice blue, dark blue, and green.
The auditorium floor will be converted into a café where food and drink will be ordered from and served by selected members of the upper class. The boys will wear butler-style three-piece suits while the girls will wear Victorian-style maid’s outfit. Taki and I are assigned to work on the first day of the event.
I definitely can relate, and so I comment, “I know! It’s like we’re turning all of this space into a mish-mash of Christmas and a planetarium. It’ll be great!”
The other fellow members from the Food-and-Beverage Committee catch wind of our conversation and wholeheartedly agree with us.
And so one of my group members says, “Go help Taki out, MC. We have your notes here, so we’ll be fine.”
“Okay, thanks…” I tell my group and then accompany my classmate, the two of us now walking towards Taki.
Once my classmate updates Taki on what needs to happen and then departs for the discount store with the other girls, he goes down the ladder and then asks me, “You ready, MC?”
Our eyes meet and I say with a smile, “Lead the way.”
Ah that warm smile of his… The one that he now gives me in reply before he and I walk side by side towards the storage room. That smile of his that reaches his eyes and makes me feel as if I am the only one he sees and smiles for… It makes my heart race. It makes my cheeks flush.
Taki and I finally reach the storage room, with him having a hand cart in tow. He unlocks the door and we get inside. We go to the deeper part of the large storage room and rummage through the rows of shelves, with both of us respectively peeking in boxes to spot the presence of any Christmas décor.
My heart races knowing that my boyfriend is just within reach of me, and my mind keeps picturing that smile he gave me before we came here.
I get snapped back to reality when I hear Taki ask, “MC, come over here.”
I then approach Taki until we are less of an arm-reach from each other.
“What do you think of this?”
I blink and then look at the object in Taki’s hand. I see a plant-looking wreath with leaves of green, bark of brownish gold, and berries of red. “Is that supposed to be mistletoe?”
With a happy and disarmingly innocent smile, Taki replies, “Yeah, it is.”
Taki then lifts the hand holding the mistletoe wreath and poses as if he is demonstrating something for me. The mistletoe wreath hangs above my head and then he stands beside me as if we are about to pose together for a photograph. “So just picture this hanging in the middle of the arch for the photo area. This will be the only thing with red on it, so it’ll stand out. What do you think?”
I tilt my head a bit and my eyes narrow a bit as I try to picture how the mistletoe wreath will look like along with the arch, its planned decorations, and the color theme. As the seconds passed and a clearer picture comes in mind, I smile more warmly.
Taki, in turn, grins. “Well…? What do you think….?”
I let out a sigh, feeling so refreshed. “It’ll look great. It makes it a good contrast for the photos but it blends in with everything at the same time.”
As our gazes meet and then rest on each other, I feel my face flush.
With that smile of his, Taki inquires, “Are you familiar with the tradition involving the mistletoe?”
As I see Taki’s smile become more generous, I ask, “No…”
Taki moves the arm that now holds the mistletoe, still having it suspended above our heads. “They have a saying that a guy is allowed to kiss any girl standing under the mistletoe…and bad luck will come to the girl if she refuses the kiss.”
I frown, exclaiming, “That’s horrible!”
Taki’s innocent laughter fills the room. Once he brings his laughter down to a chuckle, he says, “Well, if you don’t want bad luck then all you need to do is kiss me.”
My face heats up. I am speechless. My heart pounds hard and quickly.
Taki then gives me a smile that not only warms but melts my heart. “So, MC…how about that kiss?”
How in the world can I ever say no to that smile?
And so as Taki continues to hold the mistletoe above me, he plants a chaste kiss on my lips. I close my eyes as we share a second kiss and subsequent ones – innocent as they may still be, they are much longer and more heartfelt…a sense of happiness filling me from the inside as the minutes pass with me in his arms.
As Taki and I continue to kiss in the storage room, my thoughts are only filled with Taki and how blessed I am to be his girlfriend.
-------------------------------------------------
Present Day
Setting: Taki Kozaki’s Penthouse
TAKI KOZAKI’S POINT OF VIEW
MC’s currently out with Ryoko on a girls’ day out while Sydney and I hold the fort.
Today and tomorrow are rare for me since I’ve decided to take the weekend off from work. MC was earlier tempted to cancel her plans with Ryoko but I told her to go ahead and enjoy her outing, promising her that I’ll stay at home to work on a project.
I’m wearing a buttoned burgundy shirt – the two top buttons unfastened and no jacket over it. I could’ve probably worn loungewear all day if I wanted to, but I changed into casual clothes just in case…
Sydney hangs out with me in the living room as I pull out and go through four clear plastic banker’s boxes labeled “CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.”
As I spend the hours poring through the boxes’ contents and thinking on how to decorate our home for Christmas, I come across a circular burgundy felt box that seems to have been untouched over the course of the years. I slightly frown, trying to wrack my brain on how I’ve obtained this.
Intrigued, I pull out the circular object from the bottom of the banker’s box. I then rest the burgundy container on my lap and then lift its lid. My eyes go wide for a moment, with me murmuring, “A mistletoe wreath….”
I look at Sydney, who stares back at me with wonder. Finally remembering, I tell my precious pet, “Shun… He gave this to me more than five years ago…”
I lift the mistletoe wreath, examining and admiring the intricate handiwork that went into creating it. Green silk leaves… Brownish golden twigs… Dark red berries made out of freshwater pearl… Thin silky threads of silver and gold neatly nesting the aged twigs together into a wreath… Heavy burgundy silk ribbon serving as the decorative hanger and topper for the wreath….
The sight of this mistletoe wreath invokes memories from 10 years ago, and it makes me smile. My mind’s eye vividly recalls how MC and I worked together with our schoolmates in transforming the high school auditorium into an esplanade on Christmas night – with a café that served delicious food and beverage, “park” benches where people could simply relax with drink in hand while chatting with others, and two photo booths to help capture memories on film.
I chuckle as I remember wearing a butler uniform while MC wore a Victorian Era-inspired maid’s outfit when we both helped out as café servers during the first day of the Christmas Fair. I also recall MC and I having our pictures taken, but I don’t remember as to where I’ve kept my copy of those photographs. One of those pictures was definitely with us dressed in our server outfits.
Maybe MC still has those photographs. I’ll ask her about them when she comes home…
My fingers ghost over the wreath, with me now feeling nostalgic and then melancholic as the happy memories move forward into ones that led to my 10-year separation with MC.
So much has changed from 10 years ago… MC and I aren’t as young and innocent as we once were....
I’m much happier now compared to the past 10 years, thanks to MC and I reuniting and falling in love with each other once more in spite of the past pains we’ve been through. I’m so happy that at times it scares me. Sometimes, my thoughts go on a tangent that maybe I don’t deserve to be happy because she’s far too pure and kind-hearted compared to me. There are also times that I’m struck with the fear of losing her – whether she falls out of love with me or fate tears us apart once more.
I know that I barely lived the past 10 years. I forced myself to move on and build myself from nothing. I numbed my heart and made it that way at all times. It was the only way for me to just continue breathing. But no matter whatever accomplishments I’ve achieved during that time, I wasn’t feeling truly alive or happy. Existing and breathing versus feeling fulfilled and happy are two totally separate things. When she came back, everything changed for the better. If she ever falls out of love with me or if we’re ever torn apart once more, I don’t know if I can ever survive and move on from that again. I don’t know if I’d have the strength to be that numbed and heartless person once again.
MC gave me back the heart that I’ve lost, and I’d never want to lose my way ever again… I keep thinking about her and us. Somehow, though, there are times that I feel a pang of pain lance through my heart as my mind and heart fight to reconcile and accept the fact that the happiness that I’ve been feeling since she came back is all real and well-deserved.
The door opens and then locks, and I hear footsteps approach the living room.
I smile as MC comes to me, telling her, “Welcome home! Did you have fun?”
With a happy nod, MC says after she kisses my cheek, “I did! I bought cake from that favorite bakery of yours. Why don’t you take a break and I’ll prepare a snack for us?”
“You didn’t get anything for yourself? Nothing interesting at the boutiques..?”
MC shakes her head shyly. “I don’t buy things unless I need them. Plus, I have more than enough of everything. I already had fun browsing through things and hanging out with Ryoko.” She then smiles more warmly and tells me, “Let me go to the kitchen and put away everything. I’ll join you shortly.”
I nod and then watch MC go.
Sydney stirs a little, approaching me...
I then grin at Sydney, whose hide I affectionately stroke before she decides to go to her resting place. I chuckle, recalling that she’s such a creature of habit. It’s actually around that time that she either takes a nap at her room or a swim at Pandora.
After a little while of rummaging through the boxes, I decide to take a break. I get up from the couch and then join MC in the kitchen.
I see that MC has a tray with tea for us to share along with two slices of cake. I approach her, embracing her from behind as I ask while I whisper in her ear, “May I carry that for you?”
“Sure….” MC says with her customary sweet smile.
That smile of hers…. It gets me every time, and I can’t help but smile myself….
The two of us then walk back together in the living room, with me handling the tray for our afternoon snack and then setting it down on the coffee table. We then take the time to enjoy the first sips of tea followed by a bite or two of cake.
“Are you all right, Taki?”
I blink, surprised by the question. “I’m fine… Why do you ask?”
“You just looked a bit sad when I walked in the door.”
I then search for the mistletoe wreath which I earlier laid on the couch, take it, and then show it to MC…my gaze not leaving her. “What does this make you think of…?”
MC stares at the object in my hand and then inquires, “That’s a mistletoe wreath – right…?”
I smile and nod, “Yes, it is…”
MC tilts her head a bit, lets out a soft sigh, and then smiles nostalgically. “It brings back memories. Remember the school Christmas Fair?”
“I sure do. Ten years ago. That year was our first Christmas season as boyfriend and girlfriend. That was also our last Christmas season together until 10 years later.”
“Until now… We’re greeting Christmas together this year just like we always did in the past. You’ll be the first person I greet Merry Christmas. I’ll be the first person you greet, too.”
“I know…”
MC looks at me for a long while. She then places her plate down and reaches for my hand, affectionately clasping it. "I love you. You know that, don’t you?"
I smile generously as MC’s words fill my heart with such warmth. “And I love you, too…” Our gazes then lock, and moments later I admit to her, "I don’t want anything to tear us apart ever again. The 10 years we had apart was more than enough."
MC smiles and faces me. She lifts her hand and touches my cheek. “I don’t want to be apart from you ever again, either. So is there anything that I can do to ease your sadness?”
“I’m not sad. In fact, I’m very happy. So happy that–”
“–You’re afraid that it’s too good to be true?” MC still stares back at me, her eyes expressing so much emotion that I feel that I’m melting from her gaze.
There’s a long pause between us before MC breaks the silence and says, “I feel the same way sometimes, too. You’re too good to me, Taki. So good that I always hope to be the woman you deserve.”
My heart clenches. I take the hand that touched my cheek earlier, bring it close to my lips, and kiss it reverently. I tell that hand’s owner, “You deserve the best, MC. What you said just now…? Sometimes I think that way, too…that I need to be better so that I’ll always be the man to make you happy.”
The two of us then exchange smiles, and I see MC get teary-eyed.
My heart feels that it’s about to burst from the emotions flooding it, especially when I see a teardrop stream down MC’s cheek. I whisper to her, “I never want to make to cry. I’m sorry if I got nostalgic for a little while.”
“They’re tears of joy because you make me happy and feel so loved everyday…”
As tears threaten to pool at the corners of my eyes, I kiss MC on the forehead with such affection. I then kiss her on the lips, the gesture reflective of my state of mind and heart regarding her and us.
As the minutes pass between that shared kiss, the kiss escalate to smoldering and explorative…with me pouring my heart out to MC, trying to tell her whatever I could not express in words through the series of lingering kisses between us.
MC moans into the kisses, wrapping her arms around my neck and drawing herself closer to me.
My breathing deepens a bit and I kiss behind MC’s ear. I then catch the light scent of her perfume as I plant kisses near her jaw line. My kisses then travel back to her lips.
MC draws closer to me and then cards her fingers into my hair as our lips meet. She takes the mistletoe wreath from my hand and then holds it above her head, claiming my lips. She lets out a low moan as she moves to straddle my lap through my prompting. Her hair falls over her features as she sits up slightly, drawing my lips with hers. She seems content knowing what her body, mind, and heart tells her. She lets our lips part and smiles at me before leaning in, quickly plundering my mouth with her tongue.
Closing my eyes as I sit up, my mouth welcomes her as the kiss between us deepens. Having her on my lap excites me, this moment between us right now feeling so right. As I kiss her, my hands unbutton her blazer and reveal the spaghetti-strapped white shell that she wears underneath her jacket. My hands ghost through the sheer silk top that she wears, the flimsy yet smooth fabric being the only intrusion between her skin and mine.
MC smiles as she hold her arms out slightly, helping me with my work of undressing her before she affectionately nuzzles into my neck.
I then unzip the white silk top that MC wore, revealing the white lace bra that keeps her covered. I look into her eyes with a pursed-lipped smile, my eyes lighting up as I feel right about what I’m doing. So I kiss her, drawing her closer to me as I unfasten her bra. Once her breasts were bare, my kisses begin to travel down to her neck and then her breast –suckling and nipping one nipple as my fingers ghost and tease the other breast into excitement. My lust consumes me even more, and I feel my manhood harden against against her body.
MC moans softly, her head falling back as she gently rocks her hips against me. Her entire body trembles with need, her lips part slightly as she holds me close to her body. Her fingers work on the buttons…eventually slipping off the shirt that I wore and leaving me bare-chested for her eyes to see.
My breath hitches as MC runs her fingers down my exposed chest, gently flicking her nails across nipples and down over my stomach. Her eyes darken as she sits there, a soft purr coming out of her throat.
I let out a soft chuckle, telling MC as lust courses throughout my body, “Someone’s being naughty…”
MC whispers back to me, “It’s the Season… And we have mistletoe…. It’s bad luck to refuse a kiss or anything from you…”
“Well, let every day be Christmas then…” I say to MC as my desire for her intensifies. I gently take the mistletoe wreath from her, placing it on the side and then focusing all my attention on her as I whisper in her ear, “Give me all of you…”
Feeling much more excited and aroused, I have my kisses travel back up. I reclaim MC’s lips, kissing her with such fervor and desire. The two of us momentarily stand up, our hands focused on freeing me from my belt, pants, boxers, and socks. Afterwards, she straddles my lap once more – our shared hungry kisses never taking a pause as I’m now fully naked for her.
My hands rest on MC’s hips which eventually prompt my fingers to unfasten and unzip her skirt. Once that’s done, one of my hands ghost over her bare back while the other hand had my fingers explore and caress the fabric of her underwear and the smooth skin of her butt and legs.
“Taki…” MC moans as she moves her hands down my shoulders, gently moving the digits carefully over the skin, paying attention to each inch of flesh that her fingers can find. Her body is on fire as she sits there, whining softly as she continues to rock her hips against me.
I have had enough….
“Cling on to me….” I tell MC in-between planted kisses.
I then carry MC to the bedroom and then once her feet touch the bedroom floor, I strip her of all of her clothes and she straddles me once more. I then close my eyes and resume kissing and nipping her neck and breasts once more, our yearning for each other greater than how it was when we were in the living room.
MC whispers in my ear as she takes in the sensations from my greedy kisses, “Don’t stop…”
I then let out a sigh and my eyes light up from MC’s words. My hands trail teasingly over her body while that smile of mine widens.
With dancing eyes, MC’s hands move down and probe what’s underneath her.
My breathing deepens as lust further claims me, my manhood definitely harder. My legs feel how MC’s already wet and ready for me.
MC’s fingers gently trail down…ghosting over my skin until they reach my shaft. Once it gets to her intended destination, my stomach clenches in anticipation.
Closing my eyes, my breath hitches a little as my manhood feels MC’s fingers continue toying with me… It feels so good that I’m about to lose my mind and whatever’s left of my self-control.
“Taki…”
Without warning, MC lifts herself and arches her body downward onto my head, her head rolling back as a moan bubbles out of her throat.
I take in a deeper breath at that same moment as MC’s heat engulfs me. I claim and plunder her lips once more, egging her on to give each other more of ourselves.
After taking a moment to adjust, MC rocks against me. She buries her head in my neck to moan. She lets her hands curl loosely around my shoulders as she moves slowly and closes her eyes.
My mind and heart feel full of MC and us, for I think that she’s enjoying the feeling of completion that comes from us becoming one…for that’s exactly how I’m feeling right now. I love this woman so much… She’s the most precious person that has ever been in my life – past, present, and future.
As I breathe in much deeper, my body writhes from the sensation of being inside MC. My hands trail over her bare skin, feeling such warmth and softness. My touches express a mixture of gentleness, passion, and need…my head thrown back a bit to hear MC moan close to my ear as she plants kisses on my neck. I know that my shaft aches so badly in need, even though I’m already inside her.
And so I delve into MC deeper, harder, faster…the two of us synching up to our own bodies desires while fulfilling each other’s carnal needs.
My lust is pushing me to take MC with such wanton and animalistic way, but the other half of me wants to be gentle and prolong the agony for release. My hands then travel down her waist and then rest on her hips, one hand feeling the fullness and firmness of her butt…making me want her even more. I hungrily kiss her as she moves above me, my shaft going in and out of her.
When MC breaks out of our kisses, I watch her with a smile on my face…both aroused and feeling so in love with her as we take each other…such an innocent-faced beauty who knows how to pleasure me. I’m so happy. I feel so complete. I feel so blessed. I know from the bottom of my heart that I love her over and above myself.
Eventually, I grab MC’s hips…positioning her in such a way so that I can go far deeper inside her and I thrust in and out of her….moving in sync along with her movements and needs…my breathing now more ragged and some of my own moans escape from me.
MC’s head falls back, her eyes glazed as she moans while moving in sync with me. Her body burns from my lightest contact. Her breathing becomes ragged and her body trembles she becomes slicker around my shaft.
As I thrust in and out of MC, my one hand follows the contours of her body from behind. My other hand works on having my fingers ghost over and tease her nipples and breasts. I take a deep breath and at times close my eyes when spikes of pleasure course through me, hoping to fan the burning lust building higher and higher inside me. I’m in the brink as I feel her walls tighten around me once more, but I want to see her… the sight of her being on top of me naked as she rides me turns me on to no end. I piston in and out of her faster, harder, and deeper…knowing that she likes it as well….
MC lets out her soft cries and moans, the sensations I’m feeling while inside her telling me that she just came for me once more. Her walls pulse and clench around my shaft as her face is now veiled with a look of pure bliss on her delicate features. She cries out even more for me, with her now working even harder to give me sweet release. The way her body moves tell me that she hungers more of my heat deep inside her, just as I crave more of her heat to swallow me completely. I’m more than willing to hold a little longer if it means that it’ll sate her.
My gaze rests on MC, not wanting to miss even a second of her every move and expression as she rides me.
Tossing her head back, MC lets out another cry – this one louder as the intense rocking causes her to fall over that figurative edge once more. Her back arches as she guides my thrusts, crying out in pleasure as each thrust seems to coil deep within her and the angle allowed my shaft to hit that right spot repeatedly. Her beautiful face and skin are flushed as carnal fire curls through her body and makes her cry out more from pleasure each time.
My eyes, most probably darkened with lust as we speak, gazes at MC. Feeling her walls tighten around my shaft and then pulsate, I come after I make one last thrust inside her. My hands grip her hips as I fill her, my ragged breathing turning into a deeper one as I let the sensations of our lovemaking course through me. I let out a groan as I feel my warmth and as well as hers mingle inside her, my heart still pounds with desire along with the adrenaline that runs throughout my body.
MC and I share ravenous kisses as we allow the sensations ebb throughout our bodies…those hungry kisses slowly but surely taming themselves, revealing more of the affection and deep-rooted love that we have for each other. I then hold her close to me, positioning myself so that I continue to stay inside her as we lie down on the bed.
MC lies on top of me while I stay inside her, the two of us feeling the waves of lust continue to course through us. Our craving for each other is now all being expressed in such mutual affection as I caress her back and stroke her hair while she plants kisses on my chest before she rests her head. I can feel my rapidly beating heart placate itself slowly but surely, and I can still feel the heat from her body and the silky smoothness of her fair skin.
I let out a deep contented sigh, closing my eyes and feeling at peace being with MC. I don’t move for a while, basking in the afterglow.
MC smiles gently as she then lies beside me, her eyes slowly drifting closed as she snuggled against me. She drapes her arm on my waist as I draw her closer to me. She tries to stifle her yawn.
“I love you…”I whisper to MC as I lift my hand and tuck the stray hairs behind her ear.
“I love you, too, Taki...” MC whispers back before she gently nuzzles into my neck. I can tell that she’s doing everything that she can to stay awake. But maybe she’s like me right now – sated and wanting to bask in the sensations and emotions that we’ve shared in each other’s arms.
Contentedness as well as the joy of just being close to her curl throughout my body…it’s too much to take, but I won’t have it any other way.
MC snuggles into me even more as another coo-like yawn escapes from her. She then finally falls asleep, looking so innocent and peaceful.
I may be awake, but I feel that sense of peace rest in the core of my being. Watching her sleep so peacefully in my arms brings me back to that time – a time when life was happy and simple. Ten years might have passed from those days, but gazing at her face while she sleeps beside me makes me feel redeemed from a decade’s worth of transgression, resentment, cold-heartedness, and loneliness.
I now smile, my heart feeling that dam of emotions for her give in. My eyes feel wet from tears, and I smile more as my effort to hold them back. I then soak in on the reason why the tears are there in the first place – I am happy and feeling blessed beyond measure.
And so I tell MC in my mind, “Thank you… I can never thank you enough for coming back into my life and loving me. God knows how much I love you, so stay by my side forever.”
I kiss MC’s forehead, and then I close my eyes as I take in her scent which brings me such comfort. Memories of that storage room and our shared kiss under the mistletoe bring such nostalgia in me.
As I think about the happier parts of our past together and how it now connects to our present, I offer my thanks and pray, “Please…. Let me always be the man worthy of her love… Let me be the one to always bring her joy. With everything that I have and am, give me strength to keep her safe and happy….”
MC and I sure have just added another fond memory involving mistletoe wreaths. Those memories along with the mistletoe wreath bring a hope that placates all of my fears and doubts.
When I think about it, the mistletoe wreath carries another message that further warms my heart – the barks, twigs, and branches over time turn change from brown to a golden hue. Instead of wilting and fading, they memorialize themselves throughout the years…becoming more precious and golden as it ages. MC and I.... Our love’s meant to stand every trial. Our love’s meant to stand the tests of time. She should take heart and comfort in that truth, and so do I. She deserves to be happy. I deserve to be happy. She and I deserve each other, and we will face our love and happiness together.
And so before I join MC in sated sleep, thoughts of mistletoe wreaths and the message of hope and reassurance it brings fill my mind and dreams.
End of Story
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But I Like One Piece (20)
They all turn to stare at him.
“Dear? How do you know that?” Okaa-san says.
Otou-san shakes his head and sits down heavily on the stairs. “The manufacturer for those weapons is in Yukigakure. Just like the incriminating ryo left at the scene of that theft.”
Oh.
Oh sweet Merry.
She mutters, “Shika said—when we were talking about the theft, he said it had to be an inside job, because an outsider couldn’t know anything. But if they were like me—if they’d read the comic based on Konoha in their past life, they would know. They’d know almost everything even if they never set foot here.”
She swallows, throat suddenly dry. “If it was plot-relevant, then they’d know more about what was valuable and how it was defended than people who’d lived here their whole lives. They’d even know the weaknesses of the ninja sent after them, if those ninja were major characters.”
Otou-san nods. “And if he or she needed to finance the manufacture of those weapons, what could be easier than to steal something from here and sell it to another hidden village?”
She sits down heavily on the stairs.
Her heart’s pounding too fast. The side of her head is throbbing in time with the beat.
“Well.” Okaa-san coughs. “That’s mildly terrifying.”
She lets out a humorless chuckle at the understatement.
Horror wars with elation in her brain. Elation at the knowledge that she isn’t alone here.
Horror at the idea of someone knowing everything about this place and deciding to use that knowledge for their own gain. If robbing Konoha wasn’t low for them, would they stoop to manipulating Naruto, Sakura, Uchiha? To hurting them to get their way, change a narrative they don’t like?
“But Iruka-sensei said Yukigakure gave us those guns for less money than they gave them to other villages.” Naruto says suddenly. “Maybe that’s the not-Mayu’s way of making it up to us?”
“You think villains who would commit such an unyouthful action would be capable of feeling guilt?” Lee says doubtfully. “Shouldn’t we tell Gai-sensei about this?”
“We can.” Otou-san sighs. “But I’m not sure how helpful it would be. Nara-san said Yamanaka-san knew about the Yuki connection between both the theft and these “guns”. For all we know, the price reduction could be a concession negotiated between the Hokage and the thief, and we just have a morsel of knowledge about that deal which would endanger Mayu more than it would help the village.”
She fidgets, tracing the scar on her lower lip.
Lee’s brows are furrowed, his mouth pulled down in a frown.
Okaa-san reaches out and smooths a hand over his hair. “Why don’t we get Ichiraku’s and sleep on it? I think Sanji would agree we’ll all make better decisions with some ramen in our bellies.”
Naruto springs to his feet. “Yeah! Ramen’ll fix everything, believe it! C’mon, I’m hungry, let’s go, let’s go!”
It doesn’t quite fix everything, she reflects later as she descales and fillets the pike for the offerings tomorrow. There’s still another reincarnated person who robbed the village, had her father take the fall for their crime, and is now mass-producing the very weapon that killed her past self, which they can do next to nothing about.
But ramen smoothed out the crease in Lee’s brow when they all agreed it was better to tell Gai-sensei than not. It lightened the mood and made everything this day had thrown at them seem a little less important in light of the celebrations planned for tomorrow.
Their small garden is now even smaller thanks to the a large wooden structure that sits next to the back fence.
It’s a bit like a cross between a shed and a greenhouse, if it only had three walls and no doors or windows. The roof is curved and the walls are sturdy, to protect the shrines inside from the elements.
There’s a length of thick white rope fastened with red twine inside the front gable, which is meant to ensure that the shrines are protected from malicious spirits.
Each one of the shrines has a small building that is sealed automatically once the shrine has been assembled, keeping a small object for the deity to inhabit safely locked away from prying eyes. There’s a small recess before this structure, for offerings to be placed, and a little column that puts them above the eye level of a kneeling person.
They’d debated setting aside a space for the shrines in the living room inside the house, to ensure they could be protected and cared for. But she kept getting impulses of outside, of wind and rain, freedom, that eventually they decided it was better than keeping them cooped up inside.
Plus this way, Luffy can’t raid the fridge as easily.
She’s already found certain small cuts of cooked meat have gone missing. If he’s anything like the manga, then she’s not giving him the chance to clean out the entire fridge.
They’ve been working on constructing it and the shrines on weekends and in the mornings during training. According to Gai-sensei, it’s excellent practice for C-rank missions.
Now all that’s left is to paint the structure and the ten shrines housed within.
Working out what to set out as offerings for tomorrow had been a challenge and a half.
For the most part, the Strawhats can be grouped into small sections of what they will and won’t eat.
Nami and Chopper are fruit lovers. Sanji, Zoro, Brook and Usopp are partial to seafood. Luffy, Franky, and Robin are happy with beef and other land-based meats.
However, Zoro, Sanji and Brook like varieties of seafood that are difficult to get in Konoha— octopus, lobster and prawns are expensive and hard to find, while sea king meat just doesn’t exist here. At least Zoro is happy enough with a traditional plate-2-bowls meal with rice.
Robin prefers sandwiches, and she’s not quite sure if the burgers Franky loves fit into that criteria. Chopper can’t stand spicy or bitter foods, but Zoro and Robin dislike sweets.
She’s just thankful that Luffy, Nami Usopp, and Merry are so easy to feed. Pike’s one of the few fish that Konoha doesn’t need to import, so it and tangerines relatively inexpensive.
There’s no chance of combining all their preferences into one dish. Her head hurts just imagining the clash of flavors.
So she had to somehow come up with a way of creating a meal that would (hopefully) make each of the pirates she idolizes happy.
No pressure.
Chouji ended up being her savior in this respect.
And maybe Uchiha did as well, but only a teeny tiny bit.
She’d been brainstorming different versions of meals she could try making that would satisfy everyone, but kept coming up short.
The added tension from Sakura’s friendly-again-but-still-not-quite-sitting-back-at-their-table thing at this time wasn’t exactly helping her think either.
“I’ve got cola, coffee, tea, heck even sake, but still no idea on what to pair any of them with.” She complained, tapping her pencil against the list in front of her.
Chouji had leaned over, a thoughtful look on his face. “Why not make them lunchboxes? That way you can make lots of things in smaller amounts and personalize each lunchbox for each of them.”
“Hm. That is a good idea.” She gnawed on her lower lip. “Only downside is working out when I can cook what and how much time the preparation of each portion is going so everything in the bentos is relatively fresh for when it’s offered... how much d’you think eleven more lunchboxes would cost?”
She’d just begun sketching out lines for a tentative timetable when Uchiha complained, “Why do you think you’ve gotta do everything on your own?”
She looked up, a little offended. “I’m not praying for help with this, are you mad? That’d be like asking someone to bake their own birthday cake.”
“What Sasuke means,” Chouji intervened. “Is that we could always split the work three-ways between us, and bring it to your house on the day?”
She blinked. “You...you guys would help me like that?”
Chouji smiled, then made a squeak of surprise when she lunged over the table to hug him tightly. “Thank you.”
“I have lunchboxes to spare.” Uchiha drawled. “Plus someone’s got to make sure you don’t mess up.”
She had then let Chouji go so she could boot Uchiha in the shin.
As a result of this arrangement, when she wakes up on The Day, all she has to worry about is preparing the pasta for Sanji, Nami and Usopp’s lunchboxes after training with Gai-sensei.
She’s almost worried that her timining be a little delayed because Gai-sensei grabs her in a bone-creaking hug when she arrives at training and spends about three minutes weeping over how youthful she is.
He then makes them run fifty times around the village balancing the paint pots they’ll be using later to ensure that the paint is agitated enough “so its most YOUTHFUL colors will shine through!!”
They nearly lose the purple when Naruto fumbles slightly over a root.
She bolts down her food at breakfast.
She puts on more rice again in preparation for the sesame onigiri, and pulls out a pot to fill with water that’s set to boil and a pan to gently heat some oil on the stove.
She smashes a clove of garlic and drops it in when the oil has begun to smoke gently, deseeding and dicing up some chilis and tossing them in as well for flavor.
She can’t help her grin when the heady spicy-savory scent fills the air, finely chopping capers and anchovies to toss in once she’s fished out the smashed garlic.
The scent mellows somewhat when the diced pike hits the pan as well, and she pushes it around until the fish is almost-but-not-quite cooked through.
Then in with a generous glug of wine and the heat is turned down to a gentle simmer to let the alcohol cook off.
Just in time for the rice to have cooked and cooled enough to begin mixing with yellow and black sesame seeds and begin forming into ten onigiri.
They don’t have any fillings other than the sesame, because they’re designed to take the edge off the stronger flavors of the pasta (her) and the takoyaki (Chouji), as well as serve as a substitute for a sesame topped bun accompanying the hamburger steaks (Uchiha).
The others begin to arrive at around ten.
Sakura and the Harunos arrive first alongside Ino and her dad.
She shouts a hello as Naruto and Lee lead Ino and Sakura through the kitchen to the back garden, nails orange with peeled tangerine.
Ino darts forward and steals two slices, chortling in response to her indignant “Oi!” and passing one to Sakura, who grins as she nibbles on their way out.
Yamanaka-san is totally at home chatting with Gai-sensei and Otou-san, but he snickers when Nara-san immediately gravitates towards him when he arrives. Shikamaru gives her a nod as he follows the adults outside and she puts the pasta on to boil.
She’s set aside two extra tangerines for when Shino and his father arrive. After all, she, Chouji and Uchiha are making enough to feed eleven deities and many many people, so shouldn’t their insects also be able to eat as well?
Shino’s dad stares at her inscrutably when she explains her reasoning, before accepting the fruit with a nod and a “thank you” barely audible over a loud buzzing.
Shino shifts from one foot to the other during this exchange before gently tugging his father’s sleeve. It occurs to her as she drains the pot-full pasta and adds the sauce alongside a cup of boiling water to emulsify everything that this might be the closest she’s ever seen him to being embarrassed.
Chouji and his dad arrive as she’s sprinkling in some parsley as a finishing touch.
They’re both carrying huge containers full of takoyaki and cooked spring greens, and she spares a small moment to be envious of all the amazing things Chouji’s family can afford to do.
Then she launches Chouji another hug to thank him for all his help once he’s set his cargo down.
He squeaks like he did last time and Akimichi-san laughs loudly, for some reason.
Iruka-sensei and Uchiha arrive with eleven lunchboxes, two dogs, Kiba and his mum, and Hinata in tow.
Uchiha keeps sneaking what appear to be morsels of meat to Akamaru and Kuromaru.
There’s also a pale-eyed frowning boy who Iruka-sensei introduces as Hyuuga Neji, Hinata’s cousin who’d been sent along to act as her chaperone.
The boy sniffs disdainfully when they greet him and goes to stand in a corner of the garden near Mebuki, completely ignoring Lee when he waves to him.
She doesn’t think she likes Hinata’s cousin very much.
The lunchboxes Uchiha brought are black lacquer decorated with gold and red tomoe, much fancier than anything she’d been expecting.
When questioned, he just shrugs and says, “It’s just old stuff from New Year’s. It’s just taking up space at home, so it’s better off here.”
She knows better than to say anything like “sorry”, so she just pats his shoulder and says “No, that compartment’s too small for the onigiri, put it in this one.”
“That’s way too big, it looks tiny in that one.” Uchiha snaps, but with a bit less bite than usual.
Iruka-sensei looks mildly overwhelmed by all the people in the back garden. Okaa-san comes along, hands him a drink, pats his shoulder and says “They’re in my house,” in a sympathetic tone.
Iruka-sensei gives her a pitying look and knocks the sake back in one go.
Adults here can be weird.
Finally they’ve finished serving and she calls out “Food’s up!”
The adults come in to help take the larger platters of food outside, a huge plate of pasta, several smaller hamburger steaks in the style of what they’d call “sliders” in her world, and mound upon mound of takoyaki and spring greens and tangerines.
There’s a clamor outside as people begin getting their portions.
She, Chouji and Uchiha are each balancing either three or four lunchboxes per person as they take them outside.
Sakura is helping Kiba paint a pattern of cherry blossoms across Chopper’s already vibrantly pink shrine. Evidence of her handiwork on Robin’s shrine is clear is the decoration of swirling petals and the streaks of matching purple paint all over her forehead.
Ino and Naruto obviously have had a battle over the orange judging by the splashes on their hands and clothing. On the plus side Nami and Luffy’s shrines are looking particularly colorful.
Shikamaru and Hinata are splotched with green, light blue and black-and-white. Lee is smudged with brown, cyan and white paint and beaming proudly.
Shino has yellow paint on the end of his nose and is looking at the detailed illustrations of insects on the sides with pride.
The only shrines that aren’t quite done are Sanji’s, which has a blue overcoat but no decoration, and Zoro’s which doesn’t have half its roof painted yet.
“We were waiting,” Naruto says, holding out two buckets of green paint and blue respectively, “For you guys to add your bits.”
She beams at him.
Of course, Uchiha has to ruin it by immediately grabbing the green.
“What?” He says, offloading his three lunchboxes onto Kiba. “I’ll give it back once I’m finished with it.”
Ino rolls her eyes and shoulders her paintbrush, adding another orange splotch to her outfit. “Ugh. I’ll help Mayu-chan, it’s better to get it done quickly. Let’s go before the food gets cold.”
Orange, red, and yellow fish on the blue background are much more vibrant and eye-catching than green, though Uchiha does “help” by flicking the paintbrush at her while she’s distracted.
In thanks, she smears yellow on the back of his neck.
After the extra decorations are finished, Lee, Sakura and Kiba redistribute the lunchboxes to make their offerings.
The only problem is there’s eleven of them and ten lunchboxes.
“You all go ahead.” She steps back. “I’ll do the next bit.”
Each one of them place the pirate lunchboxes down in front of the shrines and step back.
For some reason, she feels like traditional prayers and chants appropriated from the sage guy won’t really be all that welcoming to them.
But then, what? What could help them feel at home at these shrines, so far from the sea?
Her gaze falls on Brook’s shrine.
Oh.
Oh, well it’s obvious when it’s put like that, isn’t it?
She just hopes she remembers the words correctly. She doesn’t want to butcher them on accident.
“Yohohoho, yohohoho~ Yohohoho, yohohoho~”
Her voice sounds frail and quiet, and she can feel everyone’s eyes on her. Still, she stumbles through the last two refrains of yohohoho’s to the first verse.
“Binksu no sake wo, todokei ni yuku yo, umikaze, kimakase, namimakase~ Shio no mukou de, yuhi wo sawagu, sora nya, wao kaku tori no uta~”
Naruto joins in on the next verse, singing along slightly out of tune and mixing up some of the words.
His cheeks look as flushed as hers feel, and it’s hard not to giggle when they catch each other’s eyes. Somehow they both manage to keep singing.
Gai-sensei and Lee boisterously shout DON alongside them as they join as well, Gai-sensei’s voice strong and sure, while Lee’s volume makes up for any deficiencies in wording. She almost can’t hear Okaa-san’s melodious voice and Otou-san’s decidedly tone-deaf one join in on the second set of Yohohoho’s over their noise.
Sakura and Ino’s voices are both high-pitched, but they carry the tune well enough. So does Kiba, though he’s pitching up to a falsetto for some reason. Hinata’s voice is soft, but she’s genuinely singing, unlike Shikamaru and Sasuke who’re mumbling through all the bits apart from the yohohoho’s. Shino is monotone if precise and enthusiastic, while Chouji has a surprising set of pipes on him.
Akamaru is just howling to the beat. And with that accompaniment, how could anyone stop themselves from singing along?
It feels like more people than could possibly fit into their house and garden are bellowing Bink’s Sake together by the time they’ve reached the third set of Yohohoho’s.
It can’t exactly be called “harmonious”. Everyone’s a little out of tune, a little off beat.
But the mixing of all the voices of her family and friends feels so right, it makes her voice stronger, lets her sing louder.
She opens her eyes and nearly chokes on the next note.
Hovering in front of the brightly painted shrines, slightly faded but gaining color and substance with every passing moment, They stand.
Merry appears in all her glory, as if in mid- sail. Brook is playing his violin, a foot tapping to the beat. Franky is winding up for his SUPA pose, grinning broadly. Robin is resting a hand on Chopper’s hat. Chopper himself is peeking at them the wrong way round from Robin’s leg.
Sanji’s tapping out his cigarette with a grin and giving a small salute. Usopp is waving to them, like a captain would to his 8,000 followers. Nami’s blowing a kiss as if to adoring fans.
Zoro...is climbing over the garden fence and jogging to take his place in front his shrine next to the others. Nami shoots him a Look while Luffy laughs at him, sitting in mid air and clapping his feet together.
The Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates then turns to her and gives her a wide grin.
She blinks away tears as he and his crew fade away with the last notes of the song.
The food in the lunchboxes is gone.
The food on Naruto’s plate is also gone.
In fact, all the food in the immediate vicinity appears to be gone.
It’s just that Naruto looks down at his plate and yells in indignation first.
She lets out a wet laugh. “Darn it Luffy.”
#my writing#naruto#one piece#but i like one piece#monkey d. luffy#naruto uzumaki#rock lee#nara shikamaru#sasuke uchiha#chouji akimichi#sakura haruno#ino yamanaka#hinata hyuga#kiba inuzuka#shino aburame#rookie 9#straw hat pirates#naruto oc#ketsugi mayu#ketsugi chie#ketsugi jirou#maito gai
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A Pantheist Witch’s Sabbats
There is a lot of information out there about the sabbats, more commonly called the Wheel of the Year but in this post, I’m going to describe why they are so deeply important to my pantheist theology.
There are 8 major holidays during the year that are widely celebrated by modern pagans. Wiccans may celebrate a full narrative of the life and death cycle of the Lord and Lady, reconstructionists may focus on the cultural influences around each day, and some choose to only celebrate the “major” and not the minor holidays - the major being the two equinoxes and solstices. If you are just beginning your pagan journey, how you recognize the sabbats and why should be a topic on which you spend some contemplative thought.
Naturalistic Pantheist Theology
While I can appreciate a good myth or metaphor as much as anyone, my brand of pantheism is more scientific and leans towards valuing what we know as fact first. For a person in the Northern Hemisphere, the solstices and equinoxes are important markers of time for food and weather purposes that have inspired countless holidays from as far back as there is record. Our relationship to the earth is at the center of recognizing these holidays and why I find them to be so important.
Time is my religion
There are only so many equinoxes and solstices any of us will ever get and each one is precious. Each on marks a different phase of our lives, a time of harvest or rest, childhood joy and aged wisdom. If there is anything truly sacred in life once it’s all stripped away, it is the time we have on this planet and how we choose to spend it.
I celebrate the 4 major holidays of the equinoxes and solstices as an opportunity to reflect on these sacred moments in time. To be grateful for another year and to share in the bounty that I have with those I love. I also celebrate the 4 minor holidays as they are stepping stones in time between the major ones. I recognize them much more symbolically, but they are all important in the passage of the year, the wheel that keeps turning, long after our stories have ended.
The 8 Holidays Overview
Yule, the Winter Solstice
I celebrate Yule like many people in this world, honoring the return of the sun with beautiful lights, and warming my hearth with sweet and savory meals to share.
Imbolc
The midway point to spring, I learned it was sacred to Brigid and she ruled over blackberries. So for years, I’ve made a blackberry pie each Imbolc, eager for a return to spring.
Ostara, the Spring Equinox
A celebration of rebirth, I like to tend to the garden and make an extravagant salad for all the beautiful greens to soon come.
Beltane
A time of fertility, I celebrate in the usual way. :)
Midsummer, the Summer Solstice
The longest day of the year, I celebrate by watching the sunset late at night with a cool, berry infused drink.
Lughnasadh
The grain festival, what better way to celebrate than to bake bread. By this point, I’m desperate for fall to come and usually make some cinnamon tea as well.
Mabon, the Autumn Equinox
The witch’s thanksgiving, I give it the full treatment, which means we usually have two Thanksgivings in my house.
Samhain
The end of the harvest and a time for rest and reflection, particularly on those lost in the last year. A somber but soulful time I choose to ignore the parties and light a candle for my loved ones.
There are many other little moments and rituals I have throughout the year but these are the basics and the reasons I celebrate them. I hope this helps prompt you to consider the importance of these holidays to you.
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Parlay (Kuroo x Reader) | Chapter 5
-Pairing: Kuroo Tetsurou x Reader (ft. Roommate Kenma)
Word Count: ~2,300
Genres: Fluff, angst if you squint, general buffoonery
CW: Some more swearing, secondhand embarrassment lol
Summary: (Y/N), a first-year student attending Tokyo U, is living with her best friend, Kozume Kenma. Little did she know, her life would be turned upside down after being exposed to Kenma’s volleyball teammate and close friend, Kuroo Tetsurou. One wrong move, and the parlay’s stakes only get higher each time.
Chapters: First | Previous | Next
Grandmother had nearly given herself a stroke from agreeing so fast to (Y/N)’s request for a half shift that day.
“Is it for school? Is it for friends? Oh, (Y/N)-chan, is it for a man or a woman?” the old woman bombarded the girl she treated like a grandchild with questions. It was rare for (Y/N) to take a day off, much less request one. She shook her head.
“Nothing like that, Gran. My friends invited me to watch their volleyball game. Our school is very highly ranked.”
“Ah, your Tooru-kun plays on that team, doesn’t he?” (Y/N) watched as Grandmother cut a mango into slices and presented them on a bed of sticky rice. The young girl served the dish to a table by the window: a young father and his young daughter.
“The usual, for my favorite father-daughter duo!” she smiled sweetly at the pair. The father looked up from his computer.
“Thank you, (Y/N)-san. Look, Miki! What’s this?” he asked his 2-year-old. The little brown-haired girl looked away from the window to meet her father’s gaze. She had plump little rosy cheeks streaked with dried milk.
“Mangey!” she chirped. Before her father could react, the child had taken a fistful of mango and shoved it mostly into her mouth, though, the majority ended up on those round cheeks of hers. The man sighed, but not without a nonetheless adoring look at his daughter.
“I’m glad she likes it, “ (Y/N) giggled, “I’ll be back to check on you two in a few minutes, Suzuki-san.”
Making her way back to the kitchen, leaning against a side table covered in clean glass cups, (Y/N) took a moment to bask in the warm embrace of the place that felt like her true home. The kitchen was smaller than most tea houses of that size and of that popularity than the average place would normally have. Grandmother, however, made sure the place was immaculate. (Y/N) looked over the small plastic bins of ingredients, each one placed based first on health code requirements, then by frequency. Filling for songpyeon took up the largest bin. Continuing her conversation with Grandmother, she said, “Yes, Tooru is on that team,” she chuckled, “They practically begged him to play for them.” Grandmother dried her hands on a dish towel.
“Well, if you ever manage to pull him off the court, feel free to bring him around. That boy’s always neglected to eat,” the old woman griped.
Opening her mouth to reply, the ringing of the front door bell interrupted (Y/N)’s reply. With a quick swipe her hands over her apron, she swung out of the kitchen and greeted their new guests.
“Welcome in-- Oh! Hi, you two! Welcome in.” Before her stood her best friend and roommate and his tall, stressfully attractive childhood friend. Kenma’s dyed-blonde hair was mostly grown out - he’d been too busy (and too lazy) to get it redone. Kuroo’s catlike eyes crinkled as he smiled at her.
“Good morning, (Y/N)-san.”
“Hi, (Y/N).”
The female led the two boys over to a booth across from the kitchen entrance. Away from the volleyball players’ line of sight, the other three servers working today poked their heads out from the kitchen doorway. Chisato, Grandmother’s actual granddaughter, was fanning herself dramatically, while Shusei and Tamaki were busy ogling Tokyo U’s handsome spiker. (Y/N) rolled her eyes at them. The boys took the menus she handed them.
“Can I start you two off with anything to drink?”
“Water, please.”
“Just a water,” because they were in college, and broke ass college students can’t afford not-water.
Kenma didn’t even open his menu before handing it back to her.
“Something with pork,” he said, after which he pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his emails.
Without batting an eye, the server girl replied, “You got it!” Then, she turned to Kuroo.
“Would you like something specific or if you want, you can give me a general preference like Kenma did, and I’ll give you something you’d like.”
The menu was somewhat thick for a tea house, which Kuroo noticed was because they didn’t just have one country’s dishes, as Chisai’s selection contained an incredible variety.
Now, Kuroo wanted to say either, ‘I trust your judgement’, or ‘I’ll enjoy whatever you put on the table in front of me.’ Sadly, the poor mess of a boy was so preoccupied with thinking about how the girl in front of him was definitely not super adorable in her white collared-shirt and her totally not endearing plaid apron, much less how absolutely unlovable it was that she had flour in her hair from tucking it behind her ear so often. He ended up making a strangled choking sound and saying, “I table.”
Everyone blinked. Forget being a cat, Kuroo fought to repel his inner badger that wanted to dig a hole, crawl inside, and never come out. Kenma was turning red keeping his laughter contained, and as if the universe hadn’t decided it wanted to be a complete dick to the wild-haired boy, he accidentally glanced up at (Y/N)’s cute expression with her brows furrowed, and her lips puckered in confusion.
‘Ahhhhhhhh,’ he thought as his brain short-circuited. Finally, finally, (Y/N) smiled at him gently.
“It’s alright, I do that a lot. Try again?” Oh sweet Karasuno’s resident Jesus, what a sweetheart. Desperate to redeem himself, Kuroo cleared his throat.
“Ahem, I-- Uh-- What’s your favorite dish here?”
‘Amazing job, Tetsurou. You fucking nailed that, Tetsurou. You, sir, are a smooth criminal,’ he told himself. (Y/N)’s bright expression from his question was almost worth making a fool of himself. Almost.
“Ah! Well, I love everything here, and I promise I really do, I’m not contractually obligated to say that, hehe, and it really depends what you prefer personally - everything is delicious.” Kuroo’s soul left his body when she shuffled to his side and leaned over him slightly to point at specific dishes on the menu. She smelled of fresh linen and of fresh baked goodies.
‘Hngggghhhhh, smell good, good smell,’ the poor boy’s brain cells were failing him at the moment, and had been for the past couple of minutes.
“So, if you like shrimp, the har gao comes in orders of 4 and they’re more filling than they look--” (Y/N)’s voice faded away as Kuroo’s brain kept trying to figure itself out like a computer with too many open tabs and had a software virus called, ‘(Y/N) Smells Divine And It’s Not Fair.exe.’ Kuroo knew he was better than this. He knew he was charming and likable. There was no reason for him to totally crumble like he was. From knowing Kuroo so long, Kenma could tell he was struggling, and, out of pity, he lightly kicked his ankle so the girl above him wouldn’t notice. Luckily, that little jolt woke him up enough to catch the tail end of her explanation.
“--you can get it with egg noodles, which I love personally, and Gran gets the duck from a nearby vendor, so you know it’s fresh. It’s especially popular around this time since it’s getting a bit cold,” she finished. It looked like he hadn’t been zoned out for too long. Steeling himself, Kuroo shifted in the cracked burgundy seat.
“That last one sounds great, thank you,” he croaked. Taking the menu from him, (Y/N) told them their order would be out “in a jiffy,” and Kenma’s wheezing stopped him from short-circuiting again.
“What-- Hah-- What was that?” he cackled. Kenma didn’t laugh very hard. Even when he watched Plant compilations or looked at memes, he mostly just blew air through his nose, at best, but here, Kuroo was starting to worry about the shade of blue his friend was turning.
“I--uh” Kuroo started, ‘got distracted by the way she was being adorable and the way her perfume--NO! Tetsurou! BRO-CODE!’. “I’m just a little out of it today I guess.”
“Clearly. You stumbled your words in front of (Y/N) like a panini-head.”
Kuroo couldn’t deny that statement one bit. How had he managed to look like such a panini-head? Why now of all times? Was he nervous? God forbid if he thought he might have a slight crush on this girl because for heaven’s sake he wasn’t about to break the sacred Bro-Code. Before he could go off on his own tangent, (Y/N) walked over to their table carrying a couple of plates in her hands.
“Alrighty, so I’ve got the house cha siu bao for Kenma, and the egg noodle soup with roast duck for Kuroo-san. Is there anything else I can get for you guys?”
“I’m good for now thanks, (Y/N)” Kenma replied as he quickly began eating the fresh, hot pork buns.
“It looks great!” Kuroo responded, his face gleaming with excitement and anticipation of how the food will taste. His expression suddenly changed to a sly smirk, “but you know (Y/N)-san, this meal would be much better if you join us~”
‘Nice, I’ve redeemed myself. Ten points to gryffindor.’
“I’m sorry Kuroo-san, but my shift doesn’t end for another couple of hours. If I end early, I might not be able to make it to the game like I promised.” (Y/N) smiled back innocently.
Before Kuroo was able to say anything, he heard Kenma let out a small, “Pft, rejected”, from beside her.
‘Aaaand, just kidding’
Kuroo miraculously recovered, somehow, and managed to say, “Ah I see. Well thanks for the food, I’m really looking forward to it!”
“Of course! Please enjoy, and let me know if you guys need anything else.” And with that, (Y/N) went back to the kitchen to get more food to serve to customers.
Kenma was deep into his second pork bun when Kuroo dug into his own meal. The duck was perfectly moist with a savory skin. The egg noodles were boiled to a perfect texture. He could’ve wept. The exquisite flavor of the egg noodle soup distracted him from his horrific failure as a human being just a moment ago. Once he’d sated his appetite, he leaned back in his chair. The setter across from him looked totally boneless, a satisfied smile on his face. Kuroo rolled his head over towards the window.
There, the young lady that had been messing with his mind all day was squatting in front of an adorable little girl while the girl’s father laughed heartily across from them. The little girl clapped in delight at the funny faces the waitress was making for her. Kuroo’s heart beat a little faster.
“You’re staring.” Kuroo jumped. Kenma’s intelligent eyes were boring into his soul. Suddenly feeling even guiltier than he already was, Kuroo looked away.
“Kenma, I swear I—“
“Relax. She’s cute. Flirt, stare, call yourself a table, I don’t care.”
Kuroo spluttered at the reminder of his royal screw up. Then, he was puzzled at how Kenma could be so nonchalant about anyone looking at his girlfriend like that, especially his own best friend. He knew for a fact that if Kenma truly didn’t like his ogling at his super cute girlfriend, he would have said something. Maybe they were one of those open relationship-type things? Sounded pretty odd for Kenma, but Kuroo supposed that people change in college. If he were in Kenma’s place, though, he doubted he’d be so willing to share (Y/N)’s affection. Not that he wanted it, of course. Nuh uh, no ma’am.
When (Y/N) gave them their check, they tried to politely decline taking her generous discount, but once she threatened to bring Grandmother from the kitchen, they ended up just tipping her a little extra to make up the difference and exiting the tea house.
~~
“HEY, HEY, HEY.” The ace spiker with the interesting hair crowed as he landed after a vicious spike that went untouched by the other team. Tokyo U’s other team members came together and gave a quick cheer before quickly resuming their positions.
“Damnnnn, how the hell is this entire team so fine?” Shusei moaned.
“Mm, especially that number 6. He’s so pretty,” Tamaki nibbled on her thumb nail.
“Ooh, the handsome guy from this morning is up!”
(Y/N) blushed as Kuroo rotated into the front row. Gone was the stuttering, flustered mess from earlier, and he was replaced by Nekoma High’s scheming captain, all fire in his eyes ,and supported by skill and years of experience. (Y/N) leaned against the rail. Something about that focused look in his eyes captivated her completely.
Kuroo was an excellent blocker. He was smart and had the technique to support it. But despite this, the other team had powerful spikers and was starting to close the gap just enough to make the crowd uneasy. The coach leaned over and whispered something to one of the managers, who scurried off through the door to a side gym.
(Y/N) had already been a little (a lot) thirsty since Kuroo stepped on the court, but Akaashi tossed the ball into the air, Kuroo jumped up, and hit a straight right by the blockers. Suddenly, the gym air felt too stale, her cardigan too hot.
“Ohhhh my goddddd.” (Y/N) shushed Shusei and Tamaki’s moaning.
“Jealous much?” Shusei sassed.
“Wha—? Just— Just stop being weirdos!” she said louder than expected.
Tamaki wiggled her eyebrows, “Oh, so you admit you were jealous?”
(Y/N)‘s face felt hot. Her retort was interrupted by squealing all around them.
“Kyaaaaaa!”
“Omg he’s here!”
“I want his babies!”
…yeah, people get weird when they’re thirsty.
Shusei cheered and clutched Tamaki’s shoulders, “Whooo! What are we screaming about?”
“Some things never change,” Tamaki mused.
“Bitch, what?”
They stopped their bickering when their friend chuckled. She had a fond look in her eyes, but they also held something else they couldn’t quite place. (Y/N) smiled softly. She turned to them, “The Grand King loves making a grand entrance.”
~~
(A/N): You know who’s coming soon, and I’m really excited about this next chapter! Thank you all for the support you’ve shown us so far in the series, and please look forward to the next few chapters as well! Chapter 6 is planned to be released in about two days or so. See you guys soon!
- Admin Kiwi-Chan
Kuroo, honey, I’m so sorry to do this to you lol. I make this boy do stupid stuff in this series, but it’s fiiiine.
- Admin Mango-Chan
~~
Taglist: @joyful-jimin @nekomas-kuroo
#haikyuu kuroo#haikyuu#haikyuu!!#haikyuu imagines#haikyuu scenarios#kuroo x reader#kuroo tetsuro x reader#kuroo tetsurou#bokuto kotarou#ushijima wakatoshi#oikawa tooru#iwaizumi hajime#nishinoya yuu#akaashi keiji
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