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art-missy · 25 days

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Overwhelmed (Gekko x Reader)

Part. 1

Part. 2

Sorry in advance for my terrible English. I'm actually more of an English reader and listener than an actual speaker or writer. I also apologize for the dull writing style that could seem quite childish. I just wanted to test something by posting this.

If a few months ago somebody had told you that you would be spotted by a secret organization whose job is to protect your world against the threat of agents from another dimension, you would have laughed so hard that your guts would have spitted out. If that ‘somebody’ had continued with the fact that this organization would contact you in some way to recruit you just because you maybe took down a K-SEC facility by yourself and also because your skills interested them, you would have told them to sell their idea to a filmmaker. If that ‘somebody’ had then insisted that you would spend one of your days off with a few other agents of that organization by watching Disney movies and hearing them sing their guts out, you would have told them to stop.

Well, look at you now, exchanging astounded glances with Iso as Neon reached a note so terrifying that you were pretty sure she could have won the Oscar of the best scream in a horror movie. You were slightly worried about the state of her vocal cords.

“And she’s not even drunk.” Muttered Yoru when he saw your dumbfounded expression as he finished his can of soda. Phoenix let out a booming laugh and nudged your and Iso’s arms playfully.

What the hell were you doing here ? You were so at peace in your hideout. How did Valorant find you ? Oh yeah. Cypher. No one can hide from the Moroccan sentinel and you understood it quite quickly when he appeared in each of your hideouts everytime you tried to run away. Hard to hide from someone whose eyes are literally everywhere. It has been quite hard for him too to convince you that the intentions of Valorant were noble when he appeared each time in the middle of the night like a sleep paralysis demon. The process of convincing you had been long and hard but Cypher was patient and quite stubborn. Especially when it came to visiting each of your hideouts (even the one under the Mediterranean Sea) and finishing all your different packs of tea. Well, at least you had now Big Brother as a mentor.

You jolted a little, startled when Raze and Killjoy suddenly stood up to start a duet while waltzing around the room. The level of love and affection in their eyes made you wonder if they weren't from a Disney movie themselves. You could literally see their eyes changing form to turn into hearts as their souls were screaming ‘I love you’ in their respective languages. And you found it adorable despite your exhaustion.

Jett playfully threw some popcorn at the couple, telling them to get a room. You’re pretty sure she didn't notice the few candy and crumbs of snacks in her ponytail.

Clove were jumping on the different bean bag chairs, singing as if their life depended on it while Wingman cheered at their antics.

And you, you let out a small sigh as you took a sip of your bubbletea. All this chaos because of Frozen.

You swore that if you heard the songs ‘Love is an open door’ or ‘Let it go’ again, you would go apeshit.

You maybe should have join Deadlock for a reading session in her quarters instead of accepting Gekko’s invitation. Or just listening to music in your room. Or maybe drawing. You were certain that it would have been more peaceful and less mentally draining than this Disney night. And when you shared another glance with Iso, you knew he thought the same thing. It was visibly way too much for your introverted asses.

“Hey,” Gekko put a gentle hand on your shoulder. “Are you okay ?”

You shot him a tired look.

You sometimes miss your old life. You missed your different hideouts where you could see the sunset over the mountains, the sea creatures under the Mediterranean Sea, the snow in the Siberian desert or the rain falling on the trees of a random forest. Where you didn't have to interact with people every single day of the week.

You loved the Valorant protocol and you got along with the people you met there. But sometimes it was too much. You took down this K-SEC facility because you knew how shady the experimentations they were running were, not because you wanted to attract the attention of a secret organization. You sometimes resented Cypher for finding you, for stealing you from these calm moments, even though you knew that you accepted to be an agent of Valorant of your own free will and for a good cause.

“Hey,” Repeated Gekko. “Are you okay ?”

You gently pushed his hand off your shoulder and stood up from your bean bag chair.

“Sorry.” You muttered.

And you rushed out of the room as Gekko called for you, his tone full of worry. You speed-walked towards the garden of the base, putting your headphones on your ears and slightly relaxing when the music reached your brain. You took a deep breath and the wind caressed your skin as you finally walked into the gardens. You took off your shoes and let the grass tickle your bare feet. The night sky watched over you as you finally took a seat on a bench.

Better.

You felt better. You breathed better. You lived better. The music in your ears relaxed your muscles, and the wind murmured on your skin, bringing the fragrance of the different flowers of the garden. You definitely had to compliment Sky and Sage.

Your phone suddenly vibrated and you noticed that Iso sent you a link to a playlist.

⟨Here. To relax your nerves.⟩

You internally smiled and sent a text message to the Chinese duelist to thank him. You started the playlist and relaxed even more when the first note of the first song reached your ears. Iso really did have good taste in music.

You were about to close your eyes when you suddenly felt a finger patting your shoulder. You jolted a little and turned your head to the side to see Cypher’s blue lenses staring back at you. You pulled your headphones down and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Big Brother is watching me ?”

The sentinel let out a small chuckle and sat down beside you, a trap wire traveling on his knuckles.

“Overwhelmed ?”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“I thought I was Big Brother.”

You rolled your eyes but a small smile tugged the corners of your lips. You leaned on the backrest of the bench and let out a deep sigh.

“I’m not in the mood for a game of chess, Cypher.”

The masked man nodded and hummed softly.

“I suspected it.”

“Then why are you here, Optimus Prime ?” You groaned, stretching your arms over your head.

Cypher’s head tilted slightly and by his body language you suspected a smirk to be present under his mask.

“To check on you, dear.”

You raised a skeptical eyebrow and your eyes squinted slightly.

“Right. And may I ask why, dear ?” You scoffed as you rolled your eyes again. “Wait. Let me guess. You saw me walking away from the common room through these cute little cameras of yours, got curious when you couldn't see me then came here.” You interrupted yourself then shook your head. “Nope. There are also cameras in the garden. Then why did you come here ?”

Cypher let out another small chuckle and patted your head with an odd but paternal affection.

“Look who’s playing Sherlock, now.”

You let out an annoyed groan as you tried to push his hand away from your head but Cypher’s mood stayed playful.

“What kind of mentor would I be if I didn't worry about my protégé ?”

You snorted but nodded with a sarcastic smile.“More of a stalker than a mentor.”

“A stalker who is worried about you, then.”

You couldn't see it but you heard the soft smile in his voice. He leaned a bit more towards you, the brim of his long hat hid you from the night sky and the usual faint glow of his blue lenses looked like two little will-o’-the-wisps in the obscurity of the garden. It reminded you of the first time you met each other, a few days after you took down this K-SEC facility. It was in a dark alleyway and the first thing you saw was these blue lenses before you could make out his long and slender figure. But because of his long hat and the darkness of the alleyway, you had almost taken him for a mutated palm tree. Even today you facepalmed yourself when you remembered those thoughts as your eyes stared into his lenses.

“Who eats alone, chokes alone.” He finally whispered with a conspiratorial tone. Something was telling you that he winked under his mask.

“What ?” You facepalmed.

“It’s an Arabic proverb.” He leaned back and his head tilted again. “Loneliness is neither your ally, nor your enemy. It is impartial. In your case, you use it to recharge yourself, but it can also drain you without you noticing, making you depend on it. Use your loneliness but don’t be alone.” His voice dropped a few octaves lower and you felt his eyes sinking deeply into yours. “Use your balance.”

Something was telling you that he was speaking from experience. A slight twitch in his body language maybe. Or a tiny heaviness in his already thick accent, indication of the unusual emotions in his voice. And you realized just now how little you knew about your mentor.

Cypher nodded, as if satisfied by your visible confusion, stood up from the bench and started to walk away.

“Wait a minute, Darth Vader !” You exclaimed, pointing a frustrated finger at him. “I don't speak proverbial shit and neither does google translate. Come back here or I’ll tell Sky you put cameras in the garden !”

Cypher kept walking away, humming a soft tune.

“Speaking of balance…”

“I don’t understand the proverbial shit, you cheap Cyberpunk shit !”

“Have a good night, dear.” He turned towards you briefly. “Oh, and your strawberry teas are delicious.”

This fucker.

He kept walking away until going back inside and you suddenly heard hurried footsteps. You turned your head and saw Gekko and Wingman running in your direction before stopping in front of you.

How did you know it was Gekko with the lack of light ? First of all, Wingman. Second of all, his hair.

Gekko was catching his breath with his hands on his knees while Wingman jumped on your lap, making a few garbling sounds. You raised an eyebrow and looked at them, confused.

“Are you dying ?” You asked Gekko and your eyes widened slightly when he started to wheeze. “Gekko ?”

“Dios !” He exclaimed as he finally caught his breath. “I looked for you throughout the whole base !”

“Did you have to run a marathon for that ?”

Despite your dry tone, your eyes only showed concern for him. You patted the space beside you on the bench and he gladly sat down. He then looked at you and despite the obscurity, you were certain his brows furrowed in worry.

“Are you okay ?”

You shot him a deadpanned look.

“You put your legs through a nocturnal torture by running like a possessed fool throughout the whole base, found me here relaxing in the garden while the soft fragrance of flowers and the night sky kept me company, and ended up wheezing like a dying man about to spew his lungs out and you are asking me if I’m okay ?”

You looked at his figure from head to toe as he chuckled at your small outburst. He was still a bit out of breath from his little run but he seemed quite fine.

“Damn ! Your descriptions are always so…special. Clove would definitely love you to be the Dungeon Master of their next DnD game.” His laugh calmed down and he nervously cleared his throat. “Anyway. I wanted to check on you. You didn't seem fine in the common room. Are you feeling a bit better now ?”

You shot him a bored look and let a deep sigh out of your lungs. Wingman made a few high chirped noises indicating his worry.

“You really love wasting your time, don’t you ?” Your eyes wandered on the night sky. “Aren't you missing the end of the movie ? Shouldn't you be inside with your friends ?”

Gekko frowned and looked at you funny.

“You’re my friend too.”

You let out a small snort that only deepened his frown.

“I’m serious.” He insisted. “We’re maybe not as close as you are with Cypher or Deadlock or… Iso, but I see you as my friend and I will always have your back.”

You looked back at him and even though you couldn't see him clearly because of the obscurity, you felt his eyes looking at you with a fierce determination.

“Plus,” he continued, “you always have my back on the field, fighting like a total badass against the enemies. Remember our last mission in Lotus ? I would have been dead meat if you weren't there.”

Wingman (who had gotten comfy on your lap) nodded with vehemence, agreeing with Gekko’s words.

“I’m not quite sure if you can be ‘dead meat’ when someone like Sage is around.” You said, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Gekko made a noise between an amused chuckle and a sigh of frustration. You couldn't figure out what was on his mind, which is quite surprising since he was usually so expressive. He then suddenly got closer to you on the bench, grabbed your shoulders and leaned a bit more towards you.

“My point is : you got my back and I got yours. You're my friend and I won’t leave you alone.” His fingers gently squeezed your shoulders. “And I’m sorry.”

It was now your turn to frown as you did not understand why he was apologizing for.

“I invited you to this movie night so I could have an occasion to get to know you better, so we could get to know each other and bond on something that is not mission related.” He explained. “But you clearly weren't at ease. I thought you were about to have a panic attack, back there.”

You felt his thumbs caressing your shoulders as his hands squeezed you a bit more tightly.

“I’m sorry.”

You shook your head and let out another sigh. “Don’t apologize. Your intentions were innocent and sweet.”

You couldn't see the blush on his cheeks but you noticed the slight twitch in his body language.

“Everything's fine.” You insisted. “I’m perfectly fine. Plus, with the new playlist Iso sent me, I can just relax and enjoy the quietude of the garden.”

“Oh.” He said simply.

His voice showed disappointment, sadness even. You vaguely felt his grip on your shoulder faltering a little while Wingman made a few sad garbling sounds.

“Gekko ?”

You couldn't see his face, but his body language showed a slight dispiritedness that didn't match his usual playful and confident personality.

“You and Iso are really close, huh.” He said with an uncharacteristically neutral tone.

His shoulders were now slightly slumped.

“Well, we had heard about each other before we joined Valorant. It was funny to finally meet the infamous ‘Dead Lilac’ in this secret organization.” You chuckled little, finding the circumstances of your first meeting with the Chinese duelist quite embarrassing. You remembered knocking your head so hard against his chest that it spinned a little.

“That’s…uhm…kinda cute, I guess.”

You wondered what was on the mind of the piece of sweet-woman-heartthrob-trope that Gekko was.

“Well I don't know if it’s cute, but we’ve been exchanging playlists and book recommendations since.” You shrugged and Gekko’s hands slided down your arms at your action. “He’s cool. He has a sweet ‘older sibling’ vibe that put me at ease.”

The young initiator seemed to perk at your words and so was his radivore critter.

“‘Older sibling’ vibe ?” He repeated. “What do you mean ?”

“Well, you see how siblings sometimes banter with each other but always have each other's back ?” You started to explain and you saw his figure tilting his head. “Well that's our relationship with Iso. You probably know what I’m talking about. I noticed that you had quite the same thing with Neon.” You shrugged again.

His whole demeanor seemed to relax when he let out a laugh filled with relief. You frowned a little, not understanding this sudden outburst of joy.

“You alright ?” You raised a worried eyebrow and squinted your eyes a little. “Maybe you should get some sleep.”

It was at this moment that the moon finally decided to come out of behind the clouds, illuminating both of your faces. You both looked at each other, admiring your features. Your eyes wandered on his freckles without noticing his lovestruck gaze on you.

“Maybe I'm a bit tired.” He whispered with a lost tone, as if he didn't understand what he just said.

“Hm.” You looked down on your lap to notice Wingman shrinking and hopping towards Gekko’s shoulder. “Wanna go back inside ?”

“You’re going back inside ?” Gekko asked.

“No.”

“Then I’ll stay with you.” He got more comfortable on the bench and you felt him lean a bit more towards you. “Unless my presence is overwhelming.”

You shook your head and leaned against the backrest of the bench.

“No. You’re fine.”

“Cool.” He nodded and let out a small sigh of relief.

A comfortable silence settled between you, slightly disturbed by the faint music from your headphones. Your eyes wandered on the night sky, unaware of Gekko’s longing glances in your direction. You are completely oblivious to his poor heart beating so fast and so loud that he feared you could hear it. You did not notice. You never did. Ever since you set your foot into the base for the first time, his eyes were always on you. At first it was curiosity. Curious about the agent recommended by the mysterious man that was Cypher. Then it was admiration for the fierce fighter that you turned into once on the field. And finally, it bloomed to be a small crush that never ceased to grow. Your charisma hypnotized him. His feelings for you were so obvious that his friends never stopped to tease him. Even Reyna said that he looked like a lost puppy everytime you were around and Harbor often asked him to focus when you were in his field of view. And of course, he was jealous of how close Iso was with you. The duelist could talk to you without any problem, he could receive your smiles, your laughs, your friendly fist-bumps while the only times Gekko could have a proper interaction with you was during missions or briefings. Even during training you stayed in your corner, avoiding interactions.

But right now, he felt so happy. This was the longest interaction you’ve ever had with each other and he couldn't help but smile.

He turned his head in your direction and softly called you.

“Yeah ?”

“I heard that you love to draw.” He nervously rubbed his neck but kept his eyes on yours. “We could someday, you know, draw together while chilling in my room. If it’s okay with you of course.”

You shot him an indescribable glance and he suddenly felt so stupid for not using drawing as a way to bond with you sooner instead of the movie night. But he relaxed a little when you ended up shrugging.

“Why not.”

It was a start. He will not confess his feelings for now. It was way too soon. But he will certainly enjoy these moments with you. He will enjoy bonding with you and get to know you better.

Anecdote : the Arabic proverb mentioned by Cypher is something the father of a friend once told me when I was a kid. It's stuck in my mind, ever since.

I'm not proud of the ending ಥ⁠‿⁠ಥ But it's fine. It is just a test, after all.

I don't know if I'll post the part. 2. I'll most probably keep it in my drafts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I wish you a lovely day/night.

#gekko x reader #valorant x reader

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caramel1mochi · 12 days

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One Hazy Winter [Iso x F! Reader] [5]

[ Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 ]

Genre: Angst, fluff ‎

TW: Heavy depression ‎ ‎

Words: 4k ‎

Synopsis: One winter before his disappearance, you told your boyfriend Yu about a question you’ve had for so long; one even he could hardly respond to. It took many more hopeless winters for you to finally have your answer.‎

Note: Please don't copy or steal my work and pass it off as your own! If you'd like to use one of my headcanons or something, I'd love it if you tagged or asked. SIDENOTE did anyone see how Clove speaks? Who would've thought vehemently studying Irish slang 8 months ago would come back to help me like this??? Writing them is gonna be such a breeze fr hint wink wink nudge nudge nudge

‎

。+❤ฺ·。❤ฺ·。+❤ฺ· +❤·。❤ฺ·。+❤ฺ·

Winter, present day

‎ ‎

You wanted to call yourself stupid for not catching on. How wasn’t it obvious?

There was a gun in his bedroom and a medallion with a symbol that you've never seen before, even after relentlessly googling around. Purple eyes, mysterious disappearances, owning a house with undisclosed memories that he was just willing to abandon for your apartment, and… other than his grandma? Yeah, no family.

You sighed and pushed open the wooden doors to the café, allowing the bell above to announce your arrival on this boring and slow Monday. Yesterday was spent entirely at Yu’s house. Not only to tend to the trees you planted a winter ago, but to also keep searching for that gun. And, alas, there was nothing. Maybe he took it before he disappeared. Maybe he…

Ugh.

‎ ‎

You stepped behind the counter and pocketed your headphones. Only now did you hear Ying’s muffled voice way behind you inside her room, drowned out by the music. You were sure that she was speaking to someone on the phone, considering your co-worker called out at the last minute. Who, however, would remain a mystery. Not that you cared.

Then, the door swung open, and you heard the clicks of her shoes as she walked down the corridor, phone in hand.

‎ ‎

“I made sure to check it before I left.” She explained. “Around March, last I heard. That’s the only day– Y/N!”

‎ ‎

Ying’s previously quiet voice shot up a few decibels upon noticing you. But before you even realised it, your mind had prepared itself for the sudden incoming hug it really didn’t want.

‎ ‎

“Oh my God, I was so worried!”

‎ ‎

Her arms found their place tightly wrapped around you, completely ignoring the seemingly important call, as she had tossed her phone on the counter behind her in favour of this embrace. You placed one hand on her back in a weak attempt to reciprocate it. However, all you could notice was how cold her silky black ponytail was as it fell on her back. ‎ ‎

“I missed one day, Ying.”

‎ ‎

“I thought something happened to you!” She pulled away, her hands still on your shoulders. “You should’ve told me– where were you?”

‎ ‎

“At Yu’s.”

‎ ‎

Her posture immediately relaxed with that answer, and a wide grin painted her features.

‎ ‎

“Ah, is that so? And how are the lemons? I trust they’re in excellent condition.”

‎ ‎

You would’ve groaned at how she referred to a bunch of seeds underground as if they were babies being taken care of. But after that tangent, maybe that comparison was… Well, apt wasn’t the word, but, you know. Something like that.

‎ ‎

“Still acclimating. They require less maintenance in the winter, but…”

‎ ‎

Your words were lodged in your throat, and you were rendered unable to tell her exactly what you were thinking. But Ying somehow didn’t notice. Instead, she began taking a few steps back to close the call she’d abandoned, another idea popping up in her mind.

‎ ‎

“How large was his backyard again? Why don’t you plant more seeds there? Something that can withstand this weather?”

‎ ‎

“When’s the last time you’ve been to his house, Ying?”

‎ ‎

She placed one hand on her hip.

‎ ‎

“I visited Iso’s house a few times before, Y/N. I even recall mentioning the absurd size of his backyard. Ah, I think I used the word ridiculous, too… That might’ve offended him.”

‎ ‎

Ying explained thoughtfully with a finger on her chin. And from her dreamy tone, it was easy for you to infer that she was just about to go off on another tangent should you let her keep talking.

She promptly moved towards the register with this memory in mind. But before she could say anything, you interrupted her.

‎ ‎

“Who’s Iso?”

‎ ‎

…

‎ ‎

“Iso?”

‎ ‎

Ying stayed silent for a moment.

Then, she tittered,

‎ ‎

“I– I must’ve misspoken; I meant to say Yu.”

‎ ‎

You crossed your arms.

‎ ‎

“Who’s Iso, Ying?”

‎ ‎

“Ah, it– it’s just a character from a book I’m currently reading. It’s not anything important.” Ying fanned herself with her hand as she spoke, presumably from a bout of anxiety. “Anywho, as I was saying– would you like me to come along with you? We’ll find new spots for you to plant in!”

‎ ‎

…

You ran your fingers through your hair, leaning on the counter behind you.

Ying only had two Meyer lemons that day, and you managed to scoop out a combined amount of nine seeds. A lot, but compared to a normal lemon that had at least ten–fifteen seeds in one fruit, it was nothing. And what worried you was the prospect of you failing or only managing to get a few trees out of those.

It couldn’t hurt to have a few… backup fruits, right? If the lemons failed, you’d maybe have… something else. Besides, the cashier from that one shop seemed fond of you when you bought the garden ready passion fruit. You could purchase another orange and strike up a conversation with her. Besides, you needed to work on mentally desensitising yourself to being in his house.

‎ ‎

“I'll take care of it myself, I could use some alone time.”

‎ ‎

Even though every second of your life was composed of ‘alone time’ to the point that it was concerning. But Ying didn’t really want to mention that. Not when your mood seemed to be substantially improving with it.

She flashed you her familiar grin in response.

‎ ‎

“Well, if you’d like any help, I’m one–”

‎ ‎

“One text away, got it. Weren’t you talking to someone?”

‎ ‎

You gestured at the phone she set on the counter a while ago, referencing the call she’d abandoned in favour of this conversation. And you swore you could see buffering in her eyes before she caught on.

‎ ‎

“Oh! Right, thank you, I’d almost forgotten about her.”

‎ ‎

She quickly grabbed the phone and waved goodbye before disappearing into her office for the day. And by then, you had already known that customers made their way inside. You didn’t even need to look back to know. Not when that repetitive jingle gave it away, and the sounds of them snickering and gossiping to each other.

You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair, preparing to serve the group.

‎ ‎

❤ฺ·。

‎ ‎

You were still thinking about that gun even after it’d been a whole year since you visited his house. However, when you passed by his bedroom, the thoughts took over your mind like a virus. The urge to peer through his drawers once more grew unbearable, even after you’d done it a few dozen times. And each time, it wouldn’t change; there was simply no gun anymore. This weapon only raised more questions in your mind. None of them were new, except for one:

Was Yu dead?

Was that the reason for his disappearance? Maybe the hourglass medallion was related to it. Maybe they were a… an organisation? A group, something like that. Maybe he’d gotten into a fight with these people, or maybe they sent someone out to kill him. But why?

You thought of at least a hundred possibilities as to how he would’ve died, but none of it made sense because of one thing, how did someone like Yu get involved with people like this? The only reason you entertained it was because of his eyes, his nonexistent parents, and the bloody house you were in. There’s no way a barista with the same salary as you would be able to buy all of this.

But you never doubted him; you trusted him. You trusted his decision to keep it all vague. You trusted that, one day, he would tell you.

Maybe that was a mistake.

‎ ‎

Oh, screw it, you thought as you pushed the doors to his backyard open. Ignoring the familiar cold sensation that wrapped itself around your exposed face and neck was an easy task, especially when you were finally taking in the sight before you.

Six trees. But you already saw that before. What grabbed your attention were the white flowers scattered around the deep green leaves, like fairies that had sprinkled dust during the night. Once you’d reached it, you meticulously cupped one flower in your gloved hands and observed the shape, but all of it was healthy. All it needed was one more year to finally bear fruit.

The pearly white tint of the flower beautifully stood out against your black gloves; its thin petals curving in a manner so purposeful, you swore it was sculpted by the gods. They also needed pruning, you mused before going back to grab a tool you left behind. But you’d get to it after you watered them.

Incidentally, it was February; Winter was finally coming to an end. And this meant that the snow that coated the ground was starting to melt off, patches of dull grass sneaking through any opening they could in an effort to get some air. This made the shovel you were about to use somewhat redundant when it came to shovelling the snow.

Nevertheless, once you’d picked an empty spot in his spacious backyard, you slid the blade of your shovel under the thin mound of melting snow. Then, once you scooped up most of it, you tossed it aside and cleared the area.

‎ ‎

‘Why do you plant things in the winter? Why not summer?’

‎ ‎

Yu suddenly questioned from behind as he rested on the staircase after he’d done shovelling all of the snow. Since he’d volunteered and successfully done most of the gruelling work for you, you had enough space to finally plant the germinated lemon seeds once you were done spacing them out.

And to him, his inquiry made sense. Winter was the season of death, and even his optimism wouldn’t stop him from admitting that. So why would you pursue a hobby that sprouted life at that time?

You continued shovelling the snow out of the way as you remembered what you told him that dreadful day. And this time, you didn’t block your brain from pulling these annoying conversations from the depths of your mind – not when you wanted to remember the answer.

‎ ‎

‘Planting things in the winter helps them bear fruit faster. Moreover, the seeds I'm planting are winter fruit.’

‎ ‎

Despite sitting behind you, you could easily tell that Yu immediately perked up at the foreign term.

‎ ‎

‘Winter fruit?’

‎ ‎

‘Yes. It's exactly what it sounds like.’

‎ ‎

Whenever he learned something new from you, he would just have the cutest look on his face. If only you could see it now, you mulled. But that privilege was revoked years ago, and you weren’t in the mood to mourn right now. Not after all of your impressive progress so far.

‎ ‎

‘Lemons are a winter fruit?’

‎ ‎

You nodded.

‎ ‎

‘...What about oranges?’

‎ ‎

He noted the abundance of oranges you had at the time, and your silent plans to have them planted, if only it didn’t take years for the blasted trees to bear fruit. This question, however, made you pause at the time.

‎ ‎

‘They... are.’

‎ ‎

‘I see. And why oranges specifically?’

‎ ‎

Seemingly oblivious to the pause in your answer, Yu continued pressing on, unaware of the consequences of asking such a question.

Once the snow was out of the way and you’d cleared the grass, you moved back towards the doors and grabbed the nearby rake, ready to make space for your orange trees.

‎ ‎

‘They were my dad's favourite.’

‎ ‎

The answer came solemnly; the shift in topic immediately souring both his and your mood. And Yu quickly caught on to his mistake since he immediately rushed to apologise,

‎ ‎

‘Oh, I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…’

‎ ‎

You pushed a plentiful amount of dirt out of the way with only a few repetitive movements. And though they were few, you still felt the sweat form. The thick jacket you wore started to weigh heavily on you. That, and just about everything else, but were you really going to work in a tank top out here?

‎ ‎

‘No, it's okay.’

‎ ‎

Yu watched you stand up once you were done, dusting off your hands. Yet he noted how weak your movements were. How much hesitance was involved in just getting the dirt off of your fingers, or even holding yourself up.

How easily upset you were at the mention of your deceased parents.

At the time.

‎ ‎

‘Can we leave? I'll... I'll check on the trees afterwards.’

‎ ‎

He immediately stood up and took off his glove to pull you closer to him.

‎ ‎

‘Of course. You deserve a break, after all. Where would you like to go?’

‎ ‎

‘Do you remember the bridge I told you about? I heard it looks better in the spring; but we should go tomorrow.’

‎ ‎

Yu beamed at this, his fingers interlocking with yours, and his thumb had already begun outlining the lines on your palm. It sounded like an innocent suggestion.

‎ ‎

‘Tomorrow? Okay, but you'll have to send me the location in advance.’

‎ ‎

You remembered both of you leaving for the bridge that day and what came afterwards. You remembered the dread that followed you throughout the entire trip. Not to mention the gloom, all because you remembered your father. And it’s not like any of it was to be missed. You didn’t miss having your whole day ruined at the mention of one person.

You stood back and stared at the hole you’d dug with the shovel, measuring its width compared to the tree you were about to put in its place.

Perfect, you thought. It was all perfect.

‎ ‎

❤ฺ·。

‎ ‎

Summer passed by like a breeze, and Ying was beyond delighted at the harvest you brought back and immediately got to work with the others to turn them into delicious treats to sell. Luckily for you (or her), they sold like hotcakes, and today, once winter finally arrived, the moment you walked through the doors and heard the jingle from above, you already saw the results of your hard work.

Ying stood deep within the dining area in front of the wall that used to be empty for so long; now, however, it carried the large, expensive painting she had yearned for the past few years. And just like she predicted, it looked absolutely stunning. The colours perfectly complemented the warm colour palette of the general area, and the ladies and their surroundings bounced off of the previously dull flora she’d decorated the area with. That, and, you know, it was just a pretty painting to look at.

You approached and pocketed your headphones, but Ying needn’t look back to know you were there. The crunch of the ice under your boots was loud enough. All thanks to the strong snowfall outside.

‎ ‎

“Isn’t this amazing? It feels like I renovated the whole area, Y/N!”

‎ ‎

She said excitedly as she clasped her hands together, meeting your gaze. Did you even want to ask how long she spent staring at the painting? Not that it was a bad thing.

‎ ‎

“I admit. It does look impressive.”

‎ ‎

“And I couldn’t have done it without you! Speaking of which, you look happy today. Did something happen?”

‎ ‎

Ying asked with a tilt of her head, and your smile only widened at this despite your futile attempts to keep a straight face.

‎ ‎

“The lady at the nursery suggested I sell some of my plants there with her. I’m still considering it.”

‎ ‎

She didn’t know who she was, so you didn’t really bother telling Ying the name of this new friend you made. But her face still beamed at this.

‎ ‎

“Why not? You mentioned your apartment being cramped a while ago. Is that still the case?”

‎ ‎

“It is.”

‎ ‎

Of course she’d remember an off-handed comment from months ago. Besides, all anyone needed to know something like this was to simply glance at any of your windows, and they’d see the potted trees pressed up against them.

‎ ‎

“I’ll still have to wait until the weather clears up.”

‎ ‎

“I see. Good call.”

‎ ‎

She didn’t need to look out the windows to see the thick fog outside. The way to work was difficult enough for her since she had to avoid the black ice and check the weather for any potential storms. Nevertheless, despite how subtle it was, Ying immediately picked up on the wistfulness that bled into your previously content tone.

‎ ‎

“Is… something wrong?”

‎ ‎

Your smile slowly fell as you carefully leaned on the table behind you.

Don’t quote me on this comparison, I hate Chemistry. But despite solitude being bound to you like protons to a nucleus at this point, and vice versa, you’d been keeping this question to yourself, and it felt like it was driving you mad. For once, you needed to ask someone, and who better than Ying? And you weren’t in the mood to be subtle or to ease her into it.

Might as well lay it all out.

‎ ‎

“Is Yu dead?”

‎ ‎

She seemed incredibly caught off guard by the question.

‎ ‎

“Dead? That– that’s a… ah, a bold assumption… Why would you ever say that?”

‎ ‎

Should you even tell her about the gun and the hourglass medallion? Even though you were still pissed at Yu for keeping so many things hidden from you, you still felt it disrespectful to air out his laundry behind his back. Well, if he was alive, that is.

Besides, it’s not like she was innocent either. She had a mysteriously large sum of money herself, despite being a humble café owner. Speaking of… why didn’t she just buy the painting with that instead of waiting for your harvest? Maybe you shouldn’t ask everything.

You sighed and ran your fingers through your hair.

‎ ‎

“Just a thought.”

‎ ‎

“No, don’t say that. You’re doing so well, Y/N; don’t let the pessimism get to you!”

‎ ‎

You smiled in amusement at her words. Was the change in your appearance and attitude that drastic? You could’ve sworn one of the positive things about your genes was the lack of dark circles under your eyes. Ying, however, only kept going.

‎ ‎

“How about we visit his grandmother? I know both of you used to do that a lot. Are those lemons done growing?”

‎ ‎

“They are. I should be able to harvest them on Sunday if the weather gets better.”

‎ ‎

It’s been a while since you visited her. And honestly, you may or may not have missed her delighted smile and hug whenever she’d see you come in with freshly baked goods for her to enjoy. Shame this all stopped when Yu disappeared. If you took it this horribly, you couldn’t even imagine what she was going through.

‎ ‎

“Sunday? That’s great! Would you like me to come with you? I’ll bring the baskets!”

‎ ‎

For once, the offer sounded enticing. Hauling baskets around in a bus also sounded like a terrible idea. So…

You nodded.

‎ ‎

“I don’t mind.”

‎ ‎

“Wonderful! So, what do you always bring her? Was it lemon bars, or…”

‎ ‎

Ying started spitballing ideas as she walked you to the counter, attempting to come up with a list of lemon desserts for you both to bring. Sweets and baking weren’t her forte, but it was really fun to watch her ramble on about something she really enjoyed. It wasn’t that hard to tell that she never got to have a casual conversation with someone outside of work, anyway.

And so you let her talk, instead opting to listen to her in silence and only chiming in when she was out of words.

‎ ‎

❤ฺ·。

‎ ‎

Both of you settled on lemon pie. It was a nice change compared to the usual pound cakes you’d always bring her. And besides, you needed to bring something special after not visiting her for years, or however long it’s been. Not like you were one to keep track of time.

Nevertheless, a week had passed since that conversation, and things only continued to improve. Mentally, that is.

You were way too exhausted from tending to what felt like a few hundred trees all day. The work felt like it was never ending. It’s not like you were able to go outside anyway; the fog never let up since then. Even the buses were starting to reroute, and your path to work was getting more and more hazy.

Thankfully for you, it was Saturday; you’ve been up since the crack of dawn, and you’ve just finished your housework at two in the afternoon. Pruning, fertilising, watering and fending off fungal infections and diseases. Even though it was winter, an abundance of dormant plants still equaled a considerable amount of work. Sure, as Ying said, the air was fresher in here, but you needed to sell all of these plants. It was quite literally a forest at this point. That wasn’t to mention the ones at Yu’s house that you still haven’t tended to, the ones you were going to harvest tomorrow had the weather improved.

Once you set down your shears and gave your fingers the relief of rest after spending the past hour pruning your kiwi tree, it felt like they were just one wrong move away from falling off your body. And maybe that was the time for you to actually stop working.

‎ ‎

You walked back inside to your hotter bedroom and slammed the door to the balcony shut, taking a deep breath of the fresh air to isolate a specific scent. And it didn’t take long for you to spot it – the scent of hot chocolate. You’d just made it for breakfast and had completely forgotten about it whilst waiting for it to cool off.

Huh. Instead of drinking it in bed, maybe you should try something Ying would probably do.

You ran your stiff fingers through your hair and moved towards the kitchen, grabbed the lukewarm cup and headed for the living room. Once you sat down on the couch, the remote immediately made its way into your hand and the television was turned on. Yu’s blankets were still there. You washed and tossed them back there, since there was no reason for you to move them. Not like you felt ill when you looked at them. They were pretty warm.

Besides, you were more concerned with the television and whether or not it would work after being unused for so long.

And… Yeah. It was kind of boring. Scratch that; it was very boring. Ying was probably just way too old-fashioned for you.

You surfed through the channels for a few more minutes. And with every channel you passed, you were only further reminded as to why this blasted thing was never used. You surfed and surfed and surfed, eventually landing on whatever channel it was once you’d gotten bored enough and instead picked up the phone to scroll through social media. Maybe you really should hit up your landlord and stop funding this useless thing mounted on your wall, you mused.

Your train of thought, however, was immediately derailed once your ringtone blasted in your ears. Ying had suddenly called you. And despite your annoyance, you accepted it without thought, holding the phone up to your ear.

‎ ‎

“Y/N! Good afternoon, how are you?”

‎ ‎

“Hi. Do you need something?”

‎ ‎

She tittered, and you could feel her anxiously fan herself from the other side of the phone.

‎ ‎

“What if I just wanted to check in on my friend?”

‎ ‎

“So you… don’t need anything.”

‎ ‎

“No, I do. Are you free this March?”

‎ ‎

You sighed and instead looked out the window, your eyes locking on the rapid snowfall that only helped further coat the ground in tonnes of snow. Sidewalks, houses, dead trees, balconies… Well, the uncovered ones, of course. Your balcony was safe.

‎ ‎

“Possibly. Why?”

‎ ‎

This question was weird to ask, to say the least. Especially to someone who lived their life with no planning and went with the flow. But you did understand why she’d ask since she planned months and months ahead.

‎ ‎

“There’s something I must do, but it’s highly likely that I’d end up needing your assistance with it. Do you recall a few years ago, when you…”

‎ ‎

Then, the word ‘storm’ caught your attention, your eyes immediately darted back to the television as your brain tuned out Ying’s words. Turns out that the channel you’d stopped at was the weather forecast, and the woman was explaining an incoming catastrophic storm headed towards…

Crap.

‎ ‎

“I– I have to go; I need to leave.”

‎ ‎

“Where? What’s happening?”

‎ ‎

Without thought, you stood up and rushed towards the thick jacket you had hung up on the coat rack right next to the door.

‎ ‎

“Ying, there’s a blizzard. It’s headed right around the neighbourhood where Yu’s house is!”

‎ ‎

You slipped on your boots and grabbed your keys, stuffing whatever remaining essentials there were in your pocket.

‎ ‎

“What?! Y/N, wait, don’t tell me you’re–”

‎ ‎

“I’m going, Ying!”

‎ ‎

“Don’t! Don’t, just wait for me, I–”

‎ ‎

You slammed the door shut, haphazardly holding the scarf over your nose, and rushed down the flight of stairs.

‎ ‎

Ying failed to convince you not to go before you closed the phone and shifted all of your focus back on your path, and she especially failed to get you to understand what was truly happening through your skull. To her, you either didn’t notice the magnitude of the situation, or you just outright didn’t care. Rushing into a blizzard just to keep a few trees safe was something no sane person would do, even with how much those trees meant to you.

And despite the thick haze that blocked you from seeing only a few feet in front of you, the people rushing to get home as soon as possible, and the rapid snowfall, none of it mattered. You clutched the ice-cold pole inside the bus and leaned your head against it, its temperature seeping through your thick black gloves and stinging your skin.

Your eyes locked on the windows as you watched the driver struggle to make his way through the fog, and your heart raced fast enough that it nearly constituted a heart attack. People around you were scared. The children huddled with their parents like scared birds, and you swore you could hear a few of them reassure their kids that they were going to make it home just fine. But you tuned it all out in favour of what was important to you.

All you needed to do was get to his house. Get to his house at the very least, and it’ll all be okay.

Those trees will be okay. You’ll make sure of it.

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offbranddrpepsi · 1 month

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Chamber X Clove pt 1.

fuck it we ball Pt 1: Here Pt 2: There Ongoing ___________________________

How many times had they dangled between the thin membrane that was the line between life and death? It seemed endless. The space between wasn’t cold or scary, it was rather welcoming and warm. A stereo gram of each significant moment in their life that played for them just when death was trying to catch them. The sad and happy creating the perfect storybook as they skipped along. But a breath in the world of the living was a lifetime at the boundary. It was exhilarating but it had it’s costs. When death no longer mattered you lived recklessly, carelessly. Each moment with someone felt near meaningless at times. If you could just relive it, why focus on the details in the moment? Why care what someone thought or how you presented? To say it made interactions shallow was an understatement. There was also the looming threat of out living everyone you’d ever know, never knowing when you’d truly die and would finally fall over the edge.

Maybe this was all why Clove had been so willing to throw themselves in the line of fire. To throw their life away for another that just so happened to lead them to a new group of faces who needed their burden as if it was a gift. Their joy was infectious. Their vibrancy for life seemed to be appreciated here more than it ever had. So Clove had started calling Valorant and it’s collection of misfits home. Everything was so exciting to them, even the current task of moving their scarce collection of possessions into their room. Everyone was also exciting and very friendly, even the scarier agents like Fade and Reyna. They’d even embrace Clove’s love of dungeons and dragons, some of the others even being into it themselves. Of course some of the agents were also less exciting. Cypher acted all goofy and friendly but didn’t talk about himself or understand the ‘youths’ well. Sova was super friendly but also super super stuffy sometimes but not nearly as stuffy as Viper. Chamber was the definition of a suit, a corporate jack off that in another life would call the polis on them for trespassing on what was clearly public property. But something that couldn’t be sneered at was just how diverse and colorful everyone here was. Clove loved it and couldn’t wait to get to know everyone more.

As the little butterfly fluttered down the hallway from their still not fully unpacked room and to the cafeteria slash dining room slash they didn’t know what everyone actually called it but Sage said it was were they ate, they were entirely lost in their own head. As such it was a surprise when they nearly tripped over another human, only staying upright due to the size of them compared to Clove. Ugly tie, weird buttons, Chamber! Chamber had smacked into them and acted as a sort of wall to stop their descent to the freshly waxed ground. “Ayeeeee,” Clove hissed out similarly to when one would touch a hot pan. " Sorry, too excited over some grub, thank you for graciously stopping my descent!” And without even waiting for Chamber’s response they were off once again.

Chamber was far too used to the new hyper agents that called the protocol home. Gekko was more than enough on most days, Iso was getting there, and Phoenix had been there since he’d joined. The sniper wasn’t exactly opposed to those of more ‘active’ nature than his own, but it was very unpredictable which meant it required extra thinking. Chamber was a master of thinking on his feet, expecting the unexpected, but when it was a loud chattery ball of energy in his face that was a different story. He could talk his way around them but they frequently backed him into a corner both verbally and literally. Jett was one that loved nothing more than to catch him just when he was leaving the workshop, trapping him at the dead end that was the engineering wings hallway. One day it was asking him what he was doing, another it was pestering him to cook for her, one time she had even made him fix a hole in her hoodie, absolutely refusing to let him go to bed without doing so at the threat of tears. The other agents pestering didn’t annoy him, but it did inconvenience him more often than not. With each new addition was another new impression and the chance to make a valuable connection, but with how broad Valorants recruitment standards were it made it hard to prepare for new additions in his routine.

The newest agent, as far as he was aware with their brief mission together, was another such up beat individual. The one thing that set the vibrant agent apart was that, despite lacking combat experience, they seemed to throw caution to the wind. Chamber absolutely avoided getting shot, even with people like Sage or Skye around, but Clove seemed to consider it an inevitability, something that was going to happen so it might as well happen now. Every shot, be it from him or at him, mattered for Chamber but Clove? Clove could miss every shot and would be just as happy as they were when they were talking Gekko’s ear off. It made sense why they were placed on a team with Chamber, but it was also a liability he still needed to adjust to.

Chamber was rarely the head of missions, Viper didn’t trust him enough, so when ever he did get the honor of doing so he knew it was testing something or someone. He was strategic, calculated, had years of experience in the field, and that unfortunately made him perfect to get stuck with inexperienced new recruits. Deadlock had been an absolute treat to work with and to help get up to speed. The woman had even gone through the proper route to request a custom weapon from him, something he was more than happy to accommodate given her attitude as well as honesty. If only more newbies could be like her and less like the chaos that was at least half of the Protocol.When Clove had thrown them self in front of his scope and in the way of a waiting bullet with a smile it had shocked him. When Clove had come crashing into him on his was back to his room it had not. Little horns almost jabbed his chest as they ran into him with a dull thud. Bright blue eyes shinned up at him with a goofy smile that could put Raze to shame before buzzing off just as quickly as they had collided. Chamber could only shake his head and sigh, adjusting his tie as he continued on his way. What was a tiny annoyance was that the new agents kept being placed closer and closer to his own dwelling. When he joined everyone was somewhat spaced out but had agents with similar jobs clustered in the same general area. Four doors down was Killjoy, at the very front of the hall was Sage, Cypher lived in his office but Chamber was sure his room was nestled some where, and Deadlocks room was mirroring Killjoys. Chamber was blissfully shoved at the end of the hall in a slightly larger than normal room per his request to accommodate his various tools and equipment. When Gekko arrived he was placed originally only two rooms away from Chamber but was moved else where when his ‘little buddies’ started trying to chew through walls and invade the vacant rooms. Clove had been placed with a mere one room buffer between them and Chamber. Chamber valued his peace when he could get it and by the day that seemed less and less likely to ever happen again. Clove had been loud when they moved in, they were loud when they moved about, it nearly made him miss when Raze would sneak to Killjoy’s room at the odd hours of the morning. Of course any of his complaints could and would be written off due to Clove still settling in and Chamber being, well, Chamber.

Entering his room Chamber was met with blissful silence. First off was his tie and then vest, not fully changing into his lounge wear but still freeing himself some so he could relax. It was only noon so he was sure the bundle of energy that was their newest agent would be back sooner than later which meant a nap was off the table. He could read or he could throw relaxing out the window and instead go to the firing range, maybe he could even reserve one of the baths for a soak and stew. As his mind considered the options he had drifted off which only allowed his previous worries to come to fruition. With a loud whistle and a bang of something falling over, Clove made their way back to their room the automatic door muffling the sound of a slew of curses none of which he understood but that the tone conveyed was something said in rage.

With his too short nap cut even more short Chamber decided the firing range would be his best bet to both waste time and let off steam. Placing his vest back on as well as his tie he grabbed the weapon case that was mounted on his wall, slinging it over his shoulder as he left his room. Passing Cloves door he heard their music bleeding through into the hall, it only encouraging him to walk faster as he started to realize he recognized it a bit too well for his liking.

#valorant #chamber valorant #clove valorant #valorant fanfiction #chamber x clove

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choclette8 · 4 years

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A quick and delicious main meal for two or indulgent weekend brunch for four. Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern pepper and tomato dish that’s traditionally served with bread. Here, halloumi shakshuka is served with a zesty lemon and coriander couscous instead.

AD – this is a commissioned post. See my cookie and privacy statement for further details.

Shakshuka is one of my favourite things to eat, though I have to confess I’ve never yet eaten it for breakfast. In the Middle East, it’s a breakfast dish and includes eggs rather than halloumi. I’ve found that halloumi makes a most delicious substitute for eggs.

Couscous is one of those ingredients that comes and goes in our household. I’ll have a spate of using it in various dishes, then forget about it for a while. This halloumi shakshuka recipe from Hello Fresh has reminded me of just how good couscous can be.

Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh is a recipe box delivery service. Seasonal fresh ingredients delivered right to your door so that you can have a flavoursome home cooked meal with a minimum of fuss. It can be a real godsend when you’ve run out of ideas as to what to cook.

The service can also save you time as you don’t need to do any shopping – win win. There’s just the right amount of ingredients for the recipes too so you’ll end up with no waste. Not that that’s ever an issue with me. I can always find something to do with leftovers.

The recipes are perfect for less experienced cooks. They’re detailed and have easy step by step instructions with accompanying pictures. More experienced cooks can probably skim through the instructions, but they provide a handy guide nonetheless. I found this recipe for halloumi shakshuka simple and straightforward to follow.

Hello Fresh were unable to send me the box for this halloumi shakshuka, so I bought the ingredients myself. But even though this is an easy dish to make, it would have been even easier with a recipe box. Everything is ready to hand and all you need to do is chop and cook. How fabulous is that?

I seem to spend an inordinate amount of time hunting for ingredients at the back of cupboards. Oftentimes I’ll empty the cupboard, only to find what I’m looking for isn’t there. So I love this recipe box concept where I don’t have to think to0 much and all of the ingredients are to hand. It may not be for every day, but it’s worth knowing about for an occasional treat.

Recipe Boxes

There are a myriad recipe boxes and meal types to choose from. If you’ve got fussy kids and simplicity is key, try the family box. Then there’s the classic box which gives you a choice of twenty six meals featuring both British and world cuisine.

The rapid box is for those who are strapped for time. You can choose from six meals each week and they all take less than twenty minutes to cook.

Then of course, there’s the box I’m most interested in: the veggie box. There’s an ever changing menu, but each week you get six meals to choose from. I’ve just had a peek to see what’s on offer. They all look tempting, but if I had to choose one it would be mushroom shawarma tacos with lettuce and feta cheese. Yum!

I chose this recipe for halloumi shakshuka because a) I can’t resist halloumi and b) it’s been a long time since I ate anything with couscous. Now I’ve cooked it and we’ve eaten it all up, I don’t in the least bit regret my decision. CT has asked that I make it on a regular basis.

Halloumi Shakshuka with Couscous

This really is such a delightful dish. It’s quick and easy to make and it’s both delicious and satisfying. I’ve made shakshuka many times, but never with halloumi – until now. I have made it with chocolate though and it worked very well. Head over to my chocshuka post for the recipe.

The main task for this halloumi shakshuka is to slice and chop the various ingredients. Once that’s done, it’s a breeze.

Start with the couscous, this needs to soak in hot liquid for at least 15 minutes. I prefer twenty. That may be because I use wholemeal couscous and it takes a bit longer. Hello fresh instruct you to cover the soaking couscous bowl with clingfilm. I prefer a plate. It works just as well and no plastic waste required.

Fry the onions and peppers in olive oil.

Add garlic, spices, seasoning and a tin of chopped tomatoes.

Let it bubble away for a few minutes.

Then fry the onion and peppers. I love this bit as the sliced peppers are so colourful and pretty. Add garlic and chermoula followed by a tin of chopped tomatoes. Let it bubble away.

Meanwhile fry up slices of delicious salty halloumi cheese, then add them on top of the rich bubbling tomato and pepper mixture. Clap a lid over the top for a couple of minutes or so and it’s done. All you then need to do is add chopped coriander along with lemon zest and juice to the couscous. Fluff it up with a fork and spoon into bowls.

The quantities for this recipe err on the generous side, so it’s a good one for when you’re feeling hungry. For a lighter lunch or supper, I reckon it could stretch to three people. It’s also a lovely idea for a lazy weekend brunch and in this case, it would stretch to four people.

All but the olive oil, salt, pepper and sugar is provided in this halloumi shakshuka recipe box. You can find this recipe and so many more on the Hello Fresh website.

Other Middle Eastern Recipes You Might Like

Caramelised onion & yoghurt dip

Carrot falafel with tahini sauce

Egyptian falafel with chopped salad

Stuffed red peppers in tomato sauce

Tahini sauce with clementines

Traditional hummus

You’ll find more Middle Eastern inspired recipes in my Middle Eastern category. I also have a six course chocolate Middle Eastern dinner menu you might be interested in. It went down very well with my guests.

Keep in Touch

Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you try this halloumi shakshuka, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.

For more delicious and nutritious recipes follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest.

Choclette x

Halloumi Shakshuka. PIN IT.

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Halloumi Shakshuka with Couscous

Couscous

150 grams wholemeal couscous ((contains gluten))

300 ml water

1 bunch coriander – finely chopped

½ lemon – zested and juiced ((organic or unwaxed is best))

salt & pepper to taste

Shakshuka

1 onion – peeled, halved and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves – peeled and finely chopped

1 yellow pepper – halved, core and seeds discarded and sliced into strips

1 green pepper – halved, core and seeds discarded and sliced into strips

240 g block of halloumi – sliced widthways into six ((contains milk))

1 tsp chermoula spice

400 g tin finely chopped tomatoes

pinch sugar

100 ml water

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Couscous

Pour the couscous into a bowl. Boil the water and pour over the couscous. Cover with a plate and leave to soak whilst you get on with making the shakshuka. It will need at least 15 minutes, but I find longer is better.

When the shakshuka is ready to be served, stir in half the coriander, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper to taste. Fluff up with a fork.

Shakshuka

Fry the onions and pepper in the oil over a moderate heat for 6-8 minutes, stirring often. Add a pinch of salt whilst they're frying.

Once the peppers have softened, stir in the garlic and chermoula. Fry for a minute then add the tomatoes and water. Season with a pinch of sugar along with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat a non stick pan over a medium heat. Lay the halloumi slices down and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they're nicely browned.

Transfer the halloumi slices to the tomato mixture. Cover the pan and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Divide the couscous between two bowls. Spoon in the shakshuka, ensuring there are three slices each. Sprinkle the remaining coriander over the top.

Serves for as a weekend brunch.

Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on exact ingredients used.

Sharing

I’m sharing this recipe for halloumi shakshuka and herby couscous with Curly’s Cooking for #CookBlogShare.

This post is commissioned by Hello Fresh. I was not expected to write a positive review and all opinions are, as always, my own. Thank you for your support of the brands and organisations that help to keep Tin and Thyme blithe and blogging.

A quick and delicious main meal for two or indulgent weekend brunch for four. Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern pepper and tomato dish that's traditionally served with bread. Here, halloumi shakshuka is served with a zesty lemon and coriander couscous instead. A quick and delicious main meal for two or indulgent weekend brunch for four. Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern pepper and tomato dish that's traditionally served with bread.

#couscous #halloumi #peppers #Sponsored

0 notes

thefatfeministwitch · 7 years

Text

If you haven’t been following American or Canadian news lately, you might have missed the terrifying mainstreaming of nazism and hatred that’s occurring in the US right now. Though racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism and general hatred has always existed in very scary ways in the US, for the first time in my life those beliefs and actions have been publicly supported by the President of the US and the administration – in plain language. Hateful people wearing swastikas and carrying torches have been gathering in American and US cities and causing damage, injury, and even death. I’m frightened, angry, and disgusted with the complacency. This can’t happen. This certainly can’t happen AGAIN. Like an evangelical watching for signs of the rapture, many have been comparing these events to the events leading up to the Holocaust in World War II and predicting a similar outcome.

I can’t say I blame them.

The bystander effect is real. Internalized racism, sexism, homophobia all of that is REAL. Even white and privileged people who don’t consider themselves racist or hateful often unconsciously see people of colour and other marginalized people as other or less than. In the event that something should befall one of our brothers and sisters of colour, or that they are attacked, I honestly don’t have the faith in the average person to protect them.

If you have been paying attention I’m sure you share my fear and outrage. I’m sure you share my desire to do something. Showing up to counter protest isn’t possible for everyone, nor is it necessarily safe.

RIP Heather Heyer

That being said, sitting at home and doing nothing is just not an option. No matter how much sheetcake you cry into.

That’s why, during the upcoming solar eclipse, I’ll be casting baneful magick at the Nazi hate groups and nazi sympathizers in the administration working so hard to normalize hate and kill those they do. If you want to get involved and help lend your energy to the spell you can find the event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/848109488684970

Find it at PlentifulEarth.com

In addition to baneful magick, a few online witch friends including Aurora Moone from Plentiful Earth created this incredible spell for protection, equality, and coexistence that they’ll be performing during today’s eclipse. To properly use the energy of this eclipse, I believe it would be most beneficial to have both Sun and Moon energy working together. While those who perform the Lady Liberty Spell (or any other that would be deemed “light” magick) will be casting love and light on those who are being hurt by hate, those of us casting the curse will be the dark and hidden energy of the moon. We’ll work with the shadow elements of this problem.

The Night Witches

The inspiration for this mass action and my spell comes from The Night Witches or Nachthexen, a Russian bomber squadron who carried out various, incredibly dangerous, attacks on nazis during World War II. They would idle their engines and quietly glide by the Nazis, making only the sound like a witch on her broomstick. This small regiment used training planes, wore hand me down uniforms, decorated their planes with flowers, and were often disrespected by other soldiers and officers. They were so feared by the Nazis that any successful attack of one lead to an instant Iron Cross. This Monday we’ll be calling on the strength of these brave soldiers who made incredible strides in the war and struck supernatural fear into the hearts of Nazis.

If it’s something you do in your practice, maybe try to call on the spirits of some of the Night Witches and ask them to lend their strength and determination to the working. Here is a profile of one of the most famous from the Regiment, Nadezhda (Nadia) Popova, upon her death in 2013.

The Curse

So here’s the thing – I don’t like telling you witches exactly what to do. Everyone practices magick differently, everyone has their own style, own ingredients, own prayers and spirits and deities. I can’t possibly write a single spell that will work for everyone. Not only that, but I don’t think it’s necessary for all of us to do identical magick to be working toward a common goal. I think as long as we all have similar intentions, our magick will work together. We’re all connected. The one thing I will hammer out in plain detail here are my intentions with this spell I am performing. Otherwise, this is just an overview of what I’m doing and what I’m working with, along with some ideas you can use. If you have all of the things I mention here, please feel free to use the spell!

The Stuff: I want to be clear, you don’t need ANY stuff to do a spell. You can just focus your intention and do some visualization. It’s up to you. I like stuff. I’m doing a candle spell using oils, incense, and some live herbs/plants I grew myself.

Black Candle

Coffin Nails/Candle Carving tool

Anointing oil – I’m using Dragon Medicine oil from Beaux Magique. Not only do ancient legends about the eclipse often equate the sight with a dragon coming to devour the sun, but this oil is used for change, consciousness, recognizing danger, dispelling darkness, and destroying the old to make way for the new. Perfect. You could also use something like black pepper oil, a van van or anything else that spells DISASTER.

Baneful herbs and plants with which to dress your candle – my ingredients here will be a bit unique. I am using a large pitcher from my Nepenthes plant, and a morning glory vine. I’ll probably also go outside and pick some nightshade flowers. You could use black pepper, tobacco, cloves, rue, or anything else that seems to work for banishing, destroying, poisoning, ruining, or cursing. Think aggressive. Grab some thorns or thistles, or cactus spikes.

Incenses and Powders – again to dress your candle or burn on your altar. I’m using dragon’s blood resin, you could also use cemetery dirt, palo santo, clove, banishing incense, Hekate incense, or make your own!

Paper and a pen

Lighter/matches

Since I’m using one of my pitchers (the most beautiful one, ugh, I’ll miss it) from my Nepenthes plant, a lot of my spell focuses on narrowing the influence of Donald Trump, Neo-Nazis, Breitbart news, etc to that of a tiny fly. From there I’ll be writing their names, and the name of other hate groups and movements and ideals, rolling them into small balls, and putting them inside the Nepenthes, trapping their disgusting ideals from damaging others, while being surrounded and trapped in the sticky trap of hate they’ve created for themselves. Finally they’ll be eaten alive by their hate, wither and die, and leave the world a better and more fulfilled place. The rest of us will feed off of their destruction and grow, just like these carnivorous plants.

The Intentions:

Narrow the influence of donald trump, and all hate groups who draw strength from his presidency, to that of a single, tiny, fly. Contain their hatred so it can’t affect others, either negatively or positively.

Bind them with their own hate. Return all hateful words and actions back at them, and allow that hatred to consume them.

Cause them to weaken and wither the further into their hate they delve.

Bind them from reaching out to anyone. Keep them alone, separate, powerless. Let them know they don’t belong in our society. Make their views unacceptable. Take away their sense of community and leave them alone with their pestilent hatred.

Bring to light the secrets of their hate, and allow those who support hate to see it for what it really is.

Make way for a new era free of hatred and bigotry. Create space for a new administration, a new standard of tolerance, acceptance, and respect for all, and new legally granted rights and freedoms for the oppressed.

The Method:

Carve and dress the candle. You can carve symbols, names, word or phrases. Focusing on trapping and binding hatred in one place. Anoint the candle from the top to the bottom with the dragon medicine oil. Imagine a dragon coming down and wrapping itself around the candle, bringing with it all of the hatred it’s found in the world. Dress it with herbs, powders, or resins. Make sure there is water at the bottom of the Pitcher, if not spritz and water the plant and wait a bit. Select the largest and most sturdy pitcher and harvest it. Place your candle into the opening of the pitcher, leaving space around to add things. Write down the names of hateful people, systems and ideals on small pieces of paper, focusing on them as you do. Ball them up and trap them inside the pitcher, like insignificant flies. You can also add baneful hers or magical ingredients for extra poison here. When finished, wrap the morning glory tight around the pitcher to close it, focus on your intentions, and light the candle when the eclipse is at its peak and the moon and sun’s energy are working in tandem. Allow the candle to burn down into the Nepenthes (watch for fire) and when it’s done wrap it in a paper bag, and bring it to a sight that perpetuates this hatred. A rally, a statue, a landmark, a political building, etc and leave it there as a message that hatred will not stand in our world and our society as long as we have any say in it.

I know this is incredibly specific, but if you want to do this spell without the Nepenthes, why not use a mason jar with water and a sticky substance that attracts insects? Then add a lid and maybe some pieces of morning glory and other baneful herbs. Throw in the balled up papers, or even photographs and pictures from the news paper. What I’m doing is essentially a candle spell that creates a witch bottle, but my bottle is a leaf. You could also use the candle on its own and use moth and flame imagery instead. For a more classic curse written by a really powerful witch, consider using this one, written by Melanie Hexen to Hex Brock Turner during a mass hex last year. Add in anything you have that lends energy, crystals like onyx and jet and obsidian; tarot cards like the tower, judgement, strength, and death; a broom with which to cleanse them from this earth, whatever feels right.

My facebook event starts at 2pm EDT because that’s when I’ll start creating my items, and around 2:37 the eclipse will reach its peak and I’ll light the candle. Feel free to participate anytime the eclipse is visible, or even later at night during the new moon. The new moon and the eclipse are linked in energy and this strong energy regarding change will be here for a while. Like any other magick, it’s really the thought and intention that counts. If you can’t cast a full spell because you’re working or busy, maybe just take a minute during the eclipse to focus on either some fo my intentions, or the ones outlined in the Lady Liberty Spell. Everyone’s magick is welcome, and needed at this time.

Flight of the Night Witches – Anti-Nazi Mass Action If you haven't been following American or Canadian news lately, you might have missed the terrifying mainstreaming of nazism and hatred that's occurring in the US right now.

#curse #fuck nazis #hex trump #new age #night witches #social justice #social justice magick #solar eclipse #solareclipse #spell #spiritual #spirituality #witch #Witchcraft #witchy

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