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apocalypticvalraven · 29 days

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Delicious in Dungeon in The Kitchen

So... I was struck by the thought that I kinda wish some food nerd would go through the Dungeon Meshi dishes and analyze them and sort of give a "this is the real world thing they're making" run down.

And then I realized I'm a food nerd that can do research.

So.

We're gonna try this out, starting with Volume 1. I don't promise that I know everything about cooking. I don't promise I'll always be able to make the thing I'm looking at (I am broke, and I don't have my own kitchen). But I can at least look at a dish and figure out what they're doing and how to replicate it, at least sorta.

Dungeon Meshi Volume 1-- Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom Hot Pot

The two main components of this dish are the Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom.

Walking Mushroom

Looking at the images in the manga, Walking Mushroom seems to just... be a mushroom that can walk around. There are no organs, the interior seems pretty uniform in substance...

Like, literally, that's exactly what sliced mushrooms look like. Senshi cuts the mushroom into ~4" strips (judging by their size next to the small cabbage-like vegetable, and comparing those plants to his hand in the image of him gathering them. I am assuming dwarf hands are roughly the same size as human hands).

There's a variety of edible mushroom that is probably as close as we're going to get to the size of a Walking Mushroom, growing a cap up to 3' wide, but it seems to only grow in termite mounds in a very specific part of the African continent (please forgive my USAmerican, White education leading me to not being able to identify the specific region), so... if you can get that at all, it's probably crazy expensive (as it should be, unless you're literally getting it from the mounds or local markets yourself). Portobello or similar large culinary mushrooms are probably just fine. The Mushroom Feet are literally just mushrooms, so no worries there.

Huge Scorpion

Ok, so... there is a difference between arachnids and crustaceans. As a start, arachnids have book lungs and crustaceans have gills. Arachnid guts are different from crustacean guts, just because of environment. Hell, crustacean limbs grow differently from arachnid limbs.

That said, everything I see in Dungeon Meshi implies that, from a culinary standpoint, Huge Scorpion is a crustacean-

So, really, it's just a big lobster. Take a lobster, cut off its legs, antennae, and the tail fluke, and you're going to see something that looks pretty similar to the huge scorpion in Dungeon Meshi.

Seaweed

Next is seaweed, which... is just a thing, but also kind of an imprecise term, I think. Basically, "seaweed" just refers to any marine algae that is multicellular and macroscopic (big enough to see). Arctic Moss seems to be a real thing which refers to a couple things- the aquatic moss Calliergon giganteum and the terrestrial lichen in the genus of Cladonia, which includes Reindeer Lichen.

Reindeer lichen is edible, in a number of ways, but it's also not seaweed. So we look at Calliergon giganteum. I cannot get an answer as to whether this particular variety of moss is edible. So... fuck it, say Senshi used Reindeer Lichen, at least we know that's edible.

"Star Jelly" is... I don't know. The main result I find when googling it is that it's the sort of general term for various slimes that show up on lawns and other vegetation, etc. Which means it could be anything from amphibian spawning jelly to who the fuck knows what.

However, one thing it could be is a cyanobacteria known as Fat Choy, a commonly used "vegetable" in Chinese Cuisine:

Looks like jelly? Yep. Looks weird enough that you might imagine it comes from a star? Yep. Edible? Yes!

(I mean, maybe don't eat a ton of it, or get it from irreputable sources. At least some Fat Choy contains a toxic amino acid which may or may not have negative health effects, but I'm not a doctor, so all I'm saying is "be aware of this." It's an expensive delicacy, which means that it is a particularly lucrative target for counterfeiters, and China does not have strong, or strongly enforced, food safety laws).

The Hard Stuff

So that leaves "Invertatoes" and "Dried Slime."

Neither of which seem to have a good direct analogue to the real world. Well... sorta.

Invertatoes seems to refer to the plants. The name calls to mind potatoes, and potatoes do indeed grow in the ground and are starchy. It's probably fair to just use any kind of starchy tuber as the "invertatoes." Maybe cassava, since those are large enough that it's at least somewhat believable that "Fantasy Land Cassava" could look like that (although that doesn't fit the "these are normal plants that grow upside down" unless we're being really generous).

The problem is that it's sort of implied that the cabbage-like vegetable seen in the hot pot comes from the same plant, and everything from a potato plant other than the potato itself is toxic. They also don't look like that.

I literally don't know what those cabbage/lettuce-like leafy vegetables are. They're not seaweed, because the two varieties called out definitely don't look like that. They're not, so far as I can tell, the greens of any kind of starchy tuber--

EXCEPT.

So, I was taking one last look at tubers to see if I could find something that seemed to match, and I think Invertatoes could be likened to something similar to chicory. Particularly endives. I never knew endives were related to chicory (ie, "that thing that I'm aware is popular as a coffee substitute in the South, but I don't have much desire to try it, and I wonder if it even has caffeine..."), but, apparently, yeah. Endives are a member of the chicory genus.

So, yeah, lets say that Invertatoes are a sort of fantasy plant similar to the various members of the chicory genus. The trunk can be replicated with chicory root, and the leaves with endives.

That leaves Dried Slime. Dried Slime makes up the noodles in the hot pot, which implies that the noodles are gelatinous, and probably low in gluten. Senshi's explanation of the slime makes me want to think of it as a macro-unicellular lifeform, but... I'm not sure that's accurate.

While it's definitely not an accurate way to describe a jellyfish, I could definitely see a non-biologist describing jellyfish in a way similar to the way Senshi describes the slime. I could also see some fantasy terrestrial jellyfish thing hunting in a similar manner to the slime. Moreover, there are edible varieties of jellyfish, and they're processed in a manner very similar to what Senshi describes for processing slimes. And one way of preparing edible jellyfish is to thinly slice it into noodles.

Hot Pots

I... think this is using a very specifically Japanese sense of "hot pot" (which makes sense), because in Japan, hot pot can refer to a dish called nabemono, while in general, hot pot refers to a particular kind of dining in China where you get a pot full of boiling stock/broth and a bunch of raw ingredients, and you put the stuff you want into the broth at the table. Nabemono is more of "put a bunch of stuff in a pot, and cook it. Serve it boiling." Which is to say, it's soup.

Senshi puts the scorpion meat and mushroom into a pot on its own, and lets it start boiling-

Then, while it's boiling, he goes and finds other ingredients, coming back with the invertatoes and the slime. The two are prepared simply-

Seasoning isn't included in the ingredients, but I can understand this as a choice for presentation. We do see Senshi add something to the broth after tasting it, and I think it's fair to assume it's one of soy sauce, mirin, fish sauce, or similar. I think it's actually really interesting that we see Senshi add seasoning, but we're not told what it is-

Because... that's cooking. You can follow a recipe, but ultimately, you need to taste your cooking and make your own decisions. Senshi lets the soup cook, tastes the broth, decides it needs something, and gives it a bit of time to let the flavors meld before serving it up.

Dungeon Meshi Lobster and Mushroom Hot Pot

So, we're looking at something like this for the "Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom Hot Pot"--

Lobster- ~5 lbs or more (a 1 lb lobster yields about 4 oz of actual meat, which is a single serving), cut into large slices

Portobello- 2 mushrooms large diced, 2 left whole with the caps scored

Reindeer Lichen and Fat Choy- to taste

Chicory Roots- ~1 cup, diced

Endive greens- ~2 cups

Jellyfish, thin sliced- as much as you like

Add lobster and mushrooms to water, and allow to boil. While it comes to a boil, prepare the other ingredients, then add to the water. Let the soup come to a full boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes to an hour (can simmer longer, but this will affect the texture of the ingredients. Longer simmering will result in more melding of flavors, but also degraded solid parts).

Taste the broth. It will likely need salt and acid, which could come in a variety of forms, such as kosher salt and lemon juice, soy sauce and mirin/rice vinegar, oyster/fish sauce, or something else. Go with your gut and your taste buds..

#Dungeon Meshi #Defictionalization #Cooking #Food #Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom Hot Pot #Lobster and Portobello Hot Pot #This actually isn't really my thing due to the mushrooms but hell #Cashapp: $ValravenApocalypse #Paypal.me/Korbl #Ko-fi.com/valravenapocalypse #If this gets 100 notes and people like it I'll do the carnivorous plant fruit tart #Delicious in Dungeon

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libraryofmoths · 7 months

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Moth of the Week

Salt Marsh Moth

Estigmene acrea

The salt marsh moth is a part of the family Erebidae. This species was first described in 1773 by Dru Drury. It is also known as the acrea moth.

Description Both male and female moths have white heads, thoraxes, and forewings with a varying pattern of black spots on the forewings, with some moths having no pattern at all. They also share an orange-yellow abdomen with a vertical line of back dots. On the male, the hindwings are the same organge yellow while on females the hindwings are white. Both males and females have three or four black dots on each hindwing.

Wingspan Range: 4.5 - 6.8 cm (≈1.77 - 2.68 in)

Diet and Habitat The caterpillar was first thought to be a pest to salt-grass, but in fact it prefers weeds, vegetables, and field crops such as dandelions, cabbage, cotton, walnuts, apple, tobacco, pea, potato, clovers, and maize. Adults do not feed.

This moth is found in North America, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Colombia, and Mexico. It prefers open habitats such as openings in woods, thickets, farm fields, grasslands, and marshes. It is called the “salt marsh moth” because it is common in coastal salt marshes (tidal marshes) along Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf coasts.

Mating This species of moth does not emit pheromones from the tip of its abdomen but instead from its throat or the to of its abdomen. These moths are seen from May to August but can be seen all year in southern Florida and Texas. It is presumably during May and August they mate in most parts of their range while they mate all year round in Florida and Texas.

Yellowish eggs are laid in clusters on the host plant leaves. Females usually produce 400 to 1000 eggs in one or more clusters. It is possible to find a single egg cluster containing 1200 eggs. Eggs hatch in four to five days.

Predators This species is frequently parasitized as larvae, usually by flies in the Tachinidae family. In Arizona, the most common parasites were Exorista mellea and Leschenaultia adusta while two other parasitic flies were also seen: Gymnocarcelia ricinorum and Lespesia archippivora.

Both the larval and egg stages are oararzitized by Hymenopteran parasitoids such as Apanteles diacrisiae; Therion fuscipenne, T. morio, Casinaria genuina, Hyposoter rivalis; Psychophagus omnivorus, Tritneptis hemerocampae Vierick; Anastatus reduvii; and Trichogramma semifumatum.

A cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus is known to harm this species but there are little data on its importance and effect.

General predators such as lady beetles, softwinged flower beetles, and assassin bugs prey on these caterpillars, but are not thought to have a large impact on population.

Fun Fact This species has 4 subspecies: Estigmene acrea acrea, Estigmene acrea arizonensis (Rothschild, (1910)) (Arizona), Estigmene acrea mexicana (Walker, (1865)) (Mexico), Estigmene acrea columbiana (Rothschild, (1910)) (Colombia).

(Source: Wikipedia, University of Florida, Missouri Department of Conservation)

#libraryofmoths #animals #bugs #facts #insects #moth #lepidoptera #mothoftheweek #Erebidae #salt marsh moth #Estigmene acrea

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jillraggett · 10 months

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Plant of the Day

Saturday 22 July 2023

On the seashore outside Lerwick, Shetland, the wild Crambe maritima (sea kale, sea cabbage, sea colewort) was in full flower. This coastal tolerant herbaceous perennial forms a clump of large, wavy blue-green leaves, surrounded by dense racemes of small white honey-scented flowers.

Jill Raggett

#Crambe #seakale #seacabbage #seacolewort #whiteflowers #scented #plants #edibles #wildflowers #horticulture #shetland

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chic-a-gigot · 3 months

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La Mode nationale, no. 5, 5 février 1898, Paris. No. 9. — Groupe de chapeaux. Bibliothèque nationale de France

(1) Béret en velours rubis, garni de 6 plumes noires formant éventail, retenues au centre par une boucle en strass et tombant devant sur le bord du chapeau.

(1) Ruby velvet beret, garnished with 6 black feathers forming a fan, held in the center by a rhinestone buckle and falling in front on the edge of the hat.

—

(2) Chapeau de jeune fille, en drap gris, garni de plumes assorties retenues au pied par un chou de velours de la même teinte.

(2) Young girl's hat, in gray cloth, trimmed with matching feathers held at the foot by a velvet collar of the same shade.

—

(3) Petite toque de théâtre en velours bleu turquoise, garnie de touffes de violettes et d'un motif de strass.

(3) Small theater hat in turquoise blue velvet, garnished with tufts of violets and a rhinestone motif.

—

(4) Chapeau rond très relevé de côté, en velours vert, tout coulissé, garni de dentelle blanche mélangée à un nœud de satin blanc et de velours vert dans lequel sont placées 2 aigrettes en paradis noir. Nœud de satin posant sur les cheveux.

(4) Round hat very raised on the side, in green velvet, all slid, trimmed with white lace mixed with a bow of white satin and green velvet in which are placed 2 egrets in black paradise. Satin bow posing on the hair.

—

(5) Capote pour jeune femme, toute en paillettes d'argent, garnie d'un panache de plumes et d'une aigrette blanches au pied desquelles est posé un gros chou de velours violet.

(5) Hood for a young woman, all in silver sequins, garnished with a plume of feathers and a white egret at the foot of which is placed a large purple velvet cabbage.

—

(6) Petit chapeau en velours coulissé bleu de roi, garni de 3 plumes et d'une aigrette blanches posées de côté.

(6) Small hat in royal blue drawstring velvet, garnished with 3 white feathers and an egret placed on the side.

—

(7) Béret pour jeune femme, en taffetas rouge entièrement coulissé en forme de choux, dans lesquels on place une fantaisie en strass.

(7) Beret for young women, in red taffeta, entirely slid in the shape of cabbages, in which a rhinestone decoration is placed.

—

(8) Chapeau rond en feutre gris. La calotte est en taffetas bouillonné gris, une grande amazone noire est posée de côté, retenue au pied par une grande boucle en cailloux du Rhin.

(8) Round gray felt hat. The cap is made of gray bubbled taffeta, a large black Amazon is placed on the side, held at the foot by a large loop of Rhine pebbles.

—

(9) Chapeau rond en feutre blanc, très relevé de côté. Torsade de velours orange entourant la passe et panache de plumes noires garnissant le côté.

(9) Round white felt hat, raised high on the side. Twist of orange velvet surrounding the pass and plume of black feathers garnishing the side.

—

(10) Petit tricorne en paillettes d'argent, garni de plumes noires dans lesquelles se pose une agrafe en strass. Torsade de velours rouge sur les cheveux.

(10) Small tricorn in silver sequins, garnished with black feathers in which a rhinestone clasp is placed. Red velvet twist on hair.

—

(11) Chapeau forme amazone, relevé des deux côtés, en velours vert d'eau, le bord est coulissé et se termine devant apr un nœud en velours. Nœud de satin vert d'eau sur le côté, dans lequel est posé un oiseau vert à aigrettes noires.

(11) Amazon-shaped hat, raised on both sides, in sea green velvet, the brim is slid and ends in front with a velvet bow. Water green satin bow on the side, in which is placed a green bird with black egrets.

—

(12) Béret coulissé en drap gris perle, garni de côté de trois plumes noires en touffe, au pied desquelles sont posés un chou de velours noir avec une boucle de jais et un autre chou en velours orange.

(12) Drawn beret in pearl gray cloth, garnished on the side with three black feathers in a tuft, at the foot of which are placed a black velvet cabbage with a jet curl and another orange velvet cabbage.

—

(13) Petit capote en velours rubis, garnie sur le côté d'un gros oiseau noir.

(13) Small ruby velvet hood, garnished on the side with a large black bird.

—

(14) Chapeau rond, en feutre gris, garni de deux plumes grises formant couronne, retenues devant par un chou en velours mauve dans lequel on met un motif en cailloux du Rhin.

(14) Round hat, in gray felt, garnished with two gray feathers forming a crown, held in front by a mauve velvet collar in which a pattern of Rhine pebbles is placed.

—

(15) Petit chapeau en satin coulissé bleu ciel, fond mou en velours beige, presque blanc, piqeon blanc posé de côté, piquet de roses posant sur les cheveux.

(15) Small sky blue sliding satin hat, soft beige, almost white velvet base, white peg placed on the side, peg of roses resting on the hair.

—

(16) Chapeau forme toque en velours noir, relevé des deux côtés. Le bord est en tulle pailleté avec un coulissé de velours noir formant tête. Plumes noires posées de côté retenues par des choux de velours vieux rose.

(16) Toque-shaped hat in black velvet, raised on both sides. The edge is in glittery tulle with a black velvet drawstring forming the head. Black feathers placed aside held by old pink velvet puffs.

#La Mode nationale #19th century #1890s #1898 #on this day #February 5 #periodical #fashion #fashion plate #color #description #bibliothèque nationale de france #dress #hat #collar #bow

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sockiestupidity · 10 months

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Papusa Making-Miguel O'hara x platonic teen reader

Description; Reader is the complete opposite of Miguel and does not easily trust, reader gets caught stress making papusas at ungodly hours by Miguel💀Alternatively:Miguel unexpectedly befriends the newest addition to spider society over food

no spanish bc im a no sabo kid🙈(sorry if he seems too white for y'all)

warnings- lowercase intentional, bad writing/bad grammar, fluff, angst??, implied abuse/neglect, ooc miguel(acts a lot like peter b.???), not proofread, idk what else, let me know if i forgot anything🤷‍♂️ the reader is gn!!! reader is also implied to be nonverbal bc i said so🥰

also the povs slightly change at some points (just ignore it🙏)

first time writing a fanfic pls be nice :))

it was dawning 4:00 am and y/n still had yet to fall asleep, their mind preoccupied with anxiety and paranoia, they took a deep heavy breath, and tried not to close their exhausted eyes. they squeezed their eyelids shut, feeling a headache approaching, and as soon as they did, images of their past events played. they quickly shook their head, trying to get those images out of their mind. as grateful as they were for having a place to stay at hq, they could not help but think about the comforts of their own home. despite the imposing threats of their home, there was almost something cathartic about sleeping on an old bed that was on the verge of falling apart. the young spider's new housing situation felt too safe, too quiet…to… comfortable. as a new spider, they did not know for how long these types of comforts would ve provided without a cost. they almost never slept, as they felt as if they did, these comforts would suddenly gone, as if it was all a sick joke, or a dream

suddenly y/n felt something wet drip down their cheek. "am i crying?" they thought to theirself.

they took another deep breath in, trying not to hyperventilate. in times like these, y/n would usually either bake or cook (only when their parents were not present) or they would just straight up bottle their emotions. y/n sighed as they weighed their options. despite their brains constant paranoia as to what might happen if they get caught baking, they decided to go against their paranoia for once.

as y/n quietly treaded towards the communal kitchen, making sure not to wake anyone up (AN: i imagine that hq house is just a rlly big ahh house so that why theres a communal kitchen). as they looked through the contents available, they remembered that a previous spider had make masa recently, and had leftover masa that desperately needed to be used. y/n also recalled how another spider had previously made pickled vegetables and cabbage and ended up not needing it. this gave the young spider an idea. they swiftly grabbed out the needed ingredients for papusa filling. which included beans, cheese, and loroco. y/n decided to make vegetarian papusas just incase other spiders were interested in eating them. since they basically acknowledged no one in spider society, y/n decided that this could at least be seen as a token appreciation for being taken into the society.

they happily began mixing, almost forgetting the previous events that were plaguing their mind, until a large, menacing figure was seen in their field of vision. y/n suddenly stopped mixing, their hands now trembling with fear, panic clouded their mind, and their eyes began to blur, as they began hyperventilating the figure got closer. in response, y/n decided to continue moving back until they were trapped in a corner of the room.

the figure suddenly came to a halt, y/n looked up to the figure, not being able to recognize the harsh features of the figure.

the figure held a hand up, as soon as the figure did, y/n flinched. the figure suddenly donned what looked like a frown. suddenly, the figure began to speak, "hey, its going to be alright kid, i need you to breathe with me okay?" y/n nodded, still trembling with fear.

the figure began to count with their fingers, "just follow my lead, alright? in for four seconds, hold for seven, and out for eight, alright?" the young spiderlings breathing soon began to calm down after the figure repeated the exercise. soon their vision began to clear, and as soon as it did, they realized that the figure was the stoic man who led the spider society.

he suddenly spoke again, "everything alright?" y/n nodded.

"what are you doing up so late?" he asked the young spider. y/n noted how it looked like he was attempting to soften his features for them.

y/n just simply gestured to the bowl of mix, as well as the pickled vegetables and bag of masa. miguel nodded.

"i have never made papusas before but i have made tamales, could i possibly help you out?" he questioned.

y/n pondered. could they really trust this man? miguel's stature was huge, and could easily take advantage of them. y/n looked down, trying to blink away tears.

miguel attempted a look of sympathy towards the newest spider. he had felt so bad for not monitoring your earth earlier than he decided to. he had seen what had happened after it was far too late. it frustrated him, those events weren't even canon, he could've done something if he had known, there was no need for you to go through that much pain. going through his loss of his daughter made him sympathize with you, not only did you remind him of gabriella, you also reminded him of himself. he felt obligated to take care of you because of your naivete not only that, but he also didn't want to see you go down the same path of destruction he went down.

he took a deep breath in and out, "i understand why you don't trust me, and i respect that alright? but i just want to make it clear that i would never do those things to you. i want you to be able to trust me" he explained to you.

y/n looked back up. he seemed to be trustworthy op enough. after all, he was a grieving father, and seemed as if he had really cared for his daughter.

y/n gestured towards miguel, then to the abandoned products, and then to themself.

"you want me to help you?" he asked, wanting to clarify that he interpreted your gestures right. you nodded in response. he responded with a rare smile.

the two of you got to work, mixing the filling and placing it into the masa. after all the papusas were finally finished with shaping, he finally spoke up.

"maybe next time i can show you how to make tamales, we can even incorporate the banana leaves as well" he suggested.

you pondered his suggestion and nodded with a smile. even though you often did not trust adults, miguel seemed like someone you could trust, and you found it admirable that he was willing to incorporate your culture.

"alright kid, lets cook these" the two of you began to cook the papusas. when the two of you were finally done with cooking the papusas, and cleaning the area, most of spiders in the hq housing were awake, as it was around 6:00 am (AN: realistically papusa making doesn't always take that long but just ignore it for the sake of the story🙏). some of the spiders heading towards the kitchen commented on how good the kitchen smelled.

one of the spiderpeople looked towards you, "did you do this?" they asked. you gestured towards yourself and miguel, miguel simply looked away, "the big bad boss helped you out?" they questioned in shock. the spiderpeople could not believe it. the cold, harsh man had helped you, the timid new kid make food? but it seems that the surprised chatter was soon silenced as people started to eat your papusas.

needless to say that they encouraged you and miguel to cook more often.

AN: if u got this far tysm for reading, i rlly do appreciate it-feel free to leave feed back, or interact in any way🥰 i was inspired to write this bc despite the amount of miguel x hispanic reader works there were, i felt like most of them were targeted towards mexican ppl (or like some of yall forget that other latin countries besides mexico exist) and i wanted to see some rep for salvadorans

#across the spider verse #spiderman across the verse #miguel o'hara #x reader #platonic relationships #platonic reader #teen reader #miguel o'hara x gender neutral reader #spideverse #hispanic reader #platonic!reader #teen!reader #spiderverse x reader #atsv #hope you like it #let me know #running out of tags

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slaymitchabernathy · 2 months

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Sweet Girl

Coriolanus trudges down the sidewalk on his way back from the Academy. His shoes are too tight and a small hole is wearing its way through the front of his right shoe. Although it’s the middle of June his black suit jacket remains over his white button-up shirt. It’s probably the nicest thing he owns and he wants nothing more than to take it off.

But Coriolanus Snow wants a lot of things.

He wants a hot bath for starters. He’s sick of the cold showers he’s forced to take. And don’t even get him started on cabbage for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

He wants the elevator in his apartment building to start working again so he doesn’t have to climb up twelve flights of stairs every night.

Coriolanus wants a lot of things. But dinner is a top priority right now.

There wasn’t any dinner provided at Heavensbee Hall much to his chagrin. He’d hoped there might be some punch or even a slice of pie. But nothing.

He’d been invited to a small open house for the University. Even though he still had a year left at the Academy it was never too early to start planning for his glorious future.

If only he could get there.

He began to formulate some sort of plan to win him the Plinth Prize. Professor Clay had barely mentioned it, only as a way to excite Academy students going into their last year which included him. Those words kept replaying in his head.

“A full ride for the University. Tuition paid in full.”

Many parents had been in attendance and he’d heard them mumbling to their children about how nice it would be if they won. How they’d be able to go on an extra vacation to the District resorts with that extra bit of money.

That extra bit of money would change the trajectory of Coriolanus Snow’s life and these people planned to use it for vacation funds.

If there was ever another war, he’d be the first to eat the rich.

These families didn’t know struggle. None of his classmates did. They all had parents for starters. He had none. They also had siblings. He had none. His father died first. Then his mother died trying to give birth to his sister. Two birds with one stone. His grandmother had died only last year leaving him the sole heir to the Snow fortune.

If only there was any fortune to inherit.

Coriolanus would never admit it, but he was almost relieved when his grandmother died. She had been a mouth to feed and was unable to work and provide. They’d been living in squalor and all she wanted to talk about was when they used to live in fortune.

He’d been hasty about getting to the bank once her funeral was over. He’d heard about children inheriting large sums of money once they were the last remaining members of their family.

With grandmother out of the way, any inheritance was his to keep.

His hands had been shaking as he unlocked the creaky metal box the clerk had brought him along with the key. The box had a faded white label on it that read:

‘Snow Family Inheritance’

He held his breath as he opened the box and tears pooled in his eyes when he found the box empty. Not even a coin was left to him.

He wallowed in his self-pity as he walked home, the heat was sweltering so it was a lovely distraction from his current financial predicament. He simply had to win the Plinth Prize. Even if it meant strangling Sejanus Plinth who seemed to despise the fact that he was filthy rich.

Again, eat the rich.

He was so caught up in his plan that he nearly ran into an older gentleman wearing a long black coat and a black hat.

“Oh excuse me. I should’ve watched where I was going,” he apologized, ducking his head when the man turned around.

Coriolanus was as tall as they came but this man was slightly taller than him. He gave the young boy a small smile, “No need to apologize. I’m just waiting on Miss Dovecote.” He gestured to the townhouse to their right where two girls stood on the doorstep illuminated by the front porch light.

Coriolanus had walked this street hundreds of times. It was a block away from the Corso and the townhouses were beautiful. This one in particular seemed to be a true beacon of Capitol wealth.

It was pristine and white with a perfectly manicured front lawn and shrubbery. The pathway leading up to the front door was clean of any litter and the steps looked like they were marble.

Coriolanus finally drew his attention to the two girls standing on the steps and recognized both of them. The raven-haired girl was Clemensia Dovecote, a friend of his from the Academy. She was hugging a blonde girl, and it was only when they pulled away that he was able to pin her down with confidence.

Soarynn Nightingale.

He didn’t really run in the same circles as her, but he knew she was very sweet and well-liked. It was a little funny to see that she was friends with Clemensia who could be quite snippy when she wanted to be.

The girls finally parted ways and Clemensia turned and made her way down the steps. Coriolanus quickly put two and two together and realized the man he’d bumped into was her driver.

How nice it must be to not walk everywhere.

Clemensia’s eyes locked onto his and her face visibly brightened, “Coryo! I haven’t seen you since May!”

Coriolanus gave her a polite smile and nodded, “It has been quite a while, Clemmie,” he agreed.

In all honestly he preferred summers over the school year. He could stay hidden in his penthouse for weeks without having to talk to anyone and pretend that the Snows were still as wealthy as ever.

Clemensia grinned up at him, “Well you should go in and say hi to everyone then,” she tilted her head towards the townhouse where Soarynn was still on her front steps, watching them it seemed.

Coriolanus swallowed nervously as he looked around the street, suddenly noticing all the cars parked along the curbs. “I…say hi to who Clemmie?” He asked nervously, more sweat forming on the back of his neck and this wasn’t from the heat.

Clemmie rolled her eyes and huffed, “Practically everyone from school is here Coryo. Soarynn’s throwing a little get-together. I only have to leave early because my little sister has a dance recital and my mother says I have to go.”

Coriolanus resisted the urge to tell her to be happy that at least she had a little sister. He’d never gotten to meet his.

He hummed and glanced over at Soarynn who was still lingering. Didn’t she have to get back to her guests?

“Well I actually have to get home but thank you for the invi—“

“Soarynn! Coryo’s going to stop by for a moment!” Clemensia called out, cutting him off before he could properly decline her invitation.

Coriolanus tightened his jaw but relaxed it and plastered on a fake smile, “Enjoy the recital, Clemmie.”

꧁ ꧂

He all but trudged up the walkway where Soarynn was patiently waiting for him. His eyes were focused on the ground and they slowly traveled up her tan legs. She was wearing heels and a blue dress that hugged her small frame perfectly. Her blonde hair was framing her face and her eyes.

Her eyes.

This might’ve been the first time Coriolanus had ever looked into the eyes of Soarynn Nightingale and heaven knew she had the most stunning eyes he’d ever seen.

Blue and gray went perfectly together for her eye color and they made the rest of her features pop.

Soarynn was already looking up at him even though he was a step down from her. Both literally and financially.

Her lips curled up into a sweet smile, “Hello Coryo, I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced.”

She held out her hand and Coriolanus took it and gave it a soft squeeze before shaking it. He tried to hide his sweaty complexion and his stressed state but if he failed to do so, Soarynn didn’t let on.

“I do apologize for dropping in on you like this,” he said hastily, “I know you have guests to tend to and Clemmie can get pretty assertive sometimes and I think I might just go home if that’s alright with you…” his voice died as she gently squeezed his hand.

Mostly because she was still holding his hand. And it was so small compared to his. So soft.

“Coryo it’s alright,” she said with a light laugh, “we have more than enough refreshments and everyone will be so glad to see you. Besides you’re already dressed for the occasion,” she gestured to his outfit.

He worried she might be able to see right through him. The too-tight shoes and the white button-up shirt with stains on the sides and the black suit jacket that was beginning to tear at the seams.

He scratched the back of his neck, “I won’t be able to stay for long.”

Soarynn waved him off and tugged him into her home, a cool wave of air rolling over them. He let go of her hand as he slowly made his way into the entryway of her house, foyer was a better term for it. This townhouse was beautiful. Tall ceilings, chandeliers, and a tiled floor that shone under his shoes.

He felt terribly out of place.

Soft music could be heard along with laughter and conversation and Soarynn beckoned him to follow her further into the home.

The tiled floor turned into a hardwood floor and Coriolanus took in every little detail of the Nightingale’s house. Soarynn led them to the right of the foyer which led into what seemed to be the formal dining room. A large mahogany table sat inside it surrounded by chairs. Fine cutlery adorned the table and there was a cabinet to display even finer pieces.

They then walked through a small hallway, to the left was a set of stairs. They looked to be hardwood that was painted over work white paint. The paint was chipped and worn and carpet ran down the center of the stairs. This was clearly the route the servants took he decided. Not that he’d seen any servants, but he doubted they lacked anything where help

To the right was a door with a window where he could see hedges. The backyard most likely, or the side yard leading to the backyard.

They continued through a set of sliding doors with intricate glass panes and into the kitchen where several adults were conversing.

Coriolanus felt himself inwardly cringe when realizing he’d have to explain his presence to Soarynn’s father, a man he had never met or heard anything about.

All heads turned towards the two and the friendly conversation ceased. Coriolanus put on his most charming smile as he and Soarynn approached the adults. “Daddy, this is Coriolanus Snow, we go to school together,” Soarynn said to one of the men.

Coriolanus immediately held his hand out to Mr. Nightingale and nodded, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

So many things could happen. The man could yell and demand he leave his property at once. He could laugh at his attempt to fit in with the Capitol’s most wealthy families. Or he could ignore him entirely.

The man did none of those things.

He placed his hand in his and gave it a firm shake. “Pleasure to meet you Coriolanus. I apologize for not greeting you at the door.”

Coriolanus was quick to shake his head, “I’m afraid I sort of dropped in sir. I ran into my good friend Clemensia Dovecote and…”

His voice trailed off when Mr. Nightingale held up his other hand, “No need to explain son. I know how headstrong Miss Dovecote can get. You were a smart man for going along with her plan.”

The other adults chuckled and Coriolanus glanced around the kitchen and was able to spot a few familiar faces. The Vickers and the Creeds were here which meant Lysistrata and Festus were here.

“Make yourself at home Coriolanus,” Mr. Nightingale said, before releasing his hand. Coriolanus managed a polite nod, “Thank you sir.”

He followed Soarynn out of the kitchen and to the left where he could clearly see the living room where people his age had gathered. “There’s food set up in the sitting room,” Soarynn said, pointing to the left of the living room where another set of glass doors were slid open.

Coriolanus nodded and looked down at her, “Thank you, I truly hope I’m not imposing.”

Soarynn shook her head, “You’re not. And look, Festus is already waving you over.” She disappeared from his side before he even had the chance to respond and left him no choice but to walk over to Festus who was, in fact, waving him over

He had mastered the casual stride. Walking as if he had all the time and money in the world. Ironic since he had neither.

“Festus,” he greeted as if he planned on coming to this party all along. The living room was large yet cozy at the same time if that was possible, allowing people to break off into private conversations.

Festus grinned, giving Coriolanus a slap on the back, “Coryo! It’s been so long. How have you been? Where have you been all dressed up like that?” Coriolanus gave him a casual shrug while looking down at his outfit as if realizing how well he was dressed.

How well he tried to dress.

One look at Festus’s outfit told Coriolanus that his friend had thrown on whatever he first saw in his closet, not caring a bit how he looked. As long as everything on his person costs the same as a month’s rent for Coriolanus, Festus would fit right in.

“I was invited to an open house for the University,” he said, glancing into the sitting room where tables of refreshments were on tables, just waiting for him. Festus let out a low whistle, “They must think of you as a top contender if you got invited already.”

Coriolanus felt a small grin spread across his lips. If Festus thought that then other people must too. It brought him some relief to know that no matter how horribly he was doing in private, he still looked like he was doing wonderfully in public.

“We’ll see where it goes,” he said, “we still have one more year left.”

Festus grunted before he looked over at the giant windows looking out into the backyard, “So you got invited here by Soarynn?”

Coriolanus let out a bitter laugh, also glancing over to the windows where Soarynn was talking to Livia Cardew and Arachne Crane. Two girls he did his best to avoid at all costs. “I was forced to come here. I ran into Clemmie,” he said, knowing he needed no further explanation.

Festus raised his eyebrows and nodded, he was well versed with how bossy Clemensia could get, “Then it appears you made the right choice. And this party isn’t half bad, you have to try the champagne.”

Well, if Festus insists.

Coriolanus walked into the sitting room, grabbing a plate as his eyes scanned the different foods. He couldn’t take too much, couldn’t look like he was starving even though he was. He’d seen the way his ribs poked out whenever he took too deep of a breath.

He started out with some bread. Bread was always good. Then he grabbed some small meats, slices of ham, finger foods really. He took some crackers too, for the ham of course. He also took some fruits, berries, orange slices, and grapes. There were lots of desserts. Pies, custards, cakes, tarts. He took a tart because goodness knows he was already overdoing it. Lastly he took a glass of champagne because if he was going to be forced to conversate, he needed to be properly buzzed.

He surveyed the living room while he was sipping his champagne. He saw many familiar faces, all people he’d grown up with. All people who kept giving their condolences it seemed. The last ones he had gotten were for his grandmother after she passed away.

Everyone came to the funeral. They were all too familiar with funerals after the war and everyone could be counted on having something black to wear.

His grandmother hadn’t left him much like other grandparents. Some grandparents left behind their entire fortunes or some jewelry they’d held onto.

All he got were roses.

He didn't linger in his bitterness for too long because Sejanus Plinth of all people was coming up to him with a glass of juice in his hand it seemed. How juvenile.

Coriolanus forced a polite smile, "Sejanus, how nice to see you." It really wasn't, he despised people like Sejanus Plinth. People who had everything in the world and still found a way to complain about it. Sejanus let out a sigh, further confirming his beliefs that the rich would be the first he'd go after, "Oh you know, just dragged along to another gathering," he gestured to the living room, "my Ma says it's good for me. But it helps that Soarynn's nice."

It certainly did. From what he had seen, Soarynn Nightingale was a sweet girl who tried her best to be kind to everyone. She was a rare bird. He'd have to avoid her though, ironic since he was standing in her house. Coriolanus wasn't trouble per se, but he certainly couldn't help her move up in the world. He had nothing to his name, no assets, no money, nothing but a penthouse falling apart.

She'd be better off without him.

꧁ ꧂

Coriolanus took to hiding on the staircase they had passed when Soarynn brought him to the kitchen. He would've much rather to sit on one of those comfortable-looking sofas but that would mean having to talk to people and he was exhausted both mentally and physically. He chewed on bread while listening to the chatter of the party. No one had come looking for him so he figured he might as well slip out the front door once he finished with his food. He'd be damned if he didn't eat his entire plate.

As he was chewing, he could hear a set of footsteps growing closer to the small hallway and he tensed, hoping it wasn't Mr. Nightingale who would then bear witness to the sad sight of Coriolanus eating whatever he could get his grubby hands on. Finally, he laid eyes on Soarynn Nightingale who gave him a look of concern, "Are you alright Coryo?" She asked, worrying flooding her voice. Coriolanus feigned a look of normality as he nodded, "Oh yes, just a bit overwhelmed is all," he waved her off, hoping she'd go back to her rich friends and leave him in his self-pitying thoughts.

Soarynn, much to his horror instead came closer, in fact, she sat on the step above him as if this was a perfectly normal occurrence. He couldn't stop himself from giving her a questioning look. Had someone put her up to this? It was Livia, he was sure of it.

Soarynn brushed her hair behind her ears, giving him a small smile, "You know, you don't have to lie to me, you can trust me." Coriolanus scoffed, what did she know about trust? "I don't mean to offend you, because you've been a lovely hostess but I promise that we have nothing in common," Coriolanus told her flatly. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but he needed to keep her at arm's length along with the rest of his classmates and really everyone in the Capitol for that matter.

Soarynn raised her eyebrows, giving him an almost defiant look that made him question his assumptions about her, "Tell me something about yourself," she said, "and if I can't find something in common with you then I'll have my driver take you home."

Now that was a bet worth taking.

Coriolanus felt a smirk tugging at his lips, finally, his horrible childhood was paying off because there was no way Soarynn would be able to relate to him in any way, shape, or form.

He knew it was cheap and quite dark but he needed something to guarantee that Soarynn wouldn't be able to relate to him. "Alright, when I was little my mother died during the war, it was childbirth, too much blood, I was going to be a big brother to a little sister."

The slightly amused look on Soarynn's face fell and he knew he had her. This girl clearly didn't know what it was like to grow up without a mother, although he had yet to meet Mrs. Nightingale. Soarynn swallowed, looking down at the stairs for a moment before giving him a sad smile, "Then I'm afraid you'll be walking home."

Coriolanus furrowed his eyebrows, what was she talking about?

Soarynn sighed and kicked off her heels, so casual in the midst of a somewhat formal setting, "My own mother died during childbirth, although not during the war, but from the same thing as yours, too much blood." Coriolanus felt his throat tightening up. he missed his mother dearly, all he had to remember her by was her silver compact with the rose-scented powder that he only brought out in moments of stress.

"What was she like?" He asked, his voice scratchy. Soarynn shrugged, "I don't know, I've never met her." Now he was terribly confused, "But how is that possible? If you never met your mother and she died during childbirth then that means..." His voice died off as he put the pieces together. The oh-so tragic pieces.

"I killed her," she whispered, pulling her knees up, "not many people know that so I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself."

Coriolanus nodded, knowing how much of a burden it must be on the girl next to him, "Your secret's safe with me."

Soarynn cleared her throat, "Well what do you remember about your mother?" It was hard to think of someone he hadn't seen or spoken to in so long, he really only had distant memories. "She could sing," he said, "she'd sing me a lullaby, something about roses and birds."

Soarynn perked up, "Oh! My dad used to sing me a song like that when I was little. Roses are red, songbirds are blue, heavens know I love you." He found it nearly impossible not to fall in love with her at that very moment.

"You have a pretty voice," he mumbled, feeling his cheeks tinge with redness. Coriolanus couldn't sing to save his life, most of his classmates couldn't but it seemed that the one capable person sitting next to him didn't feel like sharing her talent with the world. Soarynn shrugged, "I get kind of nervous, I don't do too well in crowds. I can play the piano just fine though."

Coriolanus felt himself slightly sulk at the fact that she was rich enough to know how to play the piano, to own a piano. His stomach grumbled and he looked down at his half-eaten plate and he caught Soarynn looking too, "Sorry if the food isn't very filling," she said, "we decided on mostly finger foods but maybe we should've gotten more."

Coriolanus shook his head, "Don't apologize Soarynn I...I wasn't even invited and yet you brought me in. You've been very sweet and here I am talking about my dead mother and making you talk about yours when I should be focused on winning the Plinth Prize."

Soarynn tilted her head, "The Plinth Prize?"

Had he said Plinth Prize? Well, the cat was out of the bag now so to speak. "Yes, it'll be awarded to one student at the end of the upcoming school year and I'm going to win it." Soarynn raised her eyebrows, looking very impressed, "What'll you do with the money if you win?"

Coriolanus let out a hollow laugh, trying to imagine coming into that sort of money, being able to give away that sort of money "I'll fix everything," he said, "fix my penthouse, my wardrobe, fill my fridge up, hire some staff. Hell, I might even run for President." A frown tugged at her lips as she shifted closer to him, "Your fridge is empty?" Coriolanus felt his complexion slightly pale, he shouldn't have let that slip.

All his hard work just went down the drain because of a pretty girl.

He might as well go out with a bang, "Yes I'm actually quite broke," he admitted, figuring there was no use in hiding it, "this suit is practically falling apart, along with the rest of my life but I'll win the money and everything will change."

He studied Soarynn's face for any sort of reaction. She could laugh at him, or go and tell everyone that Coriolanus Snow didn't have a cent to his name. But instead, she reached down and took his hands in hers, they were so soft and warm, and small, "Oh, Coryo why didn't you tell someone?"

Coriolanus shuddered at the thought of asking for help. He'd rather drown. "Snow lands on top," he said, "and Snow doesn't ask for help." Soarynn sighed, squeezing his hands gently, "Boys and their egos," she muttered. Coriolanus couldn't help but laugh at her comment, he didn't know she was capable of being sassy but Soarynn Nightingale was just full of surprises.

Soarynn smirked, "Don't tell me you haven't thought about telling someone, I know I wouldn't be able to hold it in if we suddenly had no money." Coriolanus sighed, he barely remembered what it was like to have money, but he sure knew how to pretend like he did. "I have," he agreed, worrying if he was holding her hands too tightly or too loosely, girls were difficult to understand at this age.

"Were you planning on keeping it a secret for the rest of your life?" Soarynn's question causes a frown to tug on his lips. Coriolanus planned on living for a very long time so being broke when you were old sounded like a horrible nightmare to him. He remembered how weak his grandmother got in her final weeks, how he gave her every bit of food he could scrounge up. Being young had its advantages, and the Academy often provided food at events so he could always count on that. But no, being a grown-up would come with its own challenges, broke or rich.

"Well I don't plan on being poor for the rest of my life, so to answer your question, no, but I certainly won't tell people about my past once I'm bathing in my riches," he decided then and there. Soarynn's thumb brushed over his knuckles and Coriolanus felt his breath hitch in his throat, "What if you don't win?"

What a horrible question to ask someone.

But Coriolanus had thought about that on his way home tonight, about the possibility of him going home a sore loser, second place most likely to someone who was already rich and would be spending the Plinth Prize on their vacation. "Failure isn't an option," he said, his voice steady as his blue eyes stared into her blue-gray ones. They were so enchanting, he'd be happy to drown in them for the rest of his life.

Soarynn nodded, biting her lip for a moment before speaking up, "I believe in you Coryo, and I'll do whatever it takes to help you win."

Well, he certainly hadn't expected that. He thought she might give him a pat on the back, wish him luck, and send him home with some leftovers. Not to pledge herself to help him no matter what the cost.

Coriolanus swallowed, his hands suddenly feeling so sweaty, "You...you really don't have to do that Soarynn, you've already been so sweet." And she had been, she listened to him, and goodness did it feel good to get all of that off his chest.

Soarynn shook her head and pulled him towards her until they were inches apart, the same height even though she sat on one step above him, "You're a good person Coryo," she said softly, "and it's not your fault that your family fell on some hard times. You deserve to win, to be happy, and not have to worry about your next meal."

Coriolanus couldn't believe that a person like Soarynn Nightingale existed. So kind and selfless, so generous and sweet. This was the type of girl you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. Which is why he was suddenly leaning in and she was too and then he was kissing her. He was kissing Soarynn Nightingale and she was kissing him back.

It lasted maybe ten seconds but she tasted so sweet, smelled so sweet, was so sweet. And the smile she gave him after was sweeter than anything he'd ever tasted. "You should ask me out on a date," she whispered, her lips inches away from his lips.

Coriolanus licked his lips, his mind still clouded from that kiss, "Okay," he whispered back. He'd do anything she asked him to do. Maybe this was good, something new, something kind. He could see it now, their dates, the stolen glances, the dinners he would have here with her dad. They'd make a good couple, they'd graduate together, he'd win the Plinth Prize with her by his side.

His sweet girl.

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