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theblackdahliaemporium · 11 months

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Medicinal Remedies

Medicinal Remedies-- This is a LONG one!

NOTE: This article is about 20 of my favorite medicinal healing herbs to grow in most garden areas and types of soil. There are 100’s more, though, that I just couldn’t include because of space. Enjoy this rundown of 20 of my favorites.

1) Calendula:

Calendula is one of my top five favorite herbs of all time. It's sunny yellow or orange face can't help but make me smile. In summer time, it grows like crazy, just about anywhere, and like other flowers, the bees love it.

Calendula has some super skin healing and strengthening properties, and I always have some infusing in olive oil in a sunny window for use in salves, soaps, and other body products.

Calendula is also edible, and it's so fun to toss some blooms in your salad! It really brightens things up and adds excellent color. I love Calendula.

Calendula just makes you smile.

2) Cayenne:

Here is another herb I think should be in every garden. Cayenne is a very hot and pretty red pepper with some excellent culinary uses for adding spice to foods.

It's also great for helping with circulatory problems, can be used to help stop bleeding since it's a hemostatic herb, and has been shown to be useful in helping slow or even stop a heart attack until help can arrive.

It's also a very attractive plant, and the bright red of the pepper is just gorgeous mixed Into the dark green of the plant's leaves. This is one herb you should definitely grow if you can, and have handy in your herbal medicine chest.

Cayenne grows like crazy, especially in warmer climates. They dry well, too.

3) Chamomile:

Like Lavender, what would an herbal garden be without sweet Chamomile? It's honey scent and sweet taste are an absolute pleasure. Besides that....Chamomile is a popular relaxant and mild sedative herb.

Need to de-stress? Drink a bit of Chamomile tea!

Chamomile is also useful as an anti-inflammatory, as it contains high levels of azulene. It helps with pain relief, including for arthritis. If you are heading to bed and are bothered by mild pain, try drinking some chamomile tea! In one clinical study, this helped 10 out of 12 people fall into a restful sleep. (Gladstar)

Growing Chamomile can be tricky in very hot climates. It likes full sun, but a cooler climate. Chamomile is also best grown in less maintained soil and doesn't need the rich fertilization other plants require.

4) Chickweed:

Chickweed is another one of those "weeds" that is completely misunderstood and has some excellent medicinal qualities.

It's Latin name, (stellaria) means "star," and that is because of its small, pretty starlike white flowers. It's easy to grow, and has many uses.

Chickweed supports liver and kidney health due to its high nutrition and diuretic properties. It's also wonderful in salves for healing skin issues, including rashes, eczema, and very dry skin.

Chickweed is a great diuretic and blood purifier.

5) Dandelion:

This prolific weed, as some people see when they notice Dandelion in their yard, is actually a powerfully helpful medicinal herb! Dandelion is terrific for your liver and kidney health, having diuretic properties.

It's also an edible plant! You can roast the roots and add it to teas and even your coffee for a delicious flavor that also packs a healthy punch. The leaves can be eaten in salads and other foods.

6) Feverfew:

Feverfew has lovely white flowers and at least where I live, is rather invasive. I don't mind, though, because it has a great number of medicinal benefits.

As its name connotes, feverfew is helpful with reducing fevers. Most recently, however, feverfew has become rather well-known for helping with migraines, both preventing and reducing the intensity and time.

One of my favorite teas to provide for people who suffer from migraines is: 1 part feverfew, 1 part spearmint, and 1 part lemon balm. This is a soothing, nervine combination, that along with the powers of feverfew, can be used as daily tonic.

Feverfew is also great for minor bug bites. Just apply the tincture topically. Since it has mild pain relieving properties, it will help with the discomfort too.

7) Garlic:

Garlic is one of the BEST all around medicinal herbs anyone can grow, in my opinion. It's useful for treating colds, flus, sore throats, and digestive issues. Garlic boosts the immune system by increasing and stimulating the production of white blood cells.

Garlic is antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and vermifuge (kills parasites). It is also useful as a blood purifier and helps promote healthy circulation. It may also help regulate blood sugar levels in those with type 2 diabetes.

Besides all these wonderful benefits, garlic is delicious! It's added to so many foods and dishes because of the flavor it imparts. Granted, using garlic medicinally is different than in culinary uses, but if you really want to "eat thy medicine," as Hippocrates famously stated, garlic is a great place to start.

8) Ginger:

Oh, what would the herb world be without Ginger? This sweet and spicy pungent herb is actually a rhizome, not a root, as many believe. The useful part grows under ground, so is often confused.

Ginger is stimulating and is a great additive for teas, tinctures, and fermented foods, as well as culinary uses. Ginger is anti-inflammatory, decongesting, and increases circulation, promoting warmth. Ginger is also excellent for flatulence and stomach issues, including nausea.

Ginger likes a tropical environment---hot and humid. Therefore, unless you live down South, Ginger would most likely need to be grown in a green house.

9) Lavender:

What would the herbal world be without lavender? It's good for SO many things. Lavender smells wonderful, the bees love it, it's great for medicinal uses, AND it's a gorgeous flower. Lavender is useful for air freshening and cleaning the air or freshening closed up places such as drawers. It's popular in sachets for this reason.

Lavender is actually relatively hardy, growing well in Zones 5 through 8. If you are in a colder zone, be sure to plant your lavender in an area where it will get plenty of sunshine and be as warm as possible. If your winters are rough, you'll need to provide your lavender with some type of protection, especially from harsh winds.

I had some planted in pots here in the mountains, and it did very well all summer long. Even through snows, it was fine. But we get wind speeds over 125 miles an hour at times, and lavender just didn't last through that. Not much will, I guess.

Lavender is useful for so many things---AND it smells incredible.

10) Lemon Balm:

Lemon Balm....I LOVE this species of mint. It smells lovely, the bees love it, and it grows well nearly everywhere. Lemon Balm has a pleasant lemony taste and is a great additive in herbal teas, both for the nutritive value as well as the soothing nature and relaxing effects it has on the body.

11) Marshmallow:

This probably isn't included in too many herbalist's garden lists, but I think Marshmallow is seriously necessary. It's a demulcent and soothing herb, and it complements "hotter" herbs very well. It also soothes inflammation in mucous membranes and is one of my favorite herbs to use for allergy blends or teas for any kind of inflammation in the body for this reason.

Marshmallow is an upright plant, similar to a very small hollyhock. In fact, if you can grow hollyhocks where you are---you can use it pretty much interchangeably with Marshmallow as their chemical constituents are very similar.

The flowers are light pink and very pretty, too. The entire plant is edible and useful for medicinal purposes. Go ahead and throw a few flowers into your salad for a beautiful and surprising presentation!

Marshmallow is a demulcent anti-inflammatory. Plus, it's pretty.

12) Mullein:

This is yet another plant many see as just a weed, but has some truly wonderful medicinal qualities. Mullein is a plant that grows from a rosette of fuzzy large leaves into a tall stalk (sometimes as high as 7 feet tall) and is covered with yellow flowers in mid-summer.

Mullein does best in full sun, with lots of water, in cooler areas. It grows really well in the creek beds up here in our mountains, but I've heard it is very common in almost all places. It's worth trying to cultivate, in my opinion, if you don't have it growing naturally in your area.

Mullein is one of the best herbs you can use to support and heal the respiratory system and illnesses that affect the lungs, sinuses, and breathing. It's useful as a tea, tincture, and the large leaves can be used in an emergency to cover a poultice.

In my opinion, Mullein is the premier herb for respiratory issues.

13) Oregano

Oregano seems to be the bane of many gardener's existence. They plant it, and it just goes crazy. I can't tell you how many neighbors, family members, and friends have given me Oregano from their yards over the years! And I'm glad to have it! The thing with Oregano is you have to know how to manage it.

Oregano is a fabulous culinary herb, and if you have ever had pizza or marinara sauce, then you've tasted this delicious Mediterranean herb. Oregano grows best in warm, dry climates, but I have found in my experience that it is quite hardy and can survive winter lows in the single digits (at least it does in my yard).

Oregano (also known as Mountain of Joy in Greek) has some excellent medicinal uses, including having anti-viral, anti-biotic, anti-fungal properties, as well as being very high in anti-oxidants. It's a great skin care herb and also a digestive aid.

Oregano can be used in many forms, too: As a tincture, an herbal infused oil, eaten in foods, and as an essential oil. These all have different strengths, potencies, and uses.

The tincture is an easy way to use the herb medicinally, along with making or using in an herbal tea.

14) Peppermint:

Super easy to grow just about anywhere, Peppermint is a spreading perennial that has the propensity to take over your garden if you allow it! It's spicy, pungent scent is well known to just about everyone, since it's a popular culinary additive in many foods and candies.

Medicinally, Peppermint is useful for aiding digestion and getting rid of flatulence (gas). It has mild anti-spasmodic properties, so if you are experiencing cramps, especially digestive types or menstrual cramps, it can be very helpful.

15) Plantain:

Here is another weed that many people find repugnant, but that is actually an incredibly useful medicinal herb!

According to Rosemary Gladstar, Plantain grows everywhere, and if you invite it in, it will definitely show up.

Plantain is great for liver health, detoxifying and cleansing the blood, and drawing out toxins. I like to infuse it in oil for use in healing salves.

Like Dandelion, this easy to find weed is edible and useful.

16) Rosemary:

Rosemary is a famous culinary herb, and is great for use on red meats and very pungent dishes. Besides this, rosemary has been proven to be helpful for the brain, especially memory functions.

It's high in anti-oxidants, and has mild analgesic (pain relief) properties. Rosemary is a stimulant herb, and is helpful with circulation and low blood pressure. People with high blood pressure need to exercise caution using rosemary medicinally.

Rosemary grows best in hot, dry climates and is native to the Southern European countries.

Besides being a pungent and delicious culinary herb, rosemary provides medicinal qualities and enhances memory.

17) St. John's Wort:

St. John's Wort is a misunderstood plant, in my opinion. It went through a popular phase a few years ago and was touted as being the new natural anti-depressant. St. John's Wort can absolutely help with feelings of mild depression, sadness, grief, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but it's not a cure-all.

Important to know---St. John's Wort can interact with certain drugs, so be sure you discuss usage with your doctor (as you should with any of these herbs mentioned).

St. John's Wort is also great for neuralgia, and I personally use it as part of my back pain and sciatica regimen with excellent results. I also use it in a tincture form to lift my spirits if I'm feeling down.

Besides all the medicinal qualities of St. John's Wort, it's a really pretty plant. You won't be able to grow it in a super hot area, however, at least it's unlikely. I tried growing it in Las Vegas, and it was a total fail. However, it does well here in the mountains in full sun or partial shade and the cooler climate.

One of my favorite ways to prepare St. John's Wort is as an herbal infused oil. The medicinal species (H. perforatum) releases bright red juices into the oil, creating the most lovely infused oil.

Another safety note for the garden: St. John's Wort has been shown to have potential for phototoxicity, especially in grazing animals if they eat too much. Just be aware and watch what your pastured animals eat.

St. John's Wort is a wonderful healing herb that positively affects the emotions.

18) Thyme:

Thyme, in my opinion, is one of the best plants to use in your garden. It attracts bees, smells lovely, and is incredibly useful for medicinal purposes. It's a small, spreading herb (although some species will grow upright) that is fairly hardy, so if you have rough winters, it may do just fine---you'll be seeing it again in the Spring, with it's pretty scented purple flowers.

Many herbalists forget all about using thyme as a preventative medicinal herb or for helping heal quickly from colds and flus---but it has been shown to fight off colds.

It also has disinfectant properties, and can be used as an effective wash for skin infections or as great sore throat rinse. For medicinal purposes, Thymus vulgaris or Thymus citriodorus (Lemon Thyme) are the best to use.

19) Valerian:

This stately flowering plant can grow to about four feet tall and has lacy white flower clusters. Not only is it a lovely addition to your garden, but it is very useful. It's a strong but safe sedative and is very useful for helping with anxious feelings, sleep issues, and pain relief.

Contraindications: Valerian has the opposite effect on some people, so if you are using it for the first time, do so on a the eve of a day that won't affect you much. These folks are rare, but there are definitely some that don't tolerate it well.

One of nature's best gifts---Valerian is lovely and it is an excellent safe sedative.

20) Yarrow:

Yarrow has many tiny flowers that grow in bunches, and feathery grayish leaves. It's a very pretty plant for your garden. Besides, the parts that grow above ground (leaves, stems, flowers) have medicinal purposes and have been used for thousands of years.

Yarrow is a vulnerary, hemostatic herb. Besides helping with healing and clotting of wounds, yarrow is good for helping reduce fevers, hay fever, and fighting colds. As a fever reducer, it is important to note that yarrow induces sweating, so if the person already has a hot fever, yarrow is probably not the best choice to use.

Article: healing harvest homestead Picture: Nikolaydonetsk – photodune . net

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harmlessghosty · 3 months

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Hi, Ghosty. I've been wondering if you can do demon brothers with mc that is insecure with their eczema 👉👈

As someone who grew up with (granted, mild) eczema, I feel this in my soul. Even with a little, it can be embarrassing and unbearable, so I can imagine how hard it is with more. Hugs, because it absolutely sucks, and sometimes there’s SO little you can do about it. I usually treat it with creams, but I’m sure everyone varies.

I’ll preface this with the very clear statement that the Obey Me characters do not care what you look like, as long as you’re comfortable and happy. Being insecure of your appearance means you aren’t comfortable and happy, and they’ll each do whatever it takes to change that into something that empowers you, or at the very least helps you feel better in your skin.

—

Lucifer

More often than not would notice early on that you’re self-conscious of your appearance. Long sleeves? Pants? Turtlenecks? All in summer weather? How unusual, and you even seem to be sweating uncomfortably.

At first suggests gently that you should dress for the weather until he realizes that something more must be happening for you to behave so unusually. He asks directly what the problem is, and you decide to tell him—but only in absolute privacy.

Nods in understanding. You don’t want people to see your skin, and he relates to that. After all, the scars from his fall are…

Well, we don’t talk about the scars. All you need to know is that he understands.

Offers to help you find creams, spells or other treatments to settle flare-ups. Lessens your stress so that it doesn’t get worse. Offers his office and bedroom for you to lounge in without covering yourself—whether he’s there with you or not. If he is there with you, he treats you as he would normally—respectful and calm, without acknowledging the rashes unless you want to talk about them.

Mammon

What do you mean you’re not burning up in that get-up? C’mon, take off that sweater. It’s a million degrees and you’re making him feel like he’s sweating!

You agree on the condition that he doesn’t tell anyone and that he doesn’t laugh or make a comment. After all, he won’t shut up forever if you don’t let him see what the problem is.

Oh. Ohh, that explains it.

Tries hard not to stare because ouch, that looks painful. He’s gotten his fair share of rashes and wounds from…Well, being an idiot with spellcraft. But that just means he has tons of sympathy for your condition.

Offers for you to use any of his special, expensive products as you want. He even goes out of his way to find things that’ll settle the flare-ups, even if that means spending more money. “Forget about it. Ya made me itchy, so start usin’ it before I go crazy.”

Doesn’t shy away from physical contact, and doesn’t treat you like you’re a pariah. If you suddenly feel anxious without covering your body, he offers his jacket to lay across your lap or cover your arms or neck. It’s the least he can do, and you look kind of cute with his clothes on. Just make sure ya give it back, and it better smell like those lotions he’s lettin’ you use!

Levi

It’s okay. He looks weird too, especially when he’s in his demon form. I mean, have you seen all his scales? They’re super itchy too when they shed off, and he’s got a mess on his hands making sure they’re cleaned up and not giving him even more skin problems and you must think it’s so weird and inappropriate that he’s comparing his stupid problem to your totally valid one and—

You hush him up quickly, but somehow, his anxiety helps you feel somewhat better?

He sighs and covers his reddened face. “I-I mean, I don’t know if it’ll work on humans, b-but I have…ideas of what works for me.”

Totally understands the social aspect of wanting to cover up or not go out, especially when your eczema is worse than usual or in an obvious spot. Always keeps his door unlocked for you to come and go as you please, and tries extra hard not to stare at your rashes when you’re there. It’s not that he’s judging you, but they just look so painful, and he wants to help so badly…

Absolutely offers to distract you in any way possible. If that means he has to t-touch you to rub on creams, or he just listens to you complain and offers his room as a place of comfort, then he really hopes you take him up on it. He even researches and buys tons of stuff online to try and help, though maybe you’ve tried it all. It’s the thought that counts, right? Right? Tell him he did good.

Satan

“Oh? I’m not familiar with that, but it looks uncomfortable. No wonder you’re insecure about it.”

While it doesn’t help you feel better at all, you respect his ability to be pragmatic, realistic and honest about your eczema. Yes, it’s painful and itchy and really obvious, but did he have to say the quiet part out loud?

So he researches. And he researches. And he asks questions that make no sense, some that do make sense, and others that even researches in the human world probably never thought of. And in the end, he comes up with a game plan that’s…not really what you wanted, but you appreciate the thought behind it.

Maybe you’ll take him up on the offer, or maybe you won’t. It’s totally your decision, but the door is always open. He’ll make all the potions and spells you could ever want to try if it means you’re more comfortable with yourself.

He’s a bit pushy on asking about it sometimes. He wants to help, but he’s not always sure how he can, so he needs a little direction. Once you tell him that you need a place to rest, or some lighter clothes to cover up, or maybe just someone to complain to, he’s always there to listen and offer a shoulder to lean on or a lap to rest on. Please, take advantage of it. It’s the least he can do.

Asmo

Very quickly notices your outfits are too uncomfortable for the weather and the season. “Darling, you really must dress with the times! You know that long sleeves should be reserved for after September, and you shouldn’t be wearing those pants when they don’t flatter your figure hardly at all, and—“

Will literally pull a jacket off of your shoulders. Try him. He’s trying to be helpful and playful, but he doesn’t realize you’re insecure because of your eczema until it’s too late.

Is confused. He doesn’t have a comparable idea for what that is in Devildom. He doesn’t have creams or treatments for anything like that,, but damn it, he’s going to find something that helps you feel better.

If you’re going out, he offers to help cover it up with makeup or a light shawl that matches your skin well enough to hide. If that upsets your skin and you don’t want to go out, he plans an elaborate indoor date and makes sure that the brothers aren’t home to ruin it. Trust him; they won’t be anywhere nearby. Don’t ask how he managed that, love.

Will give you all the oatmeal baths he can possibly offer. Maybe they help, maybe they don’t, but it does give him an excuse to see you au natural or in a bathing suit, and that’s something to appreciate, isn’t it?

Beel

His first concern is that you’re allergic to something you ate. He’s heard of people breaking out in hives for allergies, and he’s worried. It doesn’t look good, and he’s pretty sure that humans can’t have reactions like that without getting sick, and—

When you explain to him that it’s something you’re basically born to suffer, he nods in understanding. So it’s like a battle scar, he thinks, because that’s about the only comparison he can make. Maybe it’s even like a sweat rash; he gets those on occasion if he doesn’t take care of himself after exercising, so he gets it.

Lets you wear his oversized clothes to help cover up. If you’re in public, he’s absolutely not above stripping shirtless so that you can cover up, or even carrying you around so that no one can notice your eczema but rather look at you for being carried. Hey, at least they won’t notice the thing you’re worried about.

Tries to find foods that would help inflammation and will offer them to you on a regular basis. It’s something he knows will help in the long run, though it’s not exactly the most quickly helpful.

The best at making sure any creams you use are rubbed in perfectly. Have eczema anywhere on your body? He notices it quickly and offers to help cover it right away, whether with clothes or a treatment. Whatever makes you comfortable.

Belphie

Doesn’t care about the rash at all beyond a simple, “What’s that? Oh, okay.”

Secretly wonders if he can do anything to help. Is honestly a bit worried to touch you when you cuddle because he doesn’t want to irritate your skin further.

If you’re nervous about napping with him, don’t be, because he really doesn’t mind how you look as long as your shoulder or lap is available to him. It makes you feel good to be needed by him, doesn’t it? Then accept his generosity.

Really tries to listen to you talk about it, but he just…keeps thinking about ways to help. He’s smart; it shouldn’t be hard to come up with something that works, but surely you’ve been trying to work with it for years. In the end, he defaults to whatever you want, and does whatever he can to listen to what you need from him.

Constantly reassures you that the appearance doesn’t matter to him, as long as you’re cozy in his arms.

#shall we date obey me #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #ghostywrites #ghosty’s asks #obey me headcanons

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vibeshiftsurvivor · 4 days

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i’ve been insecure about my legs and my boobs for a year or two because my cortisol shot through the roof and my body went through an inflammatory response and a bacterial infection—you can still see it on me. i have scars and hyperpigmentation on my shins and boobs, skin that’s papery and sunken in where abscesses used to be surrounded by an eczema-like rash on my shins after dealing with folliculitis. i used to wax my legs, i can’t anymore because the skin is irritable and i don’t want to disrupt the already slow healing. i have thick, coarse hair all over and lots of it—i’m at least three shades lighter under the body hair, it’s kind of wild to see when you take a wax strip off. anyway, all that to say, i haven’t been able to wax so i put up with two hot and awful summers where i didn’t wear shorts, skirts, or dresses like i wanted because i didn’t want anybody to see my legs. i didn’t want to be gawked at, didn’t want to be asked about the scars, didn’t want people to be uncomfortable. i wanted to go grab some things from shoppers, get out in the sun for my mood, and i didn’t want to wear pants or a midi skirt today. i wanted to wear a big graphic shirt and bike shorts, like some sort of influencer from LA. so i kind of just did. if anybody looked, i didn’t notice and i realized i wouldn’t really have cared because i cared more about wearing something light and cool, getting through my day as comfortable as possible without worrying about how i was going to look/how other people would feel about it. it feels silly and small and i’m in the habit of minimizing big moments / accomplishments / feelings for myself, but it felt like living in a whole different world. i like it better there.

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marsy--barsy · 9 months

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HARRY POTTER HEADCANONS BECAUSE I'M BACK IN MY PHASE

ron

- bros dyslexic

- sweaty sweaty hands

- sweaty everything actually

- absolutely terrified of horror movies

- awful awful awful cook can only make tea without burning it

- pollen allergy

- cat allergy

- dog allergy

- also mildly afraid of dogs after sirius bit him

- lactose intolerant

- nail biter

- adhd 🤓

harry

- eczema all over his arms

- dry ass skin everywhere else

- high functioning AUTSIM!

- favorite color is dark green

- stress cleans

- FANTASTIC cook but it stresses him out

- loves scary movies

- cold crusty hands

- no allergies and makes sure everyone knows

- bisexual (crush on Oliver, Cedric, Ron, and bill)

- HARRY AND RON USED TO PRACTICE KISSING ON EACHOTHER

- led to a semi committed relationship the summer before fourth year, mutual agreement to cut it off

- as soon as he was done growing he wore the same nasty ratty converse for years until the soles fell out

- coffee addict

hermione

- allergic to all nuts but pistachios and almonds

- morning person

- thinks fiction books are a waste of time

- harry is her platonic soulmate and when she heard he "died" she shattered to the floor sobbing

- germaphobe, washes her hands every time she can and makes judgemental noises at Ron when he doesn't

- almost didn't move in with Ron when she remembered he can't have cats

- freckles EVERYWHERE

- picky eater

- one of those kids who was 'allergic to pink' because she wanted to feel different from the other girls

- she likes theatre a lot and goes to plays with Harry (ron falls asleep)

draco

- had an enormous secret crush on harry for all 7 years

- terrified of horror movies especially jumpscares

- screams like a 10 year old girl

- owns a LOT of hair product and spends a long time in the morning making sure he's making good use of it

- favorite color is also dark green

- wears long sleeves into adulthood, in all weather because he tried physically everything he could think of to get rid of his dark mark

- fast reader

- awful at transfiguration, had to get tutored on it and none of his friends ever knew and they all still think there's quidditch practice every Thursday (there is not)

- reads romance novels and kicks his feet around

- owns all the Slytherin merch and wears it until he physically can't anymore

- actually really nice with the other Slytherins

- especially the younger ones

RECOMMEND ME MORE CHARACTERS TO DO!!

#harry potter #hermione granger #ron weasley #rarry #drarry #ronmione #headcanon #harry potter headcanon #hp #hp fandom #hp headcanon #silly #these are just silly #sweaty ron is canon but i just think it's funny #gimme more to do this is fun

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makethiscanon · 1 year

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The Trouble with Trains: Ojiro x Fem!Reader [Part 1]

Rating: Mature (16+) || Word Count: 5,000 || Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Rescue, Tension, Eventual Fluff, First-meetings, Slow Burn, Modern AU, 99% Quirkless AU || Warnings: Moderate threat, crude language/cursing, attempted chikan, mentions of violent imagery, Dabi and Toga get their own warnings.

I don’t write whump/angst so please trust me this ends up fluffier than the tags suggest.

------

The unpredictability of public transport meant you never knew who you were going to be sat by.

Sometimes it was a mother with a toddler on her knee; sometimes a middle-school kid with their headphones in, and sometimes it was absolutely no one at all. You liked those times, especially on longer journeys.

Today you boarded the train, hoping to get an empty seat beside you, but saw how busy the train was and let that fizzle out.

Today was the start of the summer holidays, after all.

With your luggage parked in the rack, you shuffled down the aisle, checking your ticket. Thankfully you'd booked in advance – three hours was a long time to have to stand.

“36-D… 36-D…” you muttered, counting the seat-numbers overhead.

Arriving at your row, you noticed someone in the seats adjacent to yours – a young, blonde man in a beanie, jacket, and ripped skinny jeans.

He was average by any stretch of the imagination, except he had a large, muscular tail. It was so large, in fact, that you wondered if the seat beside him was booked out just so his extra limb wouldn’t bother anyone.

You weren’t sure how long you were staring, but it was long enough for him to notice.

He looked up and you jerked in surprise, but offered him an awkward smile to say sorry. He actually smiled back so you went to apologise, but noticed the headphone wires protruding from his beanie and realised talking was pointless.

As you settled into your seat, you noticed that 36-C wasn't reserved. Someone was sure to claim it, but at least you had time to get comfortable before your travel partner appeared.

As the train got busier, you sat your handbag in your lap then pulled out your book and began to read, enjoying the hustle and bustle of background noise, until someone finally dropped heavily into the seat beside you.

“Nah, you should have seen his face when I said I wasn’t coming home this summer. Fucking livid. Funny though. Wish I could have taken a picture.”

Okay, you thought, shuffling as far into the window as you could, there was no need to panic. First impressions were first impressions; he could be nicer than he first seemed – you might have just caught him at a bad time.

You stole a quick glance, but barely long enough to spot the mop of black hair and what looked like scars across his face before you feared staring would draw his attention.

Your heart dropped when two other – and there was no other way to describe them but – ruffians dropped into the seats in front, before they knelt up and peered over the seat backs to continue their conversation.

“Do you still want to loot his holiday home this weekend? We could do it if he’s at that press conference?” Asked a man with straggly, white-blue hair and a very serious case of eczema, who didn’t seem to care one bit that he was announcing such devious holiday plans in front of you.

The girl beside him laughed, and it was so shrill that you flinched.

Catching your reaction, she caught your eye and her grin grew wider, like a predator preparing to kill, but then she returned her attention to her friends.

“I say we should still visit your dad. Don’t you think a little family bonding is a good thing?”

The man beside you clicked his tongue.

“This delusion that you’re going to sleep with my dad is commendable, Toga, but if you ever showed up on his doorstep he’d literally rip you in two.”

The girl laughed again, the messy strands of her blonde space-buns bobbing up and down.

“Hopefully, with his dic—”

You desperately tried to drown out their conversation. You knew your cheeks were red. You wanted to bury your face in your book, but it might be too obvious that you were avoiding them.

The only thing you could hope for was that their stop was somewhere early on in your journey. They didn’t seem to have lots of luggage so you couldn’t imagine they were travelling far.

You kept your head down, trying to focus your attention on your book. But try as you did, with the three friends talking loudly around you about robbery, sex and the ever increasing allusion to violence, it was hard to hear anything over the horrible pounding of your heart inside your ears.

When the train set off, you prayed it found the next stop quickly. The girl, Toga, only seemed to get louder and giddier with excitement, and both times you glanced at her, you found her staring directly at you with a wicked grin. It was unnerving, to say the least.

You finally had a moment to breathe when the ticket warden came through the carriage. Your three new companions shrank in their seats when they saw her coming. Toga and the flaky-skinned man disappeared from view, then the one beside you shut his eyes and stretched out his long legs, very much pushing his knee into what little personal leg room you had left, then had the audacity to pretend to be asleep.

If he didn’t unnerve you so much, you might very well have laughed at the cheek of him.

When the ticket warden reached your cluster of seats, she checked the tail-guy’s first, and you spotted with the utmost jealousy that the only occupants of his two-seater space were he and his tail.

The warden cleared her throat to grab your attention.

“Tickets, please.” She said, eyeing you and your unwelcomed travel buddy suspiciously, like she thought you were actually travelling together. To nip that thought in the bud, you pulled out your ticket and smiled with the friendliest and most reassuring smile you could muster.

“Here you go.” You said, doing everything you could to sound cheerful and polite. What you didn’t notice was how the man opened one eye to look at you after he heard you calling out like an innocent little bird.

He was wondered how easy it might be to break your wings.

Oblivious to his predator-like stare, you continued to smile as the warden handed your ticket back, now with a notably softer expression. She nudged her head towards your travel buddy, who had shut his eyes to complete his sleeping façade, and mouthed: he with you?

You shook your head vigorously, hoping to get across just how horrified by that idea you were, so the woman nodded then kicked him in the shoe. You gulped, spotting a strained vein appear on his neck as he clenched his jaw from the assault, before pretending to wake from a peaceful sleep.

“Mm?” He asked in a deep, groggy voice.

“Ticket.” The woman demanded, and you could tell she dealt with his kind at least twice a week. He wasn’t fooling anyone.

“Single to Ninohe.” He said, sitting up properly, blinking away the fakest of sleeps. The woman put a hand on her hip as you let the information stab you in the gut. Ninohe was further down the line than where you were headed. It seemed you were stuck with him for the long haul.

“You were meant to buy the ticket at the station. How’d you get past the guard?”

Unfazed by the warden’s glare, the man shrugged and reached into his pocket for his wallet.

“We were running late. Would have missed the train if we’d stopped to get tickets.”

“I’m gonna need your full name and address. Travelling without a ticket gets you a fine. And you need to pay for a ticket immediately or I’m kicking you off at the next stop.”

You sucked in your breath, watching how his jaw tensed up as the vein stood more prominently on his neck.

“Fine.” He said in a way that definitely didn’t sound fine, but pulled out his credit card none-the-less. “Touya Todoroki.”

As he told the warden his address, he handed over his credit card to pay for the ticket, telling the warden in an almost-merry voice that she could send the fine to his father, and while she was at it, those of his friends. You heard Toga erupt into fits of giggles before she announced loudly and proudly that her name was Himiko Toga, followed by a lazy announcement from the white haired male that his name was Tomura Shigaraki.

An uncomfortable tingle ran up the length of your spine as soon as the warden’s attention left you. You tried to focus on your book but the harder you tried, the heavier the air around you became. In the end you had to admit defeat. You met Touya’s gaze. When he saw that he had your attention, his stapled lips grew into a grin.

“Well now, you’re a pretty little bird. What’s your name?”

He didn’t sound charming, rather downright lecherous, but you didn’t think he cared when he knew he had you trapped against the window. You pursed your lips together and looked out at the fly-by landscape, hoping he would take the hint.

You lamented your decision to doll yourself up today – the skirt was a definite mistake – but in your defence, you hadn’t expected to be hit on by a random creep on you journey to see some friends.

The tingle in your spine turned into a downright jolt of fear when you felt the man’s hand fall onto your leg. You sat bolt upright and looked at him in pure disbelief.

“Please, don’t do that.” You said in what was meant to be a stern voice, but in the face of such an out-of-the-blue and personal-space invading move, it rather sounded more like a squeak. His grin widened. He asked again,

“What’s your name, little bird?”

In the hopes it would at least convince him to free your leg, you told him your name.

He let go of your leg.

“And where are you headed?”

Telling him your name was one thing. Telling him where you were going was another. You scooted yourself as far into the window as you possibly could, not wanting him to put his hands on you again, but kept your mouth shut. You opened your book and did all you could to engross yourself in the pages.

He made a move towards you but his actions were broken by the sound of his friend, Toga, as she popped up from the seat in front.

“Dabi, Dabi, Dabi,” she said with a teasing grin. “Your dad’s gonna be so fucking pissed. I can’t wait. Let’s get in more trouble, get more fines, and send them all to him.”

“So loud…” grumbled Shigaraki, who seemed content to face forwards for now.

You didn’t want to meet Toga’s gaze. She was intimidating, much more so than Touya… Dabi… whatever his name was. But at least for now, she seemed more focused on her companions.

Until.

“Oh, are we making new friends?” She said, hushing her voice with the widest grin yet. She glanced between you and Dabi, who had yet to take his eyes off you. “Dabi, hun. You’re staring.”

“Me and my little birdie are getting to know each other. Play with Shigaraki for a while.”

Despite the obvious threat in Toga’s direction, she ignored Dabi and smiled hellishly at you.

“I love your outfit. Where did you get your skirt?”

When it was a choice between answering where you were headed or where you got your skirt, you knew who you would much rather have an awkward conversation with.

“Oh, uhmm… I got it a while ago. I’m sorry. I don’t remember. But I like your top.”

You couldn’t see much of her top because of how she was draped across the seat backs, but you hoped flattery would, if the moment came to it, put her on your side against Dabi, whose hand snaked closer to you.

Toga giggled gleefully.

“Oh, this old thing?” She brushed her hands over the shoulders like she was dusting it for lint. “Thank you. You can’t believe how many times I had to bounce the girl’s head off the pavement to make her hand it over. The blood didn’t come out for weeks.”

Your face went pale. You couldn’t tell if she was joking, but honestly weren’t sure you wanted to know the truth for certain.

“You’re scaring her.” Dabi warned, daring Toga to say one more word. “Eyes front.”

She looked at you, looked at Dabi then looked at you once more before rolling her eyes.

“Fine, fine. Nasty… Hey, Shigi. Let me play that game on your phone.”

She disappeared back into her seat. You weren’t totally sure you were happy she was gone. Her presence had at least put Dabi’s advances on pause. Now she was missing, you could feel him staring at you, and you had never regretted your skimpy clothing choices more. Your hands shook as you held onto your book, and you wondered how much of your journey was left. Time seemed to go much slower today, never more so than while Dabi kept his eyes trained on you.

He had you trapped.

Brushing the backs of his fingers over the top of your thigh, he smiled as you flinched from the contact.

“Are you meeting anyone nice when you get off the train?” He asked, the deep hum of his voice rattling through you as he traced your thigh with the back of his hand. He was getting closer and closer, his hand finding the hem of your skirt on today of all days when you had skipped out on a pair of tights.

“M-my friends.” You squeaked. “I-I’m meeting my friends. A big group of them. We’re having a big reunion so there’s a lot of us going and they said they’d pick me up from the station.”

“Oh?” There was a note of amusement in his voice. You were sure he could hear through your lie. You actually were having a reunion, and a lot of you were meeting up, but you were getting a taxi from the station to meet them at the Airbnb. No one was coming to get you. Even if you wanted them to come meet you, you were staying in a luxury cottage in the middle of nowhere and it was at least a half hour drive to the station. What was more, by now everyone would almost definitely have started drinking and it wouldn’t be safe for anyone to drive.

You were on your own.

“Don’t look so frightened, little bird.” Dabi murmured, leaning close enough for you to catch the hint of leathery musk in his cologne. “I won’t hurt you.”

As long as you do what I say, the warning rang in your head. He gripped your thigh more firmly, snaking his fingers under your clothes.

You shot up like a bolt of lightning, out of your seat, dropping your book in the process. You snatched up your handbag then made a move to get past Dabi, into the aisle. He didn’t budge and he certainly didn’t look amused by your defiance. You saw that same vein appear on the side of his neck as he clenched his jaw, his glare asking whether you understood the consequences of your actions should you carry on. Very loudly and very sternly, you said,

“Excuse me. I need to use the restroom.”

This caught the attention of many other passengers. Good. Even though your face was red and your eyes felt glossy with a mix of shame, embarrassment and fear, grabbing everyone’s attention was just enough of a threat to make Dabi move. He kicked his legs out to the side, into the aisle, giving you just enough room to escape. It didn’t stop him from trailing a finger up your thigh as you moved past him.

Oh God, you felt sick. You felt wronged. You couldn’t sit next to him for another second. Under the guise of heading to the bathroom, you inspected the rest of the carriage for somewhere else to perch. You considered your precious book abandoned, but it was a small price to pay to avoid Dabi’s groping hands.

Unfortunately, though, whether a seat or simply somewhere else to stand, there was a spot for neither when the train was so densely packed with people.

Unsure of what else to do, you made it to the bathroom and went inside, needing it for no other reason than a place to think. At least while you were locked inside the cubical, you didn’t have to worry about sneakily texting your friends to tell them you were turning on your bSafe tracker. They might not be able to come get you, but at least you would feel safer knowing they would get your location if something bad happened – Lord forbidding.

You took a moment to splash water on your face, humming a tune to calm yourself down, then decided to have one last look along the carriage for somewhere else to sit. You felt more confident.

But when you opened the door to get back into the aisle, you immediately saw Toga and paled at her smile.

“Hi, Girlfriend. I wondered where you’d got to. Wait for me outside and we can walk back together, kay?”

She had you blocked in. It was all you could do to agree in case she pushed you back into the cubical and did something to make sure you understood her. Honestly, you weren’t sure if you were blowing this out of proportion in your head, but you couldn’t help but notice speckles of pink on the collar of Toga’s top, like a red stain that just wouldn’t wash out.

“O-okay. I’ll wait.”

Toga grinned and stepped aside, letting you out.

“Good girl.”

She skipped past you then waved before shutting herself in the cubical.

You weren’t waiting. You reasoned, if you couldn’t find somewhere else to sit, surely going straight back to where she could harass you anyway wouldn’t upset her. Or so you hoped.

Clutching your handbag to your side, with a nervous shake in your step you made your way back through the carriage, looking for a spare seat. But for the fact you had to weave past so many people standing, the thought of a free chair was nothing short of a miracle.

All too soon you saw the black spikes of Dabi’s hair and the way his long leg jutted out into the aisle, blocking people’s way past him. His gaze locked on to you as soon as you were close enough, and just from the way he sneered, you could tell he wasn’t happy that you’d tried to run off. You felt yourself start to shake. You clutched your handbag, feeling a tight knot in your stomach that made you want to throw up.

Two hours or so, that’s all you had to endure. You could do it. You had to.

You stopped in front of Dabi, hearing your heartbeat ringing in your ears.

“E-excuse me.” You said, looking at your feet out of fear. “Pl-please could you move into the window seat?”

When Dabi didn’t reply, you had to look at him but instantly wished you hadn’t. He was smiling up at you, but it was nothing short of demonic, like you had fought against the devil himself and now it was time for your punishment.

“Aren’t you being selfish, little bird? Asking for the aisle seat when my legs are so much longer?”

You caught the threat.

“N-never mind. That’s okay. I’ll stand in the aisle. That’s okay. Please don’t worry. I’ll stay here.”

He sneered, talking to you like you were already his property.

“That’s rather selfish of you, little bird. Blocking everyone’s path.”

Before you could stop him, Dabi gripped your hand and yanked you in beside him -- only something wrapped around your middle, pulling you out before he could trap you.

“Please,” came a kind but rather desperate voice behind you, “Take my seat.”

Dabi’s jaw clenched, a threatening blaze flickering into his eyes.

The thing around your middle jerked you further back, away from Dabi, like it knew you were still in danger, until you bumped into someone standing in the aisle – someone who had not been there seconds ago.

“Please, I insist,” they said, holding you by the shoulders to steady you, then moved aside to let you into their seat across the aisle. To your surprise, it was the tail-guy, his tail wrapped tightly around your middle to pull you to safety.

“It’ll be okay.” He murmured close to your ear, blocking Dabi from getting into the aisle with his whole body. “I won’t let him bother you.”

Not that you didn’t believe him, as his tail was a set of muscles all in itself, but when you sat down, you shuffled across the seats and as far against the window as you could go, just in case Dabi was the type to start fights on busy trains.

“Oi, brat,” you heard Dabi say, and you were sure if you could see his face you would have whimpered, but the threat in his voice did nothing to faze the tail-guy, who looked much more concerned with your state of wellbeing. He ignored Dabi completely, jamming himself half way into the seat beside you with an ironclad stance that not only blocked Dabi from seeing you, but could hold back anyone who tried to get close to you.

“Are you okay?”

You felt sick and stressed, but compared to what you had just been faced with, you were touched by his concern and nodded so that you didn’t trouble him further.

Thankfully he didn’t say anything more, but held himself in place for your benefit, which gave you a chance to calm down. You pressed your hand to your heart and breathed, subconsciously flattening down your skirt as you replayed the events of your journey so far. You were never, never wearing a cute outfit again if you had to take a train—or bus—or plane—anything. You didn’t normally, and this was proof never to do it again.

It took you a while, but eventually you calmed down, slumping in your seat.

What a way to start your time off, you thought. Only you could start it off with something so dramatic.

Trying not to be rude, but rather wanting to take a proper look at your rescuer, you stole a glance at the tailed-guy while he stood his ground, looking along the carriage. He seemed older than you, not by much, and gave off the relaxed vibe of any typical beanie-wearing, skinny-jean wearing hipster. He looked quiet, like someone at peace with his own company. You appreciated the calming effect he had on you when quite likely, there was a screw-loose sociopath glaring daggers into him on his other side.

You wanted to thank him, but felt silly and embarrassed if he didn’t know the extent of the ordeal he had rescued you from. You would thank him, but maybe once it was your stop.

That was…

…unless he got off first.

Sneaking in amongst the calm, a seed of worry formed in the pit of your stomach. That was right. There was no guarantee this Good Samaritan needed to stay on the train for as long as you. You wondered what the chances were of Dabi and Toga leaving you alone if he alighted before you. The very least you could pray for was that he stayed on the train past the first stop, so maybe Dabi had a chance to either calm down or set his sights on someone else.

You pulled out your phone and messaged your friends’ group chat:

‘LOL having the train journey from hell. Get a stiff drink ready for me if I’m not abducted first x x x’

Perhaps now wasn’t the right time for humour, but it was all you could do to calm your nerves at the thought of being hunted around the train by two creeps and their clearly just along for the ride friend.

You were so caught up in a web of worry that you didn’t notice the psychotic blonde skipping her way down the busy carriage, not caring who she shoved out of her way to get back to her seat. You might not have noticed her at all, except your guardian swished his tail up to block her view as she got closer, drawing your attention to the top of her head before she disappeared into her seat.

“Where’s she gone?” You heard Toga ask. There was clear accusation in her voice, like you had no right to be anywhere else but under her torment. Hopefully though, that was the end of it. If they weren’t ready to harass the tail-guy in order to get to you, it was likely they would lose interest and move on. They didn’t know which stop you were getting off at. If tailman left before you did, you could follow him down the train, pretend it was your stop then find another place to perch, out of sight.

At least you could close the lid on this chapter of your trip.

Toga’s sudden and shrill laugh made your skin crawl, but that still did not prepare you for what she said afterwards.

“Dabi’s gonna get you, Dabi’s gonna get you, Dabi’s gonna—”

It was so sinister that you spluttered and choked. You were probably naïve to think she wasn’t aiming the chant towards you, so you clutched your hands to your chest and sank in your chair, hoping with everything you had that the tail-guy would stay beside you for the rest of your journey.

You dared to look at him again, trying to guess his chances should the trio actually try to forcefully move him at any point, and it was then, while Toga continued to chant, that you caught him giving you a sideways glance, clearly uneased by the hostility pouring in from his far side. His jaw was set tight and his brows were drawn inward, then when he caught you looking back at him he opened his mouth to talk. But then, he shut it. You could see an internal struggle as he debated what to do.

The guilt that hit you was uncomfortable, to say the least. You couldn’t let this carry on; leaving a total stranger to defend you. You had put him in a difficult position and it was wrong to have him fight your battle. If he was staying on the train past your stop, you couldn’t leave him stood up there until you alighted. It was selfish and rude of you to use him as nothing more than a wall. You didn’t even know his name.

“Excuse m—” you began, but didn’t finish your sentence when the guy looked at you one more time before he slipped down into the seat beside you, leaving his tail up to keep the two of you hidden from view.

“Sorry,” he said, passing you a gentle, reassuring smile. “I wasn’t going to get involved, but I don’t like what’s happening.”

With perfect timing, Toga chimed in with a maniacal ‘don’t think you’re safe behind that tail~’

“My name’s Ojiro.” He said a little louder, hoping to cut over any more outbursts from the trio. “Sorry. You don’t know me. I know this is weird. But please stay sat with me for as long as you want. Please don’t let them intimidate you. I know I don’t look it, but I really won’t let them do anything to you.”

After his declaration, he let out a breath, like he had rerouted all of his energy into saying something so embarrassing but heartfelt, and now that it was over he could function like a normal human and breathe again.

You had a lot of questions. He was saying everything you wanted to hear, and for someone you had only just met, he seemed unusually committed to your protection, but there was just something in his eyes that put you at ease.

Unlike the ruffian trio who gave off nothing but the most sinister and repugnant of auras, it was hard to find a trace of malice in Ojiro’s expression. His entire presence, now that it was focused towards you, felt like one of the white knights of old, sworn by honour codes, chivalry and compassion. It felt almost criminal for him to be in a beanie and hoodie instead of paladin robes.

Never the less. You had to relieve this modern day knight of his duties before you took up too much of his time or he got himself in trouble.

“Thank you,” you said softly, feeling your heart wobbling giddily when he smiled in response, “But please don’t worry about me. As soon as the train quietens down, I’ll swap into a different seat somewhere. I’ll leave you in peace.”

You landed him with your most convincing ‘I’m okay’ smile but if anything, your words caused him to frown.

“It’s no trouble, honestly.” He lowered his voice and leaned in towards you. Realising he did not want to be overheard, you leaned in closer so he could say, “I saw what was going on before. I heard what was going on. Please. You can forget I’m next to you. But please don’t move seats.”

He seemed hesitant to tell you something, like perhaps he had overheard something while you were in the bathroom, but you were happy to respect the pleading in his voice without the whole story. You nodded, making a show of making yourself more comfortable.

“Okay, umm…”

“Ojiro.” He prompted again, smiling now that you were allowing him to keep an eye on you.

“Ojiro. Okay. Ojiro, glad to meet you, my gallant travel buddy.”

You held out your hand, genuinely happy to have stumbled onto such a knight in a floppy beanie hat. Though you couldn’t say your nerves were gone entirely, you faked a grin to show Ojiro that he had no need to worry about you.

These next two hours together seemed like they were going to be a breeze.

------

[PART 2] Coming soon.

[WRITING MASTERLIST]

#Ojiro #Mashirao #x reader #Happy Birthday Ojiro #dabi #toga himiko #Shigaraki #the trouble with trains #chapter 1 #multi chapter #imagines #MTCfics

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