#“oh doctor who is so quirky and happy” I was told and it mostly was

[pastafossa]

OMG PASTA YOU LIKE DOCTOR WHO?!?!?!?!

I LOVE DOCTOR WHO

Ten is my favorite, likely because he was my first Doctor, or maybe just cause David was perfect as Ten. I can't even remember when exactly I started watching. I KNOW The Satan Pit was my first episode, and I just got hooked from there! Plus as a scifi lover, Blink has to be one of the best scifi eps out there, and I still get heebie jeebies over angel statues. 😂 10/10 would run away to be a companion!

ALSO I HAVE MET THE GLORIOUS TENNANT ONCE AND GOT HIS AUTOGRAPH AND HE'S SO NICE.

[milady-pink]

Waitress AU

Warnings: Food/baking, domestic abuse, unplanned pregnancy, cheating

Summary: Working at a dead end job, waitress Christine soon finds herself with a new problem: an unplanned pregnancy. Life is all about trying to find the sweet spots and luckily this pie genius has a new (and pretty adorkably sexy) OBGYN, who isn’t too happy at home either.

TL;DR Quirky cute and sexy Erik as a doctor, lab coat and all.

Word Count: 1731 || Graphics: @firefly-graphics

"Bad Idea (Reprise) "

Recipe Book

AO3

It’s been one month since the last time Christine walked into the doctor’s office, this time with considerably more people. She has a feeling that if she had made an unnecessary appointment her doctor would have welcomed her with open arms, but the longer she had to think about their coupling the more she felt guilty. Especially after having that talk with Carlotta about trying to find the sweeter parts of life to make it more bearable. 

That didn’t stop the knots from tying themselves in Christine’s stomach at the thought of what would happen should Raoul find out. She’d like to think he would just give her a light beating, considering she was pregnant, but she also had the fear that he might take it too far and get rid of her body. 

Regardless, it wasn’t going to happen today. Nope, No way. Today was going to be a regular appointment, with no kissing, and definitely no fu—

“Mrs. DeChagney? The doctor will see you now.”

Getting up, pie in hand, Christine followed the nurse down the familiar hallway, and into the examination room where she sat on the table awaiting her doctor.

The door swung open to reveal a delectably dressed Dr. Destler, who is wearing a light gray button down and black dress pants. Add the white lab coat on top and he looked like an Oreo pie, ala mode. 

Stop it Christine, professional!

“Hello Mrs. DeChagney.” He greeted her, with that velvet voice she missed a little too much.

“Hello Doctor Destler.” She replied, trying to keep her own voice neutral since the nurse was still present.

Looking at his chart, the nurse noticed Christine’s little treat she brought. Oh a pie, how sweet— what kind is it?”

“‘A Little Wild, Wild Berry Pie’.” 

“The office thanks you!” The nurse told Christine as she took the sweet offering from her hands.

“Nurse Norma, I can take Mrs. DeChagney’s blood, can you, uh….re-weigh Mrs. Morrissey?” Asked the doctor, finally looking up from his chart, but conveniently avoiding Christine’s gaze.

“But I—“

“Please! I’m sorry, please? It’s very important, crucial for the patient’s health.” Then, stepping into the hallway so his voice will carry he calls out, “Don’t worry Mrs.Morrissey, she’s coming!”

Confused, the nurse shakes her head and takes the berry pie as she leaves, shutting the door behind her.

Now alone, Doctor Destler drops all formalities and approaches Christine directly. “Don’t do that again.” He tells her.

“Wh- Bring a pie?” She asks him, not on the same page as what he’s talking about.

“No! Not that, never that. I meant don’t go away for a full month and not call me.” He disclosed to her, longing brimming his eyes.

Feeling guilty for staying away from him for so long, Christine tells a small white lie; mostly to keep from being honest with herself. “I didn’t have any questions or concerns,” she said, not making eye contact.

With a look that told her he wasn’t buying it he said, “Don’t do that,” rather sternly which only made Christine think of naughty punishments she wanted from him.

Throwing her hands in the air from the absurdity of things, she exasperates, “This is crazy, Doctor Destler.”

“Please, call me Erik.”

After thinking about it a moment too long, Christine tells him, “No, I don’t think I will.” Maybe she wanted him to think she was being strong in not using his first name, but the truth is that if she called him that there was certainly no walking out of this room without a very thorough examination.  

He shrugs his shoulders at her answer. “Fine, don’t, Dr. Destler is fine.” He lets out a frustrated sigh, “So I guess we’re going to forget everything that happened between the two of us.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes, we are.” She said, again trying to remain neutral in her speaking.

A moment of silence came over the physician, apparently in deep thought. Once he gathered the right words, he started to talk earnestly to Christine. “I want to apologize, for it. I was gonna call you, just to say sorry, but I, uh, didn’t want to get you in trouble.I just want to let you know that it’s not going to happen again. From this point on we will have a strictly medical, and professional relationsh—“ 

Not for the first time since becoming his patient has Christine cut the doctor off from finishing his sentence by kissing him speechless. She just hoped he still felt the same way and didn’t really regret what happened, nor wanted to forget.

“Christine, no!” The words striking her right in the heart. “Not with the door open,” he rushes over to hide any and all evidence of their infidelity. His lips back on hers are just the right balm needed to soothe her mistaken understandment.

With what precious time they have together they make it count, Christine widening her legs for the doctor to stand between to relieve them both of the aching of their cores. Despite the circumstances, Christine gets to learn that her doctor must have phenomenal hearing for he separates from her just seconds before Nurse Norma renters the room. Hopefully they don’t look too suspicious for the nurse, casually looking over Christine’s blood work from last month’s visit.

“Mrs. Morrissey still weighs 142 pounds.” She announced unenthusiastically. 

Acting as if he just noticed her presence, the doctor looked over and nodded to her. “Thank you. So Mrs. DeChagney, are you taking the prenatal vitamins daily?”

The nurse gives them both an arched eyebrow as she writes down something on the chart in her hand.

“Religiously, doctor.”

“Good. I’d like you to come in again tomorrow.”

This catches the nurse’s attention. “Tomorrow?”

“Yes,” he says in her direction, “are we on the same page now?” His question pointed at Christine who looks to him with great desire burning in her eyes.

“Yep, we’re on the same page.”

Subtly catching on to the doctor and his favorite patient, Nurse Norma adds, “We're all on the same page,” under her breath.

With the nurse’s exit, Christine and Erik get to quick work for the physical exam portion of the appointment; Christine even hopping off the table and pushing Erik on top, only to then straddle his body and pull out the stirrups by his head for his arms to grab onto.

Another day, another pie. This time she baked a real treat, secretly hoping to get one in return.

Upon entering the exam room, Erik finds Christine sitting upon the table with a fruity delight in her lap.

“‘Pineapple Upside Down Pie’.” She said, presenting it to him.

“Your hormone levels are rising beautifully, Mrs. DeChagney.” Rushed the doctor, hurting to rid himself of his coat. 

After ensuring the door was closed, he ran over to her just in time for Christine to move the pie over and spread her legs; bearing  herself to him. The sight nearly takes his breath away, but not enough to stop him from what he’s about to do. Ready to devour a very different kind of dessert.

“Mrs. DeChagney!” He greeted her, “What do you have today?”

She posed as seductively as possible whilst holding a pie, with her free hand perched on the room’s light switch. 

“‘In The Dark, Dark Chocolate Pie.” She tells him, only to then flip the lights off, submerging them both in darkness.

The lack of lighting made it harder to navigate, even if the room was inches larger than a closet. Eventually the two found each other, noticing the other’s lack of clothing, and made due with what they were given. During that appointment, Christine’s flexibility and senses were tested, along with her reflexes.

The diner was closed for the day after long hours of serving customers and bending over tables. Thank goodness Piangi was there to help.

What started as a friendly back massage quickly turned into something far more heated; resulting in Carlotta with her dress hiked up bending over yet another table, serving a very different customer. With moans, gasps, and the sound of skin against skin echoing through the kitchen, it was hard to call something that felt this good a bad thing.

At least that’s what Carlotta thought.

Feeling a few short taps on her behind caused her to stand up and turn around facing the large, warm chef who helped her hop up onto the steel table and continue their activity— this time at a new angle. The redhead tried to grasp hold of what little hair he had left, but instead held onto the hair of his forearms, finding it was denser. They met their peaks of pleasure simultaneously, exchanging little words as they calmed their racing hearts with their foreheads pressed together.

Although it was rather worn and beaten up, the musty smelling recliner Meg currently sat in was always her favorite spot in the one bedroom apartment. Especially with Nadir having a feast of her beneath the Betsy Ross dress she was currently wearing. He was so skilled she was having a hard time focusing on sewing a fake American Flag.

It started off as a date with Nadir, they cooked and made dinner together, and all was going well. That is until Meg blurted out a secret fantasy she had: a man having his way with her womanhood as she tried her darndest to sew the first flag of a new nation under siege by the British. After realizing she said her fantasy out loud, and not in her inner monologue, Nadir was far too excited to help her live out the role play— he has a thing for bonnets, apparently.

Eventually they landed on her favorite recliner, Nadir did his best acting trying to persuade Meg (Betsy Ross) to sew something useful for the revolution. As she feigned her resistance, he saw no way of getting her to join the fight— except through cunnulingus.

So now, having switched positions with Meg bouncing happily on top of her man, grabbing at his three-cornered hat for stability, she reasoned that if Betsy was getting treated this good, she too would have added stars to the flag.

They rested in said recliner, but only after Nadir shouted at his peak, “The British are comin’, the British are comin’!”

[oneofyatosfollowers]

Yatori Week 2021- Day 5

@yatoriweek2021

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/32090953/chapters/79500055

Fanfiction: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13905660/1/Yatori-Week-2021

“Oh my goodness, Hiyori! A fifth date!” Kofuku squealed, “you never even agree to a second date!” 

Perched on her rolling chair, the pink-haired nurse spun so fast her curls flung out like a halo and her pink capybara scrubs were a blur. Across from her, Hiyori dropped her pen and lurched to stop the girl from falling over. Kofuku was such a spaz it was any wonder Hiyori’s father hired her. But she was truly a ray of sunshine and giggled as she was righted.

“I sometimes agree to second dates. It’s more that they don’t call me back,” Hiyori muttered around her smile. Embarrassed, Hiyori spun around and tried to focus on patients’ lab samples but that didn’t deter her friend. Kofuku’s arms curled around Hiyori’s plum scrubs and she rested her chin on Hiyori’s shoulder.

“See? I told you, you two would hit it off,” Kofuku purred.

“You make it sound like you introduced us,” Hiyori said with a playful roll of her eyes. The man in question was one who often landed in Hiyori’s family’s hospital and was a childhood friend of Kofuku’s. He often had problems such as tears in a rotator cuff or labrum and brusings, things he claimed were from his job. Nothing particularly major but still frequent enough where Hiyori had gotten to know him fairly well. It didn’t help that he would try to stay longer than needed just to talk to her- even bust in the nurse's office with the excuse of looking for Kofuku- or specifically request her. It annoyed her at first; sometimes she was really busy with demanding families or tired from an all-nighter. But she couldn’t stay mad at him for too long, he would always be so excited to see her and happy to hear about what she had to say. It was easy to talk to him and sometimes Hiyori had found herself picking up the pace to his room only to sit beside him and talk about everything and anything.

“Well I basically did! I invited you both to hang out at my place with Daikoku and I! I even told you when and where he gets his coffee so you can talk outside of work! That’s where he asked you out isn’t it?” Kofuku continued to grin in Hiyori’s ear, causing them both to giggle.

“For your information I went to that coffee shop before I met him!” Hiyori shooed her friend off with a smile. Kofuku fell back into her chair with a sigh but fixed Hiyori with a soft look.

“I’m glad you like him. Yatty can be a little quirky but he’s genuine. I know you like that.”

“I do,” Hiyori admitted, “but you’re right he is odd.” The word odd didn’t quite cover it. Yato, Yatty as Kofuku called him, had some personality quirks for sure. It took a lot to outwardly flirt with a nurse while she tried to pop your shoulder back in it’s socket and blush when she laughed around you. Beyond that, he had some peculiar habits that Hiyori found it difficult to ignore.

For one thing Yato was fairly jumpy around people approaching him, like he didn’t want to look directly into people’s eyes yet would get extremely excited when someone did. What’s more, sometimes he would pull her away, like he saw someone he was trying to avoid. Not that she thought anyone would recognize him. It didn’t matter where he went, Yato would always be covered: thick jackets, sun glasses, hats, the works. He even showed up to their second date with a hospital mask on. Hiyori almost walked out then and there but Yato begged her to stay.

“Maybe he’s famous,” Kofuku once suggested. That was always an option, with the way he often wore an up-turned collar, but Hiyori did an hour of google search to prove that wrong. He was lucky she had gone most of her life without finding someone who made her laugh so much, otherwise Hiyori wouldn’t have agreed to that second date.

As the saying goes, just talking about someone was enough to summon them. Her phone chimed on her desk and Hiyori didn’t even have to turn it over to know it was him. That was another one of his quirks, frequent texting and social media, but Hiyori didn’t mind. Only because she liked talking to him and he didn’t get upset with her when she ignored her. They had another date tonight, Yato would be meeting her at a bar, per her request. She typed out her reply, reiterating for the third time that he was not to come in any ostentatious clothing.

“Well, I’m glad you two have fun anyway!” Kofuku chirped from her seat, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Hiyori laughed at her words. Meanwhile, after Hiyori spent an hour picking out clothes, making sure her makeup was just right, and waiting patiently for Yato to arrive ten minutes late, she took one look at him and walked away.

“Wait, wait, wait, Hiyori!” Yato jogged after her and grabbed her hand. Teeth bared, Hiyori whirled around and fixed her most searing glare on him. She watched him physically recoil, blue eyes wide with shock. At least she imagined they were, large tinted sunglasses blocked any view of them so Hiyori wasn’t sure. Either way, her glare reflected back at her and she watched herself scowl at him.

“Let go of me,” Hiyori growled. He let her go when she yanked but easily kept up as she marched away from their meeting spot. They swerved though the crowd of happy families and loving couples, the groups jolting out of the way of her warpath.

“Hiyori, please, I’m sorry! It’s just to get here! That’s why I wanted to get here early so I could change!” Yato continued to plead as he walked alongside her. She stopped and skeward him with another glare, this one capable of pinning him to the building behind him.

“You’re ten minutes late.” She informed him.

“Ahh. Hah, uh,” Yato’s jaw worked uselessly for a moment before he swallowed thickly and looked to the ground in shame. Hiyori watched him for a moment then walked off again, Yato catching up to her after some time.

“Hiyori, please!” Yato appeared suddenly in front of her, hands up to get her to stop, or in surrender. Despite herself, she did stop, allowing her glare to slip and show him the hurt she felt. Now, Yato wasn’t the sharpest tool in the doctor kit but he had the sense to take off his baseball cap, letting his black hair fall free, and his glasses to look her in the eye with nothing but concern. They stared at each other as music and people happily surrounded them.

“Hiyori I,” Yato paused as pink spread across his cheeks, “I really like you. I’m sorry it’s just a habit from my job. Please, don’t go.” He spoke so honestly that Hiyori couldn’t stop her shoulders from sagging. Of course the genuineness of the statement was overshadowed by the fact Yato was undressing as they spoke. Hiyori watched him stuff the glasses and hat in his jacket pocket before stripping off the jacket and tossing it in a bush. Once he tore off his pants, thankfully leaving behind shorts, Hiyori was left to sigh at the dirty baseball jersey and bruised arms. Yato watched as she gently picked up his arm to poke at his swollen elbow.

“I like you too,” she started, “but you promised. Several times. I asked you and you said you wouldn’t walk around like this and suddenly drag me around.” Hiyori reminded him. Of course he hadn’t done it yet but it was almost guaranteed at this point.

“I know, I’m sorry. There’s just so many people here and it’s for my job, I swear,” Yato repeated.

“And what exactly is your job?” Hiyori let her eyes flicker up to him. That was treading on dangerous territory. Yato- as another personality quirk- did not like talking about his job. He answered her questions but the responses were always vague and he was quick to change the subject. Even if she didn’t say something, she noticed; yet it was her fault for trusting him when he assured her it wasn’t anything sketchy or illegal. With the way Yato struggled to look at her, and come up with an excuse, it was clear she wasn’t going to get an answer this time either. That was fine. Afterall, Hiyori was hiding things from Yato too.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me right now. I don’t want to get into it.” Hiyori said. His elbow thankfully wasn’t sprained but it was definitely irritated. He would need to ice it and rest, not have fun at a festival. She let it go and held onto her purse handle.

“I think I’m going to go though,” Hiyori mumbled.

“No, no, no!” Yato’s hands waved, “Hiyori, please, I am so sorry. Let me buy you food? Or just chat? This doesn’t even have to be a date or longer than an hour. I just really want to spend time with you.” He bit his lip and scanned her face as she thought it over. There was really no harm. He didn’t do anything particularly wrong and she had no doubt they would have fun. It wasn’t like she actually wanted to go home anyway.

“Well, you’re going to be spending more time with me if you don’t rest that elbow,” Hiyori huffed. The sentiment confused Yato but he huffed out a laugh, not making a move as he stared at her. With another sigh, and a prayer to heaven, Hiyori gently let her hand rest in the crook of his good arm. Yato’s other hand quickly came up to support his arm, the pressure causing him to flinch through his excited cheers.

“Oh and!” Yato suddenly left her side to dive into the bush. Before Hiyori could contemplate her decision, Yato opened his hands like a toddler showing their parents something new they’ve found.

“I won it for you at the ball-toss,” Yato admitted with great pride, “that’s why I was late.” His smile was awkward as he looked between her and the plastic cat keychain, still holding it out to her. At this point, how could she still be mad? With a snort and a giggle, Hiyori attached the keychain to her purse, took Yato’s arm, and knew she would stay much more than an hour.

“Hey, Hiyori?�� A nurse popped her head in the office a month later, “That, uh, patient is here for you?” The office was filled with snickering, mostly from Kofuku, as Hiyori leaned back in her chair. She knew why he was here, but Hiyori couldn’t decide if she wanted to deal with him right now.

“Thank you, I’ll be right there,” she pushed back from her desk. In the doorway, the nurse cleared her throat.

“Actually, he’s here, here,” she pointed off to the side just as Yato peaked into the office.

“Hello darling!” Yato grinned, folding his sunglasses to hang off his shirt collar. The other nurses snickered as Hiyori sputtered and hissed that she was not, in fact, his darling.

“Yatty!” Kofuku sprang off her seat on the counter, running to give the man a big hug. Yato needed both hands to catch her, which accidently showed off the bouquet of roses he brought with him. Most likely from the gift shop in the lobby.

“Uh, hey,” Yato cleared his throat after he put Kofuku down. Hiyori spun to face him with her arms and legs crossed. Letting a girl jump into his arms in front of her did not help his case, but that wasn’t why she was upset.

“I figured you were on your lunch break,” Yato’s eyes slid to her lunchbox and back, “I brought you roses.” He held out the flowers. Hiyori let her eyes drop to them, then looked up at him. Yato set them down on the desk and fiddled with his fingers.

“So, how’s it going?” He tried. They ignored Kofuku’s snort as she sat down to watch along with the rest of the nurses in the office.

“My parents are starting to get offended, Yato,” Hiyori remarked, “this is the second time you said you couldn’t come over for dinner.”

“Ooo! Dinner!” Kofuku sang. Her two friends gave her a heavy look and she apologized with a grin.

“I know, Hiyori, I’m so sorry. You know weekends aren’t good for me. I tried to talk to Daikoku about it but he hasn’t budged.” The end of Yato’s sentence was heavy with meaning as he let his eyes slide to said man’s wife, sitting happily on the counter.

“That’s got nothing to do with me, Yatty, you know that,” Kofuku shrugged, her smile never leaving. It was a known fact that Daikoku was Yato’s boss in whatever job they had- part of the reason Hiyori believed it wasn’t suspicious- but that was not the point. Her huff got Yato’s attention and he immediately took another step towards her.

“You know I’m super happy you want me to meet them! I really want to meet them too! It’s just the weekends they happen to pick, are when I happen to be working.”

“That’s because my dad likes to watch the game when my mom cooks big meals,” Hiyori pouted, “it’s a bonding thing with him and my brother and any male in the- the- you know, family.” She waved her hand in a way that should have dismissed her words but did nothing to wipe away the red in both their cheeks.

“Am I part of the family?” Yato asked as he crept forward another step, a grin growing on his lips. By now everyone in the room was smiling except her and Hiyori threw her hands up.

“You’re not part of the family yet because you won’t come to family dinner or give the truthful reason as to why,” Hiyori slammed her hands on either side of her paperwork. The entire situation was frustrating because they both had things they wanted to hide. While it’s true Yato wouldn’t talk about his job, he also wouldn’t say his last name. That wasn’t his decision. It was a little known fact that Hiyori’s family owned the very hospital they found themselves in. Because of this, Hiyori had opted out of saying her last name when meeting new people. Just to avoid any assumptions and to ensure they liked her for her. Of course that prompted Yato to insist he wouldn’t give his last name until she did. Another thing that made it hard to research him, since Kofuku wouldn’t say a word. This was also what made this family dinner such a big step for them. Not only would Yato be introduced to her family as a romantic interest, but there would be no hiding how much money her family made. But while it was agreed that family names and overall lifestyles were not to be mentioned, their individual jobs were not.

“Yet?” Yato repeated, still missing the point. With a sigh, Hiyori kneaded her forehead as Yato and Kofuku cooed behind her.

“If you really want to meet them you can probably find them,” Kofuku shrugged.

“Wha-?” Yato cocked his head as Hiyori whipped her chair around to narrow her eyes at Kofuku. It was all too frustrating. The rumors already reached her parents, which both helped convince them she wasn’t lying and made them think Yato was avoiding them. Another sigh escaped her, this time accompanied with a groan. That tampered her friends’ mood and Yato took a seat on the counter next to her, pushing the roses aside.

“I promise I’ll make it up to them. I’ll take them out to dinner, my treat,” Yato offered.

“Yato, you don’t have to do that. Trust me, my parents can pay for themselves.”

“I can too,” Yato said, “I want to, okay? Wherever they want.” It was another promise Yato would have to live up to, but Hiyori appreciated him trying, if not slightly. She looked up to him with a small smile, which Yato returned.

“I have to get back to work,” Hiyori said. Standing, Yato backed off and watched Hiyori stretch.

“I’ll see you soon, yeah?” He urged.

“You said you were working this weekend,” Hiyori reminded him.

“Yeah, I am, I am,” sighed Yato, “but once I’m done I’ll come straight to you.” He finished his declaration with a wink and smiled wider when Hiyori’s own happiness became more genuine. With one kiss to her head, Yato flounced back out the door and left her to sigh and flop back into her chair. By now the rest of the nurses had gone back to their business, leaving Hiyori to pet the rose petals and thoroughly think over her relationship.

“He means it, you know,” Kofuku said. Her tone was so honest compared to her everyday jeer and Hiyori immediately met her serious gaze.

“What?”

“What he does, how he acts around you. Yatty’s always had trouble making friends, let alone opening himself up in the romantic sense. Just like you, he would hardly get past the first date! But I can tell, he does really want to meet your family, the idea makes him so happy. Daikoku says you're all he talks about,” Kofuku chuckled, “Yatty does truly like you a lot.” Her words lit a fire across Hiyori’s cheeks and collarbones but it didn’t completely wipe away Hiyori’s misgivings.

“It’s just-! At first I thought it was an accident or two, then I figured he would get better or change if we got serious. But, I can’t- I don’t want to think about this being a constant thing throughout our relationship.” Hiyori sighed at her lap. Next to her, Kofuku let out a thoughtful hum, setting her chin on her hands.

“You really like him too, huh?” Kofuku mused. The statement caused Hiyori to blink at her but the label on the feeling sounded right. Why else would have given this guy so many chances?

“Yeah, I do,” Hiyori confessed.

“I’m happy for you two. I really am, this was the best thing to happen with you two. I just knew you’d make each other happy!” Kofuku swooned, “you know what?” She spun back around and grabbed her phone. With a couple of taps and chimes, Kofuku was invested in her phone. For a moment, Hiyori thought the flighty nurse got distracted again and forgot about their conversation but when she opened her mouth, Kofuku just held up her finger. After a moment, another chime sounded and Kofuku’s grin grew even more.

“Okay! Clear your schedule this weekend cause we are hanging out!” Kofuku declared. Hiyori sputtered as the bubbly nurse tossed her phone back on the counter.

“Wha-? Kofuku, I have dinner with my parents this weekend!”

“Saturday night is not this weekend.”

“But what will we even be doing?” Hiyori vacillated, leaning back in her chair. Her time with Kofuku outside of work always ended up in absolute chaos. Oftentimes, Kofuku would be wearing that coy, cat-like grin. Much like she was right now, but this one held much more knowledge.

“Why, to Yatty’s job of course!”

Despite Hiyori’s initial shock with Kofuku’s declaration, she couldn’t help but feel apprehension. Of course Hiyori had dabbled on the idea that, while Yato’s job may not be illegal, it could still be less than savory. With the way Yato and Kofuku talked about it, Hiyori thought he may be a stripper; and while she could see Kofuku doing that, she couldn’t actually imagine Daikoku being a part of it. The plate Hiyori was setting on the table stopped mid-air as she thought of the massive, terrifying looking man. Now that she thought of it, he looked exactly like a bouncer, or bartender. One of those men that walked young women, and handsome young men, to their cars late at night. Hiyori shook her head before the thought could sink in, afraid of finding out if she would be okay with it.

“Hiyori?” Her mother questioned from the other side of the table, bundle of utensils in hand.

“Hmm? What’s wrong, mother?”

“Nothing dear, I just thought maybe you were worrying over-”

“Gah!” Her father bellowed from the living room, “how do you miss that?” His short fit of rage simmered down after her older brother ran in and asked what happened. The women waited for the complaints to settle down before her mother sighed.

“I just think that people who really want to, can make the time.” Her mother huffed.

“They better catch up this inning,” her father continued saying.

“He’s told me he can’t do weekends. We see each other a lot during the week,” Hiyori said as she set down the final plate.

“Relax, Yaboku’s up to bat next and there’s two people on base,” her brother replied. Her father’s joyful reply covered her mother’s sigh as they finished setting the table.

“Well, alright dear, if you say so. Some of the nurses did tell me he comes around a lot but I thought that was for an illness or something,”

“There it is!” Her father cheered, “that Yaboku always knocks it right out of the park!”

“Geez, why do they even let him play? Between him and that busty pitcher,” Her brother chuckled.

“Masaomi language!” Her mother huffed before flashing a smile at Hiyori, “well, I had a feeling that might be the case. It’s not every day a boy shows up to the hospital and requests the same nurse.” She winked, leaving Hiyori to choke out a smile. It was rather sweet.

“And Hiyori?” Her mother popped her head in from the kitchen, “tell your father and brother to shut off the game, it’s time for dinner.” With a nod, Hiyori went into the living room and pried her family away from baseball with some difficulty.

Which was why when Hiyori took the train into the city and walked a block to the meeting spot Kofuku proposed, she was shocked to see the stadium. It was ironic and Hiyori couldn’t help but smile as she imagined the jealous faces of her father and brother. Of course, they had season passes to the games but the hospital kept them away.

“Hey Hiyori!” Kofuku suddenly popped into her view.

“Kofuku!” Hiyori pulled her into a hug.

“You ready?” Kofuku coaxed. Hiyori would have been happy to answer had it not been for the sly way Kofuku was holding up a black ribbon.

“Do I have to be blind folded?”

“Yep! Helps with the surprise,” Kofuku pulled the band taunt. It showed how much trust Hiyori gave the young woman, allowing Kofuku to lead her around a city with a blind fold. Then again, it only took a couple minutes for Hiyori to realize Kofuku had actually led them into the stadium. So it wasn’t just a meeting spot, then. Of course, Hiyori could be wrong but the way they shuffled in a massive line and walked up a couple flights proved otherwise. She could smell the popcorn and hotdogs, and hear the chattering of baseball fans. Once Kofuku untied the ribbon, Hiyori’s theory was proven to be correct, but it didn’t answer her question.

“So he works here? Why would that need to be a secret?” Hiyori asked. She could picture Yato working at the snack bar or as a vendor, he was loud and repetitive like that. She could also see him being a security guard or IT, the man was talented.

“Well, I mean he often works here but he doesn’t always, I guess you could put it,” Kofuku tapped her chin with a giggle. That made it more suspicious but Hiyori had to wait for the announcer before asking.

“And now for your home team! First up to bat is first basemen: Abe Toshiki. Second is the catcher: Kazuma Hirano!”

“Is he, uh, the announcer? Or maybe a news reporter? I’m not political, you know?” Hiyori tried to guess. Behind a smirking Kofuku, the home team was running out onto the field as they were introduced.

“Third up to bat is none other than the only female in the big leagues, pitcher: Bishamon Vaisravana!” The third player, rather famous- even Hiyori’s heard of her- strutted out onto the field as the entire stadium erupted in applause and cheers.

“Nooo,” Kofuku purred. It was hard to hear her but Hiyori could read her lips nonetheless.

“Then what?” Hiyori sighed, exasperated, throwing her arms down and resisting the urge to stomp her foot. She knew Kofuku wasn’t a mean person, but Hiyori was starting to feel like the butt end of a joke that toyed with her feelings. Instead of answering, Kofuku pointed up, grin never fading. Following the direction she pointed in, Hiyori looked up to the ceiling of the tunnel and saw nothing but a ceiling. Before her eyes could drop down to Kofuku, they caught on to one of the small TVs that lined the inside. Hiyori found herself frozen as the fourth batter appeared on screen.

“And fourth up to bat, pitcher: Yaboku Ayakashi!” The announcement was met with less applause than with the previous pitcher. Jaw dropped, Hiyori watched all the screens in the stadium light up with Yato’s face, the flamboyant way he posed with the bat, supposed name, and stats. She rushed to the top of the seating area and watched him run out onto the field as he waved and kissed to the crowd. Yato jogged up to stand beside Bishamon, who smacked him when he wouldn’t stop throwing kisses. They got into a tussle right on the field and Hiyori watched Daikoku rush from the dugout, waving a clipboard, and work to separate them. Hiyori tried to close her jaw while an entire stadium of people laughed at her major league boyfriend while his major league coach worked to wrestle him on national television.

“He’s,” Hiyori pointed at the field and Kofuku gently set her hands on Hiyori’s shoulders.

“Let’s go sit down,” Kofuku nudged Hiyori down the stairs and into their seats. They didn’t talk until after the national anthem and the rest of the announcements.

“Yato is his alias, for obvious reasons,” Kofuku said as munched on the popcorn she swiped from an actual vendor.

“Uh huh,” Hiyori breathed. She still couldn’t believe it, just wait until her family hears. Now that she thought about it, they were just talking about him last night. Had she glanced at the screen, she wouldn’t be this flabbergasted. Of all the things.

“That’s what was so funny, you know? You both were keeping secrets about yourselves for the same reason,” she tossed more kernels in her mouth, “of course, now that I brought you here, you’ll have to tell him the truth.” Kofuku smiled at her and Hiyori felt her lips quirk up. This practically guaranteed Yato wasn’t after her money. Plus he would almost definitely be loved by her family for having such an occupation. By the time Hiyori settled down, Yato was up to bat. Again his stats came up and the entire stadium filled with anticipation. Hiyori knew enough about baseball to know that with the bases filled, Yato was to bring them home. She thought about what her father said and waited for the pitch.

“What do those numbers mean?” Hiyori asked without looking away.

“Hmm? Oh! Those are Yatty’s batting stats see the RBI? That’s how many times Yatty sent people home like this,” Kofuku explained, “It’s also why is H stats, hits, are so high. Highest in the league in fact. He’s trying for the Hall of Fame, it’s been his dream for a long time.”

“Ah,” Hiyori hummed. The number was high, but she was confused why Yato hadn't hit for the first couple pitches. Three balls two strikes, that meant he would have to hit or leave soon. Hiyori’s fists tightened in her lap with anticipation. Suddenly, Yato stepped out and did some practice swings.

“Honestly Yatty, making a big show again,” Kofuku sighed. Hiyori was confused for a moment until Yato sauntered up to the plate, using the tip of his bat to trace the plate with his butt out. Then he swung the tool up in the air, pointing up and out of the stadium. The crowd roared, cheers mixed with the booing of the rival team. It was then Hiyori saw his hips wiggle and realize he was taunting the pitcher. Her laughter came out in a breath just as the ball was thrown. Yato’s bat sliced through the air with cut-throat precision and sent the ball right to where he pointed, disappearing into the stands.

The stadium cheered as the team was sent home, Yato bringing up the rear as he waved. Hiyori’s smile was just as broad as Yato’s and she stood up with the people around her. She was happy, caught up in the excitement of the game and the pride of knowing they had feelings for each other. Beside her, Kofuku stood and cheered, elbowing Hiyori’s side with a sly smirk. When the celebration died down and the next player was up to bat, the girls sat down. The game got going and, despite Yato and the home team being phenomenal hitters, the other team refused to back down. Four innings and several crowd games later, Kofuku decided to poke Hiyori’s side.

“Want to let him know you’re here?” Kofuku cooed. Just like that all of Hiyori’s excitement vanished and she was left sputtering.

“Wha-? But, but I-! I mean how? Don’t distract him!” Hiyori insisted. She tried not to think about how she would approach the conversation, that she went against their initial agreement, but Hiyori knew she didn’t want to do it during the game. The fact that Kofuku was typing on her phone was a bad sign. Currently, the rival team was back on the field, warming up before the game resumed. Yato batted in the last turn, so he most likely wouldn’t make an appearance until the next inning. Instead he draped his arms over the fence of his dugout, blowing a bubble with pink gum so that it popped and scared Kazuma, someone he told her was his best friend. When they met, they offered a double date and Hiyori wondered if Kazuma’s girlfriend was watching him too.  

“Kofuku, what are you-?” Hiyori was interrupted again by Kofuku holding up a finger. She pressed the phone to her ear and looked directly at her husband. From on the field, Daikoku immediately picked up with a smile, waving his clipboard at a much older looking coach with a goatee. Hiyori couldn’t hear what she was saying over the noise of the game but she saw Daikoku turn and look at them, Kofuku standing and gesturing wildly to Hiyori and the jumbotron.

“No!” Hiyori gasped, “Kofuku, no, don’t you dare!” But it was too late. Kofuku hung up and Hiyori could see Daikoku talking into his headset.

“Alright ladies and gentleman!” The announcer boomed around the field, “it seems we have a special guest in the stadium today! Someone who can handle our number 4 and who he’s set his sights on!” The stadium filled with gasps and ‘awe’s as everyone immediately started whispering their inquiries. Nervousness and anxiety, like she hadn’t felt since her childhood piano recitals, crackled throughout Hiyori’s body as she remained rooted at the spot. She wanted to sit down, to sink into the folding chair and block her ears of the announcement, but then she wouldn’t be able to see Yato as he perked up and asked Daikoku what was happening.

Then, when his head whipped around and his blue eyes grew wide, Hiyori followed his gaze to the massive flat screen. There she stood, face red from the heat and embarrassment, looking up and off to the side. Since she thought Kofuku would be taking her to some sort of shop or restaurant, Hiyori had dressed in heels and skirt, her hand bunching the front of her blouse. It was painful how much she stuck out, clearly not dressed for a ball game, but the hoots and whistles came all the same. Instead of finding the camera, which was somewhere below them from the way Kofuku hung off her to wave, Hiyori looked immediately to her boyfriend.

Yato was already looking at them, directly at her to be precise, like he figured out exactly where they were yet couldn’t believe it. It was only when their eyes met, and the world stilled and the sounds muffled, that Yato seemed to process what he was seeing. It was as if they were face to face, Yato’s joy radiated from his eyes first, then his smile. He took off his cap and waved it frantically, like he was saying goodbye to a cruise ship. It wasn’t enough, Yato tried to climb the fence and wave even harder, his body hanging out of the dugout while Kazuma grabbed his belt and tried to pull him back in. Hiyori couldn’t help but giggled and wave shyly back, ignoring the cheers of the people surrounding her and the cooes of the announcer. Her family was definitely watching this at home and would probably call her after they picked up their jaws off the floor. But Hiyori found she would be happy to if it meant she could see such an adorable grin all the time.

“I have also been instructed to inform you that the adorable young lady in the coach’s jersey is off limits, for your own safety,” the announcer eventually tacked on, signaling Kofuku to spin around and point to the name and number on her unbuttoned jersey.

By the end of the game, the home team finished with an impressive lead and Hiyori was quickly tugged into an empty suite. People were still leaving the game but Kofuku left Hiyori to call her family back- her brother, mother, uncle, and cousins- and get some candy. Saying goodbye to her older cousin, Hiyori finally hung up and put her phone away with a sigh. Her brother’s phone call had been the most exhausting. Apparently, he had recorded the game because he couldn’t stop laughing and pay attention to the rest of it. It wasn’t Hiyori’s sudden screen time that got him; It was the fact that every time Yato got onto a base, or made a play, or caught her eye, he would wave dramatically at her. Eventually she had to ignore him because he would completely turn away from the game to beam at her, jumping up and down and shouting every time he ran to home plate. Hiyori worried the crowd would start to get annoyed at her if one of the star players kept getting distracted. But somehow Yato did even better than before, so she was left alone.

“Hiyori? Ya done?” Kofuku poked her head in the room.

“Huh? Oh yeah!” Hiyori frantically tried to fix herself, ignoring the grin Kofuku gave her. She definitely saw the soft smile she was just wearing while thinking about Yato’s antics. The premium seating was located up by the club, open for members only, so the area was air conditioned and covered with carpet and trophies, making it considerably quieter than the rest of the building. It was because of this the girls were able to walk to the elevator and take it down to the basement without anyone approaching them. The bodyguards must have recognized Kofuku, because they let her trapeze past the batting cages with a nod. The entire basement was filled with the excited chatter of a team that just won. It was when Hiyori heard running water and saw Kofuku was walking towards an open door with steam coming out, that she opened her mouth to say something. Thankfully, Kofuku stopped about half way down the hall and cupped her mouth.

“Yattyyy! Guess who’s hereee?” Kofuku sang into the hallway. From another doorway on the right, closer than the showers but certainly just as loud, Yato rocketed into the hallway. He skitted, facing them with his jersey open to reveal black Under Armour and loose shorts. Hiyori met his eyes again, brighter from this close, and watched his smile grow.

“Hiyori!” Yato cheered, dashing at her in flip flops. She squeaked when he practically tackled her into a hug, squeezing her tight. When she wrapped his arms around him out of habit, Hiyori realized he hadn’t showered and the entire side of her face and neck was now slick with another’s sweat. She also noticed he smelled good, like someone sprayed him head to toe with sports deodorant.

“You came!” He gushed, sounding truly happy for someone who never talked about his job. But Hiyori couldn’t find it in her to be mad. With a tap to his shoulder, Yato pulled back, fixing his smile directly on her.

“You did great!” Hiyori complemented, her own giddy smile forming.

“Really? You think so?” He swooned, “Thank you! That means a lot coming from you.” His honest smile caused her heart to throb.

“Please, it was average at best,” a femine voice sounded from behind him. They separated to see Bishamon strut up to them with Kazuma and Daikoku following behind.

“And get off the poor woman,” Daikoku huffed, “you’ll get her sweat all over her.” He crossed his arms and looked Hiyori up and down as if to scan her for Yato’s sweat.

“Oh shut up, I’m not,” Yato growled back. He did separate from Hiyori though but didn’t put too much space between them.

“I’m surprised you really exist,” Bishamon said, flicking her hair over her shoulder.

“Of course she exists!” Yato threw her arm around her shoulders but Hiyori removed it and held his hand instead.

“Viina, I told you that,” Kazuma sighed from her side. He appeared to be the only player with the sense to shower after the game.

“Yeah but I know how you are with him, you two keeps secrets,” Bishamon narrowed her eyes at him but Kazuma just laughed awkwardly. It was then Hiyori decided to take a small step forward and offer a hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, I’m Hiyori, my family is a big fan,” Hiyori greeted as she shook the blonde’s hand.

“Nice to meet you too,” the beautiful woman smiled, “please tell me if this leech is holding you captive.

“I am not, skank!” Yato snapped at her. From beside him, Hiyori gasped and swatted his shoulder.

“Yato! Don’t say that!” Her words caused his jaw to click shut and he blinked.

“I’m sorry,” Yato said immediately. The rest of his friends stared at him like he just sprouted a second head. This time it was Bishamon’s jaw that fell open while Daikoku let out a low whistle.

“See?” Kofuku grinned, “I told you it was serious.” That statement caused Hiyori to stop and she felt her heart clench again, this time in a guilty way. She looked up at Yato with a slight plea, biting her lip.

“Actually Yato, can I talk to you real quick?” hesitated Hiyori. She could feel the hallway’s cheer droop slightly but Yato gave a jerk of a nod.

“Sure.” He held his hand up and Daikoku tossed him some keys. Walking to the end of the hall, Yato opened a door with the glass window sporting Diakoku’s name. Yato flipped on the lights to reveal a modest office and faced her with his hands in his pockets.

“So,” he cleared his throat, “what’s up?” his voice cracked. In front of her, her hands clenched the strap of her purse and her skirt.

“Yato, I know that neither of us have been completely honest with each other,” Hiyori started. She heard him suck in a sharp breath and quickly sped forward.

“I know you didn’t want me to know about your job, Kofuku didn’t tell me but she did show me so I’m sorry. But! Now I know we were keeping secrets for the same reason. I didn’t tell you about my name or family because I wanted to make sure you weren’t after my family’s money.” She said. Yato blinked and some of the awkwardness melted away.

“Oh, uh, that’s good, I guess?” He coughed.

“Yeah! Yeah, it is. And now you know I’m not after you because you’re-?” She wasn’t exactly sure how much a professional ball player made compared to a doctor-family that owned a hospital, but Yato shrugged nonetheless.

“A star?” He offered. The picture of him wearing layers in public flashed across her mind and she snorted. Soon they dissolved into giggles that quickly climbed to laughter.

“So what are you?” Yato asked as they died down, “a gymnast? Ballet?”

“No,” Hiyori stuck out her hand, “my full name is Hiyori Iki.” Her hand, which was taken without much thought, slowed it’s excited shaking.

“Iki?” Yato repeated slowly. The syllables clunked along his tongue as the wheels in his brain turned.

“As in the, uh-”

“As in the hospital you always go to, yes,” Hiyori held his hand gently, “it’s been in my family for generations and most of my family works in the medical field.” Her confession came out in a heavy breath, taking the weight with it. Now that it was out in the open, Hiyori could only stare at her feet as Yato decided whether or not he wanted to bear the name of the city hospital. She waited with bated breath as the room filled with silence.

“Oh so no wonder you’re so good at patching me up,” Yato praised with a nod and grin, “runs in the family.”

“Really you don’t mind?” Hiyori finally looked back up at him with something close to hope. Yato just blinked in surprise.

“Mind? No, why would I mind?”

“It’s just my family is old, old money; a-and the hospital is a big name to carry! Not that I- or marriage is a thing!” She sputtered with frantic hands.

“It’s not?” Yato pouted.

“No.” Hiyori narrowed her eyes through her embarrassment, Yato letting out a sigh before smiling.

“Hiyori, I think it’s super cool your family owns the hospital! Look, I don’t know anything about old money or what that entails. I come from nothing, I stayed on the field all night as a child. Baseball is what got me through life; It carried me through school, it was the whole reason I went to be honest. But, I like you. I really like you. And if playing baseball is what’s going to keep me by your side, then that’s just an extra blessing that came with the sport.

“If you’re worried about money, don’t, I’m not after your family’s discount or anything. And Daikoku’s going to have to drag me off the field to get me to retire! And once that happens, I’ll probably coach or go on talk shows or star in films; I already coach this middle school team sometimes- none of them believe I work here- and this one kid is just like me I swear! Haha! So just,” Yato squeezed her hands, “keep being my girlfriend?” He had to catch his breath from that speech and Hiyori had to close her mouth, shocked from hearing him talk so much so seriously.

“I read on the schedule you’re out of town soon.”

“Oh, uh, yeah.”

“When you come back, will you meet my parents?” Hiyori asked.

“You kidding!” Yato laughed joyfully, “I’ll bring them all season passes and signed baseballs!” He wrapped his arms around her waist and Hiyori muttered about how fast her family would fall in love with him if he did. Hiyori peaked up at him through her lashes, eyeing the dirt stains that spotted his cheeks around that goofy grin. Grabbing his collar, Hiyori yanked him down for a passionate kiss.

“So,” Hiyori breathed, “does this mean I get to wear your number?”

[misssilencewritewell]

Overall review of wizards. Spoiler warning. This is just my opinion. If you enjoyed it, I’m happy for you. I think it was far too rushed.

Five episodes in we finally started to get introduced to interesting characters. But the pace never slowed down long enough to understand their role, their personalities, purpose, etc. It was a quick flash of ‘Oh that’s cool-and they’re gone...but I wanted to see more and understand...’ The quick glimpse of Angor Rot (my boy 😭) Why did he fish Morgana from the river? He hates humans...I’m confused??? He has magic. Did he learn from the evil magic squad?

The graphics are incredible. It looks amazing but I feel like for me to have a connection to this part of the story it had to have been longer. Another ten episodes of us getting to know Douxie in Arcadia would’ve been nice. When you dump as much information and new things on viewers it’s just too much for us to handle. I was so distracted by going “the heck is happening” to ever bond with Douxie. This makes me sad because I was enamored with him in Trollhunters. Also, he went from super suave bad boy to derpy bard boy. Not necessarily bad...but personally, I enjoyed his confidence in Trollhunters. Straight up hit a gum gum with a guitar. Not a magic one...just a regular guitar. Chad move. But this...felt weird. I personally think it would’ve been a much better plot twist had he been Mordred. Would’ve given him a darker edge, a vendetta, an interesting character arc. His goal to be to avenge his mother Morgana and kill Merlin/Trollhunters. Instead we find out that he’s basically a edgy, awkward bard. Which isn’t bad but not enough character development for me to be excited about any apparent growth or newly discovered powers.

Steve Palchuk (while I love his character) was unnecessary to this plot. I would’ve preferred Eli. His brains would have been helpful and I think his comedic relief would’ve fit better than Steves. Steve’s jokes just didn’t seem to land. The comedy relief was not timed right. Again, I absolutely loved Trollhunters and 3 Below...but there was never a moment to stop and catch your breath to know the world and characters which made it difficult to enjoy.

I still don’t fully understand how magic works. Douxie taught Claire for a minute and that was it and now he’s her teacher? Morgana and Merlin walk to the other side and say that sorcery dies with them but Claire and Douxie are left. Magic is...emotion? Kinda? Idk they never explained. 🤷‍♀️

Arthur’s character was...confusing to say the least. He misses his love and hates “dark” creatures because they killed her. But he comes back from the dead...to atone for his sins...by being evil? That didn’t make sense to me. Same with Morgana coming back and him being like sup sis! Know I tried to kill you but we are blood family! His super quick switch to asking for trolls help and loving his sister again was unexplained and made 0 sense. Just make him a dislikeable character and leave it at that. Sometimes it’s better to keep things simple. Over complicated plots can be messy and unenjoyable.

Morgana going from villain to hero was expected but executed poorly. She would flip like a switch and I just couldn’t sympathize with her as much as I did when she was a villain. I enjoyed her passion while being dark. Her redemption arc could’ve been handled so much better. Her having a romantic thing with Merlin and Merlin betraying her becoming the true villain while she is thirsty for revenge would’ve been top tier world building. We got butt jokes from Steve instead.

Strickler and Nomura. I want to see them. Especially back then? Oh they would be so evil and dark and I LIVE FOR IT. Especially since we love them now. It’d be cool to be reminded of their past. Back to the Jim smelling of human without being a changeling. Could’ve seen more on that and an interaction with him. They’d be fascinated I’m sure. Morgana created changelings but that could’ve easily been explained that she was working behind Arthur’s back the whole time. Working with Gunmar and creating changelings to infiltrate the castle while pretending to be submissive in court to Arthur and Merlin. It would explain why Changelings value cunning even more so and it would’ve been more believable than her talking to Claire one time and saying “yes! I’ll just tell my bro he crazy and needs to stop! Thank you kindly foreign hand maiden with dark magic!” Like there’s no reason for Morgana to trust her. Use her...sure. She would want Claire power, but Morgana’s character was far too rushed to make sense. I miss it when she was just a villain.

Also...Jim gets stabbed by a blade and they don’t call his mom? They don’t let her know her son could be dying? She’s a doctor. She doesn’t know much about the dark Magicks but she’s so smart and Strickler is her boyfriend. She should’ve been told. She should’ve shown up. I love her character and she adds a lot to the dynamic. Steve was the focal point far too often.

Bular. (Inhaled deeply). I missed him so much. It was cool to see Gunmar and Bular again. Bular I feel could’ve been interesting to build more too and I’m grateful for what we received. He obviously was more impressionable than his father. Morgana saved him and he immediately vouched for her while touching his fathers shoulder saying softly “she spared my life.” Like...Bular is an excellent character because even when fighting Jim in his final moments, Jim talks to him about dad issues and you can see Bular think about it and ultimately decide his fate. Just...ugh yes I missed the angry tall charcoal man.

Confusing part though...Gunmar and Bular declare that forest their own. Jim and Deya are there and watch as they scare off Arthur. You’re telling me they just let them go??? When they’re trying to recruit trolls for the war? They just go welp...see ya. Nah. There should’ve been dialogue there. The strange troll that smells of human but isn’t an impure. Cue the changelings. Could’ve been an awesome Segway into the life of the gum gums because honestly...Arthur was a douche and I sided with the Gum gums. Like yeah they eat people but Arthur was so...weird and uncomfortable to watch that I’d rather see the Gum gums who make no qualms over what they want or who they are.

The...giant dragon that’s the familiars dad. No reason for him at all. An attempt at a quirky dad character that landed flat. He went from oh lemme get you a cup of tea to DONT ChALlenge Me BoY I KnOw KaRAte!!! And I was like...ummmmm excuse me??? And then he went on to give a lesson on grief and show pictures of his son and I was like Soooooo we aren’t burning Douxie to a crisp? We are just going to throw in a quick ill timed lesson on grief?

The fight between Krel, Claire and the gang vs evil Jack Frost, eye ball raven, and evil Arthur electric boogaloo. Instead of showing the fight they did a recap. That fight would’ve been so awesome to watch and instead we got a recap of them getting their booties kicked. It’s an effective time saver but lazy story telling.

The fawn earth bender woman is important because she was part of the secret magic club and decided she didn’t want to kill people anymore...or something. As if her club ever lied to her about what they were about to do. Like Oh we are killing people? I thought you were joking for millions of years.

They all need her back to do...something evil that I can’t remember which I assume the movie will be about. I want more lore on evil Jack Frost and eyeball raven. They just were like “Congrats Morgana! We are the cool super old magic squad. We are the dopest thing in this show and we won’t say anything about ourselves besides a vague description in under 3 secs that leave our viewers confused and disappointed because they want more.”

Like seriously. They were the best part. Their intro was on a flying castle and I kinda hate that their intro was Merlin yelling “Oh no! Them!” Like we are supposed to know what and who they are. Build up is so important for an aundieces understanding. Like who they are? What they want? What they are? I spent the first half of the show mostly confused and the last half moderately confused and bewildered.

In conclusion, not my fave. It lacked the charm and quirkiness of 3 below and the depth and character development of Trollhunters to deliver a mediocre segway to a film. I really want this film to do well...but they will be on a time crunch and I was not impressed with how they handled this one in ten episodes. Fingers crossed the movie does better.

[needsmoresarcasm]

Favorite Books of 2018

I read a lot of books in 2018. Here are my favorites (not counting books I re-read), in basically no order. (But actually kind of an order.)

22. Going Rogue, Drew Hayes

Going Rogue is the third book in Drew Hayes’s Spells, Swords, and Stealth series. The series is told in two parts: it follows a group of people playing a Dungeons & Dragons-style role-playing game and a group of non-playable characters in the world of said game. The thrust of the story is on the group of NPCs, which unfolds as a typical fantasy adventure. It’s got a straightforward quest narrative, an adventuring party (turned found family), and impossible odds. As the stories progress, the players begin to sense that the game has its own agency and the characters begin to sense that there may be someone controlling their world. But mostly it’s a fun, self-aware take on a typical fantasy adventure that toys with fantasy tropes. 

21. Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

I steeled myself for dense literary fiction when I cracked open Americanah, the story of Ifemelu, a Nigerian girl who moves to America and wrestles with race and identity. But that was all for naught because Americanah was one of the easiest reads of the year. The writing is breezy, and the story is funny and brisk. It dissects race and culture in America both by showing (Ifemelu’s struggles to define herself in a new country) and telling (Ifemelu’s hilarious blog posts). Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie seems to have perfected the art of delivering dense observations in delightful, consumer-friendly prose. Old white dude authors should probably take note.

20. What If It’s Us, Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

If I’m going to read a romance, I want it to be light, fluffy, gay, and conflict-free. And that’s exactly what What If It’s Us delivers. The book begins with a meet cute: while mailing a box of his ex-boyfriend’s stuff, Ben bumps into Arthur at the post office. Arthur and Ben are both appropriately awkward and endearing, bumbling and pawing their way through a relationship as only teenagers can. Every character is essentially kind and caring. There are no villains or bullies, no one gets ostracized or beaten, no one dies. The tension mostly stems from the fact that Arthur is only in the city for the summer, which only barely counts as a conflict. And while the universe of the story may be unrealistically polished, their relationship is refreshingly imperfect. Adam Silvera and Becky Albertalli are telling a story of young love, not necessarily true love.

19. The Collapsing Empire / The Consuming Fire, John Scalzi

John Scalzi built an astoundingly engrossing world in The Collapsing Empire. The human race has colonized far flung planets with the help of the Flow system, naturally occurring pathways between various planets across the universe that allows otherwise impossible interstellar travel. The Collapsing Empire follows the sharp, sarcastic Cardenia Wu, the newly crowned empress, and sweet, in-over-his-head Marce Claremont, a Flow physicist in far-flung End who has discovered something off with the Flow. It’s got a roiling pace, packed with space battles, political jockeying, and a whole host of delightful characters. It’s one of those audiobooks (narrated by Wil Wheaton) that was so compulsively listenable that I ended up taking long, meandering walks just to hear what happened next.

18. The Shell Collector, Anthony Doerr

Anthony Doerr’s writing is incredible. His sentences all feel divined from the ether. And the short story is the perfect vehicle for that writing, lasting just long enough to build an atmospheric world. Most of the stories are tinged with a little magical realism, used mostly to underscore the unique, grounded humanity of his characters. The collection dives into the histories of people who are in various degrees removed from society and intertwined with nature. But the ultimate thesis, refreshingly, is not about the corruption of society, but rather the inherent value of people.

17. Giovanni’s Room, James Baldwin 

I don’t know that I have anything new or interesting to say about James Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room. A story about desire, and maybe love, between David and Giovanni, every word of that book is filled with intense, crushing emotion desperately crashing onto the pages. It’s about love and sexuality, told in an intimate-verging-on-claustrophobic manner. It’s powerful and interminably depressing and beautiful and devastating. But it’s not devastating because it’s gay, it’s just both devastating and gay.

16. Goodbye, Vitamin, Rachel Khong

Goodbye, Vitamin opens with the main character, Ruth, going through a breakup and dealing with early signs of her father’s Alzheimer’s disease. And somehow, Goodbye, Vitamin is also fun, funny, and heart-warming. The book is sunny and endearing, even as Ruth herself struggles with caring for her father and finding her own identity. Most things described as quirky may be better described as annoying, but there truly is no better word for this book’s sensibility than quirky. The specificity of the descriptions and the cleverness of the wordplay make for a delightful, sometimes deeply poignant, read.

15. Less, Andrew Sean Greer

In many ways, Less shares beats with the incredibly overdone, deeply uninteresting novel about a middle-aged white guy who goes through a midlife crisis and suffers the pain of his own brilliance. Indeed, Less follows Arthur Less as he hits fifty, gets invited to his ex’s wedding, and then travels around the world to avoid confronting any of his problems. But Less is decidedly different: it’s gay. Which means it’s funnier, sharper, and drastically more self-aware. Arthur Less - and Andrew Sean Greer - recognizes the absurdity of his disproportionate reaction to relatively minor problems. He has no delusions of grandeur. He’s not on a journey to unlock his inner genius, just a journey to maybe buy a new jacket and have a fling or two. It’s delightful and funny and warm even as it pretends not to be.

14. More Happy Than Not, Adam Silvera

The devastation of More Happy Than Not cuts in sharp pains and deep gashes. The tragic turns - and in a book about a teenage kid who considers a science fiction equivalent of gay conversion therapy there are many - come as punches to the face, not as lingering aches. And yet, the book doesn’t feel punishing to read. Adam Silvera derives no pleasure from Aaron’s, the aforementioned teen, suffering and carefully builds the foundation of Aaron’s character on his triumphs and joys. Aaron’s life is vibrant and bristling with possibility, streaked, but not consumed, by pain. More Happy Than Not is meticulously plotted and paced, with a few moments of genuine surprise. As always, Adam Silvera writes about tragedy in an entirely uncynical way, with a deep well of generosity for his characters.  

13. Witchmark, C.L. Polk

In many ways, Witchmark feels like the book I spent this entire year trying to find. Witchmark takes place in a pseudo-historical early 20th century England-style setting, in the throes of some capital-W War. Most of the book is styled as a mystery: Miles, a former army doctor, and Tristan, a mysterious outsider, track down clues and chase leads to find a murderer. And, of course, maybe they fall in love along the way. And, oh yeah, Miles is a witch. Oh and also, maybe there’s some royal family drama happening as well. And maybe also some government conspiracies. And also maybe a much larger mystery that involves all of the above. There’s magic and romance and mystery and intrigue and action, and every part of it is completely satisfying. Especially if you’re the type of person who would like to read a scene in which said army doctor needs help undressing because he broke his wrist, and luckily there’s (literally magically) handsome mystery man there to help him!!! (Listen, I never said this was particularly profound literature.) But like, five stars.

12. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore / Sourdough, Robin Sloan

If you want a cozy, feel-good novel that has just the slightest dash of magic, then pick up a Robin Sloan book. Both Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore and Sourdough read as relaxing balms to help soothe aches brought on by the disaster fire of reality. In both books, a young twenty-something attempting to figure out their life discovers a niche world (book collecting and bread baking) and gets swept up in a fantastical mystery. They’re breezy, warm, and brimming with genuine affection and curiosity for the subjects at their centers. Sloan’s writing is incredibly sensory; you can taste the bread and smell the books. They have that Great British Bake Off quality to them: impossibly compelling despite low stakes and uniform pleasantness.

11. Little Fires Everywhere, Celeste Ng

Celeste Ng’s second novel is a careful study of privilege of all sorts, and an especially incisive look into whiteness. Little Fires Everywhere takes place in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a progressive slice of white suburbia. At the book’s center are the Richardsons, a well-off white family who are the types of people that may tell you that they don’t see race--in part because everyone they see is also white.  Things get shaken up when Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl arrive in town, marked as strange by their relative lack of wealth, and marked as even stranger by their lack of shame about it.  Each sentence is beautifully written, and each paragraph immaculately constructed. But honestly, the book is best summed up as: this is some white people nonsense.

10. The Lymond Chronicles (#1-6), Dorothy Dunnett

The Lymond Chronicles books are both the most high brow and most low brow books I read this year. They are densely written and plotted, with an inexhaustible supply of names for characters and teeming with minute details that almost all portend some future event or revelation. But they’re also chock-full of soap opera-style twists and tropes, aimed to quench your id’s every desire. All this makes for books that demand a lot, but then pay off with hilarious jokes, action sequences that convey more physicality and movement than most movies, and ridiculous third act reveals that are so incredibly satisfying. And like, on a selfish level,  it’s also real satisfying to read about people falling in love with and then aggressively berating Francis Crawford for three thousand pages. (He deserves it.)

9. My Life as a Goddess, Guy Branum

I read, or rather listen to, tons of memoirs - by comedians, actors, politicians, and writers. And Guy Branum’s My Life as a Goddess is easily my favorite of the year. Branum incisively writes about growing up as a gay kid in truly the-middle-of-nowhere California, touching on issues of masculinity, sexuality, class, body image, and education. Unsurprisingly, My Life as a Goddess is hilarious, chock-full of jokes and witty observations. More surprisingly, My Life as a Goddess is also deeply emotional, especially as Branum writes about his relationship as his father. Even more surprisingly, My Life as a Goddess is weirdly informative about a very specific slice of Canadian history. I cannot recommend the audiobook of this enough, as Guy Branum’s narration is smart, funny, and winning.

8. All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr

Does anyone really want to read a Pulitzer Prize winning literary fiction novel written by some white dude about World War II half from the point of view of a goddamn Nazi? No. No one wants to read that. Except, maybe I do. Because that’s exactly what All the Light We Cannot See is, and man is it a true revelation. The sheer humanity that Doerr imparts in his story creates a profoundly moving story, about goodness and cruelty and the indiscriminate destruction of war. The events of the story are uniformly bleak, as expected in a World War II novel, and yet the book’s tone feels decidedly hopeful, hungry to extract optimism from human persistence. It’s a stunningly written book that lays bare the complexities of people and the horrors of war.

7. Bad Blood, John Carreyrou

Bad Blood was truly the most unbelievable story I read this year. Wizards? Aliens? Time travel? All relatively believable compared to the intense, densely plotted, thrilling tale that unravels in Bad Blood, made all the more incredible by its truth. Bad Blood tells the story of Theranos, a Silicon Valley startup that claimed to be revolutionizing blood testing, and its founder Elizabeth Holmes, once described on magazine covers as “the next Steve Jobs.” John Carreyrou, the author, was the journalist who first broke the story of Theranos’s rampant fraud, and he stitches together a coherent, mesmerizing narrative from first-hand accounts of Theranos employees. Elizabeth Holmes is a fascinating antagonist, an ambitious, callous, maybe sociopath. The story is exciting and frustrating and will make you have even less faith in rich, powerful white people. But because this is non-fiction, the entire time you know that Elizabeth Holmes is  eventually going to end up being charged with numerous federal crimes. A truly satisfying ending.

6. Hyperbole and a Half, Allie Brosh

Allie Brosh didn’t invent the internet, but she at least has as much claim to modern internet culture as any other individual. Hyperbole and a Half is a collection of her best blog posts, with some additional, equally hilarious, stories thrown in. I hadn’t revisited her blog in years, and so it was striking just how little her style has aged. In a time where internet memes have life spans measured in hours, Hyperbole and a Half feels fresh nearly a decade later. The influence of her style and perspective on the internet is far-reaching. From the hilarious (her distinctively drawn self-rendering triumphantly declaring “CLEAN ALL THE THINGS” while holding a broom) to the insightful (her two-part essay on the amorphous gray muck of depression), her stories all feel as though they could be the origin story for any piece of internet ephemera. Hyperbole and a Half is at times farcical, at times poignant, and always raucously funny.

5. Shades of Magic (#1-3), V.E. Schwab

The Shades of Magic series (A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, and A Conjuring of Light) is the perfect fantasy adventure: the characters are imminently rootable, the world is seeped in magic, and the plot is intoxicating. The books are set in London, or Londons, rather. There are four parallel Londons, which have embraced, rejected, or surrendered to magic to varying degrees. Our protagonist, Kell, is one of the few with the ability to travel between the different Londons. And, well, hijinks ensue. Dark, sprawling, brutal, violent, life-consuming hijinks.

The Shades of Magic series is unburdened by its worldbuilding; V.E. Schwab could probably teach a semester’s worth of history lessons on her world, but does not feel the need show that off in the books themselves. They’re books to be devoured, not dissected. But it’s the characters that make the series so engrossing. Everyone is an archetype-a street-worn thief, a charming prince-but so well-drawn and understood that every character moment sparkles. And the central relationship of the book, between Kell and his brother Rhy, felt as though it was perhaps extracted directly from my brain. Kell is stoic, burdened by responsibility but determined to protect. Rhy, the aforementioned charming prince, injects Kell’s life with mischief and levity, and they’re so fundamentally dedicated to each other that it hurts. If a bunch of well-meaning idiots trying to save the world with magic is your thing, A Darker Shade of Magic may be the series for you.

4. Everything I Never Told You, Celeste Ng

If you thought a quiet, contained rumination on race, gender, nationality, and culture couldn’t also be a compelling, tense page-turner, let me introduce you to Everything I Never Told You. Everything I Never Told You is nothing short of literary alchemy. It begins with the death of Lydia, the model daughter of the Lee family--and, really, the model daughter of 1970s America. The book unravels the mystery of Lydia’s death, told through the vignettes from the lives of the Lee family members.

Celeste Ng is a master at using a paragraph to describe years of a character’s history and decades of American society all at once. Her characters are specific and sharply drawn, rooted deeply in their time and environment. Lydia, with a Chinese father and a white mother,  is mixed race (a term not added to the U.S. Census until 2000)--“one of only two Orientals” at her school.  The other, her brother Nathan, has learned to live in Lydia’s shadow in their parents’ mind’s eye.  Marilyn, Lydia’s mother, had her own ambitions sidelined by family. With a deft, heartfelt touch, Everything I Never Told You viscerally conveys their regrets for the words left unsaid and lives left unlived.

3. History Is All You Left Me, Adam Silvera

As this list makes clear, I loved a lot of Adam Silvera this year, and History Is All You Left Me stands out as my favorite. In dual timelines, History Is All You Left Me tells the story of Griffin after and up to the accident in which his ex-boyfriend Theo dies unexpectedly. And so, yes, the book is soaked in grief and loss. And, yes, it’s devastating and aching. But it’s also incredibly kind and empathetic. The characters are teenagers and make the choices of teenagers. Their actions are messy and rash and stupid, and Silvera leans into that, landing more than one self-inflicted heart-wrenching blow. But Silvera is also unfailingly patient with teenagers and understands their resilience; he lets his characters make mistakes and has faith that they will survive. And so the book is heavy, but optimistic. A refreshing reprieve from the gratuitous suffering and bleakness that tortures so much LGBT-themed fiction.  History Is All You Left Me is the most affecting book I read all year, and it still lingers in my bones. But the impression it has left is of life, not loss.

2. An American Sickness, Elisabeth Rosenthal

I bristle when someone describes a book as “important.” It always seems patronizing and self-serving, and my natural contrarian kicks in. I get it, you want to tell everyone how well-read or socially conscious you are because you read an “important” book. So it is with eyes wide open, and more than a twinge of self-loathing, that I say An American Sickness is an important book. It feels like essential reading, certainly for anyone trying to affect American healthcare policy, and at the very least useful for anyone who ever has to deal with the American healthcare system. It will make you angry and frustrated, but hopefully it will also arm you with information.

An American Sickness is broken up into two distinct parts: the first half lays out the issues with the current healthcare system, including how it came to be, and the second half presents solutions. Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal writes accessibly about potentially dry, dense subject matter. The book’s purpose is not to exhaustively detail the history of healthcare, but to better equip the average person to navigate the system. Dr. Rosenthal provides anecdotes to anchor the matter in tangible issues and gives just enough context to sketch the motivations of the various actors - doctors, hospitals, insurers, pharma companies, etc. She presents solutions from two perspectives: (1) changing healthcare policy as a whole, and (2) navigating the system as an individual. In a methodical, step-by-step manner, the book explains concrete things a regular person can look out for, questions they can ask, and actions they can take to avoid--or challenge--exorbitant medical bills. There’s literally an appendix with fill-in-the-blank form letters to use to request billing information and challenge bills. You don’t have to read this book, but I want you to.

1. Chemistry, Weike Wang

Sometimes a book is so intimately catered to you it’s as if the author waded through your subconscious, fished out the tangled threads of your thoughts, and then wove them into a tapestry that displayed every single one of your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. For me, that book is Chemistry. Chemistry follows an unnamed Asian American protagonist who is discontented with her current situation: her long-term boyfriend, her Chemistry PhD program, and her relationship with her parents. And the novel unfolds as she comes to terms with that discontentment.

The economy of Weike Wang’s writing is spellbinding. She uses words so efficiently and so cleverly to craft sentences that seem fundamental. On seemingly every page, there was a new observation that felt so obviously true that I was surprised I had never read those exact words before. The book is filled with jokes, driven by the protagonist’s wry sarcasm and gentle disdain for things and people generally. The whole thing is somehow both simple and complex, an easily digestible read with a deceptively complex flavor. There are no splashy revelations or sudden tragedies, only hard-earned emotional truths and the realities of getting by. Chemistry nails the general spirit of just attempting to function as a normal human person in 2018.

[willridgard]

Norwich pubs, beers and breweries: What’s not to love?

They often say that ‘you do anything for the people and things you love’.

For me. If I had to pick, I’d highlight football, my favourite Chinese takeaway, my girlfriend Poppy, former Ipswich Town striker Shefki Kuqi, and my Mediterranean tortoise named Coco as some of the most valuable things in my life. Not in that order I might add!

Oh. I almost forgot. Cask ale, often known as ‘real ale’ or ‘ale from the hand-pump’, is mostly certainly now in the upper reaches of that adorable list. You see, my taste buds have strayed from the mainstream lagers in the last few years, and cask ale is now known as my ‘new love’ that I seemingly can’t go anywhere without!

Especially on celebratory events like Valentine’s Day. Days full of laughter and fun and days to cherish and remember. Valentine’s Day 2020 was therefore spent trying to please, and spend valuable time with, the people and things that matter the most! OK, I’m not Superman, and didn’t manage to fit everyone / everything in, but I’d say that attending a Beer Festival with more than 60 ales to choose from was the perfect setting for Valentine’s Eve💖!

Of course, I didn’t go on this quest alone. If I had to guess some of Poppy’s ‘priority list’, I’d go for: exploration, visiting new places, sightseeing, culture, food, wine, socialising, travelling, shopping, talking, and Pickled Onion Monster Munch 👾. Hopefully I’d be somewhere in there too!

Norwich was the chosen location for our Valentine’s getaway. Norwich. Home of Colman’s Mustard. Home of The Cathedral. Home of The Canaries: Norwich City FC 🟡🟢. The Canaries. Oh how Ipswich used to beat them regularly and proudly perch as the ‘pride of East Anglia’. But such dreams are now a distant memory for many increasingly-poignant Ipswich fans like myself, and come to think of it, I don’t know if I’ll ever get the chance to cheer on the Tractor Boys 🚜 in another ‘Old Farm Derby’ again! Such is the current demise and perilous position of the boys in blue and white 🔵⚪.  

But, “forget the football for once,” I told Poppy. It was time to explore a beautiful, cultural, vibrant and historic city blessed with an array of fantastic shops, market stalls, and of course pubs and breweries. Our getaway was planned at the very last minute – and Norwich was perfect for our plans and interests. I think the conversation in the car on the way to work on the Monday went something like ‘Shall we do something for Valentine’s Day this year?’ Four days later and we’re living our best life. After all, they often say: ‘Live in the moment’, ‘life is for laughing’, ‘treat yourself’ etc.

Talking of treats. Naturally, a treat = beer. The airport beer. The shower beer. The hotel balcony beer. The kitchen beer while she’s getting ready. The straight to the pub from work beer. The Sunday afternoon beer garden beer. The Friday before Christmas beer. There are so many great beers everywhere. Especially, in Norwich where a plethora of tasty, excellent beers are produced by Norfolk breweries and then sold in great numbers at various watering holes across the city.  

One of which, the Georgian Townhouse, was where we were lucky enough to stay. With an excellent choice of boutique bedrooms and luxury apartments, the Georgian Townhouse offers a truly unique retreat in a glorious setting in the heart of the city – and I’d highly recommend it. Boasting a Roberts Revival digital radio 📻, a Smeg fridge and a Nespresso machine ☕ , we were in some kind of hotel heaven when we unpacked our bags. Blimey! Heaven turned into paradise when we saw the size of the humongous bath in the en-suite🛀. I thought about going swimming at one stage 🏊 !

But that’s not it. The fantastic Georgian Townhouse staff even presented us with two local beers from St Andrews Brewhouse – Wensum Ale, a best bitter, and Grocers Ghost Pale Ale (more on those later) – to sample on arrival. And with a small bottle of champagne, and a bunch of freshly picked, roaring red roses that definitely were not bought from Tesco (how did they even get there!?), the scene was set for a cracking couple of days!

And a cracking couple of days were had. Starting with dinner in the restaurant: Delicious roast chicken served with coleslaw, chips and salad. Just what the doctor ordered. 

The service was also very good – and after scanning my QR code to record my visit on the CaskFinder App – significant interest in the App generated as some members of staff wanted to become ‘beer experts’ by vowing to learn all of the tasting-notes for the 10,000 beers on show! I opted to wash dinner down with two lovely pints of Woodforde’s Wherry. A beer that has grown on me in recent times, with its delicious citrus aftertaste going down very well indeed.

From here, we took the mutual decision to move onto The Trafford Arms for the Valentine Beer Festival! With Storm Ciara beginning her windy, wet warm up, and the choice of 60+ beers to look forward to, it’s fair to say that Poppy was not the most enthused on the chilly walk through the housing estates en route to The Trafford. In fact, I’d say she was uncharacteristically quiet. Which really is a rarity! But that soon changed as we entered the pub’s welcoming doors. Bingo! Their Cask Marque certificate greeted us at the door. After registering the visit on the CaskFinder App, it soon became apparent that we were to make this public house our home for the next few hours.

Of course, I’d done my research, and found that the Valentine Beer Festival was a popular annual, week-long event. With a huge variety of beers ranging in appearance and ABV%, as well as live music, what’s not to love about it really? So as Poppy sipped on her fruit-filled gin n’ tonic, I tested my taste buds. All while listening to the dulcet tones of The Rum Dogs, who, in their own words, perform ‘funky, folk music with humour and passion’.

If I had to pick a ‘beer of the night’, I’d go for Ampersand’s ‘On the wing’, a hop forward pale session ale brewed with oats and heaps of late Amarillo, Citra, Ekuanot & El Dorado hops. But I wasn’t alone in trying new beers. The pub had a very friendly, absorbing vibe about it, and it was great to see it packed full of drinkers – young, old, male and female – all testing their taste buds and indulging in some beautiful cask ales.

We were sad to leave The Trafford, armed with our packets of Salt & Vinegar crisps to detract our attention away from a strengthening Ciara, but will certainly aim to visit again. I believe the Beer Festival continued to be a hit – and, whisper it quietly, I think beers were being served at £2 a pint towards the end! We’ll definitely be back if that’s the case!

After a well-deserved sleep (this drinking business can be tiring), we went down to breakfast – the most important meal of the day. Apparently! We were not left disappointed. There was plenty of choice: from cereal and fruits to pastries and yoghurts to cooked meals, the menu was expansive – and partnered with excellent customer service. Personally, I opted for a few slices of cantaloupe melon – after demolishing a freshly-cooked Full English that smelt as good as it looked!  

This set us up perfectly for the day’s activities, and, as avid believers of living life on the edge, we just immersed ourselves in the beautiful, windy Norwich lanes, streets, and marketplace. We bought a few birthday gifts (happy 23rd to my sister Ellie), and enjoyed our time stumbling across many a hidden gem – including Chef Ron’s Kitchen and Roman’s Juice Bar, who really sold us their appetising pizza slices🍕 and tasty smoothies🥤.

After eyeing up quirky rugs, lampshades, and other home essentials, we then fell upon FREE ping pong and table football inside Castle Quarter. Which was an absolute game-changer! Unfortunately, the table tennis was so popular that we didn’t have the patience to wait, so Poppy’s interest and undenied passion for ‘the beautiful game’ intensified even further when she challenged me to an encounter of table football. And, after a comically entertaining match, which saw the Ipswich Town Blues defeat a Norwich team, playing in their red away kit, 10-5, I fully expect our game to be shown first on Match of the Day this weekend. Shefki Kuqi top scored (there’s only one f in Shefki) with eight of Ipswich’s 10 goals. If only these dreams became a reality…

In all seriousness, both facilities are well-maintained and are cracking ideas. In a world being domineered by iPhones and other such technological advances, they offer a great opportunity for family members and friends to enjoy one another’s company – and with a competitive element thrown in too. Hey, I won lunch! Wake me up, I’m dreaming again… Talking of lunch, once our match, which included full-match commentary, much to the amusement of several passers-by, reached its conclusion, the quest for good food and drink was on. In my book, the clock striking 1pm means only one thing: beer time! As we all know, shopping can be tiring and can work up an appetite so it was imperative we found a place that could satisfy our bodies and minds.

Step forward, St Andrews Brewhouse! It’s easy to see why this brewery-turned-pub is regarded as one of the best food and drink establishments in Norwich. Home to their very own microbrewery, which produce some amazing beers, St Andrews Brewhouse is a real favourite among Norwich folk with their popular restaurant, bar area, and functions room nearly always fully populated.

See it for yourself here:

In my opinion, one of the best things about pubs is the range of people they attract. People-watching is also a proven, favourite past-time of the human race! The guy sitting by the window at St Andrews Brewhouse with just a book and a beer for company looked like he was having a great time. As did the three suitcase-carrying friends hungry for a good meal after landing from their holidays. Of course, Poppy and I were probably seen by others as ‘the Valentines’ – enjoying one another’s company, alongside the superb Macaroni Cheese and two pints of lovely Wensum Ale – a best bitter with a sweet, malty and fruity finish. Spot on.

And, as we made our way out, hand-in-hand, looking for the next stop in our exciting jaunt, Poppy declared that ‘the St Andrews Brewhouse is one of the best pubs I’ve been in; I loved it’. And I’d have to agree. Good food. Good beer. Good times. It’s simply a must-visit! Add it to your Norwich bucket list!

It was then by complete accident, that after crossing the bridge on St Georges Street, that we found the Playhouse Bar! Again, Miss Brown wasn’t overly keen when I suggested that we gave it a look as ‘it’s different’. But, again, her opinion quickly changed when we set foot inside! The adjectives quirky, funky, and mesmerising are ones I’d used to describe a unique bar setting and atmosphere! Playhouse Bar’s ceiling is a colourful collection of artworks portraying a city scape. 

The project was started in 2011 by members of bar staff, many of whom are former art students. Art was probably my worst subject at school, but I had a serious case of ‘ceilingopolis’! We couldn’t help but stare at the ceiling – and managed to find The Olympic Stadium, an IKEA and Jurassic Park – to name but a few places of interest on top of us. It’s certainly very interesting and worth a visit. The sucker fish was entertaining too. I wonder what he’s seen – and forgotten – in his lifetime. In all honesty, we could’ve stayed people and ceiling-watching for hours…

It was at the Ribs of Beef where our journey ended – obviously after taking some selfies and photo-bombing one another first.

I opted to try a trio of tasty local beers to round up – and was not left disappointed with some fruitful tasting beers from Lacons, Wolf and Moon Gazer Ales cleansing the palette perfectly. Norfolk is the home of these fine breweries – and it was fantastic to see each of the pubs I visited support local breweries.

That’s the thing. Norwich really is a community of beers, breweries, and pubs. Partnerships between all will certainly heighten in May, when the 10th Norwich City of Ale Festival officially opens. An 11-day celebration of some of Norwich’s finest pubs, and the region’s excellent brewers, City of Ale 2020 promises to be packed with Ale Trails and fun events to keep consumers entertained. I really can’t wait for it to begin! Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 31. Save the dates! Plan the action! Come and see what Norwich has to offer.

With a handful of the 45 pubs involved in City of Ale also being Cask Marque accredited, they appear on the CaskFinder App’s ‘World’s Biggest Ale Trail’. May 2020 seems the perfect time to tick off a few pubs yet to visit and a few beers yet to try! The never-ending, full-of-fun, beer adventure just keeps continuing…

[footballerindreams]

When Accidents Happen, They Happen -  Chapter 3

Here we go! Chapter 3!

Cc: @quack-and-yellow and fellow Julian Brandt and Niklas Stark fans.

Niklas POV

It’s been almost a week when I noticed that there was something different in Mia. She’s been acting weird. Really weird. The first one I noticed is that she complains that our room was hot even if the air conditioning was good and I ended up using my wool blanket just to make me warm while her, if she wants to be naked in bed, she will do it. Another is that she complains that our Müsli stinks.

“Mia, this is the usual Müsli we buy and you’re favorite, plus this is new.”

“I don’t care! Put it away from me!”

I just sighed and followed what she said and thought that it’s her time of the month. I know girls act to their unusual when they have their period but what is happening right now is way overboard.

But what happened one day really got me worried. We were having our usual rondo training when I have a chance to look up the second floor of the training grounds main building. I saw people running back and forth in the building, somewhat alarmed. Then I saw some of the office men were carrying a girl on a spine board.

“Hey Stark!” and I diverted by attention back to my teammates looking at me flatly. I never noticed that the ball is on me.

I sighed, taking Mitch’s place inside the circle. We were about to restart again when a woman came running to the pitch, in heels.

“Nik!” the woman yelled. I turned and saw that it was Alice, Mia’s assistant.

“Miss, you are not allowed in here. We’re in the middle of our training.” Coach Pal reprimanded but Alice went on.

“Alice?” I said walking fast towards her.

“Miss! Please go back.” The coach warned again.

“It’s okay coach. She’s a close friend of mine. Please give me a moment sir.” I said to coach gaining his permission and then I looked back at Alice. “What are you doing here?” I asked her.

“Mia and I were assigned by our boss to come here for some official transaction with your club. But while we’re on our way here, Mia told me was not feeling well. I asked her if she wants to go home and rest but she said no, that she have to come here. And when we arrived here, right there on the second floor, she fainted. Your club’s staff and some of the medical team took her to your infirmary.”

My eyes widened and looked at Coach. He seemed to get my plea silently and gestured me to go and check my girlfriend out.

“Let’s go Alice.”

---

I arrived at the infirmary and saw Mia who is already awake lying on bed talking to club doctor, Doctor Kraus.

“Hey Stark. I was just talking to Mia what happened.” The doctor explained.

“Yes?” I asked anxiously.

“I will refer you to my wife who is a specialist. Tell her I sent you. If you can go now, the better.” The doctor said.

“Is there a problem with Mia, doc?” I asked.

“It depends on how will you see it but that is until we confirm my suspicion. Just let my wife deal with this. She’s much more professional on this.” He said and I just nodded, wondering what he meant and went beside my girlfriend.

“Hey. Are you alright?” I asked her holding her hand.

“Yes. But I still have this unusual feeling.”

“We’ll go and see a doctor, okay? Doctor Kraus suggested to you I presume.” And she nods.

“But what about my assignment here?” she asked worriedly.

“Don’t worry Mee, I’ll take care of it.”

“Are you sure you can do it by yourself?” Mia asked.

“Yeah. I also called the boss. She worried about you too. She’s sending Sam to help me here. You can go.” Alice assures.

“Thanks Alice.” Mia said and we left.

---

We arrived at Doctor Kraus’ clinic. As we stop by the reception and told the clinic nurse that our team doctor sent us, she immediately ushered us to Dr. Kraus’ room. There were five other women waiting on the bench. Looking at them they are from different ages. All of them are pregnant. They somewhat didn’t mind that me and Mia passed by them and sat on the same bench waiting to be called. Also, they were smiling at me. Some of them either slide their hair behind their ear. One was blushing and giggling. And I heard someone talk softly that I could still hear them.

“What a fine young, handsome boy. That girl is so lucky. But I think they’re too young to start a family.” One of the women said.

“I think he’s that young defender from Hertha Berlin. For sure it will not be a problem for him to raise his own. He has heaps of money.”

Mia lays her head down my shoulder trying to rest for a little moment while I pick my phone on my pocket and scan my social media and for texts, giggling at some quirky post from Mitchell and a text from Davie asking if Mia was okay.

Then our turn came and we went in the room and greeted the doctor. Doctor Kraus invited us to sit.

“Good day to the both of you Mr. And Mrs. Stark.” And I blushed.

“Uhm. Actually, doctor, we are not married.” I said

“Oh. My apologies. I thought you were. It’s just that you look so fitted together.” The doctor said. “Oh where are my manners? How so rude of me to say that to you. I’m so sorry.” She said.

The way she spoke to us makes me amazed that our team doctor, who is mostly kind of introverted and serious often, likes an outgoing woman like her.

“Anyway, my husband called me that you are coming here to my clinic. What seems the problem?”

“She fainted in the club office.” I said.

“Oh dear. Are you okay?” Doctor Kraus asked and stood up her chair and checked Mia for some bruises in her arms and legs then when she clears her she goes back to her seat and Mia told her that she felt warmer than usual. I also added whispering to the doctor of Mia’s unusual mood swings and irritation to her favorite food.

“When was the last time you had your period?” the doctor asked and I start blushing, feeling uncomfortable.

“Four months ago, doc. I always have irregular periods.” Mia said.

“I see. Are you on hormonal medication?”

“No.” Mia answered.

“I presume you are living together.” Mia and I nodded then the next question, even though we expect it to be given to us, made us blush.

“And I presume you have regular sexual activities?”

And we nod blushing.

“Are you using protection?”

“Yes. We always do.” I replied and Mia smacked my arm softly. “It’s true.” I said and the doctor just giggled at us on our awkwardness.

“Okay then. Mia, I want you to proceed to the next room. We’ll do an ultrasound.”

“Ultrasound?” Mia and I were shocked.

“Yes. I just want to confirm something.” The doctor said and we just followed.

Mia laid down the stretcher and then waited for the next instruction.

“Could you lift your shirt up until below your chest just to expose your abdomen?” and Mia follows. “I’ll put these ultrasound sensor okay but I have to put some lubricating gel first.”

---

We arrive at our house awfully silent. The drive home was also silent. As I close the door behind me, I heard Mia sobbing by the couch and I suddenly rushed beside her slinging my arm around her keeping her close to me.

“It’s okay, liebe. I’m here. I’m not leaving you. For our child.” I assured her, rubbing my hands on her stomach.

I can’t believe it. I am a father. And I never expected it to happen in this early stage of my life.

---

Mia’s POV

I’m pregnant. I’m supposed to be happy that I can and I am besides my irregularities. But I’m afraid of what’s gonna happen now.

Back at the Clinic

“Congratulations! As expected, you are pregnant Mia.”

Me and Nik were surprised but what I heard next made me really anxious.

“Based on this, you are likely on your second month of pregnancy.”

In my mind I tried to remember when was the last time Nik and I had contact on those months ago but the nearest I could remember was just weeks ago. And we were using protection, always. Then I remembered one moment that really fits to the time.

Present

I continue to cry as Nik tries to comfort me of his words that he will never leave me. But deep inside I am crumbling. I cannot imagine what will be his reaction if he will know the truth. What will happen to our relationship?

And Julian has to know.