#(and then for the whole week after... Delicious Spaghetti)

[alotofpockets]

Cooking class | Wanda Maximoff

Pairing: Wanda Maximoff x Reader

Summary: You meet Wanda at a cooking class that she teaches.

A/n: A special thank you to @catasha, without your ideas I would not have been able to finish this fic!

Masterlist | Marvel masterlist | Words: 2.8K

You recently discovered your love for cooking. You found it both relaxing and exhilarating, being able to add all these ingredients together to create a beautiful dish. Growing up your parents never really taught you how to cook, so you started by learning some cooking videos that you had seen online but the videos were general and not that fun, so you were searching for other ways to learn more cooking techniques. In your search for options you came across a cooking class taught by Wanda Maximoff, just a few blocks over.

When you entered the building you were in awe of the place. There were rows of stove tops, ovens and counters, all basked in sunlight from the floor to ceiling windows. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” The women that walked up to you said. “Yeah, it looks great. I love the way the light enters the space.” The woman nods in agreement. “Everything is so fancy here, I can’t wait to cook here.” Wanda smiles, “Oh, trust me, cooking here is amazing.” The woman answers. “Oh, have you taken classes here before?” In response she holds out her hand, you shake it with a confused look plastered on your face. “Wanda, nice to meet you.” That’s when the puzzle pieces click, you were talking to the owner of the place. “Oh, haha, well Wanda, you have a beautiful place here. I’m y/n.”

The first class starts, and after some quick introductions, Wanda starts telling you about what you will be learning during these few classes. You were going to start easy and work your way up to some more intricate dishes. You were going to be making a dish each week for the duration of the four week starters course. Today you were going to focus on some cutting techniques, since you will be using that throughout the whole course. 

Wanda shows everyone how to hold the knives and how to get the best results and tells you to try it out for yourselves on the carrots in front of you. She goes around the kitchen islands giving everyone pointers and compliments. The dish for this week's class was vegetable soup, which meant lots of veggies to be cut. When you were done with the carrots, you chopped up leeks, tomatoes, and parsley. All that was left to cut were the garlic gloves. You felt quite comfortable with your chopping skills after the carrots, Wanda noticed and gave you a compliment, “Nice work, y/n, keep it up!” 

You continued to make the soup step by step, as Wanda told you more about what each of the steps would do for the dish, taste, texture, etc. She was an amazing teacher, she explained not only with the end goal of a dish in mind but also transferred her knowledge on certain ingredients as well as in what different ways they could be used. You enjoyed your first class very much, and the soup you created was delicious. 

Next week you arrive at the kitchen again, not realizing that you were there a bit too early until you saw that Wanda was still setting up the counters. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was so early.” You say as Wanda looks over. “Don’t worry, darling, come on in.” You blush slightly at the nickname. “I was just setting up the ingredients for today’s class.” She smiles in your direction. “Need a hand?” You say as you place your bag in the corner, “I’m here now anyways.” Wanda is very grateful for the help as she started a bit late with setting up herself, she showed you what each cooking station needed and you got to work while continuing the conversation with her. You placed thyme, bay leaves, sugar, worcestershire sauce and a beef cube on every station, while Wanda distributed the beef, canned tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, tomato paste, and a small block of parmesan cheese. 

The dish for today was a spaghetti bolognese, with the main focus for the class being the making of the sauce. Wanda started by letting you cut your onions and mince the garlic, like how she taught you in the previous class. Then step for step she walked you through making the bolognese sauce. You loved pasta dishes, at home you always made them with store bought pasta sauce but now that you knew this recipe you were for sure going to use it. It was so much richer in flavor, while the cooking time wasn’t even that much longer. 

Before ending the class, Wanda announced next week's plans. “Next week we are going to have a little friendly competition.You are all going to create a dip of your own choosing. Email me the ingredients you will need before Friday, and I will make sure that they are ready for you on your counters next week!”

You were searching through recipe books and recipes online for a dip that would really impress Wanda. Most of the dips you found looked good but were still pretty basic. A couple of days went by without any ideas and then it hit you, during one of your conversations Wanda had mentioned that she was from Sokovia. You immediately started searching for Sokovian recipes and found the perfect dip. However, you saw that it would take a bit longer than a regular dip to make, so you decided to ask Wanda if maybe you would be able to come in earlier to use the oven to prepare your main ingredient. Wanda let you know that it would be no problem, and that she would be there starting 1pm, so any time after that would work. When you got her message back, you sent her the list of ingredients that you would need for your dip. 

That Sunday you arrive forty minutes before the official start of the class. “Hi, y/n, how have you been?” Wanda asks with a smile. “Hey, Wanda, I’ve been well, thank you. How about yourself?” Wanda waves you in before answering, “I’ve been doing good, thanks. I put your ingredients on your station, so feel free to start whenever you’d like.” You sent her an appreciative smile. “Thank you, Wanda, I really appreciate this.” 

You start working on your dip. The beets you need for it had to go in the oven for thirty minutes and would have to cool down for another twenty before you could use them. You start by poking some holes in the beet with a fork, and put them in some foil, before putting them on a baking tray. You are so focussed on your preparations that you don’t hear Wanda approaching, who was previously getting some things from a back room. Once you’ve put the tray into the oven and look up you finally realize that she is standing there, leaning against one of the other counters, admiring the focus you had. You feel a blush making its way to your cheeks again but quickly cover it up by turning around and cleaning up some of the things you won’t need to use in the recipe anymore. 

After that all there was left to do was wait for the beets to bake. So, you decided to see if there was anything you could do to help Wanda prepare for the upcoming class. Together you set up the ingredients on the other stations, while you were asking Wanda questions about what got her started on cooking. You learned that her mother loved to cook, and that after she passed away when Wanda was younger. Wanda shared that she felt closest to her while she was cooking, which is how she got into cooking. You shared how you got into cooking, and wanting to learn more about her. The conversation flowed so easily you hadn’t noticed that half an hour had passed until the oven beeped. 

You take out the tray with beets and let them cool down on the counter. The conversation with Wanda not faltering while you walk around in the kitchen. Soon after the rest of the class walks in. Wanda greets everyone separately before starting the contest. “Alright, I’ve seen some delicious ingredients in your lists, and I cannot wait to try the dips you have come up with! Is everybody ready?” The class cheers. “Ready, set go!” Wanda jokes, she was having so much fun with the competition. She walked around the counters to see what everybody was working on, lingering a bit longer at your counter. You add some yogurt to your grated beets and stir the mixture together. To give the dip some extra flavor, you add some finely chopped garling, some pepper and a pinch of salt. Finally, to top it off, you chop up some spring onion and sprinkle it over the top of your Sokovian purple beetroot dip.

Everyone presents their dip to the class, and Wanda tastes all of them. You could see that she had some clear favorites, and got a little nervous for her to taste yours. Those nerves went away once you saw the sparkle in her eyes after she tried it. You give her a knowing smile, before she moves to the next counter. 

“You have all made some incredible dips, I am very impressed. I am also very proud of the creativity you all put into these recipes. However, there can only be one winner, and that is…” Wanda looks at all the dips in front of her, before picking up yours. “Y/n!” The class applauds, and congratulates you on your win. The class ends and everyone starts walking out. You clean up extra slow, hoping to spend some more time with Wanda. She notices and walks over, “So, did you pick a Sokovian dish to impress me?” You laugh, “Depends, did it work?” Wanda laughs with you. “It did, the flavor brought me right back to my childhood. I remember this dip being present on every birthday platter.” You smile as she talks about her connection with the dish that you made. “Yeah, I hoped to be a step ahead with the Sokovian origin but the dip actually tastes amazing.” 

“Hey y/n, if I’m out of line here, please let me know but I was wondering if maybe you would like to come over to my place and cook dinner together tonight?” Wanda looks up at you hesitantly. “Yeah, that sounds wonderful.” The corners of her lips perk up slightly, “Like as I date, I mean.” You place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “Yes, I would love that.” You exchange numbers so Wanda can send you her address. “Oh, and you can bring your dip, that way we can use it in the starter.” You tell her that you think that’s a great idea. “I’ll make some flatbread for it and then we can cook the main course together.”

A couple hours later, you make your way over to Wanda’s house. You ring the doorbell, and just seconds later Wanda opens the door. “Hi, y/n, come in. The flatbread is almost ready, and do you want a drink? Wine? Water? Oh, I can put on some music, maybe?” Your heart warms at the way Wanda is so clearly nervous rambling. You reach out your hand to take a hold of hers, in order to ground her. “I’ll have whatever you are having, and music sounds nice.” Wanda looks down at your hands, her cheeks flushed. The moment gets interrupted by the ding of the oven. “Oh, I have to get that.” Wanda says and rushes off, leaving you on the doorstep. You smile and shake your head, as you let yourself in and close the door behind you. While Wanda was in the kitchen, you walked around her living room, admiring the way she decorated the space. 

Wanda walks back into the living room with a tray in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. “You have a beautiful place, Wanda.” She thanks you as she places two wine glasses, and a platter with the flatbread down on the table. You place the beetroot dip next to them, and reach for the bottle of wine when Wanda walks to the side to turn on some music. You fill up the glasses and hand Wanda one when she walks back and sits down on the couch next to you. Wanda relaxes more as the conversation starts up.

You sip on your wine, as you enjoy your starter together before going to the kitchen with Wanda to cook the main course. You're cutting up some vegetables, while Wanda walks around gathering pots and pans, utensils, spices, and the rest of the ingredients. She moves behind you, placing a hand on your back, making sure that she wouldn't bump into you while you're holding a chef's knife. Instead the gentle touch just distracts you from the chopping, as a blush crept up your cheeks. Wanda does this a couple more times as she walks from side to side in the kitchen, noticing your flustered state every time her hand touches your back.

"Hey, Wands, how can I best cut these?" You say as you move onto the next vegetable. She tells you how she would cut them, and you give it a try. Failing at your first two attempts, not being used to holding the knife in that way. "Want me to show you?" Wanda offers. "Yes, please." You expected Wanda to take the knife from you as she reached out for it but instead she takes a hold of your hand, and moves her body to stand behind you. Your breath hitches, when Wanda says, "Follow my lead." next to your ear. She starts moving your hand in the motion of the cut besides the vegetable before you actually slice into the vegetable on your cutting board together. Focusing on the technique is nearly impossible with Wanda pressed against your back. "See, easy as that. Now you try." Wanda keeps standing behind you but leans to the side and puts her hand on the counter, looking over your shoulder. Though you had trouble focussing for a moment, you practiced the motion Wanda just showed you once besides the vegetable again, before you tried it for real. “Yeah, that’s it! Nice work.” Wanda compliments you. You look over at Wanda with a proud smile plastered on your face. She smiles back at you and leans in to place a soft kiss on your cheek. Your cheeks instantly redden. “I hope that was okay.” Wanda says nervously. You smile at her again, “It was more than okay, Wands.”

The dinner came along nicely, you made a great team in the kitchen. You were sipping on your wine and swaying to the music as you effortlessly danced around each other in the kitchen. Wanda set the table along with some candles. The food tasted amazing, you were so happy with how it turned out. 

You cleaned up the dishes together before it was time for you to go home. Wanda only lived a couple of blocks away, so after the few glasses of wine that you had had, you could easily walk home again. Wanda walked you to the door, plans for seeing each other next already made. “Hey, Wanda, I know this was only the first date but can I kiss you?” In response Wanda smiles and leans in. You meet her half way into a soft kiss. You smile into the kiss and feel Wanda doing the same, making the butterflies in your stomach go crazy. On your walk home you can’t stop smiling. Once you enter your home, you text Wanda to let her know that you made it home safely.

Before the last cooking class the next Sunday, you had met up with Wanda many times again. You went on a picnic date on your day off, and enjoyed some snacks by the waterfront. Wanda joined you to try out one of your hobbies. Besides that you spend most evenings after work together, either watching a movie or just hanging out. When Sunday came around, it felt like you had known Wanda for years. When the class was over, you helped her clean up once again, and went home with her after another movie night. 

What you thought would be a one time cooking class to learn something new, turned into dating an incredible chef who would teach you all about it from the comfort of both your homes. Signing up for that class, had led to meeting your new favorite person, and you could not be happier.

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[ghu-leh]

♡♡ Indulgent Secondo HCs - Food related (because I truly believe this is one of his main ways to connect with loved ones ;-;)♡♡:

An excellent cook - he will create the most delicious dishes with the most high quality ingredients he is able to choose. Even if he gets his meals from the ministry's kitchen, he highly prefers to cook something for himself at the end of the day, if his energy allows it. It is a way for him to let loose and relax.

One of his favorite date plans is having his loved one visit his chambers after a long day at the ministry, in order to prepare a special meal together. It's a way to express his love and care for his beloved. Nurturing and, to a degree, seductive.

Pampers his lovers by having them sit on his lap to feed them, letting them try whichever dish he ordered for himself, dessert, and having them drink from his own glass as well. It's all part of his courtship.

Naturally, as a lover of the good cuisine, he will be picky about the restaurants he takes his dates, friends, or anyone for that matter. This does not necessarily mean he requires to go to an expensive restaurant; in fact, he prefers family owned places that are at a walking distance from the ministry. The welcoming and cheerful atmosphere of these places make him feel quite at ease, and he is always greeted with a smile by the owners that are well acquainted with his favorite dishes from their menus. They're always more than happy to make some small chat with Papa about the ministry's current affairs.

Absolute favorite customer of all the nonne that own these cute restaurants! If he or his beloved have leftovers to take home, they will always add a little extra. They think he's too skinny, so he better eats more!

All the Papas, as good Italians, are quite sensitive to the crimes committed against their traditional cuisine by the rest of the world; yet Secondo tends to be the most vocal and most honest about it. "Madonna mia!... Spaghetti with ketchup?! Pineapple on Pizza?! Cream on Carbonara?!?! are you trying to kill me, piccola? This is the equivalent of you spitting on my tomb!"

The following day he sends you a whole lunch box with freshly made food and a note that says "You're not allowed near the stove for the rest of the week - P.E II"

His favorite dessert is affogatto ('to drown') - an ice cream and espresso combination that mixes all sorts of flavors and textures. Hot and cold, bitter and sweet, black and white. Much like himself...

[ewritesthangs]

Sugar Daddy! Pablo Scheiber x Reader

First installment of my Sugar daddy! Pablo Schreiber x Reader. I hope you enjoy, these things just come into my head and I want to share my creativity with readers all around. 

WARNINGS: NSFW, SMUTT, MATURE THEMES, MATURE LANGUAGE. 

You had met Pablo about three weeks prior to your date tonight with him. You were working as an on set medic for a new movie he was starring in. Pablo became infatuated with your beauty and you in general. 

As night fell upon the patrons of Vancouver, you and your best friend, who live together, were conversing about your upcoming date tonight. He sent you flowers today, along with 2 boxes. One box had a red satin mini dress and the other had authentic Louis Vuitton heels. You, of course, wore the outfit, looking rather delicious in the dress and heels. "Damn, Y/N I'd even fuck you in that attire." Y/BFF/N said with a giant smirk plastered across her devilish face. 

"Thank you, that is kinda the plan, Stan." You smirk, winking at her before gathering your stuff for the night.

"You got your implant, right?" 

"Like a month ago, where the fuck you been?" You chuckle and grab your light jacket, black in color. "I'll see you hopefully later. Or tomorrow. Who knows. I hope he doesn't kill me and just fucks me into oblivion." 

"Where did you come from?" 

"New found confidence in this thing." You spin around. The drive over to his hotel room was uneventful, except the wonderful performance you had put on for your stuffed hamster on your dashboard. 

You softly knock on the door. Was that too soft? You think to yourself before the door opens. 

Pablo takes a deep breath and smiles. "Y/N, you look ravishing." He was dressed in a "fancy" shirt which looked silky and some gray dress pants. 

"Well you don't look too bad yourself there, sweet cheeks." A nickname you have had for him since day one due to his charisma. You smirk and wink at him. 

His deep chuckle brings an alarming amount of joy to your being. One you had never experienced before meeting the incredibly tall man. 

"Please come in. Make yourself at home, dear." He steps aside to let you in. You saunter on in and he helps you take your jacket off and hangs it up. 

"Why thank you. Oh wow, nice room." You look around in awe, never really seeing this much luxury up close and personal. 

"Thank you. It's not too bad as a home away from home." You nod as you follow Pablo to his rather large kitchen compared to your small apartment kitchen. "Would you like some wine, my dear." He flashes you his beautiful smile. 

"Yes please." You smile back and grab the wine glass from him. "Fancy."

"Only the best for you, lovely." This statement made you blush. You take a sip of wine to deter from the blush. 

"I'm not that special." You say, causing Pablo to feign offense. 

"Y/N, you are the most special woman I have ever met."

"We met like three weeks ago."

"Time doesn't matter." 

"Philosophical. Impressive." 

"I try." He chuckles again. 

"So, Mister Schrieber, what is for dinner?"

"Homemade spaghetti and meatballs with a homemade bolognese." 

"Wait, you can cook too? What can't you do?" 

"Apparently 5th grade math." You both end up laughing at that comment. 

"Ready for dinner? I have something I am dying to talk to you about after dinner." 

"Oh? Yes I was ready when you said homemade." He serves you a hefty amount of food. 

"Eat up. I do not want you to be hungry." He winks and sits across from you. You guys engage in casual conversation as you devour the delicious food he had prepared. 

"Now, I am full. What is it that you would like to talk about?" You sip some wine. 

"I'd like for us to have a relationship of sorts. Now I don't exactly do the whole dating thing. Since my failed marriage I have tried to focus on my health and wellbeing as well as work and my kids. But I would love to be your sugar daddy." 

"Sugar daddy? Like you buy me things and I give you sex in return?" 

"Yes. I am quite wealthy, I want to spoil you, and I am infatuated by you," 

"Sugar. Daddy. Are there rules?" 

"I am the only one you are having sex with. I go by daddy." 

"Not many people like me enough to want to have sex with me." You shrug.  

"Well I do." He crosses his legs. 

"Okay. Yes." 

"Yes? Are you being serious?"

"A thousand percent." His excitement could not be contained at your confirmation. This was really what he wanted. 

"Would you like to start tonight?" You choke on the wine you were sipping. 

"Is that why you wanted me in this sexy dress?" 

"Maybe." He smirks. 

"Why not. I have been wanting to experience things with you. Why did I just say that out loud?" Maybe it was the wine getting to you. But you felt empowered with his words. 

"Good. Now I am usually a dominant male. I can have a submissive side when wanted. But tonight I am in charge." His voice got slightly deeper. This made your nether regions grow a little wet. You had a thing for deep voices. "Come." Pablo stands up and holds his hand out. You happily oblige. He takes you to his bed, pulling you close to him. His right hand goes to the back of your head and pulls your head to look up at him. "I don't usually do kissing either but your lips look so kissable." He gently kisses you at first to test the waters. Then he kisses more needingly. His lips were intoxicating. He pulls back and unzips your dress. "I want you naked, on the edge of the bed. Now, princess." You nod and give him a little show. He watches, biting his bottom lip. "Good girl." You lay at the edge of the bed. Pablo walks over to you and gets down to his knees. "I have wanted to taste you all night." His hands rub your calves then thighs before separating them. Exposing your freshly waxed sex. "Mmmm, someone was hoping for something to happen tonight."

"A girl can dream. But seems like the feeling was mutual." He hums before ever so slowly getting closer to your sex. Tantalizingly slow, to your dismay. You squirm under his gaze. 

"Patience, princess." He says softly before blowing some cool air onto your exposed clit. This made you shiver and moan. "You smell so sweet." He says before delving in. His tongue flicks your clit a few times before he sucks your clit into his mouth. Flicking his tongue as he suckles slightly. This makes you instantly arch your back and shut your eyes. The sweet sweet feeling of his amazing tongue on your swollen, neglected clit was all so much stimulation. A few breathy moans escape your lips and you rock your hips to his tongue wanting more friction. One of his hands rubs your thigh before he inserts two fingers into you. He pulls back to watch you. You look down to see his face glistening with your juices. In and out. In and out. Slow at first to you adjusted to his girthy fingers. He then picks up the pace. You bite your lip before throwing your head back. A soft little "Fuuuck." comes from your lips. 

"That's it baby, feel my fingers." He curls his fingers up, hitting that sweet, sweet g-spot. Your breath hitches and you rock your hips once more. 

"Ah yes." You moan out. He smirks, and halts his movements. Slowly withdrawing his fingers from you, causing you to whimper. 

"I want to be inside you when you come for me for the first time, princess." He stands up and undresses himself. Exposing his lengthy, girthy cock ready for you. "See what you do to me already, princess?" You sit up and nod. 

"Oh daddy, I need you right now. Please."

"Oh, begging already? Mmm such a sweet sweet sound." He licks his hand before pumping himself a few times. You lick your lips. He comes over to you. "Up on the bed more, princess." You scoot up onto the bed more, to which he follows. "You sure you're ready for all of this?" He smirks, you nod vigorously. "That's the spirit, princess." He dips his head down to kiss each tit before he slowly inserts himself. You gasp at his size but moan, it feeling good to have someone inside you after a few months of no action. He cradles your head with his arms as he starts his sweet, yet rough thrusts. You moan out loudly, louder than you ever have. But you didn't care, this man was making you feel good and people needed to know. 

"Ah oh fuck, yes." 

"That's it princess, feel me. Every little inch." He made sure you felt every inch of him. With every thrust. He knew how to take care of a woman. He rocks his hips into yours. "Say my name." 

"Daddy." You whisper. 

"Louder." His voice went dark almost. Very raspy.

"DADDY!" You moan out loudly. 

"That's it princess." He quickens the pace up slightly, feeling you clench and squirm ever so slightly. 

"I-i-i I'm close Daddy." You say, feeling the release rise up in your body, ready to release at any moment. 

He licks his hand before putting it between you two. He spits into his hand and rubs your clit, causing a whole other sensation to happen within you. You arch your back and rock your hips. "Cum for me princess, let me feel you all around me." That sent you over the edge. You pulsate around him, the feeling of euphoria raining over you as you cum all around him. A long, strangled moan comes from you, almost a scream. You needed that incredible release. You pant as he keeps thrusting into you, getting himself to the edge. "Princess, play with your tits." You were still in that just fucked stage of the aftermath, an afterwave of pleasure coming upon you. You begin to play with your tits, flicking and squeezing the nipple. He grunts and stills, a hot juice shooting into you. You moan. 

"That's it daddy." 

"You are incredible." He kisses your forehead before slowly pulling out. You both lay there panting. You were still dazed. 

"You weren't too bad, yourself." You manage to pant out. "Man I am out of shape." You say, once you have calmed down. Pablo just chuckles. 

"No you're not." He stands up and walks to what you think is the bathroom. You sit up, seeing him emerge with a towel. "Let me clean you up." He kneels again and pulls you to the edge. This caused a small squeak to come from you. He wipes you up, clean as can be. 

"Good thing I am on birth control." You smirk and giggle. 

"I saw the implant." 

"Well aren't you just observant." You caused him to chuckle again. 

"Would you like to spend the night? You look very tired from that good fucking." He asks, concerned you wont make it to your apartment. 

"I- yeah sure why not." You shrug, yawn and stretch. Pablo pulls the covers back for you to get in. You slowly crawl, tiredness having washed over you. He tucks you in, planting a soft, chaste kiss to your forehead. 

"Thank you princess." 

"For?" 

"Saying yes. And listening to my silent plea for you not to drive in your state of exhaustion." 

"Wine does tend to put me out after some activities." You yawn and snuggle into the man who now was laying next to you. He stiffened then relaxes, him finding an odd sense of comfort in your presence. 

"Get some rest, princess." He shuts off the bedside lamp, bringing you into the state of slumber. 

A/N:: Not my best work, things will hopefully get better. I hope y'all enjoy!

[chronicas]

Okay just because this has been on my mind for weeks now. You should never have to choose between food and rent. One, if such a choice comes up, always choose rent, obviously. BUT if not being able to afford food is the problem, there are options. Sorry this post got so long it wasn’t meant to..

Apologies in advance I only know how this works in America, but it’s likely your country has something similar. What you’ve gotta do for this is go to your state government page and find your state’s food assistance program, SNAP, Food Stamps, whatever it is, find that and apply. You’ll probably get around $250 a month for a single household. If you’re low income, you should be eligible. If you’re on SSI/SSDI or Medicaid, you are almost certainly eligible. On top of that you gotta find a local food bank. They might ask you for your income, but they likely won’t bar you from their services if they’re a good food bank. This is a good place to get any kind of canned food and pasta, but good food banks will likely also have meat, eggs, and milk. A lot of food banks have even started delivering straight to your home. I’ve also worked with a lot of Churches to get food. I’m sure plenty of Synagogs and other religions orgs have similar programs, but it depends on how well funded they are.

Use any money you save from this for your fresh produce, but I recommend getting frozen vegetables as they have just as much nutrients as fresh produce would. I also recommend getting an instant pot or slow cooker if you can afford it. Thrift stores might have some that still work decently. I got my instant pot and my slow cooker second hand from family members so I got lucky, but if you can afford them they’re seriously a life saver.

My biggest recommendations of food to keep on hand is bread and stuff you like on sandwiches, always have eggs, always have rice, and always have some frozen vegetables. Invest in spices wherever you can, you can make a lot or really delicious meals that are super simple just by having some good seasonings. If you get on food assistance, spices are covered by that, basically everything consumable is except alcohol.

Spices I recommend to keep on hand: Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Ginger, Red Pepper, Garlic, Onion, any Umami/Mushroom Blend, Rosemary, Marjoram, Sage. That’s everything I use for 90% of my meals.

Also grow your own food! Mainly herbs! The easiest one to start with is green onions, you can buy some from the store, put the bottoms in a small cup with just enough water to reach the roots, let the roots grow a bit then put them in soil after about a week. Basil, thyme, parsley, and rosemary are my other favorites to grow. You can get a devoted pair of kitchen scissors to just cut your herbs directly into whatever you’re cooking! If you have enough space and time on your hands I really recommend growing tomatoes and bell peppers!! Feel free to ask me about gardening!

My Favorite Easy Meals:

Spaghetti with meat sauce: Get canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, mix those in a pan and add as many spices as you want until you like the flavor, you can look online for common spaghetti sauce seasonings. Get some ground beef (btw meat can be frozen indefinitely) and cook that up then throw it in your sauce. Cook noodles while you’re doing that, the whole process shouldn’t take more than an hour if you have an extra pair of hands, hour and a half if you’re by yourself at max.

Teriyaki Chicken: Easiest thing ever, just buy some chicken strips and some teriyaki sauce, marinate that shit then pop it in the oven for like around 20min or until it’s cooked to 165°F.

Egg Fried Rice: One of my favorite easy meals. Pop the (WASHED!!) rice in an instant pot or rice cooker (if you don’t have either a pot with a lid will work fine!), toss in about a tablespoon of mirin in with your rice then let it do it’s thing following instructions. About 15min before your rice is done throw some frozen vegetables in a pan (whatever kind of vegetables you like!! It really doesn’t matter!) cook those a little, put em aside in a bowl. Then take some eggs, scramble em in the same pan, put aside. Throw your cooked rice in the pan then add soy sauce, red pepper, umami blend, and any other spices you’d like (but no salt! There’s plenty of sodium in the soy sauce!).Then add your ingredients you put to the side. If you add enough eggs or are just tired, this can be it’s own meal! Or you can have it as a side with teriyaki chicken or anything else you think it’d taste good with!

Ramen: Get a bunch of packs of cheap ramen noodles but don’t use the soup packet. Make your own soup with any kind of broth (chicken or seafood works best, but just pick a favorite), add a tablespoon of soy sauce to a cup of broth, a teaspoon of mirin to cup of broth, some minced ginger (or powered) to taste, any spices you want (I like to add the mushroom blends and some seaweed flakes), cook the noodles for the recommended time in the broth then add an egg cooked in any style you want. You can get fancy with a soft boiled egg, but those take a while to learn to get right. I normally fry my eggs. And if you have any ham or beef strips those also go good with it! Top it with green onions! Takes about 45 minutes roughly.

Omelet: Whisk some eggs in a cup and add some spices (and fresh green onions if you want!), throw it in a pan, add any cheese, meat, or veggies you like on it (I like cheddar, bell peppers, and bacon in mine) then wait for it to cook on one side then fold it in half, after it’s cooked on one of the half sides, flip it over to get the other side, you can stab it in the middle to see if it’s fully cooked in the center. Takes less than 20 minutes.

Buttered Potatoes: You can get some small potatoes, cut em up, throw them in an oven-safe dish with some butter (1/4-1/2 a stick depending on how many potatoes you’re making), salt, rosemary, and black pepper. Cook them in the oven on like 350°F for about 25-30min. You can use this as a side with any kind of meat or anything else you feel it’d go good with! Sometimes it just makes a good snack as leftovers.

Things you can cook up and add to other stuff: cook a bunch of bacon and you can crumble it into stuff like omelets, mac ‘n cheese, salads!

Feel free to ask me for cooking advice! It’s one of my favorite things to do and there’s a good chance I can help you figure out how to make something. I’m happy to help talk to you about dietary restrictions and substitutes also!

I do all this and never spend a penny from my paycheck on my food! Good food is obtainable! Look online for more recipes or try and use some of these methods to enhance a simple recipe you already know!

And remember to fight to keep food assistance programs open and available! It’s an insanely valuable resource for folks in poverty! If your local government acts against these programs, speak up against them! If you can, please donate to your food bank and ask them what kind of food they need. Volunteer with them also if you can!

[diaryofamadfatwoman]

Moving On

Welcome to Week 3 of my journey to better health.

I had lunch with my sisters on Friday, so getting on the scale on Monday was a real nail biter. Drumroll please... unfortunately, I only lost one pound for the week. Although I M.ade A.djustments D.aily following our delicious Mexican Food meal, my effort did not pay off as well. But I am not defeated. I am pressing on.

On my Health Management System I engage my cooking skills, and you can too, or enlist a willing cook.

My daughter introduced me to Red Lentil Spagetti and I bought a tray of vegetable kebobs which I cut into smaller bites, seasoned and sauteed'. After boiling the spaghetti, I simply topped it with the vegetables and sauteed' shrimp. It was delicious but next time I will boil the spaghetti in a broth and toss it in olive oil for added flavor. Here is a picture:

This is an Eating Well dish. Any meat protein would work here, but it can be eaten alone as the spaghetti is high in protein and gluten-free. It also contains protein-rich mushrooms.

According to an online nutritionist I follow, real food contains enzymes that promote healthy metabolism. All our organs participate in burning energy so it is important that our liver, kidney, gallbladder and digestive system is healthy. Additionally, deep sleep, exercise and fasting also improve metabolism. And what more is metabolism than energy...the fuel that keeps our bodies running.

I imagine that if we think of our bodies more as machines, it will be easier to comprehend that it needs just enough fuel to get us from point A-Z per day simplistically speaking, rather that hoarding excess calories that weigh us down, right? Afterall, we cannot overfill a gas tank can we?

There is something to be said about a good man who happens to be your husband. I should be in good shape thanks to my wonderful husband. Many years ago he bought me a treadmill, a stationary bike and even resistence bands. Unfortunately they have become like 'against the wall' art. He even bought me a nice massage chair for days when my muscles are sore. He is really just that kind of guy. However, it is down to me to show my appreciation by taking advantage of all these resources.

When it is warm we walk 2-3 miles daily. Now, in the winter months, we tend to nest and I have not been using my exercise equipment; however, one night while watching TV, I felt like walking inside the house and so I do it one hour every night. It has been great. Because I am concerned about my balance and strength, I practice standing on one foot and have added countertop arm presses. The stronger we are in our older years the fewer falls, and therefore, the more stable we are. If you are young, start moving and keep moving right now.

I was reminded this week of a good resource to help me move and gain strength. She is a firecracker of a lady on YouTube named PaulaB. She does timed exercises for older adults. I plan to incorportate some exercises from PaulaB and start using my resistence bands this coming week. I will let you know how it goes.

Although it is difficult to choose to keep moving, it is a choice to take my thoughts captive and move on.

Did you know our brain has a drain system? A good night's sleep removes toxins from the brain into the venous sinuses. Imagine the focus we can have, memories we can retain! Gives a whole new meaning to brain drain. Reminder: Keep drinking...water or tea, that is.

Well that is it for this week. Thanks for joining me. If you missed them, you can catch up on the two previous blogs and remember to like, share and follow.

[ramshacklefey]

Hey I saw your latest post and I wanted to ask if you have any resources about eating vegan! (recipes, getting started, etc.) I'm honestly so tired of the "vegans are annoying and obnoxious" stereotype too

Sure!

The first thing to know is that you'll want to ease into it. This is a big change to your diet, and that can affect you in lots of different ways while you're adjusting. One good idea is to adopt a vegetarian diet first, and then switch to vegan once you're used to that.

The only supplements you definitely want to make sure you're getting are Vitamin D and a Vitamin B complex (just make sure it has B12 in it specifically).

Everything after this comes with the caveat that I don't know your particular living situation, dietary habits, or overall health, so this advice is pretty general. Take or leave it as it works for you.

(Long post under cut)

General Tips

Focus on seeking out ways to eat more plants, not on avoiding things. Focusing on the positive side of things makes the whole situation a lot easier, because you won't be thinking about stuff you're missing out on. If you're deliberately filling your pantry with plant-based foods that you enjoy, you'll find that you don't miss the things you used to eat so much. After a while, you'll stop craving things like meat and dairy.

Cutting cheese out of your diet is the hardest part. Turns out that cheese contains a protein called casein which, when you digest it, breaks down into chemicals that have a similar effect on your brain to microdosing cocaine. Be prepared to go through a week or two of bizarrely strong cheese craving when you stop eating it.

You don't have to be a fancy cook to be vegan. Obviously, there's a lot of fresh fruit and veg that you can just eat raw. But there's a lot of other stuff that's super easy that requires almost no prep. I'm a lazy bastard when it comes to my food, and I have no problems. Some of my go-to meals include: spaghetti (I use cheap jarred sauce most of the time), simple curries, rice and beans (plus whatever the fuck spices I feel like), potatoes in every form imaginable, peanut butter and jelly, chips and salsa, chips and bean dip, and oatmeal.

You don't have to pay exorbitant prices to get vegan snacks. There are a lot of companies nowadays producing vegan versions of common snack foods, and they are fucking expensive. However, lots of favorite, cheap snacks are already vegan! Off the top of my head: Oreos and many other cheap packaged cookies, most flavors of Pop-Tarts, almost any candy that isn't chocolate, a lot of chips, dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), french fries, and popcorn are all good ones.

Fruits and veggies will get tastier the more you eat them. At this point, I'm as happy sitting and eating grapes, cherries, fresh green-beans, or frozen peas as I ever was eating candy. And I don't feel wretched afterwards.

Learn what produce is seasonal in your area. Fresh produce is absurdly expensive, but if you know what's in season at any time, you can take advantage of sales. This has the added benefit of putting some variety in your diet throughout the year.

Preserved produce is just as good as fresh. Frozen, dried, or canned fruit and vegetables are all delicious, often cheaper than fresh, and don't have any nutritional deficiency to speak of. If you're eating canned things, don't throw out the juice though! A lot of the good stuffs in the plants end up in the juice (basically it gets steeped out), so it's best to use that in your dish. Pickled foods are not only tasty, but they have great probiotics in them, and they're a lifesaver in hot weather if you're having trouble staying hydrated.

Add oil and salt! People get a lot of oil and salts from animal products, and if you don't replace those somehow, you may find yourself feeling hungry all the time. Also, adding oil and salt to veggies makes it easier for your body to digest them efficiently.

Roast those veggies! Pretty much any fresh vegetable can be roasted with oil and seasonings to turn it into a delicious meal. If you have an air-fryer, that's also a fucking excellent option.

Legumes are life. Beans and lentils are top notch friends for the vegan, and they can be added to almost any dish.

Peanut butter. If you can eat peanut butter, it's got soooo much fucking good stuff in it.

Tofu is bullshit most of the time. Ok, it's not, but I usually find it to be more of a pain in the ass than it's worth.

Fake meat is overrated. Some of it's definitely tasty, and if you're still feeling very emotionally attached to certain meat-based dishes, it's really helpful. But it's also not necessary. And honestly, it's been long enough since I ate meat that I find the stuff that really tries to mimic meat deeply unsettling and kinda gross. Speaking of which:

You'll start being grossed out by meat and dairy after a while. It's not a performative moral thing, your body just starts being grossed out by it.

Once you stop eating animal products, you will eventually stop being able to digest them. At this point, I am incredibly lactose intolerant, and even tiny amounts of meat or animal fat in my food will make me sick as fuck. Turns out, a significant amount of your digestion is actually done by your gut flora, and there are specific species of microbes in your guts that help you digest different foods. If you go long enough without animal products, the microbes you need to digest those will all die, and you can't actually digest them at all any more.

Things to keep on hand:

Spice blends! Try out a bunch of different ones and then just keep a few bottles of your favs around the house. They can be sprinkled on veggies, tossed into pasta dishes or soups, added to stir-fries, etc. They're especially great if you don't generally cook much and don't have a huge knowledge base for what spices go well together.

Nutritional yeast. This can be a bit expensive, but it's so worth it if you can swing it. It's a kind of yeast that's been dried into flakes, and it's great for putting on some things in place of cheese. I mostly use it for spaghetti and popcorn. It's got a very nice savory flavor.

(Personal) Plant milk. You don't need this by any stretch, but I like having it for oatmeal, smoothies, and baking. Almond milk is usually the cheapest, which I'm not super happy about. Oat milk is my favorite, but for some reason it's way more expensive (making your own oat milk is actually super easy, but I wouldn't expect most people to go to that much trouble).

Cooking

Like I said earlier, you really don't have to be a fancy cook to eat vegan. However, learning a few recipes that you can pull out as stock meals will make life way easier. If there's a specific dish you want to learn how to make vegan, the easiest thing is to just go online and search for "vegan [dish] recipe."

One thing I cannot recommend highly enough is the cookbook Supermarket Vegan by Donna Klein. It's a simple, affordable cookbook that's focused on recipes that can be made of ordinary ingredients. It has a huge variety of different sorts of dishes from all around the world. They range from super easy snacks to main dishes that you could use as the centerpiece for a fancy meal. And the instructions are clear and concise, easy for even a beginner cook to follow. If you get a copy of this book and start basing your meals off the recipes here, it'll probably be a lot easier to make the switch, because you'll have a plethora of tasty foods to make!

Honestly, the most difficult adjustment to cooking vegan is baking. Most things can be adapted, but it takes a bit more know-how and understanding of what roles various ingredients are playing in a dish. And by various ingredients I mostly mean eggs.

Eating Out

This is generally the biggest pain in the ass for vegans. For one thing, it's amazing how many people just. Don't get what being vegan means. Be prepared for some awkward family dinners or parties where there's not a lot available to you.

When it comes to actual restaurants, your best bets are generally going to be Indian, Eastern Mediterranean, Ethiopian, Thai, and higher-end Central/South American. These places are the most likely to serve a variety of dishes that don't have any animal products in them by default.

If you like coffee drinks, ask for soy or oat milk when you order. They steam better than almond milk, which tends to curdle because of the acidity of the coffee.

Lastly, and this is definitely localized to where I live, Taco Bell is my absolute go-to for fast food. Almost none of their default items are vegan, but they're good about customizing things. My usual order is: Cheesy bean and rice burrito, no cheese sauce, no creamy jalapeño sauce, add black beans, add potatoes, add red sauce, and grilled.

Last Thoughts

Despite what a lot of people think, being vegan is easy once you adapt to it. It's suitable to any food budget, allows for a wide variety of different foods, and is just as healthy as any other decent diet. You might go through a couple months at the beginning that feel a bit rough, but dietary changes are a big deal and always take some adjustment. If you stick with it, you're likely to discover that you actually start feeling a lot better and more energetic than you did before.

Most importantly, be yourself and have fun! It's not a contest, and any benefit you want to see from adopting a vegan diet is still going to happen if you only manage to partly change how you eat.

[captainmarsupial]

july already and i always forget about this blog. D;

june definitely had its ups and downs, but there were some pretty good highlights.

-one day LA trip for kyuhyun photoism :’) i was so happy. i got shy to take the pictures with him in it, but i got my pics with kyumae^^ also snagged the other version of restart &his time with you single, which made the cashier chuckle. and then i ended up pulling two PCs i already have… :’D one of them was his in n out picture which i love so much, so i couldn’t even be mad. toni ended up asking if she could have it to display with her kyumae pictures too, which made me so happy since she puts up with my delusions more than anybody lmao.

anyway, after photoism/buying albums we had lunch at this restaurant in the same korean plaza, and their brisket and spicy pork were so delicious. then we did some shopping at stussy &cookman and then hung out at venice beach before flying back home. since it was just a 45min flight, it kinda just felt like taking bart at the end of the day. not that i’d ever do a same day flight again…haha

-grandma’s 96th birthday! sang karaoke for literally five hours and somehow didn’t lose my voice after!!

-successfully surprised my brother for his birthday! sadly he is housebound with a torn achilles but luckily my cousins and our friends made it a success :] also made some very bomb filipino spaghetti for the occasion

coordinating it was so nuts because it was a weeknight &rush hour here is terrible. a 15min drive for me ended up taking 35, &my brother’s gf was really stalling bc he was getting hungry LMAO. she told him that doordash would arrive at 6, &we all more or less arrived around that time. so under the guise of coming down to grab the food, she came to meet us &help bring up our party trays, drinks, and the cake. he was so surprised huhuhu. we spent the night eating, drinking some crazy concoction jake put together, watching basketball &playing switch :]

-celebrated father’s day at my brother’s &had filipino food, including the best karekare i’ve ever tasted TT-TT… i wish i brought some home. we didn’t stay long, but it was nice having the whole family together &eating comfort foods while listening to smooth jazz hehe.

-had a nice sister date in livermore!! did some shopping, had kura sushi and some yummy drinks from T% :D

-spent a weekend at our parents’ and did absolutely nothing <3

-suju supershow spinoff halftime livestream!! my first time experiencing a supershow… after all these years… i had to wait until midnight here for it to start and it didn’t end until 3:30am, but it was worth it :’)) kyu looked &sounded amazing, unsurprisingly. haha. the next day my mom wanted to see fancams which was insane to me, she never used to be interested in my interests ;___; i happily showed her of course.

-ended the month with a yummy dinner at a restaurant i’ve been meaning to try, then the next morning i finally cleaned up my yard and brought out the umbrella so i am ready to enjoy the summer evenings :D except i got heat exhaustion after, which knocked me down for the entire weekend. but im feeling better now, so..!!

july should be fun i hope. i have this week off to relax, which i’ve needed. then, hopefully some yummy july 4th food, a concert on saturday, a SD cousins trip coming up, knitting time with friends, and some opportunities to sing some choral music. sounds pretty good to me :]

[epwrenn]

“What’s Sauvignon Blanc?”: Why I love Italian restaurants

My girlfriend, Peggy, has several annoying habits. Making me watch her dog on short notice; saying “MMMmmm” after the first bite of any meal I cook her, regardless of whether or not praise is warranted; reading ahead of me when I’m trying to read - as fast as I can, damn it! - to her in bed. Yet none of these examples get under my skin quite like her smug satisfaction whenever I take her hand while walking down the road together.

“Awww,” she croons, as our fingers interlock on Quarrendon Street.

“Oh bloody hell, Pegs! You don’t have to comment every single time we hold hands, y’know?!”

She smiles and looks ahead, giving the impression she’s won some sort of moral victory over me. She has. 

We’re making our way towards Vicino, an olde worlde Italian restaurant on the New Kings Road near Parsons green. Or, at least it looks olde worlde from the outside: the bright red and white paint job of its exterior makes it seem like the whole place has been draped in one of those classic vinyl tablecloths; the stencil of a lobster flanked by two olive trees watch over the street under ornate, gold lamps; Billy Joel and his band come tumbling out of the front door, congratulating each other on having just finished their best album, 1977’s ‘The Stranger’. Ok, that last bit I made up, but it doesn’t take the piano man in his prime to see why this place caught Peggy’s eye earlier in the week. Before you’ve even set foot inside, the place emanates something fuzzy and familiar. A time capsule, but without the stench of disintegrating memorabilia and Blue Peter presenters succumbing to entropy. 

Given its location and crustaceous guardian, you might assume it haughty and overpriced, but it's not at all. We peruse the sunshine yellow menu near the front door and remark on how fair it all seems. Not dirt cheap (£13 for the Spaghetti Bolognaise) but very fair for this part of town. The bourgeois Bayley and Sage supermarket across the road looks on with displeasure as we walk in and aren't immediately held up by our ankles and shaken. Instead, the head waiter, a white haired italian gentleman, gives us a smile and briskly whisks us over to a little table by the wall (painted with a mural of vine leafs and waterfalls of course) in the middle of the dining area. There aren’t many patrons yet (it was 7:30ish when we showed up), but this doesn’t mar the warm, unpretentious interior with its dimly lit decorative plates, bottles of wine, jars of preserves, and art deco posters. It might all be well placed set dressing, but the effect is working on me, and I can’t help but smile as I swivel around in my chair; the smell of evaporated wine and garlic tickling some primitive bit of my brain. I immediately pull open the skinny little bag of crunchy breadsticks next to my fork and pretend to smoke one.

“Something to drink?” our man asks.

Peggy asks for Sauvignon Blanc. He has no idea what she’s talking about. I knew then that we had come to the right place.

Breadsticks smoked, we get some actual bread and olives to start. Nothing to write home about here sadly: just a stock white baguette cut into chunks with some unspreadable butter, probably the only ‘restaurant classic’ here I wish would remain in the aforementioned time capsule or, at the very least, be thawed before serving. The olives however, are delicious: Plump and lightly salted, the meatiness of each has me frantically skewering the next before I’ve finished with the one I’m working on; that toothsome, almost snappy bite of a fresh olive in limited quantity is addictive. I think Peggy gets a little annoyed at this gusto, but sips at the house white (we never found out if it was Sauvignon) instead while I gaze around in an olive induced trance.

Then our starters show up and all the bread and butter stuff is forgiven: I ordered the Cozzo (Fresh mussels) and Peggy the Burrata Con Pomodori e Basilico (Apulian Burrata cheese with heritage tomatoes and basil). Though I didn’t try Peggy’s, the plate dressing of the Burrata perfectly trod the line between rustic and gilding the lily; food you almost didn’t want to eat it looked so pretty with its decorative vegetables, strands of virgin olive oil, and casually cracked pepper. It was all gone anyway by the time I looked up from my bowl, a clumsy pile of muscles with little flecks of garlic and chilli swimming around in a white wine sauce, so I assume her’s tasted as good as it looked. 

At £12 for mussels nowhere near the sea, mine was just ok: the majority were on the smaller end of the mussel spectrum, but at least there were plenty of them. The sauce tasted fine but was a little on the fishy-er side of things, to the point where it lingered on my mussel wielding index finger and thumb until I got home and had a good scrub. I felt, and still feel, a little torn about this: Yes, I remember my dish being so-so, but that only seemed to add more credence to the charming, homely ambiance of the evening. I imagined an authentic ‘mama’ back there, adding a little too much of this and not enough of that, perhaps ballin’ out a skinny sous chef for spending too much time on Peggy’s wonderful looking plate while neglecting my own. 

Onto mains: Peggy, once again, chooses an aesthetically beautiful option: the Penne Quatro Formaggi e Tartufo (four cheese pasta with black truffle). Steam billows from the perfectly portioned bed of silky yellow tubes and heterogeneous, mole hill-like truffle shavings. Her face is full of glee, and I am jealous immediately of the five or six thousand calories I can see and smell. I almost regret my decision as the Linguine Gamberoni (King Prawn pasta) comes to rest in front of me: 

“Only three king prawns?!” I think with greedy displeasure; Dudley Dursley incarnate. Thankfully, adult me snaps back to centre, and I pick up one of the prawns to inspect it. Not only is this thing bulbous - the thin, orange shell barely containing the swollen, blanched meat - but dripping with a fragrant, boozy red sauce. I almost swoon. An old memory comes back to me then: 

“Sometimes, less is more.” My guitar teacher, Chris, playing a pirated clip from the Rush band documentary for me in a lesson: “Not every band needs a fourth member, y’know?”

 I take the prawn’s hat and coat off, and place him back with his pals. He looks embarrassed, so I cut him in two (sorry) and enrobe one half in a twist of linguine. The pasta itself is dressed in the same saucy attire as the power trio, tiny flecks of olive oil dancing around on the surface. It oozes back into the bowl as I take my first bite. As anyone knows who’s tried this dish at its best, the combination is simply magic: the meaty, slightly springy - not rubbery - bite of prawn against the sweet and sour comfort of the dressed pasta, it’s like spending the afternoon with the recently older posh: everything is rich with nostalgia, flavours still vibrant, but all ensconced in the safety of a well-worn Harrod’s cashier sweater, and a glass of whatever will get them pissed the fastest. I’m pleased to say, this was one of the best examples of the dish I’ve tried in London. I relished the annoyance of having to put my cutlery down to rip apart the crustaceans, like a very well-off caveman, before picking up my doffed etiquette and gobbling down another wonderful mouthful. Even towards the end, pasta sans prawn, the sauce stands on its own. 

Satisfied, our empty bowls disappear, and we, Peggy and I, go through the charade of pretending to not be very interested in the dessert menu. She orders the strawberry cheesecake, while I, twat that I am, flag down an older waitress and ask for an off-menu affogato. She casually looks up to our man from earlier:

“Affogato?” 

There’s a beat. 

He looks up from a long receipt and gives an ‘ok’ hand gesture, his eyes already back in accounting mode. I love this man.

By now the restaurant is full and it’s a wonderful sight to see a perfect cross section of Fulham life happening in front of me: three city guys near us meeting after work; a big family at the back celebrating something to do with the bald old man in their number; some kids on the cusp of being teenagers looking bored and embarrassed by Dad’s jokes; a gaggle of girls at the front with a big gold ‘30’ balloon; several dates too, their romantic content hidden in the cacophony of local voices. That feeling of set dressing hits me again. The place is making me feel like I’m a character in a Richard Curtis film. 

Here comes dessert: Peggy’s cheesecake is a generous portion, with two spoons (the waitress knew I was gonna steal some before I did!) and it had obviously been made a while ago, the strawberries slices beginning to weep into their creamcheese bed. This didn’t make it look particularly brilliant, but the taste was superb. Again, I’m struck by the homely quality of it: the biscuit base nearly disintegrates at the touch of the fork, but this to me is just a sign that there aren't any pesky, unnatural emulsifiers holding it all together. This is the kind of food that is meant to be served immediately, then hastily refrigerated for tomorrow before pesky hands move in for the kill.

The affogato arrives and it’s exactly what I suspected it would be: two balls of off-brand vanilla ice cream with a hot, crappy nespresso poured over it - in a massive wobbly metallic sundae cup to boot. “That sounds awful,” I hear you cry. I suspect you’re right. Alas, for me, this is the pinnacle of what an affogato should be: My first was made by my (Hungarian) grandmother, Musi, and was exactly as described above, except in a mug. My (Liverpool-Irish) Grandad, Trevor, had one too, except his mug had a picture of himself next to Shakespeare on it; “England’s Greatest Authors”. I remember having “proper” semifreddo affogato years later at a very spenny Italian in Richmond, after hundreds of delightfully subpar ones with my grandparents house listening to Classic FM. I knew I was supposed to like it more, that this was a capital A, Authentic Italian dessert I was eating, an experience I was having… but, for me, it was just tasteless whipped cream dipped in presumably decent espresso - all it needed was a green straw and a mermaid. Peggy tries a spoonful and makes a face like she’d swallowed Bitrex. I laugh and continue to gulp down delicious, sugary,  nostalgia. 

[thedisneychef]

Kase Spatzle Recipes – Biergarten Restaurant

I was going to try so hard to save this recipe (Kaze Spatzle from Biergarten) for later in the week, but I was so excited to share it, I ended up doing it first. Isn’t that always the way? I’m so bad at waiting! And this recipe, like all really great recipes, has a story associated with it.  But first, a little background on the dish. Spatzle is a distinctively German dish, translated quite literally to “little sparrow,” and it’s like a cross between an egg noodle and a dumpling with a texture that ranges from fluffy like scrambled eggs, to more al dente. More Delicious Recipes You Will Love: - Guinness Stew – Rose And Crown Pub And Dining Room - Katsura Grill: A Serene Japanese Restaurant in the Heart of Epcot - Key Lime Coconut Martini- Walt Disney World Resort In Germany, you find it served almost like one would find mashed potatoes in the US, and they’re served with everything from butter to gravy, even with cherries for a sweeter dish. Finding them as a side dish for all meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, isn’t that uncommon at all. They are very much a staple of German cuisine. Now, my family is German, my mother is actually first generation as both her mother and father (my grandparents) came to the US from Germany just before World War II. Pair that with spending two summers in Germany, it goes without saying that I’ve had a lot of spatzle in my time. When I went to Germany I had the fresh stuff daily, and since you can actually find it like dried pasta in the international section of most grocery stores, I had a pretty steady amount of it stateside as well. I’m sure everybody has a food that, just the sight of it, triggers 100 happy memories… Spatzle is mine. When I turned 18 I got my very first cookbook as a birthday present and it actually had a recipe to make fresh spatzle. I was so happy to see that not only was it super simple, that it had none of the steps that makes it tedious to make from-scratch pasta at home, and the ingredients were all very basic and easy to find. I made a batch on the spot and I was hooked on doing it myself ever since. I’m actually a little proud to say that my spatzle is something of a family tradition. I make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and various special family events through the year. I will freely admit that the way I make spatzle would make a German housewife proud, and a chef cry. Most of the time when you order a dish that has spatzle, it’s made using a spatzle press. What it makes are pea-like little dumplings called Knöpfle or “tiny buttons.” It makes very uniform noodles that, on a whole, are considered more attractive and presentable. Occasionally you’ll see one that works a lot like the noodle attachment on a Play-Doh and it’ll make ribbon or thick, spaghetti-like noodles. However, the traditional method of making spatzle is to scoop small amounts of batter using a fork or a spoon with numerous large holes, dropping large ribbons or globs of the batter into boiling water. The noodles were all of various sizes and textures, but despite this, it was nearly impossible to over or undercook them.  When the dough was dropped in boiling water, it sank to the bottom, and when it was fully cooked, it’d rise to the surface. In fact, that’s where the name came from… The whispy noodles floating to the top of the boiling water amidst the froth created during the cooking process looked like a flock of little sparrows in the clouds. Spatzle dough itself is a wonderful medium for adding all sorts of little flavor boosters. I’ve put herbs and finely minced garlic in the dough and, while not traditional, it sure tastes good. I also love to boil the noodles in chicken broth or very heavily salted water, though never add oil or butter to the boiling water. It doesn’t do much to prevent sticking, and it messes with the texture of the noodle. Instead, add the butter after it’s come out of the water. Speaking of butter… Use a lot of it, even if you plan on putting another sauce with it. It keeps the noodles from sticking and buttered spatzle is the best thing in the world. It goes without saying that this dish is amazing… I love how it tastes exactly like German kase spatzle, and I love that they actually cook it using the traditional method of just chucking the cheese and butter in, as opposed to making a sauce from flour, butter, and milk and melting the cheese into that. All that’s missing from this dish to make it authentic German, and exactly like dining at Biergarten, is the German band. In addition to the delicious food and recipes, Disney World is also known for its unique dining experiences, such as character dining and themed restaurants. Whether you want to have breakfast with Mickey Mouse, dine in a replica of a sci-fi drive-in theater at Hollywood Studios, or enjoy a meal with an ocean view at the Coral Reef Restaurant in Epcot, there's something for everyone. And with the help of Recipes Today and the How to Make category, you can even recreate some of these magical dining experiences in your own home. So why not start planning your next Disney-inspired meal or dining experience today? Read the full article

[xhopelesslyromanticx]

Oh my God! - Mason Mount x Reader

Working on something a little longer right now. Enjoy this in the mean time.

Masterlist

summary: In which Masons plan to humiliate the reader in front of her teenage crush doesn't go according to plan.

When Mason invited you to yet another one of his games you kindly declined. You loved your boyfriend and you loved watching his games but it would be the third Saturday in a row. Your boyfriend was a little pressed about the fact you rather stay at home then go to games with him but he also understood it was basically your only time off as you were working the whole week.

It wasn’t until Friday the same week when you realized what the game even was. You had packed up a big bag to head to Masons house for the weekend. The game was at Stamford Bridge, so you luckily would be able to still see him at night.

The day before the match Mase and you cooked a nice dinner, opened up a nice bottle of wine as you made your own little date night at home.

„So what movie should we watch?“ Mason asked, grabbing the tv remote with one hand as he balanced his plate of spaghetti in the other.

He sat down on the couch next to you, who were already curled up in your blanket and devouring the delicious pasta.

„I don’t know. A christmas movie?“ you suggested and then raised your eyebrows as Mason immediately rolled his eyes, knowing what you were gonna say next „Oh! Can we watch the Holiday?“

„No not again.“ Mason groaned, leaning closer to you as you frowned.

„Why not?“ you whined, gently elbowing your boyfriend in the shoulder.

Mason looked at you with wide eyes as he chewed on his food „No need to get physical missy.“

You chuckled, shaking your head. You always told Mason you hated when he called you missy but secretly you did find it kinda adorable.

„We have seen that a million times plus I’m sick of you drooling over Jude Law.“ Mase stated, making you roll your eyes as you swallowed your food.

„When do you have to get up tomorrow anyways?“ you asked, placing your plate on the coffee table next to the couch as you grabbed your glass of wine. You rested your head on your hand as you turned towards Mason.

„I don’t know.“ Mase groaned and you looked at him concerned „I have gotten like six different messages from my managers. It’s mad annoying but whatever.“

„Oh, poor you.“ you chuckled, obviously being sarcastic as this wasn’t really a problem „Who are you even playing against?“

Mason grinned mischievously as he continued to eat his spaghetti „Bayern Munich.“

„What?“ you squealed in disbelief and Mason chuckled, knowing exactly why you reacted this way „Why didn’t you tell me?“

„I don’t know?“ he laughed, wiping his mouth as he put away his plate.

He also grabbed his wine but when you looked at his face you could immediately tell.

„You didn’t tell me on purpose!“ you stated, gasping as you were shocked he purposefully kept this from you. Pure betrayal.

„What?“ Mason acted oblivious, as he looked you in the eyes „No I didnt!“

„Yes you knew exactly that I would wanna come!“ you hissed, putting down your glass and getting ready to argue.

„So you’re telling me you would come for Bayern Munich but not for your own boyfriend?“ Mason looked at you offended, making you almost spit out your wine.

„No…“ you stuttered, nervously trying to come up with an answer as Mason just giggled „Not the whole Bayern Munich team just Mister Lewandowski.“

Mason scrunched his face up in digust, making you giggle. He never understood your crush on the older guy. But let’s just when you were a teenager you were absolutely obsessed with him. Like an unhealthy amount.

„You have weird taste.“ Mase sighed, drinking his wine in the pettiest way possible.

„Yeah that’s why I’m with you.“ you sassed back as your boyfriend gasped offended „But seriously can I please come?“

After a lot of begging Mason finally agreed he would take you to the game. So in the morning you made him a nice breakfast as a thank you before he had to leave. You agreed you‘d meet at the stadium as Mase ordered you a driver and assistant against your will. Wanting to make sure you‘d get in safe and with no problems.

So a couple of hours later you were in the middle of a chanting stadium, watching your teenage crush and your boyfriend compete against eachother.

The game was super nerve wracking. You almost couldn’t sit in your seat as you rooted for Mason along side the family members and friends of his teammates. You always enjoyed seeing them when you attended games, having gotten to know some of them quite well over time.

At about 75 minutes, it was 2:2 as you watched Mason struggle against the strong opponent. He had been moving the whole time, never taking a break from sprinting across the field.

Then just for a short second Chelseas defense oversaw a small gap and then next thing you knew Lewandowski smashed the ball into the net.

The Bayern Munich fans immediately went nuts as he did his celebration with his team. You had do resist the urge to cheer, the goal had been incredible but seeing your boyfriend and his team with hanging heads and looking incredibly gutted was too heart wrenching.

The celebration went on for way to long as some of the Chelsea player ran to the side to grab something to drink. Mason was now only about ten meters away from you. He looked at you dissapointed, chugging his drink as you sent him a weak smile while looking back and forth between him and the opponent celebrating.

Then after some seconds he threw his bottle away and returned to the field. The game continued and for another ten minutes and just when you thought everything was lost, sitting there in your Mount jersey with crossed arms and wearing sunglasses as you didn’t want any cameras to see your disappointment , Mason somehow managed to snatch the ball from Bayerns defense and was now basically all alone in front of the goal. You immediately stood up, grabbing on to the railing as you watched everything unfold.

In the most effortless way he shot the ball and there was nothing the goalkeeper could have done; it landed in the net. The whole crowd flipped out, including you as you took off your glasses and jumped up and down. All the Chelsea players ran over to Mason who just stood there, smiling at you and blowing you a kiss.

In the incredible bliss you felt the game went on for another little while. And then when the ref blew his whistle you couldn’t help but feel incredibly proud. Even though it was a tie, they had fought till the end.

You watched all the players walk out, some of Masons teammates greeting you as you stood there in the tunnel and waited for your boyfriend to get of the field. And then when he appeared at the end of the tunnel with the biggest smile on his face you couldn’t help but giggle.

„You were awesome!“ you cheered, wrapping your arms around your boyfriend and hugging him tightly.

„I’m super sweaty.“ Mason chuckled, his hands lightly resting on your waist.

„I don’t care.“ you smiled, putting your lips on his as you gave him a gentle kiss. Mason relaxed into the familiar feeling before you pulled away again „That was honestly amazing.“

„Thank you.“ he laughed, blushing as you put your hand around his neck „It was all just for you to be honest.“

You smiled, looking into his eyes as he continued talking about how hard the game was. And then while you where listening to your boyfriend talk; in the corner of your eyes, you spotted a brown haired guy in a red jersey.

Robert was talking to some guy as you felt your heart flutter and your stomach going crazy. Your first ever real crush was just a few meters away from you.

„Y/n?“ Masons voice brought you back to reality as he looked at you with furrowed brows.

„What? Sorry.“ you stuttered, nervously looking at your boyfriend. Not really being able to concentrate with Roberts presence there.

Mason looked back to see what you were looking at and when he spotted said so reason, he immediately dropped his hands from your waist. Pulling away from your embrace in a swift motion.

„Are you fucking serious?“ he rolled his eyes, looking at you with crossed arms.

„What?“ you asked, acting oblivious as you ran your fingers through your hair.

„I dedicate the most beautiful goal to you and you drool over that oldie in return?“ he hissed a little too loud, causing everyone in the tunnel to look at you two. You blushed, feeling Roberts eyes on the pair of you as you looked at the ground nervously.

„And now you’re blushing!“ Mase squealed, not believing how you were acting right now.

„Yes!“ you whisper yelled, looking at Mason with raised eyebrows „What do you expect? I was obsessed with him for like forever!“

„Okay.“ Mason pressed his lips together, grabbing your upper arm „Why don’t we make this easier for you?“

Your boyfriend guided you across the tunnel as you tried to remove yourself from his grasp.

„Mason stop!“ you hissed but next thing you knew, one certain Bayern Munich player stood right in front of you. Robert smiled, looking at Mason expectantly.

„Robert!“ Mason greeted, obviously having talked to the guy before. Robert pressed his lips together as he flashed Mason an awkward grin. The manager he had talked to before quickly strutting away from the awkward situation. Robert looked at you as he furrowed his eyebrows at Masons grasp on you, clearly not understanding the dynamic between the two of you.

„And she is?“ he asked confused, as you felt all your blood go to your feet. Being just inches away from the man you had dreamed of as a teenager.

„This is my girlfriend Y/n!“ Mason smiled, in the fakest way as he let go of you and wrapped his arm around your shoulder „She used to be obsessed with you as a teenager!“

You felt humiliated. What the hell was Mason doing? You shook away his arms as you took a deep breath, trying not to immediately kill him.

„I can’t belive you.“ you muttered through your teeth, before sending Robert a fake smile.

„Oh…“ the older guy said suprised, also not knowing why Mason would say something like that „That’s… nice.“

There was a moment of silence and Robert looked at you, somehow he must have sensed you were incredibly disappointed and embarrassed. So he did the sweetest thing ever.

He held out his hand to you as you hesitated for a second before shaking it. Your heart stopped at the touch as he sent you a big smiled „It’s very nice to meet you Y/n. A very beautiful name by the way.“

You blushed, biting your lip and playing with the ends of your hair „Thank you. It’s nice to meet you too.“

Mason cleared his throat, obviously not liking the guy charming you.

„Did you like the game?“ Robert chuckled, completely ignoring Mason as he stared at you.

„Yes, it was awesome.“ you nodded, looking into his eyes „And that goal. I mean just; wow.“

The older guy laughed, shaking his head „Well, I’m glad you liked it. That’s what it’s all about.“

You felt Masons arm wrap around your waist. He was clearly jealous now and you felt incredibly satisfied that his plan had backfired.

„Well, I wish you two the best.“ Robert smiled, his accent strong and then next thing you knew he walked away.

And just before he disappeared from your sight, you saw him stop in his tracks. He took of his jersey, revealing his incredibly toned body before jogging back towards you.

He handed his red jersey over to you and you couldn’t say anything as you felt like all your teenage dreams had just came true.

„Glad you’re a fan.“ he held his thumbs up and winked at you before leaving you behind with a baffled Mason.

„Oh my god.“ you two both said at the same time.

„What an ass!“ Mason hissed, shaking his head as he watched Robert leave.

„How dreamy!“ you gushed hitting his arm gently as you looked down at the jersey, you had been gifted.

„You’re so not gonna keep that missy!“ Mason hissed, crossing his arms as he scrunched his nose "It's literally used. That's disgusting."

„Oh come on Mount!“ you rolled your eyes, starting to walk down the tunnel with your whining boyfriend following you „You’re pissed your plan didn’t work out.“

„It's not only disgusting Y/n, it's also incredibly weird to keep it.“ Mason went on, making you chuckle as he completely ignored your statements. You shook your head, throwing the shirt over your shoulder.

"I'm so gonna keep it."

[imagines-ahs]

Chapter Four - Charcoal.

Summary: Wilhemina Venable felt it was finally time to leave Kineros Robotics and get a job with people who weren’t such morons like Jeff and Mutt. What she didn’t expect, however, was for her new boss to be so damn insufferable. She didn’t expect to fall in love with her, either.

Tag List: @devriesgoode @mistysswampmud @paulsonsratched (message me to be added if interested!)

“Wait—“ Billie Dean said before Wilhemina could even turn around this time. “Are you going to have lunch alone?” Wilhemina nodded. She was used to it. “Mind if I join you?”

Wilhemina blinked once. Why would Billie Dean want to have lunch with her? In the back of her mind, Venable had to admit she was a little scared her anxiety would flare up again. An anxiety attack in front of her boss was something she would absolutely not allow her body to go through. “No,” she answered. What was Wilhemina supposed to say? Billie Dean was her boss, and her voice wasn’t as annoying as it was yesterday anymore. “I don’t.”

“Great.” Billie offered a smile. She guided them to the kitchen, and from behind Billie Dean, Venable allowed her eyes to land on her blonde locks; they bounced so beautifully, it was nearly mesmerizing. “I’ve ordered spaghetti today.” 

Venable hummed quietly. She reached for a portion, noticing it was still warm in the little container it came in. After getting settled on the table, she opened the lid. The delicious smell of fresh red sauce raised up. Billie Dean had joined her on the table, now. “Smells nice,” she commented. 

Billie nodded, already digging in for a forkful. “Their sauce is homemade.” 

Venable watched as Billie Dean carefully wiped her mouth clean, not allowing a single stain of sauce to fall on her chin. The whole donut incident from earlier came into her mind, and as Wilhemina took a first forkful, she already reached for a napkin. “I can see that.”

Billie Dean took another forkful before looking at Venable. Her aura was so absolutely unique. After a second of silence, she decided to speak again. “You don’t really enjoy speaking much… do you?”

Billie Dean was the second person this week to comment on that. Venable reached for her mug, which was now filled with water, and took a sip. She thought about her answer, about whether or not she was going to waste her time explaining her reasonings. “I suppose I don’t have much to talk about.” The answer was simple, but honest. Wilhemina had learned the hard way that if people were not interested, talking to them was meaningless. 

“I doubt it,” Billie Dean smiled softly. She took a sip of juice, which she had poured herself before sitting down alongside Wilhemina. “Your education is impressive. I bet you know a lot about a lot of things.” Even though Billie Dean didn’t like one bit that Venable doubted her work, she was still focused on making her feel welcomed. There was no point in scolding her for a personal belief—as long as she didn’t lack respect with Billie again. 

Venable chuckled before taking another forkful. She wondered if that whole conversation was a trap, if Billie Dean did it with every new employee in order to catch something she didn’t like. Wilhemina would not fall on traps. “I know I didn’t expect you to wear Floratta Blue, out of all perfumes.” Redirecting the conversation to Billie was a smart idea, Venable thought. 

Billie Dean’s eyes lit up slightly. She smiled a little more, holding her fork. “You’re the first one to recognize it. How do you know it?” 

“Mainstream brands are usually overcharged,” Wilhemina shrugged. “You pay for the brand, not for the product.” Billie nodded. Smart. “How do you know about it?” 

“I got it in my first trip to Brazil. Been wearing it ever since.” 

Venable had never traveled. She had never left the country. The notion of being away from familiar comfort wasn’t the most appealing to her. After fighting for her peace for so long, Wilhemina didn’t feel like she was ready to abandon it yet, even if just for a few days. “Suits you.”

“Thank you.” Billie ate a little more, and Wilhemina admired her courage of wearing a white dress when she knew spaghetti with red sauce was in the menu. “You smell like Lavender,” Billie Dean commented softly. And then she realized it sounded a little bit strange. I’ve never been normal, anyways. 

“Correct.” Wilhemina took another sip. “Yardley. English Lavender.”

Billie hummed. She knew that one. “Suits you, too.” Her brown eyes scanned Wilhemina’s features softly, watching as her lips only slightly tugged up. Why is she so serious? Billie Dean felt more and more intrigued. 

At the silence that made itself home between the two of them, Venable’s mind wandered back to the night before. Floratta Blue was a high-quality perfume, but it wasn’t strong enough to mask the odor of cigarettes completely. “I want to apologize for my behavior yesterday, Ms. Howard.” Admitting she was wrong was not hard for Wilhemina—when she knew she was. And calling her boss stupid right to her face was something that went against Venable’s values. “You’re certainly not stupid, even if I consider smoking something that makes no sense.” It takes someone really smart to build a whole company in lies. 

Positively taken aback, Billie Dean stopped chewing for a second. Given everything Wilhemina had shown her so far, an apology was not something Billie saw coming. She appreciated it, though. “Thank you, Wilhemina.” It was an honest answer. And so Billie thought perhaps she should apologize for some of her words, too. “I hope you know I don’t find you weaker than me. I guess I was taken by surprise with your words. Most people only think that, instead of actually saying it.”

Perhaps that had always been Wilhemina’s problem; she said what she thought. Billie Dean had asked for her to explain, and so she did. In theory, there was nothing wrong, but things don’t always work like they do in theory. “I understand,” she nodded. Venable knew, after all, that she was not weaker than Billie Dean—she was quite sure it was the opposite, in fact. 

“Good,” Billie smiled. She went back to eating, and silence made itself present between them again. Her foot wiggled around. “Just so you know,” Billie Dean said after a minute. “I agree with you.”

“On what?” Wilhemina wanted to make sure she was understanding the conversation correctly. 

“I think smoking is pointless.”

“Why do you smoke, then?” 

“Hard question.” Billie Dean chuckled before she let out a sigh. She stopped for a second to ponder on her answer. Being a public person, Billie had learned people could and would always use whatever information they had against her. But Venable had been so raw she doubted she even cared about making a penny out of tabloids. The ones kissing her ass were the people Billie Dean worried the most. “Anxiety, I suppose… too many things going on. Sometimes I need a way to calm down and focus only on what is physically happening.”

Physically happening. Wilhemina understood that more than she would like to admit. The words put things into a perspective she perhaps hadn’t thought about before. Venable bit her lower lip, feeling a weird sympathy growing inside her chest. “Have you tried reading?” That’s what Wilhemina did when she had to escape, after all. 

Billie Dean nodded. “I can’t pull a book out of my pocket between takes, though. Or when I’m outside, walking, working…”

It made sense. But only to an extent. At least that’s what Venable thought. She hummed, eyebrows arching for a second as she looked back at the half-empty plate in front of her. Carefully, Wilhemina wrapped more spaghetti around her fork. Sharing experiences, thoughts, emotions, it wasn’t her forte. “I used to carry a sketchbook with me, when I was younger.” Brown eyes looked back up at Billie Dean. Billie Dean stared at her with piercing brown oceans, actually paying attention and wanting to listen to what Wilhemina had to say. For the first time in ages, Venable felt like she was, perhaps, being heard by someone other than her therapist. “It was small, fit my pockets. Maybe that’s an option for you.”

Billie Dean for sure hadn’t taken Wilhemina as the kind of person who drew. Art was subjective, subtle, gentle, until it wasn’t. And Venable was anything but subjective, subtle, gentle… until she was. “I like that.” She reached to pull a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, for it had started to fall down on her eyes. “I’ll give it a try. Thank you.”

Smiling almost unnoticeably, Venable nodded. “Sure.” She went back to eating, and soon enough her plate was empty. She leaned back on the chair, feeling her back aching a little. A warm bath was going to be on the plans for tonight. 

Billie Dean got up and reached for her mug. “I’m getting coffee. Do you want some?” Wilhemina was nearly caught by surprise. She looked up at Billie Dean and, slowly, let out a nod. Why was she being so nice? What did she want? Billie reached for her mug as well and walked to the counter to fill them both. 

Venable got up to take their trash out. “Thank you,” she said quietly. 

“No worries.” The delicious smell of that amazing coffee filled the air again. Wilhemina couldn’t help but take a deep breath, eyes closing softly. From the corner of her eye, Billie Dean caught her. It was the first time she had seen Venable in a way that looked like she was relaxed. Walking back to the table, she set their mugs down and got back to her seat. Wilhemina joined her. 

“Thank you,” Venable repeated as she reached for her mug. She held it close to her face, glasses steaming. She took another deep breath. 

Billie Dean watched her discretely, taking a first sip of her coffee. She is beautiful, after all. Her makeup artist had been quick to realize that, while Billie had been so caught up in everything that it took her a moment. But now that she had, she couldn’t unsee it. “Smells amazing, right?” 

Wilhemina nodded. She only then took a sip, savoring it slowly as it warmed her mouth, and then, throat. “Tastes divine.” I should ask for the brand.

“Mhm.” Billie Dean licked her lips as she set her mug aside to cool down a little. As she was about to make another comment, chatter could be heard from the main office, and, soon enough, Jenny and Emma entered the kitchen. 

“Oh, hi!” Jenny said brightly. “Haven’t you guys had lunch yet?”

“We ate at the office,” Billie Dean explained. 

Quietly, Wilhemina kept on slowly sipping on her coffee. Emma passed by her and to the counter, and Venable felt a hand brushing on her shoulder. Her brown eyes looked over, and Emma offered her a small smile as she reached for a donut. Wilhemina squeezed her mug a little. Why did people like to touch others so much? Venable absolutely hated being touched. 

Jenny and Billie Dean had entered a parallel conversation about the wardrobe for next Monday, and so Venable got up to wash her mug and get back to work. Already in the hallway, Emma reached for her. “Lunch with the boss, huh?” She teased. For fuck’s sake. Holding back a sigh, Wilhemina hummed an agreement. “Smart move. Getting on Billie’s good side.”

“It was just lunch.” Wilhemina felt like she had to defend herself. She didn’t want anyone thinking she was kissing Billie Dean’s ass—that was not something she did, for anyone. 

“Speaking of it, when are we having lunch again?” Emma’s green eyes nearly sparkled at her. Wilhemina felt herself trapped. 

“I like the food in the office.”

“Have you tried the bakery around the block?”

“No.” 

“It’s settled, then. Next week I’m taking you there for dessert.” Without giving Wilhemina a chance to answer, Emma winked at her and followed to her table. Venable took a deep breath. Apparently, there was no dialogue with Emma. 

Afternoon dragged itself just like morning had done; the anticipation of going home to the weekend caused Wilhemina to constantly check the clock. When the office began to close, she took a deep breath and leaned back on her chair while her computer turned off. I can’t wait to take a bath. Red wine would certainly be involved tonight, as well as a good book and a scented candle. She got up to grab her purse and put her coat on, feeling her eyes stinging. Carefully, Venable took her glasses off and squeezed her eyes shut. Emma’s voice echoed in her head, completely unexpected for. “Ready?“

“For what?” Wilhemina opened her eyes again as she put her glasses back on. 

“Walk together to the garage.” Emma chuckled. Wilhemina didn’t see a reason to. 

“Sure.” Venable began walking, and Emma followed beside her. The elevator was already in their floor. 

“Lucky, again. You’re my lucky charm, it seems,” Emma teased. Wilhemina hummed. No one had ever said that to her, and so she allowed a faint chuckle to scape her lips this time. As they got inside and the doors closed, Emma looked at Venable. “Can I ask you something?”

That was never a good start. Wilhemina’s palms wanted to start sweating, but she kept her composure. “Yes?”

“Why are you so quiet?” 

Even though the question seemed genuine, Venable didn’t think it was worth to actually try and find an explanation. Besides, she had questions for Emma, too. “Why does it matter?”

Emma shrugged. “I find you interesting, that’s all.”

Interesting? That was a first. Wilhemina blinked a few times. “Thank you.” I guess. The doors opened, and they stepped outside and into the garage. Heels echoed through the pavement. As they got to Venable’s car, Emma stopped to look into her eyes. Wilhemina held herself not to take a step back.

“You didn’t answer my question,” Emma’s voice was sweet, playful. 

After a moment, Venable shrugged. “Maybe I don’t have an answer.”

Emma hummed. She seemed satisfied, for now. “Have a good weekend, Ms. Venable.”

“You too, Emma.” Content with the choice of the title, Venable offered her a small smile and got into her car. 

The ride home was packed with traffic lights and horns. The traffic was horrific, and when Venable finally managed to get home, it was already dark outside. Purpura meowed loudly at her. 

“I know.” Wilhemina pouted as she kicked her heels aside, as neatly as always, and took her coat off. “Two days that I’ve been coming home late… I miss you, too.” She followed to the couch and set her purse beside her. Instantly, the naked cat jumped on her lap. Venable caressed her back with loving strokes, going underneath her sweater and down to her tail. Purpura purred loudly, bumping her little head against Wilhemina’s chest. “Oh, darling, you’re warm, that’s good. Did you sleep a lot today?” Huge, dark eyes stared up at her. Venable leaned to kiss the cat’s head. “Good, sweetheart. I’ll be home the whole weekend.” Purpura kept on staring at Venable like she understood what she said. Wilhemina felt herself melting; adopting Purpura was something that had given her life a different meaning, and she still felt that way after all those many years. “Let me cook dinner and then I’ll take a bath and we can cuddle, alright?” The cat bumped its head on Wilhemina’s hand, demanding for more pets. With a giggle, Venable obliged. “You know what you want. What a cocky little lady.” Venable kept on smiling to herself, stroking Purpura’s skin gently—with the Winter arriving, Wilhemina could sense it getting drier. She made a mental note to moisturize Purpura’s skin this weekend, and also try and find another sweater for her. 

After many and many pets, Wilhemina got up to start dinner; today was a lazy day, so she just popped a gourmet pre-cooked lasagna in the oven and went to take a bath. The candle she had lit gave the bathroom a relaxing atmosphere, and its lavender scent invaded the air and mixed with the salts of her bath. Steam raised from the tub. Wilhemina slowly undressed herself, eyes darting away from the mirror when her back came into the reflection. After all those years, Venable still couldn’t stand to look at it. Repulsing. Gulping dryly, she got into the tub and closed her eyes. Now, all alone, she could allow herself to be vulnerable; she could allow herself to feel. Silent tears slid down her cheeks for no apparent reason, making her already tired eyes get even more tired. She took a deep breath. No matter how things went, Venable always ended up in her bathtub, crying. Sometimes she understood why, sometimes she didn’t; sometimes she just needed to. She hadn’t had the courage to tell her therapist that, yet. Weak. The warm water squeezed all her tense muscles and forced them to relax. After the tears stopped falling down, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. Her eyelashes had gone wet, causing the light from the candle to blur a little. It was all so peaceful when she was alone and the word was far away. Nothing could reach her. No one could see her. She couldn’t get hurt. 

For a pre-cooked meal, the lasagna tasted heavenly. Of course, Wilhemina couldn’t compare it to the food she had been eating at the office, but it was more than enough for a Friday night. The wine she had chosen was from a great batch, and so it elevated everything. She sipped a glass throughout the night, alternating with water as she ate, and then, read a book in the comfort of her bed. Purpura sat down on her lap, sleeping peacefully as she read for what seemed like hours until her head began falling down and her eyes began to close. Lazily, Wilhemina got up to brush her teeth. Purpura meowed in discomfort. “I know, darling. I’m sorry. I’ll be back in no time.” Venable kept her word, and in no more than five minutes she had already brushed her teeth and moisturized her skin—it reminded her to grab Purpura’s lotion and, to her surprise, there was none left. “Tomorrow morning I’ll stop by the pet store to buy more, sweetheart.” The cat was back at laying on top of Wilhemina, only this time she lay on her chest and stared at her with those beautiful, huge dark eyes. Venable smiled. “I might even spoil you a little with a new toy or that catnip you love.” As light as a feather, Wilhemina caressed Purpura’s skin. The cat purred loudly, paws shifting slightly against Venable’s pajama covered chest. “Would you like that, darling? I know you would.” Venable leaned and kissed the cat’s nose before a yawn cut through her lips. Feeling safer than ever, Wilhemina fell asleep, with Purpura curled right beside her and with her fiery hair forming a halo on the pillows under her head. 

To wake up with the organic sound of the birds rather than with the robotic alarm of her phone felt almost holy; Venable took a deep breath before slowly opening her eyes, lazily reaching to rub them as she let out a yawn. Still with her eyes closed, Wilhemina felt a paw gently resting on her chin. A weak chuckle filled the bedroom’s calming symphony. “Good morning, darling,” her voice was weak and raspy, typical of mornings. When she opened her eyes again, Purpura stared at her attentively. “Did you sleep well?” Venable reached to caress her back under her purple sweater. The cat’s butt lifted up slightly to meet her hand, and as on cue with her question, Purpura stretched herself and let out a huge yawn. Wilhemina let out a soft chuckle. “Good. So did I.” The cat leaned closer now, bumping its head against Wilhemina’s cheek, caressing itself there. Venable hummed. “Aren’t you the sweetest girl?” Purpura began to purr as Venable caressed between her ears. “I love you, darling.” 

Breakfast wasn’t anything fancy: Wilhemina made herself some eggs and toast. Purpura was lucky, for she got to eat her food along with a few bits of unsalted egg. Venable looked for a treat, but they were gone, too. I definitely need to go to the pet store. It was funny she didn’t have any stocked up. Her brown eyes eyed the dishwasher when she set her dishes on the sink, but Wilhemina decided it was better to unload it after she came home, for she could then rest if her back had begun hurting—going out for shopping with a sore back was no smart idea. After getting dressed in black trousers and a purple sweater, Venable put on her purple boots and fixed her hair up in a ponytail. Making sure she had everything she needed, she made her way to the garage and to the car. The streets weren’t too busy, but the sounds were still too loud for what should be a relaxing Saturday morning. Wilhemina was lucky she found parking close to the store, and so she walked in and got everything she needed, from the lotion for Purpura, to a few treats and a new—purple—sweater. As she walked outside, brown eyes landed on a beautiful painting at the other side of the street. Intrigued, Wilhemina walked that way, only to realize it was part of a new stationer’s store. I could use some new pens. Venable was already outside, anyways. 

A bell on top of the door rang softly as she stepped inside. The delicious smell of still warm paper invaded Wilhemina’s nostrils, bringing memories from a very comforting time in her life. The store was huge and fairly empty, quiet as a few people read on what seemed to be a small library. Venable was careful for her heels and cane to not stomp too loudly on the floor. She looked around in awe, admiring the different supplies and options; not too long ago, Wilhemina had been really connected to her art. She worked mostly with color pencils, drawing from portraits to animals and landscapes. Why did I stop, after all? It had helped her tremendously in a time when her anxiety had gotten worse. Given the way her nerves had spiked up at work that last week, perhaps it was time to get back at it. Venable hummed as her fingertips passed through a sheet of paper, feeling its density and quality. Canson was always great. She grabbed a faux-leather, purple sketchbook in A4 size before looking over to the pocket-sized ones. Her purple heels stopped as she saw, much to her surprise, a coral one. A chuckle left her lips. Wilhemina had seen enough coral for a lifetime this week… and still, she stared at it. She stared and stared and reached to grab it and feel the texture of the paper inside—good paper. Paper that made the strokes of a pencil way smoother and easier to shade. Without thinking much, Wilhemina grabbed it; she grabbed it and didn’t look at it again, for she knew that if she thought too much, she would simply put it back on the shelf, and she knew Billie Dean wanted to quit smoking. Besides, she had taken the time to make her a purple mug. Venable went on with her shopping, grabbing a small sketchbook in purple for her as well, and a few graffiti pencils of different shades—more than she needed for just herself—as well as two professional erasers. Then, she paid for everything and shoved the coral sketchbook deep inside the bag. 

Purpura greeted Wilhemina at the door as she always did, meowing loudly and rubbing her side at the doorframe. Venable chuckled to herself. “Did you miss me that much already?” The cat sniffed the bags as Wilhemina kicked her shoes off. “Yes, I did get you gifts.” She walked to the couch and sat down, reaching for the brand-new sweater she had gotten Purpura—it was handmaid and made with soft, warm wool. “Look at it,” she held the piece up for the cat to look at. Purpura meowed once. “Right? It’s gorgeous. After I moisturize your skin, we’ll try it on.” The cat leaned down to smell the bag again. Venable let out a soft laugh before she reached for the bag of treats. “Is that what you want?” Purpura meowed again, bumping her head on Wilhemina’s arm, asking for pets. “Okay, okay. One thing at a time.” Carefully, Venable opened the bag and gave a treat to Purpura. The cat ate it rather quickly, so she gave her another and got up to unload the dishwasher. As expected, her back began hurting, so Wilhemina grabbed her book and sat down to read it at a comfortable position. 

The weekend went by smoothly; Wilhemina caught up on some sleep and on her book, which she finished. With the task of the book completed, on Sunday she took the time to find her old art supplies in the attic and clean what needed to be cleaned. A sketch or two were made, just so she could get the feeling of it again, and before bed she took the time to moisturize Purpura, making sure every little bit was hydrated and soft—she smelled like lavender, now. Venable let out a laugh as she realized her and her cat smelled the same. The sweater fit perfectly, and Purpura seemed to enjoy the warmth it provided her. Monday morning arrived, and with the coral sketchbook buried deep inside her purse, Venable’s heels echoed through the office yet again. As always, she was the first one to arrive, even earlier than Billie Dean. Quietly and before anyone could see, Wilhemina sneaked into Billie’s office and set the pencils as well as the eraser and the sketchbook on top of her table. Billie Dean would find it sometime, and she hoped she would have forgotten until then that they even had a conversation about it. 

When the office began clouding with chattering from the others arriving, Wilhemina had already turned her computer on and opened an excel sheet. Emma offered her a smile, and Venable prayed she didn’t approach her table. She didn’t. Until ten minutes later, holding both her mug and Wilhemina’s. 

“I brought you coffee,” Emma said softly as she carefully set the purple mug down. 

Wilhemina looked up to the woman and back down at the mug, lips tugging up slightly. Maybe she’s not that bad… “Thank you.” She reached for it. 

“No problem.” Emma smiled at Wilhemina, and only then Venable realized how gorgeous her green eyes were; they carried a lighter color than usual with the bright, morning light. “Monday again, huh?”

“Yes,” Wilhemina chuckled. She took a first sip of the hot drink, humming as it warmed her insides. “Thank you for the coffee. It’s divine.” She felt the need to thank Emma again. Wilhemina was definitely not used to people being nice to her, and with Emma’s gesture, she nearly felt lost. So, she pushed the thoughts and feelings it had provided her aside, even if her cheeks threatened to turn pink.

Emma shrugged it off, humming as she, as well, took a sip of her drink. “Did you have a good weekend?”

Normally, Venable wouldn’t stand having this kind of useless conversation with anyone, but Emma looked at her in a way that, strangely enough, was starting to grow on Wilhemina. Still, she kept her walls up high. “I did, yes. Did you?” No oversharing. 

“Mhm. Did a few things around the house.” Emma took another sip of her drink. “Took my cat for a walk.”

The mention of a cat caused Wilhemina’s eyes to lit up a little. Animals never judged, and for that she was forever thankful. “Yours enjoy walks?”

“He does! Do you have a cat, too?” Emma reached for her chair and pulled it so she could sit down in front of Wilhemina’s table. 

It didn’t even cross Venable’s mind to be mad at the prospect of having Emma around her for longer—given she had pulled a chair for herself—which was, safe to say, unusual. But Emma had, unknowingly, stepped into a territory not many people found the way to. “I do. She’s a girl.” Keep it easy. Wilhemina intended to keep herself calm and collected, even if it made her excited to talk to someone about Purpura. The last thing she needed was for Emma to make fun of her for being overly attached to her cat. It had happened before. 

“Adorable. Mine is a boy, I named him Dots.” Blindly, Emma reached for her phone in the pocket of her pants, quickly finding a picture and showing it to Wilhemina. 

Venable leaned closer to see the screen better, which caused her to not even realize Billie Dean had arrived and now made her way to her office. Dots was adorable, mostly white with black details all over—they did, in fact, look like lots of little dots. Wilhemina smiled; she smiled big and genuine. “What a beautiful boy.”

“I think so, too.” Emma chuckled, and with the answer she got a laugh from Wilhemina as well. 

Wilhemina leaned back once Emma put her phone aside, and so she reached for her own to show her a picture of Purpura. She made sure to pick one that showed her beautiful sweater and gorgeous collar, both purple in color. “Here’s mine. Name’s Purpura.” 

It was Emma’s turn to lean in, now. “Oh, my!” She smiled. “I’ve always wanted one of those! She’s so pretty.”

Positively surprised, Venable felt her chest fluttering a little. Most people called Purpura weird, so a reaction like Emma’s was rare. “Thank you. You’re one of the first to react this way.” Deep inside, that was why Wilhemina identified with Purpura so much: They were what people were grossed out by. They were everything people looked at and tried not to judge. They were weird. They were gross. Or at least, that’s how they were seen as. 

“I can imagine. She’s a Sphynx, right?” 

Wilhemina was about to answer when, from the corner of her eye, a delicate yellow dress made itself present in her view. She looked over only to see Billie Dean, with her cheeks slightly crimson. 

“Wilhemina?” Billie called. 

A head full of fiery locks turned over at her. Emma watched them quietly. “Yes?”

“Would you join me at my office, please?” Billie Dean carried a certain softness to her voice and features, which was enough for Wilhemina to know exactly why she wanted her over. Shit. 

[wearecheckinghe]

based on the tags by @cvrthage and @love-leah on this post tyyy for your scholarship 

Max cracks an eye open when the sun that had been hidden behind rare Monaco clouds reappears, hitting his face and bathing the room in a warm orange glow. He thinks it may be noon, but he really can’t be sure. Time moves differently here, he thinks, when he’s with Daniel. It’s like time can’t touch them.

The windows are open. Before, Max would have been worried about the cats getting out.  Daniel had helped him put up wires on the windows too, after Max had sworn his way through getting the balcony cat-proofed.  Daniel had complained and sworn as well, but when Max tried to take the pliers off him, he refused, saying that he “couldn’t let his Maxy lift another finger,” in a stupid accent, like a butler or something in a show. Even though Max knew Daniel was only joking, it made him smile anyway. It made Max happy knowing that Daniel was happy here. 

The whole apartment makes Max happy now, instead of being only the place he sleeps in a city he loves.  The sheets are nice on his skin, where he’s mostly naked against them. They had picked them out together. Something about Daniel picking sheets for Max’s bed had made him nervous in the store, until Daniel had paid for them, and told the cashier that he couldn’t sleep another night on his boyfriend’s terrible sheets.  Men, she had said knowingly, and Daniel laughed along with her. Max’s heart unsqueezed in his chest from where he was lurking by the nearby counter with gaudy, brightly coloured impulse items.  He wondered if they needed spoons with little pigs on the end.  In the end he’d left them behind, but the following week they’d appeared on the counter anyway. Max smiled every time he saw them on the table.

Almost as soon as Max thinks his name, Daniel appears in the doorway, holding a tray that’s been unearthed from god knows where, a sheepish and soft smile on his face. "Finally awake,” he says, with a waggle of his eyebrows, moving toward the bed where Max is stretching.  He’s sore, he realises quickly, but in the way that he’s come to know as the good kind of sore. He can tell he’s been with Daniel, that Daniel’s been with him, too. Max likes the reminder. 

Daniel sets the tray next to Max on the bed, and sits next to it.  He’s sort of shielding the contents of the tray with his body, waiting for Max to sit up, so Max does, moving so his back is against the headboard and he can shift the tray closer to see.   

On the tray is what appears to be lunch – spaghetti with a red sauce on it, and a fork and one of the pig spoons next to it.  Daniel has a can of Red Bull tucked under his arm.  Max can’t help but smile, one of his Daniel smiles that sometimes make Daniel poke a finger into a dimple.

“It looks very delicious,” Max says, meaning it, and Daniel half-smiles back. 

“It’s just from a jar,” he says, in the same tone of voice he sometimes uses about racing now.  It’s his ah well, I tried, maybe it was enough, maybe it wasn’t voice.  Max doesn’t like that voice very much. 

Daniel knows Max hates that voice, so he nudges Max’s shoulder with the cold can and Max looks up at him, glaring a little.

“I said it looks very delicious,” Max says, firmly, and Daniel’s expression shifts into his I’m not going to bother arguing with Max face.  Max much prefers this face and has spent years cultivating Daniel’s resignation to arguments with him. 

Max picks up the pig spoon. “When did you learn to cook like this?” 

“Well, Mum said I should know how to cook before I left home,” Daniel started, looking down at the bowl on the tray, “and obviously that didn’t exactly stick. But I can make pasta from a jar and it usually does the trick, so.”

Max knew he liked it when Daniel looked after him, of course. It was obvious to him right away, right from the start. When Daniel would make him laugh so easily after a tough race, when Max first started racing and took everything so much harder.  When Daniel would steer him away from his dad in the garage. When Daniel would have to tell him over and over on the phone that he wasn’t leaving because of Max. 

This was something different though, Max thought. This was Daniel looking after him just because he wanted to cook Max something to eat for lunch. This was Daniel looking after him, after he had said, Let me take care of you tonight Maxy into Max’s ear the night before. This was Daniel cooking something for Max in the place they had made theirs. This was just for Max.  For them together.

“Do you have lunch for you too,” Max says, because he needs Daniel to know that Max can look after him, that Max knows what Daniel needs as well.

Daniel smiles down at him like he knows what Max is really meaning, says something like he’s not having Red Bull past noon though, and goes to get his own bowl.  When he comes back, he doesn’t have a pig spoon but that’s okay, they’re mostly for Max anyway. 

“Bon appetit, babe,” Daniel says, clinking their cutlery together, and Max loves him.

[dracossweetprincess]

hii, can i order one wherever the reader's birthday is, and Draco gives him presents and things like that, and at the end of the day they fuck? make it fluff but also smut, thanks in advance🤍

spoiled | d.m

dracoxfem.reader

request: yes/no

preview: it’s y/n’s birthday, and draco plans to spoil her rotten.

warnings: draco being a simp for his gf, draco being a softie, SMUT (+18), fluffy smut, praising kink, vaginal fingering, oral (female receiving), vaginal sex, unprotected sex (don’t do that).

Since Draco found out what day Y/n’s birthday was, he had been planning that whole day since the moment they started dating. This was Y/n’s first birthday with Draco. She did expect Draco to spoil her a little bit, maybe get her some chocolates and flowers, but she had absolutely no idea what Draco had planned for the day.

Y/n slept soundly beside him, as they were staying at the Malfoy Manor for the holidays. Draco woke up with the sun hitting his pale face, slowly opening his eyes and stretching his arms. He smiled to himself remembering what day it was, wanting to give Y/n a birthday to remember. He turned around, rolling on top of her and starting to shower her face with kisses.

On her cheeks, on the tip of her nose, on her eyelids, in her forehead and finally on her lips. Y/n’s eyes fluttered open, as she smirked at the way Draco was treating her so lovingly. “Good morning, gorgeous.” Draco smiled down at her, leaning down to press another kiss to the tip of her nose as she scrunched it slightly, making Draco chuckle. “Happy birthday.”

“Good morning, Dray.” She let out a soft yawn, gently rolling Draco off of her and sitting up. “Today is your birthday and I’m spoiling you rotten, darling.” Draco smirked, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her on his lap. “Oh yeah?” She whispered in his year, pressing a kiss behind it sending shivers down Draco’s spine.

“Yes, but first I need you to wait downstairs.” Y/n scrunched her eyebrows, trying to figure out what Draco was up to but nodded in agreement jogging downstairs. She waited on the couch reading a book, when she felt Draco wrap his arms around her from behind. “Come on, pretty girl.” She chuckled, following him upstairs towards his room again.

The pair walked into Draco’s room, Y/n looking around to be met with about twenty different gifts spread all over his room. “Draco, what’s all this? It isn’t Christmas.” She asked a little in shock. “Presents.” Draco chuckled, wrapping his arms around her from behind and tucking his face on her shoulder. “Are all these from you?” Y/n asked, slightly worried. As much as all these gifts were nice, Y/n didn’t like it that Draco spent so much money on her.

“Yup.” He smiled proudly, as he absolutely loved buying her gifts. The smile on her face always made his heart swell, so he never exited to buy everything the girl looked at for more then five seconds when they were window shopping in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. “Draco! This must have cost a lot of money, I don’t want you spending so much money on me like that!” She scolded him.

“But why can’t I?” He whined like a little kid. “I need to spoil my baby.” He smiled, pressing a sweet kiss to her cheek. Y/n sighed, considering herself defeated and opened all of the gifts. The gifts were things like perfumes, flowers, chocolates, clothes, and her absolute favorite was a soft dark green sweater that had the words “Draco Malfoy’s property” sewed on it.

The pair ended up cuddling in Draco’s bed again, until lunch time. Y/n starting to feel hungry. “Alright, let’s go back downstairs and see what we can make for lunch.” She got up, but Draco grabbed her arm making her turn around again. “What? No! Let’s go to my mom’s tulip garden, I have a picnic ready, I’ve been planning it for weeks.” Y/n’s heart swelled at the sweet gesture.

“Wait, really?”

“Of course, angel.” They walked towards Narcissa’s beautiful tulip garden, hand in hand. It was possibly the most beautiful garden Y/n had ever seen, and it was definitely her favorite part of the Manor. Y/n gasped as they got closer to the picnic, seeing a blanket spread on the grass with a variety of her favorite foods. Spaghetti, brownies, cookies and pink lemonade. “Do you like it?” Draco asked, pleased with himself for being able to put a smile on her face.

“Like it? Draco I love it.” She hugged him around the waist. “I’m glad, love.” They both sat down, Y/n resting her head on Draco’s lap letting him feed her and play with her hair after a little fight over how she could feed herself. Feeling the sun hit her face, making it hard to keep her eyes open and the soft breeze making her hair slightly messy.

They walked back to the Manor, Draco going to take a shower. He walked out of the bathroom, towel around his waist and wet hair. Y/n didn’t even notice, but she was staring. “Take a picture it’ll last longer.” He smirked, leaning against the bathroom door. “Like what you see, darling?” Draco let the towel fall to the floor, now standing completely naked in front of the girl making her gasp.

“Draco!” She hid her face on her pillow, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing madly. “Time for your last gift, darling. And since today’s about you, you get to choose whatever you want me to do to you.” He smirked, getting on top of Y/n and pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “I want your fingers, I want your mouth and I want your cock.”

“Mmm my greedy girl wants it all? Huh?” Y/n nodded, already feeling herself get wet at the thought of the activities that were about to happen. “Alright, darling. Just because it’s your birthday I’ll give you what you want.” Draco slowly unbuttoned her silky pijama top, groaning at the sight of her breasts already on display for him.

He pushed her bottoms down her legs, while massaging her breasts as the girl moaned quietly into his shoulder. Y/n shuddered feeling his breath over her sopping cunt, as Draco slid his index finger through her folds, spreading her wetness and bringing his finger into his mouth, sucking it clean. “You taste so good, darling.”

Without warning Draco slid through fingers in her cunt, immediately starting to pump them in and out at a fast pace. Draco rubbed circles on her clit, his fingers still reveling in her tightness. “Dray fuck! It feels so good.” She moaned. “Good girl.” He let out and added a third one. Draco continued continuously pumping roughly into her tight hole, placing kisses all over her, shoulders and breasts while she bucked against his hand trying to get more friction.

Y/n closed her eyes, focusing on the pleasure of the coil in her stomach as all she could think about were her boyfriend’s fingers fucking into her. “Draco, fuck!” She cried, as she started to come undone coating his fingers. Draco didn’t waist a second to pull his fingers from her cunt, and suck them clean again, not letting a drop go to waste. “Good job, love. You did so good. Now spread your legs so I can ruin you.”

Y/n was still in her aftershock, but obeyed spreading her legs wide giving him a clear view of her swollen pussy. “I want you to fuck my pussy. Want you to ruin me.” Y/n let out calmly, Draco’s eyes darkening at her words. Draco pumped his length in his hand, pushing inside of her without hesitation. Giving her a few seconds to adjust, he started thrusting hard and fast, the girl’s moans growing louder.

Draco moaned into her neck, the feeling of her clenching walls around him being heavenly. Draco was hitting every sweet spot inside of her, making the girl throw her head back at the waves of pleasure that hit her like a train. Draco wrapped his lips around one of her nipples, lapping his tongue and sucking on it, Y/n almost letting out a scream at the intense pleasure.

Y/n was moaning hard, bucking her hips rhythmically trying to get him deeper inside of her. One of Draco’s hands flew up to her hard nipple and began roughly massaging it again. Draco’s cock moving against her tight walls with delicious friction. Y/n tossed her head back against the pillow, closing her eyes as he fucked her harder and harder. Her walls tightened around him, and Draco felt like he might break, pumping frantically inside her.

Y/n let out a scream of pleasure, that was muffled by her pillow, drowning Draco’s cock in her cum. Y/n felt Draco twitch inside her, and fill her up to the brim with a final rough thrust. Draco pulled out, cleaning himself up and turning to the girl that still lied down on his bed, completely naked, legs spread only for him, like a slut. His slut. “How about I get you to that third orgasm? Would you like that, my slutty princess?”

“Yes, Dray. Want your mouth.” Draco went to work, burying his face in between her legs as his tongue lapped up the taste of hers and his cum. Draco licked long stripes up her slit at first, before sucking on her clit, harshly, in the motions he knew would make her fall apart. “Feels good, Dray. S’good.” Draco smirked against her pussy, Y/n bucking her hips up wanting him to get back to work.

Tears pricked her eyes, as it just felt too good. “Fuck, Draco! Fuck, fuck, fuck. Gonna cum. M’ gonna cum.” Y/n squirted on his face, Draco letting out a satisfied groan as he licked her clean, Y/n whining realizing just how overstimulated she was. Draco pressed a sweet kiss to her lips, walking to the bathroom to get a cloth to clean her up, and pull her into his naked chest. Legs entangled, Y/n let out a satisfied sigh, starting to feel relaxed.

“Happy birthday, darling. I love you.”

[grimalkinmessor]

I'm pretty sure I accidentally walked into a liminal space today. Confused? So am I :D

Allow me to explain.

I've been craving Chinese for the past week, so I finally looked up a place to get some around where me and the fam are currently staying. I found one with a nice website, four stars, large menu, and open (why are Chinese places never open on Tuesday?) so I put in my order online and went to go pick it up because the Door Dash time was thirty-six minutes and the google maps time was nine minutes.

I got horribly lost after taking a wrong turn and going seventeen miles in the wrong direction, so that didn't really matter because I got there a whole hour after my food was ready, so it didn't really matter in the end but also that's embarrassing so MOVING ON.

I get there, and there's only one other car in the parking lot. A little weird, not too crazy. The door's propped open, so I head on inside and,,, there's only one person in there.

It's a Chinese restaurant that advertises a buffet and while it's not exactly a big place, it was weird for the only Chinese place in the area open on a Tuesday to be completely empty at 6pm.

But it gets weirder.

There were hoards live bugs on every single window, even the ones away from the door. The bugs weren't moving at all except for the occasional wing flutter. There's a whole back wall full of stacked, broken gumball machines with nothing in them. And when I say a whole wall I mean there were like forty of them all stacked up to the ceiling. The tables were clean but looked like they'd been shoved out of place, and the buffet bars near the kitchen were completely empty. There were a couple broken plastic-porcelain bowls in a few of the tubs, but that was it.

I'm enjoying the decor (because I'm a lil freak that likes creepy buildings) and the woman at the counter asks what I'm doing there, even though I'm clearly the only person they're waiting on. I tell her I ordered online and I pay for my food. ...And the receipt she hands me back has my deadname on it. I put my current name in online when I ordered, and I paid in person so she couldn't have gotten it from my card info, so I have no idea how THAT happened but moving on.

She goes into the back to get my food, and she calls something out in Chinese to the person I assume is in the kitchen, though I never heard them answer her. She disappears into the back, and a few moments go by with little buzzing and cooking sounds in the background—before I hear a loud crashing noise. I look up, and the woman from before comes out with a smile on her face, completely unphased, and gives me my food. I don't ask her what the noise was, because my momma taught me to keep my nose outta people's business, so I take my food, thank her, and leave.

I get back to the park fine (with far less trouble than I got to the restaurant but I digress) and open up my food. The rice is delicious, no complaints there at all, but then I open up my lo mein and it's,,,made of spaghetti noodles.

It still tasted great, the texture was a little weird ngl, but ultimately I got my Chinese food AND I got to visit a station of purgatory so, win win :3

[donutloverxo]

Anniversary

This is written for my dear friend @just-one-ordinary-fangirl's 1000 followers challenge. Congrats on such a huge milestone! I used the prompt "Oh, honey, what on Earth were you thinking"

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Summary - You try to cook for your future husband and fail miserably. But there are other ways you can make it up to him 👀

Warnings - 18+ only please. Explicit sexual content, daddy kink, deep throat.

Pairing - Andy Barber x reader

Word count - 1.4k

You huffed out a breath, some flour that was stuck on your upper lip along with it, pushing the strand on your forehead behind your ear with the back of your hand, although you were pretty sure they were already completely covered in flour and what not.

You sniffled as you looked at the state of your kitchen, fighting back tears because you literally had one job and you couldn’t even get that right.

“I’m so useless...” you mumbled.

Usually Andy was the one to do the cooking and you’d just ‘help' by hugging him from behind--because it was really nice to feel his hard back and butt pressed up against you--or by snacking on whatever he was cooking or tasting his food and giving him pointers. Either that or you both would just order in.

But now you were engaged.

You had a brand new solitaire on your hand and you had to work on being a good wife. How had to gone almost thirty years without knowing how to do something so basic and essential?

Maybe you shouldn’t have picked a meal as tough as a chicken pot pie but that was Andy’s favorite and you wanted to do something special for your anniversary. Pasta or spaghetti doesn’t exactly scream effort or I love you. It’s not like you’d be very good at that either. You didn’t even know how to properly boil an egg.

Because you were too busy wallowing in your self pity, you didn’t even hear Andy come in and yell out his customary “Honey, I’m home.”

You snapped your head up at him when you heard him call out your name. Placing his bag on your marble counter he examined the mess you had made and then you.

“Oh, honey, what on earth were you thinking?” he cooed. Not angry in the slightest but rather sympathetic. Especially when he saw how watery your eyes were and how dejected you looked.

He pulled you into his chest, rubbing your arm after placing a tender kiss to your forehead. He never let you even touch the stove and for a very good reason. “Why is my princess so upset?” he asked. Although he had an idea why.

He pulled away, taking your hands in his to check for any injuries and make sure that you were okay.

“I wanted to do something special for you,” you mumbled, playing with a button on his shirt, “But it all went wrong and so fast. Even though I followed the darn instructions!” you whined, resisting the urge to stomp your feet.

He sighed, pecking your lips, “You take such good care of me, sweetheart.”

“No, I don’t,” you puffed your cheeks like a little chipmunk, “I’ve never cooked for you and I don’t know how to make you feel special.”

“You make me feel special and loved just by being with me,” he smiled, kissing your knuckles. “Now, how about you and me go out for dinner? Would that be an okay way to spend our anniversary?”

“Um, did you get me anything?” you asked. If he hadn’t that maybe you wouldn’t feel terribly guilty about ruining your gift to him.

“I sure did, honey. I would never forget,” he said with a stupidly handsome grin, so proud of himself. You would usually throw a fit if he hadn't but right now he was being annoying.

“Andy,” you frowned. “I put all my eggs in one basket. I didn’t get you anything! I’m such a bad girlfriend.”

“Fiancé,” he corrected. He didn’t like it when you forgot even if it was just a mistake. “This,” he said, tracing the ring on your finger, “means that you belong to me, Mrs Barber. And don’t you forget it.”

You gulped at the dominance in his voice, “Yes daddy.”

“Good girl,” he praised, cupping your cheek as you leaned into his touch. “You being mine is more than enough for me. But if you really want to make it up to me.... you know what to do,” he hummed, pushing his thumb inside your mouth.

“What?” you blinked, feigning innocence and pretending that you didn’t notice his hard length pressing into your hip.

“You can try to take my dick down your throat,” he told you, now pushing two of his fingers in your mouth to prep you.

“I’ll try,” you said but it came out a bit incoherent since your mouth was full.

It also earned you a slap to your ass, making you jump and yelp around his fingers. “You’ll have to do better than that sweetheart. You’re getting spoiled. Maybe I’ll return the present I got for you.”

“No no,” you frantically shook your head, “I’ll do it, daddy, promise,” you swore, holding out your pinky.

He was nice enough to bring you to the living room and giving you a pillow to kneel on while he sat back against the couch.

“It’s not gonna suck itself, sweetheart,” he said as you mumbled out an apology and started working in unbuckling his belt and unzipping him with shaky hands.

You had let him use your mouth plenty of times, but he was just so big. Bigger than any man you had ever been with. You could barely get half his length in your mouth. And while he encouraged you to take as much of him as you could he was understanding when you couldn’t. And mostly desperate to get his own mouth on you.

You licked your lips when you pulled out his pulsating manhood, “So big,” you wondered out loud, scared of what it’ll do to your poor throat.

“It’s okay, honey. You can take it in your pussy, so you can take it in your mouth too if you try hard enough.” His patience running thin as he pushed you towards it.

You could barely take it in your pussy. Andy would literally have to prepare you and use lube. As good as it was, it left you with a delicious ache and sometimes wobbly for days.

You sucked on his tip, moaning at the sweet and salty taste of pre ejaculate leaking out as your hands fondled his balls.

“It’s yummy,” you looking up at him, licking your lips of the cummies smeared on them.

“If you make daddy happy you’ll get even more of it,” he promised, pushing your head down his length, “Open wide,” he instructed.

And you followed like the good girl that you were, taking as much of him as you could till he hit the back of your throat, making you gag and cough around him when he tried to push you even further.

He traced a thumb over the imprint of his dick on your throat, “Try to relax your throat a bit, sweetheart. Can you do that for daddy?” He asked, wiping away a stray tear from your cheek.

You nodded as he pushed you even further down, and despite your coughing and sputtering you took all of him till your nose touched the soft curls at the base of his cock.

You swallowed around him, moaning which he pinched your nipple through your shirt.

“I love it when you do that,” he groaned. Almost coming then and there when you swallowed around him. “Hang on, sweetheart,” he said as he held onto the back of your head. Lifting his hips off the couch he slowly fucked up into your warm mouth, his balls tightening when he saw you drooling around him.

You made sure to swallow every last bit of daddy’s cum, heaving and taking in some much needed oxygen when he finally let you go.

“Show me, honey,” he ordered. You opened your mouth to show him that you swallowed all of it.

You wiped your mouth with the back of your hand. “Where’s my gift?” you asked eagerly.

“Such a greedy little thing, aren’t you?” he teased, pinching your nose.

He showed you the box of designer heels he had got for you. You had been asking him for them for weeks and he was hesitant because they were so expensive and you had more than enough shoes.

You squealed loud enough for the whole block to hear, hugging him tightly and smiling so fondly at him when he put them on your feet. As if you were Cinderella.

“You like ‘em?” he looked up at you.

“I love them. Thank you, daddy.”

Tags will be in the reblog! Click the link in the bio to be join the taglist or shoot me an ask/dm. Comments and reblogs are really appreciated! ❤❤

Please note that my work is not to be reposted or published anywhere other than my Tumblr or AO3 account without my permission. Reblogs are most welcome though!

[pinkpeaonies]

“sara and her health food obsession”

first story of this nature! kinda nervous! pls let this reach the target audience or im gonna cry

cw: calorie counting/ed tendencies???

topics: stuffing, wg, and cute lesbians!!:

“Hey! Wait up!”

Sara turned back to see who was calling her, her blonde hair flowing in the gentle spring wind. It was none other than her lovely girlfriend Maizie.

“You’re so mean, trying to go to school without me!” Maizie teased, lightly punching Sara.

“Well, maybe if you actually woke up on time, we wouldn’t be in this predicament!” Sara teased right back.

“Ah, only a girl like you would make fun of someone while using the word ‘predicament’…” Maizie said, lightly kissing Sara’s shoulder.

They had just started dating last month, and Sara didn’t know too much about Maizie, but she loved her nonetheless. Maizie just happened to be her roommate, and ever since, Sara slowly started falling more and more in love with her.

The boring school day went on. College could be so boring to Sara, especially the classes that had nothing to do with her major. After a long day of school, Sara went to the spot that made her the happiest: the gym. Sara was a bit of a health obsessed chick, and spent large amounts of her free time planning healthy meals or working on her body. She wanted to be the best she could be for Maizie, after all.

But for some reason, today, she just wasn’t feeling up to it. Perhaps she was impatient and wanted to be with Maizie. As she ran on the treadmill or used the elliptical, it just didn’t feel the same.

“I might as well go home…” Sara thought. Rest days were good, and she hadn’t taken one in a while, so she figured there was nothing wrong with it.

“Oh? You’re home early. Couldn’t wait to see me, huh?” Maizie said as Sara walked in the door.

Sara noticed Maizie was preparing a feast of sorts.

“What’s all this for?” Sara asked. It smelled amazing, but also extremely unhealthy.

“Oh… well, I was making something for my family since they’re in town. It’s a bunch of their favorite foods; I’m making two kinds of pasta, margarita and New York style pizza, ribs, chicken wings, mango sticky rice, and of course, a green been casserole to be healthy!” Maizie said, stirring the pasta sauce.

“Wow. Your family must love you, huh?” Sara said. “Although… this is all really unhealthy…”

“So? Doesn’t make it any less delicious!” Maizie replied, giggling.

Sara kept walking towards the bathroom to take her before dinner shower. She wondered what she should have for dinner as she got undressed.

“Should I make that grilled chicken and greens salad again? Or should I do a cheat meal of sorts and make some vegan macaroni and cheese…” she thought.

After a while, Sara finally got done showering and was absolutely ravenous. She rushed to get dressed so she could get started on dinner. However, when she came out of the bathroom, Maizie was standing outside with a distraught expression on her face.

“What’s up?” Sara asked, bracing for the worst.

“Oh… you look so cute with wet hair! But that’s not the point. My family all of a sudden is going on this keto diet and they refuse to eat anything I made! I made so much, what am I gonna do?!” Maizie cried, leaping towards Sara and falling into her arms.

“Oh… well… I’m sure we’ll be able to finish all of it over the whole week!” Sara reassuringly said, but Maizie didn’t look any happier.

“That’s the thing, none of this stuff is good the next day! We’ll have to eat it all tonight. I only made so much because I was cooking for five people!!!” Maizie said, looking frustrated.

“I mean, I’ll try to finish it for you. Don’t worry, okay?” Sara replied, stroking Maizie’s head like she was a cat.

After Sara got herself ready, she sat down at the table and started to fill up her plate. It truly did look delicious. She went for the rich, creamy spaghetti first, grabbing a heaping pile of it that was about half of the portion Maizie made.

“I haven’t had a cheat day in forever! This looks so good, thanks babe!” Sara said, going in to take a bite.

Sara couldn’t believe it. The pasta was so good. She couldn’t control herself. She was so hungry, it felt like the best thing she’d ever eaten in her entire life. Forkful after forkful, it was so good, she couldn’t stop.

“Wow, someone’s enjoying their food, huh?” Maizie said, smiling mischievously.

“What did you put in here?!” Sara said inbetween mouthfuls of spaghetti.

“Uhhh… pasta noodles, heavy cream, tomato sauce, chicken stock, italian sausage, and some seasonings. Don’t go stealing my recipe though!” Maizie answered, laughing innocently.

As Maizie said that, Sara wiped her plate clean. It was strange, because normally after such a huge portion, Sara would be beyond full, but she felt a desire to keep eating. Perhaps it was the love (and calories) that Maizie poured into her food.

Next, Sara reached for five slices of the New York style pizza. She was a sucker for good pepperoni pizza, so she immediately wolfed down three slices in the span of about a minute. She could feel it start to fill her stomach and weigh her down, but that wasn’t stopping her. Come to think of it, Sara was so hungry all the time, but she got used to it. It was nice to relieve her hunger while trying to ease her girlfriend’s emotions.

She quickly finished the pizza, and then she moved on to chicken alfredo. It was gone just about as fast as she served it to herself. Then, she had some of the ribs. Sara was scared of ribs because she ate them for a week and gained crazy weight, but it was nice to indulge in them as she really did love barbecue ribs. The ribs were gone, and soon were the chicken wings, and soon was the green bean casserole, and then she made it to the mango sticky rice. Sara was especially scared of sugary things because of how much she loved them. She could eat cakes and cookies all day, but not without an increased tightness in her waistband. So, she avoided sugar like the plague, but she decided she might as well and started to dig in. Like all the rest of Maizie’s wonderful cooking, it was amazing. But there was a problem. After the obscene amount of food she just ate, her stomach hurt excruciatingly, and her stomach was so heavy it almost pinned her down.

Maizie was just dumbfoundedly staring the whole time.

“Damn, I didn’t know you could eat so much. Did you enjoy it?” Maizie asked, standing up to clear the dishes from the table.

“Y-yes… I did… but my stomach aches so much now…” Sara said, rubbing her stomach.

As she rubbed her stomach, she couldn’t help but notice that she was bursting out of her size zero pajamas with how bloated her stomach had become. As she made a face that made her discomfort known, Maizie came over to her chair.

“Awww… you poor thing! You should do that more often cause you’re so cute when you’re full!” a blushing mess of a Maizie said, moving her hands towards Sara’s poor stretched out stomach.

“Maizie, what are you-“ Sara said, watching as Maizie took her hands and started to squeeze and rub Sara’s tight stomach. It felt so good, so Sara couldn’t help but let out a loud-

“BURPPPPPPP!” Sara let out, instantly blushing out of embarrassment.

“Oh gee… what am I gonna do with you?” Maizie said, extending out her hand for Sara to grab.

All that warm food sure made Sara tired, so she walked (it was more of a helpless waddle) to her bedroom and almost instantly fell asleep.

Sara woke up in the morning and got ready for another day of her dreadfully boring college classes. But today, sometimes was different.

“Baby, can you come here please?” Sara said, sweating profusely.

“What’s wrong?” Maizie said, rushing to the scene immediately.

“I don’t know why, but my jeans won’t button or zip up all the way! Can you help me”

Maizie flashed Sara a devious grin. “Of course I’ll help you!” She said, walking towards Sara and stopping when she was right behind her.

Maizie wrapped her arms around Sara’s waist and found the zipper. She yanked and yanked and yanked on it, and with five minutes of trial and error, both the zipper and the button were good to go.

“Aw, thanks! I don’t know what I would do without you sometimes!” Sara said, getting up to go eat some breakfast.

Breakfast… should she really eat breakfast after all the food she ate last night? That had to be like, 12,000 calories that she ate all by herself last night. She was just going to leave early for college and skip breakfast, maybe walk around campus to burn some of those excess calories. But then, she smelled something.

“Surprise! It’s a special occasion, y’know. So I wanted to make some pancakes for you!” Maizie said, presenting a plate stacked high with pancakes drizzled in chocolate sauce and covered with berries.

“Um… what’s the occasion?” Sara said, shaking in her boots at the size of the pancake stack.

“What’s the occasion?! It’s our one month anniversary!!!” Maizie scolded Sara.

“Oh… yeah! Yeah, it is! Happy anniversary, honey!” Sara replied, bear-hugging Maizie

“Okay, eat up!” Maizie said, grabbing her own plate and setting it down on the table in addition to Sara’s plate.

Sara couldn’t help but notice Maizie had only 3 pancakes while she had 9.

“I guess she really just wants to shower me with her love… huh…”

After another long and boring day of college classes, Sara started to make her way to the gym. She has a lunch of kale, spinach, and pickles, so she thought she might as well add on to her health streak by going to the gym today.

“I don’t wanna fall into a cycle of not going to the gym, next thing you know, I’ll blow up like a blimp!” Sara thought.

But just like the cat always came back, Maizie suddenly started running after Sara.

“Saraaaa! Wait for me!” Maizie yelled.

“Oh geez, what is it now?” Sara teased.

“The anniversary gifts don’t stop at breakfast! Do you wanna go to that pastry shop we went to on our first date?” Maizie asked.

“Oh… well… I was actually about to go to the gym…” Sara started to say, but Maizie’s puppy dog eyes made her reconsider. “…okay, fine!”

“Yayyy! I promise I’ll buy you those cookies and cream croissants you really like! Or the oreo donuts…” Maizie said, grabbing Sara’s hand and happily dragging her to the donut shop.

“Hello, Mrs Pastrie!” Maizie said, barging into the donut shop with her flustered date in hand.

“Hello girls, what will it be today?” Mrs Pastrie said, smiling widely.

“Hmmm, can we please get two coffees, one black, one with two creams and three sugars, one oreo cream filled donut, two oreo crossiant, and one cheesecake donut?” Maizie asked politely.

“Sure!” Mrs Pastrie said, smiling even wider.

The two took their pastries to their dorms and Maizie got started on dinner.

“Y’know, you don’t have to spoil me like this…” Sara said, feeling embarrassed that she was being pampered by Maizie.

“Awww, it’s no worry! Anyways, I’m making chicken dumplings and noodles!” Maizie replied, giving Sara a soft kiss to the forehead.

Sara sat down in her bedroom, looking at the plate of pastries and her cup of sweet coffee. She was hesitant to eat them, but Maizie said they were all for her, so she started to dig in.

She ate every last one of them, and about as soon as she finished, Maizie came in with a big plate of chicken dumplings and black bean noodles.

“Dinner in bed, ay?” Maizie said, setting the plate down on the table next to Sara.

“I guess…” Sara mumbled, laying back. That was definitely way too many pastries to eat before dinner, and Sara found that out the hard way.

“Urghhhh… my IBS is acting up… I’ve gotta go, but enjoy your food!” Maizie said, running and clutching her stomach

“Poor girl…” Sara thought as she started to dig in to her food.

It was gone just about as fast as Maizie brought it in, and Sara succumbed to the heavy weight of sleep, plate still in her lap.

———————————————————————————

Sara didn’t know what to think of what she was becoming.

She didn’t notice it until she thought of how she hadn’t gone to the gym for over a month.

“Oh god, I think I might’ve gained some weight with how I’ve been eating…” Sara thought as the third pair of jeans she tried on couldn’t fit over her thighs.

She got her old scale out of her closet, plugged it in, undressed herself (she didn’t want any extra weight) and begrudgingly stepped on.

“I mean, I have been eating like a slob… but I don’t feel much heavier at all!”

“184 Pounds” read the scale.

Sara couldn’t believe her eyes. Before all this had started, she was a measly 118 at 5’4. How could she gain so much weight so fast.

“Oh god… I might as well look in the mirror to see how fat I look…” Sara said, stepping off the scale and going to get her full body mirror out of the closet.

Sara once again was left in a state of disbelief as she stared at the plump woman starring back at her. Where her well defined abs once were was a soft casing of jiggly fat. Where her perfectly sculpted curves once were, there were now rolls and love handles, still equally as perfectly sculpted. Her formerly skinny legs now jiggled when she moved an inch and she saw that her cheeks were chubbier and she was slowly getting a double chin. It was completely out of hand. Sara fell to the floor, in nothing but a bra and some panties that barely fitted her.

“Ugh, how did I let it get like this?! I’ve never been fat in my life, but now I’ve turned into a gluttonous, overindulgent, rotund, plus sized lady! Oh my god…” Sara said, squeezing her sides.

Maizie suddenly walked in the room. “My my, what’s going on here?”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me! I’m so… I’m so… I’m so BIG! And I can’t help it! The food just makes me feel so good…” Sara cried, grabbing onto Maizie’s ankles.

“So what you gained a little weight, it’s just because I love you too much! Weight isn’t everything, y’know.” Maizie replied, stroking the top of Sara’s head.

“Oh… I wish that I would’ve known filling myself up with pastries and pizzas would have an affect on my body… I just didn’t think it would happen to me!” Sara cried.

“Awww, don’t cry! You can’t go to school like this… you deserve to take a sick day.” Maizie said, helping Sara up. “Cheer up. I’ve got pizza on the way, y’know.”

Sara started to think. Was she… into all of this? The filling up her stomach to her heart’s content, the difficulty of fitting into her clothes… did she… enjoy it?

That was the least of Sara’s concerns though, as she still had to lose all of her soft, pudgy fat.