#An Appetite for Miracles

[magicsilas]

One type of books that I love but find hard to find are Novel-in-Verse. Here are the three that I have read. All ones that I love.

- Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark.

Gender exploration.

- An Appetite for Miracles by Laekan Zea Kemp.

Mother/ daughter issues, blooming romance, and grief.

- Poet X by Elizabetg Acevedo.

Mother/ daughter issues, religion issues and body issues.

[richincolor]

Hope you're ready to add a bunch of books to your TBR pile! We have seven on our radar for this week. Which ones are you interested in?

Promposal by RaeChell Garrett Little, Brown/Poppy

High school senior Autumn Reeves has been waitlisted at her dream school. Determined to move to the top of the list, she must find a way to stand out. When a promposal she planned for a friend has half the senior class asking for her help, a brilliant business idea that will look great on her application is born: Promposal Queen.

Autumn has no clue how to start a business, so she joins the Young Black Entrepreneurs group and finds herself face-to-face with Mekhi Winston, the boy whose unexpected freshman-year kiss—a kiss that meant everything to her and nothing to him—cost Autumn her best friend. He’s the only person with the experience to help her, but how can she possibly trust him?

With her dreams on the line, Autumn’s willing to risk it. After all, Mekhi could be a good business partner without being a guy she would ever let near her heart again.

But when working with Mekhi jeopardizes her only chance at rekindling a friendship with her ex–best friend and long-buried secrets threaten to ruin Promposal Queen, another broken heart may be the least of her worries—her entire future is on the line. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

When You Wish Upon a Star by Elizabeth Lim Disney-Hyperion

“Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight . . . ” so begins the wish that changes everything—for Geppetto, for the Blue Fairy, and for a little puppet named Pinocchio. The Blue Fairy isn’t supposed to grant wishes in the small village of Pariva, but something about this one awakens some long-buried flicker within. Perhaps it’s the hope she senses beneath the old man’s loneliness.

Or maybe it’s the fact that long ago, before she was the Blue Fairy, she was a young woman named Chiara from this very village, one with a simple wish: to help others find happiness. Her sister Ilaria always teased her for this, for she had big dreams to leave their sleepy village and become a world-renowned opera singer. The two were close, despite their differences. While Ilaria would give anything to have a fairy grant her wish, Chiara didn’t believe in the lore for which their village was famous.

Forty years later, Chiara, now the Blue Fairy, defies the rules of magic to help an old friend. But she’s discovered by the Scarlet Fairy, formerly Ilaria, who, amid a decades-long grudge, holds the transgression against her sister. They decide to settle things through a good old-fashioned bet, with Pinocchio and Geppetto’s fate hanging in the balance. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Queen Bee by Amalie Howard Joy Revolution

A teen girl seeking retribution against her backstabbing former best friend finds her plans slightly derailed once she catches the eye of a familiar, handsome marquess. Bestselling author Amalie Howard delivers a delightful, anti-historical Regency-era romp that’s Bridgerton meets The Count of Monte Cristo!

Lady Ela Dalvi knows the exact moment her life was forever changed—when her best friend, Poppy, betrayed her without qualm over a boy, the son of a duke. She was sent away in disgrace, her reputation ruined.

Nearly three years later, eighteen-year-old Ela is consumed with bitterness and a desire for . . . revenge. Her enemy is quickly joining the crème de la crème of high society while she withers away in the English countryside.

With an audacious plan to get even, Ela disguises herself as a mysterious heiress and infiltrates London’s elite. But when Ela reunites with the only boy she’s ever loved, she begins to question whether vengeance is still her greatest desire. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker Tor Teen

Thirty years ago, a young woman was murdered, a family was lynched, and New Orleans saw the greatest magical massacre in its history. In the days that followed, a throne was stolen from a queen.

On the anniversary of these brutal events, Clement and Cristina Trudeau—the sixteen-year-old twin heirs to the powerful, magical, dethroned family—are mourning their father and caring for their sick mother. Until, by chance, they discover their mother isn’t sick—she’s cursed. Cursed by someone on the very magic council their family used to rule. Someone who will come for them next.

Cristina, once a talented and dedicated practitioner of Generational magic, has given up magic for good. An ancient spell is what killed their father and she was the one who cast it. For Clement, magic is his lifeline. A distraction from his anger and pain. Even better than the random guys he hooks up with.

Cristina and Clement used to be each other’s most trusted confidant and friend, now they barely speak. But if they have any hope of discovering who is coming after their family, they’ll have to find a way to trust each other and their family's magic, all while solving the decades-old murder that sparked the still-rising tensions between the city’s magical and non-magical communities. And if they don't succeed, New Orleans may see another massacre. Or worse.

A Whole Song and Dance by Sarvenaz Tash Disney-Hyperion

A freshman in NYU’s prestigious musical theater program, Nasrin spends her days prepping for auditions, sweating through dance classes, and belting her heart out for the viral streaming show she’s been cast in. But on calls with her maman and baba, she’s their jigar talah, the golden child who put her theater dreams aside to follow in their entrepreneurial footsteps as a business major.

At least her whole life isn’t a lie—she is taking a single business course. Except she’s kind of failing it. Cue jazz hands?

Nasrin needs to bring her grade up fast if she’s going to keep her parents in the dark, so she grudgingly signs up for tutoring with the infuriatingly smug and annoyingly attractive Max. And yet...as the semester rushes by, the sparks of anger that first flew between them start to turn into a very different kind of spark. The kind she definitely does not have time for.

Except when Nasrin’s charming though devious cousin takes an interest in Max too, Nasrin has to figure out exactly what has been an act—and what’s for real. Can Nasrin decide what—and who—is truly worth fighting for, and find a way to step into the spotlight as her full self? -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

An Appetite for Miracles by Laekan Zea Kemp Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Danna Mendoza Villarreal’s grandfather is slowly losing himself as his memories fade, and Danna’s not sure her plan to help him remember through the foods he once reviewed will be enough to bring him back. Especially when her own love of food makes her complicated relationship with her mother even more difficult.

Raúl Santos has been lost ever since his mother was wrongly incarcerated two years ago. Playing guitar for the elderly has been his only escape, to help them remember and him forget. But when his mom unexpectedly comes back into his life, what is he supposed to do when she isn’t the same person who left?

When Danna and Raúl meet, sparks fly immediately and they embark on a mission to heal her grandfather...and themselves. Because healing is something best done together—even if it doesn’t always look the way we want it to. -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Firebird by Sunmi HarperCollins

Caroline Kim is feeling the weight of sophomore year. When she starts tutoring infamous senior Kimberly Park-Ocampo--a charismatic lesbian, friend to rich kids and punks alike--Caroline is flustered . . . but intrigued

Their friendship kindles and before they know it, the two are sneaking out for late-night drives, bonding beneath the stars over music, dreams, and a shared desire of getting away from it all.

A connection begins to smolder . . . but will feelings of guilt and the mounting pressure of life outside of these adventures extinguish their spark before it catches fire? -- Cover image and summary via Goodreads

[bookcoversonly]

Title: An Appetite for Miracles | Author: Laekan Zea Kemp | Publisher: Little, Brown Books (2023)

[malerek]

20 Brand New YA Books [Released April 1st to 7th 2023]

Hello there 👋 I'm bringing a new blog feature to Pages & Plots where I showcase all the new YA books released in the last week. Don't miss out on any new book release ✨ #BookBlogger #BookTwitter #Booktwt #Bookworm #Booknerd #YoungAdult #BrandNewYA

Brand New YA Books is a Saturday feature showcasing all the Young Adult books released in the last week. If you are an author and want to see your book featured on this list, send me an email to pagesplots@gmail.com will all the details. PUBLISHED APRIL 1st TO 7th 2023 Silver in the Boneby Alexandra BrackenSeries: Silver in the Bone #1Genre: Fantasy | Mythology | RetellingPublisher: Knopf…

[elluvians]

it's almost 35C right now... how can anyone like weather like this is beyond me. do people who like summer really enjoy being sweaty?

[high-voltage-rat]

Vyvanse is such a silly little drug. I get up at 11, take it at noon, what's a normal sleep phase I don't know her.

The first hour passes and I'm like "dude nothings happening except me getting sweaty and my heart's going a bit faster" and then I blink and it's another 2 hours later and I've just blitzed doing every chore available to me, organized all my shit for the day, read through 500 tumblr posts, watched some random-ass YouTube clips, and made myself food I don't want to eat because my appetite is suppressed but I know food consumption is a task. It's like all of my ADHD bullshit for the entire day happens at light speed over a few hours.

Then I sit down and can do The Big Task of the day for 5 hours or more and, unlike with a hyperfocus, can remain focused on it even after taking breaks to go do other stuff.

Then the end of the day hits and I'm tired and need to go to sleep but I still feel the Productivity Need so for some reason I watch 50 more "Educational" YouTube videos until it subsides and then finally fall asleep at 2am.

Like. Does it cure my ADHD? Absolutely not. Does it make me less chaotic? No. But does it allow me to consistently channel my ADHD energy productively? Oh, yeah. I'm not 100% sure that's what my doctors were going for when they prescribed it, but I gotta be honest I kinda love it.

[iniziare]

Tag drop: Seele (Honkai: Star Rail). Listen, I used to write her and I miss her a bit, and also: there's Belobog people around. And also, well, she's much more interesting than people give her credit for. Also, prepare for some 'rewriting', because Belobog's pacing in specific ways kind of blew a little bit much.

[despite-everything]

hrt is fucking crazy. i'm ravenous like i'm a teenager again.

[babocka]

Tag drop: Dynamics/verses/etc.

[g4rvez-r3id]

Hands to Myself

Post Prison! Boyfriend! Spencer Reid x Fem!BAU Reader

Synopsis: Since Spencer got out of prison, you two have a bit of a problem keep your hands to yourselves.

Category: Smut

Warnings: established relationship, not much plot- lowkey just smut, physical touch, aftermath of the prison arc, spencer being a lil ooc, reader having dirty thoughts about spencer, spencer & reader being horny 24/7, spencer being a lil cheeky, kissing, smut warnings: quickie, spencer does the knee thing 🙏, brief cunnilingus, spencer being a lil perv (steals reader’s underwear), standing up sex, eye contact 🙈, unprotected sex, creampie.

Author’s Note: spencer reid doing the knee thing. that’s all.

It wasn’t your fault you two just couldn’t keep your hands off of each other. Since Spencer had come back from three months at the Milburn Correctional Facility, let’s just say — you were fulfilling each other’s appetites.

Of course, three months away from one another stirred up a long conversation that needed to happen between you two. And you talked about how much you missed one another and now you just couldn’t seem to be apart after that.

And it was understandable, Spencer was in prison and you were in your mental prison, thinking about him and hoping to God he’d make it out alive. And by some miracle, he did.

But since he got out, you both longed for that physical touch. You two could be in the same room and go ballistic if you weren’t touching each other. You’d still manage to grab his hand or he’d put his own hand down the small of your back. Even sitting on the jet, you were holding hands nonstop. The only time you’d ever leave the other alone is when they were using the restroom.

At work, you’d managed to keep it together until the end of the day, of course, finding time within your lunches and breaks to just spend with each other. It was a domestic thing, you two shared, it seemed. The physical touch was always a big love language unspoken between you two, even more now that he’d been away.

And it seemed as if the sex had been another thing with you two. Everyone in the office has joked about a couple in the storage room, going at it like rabbits but they never seemed to figure out who it was in the storage room — you and Spencer laughed along despite you both knowing you were the culprits.

Before Spencer went to prison, you were both against the idea of ever doing it in the office, not wanting to jeopardize either of your careers and jobs. But once Spencer got back, a lot of things changed. Especially your hungers for one another.

You seemed to like how possessive he’d gotten over you since he got back. Whether it was placing a hand on your thigh, innocently in the briefing room or holding your waist whilst you were talking to another man in the office, Spencer just couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of you. But you weren’t complaining in the slightest.

It’d been another normal day in the office, you and Spencer filling out paperwork at your desks. You’d both been doing better with the touching each other every single day. And to be honest, it was tough at first, but eventually — you two knew what was at stake and it’d be better than to risk it all.

You’d been working on your paperwork, since Emily requested that she needed it by the end of the day. You’d been limping at the finish line with this paperwork, nearly done with it. But then you caught a glimpse at Spencer doing his work.

The way his sleeves were rolled up, the way he pushed his chocolate curls back as he ran a veiny hand — you always had a thing for his hands — through his hair, his stomach filling out the dress shirt he was wearing, but it was just more of him to worship. And the stubble that suited him so well, you couldn’t nearly get enough of it. And then your eyes trailed down to his slacks and how you could see his bulge right through the outline of them and you bit your lip as you thought of the wildest things you could do to him right now, or what you wanted him to do to you.

You didn’t stare long, mostly because Spencer had felt eyes on him and you quickly looked away so you wouldn’t get caught. But it was too late, because he knew even before he looked up that you were staring.

Spencer looks at you, moving your hair back and focusing on your work and he gets an idea, licking his lips and leaving his desk for a brief moment. You watch as he does so, wondering what he’s doing.

You merely go back to work, assuming that maybe he’ll come back within a few minutes when you get an alert on your cell phone on your desk.

You check in to see there’s a text message from your boyfriend.

Spencer: The old firing range. Wait a few minutes before leaving so as not to draw suspicion.

You smirk, to yourself wondering what this little visit to the old firing range would entail. You on your knees or him on his? Your thighs rub together at the thought. You look around and Spencer is definitely gone and most likely at the old firing range now. Which is probably why he told you to wait a few minutes.

So, you wait five minutes before eagerly getting up and correcting your posture and walking out of the bullpen and getting into the elevator. You can hardly contain your excitement as something fills your belly with a pool of lust as you watch the numbers go to the last button of the elevator and you smirk to yourself as the doors open, heart racing and limbs trembling as you walk through and find the door you need.

You walk in and you look around, Spencer’s nowhere to be found and then you feel arms wrap around you and hot breath down your neck. You nearly jump and nearly thrash around but Spencer is quick to say — “It’s just me.” You melt into his touch and take a breather, confused on if you either want to yell at him for scaring you or kiss him. You ultimately choose the latter as you turn around, giving him a peck.

“Hi.” You giggle and he smiles as he softly greets you, “Hey.” He caresses your face, examining every feature before lowering his face down to your neck, leaving you kisses on your neck. “You know, if someone notices we’re both gone, Emily is gonna have our heads on a platter.” You tell. To say that you were making this a habit was an understatement. Someone was eventually gonna catch on to what you were both doing, especially if there were marks on your neck.

“Well, let’s hope nobody notices. Not that I really care anyways.” Spencer stated and you shake your head at your silly man. All logical thought seems to go out the window when it comes to you having sex, not that you mind. He kisses at your lips again, holding your face in your hands before pushing you up against the wall, his hand behind your head so you don’t hurt yourself as you continue to make out.

He kisses against you neck again and this time, raises his knee in between your legs, enough to put pressure and you gasp at the feeling, you almost begin to rub yourself back and forth on his knee.

“How greedy you are.” Spencer growls into your ear and your smirk, “I could say the same thing for you.”

Without another word, Spencer moves back a bit and gets on his knees and Jesus, you could always get used to that sight. You always loved seeing him on his knees. He takes his hands up and down your thighs and bunches up your pencil skirt and you feel his fingers on the waistband on your panties as he pulls your panties down — and stuffs them in his pocket — and gazes at your wet pussy.

He doesn’t hesitate to stick his face in between your thighs and you moan out, holding his head close to your body as he swirls his tongue around your clit in figure-8’s for a moment before pushing himself off your cunt and kisses your pussy before coming back up and kissing you on your lips. You become dizzy as you taste yourself on his lips.

You begin unbuckling his belt around his torso and unzipping his slacks, pulling his cock out. He also licks his fingertips, trying to get himself well-lubricated before sticking himself inside of you. He strokes his cock a few times before adjusts himself against you, sheathing his dick inside of you.

You nearly shout as you feel him inside of you, back arching against the granite wall and Spencer braces his hands against the wall as he moves his hips in and out of you. He tilts your head to meet his eyes and he seems to go faster as he stares deep into your eyes.

“Oh, my god…” You whisper as he keeps fucking you at a steady rhythm. He’s even whining at his own movements. “God, I love you.” He says and you dig your hands into his curls as you mutter against his lips, “I love you, too.”

Spencer manages to grab one of your hands, holding it against the wall as he keeps fucking you and you can feel him pushing himself to the brinks and you’re almost there yourself.

“Cum inside me, Spence. Please. I need it.” You beg, holding him close against you. “Are you sure?” Spencer grunts and you plead, “Yes, yes!” He groans as he stills himself inside of you, filling you up in that way you love.

You lean against the wall, growing lightheaded. Spencer slips himself out of you, fixing your skirt and pressing a kiss to your forehead before stuffing himself back in his pants.

Spencer holds your face with his hands and looks at you. “You okay?” You nod with a smile, “Amazing.” You take a deep breath and then you look around, Spencer noticing your very evident and prominent frown on your face.

“What’s wrong?” He asks. “Where are my—?” You stop in your tracks before narrowing your eyes at your boyfriend, that has a guilty smirk on his face. “Spencer, give me my panties back.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Spencer plays off but you shake your head, “Spencer, you literally came inside of me, I need my panties.”

“Maybe you’ll get them back. Maybe.” A code word for not a chance.

Suddenly, Spencer’s cell phone buzzes and he checks it with a grimace. “Uh, oh.” He says.

“What?” You ask.

“Emily’s caught on. She says we need to come back from our shenanigans and actually need to get some work done.” Spencer tells.

“You might as well tell her that you just can’t keep your hands to yourself.” You tease. “Which you can’t, by the way.”

Spencer shrugs, “I mean, I could, but why would I want to?”

[reasonsforhope]

"Many people know about the Yellowstone wolf miracle. After wolves were reintroduced to the national park in the mid-1990s, streamside bushes that had been grazed to stubble by out-of-control elk populations started bouncing back. Streambank erosion decreased. Creatures such as songbirds that favor greenery along creeks returned. Nearby aspens flourished.

While there is debate about how much of this stemmed from the wolves shrinking the elk population and how much was a subtle shift in elk behavior, the overall change was dramatic. People were captivated by the idea that a single charismatic predator’s return could ripple through an entire ecosystem. The result was trumpeted in publications such as National Geographic.

But have you heard about the sea otters and the salt marshes? Probably not.

It turns out these sleek coastal mammals, hunted nearly to extinction for their plush pelts, can play a wolf-like role in rapidly disappearing salt marshes, according to new research. The findings highlight the transformative power of a top predator, and the potential ecosystem benefits from their return.

“It begs the question: In how many other ecosystems worldwide could the reintroduction of a former top predator yield similar benefits?” said Brian Silliman, a Duke University ecologist involved in the research.

The work focused on Elk Slough, a tidal estuary at the edge of California’s Monterey Bay. The salt marsh lining the slough’s banks has been shrinking for decades. Between 1956 and 2003, the area lost 50% of its salt marshes.

Such tidal marshes are critical to keeping shorelines from eroding into the sea, and they are in decline around the world. The damage is often blamed on a combination of human’s altering coastal water flows, rising seas and nutrient pollution that weakens the roots of marsh plants.

But in Elk Slough, a return of sea otters hinted that their earlier disappearance might have been a factor as well. As many as 300,000 sea otters once swam in the coastal waters of western North America, from Baja California north to the Aleutian Islands. But a fur trade begun by Europeans in the 1700s nearly wiped out the animals, reducing their numbers to just a few thousand by the early 1900s. Southern sea otters, which lived on the California coast, were thought to be extinct until a handful were found in the early 1900s.

In the late 1900s, conservation organizations and government agencies embarked on an effort to revive the southern sea otters, which remain protected under the Endangered Species Act. In Monterey Bay, the Monterey Bay Aquarium selected Elk Slough as a prime place to release orphaned young sea otters taken in by the aquarium.

As the otter numbers grew, the dynamics within the salt marsh changed. Between 2008 and 2018, erosion of tidal creeks in the estuary fell by around 70% as otter numbers recovered from just 11 animals to nearly 120 following a population crash tied to an intense El Niño climate cycle.

While suggestive, those results are hardly bulletproof evidence of a link between otters and erosion. Nor does it explain how that might work.

To get a more detailed picture, the researchers visited 5 small tidal creeks feeding into the main slough. At each one, they enclosed some of the marsh with fencing to keep out otters, while other spots were left open. Over three years, they monitored the diverging fates of the different patches.

The results showed that otter presence made a dramatic difference in the condition of the marsh. They also helped illuminate why this was happening. It comes down to the otters’ appetite for small burrowing crabs that live in the marsh.

Adult otters need to eat around 25% of their body weight every day to endure the cold Pacific Ocean waters, the equivalent of 20 to 25 pounds. And crabs are one of their favorite meals. After three years, crab densities were 68% higher in fenced areas beyond the reach of otters. The number of crab burrows was also higher. At the same time, marsh grasses inside the fences fared worse, with 48% less mass of leaves and stems and 15% less root mass, a critical feature for capturing sediment that could otherwise wash away, the scientists reported in late January in Nature.

The results point to the crabs as a culprit in the decline of the marshes, as they excavate their holes and feed on the plant roots. It also shows the returning otters’ potential as a marsh savior, even in the face of rising sea levels and continued pollution. In tidal creeks with high numbers of otters, creek erosion was just 5 centimeters per year, 69% lower than in creeks with fewer otters and a far cry from earlier erosion of as much as 30 centimeters per year.  

“The return of the sea otters didn’t reverse the losses, but it did slow them to a point that these systems could restabilize despite all the other pressures they are subject to,” said Brent Hughes, a biology professor at Sonoma State University and former postdoctoral researcher in Silliman’s Duke lab.

The findings raise the question of whether other coastal ecosystems might benefit from a return of top predators. The scientists note that a number of these places were once filled with such toothy creatures as bears, crocodiles, sharks, wolves, lions and dolphins. Sea otters are still largely absent along much of the West Coast.

As people wrestle to hold back the seas and revive their ailing coasts, a predator revival could offer relatively cheap and effective assistance. “It would cost millions of dollars for humans to rebuild these creek banks and restore these marshes,” Silliman said of Elk Slough. “The sea otters are stabilizing them for free in exchange for an all-you-can-eat crab feast.”"

-via Anthropocene Magazine, February 7, 2024

[sweeticutiepie]

Hi!! Have you got any wl tips? 💕

Yes, I have a few!

So:

Drink plenty of water: like 0.5 liters before eating, it reduces appetite

When you weigh yourself, make sure you are fasting, naked in the morning: This is when the weight is most significant. If you weigh yourself in the evening and you are depressed because your weight has gone up, don't be afraid: it's normal, you've been drinking and eating, so your weight is higher. If this makes you anxious, I advise you not to weigh yourself during the day

Take food supplements: electrolytes every day or mineral water (it contains them), b12 if you eat little meat/eggs ; and dietary supplements that contain several minerals and vitamins

Go for walks in the sun as much as possible: not to burn calories but for morale. The sun helps with good mood and in winter it would be a shame to get depressed

Go to bed at the right time: your sleep rhythm has a big impact on your mood (and appetite!) so getting a good night's sleep and having a good sleep rhythm will help you!

Do things you enjoy: Don't be 100% focused on losing weight, do other things you enjoy. Read, draw, go out, play video games. Just have a good time!

Eat enough: It may seem counterintuitive, but cutting your calories to 500 or less won't help at all. You'll lose weight quickly, but poorly. And you'll gain it back later. Your metabolism will slow down and you will not lose weight anymore. For your height and weight, your metabolism is at 1615. Which means you can eat 1615 and not gain weight! Your resting metabolism (without breathing, moving, talking or anything) is at 1346. I think if you eat at least 1400 you will already be very well. In the long run it is the best thing to do

Eat everything, without fear food: my anorexia is different, I am afraid of quantities. I prefer to eat a 20g cake with 1000 calories than a 200g vegetable with 30 calories. But you have to force yourself and eat everything. In fact, as long as you are within your calorie limit, you can eat everything. The best thing is to eat what you want

Don't be afraid to indulge: you have the right to go out with your family, friends or colleagues if you feel like it. You can watch your calories tomorrow! It's okay to "overeat" a meal, I promise you it won't do anything to you. But above all, don't forget the golden rule: don't weigh yourself in the next 72 hours. Your body will have to get rid of the food, so you'll just be depressed for junk

Eat when you need to: If you feel weak or dizzy, you need to eat a little. It's probably hypoglycemia. So eat a fruit or a cake. The goal is not to starve yourself, just to eat little enough to lose weight but enough to not be weak. The more you starve yourself, the more you will have to eat later. So eat whenever you need to!

Avoid certain foods: Don't drink fruit juice or squeezed fruit, it's just sugar and there aren't many vitamins. If you eat meat, opt for chicken and eggs. Eggs contain several types of proteins, which makes them very interesting (you should not throw away the egg yolk!). The minimum would be that you eat 46g of protein per day, but the ideal would be 70g. Try to be in between. This is very important to maintain your muscles

It's okay not to exercise: I don't and I'm still losing weight. Exercise is not the most important thing, diet is. It's better that you don't exercise at all, because you will sweat and lose vitamins and minerals. Focus on weight training or any sport that engages the muscles, not cardio

If you have digestive problems: try having a glass of water with a teaspoon of baking soda (food grade). It can really help. If you have not been able to go to the toilet for 9-10 days, I advise you to take a laxative to relieve yourself

You can fast: but be careful. As I wrote earlier, at the slightest sign of weakness, don't forget to eat! Fasting can help you feel better about your body, but it's not a miracle weight loss solution. Start small, it's not a competition!

Don't set time limits for yourself: it will make you anxious. Go at your own pace, weight loss is not a race but an adventure. It will take as long as it takes

Stay safe please 💖

[acmeangel]

Regrets | One Shot

Postwar!Levi one shot. A bit angsty. SFW. Postwar!Levi struggles with feelings of guilt, regret, and self-worth, and he finally talks to you about it. Word Count: 1487 (I couldn't stop thinking about Levi dealing with the aftermath of everything, adjusting to his new physical state, and how he'd feel about having been responsible for the kids on Levi Squad.)

Levi has a hard time accepting help from you. You have to help him in little ways, ways that feel natural.

Some nights, you massage his hand where the fingers are missing because you can tell by the tension in his forehead that it's bothering him. When you're reading together, you always sit on his left side, where he can see you better. You subtly place things -- teacups, books, pens, his folded piles of clothes -- within his reach from his wheelchair.

He'd never ask you directly to do any of this.

God, no.

He considers it a miracle that you'd settled for him in the first place - and a fragile one, at that. To him, your relationship is a house of cards. If he makes one unpredictable movement, says one shitty comment that came out wrong, places one more burden on you, it'll fall apart in his hands.

To him, he's no better than an ugly, battered stray dog with a bad history of biting. And he wants, so badly, to be good, for you.

He thinks you're attached to him by a fraying thread that could break from a breeze; you know his soul, his heart are stitched onto yours.

So, you help him.

And when he talks about it all, which is rare, you listen.

The first time you made him dinner, he ate all of the sides, then pushed the meat around with his fork for a while, before saying he'd lost his appetite.

Later, without looking at you, he told you, "One of the kids. From before. She was obsessed with food. It was disgusting, the only thing she ever talked about. Her last damn word was 'meat'. Fucking ridiculous." He took a long pause, then added, "I didn't even hear it, though. I... was in the other room."

He's never brought it up again.

Another time, he came home, muttering about how Gabi said something that sounded like something Eren would say. You lost track of how long he sat by the window, looking into his teacup that night.

You've seen him interact with Gabi and Falco a few times before. You see the wheels turn in his head before he says anything to them, as if he has to triple-check his words.

That, so far, was the only other time he's mentioned any of those kids.

He's told you about his other fallen friends and comrades before -- not in too much detail, but enough. But, those were adults. This is different.

When it came to that group of kids, he barely said a word. Really, you only knew their names, and the papers were partially to blame for that.

You wish, more than anything, that he'd open up to you. You know that he tries.

You're at home, now, and you hear the front door open and close. Your eyes fixate on the doorway to the living room, where he'd always appear. Normally, he'd go to you, place a bag from the bakery in your lap (he'd tell you some excuse about it being on the way home, but really, he just liked how those stupidly fancy pastries made you stupidly happy). Normally, he'd hold your hand and listen to your stories from the day -- things that made you laugh, complaints, the book you're reading. Normally, he'd make small comments as you talked, or scoff, or grunt in agreement. Sometimes, he'd even laugh, briefly.

But this time, he doesn't appear in the doorway. You rise from the couch and make your way down the hall, the warm glow of the bathroom light from under the door catching your eye. You stop outside the door and listen, to make sure he's okay, but you hear nothing.

You stand there for a while, until you hear a soft "Fuck."

You knock on the door, lightly. "Levi, you okay?" Your eyes sear into the door, as if your gaze alone is enough to open it, for him to let you in.

"Yeah, fine." His voice is rough, low. "I'll be out in a minute."

"Can I come in?"

The question hangs in the air for a small eternity.

A long sigh. "Okay."

You open the bathroom door. The abandoned wheelchair catches your gaze first. Then you see him, standing - standing - at the sink, clutching onto the edge of it, knuckles burning white with unyielding determination that borders on desperation. The muscles in his arms look like ropes. His head is tilted downward; he feels like that dog.

"Levi." It's the only word you can say.

"I know," he says, teeth gritted, and he can't meet your eye. To him, he doesn't deserve to see whatever sympathy is in your gaze - it'd only be wasted.

"Come here." Your voice is soft, gentle, and you stretch your arms out to him. It takes a long moment, but he finally accepts. His hands grab onto your arms as you help lower him back into his wheelchair. You kneel next to him, you take his hand in yours.

"Levi," you say, your voice urging him to look at you, "Talk to me. What's going on? You know you can't stand like that..."

He looks at you, finally, and though his expression gives away nothing, you can sense the despair, hidden away in the corners of his eyes.

"I can't do anything, Y/N," he says. "I couldn't do anything then, I can't do anything now. I can't even take a shit without almost falling first."

Your grip on his hand tightens. Your thumb traces circles on his wrist, and you can feel his heart racing.

"Did something happen today?"

"No. Yes. Fucking hell." He takes a breath. "Gabi asked me something today. I don't remember what. Doesn't matter. But, I don't know where she got the idea that I'm someone to go to for advice. Maybe I'm just being an asshole about it."

"Levi," you try to soothe him. "Whatever it was, she asked you because she trusts you. She knows you, she was there with you through... a lot. And, even aside from that... you have so much to offer. You might not see it, but you help me all the time."

"Offer?" The word barely makes a sound. "You know what was one of the first pieces of advice I ever gave Eren? I told the little bastard to make the decisions he wanted, whether it meant betting on his own strength or trusting the rest of us. I told him to do whatever he wanted, as long as it'd make him have no regrets."

"Is that what this is all about?" Your free hand finds his knee, a gentle pressure. His eyes look into yours, pleading, as if they're the only things keeping him anchored.

"God." He whispers, his voice more strained than you've ever heard. He breathes in sharply, a slight tremor to his breath. You see the veins in his neck strain. "What the hell were they thinking? Putting me in charge of those kids, as if I had any right to be, what, some sort of moral compass? Me? All I did is let them get blood on their hands. I didn't even try to stop them. And now I can't take my own shitty advice."

Your eyes remain locked into his; if he's the ship in a storm, you'll be the sails.

"You did the best you could," you whisper, so delicately, as if the air surrounding you both could shatter. "And I know you don't want to hear that. But, it's the truth. And your advice wasn't shitty, it was realistic. All of you were faced with impossible odds, and you did the best with what little you had. There wasn't an outcome where everyone would've made it, unscathed. I know you know that. And I know that none of those kids regret having you as their Captain."

His jaw clenches so hard you see it in his temples. He pulls you closer, with an urgency you've never seen from him before. Really, you've never seen any of this from him before.

His face finds its way to the crook of your neck, where it fits perfectly. It always has.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" His words are muffled against your skin. But before you can answer, he cries. He cries. Not hard, not even with sound. But you feel the hot tears press against the skin of your neck; you feel, for a moment, as if it could leave a permanent mark, somehow.

"Nothing, Levi," you whisper, your hand stroking the back of his hair, your other arm wrapped around his back. "You're only human. And I'll do my best to prove that to you. I'll be gentle with you, even when you don't think you deserve it. Especially then."

Human. Distinctly, not a dog. Not a tool. Not a weapon.

"I have so many regrets, Y/N. But you'll never be one of them. I'm sure of that."

Masterlist

Requests are open!

[kaijutegu]

So. Now that she's home and safe and gonna be ok, I can talk about this.

I almost lost Kaiju. Christmas Day. I was woken up by a phone call from Allison, who will be referred to a LOT in this story. Allison runs the pet store where I board Kaiju. She called to tell me that Kaiju had lost a LOT of blood. (As it turns out, half her blood volume. Humans die when we lose 40%, just so you know. She lost 50%.)

There were no visible injuries, and she had passed a bloody stool. Or rather, a blood clot with some poop in it. She continued to pass only blood when they put her in the bathtub to clean her up. If I'd taken her anywhere else, that... would have been it, probably.

But Allison is an actual miracle worker and knew an emergency vet who was open- on Christmas Day- and could see reptiles. As soon as she called me, she took her to the e vet, where they gave her fluids and oxygen and got her stable. They did some x rays and found... nothing.

In fact, the e vet actually complimented me on her bone density and how nice her toe joints look. Whatever this mysterious haemorrhage was, it was in the soft tissue.

The immediate thoughts were:

Impaction

Cancer invading an artery

Aneurism

Reproductive issues

However, the emergency vet couldn't figure it out, and my vet was out of the country. The e vet consulted with a lot of vets and it was decided she'd go into Chicago Exotics for care the next day- they were willing to see her on immediate notice. Allison drove her over and they did an ultrasound... and couldn't differentiate the mass they found.

So, exploratory surgery it was.

But... she didn't have enough blood for that. She wouldn't have survived... if Allison hadn't found blood for her. Tegu donors were found, the transfusion happened, and was completely successful.

And what the surgery found was completely unexpected. No cancer. No repro issues. No typical impaction.

Instead? Weird white things in her muscles and a partial impaction that seems to be related to a reduction in her ability to properly digest. There are two possible diagnoses at this point. One is visceral gout. This is very strange because in reptiles, articular gout basically always happens first, and her kidneys are fine.

The other option? Weird, potentially cross species parasite she picked up when she was in the Everglades. Something she's likely had all her life, something that was dormant until recently.

I'll know when the pathology report comes back in a week or so.

Anyways! She is doing very well. She is alert and interested in things. She has an incredible appetite, even though she can't have solid food yet. She's on three meds, including one I have to inject. At her three week recheck, we will add a fourth- either the correct anti-parasitic or a medication to improve kidney function, depending on the diagnosis. Currently she's in a hospital cage and she hates it- she can't have any substrate because of the stitches.

The vet says it should take about three months until she makes her full blood volume. Her pack cell count should be at 35%. It was at 7% on the 26th. But by the 28th, it was at 10%. She's gonna be ok. She's tough. My little girl is a fighter, always has been. You have to be scrappy to survive in the wild.

And throughout this entire experience, everybody has told me how lovely her personality is. Through the injections and cloacal probing and everything, she never bit or even tried to. The vet didn't think she even wanted to bite. Like it wasn't a question of wanting to bite and not being strong enough- it's just not something in her behavioural repertoire. She doesn't bite because she doesn't want to. Because even at her most scared, at her most painful, she's still Kaiju, the best tegu to ever live. Love is stored in the tegu, and it continues to be stored in the tegu. We have a long road ahead of us, but she's out of the woods and is going to be ok. We both are.

Also, consider this a MAJOR plug for Curious Creatures in Chicago. I'm never going to board my animals anywhere else.

[dailyadventureprompts]

Thirsting Grail, Outergod of Wants and Wounds

Artsource

Adventure Hooks:

While travelling the party encounters a once famed surgeon who seeks their help in undertaking pilgrimage to the distant shrine of a death god. When pressed on her motivation, she reveals that through some curse or divine act of cruelty, those she operates on can never die, but also cannot heal. 

There is a tree that grows in the ruins of the old braon’s castle, said to have sprouted from the chopping block upon which he had his wife’s lovers executed. The tree grows no leaves, only flowers, and it’s said that if you make a tea from its blossoms, you will receive a vision of your one ture love.  Beings of woven thorn are said to guard the tree, but there are those who would pay desperately to drink of its boughs. 

A once peaceful kingdom dissolves into a generations long civil war, any hope of peace drowned beneath a tide of violence, ruination, and grievance that none can hope to escape.

Among the outergods there are none more eager to engage with mortals than the entity known as Thisting Grail. It is a thing of violence and appetite, and seems all too eager to lend its power to those most likely to misuse it, whether they sought it’s aid in the first place or not. 

Scholars and madmen have long debated the Grail’s motivations, what goal or ideology it is trying to achieve with the visions and often horrific miracles it bestows. In truth, Thirsting Grail has no goal beyond the pursuit of violence and longing, it is a means without an end, ready to lend itself to any cause that would make the world a bloodier, hungrier place. 

The god is formless, an ocean of boling blood that takes on the shape of whatever “vessel” its followers imagine for it, borrowing their cultural iconography and birthing itself anew each time. There are litanies of these avatars, hundreds more likely forgotten by history;  blood saints and baleful red stars and heart hungry blades. Perhaps because of blood’s ubiquity in ritual and occult practice the Grail’s influence can “seep” its way into the worship of other entities, divine or demonic, and it’s not unheard of for otherwise upstanding and dogmatic worshippers of banal gods to accidentally begin practising the grail’s bloody rites. 

Sanguimancy and other forms of blood magic are the most obvious of Thirsting Grail’s gifts, but it has other more esoteric offerings: smoke from sacrifices or incense mingled with the formless god’s essence can grant visions of desires made manifest, though often twisted through a disturbingly carnal (in both senses of the word) lens. All too often worshippers ( and the cult leaders that encourage them) see these visions as prophetic, leading to the outergod being sometimes called “the mother of truth”.  It can also manifest the objects of desire: succulent fruits, unearthly lovers, weapons of inordinate power, but there is something fundamentally wrong with these creations as they cannot grant true satisfaction, and often leave those that partake of them wanting more than when they started. 

Those who fall prey to Thirsting Grail’s influence can become warped as their own veins become polluted by the entity’s ichor: becoming feral creatures of endless cruelty and appetite, or having their wounds open wider and wider until there is nothing but wound remaining of their swollen flesh. Those so overtaken grow and warp and merge with others until new horrors are birthed from them, a permanent seedbed of 

Titles: Mother of truth, formless mother, font erubescent, the bloodstar.  Symbols: A red grail or fountain, cultural iconography stained with blood.  Signs:  Wounds that bleed but do not heal, plants overflowing or cracking open to expose their innards. Unsettling red dreams.  Worshippers: Those with bloodstained hands be they doctors, butchers, or murderers. Vampires, occultists, and other sanguiphiles. Instatiable gourmands and unfulfilled lovers.   

Inspiration:  I wear my influences on my sleeve with this one.  I’ve been turning the Elden Ring mythology over in my mind for some time partially because I think there’s a lot of fun ideas there but also because I felt like (in typical Fromsoft fashion) there wasn’t enough shown to really scratch my itch for discovery. 

The formless mother/bloodstar was chiefest among these elements: A killer aesthetic with lore that was a little too thin to use as inspiration. After a while that thinness turned into a feature, the idea of an eldritch entity of pain and violence that conformed to the needs of those who worshipped it, granting power to those who would go out and make the world more violent and painful.  I liked the idea that “mother of truth” was a misnomer, and that cultists would ascribe meaning and intent and iconography to a god that didn’t care one way or another. 

Another strong influence is the Grail from Cultist Simulator/Book of hours ( SERIOUSLY, play book of hours you fools), an eldritch entity/aspect of reality that presides over hungers and births be they literal or figurative.  The Blood + Mother connection was obvious here, but the Grail provided some more texture and esoteric aspects to fill out my version’s storytelling potential.

[jazzthatonewriterchick]

NAUGHTY OR NICE? 🖤❤️🎁 (Santa!Gojo x Krampus!Geto x Self-Insert!Reader 18+ One Shot) [COMMISSION FILL]

❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤

Pairing: Gojo Satoru x Geto Suguru x Fem!Black!Plus-Size!Reader

Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, you expect to spend a quiet night in with your wine and your new rose toy after a long month of constant work and holiday busyness. But when you receive a surprise visit from Santa Claus and Krampus themselves, who both have some business with you when you end up on their “Naughty or Nice” lists for the year, you realize that this Christmas Eve won’t be spent alone this time around.

Warnings: Smutty Smut, 18+ (MINORS GTFO), Santa Claus!Gojo x Krampus!Geto, Reader is Black, Female & Plus-Sized, Fantasy, Threesome, Some Boy on Boy, Dubcon/Rape, Some Hypnosis, S*x w/ S*x Toys/Rose Toy, Spanking, Choking, Whipping, Dual Blowjob, Cunnilingus w/ Forked Tongue, Piercings, Oral (Giving & Receiving), Facefucking, Cum Play, Degradation/Praise, Objectification, Slutification, Spitroast, Big Cocks, Monsterfucking, Throatpie, Creampie, Pain Kink, Daddy Kink, Reader Cums 3x, Aftercare

Writer’s Note: This is my FIRST EVER holiday commission written for one of my favorite VAs @curiouscutie143!! I really hope y’all enjoy reading it! I had so much fun flexing my fantasy muscles & it was overall hella fun to write. Please enjoy! -Jazz

❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤 ❤️🖤

“Ha,” you sigh. “Finally.”

It is all you can say as you slink down onto your soft rug in front of your blazing, hot fireplace that costs a soft, orange glow throughout your dimly-lit living room. One of your favorite cheesy Christmas movies plays on the TV hanging above the mantle of your fireplace twined with twinkling red and green lights. A Christmas tree about five-feet high sits in the corner of your room near your coat hanger, decked out in ornaments and lights.

It is officially Christmas Eve! The presents are wrapped, a month’s worth of holiday shopping is done, and you won’t have to go back to work until Monday because this year, Christmas falls on a weekend. What a blessing! ‘A Christmas miracle more like,’ you think. You could hardly wait to begin your three-day weekend. The past couple of weeks since November have been nothing but work, stress, and more work since winter hit and the sun went to hide after 4PM.

When you got home, you immediately began to unwind from a long day at your job with a self care ritual: a hot bath using your favorite caramel bubble soak, some body butter to make your brown skin glisten and soft to the touch, a takeout dinner, a nice glass of wine to relax you, and…

You eagerly stare down at the red gift bag in your hands and reach into it, revealing your brand new addition to your self care ritual and goodie from the sex shop you frequent: a rose toy. “So cute!” you coo. “And so expensive. Thank you bestie for the coupon code.”

You admire the little rose-shaped sex toy with the clit sucker, four different settings for ultimate pleasure, and a free bottle of strawberry-flavored heating lube. You haven’t had much time to yourself with work or much of a sexual appetite, but now that you have the time, you will take as much of it as you need to make yourself feel good.

After all, who else is gonna do it for you? You’re a single girl living alone. No matter how much you’d love to have a hot guy to snuggle up to tonight after hours of sex, you know that isn’t going to happen. So you improvise.

You can feel the wine take effect on you, making you feel loose and comfortable. As you begin to lift the top to your sweatshirt to expose your sexy red bra and panties, you see that the blinds to your windows are open, revealing the outside blanketed in snow. ‘Eh,’ you think. ‘No one is gonna peek into my house.’

Everyone is too busy with families and couples to care about a single girl flicking the bean with her new toy. So you continue to ease your way out of your sweatshirt and you’re just popping open the lube when you hear something peculiar.

Scuff, scuff.

You look up immediately, realizing that it is coming from above. Is there something in the roof? Or…on the roof? Your heart begins to pound as you hear unfamiliar clicking sounds along with the familiar, recognizable sound of footsteps. But not just any footsteps…boots. The thud of the heels against the brick roof is all too familiar.

Who the fuck is on your roof?

You hear a grunt and suddenly, a slew of soot comes flying down from the chimney chute. You immediately stand from your spot and scowl at the fireplace, alarmed and confused. A rush of cold winter air blows into your living room, chilling you to the bone, along with the scent of pine and gingerbread.

You hear another grunt followed by the scuffling of something caught in the chimney between the bricks. “Da hell?” you say aloud, peering up at the chimney. It’s all you can say until a pair of boots are sliding down your chimney and dangle just above the fire. You gasp, covering your mouth to hide your voice.

The stranger grunts in frustration, wiggling about in the tight space. “Goddammit,” a voice huffs. “Uh…helloooo? Anyone down there?” You momentarily contemplate answering before you figure doing so. He’s stuck anyway. “Uh…hi,” you call. “Listen, if you’re tryin’ to break in, you’ll be sorry once you fall into the burning, hot flames below you.”

The stranger huffs, still wriggling around with his boots dangling. “I didn’t see the smoke beforehand,” he sighs. “Listen, I’ve been up since 4 AM doin’ this shit and my mind ain’t exactly all there. You’re not even supposed to be seeing me, but considering the circumstances, could you take that gate down?”

You look at the iron gate blocking the flames and the embers from popping onto your rug in front of the fireplace. He’s worried about that and not the fire? “What?” you scoff. “Who even are you?”

Woooosh!

Another rush of cold air whooshes into your living room, smelling of gingerbread, and snuffs out the fire. Then you hear: Jingle-jingle. The unmistakable sound of sleigh bells along with that clicking on the roof. Hooves.

As if all of that hasn’t proved to you that this stranger isn’t a Christmas burglar, a huge, red burlap sack comes falling down onto the logs that are now cold and charred. Perfect for not burning the presents that you know are in that sack and can only be delivered by one man. “Santa Claus,” you gasp.

“Satoru, actually,” he chuckles, a smile in his voice. “And I’ve got some presents to drop off for you, V.” Your stomach flips at the sound of your name coming from his lips in that sexy voice of his. “Don’t worry, I’ll fix a fire for you again, but I’ve got work to do first.”

You don’t need any more persuasion or confirmation. Quickly, you get dressed, take the gate off of your fireplace, and set it aside, allowing for Satoru Claus to come sliding down your chimney. His leather boots hit the ground and he hoists up his sack of gifts before ducking under your mantle to avoid hitting his head.

He is very tall. About six-foot something, much to your liking. And he is so, so big! Even under his red uniform with white trim, you can tell he has some impressive physical features that aren’t just on his face. The man is gorgeous. Everything is so symmetrical and beautifully-crafted, including his captivating blue eyes and the white locks under his red hat.

He sighs, happy to be under a roof now. “Thanks,” he says, giving you a pearly white smile. When he gets a look at you, his smile fades and his eyes sparkle, taken aback by you. “Damn, you’re really pretty, y’know. Probably the prettiest nice girl I’ve had on my list.”

You can’t believe your luck. And three-day break and Satoru Claus comes to personally deliver your gifts? “You came for me?” you ask, exciting coiling inside of you. “Really?”

The handsome, white-haired man grins and lowers his sack down. “Yes, I did,” he replies. “You were on my Nice list this year for all of the good deeds you’ve done.”

You feel pride surge inside of you. You had a feeling that helping your mom cook for Thanksgiving dinner and helping your old neighbor with his groceries would all come back to you!

“And because of those good deeds, I have a few gifts for you…plus a very special one that I think a girl like you would enjoy.” Satoru gives you a wink before he pulls five wrapped gifts out of his sack and lowers them underneath your little tree, rearranging them in a neat line.

“Thank you!” you giggle, giddy and excited. “So what’s my special gift? Can I unwrap it tonight maybe?”

Satoru slowly turns to you, a playful glint in his blue eyes. “Oh, yes, you can, baby girl…you can unwrap it right now, if you want.”

You don’t need him to tell you exactly what this “special gift” that you can “unwrap” is. Not with the sexy, salacious smirk on his face and the mischievous gleam in his cobalt eyes. The heat that grew in your core when you admired your new rose toy intensifies, making you throb with need.

Satoru saunters over to you on his long legs, shedding his clothes as he does so. He takes off his hat and tosses it aside before his long fingers teasingly unbutton each button of his red top. With each step he takes, you walk backwards, unable to keep yourself still.

“Y’know, I don’t usually do this,”he begins in a breathy drawl that makes you tingle. “I just drop off gifts to the good boys and girls all over the world, but I just had to personally deliver this gift to you when you showed up on my list.”

You only stop moving when your back hits a wall, making you squeak. Satoru stands over you, his top now unbuttoned and his lickable, toned upper torso exposed. Your eyes drink in his luscious, pierced nipples, mouth-watering abs, and white happy trail leading to his impressive V-line and the Promiseland of his cock.

“Speechless?” he chuckles, pride in his eyes. “That’s okay, baby. Just do me a favor: nod your head if you want this. You deserve something for being such a good, sweet girl this year.”

Here this sexy, irresistible man is offering you a chance to spend the night with him instead of alone with a toy. You would be a fool to say no. Slowly, you nod your head, just trusting your voice. Satoru hums in satisfaction, tilting your chin up with his hand. “You want a kiss, baby?” he murmurs. “It is the rule, after all.”

His eyes trail up to the ceiling and so do yours, revealing the mistletoe hanging above you. You had nearly forgotten you put it up there. Your eyes trail back down to Satoru’s handsome face and juicy, pink lips begging to be tasted. “Yes, please,” you whisper. “Kiss me.”

Satoru is happy to oblige. Smiling, he leans down to reach your lips because he is so tall and you’re so goddamn short. You still have to stand on your toes to reach him, deepening the kiss by wrapping your arms around his neck.

He moans at the same time you do, both of you eager for more. His kiss is soft, slow, and sweet to the taste. He tastes of gingerbread and whipped cream, both flavors turning into aphrodisiacs for you. His big hands slowly slide up your sweatshirt, caressing your thick thighs, hips, and ass.

As you push your smaller, plumper frame against him, you can feel his hard-on pressing into your pelvis. You rub against it, feening, needing more of him. Satoru then pulls away, his gaze hot and lips swollen from the kissing. “You want your present now, baby girl?” he whispers.

He takes your hand and places it on his toned stomach before trailing it down, down, down to his bulge. Biting your lip in anticipation, you briefly wonder if you should just get on your knees, pull his dick out of his pants, and suck him off right here.

But the thoughts are only brief when you suddenly smell something tangy and sweet mixed with something spicy—like tangerine and nutmeg mixed with jalapeño. You watch as black smoke suddenly slinks from your chimney and fills your living room, nearly clouding your vision.

You and Satoru stare at the strange smoke. “Who the fuck?” you ask in unison. Suddenly, the fire flares to life again in the fireplace, but its flames are an ominous green. Satoru suddenly springs into action, pushing you between him and the wall. “Keep behind me,” he demands. “Of course, this motherfucker shows up.”

You peer over his shoulder, staring in awe as the smoke cloud grows bigger and bigger until it dissipates. Revealed in the wisps of smoke is a handsome, six-foot man with long, flowing black hair, cheekbones to die for, and violet eyes currently trained at you.

But despite this man being utterly stunning, your heart seizes in fear at the long, curved horns on his head, the tail cascading between his hooved feet and hairy legs, and the sheep’s wool adorned in bells he wears over his toned body. This man is not human.

He smiles at you, causing his eyes to crinkle. It is slightly off putting yet hypnotizing. “Hey, there, little V,” he greets, his voice deep and soothing. “You’re prettier than your photo.”

Satoru plasters on a big smile as he gazes at the thing standing in your living room. “Suguru!” he greets. “Fancy seein’ you here tonight.”

Suguru places his own sack, which is less bright or gaudy as Satoru’s, on the floor, revealing the name stitched across the front: Krampus. “Satoru,” he says, looking less than pleased to see he holly, jolly man. “Just what are you doing in my naughty girl’s house with your dick almost out?”

You look down, realizing that Satoru’s pants are down so low that you can almost see the outline of his shaft. The white-haired man scowls at Suguru, irked. “We were in the middle of something, if you don’t mind. And your naughty girl? That’s a little presumptuous.”

He snorts to himself like this is a joke, but Suguru isn’t laughing. “It isn’t when I’ve got my list.” Satoru’s smile fades, replaced with a cool, tight-lipped expression.

You stare between the two magical figures, utterly confused. “Uh….sorry, what’s going on here?” you demand.

Suguru is more than happy to fill you in. “Sorry, doll, but it appears that your Santa has mistaken you for another good girl. You’ve ended up on my naughty list this year.” His lips, pink and pierced with a silver ring, curl into a smirk. “So you’ve got me to deal with.”

You ignore the way your pussy throbs at his words. “W-What?” you stammer. “But what did I—“

“Well, let’s get out the rap sheet, shall we?” Suguru interrupts. He reaches into his jacket and unwraps a long, tattered list that stops right at Satoru’s boots. You gape at the list, in awe. There is no way your bad deeds are this long!

Suguru clears his throat, smirking and clearly enjoying himself. “Refusing to pay a parking ticket, stealing a frozen box of cheesecake by placing it at the bottom of your cart, and…” He pauses, quirking an eyebrow at you. “Masturbating at work. On top of using half of her paycheck to order sex toys.”

Satoru stares at you, in awe, while you flush in embarrassment. “I’m not paying $5 for a cheesecake,” you argue in your defense. “A-And I was on break at work and had the urge!”

Suguru laughs, the sound loud and mocking. “At least she’s honest. So that’s why I’m here: to teach naughty bitches like you a lesson that you’ll take into next year.” He points one of his claws at you and it feels like a knife jutting into your chest.

“Hey, hold up!” Satoru shouts, still hiding you behind his big body. “As much as I respect your profession, I don’t think I appreciate you storming in here and taking what’s mine. There has to be some mistake if she ended up on my list too!”

Suguru blankly stares at Satoru, obviously unamused or swayed. “Show me,” he deadpans. Satoru rips his own list out of his pocket and unfurls it, the damn thing reaching across the floor to Suguru’s hooves. The demon peers down at the list and huffs in disbelief. “Well, shit.”

“I told you!” Satoru barks, snatching his list away. “So you can take your kinky ass and head back to whatever hole you crawled out of.” Suguru sucks his teeth, irritated. “But I’m here already. Why would I leave if it took me such a long time to get here?”

Satoru waves a passive hand. “Not my problem, Krampy. You should’ve checked your list twice.” The demon cocks his head to the side, his eyes darkening. “You questioning my intelligence, Satoru?” he asks. “I don’t think I quite like that.”

The demon saunters up to Satoru, standing at least a few inches taller than the white-haired man. But Satoru isn’t afraid. He steps to Suguru, both of them chest to chest, nose to nose. “What are you gonna do?” Satoru whispers, smirking. “Whip me?”

Suguru’s lips twitch in a way that makes you think that he’s considering it…until he looks at you. “I think I’ll reserve that for her for now. So what if she’s on your list too? I’m already here and I already proved she’s on my list as well.”

His eyes hold such wicketry and deviousness that it unsettles you, but at the same time, you’ve never been more aroused. “Maybe we can reward and punish her at the same time. If you don’t mind sharing.”

The demon smirks at Satoru who thoughtfully taps his chin. Usually, I’d say no when it comes to my good girls…but I’m curious to see how she handles both of us. Naughty and nice.”

He suddenly moves aside and gently pushes you between himself and Suguru. You let out a tiny squeak of surprise, making them both laugh at your cuteness. You are now sandwiched between the two, smelling the snow on their clothes and feeling their hard cocks pressing into you.

“Would you like that, baby?” Satoru murmurs into your ear, his hands caressing your hips. Do you want us both to play with this little boy tonight?”

Suguru squeezes your face between his big, clawed hand, making your cheeks squish together. “Words, pet,” he demands. His tongue, long, forked, and pierced, trails from your neck up to your jawline, giving you a teasing lick.

The lewd act makes your pussy gush with impatience. You need the both of them right here, right now. “Y-Yes,” you stammer, your voice tiny and soft. Satoru smiles against your cheek, kissing it. “That’s my good girl.”

“Uh-huh,” Suguru scoffs, forcing you to keep looking at him. “We’ll see how good you are once you’ve got a dick in you. Now…” He leans in closer, his breath fanning your face.

“Give me a kiss,” he whispers. “Don’t I deserve a thank you for coming all the way here?”

His lips are on yours without any confirmation or consent…but you guess he saw the need in your eyes and didn’t feel the need to ask. But of course, he’s fucking Krampus. He doesn’t ask. He just takes.

Suguru’s kiss is rough, sinful, and insistent, his lips forcing yours to move in tandem with his mouth. When your lips part to moan, his tongue slides against yours, giving you a feel of the forked tip and earring stud. ‘Oh, fuck me,’ you think, delirious with horny ness.

Satoru’s gloved finger gently caresses your cheek, coaxing you away from Suguru. “Me too, baby girl,” he coos. “Don’t leave me out. I bought you all of those pretty gifts.” He takes a nibble of your bottom lip, giggling when you whimper. “But I do admit that masturbating at work ain’t so nice of you.”

He begins to kiss you while Suguru kisses your neck, licking along your collarbone. You feel his hand slide down your legs and gently pry your soft inner thighs apart.“I-I’m sorry,” you whimper.

You can only utter the two words when you suddenly feel jolts of pleasure enter you from your pussy being stimulated. “Ah!” you gasp as Geto’s fingers caress your slit.

Suguru chuckles, overjoyed by your reaction to his touch. “Lucky for us and her, we can reward this naughty little girl for her good deeds and punish her for her…bad habits.” He curls his fingers against your soaked thong, nearly digging them into your asscrack. “I think someone likes the sound of that.”

Satoru laughs, intensely watching your expression of pure torture and ecstasy. “Clearly. You want both of us, don’t you, baby?”

The two continue to assault your neck in kisses, leaving your mind blank and unable to process the English language. But to get what you want, you need to talk. “Yes,” you whisper. “Please. I promise I’ll be good.”

You would do anything to get them to touch you, taste you, and quench the thirst that you’re suffering from. Suguru grins, pleased with your confession, and uses one hand to tear your sweatshirt off of you, exposing your red lingerie. “Then get on your knees now.” His voice dips into a low and growly territory, sounding so much like a demon.

Quickly, you slink onto your knees between the two men, watching obediently as they unbuckle their belts and slide down their pants to reveal two of your big, throbbing, hard presents just for you.

After taking some time to wrap your hands around their shafts and stroke them, getting yourself used to their lengths and girths, you finally have enough of “introductions” and finally get them in your mouth.

Both of them are warm, throbbing, and thick with arousal. Their balls, heavy with unshed cum, slap against your chin when one slides down your throat, coating your tongue in their salty taste and filling your nostrils with their scent and masculine musk. When one is busy fucking you mouth, the other fucks your hand, their soft groans and grunts about how nice your soft touch feels egging you on.

You alternate between sucking off both cocks…or rather, Satoru and Suguru make you take both of them. They use your mouth for their own pleasure though one is softer than the other. While Suguru is rough and demanding, making you take his cock down your slutty throat, Satoru is slow and steady, rocking his hips against your mouth, verbal and loud about how wonderful your mouth is.

“Now that’s a good girl,” he moans, gently stroking your hair. He stares down at you in adoration, loving how your drool drips down your mouth to coat his cock and balls as you submissively sit on your knees for him.

Suguru side-eyes the white-haired man as he vigorously fucks your hand, his warm skin stretches across the thick appendage of his cock. “Good? Sucking two big dicks at once classifies as ‘good’ to you?”

He stares down at you too, his eyes hooded with lust. “Although she is working that mouth rather nicely. Might even change my mind about bein’ a naughty little slut.” He snakes a hand through your hair and grips it, bringing you back over to take more of his cock.

He gutturally groans as he sinks into your velvety, wet mouth, joyously fucking it and making you gag along his shaft. Satoru tsks, growing harder at the sight of your beautiful face and soft lips being fucked. “Hey, now. That’s no way to talk to my good, sweet girl.”

He gently caresses your face, pushing loose strands of hair away from your sloppy, wet mouth. “Right, baby? Aren’t you a good girl and a good cocksucker for us?”

Suguru slides out of your mouth to let you speak and gulp down some air. “Yes!” you cough out, falling victim to that tickle in your throat from it being stimulated too much. Your throat feels raw and your jaw aches from being stretched out by the two big cocks in front of you.

Yet you’ve never been wetter in your entire life. Your thong digs into your asscrack, drenched in your juices. Suguru and Satoru smell how aroused you are, making them both harder just because you’re so needy for this.

“That’s how I like my girls,” Satoru coos, tapping his cock against your soft lips. “Extra good. Keep this up, cutie, and you may just end up on the Nice List again next year.” He coaxes you to press soft kisses and kitten licks against his cock head, lapping up droplets of his pre.

Suguru hums, not sounding too swayed by your words or actions. “Let’s see how good you really are with this inside you.” He bends down, picking up your rose toy between two long, clawed fingers. “Seems like you wanted to use it anyway.”

Spank!

His big hand slaps you on the ass, the sharp sound echoing throughout the cozy living room. “Ass up, naughty girl,” he growls.

You do exactly as he says, positioning yourself so your ass is tooted up while your face plants into the rug below. You tremble as Suguru glides a teasing claw across your skin, snipping off your bra so it falls off of your chest, exposing your big, soft, juicy tits.

“Don’t forget the lube!” Gojo shouts. “She needs to be comfortable!”

Suguru rolls his eyes, but squirts some of the scented heating lube onto his fingers before he toys with your pussy, stimulating the twitching, gushing little muscle. Your sweet moans drive both men to the brink of insanity, the both of them jacking themselves off as your pussy gushes around Suguru’s fingers.

Moments later after torturous teasing, Suguru finally forces you onto all fours and places the buzzing toy against your sobbing cunt after choosing the setting for you. He watches your gorgeous, voluptuous ass and soft pussy while Satoru fucks your mouth, just as enchanted. “Fuck, baby, look how pretty your pussy looks. Does it feel good?”

His cheeks are flushed from the lewd sight of you oozing and gushing all over the rose. You can’t form one single thought in your blank brain, the buzzing and vibrating from te toy too fucking good for words. “Sa-Sa…Tarou, f-fuck!” you stammer around his cock.

Suguru chuckles, grabbing a handful of your ass to squeeze and jiggle for his own enjoyment. “Little slut can’t even speak. That rose must pack a bigger punch than I thought it did…but maybe, that’s just ‘cause I’ve got it on the highest setting.”

He lets out a wicked cackle as you desperately moan against the high vibrations, feeling them coursing through your veins. The jolts of pleasure are relentless and forceful, taking you on a trip. “Please!” you whine around Satoru’s dick. “Please!”

You hiss in pain as Suguru sinks his claws into your asscheek, nearly breaking the skin. It feels oddly good and intensifies your pleasure. “‘Please’ what, sweetheart?” he condescendingly coos. “‘Please’ taste me? ‘Please’ fuck me? What do you need?”

Satoru slides his dick out of your mouth, keeping a hand on himself to stroke your saliva into his shaft. “You!” you sob, not quite being clear about who you mean. “Please just fucking touch me!”

At this point, both men know that you want both of them. Their hands. Their tongues. Their cocks. Everything. “Now, those aren’t nice words, baby,” Satoru tuts, tapping his cock against your lips and nose. “I’ll need to fuck that mouth into submission, won’t I?”

“And she’ll be taking it,” Suguru chuckles. “Plus somethin’ else in another hole that needs to be fucked into submission.” He takes the toy away from your cunt and slurps your juices off of it before turning it off.

Satoru helps you sit up despite how dazed and confused you are, dizzy from the pleasure. Suguru stares you down, his violet eyes drilling into your soul. “Bend over the couch,” he growls, his voice low and almost demonic. “We wanna see that pretty ass. Now.”

You do as he says and crawl over to the couch because your legs are jelly at the moment, earning some appreciative spanks in response. Once you’re bent over the couch, Suguru snaps the weak string of your thong off with his claw in one single slice.

The thong comes off, exposing your ass to both horny, feening men. You can barely take a breath before you feel the sting of a whip crack against your skin.

Crack!

You gasp at the harsh sensation against your ass, gripping the couch for dear life at the burn. Suguru does it again, sending his leather whip against your ass.

Crack!

“O-Ow!” you shout. Tears spring into your eyes at the harsh fire that licks across your asscheeks. Suguru sighs in a way that reminds you of a starving man relieved to finally eat.

“You cry so pretty for me, little doll,” he groans. “So sexy. You’re lucky I have to share you tonight because I’d fuck you up.”

He cracks his whip again, but not against your skin. However, it still makes you flinch, causing him to laugh at your reaction. Such a sadist.

“Oh, he doesn’t mean that, cutie,” Satoru coos into your asscheeks. He has knelt down to sweeten the red-hot lashes from Suguru’s whip with kisses. “He just thinks you’re too cute to control himself. I’m in the same boat.”

Suguru ghosts a hand across your sobbing slit, humming at the juices that coat his digits. “I bet Ol’ St. Gojo would love to see all of your holes get fucked now,” he whispers. “Ya think, sugar?”

You can hardly speak now, but when both men have their way with you later, you can’t even think of anything to remotely talk about. You have never felt so tortured before until you feel Satoru’s big cock fucking your mouth like a toy while Suguru greedily fucks your pussy with his forked tongue.

The demon is bent down with his face shoved between your asscheeks, greedily lapping away at your pussy. His claws grip your ass and pull each cheek apart to dig his forked tongue more into your cunt, giving you a feel of the cold metal of his piercing against your heated clit.

Satoru watches your lips wobble and your big, brown eyes fill with tears as he fucks your mouth with all the vigor of a man wanting to get his nut, enchanted by the way Suguru looks stuffed in your ass. “Fuck, baby, you look so good,” he moans. “You take that cock so well. Such a good girl for me.”

Between Satoru’s orgasmic moans and Suguru’s sinful tongue, it doesn’t take long for the urge to cum to rise to the surface. The sounds of Suguru’s tongue in your cunt are wet and sloppy like a spoon swirling around in a bowl of Mac n’ Cheese, the tip of his tongue tickling your clit.

“Swugu!” you moan, your words muffled and jumbled by Satoru’s dick. “I’m gwonna cwum!” Luckily for you, the demon is eager to taste the essence of your release on his tongue finally. “Do it,” he demands, growling into your cunt. “Cum for me, sugar. Give it to me now.”

His voice seems to hypnotize you, triggering your brain in a way that makes it shut down. Suddenly, a haze coats your mind as if you are driving in the backseat of a car while someone else is at the wheel, flooring the car through a thick fog. You know someone else is in control and it’s not you, but you’re okay with it.

Maybe that’s because of how fucking good you feel as your orgasm tumbles down onto like a ton of bricks. You whine around Satoru’s dick as you cum, gushing ounces of cum into Suguru’s waiting mouth. He hungrily drinks you in, slurping as much as he can, your juices dripping down his chin.

“Don’t be greedy,” Satoru growls, impatient. “Give me some too. We’re sharing her, remember?”

Suguru looks up at him, his violet eyes ablaze with lust and a feral energy that you can feel in the way he massages your ass. Suddenly, he tears himself away from your cunt and grabs the back of Satoru’s neck before pulling him in for a sloppy, open-mouthed kiss.

You gape at the two, watching as they swap spit and your taste between them, soft moans and groans leaving their mouths as they aggressively kiss in front of you. Finally, they pull away and give their attention to you again.

“Good girl,” Satoru whispers, gently stroking your hair. Suguru shakes his head, still not moved. “Not quite yet. She still needs somethin’ a bit more corporal…with lube, of course.”

He gives you a smirk as he crooks his finger at the lube on the floor. The bottle begins to levitate and magically gravitates to Suguru’s hand like a moth to the flame. He squirts some onto his cock and uses his hand to coat it, making it slick and oh-so yummy-looking.

“I’m gonna slide my cock inside of you and fuck this slutty pussy now,” he says, his voice low and breathy. “And while I do, Claus is gonna fuck your throat. And you’re gonna take all of it like the nasty little bitch you are.” He wraps a hand around your throat and squeezes, momentarily rendering you breathless. “Understand?” he growls, his eyes flaring at you.

Satoru hooks a hand underneath your body to play with your clit, coaxing you to answer. “Yes, Daddies,” you moan, delirious and dumb with need. “I promise!”

That is all the two need to hear. Moments later, you are being spit roasted by both hunks, two big cocks stretching out your holes and fucking them into oblivion. Satoru uses your throat to his heart’s content, his own slutty moans and grunts leaving his lips as he watches you take Suguru from behind.

Suguru fucks you rough, deep, and hard, sliding as much of his big cock into you as he can, his heavy balls slapping against your clit with every thrust. He grips your ass so hard that his claws dig into the meaty flesh of your asscheeks, possibly drawing blood, as he grunts and growls, animalistic in the way he fucks. He is relentless and merciless, taking as much as he gives, but you expect nothing less from a demon.

He presses his lips against your ear, his tongue sliding against your earlobe. “Take those cocks, sugar,” he whispers in your ear. “Take both of them like I know you can.”

You have no choice but to do so, your jaw aching and pussy squelching the more you are fucked from both ends. Satoru peers into your dazed eyes that are nearly rolled to the back of your head. “You still doin’ okay, baby?” he worriedly asks. “You look so dazed.” Suguru laughs, loud and mocking. “That’s ‘cause she’s gettin’ slutted out just like she wants to be.”

He gives your ass another harsh spank, loving the way it claps for him, and reaches down to toy with your tummy. You moan around Satoru’s cock as you slowly begin to toss your ass back into Suguru, fucking yourself on his cock as if he was a dildo. “Yes,” he growls. “Fuck me back, naughty girl. Show Satoru how fuckin’ nasty you are.”

Satoru watches on, eyes glazed and cheeks all aglow with lust and astonishment, noticing how your ass, tummy, and tits jiggle with each thrust of Suguru’s dick inside of your wet pussy. “Go on, cutie, fuck him back,” he encourages. “Show me how much you need this.”

You do your absolute best to do just that, egged on by your need to cum and the luscious moans coming from Satoru and Suguru fucking your body. Using it for their pleasure. You can feel Suguru’s cock swelling and throbbing between your pussy walls, stroking them relentlessly until you can feel that urge to cum cresting again. You reach down to frantically rub your clit, pushing yourself to gush around the big, fat cock inside of you.

“Cum for me again,” Suguru growls. “Cum for us again. Make that slutty pussy cream around my cock, sugar.” Like a puppet on some strings, you finally let go and cum for the second time, intense jolts of pleasure coursing throughout your body. You moan loud and wanton around Satoru’s dick as you soak Suguru and your inner thighs with your cum, sticky droplets of it dripping down your legs and his balls.

Satoru watches your face, loving how your brown eyes roll back and your body twitches from the ecstasy. “So pretty,” he whines. “I want you to take my cum too.” Suguru smirks at him, a devious glint in his eye. “Make her do then. She’ll do exactly what you say.”

Satoru begins to speed up his thrusts, rutting into your mouth again and again, his moans growing louder and more high-pitched. Finally, his hips tense and his abs clench as his orgasm takes over, gripping your hair to hold you down on his cock. “Fuck!” he loudly groans as his taste floods your tongue. His spunk fills up your mouth, leaving you no choice but to swallow it all.

Suguru hums in approval, watching you swallow each ounce of cum. “Mmm, now that’s a good cock slut,” he coos. “You haven’t quite persuaded me that you’re good yet.” He spanks and grips a handful of your ass, sinking his claws into the meaty flesh once more. “Maybe if you take this fat load of mine, I’ll reconsider.”

He ruts into you faster and harder, pistoning you into Satoru who holds your face in his hands, making you look up into his soft, loving blue eyes. “Take his cum, baby girl,” he murmurs. “Just look at me, okay? Look me in my eyes when you take it all.”

You do as he says despite Suguru’s rough fucking, his feral grunts growing louder and warning you of his orgasm. “M’cumming!” he growls. “Gonna give you everything you need!” After a few more earth-shattering, body-breaking thrusts, the demon lets out a low groan and roots rope after rope of spunk inside of your pussy, filling your hole to the brim with it.

You gasp at the warm sensation, another mini-orgasm coursing through you and making you tremor. Your shake and shudder against Suguru’s cock as you both ride out your orgasms one second at a time, Suguru’s thrusts growing sloppier and slower as his high fades. “Oooh, you came again, little doll?” he chuckles, feeling you pulse around his dick. “Such a needy thing. I bet that felt real good.”

Satoru presses a kiss to your sweaty brow and releases your face, allowing your head to lull exhaustively between your shoulders. But Suguru is way less generous. He takes your hair and yanks it back, making you hiss in pain. “What do you say?” he firmly demands.

Against the sting of your scalp and the haze of your three orgasms, you manage to find the words that he is looking for. “Thank you, Daddies,” you breathlessly answer. “Thank you for fucking me.”

Suguru hums in approval, gently releasing your hair. “You’re very welcome, baby,” Satoru adoringly murmurs. “You did so, so well for us. You gave us a Christmas gift too with this body.” He gently wipes his cum and your drool from your pretty lips, committing your features to his memory.

“Mmm, definitely,” Suguru agrees, softly moaning as he pulls his cock out of you, shuddering in delight at the sight of his cum dripping out of you. “But the poor thing looks tuckered out.”

‘Tuckered out’ isn’t even the right word to use for your current state. Your muscles ache and feel as if you just completed an hour at the gym doing cardio and weight-training. Your pussy aches and throbs in a way that makes you crave a nice oil massage and a hot bath to soothe it. Your mind is fuzzy with exhaustion and overall? You just need sleep.

After the duo get dressed, Satoru slowly lays you down on the couch and places a soft duvet over your body. He and Suguru both come over to press a kiss to each of your cheeks as your eyes struggle to keep open. “Sleep well, little girl,” Suguru softly murmurs. “You’ve earned it.”

Satoru’s gloved hand soothingly strokes your brow, coaxing you deeper and deeper into slumber. “Sweet dreams, baby,” he whispers. “I’ll be back next Christmas, you’ll see.”

“And so will I,” Suguru chuckles. “Until then, doll.”

The last noise you hear is the sound of sleigh bells fading away into the distance as sleep takes you. When you sleep, you sleep all night on the couch until the next morning when the sun rises on Christmas Day.

When you awaken, you at first believe that last night was just a silly dream…until you find two special gifts left for you on the mantle above your fireplace.

One is a bright, golden jingle bell with “Claus” etched into the metal.

And another is a dingier, brass jingle bell the color of old silver with the name “Krampus” burnt into the metal.

Both reminders of what to be for the rest of the new year.

THE END.