#Buy Online white honey

[drdemonprince]

So that was the DNC. The young liberals, white feminists, and leftists-in-name only have gladly fallen in line behind Kamala Harris, because she makes them feel good, and because all they have wanted was to find sufficient reason to stop feeling bad and get back to brunch. They've abandoned Palestine, the same way they abandoned the immunocompromised and abolition of the police, because these and so many other left political movements were little more than fashion to them. They were never interested in seeing the destruction of a political system that many of them could, theoretically, make themselves comfortable inside. They just wanted to be seen as current and good.

Did you know that there are 24 million millionaires in the United States? 24 Million. Millionaires. 24,000,000 millionaires. Up from 22 million in 2022. That's about 7.2% of the population. So much for "we are the 99%." There is a sizeable segment of this population that benefits from economic inequality and imperialism, increasingly so, as both the size of the lower class and the upper class expand.

Many millions of additional people have no interest in changing the U.S. political paradigm, because they have been propagandized to believe all compassion and competence fall away under "anarchy," or because they lack community in any meaningful sense and have no conception of how to act collectively. This is not their fault, but it means they act in ways counter to leftist organizing: calling the cops on people, refusing to show up for others, hoarding what property and wealth they do have, demanding that all acts of resistance be peaceful and brief, and pouring all of the political energies into exhorting others to vote (no matter how dyed blue or gerrymander red their districts are, no matter how genocidal, transphobic, and xenophobic all the options might be).

People think that participating in community is buying a $355 Chappel Roan ticket. The big voices for leftist organizing, supposedly, are individuals who market themselves as such on Instagram and TikTok in order to sell books, tarot decks, subscriptions, and workshops.

The sole method for social or political engagement that most people know of is making posts online, on an overblown advertising platform, and then complaining that they did not receive enough attention on their (monetized) posts. A person with shrewd social media instincts and a strong writerly voice can fake an entire political identity, professional connections, and expertise, and be followed by tens of thousands while doing nothing constructive in their day to day life or even being the person they claim to be. The more actively they post and generate revenue for Meta, the more lucrative their grift becomes for themselves and the more social power they accrue. Chasing power and profit for oneself is definitionally counter to leftist ideals. Even if they do not believe in electoralism, people like this produce endless content about the subject, because people follow it like it's sports. They're glorified entertainers, selling politically themed content, never taking themselves off the stage.

Challenge any of this and people will lash out at you, because you've attacked their cloth mother, and they're very lonely and afraid. The corporately-moderated semblance of connection is nearly all they ever get. You can't talk about sex, drugs, death, or any difficult human realities. If you don't present a disneyfied version of yourself you get accused or being a degenerate predator. If you don't participate at all, you must be apathetic, which is very bad, because having the wrong emotions or thoughts makes you evil.

The protests at the DNC were all either ill-conceived PSL honey traps leading dozens of 19-year-olds into arrest via Signal chat, or bloated 3-hour fundraising attempts miles away from the United Center and corralled by the police and Department of Justice marshalls and their collaborators. Everybody else is far away, enjoying brat colored cocktails and picking out demure tradwife clothing to disappear into for the fall. Dreaming of not having to worry anymore is akin to longing for death, and many liberal Americans have gladly embraced total obliteration.

It's not just conservatism that is a death cult. It's also the preservation of the nation-state. State-making obliterates whole cultures, languages, lands, traditions, and unique, person-to-person modes of relating. You get your food from a corporation or a government bureaucracy that does not know you and makes you fight for it, never from a person. This makes you forget that it's just persons, like the ones you know, like yourself, who do everything. It makes you cling to the state, and to normalcy, rather than speaking openly and messily to anybody else.

This is where it all begins and ends. The hope of a revolution rising up to somehow liberate Palestine was always a fantasy, the stuff of kid's movies. The truth is much darker, but more bearable, because it's real. We are very far from a dramatic political change. Most people aren't willing to even let a stranger into their homes to keep them sheltered. Did we really think they were going to rise up and put their body on the line to fight the state? Give up Starbucks and their PPO? Break the law? Lower their property value? Of course not. Get real.

And so, where do we start? By moving far, far away from the individualistic, capitalistic, clout-based avenues of political "participation" that do nothing but benefit people who present themselves as influential voices. By doing the small, slow, humble work of actual community building. Talking to your neighbors, feeding people, housing people, sacrificing something for others, driving a senior to the doctor, building a way outside of your own head.

We have to become more reliant upon one another and less moved by big personalities who will never know us or give a damn about us as people. Instagram pays me the more of you look at my posts and share them on their app. It pays every other high follower account you take political guidance from, too. You should be suspicious of me. And all the rest of them. You should place more trust in your friends, your neighbors, and the power of your own mind.

The way out of all this will not be easy. And it will not happen on here.

[crystlizabeth]

Thinking about Simon and his Stallion!wife How while in Vegas for their anniversary Simon decided he wanted to spoil her. The couple had been walking around the stores he watch as her eyes laid on a Louis Vuitton. “You wanna go in?” He asked pulling her closer to him by the hip.

“I don’t think so.. we’ve already spent enough..” she spoke her voice was hesitant as her arm wrapping around Simon’s waist.

He simply rolled his eyes and walked towards the store. Simon loved spending his paycheck on her, yes she was grown and made her own mine but what’s the fun of having her spend her own money on herself when he was with her. Nothing was to much when it came to her. The Chanel, Dior, hell even H&M bags His hands he carried her bags proudly, his gorgeous wife holding on to his bicep her pretty freshly done nails holding his arm.

Now he kneeled in front of her fastening the heel around her ankle, his eyes scanned her calf tattoo the pretty details, soon his eyes met hers her dark eyes looking down on him a smile displayed on her glossy lips. He stood up watching as she tucked her boho twist, holding her hair as she scanned the heel.

“What do you think?” The sales lady asked.

“Not really a fan of I’m honest.. do you happen to have wedge sandal, the starboards? I’ve had my eye on them for a while” She asked her tone excited while looking down at the small lady.

Simon watched as the lady looked up at his wife Her light eyes a bit nervous, “well umm..” she muttered, yep definitely nervous.

“Oh Honey I don’t bite.” She teased her hands meeting her hips.

“Well ma’am I don’t think we have your size..”

“On thats to bad..”

“I’m sorry I bet you could order them online!” The sales lady said.

She looked over at Simon then back at the lady “it’s alright hun, no worries.” She spoke sitting back down.

He could tell she was sad more disappointed, he helped her take off the heels it’s was and unsuccessful shop. Yet Simon now knew what she wanted, and he be damned if he didn’t get them for her.

He spent that night scrolling through his hope even making a few calls and ended up finally finding a store that had them.

It was weird especially on holiday not to wake up with her husband not in bed with her was new but not out of the ordinary. She ended up getting a text saying ‘Be ready for brunch I’ll be back soon gorgeous.’ It wasn’t long before he got back and she saw the bag in his hand.

He loved the face she made her jaw slightly dropped “Si?” She spoke fastening her gold hoop, Simon’s eyes scanned her body the white sundress she wore hugging her body the bottom being ruffled and stopping at the top of her knees, the top of it in a U shape her cleavage showing the sleeves also ruffled. Shit she looked good.

Simon cleared his throat before speaking “So you know those wedges you wanted.”

She gasped “you did not!” She smiled walking over to him quickly.

Simon hanged her the bag watching her place it on the bed Opening them “oh my lord, they’re so pretty aint they!” She smiled her eyes scanning the shoe.

Simon smiled as she let her arms wrap around his neck her lips kissing his multiple times. “Ugh! I love you so much. Baby! You didn’t have to!” She spoke between kissed knowing damn well he just spent twelve hundred dollars on them.

“But I did.” He spoke simply, his hands wandering soon feeling up her ass.

She hummed “what if we just do lunch instead brunch is for white suburban moms anyway.” She joked.

“Might make you mom…”

“Simon you impregnated me now I will rain hell.”

He chuckled pushing her against the bed, “yet you still beg me to cum in that pretty cunt of yours huh?” He spoke bitting her lip.

“You better get this dress off me, and that don’t mean rip it.” She spoke the feeling of Simon’s hands already at work.

“If this is a thank you I might just buy you another pair.” He smirked against her lips.

.˚₊‧ ── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── ‧₊˚.

Sorry for any spelling errors but I figured y’all used to it reading my stuff!

[lawrites]

2022!Oswald Cobblepot x Female Plus Size Reader

(NSFW) Oswald Cobblepot asks you to drive with him, bringing you to the local makeout point. You both discuss insecurities, past high school experiences, and your love for each other (while getting into the mood of the area, of course).

CW: body insecurity, some talks of high school, and semi-public sex (not really because Oz bought out the place 😭), dry humping, praise

Thank you for exchanging fics with me @finniestoncrane!!! I was so honored to write this for you. Hope you enjoy. 💙💙

Oswald had a specific request for you, tonight.

“Sweetheart, wanna take you somewhere nice. Can you put on that pretty, short skirt for me? You know the one.”

You do know the one. You had found it online, somewhere, at one of his favorite high end sites. A flared tennis skirt that boasted it was for bigger bodies like yours, longer in the back and accommodating for wider hips. You had tried it on when it first arrived, in front of Ozzie as usual, and his eyes darkened instantly when he saw the way it highlighted your wider hips, the waistband digging into your plush middle and making a bit of flesh round out over the top. He had gotten up, reaching for your waist instantly and tracing the softness there.

“Angel…that one's a keeper. Want me to get you more? In different colors?”

“Thank you, Ozzie.” He looked elated, as he always did when you thanked him, “But I don't think that's necessar-”

He had put one hand in his pocket to reach for his phone while you were talking, and was now holding up a hand to interrupt you. “I'm already buying you more. You deserve only the best.”

Giving you a winning smile after a minute of tapping around on his phone, his attention returned to you, he continued, “And believe me, honey, this is absolutely more of a present for me.”

So now you find yourself rushing around, trying to pull together a cohesive outfit from your admittedly massive closet. The man spoiled you, but after spending most of your life without access to anything pretty at your size…you are secretly ecstatic to have such a selection at your fingertips. The only issue is that, after years of not having access to the best clothes, trying to put together an outfit that isn't just jeans and a tee is difficult.

Eventually, you land on the skirt in a pale blue color, a simple white tank top, a soft blue cropped cardigan, and some sneakers and thigh highs. Deciding to be a little bit extra, you put your hair up into some cute space buns, wrap them in a white ribbon, and grab a minimal amount of makeup.

Making a peace sign at yourself in the mirror, you take in your smile that doesn't quite reach your eyes. It's not necessarily that you are unexcited for this date…you're just nervous. Even now, after more than a year of being with Oz…living with him, even, you worry that you just aren't what he truly wants.

He's proven time and time again that you are, but unfortunately years of insecurity over being fat don't just go away thanks to sweet compliments and proof of attraction…but they do help. You hold your hands at your sides as you walk to the grand staircase, but can't keep them from fiddling with the edge of your skirt when you see him.

He's dressed admittedly casually for him. Dark, high quality jeans that are imported from Italy, a nice, designer cotton shirt, and a vintage leather jacket. You haven't seen him like this before, and he looks good. His chest hair peeks out from the v of the shirt, his patent leather shoes are shined, and everything is tailored perfectly.

Your hands run along and edge of your skirt and you clear your throat, gaining his attention. His eyes instantly turn your way, with a charming smile. The smile drops into an open-mouthed gaze of wonder as he takes you in. “Oh, Angel…” he starts, then stops, then starts walking towards you.

You begin to hurriedly flounce down the stairs, trying to match his own impatient pace. In your haste, you manage to trip on the last step, only to be caught, handily, by Oz. His hands grip yours, and his charming smile is back. “Woah! Where's the rush, beautiful?”

He carefully winds a hand around to the small of your back, gently nudging you towards him until you are pressed right against his front. His other hand moves to cup your chin. “Got someone special you're trying to meet?”

You blush and try to disguise how flustered you are (how flustered he makes you). “I am! Have you seen anyone special around?”

He knits his eyebrows together in an exaggerated expression of contemplation, smirking at your tease and releasing your chin to rub his own. “Hmmm, can't think of one. ‘Cept me, of course.”

You wrap your arms around his neck, “Well, you're certainly handsome enough to be someone important.”

Oz, almost like he can't help himself, surges forward and kisses you. It wasn't fast enough to disguise the way his cheeks turned red at your admission, however. His tongue lightly traces your lips, demanding entry, and you open up. He groans and his hands move to your hips, trying to somehow get you even closer than you already are.

Eventually you both need air, and separate from each other as you catch your breath. Your face shows the astonishment you feel, “Well, that was…unexpected. Good unexpected, though.” You grin at him and he almost sheepishly runs a hand through the hair on the back of his head.

“What can I say, Angel? You drive me crazy. I can't help myself.”

He holds out his hand, and you gladly take it. By the gentle guidance of Oz, you eventually find yourself at the entrance of his garage. The sheepishness is gone, and he looks you up and down with a dark glint in his eyes, “Whaddya say, sweetheart? Up for a late night drive?”

—-------------------------

Oz made you feel cared for, in almost every aspect of your relationship. He was a secret romantic at heart, which was part of the explanation for his behavior…but the other part was his need to show off what he has earned. What is his, and his by hard work and smarts.

And, while saying that you're his may be archaic, you certainly feel like you're his as you're driving through Gotham, his big hand on your bare thigh, tracing the bit of flesh that spills out of your thigh highs. He's casually chatting, of course, telling you about this place or that in Gotham, the history behind it, occasionally making you giggle with his stories. He looks over to you when you do, briefly, his eyes shining.

“Never going to get used to the feeling that I get when I make a pretty girl like you laugh. It's a privilege.”

You are floating, happy, maybe slightly aroused at the feel of his hands on you, when he suddenly releases your thigh as the car stops, moving to put it in park. Trying to take in your surroundings, paying attention to them properly, now, you are instead confused to see just greenery, trees, and darkness surrounding you. You turn to Oz to ask him a question, but he is already getting out of the car and moving to your side, ready to open your door.

You thank him, accepting the hand he offers and trying to see if anything around you was worth the drive. And then, you see the drop off ahead in the ground, rocky, sharp, and guarded by a crumbling fence. Still holding his hand, you look from the drop to Oz. He brings your hand up, kisses it, and then releases it, gesturing for you to investigate.

You rush forward, hearing him yell out, “Be careful, though, Dove! You don't have wings even if you are an Angel.” Pausing well within a safe distance from the edge, you peer down and see the entirety of Gotham spread out before you. The twinkling of the lights, the giant buildings, but without the noise. It's quiet, even if you can just barely see a police car with sirens on, the shrill tone doesn't reach you, here.

“Oh Oz! This is gorgeous! I've never seen Gotham like this! How did you find this place?”

You feel his hands on your shoulders, his soft front pressed against you, “This place isn't a secret. Been aware of it since high school. Would come up here and look at the city and just…think sometimes.” He turns you around so you are facing him, placing a hand under your chin. “Wanted to see your gorgeous face light up like the city when you see it from here.”

Blushing, again, you swat his hand away. “Yeah, yeah, Mr. Cobblepot.” He snorts at your teasing tone, and you cross your arms and raise an eyebrow in suspicion. “I bet you said that to all the girls when you brought them up here back then.”

His grin falters, and he seems to almost deflate in stature. “W-well I-” he cuts himself off, struggling to form a sentence. “Actually, you're the first.”

You roll your eyes, “Sure, Oz.” He holds out his hands, “No! I'm serious…I…Doll, I wasn't much of a looker in high school.” His arms drop to his sides at his admission.

His face falls, and you see a familiar expression, one that you have on your own face when you talk about high school bullies and your insecurities over your weight. Softening, you move towards him, gently bringing him in for a hug. “Oh. I didn't mean to tease you, Ozzie. I know how that feels.”

He grumbles above you, “Yeah, I know, because I have trouble believing an Angel like you had any trouble in high school, myself.” Maneuvering you so he can look at you at arms length, he whistles, “I mean, with your plump, soft body and those rosy, plush cheeks? I have a hard time believing you even want to be with me now.”

You move forward, out of his grasp, and cross your arms, hugging yourself. “Oh, I don't know about that Ozzie. I was such a nerd in high school, and I still am!” He chuckles, and looks like he's about to argue, but you continue, anyway. “I know if you went to high school with me, though, I would have had the biggest crush on you.”

He looks confused. “Really? No joke?” You shake your head, “Absolutely no joke, cross my heart. You're charming.” You bite your lip purposefully, drawing his eyes which start to darken, “You're so romantic, it makes me swoon sometimes.” Moving closer, you wind your arms around him, one at a time, looking up with big, shining eyes, “And you are exactly my type. I love your strong nose,” you kiss it, “I love your dark, gorgeous eyes,” you get on your tiptoes to flutter your eyelashes against him in a cute move that makes Oz actually giggle.

“I love your body, even if you don't,” you press yourself right against his front, making him let out a grunt, “And I guarantee that if we were in high school together, I would have let you take me up here and show me-”

His arms pull you closer, desperately, and he slams his lips into yours, effectively cutting you off. You let out a surprised sound, but then soften and let him lead. Feeling the effect you have on him, you grind against him, making him release your lips with a groan.

“God, Angel.” He's out of breath, his hands crumpling the fabric of your skirt from where he had dug them into your hips. Releasing them, he smooths it down with his hands slowly, almost worshipfully. “The idea of you, in this outfit, showing little old, ugly me in high school a good time…”

You cut him off, “We probably would have both been considered ugly in high school, then, Oz. Two weirdos together. But look at where we are now, huh?”

You reach down to hold his hand, using it to lead him to the back of the car, where you hop up onto the trunk, slightly ungracefully. Arms spread, you invite him into your embrace and he accepts, sucking in a breath as you spread your plush thighs so they surround him.

Using your arm to bring his head down, he dutifully follows and sniffs at the juncture between your shoulder and neck, moaning and beginning to nibble marks into your skin. With a breathier tone, you whisper into his ear, “King of Gotham, my King of Gotham. So powerful and smart and those idiots in high school didn't know what they were missing.”

With that, he whimpers, and his hands dig into your thighs once more, moving your skirt up and pressing, grasping, digging into the plump flesh available to him there. His hips begin to piston, slowly at first, rubbing against your center and making you choke on air.

Then he releases the spot where he had been worrying your flesh with his teeth, nuzzling his nose up the column of your throat and whispering in your ear, now. “And you're the King of Gotham’s Sweet Dove. You're my gorgeous girl.” You whine, and he starts to move even faster against you, the both of you panting.

“Ozzie! Please!” You stifle your cry as much as you can, unsure what exactly it is that you want, but the heat in your belly is removing your ability to think. You feel your wetness soaking into Oz’s front, and he just groans, “Oh, good girl. So wet for me, yeah? So pretty and plump and all mine.”

You bite your lip, self conscious, still, especially being out in the open like this. “M-messy,” you whimper, unable to voice your worry more fully. He almost coos at you, trying to calm you down and comfort you as his hips continue pressing against you in a steady rhythm, sending sparks through your body. “You think I care about a little mess, sweetheart?”

You're the one who nuzzles your head into his neck, now, unable to hold back the small pleas and whimpers and whines that are all coming from somewhere deep inside of you. Somewhere in the mess of words, you say, “K-king!”

It makes Oz stutter in his rhythm, letting out a sound like he's been punched. “T-that's right, Angel. And a King doesn't let those peasants decide who he is or what he does.” With that, he snakes a hand around between you, maneuvering until he is under your panties, circling around your bundle of nerves and making you throw your head back, moaning out more pleas.

He chuckles. “Always wanted to hear a pretty girl scream out my name up here. Can you do that for me, Sweetheart?” The next word comes out desperately, like he needs to hear it, “Please.”

You start to chant his name, which makes him finally press his finger against your clit. “Oz! Ozzie! Oh! Oswald!” Your legs spasm and your mouth easily forms his name, your thighs hugging hard around his sides and forcing him to press right against you. He groans out, “God, my Angel,” and you feel him still as he grunts and growls against your neck.

Catching your breath together, you eventually separate a bit, the heaviness of the summer air and the stickiness combining to make you both feel a bit…gross. Chuckling, Oz removes his leather jacket. What little light exists around you highlights the sweat on his soft, strong arms, making your legs press together again.

He sees you, and lets out a moan. “Sweetheart, I love yah, but you’ve worn me out.” He throws his jacket casually in the back of the car and you collapse onto your back on the trunk, the exhaustion finally reaching your body. You let out a squeak as you feel Oz press against your thighs, removing your panties and cleaning you up with a wet wipe.

Sitting up, press a sweet kiss to his nose and thank him. He smiles serenely at you and you both contentedly sit, for a moment, before you remember where you are. Your heart seizes with anxiety and you push him away getting off the trunk and gesturing wildly with your hands, “Oz! We did that in public! Where anyone could see! What were we thinking! I-”

He laughs, a full belly laugh, and you turn to him with your hands at your hips. “What's so funny, Oz?”

He wipes a tear away, “Sorry, doll, didn't mean to mock you.” He looks fairly proud as he admits, “I own this place, and most of the place around it. I usually open it up to others but tonight…I made sure no one else would be up here.”

Your demeanor shifts to one of relief. “Oh, thank God.” He brings you to him, pressing your back against his front and hugging you from behind. “Oh, I'm not God, Sweetheart, but I'll take the thanks all the same.”

You swat at him, and he chuckles. Then, he groans and presses his head against your shoulder. His voice comes out hesitantly, “Besides, I didn't need anyone seeing me coming in my pants like a fucking teenager over a pretty girl.”

You join him when he laughs, and his wandering hands go to your sensitive spots, seeking out ticklish areas to make you giggle with glee even more. Two weirdos, indeed.

---------------------

....anyway hope you enjoyed! 💙💙

[junekissed]

the secret garden

member — seokmin x gn reader genre — fluff :) happy valentine's day! word count — 2.2k warnings — none! notes — this is for @hvcmixtape's valentine's day song collab!! this fic is based on: "like real people do" by hozier

be sure to check out the other participants in the collab - masterlist here!

“hey, honey?”

seokmin looks up at the sound of your voice trailing in from the other room. “yeah?” he calls back.

“i’m off to the store to get stuff for dinner, okay? i’ll be back in a while. text me if you need anything!”

he smiles. “ ‘kay. love you!”

“love you too!” you reply.

he closes his laptop, waiting. minutes later he hears the front door click shut and faintly, the sound of your car starting as you drive away.

when he’s sure you’re gone, he gets up from his chair, peeking out through the doorway of his office before walking out into the house.

the sliding glass door to your backyard opens with a squeak as seokmin slips outside, quickly crossing the yard. he struggles a little moving the heavy birdbath, but once it’s out of the way he finds what he’s looking for.

it’s purposefully hard to get to; hidden behind a cluster of small trees and shrubs and covered even further by the birdbath, because he needs to make sure you won’t see it, unless you knew exactly where to look.

he breathes a sigh of relief when he sees everything in place, just as it was when he last checked a few days ago.

he’s been planning this since last february, when he originally planned on doing this for you; except the squirrels got to it a few days before he could and he had to rush to buy cheap roses from the grocery store down the street because all the florists had been sold out for weeks. he’s still mad about that, and this year he made sure to cover everything in netting so it wouldn’t happen again.

he even bought anti-squirrel spray, and he feels kinda bad about using chemicals, but he didn’t want to risk a natural, chemical-free repellant not working and forcing him to settle for something store bought for a second year in a row. sorry, squirrels.

but thanks to—or perhaps, in spite of—his precautions this year, his gift is perfectly safe and sound. his flowers are coming along perfectly.

they’re right on the verge of blooming: the buds just barely beginning to open, just in time for valentine’s day in a week.

of course, he’s got the classic v-day flowers: deep red roses, pink speckled carnations, white daisies.

but he knows he can do better than that. any moron with a packet of seeds can grow roses in their backyard. so he’s planted some of your other favorites too, ones that took a little more planning to pull off. honeysuckle, tulips, and daffodils, some of your favorites, take up one corner of the flower bed.

the work and research put into getting everything right has been tedious, but seokmin is an ambitious man, and he would only attempt it for you. sure, it probably cost more in time, effort, and supplies than ordering a nice bouquet online would have, but he likes doing things himself, and he likes that his way is more personal.

it’s been many months of diligently deleting the search history on his computer so you don’t see the hour and a half of googling things like “how often do i water carnations” and “are worms good for plants” and “how much sunlight for tulips” every day.

not that he thinks you’d go looking, but he can never be too careful when dealing with surprises. not after two christmases ago when you found your (unwrapped) presents sitting behind the washing machine when your sock had fallen down there; no, he’s learned his lesson.

he heads to the shed along the side of the house to grab the scissors from the shelf of gardening supplies, along with a small watering can.

he’s glad you never end up sticking to your annual new year’s resolution to start gardening more, because if you had, you probably would’ve found his secret flowers already. although maybe after this, he might be able to convince you to come outside and garden with him every once in a while. it’s actually kind of fun, and it’s satisfying seeing his hard work turn into something beautiful.

when he’s done trimming the dead leaves and making sure the plants have enough water, he carefully replaces the netting and moves the birdbath back into place. he puts the gardening scissors and watering can where they belong before heading back inside, carefully sliding the door shut behind him and locking it again.

he’s just finishing washing the dirt off his hands when he hears your car pull up into the driveway, and he can’t help the smile that grows across his face at just the thought of you. he flicks his hands, gives them a quick wipe with a towel before opening the front door and going out to meet you at the car and help you carry everything inside.

the next few days pass by quickly, and before seokmin knows it, it’s the night before valentine’s day.

he’s just gotten back from work, having left early to make sure he has time before you get home, leaving him plenty of time to get everything ready for tomorrow. 

he opens the back door, leaving it open so he can hear your car pulling up in case you get home earlier than expected.

crossing the yard he feels like a kid on christmas eve, sneaking out of bed to peek at their presents before christmas morning. he’s excited for his months of planning to finally come together, and he can’t wait to see the look on your face tomorrow when he finally gets to give it to you.

he carefully cuts the flowers, picking out the prettiest and brightest blooms and setting them in a little container so he can take them inside without damaging them. 

back in the house he stands over the counter, thinking about how to put everything together. he’s watched countless videos on how to do different kinds of flower arrangements, but sitting in front of the flowers he grew himself, ready to start, it’s a little more nerve-wracking than he had thought.

he’s only got one shot at doing this right, and although there’s still some flowers left outside that he didn’t cut, it won’t be enough to make a completely new bouquet.

he takes a deep breath, eyes flicking across the counter from the daffodils to the daisies before he finally settles on the roses first. gingerly he picks one up and sets it in the vase he bought, already lined with floral tape and filled with just the right amount of water.

one by one he carefully places the flowers in the vase, trying his best to add layers and make everything look nice and organized.

it takes him a little while but finally it’s finished, and he stands back, admiring his work. it’s not as perfect as he’d hoped it would be, but he has to admit it looks pretty damn good for an amateur florist like himself. it definitely would've looked nicer had he bought a pre-made arrangement instead, but he's so happy with everything that the thought of buying flowers doesn't even cross his mind.

he checks his watch, surprised to see how much time has passed as he hurries to put the arrangement in a hiding spot (one that you won’t accidentally find this time) and put your other presents together in a little pink gift bag covered in hearts.

he hears the front doorknob turn just as he’s taking things out of the refrigerator to get started making dinner (it’s your night to cook, but he wants to keep you out of the kitchen and away from the hidden presents).

as always, you greet him with a smile and a kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck and leaning your head against his shoulder. the corners of your eyes crinkle in joy when you see that he’s making your favorite dinner, and you start telling him about your exhausting work day as he cooks.

you’ve decided to take the holiday off and call in sick tomorrow, preferring to spend a nice, romantic day with your husband, so you aren’t in bed as early as you usually would be on a work night. instead, you’re cuddled up on the couch after dinner, talking late into the night about everything and nothing at all. it’s these evening with seokmin that you love the most; the quiet days when you can just be around each other and everything feels safe and comfortable.

and he doesn’t even mind when you fall asleep on his shoulder and he has to gently tap you awake to bring you to bed. in fact, he couldn’t be happier.

the next day he sets his alarm and wakes up before you, sneaking out of bed and tucking his side of the blankets against you so that you won’t immediately notice he’s gone.

by the time you wake up a little while later, the smell of breakfast is already wafting into the room as seokmin carries a tray of waffles and fruit, topped with whipped cream and strawberries in the shape of a heart.

his face breaks into a grin when he sees you awake, carefully handing you the platter of food.

you smile sleepily at him, still letting your eyes adjust to the morning sunlight. “hi, baby.”

he giggles, sitting on his side of the bed next to you. “hi sweetheart. happy valentine’s day.”

he nods at the plate, wordlessly asking you to try the food, and you oblige, cutting off a big piece of waffle. and of course, like everything seokmin does, it’s— 

“—so good,” you moan through a mouthful of food, savoring the taste. “you spoil me,” you say as you motion to the spread on your lap.

he giggles. “you deserve to be spoiled. and besides, you haven’t even seen everything yet.”

you pretend to be shocked, gasping exaggeratedly. “there’s more?” 

after many years with seokmin, you know he’s probably got something insanely elaborate up his sleeve, but you’re still not used to the way he treats you like you’re the most precious thing in the world. and to him, you are.

he sits with you while you finish your breakfast, leaving only to take your dish back to the sink while you get up and throw some clothes on.

you meet him in the kitchen and immediately see the counter covered in little gifts, but the focal point of the arrangement is a huge case full of flowers, bright pinks and whites and reds with little hints of green spread throughout.

"minnie, this is so…" you start, your voice breaking a little as you walk towards the little display. "these flowers are gorgeous. you must've spent a fortune, you shouldn't have!"

he blushes a little, twining his fingers together. "i didn't!"

you narrow your eyes at him in confusion, and he continues. "i didn't spend anything on them," he repeats. "i grew them myself. so– well, yeah, technically i did buy the bulbs and the seeds and the fertilizer, but i got them on sale so it wasn't that much…" he trails off when he sees you staring at him, mouth hanging open. "what?"

"you grew these?" you ask in shock.

he grins proudly. "i did! and i arranged it myself, too, does it look okay? the carnations wouldn't stick to the tape right, so i had to just– y'know, shove them in there. but they look fine, right?"

you think you might cry at how thoughtful and perfect and wonderful he is, and he's explaining something about squirrels but you're not paying attention because all you can see is the way the smile on his face reaches all the way up to his eyes and the way he scrunches up his nose when he talks, and all you can think about is how happy it makes him when he makes you happy and how happy it makes you when he's happy and how you couldn't be more in love with this man if you tried.

so you do the only thing you can think to do: throw your arms around him and kiss him like it's your first kiss, your last kiss, and every kiss in between all wrapped up into one, and the way he instantly melts into your arms is worth more than any present or expensive floral arrangement he could buy for you. his gifts mean a lot, but nothing comes close to the giddy feeling bubbling up in your stomach when your lips are on his and his arms are softly hugging your waist and his nose is just barely brushing your cheek, and it's the most wonderful feeling in the whole entire world.

and when you finally break apart he's got that sickeningly in-love look on his face, and you know that everything in your life has been leading up to this moment; when you both have so much love you can't physically hold it in, and it spills out over into everything you do for each other. nothing else matters except you and him, your sunshine husband who grows homemade bouquets of flowers for you.

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[one-vivid-judgment]

Hello! Maybe it's a little too late for such request but anyway! For Higashi, Tsukumo, Kuwana, Kenmochi and Tesso - receiving honmei choco from their s/o on Valentine's Day 💝 Thank you!

You guys ever get in a mood and go "Mhmm, Judgment men"? Cause like, big same.

Toru Higashi

See, he knew what day it was. He should’ve seen it coming, but somehow, he didn’t. Call him stupid, but when you hand him the little wrapped box, he just freezes in place. Higashi.exe stopped working.

If his employees are around to see, he’ll try to play it cool and just say ‘thanks’. But really, you can see how much of a blushy mess he is. He doesn’t even like sweets that much, but the simple fact that you went out of your way to make chocolate for him get him all gushy. He’ll eat everything and not leave a single crumb. Expect him to return the favor tenfold when White Day comes around.

Makoto Tsukumo

He can get too caught up in his detective work sometimes, but that doesn’t mean he’ll lose track of what date it is! He’s got it circled in the calendar because he knows it’s important for you, and he knows you are planning something for him.

Unlike Higashi, he loves sweets. He’ll eat it all in front of you and make the most pleased little noises. Compliments just fly your way, even if the chocolate didn’t look that good in your own eyes. Tsukumo’s got you, he is your biggest hype man. He is not the greatest in the kitchen, but he will try to make something for you in return on White Day—it probably won’t come out looking great, but it’s the intention that counts! (And if that plan doesn’t work, he can always buy you something he knows you’ll like online.)

Jin Kuwana

Knows what date it is and knows what’s supposed to happen. It doesn’t catch him off guard when you hand him the little box of homemade chocolates. Even so, the smile on his face is genuine; it’s not like he’s ever spent Valentine’s Day with anyone or gotten chocolates before.

If the taste is not the greatest, he will let you know. He’s not mean about it, far from it! It comes from a place of genuinely wanting you to improve—then he’ll laugh, because he is the worst cook ever and there he is, talking out of his ass and giving ‘advice’. Main reason why your White Day gift won’t be anything homemade. It probably won’t be any expensive jewelry either, the guy is barely scrapping by as it is. So, uh... marshmallows, honey?

Shusuke Kenmochi

Let’s be honest, he probably forgot it was Valentine’s Day. He doesn’t drink as much since you convinced him to go to therapy, but that didn’t fix his poor memory for dates. Please, forgive him.

Eats it up no matter how good or bad it looks. If it tastes like shit, he doesn’t mention it. You did it for him and that’s all that matters to him. He’s eaten way worse anyway. He’ll probably go all out on White Day (he would have anyway, but even tiny gifts like this make him so happy, you don’t even know) and get you the fanciest jewelry he can find. Not into jewelry? Then he’s getting you the fanciest chocolates he can find. It’ll be the fanciest anyway because it’s for you.

Tesso

Oh boy, he was anticipating Valentine’s Day even more than you were. He already has the biggest, goofiest grin on his face when you approach him. He’s just so excited! You can tell he wants to start jumping the moment he grabs the box.

Before he eats the chocolates, he starts bragging about it. Hell, even when he’s already eaten it, he won’t stop talking to his boys about how ‘my baby made me the best damn chocolate ever’. Just don’t let Zhao catch wind of it—he’ll ask Tesso if your chocolate is better than the one he makes, and poor Tesso won’t be able to answer. And speaking of Zhao, you bet he is gonna give Tesso some baking lessons so he can make you something cool for White Day. Literally the best wingman.

[msmercury84]

Wedding Anniversary on the Beach

*Author's note: Wild Bill purchased a rundown beach house in New Jersey. He did construction work until the house was completely remodeled. He, Frannie and their eldest son stayed in the house on occasion. This was before the birth of his second son. Guarnere sold the house and bought another beach house to restore and selling it when it was remodeled. This information is in the book he wrote with Babe. Bill commented, "I've always known how to make a few extra dollars." He also said, "Old enough to eat, old enough to work."

The story about Augusta hitting the judge and the hit and run driver on the head with the judge's gavel and Joseph Guarnere hitting a police officer is true. It's also true that Bill's godfather punched a police officer. Augusta really told a woman in the hospital's office to "Keep him (Bill)!" This info came from a collection of letters belonging to Dick Winters that I found online. The line about "lumping the judge" with his gavel also came from the letters.

Bill was known to be largely non materialistic. This info came from his book. He often said, "We were happy with what we had. Now people keep buying more and more stuff."

The idea of paying his nephews to help him finish the first house on the beach came from my imagination, as did the backstory of the elderly nudists who were the former owners of the house.*

************************************************************************

In the winter of 1946, Bill purchased a run down beach house in New Jersey. He intended to fix up the house for himself and Leigh to use. Guarnere intended to eventually sell the house and perhaps buy and restore another house for extra income.

He hired Maria's and Julia's sons to do construction work with him and Bill paid the teenage boys fair wages. Guarnere and his nephews finished the house in time for his one year wedding anniversary with Leigh.

She was eager to see the house and they decided to spend their first anniversary on the New Jersey shore. During the drive to the beach house, they were reminiscing on how they met. Bill told Leigh,

"When I saw ya kickin' that guy's ass at Toccoa, that reminded me o' Ma. You're fiery, like her."

"What makes you say that, Honey? I'm not calling you a liar, but I've never seen Mama acting that way. Guarnere laughed,

"Let me tell ya about somethin' Ma done when I was 15. I was out roller skatin' in the street. Some guy in a car hit my ass. It was a hit an' run. I had to go to the hospital an' I was there four days.

The cops got hold o' the guy an' he paid off the judge. We went to court, an' the judge wanted to dismiss the case due to lack o' evidence. It made Ma furious an' she went up, grabbed the judge's gavel an' lumped him on the head wit' it twice."

"Oh, my God! I can't picture her doing that."

"That ain't all, Baby. After she done that, she lumped the hit an' run guy. Then, a cop tried to get hold o' her. Pop punched him. Another cop got after Pop, an' my godfather punched him. Nothin' happened 'cause they figured the judge didn't want word to get out that the case was fixed."

Leigh was shocked, then she started to laugh.

"If ya think that's (he pronounced the word as 'dats') funny, wait until I tell ya about Ma an' the hospital bill. I got better an' I was ready to go home, but we didn't have $45 to pay the bill.

Ma talked to some lady in the office an' she said I couldn't be released until the bill was paid. That got Ma fired up, an' she said, 'Keep him!'" More laughter ensued from Leigh, and Bill joined in.

When Bill pulled their car into the driveway in front of the beach house, Leigh looked at the white one story house,

"Honey, it's beautiful! You and the boys made it look new." Bill was proud of his work and he was extremely pleased that Leigh liked the way the house looked.

"Wait 'til ya see the inside, Baby. We redid the wirin', the plumbin', we put new linoleum in the kitchen an' new carpet in the bedroom. The boys an' I kinda scrounged around an' found furniture for the dinin' room an' the bedroom. I refinished the wood, stripped the old stuff off an' it looks brand new."

He got out of the car, went to the passenger side door, opened it for Leigh and they walked hand in hand to the front door. Bill got the key from his pocket, opened the door and carried Leigh into the house.

"I wanted to carry ya over the threshold, Sweetheart." He put her down in the living room. The floor was light colored hardwood that would be easier to keep dirt and sand free than carpet.

Augusta had provided white Priscilla curtains for the windows and Bill bought the blinds. He found a good deal on a tan colored couch with matching chairs that he purchased from a co-worker. The co-worker included a nice coffee table and end tables, both light colored wood and two tan colored lamps with white shades.

Julia donated two snake plants in neutral colored planters. Maria made new covers for the throw pillows on the couch that complimented the tan coloring. Teresa bought a small radio for the living room.

Leigh smiled as she looked around the living room,

"It's lovely, Bill." He explained how his sisters helped and how he got the living room furniture.

"Ma gave us the curtains, an' everybody kicked in an' gave us a completely stocked kitchen. Sure, most of it's used, but I got a new set o' dishes an' silverware. I've been savin' some money for this place an' I wanted to get a few things. I got a new set o' sheets for our bed an' a nice bedspread from that fancy store where I bought your red dress.

I waa hopin' maybe you could make some o' them embroidered pictures for the walls an' we could bring a few pictures from home. We got a copy o' our weddin' picture an' the portrait like we gave to our folks."

"I'd be delighted to make some counted cross stitch pictures, Honey. The portraits will really make it like home."

Bill showed her the kitchen, with a new white linoleum floor and light yellow paint on the walls. As promised, the kitchen table and chairs looked new.

"I didn't wanna choose curtains for ya, Baby. Maybe you could sew some?"

"I already have some ideas, Bill. This kitchen looks so cheery and bright. Look at that view of the ocean! It's gorgeous!" She noticed a wooden walkway from the kitchen door to the beach.

"Bill, it's just like something from a magazine. This is such a wonderful place." Leigh embraced and kissed him.

"I'm glad ya like it, Baby. C'mon, let me show ya the rest o' the place!" He led her to the bathroom down the hall. The floor was white linoleum. Blue and white tile covered the walls. The cabinet was freshly painted white and new silver colored faucets gleamed. A white bathtub with a shower and toilet completed the room. Guarnere opened a cabinet by the door that was at shoulder level.

"We made this big enough to hold towels, washcloths an' cleanin' stuff. It's up higher, so when we bring our kids, they won't be able to reach the cleanin' stuff. That'll keep 'em from gettin' poisoned." Leigh smiled,

"You'll be a wonderful Pop. You're already thinking ahead of their safety. This is a beautiful bathroom, Honey." Bill was pleased with Leigh's remark and he tenderly kissed her.

"Thanks, Sweetheart. You're gonna be one hell of a good Ma. Speakin' o' kids, follow me. We can use this for the kids' bedroom." They left the bathroom and walked a few steps down the hall to a small room with a window overlooking the beach. Bunk beds were set up by the window. The room was painted white.

"I bought the bunk beds, pretty cheap, from another guy at work. I redid the finish on 'em an' they're in real good shape. 'course there's the light fixture in here. We could get a night light if we need it." The room had the same light colored hardwood floor and the white Priscilla curtains as the living room. A light blue throw rug was beside the beds.

"I can picture sea shells on the window sill that the kids would find on the beach." Leigh looked to the right of the bed and saw a small wooden box with a hinged lid.

"You made a toy box! That's good planning, Bill." He grinned,

"We've gotta have a place for their toys." He crossed the room and opened a door,

"Here's the closet."

"It looks great, Honey."

"Now, come see our bedroom." She followed him to the room at the end of the hall. Bill stepped back, allowing her to enter the room first. She saw the beige carpet, a bed, end tables, a dresser with a mirror and a chest of drawers, all in light colored wood.

Beige wallpaper with white sea shells covered the walls. White Priscilla curtains covered a window overlooking the beach. An obviously new white chenille bedspread with small, beige sea shells covered the bed.

"Honey, this room is beautiful! You could do construction professionally." Bill walked up to stand behind Leigh, embracing her. He kissed her neck before replying,

"Thanks, Baby. I wanted to make everythin' look nice, 'specially our bedroom. It took a long time to get this room done, but it's worth it, knowin' ya like it."

"I love it! The bedspread really pulls everything together. Where did you find this lovely wallpaper?"

"The wallpaper came from that paint an' wallpaper store that's close to Ma's and Pop's house.

This room has a closet, too. I shoulda taken some pictures o' this place before we fixed it up. Everythin' was run down, kinda old lookin'. I've gotta admit doin' this kinda work is relaxin' in a way. I like workin' wit' my hands."

"I didn't realize you knew how to do all of these things, plumbing, wiring, hanging wallpaper and doing the floors and the tile in the bathroom."

"I learned real young. Pop would put me an' my brothers to work. He would always say, 'Old enough to eat, old enough to work.' We learned somethin' useful an' it could make money for us, too. I've always known how to make a few extra dollars.

Let me show ya one more thing." Bill took Leigh's hand, leading her to a set of French doors on the opposite side of the room. He opened the door and Leigh walked into a small portion of the yard that was surrounded by a tall white fence.

"This will be great for private sunbathing and we can also use it for a patio." Bill chuckled,

"The guy an' his wife who owned this before I bought it are about 80 years old an' they're nudists. I ain't got a problem wit' that, but, Holy God! No wonder they put up a fence. Nobody needs to see that."

"I have to ask, were they nude when you met them."

"No, thank God!"

After they carried in food and luggage from the car, Leigh fixed supper. While the food cooked, they got everything put away. Leigh ensured that they had a fresh can of coffee. Bill loved coffee and he drank several cups per day.

She asked Bill before they went on their trip about his choice for their anniversary supper. He wanted his favorite dish, spaghetti with one meatball, so she brought homemade pasta and made his favorite gravy (sauce) with Italian sausage. Leigh also had homemade antipasto, homemade garlic bread and she bought a bottle of their favorite red wine.

The table was set with a new tablecloth, yellow and white dishes, silverware, wine glasses and candles placed in antique milk glass candle holders. She lit the candles and Bill helped her serve their meal. He pulled out her chair before sitting down, then he asked the blessing. After supper was over, Guarnere told her,

"Sweetheart, ya done an excellent job wit' the food, as usual. You're like your Ma an' my Ma, one hell of a good cook."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Honey."

"I like seein' you in those pants, Baby. They show off that sweet ass." Leigh was wearing cream colored trousers, a matching short sleeved blouse and sandals. Bill was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black trousers, a belt, socks and shoes.

They washed the dishes together and then they listened to the radio until twilight as Bill smoked a cigarette. A full moon was out. Bill and Leigh decided to take a walk on the beach.

Leigh brought an old blanket to spread out on the sand. Bill had a small picnic basket containing two wine glasses and a small bottle of champagne that was removed from the refrigerator before they walked down the path to the beach. There was enough champagne for each of them to have two glasses.

They held hands and strolled down the wooden walkway to the beach. A full moon was out and the beach, as far as they could see, was vacant. There was no need to carry a flashlight to navigate on the walkway or the beach. The bright moonlight allowed them to see without extra light.

Leigh felt the small box containing Bill's anniversary gift gently striking her left hip through the pocket in her linen trousers. She had the cream colored trouser legs rolled up to her shins to allow herself to easily walk in the sand or wade in the surf.

Two months before their trip, she and Bill were talking while they washed, dried and put away the supper dishes. Bill was talking about a friend with whom he worked.

"Gene was showin' me a present his wife gave him for his birthday. It was a sterlin' silver cigarette lighter. The place where Annie bought it did free engravin', an' she had his initials put on it. It looked real classy. Somethin' like that is probably real expensive."

Leigh took note of his statement, because Bill rarely spoke of material things. He was content to live modestly. Still, she knew him well enough to deduce that the lighter was something he would like to have.

The following day, during her lunch break, Leigh called Teresa at work and asked if the jewelry store had sterling silver cigarette lighters with free engraving.

Teresa told her that the store charged per letter for engraving, but she lowered her voice and told Leigh the name of the jewelry store that did free engraving. Leigh thanked her sister-in-law for her help.

Then, Leigh went to the jewelry store and purchased the lighter. She had Bill's initials on one side. The other side of the silver lighter had the date of their wedding and a message, "I love you."

The clerk placed the lighter in a box and wrapped it in heavy silver colored paper with a white ribbon. After work, when she got home, Leigh hid the gift in a box of tampons, knowing that Bill wouldn't look for a gift in that location.

Leigh sat beside Bill on the blanket, resting her head on his left shoulder. Guarnere had his arms wrapped around her.

"I talked with Maxine Andrews the other day before I left work. They have a new song called "Near You" that's about to be released and I adore it. She began to sing,

"There's just one place for me, near you.

It's like heaven to be near you.

Times when we're apart and I can't face my heart.

Say you'll never stay more than just two lips away.

If my hours could be spent near you.

I'd be more than content near you.

Make my life worthwhile by telling me that I'll spend the rest of my days near you."

"That's beautiful, Baby." He moved his right arm away from holding Leigh so he could get the gift wrapped package out of his right trouser pocket.

"Just so happens that I got a little somethin' for your anniversary present." Guarnere handed her the box.

She unwrapped the small box and lifted the lid, seeing a necklace.

"Honey, it's beautiful! What kind of jewels are on this?"

"Teresa said those are moonstones. I never heard of 'em, but I thought the necklace would look good on ya. The chain is gold. Do you like it, Sweetheart? I can exchange it for somethin' else an' my feelins won't be hurt."

"I love it! You shouldn't have spent so much money. Still, I'll have to admit that I'm glad you did. This necklace will remind me of this beautiful moonlit beach. Would you please put it on for me, Honey?"

"Baby, I wanted ya to have somethin' really nice. You've done so much for me. I wanna let you know I appreciate ya." The manager of the jewelry store allowed Bill to put the necklace on layaway. Bill felt proud that he could buy something nice for Leigh.

Guarnere took the necklace out of the box and kissed Leigh's neck before he carefully fastened the clasp of the necklace. He grinned at her slight shiver when his lips made contact with the soft skin on her neck.

"It looks real nice on ya. Teresa said I could get a gold plated necklace, but I wanted somethin' that would last a long time."

" You're really good at selecting the perfect gift for me." Guarnere smiled when he heard Leigh's comment about his gift selecting skills. She added, "Honey, I know you appreciate me. You've always been very sweet and appreciative."

Then, she removed the small box from her trouser pocket and handed it to him.

"I have something for you, too." Bill unwrapped the box. Lifting the lid, he had a big smile on his face when he saw the lighter. He took the lighter out of the box and saw his initials carved on the front.

"Oh, Baby! Is this sterlin' silver? It looks classy wit' my initials on the front. Thanks, Sweetheart! I never thought I'd have somethin' like this." Leigh was pleased that Bill liked his gift.

"Yes, it's sterling silver. There's something else written on the back of the lighter. Guarnere turned over the lighter, reading the inscriptions.

"You're somethin' else, Leigh. You got the happiest day o' my life put on there. I love you, too, Baby." Bill gave Leigh a passionate kiss. After the kiss ended, she cupped his face in her hands, telling him,

"It's the happiest day of my life, too. We had such a beautiful wedding,everything was perfect, including what you told me at the altar."

"I'll never forget how I felt when I saw ya in your weddin' dress. You looked like a real, live angel. Let's have a toast to our first year as husband an' wife." Bill got the bottle of chilled champagne out of the picnic basket and two wine glasses. He undid the wire around the cork, popped the cork and poured a small serving of champagne into each glass. Then, Bill raised his glass,

"To my sweet, gorgeous baby. Thanks for makin' this date the best day o' my life." Leigh smiled and raised her glass,

"To the love of my life. Thanks for making this date the happiest day of my life. Here's to at least 80 more anniversaries." They gently tapped their glasses together and sipped the champagne.

"This is the same brand of champagne you ordered when you proposed in Paris. I remember its delicious flavor. Where did you find it, Honey?"

"I bought it in that fancy department store. A guy at work told me they started carryin' champagne. I kinda remembered enough o' this stuff's name to tell Julia. Her friend found it in stock an' gave me a real nice discount. I'm glad ya like it, Baby. I wanted it to be somethin' special." Leigh finished the champagne in her glass.

"You're so thoughtful, Bill. This is another perfect night, just like the night you proposed. The weather is perfect and we're in a beautiful place." Guarnere felt pleased that she liked his surprise gift of the French champagne. He finished his serving and asked,

"Would ya like a little more o' this, Sweetheart?" Leigh agreed to another serving and Bill poured more champagne for both of them. They sipped their drinks and cuddled as they watched the waves break on the shore. Leigh was smiling as she recalled their wedding reception.

"More than anything, I will always remember the unbridled joy at our reception. I don't think it was just my imagination. It seemed that everyone there was genuinely celebrating our marriage.

"It wasn't your imagination, Baby. I noticed it, too. We had all that great food, good music and dancin'. I think everybody already knew how much we love each other, an' they were celebratin'. Ma told me the other day, when she saw us dancin' together at the weddin' reception, she told Pop that their prayers had been answered. That was a sweet thing for her to say."

"What Mama said was very sweet. I think part of the reason people were celebrating was because the outcome could have been much worse had you not been so tough and determined to live. I still thank God for allowing you to survive." Guarnere carefully placed his wine glass on the blanket, ensuring that it wouldn't spill.

He gently took the glass from Leigh's hand, carefully setting it down and he wrapped his arms around her. Bill tenderly kissed her.

"I married an angel, ain't no doubt about it. He's why I made it, an' you played a big part in gettin' me healthy again. I don't think I could ever do enough to pay ya back for everythin' ya done for me." He gave her a tender kiss that turned passionate. After the kiss ended, Leigh replied,

"Honey, you don't owe me anything. There's no need to pay me back. If you insist on paying me back, you can do it in the bedroom and you can pay me back with some sweet babies when we're ready to start a family. Think of how much fun we'd have taking the kids to play on this beach. We could have a picnic, swim, gather sea shells and make sand castles." Guarnere smiled, imagining playing with their children.

"That would be real nice, bringin' our kids here. I don't think I'll resell this house for a few years so we can enjoy it as a family. Baby, I like that idea o' payin' ya back in the bedroom. I'm always willing' to make love to my beautiful an' sexy angel."

"I'm tempted to wade in the ocean. Would you like to come with me?"

"I'm not tryin' to be your boss, but wadin' in the ocean at night ain't a good idea. I've always heard that the sharks get a little closer to the shore at night. I don't want nothin' bad happenin' to my angel." Leigh slightly shivered at the notion of being attacked by a shark.

"Thanks for telling me, Honey. I didn't know that. No wading at night for me. If I'm attacked or eaten, I want you to be the one attacking or 'eating' me, so to speak." Bill chuckled,

"You little fireball." They decided to go back to the house. Leigh folded up the blanket and carefully placed the champagne glasses and the champagne into the basket. Bill once again insisted upon carrying the blanket and basket. They walked hand in hand to the house.

Leigh decided to move two of the dining room chairs to the fenced in area outside their bedroom. While Bill used the bathroom, she decided to put the blanket on the ground, next to one of the chairs. She had a small surprise in mind for Bill.

Once his business was finished in the bathroom, Guarnere washed his hands and went into the kitchen. He offered to wash the champagne glasses and put them away. Leigh told him to let it go until the following day, but he insisted on taking care of the task.

"Honey, when you get finished, meet me in the yard outside our bedroom."

"Sounds like ya got somethin' planned, Baby." She winked before telling him,

"I have a little...entertainment planned for us."

Leigh took this moment to go to the bedroom and put on the black lace bra, the black lace bolero bed jacket, garter belt and stockings with which she surprised him in Paris. She also inserted her diaphragm and decided to forego wearing the see-through black silk panties, recalling how much Bill enjoyed seeing her with the black lace garter belt and the black silk stockings, minus the panties.

Then, she put on her black high heeled pumps, touched up her lipstick and brushed her hair. She opened the French doors, leaving them open for Bill. Leigh quickly spread the blanket on the ground.

She decided to stand by the edge of the blanket, ensuring that Bill would see her as soon as he walked through the French doors. The thought of making love outdoors fueled her passion. Leigh heard Bill walking down the hall.

"I got everythin' done an' I wanna see what ya got planned for us." He stepped through the open French doors and saw Leigh beneath the full moon. Guarnere froze in his tracks as an extremely wicked grin appeared on his face.

"Oh, Christ! You look so fuckin' gorgeous. I love that outfit." He looked again and noticed her panties were missing. Guarnere walked over, standing in front of her. He removed his shirt, letting it fall on the blanket.

"Baby, I love seein' that beautiful pussy. There's somethin' extra hot about bein' outside like this." He pulled Leigh close to him and they shared an extremely passionate kiss. She ran her fingers through his hair while Bill gently held her ass in his hands. He reluctantly broke the kiss and stretched out on the blanket.

"C'mon over here, an' lower yourself down so I can taste that sweet pussy." Leigh's legs shook slightly as she complied. She was aroused beyond reason and she remembered how good it felt the when they did this on their honeymoon in Columbus, Ohio.

Bill's tongue licked the lips of her sex as he worked his way up to her clit. Then, his lips surrounded her clit and he gently sucked on it. In a few minutes, Leigh shivered as she came. She did her best to keep quiet since she didn't know if anyone was walking on the beach. He continued making love to her with his lips and tongue as she rode out her climax.

Leigh moved to sit on the blanket. Bill sat up, pulling her close to him.

"Seems to me that you're still wearin' too many clothes, Sweetheart." He unfastened the black lace strapless bra, allowing it to fall on the blanket.

"That's better. I love to see all o' you." Guarnere caressed Leigh's breasts, giving special attention to her hard nipples, alternating between licking and sucking them. Leigh whispered into his ear,

"Your baby needs a good, hard fucking." Bill slightly groaned, hearing her reply. He helped her stand and then he got up to stand beside her.

"Ya know what that does to me, hearin' you say that. How 'bout you bend over an' hold on to that chair." Leigh quickly followed his advice. She was extremely wet and ready.

Bill stood behind her.

"Seein' your sweet ass in the moonlight is drivin' me crazy. You oughta be a nudist, at least around here. I don't wanna share my sexy angel wit' anybody else."

"I don't want anybody else to see me. I'm all yours, Honey." Bill unbuttoned his trousers and pushed them and his boxer shorts low enough so he could make love to her.

Guarnere guided himself into Leigh, groaning at the feel of her wet sex engulfing him.

"I love how you're always ready an' wet for me. Feels so damn good!"

Then, he gripped her hips and began thrusting slowly into her. Leigh backed up against him, urging him to go deeper and faster. She could help but moan as he filled her. This was her favorite position for love making.

Guarnere eagerly picked up the pace. He wanted to go slower and make it last longer, but speeding up felt so incredibly good. He had no desire to slow down.

Both Bill and Leigh got more vocal with their sounds of pleasure. Leigh shuddered as a small orgasm passed. She was further aroused by the sound of their coupling. Soon, a bigger orgasm built. In a few minutes, she cried out as it overtook her. Guarnere felt her contracting around his cock. His thrusting got deeper and slightly off rhythm. He had an explosive orgasm, calling out,

"Fuck, yes!" He withdrew from Leigh and sat in the empty chair, pulling her onto his lap. Bill held her close, kissing her.

"You're so damn good."

"Thanks, Honey. I have a very good teacher. You're amazing."

"Do ya think ya might go around naked out here again before we go home? I like makin' love outdoors." Leigh grinned,

"Oh, definitely! As long as I get results like this, I'd gladly strip in this area. How about trying this during the day?"

"I like the way you think, Baby. How 'bout we get cleaned up an' go to bed? We need to get that room kinda broken in later, if ya know what I mean."

"Great minds think alike, Honey. I'm all for it." Bill put on his boxer shorts and trousers. He picked up his shirt and Leigh's lingerie. She took the blanket inside. They both took a bath, not together since the bathtub wasn't big enough and went to bed. By the time they left, the bedroom and living room were broken in. Leigh kept her promise and they had some erotic adventures outdoors in the sunlight.

On their way home to South Philadelphia, Bill chuckled,

"It's a good thing I ain't in the Army now. One o' the guys, probably Luz, would see me in the shower an' say somethin' about having' a sun tan on my ass." Leigh laughed,

"I'd have to explain my all over sun tan. No regrets, though. We need to go to the shore again before it gets too cold for outdoor activities."

"Baby, that all over tan is super sexy. Thanks for the sterlin' silver lighter. That's all I'm usin' from now on."

"You welcome, Bill. Thanks for this lovely necklace. These moonstones will also remind me of making love outdoors. Thanks for buying and renovating the house."

"I'm glad ya like it, Sweetheart. If I kept the house long enough, ya might be a nudist like the older lady who used to live there."

"Who would want to see an old, naked lady?"

"When I get old, I still wanna see you naked." They both laughed and then continued talking on the way home.

"How 'bout we get started on makin' a baby when we get home?"

"I like the sound of that idea, Bill. I'm ready to start our family." Both Bill and Leigh hoped that a baby would soon be on the way.

[amewinterswriting]

Writing Patterns Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @late-to-the-fandom! I've also never done this one before, but variety is spice and I (occasionally) aim to be spicy. The rules are to list the first line(s) of your last 10 fics and see if there's a pattern, so I'm going to be going between fanfic and original fic a bit.

Tagging: @by-allison-kai, @winterandwords, @author-a-holmes, @authoralexharvey, @ahordeofwasps, @tailoroffates and @sam-glade

Magic's Servant (original novel)

Desidero hated these little gatherings. In theory, they were to foster positive connections between reapers - those who should have died long ago and only lived because they were foolish enough to take a demon bargain. In practice, they were an excellent way for said demons to keep a close eye upon their investment.

Two Lefts (original short)

No one ever claimed it would be easy. Yet, as Chwith crept further down the dark hallways, she couldn't help but think that her task had been going ridiculously smoothly.

The Landlady (original novella)

Scarlett opened the cupboard doors for the fifth time. As she had expected, nothing new had materialised in the last hour. All that lay within were a few lonely packets of instant noodle flavouring, a can of pinto beans and a jar with a thin smear of solidified honey in the bottom. The fridge was a similar story, except a couple of the fresh vegetables she had once been ambitious enough to buy were now creating new civilisations of fungal inhabitants.

An Arrangement (original short)

The Otherworld was rather an exclusive bar in Camden, hidden to most. It's clientèle were predominantly non-humans, all of whom agreed to a strict non-violence pact at the door, so here it was not uncommon to see demons brushing shoulders with angels, different packs of werewolves huddled together in their close groups or Fae practicing their charms upon specters.

Doctor (original short)

Pearly white teeth stretched out in a soundless scream. The man's – the subject's – dark hair stuck in strands to his damp forehead. His eyes screwed tightly shut as though it would shut out the pain.

A Ravenwatch Party (Elder Scrolls Online fanfiction)

Tamriel had been quiet for many long months. Since the troubles at Markarth, barely a whisper of danger or strife had reached Arianne. She was trying to take advantage of the quiet while it lasted, resting in her comfortably cozy home in Fell’s Run, yet she found the sudden peace hard to get fully accustomed to.

A Single Light (RWBY fanfiction)

Snow covered the ground everywhere metal shards did not. Fires claimed some of the oily wreckage, whipped into a steady blaze by the winds howling across the tundra. Shouts were swallowed by the gale and uniformed men and women ran across the site.

In the midst of this chaos, a woman struggled her way out from a pile of debris, hauling herself inch by agonizing inch across twisted and sharp fragments digging into her skin. Her hands were numb and aching by the time she fell into clear snow, but shakily, she pushed herself up onto her knees.

You Don't Know Me (Final Fantasy IX fanfiction)

The rain always fell heavy over Burmecia. That one constant had never changed, even as repairs transformed the ruins to a tentatively recovering city. New additions had sprung up; memorials and statues, celebrations of those who had saved the nation alongside reminders of just how much had been lost. Freya wondered exactly which purpose the statue of Fratley was meant to serve.

Heart to Heart to Heart (Final Fantasy XIII series fanfiction)

Noel's first impression of Snow left much to be desired. From hearing Serah and her friends talk, he had gained the impression that Snow was kind and generous and a little brash but good-hearted with it. Yet the Snow he had met was reckless, rushing into danger half-cocked. It was selfish, treating his own well-being with such disregard. He had left Serah behind with promises that he had no ability to keep and threw himself headlong into mortal peril. If he had died out here, flung far forward from his own relative time, how would the Serah he believed was safe at home ever get word of his death? It was selfish and cruel, to just let her keep on waiting and hoping for Snow's safe return, never hearing news of her fiancé.

The Purifier (Tales of Zesteria fanfiction)

It was reasonably common for seraphs to spend their first hundred years without discovering their true name. It was somewhat rarer to be two hundred years old and still not know their true name. It was downright embarrassing to be three hundred years old and nameless. Lailah was a significant amount older than that - though naturally, she would never divulge exactly how much older - and her own name was still a mystery to her. 

I do tend to shove characters in at the deep end, huh? Get straight into the meat of the story as quickly as possible, usually highlighting a negative aspect of the plot that needs to be solved over the course of the tale. The only one that doesn't is 'The Arrangement' - that sets the location first and the 'plot' comes in through the next few paragraphs.

[rajivchopra]

WHITE HONEY

[issie-https]

I loved reading your fanfics, could i ask you to do a story about Ménage à trois between Izzy Stradlin and Julian Casablancas from The Strokes, I'm crazy about these 2 mens!! and you can use my name if you want!!

Ménage à trois

Izzy Stradlin X Reader X Julian Casablancas

A/n: honestly, I kinda like this one🤷‍♀️ thank you for requesting! I’ve got some Nikki Sixx requests on the way😁

Word count: 1223

Warnings: smuttt(unprotected), blowjob, dirty talk, teasing, spanking, dacryphilia

Ménage à trois meaning:

an arrangement in which three people share a sexual relationship, typically a domestic situation involving a couple and the lover of one of them.

Main masterlist

༺✩༻

I woke up to my boyfriend, Izzy, slightly snoring. I decided to surprise him and Julian with a breakfast in bed. I don't do stuff like this often but they do a lot for me so, why not?

I make them a stack of pancakes each and a mug of coffee. I took Julian's first. "Julian, honey," I said softly, waking him up. "Hey," he rasped, sleep still in his voice. "I made you breakfast," I said proudly. "Aww, you're so cute," he laughed, tucking some hair behind my ear. "Eat up because we have some errands to run today," I said, putting the coffee on his nightstand and handing him the pancakes. "Do I have to come?" He groaned. "Yes, I'm dragging Izzy along as well so shut up," I laughed. "Fine. Love you," he said with a mouth full of food. "Love you too," I smiled, leaving his room and going to give Izzy his breakfast.

"Izz, wake up," I whispered, rubbing his arm. "You okay?" He asked, his voice deep from sleep. "Yeah, I made you breakfast," I smiled as he sat up. "Aww, you didn't have to, angel," he smiled, looking up at me. "We have some errands to run today, I've told Julian," I smiled. "Do we have to?" He mumbled. "Yes," I said, "I'm going to eat my breakfast. Come down when you're ready,".

I ate my food and went back upstairs for a shower. "Y/n?" I heard Julian call from the hallway. "I'm in the shower," I called back. He came in and closed the door behind himself. "I need you," he moaned. I looked down to see a bulge visible in his pants. "Aww, honey. Come here then," I cooed.

After an eventful... shower, I picked out my favourite leather skirt, a pair of tights and a white blouse, accompanied with my Mary Janes. "Thoughts?" I asked, giving Izzy and Julian a spin. "Gorgeous," Izzy said, exhaling some cigarette smoke. "Beautiful," Julian added, making me smile.

In all honesty, todays errands were getting some new clothes and also some new lingerie. I couldn't tell them that though because they'd just tell me to order it online or that they'll buy it for me but I like to make a day of it, y'know? Pamper myself for once.

We arrived at the mall and we went to Chanel first. "Seriously?" Izzy grumbled the second we entered the store. "Shut it," I glared at him. Next, we went to a random clothing store to get me a couple of skirts and dresses. Lastly, Victoria's Secret.

"Y/n. No," Izzy warned when I turned to the store. "Why? Don't you want to see me in some new lingerie?" I whispered in his ear. "Can't you just order it online?" Julian grumbled. "No, I wanna see what I look like before I buy it," I explained, grabbing their hands and dragging through the shop. "What about this one?" I perked. I got no reply so I looked around and saw both of them sat outside on their phones. "Little fuckers," I said under my breath.

I chose some pieces and went to the fitting rooms to try them on. I took some photos and sent them to Julian and Izzy, smirking at my pettiness.

Izzy: Get here now.

Me: No, I'm trying some lingerie on.

Izzy: You have five minutes.

I changed back into my clothes, went to the tills and bought all five pieces.

I went out to the guys to see them both scowling. "You okay?" I smirked. "Car. Now," Julian ordered. I smiled and turned on my heel towards the car park.

We arrived back home and I ran out of the car, inside and into the bathroom and locked the door. "Y/n Y/l/n. Open the door now," Izzy shouted to me through the door. "I'm changing. You and Julian can wait in the bedroom," I replied. "You're a bitch," he groaned under his breath.

I put on a white set and put my blouse back on but leaving the buttons undone.

I walked into the bedroom, seeing both of them sat on the bed, waiting for me. "Thoughts?" I asked for the second time that day. "You look like a whore," Izzy replied, scanning me with his eyes. I walked over to Julian and straddled him, looking into his eyes. "What do you think?" I asked him. "Same as Izzy," he replied blankly. I put on a fake pout, causing Julian to slap my ass. "I thought you liked it when I looked slutty?" I said, grinding myself on Julian's thigh. "Get up, now," Izzy ordered. I got off Julians lap and stood in front of them.

"Down on all fours, your gonna suck him off," Izzy said, standing up off the bed. I did as I was told, unbuckling Julians belt and helping him remove his pants, his hard dick sprung out, making my mouth water at the thought of him fucking my throat. I sunk my mouth down on his length, moaning when he finally hit the back of my throat. I felt Izzy behind me, rubbing his hands across my ass before giving me a hard slap, making me moan on Julian's dick. Izzy reached under me and unbuttoned my blouse and pulled it away from my body, leaving me in my lingerie. "Look how pretty you are," Izzy praised. He started rubbing his fingers on my clit, making me jolt a little from the sudden contact. Julian laced his fingers through my hair, tugging lightly. "You feel so good," he moaned as he pushed my head further down on his dick.

All of a sudden, Izzy removed his fingers from my clit, making me whimper at the loss of contact. I heard Izzy remove his leather pants and throw them somewhere in the room. He teased my entrance with his cock, holding my hip with his other hand. He slapped my ass before pushing his cock all the way into me, making me scream-moan as I felt him fill me up. Julian fucked my mouth, making my eyes fill with tears. "You're so fucking pretty when you cry," he said breathlessly. "Look at you, taking our dicks so well like a slut," Izzy groaned, quickening his pace. Sounds of skin slapping skin echoed through the room, adding to my arousal.

" 'm so close," I whimpered when Julian let me breathe. "Hold it," Julian said, slapping my cheek. The stinging sensation made me smile internally, liking the rough way they were treating me. Julian went back to fucking my throat as I felt them both twitch inside me. "Cum, princess," Izzy moaned as his thrusts became more sloppy. I came on his dick, moaning on Julian's. I felt them both cum in me, filling me up from both ends. "Good girl," Julian praised, rubbing my cheek. I swallowed his cum and Izzy pulled out of me. I felt our cum leak down my thighs. "I'll get a towel. You okay, angel?" Izzy said, standing up and walking to our shared bathroom. I nodded and mumbled a 'mhm'. He wiped my thighs then picked me up and put me in the middle of the bed. Both of them lay down beside me as we drifted off to sleep.

[kenkubluk]

grocery list time~

literally just get these things if you want a vegan low cal life, because you can control portions and make things you enjoy eating with less calories- i made some example recipes under the list:

coffee.

SPICES. please make the investment into SPICES!

->continuation of spices, heres a basic list- cocoa powder, cinnamon, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, veggie bouillon powder/cubes, salt, pepper, lemon pepper, etc (you can find more online but please dont forget it)

->and simple sauces like soy sauce, basic hot sauce, mustard, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc.

stevia or agave fruit sweetener. (please make sure whatever you choose you dont buy any sweetener with aspartame!!)

dairy free yogurt (i’ve heard coconut is good)

dairy free butter (earthbalance is my fav by far)

-> you could also make due with olive oil (cooking)

1st milk for normal stuff- unsweet cashew milk or unsweet creamy almond milk

->2nd milk for cooking- i suggest soymilk but creamy coconutmilk works good too

tofu. extra firm and silky work for different things (meat substitutes, egg substitute, diff. milk products substitutes) get either/both

carrots, mushrooms, chickpeas, and cauliflower all make good meat substitutes (bacon, chicken nuggets, pulled pork, etc) if cooked properly

OATS! plain oats are soooo versatile (used as flour, cereal, granola, crust, etc)

ricecakes (i use it as replacement for toast)

Pumpkin or sweet potato (in NO SYRUP canned form, very good for cooking low cal desserts or protein bars)

apple sauce (used for cooking and just yum- can be an egg substitute)

low cal noodle types- chickpea, edamame, shirataki, konjac, cauliflower, zucchini, spaghetti squash, and i think miracle noodle

literally any and all veggies and fruits- but a reminder of basics are broccoli, cucumber, onions, spinach, beets, eggplant, tomato, zucchini, potato, apple, banana, grapes, oranges, pineapple, strawberries, watermelon, mango, etc

WARNING ⚠️ be careful of sugar free drink flavor packets as they contain aspartame and other strange ingredients that ppl have complained of side effects- i would suggest to steer clear of many of the packets and go for a large unsweetened lemonade or fruit punch bin of flavoring so you can make it yourself. please check ingredients for health reasons.

-> HOWEVER, drinks like olipop, simple truth organic, waterloo, and zevia all have flavored water/sparkling water/cola drinks that are aspartame free.

I highlighted things that i think are really important

Veggie dip: yogurt, seasoning spices (ranch seasoning is goated), and a tbsp or lemon or soysauc, all mixed and best used as a “veggie chip” dip, like baked cucumber chips

Literally any cake/protein bar: oats blended, protein powder, 1/2cup apple sauce OR mashed banana, some milk, and whatever toppings you like

Granola: oats, chia seeds, cut up fruit pieces, and maple syrup or honey for binding. mix in bag, bake on baking sheet on pan.

Hot n sour soup: you can use hot n sour packet or make veggie bouillon and add hot sauce, soy sauce, and tsp chili powder. Then (to whichever mix you’ve made) add egg mixing around, and then add extra firm tofu in little cubes. Let the soup mix well and set a little while cooling.

Nicecream: freeze banana. add banana, tbsp of milk, 2 tbsp of yogurt, tbsp of sweetener, and a fruit of choice (a tbsp of protein powder also will help). blend with blender and then let it sit for a minute- add whatever you want on top

my best “toast”: seasalt ricecake, spread 1tbsp vegan cream cheese, and then spread 1.5 tbsp of organic raspberry jelly.

[sapphic-luthor]

Answering your in tag question last week: it is indeed hotter than ass out here. Any fun summer recipes? I’m discovering that my meager little cookbook really only has nice hearty recipes that while tasty make cooking even more of a chore than I find it to be when it’s so hot out here. Hope you’re at least staying cool! -SMA

Oh man I hope you’re staying cool, I recommend a great many ice creams above all. But secondary to that, I do have some food ideas that I’ve been making a lot of recently that I’ll stick below the read more here :-)

I love a big huge enormous salad in the summer (and all year round tbh) and I think the best salads are about 50/50 made up of base greens vs. fun stuff. My personal faves are to start with a romaine or romaine/iceberg base and then add:

italian seasoned chicken breast

cherry tomatoes

little mozzarella balls

cooked orzo

sun dried tomatoes

croutons or crispy onions (ideally both)

thinly sliced red onion

dressing (personal fav is a vinaigrette made of lemon juice, balsamic, olive oil, salt & pepper, oregano, and chili flakes)

OR

soy sauce/ginger/white pepper marinated chicken

red cabbage

thinly sliced carrots

cucumber

red bell pepper

sesame seeds

scallions

fresh coriander

wonton strips (which you can airfry out of wonton wrappers in like 3 seconds)

dressing (best is a combo of sesame oil, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, and ginger)

Now if you’re not mad for salads, also nice in the summer is

A crumbled sausage + broccoli pasta (i like orecchiette); it doesn’t need to have a real sauce per sé, you can just season however you like and then throw a bit of pasta water, and parmesan in at the end and it’s lovely

Caprese with nice fresh mozzarella (best gotten from the cheese counter if possible). If you ever see san marzano tomatoes buy them immediately and make them into caprese

Veg-based sandwiches, I have a special love for a vegan one that’s got homemade cucumber sriracha hummus, tomatoes and baby spinach. It doesnt sound like much but if you get the hummus right it’s very cool + has a little kick and it’s lovely with nice bread!

Homemade greek gyros— I use this recipe every time and the marinade is actually life changing. Like sometimes I lie in bed and dream about this chicken and I am not even kidding

A pork + pineapple rice bowl, which basically consists of rice topped with; minced pork cooked with soy sauce and sesame oil, long strips of carrot and courgette cooked in a pan with salt + pepper til soft, pickled shallot or red onion (just left in a water/vinegar/sugar bath for 30min or so), and pieces of pineapple right out of the tin. There’s also a light soy/rice wine vinegar/honey sauce that can be thrown over the top— i think the friend i learned the recipe from got it from one of those meal delivery services so it’s likely online (or i can track it down from her for you if you’re interested!)

Hopefully some of those are of some interest to you!! I’ll live vicariously through you and your heat but I hope you stay comfortable and safe friend

[the-puffinry]

this is so specific that it made me curious if there were any records of what Sicilian doves looked like specifically; ancient dove breed elitism? Something else, like prestige derrived from the location breeding them?

(source)

So I found a translation of that Theophrastus text online and it didn't tell me anything about doves but it's actually far more amusing than that. This is such a specific roast of a very long dead type of person. Please please read it, it is genuinely funny I promise. Anyway what is a 'daw'? a jackdaw? Were people really giving jackdaws tiny shields to carry as toys?!

"XV The Exquisite (Μικροφιλοτιμία)

Exquisiteness is a striving for honor in small things. The exquisite when invited to dinner, is eager to sit by his host. When he cuts off his son’s hair for an offering to the gods, no place but Delphi will answer for the ceremony. His attendant must be an Ethiopian. When he pays a mina of money he makes a point of offering a freshly minted piece. If he has a pet daw in the house, he must needs buy it a ladder and a brazen shield, that the daw may learn to climb the ladder carrying the shield.

When he has sacrificed an ox, he winds the head and horns with fillets, and nails them up opposite the entrance, in order that those who come in may see what he has been doing. When he parades with the cavalry, he gives all his accoutrements to his squire to carry home, and throwing back his mantle stalks proudly about the market-place in his spurs. When his pet dog dies, he raises a monument to the creature, and has a pillar erected with the inscription: “Fido, Pure Maltese.” In the Asclepieion he dedicates a brazen finger, polishes it, crowns it with flowers, and anoints it every day with oil.

And he has his hair cut frequently. His teeth are always pearly white. While his old suit is still good, he gets himself a new one; and he anoints himself with the choicest perfumes.

In the agora he frequents the banker’s counters. If he visits the gymnasia, he selects those in which the ephebi practise; and, when there’s a play, the place he chooses in the theatre is close beside the generals.

He makes few purchases for himself, but sends presents to his friends at Byzantium, and Spartan dogs to Cyzicus, and Hymettian honey to Rhodes; and when he does these things, he tells it about the town. Naturally, his taste runs to pet monkeys, parrots, Sicilian doves, gazelles’ knuckle-bones, Thurian jars, crooked canes from Sparta, hangings inwrought with Persian figures, a wrestling-ring sprinkled with sand, and a tennis-court. He goes around and offers this arena to philosophers, sophists, fighters, and musicians, for their exhibitions; and at the performances he himself comes in last of all, that the spectators may say to one another, “That’s the gentleman to whom the place belongs.”

And, of course, when he is a prytanis he demands of his colleagues the privilege of announcing to the people the result of the sacrifice; then putting on a fine garment and a garland of flowers, he advances and says: “O men of Athens, we prytanes have made sacrifice to the mother of the gods; the sacrifice is fair and good. Receive ye each your portion.” When he has made this announcement, he returns home and tells his wife all about it in an ecstasy of joy."

(source. really old translation obviously)

[ivirginus]

How to convert leads online

How to convert leads online

web.com Remember the old saying, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?" The same principle applies when you're using digital marketing to generate and convert leads. You'll have a better chance of success if you gently lure those leads down the conversion path than if you try to force them. But what is a conversion path, and what does it mean to your business? In this blog post, you will find: - What is a digital marketing conversion path? - 6 tips on how to convert leads online - 5 techniques to boost online marketing success - 6 ways to track your leads better GET EXPERT HELP TO CONVERT LEADS TO SALES What is a digital marketing conversion path? A conversion path consists of all the steps that people take along the road to becoming customers of your business. While the ultimate conversion is making a purchase, there are also smaller conversions along the way, such as signing up for a webinar, filling out a contact form, or downloading a white paper. Essentially, any time a customer follows through your call to action and does what you want them to, they’re converting. 6 tips on how to convert online leads to sales So how can you speed prospects along the conversion path? Here are some tips: 1. Focus on quality of leads, not just quantity.  The more specifically you target your desired leads, the better. Identify the characteristics of your ideal customers so you can craft your digital marketing to attract them. 2. Create persuasive calls-to-action (CTAs). Your CTAs should be tailored to different prospects’ needs and should focus on the benefit to the prospect. For example, common CTAs for a prospect in the early stages of researching a purchase are "Learn more” or "Compare products." When the prospect clicks through the CTA, they get more information about the product or service. For a prospect that’s further along in the decision-making process, the CTA might be "Request a demo" or "Get a free quote." 3. Build focused landing pages.  Different CTAs should lead to different landing pages depending on the action the user takes. The landing page is a critical element in the conversion path. It was found that companies with 30 or more landing pages generate seven times more leads than those with fewer than 10.   However, only 48% of marketers bother to build a new landing page for every marketing campaign. Landing pages should focus on one action you want the visitor to take so there's no way for them to get distracted from what you want them to do. 4. Nurture the lead. Your website visitor clicked on the CTA and did what the landing page asked them to do. Now that you've got their contact information and permission, continue to nurture them down the conversion path by reaching out with information and offers tailored to their needs.  5. Track your leads and monitor your results.  Having a lot of leads is both good news and bad news — good news because you've got a lot of leads, but bad news because it's difficult to keep track of them all. Fortunately, there are lead management systems that can track your interactions with each lead so nothing ever falls through the cracks. Get a platform that will show you the results of your lead nurturing campaigns so you know exactly how well your marketing efforts are working. 6. Rinse and repeat.  If you want a steady stream of leads that convert, you need to keep fine-tuning your online marketing efforts. You need to regularly assess the results of your lead generation campaign and use what you learn to continually improve your online marketing. Build relationships with lead nurturing emails Most of your leads likely aren't ready to buy — which is where lead nurturing comes in. Simply put, lead nurturing is the process of building and growing relationships between your brand and your customers. A successful lead nurturing email campaign drives brand awareness, educates potential customers about its products or services, and establishes enough rapport with audiences to improve sales.  Even for customers that are ready to buy, nurturing the lead via online marketing can have a big payoff for your business by improving the average order value. What’s more, nurturing leads helps to develop a lasting relationship that hopefully leads to customer loyalty—and even more purchases down the road. Thirty one percent of B2B marketers say email newsletters are the best way to nurture leads. But are your lead nurture emails getting results? GET EXPERT HELP TO CONVERT LEADS TO SALES 5 techniques to boost online marketing success Few things are more frustrating than responding to a lead with what seems to be the perfectly crafted email, only to be met with the sound of crickets. If leads aren't responding to your emails, what can you do to change things? Here are five secrets to successful lead nurture emails: 1. Respond rapidly.  The speed with which you reach out to a lead can make all the difference in nurturing the relationship and, ultimately, making the sale. But if you're like most busy small business owners and you're doing four different things at any given moment, it's easy to miss a new lead. You can ensure a speedy response by using a lead generation software that notifies you immediately when you get a new lead and automates responses to leads so you can reply to prospects quickly no matter what else you’re doing. 2. Make sure your emails are mobile-friendly.  Whether you sell B2B or B2C, your prospects expect your emails to look as good on mobile devices as they do on a desktop or laptop. Some 83% of mobile users say that a seamless experience across all devices is very important.  There's a good chance your prospect will be opening that email on a smartphone, and if they can't easily read your response or click on a link to act then and there, they may not interact with you further. 3. Follow email best practices.  The last thing you want is for your lead nurture email to be perceived as annoying spam. To prevent that, be sure to follow a few basic best practices for email. First, identify the source of the email by including your business name in the "From" field. Second, use the subject line to clearly show that you are responding to the prospects' request. Third, always provide a way for recipients to unsubscribe to emails from your business. Learn more about email best practices and compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act. 4. Offer something of value.  Are your lead nurture emails focused on all the great things your business can do? That's the wrong approach. Focus on offering something of value to the lead, whether that's information, a consultation, a discount, or a limited-time package. Never miss an opportunity to add value. For example, if you’re emailing a link to download an e-book the lead signed up for, include another offer in that email as well. Leads will appreciate your helpfulness in educating them to make the best purchasing decision. 5. Personalize your emails.  Making your emails relevant to the prospect means more than just addressing the prospect by name (although that's important, too). Create different types of lead nurturing emails for different kinds of prospects. For example, if you provide home services, you could create one type of email for homeowners and another for landlords with rental properties. You can also personalize emails based on the prospect’s stage in the buying journey, such as whether they are close to making a decision or have just begun to research the purchase. Finally, you can develop different emails based on what marketing method persuaded the prospect to contact you. Lead management software can help you segment your leads, identify the best nurture emails to send them, and automate the process of sending the emails. Look for a lead management tool that includes a library of email templates you can choose from to save time and help ensure success.

web.com GET EXPERT HELP TO CONVERT LEADS TO SALES 6 ways to track your leads better The time and effort you’ve invested in website SEO, online advertising, social media marketing, and publicity have paid off with lots of leads. But if you aren't tracking your leads carefully, you could be missing out on some of your most valuable prospects. What's more, tracking your leads properly can show you just how effective your marketing and advertising is. Here are six tips for tracking leads better: 1. Create a system for organizing and managing your leads.  Jotting down notes on a pad of paper or sticky note may have worked when your business was just starting out, but as your company grows, you'll need to systematize lead management or risk dropping the ball on valuable leads. Start developing your lead management system now, and you'll have a firm foundation for business expansion. 2. Know where your leads are coming from.  For example, if you have a leads form on your website, how are prospects getting to the form? Did they find your website via an online search, by typing in your URL, or by clicking on your online advertising? It's easy to track the source of leads online using code, but you can also find out where phone calls or walk-in customers learned about your business. Just make it a habit to ask, "How did you learn about our business?" and take note of the answers. 3. Set up lead notifications.  A lead generation and management solution that gives you lead notifications in real time can ensure you don't lose a juicy lead to a competitor because you didn't answer fast enough. When you get alerts of new leads, respond right away. You can even set up autoresponders to leads so that when you're busy with another customer, you can still reply to the new lead with an appropriate response. 4. Get as much information as you can about leads.  Once you connect with a lead, get additional information to help you assess their stage in the sales funnel. Start by collecting the same basic information about each lead, such as name, business name, phone number, email, title, timeline for purchase and more. The information you need will vary depending on your industry and customer base — and you probably won't get it all at once. Some of it will come through direct conversation or email with the customer; some of it will come from website analytics that track their behavior on your site. By getting a little more data each time, you connect with a customer, and you will eventually have a full picture of each lead. 5. Categorize your leads. After following up with the lead and gathering the information above, you will be able to segment your leads based on their stage in the sales funnel. You can determine if they are ready to buy or just starting their research process; if they are the sole decision-maker or if someone else is involved, too; if they have a budget in mind or not; and other factors that will help you make the sale. Even if the actual purchase is far in the future, staying in touch with the lead until they're closer to making a decision will help keep your business top-of-mind. 6. Maintain your lead data.  Clean and consistent data about leads is key to effective follow-up. At regular intervals, go through your lead database and clean out your records to eliminate duplicates, correct errors and generally keep them in good shape. A lead management solution that has an easy-to-use dashboard can speed up the process of searching and sorting through leads. Make every lead count Every marketer understands that the lead to opportunity conversion rate is an important metric — one you should be constantly optimizing.  Effective monitoring of opportunities in your sales data helps you assess and improve your performance. It will also help build your pipeline and contribute to your forecasting efforts.  One good investment is having a robust lead management system. An effective lead management system will pay off quickly by boosting the percentage of leads you convert to customers. But in the meantime, feel free to work on the practical steps enumerated above to boost your lead conversion rate and get the sales you need. GET EXPERT HELP TO CONVERT LEADS TO SALES Read the full article

[chadwick211]

Perfect New Year Gift Ideas 2023

The year 2023 is just around the corner, and we're all excited to make it a great one. New Year's celebrations are in full swing as December draws to a close. We exchange gifts with friends, family, and loved ones as we wish them a prosperous new year. Here are some New Year Gift Ideas 2023 from Sendgifts to make your celebrations even more fun. With these new year gift ideas, spending time with your loved ones will be even more enjoyable.

Sendgifts, a leading online liquor store, is the best place to buy liquor online. We have a wide selection of drinks, including wines, liquors, craft beers, champagne, and more. With Sendgifts, you can also send amazing New Year's Eve gifts online to your friends and family.

 New Year Gift Ideas

 Johnnie Walker Blue Label Blended Scotch Whisky

Johnnie Walker Blue Label is one of the rarest blended whiskies available in the world. A honey-colored whisky with a spicy, smoky fragrance.

The first sip is surprisingly sweet and honeyed, then the smoke gently creeps in like fog at dawn, softly surrounding the edges of the tongue giving way to a luxuriously long, warming, smoky finish. Best served neat, along with an ice-cold water to enhance its powerful character.

 Jameson 18 Year Irish Whiskey

Jameson 18 Years was made to make any occasion memorable. This is an 18-year-old whiskey, the kind of thing you only pull out for best mates. And if you want to impress them just throw this line into conversation: “It’s a unique blend of three signature distillates matured in the finest oak for almost two decades and is given a final marrying period of at least 6 months in a fresh American oak barrel, adding a unique complexity and elegance’. Ok, that is a mouthful. Just let the bottle do the talking.

Its long lingering finish carries the theme of the wood, spice and toffee right through to the end.

 Macallan 12 Year Scotch Whisky

Macallan 12 Year is a classic sherry-cask-matured Speyside that makes a very good gateway into the single malt category. Flavors of fruitcake, warmed bread, soaked raisins, and clove lead to a warm, medium to long finish noted with pear, cigar and peppery clove notes.

Deliciously smooth, with rich dried fruits and sherry, balanced with woodsmoke and spice. Described by F Paul Pacult, the renowned international whisky writer, in his book Kindred Spirits as 'simply the best 12-Year-Old single malt around'.

 Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon

Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon, the world’s first single barrel bourbon whiskey produced at the Buffalo Trace Distillery at Frankfort, Kentucky, and launched in 1984 by master distiller Elmer T. Lee. The presentation, taste and finish are all excellent. A staple bourbon for any collector or home bar enjoyer.

A deep, satisfying nose of nutmeg and spices. Powerful dry vanilla notes in harmony with hints of honey amid strong caramel and corn. A medium finish composed of returning corn and nutmeg flavors. Best served neat or on the rocks. Bottled at 46.5% ABV/VOL (90 Proof).

 Sheridan's Coffee Layered Liqueur

Sheridan's Coffee Layered Liqueur is consisting of two bottles that resemble a terrific Irish coffee when layered in the correct proportions. One section is filled with a black liqueur, consisting of coffee and whiskey flavors, while the other is filled with a white liqueur of milk white chocolate. The ausschank blend in these ingredients with one unique pouring spout in the bag.

A beautiful blend of dark coffee chocolate liqueur with a silky-smooth vanilla cream liquor. Tilt the glass to allow the dark chocolate liquor to layer below the cream and it will resemble the best Irish coffee you’ve ever had. It contains 15.5 per cent alcohol by volume. A must try!

 Patron Xo Cafe

Patron XO Cafe is a dry and low-proof coffee liqueur. It’s a combination of Patron silver and the essence fine coffee. This liqueur is a blend of vanilla, chocolate, and coffee aromas. It also has a light tequila taste and chocolate notes. It is recommended to Store it in the freezer. Avoid repeated re-freezing

It is excellent for sipping after dinner, as a premium cocktail ingredient, or as a unique and delicious dessert topping. It is delightful in Martinis or on vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

 Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky

Johnnie Walker Red Label is crackling with spice and bursting with vibrant, smoky flavors. It’s a blend that combines light whiskies from Scotland’s East Coast and more peaty whiskies from the West, creating an extraordinary depth of flavor. Johnnie Walker Red Label tumbles onto your palate with the freshness of spray from a breaking wave, bringing the unmistakable zing of aromatic spices - cinnamon and pepper - fizzing over the center of your tongue. There’s a suggestion of fruity sweetness, like fresh apple or pear and a mellow bed of vanilla, before the Johnnie Walker signature of a long, lingering, smoky finish.

Enjoy Johnnie Walker Red Label in any way you like - on its own, over ice, or long with your favorite mixer. We recommend Johnnie Ginger.

 Hendrick’s Gin

Hendrick’s Gin is created via an absurdly inefficient, yet quite glorious process. In essence, to make one gin, we first create two. One on an old-fashioned pot still, yielding a rich and intricate spirit. The other on a long-necked Carter Head, producing a delicate, more refined spirit. Each still is infused with an unusual symphony of 11 botanicals. The gins from the two stills are then married together and graced with refreshing infusions of Rose and Cucumber.

This odd method of making gin enables Hendrick’s to taste light, yet intriguingly complex. The result is a wondrously refreshing gin with a delightfully floral aroma, elevating any cocktail and all occasions.

Escape the conventional, and embrace the delectable. Please enjoy the unusual responsibly.

[beekeepingsuppliesmelbourne]

Why Beekeeping in Australia Demands Quality Supplies: Exploring Essential Equipment and Goods

Beekeeping in Australia is an essential part of the agricultural industry, contributing to pollination and honey production nationwide. In addition to honey production, beekeeping plays a vital role in pollinating crops, ensuring the success of related agricultural industries. Beekeepers require the best equipment and supplies to continue to adapt and thrive and make better profits from the whole process.

Queen bees and bees are actually the base of this beekeeping industry and hence the leading suppliers of beekeeping goods also offer queen bees and bees for sale in QLD. Queen bees are available at different times of the year and one can choose from either Italian or Carniolan varieties. One also purchases bees that are grown from good breeding stock and uses different hives like 5 frames wooden beehive or 5 frame poly which can hold up to 5 frames which consist of the bee colony.

A Small List of a Few Other Bees Supplies Products Sold by Online Retailers  

Smokers and Clearing Bees Equipment: Smokers play a crucial role in calming bees during hive inspections by emitting a cool, white smoke that masks alarm pheromones. Some of the important equipment includes a smoker, smoker fuel, inner cover, etc.

Tools and Equipment: Beekeepers may also require other supplies such as feeders, queen excluders, frame holders and grips, hive tools and many other such equipment. Feeders are essential for keeping the bees healthy so that they have good nutrition.

Beekeeping Suits: Quality beekeeping suits and staying well-equipped, beekeepers can ensure that those working with the bees are safe from bee stings. Similarly, people working with bees also require beekeeping suits, beekeeping jackets, etc for safe working.

Beekeeping can be a successful venture if one invests in quality equipment and goods to eventually earn good revenue. Buy directly online or call the leading companies and choose the products you require.

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