#Casey’s getting his first taste of Christmas madness
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hitwiththetmnt · 11 months ago
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Master Leonardo has some tricks to show Casey for his first Christmas
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tmntkiseki · 10 months ago
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Hi!! Just found your blog today, thank you for sharing all these references to the ‘03 turtles!! This is gonna be super helpful for me to draw them!! 😁
My question is! Do you have a favorite turtle? And what are your favorite/ least favorite episodes?
Thanks, and have a great night!! 😁
Aha, thank you very much for the ask! I hope all of the references are of help to you!
My favorite turtle is definitely Donatello. It's funny; I think as a kid/teenager, I would have leaned more towards Raphael knowing my tastes back then? But in my adulthood, I've developed a preference for nice, hardworking sweethearts who turn out to be major nerds/dorks, and Donnie definitely falls into this category. Incredibly kind, considerate, and intelligent with a bit of a clumsy streak, but he's also no pushover, can be quite sassy, and is just as terrifying as Raph when he's mad, if Same As It Never Was is anything to go by. (The fact that he shares his VA with my favorite bachelor from Rune Factory 4 is a nice bonus lol)
Hmm, favorite and least favorite episodes... In terms of story arcs, Good Genes is definitely my favorite even though Don is once again suffering at the hands of the plot. Other favorite arcs include The Shredder Strikes Back, Rogue in the House, the Big Brawl, Space Invaders/Worlds Collide, and Exodus. As for individual episodes:
Season 1: Meet Casey Jones, Tales of Leo, Lone Raph and Cub
Season 2: The Golden Puck, Junklantis, April's Artifact
Season 3: Touch and Go, Hunted, The Christmas Aliens, The Darkness Within, Hun on the Run, Same As It Never Was
Season 4: Grudge Match, Bad Day, All Hallows Thieves, The Ancient One, Prodigal Son
Season 5: Enter the Dragons (Part 1 and Part 2)
Fast Forward: Future Shellshock, Invasion of the Body Snatcher!, The Freaks Come Out at Night, Bad Blood, Graduation Day: Class of 2105, Timing Is Everything, Race For Glory, DNA is Thicker than Water
Back to the Sewer: Tempus Fugit, Hacking Stockman, Incredible Shrinking Serling, Identity Crisis, SuperQuest, and Wedding Bells and Bytes
Most of the episodes I do dislike, rather understandably, come from Fast Forward and Back to the Sewer just because the writing quality dipped during those seasons, though I'm willing to confess that I've always been very lukewarm towards the episodes involving the superheroes/Justice Force. It's weird; Peter Laird basically said that if you can accept all the other crazy stuff in the TMNT multiverse, you should be able to accept superheroes being a thing, but somehow I always felt them to be the most out of place aspect of the universe? Probably just because when compared to most other aspects of the series, they come off as pretty goofy. (Never mind how often they get their butts kicked.)
The only other episode that I didn't really like from the first five seasons was The People's Choice from Season 4. It was something of a Donatello-focused episode and would have been a great opportunity to explore what was going through his head in the aftermath of both Same As It Never Was and Exodus but... yeah, no, we got a random, unrelated battle with two aliens that ultimately never gets brought up again lmao.
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openheartfanfics · 2 years ago
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Ethan x F!MC: Pure Fluff
One Shots M
Macarena Catastrophe - @rookie-ramsey She should have known that dancing in dress shoes would backfire horribly.
Madison - @potionsprefect  Ethan and Victoria head on holiday to Connecticut.
Mad About Matching - @cariantha 👻 Ethan won't wear matching costumes for Halloween except for one person.
Magazine Covers - @potionsprefect   Two magazines, two different covers.
Magic - @jerzwriter   Ethan rushes home from work when he can't get in touch with Casey, only to stumble upon a wonderful surprise.
Magic - @starrystarrytrouble Ethan’s got a trick or two to impress MC, features a Magic 8 Ball.
Magical Kiss - @takemyopenheart Ethan’s mad at himself because he forgot to pick up some things at the store.
Major - @utterlyinevitable His phones rings and it’s a major step in their relationship.
Make Believe - @utterlyinevitable MC and Ethan are cuddling in the chalet, fantasizing about what their meeting would be like if they were normal people. [2.14 rewrite]
Making a Mark - @txemrn 💘Ⓜ Despite med school exams, Ethan and Tatum plan on spending time together for their first Valentine's day; but their plans take a different course... literally.
Making Memories - @potionsprefect  Ethan and Victoria take Luke and Lily to Dagger Mountain.
Mamma Mia - @jerzwriter  Kaycee's parents are moving out of their home, and while she's there helping pack up, she makes an unsettling discovery.
Many Happy Returns - @jamespotterthefirst He barely acknowledges her birthday. Truth is, he’s been thinking about it for days.
Mariposa - @jamespotterthefirst Ethan should have known better than to take dancing lessons with his vivacious girlfriend. Set in Book 3.
Mark My Words - @utterlyinevitable He’s reading one of her books but he removed her bookmark.
Married - @perriewinklenerdie Parts of Ines’s wedding told from Ethan’s perspective feat. Basically being a married couple and everyone calling them out for it.
Matchmaker - @perriewinklenerdie Harper sees how much Ethan is struggling with trying to ignore Claire, so she decides to push him in the right direction. Feat. Harper
May I Have This Dance? - @liaromancewriter  Is there anything more romantic than slow dancing in the kitchen on a do-nothing day?
Me & You - @mrsrhys23 Illness prompt.
Med School Book - @potionsprefect It’s just a picture in a medical school book
Medical Hero - @jamespotterthefirst A young intern sees her medical hero and musters up the courage to ask for an autograph.
Memories.... - @amortentiaopenheart Ethan gets to see Catherine's photo album.
Memories - @lem-20 Ethan gets a little taste of his own medicine, resulting in him and MC discussing his chats with Harper.
Memory Lane - @potionsprefect  Victoria and Ethan take a trip to New York with their kids.
Mending Bridges - @bex-la-get A surprise visit forces Ethan out of his comfort zone. Feat. Tobias Carrick & Sienna Trinh
Mentor - @starrystarrytrouble Three times Naveen spoke to Ethan about MC. Feat. Naveen
Merry Christmas - @tveitertotwrites 🎄 The Ramsey's spend Christmas morning together.
Merry Christmas, Rookie - @cariantha 🎄 The Internal Medicine staff participate in a Secret Santa exchange.
Mi Vida - @jamespotterthefirst   The first time she calls him an affectionate pet name in her native language.
Miami - @rookie-ramsey She never expected to return to the Miami hotel room.
Midnight - @a-crepusculo   Marchia found a rather interesting scene in the middle of the night.
Midnight Cravings - @lucy-268 Eating for two calls for all ones requests to be fulfilled.
Midnight Cuddles - @potionsprefect  Ethan wants a cuddle, Victoria isn’t overly keen.
Midnight Loneliness - @utterlyinevitable This takes place after the kiss outside Ethan’s apartment in 2.8.
Might Occupy The Universe Today - @inlocusmads   There's not enough room in a four-walled office. Hence, Ethan willingly supports Jane's bad decisions and her subsequent conquests of desk spaces. Feat. Tobias Carrick
Miles - @tveitertotwrites 🎄 The Story of Miles Ramsey and how he was introduced to the family during Christmas.
Mimicry - @jamespotterthefirst 👻 The gang organizes a group costume that surprises Ethan.
Mine - @irisofpurple After all the years of pining, Lana was finally officially his.
Mine - @liaromancewriter  Cassie can’t help feeling jealous of Ethan’s admirer.
Miracles - @liaromancewriter  A chance encounter with Ethan brings an expected revelation for Cassie.
Miracles Gala - @a-crepusculo 🩺 Her first appearance as the Head of Diagnostics Team may not be as easy as she thinks.
Mirani’s Confession - @schnitzelbutterfingers Ines’s wedding reception , featuring Zaid’s emotions and lost love, Abby’s advice and Ethan’s promise. Feat. Zaid x Ines
Mirrors - @jamespotterthefirst They have always been a source of comfort through their toughest moments. Mirrors of one another.
Miss Tiffany Turned 30 Today - @the-pale-goddess Tiffany celebrates her birthday with Ethan.
Miss You More - @aworldoffandoms He’s at a conference and “I’m tired and my bed feels so empty without you here.”
Mistletoe - @potionsprefect 🎄 Victoria sets herself a challenge.
Mistletoe Magic - @headoverheelsforramsey 🎄 Three years, three Christmases and three mistletoes.
More of Your Love - @openheart12 Just some domestic fluff with them and their babies.
More than a drawer - @writinghereandthere A decision between roommates forces Mariana’s and Ethan’s hand to discuss the next step of their relationship.
Morning - @thewolflady During one date night, three little words changed the course of the rest of their lives.
Mornings - @mrsdr-ethan-ramsey A couple of swear words maybe, implied sex
Morning Sickness - @jamespotterthefirst She has to stay home from work. Doctor’s orders.
Morning Walk - @beyondsimsreality  Dr. Ethan Ramsey x Dr. Harmonie Christian taking a stroll with their children, Nevaeh Christian-Ramsey, and Ethan Jr.
Most Ardently - @jamespotterthefirst Days after her recovery, he tells her of the Pride and Prejudice vibe they apparently give off. Set after the events of 2.11.
Most in the World - @jamespotterthefirst  Things have changed in a year. And so has his answer to the question she once asked him: “Who do you love most in the world?”
Mothers - @liaromancewriter 🌸 Three mothers, three celebrations, one beautiful memory. Feat. Sienna Trinh
Mother’s Day - @coffeeheartaddict2 🌸 Two Mother’s Days. The Mother’s Day before and after the birth of Hudson.
Mother’s Day -  @openheart12 🌸 Ethan and MC spent the day with their kids.
Mother’s Days - @lucy-268  🌸 Several Mother’s Day Firsts for Charley
Motivation - @potionsprefect  Victoria finds a new way of working out.
Movie Night - @dr-addieramsey It’s just a simple movie night with zero plot….
Music & Secrets - @utterlyinevitable Ethan learns of Odette’s old musical hobby.
My Best Friend's Wedding: Rumor Has It - @jamespotterthefirst  A childhood friend realizes he's the love of her life. The problem is he's about to marry someone else.
My Everything - @charisworld When Ethan gets a call that his girlfriend needs him does he stay silent or confess about his feelings.
My One and Only Love - @potionsprefect   Victoria and Ethan read the letters that they wrote to each other.
Mystery - @openheartforeverinmyheart Four instances where Ethan contemplates the way she looks at him and how he feels about her.
_
SUBMIT OPEN HEART FICS HERE
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elldell1204 · 4 years ago
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Silence the Green-Eyed Monster - Matt Casey x Reader
Anonymous: hey love! you absolutely smashed the last fic! can I request another casey x reader? could imagine they’re in a relationship and keep it a secret. somehow someone gets jealous and they can’t hide it anymore? thanks love x
Thank you so much, you’re too kind! ❤️ Ugh, I can’t explain how much I love the ‘secret relationship’ fics, so thank you for requesting this. I kinda went off on a tangent but it’s all Casey fluff so I’m not sorry 😝 Also went a little more protective Casey for the big reveal but there’s still some jealousy in there. Enjoy this long ass fic! 😊
Warning: Mention of and reference to smut, nothing particularly detailed.
wc - 6,257
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You took a deep breath as you awoke, the warmth of the room from the sun shining through the gap in the curtains mixing with the smell of fresh sheets was a moment you treasured each morning. It’s what kept you grateful. You knew in your line of work that all it took was a bad call to have your future ripped away from you. That you knew from personal experience. Only this morning, along with the previous few, there was a different scent swirling into the mix. It was a cosy combination of something very musky and woody, with a hint of smoke.
Taking a moment to cherish how lucky you were before you fluttered your eyes open, you remembered the events of last night, which brought a light blush to your cheeks, as you became aware of how you were both completely naked. Matt had his chest flush to your back, an arm draped around your waist and hugging you softly and his breath was ever so slightly tickling your neck.
That’s when a smile grew on your face, one of those grins that were impossible to hold back, not that you wanted to. For the past three days, Sylvie Brett, your best friend, partner and roommate, had gone back home to Fowlerton to face her parents for the first time since she broke off her engagement with the Chaplain. She had spoken to them over the phone, of course, but as soon as the chatter died down in her hometown about her antics and she had worked up the nerve to show her face again, she decided to take a few days off and visit them.
And while you were going to miss your best friend, even if it was just for five days, you were excited to finally be able to spend a couple of nights with your boyfriend. You and Matt didn’t get to do this often (unless you booked a hotel room, which was becoming an expensive endeavour), and it wasn’t just about the sex. You loved the domesticity of it all, cooking dinner together, laughing, talking, listening to music, cuddling on the couch whilst watching a movie. You felt complete when you were with Matt, and it was something you were never going to get tired of, and neither was he, if your relationship continued in the direction it was going in.
When you and Matt first started seeing each other, it was just over a year after Gabby left. You had replaced her on Ambo, quickly becoming a part of the 51 family with little to no grievances towards you. You were pretty sure Matt actually wasn’t a fan of you at first, seeing as you technically took someone’s place who he didn’t want to be gone, but he soon got past it, and you both actually became good friends. You had the same sense of humour, a similar taste in music and you both liked the same movies, so you had a lot to bond over. And you fell hard.
At first you were angry at yourself. How on earth could you fall in love with a colleague - a superior - let alone one who was still grieving from his divorce? Only, however hard you tried to stop yourself, you just ended up making it worse. For example, if you tried not to meet his topaz blue eyes as he smiled, you became more aware of how gorgeous his laugh sounded and decided immediately you didn’t get to hear it enough. See the problem?
But one night at Molly’s changed everything. It was Christmas time last year, and after saying a last goodbye and happy holidays to everyone before you went back to your hometown, you left the bar just as Casey was entering.
You were practically beaming from ear to ear as you approached the door. Herrmann had a loop of classic Christmas hits on throughout the evening, and you were still feeling the rush from when Casey dragged you into his little office back at the station earlier to exchange gifts with you. You argued that you weren’t technically allowed to open it yet, seeing as Christmas wasn’t for a couple more days, but Matt had persuaded you by telling you how much he wanted to see your face when you opened it. Of course you couldn’t say no to such a sweet admission, especially from Matt. It was totally worth it when you excitedly ripped off the wrapping paper to reveal a photo album full of memories from the past year and a half. It brought a tear to your eye and a smile that lit up your face, as did the expression that Matt wore. He was so elated that you loved it, enjoying how he got to see the smile he adored so much.
So you said a last goodbye and then swung open the gorgeous wooden door, stepping out into the freezing Chicago night. That’s when you ended up being so close to Matt Casey that you could feel the warmth of his breath before it got cooled down by the air.
“Oh, sorry, Matt.” You laughed slightly awkwardly as you took a step back.
“No, it was my fault. I was in a bit of daydream.” He smiled.
“Well, I, er, was just heading out. Wanted to say goodbye before I make my way home tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, okay, well, have a good Christmas, Y/N.”
“You too, Matt.” You smiled back, raising your eyes away from his face (because your heart was telling you to just lean forward and do what you’ve wanted to for months) to look up in hopes to catch a glimpse of the stars. Only, you didn’t see them, you saw the little bunch of green leaves adorned by white berries, and your eyes widened.
Matt was confused by your expression, so he followed your eyeline, being met with the same thing; mistletoe. When he looked back down once again at your face, you were biting your lip, your eyes flickering between his mouth and his eyes dangerously. You’d never know how desperately he wanted to use his thumb to free your bottom lip from your teeth, but the thought soon disappeared when you leaned in.
He met you halfway, lips brushing against one another’s in uncertainty before you pushed forward, pressing a not-so-chaste kiss to his mouth, something which he didn’t expect but wasn’t mad about. It quickly became heated, all the pent-up sexual tension you both harboured for months being poured into the kiss, the way your hands wrapped around his neck, how his found your waist and then your ass when you pressed him against the wall behind him.
Breathless, you pulled away, painfully aware of how you were still in the doorway of Molly’s, letting out a little laugh. “We should probably get out of here, before someone finds us.” You smirked. All Matt could do was nod, wearing that boyish grin of his with a hint of lust in his eyes, before he pulled you quickly to his truck to make a quick getaway.
One thing led to another, and after finally admitting your feelings for each other that night, you became a ‘thing’ that had now been going strong for about six months. ‘Thing’ is the only way you felt right describing it, seeing as you two were exclusive but no one knew about it yet, apart from both of your families.
That had been Matt’s idea, to keep your relationship secret. He felt worried that the house might have a bit of a problem with it, seeing as the wound from Gabby leaving is still a little tender for some of them. And though you didn’t share the same concern, you understood and therefore agreed. Plus, it was going to be fun sneaking around for a while, possibly even sexy.
Little kisses being trailed along your shoulder are what informed you Matt was coming out of his slumber.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” You smiled even though he couldn’t see it.
“Morning, babe.” He mumbled against your shoulder, still half dazed, before letting out an almighty yawn.
“Still tired?” You chuckled, gently turning over to face him.
“Do you blame me? We were at it like rabbits last night.” He grinned wide at the way your cheeks flushed.
“Well, too bad we have to get up for shift, otherwise you could’ve given me a reminder.” You winked before sitting up, pulling the sheets with you to cover your chest.
“We could always take a shower.” Matt teased, reaching out a hand to draw shapes on your thigh.
Though the motion cause goosebumps to raise on your skin, you shook your head lightly, biting your lip in his direction before standing up and pulling on one of your oversized t-shirts.
“No time. I need to drop you off home, remember? How about I make some quick breakfast whilst you get dressed and then I’ll drive you.” You offered.
“Sounds lovely.” He said, finally moving to get ready whilst you slipped away to the kitchen.
You were halfway into making some French toast when you heard the keys in the door. At first you thought you imagined it, blaming it on the fact you were still a little drowsy. But you knew you couldn’t imagine Sylvie standing right in front of you.
“Something smells good.” She exclaimed, which really woke you up.
“Sylvie!” You practically shouted, both out of shock and as a way to alert Matt about your unexpected company. “I thought you weren’t coming back for a couple more days?”
“Wasn’t planning on it, but I knew as soon as I got there that five days was gonna be too long, especially when everything there was reminding me of being with Kyle.” She visibly shuddered, taking a seat at one of the stools at the breakfast bar. “I just felt trapped, you know? My parents understood and were fine with me coming back early. I called Boden last night to let him know I’d be available for shift today, and I also called you, but you didn’t pick up.”
“Sorry, I didn’t even realise, I was a little busy.”
“I can tell.” She smirked. You raised an eyebrow at her. “Whoever you were getting busy with has left his shoes at the door.”
Your eyes went wide in shock as she chuckled. ‘Shit’ you thought.
“Would you like me to go hide in my room whilst you get mystery man out of here?” She smiled. God, you love this woman.
“Yes please.” You replied sheepishly.
She slid off the stool and went to pick up her bag by the door. On her way past you she stopped, smiled over at you and said, calmly, “Oh, and say hi to Casey for me.” whilst pointing nonchalantly at the CFD captain’s jacket hung on the coat rack before practically skipping to her room.
You were absolutely gobsmacked. You quickly served up the French toast before going back into your room to find Casey sat on the edge of the bed with an amused look on his face.
“Did you…?” You asked, gesturing with your thumb to the kitchen.
“Yeah, I did.” He chuckled.
You shook your head, the shock finally wearing off as you went to pull on a pair of sweats from your drawer. “I swear she should’ve become a detective.”
***
You and Brett along with Truck 81 and Engine 51 were making your way to a vehicle accident just five minutes after your shift started. You hadn’t had a chance to speak to Brett yet about this morning, so you saw the drive there as the perfect opportunity.
“Listen, I owe you an explanation.”
“No you don’t.” Brett smiled sincerely, flickering her eyes over to me to show she was being genuine before looking back to the road.
“Well, I want to. It wasn’t just last night, me and Casey. We’ve been seeing each other for nearly six months now, and I really wanted to tell you, I did, but Matt asked me to keep it a secret, just for a bit, so I did, and…I’m sorry.”
“I know, Y/N. I figured it out a little while ago. I’ve seen the way you look at each other and have your little hushed conversations and comfort each other discreetly after a tough call. It’s okay, it’s none of my business, and I’m not mad.” She chuckled, and I let out a deep breath in relief. I figured she wouldn’t be, but I wasn’t sure. “By the way, I think you’re really good together.”
“Thanks.” You smiled at her as you pulled up to the scene of the accident.
You pulled up just after Truck, surveying the scene as you slowed to a stop. A car had collided with a parked van, its engine letting off a lot of smoke. You and Brett hopped out, grabbing the jump bags and then making your way over to the car where Casey had already begun talking to the patient.
Herrmann came over with a halligan to pry open the driver’s door while Casey went around to the passenger side, smashing the window and climbing inside. You thanked Herrmann before peering in, seeing that the guy had his leg pinned in, which is why Casey had climbed in.
With gloves on, you examined the laceration the guy had on his forehead, most likely from slamming it on the wheel on impact.
“How’s he doing?” Brett called from behind you.
“He’s alert. Laceration to the face, left leg is pinned.” You replied, looking over to Casey who shifted in his seat to get a better angle before jamming his halligan into the footwell to free the driver. Meanwhile, you put a c-collar on him, noticing his rapid breathing at the same time and so you tried to calm him down by making small talk.
“How is it you managed to crash into a parked vehicle?”
“I looked down to change the radio station. It was an emergency; they were playing Justin Bieber.” He let out a strained laugh.
“Say no more.” You chuckled.
“I knew you’d understand.” He managed to get out in panting breaths before he focused on you. “Your eyes are incredible by the way.”
You were a little taken aback by his last sentence, seeing as he was struggling to focus on keeping calm, let alone your face. You glanced over to Casey, still working diligently as he spared a look your way, his brows furrowed in confusion.
“I think you must’ve hit your head.” You smiled, just as the hood of the car burst into flames.
You ducked away, painfully aware that Casey was stuck inside the car. You trusted your colleagues in putting out the fire before it could harm anyone, but still your heart worried for any unexpected turns this could take, putting the driver and Casey in danger.
He managed to free the driver’s leg, shouting to the rest of Truck for a backboard. They safely extracted the driver, and almost immediately after, Casey swan dived out of the car, just as a fireball exploded from the car.
Stood by the gurney, you gazed over, your heart in your stomach as you waited to see if he was okay. A few seconds later, Casey was up on his feet on the other side of the car, and you let out the breath you didn’t realise you were holding. He looked over, trying to meet your eyes, and when he succeeded, he gave a little nod to tell you he was okay. And that’s all you needed to be focused once more, ready for the patient to be delivered to you by the firefighters.
***
It was a few hours later, just as you were finishing up restocking the ambo, when Casey emerged from the common room doors looking for you. You had sent Brett inside a few minutes earlier so she could get something to eat, offering to finish up on your own.
You smiled over at Casey as you ticked off the last box on your checklist, jumping down from your rig. He was making his way over to you when you heard, “Hey, there she is!” from a familiar voice behind you. “It’s the miracle worker with the big y/e/c eyes.”
You turned, being met by the guy you saved from the crash earlier today holding a bunch of yellow lilies and wearing a smile from ear to ear.
“Oh, hi…erm…”
“Mason.” He said, offering you the flowers.
“Yes, Mason, of course. Thank you so much, these are gorgeous, but you didn’t have to bring me anything.” You smiled at him, conscious of Matt standing a few feet away near the truck to make it less awkward. “How’s your leg?”
“Oh, they did an MRI, just a muscle tear, it’s no biggie. I just wanted to thank you for taking such good care of me.” He explained. His voice seemed smooth, seductive even, but you thought you were just reading too much into it, so you just smiled a little wider and tilted your head sincerely.
“Ah, well, just doing my job.” You said, and it came out a little more awkward than you would have liked, but he didn’t seem to notice.
It was then you felt extremely lucky as a call came over the intercom for ambo, so you took a deep breath before walking past him and moving to get into the rig. “Well, I gotta go, but thank you for the flowers.”
“I never got your name.” He followed you, looking through the window as you sat in your seat.
“Oh, um, Y/N.” You offered a small smile, but you desperately wanted to get out of there. You turned to your right to place the flowers down in the space in the console before turning back to him, only he was leaning his forearms on the windowsill and offering you a business card.
“Well, Y/N, I would be over the moon if you let me buy you lunch sometime.” His grin was a little creepier now he was so close, and you could smell the bitter coffee on his breath.
You took the card to be polite, but as soon as Sylvie jumped into the passenger seat, you sped off, looking in the wing mirror to see Casey leaned against Truck with his jaw tense and fists stuffed into his jacket pockets.
***
When you returned from Med after the call, Casey was nowhere to be found. You looked all over: the common room, Boden’s office, his own office, restroom, locker room. Nowhere. And you couldn’t ask around, in fear of being suspicious, although you could have lied and said you borrowed a book or were requesting some furlough, but you didn’t want to be caught out on that later.
In the end, you decided to go stand out on the apron for some fresh air and a good think. You were worried that he was upset about Mason coming and speaking to you earlier or about you taking the card, although you would be majorly surprised if he would be annoyed over that, seeing as he is one of the most understanding people you have ever met. What did surprise you, though, was when you looked up and saw him sitting on the roof of the firehouse in a fold-out chair.
“Jesus Christ, Casey, what are you doing up there?!”
“Just taking a moment.” He replied, and you finally noticed the ladder he had used to get up there propped up against the building. You started walking toward it to join him when you heard him stand up and walk over to it, his footsteps on the metal ringing out above your head. He slid down it skilfully, impressing you in the process.
“I would have come up there, you didn’t have to come down.” You shrugged, smirking at him slightly.
“With your fear of heights? No chance.” He chuckled.
You smiled at him. He didn’t seem annoyed. Just a little…off.
“I can see the cogs turning, Y/N. What’s up?” He said as he slyly hooked his little finger into yours. You both did this often when you wanted to show affection to one another at the firehouse but had to be discreet, just in case someone was watching.
“Are you okay?” You said, your voice a little higher than usual and brows slightly furrowed.
Matt raised an eyebrow at you. “Yeah? Why wouldn’t I be?”
“That…um…just with that Mason guy coming round earlier. I only took his card to seem polite, I have no intention of-“
“Y/N.” Matt interrupted, an amused twinkle in his eye, which made you relax slightly. “I know. I trust you, always have and always will. I love you.”
“I love you too.” You sighed contently. “And you have no idea how much I want to throw my arms around you and kiss you right now.”
He chuckled. “Me too, but Gallo’s coming this way and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to give him a show.”
You drew your hand back slowly, just in time for when Gallo emerged from the door.
“Lieutenant, Y/L/N, food’s almost done.”
“Thanks, Gallo.” You turned his way and shot him a genuine smile before following him in, Matt hot on your heels.
***
You thanked whoever was looking down on you for those minutes of peace within the firehouse, where no one was out on a call and you all got to relax, play cards, talk, read a book. The latter was one of your personal favourites, seeing as you were always engrossed in one novel or another. Talking with your friends was also another. You loved to hear about Herrmann’s kids, Gallo’s sad excuse for a love life, Severide and Kidd’s weekend getaway (although you weren’t too fond of the details, but luckily they usually skipped past those with merely a wink at each other). Right now, you and Brett were talking about the upcoming wedding of one of a previous mutual partner.
“Have you got your dress yet?” You asked her.
“Yep, got it last weekend. It’s a gorgeous blush pink maxi dress, and its so comfy. What about you?”
“Mine’s about knee length, a dark green silky material. I can’t wait to go, plus Maddison is going to look gorgeous.”
“She really is!” Brett gushed, looking over your shoulder at Matt, who was sitting three seats down at the end of the table. She lowered her voice, “Are you taking Matt as your date?”
Your eyes got a little sadder and you looked down at your fingers. “I’m not sure. I’d love to, and I probably could get away with if we said we were just going as friends, but I don’t know if we’d be able to keep it up or if they’d get suspicious.” You murmured. “I need to talk to Matt first, because it’s his call. Whatever he wants to do, I’m up for.”
She nodded gently, offering you a small smile before sitting up straighter and opening her mouth to speak, but before she could, Capp shouted from the doorway.
“Hey, Y/L/N, there’s someone outside to see you. Says his names Mason?”
You rolled your eyes, inhaling deeply before casting a glance over to Matt carefully. You got up from your chair slowly, with all eyes on you, and made your way out onto the apparatus floor.
“Hey, Y/N, how are you?” Mason beamed, making his way over to you with his arms wide open, as if he was coming for a hug.
You stayed still, arms crossed, showing him you didn’t accept the hug, and he stopped just short of you, smile a little weaker but barely altered.
“Hi Mason. What’re you doing here?” You tried to smile politely.
“Well, I wanted to ask you something. You see, I think you’re really pretty and you were so kind to me that I knew I couldn’t miss out on the opportunity on asking you out on a date. So, how does this Friday at seven sound?”
Your eyes almost shot out of your head, and you heard someone choke on their own laughter over at the squad table. ‘Glad someone’s enjoying the show.’ You thought.
“I…erm… that’s, um, very kind of you, Mason. And I really appreciate the offer, but I’m so sorry, I’m going to have to say no.” You answered, trying to convey how apologetic you felt on your face. You glanced around you, mainly at the squad table to see how they were all trying to act like they weren’t listening.
He didn’t seem to back down though, which furthered your observation of him being a little creepy. “Oh, come on, Y/N, just one date, you won’t regret it, I promise.”
Before you could reply, Severide shouted, “Hey, buddy, she said no, now get lost.” He was walking over to you to back you up, which you were extremely thankful for as you had no idea how to handle this situation to stop it getting out of control. Usually, you were pretty good at standing up for yourself and speaking your mind, but that doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate the back up from your friends when offered.
“This doesn’t concern you, pretty boy.” Mason snarled, and Severide squared his shoulders.
“What’s going on?” Matt called, coming through the common room doors to stand beside you. ‘Oh god, this could get messy.’ You thought, and you knew you had to diffuse it, and fast.
“Nothing, Casey. Mason here was just leaving, weren’t you?” You answered.
Mason seemed to soften up when you spoke. “Yeah, I was. Well, call me later, Y/N, and we can confirm that date.” He gave a toothy smile and a wink which sent a shiver down your spine, then left through the open door.
Once he was out of sight, you turned to Severide. “Thanks, Kelly, I owe you.”
“No problem, Y/N, but be careful with that guy. Something’s off about him.” He patted your shoulder as you nodded in reply, then went back over to sit at the squad table.
Casey didn’t say a word before walking through the double doors, but instead of going straight on to the common room, he took a right, walking down the corridor towards the bunk room. You waited for a moment before following him, slightly concerned. At this moment, you didn’t care if you raised anyone’s suspicions; you had a gut feeling something was off, and you needed to make sure Matt was okay.
You walked cautiously down the same route as Matt, entering the bunk room and looking straight towards his office. He was sat down at his desk, pen in hand and head rested on his fist, his brows knitted in either concentration or frustration, and you were pretty sure it was the latter. After a quick survey of the bunk room and being satisfied you were alone, you advanced towards his office, gently rapping your knuckles against the door to let him know you were there. He looked up, a blank expression on his face, and gestured for you to come in before looking back down at his incident report.
You opened the door but didn’t walk in, deciding to lean against the door frame and gauge the atmosphere first.
“Hey, you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He said a little snappily, not tearing his eyes away from his report for a second.
You bit the inside of your cheek in thought, then went and perched on the end of his bed, closing the door softly behind you. He made no effort to acknowledge your company, but he also didn’t object.
“Matt, baby, what’s wrong?” You almost whispered, despite no one being in earshot but your boyfriend.
“Nothing, like I said, I’m fine.”
“Well it doesn’t seem like it.” You said, and although the words could have been interpreted as snarky, you didn’t intend for them to be, and so you internally winced. “I didn’t mean it like that. You can talk to me, Matt, I want to listen.”
He stopped writing, and you were hopeful that he would explain, but a few minutes passed and still no words left his mouth. He turned around in his chair to face you, his eyes showing you that he was sorry, but his jaw was clenched and his left hand was still in a tight fist.
So you thought, you thought really hard as to what he was feeling and why he would be feeling like this. Had you forgotten something important? No, your anniversary wasn’t for a few more months and neither was his birthday. Had you forgotten to do the dishes? No, you both did them together last night after your meal.
And then it hit you.
He was jealous. Matthew Casey was jealous. And you smiled. A beaming smile that shone brighter than a lighthouse, because although it was annoying for him, you found it pretty funny and also very cute.
“Matt Casey…” You teased, standing up slowly and stalking towards him with your arms crossed and a tilted head. “Are you jealous?”
“What? No.” He splutters, trying to be convincing but it doesn’t work in the slightest.
You smirk at him. “Aww…Matt…”
“Fine, I guess I am a bit. It’s just…that guy, the way he was looking at you like you were his next meal, it just…it made my blood boil.”
“I know. Me too. It’s fair enough that you’re angry but you have nothing at all to be jealous of, I love you and only you.” You offer a smile, which he returns, before you check out of the window.
Seeing nobody, you placed your palms down on each arm of his chair, leaning down so you were inches away from his face.
He squinted his eyes playfully at you, smirking. “Risky.” He teased.
“Shut up.” You laughed, then locked your lips with his, giving him a searing hot kiss, your tongues meeting and fighting a battle for dominance, which he won. You explored each other’s mouths, not worrying for a second if someone would see because you wanted him, needed him, and he needed you. He bit your lip, causing you to moan into his mouth, and his lips tugged upwards into a smile.
You pulled away, breathless, and smiled, catching your bottom lip between your teeth as you dared to look into his eyes. It was a dangerous move, as his irises had turned a sinful shade of blue and all you desired was to pull him over to his bed and draw the blinds. Actually, fuck that, his chair would do.
But you managed to stand upright, clearing your throat as you felt your cheeks reddening. You regained enough composure to look back into his eyes, and he seemed more relaxed, barring the bulge that was now evident in his pants, which you were proud of causing.
“By the way, I love you too. And you didn’t have to prove it, I already know, not that I’m complaining about getting that kiss out of it.”
“Yeah, well, you’re gonna get a lot more than that tonight, seeing as you’re extremely hot when you’re jealous.” You teased, taking pleasure out of the way his eyes grew wider.
You winked at him before turning and leaving his office, swaying your hips a little more than usual, chuckling when you heard the curse he let out under his breath.
***
It was next shift, and thankfully you hadn’t heard any more from Mason, mainly because you hadn’t called him or been at the firehouse, so you were a little on edge as you turned up this morning. But it was after lunch, now, and you were convinced that he had finally come to his senses and moved on.
You were reading your book, sat at the long table facing the rest of the common room with Matt one chair away, once again sat at the head of the table. You felt his foot tracing patterns on your ankle, and when you looked up from your page and over to him, he was looking through his eyelashes at you as he read over his reports from last shift. He had a devilish smirk on his face, and he knew I was thinking of the other evening, when he pulled me into the showers to fulfil my promise, trailing hot, wet kisses along my jawline, down my neck and over my collarbone, slowly working his way down until he was on his knees in front of me, unbuckling my belt as I stood in a blissful daze, my heart racing and my breathing rapid.
In fact, I could feel it picking up again, and I knew what he was doing. It was unbelievably arousing how the risk of being caught felt, something we discovered after that event in the showers. And now Matt had begun playing a game, and so had I. A squeeze of my ass when I was folding laundry later on that day was what started it, but I got him back when I trailed my fingertips up his thigh at dinner, cupping his clothed member in my hand, which caused him to almost choke on his bite of food.
We were enjoying it, and after talking the other day back at my apartment, he told me how he didn’t mind if the others found out, but at the moment it was still fun sneaking around, which I agreed with.
“Y/L/N?”
Severide’s voice from the door startled me, but I didn’t jump, thank goodness, before I turned to look at him.
“That Mason guy is back again. Want me to kick his ass out?”
You smiled at Kelly, shaking your head gently. “Yes, but politely please, Severide.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
He nodded and left, and you went back to ‘reading your book’. That was until you heard shouts coming from the apparatus floor moments later, followed by the sound of someone bursting through the double doors.
“Hey! You can’t go in there!”
“Y/N?!”
‘Oh, for crying out loud’ You complained internally, rolling your eyes before looking over to the door to see a very frantic Mason.
“There you are, Y/N. That moron was trying to stop me coming inside.”
“Yes, Mason, that’s because I asked him to.” You explained, softly, standing up and circling around the table to stand in front of him. “C’mon, lets go talk out in the corridor so we don’t disturb anyone.”
“No! I want everyone to hear this. Y/N, just give me a chance. I’m a nice guy, I’m funny, I’m smart, I’m good looking. Just say yes, you won’t regret it.”
You had to stop yourself from groaning. This guy was ridiculously desperate, and you couldn’t understand how he didn’t get the message. It was actually starting to annoy you now.
“Mason, I’m sorry, it’s a no, it’s always going to be a no. Now please, leave, before you get dragged out of here.”
“Please, Y/N, just one date, that’s all. I don’t know why you won’t agree to it.” He was walking closer and closer, but you stood your ground, despite the nervousness starting to grow within you.
“Hey! She said no.” Casey said sternly, on the verge of shouting, as he got up from his chair and came to stand beside you, wrapping his arm tightly around your waist and bringing you closer to him. “She’s said it about five times now. You’ve got your answer, now get the hell out of here before I knock your ass out.”
Mason just stood there, dumbfounded, his eyes darting between your face, Casey’s and his arm around you. “oh, man, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise she was…I…I guess I’ll…er…” He stuttered, turning and leaving so fast you were surprised he didn’t leave scorch marks.
You exhaled deeply, scratching your forehead before turning towards Matt.
“You okay?” He asked sincerely, searching your eyes for any unease.
“Yeah, thank you.” You smiled, leaning your head on his shoulder and breathing in his scent to comfort yourself. He brought his other hand around to draw soothing circles on your back, and your heartrate began to slow back down to normal.
And then it dawned on you that you had an audience.
You heard someone clear their throat, so you straightened up slowly, leaving Matt’s embrace almost fully as you look around the room. Brett and Kidd are struggling to stifle a chuckle, Cruz looks like someone’s told him he’s pregnant and Mouch looks more confused than when he was trying to solve that crossword puzzle this morning.
“Did we…er…miss something, or are you guys just putting on a show for that guy?” Herrmann asks, trying to make sense of everything.
You and Casey smile, enjoying the revelation, albeit more prematurely than you both would have preferred.
“No, Hermann, you’ve all just been blind for the past six months.” Casey chuckled.
Herrmann’s eyes almost fell out of their sockets. “Six months?!”
You both burst out into laughter, then you turned to face Matt once again, leaning up to kiss his cheek, which is tugged upwards into a smile.
Then you both went and sat down where you were before, now only closer and with your hands intertwined upon the table, ready to be bombarded with questions from your family, ready to share your love for each other with the world.
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papa-rhys · 6 years ago
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New Dawn: Where are they now?
Here are my headcanons for what Hope County folk would be up to in New Dawn (if they all survived). I stuck to main characters (catergory 1 and 2) for this and I didn’t count anyone who died in fc5 canon because there’s 100% no chance they’d be in New Dawn and this is meant to be a “what I expect from X character if they appear in ND” thing. If I missed any important people out, then let me know and I’ll see about adding them in!
Holland Valley
Mary May Fairgrave: Lives in Prosperity, even though she doesn’t enjoy it as she can’t quite shake the thought that John used to live there. She runs a makeshift bar in the kitchen. She tells everyone that it’s because it boosts the morale of the people living there, but really it’s because she misses the connection that the Spread Eagle had to her parents. She grew up behind the bar, so in the first 10 or so years after the bombs fell, when she was kept away from the Spread Eagle, she didn’t feel like herself. Making her own replica of the Spread Eagle in John’s old kitchen makes her feel like she’s a little closer to home.
Jerome Jeffries: In charge of Prosperity. He lead a few people to John’s ranch to look for shelter after they crawled out of their bunkers and as the group has steadily grown in size, they all look to him as the founder/man in charge. He doesn’t like to sit indoors and let people do his bidding though, so if he sends someone out on a supply run or a job, he’ll likely go with them. Otherwise, he feels like a bossy control freak who doesn’t care about his people and just has them running around and working themselves to the bone for him. It makes him feel too much like Joseph and he obviously hates that.
Casey Fixman: Casey still cooks for the people of Prosperity primarily (also sending nice home cooked meals to the Wolf’s Den once a week as a treat for the remaining Whitetails), but he also provides valuable knowledge about combat and the inner workings of human beings. He’s a very knowledgeable guy and Jerome can often be found having hush-hush meetings with him behind the kitchen whenever Jerome needs advice on how to handle a problem.
Nick Rye: Nick looks after the kids of Prosperity. He doesn’t fly much anymore as he’s found happiness in other things, like spending time with his family and looking out for the children that were born into this new world. He finds it incredibly rewarding to give them some kind of normality in the form of reading to them or playing hopscotch with them in the grass – things that he believes all kids should do.
Kim Rye: Kim works with Nick as a duo. Whilst he has fun with the kids, she gives them an education. She teaches them basic things, like reading, writing, maths (the important bits), etc. But she also teaches them basic (and age-appropriate) combat. Among other things, she teaches them how to hold a knife, how to fire a gun, and how to break free if someone grabs them. She loves working with the kids and takes pride in knowing that she’s helping them to stay safe. Nick is also super proud of the work she does and tells her everyday, of course.
Carmina Rye: Much to Kim and Nick’s misery, Carmina is a total brawler and is always desperate to go out on runs with the supply team. She wants to explore the world outside the walls of Prosperity and meet new people, often sneaking out of Prosperity and scaring her parents to death. She gets into trouble with Hudson a lot, mainly for silly teenage pranks or generally causing trouble. She likes Wheaty a whole lot and always finds an excuse to go with the trading team when they deliver things to the Wolf’s Den. She denies that it’s a crush, but it 100% is. Safe to say Nick doesn’t like Wheaty much anymore.
Grace Armstrong: Grace runs an adult combat training program. The kids get basic training from Kim, but once they get to a certain age, they move up to the adult tier, where Grace will give them full training. Including, but not limited to: how to use all types of firearm, how to properly use knives, how to fight without weapons, how to free yourself from restraints, different signals used in combat (and what they mean), and how to stealth kill. She’s basically doing the same job as Jacob, except she does it way better than he ever could.
Joey Hudson: Hudson is still a cop! She’d live in Prosperity and she’d patrol the place and make sure that everyone is getting on okay. She’d handle any arguments and disputes that people had, because even though they’re all on the same side, they’re still bound to fight. So she keeps the peace. She has a shorter fuse these days and has a tendency to get mad at people pretty quickly sometimes, but everyone knows what she went through and they cut her some slack, knowing that she doesn’t mean any harm.
Whitetail Mountains
Tammy Barnes: Tammy lives in the Wolf’s Den and still does the same kind of stuff. She “handles” what’s left of the cultists and still looks after Wheaty (who is now 36 years old and still doesn’t do his own laundry). She’s toned it down with the torture in recent years though, and has more time to do mundane things (like cooking, cleaning, and spending time with Wheaty) which she finds a lot of solace in doing. She also managed to find her true calling – knitting copious amounts of scarfs that Wheaty wouldn’t be caught dead in, although he appreciates the sentiment.
Wheaty: Wheaty now runs what’s left of the Whitetail Militia out of the Wolf’s Den. He went straight to the bunker when the bombs hit and after things had settled, he focused his efforts on rounding up as many of the remaining Whitetails as he could, desperate to hold onto Eli’s legacy. Now he trades with Prosperity and offers the help of his men and women should Prosperity ever need it (and vice-versa). When he’s not swamped with work and making sure his people are safe as they scavenge for supplies, he’s winding down by watching old tapes of Eli’s favourite TV show or home videos of Eli and his family celebrating Christmas or birthdays. He also still enjoys his music; often playing records for Tammy - the same ones that the Deputy collected for him all those years ago.
Hurk Jr: Still resides in Fort Drubman, which he’s built upon and fortified since his dad’s death. He doesn’t really do much outside of shooting at beer bottles and setting off rockets in his backyard, which he claims to have a good reason for beyond “it’s a whole heap of fun, amigo.” He occasionally works as a hired gun, helping out on supply runs for the Whitetail Militia whenever they need someone a little more… “heavy-handed.” In exchange, they give him a fraction of the supplies that were found (which is increased if he sustains an injury on the run). Other than that, he’s all about “kicking back and gettin’ buzzed, man.”
Jess Black: Jess lives in the wilderness, setting up her camp in a different place each night. She makes an effort to stay pretty clear of other people, suspecting that human beings have only gotten more dangerous since the end of the world. Tammy gets in contact with her from time to time, just to make sure she’s okay (after Eli and Dutch died, Tammy took on the responsibility of checking in on Jess), but other than that, Jess rarely has contact with people. She dedicates all of her time to surviving in the wilderness and any spare time that she has is spent on hunting and crafting. I could see her sat in front of a campfire crafting arrows or cooking a rabbit for her dinner. She doesn’t really care for anything else and is more than happy to live a secluded life alone in the forests of Hope County.
Staci Pratt: Pratt needs something calm, easy, and mundane ever since his brains were scrambled by Jacob. He can’t handle stress anymore and isn’t safe enough to be in combat or unsupervised around people. So he assists Casey in the kitchen, cooking food for Prosperity, which he enjoys more than he thought he would. In his spare time, he likes to read – mainly because it helps him to practice focusing his mind. He struggles picking out individual thoughts, often jumbling things together and getting stressed out by it. So reading a book and forcing himself to take time focusing on each individual sentence is really helpful for him. He also enjoys the escapism and seeing characters get happy endings. Other than reading, he likes spending time with friends; especially Hudson, who he feels very connected to after going through similar things.
Henbane River
Earl Whitehorse: He tried to secure the prison after getting out of his bunker, but it was too far gone, so he moved on to Prosperity. For a while, he acted as Sheriff of Prosperity, helping Hudson keep the peace in the ever-growing settlement. But he eventually began thinking of the apocalypse as his second chance. He figured that if he survived the war in Hope County, the Bliss, and then the nukes, then that has to mean something. And he didn’t want to waste his new lease of life on doing the same thing he’d been doing for the previous 30+ years. So now he spends most of his days fishing in the river behind Prosperity, providing fresh (albeit oddly coloured and disproportionate) fish for Casey to cook and providing himself with a taste of the well-deserved retirement that he never got to see.
Tracey Lader: Tracey has a whole lot of anger to share with her enemies (and people in general) so she found her place as a soldier. She acts as one of Jerome’s most trusted lieutenants and is second in command (and sometimes completely in charge, when Jerome isn’t there) of most of the supply run teams that are sent out. She debated going it alone like Jess for a while, but she ultimately likes human contact too much to live like that – no matter how annoying people can be sometimes. She’s pretty busy running the show for Jerome, so she doesn’t get much spare time, but when she does, she spends it in her room, brooding.
Sharky Boshaw: Sharky goes back and forth between locations; sometimes living in Prosperity, and sometimes living in Fort Drubman with Hurk. He still likes fire. A lot. But he contributes a little more to the grouthan he used to, using his “creative genius” (his words) to devise traps for enemies, ideally keeping said enemies as far away from the walls of Prosperity as possible. There’s sharpened branches, there’s tripwires, and most importantly; there’s fire. In his spare time, he messes around with Hurk, getting up to all kinds of trouble and not being inconspicuous in the slightest – much to Jerome’s dismay.
Adelaide Drubman: Adelaide is 83 years old now so it’s a miracle she’s still alive and you best believe she doesn’t let anybody forget it. She’s still rampantly horny, but doesn’t have the energy to keep up with her own needs anymore. So she spends most of her days messing with people around Prosperity; picking on them and getting a kick out of getting adverse reactions from them. She’s quite close with Carmina Rye (unfortunately for Nick and Kim), who keeps her feeling young, and Carmina finds her hilarious. The pair can often be found sat on the front steps of the former ranch, giggling at passers by and enjoying some time away from the destruction and misery.
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15 Things I Wish More People Knew About Having Celiac Disease During the Holidays
New blog post! If you’re new here...hi, my name is Casey. I was diagnosed with celiac disease around six years ago at age 17, and while living gluten free and with an autoimmune disease feels like second-nature most days, that changes a bit during the holidays. Because as jolly and fun as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are, the holidays get a lot more complicated when you have a chronic illness and dietary restrictions. That’s why, this year, I want to share 15 things I wish more people knew about living with celiac disease during the holidays. If you have celiac disease, I hope this list helps you feel less alone in some of the unique, chronically-not-so-awesome struggles you may have this time of year. And if you know someone with celiac disease and want to give them a magical holiday season, keeping these 15 tidbits of information in mind can definitely help.
So without adieu, let’s dive in. During the holidays, I wish more people knew...
1. I may be more anxious than usual because social events filled with unsafe, gluten-filled food are EVERYWHERE. 
(Though we do know how to make some delicious gluten free Thanksgiving and gluten free party food...)
2. There may be days when I’m sad because I’m grieving the holiday traditions I’ve lost after going gluten free... 
...like getting to make (and eat!) famous family recipes or attend festive potlucks without a second thought.
3. I understand that people won’t always be able to accommodate my gluten free diet - and I don’t expect them to! But if I do need to bring my own food to Thanksgiving dinner or other events, please don’t make it a big deal or take offense. 
I’m just doing what I need to do to eat safely and still spend time with others.
4. If you do want to help me feel included and accommodate my gluten free diet, asking first can help us both. 
I can tell you about other ingredients I can’t eat, how to help prevent cross contact and if I feel comfortable eating food prepared by others in the first place.
5. A lot of times, my stomach can go crazy on little notice, and trying new foods or eating out of my routine can contribute to that. 
So please understand if I need to cancel plans, take it easy one day or decide trying foreign food isn’t worth the risk.
6. It does mean a lot when people try to include me in activities. 
So if you’re game to making gluten free Christmas cookies as a family instead of regular ones or making Thanksgiving dinner all or mostly gluten free, you really are a holiday miracle.
7. If we make plans to celebrate at my house and I ask people to not bring gluten, please respect that. 
My house is my safe place, and my safety depends on being gluten free. Even if you know other people with celiac disease or food allergies who “don’t mind��� you bringing unsafe food to their houses, that is them and not me.
8. There are tons of fun festive activities we can do that don’t involve food at all...
...from snowboarding to winter hikes to decorating Christmas cards to walking around a neighborhood famous for its lights. And I love it when friends and family don’t mind breaking up all of the more food-focused holiday events with these fun alternatives.
9. Honestly, it can get exhausting to constantly go to parties and have to explain why I’m not eating certain things or anything at all. 
So if I turn down invitations, don’t take it personally. I just need a break from all the gluten sometimes!
Source
10. Please don’t say how “lucky” I am to not be tempted by Christmas cookies or a second serving of stuffing because of my gluten free diet. 
Trust me - I’d rather be able to eat a regular snickerdoodle without causing intestinal damage.
11. Comfort food cravings are real...and there might be moments when I get frustrated at not being able to eat what everyone else is. 
I’m not mad at you, I’m mad at the situation. But easy access to gluten free cookies does help.
12. Gluten free food can taste freakin’ delicious...
...and if I do bring gluten free Christmas cookies or gluten free Thanksgiving stuffing to share, it means a lot for people to have an open mind and try it.
13. If you are my significant other and want to kiss me under the mistletoe, that mouth still needs to be gluten free. (Or at least recently cleaned of gluten). 
14. It’s awkward (to say the least!) to meet people for the first time at an event where we’re all supposed to be eating and I’m not...
...So having the support of friends or significant others who help downplay my “strange diet” or can jokingly say, “Bread doesn’t like her, but I do” to people I'm meeting for the first time is SUPER helpful during holiday parties.
15. Celiac disease is only a small part of who I am, but my “special” gluten free diet becomes more prevalent in this food-focused time of the year. 
And the friends and family who keep my dietary needs in mind are the best kinds of gifts this holiday season - and all year round.
The Bottom Line: Living with Celiac Disease During the Holidays
This all isn’t to say that the holidays aren’t a wonderful time of year for people with celiac disease or another chronic illness. They are! I still love catching up with friends and family during get-togethers, experimenting with new (gluten free) Christmas cookie recipes and taking part in holiday traditions that don’t involve wheat. But these past eight years of living with celiac disease have also shown me how much food really drives the holiday season...and how dietary restrictions force you to be a little creative, whether that means updating great-grandma’s famous pumpkin pie recipe or bonding with friends and family in ways that don’t involve a dinner table.
If you are reading this post and have recently been diagnosed with celiac disease...
....know that there probably will be a few bumps this holiday season. But it can still be a time of bonding with loved ones and enjoying lots of delicious (gluten free) foods.
And if you’re a friend or family member to someone with celiac disease...
....know that you can play a HUGE role in determining how magical this season is for your friend. Case in point: this picture of my family and me making gluten free Christmas cookies for the first time a few months after I was hospitalized after initial complications from celiac disease.
What do you wish more people knew about living with celiac disease - or another chronic illness - during the holidays? Tell me in the comments! via Blogger https://ift.tt/350YinZ
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