#Cobblestone Pointe Senior Village

[calamar14120-blog]

Flowers start to bloom and tree start to grow their leaves back. Everything seems to be waking up once more and the sun seems to start warming up once more. It’s spring! Like every nook and cranny in nature that’s waking up, it’s time to get up and get moving like the season. There are lots of ways to do that and one great start is doing some exercises well suited for spring.

[sun-aries]

A Lit Night (WIP tag game)

A lit night, powered by the fiery diamonds, and the lone moon.  The lanterns hung atop poles, shining a pleasant and warm light upon its visitors for the evening. An affair, rather, an event induced the crowd into the bleak cobblestone masonry of the plaza.

Celebratory folk music mingled in the air alongside the vigorous homely aroma of pumpkin stew. All for the one occasion the people served daily grind for: the union between a handsome senior knight and beautiful maiden. Everyone’s eyes fell upon the stunning bride in her detailed-to the-finest-point gown twirling back into her gentleman’s hold.

Each individual had wished their best upon the newlyweds, congratulated them, and promised to keep every of their necessities in their night’s prayers. At last, the mass drained alongside the bride and groom, to join them in their festivities. In the most of literal ways, the villager’s danced the night away, discussing usual yet intriguing matters, and discovering the very best in one another. 

Among the crowd hid a rare pair, consisting of a noble hero and a former goddess, fitting in as comfortably as the defective pieces in a puzzle. Still, they stubbornly chose to manage, merging with the common and beneficial townspeople, who had to deal with nothing of the sorts. When a soothing and leisure rhythm rose, the couple exchanged a bashful grin, identical thoughts evading their minds. Charmingly, the young gentleman offered his hand to the elegant damsel, in which she cheerfully accepted. Swiftly, he brought the girl back into his arms, beginning to sway her back and forth. They both remained silent, a worried expression crossing Link’s lustrous face. He sensed her contained discomfort: a distant and strained stare gazing over his broad shoulder.  

“…What is it?” he inquired softly, not expecting a straight answer.

“What?” she replied nonchalantly, pretending once again to be clueless.

 “C’mon, Zel. You’re not enjoying yourself,” he pointed out stiffly, demanding a sincere answer.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her stubborn response was sudden, returning her eyes to his. The young girl bridged a fake smile upon her face, trying to veil the stress she had unleashed. “I’m fine. Just a little tired.”

“Oh, really?” He chuckled kindly. “That’s new.”

Her eyebrows furrowed, the grin still lurking across her face. “Don’t tell me you’re not craving sleep right now. You’ve been up all night, even the ones before. Especially with the night shift’s you’ve been taking over for Pipit lately.” Of course he was exhausted. Ever since he'd proposed and they temporairly returned to their perch in the sky, he had forfeited the comfortable and cozy heat of his own bed for Pipit to prepare for his upcoming wedding ceremony. Although, his gracious and distinguished sacrifice had wearied to poor child out, it was honourable, and now the groom could restlessly enjoy his shared celebration.                

He sighed weakly, understanding that he wasn’t getting areliable answer, not at the time at least. Decisively resigning, he shifted the conversation: his shaky attempt to lighten the mood. “It’s been a while since we’ve done this…” he mentioned.

[blackandgoldandeverythingnice]

among the fields of gold - c. mcavoy

Pairing: Charlie McAvoy x female!OC

Summary: A little sneak peek into the future of charlie and nellie from i’m so glad to know as they attend the 2026 Olympics 

Word Count: 4,682

A/N: Just the most self-indulgent little fluff I could come up with because I love writing them.

Warnings: none! the smallest hint of adult content but that’s about it.

“This is so fucking cool – did you ever actually tell me how cool it was to be at the Olympics?” Charlie was bouncing along the streets of Milan and swinging Eleanora’s hand as they went, a couple of other Team USA players behind them as they used the off day to do the touristy things they hadn’t yet been able to do during the first round of games.

“You’ve done plenty of World’s before, it’s almost the same.”

“It absolutely is not.” He argued back, glancing down and smirking at the little scowl on her face. He ignored the groans of a couple from the guys at the fact they were about to start bickering. It wasn’t their fault; he didn’t invite the idiots to come with them.

“You’re just excited because you’re staying in the Village and there are a bunch of girls there too – you don’t get that at World’s.”

“Yeah, I’m there for the girls.” He rolled his eyes and squeezed her hand before leaning over to kiss the top of her head.

The team was housed on their own floor in the dedicated USA building and it was like being back on a road trip in Peewees. They’d cruised through the round-robin, winning every game in their group and were heading into the elimination games. A lot of the guys had played together for years through development camps and national teams and they felt good about their chances.

They’d been wandering the streets of Milan, seeing as much of the sites as they could since all they’d seen were the inside of rinks. While Charlie had wanted to spend it just with Eleanora, some of the guys had caught him in the lobby with her on their way back from breakfast and insisted on joining them. She had pretty much become their team mascot: at every game, made a new sign for each and chatted with all the families happily. It made something in him burst in pride at the sight of her fitting so seamlessly into his life now. It hadn’t been an easy road to get there.

“Can you two not?” one of the Hughes brothers interrupted.

“Yeah, let’s stop this before it really gets rolling.” Matthew Tkachuk cut in, sweeping past Charlie with a smirk as he hit his shoulder and made his way across the square towards the Duomo. A few of the other guys sped passed them, running around the square and changing pigeons.

“And for a former Olympian, could you walk any slower?” Auston Matthews teased as he came right up close behind them.

Annoyed, Charlie shoved his teammate away just as Eleanora pinched his side. “I’m sorry, put some respect on the only gold medalist in this little crew right now. Also, I’m six months pregnant, dick head – you try carrying a bowling ball around your middle on these cobblestone ass streets.”

“Technically, a McAvoy has a gold medal – shouldn’t have changed your last name, babe.” Auston grinned, wrapping an arm around her shoulders but making sure to gently guide her as they walked around the various tourists and other athletes who had done the same thing they did.  

“Can you get the fuck away from my wife?” Charlie groaned, checking Auston away so he could pull Eleanora into his side.

The rest of the guys walked ahead, leaving the two of them alone. Charlie smiled down at the way Eleanora was basking in the bright, cold air, her cheeks flushed and nose a little pink. There was a visible glow around her. He’d always thought it was bullshit when they said pregnant woman glowed but since the second she’d taken the test, there was a light happy aura around her. Walking with her tucked into him like she was slowed them down but Charlie liked making sure Eleanora was okay, to the point that she might kill him at some point if he asked her again how she was feeling.

“How are you – ”

“Don’t you dare ask how I feel right now, Charlie McAvoy.”

He pouted down at her. “It’s a valid question, they keep you scheduled so late for some of the media shit.”

“It’s called my job, babe.” She hip checked him gently. She’d stayed involved in the figure skating community and this year they’d invited her to provide commentary for the ladies’ singles. Turns out she was incredibly personable in front of the cameras and enjoyed talking to the young skaters. “I’m just happy none of your games conflict with the skating. I don’t think they’d love me ‘calling out sick’ only to have me show up on TV on the glass yelling at you to play better.”

“Excuse you, I have the most minutes played and highest rating.”

“Yes, baby – you’re very highly rated.” She snuggled into his side, and he laughed when she slid her hand into his back pocket and squeezed his ass.

The pair of them walked slowly around the square, laughing at the guys as they ran around. A few of Team Canada showed up along with a few of the Czech players. Since most of the teams were made up of NHLers, all the teams were friendly off-ice and trying to control them was like corralling kids at their first away tournament. A few fans stopped them as they went but most of them were interested in getting pictures with Eleanora rather than any of the guys, something the team loved to tease Charlie about. Joke was on them, he couldn’t be more proud to watch the way people adored her.

“How’s my boy doing?” he changed tactics as a group of young girls walked away after spending five minutes taking pictures with her and asking what it was like to win gold.

“I think he wants pizza and pasta.”

“Pizza and pasta? Not or?”

“You’re really gonna ask how I feel then judge your pregnant wife for wanting all the food?” the glare she shot him was enough to have him throwing his hands up in defense.

He leaned down to kiss her but she dodged him. “No way, bud – find me food then you can kiss me.”

“In my defense, I asked what my son wants to eat – you’re incidental to me checking up on him.”

“Do you want to die? Is that your plan? You want Team USA hockey to lose the gold because their captain was murdered by his pregnant wife?”

“Why’s Goldie threatening your life?” Jake popped up behind them, scaring the shit out of Charlie while Eleanora had seen him coming.

“He’s judging how much I want to eat.”

“Well, come on my fellow sewer rat – if Chuckie won’t love you right, I will.”

Jake offered her his hand and she took it, tossing a teasing smile behind her as the two of them started towards one of the side streets to find a suitable restaurant leaving Charlie to scurry after them.

--- ---

Eleanora chewed distractedly on her cuticle, staring at the clean sheet of ice waiting for the guys to step on for warmups. As she had for every single game, she was standing on the glass at the corner where her and his family had sat for the entirety of the tournament. The jersey of Charlie’s she had on barely fit over her belly and the maternity leggings made her feel like a sausage. Bouncing on the balls of her feet anxiously, she was as nervous as she’d been for her own gold medal skate.

“How’re you feeling?” a voice interrupted her nervous thoughts and she glanced over to see her father-in-law sliding into the seat next to her. After the first win, they’d sat in the same order they’d been in for every other game that followed. While Charlie wasn’t overly superstitious, Eleanora was and there’d been half a dozen little rituals she’d come up with for this Olympics.

“Jesus, your son ask you to ask me that?” she teased back at Charlie Sr. She rubbed her belly slightly and tried not to wince at the pain in her back. “Pretty sure this asshole is sitting right on my sciatic nerve.”

“Can you not call my first grandson an asshole?” Charlie’s mom appeared on her other side, looping her arm through hers. “But seriously, you alright?”

“No pain I haven’t dealt with before but this kid is already putting me through the wringer. I have to do this for 3 more months?”

Mrs. McAvoy frowned sympathetically and rubbed her arm softly. “Sorry, Ellie but yes. It’ll be worth it though.”

Just as she spoke, the guys stepped out and Eleanora zeroed in on Charlie leading the way, pushing the pucks off the edge of the bench and onto the ice.

“I can’t believe this – my son is going to be an Olympic medalist no matter what.” His mom said, sniffling slightly as she watched them start skating.

“We want gold, Jen – right, kid?” Senior nudged her in the side.

Eleanora smiled slightly. “I just want him to do the best he can.”

“Bullshit, you’re more competitive than he is. I saw you cursing him out last game for - and I quote - ‘a bullshit lazy turnover’.” Holly added as she joined the conversation, pushing her mom out of the seat next to Eleanora so she could keep the right lineup. 

They all laughed while she just shrugged. “No one plays for second place...although I do kinda like being the only gold medalist. It’s how I get him to do things for me when I think I deserve them.”

The noise in the arena started to swell as the Canadians took the ice and Eleanora felt the familiar buzz and thrill of the pressure building. She hadn’t been able to see Charlie this morning, only getting a quick FaceTime as she’d been wrapping up interviews with some of the figure skaters who were getting ready for their final performance the following day.

“How was he this morning?”  

Kayla shrugged. “Quiet. He missed you.”

She frowned, cursing herself for not having been there. It was their routine for the last few years, she was always the last person to see him before he went into the locker room for a big game. It felt like a bad omen that she’d missed giving him a last kiss before the biggest game of his career.

But just then Charlie skated by them for the first time, helmet off and his hair flowing behind him. He tapped the glass as he went by but kept skating in loops. After a couple laps and drills, he returned to the corner and stopped in front of her.

She couldn’t hear him over the crowd but he was pointing at her and gesturing halfway across the rink to where there was an opening in the boards. She followed where he was pointing to see one of the arena staff standing by the entrance to the locker rooms and she got the hint, squeezing through the seats as fast she could. The belly didn’t exactly help her move quickly or the people that kept trying to stop her.

He was already waiting for her by the time she reached the space, his gloves off and resting on the side. He reached out for her and she stepped eagerly towards him. On skates he was so much taller than her that she had to stand on tip toe just to wrap her arms around his neck. She was cognizant of the eyes of those in the area on them and she was sure there were cameras zooming in too.

“I couldn’t play the biggest game of my life without getting my good luck kiss.”

The stares and camera clicks faded away as she stared up at him. Knowing how the media was obsessed with “Their Story”, this was bound to be everywhere in no time. It’s why they liked their moment to be private before a game but right now, Eleanora couldn’t quite care because all she wanted was Charlie to win.

Gently, he brushed her stomach and just as he did, the baby gave a hard kick. Charlie grinned, leaning down to press his lips firmly to hers and she smiled into the kiss. “I think someone’s telling you he wants you to win.”

“I plan on winning it for his momma, gotta impress her.” He smirked, his face still inches from hers.

“I love you, baby – so fucking much.” She pressed one final kiss to his lips. “I’m not gonna tell you just making it to the gold medal game is an achievement – even though it is. You know what you need to do. Go fucking win it.”

“I shoulda had you do the pump-up speech for the boys.” He kissed her nose quickly before pulling back and grabbing his gloves to return to warmups. “I love you, babe – see you on the ice after.”

She watched him skate away, her palm flat against her belly and she felt another strong kick. Rubbing her stomach she looked down at the USA stretched across her front, smiling softly as she whispered to herself.

“Don’t worry, little man – daddy’s gonna win it for us.”

--- ---

The second period started with the game tied at two. Charlie had an assist and had already spent almost twelve minutes on the ice. Despite most of the off-ice friendships and even teammates who were playing against each other it was getting chippy. They all clearly wanted it and weren’t holding back. Tkachuk had managed to draw three penalties while only going to the box once himself.

Eleanora felt like she was going to lose her voice the amount she’d been screaming throughout the game. It seemed like part of Team Canada’s game strategy was to go after Charlie as much as possible. They’d been hitting him hard and there’d been one particularly nasty penalty he drew when Chabot leveled him with a late hit. Charlie had been slow to get up from that one but within the first thirty seconds of the powerplay, he’d put a pass right on Auston’s tape for the tying goal.

There had always been something both exhilarating and nerve-wracking about watching Charlie play. When he was on the ice, she only watched him, not even noticing where the puck was or what action was happening unless he was involved.

It was partially how she was able to react a second before the rest of the rink when she saw Chabot coming from behind him, hitting him hard and sending Charlie headfirst into the boards. He was splayed out flat on the ice while his teammates immediately rushed to his defense, Auston and Tkachuk jumping Chabot before Auston was pulled away by Dougie Hamilton. Eleanora felt like climbing over the glass to get to him and Kayla was gripping her arm tightly.

“Get up. Get up. Get up, Junior.” His dad was begging while Eleanora just kept staring in horror.

After what felt like hours but was probably only a minute, he slowly tucked his legs up under him and managed to get to a kneeling position just as the team doctor reached him. He was clearly still dazed, holding one hand on his helmet as he slowly got up. Gaudreau had come over and was kneeling next to him, offering to help him up but Charlie waved him off.

The arena applauded as he stood up, but Eleanora couldn’t feel the relief everyone else did as she watched them lead Charlie to the locker room.

“He’s okay. He got up on his own. They just have to check him out for protocol. He’s okay.” Kayla was chanting and all Eleanora wanted to do was rush to the locker room. Instead of watching the rest of the game, she stared at the locker room entrance, praying Charlie would return to the bench.

They ended the second period down by one and only during the intermission did she let herself pull her phone out to find the replay of the hit. They all huddled around together watching intently, only slightly reassured that Charlie had gotten up on his own and made his way quickly down the tunnel without support. It felt like time was moving in slow motion as the ice was cleaned. Finally, the lights dimmed again and the players started back out on the ice.

It felt like a weight was lifted when she saw Charlie hop out last, doing quick laps to warm back up as he shook his legs out. As he went by them, he tapped the glass and Eleanora felt like she was going to cry just from the quick wink he gave her.

“Thank god.” His mom sighed a breath and Eleanora felt lightheaded as she rubbed her stomach aimlessly. The baby had been active all game, bouncing around and kicking more than usual. It’s like he could sense what was happening around them.  

The third period wasn’t any less stressful, Team Canada was clearly content to play defense while Team USA threw everything at them but couldn’t seem to find the back of the net. But then in the last 27 seconds of the game, Charlie caught a pass from Quinn Hughes and buried it in the top corner of the net to tie the game. The roar of the arena felt deafening as they all jumped up and down, screaming happily while the players mobbed their captain. The crowd clearly expected overtime, neither team wanting to give one up in the remaining seconds of the game.

But then Conor McDavid of all people misplayed the puck in the neutral zone and it landed on Jack Eichel’s stick who shot down the ice on a breakaway with only 7 seconds to go, shifting to his backhand as he slid the puck between the goalie’s legs.

If it was possible, the roof would’ve blown off the top of the arena. Team USA hadn’t won since the 1980 Miracle on Ice game and the place was shaking with excitement. USA gear and equipment was strewn across the ice like confetti while Team Canada stared on in disbelief, some kneeling together watching while others had already started to make their way towards the locker room.

People were hugging her tightly and screaming in her ear. Eleanora wasn’t even sure they were all people she knew. Charlie Sr. pulled her away from whoever was holding her and into a tight hug while the rest of the family crowded around jumping as they celebrated. She didn’t even realize she was crying until she tried to spot Charlie on the ice but her vision was blurry.

Sobbing into one hand, the other pressed tight against her stomach she felt another strong kick which only made her sob harder. It was better than her own win because she hadn’t had any true family to celebrate with besides her coaches who had become replacement parents to her. This was entirely different and felt like they’d all won it.

The celebrations continued on the ice as the McAvoys all made their way towards the same opening Eleanora had talked to Charlie before the game start. Other wives and families were already there, pulling each other into hugs, most of the moms crying happily while a few of the dads tried to fight their own tears except for Jim Hughes who was openly crying as he held his wife tightly to him.

Standing on the glass so she could watch, Eleanora scanned the sea of blue jerseys to try to find Charlie, biting her lip to try to stop crying. She was still contemplating scaling the glass but knew the guys deserved to celebrate with their team first.

Finally, her impatience grew and Eleanora, just popped the door open and started to make her way onto the ice. Once the dam broke, the rest of the families followed, ignoring the staff asking for them to stay off the ice until they had carpets laid down.

It was decidedly difficult to maneuver on the ice in sneakers and a pregnant belly but she moved as quickly and carefully as she could towards her target. Their eyes locked and Charlie broke away from the guys to get to her. When he reached her, he went right for her waist, dragging her up and off the ice as he twirled her around as she held tightly to him.

Neither of them spoke at first as Eleanora pressed kisses all over his face as he laughed until he could kiss her back. It was awkward to be held up so Charlie carefully set her down on the ice, one hand tucking protectively against her back so she wouldn’t slip and the other pressed gently on her belly as he leaned down for the sweetest kiss they’d ever shared.

“I told you I’d win it for you.” He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers.

“Not before scaring the shit out of me first.” She shot back but squeezed his waist tightly, her face landing in the sweaty material. “I’m so fucking proud of you, Teddy.”

She stared up at him, and despite the fact that he had just won the biggest game of his life, he was staring at her like they were the only two people in the world.

“This is almost as good as our wedding night.”

She gave a watery chuckle in return. “Just the wedding night not the wedding itself?”

“Eh, that was okay too.” He teased just as the rest of his family joined them. Reluctantly, she released him so he could hug his family, stepping back to give them a moment.

A few of the guys paused to hug her as they went by but mostly she just stood there watching Charlie beaming at everyone around him. The camera crews were starting to show up as the staff worked to get the carpets out and set up the podiums. Eleanora knew they wouldn’t get a private moment together for hours and she tried to melt into the background but Charlie was having none of that, snagging her hand and dragging her towards him as they started to interview him.

From her position under his arm, she stared up at him as he spoke, beaming proudly as he talked about the win and how special it was for them. She was so focused on him she didn’t realized they’d asked her a question.

“Nellie.” Charlie whispered, nudging her with a nose to the top of her head and she glanced at the reporter who was beaming at her.

“I was just asking how this compares to your own gold medal win just four years ago?” they repeated the question.

Eleanora grinned and squeezed his side tighter. “There’s no comparison.” She started, enjoying some of the frowns that followed before continuing. “What Charlie and the boys did was so beyond historic and I’m so proud to have been able to watch it happen. This team worked so hard and never gave up. I’m just thrilled I was able to share in it. Although I’m pretty pissed that I can’t win arguments anymore by saying ‘well I have a gold medal so you have to do what I say’.”

Everyone laughed in response, Charlie squeezing her side lightly.

“I’m sure you guys haven’t seen yet but the video of you two right before the game has become quite popular.” Eleanora flushed slightly as they continued. “Charlie – did you get any last minute advice?”

She pinched his side, hoping he’d lie but the smirk on his face already told her differently. “She pretty much told me that just getting to the medal game wasn’t enough and that I knew what to do. Pretty sure the exact words were ‘now go fucking win it’ and honestly, I can’t really say no to my wife so I did.”

--- ---

It was nearly three hours later by the time Eleanora and Charlie were walking into her hotel room and shutting the door so they were finally alone. They were planning on changing then meeting up with everyone to celebrate. Most of the guys’ flights weren’t for another day or two so they planned to enjoy what little remained of their Olympic break before they’d have to return to their teams for the rest of the season.

Charlie face planted onto the king-size bed. “Fuck, you’ve been sleeping on this for two weeks while I’ve been on the worst twin mattress in the world?”

Eleanora giggled, pulling her jersey off leaving on her loose t-shirt, she slipped out of her sneakers and kicked them towards the door so she could sit and join him on the bed. Despite how happy she was, she was exhausted and the pain in her back went from dull to stabbing on a dime. It took a little effort for her to climb up onto the bed and get comfy as she curled up on her side.

Charlie inched up so his nose was brushing against her swollen belly. Her hand immediately fell to his hair, running her fingers through gently and scratching his scalp. He brought his arm up so he was hugging her middle and pressed his lips against her.

“Hi, Tripp.” He whispered causing Eleanora to tug his hair gently.

“Baby, no. Even if he ends up Charlie the third, we are not calling him Tripp.”

Charlie ignored her. “Ignore mommy, I’ll make sure you get a cool nickname.”

She rolled her eyes but he kept talking. “I don’t know if you heard all that noise but now you have two parents with gold medals. We’re pretty big deals.”

“Kid was bouncing all over the place for most of the game before settling directly on my sciatic nerve so I couldn’t get comfortable.”

“Be nice to mommy, sweet boy.” He mumbled and pressed a kiss to her stomach before turning up so he could stare at her. “I think I won because of you.”

“You won because you’re an amazing hockey player and leader. You did this. Next up you can win us a Cup.” She smiled softly, stroking his hair as he crawled up so their faces were level. They lay there quietly together, staring at each other and enjoying the peace. They’d both turned their phones off, telling his family they’d see them at the restaurant that USA hockey had reserved for them. For now, they just wanted to be alone.

Carefully, Eleanora brushed Charlie’s hair off his forehead. “Your head okay? I might kill that Canadian fuck.”

Charlie laughed but cringed slightly. His head hurt more than he let on but he passed concussion protocol and had a few days off before he’d have to be back on the ice for a game.

“Are you okay? I know when you’re in pain, Nellie.”

She winced despite trying to smile as he tucked his hand under her top to lay on her bare skin, soothingly running his thumb along belly.

“Just pregnancy, or so I’m told. I need to figure out how to get him off this nerve or I’m gonna spend the flight pacing the aisles because I won’t be able to sit.”

Charlie frowned. “I hate seeing you in pain. And I’m worried you won’t want the five that I want if this one is such a pain in the ass.”

She snorted, inching forward to kiss him softly. “Let’s get through meeting this little man first then we’ll talk more, kay?”

“You’re the love of my fucking life, you know that?” he gripped her neck gently.

Smiling, she leaned forward to steal another kiss. “Lucky for you, it’s mutual. Now…I bet we could find a comfy position for you to fuck me in before we have to go to the restaurant.”

A slow smirk spread across Charlie’s face as he rolled her carefully onto her back so he could lean over her.

“I can definitely do that.”

[kashi-prompts]

Prompt: “You weren’t even supposed to be there!”

Subject: Kakashi happens upon his fiance cheating on him and realizes that he had been missing something all along. 

Pairing: Kakashi x formerstudent!reader

Rating: T

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

You kicked up the dust from the cobblestone street, your hands shoved deep in your pockets. The night air was thick, which typically meant that villagers windows were open to disperse the humid air, allowing you to easily listen in on their conversations.

As a Jonin, you were a part of the intelligence squad of the Leaf village due to your extremely heightened sense of sound. You could pick up voices from miles away, which you could find irritating sometimes, but you had learned to tune into what you want to hear over the years.

“Shhh- mom and dad will hear you!” You listened in as you walked quietly.

“And what is your excuse tonight for not doing the dishes, Senai?” said another voice. “I’m tired of being the only one trying in this relationship”

You shook your head, tuning out the voices as you came to a turn. You looked up at the houses, admiring the inside of villagers houses from the street view. You smiled, noticing the blue house nearing was your former sensei. You smiled fondly, remembering your girlhood crush on him from the moment your violet eyes saw his silver, messy hair.

Over the years, you had had to force yourself to dismiss your desires for him. He was 13 years your senior, but you couldn’t help but notice how clear it was that you two were good for each other. You both enjoyed the same activities, had the same values, the same sense of humor, and quite frankly, the same taste in books. But you both knew nothing could happen, even now that you were in your early twenties.

But there was something else that was stopping you. Kakashi had gotten engaged just a few years ago to a villager. She had taken a liking to him when he had saved her during a battle near the village from a stray kunai. You couldn’t help but feel jealous towards this boring civilian that had taken your chance away. But then again, you may have never had a chance at all.

You frowned at the thought of the night he had spoken to you about it.

The two of you had gone on one of your nightly walks together. Normally, you both would find a new subject to talk about with every few feet you traveled. But tonight was not the case. You had something else on your mind: the girl from the village he had saved.

After awhile, he had asked you to sit on the steps of the academy as you had passed by it, making the excuse that he was tired.

“[y/n],” Kakashi began, sitting you down next to you. “Is it okay if I ask you something?”

“Sure,” you said.  

“I noticed you’ve been a little down lately. Is everything okay?”

You nodded your head, your mood shifting. “I guess.”

“You’ve been quiet lately,” he pointed out, tilting his head.

“Just tired,” you replied.

“Something bothering you?” He asked you.

You shrugged your shoulders.

“Something - personal?”

“Kind of,” you replied.

Kakashi frowned from behind his mask, staring down at you.

“Anything I can help you with?”

You laughed sarcastically, sounding bitter. “No.”

Kakashi looked away, swallowing.

“[y/n],” he began again, this time, more determined. “I’m sorry if-…”

“For what?” you looked down at your feet, your face burning.

He too avoided your eyes, “listen, you are my student.”

“I’m not going to be your student forever,” you turned to him. “I’m a Jonin!”

Kakashi smiled uncomfortably, “you are 13 years my junior, [y/n]. And I know, tomorrow you will be promoted to Jonin. I cannot tell you how immensely proud I am of how far you have come.  So please, let’s not do this.”

“But don’t you see it?” Your throat ached suddenly. “Don’t you see how similar we are? How well we fit together?”

Kakashi looked over at you finally, his single eye hazily gazing down at you.

“I do,” he said quietly. “But I can’t. You’re a child to me. I watched you grow. And I also - I’m seeing someone else.”

You looked away, your chin quivering in the dark. You angrily pushed your palm into your eye, wiping away your tears.

“I’m happy for you,” you muttered. You nodded your head as if to assure yourself that this was expected. “Really. You deserve it.”

“Thank you, [y/n],” Kakashi smiled sadly, “I appreciate that.”

“I’m going to go now,” you stood abruptly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

With that, you quickly walked away, leaving your sensei sighing heavily on the steps.

You frowned at the memory. That had been two years ago, and yet it still stuck with you as though it had happened yesterday. You looked up at his window, missing him as a friend rather than a love interest. Ever since that night, he had grown distant from you and you weren’t sure if it had been because of his new girlfriend’s wishes, or he just felt too awkward to be around you. Still, you walked the same trail every night without him and either way, you ached for his company.

“You weren’t even supposed to be there!” You heard a woman screech just as you rounded the corner. With your back turned, you stopped and looked over your shoulder at Kakashi’s small apartment.

“Oh, is that your excuse? That I wasn’t supposed to be there?” Kakashi retorted. “So, who is he? How long has this been going on? Realize, I am not one to lose my temper. But today -”

“He’s no one! Don’t do this, Kakashi-kun.”

“So you’ve been having sex at work with one of your coworkers and I’m supposed to be fine with this? I caught you with him, Kumiko!”

She didn’t reply and you chewed your lip, listening hard.

“You have nothing to say?” Kakashi asked incredulously.

You felt embarrassed to listening into such a private conversation, but you couldn’t tear your ears away from the argument.

“You’re never home!” Kumiko finally returned, voice shrill enough to raise the hair on your head. “How am I supposed to know if you’re going to make it home from a mission? How am I supposed to know if you’re going to come home without a limb? How am I supposed to -”

“That’s what you signed up for! You wanted my money so badly for you sick father, a lot of good it did him! Did you think I would be able to be home every waking moment of the day to listen to you complain about how you have to actually go to work and earn a living that isn’t handed to you?”

“Screw you!”

Your knees were shaking as you listened. You had never heard such rage in his voice. As he had said, he was never one to lose his temper. The way his voice shook struck you to the core as he slammed the window shut. You heard muffled voices from behind the window pane and a moment later, a door slam, followed by footsteps traveling quickly down his rickety wooden steps. You held your breath and turned, quickly walking down the street.

He would know if he saw you that you had been listening. He had trained you to improve your hearing ability, after all. You took a shaky breath through your mouth, feeling your lungs twitch with anxiety at the situation you had just listened to. You could hear him walking down the street in the opposite direction, and you quietly thanked him for not coming in this direction.

For the next few blocks, you pushed everything about Kakashi Hatake out of your mind. You thought about tomorrow and your next mission. You thought about your friends, and your comrades and your parents. 

And you thought about Kakashi.

Slowly, you found yourself sitting down on the steps of the academy. You put your head in your hands, staring at the concrete under your sandals with a frown. You felt sorry for him. He deserved better. But you also felt a rage within you that you hadn’t before. How dare she? 

“Funny seeing you here,” you heard a familiar voice echo in your ear, this time much closer than you had heard just a few minutes ago. You looked up, seeing Kakashi standing before you.

You could easily tell that he was not himself. He seemed more tense, his hands at his sides rather than in his pockets. His headband was hanging from his pocket, and his Jonin jacket was missing from his usual attire.

“Hi,” you managed. You felt as though you hadn’t spoken to him in years with the exception of missions.

He sat down next to you, placing his arms on his knees and staring out into the distance.  

“Long day?” You asked, trying not to give away what you already knew.

“You could say that,” he nodded quietly. You remained quiet, watching his unchanging profile under the moonlight.

“Everything okay?” You asked, daring yourself to speak. Kakashi shrugged, not looking at you.  

“Did you guys have a fight?” You asked, biting your tongue as you realized how personal that sounded. The words came out before you thought about them, like foreign words someone was forcing you to say. 

“I’m done with her,” Kakashi finally said. You were taken aback by his abrupt response.

“Oh?”

“There are two types of people that I don’t associate with in this world,” he began. “Those who leave their comrades behind, and cheaters.”

You nodded your head, “I’m sorry, sensei.”

“Please,” he waved a hand at you. “Don’t call me that. I haven’t been your sensei in years. It makes me feel older than I am.”

You felt uncomfortable. And a fleeting thought passed your mind: were you going to be his rebound?

“Well, I’m still sorry,” you tried again. “You deserve better.”

“I don’t think so,” he looked away.

You knitted your eyebrows together, “why is that?”

“I have done many things in my life. But having strong relationships hasn’t been one of them.”

You inhaled, nodding your head and feeling unsure as to how to respond.

“I don’t think that’s completely true, Kakashi-sensei,” you paused, aware of what you had called him. “You have had plenty of good relationships in your time. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself.”

“I never loved her,” he looked out over the horizon, stony-faced.

“Y-you wh-? I’m sorry?”

He looked over at you, frowning. “I didn’t.”

“Are you just saying that because she cheated on you?”

Kakashi cringed and your hand flew to your mouth, your cheeks burning.

“I’m sorry,” you sputtered.

“No, I knew when I saw you that you had heard,” he lifted his head, looking at the stars above.

“So it’s true then,” you looked over at him. “She cheated on you?”

“She used me,” he nodded. “The whole time, she used me. I saved her two years ago from a stray kunai and you’d think she won the lottery when she saw me. Her father is sick- or was sick - he’s dead now. She wanted me to help her pay for everything. And I obliged because I was - I don’t know why I did it. I just did it. But I never felt connected to her. She’s ordinary, you know?”

You nodded, frowning. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“I think I was just lonely,” Kakashi admitted quietly. “I think, I was just upset that I couldn’t have what I wanted in life, so I settled for what was there.”

You nodded, “more pay and more honorable glory?”

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, “No, not entirely.”

You sighed, unsure of what to say. Finally, you stood up, awkwardly flattening your clothes in the process.

“I should probably be going now,” you started. “I have a mission tomorrow and I should have been in bed ages ago. I hope you have a better day tomorrow.”

Kakashi nodded his head, not looking at you. “It was nice seeing you again. It seems as though we only cross paths during missions nowadays.”

“I suppose you’re right,” you agreed. You stood there in a moment of silence, staring down at him as he looked over at the darkening horizon.

“Well, I will see you around, Kakashi-sen-, er- Kakashi.”

“Yes,” he nodded, looking up at you finally. His single eye curled up in a forced smile. “See you around.”

You turned around and began to walk, feeling your heart ache for both him and yourself. Despite how you’ve told yourself many times that you were over your girlhood crush of your sensei, you couldn’t help but feel that ache of desire for him again. The realization that he was an option in your late teens was enough to set your heart afire. And yet, now in your early twenties, your heart just ached with that familiar desire. Talking to him again in a setting that wasn’t business caused you to remember the days when the two of you took walks together, which caused you to miss the days when you thought you had a chance.

You bit your lip and swallowed, your head down as you neared your apartment. You felt sorry for him. He deserved so much better, so much-

“[y/n]! Wait,” you heard a voice say. Your heart quickly jumped into your throat, and you turned around. Kakashi was briskly walking up to you.

“Kakashi?” You tried to act confused, but you couldn’t help but feel a twinge of happiness to see him once more.

He closed his eye, taking in a deep breath.

“Listen,” he began, “I- ...remember the night before you became a Jonin? How we sat on that stoop in front of the academy?”

You nodded.

“I’m sorry for that,” he looked at you. “I don’t know how to tell you how sorry I am for what I did.”

You narrowed an eye, suspicious of his words, “I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”

Kakashi looked up as if trying to will himself to say what he really meant.

“I wish I hadn’t told you that I had someone else. I wish I hadn’t rejected you in such a way that it made you feel like a child.”

“Oh,” you said, looking down. You felt suddenly sad that this may not have been what you thought.

“No! I mean,” he sighed. “I rejected you because you were so young. You’re 13 years my junior, [y/n]. I felt like a dirty old man for wanting a relationship with you as badly as I did. I wanted to be with you. I sound like a creep, but you were my best friend. You understood me in ways that no other woman has.”

You swallowed, eyes connecting with his.

“I really loved you, [y/n],” he finally said. “I mean that. And I’m sorry.”

“Are you just saying all this because she cheated on you?”

Kakashi clenched his teeth, “I knew you would think that.”

“Well?”

“No, it’s not,” Kakashi said, “listen to me, I don’t want her. I don’t want anyone else. I don’t want anyone else except you, and that is how it has been for more years than I would like to admit.”

Your chin quivered suddenly in the silence between the two of you. You exhaled, processing his words. Finally, he took a step closer to you, his full frame towering over you. The two of you stared at each other as beats of silence passed. Carefully, he lifted a gloved finger to your cheek, tracing it down the side of your face with calloused skin. He put his hand to the nape of your neck, fingers woven into your hair as his thumb caressed your jaw. You let out a shaky breath, admiring his face from such a close distance.

Carefully, you lifted your fingers to his mask and he smiled down at you. Your knees felt like jello and your chest felt as though someone had filled it with hot, burning air. Finally, you pulled down his mask, first over his nose, then down his lips and over his chin. Your fingers traced his beauty mark before he grabbed your wrist and pulled it away.

“I always wondered what you were hiding under that mask,” you whispered fondly. He smiled down at you, his eyes grazing over every inch of your face. Carefully, he leaned into you and you could feel yourself shaking. His breath was warm as he hovered over your lips, teasing you.

“Now you know,” he whispered before finally planting his lips upon yours. You stood motionless, reveling in the way his lips felt on yours. Finally, you found your courage and kissed him back, wrapping your arms around his neck to bring him closer. Your spine shivered with electricity, and you ran your fingers up through his silver hair. He moaned at your kiss, wrapping his arms around your waist.

Finally, when you both couldn’t breathe anymore, you pulled away. You stared at his swollen lips as he stared at yours, both in shock at what had happened.

How scandalous, a former sensei and his student.

“I love you,” he whispered to you breathlessly. “I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to tell you.”

You laughed, smiling a toothy grin with your fingers still tangled in his hair.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that.”

[brothersgrim]

darlinrogue​:

Adora toppled off onto the cobblestone. Her sword morphed, returning to the form of a gauntlet around her wrist. The shocked expression, eyes wide and lips parted in silent exclamation, did not leave Adora. She searched his face. The same red hair, pointed nose, and green eyes of Adam, she she just tackled him. he was tangible and present, not some trick. This couldn’t be a light play by Shadow Weaver. Yet, Adora felt as though she’d seen a ghost. In some ways, she had.

 Adora remembered him as a recruit just a couple years older than her. She and Catra both thought he was the coolest guy on Etheria, but Adam died years ago. He and his brother, both gone like a snuffed candle. The cadets mourned him, set their resolve, and moved on. They trained for war and the stakes were high, life or death. The passing of their senior proved it, made the conflict personal, real. The Princesses were a scourge who killed even Adora’s friends and compatriots. Shock evaporated to rage, frustration, gritted in her teeth and stiffened her jaw. In her lap her hand fisted, fingernails digging into the flesh of her palm. 

“No, sorry, I just thought you were a horde soldier,” Adora admitted, glancing down. She pushed to her feet. “I mean, why else would anyone be out here?”

She glanced around at their surroundings. The abandoned houses, the scourged cobblestone, and the unfeeling ocean, wearing away the shoreline. The patter of rain obscured the thrum of her heart and the blood rush in her skull. There was nothing out here but the base. That reminder returned a healthy wariness, but kept her curiosity piqued. Mixed in with all those emotions was happiness. That Adam was alive, back from the dead like a beacon out of the past. In some ways, this was a good trick. 

“They told us you died,” Adora breathed, her brow scrunched and she swallowed, hard. “But I guess that makes sense, just another one of Shadow Weavers lies. What happened to you?”

She hesitated, and then offered her hand to pull him to his feet. He was taller now, broader than the chest and shoulders. She had grown too. Adora was much stronger now than the kid he left behind in the Fright Zone. 

“What about Kane, is he also–?” 

He took a deep inhale as he sat up. It had been a solid hit; he’d very nearly been winded. She was stronger than she used to be. Taller, too. But that’s still Adora, hair-poof and all. Had he really been gone for so long? ... He hasn’t been keeping track of the days. There wasn’t much point. It wasn’t like he was waiting for anything. He just existed.

He sat up, dusting himself off with a grimace. Looks around. They’re still alone. Good. He looks back at her with a frown.

“Not here.” He shook his head once and gestured behind him. A building he was fairly sure had been some kind of town hall, half-fallen but still decent enough cover. Out of the wind, the sun, the sand. Safe enough. ... For now. It would never be safe for long. The Horde would show up, eventually. Which reminded him. He stopped, squinted, looked at her again. Stared.

“Wait.” He shifts to one side, tilting his head. “If you thought I was a Horde soldier, why would you--” He closes his eyes and shakes his head with a sigh. “Never mind.” He glances down to his bag and makeshift fishing rod. The bag was closer, and he knelt - keeping Adora in his peripheries - and grabbed the strap. Peeked inside... Grimaced. It wasn’t too bad, but they were a bit splattered. He should be able to salvage them. He slung the bag over his shoulder, reached for the rod. ... It’s a little cracked. He growls at it. He’ll have to try to fix it, or make a new one, or... Well, it was a fishing village. There would be others. He hopes so, at least, or keeping himself fed is going to become more of a headache.

“Come on.” He once again nodded to the church, stepping forward. He stayed to the side, though, keeping an eye on her, just in case. He’s not stupid. Is he glad to see her? Maybe. It depends on how it plays out. Does he trust her? No. Yes, they were close in the Horde, but this is not the Horde. He’s not one of them anymore, and she’s... He has no idea what she’s doing. She hasn’t killed him yet, but that means nothing. She had time. Could just want information... But he could get some from her, too. Or not. Maybe he’d just let her kill him, if that was her marching order. Did he have a reason to care? He didn’t know anymore.

The mention of his brother makes him stiffen, hesitate mid-step. A slow breath in and out.

“Kane is dead.” .... He thinks. He’s pretty sure. He dreams, sometimes, but those are just dreams. He glances over his shoulder and gestures towards the crumbling building in front of him.

“In there. I’ll talk in there.”

[calamar14120-blog]

Cobblestone Pointe is an independent living community for those 62+, located in Concord, New Hampshire- a short drive from Boston, Manchester & Nashua. Owned & operated by Calamar, a full service real estate firm that adds value through creative solutions.

[calamar14120-blog]

Continue reading here to view the amenities of Cobblestone Pointe Senior Village, located in Concord, NH.

[calamar14120-blog]

Cobblestone Pointe Senior Village - Senior Apartments in Concord, NH

Cobblestone Pointe is an independent living community for those 62+, located in Concord, New Hampshire- a short drive from Boston, Manchester & Nashua. Owned & operated by Calamar, a full service real estate firm that adds value through creative solutions.

To read more, visit https://www.calamar.com/cobblestone-senior-housing

[calamar14120-blog]

Creating Lasting Relationships with Grandchildren

Among the best things about being retired is being able to spend one’s time with loved ones, especially grandchildren. As your grandchildren goes through their own life stages, their interests change as well in the same way you transition from having no social time to having more free time that you would like. So, what’s the best way to spend time with them as they get older? Here are some ideas and fun activities you can do with your grandchildren.

 When they are in their early years just around 8 years and younger, arts and crafts are the way to go. You can construct paper lanterns, help them learn the art of origami and spend hours flying paper airplanes or floating paper boats on streams. Painting is also a nice activity to spend with your grandkids. They will surely love the colorful paintings you will both end up with. Making lava lamps is also never goes out of style for kids and you may also pique their interest in both science and art.

 When they start their middle school, you can keep their interests and nurture their love for learning. If they express interest in science, you can help them out in their homework or science fair projects. If those do not exist, why not make your own experiment with them?  There are tons of resources online such as the egg drop experiment, glowing exploding bag, and the dry ice experiments. If they are into building structures and you are a handyman, both of you may enjoy building models and creating toys together. If they enjoy the outdoors and like working with their hands, you can help them create their own fairy garden. However, for the adventurous ones, a scavenger hunt may be a great idea. Among the independent senior apartments in Des Moines, IA that is near a great venue for a scavenger hunt is Prairie View Senior Village because it is close to High Trestle trails. You’ll definitely spend a lot of time planning for that perfect adventure for them.

 Once they reach their high school phase, it sometimes gets tough to build a connection with grandchildren because of their want to be more independent. However, if you have built a great relationship with them when they were younger, bonding with them will never be an issue. At this point, it may be more important to be closer to them. If most of your grandchildren are in Kansas City, it is not a bad idea to find retirement Communities in Kansas City, KS or senior apartments in Kansas City, MO. At this stage in their lives, they are most likely trying to acquire the skills they need to be more independent. You can help them by giving them a head start and preparing them with the skills they think they’ll need. The best idea may be to cook and bake with them. What makes food great is it being the common thing that makes people come together. Surely, you already have a list of timeless recipes that never fails to impress a crowd. Why not share it with your grand-kids and have fun making it together? Kids these days also have an inclination of growing their own food and starting a garden, so it may also be a good idea to share clippings from your garden if you own one. You can spend an hour each day talking about gardening tips and tricks over the phone. If they’re the builder kind and you fancy building stuff yourself, keep your hands busy and help them make make minor renovations in their place. They’ll most likely be more than happy to host you whenever you visit.

 Then they move to adulthood and go through the same things you had to go through in raising them. If anything, the things that will bind you together would be sharing experiences that worked and did not work. Cobblestone Pointe Senior Village are among the the apartments for 55+ seniorsin New Hampshire, NH that are close to coffee houses and other amenities great for sharing stories over hot chocolate.“Mothers know best” did not became a famous phrase for no reason. When couples are asked what helped them the most in going through parenthood, many would say that their parents were the most invaluable resources one can ask for.

 All these come down to one tip: See if you share the same passion or interests with your grandchildren, and you’ll surely find a couple of things to bond over.

 This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at https://www.calamar.com/creating-lasting-relationships-with-grandchildren-calamar