#For a Louisiana-inspired dinner

[maleauctionblock]

One-Pot Keto Jambalaya with Cauliflower Rice - Jambalaya

[zaebeecee]

It's Nothing Serious

Secret Santa 2024 ••

Alastor and Anthony have been sharing a dorm for over a year. When Alastor comes up with a project for his social psychology class, it's only natural that he would ask Anthony for his help; after all, who else does he trust more? And besides, it isn't like fake dating has ever gone off the rails in the past, right?

Content: fake relationship, human versions, everyone is old enough to do the stuff mentioned within, drinking, trans Angel Dust, HRT involving needles, fluff and corny romance shit, implied spicyness, a whole lot of characters for a one-shot, Christmas-adjacent situations

•••

Here's my gift for the lovely @luciferfemme for the RadioDust 2024 Secret Santa gift exchange! Fun fact: they made the post that was my primary inspiration for Loveless Bond, for which I remain deeply grateful. Anyway, here you are, darling. Hope you like it!

•••

Six feet tall. Thirty-six years old. Outdated photo of him and his fraternity buddies as the only picture on his profile.

Swipe left on that one.

Five foot eleven. Twenty-nine. Fishing picture, fishing picture, fishing picture, just a dog, fishing picture.

Cute dog, but I don’t wanna hear how big his last catch was all through dinner. Left.

No fats, femmes, or Asians.

Fuck you, buddy. How do I mark a guy as ‘hate’?

Twenty-one.

Like Hell you are, you could be my father.

“Looks like pretty slim pickings in the dating market these days.”

“Holy shit!” Anthony jerked in surprise, nearly throwing his phone right into his dorm mate’s face as he spun around and slipped off the couch. He landed on his ass with a sharp yelp, which only made the guy above him start laughing harder. “Where the fuck did you come from?!”

“Louisiana,” Alastor said with a wide grin, his arms loosely folded on the back of their couch as he leaned over to watch Anthony pull himself up off the floor.

“Ha ha, asshole,” Anthony grumbled. “I thought you were at the library.”

“I was,” Alastor said, straightening up and rounding the couch to plop down next to the other young man. “But it’s the beginning of the semester, Angel, I hardly have that much work to do.”

Anthony snorted. “Since when have you ever gone to the library for legitimate reasons?”

Alastor’s smile sharpened that way it did whenever he was plotting something, and Anthony frowned, leaning away instinctively. In the year that they had known each other, Anthony—Angel Dust, to his close friends—had learned how to interpret many of Alastor’s more enigmatic expressions. When they had first met at the start of Anthony’s first semester at college, introduced to each other as new students who would be sharing a dorm, Alastor had immediately made quite an impression: he was handsome, he was mysterious, he was scary, and he was incredibly unavailable (as made perfectly clear by his laughter when Anthony’s first words to him had been some sort of proposition). It hadn’t taken Anthony long to realize that Alastor simply wasn’t interested in anyone or anything that way; however, it quickly became obvious that it was nothing like homophobia or prudishness, as he had no shortage of time to listen to complaints about the men Anthony was seeing nor lack of scathing opinions on each one of those men.

By the end of the first semester, Anthony and Alastor had become very close friends, to the point that they willingly agreed to remain together in the Spring. Now, in Anthony’s third semester, he had been given the option to move off-campus into an apartment or a house, but he’d elected to stay so that Alastor (who was on scholarship and unable to afford to live outside the dorms) wouldn’t have to get used to a new roomie.

Alastor had been surprised when Anthony told him this, but he had recovered quickly and said something to the effect of ‘I knew you would’. But he was happy about it, and no amount of smug posturing would convince Anthony otherwise.

“So, are we on the hunt for a new beau already?” Alastor asked, leaning around as though trying to look at Anthony’s phone again. The screen was off, but Anthony pulled it against his chest anyway. “I would think you’d be more concerned with your studies this semester, considering how abysmal you failed Calculus this past Spring.”

“Shut up,” Anthony said. “I ain’t lookin’ for a boyfriend, and I ain’t even after a hookup, necessarily. Just seein’ how the pool’s changed in the past few months. Ain’t gotten any better.”

Alastor scoffed, leaning one arm on the back of the couch and smirking at him. “I told you, most anyone you’ll find on those apps are going to be scum, because anyone who’s worth dating won’t be resorting to relying on them.”

Anthony rolled his eyes, crossing his arms and turning his head away. “I’m not gonna give you the satisfaction of callin’ you right.” Alastor didn’t answer. “Wipe that stupid grin off your face.”

“You aren’t even looking at me.”

“I can feel it.” Anthony picked up one of their mismatched couch pillows and smacked Alastor in the side of the head with it. The other boy cackled, shielding himself ineffectually with his arms. “Besides, it’s lookin’ like layin’ off the scene will be for the best right now. Feels like half the guys on here are chasers, and the other half got some kinda ‘you’d better not be trans if you message me’ disclaimer right at the top. I don’t wanna deal with that shit right now.”

“Hm.” Alastor’s smile changed to something Anthony might have called a little bit sympathetic, but then, he shrugged. “Their loss,” he said. “Seems like they’d simply feel insecure about you having more testosterone than them.” Anthony laughed, and Alastor’s grin returned. “If you’re going to be off the market anyway, I suppose I should do what I can to make sure you don’t get lonely.”

Anthony smirked, wiggling his eyebrows briefly. “You propositioning me, Al?”

“What– no, stop that,” Alastor said quickly, color rising to his face as he pointed a single threatening finger and ignored Anthony’s cackle. “What I’m saying,” he said, loudly enough that Anthony’s laughter died down, “is that I have a project this semester, and I think it’s something you could help me with, if you’re amenable.”

“Does this involve me losin’ a finger or somethin’?”

“There is a non-zero chance, but it’s highly unlikely.”

Anthony frowned. “...I ain’t agreein’ to nothin’ until you tell me what it is.”

“Fine,” Alastor said, rolling his eyes. “I’m taking a class for my social psych minor this semester, Social Influence and Behavior. Essentially, studying the way that people react to others in social settings and the ways changes in one individual might influence changes in another.”

“We both know I ain’t got a clue what the fuck you’re talkin’ about.”

Alastor leveled him with a look. “How one or two people acting weird can make the people around them act weird.”

“Oh, okay. I follow.”

“I thought you might. We were tasked with conducting an informal study over the course of the semester, the subject of which is up to our discretion. I thought you would be perfect to help me out with mine, since it’s… well. It’s fucking with our social circle and seeing how they respond.”

Anthony giggled. “Ooh, that sounds fun. A semester-long prank. Sure, I’m down, what are you thinkin’?”

Either Alastor suddenly looked a little bashful, or Anthony was imagining things. “Well, that’s… part of the reason I wanted to ask you, rather than anyone else,” he said, his voice as hesitant as Alastor’s ever got. “Most of my behavior isn’t considered unusual for me, and I was having trouble thinking of something I could do that the others would view as out of the ordinary. The best option that I landed on was dating someone.”

Anthony’s eyebrows went up. “Dating someone?”

“You see?” Alastor gestured at him with one hand. “You’re surprised by the mere suggestion! It would be perfect!”

“So… wait.” Anthony held his own hands up. “Wait wait wait. Are you asking– I mean, what are you asking?”

“Don’t worry, it wouldn’t be really dating,” Alastor said, and Anthony wasn’t sure if he felt relieved or not. “But you and I really are quite different, and I’m given to understand that sort of thing is subject to quite a bit of social scrutiny, not to mention the idea of me in a relationship is certain to absolutely baffle everyone who has ever met me. And it has the added benefit of the fact that I trust you implicitly and am fully aware that you would not take advantage of this position to my detriment, in addition to the fact that I can rely on you for answers to any questions I might have about how to proceed after a time.”

Anthony was silent for a moment. On the one hand, it was incredibly funny, imagining how their friends would respond to the idea of them being in a relationship. On the other hand, while Anthony would never admit it, he’d been fostering an incredibly annoying crush on Alastor for the past several months and it was only getting worse, a fact that most of their friends (particularly Husk and Cherry) were very adamant Anthony needed to stop immediately. On the other other hand (and didn’t he wish he had more than two sometimes), he couldn’t help feeling deeply touched that of everyone Alastor knew, Anthony was the one that he trusted enough to rely on for this.

Plus, this might get Valentino to leave me alone, so that’s another upside.

“Yeah, sure,” Anthony finally said. “Why the fuck not?”

Alastor did that thing that he did when he was both surprised and excited, the thing that made Anthony imagine he had two big animal ears that had just perked up on the top of his head. “Really?”

“Really,” Anthony laughed. “Sounds like fun, as long as you can handle it.”

Alastor’s expression shifted into a frown. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Should be pretty obvious,” Anthony said with a shrug. “The only way this is gonna work is if we don’t act outta character, right?” Alastor nodded. “So… that means you’ve gotta put up with physical contact from me.”

The very idea made Alastor’s body stiffen up visibly. “...you’re talking about public affection.”

“PDA, yeah.” Anthony tilted his head. “Look, nobody’s gonna believe I’m datin’ someone I never lay a finger on, and they won’t buy that you’re actually in a relationship with anyone if you won’t ever let them touch you. You know how physical I am, so if you weren’t willin’ to put up with that, why would we go out at all?”

Alastor sighed, relaxing. “...you make a fair point,” he said. “But I will be setting ground rules, and you will be respecting them.”

“Yeah, yeah, I got you, Smiles,” Anthony said. “Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna do nothin’ to make you uncomfortable intentionally, and I ain’t gonna do nothin’ without your consent. Just lettin’ you know that if you wanna sell this, we’re gonna have to commit.” He shrugged. “It’s like acting. Think of it as blocking.”

“...right,” Alastor said. “I can do that.”

“Cool. So…” Anthony hesitated. “Uh… when were you wanting to start?”

“As soon as possible.”

•••

“Good morning, everyone!”

The responses ranged from enthusiastic (Charlie) to barely a grunt of acknowledgement (Husk) as Alastor slung his bag over the back of a chair and lowered himself into it. Niffty leaned across the table, pushing a cup of coffee in front of him. “Here,” she said. “We ordered already. We got you your usual.”

“You’re a peach,” Alastor said, patting Niffty on the top of her head and picking up the coffee cup. She smiled, sinking back into her seat. The morning was crisp with just a touch of the scent of autumn in the air, barely detectable under the bouquet of smells coming from the cafe. While Alastor had always preferred studying on his own, he had to admit that he didn’t exactly mind getting roped into this little study group that Charlie insisted on hosting every Saturday morning. They always sat around the same large table together, Charlie paid for everyone with her father’s money (and Alastor didn’t mind wasting that), and it usually devolved into something more fun than simple school work.

“Where’s Angel?” Charlie asked. “He’s coming, right?”

“He’d better be, I ordered the bitch pancakes,” Cherry said.

“It’s a morning study session.” Pentious brushed his long hair back over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow at the table as a whole. “I don’t think Angel’s seen this side of an ante meridiem hour since he left high school and I’m not positive why any of you keep thinking he will.”

Husk snorted. “It’s a tossup,” he said. “He’ll either show up for free food or avoid it because it means work.”

“He’ll be here,” Alastor said. “Don’t worry.”

Rosie laughed. “What, did you wake him up before you left?”

“I threw things on him until he yelled at me, if that’s what you’re asking.”

No one was giving him any kind of unusual look (as far as he could determine), which was something of a relief; it meant that, no matter how Alastor might have been feeling in the moment, the others at the table weren’t suspicious of anything. It wasn’t that Alastor was nervous—what reason did he have to be nervous? It was only Anthony, and they had known each other for over a year at this point—but, as the one with no experience on how romantic relationships were supposed to be conducted at various points, he was incredibly uncertain as to what he was supposed to expect. Anthony had promised him, repeatedly, that he would do his best to keep from making Alastor uncomfortable while simultaneously doing his part to make their little scheme believable, but that told him absolutely nothing about what Anthony might actually do.

Of course, the fact did remain that he trusted Anthony. When they had first met, Alastor had noted his friendliness, and the moment he registered that it was flirting and had expressed his personal distaste for such things, Anthony had stopped immediately. In fact, outside of a handful of exceptions (bumping into each other in their tiny kitchen, grabbing Alastor by the hand when his bad leg gave out and he nearly fell down the stairs outside the library, that one time he’d helped with a particularly stubborn cuff button that Alastor simply could not fasten one-handed), Anthony had taken pains not to make any physical contact with Alastor whatsoever. Despite his friend’s reputation around campus and in various social circles, Alastor had always found him respectful with his hands, even if he had no idea how to control his mouth.

“Oh, there he is! Hi, Angel!” Charlie said, interrupting Alastor’s thoughts. She raised her hand and he followed the line of her gaze to Anthony, who returned the wave with one hand before he lowered it to stifle a yawn. He headed for the table, letting his bag drop onto the floor and slumping into the chair next to Alastor.

“Morning, princess,” Alastor said with a smirk, watching Anthony scrub his face with both hands. “Long night?”

“Nnh. Sleepy. Coffee.”

Niffty began sliding another coffee across the table, but she froze the moment Anthony leaned over and laid his head on Alastor’s shoulder. Alastor jumped slightly, but Anthony remained still, giving him time to adjust to the sensation without giving away their game immediately. It actually wasn’t that bad, after the initial shock of the touch; as a matter of fact, Anthony was actually pretty gentle as he leaned against him, and the white hair brushing against Alastor’s cheek was soft, but not in a way that tickled or irritated.

Is this what it feels like? I can do this.

Alastor leaned to the side as well, pressing his cheek against the top of Anthony’s head before the other young man could move away. “Well, sha, if you’d gotten up when I told you I was getting ready, you could have walked with me and had coffee sooner.”

“Okay, Mr. My Hair And Clothes Always Look Perfect With Zero Effort. Some of us actually have to work to look presentable.”

“…uhm… here, Angel, we got you coffee too,” Niffty finally said, pushing the mug towards him. She was still staring wide-eyed, and Alastor was fairly positive she hadn’t blinked once.

“Oh my god, you’re perfect.”

While Anthony sat up to wrap both hands around the mug and take a careful sip, Alastor took the opportunity to take a quick glance around. Everyone was staring, a variety of expressions on their faces, but no matter what they were thinking it was quite clear that everyone was confused. Alastor kept his usual smile in place; it was really hard not to laugh when Charlie started to ask a tentative question only to get cut off by the arrival of their food.

Alastor turned his head again at a tugging on his sleeve. “Yes, sha?”

“What’d you get?” Anthony asked, his gaze fixed on Alastor’s bowl of pecan oatmeal like he had no idea what it was.

Immediately, he was hit with sudden inspiration. Instead of answering, Alastor got a small mouthful on his spoon and held it up. “Want some?”

Anthony nodded before opening his mouth, instantly reminding Alastor of a baby bird. Alastor fed him the spoonful (he had seen insufferable couples do that in public before), and Anthony ate it happily, humming one of those little songs he hummed when he thought something tasted really good.

“…so…” Charlie finally said. Alastor looked her direction, and was gratified to see that Husk was staring, his mouth slightly open and his face frozen in an expression of confusion that didn’t know if it wanted to be angry or not. “What, um… what’s going on with you two?”

“Going on?” Alastor asked, his smile widening. “My dear Charlie, whatever makes you think there’s something going on?”

“You don’t share food,” Vaggie said, gesturing between them sharply, her brow furrowed.

Rosie held one hand up, her wrist going limp instantly. “You two aren’t actually… y’know…”

“Of course they aren’t,” Cherri said immediately.

“They aren’t what?” Pentious asked, looking around the table quickly. “What? What’s happening?”

Alastor shrugged, looking at Anthony. “You want to tell them?”

“I like makin’ them wonder.” Anthony giggled a little before rolling his eyes. “Okay, fine. Yeah, we’re datin’, you wanna make somethin’ of it?”

Instantly, Niffty muffled a squeal with her hands, and Husk quite confidently said, “Bullshit,” while Cherri almost shrieked the word ‘bitch’ in shock before vaulting out of her chair and running over to start berating Anthony for not calling her (though why he would have was beyond Alastor; he’d have to ask once they were alone).

“When did this happen?” Charlie asked, her eyes wide and her voice doing that ‘I’m about to burst with excitement’ vibrating thing it did before she burst into happy tears.

“Last night,” Alastor said. “I’m sorry, were we supposed to take out space for an announcement in the campus newsletter?”

“No, no, of course not!” Charlie said, waving her hands in front of her face. “I just— I’m happy for you!”

“…thank you?”

“Ignore them, darling,” Rosie said with a casual wave of her hand. “I’ll simply say it’s about fucking time and let it drop.”

Alastor narrowed his eyes at her, which just made her smile grow. “What is about fucking time, exactly?”

“No no, too late, I dropped it. Niffty knows what I mean.”

He turned to squint at Niffty, who still had her hands clasped over her mouth and was nodding furiously. Alastor narrowed his eyes further. “…have we been the subject of gossip?”

“Uh, duh,” Niffty said finally. “And if you weren’t always so damn mysterious, we wouldn’t have to do that!”

As Alastor was processing this, he felt a knuckle thump his shoulder. He turned to look up at Husk, who was looking down at him with an unreadable expression. “Can I talk to you?”

Alastor glanced down at where Husk had tapped him, then back up; normally, that was enough to get him to back down, but he didn’t budge. “Of course.”

He excused himself and followed Husk out the front door, then around to the side of the building where they couldn’t be observed. Once out of sight, Husk turned to him. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“At the moment? Being systematically prevented from consuming my most important meal of the day.”

“Cut the shit, Alastor. You know what I mean.”

Alastor held his hands out as he shrugged. “I don’t understand why you’re being so difficult, Husker. Angel is a perfectly delightful young man. Is there something so wrong with someone wishing to pursue a relationship with him?”

“Normally, no,” Husk said, raising an eyebrow. “But this is you that we’re talking about. You aren’t capable of doing things without ulterior motives.”

“You know me so well.” Alastor didn’t let his smile slip. “What’s next, going to tell me that if I break his heart you’ll break my kneecaps?”

Husk scoffed. “No. Angel’s gonna be in arm’s reach of you, he’ll kill you just fine by himself. But if you’re playing some kind of game, you really might want to rethink this, because while we won’t interfere with whatever he decides to do on his own, his siblings might.”

Oh. Shit. I didn’t think about them.

Anthony’s twin sister, Maria, and older brother, Bernardino—affectionately known as “Molly” and “Arackniss” in their little circle— were textbook examples of avoiding even the pretense of subtlety. While much of Anthony’s speech and behavior could be written off as just him being from New York, Molly had been described as “a Long Island princess who might have a gun in her purse at any given moment”, and Arackniss always sounded like he was a sentence away from threatening to give someone a pair of cement shoes. Alastor wasn’t afraid of them, of course; no, he had only ever feared one person in his life, and that honor belonged to his beloved mother. However, Anthony had made it painfully clear that, whatever issues he had with his siblings (particularly Arackniss), they were his problems and anyone who fucked with his siblings would be very unlikely to see the next morning.

Alastor wasn’t afraid of Anthony, either, but that didn’t change the fact that the thought of upsetting him was deeply unpleasant.

Apparently, he had been quiet too long, because Husk’s expression flattened out into something closer to derisive disbelief. “You didn’t even think about it, did you?”

“I deeply appreciate your concern, Husker,” Alastor said, skirting around the question and laying his hands on either of Husk’s shoulders. “But you have nothing at all to fret about! I know exactly what I’m doing, and Anthony is perfectly capable of handling his family on his own.”

Husk sighed, rolling his eyes. “Your funeral, brother.”

When they returned to the table, Anthony gave Alastor a curious look, but Alastor waved to him, their signal for ‘I’ll tell you later’ when either of them had gossip that needed to be discussed privately. The conversation redirected itself almost immediately, for which Alastor was grateful. He enjoyed being the center of attention, of course, but being barraged with questions made it infinitely harder to just sit and observe his surroundings. That was, after all, the point of all of this.

As they were all getting up to leave, Anthony said, “C’mon, babe. I need some new threads and you said you’d give me your most cuttin’ and brutal opinions.”

Alastor had said nothing of the sort, but he knew coded language when he heard it. “Of course, sha.” He waved to the others, all of whom were staring as they left the cafe together and began walking in the direction of the nearby shopping center. Once they were far enough away and Alastor had determined they weren’t being tailed, he allowed himself a small cackle. “That went well.”

Anthony giggled. “Shit, no kidding. I expected a reaction, but fuck. …hehe.”

Alastor frowned at him. “…what?”

“Butt fuck,” Anthony repeated.

Perplexed, Alastor continued to stare until recognition hit him. “You are hopelessly foul and I hope you walk in front of an oncoming bus.”

This time, Anthony’s laugh was full and genuine. “I’m draggin’ you with me, bitch!” He then directed that smile onto Alastor. “So… I know you didn’t actually agree to shop with me, but d’you mind comin’ anyway? I’ll buy you a soft pretzel.”

Somewhere deep inside, Alastor thought, You don’t have to bribe me, sha. I can’t say no when you give me that smile.

It was a ridiculous thought, but it was far from the first time it had crossed Alastor’s mind, so he dismissed it. “Oh, very well,” he said, playing up the visage of being put-upon enough that no one could mistake it for true reluctance. “I suppose I had nothing else to do, anyway.”

This was going to be a lot of fun, Alastor decided. He couldn’t wait to see everyone’s faces when they learned the whole thing had been a ruse.

•••

Word travels real fuckin’ fast, apparently.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us!”

Anthony rolled his eyes visibly as he continued putting away the clothes Alastor had helped him pick out. Molly and Arackniss had been waiting outside their dorm room when they returned, and the moment Alastor registered their presence, he suddenly remembered he had something to do in the library and ran away (like a goddamn coward) before either of them noticed him. Naturally, they had started badgering Anthony instantly, following him into the dorm and hardly pausing for breath, let alone any kind of explanation.

Molly wrapped her arms around her legs, glaring up at him. “What, you think you can just not tell us and we won’t find out? That it?”

“If that’s what it was, I wouldn’t never text either of you,” Anthony said, carefully cutting the tag off of a shirt he had decided he wouldn’t be returning. “I was gonna tell you.”

Arackniss scoffed, not straightening up from where he was leaning against the wall next to Anthony’s closet. “Sure you were, Tony,” he said sarcastically.

“I was!” Anthony countered, flinging an empty shopping bag at his brother. “It happened late last night, I had study bullshit this morning, ain’t like I’ve been keepin’ it for weeks or somethin’.”

He could practically hear his siblings exchanging looks behind his back as he put hangars up in his closet. “...you went to a study session,” Molly said finally.

“Yeah.”

“You. Went to a study session.”

“Yes,” Anthony said, carefully controlling his voice so he wasn’t snapping at her. “You’re actin’ like I ain’t never studied a day in my life.”

“Well… not on purpose, anyway,” Arackniss said.

Before Anthony could counter, Molly said, “Didn’t you say he don’t do… y’know. Sex and stuff?”

Anthony frowned at her over his shoulder. “...yeah,” he said. “Not that it’s any of your business. What’s your point?”

“Well…” Molly looked at Arackniss.

He picked up on whatever signal it was, taking over from her. “Tony, you ain’t never dated anybody in your life, and now you’re sayin’ you’re exclusive with a guy who doesn’t even like sex?”

Anthony rolled his eyes. “I don’t care,” he said. “He told me he don’t mind if I keep up my cam work, and anyway, ain’t there more to a relationship than just fuckin’ all the time?”

“Well… yeah,” Arackniss said.

“We’re just surprised you think that,” Molly added.

Anthony turned to them and held up his hands. ‘Y’know what? Fuck both of you,” he said; he didn’t put any real heat in the words, and just looking at their expressions told him they didn’t take it seriously. “I like him, and he likes me, and I don’t give a shit about anything else. And even if it wasn’t for that, I’d stay with him just to piss you off.”

Molly actually giggled at that. “Sounds about right. And I’m guessin’ the aneurysm Ma’d have about you bringin’ home a boyfriend—”

“Who’s both southern and black,” Arackniss interjected.

“—don’t hurt your decision none, either.”

Anthony cackled. “She’s gonna be so pissed, and don’t get me started on Pop.”

“Well, they won’t disown you,” Arackniss said thoughtfully. “I was fuckin’ certain they would when you started your transition. Pops still asks me if you’ve stopped ‘that testosterone shit’ every time we  talk.”

Anthony raised his eyebrow. “And?”

“I say no. And then I call you Tony and he hangs up on me.”

He snorted, grinning. If he actually liked his parents, that would have been incredibly painful to hear. Instead, while his parents’ actions made him mad, listening to how his siblings handled it always filled him with a sense of bitter satisfaction. “Ain’t you the best big brother.”

“You fuckin’ know it.”

“You sure you’re gonna be okay?” Molly asked. “You got bad taste in men, Tony, and a guy like him…”

“I’m sure,” Anthony said. He meant it, too, but in a much different way than either Molly or Arackniss were taking it. Did he really like Alastor enough to put up with this?

…yeah. He did. And that wasn’t going to cause any problems in the future, because he wouldn’t let it. He valued Alastor’s trust and friendship too much to let it.

•••

Alastor had known there would be… reactions, to put it mildly, when news got out that he and Anthony were ‘dating’. In fact, he had been counting on it; otherwise, how was he going to get any sort of data for his project? He simply hadn’t been expecting so many reactions to be quite so visceral or loud.

That study breakfast had only been the first social hurdle. Over the next month, he’d been yelled at by Vox (who’d had a strangely passionate reaction to the news, and for the life of him, Alastor couldn’t figure out why he was so upset), threatened with extreme bodily harm by Valentino, stalked through the library and the rest of the campus by Blitzø and his three little cohorts, aggressively grilled by both Molly and Arackniss, and been stared at by Zestial with an intensity he could feel from the other side of the quad.

It was still funny, of course, but for some reason, it was also sort of… bothering him? Annoying him? He wasn’t sure the phrase that best communicated how he was feeling, just that there was something unpleasant about everyone behaving as though he wasn’t good enough to be Anthony’s boyfriend. Fake relationship or not, it was hard not to take that kind of thing personally.

Maybe that was why, in mid October, he finally broke down and grabbed his phone to make a call.

He was laying on his bed with his head at the foot, turned onto his side with his phone resting on the side of his head without either hand keeping it in place. It freed them up to allow him to pick at the cheap comforter he broke out once it started getting too cold in the building. The phone rang twice in his ear before he heard a click, followed by the soft, comforting sound of a controlled alto voice. “Hello, Alastor.”

“Hi, maman,” Alastor said, unable to keep a smile off his face. “Catch you at a bad time?”

“Nah. Just gettin’ some packages ready for the store this week,” she answered. Just the sound of her Louisiana drawl was soothing after so many unpleasant conversations. “Somethin’s botherin’ you.”

It wasn’t a question, but Alastor still asked, “What makes you think something is wrong?”

“You never call this late unless you got somethin’ on your mind, kiddo.”

He sighed. Either she was too perceptive or he was growing too predictable. It might have been both, for all he knew. “I… did something, and I wanted to tell you about it.”

There was a soft, distant thud, and he could tell his mother had just put down whatever was in her hand. “I’m not gettin’ another letter from your school,” she said; it was almost a question, but it might as well have been a threat.

“No, no, nothing like that.” Alastor hesitated, pulling on a thread in his comforter until it snapped. “I… asked someone out.”

A very long pause followed that, long enough that he almost asked if she was still there. “Is that so?” his mother asked finally. “You went on a date?”

Alastor shook his head, even though she couldn’t hear it. “It’s complicated, but no. I mean we’re dating.”

“I see.” Another pause. “It’s Anthony, isn’t it?”

Alastor put his hand on his phone and sat up. “How the hell—”

“Oh, please, Alastor.” He could sense her rolling her eyes at him. “After everythin’ you’ve told me ‘bout that boy, I knew if you’d be askin’ anyone out, it’d be him.”

He wasn’t sure what to say in response to that. He wanted to say that it was a fake relationship, or… something, he didn’t know what. “...do you think I’m making a mistake?” he asked instead.

“Who knows?” He could hear her chopping something on a cutting board. “But I’ve told you before and I’ll tell you again, you can’t wait to know if everythin’ you’re gonna do is gonna end up goin’ well. Maybe it’s a mistake. Maybe it’s not. You won’t know until you do it.”

That was a good point, but Alastor wasn’t going to tell her that.

“Are you happy?”

Was he? Alastor thought for a long moment. It wasn’t something he had really considered, always having considered himself fairly content with his life so long as his decisions were just that: his own decisions. Did that mean he was happy? “...yeah,” he said, his voice soft with the realization that he wasn’t lying. “I am.”

“That’s all I care about. I’m happy for you, baby.”

The rest of the conversation was fairly standard, Alastor asking about how things were back home and his mother asking about his studies. When they said goodbye, he realized he actually felt a lot better. He hadn’t realized how much he needed just a little bit of approval. Everything seemed considerably lighter as he got up and left his small room, heading over to knock on Anthony’s door. “Hey, Angel,” he called. “You in there?”

“Yep. C’mon in, ain’t locked.”

Alastor let himself in, opening the door to see Anthony sitting in the middle of his bed with his medication box open in front of him. “Oh. HRT. Bad time?”

Anthony shook his head, drawing his dose out of the bottle. “Nah, s’long as you don’t mind watchin’ me stab myself.”

“Oh, that’s not a problem.” When Anthony gestured to the bed, Alastor sat down, looking over his supplies. “Need any help?”

Anthony glanced at him. “...you any good at givin’ shots?”

“I… have done it before,” Alastor hedged. “Why?”

“Because gettin’ it in my arm hurts less, but I gotta hold the skin taut, so I can’t do it by myself. Usually gotta do it in the thigh and sometimes it bleeds a lot.”

Alastor tilted his head. “...would you like me to give you your shot?”

“If you don’t mind, yeah.”

“You trust me to do that?”

Anthony raised an eyebrow at him. “If you hurt me on purpose, I’ll stab you with my drawin’ needle myself.”

Alastor chuckled. “Fair enough.”

Anthony showed him the proper place to stab, and Alastor held the skin as taut as he could, carefully slipping the needle straight into the muscle just below his shoulder. Anthony sucked in a breath, but he didn’t make any noise of pain, so Alastor made sure he wasn’t drawing blood before he slowly pushed the plunger down. Anthony made another sound, one that made Alastor feel a little strange, and he aggressively pushed the thought out of his mind as he removed the needle. “All done. Bandage?”

“Here,” Anthony said, offering one out to him. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Alastor removed the little round adhesive bandage and carefully covered the puncture wound. Then, on something of a whim, he leaned forward and kissed the spot. “There you go.”

When he sat up, Anthony was actually blushing. “Uh… thanks,” he said, his voice uncertain.

Alastor felt his own face heating up. Why did I do that? He refused to let it show in his expression or voice, just smiling as he stood up. “You have early class tomorrow. You should get to bed.”

Anthony groaned. “I can’t believe you talked me into taking an 8 AM class,” he complained, not for the first time. “You’re the literal worst.”

Alastor’s smile widened. “I am, aren’t I?”

Anthony flipped him off and Alastor laughed as he left the room, closing the door behind him. He leaned against it for just a second, his hand still wrapped around the handle.

The fuck is wrong with me?

•••

A week after the HRT incident—Anthony wasn’t sure what else he should call it—he found himself in Alastor’s room, both of them sitting on his bed and idly playing gin without paying much attention to it. The cards were just something to do with their hands, most of their conversation focused on the latest gossip and talking about the various upcoming Halloween activities, such as several campus parties, the parade, and the massive haunted house that was always open the whole of Halloween week.

“You gonna go do anythin’ this year?” Anthony asked.

“I never do,” Alastor said, drawing a card from the deck and tossing one down.

Anthony smirked. “That’s why I’m askin’ this year. You wanna?”

He’d expected Alastor to buck at the suggestion, but instead, he looked thoughtful. “What did you have in mind?”

“Haunted house and Charlie’s party,” Anthony said. “Thought maybe, if you were down, we could do a couple’s costume and really weird people out.”

That actually made Alastor perk up. “Yes, absolutely, we’re doing that.”

Anthony laughed. “Great. We’ll go shoppin’ for stuff tomorrow, then.”

The silence that followed was thoughtful. Anthony had known Alastor had something on his mind for the whole evening (for the past week, really), but he wasn’t sure how to ask. It turned out he didn’t have to, though, because Alastor finally spoke again after almost ten minutes of playing cards in silence. “You’ve dated people before, right?”

“Hm? Yeah, kinda,” Anthony said. “Nothin’ that lasted more than a couple’a months, tho. Why?”

Alastor went into a much shorter thoughtful silence. If Anthony didn’t know better, he’d say he was hesitating. “Do you…” Alastor began, then shook his head and started over. “What do you usually do when you’re dating someone? And you don’t have to spare me details just because of my delicate constitution.”

Anthony grinned at that. “Well… we go out, like you and I’ve been doin’. But the dates ain’t usually so frequent.”

Alastor frowned. “Your boyfriends ignored you?” he asked, actually sounding a little bit pissed off on his behalf.

“No, no. I mean… not exactly,” Anthony hedged. “More we didn’t… leave that often.”

“...Angel. I already told you, you don’t have to spare me details.”

“Okay, okay,” Anthony said. “We spent a whole lot more time either makin’ out or fuckin’ than we did goin’ out to dinner or whatever.”

Alastor was quiet for a moment. “...I see,” he said. “And that was… fun, to you?”

“Sure,” Anthony said with a shrug. “You know I like sex. I like kissin’, too. I mean, as long as the guy’s good at it,” he added with a faint sneer. “Why d’you ask?”

“Curiosity. Also, a desire to keep people from catching on,” Alastor said. “I mean… I had noticed those bruises on your neck after you had a successful night out.”

“I never cared if someone saw that I got hickies.” Anthony frowned at him. “...what are you sayin’, exactly?”

Alastor looked somewhat embarrassed. “Simply that it was incredibly common for you to have them, and if you continue to… not… won’t some people start getting suspicious?”

Anthony wasn’t sure how he was supposed to take this. “Alastor, people know you ain’t into this kinda thing. I don’t think people are gonna be suspicious because you didn’t spontaneously grow a libido.” Oddly, Alastor looked even more embarrassed, and now Anthony was positive he wasn’t aware of it. The other young man was actually ducking his head into his shoulders somewhat, and he was avoiding meeting Anthony’s eyes more than usual. Anthony hesitated, but… Fuck it, he thought. He told me to be direct. “Alastor, are you curious about makin’ out or somethin’?”

Alastor threw his hands up before he put his head in his hands, staring down at the cards in the discard pile. “I don’t know,” he groaned. “You’re confusing.”

“Me? The fuck did I do?”

“I don’t know,” Alastor repeated, more insistently. “I’d truly never contemplated this kind of thing before, but I… yes, I suppose I’m curious.” The aggressive way he said it made Anthony pretty sure he had to force it out.

“...you wanna make out?” Anthony asked, trying his best not to sound too hopeful.

Alastor laughed a little, but he didn’t raise his head. “I believe you said you enjoy that provided the guy is good at it, right?”

“You sayin’ you’re a bad kisser or somethin’?”

“I really wouldn’t know,” Alastor said dryly, raising his eyes just enough to give Anthony a single quirked eyebrow.

Anthony shrugged. “If you ain’t done it before, then you can’t say you’re not good.”

Alastor stared at him, like he wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “...you know, most people are bad at things the first time they do them.”

“Depends on how fast a learner they are.” When Alastor looked uncomfortable again, Anthony said, “I got a better idea.” Alastor raised his head once more as Anthony moved back to lean against Alastor’s pillow and headboard, then motioned to Alastor to come closer. “C’mere.”

Frowning, Alastor scooted over to him. “What, precisely, are we doing?”

“Cuddles.” When his best friend made a predictably skeptical face, Anthony continued, “All innocent, I promise. Hands above clothes. Won’t even touch your hair if you don’t want me to. Just a test to see how you feel about the closeness.”

“...well… alright.” When Alastor moved next to him, Anthony helped him get settled. They ended up with Anthony still on his back, one arm around Alastor’s shoulders, and Alastor on his side with his head on Anthony’s shoulder-chest-area and arm across his abdomen.

At first, Alastor was predictably stiff, holding himself like he was either ready to spring up at any second or like he was afraid of putting too much weight on Anthony. After a few moments, however, he began relaxing, and Anthony took the opportunity to place his hand on Alastor’s upper arm and carefully run his hand down to his elbow, then up to his shoulder, then back, making sure the touch was firm enough not to trigger unpleasant physical sensation. “How’s that?”

“Mmn,” Alastor said. There was a long pause. “Your sweater is soft.”

“Yep. You comfy?”

“Mhm.”

In minutes, all of Anthony’s fears of chasing Alastor off were replaced with the thought of never being able to get up ever again as his dorm mate gradually became almost dead weight on top of him. He managed to fish his phone out of his pocket, then found a decent YouTube playlist and set the phone up with its pop socket on Alastor’s little bedside table so they had something to do that didn’t require movement.

After nearly an hour, Alastor stopped responding to Anthony. He looked down and couldn’t resist smiling when he noticed that Alastor had fallen asleep, his cheek pressed against Anthony’s chest and his glasses threatening to fall off. Anthony carefully took the frames off his friend’s face, folded them, and set them on the table. He thought about slipping out and going back to his own room, but the moment he tried to move, Alastor’s grip tightened.

Ah well. Fuck it.

It really was comfortable, after all.

•••

It got to the point that they were cuddling every time they were alone.

At first, Alastor had felt the compulsion to make up excuses for his behavior—it was cold, it was more practical so they could read the same book, they were both tired and they could each lay on the couch that way—but eventually he stopped trying. The fact of the matter was simple: he liked it. Anthony never questioned him, thankfully, but he couldn’t help wondering if he was behaving too strangely. After all, this wasn’t supposed to be a real relationship, and sometimes Alastor felt like he was taking advantage of the situation. He had simply never really been in a position to be so close to someone on such a regular basis, particularly not someone he wanted to be close to, and now that Anthony had opened the door… Alastor had discovered he really, really liked the contact.

Snow was falling gently as the two of them left the dormitory together, the moonlight casting silvery light off the blankets of white all around them, illuminating their walk off campus and to the small neighborhood where Charlie, Vaggie, Niffty, and Cherri were all renting a house together. Alastor couldn’t help laughing as Anthony shivered, pulling his hat down over his ears and his scarf up over his face before tucking his hands into the pockets of his huge white coat. “Cold?” he asked mildly.

“Fuckin’ freezing,” Anthony answered.

“You’d think you’d be used to the cold,” Alastor observed; he was cold, too, but he was certainly handling it better than his friend. “Yankee and all that.”

“Yeah well it doesn’t work like that.”

Alastor chuckled. “I’m sure they’ll have cider and you can warm yourself up.”

“Mmn.” Anthony looked at him, curiosity obvious on every inch of what was visible of his face. “Semester ends next week.”

“That it does. You going home?”

“Only if I can’t come up with an excuse to go somewhere else,” Anthony said. “You?”

“Can’t,” Alastor said. “Don’t have the money to travel. The dean’s letting me stay in the dorm over the break. I don’t think I’m the only one who’s staying, anyway.”

“Maybe I’ll just stay with you,” Anthony said. “Unless you’re just dying to have the place to yourself.”

Alastor glanced at him, surprised. “Oh… no, not particularly,” he said. “You know I get bored when I’m left on my own for too long, anyway.”

Anthony laughed. “You’d go through all my shit.”

“I don’t know where half of your belongings have been. No thank you.”

“Shut up,” Anthony said, punching Alastor lightly in the shoulder. “...your project is due next week, I guess?”

Alastor hadn’t let himself think about it very much. “Yeah. I need to finish writing it this weekend.”

“Boring.”

There was something else Anthony wanted to ask, Alastor could almost taste it. He could probably guess what it was, too.

Are we going to tell people it was a prank tonight?

Alastor was glad he didn’t ask, because honestly, he wasn’t sure what answer he would have given.

The house was decorated to an almost nauseating degree with lights, winter-themed foliage, and various lawn decorations of both the inflatable and the non-inflatable varieties. The door was open before they got a chance to knock, and Charlie (beaming from ear to ear as usual) waved them in. “Hi guys! Come on in, come on, it’s freezing outside!”

“You said it,” Anthony said, stepping in past her and pulling off his hat and scarf. His cheeks and nose were all pink, and Alastor had the bizarre thought that it was very cute. “Sorry we’re late.”

“Oh, no, you aren’t,” Charlie said as she took both of their outerwear and hung them up. “Everybody’s in either the living room or the kitchen, and my dad’s here, and I already made him promise to behave so you’d better also behave or I’ll do something drastic,” she added, pointing at Alastor’s nose.

He felt himself go cross-eyed before he nipped lightly at the air towards her finger, making her withdraw her hand. “Like what?”

“Like telling your boyfriend on you,” Charlie said decisively.

Alastor wasn’t sure what to say to that. He settled on, “My, haven’t we grown unreasonably cruel.”

“I’ll beat him up for you, sweetheart, don’t worry,” Anthony said, giving Alastor a wink.

They headed into the room where the Yule party was just getting into swing. Alastor took a moment to absorb the scene: Husk, Cherri, Niffty, and Blitzø were in front of some kind of complicated-looking board game, but they looked more like they were arguing over it than actually playing, while Stolas sat behind Blitzø looking through the rules pamphlet like he was trying to make sense of it; Pentious was sitting in front of Vaggie’s record player, holding up different records to Millie and Moxxie (who were occupying the same chair) like he was getting opinions on what to play next; Vaggie and Luna were at the island connecting the kitchen to the living room and appeared to be doing Jell-O shots; and from the sound of things, everyone else was in the kitchen, which suited Alastor just fine.

He followed Anthony to the center of the room, returning greetings as they were noticed, but they didn’t get far before Rosie appeared and thrust cups of hot cider into both of their hands. “Here, you both look frozen to death,” she said.

“Thank you, my dear,” Alastor said. “How’s the drama this evening?”

“Woefully undramatic,” she said, looking incredibly disappointed. “But I’m sure something will crop up for us to talk about for the next month.”

Anthony grinned. “It better. That’s the only reason I come to this shit.” He leaned closer to her and added in a lower voice, “Then again, maybe someone should just make some drama.”

Rosie leaned in the same distance and responded in the same tone, “If I get my way, I will be.”

“Ooh, dish, what?”

She grinned. “Gonna sleep with Charlie’s dad.” Alastor immediately choked on his cider, and before he could form words, she waved. “Ta, boys,” she trilled, heading back for the kitchen.

“Rosie!” Alastor snapped at her retreating back. “You are a hussy!”

“No, darling, I’m a harlot!”

In spite of the warnings, threats, and threats disguised as warnings, the evening progressed rather smoothly. Niffty was imposing strict limits on the drinking to prevent anyone from getting out of control (“Do not wreck this house, we are renting it!”), which meant the arguing never went too far and no fights broke out, not even from Cherri. When Alastor and Lucifer finally did lay eyes on each other, it was from across the room, but with Anthony and Charlie to steer them away from each other, he didn’t get a chance to do more than tauntingly smirk at the pompous asshole. There were some other people there that Alastor didn’t know—apparently, they were Lucifer’s work friends, but Charlie referred to them as aunts and uncles, so he wasn’t sure what to think—but he managed to avoid interacting too much with strangers, which was usually the reason he didn’t go to parties.

Roughly three hours later, after people had eaten and were milling around again, Alastor found himself sitting on a couch with Blitzø on one side of him and Millie on the other, deep in a conversation about (of all things) French Impressionist film and halfway through his fourth glass of cider when he felt Blitzø nudge his arm with his elbow. “What?” he asked, looking down at him.

“Look,” was his only answer, nodding to somewhere on the other side of the room.

Alastor obliged, his eyes landing on Anthony, who was talking with Niffty (about her clothes, judging by both of their body language). “...it’s Angel,” he said, perplexed. “What’s your point?”

Blitzø rolled his eyes. “God, you’re a fucking dumbass,” he said. “Look, will you?”

He still had no idea what the other guy was on about when Millie went, “Ooooh, I see,” and immediately started giggling.

“What?” Alastor asked, when neither of them explained.

Almost immediately, he felt someone lean against the couch. “Hey, honey,” Moxxie said, leaning down to kiss Millie on the head. “What’s so funny?”

“Look,” Millie said unhelpfully, pointing subtly over at where Anthony and Niffty were standing.

Moxxie squinted at him. “I have no idea what you’re– oh, no, I see.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Alastor said, looking at Moxxie. “What are you three talking about?”

Fortunately for him, Moxxie was basically incapable of not sharing information when he knew something. “Look over his head.”

Alastor sighed, looked at Anthony, then looked up, and– Oh, he thought, color rising to his cheeks. “...isn’t mistletoe a little… corny?”

“Nah, I think it’s romantic,” Millie said, clasping her hands together at her chest. “Besides, y’know Charlie wouldn’t’a put it up if it weren’t supposed t’, y’know, inspire.”

Alastor rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. “I don’t– I mean, Angel probably wouldn’t… you know…”

“Are you kidding? You think Mr. PDA would get all embarrassed if you kissed him?” Blitzø asked skeptically. “Besides, he’s standing under it, he’s practically begging–”

“I swear t’ god Blitzø if you say he’s askin’ for it I will eat yer kneecaps.”

“Well, he is!”

“You could always just ask,” Moxxie told Alastor as the other two immediately started bickering about ‘appropriate language’. “And if you aren’t comfortable, obviously, don’t do it.”

Am I comfortable with something like this?

A few months ago, Alastor would have just laughed at the question, or given some kind of sarcastic form of ‘no’ if pressed to answer. But now… he didn’t know if he was or not, and he was finally realizing that he was never going to know if he was or wasn’t unless he actually tried something. He just nodded to Moxxie, finished the rest of his cider all at once, and thrust the empty glass at Blitzø. “This was your idea, so you have to hold this.”

“What– yeah, okay, man, go get some.”

Alastor ignored him, getting to his feet and crossing the room to where Anthony was standing. The closer he got, the more clearly he could hear his voice; he was aware that his own thoughts were somewhat jumbled, but there was one thing he knew for absolute certain. It was something he had been thinking for days, a deeply sober sentiment that he knew the alcohol was not influencing one iota.

I don’t want him to go.

“Oh, hey, Al,” Anthony said, turning when he noticed him. “You’re not leavin’, are you?”

“No,” Alastor said, shaking his head. He thought to say something else, but he didn’t; he couldn’t do anything but just look at Anthony.

Apparently, this was odd. Anthony frowned, tilting his head. “...you okay?” he asked at length.

“What? Yeah. Yes,” Alastor corrected. “I’m fine. It’s just… I…” He wasn’t sure how to say it, and on reflex, he glanced up at the mistletoe again.

It wasn’t meant to direct Anthony’s own gaze, but it did, and the moment he registered the little bit of green decor, his cheeks flooded with pink. “...oh.”

Alastor was only vaguely aware of Niffty scurrying away, giggling. Anthony looked back down at him, both of them at a loss for words. Alastor wasn’t used to his speech failing him, because his words were how he had always navigated through life. It was how he had gotten himself out of trouble, and sometimes into it, for many years. But now… what was he supposed to say?

Anthony wasn’t speaking either. But he also wasn’t moving. Alastor didn’t know what to make of it. All he knew was that all of this thinking was making it worse, so instead of thinking, he would just do something.

When he first leaned forward and kissed Anthony, the other young man gasped, as though so much buildup still hadn’t prepared him. Before Alastor could even think about moving away, Anthony flung his arms around Alastor’s shoulders and pulled him closer. Even though they didn’t part lips, even Anthony was out of breath when they parted, and Alastor was fairly certain both of their faces were on fire.

He only noticed the room was silent when someone yelled, “Hell yeah!” which triggered either laughter or vehement shushing from most everyone else in the room. Anthony immediately started giggling, burying his face in Alastor’s shoulder.

Alastor couldn’t bring himself to look at the rest of the room. It wasn’t just because it was embarrassing, it was because the sight of Anthony flushed so pink and overcome with laughter was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. “...are you ready to go?” he murmured.

“Mhm,” Anthony said into Alastor’s shoulder, nodding.

No one seemed terribly surprised when they took their leave, bundling back up in their coats and heading out into the snow once more. The walk back felt both longer than it ever had and so short it was as though it passed in a blink. They were outside the dorms when Alastor took Anthony’s sleeve. “Wait,” he said.

“Y-yeah?” Anthony asked, turning to look at him.

Immediately, Alastor didn’t want to say anything, so he forced out the first words he could without giving himself time to process or second-guess. “Be my boyfriend. I mean… really. My actual boyfriend.”

This time, Anthony was the one who kissed him.

An hour later, they were in Alastor’s room, coats and hats haphazardly scattered on the floor and Anthony’s back against the wall. Alastor grabbed his wrists and pinned them, covering Anthony’s mouth with his own.

Judging by the sounds Anthony was making, he was a fast learner when it came to this kind of thing.

When they parted, Anthony tilted his head back, exposing the line of his neck, and Alastor was unable to resist leaning down enough to kiss his throat. He could feel Anthony’s groan reverberating through his own lips. “Oh, god, yeah,” Anthony moaned. “That’s so good…”

Something about those words, the way Anthony said them, sent a shiver through Alastor’s body. Before he could second-guess it, he bit down on Anthony’s neck, making him cry out and arch his back to press their chests together. Alastor released him. “Too much?” he panted.

“No, no no, fuck no, don’t stop…!”

Alastor bit down again, and Anthony whined, the sound turning into a sort of sharp moan as Alastor began scraping his teeth against his skin. As he began sucking a bruise into his flesh, he discovered that the rougher he was, the more Anthony seemed to like it; by the time he moved away to admire his work, the side of Anthony’s neck was covered in marks ranging from pink to dark red to something bordering on purple.

Anthony was breathing hard. “Fuck, Alastor, you’re so good…!”

Alastor didn’t know what it was, but when Anthony said that, it made him feel like he was going to go insane if he didn’t do… something, he just didn’t know what. He practically growled as he grabbed Anthony around the waist, and his best friend let out an inelegant squeak as he was lifted off the ground and practically flung onto Alastor’s bed. Alastor wasn’t sure how he would feel about this later, but he knew what he wanted now, and what he wanted was to keep making Anthony make those noises.

He stumbled slightly when he kicked his shoes off, but he managed to keep his feet until he could get onto the bed and crawl on top of Anthony, pinning him down and kissing him again. The night devolved into a haze of sensation and emotion, punctuated by Anthony’s whispered encouragement and moans. Alastor wasn’t sure if he was making noise or not—he was too busy listening to Anthony’s sounds to really focus on what he himself was doing—but if the way he felt when Anthony actually moaned the words “you’re such a good boy” in his ear was anything to go by, he was pretty sure he didn’t want to know what kind of noises he was making.

Eventually, he wasn’t able to form any kind of coherent thought beyond, I’m going to have to rewrite my entire paper.

[reycherie]

Inspired by the song, "He's my man" by luvcat.

"Late September in the city

The sky is gray, the air is sticky"

In a cloudy afternoon in 1933, New Orleans, Louisiana. You were sitting on a soft, maroon couch in your living room near the window of your house, listening to the voice of your husband on the radio while you were finishing the book you're reading. This was quite a normal day of missing your husband—Alastor Hartfelt, since he hasn't come back home from his radio show host work yet.

Sighing as you finish reading the last words on the book. You've finished yet another book for this month, and struck with boredom, you thought of how your husband should have stayed home forever—well.. Nevermind that—you decide to focus on your husband's lovely voice as he updates you about the weather this afternoon.

You did notice the foul weather for this afternoon while you were reading your book. You worry about your husband's safe return to work; what if he comes home all wet? His brunette, curly hair, flat and drenched from the rain. Oh, he looked beautiful just thinking about it..

But…

What if he encounters an accident on the way? Such as a car suddenly crashing on him.. You groaned, trying to stop such unpleasant thoughts from coming from your mind.

He makes a joke about the weather, making you grin and chuckle, distracting you from such depressing thoughts. Such a charming man.. If ever a woman decides to steal your man, you don't think you handle it well.

If they tried to get a bit closer to him, you wouldn't be able to contain yourself, and maybe—just maybe—tip over some arsenic on their tea.. Anyway, you're sure that won't happen any time soon!

"I keep falling in and out of sleep

Lettin' the sun scorch the grass"

You didn't realize that you ended up sleeping as you woke up to your husband giving out his goodbyes on the radio, rubbing your eyes as you realized he's about to come back home.

You jumped from your seat; he's about to come home—and you haven't cooked dinner yet! Yes, Alastor likes to cook; you know that. He likes to cook for the both of you, but you just can't erase the teachings and pride of being the woman of the household.

So you ran to the kitchen and did your best to cook the fastest yet most appetizing dinner you could think of before your husband comes home.

With a bit of trial and error while you were cooking, you finished everything exactly just when your husband arrived through the door. With a bright smile and glistening eyes, you greeted your husband, "Oh, Alastor! Just in time, I just finished cooking dinner."

He greeted you with a kiss on your hand, “Ah, so that's where the lovely smell was coming from!"

You chuckled and gestured for him to follow, "Come, dear, let's eat."

"The flies are knockin' on the glass

But they're the only other friends I have, you see"

You notice every detail of your husband's habits; the way he hums a tune whenever he’s interested. Or how he always crosses his legs every time he sits down.

Of course you didn't miss out on his… interesting meal palate and nightly hobbies. But well, that doesn't matter! In your eyes, your husband is amazing and perfect just as he is.

You suddenly remember when you noticed how your friends talked more about your husband than theirs; it was quite a displeasure…

“Reader, you’re such a lucky girl for marrying such a dream boat!” That comment ticked you off.

Why are they giggling and blushing about YOUR husband? At that moment, you felt an urge to just stab them on the throat with a knife, just like gossipers should get—but oh well, if you killed them right then and there, you would've been the biggest suspect. You wouldn't want to ruin the perfect life you built with your husband, after all.

"I need him so much that it hurt

I wish he didn't have to go to work

And i just lie and watch the ceiling fan turn"

As you and your husband finish your day, you couldn't help but release a sigh contained within you, catching Alastor’s attention.

He sat next to you on the satin bed in your bedroom. "My dear, what has caught you in such tension?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing that you need to worry about, darling" you said, trying to smile sweetly at him.

"Are you sure about that? You know that you can share your thoughts with me," he consoled you.

Oh, how can you tell him that you didn't want him to go to work tomorrow? How badly you wanted him to resign, but.. You knew that he dearly loved his work, so much that it sometimes scares you that he loved his work so much more than you. What if he decided to leave you because of his work? What if he decides to get rid of you? What if-

What useless thoughts!

Of course you knew that wouldn't happen; you're just overthinking things.

"Hes my man, we're hand in hand

To hell and back

And I'll love him like nobody else can"

You woke up to a sound of a thud outside your room. "Alastor?" you called out.

You glanced at the window, the sky was dark, the sun hasn't risen yet. You decided to check things out and walked out of your room, investigating your house. The house was silent; all you could hear was your footsteps. Tip, Tap, Tip-

The lights were open in the kitchen. You chose to walk into the area, and oh, were you in for a shock!

A distinct, metallic smell was coming through the kitchen; you were familiar with that smell. Sometimes seeing him commit his odd activities sends a shiver up to your spine, and this was one of those moments. You saw your husband bloody and with a knife chopping a limb on your kitchen counter.

"Darling?..." you slowly walked beside him, occasionally glancing at the.. distasteful sight on the counter.

"Oh my love! The knife falling from earlier must have woken you up; I apologize." Alastor smiled at you in a creepy way, not that you weren't already used to it now.

"It's fine, dear, how was your.. hunt tonight?" you slowly asked him before leaning at the kitchen counter.

"It was quite a groove!" he talked while continuing his work, "Though this guy was putting up quite a fight! But no matter, it made the hunt far more enjoyable."

"Were you hurt anywhere?" Your eyes scanned his body from head to toe; there were no injuries.

"Your concern is for nothing, my love; this one was quite easy," he chuckled, still busy chopping.

"Well.. that's great," you couldn't help but let out a yawn before continuing. "I'm quite tired; I'll go first, darling.. Goodnight," you told him before carefully placing a kiss on his cheeks.

He hummed with approval and replied with a goodnight back.

The sight bothers you at times, yes, but you still loved him, no matter what he does—honestly, you think you would be able to accept anything he does. Besides, it's not like you don't see that sight almost every day.

"He's my man, I've been damned

No, nobody has to understand

Me and my man"

Ever since you saw Alastor, you knew he was the one for you and that the both of you were fated—soulmates even. You carefully memorized and observed him even before your marriage, just like how his smile would slightly falter whenever he got upset or how he dislikes the idea of being touched by others, and many more that you've observed.

And of course, you noticed your tendencies towards getting obsessive. You would be envious of the idea of other women talking to Alastor, sometimes overthinking if your husband would leave you for another woman or if he would leave you owing to the fact that he fell out of love.. If really did he abandoned you, you think you would snap.

Occasionally, you would wonder if other people felt this much love for their significant others.. You wondered if they could understand how you felt whenever someone tried to take your husband's attention from you. Nonetheless, you just push these thoughts away; no one has to understand.

"I stay home and make his dinner

Even though somehow he keeps gettin' thinner

I wait, watchin' the washing machine spin 'round and 'round again"

Your married life with Alastor was quite peaceful. On Mondays you would buy groceries, on Wednesdays you would have a scheduled tea party with your friends, and on Sundays you would go to church.

On days where you don't have anything scheduled. You would carry out your household duties; such as cleaning the house, and occasionally, you would cook either dinner or pastries. And since you don't have a child to take care of, you would read books or newspapers to pass the time.

"I need him so much that it hurt

I wish he didn't have to go to work

He keeps complainin that his vision's blurred"

Another day, another isolation. Today was a Friday, and your husband has just gone to work. You let out a sigh as you tried to focus reading your book, but you just couldn't.

Finally having enough, you slammed it down on a table before you got up and walked to your kitchen. Thinking that maybe caffeine would help.

You remembered how lately Alastor has been complaining how his glasses were out of date. You two could possibly swing by the optometrists at some later date, so you decided to have this thought aside for now.

"He's my man, we're hand in hand

To hell and back

And I'll love him like nobody else can"

You reminisced about the day of your wedding; that day was the most wonderful day in your entire life—that time was when your dreams were achieved and your goals reached. You wore a pearly white dress with the veil reaching the floor. Alastor looked to die for! His slicked back hair, his black suit, his eyes, his smile, his- ahem.

That day made you reflect on all efforts you made to protect him from suitors and to finally get him to fall for you. When you walked down the aisle, you just couldn't help but shed a tear.

You didn't like people gawking at your husband, and your husband didn't like people staring at him. So you and Alastor decided to marry near a lake with only the both of you and the pastor to officiate the wedding.

The thought of other women setting boundaries from your husband was delightful—well, that was until your friends got TOO comfortable and always gossiped about him in front of you.

"He's my man, I've been damned

No, nobody has to understand

Me and my man"

You did murder some people; most of them were women who tried to court him. Just like when that one woman who tried to flirt with your Alastor before ending up dead by slicing her tongue and stabbing her heart and eyes.

Another tried to get too close with him, so you did your natural routine: stab her in the eyes and slice the throat, then stab her heart.

You got away with those crimes multiple times by burying them in the forests; you made sure that there was little to no evidence. And surely one day, that was when you saw Alastor.

At that time he was viciously stabbing a man, very morbid, unlike your style.. but you still love him, of course! Anyway, at that point you were honestly a bit scared, leading you to try and sneak out of the vicinity.

Everything was so going well until a damned leaf crunched so loudly that your Alastor heard it!

At that time, your hands were covered in blood, and some of your clothes had been stained with blood; it was obvious that you murdered someone.

You and him stared at each other for a long time, and you had the thoughts of, 'Is this it? Will I die from his hands? How will he accept me now?' It didn't seem too bad for you, but you two weren't even official partners at that time! So you felt a bit reluctant to end your life.

In the end, he let you go. You think that Alastor only let you walk away freely at that moment because of the reason being both of you murdering someone and you being a woman, though you're still not sure of the purpose.

"He keeps havin' feverish dreams

That he can never, ever leave

He wakes, head aches, funny taste to his tea"

1933, the year your dearest beloved left the world. This left you in shambles; you felt broken and alone. Everything felt useless.

You never went out anymore, nor did you care for yourself; you never took care of the house he loved and cared for so much.

The loneliness haunts you; you've been seeing your husband's shadow all over the house. Sometimes you think that maybe this was a cruel joke on you, a cruel play of fates. Oh, Alastor, why did you have to leave me? So early too.

It's been 3 days since he died. The police reported that he was shot in the head while hunting and that he was mistaken for a deer—of all things!

"Oh, for god's sake, why?" you mumbled. Your hair was a mess, cheeks red as tomatoes, eyes puffy as ever, and your nose runny. You were in complete desolation.

This was worse than him abandoning you; at least abandoning you means that he's still alive.

He was supposed to live with you until the both of you were old and die together! He wasn't supposed to leave so early…

"I want him to stay here forever

He's happiest with me

'Cause he"

.

.

You barely ate, barely slept, barely living. Haunted by his voice and shadows.

You locked yourself in that very home he loved—the only things that he left for you—and caged yourself like a bird with clipped wings.

You tried playing the piano for him, but you failed. It didn’t sound right, it wasn’t good enough. You tried reading to pass time, but you just couldn't. After all, those books were just full of romance. You tried listening to the radio, but all you could think was him, your darling Alastor. My one and only.

His death made you remember the days you two would go on dates, the days where you two would dance and enjoy music from the radio, the days where you just sat down and watched Alastor cook.

The peaceful days.

As the world caves in to you, you are plagued by silence and darkness. No one to comfort you, no one to smile at you and remind you how important it is to maintain one; in the end, there was only one way to silence everything: killing yourself.

"He's my man

And I'll love him like nobody else can

He's my man, he's gone quite mad

No, nobody has to understand

Me and my man"

The wind swayed your hair and dress. Everything had no meaning without him. Your body reluctantly pushed itself off the ledge. The fall felt somewhat peaceful; life flashing before your eyes, memories flooding in, both good and bad.

Crack.

The horrible fall made your back hurt like hell.

Your body was aching everywhere; blood plagued your back and head. Your vision was oddly more clearer and better than last time, and you felt that your hearing senses had been reduced; everything was ringing. And for some reason, you could feel? Strange vibrations from everywhere! Additionally, your mouth feels a bit weird…

You slowly sat up and noticed that you landed on a roof. Then the dawning realization hits you when you look around, oh, and surprise surprise—you ended up in hell.

You didn't know what to do; though you knew what this meant, the pastors never explained what would happen if hell looked like this!

Your eyesight had definitely gotten better; you could see perfectly. You noticed that the streets were bloody, people screaming in horror and agony, maniacal and sadistic laughter everywhere, and the houses here looked more chaotic; everything was uneven, everything was so red!

But for gods sake, you were a stay-at-home wife! What are you supposed to do now? However, this certainly made you realize how you now have the ability to find your husband, and oh, will you definitely find him no matter what.

[small-sinclair]

In My Arms

Vincent Sinclair x Reader

Contains: passionate kiss, cuddles

Enjoy

At the end of the day, the skies fade to a deep purple and a burning orange light. Vincent normally doesn't see sunsets, but he managed to snag the sight as you dragged him outside to the gentle green and yellow field of wildflowers. You carried a blanket and a picnic basket that you found from a tourist and packed it full with two sub sandwiches, a small container of brownies, and sodas.

"I know you've been working so hard lately," you said as you unfolded the blanket and placed it down. He took off his shoes as you had him sit next to you. "So, I decided to make you some dinner! I know it's not much but..." your voice trailed and paused as Vincent placed a hand over yours. You could fell his smile under his mask.

'It's okay. This is nice, too.' His hands signed. He knows you're still learning how to speak with him, and it'll take time before you and understand him fully. 'It's a nice spot you picked. Why here?'

You take out the paper plates and some napkins, setting them up for you and him. "There's a meteor shower tonight," you said with a smile. "I asked Bo it he could have the lights off in town, so we could get a perfect view." The last remaining sunlight lit a halo in your hair. "Also, it's getting a bit stuffy downstairs. You need some fresh air." You gave him his sub and placed yours in front of you, offering a smile. "And I thought you would need some inspiration from the shower! A little bit of space themes here and there would so some good, I think."

You looked forward and started eating your sub. Next to you, you saw the wax face sitting between you and him. It has been months before Vincent took his mask off around you. When you first saw his face, you thought he was the most prettiest human alive, perfect in every way. When he did have his mask off while you two shared a bed, you'd kiss his scars gently, making sure he knew how much he meant to you. the love for this man was beyond anyone's understanding. Bo would give you shit about it, but he knew that this was one of the best things that's happened to his twin. The kindness you give and the tender lover you two bloomed was just want the artist needed.

His raven hair hung on the other side of his face, and he was facing his "better" side. His bright blue eye sparkled in the dying sunset as his shoulders relaxed to the food. He loves it whenever you cook for him, either if it's just a sub sandwich or soup. He closed his eye and smiled to himself. It's been a while since he's eaten something, but he'll never tell you. Goodness, he's lucky to have him by his side. You'll never know how many drawings of you he has all over his workshop. The photo of you smiling tucked in a locket around his neck hidden under his shirt and a drawing of you sleeping in bed hidden under scraps of papers... he'll keep it hidden from you as long as he can.

"You okay, Vincent?" Your words interrupted his thoughts. "You've been chewing the same bite for a while now."

He swallows hard, blushing in embarrassment.

You put the last two bites of your sub down and slid next to him, putting the mask on the other side of you with care. "What's going on in that mind of yours, darling? Something wrong?"

He shakes his head as he put his sub down. 'Just thinking about things. That's all. I promise.'

You lifted a brow as you playfully nudged his side. "Was I one of those things?"

He lifts his shoulders, laughing silently to himself. You rested your head on his shoulder as you looked at the purple and blue sky. The hum of bullfrogs and crickets started their song, singing for Louisiana herself. You hand intertwines in Vincent's, his other hand holding the sub. The comfortable silence between you two was filled with the sounds of the marsh and bright firefly lights. They circled you two, lighting Vincent's eye in flames and gentle glows. It almost felt as if a part of heaven has dropped on you two.

He finished his sandwich, wiped his hands, and, shifting slightly, he lifted you up to place you on his lap. You let out a giggle as he buried his head into your neck, leaving small kisses down your skin. He held you close as he looks up to the sky. His scars burned without any light as the other half looked up as the stars started to show. He looks breathless in the firefly light.

You blushed as you raised a hand, resting on his smooth skin. He jolts at your touch slightly, but he leans into your hand as a large hand held it there. He turned his head and placed a kiss on your palm. He looks back at you and grins as you blushed.

"Oh, Vincent," you whispered as you felt him pulling you closer and tighter. "You're so beautiful."

He rested his head against yours, his chest rising and falling ever so gently. When he looked into your eyes, he smiled. Fuck the stars in the sky and curse every planet and galaxy. You were his everything, and he could get lost in your gaze forever.

He leaned down and places a hesitant kiss against your lips before placing another, deepening it as he pulled you in. He wanted more of you, more, more, more, and deeper and deeper did the pit in is stomach grow. Vincent thought if he could have you close to him, he would be whole. he thought you completed him from every light and darkness, every daydream and nightmare. You calmed his heart and his mind when thoughts of blood and death plagued him, and he wanted to hold you close and never let go. His arms brought you closer, an arm holding your back to keep you upright and supported, his hans getting tangled in your hair. Your hands clung to his shirt, pulling gently as the grip tightened around the fabric.

When you pulled away, both of you were breathless. You rested against his head as you felt his warm breath down your skin. He lifted your head by the chin. He pushed your hair back and smiled warmly down at you. In his arms, you were here, you were real, you were his.

His lips parted as a raspy voice struggled out, "I love-love you, y/n."

Your eyes grew wide; you never heard him before. But your eyes returned to love as he stole a kiss. You smiled against his lips, your hands pushing his raven hair behind his ears.

"I love you more, Vincent," you said with your smile still showing. "I love you so much."

'All the stars in the world could never compare to you, my muse,' his signed against your skin. He met every word, and he'll repeat it over and over until your heart believes. He takes a deep breath and whispers, "I love you, y/n."

You rested your head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. Your eyes looked up to watch the meteor shower, but his eye never left you. Never once did they looked up. He had everything right here in his arms.

[alice-after-dark]

Rosie Bennett's Finishing School for Young Ladies - Why, When We Do Our Darkest Deeds, Do We Tell?

Inspired by @hiemaldesirae's fem!RadioStatic content and his Hazbin Institution for Homicide Practitioners AU (at least the idea of these two in a school setting).

This is the inspiration for the school uniform.

Takes place during the late 1920s.

Soon enough exams are over and the much anticipated winter break has begun. Alison gazes out the window of the library, enjoying the fresh snowfall and the quiet. Most students wouldn't fathom staying at the school over break, but Alison loves it. Plenty of solitude and quality time with Rosie.

It is late afternoon. She should start heading towards the dining hall, she decides.

The snow crunches under her boots as she crosses the campus. Snow blows about her. There is a storm coming. She can empathize. The storm inside her is getting stronger by the day, the itch under her skin is almost unbearable. She has to do something about it soon or she fears she will lose her mind and do something reckless and stupid.

Once at the dining hall, she wastes no time in grabbing an apron and setting to work. Contrary to popular belief, Alison excels in most of her classes, home economics especially. She prides herself on her cooking, passed down to her by her mother. Of course, her Creole dishes are often looked down on as improper and low class, but she doesn't care. It isn't her fault if most of these students (and even the teachers) have never had anything with actual flavor in their entire lives. She pities them really.

It's about an hour later that the doors open and Vivian sweeps into the dining hall in all her magnificent glory. Alison admits she is fascinated by the woman. For all her excellent acting skills, Alison knows danger when she sees it, has learned to sense it from her years running about the Louisiana bayou. Vivian is a true wolf hiding in the delicate skin of a doe, beautiful and dangerous like a poisonous flower. The woman knows the power she holds and wields it with practiced expertise. She may play the sweet and charming school darling to the masses of the student body, but Alison knows there is something darker there. She recalls the young woman on that night, covered in blood with hardly suppressed rage lurking in her eyes.

Alison wants to devour her whole.

"You're cooking?" Vivian questions as she lays her coat and scarf over one of the chairs. There are snowflakes melting in her hair, making her sparkle in the lamp light. Her cheeks are flushed from the cold. Alison focuses on the task at hand.

"Rosie allowed it. I thought it was hardly fair for Mrs. Abernathy to be stuck here all break too so I offered to cook dinners so she can leave early. She'll still be here for breakfast and lunch."

"You seem very close with Mrs. Bennett."

"I like to think so. She is a very dear friend."

Rosie is in fact the reason she is here right now and not stuck in some other stuffy school. Rosie is the reason for many things. Alison recalls those hot months spent in the upper class woman's summer home, her subtle instruction on how to be a proper lady, how to charm those around you, how to avoid suspicion. She taught Alison how to hide in plain sight, how to observe those around her, and what signs to look for. Rosie is the reason she hasn't gone mad...or been caught.

"What are you making?" Vivian interrupts her thoughts.

"Jambalaya," she answers. "My mother's recipe. It's almost finished if you want to sit. I'll be out in just a minute."

Vivian nods and soon Alison joins her at the table, placing a bowl in front of her before starting in on her own meal. Mrs. Abernathy's cooking is certainly good, but it's nothing like the taste of home.

Vivian takes a bite and puts a hand to her mouth, blushing prettily. "This is so good!"

Alison's smile reaches her eyes. "Thank you. My mother was a very good cook." She watches Vivian press another bite of meat past her painted lips and Alison swallows in time with her. Watching her like this, she could almost believe Vivian is as innocent as she appears.

The talk is light as they eat. Vivian helps with the dishes and they walk back to their dorm together. The itch is still present, but it has been sated for now and Alison's mind is currently distracted by the pretty thing beside her.

That was yet another thing Rosie had helped her with. When all the other girls were fussing over boys, Alison just...hadn't seen the appeal. She'd questioned Rosie about it and the woman had listen to her with grace and understanding and Alison had come away with the knowledge that, not only did she in fact prefer women to men, but she also experienced desire differently than most. She didn't completely lack desire, it was just more complicated for her.

And apparently her complicated nature had decided that Vivian, the stunningly beautiful and popular school darling, heiress to the Haynes' fortune, and regal bitch with the skill and talent to back it up, was exactly what she wanted.

Lovely.

[lord-grant]

fully and 100% truthfully inspired by this post!!

The first seafood boil for Babe.

After a few meetings with generals and other random people Babe forgot the ranks of, he ended up flying home with Eugene.

It took a bit to get used to the overly-hot weather in Louisiana. Roe advised not to layer too much if its a particularly hot day, heat strokes come faster than you think.

A few days in, Eugene’s family has a big dinner, tons of relatives and friends invited, including the new face; Edward “Babe” Heffron. A friend from war.

The duo sit down next to eachother, gloves and a napkin accompanying everyone at the foldable white tables in the backyard.

Babe stares at the items infront of him, insanely confused. What is this? It takes him a while to try and process things, before giving up and turning to his friend (or boyfriend, whatever you want!).

“‘Gene, why are there gloves?” He asked quietly, not wanting to seem offensive to the family if they did hear him— even if they were all laughing and talking loudly.

Eugene slowly turns to him, eyes a bit wide, and mouth filled with food. Shrimp, crawfish, and other sea-life stuffed into his hungry mouth, coated thoroughly with spicy seasonings and lemon juice. Different sauces and powders cover his lips, red-ish orange. Its everywhere. Some spread up his arms, the rest on his gloves. …so thats what they’re for?

[nycfoodieblog]

Tonight‘s dinner inspiration was drawn from one of my favorite restaurants back in Louisiana. It’s called The Warehouse No. 1 Restaurant and whenever I’m in town, I try to go at least once.

This is my interpretation of a dish they serve by the name of Catfish Sierra. The fish is usually served fried or broiled, but I made a few modifications as mine contains blackened catfish fillets that are smothered in a Cajun andouille sausage cream sauce and topped with grilled jumbo gulf shrimp.

On the side, there’s a loaded double baked potato that’s stuffed with scallions, sour cream, onions, cheddar cheese, and chopped bacon as well as my chicken fried green tomatoes with a spicy remoulade and a fresh batch of jalapeno hushpuppies.

Now, it’s back to the game! ☺️☺️☺️

Mood Music - “El Barrio” by Los Hombres Calientes

[sitp-recs]

Masterclass in smut 🔥

Happy Friday everyone! As promised, here’s a multishipper/multi-fandom smutty reclist with my personal wank bank favorite ships doing the nasty and being 100% unapologetic about it. I could maybe split these between 2 categories, evocative and downright problematique filth - y por que no los dos??? Naturally, everything’s (very) Explicit here. Bon Appétit my horniessss

Has the Touch by professorfangirl (Bond/Q, 007, 2k) - the sexiest, most intimate and organic smut I’ve ever read, #writing goals

Bond is good with his hands.

Slip Free of My Grasp by @lqtraintracks (Harry/Sirius, HP, 3.5k) - 1st person pov goals, sinful and redeeming at once. This Sirius holds my heart

I don't want to be bad for him. I want to do bad things and still be, somehow, inexplicably, good.

Sardines by @shiftylinguini (Scorbus + Jeddy, HP, 4k) - a masterpiece with impeccable atmosphere, no one has ever made borderline incest feel so light & playful

It’s bad enough his cock is hard from listening to the impromptu midnight pornography of his brother getting off; Albus is not going to add seeing it to the list of reasons why he lost his mind, and presumably his eyesight, on the eve of his grandmother's seventieth.

Tremolo by Lilsoshie, marose (Tony/Peter, MCU, 4.3k) - stream of consciousness smut with insatiable Tony and exhausted af Peter

“You’re gonna ride me,” Tony decides, easing his fingers free and cherishing the unhappy whine the move inspires. “Up, come on.”

The Lies We Live With by @bixgirl1 (Jeddy, HP, 5k) - peak angsty smut, just the tip has never hurt this much :(

It doesn’t really count… is almost always followed by a lie, James learns, growing up.

Honeyboy by dollylux (Wincest, Supernatural, 6k) - filthy underage semi-public incest, see y’all in hell 🤠

While John's running an errand in the backwoods in Louisiana, Sam finds a way to keep Dean occupied. (Sex kitten!Sammy and trying-so-hard-to-be-good-in-public-and-failing!Dean.)

Ravishing by Miss_Lv (Newt/Percival, Fantastic Beasts, 7.6k) - give me dead dove like this or give me nothing!!!

Theseus holds a dinner party at his home and once Newt plays his part, he escapes, unaware he has an admirer following him.

Toeing the Line by @shiftylinguini (Tedrarry, HP, 8k) - nothing gets me more into Harry/Teddy than watching Harry watch Draco fuck Teddy. Filthy & sweet but really, this is here for the brilliant title plus daddy kink

Draco wasn’t sure why watching his partner fuck Teddy until he screamed was somehow less morally iffy for Harry than just doing it himself, but Draco wasn’t about to judge. Not when he was balls deep, anyway.

Only As Directed by rageprufrock (Hartwin, Kingsman, 12k) - possessive love is knowing how to share :)

“Arthur is a bad man,” Roxy had said. “Fucking tell me about it,” Eggsy had muttered, and gone to put on the tarty trousers Harry had picked out for him like a fucking high-end pimp.

Burned Silk, Buckled Leather by @ruinsplume (Sirius/Draco, HP, 12k) - stunning catharsis smut, liberating and full of kink positivity

When Sirius discovers a down-and-out Draco Malfoy lurking around the edges of a Muggle kink club, he thinks he knows just what Draco needs. He isn't expecting to run into some long-buried needs of his own.

Euphoria by birdsofshore (Scorbus + Dralbus, HP, 22k) - my go-to wank material, dilf Draco can step on my face anytime

A fire is prickling in the pit of my belly. I feel a little like I'm watching this happening to someone else. Al's sitting there, reeking of another man's sweat and come. He looks miserable and anxious... but also well-fucked. I look at his mussed hair, his bitten lips. I've never wanted him more.

From Thy Bounty by feyrelay, natureboy (Tony/Peter, MCU, 32k) - masterclass in both building and resolving sexual tension

Tony’s eyes are always dark, but now there's almost no iris left. He looks hollowed out. There’s something terribly hungry there, despite the feast they've filled themselves on.

Sötnos by Miss_Lv (Newt/Percival, Fantastic Beasts, 37k) - exquisite world building, blows my mind every time

Newt was expelled from Hogwarts but his parents managed to get him into another school, Durmstrang. There, Newt is taken under wing by the kind Professor Graves, who teaches him everything he needs to know about making new friends.

Heart Toward the Highway by Edwardina (Jo Harvelle/John Winchester, Supernatural, 43k) - the only F/M story you’ll ever need to read, I promise

Jo, fresh out of high school, has left home and wound up on the road with John, trying to learn the ropes from someone who isn't exactly sharing and caring. John, distant and impatient, isn't really a partner, friend, or role model -- which means that Jo's gotta get all stupid and hot for him. Their stoic apprenticeship starts to unravel as Jo starts to run out of clothes and John can't ignore her anymore.

Breezeblocks by hellhoundsprey (Supernatural RPF, 59k) - I have no idea how I found this, I don’t even read RPF. if you’re into cuckolding + humiliation: it doesn’t get any better than this

After months of doubts and suspicions, Jake ends up catching his husband red-handed when he comes home early one Friday afternoon. A/B/O

[starstuddedevents]

A city for the senses, from the enticing scent of a hearty gumbo to the energizing beat of a jazz band. At The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans located on the edge of the French Quarter, the experience of the city comes to life as soon as guests cross the threshold of the historic luxury hotel. Set within the 1908 Beaux Arts Maison Blanche building, our hotel highlights traditional Southern ambiance with an elegant interior that reflects the graciousness of Garden District mansions. Immerse yourself in the opulent ambiance of The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans suites, adorned with exquisite furnishings and plush bedding, and breathtaking views of the city, creating an oasis of tranquility in the heart of the Crescent City.

＊ROOMATES ARE LISTED AT THE END OF THIS POST

HOTEL FACILITIES:

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This unique massage begins with

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along with cool jade rollers facilitate

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FITNESS CENTER.

Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

With 24/7 access available with room key, work out in the state-of-the-art Fitness Center. Our fitness center, located adjacent to the spa, offers state of the art cardiovascular machines and weight equipment as well as a spinning studio, complete with a Wexer virtual coach. The studio features a variety of classes reflecting the industry’s hottest titles and trends with more than 600 workouts from top brands such as Zumba, Virtual Active, and FitFusion. Each of these classes can be tailored to guests’ specific needs. Virtual spin bike courses allow guests to travel to destinations such as The Swiss Alps or West Coast from the comfort of the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans gym.

Equipment Available:

Cardiovascular Equipment

Elliptical Machines

Exercise Bikes

Free Weights

Strength Equipment

Treadmills

Weight Machines

SWIMMING.

Mon : 12:00 PM-9:00 PM

Tue-Sun : 9:00 AM-9:00 PM

Resistance Pool and Whirlpool

Indoor

Towels provided

Heated

DINING:

Local dining and musical traditions live on at The Ritz Carlton, New Orleans. Farm-to-table Louisiana cuisine, including shrimp and grits and bouillabaisse, is showcased at M Bistro restaurant. At Davenport Lounge, light fare and cocktails are served to the sounds of live jazz.

M BISTRO.

M bistro’s New Orleans cuisine features a menu with the finest ingredients from farmers in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.

Breakfast Mon-Fri 7AM-11AM

Breakfast Buffet Sat-Sun 7AM-12PM

Lunch Daily 11AM-2PM

Dinner Daily 5:30PM-10PM

Dress Code:Smart Casual

DAVENPORT LOUNGE.

Enjoy cocktails and light fare, as well as the sounds of resident musician Jeremy Davenport and his band Wednesday-Thursday 5:30PM - 9:30PM, Friday- Saturday 8:00PM - 12:00AM. In addition, Afternoon Tea is offered Saturday 11:00AM and 2:30PM.

Opening Hours:

Mon-Thu,Sun:

11:00 AM-11:00 PM

Fri-Sat:

11:00 AM-1:00 AM

SUITES.

Hotel rooms and suites at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans feature commissioned artwork inspired by New Orleans's heritage, smart TVs with streaming apps, and spacious layouts with executive work desks.

PREMIUM QUEEN/QUEEN SUITE.

Premium Suite with 2 Queen Beds, Living/sitting area, Dining area, Separate living room, Wireless internet, for a fee, Coffee/tea maker

2 Queen Beds

Rollaway beds not permitted

Cribs permitted: 1

Pillowtop mattress, Duvet, and Frette luxury linens

EXECUTIVE SUITE.

Executive Suite, 1 King, Living/sitting area, Separate living room, Wireless internet, for a fee, Coffee/tea maker

1 King Bed

Rollaway beds permitted upon request

Cribs permitted: 1

Pillowtop mattress, Duvet, and Frette luxury linens

ROOM SERVICE IS AVAILABLE EVERY DAY 24/7.

FEATURES:

Terraces

Third Floor Upper Lobby

Courtyard & Fountain

ROOMATES:

Nina Dobrev & Andrew Hozier Byrne

Alycia Debnam-Carey & Matt Smith

Selena Gomez & Sabrina Carpenter

Joe Burrow & Dua Lipa

Taylor Hill & Jenna Coleman

Lily James & Glen Powell

Olivia Cooke & Anya Taylor-Joy

Gigi Hadid & Amelia Dimoldenberg

Madison Beer & Callum Turner

Taylor Swift & Daisy Edgar-Jones

Andrew Garfield & Emma D'Arcy

Emila Clarke & Nicholas Galitzine

Florence Pugh & TBD

[tinglingfuckingsensation]

hii from the emoji ask game you posted I’d love to know

🙌What's a line or paragraph of yours that you're proud of?

🥘What wip are you most excited about?

thank youuu ☺️

Ahhhh thank you for the ask!!!! Soooo excited to talk about my fics ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

This got a little out of hand so I'm putting it under the cut

🙌 that's a hard one!!! But looking back through my fics, I think it's probably this passage from chapter 1 of Hungry Work:

"Gene, as a rule, calls everyone by their last name unless he gets called to help them. Only then does he call them by the same name their friends and families do, as he tries to keep them calm, stop the bleeding, save their life.

Each time, it’s like cutting open his own chest, pouring out all the care he has for them and then trying to stuff it back inside when they get taken away, either to the aid station, back to their foxhole or back to God."

It takes me right back to what drew me to Gene as a character in the first place, how he's right there when someone needs him, but often alone in the aftermath once he's done and doesn't have anyone to comfort him in turn. I am sooo obsessed with him it's not even funny!

🥘 As for the WIP I'm most excited about....I could be lame and say it's Hungry Work because it just deals with so many themes I'm obsessed about, but since that one's almost finished, I'll pick something else!

In addition to the Hungry Work Post-War sequel I've been yapping about today (loved your tags on that btw!!!! Legit squealed when I saw your reblog), there's a second post-war Baberoe fic I've been writing on and off, based on a very early ending I had in mind for Hungry Work but discarded - the premise is that Gene and Babe get together in Europe, but while they're in Austria, Gene gets spooked by someone else getting a blue slip and breaks up with Babe to "protect him". Since Babe's bisexual in this (as he is in Hungry Work), Gene figures he can just get with a woman and forget all about Gene. Of course, that backfires spectacularly, because 1. Bisexuality just doesn't work like that and 2. Babe's already in love, and so he goes back to Philly all heart broken and miserable and gets into some real trouble there, which means he has to leave Philly for a bit. Cue them pining for each other AGAIN but back in the US across various state lines. I think it'll be a while before that comes out and there will probably be at least one other fic coming out beforehand, but I've been excited about writing some Babe&Bill friendship and some other Easy Company interactions as well. And of course, endless yearning 😬 The WIP Document is called "It ain't me Babe" inspired by the Bob Dylan song of the same name:

I already posted some snippets of that WIP here, but here's one more:

It’s another Friday night, and Babe’s drunker than usual. It had been kind of a shit day, from the moment he woke hours before his alarm from a nightmare that had started with him and Gene kissing and ended with Babe covered in Gene’s blood. It had been raining the whole day while Babe was out at the docks, and at dinner, his mother had nagged him about finding a girl, settling down.

So things are already a little blurry around the edges when Babe sees him. There’s a shock of black hair, stark against the washed out colors around it. White skin below it, a slender frame. Babe’s heart starts beating erratically in his chest and he stops listening to Bill’s yapping. He follows the man around the bar with his eyes, tries to catch a glimpse of his face.

Logically, Babe knows it can’t be who he’s thinking of. Philly’s a long way from Louisiana, and besides, why would he come here, of all places? But he has to know, so he stands up, heads over with unsteady legs. He puts a hand on the guy’s shoulder. When he turns around, Babe’s heart falls. Of course it isn’t him.

[cityofdreamsrp]

🌈 YOU’RE INVITED TO THE PRIDE MASQUERADE MARDI GRAS BALL! 🌈

When: Tuesday, June 13th, 2023

Where: Aboard the Creole Queen 

Join us for a pride-themed, Masquerade Mardi Gras inspired celebration! Board the Creole Queen Paddlewheeler - rented out privately with comfort, safety, and luxury in mind. The Creole Queen riverboat, which holds a capacity of 800+, features outer decks with authentically patterned wrought iron trims, richly appointed interiors with plush Victorian style draperies, soft period lighting, wooden parquet dance floors, and Louisiana Cypress bars accented with brass railing for a warm and welcoming setting. During the ball, enjoy dinner serving traditional New Orleans style foods with pride themed drinks on the top deck. Afterwards, jump in our photo booth, capturing a forever memory before enjoying the DJ as you dance the night away! Please continue tagging all posts with #cityofdreamsprideweek so everyone can see your ball look.

ENJOY PRIDE WITH A MARDI GRAS TWIST.

While on the surface Mardi Gras appears to be no more than a party, many say Gay Mardi Gras helped usher in the Gay Rights Movement in the United States. Today it remains an important symbol of pride for the community and its allies. Mardi Gras balls are an extremely important part of LGBTQIA+ Mardi Gras celebrations. Inspired by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival, enjoy your night on the ship in celebration of gender and sexuality as all funds will go to LGBTQIA+ rights. 

AND DON’T FORGET YOUR MASKS AND BEADS!

Whether they cover the wearer’s eyes or whole face, masks add an element of mystery and intrigue when worn, especially around this particular holiday in the city. Along with masks, traditional Mardi Gras beads are purple, green, and gold colors. The purple symbolizes justice, the green represents faith, and the gold signifies power. Tonight, wear your identity with pride featuring the beads of the rainbow, or the corresponding colors of your flag. Whether you decide to be formally dressed, or show up in an extravagant Mardi Gras outfit, don’t ever be afraid to show off your true colors.

[globetrottergurus]

Eat Your Heart Out: America's Hidden Foodie Paradises You Must Add To Your Bucket List!

If you’re passionate about exploring new flavors and sampling unique dishes, then a culinary road trip through the US might be just the adventure you’re craving. From coastal seafood to Southern barbecue, every region has its own specialties that highlight local ingredients and cultural influences. Here are some of the best US destinations for food lovers—places where you can dive into authentic flavors, discover local traditions, and leave with a happy (and very full) stomach!

1. New Orleans, Louisiana – Creole, Cajun, and Soul Food

New Orleans is a mecca for food lovers, thanks to its vibrant blend of Creole, Cajun, and French-inspired cuisine. Start with a classic beignet and chicory coffee at Café du Monde, then try gumbo, jambalaya, and crawfish étouffée at local favorites like Commander’s Palace or Coop’s Place. Po'boys and muffulettas are essential, and if you’re a seafood fan, charbroiled oysters are a must! New Orleans' food scene is soulful and indulgent, with live jazz as a bonus.

2. Austin, Texas – Barbecue and Tex-Mex Paradise

Austin’s food scene is all about big flavors and smoky, savory goodness. For barbecue enthusiasts, Franklin Barbecue is legendary, but you’ll find outstanding smoked brisket, ribs, and sausage at plenty of places across town. Food trucks are everywhere in Austin, serving everything from street tacos to fusion dishes, so be sure to try some creative Tex-Mex. For a unique twist, head to Torchy’s Tacos and order the “Trailer Park” taco—“trashified” with queso for an extra indulgent experience!

3. Charleston, South Carolina – Lowcountry Delicacies

Charleston’s historic charm is matched only by its Lowcountry cuisine, which emphasizes fresh seafood, rice dishes, and rich flavors. Shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, and fried green tomatoes are Charleston staples you don’t want to miss. Head to Husk for a refined take on Southern flavors, or go casual at places like Leon’s Oyster Shop for fresh oysters and fried chicken. The city’s food culture is a celebration of Southern comfort with a touch of elegance.

4. San Francisco, California – Fresh Seafood and International Fusion

San Francisco’s coastal location and diverse population make it a treasure trove for food lovers. Start with a classic sourdough bread bowl filled with clam chowder from Boudin Bakery, then make your way to Chinatown for dim sum or North Beach for Italian classics. Fisherman’s Wharf offers iconic Dungeness crab and fresh seafood dishes. For adventurous palates, Mission District taquerias and fusion restaurants offer an array of bold flavors that reflect the city’s multicultural vibe.

5. Chicago, Illinois – Deep-Dish Pizza and Much More

Chicago is famous for its deep-dish pizza, which you can find at iconic spots like Lou Malnati’s, Giordano’s, or Pequod’s. But there’s more to Chicago’s food scene than pizza—Italian beef sandwiches, Chicago-style hot dogs, and classic steakhouses round out the city’s culinary repertoire. Head to the West Loop for a diverse selection of fine dining and trendy restaurants. Whether you’re into comfort food or upscale dining, Chicago is a city that knows how to feed its visitors well.

6. New York City, New York – Endless International Flavors

New York City is the ultimate destination for food lovers who want a little bit of everything. You can have authentic bagels and lox in the morning, grab a slice of classic New York pizza for lunch, and sample upscale or street food from almost any culture in the world for dinner. Chinatown, Little Italy, Koreatown, and other neighborhoods offer the flavors of their homelands. Don’t miss classic delis like Katz’s for a pastrami on rye, and save room for a visit to Chelsea Market to sample a little bit of everything.

7. Portland, Oregon – Farm-to-Table and Food Trucks

Portland is a hub for food trucks, craft brews, and innovative farm-to-table cuisine. You’ll find food carts serving everything from Korean tacos to Belgian waffles, and the restaurant scene focuses on seasonal, local ingredients. Head to Pine State Biscuits for some of the best biscuits and gravy around, or try the eclectic flavors of Pok Pok for Thai food with a twist. Portland’s food scene is laid-back but high-quality, with a big emphasis on sustainability.

8. Savannah, Georgia – Classic Southern Comfort Food

Savannah’s food scene is all about classic Southern comfort. Fried chicken, collard greens, and pimento cheese are staples here, and The Olde Pink House and Mrs. Wilkes’ Dining Room offer iconic takes on these flavors. Savannah also has a growing craft cocktail scene, so you can enjoy a refreshing drink as you stroll through the historic squares. For dessert, don’t miss Leopold’s Ice Cream, a local institution since 1919, for a sweet, nostalgic treat.

9. Nashville, Tennessee – Hot Chicken and Southern Specialties

Nashville’s famous hot chicken is a must-try for anyone who loves a little spice. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack and Hattie B’s serve up some of the best. But Nashville’s food scene is more than just heat—biscuits, barbecue, and meat-and-three diners are beloved staples here too. The city’s food scene has evolved with trendy spots that add twists to Southern classics, making Nashville an exciting place to eat and explore.

10. Santa Fe, New Mexico – Southwestern Flavors with a Kick

Santa Fe is the place to go for Southwestern flavors with New Mexican green and red chile at the forefront. You’ll find it in everything from enchiladas to burgers. The Shed and Café Pasqual’s are beloved for their traditional dishes, while the Santa Fe Farmers Market is the perfect place to sample local ingredients. The city’s cuisine is vibrant and packed with flavor, reflecting the unique blend of Native American, Spanish, and Mexican influences in the area.

11. Boulder, Colorado – Health-Conscious and Farm-Fresh

For food lovers who enjoy fresh, local ingredients, Boulder’s dining scene is all about organic, health-conscious options. Many restaurants here work directly with local farmers and use seasonal ingredients. Stop by the Boulder Farmers Market, and then head to The Kitchen or Blackbelly for a fresh, flavorful meal. Boulder is known for its healthy yet delicious food culture, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options as well.

12. Miami, Florida – Latin Flavors and Fresh Seafood

Miami’s food scene is vibrant and tropical, with influences from Cuban, Haitian, Colombian, and other Latin American cultures. Start with a Cuban sandwich or a classic mojito in Little Havana, then explore fresh seafood options across the city. Visit Joe’s Stone Crab for a taste of Florida’s famous stone crabs (when in season), or sample Caribbean-style ceviche. Miami’s warm climate and Latin influence make it a fantastic destination for bold and fresh flavors.

Plan Your Culinary Adventure!

Each of these cities offers its own unique culinary experience, reflecting local history, culture, and ingredients. Whether you’re on a mission to try new flavors or looking to savor familiar favorites, these destinations are perfect for a food-filled road trip. Pack your appetite, bring a spirit of adventure, and get ready to sample some of the best flavors the US has to offer. Safe travels and happy eating!

[verdantlady]

Prompt: Write a scene in which a banshee arrives to wail

Another 20 minute prompt! Let's be honest it was more like 45. Really I just love creepy shit happening in full sunshine :)

This one has also inspired a full length novel oops

~~~~~~~

It was late afternoon when Charlotte knew someone was at the door before there was a knock.  She didn’t know quite how.  It was similar to what it felt like when you could feel the weight of someone's stare, feel the heat of it across your back.  She felt that presence out on the front porch.  Still and waiting. 

It hadn’t been an unusual day in Louisiana.  The air was muggy and hot, the sun beating down on every inch it could.  She had spent the better part of the day in the yard, weeding for her ma.  It was the least she could do.  Her ma had always loved that garden.  These days she wasn’t often up for gardening, or much anything at all.

Charlotte sighed and sat on a kitchen stool in front of a box fan that she had perched precariously on the counter top.  Sipping on a bit of lemonade that Lena had left her that morning. Charlotte smiled to herself as she thought about the way Lena had tucked a blonde curl behind her ear and blushed heartily when Charlotte had cut her some flowers to take home.

            The house was quiet.  Only the buzzing of bugs and the murmur of the radio to keep her company in the afternoon.  Ma was taking her nap and would soon wake up for an early dinner as per usual.

That was when the radio jammed.  It started skipping. Some radio host went “This summer I-I-I-I-I.” Voice warping and turning over itself. She slapped a hand over the power button cutting it off.  Odd.  Maybe that thing was just getting old. 

Then the critters went.  One by one they quieted.  The crickets. The cicadas.  The flies.  The frogs.  The birds. They stopped.  They all stopped. Like they were waiting.

A cold shiver slid down Charlotte's spine even as sweat dripped from her brow.  The silence echoed, loud in a way that wasn’t natural. Not one bit.

She stood, body unfeeling, her gaze pulled towards the front door as if magnetized.  She’d shut it earlier to keep some of the sun out of the house.  And suddenly she wished she hadn’t.  There was something terrifying about opening that door to see what was on the other side. A horrifying unknown. It beckoned her, like a black hole sucking her in, it pulled her step by step. 

She could feel the weight of the presence on the other side. Her body mirrored it as she stood staring at the cracked white paint.  Open it. Open the door.

She shook her head even as her hand raised to touch the door knob.  And twisted.  The door creaked open, harsh as it broke the silence.

Lena stood on her porch.  She stared back at Charlotte.  The breath was sucked from Charlotte’s lungs as she met Lena’s eyes.  They were wide, blank, unseeing.  The pupils swollen, glistening.  Charlotte watched as tears poured from them.  She watched as Lena’s hair rose around her, filled with static, as she spread her arms wide in acceptance, as if her whole being was receiving something larger than comprehension.  Then her lips opened and a wail pierced the air.  It burrowed in Charlotte's head. It split her in two.  She felt that wail radiate through her entire body. Echoing echoing echoing.  It felt never ending.  Filled with sorrow and loss and regret.

“No.” Charlotte sobbed. Sinking to her knees in front of Lena. “I’m not ready yet. I have more time with her. Please.”  She shook, her voice cracking, “Please. Please. It’s not time yet.”

The wail stopped and with it Lena’s unearthly presence shrank.  She collapsed onto the worn wooden planks in front of Charlotte.  Lena was sobbing too, her breath matching Charlotte.  She grabbed ahold of Charlotte's shoulders and pulled her head into her chest.  Charlotte could smell her lavender soap.  The lemons on her hands.  And something else.  Something that smelled like a lighting strike.  Something powerful.

“Charlotte I-.”  Lena stopped.  Unable to say anything.

Charlotte breathed in shakily, “Is it done? Is she gone?”

She felt more than saw Lena shake her head.  Lena stood slowly, pulled Charlotte up by her hand.  They walked through the front door, through the kitchen, past the broken radio, past the ancient washing machine, and the ratty rug.  To the back door.

Charlotte opened the back door.  It creaked just like the front did.  She stepped out into the midday sun and it felt like any other day.  But it wasn’t.  And no other day would ever be the same again.

She walked to her Ma, who sat, reclined in her favorite walking chair.  Her long gray hair was crowned with a circlet of wild flowers that Charlotte had made that morning.  She wore the light blue nightgown that Charlotte always thought suited her so well.  Her feet and calves were bare, naked in their vulnerability.  They showed her age, with bent toes, liver spots, and varicose veins.  Charlotte made sure to lotion them every night while her Ma read them a story. Her face held deep lovely smile lines and her forehead always looked a little pinched.  You couldn’t stop that woman worrying if you tried.

Charlotte reached out and took her Ma’s hand in hers.  “Ma?” She whispered, “You awake?”

Charlotte's Ma smiled sleepily, and sighed. “Oh Lottie I had the most wonderful dream.  It was a full moon and the trees were bathed in red.  You and Lena took my hands and we ran into the woods together.  We danced and danced naked around a fire.  I thought I would get lost but you always found me.  And then you lifted me up. I rose so high I could see everything.  Every moment.  I got so scared.  It was so overwhelming.  But then I saw you and Lena, my love.  Like two little motes of light in endless darkness.  I knew everything would be alright in the end.” Charlotte's vision blurred as she squeezed her mother’s hand, and Lena’s hand squeezed her other. 

“That’s beautiful Ma.” She whispered.  “Go back to sleep now.” Charlotte pet her silky gray hair.  She leaned in and placed a kiss on her brow.

“I’ll always find you when you’re lost.  Just like you always find me.”

“I love you Lottie.”

“I love you Ma.”

And with that her last breath left her body and floated up up up…

           Charlotte and Lena watched her go. The sun beat down on every inch of the yard. The frogs croaked. The birds sang. The bugs flew. And Lena held Charlotte and Charlotte held her.

[dinnerwithrefi]

11.2 - Dedication to Lost Appetites

Dinner: chicken tender wraps w/cheddar cheese, baby spinach & kale, salt, pepper, mayonnaise & a splash of Louisiana hot sauce

I'm sorry about Claudio.

I know it isn't much consolation coming from someone you barely know, but it's the truth. No one should have to watch somebody wilt away like that from a terminal illness, and while I understand grief of that nature, it is uniquely shaped to the individual and the relationship they shared. Still, from what I know about him now, he seems like a really lovely guy, even if your personal account of his accent as "a Muppet soaked in pomodoro" made me snog my iced coffee. I can understand why you have a soft spot for the Giants, even if you're not a big fan of the pigskin. Then again, maybe soft spots aren't exactly something I should bring up, given how shaken you got when we talked about him in his last days, how the most vivid images are when he looked more lesioned than lively, more purple and grey than olive, the cheery anecdotes replaced by incoherent anguish. It's awful how we're forced into being an unwilling audience member in these theatres of decay, surrounded by feuding one man shows of desperation, departure, and what comes after.

I think more than anything, though, it helps us reach a common ground of sorts. I was the same way with my grandmother, though she at least had the ability to go peacefully in my aunt's home. I couldn't see her as Grandma in that moment, though, that wasn't her. That wasn't Grandma's hand I was holding when I heard her breathe her last, the sagging, frail freshness of death in front of me couldn't possibly be the sweet, lovely Grandma who'd warble "Happy Birthday" to my voicemail every year, even if I was seeing her just a few days later for the conglomerate birthday-Thanksgiving hybrid meal my dad's side of the family held after the separation. It didn't feel real. Part of it still doesn't, honestly, but I drank so much alcohol that I honestly couldn't tell you where the clinical noises of the hospital started and the waking nightmare of two deaths close to me ended.

But that's what was bothering you yesterday, and I'm glad you told me about it. You heard desperation in facing yourself and others in the wake of tragedy and terminal illness and that somehow mutated into a form of jealousy, didn't it? At least with that album, Halsey was able to leave something for when the end comes, a connection for both those they found important and the multitudes who felt that same level of import towards them. It's funny how art remains the greatest dedicator for the world. We build monuments and erect statues, write poems and sing songs, sew clothes and knit quilts, paint murals and spread genius across paper and canvas alike - all in the sake of getting the chance to show the magnitude of their worth to not only that individual, but to the entire world. We never got that chance, though. At least, you and I never took the opportunity to do so in a timely fashion.

Besides, you argued, how could your cousin's commemoration at his funeral, the stirring piece from a grieving daughter that brought a church to tears, or the shrine built to the buzzer beat three point shot your brother made the night Claudio died, which he claims he dedicated to him as he threw it, compare to the short story you wrote about the persimmon tree your aunt planted in his honor a few weeks after his death? From your account, it had been two months after his death that grief notched its arrow and struck inspiration in the hopes of achieving resolution. It must feel disingenuous to revisit it now, assuming you still have a copy. You never got the chance to tell him how much you valued him, no matter the lack of closeness between you two, and I suppose there's a sort of guilt seared into you that you'll never get rid of now.

I wasn't the same way with my grandma, though I wish my goodbye could've been on the terms I had imagined them being. She always wanted me to sing her "The House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert at some point. I would've done it for her if my dad hadn't been right behind me while she was in her final moments. Then again, we wouldn't have been there in the first place if I hadn't told him to prioritize seeing her. While I try to love him in the ways that I can, I shouldn't have had to tell him that spending a small amount of time while his mother waned away was more important that a trip to pick up fucking bulk lumber for his front porch project. Still, it was that simple round of cussing that got him to take the exit and end up getting home late in lieu of actually missing out on saying a proper goodbye, regardless of her comprehension. She was able to go after that, and I think seeing her son might have sparked those last moments of lucidity before she closed her eyes one last time. I broke a month of sobriety because of it, but scolding her son to pick up the damn beams later was probably the best dedication I could've given to her.

Unlike you, though, I have a lot more people living that I'll never get the chance to do that for as time goes on. You seem to have a tightly knit circle of friends that, while countable on one hand, they drive you to keep making strides towards self-betterment. I'm not really the same as you in that regard. I somehow end up in people's lives not on the whims of fate or by a stroke of luck, but rather sheer meteoric impact, cratering them on first meeting, almost helpless as I watch the slow crawl of personal extinction around them, to the point where I just end up just a giant rock in their life, sometimes cumbersome and earth-shattering, others groundbreaking and life-altering, but always indelible. I always end up disappearing, though. I know why that is, and I wish it hadn't bled into my life from trauma inflicted by those monsters from my teenage years, but that's just how I end up. There's a part of me that wishes I could be like you, able to hold tightly to the three people you seem to value most, the motley ensemble that you are. That's my own jealousy, though, and I hope it's one that I can get over.

Shame that the wraps got cold, but I guess we have leftovers for breakfast before we job hunt tomorrow morning.

[progressivemother]

Anniversary Vacation

My husband and I have reached the significant milestone of ten years of marriage. We have made a decision to celebrate every five years with a vacation. If you have not yet adopted this practice, I recommend making it as a beautiful tradition.

We had the pleasure of visiting California during our recent vacation. As residents of Utah, we were excited to experience the ocean. My husband, understanding my love for nature and the fact that I had been working constantly, decided on this vacation to ensure I spent as much time in nature as possible. We got to witness the giant redwoods of California and played around in the ocean. The beauty of the surroundings was simply breathtaking. We barely spent any time in the hotel rooms and my husband thoughtfully chose a room with an ocean view. It was wonderful experience. We dined out every evening during our vacation.

On the first day of our trip, we made a stop at the well know Thunder Mountain Monument. While it was an awe-inspiring sight, it was unfortunate that we were unable to explore the interior due to others who have caused damage.

The second day brought us to the Redwood Park, where we saw the towering trees. My husband said that it felt as if we were on another planet. We are grateful that these majestic trees have been preserved for future generations to enjoy.

On the third day, we went Pacific Ocean. The beauty of the crashing waves against the shore was mesmerizing, and I could have spent hours watching it. While I attempted to play in the water, we found ourselves in a colder area, which was disappointing. But the beauty of the ocean made up for it. Later that evening, after dinner, we took advantage of the low tide to collect some seashells as souvenirs for the children.

The fourth day of our trip, we went to an aquarium, where we had the unique opportunity to pet a shark. It was fun to see how much the shark seemed to enjoy the attention. Her adorable demeanor made the experience all the more memorable.

This was the most fun I have had in years. Always working and watching children is stressful and getting away with my husband was the perfect thing to do. Ten years is a huge milestone in a marriage and milestones are worth celebrating.

It is widely acknowledged that there are many stunning vacation destinations around the world. However, there equally captivating places within the United States that offer the opportunity to immerse yourself in diversity.

• LA' Chinatown, USA: Beautiful spas, hotels, and even karaoke is available along with beautiful souvenirs and Chinese food.

• Honolulu, USA: Lolani Palace, hotels, surf lessons, Shark's Cove, and local cuisine.

• Sedona, Arizona, USA: Red Rock State Park, hotels, hiking trips, and homemade muffins

• New Orleans, Louisiana, USA: Mardi Gras, museums, the French Quarter, and Cajun food.

There are many others. Do some research and find beautiful destinations close by before going abroad. You have you entire marriage to make memories.

It is easy to get caught up in the daily routine and watch the weeks pass by without finding much time for enjoyment. We all have responsibilities, such as work and family commitments. However, it is essential to take breaks and make time for fun. Anniversaries provide an opportunity to break free from the routine and create memorable experiences. Even if it is not an anniversary, it is important to make an effort to create fun and memorable moments. Remember, it is crucial to prioritize these moments in our lives.

[whatsonmedia]

Best Offers of This Week!

Dive into unbeatable offers on WhatsOn! Save big, savor delights, and boost well-being affordably. Click now for a week of excitement, incredible deals, and lasting memories. Grab top offers before they vanish! For £25 at Americana, enjoy a three-course dinner and a glass of Prosecco. Indulge in the flavors of Southern soul food at Americana, nestled near Piccadilly Circus. Feast on tantalizing dishes like Louisiana-inspired Brisket Flute and Mamma’s 4-cheese Macaroni. Each night offers themed entertainment, from magic Mondays to jazz Tuesdays. Top it all off with a glass of Prosecco for an unforgettable dining experience. Highlights: - Located on the corner of Haymarket and Orange Street - Enjoy themed nights like Jazz Tuesdays, Live Music Thursdays, and Afro-Beats Weekends Menu Highlights: - Starters include Candy Glazed Chicken and Buffalo Cauliflower Wings - Mains feature 12-hour Texas Brisket Chilli, Bootlegger’s Moonshine Chicken, and Mamma’s 4-cheese Macaroni - Desserts include Sticky Toffee Pudding and Pecan Pie Need to know: - Valid for a three-course meal and a glass of Prosecco - Available Monday to Friday: 7:30 pm - 12 am, Sunday all day: 11 am - 8 pm - Minimum booking of two people, maximum of eight - Please email bookings@americanalondon.com to redeem - Voucher valid until May 31, 2024 - Location: 11 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4BP At The Duke, two pizzas and two beverages are available for £20. Satisfy your pizza cravings with a visit to The Duke in southeast London. Indulge in artisanal pizzas cooked to perfection in wood-fired ovens. Choose from classic options like Mozza and Pepperoni, or try vegan varieties such as Vegan Shooms and Dirty Vegan. Wash it all down with your choice of drink, whether it's a real ale, cocktail, or wine from their brilliant selection. Highlights: - Located in the heart of southeast London - Wood-fired oven pizzas with a choice of meat and vegan options - Includes two drinks Menu Highlights: - Classic pizzas include Mozza, Shrooms, 'Nduja, and more - Vegan options feature Vegan Mozza, Dirty Vegan, Vegan 'Nduja, and others Need to know: - Valid for two pizzas and two drinks - Available Monday to Thursday: 5 pm - 9 pm, Saturday to Sunday: 12 pm - 5 pm - To redeem, email bookings@thedukedeptford.co.uk with preferred date and time - Voucher valid until May 30, 2024 - Location: The Duke, 125 Creek Road, London, SE8 3BU Frameless Lates tickets are available for just £15 Experience the ultimate after-dark culture fix at Frameless Lates, held every Friday and Saturday night at Marble Arch. Step into a world of art and music as you explore four galleries to a specially curated soundtrack from Soho Radio. Whether you’re looking for a unique date night or a fun outing with friends, these sessions offer the perfect opportunity to soak up culture while enjoying delicious drinks from the Café Bar. Highlights: - Enjoy Friday and Saturday nights filled with music from Soho Radio. - Explore four galleries with over-18s-only sessions. - Sip on tasty drinks from the Café Bar while immersing yourself in art and culture. Need to Know: - Strict no refunds or exchanges policy. - Valid for a ticket to Frameless Lates on your selected date/time. - Entry times may vary per day, with sessions running from 6 pm to 8 pm. - Your entry slot includes 30 minutes after the designated start time. - Present your booking confirmation upon arrival. - Café bar and gift shop purchases not included. - Location: 6 Marble Arch, London W1H 7AP. Oblix East is offering a three-course meal and a drink for £48 Experience the ultimate dining experience at Oblix East, located on the 32nd floor of The Shard. Indulge in a three-course meal while enjoying breathtaking views of Tower Bridge and the east of London. Choose from sophisticated starters like Burrata or Crispy Squid, followed by mouthwatering mains such as Mini Wagyu Beef Burgers or Charcoal Grilled Scottish Salmon. Complete your meal with a dessert platter to share and your choice of beverage, including beer, house wine, or prosecco. Highlights: - Stunning views overlooking east London from The Shard - Award-winning cocktail creations at the bar - Live music from a three-piece band every Thursday to Saturday evening Menu Highlights: - Starters include Burrata, Crispy Squid, and Baby Artichokes - Main courses feature Mini Wagyu Beef Burgers, Roasted Prawns, and Wild Mushroom Orzo - Dessert: Oblix dessert platter to share Need to know: - Valid for three courses and a selected beverage at Oblix East - Available Sunday to Thursday: 6 pm – 10 pm - Live music on Thursdays from 7 pm to 10 pm - Advanced bookings recommended, subject to availability - Maximum booking of six people - Voucher valid until April 30, 2024 - Location: The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street, London SE1 9RY Read the full article