#HEHEHEHEHEHE I HAD FUN

[thebrandywine]

Hey ! That may be weird, but would you want to say a little more about “The New woman in the city during the 20th century and her intersection with a rise in immigration ” ? I never heard of it before (I’m not from America), but it’s seems quite interesting from the few things I just read (Wikipedia).

NOT WEIRD I LOVE THIS SHIT

This is going to be fast and dirty because I don't have any of my sources with me BUT the turn of the 20th century in America saw a LOT of social and cultural change in part due to the growing prominence of metropolitan areas/cities. Industrialization had firmly settled in and that meant factories and THAT meant more jobs which led to an increase in immigration (mostly because factory owners/foremen could pay immigrants less which meant a better cut for them). So you have the 'melting pot' of the American city starting to get a lot more complex culturally at the same time as a growing movement of young women wanting more independence-- they might want to live on their own or they might want to support themselves on their own without a husband or any number of things. A good way to do that is to move to the city and get a job!

This IMMEDIATELY led to a cultural panic because for the first time a large number of America's young women were on their own and away from the protection of their family. Who would make sure that they conformed to societal values? Who would keep them safe? This was especially exacerbated BECAUSE of immigration-- pure, young, virginal white women (America's pride, blah blah, other weird sexual and racist stuff) coming into contact with stupid, brutish, predatory immigrant men (NOTE: I AM REPEATING THINGS HERE lol). A MASSIVE moral panic ensued.

One of the most interesting things to come out of this, I think, is the resurgence of captivity narratives. Media is an incredible way to measure the values/fears of the populace at the time of publishing which is why you can follow the rise and fall of captivity narratives in American history and really easily find points of conflict. Captivity narratives have a long history in general but in American history they're mostly present at three points: colonization/westward expansion, the Civil War/Reconstruction era, and the turn of the 20th century.

I keep saying 'captivity narratives' but what I mean are stories about women (again, The Pure, Virginal White Woman who represents white America) being captured and sexually defiled by The Other, who represents a larger threat to American society and culture. During colonization/westward expansion, that Other was Native Americans. During the Civil War and Reconstruction (which immediately followed the Civil War), it was slaves/recently freed black men. And then, at the turn of the 20th century, it was immigrants!

This is a whole other ramble, but the 'immigrant' in question really, really depended. There was an idea of an 'acceptable' immigrant-- white (though 'white' had yet to be more specifically defined and the concept of it varied from person to person), well-spoken, deferential, and fully converted to the cult of the flag. The unacceptable immigrants were largely from Eastern Europe-- Italians, Polish people, some Russians, and, of course, Jewish people (because this is America-- who else is the most common scapegoat of all fucking time?). If you read captivity narratives from the turn of the century, you can ALWAYS tell who The Bad Guy is: he'll have a heavy accent, he'll be described as 'swarthy,' and the author will A L W A Y S make a point to mention his race.

A different ramble I could go on is the idea of the 'white slave trade' which is wholly connected to the moral panic and captivity narratives, but I've rambled enough lmao. If you'd like to read some captivity narratives (don't worry, the authors are long dead) or do more research about any of the stuff I mentioned above, here are some sources:

White on Arrival by Thomas A. Guglielmo [looks at the idea/evolution of whiteness for Chicago Italians at the turn of the century. secondary source]

Behind the Mask of Innocence: Sex, Violence, Prejudice, Crime: Films of Social Conscience in the Silent Era by Kevin Brownlow [SUPER interesting read about a bunch of the stuff i talked about above! secondary source]

The White Slave Trade and the Immigrants by Cordasco and Pitkin [what it says on the tin. secondary source]

The House of Bondage by Reginald Wright Kauffman [the captivity narrative of the time- very racist and extremely critical of/incorrect about sex work. primary source]

The Social Menace of the Orient by Jean Turner Zimmerman [VERY RACIST and I do notnotnot like the word 'Orient,' which is no longer used by anyone in scholarship that's hip with the times. primary source]

Tiger by Witter Bynner [short play about a white slave- notice the language used for the antagonist!! primary source]

Traffic in Souls or While New York Sleeps, dir. George Loane Tucker. can be watched here!

i will be very strong and limit myself to those sources-- thank you for asking so i could infodump about history. if you've read this far... sorry lmao

[siffrinsometimes]

The Fear of Forgetting

[luna-loveboop]

Linktober day three- Zelda

Skyward sword Zelda my baby <3 I carved her riding her loftwing and didn't like it too much, so I did her playing her harp on the egg as well.

The top two lines of music have the notes for the Ballad of the Goddess, and the bottom three are Zelda's lullaby. The Ballad of the Goddess is Zelda's lullaby backwards so I wanted to have both :)

@hero-of-the-wolf @la-sera

[itslilacokay]

@potato-doodles-stuff HI sorry for pinging but i drew up your green-callie idea from community!!

[gothsuguru]

THANK YOU @teddybeartoji FOR THE TAG 🙂‍↕️🫡

it’s me and my mains 🤭

OK LET ME SCREAM RAHHHHHHHHHHHHH ME HAVING AMAZING COMPATIBILITY W SUGURU + TOJI + JINSHI IS ALL I COULD WANT <333 kinda crazy how two of my main men (suguru & toji) are both introverts like they love me and my extrovertedness sooooo baddddddd they wanna kiss me so bad it makes us BOTH look stupid :3

GOJO & WEI WUXIAN BEING IN THE 85% THOUGHFJFJFJFJFJ their personalities are so close to mine so ig it makes sense they’re my besties and my boyfies… <3

tagging: @mikichko @connorsui :3

[insertsomthinawesome]

CYNO IS COMPLEEEEETE!!!! Only Wolfwood left to go before I can working revealing all the full pieces >:D >:D Heheheheheehe, I'm excited to share it with ya'll!!!

[lychniis]

aine hiii 4 + 5 + 17 + 22 for the hsr oc asks pls c:

PULLING OUT THE WHOLE ROSTER FOR THIS ONEEE-

what is your character’s path?

engel - preservation ( despite being a galaxy ranger, this guy is more worried about keeping his daughter alive. tired dad fr ).

elke - destruction ( but magical girl style, y'know. )

aastha - abundance ( my self insert calls for her to be a tired medically aligned hermit like me ).

what element type is your character?

engel - imaginary ( like his sleep schedule ).

elke - quantum.

aastha - wind ( the bird motif returns guyssss ).

what are the best team comps for your character? which characters do they synergize well with?

engel - with elke since they are a pair. that and considering he's a shielder? anyone except blade XD. but i'd imagine he'd pair well certain hunt characters since he does provide either bounce or aoe follow up attacks when his shields are hit. so if there are multiple enemies, he does compensate for the hunt's singular hit base.

elke - the brawler. i thought of something like...a reverse blade kit for her XD. the less hurt she is / the more hp she has, the more damage she deals. so yes, any team that is shielder heavy. team comps with aventurine, gepard or engel would do, that or a decent healer.

aastha - as a healer? with any team, tbh. but she works better with erudition characters or burst reliant characters since she does add in in an additional boost of energy and that healing rate reliant on damage dealt on individual enemies. so like...the more targets you hit, the more you heal ( also the hilarity because she'd be...okay with hunt characters. given the hunt and abundance have beef ).

is there an event or story quest associated with your character’s debut? if yes, tell us about it!

engel and elke - depending on how it goes, they will be heavily influencing boothill's storyline ( they're partners, read : gay ) and penacony. engel is mute so he's...not talking that much. so you have elke translating him and boothill with the signature seven year old sass.

aastha - she strikes me more as a recurring gag character because her entire shctick is how she may be considered so normal ( as a medic in the ipc ) but has the craziest shit happening to and around her. i would not take hsr's events well. that stuff would fuck with my sanity XD.

ask game !!

[sanddusted-wisteria]

i THINK i've finally locked down the outline for the rewrite of earth and sky now, drafting's well on its way too

final chapter count: 44

estimated word count: > 70K? (hard to tell)

fluff? ✅

angst? ✅

a hint of cosmic horror? ✅

more organic symbolism? ✅

themes? ✅

percentage of the human emotional spectrum to be yeeted directly at qi: ~75-80%

percentage he's prepared for: 0%

[gibbearish]

god theres no better feeling than when a joke lands great. today i was helping a friend move and her brother was helping out too, at one point we were waiting for the person w the housekeys to get there and i asked if there were any bathrooms close by, answer was no but then friends brother goes "i mean you could find a nice private bush probably" and im like ahahaha yeaaaaaaah unfortunately not really an option, he's like "ahh we're all adults we won't be weird about it" and i just. stage whisper back "yeah but you see my rifle doesnt have a scope. so aiming is kinda, yknow..." and this man. looked like he was about to piss himself laughing for like a solid five minutes. i will run off of this high for months

[shomatoriashi]

7/30/24: 11:15am

yandere!sung jinwoo x fem.reader

{ request - oneshot }

- the academy arc -

@nyashykyunnie asked: KYUNNIE COMING IN CLUTCH AND SHALL DO A REQ BECAUSE BLESS UR SOUL FOR LETTING ME DO A REQ!!! MWAHHHHH!!! Hmo... Childhood friend reader x Jinwoo who went back in time >;3. He was always the chill typea boy best friend but ever since bby had puberty and became tall n hot he suddenly became... A little more posessive hehehehehehe. And what Jinwoo doesnt know is reader is secretly transmigrated and was his biggest fangirl for a long time and instead of being scared of Yandere!Woo they giggle at his murderous spree when she discovers that woowoo is going yandere over her heheheh Otherwise, go crazy bby>:3

warnings: unedited; petty bullying; violence; blood mention; gore; body horror; possessive and obsessive behavior

disclaimers: i do not condone such behaviors in real life; since this is purely a work of fiction, anything goes and i am willing to portray this creatively in the best way possible.

you are 5 years old, and your parents just moved into a quaint apartment complex. they were excited to be able to live in a space that they could call their own while surrounded by friendly neighbors.

as you busied yourself with your sketchbook, drawing ocean waves with colorful fishes swimming in them with your crayons, you heard a knock at the door. your ears perk up at the sound, and just as you were about to answer it, your father stops you with a stern expression. he calls out your name before gently reminding you, “what did papa tell you about opening doors? you should always let your mama or papa answer first, okay?”

you twist at the strands of your hair while pouting at him, giving your father a hesitant nod before following him to the front door. you hid your face behind the back of your father’s legs, eyes peeking curiously forward the moment he unlocks the door.

settled directly before you was a family that seemed to tower over you. you saw what looked like a tall young man and woman greeting your dad with kind smiles. in the woman’s arms was a baby wrapped in blankets, but what perhaps caught your attention was a little boy that hid himself behind his mother’s legs.

with your fascination growing with each second that passes, you slowly move away from your father’s legs while the little boy does the same. his grey eyes seemed to take you in, the blush dyeing his pale cheeks a rosier hue as the woman gently calls out to him, “jinwoo, go on and talk to her. she’s the same age as you, and i’m sure you’ll have fun.”

with his mother’s permission, the boy (jinwoo, it’s such a nice name), gives her a nod before standing before you, taking a hold of your hand. “wanna play together?”

you give him an eager nod, leading him to the floor of your living room as you showed him your sketchpad and the various drawings you had. as you turned the pad to a fresh page, you shyly offer your crayons to jinwoo, asking him if he’d like to draw anything. he gives you a smile while eagerly nodding at you.

and just a few moments later, when your father and jinwoo’s parents enter your home, they would see two giggling kids drawing while laying flat on their stomachs, basking in their imaginations all while knowing that this was a friendship that would last a lifetime-

you and jinwoo would become inseparable ever since that fateful day.

{ … }

days go by, quickly turning into weeks as the weeks slowly morphed into months while the months carried the ever changing seasons leading up to the new year-

and you found yourself here, 10 years later, ready to begin your first year of high school. you look at your reflection, adjusting the ribbon settled on your collar while brushing back your hair. you had plans of leaving your apartment 15 minutes ago-

however, jinwoo specifically told you to wait for him; that he was the one that would walk you to and from school as an extra means of protection (whatever that meant.) as you look at your clock settled on your desk, seeing how close it was to being 8am, you let out a huff and began marching out of your room-

only for your face to come into contact with a hard wall of muscle, earning a gasp from you. massaging at the slight ache felt against your nose, you look up to see jinwoo smiling down at you, already standing at nearly 6 feet despite only being 15 years old. a smirk graces his features when you feel him playfully flick at your nose, “ready to head to school?”

you grumble when he teases you, ready to walk ahead of him when he wraps his arms around your waist. he keeps you close to him, making your eyes go wide when he walks out of the apartment with you. he sees your mother doing the dishes and announces your departure, earning a knowing smile from her, “have a good day at school you two!”

before you could answer, jinwoo closes the door, a strange, dark look crossing over his expression as you trembled a bit in response. he shoves a hand in his pocket, using his other hand to hold onto yours as he interlocks them together. you take note of his expression and ask, “are you okay? you seem… upset.”

his expression immediately changes, eyes going back to its normal hue of grey when he looks back at you all while playfully ruffling your hair. “i’m fine, no need to worry your pretty little head over me.”

jinwoo then proceeds to annoy you, making kissy faces at you as he tries to get closer to you. you end up laughing while struggling to maintain your balance on the sidewalk, noticing how he still kept his gloved hand hidden within the pockets of his coat. admittedly, you had some anxiety pertaining to your first day of high school, yet with jinwoo’s constant teasing and jokes, you felt yourself becoming more comfortable as time passed.

arriving at your high school, jinwoo remains close to you, standing in the midst of a crowd of student while interlocking his fingertips with yours. as you stood together, ready to enter the school and start your day, you became achingly aware of several girls excited whispers. from your periphery, you notice the way they point their perfectly manicured nails at him.

“hey, he’s cute…”

“and so tall too…”

“ugh, why is he with such a plain girl though? don’t tell me they’re dating?!”

“no way! i’m sure she’s his pathetic best friend or something! hehe, i bet she gets friendzoned by him all the time.”

you purse your lips at the sounds of their giggles and harsh words, yet jinwoo squeezes your hand in yet another reassuring manner, moving slightly forward to block your view of them. you give him a grateful smile, seeing jinwoo meet your gaze before giving you a wink.

when the bell rings, you and jinwoo both enter the school together, ready to begin your first day. despite being in different classes, jinwoo was adamant in walking you to your class, frowning all the way. as you stand in front of the classroom, jinwoo places a hand on your shoulders, eyes seemingly glowing when he tells you, “if anyone dares give you any trouble at all, you tell me, okay?”

you giggle and awkwardly shuffle your feet from side to side, “i think i’ll be alright, jinwoo… but, thank you for your concern.”

he returns your smile with a strained one, ready to head back to his own class as he never once looked away from you. only when he disappears into the corner of the hallway did you let out a shaky breath.

surely, you had nothing to worry about, right?

you were bound to have a completely normal day at school, right…?

{ … }

and oh, how wrong your assumptions were!

you had barely finished the day, ready to meet jinwoo for lunch when your exit was blocked off by another student. she was a haughty girl that wore an expensive, ruby pendant that was shaped in a delicate rose while hanging by a thin, golden chain. it was clear that her family had money, as she was dressed in all the accessories and clothes that seemed to accentuate the beauty of her silvery blonde hair and startling green eyes-

a beauty that was used to getting what she wanted-

and a girl that shared your class.

you didn’t bother to know or even recall her name, since all she did was increase your anxieties with her mere presence alone.

“i see you walk into school today with what has to be the hottest guy in our class. so what’s a mousy little thing like you doing with a gorgeous guy like him?”

bile was felt rising up the confines of your throat as you held your sketchbook closer to your chest. the girl sneers at you, already reaching out a hand to snatch away at your sketchbook. you gasp, trying to get it back from her as you felt the tears dot your vision. “please, give that back! that sketchbook means a lot to me!”

buried within those pages were various sketches and stories that you and jinwoo shared, and if she were to ruin them, then all would be lost to you. you watch as her green eyes flash with malicious intent, already opening up your sketchbook as she idly flipped through the pages with a bored expression on her face.

it was when she flips to a random page that she sees the various sketches of jinwoo you had kept, her smile suddenly widening as she tore off the page and folded it, placing it within the confines of her pocket. “now this i can keep. as for the rest…”

her feign sigh of reluctance was all you could hear when she began ripping the rest of the pages out of your sketchbook, tearing up the pages into as many tiny shreds her hands could handle before tossing them up into the air, allowing the torn pages to fall like flower petals in the wind.

by now, your tears blinded you, making you fall to your knees as your heart broke with each torn page that lands on the ground. your breathing became uneven as the girl lets out a tiny “oops!” in response, finally walking away from you while tossing aside her silky hair.

you had no idea how much time you spent gathering the pages in the empty hallway, already knowing that lunch was nearing its end. as you were so focused on picking up the torn pieces of your sketchbook, you were unaware of heavy footsteps approaching you, calling out your name.

“hey, what are you doing? lunch is almost over-“

upon recognizing jinwoo’s voice, you allow your teary eyes to meet with his gaze, seeing them darken before flashing purple. “who did this to you?”

he ignores the ruined sketchbook and focuses his attention on you. picking up your shivering form, jinwoo places your face against his chest, allowing the front of his jacket to soak up all of your tears. several seconds pass when you were finally able to tell him what had happened. “it’s just… i-i wanted to meet you, b-but a girl in my class stopped me from going to you. s-she was mad that i was with you this morning and… she… she tore up my sketchbook while keeping my sketch of you.”

jinwoo’s hands stopped threading through your hair when he lowly asks, “who is she? what’s her name?”

you tremble upon hearing the dark tone of his voice and admit with a shaky sigh, “i don’t know her name… i just know that she’s pretty, with silvery hair and green eyes.”

jinwoo hums at this new information, keeping your face pressed against his chest to hide his expression of sheer rage from you.

soon, you wouldn’t have to deal with such trash like this ever again.

{ … }

you had filled 240 total pages inside of your precious sketchbook-

(jinwoo knew this since he was the one who religiously asked to see each drawing, read each story, painted within those pages)

and for all those 240 pages that had been so callously ripped out from your sketchbook, he had cut park yeon a total of 240 times with his daggers.

it was easy to lure her to him after school. jinwoo had made up an excuse to you about needing to talk to the coach and sign up for track, reassuring you to go home first and that he’ll text you later. with you out of sight and in the safety of your home, he then works on luring yeon to him.

her green eyes were blazing with a possessive hunger for him, following him with little question to the back of the school. he recalls the way yeon fuels his rage by telling him how she was made for him; how she was all he could ever need.

needless to say, she didn’t get a chance to speak further the moment jinwoo slices through her throat, cutting off her vocal cords as he began his revenge on her.

the night air was thick with the scent of blood when he looks down at the girl’s now lifeless body. his glowing eyes manages to dim down, his anger and fury now dying down to a simmer of annoyance as he now had a body to deal with. before he calls upon his soldiers to take care of the evidence, jinwoo’s eyes take sight of the glittering, rose pendant hanging loosely from the girl’s neck, a smirk gracing his features when he leans down to carefully release its clasps from her neck as he held the gorgeously crafted necklace within the palm of his hand.

{ … }

park yeon was not in class this morning, and you briefly wondered what had happened to her-

yet perhaps more-so than that was jinwoo’s sudden absence as well. feeling more concerned about your best friend, you recall how this morning, jinwoo’s mother had told you he had already gone to class, having an early meeting with the track team-

yet when you tried searching for him, he was nowhere to be found.

you check back on your phone when you ultimately decided to make your trek back to class, seeing no reply from jinwoo. letting out a sigh, you enter class and sit at your desk. as you worked on getting out your notebook from your desk was when you felt something cold against the palm of your hand.

your eyebrows were furrowed when you manage to pull out whatever lay deep within the confines of your desk-

only to see a ruby rose pendant covered in dried flecks of blood.

your mouth goes dry at the sight, making you swallow thickly before a wide grin paints your features.

sheer giggles of delight were heard coming from your parted lips as you held in your hand the same pendant that bitch had flaunted when she tore apart your sketchbook. grateful that no one was around, you continued to laugh, never once stopping as you cradled the necklace close to your chest.

jinwoo had done something about it after all!

and you couldn’t have been happier.

of course, you knew about him and his deepest secret.

you knew that he was the shadow monarch and had somehow reversed time to save the world-

you knew of how the two years he went missing was to take on the monarchs by himself-

and you knew that you had his heart within the very palms of your hand, for he had held yours since the very beginning.

back when you were a mere civilian and he had saved you from beasts that escaped the gates-

back when all you could see was himhimhimhim!

and now, that same man was all yours; with fate somehow placing you within his life the moment your parents had moved into the same apartment complex he had lived in all those years ago…

and now, he would never leave your side so long as you played your cards right.

forcing yourself to calm down, you adjust your blouse and put on the necklace, allowing the blood stained rose to settle against your collarbone as you hid the pendant with the fabric of your blouse. once it was all buttoned up, you adjust your blazer and smiled innocently at your classmates that started to walk in while your phone was felt vibrating against your desk. sliding open the screen, you smile when you saw a text from him:

[ my monarch 👑: sorry i wasn’t able to walk you to school today, i wanted my gift to you to be perfect. let’s meet up for lunch later, and i’ll give you a brand new, leather bound sketchbook to make up for the one you lost :) ]

[ you: that’s okay, my love! i look forward to seeing you again. thank you for the gift, i love you ♡ ]

[ my monarch 👑: i love you, too. always. ]

smiling at your phone’s screen, you give jinwoo’s profile picture a light kiss, all too eager to see him again when you dutifully turned your gaze forward and began taking notes, doing your best to hide your smirk when your teacher questions park yeon’s absence.

end notes: this feels like the most, true to genre yandere story i have ever written and i am so sorry for this, especially if it’s not my best work 😭🙏🏻

all stories are written by rei; please do not repost, plagiarize, or translate my works!!

[disneyprincemuke]

driver’s parade * ls2

it's never fun feeling like an outsider, so you'd sworn that nobody would ever feel the way you did all those years ago

pairings: logan sargeant x platonic fem!driver

notes: HEHEHEHEHEHE

| "wanna hang out?" | driver's parade | american burgers | american football | the thanksgiving incident | another williams adoptee | beating the heat | you’re embarrassing me | santa baby | the favourite driver | the situationship | it's nice to have a friend |

“hey, florida man!” you call out, jogging to catch up to the taller man ahead of you. “heading to the driver’s parade?”

“aren’t we all?” logan answers, turning around to glance at you. “hi.”

“hi,” you greet back with a proud smile. lunch had gone great with alex and george the day prior. though, it was still a little awkward from the obvious disconnect between you and the american driver.

he was slightly more withdrawn and only talked to alex and george when he needed to. he only ever spoke to you when you spoke to him. alas, you are still very committed to make a best friend out of the younger man.

admittedly, his tendency to be quiet and a little shy is very reminiscent of when you attempted to make a friend out of lewis a couple of years ago. and kimi, when he was still around.

though, kimi was a lot different from lewis and logan. he still had his moments.

“how’d you enjoy your first race weekend?” you ask, glancing at him as you take a sip from your water bottle. “have fun?”

“it’s okay so far,” he shrugs, dropping his head slightly. “have you seen alex anywhere?”

“you don’t like hanging out with me?” you frown jokingly. a smile stretches your lips when his head shoots up, eyes wide as strings of apologies start to spew from his lips.

“no, i didn’t mean it like that. i’m sorry. it’s just-“

“i’m kidding!” you laugh, patting his shoulder. “i’ve only seen you with alex anyway, so it’s probably just a preference.” you turn and scan the pitlane, lips pressed together. “he should be around here with george.”

“how come you aren’t with them?” logan hums hesitantly, glancing at you shyly with his hands in his pockets. “i always saw you guys together last year.”

you laugh. you’re typically sighted with george and alex by default: george is your teammate and alex is his best friend. it’s just a natural thought that george and alex come together as a package deal to you.

“yeah, but i try not to intrude when they’re out dating,” you wave off his concerns, “makes me feel like a third wheel.”

“they do kinda have that effect, don’t they,” logan mutters, shaking his head. “so, um…”

“oi, you’re late!” you look ahead, finding your teammate with his hands on his hips. behind him in the truck that’s supposed to take everyone around the track collectively. “come on, we’re waiting for you guys! and max. where is max? have you seen max?”

“why are you asking us like we’ve seen him?” you scoff, watching george hop onto the back effortlessly. “i haven’t seen him. ask checo.”

“you don’t suppose he’s ditching,” george whispers, bewildered at the though.

“is he allowed to do that?” logan asks softly, glancing at you.

“no, but he’s max,” you point out. you rest your water bottle on the surface of the truck and hold your arm up to george. “he can do whatever the hell he wants.”

“yeah, we’ve stopped asking questions,” george giggles. he grabs your extended arm, yanking you up easily to the elevated surface of the truck.

somehow, in the past year of being teammates, you and george have perfected the art of lifting you onto the back of the truck effortlessly.

you pick up your water bottle before you turn around to face logan. you extend a helping hand towards him and smile. “come on.”

george watches you with his eyebrows furrowed, also yanking the rookie up to stand between you. “aw, that’s kinda sweet,” george teases as logan walks past them after alex calls for him to walk further in. “you reckon you guys are friends now?”

you huff, shaking your arms. “he’s a tough nut to crack. he’s very shy.”

“now you know what it’s like trying to be your friend.”

[totaly-obsessed]

hiii! i love ur work so much!!!! i was wondering if i can request a kcc fic where she gets jealous hehehehehehe

Favorites

Kyra Cooney-Cross x reader request

-> Kyra finds out that she is not the favorite aunt or girlfriend

-> Hope you like it Anon, even though you probably meant a different jealousy haha

➳ Masterlist

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

The national break was always a welcome break from the daily club life, even if the World Cup was not that long ago. You had arrived together with the other Matilda’s that played in England. The plane journey was a long one, but one most of you were accustomed to by now.

Your plan for it? Sleeping. As much as you could. Trainers and mostly everybody you knew tried to tell you that it was bad, but you didn’t really listen – the want to sleep much too big.

Sam, your club teammate sat next to you, anxiously chewing her nails for most of the trip as she was one of the worst fliers you knew. Your captain was always thankful to sit next to you, as you calmed her down with your deep sleep and not a care in the world.

The two seats across from you were occupied by Mary and Kyra who were playing cards, bored out of their minds. Eventually, it was the new Arsenal signing who kicked your feet to wake you. “Huh? Are we there yet?” The two started laughing at your startled face and at how fast you had sat up in your seat. “No, still a while out. You’re playing cards with us.”

It wasn’t a question, Kyra knew that you would just roll your eyes and close them again, desperate for sleep. But she also knew that even you couldn’t resist her puppy eyes, so she batted her lashes at you, knowing that you would cave in.

The two of you had been dating for over a year now. Her joining Arsenal had been the best thing ever – you finally moved in together, which was quite hard with the midfielder playing in Sweden before. Even with the both of you on rival London teams, it was the best thing ever.

When in public Kyra might seem like the excited, touchy one when in private it was you who would simply refuse to let the brunette go, cuddling as close to her as you could. So whipped as you are, you played cards with them and even managed to get Sam to play as well.

“Man, I can’t wait to see Harps again. She grows so quickly.” This has been Kyra’s first time being away for such a long time from the toddler since meeting her. The two-year-old quickly found her way into all the Matilda’s hearts, helping the team relax after a long day, her gleeful giggles sounding through the halls of the facility. “Me neither, maybe she finally decides to be a striker.” Sam was back to consciousness, always happy to talk about the youngest team member – also distracting herself from flying. None of you could help but laugh, knowing that if little Harper decided to be a footballer one day, she would follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a midfielder.

The rest of the journey was long and hard, you were just happy to have Kyra at your side, knowing that you didn’t need to talk, the brunette filling the silence all by herself.

When the group of you arrived at the team hotel it was already late in the day but most of the Tillies that roamed the halls were excited to see each other again after a very successful World Cup. “Auntie Y/N!” A small body made its way through the sea of players, crashing into your open arms as you couched down, ready to hug her. “Harps!” Giggles filled the room as you threw her up in the air and caught her again.

You could feel Katrina’s watchful eyes on you but the short midfielder was never worried when Harper was with you. With Charlie and Kyra? Panic. But once you joined them? Everything was alright. It wasn’t like you were more mature, but the way you carried yourself; serious and careful when needed but you also knew how to have fun – the perfect combination.

“Harper look, Kyra’s here too!” Your girlfriend tried to get the girl's attention but she was much too busy playing with your hair, telling you the story of how her favorite stuffy had found its way to Australia. “Babe, I’ll go make out with Charls, yeah?” When you didn’t even react, the midfielder scoffed offended.

She just got replaced by a two-year-old.

Kyra didn’t know who she envied more. You for being Harper's favorite auntie, or Harper for having all your attention when in the same room.

Once back on the ground, the toddler grabbed your hand, swiftly pulling you out to a field, commanding you to grab a ball. The rest of the Matildas watched in awe as their very stoic teammate turned to mush once the tiny blonde shouted “Again!” signaling you to roll the ball to her so that she could kick it back.

“My girlfriend just got stolen.” The young Arsenal player’s mouth was wide open as Harper took you from her, in broad daylight. Harper kept pulling you out on the field further and further until you couldn’t hear the teasing anymore – not that you paid it any mind.

“Kyra just got replaced!” It was Mackenzie who started joking at their young teammate's expanse. “I still have an open room, should harper take your bed as well!” But it was Caitlin who caused the brunette to whine in defeat.

Katrina knew that you were up to no good when she saw you crouched on the floor, telling Harper something while pointing at the rest of the Matilda’s at the side of the pitch – a devious smile on your face.

Just a few short moments her daughter ran towards them, as fast as she could, arms wide open an excited smile on her face. “Auntie!” Kyra had now crouched down as well, copying your previous action, opening her arms as the small blonde raced directly toward her.

“C’mere Harps!” But Harper had a different plan, throwing herself on the ground as she army-crawled through the midfielder's legs – jumping into Alanna’s strong arms, who stood directly behind Kyra. The crowd erupted in laughter, as you made your way back to them, a sly smirk still on your lips, seeing your girlfriend's very prominent pout as Sam patted her back. “Not the favorite girlfriend, not the favorite aunt – Man, that’s gotta hurt."

[clegfly]

OUGH AH PLEASE DO!!!!!!!!!1 Favourite show ever 10/10 would brainwash all my mutuals into watching again

SHSHFBHS i actually really appreciate this reblog because I was working on basil and a lot of his concept designs have MAJOR spoilers so now I will know to add warnings!!! <3

I had a vision…

[anniekinsart]

CW: Suggestive content

"We gator halfies are nice and all, but I can't say that for the rest of everything that lives in these waters."

"Sun's almost done settin'. You don't wanna be out there...when the night falls.."

AU: Bug ignores the warnings not to venture into Silverben at night. Ghary notices.

((THIS IS JUST A SIMPY AU! Not how Ghary would actually react!!))

Still had fun drawing it though >:) hehehehehehe

[giveafike]

The Winter Whiteout -B.T.S

TLDR: snowed in...sort of. This is part 6/12 of Azzie's Advent Calendar 2024!

Word count + info: 4.8k + including a LOT dialogue. this is acc mainly dialogue.

Warnings + Content Ahead: SFW! No warnings : )

Azzie Notes ✚: can u believe we're halfway through the calendar? what'll I do when this is all over?? D: - all the inboxed requests, that's what haha, don't worry I'll still be here. Since I'm writing all these in advance, I wonder if you all have caught onto the little connections throughout...like the ornament on the tree yday, or the snow being on your wishlist... so exciting im giggling. ANYWHO, let's move on.

P.S.Azzie from present: special thank u + shoutout to the Bennies twt gc, what a bunch of funny and silly cuties! (even tho I've been falsely accused and threatened multiple times.) Highly, highly recc u guys to join the twt community it's so fun over there, it's like a little family! Also, if you followed me on there and I haven't followed back, just dm me! I want to be moots w all my fave ppl hehehehehehe

————————————————————————

The soft grey light of dawn seeped through the blinds, gently pulling at the edges of your dreams as you slept beside Ben's warm body. You stirred, the cozy cocoon of the blankets hugging you tightly against the slight chill in the room. As you burrowed further into the warmth, you felt a nudge at your shoulder, soft, almost hesitant, but insistent and annoying enough to pull you closer to waking.

“Babe...babeee...,” Ben’s voice whispered, hushed but tinged with urgency. A second nudge followed, this one paired with the light pressure of his hand against your arm, gently shaking you. “Hey, babe. You gotta wake up.”

You groaned, rolling onto your side, eyes barely cracking open. “Mmh...hm? What’s wrong?” Your voice was thick with sleep, and you buried your face into the pillow, trying to keep your eyes sheltered from the light filtering through.

Ben crouched by the bed, his curls a messy halo around his head, his expression caught somewhere between panic and awe. “...we’re snowed in,” he announced in a whisper-shout, his brown eyes wide as if he were delivering life-altering news.

Your brow furrowed. What? The snow had begun to melt by the time you had come in last night, and now it rebuilt? In Florida of all places? As you attempted to capture Ben's words, you stirred a bit more.

“Snowed in?” you mumbled, voice muffled by the pillow. The words sounded foreign, nonsensical even, especially in your still-sleepy haze. “What’re you talking about?”

“Come look!” he urged, rising to his feet and gesturing dramatically toward the window. The mattress dipped slightly as he stood, and you shivered as the absence of his warmth let the cool air creep in.

With a reluctant sigh, you lifted your heavy head up and swung your legs over the side of the bed, the chill of the floorboards making you wince and pull your feet back for a second. Finally, you pushed up, the sleep-heavy blanket slipping from your shoulders as your eyes blinked away any chances of going back to rest. The sudden loss of warmth made you groan softly, but Ben was already pacing near the window, his hand chewing at the edge of his nail.

“C’mon, babe, you gotta see this,” he pressed, his other arm wrapping tightly around his torso like he was physically holding himself together. His tone was so frantic, that you half-expected to find a blizzard raging outside.

You shuffled to the window, your body still waking up with every step. Pulling the curtain fully back, you squinted against the soft brightness of the snowy morning. The scene outside unfolded like something out of a dream, a thin but pristine blanket of white covered the lawn, cars, and the tops of the palm trees. The road glistened faintly, a mix of ice and slush, while the grass had completely disappeared beneath the powdery covering.

There was snow, for sure. But “snowed in”? That was a stretch. Half an inch, maybe. At best. You blinked, your groggy brain taking a moment to process the panic Ben woke you up in versus the reality that met you outside, the fact you were standing by the window looking at a dusting of snow and ice, bound to melt by afternoon, the fact the cold wooden floor was taunting you for getting up your golden retriever boyfriend without even second guessing.  

You turned around only to find Ben staring at you with wide, anxious eyes. His hand hovered near his mouth as he gnawed at the skin, and he was bouncing faintly on the balls of his feet like he didn’t know what to do with himself. His navy cotton tee hung slightly askew, and his curls still miraculously standing in all directions and faces. The whole picture, his anxiety, his dishevelled state was so endearing that you couldn’t stop the smile tugging at your lips as your exhaustion melted away.

“Oh, Benny,” you murmured, soft laughter bubbling up in your chest. “Sweetheart, it’s not that bad.”

His face crumpled into a mix of indignation and disbelief. “What?!? Not that bad?” He gestured toward the window as if the sight spoke for itself, his eyes widening while his hands were extended. “This isn't normal! The roads are iced over, the grass is gone, this is serious! What if we can’t get groceries? Oh my God, and if the pipes freeze? What if-”

“Ben,” you interrupted, crossing the room to him. He stopped mid-rant as you reached up, cupping his face in your hands. “You poor Florida baby,” you cooed, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose.

His brows knitted further, the beginnings of a pout forming on his lips. “You’re making fun of me,” he accused, though his hands instinctively settled at your waist.

“Only a little,” you admitted, laughing softly as you peppered kisses across his face, his cheeks, his jawline, the furrow between his brows. “You’re too cute, getting all worked up over this.”

“I’m not cute,” he grumbled, but his voice lacked bite. His hands tightened slightly at your waist, drawing you closer. “And this isn’t funny! What if the power goes out?”

You kissed him again, this time lingering for a second longer. “We’ll survive,” you murmured against his cheek, your hands sliding down to rest on his chest. Beneath the soft cotton of his shirt, you could feel the faint thrum of his heartbeat, faster than usual. “I promise.”

He sighed, his posture softening just a bit. “You’re not taking this seriously.”

You giggled, standing on tiptoe to kiss the corner of his mouth. “Oh, I’m taking it very seriously,” you teased, your tone light. “I’m seriously finding this adorable.”

He groaned, dropping his head against your shoulder in mock defeat, planting a small kiss on it. “You’re impossible,” he mumbled, though the smile tugging at his lips betrayed him.

You laughed, brushing your fingers through his curls before stepping back. “Let me get dressed and wash my face, okay? Then we’ll figure it out, this whole snow emergency of yours.”

He lifted his head, his eyes still clouded with worry but softening slightly as he nodded and exhaled a deep breath. “Okay,” he said, though his tone carried a lingering trace of doubt.

You kissed his cheek one more time before heading to the bathroom, his voice following you as you went. “Don’t forget! If we’re trapped here, we’re gonna need a plan!”

“Got it, babe,” you replied through your laughter as you closed the door behind you, shaking your head. Trapped. Sure. Only Ben could make a snow flurry in Florida feel like the start of a survival movie.

By the time you got dressed and ready for the day, the smell of comfort wafted its way up from downstairs. The rich smell of coffee mingled with the sizzle of bacon and the soft clatter of plates as you stepped into the kitchen, ridding any fatigue from your body. Ben was hunched over the coffee machine, his shoulders tense with concentration like he was performing surgery.

“Morning, soldier. See you've been put to work,” you mumbled, your voice still thick with sleep.

Ben spun around, holding up a mug like it was a trophy. “Morning! Coffee’s almost done. Got my priorities straight today.”

You smiled, leaning against the counter next to him. “How thoughtful of you. For us or for yourself?”

He gave you an innocent look. “For everyone, thank you very much.” Then, lowering his voice, he added with a smirk, “But mostly me.”

Across the room, Emma and Alex were bickering good-naturedly as they set the table.

“Forks go on the left, Alex,” Emma said, swatting his hand.

“No, that’s knives, Em,” Alex replied, holding up the utensils like he was solving a riddle.

“You’re thinking of fancy tables, and this ain’t fancy!”

Lisa chuckled from the stove, flipping a pancake. “As long as there’s food on the table, I don’t think anyone’s gonna care, y’all.” She turned to you, her smile warm. “Can you help me with the syrup and butter? And maybe make a small fruit salad too please?”

“On it, I can take over pancake duty, if you're getting tired on there, Lisa,” you said, moving to gather the items.

Bryan wandered in, pausing in the doorway with his hands on his hips. “Smells like a diner in here,” he said, his voice laced with approval. “That’s how you know it’s gonna be a good morning.”

Emma plopped down the last of the silverware, shooting a look at Alex. “There. Done. And you didn’t even help.”

“I did help,” Alex protested, gesturing to the crooked line of plates he’d set out.

“Barely,” Emma shot back, grinning as she nudged him.

Lisa glanced over her shoulder. “Y’all done bickering yet? Food’s almost ready.”

“Almost,” Emma replied before turning to Alex with a teasing smile. “We’re heading to Alex's place later, by the way.”

Bryan’s head snapped up. “What? Absolutely not, Emma.”

Emma groaned. “Dad, come on. It’s not even far!”

“It doesn’t matter,” Bryan said firmly. “You’ve got no experience driving in snow, and if the roads get icy, you’ll be stuck there.”

Emma sighed, muttering. “Yeah, that’s kind of the point, Dad...”

Alex, trying to defuse the situation, leaned in, clear that panic was etched on his face. “Your dad’s right, though. Imagine if the power went out. We’d be stuck, freezing, with nothing but...” He trailed off dramatically. “...each other.”

Emma, predictably, melted at that. “Ugh, fine,” she muttered, her resolve crumbling as she stared at him.

Bryan threw his hands up in mock exasperation. “Of course. Listen to your boyfriend over your dad. That’s fine. Totally fine.”

Lisa shook her head as she began plating the pancakes. “Bryan, stop being dramatic and sit down. You know you weren't any different either at their age. Breakfast’s ready.”

Everyone settled around the table, the warm smell of coffee and syrup wrapping around you like a veil. Ben handed you a steaming mug, his fingers lingering on yours for a moment before he sat beside you.

As the meal got underway, Ben leaned back in his chair, cradling his coffee like it was a lifeline.

“So... what’s the plan for today? Are we just staying in?”

Lisa looked over her mug, smiling indulgently. “Ben, it’s just a little snow. We’re not actually snowed in.”

Bryan nodded. “Exactly. But I’d rather everyone stay put for a few hours. No sense in slipping on an icy road when it’s gonna melt by noon.”

Ben perked up, his eyes lighting with mischief. “So... we’re basically treating this like a snowed-in day?”

Lisa groaned, shaking her head. “If that’s what you want to call it, fine.”

Ben smiled with that playful grin. “Snowed-in day! Let’s make it fun. Blanket forts, hot cocoa, maybe we bring back the snowball fight, whaddya say Alex? Round Two-”

Before anyone could humour him, Bryan raised a hand, cutting him off. “Ah, ah, ah. You just had a snowball fight last night. If you really wanna get out in the snow today, you’re gonna be helping me clear the driveway. I got de-icing rock salt, too, don’t want none of that slush or black ice out there.”

Ben groaned dramatically, slumping back into his chair. “What? No- Dad!”

“Oh, and you’re helping me clear the neighbourhood roads, too,” Bryan added, pointing a finger. “You and Alex.”

Alex, caught mid-bite, looked up, wide-eyed. “What? But I--wait, that was all Ben!! I mean...” He caught Bryan’s look and sighed heavily. “Yes, Mr. Shelton. Of course.”

Lisa, who had been scrolling through her phone, barely looked up as she mumbled, “We still haven’t done the Secret Santa name distribution this year. When on earth are we meeting with everyone for that?”

You brightened, looking up. “Oh, we could do it online, if that's handy for you. I can send the link and set it up.”

Emma perked up at the idea. “Yeah, that’s smart, that's what me and the girls did in college. Easy, no hassle. We don’t all have to meet in person just for names.”

Lisa shot you a grateful smile. “Oh wow...perfect. Thanks, hon I wanna see how to do that. That’ll save us a whole ordeal.”

The conversation wound down as everyone finished their plates. You helped Lisa clear the table, stacking dishes into the sink while Ben dragged himself upstairs to get dressed for the cold. Alex had already shuffled off to the garage with Bryan, muttering something about Floridians and their snow aversion.

When Ben returned, bundled up in layers with a slightly too-big jacket zipped to his chin, he stopped in the kitchen doorway. His expression was mournful, exaggerated with puppy-dog eyes and a deep sigh.

“Babe,” he said dramatically, placing his hands on your shoulders. “I’m heading into action. My fingers are gonna be numb. My clothes? Soaked. Frozen. My body? Part of what it once was.” He let out a long, suffering sigh. “And worst of all? I’m gonna miss you, and warmth, and coffee, and--”

“Ben,” you interrupted, biting back laughter as you cradled his face in your hands. “You’re clearing the driveway, not trekking across the Arctic.”

“Same thing,” he replied solemnly, his breath puffing slightly as he gazed at you.

You stood on your toes, peppering his face with light kisses: one on his nose, another on his cheek, and finally, a soft one on his lips. “You’ll be fine, my brave soldier. Godspeed, Ben. And remember, when it’s all over, you’ll come to me.”

Bryan’s voice bellowed from the garage. “Ben! Quit stalling and get your ass in here!”

Ben sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Duty calls.”

You patted his chest with a teasing smile. “You’ll survive.”

As he shuffled out the door, Lisa chuckled, shaking her head. “He’s always been a bit dramatic, hasn’t he?”

You laughed, returning to the sink to load the last of the plates into the dishwasher. “It’s part of the charm.”

Emma, perched at the table with Halo in her lap, smirked. “Charm, huh? Sure that’s the word you’re looking for?”

Lisa joined you at the counter, rinsing out a pan. “She’s got it bad,” she teased softly, smiling as she glanced at you.

You smiled back, glancing toward the garage door. “Yeah,” you admitted. “I do.”

Emma grinned, reaching for Halo’s food. “Better you than me.”

After his dramatic departure and a chuckle from Lisa, you found yourself curled up in the living room with her and Emma. The soft hum of the heater filled the space, the occasional clink of mugs against the coffee table accompanying the warm, easy atmosphere. You opened your laptop, connected it to the TV, and set up the Secret Santa website as Lisa leaned forward, watching with interest.

“Alright, let’s get this started,” you said, typing in the link. “You just call out the names, and I’ll add them in.”

Lisa tilted her head, fascinated. “Wait, so all this...online? We don’t even need to draw names out of a hat any more?”

“Nope.” You smiled as Emma scooted closer, leaning over the arm of the couch to watch. “See? Everyone gets an email with their draw. And... check this out you can even add wish lists or send anonymous messages to your Secret Santa. It’s really easy.”

“Wish lists?” Emma perked up, her eyes lighting with excitement. “Wait, hold on, show me how that works, I never done that before!”

You clicked through a couple of tabs, pulling up the gift wish feature.

“Right here. You can add whatever you want so your Secret Santa knows what to get you. No awkward surprises.”

“Genius,” Emma muttered, nudging Lisa. “This is way better than what the family used to do. No offense, Mom.”

Lisa laughed, shaking her head in amazement. “I can’t believe this is a thing. Y'all making us look like amateurs.”

You smiled at the compliment, quickly typing in the last name Lisa called out. “And done. I’ll email the link to you so you can send it to everyone.”

Lisa paused, a thoughtful look crossing her face. “Hold on a second, hon.”

She pulled her phone from the side table, fingers moving quickly over the screen. “I’ll just add you to the family group chat. Make it easier.”

The words hit you like a gentle wave, warm and unexpected. Your heart stuttered for a moment as you processed what she’d said. “Oh-! Lisa, you don’t have to do that,” you murmured, caught somewhere between surprise and gratitude.

“Oh please, nonsense, sweetheart.” Lisa glanced up with a knowing smile, her tone light but full of meaning. “You’re family now. No need to overthink it.”

Your throat tightened at the sincerity in her voice, but before you could reply, your phone buzzed. A notification popped up: Shelton Family Group Chat. You swallowed the lump in your throat, blinking against the sudden sting of emotion as you opened the chat and sent the Secret Santa link in.

Emma clapped her hands together, grinning. “Alright, let’s see who we got!”

You clicked the link on your phone, holding your breath as the page loaded. When your draw appeared, your heart gave a little leap: Emma.

It took everything in you not to give yourself away. Your gaze flickered toward her as she was already scrolling through the wish list feature, completely oblivious. Ideas started swirling in your mind immediately, and you had to fight to keep the excitement from showing on your face.

Lisa glanced at you, sipping her coffee. “Good draw?”

You managed to nod, a tight-lipped smile forming. “Yeah. Great draw.”

Emma raised a brow at you, suspicious. “You’re being weird. Who’d you get?”

“Can’t say!” You threw your hands up defensively, shaking your head. “That’s the whole point of it being secret.”

She squinted at you, mock accusing. “If you got me, you better not get me something lame.”

You laughed, trying to keep your tone casual. “You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?”

Lisa chuckled, leaning back in her chair. “This is already more fun than the usual way. Good call, hon.”

You smiled warmly, the little flutter in your chest from pride and the lingering feelings from her earlier words: Family. You glanced at your phone again, the screen still glowing with Emma’s name as you drew. Yeah, you thought. You had some good ideas.

After some time chatting together, Lisa busied herself away to get started on lunch, an assortment of dishes and sides she had planned to keep everyone full and warm for the rest of the afternoon. You and Emma found yourselves curled up together on the couch with Below Deck, gossiping about all sorts and debriefing episodes after each one.

The door slammed open with a burst of icy air, Bryan leading the way with Alex and Ben trailing behind. The commotion immediately drew your and Emma's attention, both of your heads turning towards the door as you pressed pause on the TV. Lisa glanced up from the kitchen, where she was stirring something on the stove, and offered a welcoming smile to the trio. The contrast between the “three wise men” was impossible not to laugh at.

Bryan entered looking fresh and composed, his jacket dry, his skin just faintly pink and glowing from the chill. “Nothing better than some good ol' boy time together, huh, guys?!?” he beamed, slapping Alex on the back and clapping Ben’s shoulder.

Alex, in stark contrast, had clear signs of his snowy excursion. Damp patches dotted his jacket, and his cheeks and nose were ruddy. Still, he looked far from bothered, rather energised, a light smirk tugging at his lips as he shook off his gloves. His Canadian side clearly served him well. “It wasn’t too bad,” he said, though his gaze flicked to Ben with a hint of amusement.

And then, there was Ben.

He was the picture of misery. He shuffled in like a shell of himself. His curls were frozen stiff in awkward clumps, bits of snow clinging stubbornly to his sleeves and pants, all over him. His shoulders were hunched and his teeth chattered audibly as he tried to stave off the cold. He paused just inside the doorway, his wide, glassy eyes staring ahead with what could only be described as a thousand-yard stare. His face was pale, his lips slightly blue, and he looked downright traumatised.

You sat up, stifling a laugh at the sight of him. “Ben, are you--?”

He didn’t let you finish. Raising a trembling hand, he cut you off with a weak, “hot shower,” his voice soft and almost childlike, before he shuffled off toward the stairs like a man on a mission.

That did it. As soon as he disappeared, you and Emma turned to each other and burst out laughing. Emma leaned into the couch arm, clutching her side as tears of mirth threatened to spill. Bryan shook his head while Alex turned away to hide his laughter.

“Alright, spill,” Emma said to Alex, who was still shaking his head in amusement while hanging his coat. “What on earth happened out there?”

Alex plopped down into the armchair with a groan of effort, unzipping his thermal halfway. “Man, Ben just had the worst time out there. You should've seen it. First, Bryan’s like, ‘I’ll show you how to shovel,’ and instead of aiming for the sides, he accidentally launches the snow right onto Ben who's on the ground trying to tie his shoes with them big gloves.”

Bryan, who had made his way toward the kitchen, turned back to add, “Wasn’t on purpose. Builds character, though.” He gave Alex a knowing nod before joining Lisa.

“It gets better, though.” Alex continued. “Ben was like maybe, 3 shovels in? He somehow gets his foot stuck under the shovel. When he tries to yank it free and ends up using the shovel like a vaulting pole and almost catapults himself over it and into the snowbank. It was gold. He made the weirdest scream too, it was so tragic.”

You clapped a hand over your mouth to muffle your laugh, and Emma was practically wheezing now.

“But that’s not even the worst part,” Alex said, leaning forward conspiratorially.

“Bryan didn’t really do much out there, just stood supervising us while we salted the driveway and iced down the street a bit. But Ben… oh man.” He shook his head, grinning. “The guy slipped on the ice at least five times. By the third, he just kinda laid there like he was questioning life choices.”

“Oh no, my poor baby,” you said, your voice catching as you tried to breathe through the laughter, heart softening at your own Bambi on ice.

“And then,” Alex said, his grin widening, “you remember that kid Ben called ‘funny-looking’ last night during the snowball fight? Yeah, that kid showed up with his friends and destroyed Ben. Full ambush. It was like watching a crime scene. They made a bad situation worse, man.”

Emma was crying with laughter, doubling over so far she almost fell off the couch. “I can’t believe I missed this.”

Lisa’s voice floated in from the kitchen. “Alex, honey! Go warm up before lunch is ready.”

“Yeah, I’m going Mrs Shelton!” Alex said, standing with an exaggerated groan. He looked back at you and Emma, smirking. “Bryan might’ve been dry as a bone, but between Ben’s luck and that shovel? Today was hilarious.”

You and Emma shared another laugh as Alex disappeared down the hall to clean up. Emma wiped her eyes, shaking her head as she said, “He’s never gonna live this down.”

“Not a chance,” you agreed, still giggling.

The faint sound of water running upstairs confirmed Ben was probably still thawing out. You leaned back on the couch, pressing play on Below Deck as you and Emma tried to recover from the sheer comedy of it all.

Just as you reached for the remote to unpause Below Deck, Bryan’s voice carried through the house.

“Emma! I need help figuring out this Secret Santa thing. It’s not working.”

Emma let out a loud sigh, standing up. “Of course. Can’t let me sit down for five minutes. I'll be back.”

You waved her off with a grin. “Go save him. I’ll wait.”

As Emma disappeared toward the kitchen, you leaned back against the couch, stretching your legs out. A few moments later, you heard heavy, slow footsteps descending the stairs. Ben shuffled into view, looking like he’d barely survived a natural disaster. His curls were damp, clinging to his forehead, with a towel draped over his shoulders. He wore soft sweatpants and a sweatshirt, his hands stuffed into the pocket as if he was still fighting off the chill.

He made his way to the couch and flopped down beside you, immediately dropping his head into your lap.

“Ben,” you scolded gently, looking at the damp mess of his hair. “Your hair’s wet! You’re going to ruin the couch or my leggings!”

He tilted his head just enough to look up at you with a faint, weak smile. “I’ve been through enough. You can’t possibly be mad at me right now.”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help smiling as you ran your fingers through his curls, untangling the damp strands and twisting them around your fingers to reshape them. “I can’t believe you got wrecked that hard by a little snow.”

Ben groaned, burying his face into your lap. “Don’t even. It’s not my fault the Sunshine State doesn’t prepare you for… this.”

“Oh, I know,” you teased, scratching gently at his scalp. “You’re a delicate Florida flower who got bested by a shovel, a patch of ice, and a group of angry children.”

“They had backups, man” Ben muttered into your thigh, his voice muffled. “I didn’t stand a chance.”

You giggled, raking your nails lightly through his hair. “And yet, Bryan came in dry and happy like he was just there to supervise.”

Ben let out a long sigh, finally lifting his head to squint up at you. “I don’t need this slander from my own girlfriend.”

“It’s not slander if it’s true,” you said with a grin, leaning down to press a quick kiss to his temple.

Ben shifted slightly in your lap, reaching over to grab the letters tucked under the coffee table. His freshly showered scent hit you, clean, warm, with a hint of his citrusy shampoo, and you couldn’t help but inhale subtly as he moved. His curls, soft and conditioned, brushed against your fingers as you played with them absentmindedly.

“What are you doing now?” you teased, watching as he scanned the pages with a mix of curiosity and focus.

“Looking for evidence,” Ben murmured, flipping through the letters.

“Evidence of what?”

He didn’t answer, his brow furrowing slightly until he found what he was looking for.

“‘And maybe, just maybe, some snow… even if it’s just for a day,’” he read aloud, in a teasing girly voice, clearly trying to imitate you with the faintest grin tugging at his lips.

Your cheeks warmed, and you gave a sheepish laugh. “What, are you going to make fun of me for that too?”

But Ben didn’t tease. Instead, he sat up, turning to face you fully now, his knee tucked against yours. His grin softened into something more thoughtful as he held up his own letter.

“‘If you could help me make this Christmas together extra special, I’d owe you big time,’” he recited, then glanced at the snow falling gently outside the window. He looked at you, eyes wide with a mixture of awe and warmth. “Santa’s legit. He’s already pulling through for us.”

You laughed, shaking your head. “Ben, you’re ridiculous. I can’t believe you even remembered I wrote that.”

Ben set the papers down and met your gaze, his voice lowering, softening to match the tender tone in yours. “Of course I did. You’re my girl. How could I forget something that mattered to you?”

Your heart swelled, a mix of amusement and deep affection making your throat tighten. Before you could respond, Ben leaned in, pressing a kiss to your lips. His hands cupped your face gently, his fingers brushing into your hair as if he were binding himself to you. You melted into him, your lips moving in sync, slow and warm, until you finally pulled back.

Your foreheads rested together, and you smiled, voice barely above a whisper. “Well, maybe snow’s not so bad after all.”

Ben smiled too, his voice soft but laced with that playful edge you adored. “Don’t get used to it. I’m still a Florida boy at heart.”

You giggled, brushing his curls off his forehead. “You handled the ice just fine.”

“Barely,” he muttered, but his grin widened as he leaned in for one more kiss.

For the first time all day, the snow didn’t seem so bad to him. Not when he had you to come back to.

[merakidoll]

starry eyed and love sick, these are fun to ask! hope you have a great day today!

starry eyed ৻ꪆ what makes the two of you come immediately (or get real close to)? : EYE CONTACTTTTTTT. and like when we say we love each other - “fuck l-love you s’much papa” “stop p-playin mir gonna fill you uppshit!”

lovesick ৻ꪆ what’s their biggest kink(s)? and yours? : ooo eren : he likes pain for example - when i choke him while riding or bite his nipple, or when i scratch his back too hard, or sucked hickeys on him too hard :)) he also likes being milked so dry his dick hurts heheheheheh me : chokeinggg!! being degraded, being chased so like hunter / prey type of deal, ooo we both loveeee public sex

i hope you had an amazing day cutie