#ME you did an amazing job.. and i will admit as soon as she left i did like start crying. idk whats up with me today

[nomaishuttle]

ughhhh

[sweetdispatch]

Who’s the boy? - C. Bedard

Next door hearts

pairing: Connor Bedard x Hughes!reader

summary: It's summer time and you need to face your brothers and admit to them who's your mysterious boyfriend

warning: swear word

words: 1.4k

note: finally the longer version! feel free to send more ideas to this AU🧸

---

Knowing that you’re gonna return to Chicago, you packed only essentials. All the clothes have at home and there’s no need to bring more. You were thankful that your parents helped you to rent an apartment and you don’t have to take all your belongings back home to bring them back after summer. Connor drove you to the airport and you felt bizarre. It was the first time in the 5 months since you knew each other you'll be apart for more than two weeks. 

“I don’t know if I want to go home” You admitted and Connor looked at you surprised.

“Why? I thought you miss your family” 

“I do but… I would love to spend these free months with you without worrying about our schedules” You sighed. 

“Hey” Connor grabbed your hand. “We’ll be back together soon. You can’t prioritisering me over your family. Look, you have to return in the middle of August to Chicago, I’ll fly there too and we can spent my last free weeks together” 

“I can’t ask you to do that. You have to spend as much time as you have with your family” You protested.

“It’s my decision and I already made up my mind about it” Connor said and you laughed.

“You’re ridiculous” You looked at him with love in your eyes. 

You walked out of the car and Connor went to grab your suitcase. You hugged him tightly and kissed him goodbye. You knew that you two would talk every single day for the next couple of months but you still didn’t want to leave him. You were well aware that you’ll miss him but that was also a learning experience for you. The whole time you were in the plane, you were thinking about your relationship with Connor and how to tell it to your brothers.

Thankfully, your parents came to pick you up from the airport and not your brothers. You ran towards them and hugged them. In all the craziness, you forgot about your parents and how much you missed them. You were excited to cook with your mom and golf with your dad. In the car, you break the news to them.

“I met a guy in Chicago and he asked me to be his girlfriend so basically I’m in a relationship” You said and your mum turned to face you.

“That’s amazing sweetie! Why didn't you bring him with you?” You mum asked and before you could answer your dad spoke. 

“I bet he’s a hockey player since you were working for them” You knew he said this as a joke but he was right.

“He is a hockey player and he wanted to spend time with his family” The car stopped at a red light and your dad turned to face you.

“Which one?” He said and you couldn’t recognize his voice. 

“Connor Bedard” Your dad turned away his eyes back on the road. “Are you mad?”

“No, I’m happy for you…” Before he could finish, your mum spoke.

“We’re happy for you and we can’t wait to meet him. Did you tell your brothers?”

“No and I’m scared to do it. You know how protective they are” Your mum laughed. 

“That’s their job, they’re your brothers and they don’t want you to get hurt” 

“I know, can you not tell them? I want to do it by myself when the time is right” 

“Sure sweetie but it’s better to do it fast before they’ll figure it out by themselves” Your mum said and you nodded. 

The rest of the drive you were telling your parents about Chicago and how life looks there. Before you could see, you already parked in the driveway and you left the car. You took a deep breath and walked into the house. Your brothers ran to the door to question you about your last instagram post but your mum stopped them. 

“Give her a break, she just arrived” You smiled at her and took your suitcase to your room. 

You laid in the bed and started thinking about how to break the news to your brothers. For now, you decided to keep your mouth shut. You thought to yourself that tomorrow you’ll tell them about everything. For now, you need to rest. You send a quick message to Connor that you’re at home. 

The next day, you woke up and decided to go for a run. It was your tradition during summer. Around 9AM, you left the house and after an hour you returned. You saw that your parents' car is not in the driveway which meant you’re alone with your brothers. The first thing after you opened the door was the smell of breakfast. Your brothers are up and you can’t escape them. Slowly, you walked into the kitchen and felt all eyes on you. 

“How was Chicago?” That's the first question you heard from Quinn when you entered the kitchen to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. You took a sip before you spoke.

“Great! I love the city and the job and…” You didn't finish your sentence because Jack interrupted you.

“Later you’ll tell us about it. We have more important things to discuss. What does the caption mean under your post?” Jack asked you.

“Umm… I meant that I fell in love with the city” You lied and judging by their faces, you knew they’re not buying this.

“Bullshit, tell the truth” Luke said and you were surprised at this outburst. You expected this from Jack, even Quinn but not Luke.

“Okay I have a boyfriend. Happy?” You were done with this conversation already and it hasn't even started. You walked out and started going upstairs. Your brothers followed you.

“Who’s the boy?” Quinn asked you and you took a deep breath.

“He’s my neighbour, his name is Connor” You told them, trying not to share the news that he’s a hockey player and keep it simple thinking that they’ll drop the topic. You entered your room to take clothes. 

“Like Connor Bedard? The one from the Blackhawks?” Jack asked you and you cursed under your nose. Of course they’ll connect that you said to them that you live next to the hockey player and work with the team.

“Yes” You confirmed and turned away to go into the bathroom.

“I’m cool with that” Luke replied and you looked shocked at him. That was not the reaction you expected from him, especially after his outburst earlier.

“Me too, he looks like a good guy” Quinn said it back and you froze in spot. You expected screaming from their side and they just accepted it. This felt bizarre for you.

“He better treat you right or I won’t be too careful on the ice towards him” Jack said and you laughed. Now that was the reaction you expected. 

“I’ll tell him that but Connor is treating me right. We’ve been friends for the past 5 months before he asked me to be his girlfriend. Actually he planned a super cute day for me before he even asked me the question. I’ve never been in such awe of a man” You replied, still replaying the day in your head.

“That's the most important thing, but as Jack said, he better not hurt you because we might not be too careful on the ice next time playing against Chicago” Quinn said and hugged you. You smiled, grateful that your brothers accepted Connor but also scared of them playing against Blackhawks next season. 

“Thanks guys, I appreciate it” You smiled at them. It wasn’t as scary as you thought. Went better than expected. 

“When can we meet him?” Jack asked out of nowhere. 

“Probably during the season” 

“Invite him over here, we need to meet him” Quinn said and you didn’t know what to say. 

“I don’t want to take away his time with his family” 

“Just a weekend. I bet he’ll be happy to see you” Jack said and you thought about it for a minute.

“I’ll talk with him later, okay?” All three of them nodded. “Can I take a shower now?” 

“Yes but don’t you think that you’ll get away with telling us how Chicago had been treating you” Luke replied and all of them left your room. You smiled to yourself.

[vicsstufff]

CHAPTER ONE — show and tell.

warnings: nothing (?)

BTS masterlist

taglist: @rebecca-woso @unadulteratedcyclepaper , @authentic-girl03

pairing: hopkins!p.bueckers x exchange student!oc

authors note: first chapter guysss, thank u some much for the support on the prologue, it gives me more motivation to write. i am starting school soon and it will definitely make me write slower :(. i feel like nothing interesting happened in this chapter. comment if u wanna be added to the taglist!

camila had arrived at the airport some hours ago, it is now july and the heat had calm down by this time of the year, her host family told her that it was summer over in minnesota but they assured her that it was not compared to brazil’s heat. adriana and Michel, were they’re names, adriana was born in washington but got a job in minnesota, michel was originally from canada, studied in washington and that’s were he meet Adriana, they were actually very young and camila was shocked that they didn’t have any children yet. they showed her own room, it was definitely cozy and beautiful, they had different fashion sense compared to brazil’s but she didn’t questioned anything, they had spent money, time and dedication to make this just for her, back in brazil, she had to share her room with 2 of her cousins, while helena got a room all for herself, she once did too.

after a long 16 hour plane, she landed in minnesota, at this times of the year, brazil was heavily packed with windy days while minnesota was bright as the sun didn’t have any clouds to protect the people from its heat. her host family was right, the heat was bearable.

walking through the gate, her vision was filled with desperate families waiting for their loved ones, she started locating her host family. adriana had dark brown hair and green eyes, Michel had dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. when she finally found them, they had a bright smile decorating their face. “cam! you’re finally here!” Adriana cheered grabbing camila’s bags to help her, “how was the flight? exhausting?” michel questioned handing her a protein bar with a bottle of water, “definitely exhausting.” camila admitted before grabbing the protein bar and drinking the water bottle.

the sun was starting to get covered by the mountains surrounding the city, the ride was entertaining even though her phone had died, she couldn’t stop seeing the amazing view the city offered her. she started missing brazil’s sensation, it was one in a kind. adriana was the one driving, explaining that michel was afraid because he had sweaty hands and feared that he couldn’t grip the steering wheel strong enough. the rest of the ride was filled with jokes and tips that adriana gave to camila, she really understood how it feels to be left out and the feeling that you don’t belong.

the house was built like the exact model for a little family, it was a medium size house, with two floors, perfect en camila’s eyes. her house back in brazil was much smaller like mentioned. the dog— monica, came running to her feet once the main door opened, her tail wiggled behind her showing her excitement.

“here, i made cinnamon rolls.” adriana brought to her eyesight a plate full with delicious cinnamon rolls. she hadn’t taste any cinnamon rolls when she lived back in brazil. she grabbed one gently, her fingertips getting covered by the cinnamon, she bite it, her mouth exploded with sweet flavors, she licked her lips and placed the cinnamon roll back on the plate. “we planned on you going to hopkins high school, they didn’t really agreed, so, you are going to be assisting cedar hills. i dare to say it’s a better choice.” michel entered the kitchen explaining camila her current situation and her future studies, “we already bought everything you will need.” adrianna assured her, she could feel the happiness lingering in her words, it made her feel like she was her own mother even if she just meet her a few hours ago, adrianna had made more effort in making her comfortable than her birth mom.

the afternoon passed quickly, camila didn’t even knowledge it, she had been focusing on memorizing her new home, monica —the schnauzer dog— following not far behind her. the last place she visited was her room, she analyzed every corner, there wasn’t a single corner left empty, the smell of the cinnamon rolls still in the air — it had reached her room upstairs even when the kitchen was very far away— she also hadn’t checked her phone yet, she knew it was about to explode with messages for ‘p’.

she reached for her phone hidden in her pocket, she turned it off after charging it for a while. after her phone had fully loaded, the messages started appearing.

p

r u in minnesota yet?

it’s hella hott

idk if u will find it hot do

heyyy

can we meet at the lovers river??

at 9 pm

if u can ;)

cam

sorry, my phone died on me

i got here since the morning but got distracted

isn’t it kinda fast too meet?

p

u think it’s fast?

we can meet another day if you want

no worries

which school r u going too??

cam

cedar hills

sounds fancy

p

i really hoped for u to come to hopkins :(

well

my second game is against them

cam

r they good?

p

not really

we literally destroyed them last year

camila placed her phone down in the near table in front of her bed, walking closer to the window, the sun had fully taken cover in the mountains now, the moon taking its place instead, the stars making her company. camila wished she was like the moon, she attracted attention from everybody, she always stood out, the stars were all similar, not attracting that much attention like the moon. she hopes that one day, she will be somebody’s moon.

“cami! dinner is ready!” the sudden shout startled camila, taking her glance off the view and making her way down the stairs and entering the kitchen, the smell of spaghetti and chicken replaced the cinnamon rolls smell that was lingering earlier that day.

“excited for school?” adrianna spoked handing her a glass filled with watermelon juice, “well, i will say that i’m nervous.” camila muttered with a cheeky smile, “don’t be, i heard that people in cedar hills are friendly.” michel assured her before grabbing a spoon with chicken bringing it to his plate. the only thing left for camila is to hope and pray everything goes smoothly.

[happiest-hotch]

Mother's Day

Summary: Jack has a very important, surprise gift to give you on a special holiday for your inaugural celebrations together

Paring: Aaron Hotchner x Fem!Reader (Fluff)

WC: 1.4k

Whenever he can, Aaron leaves work early to get Jack. Thankfully, with Strauss's return, he's not still stuck doing two jobs, so he finishes his work in time to get Jack from school. You also love when he has days like that because it means he'll cook something delicious and homemade, maybe even dessert if Jack has anything to say about it.

Jack gets into the car like any other day, but what he says isn't the typical comment about his day or request for an afternoon activity. "Did you know it's Mother's Day this weekend?" Jack asks.

Aaron's heart clenches in his chest. Mother's Days, birthdays, Christmases, and the anniversary of Haley's death are all especially hard days for Jack, and Aaron tries his best to support his son. "Do you want to talk about mom?" He asks softly as he drives. Since Jack doesn't remember a lot of it, Aaron fills in the blanks and answers the questions.

"No, I might want to talk to her tonight, but I want to get a present," Jack explains.

Aaron frowns a little but accepts it. "We can do that. What do you want to get her?"

Jack's thinking face looks like his dad's, something you were the first to point out to Aaron. "I don't know." He admits. "You always get roses for Y/n so maybe I can get her flowers?"

That really throws Aaron, and it rapidly occurs to him that he and Jack aren't talking about the same person. "You want to get a present for Y/n?" He clarifies.

Jack shifts uncomfortably in his car seat, clearly nervous at his father's reaction. "I'm sorry. Is that wrong?"

Aaron can't shake his head fast enough. "No. No, of course not, buddy." He assures his son, reaching back with one hand to touch the boy's foot for extra reassurance. "I think she'd really like that. What made you think you want to get something for her?" He tries to ask it in a non-judgemental, casual tone.

"Well, in class, we were all talking about what we love about our moms, and a lot of the things that my friends were talking about are things that Y/n does for me." He explains, and Aaron feels his heart clench in the best way that time while he bites down a wide smile. "Mom is still my mom, and I'm not forgetting how she used to do those things for me, but Y/n is there for me too."

Aaron notices what he's emphasizing, and he's immensely proud of Jack for being able to express those feelings, understanding that appreciating his mom and recognizing your role in his life aren't mutually exclusive.

Then he's thinking about you as he absorbs the confession. And how lucky he is to have you. You have been a constant source of support and love, a beacon of hope and stability in the wake of their family tragedy, never anything but good to them. He feels so much joy and a tiny bit of sadness. He knows Haley would have loved you and appreciated how much you care for Jack, but he wishes she was there to see it.

He's choked up as he goes to speak. "Jack, that's very sweet of you, and I think, no, I know, Y/n feels the same way about you. She thinks you're the most amazing kid ever."

Jack smiles softly. "She does? Really?"

Aaron can't nod fast enough. "Yes, she always tells me how great she thinks you are."

"So we can get her a gift for her?" Jack confirms, looking hopeful.

"Absolutely." Aaron agrees, taking a right turn to the mall rather than a left to their home. "Whatever you want."

~

It's been such a long week of work and Saturday mornings are Jack's soccer games, so as soon as your Saturday movie night is over, you're fast asleep next to Aaron.

Like usual, he stirs beside you first on Sunday morning, but when you go to get up with him, he softly whispers for you to go back to sleep and that's very easy to do.

When you next wake up, the sun is creeping through the blinds at a different angle, signaling that you slept in for longer than you usually would.

There's a soft knock at the bedroom door before you can properly wake up and get out of bed, and you softly call out for who you expect to be Jack to come in.

You're right in your guess that it's Jack, who quickly jumps up onto the bed with you, followed by his father who has a breakfast tray with a big vase of flowers on it accompanying a delicious-looking plate of French toast.

"Wow, you've both been busy this morning." You mumble sleepily as you sit up to hug Jack who's jumping into your arms.

"Happy Mother's Day!" He cheers joyfully, and you're taken off guard by the greeting, completely shocked.

Your eyes dart to Aaron's to make sure you heard Jack correctly, and his wide smile confirms you have. He's looking between you both with so much love and tenderness, his heart so full it feels like it's bursting.

Your eyes fill with tears as you realize the enormity of what he's just said. "Thank you, Jack." You squeeze him even tighter in a hug, not wanting him to slip away from this perfect moment.

He pulls back and smiles at you before turning back to his dad. "Can we give it to her?" He asks.

"Sure, bud." Aaron agrees, setting the tray down over the top of your legs. He sits near the foot of the bed while Jack snuggles into your side.

Jack reaches forward to pick up the little box next to the breakfast. "Here." He hands it to you. "Happy Mother's Day. Thank you for caring so much about me."

You kiss his forehead, holding him tighter to his side as you gladly accept his thoughtful and unexpected gift. "You're very welcome. I love you, Jackers."

Whatever he has for you has to be jewelry from the small, flat shape of the box and the designer jewelry stamp. You open it up, and your heart melts more, if it were possible. What's inside is a gorgeous gold bracelet with a flat, circular charm, engraved with the letter J.

Jack touches it as your finger does. "It's a J for Jack."

You nod so you don't start crying too much. You're so overwhelmed by gratitude and happiness that you can't help but let one tear slip out.

"Thank you." You finally get the words out. "It's perfect and I love it so much. I'm going to wear it every day, so you're always with me."

Jack's grinning a proud grin, clearly proud of himself for picking it out. Aaron had told him how much you would love it, but seeing it confirms it for him. "I think it'll look beautiful on you." He tells you adorably.

You chuckle a little. "You're a sweet talker just like your dad, you know?"

Aaron laughs next to you, but Jack's confused at what your compliment means, and his attention is drawn elsewhere. "Daddy and I made French toast for me as well. Oh, and I got you flowers."

It's a gorgeous bunch of flowers, beautiful colors, and lovely smells. "Thank you so much. Both of you." You repeat to them, making sure they're feeling the reciprocated love you're feeling.

"You're welcome," Jack says politely.

Aaron leans over to kiss your forehead. "I love you." He whispers.

You whisper it back before looking back at your breakfast plate. "There's a lot of French toast here, so I might need some help eating it." You say suspiciously, looking between Jack and Aaron.

Jack's eyes light up like he's been waiting for you to offer him some of it, and you can't blame him, it looks and smells like restaurant quality and you know breakfast foods are Aaron's strong suit cooking-wise.

"I am kind of hungry." Jack agrees, smirking at you softly.

"Eat up then, bud." You say, offering him the first spoonful. "We've got lots of fun stuff to do today."

[oneshotnewbie]

I know you usually don't write smut buuuuuuut... can you do a oneshot with Marina where the reader is an elite dancer in a dance company (not like ballet but more like Jojo Gomez) and they come to pick her up together but she isn't quite ready yet and they see her dance really spicy and at home it gets really spicy too because they're turned on?

Author's note:

I used my favorite choreography by Jojo Gomez as an example for this request. If you would like to get more deeply involved in the subject matter of this short story, you can watch her choreography for Rude Boy on YouTube. Please only readers and viewers aged 16+!!

ᕚ---ᕘ

Exhausted but with smiles on their faces, Maya and Carina left the fire station. Although the two of them were ready for a relaxing evening on the couch after a strenuous shift, the two of them had a common goal that evening: They wanted to surprise you and pick you up from the dance studio where you had been pursuing your hobby for years. It was the place where you loved to spend your evenings to unwind from your equally hard job and they had never visited it before while you danced there, their work usually got in the way.

As the women sat in the car, the streets gradually transitioned from day to night. There was a comfortable silence that testified to the intimacy of their marriage. Maya looked out the window and let her thoughts wander into the distance, while Carina concentrated on the path and traffic in front of her with a tired smile on her lips.

As they sat there in silence, the streetlights began to illuminate the streets as they got closer to the studio, stopping in a crowded parking lot and almost nervously making their way inside. As soon as they opened the door they were surprised by a warm atmosphere, the dance studio alive with children, teenagers and adults drawn to the music and laughter.

The two women stepped deeper into the crowd and walked up to reception to inquire about your stay in the three-story studio. "Excuse me, could you perhaps tell me where the elite group is currently having their lessons?" the blonde shouted across the counter, the music making it difficult to understand anything. The young woman nodded calmly, but did not hesitate to answer her with words. Instead, she held up three fingers, then pointed to the stairs that led up directly behind her.

Carina thanked her and pushed Maya forward by her shoulder blades. They walked up the stairs and entered the darkened floor. They stopped abruptly in front of a huge glass window and saw you in your fullest element. You danced with grace and abandon, as if you were one with the music, not missing a beat. Your facial expressions matched the song and your face radiated pure joy.

Maya's jaw dropped to the floor as she watched you sprawl on the floor and do all the movements she normally only knew from the bedroom. "Bambina, stop drooling," the brunette laughed out loud and sat down on one of the benches, pulling the blonde down next to her by her arm. But she was not listening anymore, her gaze falling over every curve on your body, observing how elegantly and at the same time sexy you moved.

It was not long enough for Maya when the music ended and your trainer proudly hugged you. Beaming with happiness and beads of sweat on your forehead, you slung your bag over your shoulder and walked out the door. You were immediately surprised by two grinning faces that hugged you warmly, as if they were celebrating your deep connection with this gesture. "That was amazing and really hot!" Carina admitted, pressing a passionate kiss to your lips, grinning as she examined the expression on her others wife's face. „What do you think, Maya?“  

You looked down at the smaller woman, her light blue eyes suddenly seeming so dark. Her pupils were dilated and burning with unbridled desire. There was a greedy lust in her eyes that seemed to permeate every fiber of her body. While scanning your entire body and licking her lips with pleasure. "I think someone gets nailed to the wall as soon as they walk through the front door.“

You could not help but notice the way your breath caught in your throat and your heart had sped up ist beat significantly again. A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, and you felt so incredibly turned on by the constant eye contact with her. She stepped forward, confusing you until you feel her warm breath against your ear. "Did you enjoy yourself?" mutters the blonde in a deep undertone, sending tingles down your spine while goosebumps spread all over your skin. You nodded modestly, your body exploding with heat. "Yes, I did."

A dark chuckle erupted from her throat and she pulled you into a deep and intimate kiss, her hand tightly wrapped around your neck to feel the pounding of your heart between her fingers. Her thumb remained under your chin as she pulled away from you. "Good. You will enjoy yourself even more when you take what I am willing to give you, sweetheart.“

ᕚ---ᕘ

You did not have time to realize what was happening to you as you stepped foot over the threshold of your apartment. In seconds, your hips were grabbed, you were spun around and pushed roughly against the door. You gasped as Maya pushed herself on you, eliminating the space between you. You were immobile to do anything.

Her lips slightly brushed against your jaw as she slowly moved down, leaving rough kisses behind. „Fuck, you should come watch more often," you breathed out, your voice coming out husky. You felt Maya smirk on your skin as she continued spreading kisses down your throat and on your collarbone. She kissed it softly, before starting to suck on it harshly, leaving a hickey behind. “Did that turn you on so much?”

"Not just her,“ your eyes opened reluctantly, now looking into the greedy and hungry eyes of Carina. She stepped closer to you, grabbing your wrists and pinned them above your head. She leaned down to you, her lips just inches away from yours. She was slowly lowering them down on yours, wrapping one hand around your neck to give her permission to access. You moaned and she plunged her tongue into your mouth, kissing you passionately. The brunette was slowly moving away to your earlobe, nibbling on it lightly. "I think we should move this to the bedroom. Maybe you can show us your moves in a private session."

[qiutls]

TNGDH 012

After the two fought, the miracle value rose to 8%, perhaps because I changed the course of the original plot.

This is quite expensive for just one performance of painting. Although, because of this act Kyle called for a veterinarian the day after.

'Your magical beast is quite cute, Your Highness....'

There was one problem, the doctor that came seemed to know nothing about magical beasts and could only say the sentence above.

But it was to be expected, how could a doctor who only examines rodents have any idea on what's wrong with a magical beast. I think it's even more amazing that there are veterinarians in this world.

'Was my acting too real...'

At this rate, if I really sneeze, the whole castle of Blake might be sent into a frenzy. The future of the North is bleak...

Kyle seemed to not want to leave my side, yet he didn't have a choice since it was a busy time and he needed to look over the preparations. It's not easy to be in charge of a territory. Still, seeing that the affairs are being finalized, he seems to be pretty good at his job as a lord.

Eventually he left the study to check the dinner preparation during the afternoon. He looked quite commendable today, so I'll let him kiss up to 5 times.

Thanks to him being busy, I also have some free time. As soon as I confirmed that he has moved far away from the study, I quickly used the skill and became human.

[ Good luck! (ෆ`꒳´ෆ) ]

*

"So you're saying your name is... Shu?"

I'm doomed.

I'm tired of saying 'I'm doomed', but I have no other words for this situation.

Right now, I'm roughly dressed in different pieces of clothing which I found in other laundry rooms along the path from the maid's laundry. I managed to find an attendant's uniform.

And although it didn't fit, I was lucky to find leather boots clean shirts and pants.

​Thanks to the nice situation, I felt a little elated thinking my luck has finally turned around, that is until I ran into Sen at the hallway.

"Well, yes, I guess-"

Sen frowned as I spoke indifferently.

"Where in the world would you find someone who says, 'I guess' when asked about their name."

Where you ask? It's here in this world. Since you wouldn't believe that my name is 'Cashew Nut,' I could only say 'Shu.'

I don't have any other name prepared, if I said my real name which probably doesn't exist in this world, you would think I'm strange.

So, I could only say that my name is 'Shu'. It's taken from Cashew Nut, although it's not a good name, I took it from the name the Grand Duke sincerely bestowed upon me.

The quick-witted Sen immediately recognized that I was wearing someone else's clothes. It's because of this shirt that's suspiciously large on my frame.

"Did you steal these clothes? Are you perhaps the infamous, companionship pervert-"

"I'm not!"

Of course, it's me, but I can't admit it!

What do you mean companionship pervert, I'm just a companion okay? When I shouted in reply, Sen grumbled and said,

"If it's not you, then why are you yelling?"

Luckily, she was as kind as she was clever. Instead of accusing me, she decided to listen to my explanation.

Thanks to this, I was forced to come up with a sob story of my past on the spot. I stammered and told her how my family was killed by demonic beasts when I was young and how I had nothing to wear now since I outgrew my old clothes. I also told her I couldn't remember the name my family gave me, so I gave a name to myself, thinking it was an appropriate name for me.

..... Come to think of it. It was not far from the truth, when I was young, my parents did indeed die, due to a car accident. And I was poor and unable to buy clothes.

"I see. It is indeed common for refugees to enter the estate or the castle during the festival. That's why His Highness prepares a lot of food during this period. A lot of orphans like you stumble around here."

Sen looked at me with a complex expression and said,

"I also lost my family, so I came here all the way to the North, just like you, I don't have anyone left."

She seemed to have felt sorry for me.

After our conversation, Sen disappeared for a while then brought back a few clothes. She said it was clothes usually worn by servants. It was simple and clean, and it was easy to move my body wearing it.

Thanks to Sen, my situation actually became better, so I gave the stolen clothes back to her.

"Shu, it seems that we are hiring more servants because there's not enough workers in the castle these days. Why don't you apply? You can stay at the castle, and you won't have to steal clothes like this anymore."

"I won't steal. Really, please believe me. I'm also embarrassed by my actions."

I can't believe I have to look for a job here as well. It's really hard to make ends meet. Everything was free when I was just a hamster. Ah, maybe because I paid it with my human rights.

I asked in a faint voice.

​"But there's going to be an interview, right?"

"Of course, they don't just blindly pick. And working here in the castle is much more sought out than you think!"

"Is that so? How many rounds will the application process have?"

Sen looked at me blankly as if I asked a weird question.

"Hmm? How many what?"

​"It's nothing..."

That's right, this isn't even a company. There might not be enough spots as well, so I need to do my best to get picked.

After that, I stuck with Sen as she gave me a tour of the castle. I earnestly memorized the layout of the Blake Castle and at the same time, eavesdropped on servants passing by in case I hear any rumors, I learned the way to the study, I found out about a passageway used by servants only, and discovered rooms that were not being used.

Thanks to this, I also found a good place to hide my clothes. It was the most fulfilling 30 minutes I've spent since I've transmigrated.

"Can I leave you for a bit? I need to give these documents to His Highness, he asked to strengthen the security, so I made a new timetable for the soldiers patrolling."

"Oh that, His Highness said he was going to return to the study, he must almost be there by now, it's fine we can take our time."

W-what? His Highness is returning to the study? Already?!

I stood stiffly on the spot.

It hasn't even been long after 30 minutes as a human, this plan is ruined again. If this continues, it's easier to count the moments in life that's not ruined.

"So that's everything about the East Tower, now let's look at the Central Area where the banquet hall is found... Huh? Shu! Where are you going?!"

"Sorry, I forgot about something I needed to do! I'll look around the banquet hall next time!"

Right now, the problem isn't that I can't look around the banquet hall. If I'm not back in the hamster house in 3 seconds I'm afraid the Blake castle will be turned inside out again.

I quickly stuffed my clothes in the unused storage room and closed it from the inside. I need to hurry and go back and pretend like nothings amiss...

As soon as the white light wrapped around my body, I suddenly felt uneasy. I had an instinctive intuition that I shouldn't release the skill without thinking.

'Hey system, can I specify a location inside the hamster house?'

[ Of course!  ]

'Then... please put me in the most out of sight. Where was it again? The place where I piled up the sawdust to make the ground soft? It's around the corner of the first floor.'

The white light slowly wrapped around my body again and as it flashed the surroundings turned brown. It seems I arrived safely as expected...

Then someone suddenly grabbed my body.

― Squeak! [ What the?! ]

"Cashew Nut."

His voice was several times lower than usual. Even when Belial was here, I don't think his voice sounded this gloomy.

Kyle's eyes fell on me, and my body trembled reflexively. H-hey! Wait a minute, what's wrong with you? Let's talk, just t-talk it out. Of course, you don't understand what I'm saying but-

'.... Why does it feel like your eyes are a bit off.'

No, not just a bit, I meant a lot.

"I thought you disappeared."

​I did disappear, but I was going to come back, it's just you came back before me!

I rolled my eyes and glanced at his hands, the tendons on his wrists, turned black and blue, as if he was preventing himself from exerting too much force on his hands.

Seeing the sawdust stuck between his fingers, he must've been searching the floor of the house when he saw I wasn't at the usual spot with the feeding bowl and toys.

Thump. Thump. 

A heartbeat that seemed quite fast could be felt from the palm of his hand.

Why are you so nervous. I'm just a magical beast found in the wild. If you act like this, people will think you love me more than you love your own life.

"Cashew Nut, please don't scare me like that again."

I heard him sigh.

Kyle looked at me with complicated eyes and gently stroked my head. His hand that was holding me was shaking, yet the hand that swept through my fur was so gentle and stable.

"Am I ridiculous for liking you this much? I don't know if the rest of the world thinks like Belial. But from the first moment I held you in my hands, I was determined to give you all the love I have. Isn't it natural to cherish you with all my might since I decided that you'll be my companion."

Why are you speaking such touching words.

I stopped twisting in his grasp and stretched out my paw to touch his palm.

​'You really must've been worried.'

That's right, I suddenly disappeared just a few days ago while you were washing up. For me, I was just turning into human to look around the castle, but for you it must have been shocking to find that I've gone.

I felt sorry towards Kyle. But I can't help it, I need to go out... Okay then, I'll adjust my schedule, how about going out when you're sleeping? Alright, let's do it like that.

Kyle put his lips briefly on my forehead and said affectionately.

"I want to make you the happiest magical beast in the whole world."

What a commendable remark. It's this hamster's luck to be picked by you. It's indeed convenient to live when your owner is a kind human.

"And if ever someone kidnaps you, he will not have the luxury of being buried in one place."

I take back what I said about you being kind. This owner is a bit strange. Please, don't be to obsessed with hamsters!

"Tomorrow afternoon, the vet will come again to examine you, Cashew Nut. It still bothers me that you fainted out of nowhere. Maybe you're too skinny.... I'll bring you a lot of special snacks tomorrow morning. For now, here, Sen brought you a beef snack."

Wow! Beef... Alright I'll let you slide even if you're too overbearing. Korean beef.... Ah, there's no Korean beef here. Northern beef, come to me~

By the way, you make me eat until I'm full every breakfast, lunch and dinner, but you think I'm skinny? Just because you can hold me with one hand doesn't mean I'm skinny!

​Back in my old world, I was originally a glutton. I ate a lot and ate more freely once I got here. I guess I brought that habit with me here.

'Is the hamster constitution, the same as human constitution?'

​Of course I don't know, I've never lived as a hamster before. Excuse me, does anyone know what's the average weight for a hamster?

"But it's alright, since you're still cute."

To Kyle, I seemed to be the definition of the most perfect specimen in this whole universe.

'This hamster otaku.....'

Hmph, still I felt a bit happy today, so I'll let it slide and call you a kind owner.

T/N:

everyone tysm for the notes and follow! it's really nice to see the number of readers grow! also please don't forget to support the author by buying the raws! it's linked at the novel masterpage :)

novel ⠀✿⠀ next

[ucetheones]

Worked Up | Jey Uso x Single Mother!Reader

tw: mentions of an abusive ex, not detailed. My other fics are still in the works, I just can't let go of an idea once I get it. It's a curse.

(Also writing in second person is weird and I feel like I suck at it!! But whatever, enjoy!! <3)

When you and Jey first started talking, you were hesitant to tell him about your son, your pride and joy.

Your son, Joshia, was the driving force in you finally leaving your abusive ex, Tyler. 

Finding out you were pregnant was one of the scariest days of your life, you no longer had just yourself to worry about. Now there was a life growing inside of you, meaning you couldn't afford to risk your body dealing with Tyler. 

He was too dangerous to outright confront, so you did what you thought was best, and left him a few days after finding out.

That was over three years ago. Thanks to your estranged sister, Samantha, you found a steady job, and a place to stay.

Working with your older sister was strange at first, but you two easily fell into a rhythm like no other. It helped that you were doing your dream job. It might not seem like a huge deal to anyone else, but doing the hair, makeup and wardrobe for WWE Superstars was truly an amazing job. It required skill that most did not have, it made you valuable. Needed.

It was at work where you met Jey. You two hit it off almost instantly, and soon found yourselves flirting. That flirting evolved into talking pretty quickly.

It was Sam that brought up introducing Jey to Joshia, though not without commenting on how similar Jey's real name was to his.

With a roll of your eyes, you sipped your coffee and sighed.

"What if he freaks on me and bails? Work would be so awkward."

Sam squinted at you, lightly scoffing. "You know Jey loves kids, right? I think he'd like Joshia. You're thinkin' way too hard, Jey isn't that deep.

Plus, I love my nephew, but girl…if I have to watch another season of Miraculous Ladybug, I may die!"

You couldn't think of any rebuttal, so you just flicked a piece of your pastry at her. "Shut up, I ain't even ask for your opinion. And that show is good, admit it."

"You did, but whatever!" You can tell she agrees about the show being interesting, but won't give you the satisfaction. 

That conversation was almost a month ago, and the entire time you were going back and forth with yourself on how to bring it up to him.

Sam wouldn't be willing to babysit while you went on dates with Jey forever, and hiring a nanny to work longer hours than you currently do felt like a terrible move; so you knew you'd have to tell him sooner or later.

You just didn't anticipate sooner being so soon. 

You had a week off from work, as you weren't needed for hair and makeup or costume design, you decided to use some of your remaining vacation days.

Your original plan was to tell Jey about Joshia and hope that the week away from one another would be enough time for him to decide whether things were worth continuing. 

You hadn't counted on Joshia getting sick, or Jey showing up at your door on the first day of your vacation. 

Your hair was all over the place, your clothes were a mess, and Joshia was perched on your hip, wailing loudly into your ear, despite all attempts at soothing him.

When you answered the door, Jey's expression was visibly confused. You wanted to slam the door. 

You wanted to pretend you still had a say in whether you told him about your son, but instead remained frozen in place.

"You babysitting or something?"

Before you could answer, your son was whining. "Mama, hurts���" 

The very evident discomfort in his voice had you turning away from the man in your doorway, your hand rubbing up and down Joshia's back in an effort to calm him.

"I know, baby, I know. The medicine will help, we just have to give it time." 

His crying dies down considerably at your words, but you can tell he doesn't feel any better and for a moment you consider taking him to the hospital. If for no other reason than to have an excuse to get Jey out if things turned south. Not that you thought they would, but you could never be too safe.

Jey clears his throat softly, and your head whips back to look at him.

"He's cute, Uce. What's his name?"

His tone is softer than it was previously, there's a warm smile on his lips. You can tell he has other questions, but is saving them for the moment.

"His name is Joshia."

At your response, Jey raises a brow. 

"Yeah, yeah, I know; your names are similar. Sam won't let me hear the end of it."

It's when Jey laughs that you realize he's still outside, so you step aside and watch as he slips into the house. 

It's the first time he's ever gotten to come inside, you usually meet him at the front steps or at whatever hotel you were staying at for work, whilst Joshia was usually with the hired nanny. The nanny, Riah, spent most of the week with him, before dropping Joshia off to your father until you were done for the week.

From there, Sam helped you.

It was never easy, and sometimes you considered quitting, if only to spend more time with your son; but when those doubts came up, Sam would quickly shut them down. The first few times she thought it was financially challenging to pay an overnight babysitter, and had offered repeatedly to help you pay, but you reassured her that wasn't the case. It was just difficult doing this without a partner. You never wanted Sam to think you were ungrateful for her sacrifices, because you were anything but, so it wasn't often you brought up your worries.

Maybe if Tyler was a better man, you could've trusted him to know you were pregnant, and ultimately know his son, but you'd given up on that pipe dream shortly after Joshia was born. He would never be allowed to see him, if you had any say, but you knew one day he'd start asking about his father, and you weren't sure if you could lie to him when the time came.

Right now though, none of that mattered. Because the man you were slowly falling for, was in your home. He was seeing your son for the first time, without any clue he existed to begin with.

Toys littered the floor in some places, there were blankets all over the couch and your coffee table was covered in various sippy cups, from throughout the day.

It should've embarrassed you, but Jey seemed completely unfazed by it all.

He seemed to almost welcome it.

From then on, the bulk of your vacation was spent with Jey, the two of you taking care of Joshia together. It was weird at first, Jey hadn't really interacted with Joshia at all, instead opting to do things like preparing meals, bottles and whatever else needed to be done so that you could focus on Joshia.

On Wednesday, you'd fallen asleep on the couch after putting Joshia to bed, Jey was in the kitchen cleaning up. 

At least he had been. But when you woke up from your impromptu nap, he was nowhere to be seen.

You were afraid he left at first, but instead of worrying about it, you went to check on Joshia. He was your number one priority, even when he was starting to feel better.

When you entered your son's room, you quickly stopped in your tracks.

Jey was sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of Joshia's room, cradling the small boy in his arms as the chair swayed softly. When you stepped closer, you saw that they were both asleep, so you grabbed a blanket and draped it over them; deciding you'd wake them up to transition to beds after a quick shower. 

Leaning down, you press a kiss to Joshia's head and then Jey's before turning to step out the room. Jey's sleepy rumble pausing your movements.

"You ain't gettin' rid of me now, Y/N. You know that law, he fell asleep on my chest, I'm stuck here forever." When you look over at him, he's smiling at you. You smile back, shaking your head.

"I'm pretty sure that 'law' is about cats, Josh."

Jey playfully glares at you, "nah, it's about cute two year olds that drool on your shirt, too Mamas. It's what life is all about."

 You raise your eyebrow, humming. "I'll take your word for it then. And a shower, I'm gonna go take a shower."

You watch as he shifts in the chair, readjusting himself and Joshia so they're more comfortable, before nodding. "I ain't tryna' rush you, but…hurry up. I wanna cuddle, and my back starting to hurt."

You detect the slight whine in his voice, a small chuckle leaving you. "You got it, Chief." 

He sucks his teeth, "man, go wash ya' ass." Just to annoy him a little, you stand there unmoving. 

He waits a beat before huffing. "Babyyyy, my ass is gonna go numb."

"I'll massage it, don't worry."

He laughs a bit too loud at that, if the way Joshia wiggles in his sleep and huffs is anything to go by. His tiny cheeks filled with air before he settled down again.

"See, even little man is on my side."

You decide not to mention that he'd almost woken Joshia up, instead you raise your hand defensively. 

"I'm goin', I'm goin' no need for you two to get all worked up, jeez!"

You playfully flip your hair before scurrying out the room, laughing to yourself at the sound of Jey's distant chuckle of disbelief. 

You were worried to tell Jey about Joshia for nothing it seems. They would get along just fine, Jey hadn't run for the hills and had actually stuck around to help you take care of your unwell son. He had no obligation to you, yet he chose to put himself in this position. 

He wanted this, he wanted you. 

[idanceuntilidie]

Baked with love

Yan gingerbread man x gn reader

I drew Flynn it will be at the end of the post <3

There are no warnings this time :3

Requests are open :D or you can just ask about the oc I don’t mind.

Once upon a time there was a very old bakery, it was ran by a witch. It was very famous for its amazing sweets that were just too good to be true.  

The kind words and compliments weren't enough for the witch, she had feared her bakery will be overshadowed. To make sure that wouldn't happen she decided to create living pastries and cookies. 

It took her weeks, to perfect the recipe and design, it was finally time for the first ever living cookie. 

So, she created the gingerbread man, and that was the last time anyone had ever seen her. 

There was an old bakery around the corner, quite popular if you have to admit. For a good reason, the lady that worked there did absolute wonders. 

She had a talent for baking. Today you decided to visit her and maybe buy few things. When you walked to the bakery instead of an old lady you met a stylish young man. When you went inside the bakery you could almost feel the magic that was probably present there. The smell was so welcoming and sweet, for some it felt like home, and it was hard to not agree. Though the interior of the place reminded you a little bit of your grandma's house. Small but cozy. Your eyes scanned briefly the delicious baked goods that laid out in the display, freshly baked blueberry and chocolate muffins caught your eye first. Then there was the best-looking apple pie you had ever seen, next to it were colorful macaroons, and so much more. 

It made your mouth water. 

There were new things also, you never knew Miss Sugar knew how to make candy. 

 When you were done eyeing up the treats that laid in front of you, you looked up, and instead of meeting the famous old lady you met a young man. His eyes widened, face getting slightly red. 

 "S-Sorry I did not mean to disturb you" 

he bashfully looked away. You chuckled at that, reassuring him that it was okay. 

 You took a closer look at the young man in front of you. He was dressed in such a fancy manner, wasn't he scared his clothes would get dirty? 

He wore frilly creamy blouse with fur? it was a very special look, but it looked well with the red bow and deep brown dress pants. Are those candies in his hair? Maybe they are charms, but boy do they look so real. You saw that he was looking at you again, but this time he tried to avoid eye contact. 

"Sorry for staring-" - you started rubbing your neck. 

"Nono it's okay really, you aren't really the first to do so..." 

"That doesn't make it okay, where is Miss Sugar? I thought she was the only oe working here?" 

He straightened his posture, for a second, he looked unsure what emotion should he show. He looked away; his hands rubbed his face. It took him a bit to face you again, his face filled with sorrow.   "Oh, dear you don't know? My aunt left us few days ago"   That sentence left you speechless. You didn't know Miss Sugar for that long, but she was such a nice lady and you felt really bad. Some part of you wished you visited the lady more. 

"I am so sorry for your loss..." 

He placed his hands on his chest, closing his eyes he said it was okay, when he opened them again, he smiled sweetly. 

 "Well now I am the owner and baker now, what can I help you with today?" 

 "I was wondering if you had f/p?" 

 "We sure do hang on" - he chirped and smoothly went to the room in the back. 

You smiled; glad he is dealing so well with the loss of his aunt. It looks like he enjoys the job too. You look around again, he didn't change the decorations maybe he had a sentiment for it? 

 "Here you go!"  

His cheery voice broke you out of your thoughts. 

 "Thank you uhhh?" 

 "Flynn"  

 "Thank you, Flynn, just a warning you will be seeing me around very often" 

 Flynn placed his hand on his forehead and dramatically sighed "Oh poor me" before laughing, you joined him soon enough. 

You paid for your treats and said your goodbyes with Flynn. 

 You were true to your word; you visited the boy almost every day. You two bonded quite fast. Flynn was very sweet, and when you were hanging around with him you felt so safe.  

Though the only weird thing you noticed was that every single time you asked him for something, he always went to the backroom to bring your goods. Flynn always knew what to bring you, sometimes it felt he knew you better than you yourself. 

 You sometimes wonder why the baked good he brings you have such weird ginger after taste. 

But it's okay it's probably nothing right? 

[therentyoupay]

OH MY GOD are you cool with sharing how your husband proposed to you at Neuschwanstein Castle?!!!!!!!!

sure!!! he did such a good job, i love this story. 😂💕

i presented at a conference in 2022 in europe and dragged my then-boyfriend along lol. he'd never been to europe before! we paid for a one-day private tour around bavaria and neuschwanstein for the last day of our trip.

after going inside the castle (amazing), our tour guides (a duo!) took us to the scary bridge (maria bridge) to get a different view:

please know that my husband is terrified of heights lmao.

while we were on the bridge he was clearly nervous and i—i, who went skydiving two days after i turned eighteen, who loves rollercoasters, who likes adrenaline, generally—was likewise not fully able to take in all the splendor of the fairytale on such a rickety-feeling bridge with so many damn people (and with so many gaps below for phones to potentially slip through!!), so i turned to him and was like, "let's go back."

the man took one look at me, told me, "No," and then fled to the other side of the bridge.

your girl was wearing comfortable footwear, but she had not been planning to chase down her man on a low-key terrifying and crowded bridge over a yawning chasm to a mysterious mountain on the other side, so by the time i got to land, he was already 10 paces ahead. (in retrospect, this should have tipped me off immediately; he would never leave me behind!!! in the moment, i chalked it up to his overwhelming fear of heights and a random burst of self-preservation instincts, but i should have known better, because he would not have left me to die for something as measly as a fear of heights lmao... just proposing 😂)

he would wait for me to catch up on this mysteriously winding dirt (read: MUD) path we'd ended up on after the bridge, but then, as soon as i caught up, he took off up the mountain again. :P

"let's just go back! we don't know what's even over here!"

mind you, at this point, i am now walking this dirt path uphill, and there are like, four people over here, and he's not even holding my hand and watching over me as i make my way up the mountain (like he always does!!!), so now i'm doubly annoyed and wondering why he's desperate to get to the top of this mountain—especially since our tour guides are still waiting for us on the other side of the bridge and are probably wondering where the hell we are.

"not yet!"

by the time we reach the end of the dirt/mud path, i am (a) annoyed, (b) huffing and puffing from the mild sprint we just did up this muddy mountain, (c) pleasantly surprised to find a small, relatively private lookout point with a BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL view of the castle.

there is someone there with a canvas, painting in watercolors. a photographer is taking tons of gorgeous photos. there's like seven people in this little muddy clearing and lookout point, total. it's ridiculously beautiful, and all of my Disney childhood and fairytale dreams are totally satisfied lmao. this is the first place near the castle that has been calm.

we're there for a while, completely enjoying the lack of crowds and this totally majestic view.

at last, i am forced to reluctantly admit, "okay, you were right, this fiasco was definitely worth the random mountain hike." i am still a little annoyed, of course, but it's not so bad now. 😂 it's abating.

until he snarks, "this probably would have been a pretty good place to propose, no?"

still annoyed, and now more so, especially since i've been genuinely waiting for him to propose for like six months, i snark back, "well, then maybe next time bring a ring why don't you?"

he dropped to one knee. 😂

the photographer—who was, in fact, just a random passerby taking his own pictures of the majestic castle—sees my then-boyfriend pull a ring out of his pocket and starts ignoring the castle to take 100000 photos of us random strangers in front of the castle instead, as my then-boyfriend-turned-fiancé-now-husband asked me, "will you marry me?"

spoiler alert: i said yes 😂 the photographer later shared all of the photos with us via email and we sent him a nice big coffee shop digital gift card despite his protests. i was desperately clutching my left hand into a crazy-tight fist (with a new big fat diamond on it!!!!!!) as i went back over the too-scary bridge, while my husband held my right hand (finally 😂).

my favorite favorite photo is the close-up of my husband's knee, in which his jeans are completely and utterly covered in mud. 😂😂😂😂😂💕💕

[ridiculousimplicity]

I finally finished watching 9-1-1 season 8A. I'm all caught up and it is.. it has left me anxious really.

I wanted to see Maddie and Chimney's wedding happen - the backyard, the dance, everything! Okay, it was sweet to do the ceremony at the hospital because he didn't want to wait another second, but a reception of sorts would have been nice to conclude the episode.

That episode starting with Buck and Eddie walking into Maddie's dressing room all hungover, filthy and stuff gave me such The Hangover vibes, I was so excited! 🤭 But it took a different route and I was ecstatic to see Kevin after so long and it was bittersweet too. 🥹

I loved that they brought him back for this. I thought that they would play on the part that Kevin is here, as a soul, watching over Chim, because he definitely helped him clear the wool out of his eyes that imaginary Doug was trying to pull, and he would eventually be at Maddie and Chim's wedding too, smiling tearfully and happily as he watched his brother kiss his bride.

I can't help but imagine a scene where Jee-Yun would smile at the empty space beside Mrs. Lee making her frown curiously at her granddaughter before she hears her say "Kevin" softly. She would gasp in surprise and watch Jee closely who would wind her arms around her grandma's neck and hug her close. Tears would spring in her eyes and she would thank the gods, thank her son and thank Jee as well.

Moving on, I liked the Bobby & Brad plot. There is something both annoying and endearing about the guy and Bobby knows that Brad is not a bad guy. Just misguided by fame and the glamour.

Brad in E8 was so sweet - you can see it is not all shimmer, shine and gloss with him because he genuinely wants to do some good, wants to do a good job as an actor and share a good story for his audience & fans. The previous episodes give a glimpse into his personality as well, as he admires Bob (Bobby) for who he is and what he does. He also admits his faults, pulls back and reevaluates.

Also his talk with Eddie. 🤗 I teared up a little as he spoke of his son and how he had missed so much of his life, of him growing up and the pain in his eyes as he spoke that he was awaiting an invite to his son's wedding. You can tell he regrets not staying in touch or going back to England to be with his family. 😭 He does not want Eddie to feel this pain ever and encourages him to be with his son.

Third... I do not understand the sudden breakup of Buck and Tommy. No, really, it makes no sense! I like Tommy a lot. He is a confident, funny and amazing guy! Even the episode acknowledged it with Buck saying these words.

The Abby angle though.. was a shock but I'm glad that it wasn't a problem. I did not understand why Buck thought it was the right time to propose moving in together after they cleared the air nor do I think that Tommy needed to break up with Buck like that. It would've been fine if they had tackled the moving in problem by saying that it is too soon and that they just need some time to think it through. This only solidifies that Buck is still impulsive. Does it not? I mean, in his previous relationships, he was going with the flow and would bumble his way into a lot of things which would be too much too soon leading to a painful breakup because he refused to talk to his partners.

The two things that changed in his relationship with Tommy was that he was aware of himself and Tommy and the relationship and that he proposed moving in together himself. But I wonder if he gave it a good amount of thought because I feel like it was a by-product of the Abby thing. It just felt.. like he was scrambling?

And I get Tommy feeling sad. He believes that he will be Buck's first and never the last. But I wonder if he sees something that Buck isn't aware of? Why was he so sure that he would not be Buck's last? Or was he projecting?

From what we know, Tommy would never project because he doesn't seem like that person. He knows his limits, respects boundaries (his own and other's) and tells it like it is.

The next season cannot come fast enough! 🥲

[lastweeksshirttonight]

Did you want my notes on Strike Force Five episode one? No? TOO BAD! YOU'RE GETTING THEM!

(Heavy spoilers for episode 1 if you plan on listening soon!)

- I love the show's overall vibe and the "roles" that all of the guys play. It's definitely a free-wheeling, off the rails kind of show, where everyone is rambling over each other; the personalities involved can make or break this kind of podcast, and everyone thankfully is playing to their strengths.

Kimmel serves as the overall show runner and is seemingly the only one endeavoring to keep anything on track, which is a slightly thankless job with this group, but he's got a soundboard and all his radio experience guiding him. Colbert also leans into being the other "elder statesman", as it were, but is much easier to derail (and provides his own episode eclipsing derail I'll talk about later). Fallon is surprisingly reserved and a bit awkward - I'm not the hugest fan of Fallon, but in this podcast, that energy serves him pretty well. Kimmel introduces Seth as "the cute one" and he seems the most neutral so far, just there to ask questions and crack jokes. And John is their super sarcastic "evil teammate" who occasionally interjects to just destroy everyone. Perfect dynamics, 10/10, no notes.

- Seth qualifies his eyes as ocean blue. John says they're Gatorade blue. I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a description of someone's eyes.

- There's a point where I assume there must have been a really blunt edit, because Fallon changes the topic abruptly to having a doctorate. Otherwise, I love the image of Fallon just sitting on that revelation and WAITING, BURSTING to talk about how he has a doctorate, while everyone else talks about Kimmel getting paid summers off.

- Everyone mention multiple times that they have sponsors and are doing this show to help pay their staff during the strikes, which is lovely. This does not mean they aren't taking the piss out of their sponsors. I never thought I'd hear worse ad copy reading than I do on The Jeff Gerstmann Show (I love Jeff, don't get me wrong, but his ad copy screaming is hilariously bad), but the Casamigos ad in this is something else. John spends most of his reading time shitting on a bleeped-out competitor that he calls "not fit for human consumption", Stephen says "you're gonna wanna wipe your ass with it" and likens it to the smoothness of sheets you make love on, there's a disembodied "woo" at some point, Seth stumbles all over a few Spanish words, and Fallon delivers his lines in his awful fake French Timothee Chalamet puppet voice. It's pure chaos and I love it so much.

- Kimmel referring to "the despicable Matt Damon" made me so happy.

- John has never done a deposition. Kimmel saying "I'm surprised you're not in prison" gets lost which is sad, that's a fucking hilarious joke.

- Fallon tells an amazing story about his mom being a nun for a week. She left after being reprimanded for taking Lifesavers into the nunnery and then left. My late aunt and best friend, who was also a nun, probably would have loved Jimmy's mom, as she was always going on wine tastings and picked the order she joined entirely based on who would let her continue to drink after taking her vows. Jimmy also has a picture of his mom dressed as a nun holding a doll dressed as a nun, which is absurd and adorable.

- This leads to everyone but Seth confessing that they'd all thought about becoming priests at some point. That doesn't shock me about Stephen at all, tbf, knowing how religious he is.

- I have to shamefully admit that when John mentioned that he told his father he wanted to be a vicar, my brain went to an extremely Fleabag place and I had to rewind the podcast once I snapped out of it and realized I'd missed like 3 minutes of jokes (including a fantastic one from Seth about John having a doll of himself as a child, like Fallon's mom's nun doll).

- "Don't you want a whole new crop of relatives to visit and entertain?" "Do you wanna get cancelled?! :D" The two Jimmys everyone.

- Stephen reveals who he has everyone saved as in his phone, to prevent people from figuring out who his contacts are if his phone gets stolen. John's is Joliver, which 1) was his name as written on TDS scripts to differentiate him from Jon Stewart, and 2) as everyone points out, is a VERY easy code to crack. Don't really need Sherlock for that one.

- ONE OF US ALERT: Stephen collects weird late night shit, like a hat from The Chevy Chase Show (John literally goes "WOW") and a silk jacket from The Pat Sajak Show. I am very jealous of this collection.

- Next episode everyone will talk about first episodes. I cannot wait to hear John talk about how all over the place his first episode is.

- The big story, running joke, and completely wild admission from this episode - Stephen Colbert has a pair of Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza's pants. Fallon asks how no one outbid him, and it turns out his MOTHER had them BECAUSE SHE DATED HIM. His uncle went to LaSalle Military Academy with Somoza, and Somoza stayed with them during holiday breaks. Everyone else in the room picks up on the idea that Stephen's mom probably slept with a dictator (or as Kimmel says, "made love to a murderer"), Seth claims his mom drinks coffee out of Ferdinand Marcos' skull, and every other male figure Stephen brings up for the rest of the episode is assumed to be someone his mom slept with.

If you asked me before listening to this podcast if I thought there were going to be a pile of elevated "your mom" jokes holding it together, I would have pretty strongly said "no". Surprises at every turn in this pod.

The beginning of this story also captures John SO STRONGLY, and he wants to hear everything about it. Definite Bugle vibes there, this man will never not want to hear about weird dictator facts. He also manages to completely kill Seth by saying "Anastasio Somoza's pants, brought to you by Casamigos".

- Finally, I have already sent an email to the show asking about Planet of the Bass, to make up for my complete failure to ask at the Q&A. I got y'all, we'll get this answer some day.

[bm571158]

Free Now LN4 (Part 29)

As the weekend went on, and Lando kept topping the time sheets, the pressure began to build and Lando began to get more and more stressed. He'd done a good job of putting on a front when they were with everyone else, but as soon as they were alone in the hotel room after qualifying Lottie had seen quite what a toll the weekend was having on him.

"Hey, Lando." She called, as he paced back and forth in the space at the end of the bed in their hotel room, apparently oblivious to the fact that she'd been trying to get his attention for the last five minutes. With a groan, she got to her feet, grabbing hold of him as he passed by her again. "Lando, stop."

He turned to face her, looking confused, the phone he'd been holding in his hand being thrown on to the bed as his hands automatically found their way to her waist. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"I was asking if you were okay?" She asked quietly, looking up at him. "You're going to wear a hole in the carpet if you carry on doing that."

"I'm-"

"Do not even think about saying the word fine." She cut him off. Her hands landed on his shoulders, fingers slowly kneading the tense muscles there as he dropped his head to look at floor, avoiding her eyes.

"I'm worried about tomorrow." He said quietly, his voice a barely audible whisper.

The way his eyes flickered to his phone laying screen up on the bed had Lottie following his line of sight, and when she caught sight of what he'd been reading she understood. The page was open on an in-depth analysis of every mistake he'd made starting from pole last year.

"I thought we agreed you weren't going to look at that." She sighed. "Whatever happened last year, it doesn't mean the same is going to happen this year."

"Half of the people are expecting me to go out there and win tomorrow." He told her. "And the other half, well they'll be rooting for me to fail."

"And I'll be cheering you on, no matter what happens." Lottie said softly, leaning into give him a kiss. "You've been amazing all weekend, there's absolutely no reason why tomorrow won't be a good day. But if it isn't, you still get to come home with me either way."

He swept her up in a hug so tight it almost took her breath away, burying his face in her hair. "What did I do to deserve you?" He mumbled.

"I could say the same thing about you." She said softly. "Look, whatever is going to happen tomorrow... it'll happen. You reading all that crap and getting in your own head about it, it's not going to help. I think we just need to get some rest."

"I'm never going to be able to sleep." He sighed. "My head is spinning. I wish mum hadn't brought everyone here to watch me fuck up."

"You're not going to fuck anything up." Lottie told him firmly. "You're amazing, and you can absolutely do this. You've been flying all weekend."

That was half of the problem though. He'd been so unbelievably dominant all weekend, topping all three practice sessions and then taking pole position in qualifying, the media had really started to hype it up. As much as he tried to shut it all out and ignore it, it was impossible. It had been the topic of every interview, every question directed his way about the fight for the drivers championship that the press seemed to have decided was well and truly underway.

He didn't want to think like that, preferring to just take it one race at a time and think about the weekend in front of him. The bigger picture was far too overwhelming, thinking about that was what had left him pacing up and down like an anxious wreck in the first place.

"It's not this weekend." He admitted quietly, still unable to meet her eyes as the words tumbled out of him. "It's... it's what this might mean for the rest of the season. If I can win this... if I don't fuck it up... then I've somehow got to get through the whole rest of the season without making any more mistakes."

Lottie's fingers grasped his chin, lifting his head up enough that he had no choice but to meet her eyes. "You can do this." She said firmly. "I one hundred percent believe that you can do this. I have faith in you, and you need to have some faith in yourself too." She gave him a quick kiss, pulling away and studying his expression carefully.

"That's a lot easier said than done." He sighed, head leaning into her touch. No matter how many times people tried to encourage him and convince him it was going to be okay, it always seemed to end with him wide awake in the middle of the night, staring at the ceiling and imagining quite how crushing it was going to be when he ended up missing out on the title again at the end of this season.

"I know." Lottie agreed softly. "But I'm right here, and you have to try. Come on, let's get some sleep."

"I'm never going to manage to sleep." He sighed, the nauseating feeling of anxiety twisting in his stomach again. His heart was pounding in his chest and his mind racing. None of it was going to allow him to get any sleep.

"Come on." Lottie took his hand, tugging him towards the bathroom.

He followed after her mindlessly, quietly impressed that she was steady enough on her feet that she'd managed to pull him along with her, until the two of them were stood in the bathroom.

"What are we doing?" He looked at her in confusion as she leaned into the shower to turn the water on.

"We're going to take a nice hot shower to help you relax a bit." She told him, looking at him as though the answer was incredibly obvious. "Then, I'm going to make us a cup of tea and we're going to put on some crappy Netflix film and lay in bed until you fall asleep."

****

While he had eventually fallen asleep, he'd woken up even more jittery than he had been the night before. He'd point blank refused to eat anything at breakfast, while insisting that Lottie needed to eat to keep her strength up for the day ahead. She'd tried to point out to him that if one of them needed the fuel for the day ahead, then it was definitely him, but he'd shaken his head and told her to leave it in a way that stopped her from pushing this issue any further. She'd just finished her toast, drunk the rest of her coffee and then headed out to the car with him.

She'd been planning to go to the track with Flo again, but something about how nervous he'd looked had her insisting that she'd come with him instead. The rest of the family were waiting for the final two Norris siblings to arrive before they headed over, and she didn't want him going in on his own while he was so wound up about the day ahead.

He'd barely said a word to her on the way to the track, in fact he'd barely said a word all morning, but the sound of his fingers drumming nervously against the steering wheel filled the car instead. The closer they got to the track, the slower the traffic moved, and the noisier the fans outside got.

As they crawled through the traffic to get to the entrance to the paddock, Lando attempted to put a smile on his face, reluctantly waving to the groups of fans that had gathered in the hope of catching a glimpse of their favourite driver. "I think it's going to be a bit crazy out here." He warned Lottie as he parked the car.

"It'll be okay. Don't worry about me." She reassured him, giving his arm a squeeze. She wasn't entirely convinced, she'd been lucky enough arriving later and with Flo and his Mum that no one had really paid any mind to them as they came in, but this was going go be an entirely different experience, she could already tell.

He parked the car, turned off the engine but made absolutely no move to get out.

"You can do this." Lottie reminded him softly. "It's going to be okay."

"Let's get this bit over and done with." Lando groaned, reaching for the car door. "One step at a time and all that."

He reappeared at the passenger side door, opening Lottie's door for her and offering her a hand to help her up, before he reached into the back to pull her crutch out and handed it to her.

"Ready?" She asked, taking his hand with her free hand and interlacing their fingers.

"Ready." He agreed. "We need to head that way." He pointed to the cut through in the barriers.

"Alright. Let's go." Lottie agreed.

He walked a little slower than usual, allowing Lottie to keep pace with him relatively easily. It also meant that he managed to sign a few things for fans on the way in without actually having to stop for long enough to have to speak to anyone. The whole way through Lottie kept hold of his hand, a quiet but encouraging smile on her face every time he glanced back at her.

The two of them did eventually reach the turnstiles to get into the paddock, and he was relieved to find it was early enough that it was still fairly quiet around, just a few photographers that Lottie did her absolute best to ignore. It left the two of them plenty of time to amble up to McLaren without anyone really around to interrupt them.

"Thank you." Lando said quietly, squeezing her hand as they continued to walk along beside eachother slowly.

"For what?" Lottie looked at him, puzzled.

"For being here, for keeping me sane... for making sure I actually got some sleep last night." He mumbled. He could go on, the list was endless really.

"You'd have been fine all on your own." She smiled. "But it's going to be a good day, I've got a good feeling about today. Trust me."

"Come on, we'd better get up there before Andrea comes looking for me." Lando sighed. "Are you sure you're going to be alright on your own while I go to the meetings?"

"I'll be fine." Lottie nodded. "I don't think the rest of your family will be long now, and I can sit down and put my feet up, maybe have a coffee while you're gone."

They were about halfway down to McLaren when Oscar had joined them, slowing his pace considerably to fall in to step with Lottie and Lando. "How are you feeling about today?" Lottie asked him, deciding to fill the silence. Lando had as apparently too lost in thought to make conversation with his teammate.

"Not as hopeful as Lando I'm sure." Oscar gave her a rueful smile. Qualifying certainly had not been kind to him the day before, and he was starting a lot further down the grid than anyone would have liked.

"You'll be great, both of you." Lottie smiled.

"What about you?" Oscar asked. "It's your first race weekend, right? How are you finding it?"

Lottie glanced over at Lando, who still didn't look like he'd heard a word that either of them had said, before turning her attention back to Oscar to answer his question. "It's been good, I'm enjoying it. It'll be more fun once I can walk a bit better and get around a bit more easily, I'm sure. But it's nice to be here to cheer you both on."

"I uh... I saw the stuff online about what happened to you." Oscar mumbled awkwardly, looking conflicted about whether he should confess to having read it or not. "That must've really, really sucked."

"Yeah." Lottie nodded. "It did... it does... but well, there's nothing I can do about it now."

Oscar was saved having to come up with an awkward response as they reached the doors of the McLaren hospitality, a couple of members of the team descending on him and Lando before they'd even fully made it through the door.

"I'm really sorry babe, but I'm going to have to go." Lando sighed, leaning in to give her a quick kiss. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine." She reassured him again. "You go and do what you need to do. I'll be here when you're done. I'll get a coffee and text Flo to see how long they're going to be."

"Alright." Lando sighed incredibly unenthusiastically. "I'll come and find you in a bit."

****

Despite his promise to catch up with her, the next time she saw Lando was in the garage as he was getting ready for the race. Whatever it was that the team had needed him for, they'd kept him busy for the most of the morning.

"Hey guys." He'd wandered across the garage, already dressed with his suit tied around his waist, wrapping an arm around Lottie as he came to stand beside her.

"There you are! We were starting to think that you were hiding from us. Mum dragged us out here and we haven't even seen you." His brother joked.

Lando laughed, but it didn't sound genuine. "Sorry, Ollie. It's been a busy day." He sighed. "Are you all alright?"

"We're fine." Cisca reassured him. "You know they always look after us well. How are you feeling? Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be I guess." He shrugged, turning his attention to Lottie for a moment. "How about you? Are you okay? Where's your chair?"

"I'm find standing for a bit." She reassured him, hand landing on his chest as he pulled her in a little closer. "I'll sit down once you get started so I can watch properly."

"And you managed to get some lunch? Did you walk up here? I asked them to come and pick you up again?"

"Lando, I'm fine." She repeated. "A very nice guy in a golf cart came and picked me and Flo up to bring us down here earlier after we'd had lunch. You dont need to worry about me, I'm absolutely fine."

"Good." He planted a kiss on the top of her head, unable to hold back a quiet laugh as he looked up and met Flo's eye.

"Stop it." Flo rolled her eyes at him. "As cute as you two are, she's still my best friend and I don't want to be thinking about that. Okay?"

"Be nice, Flo." Cisca warned.

"On that note, I'd better go." Lando sighed, glancing over his shoulder at the clock behind them that was steadily counting down to the start of the race.

"Good luck." Lottie whispered in his ear, wrapping him in a hug. "You've got this, I know you have."

"I really fucking hope so." He mumbled, pressing a quick kiss to her lips as he reluctantly let go of her. With a a quick round of hugs and good luck wishes from the rest of his family, he picked up his helmet and headed towards the car.

None of them had even dared to breathe as they waited for the lights to go out at the start of the race, Flo hanging on to Lottie's arm so tightly it was almost painful, as they all sat and stared at the screen.

He didn't get away terribly, it wasn't fantastic but it was enough to hang onto his lead into the first corner, which Lottie could only hope was half the mental battle won for Lando. The race was in no way over though, and he wasn't pulling away in the way that the team would have liked him to. It certainly wasn't going to be an easy one where he could get out in front and then check out. Every couple of laps Max would catch up to him, the two of them going into a couple of corners horribly close to each-other, but each time Lando some how just about managed to hang on to his lead.

They got a lucky break in the form of a slow pit stop for the redbull, the rear right tyre not wanting to come off, and the relief in Lando's voice as the message was relayed to him by his engineer was audible. It took the pressure off him considerably, the next nearest car to him being a little over five seconds away.

The number of laps remaining ticked down steadily, Lando maintaining his lead out in front and Oscar steadily climbing his way up the field much to the relief of the team.

It wasn't until he'd actually crossed the finish line that Lottie allowed herself to relax, wrapped up in a hug by Cisca as everyone celebrated for him. She didn't miss the tone of Lando's voice as he thanked the team over the radio though, a quiet air of sadness and anxiety to his tone as he spoke, one that she could have missed if she hadn't known him so well.

"Looks like we're going out to celebrate tonight!" Flo grinned. "Are you coming down to the podium with us?"

"I wouldn't miss it." Lottie nodded, following after Flo as the McLaren team also began pouring out of the garage.

She stood there against the barriers with his family, Flo doing an excellent job of standing behind her and making sure the crowd behind them didn't knock into her. They watched as the papaya McLaren pulled in, taking its spot behind the P1 marker. He didn't get out immediately though, sitting in the car for long enough that the mechanics had already arrived to attach the fans to the car, one of them actually leaning into check if he was okay. Whatever he said, they patted him on the top of his helmet and carried on, a minute later Lando climbed out of the car.

He pulled his helmet off, making his way over to pick up the waiting bottle of water and gulping it down, before he made his way over. He made his way down the barrier, high fiving members of the McLaren team, hugging both of his parents and then finally reaching Lottie.

"I told you, you could do it." Lottie smiled, wrapping him in the tightest hug she could manage.

He didn't say anything, just hanging on to her like she was a lifeline, his face buried in her neck. "Are you okay?" She whispered in his ear.

He didn't answer her, but his expression as he pulled away from her to go and get weighed told her everything she needed to know, he looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders as he walked away.

"We're definitely going out to celebrate tonight!" Flo grinned as they stood waiting for the podium.

"Yeah." Lottie agreed, although as he walked out on to the podium with a wave, Lando still didn't look like he particularly felt like celebrating and Lottie was trying to work out why.

He stood looking deep in thought as the anthem was played, and had then very half heartedly sprayed some champagne, grabbing his trophy and disappearing off the podium as soon as possible.

He was back at McLaren by the time Lottie and Flo had navigated the crowds to get back from the podium, Lottie telling Flo she was going to go and find him and slowly making her way up the stairs to find his drivers room. She hesitated outside the door, hand raised to knock, not knowing she should just let herself in or not. Eventually, she tapped on the door at the same time as sliding it open, peering her head around it.

"Lando?" Once she stepped in far enough, she caught sight of him, sat on the floor leaning against the wall, knees drawn up to his chin and looking distinctly teary eyed. "Hey, what's wrong?"

He didn't move, and she very awkwardly lowered herself on to the floor, shuffling along until she was sitting next to him. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him as tightly as she could manage as his breathing came in short, sharp bursts. She could feel him shaking as she held him, he just continued to stare blankly at the trophy she'd just won.

"Lando?" Lottie prompted. "What's going on? Say something, literally anything. Please?"

"What am I supposed to do now?" He mumbled.

"We can sit here for a bit? If you need a minute?" Lottie suggested. She didn't know what to suggest really, she still couldn't work o it what was going on. Really, he should be on top of the world having just won, and instead he looked like his world had just ended.

"No but what am I going to do?" He repeated as if it made the question clearer. "He should've beaten me, he would've beaten me if it hadn't been for that pitstop. Everyone knows it already. I didn't do a good enough job, I don't deserve this." He gestured at the trophy. It had been relentless in the press conference, the reporters all questioning whether or not Lando could still have beaten Max if Red bull had done a better job of the pitstop. He'd smiled, brushed it off with a joke as had max, but the question was already eating him alive.

"You don't know what would've happened if they hadn't messed the pitstop up." Lottie reasoned with him. "You looked like you were doing a pretty good job of holding your own out there until that happened anyway. Who's to say you wouldn't have beaten him anyway?"

"I'm saying I wouldn't have." He muttered unhappily. "I'm not good enough. I would've messed something up, I always do."

Lottie just stayed quiet, holding him so tightly it was like she was trying to stick all his broken pieces back together, her hands trailing soothingly up and down his back, occasionally brushing over the mop of messy curls on the top of his head, her lips pressing soft kisses to the top of his head as he leaned against her.

"I don't know if I can do this again, Lottie." He whispered. "Last year was... I don't think I can do it again."

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.44 Get your girl

I pissed off rude girl, and that was fun. I saw an old man do a headstand, and that was amazing. To top off an already awesome day, not only did the old man join me for guided meditation but also so many sims wanted to join the class, I had to turn some away! I hated doing that, but it was such a good problem to have. Sims were finally recognizing the benefit of quieting their thoughts and practicing mindfulness, and I loved to see it. But as fate always had it, my good fortune ended. I had a room full of sims who paid me to teach them how to focus and quiet their minds, yet I could not focus. I tried everything, but I just could not get there. Something in my life must not have been in order. Meditation would have been the perfect time to figure it out, but I had a room full of sims waiting for my prompts to guide them. I never liked to half ass things, but I was unable to do my job so I reused the clouds prompt again to get me through class. When it was over, I went to the sauna to relax and figure out why I couldn't focus. At first, I thought maybe it was this business with Yasmine coming back to haunt me, but I had already squashed that. I combed over everything and still could not figure it out, so I stopped trying. Sometimes I stressed myself out trying to solve things when what I really needed to do was relax, so that was exactly what I did. I closed my eyes, leaned back, and emptied my mind. A while later, someone joined me in the sauna and then another, so I figured it was time to leave. As soon as I stood up, it hit me. I had unfinished business and left the spa immediately to make things right with Maira.

She answered the door with the blankest of expressions.

"Hey..." I said uncomfortably.

"What do you want, Luca?"

Ouch.

"Look...I'm sorry for popping up like this. I know it's late, but can we talk?"

She nodded, let me in, but stood at the door as if she were prepared to throw me out if I said the wrong thing.

"I feel like I upset you, and that was not my intention."

She gestured toward the couch, finally, and we sat. I was going to continue with my apology, but she interrupted me.

"When you said I was your friend... That night...the fire...I know you felt something. How could you not?"

So we were going there, huh? I tried to bury those feelings, but maybe I was ready to talk about it with her. I'd been confessing a lot of that deep, hidden stuff to myself lately. Maybe this won't be too hard.

"I did," I said. "But... Things have been really complicated for me...in that way."

"Complicated how?"

I took a deep breath.

"I like you, Maira. I do. But I..."

I felt things slowly going off the rails, and I hadn't even said anything yet, so I took a different approach, hoping things would flow better.

"You're beautiful..."

Her eyes opened wide in surprise.

"Me?"

It was my turn to be surprised.

"You're kidding, right?"

"What? I don't get too many compliments like that. Most guys I dealt with were fans of my ass."

I couldn't help it, but I let out a tiny chuckle. Maybe it was the way she said it.

"I, uhhh...I will admit to also being a fan, heh. But I'm not just talking about your face. You're beautiful inside, too. If someone were to hold a SimRay to my head and say I had to get married right away or I'd die, you would be one of the women at the top of my list."

"Aww! Really?"

"Yeah... I said it was complicated because I feel that way about you...and someone else, to be honest. But I'm still afraid to make a move. My parents have been divorced my whole life, basically. I didn't have many examples of healthy, thriving relationships growing up. I still don't. And even now, as an adult, I keep learning things about my parents that make me even less sure about if I'm cut out for this. I don't want to end up like them, so it's easier to keep everyone at a distance until I figure myself out. But that's gotten harder and harder to do the more I get to know you all. I don't want to mess up."

She sat there, still listening, so I went on.

"When I said you were my friend, I wasn't trying to say that's how I saw you and we had zero chance of anything else. I was simply stating you are my friend, and I would always be here for you."

She nodded slowly.

"I knew your parents were divorced, but I didn't know you were still being affected by it. I guess it all makes sense now."

"I'm sorry if it felt like I was leading you on, or whatever. That wasn't my intention. I've been thinking about things a lot lately and trying to remember my parents' problems had nothing to do with me and I don't have to do what they did. So I've decided to give dating a try. Heh, according to my Dad, you and I may have been doing that this whole time. I don't want to be scared anymore. But I also don't want anything serious right now. I do want to find someone I'd be willing to get serious with, so...yeah. I'm dating."

"That's very good to know," she said. "I kinda feel the same way. I wasn't upset because I thought we were going somewhere because I'm not looking for anything too serious right now, either. I was upset because I thought you friend zoned me, and it just made me think about all the other guys I'd dealt with. I thought you were different...someone I'd like to be with when I am ready. But in that moment, I thought you were just like everyone else, taking what they want and throwing me away when it was convenient for them. That upset me because I just want to meet a good guy for once. So...yeah...I'm sorry I thought you were a llama snot."

I hadn't heard llama snot since we were kids. It made me smile.

"I'm sorry you've met so many douche bags."

She shrugged.

"You win some, you lose some. Speaking of losing... If you like this other girl, I think you should go for it and forget about me."

My stomach rolled.

"What? No. I could never forget about you. You're one of my best friends!"

"I don't mean cut me out of your life. I just mean, if you're waffling between her and me, choose her."

A tiny part of me was relieved she had taken herself out of the proverbial race because, if it came down to Maira and Sophia, I honestly didn't know how I'd choose. But I still didn't want to lose her. True, we were just friends and could remain friends. But the part of me that wanted more than that was sad.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because, Luca! I know you say you're scared, and you think you're not ready, but you are! And you want it! I can see it in your eyes and in the way you behave. Just be with her. You'll be fine. I'm nowhere near ready for what you want, and I'm sorry if I lead you to believe I am. My family... I love them, but they are driving me nuts right now. My parents just had another baby, and my sister is pregnant again. And top it all off, my brother just got married."

"Who married him?" I asked in disgust.

She laughed because she knew I couldn't stand that guy.

"Malia."

My eyes widened that time.

"Malia Gallardo?"

The girl I used to like who liked my sister instead of me?

"Yep! They're ummm...they're interesting together... But anyway, with all these babies and marriages going on, everyone's looking at me like 'well???' and tapping on their fictitious watches. I just don't want any of that. At least not now. Maybe never! I don't know right now. But what I do know is I'm going at this much slower than you are, and I don't want to hold you back. So...go get your girl. And before you ask, yes we're still friends, yes, I want to see you from time to time, and yes, when you're ready, I'd like to meet her."

I didn't know what to say or even what to feel. What did she see in me that told her I was ready for a serious relationship? I wanted to see it too. I should have felt liberated, but I was still a little scared. Of what? I didn't know. Fear of the unknown, probably. I suppose that was healthy. Still, I wasn't prompted to go home and call Sophia.

[frozen-snowflakesandsunflowers]

Episode 2: Games and Questions 💬

Cover edited by me

This episode is where the drama begins! It picks up on Elsa's decisions made at the end of Frozen 2 and also on Anna's willingness to befriend anyone without knowing who they really are.

The episode picks up where the previous one left off, when Elsa arrives and extinguishes the fire. Disa is amazed upon seeing Elsa's powers in action for the first time. When Disa came to visit first, when they were little, Anna told her about Elsa's powers, making her the first to know about Elsa's powers. They thankfully see some of the artifacts and books are still fine despite the fire.

After setting off the fire Elsa takes Anna out of the room to talk about what just happened. Elsa tells Anna off gently for allowing anyone to the archive. Then suddenly a Sankerhus fellow pops in to ask something from Anna and Anna acts as if she knows who he is. After the stranger leaves Elsa is quick to point out that Anna doesn't know who he is. To prove her point she asks about his last name. Anna makes up a name hesitantly but Elsa again notices she's lying. Familiar? That's because it's a reference to Kristoff asking about Hans' last name to which Anna replied “Of the Southern Isles ”. Anna gives in and says she's just doing what Elsa told her to do and to let Elsa trust her as she knows what she's doing. Elsa does make a point that the castle feels like a never ending banquet given a while other kingdom is mixed in with Arendelle. But then my favourite part of the episode, Anna can see Elsa misses being Queen! Anna tells Elsa, “Come on Elsa, admit you miss this”, and Elsa replies “You know I actually do”. For a fan who was a little down when Elsa stepped down as Queen (but isn't much anymore - a coming post explains why) and who hates seeing people say Elsa hated being Queen etc, I am really happy they showed this side of Elsa. It's not that Elsa didn't want it to be Queen but rather she didn't expect to be Queen so soon. Not only because of her parents deaths but mostly because she had to focus on controlling her powers and most of all her fear. Her part in "For the first time in forever" says it all. She always feared hurting innocent people with these dangerous powers and to rule hiding them would be hard given you meet and greet a lot of people. Elsa stepped down because she couldn't rule and look after the forest at the same time and she knew Anna would do great as Queen and it would reward her for having saved Elsa, Northuldra and Arendelle. So you ask why does Northuldra need protecting now? Well it's been trapped years under mist so it needs support in regaining its strength and now that more magic is revealed to the world, she knows it can attract people who want to study it, use it, control it, kill it, etc, as she suspects Disa doing here. I didn't for a minute expect Elsa to ever recall her days as Queen, but deep down inside I did want it to happen. It puts a close to those who think she didn't like being Queen or didn't love Arendelle. Elsa continues to say she's just so used to doing this alone. By that she means she knew what decisions were to be made and how to do them. She never needs help with Queenly pressures. She's not saying Anna isn't a good ruler or she isn't capable of making good decisions but rather saying that she misses it, but despite that she gave Anna the crown for a reason and trusts her to do what's best for Arendelle. So if you can't tell already I really loved this conversation between them.

I don't know how this story will turn out but I don't expect Anna stepping down or anything as big or important as that anyway because those things wouldn't be in the podcast I don't think.

Moving on, Disa barges in and then Olaf takes her to dinner. Olaf is so Olaf here. I love it. At the dinner table Anna suggests playing a game where you ask Questions related to your partner's Question. Kristoff and Sven go first, again voice actors are doing a great job at capturing the characters and original voice actors essence. Elsa and Disa are up next and this is when the tables turn and my second favourite moment on the episode begins! Disa asks Elsa why she wanted to see Arendelle's material and Disa asks why she left Arendelle. Elsa asks back why she's so interested in Arendelle to which Disa replies, why aren't you Queen of Arendelle. Elsa asks what she's getting at. As tensions rise, thunders rage and rain pours. Kristoff asks if Elsa's been in touch with Gale today, to which she replies not lately. The episode ends there with tensions rising between a former and current Queen suspecting each other.

So what we can make out here is Elsa suspects Disa of stealing Arendelle's knowledge of magic and using it for her own good. Disa however seems to be accusing Elsa of treason or betraying her own kingdom.. I'm not too sure but I think she's trying to show Elsa's disloyalty to her kingdom. Disa is intrigued by Elsa's magic and the forest's too.. I have a feeling Disa will take some of what is saved from the fire and use it to experiment with her science skills which will cause some kind of chaos but that's just a guess. I could be completely wrong about Disa going full villain.

I predict that Disa is the one causing chaos in the enchanted forest with the machines. The machines are all scientific but they're built with copper which Wolfgang is obsessed with. It could be that Weselton's copper is advanced. She doesn't like magic, she fears it, finds it strange and hence studies it to see if this is a threat or a gift to society. So perhaps she's experimenting in the forest. But I could be totally wrong. But Wolfagang seems like a weird yet innocent man who is genuinely trying to rectify his uncle's actions.

On another note as much as I wanted and some have theorized I don't think Hans is Wolfgang. His voice is different, and he's so crazy about copper and has two pet magpies that apparently can talk plus he knits. He definitely sounds like the nephew of the Duke. I mean would Hans go all out with the magpies and obsession with copper? But I do hope he appears at some point. If not in this season, then the next otherwise than save it for the movie as I do have a bit of hope for his appearance in Frozen 3, but that's for another post.

These episodes have actually been more fun than I imagined. It's interesting, it's fun, it references the two movies, the voice actors nail the original voice actors*. If the story goes down well in the other episodes, then Disney is pulling it off with the podcasts, if not then Disney should reconsider what part of the story they tell through podcasts. I'm excited to see how these will lead up to Frozen 3. I'm not too focused on the supposed theme of Science Vs Nature because story wise it's going great so far. I like a bit of drama because out of that you get reveals which play a part in the story.

But here are the downers to it so far. It seems like it's focused on Disa and Wolfagang while the main characters just play other supporting roles in their journey. When it was being promoted, it was about Elsa, Anna and the lot so it was kinda misleading.

But then again, I think perhaps this event might change Elsa and Anna's perspective on strangers, royal or not. I think they are showing Elsa and Anna learning to trust the right way. And maybe this might help with Hans' redemption if he reappears in Frozen 3. Because if Wolfagang is a genuinely nice man, it may make Elsa and Anna slightly open to forgiving past enemies. I think that's why the Duke's nephew was introduced here and why they could be saving Hans for the movie.

* If you didn't know already, the original cast aren't voicing this I'm assuming because of prep for Frozen 3 or perhaps to give a different feel to the podcasts then the movies. So a new cast is voicing them.

When the other episodes release we'll get further information on what Frozen 3 could be about and where the story is heading.

[ilovescaredysquirrel2]

I watched Cricket & Antoinette and I owe David Henry an apology...

Okay, I admit it! David Henry is actually a good actor! I was wrong about him! I'M SORRY! He did amazing as Ket the cricket, I'm not sure why he did such a bad job in the Arriety U.S dub (the only other role I know him as). I heard he's in A Stork's Journey 2, which I haven't seen yet but I'll give it a try. I heard he was on some Disney Channel things as a kid, I'm not sure if I remember the exact shows (I know Raini Rodriguez was, and she's the voice of Antoinette in this movie). Raini absolutely killed it! She was flawless in this movie! Her character Antoinette was a good character and it was a cute, simple kids movie. Nothing too dark, just a funny story about a female ant warning a group of crickets about the winter and learning to sing while doing it, as well as the cute romance aspect between Antoinette and Ket.

Also, this movie came from Croatia, a country I know nothing about, as an American. I never watched another animated movie from Croatia before and this one left a good impression on me so I'd like to see more! I support this company that made it (I think it's called Diedra and Creative Europe Media). Watch the movie on YouTube while you can still watch it for free, they'll probably put a price on it soon and it'll become lost media. You can't watch it in English, anywhere else. If you speak Croatian you can watch both dubs if you want, I'm sure the music still slaps either way but the every song in the English dub is such a bop! If you find a way to download it in English from YouTube or something (One of the voice actors said it will come to digital and On Demand and i don't think people use "On Demand" anymore). The songs alone, make the movie amazing! I highly recommend giving it a watch, it's so good for kids too! There's not a lot of kids movies that are good right now, and this is simple and cute.

This movie is also based off Ant & the Grasshopper, along with Disney's A Bug's Life, but it's WAY BETTER than A Bug's life. I think I give this movie a 8.9/10, or maybe a 9/10. The songs are a 10/10! The story wasn't real deep but that's fine, it's for kids. It's one of those movies you could show a group of school kids I guess, it doesn't have a lot of emotional scenes or anything.

[ask-healthy-light]

As soon as Starswirl laid down in his bed again, the Sisters took a moment to soften his pillow and carefully cover him with his blanket, just as he made it clear to the others that he felt too tired to continue, and he preferred to rest for the remainder of the day; and as Celestia and Luna warmly smiled, and softly told him that he did an amazing job, the Doctor nodded, and wrote into his file.

In return, the Bearded sweetly chuckled, and thanked his Pupils for their kind words, and for being there by his side, before he let out a deep sigh, and closed his eyes, and fell asleep with a smile on his face a mere moment thereafter; and the two Princesses gently kissed him on his forehead, and quietly told him to rest, and that they would be back before the end of the day to check up on him.

When the Doctor finished writing, she whispered to the others that it was time to head outside, and led them out of his room into the hallway, where, after she closed the door, she promised the group that they would look after him; but their presence had been a great motivation for him, despite how exhausted he had become, but there was little more they could do for him, save for giving him time.

To her surprise, Celestia and Luna interrupted the Doctor when they pulled her into their wings all of a sudden, and solemnly thanked her for all of her help in taking care of their friend of Old, to which the Doctor quietly replied that she need not be thanked; but as their eyes started to well up with tears, the Sisters did not utter another word as they hugged her even more deeply in response.

Only after the Doctor said in a lighthearted tone that she had many other patients she still needed to take care of, did the Sisters let go of her, whereafter they wiped away their tears, and cleared their throats; but before the two could apologise to the Doctor, she quickly waved her hoof around, and promised they did not have apologise, either, since she understood just how grateful they were.

Before they could leave the Centre, though, the Doctor politely asked Eclipse to wait for a moment, for when she left the room to talk with Mage Meadowbrook, whom she figured was at Ponyville Palace, she promised to send her the documents she needed to access her patients' files; but since they had recently overhauled the entirety of their archive, she asked if they could give her a helping hoof.

For a split second, the Doctor thought she saw a spark in both Solar and Twilight's eyes, until she rubbed her own eyes, and found that they merely nodded to one another, then to her, and to the rest of the group, telling them to return to the Palace without them; and after the others waved to them and the Doctor, they left the Centre, while Eclipse asked the Doctor whither they would have to go.

After she let out a sigh of relief, the Doctor thanked the Two-Headed Alicorn, and trotted ahead of them to show them where the archives of the hospital were, apologising profusely in advance for the terrible state that it was in; for while every Doctor in the Centre had planned to start organising all the papers, books, and folders, somehow, something else with priority always seemed to come up.

Although Twilight was secretly overjoyed to hear that she could spend a long time sorting countless documents, she made sure to take a deep breath to stay calm, and let Solar take the lead in talking with the Doctor; and to her relief, Solar asked whether there was anything not meant for their eyes stored inside the archives, to which the Doctor shook her head, after a noticeable moment of doubt.

But both Solar and Twilight noticed her hesitation, and insisted that the Doctor tell them if there were any documents that had to be kept secret, to which she admitted with a quiet sigh that she did not know; for while they collected all their patients' files before the overhaul, and sent these to a greater archive for storage and safekeeping, it could be that a couple of these folders remained.

At that moment, as the Doctor pointed at a door, a buzzer rang in her pocket, and she told Eclipse:

"Not again… I have to go, but if you do find anything, please, let me know as soon as you can."

(Thanks for reading! And if you enjoyed, please reblog! Thanks in advance!)

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Featuring: Solar Eclipse and Twilight Sparkle as Twilight Eclipse from @asktwilighteclipse