#Santa Christina

[whatareyoureallyafraidof]

FUCK CANCER!

Dear Santa;

I know it's a bit late in the game (it being less than a week before Christmas and all), but I'd like to change my wish list. I asked for a handful of things that are sort of silly. But, what I really want -- NEED -- is a cure for cancer.

Not for myself, of course. I don't have the medical need. And, I'd never be able to figure out all that medical/science-y stuff. (Damn it Jim; I'm a sonneteer, not a doctor.)

But, if you could drop it off to someone at Sloan Kettering in New York City, I'd really appreciate it.

PS: This would square us for that whole never giving me a BB gun thing.

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

Pietro Ricchi (Italian, 1606-1675) Santa Cristina Martire, 17th century Ca' Rezzonico St. Christina of Bolsena is venerated as a Christian martyr of the third century. She was born in Tyro in the Tuscany region of Italy. The town was built on an island in the lake near Bolsena which has since sunk. Christina was born into a rich family, and her father, Urban anicii, was the Roman Prefect for the island. By the age of 11, the girl was exceptionally beautiful, and many wanted to marry her. Although her father wished for her to become a pagan priestess, she became a Christian. Her father tortured her for being Christian. After her father's death, his successor Dion continued to torture her. Dio then had Christina taken to the temple of Apollo. She was directed to make fitting sacrifice to Apollo. When Christina stepped into the temple, she made the Sign of the Cross and the image of Apollo fell from the altar and was broken into a thousand pieces. The soldiers who brought Christina to the temple were terrified and released her saying, “Truly the God of the Christians is the one true God.” Many of those who witnessed this event became Christian. Julian succeeded Dio as Prefect. He was even more ruthless in torturing her. After many attempts to have Christina forsake Christ and after many tortures and attempts against her life, she was finally tied to a pole and shot with arrows. With that, Christina went to heaven to meet her Maker. St. Christina was a very popular saint in the West and is one of the patron saints of sailors, archers, and millers.

[blackwolfstabs]

Parker's Secret Santa Gifts🎄for @silliestgoosever

HAUNTED

"Even wolves bleed like sheep..."

fandom: Scream // Epiphany AU by @silliestgoosever // (parker's version) characters: Sam Carpenter, Christina Carpenter, & Tara Carpenter WARNING: contains angst, minor gore, & verbal abuse

Sam hissed as the warm steam from her shower cleared to let the cold air of the air conditioning burn her right eye. Her blind eye… 

It seemed like she got soap in that eye every fucking time she took a shower. It seemed like every time she “got used to” being blind in that eye, something would rip her back to reality, cursing her with how it got that way and all the damage that she’d suffered with it.

It never got easier to re-live. The fight, the words, the curses, the blame, the guilt, the pain… All the pain that her mother had caused. Physically, mentally, emotionally—all of it. It never got easier.

She pulled a comb through her hair, before grabbing a dry washcloth to press it against her stinging eye. If Christina was going to take half of her vision away, she should’ve taken the nerves with it too. It watered against the contact, making her grit her teeth as she wiped it and tried to blink away the sting.

“You’re pathetic!” 

A voice—a very familiar voice—hissed behind her.

Sam froze. Her heart skipped into a race, and she felt every muscle in her body tense. All of it. All of it hit her like a hurricane at once. It was the Cat-5- kind of hurricane that destroyed everything in its path in a single second and left the tragedy behind. It had winds that howled the foulest of words and rain that downed out even the loudest, most desperate screams. It was ruthless and held no remorse in the strength that it held. 

And that hurricane was named Christina Carpenter. 

She swallowed, not realizing that she was shaking, until it was pointed out.

“You always trembled when I was around,” the teasing began. “I always thought it was out of anger, but now that I know just how much of a coward you are, the truth really was that you were scared of me.”

She could hear her own breath shudder as she stared at the wall.

“You’re scared of me, aren’t you, Samantha? Just like you were afraid of your father, when you started having visions of him.”

She sounded so evil. So vile . So savagely in love with the idea of making her own daughter suffer for the decisions her parents made.

“Turn around and face me, Loomis ! You’ve still got one good eye, I know you can see me!” There was a fleeting moment of tense silence, before the woman growled, “Let me see that reward I gave you for showing me who you really are…”

How could she turn around after hearing that? What was she, a sad, obedient dog that did whatever her master wanted, no matter how demeaning, infuriating, or humiliating? Yes. She must be, because the next thing she knew, she was staring at herself in the mirror with her mother’s mirrored eyes glaring at her in disgust and prideful hatred.

She was standing right behind her. She was standing there, like she was some fashion designer that had just groomed their chosen model for a show. Some show… It was a horror show that left Sam’s stomach churning with nausea.

But she couldn’t look away. And Christina just grinned.

“Look how weak… how despicable…” Her hand came up to lightly graze over her daughter’s eye, “How revealing…”

Sam yanked her face away, flames of shock setting her body on fire as she felt the touch, as if she wasn’t dead and actually standing right behind her. However, her shoulders were grabbed and held in place, and the manifested woman snarled.

“Look at yourself, Samantha!”

And she reluctantly did so, thick blood covering the entire right side of her face and the lower left side, running into her blind eye, which seemed to sting a thousand times more than the soap did. She had to fight back a cry of pain as it dripped off her chin and onto the bathroom floor, leaving her world to regress back to that night. She couldn’t stop the tears that flooded into her eyes at the disbelief. 

No. This wasn’t real. It was her doing all of this.

She tried to wipe some of the blood from her cheek, but nothing came off on her hand. The pain was there, the touch was there, the voices and the haunting looks were there, but the real world wasn’t.

It was all because of her.

“Y-you’re not real,” she finally managed to speak. “You’re only in my head, just like he was.”

But her mother denied it. “Oh, I’m very real. Who else could’ve done this?” She hummed as she snaked her hands around the younger’s waist and grabbed the hem of her shirt. “I carved you up nicely, didn’t I?”

Sam swallowed back the nausea threatening to crawl up her throat. She nearly gasped at how cold the woman’s fingertips were as they curved beneath her clothing and brushed her warm skin.

“Even wolves bleed like sheep…”

Christina pulled her shirt up to expose the other scar she’d cursed her with, which was now gushing blood, just like her face was. Then, she took one hand and dipped two fingers into the crimson liquid to start drawing over her bare stomach.

Sam’s tears fell. She shook in her mother’s hold, paralyzed and unable to fight back small whimpers as she watched the blood trail being made on her torso, like a map of death. “No…”

“Yes.” The older Carpenter leaned in close to her ear. “Let those tears fall. Show me just how miserable it is to live with these scars on your body, blood on your hands, me in your head, and Billy in your heart.”

“No!” The victim managed to break the spiritual spectrum for a moment, ripping the hands away from her abdomen and pulling herself out of the hovering presence that held her captive. She looked over her shoulder, and there was nothing there. She dropped her gaze to her torso, and it was free of smeared blood. But when she met the mirror, Christina was still there with her glowing eyes that were full of insanity, bloodlust, and hatred for the one staring back at her—her own daughter.

“You can’t escape it, Samantha. No matter how hard you try, I will always be in every dark corner of your mind.”

The terror that she felt so strongly only seconds ago was drowned by a river of lava that burned fear to ashes and left nothing but rage and resentment. “I already got rid of one person who tried to control me—”

“You got lucky that time,” she cut her off. “Your mother, who you knew all your life until that night, isn’t that easy to ignore, and you know it. That’s why you can’t look away from what I’ve made of you. You can’t get rid of me.”

Sam stared her mother down, seething while her right eyelid twitched. It made her enemy chuckle. And that infuriated her. How dare she? That woman could mock her all she wanted. She was dead , so the war was already won. “I won’t beg you anymore,” she growled coldly. “Stay out of my life.”

Those 5 simple words combined in that simple sentence made Christina’s eyes go cold—colder than they already were. Then they lit up with hatred. Even though she was just a reflection in the mirror, she lunged forward. “You’re nothing, you hear me?! Nothing but a Loomis!” she screamed so loud that the reflective glass seemed to shake on the wall. “You know that you’re just like me, you’re just like Billy, and you know damn well that you’ll end up killing Tara, too! Your sister, the only person who could ever love you!”

“Liar!” her daughter bit back. That was the quickest response she could get out. She was rabid with insulted rage. She was already partially blind, but she couldn’t even see straight at this point. All she saw was red, and it wasn’t because of blood, this time. She was sick of being yelled at, and accused, and ripped apart by the tormentors who were biologically her own parents. Fuck that. She had endured too much. She didn’t want to take it anymore. “You’re wrong, Tara means everything to me! I would never fucking hurt her!”

“Did you forget? You already have.”

Sam’s blood went from fire to ice at the realization. She had hurt her. By leaving… She left all those years ago, and that was why Tara got hurt in the first place… to get her to come back to Woodsboro.

Christina chuckled. “You see? We’re the same, you and me.”

No. Fuck that. Things had changed. She loved Tara. And Tara loved her. “We’re nothing alike!” the younger Carpenter spat. “You’re pure evil!”

“Maybe. But I’m also dead… which means you can’t stop me.”

Every thing she said, there was a comeback. Every defense had an offense. Every truth had a dare.

“The day will come when you’ll hold Tara’s dead body in your arms, and there will be no second chances, no more I-love-yous, no more trust, and no more Sam Carpenter. Just Samantha Loomis.”

It was so painful. Sam didn’t think she had ever been as tense as she was right at this moment. Lies. All she could think of was the word lies . She wanted to say more. She wanted to argue. She wanted to rip out her tongue and shove it down her throat so far that she could grab a hold of her intestines and pull them back up and apart from what held them in place. 

But she was dead. So, there was nothing she could do but take it.

Christina knew her daughter was totally defenseless, looking like she was about to burst into tears again. And that thrilled her. It was refreshing and empowering, just like that night. Every time Tara was mentioned, it got to Sam deeply and emotionally. 

It was priceless. 

“You can never give her what she needs.”

Something snapped. Sam could feel it inside her. She went blind, totally blind as a guttural scream echoed off the drywall and her fist was thrown into the mirror.

Cracks.

Then shattered glass.

All in the blink of an eye.

The sound of shards falling from their placement, into the sink, and all over the floor snapped Sam out of her rabid trance. She was panting, her left-eyed vision settling on her fist that was still jammed into the mirror. Her arm was trembling and she could see fresh blood starting to accumulate on her knuckles. 

Christina was gone. The pain and the threats were gone. It was just her in the bathroom, alone, her damp hair bringing cooler temperatures to her face, while the realization that she had just punched the mirror and broke it processed in her head.

—

Tara threw the door to her room open and made it to the bathroom door, which was still shut. She knew Sam had been taking a shower, but the sound of an animalistic scream and glass shattering overpowered the music coming through her headphones. She knocked on it. “Sam?”

There was no answer. 

“Sammy, are you okay?”

Still nothing.

This made her anxiety rush in with no hesitation. She didn’t even bother to try again as she let herself in, nearly busting the door open. “Sam—” She froze only a step into the room.

Sam was sitting on the floor with shattered pieces of the mirror scattered all around her. Her head was hung, and she was holding her hand—her right hand. 

“Sam…?” Tara wanted to go to her sister’s side, but she didn’t have any shoes on, and the tile was littered with small pieces that could easily get stuck in her feet. 

Sam finally looked up from staring at the ground. It was slow and almost eerie the way she did it, but the relief that came over her little sister’s face when she realized that she was conscious and could hear her pulled her out of the shocked trance. Somewhat, at least…

As much as locking eyes made her nerves tempted to settle, the younger Carpenter was nearly horrified at the loss of control she must’ve experienced that caused her to break the mirror. “What are you doing?” her voice almost cracked as she said it.

Great. After all of that, she had just scared Tara. She swore she’d never be someone her baby sister didn’t want to be around, yet here she was, surrounded by her own unstable, toxic behavior. 

No. That wasn’t her. That was Christina trying to take her by the reins and control who she wanted her to be.

But she had to be honest.

“I’m fine, Tara,” she assured her. Her voice was quiet and tired with a small rasp from her previous yelling. Then, she looked away. “She, uh…” Her scarred-up face stared back at her in one of the large pieces of reflective glass. “It wasn’t real…”

She was still confused though… “What wasn’t real?”

The witch’s horrid design on her face was what held Sam’s attention. She hadn’t been real, but she had felt like it. The words, the blood, the touching. Being a canvas was something that still made her feel sick to her stomach. 

“Sammy?”

“Our mother…”

Tara blinked from her older sister to the glass on the floor, and then to the place where the mirror used to be. At first, she didn’t understand, but then it all made sense. “You saw a vision of her?” she asked, feeling confident in the answer but wanting to hear it for herself.

However, Sam shook her head. “It wasn’t a vision, Tara…” She watched the blood trickle down her knuckles.

“...it was a nightmare, while I was still awake.”

merry christmas josey! it was a pleasure to write something from your AU. i hope you enjoy it 🎄✨🎁

- parker (BWS)

[nalit-source]

HOLIDAY ROMANCE BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

Part 1/?

[moratoirenoir]

[secosmolhadoseafins]

Christina Hendricks - Bad Santa 2

[thewomanwhowatchedchristmas]

I Believe in Santa (2022)

This one was... interesting.

So, our main character Lisa (Christina Moore), is a writer, but seems like mostly opinion pieces, so not quite journalism but not quite creative writing either. The kind of writer which requires the least work and the least talent. Off to a great start. We open on Lisa at the 4th of July writing an article about how Independence Day is a better holiday than Christmas. Which is a strong opinion to have. Liking the 4th of July is completely fine and normal, but I don't like comparing national holidays to religious traditions because they don't feel like the same category to me. I could go on, but I want to focus on the movie.

Lisa has an 8 year old named Ella (Violet McGraw). It's a recurring plot device that Ella's dad makes promises to both Lisa and Ella and makes last minute excuses to not show up frequently. This is how Lisa and her best friend Sharon (Lateefah Holder) end up at a summer fair for Ella's dance group performance when Ella gets lost in front of the free legal advice booth (which is not a thing I've ever encountered and I am a fan of fairs generally). Tom (John Ducey) notices that Ella looks lost and scared pretty quickly, takes her out of the crowd so she doesn't get more lost, and sends his friend (who is also working the booth) Assan (Sachin Bhatt) to the lost children booth (also not a thing I've seen, but this does seem more likely, and I don't have children yet, so I might have just not noticed). Nobody is working at the lost children booth, but it's fine because Lisa happens to walk by and see Ella, which is how Lisa and Tom meet.

The movie skips ahead to the end of November, and Lisa and Tom have been together the whole time and Tom already has a good relationship with Ella. But Lisa finds out Tom loves Christmas (like, a very uncomfortable amount) and has a freak out about it, but they don't break up. This happens a few times, actually, where Lisa finds out more about the depth of Tom's love for Christmas, freaks out about it, but they stay together because they love each other. It's only weird because it doesn't actually seem like Lisa and Tom love each other in the movie at any point. Like, watching them kiss is kinda weird. Most healthy, sane people who find out their partner has a weird obsession would also just shrug it off as a quirk.

The main conflict is kind of stupid. I watched this movie less than 24 hours ago and fully forgot what even happened for a minute. I had to try to remember what led to the breakup. It seems even more stupid once the resolution happens.

Ok, so it wasn't like painful to watch. The acting wasn't terrible, there was just no chemistry between the people who were supposed to have chemistry. Tom is most likely a serial killer (I'm pretty sure they make jokes about this in the movie). Lisa sucks. Sharon is just kinda there so Lisa has someone to talk to. Assan is the best character in the movie and he doesn't get any good lines until the conflict (rip off). It feels mean to rate it this low, but any higher would be lying. Overall, 1 star.

[peacockstalemusicalstorytelling]

The Peacocks' Talking Christmas Card

Our favourite carol in a Peacock's Tale full band arrangement of Bert Jansch's Pentangley solo folk guitar version, prefixed here with the octave of my sonnet "Journey of the Magus". Also featuring bells from the church down our lane. The poetry of the carol (1872 ) is by Christina Rossetti and the tune (1906) by Gustav Holst. Rossetti has the distinction of having modelled the figure of Christ in the pre-Raphaelite painter Holman Hunt's "The Light of the World".lyricsTo have turned to the East is then to be Conscious of the chaos behind the plan, Mindful of the terror behind the calm, Eyeful of darkness in lit Western cities; Now I’m called at last to God’s own country Disbelieving in switch and tap and fan, A Western, hygienic, jetted Dis-Man Orientated by your love of me... In the bleak midwinter Frosty wind made moan Earth stood hard as iron Water like a stone Snow had fallen Snow on snow, snow on snow In the bleak midwinter Long ago Heaven cannot hold him, nor Earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign. In then bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed The Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ. Angels and Archangels May have gathered there Cherubim and Seraphim Thronged the air But his Mother only In her maiden bliss Worshiped the beloved With a kiss What can I give him Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would give a lamb If I were a wise man I would do my part What I can I give him Give him my heart.

creditsfrom PEACOCK'S TALES (The Sapphire Wedding Album), released December 1, 2024 octave from Journey of the Magus © Gareth Calway 2015 Carol lyric by Christina Rossetti 1872, tune by Gustav Holst 1906. Maz- Lead vocal, acoustic guitar. Gaz - Voice, bass, foot bells, foot tambourine, djembe drum, bodhran, hand drum, triangle, common flute, support vocal, hi hat, starry cavern angels harmonium, Fring church bells.

[herpsandbirds]

got a special interest in US venomous snakes (especially pit vipers) and would love to see some pics

Well, let's look at a nice spread of US pit vipers!

Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus), swimming, family Viperidae, North TX, USA

Venomous.

photographs by Jimmy Martin 

Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorous), juvenile, family Viperidae, coastal North Carolina, USA

Venomous.

This individual is especially (abnormally) colorful.

The subspecies Eastern and Western Cottonmouths are no longer considered valid. The Florida Cottonmouth is now considered a separate species.

Photograph by Myles Masterson

Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), family Viperidae, coastal North Carolina, USA

Venomous.

photograph by Brett Nature Wildlife Images

Broad-banded Copperhead (Agkistrodon laticinctus), family Viperidae, west central TX, USA

Venomous.

Formerly considered a sub-species of A. contrortrix.

This population was formerly called Trans-pecos Copperhead, which is no longer considered a valid taxon.

photograph by Haplochromis

Arizona Ridgenose Rattlesnake (Crotalus w. willardi), family Viperidae, Santa Cruz County, Arizona

Venomous.

Photograph by Mitchell Hawkins

Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus), family Viperidae, FL, USA

Venomous.

This color/pattern variety found in the SE United States is called the “Canebrake Rattlesnake”. It was once considered to be a subspecies of Timber Rattlesnake, but it is no longer considered to be a valid subspecies.

photograph by Christina Shaffer

Northern Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus m. molossus), family Viperidae, Arizona, USA

Venomous.

photograph by Morgan la Sorella

[smusherina]

yard work - chapter 14 (regina george x reader)

fandom: Mean Girls (all media)

pairing: Regina George x OFC/Reader

summary: You'd been in the same class as Regina George since kindergarten. You'd lived on the same street even longer. Once upon a time, when life was sandbox disputes and who got the swing first arguments, you'd even been friends. Now, in junior year of high school, you doubted she even remembered you. The same couldn't be said about you. You definitely remembered her.

chapter 1 / chapter 2 / chapter 3 / chapter 4 / chapter 5 / chapter 6 / chapter 7 / chapter 8 / chapter 9 / chapter 10 / chapter 11 / chapter 12 / chapter 13 / chapter 15

You told Mrs George (or was it Ms George now? Too soon?) that you'd drive yourself to the school. Under no circumstance did you want to sit in close quarters to Regina. Besides, you knew she'd have to be there significantly earlier because she was performing. If the thought of being near Regina made you uncomfortable, that of being in that building made your skin crawl.

Why you were even bothering to go was beyond you. You'd been made into a laughing stock, a subject for people to talk about and twist around for the rest of the break. There was no PR response you could concoct to fix this, because for one, there was no time, and secondly nobody would want to hear it.

Maybe this wouldn't ruin your entire fucking life. Maybe you'd get over it eventually. Maybe it would all turn out fine. But it didn't feel like that. You could understand Regina more now, could see more clearly what she'd been talking about when she went on that rant.

Thinking all your problems would dissolve once you were old enough was stupid. That could only be applied to something vain, like pimples and pit stains and body odour. But issues like Regina's, utter self-hatred weaponized against society and everybody around her, and yours, chronic doormat syndrome with a side of people pleaser, could not just resolve. One could not pray the gay away, could not sweep it all under the rug.

You looked at the chicken sandwich in your hand. Mrs George had made some for lunch earlier and you'd swung by after the grocery trip to get you one. Then, she'd driven back to yours, helped you pack it all away, and made a weekly meal plan with you while you ate. It'd been nice. And the chicken sandwich was divine.

Your tummy was already full, but you didn't want to stop eating. You almost never got to really stuff yourself. The feeling of it was luxurious, though painful.

You put off going for as long as you could. You left at just the last minute, cutting it dangerously close. Didn't bother changing your clothes or anything. A hoodie and jeans, your usual jacket and scarf. By the time you arrived on the scene, the parking lot was pretty much deserted. You hustled to the gym where the thing was set up and easily found Mrs George and Kylie.

"C'mon, it's- it's- it's almost starting!" Kylie hissed at you, patting the seat next to her.

"Okay okay!" You whisper shouted back, mustering a little excitement for the little girl's sake.

Most of the performances were utterly dull. To be fair, the talent show was also an opportunity to get extra credit for some classes. Several people from your Spanish class took the stage. There was poetry and a couple songs, all mediocre at best. A pair performed a salsa number, which was surprising on two accounts. One, they were both dudes and two, they were good.

After Damien's dramatic rendition of Christina Aguilera's Beautiful, it was time for The Plastics to take the stage. Karen, Gretchen, and Cady were slowly revealed by the curtain. Cady stood front and centre, Gretchen to her left and Karen to the right.

Unlike many of the other dance performances of the night, the highlight was certainly not the choreography. The wow factor was hinged on the simple fact that it was them, specifically these girls, in latex, borderline slutty Santa costumes doing a provocative dance. The audience was not thrilled, the adults' reactions ranging from mildly uncomfortable to downright scandalized, while the other high schoolers looked on in either lust or disappointment that the act was missing the thing that had made it interesting in the first place.

Regina George had been the main attraction. Without her, without her effortless stage presence making the dance seem interesting, it was actually pretty embarrassing.

You had to look away when they started doing stunts. Karen went to the floor on all fours crab walk style, while Gretchen positioned herself behind her, and Cady geared up to- you couldn't watch. Suddenly, the music cut out and a heavy thump accompanied by someone's breath wooshing out of their lungs echoed through the gymnasium.

Kylie covered her mouth in a valiant effort not to laugh. You bumped your shoulder into hers. She bumped back. Mrs George had gasped and almost surged out of her seat. A beat of silence. Then, like water rippling, laughter began to bubble out of people.

You still couldn't watch. You could hear heels clicking on stage, groaning, and some frantic whispering. Kylie had tears in her eyes and her whole body was shaking.

"What's happening?" You whispered to her.

"Cady... She... Belly flopped the stage." She managed to get out before bursting into giggles.

"What? Is she, like, okay?"

"She's getting up. The principle's getting on stage." Kylie reported while you kept your eyes firmly on your lap. "He's gonna say something, oh, Gretchen's taking the mic-"

You had to look up when you heard your full name being spoken into the microphone, but regretted it as soon as Gretchen finished the sentence:

"-is a lesbian!" Quiet. Again.

You looked down so fast your neck cracked. Through the tinnitus in your ears, you could vaguely hear the principal admonishing Gretchen, the murmurs in the hall, their heels clicking off stage.

Why was Gretchen of all people announcing your sexuality at the talent show? What did she have to do with any of this? Maybe Regina had put her up to it. It didn't seem planned, though. You thought that Regina and Gretchen weren't talking.

"What's a lesbian?" Kylie asked you, all innocence and wide eyes.

"Kylie, don't ask that, it's not appropriate." Mrs George said.

"Why? Is it a bad word?" She turned to her mother. You took deep breaths and clenched your fists. Unclench. Clench. Everything was going to be fine.

"No, but it's not good to accuse somebody like that." Mrs George tried to explain gently, but you could tell she was out of her depth.

"But what does it mean?"

"Kylie, I said don't-"

"It means a girl that likes girls." You cut in.

"Huh... So like how boys like girls, but a girl likes a girl?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Okay."

You would've paid so much money for it to be that simple. Why you couldn't be afforded the benefit of the doubt that you weren't a pervert, riddled with disease, and out to get people? Why was it so unbelievable that you didn't want to change the world, you just wanted to get married someday? Why did kissing girls on the mouth make you a predator?

You suspected there were no real answers to those questions. Fear. Repression. The patriarchy. Religion. The wage gap. Whatever.

The show went on. You felt numb. Realistically, what could you even do? Stand up and shout that it wasn't true? That would only serve to put a name to a face. The next talents came and performed their mediocrity to the mildly interested crowd. There was a pretty good sleight-of-hand magician. Somebody had trained their cat to do tricks.

Eventually, it was Regina's turn to take the stage. You couldn't help but perk up when they announced her. Mrs George was out of her seat immediately, kneeling on the pathway to the stage with a video camera poised to film her daughter.

The curtains parted. She stood in the centre of the stage, mic stand in front of her. She smiled a little, eyes on her mom presumably.

Her hair was done in soft waves, framing her face so beautifully. Natural makeup kept light, a compromise between the bare face that you liked and the full beat she was into. She was wearing an old white tee shirt, the logo so faded you could barely make it out. That had been your shirt, you realized as you narrowed your eyes. You'd gotten it from summer camp, one that Regina hadn't been able to come with you to. After you came back she'd confiscated all the stuff you'd gotten there. Tee shirts, crafts projects, a whittled duck, braided cord. You'd always assumed she had thrown it all in the trash. On her wrist was a braided leather cord and a wood bead friendship bracelet. She had on Lee jeans that hugged her hips and thighs exquisitely. Those had been her mom's.

In her hands was the photo album. Everybody could read the front, Reggie & Jorts.

"Notice me... Take my hand..." She crooned into the mic as the soft melody of Briney Spears' Everytime began to play.

"Why are we strangers when our love is strong? Why carry on without me?"

You felt like you couldn't breathe.

"And every time I try to fly I fall without my wings," Her eyes scanned the crowd. You wondered if she was looking for you. "I feel so small, I guess I need you, baby,"

She found you. Your eyes met, hers clear and blue and somehow so sad, even as she glittered up on stage. Even with everybody's eyes on her, she was looking at you.

"And every time I see you in my dreams, I see your face," She sang so prettily, every note like a gentle caress, a soothing balm to your ears. You did so love to hear her sing.

"It's haunting me. I guess I need you, baby," Her eyes closed, like she couldn't focus on two things at once; looking at you and singing. She swayed gently with the rhythm, feeling the soft instrumental in her feet. Sneakers. Simple, white sneakers.

Her eyes opened again with the next lyrics. You tried not to overthink it, tried not to imagine things that weren't there, but maybe there was a glassiness to her eyes that hadn't been there before.

"I make-believe, that you are here. It's the only way that I see clear. What have I done? You seem to move on easy."

You swallowed, eyes closing. You weren't sure what to think. Was this her way of apologizing? Was she trying to make up for what'd been said? Hadn't she just earlier today made your life living hell?

You leaned your elbows onto your knees and cradled your face in your hands. What were you supposed to do now? She was singing to you. This was the ultimate show of sincerity, of vulnerability, but what were you meant to do with it all in your hands? Your chest tightened and your breaths shortened.

The song continued, you knew the lyrics by heart, but only once she sang the next part did you open your eyes again.

"I may have made it rain, please forgive me. My weakness caused you pain, and this song's my sorry,"

You understood. Cowardly as it may have been, Regina was apologizing to you. Though the references were obscure enough that most, if not all, people would not know who she was singing to, it was quite clear this was a song for somebody.

You rubbed at your throat. It felt constricted, like something was tightening around it.

You couldn't shake the feeling that it was too late. As much as you would've liked to weep in gratitude, be swept in the relief that she was taking you back, irreversible things had happened. None of this made sense. If she hadn't pulled the stunt today then who had? Had she told somebody? Had Janis told?

Regardless, you were an outcast. If not, then ridiculed. You were scared. You had become a target. You didn't think anybody at Northshore was capable of the atrocities you saw reported on the news, but nobody who'd become a victim did until it was too late.

As it was, it didn't matter whether or not you forgave Regina. It didn't matter if she forgave you.

"I guess I need you, baby," As the last line of the song carried throughout the gymnasium, and after the split second of stunned silence before people began cheering and clapping, you got up and left.

You'd smoke a cigarette and get out of here once and for all. Then, you'd drive home and call dad. You'd tell him everything, tell him you needed to switch schools and that you were gay and that you'd made a real mess of things.

You'd take what was given, reap what'd been sown, and forget all about this goddamned town.

Forget all about Regina George.

Notes: Took a bit longer with this one. Sorry for the suspense! Here, have some more unresolved stuff! Also, I fucking love that song by Britney Spears. I've known Regina was gonna sing it for J since pretty much the beginning and finally, she did.

Taglist will be posted separately. If you want to be added to the list, please comment on that post! Thank you!

[corroded-hellfire]

My Favorite Elf - Eddie Munson x Reader

Summary: When you and Nancy go to the mall to finish up your Christmas shopping, the sound of a familiar voice leads you to a jolly surprise.

Note: I wrote this for @palomahasenteredthechat’s 12 Days of Joemas with the prompt “Is that velvet?” 💚❤️

Words: 1.4k

The holiday season at Starcourt Mall can be a chaotic nightmare on nights and weekends. Crowds so dense you can hardly see any of the mannequins modeling the latest looks at the GAP. It’s for this reason that you and Nancy decide to make a mall run straight from school one Tuesday afternoon. 

With most parents still at work and middle and elementary schools still in session, the mall is the calmest you’ve seen since before Halloween. You and Nancy plan on taking full advantage of getting all those last minute gifts you’ve been meaning to buy.

“Okay, I got the shoes,” Nancy says, jostling the brown paper bag in her hand in emphasis. “You wanted to go to Walden Books next?”

“Yeah!” you say. “I saw this book there the other day and I think Eddie would really like it.”

“Why didn’t you get it for him then?”

“He was with me,” you laugh. “As busy as it was, I still think he would’ve noticed me buying something.”

The bookstore is on the second floor, so you and Nancy have to take the escalators closest to the food court. Right before you lift your foot to hover over the silver steps, you hear a familiar voice coming from behind the escalators. 

“Are you ready? Come on, we’ll go up together.”

Your brow furrows in puzzlement, and Nancy turns to look at you with the same expression mirrored on her face. Together, you walk around to see what Eddie is doing at the mall and who he’s talking to.

A Winter Wonderland greets you and Nancy as you step around the towering escalators. The centerpiece is a life-size gingerbread house decorated with every type of candy you can think of. Colorful gumdrops frame the front door, pieces of licorice act as shutters to the icing windows, and oversized swirling lollipops stand around the house like a security team. 

Fake pine trees dot the scenery, their needles covered in fake snow. In fact, fake snow permeates about every spare inch on the display. It’s all around the platform and heavily dusted over the roof of the house. 

Sitting right in the middle of it all is the man himself: Santa Claus. He’s perched atop a large red throne smack dab in the middle of the wonderland. The entire display is surrounded by a white, glittery snowflake fence. 

There’s a girl dressed as an elf in a green tulle skirt and red tights standing behind a camera facing the big man. Your eyes then come across the best sight of all.

Your hand comes up to cover your enormous grin as you take in your boyfriend in his very own elf attire. The left half of his button up shirt is red, while the right half is entirely green. The same is true of the pants, just reversed; a green left leg and a red right leg. His hair is tucked up in a bun at the base of his neck and the rest of his curls are hidden by the green Santa hat on top of his head. The hat has golden jingle bells on the top and fake points to rest on top of Eddie’s ears to give the magical illusion of elf ears. The part that tickles you the most though is the shoes. They’re green with pointed toes that curl up, with a golden jingle bell attached to the tip of each. 

“Did you know he was working here?” Nancy asks you, a few giggles escaping her. 

“No!” You laugh but find it strange to look at his hands and see no chunky silver rings. 

The only people in the line to meet Santa are a little girl with long blonde hair, half up in a pink ribbon, and her mother. It’s understandable that there's hardly a crowd here on a Tuesday afternoon. The little girl looks scared and won’t let go of her mom’s hand no matter how much she encourages her. 

Eddie walks over to the girl and crouches down to her level.

“Hi. My name is Eddie. What’s your name?”

“Christina,” she answers softly.

“It’s nice to meet you, Christina. Are you a little nervous to meet Santa?”

She nods her head.

Eddie offers her his hand. “What if we go up there together?”

Christina still looks hesitant.

“You don’t have to be afraid of him,” Eddie says with a shake of his head. “He just wants to know what you want for Christmas so us elves can get to work on it. That is…if you’re on the nice list.” Eddie tilts his head and raises his eyebrows. “You have been good this year, right?”

“Yes.”

“That’s what I thought! Now, do you want to come up and tell Santa what you want?”

Christina stares at Eddie with wide blue eyes for a few moments before she nods her head. Eddie gives her a smile and extends his hand again. This time, Christina takes it. 

You watch as Eddie leads the small girl up to Santa and tells him her name. He crouches down and stays there until Christina seems more comfortable with Santa. When she climbs on his lap, Eddie steps aside so she can share what she wants with Santa in private. 

Once a picture has been snapped, Christina hops off of Santa’s lap and Eddie gives her a candy cane before she leaves the little Christmas village with her mom.

There’s nobody else in line to meet Santa, but he’s still scheduled to be there for another two hours according to the sign. The photographer elf starts cleaning up around her area and Eddie shuffles around his small space, looking for something to do. You take the opportunity to walk closer to the magical scene, Nancy right behind you.

“And here I thought Hermey the little elf dentist was the cutest elf I’ve ever seen,” you say as you approach the fence.

Eddie looks up and you immediately see his cheeks darken, but he gives you a bright smile.

“What’re you doing here?” he asks.

“Shopping,” Nancy answers, holding up her bags as proof.

“What’re you doing here?” you ask, looking at all the festiveness around him.

“I’m just here for the candy canes.” He laughs when you pinch your eyebrows together. “Figured I’d get a holiday job and make some extra money.”

“What for?” you ask, knowing there’s nothing you want that could cost more than a few dollars. And that Wayne will probably just get a new mug. Again.

“Well,” Eddie says with a shrug. “I know your favorite band is starting a tour next month…”

“My favorite band besides Corroded Coffin,” you say, pointing an index finger at him.

“Yes, of course, that goes without saying.”

“Eddie, you didn’t have to do this,” you tell him, though your heart grows three sizes at the gesture.

“I wanted to,” he says with a bashful shrug. 

You peek behind the gingerbread house and raise your eyebrows at Eddie when you see it’s away from any possible prying eyes. He chuckles and nods his head in that direction.

“Be right back,” you tell Nancy.

“Take your time,” she teases.

Eddie helps you over the snowflake fence and you take another look at his costume. He looks even cuter in it closer up.

“Is that velvet?” you ask.

“No, thank God. Cotton. This already gets hot enough.”

“Look at my adorable elf boyfriend,” you say with a playful smirk.

His face starts to turn red as you wrap your arms around his neck. He places his hands on your waist and gives a small squeeze.

“You know,” you muse, tilting your head to the side. “You didn’t ask me.”

“Ask you what?”

“If I’ve been good this year.”

Eddie laughs and leans in to nudge his nose against yours.

“Because I already know the answer to that one. Pretty sure I contributed to it,” he says in a low voice, causing goosebumps to run down your arms.

He presses his lips over yours and holds you up against his body as he claims your mouth. Your hands slide into his hair, and it makes the green hat move, causing the little bell to jingle.

You pull away, unable to keep kissing because you’re full of giggles. Eddie sighs.

“Fine,” he whispers. “I guess we’ll just have to get naughty later then.”

[420days]

DADDY MELO | CARMELO

“When’s the baby coming?”

“Not for a couple more months. You’re excited to be a big sister?” Melo asked, peeking at his daughter in the rear view mirror.

“Yes, I can’t wait for sissy to get here! We’re gonna play dress up and paint our nails!”

“You’re gonna be a good big sister Meli?” Christina asked her niece from the passenger seat.

“Of course Auntie! Were you excited when my daddy was born?”

“I don’t remember when he was born. I was just a baby but I was happy to have a baby brother.”

“Do you like having a big sister?” She asked her dad once we was satisfied with her aunts answer.

“Yeah, she was a good big sister to me and Auntie Kim.” He nodded his head as he switched lanes.

“Wow, I want more sisters and brothers?” Meli whispered to herself as she swung her feet.

“Oh yeah, how many?” Christina asked knowing her niece was going to say something off the wall.

“Hmmm.” “Four sisters and two brothers.”

“Wow, that many? Are you sure?” She giggled as she looked over at her brother who was scrunching his eyebrows.

“Yup, I’m gonna ask Santa for Christmas because I’ve been good this year. He always gets me what I want.”

“Good luck with that.” Christina patted her brothers shoulder as they pulled into the parking lot of the the spa Briyanna was at.

Earlier in the day Melo sent her off to have a full day at the spa while he took Meli and out with his sister. He knew she needed a day of relaxation and that’s exactly what he was going to provide for her.

“Look! There’s mommy!” Meli waved from the car as Melo walked around to unbuckle her from her seat. Holding her hand he led her over to where his wife was sitting in the drivers seat of her car, relaxing.

“Hi Mommy! Hi sister!” The little girl smiled before climbing into her mom’s lap and hugging her stomach.

“Hi Mellie. Did you have fun today?”

“Yup, I got ice cream and we brought you a cookie. Daddy has it in the car.” She nodded her head.

“Aw, you thought about me? Thank you Mells.”

“You’re welcome! And you can share with the baby too.” She made sure to look out for her sister.

“Mommy she’s moving again!” Meli smiled feeling her sisters kicks and pushes. She was extremely happy about it while Briyana was feeling nothing but pain.

“Hey baby, you ready?” Melo asked leaning down to kiss his wife and rub her stomach.

“Daddy, the baby is moving around. Look!” She pointed towards her mom’s round stomach that was very present in the fitted green dress she was wearing.

“I know! She’s talking to you.” He said and Briyanna couldn’t help but to smile at the moment thay we’re sharing. The two of them have done nothing but shown love to her love the entire pregnancy. They were almost enjoying her pregnancy more than she was but nothing less she was excited to have their love and support.

“Hi sister, I wish you would hurry up and get here already. I wanna play with you.”

“That’s all you wanna do is play.” Melo tickled her making her fall into a fit of contagious laughter.

——————————————————————————

tag list: @bebesobrielo @trentybenty @amandairene88 @kiki1704 @paigereeder @uceyliyahh @skyesthebomb @yeaiamme2

[icanseethefuture333]

Tis' the season 🍧: How will you spend the holidays + What gift will you receive? 💝

Pile 1:

Shufflemancy -

Jingle Bell Rock by Hall & Oates

Speechless by Don shay

Baby I Miss You by 2NE1

Abundance, Peace, Nine of Swords, Eight of Swords, Eight of Wands, Justice, Three of Cups, & Ten of Cups

I see that for this holiday, you will be be feeling very abundant and peaceful! There is someone who will miss you very much, you could miss them just as much. I believe someone from your past is wishing to come back into your life or reach out to you to talk. This decision on allowing them to come back into your life will be entirely up to you. I am getting that this is a past romantic connection, but it could also be platonic/family member. (clarified by After Last Night by Silk Sonic ft. Thundercat & Bootsy Collins) I see that this person could even show up at your place 👀? They are very determined to express how they feel to you. I believe you will choose to do what's best for yourself. I believe you will focus on spending time with friends and family for the holiday. Appreciating the ones who have shown they truly care for you and moving on from whatever doesn't serve you. "I choose to cherish the people who value me the most" ♡

Gifts: text messages, phone calls, "I'll be home for Christmas", "you are so special to me", letters, blessed friends & family connections, return of someone from the past, an apology, flowers, and cookies

Pile 2:

Shufflemancy -

Last Christmas by Wham!

Chilly by Niki

Drive It Like You Stole It by Sing Street

Loneliness, Courage, The Tower, Two of Swords, Ten of Wands, Seven of Pentacles, The Hierophant, & The Star

I see that you could be going through a difficult time in the beginning of the holidays :(! I'm sorry about that! For some of you, you could be currently in separation from your partner or going through a break up. For others in this pile, you and someone close to you are growing apart. Things could be hectic and feel like things are crumbling down. Not to worry though, pile 2! I see that this tower moment coming for you is just to bring much needed change into your life. You have to find the courage to want to get past this (clarified by How Does It Feel by Summer Walker). You could be wanting to push through the holidays. Instead of thinking "Let's just get over it with", try to be more positive and be determined towards your goals. You must learn how to have faith and believe in little miracles again. If you want change in your life and feel unsatisfied with the current circumstances, you have the power to do anything you wish in life. You just have to be brave and go after what it is you seek. I also see that you will harness your skills and put them to use. You have a lot of potential. Your talents and skills could attract a lot of financial abundance into your life.

Gifts: car, something blue 💙, snowflake, jewelry, a trip to see the ball drop in New York City, visiting a building thats significant to you, religious sanctuary (church, mosque, or temple), and guide books

Pile 3:

Shufflemancy -

Merry Christmas Darling by Christina Perri

Moments In Love by The Art of Noise

Happiness Over Everything (H.O.E) by Jhené Aiko ft. Future & Miguel

Surrender, Purpose, Queen of Wands, Knight of Wands, Four of Wands, Five of Wands, Wheel of Fortune, & Ace of Swords

I feel like this pile has been very naughty this Christmas if you catch my drift... 😳😝. I see you are trying to get "warm and cozy" this holiday with someone you've been seeing for a while. While for others, this could be someone you hook up with. (Channeled song: SHOOT! by Itzy) I see for some of you there is someone you fancy but are afraid of confronting them regarding your feelings or how they feel because you worry there will be some kind of rejection. I'm telling you this is literally a sign for you to shoot your shot (like a free throw! 🏀). There is a lot of options you will have romantically (or even sexually) this Christmas. There also seems to be people who wish fight for you attention. For my singles, you will take a chance towards an opportunity and it will go very well! I see you will also have a lot of good luck regarding your relationships. It is time to take action and communicate your ideas very clearly. Release control this holiday and take a break! Allow yourself to relax and take time to reflect on what fulfills you emotionally as a person. This could also be time for you to think what it is you'd like to do for the new year. Make a vision board or make a list of your goals for the new year. It is also urgent to take care of your health during this season! Some of you could be more prone to sickness and can catch a cold or flu. So sanitize frequently and take your vitamins!

Gifts: Sex, dates, celebrations, parties, weddings, anniversaries, engagement rings, homemade soup, and lottery tickets

Pile 4:

Shufflemancy -

All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey

I Got It by Charli XCX ft. Cupcakke, Brooke Candy, & Pabllo Vittar

Diamond by f(x)

Envy, Acceptance, Five of Swords, Three of Pentacles, Ace of Pentacles, Four of Cups, Seven of Wands, & Seven of Swords

This pile is focusing on their bag for the holidays! I see a lot of financial abundance coming your way. There could be a lot of people who are sending you nasty vibes and are jealous, so make sure to pray up and protect your energy 🧿. Some of you should do spellwork or invest in something that has to do with self protection. You have overcome people's sabotage and backstabbing, despite people's vindictive and malicious intentions, you still see the best in people. For some of you, you could have gotten into a argument with someone close to you and want to try to make amends. While for others, you will speak to a higher up at your job about the mistreatment or unfairness you have experienced at work. I feel that you will demand for a raise or promotion otherwise you will quit your job. I actually see things working out for you. I also see this other person who's fucking with you finally backing off and will realize you're not taking their shit anymore. I also see that you will stop holding resentment towards others and will stop trying to force people to change when they don't want to. You will have new ideas and could see things from a different perspective. "I accept what I cannot change and focus on what I can make happen". I also see that you are going to be doing a lot of shopping for the holidays! So budget and manage your finances wisely.

Gifts: Money, shopping sprees, gift cards, electronic banking/wiring, raise, promotion, vacation day/day off from work, holiday cards, postcards, good credit score, and you could mostly focus on giving gifts to others than receiving.

Pile 5:

Shufflemancy -

Love to Keep Me Warm by Laufey ft. Dodie

Just Like Magic by Ariana Grande

From Time by Drake ft. Jhené Aiko

Worry, Growth, Page of Swords, The Lovers, Three of Cups, Page of Wands, Justice, & Six of Swords

There is a lot that has been heavy on your mind and heart, pile 5. I believe some of you are having some sort of existential life crisis or have been wondering where you are going in life. I remember there was this saying that goes: "You don't need to know everything, because if you knew everything, life wouldn't be interesting!". You have to give yourself time to grow and find what place in the world makes you feel whole and safe. If you don't fit in anywhere than you don't need to. Don't try to force a puzzle piece that doesn't fit, instead be patient, and see that your piece could possibly belong to an entirely different puzzle. I hope that makes sense for you. I see that for this holiday you will be taking time to retreat and wish to expand your consciousness. There could be a lot of delays happening in your life or things not going as planned (flights delayed, canceled plans, road blocks, etc). There is a reason for this because you need to focus on self love and learn how to accept love from others. You will come across people who are "angels" in human form. People could be more kind, helpful, and caring towards you than usual, this is a sign from the universe to show you that there is hope. I also see that you will feel more brave regarding a decision in your life that you have been putting off. I am channeling a lot of messages here for this pile. Some of you, you will successfully win a lawsuit or a legal court will allow something you petitioned. A few of you will elope with a romantic partner in a court house. The other group for this pile will be approved for a visa to travel or will get to live overseas. Then for the majority of the people who have chosen this pile will embarking on a expedition or will discover the "journey to the soul". All of these situations will be very uncomfortable for you because it is meant to take you out of your comfort zone. Allow yourself to receive help from others and let your guard down for once.

Gifts: help, moving boxes, meditation, luggage, passports, visa, approved court documents, end of a long legal battle, bon voyage party, financial compensation, and new home

Pile 6:

Shufflemancy -

8 Days of Christmas by Destiny's Child

Peek-A-Boo by Red Velvet

Fell In Love by Brent Faiyaz

Friendship, Success, Two of Cups, Ace of Pentacles, Two of Wands, Strength, The High Priestess, & Nine of Cups

For the holidays, you will be spending time with your closest friends! Perhaps there will be a potluck thrown or everyone will come together to cook dinner. Some of you could even live with your best friend! Or will make plans to live with or live closer to a friend. If you are someone who doesn't have friends, I also see you making friends in the new year! When it comes to your career, a business partnership could be on the table or you will make great connections that will help you level at your job (channeled song: New Phone, Who Dis? (Remix) by Cyanca ft. Durand Bernarr) You could get a new phone number or disconnect from your phone entirely next year. You are very determined to achieve your goals for the new year and have no time for any bad vibes this holiday ✨️. You will be feeling very confident and more empowered this year (period, pile 6!). Your intuition will be more enhanced this time of the year. So if you peep any fuckery going on... it will not go unnoticed. It's giving: "I know my worth and I'm the queen/king of this shit". (Channeled song: Cleo by Shygirl). A wish fulfillment or manifestation of yours will come true this holiday. Your mindset will be very abundant and your self concept will be impeccable during this time.

Gifts: new phone, potluck, friendship bracelet or necklace, money, gift cards, business offer, job offer, pass job interview, approved application, trophy, award, scholarship, and contract offer

Pile 7:

Shufflemancy -

Christmas Without You by Taeyeon

Coming of Age Ceremony by Park Jiyoon

Want Some More by Nicki Minaj

Discipline, Death (2x!), Two of Pentacles, Nine of Pentacles, Three of Pentacles, Three of Swords, The Devil (reversed), & The Empress

This pile's energy is so intense 😳! I feel like this pile had a good year then things suddenly have gone downhill for you. For some of you, you could have broke up with someone who was cheating on your or was toxic for your mental health. While for others, you could be ready to cut some people off from your life or have done so already. This person is bitter you have moved on and you are prospering in life. I also see that you will be disciplined during this holiday. You have goals that you are determined to achieve and will not allow any fuckboys (girls or theys lol) get in the way of your success. I see you feeling more fulfilled this holiday and enjoying the luxuries of life. You will be enjoying your freedom from these toxic people from your previous lifestyle. Overall you're riding solo this holiday. Make sure to budget and be careful with your finances! If you exceed your spending limit, it could cause complications in your life.

Gifts: Jewelry, luxury items, food, a enrichment program, visit to a winery (or anything that allows you engage in your senses), restaurants, trip to a spa/salon, pillows, blankets, and candles

Pile 8:

Shufflemancy -

Merry & Happy by Twice

Tell Me by Wonder Girls

2nd Fiddle by Leikeli47

Pride, Love, King of Pentacles, Three of Pentacles, The Star, Four of Pentacles, The Emperor, & Queen of Pentacles

"Pride & prejudice" could be a significant book/movie for you watch this holiday. I feel you and a loved one are at odds right now. (Channeled song: Love Is A Battlefield by Pat Benetar). You & this person love each other dearly but are acting so STUBBORN 😭. I feel that this person will want to make amends with you but you will be feeling petty and give them the cold shoulder/silent treatment because you do not want to put your pride down. Think about if losing this person or not being able to have another moment with them this holiday would be worth it. Don't let your pride sabotage a good thing, pile 8. There will be a conversation that will be healing and needed for you both to grow in your relationship. It is necessary to discuss what would bring stability in your lives. The biggest message for you this holiday is learn how to pick your battles.

Gifts: artwork, stationary supplies, vase, pottery, shoes, hats, sweaters, jackets, veils, head scarves, rosary, cross, religious symbols, earrings, go to see Christmas lights, and visit a manger, a farm, ranch, or barn

Pile 9:

Shufflemancy -

I'll Be Home For Christmas by Kacey Musgraves & Lana Del Rey

Relax Your Mind by Cookiee Kawaii

Got 'Til It's Gone by Janet Jackson

Forgiveness, Gratitude, The Tower, Nine of Swords, The Hanged Man (reversed), Three of Wands, Ace of Cups, & Knight of Cups

This pile could be feeling very nostalgic this holiday. Some of you could be grieving the loss of a loved one. I am so sorry my love :(! While for others, you are grieving your past. There is something about losing time and wishing you could go back to fix things. Pile 9, you have to forgive yourself. The past is the past and you have to learn to find ways to cope and focus on the present. There is a lot of mental stress you are experiencing or you could suffer from past trauma. Whatever the case may be, holding onto the past is not benefiting you. There is a lot of mental anguish you are dealing with and it's time for you to release the emotions you have been feeling or kept inside of you. I see for the holiday you won't be stuck in this chaotic and depressing energy anymore, that things will actually turn around for you, you just have to be willing to have faith and trust in yourself. This is a very significant message, but you guys need to start speaking to the universe, your spirit guides, ancestors, etc. Some sort of spiritual figure who can guide you. If you are not a spiritual person, then please do your research on the higher self. If you are losing faith when it comes to the universe or any other holy figure, trust in your higher self to guide you. Write a letter to your past, present, and future self. Release whatever is not serving you, pay attention to what you are currently feeling, and think of who you want to be in the future. It is not too late. You can achieve anything you set your mind to, pile 9. Once you have done something along those lines, I see that you will start to feel more optimistic and ready to seek this new desire of yours. An adventure is out there waiting for you! There will be a boost in your confidence and you will be more kind regarding your past mistakes. Self love is your main focus for the new year. I also see for this holiday you will cherish the moments you have with your loved ones and talk to them about the bittersweet feelings you have. They will be understanding and attentive to your needs, as you will for them.

Gifts: photo album, family videos, picture frame, plants, cups, flasks, visiting or a memorabilia from your childhood home or hometown, boat ride, holiday suite, cabin, trip to a resort, & visit to a chapel

[moratoirenoir]

[something-tofightfor]

A Wonderful, Awful Idea / 5

Pairing: Pero Tovar x Female Reader (Modern AU)

Word Count: 9,438

Summary: You and Pero have talked things through - and it's time to figure out what comes next for you.

For both of you, though, that means being open, honest ... and asking for exactly what you want.

Rating: M/E : This is a smutty one, friends. It's finally happening.

Author's Note:

The end is here, and I cannot thank you enough for the support and interest you've shown in this story. It definitely grew from what I first envisioned it to be, and I'm really happy with the outcome - I hope you are, too. It's always so intimidating to write for a new character, but to know that one of my favorite Pero writers - I'm looking at you, @oonajaeadira - has enjoyed this take on him means a TON.

The title comes from Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Thank you for reading!

*dividers by @/strangergraphics

You both sat on the couch while you ate, and Pero filled you in on exactly what had happened with the power at the party. 

“Something in the kitchen overloaded the wiring.” He waved his hand in the air, fingers clutching the remnants of a sandwich. “And when they tried to reset that breaker, they tripped the whole building.” He laughed, shaking his head and swearing under his breath. “That’s how it all came back so quickly.” 

“I’m glad it wasn’t anything serious.” He nodded as he chewed. “Did they get pissed at you since you weren’t right there to protect Christina?” 

“No.” He took another bite. “The assignment was never to be right beside her at all times. William and I were further away than her team, and I just happened to be near you.” You didn’t quite think that was the truth; Pero had to have searched for you in order to be that close, since you’d purposely moved almost all the way across the party space. “And I got to where they were as soon as I could to assess the situation. I did my job.” 

“You protected me.” You took a bite of the food he’d gotten you, giving yourself a few seconds to think. “You were there to protect someone else, and you still … You were mad at me, Pero. I didn’t expect …” 

“I did. And I would do it again. I told you that.” He sipped from his cup,  lips wrapping around the straw. “Even upset, I was still worried about you.” Pero balled up the wrapper from his meal and then leaned back against the couch cushions. “I was actually going to pull you to the side at the party and apologize because I acted like an asshole. But you didn’t give me the chance.” He looked past you and his eyes widened. “It’s almost midnight.” 

You looked, too, and with a smile you realized that as soon as the clock struck 12, you could be the first person to wish Pero a Merry Christmas. I wonder if he’s ever had anyone with him for a holiday like this before. “I’m sad we don’t have our hats from the meet and greet.” You looked back at him, grinning. “Santa Pero tucking me into bed on Christmas Eve would be -” 

He groaned, covering his face with both hands as you laughed, reaching over to settle your hand between his shoulders. “You would like that, wouldn’t you.” 

“I would.” Leaning in, you let your mouth hover just above his ear. “I would like that very much, Pero Tovar.” You weren’t used to having to take such a lead with men, but until Pero truly believed that your interest was genuine - and not short term - you had no issue with being a little more forward than usual to get results. Because I don’t think it’ll be this way forever. He just needs to get comfortable.

“I kept your toothbrush.” He looked over at you, a half smile on his lips. “I hoped you’d get  to use it again.” Really? You both sat up and Pero pointed at the hallway. “I’m going to clean up out here, if you need to do anything to get ready for bed.” He stood, reaching out with one hand. “I have one request though.” Arching a brow, you waited for him to continue. “Wait… and let me help you out of those clothes.” 

It took a little while for the two of you to do what you needed to do, but the whole time, your heart was racing. 

You figured he was nervous, too, but you hoped that it was in a good way, Pero’s desire for you outweighing any lingering apprehension he felt about the situation. By the time you made your way into his bedroom, flipping the light switch on and taking a look around the space, you were determined to do whatever it took to put him at ease. It keeps me from getting into my own head, too. 

There were a few photos on the walls - mostly of Pero, Lin and William, but there were a few more, too, that looked like they’d been taken on his phone and printed out. Some of them were scenery, some of them were cityscapes, and you made a mental note to ask him about them - and where they’d been taken. Later. Not tonight. 

His room was cozy, and out of the other places in his home that you’d spent time in, it felt the most like him. It wasn’t just because it smelled like Pero - it also seemed to be the most lived in. “I like seeing you in here.” He appeared in the doorway, and then leaned against it. “It’s unexpected, but I like it.” 

“Do you?” He nodded, eyeing you up and down. I like being in here. “Your bed looks comfortable.” You pointed, leaning back and against the dresser. “Is it?” 

“You’ll find out soon.” Pero stepped forward, his motion smooth and slow, almost graceful. “Before anything happens, I …” He stopped in front of you, lifting one hand to tilt your chin up. “After what I told you earlier, I figured you might have some … concerns.” Oh. The paying for sex. I didn’t … “It’s been months since I’ve done that. I’m careful, and always use protection. And afterward…” He wet his lips. “I get tested regularly, since all of my relationships are short-lived. I haven’t been with anyone since the last time I got results, so …” He reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, holding it up. “I can show you, but -”

“I trust you.” You put a hand at the center of his chest. “And I know you’re going to say that it’s stupid to trust someone with something like that, but I do.” Because trust is important. He looked confused and then the expression turned to acceptance, Pero’s gaze moving over your face. “Anything else?” 

“No.” He paused, and then frowned. “Well, yes.” You smiled at that, giving him a chance to continue. “I might need …” He closed his eyes and groaned. “Just be patient with me, please?” 

“Patient?” He nodded slowly. “Of course, Pero.” But what does that even mean? “Do you need anything else, or are we in here for the night?” He thought for a few seconds and then moved his head from side to side, eyes locked with yours. 

“I only need you.” Inhaling sharply through your nose at the confession, you didn’t even think about it before you leaned in and kissed him, the tips of your fingers curling inward and against the material of his shirt. His hands settled in at your waist to hold you close, and when Pero returned the kiss, he did it with purpose, his full lips moving with yours like it wasn’t a new thing. 

You felt his tongue probing along your lower one and parted them for him, hoping that Pero wouldn’t tease you the same way he had earlier. Seconds later, you got your wish when it slipped past your lips to meet yours, Pero’s fingers digging in and making you sigh. He stopped immediately, breaking the kiss and backing off enough that you saw the wide eyed expression on his face. This must be the patience thing. 

“That was a good noise. Please don’t stop.” You moved your hand as you spoke, sliding it over so that you could begin to undo his buttons. “This shirt is a great color for you.” Breaking eye contact, you watched the motion of your fingers and listened to each of Pero’s sharp inhales as you moved downward. “I can’t wait to see it on the floor.” 

He snorted at that and you were thankful for it, the sound confirming that he wasn’t getting too lost in his own head about what was happening. “I was thinking the same thing earlier tonight about what you are wearing.” He spoke quietly, pulling the bottom hem of your shirt free from where it was tucked in. “But I was also wondering what you have on beneath it.” 

You reached the last button before his waist and then looked back up, biting your lip. “You’re about to find out.” His smile spread slowly, the expression one you weren’t used to seeing him wear. Pero tipped his head to the right and dropped a kiss at the corner of your mouth, hands sliding up and beneath your shirt so that his palms were flush with your skin. 

It was your turn to gasp then, the warmth of his hands comforting. He continued to kiss his way across the lower half of your face, lips skating over your cheek and then toward your ear before dropping down to follow the line of your jaw. Your hands stayed busy, moving lower to the button on his pants and popping it free, which gave you a chance to pull his shirt loose, too, and finish undoing it. 

He groaned when you touched his abdomen, pushing the sides of the shirt apart, and when Pero backed away, there was a wild look in his eyes.”I like this. The … slowness? You are taking your time, and… it is new.” Glancing over his shoulder so that you could see the clock on his nightstand, your eyebrows shot up. Perfect. 

“I’m just enjoying opening my first present.” You wrinkled your nose. “Merry Christmas, by the way. According to your clock, it’s after midnight.” He turned to look, too, and then said your name when he faced you again. 

“Sorry that I am not wearing a bow.” He wet his lips, the flash of his tongue distracting you. “To make this more festive.” 

“You don’t need one.” Using one finger, you prodded at the chain around his neck. “This is shiny enough.” And. “And I think you should leave it on.” That took him by surprise, but Pero quickly agreed, the arch of one eyebrow telling you that he was intrigued by your request. “Help me out here.” You moved your hands to his shirt again, easing it back and over his shoulders. “Let go of me for a second.” 

He did. It only took you moments to remove the silvery fabric, revealing that beneath it, he had on a black v-neck t shirt that was stretched over his chest and shoulders. Holy shit look at him. “What is that look for?” 

“I… you…” Gesturing with one hand, you laughed nervously. “You’re still almost fully dressed, and …” You trailed off as he reached down and pulled the shirt up and over his head, giving you your first real glimpse of skin. 

“There. Now I have solved your problems.” He grinned, scratching at the back of his neck with one hand.

“No, you’ve given me about a million more.” That made him laugh, and when Pero reached for your hand and squeezed it, leading you the few steps toward his bed, you followed. You eyed him as you walked, mapping the way his muscles looked as they moved beneath his skin and the way his unbuttoned pants sat at his waist, hugging his hips. 

“I think,” he started, turning back to look at you and reaching for your shirt, his fingers working the buttons. “That I enjoy you looking at me this way almost as much as I enjoyed the way you spoke to Christina that first night.” He paused, palming the swell of your breast with one hand and then returned to his task. “Would you say the same thing to anyone else that talked about me like she did?”

“Would you want me to?” You were breathless as you spoke, the feeling of his touch and the heat of his gaze making it hard for you to concentrate. “Is that something that I can… oh God, Pero, please just…” You broke off mid-sentence as he finished and began to push your shirt over your shoulders, his hands sliding slowly up your body. “Keep touching me.”

The smile remained on his face as he removed your shirt, the material sliding down your arms and then onto the floor. Instead of putting his hands back on your torso he used them to cradle your face, tilting it so that when he leaned in, your mouth was perfectly lined up with his. “Yes.” He mumbled the words between kisses, one hand siding back to the nape of your neck and the other dropping to your shoulder. “I would want you to.” 

You whimpered at that, wrapping your arms around Pero and stepping forward to press yourself against him. The feeling of his bare chest pressed to your body made you almost dizzy, and when your fingers dug into his back for balance, He grunted, pulling on the strap of your bra and dragging it over your shoulder. 

As much as you wanted to slow things down and savor the first time you went to bed with Pero, you knew that as soon as he removed your bra, there’d be no going back. And that’s fine. It surprised you when he broke the kiss and spun you around, winding his arms around you from behind and then ducking his head to kiss your shoulder. Wait, what is he… 

Pero rocked his hips forward, the hand on your stomach urging you backward while the other one slipped downward, the tips of his fingers dipping beneath the waistband of your pants. Tipping your head back so that you could lean it against his shoulder, you sighed, closing your eyes. He was hard beneath his own pants, the length of him pressed against you, and when you reached for the hand on your belly, guiding it upward, he let you. 

He got the hint - Pero using that hand to paw at your chest, the contrast between his skin and your bra moving against your skin almost distracting you from the fact that his other hand kept moving lower and lower, pushing your pants with it. “Pero, I -” That was all you got out before he kissed you again, the angle not the most comfortable but still welcome, as was the way he bit down on your lower lip before sucking it between his. Fuck, I am lucky. 

He pushed the lace of your bra - one of the ones you saved for special occasions - to the side and then swirled a thumb over that nipple, the motion making your back arch and pushing you into him again. Pero’s mouth moved from yours back down to your shoulder and stayed there, the scrape of his stubbled chin sharp in contrast to the way he touched you elsewhere. But I don’t want him behind me. “What is wrong?” He spoke quietly, turning his head inward and nuzzling against your jaw. “You are stiff.” 

“I want…” You hummed, reaching down to stop the movement of the hand at your waist. “I want to look at you, Pero. I want to see you, not just feel you.” Turning to face him, you nodded at the sight of the confused expression he wore. “We only get this once.” 

You hoped he understood what you meant - that after that night, you’d never get the chance to be together for the very first time again. And I want it to feel personal, not like … not like it’s just something that’s happening. “Whatever you want.” He smiled again, hands gliding down to squeeze your hips. “I cannot wait to see all of you.” 

Taking that as a sign, you reached up and behind you, unhooking your bra and then shrugging out of it before letting it drop to the ground. He watched that, lips parted, and then looked back at you, his palms following the contours of your body as they rose. Yes. Finally. You arched your back again, encouraging him to keep going, and when Pero’s hands finally made it to your chest and he touched you, you moaned, closing your eyes. 

As soon as he heard that, his touch went from light and exploratory to certain, pushing your breasts together as he leaned down and mouthed at your collarbone again. And when he moved lower, you urged him to continue with one hand in his hair, fingers tangled in his locks. 

He took one nipple between his lips and sucked on it before releasing it only to follow that with a few quick flicks of his tongue before switching to the other side. You would have been content to stand there for hours, but Pero straightened up, his eyes blazing as he met your gaze again. “I think it’s time we get into that bed.” He cleared his throat, both hands still stroking over your skin. “Do you want me to turn the lights off?” 

“No.” You answered immediately, flattening one hand against his chest. “Unless that makes you more comfortable.” 

Your answer took him by surprise, but Pero wasted no time walking you backwards the few steps it took you to reach the bed. And when your shins made contact with the frame, he stopped you, both hands moving to the button - and zipper - of your pants, undoing them swiftly. He pushed them down so that you could step out of them, but left your underwear in place. 

You were stunned that you didn’t feel self conscious standing in front of him in so little, because it hadn’t been that way with your previous partners. You sat down on the edge of the bed, looking up at Pero and watching as he put a hand on his hip and stared at you. A few seconds later, his smile widened and Pero reached for his waist, finishing with the zipper and easing his pants down. 

He was wearing trunks, the waistband low on his hips, and the legs stretched tight around his upper thighs. “Wow, Pero.” You licked your lips, head shaking back and forth as you eyed him, lingering on his torso - and waist. “I had no idea you were hiding that under all those clothes.” 

“I could say the same about you.” He reached down, adjusting the elastic over one hip without looking away from you. “Beautiful.” Heat rushed to your cheeks then, and you ducked your head but still heard Pero’s quiet chuckle. “You do not like compliments either, hmm?”

“I’m not used to them coming from you.” Cautiously, you looked back up and put your hands out, waiting for him to take them. “Want to get in here with me?” He nodded, taking a half step forward and standing between your legs. “C’mere, Pero.” 

He leaned down, mouth finding yours again, and the series of events that followed happened almost before you could process it. 

As you kissed, Pero put one knee on top of the mattress and balanced his weight on it, using the forward motion of his body to urge you onto your back. He let go of your hands, sliding one of his beneath your head while he flattened the other palm on the bed, allowing him to hover over you. You moved your hands over his back, exploring the expanse of muscle as it flexed beneath your touch. I can’t believe this is happening. 

When you moved them down to his waist - and then lower, palms curved to follow his contours, Pero growled into your kiss, his hips snapping forward to push his length against the front of your hip. Your fingers curled inward, holding him in place - and Pero took the hint. 

He lowered his body more, grinding against you and letting you feel the weight of him. “Pero we need to move up. I…” Sighing as he paused long enough to breathe - and kiss the column of your throat - you shivered the words out. “I want us to be comfortable, and…” He backed off, giving you an opportunity to resituate yourself - and then he was on you again. 

He straddled you, legs spread wide so that when he leaned forward, he could continue the same motion as earlier. Your hands returned to the same place they’d been before, too, but instead of just touching him, you pushed your fingers beneath the material and held onto him, guiding his hips with skin-to-skin contact for the first time. 

But Pero didn’t kiss your mouth again; instead he worked his way down your throat to your chest, lips trailing along the length of your collarbone before he bit down gently, accompanied by a thrust of his hips. You could feel the cool metal of the chain as it dragged against your skin, your mind trying to focus on that and the feeling of his mouth at the same time - and failing. You were overwhelmed by him, and he’d barely touched you. I haven’t really touched him, either. 

He dragged his tongue over your skin and kissed his way down, drawing one nipple back between his lips before releasing it with a pop. “I could do this all night.” He spoke without moving away from you, the breath from each exhale warm as it hit your damp skin. “But I am impatient, and I’m sure you are, too.” 

He moved off of you and then laid down beside you, stretching out along the length of your body. When you turned your head to look at him, you weren’t expecting him to kiss you right away, his hand laying lightly against your cheek. 

Wiggling your hips, you settled in, heartbeat rapid, even after he backed away. “So I have to be patient, but you get to be impatient? That doesn’t seem fair.” He rolled his eyes, mouth opening to reply - but you didn’t give him the chance to. “Lay back.” He did as you asked, and then you propped yourself up on one elbow, taking him in. 

You were impatient too, but the desire to remind him that you were thinking beyond that night was more important. I need to show him that I want him. Sliding your hand over his stomach, you focused on the skin beneath his navel and above his waistband, fingertips circling over the dark trail of hair there before you moved back up, dragging the edges of your nails along his skin. Pero grunted, gritting his teeth - but didn’t look away. 

You leaned forward and kissed his chest, closing your eyes as you pressed your lips to his skin. You kept your hand moving, too, covering as much of his body as you could without wavering in your attention. There were parts of him that were more sensitive than others - his body jerked when you reached a spot on his side that was about halfway up his ribcage, and he groaned at the feeling of your tongue dragging slowly over the base of his throat, the breath leaving him in a whoosh when you took the chain between your teeth and tugged. 

But when your hand moved back down at the same time you redirected your kisses to the underside of his jaw, Pero stopped you, his fingers closing around yours. “No. Stop.” You raised your head in concern, but he didn’t look angry - just overstimulated. “If you touch me now, I will not make it inside of you.” He swallowed as your eyes widened in surprise. “Next time. I promise you, but … not yet.” 

“Ok, Pero.” You took a deep breath. “I understand.” He squeezed your hand and then released it, and you used it to balance yourself as you lowered your head again, mouth returning to its previous path. Pero’s hand moved almost lazily up your side as you left a trail of kisses across his face, though you avoided his mouth. You lingered at the patch in his beard before turning your head inward and nuzzling against his nose before taking another breath and deciding that if you were in - you were all in. 

When you pressed your lips to the bottom edge of his scar for the first time, Pero’s hold on you tightened, but you didn’t let that deter you. You followed the length of it with your lips, mindful of the fact that he could tell you to stop at any time, but it wasn’t until you softly kissed his closed eyelid - and felt dampness beneath your lips - that you pulled away. “Pero? Is everything… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have -”

“No.” He moved faster than you thought was possible from his position, rolling the two of you over so that you were on your back and he was above you again. “You are … no one has ever…” He couldn’t get the words out, but you understood what he was trying to say. “You are too good for me.” His voice was unsteady, but he kissed you in the pause before he spoke again, mouth gentle. “I do not deserve someone like you after what I -” He needs to stop this. 

“You do, Pero.” Reaching up, you took his face between his hands, forcing him to look at you. “You deserve good things. You deserve to be happy. And all of those people that treated you like shit don’t matter, because the way they were to you says more about them than it does about you. And I know this is entirely too fucking much for the first time with someone, but you need to hear it. If I have to keep reminding you that that’s the truth, I’ll do it every single time we’re together, if that’s what it takes.” 

He was stunned - you saw the surprise in his eyes … but to your relief, he didn’t contradict you. “If you say so.” He gave you a small smile. “Did I ruin it?”

“No.” Biting the inside of your lip, you cocked your head to the side. “You can go ahead and find out just how much you didn’t ruin it if you want.” He looked confused, but after a few moments seemed to understand, shifting back into position next to you and then dragging his hand down the length of your body. “You can touch me, Pero. I -” 

That was as far as you got before he did as you asked. Pero’s eyes went wide as he felt the dampness of the only piece of clothing you still wore, your back arching as you reacted to his touch. “You are … this is…” He looked down, chest heaving as he watched the movement. “Shit.” 

He touched you through the thin material first, two fingers gliding along the outline of you, and when you widened the spread of your legs to give him more room, he took the opportunity to add a third finger and some pressure, his attention still on his hand. But that’s fine, you rationalized as he swirled his fingers in a slow circle. I want him to watch. 

You reached down then, lifting your hips again to push the waistband down and over your thighs. Pero helped you out, tugging them further and exposing you to him for he first time. He slid his hand back up the inside of your thigh, and when he finally touched you, you moaned at the feeling, closing your eyes and pressing your head into the pillow. “Pero.” 

You didn’t recognize the sound of your own voice, but it did something to Pero, who dropped his head, lips latching onto your shoulder while his fingers kept moving. He parted you with two of them, using a third to circle slowly over and over in the space between. It felt incredible, Pero’s touch not at all what you’d expected, and when he widened the circle and extended his fingers down, you curled your toes and opened your eyes - one hand fisting the blankets beside you and the other clamping down against his bare back. 

He slid one finger into you and you rocked your hips forward, Pero replacing lips with teeth as you tilted your chin down, burying your nose in his hair. One finger became two, Pero thrusting them in and out of you slowly. He was slow and methodical, entirely focused on what he was doing - and you couldn’t get enough. 

Widening the spread of your legs even more, you rolled your hips to meet each thrust, mouth open as you took and released quick, shallow breaths. You didn’t even register that he’d released your skin from between his teeth until Pero’s head rose and he spoke your name. “I think you’re ready for me. I hope you’re ready for me, because -”

“Yes. I - ohhh.” He kept his eyes on you as his hand continued to move, and even though it was difficult, you didn’t close yours. You caught the smile he gave you as he watched your reaction, Pero’s lips quirking upward and his eyes darkening. “Need you, Pero.” Reaching down, you touched his wrist, pushing on it gently. “Please.” 

He removed his fingers slowly, and you hummed as they slipped free. “Give me a second.” He brought his hand up, eyeing how slick they were - and then before you had a chance to say anything, he popped them into his mouth, eyes closing at the taste of you. You gasped, but it didn’t cover up the sound of his deep, satisfied groan. Holy fuck, I wasn’t expecting that, I didn’t… 

He rolled away from you, fingers still in his mouth, and then you heard the bedside table drawer open. It’s happening. But Pero stood up suddenly, climbing out of the bed and then tossing a condom toward you. “What are -”

“What do you want?” He glanced down as he spoke, hands at his hips and beginning to push his underwear down. “No, that is the wrong question.” He looked back up, the smile back on his face, though that time, it was more of a smirk. “How do you want this?” 

“I…” You were torn between looking him in the eye and wanting to watch the final bits of his skin come into view. “Pero, I…” He laughed, the sound low, and then stepped out of his underwear, briefly bending over before he straightened up, giving you an unobstructed view at his entire body. Wow. Ok. You wanted to touch him - wanted to know what he felt like in your hand and sliding between your fingers. You wanted to taste him, too, the thought of weight of him against your tongue and the heat of him as he came consuming you. But that’s not happening tonight. 

Pero reached down with the same hand he’d touched you with to wrap his fingers around his length, which distracted you again. Damn him. “Well?” He stroked himself lazily, and you filed the motion away for later, paying attention to the way he held himself and where he squeezed just a little extra. His hands are so goddamn big. “I need to know how -”

“Whatever you’re used to?” You rested one hand on your abdomen, turning your cheek toward the pillow without breaking eye contact. “I want the opposite.” It was yet another risk to ask Pero to consciously choose a different position and approach to sex than he usually did, but you hoped that he understood why you were asking for it - and what you hoped it would signal. “Is that alright?” 

He was surprised by your request, but it didn’t keep him immobile for long, Pero putting one knee on the mattress and climbing back into bed. He reached for the foil square with his free hand and only let go of himself when he moved to open it. “It’s more than alright.” He looked down, and then resituated his hand at his base as he rolled the condom on, nodding his head. “It is a good reminder.” 

He crawled toward you then and leaned over, using the knuckles on one hand to stroke your cheek. “A reminder?” 

“Yes.” Pero stretched out beside you, rolling onto his side and facing you. “That this is not that.” He understands. Pero closed the distance between you, his hand on your side. When he kissed you, it wasn’t quite timid but there was a slight hesitation before he fully committed to it, his full lips slotted with yours before he parted them, urging you to do the same. It’s going to be OK, Pero.

As the kiss deepened, he used the hand on your side to guide your leg into place, positioning it so that your thigh rested atop his hip. You could feel him that way - pressing against you, each shallow flex of his hips increasing the contact. 

“Are you sure?” He spoke between kisses, his damp forehead pressed to yours. “That you want this? With me?” 

“I am.” You nodded, moving your hand from the back of his head to his shoulder. “Are you?” He didn’t speak, but Pero reached between your bodies, his fingers brushing against your center again as he lined himself up. You kept eye contact with him as he inched forward, and were unable to look away, even as he used a slow thrust to push inside of you. Finally. 

You nodded after a few seconds and then Pero rocked forward again, moving his hand to the back of your thigh to pull you closer. “I need a minute.” His voice was strained, and you could see that he was gritting his teeth. “If I move, I -” You kissed him then, interrupting his words and trying to keep your own hips from moving. It’s alright. 

He didn’t need to explain to you, because you understood. You were already tightly wound from the way he’d touched you, and thanks to the way he was holding you open, you knew that once he found a rhythm, you’d be able to come from the friction of your body against his alone. And if I finish quick, he will, too. 

Pero licked into your mouth, tongue dragging over the edges of your teeth, and when he moved his hips, you did, too, meeting his motion. As he picked up speed, the kiss turned sloppier and his grip on your thigh tightened. You threaded your fingers through his hair, gripping it and tugging, mouth hanging open as you lost yourself in him. 

You stopped trying to kiss him back and instead turned your head so that you could pant into his ear, Pero’s cheek pressed against the pillow and each of his exhales hitting your throat. He kept hold of your thigh and lengthened his strokes, slowing down. What is he… 

When he rolled forward, pushing you onto your back, you went willingly, Pero angling his hips so that he could keep moving. But when he pulled all the way out of you you cried out, fingers tightening in his hair and against his shoulder. “Why did you stop?” You gasped the words out, eyes wide open as you stared up at him. “Pero, why did -”

“I did not stop.” He murmured the words, leaning down to kiss you again as he ran the hand on your thigh along your skin. “I paused so I could make us more comfortable.” After sitting up, he reached down with both hands and widened the spread of your legs so that he could kneel between them. You didn’t miss it when his gaze moved over the length of your body, or the way his jaw twitched at the sight of you, Pero’s fingers curling against your thighs. 

“You’re a fucking tease, Pero Tovar.” You covered your face with both hands. “And you know it.” He laughed, the sound low, and then you felt the mattress dip as he shifted, one of his hands releasing your leg. I want to see this. 

Propping yourself up on both elbows, you looked down and watched as he concentrated, eyes moving between himself and you as he re-aligned. Pero’s shoulders rose and fell as he took and released a deep breath… and then he was sliding into you again, the sight of his length disappearing into your body making your eyes close as you collapsed back onto the bed. 

He started with deep, slow thrusts as he leaned forward, hands moving to the blankets on either side of your body. By the time he’d stretched out enough that he could bend his elbows and rest his weight on them, those movements had quickened. He went deeper from that angle, each forward flex of his hips accompanied by a quiet grunt and met with a reflex thrust of your own. 

You flattened one foot on the bed and bent your knee, angling that leg outward while wrapping the other one around his hip again, your heel digging into the back of his calf and urging him even closer - which was next to impossible. As you closed your eyes, you raised both hands and dug your nails into his shoulders, not even trying to conceal the noises you made - and to your delight, Pero didn’t, either. 

You’d remember them forever - the way he grunted and groaned, a quiet snarl escaping his lips when you lifted your hips and met a particularly sudden thrust of his, which was followed by an equally devastating one, his head dropping so that the tip of his nose met the front of your shoulder. He kept it there for the next few minutes, his bedroom filled with the sounds both of you made, but when he spoke your name, pulling it from deep within himself, you forced your eyes open, watching as he raised his head and looked down at you. 

Pero didn’t falter in his movement, and you bit your lip at the way he gritted his teeth, nose wrinkling before he was able to speak again. “You feel incredible.” He swallowed, nodding as he continued. “Fucking perfect.” It was enough to make you shiver, and you knew he caught the motion when he actually smiled, Pero leaning down to kiss you on the mouth. “Will you come this way? Is -”

“Mmhmm.” You closed your eyes and gasped, back arching off of the bed when he swiveled his hips, the length of him buried inside you. “Oh, fuck, Pero.” He switched to shallow thrusts, giving you a chance to collect yourself. “Can you?” 

“Of course.” He licked his lips, nodding. “I am holding back, I -” 

“Don’t.” Don’t you dare. “I don’t want you to.” Moving one hand from his back to between your bodies, you nodded again, flexing your calf muscles. “Come, Pero. Let me feel you.” You dragged your hand over your skin and moved your fingers into place, making sure to graze his skin with the edges of your nails. He looked confused for a second, but when you went lower, spreading your fingers wide enough so that you could feel where he entered you, the look in his eyes changed to one of understanding. “Fuck me like you’ve waited three years to do it, Pero.”

He sped up again, maintaining eye contact for a few seconds before he slammed them shut and tilted his head back. You closed yours, too, sighing. It felt good, the length of him sliding between your fingers before you moved your hand into place, two fingers pressed against your skin and gliding in a slow circle. But before you could find your own rhythm, Pero slowed down again, a growl tearing from his throat. 

“No. Not like this. Not with you.” You opened your eyes, the motion of your hand stuttering - and it stopped when you saw the way he was looking at you. He’s never looked at … oh, shit. Pero’s brow was furrowed, his lips parted, and he was staring at you like you were the only thing he ever wanted to look at again. “Let me watch you.” 

He sunk into you all the way and then paused, rotating his hips in a slow circle. It trapped your hand between the two of you, and Pero’s eyes were molten when he spoke again, voice low and full of need. 

“Let me feel you.” 

He drew his hips back, giving your hand the space it needed to begin moving again. You were hesitant. But when he nodded, arching a brow, you let out a long breath and did just that. 

Starting slow, you circled your fingers, dragging them through your slick and spreading it over your skin. You hummed at your own touch, letting your mind wander to Pero’s fingers earlier, and when he started to move again, gradually increasing his pace to match the motion of your hand, you squeezed your eyes shut and let out a shaky breath. “Pero, it won’t…” You hummed, adding pressure and a little speed. “It’s going to be quick, and -”

“Good.” He leaned down, mouth finding yours briefly. “We have waited too long.” 

You agreed, and that was all you needed to speed up more, touching yourself the way you usually did. Eyes opening again, you found that Pero was still watching you, though his were heavy lidded - evidence of his body’s response to yours. 

As the moments passed, you felt your own body’s response - a heat in your belly, the quickening of your heartbeat, muscles tensing as you got closer and closer to a moment that hours earlier, you hadn’t imagined was possible. “Pero, I -” 

He smiled at you, nodding, and when you let go of him to drop your hand to the mattress, he grabbed for it without missing a beat, linking your fingers together and bringing both of them up next to your head. His grip tightened with your gasp, Pero’s hips flexing forward at the same time you thrust yours upward, increasing the friction. 

It was enough. 

You came with a gasp, fingers stuttering as your muscles clenched around him, Pero’s motion continuing as your toes curled and you squeezed his hand. He mumbled two words - that’s it - and you watched as his smile grew, your own mouth hanging open as you pressed your head into the pillow. Oh my god. 

You cried out as a wave of pleasure coursed through you, the feel of him moving within you prolonging the moment - and then Pero was coming, too, one last sharp thrust burying him as deep as possible as he finished. You felt him as he filled the condom, Pero’s release coming in spurts as your body pulled him in deeper and sent a second wave through you, making you shudder beneath him. Oh, fuck. Oh fuck, I… 

Your hand fell away from your body and Pero’s head dropped again, his breath ragged as he rested his forehead against your shoulder and more of his weight on you. 

Neither of you said anything for almost a minute, and to your surprise, it was Pero who opened his mouth first, head turning inward so that when he spoke, it was against the side of your neck. “I do not want to move.” He sighed and then kissed your skin, lips pressed to your pulse point. “Are you alright? You -” 

“Pero.” Unlinking your fingers, you reached up and dragged them through his hair, pulling the sweat-damp strands away from his face. “I’m more than alright.” He lifted his head to look at you, eyes wide. “And I don’t want to move either, but if we don’t, I’ll fall asleep right here, and that would be messy.” 

His lips twitched into a half smile and before you could say anything, he was kissing you, tongue dipping past your lips and into your mouth. I’ll never say no to this. He kissed you deeply, only breaking it when he needed to breathe… but the smile was still there and his eyes were bright - Pero obviously sated but still alert. “You’re right.” Without saying anything else, he reached down between you and then pulled out, rolling away and laying on his back beside you. 

You missed him immediately, and weren’t able to conceal your gasp at the way it felt to realize that, head turning to the side so that you could look at him. “Pero, I -”

“No.” Turning his head, he winked at you. “Not yet. We will talk when we are done.” 

Ten minutes later, you stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in one of his robes only to find the bedroom empty. 

Your pulse had settled and you felt calmer, though you were still reeling from what had happened between you. You hadn’t stopped smiling while you were in the bathroom - even as you washed your face and brushed your teeth again, the expression had stayed put. And it’ll be there for a long time, too. Because … that was everything I wanted. 

“Are you going to sleep in that?” He spoke from behind you, and when you turned toward the sound, you saw that he was holding two bottles of water, his shoulder pressed against the doorframe. “Because if you are, you are overdressed.” 

He’d only put on his underwear, and you didn’t even try to keep from staring at him greedily, taking in the sight of his almost naked body. “I didn’t plan on it.” You untied the belt and let it drop to the floor, the sides of the robe splitting apart to expose a strip of skin at the center of your body. “If that’s alright.” 

“It is preferred.” He moved closer, holding one of the bottles out to you. “I usually wear nothing to bed.” That was a piece of information you filed away, too, and after draining almost half of the bottle, you shrugged the robe down and over your shoulders before tossing it to the side and getting back into bed - though you climbed under the covers that time. 

He flipped the light switch off and then drank deeply from the bottle before setting it down and taking off his underwear. Even in the low light coming in through the slats in the window blinds, you could see him clearly, watching his outline before he climbed into bed and moved as close to you as he could get. “What were you going to say earlier?” He flattened his hand atop the pillow as he spoke, though he didn’t touch you. 

“I was going to say,” you started as you stroked the length of his bare arm, knuckles dragging along his skin. “That when you just … rolled away? It was … I missed …” Just say it. “It’s so stupid, Pero, but you were there and then you weren’t, and I realized that -”

“It is not stupid.” He moved his hand enough so that he could touch your face, his thumb sliding over your cheek. “I was … abrupt. I will work on that.” He inched closer, his cheek scraping across the pillow. “With you, hopefully.” He blinked slowly, and you felt as he held his breath, waiting for your response. Oh, Pero. 

“We might need a lot of practice.” Biting your lip, you also moved your head closer, though you didn’t break eye contact. “But I’m up for it.” A smile spread slowly across his face, Pero’s eyes widening slightly before he closed them, mouth finding yours in a brief - but tender - kiss. 

“Practice is the only way to improve.” Moving his hand from your face to your side, Pero curled his fingers over your hip. “I hope that tonight was what you wanted it to be.” Is he seriously questioning this? 

“It started out kind of rocky, but yeah, Pero. It was.” You paused, thinking. “It is.” It made your head spin to think about everything that had happened throughout the previous evening - and the weeks leading up to it. But it’s worth it. He’s worth it. “How do you feel about this?”

“About this or about you?” He narrowed his eyes, but then grinned. “Because the answer is the same for both: I feel good. This is what I want.” He kissed you again, nodding. “You are what I want.” 

His direct response caught you off guard. But as the kiss continued, his arm winding around you and pulling your body flush against his as you flattened your hand against his back, you understood that it shouldn’t have. If there was anything that you knew to be true about Pero, it was that when he spoke, the words had meaning. It takes him a lot to get there, though.

The kiss ended and as Pero settled back in against the pillow, he yawned, you not far behind. “It is late.” He sighed, moving his leg so that he could hook it over your calf. “We should sleep.” You agreed - you were exhausted, and the warmth and comfort of being in bed next to him was making you drowsy. 

Instead of replying, you tucked your chin and rested your forehead against his collarbone, closing your eyes. I could get used to this. He kissed the top of your head and you felt when he relaxed, the weight of his arm heavy where it laid against your body. I might already be used to this. 

You began to doze off, but were interrupted by the quiet utterance of your name, Pero’s fingers dancing over your lower back. “Thank you. Thank you for not giving up on me tonight and making me listen to you.” 

“It wasn’t just me.” You didn’t move your head, speaking the words with your lips just above his skin. “Christina was -”

“She put us in there, but it was all you. You said what I needed to hear, and I know you would not have made so much of an effort if you did not mean it.” He kissed you again, that one lingering. “Please don’t stop doing that.” 

You assured him that you wouldn’t, but the steady beat of his heart was lulling you to sleep, and you didn’t even try to open your eyes. We’ll talk more later. 

The following afternoon, you pulled up in front of William and Lin’s, Pero’s fingers tightly laced with yours on the center console. 

He’d woken up before you - and woken you up with his hands and mouth, Pero trailing touches and kisses over every part of your body that he could reach without disturbing you. From there, you’d had each other again - once in the bed and then again after breakfast, Pero pulling pleasure from you with his fingers in the kitchen before leading you into back into his bedroom. 

You’d showered at his place and changed back into your clothes, which made the stop at your house short, leaving you plenty of time to get to your destination. You hadn’t talked much about what came next, or how you’d present yourselves to your friends. But the fact that they know I left with Pero and didn’t come to get my car was probably telling. 

“Pero, we need to talk about something before we go in.” Shifting in your seat, you squeezed his hand. “What will we tell them? They’re not stupid, but -”

“They are not.” He cocked his head to the side, gesturing at the house with his free hand. “But is it their business? We don’t… we don’t even know what this is, do we?” 

“I know what I’d like it to be.” Pressing your lips together, you took a deep breath. “And what I think it could be, but … it’s only been one night, so maybe you’re right. Maybe we should just say that it’s not something we’re ready to talk about.”

“Then we are on the same page.” He leaned closer, lips curving upward as he smiled. “Maybe we should just wait and see if they ask, and then we decide how to respond.” The same page? Really? It shouldn’t have surprised you, especially with the way Pero had responded to your touch that morning and the previous night. It was obvious there was more to things than just physical attraction, that it hadn’t waned between you after the first time you’d been together. 

You wanted to kiss him in reply, but instead just nodded, giving him a return smile before pulling your hand free. “Want help carrying stuff in? I know you only have a couple presents, but I might as well make myself useful.” He laughed, nodding, and moments later, you were walking side by side up the driveway and toward the door. As the two of you paused on the front step, Pero reached for the doorbell while you froze, eyes on the space just above his head. Shit. Damn you, Lin. 

“Why are you looking at me like that?” He frowned, and then tilted his head back, looking up, too. “Oh. Is that … what I think it is?” 

“Yes.” You chuckled, looking down and closing your eyes. “That definitely wasn’t there yesterday. I can’t believe she’d put mistletoe up after the diner. It -”

“She is clever.” Pero took a step forward, reaching out to touch your chin. “I should have known.” His gaze dropped to your lips, Pero’s expression thoughtful. “It is tradition.” Heart pounding, you parted your lips and closed the distance between you, your fingers tight around the handle of the gift bag you carried. It is. “And I did say it was not the mistletoe I was saying no to, just the timing.” 

“Shut up and kiss me, Pero.” He laughed quietly but did as you asked, his lips warm against yours. You leaned into him, one hand flat against his chest, and your own heart beating wildly behind your ribcage. You meant to pull away quickly, but he didn’t let you - instead moving the hand at your jaw to the back of your neck, holding you in place while he continued to kiss you. He nipped at your lower lip, the bite of his teeth making you gasp. 

But Pero only laughed quietly and did it again before he deepened the kiss, his tongue pressing forward to meet yours and giving you a taste of the mouthwash he’d used at your place. 

“Well that worked out better than I thought it would.” With a jolt, you broke the kiss and whipped your head to the side, finding Lin and William standing in the open doorway, her phone held in her hands. Oh no. “Now I don’t have to ask how last night went.” 

She lowered the device and your attention moved to William, the man’s attempt to hold a laugh back not at all successful. “No, you don’t.” Pero cleared his throat and stepped closer to you, his arm winding around your waist. “And now we don’t have to figure out a way to tell you, either.” 

William laughed and Lin’s eyes widened as they stepped to the side to let you in. Say something. This isn’t what we just talked about. “Pero, I -”

He stopped you with a kiss to the temple as you crossed the threshold, his arm tightening. “This makes things much easier, I think.” 

He wasn’t wrong. William and Lin had seen - firsthand - what they needed to see in order to answer questions about what had happened between you the night before, and about whether or not things were resolved in regard to the contract. They’d still probably ask questions, which was fine. But maybe now they’ll do it in private. You knew you’d say much more just to Lin, and figured that Pero would be the same with William. 

After taking your coats and boots off, the four of you headed into the living room. You and Pero put your gifts beneath the tree with the others and then moved to sit on the couch while William and Lin chose an oversized chair, the woman curling up on his lap. 

Pero lowered himself onto the cushions first, and then, to your surprise, reached up to take your hand, fingers closing around yours before he pulled down on it. Oh. Is he… “Come here.” You sat next to him, leaving very little space between you. He released your hand as you got comfortable, draping his arm across your shoulders and urging you to lean against him. He is. He really… 

You couldn’t help yourself, closing your eyes as you leaned in further to kiss Pero’s stubbled cheek before whispering the words “I like this” into his ear. He hummed, fingers tightening on your shoulder. There was no containing your smile as you straightened up, moving your hand over to rest it on his thigh. I really like this. 

“So.” Lin cleared her throat and then spoke, her eyes bright as she looked between you. “Are we opening presents now, or after we eat?”

[aliciavance4228]

Here Are Some Of My Headcanons About The Greek Gods

Zeus' favourite songs are Lightnin' Strikes by Aerosmith and Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin;

Hera watches Desperate Housewives,The Tudors and Game of Thrones (brother-sister incest supremacy);

Poseidon watches Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid with Triton;

Hades hates NASA since 2006, when they declared that Pluto is not a real planet.

Demeter likes corn flakes and dislikes candy corn;

Hestia hates Santa Claus (he's desecrating chimneys with his long beard and big fat ass);

Athena knits mini clothes for her owls;

Hephaestus plays Minecraft in his free time when he's alone;

Ares plays God of War and thinks that the plot is stupid because no mortal could ever defeat Ares the Boss;

Aphrodite listens to Madonna, Beyonce, Rihanna and Christina Aguilera (and you know that lol);

Apollo has a Magic 8 Ball and sometimes asks it before making a decision;

Artemis also hates NASA since they named their spaceflight Apollo 11 instead of Diana 11;

Hermes loves pick pocketing and letter writing (it's a very underrated form of art);

Dionysus enjoys Oktoberfest and listens to Bach, purely because of his name;