#The Great american Hot Dog Book

[artyandink]

Five-Star

Summary: You’ve been dating Dean Winchester, which is nothing short of a fever dream. A brilliant fever dream. But when you decide to test him on how much he wants you, you don’t get the answer you expected to have.

A/N - Welcome to the Karak Chaii-verse! I had an idea to write Dean with an Indian POC, since I’m one myself. Creds to @zepskies and her brilliant Midnight Espresso-verse, and you should definitely check that out. This is a small drabble that I thought up.

Your family had moved to the US around a year after you were born. That’s because the monsters in India were far more dangerous than in America due to the origination of them from the depths of Indian mythology, such as a rakshasa or arunasura, but you found that here was far more escalated.

At least, you’d found out when you met the Winchesters.

You came from a long line of crazy good Indian hunters, so you were already a great one yourself. Back in India, your parents would pose as part of the CBI, but you had to resort to finding someone who could make you a believable FBI badge once you turned eighteen and got into hunting solo, which was around 1997. There you met Bobby Singer, who hooked you up with what he called the ‘All-American Hunting Kit’, which consisted of an array of fake IDs and a lore book. You were glad your training, done by your dad, was done by the intensity of monsters in India rather than here, otherwise it’d be harder to get by.

On a hunt for a vampire and wraith hybrid in Grant Pass, Oregon, you came across the Winchesters, the shorter of the two having dubbed the hybrid ‘Jefferson Starships’. That man was Dean, and you were taken by his charming, goofy attitude that switched to an attractive sort of intensity when faced with imminent danger. You just didn’t expect ‘imminent danger’ to be the mother of all monsters.

Once your parents had found out that you were hanging out with the Winchesters, who were at the centre of any and all supernatural trouble in America, they sent you a thousand calls telling you to get your ass out of there before you got killed. You being you, you didn’t listen. Not when you knew that you’d get withdrawal symptoms from not seeing the million dollar smile of Dean Winchester, which quickly won you over (and his lips too, which knew damn well what they were doing).

As for Sam, you quickly saw him as your little brother figure, who also helped you manage your unruly hair by recommending the right hair products that you now had stocked up. You’d both nerd over monsters, you’d tell him about all the ones you’d encountered in India while Sam told you stories about all that he and his brother had gone through.

Which was no less than a lot. And you thought India was a harder place to live, by what your parents told you. Here there’s the friggin’ Apocalypse.

Dean was obviously your favourite Winchester. He’d told you he really liked you about two years and a half after you met amid averting eyes and stammered words as he spewed compliment after compliment, standing there in the Bunker’s kitchen like a nervous melon in his grey robe, black shorts with hot dogs on them and black undershirt with fuzzy hair.

You’d cut his nervous ramblings off by pulling him in by the lapel of his robe, lips puckered in surprise as they met yours as the tangy taste of cherry and sweet, buttery pie crust flooded your taste buds and even more so when Dean quickly took control of the kiss, hands tangling in your hair and grabbing at soft curves like his life depended on it.

One thing Dean loved about you was your cooking. Your mom had taught you a wide array of Indian dishes that you could cook, and the moment the first bite of your rajma and rice graced Dean’s mouth, it was hook, line and sinker. You’d taught him how to eat chole bhature, roti and sabzi and which masala was which so he could know what the hell did you put to make him fall for you over and over again.

You were scrolling on your YouTube shorts one day when you came across a video of a woman asking her husband what his favourite snack was to see if he’d say her or not. You didn’t look like the definition of a snack right now, with your unwashed hair tied up in a bun that your mom taught you to do with no hair tie whatsoever in grey sweatpants, Dean’s undershirt and fuzzy mismatched socks, but you decided to try it out anyway as Dean came into the bunker’s living room, approaching you from behind with a delicate yet possessive cup of your chin and a kiss to your temple.

“Hey, sweetheart.” He greeted in that low voice of his that was effortlessly seductive even when he wasn’t trying, his hand sliding down to comfortingly rub over your chest and shoulder as he passed by. “Doin’ ok?” He sat down beside you, arm around your shoulder as his fingers began to play with your hair, warm green eyes trained on you.

You nodded, setting your phone aside. “Doing alright, yeah.” Then you decided to try out the question. “Dil, what’s your favourite snack?” You called Dean dil sometimes because it meant heart in Hindi, and he had yours.

The question got a chuckle out of him as he jerked his head to the right in amusement. “Awh, sweet girl, that’s hardly fair. I’d say beef jerky, but that new thing you, uh, introduced me to really raised the bar.” His brow furrowed in thought for a moment in contrast to the large grin on his face. “The aloo whatzitsname.”

“Aloo lachha.” You corrected with a giggle, barely holding back the urge to say what the answer was.

“Yeah, that. Or, uh, pie, but that’s a dessert and not a snack. Maybe that rajma stuff, but that’s a meal.” He continued rambling on any and all snacks he’d added to his palette since meeting you, until a bout of laughter from you slowed his roll. “What? What’s so funny, huh?”

“So… your favourite snack isn’t me.” You teased with a smirk, which got the cogs in his head turning. “You failed, sorry, honey.”

The words got a raise of his eyebrow and a slow and subtle roving of his eyes down your body and a bite of his lip. To him, you looked absolutely delicious. Like the best thing at a five star restaurant.

He stood up with a low grunt, facing you before grabbing you by your hips, hoisting you up so fast that you had to wrap your sweatpant-clad legs around his waist with a small shriek. “See, baby, that’s where you’re wrong.”

He leaned forward, capturing your lips in a bruising kiss that bordered on reverence and somehow the intention to devour at the same time, which had you moaning already. His tongue slipped into your mouth, briefly getting a taste and giving you the distinct flavour of the aloo chaat you had made for lunch mixed with beer before he pulled back and nipped your bottom lip, groaning at the feeling of your fingers now tugging at his hair.

“You…” Dean paused for a breath and a low chuckle, staring at you hungrily. “You are the whole damn buffet.”

TAGLIST:

@k-slla @hobby27 @supernatural-jackles

[mydaddywiki]

Pat Conroy

Physique: Husky Build Height: 6' 1"

Donald Patrick Conroy (October 26, 1945 – March 4, 2016; aged 70) was an American author who wrote several acclaimed novels and memoirs; his books The Water is Wide, The Lords of Discipline, The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini were made into films, the last two being nominated for Oscars.

Recognized as a leading figure of late-20th century Southern literature (and as a hot chub daddy), who has written several acclaimed novels and memoirs. A former military brat with daddy issues, if he was born a woman, he would have turned into a stripper or whore. Instead he became an author that I'd still take to a back alley for a blow-job. Sure the comb over might be a problem, but I’m positive I won’t be focused on that whilst said dick was in him.

Born in Atlanta, GA, Conroy moved often in his youth, attending 11 schools by the time he was 15. He did not have a hometown until his family settled in Beaufort, SC, where he finished high school. During his senior year in high school, he was a protégé of Ann Head who was an influence on his future writing. His alma mater is The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in Charleston, where he graduated from the Corps of Cadets as an English major. He briefly became a schoolteacher (which he chronicled in his memoir The Water Is Wide) before publishing his first novel, The Boo.

Conroy lived on Fripp Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina until his death in 2016 at his home from Pancreatic Cancer. Living in South Carolina, I use to imagine running into him and offering him THE DICK. Then write his own biography about how we were secret lovers for years. Fucking like dogs in heat every time we get together. Yes… that would be a top seller.

Conroy’s first two marriages ended in divorce. He is survived by his wife, the writer Cassandra King; four daughters: Jessica Conroy, Melissa Conroy, Megan Conroy and Susannah Ansley Conroy; five stepchildren: Emily Conroy; Jake, James and Jason Ray; and Gregory Fleischer; and seven grandchildren.

Works: 1970: The Boo 1972: The Water Is Wide 1976: The Great Santini 1980: The Lords of Discipline 1986: The Prince of Tides 1989: Unconquered (teleplay) 1992: Essay on the Hidden Subculture of Military Brats at the Wayback Machine 1995: Beach Music 2002: My Losing Season 2003: Unrooted Childhoods: Memoirs of Growing Up Global 2004: The Pat Conroy Cookbook: Recipes of My Life 2009: South of Broad 2010: My Reading Life 2013: The Death of Santini 2016: A Lowcountry Heart: Reflections on a Writing Life

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Book Report: Royal Audience

Welcome to another semi-recurring feature, where I read the royal books so you don’t have to.

A new royal book has recently been published. This one I found at my library in the “new books”/“this just in” section.

It’s about the Special Relationship between the US and the UK, focusing mainly on The Queen’s relationship with the POTUS.

There’s a lot of history and international politics discussed, but I found it an easy, enjoyable read. I do wish the photographs had been in color instead of black and white so it’d be easier to see the details, which are often discussed in the text. One thing that quickly became clear while reading is that of the men whom are considered The Queen’s favorites, the only thing they all have in common is that they gave attention to and supported the whole family at-large, like hosting Charles or Anne, being friendly with Margaret, giving opportunities for Philip to visit solo, etc. The POTUSes that just gave attention to The Queen and Philip weren’t as successful as nurturing the Special Relationship.

So without further ado, anecdotes about The Queen’s Presidents:

Hoover: The Queen never formally met him “in office,” but she sat next to him at dinner once in the ‘50s.

Wilson: The Queen never met him but he did visit George V at Windsor Castle (the first POTUS invited to Windsor) and that visit set the tone for many of the POTUSes’ visits to The Queen.

FDR: Another POTUS that The Queen never met, but her parents did. George VI and the Queen Mother were the first reigning monarchs to visit the US in 1939 and it was a smashing success. While the Americans have always had an affinity for the BRF, it was this tour (in which FDR and Eleanor served the royals their first hot dogs) that cemented how much Americans supported, or would show up for, the royals if/when they came to visit:

As the Washington Post once wrote, “She’s not our queen but before we’re through with her, she’ll probably think she is” and as Obama once quipped to Charles: “it’s fair to say that the American people are quite fond of the royal family…they like them much better than they like their own politicians.”

Truman was POTUS when Elizabeth and Philip had their first official tour of the US in October 1951 as Duchess and Duke of Edinburgh. The trip, conducted as part of a visit to Canada, was delayed due to King George’s lung surgery and resulted in Elizabeth and Philip taking the BRF’s first international flight. Apparently everyone was so nervous about the flight that the Royal Navy deployed battleships every 700 nautical miles across the Atlantic just in case. By taking the flight, the royals were only a week behind schedule and they sailed home with 97 pieces of luggage.

Eisenhower: the Eisenhower were considered family friends by the royals. He remains the only POTUS to be invited to Balmoral and Elizabeth sent him her personal recipe for drop scones which - yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus - is published in the book, for all you home bakers. The Queen made her first state visit to the US under Eisenhower coinciding with the 350th anniversary of the Jamestown Colony (a trip Her Majesty would repeat 50 years later for the 400th anniversary and made me late to school but that’s another story for later). This state visit is what finally knocked Sputnik off the American front pages.

Kennedy: If you watched the Kennedy episodes of The Crown’s Season 2, you can skip this chapter. Kennedy once met a young Princess Elizabeth though, when his father was the US ambassador.

Johnson: The Queen never met Johnson in person. LBJ didn’t like traveling and preferred to focus on domestic affairs and Vietnam. But Princess Margaret did meet LBJ while on a visit to the US, which is also chronicled on The Crown, which the author takes great pains to mention is fiction because Margaret and LBJ never actually did kiss 🙄. LBJ and The Queen were friendly in letters though.

Nixon: hosted The Queen’s very first Thanksgiving dinner when he visited London in November 1958 (while Eisenhower’s VP) to open the American Memorial Chapel at St. Paul’s Cathedral. The Queen’s acceptance of the invitation to Thanksgiving dinner caused such a consternation because Nixon hadn’t lacked a tuxedo that all the men in the American delegation who had traveled with him and worked at the embassy were measured to find someone from whom Nixon could borrow a tuxedo. Nixon’s visit to Buckingham Palace in February 1969 was the first time that color film was used at the palace.

Ford: hosted The Queen and Philip during the US’s bicentennial celebrations. It is considered to be one of The Queen’s most successful visits/tours. The tour was in July 1976 and if you know East Coast summer weather, you have an idea already what the weather was like. First there were rough seas that made even Philip seasick (they flew from London to Bermuda, then sailed on Britannia from Bermuda to Philly). Then there was humid muggy heat in Philly that The Queen was fanning herself often. And then in DC, it was even swampier with daytime temps of 100F in the shade. The bicentennial visit later became the theme of The Queen’s 1976 Christmas message - reconciliation.

Carter: Carter was the POTUS most considered to be The Queen’s peer since they were closest in age, and that’s about the only thing they had in common. He horribly offended The Queen Mother by kissing her at the G7, hosted Princess Anne on her first solo trip to the US (wherein she shocked the press by being more like Philip in her temperament than The Queen), and personally lobbied Westminster Abbey to include his favorite poet - Dylan Thomas - in Poets Corner. His wife, Rosalyn, is the only FLOTUS The Queen didn’t meet.

Reagan: After Eisenhower, probably the POTUS The Queen was closest to, over their shared love of horses. Their relationship reminds me of the classic “introvert adopted by extroverts” trope (albeit in its own unique way). The Reagans’ first trip to the UK was chaotic in its planning with offenses left and right that made Margaret Thatcher reel. Charles and Nancy had a wonderful relationship and were close for the rest of her life.

Bush 41: Bush (another peer who of similar demographics to The Queen; they were just a few years apart in age, he served in WW2 with a career that reminded her of Philip’s, each had four surviving children, their eldest sons were relatively the same age) was favorite POTUS #3 after Eisenhower and Reagan. The relationship started off rocky, but it was Pickles - a puppy from the Bushes’ dog given to a friend whom The Queen had visited - that smoothed everything over and the two couples got along well. The Queen’s official visit under Bush 41 began with the infamous ‘talking hat’ speech and saw her take in her first baseball game. It was proposed that Philip should throw the first pitch out but The Queen nixed it, though she did join Bush for a little walkabout on the field before the game started. (Boo. I would’ve rather liked to see Philip throw the first pitch. I bet he’d have thrown a strike without any practice.)

Clinton: Clinton prioritized the relationship with Blair more than with The Queen, which ended up salvaging the Special Relationship after Blair’s predecessor (John Major) practically blew it up by getting involved in the 1992 POTUS election when he/his government campaigned for Bush. But Clinton came around to The Queen in the end. Clinton is notably the first president who was younger than The Queen and I suspect his presidency marked a change in how The Queen approached the special relationship.

And also, there’s a very good chance that this chapter illustrates Meghan’s obsession with Hillary Clinton - Diana and Hillary had a good enough friendship, even if only a working relationship, that Diana co-chaired a White House breakfast with Hillary. The book also points out that much of Diana’s post-BRF work in the US took place in the Clinton administration, so now I’m wondering if perhaps Meghan sees the Clintons as a partial extension of Diana’s network and that’s why she tries so hard with Hillary. (And also there’s the obvious that Hillary knew/met Diana so maybe Meghan has been trying to court Hillary to be part of the “Meghan is just like Diana” fan club.)

Bush 43: had the first official full state visit of The Queen’s reign, which was also only the second state visit by a US President (Wilson in 1918). There were significant security concerns due to the War on Terror and this is also when the Daily Mail’s reporter was a footman for 2 months; the reporter broke his own cover to report on the state visit. The Queen had her final state visit to the US in May 2007 as part of the celebrations for the 400th anniversary of Jamestown. (Her visit was the unofficial kickoff to the official celebrations, which began the week after.)

I didn’t know this, but The Queen personally donated a significant sum to the 9/11 memorial funds. Also The Queen enjoys Mexican food. A lady after my own heart!

Obama: Obama’s relationship with Britain began cool, owing to family tragedy closely connected with British colonialism in Kenya. He and the PM at the time, Brown, didn’t seem to get on, but The Queen stepped in and it’s thought her gentleness with the Obamas is what softened Obama’s consideration of the British. I do believe that Obama was the first head of state to see The Queen as more a grandmotherly figure and that helped boost The Queen’s global reputation (Bush 43 and Clinton saw her as motherly, and everyone through Bush 41 saw her as a contemporary/peer).

In the epilogue, the author writes that he believes Obama was favorite POTUS #4. I think the Obamas had a special friendship with The Queen, but sometimes I feel like it was more of mentorship, with The Queen showing them a generous kindness they weren’t expecting that led to both of them learning from her what it means to be diplomatic without losing sense of themselves.

Trump: His working visit in 2018 and the state visit in 2019 both were preceded by chaos and politics. A lot of people looked to The Queen’s symbolism in her outfits for how she felt about him. Trump held The Queen in high esteem, which she seemed to reciprocate diplomatically, but he had waffling views on Britain itself and that seemed to affect how the Special Relationship was managed (ie one day they were allies, the next day, Trump was assailing the mayor of London on Twitter).

Biden: No one quite knew what to do with him. He had proud Irish heritage so everyone thought he wouldn’t regard Britain well, but at the same time, Biden was outspoken against Brexit and Boris Johnson, which aligned with mainstream feelings of the day, so they weren’t sure how the wind was going to blow. But the Special Relationship prevailed, with Biden in a unique position that saw him speaking more about the generosity and the humanity of The Queen given what was happening to her - first the COVID protocols, then Oprah interview, then Philip’s passing, then her own illness.

(Biden is in the “Queen as motherly” club with Clinton and Bush 43.)

[skylarsblue]

✦Call of Duty Bio Headcanons✦

(I know they have canon ages and heights and stuff, but listen. It's fiction, and I think I know better(/j). You can disagree, but these are my opinions. Also, obviously, not all of the info has changed.)

✧John Price✧

Age: 42 y.o Height: 6'2" Pronouns: He/Him Sexuality: "Sexy-Is-Sexy" (Or Pansexual) Middle Name: Samuel Likes: Whiskey, vintage radios, old westerns, horses, & mint ice cream. Dislikes: Streaming services, cigarettes(ironic), spicy food, dust, & cottage cheese. Birthday: January 1st Zodiac: Capricorn -Trivia- -Allergic to cats and didn't know until he moved out because his mother had like, four. Grew up around them his entire childhood and was honestly devastated when he realized they make him sick cause he loves'em. -He was definitely a fuck boy in high school/college. Not an asshole one, he made his intentions up front and he was overall sweet, but he didn't wanna be tied down. Ironic given how he ended up wanting the exact opposite later on. -Wishes he took better care of his teeth as a kid. They look great now but he has five fillings in his molars and one (now replaced), silver tooth all the way in the back. Phobia: Amenisphobia; The fear of amnesia Neuro...: Neurotypical

✧Kyle "Gaz" Garrick✧

Age: 26 y.o Height: 6'0" Pronouns: He/Him (I heavily support the trans!Gaz HC) Sexuality: Bisexual w/ a male preference Middle Name: Dylin Likes: Hot chocolate, the smell of lavender, coconut, licorice toffee, & nostalgic music. Dislikes: Milk, politics(irony again), Winter, grocery shopping, & spiders. Birthday: September 5th Zodiac: Virgo -Trivia- -Second oldest of four children, the only boy. He's a family man when it comes to his siblings, but not so much when it comes to his parents. Barely present father and a stressed out mother create for a shaky relationship with them. -Cannot cook to save his life. Man lives off of delivery, MREs, and cup noodles. He knows like...four dishes, and most of them are really simple. -Struggles decorating and making outfits cause he likes tons of different aesthetics. Everything from Scene Kid(for his inner teen) to streetwear. His version of housed decor are a bunch of plants. (Fake so they don't die when he's on deployment) Phobia: Arachnophobia; fear of arachnids/spiders. Neuro...: Neurodivergent (Dyslexia)

✧Johnny "Soap" MacTavish✧

Age: 29 y.o Height: 5'8" Pronouns: He/Him Sexuality: Omnisexual Middle Name: Neil (heh) Likes: Knickknacks, loud music, punk aesthetic, chickens, & football(aka Soccer for us pathetic Americans). Dislikes: Silence, sitting still, vague answers, being told what to do, & big dogs. Birthday: August 12th Zodiac: Leo -Trivia- -Constantly on & off with a caffeine addiction. He'll do really good about just drinking water, then he'll have one energy drink and he's fucked it all up again. -The scar on his chin is from a dog, the scar in his eyebrow is from a fight he got in as a teenager. He got in a lot of trouble as a teen. -Borderline pyromaniac, honestly. Hyperfixated on fire as a kid and now he's really happy to be a bombtech. Bro loves blowing shit up. Phobia: Cynophobia; fear of dogs. Neuro...: Neurodivergent (ADHD, hyperlexia)

✧Simon "Ghost" Riley✧

Age: 36 y.o Height: 6'4" Pronouns: He/It (Using "it" makes him seem more ominous, which he thinks is fun) Sexuality: Gay or Homoflexible, demisexual/demiromantic probably Middle Name: Achilles Likes: Birds, alternative indie music, dark chocolate, Victorian architecture, & murder mystery books. Dislikes: Snakes, graveyards, the dark(when it's completely pitch black), 99% of physical touch, & fluorescent lights. Birthday: December 30th Zodiac: Capricorn -Trivia- -He'll never admit it but he loves babies. They're super tiny and super cute, and Simon's heart always melts when one's around. Alas, he's also terrified of scaring them or getting attached, so he avoids babies as best he can. Can't have people thinking he's soft. -Makes the best steak in Manchester. Sometimes his seasoning is bland but the meat itself is perfection, you won't find any better. Melts in your mouth every time. It's a steak equivalent of 6 orgasms. It IS an orgasm. He makes great fucking steak. -Isn't fond of pure silence like Soap, but he doesn't often wanna fill it with loud sounds. He has a playlist of softer, more instrumental songs for this. Or he'll listen to nature sounds. He likes quiet, just not silent. Phobia: Taphephobia; the fear of being buried alive. Neuro...: Neurodivergent (Autistic, dyscalculia)

✧Alejandro Vargas✧

Age: 38 y.o Height: 5'11" Pronouns: He/Him Sexuality: Bisexual (Maybe Poly? He's not sure) Middle Name: N/A Likes: Hot drinks, the smell of roses, his nieces/nephews, physical affection, & cowboy hats. Dislikes: Sweaty palms, tourist-y Americans, caramel sauce, white-lies, & the feeling of glue. Birthday: March 25th Zodiac: Aries -Trivia- -Was with Valeria for awhile, but differences, stress, and Valeria discovering she was pretty gay broke them up. They had some tension, but he wasn't bitter towards her. Until she betrayed them, of course. -Was actually the last of his friend group to lose his virginity. He's a passionate, flirty man, but he's not throwing that kind of trust out willy-nilly. He had a few relationships but didn't reach that point until he was like, 19, about to turn 20. He asked a friend to share the moment with him. ...a close friend. -Cannot function in the cold at all. And his definition of cold is 21 degrees Celsius. (70 Fahrenheit for us Americans) He layers and complains all day, he's got a fuckin' heated blanket. A heated blanket owner in fucking MEXICO. Phobia: Coulrophobia; the fear of clowns Neuro...: Neurotypical

✧Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra✧

Age: 38 y.o Height: 5'9" Pronouns: He/Him Sexuality: Bisexual (Also maybe poly but he's very hesitant about it) Middle Name: N/A Likes: Ice baths, windchimes, baked sweets(mostly pie), clean handwriting, & naps on the couch. Dislikes: Cutting onions, heavy blankets, confrontation(with like, loved ones. Not on duty, obviously), slow walkers, & reptiles. Birthday: June 20th Zodiac: Gemini -Trivia- -Super good at singing, but he never does, because he's embarrassed. His mother would often encourage him to sing when he was younger at family gatherings, and now he cringes when someone hears him sing and comments on it. -His house is full of fans. Some rooms have more than one. They're running basically all the time, as well as the AC. Sometimes he has to get a family member to go home and turn them off when he's on a long mission. -He knew Alejandro before Alejandro knew him. When they were kids, Rudy was shy and had some problems with his health(exercise induced asthma mostly), so he didn't go out of his way to befriend other kids much. But he was a people watcher, and Alejandro was the most fun to watch. They actually met because one of Alejandro's friends pointed it out and called him creepy, only for Alejandro to defend him. Then they became super close friends! Phobia: Bufonophobia; the fear of toads Neuro...: Neurodivergent (Autistic, echolalia)

✧Valeria Garza✧

Age: 39 y.o Height: 5'7" Pronouns: She/It Sexuality: Sapphic Demiromantic Middle Name: N/A Likes: Expensive paintings, perfect nail-polish, sandalwood incense, lemon water, & flowers. Dislikes: Shaving, back-talk, tiny text on documents or books, chunky rings, & pineapple. Birthday: January 23rd Zodiac: Aquarius -Trivia- -Has a pull to religious imagery in a darker light because of religious trauma. Roman Catholicism is quite common in Mexico, but her parents were really heavy about it. To the point it makes Valeria bitter over it. She has a rocky relationship with God, but finds Mary comforting. Because when she was brought to church, but wanted to hide, she'd hide beside a Mary statue in a corner. -She has an odd sleep schedule. She often only gets four hours of sleep, but she doesn't seem to be tired at any point. In fact, the more sleep she gets, the more lethargic she is that day. -Her first girlfriend was when she was still in the military. A traveling medic from Italy. Unfortunately, the flame came and went thanks to the medic having to leave. Valeria has moved on, but she does mourn their lost time sometimes and has a little dream of meeting her again one day. Though she knows that's not practical. Phobia: Ecclesiophobia; the fear of church Neuro...: Neurotypical

✧Alex Keller✧

Age: 36 y.o Height: 6'1" Pronouns: He/Him Sexuality: Heteroflexible Middle Name: Sebastian (he's embarrassed about this) Likes: Golden retrievers, bad jokes, most seafood, provolone cheese, & hummus. Dislikes: Thanksgiving, the sound of rubbing styrofoam, being told to "do what he wants"(makes him feel aimless), tobacco smell, & overzealousness. (He likes simplicity...excluding his tattoos) Birthday: December 2nd Zodiac: Sagittarius -Trivia- -He doesn't really talk to his family excluding holidays. BUT, he will always keep in contact with his older sister, and his niece by proxy. They're the only two that made him feel wanted in his family. He wasn't abused in his mind, but he wasn't paid attention to much either. He always seemed overshadowed by something/someone, and as he got older, he got tired of feeling like an outcast in his own family. So he slowly drifted away and he goes on the guidance of orders he receives. -Probably born in a small town in a place like Utah. He's got small-town-mid-south manners. But I like to imagine he spent a lot of his time in California too, he seems like he'd enjoy the sun and the ocean. -Picks up languages really quick, somehow. At least, when he's around people that speak it. If he had to learn purely from books, he'd have choppy speech at best. He's fluent in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Also, knows a bit of ASL, but he's still working on that one. Phobia: Lilapsophobia; the fear of hurricanes/tornadoes Neuro...: Neurodivergent (Hyperlexia, SPD)

✧Farah Ahmed Karim✧

Age: 30 y.o Height: 5'5" Pronouns: She/Her Sexuality: Aliquaromantic Demi-Bisexual Middle Name: N/A Likes: Poppies, motorcycles, pretty much any food with chickpeas, super spicy stuff, and the sky at dusk. Dislikes: Overly salty things, riddles, genuine cockiness, the feeling of rust(that includes on spoons...), & long winded responses. Birthday: July 1st Zodiac: Cancer -Trivia- -Keeps her hair long despite the fact it's annoying to deal with sometimes. Purely for sentimental reasons. To her, it represents the growth she's had as a person. A far cry from the buzz-cut she was forced into when under someone else's control. So she refuses to cut it. -She will never use it, and she despises it, but she's semi-fluent in Russian. Being around it for so long made her pick it up. It works well if she needs to translate, but she'll be caught dead before she speaks Russian. -Honestly can't cook for shit. She doesn't know what the hell she's doing in the kitchen and basically relies on MREs or the skills of others. She's not a picky eater though, and she'll always finish what's put in front of her, even if she's not fond of it. Phobia: Agniophobia; fear of choking Neuro...: Neurotypical

✧Konig✧

Age: 28 y.o Height: 6'10" Pronouns: He/They Sexuality: Bisexual Middle Name: Obercht (Bonus)Last Name: Badubrecht Likes: Making bracelets, boxing(watching or doing), soda, heavy metal, & fresh bread. Dislikes: Certain kinds of wool, small cars, low doorframes, having to go to the medic, & the smell of hay. Birthday: March 9th Zodiac: Pisces -Trivia- -Was bullied all through high school for various things. His demeanor, his size, his hair(which was long), his cleft lip scar, etc. It took until he hit the largest growth spurt he ever had in secondary school when people began to stop poking fun, but instead avoid him. He maybe had 2-3 actual friends in his entire life before the military. And even now he mostly has acquaintances, not friends. -Doesn't talk to his mother, she was overbearing and cruel, mostly because Konig looks a lot like his father. He doesn't really talk to his father much because the man is hard to talk to. He's not completely cut off, but they are estranged. Konig's grandma hears from him almost every day, sometimes twice a day. She's a badass in her 90s who has never done him wrong, and he would blow up the entire world if anything happened to her. -Sometimes Konig gets comments that say he's got multiple personalities. (By uneducated people, clearly) Because he seems to switch dramatically between modes depending on time, place, and circumstance. Sometimes he's childish and giggly, cute even. Sometimes he's silent, unreadable, and withdrawn. And on the battlefield he's...inhuman, terrifying, and nothing short of bloodthirsty. Phobia: Equinophobia; the fear of horses. Neuro...: Neurodivergent (autistic)

[mssr-crumpled-paper]

Gale and revolution

Maybe a hot take and people might throw tomatoes at me but I can't get this out of my head after reading THG.

I found it really hard to relate or even sympathize with Peeta because for me, reading the books, Peeta didn't exist as a character outside of his relationship with Katniss.

But Gale, on the other hand, did.

It was obvious to me from the beginning that Peeta was a character made with the intention for everyone to adore him. And don't get me wrong, Peeta is great. Too great. Perfect and flawless like a sterile version of a human person. And I can only assume that since we're seeing him from Katniss's perspective, along with her very obvious crush on the bread boy, that he's very idealic in her mind.

Gale, on the other hand, immediately gets sorta dogged on in the narrative like 5 pages in. He gets mad at Madge for being more privileged, for being well-fed, well-raised, well-dressed, and all other well-verb'ed that he never got to experience. From the perspective of someone who grew up lower middle class, I related immediately to Gale first. He was flawed, and understandable, and real in the most uncensored way possible.

He was brutal, he was angry, and violent, and that made SENSE to me (not that it's not fucked up). Maybe it's because my country has only VERY RECENTLY suffered from American imperialism, but I understand completely his need for violence, retribution, and revenge. And considering this was written during the War on Terror, the kid to extremist pipeline allegory is not missed. In that way, Gale exists outside of the context of Katniss. Gale exists within the context of his people, systemic oppression, and a revolution.

Peeta however was none of that. He wasn't a revolutionary by any means (but of course he wasn't, he was a child). But he seemed almost lacking in that sense of community with his people. This may be because Peeta grew up fed, still. He ate bread, no matter how stale, and he only had 5 slips of his own name in the games. He's a compassionate person, very much so, but only insofar as his immediate surrounding. Peeta could be kind because being kind and passive doesn't cost him his family. It almost, but ultimately doesn't cost him Katniss.

Gale had to care for his own family, Katniss's family during the Games, and became the only other person providing hunted game for the district's market. He got his district out of the burning rubble. He watched family, and friends, and people he's cared about his whole life die in a fire. For a boy who's only know to hunt with his own two hands, how can one expect gentleness.

So when, inevitably, people view Gale explicitly and exclusively through his relationship with Katniss, it robs Gale of being his own character: a brother, a son, a victim, a revolutionary, a child. And I think that's a shitty way to view him LOL.

[mykneeshurt]

hi!! happy new year!! 💗

I love ur writing, and I was thinking to drop this request;

so may request some hc’s of cod task force 141 (+ alejandro, könig, graves and rudy) :))

feel free to skip this if youre busy, just wondering, happy new year :)

Sorry this one took me some time, I got too in my head about it. It was so hard to not be bitchy to Graves lmfao, Soap is my favourite enjoy! SFW. Let me know if you want NSFW ones

Price 🥃

He supports Liverpool FC, no I won’t hear any different

His favourite non-alcoholic drink is ‘builders tea’

Glenfiddich 18 is his Whisky of choice

Favourite colour is khaki green

Is the father figure of the group, strong, reliable, approachable (everything my dad wasn’t lmfao, I still love him)

He wears a plain t-shirt pyjamas to bed, sleeps on his side, one arm under his head, absolutely snores

His favourite breed of dog is a Collie, or any working dog he can walk for miles for in the country side

He absolutely loves Bargain Hunt on TV

His favourite smell is fresh gingerbread

He’d make an excellent grandfather tbh

Soap 🧼

Despite being Scottish he supports Blackburn FC, an underdog (I refuse to comment on the Celtic vs Rangers, far too much history there. And I’m Welsh, it ent for me to say haah)

He absolutely loves winding the boys up about being English

His text tone is SCOTLAND FOREVVAAAA *aggressive bagpipes*

Soap 100% sleeps in the buff

His favourite dog would be a Labrador, nice active family friendly dog

He’s a chatterbox but a good listener when he needs to be, will often give some surprisingly good advice

He’s an iPhone wanker

Absolutely a mummy’s boy, would do anything for her - he’d love to pay off her mortgage for her

His favourite smell is the cheesy paws of his dog for real

He’s not a morning person, he loves a lie in when he can

Ghost 💀

Ghost supports Manchester City, he just gives me those vibes ok?

His favourite weather is rain/storms

When he’s home from a mission he’s a bath guy, he showers all the time on base, so when he’s home it’s hot ass bath with an audio book and his bourbon

He has two cats that his neighbour looks after when he’s away, two British blue shorthairs. Called Foxtrot and Whiskey

He also loves rabbits

He loves helping beginners at the gym

His favourite tv show is The Simpsons, something easy and colourful to watch to distract him from what he’s seen

He smells like Dior Suvage (anything musky and heavy)

He’s ambidextrous

He loves a cooked dinner, beef, roast potatoes, all the veg, stuffing and all the Yorkshire puddings

He’s got his tongue pierced, I’ve seen the fan art. You can’t tell me other wise.

Gaz 🇬🇧

He gives me Arsenal vibes, so he supports them

But also supports Chicago Bears in American Football

He’s gentle, reserved so he’d have a rat as a pet, highly intelligent

Fish and chips with curry sauce is his favourite meal, a proper British geeza

He smells fresh, think a bright spring day, fresh linen and cut grass

He loves the sunshine

He’s a keen gardener, grows his own herbs and vegetables

His house is spotless, minimalist, but has a huge book collection

He loves caramel lattes despite the banter from the boys, he has a sweet tooth

Loves meeting the boys down the pub on a Sunday for a carvery

Alejandro 🌹

He’s an excellent cook, his favourite hobby when not on a mission is trying out new recipes for Los Vaqueros

This man sleeps in silk sheets, tell me he doesn’t?

He’s fiercely loyal his country, he loves Mexico and is passionate about it through and through

He’s got a great sense of humour, enjoys making people laugh

He runs marathons for charity in his spare time

His favourite subject in school was history

If you’re sad this man gives the best hugs, he’ll make you a strong ass coffee and give one hell of a pep talk

His favourite smell is fresh cocoa beans, always stealing the nibs to eat

Him and Rudy have film nights with their families when they’re home

He’s 100% a girl dad, teaches her how to shoot with nerf guns in the garden

Rudy ❤️

He has a German Vizsla called Pollito, because her legs look like chicken drumsticks

He 100% has an android phone

He’s an armature photographer in his spare time, he loves nature

He and Alejandro have personalised ringtones for each other

His favourite food is Seafood paella

He owns a small farm, sells the produce to the local area, he loves animals

He once won a poetry competition

His favourite colour is orange

Sorry but he wears lynx Africa (I like it sue me)

He likes to game in his spare time, anything from farm simulator to RPGs

König 👑

He loves drawing, anything creative, he’ll draw/paint the Austrian countryside to de-stress

He grew up on a small farm in the Austrian mountains, he has a very close family

He doesn’t like large crowds, worried people stare at him because of his height, feels claustrophobic sometimes

He bites his nails when his hands aren’t busy or covered by gloves

He’s a cat guy 100%

He’s left handed, 100% a lefty but holds his gun right handed (its a struggle, I’m left handed)

He’d like a family one day, he’s got a lot of love to give

He smells like leather, sandalwood and vanilla

He loves eating raw cookie dough, vanilla and chocolate chip

He holds the record for the hardest punch in his home town

Graves 🇺🇸

His favourite holiday is July 4th, he does a huge fireworks display whenever he’s home

His favourite food is Gumbo

He smells like Paco Rabane Invictus

He’s got 3 Dobermans, whom he loves with all his heart. Ben, Jacob and Molly

He has a white picket fence - obviously

He doesn’t have a good relationship with his father, daddy forced him into the army to gain approval

He sleeps in red plaid pyjamas and has matching slippers

He’s fluent in French, he learnt it to pick up girls

He loves hiking in his spare time, with his 3 dogs

He runs support groups for veterans on a Thursday a local library

[viceroywrites]

art credit to mischa-makowka / link to picrew here

introducing my gravity falls oc, (dr.) cecilia dela rosa

headcanons and backstory drabble ahead

age when she first met stan: 27 - current age: 58

fun facts about her:

her hair is graying so she decided to lean into it and dye her front bangs gray and keep the rest black with strands of gray

filipino-american

has two older sisters - experienced a lot of competition and comparisons between her and her sisters

shameless hcs between her and stan:

she fell for stan bc of his humor and his recklessness - he helps her let her hair down and live a little and she keeps him in check

if stan hadn't made the decision for her, she would've totally bailed him out of jail

kept and wore a gold chain that stan left at her apartment for months after he left

lectures him about drinking pit soda all the time... but has a stash hidden in her office

right back where we started from & come on eileen are their songs

nicknames: cilia, cil, angel (stan kept making the joke that she fell from heaven the night she bandaged him up)

-

stan had just been driven out of idaho after yet another scam and was going by hal forester at the time still.

stan had gotten a bit too drunk at a bar downtown, got into a fight with someone. cecilia, in her first year of med school, just so happened to be walking back to her apartment after a night out with friends when stan was kicked out of the bar, with a few bruises and gnarly cut across his cheek.

cecilia rushed to help him out, insisting they go to a hospital. not wanting to get caught and have to leave illinois already, stan protested going to the hospital. perplexed but stubborn, cecilia said in a huff that she had medical supplies to bandage him up back at her place but insisted on no funny business.

stan wasn't one to say no to the free offer.. especially to a pretty lady.

the two ended up hitting it off that night & stan, as a thank you, insisted on buying cecilia dinner - that dinner being a chicago hot dog stand. that dinner quickly turned into a friendship.

their hot dog stand dinners slowly became dates & after stan pulled the classic move at her apartment while watching a scary movie and putting his arm around her, she returned the gesture by snuggling up to him.

stan began to open up about his past and trouble with the law. surprisingly, cecilia had a relaxed reaction, wanting more than anything to help stan gain some stability back in his life.

"why don't you get a job as a bouncer? you got the muscles for it." cecilia commented with a playful grin, squeezing his bicep.

stan was practically on cloud nine from the praise but shrugged, "can't, toots. moment they do a background check, i'm done for."

cecilia gave him a deadpan look, "you think any of the seedy dive bars around the college are gonna do that? they're probably doing illegal shit themselves."

stan blinks before pulling her in by the cheeks into a kiss, "cilia, baby, you're a genius!"

"well, i am in med school."

stan ends up landing a job as a bouncer for a bit and things were looking up. until one day, the law catches up to him. on the way to work one day, stan spots a police car in front of the bar and overhears them questioning the owner outside, a wanted poster of him in hand.

stan books it in the opposite direction. his survival mode is on and he knows he needs to split town. and quick. packing his bags and loading his car, he realizes he has to leave cecilia behind. he hurriedly scrawls out a note on the back of a receipt and stops by her apartment, dropping it into her mailbox as well as a reminder of him.

cecilia comes back to her apartment after class, checking her mail to see the note.

'hey angel,

i had to skip town, cops showed up at the bar and i can't afford to get caught and end up in jail... again. i'm really sorry to do this to ya but thanks for believing in me and giving a nobody like me a chance.

you're gonna do great things and you got a whole future ahead of ya. i don't wanna drag you into this mess.

thanks for everything, maybe someday we'll meet again.

stan.'

cecilia's heartbroken, holding the note and a photo the two of them had taken during a fancy dinner she treated them to in celebration of his new job.

despite the heartbreak, she finishes med school, gets married... then divorced and decides to move out to west for a change of scenery.

cecilia works at a local hospital a few miles out from gravity falls - they end up reuniting after stan throws his back out while helping mabel and dipper with their suitcases when they came back to visit for the summer.

stan reluctantly agrees to go after much pestering from his brother who is baffled by the fact that stan has not had a check up in years.

as he's waiting, having changed into those uncomfortable paper gowns, cecilia blinks at the name on the chart, in disbelief - a name from her past. it must be a different stan pines... right? she thinks to herself as she heads over to the patient room.

she knocks on the door and hears a gruff voice that's unmistakable, "yeah i'm decent."

she opens the door and blinks as she's greeted to the man who had left her behind years ago. "stanley pines?" she questions, trying to remain professional.

"yeah that's me, doc." stan says, not recognizing her at first, "listen, i haven't been to a doctor in ages. pretty much, i threw my back out and it's not getting any better."

"mind if i take a look?" cecilia asks, sliding on her gloves as she makes her way around to stan's back. her hand trails down his back, pressing down softly before hitting the tender spot that causes him to hiss.

"yup, that's it." stan mutters and cecilia can't help but laugh, throwing caution into the wind, "you know you've had this issue with your back since you were in your 30s."

"right? i swear no doctor has said anything about it!" stan complains but pauses, "wait how do you know that?"

"long time no see, stan. not sure you recognize me after all these years... does the name cecilia ring a bell?" cecilia grins, taking a seat on the stool before wheeling over to the computer.

it takes a second before stan realizes who's in front of him. "cecilia? cecilia from chicago?" he says in disbelief.

"that's me - though i go by dr. dela rosa nowadays." cecilia chuckles, typing things down into his chart.

"god, it's been so long..." stan chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck, "hey.. i'm sorry for ditching you back then. i-"

"you don't have to explain yourself, stan. i was upset but i understood the position you were in. i'm... just glad you're alive and well.." cecilia sighs with a sad smile.

"ah jeez, cilia... sorry if i scared you. a lot's happened since we last saw each other.." stan admits.

"well... i'd love to catch up." cecilia says, pausing before turning to face stan, "take me out to dinner and i'll consider forgiving you."

stan blinks at her forwardness before breaking into a huge grin, "i know just the place, you got yourself a deal!"

stan ends up taking her to greasy's dinner where he catches her up on his life - reuniting with his brother, dipper and mabel, his travels on the stan o war II.

(sorry if this is cringe - i'm a sucker for rekindled romance)

[sgtmickeyslaughter]

WEEKLY TAG WEDNESDAY

happy wednesday everyone! thanks for tagging me @lingy910y @energievie @creepkinginc @heymrspatel @thepupperino

Name: gigi

Age: 24

Astrological sign: such a virgo i was born on the first day of the season, right on time

Upon which continent do you reside: north america

Tell us how you're feeling right now using 3-5 emojis: 😴☁️🧿

What's your favorite flavor of gum? wrigleys doublemint

What's the last movie you watched? the little hours, it was very funny but not what i was expecting

What was your worst subject in high school? biology and chemistry, i liked the big ideas and theories but could not care less about the minutia

What's the job you stayed at for the shortest period of time? in highschool i worked at this coffee shop opened by this greek couple who were like, we want to pay everyone fairly which was great but then hired about ten more people than they needed so we all got fired about 3 months in

What's your favorite thing to do at an amusement park? im very scared of rides but i used to love the big swinging thing when i was young and fearless. ive actually never been to an amusment park, just my hometowns county fair so i loved the livestock show, art show, and good food

What condiments go on top of the perfect hot dog (meat or plant-based)? the works

Cincinnati chili, thoughts? hmmm dont really know what that is, i dont like chili usually but i do love obscure regional american dishes so ill say neutral thoughts for now

Do you sleep with a plushie? i have a few stuffed animals, a couple bunnies and a teddy bear and i sleep with them when im sad

How do you feel about thunderstorms? i like them from a distance, when they start doing a little too much i get nervous

What's the last animal you touched? i saw my dad's dog when i was out west last week, she called me the devil to my face for not letting her eat garbage from the ground!

Grab the nearest item with words on it that ISNT a book and tell me the final word: sennelier (watercolors)

Have you ever forgotten to do an assignment until the night before its due? no, see question 3

@iansw0rld @mmmichyyy @spookygingerr @mickittotheman @jrooc

@ian-galagher @mickeym4ndy @doshiart @gallawitchxx @mickeysgaymom

@softmick @deathclassic @blue-disco-lights @em-harlsnow @mybrainismelted

[our-future-is-up-to-us-2]

sprinkled moondust

Fic number 11 (and my longest one yet, HOORAY!) @narcosfandomdiscord

Prompt #5, Book Of Negative Spaces: Fanwork using a line from a diff show/movie as a prompt. 

The line in question: "Do you still like my hair?" from The Queen's Gambit 

Word Count: 4.1K (don't ask how I did that)

Relationships: Trent Crimm & Ted Lasso, Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso (very much leaning into that, thank you <33), Trent Crimm & Trent Crimm's Daughter, Ted Lasso & Trent Crimm's Daughter

Warnings: Canon compliant mention + description of a panic attack

A/N: I absolutely adored writing this fic... My first time exploring Tedependent in that 'something more' vein and I took a lot of liberties to what felt right for me! Just wanted to delve into Season 1, considering that I've just finished it <3

The progression in episodes as the snippets go on is as follows:

Episode 1 - Pilot

Episode 3 - Trent Crimm: The Independent

Episode 5 - Tan Lines

Episode 7 - Make Rebecca Great Again

Episode 8 - The Diamond Dogs

Episode 9 - All Apologies / Canon Divergence

~ Read the fic under the cut ~

When Ted first meets Trent, he notices a few things. 

One, he’s a journalist, in a crowd, amongst all the others. 

Two, he’s attentive. That much is clear when they lock eyes, and Trent straightens up, armed and ready for whatever is to come. 

Three, he’s got very nice glasses, two-toned, easily blending in with his face. 

Four, there’s something quite alluring about his hair… 

But if Ted Lasso, the new manager of AFC Richmond, has to give a compliment of any kind, giving it to the glasses is much nicer than to his hair. At least, it makes him seem… More approachable? Less creepy? 

Yeah, that’ll do it. 

He can hardly think of his words since he’s so sleep-deprived, and the cameras flash fast, and the water he drinks is full of fizz (absolutely abhorrent!) and all he wants to do is run. 

But, he can’t run. He can’t hide. 

He’s an American coach of American football, for goodness’ sake! He calls what these folks have ‘soccer’! He refrains from saying that aloud, though, in fear of angering every single journalist present. 

At least Trent Crimm isn’t angry. Rather, he’s just stern, calm, to-the-point, and incredibly good at wounding people with his words. 

Of course, I’m an amateur, Ted thinks, bracing the questions with a smile, ‘Specially with this British football– Thing. Yeah, I might as well just fuck right off, shouldn’t I? 

The manager doesn’t run, thankfully. He doesn’t take the next flight back to Kansas and settle in for the winter. He has to give this a red-hot crack, which is only reinforced when Rebecca Welton covers for him. 

He’ll fit in here, with time. If he keeps telling himself that, then he will. 

Trent Crimm from The Independent makes his blunt comments, but they may as well show belief, show promise. If he can talk to a complete stranger, someone so odd, with such confidence? Maybe he believes in Richmond. 

Maybe Ted Lasso will believe it, thanks to him. 

***

He can’t help but smile. 

Two grown adults in an Indian restaurant, trying to fight out the spice they’re eating. Ted handles it better, or at the very least, it comes across that way. Meanwhile, Trent Crimm from The Independent looks as though he might explode from the heat, pressing his fingers against his temples as though to manipulate it away. 

“How–” Trent practically gasps, quickly sipping his water, “How do you tolerate this?! You said… You said you’d never–” 

“Eaten Indian food?” Ted finishes for him, just to spare him the scattered breaths and unnecessary words. “Yeah, that’s right. But I guess it’s tastier than I thought? Very aromatic, crazy like that… Anyway, it’s more so about my friend’s honour, here.” 

“Honour?” The journalist leans in, brow raised, “Explain that for me.” 

“Maybe I explained it wrong,” He waves a modest hand, “Ollie invited me here, and he got me from the airport to Richmond, so… I couldn’t pass down his family restaurant! Even if it is the most knock-out sorta food I’ve ever tasted!” 

The manager is chuckling, chuckling away as he goes for another spoonful of the dish in front of him. He does it like it’s nothing! Maybe Trent’s spice tolerance is truly awful, and that’s all it is. 

Maybe Ted is just a whole lot braver than he is, willing to do anything if it means being respectful, or optimistic, or fun. It’s certainly an interesting concept, one that Trent will have to keep note on as the night progresses, hell, as the season progresses, more like! 

But he can’t help himself in the way that he notices, tracks the smile that ebbs and flows like the tide. 

“I should go,” He excuses after a while of silence, “Deadlines and all.” 

“Yeah,” Ted replies amiably, “You do what you gotta do, y’know, for work and so on… But– I really enjoyed spending this time with you, Trent.” 

And it’s clear as day, how it shows in the journalist’s face, that expression of bewilderment, disbelief, as though the manager had just insulted his family. 

“You really mean that, don’t you?” He gestures vaguely towards Ted. 

And when he doesn’t respond, simply smiles, smiles so bright, Trent comes up with his own conclusion. 

“Yeah.” He mutters under his breath as he grabs his coat, smoothly shrugging it on as he leaves. 

***

A week or so later, Ted receives a text. He almost wants to shrug it off, thinking it’s Beard with some funny chess joke or strange factoid he’s picked up… But now is not the time. 

Not now, not when he’s just sat down at the Crown and Anchor, Michelle opposite him. 

Mae’s just gone off to get their pints, encouraging Henry to play some darts… He’s off and away, and Ted hears his phone buzz again. 

“Sorry,” He murmurs, “I’ll just see who this is.” 

Michelle only nods, folding her arms in her lap. 

The manager feels himself freeze. No, it’s not some outstanding statement or new recipe from that subscription he’s linked to, no… It’s such a simple thing, such a simple person! 

How could he have expected this?! How could this even happen? Since when? 

Trent Crimm: I nicked your number from Rebecca. Must stay vigilant and all. 

Trent Crimm: Journalism never rests. Feel free to converse as much or as little as you like. 

Ted watches and waits as the grey bubble remains: Goddamn journalist’s typing more! Of course he is! 

Trent Crimm: :) 

He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, cracking his own smile. 

Trent Crimm with an emoticon. He thinks, beginning to type a response back, The guy’s outdone himself. 

***

Ted Lasso: Hey, Trent! Good to hear from ya. A little busy now but I’ll get back to you on all the other stuff asap. Looking forward to more chats!  

He finally puts his phone back in his pocket and reaches for his pint. 

“Sorry,” He says again, “Things have been, a little, you know,” He shrugs, “Here, there and everywhere.” 

“No, I get that,” Michelle’s laugh is soft, her finger dragging against the wooden table, “Do they– I don’t know, do they wrap the fish and chips in newspaper?” She asks, “You must be the expert, now. I just read it somewhere, I think they do that here.” 

He shakes his head, raising the glass to his lips and taking a big gulp, “Not here, they don’t. I mean at this pub, right? Might be different in other places, but, it’s all on a plate. Home-style, y’know? And I like that.” 

“I’m sure you do, Ted,” She admits with a wobble in her voice, grateful for Henry’s reappearance. 

“Whatcha talkin’ about?!” The kid asks, rocking back and forth on his heels. He attempts to withhold the gleeful smile on his face from hitting a regular. 

“Oh, it’s nothing!” His mum says, gesturing to the door, “Shall we go?” 

His dad nods in response, slowly finishing the last of his drink before kneeling down with a smile. 

“You wanna know what we were talkin’ about? Yeah. Just a fun little thing… Imagine you had a doughnut wrapped in newspaper. How cool would that be?” 

“Could I learn about dinosaurs?” Henry asks as Ted stands up again. 

“If they’re in the newspaper, you betcha.” 

The trio walk out in silence and stay in silence, even when Ted parts ways to the place he’s renting out. It’s a wave, a mouthed goodbye, and a punch to the gut. 

His only reprieve is another notification. And that’s even if it’s not Trent. Truth be told, he’d like it to be. 

Well, He rolls his shoulders, eyeing the screen, Isn’t it nice to have expectations line up with reality? 

Trent Crimm: I know we’ve hardly prepared for these communications, and they’ve mostly involved me, prattling on as always. But, I believe I could use a favour from you. 

Ted Lasso: A favour? From me? Trent Crimm The Independent asking me for a favour? 

Ted Lasso: Well I’ll be. Shoot. 

The messages pause, and the manager makes sure to have his eyes partially on the pavement. After all, he’s bound to get lost if he loses focus. 

Trent Crimm: I know that you’ve been making Rebecca’s biscuits. And I was thinking, well, there’s a certain someone I know who’d like your biscuits. If you could make some for a week’s time? She’d like it if you delivered them yourself, too. 

Right. 

That’s new. 

A ‘she’, unspecified, in the journalist’s life. And he’s revealing this now? Ted’s mind runs with thoughts as he turns a corner, thankful to see familiar buildings at his left and right. 

Who’s this? And who am I to judge? I suppose it’s just a little… Don’t know. Someone needing my biscuits, of all things, not a high-five or pep talk… 

Ted Lasso: Curious now. I could make ‘em, since you’ve given me enough warning! Gotta know, though, who’re they for? 

Trent Crimm: … 

Trent Crimm: … 

Ted Lasso: Sorry if that’s too personal. 

Trent Crimm: No, it’s alright. 

Trent Crimm: Well, she’s a three-year-old, so nothing too strong. They’d have to be small as well. Maybe a bit of decoration. 

Trent Crimm: If that’s not too tall of an order. 

The manager’s staring at the screen so long that he nearly bumps into the door of his temporary flat. He takes a step back and pockets his phone, grabbing his keys and heading inside. 

At least he can process this now. At least he can start thinking about recipes for an unspecified girl who’s a three-year-old in Trent’s life. Could be anyone, some kid he’s friends with, it doesn’t really matter. 

It just… Sparks so much curiosity in his brain! Someone as sharp as a whip, someone so breathtakingly brutal, hanging out with children? It doesn’t make sense. 

He sighs and resumes his communications, realising just how nice it is to talk as much or as little as he likes. To not be… Well, trapped, in conversation. Frozen while the other sits, waiting, staring into your eyes– 

His heart grows heavy and yet, his fingers move quickly, vision blurred by sudden tears. 

Ted Lasso: You got it, Trent. 

Ted Lasso: See you in the press room. I bet you’re already cooking up some questions. If not, talk soon! 

Trent leaves him with that stupid emoticon smile. 

Ted thinks about it for a while, shakes his head, and decides it’s best to clean up in the form of a shower. 

***

The coach manages a deep breath, staring at the ceiling. 

Too many thoughts run through his head, and it’s a surprise to him that he’s not physically drowning. 

Panic, panic, panic! It’s the only vocabulary he has, and it’s all– 

Panic attack. Right. Last night, that sums it up, the stifling heat of the karaoke bar, the crowds, the flashing lights, strangled, nausea. 

He made it out just fine, thank goodness for Rebecca Welton. She helped him breathe again, helped him stand up straight, clear out some of the darkness. 

She’s likely in her own room now, doing whatever she likes, while he lies here, thinking of panic, his few-hours-ago divorce, and Sassy Smurf. 

He keeps his eyes on the ceiling, because if he looks at her, he crumbles. 

Oh, and there it is. 

Naked body, frayed hair, slow and steady breathing… He can hear her laugh in his head, he pictures last night, you know, the part of the night after the panic attack… 

And he had fun. She certainly seemed to have fun, gripping a little too tightly at his moustache in the process. 

Guilt gnaws at him, followed by awkwardness, and then, what to do. 

Because it’s not something he’s used to, the simplicity and lack of connection that comes with a one-night stand. So, Ted quickly dresses and calls room service for a coffee. 

Not for his sake, but hers. She’ll appreciate it. 

The hours pass and he’s once again thankful to receive a distraction, also in the form of messages. 

A photo from Beard. The coach has to stifle back a laugh, it’s pretty good. 

Coach Beard: Found him. He’s in Hangover City. 

Of course, how characteristically Nate of Nate to sleep in the bus, awaiting the next day, drunk off his mind, as he would be… 

And that’s when she wakes up. 

He smiles sheepishly as she stretches, head lopsided on the pillow. To him, this whole thing should lead to other things, more dates, and so on… But there’s none of that. Their ties are supposedly severed here. 

“I ordered you a coffee,” He mumbles, “Should be here in a bit.” 

“Oh?” She chuckles, blinking back at him, “How good of you. Before I leave, I’ll order an extra large breakfast on your tab.” 

And that’s Sassy being Sassy, and how can he deny that? 

“Yeah, sounds like a pro move from you… After everything.” 

“Last night was fun.” 

“Yeah! Yeah, it was.” He rubs his moustache, “Five stars. Certified fresh.” 

Right. And that’s the stupidest thing you can say to a girl after you’ve slept with her! 

Good news, she doesn’t seem to mind. Even better news, he’s given her a late checkout, because he’s gotta run, and he’ll run. 

***

He doesn’t talk to Beard for the entire five hours of the bus trip. 

He knows he should, but he’s not in that mood. Mood for not talking? Then something’s wrong. 

Ted just shrugs it off, because he knows exactly what it all is, but is that worth discussion? No. No, it’s not. 

Instead, something else is better. 

Ted Lasso: I don’t just like your glasses, y’know. 

Ted Lasso: It’s also your writing. 

Ted Lasso: And your hair. 

The journalist is probably busy, peak working hours, after all, and the manager doesn’t delete the messages. A part of him thinks it’s from the amalgamation of drunken haze, had a panic attack, slept with a girl he’d just met, followed by the beginnings of divorce. 

The truth to the matter is that Ted is being truthful. Trent’s glasses are pretty, what’s better is his writing, his talent, master strokes (if he can even talk like that anymore), and what follows is his hair. 

Why? Well… It’s just nice. Someone’s hair can be grey and yet colourful, neat and yet messy. It’s as though it characterises him to a T. 

It also looks pretty soft. 

Ted Lasso could use some softness right about now. 

***

He excuses himself from Rebecca’s office, having given her the allotted biscuits for the day. He almost offered the other box, small and brown, to Higgins. 

Not that giving Higgins biscuits is bad. No, he deserves them for all the hard work he’s doing here! 

Those biscuits, however, are reserved for a certain three-year-old, and off he goes. 

Trent’s given an address, because secrecy can only last for so long, and Ted is not intending to drop these off like a postman. 

Especially when he remembers the journalist’s prior wording of things: She’d like it if you delivered them yourself, too. 

He sighs as he approaches the door, ringing the doorbell. There’s a ‘welcome’ doormat at his feet, and everything feels… Peaceful. And if not peaceful, then well-looked after. 

With no immediate response, he rings the doorbell again. He’s in no rush, but maybe the journalist is out and about, and he’s messed the timing of things up, maybe he’s misremembered the day, or something– 

Ted shouldn’t be listening, but being so close to these walls, he listens. 

Trent Crimm. Yes, he’s inside the fucking house. No hiding that. He’s laughing. 

Not just laughing, but repeatedly laughing, giggling, even, and he’s saying things like, “Alright… Let’s think, shall we? Isn’t that too many?” and, “Oh, you… I look like a Barbie doll now.” 

The last thing the coach wants to do is intrude, but he’s leaning against the door… Which is basically him intruding. 

Even worse is that when Trent finally answers the door, Ted falls to the floor, face-first.  

“I’m terribly sorry.” The journalist sighs, that teasing tone of his ever-so present in his voice. But, there’s also sincerity, because he’s outstretching a hand. Ted takes it with gratitude. 

Both of them meet eyes first, before the coach’s eyes very obviously move to… 

“Oh, that,” He waves a hand, “Yeah, that reminds me, Ted. Do you still like my hair?” 

There’s a smile toying on the edge of his face… 

And Ted can practically feel his heart both beating and melting in his chest. 

His hair, yes, that, is scattered with one too many things, so Trent’s words told him: Butterfly clips, bow clips, ribbons of all kinds and colours. Hell, it even looks like the three-year-old has tossed some glitter in there. 

The coach’s smile doesn’t leave him. 

“Yeah, I do, Trent. Work of art. Mind introducing me to the artist?” He says quietly, noticing the girl with an arm wrapped around Trent’s leg. 

He nods and picks the girl up, clearly comfortable with her, if anything. “This–” He brushes her dark blonde hair from her face, “Is Seraphina. My daughter.” 

Biological, or adopted, or otherwise, Ted’s not to pry. But she’s smiley, cheeky, and clearly has a perfect eye for design, and it shows.

“Oh, hey there, Seraphina,” He waves at her, holding the biscuits up and rattling them, “I wonder what these are…” 

The little girl’s eyes widen, and she grins. Trent closes the door behind them all, leading Ted through to the kitchen. 

“Mm, I wonder,” He adds as they reach the kitchen island, and he places his daughter on top of it. “Well, you better show her! Can’t keep her waiting.” 

He places the box down and watches as she looks between him, the box, and her father. And then… Biscuits. 

Round, not his usual rectangular prism, and decorated with icing and sprinkles. Fairly small, but big enough to be broken into pieces. 

“Happy birthday, kiddo.” Ted laughs, pushing the box in her direction. 

“Thank you!” Seraphina’s practically gasping now, tugging at her father’s hand, “Look! The kind man made me biscuits!” “That’s right, sweetheart,” Trent replies, “Go on and try one.” 

“Can’t say I’ve cracked the recipe with these,” Ted’s hands move to his hips, “So judge all you like! I don’t mind.” 

The toddler leans forward and picks up one biscuit in her hand, still grasping the adult’s slightly calloused hand. She’s quite dainty when she eats, Ted notices that much, and it’s oh-so clear where she got that from… 

He can practically pinpoint the moment that the sugar enters her system, that her brain is captivated by the layers of biscuit, icing and sprinkles. 

It’s the starlight in her eyes… More so the sudden widening of them, but the manager wants to feel poetic, to take this at full value. 

“Do you like them?” Trent murmurs, clearly knowing the answer. “Of course, I do!” She mumbles through her mouthful, pausing to swallow before continuing, “They’re… Amazing! So amazing! Can I write about them, dad?” 

That’s when Ted watches the shift, from Seraphina’s starlit eyes to Trent’s, the utter mention of writing leaving him with nothing but pride. 

“Oh, you can, darling… Absolutely. You’ll finish those off later, yeah?” 

“Mmm, wanna write…” Seraphina replies, moving over to place her in the living room. She sits on the floor with her pens and pencils already scattered about, and gets to it. 

That leaves the two adults to talk. 

Ted starts by scratching the back of his head, an overwhelming pride filling him, too, “Goshdarnit,” He sighs, “She is the cutest thing… And the biscuits, too. Such high praise.” 

“Might sneak a taste in, later.” Trent hums, folding his hands behind his back. His expression then changes, folding itself into something… Neutral. It’s more sincere, so the coach thinks. “Thank you for coming here. For not… Backing out. I don’t know what to tell you, Ted. It’s nice to have company, especially on her birthday.” 

He shrugs it off with his usual, “Oh, it’s nothing!” But steps closer to Trent with a laugh, “No, seriously, she is so precious, deserves the bestest birthday, if you ask me.” 

The bestest birthday… The words ring in the journalist’s head, and by the time he finishes thinking about them, he’s wrapped up in a hug. 

A warm, cosy, meaningful hug. 

Trent slowly wraps his arms back around Ted, letting out a hum in acknowledgement. He doesn’t mind how the other is quite a bit taller than him, so he’s sinking into his arms… It’s almost as though he’s being protected. 

Nevertheless, when Ted’s fingers linger near his hair, barely just brushing some strands, he doesn’t feel overwhelmed. Instead, it’s a very careful, very gentle sort of thing. After all, it’s clear as day that the manager likes his hair, no matter what form it takes. 

They stay like that for a long time, especially because, at one point, Ted tightens the hug ever-so slightly, and Trent reciprocates… 

Because nothing is easy in life. 

If the journalist knew any more about his circumstances, well… Then he’d know everything, not just the facade he puts up with every passing day. 

“I needed to get out,” He mumbles, fingers still grazing Trent’s hair, gently tracing over a particular bow clip, “Out of my head, out of that flat, out of my office. I was lucky enough to make it here without gettin’ lost, and confused, and–” 

“Ted.” Trent replies, pulling out of the hug slightly to see his face, to see him opening up, scared, “You’re alright. You’re the most thoughtful, most positive, most persevering person I’ve known. If there’s anything out there, troubling you, which there is… Then I know you’ve got a way to combat it. I’d recommend you take it slow. No point in going fast to reach a poor end.” 

“No point in going fast to reach a poor end…” Ted whispers, cracking a smile now, “I like that one.” 

Trent smiles too, and it’s a smile that reaches his eyes. “I had a strong feeling you would.” 

***

When the football coach leaves, determined to get home and start planning for the final game of the season, Trent reluctantly lets go. 

Of course, he, more than anyone, understands the importance of working… But after all this? 

He could’ve stayed like that forever, and knows that Ted could’ve, too. 

The door closes behind him. 

Trent knows, however, on a happier note, that they’ll text, that they’ll see each other in the press room. Maybe they’ll have coffee out somewhere, or he’ll pop over to Ted’s flat for a favour in return. 

Because… He might just be wanting, seeking something that he doesn’t quite know how to define. 

But, it clearly resides inside Ted Lasso. 

***

“Do you mind sharing with me?” 

There are two biscuits left. 

Seraphina’s pouting, her response of, “Fiiiine, Daddddd…” spewing the same sentiment. 

That sentiment being: They’re my biscuits! Ted gave them to me. It’s my birthday, Dad!!!

But Trent just laughs it off, taking a photo of the biscuit packet first, before eating one of the biscuits. 

Small, round, crumbly, almost shortbread-like, and sweet! 

“Yum…” He ends up saying without realising it, and Seraphina just laughs. 

“You love his biscuits too!” 

“I do.” Trent says once he’s swallowed the mouthful, “God, I really do…” 

He kisses his daughter on the forehead and folds the lid over the biscuit packet, placing the box in the cupboard. Seraphina frowns. 

“We’ll have that one tomorrow, alright?” 

“... Fine, Dad.” 

***

Trent Crimm: Photo Attached

Trent Crimm: These take the cake, Ted, really. 

Trent Crimm: Almost glad we didn’t have cake. Thank you again, for everything. 

Ted Lasso: Damn, you’re welcome!! I should be thanking you, seriously, though. 

Ted Lasso: I know there’s a lot up ahead, but today… 

Ted Lasso: … 

Ted Lasso: It really flipped a certain switch in my brain. Just a little. So good to see a new perspective. 

Trent Crimm: Glad I could help. I mean that, by the way. 

Trent Crimm: … 

Trent Crimm: <3

***

Ted searches up the emoticon at the speed of light. Because it’s not as simple as decoding a smiley or frowny face. 

An analogue heart. 

It makes Ted feel warm and fuzzy. Warm and fuzzy in a way that’s like Christmas, with a fireplace on, and cinnamon, and presents. 

It makes Ted feel… Appreciated. 

Because as much as he tells others he feels the sentiment, it doesn’t always get sent back to him. 

This is heart, literally and metaphorically. This is meaningful. This is caring. 

He takes a deep, slow breath, and lets it go. 

Ted Lasso: Thank you. 

Ted Lasso: Truly. 

Ted Lasso: But I’m gonna go to sleep now. Goodnight, Trent Crimm from The Independent! 

Trent Crimm: Goodnight, Coach Ted Lasso from America.

Ted Lasso: Oh wait

Ted Lasso: One more thing 

Ted Lasso: <3

[wizardiest-wizard-of-oz]

if anyone wants I have a musicals playlist that's over 200 hours that has I think around 205 musicals here's an alphabetized list let me know if I'm missing any I should add (I don't like Andrew lloyd Webber musicals and I'm also not a huge fan of jukebox musicals more specifically mamma Mia) and if anyone wants a link please ask me

13

21 Chump Street

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

35MM

36 Questions

42nd Street

The Addams Family

Aida

Aladdin

Alice by Heart

Allegro

Amelie

Anastasia

Ani

Annie Get Your Gun

Annie

Anything Goes

Avenue Q

Back to the Future

Bat Boy

Beauty and the Beast

Beetlejuice

Be More Chill

The Big One-Oh

Billy Elliot

Black Friday

Bombshell

Bonnie and Clyde

Book of Mormon

Brigadoon

Bring it On

Once More With Feeling (Buffy musical)

Bugsy Malone

Bye Bye Birdie

Cabaret

Camelot

Carousel

Carrie

Catch Me if You Can

A Catered Affair

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Chess

Chicago

A Chorus Line

Cinderella (Rodgers and Hammerstein)

The Colour Purple

Come From Away

Company

Crybaby

Curtains

Damn Yankees

Days of Wine and Roses

Dear Evan Hansen

Desperate Measures

Dog Man

Dreamgirls

Dreamland

Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog

Drowsy Chaperone

Duolingo on Ice

Elegies

Epic (all released sagas)

Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Falsettoland

Falsettos Revival

Firebringer

Flora the Red Menace

Follies

Fosse

Frankenstein

Frozen

Fun Home

Funny Girl

A Funny Thing Happened

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

Grand Hotel

Grease

The Great American Trailer Park

Grey Gardens

Gutenberg

Guys and Dolls

The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals

G*psy

Hadestown (broadway)

Hadestown (off broadway)

Hairspray

Hair

Hamilton

Harmony

Heathers

Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Hello Dolly

Honk

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (this one is just for Patrick page)

How to Dance in Ohio

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

Hunchback of Notre Dame

In the Green

In the Heights

Into the Woods

In Trousers

It Shoulda Been You

Jekyll and Hyde

Kimberly Akimo

The King and I

Kinky Boots

Kiss of the Spider Woman

Legally Blonde

Lempicka

Les Miserables (english and french)

The Lightning Thief

The Lion King

Little Do They Know

The Little Mermaid

A Little Night Music

Little Shop of Horrors (english and german)

Little Women

Lizard Boy

Love in Hate Nation

Love's Labours Lost

Mad Ones

Make Me a Song

Mame

A Man of No Importance

March of the Falsettos

Marguerite

Martin Guerre

Mary Poppins

Matilda

Mean Girls

Merrily We Roll Along

Miss Saigon

Monty Python's Spamalot

The Music Man

My Fair Lady

My Heart Says Go

My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do)

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812

Nerdy Prudes Must Die (I only have one song because I'm waiting to watch it with my friend before adding more)

A New Brain

Newsies

New York, New York

Next to Normal

Nightmare Time

Nine

Octet

Oklahoma

Oliver

Once On This Island

Once Upon a Mattress

Only Murders in the Building (Death Rattle Dazzle)

The Pyjama Game

Parade

Pippin

The Prince of Egypt

Prodigal

The Producers

The Prom

Ragtime

Ride the Cyclone

The Rink

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Schmigadoon

Schmicago

Scottsburo Boys

Seussical

She Loves Me

Sherlock

Shrek

Shucked

Six

Smash

Some Like it Hot

Something Rotten

The Sound of Music

South Pacific

Spiderman Turn off the Dark

The Spitfire Grill

Spongebob

Spring Awakening

Starship

State Fair

Sunday in the Park with George

Superhero

Sweeney Todd

Sweet Charity

The Theory of Relativity

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Tick Tick Boom

The Time Traveller's Wife

The Trail to Oregon

Twisted

Urinetown

A VHS Christmas Carol

The Visit

Waitress

Wait Wait Don't Kill Me

West Side Story

Wicked

Water for Elephants

Wizard of Oz

The Wiz

Zombie Prom

Zorba

[fandxmslxt69]

*cha chas in*

Ok...let's do some book recs, since I'm on a book kick!

Tropes I love-

Arranged Marriage

Grumpy x Sunshine

And There was One (1) Bed!!

He Falls Harder

Not a trope, but gorgeous writing

Things that give me the ick in books, including triggers: female protagonists who aren't like other girls , cheating (there are a few rare exceptions like White Horse, Black Nights by Evie Marceau, either way, if the main couple cheats on or with each other especially if one party already has a loving supportive partner/spouse, I will burn the book down and rate it one star), suicide, when cats or dogs die.

HI :DDDD

im FINALLY getting out of the reading slump so LETS DO THIS EEEE!!!

first of all LOOOOOOOOOVE the tropes you're into!!! those are my prime ones too!!!

My first rec would be any Ana Huang book - she's a well known romance author and her books are what really got me into romance!!!!! For specific tropes like marriage of convenience/fake dating & grump x sunshine, I would mostly suggest:

Twisted Lies. Fake dating. Billionaire. TW: there's a subplot of the female lead being stalked, the male lead is...of a questionable moral ground lmao.

King of Wrath (its her second series). MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE. grump and sunshine hehehe <33 (HE'S SOOOO GRUMPY IT MAKES ME FERAL???) again, billionaires. looots of "dont touch my wife >:(" hot sex is a must in all Ana Huang books and she DEFINITELY delivers in this one???? again, morally questionable male lead

There's also Lauren Asher who has 2 finished series, and is currently one book (with the second coming SO SOON) into her third!!! Her first series is an F1 romance series so if you're into that, def check it out. but for the tropes you like, I would go for:

Terms and Conditions (book 2 of the Dreamland Billionaire series). Marriage of convenience. you cannot get more grump x sunshine than this one!!!!! DONT TOUCH MY WIFEEEEEEEEEEEE. so so so good and juicy and its soooo freaking!!! i cant describe it!!! but its so beautiful and the characters are amazing and the romance is just PEAKKK.

if you're into something more dark (like...dark.) then:

Twisted by Emily McIntire: first of all ALL her books are DELICIOUS - this book specifically is part of her Never After series, which is currently 5 books (with the 6th on the way!!) based on Disney/Fairy Tale stories, but its like...what if the villain got the girl??yknow??? its NOT retellings, it just uses concepts and vibes! For instance, Twisted is Aladdin "based", using concepts like the magic lamp, character dynamics and overall vibes!! its a DARK. i must make it clear, DARK!!! marriage of convenience enemies (toxic kind) to lovers vibe. its DARK. so the romance is a little messed up but its SO FLIPPING GOOOOOD

All her books are great if you want to look into them. 10/10 10/10

ONE BED TROPES???

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas. She does have a book before that but its not very good so ignore it. THIS ONE. THIIIIIIS ONE!!!!!!! its not fake dating...EXACTLY....BUT. our lead girl wrote a hit romance novel (under a fake name) and is CERTAIN she'll only ever be a one hit wonder bc she cant seem to write a second one to secure herself a contract deal!!! her best friend's cousin needs to crash somewhere and so she offers her place (actually her best friend's place bc her place is damaged or smth) turns out this cousin happens to be the guy who was SUPPOSED to be her date to her best friend's wedding!!!!! but he ditched. anyway they get into an arrangement where she lets him stay with her, he helps her to "rekindle the flame" and get back into touch with romance via....practice dates (WE ALL KNOW HOW THOSE GO???) anyway SOOOO CUTE SOOO FLUFFY hot smut, 10/10 5 star book. one bed trope bc they. share a bed.

i need to note that in all the previously mentioned books, he ALWAYS falls harder. ALWAYS. and i love most of these bc the female leads are SO relatable (delusional (like me), know a gorgeous man when they see one, funny as hell)

anyway yeah thats what i've got!!! all those authors are AMAZING and have books to satisfy any trope you are hungry for, so if you pick up any of these recs and actually enjoy them, i hope you read more of their work <333

[dantesleftball]

Nero…getting outed by Dante. Then Nero gets royal treatment from the twins. I really need to work on my titles

Fanfic/drabble/random idea inspired by yourdailywritingprompt on tiktok!

If you are confused about their ages, I wrote this as if dmc5 happened much sooner after dmc4 than it canonically did. Think Nero is around 18 in this.

It was a great idea. A glorious one, if Dante can say so himself. It's July after all, the weather so hot it could practically melt the skin off your bones. In this kind of unbearable heat, Dante had the bright idea to bring his family to a water park. Just to cool off. And if he got to dunk his adorable nephew into a big body of water? That's just a bonus.

So, off Dante went, proposing the idea to his brother and that random kid that just hangs around the Devil May Cry. He's met with instantaneous rejection, even having to dodge a miscellaneous projectile that definitely did not come flying from Vergil. But somehow, through some miracle, the two ended up accompanying Dante to the park with the promise of ice cream to Nero and cleaning the house for a whole week to Vergil.

The idea of a water park didn't sit right with Nero. Not at all. A place where he was expected to wear minimal clothing, probably take his shirt off and out himself in front of his father and uncle? He had no idea where his family stood on that topic, and he wasn't about to risk losing the good relationship he finally has with them over a stupid water park… And why was Dante eyeing him like that?

He figured that arguing against the prospect would only make him look more suspicious so he had to settle on going, but keeping his shirt on and staying very clear of the water. His binder does it's job rather perfectly under normal circumstances, but if his white shirt were to get soaked…yeah he'd rather not think about that.

The park was surprisingly vacant upon their arrival. There were a few other families alongside them and a few elderly couples, but other than that it was pretty empty. Weird, guess people usually avoid the mid-day sunburn huh? Nero took the chance to find a nice place in the shade to set down their bags while Vergil pulled out his leather bound book and sat on a sunbed. He looked around to see Dante immediately take off his shirt and jump into one of the pools that had a clear sign up with "Jumping Prohibited". He waited out the small waves his uncle created and sat down on the edge of the pool, his legs soaked up to the knee.

"You're not going in?" Dante floated towards him and shook his head like a wet dog, leaving a grimace on Nero's face.

"...Nah, I'm not a fan of swimming. I'll leave all the pink eye to you."

"Ha, ha, what a courtesy. Fine, if you don't swim, at least drag your old man over here for me? God knows he hasn't had a moment to relax since we came back from hell."

"Are you sure making him swim around in a large body of water is going to relax him?"

"...Just bring him over?"

Nero sighed but got up from his spot and started walking towards Vergil, still very much wearing his coat and reading his book. In like 30 degrees weather (we're using celsius here, but since I'm not an asshole that's like 86 f for you americans).

"…Uh-"

"Go tell Dante that I'm not walking all that way for him to just pull me into that despicable public pool and make a fool of me. I am just fine sitting here until he gets tired of swimming around like an excitable dog."

"And why don't you go tell him yourself?"

Vergil peers over the edge of the book up at Nero and glares at his question. For all he's trying to look intimidating, it takes all of the son's willpower to not laugh and point out how much he looks like a grumpy cat.

"I won't be your message boy."

"Nero you're killing me. You're killing your father."

"...You're insufferable."

Nero shook his head and turned on his heels, walking back to where Dante is happily floating on his stomach. With his head under the water. Huh, was it always that easy to get rid of him?

He stretched his leg out over the edge of the pool and shoved his uncle's side, effectively pushing him under the water and sending him into a small panic, flailing his arms and trying to stand upright.

"Remind me why we're keeping you around?"

"Because that one still hasn't paid child support." He gestured over his shoulder back at Vergil, who, sensing the mention, glared at them like the upset cat he was once again.

"And why won't mister grumpy pants come here and cool off instead of dying in that godforsaken coat of his?"

"Beats me. Probably doesn't like the water. I'm not going in either, you'll have to be the wet dog of this crew. Kinda like Scooby Doo."

"Don't you Scooby Doo my ass, I'm not worthy of that title." Dante looked over at Nero with a worrying look that had the teen scoot back a step, but before he could retort, Dante moved to get out of the pool.

"Come on, let's convince your dad the water isn't evil."

Nero nodded and got up from the edge of the pool, eyeing Dante suspiciously for a moment. When the older one didn't give any sign that he was up to any stupid pranks, Nero had made the fatal mistake of turning his back on his uncle.

Almost as soon as the kid turned around, Dante charged towards him and picked him up easily from underneath his arms, hoisting him up into the air.

"Dante, put me the fuck down right now. I'm not joking. Dante put me down. I'll start kicking where you don't want me to kick, Dante, put me the fuck down now!"

And true to his uncle personality, Dante did not put him down. Instead, he turned around and dangled Nero over the edge of the pool for a few moments with a shit eating grin on his face.

"D'aww, is the big bad Nero scared to get his hair wet? Ouch, hey, watch it, don't bite my arm!"

"Dude, put me down, this isn't fucking funny you old fart-"

"That's it, have a good dunk."

And with that, Dante dropped the teen into the pool, only a sliver of remorse passing through his mind at the possibility that maybe Nero didn't know how to swim. But that's stupid, even if he can't swim, Dante would just dive in to get him out.

But to his surprise, the kid did know how to swim. In fact, he knew how to swim so well that he was out of the water and trying to hurry back into the changing rooms as quickly as possible. He exchanged a confused look with Vergil, who only seemed even more pissed at the fact that he had upset his son. Oops. Dante raised his hands and shrugged, nodding his head in the direction of the disappearing teen who…seemed to be shaking? Had the water been that cold? He walked back towards his twin with a worried expression.

"Uh…is Nero okay?"

"You just threw him into the pool."

"Yeah but that's something that makes you get out and push the other person in! It's supposed to be fun, not make the kid run with his tail between his legs. Why would that upset him so much?"

Vergil sighed and lowered his book, thinking about his son's behavior.

"...You really are thick skulled. Maybe he doesn't like being surprised or picked up. Give him some time for now. I'll go see what's wrong if he doesn't come back in a few minutes."

With that, Dante went to sit on the opposite sunbed, sulking. When five, then ten minutes passed, Vergil put his book down completely and got up from his seat, looking around the park. Without a word, he started in the direction of the changing rooms, then knocked slowly on the door. When he received no response, he pushed the door, confused to find the room empty. That is, until his hearing picked up a small sniffling sound coming from the bathroom. He sighed once more and took the few steps towards the cramped room, giving the door a couple of tentative knocks.

"Nero? Are you in there?"

The sniffling abruptly stopped and he heard the shuffling sounds of someone hurrying to make themselves presentable.

"Uh, yeah, I am!"

"Is…is everything okay?"

"Yep, better than ever! I'll be out in a few minutes, don't wait for me. I'm sure Dante is going to push you in next so be careful."

Vergil clicked his tongue. It was clear the kid wasn't okay, he was trying to divert his attention from himself and he seemed to lack a certain annoyance towards the man who just threw him into the pool and made him cry. He was so going to strangle Dante.

"Your uncle and I were thinking of leaving soon, actually. Nero, why are you crying?"

Nero cursed silently the damn demonic hearing that picked up on every little detail. He pinched his nose bridge and tried not to sound extremely annoyed the next time he spoke.

"Look, I'll be out in a few, okay? You go back to Dante."

"Nero, I would like to know if you were hurt in any way. Can I come in?"

"No! Don't-" he took a moment to clear his throat, his stupid voice breaking in the worst moment. "Don't come in. I'm fine. Just leave me alone."

"...Nero. While I respect your privacy, I am worried. I need to see that you are unharmed."

"Please. Please don't."

"Can you please come out, Nero?"

"..."

The soft click of the door was the only response that met Vergil as his son stepped out of the bathroom, visibly soaked to the bone but otherwise safe. While looking him over, Vergil realized why his son insisted on not coming out of the bathroom. His gaze left that area and when he looked into the teen's eyes, the dams broke. Nero's eyes were bloodshot, fearful and…tired. Tired of hiding himself, perhaps? Tired of people overstepping his boundaries? Tired of…himself?

The next thing Nero did was to sink down to the floor and bring his knees up to meet his forehead. There was no use in muffling his sobs now but he did it anyway. It was over now. What little he managed to mend the relationship with his father was for absolute naught, Vergil would visibly cringe at the confession, maybe even physically recoil and, if he wasn't trying to keep himself from breaking apart, he would have laughed at the image. He was going to reject him, maybe leave him behind a second time, why not? People have all sorts of reactions to this kind of stuff, he was expecting it, he was ready for it, nothing would hurt him if he just expected it-

And yet, what he hadn't expected was for Vergil, for his father, to sit down next to him and pull him into his side for a hug. Nero didn't even manage to flinch or fight it, in fact, he was grateful for the warmth and comfort. He mindlessly leaned into his father's hug and hid his face in the other's chest, much like an overwhelmed child.

Vergil pulled his son closer, his hand on the back of the teen's head. Truth be told, he had no idea if Nero understood his actions, if he understood that he did not care for what he used to be or what his body looked like. All he knew was that he had a son, and things would stay that way, unless Nero decided to change that. His son's shaking made a piece of his heart break so he kissed his temple in hopes it would help the both of them.

After Nero had calmed down some more, Vergil used the Yamato to quickly teleport the both of them back to the Devil May Cry. He made sure his son was wrapped into the softest blanket they had lying around and the hot chocolate he made was the right temperature before he left to bring Dante back. He had half a mind to let him figure out how to get back on his own, but Nero had asked him to bring him back and, well, there's only so much a man can resist is there?

As soon as he saw him, however, Vergil took it upon himself to smack his twin upside the head for the idiocy he had displayed that day. Dante yelped, rubbed his head and apologized to Vergil for hurting Nero. He tried to inquire as to why what he did had upset the kid so bad but Vergil only scoffed before slicing the space matter with his blade.

"It's up to him to decide if he wants to tell you or not. Your responsibility is to apologize. And you will, but not tonight. Let him rest."

"I have to say, Vergil, for all your cold exterior you make a pretty good dad."

"Step through the portal, Dante."

Vergil even had the courtesy to teleport the younger twin straight to his own room and avoid having the kid face him again that evening. For the rest of the night, the older twin sat with his son on the couch, watching the shittiest movies Nero could find and refilling his hot chocolate before the teen could even realize his cup was empty. Once he had fallen asleep, Vergil made sure to carry him back into his room. Carefully, as to not wake him up, he tucked his son into bed and kissed his forehead before leaving the room.

I was going to write more but this was getting pretty long so! I decided to split it into two parts. I'm probably going to write Dante's part anyways, but let me know if you'd like to read it!

[mouseymousey]

Food Rant??

Imma be mad if y'all are being tricked by food companies so here....

Topics covered: instant coffee, "raw milk", double hydration / gatorade, and nitrate free meats

If you are stuck depending on instant coffee, you can get a Vietnamese Metal Coffee Filter to make coffee with hot water and coffee grounds. It's a great alternative if you only have hot water or don't have a coffee machine or stovetop. They range at about 7ish American dollars for a cheap one. Robusta beans are a form of coffee bean that is "cheaper" than other coffee beans and are often used in instant coffee, an already cheap product. The global prices for coffee beans can be pretty low compared to the labor of them, so being able to buy from a trusted company is really important. If you wanted to try a different coffee from a different brand, hopefully now you can. That or doing something like switching to tea or a less labor-intensive product can help farmers a lot. :D

Read More (3): https://stories.publiceye.ch/nestle-coffee/ (public eye), https://www.nestle.com/ask-nestle/human-rights/answers/paying-coffee-farmers-mexico-fair-prices (nestle directly), https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/mexico-coffee-farmers-accuse-nestlé-of-a-ruthless-purchasing-policy-they-cant-afford-basic-needs-response-from-nestlé/ (Business + Human Rights Center)

This one is more influencers.... :/

A fortified food is a food where an important nutrient has been added, usually to prevent disease or malnourishment. For instance, many milks are fortified with Vitamin D. Vitamin D does not occur naturally in milk, BUT it is super important for the absorption of calcium. One of the main ways most people get calcium is through milk products, and Vitamin D deficiency is REALLY REALLLLLLY common. Decades ago, so was calcium deficiency which hurt a lot of people's health. To prevent that calcium in milk from not being absorbed, Vitamin D is added (usually by government regulation in a lot of places but it's also super common otherwise).

Plus, a lack of Vitamin D has other health problems associated with it like depression and cancer.

I hate when people say "raw milk" is healthier for you because it's "unprocessed". I'm so sad about it. A "process" is literally anything that people do to the ingredients of a food before selling it. "Unprocessed" means an unfinished product. Unprocessed foods aren't always dangerous or anything, but milk is kind of the exception. Yes, the chance of "raw milk" itself hurting you is pretty low, but you're avoiding all the things that make milk so healthy. People put so much effort into making you that processed milk. :'(

Unfortunately, "Nutritionist" isn't a designated term for a healthcare professional. Someone is often just trying to sell you a brand or lifestyle.

Read More (2): (both from NIH) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532266/ (VD Deficiency), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6116165/ (About Fortified Milk)

Gatorade, Double Hydration, and other hydration drinks rely on Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT). ORT is a rehydration technique involving salt, sugar, and water which all need to be absorbed together. The solution can often be made at home.

Recipe: 6 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and one liter of water (it can vary from place to place because different areas have different intakes of salt and sugar in their diets but it's mostly the same)

It won't have the same flavor though. It's just important to know the basic science behind those drinks and that they're easy to make at home, so you can if you need.

Read More (2): (both from NIH) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9464461/ (basics), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3043760/ (current advances)

Here's a bonus article about meat labeled "nitrate free" from the American Institute for Cancer Research: https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/healthtalk-will-hot-dogs-and-bacon-preserved-with-celery-powder-still-increase-my-cancer-risk/

...they have the same health risks and they're LITERALLY not nitrate free because *cELerY sAlt

*celery salt

[farharbour]

oc interview

i was tagged by @hibernationsuit, thank u!! 🫂💖 i'll tag umm @mercuryislove @reaperkiller & @bisexualocs! don't feel obligated to do it though lol. anyone else who wants to do this can just say i tagged u, idm :)

i'm doing this for jess because i'm predictable asf:

name: jesse diresta

nickname(s): jess, blue (by piper, it annoys him but not enough to ask her to stop using it)

gender: trans man (he/him)

star sign(s): cap sun (cusp) + pisces moon + virgo rising (yes i picked his star signs first then gave him a birthday to match nghfjdhdf)

height: 6' / 183 cm.

orientation: bisexual / polyamorous but he's not weird about it

nationality/ethnicity: american (italian; his nana (maternal grandmother) immigrated from italy)

fave fruit: kiwifruit, but honestly post-war he's just happy to get any fresh produce at all LOL

fave season: spring for sure! winter is very hard on him emotionally & there's something comforting about the warmth and life that the spring brings. somewhere in there there's a metaphor about growth healing and rebirth or w/e

fave flower: poppies

fave scent: allspice, sandalwood, lemon-scented disinfectant/hand sanitizer (unnecessarily specific, sowwy)

coffee, tea, or hot chocolate: black coffee. it's different post-war and harder to make a good batch even with pre-war beans but he'll still never take it with sugar

avg. hours of sleep: between 4-6

dog or cat person: neither, he's a fish person NHFDFNDHFD

dream trip: he'd always wanted to go visit italy but unfortunately that's not in the cards for him because of the whole. y'know. apocalypse thing.

fave fictional character: any dostoevsky protagonist (his fave book is probably the brothers kramazov) (king of reading!). he also has a soft spot for the silver shroud since that was terri's ult favourite character/series.

number of blankets they sleep with: just one! he runs cold but nick always gives off enough ambient heat for him to be comfy with a single blanket

random fact: he's not that great at hacking terminals, he's just super lucky with guessing the correct passcode and passes it off as pure skill if anyone asks / tangential thought: sometimes he messes up an easy terminal on purpose or acts like it's harder than it actually is just so he can watch nick do it for him and swoon over how smart and talented he is when he very well could have done the same thing LOL and nick knows when he does it too obviously but he plays along. it's flirting

[houseofbrat]

I can’t believe people are getting worked up over Tom Bower’s new article in the DM. 

@helenaaurellia​ was right. Bower is being misleading with his article on Charles, and his hatred of Charles is very obvious. Charles is the only one whose “cheating” matters in the world according to Bower. Diana’s cheating--which happened before Charles’--doesn’t even merit a mention in his column. James Gilby? Barry Mannakee? Who? 

Why let the facts get in the way of the story in Bower’s column. 

This paragraph right here should tell you that Bower is just having fun with the current circus:

As someone who has climbed the very greasy pole that leads to success in the dog-eat-dog world of American television, Meghan can smell weakness a mile off and Charles positively reeks of it.

Harry’s wife was never a success in American television. Bower knows it but is instead choosing to be misleading. Harry’s wife only got her fifth billing on a basic cable show via husband named Trevor. “Climbed the very greasy pole”? As if! Even Harvey Weinstein wouldn’t have anything to do with her! 

And Harry’s wife cannot “smell weakness a mile off.” She’s a crazed lunatic, even by Hollywood standards. Harry’s wife just is bombarding the royal rota reporters with her statements, which Fleet Street goes on to print because they know they can get people worked up over things that aren’t going to even happen.

If Bower was really being honest, he’d say that Harry’s book promotion is great for everyone who writes about the British royal family. Now everyone is paying attention to what the reporters have to say. It’s a royal beat reporter’s dream because currently they’re in hot demand! 

Continuing The Circus is in the best interests of Tom Bower. That’s why he wrote his column. Three to four weeks from now, life will have moved on. The Circus will have moved to another town, and what was once an outrage to certain people will be unimportant. 

So many people are proving themselves to be suckers these days, just as I said earlier today. 

[creedslove]

Mari! Can you tell us a bit about your country? I've never been there before.

Where is everyone else from?

Absolutely my love! What exactly do you want to know about it?!

I am from Brazil, I live in the south of the country, which means that when it's hot IT IS HOT and when it's cold IT IS COLD 😄

Well, Brazil is really big, and unfortunately I haven't been able to travel through it but there's incredible, fascinating and beautiful places around the country, just as there are bad places too; there's a lot of crime in here and some negative stuff, but I guess there's that everywhere in the world 😢

Brazilian people are overall very nice and outgoing, we can be very warm and friendly and something I'm particularly very proud of is that we take showers everyday and we have the habit of brushing our teeth like at least three times a day and stuff like that, I know it sounds dumb but there's places in the world some people don't do that and it's just so ?????????!!!!!!!!!!

The country's passion is pretty much soccer and soap opera (I'm addicted to soap operas and I binge watch them like most people binge watch series on netflix; I don't mean to brag, but our soap operas are the best in the world, the quality of production, screenwriting and acting is very noticeable) our cinema is incredible and well, I take you have watched narcos, so you are family with our man wagner moura right?

We also have very diverse music, there's music for everyone, all the genres and kinds... You name it, we got it!

Our food is THE BEST in the world!!! We have so many typical dishes that are just breathtakingly delicious and we also improve a lot of foreign recipes, such as strogonoff that came from russia and ours is much better or a simple hot dog (my american friends, us, people from brazil pity you all whenever we see your hot dog, because ours is WAY bigger and full of a bunch of delicious ingredients xD)

Our literature is also top notch, I confess that I don't really read the classics very much such as Machado de Assis or José de Alencar, but I do love Augusto dos Anjos and his poetry (he's published only one book called 'me' and it's wholesale) and of course, one of my favorite authors of all time, the controversial Nelson Rodrigues 😍

And well baby, I would be glad to reply to any other questions you have about my country! And about people who follow me are from all around the world! I know for a fact I have American, european, latin american people following me and such :) what about you? Where are you from?

Forgive me if I forgot some place or if I wrote anything wrong or added something I shouldn't have, I have never been great at geography and I haven't had a geography class in almost ten years so cut me some slack xD